Master Bai wanted to see how quickly Su Yan could master the Ferocious Ape Three Styles. However, Su Yan was already exhausted from practicing the Golden Ape Jade Body Art all day, so he couldn't fully focus and learn it instantly. The teaching was postponed until the next day.
The next morning, Su Yan absorbed the Bug Essence and began his stance practice, tempering his skin and muscle. As the Bug Essence entered his body, the refining process of the Golden Ape Jade Body Art was significantly faster than the day before. Master Bai watched, his heart filled with delighted surprise at the student's daily transformation and aptitude.
Su Yan began practicing the Ferocious Ape Three Styles. He quickly realized the art was similar to the Ape Fist, with the latter clearly being a simplified version of the former. The Ferocious Ape Three Styles used blood energy and True Essence to unleash stronger power through three techniques: Pillar of Heaven, Mountain Splitter, and Sea Suppressor—all explosive, powerful fist forms with unique variations. With Su Yan's solid foundation and his Ape Fist already at Great Accomplishment, he initiated the art after just three to five repetitions.
"Since you have initiated the art, focus on your own training these next few days and take care of your personal affairs. I will have your Chief Senior Brother take you into the mountains soon."
"Yes, Master." Master Bai gave the instruction, then left the Inner Courtyard, presumably for his own business.
'The Golden Ape Jade Body Art strengthens my body, and the Ferocious Ape Three Styles enhances my attack power. Even though I haven't broken through in cultivation yet, my combat strength has increased by at least thirty percent.' Su Yan noted his progress, his mind calm as he considered his plan for the coming days.
'I only have about a third of the Bronze Fox Ape meat left. My Poison Skin Powder and Three-Yuan Tonic Soup are also running low. The Golden Ape Jade Body Art consumes a lot of resources. I need to acquire more soon. Also, the matter of refining poisonous elixirs should be prioritized.'
'And I need to help Elder Song and Elder Xu refine the Tendon-Restoring and Meridian-Continuing Pill while I'm here.'
Su Yan retrieved some items from his room, closed the door, and headed straight out of the Inner Courtyard. As a permanent resident of the Inner Courtyard, he didn't need to report his movements to the servants.
Passing through the middle courtyard, Su Yan saw Elder Yi Feng lounging in a rattan chair, watching Li Shun and the others practicing the Golden Ape Jade Body Art.
"What are you looking at? Once you master the Golden Ape Jade Body Art, you can come and go as you please." Elder Yi Feng caught Li Shun and the others stealing glances at Su Yan and immediately scolded them. Li Shun was shocked: 'Only two days? How is that possible? What opportunity did Su Yan find?' Li Shun felt he was no less talented, yet it would take him days just to initiate the art. His jealousy toward Su Yan grew. However, Li Ying and Liu Yinglong simply exchanged glances; they had not offended Su Yan and decided it might be wiser to seek an alliance.
Su Yan greeted Elder Yi Feng and left.
"Disaster! A disaster! The Hundred Herb Hall's herb mountain has been robbed!"
Su Yan had just left the academy and reached the main, bustling street when he heard a sudden rush of people and loud shouts. His expression changed: 'The Hundred Herb Hall is one of the oldest powers in Yun Cang Town—who would dare be so bold?'
He quickly followed the crowd to the main street, where people were gathering near the city gate. Pushing through the onlookers, Su Yan followed their gaze, his pupils constricting, hearing gasps of alarm around him.
"Why are they like that?!"
Hundred Herb Hall guards were escorting carts carrying bodies into the city. White cloth covered the human-shaped forms, clearly indicating the dead. Yamen runners escorted them. Everyone looked grim. Although the corpses were mostly covered, exposed arms and legs were black and swollen, leaking foul-smelling liquid.
'They died from poison, and there are knife wounds...' Su Yan's sharp eyes immediately spotted the anomalies. 'This was clearly premeditated.'
"Disperse! Disperse! Do not spread rumors!"
Chief Constable Xu Guan rode up, his face grim. After a whispered exchange with the guards escorting the bodies, he looked sternly at the onlookers and commanded them to disperse. As the chief law enforcement officer, his authority was absolute. The crowd scattered quickly. Su Yan was among them. Xu Guan glanced at him but was too busy to address him, hurrying with the guards toward the Hundred Herb Hall.
As the procession moved away, small groups gathered to whisper. In a teahouse, a young man in a coarse cloth shirt was excitedly telling his companions: "You don't know the half of it! Their arms look like that! They're like ghouls! When they were found in the mountains, their entire bodies were black and swollen! That was terrifying!"
"Zhao Fu, how do you know? Did you find them?" someone challenged.
Zhao Fu raised his voice, quickly retorting: "I didn't see them myself, but our village's mountain-men did! They were found on the path between the herb mountain and the Inner Mountain, right where you enter Green Stone Village!" He named the locations in detail, convincing the crowd.
A curious person in the teahouse asked: "Who did it?"
"I wouldn't know." Zhao Fu shook his head, unwilling to discuss the topic further.
When he didn't answer, others in the crowd volunteered their own theories: "I bet it was Pang Tianfeng. The wanted posters say he burns, kills, and loots. He escaped all the way to Yun Cang Town—it must be him."
"Alas, Pang Tianfeng hasn't been caught. If he's hiding in the mountains, how are we supposed to earn a living there?"
"Forget going into the mountains; now that a batch of herbs has been stolen, prices will likely rise again..."
The crowd was a mix of worry and concern. Su Yan finished his tea and left the teahouse, his expression grim.
'A single robbery might not cause prices to rise, but if Pang Tianfeng is truly responsible, this unrest won't be a one-time event, and prices will surely increase.' This meant he would need more silver, which was difficult when he needed a large quantity of resources for his crucial martial arts training. Furthermore, if Pang Tianfeng was hiding in the mountains, it posed a direct danger.
'Green Stone Village is still far from Cloud-Front Village; that's some comfort.'
The truth behind the Hundred Herb Hall robbery—whether it was the genuine Pang Tianfeng or another faction exploiting the chaos—was unknown. The ensuing turmoil was the key issue. With the Desolate Mountain hunt imminent, such disturbances would only multiply. For now, all he could do was hold steady. First, he needed to break through to the Tendon-Bone stage quickly. Second, both his Contracted Bugs needed to reach the Mature Stage or beyond.
Su Yan headed straight back to Xu Zhongdao's mansion and called the gate open.
"Where are Elder Xu and Elder Song?"
The servant replied: "They are both in the back courtyard, Young Master."
Su Yan hurried to the back courtyard, where he found Xu Zhongdao and Song Qi seated, drinking tea. Seeing him, Xu Zhongdao spoke directly: "You arrived just in time. You will assist me tomorrow; we are refining the Tendon-Restoring and Meridian-Continuing Pill."