For the commoners of Gusu County, the jianghu was another world.

The powerful figures from the major gangs of Wu Prefecture swaggered about, spending lavishly, holding extremely high status—even the county yamen officials didn’t dare offend them, let alone the ordinary people, who were deeply in awe.

But all that overwhelming power and wealth was earned through exceptional martial skill and at the cost of their lives.

If a servant from a wealthy household in the county died, the yamen would send officers to investigate the cause of death and impose a fine. But if someone from a jianghu gang died, the county officials would turn a blind eye and never inquire, acting as if nothing had happened.

“I haven’t thought that much about it. If this strange Bluestone Tear illness can’t be cured, who knows when I’ll just fall ill and never recover, unable to sell ginseng to save my life, and die outright. If I join the Medicine King Gang, maybe I can live a few more years—that’s all extra life for free.”

Ethan Brooks shook his head, unconcerned about the dangers of the jianghu.

No danger could be more fatal than his Bluestone Tear illness.

After leaving home, he had few attachments left, only thinking about how to support himself.

If he could fight his way to become an apothecary, he’d be a respected figure in the county—a big shot. Then he’d finally make it in life, no longer suffering or being looked down upon.

“Little Ethan, so you’ve really decided to venture into the jianghu!”

Sam looked at Ethan Brooks with boundless admiration.

He had worked as a helper at the Tianying Inn for several years, seeing many jianghu heroes come and go, always holding them in awe, but had never dared to imagine becoming one himself.

Little Ethan was going to venture into the jianghu… That’s right, why shouldn’t I go too? Maybe I could become a hero as well!

A strange light flickered in Sam’s eyes, and a surge of hot-blooded impulse suddenly rose in his heart, making him feel feverish with excitement.

He didn’t want to be a menial helper at the Tianying Inn for his whole life, always being ordered around and beaten or scolded by Mr. Foster Sr., living as someone beneath others. He wanted to make something of himself!

If one day he became a jianghu hero, he’d no longer be bullied by the innkeeper, could eat lavishly at the Tianying Inn every day, and make that snobbish innkeeper bow and scrape, serving him tea and water and calling him master.

He might even earn enough money to buy his sister’s freedom.

A lowly inn helper could never make much money; only by venturing into the jianghu and becoming a great hero could he become truly wealthy.

Yes!

That’s what I’ll do!

“Since Little Ethan is going to venture into the jianghu, I’ll go too. I’ve long since stopped wanting to work at this lousy inn, always being bullied by the innkeeper and the senior helpers, beaten and scolded every day, suffering all their abuse! You’ll join the Medicine King Gang to learn medicine, I’ll join the Tianying Sect to learn martial arts, become a great hero, make a name for myself, and be admired everywhere!”

Sam made up his mind, pumping his fist in excitement.

He wasn’t interested in the Medicine King Gang’s medical arts, only envied the martial skills of the Tianying Sect’s heroes, so he might as well join the Tianying Sect.

The Tianying Inn was a business under the Tianying Sect, and he was familiar with them.

“Great! I’ll go to the Medicine King Gang to learn medicine, you go to the Tianying Sect to learn martial arts. In the future, when we’ve mastered our skills, one of us will be a great apothecary, the other a great hero, and we’ll roam the jianghu together as brothers!”

Ethan Brooks was overjoyed to hear that Sam wanted to join him in the jianghu—this way, he’d have a good brother by his side in the future.

“Yeah! At first light tomorrow, we’ll set out and join our chosen sects!”

The two naïve and reckless youths grew more and more excited as they talked, imagining themselves becoming top experts in the Medicine King Gang and Tianying Sect, their status soaring.

Their desire to make something of themselves had never been as strong as it was at this moment!

After chatting for an hour or two, Ethan Brooks and Sam grew tired, sleepiness overtook them, and the little woodshed gradually fell silent.

Late at night, outside the hut, a cold wind rose.

The wind, sharp as a knife, howled like ghosts and wolves as it swept into the dilapidated hut, making the woodshed even colder.

Sam began to dream, swinging his fists in the air, occasionally muttering and chuckling, already a young hero in his dreams, roaming the jianghu, beating Mr. Foster Sr. and his cronies to a pulp, with no one daring to bully him anymore.

Ethan Brooks curled up in the straw pile, waking from the cold from time to time, shivering as he wrapped himself tightly in his tattered hemp clothes, trying to burrow deeper into the straw.

He endured the prickly straw, silently recalling the words of the wealthy Li merchant.

“The Medicine King Gang recruits a batch of apprentices every twelfth lunar month—should be around these days! Tomorrow morning, I’ll go join the Medicine King Gang! From tomorrow on, everything will be different, and life will get better!”

At last, Ethan Brooks was so exhausted that he drifted off to sleep in the straw pile, dreaming one beautiful dream after another.

He dreamed of joining the Medicine King Gang, studying hard for over ten years to become a great apothecary, earning a formidable reputation in the jianghu, and even having the fortune to meet the number one master in Wu Prefecture, William Reed, once again.

William Reed truly was the greatest master in the world, telling him how to cure his strange illness once and for all.

Ethan Brooks cured his illness, was no longer a burden to his family, returned home in glory to the watery village of Zhouzhuang, deeply respected and admired by the fishermen there, becoming the pride of his parents and siblings, and the pillar of his family.