Chapter 12: Unorthodox Path

In a corner of the martial arts field, there was a place with a strong smell of medicine. Third Brother Niu Biao stirred the contents of a big pot with an iron rod. When a disciple came, he would scoop out a bowl of soup for them, depending on their status.

The Soup Medicine was called "Small Wan Soup". It was made by brewing ginseng, tiger bones, astragalus, and various precious fish bones from the deep lake, and it could greatly supplement one's Vitality and Blood Power.

Chen Yi stood at the end of the queue, observing. When a disciple in the standard training uniform of the martial arts school came forward, Third Brother scooped out a bowl for him from below the cauldron. The disciple thanked him and drank it on the spot.

When it came to those who paid silver on the spot for the decoction, Third Brother would simply scoop a shallow bowl from the surface of the soup. The disciple didn't dare to be picky and drank it just the same.

When it was Chen Yi's turn, he took out the last couple of silver he got from Liar Liu and handed it over, saying:

"Third Brother, I would like to buy a bowl of decoction."

"Eh? You're new here, I haven't seen you before." Third Brother Niu Biao stopped stirring the soup, his ladle resting at the edge of the pot as he looked at Chen Yi, puzzled.

"Um, Third Brother, I stood on the posts here two months ago. I just got the hang of my Vitality and Blood and came here to learn boxing. Can I buy the decoction this time?"

Niu Biao stared at Chen Yi for a few moments and then suddenly said:

"Oh, you're the boy who offended Liar Liu, the one who fishes?

Wait, you managed to master your Vitality and Blood without drinking the decoction for two months?!"

Third Brother appeared surprised, looking up and down at Chen Yi repeatedly, as if he had discovered an amazing talent,

Then, his eyes shifted, seeming to recall something, he quickly put on a smile and said:

"Don't mind the past, Junior Brother. Liar Liu is a member of our gang, so I couldn't sell you the decoction because of face-saving issues.

Now he's dead, no one in the gang will bother you, so of course you can buy the decoction."

Saying this, Niu Biao took a long ladle, deeply scooped from the bottom of the cauldron, and congratulated Chen Yi with a pleasing smile:

"Congratulations on mastering your Vitality and Blood in such a short time, Junior Brother. With your talent, you could potentially reach the Anjin level in the future. A martial arts prodigy like you should recuperate well!

Hehe, you keep training, brother. I'll put extra ingredients in your decoction from now on!

When your training yields results, I'll introduce you to join the Fish and Dragon Gang. By then, we will live like kings, and you'll definitely have a blast!"

The bowl full of medicine residue that he had ladled out had twice the efficacy of what others got. It was a privilege extended only to a few official disciples of the Master. This was obviously Niu Biao attempting to win Chen Yi over.

Chen Yi, however, shook his head, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother. Joining a gang is a significant matter. Allow me to think it over."

Just then, Yunhu came over to receive his decoction. Seeing Chen Yi there, he asked:

"Junior Brother Chen, where did you find that big fish from Deep Marsh that you were talking about? Just a half was enough for you to get a feel for Vitality and Blood. If I could find a half, wouldn't I directly reach the Iron Skin level?!"

Chen Yi was quite helpless. Ever since he had mentioned the big fish, Elder Brother Yunhu had been constantly questioning him,

Chen Yi could only make up stuff about the Deep Marsh, a huge wave, a giant beast, a fish head as big as a person, which greatly fascinated Elder Brother Yunhu,

Now he was asking about it again.

However, Niu Biao standing on one side suddenly understood:

"Hey, are you saying that Junior Brother Chen captured the Vitality and Blood by eating a big fish from the Deep Marsh?"

Chen Yi nodded in affirmation.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Niu Biao's hand trembled, he poured the ladle full of thick soup with medicine residue back into the pot. Then he scooped from the surface into Chen Yi's bowl again without any expression and said:

"Next."

Looking at the clear soup in his bowl, Chen Yi was a bit taken aback, "What about joining the gang?"

"Join what gang? The Fish and Dragon Gang doesn't need any freeloaders. Off you go!"

Chen Yi looked startled: So realistic...

But he didn't care, as he had no intention of joining any gang or faction in the first place.

He simply wanted to quietly cultivate martial arts and upgrade in both worlds, ensuring the health and safety of his family.

By the wall, Chen Yi drank the Small Wan Soup in one gulp and felt a warm current rise from his stomach and slowly spread towards his viscera.

Hurriedly, Chen Yi assumed the Pile Skill pose, channeling his Vitality and Blood, to absorb the medicinal effects.

About a quarter of an hour later, Chen Yi felt the warmth inside his body fade away. He knew the medicine had done its job.

Opening his eyes and taking a moment to assess his condition, he felt his Vitality and Blood improve by a fraction.

This medicine was indeed useful, but its effects were limited, roughly equivalent to the effect of a few pieces of meat from a twenty-pound fish in the Spiritual Energy World

Not only was this true in quantity, but Chen Yi felt that, in terms of quality, the herbal medicine here was far inferior to the fish in the Spiritual Energy World.

It appeared that the energy levels in the two worlds had a fundamental difference.

Therefore, the effect of these medicinal herbs was just so-so. He decided to go back to the other world to absorb spiritual energy and upgrade by fishing.

Speaking of fishing, his net and fishing fork in the other world were also broken. It was time to go ashore and go shopping.

...

After finished training, Chen Yi returned home and prepared to rest for a short while before heading to the market in the Spiritual Energy World. Now, he had fully grasped his Vitality and Blood, and his single arm had nearly three hundred pounds of strength.

Although his mastery over Anjin was not yet complete, after these days of understanding, his current strength was already sufficient to protect himself from the average people in the Spiritual Energy World.

After all, it was not easy to encounter cultivators and body cultivators.

At home, Chen Yi stashed all the rice and flour he had gradually bought for fish in the cellar. He just counted and found more than one hundred kilos of each, enough to last a while.

Emerging from the cellar, he covered the entrance with a large stone weighing nearly two hundred pounds. He was preparing to check for any uninvited guests before heading to the other world.

Just then,

Thump! Thump!

Someone knocked on the door.

"Is Chen Yi home? I saw you come home from the village entrance."

Village head Wang Dachui? What is he here for? His son, Wang Xiaochui isn't running errands for the Fish and Dragon Gang, he shouldn't be coming to borrow money because they're short on food, should he?

Chen Yi's family had lived in the village for more than a decade but only had a nodding acquaintance with most of the villagers.

Chen Yi turned around and glanced around the room. There was nothing worth noticing in his simple home. He opened the door and greeted with a smile:

"Uncle Wang, what brings you here?"

"Ah Yi, good boy, you've grown up and gained quite some capabilities! I remember when you were born, I used to carry you in my arms."

The village head, looking like a little old man, was rather emotional.

Chen Yi was unmoved. So, you carried me when I was born, which means we really had no relationships in all these years, right?

"Uncle Wang, if you have anything to say, just say it."

"Well, Ah Yi, I heard that you've been catching big fish over five pounds and selling them at the market? Sometimes even up to ten pounds?!" Wang Dachui eyed Chen Yi as he spoke.

Chen Yi's heart clenched, so it had come to this. Had he been too high-profile when he sold the ten-pound fish? He had attracted attention now.

With my current strength, I can maintain this ten-pound fish business without a problem. But if I have other high-end fish in the future, I must disguise myself so that no one can find my home.

One mustn't flaunt wealth.

"Ah, you're referring to that. I was just lucky to have caught a few. Is Uncle Wang short on something? I have some sorghum flour at home. If you don't mind, I can give you a pound?"

"No, no, no, Ah Yi, you misunderstand, I didn't come to borrow anything.

Here's the thing, recently the prices of general commodities are rising, and the share of fish sold at the market has also gone up to 40%. My boy is at work in the gang, right? He has the connections to help you lower the share on your fish sales to 10%. This way, you'll make a few more copper coins per fish. What do you think?"