Grave Injuries, Milk Tea

One thousand two hundred low-grade spirit stones! That was the warmth delivered to him by that group of kind souls. It was a truly massive sum, enough to buy six whole bottles of Dust-Cleansing Pills. Combined with the debts collected yesterday and his existing savings, Luo Chen's spirit stones surpassed the two-thousand mark for the first time! "I can finally be considered a man of some means!" He had over two thousand spirit stones in fixed savings. For top-grade offensive artifacts, he possessed the Soul Breaking Nail, the spear, and the ice flying sword. For defense, he had the dharma robe he had just stripped off his assailant, as well as the versatile Four Elements Cauldron. Even setting aside the Jasper Saber, the blank plate, and the bell among his mid-grade artifacts, Luo Chen's wealth was already among the best of the late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators. Yet when he thought about where these things had come from, Luo Chen felt a slight twinge of awkwardness. Apart from the Four Elements Cauldron, which he had sheared like wool from Mi Shuhua, the other items were all... "Cultivation realm entirely from popping pills, artifacts entirely from kind strangers delivering warmth. Am I not working hard enough?" Muttering under his breath, Luo Chen found himself in a bit of a dilemma as he faced his array of artifacts. There were plenty of fine items, but more artifacts were not necessarily better. Low-tier cultivators generally focused on mastering just a few. First, their spiritual power was limited; second, they lacked sufficient spiritual sense to manipulate too many artifacts at once. During yesterday's battle in the grove, he had seemed to possess a dazzling array of methods, but he had actually relied mostly on various spells. The only artifacts he had truly deployed were the mid-grade Jasper Saber and the top-grade Four Elements Cauldron. Even so, after that intense fight, most of his spiritual power had been depleted. Therefore, picking the most suitable artifacts from his collection and combining them into a new combat style was something Luo Chen urgently needed to consider. "The courtyard is too small for practice." "I'll need to find an open area for this." Luo Chen immediately ruled out the Technique Testing Palace on Fallen Phoenix Mountain; the fees there were far too steep. It seemed he would have to practice with his artifacts in the primeval forest behind Crescent Moon Valley! *Wait, what is that smell?* A bitter, medicinal aroma drifted in through the crack beneath the door. Luo Chen pushed the door open, only to discover someone brewing medicine in the courtyard. "Sister Xia? You're not at work at this hour?" Feng Xia opened her mouth, but did not give a reason. Luo Chen yawned, crouched down beside her, and turned his gaze to the medicine stove. "This is healing medicine, right? Did someone get hurt?" "It's Xiao Duan." Feng Xia's voice was very raspy, a lingering consequence of her early years testing medicine at Hundred Herbs Hall. Even after her throat had been healed, severe aftereffects remained. She said in a flat tone, "It's been five or six days now." Surprised, Luo Chen asked, "Injured for that long? What happened?" "Blades have no eyes on the Dao Discussion Platform. In this freezing winter, some rogue cultivators have gone mad with poverty. To secure victory, they stoop to anything." Feng Xia glanced toward the eastern wing and sighed. "To protect his top-three Qi Refinement ranking from last month, Xiao Duan clashed fiercely with a rogue cultivator from Snow Lotus Market. It ended with one dead and one injured." *Duan Feng has gotten that strong?* Luo Chen remembered Qin Liangchen once remarking that Duan Feng was slightly weaker than Qin Liangchen had been at his peak. Yet he had managed to rank among the top three across the entire Qi Refinement stage in Dahe Market? The strength of the rogue cultivators in Dahe Market was no longer what it used to be. To begin with, these rogue cultivators possessed formidable combat strength from regularly hunting monster beasts, and after being tempered on the Dao Discussion Platform, they had become even more formidable. Even Wang Yuan, who had not fought for a long time, had fallen beyond fiftieth place. Yet without anyone noticing, Duan Feng had fought his way into the top three. Luo Chen remarked with a sigh, then asked in confusion, "Didn't they say normal matches would have Foundation Establishment cultivators acting as referees to prevent deaths?" "Just how many Foundation Establishment cultivators does the Sword Pavilion have?" Through Feng Xia's explanation, Luo Chen learned that the duels on the Dao Discussion Platform were different from before. As winter arrived, more and more cultivators signed up to participate. Even after rigorous selection, each day was packed with matches. The Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion had very few Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed here to begin with. With so many matches, there was no way they could supervise them all every day. Thus, most matches were left to the low-tier Jade Cauldron cultivators of the law enforcement squad to oversee. Low-tier Jade Cauldron cultivators were, frankly speaking, also in the Qi Refinement stage. At a critical juncture, they might not be able to stop two combatants who had worked themselves into a murderous fury. Over the past month, there had already been numerous instances of cultivators dying because someone failed to pull their strikes in time. In fact, the Sword Pavilion was even fanning the flames behind the scenes. The fiercer the battles, the more spectators would watch and the more bets would be placed. Duan Feng's match was originally supposed to be a headline bout, but the preceding match had seen a last-minute clash between first and second place. Once the Foundation Establishment cultivator finished overseeing that match, he had swapped out for another referee. The final outcome was one dead and one gravely injured. The rogue cultivator from Snow Lotus Market had died, and Duan Feng was severely wounded. Duan Feng had even been carried back by the Sword Pavilion's cultivators, which showed just how terrible his injuries were. "Displaced internal organs, multiple fractured bones, and thirteen wounds of varying sizes across his body." "All of that is manageable. The worst part is the frost qi invading his body, which obstructs Xiao Duan from using spiritual power to heal himself." "On top of that, his meridians have suffered severe trauma. If he doesn't heal them soon, I'm afraid it will hinder his future Foundation Establishment." Feng Xia looked pityingly toward the eastern wing, her raspy voice carrying without any concern that the person inside might hear. She shook her head. "I only found out two days ago. Since I had some free time, I decided to brew some medicine for him. But these methods of mine can only help him recover from some of his injuries. The fatal frost qi is something he has to wear away himself. As for the damaged meridians..." She trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid. Any spirit medicine capable of treating the dantian or meridians was exceedingly expensive. Given Duan Feng's habit of constantly fighting and pouring everything into advancing his cultivation, he likely had no savings to buy such medicine. Luo Chen fell silent for a moment, then stood up. "I'll go take a look at him!" Pushing open the door, a wave of cold rushed against his face. The room was actually colder than the courtyard outside! And that was despite a glowing red brazier burning right beside the bed. Luo Chen looked over and saw that Duan Feng was not asleep. His eyes were open, staring blankly at the roof beams. Walking to his side, Luo Chen looked down at Duan Feng and could not help sighing. "You're clearly so skilled at repairing artifacts. You could make a fine living just setting up a small stall. Why must you fight for your life every day on the Dao Discussion Platform?" "I told you long ago: walk by the river often enough, and your shoes will eventually get wet." "Even if you didn't lose this time, someone was bound to figure out all your tricks sooner or later." He had listened carefully earlier. The cultivator from Snow Lotus Market who had challenged Duan Feng had prepared three separate counters tailored specifically against him. In the end, Duan Feng had only won by fighting with suicidal abandon, willing to perish alongside his foe just to retain his rank. To that end, Duan Feng had even ruined his top-grade flying sword. Listening to Luo Chen's chattering, the lifeless glaze in Duan Feng's eyes finally showed a flicker of spirit. His lips parted, and he muttered faintly, "You're annoying!" "Tch, treating good intentions like donkey dung. Who cares about you anyway!" Luo Chen clicked his tongue and turned to leave the room. Feng Xia stood by the doorway, her expression filled with pity. Suddenly, a medicine vial was held out before her. "This is Mending and Nourishing Meridian Liquid. It's specifically used by Foundation Establishment cultivators to repair meridian damage, and the efficacy is superb." "I used eighty percent of it, but there's a little left. Mix one drop into water each day and have him drink it!" Feng Xia stared at the vial in astonishment. Having worked at Hundred Herbs Hall for years right next to Spirit Herb Pavilion, she naturally understood the immense value of Mending and Nourishing Meridian Liquid. A single small bottle of this was worth at least three hundred spirit stones. Furthermore, this was specifically for Foundation Establishment cultivators, so its quality would only be superior—likely one of those premium medicines worth five hundred spirit stones a bottle. "This is far too valuable!" "He's on the verge of dying; what does value matter?" Luo Chen curled his lip. "Besides, there's only a tiny bit left, so it might not cure him completely anyway. Just take it and use it! Remember not to waste it. When it's empty, rinse the bottle with water—it will still have some effect." With that, without paying any mind to the faint stirrings inside the room, he turned and went back to his own quarters. To be honest, he was thoroughly exhausted as well. Yesterday he had fought a three-on-one battle, interrogated Lu Huaiben through the night, and then rushed back to the city today to handle a mountain of matters. Even with his profound divine soul foundation, he was starting to feel the strain. Returning inside, he lit the stove, bundled himself beneath thick blankets, and drifted off to sleep. *** When he woke, dusk had already settled over the world. Lying in bed, Luo Chen looked through the skylight and saw snowflakes drifting down from the sky. Meeting the warmth rising from the room, they melted against the colored-glass panes, forming a misty haze. A month of bitter training, followed by a month of pill refinement—it sounded simple, but it had genuinely worn him out. This sleep in his own bed had allowed Luo Chen to relax completely. His ears twitched. He sat up, slipped on his shoes, draped the plush coat made of white fox fur over his shoulders, and walked out the door. "Sister Xia, I spoke to Shopkeeper Liu, but he said he can't help." "Hundred Herbs Hall isn't under his management anymore, so he has no say." "These Foundation Establishment cultivators are truly heartless! You worked for Hundred Herbs Hall for so many years and even ruined your throat. Now a new shopkeeper arrives and fires you without a second thought. Not a shred of human decency!" "Honestly, I feel like leaving too." ... "Don't leave." "There are more high-realm rogue cultivators around now than before. If you leave, where will you find such good work?" "I still have some savings. Getting through this winter won't be an issue." "If worse comes to worst, I'll ask Sister Qinglian to see if the Mountain Breaker Gang needs anyone." In the courtyard, Feng Xia spoke in her raspy voice while Bai Meiling sat beside her, her face filled with indignation. Luo Chen only listened for a brief moment before piecing together the general situation. Those major sect shops had a tradition of ten-year rotations, so the Foundation Establishment shopkeeper of Spirit Herb Pavilion had been transferred back. Shopkeeper Liu of Hundred Herbs Hall was getting on in years and thoroughly familiar with local affairs, so he had not returned to the Medicine King Sect, remaining in Dahe Market instead. However, the Medicine King Sect had compensated him by promoting him from Hundred Herbs Hall to Spirit Herb Pavilion. Though both belonged to the same sect, the interests and profits of the two establishments were worlds apart. Having received such a major benefit, Shopkeeper Liu naturally would not meddle in the affairs of the new Foundation Establishment cultivator at Hundred Herbs Hall. As for the newcomer, whether to assert his authority or to cultivate his own circle, he had dismissed many veteran employees right upon taking office. A female cultivator like Feng Xia, who had plain looks and a damaged voice, was naturally among the first to be purged. No wonder Feng Xia had free time lately and hadn't gone to work. She had lost her job! Luo Chen was unsure of what to say. He had originally hoped to gather everyone for a meal tonight so he could completely unwind his wound-up nerves. Just as he was hesitating over whether to drop the idea of a communal dinner, Qin Liangchen and the others returned. The moment she arrived, Caiyi anxiously sought out Luo Chen. "I heard you ran into marauding cultivators on your way home yesterday?" Yesterday, after tallying the pills, Sikong Shoujia had led people to deliver them to various shops, while she had remained at the Pill Hall. She had only learned of Luo Chen's ambush when Sikong Shoujia had quietly told her at noon today. Although Luo Chen had chased Lu Huaiben down in broad daylight, he had worn the large cauldron over his head at the time, its four-colored tassels concealing his face. Most rogue cultivators in the outer city still had no idea who that flashy figure was. For now, the matter was best kept quiet. After all, the ninth-level Qi Refinement leader had yet to be caught; spreading the word would only invite embarrassment. At this moment, not only Caiyi, but also the Qin couple, Feng Xia, and Bai Meiling were all looking at Luo Chen. Concern, surprise, curiosity—a mix of varied emotions filled their eyes. Luo Chen smiled wryly. "Yeah. It seems like life hasn't been easy for anyone lately." At those words, Feng Xia's expression darkened. Luo Chen had been ambushed, Duan Feng had been gravely injured, and she had lost the job she relied on for survival. Somehow, bad luck truly seemed to be hovering over the residents of the courtyard lately. "Are you all right, then?" Caiyi looked Luo Chen over, a trace of hesitation in her voice. Naturally, Luo Chen was fine, and he laughed it off to brush the topic aside. He did not want to go into too much detail and worry everyone. Seeing this, Murong Qinglian suggested that they all have dinner together tonight, offering to do the cooking herself. No one objected. Soon, with everyone pitching in, a lavish dinner was laid out in the Qin household. At the table, Bai Meiling vented about how tyrannical the new Foundation Establishment cultivator at Hundred Herbs Hall was, not only firing old staff but also planning to cut the wages of the rest. Qin Liangchen roundly cursed Mi Shuhua, railing against him for not taking Luo Chen seriously and only assigning two men to protect him. Murong Qinglian, on the other hand, asked Feng Xia with great care about her future plans. "If all else fails, come to the Medicine Hall!" "You are thoroughly familiar with the properties of various herbs. With my backing, securing a base salary for you at the Medicine Hall won't be a problem." Feng Xia did not hesitate long and was about to agree. Yet at the critical moment, Luo Chen called a halt. "I'm thinking of starting a small business. I need someone meticulous and trustworthy to help run it, preferably someone outside the Mountain Breaker Gang." "Sister Xia would be perfect. Why not come help me instead?" "Besides, frankly speaking, the various halls of the Mountain Breaker Gang generally offer meager compensation to lower cultivators. Going to the Medicine Hall would be wasting Sister Xia's talents." He put it handsomely. Meticulous, trustworthy, and capped off with 'wasting her talents.' More importantly, his words hinted that he would offer very generous compensation. Feng Xia was tempted on the spot. Not just her; the others were curious about Luo Chen's new venture as well. They all knew about the Chenyue Snack Stall, which brought in a tidy sum every month. How long had it been, and Luo Chen had already cooked up another business? Luo Chen did not keep them in suspense and said it outright. "Milk tea?" *** "Is this the milk tea you were talking about?" The following day, alongside the bitter scent of boiling herbs, the courtyard was filled with a rich milky fragrance and a subtle note of tea. Only three people were in the courtyard: Luo Chen, Feng Xia, and an idle Qin Liangchen. "That's right, have a taste! Give me some feedback so I can refine the recipe." "Sure, shouldn't be enough to poison me." Qin Liangchen chuckled, took a sip of the milk tea, and immediately furrowed his brows. "The flavor is a bit strange. It's too gamey." "Gamey?" "Yeah. You used milk from a yellow cow beast, right? That stuff smells fragrant, but normally nobody drinks it." Reflecting on the critique, Luo Chen pondered for a moment, then took out a notebook and began jotting down notes and sketches. Before long, an improved recipe was ready. Following the new recipe, Luo Chen summoned Dongfang Liang and sent him out to procure different types of beast milk. Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Luo Chen tried using various medicinal herbs to neutralize the strong gamey flavor of monster beast milk. Yet the results remained lackluster, causing Qin Liangchen—who had started out enthusiastic—to gradually turn green in the face as he continued taste-testing. "Try this one! This time I switched to fuzhu deer milk; the flavor is definitely much better." Before handing over the cup, Luo Chen even used a tiny fireball to warm the milk tea. Qin Liangchen took a deep breath and drank down the freshly concocted milk tea. After swallowing, his expression turned markedly strange. "This milk... you didn't dilute it, did you?" Luo Chen explained from the side, "Fuzhu deer are the gentlest among Tier One monster beasts, but their milk has a very subtle flavor. Since I wanted to use the fuzhu deer milk as a selling point, I preserved some of the original taste and used very few herbs. Spirit tea is too expensive, so to save costs, I used less of that as well." Qin Liangchen's brow furrowed into deep crevices. He asked softly, "Did you do that on purpose, or was it an accident?" Puffing out his chest, Luo Chen said proudly, "On purpose, of course! Well, tastes great, doesn't it?" "You bastard! Don't you know that if you drink fuzhu deer milk undiluted, even a cultivator can't hold it in?" With that roar, he leaped onto his flying sword and shot straight out of the courtyard! Luo Chen was bewildered. What had happened? Feng Xia stood nearby with an odd expression. "Fuzhu deer feed on fanhui grass, an herb whose primary effect is to lubricate the intestines and purge the bowels. Its medicinal potency is extremely fierce, beyond what any Qi Refinement cultivator can suppress. Deer that feed on fanhui grass over long periods naturally produce milk with strong laxative properties." Luo Chen's mouth hung open as he stared blankly at the cup of milk tea in his hand. It seemed the road to perfecting his new milk tea recipe was still long and arduous! When Qin Liangchen returned to the courtyard looking thoroughly relieved, his face instantly changed the moment he saw Luo Chen holding out yet another cup of milk tea. "Eldest Brother, drink some tea!" "Get lost!"