Chapter 18

The red sun rises in the east, and the morning light breaks the dawn.

The not-so-warm sunlight finally brings a hint of warmth to the earth.

Qingzhou is located in the northwest, where summers are extremely hot and winters are extremely cold. However, it is now just past early autumn, and the weather has suddenly turned cold.

On the streets of Black Mountain City, there are far fewer pedestrians, but the number of street vendors has not decreased; rather, it has increased.

At this time of year, the best business is done by the charcoal sellers pushing their wooden carts and calling out along the streets.

These are villagers from nearby settlements who have prepared charcoal for several months to exchange for necessary supplies in the city.

“Cough, cough~”

A bent old man, dressed in a thin, tattered garment, was sorting through the charcoal when he suddenly noticed it had become quieter. He coughed and looked up.

He saw several emaciated men supporting each other as they walked over. The leader had a scruffy beard, sunken eyes, and looked like a consumptive.

“You, you…”

The old charcoal seller’s body trembled, and his wrinkled face showed a bitter expression. He stammered and handed over the copper coins stained with soot:

“Sirs, sirs, this old man only has this much…”

“Who, who wants your money?”

The scruffy man, upon seeing the copper coins, stepped back as if electrocuted.

He was too weak, and this sudden movement left him gasping for breath for a while before he recovered.

Amid the astonished gazes of the passersby, he gritted his teeth and handed over a piece of silver:

“Buy, buy charcoal! I’ll take this whole cart…”

The old man was stunned, and the other charcoal buyers and sellers were equally shocked.

It wasn’t until the old man pushed his cart away that the crowd began to chatter.

“Isn’t that the ruffians from the Viper Gang? What, have they changed their ways?”

Someone was greatly surprised.

Another person, who knew the situation, gloated: “It’s said that these scoundrels have offended someone they shouldn’t have. For the past three months, no matter where they go, they get beaten up.”

“Ah? They are from the Viper Gang, who dares to beat them? The Viper Gang, unmanaged?”

The person was even more surprised.

The Viper Gang was originally a small gang in the outer city. It rose quickly after aligning with the Wang family in the inner city, becoming the dominant force on North Street.

They were extremely greedy and cruel; who would dare to offend them?

“Managed? How can they manage?”

Someone sneered: “They are just a few street ruffians. Can the Viper Gang guard them every day?”

“Moreover, being beaten to this state, how can the Viper Gang still want them?”

The crowd continued to discuss, and many felt a great sense of satisfaction.

This group had wreaked havoc on North Street, and the authorities had caught and released them several times. Many people wished they would die immediately.

Seeing them in this state, it naturally felt like a great relief.

“These few people seem familiar, as if they used to collect monthly fees from the teahouse?”

On the third floor of the tavern, Li Er yi retracted his gaze and looked at Yang Yu, who was eating and drinking by himself. His eyelids couldn’t help but twitch.

Compared to two months ago, Yang Yu had grown at least half a head taller. Although he was still somewhat thin, he was very fit.

His physique was well-proportioned, and he was full of energy.

If not for seeing his transformation, Li Er yi wouldn’t believe that the person in front of him was the same frail boy.

A thought flashed through his mind, and seeing the food on the table about to be finished, Li Er yi hurriedly reached out to grab it:

“Your appetite, how has it gotten so big? One meal is probably as much as I eat in three to five days!”

“Huff!”

Yang Yu finished the remaining steamed bun dipped in soup, patted his stomach, and looked satisfied:

“It’s only when eating with you that I feel the most comfortable.”

“Pah!”

At this, Li Er yi jumped up, his anger flaring:

“You, you have a face as thick as a city wall. The money you’ve earned in the past two months is probably more than mine, and you still come to me for free meals!”

Li Er yi puffed out his cheeks and glared.

Two months ago, when they signed the agreement, this boy proposed that if the daily income, after deducting necessary costs, did not exceed one tael, he would take nothing.

At that time, he naturally agreed without hesitation.

Now, thinking about it, he felt it was a huge loss.

But he couldn’t help but admire this boy. He knew that before, the boy would visit three places a day, perform six times, and earn at most eight or nine silver coins.

How could he dare to make such a bet?

“How the money is divided, you agreed to it.”

Yang Yu slowly sipped his tea and said:

“I spend money much more freely than you. This time, I want to advance a year’s worth of silver.”

“What, the second half of the year?”

Li Er yi was first stunned, then, realizing what was happening, his hands moved so fast they left a blur:

“Do you think my money is all mine? Do you know how many people I have to bribe? How much silver I have to spend?! You’ve already advanced half a year, and you want to advance another year?!”

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

“Don’t rush to refuse.”

After two months of interaction, Yang Yu naturally knew his reaction. Without saying more, he directly threw down a document:

“Sign this document, and all future earnings will be yours!”

“Huh?!”

Li Er yi was shocked, carefully read the document, and looked serious and stunned:

“You’re going to ‘change your blood’?!”

Teasing Yang Yu about his big appetite was just a habit.

He naturally knew that Yang Yu spent money like water and had been taking medicinal baths, with visible progress.

But it was still hard to believe.

Although he only had some basic skills and relied on hidden arrows and weapons to survive, he knew a lot about ‘changing blood.’

For ordinary people, even if it was successful and everything went smoothly, it would take at least half a year, and sometimes a whole year.

This boy, was he actually a martial arts genius?!

“Indeed.”

Yang Yu nodded, with hope and longing in his eyes.

In the past two months, he had discussed story scripts with Li Er yi in the early morning, trained his body and practiced swordsmanship during the day, and soaked in medicinal baths in the evening, while also practicing swordsmanship.

Except for occasionally going out to beat up the ruffians from the Viper Gang, he had no other entertainment or leisure activities.

His hard training had not been in vain.

On the 99th day of his medicinal baths, which was yesterday, he finally felt the opportunity to ‘change his blood.’

He was just one step away from ‘changing his blood.’

“I, I…”

Li Er yi paced back and forth, wanting to refuse but unable to let go of the document. After pacing for dozens of steps, he finally sat down, breathing heavily.

With a pained expression, he took out the last of his silver notes and silver pieces, signed his name, and then collapsed into the chair, exhausted.

Before coming to Black Mountain City, he never imagined that he would end up using his last savings, which he had intended just to earn some travel money.

“Thank you, Old Li!”

Yang Yu sincerely thanked him and reached for the silver notes.

Li Er yi tightly pressed down: “You, you leave me some?”

Plop!

Yang Yu lightly pressed his fingers on the table, and Li Er yi jumped up as if electrocuted.

“My money~~”

Li Er yi groaned, unable to bear to look.

“Leaving, leaving.”

Listening to the footsteps gradually fade away, Li Er yi sighed and looked at his back:

“I hope you succeed…”

“Huh?”

After a long while, Li Er yi finally recovered from the pain of losing his silver. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a pile of messy yellow paper on the table.

“Is there more of the Water Margin story?”

Li Er yi was surprised, unable to resist his curiosity, and read aloud:

“Ximen Qing warmly unites ten brothers, Wu Er coldly meets his brother and sister-in-law…”