South City Cloth Shop, Initial Formation of Inner Strength!

"And Li Jingshan's grandson."

Huang Shiyun put down his teacup, his tone calm yet authoritative: "Take it with you too."

Su Yang's heart skipped a beat, and a hint of surprise flashed across Yang Yunxing's eyes as well.

"If we leave him in the mansion, it will be too easy for the murderer to silence him."

Huang Shiyun's gaze was like an ancient well, unfathomable: "He is close to you, and you protect him. When he recovers, he might remember something. If someone is overly 'concerned' about this child, that's a clue."

He looked at Su Yang, each word like a nail: "Protecting him is just as important as protecting that shipment. Understand?"

Su Yang took a deep breath; all the complex considerations had been clearly explained by the old man's few words.

"Understood!" he said, clasping his hands in a fist salute, his voice resolute.

"Go ahead," Huang Shiyun waved his hand.

Stepping out of the study, the sunlight in the corridor was blinding.

Su Yang pressed the hilt of the knife at his waist; his palm was slightly warm.

...........

As soon as Su Yang returned to his residence, the servant in blue from the steward's office came quickly with a tray.

"Captain Su, Steward Ye instructed that this is your first-class guard uniform and waist tag, as well as this month's salary. Please check them."

The red cloth on the tray was lifted, revealing a neatly folded indigo-blue military uniform with arrow-sleeved sleeves, a gilded bronze waist badge on top, and five taels of pure silver underneath.

"Thank you for your help!"

Su Yang nodded and accepted it, changed into new clothes, and hung up the waist tag.

The fabric was crisp, the waist tag heavy in hand, conveying a sense of power and authority in a tangible yet subtle way.

..........

Afternoon, at the side gate of the Huang residence.

Ten elite guards, led by Zhou Ji and Sun Wang, stood ready, each carrying a knife and a club, their horses strong and sturdy. Li Xingyun was lifted by Su Yang onto a docile packhorse; the child gripped the saddle tightly, his little face tense.

Su Yang mounted his horse and looked around at the crowd.

Eleven pairs of eyes fell on him, some with awe, some with scrutiny, and some with eagerness.

He didn't say much, only nodded to the old servant who was leading the way: "Let's go."

The silence beneath the mansion walls was shattered by the hoofbeats of horses. A dozen or so riders escorted a mule cart laden with simple luggage, turned onto the long street, and sped off towards the south of Jingling City.

Dust rose, gradually blurring the majestic gate tower of the Huang Mansion behind them.

...........

Meanwhile, in Fei Jianhua's steward's office.

Zhao Liu slipped in urgently to report: "Master Fei, Su Yang has led his men out of the manor and headed south of the city!"

"Chance?"

Fei Jianhua paused, his pen poised.

A murderous intent suddenly rose like a venomous snake—outside the mansion, there are countless ways to make someone disappear!

But the next second, an even larger shadow loomed over.

The master just personally placed him on the chessboard. To touch him now would be to overturn the master's chessboard!

The fear of Huang Shiyun's methods instantly extinguished the budding flames of malice. He could scheme against his colleagues, he could embezzle, but he would never dare to cross the red line drawn by the master.

"Keep a close eye on him."

Fei Jianhua's voice was hoarse, each word squeezed out from between his teeth: "But just keep an eye on him, don't touch him. I need to know everything about him. Especially to see clearly whether... he has someone else backing him."

He raised his eyes, his gaze icy: "No one is to move without my order. What I want is a 'clean' accident, understand?"

Zhao Liu trembled: "Understood! I understand!"

After Zhao Liu left, the study was deathly silent.

"Kid... I'll let you jump around for a few more days."

"I'll wait until I see your true colors, and then I'll wait for the perfect opportunity where no one can find fault with you..."

"Xiaoman's 'clean' knife will send my regards to you."

Fei Jianhua closed the ledger, the poisonous fire in his chest, now frozen in ice, burning his internal organs with pain.

............

Ruifeng Cloth Shop, south of Jingling City.

When Su Yang and his group arrived, the sun was already setting in the west.

The middle-aged innkeeper, Zhao Qian, dressed in a brocade robe, eagerly led the way and arranged accommodations. Opening the back window of the main room in the east wing of the back courtyard, one could see directly across the alley the [Drunken Immortal Pavilion], its lights and bustling sounds faintly audible.

After settling everyone in, Su Yang dismissed the others, leaving only Zhao Qian.

"Manager Zhao, I, Su, am here on orders. Rules must be established first." His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable force: "I have ten men patrolling in two shifts, day and night. The cloth shop's existing guards are also at your disposal. That's the first point."

"Of course, of course!" Zhao Qian replied repeatedly.

Secondly.

Su Yang took out three prescriptions from his pocket and handed them over: "I damaged my lung meridians in my early years of practicing martial arts. The doctor instructed me to nourish them with medicinal meals three times a day, and this cannot be taken lightly. These are the soup recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Please have the kitchen prepare them separately."

Zhao Qian took it and was surprised.

Old Duck Soup. Take half an old duck, stew it together with three qian of Solomon's Seal and three qian of Adenophora stricta, and serve it before Chenshi (7-9 AM).

Noon soup recipe: one free-range chicken, preferably an old hen, five qian of Chinese yam, three qian of astragalus root, simmer over low heat for two hours, and serve at noon.

Evening soup recipe: one section of pork spine, a small handful of black beans, more than ten goji berries, and a piece of dried tangerine peel. Simmer over low heat for three hours and serve before 7 PM.

All three recipes use common, mild, and nourishing ingredients, with a balanced combination. However, the requirements are strict: he must personally purchase and inspect the ingredients, the stewing must be done in the small kitchen of the cloth shop, with Sun Wang, one of Su Yang's subordinates, watching the fire throughout the process, and the finished product must be packaged in Su Yang's own food box and delivered directly to him.

"this……"

Zhao Qian looked troubled: "Captain Su, if this soup and water for every meal continues..."

"Expenses will be deducted from my salary, recorded at market price, and settled together at the end of the month."

Su Yang's tone was calm yet undeniable: "Manager Zhao, this is a life-sustaining formula, and it's also what allows me to work with peace of mind at your esteemed establishment. Please take care of it."

Having said that, Zhao Qian dared not refuse, nodding repeatedly: "Captain Su, rest assured, I will arrange everything perfectly! It's just that the manpower for daily purchasing and fire watching..."

"Sun Wang has a basic understanding of cooking and can help with the cooking. As for purchasing, Manager Zhao is an expert, and I trust you."

Su Yang reassured him and left him no room to shirk responsibility.

"Yes, yes, yes, I will definitely not let the captain down!"

Zhao Qian was completely relieved. This young team leader was meticulous in his actions, spending his own money and bringing his own people. Although his requirements were strict, they were all reasonable, leaving no room for criticism and making it impossible for anyone to be negligent.

Thank you for your trouble.

Su Yang nodded, then changed the subject, his gaze falling on the brightly lit Drunken Immortal Restaurant outside the window: "Does the manager know anything about that restaurant?"

Zhao Qian's expression turned slightly serious, and he said in a low voice, "The owner of Zuixianlou is surnamed Hu, and he is known as Hu Batou. He is the head of the dock gang. He has a deep background and is well-connected. Our cloth shop's employees occasionally go there for a treat."

The head of the Caobang gang, Hu Batou.

Su Yang memorized the name.

"Understood." He didn't ask any more questions. "That's all for now. Please send the warehouse ledgers and inventory list to my room later."

"Yes, I'll take care of it right away."

After Zhao Qian left, the room became quiet.

Su Yang walked to the window and looked at the bustling Drunken Immortal Restaurant across the street. The aroma of food wafting in the air was mixed with the unique, damp, and restless atmosphere of the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world) in the south of the city.

He called Li Xingyun to his side and pointed to the window: "Xingyun, remember, unless I take you with me, don't go near this window alone. Only eat or drink what I, Zhou Ji, or Sun Wang give you. Understand?"

"Understood, Uncle Su!"

The child gripped his clothes tightly, nodded vigorously, and had a maturity beyond his years in his eyes.

Su Yang patted him on the shoulder.

..........

That evening, around dinner time.

Sun Wang brought over a rough earthenware stew pot. As soon as the lid was lifted, the aroma of steam mixed with the rich fragrance of pork ribs and herbs wafted out. The soup was clear and bright, with a light sheen of oil, and tender pork ribs and herbs were nestled inside.

[Proficiency in the Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Exercise +1!]

【……】

[Nourishing Life and Strengthening Vitality Exercises: Beginner's Guide (479/500)]

Su Yang held his breath and drank the soup sip by sip.

The warm soup entered my stomach, transforming into a steady stream of warmth that spread throughout my body, while the panel in my mind kept flashing.

[Nourishing Life and Strengthening Vitality Exercise: Proficient (1/2500)]

Just as the proficiency level exceeded the critical point, the panel displayed "Proficiency (1/2500)".

A sudden change has occurred!

A stream of incredibly pure internal energy, seemingly primordial, ignored the physical barrier and poured directly into Su Yang's dantian from the depths of the panel!

This flow of internal energy did not originate from the refinement of medicinal power, but rather was a gift from the rules directly corresponding to the essence of the 'Proficient' realm after the panel responded to the breakthrough. It was purer and more refined than the internal energy he had painstakingly cultivated himself, like the most precise craftsman, instantly merging into the newly broken-in, still unstable internal energy.

"Buzz!"

A slight tremor ran through his dantian.

All the subtle disturbances and dissipation caused by the breakthrough quickly subsided under the guidance and integration of this primordial inner force.

Within Su Yang's body, the toothpick-thick internal energy perfectly merged with the gift of proficiency infused into the panel.

The transformation is complete in this moment!

The volume first slightly increased due to fusion, and then quickly contracted and condensed in the internal perception, becoming more substantial!

The color has evolved from a slightly cloudy semi-transparent color in the initial stage to a clearer, more lustrous semi-transparent color, and the texture has also become denser.

Its form stabilized completely, condensing into a semi-transparent column of air about the thickness of an adult's index finger, slowly rotating, and steadily occupying the center of the dantian, carrying a sense of stable and resilient power as it circulated.

The Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Exercise: From beginner to expert in one fell swoop!

The total amount and purity of internal energy have increased several times over!

Su Yang slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air carrying the fragrance of medicine, his eyes gleaming brightly.

He could clearly feel the semi-transparent internal energy, about the thickness of a finger, slowly rotating within his dantian. With a slight thought, the internal energy flowed smoothly and effortlessly, bringing a warm and powerful sensation far superior to before, as if his entire body was filled with inexhaustible energy.

"Finally... I've broken through!"

He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking slightly, and a surge of power coursed through his bones.