Chapter 39: Turmoil Approaches

“Greetings, Master Yun, I would like to rent a spot to do business today,” Zhong Lin said with a smile.

Yesterday, in the black market, Zhong Lin learned that the gatekeeper was named Yun Ye, a master of Martial Arts at the Seventh Grade Bone Forging Realm, known for his unparalleled strength. It was precisely because he guarded the place that the black market remained peaceful and nobody dared to cause trouble.

“The stall fee is two large coins per night,” Yun Ye said casually.

“Understood.”

After paying the market entry fee and the stall fee, which totaled three large coins, he received a palm-sized plaque with the characters “Ding You 18” written on it.

Zhong Lin had already familiarized himself with the process. After entering the black market, he found the corresponding location and placed the wooden plaque in a prominent spot.

Next to the stall, there was a wooden sign where he could write the names of the items for sale. Of course, some people who couldn’t read didn’t bother and just boldly displayed their goods.

After a brief consideration, Zhong Lin wrote the four big characters “Blood Strengthening Secret Medicine” on the wooden sign and then laid out the packets of medicine powder in front of him.

The phrase “Blood Strengthening Secret Medicine” was very targeted, and it wasn’t long before someone who could read stopped by, attracted.

Seeing a potential customer, Zhong Lin eagerly introduced, “This is Eight Treasures Blood Building Powder, an excellent medicine for replenishing qi and blood. Its effects surpass those secret medicines sold by martial arts schools, and one dose lasts for three days.”

“How much does it cost?”

The speaker was a man wearing a monkey-head mask, his face obscured, and his voice somewhat hoarse.

“Five taels of silver per packet.”

Zhong Lin held up five fingers.

“Too expensive,” the man with the monkey-head mask said in a deep voice, “Even martial arts schools sell it for just three taels of silver.”

“Well, sir, you can buy it from the martial arts school then!” Zhong Lin replied with a sly smile.

The man with the monkey-head mask fell silent instantly; it was apparent he was someone who couldn’t appear in broad daylight. He didn’t dare to go to the county town, let alone the martial arts school.

“I need to test the medicine first.”

“Of course.”

The medicine packet was opened, and the man with the monkey-head mask pinched a bit with two fingers and put it in his mouth. After a moment, he nodded in satisfaction.

“It’s effective; I’ll take them all.”

“Excellent.”

Zhong Lin was overjoyed, not expecting to sell out as soon as he opened for business.

The man with the monkey-head mask pulled a bag from his waist and tossed it over. Zhong Lin caught it in his hand and judged it to contain fifty taels of silver by its weight and the sound it made as it moved, but he still opened it to check.

Good, all broken silver, and the amount was accurate.

Ten packets of medicine, that’s fifty taels of silver. After giving twenty taels to Xu Le, Zhong Lin netted thirty taels.

“Will you be here selling medicine again tomorrow?” the man with the monkey-head mask asked in a low voice before leaving.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Saying this, he left without looking back.

Zhong Lin erased the characters on the wooden sign, stood up, and left. Before long, he left the black market with a look of pain; twenty taels of silver had already been exchanged for two Blood Replenishing Pills.

“Damn, I have to read more medical books these days; I refuse to believe I can’t crack the Blood Replenishing Pill.”

Setting a firm goal for himself, Zhong Lin was pained to see the twenty taels of silver gone before they had even warmed up in his hands.

On the way back, he was cautious, constantly circling around, but even when he reached Black Mountain County, no one was following him.

“No trouble… that’s good.”

He sighed with emotion and returned smoothly.

…

The next morning, Zhong Lin prepared a sumptuous breakfast, and the two brothers enjoyed it heartily.

Zhong Lin also noticed that as his martial arts cultivation progressed, his appetite was increasing, but this was a good thing.

After sending Xiao Shitou to Mr. Liu’s place, Zhong Lin first went to the Xu Medical Clinic and handed over twenty taels of silver to Xu Le.

Receiving the silver, Xu Le was so happy he couldn’t close his mouth and even shut the clinic doors, continuing to make the Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup nonstop.

After returning the “Compendium of Materia Medica” he had borrowed the night before, Zhong Lin took another book, the “Essential Guide to Food and Drink.” He aimed to finish reading all the books in the medical clinic as soon as possible, then attempt to crack the Blood Replenishing Pill and achieve freedom in acquiring it.

After checking in at the government office, Zhong Lin went straight to the storeroom where Old Zhou was.

“Old Zhou, has something happened outside?” Zhong Lin asked directly.

Old Zhou’s expression changed, and he glanced outside; seeing no one was around, he whispered, “You’ve heard the news too?”

“What news?”

“Hey! You rascal, trying to trick me,”

Old Zhou glared at him and chuckled.

Zhong Lin also smiled and said, “I noticed something was off in the city; there are too many refugees, and the grain prices at the rice shops have more than doubled. Old Zhou, tell me honestly, has something happened outside?”

Old Zhou pondered for a moment, “Zhong, haven’t you noticed that since you joined the government office, you haven’t seen the County Chief and Chief Clerk Zhang?”

Zhong Lin’s heart stirred. He had indeed wondered why he had only seen County Magistrate Du exercising authority since arriving in Black Mountain County and not the County Chief or Chief Clerk Zhang.

“Things are already chaotic outside. This summer, there was a severe drought causing food shortages, and the refugee situation is worsening. Moreover, some scheming individuals are gathering troops to cause unrest. It’s only because Black Mountain County is backed by Black Mountain and the Baisha River that we haven’t seen chaos here yet. With things as they are, it won’t be long before the County Chief returns to recruit troops,” Old Zhou sighed.

Chaos is imminent.

The phrase suddenly popped into Zhong Lin’s mind. History had long proven that natural disasters and man-made calamities often came hand in hand. However, he wondered just how extensive the effects of this drought and impending conflict would be.

“Zhong Lin, if you have spare money, quickly buy some food and store it. I reckon the price of food will continue to rise,” Old Zhou advised.

“I understand, thank you, Old Zhou.”

“Ah, no thanks needed.”

Having learned that chaos was looming, Zhong Lin spent the entire morning in a daze, unable to focus on the medical books, and went home to practice instead.

After swallowing a Blood Replenishing Pill, the effect surged within Zhong Lin, and he moved swiftly in the courtyard, his punches sometimes powerful and sometimes forceful like a fierce tiger descending the mountain.

Despite it being late autumn, Zhong Lin felt as if a fire was burning inside him. Using the Breathing Skill, his internal organs vibrated, thin threads of hot mist rose from the top of his head, and the sound of blood roaring through his veins was clear.

It was a full hour before Zhong Lin slowly stopped, his eyes brimming with vigor and sharpness, akin to a tiger.

He could feel an itchiness in his fascia as if undergoing a second development.

Time passed leisurely.

These past few days, Zhong Lin went to the black market every night. Most of the silver earned from selling the Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup was spent on elixirs, while a small portion was exchanged for food.

The underground cellar where Xiao Shitou hid before was expanded again. The soil dug out was discarded carefully at night, and the inside was sprinkled with insect-repelling and dehumidifying powder, creating a small bunker. Even if a war were to break out outside, it would be enough for the two of them to hide for a month or so.

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