The Hundred Herb Hall shop occupied a prominent location in Yun Cang Town's most bustling area, spanning three to five storefronts. Its sign featured ancient calligraphy, reportedly written by the founder on a precious piece of wood that had remained incorruptible for two hundred years and subtly emanated a medicinal fragrance.
Su Yan entered the shop, which was lined with countless medicine cabinets. Apprentices were cutting and sorting herbs, while clerks tended to customers. A clerk approached him immediately. "Young Master, are you here to buy pills?" The clerk was a bright, quick-witted youth of fifteen or sixteen, wearing a small blue cap and the indigo uniform of the Hundred Herb Hall. Having dealt with many martial artists, the clerk quickly seized up Su Yan's vigorous appearance.
Su Yan nodded. The clerk offered a professional smile: "May I ask if you usually use a standard grade Blood Energy Pill or a higher-ranked elixir for your martial arts training?" Standard Grade referred to unranked products, falling between common medicine and martial arts supplements. Even these were more expensive than ordinary medicine and were sufficient for Skin Refining stage martial artists.
"I need Red Skin Powder." He had received Song Qi's advice and knew what was most suitable.
The clerk looked puzzled: "Are you sure, Young Master?"
"Is there a problem? Isn't the Red Skin Powder used for Skin Refining?" Su Yan asked.
The clerk quickly nodded: "Yes, it is used for the Skin Refining stage. The Red Skin Powder is considered a First-Order Mid-Grade Treasure Medicine and is highly effective for the Skin Refining realm."
"How much silver?" Su Yan asked for the price.
The clerk wasted no more words: "One bottle costs ten taels of silver. It can be used three times. You dissolve it in hot water and soak for one to two hours. When the water turns clear, the medicine is fully absorbed. If you maintain your stance, the medicinal power will continuously gather and temper your skin."
Su Yan wanted to ask for more but calculated his remaining funds—he could only afford four and a half bottles.
"I'll take three bottles." Su Yan gritted his teeth, spending most of his savings. The clerk beamed; this was a substantial order.
Aching for his depleted wallet, Su Yan left the Hundred Herb Hall with three small white medicine bottles, two fingers wide, containing enough medicine for nine soaks. Thirty taels of silver for nine uses—much more expensive than the academy's medicinal soup.
"Time to check the butcher shop by the Alley Temple."
Su Yan had only ten-plus taels left. He headed straight for the Alley Temple. The Rear Alley was not in the bustling area of Yun Cang Town, unlike the Hundred Herb Hall and the Weapon Shop. Su Yan walked through seven or eight small alleys, following the old trees along the streets, until he reached the southern gate area of Yun Cang Town and found a quiet side street.
The Rear Temple Alley, originally called the Rear Alley, was named after an old city god temple. It was said to have existed even when Yun Cang Town still had dirt roads and a few scattered thatched huts. It was an ancient area, but not many people frequented it besides the wealthy and martial artists.
Su Yan entered the area, found the derelict old temple, and next to it, a deep courtyard gate that resembled a temple door. Ferocious beasts were carved into the eaves, dark and unpolished, but the knife marks were deeply etched. The gate was wide open. Apprentices, strong and bulky, moved in and out. Their sharp knives clanged and gleamed brightly. They were carving ordinary beef and mutton, slicing the meat like tofu on cutting boards, separating muscle from bone with the skill of Manager Yang.
Su Yan walked to the front of the butcher shop and looked up slightly. The plaque above the door seemed to have characters carved with a blade: Temple Butcher Workshop.
'The momentum of the blade is in the calligraphy.' The three large characters felt like a bloody cleaver placed there, startling the viewer.
'But... this is normal.' Su Yan's eyes flickered. Being able to stand here and sell Desolate Beast meat proved that the Temple Butcher Workshop was one of the strongest forces in the city.
Su Yan approached. A clerk greeted him, and he went straight to the point: "I'm here to buy Desolate Beast meat."
"Follow me, sir." The clerk nodded and led Su Yan past the front hall into the back courtyard.
The courtyard was open and spacious. Su Yan scanned the area, noticing many strong, upright figures gathered there.
The clerk spoke as they walked: "We received a Blue-Backed Rock Ox today. It's a First-Order Early Stage Desolate Beast that feeds on herbs and precious medicines in the mountains year-round. Its meat is firm and highly effective for nourishing blood energy. The price is one tael and five qian of silver per jin."
As he spoke, they reached a walled-off area. A sudden coldness hit them, and the temperature dropped sharply.
Clang! A heavy impact sounded. Before Su Yan and the others could react, a loud shout came from inside the courtyard.
"Vicious beast! Stop hitting the wall, or you'll ruin the meat!"
Everyone rushed to the courtyard gate, where a sturdy old man in his fifties, holding a pointed ox-horn knife, stood firmly in front of a giant blue ox. The ox was larger than a normal water buffalo, about four meters long and over two meters tall. Its horns looked like tree branches, its eyes were like glowing furnaces, and it was roaring, restrained by iron chains.
The old man looked back at the crowd and grinned: "Perfect timing. Get the blood collectors ready!"
He strode forward. The Blue-Backed Rock Ox seemed to go mad. Its skin was bulging, its muscles like iron, and it lunged forward, straining the chains. The old man tensed his body like a tiger or leopard. His eyes widened, and the Blue-Backed Rock Ox suddenly halted. The old man stepped forward, grabbed its horn, and pressed down. The massive blue ox was forced to the ground. Like a mountain pressing down, its four pillar-like legs struggled but couldn't rise.
The sharp knife flashed white, like lightning, and plunged into the ox's throat. At the same time, the old man used a delicate force on the ox's cervical spine. A faint snap sound was heard. The back half of the ox's body instantly stopped moving, going rigid, then limp.
Su Yan watched with alarm: 'What a fast knife, what a ruthless hand. This ox's spine is severed.'
An apprentice rushed forward, catching the blood, and using the iron chains and a large crossbeam over the courtyard to hoist the Blue-Backed Rock Ox's body up.
As the blood finished draining, the old master, Jie Zheng, stepped forward with his knife. His movements seemed slow, yet the knife flashed like white lightning. The white blade sliced into the ox's back as easily as cutting tofu, meeting no resistance and without a single blood thread sticking to the steel.
Su Yan was mesmerized. This knife technique must be deeply ingrained, likely having reached the Great Accomplishment stage. In just a few minutes, the huge ox was completely dismembered. The massive ribcage and head still hung from the beam, its white bones gruesome, dripping occasional drops of blood.
"Customer, the Blue-Backed Rock Ox meat is one tael and five qian per jin. If you want the heart, brain, or bone marrow, the price will be higher." The clerk's voice interrupted Su Yan's mental rehearsal of the Ape Fist moves.
"Ten jin."
Su Yan had only fifteen taels left, excluding some copper change. He was emptying his savings, and it pained him, but compared to the goal of strengthening his body, this money was trivial.
The clerk took the silver and immediately spoke to the old master.
Jie Zheng waved his hand: "Cut it for the customer."
The apprentices' skills weren't as refined as Jie Zheng's, but they were also expert butchers. In a short while, they had neatly wrapped the ten jin of meat and handed it to Su Yan. The remaining customers also received their orders, and more people gradually arrived.
Su Yan took the meat and turned to leave.
Jie Zheng glanced up, his eyes subtly tracking Su Yan's retreating figure. 'He has the faint shadow of the Ape Step. He can't hide it. Interesting. When did the Golden Ape Martial Academy get a young man like that?'