We're practicing all martial arts, so why did you switch to easy mode?

Chapter 108 Clash of Forces, Second Level of Profound Origin Technique, Third Level of Iron Shirt (Seeking monthly votes and subscriptions)

The controversy reverberated once again at the meditation center, but this time it seemed even more intense than the previous one involving Bi Kui.

Seeing the three of them arguing again, Hong Ting spoke up for once: "I feel there is something strange about this matter. This person is clearly of average talent, yet he comprehended and mastered the introductory and first-level techniques of the Xuan Yuan Jue in one hour. Such a situation has never occurred in our Xuan Shui Sect before."

Hong Xuancheng, who was relatively calm, frowned slightly and pondered for a moment before saying, "You mean the Xuanfu Academy's bone structure test was wrong?"

"Impossible!" Hong Xuanqing immediately interrupted, "The root bone test has never made a mistake, how could the test be wrong!"

"Could we let him test it again?" Although Hong Zhendong agreed with Hong Xuanqing's statement, he didn't think it was necessarily a test error. It was possible that something went wrong in another process. Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain how Su Chen could comprehend and master the Xuan Yuan Technique in such a short time.

The Xuan Yuan Technique is the sect's cultivation method of the Xuan Shui Sect, and it is a required technique for almost every disciple. It is not difficult to comprehend it, but difficult to cultivate it. This is why the Xuan Shui Sect attaches great importance to innate talent, because if you have high innate talent, your comprehension will not be too bad.

Besides, even if you lack comprehension, the vast Xuan Shui Sect has plenty of elders to teach you, and they will eventually teach you. However, whether you can master it or not is not simply a matter of understanding it thoroughly.

Su Chen mastered it in no time after comprehending it. In their eyes, such talent was definitely not just above average, but at least top-grade. As for whether it was superior talent, further testing was needed.

Even with his superior aptitude, he was more than qualified to join the Xuan Shui Sect. Coupled with his excellent comprehension, he had become a highly sought-after individual. However, before recruiting Su Chen, they still hoped to have him tested again to dispel any lingering concerns they might have.

"Agreed!" Hong Xuancheng uttered a single word after a moment's thought, then waited for the others' replies.

Hong Ting shrugged to indicate that she had no objection. Hong Xuanqing already had doubts, and now that all three of them were fine, he wouldn't object either.

So he said to the steward, "Yu Xian, take this person for another test, accompany him throughout, and then present the results to us."

"Yes, disciple understands!" Deacon Yu, who had been waiting for a long time, hurriedly replied, and then turned and left.

The bustling meditation hall returned to a brief silence. Hong Zhendong stood up, picked up Su Chen's file, and carefully read it through. He couldn't help but sigh, "What a pity."

All three knew the reason for Hong Zhendong's sigh. At least three internal energy cultivation techniques seemed powerful, but in reality, they only added unnecessary burdens. For martial artists, it was not a matter of the more techniques they cultivated, the better. On the contrary, cultivating too many techniques could actually harm one's body.

The reason they wanted Su Chen to be retested was mainly to judge his future potential through the test results. After all, cultivating two techniques was already considered "necessary" to dissipate his cultivation, and cultivating at least three techniques would only be considered "inevitable" to dissipate his cultivation.

Dispersing one's energy can cause some damage to the body, requiring recuperation to recover.

Even if he recovers, it will still have some impact on his cultivation. If Su Chen does not have superior aptitude, he will find it difficult to cultivate after his cultivation is disrupted. Wouldn't that be a waste of a spot, a loss that outweighs the gain?

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, familiar footsteps sounded from afar, but this time, the footsteps carried a hint of urgency.

"The test is over so quickly?" Hong Xuancheng muttered to himself in puzzlement.

Before long, Deacon Yu entered the main hall and bowed, saying, "Four Heads of the Academy, Su Chen... he has gone down the mountain!"

"Hmm?" Four pairs of eyes turned to Steward Yu at the same time. Even with his head down, he could feel the sharpness of the four gazes, which made his hair stand on end.

Hong Xuanqing was the first to react, and she asked silently, "What is the reason?"

"This..." Deacon Yu stammered, pursed his lips, and gritted his teeth before saying, "He said that since he has no affinity with the Xuan Shui Sect, he might as well not force it anymore, so he went down the mountain!"

Snapped!
"What a fine excuse for not being destined for each other, what a fine excuse for not forcing things. What does he take our Xuan Shui Sect for? Someone who can come and go as they please?" Hong Xuancheng slammed his fist on the wooden table, his face contorted with rage.

Hong Xuanqing and the other two remained silent, but their expressions were slightly unpleasant. Steward Yu stood there silently, his back soaked with sweat, cursing Su Chen countless times in his heart.

After a moment, Hong Xuanqing picked up the tea, his expression calm. He took a sip and put it down, saying calmly, "That's enough. Forcing things won't make them sweet. Since they don't think much of our Xuan Shui Sect, there's no need to force it."

Hong Xuancheng snorted coldly: "He overestimates himself. The Xuan Shui Sect is not so low as to recruit a half-crippled person!"

He paused, his expression softening slightly, but remaining somber: "With such a temperament and conflicting strengths, the path of martial arts is essentially severed. The peak is predictable, and even with extraordinary comprehension, it's difficult to even reach the level of internal organ refinement, let alone go any higher."

None of the three spoke.

Suddenly, Steward Yu cautiously spoke up: "Four Deans, although this person has already descended the mountain, he has already mastered part of the Xuan Yuan Technique. Should we send someone to cripple his cultivation?"

"No need. Since we dared to bring it out, we're not afraid of him mastering it," Hong Xuanqing shook his head, then quickly changed the subject, "But if he dares to use it outside and damage the reputation of the Xuan Shui Sect..."

He hadn't finished speaking, but Steward Yu already knew what to do. So he bid farewell to the four of them. Today's assessment had truly made him tremble with fear, but fortunately, it ended without any serious incident.

After Steward Yu left, the four of them had no desire to stay in the meditation garden any longer. They got up and left, regaining their calm and composed expressions. To them, Su Chen was just a nobody, not worth taking seriously.

Deacon Yu returned to the courtyard, informed everyone of the final results of the assessment, gave a warning, and then left in a huff.

He arrived at a courtyard, found a man, and instructed him: "Find this man and cripple his martial arts."

The man nodded upon hearing this, without asking any questions, took the note from the steward, glanced at it, and then tore it up.

Watching the man descend the mountain, the steward sneered, "Su Chen, the academy leaders may not pursue the matter, but they have no intention of letting you off the hook!"

……

[Martial Arts: ...Mysterious Origin Technique (Level 1, 1%)]

[Easy Mode: ...Xuan Yuan Jue 0 times (300 taels + subsequent cultivation techniques + 10 Xuan Yuan Pills/time)]

On his way down the mountain, Su Chen swept away his displeasure from the mountain and looked at the changes on the panel with satisfaction. The Profound Origin Technique had reached the first level. Although he had not generated any internal energy, Su Chen could subtly feel the changes in his body.

After being strengthened by the Profound Origin Technique, the speed of the internal energy circulation seemed to have increased, giving a feeling of natural progress. It was only the first level, yet it brought such changes to Su Chen, which surprised and delighted him.

"Although the people from the Xuan Shui Sect were a bit disgusting, this trip wasn't a waste!"

He could guess that the talent he displayed in his second test had probably alarmed the higher-ups of the Xuan Shui Sect, but in the end he still chose to leave the mountain.

There's no other reason than that I simply don't have a good impression of the Xuan Shui Sect.

This decision was made as early as when he learned the results of the first comprehension test. Choosing to take the second test was simply to see if he could take advantage of the Xuan Shui Sect, since he was still somewhat envious of the Xuan Yuan Technique.

Now that he's gotten his money's worth, he naturally doesn't plan to stay in the Xuan Shui Sect. With his talent, and with the added help from the interface, why should he care about the Xuan Shui Sect? The only thing that's troubling him is...

"If Master knew that I hadn't joined the Xuan Shui Sect, he would probably be disappointed. But if he knew the Xuan Shui Sect's attitude, he probably wouldn't have made it mandatory for me to join."

He shook his head, dispelling the random thoughts in his mind. He would tell Hong Ming about this when he had the chance to go to Qinghe City later. For now, he should go back.

After descending the mountain, Su Chen saw Qin Xue's people waiting at the foot of the mountain. Upon seeing Su Chen, the person quickly stepped forward and greeted him.

Ignoring the gazes of the crowd, Su Chen boarded the carriage, its wheels rolling and soon leaving a trail of dust on the ground.

Upon returning to Dafeng City, Su Chen intended to get off the carriage and go home, but the guard informed him that Qin Xue wanted to see him.

Left with no other choice, Su Chen had to follow the guards to Sheng Mansion.

"I already know the results of this assessment. You don't need to be discouraged. Xuan Shui Sect is not the only option for martial artists. There are still many sects and schools with good traditions in and around Dafeng City."

When Qin Xue received the news that Su Chen had failed to be selected, although she had expected it, she still felt sorry for him. She knew that this was Hong Ming's wish and was worried that Su Chen would not be able to accept it for a while, so she comforted him.

Su Chen thanked her upon hearing this. In any case, Qin Xue had indeed done a lot for him in this matter and deserved his gratitude.

Qin Xue glanced at Su Chen discreetly, assuming he was still pondering the assessment, and then said:

"Xiao Chen, I'm already thinking of a solution to the problem of conflicting internal forces. During this time, you shouldn't practice any other techniques. Focus on practicing a gentler technique to avoid blocking your future path."

"A clash of forces?" Su Chen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, somewhat confused.

"You don't know?" Qin Xue noticed the confusion in Su Chen's eyes and couldn't help but ask.

Su Chen shook his head; he really didn't understand what Qin Xue meant.

Seeing that Su Chen didn't seem to be joking, Qin Xue told him the reason for her failure to be selected.

"The people of the Xuan Shui Sect saw that you had practiced multiple techniques and that you possessed various types of internal energy, which is why they didn't take you in."

This was the reason given by the Xuan Shui Sect, but Su Chen secretly thought to himself that the people of the Xuan Shui Sect were quite good at distorting the truth.

However, he had no time to pay attention to that at the moment, and instead focused on the 'conflict of forces' that Qin Xue had mentioned.

Qin Xue didn't keep them in suspense. After making a comment about Hong Ming, she explained to Su Chen what force conflict was.

After practicing internal strength, one moves on to internal organ training. The purpose of internal organ training is to use internal strength to temper the internal organs. Different types of internal strength have different effects on tempering the five internal organs.

Ambitious individuals may want to cultivate multiple types of internal energy to temper their five internal organs in a balanced way. However, if there is too much internal energy, it can easily lead to conflicts and loss of control. In mild cases, this can damage the body and cause a decline in cultivation; in severe cases, it can lead to the complete loss of cultivation and even endanger one's life.

Therefore, many sects with a long tradition generally do not allow their disciples to practice more than two different techniques without authorization. Even if they do practice, it must be a technique from the same sect that is of the same origin.

Even so, many disciples would carefully consider all aspects before making this decision, and would never want to learn another technique unless there was absolutely no other way.

Not to mention the time, effort, and resources involved, even if it doesn't show up in the short term, it might erupt at any time, leading to counterproductive and inefficient results!
Moreover, internal organs are inherently very fragile. If one can control the force, it's fine, but if one loses control, it will definitely damage the internal organs and stop at the present moment.

After listening to Qin Xue's story, Su Chen's initially indifferent expression gradually turned serious as he thought about his own situation.

"When I fought with someone recently, I had a dull pain in my lungs. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but now it seems that it must be related to the conflict of forces."

He quickly realized his mistake, repeatedly verified it in his mind, and finally came to this conclusion.

At the same time, he belatedly realized that there was a problem with the panel:
"With the panel, the forces won't repel each other, but it won't control the forces. Ultimately, I still have to control them myself, and my control is obviously not as good as the panel's. Once I use it, there's still a risk of force conflict!"

Thinking of this, Su Chen's eyes flickered: "In other words, if I want to avoid the risk of force conflict and truly use force without any worries, I must find a way to solve this problem. Otherwise, even with the panel, I might encounter a loss of control over my force one day in the future!"

Realizing the problem, Su Chen didn't hesitate to ask Qin Xue how to solve it.

There are two methods: one is to disperse one's energy and then specialize in one particular skill.

Another approach is to integrate internal energy, seeking out techniques that can integrate internal energy. However, this approach has significant drawbacks. If it is useful, it is fine, but if it is useless, it will harm oneself and even affect subsequent cultivation.

Su Chen completely ignored the first option. He couldn't possibly specialize in just one discipline, especially after dispersing his cultivation.

"No, although the Iron Shirt technique I cultivate is a complete technique that integrates many other techniques, shouldn't it still be considered a technique?"

He thought so, but then immediately shook his head.

He recalled the five internal energies within his body, each belonging to a different cultivation method. According to Qin Xue, he had cultivated at least five different energy cultivation methods.

"Then we can only choose the second option: fusion of cultivation techniques!"

With a plan in mind, Su Chen felt not disappointed, but rather somewhat expectant, wondering what surprises the fusion of the five forces within his body would bring him.

From Su Chen's expression, Qin Xue could roughly guess what she was thinking, and she didn't interfere too much with Su Chen's choice.

"Since you've made your decision, I'll ask someone to help you find out about the techniques for fusing internal energy!"

Upon hearing this, Su Chen stood up and bowed in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Aunt Xue."

Qin Xue waved her hand, and after chatting with Su Chen for a while, seeing that it was getting late, she intended to invite Su Chen to stay for dinner, but Su Chen politely declined.

Left with no other option, they had to let them leave.

In the study room.

"Haha, Father, just as you said, this person was not selected."

Hong Chen looked at the news brought back from the Xuan Shui Sect with a smile on his face, but then nodded seriously, "But that's normal. Not just anyone can join the Xuan Shui Sect."

Upon hearing this, Hong Risheng remained calm and did not speak, as he already knew the news.

To his surprise, Su Chen was eliminated before Hong Xuancheng could even speak, which made him chuckle.

Hong Ming, you've been better than me for over a decade, but I've been better than you for most of my life. Your so-called genius disciple hasn't even entered the gates of the Xuan Shui Sect. It's utterly ridiculous!
"By the way, Father, I heard that one of the reasons this person failed was that he practiced at least three internal energy cultivation techniques. Now that Mother has found out, she has begun to inquire about techniques for fusing internal energy for him," Hong Chen said, putting down the letter.

Hearing this, Hong Risheng knew exactly what Hong Chen was planning. He shook his head and chuckled, "Do whatever you want, as long as you don't upset your mother. I won't interfere. But you should still be careful."

"Yes!" Hong Chen replied happily, and then bid farewell to Hong Risheng.

……

After having a quick and simple meal outside, Su Chen strolled back home.

As dusk settled, the nightlife of Dafeng City was just beginning.

Walking and stopping to look around like this, Su Chen took a full hour to cover a half-hour journey.

"Huh? Someone?"

As soon as Su Chen reached the door, he sensed something was wrong; he could faintly hear breathing sounds coming from behind the door.

"Could it be a thief?"

Su Chen paused, stopping in front of the door, and couldn't help but guess.

He clearly heard that the person inside seemed to have noticed his presence, and their breathing quickened slightly the moment he stopped.

Why haven't they come in yet?

A man in black standing behind the door muttered to himself.

He clearly heard footsteps behind the door, but no matter how long he waited, no one came in.

This made him wonder: "Could they just be passing by?"

He was a little unsure.

Since descending the mountain, he had been inquiring about Su Chen's whereabouts, which was easy for the Xuan Shui Sect to find out, given their strength.

So he rushed over without stopping, but Su Chen wasn't home at all. After some thought, he hid behind the door for the time being.

The moment Su Chen enters, he can immediately take action and cripple Su Chen's martial arts.

"what sound?"

Just then, the man in black suddenly felt a gust of wind blow from behind him, and then his head sank and he was sent flying backward.

"You can't help but beat me?"

Su Chen looked at the unconscious man in black with a strange expression. He hadn't expected that the man would collapse from exhaustion after he had only used half of his strength.

He approached the man in black and lifted him up like a chick.

puff!
A bucket of water was poured over the man in black, waking him from his unconscious state.

"W-where am I?"

The man in black spat out the dirty water in his mouth, shook himself a few times to shake off the water, and finally opened his eyes. He was startled to find that his clothes had been stripped off. He looked at Su Chen in horror and asked in a trembling voice, "What...what did you do to me?"

Su Chen didn't speak, but walked forward. The man in black struggled desperately to break free of the ropes. Seeing that Su Chen had come to him and raised his hand, he immediately said, "Let's make it clear first, don't hit my face. Ask me anything you want."

The sudden cooperation startled Su Chen, who had been prepared to use torture to extract a confession.

"Alright, now I'll ask you questions and you answer them," Su Chen said, and began to inquire, "Who are you? Who sent you..."

"I am from the Xuan Shui Sect. I was sent by Steward Yu with the purpose of crippling your Xuan Yuan Technique," the man in black replied.

Upon hearing this, Su Chen's expression darkened, and his disgust for the Xuan Shui Sect deepened.

He took out a bottle of pills, his voice slightly cold: "What kind of pills are these?"

"Mysterious Origin Pill!" the man in black replied after a glance.

These words stunned Su Chen, who was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't expected that this was the Xuan Yuan Pill he needed.

He coughed lightly and asked, "Do you still have these pills?"

The man in black did not answer immediately, but stared at Su Chen with an expression as if he were looking at an idiot. When Su Chen raised his hand, he shook his head and said, "Do you think Xuan Yuan Pills are something just anyone can have? This one Xuan Yuan Pill alone cost me several thousand taels of silver."

"Hey, what's your look like?"

Of course, it's the look you give to poor people!

Su Chen thought to himself, but his expression remained calm as he continued to ask, "Since you are a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Sect, you should know about the Xuan Yuan Technique, right? With your strength in cultivating internal energy, you must have already reached the second level. Tell me, and I will let you go."

"What?" The man in black was stunned by Su Chen's words, then sneered, "I dare to say it, do you dare to practice?"

If the Xuan Shui Sect finds out, he will die, and Su Chen will not survive either. Moreover, it will implicate their families.

Su Chen raised his hand, about to slap him, but was suddenly stopped by a shout: "I'll talk!"

He lowered his hand and stared at the man in black. It was the first time he had seen someone so cooperative, which saved him a lot of effort.

"However, I only exchanged for the second level of the cultivation technique manual!"

"Say!"

Su Chen didn't care and replied indifferently.

"Water has countless forms; it can be soft or hard. When it is of the highest good, it benefits all things; when it is of the lowest evil, it harms all things..."

After reciting over a hundred words, Su Chen listened and copied them down, occasionally glancing up at the man in black to verify the truth.

After finishing reading, the man in black breathed a sigh of relief, finally managing to appease Su Chen.

However, at that moment, Su Chen took out another piece of paper and said, "Recite it again!"

"???" "Recite it again!"

"You didn't say that just now, recite it again!"

Snapped!
"The problem started at only the fiftieth character. You've been hiding a lot. Memorize it again!"

"...Memorize it again!"

The man in black was numb from the torture. He had no idea how many times he had recited the text again. All he knew was that Su Chen had written a whole stack of papers.

In the end, he could only recite it three times by instinct before Su Chen let him go.

However, looking at Su Chen's perpetually gloomy face, for some reason, he felt a little apprehensive.

"Could it be that I've misremembered something again?"

He shook his head, inwardly cursing himself, "No, it's better that I memorized it wrong, preferably without even realizing it myself!"

At this moment, Su Chen looked at him and asked, "'Steel tempered a hundred times can be softened by a finger'... You've never said these words before, what do you mean by that?"

"Oops!"

Upon hearing this, the man in black turned pale. Damn it, how did he even recite the method of entering internal energy?
"Say!"

The man in black opened his mouth, then said somewhat weakly, "This is the method of the second level of the Profound Origin Technique, which is the method of entering the internal energy realm."

"The method for the second level? How many levels are there in the Profound Origin Technique?" Su Chen feigned curiosity.

"Besides the general outline, there are at least four layers."

After thinking for a moment, the man in black said, knowing that Su Chen would continue to ask questions, "The first four levels correspond to training strength, training internal strength, training internal organs, and forging bones. Except for training strength, each level has a corresponding method, and after training internal organs, there will be different branches, which are not something I can currently access."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Su Chen, who was deep in thought, and cautiously reminded him, "I've said everything I needed to say, can you let me go now?"

Su Chen looked at the man in black with curiosity: "I'm curious, aren't you afraid that the Xuan Shui Sect will find out you're cooperating so much?"

Heh, once you're dead, no one will know anymore. Besides, apart from the key techniques, the rest isn't a secret!
Of course, he would never say these words. He shook his head and said, "The Xuan Shui Sect is not as strict as you think. The more rules there are, the more loopholes there are, and the more unspoken rules there are."

"There's one more thing. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you to silence you after I've finished asking?" Su Chen asked again.

The man in black chuckled, then gave Su Chen a deep look and said, "I have never seen anyone who kills someone from the Xuan Shui Sect and still survives."

"Oh? Really? Then I'd like to try it."

"no, do not want……"

Click.

Before the man in black could finish speaking, Su Chen struck him on the top of the head with a palm strike, killing him instantly.

Although the man in black was very cooperative, Su Chen knew exactly what he was thinking. Releasing him would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains, and he would naturally not do such a foolish thing.

As for the Xuan Shui Sect's retaliation, there's nothing to worry about; they'll just change their guise.

Anyway, the lease is about to expire, and Su Chen is preparing to move out. He will change his appearance and identity and not be afraid of being discovered by the Xuan Shui Sect.

After dealing with the man in black, Su Chen began to dispose of his body.

"The crooked tree in the backyard has no nutritional value, so please bear with it."

After thinking it over, Su Chen came up with a plan: he simply dug a hole and buried the man in black.

After digging a pit and burying the body, Su Chen washed up and returned to the house. He then took out a bottle of pills, which were Xuan Yuan Pills.

"I didn't expect this to be the Profound Origin Pill. It looks quite nice."

Su Chen did not doubt what the man in black said. After all, he had given the man a small amount to taste when he asked him earlier, and the man was still alive several hours later, which was enough to prove that the pill was not poisonous.

He took out the Xuan Yuan Pill, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it with a gulp.

A cool sensation immediately followed, slowly sliding down from the throat into the esophagus and intestines.

Everything it passed through became cool, and even breathing felt refreshing, like eating a mint candy.

"It's a pity there's only one!"

After finishing his meal, Su Chen felt somewhat unsatisfied, seeing that the progress had only been one unit.

"However, we do have the follow-up techniques for the Xuan Yuan Technique."

With the money and the key points of the second level of the Xuan Yuan Technique, all that's missing are nine Xuan Yuan Pills.

It was getting late, so Su Chen composed himself and went to bed.

The next day.

Su Chen, using the alias 'Ding Peng', rented a new courtyard house from the brokerage firm.

It was also a short-term rental for one month. After paying, Su Chen moved his existing belongings in.

Then, after switching back to his original identity, he went back to check out, got his deposit back, and left.

When evening came, Su Chen changed back into his 'four-eyebrow' outfit and headed out of the city to the black market.

Returning to the black market still felt like stepping into another world, and a faint sense of oppression welled up in my heart.

As he continued on his journey, Su Chen saw the man in gray again in the same spot. There weren't many people at his stall this time.

The other person also saw Su Chen, and straightened up involuntarily. When Su Chen walked towards him, a smile appeared on his face.

"Guest, how many Qi and Blood Pills do you need?" the gray-robed man asked hoarsely, his voice carrying a hint of excitement at closing up shop early.

Su Chen looked down and saw that the sign on the stall had not changed at all; it still only sold Qi and Blood Pills.

"How many Qi and Blood Pills do you have?" Su Chen asked.

"There are only sixteen this time. If you want them all, you can pay four thousand five hundred taels." The man in gray said, immediately reducing the price by three hundred taels for Su Chen.

"Give them all to me!" Su Chen nodded and handed over the silver notes.

Inadvertently, he asked, "Do you sell Xuan Yuan Pills here?"

Upon hearing this, the gray-robed man paused, looked at Su Chen with a scrutinizing gaze, and then shook his head and said, "Guest, you are joking. The Xuan Yuan Pill is only available to the Xuan Shui Sect and is never sold to outsiders. How could I possibly have it? And even if I did, I wouldn't dare to sell it to you."

Su Chen didn't speak, silently accepting the sixteen Qi and Blood Pills, and then asked, "These Qi and Blood Pills are still a bit insufficient for me. Could you bring more with you each time you come to the black market? Or could we trade at a fixed time and place?"

Faced with this, the man in gray remained silent for a moment, but ultimately shook his head and declined Su Chen's suggestion. Su Chen didn't mind, as it was just a casual question.

After acquiring the Qi and Blood Pill, Su Chen found the person in charge of the black market and planned to purchase a stall.

"These are all vacant stalls. The prices vary, depending on the location. A good location costs a thousand taels, while a less desirable location costs a few hundred taels."

It cost more than four thousand taels of silver, emptying half of Su Chen's family fortune. After careful calculation, Su Chen chose a stall that cost two hundred taels of silver.

The stall was close to the street, but there were still customers. He came to the stall and wrote the price on the sign: one dose of Boiling Blood Powder was fifty taels. However, he did not write Boiling Blood Powder directly, but instead wrote an advertising slogan: "The effect is comparable to Blood Strengthening Pills!"

The Blood-Strengthening Pill is a type of medicine in Dafeng City that enhances qi and blood. It is somewhere between a pill and a powder, and each pill costs around seventy taels. Su Chen had done a test and found that the effects of the Blood-Boiling Powder were similar to those of the Blood-Strengthening Pill, which is why he dared to set this price.

After all, the Blood-Strengthening Pill isn't a rare medicine; it's sold in almost every pharmacy. If Su Chen were to offer a high price for the Blood-Boiling Powder, people probably wouldn't even glance at it.

Even so, at the beginning, Su Chen's stall was deserted and no one paid any attention to it. With more than half of the black market's opening time already gone, Su Chen couldn't help but feel a little anxious: "Could it be that I won't be able to sell a single item tonight?"

"What kind of medicine is this? Is it comparable to a blood-strengthening pill? Is it true?" Just as Su Chen was about to pack up his stall, a tall man walked over and asked in a low voice.

"Of course it's true," Su Chen replied, his face showing no panic at not having sold a single medicine; he appeared remarkably calm.

"Fifty taels a serving, that's indeed cheaper than the Blood-Strengthening Pill. How about this, give me five servings, I'll buy some to try."

The tall man was very straightforward; he quickly paid the money and left.

Seeing that it was almost time, Su Chen packed up the Boiling Blood Powder. He planned to open for business tonight, barely breaking even. Two hundred taels just covered the stall fee, and the extra fifty taels covered the cost of the medicinal herbs.

Afterwards, Su Chen went to the shop without a signboard and inquired about the fusion-type cultivation technique. The shopkeeper took some time to reply: "Sir, the price for this information is three hundred taels, but you need to pay a deposit of one hundred taels first."

Su Chen had already witnessed the lack of integrity of shops without signs during his last purchase, so he decisively handed over one hundred taels of silver. After the other party recorded the transaction, he asked, "Approximately when can I expect to hear back?"

"We'll have news when the black market opens next time," the shopkeeper chuckled.

Su Chen nodded slightly, put away the voucher, and turned to leave. It was around nine o'clock in the evening, and the black market was about to close, so he did not linger and left the black market.

"Uh……"

Although he left neither early nor late, he unexpectedly encountered another robbery.

However, it wasn't directed at him, but at someone else, a man wearing a bluish-brown robe.

After taking a quick look from afar, Su Chen changed direction and prepared to go around it.

"Heh heh, kid, hand over all your money. We only want the money, but if you dare to hide anything, we'll take your life too!" the leader of the robbers said sinisterly.

The long-robed man surrounded by the crowd remained calm, his sharp eyes showing no sign of panic. He said in a low voice, "I'll give you three breaths to get out of here, or you'll die!"

The moment the word "death" was uttered, even the air seemed to turn cold.

Although the robbers were not intimidated, their faces showed surprise and doubt.

The leader of the robbers' eyes gleamed. Had they run into a tough opponent tonight?

He sized up the man in the long robe, hesitating for a moment, but then waved his hand and said softly, "Go!"

Upon hearing this, the other robbers slowly put away their weapons, exchanged glances, and left.

Before leaving, the leader of the robbers gave the man in the long robe a deep look.

call!
Seeing that the robbers had all left, the calm man in the long robe relaxed, let out a long sigh, and muttered to himself:
"Luckily, I was quick-witted enough to fool the robbers, otherwise, I would have been in grave danger tonight. But those robbers were really stupid, they were so easy to fool!"

After patting his chest a few times to calm himself down, the man in the long robe composed himself, glanced around a few times, and then quickened his pace to leave in a hurry.

However, he hadn't walked far when he suddenly stopped, a flicker of panic in his eyes, but his expression quickly darkened: "Didn't I tell you to get lost? Do you want to die?"

"Stop pretending, brothers, get him!" the leader of the robbers shouted angrily, as if he really thought he was blind and hadn't seen anything!
Upon hearing this, the robbers swarmed forward, surrounding the man in the long robe. Their faces were all extremely fierce, like wild beasts that had fainted from hunger.

"run!"

The man in the long robe suddenly changed his expression and ran away without saying a word, knowing that he had definitely been exposed.

"Chase him! I swear I won't give up until we catch him today!" the leader of the robbers roared.

If you dare to mess with me, you'll pay with your life!

Deng.

As he was walking, Su Chen suddenly stopped, his ears twitching as he heard the somewhat disordered footsteps following behind him.

"Are we being chased?"

He leaped into the bushes, held his breath, and soon spotted a figure fleeing in panic—the same man in the robe he had encountered earlier.

"Where to run!"

A group of robbers followed closely behind him, closing in on the man in the long robe.

Suddenly.

One of the robbers suddenly threw his weapon, which flew out of his hand and rushed towards the man in the robe.

call out.

Pfft!
The man in the long robe also noticed, and in a panic, he jumped up and rolled several times until he reached the bushes.

Looking up, they saw Su Chen hiding in the bushes. The two stared at each other, bewildered.

Su Chen remained silent, his eyes filled with a warning.

However, the next moment, a pleading voice rang out: "Big brother, save me! Someone is trying to kill me!"

The group of robbers following behind the man in the long robe slowed their pace, their gazes shifting between Su Chen and the man in the long robe.

"Kid, this has nothing to do with you. Leave now and I'll pretend nothing happened," the robber warned, staring at Su Chen.

"Brother, you go first. Later, have someone kill these robbers to avenge me!" Before Su Chen could reply, the man in the long robe spoke up, putting on a righteous and awe-inspiring appearance.

Upon hearing this, Su Chen looked at the man in the long robe with a blank expression, said nothing, and silently stood up, distancing himself from the man in the long robe.

Upon seeing this, the man in the long robe turned pale, but he still pretended to be calm, though his eyes darted around nervously.

The leader of the robbers watched quietly. When Su Chen turned around, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly darted out, slashing at Su Chen with his knife.

Stab it!

Boom!
The sound of a head falling to the ground echoed in everyone's hearts, as if the world had fallen silent. The group of robbers stared blankly at the scene before them, frozen in place.

"Big brother!"

A moment later, one of the robbers recovered and exclaimed in surprise.

"Kill him, avenge our elder brother!"

The group of robbers glared at Su Chen, but before they could make a move, Su Chen darted forward and, with a swift stroke of his knife, reaped their lives one by one.

The man in the long robe watched from the side, swallowing hard and sweating profusely. Despite his strength and composure, he took a step forward and ran away as fast as he could.

"Where do you want to go?"

In no time, Su Chen dealt with the group of robbers and, with a swift movement, stopped the man in the long robe.

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't see anything?" The man in the long robe looked at Su Chen with some fear and said in a trembling voice, "Here is all the money I have. Let me go, and I promise I won't tell anyone."

As he spoke, he took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket and placed them on the ground. When he saw Su Chen's gaze on the silver notes, he strode to the side and ran away.

With a hiss, a steel knife pierced straight through the body, embedding itself diagonally in the ground, humming and vibrating!

"You...you have no martial ethics!" The man in the long robe looked terrified, turned his head to look at Su Chen, and said with resentment.

Su Chen did not reply. He picked up the several hundred taels of silver notes on the ground, then walked to the corpse of the man in the long robe and drew his steel knife.

The man in the long robe wasn't lying; he had indeed handed over all the money he had on him. It was a pity he shouldn't have let Su Chen take the blame for him.

Su Chen turned around and searched the group of robbers. The total amount of money they had was less than that of the man in the long robe, which made him slightly disappointed.

"Boss, this guy's got some tough stuff. Should we make a move?"

In the distance, three figures were hidden in the grass. The three stared at Su Chen, who was being searched, with different expressions. One of them spoke up and asked a question.

The other person also looked at the man in the middle, and the leader shook his head: "No need, let's change the target."

"Look at how much ill-gotten wealth he's made. Shall we go and see what's going on?" the man said, somewhat unwilling to give up.

"You'd have to be alive to take it!" the eldest brother snorted coldly, then got up and left.

Seeing this, the two exchanged a glance, and finally got up helplessly and followed.

Unbeknownst to the three, Su Chen looked up and watched them as they left, only turning his gaze away when they were out of sight.

The rest of the journey was uneventful.

After entering the city, Su Chen went straight to his residence. Once home, he took out the sixteen Qi and Blood Pills he had bought and began to swallow one.

A warm sensation surged through my limbs and bones, lasting for a long time before slowly disappearing.

After taking a Qi and Blood Pill, Su Chen began to take stock of his gains for the evening, which were not many.

Aside from the pills, I only gained about 700 taels of silver. Now, all the silver I have adds up to nearly 5,000 taels.

"With this amount of money, I can only buy sixteen Qi and Blood Pills. Even with the nine goldfish, it's still less than twenty. It seems I need to find a way to make money."

Su Chen seemed to be deep in thought. Ten thousand taels of silver could make him rich for a lifetime in Baishi City, but in Dafeng City, it was just the cost of a few dozen pills.

Going from rich to poor is simply a matter of changing the map.

After letting his mind wander for a while, Su Chen washed up and went to bed.

(End of this chapter)