Treasure fish

"??"

"Xiao Ran?"

"The murderer who wiped out the Hong Family?"

Wei Sheng looked bemused.

Wait, how did Xiao Ran get dragged into this?

"Here's what happened..."

Che Zhenzhong hurriedly explained:

"Xiao Ran wanted to strengthen his qi and blood quickly, but he thought the ointment worked too slowly, so he went to the Fish Market in Black River Ward to buy a treasure fish..."

Treasure fish?

Wei Sheng raised an eyebrow.

He had heard Fire Ox mention them. They could be used medicinally, and every part of them was a treasure, hence the name Treasure Fish.

Used in medicinal meals, these treasure fish often replenished qi, nourished blood, softened tendons, and strengthened bones.

Their medicinal properties were also mild and balanced, and they were easy to prepare in medicinal meals, making them highly popular among martial artists.

But treasure fish were hard to find, and demand had always outstripped supply.

Wei Sheng had wanted to buy a Treasure Fish before, thinking it could both aid his cultivation and strengthen Wei He's qi and blood and build up his health, killing two birds with one stone.

But he had returned empty-handed from the Fish Market.

Treasure fish were rare. Often, they were sold as soon as they were caught, before they even reached shore.

"...Xiao Ran visited several fish market businesses without finding any treasure fish, but he was lucky enough to find one that had just caught one. He wanted to buy it, but the manager said someone had already reserved it. Then, somehow, he got into a dispute with the manager..."

"Xiao Ran forcibly took the treasure fish. The manager tried to stop him, and he injured him..."

"Afterward, word spread from who knows where that Xiao Ran was one of the murderers who killed the Eldest Master of the Hong Family! They even gave convincing reasons and evidence!"

"...They said his cultivation was at the third refinement, so he was strong enough to threaten the Eldest Master of the Hong Family. They also said that before the incident at the Hong Family, he had spied on their strengths and weaknesses from the Guest-Welcoming Tower..."

Good grief.

That pot of blame had been planted firmly on his head.

It all sounded so convincing.

Even I almost believed it.

But who exactly spread the news?

Brocade-Furred Rat?

The gang members at the Skybridge Branch Hall?

Or Huang Man'er, Black Vajra, and the others under Violent Bear?

Following the logic that whoever benefited most was the most suspicious, Wei Sheng suspected Brocade-Furred Rat or Huang Man'er and his companions had spread it.

After all.

Xiao Ran was their rival in the contest for the Five Tiger Generals. If he was eliminated early, they would naturally have one less formidable opponent and a better chance of winning.

"...The Hong Family Guard Team caught Xiao Ran and demanded to know why he killed the Eldest Master of the Hong Family...Xiao Ran flatly denied it...they beat him severely..."

Wei Sheng fell silent.

He had never expected something like this to happen during the few days he had spent cultivating.

"Where's Brother Fire Ox?"

Wei Sheng asked. The Hong Family Guard Team had acted so arrogantly, bullying Fire Ox's leading subordinate. Could Fire Ox swallow that insult?

"Are you here to get me to gather our men and fight the Hong Family Guard Team?!"

"No! Brother Fire Ox has already finished killing them. He cut through the Hong Family Guard Team alone and took Xiao Ran back. He wants us all to go see him."

Wei Sheng was startled.

Fire Ox was that fierce?

The Hong Family Guard Team was the Hong Family's most elite force. Most of its members were at the Skin Third Refinement, with some at the fourth refinement.

As for their captain, he was at least an expert at the Seven Refinements.

One Seven Refinements expert leading a dozen or so skin-refining martial artists, and Fire Ox had cut through them all alone?!

"Then let's hurry! We shouldn't keep Brother Fire Ox waiting."

"Right."

Wei Sheng had just stepped outside when something seemed to occur to him. He returned inside and brought Wei He along to Fire Ox's home.

"Brother Fire Ox, you have to get justice for our Xiao Ran..."

The moment Wei Sheng entered the outer courtyard, he heard a young woman crying inside.

Then he saw a garishly dressed woman tearfully pleading with Fire Ox.

On the ground between them lay a bedraggled figure covered in blood and grime.

Xiao Ran!

But compared to the high-spirited man who had hosted everyone at a banquet a few days earlier, the current Xiao Ran seemed like a different person. His expression was blank, his eyes staring vacantly at the sky. He did not even seem to notice Wei Sheng and Che Zhenzhong's arrival.

He looked as though he had lost his soul.

Wei Sheng glanced at Xiao Ran. The tendons in his wrists and ankles had all been severed. Without some extraordinary opportunity, he would never have another chance to cultivate in this lifetime.

Even living as a normal person was an extravagant hope.

"Take him back and let him recover properly. Live...a good life!"

Fire Ox took out thirty taels of silver and handed them over. The woman seemed dissatisfied and was about to say more, but Fire Ox snorted coldly. She trembled and said nothing further, accepting the silver before going to the entrance and calling two gang members over to carry Xiao Ran away.

From beginning to end, she never looked at Xiao Ran again.

Wei Sheng frowned.

The woman's behavior hardly seemed that of a relative. Only after quietly asking Che Zhenzhong did he learn that she was Xiao Ran's distant older cousin and had once funded his cultivation.

"Wei Sheng, you're here..."

The woman had been about to step over the threshold, but she glanced back upon hearing the name.

He's the Wei Sheng Lao Xu wanted to sponsor?

Hmph. Aside from his outstanding looks, there doesn't seem to be anything special about him.

And he wants to compete for the Five Tiger Generals?!

The woman sneered, turned, and left the courtyard.

"Brother Fire Ox, Brother Che said you cut through the Hong Family Guard Team...are you all right?"

Seeing Fire Ox again, Wei Sheng clearly noticed how much he had changed.

Irritable, gloomy, exhausted...

It was plain that what had happened to Xiao Ran had affected Fire Ox considerably as well.

"Hmph. Just a flock of barnyard fowl. Even if they cultivated to the Seven Refinements, how could they compare with me?"

Fire Ox smiled proudly, his words dripping with contempt for the Hong Family Guard Team.

Wei Sheng understood how Fire Ox felt.

Weiyuan Hall was the Fish-Dragon Gang's branch responsible for fighting external enemies. As one of the Five Tiger Generals serving under its hall master, Fire Ox had clashed with other gangs and lineages many times.

It was no exaggeration to say he had become one of the Five Tiger Generals through his fighting prowess. Naturally, he looked down on the Hong Family guards, who had piled up their cultivation with treasure fish and medicinal ingredients and had barely fought a few times.

"This matter ends here. The Hong Family won't use it as a pretext to stir up more trouble...

"But you've all seen Xiao Ran's condition. He won't be able to attend this Five Tiger Generals Selection. I'm planning to choose someone else from among you three..."

At these words.

Aside from Niu Yong, whose face lit up with excitement, Che Zhenzhong and Wei Sheng remained calm.

Che Zhenzhong had his family to fall back on, so he did not care whether he became one of the Five Tiger Generals.

As for Wei Sheng, Xiao Ran's cautionary example had shown him how deep the waters surrounding the Five Tiger Generals ran. He did not want to wade into that muddy water.

Before, he might have coveted the benefits afforded to the Five Tiger Generals.

But now, with two thousand taels of silver in hand, he had a little money to spare. Why risk his life? Wasn't it better to lie low and cultivate?

Fire Ox took in their reactions. He said nothing, but inwardly felt disappointed.

Of the three, Niu Yong had the weakest cultivation and was still at the first refinement. Even if he was interested, he was not qualified!

If Che Zhenzhong recovered from his injuries, securing a place among the Five Tiger Generals would not be much of a problem.

But given his temperament, he probably would not compete.

Wei Sheng still held the most promise...

Fire Ox had personally brought him up, and he possessed exceptional talent and outstanding comprehension...

He had only one shortcoming:

His cultivation was too low!

If only he were at the third refinement...

At this thought, something seemed to occur to Fire Ox, and he made his decision.

He turned and entered the rear courtyard. A moment later, he returned carrying a blue-backed, gray-tailed fish. Under Niu Yong and Che Zhenzhong's astonished, envious gazes, he thrust it into Wei Sheng's hands.

"Wei Sheng, your foundation is solid, but your cultivation is a little weak. This oxhorn pomfret is yours. Use it to strengthen your qi and blood, and strive to break through to the third refinement soon!"