Fantasy: Starting with a bowl, you can exchange it for endless cultivation.

Seeing this, the Cheng family members dared not say anything more.

They were the ones who were robbed the most among those on the ship.

But Gu Chen is a being at the Innate Realm.

What can they do?

Go ask Gu Chen for it, or stop dreaming.

If Gu Chen were to turn his back on them, kill them, and then leave the ship, there would be nothing they could do.

They had no choice but to accept their fate.

After the large pile of items in front of Gu Chen was taken back by their original owners on the ship.

Cheng Mengling had several members of the Cheng family move the two bodies of the river bandits into the river and clean the boat planks.

To avoid offending people.

A day later, the merchant ship arrived at its next stop, the dock in Xiling County.

We need to stay at this dock for an hour.

Gu Chen pretended to disembark once, then took the large bag of silver he was carrying to a money exchange in the county town to exchange it for banknotes, which would be more convenient to carry.

Otherwise, carrying such a bag of silver weighing dozens of kilograms would be too inconvenient.

Including the silver notes he exchanged for the bag of silver, Gu Chen estimated that he had earned at least four thousand taels of silver this time.

More than ever before.

A bumper harvest.

With this sum of money, plus the more than three thousand taels he already had, he would exchange it all for resources to cultivate once he arrived in Chiyang City.

It's estimated that this will allow him to break through to the late stage of the Skin Tempering Realm at least.

That's really great.

Half an hour later.

Gu Chen returned to the merchant ship.

When everyone saw that the large bag of silver he was carrying was gone, presumably he had exchanged it for banknotes, their hearts ached.

That was all their money, and it just went into Gu Chen's pocket like that.

Seeing the gazes around him, Gu Chen said, "I just got off the boat and handed over all the stolen money to the authorities. It will take some time for them to process the case, so let's just wait for the news."

Upon hearing this, everyone inwardly cursed Gu Chen for being shameless.

But outwardly they dared not say anything.

You can only consider it as your money being taken by a dog.

Regardless of whether Gu Chen handed it over to the government or not, in their minds it was the same: if they gave it to the government, the government would never return it to them.

They're all a bunch of bastards.

The next two days were uneventful.

There were no further incidents of robbery on the road.

The last half day is needed to reach Chiyang City.

Cheng Mengling, the eldest daughter of the Cheng family, approached Gu Chen.

He was invited into a private room on the second floor of the boathouse.

Enter the private room.

Gu Chen assumed she invited him in to ask for money, so he said directly, "I've already given the money to the government. I don't have a single penny of your money on me now, so asking me won't help."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Mengling shook her head. She had come to find Gu Chen not to get back the stolen silver.

"I've come to inquire whether you are interested in becoming a nominal retainer of the Cheng family," Cheng Mengling said.

"To become a nominal retainer of your Cheng family?" Gu Chen was taken aback upon hearing this.

He didn't know the extent of the Cheng family's power in Chiyang City.

But to have a merchant ship of this size come to ship goods, they must at least be a second-rate family in Chiyang City.

"What are the benefits of becoming a nominal retainer of the Cheng family? What will I be required to do?" Gu Chen asked.

Baoyao Pavilion does not restrict the actions of its guards outside.

If the Cheng family offers good terms and doesn't force him to stay at the Cheng family after becoming a retainer, then becoming a retainer of the Cheng family isn't out of the question. Having another way to earn money is a good thing.

"My Cheng family can give you two hundred taels of silver every month. You will be a retainer of my Cheng family and you don't need to do anything. You are just a figurehead. When my Cheng family encounters difficulties or needs help, you can lend a hand," Cheng Mengling replied.

"Two hundred taels a month, just for a nominal position?" Gu Chen thought to himself, this was much more than the monthly salary he received as a guard at the Baoyao Pavilion.

An ordinary expert at the first level of the Innate Realm would only be paid around one hundred taels of silver per month as a retainer.

Cheng Mengling actually asked him for two hundred taels.

Is he being so generous because he wants something from her?

"If you can pay me a year's worth of monthly fees all at once, I can consider it," Gu Chen said.

"Alright," Cheng Mengling said, "However, in a month, my Cheng family will face a crisis. We will need to fight against a retainer from another second-rate family in Chiyang City for the sales rights of a trade route. We will ask for your assistance at that time."

There was definitely something fishy going on.

Upon hearing this, Gu Chen replied, "What is the strength of the retainer of that second-rate family that is competing with your Cheng family for trade routes? If he is too strong, I will not take action."

"You are at the late stage of the first level of the Innate Realm. Moreover, if we win this battle, my Cheng family will give you an extra sum of money as a token of our gratitude," Cheng Mengling replied. This was indeed a crisis that the Cheng family would be facing next.

The sales rights for that trade route are crucial to the Cheng family; if they lose them, the Cheng family will lose at least one-third of their profits.

That's why she was willing to offer two hundred taels of silver a month to invite Gu Chen to serve as a nominal retainer for the Cheng family in exchange for his services.

Two hundred taels a month—that's a price only a powerful expert at the second level of the Innate Realm could command.

There are very few beings at the second level of the Innate Realm in the entire Chiyang City, and even if there are, it's not something the Cheng family can persuade to join.

Gu Chen's attack on the bandit leader just now gave her the feeling that Gu Chen was very strong, far surpassing their Cheng family's current mid-stage Innate Realm Elder.

She was gambling, betting that Gu Chen might be a late-stage or even perfected Innate First Realm being.

This would save the Cheng family.

"Late stage of the first realm of the Innate Realm? Okay, I agree." Gu Chen replied.

He's just a late-stage first-level innate realm cultivator.

He's no match for me.

If we could get the Cheng family to settle a year's worth of monthly payments in one lump sum, that would be 2,400 taels, another huge sum of money.

When the time comes, we'll win the fight, get a sum of money from the Cheng family as a thank you, and make a fortune.

"Thank you, sir." Cheng Mengling was thrilled to see Gu Chen agree so readily.

This shows that Gu Chen was confident he could defeat her after learning that she was only at the late stage of the first level of the Innate Realm, which is why he agreed to her request.

He never expected that he would encounter someone like Gu Chen on this trip.

As long as Gu Chen can help the Cheng family overcome this crisis, it will be worth it to have the money that Gu Chen swindled from the Cheng family.

"May we ask your name? How can we contact you after we arrive in Chiyang City?" Cheng Mengling inquired.

"Gu Chen, you can just have someone contact me at the Treasure Medicine Pavilion," Gu Chen said.

This time I came out.

Gu Chen felt that he had been too conservative before.

If he only displays the strength of a top-tier expert, it's not impressive enough; it doesn't show his potential.

Then let's just reveal the strength of the first level of the Innate Realm.

Then he'll be able to do things more freely.

He only needs to hide one major realm, which will give those who want to harm him an unexpected surprise.

Ensure your own safety.

Anyway, after arriving in Chiyang City, he spent all the silver he had, and the resources he obtained should be enough for him to break through to the second perfect stage of the Innate Realm soon.

There's nothing wrong with revealing the strength of the first level of the Innate Realm.

"Then I'll call you Brother Gu from now on," Cheng Mengling said to Gu Chen.

"Whatever you say," Gu Chen replied calmly.

Cheng Mengling nodded happily.

Since Gu Chen agreed to let him call him Brother Gu, the distance between them seemed less formal.

It was an honor for her to be able to get close to a master of innate talent, especially a young master like Gu Chen with great potential.

Soon, the news was announced by the Cheng family, making many people on the ship even more furious with Gu Chen.

That bastard not only embezzled their money.

Now he has become a revered figure in the Cheng family, and even their goddess is gentle and ingratiating towards Gu Chen.

Why don't they get this treatment?!

Half a day later.

The merchant ship arrived at Chiyang City.

"Brother Gu, this is your first time in Chiyang City, so you probably don't know where the Treasure Medicine Pavilion is. I'll have a guard take you there later."

"I'll take the merchant ship to unload the cargo first. After we've finished handling the goods on board, I'll invite Brother Gu to a restaurant in the city for dinner," Cheng Mengling said.

The next half day.

She started chatting with Gu Chen.

They learned that Gu Chen was a newly arrived expert guard at the Treasure Medicine Pavilion in Chiyang City.

They're new here and not familiar with Chiyang City.

They then prepared to settle the goods and, after Gu Chen reported to the Treasure Medicine Pavilion in Chiyang City, they would properly show him around Chiyang City.

Although Gu Chen swindled her out of her money when she returned with the goods, she could make up for the loss once she resold the goods.

"Okay." Gu Chen nodded.

After disembarking from the merchant ship.

Under Cheng Mengling's arrangement, a Cheng family guard led Gu Chen away from the Chiyang City dock.

They headed towards the location of the Treasure Medicine Pavilion in Chiyang City.

In less than fifteen minutes.

The two then arrived outside the Treasure Medicine Pavilion in Chiyang City.

The Treasure Medicine Pavilion in Chiyang City, from the outside, appears to be much larger than the one in Cangshan County, at least two or three times the size.

The plaque on the door is more impressive than that of Baoyaoge in Cangshan County.

"Master Gu, this is the Treasure Medicine Pavilion in Chiyang City. Please go in by yourself. I'll head back now," said the Cheng family guard who had brought him here, arranged by Cheng Mengling.

"Alright, you can go back now." Gu Chen waved his hand at him.

After the guard turned and left, Gu Chen stepped directly into the Treasure Medicine Pavilion of Chiyang City.