The kraft paper unfolded, revealing the scarlet Blood Qi Powder, and a pungent stench of blood assaulted their noses. The old woman opened both packets together. When she discovered that one contained noticeably better-quality Blood Qi Powder, she froze for a moment before saying enviously:
"You truly are a born alchemist, fellow Daoist."
Not only had he achieved a fifty-percent success rate on his first attempt, but he had even produced Grade B powder.
If she had possessed such talent for alchemy, she would not have needed to sit here selling raw materials every day. The old woman wrapped the Blood Qi Powder back up, revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth, and said eagerly:
"Fellow Daoist, how about selling me all the Blood Qi Powder you make from now on? I can trade Sunflowers and Clear-Sky Grass for it, or any other medicinal ingredients you want!"
She was willing to buy.
Fu Shaoping had no reason to refuse.
After some bargaining, the two settled on a deal.
The old woman would exchange twelve sets of ingredients for five packets of Blood Qi Powder. For Grade B or even Grade A powder, she would increase her offer according to market prices.
Fu Shaoping also spent five low-grade essence stones on another five sets, bringing the total to seventeen-two more than he had expected. If he successfully refined them into Blood Qi Powder, those extra sets would effectively earn him another four low-grade essence stones, almost a month's pay.
The old woman arranged to trade again in ten days.
Fu Shaoping had considered suggesting that they meet somewhere outside the Black Market, saving him the entrance fee of ten Origin Shells each time.
But they had only met twice, after all. He knew little about her true character or cultivation, so it was still too risky. He did not want to lose the greater prize for a small gain.
He returned from the Black Market.
As he passed beneath the town's entrance archway,
he spotted Zhou Pan'er waiting for him in men's clothing.
He quickened his steps to meet her. He usually saw Zhou Pan'er in long skirts, but the long trousers and long sleeves gave her a different charm. Her legs were long and slender, and Fu Shaoping could not help stealing a couple of extra looks.
Zhou Pan'er gave him a reproachful glance.
"Lord Zhan just sent someone with a message. A floating corpse was found in Yellow Creek Village. He's already accepted the assignment and wants you to investigate what happened."
"Come on, let's take a look!"
At this, Fu Shaoping immediately turned around and headed back out through the archway.
He had been waiting for several days. Nearly ten days had passed without him completing a single assignment; it would have been a lie to say he was not fretting.
Yellow Creek Village lay downstream on the Clearflow River, which ran through the whole of Green Ox Town.
It was quite a distance away.
The journey would take six hours on foot.
"Shaoping, wait. I hired a carriage."
Zhou Pan'er turned and called for the driver to turn the carriage around. Once they had climbed inside, Fu Shaoping asked:
"Did Lord Zhan give any details?"
"No."
Zhou Pan'er shook her head.
She drew the window curtain shut as well and lowered her voice.
"Did you buy the ingredients for Blood Qi Powder?"
"Yes."
With her sitting so close, Fu Shaoping caught a glimpse of her soft, luscious lips out of the corner of his eye, and his heartbeat quickened.
Over the past few days,
Madam Jiang had already sounded Zhou Pan'er out, and she had raised no objections to an engagement. With their happy union drawing near, certain images kept slipping unbidden into Fu Shaoping's mind whenever they were together.
The carriage moved swiftly.
What would have been a six-hour walk took less than an hour, and they arrived at Yellow Creek Village.
A dense crowd of villagers had gathered at the village entrance to watch, and heart-rending wails rose from their midst. Seeing the village chief hurrying toward the carriage, Fu Shaoping turned to Zhou Pan'er.
"Sister Pan'er, stay in the carriage for now."
"Why?"
Zhou Pan'er wanted to help too.
Peering through the curtain, Fu Shaoping narrowed his eyes slightly.
"If this was murder, there's a good chance the killer will return to the scene. Stay in the carriage and help me watch the villagers outside carefully for anyone acting strangely."
"All right. Be careful yourself!"
Fu Shaoping lifted the carriage curtain and climbed down.
He wore ordinary clothes.
But he carried his Town Martial Token with him, and Village Chief Huang hurriedly bowed upon seeing it.
Walking toward the crowd, Fu Shaoping said:
"My surname is Fu. Tell me exactly what happened, Village Chief Huang."
The villagers saw Fu Shaoping display his Town Martial Token.
The noisy crowd immediately fell silent and instinctively parted to make a path.
Beneath a large locust tree,
a white-haired old woman lay over a middle-aged man, sobbing as though her heart were being torn apart. The man was soaked through, with water weeds still tangled around his feet.
The elderly village chief followed Fu Shaoping, panting, and hurriedly explained:
"My lord, this is what happened. Yesterday, Qiu Gui said he had some business in town, but he never came back that night. Today, when Zhang Chuanfu took his boat out to fish, he saw someone floating in the river. Once he pulled the body out, he discovered it was Qiu Gui, who had gone to town yesterday and never returned."
"Poor soul."
"Qiu Gui's father died just the year before last, and soon afterward his wife died in childbirth too, leaving a little baby crying to be fed. Now he's met with disaster as well. All that's left of his family is his mother, Elderly Madam Qiu, and that little toddler. How are they supposed to get by now?"
Fu Shaoping stepped forward and carefully examined Qiu Gui's body.
He found no external injuries.
Nor were there any signs of a struggle.
Fu Shaoping sniffed and frowned.
"Village Chief, did Qiu Gui drink heavily?"
"No, no. His father drank himself to death. Ever since then, he hasn't touched a drop."
Yet there was alcohol on Qiu Gui's breath.
Hearing what Fu Shaoping was getting at, Village Chief Huang said in sudden understanding:
"My lord, did Qiu Gui get drunk, lose his footing, and drown in the river?"
Qiu Gui had certainly been drinking.
But whether he had fallen in by accident remained to be determined.
Seeing that Elderly Madam Qiu had stopped crying, Fu Shaoping asked gently:
"Madam, has your son had any disputes with anyone lately?"
Elderly Madam Qiu shook her head like a pellet drum.
After his wife's death, Qiu Gui had become withdrawn, barely speaking a few sentences in an entire year. Apart from working in the fields, he spent his spare time lying beside his wife's grave. He had even built a thatched hut there and had practically lived in it for the past year.
Fu Shaoping was just thinking of going there to take a look.
Suddenly,
he stopped in his tracks.
"Madam, what did Qiu Gui go into town for?"
Before you continue