Hex Yufu was indeed Hex Leshan’s older sister, but they were not born of the same mother. She was the daughter of a concubine.

Therefore, her status was not high.

Coupled with the Hex Family’s declining fortunes, she had taken a liking to the position of steward at the Zhu Mansion.

However, while the Hex Family couldn’t be considered a prestigious clan, they were still a prominent household in the city. As such, Hex Yufu had been raised with slender fingers and delicate skin.

Combined with her elegant and graceful attire today, standing next to Zhu Ju, she didn’t look like a household steward at all. Instead, she resembled a noblewoman accompanying her husband.

’Madam Zhu?’

Hex Yufu pursed her lips into a smile, her beautiful eyes twinkling.

’If I could really become Madam Zhu, it wouldn’t be a bad outcome.’

’Though people say Zhu Ju is accomplished in neither literature nor martial arts, he is strikingly handsome. He also possesses an inexplicable noble air that makes him stand out in a crowd.’

’Like...’

’A person in power, long accustomed to a high position!’

’The younger generation in the city clearly pales in comparison. Even Leng Xing seems somewhat immature before Zhu Ju. And wasn’t it obvious that even Sunx Youshan wanted to get closer to him?’

’People from the Prefecture City really are extraordinary.’

"Our two residences aren’t far apart. You can return to the Hex Mansion to rest at night, but the Zhu Mansion will also have a room prepared for you."

Zhu Ju began to speak.

"The Zhu Mansion doesn’t have many businesses under its name, so just managing the accounts shouldn’t be too troublesome."

"If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask Ma Xun first. Only come to me when you’re truly unable to make a decision."

"Yes," Hex Yufu replied, lowering her head.

"Brother Zhu!"

Just then, several figures approached from ahead. The leader, his face full of enthusiasm, laughed and clasped his hands in a salute.

"At last! I’ve been waiting for you!"

’Zhou Ye!’

Recognizing the visitor, Hex Yufu’s expression shifted slightly.

’Ever since the death of the Sunx Family Patriarch, Sunx Liancheng, the Zhou Family has been the sole dominant power in Leping County. And Zhou Ye is the most outstanding individual of his generation in the Zhou Family, the undisputed choice to succeed as the next Patriarch.’

’In terms of identity and status, even the Patriarchs of the Wan, Leng, and Hua Families had to be polite and courteous in his presence.’

’Why would he be here?’

’And from the looks of it, he’s been waiting for a long time. What gives Young Master Zhu the right to make him wait so long?’ Hex Yufu’s eyes filled with confusion.

"Brother Zhou."

Zhu Ju clasped his hands.

"I’ve troubled you to wait."

"Not at all, not at all," Zhou Ye said, waving his hands repeatedly.

"There was a bit of a misunderstanding at the Forest the other day. I hope Brother Zhu won’t take offense. Who could have known the Yuan Family had such wicked ambitions..."

"I had my men bring some gifts. Get them inside the mansion!"

"You’re too kind, Brother Zhou," Zhu Ju said, looking up.

"It’s already getting late today, so I won’t keep you, Brother Zhou. We can get together again some other day when we have time."

Zhou Ye’s expression stiffened slightly.

’He’d been waiting here since yesterday. After standing guard for so long, he finally gets to see the man, and this is all he says? Just a couple of sentences?’

’Next time?’

’You’re never home. I’ve been waiting for over half a month just to see you this one time. When is ’next time’ going to be? The twelfth of never?’

But Zhu Ju had no intention of getting entangled with him and strode towards the courtyard.

"Then... very well."

Zhou Ye turned around, a dry smile on his face.

"Rest well, Brother Zhu. I shall visit again in a few days."

’My heavens!’

Hex Yufu’s eyes showed her astonishment. She had never seen Zhou Ye of the Zhou Family act so humbly.

As thoughts raced through her mind, she hurriedly followed Zhu Ju into the mansion.

* * *

Account books were piled on the desk. Hex Yufu rubbed her forehead and frowned, pausing her work on the abacus.

Night had fallen.

Ma Xun was still in the courtyard, honing his Saber Technique.

Her beautiful eyes flickered. Hex Yufu pushed the door open, stepped out, and beckoned to Ma Xun.

"Ma Xun, stop for a moment."

"Sister Yufu." Ma Xun sheathed his saber and wiped the sweat from his face.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes." Hex Yufu propped her chin on her hand and asked, puzzled.

"I was looking at the ledgers. It seems the income from the pharmacy and the Forest this year isn’t enough to cover the mansion’s expenses?"

Zhu Ju wasn’t one for extravagance, but he was a connoisseur of fine food and made extremely expensive medicinal purchases every month.

A simple calculation was all it took to see that they were spending more than they earned.

"That’s right!" Ma Xun nodded, looking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"It’s always been like that."

"Always been like that?" Hex Yufu’s eyes widened.

"Then where does the money come from?"

"Well..." Ma Xun scratched his head. He really didn’t know much about these things.

"I think it’s the Young Master’s private funds."

"Private funds will eventually run out. This can’t go on," Hex Yufu said, her brow tightly furrowed.

"No!"

"I have to go ask the Young Master."

"Don’t!" Ma Xun hurriedly stopped her.

"Sister Yufu, the Young Master once instructed that we are not to disturb him unless it’s something urgent."

"As for the money..."

"Every so often, the Young Master brings back a sum of silver taels. Last month, he brought back one thousand taels. You don’t need to ask the Young Master about money."

’One thousand taels!’

Hex Yufu felt her mouth go dry, and she swallowed unconsciously. Then, with a strange look on her face, she asked:

"Ma Xun, how much is your monthly salary from the Young Master?"

"Three taels!"

Ma Xun grinned.

"The Young Master said that if I can achieve Great Success in Entering Strength, my monthly salary will be raised to five taels. And if my Power is Circulating Throughout the Body, it’ll be ten taels a month."

"On top of that, room and board are included, and I don’t have to pay for the Great Medicine I use for my training."

... Hex Yufu pursed her lips.

"How extravagant!"

Servants in the wealthy households of the county town earned a monthly salary of a fraction of a tael, or a little over one tael at most. Three taels was exceedingly rare.

And that was without even mentioning that the Great Medicine for training was also included.

Generally speaking, the medicinal supplements someone in the Entering the Realm stage consumed each month were a considerable expense, far exceeding a monthly salary of three taels.

Ma Xun’s income was something only a loyal servant who had served for decades in the Zhou or Sunx Families could hope to earn.

A glint appeared in Hex Yufu’s beautiful eyes.

"I practice Martial Arts too. Does that mean I can also get free medicinal supplements?"

"Of course," said Ma Xun.

"My master and I both get our medicine for free. Sister Yufu should be the same. For everyday expenses, you can just draw from the accounts."

... Hex Yufu was speechless.

"The Young Master really trusts you."

"Hehe..." Ma Xun scratched his head.

"So..." Hex Yufu paced with her hands behind her back.

"Besides not disturbing the Young Master at will, are there any other rules in this mansion?"

"No," Ma Xun said, shaking his head.

"But my master did mention that I shouldn’t pry into what the Young Master is doing. As servants, we should just do our own jobs well."

"I understand." Hex Yufu nodded slowly, her gaze turning toward the rear courtyard, her eyes full of doubt.

’A strange Zhu Mansion!’

’A peculiar Young Master Zhu!’

*

*

*

In the Quiet Chamber of the rear courtyard, Zhu Ju took out a medicinal wine infused with Pusique Snake. After checking its properties, he tilted his head back and poured it into his mouth.

The cold liquid slid down his throat, feeling like a searing fire.

Immediately after.

BOOM!

A violent surge of heat erupted from his Dantian, instantly rushing throughout his entire body, to every limb and bone.

"Such potent medicinal power!"

With a low grunt, Zhu Ju circulated the Pure Yang Qi Technique internally and performed the Thirteen Body Refinement externally, refining the medicinal power of the Treasure Snake.

CRACKLE... POP...

As the medicinal power flooded into his body, his Tendon and Bone trembled slightly, emitting a series of soft, cracking sounds.

RUMBLE...

His internal organs churned rapidly, sounding like a Tiger and Leopard Thunder Roar.

As the Treasure Snake’s medicinal power was refined bit by bit, the Qi Blood within Zhu Ju’s body surged, and his Cultivation in the Blood Marrow Realm advanced at a visible pace.

’As expected!’

’Consuming Treasure Medicine really does grant miraculous progress. It only took Yuan Bao two years to go from Entering the Realm to nurturing Inner Qi. And that was only because his Cultivation was too low to withstand the full medicinal power, forcing him to space out his doses for Body Refining. If he could have withstood the power, his progress would have been even faster.’

’The Pusique Snake is especially effective for internally strengthening Tendon and Bone, making it a wondrous treasure for those who practice Hard Skills.’

"Unfortunately..." Zhu Ju sighed softly, "there are only a few Treasure Snakes left. Otherwise, I could have quickly mastered the External Training of the Thirteen Body Refinement and nurtured Inner Qi."

"Forget it!"

Shaking his head, he did not feel discouraged.

’The Treasure Snakes were an unexpected bonus to begin with. I can’t force it. It’s better to have them, but it doesn’t matter if I don’t.’

’Once I finish this medicinal wine, even if I haven’t reached Perfection in the Blood Marrow Realm, I should be close. By then, my Qi Blood Martial Arts should be able to reach the Breaking Limit stage, making me a top-tier expert in the Otherworld.’

’At that time...’

’I can go search for those top-tier Qi Blood Methods!’

Besides the legacy of the Five Elements Fist Sect, there were many other top-tier Methods in the Otherworld with the potential to help him achieve the pinnacle of Hard Skill: the ’Water and Fire Immortal Robe’.

Like the Method of the Red Blood Sect...

However, to obtain such a Method, he would need the strength of the Breaking Limit realm at the very least. Moreover, he currently knew little about the situation in the Martial World of the Zheng Kingdom and would need to painstakingly gather information.