"We’re nowhere near that bad," Fang Rui said, shaking his head. "At the very least, we have more than enough Sorghum Flour to keep our bellies full, and we can even have a nicer meal occasionally."

A monthly profit of over two taels of silver was enough to support a family of three. Even with his huge appetite, they weren’t struggling. They were still among the top 20% of households in Changshan County.

As they were talking, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family brought a basin of hot water from the kitchen.

"Thanks, Mom. It’s getting late. You should get some rest too."

Fang Rui washed his feet, gave himself a quick wipe-down, and went back to his room.

Fang Ling didn’t sleep in his room tonight, either. She had recently developed a habit: whenever Fang Rui went to the Black Market at night, she would run off to sleep with Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family.

The candlelight flickered.

By the faint light, Fang Rui took out the Feng Shui and Geomancy manual he had gotten from Gao Yao. The handwriting on the coarse straw paper was sloppy. The cover bore four large words: *Zhou’s Feng Shui and Geomancy*.

After reading it through once, it was, as expected, registered by the panel.

Panel:

[Name: Fang Rui]

[Tribulation: 3]

[Cultivation Technique: Nourishing Body Skill (Minor Achievement)]

[Realm: Seventh Grade (Bone Forging)]

[Skills: Fang’s Medical Skill (Skilled), Beast Taming Technique (Uninitiated), Feng Shui Skill (Uninitiated)]

[Divine Techniques: Immortality (Gray)]

...

’Feng Shui Skill, huh? Another Divine Power Seed!’

’But, as I’ve said before, now is not the time to level it up. Just like the Beast Taming Technique, I’ll set it aside for now.’

Fang Rui was in a good mood. He stretched, and fell asleep to the chirping of insects in the summer night.

...

「The next morning.」

The Fang Family’s breakfast consisted of Sorghum Flour gruel and a bowl of stir-fried wild vegetables.

It was a rather humble meal.

But in times like these, most of their neighbors would have considered it a lavish feast.

"The vegetables don’t taste as good as they used to," Fang Ling remarked after a bite.

"Oh?"

Fang Rui picked some up with his chopsticks and tasted it. The flavor was bland. "Mom, did you forget the oil?"

"I did!"

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family paused for a moment before it dawned on her. "Brother Rui, I used up the last of that pork lard you gave me yesterday. I used flaxseed oil for the stir-fry this morning."

"That explains it..."

Fang Rui nodded. "Looks like I’ll have to find a way to get some more pork lard."

Hearing this, Fang Ling nodded vigorously.

Then, a pair of chopsticks rapped her on the forehead.

"You little rascal, getting picky with your food, are you?"

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family said to Fang Rui, "Pork lard is expensive. A single jar costs a lot of large coins. Brother Rui, you shouldn’t spoil her."

"How is this spoiling her?"

Fang Rui shook his head and smiled. "It’s just for proper nutrition... Besides, I’ve had another breakthrough in my Martial Arts, so I need the extra fat... When your belly is full of something oily, you eat less grain and have more energy..."

As he spoke, he sighed internally. ’Life in this world is hard.’

’In my past life, resources were so plentiful that milk was poured down the drain and leftovers piled up like mountains, wasted in huge amounts... But in this world, even a slab of pork lard is a rare luxury.’

Breakfast ended amidst their casual conversation.

Although the vegetables stir-fried in flaxseed oil didn’t taste nearly as good as those cooked with pork lard, everyone in the Fang Family had experienced true hardship, so they cherished every bit of food. Even Fang Ling, whom Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family often called ’the pickiest eater,’ finished every last bit of her vegetables and gruel, leaving her bowl clean enough to see one’s reflection in it.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and Fang Ling only had one bowl of gruel each from the large pot. Fang Rui ate the rest, but even that was barely enough for him.

Martial Artists require high-energy food for sustenance. Without fatty foods, they typically have to eat several times the amount of an ordinary person just to barely meet their body’s needs.

Even when substituting quality with sheer quantity, it wasn’t a comfortable feeling; his whole body felt sluggish and weak.

What he didn’t realize was that other Seventh Grade Martial Artists all ate and drank well to nourish their bodies. Fang Rui was an exception, having used Tribulation Points to force his advancement. After his breakthrough, trying to sustain his body with large amounts of coarse grains was barely adequate, so it was only natural that he felt awful.

’It’s easy to go from frugal to lavish, but hard to go back.’

Fang Rui sighed. ’This can’t go on. I have to find a way to get some pork lard!’

In the Black Market, pork lard was even rarer than other scarce goods like meat and soybeans, and its price was exorbitant. Whenever it appeared, it would set off a frantic scramble.

’I have to think of a way to make more money!’

’Some businesses are profitable, but I can’t do them. Other businesses I can do, but they aren’t profitable.’

’After thinking it over and over, my best option is still finished medicines.’

’This is really a last resort... Fine. Once I’ve saved up enough Tribulation Points, I’ll upgrade my Medical Skill and develop a new formula for a finished medicine!’

’By then, my profits are sure to soar, maybe even reaching seven or eight taels of silver a month.’

’And since I’ve just broken through to the Seventh Grade, I can reveal myself as being at the Eighth Grade Realm in the Black Market... That way, I’ll be able to protect profits of ten, or even fifteen, taels of silver a month.’

After breaking through to the Seventh Grade, Fang Rui hadn’t yet had a chance to test his new strength. But with this great power coursing through him, his courage swelled, and so too did his ambitions.

Of course, his cautious nature hadn’t changed a bit.

It all came back to his motto: ’With ten parts strength, reveal only seven, and undertake tasks that require only three. That way, you’ll always have enough in reserve to turn the tables if something unexpected happens.’

...

In the afternoon, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and Fang Ling were taking a nap in the inner room.

Fang Rui kept watch in the main room outside.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, scattering like flecks of gold. It fell upon the quaint, old-fashioned medicine cabinet as fine motes of dust danced in the air. The fresh scent of herbs grew stronger, suffusing the warm air.

RUSTLE!

Fang Rui was engrossed in a medical book, unable to put it down.

’Upgrading Cultivation Techniques and Skills with Tribulation Points is tied to my own proficiency. The harder I work on them myself, the fewer Tribulation Points I’ll need.’