The results were astonishing. He had only taken a single Qi Blood Elixir, but his proficiency had increased by more than fifty points!

...It was clear the effects of the Bee Meat still lingered!

It left Qin Fang amazed.

...Although it was amazing, Qin Fang knew he wasn’t strong enough. Hunting a Giant Bee was too dependent on luck, so even though he was tempted, he suppressed the urge.

During his Body Refining, he discovered his physical strength had once again increased significantly. Even his skin, muscles, and bones seemed to have improved to varying degrees.

Qin Fang’s heart skipped a beat. ’Could it be that the Bee Meat also helps with Body Refining?’

In the end, however, he could only shake his head helplessly...

’I’m not strong enough. It’s not wise to risk my life for this resource.’

He forced the thought down again.

Time flowed by quietly.

Another month passed in the blink of an eye.

Qin Fang trained every day, making gratifying progress. His proficiency had already broken the four-thousand mark and would soon reach five thousand!

...The Pile Method was set to become the first Skill on his panel to reach five thousand proficiency points and achieve ’Great Success’!

’What changes will happen then?’

He was very much looking forward to it.

’The Wild Bull Qi Strength Pile my master taught me is just a Low Grade Root Technique. From the looks of it, even breaking through to Great Success will only get me to the Late Mingjin Stage... I wonder if I can even reach Anjin with it?’

At the same time, this worry also surfaced in his heart.

During this period, Monkey had made two trips to True Martial, and his senior brother had also sent two letters, keeping him informed about the situation in the county seat.

Things had been peaceful recently. Even the rumors about Huichun Hall’s connection to Demons seemed to have been suppressed.

But even though the rumors were suppressed, Huichun Hall’s business had plummeted.

Ganlu Hall had risen to prominence.

Relying on that ’Qi Blood Pill’, it had already surpassed Huichun Hall to become the number one pharmacy in True Martial County!

Qin Fang had also mentioned this ’Qi Blood Pill’ in his letters to his senior brother, asking him to investigate. He had a feeling something wasn’t right about it...

His senior brother informed him that the ’Qi Blood Pill’ was now arguably the most famous item in all of True Martial County. The Government Office had naturally investigated it, but the final conclusion was that there were no issues.

Even people from the Government Office had bought and taken the Qi Blood Pills... A single Qi Blood Pill had roughly one-twentieth the effect of a Qi Blood Elixir.

But its price was only one-hundredth of a Qi Blood Elixir... They were selling like crazy.

It wasn’t just people who hadn’t entered Mingjin taking them.

Even some Martial Artists who had already entered Mingjin had started to give up on Qi Blood Elixirs and buy Qi Blood Pills instead...

Although the effect wasn’t as good as a Qi Blood Elixir, the key was that not everyone could afford Qi Blood Elixirs.

Someone like Qin Fang, who took two Qi Blood Elixirs every day without fail, was an exception among exceptions.

...Even for a True Disciple of the True Martial Boxing Hall, the number one boxing hall in True Martial, their monthly ration of Qi Blood Elixirs would not exceed ten!

The vast majority of people would only take a Qi Blood Elixir when their progress was too slow, or when they were on the verge of a breakthrough.

...’Actually treating Qi Blood Elixirs like meals?’

Setting aside the cost in silver, their bodies simply couldn’t handle it.

If the medicinal effects weren’t fully absorbed, it would overwhelm and damage the body.

Reading this, Qin Fang realized... the changes in his own body were likely not just due to the miraculous Martial Arts and Elixirs of this world...

...but also because of his Golden Finger’s assistance! 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

...’This panel, does it have a hidden function that catalyzes the absorption of medicinal effects?’

In any case, the Qi Blood Pill had now become the hottest item in True Martial County.

Because of the Qi Blood Pill’s existence, Huichun Hall’s room for survival was squeezed even further...

Originally, Qi Blood Elixirs still had a market.

After all... even when Huichun Hall raised the price of its Qi Blood Elixirs from ten taels of silver to fifteen, it was still far cheaper than other pharmacies.

But now, with the appearance of the Qi Blood Pill, and with Ganlu Hall also slashing the price of its own Qi Blood Elixirs by more than half...

In this situation, how could Huichun Hall possibly fight back?

Now, the place was practically deserted day after day.

Aside from the occasional patient seeking treatment, the elixir business was completely dead.

In addition, two of their three Anjin Martial Artist guardians had died, and the remaining one was injured.

...Now, they didn’t even have the strength to investigate the destruction of their various market branches, and the matter remained unresolved.

In the short span of a few months, Huichun Hall had gone from being the glorious number one pharmacy in True Martial County to being on the verge of closing down.

It made his senior brother sigh with sorrow.

What made his senior brother feel even more helpless was... even at this point, their master was unwilling to give up on Huichun Hall, still going to see patients at the hall every day without fail...

Reading this, Qin Fang felt a bit helpless himself.

...’That old man really is stubborn!’

But what could be done?

As a disciple, he could only let it be.

Fortunately, however, things seemed stable for now, and his master was safe.

Besides the idle chat with his senior brother, Qin Fang was also paying close attention to the Demons and Treasure Fish on the River Surface.

...A few more Demon disasters had occurred, and people had died.

And finally, someone had actually seen the Demon that was harming people...

"It was a Fish Demon, but its whole body wasn’t covered in scales, but in black fur! ...From a distance, I saw it practically bite Old Wang’s boat to pieces in one go! ...If we hadn’t been far away and run fast, I’m afraid we would have died too!"

The ones who saw the Demon were a few fishermen who had escaped from its very jaws. When they came back and told the story, they were almost incoherent, clearly terrified.

But their words still caused a sensation and spread far and wide.

After Monkey told Qin Fang, his brows furrowed tightly.

...He remembered the Demon from the Pingze incident that had wiped out the Iron Tiger Gang and the Four Seas Gang... The news that spread from the Four Seas Gang afterward also described it as fish-shaped, with no scales, and covered in black fur...

’Could it be the same one?’

He frowned deeply.

In the end, he could only sigh.

He was powerless against this Demon disaster anyway.

Besides, it seemed the major powers of True Martial County had no intention of joining forces to slay the Demon...

’Don’t tell me they’re really waiting for the so-called ’Sacrificial Hall’ to come and handle it?’

...’And when will they even arrive?’

’It’s been almost four months since the first Demon disaster, hasn’t it?’

’Such efficiency...’

"Master Qin, Master Qin!"

Just as he was lost in these thoughts, Monkey’s voice suddenly rang out from outside.

Qin Fang froze for a moment, because he could clearly hear the urgency in Monkey’s voice.

His brow furrowed, and he walked over to open the door.

"Master Qin!"

Before Qin Fang could ask, Monkey spoke in a low, urgent voice, "I just got news! ...Wang Hu is not dead!"

That single sentence was enough to make Qin Fang’s expression instantly darken.