The next morning, Chen Ming headed toward Han Li's residence, wondering, How can I get my hands on the Heavenly Bottle?
Before long, he arrived at Han Li's residence. Boom! Despite the brilliant sunshine, thunder cracked out of a clear sky, and a bolt of lightning struck not far in front of Chen Ming.
It was as though something knew what Chen Ming was thinking and had suddenly issued him a warning.
When he stepped forward again, another thunderbolt struck. Han Li emerged from the cave to take a look and saw a figure in front of the herb field trailing wisps of smoke, his hair standing straight on end. His face was pitch-black, and he even puffed a smoke ring from his mouth.
"Is this the legendary protagonist's halo?" Chen Ming had only just conceived the thought of killing Han Li, and lightning had already blasted him into this state.
He had intended to kill Han Li in the cradle, before he had a chance to grow. This was unquestionably the best opportunity: Han Li had yet to get started with the Evergreen Technique, and he was no martial artist, merely a boy of ten or so who lacked even the strength to kill a chicken.
Seeing this, Chen Ming could only abandon the idea for the time being. He glanced at Han Li, then turned and left!
Back at his residence, Chen Ming took out the pill formula and studied it for a long time. Qi Refining Pills were actually much like Yellow Dragon Pills, except that the quantities of ingredients differed. No wonder Han Li had reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining in just four years by taking only Yellow Dragon Pills and Golden Marrow Pills!
Now that he could cultivate the Evergreen Technique himself, there was no need to scheme against Han Li at all. He only needed to focus on cultivating!
He opened the panel:
Character: Mo Juren Martial arts: Second Innate Stage Immortal cultivation: Qi Refining First Layer Cultivation technique: Evergreen Technique, first level Spirit root: false Attribute: none
The Evergreen Technique had twelve levels in all, corresponding precisely to the twelfth layer of Qi Refining. In other words, it was nothing more than a cultivation technique for the Qi Refining Realm.
In fact, before Chen Ming had transmigrated and possessed the original owner's body, the original owner had already memorized the entire Evergreen Technique by heart. Having inherited those memories, Chen Ming naturally had no need to study it again!
Chen Ming walked over to the table and pulled open a drawer. Inside were more than a dozen bottles of pills: eight bottles each of Yellow Dragon Pills and Golden Marrow Pills, with ten pills in every bottle. The original owner had prepared these for Han Li, but there was no longer any need for that!
Chen Ming picked up a bottle each of Yellow Dragon Pills and Golden Marrow Pills and went over to the bed. He opened the bottles, tipped one pill from each into his palm, and swallowed them. Then he immediately sat cross-legged and began cultivating with the Evergreen Technique.
The medicinal power dissolved in his belly, and a warm current flowed out from within. As he circulated the technique, the current followed its prescribed route through the eight extraordinary meridians, slowly flowing into his dantian!
Apart from eating, drinking, and relieving himself, Chen Ming spent almost every day cultivating. A month slipped by unnoticed, and he used up three bottles of pills. As impurities were expelled from his body, his Evergreen Technique reached the second level, and his cultivation reached the second layer of Qi Refining.
Chen Ming hurriedly stripped off his clothes and went into the room to wash the impurities from his body. He felt considerably lighter. Finding a mirror, he saw that he looked much younger, now appearing to be only in his thirties and exceptionally handsome. Mo Juren himself had been an extraordinarily handsome man in his youth.
Time hurried past, and four years passed in the blink of an eye. Han Li and Zhang Tie occasionally came over to find books to read, and Chen Ming offered them a little guidance from time to time. During this period, Han Li cultivated the Evergreen Technique to the third level, while Zhang Tie brought his Elephant Armor Skill to the sixth level, reaching the standard of a first-rate martial artist!
After Chen Ming finished the Yellow Dragon Pills and Golden Marrow Pills, however, he switched to Qi Refining Pills. His cultivation had now reached the seventh Qi Refining layer, the same level Yu Zitong had previously attained!
Mo Juren had likewise cultivated the minor spells at the end of the Evergreen Technique to minor accomplishment!
One day, Chen Ming casually summoned Han Li and Zhang Tie. He instructed Han Li to cultivate diligently on the mountain, then took Zhang Tie down the mountain with him!
Lan Province was the eighth-largest of the Yue Kingdom's thirteen provinces, but in terms of wealth, it ranked second, behind only Xin Province. Situated in the southern Yue Kingdom, it had fertile land and countless waterways, lakes, and canals within its borders. With consistently favorable winds and timely rains as well, it was exceptionally suitable for growing rice and was the foremost grain-producing region in the kingdom.
Jiayuan City, located in central Lan Province, was not the provincial capital, but it was nonetheless the province's undisputed largest city.
The Xianglu Grand Canal, which ran north to south through the Yue Kingdom, passed through the city center. Several other major land and water routes also converged here, making transportation exceptionally convenient. It could rightly be called a hub of water transport and a vital trade artery.
Countless merchants and travelers passed through every year, greatly stimulating local commerce. It was therefore hardly surprising that Jiayuan City had become the largest city in the province.
Jiayuan City was filled with carriage firms large and small, docks, and boat operators, scattered throughout the city. The drivers, laborers, and boatmen working in these trades were as numerous as hairs on an ox, numbering in the tens of thousands!
Jiayuan City's three great gangs were the Brothers Alliance, the Amazing Flood Dragon Society, and the Heavenly Tyrant Sect. Smaller factions included the Iron Spear Society, the Sworn Brotherhood Society, the Green Robe Gang, the Spring Rain Pavilion, the Golden Sword Sect, the Cang River Boat Gang, the Vajra Sect, and the Setting Sun School!
Chen Ming brought Zhang Tie to the sect founded by this body's original owner, Mo Juren, purely to take a look!
"Master! Where are we?"
Zhang Tie could not help looking around this seaside city. Having never seen the world, he found such a bustling city immensely intriguing and bewildering. Wondering why his master had suddenly brought him here, he could not resist asking!
"I brought you out to see something of the world and help me take care of a few things along the way. Come on, your master's home is just up ahead!"
Chen Ming casually surveyed the vendors and porters around him and spotted a few somewhat familiar figures. Then he headed toward the Mo Mansion's location in his memories, replying as he walked!
Zhang Tie silently followed behind Mo Juren, thinking, So Master was homesick. I've been away from home for several years too. I wonder how things are at home. Are my parents well?
Chen Ming had not expected his few brief words to awaken Zhang Tie's desire to visit home as well.
From the moment Chen Ming entered Jiayuan City, he had drawn the attention of certain people who had been harboring schemes of their own. News that Mo Juren was still alive soon spread among the city's gangs, both large and small!
"Zhang Tie, knock on the door!"
They arrived at the Mo Mansion, where two large stone lions stood before a red-lacquered gate studded with hundreds of bronze fittings. Chen Ming stood in front of it with his hands behind his back and gave the order.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hearing this, Zhang Tie hurried forward and knocked on the bronze gate with his hand. Having grown up in the countryside, he had never seen a gate like this. Naturally, he did not know that the two bronze rings on it were meant for knocking, so he simply struck the gate itself with his hand. Otherwise, it would not have made such a loud noise!
"Who is it? Coming!"
A woman's voice sounded from within, and the gate slowly opened inward. As it opened, a beautiful middle-aged woman came into view, dressed in a pale yellow gown, with a melon-seed face and willow-leaf eyebrows. She was none other than Yan, the original owner's younger female cousin.
"Husband, you've finally returned! Sob, sob..."
Yan first looked at the tall, burly man standing before the gate. Anger rose within her, and she was about to lash out when a casual glance caught Chen Ming behind him. She froze for a moment, then rushed up to him and wrapped both arms tightly around him, speaking through her tears!
"There, there! Let's go inside and talk!"
Chen Ming gently patted Yan's back and spoke in a soft, tender voice.
"Zhang Tie, greet your master's wife!"
After soothing her, Chen Ming took Yan's hand and headed inside, speaking as he passed Zhang Tie.
"Greetings, Master's wife!"
Zhang Tie hurriedly greeted her, then followed the two of them into the mansion, his eyes constantly roaming over the luxurious residence.
"How are things now?"
Entering the main hall, Chen Ming sat in the seat of honor, then looked at Yan and asked.
"Alas! Business has grown worse and worse over the years, and the Brothers Alliance and several other factions have been suppressing us. We can only just keep things afloat."
Yan sighed softly, weariness welling up within her as she began to explain.
"Mm." Chen Ming murmured his acknowledgment, then stood, walked over to Yan, and scooped her up in his arms.
Just as he was about to head toward the room, however, a figure hurried over.