55: Chapter 55 Going to Sea

Over the next few days, Jiang Hanzhou's life returned to tranquility.

During the day, he remained the gentle and taciturn Physician Jiang of Jishi Hall.

He would open the doors at dawn, sweep the clinic, organize medicinal herbs, and then sit behind the consultation desk, waiting for neighbors from the surrounding streets to come for treatment.

Not many people came, but there were always a few every day.

Laborers with sprained backs from the docks, fishermen coughing from catching a chill at night, children with indigestion and fever, women with irregular cycles...

Jiang Hanzhou treated each one with patience.

He charged extremely low fees: a few copper coins for a common cold or cough; even for cases requiring precious herbs, it was no more than one tael of silver.

In Donghai Prefecture, where one tael of silver was enough for a month's rations for an ordinary family of three, this was unbelievably cheap.

“Physician Jiang truly has a heart like a Bodhisattva...” When Old Third Zhao came for a follow-up, his headache was mostly gone. He rubbed his hands and sighed with emotion, “These two doses of medicine only cost me six wen. At Physician Wang's place on the next street, it would have been at least thirty wen!”

Jiang Hanzhou merely smiled gently and prescribed two more doses of medicine to consolidate the recovery. “Uncle Zhao, you're too kind. It is merely a physician's duty.”

After all, the clinic was only a place to mask his identity; gathering information was his primary goal.

Old Third Zhao left with a thousand thanks.

Meanwhile, rumors regarding 'Han Li' spread like wildfire over these few days, sweeping through the entire Donghai Prefecture City.

“Have you heard? The expert who took down Snake Island and slew the seven Great Chiefs of the Evil Ghost Bandits in a single night is named Han Li!”

“Han Li? I've never heard of such a person...”

“It must be an alias! How could such an expert easily reveal his true name? But his strength is the real deal! I heard the thirty-thousand-tael bounty from the Yamen was already collected that day!”

“Thirty thousand taels! My goodness... how much money is that?”

“The money is a small matter! The key is his methods! Seven in the Viscera Burning Realm, all wiped out in one night! What kind of concept is that? The number one expert of our Prefectural Governors Mansion, the County Commandant, is only at the Peak of the Viscera Burning Realm, right?”

“More than that! I heard the Naval Yamen is shaken. Several generals want to recruit this Great Hero Han Li, and the conditions they're offering are getting higher and higher! A Chiliarch position, an independent water fort, and an annual salary starting at five thousand taels!”

“Recruit? Where would they go to recruit him? After that Hero Han collected the reward money, it was like he vanished into thin air. He hasn't shown his face since!”

“True... such a high-level person is like a divine dragon whose head is seen but not its tail. How could he be moved by mere official titles and wealth?”

Tea houses, restaurants, docks, warehouses... everyone everywhere was discussing 'Han Li'.

Some said he was a Disciple from some hidden Sect out in the world for experience.

Some said he was a secret agent trained by the Imperial Court specifically to clear out banditry along the coast.

Some even went as far as turning it into storybook tales, saying things like 'Great Hero Han Li has three heads and six arms, spits out Flying Swords, and takes bandit chiefs' heads from a thousand miles away,' spreading it with vivid detail.

The major powers of Donghai Prefecture—the Prefectural Governors Mansion, the Naval Yamen, local prominent clans, merchant guilds...

All secretly dispatched personnel to try and find this suddenly emerged mysterious expert.

But they found nothing.

'Han Li' was like a drop of water falling into the ocean, vanishing without a trace.

Meanwhile, the 'Han Li' in question, Jiang Hanzhou, was currently seeing off his last patient of the day.

It was Old Third Zhao again.

“Physician Jiang, thank you so much!” Old Third Zhao's complexion looked much better, and his back was straighter. “These old cold legs of mine have been bothering me for so many years. Every time it rains, they hurt so much I can't sleep. But after applying your plaster, it feels warm and cozy. I've even been out to sea these past two days without any trouble!”

“It's good that it's effective.” Jiang Hanzhou handed him the wrapped plasters. “These are the last two. After applying them, they should last you for half a year. Usually, pay attention to keeping warm and avoid cold water.”

“Aye! Aye!” Old Third Zhao responded repeatedly, paid the fee, and left, looking back every few steps.

Jiang Hanzhou stood at the clinic's entrance, watching his figure disappear at the mouth of the alley.

The setting sun dyed the alley a warm orange-red, and the rhythmic chants of workers finishing their shift at the docks drifted from afar.

He turned back into the clinic, closing the door panels one by one and sliding the bolt into place.

Then, he took a pre-written piece of paper from the desk drawer, walked outside, and pasted it onto the door.

The handwriting on the paper was neat:

[The owner has urgent business and will be away for several days. The return date is uncertain. Patients may seek treatment at 'Renhe Hall' on the neighboring street. Please forgive the inconvenience.]

Signed: Jiang Hanzhou of Jishi Hall.

After posting the notice, Jiang Hanzhou took one last look at this clinic he had run for two months and turned to leave.

Deep in the alley, Old Third Zhao hadn't actually gone far.

He hid around the corner, watching Jiang Hanzhou post the notice, lock the door, and depart. Only then did he sigh in relief and mutter to himself:

“Luckily it's only for a few days... A good person like Physician Jiang, with great medical skills and low fees—I hope he doesn't just never come back. In this world, finding a physician like him isn't easy...”

He shook his head, clutched his plasters, and hummed a little tune as he walked toward his home.

...

In the small courtyard, the twilight grew deeper.

Jiang Hanzhou walked into the kitchen.

On the stove, the last portion of 'dragon tiger bone tempering soup' had already been warmed.

He poured the thick, syrup-like liquid from the ceramic pot into a bowl.

The soup was a dark gold color, with faint ripples like tiger stripes shimmering in it. Its aroma was mellow yet carried a hint of domineering bloodiness.

This was made using a 'Purple-Eyed Fierce Beast' he had hunted in the deep mountains on his way to Donghai Prefecture as the main ingredient, supplemented by over a dozen precious medicinal herbs, and simmered for three days and three nights.

The Purple-Eyed Fierce Beast was a Medium Grade Vicious Beast, equivalent to a Martial Artist in the Middle Stage of the Viscera Burning Realm. The blood and bone essence within it had miraculous effects on tempering bones.

Jiang Hanzhou picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

The soup entered his stomach like he had swallowed a ball of fire.

The violent blood essence exploded, surging along his Meridians and washing through his entire body before finally converging deep within his bones.

If it were an ordinary Iron Bone Realm or even a Viscera Burning Realm Martial Artist, drinking this bowl of soup would require at least several hours of circulating a Cultivation Technique to digest, and their bones would certainly be significantly tempered.

But Jiang Hanzhou merely sat quietly for a moment. As his Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Skill circulated naturally, that violent blood essence was like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, quickly absorbed and refined.

Half an incense stick of time later.

He slowly opened his eyes, a flash of helplessness appearing in them.

The effect... was negligible.

After his dao bone was first formed, the essence of his bones had undergone a transformation, far beyond what a common 'Jade Bone' could compare to.

Seven-colored radiance flowed deep within his bones, granting him defensive and self-healing powers far exceeding those of the same rank, and making his sensitivity to Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi even more acute.

But blessings and misfortunes go hand in hand.

This transformative improvement also brought a thorny problem—

His demand for bone-tempering medicinal cuisine had reached a terrifying level.

The 'Tiger Bone Soup' and 'Bone Tempering Pills' that ordinary Iron Bone Realm Martial Artists regarded as treasures were now like plain water to him.

Even this 'dragon tiger bone tempering soup' made with a Medium Grade Vicious Beast as the main ingredient had its effectiveness greatly reduced.

“One portion of soup brewed from a Purple-Eyed Fierce Beast is only enough for three days of Cultivation...” Jiang Hanzhou calculated in his mind. “And a single Purple-Eyed Fierce Beast costs at least three thousand taels on the market. To maintain efficient Cultivation, this item alone would cost over thirty thousand taels a month.”

And that wasn't even counting other supplementary herbs, daily Cultivation, and the expenses of comprehending Cultivation Techniques.

“One hundred and forty-five thousand taels seems like a lot, but in reality, it's barely enough.”

Jiang Hanzhou sighed softly.

He stood up and walked into the courtyard. Looking at the sparse stars in the night sky, he had already made a decision.

“It seems I need to research a new medicinal cuisine recipe.”

“No, not just medicinal cuisine... I also need to speed up the accumulation of Cultivation Technique insights.”

“Dragon Abyss Palace will be opening its gates soon. Before then, I must raise my strength to a level sufficient to pass the assessment and quickly establish a firm foothold after entering.”

Thinking this far, he no longer hesitated. He turned back into the room and went to sleep fully clothed.

...

The next day, before the sky was light.

Jiang Hanzhou was already packed and ready.

In a set of blue cloth robes and carrying a slightly worn medicine chest, he looked like an ordinary physician traveling far to gather herbs.

He locked the small courtyard gate and headed toward the south of the city.

Donghai Prefecture's massive docks were already bustling with people, even in the early morning.

This was one of the core hubs of the entire Great Qi Dynasty's eastern coast. The docks stretched for over ten li, with thousands of ships of all sizes docked at the berths.

Ocean-going merchant ships were like moving cities, their masts like forests and sails blotting out the sun; coastal fishing boats wove through like shuttles, with catches piled high as mountains; passenger ships, cargo ships, official ships, warships... all sorts of vessels flowed in a never-ending stream.

On the docks, the chants of laborers, the cries of vendors, the shouts of ship owners, and the laughter of children mixed together, forming a vibrant and raw life force.

The air was thick with the saltiness of the sea, the fishy smell of the catch, the mustiness of cargo, and the aroma of food... all kinds of scents intertwined and rushed at him.

Jiang Hanzhou moved through the crowded throngs, his gaze scanning the docked ships.

Finally, he stopped in front of a medium-sized passenger-cargo ship.

The hull was old but well-maintained. A wooden plaque hung at the bow with three characters written on it: 'Bibo'.

A dark-skinned, weather-beaten old ship owner was standing by the gangplank, shouting loudly:

“To Bibo Island! To Bibo Island! Last three spots! Setting sail at noon sharp! Twenty taels per person, meals included!”

Bibo Island was located about three hundred li southeast of Donghai Prefecture.

It was at the edge of the deep sea area, where islands were scattered like stars and shipping lanes were complex. The laws of the Great Qi Dynasty had greatly diminished influence there, making it a gray zone where various forces intertwined and fish and dragons were mixed.

Many supplies, intelligence, and Cultivation Techniques that were inconvenient to trade on land would circulate there.

Jiang Hanzhou stepped forward, took out twenty taels of silver from his robe, and handed it to the old ship owner. “One spot.”

The old ship owner took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. “Please come inside, guest! We sail at noon, don't miss the time!”

Jiang Hanzhou nodded, stepped onto the gangplank, and boarded the deck.

There were already over a dozen people sitting in the cabin, men and women, young and old. Most looked wary and kept their distance from one another.

There were merchants carrying goods, Martial Artists with powerful auras, a pale-faced scholar, and two women wearing veils whose faces could not be seen.

Jiang Hanzhou found a corner by the window, placed his medicine chest by his feet, and closed his eyes to rest.

As noon approached, the last two passengers hurried aboard.

The old ship owner retracted the gangplank and shouted loudly, “Setting sail—!”

*Clatter clatter...*

The iron anchor was raised, and the sails were unfurled to catch the wind.

The Bibo slowly pulled away from the dock, cutting through the azure seawater and heading southeast, gradually fading into the distance.