Martial Arts: My talent multiplier increased

Fang Hao sat on a stone bench in the main courtyard, his legs propped up on a stone table, playing with a fist-sized piece of black iron ore in his hand. It was a body-tempering auxiliary material that only the main family's children were qualified to receive.

Fang Cheng, who was standing to the side, recounted in detail what he had seen yesterday evening.

"...Fang Ping handed the silver to Fang Yuan, who then took out a few black pills from his pocket. I counted them; there were four. This had been going on for several days before. Every evening, a dozen or so members of the collateral branches would take turns going to see him."

After Fang Cheng finished speaking, he carefully observed Fang Hao's expression.

Fang Hao didn't speak, his fingers gripping the black iron ore until his knuckles turned white.

Another follower, Fang Yong, added, "I've inquired about it. Those offshoots have made considerable progress in their cultivation recently. Fang Ping is almost at the peak of the Skin Refining Realm. Before, he couldn't even stand firmly in the mid-stage of Skin Refining."

"interesting."

Fang Hao threw the ore onto the stone table. The iron stone struck the stone surface, making a piercing, crisp sound.

He privately sold elixirs to win people's hearts.

A good-for-nothing from a side branch, who was being ridiculed by everyone just a few days ago, has suddenly started forming cliques?

Fang Hao pressed his tongue against his cheek and slowly rotated it in a circle.

He didn't care that Fang Yuan had broken through to the Body Refining Realm; a mere branch cultivator who had just entered the Body Refining Realm wouldn't cause any trouble. But what Fang Yuan was doing was completely different in nature.

A dozen or so collateral relatives would gather together every evening to listen to Fang Yuan's instructions, consume Fang Yuan's pills, and use Fang Yuan's money.

Who will these people listen to from now on?

Fang Hao stood up from the stone bench, stretched his neck, and his bones cracked.

"After the sparring session ends tomorrow at noon, you will come with me to the east corner of the training ground."

Fang Cheng was taken aback for a moment: "Brother Fang Hao, you want to..."

"Just go, why ask so many questions?"

Fang Cheng and Fang Yong exchanged a glance and then fell silent.

The following day at noon.

After the sparring session ended and Fang Yuanshan announced the disbandment, the disciples dispersed in twos and threes.

Fang Yuan stopped his punch and turned to go to the backyard to retrieve the dregs of the medicine. He had only taken two steps when Fang Ping approached from the side, followed by Fang Shi and three other members of the collateral branches.

Fang Ping lowered his voice: "Brother Fang Yuan, today's 'power pill'—"

Before he could finish speaking, a figure blocked his way.

Fang Hao stood with his arms crossed, blocking the exit at the east corner of the training ground. Fang Cheng and Fang Yong stood on either side of him, the three of them completely blocking the way.

The disciples who hadn't finished walking around the training ground all stopped and focused their attention on this.

Fang Hao's gaze passed over Fang Yuan and landed directly on the loose silver coins clutched in Fang Ping's hand.

"Fang Ping, what are you holding in your hand?"

Fang Ping's face turned pale instantly, and he subconsciously pulled his hands behind his back.

Fang Hao smiled and held out his hand: "Let me see."

Fang Ping stood still, his lips trembling, without moving.

Fang Hao's smile faded. He took a step forward, unleashing the oppressive aura of his Body Refining Realm cultivation. Fang Ping's knees buckled, and he nearly knelt. His hands involuntarily loosened, and a few pieces of silver and two dark pills fell to the ground, rolling twice on the bluestone slab.

Fang Hao bent down, picked up a pill, held it up to his eyes, and pinched it between his thumb and forefinger.

"Is this the 'powerful pill' you guys were talking about behind the scenes?"

His voice wasn't loud, but the training ground was so quiet that only the wind could be heard, and every word was clearly audible.

More and more young men gathered around. The main family's sons stood on one side watching the spectacle, while the offspring of the collateral branches huddled on the other side, their faces full of tension.

Fang Hao brought the pill to his nose and smelled it, frowned, and then burst into laughter.

"It smells like dregs of medicine."

He turned to the crowd, his voice rising three fen: "The Qi and Blood Soup from the Fang Family Martial Arts Hall uses top-quality medicinal herbs, and the leftover dregs are so lowly they're not even fit to be fed to pigs. Fang Yuan, you've got the ability to mold those dregs into mud balls and sell them for one tael of silver each?"

Laughter came from the host's sons.

Fang Cheng chimed in from the side, "No wonder the collateral branches have been acting so furtively lately; they've been buying mud balls!"

Fang Yong laughed along, "One tael of silver per piece, that's worse than robbery. Brother Fang Yuan, you're really cut out for business."

Fang Ping's face flushed red, and he kept his head down, remaining silent. Fang Shi and the other members of the collateral branches wished they could disappear into the ground; none of them dared to look up at Fang Hao.

Fang Hao twirled the pill between his fingers and looked at Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan stood behind Fang Ping, his expression indifferent, neither angry nor offering any explanation, simply looking at the pill in Fang Hao's hand.

Fang Hao waited a few moments, but when he didn't hear him speak, he felt a bit annoyed. He clenched his fingers, and with a "crack," the pill shattered into powder between his fingers. Black fragments fell from between his fingers and scattered all over the ground.

Listen carefully.

Fang Hao scanned the surrounding collateral relatives, meeting their gazes one by one, his voice as cold as iron.

"From today onwards, anyone who asks Fang Yuan to buy this kind of junk is going against me, Fang Hao."

He paused for a moment, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"You should know better than I do the consequences of going against me."

The children from the collateral branches kept their heads down, and no one spoke. Fang Ping's hands were clenched into fists inside his sleeves, his nails digging into his flesh, but he neither looked up nor spoke.

Fang Shi quietly took half a step back.

The silence lasted for a long time, until Fang Hao felt the time was right.

He turned to Fang Yuan, looking down at him and waiting to see his reaction. Would it be anger? Pleading? Or submission?

Fang Yuan raised his eyelids and met Fang Hao's gaze for a moment.

There was no anger, no pleading, not even resentment.

That calmness made Fang Hao feel inexplicably uncomfortable, like punching cotton.

Fang Yuan withdrew his gaze, turned around, and walked step by step toward the courtyard gate.

The footsteps were steady, neither fast nor slow, each step clearly audible on the bluestone slabs.

Fang Hao stared at his retreating figure, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes. He couldn't quite describe the feeling; he had won, but the victory wasn't satisfying enough.

"Where are you going? We haven't finished talking yet," Fang Cheng shouted from behind.

Fang Yuan didn't turn around, didn't stop, and didn't even tilt his head.

Fang Cheng was about to chase after him when Fang Hao grabbed him.

Don't go.

Fang Cheng asked, puzzled, "Brother Fang Hao?"

Fang Hao didn't explain, but just watched Fang Yuan's figure disappear at the end of the training ground, his lips slowly tightening into a straight line.

This matter is not over yet.

Cutting off the sales channels for the pills was only the first step. Fang Hao never did anything half-heartedly.

That afternoon, Fang Hao took Fang Cheng to find Uncle Liu, the old servant in charge of handling miscellaneous items in the backyard of the martial arts hall.

Liu Bo was squatting by the stove adding firewood when he heard footsteps. He looked up, saw Fang Hao, and quickly stood up, bending over and putting on a smiling face.

"Young Master Fang Hao, what brings you here?"

Fang Hao took out a five-tael silver ingot from his pocket, weighed it in his hand, and threw it in front of Uncle Liu.

The silver coin rolled on the ground, and Uncle Liu's eyes widened. Five taels of silver was enough for him to work for more than half a year.

"From today onwards, give me all the leftover dregs from the Qi and Blood Soup that are brewed by the Martial Hall every day."

Fang Hao spoke casually, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Uncle Liu was taken aback, and subconsciously asked, "What does the young master need the dregs for?"

Fang Hao glanced at him.

Uncle Liu shrank back and immediately changed his tune: "Yes, yes, I understand. Starting tomorrow, all the dregs of the medicine will belong to Young Master Fang Hao."

Fang Hao didn't say anything more and turned to leave. Fang Cheng followed behind, jogging to catch up: "Brother Fang Hao, five taels of silver just to buy that pile of worthless medicine dregs?"

Fang Hao didn't even turn his head: "It's not about buying medicine residue, it's about blocking the road."

Fang Cheng thought for a moment, then grinned.

evening.

As darkness fell, Fang Yuan bypassed the main courtyard of the Martial Hall and entered the back courtyard through a side gate.

He didn't rush to the corner, but stood in the shadows for a while to make sure no one was following him before quickly walking to the old spot where the dregs of medicine were piled up.

I stopped in my tracks when I reached the corner.

The area around the wall was spotless, without a single scrap of medicine. The floor was swept until it shone, as if nothing had ever been piled up there.

Fang Yuan squatted down and traced a line on the ground with his fingertip. It was dry; even the moisture had dissipated, indicating that the dregs of the medicine had been removed at least several hours ago.

He stood up and looked around. By the stove in the backyard, Uncle Liu was tidying up the cooking utensils. When he saw Fang Yuan coming over, an awkward look flashed across Uncle Liu's face, and his eyes darted around.

"Uncle Liu, where's the dregs of medicine in the corner?"

Uncle Liu rubbed his hands, avoiding his gaze: "Fang Yuan, um... the dregs of the medicine have been bought."

"Who?"

Uncle Liu opened his mouth, then closed it again. After holding it in for a long time, he squeezed out two words through his teeth: "Young Master Fang... Fang Hao."

Fang Yuan's expression remained unchanged; he simply stared at Uncle Liu for a couple of moments.

Liu Bo felt a chill run down his spine from the look he received and quickly waved his hands, saying, "Fang Yuan, it's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that Young Master Fang Hao gave me money, and I'm just a laborer, I can't afford to offend the master's son..."

Fang Yuan didn't say anything more and turned to leave the backyard.

Uncle Liu watched his retreating figure, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and felt uneasy about the two breaths of eye contact they had shared.

Fang Yuan walked up the stone steps outside the martial arts hall, where Fang Ping was already waiting.

Fang Ping was standing behind Fang Shi and four other members of the collateral branches, and all of them looked grim.

Fang Ping was the first to speak: "Brother Fang Yuan, I just asked, and Fang Hao has indeed taken over all the dregs. He gave Uncle Liu five taels of silver to handle all the dregs from now on."

Fang Shi added from the side, "Fang Hao also said this afternoon that anyone who dares to buy pills from you privately will have a bad time during the next sparring session."

The several offspring from the collateral branches looked at each other, and some sighed softly.

Fang Ping rubbed his hands, his voice hoarse: "Brother Fang Yuan, this time there's really no other way. We've run out of medicinal residue, can't make the pills, and have run out of money. Fang Hao is really trying to force you to your death."

Fang Shi nodded in agreement: "Fang Hao's influence in the Martial Hall is too great. Almost all the main family members are on his side, but our branch..."

He paused mid-sentence, glanced at Fang Yuan's expression, and swallowed the rest of his words.

Everyone looked at Fang Yuan, waiting for him to speak.

The air fell silent for a few breaths.

Fang Yuan leaned against a pillar beside the stone steps, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the flying eaves of the martial arts hall in the distance, remaining silent for a long time.

Fang Ping thought he was sad and was about to say something to comfort him when he saw the corner of Fang Yuan's mouth.

Fang Ping was stunned, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He had dealt with Fang Yuan for so many days, and he had never seen such an expression before.

Fang Yuan straightened up from the pillar and patted off non-existent dust from his cuffs.

"Fang Hao spent five taels of silver?"

Fang Ping nodded.

Fang Yuan's fingers paused on his sleeve, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards even further.

"Let's go back."

Fang Ping opened his mouth, wanting to ask something, but was stopped by Fang Yuan's gaze. Those eyes were calm, but Fang Ping read a very certain signal in them.

Fang Yuan was not flustered at all; in fact, it seemed like he had been waiting for this step.

Fang Ping swallowed back the words he was about to say and followed Fang Yuan's steps.

Several offshoots followed behind, none of them speaking again, but the same question was on everyone's mind.

What exactly is Fang Yuan laughing at?