Chapter 302 - 241: A Thousand Qi Blood Pills, a Street-Side Wine Stall

Chapter 302: Chapter 241: A Thousand Qi Blood Pills, a Street-Side Wine Stall

Old Liu was also incredibly busy, now refilling one customer’s wine, now adding another dish for someone else, but he was delighted nonetheless.

These few customers alone were enough to earn him food for today and tomorrow.

Just then, his vision blurred for a moment, and a young man appeared before his stall.

The moment he saw this person, Old Liu grew tense.

In both bearing and dress, the man looked nothing like someone who would drink at a street stall. Instead, he seemed more like a young nobleman from some great family’s estate.

The sudden appearance of such a person made Old Liu’s heart leap into his throat. He had been a cautious man his entire life, the type to worry that even a falling leaf might crush his skull.

It wasn’t just him. Even the patrons, who had been drinking and laughing moments before, lowered their voices, looking uneasily at the ramrod-straight young man.

"A pot of wine and a side dish," the young man said after sweeping his gaze over the stall.

Only then did Old Liu relax, and he hastily poured the wine and prepared the dish.

Wu Liangchen accepted the wine and food. Instead of leaving, he squatted down nearby and began to drink at a leisurely pace.

He had been in seclusion for three full days. Aside from frantically consuming pills, he had spent his time poring over that sheet of paper and had indeed figured a few things out.

According to the paper, after successfully completing Bone Marrow Cleansing and becoming a Grandmaster, there was only one way to find the path forward.

And that was Opening Veins.

The name was quite descriptive.

It involved constructing channels within the body for something to flow through.

The text didn’t specify what was meant to flow through them, glossing over the detail. However, based on Wu Liangchen’s experience, it had to be True Qi or something of that nature.

Only by successfully constructing these channels could one hope to advance further.

But this was far easier said than done.

This world, it seemed, lacked a certain medium, which made Opening Veins nearly impossible.

However, in the secret missive he had sent back, this Yan Shu had found an alternative path and mentioned a possibility.

It was a method of constructing the internal channels by visualizing the celestial bodies and sensing the power of the stars.

This was also the reason the Cultivation Technique was named the Star-Swallowing Meridian Opening Skill.

But Wu Liangchen had tried for several nights, and he had gotten nothing for his efforts. Forget sensing the power of the stars; all he’d managed to do was swallow a bellyful of cold wind.

Still, Wu Liangchen wasn’t discouraged. Today, after consuming a gourd and a half of pills, he had finally gathered enough Life Fire for his deduction.

The price was that the very smell of medicine now made him want to vomit. He even felt as if he had become a walking medicine gourd, the scent of herbs constantly wafting from his mouth and nose.

That was why he had left the Xu family grounds—to find a tavern and wash away the lingering medicinal taste with a few strong drinks.

As it turned out, most of the taverns and restaurants in the Imperial Capital were now closed. After searching fruitlessly, he was about to head back and make something himself when he spotted this little street stall. So, he landed and decided to have a couple of drinks first.

The patrons watched the silent Wu Liangchen with caution. Finally, the middle-aged man, being the boldest of the bunch, raised his cup to him in a distant toast.

Wu Liangchen smiled and returned the gesture.

At that, the group finally relaxed completely. The volume of their chatter and laughter rose considerably.

"What a handsome young sir!"

"Indeed. I wonder what lucky lady will snag such a perfect husband!"

Wu Liangchen merely nodded and smiled at the compliments, offering no reply.

The cheap liquor was harsh going down, with a sour, astringent aftertaste that left a bitter note in his stomach.

The pig’s head meat was cold and greasy, but to Wu Liangchen, who had eaten nothing but pills for three straight days, it was an unparalleled delicacy.

Just as he was savoring his meal, several thugs covered in dragon and phoenix tattoos appeared on the street. Their eyes lit up the moment they saw the crowd gathered by the stall. Exchanging a look, they strode over.