But as his peripheral vision swept over the outer courtyard disciples, it was clear that many of them had not taken his words to heart.
After Mo Hong left, everyone soon dispersed to cultivate on their own.
"Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, don't take these new Qi and Blood Pills. You can't go wrong listening to Master Mo," Chen Tie reminded them.
He certainly would not risk taking the stuff.
Shen Yan grinned. "Of course. I'll definitely listen to Master Mo. Besides, I feel I'm not far from the Flesh Refining realm."
"That's our Second Senior Brother! You're about to break through so soon. I'd better keep up!" Xu Da chimed in.
Chen Tie nodded inwardly, his thirst for strength growing stronger.
Another month soon passed. During that time, five more people at the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall broke through to the Skin Refining realm, all disciples who had originally been ready to pack their bags and leave.
Mo Hong appeared a few times, his face expressionless. Clearly, he knew those disciples had all taken the new Qi and Blood Pills.
Chen Tie continued cultivating steadily. For him, every day brought progress.
He exhaled a breath of stale air and checked his condition.
[Fierce Tiger Fist, minor mastery (75/200)] [Fierce Tiger Stance Art, minor mastery (100/200)] [Resounding Viscera Blood Scripture, first layer (63/100)] [Supple Bone Palm, beginner (62/100)]
"My Fierce Tiger Stance Art really is progressing faster. Three points every day, but the cost is steep too."
Over the past month, Chen Tie had all but emptied his coffers in pursuit of rapid progress, buying large quantities of pills that replenished Qi and blood. Only with the additional support of two part-time jobs had he achieved this pace of advancement.
"But I won't have enough resources to maintain this pace from here on."
Chen Tie muttered to himself.
On the other side of the courtyard, Xiao Yue and Mo Fang spoke quietly, their gazes drifting toward the inner courtyard from time to time.
Before long, Mo Hong's hearty laughter rang out from the inner courtyard, leaving the outer courtyard disciples puzzled.
Soon, Shen Yan emerged from the inner courtyard with a momentous piece of news.
"Junior Brother Zhang Long has broken through to the Flesh Refining realm!"
Envy filled the disciples' faces at the news. Even Chen Tie could not help marveling.
A genius disciple truly was a breed apart.
"Junior Brother Zhang actually broke through again!"
"Counting the time, he only joined three months ago, and he's already reached the Flesh Refining realm!"
"We ordinary people need to rein in our thoughts. Compared to Senior Brother Zhang, we couldn't catch up even if we whipped our horses."
Xu Da could not help patting Shen Yan on the shoulder. "Second Senior Brother, you're close to breaking through too, aren't you?"
"Probably next month," Shen Yan reckoned, then changed the subject. "More and more martial artists have been breaking through lately, but the world is getting more chaotic too."
Chen Tie could not help frowning at that.
"Second Senior Brother, have you run into some trouble?"
Shen Yan quickly waved his hand. "Just some minor matters. You focus on cultivating."
In the inner courtyard's main hall.
Mo Hong looked at Zhang Long, who had just broken through, and smiled so broadly he could not close his mouth.
As a martial artist who ran a martial hall, he naturally liked talented disciples.
In this world, the master-disciple relationship was second only to that of father and son. For a martial artist running a martial hall, teaching disciples was not merely a livelihood, but also a way to find personal disciples who could inherit his mantle.
Training personal disciples was not only about having them inherit the martial hall and carry it to greater heights, but also about having someone to fend off his enemies' vengeance when he grew old.
After all, he had offended no small number of people along his martial path. If someone came knocking one day, at least he would have a disciple who could hold them off.
Thus, when he discovered that Zhang Long had reached the Skin Refining realm in just one month, Mo Hong immediately realized he was a genius.
He had therefore spared no expense in pouring resources into him, while also giving him extra instruction in private and personally guiding his cultivation.
Zhang Long was excited as well. He had never imagined he was a martial arts genius, reaching the Flesh Refining realm in a mere three months. With such cultivation, he could be considered a powerhouse even within the city.
"Thank you for nurturing me, Master. Without you, I would never have come this far."
Mo Hong grew even more satisfied at those words. A disciple with astonishing talent who was also so grateful-he was simply the best possible choice.
At the thought, he could not help imagining showing off in front of his old friends. He would surely reap a harvest of envy.
"Although you've reached the Flesh Refining realm, you must never grow arrogant or complacent. On the martial path, one peak after another still lies ahead. You must hold fast to the conviction to press courageously onward."
Zhang Long hurriedly cupped his hands. "I understand. I will follow your teachings, Master!"
"Mm. Still, martial training requires a balance of work and rest. When you have nothing to do, you can spend some time with Little Fang."
"You young people have things in common to talk about. You should interact more."
Standing beside them, Mo Fang flushed slightly at his words and quietly lowered her head.
At the sight, Zhang Long could not help feeling his blood surge, as though he could already see himself realizing his grand ambitions in the future.
In a secret chamber at the City Guard's headquarters in the inner city.
Deng Guang, commander of the City Guard, asked with a solemn expression.
"Well? What did the investigation uncover?"
His trusted aide, Du San, presented a confidential report with both hands.
"My lord, large quantities of a new kind of Qi and Blood Pill have appeared in the city over the past month or so. They're cheap and highly effective. I sent my men to pose as ordinary traveling merchants and make contact with the major pharmacies distributing them in the city. We ultimately confirmed that the supplies come from the Five Great Aristocratic Families, but we couldn't determine which particular family is supplying them. Perhaps all five are supplying them together. The largest distributors are the Peace Pharmacy and the Wealth Pharmacy. The Five Great Aristocratic Families hold stakes in both pharmacies. On the surface, the shopkeepers belong to the Xiao Family, but the Chu Family actually holds the greatest control. All the new Qi and Blood Pills enter the city aboard the Liu Family's cargo boats through the eastern docks. The Liu Family must know where the goods come from. The drug-making operation is outside the city, but we haven't found it yet."
"In addition, the Wen Family has secretly transported large quantities of armor and swords and sabers outside the city under the guise of escorting shipments and other activities, and hidden them there. The Wei Family is building a secret fortress outside the city, housing large numbers of martial artists, most of whom come from impoverished households. They're supplying them with large quantities of Qi and Blood Pills and other resources. Their cultivation rises quickly, but only as far as the Skin Refining realm. Testing has also shown that the new Qi and Blood Pills draw on the body's potential in advance and are extremely addictive. Most martial artists who later couldn't afford more of the new Qi and Blood Pills have sold themselves to the Five Great Aristocratic Families."
"Furthermore, the Five Great Aristocratic Families have sent large quantities of gold and silver into the city lord's residence. Even when outsiders come to report them, all the reports are suppressed."
Deng Guang could not help sneering. "The Five Great Aristocratic Families have no small ambition. Controlling people with drugs, stockpiling weapons, colluding with each other, bribing the city lord-it seems they want to take his place."
He leafed through the confidential report in his hand, already harboring some suspicions.
Deng Guang fell silent for a moment, then said coldly, "Just collect evidence. Don't concern yourself with anything else. We don't have enough dirt on the Five Great Aristocratic Families yet. Once they've gone completely mad and we've gathered all the evidence, we'll have proper grounds to wipe out all five in one fell swoop. There'll be no need to keep the city lord's residence around either. We'll clean it out while we're at it. This entire city need only obey my commands."
"Yes, my lord!" Du San cupped his hands and withdrew from the secret chamber.
Deng Guang turned to look at the map of Duchang City on the wall, boundless desire welling up in his eyes.
"Soon, this place will be mine!"