Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune: Starting with death row inmates

Shen Chen's eyes flashed. At the ninth level of the Refinement Realm, every three realms represent a major hurdle.

To enter the fourth level, the "True Qi Realm," from the third level, the "Internal Organs Realm," a martial artist must cultivate true qi within their body. However, this condition is extremely difficult, and countless martial artists die in despair without ever cultivating true qi.

Qin Pi is currently at the sixth level of the Innate Realm, and the threshold for entering the seventh level must be no lower than that for cultivating true qi.

"Recently, some people in the village have heard about me and want to try to bring me down." Qin Pi's expression was gloomy. "For example, Luo Xiong came last time just to test my skills, and that Lao Ba came again a couple of days ago wanting to exchange my Xie Zhi Iron Face Flag. Heh, they've got a good plan."

Shen Chen listened quietly, considered it for a moment, and then drew a fortune stick for Qin Pi.

[Having been poisoned by the Qi-dissolving powder, you've decided—]

[Good fortune: Try to slow down the martial arts training process, prevent the true qi from fluctuating violently, focus on breathing techniques, overcome toxicity, auspicious]

[Bad omen: Forced seclusion in an attempt to break through a cultivation level has caused violent fluctuations in true energy, accelerating the onset of poison.]

Shen Chen frowned slightly: "Brother Qin, the doctor said that only by breaking through the barriers can the poison be neutralized?"

Qin Pi said, "That's right. The seventh level of the Refining Essence Realm is called the Foundation Establishment Realm. The true qi in the body is transformed into true essence, and the blood is like mercury, making one immune to all poisons."

Shen Chen asked, "If that's the case, then when you broke through to the next level, your internal energy must have been greatly disturbed. But this poison directly affects your internal energy, so wouldn't the poison spread even faster?"

Qin Pi paused for a moment, his expression immediately darkening as he fell into thought.

Shen Chen said, "Brother Qin, you should think carefully about whether someone bribed that quack doctor to mislead you. You should see a few more trustworthy doctors."

Qin Pi frowned. The doctor who treated him was surnamed Sun, and he was an old acquaintance of his. The day after he returned to the village, Doctor Sun took the initiative to come to his door to treat him, and his attitude was extremely warm.

In retrospect, this enthusiasm concealed a sinister and unspeakable motive.

Shen Chen then said, "In my opinion, you shouldn't be in seclusion and focusing on cultivation recently. Instead, you should concentrate on the breathing technique to slow down the flow of true qi and thus suppress the poison."

Qin Pi let out a long breath and nodded: "I understand, thank you for reminding me, Brother Shen."

In the afternoon, at the fake East Market.

Shops of all shapes and sizes lined both sides of the street, and the crowds were dense, with various shouts mixed in with the clamor of voices.

"These are excellent weapons, take a look..."

"Beef, yellow beef, 100 coins per pound."

"A 500-year-old ginseng is only sold for 5,000 coins."

Shen Chen stopped in front of a shirtless man's stall. The ground was covered with all kinds of herbs, including a ginseng root that was as big as his forearm.

"Brother, a 500-year-old ginseng, only 5,000 coins." The man winked at Shen Chen. "Don't miss this opportunity!"

[Bad omen: You buy this ginseng, only to find it's just a rapidly ripened red ginseng, not worth five thousand coins at all.]

Shen Chen asked, "Is this really ginseng?"

The man said, "I'm honest and trustworthy, young and old alike, so you can rest assured."

Shen Chen smiled and scraped the dirt off the surface of the ginseng: "Why does it look so much like red ginseng? Look, the skin is red too. Was it ripened with chemicals?"

The man immediately realized he'd met someone knowledgeable, and waved his hand dismissively: "Brother, you should go. Let's keep to ourselves and not interfere with each other. Don't sabotage me."

Shen Chen asked, "Didn't you just say you'd be honest and fair to everyone, young and old?"

The man glanced at Shen Chen a few times: "Look at what you're saying. You're neither a virgin nor an old man, so what I said isn't wrong."

Shen Chen's lips twitched slightly. So, "honesty and integrity" meant not deceiving the young or old...?

He took out several Qin Dynasty coins: "Do you accept this money?"

The man glanced at it, and his face immediately lit up with a smile: "No, no, sir, what would you like? Don't be fooled by the junk on the table, I actually have all the good stuff here."

"I need to strengthen my bones and muscles. Do you have any good medicine here?" Shen Chen asked.

The man then took out some herbs from a wooden box behind him: "Take a look at these things, sophora flavescens and jasmine fruit. Grind them into juice and apply it to the skin. They are very effective."

Shen Chen took out a bag of money and waved it in front of the man: "How about this price?"

The man immediately perked up: "Yes, you've come to the right person."

He then pulled out a ginseng from the alley behind him: "This time I'm not lying to you, it's a full three hundred years! If it's less than a year, I'll stab my own father in the back!"

Shen Chen drew a fortune stick and frowned after receiving the result: "This ginseng is only 150 years old. Brother, you never tell the truth."

Upon hearing Shen Chen reveal the true age of the ginseng, the man's eyes widened. He looked at Shen Chen and gasped, "Well, I've met an expert today."

"My surname is Yang, the Yang of cattle and sheep, and my given name is Chong Er. The brothers in the village all call me Yang Erdan. May I ask your honorable name, brother?" Yang Chong Er clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Shen Chen, nicknamed 'Ghost Calculator'," Shen Chen announced his name.

Yang Chong'er scratched his head: "Ha, I've heard of you. You were one of the capable people Master Qin brought up the mountain the other day. Your eyesight is indeed sharp. Your nickname is truly well-deserved."

He added, "Don't say I don't tell the truth. Back then, when my father sold my mother to a brothel, I really did stab him over a hundred times. I'm not lying to you, one stab less per year!"

Shen Chen was somewhat amused and exasperated. He picked up his money bag and said, "I'm sorry, I really don't dare to buy anything from you anymore."

Yang Chong'er quickly grabbed Shen Chen: "Don't go, Master Shen! This time I really got something good. If I lie to you again, you can slit my throat!"

He immediately crouched down, took out a box from under the table, and carefully opened it.

Inside the box lay a grayish-green herb with a peculiar shape; its leaves grew entirely from the upper part of the plant, resembling a back scratcher.

"This is raw hide and revitalizing leaf I obtained from my side jobs. It's a body-tempering elixir, and I'll take it from you for a thousand Qin sword coins," Yang Chong'er said. "To tell you the truth, I've used a piece of this myself. If it hadn't made me so itchy, I wouldn't be selling it!"

Shen Chen drew a fortune stick, and after confirming it was correct, he nodded: "Please wrap it up for me."

Yang Chong quickly and efficiently wrapped the medicine for Shen Chen, saying, "Master Shen, remember to come to me next time you need medicine. Let me tell you, there's no one more honest than me in the entire East Market!"

Shen Chen took the herbs: "Done."

In a market teeming with bandits, Yang Chong'er could probably be considered a truly honest person.

With the little money left, Shen Chen went to the grain store and bought some firewood, rice, oil, and salt. When he saw the price of salt, Shen Chen was taken aback.

Salt in this village costs only thirty coins a bag, even cheaper than grain.

This is completely unreasonable. Shen Chen remembers that the price of salt in Anxi County is twice this price.