Zhong Lin didn't know how effective the elixirs were, but one effect had already manifested.
The feeling of spending money while in pain was something Zhong Lin hadn't experienced for a long time.
The Bone Strengthening Pills weren't needed at the moment, so Zhong Lin bought five Blood Replenishing Pills, which cost fifty silver taels.
Even though Zhong Lin's income from painting was high, his daily expenses were substantial too! The daily meat consumption for him and his brother, and the Eight Treasures Blood Building Soup he bought for martial arts practice, were the major expenditures. These fifty taels almost emptied his pocket.
If the doctor hadn't directed him there and gained his trust, he wouldn't have bought them at all.
He carefully placed the bottle of Blood Replenishing Pills into his chest pocket, fearing it might get damaged.
Zhong Lin's mind stirred, and he quietly asked, "Is the elixir recipe for sale?"
The owner of the ghost-face mask silently glanced at Zhong Lin and finally uttered two words.
With his money spent, there was no reason to linger at the black market. After wandering around for a bit, he turned and left.
As he was leaving the black market, a burly man with a full beard suddenly said, "Once you're out of the black market, your safety is not guaranteed."
Zhong Lin paused for a moment, thanked him softly, and quickly walked away.
"It seems someone really followed me."
With the corner of his eyes, Zhong Lin glanced back and vaguely noticed a shadow flickering in the forest behind.
The dangers of the black market had been repeatedly emphasized by Lao Zhou, who even strongly advised him not to go. The burly man with the beard deliberately warned him as he left. How could Zhong Lin ignore it?
He underestimated the dangers of the black market. No matter how he detoured and hid, he was still pursued.
Killing intent flashed across Zhong Lin's face as he pretended to speed up in a panic.
"Trying to run? Stop him."
The forest behind him shook, and three figures suddenly leaped out.
Leading them was a man with triangular eyes and a big nose, carrying a Ghost Head Blade at his waist.
Following him on either side were two burly men, with vicious expressions that revealed they weren't easy to deal with.
Turning a corner, the three suddenly found that Zhong Lin had vanished ahead of them.
As he was puzzled, a sharp whistling sound came from afar.
The triangular-eyed man changed his expression dramatically and lunged forward, shouting, "Get down."
Unfortunately, he was a step too late. The burly man on his left only saw a flash of cold light approaching at lightning speed, followed by a hot sensation in his chest.
Instinctively looking down, he saw a feathered arrow constantly trembling in his chest.
"Such... a fast arrow."
With that, he died, falling to the ground with a thud.
The triangular-eyed man roared in anger, his eyes almost popping out.
After entering the martial arts realm, Zhong Lin replaced his bow with a stronger Iron Core Bow, inlaid with metal strips on the back to increase range and power, easily shooting people through.
Another whistling sound came, frightening the remaining two men. One hid behind a rock, while the other took cover behind a tree.
With a scream, the man hiding behind the tree still got an arrow in the thigh, screamed, and fell to the ground.
"Boss, this arrow curves..."
Before he could finish speaking, his head, exposed from falling, was pierced by another arrow shot sometime before.
Full Level Bow Skill·Curved Shot
In modern society, bullets follow a parabolic trajectory, let alone underpowered arrows. With certain skills, arrows could be made to curve.
Witnessing his two brothers fall without even seeing the enemy, the triangular-eyed man was thrown into chaos, shouting angrily, "Come out, come out, you coward. If you have the guts, face me one-on-one, come out!"
Hearing the triangular-eyed man's shout, Zhong Lin indeed emerged from the darkness, tossing aside his bow and arrow.
Seeing Zhong Lin actually come out, tossing his bow away, the triangular-eyed man was overjoyed, rushing at Zhong Lin with his Ghost Head Blade, bringing it down with immense force.
Zhong Lin didn't retreat but advanced, sidestepping to dodge the blade and kicked forward with tremendous power, aiming straight for the man's heart.
The triangular-eyed man was stunned. Pressing his legs down, he shifted to a horse stance, slashing horizontally at Zhong Lin's waist with the Ghost Head Blade.
Zhong Lin kicked the triangular-eyed man in the chest, using his power skillfully, retreating several steps to avoid the blade's edge.
"Sure enough, he has practiced martial arts with much more combat experience than I do, as I expected, an ordinary person."
Zhong Lin hadn't killed him because he wanted to use him as a sparring partner.
From the moment Zhong Lin's first arrow made the triangular-eyed man duck, he knew the man was ordinary and not within the martial arts realm.
True martial artists, once entering the realm, are like wearing armor, their skin tough as leather, unfazed by arrows. They typically only shield their eyes when facing arrows, not dive prone man.
This was why Zhong Lin didn't kill him. If he had been a martial artist, he would've simply kited him to death.
Feeling suffocated in his chest, his heart pounding, the triangular-eyed man thought, "Such strength, but what an idiot to throw away the bow and arrow."
He wasn't unfamiliar with people stronger than him. Confident in winning with his ferocity and combat experience.
The triangular-eyed man didn't stop, raising the Ghost Head Blade and lunging at Zhong Lin again, vicious like a tiger released from its cage.
Zhong Lin didn't back down, moving swiftly, closing in.
The Ghost Head Blade slashed diagonally downward, locking Zhong Lin's escape routes.
Zhong Lin paused, stepping forward, his body like willow catkins, gliding past the blade, closing in on the triangular-eyed man.
"How is this possible?"
Though filled with disbelief, he reached for his waist, producing a dagger that sliced across Zhong Lin's belly like a swallow skimming the water.
The dagger tore through clothing, cutting Zhong Lin's skin. But the sound from the skin shocked the triangular-eyed man with fear.
"Skin like leather, a martial artist within the realm."
Zhong Lin raised his arm, suddenly producing a short blade in his empty right hand, gently slicing the man's neck.
Blood sprayed like snowflakes, the triangular-eyed man clutching his neck and collapsing with a thud.
Zhong Lin looked down at his sliced clothes, revealing skin with just a red mark.
"Even an ordinary person outside the realm forced me to such lengths. Killing Chi Yan that day was indeed mere luck!" Zhong Lin sighed.