Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

As Chen Cheng spoke, he slowly opened the wooden box.

Inside lay a pure white herb, about three inches long. Its surface had horizontal lines like bamboo segments, and its broken ends showed ice-like crackle patterns. The overall texture was less like a plant and more like a hard, malformed piece of white bone.

"Frost... Frost Bone White!?"

Shen Mi’s eyes went wide. She slammed the lid back down, her movements tinged with panic.

"This is a Treasure Medicine unique to the Great Yin Dynasty in the north! Smuggling it from their territory is a grave crime, punishable by the extermination of one’s entire family! You... how did you get this? Did one of the nobles from the Inner City give it to you after yesterday’s test? Or..."

Halfway through her question, Shen Mi realized her mistake and quickly changed her tune.

"You don’t have to answer me... but you must remember, this thing can never see the light of day! Otherwise, you could be charged with treason—a capital offense!"

"...I understand."

Chen Cheng nodded and asked.

"This Frost Bone White, what exactly is it used for?"

Shen Mi took a few deep breaths, the heavy rise and fall of her chest gradually subsiding.

"It cultivates essence, strengthens bones, and fortifies the major tendons... Simply put, it improves one’s Root Bone. The extent of the improvement varies from person to person."

"You can grind it into a powder and take it with strong liquor, or you can mix it with tiger bones and leopard tendons to make a topical paste... After using it, you’ll feel a slight tingling and itching in your bones and tendons for a few days. That’s just the medicinal power at work, so don’t worry."

"Thank you for the information, Master."

Chen Cheng tucked the wooden box back into his robes, asking with some curiosity.

"How much is something like this usually worth?"

"Before the war in the north began, a stalk like this, three inches long and of good quality, was worth about three hundred taels of silver."

Shen Mi paused, then added.

"Now that it can’t be transported over, a stalk like this would go for at least six hundred taels, if not more."

Chen Cheng nodded, not pursuing the topic further.

’I can’t help but be surprised,’ he thought. ’For the Fuchang Trading Company to produce such a Treasure Medicine, it’s not just a matter of being incredibly wealthy. Their methods and connections must be extraordinary, extending far beyond their ties to Green Forest Bandits. I’m afraid they have an even greater backer!’

’But what’s strange is, since the Fuchang Trading Company has Dark Sabers, why haven’t they made a move against Shen Mi?’

’Can’t they? Or don’t they dare?’

’Are they wary of the Shen Family in the Inner City? Or perhaps they’re respecting the rules of the game that the trading companies of Zhao City have abided by for decades, even centuries?’

’Or maybe... they can’t be bothered!’

’If they’re already certain of victory and can openly seize the Trade Document during the year-end showdown, then there’s naturally no need to create unnecessary complications.’

Chen Cheng silently calculated the possibilities.

’Elder Wen is a Dark Force expert at the level of Five Pillars of Blood Qi. Although he’s old, his Blood Qi has somewhat declined, and his stamina isn’t what it used to be, he has the advantage of profound experience.’

’If the Fuchang Trading Company wants to guarantee a win, they’ve probably hired an expert at the Peak of Five Pillars of Blood Qi.’

’There’s still some time before the end of the year. I wonder if Shen Mi has a counter-strategy?’

Chen Cheng wanted to help, but his own strength was far from sufficient.

’Overthinking it is pointless. The most urgent task is still to improve myself.’

Afterward, Shen Mi had to go out for some business, so Chen Cheng headed directly to the warehouse to find Elder Wen.

News of Chen Cheng’s performance in the Inner Hall test yesterday had already spread throughout An Nan District. Elder Wen had heard the rumors, and now, hearing the story from Chen Cheng himself, he was grinning from ear to ear.

"To an outsider, you seem like a quiet and honest kid, but I know you’re as cunning as a fox! Ha ha..."

Elder Wen laughed so hard that crow’s feet bunched at the corners of his eyes, and he slapped his knee.

"Xu Linyuan, Cao Miao, Ye Yang, and all those nobles from the Inner City... you fooled every single one of them... The very thought of it just... ha ha ha..."

"It’s all because Elder Wen taught me well."

A placid smile hung on Chen Cheng’s face.

But Elder Wen waved his hand, his smile fading.

"Honestly, your progress is far faster than I expected. I have nothing left to teach you... If our Realms were the same, I’m afraid I wouldn’t even have a forty percent chance of winning."

"You’re too modest, Elder Wen."

Chen Cheng said with a serious expression.

"I look forward to sparring a few rounds with you every day."

"Isn’t that simple enough?"

Elder Wen laughed.

"As long as you show up, I’ll always be ready for a match."

"Alright, then!"

Chen Cheng grinned and launched a sudden attack.

...

In the evening, Chen Cheng returned to the Inner Hall. He had just finished eating in the small kitchen when he ran into Zhu Mingyuan.

Zhu Mingyuan’s face was clouded with worry. He was carrying five medicinal packets tied together with a hemp rope, having just returned from outside.

"Junior Brother Chen."

Zhu Mingyuan walked over and held out the packets.

"This is the reward Master Ye promised you. Five packets of Blood Nourishing and Essence Building Soup. Brew and take one packet every three days, and use it in conjunction with the Blood-Nourishing Pills from the General Affairs Room. It will significantly boost your cultivation efficiency and help solidify your newly formed Blood Qi."

"...Thank you for going out of your way to deliver this, Senior Brother."

Chen Cheng reached out and took them. They were slightly heavy, and a faint, metallic, rust-like smell emanated from the paper packets.

He had thought that since Zhuang Zhen hadn’t returned, the reward might be off the table. He never expected Ye Yang to still remember the matter and have Zhu Mingyuan deliver it.

"Master Ye... is he alright?" Chen Cheng asked.

"Master Ye was ambushed last night and was seriously injured. Fortunately, he managed to wound his attacker, who then fled in a hurry..."

Zhu Mingyuan said in a low voice.

"Early this morning, Master Ye’s wife went to the Inner City to fetch a renowned physician to the Ye Mansion, and they used a Healing Treasure Medicine... When I left the Ye Mansion, Master Ye had already woken up, but his aura is still very weak. He’ll need a long period of rest to recover..."

"As long as he’s awake..."

Chen Cheng nodded, then asked.

"That attacker, did Master Ye get any sense of their origin?"

"Their origin is uncertain... All we know is that it was a strange person wearing a bamboo hat and dressed all in black."

As Zhu Mingyuan spoke, his Adam’s apple bobbed.

"The strangest part is that with Master Ye’s Cultivation and his heightened senses, he didn’t detect anything unusual at all before the person launched their attack!"

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