A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

In the afternoon, Su Bai casually suggested:

"Brother Sun, Lao Wang, I heard there's a new steamed bun shop that opened in Tongming Lane. It smells pretty strong. How about we go check it out? We can also see if the streets there are safe."

Sun Hou had no objection, and the old king had no objection either.

The three of them then wandered around to the vicinity of Tongming Alley.

There are more pedestrians here, and the atmosphere is more down-to-earth.

Several men dressed in shorts gathered in the corner, basking in the sun and talking in hushed tones, their expressions a mixture of tension and mystery.

"Have you heard? It seems some 'demon' has recently appeared in our county, appearing and disappearing mysteriously. It's said that our gang has sent word that the brothers should keep their eyes open and not wander around aimlessly at night," a man with a scar on his cheek said in a low voice.

A lean man next to him chimed in, his eyes gleaming: "You're right. I was thinking, maybe we should fake a sick day and take a leave of absence? Those 'demons' are incredibly wicked; I've heard their methods are bizarre and they can kill without shedding blood. It's best to lay low for a while."

"That's a good idea," another, slightly older man, spat.

"I heard that things weren't going well around here yesterday. Did the Fierce Tiger Gang lose someone? They did it so quietly. I'm afraid... they really ran into those guys? What bad luck! It's better to stay away."

These fragmented conversations drifted into Su Bai's ears, and his heart skipped a beat, but his face remained expressionless, only his feet paused almost imperceptibly.

He turned to look at Sun Hou, who was craning his neck and eavesdropping with a gossipy expression, and asked with a mix of curiosity and worry, "Brother Sun, you have sharp ears. What's this 'demon' they're talking about...? We're not going to run into him while we're on patrol, are we?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Hou's eyes darted around, and a look of excitement mixed with smugness immediately appeared on his face. He leaned closer, almost touching Su Bai's ear, and spittle nearly flew out:

"Hey! Brother Su, you've come to the right person! I have a cousin who hangs around in the county, and he told me about it!"

He glanced around, lowering his voice even further, but his determination was undeniable.

"They say it's some kind of sorcerer called the 'Reincarnation Cult'! They're really fierce! Haven't there been a few unsolved cases in the North District lately? And over here, the Fierce Tiger Gang seems to have lost face too... I think it's pretty much true! If we brothers are lucky enough to catch one or two of these sorcerers, tsk tsk, the reward, the credit..." He rubbed his fingers together, his eyes shining.

"..."

Su Bai's lips twitched slightly, and he quickly lowered his eyes to hide the fleeting surprise and absurdity in them.

He never expected that the blame he casually shifted after settling his personal grudge last night would collide with the recent rumors of a "demon" swirling in the county, and that Sun Hou would make such a connection.

Was this... a lucky accident?

His mind raced, a mixture of relief and unease—was it really alright to be drawn into something that sounded even more troublesome?

Su Bai forced himself to calm down, raised his eyes, and appropriately showed a hint of surprise and lingering fear on his face, then asked:

"Brother Sun, what exactly is this 'Reincarnation Cult'? It sounds pretty scary. Can you explain it to us in detail so we can have some idea?"

Seeing that Su Bai was "on the right track," Sun Hou became even more talkative. He puffed out his not-so-thick chest, cleared his throat, and began to flaunt his supposedly extensive information:

"This round of religious conversion is something that those local gangs in our county who fight for territory and collect protection money can't compare to!"

It's said that it's a behemoth capable of sweeping across the entire Great Qian Dynasty, a true cult! Just think about it, even a random branch of theirs is more powerful than all the gangs in our entire Fenjiang County combined, and they probably wouldn't stand a chance against them!

Seeing that Su Bai and Old Wang were listening intently, he became even more smug and continued:

"However, they might not even look at our little shabby county town. I've heard that even the big shots of the Wheel of Reincarnation Sect don't stay here permanently, even if it's a branch."

"For a place like ours, sending a few small fry here to set up a temporary base, gather information, and stir up trouble is the best we can do!" He said, shaking his head as if he had already grasped the whole picture.

Upon hearing this, Su Bai nodded to himself, but maintained a listening expression on his face.

This so-called rotating religion sounds like they're up to no good.

Although he has now entered the Skin Refining Realm, in Fenjiang County, compared to the vast majority of ordinary people or even ordinary gang members who only know some farming skills, he is indeed quite good and can impress people when he goes out.

But it's only "not bad" in this county town.

The Skin Refining Realm is merely the starting point of martial arts. It only makes one's skin and flesh tougher and one stronger, enough to deal with three or five ruffians. However, if one were to encounter a master who has cultivated for many years and is skilled in martial arts, or a "demon" who is rumored to have mastered strange methods, this level of strength would probably be insufficient.

Not to mention the enormous power that Sun Hou spoke of, capable of sweeping across the Great Qian Dynasty... My own meager skills are probably not even comparable to those of a lowly pawn on the periphery.

Thinking of this, the slight sense of pride that Su Bai felt from his success and improved strength last night was immediately replaced by a deeper sense of vigilance and a stronger desire for power.

……

By the time I finished patrolling the streets, the sun was already setting.

As usual, Su Bai returned his waist token and sword to the yamen's equipment room.

The old clerk on duty took it without even lifting his eyelids, and simply made a mark on the book.

Su Bai didn't waste a moment and turned around to merge into the street where the crowds were gradually increasing after the government office closed.

He hurried along, almost running, through the streets and alleys filled with cooking smoke and the aroma of food, heading towards a few reputable and relatively large pharmacies that he remembered.

The silver in his arms jingled slightly as he ran, like a war drum urging him on.

Purchasing three ounces of 50-year-old ginseng and a leopard gall bladder is the most crucial step in his current plan to enhance his strength.

The first pharmacy, "Jishetang," had an old-fashioned signboard.

The old shopkeeper behind the counter, wearing a crystal monocle, listened to Su Bai's slightly hurried question, then slowly stroked his goatee, took out a brocade box from the tall mahogany medicine cabinet behind him, opened it, and inside lay several ginseng roots, complete with their whiskers and tails, in excellent condition.

Su Bai carefully examined the item and confirmed that it was old enough, and felt relieved.

However, when asked about leopard gall, the old shopkeeper shook his head: "This stuff has a strong, fishy smell and is mostly used externally to treat malignant sores. It is rarely taken internally, and it must be fresh or specially processed to be used in medicine. Our shop does not usually keep any in stock."

Su Bai's heart sank. He paid for the ginseng, carefully put away the brocade box, and hurried to the next "Renhe Pharmacy".

The results were largely the same: while ginseng was available, leopard gall remained unavailable.