40: A spoiled brat? Here you go!

The servants guarding the middle of the alley saw someone entering.

They immediately barked out a scolding.

"Kid, trying to play the hero and save the beauty?"

"Think you've got what it takes?"

They had done this kind of thing many times in their youth!

He immediately stepped forward impatiently and reached out to shove him.

Li Qing stood his ground, unmoving, allowing the palm to push against his chest.

Hmm?

One push, and he didn't budge?

The wicked servant looked at the Masked Man, who was shorter than himself.

Then he looked at his own palm!

In the next moment, an irresistible Great Strength rebounded from the other's chest.

With a crisp "crack," his entire arm twisted at a bizarre angle, and intense pain surged.

He flew backward uncontrollably, screaming as he knocked over a companion beside him.

The scene instantly fell silent.

The lecherous grin on Young Master Qian's face froze.

His perfectly good mood had been ruined!

Looking back, he saw his servant on the ground, and not far away stood a Masked Man!

"You've got some nerve! How dare you meddle in my business?"

Li Qing ignored him and instead looked at the wicked servant who had been knocked to the ground.

His arm was broken.

It seemed his strength was not weak.

The wicked servant clutched his unnaturally twisted arm, screaming repeatedly, sweating profusely from the pain.

"Damn it! Get him!"

Seeing the Masked Man ignore him, Young Master Qian was instantly enraged.

With a wave of his hand, several other servants swarmed forward.

Li Qing stood in place, not moving at all.

The moment they got close, he casually raised his hand and swung his arm.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Several dull thuds rang out.

Those aggressive servants were all lying on the ground like broken sacks, curling up and wailing incessantly.

The only Early Stage Condensing Essence Realm Guard was kicked in the abdomen by him.

He doubled over like a shrimp, unable to even let out a groan.

The entire process was so fast it was dazzling.

Young Master Qian didn't even see Li Qing's movements clearly.

He only saw the Masked Man casually wave his hands a few times, and his Guards were all down.

The movements were clean and efficient, with no wasted motion.

Young Master Qian was dumbfounded.

Damn it, if I had known, I wouldn't have snuck out without the experts from the manor.

This time he had kicked a steel plate!

"You... what do you want?"

His voice trembled as he backed away step by step until his back hit the wall, with nowhere left to retreat.

The terrified young girl also huddled in another corner, her eyes wide as she looked at the suddenly appearing Masked Man with fear and curiosity.

Only then did Li Qing turn his gaze toward him.

"You frightened this young lady."

His voice sounded somewhat muffled through the cloth.

"I, I'll pay! I'll pay!"

Young Master Qian realized that this person wanted money.

As long as his life wasn't at stake, it was fine.

He hurriedly pulled a heavy money pouch from his robes.

Li Qing didn't reach for it.

"You also frightened me."

Young Master Qian was stunned for a moment, then realized that the man thought he hadn't given enough.

"Yes, yes, I also frightened this hero!"

"I'll pay, I'll pay for everything!"

You're clearly the one who frightened me!

He pulled out a few crumpled banknotes from his robes and, along with the money pouch, handed them over with trembling hands.

Li Qing grabbed them and checked the denominations.

Not bad. He tucked them into his robes with satisfaction.

"Get lost."

Young Master Qian, as if granted a grand reprieve, scrambled away from the alley with his groaning servants.

Li Qing saw that no pedestrians outside the alley were paying attention and turned to leave.

"Benefactor, please wait!"

The girl in the green dress caught up and bowed deeply to him, a faint flush of excitement appearing on her pale face.

"This humble girl is Su Yue. Thank you, Benefactor, for saving me. Your great kindness..."

Li Qing didn't stop.

"I'm not saving you."

His voice was cold and direct.

"I'm just short of money."

After speaking, he quickened his pace without looking back.

Leaving only the girl, Su Yue, stunned in place, watching his departing back with a complex expression.

Benefactor?

Am I not beautiful enough?

He didn't even give me a single glance!

She lowered her head, looking at the package of life-saving medicine for her mother in her arms, and thought of the Masked Man's cold words; her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

There are still good people in this world.

The flow of people outside the alley was sparse; no one noticed what had just happened here.

Li Qing left Su Yue behind and, after a few turns, completely disappeared into the crowd.

He found a secluded dead-end alley, and after confirming no one was around, he took off his outer garment and pulled out his spoils.

A money pouch and several high-quality banknotes.

He unfolded the banknotes; there were four in total, each worth fifty taels, totaling two hundred taels.

In the money pouch were some loose silver and copper coins, amounting to over twenty taels.

Two hundred and twenty taels.

For a commoner, this amount of money was a huge sum that they could never hope to attain in a lifetime.

Li Qing pinched the banknotes, his fingertips feeling their unique texture.

No man gets rich without windfall, and no horse gets fat without night grass!

However, this kind of behavior was still too dangerous.

Behind Young Master Qian was the largest silk merchant in Jinling City, with deeply entrenched influence.

He was able to succeed this time purely due to good luck; the other party hadn't brought any true experts.

This kind of thing should be done sparingly!

Now that I have money, time for a spending spree!

It's the perfect time to go to the place I've always wanted to visit!

Hundred Herbs Hall!

The largest medicinal herb shop in Jinling City; he had heard from the martial arts hall's odd-job workers that even the high-level Elders of the hall would go there to purchase rare medicinal herbs.

Now that I have money, I'll go see if I can find any bargains!

Having made up his mind, Li Qing hid the banknotes and money pouch close to his body and tidied his clothes.

He merged into the flow of people and walked toward the most prosperous East Street in the Inner City.

The storefront of Hundred Herbs Hall was even more grand than that of the Fierce Wind Martial Arts Hall.

A three-story redwood pavilion with upturned eaves and bracket sets; two stone lions stood majestically in front of the door.

A rich fragrance wafted through the air; just one sniff made one feel refreshed.

People came and went at the entrance, mostly wealthy merchants in lavish clothing or Martial Artists with steady Auras.

Dressed in the attendant uniform of the Fierce Wind Martial Arts Hall, Li Qing stood at the entrance, looking out of place.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the unease in his heart.

Class exists everywhere!

With his head down, he followed the flow of people inside.

The main hall was spacious and bright, with rows of neat medicine cabinets reaching the ceiling; medicine boys and shop hands in uniform moved through them, busy but orderly.

Li Qing took a quick look around the first floor.

The first floor was full of ordinary weapons and herbs; the System didn't prompt any evolution value.

It seemed the items on the first floor were all ordinary.

He walked straight toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

A shop hand immediately approached him with a professional smile on his face.

"Honored guest, the second floor is the rare medicinal herbs section. What do you need?"

The shop hand's gaze swept over him, still smiling.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the attendant uniform of the Fierce Wind Martial Arts Hall.

Is he here to buy things on behalf of his master?

The shop hand thought to himself.

As the number one shop for Martial Artists in Jinling City.

Many Disciples or high-level members of martial arts halls didn't have time to select and buy Medicinal Pills, so they would send their attendants.

"I'm just looking around."

Li Qing gave a perfunctory reply, his pace never stopping.

The shop hand didn't stop him, but followed behind, maintaining a moderate distance.

Ready to assist Li Qing at any moment.

There were significantly fewer customers on the second floor, and it was much quieter.

The medicinal herbs here were no longer in open cabinets but were kept in exquisite jade boxes or crystal covers, displayed on sandalwood shelves.

Beside each container stood a small silver plaque.

On them, the name, age, and effects of the herbs were marked in tiny seal script.

Li Qing's gaze was drawn to a crystal cover.

Beneath the cover was a ginseng that was crimson all over, its roots intact, looking very much like a curled-up infant.

A faint red light seemed to be flowing over its surface.

[Century-old Blood Ginseng: Grows in places of extreme Yang, formed after absorbing the essence of subterranean fire for a hundred years. Greatly replenishes Qi and blood, enhances cultivation.]

Li Qing's heart skipped a beat.

Deep in his consciousness, the panel that had been inactive for a long time suddenly showed a new line of text.

[Century-old Blood Ginseng (Low-grade Spiritual Plant)]

[Greatly replenishes Qi and blood, enhances cultivation, can slightly increase evolution value.]

Holy cow, the description from Hundred Herbs Hall is the same as the one on my System.

This ginseng's evolution value must be significant!

He suppressed his excitement and pretended to casually look at the silver price tag next to it.

[Price: 5,300 taels of silver.]

Five thousand three hundred taels!

Holy cow!

The two hundred-odd taels in his robes weren't even as much as the change on that price.

Can't afford it, can't afford it!

Feeling the gaze of the shop hand behind him.

Li Qing expressionlessly looked away and continued walking forward.

He saw several more medicinal herbs that tempted him.

[Mystic Water Lotus Seed (Low-grade Spiritual Plant)]

[Contains pure water element power, can slightly increase evolution value, and can temper Meridians.]

[Price: 13,180 taels of silver.]

[Yellow Essence (Mid-grade Spiritual Plant)]

[Strengthens the foundation and nurtures the origin, extends life, and provides a sufficient amount of evolution value.]

[Price: 100,000 taels of silver.]

Holy cow, there's even a Mid-grade Spiritual Plant!

Every single one of them made him extremely envious.

Similarly, they were all at sky-high prices he couldn't afford.

This feeling was even more painful than simple poverty.

Li Qing shook his head and turned to walk down the stairs.

I can't look anymore.

Seeing it but not being able to have it was making him miserable.

He was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from stuffing them into his mouth.

Walking out of the Hundred Herbs Hall, the afternoon sun shone on him, and he felt a hint of warmth.

The bustle of the street market surrounded him again, but he was deep in thought.

Money.

He needed money, a lot of money.

Robbery was not a long-term solution.

He had to find a new way.