At Eldest Miss Xiao’s request, Chen Yi, who had intended to stay at the mansion, had to leave for the West Market Hundred Herbs Hall.

At this moment, there weren’t many Armored Warriors or carriages at the mansion; they were all busy outside.

Thus, Chen Yi didn’t have anyone accompany him, and he walked out of the Xiao Mansion under the blazing sun.

The three-day rain had stopped for three days, and the Shu State region once again returned to the sweltering heat of high summer.

Before seven in the morning, the sun was already strong enough to make one’s clothes scorching hot.

Among the pedestrians, the young ladies from wealthy families mostly carried parasols, while the young masters put on airs of elegance with their paper fans.

Even the Jianghu People who hurried past had their heads wrapped in turbans.

Compared to them, Chen Yi, who carried nothing, seemed like an oddity as he ambled slowly down the street.

Beads of sweat were faintly visible on his forehead.

With his Martial Arts, even while using the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique to feign being an ordinary person, he could stay warm in winter and cool in summer, keeping his mind calm and his breathing steady.

However, to make his act more convincing, he had to break a little sweat.

About an hour later, Chen Yi arrived outside Hundred Herbs Hall.

A smile couldn’t help but appear on his face as he looked at the long line at the entrance.

It seemed that after the previous disaster, business at Hundred Herbs Hall hadn’t just been unaffected—it was even more prosperous.

Besides the people queuing to buy medicinal herbs and teas, Chen Yi also noticed several Guards stationed at the entrance.

Each wore a black long robe with the words "Hundred Herbs Hall" on it, and had blades and swords hanging from their waists. They were likely the Jianghu People that Wang Ji had hired before.

He sized them up for a moment before paying them no more mind.

’They’re just a few Lower Three Grades Martial Artists. They’re fine for guarding the establishment, but if a real crisis occurred, like an attack from the Evil Demonic Dao of the Illusory Sound Sect, they would be useless.’

He followed the line into Hundred Herbs Hall.

Chen Yi was inwardly amused to see Yan Hai busy and sweating profusely behind the counter.

’Good thing I don’t have to do all this myself, or I wouldn’t have a moment’s rest right now either.’

After a brief greeting, he walked straight toward the back.

From a good distance away, he could hear the sound of an abacus coming from the accountant’s office behind the main hall.

The crisp sounds were like falling hail, a ceaseless CLACK-CLACK-CLACK that filled the air.

Chen Yi walked in, scanned the room, and saw Wang Ji sitting in the accountant’s office, looking through the ledgers. He decided not to disturb him.

After waiting for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Wang Ji finally noticed him and hurried over in a fluster.

"My Lo—... Shopkeeper Chen, my apologies. I was so busy just now, I didn’t notice you’d arrived."

Chen Yi gestured for them to talk upstairs, so Wang Ji led him to a special tearoom in the back.

The doors and windows were shut tight, and the soundproofing was excellent.

Even when Chen Yi retracted his Breath Concealment Technique, he could only hear the faint voices of the customers below.

’Wang Ji must have spent a lot to set up this room.’

Wang Ji was about to apologize again when Chen Yi waved his hand. "It’s a good thing that Hundred Herbs Hall is so busy. Don’t look like you’ve done something wrong. Sit down and let’s talk."

Wang Ji cupped his hands, sat down carefully opposite him, and dared not show the slightest hint of disrespect or overstep his bounds.

After the incident with the Illusory Sound Sect, his reverence for this lord, Chen Yi, had grown even deeper.

’If not for Chen Yi’s earlier reminder and guidance, he wouldn’t just have been punished by the Xiao Family for embezzling silver coins from Jishi Medicine Hall; he would have died a miserable death at the hands of the Illusory Sound Sect’s Evil Demons.’

’How could he possibly have become the Shopkeeper of the most prosperous Hundred Herbs Hall in Shu State?’

’It is important to know one’s place, but even more so to be grateful.’

Wang Ji not only thought this way but acted on it, hoping only to stay close to Chen Yi and serve him with unwavering loyalty.

"My Lord, are you here today to give me instructions for what’s next?"

"Yes and no."

As Chen Yi told him to brew some tea, he said casually, "The Eldest Miss wants to see me, so she had me come to Hundred Herbs Hall to pass on the message."

Huh?

Thankfully, Wang Ji’s mind worked quickly, otherwise he wouldn’t have understood such a convoluted sentence.

As he brewed the tea, he asked cautiously, "The Eldest Miss wants to see the owner of Hundred Herbs Hall... you?"

"So, do you intend to see her, or not?"

Chen Yi took the cup, took a sip, and said, "I’ll meet with her."

’He had already thought it through on the way here.’

’A meeting is necessary, but the when, where, and how are all up for discussion.’

’In any case, I need to find a way to change my appearance without any flaws.’

"Go find some Jianghu People who are skilled in the Disguise Skill. It’s best if they can be hired. It doesn’t matter if it costs a lot of silver coins."

Hearing this, Wang Ji understood and agreed. "The Guards I hired before are all old Jianghu veterans. They should know some people."

Chen Yi nodded, finished the tea in his hand, and gestured for him to pour more.

"Tell me about the Illusory Sound Sect’s attack."

He had only watched the show from afar at a restaurant before and didn’t know the details of what had happened inside Hundred Herbs Hall.

After refilling the tea, Wang Ji recounted the events of that night in full detail.

He naturally threw in a few comments about how terrifying it was, but his description of the process was quite detailed.

Aside from the general events that Chen Yi already knew, his attention was focused on the investigation that followed—

an Imprisonment Officer had arrived, and after asking about what happened, wanted to take away the Wandering Martial Artists who had been captured by the Xiao Family Punishment Hall.

Xiao Xuanshuo and his men naturally refused, and the two sides almost came to blows over it.

It was only when Prefect Liu personally arrived and agreed to let the Xiao Family take the people for interrogation that the conflict was resolved.

After listening, Chen Yi asked thoughtfully, "So you’re saying the Imprisonment Department was ordered by someone to destroy the evidence?"

Wang Ji recalled, "I think so too. The Imprisonment Officer who came that day was extremely hostile, and his attitude was very strange."

"If Second Master Xiao and Miss Shen hadn’t been there, I’m afraid I would have been taken away by the Imprisonment Department for questioning as well."

Chen Yi nodded and said with a smile, "Surviving a great disaster is a sign of good fortune to come."

"I hope your auspicious words come true, My Lord."

"I was just saying. You actually took it seriously? You’d be better off burning incense and praying to Buddha in a temple than believing me."

"I will go tomorrow."

"..."

Chen Yi shook his head with a smile. "I think it would be safer for you to spend a hefty sum to hire two powerful Wandering Martial Artists."

Wang Ji readily agreed. "After this incident, I’ve already had someone ask at the brokerage. I estimate we’ll have a lead soon."

"That would be best. Business at Hundred Herbs Hall is booming now, and I’m counting on you to open branches all over the Great Wei Dynasty."

"Uh..."

Chen Yi asked with a half-smile, "Lacking confidence, or lacking ability?"

Upon hearing this, sweat instantly broke out on Wang Ji’s back. He quickly stood up, bowed, and said:

"I will go through hell and high water to carry out My Lord’s orders, without hesitation!"

Although he was apprehensive and indeed lacked confidence, admitting to himself that he was also short on ability, he was somewhat unwilling to give up such an opportunity.

He had squandered half his life, and now that an opportunity he had waited so long for had finally arrived, there was no way he would miss it.

Seeing him so nervous, Chen Yi offered a few words of comfort with a smile, only telling him to focus on running this Hundred Herbs Hall well first.

As for future expansion, that would take time, and they would need to wait for the right opportunity.

After chatting idly for a bit longer, Chen Yi told Wang Ji to go back downstairs and attend to his work. He, on the other hand, remained alone in the quiet room, planning to return later.

’This way, he could avoid being assigned another task by the Xiao Family.’

’This was one of the essential skills for a workhorse—stealing a moment of leisure amidst the hustle and bustle.’

With nothing else to do, Chen Yi sat cross-legged before the tea table and began to cultivate the Four Symbols Skill.

He had sent Xiaodie and the others out today with the intention of cultivating in Spring Lotus Garden, hoping for a breakthrough.

The location had changed to Hundred Herbs Hall, but that was fine too.

Soon, Chen Yi’s mind grew calm.

The True Essence within the two Seas of Qi in his body began to carefully probe the Ren and Du Meridians, attempting to clear the meridians.

According to the Profound Mysteries of the Martial Arts Body, once the Ren and Du Meridians were opened, his Cultivation would break through the Eighth Grade Realm.

At that point, the Four Symbols Skill could also perform a Minor Circulation, which would increase the speed of his cultivation.

As the Cultivation Technique circulated, the final blocked section of the Ren and Du Meridians slowly opened, until only the last membrane remained.

Chen Yi sensed this. With a flicker of his will, he mobilized all the True Essence from his two Seas of Qi and charged through in one go.

BOOM!

A sound like an explosion instantly reverberated in his mind, plunging his consciousness into chaos.

But a moment later, he came to his senses, and a line of text floated before his eyes.

[You have successfully cultivated the Four Symbols Skill. Your Cultivation has broken through to the Lower Seventh Grade.]

Chen Yi felt a sense of relief and continued to circulate the Four Symbols Skill, guiding his True Essence along its new path.

Before long, he slowly withdrew his power, stood up, and stretched a bit.

The sound of his bones cracking and popping instantly rang out. He felt light in body and mind, and the flow of his True Essence was much smoother and more effortless.

Chen Yi clenched his fist, a smile spreading across his face. "Congratulations, you’ve reached the Seventh Grade achievement in Martial Arts."

He glanced out the window and saw that the sky had already darkened, only then realizing that most of the day had passed.

He didn’t stay any longer. Chen Yi called for Wang Ji, preparing to return to the Xiao Family.

Just then, Wang Ji said with a smile, "My Lord, what a coincidence. You asked me at noon to find some Martial Arts experts, and someone came this afternoon."

"Oh?"

"Would it be convenient for you to meet them?"

Chen Yi thought for a moment and nodded. "Might as well take a look."

Who would have known that the moment he followed Wang Ji downstairs to the accountant’s office and saw the figure sitting in the chair, he would freeze in astonishment.

’The Sword Madman, Liu Lang?’