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

Shen Chen didn't follow Zhuang Fu's lead, but said, "Why don't you take me to see the salt well first, Zhuang? I'll make a decision after I've seen it with my own eyes."

Zhuang Fu smiled and nodded: "Alright, then Brother Shen, come with me first."

He led Shen Chen toward the salt wells behind the mountain. On the way, Zhuang Fu asked Shen Chen, "I've heard of Brother Shen's reputation. He was truly brave and resourceful in rescuing Chief Qin from prison. I wonder how Chief Qin is doing lately? I heard he hasn't been feeling well since his return..."

Shen Chen smiled and said, "These are just rumors. Doesn't the head of the household know that Brother Qin defeated Luo Xiong with his innate realm cultivation? If he were unwell, how could Luo Xiong have knelt down and begged for mercy that day?"

Zhuang Fu nodded: "I heard the news too. That fat Luo even said he was only slightly inferior to Qin Pi. Haha, I didn't expect him to be so stubborn even after being beaten to his knees and begging for mercy."

During the conversation, Shen Chen had already spotted several salt wells on the back mountain. A crane tens of meters high rose from the ground, and many workers drove oxen and horses to move the rollers under the crane. Yellowish-black brine poured out from bamboo tubes and flowed into the brine pool below.

Several workers carried buckets of brine and poured them into a large pot, where the firewood at the bottom of the pot crackled and popped.

"Look, this salt is of the highest quality. I dare say even the official salt isn't this good." Zhuang Fu grabbed a handful of salt grains from a bag next to him and showed them to Shen Chen.

Shen Chen glanced at it; the salt was coarse and black. If it were in his previous life, it would probably only be used by cattle and horses to lick, and definitely not for human consumption.

"Brother Shen, I spent a lot of money to build these salt well projects," Zhuang Fu said. "For Brother Qin's sake, I'll give you a fixed price: 15,000 Qin coins! You can take the wells and the people with you."

Shen Chen stroked his chin, looking troubled: "I need to think about it carefully..."

Zhuang Fu said, "Brother Shen, everyone in the village knows that I, Zhuang Fu, have always been honest and fair in my business dealings. If you hesitate any longer, this salt well may be taken by someone else."

Shen Chen glanced at the salt well beside him, his face showing a conflicted expression: "Master Zhuang, to be honest, I don't have that much money on hand right now."

Zhuang Fu slammed his hand on the table: "The price can be negotiated, Brother Shen. I'll just ask you one question: do you want my salt well?"

Shen Chen gritted his teeth, his face earnest: "Yes, Boss Zhuang, these salt wells do seem quite good; they're a profitable business. Of course I want them, but I'm currently short of funds."

Shen Chen took out a box: "Look, Master Zhuang, this is the raw hide and revitalizing leaves I bought today with the money I earned from drawing a thousand Qin swords. Right now, I'm penniless."

He paused for a moment and said, "How about I borrow some money from Brother Qin and visit him another day?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Fu's heart pounded. What if you talk to Qin Pi and then decide you don't want to buy my salt wells anymore?

As a greedy and opportunistic man, Zhuang Fu would never pass up any opportunity to make money. He immediately said, "How about this, let's make a deal today. If you come to me to buy salt wells within half a month, I will give you a 20% discount. Within a month, I will give you a 10% discount. Before that, I will keep these salt wells for you and will never sell them to anyone else."

As he spoke, Zhuang Fu took out a Qi and Blood Pill from his pocket: "Brother Shen is eager to break through his cultivation realm recently. Consider this Qi and Blood Pill a gift from me. Please accept it."

Shen Chen declined for a moment, then accepted Zhuang Fu's pills and agreed to the agreement: "Alright, then please have Headmaster Zhuang draft it."

Zhuang Fu wrote down the agreement and added a clause at the end: if Shen Chen did not buy the salt well, he would have to pay him a thousand Qin sword coins.

Satisfied that he was making money either way, Zhuang Fu showed the draft to Shen Chen: "Brother Shen, do you see any problems?"

Seeing that Shen Chen only glanced at it briefly, ignored the extra words, and simply pressed his fingerprint on it, he became even more excited: "What an idiot!"

"Brother Shen is indeed a man of few words and quick to act." Zhuang Fu also pressed his handprint on the contract and put it into his pocket with a big smile.

Shen Chen also put the contract away: "Boss Zhuang, I'll go back and raise the money as soon as possible."

"Take care." Zhuang Fu politely saw Shen Chen off.

He muttered Shen Chen's name to himself, then chuckled, "Shen Chen...heh, what an idiot!"

Shen Chen returned to the house and asked Cui'er to boil a pot of water. Then he took out the raw bark and liniment from the box.

According to Yang Erdan, crushing the leaves and adding them to hot water for bathing would have a body-tempering effect. He also repeatedly told Shen Chen that he should only use one leaf at a time, otherwise his body would itch so much that he would want to peel off his skin.

Shen Chen picked a piece of raw bark and liniment leaf, ground it thoroughly, and placed it into a wooden bucket filled with hot water. Instantly, a refreshing fragrance filled the entire room along with the steam.

Shen Chen took off his clothes and soaked in the water. Instantly, an intense itch crawled from his armpits to his earlobes.

It itches! It's so itchy!

Shen Chen gritted his teeth, his mind almost giving way. He clenched his fists, trying hard to suppress the urge to scratch.

The intense itching did not subside over time; instead, it became increasingly agitated.

Shen Chen practiced the Extreme Yang Breathing Technique, constantly concentrating his mind and calming his breath. A large amount of sweat poured out from every pore, mixed with wisps of black impurities, gradually staining the hot water in the wooden tub.

"nineteen……"

Shen Chen gritted his teeth, silently counting down the seconds. If it was still this itchy after ten seconds, he would jump out of the barrel.

"Eight, seven..."

Fortunately, the intense itching stopped abruptly when I counted to three.

Shen Chen knew that the medication had worn off, so he loosened his fist, exhaled, and opened his eyes.

The water in the wooden tub was filled with a lot of dead skin cells, and at this moment, Shen Chen's skin was as white as a newborn baby's.

"The effect is very good." Shen Chen climbed out of the wooden tub and ate another Qi and Blood Pill given to him by Zhuang Fu. The growing Qi and Blood in his body continuously nourished his meridians, making him feel stronger and stronger.

He picked up the knife and poked his palm, only to find that the skin on his palm was deeply indented and very resilient.

"If I do this two more times, I can reach the peak of the Bone and Tendon Realm, and I can break through to the Internal Organ Realm within three days." Shen Chen was excited.

After completing his cultivation, he went to Qin Pi's door, intending to borrow some money from Qin Pi to invest in the salt well.

Chen Tie was guarding the gate for Qin Pi when he learned of Shen Chen's purpose. He said, "Boss Qin is out. You probably won't be able to see him for a while."

"When did you go out?" Shen Chen asked.

Chen Tie said, "Don't you know? Yesterday he skinned a doctor surnamed Sun in the village and then left. The doctor's skin is still hanging at the village gate. You can still see it if you go there now."