46-Call by a Young Master.

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The Eight-Treasure Blood Nourishing Soup sold quickly, but the hemostatic powder and wound medicine sold even faster.

After collecting all the silver and coins, Zhong Lin made a beeline for the ghost-masked man's stall.

As usual, the figure sat there coldly and quietly, with several porcelain bottles laid out in front, including the "Bone-Strengthening Pills" Zhong Lin had been longing for.

Just as he reached into his coat for the silver, Zhong Lin suddenly asked, "No price hike, right?"

"…"

"Good if there isn't. Bone-Strengthening Pills, five of them."

"One hundred fifty taels of silver."

Zhong Lin handed over the silver with a smile, though he couldn't hide the pang of heartache that felt like his blood was dripping away.

Tucking the porcelain bottle with the five Bone-Strengthening Pills into his coat, Zhong Lin stared intently at the ghost-masked man.

"No kidding—I'm a once-in-a-lifetime alchemy genius. All I need is a spark. Teach me to refine pills: I'll handle the crafting, you handle the selling. We split it fifty-fifty—or even thirty-seventy, me thirty, you seventy. How about it?"

"Get lost!"

"Alright!"

Zhong Lin didn't hesitate for a second. He stood up and backed off, his eyes subtly flicking to the horizontal saber at the man's side.

This ghost-masked guy was a tough one. Just a single glance from him made Zhong Lin feel as if he'd fallen into an icy pit—like facing a natural predator.

Someone who could give him that feeling had to be at least a mid-tier Third Stage powerhouse.

"Can't afford to mess with him. Not yet, at least. I need to boost my strength fast. Once I cultivate my qi and blood, I'll head straight to the prefectural city. With the system, I refuse to believe I can't master alchemy. Then I'll achieve pill-making freedom."

Fingering the porcelain bottle in his coat, that sting of loss hit him again.

Zhong Lin didn't leave right away. Instead, he wandered around the black market for a bit. By the time he exited, he was carrying a big rooster and a sack of eggs.

With the county imposing limits and price controls on grain purchases, Zhong Lin had stocked up on plenty of grain in advance. But meat didn't keep long, so when he saw some, he had to treat his stomach right.

"The eggs can be saved for Little Shi—one each morning. As for this chicken, half gets stewed, the other half made into spicy chicken."

Zhong Lin grinned as he daydreamed about his meal plans. Suddenly, a towering figure blocked his path—it was none other than Yun Ye, the black market gatekeeper.

Zhong Lin didn't dare slack off. He cupped his hands in a salute. "Greetings, Lord Yun. What's this about?"

"Master Zhong, the Young Master requests your presence. Come with me."

Zhong Lin's pupils shrank. Yun Ye had just called him by name. He knew it wouldn't be hard for a determined merchant to dig up his identity—after all, the Eight-Treasure Blood Nourishing Soup from Xu's Clinic had some fame in Heishan County—but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Zhong Lin asked respectfully, "Lord Yun, this 'Young Master' you mentioned is…?"

"The Second Young Master Du."

Him!

Heishan County had two prominent families: the Du family and the Zhang family. Coincidentally, the county's deputy magistrate was surnamed Du, and the chief clerk was surnamed Zhang.

The Second Young Master Du was the second son of the Du family. But why was he looking for Zhong Lin?

"The Second Young Master's invitation isn't something I'd dare refuse. Please, lead the way."

Yun Ye nodded and strode ahead. Zhong Lin followed closely, clutching his rooster and eggs, looking rather comical.

As they left, the black market crowd buzzed with discussion.

"Who's that guy? Worthy of Lord Yun personally coming to fetch him?"

"No idea, but if Lord Yun's fetching him himself, he's no ordinary person."

"Obviously! Lord Yun's with the Du family and a Seventh Rank Bone-Tempering Realm expert himself. Anyone he personally escorts can't be average."

"You idiots—didn't you recognize him? That's the medicine seller from last time."

"Hiss! It's him? He's not dead?"

Some recognized Zhong Lin, their hearts jolting with shock. They remembered the two groups that tried to ambush him last month.

"He's not dead, but Skinny Monkey and Dong Yan are gone. Tsk tsk, another ruthless one!"

"Hey, do you think one of the Du family's young masters took a liking to his medicine?"

"Don't say that—don't even say that."

"Shh! Watch your mouth. This has nothing to do with small fry like us."

Zhong Lin followed Yun Ye out of the black market, winding through twists and turns for a few miles until they reached a secluded courtyard.

The courtyard wasn't lavishly decorated but was thoughtfully arranged with an orderly layout. A small stream ran through the center, though it had dried up recently due to drought upstream.

"May I ask, Lord Yun, what does the Second Young Master want with me?" Zhong Lin inquired softly.

"You'll know when you get there."

Yun Ye gave Zhong Lin an odd look but said no more.

Inside the courtyard, Yun Ye fell silent, and Zhong Lin kept quiet too. After passing through a bamboo grove, they arrived at the main hall.

Even before getting close, Zhong Lin caught the rich aroma of wine and meat, mingled with the sounds of women giggling and the melodies of silk and bamboo instruments.

Two maidservants stood bowing at the entrance. Seeing Yun Ye, they offered a slight curtsy and opened the door.

Inside, two rows of twelve smokeless candles burned brightly, illuminating the room. On the wooden floor, seven women in sheer gauze danced gracefully to the accompaniment of silk and bamboo music.

Behind a table at the center of the hall sat a handsome man in his twenties. His forehead was broad, his attire a luxurious brocade robe adorned with a round jade pendant and golden tassels dangling from his waist. He sipped wine while enjoying the performance.

Flanking him were two maidservants on each side, dressed only in pink undergarments up top and white trousers below. Their dark hair cascaded over their shoulders, their faces lovely and striking—rivaling even the top courtesans of Nuǎnxiāng House.

"This must be Du Chong, the Second Young Master of the Du family."

Though Zhong Lin had never met this second son of the Du family, he'd heard of his reputation—particularly his love for beautiful women.

"Young Master, I've brought Zhong Lin," Yun Ye said in a low voice.

Zhong Lin quickly stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Greetings, Second Young Master."

Du Chong waved a hand, and the dancing in the hall stopped instantly, the music of silk and bamboo falling silent.

"So you're Zhong Lin? I wouldn't have thought a painter had such skill—to take down Dong Yan in a counterattack."

Zhong Lin took a deep breath and replied steadily, "I don't deserve the Second Young Master's praise. Killing Dong Yan was just self-defense, and I only managed it by taking advantage of a sneak attack."

Zhong Lin first clarified that he'd killed for self-preservation, unsure if this Second Young Master had any ties to Dong Yan.

Then he downplayed it, saying he'd relied on an ambush to lower his perceived threat.

When facing someone who could control your fate, the first rule was to tread carefully and show proper respect.

Call Zhong Lin a coward if you want, but sometimes playing it safe was the key to survival. Those who didn't—unless they were the protagonist—probably had grass growing three feet high over their graves by now.

A slight smile curved Du Chong's lips. He clearly saw through Zhong Lin's caution, but he enjoyed watching people tiptoe around him—it highlighted his lofty status.

Like a god, a mere wave of his hand could decide someone's fate.

"You… are quite impressive."

"Thank you for the Second Young Master's praise."

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