327 A Celebration
Qin Huai had just stepped off the boat when Wen Zonghao’s order quickly spread to every corner of the Blood Poison Gang.
“Congratulations, Fifth Master!” Zhou Cunzhong exclaimed, his face flushed. “You have successfully become the chief shopkeeper of our Blood Poison Gang’s pharmacy.”
The title of pharmacy manager might not seem like much, but its significance varied depending on the gang. In an ordinary sect, this position would be merely a profitable one. However, the Blood Poison Gang relied on poison for their cultivation and the foundation of their sect.
The cultivation of the poison king technique required numerous medicinal herbs, as did their travels and killings in the martial world. Thus, controlling the Blood Poison Gang’s pharmacy was tantamount to controlling the gang’s cultivation. Everyone in the Blood Poison Gang considered the head shopkeeper of the pharmacy as a stand-in gang leader, occupying a position of power within the gang.
“This is all thanks to Foster Father’s love,” Qin Huai said with a bright smile, patting Zhou Cunzhong’s shoulder. “Tonight, we’ll go to the best restaurant in the city to celebrate!”
“Alright!” Zhou Cunzhong’s excitement made his footsteps light, as if he were the one who had become the head shopkeeper of the pharmacy. However, his expression quickly turned serious.
“But Fifth Master, you must be cautious,” he warned. “Now that you’ve become the pharmacy’s shopkeeper, your position is extremely important. In the past few decades, none of the leader’s four adopted sons have ever held this position.”
Zhou Cunzhong forced himself to calm down. This new identity came with great benefits and status, but also significant risks.
“Not only First Master, but I’m afraid Second Master and Third Master won’t let this go either,” he continued. “Although the three masters are not as youthful and vigorous as the Fourth Master, who has already gone into seclusion and cultivated five full patterns and the king’s force, they have been at the peak of fifth-level bone pattern realm for decades. Their strength is not something an ordinary fifth-level bone pattern realm expert can compare to.
“Between the fifth-level bone pattern realm and the fifth-level bone pattern realm with five full patterns… The difference is as vast as mountains and seas,” Zhou Cunzhong added, cautioning Qin Huai.
“I’m considering tonight’s feast. Perhaps we should not indulge?” Zhou Cunzhong hesitated.
“Not indulge?” Qin Huai’s voice suddenly rose. “We have to celebrate! Not only do I want to feast, but I want to enjoy it to the fullest! Call over all the brothers who have contributed to the war!”
“If I don’t enjoy this meal, how will outsiders view me? How am I going to survive in the future?” he continued. “The place is set at Flower Brewing Restaurant. Book it for three days!”
Qin Huai’s face was flushed red as if he had been humiliated.
“Alright. Alright,” Zhou Cunzhong agreed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “I’ll make the arrangements now.”
With that, Zhou Cunzhong jogged out to organize the celebration.
Qin Huai watched Zhou Cunzhong’s departing figure, and the redness and anger on his face vanished without a trace. He looked into the distance with a calm expression.
“I wonder if the thousand-year-old turtle can still keep its cool this time,” Qin Huai mused as he walked into the courtyard and ground the medicine he had spent more than 200,000 taels of gold on into poison.
…
After autumn, the dock’s weather was consistently poor—either foggy or heavily raining—which slowed down the receiving and delivering of goods.
Today was even worse: a rare combination of hail and heavy fog.
In the thick fog, where ordinary people couldn’t even see their fingers, hailstones fell from the sky like ice blades. However, this terrible weather couldn’t affect the famous Flower Brewing Restaurant in the outer city. Various fine wines were placed on expensive wooden tables.
Because the martial artists of the Blood Poison Gang had abnormal cultivation practices, their daily habits were also quite unusual. They often smeared poison on women, which, while not fatal, would cause unbearable pain for several hours. Some even lost consciousness.
“Lady Yue, can’t you find any more girls who can play with us?” a drunken Blood Poison Gang member teased the brothel madam, who was standing in the corner.
The madam smiled bitterly, explaining, “Sirs, it’s not that there are no girls… No one dares to come because they all have delicate bodies and are not used to rough treatment…”
Bang!
A heavy bag of silver fell to the ground, cutting off the madam’s complaints. “Master, wait a moment. I’ll call the girls over right away…”
After that, laughter erupted in the restaurant.
In the private room, Qin Huai gulped down his wine, his eyes slightly dazed. “Today, Foster Father has entrusted me with an important task and announced that I will temporarily take over as the head shopkeeper of the Blood Poison Gang’s pharmacy. It is all thanks to everyone’s help that I can advance so much,” he said, his face flushed red. Sitting beside him were Zhou Cunzhong and two bone pattern realm experts with keen eyesight.
“Fifth Master is too serious!” Zhou Cunzhong immediately raised his cup. “If it weren’t for your bravery and wisdom, Fifth Master, we would still be unremarkable leaders. In the end, it’s all thanks to you.”
“That’s right, that’s right!” the two people beside him chimed in, standing up and toasting Qin Huai.