Free Web NovelChapter 6: Chapter 6: Foundation Strengthening and Essence Nourishing Medicine
"Wait! I’ll talk! I’ll talk!"
The burly man, utterly broken by the fear of death, yelled frantically, "It was Chen Zhengping! Chen Zhengping sent us! He said you brought thousands of taels of silver with you to the county seat, and if we killed you, the silver would be all ours."
Chen Zhengping!
At these words, a murderous glint flashed through Chen Li’s eyes.
Without another word, he swung the Iron Staff like a bolt of lightning, precisely striking the back of each man’s neck.
With three dull thuds, the screams ceased.
The three thugs collapsed like boneless fish, completely unconscious.
Chen Li moved quickly, dragging the three men onto the ox-cart. He covered them thoroughly with burlap sacks from the cart and a thick layer of branches and withered leaves.
As anyone who has killed before knows, the killing is easy; it’s getting rid of the body that’s hard. fгeewebnovёl.com
Jingshan County was situated on a plain, with no deep mountains or ancient forests in which to hide a body.
Tossing the bodies into the mountains to feed tigers and other wild beasts was not an option.
By now, it was nearly dusk. The main road was deserted, and no one had witnessed the fight.
He drove the ox-cart in a leisurely loop around the area, confirming that no one was around.
Only when the sky was pitch-black and night had blanketed the land did Chen Li turn the cart around and head toward the Lishui River.
The frigid river water flowed silently under the cover of night.
Chen Li parked the ox-cart at a secluded bend in the river and, with great effort, dragged the three heavy bodies to the water’s edge.
He drew the hatchet he carried with him. Three swift, clean cuts, and blood sprayed into the air.
Expressionless, Chen Li tied the large stones he had prepared to the waists of the corpses, then dragged them one by one into the deep water.
GLUB, GLUB, GLUB...
A trail of bubbles rose to the surface as the bodies, weighed down by the stones, sank into the silt at the bottom of the river.
Chen Li stood on the bank, gazing silently at the placid surface of the river. After confirming he had left no trace, he turned, drove the ox-cart away, and vanished into the vast night on his way back to Lingxi Village.
...
「Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, the twelfth lunar month had arrived.」
To Chen Li’s surprise, the disappearance of the three ruffians was like a stone dropped into the ocean—it didn’t make the slightest ripple.
There was no word from Chen Zhengping, nor did the San Dao Bang report them missing to the authorities. It was as if the three men had never existed.
The only change was in the depths of the gazes from Chen Yongquan’s family. When they looked at Chen Li, their usual hatred was now tinged with an ill-concealed fear and suspicion.
As the year’s end drew near, Chen Li once again drove the ox-cart to the county seat. He was there to purchase supplies for the New Year and to pick up his eldest son, Chen Shouheng, who was coming home from his training at the Tiger Subduing Martial Arts Hall.
The moment he stepped through the door, Chen Shouheng pounced on Chen Li like a starving wolf. His eyes were glued to the pigpen, practically glowing as he said, "Dad, let’s butcher the New Year’s pig! I want meat! I’m starving for it!"
Chen Li couldn’t help but be amused by his son, who looked like a starving man reincarnated. "What? Don’t they even feed you meat at the martial arts hall?"
"We only get meat once every five days. If you want it any other time, you have to buy it yourself," Chen Shouheng grumbled plaintively, his stomach letting out a growl as if on cue.
"Didn’t I leave you with forty taels of silver?" Chen Li asked, surprised. "If you wanted meat, you could have just bought it."
’In just three or four months, he couldn’t have spent forty taels of silver even if he ate meat every day.’
When Chen Shouheng heard this, his face fell as if he’d suffered a terrible injustice. "How could that possibly be enough! Forty taels of silver only buys four doses of Foundation Strengthening and Essence Nourishing Medicine. That’s barely anything!"
"Foundation Strengthening and Essence Nourishing Medicine?" Chen Li was taken aback.
He knew that practicing martial arts required nourishment from Medicinal Cuisine, but he hadn’t expected his son to need such medicine when he was just at the Entry-level.
And the medicine was far from cheap.
’The poor pursue scholarship while the rich pursue the martial path... How true that saying is!’
Chen Li lamented inwardly. ’Without a solid family fortune, you really can’t afford to support a Martial Artist.’
Suppressing his surprise, he asked, "How often do you need to take a dose of this medicine?"
Chen Shouheng counted on his fingers. "Master said that since I’m just at the Entry-level and my foundation isn’t stable, one dose a month is enough. It’s mainly to replenish the Innate Essence that was lacking from my childhood. Once my Pile Skill is solid, if I want to progress faster, I’ll need a dose every seven days, or every half-month at the least. Any less than that, and my vitality won’t be able to keep up. If I train too hard then, I’ll damage my foundation, and that would be a huge problem."
"Innate Essence? Lacking?" Chen Li chided with a laugh. "You little rascal, have we ever let you miss a meal since you were born? How could you be ’lacking’ anything?"
"Argh! Dad, it’s not that kind of essence!"
Chen Shouheng was so anxious he started scratching his head, trying his best to explain. "It’s... it’s the kind that’s, like, the body’s origin... it’s... Ugh! I can’t explain it well either. Anyway, that’s what Master said."
Seeing his son hopping about in frustration, Chen Li waved his hand with a smile. "All right, all right. The New Year’s pig still needs to fatten up for a few more days; we can’t butcher it yet. In a little while, I’ll go catch a fat chicken and have your mother stew it for you. That should tide you over for now."
’Six pigs sounded like a lot, but they were being raised to make cured meat to last them through the coming year.’
’Though with his current wealth, Chen Li could easily buy meat at the market, the thought of it always put him off.’
’Lingxi was in the plains, with the Lishui River being the only major waterway, so pig feed was scarce. Much of the pork sold by butchers at the market came from pigs fattened up on manure.’
’Their home-raised pigs, on the other hand, were never fed such filth. They were usually given slop mixed with wild grass and coarse grains, which was much cleaner.’
The moment he heard there was chicken to eat, Chen Shouheng’s face lit up. "Dad, don’t worry about it! I’ll go, I’ll go..."
Before the words were even out of his mouth, he was off like a whirlwind, heading for the chicken coop in the backyard.
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Night fell. The family of six—Mrs. Chen, his wife Song Ying, eldest son Chen Shouheng, second son Chen Shouye, and third daughter Chen Shouyue—was gathered around the square dinner table.
On the table sat a large, fragrant basin of stewed chicken, a dish of cured meat stir-fried with garlic shoots, a plate of stir-fried cabbage, a dish of fried tofu puffs, and a plate of stir-fried rapeseed greens.
Mrs. Chen, old and frail, held her bowl and took small bites of rice soaked in chicken broth.
Three-year-old Shouyue held a small spoon, her wide eyes fixed on her big brother, Chen Shouheng, without blinking.
Shouheng ate like a ravenous tiger, his chopsticks a blur as he swept across the dishes like a whirlwind, stuffing his cheeks until they bulged.
Quick-eyed and quicker-handed, Shouye snatched the last chicken leg, clutching it tightly in his fist as he watched his older brother warily, terrified it would be stolen.
"Shouheng, slow down. No one’s going to steal it from you. Be careful you don’t choke." Song Ying watched her son wolf down his food, a mixture of pity and amusement on her face.
"Mmph... Mom... s’fine... I can handle it..." Shouheng mumbled indistinctly, his mouth full of food.
"No one asked if you could handle it."
Chen Li gave him a light smack on the back of the head. "I told you to chew your food. You’re eating like a man starved."
"Oh... okay..."
Shouheng ducked his head and slowed down slightly, but his chopsticks never stopped moving.
By the time the meal was over, the four dishes and one soup had been picked clean, without a single drop of broth left.
The maid, Gin go, who was usually responsible for clearing the leftovers, looked at the empty bowls and plates, then silently turned and went to the kitchen to make a bowl of noodles for herself.
After dinner, Chen Li called his eldest son aside to ask about his Cultivation progress at the martial arts hall.
He never expected that the moment he mentioned the martial arts hall, the boy’s eyes would widen in alarm. "Dad, you’re not thinking of having me secretly teach you the Tiger Subduing Fist, are you? I can’t do that! Master said that anyone who secretly passes on their Martial Arts will, for a light offense, have their skills crippled and be expelled from the school. For a serious offense... they’ll pay with their life."
