Late the next night, the moon was hidden and the stars were sparse.

Chen Qing arrived at the Old Knife Master Inn in the west of the city.

He slipped into Jiang Bohong’s room.

The room was simply furnished, and a faint smell of medicine permeated the air.

Chen Qing quickly scanned every corner of the room.

The bed, the cabinet, the desk, the corners of the walls... he didn’t miss a single crack or hidden compartment where valuables might be stashed.

However, after a thorough search, he found nothing of value other than a few cheap sets of spare clothes, some common Alchemy ingredients, and several yellowed old books.

Forget large silver notes or Pill Formulas; there were barely even any broken silver coins.

’This old fox must have several hideouts,’ Chen Qing muttered to himself.

Jiang Bohong had been active in the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp for years, robbing and killing. The wealth he’d accumulated had to be more than just what he carried on him.

’So, where would he hide it?’

Chen Qing’s thoughts turned to the Lower-class Treasure Ship moored at Hundred Boats Beach.

’The Treasure Ship!’

A thought struck him.

That ship was Jiang Bohong’s mobile base in the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp. He lived on it year-round, using it for Alchemy, rest, and storing his supplies.

For an old Jianghu wanderer who was all alone and constantly treaded through dangerous territory, that ship was likely his most important "home" and "warehouse"!

His most valuable and secret possessions were almost certainly on that ship!

The more Chen Qing thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

Jiang Bohong was a cautious man. Keeping most of his fortune on a Treasure Ship that was always under his control was both convenient and safer than hiding it in a fixed location.

Chen Qing shook his head to himself.

But what kind of place was Hundred Boats Beach?

It was a chaotic place at the entrance to the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp, and more importantly, it was a mooring point controlled by the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, an organization with a mysterious background!

By now, that Treasure Ship must be under the strict watch of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion’s people, who were waiting to collect a hefty mooring fee, or... simply claim it as ownerless property and take it for themselves.

If he tried to forcibly retrieve the ship from Hundred Boats Beach now, it would be no different from snatching food from a tiger’s mouth.

Putting aside the unfathomable Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the place itself was a den of thieves and scoundrels. If his identity and intentions were exposed, he would immediately become a public target.

The risk was too high, and the potential reward wasn’t worth it.

Chen Qing sighed internally. ’I’ll have to wait until I’m stronger or a suitable opportunity arises. For now, I should focus on what I can handle.’

The silver notes from his trip to the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp and the proceeds from selling the Treasure Armor, combined with his previous savings, left him with a considerable sum of money—enough to pay off most of his debts.

Chen Qing chose not to pay off everyone’s debts all at once.

He was well aware of the principle of not flaunting one’s wealth, especially since he had just returned from his trip.

If he suddenly produced over a hundred thousand taels of silver to repay his debts, word would spread and inevitably arouse suspicion—where did he get such a huge windfall?

It would be inconsistent with his previous behavior and could attract unnecessary trouble and prying eyes.

He decided to repay the debts in installments to different people. This would seem more natural and in line with the normal state of a Chief Disciple gradually accumulating wealth and being frugal.

The next day, Chen Qing took some of the silver notes and went to the Li Fire Institute to find Li Wang.

From a distance, he saw Li Wang chatting and laughing with a beautiful, elegantly dressed woman in a waterside pavilion on Lake Heart Island.

The woman had a gentle temperament and spoke gracefully; she was clearly a young lady from a Noble Family in the Prefecture City.

When Li Wang saw Chen Qing, his smile widened, and he waved enthusiastically. "Junior Brother Chen! Over here!"

As Chen Qing approached, Li Wang smiled and made the introductions. "This is Miss Lin of the Prefecture City’s Lin Family. Miss Lin, this is the Chief Disciple of the Cyan Wood Institute I often mention, Junior Brother Chen."

Upon seeing Chen Qing, a flicker of light flashed in Miss Lin’s beautiful eyes. She then gracefully curtsied and smiled. "I have long heard of Chief Chen’s great name. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation. I am Lin Zhirou. It is an honor to meet you, Chief Chen."

Her voice was gentle and pleasant, her bearing impeccable.

Chen Qing’s expression was neutral as he gave a slight nod. "Miss Lin."

Lin Zhirou could see that Chen Qing and Li Wang seemed to have business to discuss, so she excused herself. "Brother Li, Chief Chen, please, you two take your time to chat. I shall take my leave."

With that, she gave them another graceful curtsy and departed elegantly with her maidservant.

Watching Lin Zhirou’s retreating figure, Chen Qing turned to Li Wang and said, "Brother Li, you seem to be in high spirits. The Noble Families of the Prefecture City are certainly enthusiastic."

His implication couldn’t be clearer.

Chief Disciples like them, from the various institutes of the Wutai Sect, were seen as potential sons-in-law with limitless prospects in the eyes of the many ordinary families in Yunlin Prefecture. They were prime targets for families looking to curry favor.

The young ladies of Noble Families and daughters of prestigious households, who seemed unattainable to ordinary people, would often take the initiative to show their interest in the four institutes’ Chief Disciples, sometimes even throwing themselves at them.

After Chen Qing became the Chief Disciple of the Cyan Wood Institute, countless families had come trying to build connections with him, some even hinting at a marriage alliance.

To give a recent example, Wu Manqing’s friends, Gu Ruo Hua and Li Wan, had sent messages through others and even visited in person several times. Their intentions couldn’t have been more obvious, but he had mercilessly turned them away at the door without even seeing them.

He knew all too well how treacherous people’s hearts could be, and he understood that behind these seemingly gentle and charming young ladies of Noble Families often lay complicated family interests and hidden risks.

Who knew if these families had clean backgrounds?

A past lesson served as a stark reminder: a minor family had once secretly allied with the Demon Sect, using beauty and benefits to corrupt and win over elite disciples from various Sects, ultimately leading to a great disaster.

A gentle embrace could also be a hero’s grave.

Hearing this, Li Wang gave an awkward smile and waved his hand. "Don’t worry, Junior Brother Chen, I know what I’m doing. It’s just playing along for the occasion, a bit of social obligation. They’re interested in the title ’Chief Disciple of the Li Fire Institute.’ I’m just happy to have someone to talk to and relieve the boredom when I’m free. As for getting serious? It’s far too early for that."