Ten Years of Inner Power

But in fact, Du Cao had the least to worry about.

After returning, he slept unconscious for two straight days. With no other option, Wang Qilin took him to the Zhang Family Medical Clinic.

Divine Physician Zhang performed a flurry of impressive treatments. Du Cao woke up, then asked the three soul-searching questions: Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?

He had lost all his memories!

There was a reason Divine Physician Zhang was renowned throughout the area. He immediately declared, "Lord Du's soul has been damaged. We physicians can only treat bodily illnesses, not injuries to the soul. Naturally, we cannot injure anyone's soul either-"

In short: nothing to do with me.

Xu Da grew anxious and hurried to the county town to find their direct superior, Greater Seal Shi Zhoushan.

Wang Qilin stayed to look after Du Cao and went to see Zhang Changgeng.

The moment Divine Physician Zhang saw him, he hurriedly waved his hands. "Lord Du's current condition has nothing to do with me. When you brought him here, his yin qi was excessive above, his lower qi rose and his pathogenic qi flowed backward, throwing his yang qi into disorder and blocking all five channels. He resembled a corpse, presenting symptoms of corpse syncope..."

"Stop, stop, stop. I'm not here to hold you responsible." Wang Qilin waved a hand. "I want to ask you about something."

"Please go ahead, Lord Wang," said Zhang Changgeng.

"Your ancestors were apothecaries in the previous dynasty. Do you know of a pill called the Heavenly Official's Blessing?"

"The Heavenly Official's Blessing Pill? Of course I do. Lord Wang, do you have a Heavenly Official's Blessing Pill?"

"I'm asking you!"

Zhang Changgeng explained succinctly, "The Heavenly Official's Blessing Pill is a spirit pill. For ordinary people, it can clear the meridians and regrow flesh on bare bones. For cultivators, it can improve their cultivation. It is said that one Heavenly Official's Blessing Pill grants a year of cultivation."

"Is it precious, then?"

"I have practiced medicine for a full sixty-year cycle, yet I have never seen one with my own eyes. Would you call it precious?"

Wang Qilin marveled, "You've been practicing medicine for sixty years, Divine Physician Zhang? Then how old are you now? You've really taken good care of yourself. You only look fifty-something."

Zhang Changgeng's expression froze. "I... I am fifty-eight."

Wang Qilin gave him a comical sideways glance.

"After so many years practicing medicine, I've grown accustomed to exaggerating," Zhang Changgeng said awkwardly.

"Then were those Nine-Herb Great Replenishing Pills you gave us last time precious?" Wang Qilin asked.

Zhang Changgeng stroked his beard proudly. "Of course they were. In all of Auspicious County, only my Zhang family can refine Nine-Herb Great Replenishing Pills."

"How much does one cost?"

"One gold zhu!"

Wang Qilin was stunned. "Give me ten."

The divine physician was stunned too. "What?"

"I'll give you some business today. Get me ten." He took out a small cloth pouch and slapped it onto the table. It clinked.

Zhang Changgeng's elderly face wreathed itself in smiles. "Lord Wang, you have done our clinic a kindness. If you need anything, you need only ask. Why bring money into it?"

Seeing Wang Qilin about to put the money pouch away, he hurriedly added, "But ours is a small business. We cannot afford to give you ten pills. We can, however, sell them to you at cost: five gold zhu."

"Ten it is," Wang Qilin said. "I, Wang Qilin, have nothing to be ashamed of before Heaven or my fellow man. When I joined the Heaven-Listening Bureau, I swore in my heart never to take a single coin or meal from the common people, nor so much as a needle or thread. I would be an honest, upright official, with clean hands and a clear conscience!"

Zhang Changgeng bowed in solemn respect. "Your integrity is admirable, Lord Wang!"

He took out a brocade box and respectfully handed it over. Wang Qilin gave him the money pouch.

Zhang Changgeng hefted it and felt that the weight was wrong. Opening it, he found ten gleaming silver zhu dazzling his eyes.

Wang Qilin picked up a brush, wrote an IOU, and slapped it down before him, his expression sincere. "I will certainly repay this within my lifetime. If I cannot, I will still have a son, and my son will repay it. If my son cannot, then he will have a son, and his son will have another son..."

Zhang Changgeng stared blankly at the IOU in his hand, then realized that he had gained another family heirloom.

Damn corrupt official!

In the battle at the Zhong Clan ancestral hall, Wang Qilin had slain nine infant spirits in total. Now nine crimson columns of smoke coiled around the Furnace of Creation.

He placed nine Great Replenishing Pills inside, and the columns of smoke turned into blazing flames.

He tucked the remaining Great Replenishing Pill safely against his body.

The next time he killed a ghost, he could gain another year of cultivation.

Xu Da had still not returned from the county town, so Wang Qilin practiced his saber techniques at the clinic.

These were skills that could save his life. He had better work hard.

Nine Heavenly Official's Blessing Pills emerged from the furnace, and his inner power soared to ten years!

He wielded the Lunar Soul-Severing Saber once more, its shrill whistles piercing the air!

Absorbed in training, he lost track of time.

A voice rang out at the doorway. "Fine saber work!"

Wang Qilin turned. A burly man with a ruddy face stood in the doorway, nodding at him.

The man had a broad mouth, a high nose, and coarse eyebrows. His black robes were embroidered with pine patterns. He was Shi Zhoushan, the Greater Seal who commanded the Heaven-Listening Bureau in Auspicious County.

Xu Da stood behind Shi Zhoushan, peeking around him and giving Wang Qilin a knowing, philosophical smile.

Wang Qilin hurriedly cupped his hands. "Wandering Star Wang Qilin pays his respects to Great Seal Shi."

"Dispense with the formalities. Where is Minor Seal Du?" Shi Zhoushan waved a hand imposingly.

Wang Qilin took him to see Du Cao. Shi Zhoushan sent everyone else outside and spent some time alone with him.

Before long, he pushed the door open and came out, his expression grim. "Tell me about the case."

Wang Qilin and Xu Da had already agreed on their account, so he calmly recounted the infant spirit case in meticulous detail.

He omitted Zhong Youfu's reincarnation, saying only that the Zhong clan's years of drowning baby girls had driven the infant spirits to seek revenge. Apart from that, he told the truth.

After listening, Shi Zhoushan sighed sadly. "You underestimated the enemy. Even I would not dare face more than a dozen infant spirits alone. Minor Seal Du suffered grievously. His fierce god perished together with the infant spirits, damaging his soul and robbing him of his memories."

He paced around the clinic courtyard with his hands behind his back, then suddenly looked up at Wang Qilin. "Strongman Xu said you were the one who finally slew those infant spirits?"

"Strongman Xu gives me too much credit," Wang Qilin said. "The infant spirits were actually burned by the yang fire produced when the fierce god exploded. I merely finished them off."

Shi Zhoushan frowned. "Infant spirits are vicious. Even scorched by yang fire, they are no easy opponents. You could handle them?"

"I have trained diligently since childhood," Wang Qilin said. "My martial skills are passable."

Shi Zhoushan nodded. "Good..."

As the word fell, he suddenly spread his arms wide and lunged fiercely, like a vicious tiger leaping across a mountain ravine!

Before his feet touched the ground, he threw a punch.

Wang Qilin had no saber in hand, leaving him unable to use any Lunar Soul-Severing Saber moves.

Fortunately, he had just gained ten years of inner power. His eyes were sharp and his hands quick, and he instinctively punched back.

When two fists met, the stronger prevailed!

Wang Qilin felt as though a temple's bell striker had slammed into him. Tremendous force surged from his fist through his entire body, sending him staggering backward!

Shi Zhoushan did not pursue. Retracting his arm, he smiled. "Quick reactions, solid skills. You've actually reached the third grade of combat strength. Very good!"

Knowing that he had been testing him, Wang Qilin cupped his hands. "I acted rashly, sir!"

Shi Zhoushan abruptly stopped smiling again and barked, "Since Qingming, evil creatures have run rampant. The Heaven-Listening Bureau is short of skilled men right now. I cannot assign another Minor Seal to your Crouching Dragon Township, so—"

"Wandering Star Wang Qilin, receive your appointment!"

"Present, sir!"

"Effective immediately, you will relinquish your office as Wandering Star and be promoted to Minor Seal!"

Wang Qilin looked sharply at Shi Zhoushan, dumbfounded.

Wasn't this a little hasty?

Beside them, Zhang Changgeng immediately cupped his hands. "Congratulations on your promotion, Lord Wang!"

Xu Da, however, grew anxious. "Uncle Shi, this brother of mine is still inexperienced..." he called to Shi Zhoushan.

"My decision is final. No one need say more." Shi Zhoushan waved a hand imposingly. "I will transfer Minor Seal Du's bloodwood seal to you for temporary use. Once the higher-ups approve your promotion documents, I will deliver your own bloodwood seal and official robes."

Wang Qilin glanced hesitantly at Xu Da. "Please consider this, sir. I only joined the Heaven-Listening Bureau a few days ago, whereas Strongman Xu..."

"As long as you have no objections," Shi Zhoushan said. "I have urgent business and must leave. I'm taking Du Cao with me. He can no longer remain in the Heaven-Listening Bureau. Let him retire early and return home."

He handed Wang Qilin the small bloodwood seal hanging from Du Cao's waist, hired a carriage for Du Cao, and hurried away.

Wang Qilin had yet to process what had happened. Holding the small bloodwood seal, he looked at Xu Da, his face filled with embarrassment.

Yesterday I was your brother. Today I'm your superior.

After some thought, he said to Xu Da, "I'll treat you to braised mutton."

"I want to eat at the Gathering Fragrance Restaurant!" Xu Da declared.

"Then the Gathering Fragrance Restaurant it is!" Wang Qilin said.

Xu Da was not happy, however. His broad, dark face remained miserable as he sighed.

Seeing this, Wang Qilin grew unhappy too. "Old Xu, I wasn't trying to hog the credit. If you feel awkward working under me, then..."

"Then my ass! You think I'm jealous of your promotion?"

"Aren't you?"

Xu Da stamped his foot. "You really ought to treat me at the Gathering Fragrance Restaurant. I doubt anyone but me would tell you this!"

He stepped forward, hooked an arm around Wang Qilin, and whispered, "Your life is hanging by a thread. You've become a scapegoat sent to die!"