CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: CALLIGRAPHY - THREE REALMS

"Good heavens, is that a wild boar? It’s massive! It must weigh over a thousand pounds."

"What’s wrong with the wild creatures on this mountain? Why are they all growing so enormous? This wild chicken’s claw is bigger than my hand."

"Could it be that these animals are also turning into demons?"

"Shh! You still dare to mention demons? Aren’t you afraid those soldiers will chop your head off?"

"Oh, oh, oh, I’ll shut up, I’ll shut up."

On the lengthy street, one wooden cart after another carried enormous, fattened wild creatures. These animals were two or even three times their normal size, and the carts moved forward slowly. The heavy carcasses made the cartwheels creak and groan, struggling under the burden.

Having never seen such large wild creatures, people lined the streets, their heads peeking out from second and third-floor windows. They watched the giant carcasses with astonishment and curiosity.

"Lv Shuai, with so many wild creatures, we’ll have enough to eat for a while," the vanguard officer Nie Xun said, turning to look at the mountain-like harvest, weighing thousands of pounds. He was following beside Yuan Baiyi and laughed with pleasure.

After being out for so long, they could finally enjoy a proper meal with meat.

"All you think about is eating. Have there been any developments in tracking that Initiate Realm demon?" Yuan Baiyi glanced at the giggling Nie Xun and shook his head slightly.

"The scouts are still on its trail and have currently tracked it to the Wanzhao Mountain area. However, this demon is very cunning. It never stays in one place for more than one hour. The Patrol Demon Powder is ineffective, so we can only search slowly, mountain by mountain, which isn’t very efficient," Nie Xun explained.

"Fox Demons are intelligent, cunning, and skilled in scheming. This one must be injured; otherwise, it wouldn’t continuously use these wild beasts and birds to hinder our progress. However, this tactic is not very clever."

Glancing at the abnormally large wild creatures, Yuan Baiyi stroked the Longsword at his waist.

"In two months, my adoptive father will begin his inspection tour of the various Provincial Governments. Our location is very likely to be his first stop. Tell the scouts to intensify their efforts. We must capture this Fox Demon before my adoptive father arrives!"

"Yes! Your subordinate obeys the order."

Fist met palm, and Nie Xun responded with a deep voice.

Behind the bustling crowd at the street corner, Qi Xiu, sleeves folded up, stood on tiptoe, his eyes wide with curiosity as he watched the West Wind Army slowly drag the massive wild creatures into their garrison.

Have these West Wind Army soldiers already clashed with the demons? It looks like they won.

After watching the excitement, the crowd gradually dispersed. Qi Xiu cast a glance at the Westwind Army Garrison and turned to walk towards the eastern market district.

「Zhendong Medical Hall.」

Qi Xiu had just stepped through the entrance of the medical hall when a middle-aged man with a goatee and a tense expression quickly peeked out. Seeing few people around, he promptly shut the door tightly.

"For goodness’ sake, didn’t I tell you? This is a legitimate medical hall; I don’t have what you’re looking for!" Tao Zhendong said, his hands trembling and his face etched with distress.

How did I get entangled with such a troublemaker?

Strolling leisurely around the modest-sized medical hall, Qi Xiu sniffed the air faintly, then casually walked to a medicine jar. Lifting it, he pulled out a stack of plasters from underneath: Three Whips Dragon Tiger Plaster.

"A legitimate medical hall, huh?"

His old face flushing, Tao Zhendong snatched the plasters back. "This... this is for my own use, can’t I do that? When you reach my age, you’ll understand what it means to be willing in spirit but weak in flesh!"

"Stop with the idle talk. If you agree to give me what I want, I’ll add another two hundred taels. That’s enough money for you to retire and live out your days comfortably. It’s your life’s work; it would be a pity to take it to the grave, wouldn’t it?"

Qi Xiu took a silver note for one thousand taels from his sleeve and placed it on the table, his fingers tapping lightly on it, making a soft thudding sound. "One thousand taels of silver. Your little medical hall couldn’t earn that in ten lifetimes."

Gazing at the silver note on the table, Tao Zhendong swallowed subconsciously.

"But if I give you the items, what if you turn around and report me to the authorities?"

Still trying to resist, Tao Zhendong took deep breaths to calm himself.

"Are you delusional? The County Magistrate is gone; who would I report to? Besides, what good would reporting to the officials do me? For that paltry reward of five hundred taels of silver?"

Seeing the time was right, Qi Xiu slowly played his final card. "If you agree, I can give you a medicinal formula. That... it’s definitely much more effective than your Three Whips Dragon Tiger Plaster."

Tao Zhendong’s expression changed noticeably. He coughed lightly, feigning composure. "Is that true? Do you have any finished medicine for me to examine?"

Smiling, Qi Xiu tossed over a hexagonal wooden box. Inside were two light blue pills. "You can call these Blue Pills," Qi Xiu said. "Take one thirty minutes before... conducting your business. The effects should last for about two hours."

"What?!" Tao Zhendong shrieked. Realizing his outburst, he quickly covered his mouth and whispered, "Two hours? Are you serious?"

"Try it yourself and see if it’s true."

"Alright! If this thing truly works, I’ll hand over what you want with both hands!" Gritting his teeth, Tao Zhendong agreed to Qi Xiu’s terms.

"Then it’s settled. I’ll come to collect the items this time tomorrow. I hope you don’t lie to me. After all, my temper isn’t exactly the best."

Qi Xiu smiled and pressed lightly on the table in front of him, leaving a palm imprint half an inch deep in its surface.

"Don’t worry! I, Tao, won’t go back on my word."

Glancing at the palm imprint on the table, Tao Zhendong’s pupils constricted, and he nodded earnestly.

Returning home from Zhendong Medical Hall, Qi Xiu was in high spirits. He hummed a little tune and settled comfortably into the rocking chair in the courtyard.

Once I get the medicinal formula tomorrow, my escape plan will be halfway to completion.

Gazing at the clear blue Sky Dome above, Qi Xiu took a paper talisman from his robes. Activating his Crimson Sand Palm, a thread of Fiery Energy shot out, and the talisman instantly ignited.

A mystical medicinal fragrance, a product of Divine Marvel, suddenly bloomed, transforming into a wisp of green smoke that coiled like a dragon and swirled into Qi Xiu’s nostrils.

Feeling the calming and qi-replenishing medicinal power spread through his body, Qi Xiu’s smile widened, and his feet began to tap unconsciously.

With this Divine Talisman in hand, won’t silver just roll in, and gold come by the ten thousand taels in the future?

「Three days ago.」

Unable to perform his daily cultivation in martial arts and Alchemy, Qi Xiu had focused intently on leveling up his calligraphy proficiency. He had finally raised his first acquired skill to the third realm!

And, just as Qi Xiu had speculated, upon his calligraphy reaching the third realm, new Innate Cloud Inscriptions broke through the mists in his mind! It was the character for ’Medicine,’ evolved from his Alchemy Skill, which formed the Medicine Talisman!

Similar to the ’Martial’ character, the ’Medicine’ character was born from medicine, and its mystical properties were related to medicine. When writing each ’Medicine’ character to create a Medicine Talisman, Qi Xiu could use Divine Marvel to simulate a medicinal concoction he had previously refined and infuse it into the talisman.

Compared to the original, genuine medicine, the Medicine Talisman’s efficacy was only one-tenth. However, the talisman itself bypassed the refining process and required no medicinal ingredients. As long as Qi Xiu’s spiritual energy held out, he could produce a large number of Medicine Talismans in a short time.

If quality was insufficient, quantity could compensate.

Crucially, an old saying states that all medicine is, to some extent, poison. However, the medicinal power within the Medicine Talisman was generated by Divine Marvel, so there was no issue of toxicity. Purely natural, no additives!

During this time, Qi Xiu had been using the Medicine Talismans like energy drinks, activating one whenever he felt like it. Not to cure illnesses, but for their nourishing, health-preserving, mind-calming, and qi-replenishing effects.

What could he do? He just knew too much. With talismans, he could be as willful as he pleased!