A Huge Loss

"Chu Qiguang, your foundation is quite solid, and you've already mastered this Heavenly Spirit Body Tempering Fist. There isn't much left for me to teach you, so you may go practice on your own." Then Lin Yao turned to Wang Cailiang. "Your foundation is a bit weak. Come with me, and I'll teach you our Yinglue Academy's Iron Mountain Palm. Once you learn it, remember to practice diligently day and night. In two years, you'll be able to produce three hundred fist cracks, and reaching the second stage of martial arts will be in sight." And so Lin Yao brushed Chu Qiguang off to train by himself, then went to coach Wang Cailiang hand in hand. Chu Qiguang was glad for it. He had come to Yinglue Academy in the first place for two reasons: to secure a slot in the martial examinations, and to expand his network and make silver. As for the instructors here? However formidable they were, could they really compare to Qiao Zhi? Still, to practice martial arts, silver was indispensable. Chu Qiguang reflected that he only had a little over four hundred taels of silver left. Aside from his daily food and drink and using Hundred-Refined Ointment, he also had to support Chen Gang and Qiao Zhi. He estimated all that silver would be gone in a dozen days or so. 'I'm running short on silver... I need to find a few brothers to help out.' And so Chu Qiguang spent the day practicing by himself. When leaving with Wang Cailiang, he asked, "Brother Wang, I noticed you were very familiar with several students here this morning. Could I host tonight and have you invite them over so we can get acquainted?" Wang Cailiang bragged smugly, "Don't worry, I guarantee I can bring them over. I have wide connections in the county seat—not just students at Yinglue Academy, but also the lords in the county yamen and the wealthy merchants on West Main Street. I'm well acquainted with all of them. How about I call them all over..." Chu Qiguang asked, "Do you know anyone from the Wu family?" "Grand Secretary Wu's household?" Wang Cailiang blinked, almost wondering if the guy was deliberately putting him on the spot. In truth, with Wang Cailiang's shameless bravado, if he knew so much as a dog from Grand Secretary Wu's household, he would dare claim he knew people from the Wu family. The trouble was that he truly didn't even know a dog. Putting on a disingenuous smile, he said, "If you want to invite friends from Grand Secretary Wu's household, a single banquet would run at least a hundred taels. It'd be far too extravagant for you, brother. How about I invite some young masters from wealthy merchant families instead? Whatever you want to do, they can help." "All right, all right, let your 'friends' rest," Chu Qiguang said. "I only need to get acquainted with the students from Yinglue Academy." After that, the two first returned home to drop off the clothes, books, and other items they had received from Yinglue Academy that year. Then each took an attendant and headed out. While Wang Cailiang went to invite the guests, Chu Qiguang followed his directions to a tavern. Stepping inside, he saw that the first floor was already packed with distinguished patrons. Waiters bustled back and forth carrying dishes, and the aromas of wine and food filled the air—a scene of roaring prosperity. Chu Qiguang called over a waiter and asked straightaway for a private room on the second floor. He ordered several meat dishes, including sweet-and-sour fish, pot-roasted mutton, and crispy chicken, followed by a few vegetable dishes and a jin of liquor, spending half a tael of silver in total. About an hour later, Wang Cailiang strolled into the tavern chatting and laughing with three young men. Chu Qiguang immediately stepped up to welcome them. Wang Cailiang introduced him: "This is my cousin Chu Qiguang. I brought everyone here today so you could meet." The three young men Wang Cailiang brought were all sons of local rural landlords who regularly gambled and drank with him in the past, indulging in whoring and gambling alike. The wealthiest among them was a tall, thin fellow with small eyes named Jin Fugui. His family owned even more land than Wang Cailiang's, and it was said an ancestor of his had been an official, though the family fortune had declined over time. The moment Chu Qiguang saw him, a childlike smile spread across his face, full of anticipation. From then on, he adapted his speech to suit his company, bantering with these landlord sons about dirty jokes, fine wine, and beautiful women, exchanging mutual flattery. After a few cups of liquor, they quickly hit it off and grew lively together, chatting away like friends of ten years. Seeing how easily duped the three seemed and judging the mood to be just right, Chu Qiguang pulled Wang Cailiang aside and said, "Brother Wang, I'd like to sell each of these gentlemen a portion of Naobaijin as well." Wang Cailiang sobered up in an instant and looked at Chu Qiguang. "This... isn't this improper...?" Chu Qiguang said, "If you help me successfully sell it to them, I'll only charge you two hundred taels for your future portions of Naobaijin." Wang Cailiang's eyes widened instantly. "Two hundred taels off? Wouldn't you be taking a huge loss?" Chu Qiguang glanced at the other three students and nodded, whispering, "It is a heavy loss, which is why we have to make up for it from them." Wang Cailiang considered it, licked his lips, and said, "For every portion I help you sell, you have to cut me in for thirty... no, twenty taels of silver." Having spoken, he looked at Chu Qiguang with a hint of worry, dreading that he had asked for too much. Chu Qiguang assumed a troubled expression and said, "You've used Naobaijin yourself and know its effects. Do you think medicine this potent can be cheap? Even Hundred-Refined Ointment costs over thirty taels, let alone a miraculous remedy like this. To tell you the truth, the current cost price alone is three hundred and eighty taels. At most, I can give you ten taels." Wang Cailiang whispered, "Deal!" In his heart, he thought, 'Using a dose myself saves me two hundred taels, and selling one gets me another ten. What an incredible bargain!' The two then returned to the table. Wang Cailiang gave a dry cough and began telling them about Chu Qiguang administering the medicine to him. Hearing this, the three landlord sons were dubious. Chu Qiguang stepped forward and offered them a free one-day trial. And so, once the banquet ended, Chu Qiguang and Wang Cailiang led the trio back to their small courtyard. Chu Qiguang ushered Jin Fugui into his wing room first, directing him to lie down on the bed and close his eyes. "Now, relax your body. You might fall asleep during the process, but don't worry—it's all a normal reaction to the medicine..." After Chu Qiguang pressed on Jin Fugui's face a few times, Qiao Zhi, who had been hiding nearby, slipped up and slapped the man unconscious. Next, a mouthful of blood was drawn from him to identify the corresponding bloodline. "It's chicken blood. I'll go find a rooster." Qiao Zhi darted out and returned about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, then began executing the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method. As with Wang Cailiang, the foundation establishment was to be completed over ten days. With Qiao Zhi's final strike landing on him, the man slowly woke. Just as the two outside were growing impatient, the awakened man walked out, looking full of vigor and glowing with radiant energy. Jin Fugui performed a few sets of fist routines on the spot, then said in pleasant surprise, "It really seems to work! I feel my physical strength has increased." Chu Qiguang then brought the other two into the room one by one to undergo the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method. In Chu Qiguang's eyes, the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method was entirely different from practicing martial arts; it was more like genetic mutation or awakening superpowers. That sensation of rapid physical gains in such a brief time was something martial training could never match. Especially for students at Yinglue Academy, any medicine capable of boosting physical strength and effectively assisting their martial cultivation would easily become wildly sought after. Having undergone the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method, Jin Fugui and the other two now looked at Chu Qiguang with eyes completely different from before. Standing to the side, Chen Gang looked at the trio with eyes full of sorrow, thinking to himself, 'Three more poor wretches.' Jin Fugui asked impatiently, "What kind of medicine is this? It's even more effective than the Heavenly Master Sect's Hundred-Refined Ointment!" Wang Cailiang boasted smugly from the side, "Naobaijin! Naobaijin was added to it!"