95: Chapter 95 A gentleman's revenge is never too late.

A century-old ginseng root was enough to feed an ordinary family for a lifetime. The Tiger Bone Strength Pill was a luxury item meant for Body Tempering Realm Martial Artists.

"Mozi, you..." Tiger Li sucked on his gums. "You have quite an appetite."

"Brother Hu, life is only once." Chen Mo pointed to the fading red mark on his neck. "If that knife had been a fraction faster last night, you would have been attending my funeral. This amount of stuff to buy back my life—it’s not expensive, is it?"

Tiger Li considered Ye Zhiqiu's temper, then thought about Chen Mo's fierce performance last night.

"Fine!" Tiger Li slapped his thigh. "I'll take this job. Lord Ye said as long as it’s not asking for the stars, it’s approved!"

For Ye Zhiqiu, any problem that could be solved with money wasn't really a problem. What she lacked were capable people, not medicinal herbs.

...At the same time.

City Guard General Bureau, East Courtyard.

This was the territory of another bureau chief, Liu Feng.

Liu Feng and Ye Zhiqiu were at odds. Ye Zhiqiu was an air-dropped official, possessing deep background and strong power, acting domineeringly. Liu Feng was a local fixture, with seniority and wide connections, preferring underhanded tactics.

Currently, Liu Feng was holding a teacup, listening to his subordinate report on the battle in the alley last night.

"He didn't die?" Liu Feng blew the foam off his tea, his brow slightly furrowed. "Seven expert Body Tempering Realm fighters, complete with crossbows and quicklime, and they couldn't even take down a Runner from the Outer City? Are those people from the Iron Bone Martial Arts Hall just eating dry rations?"

"Lord, I heard that Chen Mo cultivated a body-hardening technique, making him invulnerable to blades and spears..."

"Nonsense about being invulnerable to blades and spears." Liu Feng sneered. "He's just a bit thick-skinned. Looks like Ye Zhiqiu has good luck, picking up a decent dog."

Before the words fully left his mouth.

"Bang!"

The two thick mahogany doors exploded open as if struck by a siege ram.

Wood chips flew everywhere.

The two guards at the entrance screamed as they were flung inside, crashing heavily in front of Liu Feng's desk. They were spitting blood, clearly not going to survive.

Liu Feng’s hand trembled, splashing scalding tea across his own hand.

He looked up sharply and saw a tall figure walking through the dust and smoke.

Ye Zhiqiu.

She wasn't wearing her official uniform today, but a tight black combat suit. Her long hair was tied up high, and she carried a sheathed longsword in her hand.

Her face was expressionless, her eyes colder than knives.

"Ye Zhiqiu!" Liu Feng roared, slamming the table as he stood up. "Are you insane?! How dare you storm my yamen and injure my men?!"

Ye Zhiqiu completely ignored his bellowing and walked straight to the desk, looking down at him coldly over the table.

"You orchestrated last night's events, didn't you?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable chill.

Liu Feng's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained composed: "I don't know what you are talking about. Lord Ye, one must speak with evidence. Slandering a colleague without proof, I will take this case all the way to the City Lord..."

"Evidence?"

A mocking curve lifted the corner of Ye Zhiqiu's mouth. "When have I, Ye Zhiqiu, ever needed evidence to handle matters?"

Liu Feng froze.

This woman didn't play by the rules!

"If I think it was you, then it was you."

Ye Zhiqiu took a step forward, and her Aura suddenly erupted.

It was the terrifying pressure of Peak Tongmai Realm, perhaps even half a step into the Innate realm.

The air in the room seemed to instantly solidify, becoming incredibly thick. Liu Feng felt as if a giant stone was pressing on his chest, struggling to breathe, his knees weakening.

"You..." Liu Feng's face flushed red. He tried to mobilize his Internal Energy to resist, only to find his own vital energy locked down tightly by the opponent.

"Liu Feng, I'm warning you once."

Ye Zhiqiu's fingers lightly rested on her sword hilt.

"Tie Shan is an outsider; I will deal with him sooner or later. But you are one of us, betraying the group, which deserves death more."

"Chen Mo didn't die this time; consider yourself lucky. If any more accidents happen to my subordinates, regardless of whether you caused it or not, I will hold you responsible."

"Next time, don't blame me for disregarding the rules and directly challenging you to a Life-and-Death Duel."

Life-and-Death Duel!

At the mention of these three words, Liu Feng's pupils contracted violently.

According to the laws of Great Xia, if martial officials had irreconcilable conflicts, they could ascend the Life-and-Death Stage to determine superiority and decide life or death.

But he couldn't defeat Ye Zhiqiu!

This crazy woman was notorious for being a martial fanatic; she would actually kill!

"You... You are simply unreasonable!" Liu Feng gritted his teeth, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "For the sake of a mere Runner, you want to fight me to the death?"

"You are mistaken."

Ye Zhiqiu turned, leaving him with a cold silhouette.

"It’s not for him; it’s for my reputation. Even when beating a dog, you must consider the owner. You moved against my person, which is slapping my face. You cannot afford to slap my face."

With that, she strode out.

Only when her figure vanished did the terrifying sense of oppression dissipate.

Liu Feng collapsed onto his chair, his back drenched in cold sweat.

He looked at the guards wailing on the floor, then at the shattered wooden door, trembling with rage. He violently smashed the teacup on the table into pieces.

"Crazy woman! She is absolutely a crazy woman!"

But he knew he had to swallow this insult.

Because he truly couldn't win the fight.

...In the evening.

Chen Mo returned home after work.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Zhao Dazhu waiting at the door with two laborers, carrying two large chests.

"Chief, the things have been delivered." Zhao Dazhu looked envious. "Brother Hu personally approved the slip; the storeroom staff didn't dare hold anything back—it’s all top-grade stuff."

Chen Mo opened the chests.

A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out.

The old ginseng roots were intact, golden yellow in color; the medicinal bath packets were bulging, exuding a pungent smell; the refined iron ingots were neatly stacked to the side, emitting a faint cold sheen.

"Alright, thanks." Chen Mo tossed a piece of broken silver to Zhao Dazhu. "Take the brothers out for tea."

After sending Zhao Dazhu away, Chen Mo moved the chests into the room, locked the door, and propped it shut with a wooden stick.

The windows were sealed shut, and the curtains were drawn tight.

The room grew dim.

Chen Mo sat at the desk, looking at the pile of resources, his gaze deep.

Ye Zhiqiu, though cold, was indeed generous in her rewards.

This also indicated that the water in the Inner City was deeper than he had imagined. Even a powerhouse like Ye Zhiqiu had to temporarily compromise; his own meager cultivation was clearly insufficient.

"Iron Bone Martial Arts Hall..."

Chen Mo rolled the name on his tongue, chewing it before swallowing it down.

A gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years.

A petty person's revenge is from morning till night.

He, Chen Mo, was neither a gentleman nor a petty person; he was a pragmatist.

If he couldn't win now, he would keep an account. When he was strong enough, he would collect it all back, principal and interest combined.

"The most urgent task now is to convert these things into strength."

Chen Mo picked up an old ginseng root and bit into it like he was gnawing on a radish.

Bitter.

Astringent.

But immediately, it transformed into a warm current that rushed straight to his stomach.

"System."

He murmured silently in his mind.

A light screen appeared before his eyes.

Although he hadn't Cultivated much these past few days, his daily practice combined with previous accumulation meant he had saved up quite a few Potential Points.

Plus this pile of medicinal herbs...

A fierce glint flashed in Chen Mo's eyes.

"Secluded training."