Chapter 66: Baicao City, Southern Yi Prefecture

Wang Lin let out a sigh of relief and said, "Lu... Lu Yan, what do we do next? Liu Xingming and Huo Tian are dead, but quite a few people saw us leave together."

"That's easy to handle," Lu Yan replied. He had already devised a plan when he acted. "When we return, we'll say that we spotted traces of the murderer outside Hongliu Town and split up to pursue them. I paired with Brother Wang, while Liu Xingming and Huo Tian worked together. We weren't strong enough; we lost track of the enemy. When we got back to Hongliu Town, Liu Xingming and Huo Tian never returned."

"That's a good plan," Wang Lin nodded.

After all, the dead can't refute them. Who could prove their story false? Moreover, Lu Yan and Wang Lin had no motive to harm Liu Xingming and Huo Tian.

The prerequisite, however, was to destroy all evidence of the bodies.

They immediately set to work, searching the six corpses. Altogether, they found only a little over a thousand taels in silver notes; clearly, none had brought much money with them. Lu Yan took half and offered it to Wang Lin, but Wang Lin adamantly refused, so Lu Yan pocketed the lot.

Next, they carried the six bodies deep into the mountains, found a beast's den, and tossed the corpses inside. The animals sniffed and circled for a moment before swarming in and tearing the bodies apart.

The two then returned to the path, meticulously cleaning away all traces of blood. Afterward, they boldly strolled into Hongliu Town, showed themselves to the townsfolk, and made a show of asking if anyone had seen Liu Xingming and Huo Tian.

They waited half a day, then leisurely returned to the Crimson Attire Prefecture and reported Liu Xingming's disappearance.

The Liu clan immediately dispatched search parties to the Hongliu Town area, but after two days, nothing was found.

During this time, Lu Yan and Wang Lin were twice summoned for questioning. Their testimonies matched perfectly, and the Liu clan's interrogators could extract nothing further, eventually deciding that Liu Xingming had encountered a powerful foe while pursuing the murderer and met a tragic end.

In these times, when clans warred against each other, the death of a few experts was commonplace—especially with the recent influx of clan members around Changfeng City from all directions.

Lu Yan did not rush to the Blood Vein, but waited five days, until the matter was completely settled, before quietly entering the Blood Vein.

"Ah, the dish is ruined. Can you help me buy a few more sets of ingredients?" Shen Yinuo sighed as soon as she saw Lu Yan.

Lu Yan winced in pain. One pound of mutated heart meat, if sold well, could fetch fifteen thousand taels; the auxiliary ingredients were another five thousand taels. Twenty thousand silver taels wasted just like that. Though he'd prepared himself, it still stung.

"How many sets? Do you know how expensive they are? Each one costs five thousand taels! I'm just a humble Crimson Guard—where would I get so much money?" Lu Yan lamented.

Since returning from Qingyang City, nearly ten months had passed, and he'd spent almost ten thousand taels on martial food alone. Including the previous five thousand, he now had just over twenty thousand taels left. He couldn't afford to squander much more; he still needed to cultivate.

Moreover, the main auxiliary spiritual herb for mutated nine-segment heart meat, the Nine-Segment Ginseng, was difficult to purchase.

"Money is no problem. If you take the mutated heart meat out to sell, the clans will fight over it," Shen Yinuo said. "Remember, once I become a master martial chef and can cook mutated nine-segment heart meat, all your costs will come back to you. You have to think big!"

She was earnest, but Lu Yan found the argument unconvincing.

"Fine, I'll agree," Lu Yan nodded, then continued, "But our previous agreement needs to change."

"How will it change?" Shen Yinuo asked.

"Previously, you agreed to cook martial food for me for a year. But during this time, you've mostly been experimenting and adapting, not mastering 'Yinuo Lizard Meat,' and you've been studying the mutated nine-segment heart meat. You haven't really focused on cooking martial food for me, so the terms must change. This period doesn't count. When you become a master martial chef, that's when you'll officially cook for me for one year," Lu Yan said.

You're fleecing me now, but wait until I fleece you in the future. I’ll strip you bare.

"No way, dream on," Shen Yinuo shook her head. "Becoming a master martial chef isn't so easy. Even if I successfully cook mutated nine-segment heart meat, that doesn't guarantee I'll become a master. To be recognized as a master, I have to reach a success rate of over eighty percent. Who knows how long that will take? I can't waste my time here."

"How about this: when I become a Martial Marquis, I'll cook for you for a year. How’s that? I am Shen Yinuo—the promise in my name means a thousand taels!"

"All right!" Lu Yan didn't bargain further.

"Then I'll cut a few pounds of mutated heart meat for you to sell," Shen Yinuo said, picking up her knife.

"No need," Lu Yan waved her off.

To sell mutated heart meat? That would be courting death.

Hadn't he seen how all the clans in Qingyang City had flocked for it last time, even more than ten Martial Marquis showed up? If he took mutated heart meat out to sell, he’d definitely attract the attention of Martial Marquis. With his current strength, he couldn’t escape such a confrontation.

If he wanted to sell it, he’d have to wait until he broke through five times at least. For now, he’d have to cover the costs himself.

"You’ll pay me back, with interest," he promised silently.

He returned to Changfeng City, bought a map, and unfolded it at home, searching for places to purchase Nine-Segment Ginseng.

Last time, he'd spent a great effort to acquire a single root, so he couldn't keep buying in Changfeng City. As for Qingyang City, he didn't want to go there, either.

He decided to try a city unknown to him.

After planning his route, he informed his parents, then took leave from Wang Lin. Now that Wang Lin was his ally, leave was easy—one word and Wang Lin would arrange everything.

Lu Yan left the city, found a secluded spot, used his transformation technique to alter his appearance, and headed for Nine-Bend City.

Nine-Bend City lay south of Changfeng City, about a hundred thirty miles away. In two hours, Lu Yan arrived.

Nine-Bend City also had a Linglan Chamber of Commerce.

The Linglan Chamber, founded by the Wei clan, had branches in nearly every major city of Lian'an Prefecture.

Lu Yan first visited Linglan, but was told they had no Nine-Segment Ginseng.

He tried other pharmacies and markets, but none stocked it.

He then traveled to another southern city, still unable to find the herb.

"Nine-Segment Ginseng isn't as rare as mutated heart meat, but it's still a strategic resource. Few would sell it. Last time was pure luck; looks like I'll have to go to Hundred Herb City in Nan Yi Prefecture," Lu Yan thought.

Changfeng City sat at the southeastern edge of Lian'an Prefecture; eastward lay Qingfeng Prefecture, his childhood home, and to the south was Nan Yi Prefecture.

Hundred Herb City was five hundred miles from Changfeng. Lu Yan had already traveled two hundred miles south, so reaching Hundred Herb City would be just over three hundred miles—close enough.

The Li clan of Hundred Herb City was renowned throughout the six prefectures of Lingdong.

For they were a master-level clan, occupying a secondary blood vein, and specialized in cultivating spiritual herbs.

Most auxiliary herbs for martial food could be found in Hundred Herb City, including Nine-Segment Ginseng.

Lu Yan pressed on, hurrying day and night, until he reached Hundred Herb City.

"A true master's city," he marveled at the vastness of Hundred Herb City, far grander than Changfeng.

Hundred Herb City wasn’t a prefecture capital; Nan Yi Prefecture had more than one master clan and more than one secondary blood vein.

But its grandeur rivaled any prefecture capital.

The four city gates bustled with traffic; countless chambers of commerce shipped goods in and out.

Most of the Red Blade Leaf from Changfeng Mountain was sold through Hundred Herb City.

Lu Yan joined the crowds and wandered with interest.

The streets brimmed with shops, so many goods that his eyes were dazzled.

He chose the largest tavern in Hundred Herb City and enjoyed a unique martial meal.

A master clan indeed—the tavern’s martial food was rationed, but each person could buy five pounds at a time, far more generous than Martial Guest House.

After a hearty meal, Lu Yan went to Hundred Herb Pavilion.

Hundred Herb Pavilion was a Li clan business—the first choice for Nine-Segment Ginseng.

He inquired and, as expected, they had Nine-Segment Ginseng, three thousand taels each.

Lu Yan bought two roots in one go, along with several other auxiliary herbs, spending nearly ten thousand taels.

"With these two sets of herbs, I hope Shen Yinuo can successfully cook the mutated nine-segment heart meat," Lu Yan thought, packing up the herbs and slinging them over his shoulder as he headed out of the city.

On the street, a group brushed past him. One man paused, flaring his nostrils.

"Third brother, what's wrong?" asked a burly man.

"Big brother, I smell Nine-Segment Ginseng—it's on that guy," said the thin man with an eight-pointed beard, his gaze following Lu Yan's retreating figure.