In the entire Lingxiao Pavilion, Yang Kai was only familiar with one person, the shopkeeper Meng, who he visited every month.

Meng, the shopkeeper, had a nickname, Meng Bapi. Although he was just a small contribution hall shopkeeper in the Lingxiao Pavilion, his favorite thing to do was to squeeze the contribution points from the disciples.

Originally, a blood-coagulating and bruise-removing ointment that was worth ten contribution points, he could sell two bottles for the price of three. His method was simple: he just put the amount of two bottles into three bottles, and if you didn't buy it, you could leave!

Of course, Meng Bapi didn't always do such unscrupulous things, just occasionally. And his targets were usually wealthy disciples. For someone as poor as Yang Kai, he didn't care.

Every contribution point of the Lingxiao Pavilion disciples was hard-earned, how could they tolerate such exploitation? So almost every disciple who had been cheated by him would report him to the elders. Meng Bapi had received warnings from the elders multiple times, but he still acted as he pleased, unmoved. However, his position as shopkeeper was unshakable, and no one could replace him.

Because of this, countless Lingxiao Pavilion disciples hated Meng Bapi to the point of gnashing their teeth.

The old man was unfriendly to everyone, but he had no way to deal with Yang Kai, because once, when he was enthusiastically staring at a female disciple's buttocks, Yang Kai caught him red-handed.

How could an old man act so disrespectfully! Being caught, Meng Bapi felt inferior in front of Yang Kai.

It was because of this that Yang Kai became familiar with the old man.

The old man was lecherous and had a thick skin. In an instant, he adjusted his expression and looked at Yang Kai sideways, saying, "The usual deal?"

"Sure." Yang Kai nodded honestly.

Meng Bapi said nothing, took out ten taels of silver from behind the counter and threw it to Yang Kai, then took out the ledger and recorded it.

Yang Kai put away the silver and asked, "How many contribution points do I have now?"

Meng Bapi rolled his eyes: "You save four contribution points each month, spend one to get ten taels of silver, leaving you with three. You've only accumulated a mere twelve contribution points so far. What, do you want to buy a bottle of blood-coagulating and bruise-removing ointment?"

"No, I was just asking." Yang Kai waved his hand and muttered, "Only twelve points."

Such a small number of contribution points wasn't even enough to exchange for a valuable herb.

Meng Bapi's expression turned serious, and he whispered, "Little Yang Kai, I know you want the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill to improve your aptitude, but at this rate, how long will it take?"

"Eventually, I'll save enough, right?" Yang Kai laughed lightly.

Meng Bapi was speechless, thinking that at this rate, by the time you save enough, I'll have been dead for a hundred years.

"But, Meng Bapi, there's something I don't understand." Yang Kai frowned slightly.

"Speak!" The old man put on a lucky look, as if he was in a good mood today.

"Why would such a valuable pill like the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill be in the contribution hall, and why hasn't it been taken by others?"

"Hehe..." Meng Bapi smiled smugly, "Because this pill is my own treasure, and no one else knows about it."

"Ah, it's yours?" Yang Kai was surprised. He had always thought the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill belonged to the Lingxiao Pavilion, but it turned out to be his own. No wonder the old man had set such a high price for him.

"Don't be angry." Meng Bapi was content, taking a sip of tea from the teapot on the counter, "Although it's mine, I won't give you a discount. If you want it, you need to exchange enough contribution points. The name Meng Bapi isn't just for show."

"I'll save enough." Yang Kai nodded.

Meng Bapi suddenly changed his expression, winking at Yang Kai and whispering, "I heard you got beaten up again yesterday?"

Yang Kai glared at him and turned to leave.

Meng Bapi called out from behind, "Tell me about it, don't leave so quickly."

What was there to say? Clearly, the old man was gloating.

Before Yang Kai left the contribution hall, Meng Bapi's expression suddenly became serious, staring at Yang Kai's back and saying solemnly, "Little Yang Kai, go back where you came from. The Lingxiao Pavilion isn't a place for you. Sooner or later, you'll be beaten to death."

Yang Kai paused, didn't turn around, and sighed softly, "I have nowhere else to go."

With that, he left the contribution hall.

Meng Bapi held the teapot with both hands and sighed, "Why go through such hardship?"

The Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill... hehe, how could I have such a miraculous treasure? I just made up a lie to give you some hope, but I didn't expect you to take it seriously.

Yang Kai first returned to his small house, put down the broom, and then hurriedly walked out of the Lingxiao Pavilion.

He was going to Wumei Town, ten miles away from the Lingxiao Pavilion. Today, he had to exchange a bit of contribution points for ten taels of silver, so he naturally needed to buy some food. This was something Yang Kai did every month.

As he walked, Yang Kai felt no fatigue for the first time.

In the past, every time he came to Wumei Town, the ten-mile walk would leave him flushed and out of breath. But today, he felt nothing, just a slight warmth in his body, and he was full of energy. Yang Kai was confident that he could walk a hundred miles without feeling tired.

Was it the Golden Body's doing? Yang Kai suddenly remembered something. This morning, while sweeping, he was bumped by an unnamed junior disciple, but he remained steady, while the other, who was strong and robust, fell to the ground.

At the time, he didn't think much of it, but now, recalling it, it seemed quite unbelievable. With his weak and thin body, when had he ever knocked someone down? He was always the one who got knocked away.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. The changes the Golden Body had brought to him were not just a little. These changes were not immediately apparent, but would gradually become evident as he grew stronger.

Lost in thought, Yang Kai didn't realize he had already reached Wumei Town.

He looked around and walked down the street to the left. Yang Kai was going to a rice shop. The shop was small, and the owner, Mr. He, was a local resident. He ran a small business, selling genuine goods at fair prices, which was why Yang Kai always dealt with him.

Such small shops were common in Wumei Town, which was bustling and lively. Wumei Town was particularly prosperous because, within a hundred miles of it, besides the Lingxiao Pavilion, there were two other decent sects, the Fengyu Tower and the Blood Battle Gang, and countless small sects and gangs. However, these small sects and gangs were just groups of scattered soldiers, unlike the three major sects like the Lingxiao Pavilion, which had their own territories.

Because this land nurtured so many martial artists, Wumei Town was so lively and prosperous, although it couldn't compare to the capital, Zhongdu.

Zhongdu was the capital of the Han Dynasty!

As he was walking, Yang Kai casually glanced to the side and noticed a few people gathered in an alley. They were acting suspiciously, and one of them was very alert. Sensing Yang Kai's gaze, he immediately glared, looking extremely fierce.

Yang Kai laughed lightly, adhering to the principle of not provoking unless provoked, and ignored them. However, what puzzled him was that one of the people looked familiar, seemingly a disciple of the Lingxiao Pavilion.