I am a high-level martial arts master.

"I didn't finish it all in one day."

Seeing Feng Yue's surprise, it was Ye Li's turn to laugh:

"Anyway, ten coins only amount to one tael, and it's not like the gang can't afford it!"

While saying this, Ye Li was still calculating the gains and losses in his mind:

"Thus, with three Dragon-Tiger Pills per day and 16 hours of cultivation per day, six hours of which will be spent digesting the Dragon-Tiger Pills."

"With two Body Tempering Pills each month, you should be able to reach the mid-stage of Body Tempering within three months."

"However, maintaining a state of heightened alertness for six hours every day is risky, especially in case of an emergency, as it could hinder movement..."

Upon hearing Ye Li's request, Feng Yue was utterly speechless.

I've seen people scrambling to eat Body Tempering Pills before, but this is the first time I've seen people scrambling to eat Dragon Tiger Pills!

However, he did not refuse Ye Li's request.

Young people always think they have a strong will, but getting through this one doesn't mean they can get through every one in the future!

Many young people experience the first day of abstaining from pornography countless times.

"You can have a dozen or so pills if you want, but you must take at least one Dragon Tiger Pill every day under our supervision! To prevent counterfeiting."

"No problem!" Ye Li said nonchalantly, "Now you can give me the Dragon Tiger Pill, right? I still need to go check out the shops assigned to me by the gang!"

Seeing Ye Li agree so readily, Feng Yue stepped forward and asked, "Aren't you really going to reconsider?"

"What are you considering?"

"You've come all the way to the brothel, aren't you going to consider doing it for real?"

"Sorry, I refuse!" Ye Li said decisively, raising his hand.

"You little brat, why?!" Feng Yue was completely bewildered.

Ye Li simply smiled faintly at this, offering no rebuttal.

He has no interest in multiplayer online games and prefers playing single-player games with multiple characters!

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Ye Li, Feng Yue sighed helplessly and then took Ye Li to collect the Dragon Tiger Pill!

The one distributing the Dragon Tiger Pills was none other than the Third Sister with the droopy bun who had led the way earlier.

It was from Feng Yue that Ye Li learned that this Third Sister was actually a post-natal elder in the gang.

When she heard that Ye Li wanted more than a dozen at once, San Niang's eyes lit up when she looked at Ye Li, making him feel uneasy.

"Little brother~ How about coming over to my house tonight? I'll show you the gang rules!"

Third Sister's tone was teasing, but Ye Li politely declined with a smile, just as he had done to a captain in his previous life:

"Sister, you flatter me too much. However, I have just entered the Body Tempering Realm and my foundation is not yet stable. I am so focused on cultivation that I really cannot spare the time."

Despite being rejected, Third Sister was not annoyed. She smiled and patted ten scalding hot, wax-sealed pills into Ye Li's palm, her fingertips lightly brushing against the back of his hand.

"Alright, my clueless little brother~ I'll wait until you figure it out."

The two exchanged a few sarcastic remarks with forced smiles, and under Feng Yue's speechless gaze, Ye Li waved goodbye to Third Sister.

Only after leaving the brothel did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"This gang is really all about showing off their 'suppressed' side. Who are these old fogies trying to nibble on this tender grass?!"

Of course, Ye Li couldn't reveal his thoughts to Feng Yue, so he asked instead:

"Now that everything's taken care of, you should take me to see those ten shops."

"What's so interesting about this..."

Feng Yue curled his lip and said, "Alright, come with me. Those ten shops are all together, on Yunjin Street, several miles away!"

As they walked, Feng Yue explained:

"Thirty percent of the shops in the east of the city are under the banner of our Azure Dragon Gang. They've paid a 'peace money' and are now under our protection."

"Of the silver collected from your ten shops at the end of the month, after deducting half that goes to the gang, the amount that ends up in your pocket... is anywhere from one and a half taels to ten taels!"

He glanced at Ye Li. "Doesn't sound like much? Let me tell you, this is practically making money while lying down! An ordinary Body Tempering Realm cultivator might work themselves to the bone as a bodyguard or镖师 (bodyguard/escort) and still not earn this much in a month!"

Ye Li nodded; he understood the situation.

The majority of the benefits for core disciples come from this money.

"However, we are paid to provide protection. If there is any trouble and they can't handle it, they will ask us to step in."

"You can think of yourself as a bodyguard. You practice martial arts when you have nothing to do, and you only step up when there is trouble."

"After all, the east side of the city is not like the south side of your city. There are many martial arts schools, and martial artists are most likely to get into conflicts."

"Don't worry about tailor shops; you need to focus on one particular restaurant!"

"Yes! This is it!"

Feng Yue stopped and pointed to a three-story restaurant with a sign that read "Wanchuan":

"People, when they get drunk, are more likely to act out, and places like restaurants and teahouses are the easiest places for them to cause trouble."

"Getting drunk and causing trouble, relying on their fighting skills to avoid paying, wanting to freeload, hotheads from different martial arts schools who don't get along and flip tables at the slightest disagreement... Doesn't this happen two or three times a month?"

Ye Li listened attentively, learning about the profession of ancient bodyguard:

"So after the trouble started, I was the one who took care of it."

"Wrong!" Feng Yue denied.

"Do you think core disciples are police officers, meddling in every little thing? How are they supposed to train then?"

He pointed to several men dressed in Canglong Gang uniforms near the restaurant: "See those? Those are the ones who deal with the small fry."

"For ordinary disturbances, you don't need to lift a finger. These ordinary gang members who have been practicing for half a year can handle it."

"If everything is handled by the core members, then what's the point of supporting the lower-ranking members?"

"You'd only need to be involved if they can't handle it themselves! And if even you can't handle it, there are still elders and the gang leader at the Acquired Realm level keeping you in check!"

Ye Li silently noted down the experience Feng Yue shared: "So, I basically don't have to do anything to get paid for nothing?"

"Of course, your primary task is cultivation! Cultivate to the point of exhaustion!"

Feng Yue nodded and said, "Once you become strong, no trouble will be a trouble."

"These ten shops, ninety-nine times out of ten, you're the ballast, holding them in place, letting them know that the Azure Dragon Gang's name is on them, so that any petty thieves would have to think twice!"

As they spoke, the black and red uniforms of the Azure Dragon Gang caught the attention of the low-level thugs nearby.

At this moment, the burly man stepped forward to greet them:

"Boss Feng, why did you come out in person? And who is this young man? He's really handsome!"

"This is Ye Li, he tempered his body in just two months! Now I'm bringing him here to familiarize himself with the place."

Feng Yue succinctly stated the key points, and the burly man immediately understood.

Another super genius has joined the gang.

With two months of body tempering, this aptitude will allow him to break through to the Acquired Realm and become an Elder in just a few years.

So tell them to open their eyes and stop doing those pointless things!

The burly man, having grasped the key point, smiled even more broadly.

"Oh my, Brother Ye, just by looking at your demeanor, I can tell you have extraordinary talent. My name is Peng Ke, just an ordinary member of the gang. You can just call me Lao Ke."

"From now on, you can focus on your cultivation. We'll take care of everything on this street for you."