Chapter 26

Returning home from town, Fang Xu was about to cultivate when he suddenly realized that the Blood Qi Pills, which had seemed sufficient before, had already been squandered by himself overnight!

The seventy Blood Qi Pills bought from Fragrant Refreshing Studio, according to Fang Xu's estimate, were enough for him to cultivate to the Martial Apprentice Realm.

But now, all seventy Blood Qi Pills have been completely consumed, yet he hasn't broken through to the Martial Apprentice Realm; the reason is that he's raised a bunch of little cuties inside his body, and these little cuties have been too meticulous in refining his viscera.

Taken together, an invisible considerable portion of Blood Qi Power has been consumed.

Money!

When he sold the blood food shop, he still held over a thousand taels of silver in his hand, but less than half a month has passed...

Looking at the remaining three hundred taels of silver notes and a few broken silver pieces, Fang Xu shook his head.

Cultivating the martial way is indeed a bottomless pit!

Because of the blood food shop incident, he has already offended the Wu Family; this time, when he goes to buy Blood Qi Pills again, will they still be willing to sell?

Carrying this worry, Fang Xu arrived at the entrance of Fragrant Refreshing Studio.

"Young Master Fang, it's been a while." At the entrance of Fragrant Refreshing Studio, the old shopkeeper Chu Li warmly greeted him.

Fang Xu forced a smile in reply, but he peered inside the shop twice: "Is Aunt Wu not here?"

Chu Li clasped his hands and said: "The mistress is in the back hall; Young Master Fang, do you want to find her?"

Fang Xu waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no! I'm just here to buy Blood Qi Pills."

Looking for Wu Ningxue?

He certainly doesn't want to bring trouble upon himself.

Taking out the three hundred taels of silver note from his bosom, Fang Xu said: "Uncle Li, give me thirty Blood Qi Pills."

Chu Li took the silver note, examined it carefully, then hurriedly ordered the shop assistants to fetch thirty Blood Qi Pills and hand them to Fang Xu.

"Uncle Li, have you been feeling unwell lately?" Thinking of Chu Li's remaining 6% "life points", Fang Xu suddenly asked.

Feeling unwell?

Chu Li moved his body a little, puzzled: "I feel no discomfort; Young Master Fang, why would you say that?"

Fang Xu shook his head and smiled: "Just showing concern for your health, old sir."

Chu Li is not Wang Erhu, and they have no particular friendship; he wouldn't go reminding Chu Li what to watch out for lately.

"Thanks for your concern, Young Master Fang." Chu Li gave an embarrassed smile, personally saw Fang Xu to the door, said "Welcome back next time", then turned and returned to Fragrant Refreshing Studio.

Watching Chu Li's retreating figure, Fang Xu pondered briefly, then also returned home directly.

Taking out ten Blood Qi Pills at once, dividing them into five doses, and consuming them at intervals of a few breaths, Fang Xu used his consciousness to guide the Blood Qi Power transformed from the pills toward the little cuties enveloping his five viscera.

After swallowing this Blood Qi Power, the little cuties inside his body immediately began to temper his five viscera.

Based on last night's organ-refining results, Fang Xu estimated that thirty Blood Qi Pills, supplemented with a little blood food, would be enough to refine his five viscera to the full level of his current realm.

Once his five viscera are fully refined, he can attempt to open the aperture acupoint secret cache and break through to become a Martial Apprentice.

After swallowing ten Blood Qi Pills, without needing to focus on cultivation, he went to the kitchen, cut off a piece of blood food weighing twenty jin, and placed it by the well to wash slowly.

In a blink, night fell swiftly.

By now, the blood and qi power within him had been largely expended; Fang Xu swallowed another ten Blood Qi Pills, then practiced his fists in the courtyard.

Late at night, inside Ti Lan Mountain.

Before a massive cave, battle cries shook the heavens!

Government soldiers in black standardized armor, wielding simple swords, were locked in fierce combat with a gang of vicious mountain bandits; before the cave lay numerous bandit corpses strewn haphazardly, and a strong stench of blood permeated the night sky.

On the outskirts of the battlefield, Lv Yuan stood silently beside Yun Wan, gripping a massive weapon akin to a horse‑cutting saber.

"Miss Yun, this is the third bandit lair." Yun Wan remained silent, her eyes calmly fixed on the slaughter before her.

"Have you found the bandits' leader?" After a long pause, she slowly spoke.

Lv Yuan scanned the fighters and said, "Jiang Tian, go into the cave and look; capture the leader of these bandits!"

Not far off, a muscular, bare‑fisted, braided man heard the command, punched a nearby bandit lackey dead, wiped the blood from his face, and clasped his fists, saying, "Yes, sir!"

Not long after Jiang Tian entered the cave, a sudden explosive shout rang out, immediately followed by the urgent clamor of clashing weapons.

Sensing the battle aura within the cave, Lv Yuan's hitherto indifferent expression suddenly tightened, his eyes flashed, and he smiled faintly: "I didn't expect there to be a big fish among these bandits."

"Miss Yun, I'll go check." After bowing to Yun Wan, Lv Yuan surged forward and rushed straight into the cave.

Boom!

Not long after Lv Yuan rushed into the cave, a terrifying explosive roar came from within, and immediately a brown‑clad figure was flung out of the cave!

The brown‑clad figure flew out of the cave and slammed hard into the rocky surface, shattering the massive stone.

Pfft!

A mouthful of fresh blood spurted from his mouth, droplets tracing down his unkempt beard at the corner of his lips.

Inside the cave, Lv Yuan and Jiang Tian emerged side by side.

"Chief, I was careless." Jiang Tian's face bore a ferocious gash; he lowered his head in shame.

Lv Yuan gave him a cold look: "As a commander of the government troops, a third‑stage Martial Artist, you almost got killed by a first‑stage Martial Artist bandit—I'll settle the score when we get back!"

Having said that, he grasped his broadsword and strode to the brown‑clad figure, hoisted it up, and brought it before Yun Wan, then flung it to the ground.

"Miss Yun, this man is the leader of these bandits."

Yun Wan glanced at the fallen man and said calmly: "Did you, over a month ago, ambush and kill someone traveling from Fenglin Town to Qinghe County?"

The bandit leader, hearing this, stared at Yun Wan's lovely figure and gave a hehe chuckle: "Little lass, I've killed too many to remember!"

Clang!

As his words fell, Yun Wan's long sword suddenly sprang from its sheath!

Accompanied by a spray of blood arcing high, the bandit leader's throat was slit by the sharp blade, ending his life instantly.

"Next!"

She sheathed her sword, and Yun Wan spoke with a cold expression.

"Miss Yun, there seem to be some treasures looted by bandits inside the cave; should we transport them back to Yellow Prefecture?" Lü Yuan caught up, clasped his fist and asked.

When he had just entered, he saw that the cave contained a considerable amount of gold and silver treasures looted by these mountain bandits.

Yun Wan's steps paused slightly: "Let a sergeant squad inventory the things and transport them back to Yellow Prefecture."

Lü Yuan hastily clasped his fist, looked at Wang Erhu who was nearby delivering a finishing strike, and said: "Erhu, let your sergeant lead the brothers to clearly inventory the treasure in the cave and transport it back to Yellow Prefecture."

Wang Erhu blinked slightly, then delighted, said: "Yes! Commander!"

Compared to fighting bandits in these vast mountains, escorting the money back to Yellow Prefecture is nothing short of a nice posting.

Not to mention safety, the treasures in the cave can also let them earn some extra profit.

The prefecture troops battalion gradually withdrew; only the sergeant squad led by Wang Erhu remained before this cave, busy cleaning up the battlefield and inventorying the supplies.

"Sergeant, how much should we take?" Looking at the boxes of treasure being carried out, a prefecture soldier rubbed his hands and shouted to his own sergeant.

That sergeant of the prefecture troops looked at the vast amount of gold and silver treasure before him, grabbed a handful of gold beans the size of quail eggs, and said: "Five corporals, two each; the rest, one each; give the commander twenty to take."

Upon hearing his words, all the prefecture troops gathered around happily, dividing those gold beans.

Each gold bean weighs a full tael, comparable to two hundred taels of silver, enough to offset half a year's pay for them.

"Erhu, the commander's twenty gold beans are to be kept by you; upon reaching Yellow Prefecture, send them to your sister-in-law."

He threw a cloth bag containing twenty gold beans to Wang Erhu; the prefecture sergeant spoke.

Wang Erhu caught the cloth bag, stuffed it into his bosom, and said: "Yes, sergeant!"

"Keep your hands and feet clean!"

"Take what you're supposed to take; don't touch what you're not supposed to."

"Load the vehicles, depart!"

With a shout from the prefecture sergeant, a hundred prefecture troops instantly sprang into action, loading all the treasure onto the vehicles and rushing toward Yellow Prefecture.

Seeking monthly votes, seeking recommendation votes, seeking reads; everyone, please support more, thank you.

(End of chapter)