C3 Drinking Medicine

Inside the dilapidated temple, a young boy who had just pilfered something entered, clutching several bags of medicine.

"Cough, cough, cough... Lin Yan, what happened to Monkey?" inquired a seventeen-year-old lying on a straw heap, addressing the boy at the back who was helping Monkey walk.

"Brother, I'm alright. It was just a minor mishap," Monkey reassured the pale-faced youth, flashing a bloodstained white smile.

"See, I had some armor with me."

With that, Monkey produced two battered pieces of iron from behind him and tossed them to the ground. The metal was deeply dented; without it, the hefty man's punch might have been fatal given Monkey's slight frame.

"You say you're fine, yet you're hurt," the youth on the ground, himself looking near death, still expressed concern for Monkey.

"Brother, you need to focus on your own recovery. The Cold Wind Palm injury isn't going to heal easily. If you keep lying there, you might as well take root," he joked.

The others burst into laughter at Lin Yan's quip.

Lin Yan gave the youth a reassuring pat on the shoulder before setting the medicine aside to prepare a fire for brewing it.

Ten years earlier, these same boys had found Lin Yan in a graveyard, unable to recall anything but his name. They mostly went nameless, except for their leader, known as Boss Hee. The rest adopted animal monikers: the second was Ma, commonly called Lao Ma; the third was Doggie; and the fourth, Monkey. Lin Yan, joining last and already named, was spared an animal nickname.

For a decade, under Boss Hee's guidance, they survived through stealth and petty theft.

They had aspired to be martial cultivators, reporting to martial arts sects, but only Boss Hee had the talent to unlock the Martial Pulse Stage. He alone had advanced to its early stages with the sect's aid.

They were on the cusp of better days, with the four serving in the outer sect and Boss Hee training within. Even with modest abilities, continued cultivation promised a future far from thievery.

But their fortunes were short-lived. Disciples with influence, aware of Boss Hee's lack of support, frequently usurped his resources. Despite his patience, their aggression only escalated. Lin Yan, unable to stand idly by, sought to defend Boss Hee's honor.

But what could Lin Yan, a mere commoner without cultivation, do against such martial artists? Boss Hee intervened but was ambushed, his martial veins shattered.

"That cur from the Yao Family, I swear I'll march into the Profound Lin Sect and avenge this!" Lin Yan pounded the ground, eyes ablaze with fury.

It was a bitter pill that none of them, save Boss Hee, possessed the innate gift to unlock their martial veins.

As night fell, Lin Yan finished brewing the medicine. He poured it into a chipped enamel bowl and presented it to Boss Hee, who remained motionless, gazing into the night sky.

A full moon rose languidly from beyond the crumbling walls of the temple, casting a pale frost upon Boss Hee's brows.

"Boss, take your medicine first."

Lao Ma, Doggie, and Monkey gathered around Boss Hee, gently lifting him to a seated position with great care.

"What day is it today?" Boss Hee's voice was a soft murmur.

"Boss, it's the second full moon of summer," Lao Ma replied, brushing away the frost from Boss Hee's eyebrows, feeling an unusual chill grip him.

"The sun at its peak is destined to fall, and the moon at its fullest signals its own decline... I fear I won't survive the night."

Boss Hee offered a wistful smile, pushing aside the medicine Lin Yan held, and then slowly rose to his feet. It was the first time in half a year he had stood before them, his stature as imposing as ever. Like a benevolent mountain, he stood firm, shielding them from the tempests that raged from all sides.

"Lao Ma, Doggie, Monkey, Lin Yan, today you must all promise me one thing," Boss Hee said, his tone grave.

Lin Yan and the others had never seen Boss Hee wear such a solemn demeanor.

"A month ago, I secured a place for each of you in the West Military Region of the Great Prosperity Dynasty, in the wild lands three hundred miles from here. I've arranged for four military positions. They may be those of ordinary soldiers, but that region is the safest in the entire dynasty, untouched by war.

"Just stay there for ten years, and the wealth you accumulate will sustain you for the rest of your lives. It's my deepest wish for you to live well."

Boss Hee produced four medallions from his pocket, each bearing the insignia of the dynasty's military and a unique number.

"Boss, what are you saying? If we leave, you'll end up begging on the streets," Doggie remarked, scratching his head in his usual irreverent manner.

"Boss, we brothers swore to share our fortunes and face our troubles together. We'll only become soldiers once you've recovered, and we can all go together," Monkey declared, thumping his chest with loyalty.

"This is my command. Whether I recover or not, you must go!" Boss Hee's voice thundered, followed by a fit of coughing that spattered blood laced with ice crystals.

"Boss, at least drink the medicine first," Lin Yan urged, moving to offer the bowl to Boss Hee, who knocked it from his grasp, shattering it on the ground.

"Don't you see? This is the first time I've given you an order, and it will be the last. If you refuse, I'll find no peace, even in death," Boss Hee said, his voice quivering with emotion. The thought of not making it through the night, of leaving his brothers to fend for themselves in such harsh times, unsettled him deeply. This was the only path he could offer them.

"Boss, we've weathered so much together. It's just a minor wound; we'll heal you," Lin Yan said, reaching out to Boss Hee, who suddenly flashed a look of resolve, his arm shimmering with a faint white glow.

Martial Pulse activated!

With a resounding boom, Lin Yan was sent flying by Boss Hee's palm, crashing heavily against the wall.

"Boss, you..."