Go and capture those thirty-six fierce villains.

This elixir is more potent than I imagined!

The black vortex inside his body was spinning so fast it was almost smoking, barely managing to bind the immense medicinal power within it.

In fact, if Qin Ning had just done what Sun Wukong did—withdrew his supernatural powers and took the antidote given by Xu Meishan—he wouldn't have to suffer this torment anymore.

But he couldn't bear to part with it.

After absorbing such a powerful medicinal force, his physical condition will improve by at least one level!

This calamity is really generous... Qin Ning thought with a ferocious expression.

The raccoon didn't understand what was happening. It meowed and circled around him twice before sticking out its pink tongue and gently licking the back of his hand.

Half an hour and two quarters of an hour.

The immense medicinal power was transformed into a strange force, which was fed back into Qin Ning's body, causing his physique to change visibly.

His muscles and bones became more solid, and his clothes not only didn't feel tight, but actually looked a bit loose.

He stood up and threw punch after punch, displaying what he had learned from the "External Kung Fu". The branches of the old locust tree in the courtyard rustled loudly from the force of his punches and palm strikes.

Despite it being a quiet, windless night, his clinic courtyard seemed to have been swept away by a fierce storm.

Beside the tree roots, the raccoon dog stared at Qin Ning with its blue and yellow eyes, its expression thoughtful.

After finishing his set of punches, Qin Ning did not rest. Instead, he took out the antidote that Xu Meishan had given him.

[Greedy] Since he is not picky about food, let him eat more today.

Another half hour passed.

Qin Ning opened his eyes and got up. This time he didn't throw a punch, because he had no strength left in his body.

Under the moonlight, Qin Ning rolled up his sleeves, revealing a faint bronze hue beneath his originally fair and resilient skin.

Open your clenched palm; the index and middle fingers of your right hand are completely stained with a thick, rich brass color.

Under the pale moonlight, Qin Ning's two fingers looked as if they were gilded.

Tsk, what a cheat code, it's a pity it can't turn stones into gold, but it's not difficult to kill anyone below the seventh rank with a single touch.

Satisfied with the results of his cultivation, Qin Ning nodded slightly.

The power of [Greed] is distributed 60% throughout the body and 40% is used to strengthen two fingers.

Looking up at the sky, I estimated that it was past midnight.

Qin Ning hesitated for a moment, but instead of returning to his room to rest, he took out the Gold-Melting Qi-Condensing Pill given to him by Teacher Feng Hanying.

He no longer had the strength to activate [Greed], and he took this pill in order to cultivate his Daoist arts.

The old woman said that this medicine has a mild effect and can help people achieve twice the results with half the effort when taken during meditation and cultivation.

As the pill entered his mouth, its warm medicinal power traveled through his limbs and bones, gently caressing his body, which was somewhat exhausted and weary from frequently using his supernatural powers.

In the end, all the remaining medicinal power gathered in the dantian, transforming into the life essence that shimmered with a faint purple hue.

At the same time, the raccoon dog that was originally under the crooked old locust tree silently walked to Qin Ning's side, curled up and lay down. As its chest and belly rose and fell, the moonlight gathered on its body, covering it with a faint purple aura, echoing Qin Ning who was cultivating beside it.

When the person and the cat opened their eyes again, the sky was already tinged with gray.

Although he hadn't slept all night, Qin Ning didn't feel tired. In fact, under the nourishing effects of the medicine, he felt more energetic than usual.

As for the cat... well, whether she's tired or not, she can sleep in Qin Ning's arms during the day.

Qin Ning drew some water from the sweet water well in the courtyard. There was no firewood or peat in the clinic at the moment, so she quickly washed up and then took the little black cat out the door.

It wouldn't be good for him to be late on his first official day in office.

The long street was very quiet in the early morning.

The bluish-gray stone bricks were dampened by the water mist, making their color even darker. Those who had gone out early, except for the unclean, were cleaning up the streets that had been bustling the night before.

As Qin Ning walked to the street corner, a small stall displayed several large bamboo trays and a small stove. Steam rose from the trays, carrying the aroma of wheat and meat, which, along with the rising steam, filled the somewhat chilly air and whetted Qin Ning's appetite.

"Boss, are the steamed buns ready yet?"

A small old man, around fifty years old, peeked out from behind the steamer, a white towel draped over his shoulder: "Young man, you've come at the perfect time. My meat buns are just ready."

As he spoke, he laboriously lifted the stack of bamboo drawers and pulled out the bottom layer.

The meat buns were big and white, with a wonderful aroma.

How many would you like?

Considering her and the cat's appetites, Qin Ning said, "I'll take them all."

"Alright."

The owner worked quickly and efficiently, wrapping the dozen or so meat buns in steamed lotus leaves and handing them over with a smile. He also used a wooden spoon to scoop out a few spoonfuls of side dishes from a small jar next to him.

"These are homemade pickled radishes; they'll cut through the richness. Here, young man, have a taste."

Among many food service workers, Qin Ning most admires those who sell breakfast, especially since pre-made meals didn't exist back then. The goal was to have the steamed buns ready by then...

They might have to get up before dawn to knead the dough and fillings, day after day, year after year, before they could accumulate a loyal customer base.

There was once a female senior who coveted his good looks. She spent a huge sum of 300,000 yuan to open a breakfast shop, but she refused to hire a chef and insisted on cooking herself.

As a result, the shop closed down in less than half a month.

Cause of death: bad taste in food and inability to get up in the morning.

As for why I can't get up... don't ask.

Shaking his head, Qin Ning shook off his random thoughts. After paying, Qin Ning and the cat ate as they headed towards the Sichen Guard's garrison at the border of the east and west.

......

Kyoto, the Gu family.

The study door was pushed open, and Gu Shoubei... or rather, Gu Youji General, dressed in armor and with a long sword at his waist, strode in.

Attended by a servant, Gu Erlang, dressed in a bright red court robe, turned around with a surprised expression: "Brother, why aren't you at the main camp? Why are you in the city?"

Gu Dalang gestured to the servants with his chin and said, "You all go out first."

After everyone left and he closed the door, he walked to the pearwood desk, picked up a cup of aged tea, and drank it all in one gulp: "News came from the [Hundred Birds] organization that the gray sparrows and peregrine falcons they sent out haven't returned for two days, and most likely they've perished. That healer was only a seventh-rank acupuncturist, and four eighth-rank and one seventh-rank martial artist couldn't defeat him. There's something wrong with this person; Xing'er's death might really be related to him."

Once his senses returned, the man surnamed Gu realized that the advisor's words were probably mostly nonsense, but he didn't mind if one more person died with Xing'er.

But now that the assassin has failed to achieve his goal, it has only fueled his suspicions.

Gu Erlang frowned and fastened the rhinoceros horn belt around his waist: "Brother, as you said before, that physician has already joined the Prince Su's mansion as a retainer. Perhaps those assassins were ignorant of their own limitations and ran into the guards of the mansion, which is why they perished."

"So I only have suspicions. Erlang, use your connections to help your elder brother again. Xing'er calls you Second Uncle!"

Gu Erlang turned his back and put on his official hat, his brows furrowing even more. He wanted to say something to persuade him again.

But when he turned around and saw his older brother's red eyes, just like when he was a child and saw himself being bullied, the words that came out of his mouth were: "Okay, I will have someone investigate, but brother, you must not leave your post and go into the city without permission again."

He was promoted two ranks and transferred to Kyoto during peacetime, which made many people envious. However, if someone were to find fault with him...

"Don't even mention you, I might be implicated too."

"Alright, alright, don't worry, the garrison commander in the south of the city is a veteran from my battalion who fought in the Battle of Chengchuan River..."

Before Gu Dalang could say anything more, his younger brother gently adjusted his crown in front of the bronze mirror, turned around and said, "It's getting late, elder brother, I'll go to court first."

......

The Sichen Guard's garrison.

After greeting the two guards on duty today, Round Eyes and Flat Eyes, Qin Ning sneaked up to the room where Xu Meishan had been yesterday.