Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

”So, Brother Chen, by saving the Fishing Village, you saved me, Zhou Yonglu. Please, you must accept this reward.”

Seeing that Chen Cheng still hadn’t responded, Zhou Yonglu took another half step forward, his voice tinged with urgency.

”Also, after I returned that day, I told my father and grandfather about your heroic deed of slaying the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel...”

”They couldn’t stop singing your praises. They repeatedly ordered me to befriend you properly and not to be stingy with money, lest I disappoint you!”

Zhou Yonglu’s gaze hardened, and his tone grew heavy. He clasped his fists and bowed, his waist bent low as he spoke, almost word by word:

”This humble token of my appreciation—I, Yonglu, implore you to accept it, Brother Chen!”

He remained in his bow, motionless, his attitude one of utmost sincerity.

”How about this...”

Chen Cheng said after a moment of thought,

”You should take the Silver Notes back. Just send me some good Treasure Fish later when you have them.”

”...Alright! I’ll do as you say, Brother Chen!”

Zhou Yonglu let out a long breath of relief, finally straightening up and putting the Silver Notes away.

”Have the bodies been dealt with? They won’t cause any trouble for me, will they?” Chen Cheng changed the subject.

”They won’t!”

Zhou Yonglu and Wu Ziyu exchanged a glance, and in the end, it was Zhou Yonglu who spoke.

”After the Wu Family dissected the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel, they pulled three bodies from its stomach. Although partially digested, they were still identifiable as Ruan Jinzhong, Wang Han, and Qi Yan.”

”Their families have all come to claim the bodies and have signed and stamped the forensic doctor’s autopsy report. They fully accept that the three were killed by the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel and will absolutely not involve you in the slightest, Brother Chen.”

Zhou Yonglu paused, then added,

”As for the two brothers from the Cai Family, I gave their parents a sum of pension silver, enough for them to live on in their old age.”

”That’s good.”

Chen Cheng nodded and said no more.

This was the best possible conclusion for him. Only by eliminating any future trouble could he focus on his cultivation in peace.

”However...”

Zhou Yonglu hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice,

”When the Ruan Family was signing the papers, Ruan Jinzhong’s grandson caused a huge scene... It’s not that he didn’t accept the autopsy report, he just insisted that his grandfather had a claim to the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel.”

”I’ve already given him a pension, but I’m afraid... I’m just afraid he’ll come looking for you later, Brother Chen, and cause unreasonable trouble...”

”What’s his background?” Chen Cheng asked.

”He has no background.”

Zhou Yonglu said,

”I had someone look into him specifically. The kid trained in martial arts with Ruan Jinzhong for a few years, but he just doesn’t have what it takes. He hit his limit at the second incense of Blood Qi and has never improved since.”

”Later, Ruan Jinzhong gave him money to start a few businesses, but he lost everything every single time. In the end, he was told to just do nothing and waste his days away eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling.”

”In short, the guy has no real skills, just a bunch of good-for-nothing friends, none of whom are of any use... If he comes to make trouble, he definitely can’t hurt you, Brother Chen, but he’ll be disgusting...”

As Zhou Yonglu spoke, unconcealed disdain showed in his eyes.

Chen Cheng didn’t reply, simply making a mental note of it.

Seeing that Chen Cheng had no interest in discussing it further, Zhou Yonglu put away the Silver Notes and sat back down in his chair.

「Afterward.」

Wu Ziyu pointed to the five large wooden chests stacked neatly in the front courtyard and said,

”Brother Chen, I’ve already processed all the essence meat from the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel into dried meat for you. I used a secret recipe, supplemented with numerous medicinal herbs. Its effect on strengthening the physique is in no way inferior to Exotic Tiger Dried Meat.”

”There are five large chests, each containing a hundred small boxes, making it convenient for you to take one box at a time. The rest can be stored long-term in a cool, dry place.”

”Thank you.”

Chen Cheng nodded.

He had given the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel directly to Wu Ziyu that day and asked for her help in processing it. He hadn’t expected her to be so efficient, finishing the job in just a few days.

Now, Chen Cheng was no longer lacking in resources for strengthening his physique.

Even though his intake of strengthening resources would gradually increase as his physique grew stronger, these five large chests would definitely last him for a year or a year and a half without a problem.

Moreover, this Treasure Fish Dried Meat, comparable to Exotic Tiger Essence Meat, was essentially hard currency. If Chen Cheng ever needed money, he could take out a few boxes and immediately exchange them for silver.

This was also why he had refused Zhou Yonglu’s Silver Notes.

Slaying the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel this time could absolutely be called a windfall.

”Additionally...”

Wu Ziyu then pointed to the eight large jars being moved into the front courtyard and explained softly,

”Those jars are filled with ’Iron Bone Antitoxic Ointment.’ It’s made by grinding the bones and scales of the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel into a powder, then melting down its eyes, marrow, and oil. Everything is mixed together and combined with specific medicinal herbs to create the ointment.”

”Applying a small amount to your body daily can increase your Physique Poison Resistance and also has a certain strengthening effect. The key thing is, this Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel had been evolving into a Treasure Fish for at least twenty to thirty years, so the enhancement effect should be even better than expected.”

”Thank you.”

Chen Cheng thanked Wu Ziyu again.

The Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel was abnormally large. If not for Wu Ziyu’s help, Chen Cheng would have been completely unable to process it himself, at least not in a short amount of time.

By entrusting everything to Wu Ziyu, Chen Cheng not only saved himself the trouble, but her extreme efficiency allowed him to enjoy the fruits of his harvest in just a few short days.

”Why the need for ’thank yous’ between us?”

Wu Ziyu waved her hand, not caring about Chen Cheng’s verbal thanks.

What she cared about was the satisfaction and approval she saw in Chen Cheng’s eyes. It was as if his happiness was her own.

Whether he thanked her or not wasn’t important.

”I also told my father and my grandfather about what happened that day.”