6: The white fox swallowed the secret medicine and is about to become a spirit?

Back home, Gu Changsheng opened his satchel and tallied his gains.

Three banknotes, each for one hundred taels of silver, and some scattered loose silver.

The total value was approximately three hundred and twenty taels.

Besides that, there was also a yellowed book.

“Spirit Wood Compendium...”

Gu Changsheng opened it. Inside, it recorded hundreds of naturally grown spiritual wood species, divided into four grades: Yellow, Mysterious, Earth, and Heaven.

It also meticulously described the methods for planting, transplanting, and cultivating them.

“It can broaden my horizons, so I won’t fail to recognize a treasure if I encounter one in the wild later.”

This time, for Gu Changsheng, the biggest gain from the ambush was the silver.

Three hundred and twenty taels of silver was more than enough to buy a piece of High Grade Hetian jade at the Jade Treasure Pavilion.

He still remembered that the better the quality of the jade, the better the effect of the secret medicine.

The next day, the government announced that the culprit behind the child disappearance cases had been apprehended.

A group of officials also discovered a Human-faced Beast-hearted Fruit Tree in the Li Manor, a demonic tree that the Great Shang had long since ordered to be eradicated.

The missing children had all been used as fertilizer beneath the tree.

That day, a great fire raged, and the demonic tree was publicly burned to ashes.

“Human-faced Beast-hearted Fruit Tree, a Yellow Grade High Grade spiritual wood.”

Gu Changsheng opened the Spirit Wood Compendium, where it was recorded.

“Watering it with the fresh blood of children born during yin hours and yin months can accelerate the ripening of its fruit.

Once ripe, it appears bright red, with a human face on its surface, and a sweet scent. Eating it can increase one's Lifespan.”

“It truly is a Heaven And Earth Treasure, but unfortunately, it is useless to me.”

As an immortal, the one thing Gu Changsheng lacked least was Lifespan.

At this moment, in the county office, the Magistrate looked at the corpse of Daoist Leopard and found himself in a predicament.

The Magistrate frowned and said, “This Daoist Leopard is a demonic individual from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, who has been on the run from the north.

He is on the wanted list and is no small matter.

We must find a highly skilled painter to draw a portrait and report it to our superiors, to avoid any mistakes.”

The secretary with a mustache suddenly brightened, “I do know someone with excellent painting skills, named Gu Changsheng.

A month ago, when my old father passed away, I invited him to paint a posthumous portrait, and it was truly identical.”

“Oh, this county has such a good painter? Quickly invite him over.”

Not long after, Gu Changsheng arrived at the county office.

After learning the intention, he began to draw with swift strokes, and soon a portrait of Daoist Leopard was produced.

“It’s him, it’s really him.”

The Magistrate said with a chuckle.

“It is my fortune to be able to serve the great lord.”

Gu Changsheng spoke pleasantries, his hand caressing five taels of silver.

Not only did he earn money, but he also obtained an [Animal Husbandry Method. Leopard] from Daoist Leopard.

He now had the Materials for the Fusion visualization method.

After finishing the painting, Gu Changsheng coincidentally bumped into a drunken constable as he was leaving.

“That was great, the girls at Hundred Flowers Brothel are so tender.”

“We still have to thank the chief, otherwise, us brothers wouldn’t be able to afford a girl even if we saved up for a year.”

“Haha, no problem, we’re all brothers.”

Li Gongyi smiled, but his heart was bleeding.

He had wanted to splurge after receiving the reward money, but who knew that the Hundred Flowers Brothel was so expensive.

Five hundred taels of reward money, and more than half of it was gone.

Suddenly, Li Gongyi’s eyes were hazy, and as he brushed past Gu Changsheng, a jolt went through his mind as if struck by lightning.

‘Wait, that person’s figure and back just now... seemed to be...’

“Chief, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, maybe I’m seeing things... Who was that person who just passed by?”

“Oh, him? He’s called Gu Changsheng, just a poor scholar who makes a living by selling paintings.

And don’t even mention it, his painting skills are indeed excellent. He even painted my son’s full moon portrait.”

Li Gongyi silently noted down the name.

Gu Changsheng returned home, took out a drop of fox blood, and seeped it into the longquan sword. The sword hummed lightly, and the rust peeled off in inches.

He tossed it, and the treasured sword fell to the ground, transforming into a white fox.

However, its eyes were dull, and its movements were sluggish.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the white fox emitted green smoke and transformed back into the treasured sword, lying on the ground.

“Elementary Beast Pointing Technique, the effect is mediocre.

It’s fine for street performances or novelty, but for combat, forget about it.”

Gu Changsheng wasn't annoyed.

The [Animal Husbandry Method. Leopard] and [Animal Husbandry Method. Snake] originated from the same source. When the Animal Husbandry Method. Leopard is raised to its peak, it will likely enhance the effect of the Beast Pointing Technique.

If his Lifespan wasn't enough, it was just a matter of waiting a few more days.

“Ying ying~”

Gu Changsheng noticed the white fox licking the secret medicine on the table, its face flushed as if drunk.

“Hmm? Licking the secret medicine? Could this fox be becoming a spirit?”

Black Qi gathered in his eyes, and he immediately saw a faint wisp of black Qi emanating from the white fox.

“It really is becoming a spirit!”

Gu Changsheng hadn't expected that a fox he bought casually in the market would actually have the Aptitude to become a Prodigy.

“That’s good. After it becomes a Prodigy, the fox blood’s effect will be enhanced, and combined with good quality jade, the secret medicine’s effect should increase significantly.”

Gu Changsheng was not stingy. He took out the white jade he had bought for three hundred taels of silver, ground it into powder, and began a new round of secret medicine preparation.

Before long, the white fox, full of secret medicine, was dizzy, lying on its back with all four paws in the air, sound asleep.

The black Qi on its body grew denser.

Gu Changsheng vigorously petted it a few times.

The feel was quite good.

Ten days passed, and with enough Lifespan accumulated, the Animal Husbandry Method. Leopard successfully Advanced to the third stage.

As expected, the Elementary Beast Pointing Technique was upgraded to Intermediate.

Gu Changsheng tried it out. Not only did the illusionary body’s duration greatly increase, but he could also freely switch between his true body and the illusionary body.

For example, the longquan sword infused with fox blood could instantly transform its fox tail into a sharp blade to strike during combat.

One careless move, and the enemy would suffer a great loss.

The only regret was that the illusionary body still lacked intelligence and appeared dull-witted.

Gu Changsheng estimated that this flaw would only be remedied when the Beast Pointing Technique was upgraded to Advanced, or even top-tier.

For now, it was sufficient.

In the early morning, Gu Changsheng carried the white fox to the tofu stall.

“Old Woman Wang, the usual: three fried dough sticks, a bowl of tofu pudding, extra chili.

Oh, and a bowl for my white fox too.”

“Coming right up!”

Before long, Xiao Cui bustled over with the food. The white fox had its two front paws on the table, eagerly licking the tofu pudding from its bowl.

“Brother Changsheng, your white fox is truly peculiar.

It eats human food too.”

Xiao Cui’s eyes were full of curiosity as she looked at the fluffy white fox, wanting to reach out and pet it.

The white fox immediately bared its teeth, scaring her back.

In a daze, Xiao Cui seemed to see a hint of human-like mockery in the white fox’s eyes.

“Haha, my white fox has spirituality. No one touches it except me.”

Gu Changsheng explained with a smile.

Over the past ten-plus days, most of the secret medicine he had prepared had gone into the white fox’s belly, making its black Qi dense.

Although it hadn’t transformed yet, its intelligence had already awakened.

He estimated it wouldn’t be long before it truly became a spirit.

After eating, Gu Changsheng put down six copper coins and returned to Qingyi Alley. He set up his painting stall, stroked the white fox, and began his day of laid-back living.

Aside from a few sporadic sales, it was another leisurely morning.

Just then, a small Beggar in coarse linen clothes, covered in patches, approached, carrying a string of pig trotters.

“Hmm? Xiao Yi, I haven’t seen you for so many days. Why aren’t you carrying corpses for the coffin shop anymore? Have you changed professions to become a Beggar?”

The last time Gu Changsheng obtained Shen San’s snake gall, it was thanks to Yan Xiao Yi.

Of course, he also paid one hundred copper coins.

Hearing this, Yan Xiao Yi’s eyes showed a hint of melancholy: “Sigh, don’t even mention it.

There’s a great drought in the west, and farmers in Lin County have lost everything, with large numbers of refugees pouring into the county town to make a living.

I heard that some people even resorted to cannibalism on their escape route.

Now, even the job of carrying corpses for the coffin shop is being fought over for a bite to eat.

And the coffin shop’s Boss Jiang is a miser, he’s driven the price down to twenty copper coins. I might as well be a Beggar.”

Gu Changsheng blinked. No wonder he had noticed many more Beggars recently.

He sighed. Natural disasters, man-made calamities, Prodigies everywhere—the Great Shang was doomed.

Fortunately, as an immortal, he could always move somewhere else and continue selling paintings.

Suddenly, Yan Xiao Yi said sheepishly, “I guess this is a blessing in disguise for me. I just joined the Beggar Clan and was taken in as a Disciple by the old sect leader.

Now, not only do I have white rice for every meal, but I can also occasionally have some wine.

I heard people say that I might even have a chance to marry a wife in the future.

To commemorate this day, I wanted Brother Changsheng to paint a portrait for me.

Of course... hehe, I’m a bit short on money, so how about using these two pig trotters instead?”

Afraid that Gu Changsheng would refuse, Yan Xiao Yi quickly added, “These are pig trotters from the Fragrant Pavilion, and one costs forty copper coins.

These are the second best pig trotters I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

Gu Changsheng glanced at the pig trotters in Yan Xiao Yi’s hand. They were covered in quite a bit of dust, so he had no appetite.

“Alright, Xiao Yi, you keep the pig trotters to eat.

Since I’m free, I’ll paint one for you for free.”

“Great, thank you, Brother Changsheng.”

Before long, Yan Xiao Yi happily left with a painting.

Gu Changsheng looked at the panel, but frowned.

A [Lame Foot Technique] had appeared on it.