Chapter 103: City Lockdown, Complete Iron Shirt, Visceral Reformation Cultivation Realm

Chapter 103: City Lockdown, Complete Iron Shirt, Visceral Reformation Cultivation Realm

Su Chen’s sudden request for Boiling Blood Powder from the Deaf-Mute Man stemmed from witnessing its potency firsthand. He reasoned that if the Progress Panel required it later, he’d be better off preparing it himself. After all, Boiling Blood Powder far surpassed Vital Energy Powder in power—taking the latter would be a wasted effort.

The Deaf-Mute Man froze at Su Chen’s request, then fell into thought. Though mute, he could read lips, and Su Chen’s meaning was clear.

Su Chen didn’t rush him. Seeing the man’s hesitation, he assumed reluctance and, without pressing further, turned to leave.

“Ahh!” The Deaf-Mute Man suddenly grabbed his arm, halting him. Producing paper and ink from his robe, he began writing rapidly in front of Su Chen.

Moments later, he handed over a complete prescription. Su Chen accepted it with a nod. “Thank you. One last warning—leave White Stone City as soon as possible.”

With that, he tucked the prescription away and departed.

Before the city authorities could react, Su Chen hurried home, gathering herbs and silver taels before attempting to flee the city.

“Hya! Hya!”

Hong Yue’s army thundered into the city along the main road, their black banners rippling like storm clouds.

“Seal the gates! No one enters or leaves!” Hong Yue barked. Hooves clattered across stone, reigniting tension in White Stone City. The relaxed atmosphere dissolved instantly.

Those with keen eyes noted the grim aura surrounding the troops, a suffocating dread settling over the city like a dark cloud. Gasps erupted when they spotted corpses of imperial guards among the captives—bodies that sent shivers down spines.

Who dared slaughter so many imperial guards? Observers stiffened, realizing the city’s fate had shifted.

Su Chen, still within the city, watched Hong Family soldiers march in, his expression darkening. “This army must be linked to Tao Dingfang. They likely found his corpse en route here. Now the city’s locked down—it’ll be chaos. Escaping won’t be easy once they fortify the gates.”

After the troops vanished into the streets, Su Chen slipped away, plotting his next move.

Inside the County Courthouse, Hong Yue’s fury was palpable. He’d returned Tao Dingfang and Ironclad Legion’s corpses without revealing them. Now, glaring at the trembling County Clerk, he demanded, “Explain! Why did Tao Dingfang and Tao Wenxuan die outside these walls?”

His voice cut like ice. The clerk stammered through the tale of imperial guards’ failed mission. Hong Yue’s fist slammed the table. “Ridiculous! Over a hundred imperial guards and thirty Ironclad Legion soldiers—killed by a mere Vital Force Cultivator? Are you mocking me?”

The clerk paled. “My lord, I swear—”

Silence hung thick as death. Hours later, Hong Yue growled, “Find him. If he’s still here, execute his entire clan. If he fled, arrest everyone connected to him.”

The clerk nodded, drenched in cold sweat.

That night, White Stone City erupted into chaos. Imperial guards stormed homes, interrogating and seizing suspects. Su Chen watched his own house ransacked before vanishing into the shadows.

Hong Family’s forces turned the city upside down. Su Chen, meanwhile, took refuge in an abandoned mansion, evading patrols. At dawn, he disguised himself as an old man, navigated deserted streets for breakfast, then returned to his hideout.

Unable to flee, he retrieved the Spirit Head Technique. Prepared for its demands, he finished reading it in a single sitting.

Forty-nine movements. Deceptively simple—until he tried them. Even with his strength, he managed only thirty-six unaided, requiring a Vital Force boost to complete all.

The Progress Panel updated:

Martial Arts: Spirit Head Technique (Initiation 1%)
Easy Mode: Spirit Head Technique (0/500 Silver Taels)

Without hesitation, he activated Gold-Fueled Enhancement. An hour later, completing 500 head shakes—Minor Mastery, Major Mastery, Perfection, then Limit.

Immediate results: enhanced mental defense (though not yet rivaling Iron Shirt) and sharpened senses. Sounds and scents magnified, the world suddenly vivid.

Outside, footsteps echoed.

“Damn it, this city’s gone mad.”
“First the medicine gang, now this—locking down over some dead guards?”
“Bastards arrest anyone who looks suspicious. When will this hell end?”

A trio of beggars grumbled into the courtyard. Su Chen sighed—they’d chosen this mansion for shelter, disrupting his plans to refine medicine tonight.

But his priority had shifted. Completing Spirit Head Technique’s Limit triggered Iron Shirt’s evolution—requiring twenty Boiling Blood Powder doses.

He reviewed his resources: 12,353 silver taels, nine gold ingots, and 120 Red Bloodgrass stalks (saved after past shortages).

Calculating: Each Red Bloodgrass yielded three attempts. At 50% success, 180 Unnamed Medicine doses—easily surpassing the 100 needed for twenty Boiling Blood Powder.

The problem? Other herbs were scarce—medicine shops closed after the Medicine Gang’s collapse.

Still, Boiling Blood Powder’s formula seemed simpler than Vital Energy Powder’s. He committed it to memory, noting its heavier Red Bloodgrass demand.

Deaf-Mute Man’s rushed notes would mean trial-and-error, but Su Chen’s resolve hardened.

“Never mind. I’ll go out this afternoon to check. If I can buy everything, that’s best.”

After the beggars left, Su Chen organized the items and departed the ruined house.

On the streets, few shops remained open—most had already shut down, let alone apothecaries or herbal dispensaries.

Su Chen walked all the way to the Inner District before spotting an open pharmacy. He entered and purchased some medicinal herbs.

After scouting nearby, he found two or three open apothecaries in the Inner District and formulated a plan. Since he needed to buy large quantities, he used three different disguises, purchasing massive batches from each shop. He then concealed the herbs and switched identities again to acquire other ingredients.

This time, he focused on the ingredients for Boiling Blood Powder. After only four disguises, he gathered all the required herbs.

He transported the herbs in batches back to the ruined house. During this time, he even returned home to retrieve ceramic pots for decocting medicine before heading back.

However, upon his return, he nearly encountered the beggars again. They had spent the entire day fruitlessly searching and returned to the ruined house to rest. Realizing they might stay there for a while, Su Chen decisively decided to “move out.”

Packing everything discreetly, he left the ruined house and quickly found an unoccupied courtyard in a remote area. With no disturbances, he settled there.

As daylight lingered, he began preparing Boiling Blood Powder. The first, second, even the fifth attempts failed. On the sixth try, he succeeded. After drinking the completed powder, his progress barely advanced by a fraction.

Unfazed, Su Chen felt satisfied with his first success. After all, how many attempts had the Deaf-Mute Man taken? Comparatively, a slight gap in efficacy was normal.

As night approached, Su Chen stopped preparing and carefully concealed everything to avoid discovery by Imperial Guards.

Seven days passed this way, and Su Chen advanced nineteen portions of Boiling Blood Powder’s progress.

In other words, one final batch would complete the Progress Panel.

“Still need a few more herbs. Time to stock up again.” Su Chen muttered, eyeing the dwindling herbs.

He changed clothes, disguised himself, and left the courtyard.

Meanwhile, inside the County Courthouse, Hong Yue raged.

After seven days of investigation, all he had learned was that Su Chen and his associates had left White Stone City. How infuriating! Leaving without a trace—was he expected to search blindly?

During this time, the Imperial Guards had arrested countless people, filling the prisons, yet found no clues.

Frustrated and furious, Hong Yue had no choice but to halt. Continuing the search would yield the same results. With the gates closed for seven days, citizens grew anxious, and White Stone City once again descended into chaos.

Still unwilling to give up, Hong Yue ordered the city guards to monitor everyone leaving the city once the gates reopened, reporting any abnormalities immediately.

Unaware of the reopened gates, Su Chen continued preparing Boiling Blood Powder. He carefully measured the herbs and began decocting. Soon, a red-hued herbal decoction emerged, and Su Chen smiled in relief.

The final batch was complete!

After a moment, he lifted the bowl and drank it in one gulp.

As the liquid surged into his stomach, the Progress Panel updated.

Su Chen stared at it, expecting no change in his Iron Shirt level—until a sudden shift startled him.

[Martial Arts: …Iron Shirt (1st Layer 1%)]
[Easy Mode: …Iron Shirt 0 times (10 Vital Energy Pills per time)]

“Iron Shirt—no longer marked as ‘incomplete.’ It’s now the full Iron Shirt!” Su Chen whispered, his face lighting up.

But the greater surprise was the tingling sensation spreading through his internal organs. His Vital Force had begun refining his viscera—he had entered the Visceral Reformation Cultivation Realm!

“Mastering the full Iron Shirt brings a huge reward. Not only did my four Vital Forces increase to five, but I’ve also entered the Visceral Reformation Realm. My strength has multiplied.

Now, facing Tao Dingfang, I need only three moves—disarm him in one, defeat him in the second, and kill him in the third!”

After the euphoria, Su Chen focused on the changes in the Visceral Reformation Realm. His breathing grew deeper, and the tingling in his lungs intensified, suggesting his Vital Force had started refining them first.

He knew little about this realm. Hong Ming had mentioned that once Vital Force started refining the organs, one entered this stage.

“Forget it. It’s been too long. I wonder how Master Hong and the others are doing.”

After confirming his success in Visceral Reformation, Su Chen decided not to linger. Though he had instructed Fang Rou to evacuate if they encountered Hong Ming, time had passed, and he still hadn’t reunited with them. They might be worried.

After packing his items, he ventured out. Soon, he noticed the gates had reopened, with people trickling in and out. He didn’t rush but observed for a while before leaving.

Imperial Guards still patrolled the streets, though fewer than before. Instead of returning home, Su Chen entered a tavern, ordered some dishes, and ate heartily.

After finishing his meal, he returned to his hideout to wait. He had decided—he would leave the city tonight.

Meanwhile, inside the County Courthouse:

“What’s all that noise outside?” Hong Yue sat at the high desk, reviewing documents with a throbbing headache.

“Sir, someone falsely claimed the reward. We exposed the fraud and gave him thirty strokes with the cane, hence his protests.” An aide replied.

Hong Ming paused, lifting his head. “Did he find anything?”

“This man noticed someone decocting medicine in an abandoned house during the day. However, we found no suspects when we searched!”

“Hm? Where is it?”

“On Pingqi Street.”

“Go check it out.”

“Yes!”

Hong Ming hesitated, sensing something odd, and immediately stood up.

He went to the courtyard, where the beaten beggar knelt. Waving his hand to stop the punishment, he coldly said, “Stop. Bring him.”

The beggar, nearly broken, wailed, “Sir, I swear I’m innocent! Even with ten lives, I wouldn’t dare deceive you!”

“Enough nonsense. Help him up and follow.” Hong Yue ignored the beggar’s pleas.

The Imperial Guards supported him, and the beggar led them to the house on Pingqi Street. Fifteen minutes later, the group arrived at the premises.

With a bang, the wooden door was kicked open, and Hong Yue entered first.

“Hmph?”

Upon entering the kitchen, Hong Yue caught a faint herbal scent. Frowning, he rushed in and found the kitchen spotlessly empty.

“Sir, no suspects found,” an officer reported after searching the house.

Hong Ming remained silent. Though faint, the herbal smell proved someone had recently been there.

He approached the beggar. “Did you see his face?”

The beggar trembled. “N-no! I only noticed the smell yesterday and never saw the person inside!”

Hong Yue’s expression darkened. Whoever had been here was hiding something important.

“Wait—the smell hasn’t fully dissipated. They must’ve left recently. Today’s the day the gates reopened. They might’ve fled the city!”

Suddenly, Hong Yue’s eyes flashed. “Deploy guards at every gate! Arrest anyone leaving White Stone City with belongings—regardless of age or gender!”

“Yes!”

As footsteps faded, Su Chen in the neighboring abandoned house cautiously retreated.

The sudden commotion had startled him—he’d thought the authorities discovered his hideout. Fortunately, they only found his decoction site.

As a half-trained physician, Su Chen knew decocting leaves smells. Though the area was remote, beggars and vagrants roamed. He’d deliberately split his decoction area from his sleeping quarters.

He’d planned to leave tonight, thinking luck would hold, but the authorities found his decoction spot after all.

Thankfully, they didn’t thoroughly search and left immediately, unaware that the real culprit lived next door—right under their noses!

As night fell, Su Chen finally moved out at midnight. The streets were empty, and after scouting ahead, he reached the city wall.

Previously, patrols had been intense, even under the wall. Now, the guards were withdrawn, allowing him to scale the wall effortlessly.

Glancing back, he saw no pursuit and continued.

Entering a forest, Su Chen halted—something felt off.

“Come out.”

He turned toward the hiding spot, and a group of Imperial Guards emerged. Their burly leader growled, “Come with us!”

The guards eyed Su Chen warily, sensing his skill.

Su Chen hadn’t expected Hong Yue to ambush him here. Yet, the leader wasn’t Hong Yue himself.

Without a word, Su Chen attacked. Within a candle mark, the guards lay dead.

After looting their bodies and discarding them in the woods, Su Chen sped up. Though unsure why Hong Yue wasn’t present, he knew this place was no longer safe.

Moving at full speed, he reached the rendezvous point—a ruined temple—two hours later.

Inside, he found no sign of Hong Ming’s group, confirming they’d already left.

Then, he noticed letters hidden beneath a stone statue.

Picking them up, he opened one and recognized Hong Ming’s handwriting:

“To Xiao Chen…”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end