Inside the hunter's cabin.
Chen Mu stared fixedly through the crack in the window at the white-haired old man outside.
Only when he saw the man disappear quickly, as if strolling leisurely, did Chen Mu let out a sigh of relief.
Wiping his forehead, he realized he had broken out in a cold sweat.
"An assassin?"
"Who wants to kill me?"
"What does it mean that the client is dead?"
"Could it be a trick to lower my guard, then take the opportunity to kill me?"
Chen Mu's mind was in turmoil.
He practiced his calligraphy and painting diligently, earning his money the hard way; and yet someone wanted him dead?!
The world is fraught with difficulties, the human heart full of malice!
"I must master power as quickly as possible!"
The figure of the white-haired man had completely disappeared.
Chen Mu strapped a water bladder mixed with several kinds of snake venom around his waist.
He adjusted the lime powder hidden in his sleeves.
In his right hand, he clenched a handful of dozens of sharp-edged stones.
A cleaver for splitting firewood was secured at his lower back.
Carrying the prepared rabbit, Chen Mu exerted his full strength in the Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique and headed straight toward the side of the forest, opposite to where the old man had left.
Although it was a longer route, he felt safer.
He had no desire to encounter the white-haired man again.
...
He proceeded with extreme caution.
Chen Mu was like a frightened bird; any rustle of the wind or shake of the grass made his heart jump with fear.
It wasn't until dusk that he sneakily made his way back home to Qingshan County.
"If they could find Chen Family Village, they could likely find this place too."
"I have to move out as soon as possible!"
Today's ordeal had left Chen Mu severely lacking a sense of security.
After putting away his things and hurriedly eating dinner, Chen Mu didn't rest at home.
With his bedding in tow, he climbed over the wall into the adjacent courtyard.
Having lived here for so long, Chen Mu had already scoped it out.
The courtyard to the west had been vacant for a long time.
He decided to make do there for the night.
"I need to figure out a way to rent this courtyard too."
"No, it's still too close." Chen Mu looked to the west side.
"That residence also seems quite good."
...
The next day, Chen Mu went to the East Market broker to rent the two adjoining residences.
The annual rent was only a silver tael, which Chen Mu could now easily afford.
After locking the door, he began climbing over walls, moving basic living supplies to his new home.
He slept in the westernmost courtyard.
Practiced martial arts in the middle residence.
He didn't give up the old house either, ready to use it as a decoy to fool others.
Afterwards, he made a big purchase of a large amount of medicinal ingredients and buried himself in training.
The secret medicine that accompanied the Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique had the effect of improving physique and healing injuries.
Previously, he had only taken it once a day.
Now, eager for power, Chen Mu took the secret medicine twice a day, coupled with moderate rest in between, increasing the frequency of his training.
In the past, training in the Shape Cultivation Technique six or seven times a day would leave his body sore and weak, unable to continue.
Now, with the secret medicine for recovery, he could train eight or nine times a day.
His proficiency rapidly increased.
Feeling his muscles become firmer, his speed and reflexes faster, Chen Mu became even more devoted.
He even purposefully reduced the number of times he went out to paint portraits.
...
One month later
Calligraphy: 1336/10000/Second Rank;
Painting: 1034/10000/Second Rank;
Throwing: 2465/10000/Second Rank;
Red Falcon Shape Cultivation: 5352/10000/First Rank;
"It won't be long, at most two months before I complete Muscle Transformation."
Shape Cultivation Technique involves three stages of transformation: Muscle Transformation, Bone Transformation, Marrow Transformation.
The names are just superficial descriptions.
According to Sheng Hong, the three stages are three breakthroughs of human limitations, with overall quality continuously transforming and enhancing.
Each transformation is a dramatic change.
Without years of practice, one shouldn't even think about achieving it.
But once a transformation is complete, one can easily surpass ordinary people.
"If only I could keep training like this." Chen Mu frowned.
After a month of intense training, the consumption of medicinal ingredients and food had greatly increased.
With fewer portrait painting outings, his savings had significantly dwindled.
Counting all the silver in the jars around the house, including copper coins and silver pieces, everything was accounted for.
Forty-three taels...
"I'll have to paint a few more portraits this month."
The use of secret medicine had increased.
Spending had increased sharply.
Directly purchasing Qiansuxiao from the herbalists indeed saved a lot of costs.
But the remaining ingredients were still expensive.
If there weren't more earnings, he could only hold out for another month.
"Still poor."
In the following days, he slowed down the pace of training appropriately and gradually returned to his usual frequency of portrait painting.
Fortunately, his painting skills continued to improve, becoming faster, so painting portraits for others only required half a day.
With half a day left, it could still be used to brush up on proficiency.
...
That day, Chen Mu went home after drawing portraits.
He suddenly found a gaunt middle-aged man standing at the door.
The man stood right at his doorstep with two robust men following him.
He recognized the brawny men, they were the bodyguards of Master Yan.
Had it not been for these two, he would have already sought out Master Yan for a private talk.
"Miaohua Workshop!"
"What does that Master Yan want to stir up this time?"
"It seems that the gift I sent last time was too light!"
He really did not want to have any dealings with these local bullies.
But before he could turn to leave, the gaunt middle-aged man in gray clothes had already noticed him.
"Young Master Chen, please hold!"
Catching a glimpse of the robust men's arms which were thicker than his thighs, Chen Mu reluctantly gave up the idea of knocking the three unconscious.
"What is it?"
"Our owner from Miaohua Workshop, Lord Zhen, has invited you. Please come with us," said the gaunt middle-aged man with a smile.
Chen Mu glanced at the two stone-faced brawny men again.
He knew he had no choice.
"Hold on, let me get my things," Chen Mu said as he bowed his hands.
"Please hurry. Lord Zhen does not like to wait," the middle-aged man said with a smile.
Chen Mu opened the main door under the watchful eyes of the three men.
Just as he was about to close it, one of the brawny men held the door open with one hand.
"Young Master Chen, please hurry," the gaunt middle-aged man maintained his smile.
Chen Mu nodded expressionlessly.
Walking into the room, Chen Mu stood by the window on the west side, looking through the window's lattice at the three men outside. He silently slipped two bags of lime powder into his sleeve.
After a moment's thought, he clutched a small porcelain bottle from the windowsill in the palm of his hand.
Lastly, he grabbed a handful of pebbles and put them in his money pouch.
...
Anle Square, Ruyi Residence.
Chen Mu looked up at the three-story wooden building.
It was now high noon and the building was bustling with business, teeming with people coming and going.
"Young master, please. The lord is waiting in the third-floor private room," the gaunt middle-aged man led Chen Mu upstairs.
Ruyi Residence occupied a vast area, with a constant flow of customers.
The lively atmosphere filled the first-floor hall, while the third-floor private rooms were quiet.
Chen Mu followed the gaunt middle-aged man to the third floor.
A portly middle-aged man was already sitting inside the private room, flanked by two tall and strong bodyguards.
Is this the Lord Zhen? Where is Master Yan?
"Is this Young Master Chen in person?" Lord Zhen said with a smile.
"It is I," Chen Mu replied calmly.
"Come, come, please take a seat," said Lord Zhen, his face full of warmth.
"I have long heard about Young Master Chen's remarkable painting skills and always wanted to meet you. Today, I finally see you in person," Lord Zhen complimented.
"Lord Zhen overpraises me," Chen Mu responded calmly.
As expected of a businessman, Lord Zhen was adept at conversation and quite skilled in socializing.
One moment he talked about interesting stories from Anle Square; the next, he praised Chen Mu's superior painting skills.
Chen Mu responded perfunctorily, a sigh of relief in his heart. It seemed that it wasn't a trap.
"I'll get straight to the point. I would like to invite Young Master Chen to become the chief painter of our Miaohua Workshop," Lord Zhen got down to business.
"Miaohua Workshop will be responsible for connecting Young Master Chen with clients, and we will not take a penny from the brush fee. In addition to that, there will also be a monthly salary of ten silver taels," Lord Zhen said earnestly.
Become the chief painter? Chen Mu was surprised.
What about Master Yan?
Helping to attract business and an additional ten silver taels as a monthly salary, it seemed quite good.
Such favorable terms couldn't be a scam, could they?
"As the chief painter, Young Master Chen only needs to paint a few portraits for Miaohua Workshop when necessary," Lord Zhen said laughing.
Chen Mu understood.
His painting skills, combined with modern techniques, were indeed hard for anyone else to imitate at the moment.
Miaohua Workshop wanted to use him as a signboard.
He could earn money securely, while the other party would boost their influence.
"Agreed! I accept," Chen Mu no longer hesitated.
As for Master Yan.
If he really dares to cause trouble, he would receive another grand gift!
After that, there was a feast with eating and drinking, and Chen Mu did not leave Anle Square until evening.
...
Inside the private room of Ruyi Residence.
Lord Zhen, leaning against the window, enjoyed the view of Anle Square illuminated with the first evening lights, leisurely cracking sunflower seeds: "Is he sent back?"
"My lord, he has returned," the gaunt middle-aged man walked in with a cup of ginseng tea in hand to reply.
"With Young Master Chen, our Miaohua Workshop is secure. The owner has good strategies," the gaunt middle-aged man said smiling.
Lord Zhen spit out the shell of the seeds: "I wonder where old Yan has gone off to. Without our signboard, a lot of business has been snatched by the Western City's Red Pavilion."
"Could it be that the Red Pavilion secretly took out old Yan?" the gaunt middle-aged man said gravely.
"That damn woman is indeed capable of such a deed!" Lord Zhen said coldly, flicking away a seed shell.
"This is what we'll do. Tomorrow, find two skilled men to guard Chen Mu well. We can't afford another lapse."
"Yes."
...
Outside the window of the wooden building, a dark figure gripped the eaves and hung silently in the air.
"So they really wanted to hire me as the chief painter," Chen Mu breathed a sigh of relief.
He flicked a pebble toward the ginseng tea in the hands of the gaunt middle-aged man.
"Since it's the real owner, I can't let him be poisoned to death."
"What a shame about that bottle of concentrated snake venom."
Without heeding the chaos inside the room, he skillfully flipped onto the roof.
With a few leaps, he disappeared into an alleyway.