Su Yan arrived at the Hundred Herb Hall. Manager Song Qi (Elder Song) was just outside the main hall, overseeing the clerk's sorting medicines. He caught sight of Su Yan from the corner of his eye and let out a soft sound of surprise: "You haven't been around for a while, young man." Their relationship, forged by the guidance Song Qi provided, had become somewhat familiar.
"Thanks to you, Elder Song, the taste of that Red Skin Powder was truly indescribable." Su Yan walked inside.
The old man chuckled: "You want to practice martial arts without enduring hardship? If you saw the supplementary arts that use lightning, fire, and poisons to temper the body, wouldn't you be even more stunned?"
"Now, tell me, what mountain goods did you find today? The Golden Ape Martial Academy's Inner Door assessment is about to begin." Song Qi stared at the basket, hearing rustling that suggested something alive was inside.
However, this time Su Yan didn't empty the basket. Instead, he handed Manager Song a cloth-wrapped bundle.
"I found the Blood Vein Flower."
"What?!" Song Qi's hand trembled. He rushed forward, took the bundle, and opened it. Inside were several fresh, crimson flowers.
"Yes, it is the Blood Vein Flower! Hahahaha!" Song Qi burst into laughter. After years of injury that prevented him from advancing, guarding the Cloud Ridge Mountain range had finally led him to the Blood Vein Flower.
"You amazing young man! You have done me an enormous favor. Do you know how many years I've waited for this Blood Vein Flower?" Some Treasure Plants were truly impossible to find, especially with rivals actively obstructing him.
"Wait!" A sharp voice suddenly came from outside the Hundred Herb Hall's door.
"No matter what he offers, my Small Mountain Association will buy it from you at double the premium!" Gu Hong strode through the crowd, followed by three or five thugs in dark blue uniforms. His gaze, cold and menacing, swept across the shop, resting on Su Yan with a flash of annoyance.
"Gu Hong! Do you dare to cause trouble at the Hundred Herb Hall?" Song Qi snapped.
"Old man, you actually think this Blood Vein Flower can heal your crippled hands? You dream too much. What, are you afraid my father will sever them again?" Gu Hong's expression was openly contemptuous, his eyes treating Song Qi like garbage.
He looked at Su Yan: "Sell the item to the Small Mountain Association. I will recommend you to the association, and you can take Niu Han's place, handle business as he did, and when your skills improve, I'll recommend you to be a deputy instructor."
Gu Hong didn't know Su Yan had already achieved Great Accomplishment in Skin Refining, assuming he was only at the Minor Accomplishment stage. His tone was arrogant and condescending.
"Niu Han's position?" Su Yan felt a deep displeasure, his eyes turning cold. How arrogant and overbearing! Even as a member of the Small Mountain Association, he had no right to act like this. Yun Cang Town had many major families; the Small Mountain Association was just one of them. Why such insolence? Also, this Gu Hong was connected to Niu Han.
Gu Hong grew annoyed when Su Yan remained unmoved: "Why the hesitation? Others offer many Treasure Plants and Treasure Fish just to join the Small Mountain Association."
Su Yan looked up: "Niu Han offered things too?"
Gu Hong laughed: "Two stalks of Black Rock Ginseng he collected from the cliffs. You have martial talent and trekking skill. Joining the association with my recommendation, along with my father's influence, will guarantee your future success." Su Yan entered the academy to train, trekking to earn money for his needs—all to advance himself. In Gu Hong's view, he was offering Su Yan a path to prosperity.
But it was a path that required him to be a dog.
Song Qi was livid, his face flushing with anger.
"Very well." Su Yan spoke clearly. Niu Dang and Niu Daqi, who had followed Gu Hong, mentally screamed 'Oh no!' when Gu Hong revealed the Black Rock Ginseng. Luckily, Su Yan didn't know his father, Su Dahe, had been thrown off the cliff while collecting that very ginseng.
Su Yan's eyes were as cold as a blade, though Gu Hong didn't see it.
"Elder Song, I'm giving this Blood Vein Flower to you."
Song Qi was momentarily stunned, and Gu Hong's face froze.
"Hahahaha!" Song Qi burst into laughter, his deep eyes shining with sharp intent: "The little whelp of Gu Changfeng dares to seek trouble with me?"
Gu Hong, his face losing all composure, let his blood energy surge and lunged at Su Yan with a hand shaped like a knife. He was determined to teach this brat a lesson.
"Get out!" Su Yan remained still, but Song Qi had already swept his sleeve forward, striking Gu Hong's chest. Gu Hong's expression changed drastically. He tried to defend, but felt a massive, wave-like force split into three powerful impacts, hitting his chest. He spat blood with a poof, stumbling back five or six steps out the door, nearly falling.
"Old man, you... you actually returned to the Blood Circulation stage?!"
"Now get lost! Before I decide to kill you!" Song Qi planted his foot outside the door, looking down at Gu Hong, completely dismissing him. Did Gu Changfeng's little wolf cub really think that just because Song Qi's tendons were injured, he would age and fall in rank, remaining a Tendon-Bone Great Accomplishment fighter forever?
"Go!" Gu Hong was trapped and utterly disgraced. He didn't want to lose his life, too. Factions in Yun Cang Town often fought bitterly, but rarely would they resort to public murder like this. Breaking the peace could ignite a full-scale war between the two forces. Gu Hong wouldn't gamble his life. He was young and talented. If this crazy old man killed him, the loss would be immense.
"Why aren't you afraid?" Song Qi asked Su Yan. The difference in their ranks was immense—Gu Hong was at the Blood Circulation Initiate stage, while Su Yan was only at Skin Refining. The gap was large enough for Gu Hong to easily crush him, yet Su Yan had dared to face him directly.
"What good is fear against a person like that?"
"I will buy this Blood Vein Flower from you at triple the premium." Song Qi said seriously: "You have angered Gu Hong, but he won't easily break the rules and attack you. He is no match for me. If you enter the Inner Door of the Golden Ape Martial Academy, you will be one of theirs, and no one will try to kill you easily outside the Desolate Mountain."
"Elder Song, I told you I am giving this to you." Su Yan's eyes were bright and honorable, completely sincere.
Song Qi paused, looking at Su Yan as if seeing him for the first time.
"Your guidance, Elder Song, may be a simple word to you, but it is the kindness of a guiding hand to me. The Blood Vein Flower is precious, but it pales in comparison to your instruction." Su Yan smiled: "Besides, if I take your money, how can I comfortably rely on you as a protector?"
"Hahahaha!" Song Qi roared with laughter: "You dare to say that, young man! Since you insist, follow me to the back courtyard. Stand the Golden Ape Stance for an hour!"
Song Qi had no heir. After moving to the Mountain Market Town for a few years, his relationship with his former juniors had cooled. But he felt a growing closeness to a young man like Su Yan. Whether Su Yan asked for protection or not, he had brought him the Blood Vein Flower and angered a rival. Song Qi was going to help him. Now that Su Yan had spoken, he had even more reason to do so. This young man had talent and a keen mind, far better than Song Qi was in his youth. He wanted to see how far Su Yan could go.
Song Qi led Su Yan to the back, intending to continue guiding his stance and fist art practice. He wanted to teach him what he knew and, if a chance arose later, find a way for him to learn more.
However, the two had barely entered the courtyard when Song Qi's voice rang out in sheer shock:
"You young man, how did you reach your Great Accomplishment?!"