Starting from the pharmacy, he grew into a martial saint among men.

Xiao Yi accepted the porcelain bottle and thanked him repeatedly.

But he looked somewhat bewildered.

The girl in green waved her hand to indicate that she didn't need it, stared at Xiao Yi with a hint of curiosity for a moment, and then turned and left.

"Junior Brother Chu, do you know each other?"

"I don't know her at all," Chu Hong shook his head. "But it seems like she came here for you."

Xiao Yi didn't say anything more, and poured out a pill from the porcelain bottle.

The pills were golden yellow and had a pleasant fragrance.

Just one breath of fresh air made me feel completely refreshed.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a gentle warmth flowed straight to the wound on the back.

The next moment, Chu Hong felt a tingling and itchy sensation on his back, as if a wound was healing.

This medicine is extraordinary!

Shortly after, Shi Yi returned and solemnly announced:

"In this night raid by the Worry-Free Sect, twelve people were killed and more than thirty were wounded; for those like Master Huang who are seriously injured and unable to fight, I will arrange for someone to escort them back tomorrow."

"And while you're at it, take their bodies back with you."

"The rest of you, keep moving!"

Upon hearing this, Huang, the bodyguard, and the other seriously injured men breathed a sigh of relief.

The road ahead was fraught with danger; if they went any further, they would surely die. Now that they could return, it was great news for them.

The remaining bodyguards looked tense, each one looking at Shi Yi expectantly, hoping to be chosen to escort him.

In the end, Shi Yi failed to meet their expectations and only selected a few martial artists who had not yet knocked on the gate and were lucky enough to only suffer minor injuries to escort them.

The night grew deeper, and the autumn wind carried a biting chill.

Chu Hong couldn't fall asleep no matter what, so he simply walked out of the dilapidated temple and started practicing standing meditation in a corner.

A short while later, Shi Yi quietly arrived:

"Brother Chu, why aren't you resting?"

"I can't sleep," Chu Hong replied truthfully, turning his head.

Shi Yi was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Since we have nothing else to do, shall we talk?"

Actually, Chu Hong didn't have much to talk about, but seeing that Shi Yi seemed to have something to say, he changed his stance.

The two sat by the fire, chatting idly.

The flickering flames cast long shadows of the two men.

After a long while, Shi Yi suddenly asked softly:

"Brother Chu, why do you practice martial arts?"

This is a question that most martial artists will ask when they are having a heart-to-heart talk.

Just like some people ask authors, "What is your purpose in writing?"

Some people do it for their dreams, some for making money, and some just to pass the time; everyone is different.

Chu Hong also had his own ideas.

He practices martial arts to protect himself and his family in this world.

Of course, he also wanted to see a higher and wider world.

"It's both small and vast." Shi Yi listened to this answer and remained silent for a long time before making his evaluation.

"And you, Team Leader Shi, what is your purpose in practicing martial arts?"

"Me?" Shi Yi looked at the crescent moon in the sky, which was mostly obscured by clouds, his eyes unfocused.

Instead of stating his purpose directly, he began to recount past events.

Shi Yi's past was not as dramatic as Chu Hong had imagined.

Dawei Escort Agency is a business owned by the Shi family. He is the third son in the family and has been determined to make the agency great since childhood.

At that time, he was clever and quick-witted and was well-liked by his family.

"It's just a pity that I have inferior aptitude and have failed my family's expectations."

His tone was calm, as if he were telling someone else's story.

"But I didn't give up, and I worked hard just like you."

"After failing three times, I finally managed to pass the test."

His thinking changed from that moment on.

The mission shifted from expanding and developing the security escort agency to protecting its foundation and providing assistance to the eldest and second eldest brothers.

"Later..." Shi Yi swallowed, "Later I got engaged to a woman I liked."

Chu Hong waited for a long time, but Shi Yi did not speak.

He couldn't help but look over curiously, only to see Shi Yi's mouth trembling, as if he was trying his best to suppress something.

"She started seeing someone else a month before her wedding."

"That person came to challenge me to a duel, on the condition that the engagement be called off."

Shi Yi regained his composure, pointed to his right cheek, and said, slowly and deliberately:

"Back then, I wasn't as strong as you. He took me down in just a few moves."

"Then, they stepped on my face, humiliated me, and forced me to write a letter announcing the annulment of the engagement."

"She was right next to me, holding that man's arm, and didn't even look at me."

Shi Yi placed his hand on his face as if a long boot were stepping on his face.

The friction and grinding caused his entire right cheek to become deformed.

Chu Hong felt a little uneasy.

He put himself in Shi Yi's shoes and thought about it.

I'm afraid I might not be able to talk about this so calmly right now.

He admired Shi Yi for being able to remain calm even under such humiliation.

Shi Yi picked up a piece of firewood and threw it into the fire. The flames instantly blazed up again. He whispered:

"Later, I practiced martial arts desperately, vowing to master the internal strength and seek revenge on them."

"I practiced martial arts like a madman and finally succeeded, but when I found them, they had already turned to dust due to an accident."

Shi Yi glanced at the dark night sky, then turned to Chu Hong with a mixture of relief and envy:

"I envy you. You won, you won dignity, you've become the person I aspire to be."

"I have to thank you."

He pulled out a gourd about the size of his palm, took a few gulps, and stood up:

"But the Qin family will not let this humiliation suffered by Xiang Rufei go unpunished."

"I hope you can live well and completely suppress them."

As soon as he finished speaking, he patted Chu Hong on the shoulder and glanced at the girl sitting next to him.

He turned and went to inspect the sentry post.

In the firelight, his shadow gradually shortened until it disappeared completely into darkness.

As Chu Hong sat by the fire, he felt a strange sense of identification with Shi Yi, as well as a touch of respect.

Both were jilted at the altar, but their fates were completely different.

He won and made a fortune.

Shi Yi lost; no matter how hard he tried afterward, he ultimately gained nothing.

But he saw the answer he was looking for in himself.

Finally, I feel a sense of relief?

"What are you thinking about?" A slightly trembling voice quietly sounded.

Chu Hong suddenly turned around and found that the girl in green had been sitting next to him at some point.

But he was completely unaware.

Chu Hong frowned: "When did you get here?"

"When his face was stepped on," the girl in green said, her eyes slightly red, pointing to the boy in the corner, "I originally came to find him."

"The story was so interesting that I sat down."

Chu Hong asked in surprise, "What do you want with Senior Brother Xiao?"

As far as he knew, Xiao Yi and the girl in green should not have known each other.

The sudden delivery of medicine had already made him suspicious.

The girl in green said matter-of-factly, "Of course, I'm here to see my future junior brother."

My future junior?

Chu Hong was startled. He pointed at the girl and then at Xiao Yi: "Are you serious?"

"Of course!" the girl said confidently, propping her head up. "Grandpa said he has exceptional talent and is a rare gem."

"With a little polishing, it will surely become a powerful force that commands respect in the region."

Excellent physical attributes?

Chu Hong was shocked once again. If it were a superior physique, this reason would be somewhat plausible.

But now, who doesn't know that Senior Brother Xiao has inferior aptitude?

Can this be considered exceptional physical talent?

Suddenly, Chu Hong had a flash of inspiration, as if he had thought of something.

He hurriedly said, "Could it be that there's something else going on with his inferior physical constitution?!"

"Inferior physical constitution?" The girl in green chuckled. "If he has inferior physical constitution, then there are very few people with superior physical constitution in this world."

Seeing Chu Hong's large, inquisitive eyes, the girl in green immediately became interested, puffed out her chest, and continued:

"That is a top-grade hidden bone. At first, it appears to be of superior quality, but soon its precious light will dim and its spiritual light will be hidden."

"Those who do not know will think that this is a person with inferior aptitude, and that it is no different from a person with inferior aptitude in every aspect."

"But if the right method is used to truly awaken the hidden bone, it could be unmatched among its generation!"

hiss~

Unrivaled in its generation?!

Chu Hong gasped.

It turns out that Senior Brother Xiao's innate talent contained such a great secret.