5: Injury recovery

For the next three days, Qin Feng strictly followed Doctor Chu's instructions, taking and applying medicine, staying indoors, and resting peacefully. The meat buns and flatbreads provided by Auntie Li solved his food problem, allowing him to focus entirely on recovery.

During this time, he curiously took out the bottle of qi and blood pill to examine it. The Medicinal Pills were dark red, and the medicinal scent carried a vigorous, bloody aroma, clearly indicating their potency was not weak. He hesitated repeatedly but ultimately dared not take them lightly. “All medicine is three parts poison,” let alone a Medicinal Pill of unknown origin and uncertain efficacy like this. His internal injuries had not healed, and his body was too weak for tonics; if he developed complications, the loss would outweigh the gain. He recorked the porcelain bottle, hid it with the remaining gold coins, and decided to wait until his injuries were completely healed or until he could find someone to clarify the specific effects of the Medicinal Pill.

Every night at the zi hour, the System intelligence refreshed on time as usual.

But the results left Qin Feng feeling somewhat exasperated, even slightly irritable.

[(White) The old sow raised by Butcher Zhang in the west of the city gave birth to thirteen piglets in one litter, breaking the record for Star South City.]

[(White) Zhao Laosi, a dock laborer, got heavily drunk at a tavern last night and fell into a drainage ditch on his way home, breaking three ribs.]

[(White) In the residence of Rich Merchant Master Zhou in the south of the city, the maid Xiaocui and the butler are having a secret affair and met privately in the backyard last night.]

[(White) Qian Youcai, the owner of the cloth shop on East Street, secretly snuck into the White Spring Brothel yesterday at noon for pleasure, but fled in a panic half an hour later, fearing his fierce wife.]

...For three consecutive days, nine pieces of information were all trivial gossip and domestic squabbles like these!

Where is the money? Where are the martial arts Secret Manuals? Even another Opportunity like the qi and blood pill would be great!

Qin Feng looked at the worthless white intelligence reports and could only sigh helplessly. Sure enough, this System didn't dispense good things every time; most of the time it seemed to be this kind of “junk information.” Wasting nine opportunities made his heart ache quite a bit.

However, the only good news was that Doctor Chu's medical skills were truly superb. After three days of drinking the medicine and applying the external ointment, the bruises on his chest and abdomen had almost completely dissipated. The lingering cold, stagnant feeling had entirely vanished, his breathing became incredibly smooth, and his whole body felt much lighter. He even felt his strength was slightly more abundant than before the injury.

His heart stirred, and he opened the Character Interface again.

[Name: Qin Feng]

[Age: 16 years old]

[Rank: Mortal]

[Status: Internal Injury (Rank 1) (Currently recovering, expected to fully heal within five days)]

[Notes: Recovery status is good.]

As expected!

It had changed from “Internal Injury Rank 2” to “Rank 1,” and it was noted as “Currently recovering.” Doctor Chu said it would resolve seventy to eighty percent in three days, and it was true! This effect far exceeded his expectations.

“As expected of the methods originating from Medicine King Valley...” Qin Feng muttered to himself. Although he didn't know exactly what kind of power Medicine King Valley was, seeing a leopard through a tube gave him a glimpse. If a runaway Outer Sect Disciple possessed such medical skill, its foundation must be unfathomable. Those three gold coins were absolutely worth the expenditure!

He felt genuine gratitude and a desire to connect with Doctor Chu, the white-bearded old Daoist. A person of this caliber, even in hiding, was certainly no ordinary being.

With his injuries mostly healed and his movement unimpaired, Qin Feng's mind immediately became active. The plan that had been forcibly shelved due to his injury resurfaced in his thoughts.

The Silver-White Small Sword—"seemingly Mortal yet not Mortal, seemingly Treasure Trove yet not Treasure Trove"—pointed out by the golden intelligence report, located in the Mountain God Temple north of the city!

Before, he was willing but unable; now that his injury was seventy to eighty percent healed, it was time to retrieve this “Opportunity” that belonged to him!

He glanced out the window. It was still early; the glow of the setting sun painted the horizon orange-red. The Mountain God Temple would likely be even gloomier and harder to navigate at night, so it was better to leave immediately before dark.

He took a deep breath, feeling power surging within him. He properly secured the hidden gold coins and the qi and blood pill, only taking the rusty dagger for self-defense, and tucked a few flatbreads given by Auntie Li into his clothes.

Pushing open the door, the evening breeze brushed his face, carrying the warmth of a summer twilight. Qin Feng's gaze was firm as he prepared to stride quickly toward the north of the city.

This time, he was going to claim the first “Treasure Trove” that might change his destiny.