Chapter 27: Dian Jing’s Invitation
Guo Yun knew Su Yan’s abilities and also knew that he was more interested in this exotic insect.
Now that he had injured his arm, if he wanted to repay Su Yan, he could only tell him the news about that exotic insect as much as possible.
“Yan Ge’er, that exotic insect should be worth some silver, but you must be very careful.”
He earnestly warned: “I just wanted to reach out and pick the Dan Zhi Mushroom, but I didn’t expect it to emerge from the stone wall and spit out a large mass of mist like flames all at once. The mist extended one or two meters far. If I hadn’t run fast enough, I would have died inside.”
“Uncle Guo Yun, don’t worry, I know.”
Su Yan carefully examined the wound on Guo Yun’s arm. Although the skin was severely burned, the muscles were still mostly intact, and the medicine had been applied promptly.
If the fire toxin was removed, he should recover somewhat, without affecting his ability to support his family.
It was also fortunate that the exotic insect probably just wanted to drive them away, rather than kill them. Otherwise, they would likely have died there.
When Zheng Xiu and Zheng Penggang returned with the Clear Miasma Powder, Su Yan helped change Guo Yun’s medicine with them, gradually removing the fire toxin, before bidding farewell to them and returning to his own home.
“Spits fire-like breath, body shaped like a scorpion—this appearance, could it be a Velvet Fire Scorpion Insect?”
The Hundred Herbs Illustration also recorded the Velvet Fire Scorpion Insect, but it appeared alongside another treasure plant.
Fire Leaf Evodia can temper skin and flesh, scorching hot like fire. When paired with Velvet Fire Scorpion Insect powder and supplemented with dozens of medicinal herbs, it can form the Body Tempering Blazing Fire Pill, one of the precious medicines used for skin refining and muscle and bone.
Although Su Yan knew a little about it, the Velvet Fire Scorpion Insect was merely an auxiliary ingredient, and its habits and toxicity were not marked in detail.
‘Exotic insects are rare, I absolutely cannot let it go, but it’s hard to gauge this exotic insect’s strength. I need to prepare some things.’
Su Yan pondered in his heart and decided to make a trip to the city first.
The martial arts school would distribute the herbal medicine tomorrow, and although he could ask an inner sect senior brother for makeup later.
But now it was Zhou Hui’s turn on duty, and given his mountain household background, asking Zhou Hui would likely not get a good reception.
Moreover, having silver on him meant it should indeed be spent, turned into capital for cultivation.
——
During the herbal medicine distribution, the Golden Ape Martial Arts School had the largest crowd in several days.
Registered disciples filled the place, all lining up in the outer courtyard to receive the herbal medicine.
At a glance, although not everyone was there yet, there were already three or four hundred people.
Su Yan did not linger and went straight to the middle courtyard, where the number of people was much fewer, but there were nearly a hundred at this time.
It was amusing—these hundred or so people in the human world were even more distinctly divided than the registered disciples in the outer courtyard.
Four groups formed four separate lines, not talking to each other.
During herbal medicine distribution, no one wanted to cause trouble today and incur public wrath or offend inner disciples.
Su Yan received the herbal medicine and drank it on the spot, then found a corner to practice stance training.
His Golden Ape Stance Training had reached minor accomplishment, with some progress, so his cultivation movements were even subtler than those of ordinary disciples.
His skin was slightly warm, qi and blood surging throughout his body, but not like the red skin, bulging veins, and profuse sweating of others.
Under the minor accomplishment stance training operation, his body was like a high-speed machine—the medicinal potency was quickly digested upon entry.
Qi and blood integrated into the skin, continuously tempering it.
After about a quarter of an hour, Su Yan exhaled mist gathered like an arrow, then stopped the stance training.
‘Although Senior Brother Gao Zheng said it’s no worse than the Qi and Blood Pills from Hundred Herbs Hall, it must be somewhat exaggerated. For ordinary people, if the medicinal potency isn’t fully digested, digesting seven or eight out of ten with the help of stance training compatibility is already impressive. But I’m different.’
Su Yan’s eyes flickered as he recalled his experiences swallowing wild ginseng, Earth Blood Vine, and other medicines.
‘My stance training is at minor accomplishment, and nourished by insect yuan, my body naturally absorbs this medicinal potency even better. Ten parts of effect is ten parts—I can’t break through this limit even with better compatibility. If I want more progress, I need more body refining supplements.’
While pondering, he walked toward the outside.
“Junior Brother Su, wait.”
He had just stepped out of the Golden Ape Martial Arts School gate when someone from the side called out to him.
His gaze shifted, recognizing the mountain household leader Dian Jing and the Bai Lu Lake lake household head Li Shun.
“Senior Brother Dian, Senior Brother Li.”
Su Yan stopped and greeted the two.
“I wonder what the two senior brothers need?”
The two had come together and called him to stop—with such demeanor, they definitely had something to discuss.
Sure enough, Dian Jing glanced around at the passing disciples and said: “We’d like to invite Junior Brother to talk at a tavern.”
Su Yan did not refuse and nodded: “Please lead the way, Senior Brothers.”
Dian Jing and Li Shun led Su Yan along the long street, winding through several turns to a small tavern with not many people.
The tavern was not like the Pan Family Restaurant, only one story with seven or eight square tables, each with four long benches and a bucket of chopsticks.
Dian Jing ordered quite a bit of braised offal and some corners of burned wine, then they sat down.
“Sorry to take up your time, Junior Brother. I’ll toast you first.”
The three sat down, and Dian Jing raised his cup.
Su Yan did not refuse and smiled: “Senior Brother is too polite. I’ll toast you too.”
The three raised their cups and drank it down in one go. Su Yan pretended to drink the wine and food, absorbing it into the Insect Realm Space.
After a few rounds of clinking cups, Li Shun loosened up: “Some days ago, we heard of Junior Brother’s fame for killing a vicious tiger with three punches. Such strength is rare even among outer disciples.”
Su Yan: ?
Three punches?
“Where did three punches come from? Senior Brother, don’t listen to rumors. I luckily fought it to death, nearly losing my life.”
Li Shun was a bit embarrassed—Bai Lu Lake was spreading it that way, far and wide, even overshadowing his own feat of catching a two-catty bullhorn shad.
“Let’s not talk about that. We came to find Junior Brother because we want you to lend a hand in the examination in half a month.”
Su Yan did not ask their purpose, holding the initiative, but Dian Jing had no mind for circling around and bluntly pleaded in a gruff voice.
Su Yan’s eyes flickered, his face unchanging: “Senior Brother, Master Bai examines martial skills—how can we lend a hand? Whether good or bad is all Master Bai’s evaluation. And Master Bai gives pointers once a month, with plenty of opportunities—how did it become so urgent?”
According to Gao Zheng, the martial arts school master Bai Changlin gave pointers once a month, and even if he missed some, there would be at least four or five times a year.
If every time they scrambled desperately to show off, Su Yan did not believe it.
Li Shun took over: “Junior Brother just started, so naturally you don’t know.”
“Please explain in detail, Senior Brother.”
“First, about the examination.”
Li Shun said seriously: “Master Bai’s examinations in the past had two methods: one is checking fist techniques and stance training progress, the other is sparring.”
“Normally, whether Master Bai accepts someone as a beginner disciple depends on his eye. Even in sparring, he may not accept anyone. But after summer tax and winter tax, it’s different—this examination is likely to recruit inner disciples.”
“Twice a year, even if urgent, it wouldn’t be crammed into this half year.”
Su Yan cut to the point: outer disciples could endure a year or so of training, so why seek a newcomer like him.
Even if he was at minor accomplishment, there were plenty of skin refining minor accomplishment people among outer disciples.
Dian Jing and Li Shun exchanged a glance and said: “Becoming an inner disciple in the first half or the second half is naturally different in Master Bai’s eyes, and this time right after summer tax coincides with the three-year hunt in several Great Desolate Mountains in the Yunling Mountain Range, where inner disciples can participate.”
Su Yan’s eyes lit up, thinking to himself: ‘So the root of this benefit is here.’
