The mountain bandit incident was over.

Only Bai Yuan and Liu Qingshan knew about the Huang Pizi, and by tacit agreement, they kept the matter to themselves.

The Liu Family lost three of their best men overnight, and their strength was drastically reduced.

It wasn’t easy for a prominent family in a small town like the Liu Family to train more martial retainers. Liu Qingshan had only been a month away from leaving the Martial Arts Hall anyway, so he decided to return home and take charge of the family’s affairs.

Bai Yuan was disappointed to have lost his sparring partner.

"Bai Yuan, the worst thing you can do in martial arts is lose focus. You shouldn’t be running off from the Martial Arts Hall so often."

Zhang Yang advised kindly as he watched Bai Yuan practice his saber forms.

Although Bai Yuan was always the first to arrive at the Martial Arts Hall, he would usually leave after just a couple of hours.

Recruitment for the Divine Mansion Sect was a major event, and he didn’t want Bai Yuan to miss the opportunity.

"Thank you for the reminder, Master."

Bai Yuan nodded.

’He was well aware of his own situation. With this body’s original aptitude, he could practice the saber at the Martial Arts Hall his entire life and never amount to anything. Adding points was the only real way forward.’

"Master, do you know about sentient monsters?"

Zhang Yang’s expression grew tense when he heard Bai Yuan’s question.

"You’ve seen those things?"

From Zhang Yang’s reaction, Bai Yuan knew his master definitely knew something.

He recounted in detail how he had encountered Third Master Huang on Master Ridge the previous night.

After listening, Zhang Yang’s face was filled with alarm. He pointed a finger at Bai Yuan.

"You’re both incredibly reckless, daring to provoke a demon like that."

The earth nurtures all living things. Besides humans, this world is home to countless demons.

Legend has it that when the Xuan Yang Dynasty was founded, the world of men was plagued by demons and monsters.

Fortunately, the Xuan Yang of that era, under the rule of the Grand Ancestor Emperor, was steeped in martial prowess. They suppressed the demons, confining them to the mountains and forests and preventing them from causing further harm.

That was two thousand years ago. Over time, ordinary people came to view demons as nothing more than myths and legends.

Only Martial Artists knew that demons truly existed.

"Even a lesser demon, one that has only just gained its power, possesses the strength of a Yijin Martial Master. They are far beyond what you and I can afford to provoke."

Zhang Yang warned Bai Yuan again and again never to return to Master Ridge.

It’s incredibly difficult for an animal to become a demon, but once it succeeds, its power is terrifying. They aren’t foes an ordinary Martial Artist can handle.

Aside from a few top masters in Qinghe County, the only way to deal with a demon is to overwhelm it with sheer numbers. There is no other way.

Bai Yuan nodded obediently.

’Of course, I have no intention of provoking that Huang Pizi right now.’

’Once I’ve leveled up my skills, I’ll naturally go back for a rematch.’

"Focus on your training and don’t worry about anything else. Here’s a medicinal packet for your baths. It should last you three days; use it once a day."

Zhang Yang took a small packet of herbs from his robes, tossed it to Bai Yuan, and turned to leave.

Bai Yuan looked at the small burlap sack, which gave off the fragrance of medicinal herbs, and was deeply moved.

’This master of mine really treats me well.’

Although Martial Artists had many ways to make money, they had even more expenses. Despite their impressive appearances, most of them were dirt poor.

It was one thing if they came from a wealthy family, but Martial Artists like Zhang Yang, who came from poverty themselves, lived very frugally.

Zhang Yang had clearly given him a portion of his own supply. The weight of this gesture was not lost on him.

Bai Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony; he silently accepted the herbs.

He really needed the herbs right now to replenish his body’s reserves.

...

「Bai Family Ancestral Mansion.」

Wisps of hot steam drifted into the air, filling the room with a fragrant, herbal mist.

Bai Yuan lay comfortably in a large wooden tub.

’No wonder Liu Qingshan was always going on about how great medicinal baths are. He really wasn’t kidding.’

He had put the herbs from Zhang Yang into the hot water, and now their essence seeped through his skin and into his very bones, revitalizing cells that had been on the verge of withering away.

Bai Yuan felt a tingling itch all over as the fatigue from the past few days washed away completely.

Even some old, unnoticed injuries from his Blood Tiger Saber practice were being healed. Clearly, the herbs Zhang Yang had given him were of a high grade.

Just as Bai Yuan was enjoying his soak—

CREAK. The door was pushed open.

’Sister-in-law is back.’

When Xiao Qiaoniang saw Bai Yuan lying in the large wooden tub, her lovely face instantly flushed red.

Hearing the sound, Bai Yuan turned to look.

Ever since taking over the dye workshop, Xiao Qiaoniang had to dress up for business. With a touch of powder and paint, her features became even more exquisite. Her eyes shimmered like water, her brows were strokes of dark ink, and the soft, pale pink dress she wore accentuated her alluring aura. She was like a ripe peach, tempting one to take a bite.

"Bro... Brother-in-law, do... do you need any help?"

The moment the words were out, Xiao Qiaoniang regretted them.

’If Bai Yuan actually agreed, was she supposed to go over and help him change the water?’

Although she and Bai Yuan lived under the same roof, they weren’t husband and wife. In fact, she was his sister-in-law.

A woman’s modesty was a delicate thing.

"Sister-in-law, these herbs really work wonders. You should come try them too."

Hearing such audacious words, Xiao Qiaoniang waved her hands in dismissal and fled the room as if escaping for her life, not forgetting to close the door behind her.

Bai Yuan watched his sister-in-law go, completely baffled by her behavior.

’These herbs really are effective, though.’

’She probably feels it’s too much of a waste to use them herself.’

...

Bai Yuan’s body had absorbed as much of the medicinal essence as it could; soaking any longer would be pointless.

He dried himself off, got dressed, then took the herbs out of the tub and hung them up to dry.

Zhang Yang had said the herbs were good for three days, and he couldn’t let them go to waste.

When he opened the door and stepped outside, he found Xiao Qiaoniang sitting on a stone stool in the courtyard, staring into space, the blush still lingering on her cheeks.

"Sister-in-law, you’re back early today."

Bai Yuan glanced at the sky. It wasn’t even 9 p.m. yet.

Xiao Qiaoniang usually worked very late.

"A wealthy patron came by the dye workshop today and bought out our entire stock. With nothing left to do, I came home early."

Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow.

The Hongqiao Dye Workshop’s business was booming. Buying out the entire stock would require a full two hundred taels of snowflake silver. There weren’t many people even in Qinghe County Town who could spend like that.

"Sister-in-law, who was that buyer?"

"Sister Chen handled it all. I think it was the Zhu Family."

Bai Yuan nodded to himself.

Like Li Ting’s Li Family, the Zhu Family was a major clan renowned for their business acumen. It made sense that they would buy out the Hongqiao Dye Workshop’s entire stock.

Since it was a legitimate business transaction, Bai Yuan didn’t ask any more questions.

’Xiao Qiaoniang calculated that once the cloth was delivered, the workshop would make a good amount of silver. Her share would be at least ten taels, which meant she could buy more medicinal herbs for her brother-in-law.’

’She couldn’t let him be the only one working hard for the family.’

...

The start of spring should have been a good season for hunting.

Hunters from Baisha Town and the surrounding villages were amazed to find the mountains unusually quiet, the game pitifully scarce.

Little did they know that Bai Yuan alone had hunted the mountains clean.

With Expert-level tracking, it was like he had radar; no prey could possibly escape his notice.

Of course, Bai Yuan was oblivious to the trouble he was causing his fellow hunters.

He was currently squatting by a small stream, staring excitedly at his status panel.

Master-level Tracking!