Chen Anshun had lived for eighty years, and he had some understanding of these matters.
This golden finger was indeed heaven-defying, allowing his martial arts training speed to advance by leaps and bounds, but energy didn't come from nowhere.
It's like a massive furnace; if you want to refine true gold, you must constantly feed it with wood and coal.
And his body was that furnace.
Food and medicinal herbs were the essential fuel.
To quickly restore his strength, he had to spend money!
Fortunately, the salary of the head stablehand at the Zhao Residence was decent, three taels of silver a month. He had no children or family, so he saved up a decent sum over the years by living frugally.
Suppressing the burning hunger in his stomach, Chen Anshun staggered to the fire pit by the bed.
The fire pit was covered with a worn-out straw mat, looking unremarkable.
He lifted the straw mat and fumbled around under the pit, prying open a loose green brick. Reaching in, he pulled out a small wooden box tightly wrapped in oilcloth.
Opening the box, the neatly stacked pieces of silver gleamed enticingly in the dim room.
One hundred and eighty-six taels.
This was the savings of his lifetime, his burial money.
In the past, he would never have touched a single coin of it. But now... what burial money could compare to the importance of living a second life?
Without hesitation, Chen Anshun counted out twenty taels of silver, wrapped them in a piece of rag, and tucked it into his chest.
After doing all this, he locked the door and turned towards the market.
By now, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and there were already a few people in the market.
The butcher's stall had just been set up, with half a slab of bloody beef on the cutting board.
He was sharpening his cleaver with a whetstone.
Seeing Chen Anshun approaching, the butcher looked up, his face full of surprise.
"Master Chen? Hey, this is a rare guest! It's been years since you last came to buy meat from me, hasn't it?"
Since his qi and blood had declined twenty years ago, Chen Anshun's appetite had diminished greatly. He usually made do with some thin porridge and pickled vegetables, and indeed hadn't visited the butcher in a long time.
Chen Anshun forced a smile and shook his head.
"I'm old, and I've come to terms with it. Money, you can't take it with you when you die. At the end of the day, it's better to enjoy some good food. In the future, I might be frequenting your stall more often."
These words were spoken with an open heart, and the butcher couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
"Master Chen, now that's living wisely! Alright, take a look, today's beef is top-notch! Which part would you like?"
"Give me twenty pounds, with a mix of fat and lean."
Twenty pounds of beef cost two taels of silver. The butcher swiftly cut the meat, tied it with straw rope, and handed it to Chen Anshun.
Carrying the heavy beef, Chen Anshun headed to the herbal shop on the south side of the market.
"Shopkeeper, give me a dose of Qi Replenishing Powder."
The shopkeeper was a lean old man with a goatee, weighing herbs with a small scale. He lifted his eyelids at the request.
"Ten taels of silver per dose, no credit."
"I know."
Chen Anshun decisively slapped ten taels of silver onto the counter.
This Qi Replenishing Powder was said to be a recipe from the Imperial Capital. Its authenticity was unknown, but its efficacy was undeniably potent.
Ordinary third-rate martial artists would have to carefully divide a dose into several parts, taking months to fully absorb the medicinal power.
Naturally, the price was not cheap.
With the beef and the powder, Chen Anshun hurried back to his thatched hut.
He set up a pot, threw in all twenty pounds of beef, and then opened the package of Qi Replenishing Powder, pouring all the medicinal powder into the pot.
Soon, a rich aroma of meat mixed with the scent of herbs wafted from the cracks of the thatched hut, reaching the nearby stables.
Tian Yang and Xiaochen, who had just approached the stables, stopped in their tracks, sniffing the air.
"What is that smell? Such fragrant meat!"
Xiaochen, a straightforward sixteen or seventeen-year-old, spoke his mind, "Is it coming from Master Chen's place? When did Master Chen become so willing to eat meat?"
Both of them were stablehands, and in their memory, the head stablehand was more frugal than anyone.
Tian Yang had just returned with the Third Young Master on horseback. In his early twenties, with shifty eyes, he chuckled at the remark:
"Maybe he's nearing the end and wants to enjoy a good meal before he goes."
Hearing this, Xiaochen quickly spat a few times.
"Brother Tian Yang, don't talk nonsense! Master Chen has been good to us; it's better if he lives a few more years."
At these words, Tian Yang's face darkened instantly.
Good to you? I sure as hell don't!
An old man on the brink of death, holding onto the head stablehand position, taking three taels of silver every month for nothing. If he died sooner, with the Third Young Master's support, wouldn't that position be mine?
Just then, the wooden door of the thatched hut creaked open.
Chen Anshun stepped out.
The two instinctively looked over, both taken aback.
The Chen Anshun before them seemed to stand a bit straighter, no longer hunched as before. His steps were more stable, carrying an indescribable sense of strength.
That appearance reminded them of the Master Chen from ten years ago, who could carry nine hundred pounds of fodder.
Xiaochen gaped in shock.
"Master Chen... are you having a final burst of energy?"
Chen Anshun shot him an annoyed glance, his voice full of vigor as he scolded, "Final burst, my foot! I'm not dying anytime soon! What are you standing around for? Hurry up and brush the horses, give them a walk, and let them get some air!"
The familiar yet unfamiliar reprimand sent a shiver down their spines, and they instinctively bowed and hurried off to work.
Tian Yang ran a few steps but couldn't help turning back, staring intently at Chen Anshun's back.
Something was off, very off.
His mind was in turmoil, unable to suppress a nagging thought.
"Strange, the arsenic I put in last night's dinner was enough to kill a cow. How is it that this old man ate it, and not only didn't die, but looks even more vigorous?"