Mountain and Sea Demon Martial Arts, Starting with Vertical Pupils

Chapter 27 The Gatekeeper

"Go to Qingyun Martial Arts School to get medicine?" Zhou Xiaoliang was stunned for a moment and didn't react.

"Yes." Chen Luo nodded. "I heard that the pharmacists at Qingyun Martial Arts Academy can concoct bone-tempering elixirs..."

He briefly explained the situation, leaving Zhou Xiaoliang and the other man speechless.

"How do you plan to ask for the medicine?" Lu Qun couldn't help but ask.

"I haven't decided yet. I plan to figure out how to get into Qingyun Martial Arts School first tomorrow," Chen Luo said.

Actually, it wasn't that he hadn't thought it through; rather, he had pondered it for a long time these past few days, but he really couldn't think of any way to get the medicine, so he decided to take action first.

But these words startled Zhou Xiaoliang and the other man again, and their gazes toward Chen Luo became strange.

"Ah Luo, are you crazy...?" Lu Qun was dumbfounded. "What kind of place is Qingyun Martial Arts School? It's not like our martial arts academy. Let alone how you got in, even if you did get in, how could the pharmacist possibly brew medicine for you?"

"Exactly, A Luo, we need to be careful when we try to seize opportunities. You're being too reckless." Zhou Xiaoliang's tone was full of surprise. "Instructor Li was willing to guide me back then because I was a disciple of the martial arts academy, but you have absolutely no connection with Qingyun Martial Arts School."

"It's alright." Chen Luo smiled. "Qingyun Martial Arts School is located in our Qingshan County, and I am a kind-hearted citizen of Qingshan County who is devoted to martial arts."

Zhou Xiaoliang and Lu Qun exchanged bewildered glances, and when they looked at Chen Luoshi again, their eyes held an even deeper strangeness.

"Alo, I heard you were there when the beast roared in Nanshan last time. Were you traumatized or sick at the time?"

Lu Qun stood up and reached out to touch Chen Luo's forehead, but Chen Luo slapped his hand away impatiently. "Stop talking nonsense, do you two want to go?"

The two, who had initially remarked that opportunities must be earned through one's own efforts, waved their hands repeatedly, shaking their heads like rattles.

"If you're asking me to go so I can also beg for medicine, then I definitely won't go. I'm only at the second level of cultivation now, so having medicine would be useless."

Lu Qun gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind, "But if you're too scared to go and want me to come with you for courage, A Luo, I'll go with you."

"I'm the same as Ah Qun," Zhou Xiaoliang also stated.

"Then forget it." Chen Luo shrugged. He didn't need anyone to embolden him.

If he hadn't known about the existence of the Bone Tempering Elixir from Qingyun Martial Arts School, he would have been fine. But ever since he found out, he's been craving it every day.

If I don't try to fight for it, I'll really feel resentful.

His specific thinking was that there was a high probability that getting the medicine was hopeless, but if he didn't go, then there was definitely no chance.

Anyway, going there once won't cost me anything. What, are you going to beat him up or lock him up in jail?

"Speaking of which, trespassing into the Qingyun Martial Arts School might actually land me in jail..." Chen Luo was actually a little unsure, thinking to himself, "But even if I do end up in jail, I didn't steal or rob anything, so I probably won't be there for long."

In short, in his view, this was definitely a profitable deal.

Thus, the matter was dropped.

The three of them didn't mention the matter again and started drinking and chatting about other things, joking and teasing each other. Despite their drunken revelry, a sense of melancholy lingered in their hearts.

Seeing that Zhou Xiaoliang was about to take up his post at the Mountain Guard, they all knew that Chen Luo and Lu Qun would definitely leave one after another in the future, and it was impossible for them to stay in the Martial Arts Academy for the rest of their lives.

In the future, they will each go their own way in life, either getting married, having children and continuing the family line, or perhaps continuing to climb the path of martial arts.

The days when we practiced martial arts together, encouraging and laughing with each other, are likely to be gone forever.

All three knew this was the outcome, but no one pointed it out. They simply drank one glass after another, toasting and drinking until they were both completely drunk.

Chen Luoshang had left himself some leeway and hadn't actually gotten drunk. Looking at the two people at the table who were completely drunk, he couldn't help but smile.

He suddenly transmigrated to this world, starting as a completely alone orphan. In this strange world, he was actually helpless and alone. It was only thanks to making these two friends that he was not so lonely.

After saying goodbye to Zhou's parents, he did not wake them and left alone under the cover of night.

The next day.

Chen Luo got up, made himself a cup of tea to sober up, and by the time the tea cooled, it was already past 9 AM.

He took a deep breath, slung his bamboo basket over his shoulder, and went out.

Upon arriving in the county, after passing through several narrow streets and alleys, a courtyard came into view.

There was hardly anyone around outside the courtyard. The brick walls of the courtyard were grayish, neither too high nor too low, with some mottled paint, a few strands of ivy climbing on them, and moss.

The entrance is a slightly old black lacquered wooden door, which is wide open. A simple plaque hangs above the door with the words "Qingyun" written on it. The lacquer is calm and does not show any arrogance. If an unsuspecting person were to pass by, they would easily mistake it for the mansion of a slightly larger and more affluent family.

The fact that there was a burly man, nearly six feet tall, standing on each side of the gate as a gatekeeper was what made this courtyard somewhat unusual.

This is the main gate of Qingyun Martial Arts School.

Because it was a feudal society with limited access to information, the Qingyun Martial Arts School was not only considered aloof and unapproachable by the people of Qingshan County, but also carried a certain mystique.

This includes Chen Luo, who also knew very little about the Qingyun Martial Arts School.

All that is known is that Qingyun Martial Arts School is the highest point of martial arts training in Qingshan County, and only those who have mastered the Nine Yang Strength are qualified to enter the school.

If one has reached the pinnacle of the Nine Yang Strength and wishes to make further progress and become an Inner Realm Master, then the only path is to join the Qingyun Martial Arts School.

As for the specific layout of the Qingyun Martial Arts School, why martial artists are allowed to enter the inner realm, and what conditions must be met for those who have mastered the Nine Yang Strength to enter the school... Chen Luo knew nothing about it, and given his current level, there was no need for him to know.

After standing at the entrance of the martial arts school, he looked up at the plaque on the wall and then strode into the courtyard.

Both guards noticed him. The burly man on the right frowned, reached out to stop him, and opened his mouth to say something, but Chen Luo interrupted him.

He turned slightly to the side, gestured to the bamboo basket, and grinned, "Greetings, gentlemen. I'm here from the mountain produce shop to deliver medicine."

The burly man was taken aback. He glanced at the bamboo basket and saw that it contained some golden scorpions, earthworms, Sichuan lovage, salvia miltiorrhiza, snake gallbladders, and snake sloughs.

"Isn't it usually Coptis chinensis that's delivered as medicine?" the burly man asked, puzzled.

"He caught a cold and took leave." Chen Luo smiled and took out some loose silver from his pocket, stuffing it into the big man's hand without saying a word. "I'll be delivering the goods from now on. This is a small token of my appreciation. I hope you two will take good care of me in the future."

After giving some silver to the burly man on the left, he then gave some loose change to the burly man on the right, treating everyone equally.

The two burly men guarding the gate exchanged a glance and tacitly stuffed the loose silver into their pockets.

"Go in," the burly man on the left waved his hand.

"Alright, thank you, sir." Chen Luo's smile widened, and he quickly carried the bamboo basket inside.

"Wait a moment!"

However, after taking only a few steps, the burly man on his right, who had remained silent the whole time, suddenly called out to him.

Chen Luo paused, his heart tightening, but his smile remained unchanged as he turned and asked, "Sir, what's wrong?"

Do you know where Pharmacist Xu is?

"...have no idea."

"If you don't know, why don't you ask!"

"...I was so nervous coming to Qingyun Martial Arts School that I forgot to ask." Chen Luo scratched his head sheepishly.

"I'll only say this once, so remember it." The burly man on the right pointed in a direction and said in a deep voice, "After entering, turn right, walk along the corridor, and turn left at the end. That's the pharmacy. Pharmacist Xu is inside."

"Thank you, sir." Chen Luo grinned.