Chapter 35: Let me see how this goes!

After Zhang Shan spent a good while persuading himself, Zhang Shan finally calmed down and began to explain.

"These merit points are basically the currency of our Embroidered Uniform Guard; we couldn't possibly rely on getting tiny rewards from each mission to cultivate, otherwise we might as well go be escort guards."

"Every time we complete a mission we earn merit points, which can be exchanged at the Merit Hall for various weapons, precious fruits, elixirs, and all kinds of treasures."

"Just like that scarlet jade fruit last time, it was worth sixty contribution points."

"But how could you not know about contribution points? After you were promoted to battalion commander, someone should have told you about this..."

Suddenly, Zhang Shan thought of something, and a resentful expression appeared on his face again.

"That's right, you were promoted too fast—you had just become a battalion commander not long ago and were directly promoted to captain, and the Garrison Directorate hadn't had time to send someone to inform you."

Shen Qing's eyes lit up. "Scarlet jade fruit is only sixty points? Catching one Sun Yun gives me three hundred?"

What unexpected wealth!

"Where is the Merit Hall?"

"It's right at the right-hand side of the entrance to the Garrison Directorate."

After Shen Qing got the exact location, he exchanged a few pleasantries and then ran toward the Merit Hall.

Zhang Shan stood where he was, motionless for a long while, then turned and walked out of the Garrison Directorate.

The battalion commander hurriedly followed: "Sir, where are you going?"

"Where to? To solve a case! I also want an opportunity!"

The duty officer at the Merit Hall saw Shen Qing and immediately stood up to salute.

"Greetings, sir."

"May I ask what you wish to exchange, sir?"

Shen Qing threw his captain's token over.

"Help me check how many points I have; my name is Shen Qing."

The officer had just sat down, glanced at the token, and immediately stood up: "Greetings, Captain Shen."

He then quickly flipped through the files and soon found Shen Qing's entry.

"Sir Shen, according to the records, you still have six hundred thirty merit points."

"Capturing the White Dragon Sect remnant Liu Chengle earned one hundred contribution points, killing the White Cloud Town rebel battalion commander Sun Yan earned thirty contribution points,"

"The Ping'an Town massacre case earned twenty contribution points, exterminating the Blood Cult family of Chaoyang County earned one hundred contribution points, capturing the scout-hand Sun Yun earned three hundred fifty contribution points, oh, there's also thirty contribution points from Qiushui City."

"A total of six hundred thirty points."

The more the officer read, the more expressive his face became.

"Is this really the résumé a probationary captain should have? It's so lavish!"

"Sir Shen, what would you like to exchange?"

"Do you have any precious fruits or elixirs that can be used to cultivate true qi in the Innate Realm?"

The officer hurriedly bent down and picked up two scrolls.

"Yes, we have them."

"This white scroll contains the precious fruits and elixirs available in our Luoshui City, which can be obtained quickly."

"This green scroll lists the precious fruits available in the Garrison Directorates of other provinces, which we can also request to be allocated."

Shen Qing didn't even think, he just tossed the green scroll aside.

"Requesting allocation from another province? First you need approval: approval from the Merit Hall's captain, then approval from the Garrison Directorate's lieutenant, then the Garrison Director, then it's sent to another Garrison Directorate; after waiting a long time, you're told that side's precious fruits are gone too!"

"Then the approval is rejected, you have to pick another precious fruit and start the approval process again."

"By the time you finally get the precious fruit, the yellow flower buds have gone cold."

Shen Qing quickly flipped through the scroll; it had over a hundred pages, each recording a kind of precious fruit or elixir usable for breaking through the Innate Realm.

"This is the power of the state apparatus—ordinary sects consider having a single stable product a rich foundation, but the Wu Dynasty directly gives you over a hundred varieties."

Shen Qing didn't think much, he directly looked at the most expensive few pages.

【Snow Jade Butterfly Flower】

【Merit: one hundred ninety】

【Medicinal property mild, used for breaking through the Innate Realm, accelerates condensation of true qi, purifies true qi, taste refreshing, faint mint flavor】

Mint flavor? Good stuff, buy!

【Bitter Lotus Fruit】

【Taste bitter, cannot be dispelled for three days】

Bitter taste? Go wherever it's cool and just stay there!

【Ten Blood Elixir】

【Merit: two hundred】

【Medicinal property strong, excellent effect for purifying true qi, can also increase strength. Note: taste excellent, similar to braised beef.】

Shen Qing licked his lips, "Excellent taste? Like braised beef? Buy! I want to see how this turns out."

【Purple Dew Jade Elixir】

【Merit: two hundred twenty】

【Divine Medicine Pavilion's developed best precious elixir for the Innate Realm, taste identical to orange juice】

The best precious elixir for the Innate Realm? One bottle costs two hundred twenty contribution points?

But after buying it, only twenty contribution points remain.

But the taste is the same as orange juice, though.

Let me see how this goes!

All in!

The colonel took the ledger, recorded Shen Qing's request, and then spoke respectfully.

"Lord Shen, the precious medicine is expected to be delivered within three days. May I ask where you would like it stored, at the Commandant's Office or elsewhere?"

"Huh? Isn't the precious medicine stored at the Commandant's Office? Can't we get it right away?"

The colonel shook his head: "Reporting, Lord Shen, it's not like that. Our Hall of Merit is merely a recording point; the precious medicine is actually stored in a mysterious location in Yongning Commandery, where troops are said to be stationed. We simply forward the request to them, and they handle the allocation."

Shen Qing nodded, indicating understanding; storing it at the Commandant's Office would indeed be inappropriate.

In Yongning Commandery, the Commandant's Office is the safest place yet also the most dangerous; safety lies in having several dozen Innate Realm cultivators, and the Chiliarch is even a Grandmaster Realm martial artist.

The danger lies in daily dealings with serious criminals; it's inevitable that lunatics will assault the Commandant's Office. Even if people die, it's no big deal, but damaging the precious medicine would be heartbreaking.

"Just send it directly to the West City Hundred House Office."

Shen Qing waved his hand, turned, and walked out of the Hall of Merit.

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw a scholar striding toward him.

"Boss, boss, I've finally found you."

"Just now, while walking on the road, a member of the Pan Clan slipped me an invitation, saying they wanted to invite you, Boss, for a drink."

Shen Qing took the invitation and glanced at it: "The Pan Clan?"

The scholar hurriedly spoke.

"I've also looked into the Pan Clan over the past couple of days."

"Their patriarch, Pan Honghu, is a veteran Chiliarch of the Luo River City Commandant's Office, who only recently retired."

"Notably, his three offspring: his two sons, Pan Ruhai and Pan Ruoyuan, are both Chiliarchs at the Commandant's Office, while his daughter, Pan Xiaoping, has married into the Earl of Ningbo's Manor."

"In Luo River City they are indeed at the height of their prosperity; in recent years they may be seeking to advance the family further."

"The invitation's wording is polite, saying they want to enjoy drinks and poetry, but there may be knives hidden. Pan Ruhai wants to climb higher, and Pan Ruoyuan is forming factions to create momentum for his brother, hoping you, Lord Shen, will take a side."

Shen Qing furrowed his brows? Another drinking party? Another drinking-table culture?

On Earth, what Shen Qing hated most was drinking-table culture.

Shen Qing waved his hand: "No, no, I don't even know them; why would they invite me for a drink?"

Drink, drink, drink all day—I'll drink your mother's head.

He casually tossed the invitation to the scholar: "Just find any excuse to turn it down for me."

"Come on, doesn't Luo River City have a famous snack street?"

"Add Heigou and them, let's go get drinks."

Time arrived at the afternoon of the third day.

A group of soldiers delivered three treasures to the Hundred House Office.

Shen Qing opened the chest in the room; inside were also three small wooden boxes.

Opening them one by one, the first was a snow-white flower emitting a faint fragrance, the Snowland Butterfly Flower, about palm-sized; bringing a finger close one could feel a faint chill.

The Ten Blood Pill looks like an ordinary pill, but its fragrance alone is enough to make one salivate.

As for the Purple Dew Jade Elixir, it is contained in a pale white porcelain bottle, yet a faint purple light actually shines through the bottle.

Shen Qing chuckled; at last he had it.

Let me see what's going on.

Without further thought, Shen Qing directly tossed the Ten Blood Pill into his mouth.

Shen Qing widened his eyes—it truly tasted like braised beef!

Delicious!

He then picked up the left-hand Snow Jade Butterfly Flower, took a bite, and mint flavor spread through his mouth!

It relieved the greasiness!

He then took the Purple Dew Jade Elixir, a gulp, and it was icy cold.

Refreshing!

Shen Qing's mouth curled into a happy smile—this is what cultivation is about.

The massive medicinal power instantly began to surge wildly within his body, the Overbearing True Qi Technique operating at full force.

Other cultivators, when training, usually first increase their total true qi, then finally refine it once to raise its quality.

But Shen Qing was different.

His left brain controlled the absorption of medicinal power, his total true qi grew wildly, while his right brain operated the Overbearing True Qi Technique, violently refining the quality of his true qi.

Working in tandem, his progress shot up rapidly.

"What are you saying? A realm bottleneck?"

It simply doesn't exist.