Chapter 31: Mountain Poor
Chapter 31: Mountain Poor
one year later.
In the Chimang Mountains, a convoy was moving slowly along the mountain road.
This lane consisted of forty carts, harnessed to sturdy blue mules and covered with dirty white tarpaulins. Two deep ruts were left on the mountain road.
On a large cart in the front, there was a flag with a picture of a ferocious tiger descending from the mountain, and next to it were the two words "伏虎" written in sharp strokes.
Dozens of warriors in tight uniforms were patrolling on both sides of the convoy, and there were also several smart and capable warriors in the front and back, who were spread out far away to investigate the surrounding situation.
Chen Yuan followed at the end of the convoy. Beside him, Yu Zhenchuan was scolding a young guard in his early twenties:
"What happened to you? You fell asleep while on guard duty. Fortunately, the commander discovered it in time and killed the bear. If it had been allowed to break into the camp and hurt the brothers and disturbed Deacon Wei, I guarantee you would have been in big trouble and the commander would have been in trouble too!"
The guard was sweating profusely and stammered:
"I, I didn't know a bear would break in. There was a fire in the camp. Who knew this beast was not afraid of fire..."
Seeing that the young guard dared to argue, Yu Zhenchuan became even angrier:
"I think you have been too comfortable on the way and have forgotten your duty! This is the Chimang Mountains, which is extremely dangerous. If it was not a bear but a bandit who came in last night, you would have harmed all the brothers! Forget the reward for this errand, and half of your monthly salary will be deducted!"
The young guard looked bitter, his head hung, and he replied listlessly:
"Yes, I will never dare to do that again."
Not only will he not be given a reward, but his monthly salary will also be deducted. When he returns, he will definitely be scolded to death by my mother.
Yu Zhenchuan was still angry and wanted to teach him a lesson, but Chen Yuan raised his hand to stop him:
"Since this is Guo Ming's first offense, don't deduct his monthly salary and reward money."
Upon hearing this, the young guard quickly raised his head and looked at Chen Yuan in surprise.
Yu Zhenchuan said:
"Commander, Guo Ming neglected his duties, which is a serious matter, and he must be severely punished!"
Chen Yuan smiled and said:
"Guo Ming's mistake was unintentional. How about this? For the time being, we will temporarily withhold his reward silver, but not his monthly salary. Guo Ming also has to support his family. If he does not make any mistakes on this mission, the reward silver will be paid. If he makes a mistake again, both the reward silver and the monthly salary will be deducted. How do you think?"
Yu Zhenchuan said helplessly:
"Just as the commander said."
The young guard said happily:
"Thank you, Commander and Deputy Commander. I will do my job well and will never make any mistakes again!"
Yu Zhenchuan waved his hands and said unhappily:
"Go! If you dare to be careless again, I will peel off your skin!"
The young guard clasped his fists and bowed deeply, then returned to his position, puffed out his chest and raised his head, his neck moving constantly, his eyes wide open, looking towards the surrounding mountains and forests, as if bandits would rush out at the next moment.
Yu Zhenchuan looked at him like this and couldn't help laughing:
"This boy!"
Chen Yuan asked:
"Brother, why do you have to embarrass Guo Ming? Not to mention one bear, even if a group of bears broke into the camp, nothing would happen."
Yu Zhenchuan said quickly:
"Commander, you are too polite. Just call me Zhenchuan."
Chen Yuan smiled and said:
"My senior brother and I have known each other for a long time. Without his help, I would not be able to be a good commander. How can I change my title just because I have broken through the marrow refining stage and become a commander?"
Yu Zhenchuan felt warm in his heart and said:
"The commander is truly loyal and righteous..."
Over the past year, Chen Yuan insisted on calling him senior brother, and no matter how he refused, he would not change his words.
He was just a bone-refining warrior, but Chen Yuan's martial arts were becoming more and more advanced. In just one year, he reached the peak of marrow refining. Looking at the entire Fu Hu Gang, he could be regarded as a rising star.
Chen Yuan's status was rising, but he still remembered their old friendship, which moved Yu Zhenchuan deeply. He did his best to assist Chen Yuan and help him gain full control of his 30 guards.
After Yu Zhenchuan flattered him for a few words, he turned his head and looked at the vast mountains and forests, and said worriedly:
"Before we went into the mountains this time, I went to Cuiyun Tower with the brothers under Steward Yun to drink. They said that the Chimang Mountains have been in turmoil for the past two months. Three or four caravans set up camp at night and disappeared without a trace overnight. It was extremely scary. I saw the black bear last night and was shocked. I thought it would suffer the same disaster, so I was afraid and wanted to severely punish Guo Ming."
Chen Yuan nodded and said:
"I see. However, the Chimang Mountains have never been peaceful. It should be bandits who attacked the camp and took people back. As long as we strengthen our defenses, nothing will happen."
Yu Zhenchuan looked worried and said:
"It's definitely not the bandits. The cargo on the caravan's carts is still there, the horses and oxen pulling the carts are all intact, and there's even porridge and rice cooking in the pots. But the drivers and guards disappeared without a trace, as if they had evaporated. The brothers all said that they were either taken away by the Black and White Impermanence, or eaten by monsters!"
Chen Yuan laughed and said:
"Brother, you have been traveling around the world for so many years. Have you ever encountered ghosts?"
Yu Zhenchuan shook his head:
"That's not the case, but..."
Chen Yuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, there are many such legends in the martial arts world, but no one has ever encountered it personally. It's just a rumor. We have more than a hundred people, and Steward Wei is a master of the peak of internal strength. As long as we don't encounter the bandits from those big villages, we will be fine."
Yu Zhenchuan obviously did not agree with Chen Yuan's opinion. He still had a look of fear on his face, but he could not refute Chen Yuan, so he could only say vaguely:
"What the commander said is true. I will go and inspect it to make sure that my brothers are not undisciplined and become lax and lazy."
"Go."
Chen Yuan nodded, looked at Yu Zhenchuan's back as he turned and left, smiled, quickened his pace and caught up with the convoy.
The rumors in the underworld that Yu Zhenchuan mentioned might be true, but even if the Baibingtang’s convoy really encountered such a strange thing, Chen Yuan was not afraid at all.
In the past year, he had several thousand taels of silver in his hands, had no worries about the supply of elixirs, and received more than a hundred times of starlight infusion, which greatly increased his physical strength and his great strength also increased to about two thousand pounds.
In addition, Chen Yuan took a Guyuan Pill every three days to activate the Qi and blood in his body, making his martial arts training more efficient and making rapid progress.
Four months ago, he reached the peak of internal strength and spent 1,800 taels of silver to buy a Ninggang Pill from Jishidiang. He successfully broke through to Gangjin and his strength increased greatly.
It only took Chen Yuan eight months from breaking through internal strength to breaking through Gangjin. If this were to be spread out, it would surely become famous in the martial arts circles of Qi State.
The martial arts legend of Qi State, Xie Qingping, the 'Xiao Yao Sword', rose from obscurity, and within twenty years, he founded his own school, and was invincible throughout Qi State.
But after he broke through the internal strength, even though he had a great opportunity, it still took him two years to break through to the Gangjin level, which was far inferior to Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan's progress was so rapid that the Guyuan Pill only played a small role.
The main reason is that after being infused with starlight, his body has become strong and his meridians have become tough, so he can withstand the circulation of true qi for a longer period of time and practice martial arts for a longer time than others.
The price he paid for this was to consume a large amount of medicinal pills.
When Chen Yuan just broke through his internal strength, he only needed one Guyuan Pill each time the starlight filled his body.
However, as the strength of the physical body increased, the medicinal power of one Guyuan Pill gradually became insufficient, and the number of pills was gradually increased to two.
After Chen Yuan broke through to the Gangjin level, the two Guyuan Pills were no longer enough.
Only a Jingyuan Pill for Gangjin warriors to practice can replenish energy.
At the same time, he also had to maintain the expenses of martial arts training, and he would use up two Essence Pills in three days.
One Essence Pill costs sixty taels of silver, which is extremely expensive.
After four months, Chen Yuan was financially exhausted and had only fifty taels of silver left. He could not even afford a single Essence Pill.
When the last half bottle of Essence Pill is used up, he will either have to reduce the frequency of Starlight Infusion and cut down on martial arts training expenses, or find a new way to make money so that he can continue to buy pills from Jishidiang.
Chen Yuan had experienced the great increase in physical strength and the rapid improvement in his skills, and naturally did not want to reduce the number of times the starlight was infused into his body.
However, after the duration of starlight infusion was extended to twenty breaths, ordinary food could no longer replenish the energy needed after the infusion, and the effect of elixirs below the level of internal strength was also minimal.
Otherwise, with his current status, it would not be difficult for him to eat an ox a day, and there would be no need to waste precious elixirs.
Now there is only one way before Chen Yuan, and that is to make money.
But Chen Yuan has no idea how to make money.
He had thought about showing his true strength and rising to a high position in the Fuhu Gang, and money would naturally not be a problem.
Apart from Luo Zhenwu, there are no other Huajin warriors in the Fuhu Gang. As a Gangjin warrior, he will definitely be given important positions.
However, the situation between the Sanjiang Gang and the Fuhu Gang became increasingly tense, with fights occurring from time to time and many casualties. Chen Yuan also fought with the Sanjiang Gang's marrow-refining warriors.
In recent months, the fight between the two sides has even begun to involve internal force warriors, and there are signs that the two sides are completely breaking off.
If Chen Yuan revealed his true strength and held a high position in the Fuhu Gang, he would definitely be involved.
By then, the one fighting him will not be a marrow refining warrior.
Moreover, Chen Yuan is not Luo Zhenwu's confidant and will definitely not gain his trust. Luo Zhenwu may also covet the secrets on him.
He had just broken through to the Gangjin level not long ago, but had never fought with warriors of the same level, nor had he seen the strength of warriors of the Huajin level, so he didn't know if he could be their opponent.
Due to many concerns, Chen Yuan did not rashly reveal his strength. He remained cautious and concealed his strength.
But as his money gradually ran out and the four houses he owned were all sold, this idea resurfaced in his mind.
He had reached the end of his rope, and the monthly salary of ten taels of silver was not enough to cover his expenses.
Maybe he should take a risk.
(End of this chapter)