Jiang Ming had no intention of keeping Fei Zhong and You Hun close to him. Instead, he planned to arrange new identities for them, ensuring they would have no apparent connection to him. This way, he could offer them aid in secret when needed.
In the world of politics, this sort of thing was called "forming factions for personal gain"—a serious taboo.
But honestly, what bureaucrat doesn't do this?
"Master, you must be cautious with those two treacherous scoundrels," Chong Heihu warned. Having once served under the Shang dynasty, he knew them all too well.
Jiang Ming nodded. As long as he controlled their lives and deaths, they wouldn't be a threat. Neither of them struck him as the type to sacrifice themselves for loyalty or honor.
Manifesting them had consumed some of the collective will of the people, but not much since they were mere mortals. Still, the resurrection gauge he had prepared for Zheng Lun was already more than halfway filled.
After staying up for a full day and night, exhaustion finally hit Jiang Ming. He sent the Iron Beak Divine Eagle off on a scouting mission, then blew out the lamp and fell asleep.
Chong Heihu also retired to his room next door.
Jiang Ming quickly drifted off, chanting the Golden Spear Meditation before falling into a deep sleep. But before long, a familiar voice echoed in his ears.
"Brother, save me... please, save me..."
"Who are you?" Jiang Ming asked in his dream.
The voice seemed unable to hear him and just kept repeating the plea, making him feel agitated.
"How can a regular guy like me save you? Go find the Demon Slayer Bureau. Look for a captain named Niu Tiedan or a commander named Zhang. They'll help you out."
For some reason, that seemed to work. The voice faded away, and Jiang Ming, unbothered, rolled over and continued his slumber.
The next morning, people habitually gathered in front of the Taihe Teahouse. Seeing the doors open, they were overjoyed, rushing inside.
"Where's the young shopkeeper? I want to hear him tell a story today. None of the other storytellers yesterday could compare to him!"
"Exactly! Grab seats quickly, or we'll be left standing again."
News of the teahouse's reopening spread fast. A large crowd soon gathered, and although other establishments in the capital stole some business, the wealthier patrons still preferred Taihe.
The place quickly filled up, and despite his injuries, Jiang Ming began his storytelling again, picking up with the twelfth episode—a major event in the *Investiture of the Gods*. Nezha of Chentang Pass was about to be born!
By the time he finished, Jiang Ming was utterly drained, nearly collapsing from exhaustion. The audience, however, was ecstatic, showering coins into the young waiter's tray, bringing a grin to his face.
Jiang Ming retreated to the back to rest, knowing he had other matters to attend to in the afternoon.
As he rested, he quietly gauged how much collective will it would take to manifest Nezha. Being a pivotal figure in the war against the tyrant King Zhou, Nezha was practically a walking cheat code, with his lotus-born body making him immune to most divine abilities. His many accomplishments were well-known.
On top of that, he had a fiercely protective master, numerous magical artifacts, and even a three-headed, eight-armed form—Nezha was definitely favored. If Jiang Ming could manifest him, it would be like hitting the jackpot.
However, the amount of collective will needed was staggering. The power he had accumulated so far was barely a drop in the bucket. By his rough estimation, it would take the equivalent of hundreds of Chong Heihus.
For now, Jiang Ming decided to put that thought aside. As for figures like Yun Zhongzi or Taiyi Zhenren, he didn't even bother trying—it would only demoralize him.
"Uncle Fu, did you find the martial arts cultivation method I asked for?" Jiang Ming called out to Fu Bo.
He wasn't looking to cultivate for himself but for Chong Heihu. Yesterday's battle with the headless ghost child had heightened his sense of danger, and he needed to bolster his strength fast.
Fu Bo pulled out an old, worn book and said, "Young master, this is my *Tiger Demon Combat Technique*. Chong Heihu can use it, but he's not yet at the entry level. He'll need to purchase several buckets of monster blood to cleanse his body first."
Jiang Ming asked, "Uncle Fu, what kind of monster blood would be best for Chong Heihu?"
"I'd recommend tiger demon blood. He's broad-boned and fierce, with a natural aura of aggression. It would suit him well."
Fu Bo agreed to teach Chong Heihu the technique because he was concerned about being too busy to protect Jiang Ming all the time.
Jiang Ming was delighted. With Fu Bo's guidance, Chong Heihu would progress faster, and Jiang Ming could learn from watching the process.
They immediately set out to buy tiger demon blood from the famous Wenxin Street.
The Wanbao Trading Company, the largest merchant guild in the capital, was their destination. It was like a Fortune 500 company from modern times, boasting that as long as you had money, there was nothing they couldn't sell.
Of course, Jiang Ming couldn't afford to visit their main headquarters, so he went to one of their branches.
A servant greeted them, and after hearing Jiang Ming's request for tiger demon blood, led them to a private room.
"We have four types of tiger demon blood: Barbarian Tiger, Earth Tiger, Two-Headed Tiger, and Black Tiger. All are from ninth-grade tiger demons. Which would you prefer?"
Jiang Ming's heart sank. Ninth-grade? That probably wasn't cheap.
"Except for the Black Tiger, which is a bit more expensive, the others are 1,500 taels per bucket," the servant explained.
Jiang Ming winced. That was robbery!
"Why is the Black Tiger blood more expensive?" he asked.
"The Black Tiger's bloodline has the potential to reach the eighth grade. This one was still immature," the servant explained with a smile.
Monster races put great stock in bloodlines—the higher the potential, the greater the power. Human martial artists used monster blood for body cleansing, and the higher the grade of the blood, the better the result. Some even used the blood of royal monsters, creating martial artists who were unbeatable at their level.
With funds borrowed from several of Fu Bo's old friends, Jiang Ming gritted his teeth and spent 2,000 taels on a bucket of Black Tiger blood.
They returned to Taihe Teahouse, and the cleansing began immediately.
Chong Heihu stripped and sat in the basin, keeping his mind steady as Fu Bo and Jiang Ming stood by. The bucket was massive, its contents enough to bathe him completely. Though Jiang Ming had to worry about being swindled, Wanbao Trading had a solid reputation.
Fu Bo lifted the bucket and dumped its contents over Chong Heihu.
"ROAR!"
For a moment, it was as if a giant black tiger was roaring at the heavens.
Jiang Ming watched as Chong Heihu's face twisted in pain, his skin wrinkling into stripes, and the sound of blood rushing through his veins filled the room. The cleansing had begun, and it would only end when the noise stopped.
Fu Bo was ecstatic. "It seems Chong Heihu is highly compatible with this tiger bloodline!"
Chong Heihu soaked in the demon blood for half an hour. By dusk, a real tiger's roar echoed from the teahouse, sending the dogs and beasts of the neighborhood into terrified submission.
In the room next door, Demon Slayer Captain Ma Liang bolted awake. "Tiger aura? No... someone just completed a body cleansing and even awakened a bloodline ability!"
Chong Heihu had succeeded. Not only had he formed a true qi seed, but he had also gained the Tiger Might ability, immediately propelling him to the ninth grade.
Fu Bo was astonished. This guy's a genius?
Awakening a bloodline ability during body cleansing wasn't something just anyone could do. Fu Bo couldn't help but marvel at how fortunate his young master was—those 2,000 taels had been well spent!
After cleaning up, Chong Heihu sat in the room, savoring his newfound strength. "This martial path is quite unique. I sense it's not inferior to our Immortal Dao."
Jiang Ming was taken aback. They always said martial arts were weaker than cultivation. Could that be wrong?
"Master, Black Tiger owes you a great debt. Now it's time to fulfill my promise. Let me teach you the cultivation method." Chong Heihu leaned in close to Jiang Ming, ready to impart the long-awaited *Qi Refining Method*.