The carriage slowly rolled into the passage, which had clearly been augmented with packed earth to form an incline. The entrance behind them groaned shut with a grating sound, yet the passage did not plunge into darkness for losing the light from outside.

Qian Jin surveyed the walls as they passed. Hui Suo's brow slowly smoothed; the road here was orderly and level. Horse bandits shouldn't possess this level of engineering skill. This place must be... an ancient ruin that had stood for untold ages!

A ruin! Qian Jin closely examined the tunnel's surroundings. The Qian family library contained records of ruins. Across the Zhence Dynasty, the Lucifer Dynasty, and the northern tribal territories, traces of them abounded. Some ruins had been discovered, while others remained completely hidden.

Some had lost their lives within ruins; others had unearthed vast treasures, becoming local magnates. Still others had learned formidable powers by studying inscriptions on the walls—powers known as magic—or had found peerless weaponry or equipment.

The original reason adventurer guilds formed was precisely for the purpose of banding together to seek out these ruins, hoping to gain something from them.

As time wore on, the legends surrounding ruins grew ever more fantastical. Some even claimed to have deciphered the unintelligible writings found there, suggesting that in some undiscovered ruin lay a mysterious elixir that, once swallowed, granted immortality and perpetual youth.

There were even whispers that the ruins were, in fact, artifacts left behind by the gods.

Qian Jin could not discern whether the ruins truly were relics of the divine, but one certainty remained: every book in the Qian family collection concerning ruins diligently recorded the same phrase: Ruins are indeed places where miracles can occur.

Legend held that the ultimate sanctuary for ordinary warriors, the Battle Hall capable of maximizing their potential, also owed its existence to a ruin.

Folk tales even suggested that the very origin of Bloodline Warriors lay in these mysterious powers acquired from the ruins.

Qian Jin was uncertain of the truth of these rumors. The Qian family records offered no explanation—at least, none in the publicly accessible texts—regarding the true origins of Qian family Bloodline Warriors or any others.

"Come in," Hua Yan Bujian said, unbuckling the weapon at her waist and shaking out the long hair gathered at the nape of her neck. "Get your companions out now. It's safe here for the moment. You can stay here for now."

"Ah?" Qian Jin raised his eyelids and smiled. He had been too engrossed in thoughts of the ruins and only now realized this place bore no resemblance to a Black Wind Horse Bandit stronghold; there were no markings whatsoever indicating the Black Wind Bandits.

"Comrade," Duan Feng Buer's head poked out from damp straw, his mouth spitting twice to clear bits of dried grass off the wagon seat. "You can't forget us just because you saw a beautiful woman. If you don't get us out soon, we're going to end up as actual undead."

Qian Jin’s tense emotional state relaxed. His smile held a touch of exhaustion as he repeatedly shook his head, admiring Duan Feng Buer. Even while injured, he could still manage such banter. He truly deserved the reputation of being a rare chatterbox.

"Finally—I don't have to be buried in straw anymore," Duan Feng Buer declared happily, lying flat amidst the hay and gazing at the ceiling. "It was so uncomfortable."

"You all rest first. Come find me if you need anything." Hua Yan Bujian stepped out of the room, then paused at the doorway, turning back to look at Qian Jin. "There are no Black Wind markings here because this isn't one of their usual stops. This is a private location for my squad, known to no one else. Come find me in a bit."

A hint of understanding crossed Qian Jin's eyes. He reached down and picked up Qie Kefulite from the straw, smiling. If this wasn't a Black Wind outpost, the safety level here was significantly higher. Those bandits appeared genuinely harmless; this location was an excellent choice for recuperation.

"Comrade, I'm also an injured person~" Duan Feng Buer lay in the straw, craning his neck backward to look at Qian Jin. "I demand help moving—I demand help moving—"

"You have means, your legs aren't injured." Qian Jin helped the just-awakened Fen Tu Kuangge down from the carriage. "Even with two ribs broken, can't you walk down by yourself with your abilities?"

"Comrade," Duan Feng Buer forcefully sat up, the movement causing his injuries to flare, making him grimace. Yet, he maintained a serious expression. "I am profoundly hurt by your indifferent attitude. Profoundly hurt. Right now, only a cigarette can alleviate the pain in my heart…"

Qian Jin glared back at Duan Feng Buer. "If you don't get down here, when I mix medicine, I'll prepare a poison just to silence you!"

"Damn! You win." Duan Feng Buer swung himself off the carriage. His body swayed, and his facial muscles spasmed repeatedly as he walked forward. It felt as if several daggers had stabbed into his body, only to be yanked out, and then stabbed in again, continuously—pain! Intense pain!

Qian Jin sighed and shook his head, stepping out again. He took Duan Feng Buer's arm and helped lay him flat on another cot.

"Comrade, I just wanted to say—"

"Speak again, and I'll poison you instantly."

"I just wanted to ask if you could light me a cigarette…" Duan Feng Buer looked utterly wronged.

Qian Jin pouted. If he hadn't threatened to poison him earlier, simply lighting a cigarette wouldn't have been the extent of his retaliation. Never mind! According to the Compendium of Medicinal Herbs, tobacco did possess mild analgesic properties.

"Ah, that's the stuff…" Duan Feng Buer exhaled two faint streams of smoke from his nostrils, glancing at his two companions on the adjacent beds with an expression of pure enjoyment. "Want some? It helps with the pain, though I don't have much. I can spare one for each of you."

Two lit cigarettes were carefully held between the index and middle fingers of the others. Qian Jin was halfway turned away when he heard Fen Tu Kuangge cough—the exact same reaction he had experienced the very first time he smoked.

"Tastes awful," Fen Tu Kuangge dropped the cigarette immediately and gasped for fresh air in large gulps. The coughing fit had aggravated his injuries; instead of easing the pain, the jarring vibration had sent agony through his entire body.

Qie Kefulite, holding his cigarette between his index and middle fingers, watched the reaction of Fen Tu Kuangge. He loosened his grip and decisively dropped the roll of tobacco.

"Wasteful! Such a waste!" Duan Feng Buer clutched his chest in mock distress, then suddenly burst out laughing. "Hey, Old Qie, you're pretty smart. Watching Kuangge's reaction before deciding whether to smoke."

A flicker of stunned realization crossed Fen Tu Kuangge's face. He sighed toward the ceiling, cursing himself for not thinking to wait and observe Qie Kefulite's reaction first.

"Say, Old Qie," Duan Feng Buer’s voice grew bolder now that Qian Jin had left the room. "We've known each other for a day or two, and besides that one conversation you had with Qian Jin, I’ve barely heard you speak. I never expected you, this quiet guy, to have such a sharp mind. You're a closeted eccentric! Or maybe... a closeted demon?"

Qie Kefulite’s eyes, devoid of almost any emotion, flicked toward Duan Feng Buer before returning to stare blankly at the ceiling.

Ruins. Different books offered different accounts. Rumors spoke of ruins so vast they could take days to traverse, leading to starvation within, while others were barely large enough for a single room.

Qian Jin was curious. As he surveyed the walls lining the broad, street-like passage, he detected faint magical fluctuations. It was their presence that kept this underground ruin filled with light.

This ruin lacked the gargantuan footprint sung of by the bards, nor was it cramped down to the bare minimum space.

It was roughly the size of an earth-fortress military camp. The dozen or so Black Wind Bandits felt lost within its spaciousness. A small underground river flowed slowly through the center, suggesting that if sufficient provisions were available, survival here could be sustained indefinitely.

"Hey."

On the empty, long street, Hua Yan Bujian was no longer wearing her tight black wooden armor. She had changed into a striking crimson warrior suit. This tight garment clung intimately to her high chest and trim hips, making every curve and contour spring with vigorous elasticity. Her wet hair draped loosely over her shoulders, exuding an irresistible allure. She held a Jian longsword, split in half at the center, displaying a refreshing, striking competence that instantly caught the eye.

The black metal mask remained affixed to her face, which did not detract from her sexy, bright appearance; instead, it added a unique mystery, tempting one to lift the black mask to discover the astonishing face beneath.

"Follow me."

Hua Yan Bujian turned, her wet hair flowing with the movement. The curve of her rear, encased in the red suit, became even more distinct and enticing. Her two long, slender legs accounted for a significant proportion of her height; even the famously well-proportioned Zhu Li Si would feel inadequate next to her.

Walking down the long street and turning two corners, Qian Jin’s nose twitched slightly. The air held a pungent yet strangely familiar odor: medicine!

Qian Jin's eyes brightened. Smelling the mix, he blurted out, "Flying Serpent Blue Leaf? Tri-color Rhombus Flower? Winter Wheat Silver Spike…?"

Hua Yan Bujian paused and turned back, regarding Qian Jin with a look of doubt. Was he serious? Could he differentiate these mixed medicinal smells? Impossible? Wasn't he just a warrior? She'd ask Granny Yao later.

Hua Yan Bujian pushed open a rather aged wooden door, and the intense medicinal smell erupted into the street like a volcano. Standing outside, Qian Jin’s eyes lit up again: "And Golden Corn too?"

"Is that Yan Bujian? Come in, come in," a voice called from within.

In the room thick with medicine smell and steam, the most arresting sight was the enormous copper cauldron suspended overhead. Describing it as a large tub might be more accurate than calling it a cauldron.

A stepladder stood next to the tub. An elderly woman with a head full of silvery-white hair stood atop it. Her stout, robust figure was perfectly complemented by the massive tub beside her. She plunged a black wooden rod deep into the boiling, blue liquid in the cauldron, stirring constantly without looking up. "Did you get into another fight outside and get hurt? Where is it this time? Women, you must cherish your bodies. Hurry up and undress so this old one can examine that body which even women would envy. Where did you get wounded this time…?"

Even concealed behind the black iron mask, Qian Jin could sense that the fiery-hot, sexy female bandit before him must have her face completely flushed crimson.

"Granny Yao~~" Hua Yan Bujian’s tone lost its usual bandit gruffness, adopting a childlike, spoiled sound. "I’m not hurt. I brought someone with me today. Don't talk nonsense~"

"Brought someone?" Granny Yao looked up, pushing her spectacles higher on her nose. Her eyes, yellowed as if suffering from malnutrition, scrutinized Qian Jin for a long moment. "His body is healthy, no problems whatsoever. He could handle an empty tiger without issue; if you want to be his woman and bear his children, I guarantee they’ll be healthy ones…"

"Granny Yao~~" Hua Yan Bujian rushed to the bottom of the ladder and grabbed the steps, looking up. "If you keep this up, I'll shake the ladder."

Qian Jin stared in astonishment at Granny Yao on the steps. So, the master the bandits always referred to with crude jokes was this one?

"Aren't I?" Granny Yao looked at Hua Yan Bujian with genuine bewilderment. "Then why are you here? Tell me, is he joining the gang? This child has killing intent, but not the wildness of a bandit. I don't think he’s suited to be a bandit; he’s better suited to be a butcher. Alright, I'm done examining this one. Don't disturb my alchemy."

"He's not joining," Hua Yan Bujian replied, looking up. "I've come to beg for medicine. His three friends were injured, so I came to seek help from you, the Apothecary."

"Injured by someone?" Granny Yao stared into the boiling potion, her stirring rod occasionally moving slowly, sometimes quickly. "What happened?"

"Three people. Some have broken arms; one has cracked ribs. Another has had his spine injured—it’s hard to find a bone on his back that isn't broken," Hua Yan Bujian recited the answers she’d extracted from Qian Jin on their journey from the frontier. "One is a Demon Subduing Ninth War, one a Sixth War, and one a Third War. They were injured by a Giant Troll Bloodline Martial Artist, a powerhouse at the Second Tier, Fourth Layer."

"Second Tier, Fourth Layer? A Demon Suppressing Warrior? And a Giant Troll Bloodline Martial Artist at that?" Granny Yao shook her neck without looking up. "The difference in power is too vast; they shouldn't have survived. Even if they did, their internal organs must be ruptured. Find a good spot and prepare to bury them."

"They’ve been injured for two days and are still alive," Hua Yan Bujian said, gently rocking the ladder. "They were lucky this time; that Giant Troll Martial Artist wanted to capture them alive, so he held back his strength a little—"

"Still alive?" Granny Yao clicked her tongue. "That is truly luck. The gap between a Demon Suppressing Warrior and a Demon Subduing Warrior spans two entire realms... Fine! I don't want to meddle in their affairs anymore. Since they are alive, take that white porcelain bottle with the red stopper from the table; use that ointment for setting the bones. As for regulating the internal impact to their battle meridians, take the red porcelain bottle with the thin silver line."

"Thank you, Granny Yao." Hua Yan Bujian picked up the two bottles from the table and tossed them toward Qian Jin. "Take these. You were lucky this time. Granny Yao is a true Apothecary; otherwise, even if you made it back to the barracks, you'd be lucky to find an apprentice alchemist to mix medicine for you."

"Bujian, keep it down, keep it down," Granny Yao said with a satisfied smile, looking up at Hua Yan Bujian. The pride and self-satisfaction in her eyes were completely unconcealed.

Alchemy. It was always a vast field of study. Becoming an Apothecary wasn't achieved through rote memorization; it required truly understanding pharmacology, knowing how to combine different herbs to unleash more miraculous effects. It demanded high levels of insight. Many people died still as Alchemy Apprentices, perhaps reaching Journeyman Apothecary at best. Becoming a true Apothecary? They were highly respected figures even within the Alchemists' Guild.

The entire Black Wind organization didn't have a single Apothecary! Granny Yao waved her hand. "Alright, if you get hurt in the future, you can come to me too. That's because you were brought by Bujian. Now, don't interrupt me while I prepare the Great Savage Ox Potion."

Qian Jin pried open the stopper of one bottle and inhaled deeply, a faint smile touching his lips. This Bone-Mending Potion, compounded from Tiger Bone, Scorpion Grass, Xuzhe Grass, and Earth-Refining Flower, when refined into a paste, elevated what was merely a mediocre-to-low grade Level Five Bone-Mending Potion to the upper-middle level.

"Old woman, you certainly have imagination." Qian Jin stoppered the bottle again. "I wonder, could I use some of the materials here to prepare some medicine myself?"

"Prepare your own medicine? You know alchemy?" Granny Yao habitually pushed up her spectacles, a flicker of perplexed light dancing in her pupils. A warrior this young—even if he dedicated all his energy to improving his Dou Qi and learning combat skills, time would surely run out. Did he have time to study alchemy too? What kind of taste did this girl Bujian have? After searching for so long, she settled on a man with such an impatient temperament? Both warriors and alchemists were vast disciplines that consumed a lifetime of effort.

The initial bewildered look in her sallow eyes gradually turned to distaste and contempt. Wrinkles deepened on her aged face, displaying clear annoyance. "My ingredients are very expensive. Don't waste them messing around."

"Just a little, just a tiny bit. I'll pay," Qian Jin said, hands clasped behind his back as he strolled around the spacious alchemy room.

Granny Yao glanced at the potion boiling in the cauldron, drew out the wooden rod stuck inside, and began descending the ladder. "Kid, this is an alchemy room, not your warrior training ground. If you mess up the pharmacology, you'll harm your friends…"

"Bull Tail Flower?" Qian Jin spotted a slender, finger-thick plant with a brownish stalk among the firewood meant for the stove. He picked it up and nearly bumped into the furiously approaching Granny Yao. "Where did you get this thing?"