Chapter 11: Medicinal Bath
“Compared to the previous two days, I delivered to over ten more households today and detoured for over ten li, yet the time taken was almost the same.”
Deep into the night, with few pedestrians on the street.
Reaching a deserted alley, Chen Shun’an quickened his pace, sometimes moving like a dragon crossing the river, sometimes drifting like a falling leaf, leaving only a gray shadow on the street.
The moment he was out of the street and alley, he reverted to being a plain and unremarkable old man.
“My muscles and bones have been tempered enough today. This tough errand of delivering water is truly invigorating!”
Chen Shun’an’s leg muscles ached, especially the Wei Zhong great tendon, which throbbed with pain!
This reminded Chen Shun’an of some exhaustion-based fitness methods from his previous life, where one pushed through physical limits, tore muscles, set new boundaries, and climbed to another peak!
“Joints like machine wheels, grasping the intended strength… what does it mean?”
Chen Shun’an’s eyes revealed a thoughtful expression.
Returning home, the house was lit, and Wan Niang was waiting.
Chen Shun’an tossed his short shirt, soaked with salt stains from sweat, into a bucket, freshened up briefly, and entered the main hall.
On the table were two roast chickens, a pot of pork trotters, a steaming mound of polished rice, and a small cup of wine.
“I won’t drink tonight. Wan Niang, go heat some water for my medicinal bath.”
Chen Shun’an casually commanded.
Seeing the medicine packet Chen Shun’an had placed on the table, Wan Niang replied, wiped her hands with her apron, picked up the packet, and briskly went to gather firewood to heat water.
After the meal, digest the food.
In the bedroom, mist billowed, and water churned.
Chen Shun’an sat naked in the wooden tub, the ‘Eight Treasures Strength-Restoring Soup’ emitting a pungent, thick medicinal aroma.
Wan Niang occasionally added hot water for Chen Shun’an, maintaining the optimal temperature for the medicinal effects to be absorbed.
The medicinal effects steamed.
Chen Shun’an began to sweat profusely. As time passed, it felt as if fine steel needles were pricking his fascia and tendons, a sensation that was soft yet insidious, causing him to involuntarily grimace in pain.
The ‘Eight Treasures Strength-Restoring Soup’ was not as precious as the Turtle and Deer Two Immortals Paste. The so-called eight treasures were just common nourishing medicinal herbs, a common medicinal soup used by martial artists to restore qi and blood and alleviate fatigue.
Each dose cost one tael of silver and could be divided into several medicinal baths depending on the situation.
After all, if he had to use a whole dose every day, Chen Shun’an would be close to bankruptcy.
“Brother, shall I rub your shoulders for you?”
Wan Niang, about to leave with the water bucket, suddenly noticed Chen Shun’an’s twitching face.
“Wan Niang, you know massage?”
“No. But I saw Golden Needle Li giving you a massage when he treated you that day, and I secretly learned a few moves. Though it’s just a superficial technique.”
“Alright, you can try then.”
Wan Niang walked behind Chen Shun’an, extending her hands, her movements somewhat clumsy.
Occasionally, she would mimic a proper technique, rubbing with the thenar eminences and the palms in circular motions.
However, in terms of effectiveness, it was certainly no match for a medical master like Golden Needle Li.
But fortunately, it was better than nothing.
After the fascia stretching and soreness, came an indescribable comfort.
Chen Shun’an suddenly relaxed.
Wan Niang’s hands were not delicate or smooth.
In fact, her fingertips were covered with calluses and scars, making them a bit rough.
This suddenly reminded Chen Shun’an of the fourth concubine who was accidentally killed by the great hero of Jinmen.
Soon,
Fatigue washed over him like a tide, and Chen Shun’an slowly fell asleep.
Then, murmuring whispers, like a dream, sounded in Chen Shun’an’s ears…
【 Wish +8】
【 Wish: 25】
After an unknown period, Chen Shun’an suddenly awoke with a start.
He saw the sky turning the color of fish belly and heard the first crow of the rooster.
“I slept all night?”
A tremor ran down Chen Shun’an’s spine, and with a light touch of his feet on the bottom of the tub, he sprang out.
Looking back, the medicinal soup was almost colorless, leaving only some turbid residue.
Clearly, this medicinal bath had been absorbed exceptionally well, nearly exhausting the value of the ‘Eight Treasures Strength-Restoring Soup.’
And…
His joints felt itchy, and a powerful, surging qi and blood flowed silently in his marrow.
Chen Shun’an merely clenched his fists slightly, and a gust of wind circulated, accompanied by the hum of his bones.
Chen Shun’an’s eyes lit up.
“The medicinal bath was so effective? Breaking through to second-rate seems to be within the next day or two?!”
Given Chen Shun’an’s previous martial path aptitude, he would never have absorbed medicinal properties so efficiently.
Getting three to four out of ten would have been good.
After all, being able to eat, sleep, and gain weight was also a form of martial talent!
The reason Chen Shun’an could now achieve this was due to the Divine Aspect · Qing Ji’s ability to extend his tendons and veins, and modify his root bone!
“But I also put in sweat and hard work; it’s the reward for diligence!”
Chen Shun’an felt deeply moved.
…
After breakfast, he went out for his shift.
Pushing the water cart, as soon as Chen Shun’an reached Silver Ingot Bridge, he saw Ah Hua beating Qing Pi Ma.
Ah Hua pushed off the ground and twisted his body, like a startled bird, swinging his tiger head club in wide arcs repeatedly.
The club left afterimages, and the sound of it breaking the air was sharp and high-pitched, making people’s eardrums ring.
He had beaten the three Qing Pi Ma until they rolled on the ground like gourds, their faces bruised and swollen, their clothes tattered, and their bodies covered in bruise marks from the club.
“You dog-like wretch, how dare you bully my Water Station!”
“Eldest Brother, spare me! Eldest Brother, spare me! I’m not a dog, I’m worse than a dog and a pig!”
“Who’s your Eldest Brother?!”
“Yes, yes! Ancestor, you are my ancestor!”
Three blows shattered the scoundrel’s spirit, I am scum, not human.
If Ah Hua hadn’t held back and avoided vital points, these three Qing Pi Ma might have already had their bones shattered and heads split, dying on the spot.
Chen Shun’an released the handles of the water cart and walked over.
Gurgling water flowed from beneath Qing Pi Ma and the others, some of it still scalding.
A smashed teapot lay to the side, and quicklime was scattered across the ground.
It was very clear that
Ah Hua had taken Chen Shun’an’s advice to heart, remembering his instructions.
This practice had indeed proven effective!
In the marketplace, passersby and stall vendors alike maintained normal expressions, pretending not to see the dreadful scene here.
No one intervened to break up the fight, nor did anyone report it to the officials.
It was simply regarded as evil fighting evil, violence begetting violence.
“Uncle Chen, you’re here?”
Seeing Chen Shun’an, Ah Hua stopped his actions, spat on Qing Pi Ma’s face, and said,
“Uncle, tell me how to handle them. If you’re not satisfied, I can perform another set of club techniques.”
“No, no! Master Chen, we were wrong!” x3
Seeing Chen Shun’an, Qing Pi Ma knew immediately that Chen Shun’an had hired Ah Hua to deal with him!
Although he cursed the old man internally for not fighting honorably, Qing Pi Ma’s face was full of fear, and he wept profusely.
He immediately got up and crawled on his knees to Chen Shun’an’s feet, using his mouth to wipe Chen Shun’an’s shoes.
“Master Chen, I, Qing Pi Ma, am like a boil on a rat’s tail, only oozing pus when squeezed. I would only dirty Master Chen’s hands. I implore Master Chen to be magnanimous and let me go with a fart!!”
Chen Shun’an’s lips curved into a faint smile, but his eyes were icy cold, and he remained silent.
Seeing this, Ah Hua tightened his grip on the tiger head club and approached with a sinister grin.
The three Qing Pi Ma saw this, and despair gradually appeared in their eyes.
“Forget it.”
Chen Shun’an uttered a soft word, and Qing Pi Ma and the other two breathed a sigh of relief.
“Break one leg each.”
“Huh?! Please—”
Qing Pi Ma’s eyes widened abruptly.
But in the next moment, the tiger head club, with a fierce wind, smashed into the knees of the three Qing Pi Ma in succession.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
Three sounds of bone shattering echoed, and blood instantly stained the ground.
Fortunately, perhaps due to the impending visit of the Qianning Envoy Mission to the Sacred Dynasty, the muddy and uneven streets of Wuqing County had become much cleaner and flatter overnight, and were even paved with stone slabs.
This prevented the blood from mixing with the mud…
Making it easier to clean up.
The three Qing Pi Ma howled while clutching their broken legs.
Chen Shun’an took a few taels of broken silver from his sachet and threw it into the blood pool beneath Qing Pi Ma.
“Breaking one of your legs is justice. This bit of medical expense is benevolence. I’ve heard that Fortress Lord Song is an excellent hero, who values reason and righteousness above all. Chen Mou has long admired him, and Landlord Zhao has also mentioned him many times.”
Chen Shun’an glanced at the three without emotion.
“So, don’t appear on Silver Ingot Street again.”
The three Qing Pi Ma naturally understood the warning in Chen Shun’an’s words. How dare they retort now? They kowtowed and clasped their fists, then helped each other up.
The three cripples, one supporting the other’s left leg, the other supporting the right, disappeared from the street in no time.
Chen Shun’an turned back to Ah Hua and said with a smile,
“Thanks, Brother Ah Hua.”
Ah Hua pounded his chest and said heartily,
“It’s a trivial matter, what’s there to mention? Master Chen, you’re busy, I’m going home to catch up on sleep!”
With that, Ah Hua turned and strode away.
Chen Shun’an smiled and was about to return to his water cart to continue delivering water.
Then he seemed to notice something, his gaze sharpening.
Dark red blood seeped from between the cracks of the bluestone slabs, diluted and washed by the hot water from the teapot.
The quicklime, which should have been scattered only in the vicinity, had spread in an arc fan shape, covering half the street.
Denser nearby, fainter in the distance.
If one didn’t pay close attention, it was almost imperceptible.
It seemed to have been dispersed by some yin wind.
