《The Dangerous Cultivator》 Chapter 1 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°I hear that you have given up on your studies for training and started practicing punches and kicks. What is this? You hope that one day you will be able to build yourself up to immortality?¡± Young Master Zhou spoke with a smirk on his face, eyeing the young man who had the appearance of a decrepit scholar. He was blessed with handsome features and adorned with clean white robes with not a speck of dust on them. With his sleeves flowing from the mountain wind that blew through the air, he looked like a being from heaven who had descended to earth. Behind him were two burly men, both as large as bears, especially the one with a mutton chop beard. He had a sturdy build and a vigorous appearance; he was easily identifiable as a strong fighter. ¡°I may be poor, but I am determined. I have given up the pen for the sword, so I am clearly not ready to give in. What? Are you scared?¡± Xu Yi responded to Young Master Zhou with a cold stare, an expression that said he would not yield even in death. He had spoken confidently, but his heart was beating fast as he feared that Zhou would resort to strange tricks. If things went south, he would have to die again even after everything he had gone through to escape with his life. Young Master Zhou froze in shock, and suddenly, he burst out laughing. As if laughing made it funnier, he kept laughing harder and harder until he was bent over. The two burly men behind him began to laugh as well. Finally, Young Master Zhou reigned in his laughter, reached out his hand, and gently patted Xu Yi on the cheek. ¡°Back then, your grandfather gave my father a chance, so by extension, I would have to give you one as well, so train well, and don¡¯t disappoint me. Oh yes, the anniversary of Lord Mingde¡¯s death is coming. Remember to send some offerings to Lord Mingde for my father as well.¡± Xu Yi snorted, not bothering to reply. Deep down, he was feeling absolutely depressed. Right now, dealing with this damned Young Master Zhou was very difficult for him. He had to maintain the calm temperament of this body¡¯s original owner, and at the same time, avoid doing anything to aggravate Zhou. After all, if that thug really went at it, the only one suffering would be himself. Just as Xu Yi was about to scratch his head, a shrill howl came from the distant mountain forest. Young Master Zhou raised his eyebrows and happily exclaimed, ¡°A-ha, seems like there¡¯s a big guy. Xu Yi, count yourself lucky today, and remember to train well. The next time we meet, if you¡¯re still looking so lifeless and spoil my fun for me, then I¡¯ll send you down to accompany Lord Mingde. Haha¡­¡± With those words, he twisted into a stance and sprinted towards a red horse stopped dozens of meters away. The saddle on the horse was equipped with a sabre on the left and a bow on the right. Behind the horse were a few other horses, loaded with hunting nets. All of this was equipment meant for hunting. ¡°The Young Master is leaving. How dare scum like you not get on your knees to see him off!¡± Mutton Chops laughed coldly and struck Xu Yi on the shoulder with his palm. By the time the force had left his palm, he had already flipped into the air and onto a horse. He turned back to look at Xu Yi who would be unable to get up from the ground for some time. With a hearty laugh, he galloped away. Xu Yi lay motionless on the ground, only getting up after he could feel the rumbles from the horses¡¯ hooves gradually fade. He dusted off his clothes, and with fire in his eyes, he looked in the direction where the horses had galloped. ¡°Son of a bitch, you¡¯ve made me mad.¡± As anger flashed through his mind, he also felt a flash of intense pain. It was so intense that it brought Xu Yi back down to the ground. He felt like his brain was being stirred into a gooey mess of porridge as a flood of memories rushed into his mind. After more than two hours, he finally managed to struggle to his feet. The ground where he lay was wet as though someone had spilled water all over it. Xu Yi staggered to a chair by the wooden hut and sat down. He guzzled two large bowls of water before looking up into the sky and lamenting, ¡°I really am stuck in a deep sea of suffering and hatred.¡± He had been in this world for over half a year now. The unlucky soul who had taken over this body was also called Xu Yi. Initially, Xu Yi had also inherited a portion of this person¡¯s memories, which was why he reacted to Young Master Zhou in that manner. But it wasn¡¯t until now, after all the memories had flowed into the body, that he finally understood what exactly happened between Young Master Zhou and Xu Yi. It was truly an epic soap opera! The story went like this: In Xu Yi¡¯s great-great-grandfather¡¯s generation, the Xu family had an amazing prodigy in the Martial Way, Lord Mingde. Because of him, the Xu family began to prosper. At the same time, Young Master Zhou¡¯s great-great-grandfather had come to Guang¡¯an to flee the famine, becoming a servant of the Xu family. From father to son, then to grandson, the role of servant passed on. In the blink of an eye, three generations of Zhous had become servants of the Xu family. When it came to Xu Yi¡¯s grandfather¡¯s generation, the Zhou family had an impressive son, and that was Young Master Zhou¡¯s second Uncle Zhou Daogan. Hailed as a prodigy in the Martial Way, he achieved a high level of martial development at only thirty years of age. Following that, he was accepted into one of the Three Great Orthodox Sects of Guang¡¯an Prefecture, Lingxiao Hall. By elevating the status of the Zhou family from servitude, he single-handedly established the now prominent Zhou family. But the Xu family did not mistreat the Zhou family! When Zhou Daogan revealed his aptitude for the Martial Way, Lord Mingde had already passed. With no worthy successor in the Xu family, Xu Yi¡¯s grandfather chose to gift Zhou Daogan the Martial Way manuals that Lord Mingde had left behind, even financially supporting his efforts. It was only because of this that Zhou Daogan even had the chance to become a formidable practitioner. After all, human potential is often limited. It is said that studying is for the poor, and martial arts is for the rich. Without the financial means to obtain medicinal herbs and training manuals, even a prodigy would end up being mediocre in the long run. Of course, Xu Yi¡¯s grandfather¡¯s goodwill was not purely selfless. He had hoped that if Zhou Daogan would go far along the Martial Way, the Xu Family would get his primary support in the future. Both parties were striving for a win-win situation ¡ª a common occurrence in daily life. But in a twist of fate, despite suddenly becoming a noble one day, his former identity as a servant became an object of ridicule amongst his fellow disciples in the sect. At first, he could tolerate it. But as the days passed, it twisted him. Instead of blaming his ancestors for not being accomplished, he began to harbor a grudge against the Xu family for having his family as servants. One was an esteemed disciple of the Lingxiao Hall with high status, while the other was just a wealthy landowner in the country. Since Zhou Daogan bore a grudge against the Xu family, their fate was sealed. However, the Xu family were once the Zhou family¡¯s masters. Although Zhou Daogan wanted to do them in, he still had to bear his own reputation in mind. He thus resorted to long-term machinations to whittle them down. Having been framed for a crime, the old master of the Xu family was angered to death, bringing the Xu family to their downfall. Over the next twenty years, under constant suppression from the Zhou family, the Xu family suffered and were slowly unable to support themselves. In the end, the Xu family lost their entire fortune. Xu Yi¡¯s parents were also tricked by the Zhou family¡¯s underhanded means, and they were forced into hard labor and servitude, eventually being worked to death. With the Xu family in shambles, Xu Yi naturally had no means to train in the Martial Way. All that was left was for him to study. When he was sixteen, he set himself up as a children¡¯s teacher in the Xu family¡¯s village, somehow managing to make ends meet. But even so, when the Zhou family got news of this, they went out of their way to destroy Xu Yi¡¯s only source of income. The Zhou family was merciless! Overcome with a mix of rage and fear, Xu Yi astonishingly died just like that. Before his body could become cold, another soul had coincidentally travelled across time and space into it, becoming today¡¯s Xu Yi. With the melding of memories, Xu Yi could feel his emotions becoming one with the other Xu Yi as well. He truly felt hatred for Young Master Zhou and Zhou Daogan before him. ¡°Very well, since I¡¯ve borrowed your body, let me resolve this grudge for you. You can rest in peace.¡± Xu Yi looked up to the heavens and silently offered a sentence of prayer. After a short rest, Xu Yi got up and entered the rundown wooden hut. He haphazardly made a simple dinner, swallowed it down, then stepped outside. The night was already dark, and in the night sky hung a crescent moon. Bright and white, it¡¯s light scattered over the land, illuminating the mountain forest in the distance, which looked like a giant resting beast. When he entered the forest, Xu Yi¡¯s body suddenly accelerated. With every step, he crossed a few meters. In a few flashes, he was already deep in the jungle. He found an open area, then spread his legs out and assumed a stance. Hu! Ha! Hu! Ha! Chapter 2 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Xu Yi moved slowly. Each move and each form was performed as heavily and as arduously as possible. His body was like that of a fit bull, sometimes striking, sometimes kicking, sometimes crashing into a tree! But over and over again, it was just these three moves! Once he started, his training went on for four hours. Except for when he paused to stuff some black herbs, which were a few inches long, into his mouth, he did not stop at all. Xu Yi slowed down as he went on, as if he were carrying a ton of bricks on his back. But the blood all around his body flowed faster and faster through his blood vessels. He was burning and roaring with life. Suddenly, Xu Yi¡¯s entire body seemed to have attained a mysterious state, free of pain and fatigue. All of his focus and energy was fixated on the roaring flow of blood coursing through his body. Hu! Ha! Xu Yi adjusted all the remaining strength in his body to attempt the move ¡°Crashing Heaven¡¯s Gate¡± once more. With his back against the trunk of a pine tree as thick as a large noodle-bowl, he slammed hard against it. Kacha! The large pine tree actually snapped! Xu Yi fell onto the ground with a thud, lying limp like a giant prawn. His body was left without a shred of strength, but he was full of joy. The feeling flowed into him like a raging river into the sea. It was clear that the final slam he¡¯d just performed had at least the strength of one bull. And the strength of one bull was a benchmark of the peak of the Body Forging stage. Taking a while to catch his breath, Xu Yi sat up. With a horizontal chop of his arm, a piece of hardwood snapped. With the sharp end of the broken wood, he drew a vicious slash across his arm. A long, deep white mark appeared, but there was not a hint of blood. He raised a fist and sent it smashing onto a boulder the size of a stone roller, and the boulder crumbled into smithereens! ¡°Skin as tough as hide! Bones as hard as steel! The Body Forging peak is indeed impressive!¡± Xu Yi mumbled to himself as he looked down at his two hands. In the Body Forging stage, the aim was to strengthen blood flow and to train the toughness of the bones and skin. When one¡¯s skin was as tough as an old bull¡¯s hide, bones were was hard as steel, and strength greater than that of a bull, one was considered to have met the peak of this particular stage. Although Xu Yi had reached the peak of the Body Forging stage, he dared not stay too long in the forest. He had just reached the peak, and the most important thing to do now was to stabilise this state. He rushed back to his hut and took out the precious herbs that he had accumulated over the last two years, which were actually just a dozen strands of lower grade Wulong Grass. Grasping them in his hands, he sat cross-legged, immersed in a bathtub of boiling water. He calmed his mind and focused his senses, quietly feeling the sensation of heat within his palms spreading across his body. Before this, he was still in the earlier stages of the Body Forging stage, and the energy in his blood flow was frothing and scattering in all directions. Now, under the guidance of these flows of heat, the energy began to gather itself, and in bits and pieces, the energy immersed into his bloodstream, tendons, and muscles. By the time he got up, the water in the bathtub had become unbelievably murky. Upon careful observation of his body, he found that the hard and defined lines on his body had softened to their pre-training state. But within this softness was frightening power! Changing into clothes made from coarse cloth, Xu Yi took out a wooden hairpin and fixed his hair in place. He looked down at his reflection in a basin of water. Staring back at him was a thin and hardened face, with clear, defined features. This was a face that he was extremely pleased with. Suddenly, his eyes were fixed on the two pieces of ginger on the broken wooden table. Without realising it, his thoughts began to wander. The extreme hardship that he had gone through after making his way into this world six months ago, the inhumane self-torture that he went through, all flashed across his eyes scene by scene like a roll of film. Over these six months, only he knew how much suffering and hardships he had to bear. Even he would never have thought that because he feared death, because he feared leaving this world without any trace, a lazy soul like himself would actually be capable of such tenacity. The two pieces of ginger in his hand were used to colour his skin yellow. He could practice martial arts, but he could not reveal any notable progress. The Zhou family would be glad to see a dumb mule make a fool of himself throwing kicks and punches, but they would not allow the growth of a prodigy of the Martial Way! Six months of careful treading¡­ Hehe, that all ends now! With a stretch of his arm, Xu Y cast the two pieces of ginger awayi. They drew an amazing arc through the sky and flew out of sight. Rat-tat! Rat-tat! The sound of clattering came from far away. It was already around ten at night. After standing still by the window for a while, Xu Yi finally moved. He gently patted the old yellow dog who was sound asleep by the bed. He stretched under the bed and dragged out two roosters. With that, he left the hut, speeding south into the mountain forest. Huiyin Mountain was the only large mountain within Guang¡¯an Prefecture. It was so large that it stretched over ten thousand kilometres from east to west, and it spanned around five thousand kilometres from north to south. Spanning over three prefectures, it was rather famous, even within the vast territories of the Dayue Dynasty. In the depths of the night, Huiyin Mountain could be terrifying. Ghoulish cries could be heard, and it was hard to see one¡¯s own fingers in the dark. Even standing still in the forest could send chills down one¡¯s spine and make one uncomfortable, much less travelling through the forest. But Xu Yi seemed to ignore the pitch black darkness and the cold of the night. He accurately navigated his way around every tree in his path as he sped through the forest. Along the way, he encountered a large snake as thick as a bucket. It came from above, launching a surprise attack from the top of the tree. But Xu Yi was already prepared. As a fist came crashing onto the snake¡¯s head, its giant body weighing over a ton was sent flying back into the air. The snake crashed into a tree, dizzily turned away, and never dared to return. The powerful strength within Xu Yi brought him a great feeling of carefree comfort. The wind blew against him, pulling against his large sleeves, causing them to dance in the wind. After sprinting for a short while, he was already around thirty kilometres deep into the forest. He stopped at a forest of pagoda trees. Calculating the time in his head, it was around midnight now. Xu Yi took out three black sticks of incense, lit them, and stuck them into the ground next to the forest in a triangular shape. Very soon, a thick cloud of black smoke emerged from the largest pagoda tree, forming the figure of a human above the three incense sticks. The figure had a high-bridged nose, a burly figure, and a large forehead with no hair on its head. Around the neck was a ring of crudely made prayer beads, each roughly the size of a small egg. These were the features of the fierce-looking, otherworldly monk. In the face of such a frightening figure, Xu Yi showed no surprise but rather joy instead. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, the figure made out of dense smoke seemed to show signs of dissipating. Shocked, Xu Yi immediately broke the necks of the two roosters and sent large amounts of rooster blood spurting towards the human figure. The dissipating of the figure finally stopped. Only then did Xu Yi realize that this fearsome looking monk actually had multiple holes in his abdomen the size of bowls! ¡°Master!¡± Xu Yi exclaimed. ¡°Almsgiver, this monk has already said it many times; this monk already dead. What ¡®master¡¯ is there to speak of? You protect the Liaochen¡¯s spirit, and Liaochen imparts you the Body Forging technique. You are merely reaping the fruits of your merits. Furthermore, your six senses are not purified, and you have no affinity with the Buddha. You cannot be a disciple.¡± Liaochen then put his palms together and began chanting. Xu Yi said, ¡°Master has taught me martial techniques and solved my troubles. I owe you for my rebirth. Even if Master will not accept me as a disciple, I will still regard you as my Master!¡± As he spoke, his face was flushed red with sincerity. When it came to this, it must have been fate. His chance encounter with Liaochen happened only on the night of the third day since he had arrived in this new world. Chapter 3 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio That night, the weather was chilly and the sky was overcast, with thick dark clouds blocking out half the sky. The wind howled, signalling an incoming storm. Xu Yi was sitting on his doorstep, staring blankly at the mountain mist dancing with the raging winds. At that moment Liaochen¡¯s spirit stumbled across Xu Yi¡¯s front door. Xu Yi had not realized anything amiss. He called out, ¡°Venerable monk, a storm is about to come, would you like to rest here before continuing?¡± With that shout, Liaochen froze and gasped in shock. ¡°Natural Yin eyes!¡± Hearing those words, Xu Yi was alarmed. He suddenly realized that this large monk in front of him was no longer in the mortal realm. His body was incorporeal, and he was floating instead of walking. Thankfully, Xu Yi had already died once, so he felt no fear towards Liaochen. Once more, he invited Liaochen inside to avoid the rain. By the time the rain stopped, Xu Yi had some understanding of Liaochen¡¯s story. Liaochen was a native of the Western Territories and an outer sect disciple of the Heavenly Jhana Temple. He had travelled around the world all the way to Guang¡¯an before meeting with an unfortunate accident and dying in a foreign land. Using a secret technique, he escaped as a spirit, and he was trying to head back home in order to settle the matters of his death before going into the nether world. But a spirit could not exist in the mortal world for long. After making his way to the bottom of Huiyin Mountain, his spirit was weak and was gradually dissipating. Coincidentally, Xu Yi had called to Liaochen at that time, then followed his instructions to use a bit of rooster blood daily to help Liaochen restore his spirit form. In order to repay this debt, Liaochen had taught Xu Yi a Body Forging technique allowing Xu Yi to attain his level of skill today. Three months ago, Liaochen¡¯s spirit form was more or less whole again, and he intended to carry on his journey. However he knew that this spirit form was unlike his flesh body and could not hold for long. In case his plan failed, he arranged for Xu Yi to meet with him on this date. If his spirit failed to make it back home, he would still make his way here to meet with Xu Yi. Little did Xu Yi know that Liaochen¡¯s spirit would have broken down to this extent by the time they met. Before Xu Yi could ask any more, he heard Liaochen say, ¡°Be it bad luck or bad timing, this monk ran into a calamity on the way back. Although I escaped, my spirit was damaged. Today is the day I leave this world. But the heavens have been kind to this monk for allowing me to meet you.¡± ¡°Master, there must be a way! There must be a way!¡± Tears flowed from Xu Yi¡¯s eyes. Liaochen reached out to pat Xu Yi on the shoulder, but the incorporeal hand simply passed right through. He was unable to touch anything solid. Liaochen sighed again and said, ¡°Almsgiver, grieve not, for life and death is fated. This monk is a sinner, he deserves this calamity. Time is short, so allow Liaochen to witness your progress in these months!¡± What was left for Xu Yi to say? Liaochen was looking at him gently with eyes full of expectation. Without another word, Xu Yi assumed his stance. His body was bent slightly at the waist, his left hand was in a fist, and the fingers of his right hand were bent. A burst of energy exploded from his qi center as he began to move. Qilin Heavenly Stomp! Crashing Heaven¡¯s Gate! Unrestrained Heavenly Demon! Only these three forms were performed over and over, but within the woods, it was as though a bull demon was rampaging. Within the blink of an eye, over a dozen small trees were snapped apart and sent flying! When the set of moves was complete, Xu Yi brought his fists to his waist and stood back upright. His face was not red, and he was not breathless as he stood strong and tall. Liaochen¡¯s eyes widened, and his pale face filled with surprise. This Qilin Tyrant Force was the Heavenly Jhana Temple¡¯s best martial technique for the Body Forging stage. It was usually never passed down unless it was to an heir of the sect. It was only through chance and fate that he was spotted by Zen Master Jiuru¡¯s divine eyes and received the technique. To thank Xu Yi for saving his life, he had passed it on once more. But Liaochen would have never guessed that Xu Yi had used this Qilin Tyrant force to reach the peak of the Body Forging stage in only six months! He himself had taken three years! His junior Beichen took one year, and because of that, he was hailed as the Heavenly Jhana Temple¡¯s most gifted prodigy in fifty years. Liaochen was also well aware that Beichen managed his breakthrough in one year because the Heavenly Jhana Temple gave him more than just the Qilin Tyrant Force technique. The resources spent on precious medicinal herbs were greater than he could count. But what did this young peasant have? All he could do was teach a little, earn some coppers, and save them up month by month only to exchange them for herbs of the lowest grade! To reach this stage in a span of months was truly a miracle! ¡°This monk has never heard of any talent that rivals yours. This monk has always felt uneasy about imparting the Qilin Tyrant Force technique to you without my master¡¯s approval. But after seeing your talent, I am sure that my master, Zen Master Jiuru, would not mind even if he knew.¡± With a reassured look on his face, Liaochen put his palms together and prayed to the Buddha. Xu Yi said, ¡°I am not smart by nature, so I could only tell myself, ¡®If others practice once, I can do it ten times or a hundred times.¡¯ I believe that my shortcomings can be overcome with hard work!¡± ¡°Overcome with hard work! Good words indeed! The fact that you can say this proves that you have heart! Alright, Liaochen¡¯s time is almost up. Please listen closely, almsgiver.¡± With that, Liaochen began to talk about his past. When Liaochen was thirty, he broke past the peak of the Body Forging stage and entered the Qi Ocean stage. Because of that, he was selected to work at the Heavenly Jhana Temple Sutra Repository. For the next few years, Liaochen¡¯s daily life did not change much. Other than spending time pursuing the Martial Way, he spent his time cleaning the Sutra Repository, or tidying the shelves of manuals and scriptures. In no time at all, fifteen years had passed. One day, news came from the Sutra Repository that Liaochen had stolen a precious scripture and fled! The senior monks of the Heavenly Jhana Temple were furious, and a massive manhunt began. Liaochen fled all the way from the Western Territories to the Central Lands. When he reached Guang¡¯an, he lost his life in battle! That was why he was left with only his spirit when he encountered Xu Yi. Liaochen meant to keep this painful secret from Xu Yi. But now that his spirit was about to dissipate, he decided to entrust Xu Yi with this burden, and he told him the full truth. ¡°Without surpassing the Qi Ocean stage by sixty, one can give up hope of progress! Liaochen never did escape the fear of death. The fear crept into my heart, and thoughts of stealing crept into my mind. That was why I stole the scripture! Perhaps the heavens wished to punish me, for the scripture was beyond what any average practitioner could grasp. In the end, it was like drawing water with a basket, like pursuing the reflections of a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water; all I grasped was nothing. Today, Liaochen will vanish from the earth with nothing to leave behind. Except just one regret that this precious scripture will never return to the Heavenly Jhana Temple. But thankfully, I have encountered you. I beseech you, please return the precious scripture to the Heavenly Jhana Temple in my place!¡± With that, Liaochen was ready to go down on his knees. Xu Yi treated Liaochen as his master and would never bear to receive such a gesture from him. With a quick step, Xu Yi bypassed Liaochen and said, ¡°I would never dare disobey your wishes!¡± At that moment, another gust of wind blew past. As the wind whistled, it took Liaochen¡¯s remaining arm. Xu Yi panicked and did not know what to do, but he heard Liaochen utter his final words with a pained expression on his face. After he finished, a violent gale suddenly swept through the woods. Liaochen¡¯s already broken spirit dissipated and was swept away into the wind. Xu Yi stood in stunned silence for a long time, grief pouring out from within him. He stared into the pagoda tree forest. It was quiet and lonesome, with a thin fog drifting through, but there was no sign of Liaochen anymore. He howled madly, then began to mourn. His sorrowful cries startled the vast forest, causing birds and beasts to cry in alarm. This continued until the east began to turn bright. In the lush mountain forest, birds and beasts were becoming active. A cacophony of sound reached his ears but he never heard from Liaochen again. Suddenly, Xu Yi was on his knees. He was on the ground, and tears flowed from his cheeks. In his mind was Liaochen¡¯s voice and smile. After some time, the first rays of light shone through the forest. Xu Yi finally contained his grief, chopped some wood for a tombstone, and dug up some earth for a grave. He tossed the three burnt sticks of incense into the grave and covered it up, allowing Liaochen to at least have some sort of a marked grave. Chapter 4 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio After an hour, Xu Yi¡¯s figure appeared at the foot of Huiyin Mountain, and he had an additional wild boar on his shoulders that was as large as a bull calf. After reaching the peak of the Body Forging stage, Xu Yi enjoyed the feeling of having a strong body even more. It was the kind of feeling of having everything under one¡¯s control that brought a spring to his step. In the past, although he was still capable of going up into the mountains to hunt, he would definitely not have done it in such an easy and carefree manner. He looked up into the sky. It had just passed seven in the morning, and the sun was rising higher in the sky. In the distance, scores of farmers worked among the fields of crops, some using their hoes, others using their plows, and some working their oxen. All of this was interspersed with the lush greenery. With such a beautiful scene that would belong in a painting, Xu Yi¡¯s heart was plenty eased. As he was looking at the beautiful scene before him, a tower of smoke rose in the northwest. Xu Yi shifted his glance over, then tossed away the wild boar on his shoulders. Like lightning, he sped towards the direction of the smoke. When he reached the source of the smoke, he found that the burning object was actually Xu Yi¡¯s own tiny wooden hut which had housed him and two generations of his family. Surrounding it were many farmers from the village. Seeing Xu Yi return, they surrounded him and began speaking all at once. Most of what they said revolved around complaints that he should not have offended Young Master Zhou. Xu Yi was already fuming mad when a man covered in mud wormed his way through the crowd. While panting for breath, he shouted, ¡°Xu, Xu¡­ Ancestors¡­ Ancestral¡­ grave¡­¡± The hairs on Xu Yi¡¯s body stood on end when he heard this. Immediately, he rushed towards the back of the mountain. When he reached his destination, he saw over a dozen graves that had been violently dug open, with corpses and bones scattered all across the ground. ¡°AHHHH!¡± Xu Yi screamed in agony, falling to his knees. His brain felt like it was being stabbed by tens of thousands of needles, and his temples felt as though a grasshopper had crept in and was hopping around madly. The emotions of the body¡¯s original owner had run amok again. Xu Yi felt excruciating pain. He spent an hour without moving in front of the graves before he could catch his breath. He then spent another four hours picking up all the bones and shifting them deeper into the mountains. He erected a large tomb, burnt some incense as an offering, then prayed for a bit before leaving. By the time he got back, his house had already burnt down to the ground. The crowd of villagers watching the spectacle had already left. Xu Yi¡¯s heart was filled with indignation, but his stomach was empty. He walked over to the stream in front of his house, bent over, and brought his face to the water. After a good drink, he whittled a wooden stick into a spear. With a dozen continuous stabs into the water, he had managed to spear a dozen plump red carp, a specialty of the local stream. After removing the scales, scooping out the innards, and washing the fish in the stream, Xu Yi began to wolf down the fish raw. Upon reaching the peak of the Body Forging stage, Xu Yi¡¯s physical abilities greatly increased. His strength was greater than a bull¡¯s, and his appetite was comparable to a tiger¡¯s. A dozen large red carp, no less than fifty kilograms in total, all went to his stomach, skin and bone included! After eating his fill, Xu Yi did not immediately get on the move. He sat cross-legged by the stream, circulating his energy and recovering his strength. At this moment, there was a storm raging in his chest, but he looked completely calm on the outside. He was just waiting for the right moment to turn the world upside down. The sun was setting in the west as the mountain wind blew down through the village. From the valley to the west came the tinkling sound of metal. Xu Yi did not open his eyes, but he could hear that it was the metallic sound of metal buckles on boots colliding with the saddle of a horse. Indeed, after a short while, the neighing of horses and the shouts of their riders reached his ears. From the noise they made, there were no less than ten riders. Suddenly, Xu Yi shot to his feet. With only a few steps, he had quickly leapt towards the mountain pass in the west. The mountain wind was blowing, displaying the flags on the horses. Young Master Zhou¡¯s hunting troupe had once more returned from Huiyin Mountain with a bountiful catch. Each and every horse was carrying the heavy load of a wild beast. The joy of a successful hunt shone across each of their faces. Even the normally reserved Young Master Zhou could not help but whistle a tune on his way back. The shallow Mutton Chops was even happily singing an off-tune melody. The lyrics were obscene, but they drew cheers from his fellow riders. While he was happily singing, the middle-aged, hawk-nosed man to the immediate left of Young Master Zhou suddenly barked, ¡°There¡¯s killing intent!¡± Hawk Nose was one of the top retainers that Young Master Zhou¡¯s family managed to hire. His skill was unbeatable, and he held a considerable position. With his few words, everyone was suddenly on alert. Immediately, swords were drawn and arrows were notched as they surveyed the surroundings. ¡°Look no more, the source is straight ahead!¡± Hawk Nose said coldly. ¡°Hehe, I want to see who could be this daring. Within these hundred miles, who would dare bare his teeth at my Zhou family!¡± Young Master Zhou cracked his whip, and his red stallion picked up speed, rushing ahead. The row of riders cracked their whips as well, rushing forward to keep up. Rushing into a small hill, the lone figure of Xu Yi in the middle of the road was plain for all to see. Seeing that it was Xu Yi, Mutton Chops¡¯ spirits rose. He too was one of the Zhou family¡¯s retainers, but because his progress in the Martial Way had stopped at the later part of the Body Forging stage, his position was much lower than that of Hawk Nose. But this man loved to fight for credit. In the morning, when the hunting troupe had passed by Xu Yi¡¯s home, Young Master Zhou did not manage to encounter Xu Yi. He frowned and had his men torch Xu Yi¡¯s hut, then they rode to the back mountains and desecrated Xu Yi¡¯s ancestral graves. At this moment, seeing Xu Yi giving off the killing intent was like seeing an ant trying to block an entire road. This was a great opportunity for him to put himself in his employer¡¯s good books. With the intent of stealing the credit for himself, Mutton Chops cracked his whip. Feeling the pain of the whip, his black horse ran faster, even overtaking Young Master Zhou in front. When he reached the front, he laughed wildly and said, ¡°How dare a stray dog like you learn to bare your teeth! I will skin you alive!¡± Before even finishing his words, Mutton Chops had tugged on his reigns. The horse raised its front hooves, threatening to smash them into Xu Yi¡¯s skull. When it seemed as though the hooves were about to stomp on Xu Yi, Xu Yi who had remained still all this while, sprang into action. He was as fast as lightning, dodging the horse¡¯s hooves by a hair¡¯s width. His muscles contracted to the extreme, and he reappeared by the side of the horses neck. His sturdy body was like an extremely powerful spring. Making use of ¡°Crashing Heaven¡¯s Gate,¡± which he had performed over a thousand times, his back, which was as tough as steel, slammed against the horse¡¯s neck. The galloping stallion¡¯s neck suddenly snapped, and its huge body flew horizontally, crashing into the crowd behind. Atop the horse, before Mutton Chops could realize what had happened, an impossible turn of events had occurred! Amongst the Zhou family¡¯s lackeys, Mutton Chops had insulted Xu Yi the most deeply and most often. Earlier, in the moment Mutton Chops had mentioned skinning him alive, Xu Yi¡¯s heart pounded as his murderous intent began to center around Mutton Chops. With the horse sent flying, before Mutton Chops could come to his senses, Xu Yi had reached out and grabbed him by the neck, dragging him off the horse. At that moment, Hawk Nose had swooped down on him like an eagle, throwing a fist in mid-air. The blow was aimed straight at Xu Yi¡¯s spine. The force of the punch exploded through the air. It was just a distance of three meters, which could be covered in one breath. It looked as though this punch that had come out of nowhere was about to land. But it was as though there were eyes on Xu Yi¡¯s back. With Mutton Chops still in his grasp, he sent a kick that shattered the back of one of the riders. The impact shifted him horizontally a few inches, narrowly avoiding the incoming punch. The rider in front of him, however, was not so lucky. With this shattering punch landing on his back, he uttered a strange cry before his body exploded, creating a fountain of blood. Chapter 5 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio After missing the blow, Hawk Nose landed briefly on the ball of one of his feet and leapt at Xu Yi again. Although Xu Yi was encumbered by Mutton Chops, there were plenty of ¡°shields¡± for him within the crowd of horses and men. With his nimble body, he dodged each and every one of Hawk Nose¡¯s killing moves by the narrowest of margins. Hawk Nose was indeed an expert at the peak of the Body Forging stage. The amount of strength that he possessed was shocking. With Young Master Zhou cheering him on, he had to display his strength to the fullest. These heavy blows were easily thrown, but not easily retracted. Xu Yi could avoid them, but the group of riders could not. In the blink of an eye, he had caused Hawk Nose to obliterate seven of them. Whoosh! The tip of Xu Yi¡¯s foot landed right in the middle of the last rider¡¯s throat. With a cracking sound, the rider¡¯s neck bent unnaturally as he fell off the horse. With that, aYoung Master Zhou¡¯s eight riders had all perished! At that moment, Young Master Zhou finally realized that the young villager in front of him was no longer the meager ant whom he could bully for fun as he wished. Looking into his cold eyes, he actually felt a chill run down his spine. When the chill had passed, shame began to well up in Young Master Zhou¡¯s heart. He was a noble, born to a distinguished family. Even without his uncle Zhou Daogan, who was renowned across Guang¡¯an, his own house had dozens of retainers, with many experts among them. Even he himself had already reached the later levels of the Body Forging stage, and he was only a step away from the peak. For an ant like Xu Yi to instil fear in him was a great insult! With that thought, Young Master Zhou flew into a rage, shouting back with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Very well, you are scheming indeed. To think that you actually secretly trained your skills. My uncle was right that you Xu¡¯s were all born from criminals. Forever employing despicable and underhanded means. You want revenge, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m right here; come at me!¡± ¡°Why the hurry to die? Let me get rid of your lackeys first!¡± Xu Yi roared in reply. Sticking his left thumb out, his simple yet sharp fingernail became a sharp knife. With a stab and a pull, he drew a thin and shallow white line right down from the top of Mutton Chop¡¯s head, which began leaking blood a moments later. Xu Yi twisted his left hand, and a flap of skin rose up from the edges of the red line. In the next few moments, his large hand struck all over Mutton Chop¡¯s body more than a dozen times. His rapid strikes were like the sound of popcorn. With two fingers of his left hand twisting and grabbing onto that flap of skin, he pulled hard, and at the same time, a sickening sound like that of a cloth ripping entered everyone¡¯s ears. Xu Yi had actually ripped off Mutton Chop¡¯s entire scalp, all the way to the base of his neck, leaving him in a miserable, half-dead state! Ever since he had been subdued by Xu Yi, he was held by the throat, and his spine had been shattered. He was both unable to move and unable to cry out. At this moment, under such horrific torture, even as an expert at the later stages of the Body Forging stage, he was convulsing in pain. Tears streamed down his face, and he was only able to gurgle as his throat was being crushed. It was truly an unbearable sight. Both in his past life and in this present one, it was the first time Xu Yi had performed such a torture, but there was no a hint of mercy or uneasiness in doing so. Instead, the flames of anger in his heart was almost burning up his brain. Even with such punishment, it was not enough to ease the Xu Yi¡¯s hatred. With a stomp of his leg, he broke both of Mutton Chops legs, then tossed him up into the air like a rag doll. Mutton Chops ended up at the top of a large tree around a dozen meters tall. Like a giant de-shelled prawn, he lay there curled up, dripping blood and wailing desperately. It may have been a long description, but all of that happened in a flash. Young Master Zhou and Hawk Nose had no time to even react, and Mutton Chops had already ended up in a miserable half-dead state. ¡°AHHHHH!¡± Hawk Nose screamed in rage! Normally, even he did not think much of Mutton Chops. He had always thought that he lacked air and dignity of a pugilist. But for Xu Yi to carry out such a gruesome act right under his nose, it was simply a blatant slap in the face! ¡°Xu Yi, I will make you regret ever being born!¡± Young Master Zhou was fuming. Stepping on the back of his horse, he leapt into the air and drew his sword. An arc of green light was drawn across the air as the sword was aimed straight at Xu Yi¡¯s throat. ¡°Elder Feng, hold your position by the side. I want to personally butcher this bastard and use his skull as my chamber pot!¡± Whoosh whoosh whoosh. Young Master Zhou wielded his sword like lightning, the reflection of light off the sword shimmering continuously. Each move was quick, and each aimed at a vital spot. Within the blink of an eye, he had attacked thirteen times, and Xu Yi had correspondingly retreated thirteen steps. Although he had not landed a strike, he had forced the seemingly infallible Xu Yi to retreat step after step. Young Master Zhou smirked in delight, coldly shouting, ¡°This Galloping Thunder Sword Technique was taught to me by my uncle Lord Daogan. It was obtained from Fairy Yuqing of the Celestial Mountain Sect, and it is one of their most famous sword techniques. Back in the day, Fairy Yuqing had used this same technique to wipe out the Thirty-Six Strongholds of Woniu Mountain with my uncle, defeating hundreds of men. I have only used thirteen moves and you could not even take one of them! The upcoming moves are so deadly that I fear your head will come off before you even get the chance to scream in agony. Get down on your knees and beg for mercy, and I will allow you to die with a complete corpse.¡± ¡°A slave is a slave indeed. You learn a few tricks and you go show them off. Show me what you got! Let¡¯s see if that old crook Daogan taught you any real techniques!¡± Xu Yi coldly replied. The word ¡°slave¡± was an attack on his Zhou family ancestry, making Young Master Zhou fume with anger. The Zhou family had served as the Xu family¡¯s servants for generations, and this was a sore spot in the hearts of each member of the Zhou family. It¡¯s always been something that they¡¯ve kept hidden and forbidden anyone from mentioning. ¡°You rascal, you¡¯re asking for death!¡± Young Master Zhou angrily roared, ¡°Destruction of Heaven and Earth!¡± With his hand outstretched, he spun the sword with his wrist nine times. At that moment, invisible ripples flowed through the air. The flowers by the side of the mountain path were assaulted by the waves of energy and were sent flying into the air. Elder Feng smiled with his hands behind his back as he retreated two steps with a look of delight in his eyes. Coming from Young Master Zhou¡¯s family, this Galloping Thunder Sword Technique was indeed special. Both being at the later stages of the Body Forging stage, with Xu Yi barehanded against the Young master¡¯s sword, the victor was already decided. Even if this rascal had learned a few skills, under the Galloping Thunder Sword, it was impossible for him to escape in one piece. Just as Elder Feng was sure of his victory, the situation suddenly changed. Before Young Master Zhou struck with his readied sword technique, Xu Yi made his move. With his long legs, he swept at one of the rocks on the roadside that was dozens of kilograms in weight. The rock immediately became a cannonball, and it was sent speeding towards Young Master Zhou. Before he could strike, Young Master Zhou had become the target of a heavy boulder. If he did nothing about it, a rock coming at him with such force would either kill or maim him if it lands. Young Master Zhou held his breath and turned his sword around to perform a backhand slash. The strong force of the blade hacked the rock into rubble and continued onwards, with the green blade threatening to slash at Xu Yi as well. But then, another rock came flying over¡­ In the blink of an eye, Young Master Zhou had already slashed apart dozens of flying rocks. Young Master Zhou was feeling absolutely done. When Zhou Daogan had taught him this Galloping Thunder Sword Technique, he had never mentioned that this godly sword technique would be used to break rocks. And he had never thought that there would be a day where, even with his great physical strength, he would be splitting rocks until his hands were swollen and numb. ¡°Young Master, let me take care of him!¡± Elder Feng also hadn¡¯t expected that this golden opportunity would have eventually gone bad. Chapter 6 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Young Master Zhou¡¯s sword technique was flawless, but he lacked actual combat experience, losing out to Xu Yi¡¯s cunning and ability to improvise. Xu Yi adapted well, and instead of a sure victory for Young Master Zhou, it became a gruelling battle, prompting Elder Feng to want to make a move. ¡°No need! I said that this rascal is mine!¡± With a steeled expression, Young Master Zhou hacked apart another rock with his sword, only to feel that the force was not as strong as before. With a sudden realization, he laughed coldly. ¡°Have no fear Elder Feng. How can I not notice that the tricks that this rascal is up to? He is trying to drain my stamina. Hehe, does he not know that his stamina is limited too? The strength I need to break apart a rock is much less than the strength he needs to send a rock flying this far. If I¡¯m tired, the rascal will be tired too. I¡¯ll make sure he collapses from fatigue today, then I will skin him alive!¡± Elder Feng eyed Xu Yi, and noticed that he was sweating from head to toe. His face was pale, and he was evidently spent from overexertion. He then backed away and said, ¡°Young Master is wise!¡± Clang! Clang! Another two rocks were hacked away. Young Master Zhou was overjoyed. He could clearly see that the last two rocks were much weaker. It was obvious that Xu Yi was spent. After breaking the two rocks, Young Master Zhou took the opportunity to close the distance. Xu Yi sent another rock flying but ended up stumbling. Not letting an opportunity slip, Young Master Zhou¡¯s eyes sparkled as he mustered his energy to leap forward, closing the distance in a flash. The sword whistled through the air like a vicious dragon emerging from its nest, stabbing straight at the top of Xu Yi¡¯s head. ¡°Meet your doom!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come at the right time!¡± Xu Yi roared. His two hands flew outwards at the same time, firmly wedging the swift blade between his two palms. Kacha! Xu Yi exerted force with his palms and snapped the sword in two. Before Young Master Zhou could react, Xu Yi flipped the broken blade around and stabbed it into Young Master Zhou¡¯s left shoulder. ¡°Argh!¡± A deafening cry that would shock the heavens reverberated through the mountain valley! Seeing Xu Yi stop the sword, Elder Feng¡¯s eyebrows were raised so high they almost dropped off his face. With one foot stomping on the ground, the mountain path crumbled under his foot. Speeding forward like a tornado, Elder Feng had already reached them the moment Young Master Zhou¡¯s shoulder was stabbed. He placed one hand on Young Master Zhou¡¯s shoulder, and the other hand, in a palm, was sent chopping towards Xu Yi. The force of the palm was so sharp, even the stray hairs by Young Master Zhou¡¯s ear were cut! Xu Yi hated Young Master Zhou deeply. He had spent so much effort in order to finally have him in his hands, and he would not easily give up. Without dodging or evading, he sent a fist to meet Elder Feng¡¯s chopping palm. Elder Feng secretly rejoiced. He doesn¡¯t know that he¡¯s doomed! Elder Feng thought to himself. Crash! The fist and the palm clashed, creating what seemed like an explosion at the scene. After the exchange, Xu Yi¡¯s feet had sunk into the ground by half an inch, but he had not taken even a step backwards. Elder Feng, on the other hand, stood firmly on the ground. The force of Xu Yi¡¯s punch had been taken as though it were nothing. Through this exchange, it was clear that Elder Feng stood out on top. In just one exchange of moves, a wave of surprise swept over Elder Feng. And it was this momentary lapse that Xu Yi took advantage of. He grabbed hold of the still stunned Young Master Zhou¡¯s left arm, exerted his strength, twisted, and pulled. With a bone-chilling scream, Young Master Zhou¡¯s entire left arm was ripped off. Elder Feng howled in a mix of surprise and rage. At that moment his sleeves exploded apart, as he leapt at Xu Yi like an angry lion. Landing a crippling injury, Xu Yi spent no time hanging around any longer. Like a fired arrow, he retreated over a dozen meters backwards. Young Master Zhou was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and he had never faced any real difficulties. Even training in the Martial Way, he had relied on herbs and techniques in order to overcome all sorts of obstacles. He had taken an express route, unlike Xu Yi who had gone through backbreaking training and much hardship. Unable to withstand such pain, he fainted on the spot. Elder Feng¡¯s fingers flew as he sealed a dozen acupuncture points all over Young Master Zhou¡¯s body, stopping the flow of blood to his shoulders and his broken arm. Placing him on the ground, he then swept aside the hem of his expensive robes, placing his feet one in front of the other in a combat stance. His eyes were full of disbelief. ¡°Body Forging peak! You have actually reached the peak of the Body Forging stage! I remember seeing you two years ago. Your muscles were lax. You were clearly weak, and you knew nothing of martial arts. In just a few months, you have actually reached the peak of Body Forging from nothing at all! Even the main disciple of a renowned family couldn¡¯t amount to that much! Truly terrifying!¡± Young Master Zhou was at the later stages of Body Forging. His bones had strengthened and his skin had toughened. For Xu Yi to tear him apart with his bare hands was a clear indication that he had reached the peak of Body Forging. The people of this world held martial arts in high regard. People from all walks of life found glory in martial arts! Thus, this world of the Martial Way was created! In this world, those who walked the path of the Martial Way were uncountable, but those who could truly achieve greatness were one in a million. The peak of the Body Forging stage was one of the most important checkpoints. Only by surpassing this stage can one truly be considered to have taken the first step in exploring the secrets of the Martial Way. Continuing on, one could explore the depths and complexities of the Martial Way. Even if one stops there, one can retire as a wealthy landowner or become a retainer of powerful family, never needing to worry about making a living again. This was also said to be a step towards wealth! Just take Elder Feng for example. Before reaching the peak of Body Forging, he was merely a martial artist in an armed escort agency. The day he reached the peak of Body Forging, he became an individual who was heavily sought after by the government office as well as the many powerful families of Guang¡¯an. But for him to reach this stage, it took six whole years. The hardship that he had to go through was not something an outsider could understand. However, this young man in front of him, not even twenty years of age and having grown up in the wilderness, possessed such unnatural talent. Unless he had the luck to chance upon some brilliant teachings, he could never have had such good fortune! ¡°Could it be that you obtained some brilliant technique?¡± Elder Feng suddenly said with a glint in his eyes. He mumbled to himself, ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Your set of fist techniques were extremely intricate and bore an unnatural power. I have been at the peak of Body Forging for over a decade. Through my hard training, my one palm more than exceeds the strength of one bull. An ordinary martial artist at the peak of Body Forging would never be able to receive it, but you, who have just entered the peak of Body Forging, managed to withstand my palm firmly. This proves that your technique must be unimaginably brilliant!¡± As he spoke, Elder Feng¡¯s eyes grew wider and brighter, ¡°I shall capture you, force you to reveal your technique, and have hopes of entering the Qi Ocean stage!¡± ¡°Elder Feng, both you and I are at the peak of Body Forging. We have both cultivated some accomplishments, sharing the same path on the Martial Way. But why have you chosen to work as some watchdog? It is simply unbecoming of you, ¡± Xu Yi coldly taunted. Enraged, Elder Feng replied, ¡°What do you know? In this present day and age, the Martial Way may indeed be prospering, but because it has already prospered for so long, various sects and powerful families have all been established. All of the best techniques and best herbs have been monopolized by them. Without money and materials, just with grit alone, what kind of Martial Way can you cultivate? You¡¯ve been extremely lucky, you rascal, to be able to reach the peak of Body Forging in just two short years. But don¡¯t think so highly of yourself. Without any more lucky opportunities, you¡¯ll definitely end up like me; forever stuck at this stage. This is the tragedy of us average martial artists!¡± As he finished his speech, a hint of desolation appeared in Elder Feng¡¯s eyes. Xu Yi replied, ¡°Opportunities blah blah. You submit yourself to the Zhou family as a servant, but has Zhou Daogan given you any of such opportunities that you speak of?¡± Elder Feng¡¯s weathered face flushed red. He spat, ¡°What do you know? I have only been with the Zhou family for five years. I merely haven¡¯t achieved enough accomplishments for the lord to reward me.¡± With those words, Elder Feng¡¯s somber face suddenly lit up. He stared straight at Xu Yi saying, ¡°Perhaps I haven¡¯t achieved enough in the past, but if I can capture you today, I would gain great favour with the lord since you broke off an arm of the lord¡¯s favourite nephew.¡± Chapter 7 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°I¡¯ll say, no wonder you let me break that slave¡¯s arm off so easily. So it¡¯s because Elder Feng needs more credit.¡± Xu Yi laughed coldly. ¡°You¡¯re asking for death!¡± Elder Feng saw a window of opportunity from the corner of his eye. Without revealing any hint that he was attacking, he suddenly leapt forward raising his hand in a fist. The fist that was thrown was silent nor earth-shattering like the move they had exchanged before. Even the grass by the roadside did not waver in the least. But the speed of the fist was extremely fast, leaving Xu Yi virtually no time to evade before the silent fist was already right in front of his face. Huu! Xu Yi clenched his abdomen, expelling white air from his mouth. The fist he had kept by his waist all this while fired out like a cannonball. Since he could not evade, there was no point trying. They were both at the peak of Body Forging, so what was there to fear?! An explosive bang resounded. The earth seemed to shake from the impact. In the exchange of fists, Xu Yi struck Elder Feng¡¯s left shoulder while Elder Feng connected with Xu Yi¡¯s stomach. Elder Feng took the punch but did not even flinch. His two feet, however, sank half an inch into the ground while a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. When struck, Xu Yi, on the other hand, flew over three meters backwards like a kite with its strings cut, breaking apart numerous fir trees before lying on the ground motionless. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡± Elder Feng laughed and happily taunted, ¡°You brat! Did you think I did not notice that you were talking with me just to buy time, to circulate your qi and regain your energy?! I simply went along with your plan, buying time to combine my nine meridians to gather strength. With the strength of three bulls, the taste of my Desolate God Fist did not feel too good, right? Ha ha ha¡­¡± Xu Yi felt pain all over his body, as though each bone in his body was in pieces. When that frightening fist hit him, it felt as though a small mountain had crashed into him. He almost lost consciousness when Elder Feng¡¯s voice reached his ears, shocking him to his senses. ¡°Strength of three bulls, how is that possible?!¡± From what Liaochen taught him, he knew that when one reached the peak of Body Forging, one would have the strength of one bull. Because of differences in techniques and talent, a weaker practitioner may have less than the strength of one bull, and a stronger one may have more but definitely not more than the strength of one and a half bulls. He himself, who had surpassed the limits of a human body through arduous training, could only generate roughly the strength of one and a half bulls with an all-out attack. But this strike of Elder Feng¡¯s could actually match the strength of three bulls, totally shattering the common notion on the matter. Elder Feng finished laughing and looked coldly at Xu Yi as though he were already dead. With his palm, he chopped down a stiff branch, then gently whittled it with his nail to create a sharp end, refashioning it into a spear. Taking it into his hand, he moved as fast as lightning as he stabbed it right at Xu Yi¡¯s left shoulder. Elder Feng¡¯s intention was to capture Xu Yi alive. The stab was meant to pin Xu Yi into the ground. All that would be left would be to slowly torture Xu Yi to force him to reveal how he had cultivated his power so quickly. Whoosh! With a great force applied to the spear, it whistled as it cut through the air, stabbing into Xu Yi¡¯s shoulder blade in a flash. But the dull sound that came from the impact was not that of a spear on flesh. Elder Feng¡¯s expression darkened. Xu Yi flipped to his feet with a kip-up, stared straight at Elder Feng, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll bet you can¡¯t throw a second punch with the strength of three bulls.¡± The moment Xu Yi had fallen, he had figured it out. It was not that Liaochen was wrong when he had said that one at the peak of the Body Forging stage would only have the strength of one bull. Elder Feng must have used some secret technique, which was why he had to buy for time before delivering such a punch. And in order to generate a fist with such power, there must be some drawbacks. He would definitely be unable to use such a technique consecutively. With those words said, Xu Yi removed his hemp shirt, revealing not flesh but pitch black iron plates. The iron plate at his abdomen, after taking Elder Feng¡¯s Desolate God Fist, had cracked into pieces. The one on his shoulder, which had taken a stab from a wooden spear, had a hole in it. Elder Feng¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. His mouth opened and closed stupidly, almost biting on his own tongue. ¡°Heavy iron! You actually carry heavy iron on you? That¡¯s impossible!¡± Heavy iron was the most commonly used material to fashion weapons in the current era. It was a dense material, many times heavier than the more commonly used fine iron. It was used mainly by those with greater strength, and it was usually fashioned into heavy weapons. At that moment, Xu Yi¡¯s body and legs were all covered with heavy iron. Even with a rough estimate, it would weigh at least five hundred pounds altogether. An expert at the peak of Body Forging could rival the strength of one bull in one full-force blow, which would amount to at least two thousand pounds of force. Five hundred pounds was nothing in comparison. Although that might be what some would say, the logic behind it is inaccurate. For instance, an ordinary person could lift a two hundred pound bag by exerting all his strength, but he could definitely not carry out everyday activities with a fifty pound sandbag strapped onto him at all times. The difference between the two is that one is explosive strength, while the other is endurance. Through the multiple exchanges with Xu Yi, Xu Yi moved swiftly with not even the least bit of sluggishness in his movements. Elder Feng could tell with his trained eyes that those heavy iron plates had not been worn by Xu Yi for just a day or two. They had already become a part of his body. Such a method of training the body was simply astonishing. It is common knowledge that cultivation in the Martial Way comprised of four stages: Body Forging, Qi Ocean, Fluid Condensation, and Soul Sensing! In the Body Forging stage, one trains to toughen the skin and bones, strengthen the flow of blood and qi, and to increase physical strength as much as possible for all these aspects. But no martial artist would burden themselves the way Xu Yi did. It was not because the body could not take it, as the use of precious herbs to assist in cultivation could greatly increase the limits of what the practitioner¡¯s body can handle. It was because training for extensive periods of time burdened with an extreme load could be damaging to the psyche, and such fatigue could not be alleviated by herbs, unlike physical fatigue. In the worst cases, a mental breakdown would be very possible. However, Xu Yi had managed to do it, destroying Elder Feng¡¯s preconceived notions regarding the Martial Way. Xu Yi naturally had no obligation to figure out with Elder Feng what made sense and what did not. He nonchalantly began to remove the heavy iron all over his body while saying, ¡°Three months ago, I started to carry these 508 pounds of heavy iron. In the first three days, I ached to the bone and struggled to fall asleep. For the next four days, I was covered in swollen patches and sprained joints and bones. I endured this hell for two months before I could move as though I were carrying nothing at all. Last night, I reached the peak of the Body Forging stage, and now, this load of heavy iron has no more use to me. Today, I have it to thank for taking Elder Feng¡¯s heavy blow. It is now time for it to retire in glory.¡± With that, a loud clatter resounded as his full body armor of iron plates was shed. With a simple throw, Xu Yi tossed it far away into the depths of the grass. Five hundred pounds of weight exceeded his own multiple times over. With the weight removed, Xu Yi felt that his body was as light as a feather. He had to resist the urge to run and leap around. Elder Feng had never expected to encounter such a monster. He had already exchanged blows with Xu Yi many times. At first, he had always felt that he would come out on top. Even after finding out that Xu Yi had reached the peak of Body Forging, Elder Feng still had the confidence that he would win. The reason was simple: He was a veteran at the peak of Body Forging with unmatched combat experience. By that alone, he was confident that he would be able to take care of a novice who had just reached the peak of Body Forging. But at that moment, Elder Feng¡¯s mentality completely changed. Even while weighed down by hundreds of pounds, Xu Yi could still display such combat prowess. Was he really someone he could take down? Chapter 8 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Although Elder Feng was confident that with his experience in combat and killing, he would far surpass the novice in front of him, but this person was actually capable of displaying such speed even with five hundred pounds of heavy iron on his body. He dared not imagine what kind of frightening speeds this person would display after removing the heavy iron. Elder Feng knew clearly that when it came down to it, the essence of Body Forging stage combat was speed and power. Although martial skills also played a large role, just like the Silent God Fist he had performed earlier. If the enemy was unprepared, it would be a one-hit kill move. But there were no shortcuts in the Martial Way, nor were there any loopholes to exploit. Behind the staggering power of the Silent God Fist was the damage done to the body that was not at all minor. After all, by forcefully expelling blood and qi through nine meridians, the damage done to the meridians and blood vessels cannot be overlooked. As the saying goes: To harm the enemy, one must first harm oneself. Because he had been hiding his injuries, Elder Feng had already long lost the courage to fight. Seeing that Xu Yi had such gifted abilities, his will to fight was thoroughly depleted as well. But nonetheless, he did not miss any opportunity. With a fierce roar, he cried, ¡°Silent God Fist!¡± as he sent a punch towards Xu Yi. Then, he put his strength in his legs, pushing them against a large tree, sending his body flying in the opposite direction instead. Knowing that he was no match for Xu Yi, Elder Feng decided to escape. With the situation as such, Elder Feng had no time to worry about Young Master Zhou. Now that he had failed to capture Xu Yi, nothing good will come to him if he were to return to the Zhou family. Knowing that, he decided that he might as well flee. But little did he know that Xu Yi had long seen through his fake ¡°Silent God Fist¡±. The bluff he pulled with his fake punch did nothing to confuse Xu Yi. The moment Elder Feng moved, Xu Yi moved as well. After shedding five hundred pounds of heavy iron, his body was as light as a feather, and he caught up even though he had moved after his opponent. Before Elder Feng could plant his feet down properly, Xu Yi had already caught up. He threw a punch, which seemed at least 30% stronger than before. Even the air seemed to ripple from the force. The blow seemed as though it would land, but Elder Feng was skilled. In mid-air, he somehow managed to coil his body like a spring, causing Xu Yi¡¯s punch to hit air. But even so, the shockwave of the punch was so strong as it brushed past his toughened skin that it felt like a knife had run across his skin. Although he had narrowly avoided the heavy blow, Elder Feng fully understood the severity of the problem before him. When it came to speed, he would be chased down no matter how he tried to flee. With that thought, the courage and youth within Elder Feng¡¯s bones were ignited. A soft metallic sound rang while he was still in mid-air. When he landed, there was an additional narrow, three-foot-long sword in his left hand, which he used to meet Xu Yi¡¯s incoming fist. Xu Yi did not even avoid the move. His eyes were sharp even at such high speeds. His fist brushed past the tip of the sword, and with a loud bang, struck Elder Feng on his left shoulder. The strength of one and a half bulls was a frightening display of might. Elder Feng¡¯s body flew, breaking down two thick trees before falling to the ground. He tried to get to his feet with a kip-up, but Xu Yi¡¯s light body was right before him again. His foot came crashing down from above like a large ship right square onto Elder Feng¡¯s face, stomping him back into the ground. Landing a critical blow, Xu Yi showed no mercy, throwing punch after punch. His fists rained down, not giving Elder Feng even half a second to catch his breath. Initially, Elder Feng could still gurgle his curses, but soon after, Elder Feng was like a broken sack, and he was unable to make any more sound. In the blink of an eye, Xu Yi¡¯s two iron fists had smashed a crater into the ground. Elder Feng had already reached the peak of Body Forging, with skin as tough as hide and bones as hard as steel. However, under such a maniacal flurry from Xu Yi, even a steel ball would be smashed flat. Xu Yi rose to his feet. Elder Feng¡¯s head was already buried deep inside the pit of mud. His blood was everywhere and there was not the slightest hint of life. A veteran at the peak of Body Forging had been beaten to death by Xu Yi just like that, without the means to even fight back. After clobbering Elder Feng to death, Xu Yi took the pouch at his waist. Inside, there were a dozen reddish-gold coins and nothing else. Xu Yi took a coin in his hand and blew it. Then, he flipped his hand around and placed the coin by his ear. Immediately, a soft and lovely hum could be heard. The steely expression that Xu Yi had on his face for so long finally showed signs of softening. Pure gold coins. Xu Yi had long heard of their existence. From what he knew, two kinds of currencies existed in the world. The first kind was the money used by ordinary folk throughout their everyday lives ¡ª the copper or silver coins he could earn while he was teaching. The other kind was the kind that Martial Way practitioners used between themselves. It was the currency used by the ruling class. And what they used was this kind of pure gold coin, or ingots, or tokens made of pure gold. Before, when Xu Yi was teaching for a living, he could only earn coppers or silvers that ordinary folk used. Because he could not earn gold coins, Xu Yi could not obtain any of the precious herbs that could only be purchased with gold coins. The best he could do was to buy the lowest grade Wulong Grass that any ordinary mountain villager could pick in order to supplement his strength. Today, with these dozen gold coins in his hand, the happiness that they brought him could not be described in words. After toying with them for a while, Xu Yi finally placed them in the cloth pouch and tied it to his waist with a dead knot. He then picked up the narrow sword that had dropped by the side. With both hands, he used all his might to bend it. The sword curved in a perfect circular arc but did not break. This was a quality sword. Xu Yi strapped it to his waist as well. He then turned and stepped out of the woods, speeding towards the site of the previous battle. As he approached, he saw that Young Master Zhou was already long gone. Looking around, he noticed that northwest of him, a lone rider was heading north, and the horse was galloping quickly. Seeing Young Master Zhou¡¯s fleeing figure, Xu Yi¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot again. His eyes swept around the mountain forests. A dozen meters to the west, there was indeed movement. He dove into the forest, and in a flash, came back out with a crimson stallion. Before this, Young Master Zhou had brought over a dozen horses. In the battle, only a few were hurt. Young Master Zhou rode off with one, and the others were nowhere in sight. Xu Yi correctly guessed that he had released them into the woods. After a quick search, he had indeed found one. Xu Yi delayed no further. He flipped onto the horse, grabbed its reigns, and steered the horse around, galloping out of the valley. As he gave chase, Xu Yi drew the narrow sword with his right hand and stabbed it into his horse¡¯s neck at an area roughly three inches to the right and bottom of the carotid artery. No blood flowed out, but the horse behaved as though it were on steroids, its speed greatly increasing. After reaching the peak of Body Forging, Xu Yi¡¯s understanding of the human body¡¯s flow of blood and qi, bones, tendons, and organs had reached an extremely high level. The stallion was not a human, but in the process of galloping, the rush of blood and the movements of the bones were not something that was difficult for Xu Yi to understand. This stab of Xu Yi¡¯s served to activate the stallion¡¯s potential. Although it was the first time he had done it, he was confident that he would succeed. And with that one stab, the results were amazing. The wind howled and the sun beat down heavily on Young Master Zhou as he clasped tightly to the horse¡¯s back with his legs. The leather whip beat down frantically without pause, causing the white horse underneath him to slowly turn blood red. He was angry, crazed, and filled with hatred! He was the great Young Master Zhou, noble-born and greatly respected. What was Xu Yi in comparison? Just a foolish ant. He was a little clown of the Xu family, left alive so that he could bring shame to the Xu family. But little did he expect that this little ant of a rascal would actually dare to bare its claws at him and even rip off one of his wings. He swore that if he did not get his revenge, he would not call himself a man. Chapter 9 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio After he captured that clown, he would make sure to use every method of torture that existed in the world on him, and he would make sure that that ant regretted ever crawling out of his mother¡¯s womb. Thinking of that got him riled up, and his face became flushed. He could not resist the urge and howled towards the skies. Before his howl ended, the sound of hooves reached his ears. Young Master Zhou turned around to look and almost fell off the horse¡¯s back. He would have never thought that after fleeing like this, Xu Yi would manage to catch up to within half a mile of distance between them without him even noticing. In that instance, all the rage and viciousness within his heart vanished. All that was left was terror, so much that he began to tremble uncontrollably. Even Elder Feng could not manage to hold that guy back! With that thought, Young Master Zhou became even more terrified. Now, he not only cracked his whip, but also began to kick the horse with his heel. Feeling the pain, the white horse sped up even more. The white horse had not sped up for long when a loud crash was heard. The horse that Xu Yi was riding on had fallen to the ground. Young Master Zhou Looked back, then threw back his head and laughed. He pointed at Xu Yi and word by word, he clearly stated, ¡°Just wait, I will skin you alive, tear out your nerves, and break all your bones!¡± But the moment he said that, he saw Xu Yi¡¯s feet move like lightning. With just a few taps on the ground and a few leaps, he had already dashed thirty meters. Young Master Zhou was scared stiff, even leaking a bit in his pants. Once more, he kicked his horse and cracked his whip, and once more, the horse sped up. Xu Yi¡¯s murderous intent was overwhelming. As long as the Zhou¡¯s were not vanquished, his soul will not be at peace. Man and horse. One chasing, one fleeing. In the blink of an eye, they had travelled a few miles. Young Master Zhou¡¯s heart was like a fish on land, thrashing about with all its might. He would have never thought that Xu Yi¡¯s martial arts were advanced enough that he could overtake a speeding horse with his two feet. Even Elder Feng was not at that level. Young Master Zhou would naturally not have been able to figure out that Xu Yi had been training with extreme weights from the moment he had started training in the Martial Way, something that not just anyone could manage. At this moment, with the weights off, Xu Yi¡¯s body was as light as a feather. Over the few miles that they had travelled, the distance between them had not grown but shrunk, leaving only the distance of an archer¡¯s range. Young Master Zhou was so scared that his voice disappeared. He continued to kick at his white horse, not caring for its well-being. It was already foaming at the mouth. When Xu Yi was just about to catch up, they turned past a peach grove and ran into a group of men on horseback. These were a dozen strong men in servant¡¯s attire, escorting seven to eight prisoners with tattered clothes and heavy shackles on their ankles. Seeing this group of men, Young Master Zhou shed tears of joy. These men were from his family, and the seven to eight prisoners were manual labourers being sent to work at their family¡¯s mine. The group of family servants saw their Young Master Zhou riding towards them and were ready to bow and greet him when they heard him shout with all his might, ¡°Don¡¯t freeze there like bloody corpses! Stop that bastard behind me! I¡¯ll reward a hundred silvers!¡± Before finishing his words, he had already rushed past the group of them while beating his horse. The group of men came to their senses and cheered as they charged towards Xu Yi! A hundred silvers, even when divided amongst all of them, was at least a dozen silvers each. This was more than they could earn from a year of hard work. Seeing Xu Yi¡¯s face, one of them had already recognized him to be the weak and skinny kid who was teaching at the Xu family village. As he spread the word around, the cheers became even greater, and they charged even faster, none of them pausing to wonder why their Young Master was fleeing in such a hurry in the first place. Xu Yi¡¯s killing intent exploded outwards. He hated each and every member of the Zhou family to the bone. Seeing the group of men charge him, his speed did not slow at all. Employing ¡°Crashing Heaven¡¯s Gate,¡± he met them like a dragon crashing into the mortal realm. Seven to eight men were immediately sent flying. The first two in front were sent into mid-air, bones broken and very much dead. The rest of them flew backwards horizontally, suffering multiple fractures. Blood splattered around the air like mist. None of them could slow Xu Yi down in the slightest. Xu Yi advanced maniacally, leaving behind a scene of carnage. The prisoners came to their senses and grinned viciously at the men rolling on the ground in pain. In the next moment, painful cries filled the air. Although the men could not stop Xu Yi in the slightest, they did cause Xu Yi to perform a move while running. With the delay from that one move, Young Master Zhou had increased the distance by dozens of meters. As the chase resumed, the Zhou family mansion began to come into view. The Zhou family were rich, and under two generations of management, their home had been expanded multiple times. Now, their grounds covered and area over a hundred miles, and they were the biggest landowners. Looking into the distance, houses and roofs could be seen everywhere. The area was dense with expensive-looking houses. The horse¡¯s hooves clip-clopped on the stone-tiled martial arts stage in front of the Zhou family¡¯s main gate, sending dust into the air. ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ you rascal, I dare you to come at me again!¡± Young Master Zhou seemed as though he had crawled back to the mortal realm from the depths of hell as he threw his head back and laughed maniacally. The moment he finished speaking, the stage, which was a few hundred square meters in area, was filled with a few hundred of the Zhou family¡¯s vassals, all at the Body Forging stage. They had noticed the situation and sped over, shouting madly. Those who were eager to curry favour had not gone to Young Master Zhou, but had instead rushed over to Xu Yi to block his way. Even with over a hundred vassals in the Zhou Family, the only one at the peak of Body Forging was Elder Feng alone. The reason behind this was simple: This Zhou family mansion was not Zhou Daogan¡¯s home. This mansion was situated by the mountain wilderness, where they made money by running the mines. They had no need and no means to hire that many experts at the peak of Body Forging. Even Elder Feng was only sent over by Zhou Daogan because of Young Master Zhou¡¯s father, Old Master Zhou¡¯s request. In the years that Elder Feng was around, the number of times he was personally required to handle a situation could be counted with one hand. And when he actually did use his moves, it was just to teach the other vassals in the Zhou family some of his skills. Thus, it can be said that neither Young Master Zhou nor any of his family¡¯s vassals had the slightest clue how vast the difference between the peak of Body Forging and below the peak of Body Forging was. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three large men, burly as though they were made out of steel, sent their fist, sword, and spear at Xu Yi¡¯s vitals. Just as they seemed like they were about to make contact, a blur flashed across their eyes and Xu Yi had vanished. Kicking in mid-air three times consecutively, three heads were crushed, sending a frightening amount of blood spraying into the air. When being overwhelmed completely in both speed and power, there was only one result: obliteration! Seeing the carnage, Young Master Zhou was terrified again and fled on his horse. Hating Young Master Zhou to the core, Xu Yi ignored the crowd of nobodies in front of him. He stepped on top of the crowd and flew towards Young Master Zhou. With a twist and a swish of his arm in mid-air, the narrow sword at his waist stabbed straight at Young Master Zhou¡¯s heart. The force of the stab was so strong that Young Master Zhou was sent crashing into the Zhou family mansion¡¯s large copper-covered gates, smashing the gates open. The narrow sword was tough, piercing through the gate without breaking. Just like that, Young Master Zhou was hung atop the gates of his own home. Blood flowed all over his body, and his eyes were open wide as he drew his last breath. The moment the copper gates burst open, Old Master Zhou in his long robes and the whiskered housekeeper with his abacus and accounts books in his hand were scared stiff. The two of them had no time to catch their senses, and they stood frozen in the courtyard. Xu Yi, with his body covered in blood, had somehow gotten his hands on a large guandao. Lifting off the doorsill, Xu Yi flew into the air. With a flash of his blade, two heads were sent flying into the air. With a backhand slash, he took off Young Master Zhou¡¯s head as well. He reached out his hand and grabbed Old Master Zhou¡¯s falling head. He then tied the hairs of the two heads together in a dead knot and secured them to his waist. Chapter 10 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio At that moment, all of the Zhou family¡¯s vassals and servants finally rushed over, charging at Xu Yi like madmen. Xu Yi showed no sign of fear. With a long sabre in his hand, he charged straight into the crowd. This was a feast of violence for Xu Yi. Two years of unimaginable torment have given him unparalleled strength. Hatred accumulated over numerous generations steeled his heart. His killing intent was overwhelming. After cutting down numerous enemies, Xu Yi abandoned his sabre. His fists and his body were his strongest, most familiar weapons. Each and every part of his body became a lethal weapon. With his unstoppable strength and his quick, agile movements, none could hold their own against Xu Yi. In just a few short minutes, Xu Yi stood atop a mountain of bloody corpses, too many to even count. The terrifying killing intent finally overcame the fervour of the crowd. A cry came from someone, and the crowd of attackers suddenly dissipated and fled. Xu Yi did not give chase. He turned to the backyard and captured an escaping servant girl. After a few minutes, the entire Zhou mansion was like an oil shop, the smell of Tung oil and kerosene filling the air. Xu Yi made his way into Old Master Zhou¡¯s study. The wealth and status of the Zhou family was unparallelled in the region. Naturally, Xu Yi did not wish to leave this treasure trove empty handed. Ever since he took the dozen pure gold coins from Elder Feng¡¯s pouch, ordinary trinkets and treasures would not catch his eye. Therefore, instead of searching the many stores of the Zhou family, he chose to only enter Old Master Zhou¡¯s study. Xu Yi believed that the old man would definitely not feel safe leaving his most precious treasures under the watch of others. Old Master Zhou¡¯s study was spacious, over twenty meters wide, and enough for a horse to run about. The room was decorated with antiques. On the Gold-rimmed Nanmu desk was an incense burner carved in gold and silver. It was burning gently with incense, adding on to the elegance of the room. But none of these things were of any interest to Xu Yi. He flipped open all the boxes and turned over all the shelves, finding a pile of expensive study provisions, paintings, and writings. With his trained eyes, he knew well that any of these items, when sold for coin, would be worth enough to feed an ordinary family for half a lifetime. But the current Xu Yi had no care for such things. After scanning the room once more, he had an idea and started swinging his fists. Bangbangbang¡­ After dozens of punches, none of the study¡¯s four walls were left intact. Each wall bore huge holes, many inches wide and deep. Scanning the surroundings once more, Xu Yi indeed managed to find a red wooden box around a cubic foot in size in the left corner of the room. The wooden box had suffered Xu Yi¡¯s flurry of blows and was falling apart. Opening up the box, a red light came out. Xu Yi¡¯s eyes could not stop staring. In the box were two solid pure gold coins the size of a biscuit. Holding it and weighing it in his hand, he found that each gold biscuit was at least around five hundred grams in weight. Xu Yi held back the beating in his heart and stuffed the two gold biscuits into his pouch by his waist. Suddenly, he saw an envelope sealed with wax at the bottom of the box. Xu Yi opened the envelope and took out the letter. Skimming through the document, he quickly read its contents. It seemed that this letter was a personal letter from Old Master Zhou to Zhou Daogan. In the letter was plenty of unimportant information. Other than pleasantries, Old Master Zhou had expressed hopes that Zhou Daogan could represent them to speak to Lingxiao Hall, hopefully increasing the Zhou family¡¯s shares in a particular mine. The letter was trivial, but it revealed an important piece of information. Those two pure gold biscuits were no normal items. They were the Zhou family¡¯s contribution to the Lingxiao Hall which they sent once every three years. ¡°The Zhou family worked for three years just for these two gold biscuits. They are naturally no normal items. Daogan, you old thief, I don¡¯t care if you are part of Lingxiao Hall or not; this piece of fortune will be taken by this Young Master!¡± Xu Yi¡¯s heart leapt. The thought of snatching the old thief¡¯s earnings made his rage disappear, and his heart was filled with joy instead. Igniting the letter with the candle on the table as he left, Xu Yi exited the study. He then tossed the letter onto the windowsill which he had already doused with oil. In a moment, flames began to roar. With the wind blowing, the flames rose high into the air. Within a few minutes, the entire Zhou family mansion with its hundreds and thousands of rooms became a sea of flames. Just as Xu Yi was running around setting fires, a troupe of horses came from the west. They were already within a dozen miles of the Zhou family village. Leading them was a young man in white. His face was fair and handsome, with features similar to that of Young Master Zhou. The fine sword by his waist was studded with gems of multiple colours. The majestic white steed he rode was tall and had a long body. Riding alongside other horses, it stood at least a head taller than all the rest. It did not have a single strand of fur on its body of a different colour. The sky was clear and the clouds were white. Beside them, the stream was filled with fish swimming along grandly. Huiyin Mountain was grey and lush. The wind blew through the forests from above, causing the greenery to sway in the wind and sending waves of flowery scents towards them. All this stirred up the poetic nature of the young man in white as he sang, ¡°Every morning I stand under the lush green mountain. Every night I sing by the flowing blue creek. Here again, missing my faraway home, longing to enjoy a drink under the verdure greenery¡± ¡°Good poem, an excellent poem!¡± Following right behind the young man in white, Wu Zhixian applauded and praised the young man. ¡°Brother Zhou not only has good looks but has even better talent in the arts. And even more impressive than that, his cultivation in the Martial Way has already reached the peak of Body Forging at such a young age, as expected of the successor to Venerable Daogan!¡± ¡°You flatter me, Uncle. I have heard from Father that amongst all the outstanding friends that he managed to make while he was in Guang¡¯an for his studies, Uncle, being well-versed in both poetry and writing, was second to none. Now, after just twenty years, Uncle is already the head of the county ¡ª truly a great talent indeed.¡± The young man in white replied brightly with words full of praise. Wu Zhixian smiled and tried to brush it off humbly. With that exchange, the identity of the young man in white was clear. This was Zhou Daogan¡¯s second son, Zhou Shirong. This time, he had left Lingxiao Hall and returned to Guang¡¯an for two reasons. The first was to represent Zhou Daogan to visit friends and family back home. The second was because three years had passed, and the money was due. It was time to hand some of the profit from the Zhou family¡¯s mines to Lingxiao Hall. The distance from the old Zhou family manor to Lingxiao Hall was long and far, and the two golden biscuits were of no small value. Zhou Daogan dared not take any risks and send Zhou Shirong to personally bring them back. Wu Zhixian, on the other hand, was a friend who Zhou Daogan had made back in Guang¡¯an before his accomplishments in the Martial Way and before he entered Lingxiao Hall. In this day and age, even though those who practiced the Martial Way flourished, it was not only the various sects and powerful families who people could not afford to offend. There was also the Imperial Court of the Dayue Dynasty, with its imperial authority accumulated for over thousands of years. Years ago, before Zhou Daogan¡¯s accomplishments in the Martial Way and before he caught the eyes of various martial sects, all he strived for was to do well in the imperial examination and work for the imperial family. Hence, with a group of like-minded individuals, spending their days travelling and attending banquets together, they soon grouped together and formed the ¡°Imperial Wisdom Society,¡± which aimed to study and spread the imperial laws. Wu Zhixian had also joined the Imperial Wisdom Society at that time. However, although in the same society, Zhou Daogan was well-versed in both martial arts and the literary arts and was a shining star in the society. Wu Zhixian, on the other hand, was much better at literary arts compared to martial arts, and in this world dominated by the Martial Way, he paled greatly in comparison with Zhou Daogan. But because of this, Zhou Shirong naturally had to call upon Wu Zhixian during his visit to Guang¡¯an. Although Lingxiao Hall was one of the three great sects within Giang¡¯an, and it held considerable influence in the region, and although Wu Zhixian was only a seventh grade official who had not even reached the peak of Body Forging, he was still a government official who represented the imperial authority. Zhou Shirong knew clearly that down in the county, when it really came down to it, Wu Zhixian¡¯s name was far more useful than his own name as an inner disciple of Lingxiao Hall. As expected, when Zhou Shirong went to pay his respects to Wu Zhixian, Wu Zhixian was delighted, and had chosen to personally escort them to the Zhou family manor. With Wu Zhixian¡¯s support, their journey was smooth sailing, without the least bit of hassle. Just like that, Zhou Shirong and Wu Zhixian were flattering each other and laughing merrily when a plume of smoke began to rise in the northwest. Zhou Shirong immediately stopped speaking. With a light pat on his horse¡¯s back, his body flew three whole meters up into the air. His eyes scanned the distance, and his face turned pale. The moment Zhou Shirong went up into the air, Wu Zhixian saw the pillar of smoke, and his heart immediately plummeted, knowing that something must have gone wrong. Because the Zhou family was the most powerful clan in the area, and also because of his relationship with Zhou Daogan, he had visited the Zhou family manor countless times. Even from miles away, seeing the sea of flames and the pillar of black smoke that blocked out the sky, how could he not tell that it was the Zhou¡¯s home that was on fire? In other words, if any other household were on fire, it would definitely not be on such a large scale. Chapter 11 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Wu Zhixian cracked his whip and bellowed, ¡°Stop acting like corpses ¡ª hurry and put out the fire!¡± Wu Zhixian¡¯s horse raised its hooves, preparing to gallop forward. But at the same time, Zhou Shirong, who had just landed back on his horse, suddenly reached out and held onto Wu Zhixian¡¯s reigns. When Zhou Shirong made his move, Wu Zhixian¡¯s horse was already in mid-air, beginning its gallop. But the moment Zhou Shirong grabbed the reigns with his pale, soft-looking hands, the galloping horse was stopped in its tracks, and was now held firmly back in place no matter how it tried to struggle. Such a display of strength immediately stunned the crowd. Wu Zhixian himself became as pale as a sheet. ¡°The flames have spread too much. Even if the fire is put out, only ruins would remain. We might as well let it burn down completely!¡± Zhou Shirong¡¯s voice was cold and cut like a sharp knife. ¡°Ma Zhao, go, find all the ants within five miles of the area and get rid of them!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Wu Zhixian gasped in shock. In his mind, he thought, Even though we can see countless figures running in and out of the fires from this far away, how could you possibly tell who is stealing your Zhou family¡¯s fortunes and who is trying to put out the fire? How could you command your men to kill them all? This is MY county! Zhou Shirong turned to Wu Zhixian with a cold stare, ¡°Such a disaster has befallen my family and all these people failed to help. After committing such a grave crime, should they not all be killed?¡± As he spoke, his killing intent was evident on his face. His earlier gentle demeanour was all but gone. Wu Zhixian¡¯s mind raced. Zhou Daogan is no longer who he was before, and he is now of a much revered status as one of the four hall masters of Lingxiao Hall. Zhou Shirong may look like a gentleman, but he is actually a haughty young man. If I try to stop him, he might still insist on his way. Not only might I fail to help anyone, I might even offend Zhou Daogan. This is not worth it, no matter how I look at it. With his calculations done, Wu Zhixian replied in a serious tone, ¡°Of course they should be killed! Constable Zhao, get your men and assist Mister Ma. Surround them and leave no man alive within five miles of the place!¡± Immediately, hooves shook the ground and swords were drawn. A mere troupe of a dozen riders, seemed as though they had the ferocity of a thousand men as they rushed forward. As the riders left, Wu Zhixian suddenly remembered something. He frowned as he stated, ¡°Brother, with such a large fire, this is likely no accident. I¡¯m afraid your uncle and his family¡­¡± As an experienced local official, he had handled many cases of families being wiped out, no less than a dozen in total. For a clan like the Zhou¡¯s to have all their lands reduced to ash could definitely not be the result of an accidental fire. And as it is commonly said, killing comes before arson. Zhou Shirong replied expressionlessly, ¡°Life and death is destined, and fortune and disaster is decided by the heavens. My uncle has already lived past fifty, so his life was not short. For most of his life, he has eaten well and has held a position higher than most. With such an enviable life, what is there to mourn in his passing? As for that cousin of mine, unsuccessful as a scholar and weak as a martial artist, even if he had survived, he would simply be a parasite. He not only failed to bring any glory to the family, but he also needed the help of the family to clean up his mess time and again. We would be better off without such scum!¡± Wu Zhixian¡¯s face was full of horror. Even if he racked his brains, he would have never thought that Zhou Shirong would be capable of speaking such cold and unfeeling words. It sent him into stunned silence for a while. ¡°Curse them, how dare they!¡± Zhou Shirong mumbled to himself as he patted his saddle. As he spoke, his handsome face became contorted with rage. Wu Zhixian marvelled at his reaction, thinking, If you care so little about your uncle¡¯s family, why on earth would you be so angry? As he pondered, he heard Zhou Shirong grit his teeth and say, ¡°Within Guang¡¯an, even a dog of the Zhou Family should be treated like a noble. How dare someone bare their claws at my Zhou family today! No matter who they are, they will suffer a world of pain!¡± Wu Zhixian was speechless again. From the road to the west, a man in a green shirt dashed over, kicking up a cloud of dust behind him. He was extremely quick and reached the two of them in a flash. With a stumble, he fell to the ground crying, ¡°Mister, you¡¯re finally here, the Old Master¡­ Young Master¡­ they¡­ ahhh¡­¡± Wu Zhixian had worried that this tragedy would become a case with no leads, then a servant of the Zhou family fled towards them. This would mean that they could at least gather some clues about the situation. His heart leapt as he jumped off his horse. He quickly went up and picked up the man in green. ¡°Quickly, tell us! Who was the culprit? What happened here?¡± ¡°I am the culprit!¡± Bang! The man in green suddenly burst out, brandishing his palm and striking Wu Zhixian right on the top of his head. With a crack, his skull caved in and blood spurted everywhere. Before he could utter a single cry, Wu Zhixian had died then and there. Needless to say, the man in green was naturally Xu Yi. After Xu Yi had stolen the two pure gold biscuits from Old Master Zhou¡¯s study and set the fires, he was about to flee when he heard the thundering of hooves. He climbed up an old tree and watched from above. In no time at all, a troupe of horsemen had arrived. And as he looked further, his eyes locked onto Zhou Shirong¡¯s face. Although he had never seen Zhou Shirong before, with a face that shared so many features with Young Master Zhou, he could easily guess which family Zhou Shirong belonged to. Upon guessing Zhou Shirong¡¯s identity, Xu Yi felt his blood rushing again. The Zhou family had only two branches: one was Old Master Zhou¡¯s, and the other was Zhou Daogan¡¯s. Old Master Zhou had only one son, which meant that Zhou Shirong must be one of Zhou Daogan¡¯s spawn. Xu Yi hated the Zhou family, and if there were a root of that hatred, it would definitely be Zhou Daogan. The Xu family¡¯s deep hatred and their terrible fates could all be traced back to the acts of Zhou Daogan alone. Xu Yi knew that with his current abilities, there was no way he could even beat one of Zhou Daogan¡¯s fingers. But, even if he could not kill Zhou Daogan, he could still kill his son and have that old thief experience a taste of heart wrenching pain. With his mind made up, Xu Yi climbed down the tree, found a quiet spot, and dug up some earth as a grave. He lit up three incense sticks and placed the heads of the two Zhou¡¯s in front of the grave. He knelt to the ground and gave an offering to his ancestors, then got up again. With a kick, he sent the two heads flying back into the flames. He then avoided the incoming horsemen and went straight for Zhou Shirong. Xu Yi had planned his move carefully, not daring to underestimate Zhou Shirong. The mere fact that this was Zhou Daogan¡¯s son meant that he could not afford to do so. If he wanted to get the upper hand against Zhou Shirong, the best way was to use schemes and catch them while they were unaware. Indeed, taking advantage of the fact that his identity was unknown, he successfully got up close. With a sudden explosive move, he killed Wu Zhixian with one hit, a man who was also at the peak of Body Forging. Although the explanation took up many words, Xu Yi¡¯s killing of Wu Zhixian happened in just a flash. Zhou Shirong was carefully trying to listen to the situation when he was taken by surprise. After Xu Yi¡¯s palm struck, his body moved like lightning, appearing in front of Zhou Shirong in a flash. His two iron fists struck out like lightning. They managed to touch Zhou Shirong¡¯s white robes and were about to land a hit. But Zhou Shirong had impressive skills. His body suddenly vanished, just like a spectre, with no trace at all. This was a surprise to Xu Yi, and a chill ran down his spine. He knew well how fast his fists were. They were thrown with all his might. If he were in Zhou Shirong¡¯s position, he would definitely not have been able to avoid them. Xu Yi was panicking when he felt a wind whistling behind him. The strong force of qi made his whole body shudder, as though he were being pricked by needles. Chapter 12 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Xu Yi had reached the peak of Body Forging and had skin as tough as hide and bones as hard as steel. Even with a blade, an ordinary person would not be able to penetrate his skin, but the wind from Zhou Shirong¡¯s palm penetrated like an iron needle through bone. He did not even dare to imagine what would happen if the strike had landed. Would his body actually explode from impact? Just the wind from the strike was terrifying, and Xu Yi dared not face it head on. Like an agile snake, he slithered under the horse¡¯s belly. As he did so, the sound of a fist breaking through the air exploded next to his ear. Xu Yi¡¯s heart almost leapt out of his mouth. He had never thought that a human fist could be capable of such power. By now, he knew in his heart that Zhou Shirong was not someone he could handle. He was truly too na?ve when he thought he could kill the old thief¡¯s son. Although Xu Yi was stunned by Zhou Shirong¡¯s power, Zhou Shirong, on the other hand, was also shocked by Xu Yi¡¯s resilience. With Zhou Shirong¡¯s abilities, he easily identified Xu Yi¡¯s current stage of cultivation. In the entire Lingxiao Hall, there was not a single person within the Body Forging stage and below who could avoid the kind of punch that he¡¯d thrown. For Xu Yi to dodge it so easily shocked him greatly. But Xu Yi was in no mood to figure out what Zhou Shirong was thinking. For him, this was a life and death situation. The cogs in his mind turned furiously, and he suddenly had an idea. He reached out and viciously pinched the horse¡¯s belly. The white horse felt pain and immediately dashed meters ahead in a blink of an eye, dragging him along. Xu Yi flipped back onto the horse, grabbed the reins, and steered the horse north. With his legs, he urged the horse to go faster, and the white horse increased its speed. In no time at all, they were over a dozen meters away from Zhou Shirong, who was still dazed from shock. The wind howled as the sun began to set. Xu Yi rushed the horse with a whip and fled with all his might. Although he had never learnt any horse-riding skills, he had cultivated to the peak of Body forging. With his knowledge of body structure, flows of energy, and how to exert and redirect force, he rode the horse like a natural. He sat on the horse, riding the wind, swaying naturally, and moving along with the horse. What was more exceptional, however, was the white stallion under his legs. It performed better than any regular horse. With its hooves stretched out wide, every step it took was easily twice the distance a normal horse could move. As Xu Yi was enjoying the sensation of riding a horse, the trees rustled behind him. He looked back, only for his eyes to almost pop out of his sockets in shock. Zhou Shirong was flying through the air, stepping only on the tops of the large trees by the road. He had propelled his way forward as though he were flying. Within a few breaths, he quickly closed the 12 meter gap between them. There were only a few meters left between them. Zhou Shirong leapt off the tree. With continuous strikes from both palms, a swirling air current was created out of nowhere. Xu Yi felt as though a tornado had been created in mid-air, threatening to suck him up into the sky. Xu Yi had never seen such a skill before, which scared him out of his wits, but desperate to cling to life, he kicked hard at his stirrups. The strong force broke the stirrups, and the momentum carried downwards, sending him down to one side of the horse, almost causing him to fall off. Using the downward momentum, Xu Yi¡¯s body slanted to the side, and once more, he hid underneath the horse to avoid the blow. The terrifying force suddenly vanished. Thankfully, the horse was as tall as a mountain. No matter what kind of wind blew, it would definitely not be able to blow past it to reach Xu Yi. Although he was hiding underneath the horse, Xu Yi was still in great fear, as the abilities that Zhou Shirong had just displayed were beyond his understanding. From what he knew, no matter how strong the force of a punch was, it still had to hit an object in order for its power to take effect. He had never heard of anyone using just the wind of a punch to kill someone. But the attack that Zhou Shirong just performed was clearly a ranged attack. From a distance of three meters, an air current was created, and this air current was definitely not the kind of wind that was created from extremely high speed of a thrown fist. It was clearly the pure force of a palm. And the force of that palm was greater than anything Xu Yi could imagine, even at the peak of Body Forging. With that, Xu Yi could completely confirm that Zhou Shirong was definitely not still within the Body Forging stage. As he feared, he was already at the Qi Ocean stage, the same stage as his already deceased master, Liaochen. As Xu Yi was truly fearing Zhou Shirong¡¯s Martial Way cultivation, Zhou Shirong kicked off the ground again and caught up a dozen meters. With a gentle leap, he landed, standing on top of the horse¡¯s back. The white horse was indeed no ordinary horse. Even with the additional load of an extra man on its back, its speed hardly dropped. It continued to race onwards, wind whistling around it as it dashed as quick as lightning. To its left and right, the forests, trees, and huts quickly faded into the background in a blur. Zhou Shirong was standing on the horse on both his feet, his white robes like snow, flowing gracefully in the strong wind. He looked like an immortal who had descended to the mortal realm. But who could tell that, deep inside, this graceful Young Master Zhou was actually feeling anxious and angry all at once? ¡°Get off the horse. You¡¯ve seen what I¡¯m capable of. There is no need for your futile struggles. No matter what you have done to the Zhou family, just from the fact that you could time and again escape from my blows even though you are only at the peak of Body Forging, I shall allow you to end your life by your own hand!¡± Zhou Shirong¡¯s beautiful crescent-shaped brows bent as he finally decided to speak. Xu Yi had seen bullshit before but nothing close to this level of bullshit. Xu Yi¡¯s blood was boiling, but he managed to reply in a gentle voice, ¡°The young master is kind indeed. I killed your uncle, slaughtered your cousin, burned your grand manor to the ground, and even took two pure gold biscuits. Even after all that, you allow me to take my own life. You¡¯re simply too kind, so kind that you almost seem like a slave. I believe your ancestors must all be slaves.¡± When it came to having a poisonous tongue, Young Master Zhou was definitely no match for the highly experienced Xu Yi. In those words, there was not a single vulgarity, but each word picked at a sore spot. Zhou Shirong almost bit on his own tongue. ¡°You¡¯re asking for death!¡± Uttering his cry, his feet gently kicked off as he jumped off the horse, chopping towards the bottom of the horse with his palm, aiming straight at Xu Yi. Although Xu Yi was busy fighting a battle of words, he was still very much focused. The moment the weight on the horse¡¯s back was gone, the hairs on his back tingled. Shrinking his body to the side, he hid to the left side of the body. The horse was a grand and gigantic horse. By shrinking his body into a ball, his body was completely covered by the horse. Zhou Shirong¡¯s palm struck out as though it contained a bolt of lightning. As the force hit the ground, the impact made a deep hole, but it failed to hurt Xu Yi in the slightest. ¡°How dare you! I will make sure to capture you and toss you into a hive of a thousand ghosts! I¡¯ll have you devoured so that neither your body nor your soul will be left!¡± As he spoke, a vein was pulsing on his temple. The waves of anger were washing over his heart, with each wave higher than the last. Even though Zhou Shirong knew that Xu Yi was the one who had killed the members of the Zhou family, he had never once thought much of Xu Yi. Right from the start, he was not even willing to utter a single word to Xu Yi. That was because, in Zhou Shirong¡¯s eyes, no matter how evil Xu Yi was, he was just an ant. And the way to deal with ants was just to stomp on them. There was no need for any talk. But little did he expect that this ant would be so cunning, realising his weakness right from the start, and acting so haughtily up till now! Indeed, Xu Yi had already found out Zhou Shirong¡¯s weakness since the beginning: the white horse that he had been using as his shield. At that time, when Zhou Shirong¡¯s punch had come flying towards him, Xu Yi had felt a chill run down his spine, and he had slipped under the belly of the horse in order to evade the blow. But after that, even though Zhou Shirong¡¯s punch could have landed on something, the force of his punch exploded into a loud boom above the horse. Xu Yi then knew that, if not for the horse, he would have come to a miserable end. The logic was simple. All Zhou Shirong had to do was to change his target mid-air and strike the horse. The moment the horse explodes from the impact, Xu Yi would definitely be hurt. But Zhou Shirong chose to hit air instead of harming the white horse. With that, Xu Yi knew that the white horse meant something significant to Zhou Shirong. With Zhou Shirong¡¯s weakness identified, how could Xu Yi not make use of this advantage? Chapter 13 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°Zhou, get your feet off the horse, I¡¯m tired of climbing, I want to ride the horse.¡± Xu Yi was firmly clinging to the horse¡¯s belly when he suddenly spoke. His tone was extremely arrogant, as though he were barking at a dog. Though dressed in elegant white robes, Young Master Zhou¡¯s face was contorted with anger. As he was about to explode in rage, he heard Xu Yi threaten, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three. If you don¡¯t get off, don¡¯t blame me for drilling a huge hole in this beast¡¯s stomach!¡± ¡°If you dare harm a hair on Flying Snow, I¡¯ll break every bone in your body!¡± Although Zhou Shirong¡¯s mouth spoke harsh words, his body jumped off the horse as though there were a poisonous snake on it. In just one leap, he was already meters away. Xu Yi¡¯s guess was on the mark. This Flying Snow was extremely precious to Zhou Shirong. In fact, Flying Snow was a gift from Fairy Yuqing, the master of Snowcold Peak of the Celestial Mountain Sect. The original owner of Flying Snow was actually Fairy Zihan, the most famous and influential of the Celestial Mountain Sect¡¯s third generation. Fairy Zihan¡¯s skills in the Martial Way were top-notch, and her name was known far and wide. She was the number one Fairy1 in all of Guang¡¯an, with lots and lots of suitors. Zhou Shirong was of course one of them. When Fairy Yuqing gifted him Flying Snow, Zhou Shirong, who saw himself as a protagonist in his own story, felt that it was a gesture that added some wonderful meaning to his story. Xu Yi was terrible but still a mere ant. In Zhou Shirong¡¯s eyes, he was not even worth a single hair on Flying Snow¡¯s body. If this villain harmed Flying Snow, how would he dare to face Fairy Zihan in future? The moment Zhou Shirong backed off, Xu Yi flipped back onto the horse¡¯s back. He hurried the horse and fled for a few miles at one go before he dared to look back. Zhou Shirong¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. Xu Yi¡¯s mind was sharp. He knew that Zhou Shirong treasured this horse and would not easily give it up. Now, he must be hiding somewhere, waiting for a chance to strike. With that thought in his head, Xu Yi turned the horse south, avoiding the path through the deep woods, and turning towards the main road. Riding on horseback for over fifty miles, he had reached the banks of Nielong River by the time he stopped. Nielong River. Who knew where it started, but it cut horizontally through Guang¡¯an Prefecture and into the East China Sea. Its waters were vast, almost like a sea itself. Xu Yi was well aware, that this Nielong River was his only chance of survival. The reason was simple: he could not keep running on and on, and he could not watching over this horse at all times. It was clear that Zhou Shirong was definitely following him, waiting for the moment he left Flying Snow¡¯s side. Thus, a paradox was formed! As long as Xu Yi failed to escape completely from Zhou Shirong, his life would still remain hanging by a thread. And for him to properly escape from Zhou Shirong, his only chance lay within the vast Nielong River. Because he managed to think of that, he had steered the horse into this direction back when he had gotten Zhou Shirong off the horse. Xu Yi guessed right. Although it seemed on the surface that Zhou Shirong was not following, he had always been close by, not leaving them for even a moment. When Xu Yi stopped at the Nielong River, Zhou Shirong had already hidden himself amongst a few giant trees by the river¡¯s edge. As his eyes swept across the vast river waters, his heart plummeted as he immediately guessed what Xu Yi was up to. This time, Xu Yi had caused him so much trouble. Never in his life had he been so unsightly as today. Merely killing Xu Yi would not ease the hatred in Young Master Zhou. There was no way he would sit still and let Xu Yi escape. The moment Xu Yi made a move, Zhou Shirong leapt into the air. As quick as lightning, his body glided through the air like a dragon. In the blink of an eye, he had crossed dozens of meters and was only five meters away from Xu Yi. Xu Yi never expected Zhou Shirong to come at him so suddenly and so quickly. He had no time to care about his appearance. With the quickest and cleanest movements, he rolled off the horse and once again bent over and hid under the horse¡¯s belly. Seeing Xu Yi repeating the same tactic, Zhou Shirong almost spewed blood from anger. He forcefully held back is palm strike in mid-air. But the moment he was about to stop, he saw Xu Yi dart out from underneath the horse, diving straight into the river. Zhou Shirong was skillful indeed, releasing both his palms once more and causing the ground beneath him to explode. Using the recoil from his strike, Zhou Shirong¡¯s body, which was already bent over, did a flip, and like a gust of wind, leaped straight at Xu Yi. As he was about to leap and reach the riverbank, there was a splash as Xu Yi jumped into the water headfirst. Then, there was a crash as Flying Snow suddenly collapsed by the riverbank. The sudden crash almost scared the soul out of Zhou Shirong. He turned around only to see Flying Snow¡¯s left forelimb collapsed onto the ground, streaming blood. When Xu Yi had crept under the horse, it was primarily because he feared Zhou Shirong would perform another ¡°Air Slash Palm.¡± That attack could hit from a range, and Xu Yi knew that he could not withstand such a powerful blow. The second reason was to target Flying Snow. Zhou Shirong clearly treasured Flying Snow. Xu Yi could not touch Zhou Shirong, and that fact alone angered him greatly. If he did not come up with a way to cause Young Master Zhou some heart wrenching pain, all the trouble that he was forced to go through today would not have been worth it. After diving under the horse, Xu Yi leapt off with both feet, sending himself like a bullet towards the river. At the same time, he used his palm to chop at the horse¡¯s leg. ¡°Ahh!!! You bastard, I¡¯ll have you die a thousand deaths!¡± Zhou Shirong howled at the sky. Blood rushed to his head as the veins all over his face began to pop out. He twisted his body and sped into the river. Something horrific happened. Zhou Shirong had both feet in the river, but the river¡¯s waters did not go above his ankles, as though he were some water spirit with an innate ability to control water. But that was not the case! Zhou Shirong¡¯s two feet had already broken through the soles of his shoes. His toes were bent and moving, as though they were webbed, and they were creating a current of water. If one looked carefully, once could see that beneath his feet, swirls of qi were being created one by one. Stepping atop the waves, Zhou Shirong looked down into the waters with a cold, deadly stare. Suddenly, three meters diagonally to the left, there was a ripple. Zhou Shirong shouted a cry as his body burst into action. Both his fists swung out, and the air exploded. Boom! It was as though a missile had exploded on the water¡¯s surface. A giant wave was created, and numerous fish and shrimp flew into the air, before dropping as floating carcasses on the surface of the water. The cold, deadly eyes locked onto the water¡¯s surface again, until an almost inaudible grunt reached his years. Finally, contrasting with Zhou Shirong¡¯s icy demeanor, a faint sliver of a smile appeared on the corners of his mouth. Indeed, Xu Yi had been hit. Zhou Shirong¡¯s terrifying strength had actually penetrated through meters of river water and had accurately hit him. Thankfully, with the water as a barrier, he managed to not die immediately, but that was the extent of his luck. His injuries were not minor. A portion of his shoulder blade had collapsed on itself, and multiple organs had almost been shifted by the terrifying force of that punch. Only by gritting his teeth, he had prevented himself from spewing out blood. Thinking of Zhou Shirong¡¯s immense strength, Xu Yi was livid. In his mind, he once again cursed the heavens for being so unfair. As he was cursing, patches of his vision suddenly became dark. His chest was burning, but he dared not move. He clenched his teeth tight, not daring to move, allowing the currents to sweep his body forward. Forcefully holding on for a few minutes, Xu Yi felt as though his lungs were on fire. His gums were already bleeding from how hard he was clenching his teeth. Zhou Shirong, on the other hand, was calmly floating on the surface with his eyes half closed. Already used to the currents, he no longer needed his eyes to observe what was underwater. Just from the sense of touch from his feet, he could accurately sense any changes in the currents below. His heart was cold and calm. He was already planning what to do after he captured Xu Yi. What methods could he use to make him regret ever crawling out of his mother¡¯s womb? Endure, endure. Xu Yi could only endure. Even if he suffocated to death, he would make sure to sink into the bottom of the waters and never end up in Zhou¡¯s hands. His ears were ringing, his eyes were beginning to pop out of his sockets, and his vision was getting blurry. Just as he was about to lose consciousness, suddenly, shadows began to appear in front of his eyes. Chapter 14 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Xu Yi bit on the tip of his tongue, shocking him back into consciousness. Only then did he manage to see clearly. In the southwest, roughly a meter away, a school of large of Giant Green Carp was foraging. Giant Green Carp was a specialty of Nielong River. And adult carp could grow up to a meter long. They liked to group together, and they were fatty and delicious. Using them to make fish soup with shallots would create a delicacy, and such a dish could even be served to nobles. Figuring out the identity of these guys, Xu Yi was like a wanderer in the desert who had finally found an oasis. He almost exploded with joy. Immediately, welling up all his strength, he worked his legs , shot towards the fish, and managed to grab onto a meter-long green fish. The moment Xu Yi moved, Zhou Shirong¡¯s mouth curved into a cold smile. ¡°You finally couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore!¡± His palms danced into action again, but just as he was about to strike with his palm, he suddenly stopped. His eyes suddenly opened wide as he stared beneath his feet. Countless ripples had formed all over the place, making it impossible to discern any specific movement. Washed over with a mix of surprise and anger, Zhou Shirong chased after the source of the largest ripple. With a strike of his palm and a thunderous clap, water flew into the air. In the end, a giant, green, three-meter-long fish floated up to the surface. Boom! Boom! Boom! Zhou Shirong¡¯s arms danced in a mad flurry. In only a few moments, the entire surface was covered in explosions. Raging on in fury for a while longer, Zhou Shirong finally calmed himself, thinking, This rascal is already at the peak of Body Forging. Within Guang¡¯an, there is no way that he would not stand out, so he can never hope to hide for too long. Furthermore, when breaking past the Body Forging stage, he would definitely cause quite a stir. When that time comes, I¡¯ll see how that rascal can continue to hide! As he was expressing his hatred, the mournful cries of Flying Snow came from the riverbank. Immediately, Zhou Shirong¡¯s heart shattered into pieces. Moments before, at the bottom of the river, Xu Yi had grabbed onto a green carp and firmly wrapped onto it with all its limbs. In shock, the Giant Green Carp tried to flee with all its might. The rest of the dozen or so carp had also been alarmed and had escaped in all directions as well. Immediately, sand was kicked up, and ripples were created everywhere. Even with Zhou Shirong¡¯s ability to sense the ripples in the water, there was no way he could have discerned which direction Xu Yi went. Having held onto a Giant Green Carp, Xu Yi still did not dare to go up to the surface. After the carp had carried him dozens of meters away, he finally lost consciousness. But even then, his limbs still firmly clung onto the back of the carp, following the carp as it sped downstream. It was daybreak. The sky was blue, the sun had barely made its appearance, and the air was unusually clear and fresh. In a clean, narrow courtyard, fiery red roses stood out like beautiful fairies on a wall covered in ivy, making for a lovely sight of greenery. There were green melons and red fruits, and when the wind blew, a gentle aroma was brought to the nose. In this little courtyard was a tiny paradise on earth. Xu Yi, was sitting on the doorsill of this paradise, carrying a green cloth bag. His facial hair had grown out and was unkempt. His face was pale but still looked energetic. He was greedily taking in the morning air when the narrow door of the courtyard opened with a creak. ¡°Uncle Beardo, you¡¯re up! Just in time. Come eat breakfast. The freshly fried doughnuts are really fragrant!¡± The one speaking was a young girl, around four to five years old. She had neat short hair that framed her plump little face that bore a high bridged and a large pair of eyes. It was a face with extraordinarily delicate features. In one of her hands was a cloth bag, and the other was busy shoving a piece of golden brown fried dough into her mouth. While eating, she was also occasionally using her sleeve to wipe of the clear snot coming out of her nose. The moment the little girl finished speaking, another person entered the courtyard. This time, it was an old man. His body was extremely long but looked fit. His hair was long and untied, and his face had a chivalrous look to it. He chuckled as he came in. ¡°Little Qiu, your mouth has been busy for the whole journey here. By the time the food reaches the table, I¡¯m afraid your Uncle Beardo would have to eat an empty sack.¡± ¡°Grandpa, that¡¯s not true! There¡¯s still five, four, ah! No, three left!¡± Little Qiu scrunched up her face. Her lips trembled as she was about to cry. Xu Yi quickly went forward to pick her up, comforting her, ¡°Grandpa¡¯s just teasing. See what he¡¯s holding in his hand?¡± Little Qiu immediately opened her eyes which were on the verge of tears, sweeping her gaze towards the old man¡¯s hands, only to see a sack of white buns, still piping hot. She sniffed and shouted, ¡°Grandpa is bad!¡± before sliding out of Xu Yi¡¯s arms and dashing towards the old man. ¡°Morning, Uncle Mu!¡± Xu Yi greeted as he walked up. His face lit up with a smile. Unwanted in his previous life, and an orphan in his current life with a deep vengeance to boot, all of these things had led to Xu Yi becoming cold, solitary, and hateful of the world. In the past two years, other than using his oratory talents to earn money, he hardly had any interactions with his fellow villagers, much less smiled at anyone. But in front of this grandfather-granddaughter duo, he became a lot more approachable. Three days ago, he had been chased by Zhou Shirong until he had a foot in his grave. In the end, by grabbing onto a giant green carp, he had somehow managed to escape. But even so, he had used up all of the air in his chest and had lost consciousness. As he used up what could have been his last breath, he was pulled up in a net by Uncle Mu who happened to be fishing in the river, and he was thus saved. Although his injuries were severe, they were not lethal. At the peak of Body Forging, one¡¯s ability to heal is enhanced greatly. With just two days of rest at the Mu family¡¯s home, he had recovered. Uncle Mu was an old fashioned man. He treated others kindly, expecting nothing in return, and he had treated Xu Yi like a guest and a friend. Little Qiu was mischievous and lively, and they became close as family only after a few days. At that moment, seeing Uncle Mu and Little Qiu fetch breakfast for him, warmth welled up in Xu Yi¡¯s heart. After eating a warm breakfast, Uncle Mu hoisted his fishing net and went out to fish. Earlier on, Little Qiu had snatched her school bag, as well as a bun, and walked out the door. All of this had happened so naturally, as though Xu Yi had always been a member of their family. Xu Yi grabbed a broom and swept the yard, then tidied up around the house. After that, he got into a stance and slowly performed his fist routine. He felt that he was filled with Qi and that energy circulated throughout his body. Xu Yi had never felt his body in such a good condition before. He felt that if he were to deliver a punch at full force, he could definitely send a whole horse flying. Evidently, his experience at the verge of life and death three days ago had brought him some incredible benefits. After performing his routine, Xu Yi wiped his face, and with a jump, leapt over the wall. The Mu¡¯s lived in the outskirts, in a small place called Furong Town, only a few dozen miles from Guang¡¯an City. One of the tributaries of Nielong River passed through the town, bringing quite a few merchants and tourists to the area. Although the town was small, it was a bustling town. The sun was up, and the air was fresh. The small town was built upon the riverside and was draped in greenery, giving it the kind of elegance akin to Jiangnan river towns. It was still early in the day. The shops open in the town were mainly those that sold breakfast. Buns, steamed rolls, spring rolls, steamed dumplings, and so on. Looking at these familiar looking foods that came in all shapes and sizes, Xu Yi felt like this was an entirely different world. The enticing smells kept tempting his belly. Ever since he had reached the peak of Body Forging, his appetite had grown immensely. In the three days he was at the Mu¡¯s, Xu Yi had never actually eaten his fill. With a street full of delicacies in front of him, there was no reason to pass it by. In just a few minutes, Xu Yi¡¯s hands were carrying an additional giant cloth sack. In it was over a dozen pounds of food. He strolled by the riverside that was draped with willows, enjoying the scenery while munching on his food. As he was finally feeling satiated, he noticed a gathering of around a hundred people over in the distance. As he took a better look, he saw that each of them were well built, brimming with Qi, and they were clearly practitioners of the Martial Way. Chapter 15 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Xu Yi¡¯s interest was piqued. He approached, only to see the crowd gathered in front of a white tower-like structure. From afar, he could see a large antique golden sign hanging from the centre of the white tower. On the sign were the three words: Martial Lecture Hall! He thought, Could it be a place that teaches all there is to learn about the Martial Way? As he was wondering, his eyes landed on a bunch of carved text on the wall of the white tower. After sweeping his eyes across the text, he had managed to read everything. It was a narrative, recording the year and month that the Martial Lecture Hall was built, the subject matters, and so on. The narrative was dry, but from it, Xu Yi found what he wanted. It seemed that the Martial Lecture Hall was official property, built by the Dayue Imperial Court in order to recruit men. The world was dominated by the Martial Way, with different sects and families being established. For the disciples and members of large sects and powerful families, they receive training from a young age, and techniques are passed on to them from their elders. When it came to progression in the Martial Way, their path was much smoother compared to the average person. On the other hand, for the poor commoners, hard work and toiling could bring about some initial success but rarely any hopes of further progress. The Dayue Imperial Court had built the Martial Lecture Hall for the common practitioner to receive education, in order to win over the many practitioners across the country. After reading the narrative, Xu Yi was overjoyed, almost wanting to cheer out loud. His experience was, after all, quite a miracle. He had reached the peak of Body Forging, entering the realm of martial experts, but his knowledge in the Martial Way was greatly lacking. His accomplishments today were solely based on the unimaginably tough training he had put himself through, and the brilliance of his Ox Demon Strong Fist. Liaochen was a disciple of an esteemed sect and had passed on the Ox Demon Strong Fist to Xu Yi, but that was just to repay his debt to him. Other than that, he had not given any advice to Xu Yi on how to practice the Martial Way, and he had not even talked about any Martial Way classics or basic martial knowledge. Over the past three days, other than restoring his strength at the Mu¡¯s, Xu Yi had spent even more of his time on contemplating his future. No matter how he thought about it, he merely had two primary missions. One was to thoroughly eliminate Zhou Daogan, and the other was to find Liaochen¡¯s precious scriptures and return them to the Heavenly Jhana Temple to fulfil Liaochen¡¯s dying wish. And to accomplish these two missions, the only thing he could rely on was his own cultivation in the Martial Way. Breaking through the Body Forging stage and entering the Qi Ocean stage! That was Xu Yi¡¯s first goal as of now! If not, even Zhou Shirong, a man of a family of slaves, could easily send him to hell, not to mention taking on Zhou Daogan. As such, what Xu Yi kept thinking about was how to find a ¡°teacher¡± to receive some education in the Martial Way. With his chance discovery of the Martial Lecture Hall, he was naturally overjoyed. At once, Xu Yi quickly made his way forward, only to see someone in the middle of the crowd, hauling a dense, black stone weight. After a careful look, he found that it was actually made out of heavy iron. A man in a black shirt pointed at the stone weight and loudly exclaimed, ¡°By the heavenly grace of the Imperial Court, we have once again come to our annual lecture. You all are the talents of this town. Should you gain any enlightenment from this lecture, remember this kindness graced upon you by the Imperial Court, and train hard in the Martial Way in gratitude to the heavens¡­¡± After a long speech like that from a government official, the man in black stepped back, pointing to the stone weight. ¡°Let¡¯s begin according to the rules!¡± The moment he stepped back, the man in green closest to the stone weight quickly stepped forward. In front of the stone weight, he began a flurry of exercises, then, with a loud roar, he bent over and grabbed the stone weight. With another loud roar, his muscles bulged as he raised the weight above his head. Immediately, the crowd roared with cheers and applause. With a bang, he dropped the stone weight. Delighted, the man in green held his fist in a salute and walked into the gates of the Martial Lecture Hall with broad steps. With the flashy opener from the man in green, the enthusiasm of the crowd was stoked. In just a few minutes, around fifty people had a go at the stone weight, but only less than half passed. After a while of watching, Xu Yi had an understanding of things. The stone weight made out of heavy iron was a full five hundred pounds. Five hundred pounds is a line in the Body Forging stage that, once crossed, means that you have properly entered the Body Forging stage. With that realization, Xu Yi finally understood. Only one who had entered the Body Forging stage was worthy enough to have someone to guide them. A few more minutes passed, and a few dozen more people tried. This time, the number of people who passed was much smaller ¡ª only three. The man in black saw that the time was almost up and said, ¡°Are there any more who wish to try? If not, please leave early. If you can¡¯t this year, come again next year. As long as you do not give up, I believe that everyone will eventually be able to step into this Martial Lecture Hall!¡± With those words, he picked up the stone weight easily with one hand, eliciting gasps from the audience. ¡°Let me try!¡± Xu Yi spoke loudly as he stepped forward. The moment he spoke, the crowd was filled with murmurs of suspicion. All of these martial arts practitioners had come from Furong Town. Furong Town was not large, and each member of the crowd knew everyone else there. For a stranger Like Xu Yi to speak up, it naturally caught everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Who is this? How dare he come to our Furong Town Martial Lecture Hall!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so cocky, outsider! A bag of bones like you trying to lift heavy iron? Forget it!¡± ¡°Captain Gu, this person isn¡¯t from Furong Town. How can he enter our Furong Town¡¯s Martial Lecture Hall? Please get rid of him, we¡¯ll be ashamed to have this outsider join us.¡± After the first person spoke out, the rest chimed in. this group of failed practitioners had insufficient cultivation, but they had plenty of experience ganging up on others. Xu Yi held his fist in a salute and said, ¡°I may be young and uneducated, but I am pursuing the Martial Way with all my heart, despite my foolishness and despite all the things that I do not yet know. Coincidentally, in my first visit to this treasured place, the Martial Lecture Hall is being opened. I was overjoyed and thought that my doubts could finally be cleared. Brothers, as fellow practitioners of the Martial Way, why deny the wonders of an individual¡¯s growth? Furthermore, when his highness, Emperor Wuzong, built the Martial Lecture Hall, wasn¡¯t his wish to make the Marital Way affordable for all practitioners under the heavens? Why would there be distinction between whose hometown this is? If you all were to stop me, I¡¯m afraid it would be going against the goodwill of the Imperial Court.¡± In his previous life, Xu Yi was no good in his studies, but he was great at seeing the bigger picture, or else he would not have been able to stand out amongst millions of players in such a large scale game to become one of the five great commanding officers. In this life, as a young scholar who had read classics since he was young, he had excellent talent. After familiarizing himself with all the classics, his knowledge was now supreme. With the melding of the two individuals, the Xu Yi of today had been born. At that moment, he spoke words that were logical and well substantiated with evidence, especially at the end when he even brought out Emperor Wuzong of the Dayue Dynasty. It had even moved the man in black. The man in black paused to think for a moment before coldly replying, ¡°A glib tongue indeed. I must acknowledge that you make a good point. But, since you dare to stand out like this, you must have a few skills. How about this, you step back ten paces, and I shall throw this stone weight at you. If you can catch it, I shall allow you entry. What do you all think?¡± The man in black had thought it through. Xu Yi spoke of Emperor Wuzong, and was wielding the authority of the Imperial Court¡¯s laws against him. If he refused just like that, it would not be good for his influence if word got out. But at the same time, facing the practitioners from his village, Gu naturally did not want to offend all of them. Thus, imposing a challenge to test the newcomer would be the best of both worlds. All of Furong Town knew the cultivation level of the man in black. He was one of the few who had reached the middle stages of the Body Forging stage, and the man was an impressive martial artist. The stone weight was extremely heavy, and with the man in black throwing it, it would take more than the ability to lift five hundred pounds for Xu Yi to be able to catch it. Seeing the outsider in a difficult spot, the crowd cheered in approval, holding their breaths to see how the man in black would teach Xu Yi a lesson. Chapter 16 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°Do go easy on me, Captain Gu!¡± Xu Yi held his fist in a salute and stepped back ten paces. He dropped into a low horse stance, displaying an extremely serious demeanour. Evidently, with the threat of the Zhou family imminent, Xu Yi had to be cautious at all times to remain hidden. The true state of his cultivation, naturally, had to be hidden if possible. The man in black nodded, gently shouting, ¡°Get ready,¡± as his hands moved in an arc. With ease, he sent the stone weight flying accurately towards Xu Yi. Xu Yi roared loudly, pushing out both hands as though blocking. The stone weight came to his hands, causing him to retreat dozens of steps back before he somehow managed to stop, finally dissipating all the force of the stone weight. When he lifted his head up again, his face was flushed. While the crowd stared with their mouths agape, the man in black gently clapped his hands. ¡°Not bad, not bad ¡ª using technique to counter the heavy weight. At the Body Forging stage, for you to withstand 50% of my strength is not easy at all. With that alone, you deserve to enter this Martial Lecture Hall.¡± He had assumed that Xu Yi was in the early Body Forging stage, as to his knowledge, there was never any practitioner in the middle stages who would return to the Martial Lecture Hall. And if one could reach the middle stages, how could they not know the most basic knowledge of the Martial Way!? But Xu Yi was an example of a one in a million prodigy! After Xu Yi exerted his ¡°full strength¡± to catch hold of the stone weight, he put it down, and with his face still red, he said, ¡°Thank you, Captain Gu for going easy on me!¡± The man in black generously waved his hand, ¡°Hurry and enter. They are about to start. Master Zhou has great knowledge and a great temper to match, too. If you go too late, you might not be allowed in.¡± Xu Yi nodded and hurriedly entered the Martial Lecture Hall. Entering the hall, he saw that none of the practitioners who had entered before him were seated properly, and they were standing along the walls to the left and right of the hall, staring blankly at rows of human figures drawn on the walls. Xu Yi¡¯s attention was captured. His eyes veered over to the walls only to see they were filled with little stories of people ¡ª roughly twenty stories or so. After a closer look, he understood what they were about. Carved on the walls were twenty or so great practitioners who had reached the Qi Ocean stage. All of them had hailed from Furong Town over the last two hundred years that this Martial Lecture Hall had been built. On the walls were records of their lives and their feats of glory. Why these people were carved on the walls was clear as day. Undoubtedly, they were meant to inspire the later generations. As Xu Yi was absorbed in these stories, a loud and dull bang suddenly came from the small door that was exactly opposite the main door of the hall. The door crashed against the wall, creating an ear splitting sound. With an appearance that could only be described as slovenly, a white-haired old man entered. He wore cloth shoes, carried a gourd of wine which had a much worn opening, and walked in with a swagger. His sleeves swayed around him, and the aroma of wine filled the air. The moment the old man entered, the entire room was filled with sighs. Evidently, the old man¡¯s appearance had utterly destroyed the crowd¡¯s expectations of their teacher. Xu Yi, however, found a seat near the front and quietly sat down. He was optimistic. For this Master Zhou to walk in so confidently and in such a carefree manner, it was likely there was more to him than met the eye. Bang! Bang! Bang! A thick ruler as wide as a palm was slammed onto the podium made of heavy iron. The sharp sound was deafening. ¡°What are you sighing for? It¡¯s your good fortune that I am willing to help you blind fools see the light, and you are complaining?! Bloody hell, now I¡¯ve lost the mood to drink. There will be no lecture this year. You lot get ten questions, ask them and then piss off!¡± Master Zhou flew into a rage, then sat down behind the podium with a huff. He opened his gourd of wine and started guzzling it down, totally ignoring the fact that this was the esteemed Martial Lecture Hall. As practitioners of martial arts, most of them were hot blooded individuals. Instead of being scared off by Master Zhou, some lost their tempers instead, slapping their tables and shouting, ¡°From what I know, all practitioners of martial arts have strong bodies. Look at that skinny body of yours. It looks like a gust of wind could blow you over. You cannot be a practitioner of the Martial Way. Since you are not, how dare you teach about the Martial Way!¡± With those words, the crowd fell into an uproar, with everyone shouting over one another. Indeed, Master Zhou was all skin and bones and did not look like someone who practiced the Martial Way no matter how one looked at it. If one did not practice the Martial Way, how could he have the right to stand at the center of the Martial Lecture Hall and teach the Martial Way? In front of such a vicious accusation, everyone thought that the ill-tempered Master Zhou would fly into a rage once again, but little did they expect that he would simply take a sip of wine, smile, and reply, ¡°When I was practicing martial arts, you were still sitting in your mommy¡¯s womb. Nine questions left; who¡¯s next!¡± Wah! The crowd went into chaos. Who knew that they would lose the rights to one question just like that. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of the ruler rang across the lecture hall once more. Master Zhou¡¯s smile was gone as he spoke coldly. ¡°Hurry and ask your questions. If you make any more noise, this year¡¯s lesson will end!¡± In front of Master Zhou¡¯s twisted use of his authority, the group of men had no answer. Indeed, they could not continue to question Master Zhou¡¯s abilities, and there was no point either. No matter what, he was still someone sent by officials. This bunch of men had no one to support them in their lives, and it was the goodwill of the officials that someone was sent to teach them. If these beggars began to be picky and brought things up to the officials, they¡¯d be the ones to lose out in the end. This logic was simple and easy to understand. With that shift in mind-set, the crowd finally understood their position. But still, Xu Yi did not dare gamble on the intelligence of this group of goons. Fearing that another fool would try to take on Master Zhou again, he quickly stood up. Bowing to Master Zhou, he loudly said, ¡°I would like to ask a question, Master Zhou. I am a practitioner at the Body Forging stage, may I ask what is the actual source of my strength?¡± With that question, the crowd was filled with looks of despise. If not for them being intimidated by Master Zhou¡¯s behaviour, they would have turned their noses up in disgust. All of them were training in the Body Forging stage, and all of them knew that they were strong. The source of strength was their strong bodies. This was evident just from looking at all of their bodies. After toughening their skin and muscles, their strength increased. After strengthening their tendons and bones, their strength had increased even more. This was such a simple logic, and Xu Yi had wasted a question just like that. Detestable! Master Zhou fell in stunned silence for a moment, then looked at Xu Yi. For the first time, he placed his gourd of wine down on the lecture podium. If he thought about it, in his twenty years here at the Martial Lecture Hall, this was the first time he had heard a practitioner ask such a question. He racked his brains but could not get a hold of what he wanted. With a sigh, he replied, ¡°This question, I cannot answer.¡± He sounded a little down. The crowd was in an uproar, which was completely understandable. Who would have guessed that for such a simple question, Master Zhou would be unable to answer. Although they looked down on this Master Zhou, they had trust in the Martial Lecture Hall. The Martial Lecture Hall would definitely not send a fool who knew nothing of the Martial Way to teach them. Right now, Master Zhou had said he could not answer. That meant that there was only one other explanation. It meant that the question that Xu Yi posed was not simple at all! Xu Yi sighed deep down and was about to sit down when he heard Master Zhou say, ¡°For you to be able to ask such a question, you clearly must have your own thoughts. Although I cannot answer completely, I can still share my views based on the experiences I have gone through in my life. Why don¡¯t you share your thoughts on the matter first?¡± Recognise what you know, and realise what you do not; that is true knowledge in itself! For Master Zhou to speak those words, Xu Yi naturally labelled him as a wise man in his mind. He replied, ¡°I do have my own thoughts about it. As you all know, we practitioners gain greater strength by training and forging our bodies. But as we reach the end of this, which is the peak of Body Forging, what then do we rely on to gain more strength?¡± Chapter 17 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio With those words, every single person fell into a stunned silence. As their level was currently too low, their motives for entering the Martial Lecture Hall was simply to ask for a simple ¡°body forging method,¡± such as which martial techniques would better aid them in improving their Qi and strength, and which kinds of herbs could increase the toughness of their bodies, and so on. They had never actually thought of what they should do should they reach the peak of Body Forging one day. How should they then find a more powerful source of strength? When Xu Yi elaborated on his question, it was truly like a rooster in the morning, waking them up from their slumber. As practitioners, which of them did not have the drive to improve? Which of them did not know that training the body was the source of their strength? But if they reached the end of the Body Forging stage, then what was next? The hall was deathly quiet. All eyes fell on Master Zhou. Master Zhou finally picked himself up and got himself together as he stood in firmly in front of the podium. As a wind blew through the hall, it swept his broken sleeves high into the air, adding to the air of his authority. ¡°I have a rough understanding of your question now. You are worried that after passing the Body Forging stage, you would be unable to rely on training your body to gain even greater strength, am I right? If this is the only thing you are worried about, then there is definitely no need! I can confidently tell you that in the Four Stages to Immortality, there is no end to the training of your body. It is just that the method of training becomes different. Everyone knows the Four Stages to Immortality: Body Forging, Qi Ocean, Fluid Condensation, Soul Sensing. The reason why there are these four distinct stages is because a practitioner¡¯s body will go through immense change when reaching each of these four stages. ¡°When reaching the peak of Body Forging, the skin becomes tough as hide, and bones become as hard as steel. One will possess truly ferocious strength, becoming as strong as a bull! And after Body Forging, one enters the Qi Ocean stage. As the name suggests, it is where you transform and expand your Qi center into an ocean and begin to store True Qi. By then, one can move objects with one¡¯s will, harm a person from a distance, and so on. The possibilities are limitless. And in this stage, there is still a process of body forging. However, what you train here is not the skin and bones, but your marrow and your blood. One has to train till the marrow becomes like frost and the blood becomes like lava, then one is considered to have succeeded. ¡°As for the Fluid Condensation and Soul Sensing stages, the exact conditions, I do not know, for I have not reached those stages, hence I cannot elaborate clearly. However, allow me to make my deductions based on their names. For Fluid Condensation, I believe it is to condense one¡¯s True Qi into a fluid, forming True Origin Qi. In this stage, the organs of the body are the focal point of a practitioner¡¯s training. As for the Soul Sensing stage, perhaps the body is already at its limits and can begin to have supernatural senses. As they say, using one¡¯s essence to command the spirits. This should follow the same logic¡­¡± Master Zhou¡¯s explanation was detailed and rigorous. Although there were many postulations, they were still well substantiated. A few minutes of lecturing seemed to fly by instantly. To Xu Yi, these words were like listening to the wisest Buddhist teachings. The enormous mountain that had loomed over in front of him suddenly seemed to have crumbled. Master Zhou finished speaking, but the crowd still remained silent for what seemed to be a century. ¡°What is with these expressions on your faces? Do you think that I said something wrong?¡± Master Zhou asked confusedly as he scanned the faces in the lecture hall. ¡°You, you¡¯re actually at the Qi Ocean stage!¡± A round faced plump guy opened his eyes wide, finally saying what everyone was too surprised to ask. The earlier half of what Master Zhou was saying was the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, but when he said, ¡°As for Fluid Condensation and Soul Sensing stages, the exact conditions I do not know, for I have not reached those stages,¡± everyone felt as though they¡¯d been struck by lightning. Who could have guessed that such a frail-looking, unkempt old man could have actually reached the legendary Qi Ocean stage. The whole hall of were only in the early stages of Body Forging, and they were miles away from even the peak of Body Forging. It was amazing that they could run into a lecturer who would belong amongst the ranks of those etched on the murals of the Martial Lecture Hall. In fact, it would be too difficult a task for them to not be in awe. Thankfully for Xu Yi, his cultivation stage was higher, and he had fought a tough battle with Zhou Shirong who was also at the Qi Ocean stage. He had more capacity and mental preparation to deal with Master Zhou¡¯s revelation. As such, he was not that surprised by Master Zhou¡¯s cultivation stage, and he was the only one in the hall who managed to properly listen to each and every word that Master Zhou had said. ¡°What a load of nonsense, what¡¯s the big deal about the Qi Ocean stage!¡± Master Zhou scornfully replied, ¡°Even at the Soul Sensing stage, one has not removed the shackles of mortality and is still not yet an immortal. What is a mere Qi Ocean stage in comparison? If you lot do not even have the ambition to break into the Qi Ocean stage, then it makes no difference whether or not you managed to get into this Martial Lecture Hall!¡± Although he spoke haughtily, Master Zhou knew the bitter truth in his heart. It was not a lie that he had reached the Qi Ocean stage, but that was in the past. Twenty years ago, after having his Qi center shattered by one palm, all that he had accumulated in the Martial Way had come to an end. With his martial arts gone, he had somehow managed to enter the Martial Lecture Hall with his knowledge and become a teacher. Only then had he managed to safely survive for the past twenty years. Today, for someone to suddenly bring up his former stage of cultivation, he would be deceiving himself if he said that he did not miss the past or if he did not have any regrets. As the crowd still remained speechless, Xu Yi rose again and spoke. ¡°Thank you, Master, for your teachings! I have another question for the Master. In battles between practitioners, is speed and power the absolute key, and martial skill just an accessory? Is it enough for me to focus only on training speed and power in my practice of the Martial Way? Also, I heard Master mention that at the peak of Body Forging, one¡¯s strength would be akin to a bull¡¯s. But I have also heard that there are some experts at the peak of Body Forging who can deliver a blow with the strength of three bulls. How could that be explained, and is that extra strength derived from martial skill?¡± Xu Yi had asked this precisely because of his battle with Elder Feng. Back then, Elder Feng¡¯s Silent God Fist had displayed the strength of three bulls and had left him troubled. In his training to reach the peak of Body Forging, he had relied solely on the Martial Technique Ox Demon Strong Fist. But the intricacies of the Ox Demon Strong Fist lay solely in training the body and not in attacking. As such, although Xu Yi had cultivated to the peak of Body Forging, he knew no Martial Skills at all. Against Elder Feng, who was at the same level as he was, all he relied on was speed and power that exceeded that of those at the same level. And indeed, Elder Feng had fallen to his power and speed, to the extent that Xu Yi had thought that martial skill was not worth considering. But in the few days where he lay quietly in recovery, he had given some careful thought to the battle with Elder Feng. Especially about Elder Feng¡¯s Silent God Fist which had hit him without any sound or warning, Xu Yi had pondered extensively. If not for the fact that he happened to still be wearing heavy iron on his body, after receiving that punch, his life should have completely ended, and he would not be here today. Regardless of how he looked at it, the Silent God Fist should be some sort of martial skill. Could it be that his notion of taking on the world with only speed and power was a mistake!? ¡°Eager to learn, delivers arguments clearly, and shows careful thought. A good seedling indeed! Master Zhou glanced at Xu Yi, grabbed his wine gourd, and gulped a mouthful of wine. He then spoke. ¡°This question of yours needs to be tackled from two directions. Firstly, in a battle between practitioners, speed and power are indeed the most important. In other words, one can say that in the face of absolute power, any kind of flashy technique would become meaningless! ¡°Secondly, the importance of martial skills, however, does not lie in speed or power. The reason is simple, because absolute power is usually very hard to achieve. In other words, if you are facing an enemy who surpasses you by one full stage, in that case, Martial Skills would do little to make up for the difference in power. Now that we mention it, as practitioners at the Body Forging stage, how many of you would have thought of going up against powerhouses at the Qi Ocean or Fluid Condensation Stage? ¡°Which is why, the way I see it, absolute power is simply a false proposition. The importance of martial skill cannot possibly be emphasised any more. If not, why would there be such a great variety of martial skills and martial techniques under the heavens!? It can be said as such: Between martial skills, speed, and power, there is no antagonistic relationship. Martial skills are essentially born from a perfect combination of speed and power!¡± Chapter 18 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Boom! Xu Yi¡¯s mind felt like it was exploding, like he suddenly had an epiphany. His expression was observed by Master Zhou, who thought, This one can be taught. He then said, ¡°One could even say that Martial Skills are not just the perfect combination of speed and power. For tens of thousands of years, after going through so many geniuses on the path of the Martial Way, and after being explored by the brilliant minds of the strongest in the world, the most intricate Martials Skills can very realistically improve or even surpass one¡¯s usual speed and power. ¡°Just like you had mentioned earlier, a practitioner who is clearly at the peak of Body Forging who should only have the strength of one bull, but was able to perform an attack with the strength of three bulls. This is the advantage of Martial Skill. Perhaps, phrasing it this way is not so straightforward. Let me give you an example. Furong Town is bordered by water, with countless cargo ships going in and out. I believe all of you have seen the pulleys on top of the masts of the ships that are used for loading goods. An ordinary man uses pulleys to lift weights that are many times his own weight. It can be said that the relationship between Martial Skill and power is just like these pulleys. With the aid of a ¡®pulley¡¯, to be able to deliver an attack with the strength of three bulls, is that such a difficult concept to understand? In summary, your strength is your foundation, and Martial Skills are your methods. A strong and solid foundation coupled with exquisite method of delivery; that is the key to victory!¡± Clap clap clap¡­ The hall erupted with a thunderous applause that seemed to never end. Deep down, Xu Yi could only take his hat off to the Master. Only a person who had gone through it all could be able to deliver knowledge in such an exquisite manner. However, as Xu Yi was admiring the Master and was about to rise again to ask another question, someone else beat him to it. With such a performance from Master Zhou, no one remaining in the audience could possibly be left unaware of the greatness of the man that sat before them. If they missed the opportunity to ask a question, they would surely regret it for the rest of their lives. With the situation as such, there was no chance left for Xu Yi. Within the next hour, the remaining seven questions were used up. True to his word, Master Zhou answered all questions to the best of his ability. After the last question was asked, he picked up his wine gourd, stood up, and left. There was not a hint of hesitation. Truly the style of someone superior. Watching the back of Master Zhou retreat further into the distance, Xu Yi¡¯s heart sank a little. Earlier on, the questions from fellow members of the audience had not been useless to him, but he still had one important question that he needed answered. Now, the opportunity was lost. The sun rose higher into the sky, and a gentle wind blew, causing the bamboo to sway and rustle. It brought in a fresh aroma through the hall. Only after a while did Xu Yi finally come to his senses. He looked around, and the entire hall of people had practically vanished. As Xu Yi was about to get up and leave, two loud knocks came from the door. The man in black, who was at the entrance of the hall testing those who wished to enter, had just knocked. He walked over with large strides and had a smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯ve put me through quite a search, Brother. I was outside looking for you. If I had not asked the right person, I might have missed you.¡± ¡°What business does Captain Gu have with me?¡± Xu Yi was rather curious. ¡°Fret not, Brother, it¡¯s good business, good business. Right, I still do not know how to address you, Brother. Where are you from?¡± The man in black maintained his smile. Xu Yi felt nervous, but without revealing anything on his face, he said, ¡°What good business is there? Why don¡¯t you tell me more first, Captain Gu.¡± His name and his origins could not be so easily given to some outsider. Guang¡¯an Prefecture was definitely a large place, but for an important person such as Zhou Daogan, it might as well be no more than a square inch. If he dared to reveal any hint of his current whereabouts, he would have to flee again with people coming after his life. Hence, when the man in black asked for his name and his hometown out of the blue, Xu Yi naturally became wary. The man in black¡±¡±Brother, do not worry, I already have some idea of your situation. You were fished up from the Nielong River by Old Man Mu three days ago, and you¡¯re now living at the Mu family¡¯s. Am I right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got some skill, Captain Gu.¡± Xu Yi smiled, but his heart turned cold as he prepared for the worst case scenario. The man in black waved his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, Brother. I¡¯m here only to invite you to join Furong Town¡¯s Dark Shirts. As for your actual identity and the identity of your enemies, I have no interest to know, and I do not wish to make an enemy out of you either.¡± ¡°Dark Shirts? I¡¯m sorry, I really do not understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Xu Yi was getting more and more confused. The man in black stared blankly at Xu Yi. Then suddenly, he remembered that he was not speaking to a local. Perhaps Xu Yi had never even set foot into a large city before. He immediately explained, ¡°The Dark Shirts are Furong Town¡¯s police force. Put it this way; other than the army that protects the country, the Dayue Imperial Court also has police forces to enforce law and order in the rural areas. Their attire comes in five different colours: gold, purple, black, white and green. The Gold Shirts guard the capital, the Purple Shirts protect the borders, the Black Shirts maintain order at the state level, and the White Shirts take care of the prefecture level. ¡°Furong Town belongs to White Horse County, Guang¡¯an Prefecture. The town¡¯s police force falls into none of the usual categories, hence we are the Dark Shirts. I am the captain of Furong Town¡¯s Dark Shirts. By work of chance today, I met you when I was testing you for the Martial Lecture Hall. Brother, I really feel that your skills are impressive and that you could go far, so I am inviting you to join us. What do you think, brother?¡± With this, Xu Yi finally understood. The captain of Furong Town¡¯s ¡°local police force¡± had seen something in him and wanted to recruit him. And from what he said, he seemed to imply that Xu Yi¡¯s identity and background was not a concern at all as long as he was willing to join. That was the major selling point for Xu Yi. Even though the Dark Shirts are the lowest ranking, as long as it could solve his problem of being an illegal immigrant, why not join them? If he did not enjoy the work, he could simply leave. He did not believe that there was anyone who could hold him back. With that thought in mind, Xu Yi held his fist in a salute. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. I accept!¡± The man in black laughed heartily and firmly patted Xu Yi on his shoulders. ¡°Brother, I promise that you will never regret this decision! Let¡¯s get to know each other properly; I am Gu Jianming!¡± Gu Jianming was truly overjoyed. Furong Town¡¯s Dark Shirts were short on military force and definitely needed some reliable manpower. Initially, he had not thought much of this outsider. But not long after the lecture ended, he thought about how impressive a certain ¡°foreigner¡± was. After asking around, he had found out what the outsider had asked during the lesson. With some careful thinking, Gu Jianming understood that if he could ask such questions, there was no way that he was any ordinary person. Although his stage in the Martial Way was still low, it was evident that he had plenty of talent and plenty of room for improvement in the future. When would be a better time to take such a budding talent under his wing if not now? Making up his mind to recruit Xu Yi, Gu Jianming had begun to find out more about Xu Yi¡¯s origins. Furong Town was not large, and with his status as a local police captain, there could not be a simpler task than finding out about an outsider in the town. After finding out how Xu Yi had found his way to the Mu family, Gu Jianming had his own deductions on Xu Yi¡¯s identity. But he did not wish to delve further. In this day and age, revenge killings among martial artists were as common as eating and drinking. People who hide their true names and pasts are as common as fish in the river. Unless he was unbelievably bored, he would not be interested in digging up all this information. With that said, even though Gu Jianming had no intentions of exposing Xu Yi, he had still accurately guessed that Xu Yi was hiding his identity. In order to entice him, he had mentioned the conditions of not needing to reveal one¡¯s identity and past. Just as he had guessed. He hit the nail on the head, and Xu Yi was roped in. Chapter 19 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°I am Xu Yi, please take care of me in the future, Captain Gu!¡± Ever since slaughtering the Zhou family, Xu Yi firmly intended to hide his original name. Initially, being able to flee far away was naturally the best. But now, since he could somehow join the ranks of the officials, it would still fulfil his purpose of going into hiding. After all, by continuing to stay in Guang¡¯an, it would follow the logic that the most dangerous place is often the safest place. Gu Jianming laughed out loud. ¡°Good, good. How about this? After you have your lunch, Brother Yi, go to the east of town and collect your uniform and equipment from the patrol station. But for now, I suggest that you head to the west of town and buy a gourd of the finest Bamboo Leaf Green wine!¡± ¡°What do you mean by this, Captain Gu?¡± Xu Yi could roughly guess the answer. Gu Jianming said, ¡°I heard about what happened at the lecture. Brother Yi has great ambitions but has yet to meet a good teacher. Today, your meeting with Master Zhou must be like receiving rain after a long drought. But with so many people in the hall with questions for the master, you must have left with some unanswered questions. Although Master Zhou was not originally from Furong Town, he has taught here at the Martial Lecture Hall many times over the last twenty years; thus, I have some understanding of his personality. His favourite wine is Bamboo Leaf Green, which he is sure to purchase every time he visits Furong Town. Right now, he is definitely alone enjoying his wine at the Blue Wave Pavilion by the side of Dragon¡¯s Beard Creek. Brother Yi, if you have any more questions, you could buy a gourd of Bamboo Leaf Green and head over there.¡± How understanding! How incredibly understanding! Kicking off the ground, Xu Yi¡¯s feet danced into action as he sped out the door. Dragon¡¯s Beard Creek was one of the tributaries of Nielong River which got its name from being situated where the beard of Nielong River would be. The waters were clear, with a gentle meandering flow of water. With good waters, good scenery naturally followed. Both sides of the creek were lush with green trees. Xu Yi was carrying two large gourds, racing along the river. ¡°Over here!¡± While Xu Yi was looking around for a pavilion, he suddenly heard a shout. Looking towards the source, he saw Master Zhou sitting on a rock not far away, waving his arms at him. Xu Yi halted, then quickly walked towards him. Before he could get close, Master Zhou had leapt forward, snatching the two gourds of wine from his hands. Pulling out the soft cork, he took a hearty swig and smiled from ear to ear. ¡°Good wine, good wine. The very best Bamboo Leaf Green indeed. They were enticing my old nose from far away. With my meagre salary, I really can¡¯t afford such good wine. Today must be my lucky day.¡± With those words, he took another large swig, even getting his beard all wet. Xu Yi did not speak, and just quietly watched him drink his fill. After finishing half a gourd of wine, Master Zhou finally remembered that next to him was the one who had brought him the wine. But thick skinned as he was, there was not even a hint of redness in his old face. He pointed to the rock beside them and invited Xu Yi to take a seat. ¡°Boy, of your intentions, I am well aware. Earlier in the lecture hall, I had already noticed you. You are a man with ideas. Now, you come chasing after me as though your butt is on fire, even bringing my favourite Bamboo Leaf Green. Someone must have advised you on this. But, whatever! I can¡¯t defeat my love for good wine. Two gourds of wine, two questions!¡± The old man was a straightforward person. After receiving the gifts, he will do what is expected. And that was exactly what Xu Yi wanted. Cutting straight to the chase, he said, ¡°Earlier in the class, there was a concept that I remember clearly, which was to use one¡¯s essence to command souls. This is referring to cultivation at the Soul Sensing stage, where the physical body is at its limits and where one can develop supernatural senses. I would like to ask, do humans really have souls? When do souls appear? What does a strong soul do for a practitioner?¡± The question regarding souls had been kept in his heart for a long time. He had seen Liaochen¡¯s departed soul with his bare eyes! His eyes can ignore the darkness! His ability to sense his surroundings was astonishing. Within the forests, no matter what beast was lying in ambush, no matter how far away they were, he could sense them all! And the most amazing of all, is that he is far better than any normal human at overcoming fatigue! Just take the example of his cultivating. If not for his body aching too much for him to bear, he could continue practicing night and day. With only a few hours of sleep each day, all of his fatigue would vanish. By relying on this ¡°natural gift¡±, he had managed to endure a cultivation method that no one would normally stand and had achieved what he had today. The reason for why his body had such a special transformation was something that Xu Yi never had a proper answer to, even after all this time. But he had a guess! From what he thought, the reason for such a change was not because of his body, but probably because his soul that had transcended space and time to get here. Of course, this was only his guess. Today, meeting such a learned teacher, it would claw at his heart if he still could not find answers. ¡°This question of yours is very special. How did you think to ask this?¡± Master Zhou¡¯s blurry eyes suddenly lit up, as he stared at Xu Yi and asked his question. ¡°I¡¯m the kind of person that has a wild imagination. I think too much, that¡¯s why I have so many questions. I hope Master can still answer my doubts,¡± Xu Yi calmly replied. Master Zhou stroked his messy goatee and said, ¡°Very well, I shall not ask anymore. I have to fulfil my promise anyway, since I drank your wine! That question of yours was in fact three questions, but I shall not be too calculative. I¡¯ll will answer them all together. ¡°The first question: do humans have souls? The answer is, of course! Humans definitely have souls. Without souls, they would just be walking corpses! ¡°Second question: when do souls appear? I think what you really mean is: when can souls leave the constraints of a physical body and exist on their own? To answer this question, we should look at two different scenarios. The first is, when someone dies, then the soul would naturally appear. The second is, when one¡¯s cultivation is at an extremely high level, and when one¡¯s soul is trained to be extremely resilient. Perhaps, at that stage, the soul could leave the physical body and can wander freely. The saints that were spoken of in legends should all possess this type of ability.¡± He did not expect the old man to be so crafty, by trying to answer with some superficial knowledge to confuse him. He immediately cut in, ¡°Souls appear when a person dies, but why is it that ordinary people do not see that? And I have also heard that priests who have unlocked their Yin eyes can see the souls of individuals proficient in the Martial Way; why is that so?¡± This is one of the questions he wanted answers to the most. He had seen Liaochen¡¯s soul, and had thought that a soul would materialise once a person was killed. However, when he butchered Elder Feng, Young Master Zhou and the rest of them, not a single soul had appeared. ¡°We agreed, two gourds of wine for two questions! Why are you asking more questions!¡± Master Zhou retorted with his goatee quivering, but his murky eyes flashed a hint of craftiness. ¡°One more question for another gourd of wine, would that be alright?¡± Xu Yi definitely knew what was going through the old man¡¯s head, but he cared little for the cost of a few gourds of wine. ¡°It¡¯s a deal!¡± Master Zhou was overjoyed. The creases on his old, skinny face began to show. But then, he sighed and said, ¡°If only I had your enthusiasm for learning when I was young. Perhaps the disaster that would have befallen me could have been avoided¡­ Forget it, enough of that. Back on topic. The reason why the soul is so difficult to see is because the soul is a spiritual entity. How could a physical eye see it? As for those who unlock their Yin eyes, that is a different case, but not all souls can be seen. ¡°For instance, for an ordinary person whose cultivation is not at the Qi Ocean stage, the body and soul are both weak. When such a person dies, before the soul can come together and assume a form, it would already be dissipated by the wind and become part of the nether realm. But for one who has reached the Qi Ocean stage, the soul is much stronger in comparison. Even after dying, the soul can still condense to assume a human form. Furthermore, a strong practitioner who has cultivated secret Martial Techniques to develop the soul can have a soul remaining in the mortal realm for years after death. This is indeed a miraculous skill!¡± Chapter 20 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°Thank you for your wisdom, Master!¡± Xu Yi finally understood. The Qi Ocean stage was a barrier. Below the barrier of the Qi Ocean stage, even when one dies, there would be no hope for the soul to materialize. ¡°No need for thanks, just remember that you owe me two gourds of wine!¡± Master Zhou made a money-grabbing gesture. ¡°I will remember. Please continue explaining, Master!¡± Xu Yi replied impatiently. Master Zhou nodded, ¡°As for the last question, what good is a strong soul to a practitioner? To be honest, this question is not easy for me to answer. I am probably unable to give you a very accurate answer, because the strength of soul, or how to train the strength of a soul, is something I have never heard of. Perhaps only the strongest practitioners at the Soul Sensing stage would be able to answer your question. ¡°But of course, once again, let me try to use my own life experiences to make my own deductions on the matter. Let¡¯s use the example of an ordinary person. One who is fit and has sufficient Qi would be strong, full of energy, and very resilient. If we look at a practitioner instead, if one¡¯s soul is strong, I believe that while one is on the path of the Martial Way, it would help to efficiently reduce mental fatigue. At the same time, one who has a strong soul would be intelligent and possess an extraordinary ability to comprehend things. If using and practicing Martial Skills, the person should be able to learn twice as fast. Of course, this is just my own theory. As for the exact wonderful uses of a strengthened soul, you would probably have to find out on your own after you reach the Soul Sensing stage.¡± Master Zhou¡¯s voice was clear, and his tone was gentle without the slightest bit of agitation. But when Xu Yi heard it, it confirmed his long-held suspicions. At that moment, in the empty and desolate mountains, flowers bloomed and the ever-looming grey clouds dissipated! You lousy god, you¡¯ve finally opened your eyes! Xu Yi thought excitedly in his mind, but on the surface he seemed unfazed. He stood up and gave a proper bow. ¡°Thank you for your teachings!¡± With that, he turned and left, and he shrank in the distance in the blink of an eye. Master Zhou then came to his senses, and using a voice ten times hoarser than the one he used during his class, he shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t forget my wine, send it to Guang¡¯an City, Iron Cat Ear Alley¡­¡± Saying goodbye to Master Zhou, Xu Yi was in no rush to head to the patrol station. Instead, he walked briskly to the town center and entered Furong Town¡¯s largest restaurant. After a while, he left with a large box of food, and he rushed straight to the Mu family home. He opened the worn old door. Inside, Little Qiu was sitting in the courtyard eating her lunch. A square chair with its backrest broken off was being used as her table. On top were two plates ¡ª cold Chinese cornbread and salted fish. Little Qiu¡¯s little body was seated on a small stool, and she was enjoying her food. Seeing Xu Yi come in, she started to complain. ¡°Where did you go? Didn¡¯t I tell you to watch the house? I thought I would have a nice hot lunch waiting for me. How lazy. To think that I even left you half a fish,¡± she said, pointing at the half a fish on a plate. Uncle Mu was out fishing and would only come back at night. These past two days, he had been the one preparing lunch for Little Qiu. Because he did not leave the house, he only heated up the food stored in their home: Chinese cornbread and salted fish. This time, since he was out, how could he possibly still settle for such food? ¡°You didn¡¯t wait for me to have lunch and you¡¯re still in the right? Fine, fine. You eat your food, and I¡¯ll eat mine.¡± With that, Xu Yi sat down on the stone railing of the flower bed. He opened the box of food and placed each dish out onto the railing, one by one. Osmanthus duck breast, cured meat sausages, shallot oil chicken, suckling pig, braised golden carp¡­ With all these dishes displayed on the railing, the air was thick with a delicious aroma. With a few specks of sunlight shining on them, it almost looked like a holy feast. Little Qiu was in shock. Her mouth hung wide open, and a half eaten piece of cornbread rolled out of her mouth without her even noticing. Xu Yi did not stand on ceremony at all. From the box, he took out a pair of exquisite peachwood chopsticks and used it to shove a piece of duck breast into his mouth. He chewed, enjoying the lovely taste. ¡°Waaahhh!¡± Little Qiu, who was frozen like a block of wood, was pushed into action by Xu Yi. She jumped surprisingly high with her little legs and went straight at Xu Yi, shouting, ¡°Stinky Uncle Beardo, lousy Uncle Beardo, how could you eat such good food on your own? That¡¯s too much!¡± While her mouth was busy shouting, her plump little body had catapulted over like a cannonball, flying over and almost going headfirst into the flowered. She picked up the plate of chicken with her two hands and buried her head into it. This was the most delicious meal she had ever had in her entire life. While she was busy eating, she could only resent her parents for giving birth to her with only one mouth and one pair of hands with which to eat her food. Seeing the little girl finish half a chicken and an entire pig¡¯s trotter, and that was reaching out for more, Xu Yi finally reached out to stop her. ¡°Careful, don¡¯t choke!¡± Little Qiu smacked her lips and paused for a moment. Suddenly, she felt a pressure around her belly that she had never felt before. Her raging appetite that was like a flood that suddenly receded. She quickly moved her little body and sat down on Uncle Mu¡¯s worn rest chair. She lay down, panting and rubbing her belly. While the little girl was busy digesting her food, Xu Yi started to eat. When he ate, it was ten times more brutal than that little girl ¡ª truly like a tornado. A whole squid was treated like a dough stick, stuffed head to tail right into his mouth. Like pieces of braided dough, half a suckling pig and half a roasted chicken was cleanly picked in a flash. The rest of the dishes were treated like rice and were shovelled into his mouth directly from the plate. Before the little girl realized what had happened, Xu Yi had already finished all the food. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Little Qiu let out a weird scream, like a cat who has had its tail stepped on. She jumped up with her eyes wide, pointing a shaky finger at Xu Yi, and then pointing it at the empty plates. The whole while, she acted without saying a word, looking extremely comical. ¡°So you¡¯re complaining that I eat too much? Ha ha, you little kitten. If you have what it takes, then grow a bigger stomach, ha ha ha¡­¡± Xu Yi laughed heartily, extremely happy and content. The clouds in the sky seemed to be hooked by his laughter. He himself could not even remember if he had ever opened up so much and laughed so unreservedly in his life. After a noisy meal, Xu Yi went straight to the east of town. Within a few minutes, he appeared at the doorstep of Furong Town¡¯s police patrol station. This compound with the words Patrol Station on the front was large. Going through the stone doors led to a wide courtyard, which would more accurately be considered a large martial arts display stage. A few strong men, all with their shirts off, were pushing a set of heavy iron training equipment under the hot sun. Using all their strength, the sweat all over their body gave their muscles a shiny, coppery look. The noon sun was beating down on them, drying up their sweat before it could even drip off their bodies. A sour stench permeated the air. Seeing a stranger enter, someone called over, ¡°Who are you looking for? If you¡¯re reporting a case, hit the drum outside and do the paperwork!¡± Before Xu Yi could respond, Gu Jianming, who was flipping through a stack of case files, came striding out of the main hall. Seeing Xu Yi from afar, he hurried down the steps smiling. ¡°You¡¯re late, I¡¯ve been waiting. I almost thought you weren¡¯t coming.¡± ¡°There was something on at home, and I was delayed. Sorry, Captain Gu!¡± Xu Yi responded, while continuing to observe his future workplace. Chapter 21 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°Come, come, come, all of you. Let me introduce you all to our new brother!¡± Gu Jianming clapped his hands, and with a loud voice, gathered the few people at the training area. He pointed at Xu Yi and said, ¡°This here is brother Xu Yi. He is the newest member of our Furong Town police force. In the future, he will be one of us. You must look out for each other!¡± With that, Gu Jianming went on to introduce each and every one of them to Xu Yi. Only then did Xu Yi realize that, including himself, the six men standing there were the entire official police force of Furong Town. Xu Yi politely shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with all of his fellow compatriots. His good manners won over quite a few of them. After the simple introduction, Gu Jianming dispersed his men and led Xu Yi to the main hall. What followed was a whole series of procedures, filling in forms, collecting a uniform, getting a badge¡­ At last, after settling the monthly welfare and salary of fifty silver taels, Gu Jianming dumped a large book on the top of the wooden table in front of Xu Yi, and it crashed with a loud bang. It was titled: The Laws and Regulations of the Dayue Imperial Court. He said, ¡°Find some time and flip through this. From today onwards, you are a constable of our Furong Town.¡± With that, he turned and went out the main door. Xu Yi did not expect that after only such a simple procedure, he had transformed into a civil servant of the Dayue Imperial Court. Xu Yi was extremely pleased with this transformation. It not only meant that he had obtained a new identity, but it also meant that he had become someone within the system. Even if he were the lowest ranked of constables, Xu Yi believed that he could still be able to make use of some of the official authority of the Dayue Imperial Court. And the secrets of it all lay in this thick book of The Laws and Regulations of the Dayue Imperial Court. After his soul had come to this world, Xu Yi not only possessed the calmness and the ability to see the big picture that he had from his previous life, but he also obtained from this life the attention for detail and the ability to tolerate loneliness. Finding a window that faced the sun, he opened the windows, flipped open the book, and quietly began to read. With a stronger soul than most, he could maintain high levels of concentration for long periods of time. Reading the thick tome of The Laws and Regulations of the Dayue Imperial Court only took him around four hours. Amongst the 18,654 laws within the book, even though he dared not say he could remember all of them, he could at least remember 80-90%. Outside, the sun was showing signs of setting, already sticking to the top of Huyin Mountain. It was getting late. Thinking of the delicious food during lunch, Little Qiu had had her fill, but Uncle Mu had missed out on it. Xu Yi quickly got up, picked up his rucksack containing his new uniform and badge, and left through the front door. After a short while, there were two more boxes of food in Xu Yi¡¯s hands identical to the one earlier in the afternoon. Now, he was truly a rich man. Although the food during lunch was extravagant, it had only cost him two silver taels. According to official prices, a single pure gold coin could be exchanged for a hundred silver taels. Furthermore, pure gold coins were the currency of the upper class in this world and rarely circulated amongst the common folk. This market price was simply the price that the officials forcefully mandated in order to exchange silver taels for the commoners¡¯ gold. In reality, on the black markets, one pure gold coin could be exchanged for over a hundred and fifty silver taels. Even with such an exchange rate, it was rarely available for exchange. Currently, within Xu Yi¡¯s private stash, even if he did not count the two gold biscuits that were each worth a thousand gold coins, just the dozen or so coins that he had taken from Elder Feng would have been enough for him to eat this lavishly for over ten years. With such a fortune, how could Xu Yi be thrifty about food? The sun was setting in the west, and a gentle night wind was blowing, creating ripples along the clear Dragon¡¯s Beard Creek. Xu Yi strolled into the town center. Looking into the distance, the sight of the waters and mountains entered his eyes, and the sounds from the returning boats reached his ears. As it was approaching mealtime, all the people who had been busy working all day were now busy finding their place to unwind. The small town of Furong experienced its most bustling time of the day. Taverns and restaurants were brimming with customers. A variety of street vendors had streamed in from nowhere like a crowd of locusts, spreading out throughout every empty space in the town. With his sense of hearing and sight overloaded, Xu Yi felt as though his eyes and ears were not enough rise up to the occasion. At this moment, the town had come to life, and it felt like Xu Yi¡¯s own life was livening up as well. Walking through the alleys that were filled with delicious smells, he could see the pier in the distance. Looking at the time of the day, it was neither too early nor too late, perhaps Uncle Mu would have just come ashore. Xu Yi thought of heading over to meet up with the old man. But after walking just a few steps, Xu Yi¡¯s face broke into a frown! ¡­ ¡°Aiya, Old Mu, what kind of god did you pray to today? You actually managed to net a Giant Green Carp!¡± ¡°Tch, come over and take a look! Old Mu really hit the jackpot today, this Giant Green Carp must be over two hundred pounds!¡± ¡°Whoa! This Giant Green Carp could be worth half a year of hard work!¡± ¡°Old Mu¡¯s luck has really arrived! Instead of looking at other fish, you somehow managed to get this Giant Green Carp in your net!¡± ¡°Old Cai, have your brains been fried? With such a Giant Green Carp, that¡¯s all he needs, what would he need other fish for?¡± Uncle Mu laboriously dragged his net up to the pier. Before his beads of sweat could evaporate from the stone cobbled ground, the three meter long Giant Green Carp had caught everyone¡¯s attention. The fishermen who had returned late were all quickly drawn over by this staggering catch. Seeing the size of the Giant Green Carp, all of them sighed. The Giant Green Carp was the specialty of Nielong River. Its meat was fatty and tender, and its bones were flavorful. Be it used for cooking or for soup, it was a premium ingredient, and was a favourite amongst the nobles living in Guang¡¯an City. But as expected, premium ingredients were hard to obtain. The Giant Green Carp was active only around ten meters under the water and was extremely hard to catch. Even the most experienced fishermen only caught one once in a blue moon, and it was all up to luck. The price of a Giant Green Carp was always high. This current one would be worth at least a hundred silver taels, even with a conservative estimate. For a regular fisherman, this was indeed an incredible catch. As the crowd was beginning to swell, they were suddenly parted. ¡°All of you get out of the damn way! I hear that a Giant Green Carp has been caught. Hurry and show it to me!¡± A young man in black surrounded by seven or eight muscular men in green had forcefully pushed the sea of onlookers aside. Before the young man finished speaking, they had already squeezed their way to the front. With a slashing sound, the black robed teen¡¯s hands seemed to transform into a pair of sharp blades, cutting through the tough fish net like cutting through tofu. With one hand grabbing the fish head, he easily pulled out the Giant Green Carp. ¡°Tsk tsk, a good fish indeed. A good Giant Green Carp. Just as I was starting to worry about not having anything good for my guests. This must be a godsend!¡± The black robed teen held on to the Giant Green Carp, looking to the left and right, and talking as though the fish rightfully belonged to him without any regard to the fishermen surrounding him. ¡°Young Master is absolutely right, this must be fate!¡± A middle aged man in blue robes and a golden belt squeezed to the front, offering his words of flattery. He then raised his head and said, ¡°Old Mu, why aren¡¯t you bringing this Giant Green Carp to the storage area?¡± ¡°Aye aye, Head Zhou, just hold on a bit, hold on a bit,¡± Uncle Mu replied. He then called over a few other familiar fishermen to carry the Giant Green Carp over. The middle aged man in the gold belt was the head of the fisheries. Every day, the fish caught by Uncle Mu and everyone else was collected by him and sold in their place. Although the prices that they got were lower, the advantage was convenience. Giant Green Carp was rare and precious, and once released into the market, it would definitely fetch a high price. But Uncle Mu was an honest man and did not wish to take advantage of the situation. Since Head Zhou had given his orders, he had no complaints about it. But as Uncle Mu and two other well-built fishermen were about to pick up the Giant Green Carp, the black robed teen effortlessly snatched the fish and caused the three of them to grab air instead. Chapter 22 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°Slow down, slow down, Old Zhou. I was the first to see this Giant Green Carp, so I¡¯m buying it. Don¡¯t say that I¡¯m not ungrateful to you!¡± With that, the black robed teen tossed the Giant Green Carp to his bunch of green robed followers, and ordered them to carefully pack it. Head Zhou gave a wide smile. ¡°Look at you, why the need to be so courteous. So what if it has reached the fish market, I¡¯ll let you have it out of respect!¡± ¡°Alright! You do have a way with words!¡± The black robed teen delightedly patted Head Zhou on his shoulder. At the same time, he fished his hand into Head Zhou¡¯s wallet, grabbed a few coppers and silver pennies, and tossed them to the ground. ¡°There, old man, the money for your fish!¡± Uncle Mu stood motionless in stunned silence. The scattered silver pennies and copper coins added up to less than two taels of silver. If the Giant Green Carp were sold to the fish market, it would at least fetch a price of a hundred silver taels. ¡°That can¡¯t be right! Two silver taels isn¡¯t even close to enough for this Giant Green Carp!¡± A fisherman with a long face could not stand the injustice and spoke out for Uncle Mu. With that one starting complaint, hundreds more joined in. All of them were in the same trade. All of them knew how tough it was. Seeing Uncle Mu¡¯s hard earned Giant Green Carp being taken like that, his fellow fishermen could sympathise with his plight, and all joined in to speak up for him. ¡°Oho, if any of you dares to say another bloody word, I won¡¯t be taking any of your fish today!¡± Seeing the black robed teen¡¯s expression turn sour, Head Zhou became afraid and immediately shouted at the crowd. He had been in charge of the fisheries for many years, and was experienced in keeping the fishermen in line. As soon as those words were spoken, the fishermen went silent. But the moment Head Zhou managed to control the fishermen, a loud bang was heard. The long faced man who had first spoken up for Uncle Mu was struck by the black robed teen and sent flying. With a crash, he landed on the cobblestone and was lying in a pool of his own blood. The image was terrifying. ¡°Let me ask one more time. Two silver taels for this Giant Green Carp, is that enough?¡± There was a faint smile on the black robed teen¡¯s face, and he gave off an intimidating aura. The crowd were under pressure, as though they were being crushed under a mountain, and none of them dared look him in the eye. But a cold stare stood out like a lone tree standing tall while all the others were blown down by a harsh wind. Uncle Mu¡¯s head of white was still held high as he stared coldly at the black robed teen. ¡°If you want the Giant Green Carp, you don¡¯t even have to bother about the two silvers. You can just take it and have it for free. What gives you the right to hit people!¡± he retorted in a hoarse voice. ¡°What gives me the right? You old coot, you must be insane to dare speak to the Young Master that way. Who cares about rights? You¡¯re next!¡± With that, the sound of a slap rang in the air as Head Zhou struck Uncle Mu across the face with a vicious slap. Uncle Mu¡¯s hardened expression remained as cold as a rock; he took the slap without even flinching. Then, with a swift motion, he plucked out the short fish spear from his waist, and threw it from under Head Zhou¡¯s armpit. Head Zhou was standing right in front of Uncle Mu, and the sleeves of his robes were large and wide. Uncle Mu¡¯s spear was thrown extremely suddenly, and with a flash of black, the iron spear flew across the sky, accurately piercing through the head of the Giant Green Carp, pinning it to the cobblestone. Everyone was stunned by the sudden change in the situation. Giant Green Carp was delicious and pricey, but the preparation for cooking it also required it to be killed and cooked fresh. But right now, with the fish¡¯s head pierced right through, the Giant Green Carp could not be any more dead. How could it still be used to serve the black robed teen¡¯s guests? ¡°Old Man Mu, you¡¯re asking for it!¡± Head Zhou screamed in anger, the hairs on his head almost standing on end. ¡°That fish was caught by me. I¡¯m not happy, so I¡¯m killing it and eating it on my own. Is that a problem?¡± Uncle Mu spoke, sternly standing his ground. Clap! Clap! Clap! The black robed teen clapped slowly, maintain his faint smile. ¡°A hero of the fisheries indeed! But we still don¡¯t know how capable of a hero you are. Old Xiong, get a few of our brothers and test him out.¡± Immediately, eight green robed men got into a formation, surrounding Uncle Mu. They were this cautious because Uncle Mu¡¯s flying spear which had landed on its target so cleanly. The group of fighters were wary of being on the receiving end of that spear. But in fact, their caution was unnecessary. The flying spear was simply a product of Uncle Mu¡¯s long years of practice as a fisherman. If evaluated as a martial arts practitioner, Uncle Mu was clearly someone who had not even entered the Body Forging stage, and was merely a relatively fit but impoverished old fisherman. Facing a whole group of fighters all at once, Uncle Mu was powerless to retaliate and was easily beaten down to the ground. With that, a vicious beating began. ¡°Enough, don¡¯t beat him to death yet. I still have not heard an apology.¡± The black robed teen raised his hand and commanded them to stop. At that point, Uncle Mu was lying on the ground, covered in blood, his chest rising and falling slightly. However, his white head, which was now drenched in blood, was still held high and did not cower. Seeing the defiance in Uncle Mu, the black robed teen¡¯s smile grew wider. He spoke gently to Uncle Mu. ¡°Old man, give me three loud kowtows and I¡¯ll let you off. Or else, be prepared to see yourself at the bottom of Dragon¡¯s Beard Creek!¡± Uncle Mu did not answer. Though curled up on the ground, his neck remained straight and his head did not cower. Like a decrepit dried branch, broken but still tough. ¡°A hard old man indeed! Men, tie this old man to a rock and send him to the bottom of the river!¡± The black robed teen was annoyed, and he was tired of wasting time on this broken old man in front of him. ¡°Young Master, we¡¯re in public, this might not be the best!¡± Head Zhou quietly tried to convince him otherwise. Furong Town might be small, but it was still within the territories of the Dayue Imperial Court. The laws of the Imperial Court would not turn a blind eye to harming a person¡¯s life in broad daylight. When the rich and powerful bullied the common folk, even they would resort to scheming and underhanded means without acting this openly. The black robed teen laughed out loud. ¡°In public? So what if it¡¯s in public? It¡¯s not just this tiny little Furong Town. Even in Guang¡¯an City, I can wipe out anyone who I don¡¯t like. Who¡¯s to stop me?¡± With that, his glare turned to the group of men in green. He coldly ordered, ¡°What are you bloody waiting for, sink him in the river!¡± The moment those words left his mouth, the expressions on the faces of the fishermen changed. Viciousness and rage covered their faces. ¡°What the BLOODY HELL are you all doing? Trying to rebel? Do you know who this Young Master is? You should have heard of the Black Dragon Hall right? This Young Master is the Young Hall Master of the White Horse Branch Hall. Before you pick a fight, bloody look at yourself and see if you¡¯re even in the same league.¡± Head Zhou did not really care if this bunch of fishermen lived or died. However, if they really kicked up a fuss and were all beaten up by the black robed teen, they would be unable to work. Without manpower in the port, it would affect his business. The moment the three words Black Dragon Hall were uttered, it felt as though a bone chilling wind had swept across the crowd. All the anger and resentment was swept away by this evil wind just like that. ¡°Why bother with these peasants? Is the name of Black Dragon Hall even fit for their ears?¡± The black robed teen gave Head Zhou a reserved glare. Within his eyes was a look of pride. At that moment, a young girl in white rushed through the crowd. Her small frame only as tall as a grown man¡¯s legs. Wearing a plump little face and a small schoolbag on her back, she ran towards Uncle Mu with tears streaming from her face. ¡°Grandpa, grandpa, what happened? What happened to you, waaah¡­¡± The little girl threw herself by Uncle Mu¡¯s side, shaking him and crying with all her might. Chapter 23 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The little girl was, of course, Little Qiu. Every time Uncle Mu went out to fish, Little Qiu would head over to the pier to wait for Uncle Mu after she getting out of school in the evening. Uncle Mu would always grandly fish out some copper coins to give to the gluttonous Little Qiu. Each time, the wind would carry the merry sound of the jingling of coins to their ears. This was probably the happiest time of the day for the grandfather and granddaughter. But this time, the purest happiness was turned into a tragic scene due to cruelty and violence. ¡°Oho, here comes a little brat. Excellent timing!¡± The black robed teen grabbed Little Qiu by the scruff of her neck, easily picking her up into the air. With an evil smile, he looked towards Uncle Mu. ¡°You damned old man, let¡¯s see how stubborn you can be.¡± With those words spoken, he tossed Little Qiu up into the air with a wave of his arm. ¡°Little Qiu, don¡¯t move, Grandpa is fine! Grandpa still has you!¡± Uncle Mu shouted. Little Qiu nodded vigorously and pursed her lips. The wind blew her short hair all over the place. As she was about to fall to the ground, the black robed teen reached out with his hand and easily grabbed on to Little Qiu once again. ¡°Old man, if you still don¡¯t kowtow, I won¡¯t be sure that I can catch her the next time.¡± Uncle Mu¡¯s straight neck finally bent as he clawed his way back to his feet. Little Qiu wailed, ¡°Grandpa, no! No, Grandpa! I hate them! I, I will¡­¡± ¡°Little Qiu be quiet, Grandpa is alright!¡± Uncle Mu glared angrily at Little Qiu. ¡°What are you bloody waiting for!¡± The black robed teen roared furiously, raising his hand and tossing Little Qiu up into the air again. With a thud, Uncle Mu¡¯s shaky knees finally fell heavily down to the stone ground. The black robed teen threw his head back and laughed. But before he finished laughing, something flash above his head. Before Little Qiu could finish ascending into the air, she was snatched out of the air by a black figure. When the dark blur finally came to a stop, the black robed teen finally saw that it was a skinny young man with a scraggly beard. The young man landed right next to Uncle Mu. With one hand holding on to the red faced little girl, he helped the old man to his feet with his other hand. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped the blood from the old man¡¯s face, before finally saying, ¡°Uncle Mu, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late!¡± Uncle Mu opened his mouth, but was overcome by a violent coughing fit. The young man helped him over to take a seat, patting the old man on his back to ease his coughing. The little girl in his arms wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and said with her tiny mouth, ¡°Uncle Beardo, hurry and take Grandpa away from here!¡± Without question, the young man was Xu Yi. With his keen senses, he saw the crowd as he was walking to the pier. After a few more steps the cries of Little Qiu reached his ears. Looking closely, he then saw Little Qiu being tossed high into the air. The shock nearly caused his soul to leave his body. Kicking off the ground hard and shattering the cobblestone beneath his feet, his body moved like a blur, crossing dozens of meters in the blink of an eye. He managed to catch Little Qiu just in the nick of time. The moment he landed, he saw Uncle Mu¡¯s state, and the image was like a knife to his heart. To him, Uncle Mu was his saviour. Xu Yi had never said his thanks because he knew that this debt was not something that could be repaid by mere words. In these few days, although he was a guest to the Mu family, the sense of closeness that they had between them gave him the feeling of home. Uncle Mu and Little Qiu were naturally his family now. Seeing Uncle Mu and Little Qiu being tormented this way, Xu Yi¡¯s face might have looked expressionless, but hatred was boiling in his heart. As Little Qiu finished her plea, two people replied at the same time. ¡°Silly girl, Uncle Beardo is here, don¡¯t be afraid!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rush, little girl? I¡¯m not done playing yet!¡± Xu Yi finally turned his head, glaring coldly at the black robed teen who still bore a smirk on his face. He flashed a black metal badge, which was the constable¡¯s waist badge that he had just collected, and spoke sternly. ¡°I am a newly appointed constable of this town. The lot of you gathering here, what is your business?¡± ¡°Constable? It¡¯s none of your business here, get lost! You¡¯re out of your place acting like a big shot here!¡± Head Zhou jumped in before the black robed teen could respond. Initially, he had thought that Xu Yi was some big shot. But after hearing that he was a constable of the town, Head Zhou¡¯s aggression was ignited. Furong Town indeed had a police station, but it was filled with useless nobodies who sat around and did nothing. As the head of the fisheries, he was a man of standing in Furong Town. What was a mere constable to him! Xu Yi did not even bother looking at Head Zhou. He continued to stare straight at the black robed teen, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll let you tell me the story of what happened just now. I believe you will own up to your actions!¡± The black robed teen threw his head back and laughed out loud. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen such an interesting person as you in a long time. Fine, let me tell you what happened here just now¡­¡± The black robed teen was all out to make a joke out of Xu Yi. Gloatingly, he provided a simple description of what happened before, then added, ¡°You know all you need to know now. I¡¯ve committed lots of evil. I¡¯m guilty. You¡¯re a constable, aren¡¯t you? Arrest me!¡± With that, he held out both his hands together in front of Xu Yi. ¡°Ahahahaha¡­¡± The group of green robed men joined in the laughter. Head Zhou was laughing along too. He reached out his hand to pat Xu Yi on the shoulder. ¡°Brat, go crawl away to someplace else. Don¡¯t come bother¡­¡± The moment the word bother had left his mouth, Head Zhou suddenly realized that he could no longer say another word. His neck was being held by Xu Yi¡¯s right hand in a vice-like grip. His whole body was lifted up into the air, and within moments, the whites of his eyes were showing. An incredible turn of events shocked everyone at the scene. No one had imagined that a mere constable would dare lay hands on one of the most influential figures in the town. With a loud roar that shook the sky, eight large, shirtless men charged towards Xu Yi. These were the fighters that Head Zhou had raised for a long time. They were mainly drifters who had entered the Body Forging stage. Amongst them, the one with the highest level of cultivation charged right in front. He was a bald man wielding a pair of frighteningly large copper hammers, and he was a strong fighter in the mid-levels of the Body Forging stage. The authority that Head Zhou commanded across Furong Town was upheld mainly by him. At that moment a little constable had dared to lay hand on his master right in front of his eyes, clearly choosing to overlook his presence. The bald man¡¯s face was contorted with anger. His pair of hammers whistled through the air, creating a violet wind. No one within three meters of him managed to stay on their feet. With a leap, he broke the stone tile below his feet and went high up into the air. The pair of copper hammers swept down like a raging storm. Xu Yi gently sidestepped, shielding Little Qiu with his body. With his other hand, he suddenly raised Head Zhou up high as easily as wielding a willow branch, placing him in the path of the hammers. The bald man was in shock, but it was too late for him to redirect his attack. He forcefully pulled back, causing his body to plummet from mid-air. The heavy hammers crashed onto the ground sending debris up into the air. At that moment, Xu Yi made his move. With a large wave of his arm, Head Zhou was thrown towards the charging troupe of men like a rag doll. He kicked the handle of one of the copper hammers, causing it to leap up into his arm like a bolt of lightning. He then sent it crashing towards the bald man who was just trying to jump back up to his feet. A heavy giant hammer in Xu Yi¡¯s hands was like lifting a blade of grass. Swinging it with the suddenness of thunder, the copper hammer landed square on the chest of the bald man the moment he got to his feet. With a sickening crack, he was sent flying. Blood rained down as his body flew through the sky. Chapter 24 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio As the crowd gasped at the amount of blood coming from the bald man¡¯s body, the most extraordinary thing happened. His large frame continued to fly through the air for over a dozen meters, until finally falling off the pier and into the running waters of Dragon¡¯s Beard Creek. As the crowd was still standing there in shock, Xu Yi had already rushed into the fray with Little Qiu in his arms. The giant hammer in the hands of the bald man probably served more purpose as a tool for intimidation than a weapon for war. But in Xu Yi¡¯s hands, it became a killing weapon. With his extraordinary strength, he was best suited for wielding such a heavy weapon. Weighing over a hundred pounds and being swung with his great strength, it was an awe-inspiring sight. Every swing landed on its target, and was accompanied by the sound of breaking bones. Following that, blood would splatter like rain, and another figure would be seen flying into the river. In just a few short breaths, the explosive battle was over. Xu Yi did not care at all if the onlooking crowd was watching with excitement or fear and unease. Without a care, he took large strides towards Head Zhou who had collapsed on the ground, and he coldly said, ¡°You are the one in charge of collecting the fishermen¡¯s catches. My Uncle Mu did not ask for a high price and was willing to leave the Giant Green Carp to you. You should have acted fairly instead of abusing your authority and bullying the old and weak. The market price of a Giant Green Carp is over a hundred taels of silver. According to The Laws and Regulations of the Dayue Imperial Court, seizing the riches of others is punishable by three hundred strokes of the paddle and banishment to the border.¡± ¡°Stop trying to scare me. Why don¡¯t you go find out where I¡¯m from first? The governor of White Horse County is my brother-in-law. Bloody hell, how dare you use the bullshit Dayue laws to threaten me. You¡¯re too na?ve!¡± Initially, with Xu Yi¡¯s astonishing skills that took out all of his fighters whom he had taken so long to find, Head Zhou was scared out of his wits. He was afraid that Xu Yi would continue on his rampage and end his life as well. But now that he heard Xu Yi talk about the law, he suddenly remembered his own status and found the fight in him again. Xu Yi, however, ignored him, and turned to Little Qiu who was still in his arms. ¡°Little Qiu, go take a nap. When you wake up, you¡¯ll be home, and Uncle Beardo will make sure to buy some good food for you tonight.¡± With those words, Xu Yi was about to squeeze the back of Little Qiu¡¯s neck when he heard her say, ¡°Uncle Beardo, I want to see you beat up the bad guys; I¡¯m not scared!¡± This little girl was frighteningly intelligent. ¡°Alright, then watch how Uncle Beardo beats up the bad guys!¡± With that, Xu Yi turned his attention back to Head Zhou. He coldly stated, ¡°I was thinking that I would have to waste more words to talk about your crime of resisting the law, but I guess there is no need. Hehe, ¡®bullshit Dayue laws¡¯? Well said indeed. How dare you disregard the laws set by the Dayue Imperial Court. Your crimes are truly deserving of your death!¡± Whoosh! The copper hammer was swung so hard through the air that a shockwave was created. After a deafening crash, dust and debris filled the air as the ground seemed to almost shatter from the force of the hammer. As the dust settled, the crowd focused their attention, but Head Zhou was nowhere to be seen. All that was left pit that was a foot deep, and a messy lump of blood and flesh. Head Zhou, who had tyrannized Furong Town for so many years, was crushed to death by a hammer just like that. An unbelievably gruesome death. It was a great visual and mental shock, causing the crowd to doubt their own eyes. Xu Yi, however, was calm, as though what he had crushed was merely an ant. Dragging his hammer, he made his way to the black robed teen, stopping firmly just a few meters in front of him. Under the golden glow of the setting sun, Xu Yi¡¯s thin but tough frame looked like a celestial who had come down from the heavens. ¡°Who would have thought that a lowly constable of this small town would actually have reached the later stages of the Body Forging stage. That¡¯s more than enough for your Green Shirt constable at the White Horse County office. It¡¯s too belittling to keep you here in the small Furong Town. So what do you think? If you¡¯re willing, I can open the path for you.¡± The black robed teen spoke calmly, as though he had not seen what that had just occurred. ¡°The ones who raised their hand at my Uncle Mu were the green dogs behind you, am I right!?¡± Having lived two lives in two worlds, Xu Yi could definitely identify the intentions for a truce within the words of the black robed teen. For Xu Yi, what he valued most was the bonds that he forged. What the black robed teen took to be simply making fun of commoners was in fact something that enraged Xu Yi greatly. Even if god had come, he would not let the matter be. ¡°Constable, know how to appreciate my goodwill. Let me first remind you, anyone who offends my Black Dragon Hall never comes to a good end. Indeed, this matter was caused by me. You killed Zhou, and that is already a blow to me. With that, we should be equal now. You are still young, constable. Perhaps you have not made it far in the martial world yet. You need to know that in the martial world, another friend means another path you can take!¡± The black robed teen¡¯s expression remained cool, but his blood was boiling behind his face. If not for the fact that he was not sure that he could take down Xu Yi, he would have let loose long ago. ¡°To hell with you!¡± Xu Yi¡¯s voice was as cold as ice. He pointed his large hammer towards the green robed men and said, ¡°The lot of you ganged up on an old man, resulting in serious injury. According to the Dayue Imperial laws, that is punishable by a hundred strokes of the paddle each. I shall execute the law in place of the Imperial Court. Without a paddle here, I shall use this hammer instead. Because a hammer is much heavier, one strike shall replace a hundred strokes. In other words, the lot of you only have to receive one blow from my hammer.¡± As those words were said, sneering could be heard from the crowd. Anyone with a brain could understand what that laughter meant. How heavy a blow from Xu Yi¡¯s hammer was was evident from the bald man¡¯s body who had flown out of sight, and Head Zhou who did not even have a body left. Although Xu Yi had said ¡®one blow,¡¯ what he actually meant was that he would be taking their lives. The onlooking crowd was already tired of the black robed teen and his group of green robed fighters abusing their might here in Furong Town. Now that a member of Furong Town¡¯s police force could give them peace of mind, they were extremely grateful. There was also a hint of pride within their hearts. The shame of the green robed men turned into rage, but they still did not dare make a move. They looked at each other, waiting for one another to make a move. Finally, the black robed teen lost his temper. ¡°F*** you all! What are you bloody waiting for? Black Dragon Hall does not have members who are easily scared to death. Attack! Chop him to pieces!¡± The moment he said those words, he grabbed a green shortsword with his left hand and a white metal ball the size of a duck¡¯s egg with his right, and charged towards Xu Yi with a ferocious look on his face. In actual fact, he was already fuming at Xu Yi. Previously, he had shown some face to Xu Yi because he valued his life and was not willing to face Xu Yi head on. From observing how Xu Yi had easily taken care of the bald man and the others, he deduced that Xu Yi was the same as him, at the later stages of Body Forging. And from the way Xu Yi moved, he feared that Xu Yi had been at that stage for quite a while, unlike himself who had just reached the later stages. As for whether or not Xu Yi was at the peak of Body Forging, the idea did not even cross his mind. Within the entire Guang¡¯an City, the number of people who can reach the peak of Body Forging before the age of thirty could be counted with one hand. This person in front of him might have a scraggly beard which made him look old, but the brightness in his eyes and the cold hard lines of his facial features betrayed his youth. Furthermore, if he were really at the peak of Body Forging, not only in Furong Town, but even in White Horse County, there would be no one that could stop him. After determining Xu Yi¡¯s level of cultivation, he had thought that Xu Yi would be willing to say a few courteous words in return. The black robed teen would not mind making a new friend. But little did he expect that Xu Yi would reply with such scathing words, leaving him with no face at all. If he were to back off like this, no good would come to him when he returned to the Black Dragon Hall. Furthermore, he had a secret weapon with him. Even if Xu Yi¡¯s cultivation was a little higher, if he gave it his all, his chances of winning were still very high. With these thoughts in his mind, the black robed teen then made his move. Chapter 25 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio The black robed teen jumping into action was the best command that he could give. Immediately, the group of green robed men lost all their fear as they drew their weapons and charged towards Xu Yi. With the master in front and his servants behind, they began a two-pronged pincer attack. Xu Yi made his move. Ignoring the black robed teen behind him, he took a large stride forward, clearing a few meters in one go. Then, with a shift in his body and a swing of his hammer, he forced his way into the group of green robed men. Incoming sabre, hammer smash! Incoming spear, hammer smash! Incoming arrow, another hammer smash! There were no special moves, just the simple swing of a hammer! The copper hammer flew through the air like a spectre, no one was able to stop it, and no one was able to avoid it. Once again, blood rained down from above as human figures were sent flying into the air. Before the black robed teen could even lay a finger on Xu Yi, the scene was already clear of any trace of the green robed men. By the time Xu Yi had decimated all the green robed men, the black robed teen had already jumped through the air and reached attacking distance from Xu Yi¡¯s backside. In his left hand, the three foot long green blade was already going for the back of Xu Yi¡¯s head. Xu Yi maintained his position. The copper hammer that had just sent the last green robed man flying suddenly changed direction, managing to reach first even though the attack from the blade came earlier. The copper hammer blocked the path of the green blade. A crisp clang sound came out as the hammer and the blade connected. Then, the most extraordinary thing happened. The thicker and tougher looking copper hammer was actually sliced into two by the green blade, as though it were simply a slab of tofu. After cutting through the hammer, the speed of the blade did not slow down in the least. Seeing that it was about to reach Xu Yi¡¯s head, the black robed teen was elated. But at that very moment, Xu Yi¡¯s head managed to back off by three inches, avoiding the fatal blow. Missing the attack, the black robed teen panicked, and quickly changed his move. Though he moved quickly, in Xu Yi¡¯s eyes, he was as slow as a snail. With the difference of only a minor stage in between them, it was as though there was a huge chasm standing in the way of the two. The black robed teen could rely on the might of his weapon to catch Xu Yi off guard, but the moment Xu Yi¡¯s guard was up, his final advantage was gone as well. His stab was changed into a slash, but before the blade could make it half an inch, Xu Yi¡¯s body, which was as light as smoke, had already vanished and reappeared behind him. Reaching out and grabbing with his large hands, Xu Yi grabbed the black robed teen tightly at the back of his neck before he could even realize it, and lifted him into the air. With the black robed teen captured, Xu Yi still did not show any emotion. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to count your sins,¡± he coldly stated. Before he could finish his sentence, a shocking thing happened. The white metal ball in the black robed teen¡¯s right palm suddenly changed shape. A long thin and sharp point emerged from it at lightning speed and was thrust towards Xu Yi¡¯s chest with no warning at all. Having captured the black robed teen captured by the base of his neck at the Dazhui acupoint, Xu Yi was already confident of his victory. Because he was well aware that as he was captured and pressure was exerted on the Dazhui acupoint, anyone in such a position would lose the ability to retaliate, hence his guard was completely down. He had never imagined that the black robed teen had such a mysterious treasure in his hands. The metal ball transformed and was thrust toward him without warning, and the white sword that appeared out of nowhere had already pierced through his shirt. If anyone else were in his position, even an expert at the Qi Ocean stage, it would be impossible to avoid. However, Xu Yi had an amazing sense of perception. As the white sword pierced through his shirt, even before his brain could send an order, his nervous system had automatically kicked in and moved his body. Using all his might, his shoulder shifted just slightly to the left. In that flash of a moment, he only managed to shift half an inch. And it was this little movement no more than half an inch of a difference that saved Xu Yi¡¯s life. With a stabbing sound, the white sword pierced through Xu Yi¡¯s tough as hide skin, narrowly brushed past his heart, and easily burst right through his body. Little did the black robed teen expect that even with such a silent and unnoticeable attack, Xu Yi would still be able to dodge it. In his fear, he channelled his strength into his palms and was just about to twist the white sword that had pierced Xu Yi¡¯s body. But suddenly, a wave of pain that almost made him unconscious swept over him, overcoming everything. The moment Xu Yi was stabbed by the white sword, an extreme sense of danger swept through him. Without thinking of any consequences, he took action. With his large palm, he grabbed onto the black robed teen¡¯s right wrist that was holding the steel ball, and with his great strength, crushed that hand into pieces. Xu Yi had a simpler way of dealing with the problem, which was to exert strength and squeeze the hand that was around the black robed teen¡¯s Dazhui acupoint, which would cause him to faint immediately. But the white ball that was capable of shapeshifting was too mysterious. He feared that even if he knocked out the black robed teen, the white ball could still use the force from his palm, hence he decided to nip the problem in the bud. Indeed, with the black robed teen¡¯s right wrist broken to pieces, the white sword suddenly shrank back, retreating from Xu Yi¡¯s body and becoming an ordinary metal ball in the black robed teen¡¯s hand. A narrow sword-wound remained in both in the front and back of Xu Yi¡¯s torso. Although the wound was deep, Xu Yi controlled his muscles, clenching around the wound to prevent the blood from flowing out. Xu Yi reached out and snatched the metal ball over, then placed it in the tiger skin waist pouch that he had gotten from Elder Feng. Then, he took hold of the green blade, before forcefully throwing the black robed teen onto the ground. Before he could flip himself around, Xu Yi stepped onto his back, and once again began to recite the laws of the Dayue Imperial Court. ¡°Surrounding and attacking an officer, an offence punishable by decapitation. What else do you have to say for yourself!?¡± While trying to resist the overwhelming pain, the black robed teen shouted back, ¡°You bastard! Do you know what kind of trouble you are in? Hurry return the metal ball to me, or else you¡¯ll die a dog¡¯s death!¡± The metal ball was mysterious, and Xu Yi had never heard of anything like it. He had suspected that there was more to it than meets the eye. But at this moment, even with his life at stake, the black robed teen was still only thinking about that metal ball. This was enough to show that the metal ball must be some treasure. Since it was a treasure, with Xu Yi¡¯s personality, how could he possibly return it? Xu Yi even dared to steal Zhou Daogan¡¯s possessions; what else would he not dare to take? The black robed teen had only just finished shouting, and in a flash of green, his left thumb was sliced off by Xu Yi. ¡°Just now, you told my Uncle Mu to give you three loud kowtows. Now I want you to give Uncle Mu thirty loud kowtows. I¡¯ll start counting, by the count of three, if you haven¡¯t started, I¡¯ll chop off a finger for every count. If I count your toes, that¡¯s fourteen more to go. After that will be your nose, and then your ears. I do hope you¡¯re stubborn enough to withstand a few more counts, so that I can turn you into a human nugget!¡± Against people like the black robed teen, Xu Yi¡¯s heart was as cold as steel. He released his foot, and began to count. The black robed teen got up to his feet, struggling not to tremble. He began to shout, ¡°Do you know who I am?! The three thousand brothers of Black Dragon Hall will definitely¡­¡± Before he could say the word definitely, Xu Yi had already counted to four. In another flash of green, his ring finger flew off. ¡°AH!¡± The black robed teen screamed in pain. He then pointed at Xu Yi and continued to bark, ¡°My father will definitely have you chopped into a thousand pieces!¡± ¡°Five, six, seven!¡± In another few more flashes of green, the black robed teen¡¯s left palm was fingerless. The black robed teen collapsed to the ground in pain, but Xu Yi ignored him. Flashes of green again, and the black robed teen¡¯s shoes and socks were cut up. ¡°Wait!¡± As Xu Yi was about to say eight, the black robed teen finally gave in and shouted at him to stop. Having lived a sheltered life, although he had cultivated in the Martial Way, he had never been trained to have a strong will. With his fingers sliced off by Xu Yi one by one, the pain and terror crushed the last shreds of his pride into pieces. With a thud, the precious young hall master finally knelt down in front of Uncle Mu. Thud, thud, thud¡­ Like pattering raindrops in a storm, his forehead frantically banged onto the stone ground. Who knew if it was because he feared that Xu Yi would complain that his kowtows were too light, or if it was because he was venting the unimaginable rage and shame in his heart. Chapter 26 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio After thirty kowtows, the black robed teen got to his feet. He stared straight at Xu Yi, and coldly said, ¡°I¡¯ve kowtowed all that you wanted. You¡¯ve killed all that should be killed, and you should have vented all that you need to. I can leave now, right?¡± With no choice, the black robed teen had to lower his head. However, the flames of rage in his heart had burnt into an inferno. He had made up his mind. The moment he returned to White Horse County, he would immediately gather his men and horses, then return to crush this rascal¡¯s bones into dust. No, before tormenting him to death, he must first let him witness how he would play with the old man and little girl. Xu Yi coldly laughed, then retorted, ¡°Leave? Where to? Do you think I¡¯m simply venting? What a joke! I work for the officials, whatever I say or do is according to the laws of the Dayue Imperial Court. You injured others and then tried to murder a constable. The kowtows just now were just to compensate Uncle Mu. That sentence has passed, but you still cannot avoid your death sentence. It seems that you really are oblivious to the law. Either that, or you simply have no regard at all for our Dayue Imperial Laws.¡± ¡°I *%$$¡­¡± The black robed teen was at the limits of his anger, almost fainting from rage. After toying with him for so long, that bastard never actually had any intention of letting him off! All those kowtows were for nothing! And those were his last living thoughts. In another flash of green, his precious head flew up into the air. For the first time in his life, the black robed teen managed to see his own back with his own two eyes. As the head fell to the ground, his rage-filled eyes remained open. He had never expected that coming to this little town of Furong to flaunt his authority would actually cost him his most precious life. After slaughtering the black robed teen, Xu Yi helped Uncle Mu to his feet, then walked away with large strides. Wherever they passed, the sea of onlookers parted, making way for them to leave. At this moment, the constables of Furong Town and the Laws of the Dayue Imperial Court had a heavier impression in the hearts and minds of Furong Town¡¯s people than ever before. ¡­ Gu Jianming found Xu Yi at a doctor¡¯s. It had only been barely an hour since Xu Yi had slaughtered the black robed teen. Uncle Mu¡¯s injuries had already been taken care of. After drinking some tonic medicine, the effects were staggering. The horrifying wounds all over his body were already beginning to scab. On the other hand, Little Qiu had begun to complain about being tired after only a short while staying at Uncle Mu¡¯s room. Without even eating her dinner, she had returned to the room and fallen into a deep sleep. Gu Jianming pulled Xu Yi to the backyard and with a downcast look on his face, he said, ¡°Brother, you really got me good hiding your skills, and you really got me into deep trouble. I had only just gotten home and taken a nap, and now you¡¯ve gotten into such a situation. What do you expect me to do¡­¡± Gu Jianming¡¯s face was flushed and his tone was urgent. Evidently, what Xu Yi had done today upset him greatly. Xu Yi replied, ¡°Captain Gu, why worry? When bad people bully the weak, as constables, we should naturally protect their safety. I have acted in accordance to the laws of the Dayue Imperial Court at each step of the way. What wrong have I committed?¡± Gu Jianming was shocked. Before he came, he had already found out everything he could about the tragedy at the pier. The words that Xu Yi spoke, he was well aware of as well. Initially, he had not understood why. Xu Yi could simply kill whoever he wanted, what reason was there to bring out the Laws and Regulations of the Dayue Imperial Court? In Furong Town these laws and regulations were used to deal with the peasants. Since when were they used to control the rich and powerful? At this moment, hearing Xu Yi say it again, he suddenly understood what Xu Yi was up to. Today, in front of thousands, Xu Yi¡¯s act of using the Dayue Imperial Laws to kill an evildoer would surely spread like wildfire across Guang¡¯an. Under such a situation, if anyone intended to make a move on Xu Yi, that would be akin to giving the Dayue Imperial Court a slap in the face. Although the authority of the Dayue Imperial Court diminished greatly when it came down to areas under local governments, such a large case that involved the pride of the Imperial Court would surely be watched closely. Evidently, this move of Xu Yi¡¯s was to ensure that the Dayue Imperial Court would be forced to have his back. ¡°You devious rascal!¡± Gu Jianming stomped his foot and said, ¡°But don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re not alone now. Even if they dare not make a move against you, what about the old one and the young one? Are you able to watch over them twenty-four seven?¡± Xu Yi was first shocked, then when he collected his senses, he smiled. ¡°Captain Gu, since you have thought of this, you must have an idea. I hope that you will enlighten me!¡± ¡°You! You¡¯re a sly one indeed!¡± Gu Jianming laughed out loud, but even after he laughed, he did not continue speaking. The current Xu Yi was not just Xu Yi, but one who has lived in two worlds. His understanding of people and human nature was nothing less than extraordinary. He smiled and said, ¡°Brother Gu, you and I really hit it off. It is through Brother Gu¡¯s care that I was able to become a civil servant. This debt I shall always remember. If you have any request, please do not hold back.¡± Gu Jianming clapped his hands. ¡°Alright, Brother Yi is forthright indeed. If I beat around the bush anymore, I would be too petty. It¡¯s like this: with Brother Yi¡¯s talent, you would certainly rise in the ranks really quickly. The shallow waters of Furong Town¡¯s police force is too meagre for a dragon such as yourself. I have no other request other than that you do not forget the Furong Town guards after you become successful. To be more specific, I would like a promise from you, Brother, that no matter where you progress to in the future, I would like to have you become Furong Town guards¡¯ lifetime representative. Don¡¯t worry, this lifetime representative won¡¯t require much of your time and energy, and it is not a way of tying you down. I just wish to borrow Brother Yi¡¯s golden name and share your good reputation!¡± Xu Yi replied, ¡°How is that difficult? With Brother Gu having such high hopes for me, I could not ask for more.¡± ¡°Ha ha, that¡¯s great, that¡¯s great!¡± Gu Jianming could not stop laughing. Just from hearing about the story, he could already deduce that Xu Yi was most likely at the peak of Body Forging. Being able to reach the peak of Body Forging at such a young age, for him to enter the Qi Ocean stage was simply a matter of time. By then, Xu Yi will join the ranks of those on the murals of the Martial Lecture Hall. When word got out, he could not imagine the glory that the Furong Town Guard would get. Gu Jianming held back his excitement and began to explain to Xu Yi, ¡°The disaster of today is not totally unsolvable. Head sixty miles south and your disaster would be averted.¡± ¡°To Guang¡¯an City?¡± Exactly sixty miles south of Furong Town was Guang¡¯an City. Gu Jianming nodded and said, ¡°Guang¡¯an City is the core of Guang¡¯an Prefecture, with strict regulations within the city. Inside there, combat is forbidden, especially when it comes to practitioners attacking regular civilians. The laws and regulations of the Dayue Imperial Court are reflected most clearly within the city. As long as you manage to enter Guang¡¯an City, even with the Black Dragon Hall¡¯s power and influence, they would definitely not dare to harm the two of them. However, it may be a lot more troublesome for you.¡± ¡°How is that so?¡± Hearing that Uncle Mu and Little Qiu could have their safety assured, Xu Yi heaved a sigh of relief. As for other kinds of troubles, he really did not fear them at all. Gu Jianming continued, ¡°Although fighting is prohibited in Guang¡¯an City, there are too many practitioners there. No matter how powerful the Dayue Imperial Court is, they still would not be able to prohibit any sort of conflict should it arise. Instead of just prohibiting everything, the Guang¡¯an government has demarcated a special area for parties to resolve their conflicts. One party simply has to fork out a fee, and the Guang¡¯an government would enforce a mandatory duel. If the other party refuses to take part, he would be forcefully expelled from the city. ¡°Today, a deep feud has started between you and Black Dragon Hall. Even after you enter Guang¡¯an City, the other party would be sure to look for you. You must be extra careful. However, you do not need to worry too much, Brother. I have already made arrangements. When you head off to Guang¡¯an City, you can use the authority of the Furong Town public office. We do have an office for Furong Town in Guang¡¯an City, and the original manager, Old Qin, has been transferred away by me. When you enter Guang¡¯an City, you can head straight to the office and take over Old Qin¡¯s role. With your identity as an official, no matter how daring Black Dragon Hall can get, they would still tread carefully.¡± Chapter 27 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Xu Yi truly did not know what to say. Although Gu Jianming had a request for him in return for helping him, Gu Jianming had thought up an extremely thorough plan for him, and he could not help but feel touched. ¡°Brother Gu¡¯s kindness, I shall forever carve in my heart!¡± he said emotionally. ¡°Your words are too kind!¡± Gu Jianming held his fists in a salute and said, ¡°Take care when you head to Guang¡¯an City, Brother Yi. Go, let¡¯s not delay any longer. I have already called for a carriage, it is parked in front of the gate. Be on your way now!¡± Xu Yi nodded. He turned and walked out the door. In just a few minutes, in the darkness of the night, two horses were pulling a carriage that was lined with thick covers. Like a swift wind, they sprinted towards the direction of Guang¡¯an City! ¡­ Night time, in the meeting hall of the Black Dragon Hall¡¯s White Horse Branch Hall. Two rows of dozens of oil lamps lined the sides of the hall, illuminating the giant carving of a dragon on the ceiling, creating a spooky atmosphere. In the middle stood a tiger shaped iron chair. On it, Jiang Shaochuan, the master of White Horse Branch Hall quietly sat, staring quietly at the door with eyes like a tiger¡¯s. Ever since Hall Master Jiang had received the news that his only son Young Master Jiang was decapitated by a constable at the Furong Town pier, he seemed to have lost the ability to move. Thud thud thud¡­ Suddenly, rapid footsteps rang throughout the hall, sounding as though a metal file were rubbing against a sheet of copper. White Horse Branch Hall¡¯s private advisor entered in a hurry. Under the glow of the lamplight, the advisor looked as though he had just been fished out of a pot of boiling soup. He was drenched in sweat, and even his whisker-like moustache was not spared. Before he came close, the advisor began to shout with his hoarse voice, ¡°Hall Master, this is bad, this is bad, ah! Young Master, Young Master, he¡­¡± ¡°I know, my son is dead!¡± Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s voice sounded as though it had gone through a gutter. It was cold and reeked of decay. ¡°Hall Master, the metal spirit was taken by Young Master. The metal spirit has been stolen!¡± the advisor continued in his hoarse voice. ¡°What! Say that again!¡± Jiang Shaochuan was like a giant praying mantis. The moment he heard the news, he sprung from his seat, leaping right in front of the advisor and squeezing him at the neck. ¡°I, cough cough, I¡¯ll say, cough cough¡­¡± But with his throat squeezed so tight, how could he continue to speak? Jiang Shaochuan loosened his grip, and the advisor repeated his words. Boom! Jiang Shaochuan moved as though he¡¯d been jolted by electricity. Like a spectre, he swept into the hidden chamber, and a moment later, he came sweeping out again. With a kick, he toppled the burner in the room. Then, he grabbed his polearm and began a mad flurry, thundering throughout the place like a storm. In mere moments, the grand meeting hall of the White Horse Branch Hall looked like a dump. Finally, Jiang Shaochuan put down his weapon. With a vicious look on his face, he mumbled, ¡°Bastard, bastard! He deserves to die, that bastard!¡± ¡°Hall Master, this is not the time to put the blame on anyone. We need to find a way to get the metal spirit back, then eliminate any possible traces. Or else, if the main hall finds out that we stole such a precious treasure for ourselves, the consequences would be unimaginable!¡± The advisor anxiously tried to persuade Jiang Shaochuan. Jiang Shaochuan felt a shudder throughout his body. Only then did he realize that the biggest danger has not yet been taken care of. This metal spirit was obtained a few months back when he led the White Horse Branch Hall to secretly raid the south-eastern merchant group. This merchant group was no ordinary merchant group. This group was given the heavy responsibility of sending an envoy to the imperial court, bearing a birthday gift from the Guang¡¯an government. Jiang Shaochuan had come to hear of the south-eastern merchant group¡¯s secret mission and had gathered his forces to lay an ambush at the Celestial Eagle Cliff. At the cost of many lives, he had managed to finally rob them of their treasures. The metal spirit was found in a treasure chest by a team led by the advisor. When he first saw it, Jiang Shaochuan was shocked to see such a divine treasure. According to the rules of Black Dragon Hall, any spoils gained by the branch halls must be submitted to the main hall and added to their inventory. Only then will the treasures be distributed accordingly. With the metal spirit being such an amazing treasure, they would surely never see it again once they submit it to the main hall. The advisor clearly saw what Jiang Shaochuan was thinking, and on his own accord, killed off the entire team that was involved in obtaining the metal spirit. With the advisor¡¯s actions, Jiang Shaochuan was thus half coerced and half convinced to take the metal spirit for himself. Although the metal spirit was clearly an impressive treasure, the method of obtaining it was not proper, and it was therefore not a treasure that could be openly used. Jiang Shaochuan kept it in his secret chamber, only daring to play around with it in the dead of the night. But little did he know, that Young Master Jiang had the gall to steal the metal spirit and take it outside. What was worse was that he had so irresponsibly died out there as well. At that moment, Jiang Shaochuan had no more room to grieve over the death of Young Master Jiang. Only fear filled his heart. If the news of the metal spirit spread, it would be almost impossible for him to escape what would come to him. The advisor knew what Jiang Shaochuan was thinking and said, ¡°Fret not, Hall Master, I have investigated clearly. Back then, at the pier, although there were many people, they were all commoners. I¡¯ve only heard people say that a white sword was used to hurt the constable, but no one had seen clearly that the white sword was derived from the metal spirit. Thankfully, the metal spirit is an unusual and unique treasure. Even if the constable managed to get his hands on it, he would not spread word of it. Hence, we temporarily do not have to worry about word of the metal spirit getting out. ¡°That constable is a new recruit of the Furong Town guards. I have just received news that he has rushed towards Guang¡¯an City. Clearly, he has planned to go there in case we make a move on the old man and the little girl. But it¡¯s all the better that he has gone to Guang¡¯an. We can use more straightforward means. By beating him to death in a duel, the matter would be resolved completely! Our utmost priority should be to send word to Guang¡¯an straight away and find out where he has gone to.¡± The moment the advisor finished speaking, the steely face of Jiang Shaochuan finally bore a smile. ¡°Utmost priority? Hehe, I thought the utmost priority was to keep this matter a secret. The fewer people that know about the metal spirit, the better. It¡¯s best that I am the only one who knows.¡± With that Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s hand shot out. With a cracking sound, the advisor found his eyes staring at his own back. With a swing of his arm, Jiang Shaochuan tossed the advisor¡¯s body into the fire next to him. In moments, the smell of burning flesh wafted through the air. Jiang Shaochuan stared into the fire, gritted his teeth, and said, ¡°No matter who it is, anyone who dares take my hard-earned treasures, I shall make sure you wish you were never born!¡± ¡­ At dawn, the weather was chilly, and a strong wind blew. Although the windows and doors were shut, the half-burnt candlestick, which was less than an inch tall, had a constantly flickering flame due to the cold air blowing in. After helping Uncle Mu drink his tonic medicine, Xu Yi tossed a large lunchbox to Little Qiu in her room, then changed into a new set of green garments. Finally, Xu Yi went to his desk in the main hall, and quietly sat in his seat. This was an ordinary home with an office out front and living quarters in the back. It was complete with a main house, bedrooms, a kitchen, and bathrooms. Two rows of banyan trees lined the courtyard, providing ample shade and cover. It was a good home indeed. Furong Town¡¯s authorities had rented this place for quite a few years already. The office was set up here to specially house officials from Furong Town who have been sent to Guang¡¯an City, and to receive documents going to and from Furong Town. Xu Yi drank two cups of tea, then set out to the nearby station to collect and send a few documents. Before that, he locked up the room for receiving guests, left a note on the door, shut it, then headed out. He purposefully headed towards the busiest crowds, then turned into a large square until he found the largest wine shop. He then spent some coins and got his hands on a jar of ten years aged Bamboo Leaf Green. After finding out the location of Iron Cat Ear Alley, he made his way there quickly. Entering Guang¡¯an City, Xu Yi did not feel that he was that lucky. He knew well that the Black Dragon Hall would not leave him in peace. Not because of that darned black robed teen, but because of that mysterious white piece of metal, there would be bloodshed. Chapter 28 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio In fact, Xu Yi had never imagined that such a strange object would exist in this world. Yesterday night, he had tried out that metal ball. Holding it in his palm and channelling his qi into it, the piece of metal could transform into any kind of tool, shapeshifting based on the image in his mind. The more power he put into it, the quicker the transformation. The longest it could reach was almost ten meters, transforming into a sharp, thin spear. What was even more extraordinary was that it could achieve all that without any sound or warning. Its speed was extremely fast. In just a flash, it could transform into the desired shape. With such a divine treasure, if he used it for close range surprise attacks, there would be no stopping him. But Xu Yi knew one thing clearly: although the treasure was good, he would have to put his life on the line to keep it. The most crucial step right now was for him to increase his level of cultivation. Having the means to keep his own life was his key goal. Right now, after suddenly finding himself in Guang¡¯an City, everything was foreign and unclear to him. He had to find someone he knew to better understand the situation here. Naturally, Master Zhou, who was ever so greedy for a drink and had left him his address, was the top choice. Iron Cat Ear Alley was really hard to find, mainly because of the narrow alleyways. At every turn, the seven to eight families whose doors were facing each other made it so that only two people could squeeze through at a time. If one were not observant, one would definitely miss it. There were quite a number of times when Xu Yi had simply passed by the alley without even noticing it. Finally, after asking a pair of elderly men sitting by a threshold and playing chess, Xu Yi entered the alley. In a small little tiled hut in the alley, he found Master Zhou. It was early in the afternoon, but the weather was incredibly chilly. A cold wind was blowing, but the old man was actually sleeping soundly at his doorstep on a bamboo chair covered by a thick woollen blanket. The sound of his snoring could be heard from afar. When Xu Yi was close, he did not even bother trying to call him. Instead, he lifted one corner on the seal of the wine jar, and immediately, the sleeping old man¡¯s nose crinkled, and like an old cat whose tail got stepped on, he jumped out of his chair. Seeing the jar of wine in Xu Yi¡¯s hand, the old man clapped and laughed out loud. ¡°Exactly what I was thinking about. I haven¡¯t had a taste of wine for three days. With no wine, I have no energy, and I have been lying in my chair waiting for my death, thinking that I would definitely head to Furong Town to collect my debt from you if I ever died and became a ghost. I was just dreaming of coming after you as a ghost, and now you¡¯ve surrendered yourself to me in person.¡± With that, he dove into his nearby shed and came out with a scoop. He tore open the seal, plunged the scoop in, threw his head back, and drank. Clear wine flowed down his throat. *lip smacking sounds* ¡°Good wine, good wine. Ten years aged wine from The Drunkard¡¯s Winery. You really know how to give this old man a treat!¡± With that, the scoop went into the wine jar again, and after one more scoop of wine, he placed the scoop on a small stool, then carefully sealed the jar shut again. He then laboriously carried the large jar of wine into the shed before coming out again. Leaning back against his bamboo chair, he picked up the scoop and began to leisurely sip his wine. ¡°Start talking; what information do you want out of this old man again? That jar of wine was way more than two gourds. This old man owes you again, and I shall answer anything you ask. Now hurry up, don¡¯t take your time and get in the way of an old man¡¯s beauty nap. Anyways, even if you take your time, those hooligans from the Black Dragon Hall definitely won¡¯t take their time.¡± Xu Yi was greatly surprised. ¡°Old man, how do you know about the feud between me and the Black Dragon Hall?¡± Master Zhou said, ¡°How is that anything strange? Brat, did you think that what you did yesterday at Furong Town was a small matter? Hehe, who knows how many years it has been since someone has killed out in the open in the name of the Dayue Imperial Laws! Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m still somewhat a public servant!¡± Xu Yi said, ¡°So that means that the Guang¡¯an Prefecture Authorities should be aware of what I did yesterday. Since that is the case, would the Black Dragon Hall still dare to come to me for trouble?¡± Xu Yi came to Master Zhou precisely because he needed the old man¡¯s experience. Master Zhou took another sip of wine. He smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, with what you did yesterday was a great boost for the reputation of everyone within the Guang¡¯an Prefecture Authorities, especially so for the Patrol Division¡¯s Director Gao. According to sources, he has tried to request the Prefecture Governor to protect you at all costs. However the Governor replied, ¡®without our rules, how would we get things done?''¡± ¡°F***!¡± Xu Yi had not thought that his convincing acting would still succumb to the power of money. Master Zhou smiled. ¡°You¡¯re still young, after all. Let me tell you this: in this world, the things you can influence and achieve with money are just that numerous. Breaking the duelling rules in Guang¡¯an City just for you would be equal to breaking the rice bowls of each and every constable of every rank all across Guang¡¯an Prefecture. The Guang¡¯an Prefecture Governor is no fool; How would he ever do something so silly? Which is why you better not think you¡¯re that lucky, brat. Get down to earth and prepare for a duel.¡± Naturally, Xu Yi was not stupid enough to leave the fate of his own life in the hands of others. He said, ¡°Master, there is one thing that I still do not understand, and I hope that you can enlighten me. Gu Jianming said this of the duelling rules in Guang¡¯an City: the one who requests a duel need only pay a fee of ten gold coins to the Guang¡¯an Prefecture Authorities, and the duel would automatically be in effect. If the other party does not duel, he would be expelled from Guang¡¯an City. But the problem now is, if someone were to be at the Qi Ocean stage, couldn¡¯t he simply oppress anyone below his stage? If the other party does not submit, all he has to do is to pay the authorities ten gold coins, and the other party would be left with no choice but death?¡± Master Zhou stroked his beard and gave a gentle smile. ¡°Those bloodsuckers at the Prefecture Authorities are no fools. How could they leave such a loophole when designing their rules? You have to know that the fees collected from the duels every year accumulate up to about a third of Guang¡¯an City¡¯s revenue. Naturally, the Prefecture Authorities hope to enjoy this cash cow for as long as possible. How could they let it destroy itself? With such a loophole, Guang¡¯an City would be forced to become a ghost town. ¡°Based on the rules set by the authorities for duelling, the challenger is not allowed to bully the weak. In other words, a Qi Ocean stage practitioner is not allowed to challenge a Body Forging stage practitioner. A practitioner at the peak of Body Forging is also not allowed to challenge one at the lower stages of Body Forging. In other words, the cultivation stage of the challenger must not be higher than the cultivation stage of the one being challenged. Hence, your worries are absolutely unnecessary.¡± Hearing those words felt like a weight off his chest. As long as he was fighting someone at the same level, he was not afraid. Seeing Xu Yi¡¯s expression, Master Zhou laughed. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t think that you have nothing to fear just because the strength of your soul is greater than average. There is always another higher mountain. If the Black Dragon Hall truly wants you dead, it is not that difficult a task. After all, money is power, and there are countless experts at the peak of Body Forging. If you want to keep your life, brat, you have to reign as king amongst all those at the peak of Body Forging.¡± As Master Zhou said those words, Xu Yi looked as though he were struck by lightning. He was not worried about the experts that Black Dragon Hall would hire; it was just that he never expected that the secret he had kept for so long was actually easily seen through by Master Zhou. Master Zhou scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that stupid face! You should know that from the moment you so easily slaughtered the young master of the Black Dragon Hall¡¯s White Horse Branch Hall, the stage of you cultivation was no longer a secret. As for how I know that the strength of your soul is better than average, the reason is simple. Firstly, you chased after me all that long way just to ask me about the soul. You must know that below the Qi Ocean stage. Practically no practitioner would ever think of asking such questions. ¡°For you to ask something like that, you must evidently have had some personal experience. Either your soul is incredibly weak, or you soul is incredibly strong, more so than the average person. And right now, after knowing that you are at the peak of Boy Forging, the answer is clear as crystal. The strength of your soul must be astonishing. If not, there is no way that you could reach the peak of Body Forging at such a young age!¡± Chapter 29 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Master Zhou explained his reasoning, and Xu Yi suddenly understood. Master Zhou was an intellectual. With such glaring faults, it was completely reasonable that he had seen through him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brat, my Qi center has been destroyed, and I am simply living out my broken life. This secret of yours, I will take to the grave.¡± Master Zhou has been involved in the martial world for a long time, and he knew clearly that killing people who knew secrets was extremely commonplace. He spoke to dispel any worries Xu Yi might have. Xu Yi replied, ¡°I have come to understand many things thanks to you, Master, and my debt to you is no small one. I only wish to repay you, and nothing else.¡± Although he was a loner, he understood the value of repaying his debts. To him, Master Zhou could almost be considered his teacher. ¡°What debt? We¡¯ve already made this clear. All of this was exchanged for your fine wine. We¡¯re doing a proper business here. Don¡¯t you try to sweet talk me, brat. Don¡¯t even think of asking questions for free in the future without spending money on wine.¡± Master Zhou took another mouthful of wine and laughed out loud. Xu Yi smiled as well. ¡°I have already left money with The Drunkard¡¯s Winery and instructed them to send you a jar of wine once every five days for the next year. You can simply enjoy and drink all you can.¡± Master Zhou suddenly stopped his cheery laughter. He stared at Xu Yi, not saying a word for a while. Suddenly, he sighed, then turned and walked into the shed. After a few moments, he walked out again. In his hands was an additional brown square chest. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me earlier, how one could display the strength of three bulls when one should only have the strength of one bull at the Body Forging Stage? This is the ¡®Raging Force Mantra.¡± Study it well.¡± With that, Master Zhou handed Xu Yi the chest. Xu Yi did not stand on ceremony and opened the chest right after he received it. Inside, he saw a scroll of thin, black paper. When he reached to pick it up, it felt as hard as metal. It was clearly an extraordinary material. Xu Yi could not wait and began to flip through the martial technique. He heard Master Zhou say, ¡°This ¡®Raging Force Mantra¡¯ was obtained while I was following my master to a secret location. According to what is described in the martial technique, if trained adequately, one can display the strength of three bulls even at the Body Forging stage. Take note, the intricacies of this technique lie in an unusual way of uncovering one¡¯s potential. It requires a substantial cost in order to deliver a punch that exceeds one¡¯s limits. If you succeed in training this technique, as long as your stamina is full, and your mental state is stable, you would be able to repeatedly deliver blows with the strength of three bulls. This mantra is separated into three levels. With every level, one can deliver an additional three bulls¡¯ equivalent of power. When all three levels have been achieved, you would have the strength to move mountains, and the strength of your qi would be peerless. Your might would be unstoppable¡­¡± Like all other martial arts practitioners, Xu Yi had an almost manic pursuit for attacking power. Hearing that this was a divine technique that could greatly increase one¡¯s attacking power, Xu Yi was overjoyed. Without standing on ceremony, he began to read the manual once he got it. After a few moments, he murmured, ¡°Top grade Red Training Grass, Hundred-Year Golden Snake Eyes, King Bear Gall¡­ Master, what kind of martial technique is this? Why is it that so many medicinal herbs are needed to train in this technique?¡± Hanging onto the scroll, Xu Yi was full of curiosity. When he had practiced the Ox Demon Strong Fist, he had only followed the three forms and circulated his Qi across the right pathways and had trained to the peak of Body Forging just like that. Other than using a bit of low grade Wulong Grass to replenish his strength, he had relied on no other external assistance. He had thought that other martial techniques would only require hard training. Master Zhou gave a look of surprise, then he laughed. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how you¡¯ve managed to last till today. Your knowledge of the Martial Way is as good as a blank sheet of paper. I will spare you and become your teacher for now. In reality, an amazing technique would have to be coupled with amazingly rare herbs. But because human resources are often lacking, the martial techniques that our ancestors have researched and developed are, in fact, innovations to absorb the power of nature. For instance, the rare herbs listed in the ¡®Raging Force Mantra¡¯ belong to the material power of nature. This material power of nature cannot be simply transformed into a martial arts practitioner¡¯s power. In the middle, there must be a bridge, and that bridge is your martial technique.¡± Xu Yi was enlightened. Master Zhou continued, ¡°Truth to be told, I have had this ¡®Raging Force Mantra¡¯ for over twenty years. My old master and I both poured in our blood and sweat to gather the materials listed and train according to the martial technique. Every time we reached the stage of reversing the flow in our tendons, we would be overcome with mental fatigue and extreme pain, making it very hard for our mind and soul to bear and causing us to collapse in the process. Brat, with your unique strength of soul, I believe that you will achieve great heights with the ¡®Raging Force Mantra¡¯ in your hands.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind gift, Master!¡± Xu Yi was extremely grateful. In his two years of cultivation, although he knew little about the Martial Way, he had heard from Liaochen that in this day and age that valued the martial arts so greatly, martial techniques more than qualified as a treasure. Especially the top martial techniques, which were exceedingly rare. The Silent God Fist that required time to concentrate power for a blow with the strength of three bulls but left one with severe aftereffects was seen by an expert like Elder Feng as a treasured ultimate skill. What kind of precious martial technique must the Raging Force Mantra be, if it could allow him to continuously fire shots at the strength of three bulls? Master Zhou waved his hand. ¡°What kind gift? Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m giving you this for free; I have my conditions. Let me use this ¡®Raging Force Mantra¡¯ to exchange for wine for the rest of my life. How about that?¡± ¡°How can such a precious treasure be measured by mere alcohol?¡± Xu Yi waved his hands frantically in protest. Master Zhou stared back at him. ¡°Enough of that nonsense. This martial technique is as useful to me as scrap paper. But fine wine, however, is my life. I¡¯m using scrap paper in exchange for my life. Who wins or loses in this deal is purely based on perspective; you do not need to say anymore.¡± ¡°Very well, all the wine that you want for the rest of your life is on me.¡± Xu Yi argued no more. Just like how Uncle Mu was to him, he knew well that this debt was not something that could be repaid with mere words. Master Zhou laughed. ¡°Then our deal here is complete! Alright brat, this old man needs his sleep now. You should make good use of your time and prepare for battle. If you¡¯re free, go take a look at East City.¡± Xu Yi said his thanks, then turned and sped towards East City. As he stepped through the stone doors into East City, Xu Yi understood the reason why Master Zhou had directed him there. The entire East City was clearly a city built solely for martial arts practitioners. Entering through the city gates and looking outwards, he saw a wide street that was ten horse carriages wide. The street was bustling with activity, with carriages and people streaming through it constantly. Along the streets, there were rows of tall buildings with intricate ornaments of dragons and phoenixes. The beauty of the buildings was hard to keep up with. A monk in robes carrying a staff, a bewitching beauty with pendulum hips, a barefooted priest in white robes, a scholar with a fan and a crown hat ¡ª the street was filled with tons of people of all different shapes and sizes, more than enough to overwhelm one¡¯s sense of sight. But the thing that captured his attention most were the varying eye-catching mounts that these people were riding. Imong the crowd, there were people riding lions and tigers and some atop deer and elephants. The most ridiculous one of all was a wide eyed young man dressed in full robes of shining gold. He was sitting on top of a giant snake that was over a dozen meters long, happily slithering its way through the city crowd. The mount that Xu Yi was most jealous of, however, was a white eagle that was a few meters tall. A white robed man had walked out of a restaurant with a drunken gait, then took a seat on the saddle on the eagle¡¯s back. Pulling the reins around the giant eagle¡¯s neck, a screech was heard, and the eagle and the man took to the skies, flying into the clouds. The phrases of a poem ran through Xu Yi¡¯s mind just then: a hundred thousand taels in my pocket as I ride to Yangzhou on a crane. At that very moment, Xu Yi truly felt that he had come to an extraordinary world. Chapter 30 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio As Xu Yi was looking around, a young man in long robes stepped towards him quickly. On his round face, he wore a professional smile, not unlike those real estate agents in Xu Yi¡¯s previous life. When he came close, he held his fists in a salute to Xu Yi and began his pitch. ¡°Brother, although you have an air of nobility around you, you look fresh and seem to be looking around to satisfy your curiosity. Clearly, this must be your first visit to Guang¡¯an East City. I may not be much, but I am a local here. I am familiar with all the ins and outs of this city. If you don¡¯t mind, Brother, I can serve as your guide.¡± Xu Yi understood then that he had run into a guide. For his first visit here, he actually did require one. If the price was right, he would hire him. ¡°Name your price!¡± The young man was startled. Clearly, he had not expected Xu Yi to be that direct, and that had interrupted his flow. Xu Yi however did not give him the time to slowly get himself back together. He lifted his feet and continued walking. He was sure that there were many in the city who were in the same line of work. He chose to put on some airs so that he would not be bullied by such guides. The young man was not willing to have a customer like Xu Yi leave him so easily like that, and he hurried to catch up with Xu Yi. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t be so hasty. Brother, you really are a little too hasty. Five gold coins!¡± Xu Yi almost fell headfirst into the ground. For a guide to open his mouth and straight up ask for five gold coins! Yesterday, his extravagant lunch only cost him around two silver taels. If he changed the five gold coins to silver taels according to official rates, it could allow him to eat lavishly for a whole year. Seeing Xu Yi¡¯s expression, the young man hurriedly added, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t think that this is too expensive. Hear me out first. Did you think that the job of us guides is that simple? I not only have to answer all your questions about anything in the city, but I will also follow you purchase anything that you want and be in charge of recommending places, haggling for a good price, and so on.¡± It seemed that the scope of this young man¡¯s job was actually quite extensive. However, Xu Yi was reluctant to part with his money. Not willing to waste more time talking, he turned and left, intending to try out other guides and compare prices. However, the young man clung on like a piece of sticky candy, continuing his speech, and even giving plenty of examples. All of them were about how people came to East City for the first time and were unwilling to spend on guide fees, resulting in them being cheated of their money by certain stores and being the butt of jokes. Xu Yi was annoyed, but the man¡¯s speech was not totally ineffective. Xu Yi changed his mind and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask for such a huge sum yet. I feel that you are rather sincere, so let me suggest something. For my trip this time to East City, I do indeed want to buy some things, and the total price of what I want would be no less than two hundred gold coins. If I find what I want, you¡¯ll be in charge of bargaining, and I will pay you ten percent of the discount that you manage to get for me. If you agree, then lead the way, if not, go away and do not make me angry!¡± With Xu Yi¡¯s quick thinking, he managed to find a win-win proposal for the both of them in the blink of an eye. For him, a crisis was right in front of his face, and the most important thing for him now was to increase his strength. For this trip to East City, he was prepared to spend a lot. Although he did not know the exact cost of what he wanted, he expected that it would not be cheap. The young man in the long robes was right. This was his first time here, and he was neither familiar with the place nor the price of the items. If he simply walked into any shop, he would most likely be taken advantage of. If he had this young man help him keep an eye out for things and to bargain for good prices, it would make up for what he lacked. He also believed that if this young man could help him, the amount that he could save would definitely be more than just five gold coins. Such a proposal was convenient for both and presented a win-win situation. The moment he finished speaking, the young man jumped on it and accepted. This was a simple calculation for the young man. He knew that according to the norm, he could haggle for a thirty percent discount off whatever price the shops offered. Which meant that if they he were to spend two hundred gold coins, the shop had to offer at least three hundred, and the discount that he could get would be a hundred gold coins. Ten percent of a hundred would be ten gold coins. Furthermore, if he really pulled out all the stops, he could probably still get a higher discount and that would mean more money for him. After settling their deal, the two of them exchanged names. The young man¡¯s name was Yuan Qinghua. According to him, he had already been in this line of business for around seven to eight years and was very experienced. As they walked, Qinghua pointed out various landmarks in the city, sharing interesting news and gossip. His oratory talent was great, speaking continuously with lots of witty comments. He was actually rather interesting to listen to. As the two of them were crossing a stone bridge, Xu Yi suddenly noticed something around a hundred meters away. Loud voices could be heard, and the place was bustling with activity. Although they were far away, they could clearly see a ten meter high platform there. The platform was extremely broad, measuring at least fifty meters across. On top of it, two men were fighting to the death. Swords and sabres flashed, making it a heart-stopping sight. With some thinking, Xu Yi understood what was going on. What was going on over there was Guang¡¯an City¡¯s famous duels, the challenge that he was soon to face. Yuan Qinghua smiled and pointed over in that direction. He said, ¡°It is still early. If you are interested in going over to take a look, you could place a bet if you fancy. I could advise you on who to bet on. After seeing these duels for so many years, I can say that I have accumulated quite a bit of experience.¡± ¡°Place a bet? What do you mean?¡± Xu Yi asked curiously. Yuan Qinghua was shocked. In his mind, he wondered what kind of mountain this young master had crawled down from. However, his mouth spoke quickly without any pause. ¡°In a fight, there would always be a winner and a loser. When there is a winner and loser, you have something to gamble on. In Guang¡¯an City, there are no less than a hundred duels a day. If there were no betting to draw the crowds in, do you think that a simple duel between practitioners in the Body Forging stage would attract anyone?¡± Xu Yi nodded and said, ¡°Brother Yuan has good eyes. To think that you could determine the cultivation stage of the two of them from such a distance.¡± Yuan Qinghua immediately rejected the praise and laughed. ¡°Brother, there is something you do not know. It is not because I am good; it is simply because the cultivation level of the two duellists on the platform is clearly indicated by flag at the side of the stage. Gold, purple, black, white and green are the five colours of our Dayue Imperial Court. The colours are used in that order to determine superiority. This place also borrows this system and uses five colours of flags to indicate the cultivation level of the participants of the duel in order to attract different levels of gamblers. The four stages of the Body Forging stage correspond to the four colours, purple, black, white and green. This platform is flying a white flag, showing that the two on the platform are at the middle stage of Body Forging.¡± Xu Yi said, ¡°Gold, purple, black, white and green. That¡¯s a total of five colours. Why is it that the four stages of Body Forging take up four colours, and only one colour is used to represent anything above the Body Forging stage?¡± Yuan Qinghuan explained, ¡°The reason is simple, after cultivating to the Qi Ocean stage, one would definitely be an important figure within Guang¡¯an City. Between important figures, even if there were to be any conflict, why would there be a need to take things all the way up to the duelling platform? To be honest, as long as I can remember, I have never seen a golden flag flying on the duelling platform before. Furthermore, in recent years, the influence of the Three Great Sects has been slowly infiltrating Guang¡¯an City. With the three sides mediating matters, even a purple flag is rare now.¡± ¡°I see, I have been thinking to simply. I have another question. If someone were to hide his cultivation level and fight on the platform while secretly placing large bets on himself, wouldn¡¯t he be able to earn quick money? Of course, for the duels to continue up till today and become this popular in Guang¡¯an, there must be some policy in place to prevent such a loophole.¡± Xu Yi was like a dry sponge, rapidly soaking up the knowledge of this world. Chapter 31 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Yuan Qinghua stuck out his thumb and praised Xu Yi. ¡°You have good thinking, Brother. I have had countless customers and many fans of gambling among them, but few as farsighted as you. Indeed, there is a clever rule that prevents this loophole. Please look to the left of the flagpole, Brother. There is a long table and an old man in a square hat. He is the cultivation tester. Before a duel, both parties are to present a drop of blood to be tested. As a practitioner¡¯s cultivation level increases, the changes are evident in the blood. Between practitioners of different cultivation levels, the thickness and colour of blood would be different. Through a blood test, they can confirm that the cultivation level of both parties is equal.¡± Xu Yi relaxed a little more when he heard this. He was not simply asking too many questions. It was just that this was a matter of life and death to him, and he had to be cautious. If there were loopholes in the regulations, and the Black Dragon Hall had all intentions to do him in, they could simply send in an expert at the Qi Ocean stage. If that happened, it would be useless no matter how he planned or prepared. After a few more questions and finding out that his customer was truly not interested in placing bets, Yuan Qinghua finally gave up. He began to inquire instead about Xu Yi¡¯s cultivation level and what he needed to get from his trip into the city. ¡°What, you¡­ you are actually a practitioner at the peak of Body Forging! May I ask how old you are, Brother?¡± Yuan Qinghua¡¯s eyes were full of surprise. This customer in front of him, although looking a little down and out, definitely did not look old at all. ¡°I have passed the age of thirty!¡± Xu Yi said calmly. In actual fact, he had only just passed his eighteenth birthday. The reason why he did not want to reveal his actual age was simply because he did not want to attract unnecessary trouble. The good thing was that he now sported a scraggly beard, looking decrepit and a lot older than he was. But even so, it was enough for Yuan Qinghua to jump in surprise. ¡°One cannot judge a book by its cover indeed. From what I know, across the entire Guang¡¯an City, the number of people who have reached the peak of Body Forging before the age of thirty can be counted with one hand, and all of these are the sons of noble families. Brother Yi, for you to achieve such levels of cultivation at such a young age, you would surely shine brightly when you achieve greater heights along the path of the Martial Way in future. Let me congratulate you in advance! I hope to have more of Brother Yi¡¯s support in future!¡± Xu Yi had not expected this guy to be such a bootlicker. In a serious tone, he said, ¡°You¡¯re getting a bit too far-fetched here. It¡¯s getting late; let¡¯s talk after we get things done.¡± Yuan Qinghua sensed the unhappiness in Xu Yi¡¯s voice, and he felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly agreed and stopped saying anymore nonsense. Leading Xu Yi across the bridge, they headed towards the central street. After a short while, Yuan Qinghua pointed to a door ahead of them. ¡°Brother Yi, as long as you enter this place, you will be able to gather all the things that you need. And I promise you, the prices and quality of the goods here will be good.¡± The shop in front of them was indeed very large. Its front entrance was fifteen meters wide, and the purple gold Nanmu doors were ten meters high, with four of them in total. Even their door sills that were a foot high were made out of gilded copper. In the middle of the entrance was a broad and shiny signboard placed at the top. Written in beautiful calligraphy were the words ¡°Linglong Hall¡±! When one¡¯s eyes stopped on the words, they seemed to come to life, turning into a meandering dragon, flying around the sign and forming the words ¡°Linglong Hall¡± again when it gathered in the middle. It was truly mysterious and awe-inspiring. ¡°Brother Yi, don¡¯t take this signboard lightly. This magical array was made by a master craftsman with precious jade from the East Sea as the main material. It was outlined with magical runes and made with three green gold snake demons before being completed. In the whole Guang¡¯an City this is the only such piece.¡± Noticing Xu Yi¡¯s interest, Yuan Qinghua spared no saliva and began to introduce the signboard to him. ¡°Snake demon? Could it be that such monsters exist in this world?¡± Xu Yi¡¯s heart leapt in surprise, but he did not say anything. After seeing Liaochen¡¯s spirit, he was pretty much immune to things like ghosts and spirits. Even when it came to things like monsters and demons, he had some mental preparation. Also, his time was short, and he was not willing to waste any more words on this issue, hence why he chose to hide it and not bring it up. The moment he entered, Xu Yi¡¯s eyes could not stop staring. Even though he had seen plenty of splendid hotels in his previous life, he was still stunned by the scene before him. It was a wide hall over hundreds of meters across. There were pillars of white jade, a floor covered in black steel, golden dragons flying above on the ceiling ,and fiery phoenixes on the walls. It was an architectural marvel with treasures laid out everywhere making for a magnificent sight. When the two of them entered, there were already quite a number of people in the hall. They were gathered in small groups scattered across the place. What was most amazing was that not a single customer was left alone. Each one of them was followed by a staff member. Just from that alone, one knew that Linglong Hall truly lived up to its name. Indeed, just moments after they entered, a female staff member quickly stepped towards them. She wore black robes and had brown hair and a stunning figure. Before she reached them, she was already wearing a smile that could not possibly get any brighter. ¡°Welcome, guests. Is there anything I can help you two with?¡± ¡°Is this the place for talking? We shall talk in the VIP room!¡± Yuan Qinghua¡¯s tone was scathing, speaking as though his whole body was flowing with splendour. Gone was the meek disposition he wore when he was at the city gates. ¡°Distinguished guests! Please follow me!¡± The brunette smiled even wider. She puffed up her chest, making it look even fuller, then stared deeply into Yuan Qinghua¡¯s eyes with her own beautiful eyes, making full use of her womanly appeal. Linglong Hall had a rule whereby anyone who spends over a hundred gold coins at one go would have the right to enter the VIP room. Although Yuan Qinghua did not have such means, he was well aware of such a rule. Since Xu Yi had promised him that he would definitely spend at least two hundred gold coins today, he had to take this opportunity to borrow Xu Yi¡¯s wealth and flaunt it a little. If he missed such an opportunity, it would truly be a waste. Very soon, the brunette brought the two of them into an elegant room. Shortly, two beautiful ladies came in with trays of tea, fruits, and snacks, all of them delicate and exquisite. Since coming to this world, this was the first time Xu Yi had enjoyed such excellent service. He had a straightforward personality and did not stand on ceremony. What he saw pleased him greatly. He took a few sips of the tea and two of the snacks, which tasted pretty good. But because they were nothing too special, he stopped there and lay back lazily in his chair. What he did not realize was that carefree manner made Yuan Qinghua break out in cold sweat. His face was flushed. Beside them, the brunette also stared with wide eyes. In her mind, she wondered whether or not she should call in the guards to have these two men thrown out. She had worked in Linglong Hall for many years and had entertained numerous distinguished guests. None, however, would attack the tea and snacks in such a manner. She even suspected that these two were simply trying to cheat their way here just to have an eye-opener¡­and also to get some free food and drinks. However, her professionalism prevented her from doing anything rash. The brunette forced a smile and said, ¡°My two distinguished guests, how exactly may I be of service?¡± Yuan Qinghua was already extremely nervous. Her asking seemed to be a perfect way to cover the embarrassing situation. He quickly replied, ¡°We need top grade Red Training Grass, Hundred-Year Golden Snake Eyes, King Bear Gall¡­¡± At one go, Yuan Qinghua listed out seven materials ¡ª the exact supporting ingredients needed for practicing the Raging Force Mantra. The moment he finished those words, the brunettes forced smile suddenly vanished. She shouted for the two attendants earlier and ordered them to serve a better tea instead. Then, she politely confessed that she needed time to check for these items and would give them a reply as soon as possible. After the two attendants brought them their new tea, the brunette returned, walking briskly. ¡°My apologies for making you wait. I am very sorry but we are temporarily unable to supply all of the materials that you require. We are currently short of Hundred-Year Golden Snake Eyes and King Bear Gall. Would you like to buy the other five items first? When the remaining two items are back in stock, I will inform the two of you immediately.¡± Chapter 32 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°How did this happen? Wasn¡¯t Linglong Hall supposed to have everything? How could you be lacking a mere Hundred-Year Golden Snake Eyes and King Bear Gall!¡± Yuan Qinghua¡¯s expression became cold. Earlier, he had praised Linglong Hall greatly, saying that they could provide anything under the sun. In the end, the moment he had requested something, he was made to eat his words. Xu Yi was also extremely dissatisfied. After hearing Master Zhou¡¯s explanations, he had high expectations of the Raging Force Mantra. According to Master Zhou, the most difficult part of the Raging Force Mantra was the extreme pain that one had to go through when one reached the stage of reversing the flow in one¡¯s tendons. However, Xu Yi had plenty of confidence in himself when it came to withstanding pain. He had initially thought that with the materials gathered, he could immediately begin to master the Raging Force Mantra in order to gain the skills to protect himself. He had not expected to run into such a problem. ¡°Can we request for the store purchase these items on our behalf? I do not believe that in a city as large as Guang¡¯an, these two materials would be unavailable. I believe that with your store¡¯s capabilities, this should not be a difficult task. We can wait here until it is done.¡± Xu Yi proposed a compromise. The brunette replied, ¡°Dear sir, perhaps you are not aware of our Linglong Hall¡¯s capabilities. Let¡¯s put it this way: if there are materials that Linglong Hall lacks, it is not possible for any other shop in Guang¡¯an to have them either. To be honest, materials such as the Hundred-Year Golden Snake Eyes and the King Bear Gall may not be that precious, but they are exceedingly rare. After all, demons are hard to encounter, and on the rare occasion that we do have the materials, they would also be purchased almost immediately.¡± ¡°So you mean that if we want to have all seven materials, we would just have to be really lucky?¡± Seeing his deal with Xu Yi about to go up in smoke, Yuan Qinghua was greatly displeased. ¡°Quiet!¡± Xu Yi glared at him. Anger was never the right way to deal with problems. ¡°Under such circumstances, how is the matter usually resolved? I believe the store can enlighten me with regards to this.¡± At this point, the brunette finally focused her attention on Xu Yi¡¯s face and also saw clearly that this decrepit looking man with a scraggly beard was probably the person she was truly making a deal with. ¡°You speak too highly of us, distinguished guest. Under such circumstances, the guest would usually make an order and proceed to pay a deposit. When Linglong Hall has gathered all the materials, you would be informed. After you pay the rest of the fees, you may leave with the goods and our deal will be complete.¡± ¡°Alright then. For these seven items, what is the cost and how much deposit will be needed?¡± There was no choice. Since the timing was bad, Xu Yi could only wait. With those words from Xu Yi, the smile on the brunette¡¯s face finally became a genuine one. She knew that when the conversation came to such a stage, the deal was practically done. All that was left was to settle on a price. Before Xu Yi could say any more, Yuan Qinghua cut in, ready to prove himself after his earlier mistakes. After a battle of words and tongues, the materials worth a hundred and fifty gold coins and a deposit of fifty gold coins was slashed to a hundred and twenty gold coins and thirty gold coins for the deposit. In addition to that, Linglong Hall was to deliver the goods within two months¡¯ time, if not, the deposit will be refunded, and they would also be compensated for their time. With regards to the results of the negotiations, both Yuan Qinghua and Xu Yi were very pleased. Having cut the price down by thirty gold, according to the deal, ten percent of that went to him. Hence, for this transaction, he earned a total of three gold coins. Xu Yi had heard from Master Zhou that he and his former master had put in a lot of effort in order to gather all seven materials. Xu Yi had thought that he would have to fork out hundreds of gold coins in order to get his hands on these materials. Having them for only over a hundred gold coins, it was much lower than what he expected. Naturally, he was very happy. But in actual fact, Xu Yi¡¯s thinking was way off. He had earned lots of money quickly by killing and pillaging, and he naturally had no idea how hard it was for an ordinary person to earn over a hundred gold coins. Only the brunette¡¯s mood was slightly lowered by this deal. She had not thought that Yuan Qinghua would be that difficult to deal with, greatly reducing her joy of completing a large business deal. She put on a cute face and asked, ¡°Would you be paying in gold? Or with a gold voucher?¡± ¡°Gold voucher? Could it be that banks exist here?¡± Xu Yi¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Yuan Qinghua was already aware of how lacking his client¡¯s common knowledge was. He gave the brunette a quick stare before quickly adding, ¡°Sir, you come from the countryside, so you might not be aware. Gold coins are precious, but they are also heavy. When doing business, a hundred or a thousand might still be alright, but when it comes to tens or hundreds of thousands, then it will become rather troublesome and practically impossible to carry around. For the convenience of the people, the Dayue Imperial Court has joined hands with the Five Great Noble Families and the Four Great Orthodox Sects to establish the ¡®World Gold Depository¡¯ to facilitate monetary transactions across the world.¡± ¡°I see!¡± With some thinking, Xu Yi understood. After all, no matter where he was, certain laws of the world would remain the same. In both past and present worlds, people still needed to eat when they were hungry and drink when they were thirsty. Although this world did not have a bank, they had a gold depository. Although it felt strange, it was still normal. ¡°I will pay with gold.¡± Xu Yi fished out a single gold biscuit from his pocket and handed it over. ¡°Ugghhh!¡± ¡°Aghhh!¡± Immediately, Yuan Qinghua and the brunette both opened their eyes wide. Their jaws dropped and they exclaimed loudly. With a thud, Yuan Qinghua¡¯s legs gave way as his knees fell to the ground. The brunette simply stared speechless at the golden biscuit in Xu Yi¡¯s hand, which was shining under the light with a glow that seemed to be sucking out her soul. ¡°Hurry and settle the bill. For the change, give me twenty gold coins, eight gold vouchers for a hundred gold, and fifteen gold vouchers for ten gold,¡± Xu Yi said loudly. The brunette finally came to her senses, but she dared not take the gold biscuit personally. Relaying her apologies, she left the room quickly. ¡°Sir, you¡­you really know how to hide your capabilities well!¡± Yuan Qinghua struggled to his feet, praising Xu Yi from the bottom of his heart. Earlier on, he had addressed Xu Yi as ¡®sir¡¯ just to show him some face. Initially, he had truly looked down on Xu Yi for having so little common knowledge and had only thought of this as a one-time cooperation for a big business deal. But when Xu Yi brought out an entire gold biscuit worth a thousand gold coins just like that, he was truly shocked. ¡°Calm yourself. Don¡¯t forget, I still have another purchase to make. If you stay in such a stage, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the confidence to leave the next piece of business to you.¡± Xu Yi naturally knew how large of a fortune that single gold biscuit was. Even with the Zhou family¡¯s wealth, they had only managed to gather two gold biscuits to offer to Lingxiao Hall in three years. ¡°No no, don¡¯t worry sir. Even if I have to give my life for it, I will accomplish the task you have for me.¡± Money truly moved hearts. At this moment, after seeing that gold biscuit worth a thousand gold coins, Yuan Qinghua was so fired up that he might as well have been on steroids. As the two of them spoke, the brunette returned, walking quickly. Very soon, a plump old man walked in and joined them. He wore a bright smile on his face and a jade-studded belt on his embroidered robes. The brunette introduced the old man with a smile on her face. He was Manager Wu of Linglong Hall. After exchanging pleasantries, Manager Wu clapped his hands. Immediately, an attendant quickly made his way over. On the tray in his hands were golden vouchers as wide as a palm and as long as two fingers, as well as a handful of gold coins. Manager Wu pointed to the tray and said, ¡°These are the gold vouchers that you requested. Please check them, sir!¡± Xu Yi did not stand on ceremony. He placed the gold biscuit onto the tray, grabbed the gold coins and gold vouchers, and began to count them. When he was done, he frowned. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± He had asked for eight gold vouchers worth a hundred gold and fifteen gold vouchers worth ten gold, along with twenty gold coins. A total of nine hundred and seventy gold, after deducting the deposit of thirty gold. However, on the tray were eight gold vouchers for a hundred gold, eighteen gold vouchers for ten gold, and twenty gold coins, a total of a thousand gold. Chapter 33 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Manager Wu smiled and said, ¡°You may not be aware, distinguished guest, but we have a rule here in Linglong Hall. For anyone who comes with more than a thousand gold, any deposit under a hundred gold is waived. Since you have produced a gold biscuit worth a thousand gold, the thirty gold deposit that was agreed upon for the purchase of the materials is now automatically cancelled. This here is the proof of purchase from Linglong Hall. Please keep it well, sir!¡± With that, he took out a receipt and handed it over. ¡°Then, let me give my thanks, Manager Wu.¡± Xu Yi was extremely surprised. Even in his second life, the wealthy seem to enjoy many special privileges as well. Manager Wu declined the thanks. ¡°This is merely what we are supposed to do. There is no need for thanks, sir. Is there anything else that you might require?¡± Yuan Qinghua said, ¡°We still require a piece of leather armor that provides good defence, and a heavy weapon.¡± For this trip to East City, everything was in order for Xu Yi to be as prepared as he could to tackle his upcoming death match on the duelling platforms. If he thought about it properly, he had already been through a few life or death battles. He realized that in such battles, weapons and martial techniques contribute most to his chances of winning. He could say that under conditions where he was more or less equal to his opponent, whoever¡¯s weapon or technique had an advantage could be sufficient to change the direction of the outcome. Right now, time was short, and there might not be enough time to train a new technique. Hence, Xu Yi could only put his all into a good weapon. In a battle, it was all about attacking and defending. Xu Yi wanted to address both and planned to buy one of each item. The brunette was about to speak, but Manager Wu spoke first. ¡°Master Yi is a distinguished guest. Let us not waste our time showing him any ordinary items.¡± After that, he turned to Xu Yi and said, ¡°Master Yi, you are here at just the right time. Our shop is about to start a small auction in around an hour. Everything up on auction is definitely not ordinary. Would you be interested in attending?¡± ¡°An auction?¡± Xu Yi was lost in thought for a moment, but he soon collected his senses. ¡°Since Manager Wu has invited us, I shall accept.¡± There was already a gold depository in existence here, and now an auction. It was not that hard for him to accept. After all, he did intend to purchase something good this time. If the item could be up for auction, it could not be that bad, right? After making arrangements for the auction, Manager Wu politely bade them farewell. After a while, the brunette came over with a black cloak and a red number plate with nothing written on either side. She said with a smile, ¡°Sir, these are prepared specially by Linglong Hall in order to protect the confidentiality of our customers. The black cloak is used to hide your face, and the red plate contains your auction number. After you enter your private compartment, and after the auction begins, the number plate will automatically display a number, which will be decided on at random. Even Linglong Hall will not be aware of which of our guests have purchased which item. With that, your privacy will be ensured.¡± Xu Yi marvelled at this in his mind. It was no wonder that Linglong Hall¡¯s business could grow to such an extent. With them thinking about their customers at every turn, how could they not? After the brunette explained the proceedings, she ordered the attendants to give them more tea. Afterwards, she politely left the room. After trying out the new snacks, Xu Yi was no longer interested in them. However, he thought of Little Qiu who was at the age where she would still love snacks. He ordered the attendants outside to bring him a nice box, then he packed the fruits and snacks nicely into it. Afterwards, he lay back on the soft chair and closed his eyes to rest. In the room, Xu Yi was peacefully resting. However, in the other end of the room, Yuan Qinghua was pacing around in circles madly. ¡°Alright, stop circling. Sit down and take a rest, I still need you!¡± Xu Yi knew what he was worried about. Surely, it was because Yuan Qinghua would no longer be of use once they went to the auction later. After all, no haggling is allowed in auctions. Without the chance to haggle, Qinghua would have no chance to earn his commission. ¡°Here, help me sell this sword to Linglong Hall.¡± With a flash of green, there was now a green blade in Yuan Qinghua¡¯s hands, and it gave off a cold glow. This was the blade that Xu Yi had taken from the black robed teen. Xu Yi had tried the blade before. It was unusually sharp and was extremely tough. It was definitely not an ordinary blade. The green blade was good, but it was not suited for Xu Yi. He had never learned how to use a sword or a sabre. When it came to close quarters combat, he had confidence that the might of his two fists would certainly be greater than when he used the green blade. Since it did not help him much, he might as well exchange it for money. Yuan Qinghua took the green blade, and after looking at it for a while, he broke into a smile. He had an unusually keen eye, and he could already tell that this green blade was no ordinary item. It would definitely be able to fetch a good price. As for how much he could get from this sale, he did not care. After interacting with his client for a while, he already knew that he was a straightforward and generous person who did not beat about the bush. ¡°Just watch, I will definitely sell this for you!¡± As he shouted those words, Yuan Qinghua ran out the door with the green blade in his hands. Just as he left, the brunette returned. ¡°Master Yi, the auction is about to begin, please follow me,¡± she said with a smile. After a few minutes, Xu Yi reached a simple and elegant room, wrapped up from head to toe in a serious-looking black cloak. The room was over three hundred square meters in area, with an extremely simple design. Other than thirty-some-odd soft chairs that were spread across the room and a long table placed in the front, there was nothing else. Perhaps, the designer made it as such to focus all the attention onto the items to be auctioned. The whole room was pure white, and it was hard for the eyes to even find the center of the room once inside. When Xu Yi took his seat at one of the chairs in the back, the room was almost full. All thirty or so of them were dressed the same as him and were quietly seated. Xu Yi, however, was more focused mentally than he had ever been before. He could clearly sense the aura of a few powerhouses. It was a feeling of being filled up with Qi, almost till it was reaching a boiling point. It was as though the air in the room were permeated with heat and Qi. What was more shocking for Xu Yi was that around six or seven of them in the room actually gave him the feeling that he felt when he was facing Zhou Shirong. Just from all the powerhouses seated here, Xu Yi¡¯s heart welled up with anticipation. He could not wait to see what kind of treasures would make their way onto the table in front. He did not have to wait long before the last two guests entered, and the back door of the room was shut. In front, another door opened, and an old man in silver robes slowly stepped into the room. Following behind him were a dozen shop staff dressed the same as the brunette. Each of them carried a single item that was covered up with a thick piece of cloth. Evidently, these were the items that were up for auction. The silver-robed old man had hosted many auctions before, and his actions and words were well practiced. After an opening speech, he had the first item unveiled. On the white table, there was a deep-brown wooden statue. The statue had the shape of a human, four limbs, five sensory organs on the face, long hair, and a round baby¡¯s face. It was adorable. Xu Yi had only just managed to get a good look when someone exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Baby Ginseng!¡± Chapter 34 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°That¡¯s right, it is indeed a Baby Ginseng. This Baby Ginseng is three inches in height. With its hundreds and thousands of hairs, it is clearly over five hundred years old and is a spirit herb of the highest grade. If undiscovered, it could possibly cultivate a human form after another five hundred years. Of course, since it was discovered, it means that its fate is not strong enough. For it to be used to make medicine is simply its destiny.¡± The silver-robed old man picked up the Baby Ginseng and displayed it to the audience. He continued, ¡°Distinguished guests, you are all knowledgeable men. I believe that even without me saying, you would all know that Baby Ginseng is a top grade divine medicine for treating injuries and preserving one¡¯s life. As long as you still draw a single breath, no matter how injured you are, by picking a bunch of its roots and eating it raw, you would be able to hang on to your life. Gentlemen, you are all practitioners of the Martial Way, and you would naturally understand that as practitioners, we are constantly under the risk of battle. With so many opportunities to injure oneself, keeping a spirit herb handy is akin to having an additional life. Alright, I shall bore you no further. This spirit herb is exceedingly rare, with a starting bid of five hundred gold, and a minimal increment of ten gold. Please begin your bidding, gentlemen.¡± This time, it was truly an eye-opening experience for Xu Yi. Baby Ginseng was the stuff of legends, and it was actually placed on the table right in front of him. As Xu Yi sat there shocked with his mouth open, the bids for the Baby Ginseng had already soared in the blink of an eye. ¡°680 gold! Guest number 24 has offered 680 gold. Is there anyone with a higher offer? ¡°700 gold! ¡°700 gold! Guest number 3 with 700 gold. 700 gold going once! ¡°720 gold! ¡°720 gold! Guest number 17 with a bid of 720 gold!¡± ¡°800 gold! I am Qi Ming of the Pill Cauldron Hall. I am trying to buy this thousand year Ginseng Baby to use it to make a pill. As you all know, eating a thousand year Ginseng Baby raw will only have the effect of preserving life or healing injuries, and pills that serve the same effect are available on the market as well. Why go through the trouble to compete with me!¡± With Qi Ming¡¯s identity revealed, the room went into an uproar. ¡°To think that this is one of Pill Cauldron Hall¡¯s Three Pill Kings, Elder Qi. I¡¯ve heard that Elder Qi is able to concoct the Inediate Pills that those at the Body Forging stage can eat. He is truly a master alchemist.¡± ¡°What is a mere Inediate Pill? I¡¯ve heard that Elder Qi is trying to create a Divine Origin Qi Pill. Could it be that he is buying the Ginseng Baby for the purpose of creating it?¡± ¡°If that is so, I hope that all of you would stop competing with Elder Qi. As you all know, the Divine Origin Qi Pill is a vital divine pill for us practitioners at the Body Forging stage to break into the Qi Ocean stage. As such, divine pills have been monopolised by the Imperial Court as well as the various sects and powerful families. Individual practitioners like ourselves may not even get our hands on one throughout our entire life. If Elder Qi really manages to create a Divine Origin Qi Pill, no matter where it ends up being sold, it would still give us practitioners at the Body Forging stage an additional chance to try our fates.¡± With this speech, the crowd murmured its agreement. In the end, the Ginseng Baby was successfully won by Elder Qi. Qi Ming held his fists in a salute and said, ¡°Thank you, fellow practitioners, for your virtuousness. I came here only for the Ginseng Baby. Now that I have it, I shall take my leave. If I am really able to concoct the Divine pill, I will definitely fork out a quota and auction it here at Linglong Hall.¡± With that, he made his way to the door and left. The moment Qi Ming left, three people actually followed him out the door as well. Evidently, the Divine Origin Qi Pill was capable of moving people¡¯s hearts. Even though Qi Ming had not successfully concocted it, there were still people willing to invest in it beforehand, as long as there was a sliver of a chance that it would succeed. Even Xu Yi could not help himself, and his heart raced. Breaking the limit of Body Forging and entering the Qi Ocean stage was an extremely large temptation to him. Today, by absolute chance, he had found out that the Divine Origin Qi Pill was the key to him entering the Qi Ocean stage. If not for the fact that he still had his wits with him and could distinguish which matters were more urgent, he would probably have chased after Qi Ming with the rest of them. The uproar that Qi Ming raised, however, did not last long. Very soon, the audience¡¯s attention was once more focused on the new item on the table. After two hours, a total of thirteen items were auctioned. There were divine weapons, precious medicine, and even a three-eyed demon monkey, but there still was nothing that Xu Yi really wanted. Just as Xu Yi was secretly beginning to panic, the silver-robed old man brought out a piece of leather that was only the size of his palm. ¡°Next, the item that we have is a piece of Dragon Alligator scalp. According to records, the Dragon Alligator has existed since ancient times, with a lifespan of a thousand years and the bloodline of a true dragon. It is a creature of a vicious nature that enjoys the cold during the day and heat during night. It inhabits the lowest levels of volcanoes that can be found in places of extreme cold. It is able to swallow ice and spit fire ¡ª a creature of unimaginable might. Its body is full of treasures, but the square inch of skin on its head is the most amazing. As thin as a cicada¡¯s wing but with extraordinary toughness. Virtually impenetrable to swords, and impervious to fire and water. Because an enraged Dragon Alligator can balloon in size, this square inch of the scalp can undergo amazing transformation, shrinking or expanding with ease.¡± As he finished speaking, the silver robed old man called for attendants to display the palm-sized black leather. Firstly, four attendants each held one corner of the leather, and then they pulled in all four directions. The piece of leather actually stretched wide enough to cover half the room without any signs of tearing at all. Afterwards, one of the attendants pulled out a fine sword, and then stabbed with all his might. He went on to attack the leather in all sorts of ways, but it never tore or broke, not even leaving behind a scratch. Next, the leather was tossed into a fire. After being left to burn for a while, it was taken out again. The leather still remained a glossy black, with no hint of being charred. Xu Yi was completely absorbed by the spectacle when he heard someone shout, ¡°Waterproof and fireproof, and even capable of withstanding blades. Although this is unusual, it is not anything special. We are all martial artists here. If we buy the leather, it would be used to make armor. In battles between practitioners, what matters most is whether or not it can defend a strong practitioner¡¯s attack. Just now, the attendant¡¯s cultivation is low, and his sword skills weak. If a strong practitioner attacked with a sword, who knows if the leather would still remain unscratched? ¡°Also, against other practitioners, other than just defending against sharp weapons, punches and kicks are common too. A good armour does not only defend against sharp weapons but also reduces the shock from blunt impacts as well. I wonder, does this piece of leather have such a property? If it doesn¡¯t, then it doesn¡¯t count as anything special. Even if bought, it might as well be for the blacksmith¡¯s amusement.¡± In the face of such a troublesome customer, the silver-robed old man was not frantic or angry. He simply stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°How could there be anything useless sold here at Linglong Hall? Since one of our distinguished guests has his suspicions, I shall allow for a test right here and now! I know that there are a few distinguished guests here at the Qi Ocean stage. May I know if any of you might like to come forward to try?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± A black robed man in the first row and third column stood up. The silver robed old man said, ¡°For the sake of fairness, could you kindly remove your mask so that everyone can see that you are not one of Linglong Hall¡¯s men? Also, as a powerhouse in the Qi Ocean stage, you must be someone of great standing within Guang¡¯an. Even if you do end up buying this treasure, I believe no one would dare do anything, so why not make a grand appearance today?¡± The black robed man laughed out loud, ¡°That is true! Old Lee, of course I am not afraid of people knowing my identity; I¡¯m just here at Linglong Hall to try out something new.¡± With those words, he took off his mask, revealing a square, manly face, sharp brows that reached the temples, and a pair of bright, piercing eyes. Immediately, the room went into an uproar. ¡°Gao Junmo!¡± ¡°Director Gao!¡± ¡°Black-Robed Gao!¡± ¡°Gao Seven Swords!¡± At that moment, lots of sounds were made, but these four terms were heard the most. Chapter 35 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio It seemed that all four names were referring to this one square-faced man. This person¡¯s name was Gao Junmo, the highest commanding officer within Guang¡¯an City¡¯s Guard Forces and the Director of the Patrol Division, hence known as ¡°Director Gao.¡± The local Guard Forces of the Dayue Imperial Court are distinguished by the five colours: gold, purple, black, white and green. In the entirety of Guang¡¯an¡¯s Guard Forces, only Gao Junmo had the right to don the official black robes, hence he is also known as ¡°Black-Robed Gao¡±. Because this man had swept Guang¡¯an with his technique of the Seven Absolute Swords, he was also known as ¡°Gao Seven Swords.¡± ¡°May I know if you all are satisfied with having me as the quality inspector?¡± ¡°Gao Junmo took off his cloak, revealing his pressed official black robes, an awe-inspiring sight. As he finished speaking, the room rang with voices of approval. Gao Junmo smiled. With a flash of steel, a fine sword appeared in his hands. Under the white light, it glistened like clear water. ¡°Wait!¡± Gao Junmo was about to begin his move, but the silver-robed elder spoke once more. ¡°As you all know, Director Gao¡¯s cultivation in the Martial Way is extraordinary, and his Seven Absolute Swords are famous across Guang¡¯an. However, the defensive limits of the Dragon Alligator¡¯s hide has not been fully tested yet. If Director Gao uses his Seven Absolute Swords and tears the Dragon Alligator hide apart, our losses will be too great, and it would be hard for us to account to the party who has entrusted us with the hide. Hence, please do not make use of your Martial Technique, and test it out with just your strength. If it can withstand your full force, it would prove that the Dragon Alligator hide has top-notch defensive capabilities. If it cannot, that just proves that it only has looks and is not worth you gentlemen bidding for it.¡± After the silver-robed elder spoke, the room showed no sign of discontent. After all, everyone knew that Gao Junmo¡¯s Seven Absolute Swords had terrifying might. The Dragon Alligator was, after all, not a divine dragon. How could it hope to withstand such a blow? In Xu Yi¡¯s mind, however, he was being stern. At this moment, he further understood the importance of Martial Techniques. Gao Junmo nodded. With a gentle movement of his wrist, the blade of autumn water in his hand seemed to come to life. With a metallic flash, the sound of the blade cutting through the air could be heard. It was a beautiful sound, like an elegant song. However, what came next was a dull thud. The tip of the fine sword was stopped completely by the piece of leather. The fine sword bent, but even so, it could not penetrate the hide. ¡°WAH!¡± The crowd was in an uproar. Gao Junmo was a powerhouse in the middle stage of the Qi Ocean stage. Such entities were only a few in number throughout all of Guang¡¯an. The might of one swing of his sword was terrifying. Even a small house could be destroyed. However, it was now easily stopped by a tiny piece of hide. If they bought this piece of hide and made it into a leather armour, it would become a worthwhile piece of equipment that could preserve their lives. After all, this was made up of an incredible material that a powerhouse at the middle stage of the Qi Ocean stage could not destroy in one slash. Immediately, the enthusiasm of the crowd skyrocketed. Xu Yi too felt hot blood pumping through his veins. Only by clenching down hard on his own teeth did he not make a sound. He made up his mind. No matter what, he would have that piece of hide for himself. As Xu Yi was staring intently, the piece of hide was then stretched across a piece of Nanmu wood. Gao Junmo gave a long cry, and with a fist that flew like a comet, he punched the piece of hide, causing the whole room to shake as though there were an earthquake. After a deafening bang, the hide was removed, and the wood was broken into two. ¡°OOH!¡± Numerous exclamations of surprise rang across the room. The enthusiasm from the cries made the air feel as though it was about to explode. Xu Yi was also shocked. With his amazing strength of soul, his sense of sight was also heightened. From that punch that Gao Junmo had thrown, he could clearly see that it was many times stronger than the Silent God Fist that Elder Feng had gone through painstaking means to execute. Such a powerful punch. Not only did it fail to damage the leather, but even more amazingly, the Nanmu wood had not been smashed to pieces and was only broken in two. What kind of material was Nanmu? It was simply a type of wood that was relatively more resilient. In this world, it was usually used to make doors, tables or chairs. A practitioner at the Body Forging stage would have a body that has skin as tough as hide and bones as hard as steel, making them much tougher than a piece of Nanmu. For the Nanmu to receive such a heavy blow and only break into two, a practitioner at the Body Forging stage would probably just feel some pain and not be injured in the slightest with this leather armor. Excellent resistance against piercing and a perfect resistance against impact. In the blink of an eye, the value of this piece of hide in the eyes of the audience began to skyrocket. The silver-robed elder was highly experienced, so he could of course tell that the mood of the crowd has been stirred. He gently struck his silver pommel. ¡°The demonstration is over now. Gentlemen, those who are interested may now place their bids! Starting bid of 500 gold, with a minimum increment of 50 gold.¡± ¡°500 gold!¡± ¡°550 gold!¡± ¡°700 gold!¡± Xu Yi had yet to open his mouth, and the Dragon Alligator hide¡¯s price had soared. Indeed, a leather armour that could withstand the full force of a blow from a Qi Ocean powerhouse was something that practitioners below the Qi Ocean stage could only dream of. However, as the price rose up to beyond a thousand gold, the number of competitors, dropped drastically. Firstly, it was because there was a limit to the price, even though the Dragon Alligator hide was no ordinary item. Prior to this, a hundred-fold forged golden broadsword by the Alchemists Chamber that could penetrate ten layers of fine armour had only sold for five hundred gold. Secondly, for those in the Body Forging stage and below, their wealth was limited. Even if they could afford to buy it, they would also be unwilling to spend over half of their family fortune just to buy a piece of raw material. In comparison with the Dragon Alligator hide that had such a high price, a thousand gold could give them a wide selection of defensive equipment. Of course, while some would feel that it was not worth the price, there would be others who would think otherwise. There were still three of them who kept outbidding each other. In no time, the price had gone beyond a thousand gold. ¡°1050 gold!¡± Number seven said angrily. ¡°1100 gold!¡± The one who raised was Gao Junmo. Having tried the Dragon Alligator hide himself, Gao Junmo felt a kind of unexplained excitement. He even wondered if his Seven Absolute Swords were able to break the piece of Dragon Alligator skin. He had never heard of such a leather in existence, and he naturally had the thought of having it for himself. ¡°1150 gold!¡± The one who raised was number twenty-nine. This person was seated not too far from Xu Yi and was one of the two who had arrived last. He had left a deep impression on Xu Yi since. Not only because he was one of the few who gave off the aura of a powerhouse in the Qi Ocean Stage, but also because of his wealth and his willingness to spend it. Of the first thirteen items on auction, this gentlemen had snapped up three of them, spending almost four thousand gold. Xu Yi¡¯s eyes were dazed by this kind of spending. After number twenty-nine raised the bid, he quickly followed. ¡°This Dragon Alligator hide might be special, but it is not omnipotent. A low-grade magical robe from the Alchemists Chamber is worth only two thousand gold, so why compete with me. Why don¡¯t you two show me some face?¡± ¡°Show you face? Who do you think you are? Since we are at an auction, it is natural that the one with more money gets the goods. If you want the Dragon Alligator hide, then show your hand!¡± Number seven said menacingly. ¡°Who do I think I am? Hehe, how many years has it been since I¡¯ve heard such words in Guang¡¯an City.¡± With a whoosh, number twenty-nine ripped off the broad black hat he wore on his head, revealing a fierce, broad face. ¡°Elder Shui!¡± ¡°Could it be? The Shui family from the Four Great Families? ¡°Of course, other than that Shui family, which other Shui family would have an elder at the late stage of the Qi Ocean stage!?¡± Discussions sprung up within the room. The silver-robed elder looked like he wanted to say something, but Elder Shui glared at him with eyes like a tiger, and he could not even move from the pressure that Elder Shui exerted on him. ¡°Director Gao, show this old man some face will you? The Shui family will repay its debts!¡± Elder Shui stared at Gao Junmo and said calmly. Gao Junmo sharp-like-knives brows knitted. ¡°Since Elder Shui has spoken, if I carry on competing, it would be inviting conflict. But remember what you said earlier; the Shui family owes me a favour.¡± With that, he rose to his feet, standing tall, and left the room with large strides. Chapter 36 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio ¡°So, young¡¯un number seven, in your eyes, how much is this old man¡¯s face worth?¡± Elder Shui smiled coldly. Like electricity, his glare zapped straight towards the number seven¡¯s veiled face. ¡°El¡­ Elder, please do not be angry. I am a member of the Feng family. The Shui¡¯s and the Feng¡¯s should be close like family. I hope that Elder Shui can cease your anger on account of your relationship with my elders.¡± At the late stage of the Qi Ocean stage, Elder Shui¡¯s level of cultivation was incredibly strong. The feeling of oppression that came out of his glare had number seven tremble uncontrollably. ¡°Hmph, a spineless rat!¡± Elder Shui turned his gaze to the rest of the room and sternly said, ¡°1150 gold! Old Li, you can strike the pommel!¡± ¡°1150 gold going once, 1150 gold going twice¡­¡± Just as the silver pommel in the silver-robed elder¡¯s hand was about to drop, a voice rang out. ¡°1200 gold!¡± The voice was hoarse and a little weak. But when it spoke, the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees. Without any doubt, the one who voiced out was Xu Yi. At that point, he had already thought things through clearly. His heart was determined to get what he wanted. Money gone can be earned again. If he missed such a divine defensive item like the Dragon Alligator hide, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Furthermore, he knew that he was about to face an endless death match. The defensive abilities of the Dragon Alligator hide was what he desperately needed. As for Elder Shui breaking the rules, he could scare others but definitely not Xu Yi. He already dared to gravely offend a saint like Zhou Daogan, who had supposedly already entered the Fluid Condensation stage, why would he be scared of a mere Elder Shui? ¡°You rat! How dare you!¡± Elder Shui was furious. His eyes flashed as he stared at the close-by Xu Yi. An overwhelming pressure was given off, causing those around Xu Yi to tremble uncontrollably. Xu Yi however, did not shake in the least. With his strong soul power, this bit of pressure barely even caused him an itch. Speaking in his hoarse voice again, he calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, you old thief! This here is Linglong Hall; we follow rules here to do business. It is no place for you to seize whatever you want!¡± !!! A huge tremor could be felt across the room as all eyes gathered towards Xu Yi. The Shui family was a behemoth of a family that had held power within Guang¡¯an for over hundreds of years. When the Shui family head celebrated his birthday, even the Guang¡¯an Governor had to pay his respects. Elder Shui himself was a powerhouse at the late stage of the Qi Ocean stage. To say that he could have his way in Guang¡¯an was no exaggeration at all. Today, he was called an ¡°old thief¡± in front of a crowd of people. Just thinking about it felt unreal. ¡°How bold of you, you rat! I dare you to give me your name; I¡¯ll make sure to show you!¡± Elder Shui¡¯s nose was almost contorted from his anger, and he was just that close to spewing out blood. After having his way in Guang¡¯an for all these years, he had finally seen something today. ¡°Old Li, I have already raised the bid. Please continue to call. If no one else raises, this Dragon Alligator hide will be mine.¡± Xu Yi simply ignored the maniacal Elder Shui, coldly giving the silver-robed elder a reminder. He purposely changed his voice to make it sound older. Hence, when he addressed the silver-robed elder, he spoke as an older person would. Xu Yi knew clearly that no matter how wildly Elder Shui behaved, he still could not afford to incur the wrath of the entire crowd. Furthermore, Linglong Hall had been prosperous in Guang¡¯an for many years and had completed many large transactions, and it was clearly not a company that could be run over by just a single practitioner at the Qi Ocean stage. Indeed, the silver-robed elder spoke. ¡°Elder Shui, this is an auction. If the two of you have any feud, please settle it privately. We will now continue with the auction procedures. Number twenty-three bids 1200 gold. 1200 gold going once, 1200 gold going twice¡­¡± The silver-robed elder was already unhappy with Elder Shui. As a professional auctioneer, anyone who openly suppressed other bidders was seen as an enemy to him. Earlier on, Qi Ming was still considered alright. He was reasonable, and even said that he would sell the Divine Origin Qi Pills here at Linglong Hall if he managed to concoct them, giving quite some face to Linglong Hall. But this Elder Shui was completely unreasonable and was purely acting as a tyrant. The silver-robed elder was, however, stopped by the influence of the Shui family. As he had already let Qi Ming have his way earlier, he could not easily step in this time. At this moment, with Xu Yi opposing Elder Shui fiercely, he was naturally very glad. ¡°1300 gold!¡± Elder Shui¡¯s eyes opened wide as they glared angrily at Xu Yi, as though he hoped to glare him to death. Indeed, no matter how strong the Shui family was or how high the level of his cultivation was, he still did not dare openly seize anything here at Linglong Hall. ¡°1350 gold!¡± Xu Yi raised without a hint of hesitation. He had made up his mind to put in his all. Even if he failed in the end, at least he would have no regrets. ¡°1400 gold!¡± The corners of Elder Shui¡¯s eyes twitched. He forcefully held back the anger boiling in his veins and coldly said, ¡°Number twenty-three, if you stop here, I will take it as though everything earlier on never happened.¡± The moment Elder Shui spoke those words, the audience all shuddered. Since when did the high and mighty Elder Shui speak words of compromise? Those who were more attentive were beginning to wonder which family Xu Yi hailed from. Xu Yi himself was also shaken in his mind, but what followed was joy. He wondered, could it be that Elder Shui had spent too much earlier and was close to emptying his wallet? ¡°1450 gold!¡± ¡°1500 gold! Number twenty-three, are you really trying to go head to head with my Shui family!?¡± Elder Shui was about to go mad! Xu Yi had guessed it half right. Elder Shui was not even close to emptying his wallet, but he had to reserve the money for other uses. The Shui family was incredibly wealthy, and as an elder of the Shui family, he naturally had no shortage of money. This time, for the auction, Elder Shui had prepared a total of ten thousand gold. Little did he imagine that each and every item auctioned by Linglong Hall was so exquisite. From the three items that he had fought to buy, he had already lost over four thousand gold. Calculating it this way, Elder Shui still had over five thousand gold with him, and under ordinary circumstances, him being able to outbid others for the Dragon Alligator hide was almost guaranteed. However, Elder Shui was absolutely determined to obtain the finale item for this auction. With that factored in, the amount he had left to spare for the Dragon Alligator skin was not much. What was worse was that this number twenty-three had come out of nowhere, yielding neither to coercion nor persuasion, and willing to fight it out tooth and nail. Elder Shui had absolutely no idea how much longer he had to keep outbidding him in order to obtain the Dragon Alligator hide. Also, Linglong Hall¡¯s regulations stipulated that the fees had to be paid the moment the auction ended, and temporarily owing them was not allowed. Even if Elder Shui wanted to return home to get more money, he would not have the chance. It was not that Elder Shui had not planned well in advance. It was just that the Dragon Alligator hide¡¯s appearance was too sudden, and it was totally outside of his expectations. His trip here was purely for the finale item. The other three items that he had gotten were just done in passing. He had not known that the Dragon Alligator hide would pop up, catching him off guard. Others might not know how precious the Dragon Alligator hide was, but Elder Shui knew exactly how precious. Thirty years ago, he had once explored the Northern lands with his grand uncle. In a ring of ancient volcanoes, they had encountered a Dragon Alligator. That thirty-meter-long, terrifying monster with a dragon¡¯s body and an alligator¡¯s head had left a deep impression on him. At that time, his grand uncle, who had entered the fluid condensation stage and wielded the family¡¯s treasure, the Azure Phoenix Sword, had only managed to battle the Dragon Alligator to a draw. He remembered vividly that back then, a few of his grand uncle¡¯s ultimate moves had struck the Dragon Alligator on its head but had failed to even leave a scratch. Still to the present, Elder Shui found it hard to forget such a terrifying defensive ability. Today, with the appearance of the Dragon Alligator hide, Linglong Hall seemed to not know its worth. They had allowed Gao Junmo who was merely at the middle stage of the Qi Ocean stage to test it, and they had not even allowed him to use his Seven Absolute Swords. It would be a wonder if they could manage to test the true capabilities of the Dragon Alligator hide. Chapter 37 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Elder Shui had secretly rejoiced the fact that Linglong Hall did not know the true value of the Dragon Alligator hide. He had revealed his identity in order to scare off the competition, hoping to secure the treasure for a low price. But then, there came number twenty-three, a fella who would not yield the easy way or the hard way. 1500 gold was already the limit that Elder Shui could fork out. He clearly knew that if the price were to continue to increase like this, he would not be able to harbour any hopes of securing the treasure revealed at the finale. Who knew how many of those men in the room were waiting just for that one finale item. There were even a few there who had not even bid for a single item since they stepped into the room. Clearly, these people were there solely for the finale treasure. At this moment, Elder Shui could only hope that the established name of the Shui Family could scare Xu Yi into submission. He had even used his position as an elder representing the Shui family to threaten Xu Yi not to go head to head with him. But alas, Xu Yi had boldness than a yellow dragon¡¯s, and he naturally had the gall to fight on. ¡°1800 gold!¡± Xu Yi saw through Elder Shui and could tell that he was at his limit, hence why he decided to go all in. Leaving himself no room for retreat, he suddenly raised by 300 gold in hopes to crush the final line of Elder Shui¡¯s psychological defence. And the figure of 1800 gold was the highest price that Xu Yi could afford! He only had 2000 gold with him. If 1800 was used to obtain the Dragon Alligator hide, the remaining 200 was meant to help him process the hide into armor. If Elder Shui could exceed this bid, then he had no choice but to return empty handed. Sadly for Elder Shui, he shot Xu Yi a look of loathing, then shut his eyes and stopped speaking. Xu Yi had guessed right. With his sudden raise of 300 gold, he had displayed a tyrannical show of confidence that he could win no matter what, completely destroying Elder Shui¡¯s final line of defence. After all, compared to the finale item, the Dragon Alligator hide still paled in comparison. Although seething in rage, Elder Shui was not one to lose a big kill over small game. ¡°1800 gold going once, 1800 gold going twice, 1800 gold going thrice; it¡¯s a deal! The Dragon Alligator hide goes to guest number twenty-three!¡± With the crisp sound of the pommel, the silver-robed elder announced the new owner of the Dragon Alligator hide. He looked towards Xu Yi with a reassuredly. As the sound of the pommel reached Xu Yi¡¯s ears, the pressure on his heart immediately dissipated. But soon after that feeling, his heart clenched as waves of pain came sweeping over him. Xu Yi pained because of that 1800 gold. From extreme poverty to sudden wealth, and then from sudden wealth to sudden poverty again. The change was just too quick, and it was hard for him to handle. If he had used the 2000 gold to enjoy himself, he could have comfortably lived out the rest of his life. But no matter what, compared to hedonistic pleasures, his own life was definitely more important. As Xu Yi was wallowing in his pain and sorrow, the voice of the silver-robed elder rang again. ¡°Distinguished guests, our next item of the auction is¡­the very last item of this auction ¡ª the grand finale. I believe many of you have heard the news and already know of this item, and I also believe that many of you have come specifically for this item. That¡¯s right; it¡¯s not just my dear guests. Even I myself cannot help but feel my heart race when I see this treasure, even after all the countless treasures I have auctioned. Alright, I shall keep the suspense no longer. Open your eyes wide, everyone! Let me present you the finale item for today!¡± As he finished, pulled away the cloth revealing the auctioned item. It was an entirely round and white metal ball the size of a chicken¡¯s egg, resting atop a fiery red display cloth. Xu Yi¡¯s mind exploded. He felt as though his brain had been struck by a hammer, and he began to shake uncontrollably. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams that Linglong Hall¡¯s finale item was the exact same item that he had secured in his waist pouch. The only difference was that the metal ball that he had was significantly larger than the one on the table. Xu Yi had seen the wonders of the metal ball, and he knew that it was no ordinary item. But he had no idea that it was so precious and could even be worth being a finale item at such an auction. What is a finale item? It is definitely the most precious of all the treasures being auctioned. From the start, Xu Yi had secretly marvelled at each and every treasure that had been put up for auction. The metal ball actually surpassed all of those treasures and was the finale item. That fact alone was a testament to its value. As Xu Yi sat there, madly overjoyed, the crowd was in a frenzy. ¡°What is that!? Could that be a metal spirit!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely a metal spirit. Round as a ball, white as snow, and clear as jade. These are the traits of the metal spirit only spoken of in legends!¡± ¡°If it is really a metal spirit, it is truly priceless. Who would bear to put such a treasure up for sale!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The pommel sounded again, and the crowd fell into silence. The silver-robed elder smiled and said, ¡°Distinguished guests, you are all correct. This is indeed a metal spirit. I am sure some of you know what a metal spirit is, but for those who do not, I shall give a simple explanation. As the name suggests, it is a spirit amongst metals. This metal is no mortal metal but a metal that has fallen from the heavens. As recorded by the ¡°Annals of Exotic Objects,¡± it is a heavenly metal that fell from the sky for seven days before landing on precious land, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, and the spiritual energy of the sun and the moon. Only after a thousand years, and sheer miraculous odds, will a metal spirit be born. ¡°This metal spirit is naturally round, white as snow, and clear as jade. Although it has no life, it behaves as though it does. Capable of countless transformations, it can change its form based on the force of its wielder¡¯s palm. According to legend, skilled creators can transform the metal spirit into anything under the sun.¡± As he spoke, the silver-robed elder quietly exerted force with his palm. The metal ball transformed into all sorts of shapes. ¡°Such detailed transformations; it is indeed a divine item! Elder Li, you don¡¯t have to explain anymore. Hurry and start the auction!¡± someone shouted out impatiently. Indeed, there were many treasures in existence, but no one had ever seen one that could change its shape based on their will. ¡°Slow down, slow down. The transformations of the metal spirit may be amazing, but if it is only capable of transformation, how is it different from a child¡¯s toy? Please continue to explain its intricacies, Elder Li.¡± The one who spoke was Xu Yi. More than anyone else, he was curious as to what the metal spirit actually was. He had come across it at the auction purely by chance. It would be foolish if he did not grasp the opportunity to find out more. As the main auctioneer, the silver-robed elder naturally wished that his treasures could fetch the highest price that it could. Just like how he had borrowed Gao Junmo¡¯s hand to test the Dragon Alligator hide in order to sell it for such a good price. Right now, he naturally could not be happier to hear that Xu Yi wanted to know more about the intricacies of the metal spirit. ¡°You have asked a great question, distinguished guest! The metal spirit is not only capable of transformations. As a weapon, its might is unparalleled.¡± As he spoke, he exerted the force of his palm once more. The metal ball transformed into a sword, one moment crossing from left to right, the next moment cutting from front to back. Wherever the blade crossed, silver light flashed, providing a brilliant display that sent the crowd roaring. Xu Yi however, stayed silent. He was already aware of this function of the metal ball. Although it looked mighty with the sword aura slashing in all directions, its actual function was limited. He had once tested it out with other objects and had proven that when transformed into a sword, it could pierce bricks and wood but not metal. That day, when he was stabbed by the transformed metal ball, it was only because the white sword had coincidentally stabbed through the spaces between his bones that it managed to penetrate his body. If not, with his cultivation at the peak of Body Forging, the white sword would be unable to pierce through his bones which were as hard as steel. In other words, although the transformations of the metal ball seemed powerful, its practical use was limited. Against those below the peak of Body Forging, it was deadly. But against those at the peak of Body Forging or beyond that, the efficacy was extremely limited. Especially against a powerhouse at the Qi Ocean stage. It would probably pose no threat at all. All of these details, he kept to himself. He was not foolish enough to announce it to the rest. Chapter 38 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio After the silver-robed elder finished his performance, he continued, ¡°The transforming white ball creating a crisscross of sword aura is only just one of the many uses of the metal spirit. Do you all know of Feng Xifeng, the Sword King of the Dayue Imperial Court¡¯s Three Great Martial Kings, and how he obtained his Divine Impetus Sword? That sword was forged with this very kind of metal spirit as the main material!¡± ¡°What! That Divine Impetus Sword that had dominated throughout the fourteen states was actually made out of this? Word has it that back in the day, the Sword King had once cleaved off the top half of a mountain; that was the power of the Divine Impetus Sword!¡± ¡°The power of the Divine Impetus Sword cannot be denied, but do not try to fool us, Elder Li. As far as I know, the Divine Impetus Sword is completely red, just like blood glistening under sunlight. It is not white at all. How dare you say that it was made from a metal spirit!¡± When those words were spoken, the crowd went into an uproar. The silver robed elder-struck his silver pommel hard and coldly said, ¡°Our Linglong Hall has been established in Guang¡¯an for over two hundred years. Since when have we committed such fraud? Fret not, all of you. This friend of ours knows this one thing but not the other. The metal spirit is no ordinary object, hence the divine weapons forged from it are no ordinary weapons either. From what I know, twenty years ago, when Sword King Feng was still young, and before he earned the name of ¡®Sword King¡¯, the sword he held was as white as snow. Twelve years ago, the sword was a pale red. Eight years ago, when the name of the ¡®Divine Impetus Sword¡¯ had spread across the lands, the blade was blood-red. Do you all actually think that in the span of twenty years, Sword King Feng used three different divine swords?¡± ¡°Could it be that weapons forged from metal spirits can evolve? Over those twenty years, the fine sword forged from the metal spirit had turned from white to red, continually evolving!¡± The words slipped out of Xu Yi¡¯s mouth. The silver robed elder gently-nodded, with a pleased look in his eyes. The crowd erupted with noise, and a few tables and chairs were even smashed here and there. A weapon that could continually evolve. What a tempting thought. Martial arts practitioners loved divine weapons, and this was true anywhere. A practitioner could train and increase his cultivation, but a weapon has no way of progressing. In the end, the practitioner usually has no choice but to say goodbye to his weapon that no longer suits him. But a weapon that has been by your side for years is not something that is so easily discarded. Firstly, humans are emotional creatures. Even a pen or a piece of paper that has been used for a long time would have sentimental value, even more so a divine weapon that had accompanied you across the lands. Secondly, a divine weapon that has accompanied you for many years was as good as an extension of your hand. Abruptly changing to a new weapon would take time to get used to. Right now, faced with the possibility of an evolving weapon made from a metal spirit, these two problems can be completely overcome. Naturally, this was a huge temptation for everyone present. Furthermore, with a famous divine weapon such as the Divine Impetus Sword as a predecessor, everyone knew that a weapon made out of the metal spirit would definitely be unbelievably powerful. With both a precious armour and a divine weapon soon to be in his hands, it was a double cause for celebration. Xu Yi¡¯s heart was pounding, but his mind was still clear. He spoke. ¡°There is one thing I still do not understand. Everyone knows that as practitioners, a divine weapon is of utmost importance to us. The metal spirit is such an amazing item. Why would the owner bear to put it up for sale?¡± Xu Yi had not planned to be a wet blanket, but as long as this question was not answered, he could not rest at ease. After all, he had a metal spirit sitting in his own pocket. The moment Xu Yi finished speaking, the mood in the room fell, simply because Xu Yi had asked the right question. The metal spirit was not unlike any of the earlier items which were unusual but not necessarily rare. In other words, the chances of gaining such an item again was still really high. Even if the Dragon Alligator hide was considered rare, as long as Dragon Alligators did not go extinct, there would still be the chance of a Dragon Alligator hide being available for sale again. But the metal spirit was an object of legends. Across the entire Dayue Imperial Court, only the Sword King¡¯s Divine Impetus Sword was known to be made of such a material. There was no other news of a metal spirit that existed anywhere else. For the owner to willingly put such a rare item up for sale, what secrets lie behind it? Although Xu Yi practically spoiled the mood for the auction, the silver-robed elder was neither alarmed nor angry. He calmly replied, ¡°A good question, distinguished guest! The reason why the owner was willing to put this up for sale is simple. He had possessed the metal spirit for many years, but alas, he is still unable to forge it. As for the specific reasons, I am not aware. I believe that it is either because the method to forge it is hard to obtain, or it is hard to successfully forge it. In summary, the original owner was unable to enjoy its benefits. Instead of holding onto it in resentment, he chose to put it up for sale. At this point, let me remind all of you, although a treasure is a good thing, it still needs a capable person fated to own it. Hence, when announcing your bids later, I advise you all to think before you leap and not be blinded by its temptation.¡± With such a speech, Xu Yi really had to take his hat off to the silver-robed elder. The old fella was truly crafty to be able to turn such an unpleasant situation around. As practitioners who were at least at the peak of Body Forging, none of them in the room would feel that they were ordinary individuals, and none of them would admit that they lacked the ability. With those words from the silver-robed elder, each member of the audience was inadvertently hyped up. Who would still bother to think about the suffering and effort that the original owner had gone through for decades? They would only think that he was not wise or resourceful enough and that they themselves would definitely succeed in his place. As expected, after the silver-robed elder addressed all matters and announced the starting bid of ¡°2000 gold,¡± the crowd went out of control. Just as Xu Yi was calculating how high the price could go, in the blink of an eye, the price had soared to an unbelievable figure thanks to the crowd of people with fire in their eyes. Elder Shui bellowed, ¡°5000 gold,¡± and before he could follow up with any threats, another figure was already called out. The price was soaring to above 6000 gold. In the end, while Xu Yi¡¯s eyes were still dazzled, the auction came to a close. The metal spirit finally ended up in the hands of Elder Shui. When Elder Shui raised up a golden pill in his hands and shouted, ¡°I will exchange it for a Divine Origin Qi Pill. Who dares to compete,¡± Xu Yi¡¯s mental faculties broke down. He was practically seeing stars. All of the storm that was raging was put out at that moment, and everyone went silent. All that was heard was a crisp sound of the pommel, and everything ended. Even after returning to his private secret room, after forking out the money to obtain the Dragon Alligator hide and walking through the passageways that snaked everywhere, Xu Yi¡¯s pounding heart still had not calmed down. A Divine Origin Qi Pill! It was the divine pill that all those in the Body Forging stage could only dream of. Entering the Qi Ocean stage from the Body Forging stage was like a step into immortality. One¡¯s strength becomes Qi, and True Qi can be released from the body, making one immensely powerful. But in order to achieve all of this, the condition was to open up the Qi center to store True Qi. The Divine Origin Qi Pill was made specially to open up the Qi center of Body Forging practitioners, and it was exceedingly rare. Earlier during the auction, when Elder Qi from the Pill Cauldron Hall was buying the Baby Ginseng, that was just to attempt at making a Divine Origin Qi Pill. That alone had garnered the awe of the entire crowd. Elder Shui had brought out an actual Divine Origin Qi Pill. He had no idea how much one would actually cost. Xu Yi had bit on his own tongue just so that he would not blurt out the words, ¡°I¡¯ll trade you for that¡±. Xu Yi stepped through the passage way absentmindedly. The black robe was already returned, and the Dragon Alligator hide was in his pocket. By right, he had definitely gained a lot today at Linglong Hall, but in his mind, the notion that he had lost something great was to heavy to dismiss. ¡°Sir, you had me waiting. So how was it? Linglong Hall¡¯s auctions are quite something, right? What did you manage to get, sir?¡± As Xu Yi¡¯s mind was wandering, Yuan Qinghua popped out of nowhere. Chapter 39 Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio Xu Yi replied, ¡°What could I get? All those lucky enough to sit in there are from the wealthiest families. The little money that I have is hardly worth anything to them. Oh right, have you sold that green blade of mine?¡± ¡°Sold, sold. I never thought that that little green blade would actually be made out of Geng metal, and I didn¡¯t think that it¡¯d sell for 150 gold. The old man who was buying it off me actually tried to swindle me by offering 100 gold. I brandished that blade around his hall for a while, and the old fool could not stand it anymore and called me back. It was only after another long round of haggling that he finally agreed to fork over 150 gold for it. I¡¯ve checked privately; this price is the highest possible.¡± Yuan Qinghua described his exploits animatedly, and afterwards, took out six gold vouchers; one for a hundred gold and five for ten gold, as well as a proof of transaction and handed them to Xu Yi. ¡°Not bad at all, it¡¯s been tough for you!¡± Without even looking, Xu Yi received the gold vouchers, took one for ten gold, then placed it back into Yuan Qinghua¡¯s hands. Yuan Qinghua was overjoyed, ¡°You are indeed forthright, sir. I have been in this business for years, but I have never seen a customer such as you, sir.¡± Yuan Qinghua was greedy, but he was not a treacherous person. Xu Yi¡¯s impression of him was getting better. He smiled. ¡°This is what you deserve. You don¡¯t need to thank me. It¡¯s alright. You can go do your own thing now. I have things to do, and I must go.¡± ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you want to look for a heavy weapon?¡± Yuan Qinghua asked, flustered. ¡°There were too many amazing treasures at the auction ¡ª so many that no ordinary item would catch my eye anymore, so let¡¯s save the trouble!¡± In truth, this was simply because his wallet was practically empty. After obtaining the Dragon Alligator hide, he was only left with around 200 gold which he was saving for processing the hide into armour. Furthermore, he had hoped to get a high price for the green blade that he had Yuan Qinghua sell, but little did he expect that it was only worth just over a hundred gold. Adding them together, he only had a mere 350 gold. After seeing true valuable treasures, Xu Yi knew well that with this amount, it would be practically impossible to buy anything that he truly wanted. With those words, Xu Yi began to walk away. Yuan Qinghua quickly followed behind. ¡°What¡¯s this about? Our deal is already complete, or have you grown attached to me?¡± Xu Yi raised his eyebrows. Yuan Qinghua waved his hands, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, sir. How could I be thinking of such things? I just wanted to ask if you would like to hire me for the long term. My fees are not high: just a monthly salary of twenty, no, fifteen gold will do.¡± As a guide, Yuan Qinghua had a pitiful way of earning a living. His daily income was truly ****, and sometimes, he went for days without even getting any business. Today, running into such a generous customer like Xu Yi was like a gift from the heavens. In an entire year, he only earned a mere 60 or 70 gold. With the high cost of living in East City, and with the costs related to maintain his training, he was truly amongst the lowest rung of East City¡¯s inhabitants. ¡°I can¡¯t afford you!¡± Not only could Xu Yi not afford him, but there was simply no reason to adopt such an expense. Xu Yi was not some dealer who had to go through the city every day. What could he hire Yuan Qinghua for? To pour his tea? ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me sir. I could tell right from the start that you were no ordinary man. In future, you will surely be known throughout Guang¡¯an. How could you go around without any followers to handle menial tasks? Just take your trip to East City today as an example. If you would have had a follower such as myself, then there would be no need for you to make a trip down here personally. Now sir, you must be thinking right now, there is no way you could be at ease letting such a follower hold on to so much money for you. You might not know this, sir, but if I were to offer you my services, I would definitely make it so that you can rest at ease; I can sign a blood pact with you. In the future, whether it is buying herbs, running errands, or even sourcing for intel on enemies and collecting information, I can take care of it all. And with the blood pact in place, you would have no need to worry about me having ulterior motives.¡± ¡°Blood pact? What is that?¡± When Xu Yi heard ¡°sourcing for intel¡± and ¡°collecting information,¡± he suddenly felt that he could have some use for this guy. Yuan Qinghua explained, ¡°A blood pact is a blood talisman that is guided by an oath formed between two parties. It is established by offering a drop of blood. After the blood pact is activated, should one go against the oath, one¡¯s heart would be devoured by the blood pact and die.¡± With that, he took out two pieces of paper from his pocket. One was the bright red colour of fresh blood, and Xu Yi recognised the other one: a certificate of transaction from Linglong Hall. Xu Yi could guess that the blood red one must be the blood talisman, whereas the other was a proof of purchase of the blood talisman. Clearly, Yuan Qinghua was worried that Xu Yi would doubt the authenticity of the blood talisman, so he had brought it out as proof. Xu Yi guessed right. When Yuan Qinghua had sold the green blade, he already had the intention of working solely for Xu Yi and had bought the blood talisman then. Seeing Yuan Qinghua¡¯s sincerity, Xu Yi found it hard to refuse. In his mind, he began to calculate the pros and cons, but his feet continued walking. Without realising it, he had stepped back onto the stone bridge that they had come by earlier. Looking towards the west, on the duelling platform, two men were once again battling it out, swords and sabres clashing. The only difference was that the flag by the platform was black instead of white, and there were far more audience numbers. Suddenly, Xu Yi had an idea. He said, ¡°Since we have discussed this far, I shall hire you!¡± Xu Yi was lacking in funds. Severely lacking in funds. At the moment, he was only left with 350 gold. In order to forge the Dragon Alligator hide into a leather armour, he definitely needed a lot of funds. Other than that, he had also hired the services of Linglong Hall to obtain certain herbs, which would cost 200 gold. Combining the two expenses, Xu Yi¡¯s 350 gold would definitely be completely spent. Furthermore, after seeing what the metal spirit could do, he also had the intention of forging the metal spirit as well, which would likely cost another huge sum of money. Having lived across two worlds, Xu Yi¡¯s mind was mature, and he knew well that a horse can never get fat without eating grass at night, and a man can never get rich without additional sources of income. As the saying goes, those who kill and plunder wear belts of gold, and that was exactly how Xu Yi had gotten his ¡°additional income¡± of 2000 gold. At the moment, after entering Guang¡¯an City, killing and plundering was no longer an option. However, there were still ways around conventional means of earning money in order to earn a quick buck. Xu Yi¡¯s intention was to take advantage of the betting around the duelling platforms. Very soon, he would be taking part in numerous battles on the duelling platforms. If he lost, it meant death, so there would be no point in leaving money behind. But if he won, that meant that he was sure to earn. He would be a fool not to place a bet. Since he had made up his mind to do so, Xu Yi naturally could not forget about Yuan Qinghua. For such a task, when it came to experience, how could he match up to one as seasoned as Yuan Qinghua? Being able to use Yuan Qinghua as a puppet was the main reason why Xu Yi agreed in the end. The two of them discussed terms, and Yuan Qinghua brought Xu Yi to his tiny home in East City. He opened up the red talisman, bit his index finger, and dripped a drop of blood onto it before reciting his oath. The contents of the oath were basically how Yuan Qinghua should be loyal in providing his services for his master during the time he is employed, and how he must never reveal any secrets of his master even after his employment is terminated. With his part of the oath recited, Yuan Qinghua gave a signal, and Xu Yi recited his part too. He promised to pay salaries on time, not to go against their agreement, and so on. With the oaths sworn, Xu Yi acknowledged it in his mind, and a small opening automatically opened on his fingertip. A drop of blood so thick that it seemed solid floated out, and it landed right on the blood talisman. The two drops of blood intertwined, and suddenly, the blood talisman burst into flames, turning in to a blood red ray of light and shooting towards their hearts. With the blood pact complete, Xu Yi told Yuan Qinghua where he was staying, then he left. Chapter 40 Red bricks and green tiles. Green trees and red flora. Narrow courtyards were glistening with serenity and elegance. When Xu Yi stepped foot in the courtyard, Little Qiu was helping Uncle Mu walk out of the main house. With a night of good rest and after taking two prescribed doses of tonics, Uncle Mu¡¯s complexion improved tremendously. He was able to hobble slowly. When she caught a glimpse of Xu Yi, the young girl shouted: ¡°Hey, Uncle Beard, where are you this early morning? We¡¯ve been searching for you.¡± Xu Yi hastened his steps and rubbed Little Qiu¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping for quite some time. Haven¡¯t you slept enough? Look at the dark black circles on your white face. Here you go, I¡¯ve brought you some snacks. Eat it quickly before you catch a nap. Do not worry about Grandpa; Uncle Beard is here.¡± He dangled an exquisite paper box while he rattled it. That was the snack he had brought from Linglong Hall. The little rascal opened the paper box and was immediately attracted by the various delicate snacks. She finally broke into a smile and tapped Xu Yi on his lap. ¡°Uncle Beard is so good.¡± She returned to her room with her present. ¡°You over-indulge her!¡± Uncle Mu chided hoarsely, then sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve burdened you.¡± Xu Yi waved his hand. ¡°Uncle Mu, there¡¯s no need for such words. Let¡¯s go. Let me bring you out to the courtyard to sit under the sun.¡± It was gloomy at dawn. Now the skies had cleared up. A red hot sun hung against an azure sky. It was August. However, autumn had yet to arrive. The climate was barely chilly. It would be one of life¡¯s simple pleasures to snuggle against a heavily cushioned armchair and read a book under some shady corner. Uncle Mu had been blessed with a good and healthy body. Despite his severe injuries, Xu Yi had generously bought the best quality tonics to help with his recuperation. After taking the tonics for one day, although it was still a far cry from full recovery, Uncle Mu was holding up excellently. Xu Yi sat on a stool and struck up small talk with Uncle Mu. He engaged the old man in interesting stories along the Nielong River. Xu Yi was knowledgeable and Uncle Mu was well travelled. The duo were chatting away happily. A few moments passed, and Little Qiu brought out some snacks on a serving tray. She flapped her arms as her joyful feet carried her out of the house. ¡°Let¡¯s hear some interesting stories! Grandpa and Uncle Beard, how about you have a contest? The better story-teller shall be rewarded with a snack.¡± Little Qiu had been untamed since a young age. Her sorrows had usually been transient. After spending the past few days with Xu Yi and being surrounded by delicious food, her thoughts were preoccupied with intriguing food ideas. She had indeed no time to dwell in sorrow. Xu Yi grabbed her with his big hands and ruffled her hair. Little Qiu¡¯s neat, bowl-cut hair was a mess! She was utterly infuriated and slammed her head into Xu Yi¡¯s arms. After several playful moments, Xu Yi did not wish to disappoint her. He sat patiently with her and told her a story about the Princess and a Pea. The story mesmerised Little Qiu, who listened attentively without uttering a word. At this instant, there was a commotion outside the door. They heard neat and rhythmic marching sounds. Xu Yi frowned, then offered a smile. ¡°Uncle Mo, the opera singers are here. Would you rather listen to them inside the house or out here in the courtyard?¡± ¡°My ears are bad. Let¡¯s hear them out here.¡± Though Uncle Mu was uncouth, he was a proud man. Before he finished his words, a team of soldiers in black armour flooded through the entrance. Upon entering the door, they split into two teams, and within minutes, they had besieged the duo. Their swords were unsheathed, their arrows were mounted, their armour was shining under the light, and death was in the air. Xu Yi ignored the enemies. He tapped gently on Little Qiu¡¯s head and cautioned, ¡°Be good and sit still. Close your eyes when you are afraid.¡± The little rascal raised a brow. ¡°As long as Uncle Beard is with me, I shall have no fear!¡± Before the childish voice trailed off, the little one fainted with a loud bang. Out leapt an enormous tiger with white spots above its eyes. It landed in front of the trio. Its disc-like head was ferocious. Its whiskers were super lengthy and almost pricked Little Qiu. Its gigantic mouth was able large enough to hold a bucket. Its fangs were cold and merciless. Hot air fumed from its nose and mouth. The heat was sufficient to straighten the hairs on the back of the neck! ¡°You have killed my son!¡± Jiang Shaochuan, clad in gold crown and silver armour, rode on the tiger¡¯s back. He wielded a three-yard long Fangtian Huaji weapon and bellowed in a thunderous snarl. With that roar, Jiang Shaochuan drove his halberd fiercely into a white stone board. A thunderous bolt came out, and the ground shook violently as if there were a hidden dragon rolling over beneath the ground. Soon, the sheer force cracked the stone board into pieces. ¡°Damn! It¡¯s a mere beast, and it dares to intimidate me.¡± Xu Yi did not bother looking at his opponent. He opened his big hand and delivered a blow across the huge beast¡¯s fiery face. There was a loud slap, and the enormous tiger hissed and roared in pain. The stoic animal bent down painfully. In its defeated state, it looked more like a sick cat than a majestic king of the jungle. Xu Yi plucked a bunch of its whiskers, and the suffering animal was jumping up and down. What just happened was astonishing. The beast did not retaliate. Instead, it retreated. Xu Yi chuckled, ¡°Are you Mr. Jiang from the Black Dragon Hall? There¡¯s a saying that knowing someone by his reputation is not as good as meeting him in person. It really amazes me that the reputable Hall Master Jiang has stooped to such superficial means. After all, a bandit is a bandit. If I had the guts to kill your son, would I be intimidated by his father?¡± Xu Yi was indeed a sharp, brave man. Upon seeing Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s formation, he immediately knew that his enemy was scheming for the priceless metal spirit. It was a simple conjecture. If Jiang Shaochuan had no scheme, there would be no purpose for his visit. There was a feud between them. It would be much easier for Jiang to kill him on the battlefield. The show Jiang had put on was merely used as a facade to intimidate Xu Yi. When Xu Yi was intimated, it would be easier for him to succumb to a verbal battle. However, Xu Yi was crafty and refused to let Jiang Shaochuan challenge him to a duel. He intended to wipe out Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s force with one move. Xu Yi was fearless and took full advantage of the order against private duels in Guang¡¯an City. He had taken a calculated risk to know that despite Jiang Shaichuan¡¯s prowess and fury, he would not have fought him then and there. Furthermore, Jiang Shaochuan had shown all that he had in the earlier confrontation. Since he had no qualms and nothing to be fearful about, Xu Yi would take advantage of the golden opportunity of Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s visit. Jiang Shaochuan was wild with his fury. He wielded his weapon that caused deafening air currents. It was as if he was about to strike. Xu Yi brought Little Qiu to his lap and sat quietly. He was as cool as a cucumber. He picked up a snack and offered it to Uncle Mu. Grandpa shook his head to decline. Xu Yi smiled and put the snack in his mouth. He slowly devoured the snack and was enjoying the tastiness of it. His nonchalance infuriated Jiang Shaochuan. His rage had nearly caused him to fall off the back of the beast. ¡°What does the motherfucker want?¡± Jiang Shaochuan roared. ¡°Order all the black ghosts out of the courtyard. After that, drive this sick cat out of my house,¡± Xu Yi stated clearly and calmly as he picked out another colourful candy. Chapter 41 Jiang Shaochuan stared intently at Xu Yi with his bloodshot eyes for quite some time. Suddenly, he raised his arm and waved it. His two teams of black armoured soldiers made their way out as noisily as they had entered. The enormous beast stomped the yard before he leapt out through the door. It was as if it had no motivation to linger any longer in the courtyard. Its hurry to make an exit enraged Jiang Shaochuan. He picked up a halberd and threw it at the tiger. The weapon brushed past its skin and wrecked the nerves of the beast. Xu Yi was bored by the antics. He abruptly told the furious Jiang Shaochuan to wait for his return before he carried the sleeping Little Qiu to her room. In a few minutes, Xu Yi returned and impolitely beckoned, ¡°Follow me!¡±. He hastened his footsteps towards the penthouse. Xu Yi sat himself on a bamboo chair in the penthouse and faced his visitor in a cross-legged position. An injured Jiang Shaochuan finally caught up. He had chipped his teeth and broken one of his fingers. Upon entering the room, he lashed out. ¡°You killed my son. We are forever enemies. Young man, I¡¯ve found out all about you. You are one lowly fellow. You¡¯re nothing in the eyes of our Black Dragon Hall. We can easily get rid of you. Do you believe so?¡± ¡°I do!¡± ¡°You, you¡­¡± Jiang Shaochuan had started to feel like he was suffocating. He felt that he had limited brain power to deal with Xu Yi. He had come prepared with lengthy scripts to help convince Xu Yi. However, he had no opportunity to present them. Xu Yi believed him easily. How could Xu Yi have trusted his words so easily? Xu Yi was anxious as he noticed how Jiang Shaochuan was flushed with anger. ¡°I believe you! What do you expect me to do? Commit suicide to apologise to your dead child?¡± Jiang Shaochuan felt like crying. The result was unexpected as it had deviated from his plan. All his plans were foiled. ¡°Young man, now I see it. You are quite ruthless and devious. Let me be honest. My silly son has made his own death bed for himself. This responsibility, I¡¯m prepared to bear it. However, you¡¯ve indeed taken something that does not belong to you. You have to return it. I can give you my word. If you are willing to return the item you¡¯ve taken, we will call it quits. Otherwise, the formidable disciples of our Black Dragon Hall will hunt high and low for you in Guang¡¯an City. There are hundreds and thousands of us, and there is only one of you. Tell me, what¡¯s your decision?¡± Jiang Shaochuan was indeed a smart man and a formidable leader. Initially Jiang Shaochuan had thought Xu Yi must have been one reckless and impetuous chap who had slain his son. He had intended to coerce him into submission. However, he had seen through Xu Yi¡¯s gimmicks and ploys. He decided to be upfront and direct with him. ¡°I like this way of making a deal!¡± Xu Yi shook his leg while he spoke. ¡°You should have told me that you wished for me to return the item to you earlier. I¡¯ve tried that fascinating item. After several attempts, it¡¯s only so-so. If you want it back, I¡¯ve no issue!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Jiang Shaochuan was flabberghasted. He had thought it would have been a hard fight with Xu Yi. In fact, when he had discovered that his son was the burglar of the Metal Spirit, he wanted to skin his son alive. The vengeance he had for Xu Yi was directed at the stolen Metal Spirit more so than any resentment he had for Xu Yi for killing his child. At this moment, upon hearing that Xu Yi was willing to return the Metal Spirit, his mission could be deemed accomplished. He was finally relieved. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you know what¡¯s important!¡± Jiang Shaochuan extended his hand towards Xu Yi. Xu Yi glared at him. ¡°What do you mean by that? I can return the item to you. However, it must be a fair deal. You son deserved to be killed. What about my family member who has been injured? What about the Giant Green Carp that I painstakingly caught? And what about the destruction you¡¯ve brought upon my house¡¯s courtyard? How about the mental anguish we¡¯ve suffered for offending you and your Black Dragon Hall¡­¡± ¡°Stop the bullshit. How much money are you asking for? Just name a price!¡± Jiang Shaochuan managed to control his nausea. He cut Xu Yi out in a bellow. He finally realised that Xu Yi was a hooligan. That rascal even had the gall to talk about his post-traumatic anguish. He did not display any fear for the Black Dragon Hall. He played it down right dirty. ¡°Great! I like it when you are direct. I will be just as upfront. I have wanted to ask for one thousand taels of gold. How about I give you a friendship discount? Eight hundred taels of gold!¡± Xu Yi was smiling with elation. Bang! Jiang Shaochuan threw his fists wildly in the air. The rooftop above the penthouse was lifted up in a flash. He mustered his eloquence to shout, ¡°Get out!¡± He was infuriated. It felt like his anger had compressed all his internal organs. He had been around for many years, and he felt like he had just been taken for a ride by Xu Yi. ¡°Hall Master Jiang, though this small house is a public house, I¡¯ll have to pay for all damages to it. However, since we are acquainted, I don¡¯t mind paying for the repairs on your behalf. My final price: eight hundred taels of gold. If you agree, then we¡¯ll have a deal. If you disagree, please leave immediately. I¡¯ll accept the consequences for your vengeance.¡± Xu Yi¡¯s pockets were not deep, and he really needed money. He had rushed back from the Linglong Hall to wait for opportunities with the wealthy folks like Jiang Shaochuan. ¡°I think you are extremely greedy! Do you believe that I can buy ten of your lives with those eight hundred taels of gold?¡± Despite the embarrassment and anger he had to suffer in front of Xu Yi, he had no wish to leave. He knew that Xu Yi wanted to make a pile from him. And yet, he was bent to get ahold of the Metal Spirit. It would have been a more logical approach to kill Xu Yi in a duel. If Xu Yi were to be defeated, he could obtain the Metal Spirit. However, there was a risk. No one could have prevented Xu Yi from hiding the Metal Spirit in another place. That consideration is what had brought Jiang Shaochuan to pay Xu Yi a visit. He had wished to settle the matter quietly. ¡°Is eight hundred taels of gold expensive? Please don¡¯t try to bully me, Hall Master Jiang. Since we¡¯ve no deal, I¡¯ll bring the item to an auction. Lets see if there is anyone who appreciates the item and pays a good price,¡± Xu Yi threatened. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Jiang Shaochuan screamed upon hearing Xu Yi contemplating auctioning the item. Early that morning, an amazing bit of news was received from the auction meeting conducted at the Linglong Hall. The elders from the Shui Clan had exchanged a Metal Spirit for a Divine Origin Qi Pill. The news became the sensational talk of the city. Jiang Shaochuan had feared that his stolen Metal Spirit would be auctioned. That¡¯s what called for his visit to Xu Yi. At this instant, he heard that Xu Yi had tried out his Metal Spirit. He thought it was queer and mysterious. That showed that Xu Yi did not realise the value of the Metal Spirit, and he still had possession of it. Perhaps it would be easier for him to force Xu Yi to return it. But Xu Yi had the nerve to suggest that he¡¯d take the treasure to an auction. If his treasured Metal Spirit were to be auctioned, it would be a catastrophe. Despite its origin in Guang¡¯an, few had seen the treasure. Once its presence was revealed, there would be a disaster. When that time came, he would be denied a chance to possess the Metal Spirit. He would have paid with his life ten times over. Chapter 42 ¡°Who are you to object? If you have no interest in making a purchase, I¡¯ll find another buyer. What¡¯s it got to do with you? You¡¯ve no say!¡± Xu Yi retorted vehemently. Xu Yi was unaware of how Jiang Shaochuan had used unscrupulous means to lay his hands on the Metal Spirit. Nonetheless, he had known that if one possessed a treasure, the owner would not declare publicly. Especially if the owner¡¯s prowess and the treasure were deemed incompatible. Because of this, he had predicted Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s extreme reluctance to let everyone know that he was the owner of the Metal Spirit. Fortunately for Xu Yi, he had experienced a unique auction that morning. He knew how to leverage that experience to intimidate Jiang Shaochuan. ¡°Five hundred taels of gold. I¡¯ll buy it for five hundred taels of gold!¡± Jiang Shaochuan could no longer tolerate it. He would have much to lose. His trick had worked. Xu Yi was elated. However, he showed his disgust. ¡°Nine hundred taels of gold. Not one cent less!¡± Jiang Shaochuan frowned angrily. ¡°Who bargains like this? The selling price is escalating. You are a bully!¡± Xu Yi turned devious. ¡°If you utter another word, I¡¯ll raise the price again. I don¡¯t care if you buy it. When I get irritated, I¡¯ll sell it at Linglong Hall. Even if I¡¯m only paid one penny for it, I¡¯ll be resigned to it. Don¡¯t you dare infuriate me!¡± Having been through numerous verbal battles, playing with words was but a simple trick. Jiang Shaochuan knew that he should leave this place. Otherwise, he might have a stroke. He left abruptly. He conducted a body search on all his troops. He managed to pull together the nine hundred taels of gold and stumbled towards the penthouse. Compared to his majestic arrival with his troops, Hall Master Jiang wondered if he had brought his men in order to borrow money from them? ¡°Take it!¡± A dazed Jiang Shaochuan entered through the door and threw a stack of money on the stool that Xu Yi was sitting on. It was known that a blind man could see when he saw money. A cripple could stand upon seeing money. A few lengthy moments passed before a lazy Xu Yi stood up. He stared intently at the thick stack of money. He counted it meticulously. Swoosh! Xu Yi grabbed the pile of money and slipped it into his waist bag. He headed towards the door. Jiang Shaochaun moved forward to block his way. Xu Yi raised a brow. ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯d run away? It¡¯s such an interesting item. How can I bring it along with me all the while?¡± Jiang Shaochuan grudgingly moved aside. Xu Yi headed out of the room. Very soon, he returned in a marching stride. He held a unique and magnificent fan in his hands. He swung it three times, and when he got close to Jiang Shaochuan, he closed the fan and handed it over. ¡°I don¡¯t feel hot. Quick, get to the point!¡± Jiang Shaochuan peered at him angrily. Xu Yi was taken by surprise. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Have you not come all the way for this fan? Now that I¡¯m returning it to you, you are dragging your feet!¡± ¡°What? Say it again!¡± Jiang Shaochuan pulled down his face. His body was tense and arched. He was like an ignited bomb, ready to explode. Xu Yi was a cool, calm, and collected. In an aristocratic tone, he said, ¡°I took this fan from your dead son. I saw that it had exquisite and enchanting painting. It¡¯s an air of magnificence, so I claimed as my own. This item has good aesthetic value. I¡¯m prepared to sell it away. Since you¡¯ve come for it and are willing to pay me a good price, I¡¯m most pleased to sell to you. Now that I¡¯m ready to relinquish possession, are you trying to back out of our deal?¡± ¡°You¡¯re most despicable: a rascal, a swindler, and a hooligan¡­¡± Jiang Shaochuan glared at Xu Yi, he could not help himself from spewing all those nasty words. Xu Yi remained calm and composed. He took a seat on a chair and raised his cloven feet. He was enjoying a good show. After venting his frustrations, Jiang Shaochuan shut up and peered at Xu Yi with evil intent. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve a reputation to think about, if word gets out that you are a man who dishonours his word, what would others think of you?¡± Xu Yi retorted, ¡°What do you mean that I go back on my word? Old man Jiang, are you still in a daze? I¡¯ve meant the fan for this entire conversation! You never specifically disclosed the item you are after. I assumed that you wanted to buy the fan and keep it as a memento of your son. Now that I¡¯ve brought you the fan, and this item is not what you¡¯re after, how can you lay the blame on me? Jiang Shaochuan was utterly speechless! He was no match for Xu Yi in eloquence and craftiness. If this were a card game, it would be pretty obvious that Xu Yi had the upper hand for he was able to foresee Jiang¡¯s moves. Poor Jiang Shaochuan was led into the game unwittingly, and in the end, he lost everything that he had. Gosh! Jiang was a mute victim and had to suffer in silence. ¡°Fuck you. I wanna be upfront with you. Hand over the Metal Spirit, and I¡¯ll disregard this episode. If you don¡¯t comply, I¡¯ll make sure that you perish. We have many highly skilled pugilists at our Black Dragon Hall. We have plenty of money to hire these folks to assassinate you. How many lives do you think you have?¡± Jiang Shaochuan finally exploded in rage. Xu Yi took a quick, cold glance at him and sneered. ¡°I¡¯ll think you¡¯ve fascinated yourself with your acting skills. If you¡¯re a beautiful, dainty lady, I¡¯ll join you playfully. Take a good look at yourself! And who¡¯s that hiding outside the door? How long do you wish for him to stay in hiding? I¡¯ve no time to squander on you and your nonsense.¡± Jiang Shaochuna was horrified, and his terror showed on his face. He stared at Xu Yi in fear and was pondering over the same question: how could Xu Yi have known about that? ¡°Hey! You by the corner on the wall. You¡¯ve squatted for a long time. Come in and have a drink,¡± Xu Yi shouted abruptly. Xu Yi¡¯s asset was possessing strong soul power. This unique talent would help him contend with his competitors in the future. His indomitable soul power had endowed him with tenacious mental strength, superb resilience, and superior precaution ability. Since Jiang Shaochuan and his armoured men entered the door, Xu Yi had detected the presence of a man standing outside the door. His extortion tactic had worked. He was uninterested in continuing the conversation with Jiang Shaochuan any longer. Hence he hastened to make Jiang show hand in the game. As soon as Xu Yi spoke, quick footsteps followed. Shortly after, a middle-aged man dressed in a green uniform and a grey hood entered the room. He could not hide his embarrassment as he stole a glance at Jiang Shaochuan. He coughed aloud and spoke to Xu Yi. ¡°I am Chen Bing, the deputy principal from the Referee Department of the Taxation Office. I am on a special errand to bring this referee event update to you. You have been invited to a duel by the Deputy of the White Horse Branch Hall within the Black Dragon Hall. The duel is scheduled tomorrow at noon. You have two options: either accept the invitation to duel or leave Guang¡¯an City before midnight. Otherwise you¡¯ll be held in contempt for breaking our city¡¯s law.¡± ¡°I accept the duel!¡± Xu Yi looked playfully at Jiang Shaochuan and asked, ¡°Hall Master Jiang, you¡¯ve offered to let me go if I¡¯m willing to hand over that item, have you not?¡± Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s face reddened in a flash. He was unable to respond. There was nothing more humiliating that having his lie exposed by his foe. Just moments ago, he loudly exclaimed that he would let bygones be bygones if Xu Yi were to return his Metal Spirit. At the same time, the Deputy from the Referee Department was hidden outside the door, ready to issue the duel notice. If he had been able to cheat Xu Yi, he would let go of the matter. However, he did not succeed in his attempt, and instead, he had been swindled for nine hundred teals of gold. Not only was he unable to gain an advantage, he ended up worse off. That was really an utter humiliation. ¡°Damn it! Your death is near!¡± Jiang Shaochuan straightened his neck and lashed out in anger. He left without looking back. He decided to be ruthless. If he could retrieve the Metal Spirit, so be it. Otherwise, Xu Yi would be the perfect scapegoat for the theft. Chapter 43 Wind blew slowly from the top of the eastern mountain. Xu Yi was shirtless as he squatted in a horse stance. He spread his arms out, his hands open flat as he held a stone dumbbell weighing more than 50 pounds in each hand. After sending Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s audience away, he ate his lunch, took a nap, took a cold shower, and calmly thought about himself. He then channelled his attention too the two stone dumbbells in the courtyard. His cultivation had already reached the peak of the Body Forging stage, and he was going all out. A strike from him had the force of a bull. Two 50 pound stone dumbbells were originally difficult to train with, but Xu Yi had his own ideas and managed to come up with such a position. Everyone knew that any ordinary person could carry a hundred-pound sack, but it was difficult to hold ten pounds in one hand and balance it horizontally. As for opening one¡¯s palms to support the item, even a weight of 5 pounds would be hard to maintain. Xu Yi maintained this difficult position as he raised the two 50 pound stone dumbbells. The stone dumbbell bar was thin and round, and it was extremely difficult to balance in one¡¯s palms. Furthermore, as the bar was long and thin, in order to raise both stone dumbbells at the same time, he had to raise one hand higher and the other hand lower. This position was extremely difficult. Xu Yi¡¯s physical strength was amazing, but after an hour, he felt exhausted. His amazing willpower carried him through the hour as both his arms were numb from the pain, and sweat trickled down his skin until no more sweat could be produced. He was hanging on until suddenly, his entire body felt light, and his soul was empty. There was a sense of happiness in the depths of his soul. Xu Yi could feel that every time his body was beyond exhausted, there was always an unspeakable sense of satisfaction deep down inside. He guessed that as his physique became stronger, his soul became stronger as well. The logic was simple. A person with a stronger body tends to have more energy and vigour, and this was a reflection of their soul power. Xu Yi was not wrong to think that way, but he only knew part of the truth. In this situation, under the Zen Buddhism, he had developed ¡°Fighter Determination.¡± There were great monks in the Zen Buddhism who meditated and maintained a certain position. They could go for days without sleep, detached from the real world. It was a mysterious and wondrous spiritual world. Under the high intensity training, Xu Yi could focus and forget about everything. After focusing, his spirit guarded the physical body as he continued high intensity training, lending credence to the term ¡°Fighter Determination¡±. According to Fighting King Buddha, from the beginning of his training, he could stay focused in battle, battle after battle. Coincidentally, Xu Yi had the Fighter Determination today. On one end, his body could reach a point of high intensity, which nurtures the soul. On the other, the soul would nourish and train the body painlessly and fearlessly. However, Xu Yi was in the Mysterious Realm and realised the beauty of the body and soul. ¡°Uncle Beardo, how long are you going to train for? I want to eat!¡± Little Qiu hollered from a corner of the bed as she stuck her head out. Upon hearing this, the soul shook, and the pain crumbled. Two stone dumbbells slipped away one after another as Xu Yi¡¯s body went soft and almost collapsed to the ground. The coincidental Fighter Determination was stopped then and there. Xu Yi regained his consciousness and thought about the Mysterious Realm. He stretched out his arms and touched them, not noticing any difference. However, deep down, he felt that there was something different. ¡°Uncle Beardo, we are hungry!¡± Little Qiu could not take it anymore, and she finally came out of her room and hugged Xu Yi¡¯s long legs, shaking them hard. ¡°The delivery man has arrived at the door; go get the food.¡± Xu Yi¡¯s voice fell as the sound of the bell kept ringing. Little Qiu immediately let go as she let out a squeal and bolted out. ¡°No!¡± Xu Yi said to himself, ecstatic. He knew what was different, his sense of awareness was more powerful. Originally, he could perceive the movement about ten feet around. However, this kind of perception was a slipshod awareness. He could feel the people and things around once he closed his eyes. At that moment, although the range of his sense of awareness was widened, it was not refined. For example, when someone was knocking on the door just now, in the past, the most he could do was sense that someone was coming to the front of the door, but he could not tell in which direction he was coming from. Yet, just now, not only could he clearly sense that someone was about to enter, he could even hear and sense the soft sound of the person holding a copper ring. Xu Yi closed his eyes, opened his arms, and let go of all his consciousness. At that moment, the world was alive once again and changed. In the nest next to the old ten-foot-tall locus treetop, the little hawk was opening its tender yellow beak, waiting for its mother to come and feed it. In the Petal Serpent Cave, the shell of the snake¡¯s egg was cracked. In the fish tank in the middle of the neighbouring courtyard, three gold carp broke the surface in exchange for air. The evening wind blew slowly as the bamboo leaves rustled and the flowers fell. Xu Yi was using each cell in his body to read the world. ¡­ After eating dinner, Xu Yi waited for Uncle Mu to take his medicine and lie down. He moved the bamboo back and relaxed in the courtyard. Little Qiu, who loved company, pestered him for two stories before falling asleep on his lap. Using the dim light to read his book, Xu Yi raised his head and looked at the sky. In the remote galaxy, the stars shone brightly. The Big Dipper was like a spoon. It was too dark and semi-hidden. The more Xu Yi looked at it, the less he could help but be a little surprised. He was a stranger in a foreign land and was afraid that only this vast, starry sky could allow him to find traces of his previous life. ¡°Fairy Xie ended up traveling with a bright moon. I don¡¯t know how to cultivate to such a level if I am able to reincarnate and return to the original world,¡± Xu Yi muttered to himself. Just as Xu Yi was feeling homesick, someone was heavily banging on the door, and he lost his chain of thought. Xu Yi knew who was coming and quickly carried Little Qiu back to the room before hurriedly returning and opening the door. ¡°In the evening, you are never doing anything at home. I am coming over.¡± It was Master Zhou. His clothes were untidy, and he panted heavily as if he was panicking. Waiting for Master Zhou to continue, another person ran into the door, grabbed Xu Yi¡¯s shoulder, and shouted, ¡°Sir, this is a good opportunity, one from Heaven. Hurry up and put the money with me, and I will place a bet. It will be a huge loss if you miss it.¡± This person was extremely skinny, and his face was large. There was a huge bag on his back. It was not Yuan Qinghua from East City who was hired by Xu Yi in the morning. Master Zhou and Yuan Qinghua suddenly came together and were both anxious. Xu Yi guessed that the first one came to block the second. As such, he introduced the two of them to each other and invited both of them inside to the stone table of the courtyard. After half a column of incense was burnt, Xu Yi figured it out. It turned out that at 10 o¡¯clock at night, there had been a purple flag showdown at Guang¡¯an City. The purple flag bearer was dedicated to the showdown of the elites of the peak of Body Forging stage. In recent years, due to the fight between the elites in peak of Body Forging stage, Guang¡¯an City was going to hold its first fight this year. Once the news was out, the whole city was shocked. As Guang¡¯an City was already gambling haven, as soon as the news that the peak of Body Forging stage Elites were about to fight, the gamblers in Guang¡¯an city went wild. Chapter 44 ¡°Brother Yuan, you just shouted at the door asking for money to place bets. You even shouted that it would be a huge loss if I missed this opportunity. It seems that you are very sure on who the winner will be,¡± Xu Yi said as he smiled stretched his hand out to pick up the copper pot to refilled Master Zhou¡¯s cup. Yuan Qinghua said, ¡°Sir, you may not have been aware that today¡¯s competitors are extraordinary people. They are elites who¡¯ve gone for the Purple Flag eight times. You must know that this is a platform of life and death. Being able to survive this eight times is enough to prove the unparalleled power of these top elites. In retrospect, other high-achieving opponents, like that unknown Yi Shenbu¡­ Although he is said to be marvelous, no one has ever seen him fight before¡­¡± ¡°Bragging about Yi Shenbu? What logic is that?¡± Xu Yi interrupted. He thought that it was Yi Shenbu, yet did not understand why he went to Guang¡¯an City for no rhyme and reason. Also, how did he attain Shenbu¡¯s aura? Yuan Qinghua continued, ¡°Sir, no one will know how to answer what you ask. I have been in various trades in Guang¡¯an City. It is only through spending countless years that I¡¯ve wrapped my head around this.¡± ¡°What nonsense!¡± Xu Yi exclaimed. ¡°Sir, you do not know this, but this is actually a smoke bomb released by a lot of gambling stalls, known as Maze Array. This time, because Gao Pan is competing, whoever wins and loses is basically set in stone. Those who open betting stalls are most afraid of such outcomes as most of the time they lose. They cannot accept the betting market, otherwise it will tarnish their reputation. At that point, they only have two moves left,¡± Yuan Qinghua said, embarrassed. ¡°The first is to desperately reduce Gao Pan¡¯s odds. Take today for example. The highest odds of Gao Pan winning are ten to one. Another move is to constantly build momentum for the weaker party. By going around and spearing how powerful the weaker one is and hiding this fake news, it confuses the audience. Of course, these tricks are useless sometimes, as they are unable to deceive the veterans. However, they can cause chaos in the city and confuse others. After all, there are also many teenage girls and ladies who have been hooked by this bait. They are not very good at judging, and they have inferior gambling skills. They are baited by this fake news and end up losing big time.¡± Xu Yi¡¯s face broke into a smile upon listening. ¡°What are the odds of Yi Shenbu winning?¡± ¡°Two to one!¡± ¡°What; how is that possible? Gao Pan¡¯s are ten to one, proving that everyone thinks highly of Gao Pan winning. In that case, shouldn¡¯t Yi Shenbu¡¯s odds be higher? How can it be two to one. Furthermore, isn¡¯t it too unethical for the betting stalls to state such information? How can both parties have such low odds?¡± Xu Yi was very upset. He was determined to make a fortune from the betting stall. Who knew that he would meet with a sly owner who crushed his dreams. Yuan Qinghua said, ¡°Such gamblers will definitely win this bet, and the gambling stalls will accept it with gritted teeth. How would gamblers dare to complain about the stores being unethical? As for the odds of Yi Shenbu, the betting stalls did not state that the odds are one to a few tens as it would attract poor ghosts to fight. It is nothing more than a ruse to match their rumours.¡± ¡°Think about it; if Yi Shenbu¡¯s odds were one to a few tens, the market would not be optimistic about having Yi Shenbu on the line. The rumours will not last long and will not be able to deceive big shots. On the other hand, if it were changed to a few tens to one, it would be seen as bragging and the rumours would be seen through easily. After all, Yi Shenbu¡¯s is just a fabrication, but Gao Pan¡¯s is the real deal. Betting stalls created these rumours to make them believable. Otherwise, it would come across as ridiculous. Therefore, the odds of two to one are the most reasonable.¡± Yuan Qinghua had spent a lot of time in East City (Guang¡¯an) over the past few years. He was lively yet suffered a lot. He did not have any money as he had spent it all on gambling. His monthly salary which he worked so hard to get was mostly spent on gambling, with the remaining used for subsistence. Although he lost more than he won, he gained experience through betting and was very aware of the gambling stalls¡¯ ruses. After hearing Yuan Qinghua¡¯s analysis, Xu Yi could only resent him in his heart, keeping his unhappiness to himself. Xu Yi was silent, but Yuan Qinghua was impatient and yelled, ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t afford to delay. We have to place our bets as soon as possible and follow this trend. Who knows; Gao Pan¡¯s odds might be lower. I¡¯m afraid that if we wait, it will become forty to one or fifty to one. Furthermore, I have already placed my bet, what are you waiting for? Look, these are my betting tickets. Today I earn ten gold from you and another ten from my other buddy. I have used all that money to bet!¡± After speaking, he reached his hand out and took out a piece of red palm-sized paper. ¡°Alright, stop talking. I¡¯ll place my bet!¡± Xu Yi had hired Yuan Qinghua to do this. He took a stack of gold vouchers from his pocket and placed it on the stone table. ¡°In total, 1000 gold vouchers. Buy them all.¡± The 900 Gold from Jiang Shaochuan along with his original 350 Gold made up to a total of 1250 Gold. He used 1000 to place a bet. Yuan Qinghua had known that his boss was arrogant, but not this arrogant. 1000 Gold on a bet? Not even a rich noble would dare to do this. ¡°Alright, do not worry sir. I will go and come back to try and attain thirty to one before buying them back for you.¡± Yuan Qinghua was afraid that the odds would change as he grabbed the golden tickets and bolted. ¡°Hold up! I haven¡¯t said who to place the bet on. Place it on Yi Shenbu and buy from whichever stall has the highest odds,¡± Xu Yi grabbed Yuan Qinghua¡¯s wrist and commanded in a low voice. ¡°What!?¡± Yuan Qinghua was shocked, making his hair stand. ¡°Sir, are you sure!? That is equivalent to burning your money. If you think you have too much money, you can just give it to me!¡± ¡°What rubbish! Do you know who Yi Shenbu is?¡± ¡°Could it be that Boss knows?¡± ¡°He is your Business Owner!¡± Yuan Qinghua widened his eyes in shock as if he had seen a ghost. He thought about his boss¡¯s surname and the signboard of Guang¡¯an that was hung in Furong Town. He finally understood. ¡°This, this, how¡­¡± Yuan Qinghua was speechless. He did not know what to say. He wanted to advise his boss to run away quickly, yet he also knew that the odds were released from the gambling stall and that his house was under close surveillance. It was ridiculous to persuade the boss that Gao Pan would win, and he could not bring himself to do it. What was worse was that he had just been hired, and the room in East City had been rented out before he came. He had just brought his luggage over. Was Heaven playing a joke on him? He had yet to officially begin working and his boss was about to die. Xu Yi pondered and thought about it. He smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there; I know my place and am aware. Quickly place your bet for me. Don¡¯t worry, if I die on the fighting stage, you will have a year¡¯s allowance given to you. Yuan Qinghua¡¯s face changed as he hurriedly said, ¡°Boss! I am not doing this for the commission! Forget it, forget it. As a favour to you and a token of my loyalty, wait here!¡± After speaking, he bolted into the darkness. Chapter 45 ¡°Look at your steady posture. It seems that you are confident?¡± Master Zhou took a sip of tea, holding half a tea stalk between his teeth as he spoke for the first time. Xu Yi said, ¡°I do not have a winning ticket, but I am open-minded. Since I cannot run from it, why not deal with it head on?¡± ¡°Then you still gave your kid 1000 Gold to bet that you would definitely win!¡± ¡°Master, think about it. If I lose, I will definitely die. There is no use leaving this money behind. If I somehow manage to emerge victorious, how can I let this opportunity to earn money go to waste?¡± ¡°Haha¡­good lad. Facing adversity head on, respect!¡± After laughing, Master Zhou held the tea up and drank it. He said, ¡°Now it seems that my worries are for nothing. Not only is your kid brilliant, he is also courageous. You can sit quietly and predict the outcomes. Why not share your worries with me?¡± The glistening tea was poured into the porcelain cup once again as the smoke rose up. Xu Yi put the pot down and smiled. ¡°I do not have any plans. Just use my strengths to compensate for my shortcomings.¡± ¡°I am relieved.¡± Master Zhou nodded. He said, ¡°Some people have been struggling for half their lives and have yet to win a fight, but you have won it with your words. Initially, I was a little worried that you would not be here for the second half of my life. I feel a huge burden off my chest now.¡± After speaking, he stood up shakily as he mumbled inexplicable words under his breath and strode out. Not long after Master Zhou had left, Yuan Qinghua came in dripping with sweat and placed one hand on his waist and squeezing a foot of thick paper in another hand. He placed the stack of paper on the stone table and held the tea pot, infuriated. He then opened his waist pouch, took out two black tickets, scanned them, then placed one of them in front of Xu Yi. ¡°Sir, I have already bought them. 1200 Gold placed on Yi Shenbu winning, with 2 to 1 odds.¡± ¡°Why are there two black tickets?¡± Xu Yi remembered that Yuan Qinghua¡¯s original ticket was red. Yuan Qinghua said, ¡°Sir, you have no reason to ask this. Ask around Guang¡¯an; am I one who is disloyal? Since you have already placed your life on the line, why would I not spare another 30 gold? I have already become your bookie. After getting the money, I place my faith in you. Take it as I am rooting for you.¡± These generous words were actually hidden with meaning. The reason he turned and betted on Xu Yi was not because of loyalty, but after careful consideration, he was determined to be bolder. Who was his boss to him? Although they barely knew each other, Yuan Qinghua knew him well. This was definitely a guy who was calculative and haggled over every penny. He was definitely careful and could not afford to lose a little. Seeing that the battle of life and death was imminent, this person sat firmly on the fishing platform and said nothing. However, he dared to spend thousands of gold to bet on him winning. If there were not a 90% chance of winning, who would do it? In a nutshell, the reason why Yuan Qinghua turned was not because he knew that Xu Yi¡¯s cultivation skills were profound, but it was to suppress Xu Yi¡¯s unparalleled mind. With regards to Yuan Qinghua¡¯s calculations, Xu Yi could clearly see it. He secretly praised him for his extraordinary knowledge and showed a thumbs up. Yuan Qinghua ignored Xu Yi as he grabbed the stack of paper and piled it in front of Xu Yi. ¡°Sir, now is not the right time to pretend you are a celebrity. Going to the ring is a battle of life and death. Gao Pan has survived this eight times, and this is definitely not just based on luck. This is the information I¡¯ve attained from Gao Pan¡¯s past qualifications and news that I¡¯ve found from his past eight fights.¡± Talking business terms, Xu Yi was the boss and Yuan Qinghua naturally did not want him to lose and end up losing his life. Speaking of personal relations, he could not let his rice bowl go down the drain. What¡¯s more, he had bet heavily on Xu Yi. Although he believed in deceiving the boss, he definitely would not make a joke of his life. However, he had the ability of a man to increase the odds of the Business owner and bet on his own. Furthermore, this would increase his chances of winning, and he was naturally happy to do it. ¡°It has been hard on you. Let¡¯s take it slow. Go and rest. The second room on the left is yours.¡± After speaking, Xu Yi took the information and stood up. At that moment, they returned to their rooms. When he got to his room, Xu Yi threw the pile of information into the trash. It was not that he was arrogant; it was about his self-confidence. He was confident that this terrifying body of his that had been tortured for the past two years would meet all the challenges of the forging period. Furthermore, he had shocking defense power of a crocodile hide. After closing the doors and windows, Xu Yi¡¯s eyesight was amazing. He did not need to turn on the lights. He just took out the crocodile skin and rubbed it for a moment before it turned into various shapes in his hands. Originally, he also thought about turning this crocodile skin into a set of leather armour. Who knew that this battle was so imminent. Fortunately, although it had yet to become a set of armour, he thought of a way that was useful. After glancing for a while, he retracted the leather material into the pouch, threw himself onto the bed, calmed himself down, and instantly fell asleep. He fell into an extremely deep sleep, and the hours passed. He opened his eyes and stood up and stretched out before opening the window. He saw Uncle Mu holding a cane, slowly walking down to the flower pond. Little Qiu was kicking a shuttlecock. The colourful shuttlecock flopped around on her small legs and lingered like a rainbow. It landed without much sound. The sun was just right, and the air was clear. Taking a deep breath, one could smell the floral fragrance, and Xu Yi grew more fond of this tranquility. If he was not so filled with hatred, he would not mind living on this plain site, feeling full, and truly enjoying the company of people. ¡°Boss, you have finally woken up!¡± Yuan Qinghua, who had been squatting at the door and watching Little Qiu kick the shuttlecock, heard movement in the house and shouted. He carried a basin of water and toiletries and ran in. Xu Yi first washed up, then went to get breakfast. Meat buns, rolls, dough fritters, pancakes, and fruits along with a carton of fresh milk. He asked for a lot at once as he was afraid that if he ate too little, he would have no energy to go up at noon. This small gesture of his made the annoying Little Qiu rattle on. Xu Yi did not hold back as he gobbled up the food. In an instant, all the food on the table, including the ten kilos of milk, had been swept up by him. He had cleared all the food and lost a ten-gold ticket. He commanded Yuan Qinghua, ¡°There is nothing to do. Go and find a better house and we will move over. This is a public place and would be uncomfortable to live in. In addition, we will hire a few more girls and an auntie. Although we have 3 meals a day, there is food in the store. Our masters also can¡¯t handle the work at home.¡± Although he had suffered a lot, Xu Yi was one who liked to enjoy life. Since he had the money and the qualifications, he was naturally willing to make himself comfortable. Yuan Qinghua was in a daze for quite some time before reality hit. He did not know how to evaluate this boss of his. He was narrow-minded and did not have a big heart; he was simply heartless and inhumane. Chapter 46 The battle of life and death was crucial, and it was here. Among competitors of the same level, there was no concept of a sure win. This elderly man did not care about this. Once he got out of bed in the morning, he did not care that the entire city was filled with warriors engaging in life and death battles. Instead, he started to nag. After nagging, Xu Yi finally thought about something important. ¡°Oh? Speaking of which, could you go to a stall and buy a thick, sturdy rope, about the thickness of a fishing line. One yard will do. I may need it for the battle later.¡± As his words fell, Yuan Qinghua disappeared at lightning speed. It was the first time Xu Yi realised that this new ¡°labourer¡± was actually of Intermediate Body Forging Cultivation. Little did he know that the Yuan Qinghua before him was close to losing his mind. Yuan Qinghua was a thousand times more careful and anxious with anything concerned with battling. However, Xu Yi had only told half of the story to the annoying Little Qiu before Yuan Qinghua came in dripping with sweat. ¡°Boss, this rope is extremely sturdy, but its material is unknown. However, it is refined from gold and is exquisite. I heard that experienced fishermen have captured giant whales with this rope. Its strength is evident, and its price reasonable. A yard of such rope only costs three Gold. I reckon that this is a good investment.¡± Yuan Qinghua rattled on as he exhibited the exquisite and intricate rope. After a while, he used a pair of scissors to cut it violently. However, the rope remained intact. Xu Yi retrieved the rope and tested it in his hands. He was extremely pleased. Just at that moment, a shriek emerged from outside. Yuan Qinghua rushed out then back in. ¡°Boss, it is the government. There is only an hour left until noon. We should immediately head out.¡± Xu Yi nodded and said, ¡°Go out and welcome them. I will be out in a minute after I¡¯ve changed.¡± ¡°Uncle Beardo, are you going to go out and fight?¡± Little Qiu walked out the door and suddenly turned around to speak. ¡°It is not fighting. I am just teaching a jerk a lesson. At the same time, I¡¯m getting some money to buy something good to eat for Little Qiu.¡± Xu Yi carried the little rascal and planted a kiss on her forehead. This girl whose face was like enamel really made one affectionate. Little Qiu stretched her soft hands in front and touched his rough, scraggly beard. With a serious voice, she said, ¡°Uncle Beardo, don¡¯t lose the fight. No matter how seriously injured you are, you have to come home.¡± ¡°Silly girl, what are you talking about? Your Uncle Beardo is invincible.¡± Xu Yi pinched her cheeks as he spoke. This little girl was definitely worried to the core. ¡°OK, my Uncle Beardo is the best!¡± Little Qiu nodded with vigour. After a while, Xu Yi waited for Uncle Mu to take his medicine. The old man looked at Xu Yi with affection as the latter went onto the cart arranged by the government. The final battle was set to be at East City. The cart had just entered the East City Gate, and Xu Yi began to feel that today¡¯s East City was indeed different from that of yesterday. The original bustling streets were empty as if there had been a hurricane. Not only were there a few passers-by, but even half the shops were closed. This was the scene for most of the roads. After a while, the cart entered a majestic building in the shape of an egg shell. The cart did not stop in time as Xu Yi was under the command of a young man in green uniform. After entering the left corridor, they turned into a wide hall that was about seven to eight feet tall. The large hall was in a warm colour, and it was extremely empty. There was a long metal table in the middle of it, and a bearded old man sat there quietly, savouring the tea. It was as if he was not disturbed by outsiders as he stared blankly at the old book of legends in his hands. ¡°Uncle Ning, this is another warrior who will be joining the battle. You may begin the blood test.¡± The young man in green broke the silence. Xu Yi then realised that this old man was actually a surveyor. A drop of condensed dark blood droplets dripped precisely on the piece of pure white cobblestone. At that moment, the cobblestone emitted a faint brilliance that was golden purple, black and white. A variety of colours shone one after another and finally settled down to a greenish white colour. ¡°It is confirmed that this warrior is at the peak of the Body Forging stage!¡± Uncle Ning shouted as he took out a copy and put a seal on it. After the test, Uncle Ning worked hard on the book again. The young man in green led Xu Yi out through the door. Suddenly, another middle-aged man dressed in the same clothes hurried in before whispering a few words to the young man and leaving. The young man in green led Xu Yi to the west side of the corridor. Although that person¡¯s voice was soft, Xu Yi could clearly hear what he said. ¡°Director Gao wants to see him.¡± Sure enough, Xu Yi went into an elegant room and met Gao Junmo. Director Gao, who had a square face and sharp brows, was holding a glass of bright red wine. He was nestled in a soft rattan chair and was laughing with three men in white. Seeing Xu Yi come in, Gao Junmo stood up as he gestured to the young man in green to take his leave. He looked at Xu Yi and smiled. ¡°You are Xu Yi? The one who dares to stand on the pier and give the command in the streets, saying he wants the maniac killer Yi Xu who killed dozens of people?¡± ¡°I am Yi Xu, but I am not a maniac killer. I kill people not out of violence but out of duty.¡± Xu Yi stared directly at Gao Junmo and spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly. He knew from Master Zhou that Gao Junmo had once spoken up for him. He made suggestions to the government to not allow the Black Dragon Hall to challenge him yet was rejected by the government. The government deemed it as ¡°not abiding by the rules.¡± Xu Yi had a good impression of this director. ¡°Alright, someone who knows the difference between violence and responsibility is my kind of man!¡± The director¡¯s eyes lit up, filled with admiration as he said to Xu Yi, ¡°It stands to reason that you are working for the public and killing the thugs. It really stretches the arm of the Dayue Imperial Court law. The government has made a lot of profit and I speak well of you to them, putting you in a good light. It is because of me that the Patrol Division is inferior to you.¡± Xu Yi arched his hands. ¡°Director Gao you are too harsh. I do not take these harsh words to heart!¡± Since entering the public gate, Xu Yi had already realised the benefits of being in the public gate. One was that he had good practice in the six gates. He has long-term intention in the public gate and naturally wanted to reach greater heights. At that moment, Gao Junmo took the initiative to come out. It was a great opportunity. After some estimation, he predicted Gao Junmo¡¯s temperament. He knew that being courteous would only make the other party look down on him and become wild and unruly, making an impression on the other party. Sure enough, Gao Junmo raised his head and laughed. ¡°Who am I to sing praises of myself? Who is the hero? Bohan, Peilin, Zhognshu, isn¡¯t my judgement okay?¡± ¡°General, your vision is extraordinary!¡± ¡°Since when has director made a bad judgment?¡± A plump man and a skinny man beside Gao Junmo smiled and saluted him. Only the strong burly man frowned and never spoke a word. Gao Junmo smiled, ¡°Zhongshu, do you have a differing opinion?¡± The burly man said, ¡± How can I have a different opinion about the humble job? It is just that I have seen too many mouths speak and people who have been reckless. This generation is bold and foolish. They do not even know that they are facing death and are still so full of themselves. Xu Yi looked at him for a moment as he thought to himself, this old man had never met him before. Why was he targeting him? Chapter 47 Gao Junmo waved as she smiled. She directed at Xu Yi. ¡°Please do not take offence. He¡¯s an outspoken person. Let me introduce you. These three men are my top three constables in Guang¡¯an City. They¡¯re my right-hand men. The plump one is Qi Bohan. Song Peilin is ingenious, and the outspoken one is Li Zhongshu. ¡°Yi Xu,earlier we spoke of the Patrol Division. Owing that to you, I, Gao Junmo, have a principle of not letting my subordinates suffer. I¡¯ve already noticed Black Dragon Hall. They have three chances to challenge you. As long as you are able to survive three duel sessions, Black Dragon Hall shall let the matter rest. If they have ulterior designs on you, my Patrol Division will take over your case. In addition, I¡¯ve prepared a white shirt as a gift to you after you survive three duel sessions!¡± ¡°General! Chief!¡± Qi Bohan, Song Peilin and Li Zhongshu all shouted in unison. Chief Gao waved violently. ¡°End of discussion. I¡¯ve come to Guang¡¯an for more than two years, and I¡¯ve yet to see a constable daring to uphold the Dayue Dynasty¡¯s Law to kill. Yi Xu has made great contributions to the Patrol Division. We¡¯ll give credit where credit¡¯s due. If Yi Xu¡¯s able to survive three sessions of the Life and Death Duel, it¡¯ll be evident that he has real prowess. He¡¯ll be qualified to wear that white robe, won¡¯t he?¡± They declined to be persuaded. Xu Yi took a bow. ¡°I¡¯ll not disappoint you, Chief!¡± He was secretly elated. He had already realised that the white robe was the trio¡¯s uniform. Gold, Purple, Black, White, Green. The defence force behind the Dayue Dynasty had used these five colours to differentiate their statuses. Xu Yi¡¯s current uniform was the lowly inferior Dark Shirt. If his uniform were white, that would mean that he was promoted two ranks and would be a peer of the other three heavyweights. ¡°Alright, the duel is imminent. Take a rest to recharge yourself. I¡¯ll be cheering for you at the top!¡± Gao Junmo tapped Xu Yi on his shoulder and accompanied him to the door. While Xu Yi was in conference with Gao Junmo, an extremely restless Jiang Shaochuan was shuffling around in another elegant room. Creak! An extravagant carved door was opened. Two people walked in. The person on the left was strong and muscular, and he stood at nine feet tall. He wore a fitting gold armour. He had long unkempt hair. His eyes dismal, his expression intrepid, he looked sideways arrogantly. He was Xu Yi¡¯s challenger for this duel session. He was Gao Pan, the Deputy of the White Horse Branch Hall within the Black Dragon Hall. Another person was rather skinny, dressed in a green sober and a square scarf. He held a fan in his hand. He was scholarly. He was Ma Wensheng, the chief advisor of the Black Dragon Hall. Once the duo had entered through the door, Jiang Shaochuan took two big steps to leap forward. He gave Ma Wensheng a grateful look and angrily asked Gao Pan, ¡°How come you¡¯ve rejected meeting me despite my several invitations? Now you¡¯ve come to meet me because Advisor Ma interceded on my behalf. Do you have any regard for me as your superior?¡± Gao Pan was sent from the main hall to the White Horse Branch Hall. He had been in the new post for barely two months. He was chiselled away from the main branch. Due to his influential background, Gao Pan had never relished dealing with Jiang Shaochuan as his superior. Jiang Shaochuan had initially intended to kill Xu Yi personally at that day¡¯s duel so that he could get an opportunity to take Xu Yi¡¯s waist bag, which contained the Metal Spirit. Little did he know that Gao Pan was combative and notified the main hall before he did. That had thwarted his plans. What was more devastating was that he had to worry about Gao Pan¡¯s duel outcome. Due to his son¡¯s involvement, the Black Dragon Hall¡¯s reputation was tarnished within Guang¡¯an Prefecture. If Gao Pan is unable to kill Yi Xu in the duel session, the Black Dragon Hall would become a laughing stock. The initiator would be Jiang Shaochuan, and he would have pathetic outcomes. If he had not met Xu Yi, Jiang Shaochuan would have bet on Gao Pan¡¯s victory. However, his encounter with Xu Yi the day before had changed his mind. He had seen with his own eyes that the obnoxious and arrogant Xu Yi had no regards for Black Dragon Hall. If Xu Yi were a reckless man and a dimwit, Jiang Shaochuan would need to worry no further. However, his meeting with Xu Yi had brought him a financial catastrophe and an utter loss of face in their debate. That had shown the true mettle of Xu Yi. He would not have struck if he had no confidence in taking Xu Yi¡¯s life. That explained his worry regarding that afternoon¡¯s duel. He had wanted to meet Gao Pan to give some cautionary advice. Little had he known that Gao Pan had such arrogance, and he had not given him face by declining to meet in person. He had to enlist Ma Wensheng¡¯s help to bring Gao Pan to him. When the duo met, Jiang Shaochuan¡¯s fury was ignited. ¡°Mr. Wensheng, I came along at your request. Surely it¡¯s not for me to witness how Hall Master Jiang flaunt his position of power, is it?¡± Gao Pan ignored Jiang Shaochuan completely. He turned to speak with Ma Wensheng. Ma Wensheng closed his fan and offered a smile. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re family. When we face an enemy, we should be united. Hall Master Gao, Hall Master Jiang¡¯s your superior after all. According to Black Dragon Hall¡¯s strict rules, respect is our tenet. You ought to work on the relationship with Hall Master Jiang. This meeting that Hall Master Jiang has initiated, he has something important to discuss.¡± Ma Wensheng was highly valued and trusted by the Black Dragon Hall¡¯s supreme leader. No matter how conceited Gan Pan was, he had to give Ma Wensheng due respect. With extreme reluctance, he urged Jiang Shaochuan to get straight to his point. In hindsight, at the previous encounter with Xu Yi, Jiang Shaochuan had suffered most of his life¡¯s load of humiliation. He was able to share his analysis patiently with his comrades. Needless to say, he had left out how he had been swindled by Xu Yi. He exaggerated Xu Yi¡¯s formidable prowess. Gao Pan was undaunted. ¡°I thought you would have had something more important to share with us. Hall Master Jiang, please pardon my impoliteness. Perhaps you¡¯ve been in your comfort zone all this while and have lost your shine. Perhaps that¡¯s the underlying cause for the limited growth of our Black Dragon Hall in White Horse County. I¡¯m a plain person. However, I know that to contend with our competitors, we need to have both strategies and guts. We¡¯ll know how good or bad Xu Yi after our fight. We¡¯ll soon see if he¡¯s able to take on my Duan Hun Spear. Pardon me if I sound like I¡¯m bragging. I¡¯ve always beaten my opponents.¡± Before concluding, he tapped on his gold armour and continued, ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯ve been awarded the anointed robe built by the Alchemists Chamber. I¡¯ll be able to rip off the head of any highly skilled opponent.¡± Ma Wensheng halted Jiang Shaochuan, who was about to leave the conversation. Sternly, he stated, ¡°I¡¯ve no doubt in your victory, Hall Master Gao. However, Hall Master Jiang has good cause for concern. We must to mitigate all risks of failure. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be on my conscience. Both of you are aware that this duel is the only challenge throughout Guang¡¯an Prefecture in this past year. It¡¯s indeed been the talk of the prefecture. A lot of attention is directed at this event. Moreover, the originating cause for the duel has been propagated vigorously. Our Black Dragon Hall has suffered a huge loss of face and is now a laughing stock¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Jiang Shaochuan knelt down on a single knee. His face contorted and trembled. ¡°It¡¯s all because of my failure as a father. I¡¯m unable to teach my son well. I need your help, Advisor Wensheng, to update our supreme leader. I am willing to take any form of punishment.¡± Gao Pan sneered. Ma Wensheng came forward to help Jiang Shaochuan get up onto his feet. ¡°No doubt your son got the ball rolling. The root cause is not here. It lies with Constable Yi. If he¡¯s not killed, our Black Dragon Hall¡¯s reputation will be destroyed. Hall Master Gao, it¡¯s good to hear that you are so confident in defeating our enemy. However, when something¡¯s gone awry, what will the consequences be? Perhaps you¡¯ve not been informed. Our supreme leader has bought your win for ten thousand taels of gold!¡± Chapter 48 As soon as Ma Wensheng finished speaking, there was a sudden steely coldness in the room. Jiang Shaochuan was pale. Gao Pan was no longer displaying any air of arrogance. His valiant face was as cold as stone. Ten thousand taels of gold. What was the amount of money capable of doing? It could purchase the life of a powerful warrior in the Qi Ocean. Black Dragon Hall had countless members. After deducting annual operating costs, the annual surplus was only ten thousand taels of gold. Ten thousand taels of gold would be the surplus of ten years. ¡°Hall Master Gao, by now you should have known the reason for our leader to award you the special robe that is valued at two thousand taels of gold.¡± Ma Wensheng was pleased with what he had seen. Gao Pan was solemn. His mission was to drill the importance of this duel into Gao Pan. He had no doubt about Gao Pan¡¯s prowess. However, there was no guarantee of a sure win in any duel. Any unmitigated risk could result in a downfall. Black Dragon Hall would have too much to lose, and a defeat could be disastrous. Gao Pan was stunned, and he solemnly declared, ¡°I¡¯ll complete my mission without fail!¡± ¡°Excellent! I believe you won¡¯t be treating your life like child¡¯s play.¡± As he spoke, Ma Wensheng took out a small box from his waist pouch. When he opened the matchbox-sized box, a silver ring lay in the centre of it. There was a design of an exquisite snake on the ring. It was extraordinary. ¡°This is a gift from the supreme leaders. If there¡¯s any unforeseen circumstances in the duel, you just need to activate your palm force to touch the head of the snake. There will be a beam of green light. This green light is the rear needle of the hundred-year-old Glacial Queen Bee. Its venom is indomitable and can bring down a gigantic beast. When we are testing it, even the formidable warriors in the Qi Ocean have to temporarily avoid the killer beam.¡± With those words, Ma Wensheng activated his palm energy and touched the snake¡¯s head gently. A beam of green light was emitted. It flew past Gao Pan¡¯s shoulders and hit an embroidery on his gold armour. It drilled a microscopic hole into the armour and flew out at lightning speed for over ten yards. It finally stuck on the a pillar constructed from pure copper and gold. The robustness of the green beam was able to penetrate the special robe built by the Alchemists¡¯ Chamber. Even Gao Pan was unable to make any attempt to avoid its path trailing at such lightning speed. Ma Wensheng swiftly retracted the green beam and let it sit on his palm. Jiang and Gao were able to take a good look at the green beam. The green beam was extremely short. It was a third of the usual length of a sewing needle. Its colour was clear and crystal. It was as fine as hair. It was inconspicuous on the palm. During the demonstration, Ma Wensheng split the snake ring into two semi-circles and carefully hid the green beam into the body of the ring. The design was restored. He handed the ring to Gao Pan, and in a serious tone, he announced, ¡°This object has phenomenal power. When you have it as a last resort, it¡¯s insurance. This duel will have no room for error. However, I have to caution you. This is a consumable item. Once it comes into contact with skin, the venom in the green beam will be released. This treasure is expensive and it costs thousands of taels of gold. Our supreme leader, though extremely generous, my wish is that you¡¯ll only use it as a last resort. I believe in your ability to kill that rascal.¡± ¡°Generous indeed.¡± Gao Pan had his own unspoken opinion. However, he chose to go with the flow. The supreme leader of Black Dragon Hall was an extreme miser. Everyone knew about it. The special gold armour robe which he had received was also a loan from the supreme leader. When the duel was over, he had to return it. Once he thought about the miserly leader and his ruthlessness, Gao Pan had decided that he would not activate the green beam unless his life depended on it. Otherwise, his win would also be his loss. ¡­ Xu Yi was intrigued by the hourglass made from crystal. Since he took his leave from Gao Junmo, he was led into an extremely quiet room. The guide pointed to the hourglass placed at the window and reminded him that it would be time for the duel when the sand in the hourglass stops flowing. As soon as the last grain of sand dropped, the door creaked open. A young sleuth dressed in green emerged and announced, ¡°Time¡¯s up. Please follow me!¡± It was a winding journey, and they finally entered a lift. Xu Yi was speculating on where the lift derived its power from. The lift landed and the sleuth led him eastward. After several moments, they entered another lift. Xu Yi was in awe. Earlier on, they had descended about fifty yards. Could they continue downwards? If so, would they be underground? While he stood in bewilderment, the young man¡¯s waist sounded twice. The lift started to move slowly upwards. However this time, the young man did not accompany Xu Yi. He was left alone in the box. He scrutinised the surroundings. This box and the earlier lift were different. It had four fixed walls. Only the metal plate beneath his feet moved upwards. It escalated for almost ten yards. There was suddenly light against the pitch black above his head. Within a few breaths, there was light everywhere. Xu Yi was standing in the middle of the duel platform. At the same time, within ten yards of where he had stood, he saw a strong man clad in a gold armour leap upwards. Both Xu Yi and Gao Pan had discovered each other simultaneously. When Gao Pan¡¯s gaze was directed at Xu Yi, he started to lose his focus. Xu Yi could swear that he had yet to see a scene as magnificent and glamorous as the scene before him. He was certain that no future 3D movie could be able to display such a grand spectacle. The duel platform spanned a few hundred yards. The ground was not covered with the usual green stone panels. It was constructed from an alloy of iron and golden steel and was then toughened by green gold sand. It was as if he was placed in the middle of the black ocean. Such a grand duel platform was not meant for humans to fight each other. It could have been used for two beasts to battle. If the duel platform had bewildered Xu Yi, then the towering spectators¡¯ stands were utterly phenomenal. Xu Yi was beginning to doubt his senses. There was no spectators¡¯ stand. There were four huge city walls surrounding the entire duel platform. The stand was a hundred yards in height. It was congested with people. From the enormous logo on the rooftop, Xu Yi was cold surmise that the rooftop could fit in a few dozen spectators. To allow everyone to be able to get a closer look, the designers had intently built an uneven convex construction. From afar, it had looked like an ancient python attempting to eat up the entire sky. However, in order to fit in several hundred thousands of viewers, the stand was extended sky high. At such a height, the two contestants were like two black specks. In order to resolve the design conflict, the Guang¡¯an Prefecture Governor had paid a purposeful visit to the Alchemists¡¯ Chamber to hire the Master Craftsman whose notable craftsmanship was unsurpassable. Under the superb Master Craftsman, each viewing stand was installed with a magnificent projector wall. It could enable the projections of the warriors during their fights. This solution allowed everyone to watch the fight in real-time, up close and personal. In order to heighten the senses, the Master Craftsman installed amplifiers to capture the moans and grunts of the warriors as well as those feeble sounds made by fists and weapons. Chapter 49 His soul wandered. His eyes looked beyond the rim of the sky. The magnificent buildings. It all sent tremors to Xu Yi¡¯s soul. Suddenly, there was an extremely strong sense of exhilaration surging in Xu Yi¡¯s heart. He knew that it was his desire for showmanship. It was familiar to him. He had experienced such euphoria in the game world, where he directed the attack of the fallen cities. However, this time, such showmanship was stronger and more fervent. It became unfathomable, and he could not control himself. Of course, several hundred people in the virtual world were insignifcant and unable to hold a candle to several tens of thousands of folks focusing their attention on his own glory. Xu Yi¡¯s blood was boiling, and he was full of lofty ambitions. Xu Yi had drowned in his own ego and pride. Gao Pan, standing a few stone¡¯s throws away, was indignant. He perceived Xu Yi as savagely arrogant and had not given him any respect. He stared intently at Xu Yi for quite some time. However, Xu Yi did not return his gaze. Instead, Xu Yi was busily peering at his surroundings, his face full of excitement. It was as if he was basking in his limelight and had forgotten that he had to confront a formidable opponent, Gao Pan, who would beat the lights out of him. As the duo were submerged in their thoughts, there was a loud clang. The commotion at the viewing stands quickly cleared. A deep, rich voice blasted through the amplifier. It was the event host reading out the rules of the duel. The rules were plain and simple. It allowed for all forms of weapons and all sorts of strategies. There would be no regard for life or death! As the voice dropped off, Xu Yi and Gao Pan¡¯s eyes finally locked. The blue sky was clear, and the sun was hanging in the middle of it. The taller and bigger Gao Pan held a silver gun and was clad in gold armour. He eyed his prey covetously. The red rays from the glaring sun showered on his golden armour, and he looked like he was a god that had walked out from the burning planet. On the other hand, Xu Yi was thin and scrawny. He was tall. His body reached Gao Pan¡¯s shoulders. His pale, unshaven face, his faded green robe. If not for his extraordinarily bright black eyes, he could have gone unnoticed in a crowd. Judging by looks alone, it was easy to tell who had the upper hand. Gao Pan waved the silver gun lightly. The crowd let out screams and shouts so deafening that they shook the city. At this instant, Gao Pan was satisfied and pleased. He had been challenged eight times. However, he had yet to lay his feet on the renowned Rising Dragon Platform in Guang¡¯an. In the past, Guang¡¯an City had been plagued with endless fights. What happened between two warriors at the peak of the Body Forging Stage did not matter. However, in the recent years, there were rarely any fights among the warriors at the peak of the Body Forging Stage. That¡¯s what had put this duel on the radar. On the surface it was a duel between Gao Pan and Xu Yi. Deep down, it was the power struggle between the Patrol Division and Black Dragon Hall. Moreover, the Black Dragon Hall had bought bets with ten thousand taels of gold. That majestic tactic had invigorated the depressed gambling market. The cascaded effects had spilled over to the duel on the platform. Guang¡¯an Prefecture¡¯s Governor had decided to reopen the Rising Dragon Platform, and used it as the duel venue. Several hundred thousand spectators cheered him on. That spurred Gao Pan¡¯s spirits, and his ambitions soared. He had forgotten about Ma Wensheng¡¯s advice completely. The advisor had cautioned him to take down the opponent quickly. The loud clang sounded. The silver gun cut through the sky. Gao Pan paused to raise his head high. He insisted on introducing his silver gun to everyone. Xu Yi flouted the rules and went ahead to speak. ¡°Quiet please! Quiet!¡± Xu Yi suddenly moved his feet and opened his arms. He began to dance in front of the crowds. His rich voice, blasted through the amplifiers, was loudly heard. In a flash, the entire venue quieted down. Everyone turned to stare at him. Since the opening of the Rising Dragon Platform, there had been no occurrence of a challenger shouting at the spectators on the viewing stands. This twist of events was new and interesting. Everyone wanted to hear what Xu Yi had to say. The intense attention put some pressure on Xu Yi. He kept his nerves in check and opened his arms. He asked aloud, ¡°I¡¯ll like to find out, is there anyone who has placed a bet that I¡¯m the victor? If there is, let me first congratulate you because you¡¯ll profit! Come on, those who bet that I¡¯ll win, do stand up and wave to me. When I see you, I¡¯ll be encouraged!¡± Bang! One side of the viewing stand collapsed. Even Gao Pan nearly let his silver gun slip out of his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything more disgusting than this!¡± Gao Pan felt nauseous. At this instant, countless people stood up and waved. There were cheering Xu Yi on. It was an impressive sight. Obviously, there were several hundred thousand spectators. Even if one percent of them had bet on Xu Yi to win, the commotion caused by these folks would cause a stir. There were also many folks who came to join in the fun and excitement. If they had followed suit, the sun would have shaken. It would have been a stormy day for the mountains and rivers. Gao Pan was envious. Between Xu Yi and I, it¡¯s plainly obvious that I¡¯m more popular. If Xu Yi can command such support, I¡¯m sure I can do better than him a hundred fold, he emotionally thought to himself. He began to imagine that there were ten thousand spectators rooting for him. He felt overwhelmed. Immediately, he became the copycat version of Xu Yi. Gao Pan roared and there was complete silence. He was about to speak when his ear picked up a strong gust of wind. Subconsciously, he darted his head to avoid it. He was hit on the hand and his silver gun flung out of his hand. That was an abrupt change! Xu Yi had initiated his attack! A brain wave had struck Xu Yi to greet the crowd and stir up the audience. He had already contemplated his move. He knew he had to leverage on his strengths and be preemptive. He had swift moves and powerful strength. Those were his assets. He lacked martial prowess in comparison to his opponent. That was his weakness. He only knew the Ox Demon Strong Fist, which he had used for training, and he lacked attack techniques. Needless to say, the gist of this duel session would be to take his opponent by surprise and fight close distance. He could not afford to allow his opponent to overcome him using martial prowess. The silver gun in Gao Pan¡¯s hand was the first target of attack. Between the two warriors, one had a strong weapon, and the other challenged with empty fists. He had reckoned that his opponent must have been an expert in guns, and hence, Xu Yi had to stop him from using the gun. Therefore he deliberately teased the audience and got close to Gao Pan. At the same time, he was checking out Gao Pan¡¯s blindspots so that he could time his opportune attacks. Who would have predicted that Gao Pan got himself hot-blooded faster and deeper than the audience. He had besotted himself into a wonderful rhapsody. That was the opportunity that Xu Yi had been waiting for. His light body and swift fists moved in tandem. What a Gao Pan! He had been through countless duels, and his battling had become his survival instinct. He was trained to be on the alert even when there were no killing threats. He moved his head half an inch and Xu Yi missed. Subsequently, Xu Yi struck out with both fists. Gao Pan avoided his head. His hand was a bit slow. Xu Yi was then able to hit the gun. The strong force caused the gun to vibrate, and it fell out of his hand. Wow! There was a thunderous explosion on the viewing stand. If the explosion was real, Xu Yi would have perished. Chapter 50 It was proper for warriors who were engaged in battle to scheme, conspire, and utilise underhanded strategies. No one would have considered such a scheming warrior to be shamelessly despicable. Nonetheless, it was indeed a rare sight to see one who leveraged the spectators to seize an opportunity for the advantage of the first move. ¡°Shameless!¡± ¡°Despicable!¡± ¡°A sinister dog!¡± Mockery and jeering began to tumble like the huge wave of tsunami. Amidst their thunderous screams and pandemonium, the crowd started to throw silver coins, bottles, rice boxes, and makeup bags towards the fighting platform. Gao Pan was indignant. He was struggling with his internal turmoil. He wanted to let out his rage through his screams. He was not upset with Xu Yi¡¯s sneak attack. He felt it was unfair for Xu Yi to seize his pretense opportunity without allowing him a chance to play the same game. It was obvious that Xu Yi desired to win, and he was not bothered by what others thought. He had planned for first move advantage in every execution in order to secure his victory over Gao Pan. Gao Pan was indeed formidable as a warrior who attended eight fights to defend his title. Despite the chaotic situation, he was deft and swift. He focused on his weathertight defence and did not give Xu Yi any opportunity. ¡°Despicable rascal! I shall make you pay dearly with your life for your sneak attack!¡± Gao Pan swore nastily when he was able to catch his breath. Xu Yi was steady and unwavering. He was unaffected by others¡¯ criticisms. The thunderous bolts from the viewing platform only spurred him on. He focused intently on delivering his blows to Gao Pan. Gao Pan continued to berate him. Upon realising that his enemy was unresponsive, he began to feel the pressure from Xu Yi¡¯s attacks. He was enraged, and he roared, ¡°Oh so we¡¯re pitting our strengths and stamina? Bring it on!¡± Gao Pan was a stoic man. His body weight was twice that of Xu Yi¡¯s. Such assets had made him a heavyweight warrior. Gao Pan was the champion in that category. He had been through eight battles and had used his weapons in three challenges. In the remaining five duels, he had used empty fists to take down his opponents. The spectators were able to hear Gao Pan¡¯s words through the amplifiers. There was an uproar within the audience. Countless people were chanting, ¡°Hammer him, hammer him¡­¡± The roars spread like wildfire, and Gao Pan was elated. He covered his face with one arm and the other arm was not used to block anymore. There was an opening. Bang! Xu Yi¡¯s fist landed on Gao Pan¡¯s chest. The powerful fist hit the armour and resulted in a sharp, piercing tweet. A flash of green air on Gao Pan¡¯s face appeared. His body had not moved an inch. Xu Yi realised in the nick of time that the armour on Gao Pan was extraordinary. He lamented his bad fortune. ¡°The lowly rat wants to wound me. Go to hell!¡± Gao Pan shouted loudly, and his huge fist punches in the air caused air ripples. ¡°Sundering fists!¡± The fists were overpowering. Xu Yi was fearful to take them on. Instead, he deftly twisted his body to dodge them. Bang! The brutal fist hit the iron-steel floor and dented the floor plates. The spectators cheered and clapped! Gao Pan¡¯s fist had forced Xu Yi to move away. He was proud that he did it. His feet did not stop. He continued to pursue with the silver spear. He was halted in his pursuit by Xu Yi. The latter¡¯s obnoxious fists were once again in his face. The fight went on for a while. Gao Pan took a blow from Xu Yi, and he rendered another Sundering Fists in order to push Xu Yi away. Subsequently, he followed on with his silver spear. Despite his whole-hearted efforts, he was unable to get Xu Yi off of him. Gao Pan was utterly frustrated. He had never seen a rogue¡¯s moves like Xu Yi¡¯s. There was an uproar among the crowds. The spectators were full of rebuke for Xu Yi for his despicable tactics. Xu Yi was oblivious to the commotion. He was more focused on saving his dear life than his face. Gao Pan was infuriated by Xu Yi¡¯s nonsensical moves. Despite his anxiety, he was aware that he could not hang on much longer. Even though his Sundering Fists were indomitable, they were depleting his stamina very quickly. His opponent had amazing body movement, and his Sundering Fists were rendered futile. If he were to continue like this, he would be dead from exhaustion. He decided to try something different. ¡°Damn you rascal! Do you wish to fight with your fists? Then let¡¯s do just that! We fight!. The loser will be the mother fucker!¡± he roared at Xu Yi. As soon as he finished his words, he let go of his block. He swung his neck swiftly and deftly. His two fists headed for Xu Yi¡¯s chest. The crowd echoed, ¡°The loser will be the mother fucker!¡±¡± ¡°Let¡¯s fight!¡± Xu Yi also let go of his block and his fists were aimed at Gao Pan¡¯s abdomen. Bang! Bang! The two collided simultaneously. The head-on collision caused them to move apart. Gao Pan¡¯s golden armour clinked in a sharp pitch. Xu Yi¡¯s body was trained well under his pugilistic foundation work. His body did not utter a sound. It was as dead as a door nail. ¡°Obviously you¡¯ve come prepared!¡± Gao Pan peered at Xu Yi coldly. An experienced warrior like Gao Pan understood his powerful fists well. No ordinary pugilistic training could have enabled Xu Yi to take his blow. He was certain that Xu Yi had come equipped with some sort of armour. He was elated at his logical deduction. He had anticipated Xu Yi¡¯s strategy ¡ª to use his deft body moves and the protection of his armour to allow him to engage in small space attacks. Xu Yi was good at the latter, and that could provide him an opportunity to win. Gao Pan despised such a strategy. However, his opponent¡¯s remarkable body movement and his use of wits had already made him let his silver spear slip. Despite his irritation, he had to put up with Xu Yi¡¯s moves. However, Xu Yi may be too naive and inexperienced. He was unable to fathom the vast gaps in the duo¡¯s respective prowesses. Gao Pan was indeed a formidable opponent who would not succumb easily to crafty plots. The duo were pitting the robustness of each other¡¯s armour and the power of each other¡¯s fists against one another. He simply refused to believe that the special armour bestowed to him would be unable to protect him from Xu Yi¡¯s fists. Gao Pan was renowned for his Sundering Fists. He believed that no one within the peak of the Body Forging Stage would be able to surpass him. His analysis was performed in a flash. With his new intention, Gao Pan initiated a strike. Xu Yi did not dodge. Both men moved to another place for more combat. Initially, both dodged and blocked. Occasionally one would attempt to strike where there was no armour protection. After a few feeble trials, both decided to quell the idea of sneak attacks. They each focused on tackling one another. After a few hundred exchanges, both men confronted each other squarely. They had given up on fancy moves. They pitted against their strengths and mind power. Such tactics were mad as a March hare. The audience were in awe. In previous duels, warriors were engaged in endless fanciful moves and tactics. This duel was utterly different. Both of them fought like two savage gods. Everyone was exhilarated and enchanted. Shouts and screams continued. In the finale, everyone cheered, ¡°May the God of War reign!¡± It was plainly obvious that the crowd supported Gao Pan for two main reasons. Firstly, Gao Pan¡¯s prowess was significantly superior to Xu Yi¡¯s. Secondly, Xu Yi¡¯s sneak attacks had eroded the dismal support he was receiving. The situation was in full swing. The shouting and screaming was endless. When the sun rays shone on Gao Pan¡¯s stalwart and stoic body, his golden armour glistened with flames. It was as if he were being worshipped as the God of War. No one would have empathised with Gao Pan¡¯s fear and anxiety. He would like to swear at the crowds if he could be allowed to. He hated such warriorship. However, the crowd had been spurring on the fight as a contest of physical strength and mental strength. Chapter 51 - The Green Beam At this moment, the confidence he had built up dwindled by almost half. Not long ago, Gao Pan was certain that he surpassed his opponent in many ways. He had a better quality armour, and his fist¡¯s power was mightier. He had assumed that once he drained his enemy of energy and stamina, he would be the victor. However, the reality was far from what he had assumed it to be. After delivering more than several hundreds of blows, Xu Yi¡¯s armour was still intact. His energy was undepletable. What caused Gao Pan to be irritable and anxious was the conceited challenge he had issued earlier: The loser of the fist fight will be the mother fucker! As the common saying goes, ¡°Shit is no good to be eaten!¡± In this case, he was worried that he had to take back his boastful words in shame. What made it worse for him was the million spectators out there. All of them had rooted for him to win the duel. They had crowned him as the God of War. Their thunderous cheers and screams were deafening. At this moment, if he were to retreat, he would suffer a massive loss of face. How would he be able to show his face again in Guang¡¯an Prefecture? Bang! Bang! Bang! They fought another three rounds. An exhausted Gao Pan suddenly moved backwards and retreated almost three yards. He hastily moved left. His silver spear was strewn several yards westward. There was dead silence at Gao Pan¡¯s retreat. The crowd suddenly halted their cheering and shouting as if they were choked. Gao Pan could suffer it no longer. When he delivered his final blow, he was already light-headed. He had depleted every ounce of his energy. When faced between the options of saving his life versus saving his face, his decision was plain and simple ¡ª just like Xu Yi. The only distinguishing factor was that Xu Yi had never been bothered with what others thought of him. However, Gao Pan, a lauded warrior, was terribly embarrassed. Gao Pan¡¯s exhaustion was within Xu Yi¡¯s expectations. The duo had made accurate predictions of each other. Just like when Gao Pan had anticipated Xu Yi¡¯s close distance combat strategy. What was omitted in Gao Pan¡¯s contemplation was Xu Yi¡¯s extraordinary stamina and mind power. Xu Yi had optimised his strengths in his combat strategy. Although he had already predicted that Gao Pan was unable to persevere, his opponent¡¯s sudden retreat clearly subverted his expectations. After an exchange of several hundred blows, Xu Yi had been conditioned. Gao Pan¡¯s robust armour would tweet with every punch that Xu Yi could land. The tweeting was getting louder and louder. Xu Yi speculated that the golden armour might reach its breaking point soon. Xu Yi was interested to find out the threshold of the golden armour before its crack. He had channeled all of his focus to secure his victory. He was therefore oblivious to Gao Pan¡¯s energy levels. After recovering from his shock, Gao Pan hastily retreated over ten yards. He was a stone¡¯s throw away from his silver spear. Gao Pan was akin to an arrow at the end of its flight, a strong force that had been exhausted. Even if he retrieved his silver spear, Xu Yi would have lost his fear for him. There was a simple solution to this situation. Xu Yi did not wish for more trouble. He stomped his left foot on the ground. The enormous explosion of power caused a shallow pit on the iron-steel floor plate. His body surged forward like a hurricane. The silent viewing platform instantly exploded with jeering, insults, hysterical cries, and piercing screams. This cacophony sounded as if it were the beckoning of the devils attempting to confuse the world. Gao Pan¡¯s retreat and escape was a huge blow to the spectators. Initially, most of the folks were certain that Gao Pan would be the winner. Xu Yi and his use of crafty ploys had signalled to the crowd that he was no match for his opponent. Everyone had banked on Gao Pan as the ultimate winner. However, in the duel, they only heard the painful cries of Gao Pan. The wretched opponent in a green robe, on the other hand, was steady and calm. The result of the duel seemed to be sealed. If Gao Pan won, many folks would have made a pile of money through their bets on him. Those compulsive gamblers had staked everything they had on him in order to make a massive windfall. However, at this point, Gao Pan had made an escape attempt. The crowd was unable to handle such an unexpected twist of fate. Some folks made excuses for Gao Pan¡¯s escape. They assumed that it was Gao Pan¡¯s strategy to run away. However, such a hypothesis was tested invalid. Because Gao Pan had declared the challenge to Xu Yi: ¡°The loser of the fist fight will be the mother fucker!¡± How could the God of War deploy such a tactic as to runaway? Where would he put his face? The obvious conclusion would be that he could take it no longer and had to back off! His escape brought catastrophe to many of the folks who had placed their bets on him. The gamblers were enraged. The crowds went uncontrollably wild. They started to throw all sorts of items towards the dueling arena. Some crazy folks sprung from the viewing platform. Fortunately, there were automatic safety nets to cordon off these destructive behaviours. Otherwise, the vast and spacious duel grounds would have collapsed. Gao Pan was oblivious to the commotion and noises around him. His composure allowed him to focus solely on the snakehead ring that he wore on the index finger on his left hand. Gao Pan was highly cognizant of his condition. His energy levels were depleted. His mind power was exhausted. In such a poor state, what good would it do even if he could retrieve his silver spear? Therefore, Gao Pan had put his last hope on the snakehead ring. Despite its hefty price tag at ten thousand taels of gold, that was his last resort¡­and his last hope. His pursuit of the silver spear was merely to distract Xu Yi. He needed an opportunity, a chance to turn the snakehead¡¯s direction. Because he had deliberately worn the snakehead ring in a reverse way. Firstly, he had thought that he had the golden armour as protection and his invincible silver spear. He had never contemplated the use of the snakehead. Secondly, he had to aim the green beam precisely in order to strike. If he recklessly faced the snakehead outward, he would be caught. That would make him miss the opportunity for a sneak attack. Since it was meant to be a secret weapon, it had to be used stealthily in order to be effective. Due to his retreat and the distance between the competitors, Gao Pan had a huge open opportunity. He effected his change on the ring¡¯s direction. It was obscure and easy. When the snakehead was successfully turned around, Gao Pan¡¯s anxiety dissipated. He continued to stagger towards the silver spear. Ten yards, three yards, one yard¡­ Everyone would have thought that was the moment of truth. There was complete silence. Everyone, including those who had scolded and blamed Gao Pan, pinned their last hope on the silver spear. It was as if Gao Pan could turn the tide around and win the duel if he could retrieve that silver spear. Aligned with everyone¡¯s anticipation, Gao Pan¡¯s enormous feet were in contact with the silver spear. In a flash, the viewing platform exploded with a thunderous bolt. Gao Pan was calm. Xu Yi was focused. At this moment, there were just the two of them. Gao Pan¡¯s big feet did not kick up the silver spear. He turned away. Despite having his back facing his opponent, Gao Pan could clearly sense that Xu Yi was three yards away from him. This is the moment to strike! He calculated it precisely. Once he completed his turn, Xu Yi would be a yard away. He would press gently on the snakehead, and everything would go according to his wish. He had witnessed the velocity of the green beam. No one could have dodged it within a yard. Chapter 52 - Thats The End Gao Pan completed his fascinating turn. What greeted him was most unforgettable. An old, tattered shoe flew past his eye. His face was slapped by the shoe. Before he could respond, Xu Yi arrived in the nick of time for the kill. He held his left hand and twisted it. With a loud click, Xu Yi broke Gao Pan¡¯s index finger on his left hand. He quickly threw it into his waist pouch. He abruptly released his right palm and hit Gao Pan¡¯s forehead. Gao Pan collapsed feebly towards the ground. There was utter silence everywhere. ¡°Why did you spare my life?¡± Gao Pan lay on the ground. Suddenly he felt relieved. ¡°We¡¯ve no feud between us. Why do I need to take your life?¡± Xu Yi answered casually as he picked up his broken shoe and put it on. His earlier blow was to end Gao Pan¡¯s retaliation. It was not meant to injure him. Just as he had responded to Gao Junmo earlier, he was not a monstrous murderer. He only killed those who deserved to die. The Zhou family were his arch enemies. He had to kill them. The youth in black was a town bully. He had humiliated Uncle Mu and threatened Little Qiu¡¯s life. That infuriated Xu Yi, and once again, his hands had to be stained with blood. In regards to Gao Pan. How was he as a person? What his life was like? Xu Yi did not know, and he too did not wish to know. Xu Yi was full of admiration for his opponent¡¯s pugilistic prowess. How could he have the intention to kill him? ¡°Even if you spare me, I can live no longer.¡± Gao Pan understood outcome he had to face. The Ultimate Hall Master and the ten thousand taels of gold! ¡°I do not kill you simply because I lack a reason to do so. Whether you live or die, it has absolutely nothing to do with me!¡± After picking up the silver spear, Xu Yi turned to leave. Initially, he had intended to remove the golden armour worn by Gao Pan. However, he was unable to do so in front of such a huge crowd. If he had done so, it would¡¯ve been his latest personal achievement. ¡°Last question, how do you know that there¡¯s something funny with the ring?¡± Gao Pan¡¯s curiosity was piqued. He had to find out before he died. ¡°It¡¯s a sense I have!¡± Xu Yi was honest and told him the truth. At that time, Gao Pan pursued the silver spear swiftly. Even Xu Yi had thought that he had wanted to make a last effort in a bid to turn things around. However, during the pursuit, Gao Pan¡¯s movements seemed somewhat hesitant. Those few seconds of slowness could have gone undetected, but Xu Yi was able to detect the subtle change. He was endowed with superb supernatural senses to perceive his surroundings. Even though he had not witnessed Gao Pan¡¯s actions, he was able to feel that Gao Pan was moving the ring on his finger. It was a moment of life and death, yet Gao Pan decided to let go of the silver spear and slowed down to adjust his ring. There was only a simple logical conclusion; he had sensed death in the ring. Once the plot had been exposed, its effectiveness was compromised. Xu Yi was able to come up with a solution very quickly. Since the sneak attack had been seen through, it completely lost its effectiveness. Xu Yi thought of a quick and easy solution. He planned to break off Gao Pan¡¯s ring finger when he nabbed him. That would have put an end to any killing. ¡°You sensed it? Yeah, okay. That¡¯s the only reasonable explanation.¡± Gao Pan¡¯s voice sounded hollow and empty. He felt satisfied and he closed his hand. Click, click. Gao Pan took his own life by breaking his own neck. Strangely, his face was filled with a deep sense of satisfaction and conceit. His mouth was wide open as if he were mocking at the crowd. My life¡¯s come with a hefty price tag. It¡¯s worth several tens of millions taels of gold! Gao Pan¡¯s death didn¡¯t slow Xu Yi¡¯s footsteps. He ignored both the humiliating abuse and supportive cheering. Nothing could get to him. Clang! The large gong sounded for the second time. It had first sounded before the duel. The host announced, ¡°I declare that the winner is Constable Yi Xu from Furong Town! In addition, the second duel between the Black Dragon Hall and Xu Yi will be held seven days from now!¡± Suddenly, Xu Yi vomited blood before he collapsed to the ground! ¡­ The moon was bright, and the stars were few. It was already midnight. The gardenia flowers swayed and stirred in the late night breeze, sending their fragrance into the rooms. Since his collapse on the duel platform, Xu Yi had been carried away. Yuan Qinghua was flustered, and he was jumping up and down. He fetched the physician at lightning speed. The physician came to the conclusion that Xu Yi¡¯s internal organs were injured and needed to recuperate for some time. Xu Yi was fed two huge bowls of a bitter-tasting medicinal concoction. Worried for his master¡¯s injuries, Yuan Qinghua decided to leave Xu Yi at the medical centre while he darted out to run several errands. He returned at dusk to ferry Xu Yi back home on a large carriage. Once they were back home, Yuan Qinghua gave instructions to two servants. After he had settled his master on his bed, he led the two servants away. There seemed to be many urgent chores to be taken care of. Once the door was shut, Xu Yi lifted his quilt and sat on the bed. Despite the chilly late night¡¯s breeze, Xu Yi was boiling with rage. He had pretended to be unconscious at the duel venue. Yuan Qinghua had hired a physician and checked his medicine. Xu Yi was initially moved by his genuine concern for him. He was upset that he had abandoned him at the medical centre after he feeding him two bowls of the unpleasant concoction. He thought the physician was a quack. If only he could sleep in peace. He had intermittent visitors, mainly the gamblers who had made some winnings due to his victory at the duel. They came to ask Xu Yi about his chances of winning at the second duel. He was barely able to manage his fury over such incessant inconsiderate acts. He was miserable in his pretense. He had to tolerate this for several hours before Yuan Qinghua returned to take him home on a huge carriage. Once they made it home, Yuan Qinghua rushed off to run his errands after settling him on his bed with two other servants. Xu Yi had no one to confide in. He was thirsty and hungry. However, it seemed that no one was bothered about his needs. While Xu Yi was fuming, he heard some movements outside his door and immediately pulled up his quilt and lay still. The door was pushed open. It was Little Qiu. She tiptoed stealthily towards his bed after carefully closing the door. The short-legged girl climbed onto his bed with some difficulty. She nudged her way to Xu Yi¡¯s head. She touched his forehead and flipped open his eyelids. She stared at Xu Yi for a long time, and after she had made up her mind, she moved her fair, chubby arms to Xu Yi¡¯s mouth and whispered, ¡°Uncle Beardo, wake up and buy me many many super big succulent chicken drumsticks.¡± They snuggled for a while. Xu Yi opened his eyes and held the girl in his arms. He chided, ¡°All you can think of is food. How come you are always hungry?¡± The little one was caught by surprise. Soon, she was giggling. She clapped. ¡°Oh, Uncle Beardo is awake! Uncle Beardo is awake. Oh¡­¡± ¡°Sshhh, lower your voice. Uncle Beardo¡¯s pretending to be sick. Only family members shall know the truth. Please do not tell others.¡± Xu Yi covered Little Qiu¡¯s mouth. ¡°Uncle Beardo is cheeky.¡± The dainty darling yawned as she spoke. She looked tired. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, and I¡¯m going to bed. Tomorrow morning I want to see a big meat bun, osmanthus jelly, chicken drumstick, desserts¡­¡± The kid counted with her fingers. She was busily counting. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll buy all of them for you. Go sleep now. Do let Grandpa know secretly, lest he worries about me.¡± Xu Yi patted Little Qiu on her head before putting her on the floor. He watched those dainty short legs creep out through the door. Several minutes elapsed. The door was opened again. Yuan Qinghua was carrying a large bowl. Before his entry, the aroma of the bitter-tasting medicinal concoction had already permeated the air in the room. Chapter 53 - Another Reason ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake, Boss!¡± Yuan Qinghua almost spilled the bowl of medicine onto the ground when he saw Xu Yi sitting coldy by the bedside. He quickened his pace and stepped towards the bed, anxiously saying, ¡°Lie down, lie down. The doctor said that the damage to your internal organs was not light. You have to rest.¡± He barely finished his sentence before Xu Yi grabbed the bowl of medicine and threw it out the window. ¡°Rest my foot. How could I not know how badly hurt I am from an injury I inflicted on my own? On the other hand, you rascal, to think you would just leave me at the doctor¡¯s and then run off on your own!?¡± ¡°What? Self-inflicted injury? What do you mean? Ah, I understand!¡± Yuan Qinghua slapped his thigh as his eyes opened wide. He stuck out his thumb and said, ¡°Up there¡­way up there. Boss, this move of yours is so up there that it¡¯s even higher than the viewing platforms of the Rising Dragon Platform. It¡¯s breaking through the heavens! Hahaha, a fake injury? That¡¯s simply too brilliant. With a hundred thousand audiences as witnesses, the betting house can¡¯t set up a smokescreen even if they wanted to. There¡¯s no way for your odds to not be high now; we¡¯ll win big for sure this time.¡± Yuan Qinghua was right. Xu Yi faked an injury precisely because he wanted to raise his odds. Money was hard to earn, and this was a rare opportunity that even required him to put his life on the line. If he did not grab the chance to earn some money, he would be letting himself down. But the betting house was cunning, creating such lousy odds for him. Since it has come to this, he might as well spew some blood in front of a hundred thousand-strong audience and see if the betting house could manipulate his odds any longer. With this, he would be able to earn a bit more cash to spend. ¡°Cut the praise. I want to know what you have been busy with all afternoon. If you don¡¯t have a good answer, I¡¯m docking half of your salary this month!¡± Xu Yi was not done with his grievances. Yuan Qinghua leapt three feet into the air. His plump face distorted as he raised his voice. ¡°What! Boss, how could you say such a thing and not worry about getting struck by lightning? You would be truly wronging me by docking my pay. Don¡¯t you know what I¡¯ve been busy with this whole afternoon? The soles of my feet are still numb!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just redeem your betting ticket? How did that take up your whole afternoon?¡± Xu Yi furrowed his brows as he responded. With the mention of betting tickets, Yuan Qinghua¡¯s distorted plump face finally began to return to normal. He took out two bank notes and handed one over. ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve made it big this time. Capital of 1000 gold and interest of 500 gold for a total of 1500 gold. Hehe, I have you to thank for earning a bit on my own as well.¡± With those words, a smile appeared back on his plump face. If not for Xu Yi, he too would have been like most of the gamblers in the city and would have fallen into the deep ditch known as ¡°Gao Pan,¡± never to crawl back out again. Today, with his bet of 30 gold and his earnings of 15 gold, it was definitely the most profitable bet Yuan Qinghua had ever made in his entire gambling career. Xu Yi took the bank note that was handed over, eyed it for a moment, and curiously asked, ¡°Why is the total amount 1600 gold?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I need you to understand. Did you think the only thing I did all afternoon was to redeem a betting ticket? After your fight, you simply collapsed, leaving a mess behind that I had to deal with all on my own. Gao Pan died, so all the items he had with him belong to you now according to the regulations. Since you were not there to collect them, I had to go. And let me add, I even had to let them test that I had a blood pact with you before they reluctantly let me collect the items,¡± Yuan Qinghua replied with attitude. ¡°Of the 1600 gold, 100 gold comes from the miscellaneous items that Gao Pan possessed. To save the hassle, I had them combined for you when redeeming the betting voucher to be placed on the same gold voucher. Other than that, there was also Gao Pan¡¯s golden armour, which I have also collected for you. On the way back, before even leaving the place, there was already someone trying to buy it. You still had not woken up, so I dared not take matters into my own hands. I brought it back along with Gao Pan¡¯s silver spear, and placed them under your bed.¡± With that, he pointed to the empty space at the bed. Xu Yi was overjoyed. At that time, when he had the idea of pretending to lose consciousness, what he could not bear to leave behind was that silver spear that he had managed to get his hands on. Unexpectedly, the policies were very user-friendly. Not only have they given him the silver spear, even the golden armour was in his hands now. ¡°It¡¯s been tough for you, Brother Yuan.¡± Xu Yi was done with the poor life, and his money-grabbing tendencies were not in the least bit above that of Yuan Qinghua¡¯s. Hearing that both the silver spear and the golden armour were in his hands now, his heart blossomed with delight. ¡°It¡¯s been tough. Of course it¡¯s been tough. Did you think that was all that I was busy with? Didn¡¯t you instruct me to move house? I had planned to look for a place tomorrow, but with your battle complete, you suddenly became a big name in Guang¡¯an, comparable to the most famous that I¡¯ve seen out there. Back at the office that we were staying at, people kept coming to the door. It was just too noisy, so I had no choice but to hurry and find a new house. I put in lots of effort before I could buy this mansion, then I hurriedly brought you over from the doctor¡¯s. Haven¡¯t you noticed that this bedroom is different from the one at your workplace?¡± Yuan Qinghua had a mountain of grievances. As he spoke about the heartfelt parts, he even shed a tear. Only now did Xu Yi realize that the room was indeed different. Although the design was still simple, it was a lot more lavish than before. ¡°And that¡¯s not all, after bringing you here to rest, I rushed out to hire a nanny and two maids. The moment I got back, I went to prepare your medicine only to come in and face your aggressive questioning. What did I do to deserve this!¡± Yuan Qinghua seemed to have no end to his grievances. Xu Yi suddenly understood. ¡°You can stop now. Thirty percent bonus for this month¡¯s salary!¡± ¡°Boss is wise!¡± The dark clouds on Yuan Qinghua¡¯s face dissipated immediately. He rushed to the window, stuck out his body, and shouted, ¡°Aunty Zhang, Lotus, go to Tianxiang Restaurant to order a meal for the Master. Get all the meat dishes, no vegetarian ones.¡± But after he spoke, he realised something was amiss. The boss was still feigning injury. How could he be feasting on lavish meat dishes? He immediately took back what he said. ¡°Forget it. The Master is still injured and needs something light. Get the kitchen to prepare something lighter.¡± ¡°Enough, you don¡¯t need to keep acting with me here. I have a few tasks for you; get them done for me tomorrow.¡± Xu Yi did not mind Yuan Qinghua¡¯s money-minded attitude. He and Yuan Qinghua had only just met, and for Yuan Qinghua to work to such an extent just because of his loyalty to money, Xu Yi was more than satisfied. ¡°Firstly, take that silver spear and settle it for me at Linglong Hall. At the same time, help me inquire as to how the herbs I asked for are coming along. If possible, I can pay more to have Linglong Hall purchase them from other prefectures.¡± After the battle with Gao Pan, Xu Yi fully understood the importance of Martial Technique. If he had not used trickery and faced Gao Pan head on, he would have had to go through a lot of effort to successfully take down Gao Pan. And after this battle, his style of fighting would no longer be a secret. The plan to use his strengths to target the opponent¡¯s shortcomings worked only on the premise that others were not familiar with his patterns. This time, Black Dragon Hall had taken a painful blow. They would surely plan to unleash their true capabilities. As such, for Xu Yi, a Martial Technique was the most imminent need. Yuan Qinghua: ¡°The buying of the herbs should be no problem, I think. As long as you can pay the price, there should be nothing that you cannot get. Don¡¯t worry, I will get it done properly for you. Oh yes, what do you plan on doing with that armour? Keeping it would be a waste since it does not match your build. Why don¡¯t we pay a bit and exchange it for another one at the Alchemist Chamber.¡± Xu Yi: ¡°That golden armour is not suitable for my use, so take care of it for me. Didn¡¯t you say someone wanted to buy it on your way back? Find a high offer and sell it.¡± Yuan Qinghua: ¡°For a high offer, shouldn¡¯t you go to Linglong hall? How could a private buyer afford it? This is a low grade magical armour from the Alchemists¡¯ Chamber worth 2000 gold.¡± As he said those words, his eyebrows suddenly shot up. ¡°That¡¯s not right. You never make a bad deal, Boss. There must be another reason behind this. Tell me, quick.¡± Chapter 54 - Train of Thought After getting to know each other for just a few days, Yuan Qinghua could practically see right through Xu Yi. He knew well that his boss was not the kind of person who would allow himself to suffer any losses. Xu Yi¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°What do you mean by that? Am I a scheming person to you?¡± ¡°Boss, don¡¯t fake it anymore. Tell me quickly! Otherwise, I won¡¯t be confident when I make the sale!¡± Yuan Qinghua kept on pressing. Unable to brush him off, Xu Yi could only reveal the truth. It turned out that Xu Yi knew that the golden armour was already nearing its breaking point after taking over a hundred of his punches. If they took it to a proper shop such as Linglong Hall, the defect would most likely be discovered, and they would have to sell it at a discount for no good reason at all. However, if they sold it to an individual, they would not know better. Just with the appearance of the golden armour, they would likely still be able to sell it for a good price. After hearing the reason, Yuan Qinghua was practically ready to get on his knees for Xu Yi. Suddenly, he decided to swear to the heavens, ¡°Boss! If I ever dare to lie to you in future, may I get struck by lightning and die a no-good death!¡± This was not just a boss but practically a devil. Whoever dares to challenge him in a test of cunning would be sure to die a horrible death. Xu Yi waved his hand. ¡°Enough. Stop your antics. Right; after you moved me here, how did you settle things at the office? I still have a job to do there.¡± Yuan Qinghua slapped his thigh. ¡°If you didn¡¯t mention it, I would¡¯ve forgotten. Director Gao of the Patrol Division sent someone over to check on you and even left behind plenty of gifts. I was told to tell you that you could put your work aside for now and focus on recuperating. Hehe, Boss, you really are someone special. Even a bigshot like Gao Seven Swords would send gifts to you,¡± he said with surprise. With the last big issue settled as well, Xu Yi heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s late now. You have lots of things to do tomorrow. Go back and rest.¡± Yuan Qinghua acknowledged his order, then left. But then, he returned shortly with a tray containing a platter of buns and a pot of porridge. Xu Yi gobbled them down, then thought of LIttle Qiu¡¯s request. He then told Yuan Qinghua all the food that the little girl wanted. Yuan Qinghua acknowledged the instructions, then quietly left through the door. As he left, he felt a strange feeling within his chest. After knowing his Boss for these few days, Yuan Qinghua already knew that his Boss was just an outsider that the old man from the Mu family had fished out of the river. But from how his Boss treated the grandfather and granddaughter, he was clearly repaying them with all his love and care. Not only was he taking care of their daily lives, according to what Yuan Qinghua heard, even the conflict between him and the Black Dragon Hall came about because he was standing up for the two of them. It was truly rare to see someone who knew how to repay his debts. ¡°Working under a boss like this really sets my heart at ease!¡± Yuan Qinghua quietly spoke to himself as he shut the door. Yuan Qinghua was gone, but Xu Yi had no intention to sleep. He stacked his pillows up, lay down comfortably, and began to plan his next step. After the recent battle, the rabid dog known as Black Dragon Hall must surely be driven mad by him. Compared to Gao Pan, his upcoming opponents would most likely be quite a few times stronger. As he quietly calculated, Xu Yi began to straighten out his train of thought. Firstly, forging his Dragon Alligator hide into armour is the utmost priority. The evidence was clear now that the defensive capabilities of the Dragon Alligator hide is top-notch. In the recent battle with Gao Pan, his defense was completely reliant on the piece of Dragon Alligator hide. However, tying the hide to his chest with a piece of rope meant that his defensive coverage was just too limited. By forging it into armour and protecting his entire body, only then can he ensure that he will not lose. Secondly, Martial Technique. In other words, the Raging Force Mantra must be practiced until results are obtained. Ever since Xu Yi received the Raging Force Mantra, he had read through it many times. It was clear to him that the essence of this Martial Technique was to use his body of flesh and blood to absorb raging energies in the medicines used. Thereafter, by manipulating the Qi throughout the body, he would be able to explosively unleash a mighty punching power. For every stage, the required medicinal herbs were all different. The most difficult part about cultivating this skill is the extreme pain that comes with absorbing the energy within the herbs that is far beyond what most can endure. The last part of the mantra even emphasized that this mantra can only be cultivated by those with the strongest willpower. Furthermore, during cultivation, one must never be alone. This is so that at any point of danger, the cultivator can be forcefully pulled out of the medicinal bath to stop the absorption of the medicine. When it comes to pain, Xu Yi was confident that he could endure, hence he already made up his mind to cultivate in the Raging Force Mantra. ¡°Dragon Alligator hide for defence and the Raging Force Mantra for attack. It looks complete, but I¡¯m still missing an ultimate move that can ensure my survival. An ultimate move. Sigh¡­ How could I forget that?¡± While racking his brain for ideas to increase his martial prowess, he suddenly thought of the broken finger within his pouch. He took off the ring, and with all his strength, he sent the broken finger flying away in a huge arc. He brought the ring to a brighter spot and examined it for a while. Xu Yi could roughly guess that this contained a firing mechanism, and the only possible firing hole was the mouth of the snake. This also matched Gao Pan¡¯s behaviour of twisting the ring at the crucial moment in battle. ¡°Just how is the mechanism triggered?¡± For safety, Xu Yi aimed the head of the snake towards a thick folded blanket. In case anything incredible shot out, there would not be any ricochet as it would be blocked by the blanket. After pressing the snake¡¯s head many times, he could feel something moving, but nothing fired out. Holding onto the ring and mulling over it for a long time, Xu Yi suddenly thought of the metal spirit that he had in his pouch. That required his palm energy in order to activate. Perhaps this object was the same. With that thought in mind, he pressed the snake¡¯s head into the blanket, slipped his left index finger into the ring, then exerted his palm energy. However, nothing came out. Suddenly he then remembered that there must be a reason behind having a moveable snake¡¯s head. Immediately, he tried turning the snake¡¯s head the moment he exerted a force. A soft woosh sound was made, and a hint of recoil was felt in his finger. Xu Yi knew then that he had successfully fired a shot. In case there were more rounds that were not fired, Xu Yi repeated the steps many times, but he no longer felt any recoil. He then knew that the ring only had one shot. After a good fifteen minutes or so, Xu Yi finally found the green needle. The reason why it took so long was because the penetrative force of the green needle exceeded Xu Yi¡¯s expectations. Initially, he thought that whatever shot out would be stuck in the blanket. After all, the blanket was folded and stacked a few feet. It should provide astonishing resistance. Afterwards, after searching through the blankets with no results, he found a tiny, almost unnoticeable hole on the bed. Following the hole, he then found the green needle, thin as a strand of hair, on the granite floor under the bed. ¡°This can kill someone?¡± Xu Yi was suspicious of the needle. Although it had astonishing penetrative power and extremely fast firing speed that made it nearly impossible to defend against, it was simply too fine. Unless it hit the heart or the head, it would never be fatal. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. Venom, it must be venom!¡± As the thought flashed through Xu Yi¡¯s mind, he almost threw away the green needle in fear. Indeed, for something so small and fine, the only way for it to be fatal was for it to contain a vicious venom. After getting to the bottom of the ring¡¯s mystery, Xu Yi was still not too exhilarated. If he¡¯d not been fully prepared, the ring could indeed be an excellent secret weapon. However it was a consumable. Once it was used, that was it. And he had two more battles to face. Furthermore, if he encountered an opponent with an extremely tough armour, would the green needle be able to punch all the way through? Although slightly upset, he still managed to get his hands on a pretty good treasure. Xu Yi carefully put down the green needle, then began to investigate how to place it back into the ring. Without the green needle, the ring lost its intimidation factor. Xu Yi boldly worked at the ring, and in no time at all, he figured out how it worked. He separated the needle into two pieces, carefully placed the green needle into the opening before assembling the ring together and tossing it into his pouch. After thinking for a long time, Xu Yi still could not think of any trick that could ensure his survival. He knew that these things could not be rushed. He thought of the Dragon Alligator hide, which took care of his defense, and he began to feel more at ease. With lots to do the next day, he closed off his mind to these thoughts and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Chapter 55 - Who do we Choose? The night was exceedingly beautiful. The clear, bright moonlight shone onto the space outside the window of Xu Yi¡¯s little abode, painting an image of cool elegance. However, as the same moonlight shone onto the Black Dragon Hall¡¯s dim meeting hall, it added a hint of ghostly eeriness. At first, the lamps in the great hall were all lit. Hundreds of lamps made of tinted glass within the domed roof lit every corner of the magnificent hall. But then, Ma Wensheng dashed into the extremely sombre meeting hall, went right up to Hall Master Wan Youlong¡¯s side, and whispered into his ear. With a single fist, Hall Master Wan smashed the round table next to him into pieces. It was a table forged out of purple gold. He shouted angrily at the heavens with a roar as loud as a dragon¡¯s. The hundreds of glass lamps shattered into pieces, causing the meeting hall to turn dark. Even with all of the lights extinguished, Hall Master Wan¡¯s anger still had not subsided. ¡°Wensheng, did you or did you not convey my intentions properly? Even without an eighty percent refund, even a sixty or seventy percent should be possible, right? I¡¯ll have you know that the very reason I sent you was because I saw that you knew how to be expedient,¡± he growled in a low voice. Ma Wensheng responded, ¡°Hall Master, I am ashamed. I have definitely done all that I can, but it¡¯s not just sixty or seventy percent. The other party would not even settle for ten percent. Their only response was, ¡®He who bets must also be prepared to lose!''¡± Wan Youlong had wagered a full hundred million gold on Gao Pan and had lost it all that very day. His heart bled and his anger could reach the heavens. He had the temperament of a miser. Normally, when rewarding a few hundred gold to members of the Black Dragon Hall for their contributions, he could feel the pain in his flesh. Now, with a hundred thousand gold going up in smoke, the pain went all the way down to the marrow. With no way of recovering the loss, he racked his brains and finally came up with the idea of getting a refund from the betting house. Hall Master Wan saw himself as a man of great standing. Seeing that dealing with the betting house was tough, he decided that he could reward them with twenty thousand gold. As long as they were willing to refund him eighty thousand. In his eyes, he was already conceding a lot to the betting house. Furthermore, by sending advisor Ma, the most resourceful in the hall, he was sure that he would get the money back. At that moment, after hearing Ma Wensheng¡¯s reply, the blood rushed to Hall Master Wan¡¯s head. ¡°To hell with them and all their ancestors! A hundred thousand gold, what a large appetite! They¡¯d better not stuff themselves to death. Wensheng, go back there now and tell those bastards: if they take that hundred thousand gold, they will have to answer to all thirty thousand of our brothers at Black Dragon Hall.¡± ¡°Hall Master please calm down. How can a betting house that would accept a bet of ten thousand gold be that simple? The betting house we went to? The boss behind them is Lingxiao Hall,¡± Ma Wensheng gently reminded. If not for the lack of lamplight, one would be able to see that every face in the hall was flushed. The only difference was that Hall Master Wan¡¯s was from anger, whereas Ma Wensheng and the other deputies and elders¡¯ were from anxiety. The great Black Dragon Hall was not willing to back down after losing and resorting to asking for a refund from the betting house. Such behaviour was worse than good-for-nothing thugs on the street. If they could get the money back, then there would be nothing worth discussing any longer. For the hundred thousand gold, even losing a whole bunch of men in the process would be worth it. But the important question was, could they? In all of Guang¡¯an City, each and every betting house was backed by some power. Either one of the Three Great Orthodox Sects or one of the Great Noble Families. Even the prefecture governor had secretly opened a betting house. Within Guang¡¯an City, Black Dragon Hall was a formidable power, but that was only in regards to the underworld. But in the eyes of the Three Great Orthodox Sects or the Great Noble Families, what were they? This trip that Ma Wensheng had made clearly served only one purpose, and that was to be an embarrassment. Wan Youlong: ¡°So what if it¡¯s Lingxiao Hall? That¡¯s a hundred thousand gold we¡¯re talking about. With those shitty odds, they are clearly out to cheat money. Even Lingxiao Hall cannot get away with such blatant thievery. Wensheng, make another trip down there again. No matter how much, you have to get some back for me.¡± Although his tone was clearly agitated, he had apparently calmed down significantly. Evidently, Lingxiao Hall¡¯s renowned name was very effective towards Wan Youlong. Ma Wensheng had followed Wan Youlong for a long time, and he knew his temper well. Immediately, he followed up with some encouraging speech, flattering Wan Youlong until he was full of himself. At the end, he added, ¡°Hall Master, everyone, I believe that the loss of this hundred thousand gold can do nothing to hurt the vitality of our Black Dragon Hall. At most, we brothers can all work harder from today onwards, and we would recover what we lost in two to three years¡¯ time. For those of us who walk the Martial Way, the name of Black Dragon Hall is renowned throughout Guang¡¯an not because of any reason other than our reputation that has been built up with blood and steel. But today, the slaughter at Furong Town, Gao Pan¡¯s horrendous defeat, has left the name of our Black Dragon Hall in the mud. For the golden reputation of our Black Dragon Hall to be sullied, this is a severe matter. I believe that our wise Hall Master, as well as all of you, know this better than myself.¡± As Ma Wensheng¡¯s speech reached this point, the crowd was murmuring. All of those present were veterans in the Martial Way. They knew too well the importance of reputation. If their reputation fell, so would the confidence of their men, and that would be the end of Black Dragon Hall. With this thought in mind, the monkey-faced Deputy Hall Master roared, ¡°Where is that bastard Jiang Shaochuan? This is all his fault, I have to skin him alive.¡± For all of those brought here by Wan Youlong for the meeting, not one of them had any doubt that no good result awaited them. They were silent as Hall Master Wan was raving on his own. Right now, as the monkey-faced Deputy Hall Master brought out someone to vent their anger on, the crowd began to get rowdy. All of them were basically saying the same thing ¡ª requesting to have Jiang Shaochuan punished. Only Wan Youlong and Ma Wensheng remained silent. After a brief moment of clamour, the crowd began to come to their senses. They quieted down, and all eyes fell towards Wan Youlong. Wan Youlong glanced at Ma Wensheng. Ma Wensheng then spoke loudly. ¡°Jiang Shaochuan has committed a grave crime, so severe that our Hall Master cannot possibly let him off lightly. He has already been dealt with. Tonight, whatever you have eaten is contributed by Jiang Shaochuan. Right now, he is in all of your bellies. Just like how we swear revenge by eating the person¡¯s flesh and sleeping in the person¡¯s skin, this is the only punishment deserving of his crime.¡± As Ma Wensheng finished speaking, a few deputies and elders¡¯ faces turned green. Although they were hardened and cruel people, eating that kind of flesh was still pushing the limits. The monkey-faced Deputy Hall Master suddenly thought of a soft chunk of meat that he had fished out from his soup earlier which reminded him of a certain body part. Immediately, he could hold it in no longer. He bent over and began to throw up. This one act of vomiting instantaneously created a chain reaction. Everyone¡¯s stomach was already lurching. With the awful smell of vomit and the thought of what was in their stomachs, no one could hold it in any longer. Vomit began spewing everywhere. Wan Youlong simply hmphed loudly and said, ¡°When you¡¯re done vomiting, come to the meeting chamber.¡± With that, he turned and left. With the severe expression on the Hall Master¡¯s face, none of them dared to take their time. They calmed themselves down and recovered just like that. It was just that the feeling of sickness within their hearts was easily cast aside. In no time at all, all of them were gathered in the wide meeting chamber. Without waiting for everyone to get seated, Wan Youlong went straight to the point. ¡°Wensheng is right. Right now, there is no matter more pressing than getting rid of Yi Xu. As long as this person lives, our Black Dragon Hall will remain as the laughing stock of Guang¡¯an. Gao Junmo came over to speak to me, giving me three chances to challenge Yi Xu to a duel. But now, I cannot allow us to wait until the third challenge. We must get it done at the next one, or else even if Black Dragon Hall wins in the end, it is still our loss.¡± Ma Wensheng followed, ¡°Hall Master¡¯s words are wise. Getting rid of Yi Xu in this next duel is our do-or-die mission. I believe that this is something that all of us are aware of. But the crux of the matter is this: For the next duel, who do we choose?¡± Chapter 56 - Young Master Tengyun The moment the question was asked, the room burst with activity. The three Deputy Hall Masters and the four Elders were speaking over one another, recommending candidates. Black Dragon Hall was thirty thousand men strong, with plenty of practitioners at the peak of Body Forging. With so many to choose from, the debate was hard to quell. There was a loud bang as Wan Youlong slapped the tiger head armrest of his golden sculpted chair. The room fell silent. ¡°Chit-chattering like a bunch of sparrows. Wensheng, out with it: what is the conclusion?¡± Ma Wensheng held his fist in a salute towards Wan Youlong. ¡°Hall Master, it is not that we are being talkative, but it is just that it is hard to come up with a candidate within such a short span of time. We have many good fighters in Black Dragon Hall, no less than a hundred at the peak of Body Forging. Those who are comparable to Gao Pan number at around twenty to thirty. Those that can clearly beat Gao Pan would only be a mere ten or so. Let us not consider who are comparable to Gao Pan in skill as they would clearly be no match for Yi Xu. But at the same time, even those who have clearly surpassed Gao Pan are not guaranteed to beat Yi Xu. This is truly tragic.¡± Wan Youlong furrowed his brow for a moment, then replied, ¡°What if we offer a huge sum to hire a fighter? There are quite a few unaffiliated practitioners among the top ten fighters in Guang¡¯an¡¯s duelling platforms. It might be possible to hire one of them.¡± Ma Wensheng, ¡°Using this plan could indeed raise our odds of winning, but the problem is that we are hiring an outsider after all, and this could harm our reputation. Even if we do win, others might mock Black Dragon Hall for having no good fighters.¡± ¡°How about this, offer a hefty reward, and then invite the person to join Black Dragon Hall. After the fight is over, he is free to leave or stay. This way, won¡¯t we get the best of both worlds?¡± The one who suggested this was the normally quick-witted monkey-faced Deputy Hall Master. Ma Wensheng shook his head, ¡°These fighters have long since made a name for themselves and are known throughout Guang¡¯an. If they were to join our Black Dragon Hall, it would just make our weaknesses more obvious and make others mock us more.¡± ¡°If this won¡¯t do and that won¡¯t work, then what do you suggest, Advisor Ma?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me try?¡± The voice came from the back of the chamber. Everyone turned around, only to see a young man casually stride out into the chamber. He was around thirty years of age, tall, handsome, and dressed in white with a piece of jade adorning his belt. His hand held a paper fan which he fanned thrice with every step he took. If not for a look of arrogance that he perpetually wore on his face, he could have passed off as a carefree young man. ¡°Young Yun, why have you come?¡± Wan Youlong¡¯s face actually had a smile. This person was the Black Dragon Hall¡¯s Young Master, Wan Tengyun. Wan Youlong only had this one son, whom he raised with utmost care and attention. Wan Tengyun, too, lived up to expectations. His talent in cultivating in the Martial Way was extraordinary, and he reached the peak of Body Forging at the age of thirty. He was Wan Youlong¡¯s precious treasure. Without a care for the rest, Wan Tengyun sauntered up to the front, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to the table. While gently fanning himself, he said, ¡°Earlier, I was just inside reading when I heard all the chatter over here. After all that discussion, I can¡¯t believe you all would actually come up with the idea of hiring an outside fighter. I feel ashamed on your behalf. The men in Black Dragon Hall have not gone extinct yet. There is no need to get outside help. You needn¡¯t discuss any more. For the next battle, I will go. This is just Yi Xu; there will be no fight.¡± Wan Tengyun had always been pampered by Wan Youlong and was used to acting however he wanted. Everyone present was already used to the way he talked and was not offended at all. Instead, after hearing Wan Tengyun volunteer himself, smiles began to appear on their faces. Wan Tengyun was indeed an excellent candidate. He could hold his own amongst all the young masters of the powerful noble families in Guang¡¯an, earning his name as one of the top ten young masters in Guang¡¯an. Wang Tengyun¡¯s martial arts were extremely trained. He has held himself at the Body Forging stage for three years already and has yet to breakthrough into the Qi Ocean stage for only two reasons. The first reason was that the Divine Origin Qi Pill was simply too hard to obtain, and the second was that Wan Youlong wanted Wan Tengyun to ensure a strong foundation before making the breakthrough. As a practitioner in the middle stage of the Qi Ocean stage, Wan Youlong knew well the importance of this first step into the Qi Ocean stage. The quality of one¡¯s Qi Ocean would directly impact one¡¯s entire climb up the path of the Martial Way. Years ago, when he had broken through into the Qi Ocean stage, no one had taught him that. Today, he naturally did not wish for Wan Tengyun to make the wrong step. If not for this reason, given Wan Youlong¡¯s position and Black Dragon Hall¡¯s wealth, there was no way that Wan Tengyun would be allowed to stay in the Body Forging stage for that many years. ¡°You cannot! Young Yun, you simply have to calm down and continue your cultivation. What¡¯s most important now is for you to consolidate your cultivation. Once you have mastered the Demon Tiger Bone Forging Art and can strike with the force of three bulls, I will fight for a Divine Origin Qi Pill for you to break through to the Qi Ocean stage. When it comes to such trivial matters, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Wan Youlong obviously knew how extraordinary his son was. There would be no need to worry about any accidents if they sent him to fight Yi Xu, who had struggled so much against Gao Pan. But after going through that incident with Gao Pan, he no longer believed in a sure-win situation. If Wan Tengyun went up and faced another accident, what good would it do even if he could kill Yi Xu a hundred times over? With a whoosh, Wan Tengyun folded up his fan in one swift motion and smiled. ¡°Father, I have practiced the Demon Tiger Bone Forging Art for three years. I can strike with the force of two bulls now, but I just can¡¯t seem to overcome this final bottleneck. Since I was bored, I flipped through some martial arts literature, and I found out that many of our predecessors found their breakthrough in the Martial Way during battle. Since Yi Xu was able to beat Gao Pan, he should be the right stepping stone for me to get over this bottleneck.¡± Wan Youlong¡¯s brows creased heavily. He was just about to dissuade Wan Tengyun when he waved the fan in his hand. ¡°You do not have to say anymore, Father; my mind is made up!¡± The room instantly fell silent. Since this matter had to do with Wan Tengyun, no one dared to say a word to advise Wan Youlong. Should anything happen to Wan Tengyun in the end, there was no telling if they would be the next Jiang Shaochuan. ¡°Very well, since you are so insistent on being the candidate, I shall agree, but I have a few conditions that you must accept.¡± After a few moments of silence, Wan Youlong finally made his decision. Indeed, he can only protect Wan Tengyun for this short period of time but not for his entire life. A young eagle living under the wings of its parents will never truly grow. ¡°What conditions?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to know right now. I will you when the time is right. You only need to do as you are told. Now, head back in first. Your uncles and I still have matters to discuss.¡± Wan Tengyun left, and Wan Youlong heaved a sigh as he got to his feet. ¡°Can¡¯t help it. Since he wants to fight, I shall let him fight. However, now that Young Yun is about to head into battle, shouldn¡¯t you uncles show some support? For Black Dragon Hall, I, Wan Youlong, have even offered my son. Surely, none of you intend for my Yun-er to head into battle unarmed?¡± And the show begins. No one in the room had expected Wan Youlong to be waiting to spring this upon them, but after a while of thinking, they understood. With Wan Youlong¡¯s personality, there was no way that he would rest without grabbing the opportunity to dial in some advantages for Wan Tengyun. At once, everyone began to generously offer their help, a precious sword here, some fine armour there. The atmosphere was enthusiastic until Wan Youlong suddenly slammed hard on the table. With his eyes wide open, he roared in rage, ¡°Do you take me for a beggar!? Black Dragon Hall is not mine alone. Right now, my son is willing to fight for all of us, and you have the gall to be stingy? Don¡¯t think that I do not know that each of you have your own secret treasure in each of your branch halls. What do you take my son for?¡± With Wan Youlong¡¯s authority backing him, even if each of them felt indignant about his outburst, there was nothing they could do but lower their heads. The monkey-faced Deputy Hall Master was the first to speak up/ ¡°Hall Master, I offer a low grade magical armour from the Alchemists¡¯ Chamber. The defensive capabilities of the armour has already been proven in Gao Pan¡¯s fight. Even right until the end, Yi Xu was still unable to break the armour. With the armour on, Tengyun¡¯s victory is certain!¡± Chapter 57 - A Sure Win The monkey-faced Deputy Hall Master was hand-picked and trained by Wan Youlong, and he was highly treasured by him. As such, he was first to open his coffers and set the stage for Wan Youlong. Indeed, with him setting an example, the other deputies and elders were no longer in a situation where they could feign ignorance. Biting the bullet, they came together and offered up some real treasures. First were the Invincible War Boots made from the hide of a Fire Rhino. They possessed a staggering defensive strength and could withstand enormous weight. It was truly a premium battle item. Second was the Golden Tiger Helmet. It was made out of a combination of pure gold and silver metal forged into a helmet. Pure gold coins themselves were worth five hundred gold each. This helmet had great defense and a hefty price tag. Third was the Silkworm Gauntlets, created with the silk spun by the Emperor Silkworm as the main material. Wearing these gauntlets on the offensive, they can protect the fists and increase punching power at the same time, making them an important tool in both offense and defense. Lastly, there was the set of Supersonic Throwing Knives, coming with a total of seven knives. These were made out of Golden Gust Rock, possessing the element of wind. When thrown, these knives possess shocking speed and destructive power, making them almost impossible to defend against. After the treasures were introduced and promised to Wan Youlong, he was overjoyed. Patting each and every one of the elders and deputies on the shoulders, he said, ¡°With all of you working together on this, there is no place on this wide earth that Black Dragon Hall cannot go. Do not worry, brothers, just take it that I am borrowing these items. Once the duel ends, I promise that each item will go back to its rightful owner. I will not allow my brothers to suffer any losses.¡± Those words were pretentious to the extreme. There was no taking back gifts once they were given, even more so when given to a junior. Although the monkey-faced Deputy and the rest of them could not bear to part with their treasures, they had no choice but to put on a front and reply with generous words. After ripping his men off, Wan Youlong had no more interest in keeping them around. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the meeting. After they left, he called over Ma Wensheng, and they entered the elegant room that Wan Tengyun had come from earlier. There, he went straight to the point. ¡°Wensheng, to be honest, with Young Yun going up for battle, I believe there should be no problem, but I can¡¯t help worry that an accident might happen again. My mind is clouded by my worry, but yours is clear. Help me to analyse this from a bystander¡¯s perspective. For Young Yun¡¯s battle this time, is it possible to make it a sure win?¡± Ma Wensheng replied, ¡°Since Hall Master has asked, please pardon me for sharing my analysis. As the saying goes, in battles between practitioners, know the enemy, know yourself, and you will emerge victorious in every battle. The extent of that man¡¯s capabilities has basically been assessed after the battle with Gao Pan. His strengths lie in his nimble body movements, impressive defense, as well as an abundance of stamina. His weakness lies in his Martial Techniques. As such, we can determine that he does not come from a legitimate line of practitioners, hence the lack of Martial Techniques. ¡°It is also worth mentioning that this man is extremely quick-witted. Before the battle even began, he had already come up with his plan to target Gao Pan¡¯s weaknesses and utilise his strengths. He even resorted to trickery at the opening of the duel, disarming Gao Pan¡¯s silver spear and completely negating all of Gao Pan¡¯s advantages over him. He then made use of his nimble movements so that Gao Pan could not get away. Because neither of them could break through the other¡¯s defense, the duel became a pure contest of stamina. ¡°I initially thought that Gao Pan was strong, had plenty of energy, and would not necessarily lose a contest of stamina. However, that man¡¯s endurance greatly exceeded what I had initially imagined, and he literally exhausted Gao Pan to his death. No, that¡¯s not right. I missed out on one thing. Gao Pan was on his last leg and prepared to use the snake ring but was foiled by a single shoe from that man. Evidently, he must have already known that Gao Pan would resort to that. If he had simply guessed what Gao Pan was up to based on pure wit, that makes him too scary, but if he did not guess, and had known that Gao Pan would resort to that, then¡­that is even more alarming.¡± Ma Wensheng was indeed the brains of Black Dragon Hall. He had already dissected every little detail of this complicated situation. Wan Youlong¡¯s face paled in shock. ¡°Wensheng, this is an important matter. Young Yun cannot come to any harm.¡± As he said those words, he clutched Ma Wensheng¡¯s wrists. Ma Wensheng¡¯s thin face turned pale as well as he hurriedly replied, ¡°Hall Master, you are worrying too much. This man¡¯s ability to see through a person¡¯s intentions through subtle hints may be impressive, but it¡¯s only useful against sneak attacks in battle. This time, when Young Master is dealing with him, it will be an open and fair fight. Even if he knows what is coming, what can he do? This is like a mountain crumbling. Even if an ordinary man knows it is happening, what can he do to stop it?¡± Wan Youlong finally let go after hearing those words. He nodded his head, agreeing with Ma Wensheng¡¯s analysis. But then, he suddenly thought of something, and the rude awakening made him break out in sweat. ¡°Wensheng, now that you mention the snake ring, it is now in the possession of that little thief! Young Yun will be doomed in this battle!¡± Ma Wensheng said, ¡°Hall Master, do not worry, I have already considered this matter. To ensure a win, why not¡­¡± Ma Wensheng softly whispered a vicious scheme. Wan Youlong listened, then murmured, ¡°This is against the rules!¡± Ma Wensheng laughed. ¡°That is why we shall have one of the Fiery Boor Clan to do it. When it comes to illegal things, the nobles and all the big names in Guang¡¯an have done plenty. As long as they have no evidence to hold against us, no one can do anything about it.¡± Wan Youlong got to his feet, ¡°That¡¯s right! For Young Yun, there is nothing that we will not do.¡± Ma Wensheng: ¡°Hall Master is right, Young Master is the future of our Black Dragon Hall. There must be no mistakes here. Other than the snake ring, that man still has one more advantage. If we do not deal with that, we will be allowing more risk in Young Master¡¯s upcoming battle.¡± Wan Youlong: ¡°You are talking about his movements! Indeed, his body seems to float like a spectre, but it somehow does not look like any kind of Martial Technique. It is extremely perplexing. Wensheng, since you brought this up, you must have a solution for me.¡± Ma Wensheng indeed lived up to his status as one of Wan Youlong¡¯s most important followers whom he relied on greatly. He was quick-witted, and the plans he came up with were never bad. The moment Xu Yi and Gao Pan¡¯s battle ended, he had already begun his preparations for the next duel. At this moment, coming up with a solution for what Wan Youlong asked was not a problem for him. He simply replied with a single sentence. Wan Youlong blurted out, ¡°What, ten thousand gold?¡± But after a moment, he calmed down. ¡°That is right. For such a divine treasure, even if it were in a broken state, it would still be worth that much. For Young Yun, what price is too much?¡± Ma Wensheng got to his feet and held his fists in a solemn salute. ¡°With that, I can assure you that unless heaven and earth flip over, this will be a sure win for the Young Master!¡± ¡­ It was noon. The sun shone on the window ledge, casting a shadow on the ancient book and creating a lattice pattern over the words of the book. Xu Yi lay on the bed, quietly reading. This book, Annals of Guang¡¯an Prefecture, was what he had Yuan Qinghua specifically find for him. In order to quickly understand as much as he could about Guang¡¯an City, there was no faster way than to read the Annals of Guang¡¯an Prefecture. The book recorded the past thousand years of Guang¡¯an City¡¯s history, but Xu Yi was not interested in studying history. He looked specifically into the records of the past fifty years, paying extra attention to affairs regarding martial arts and information regarding a few well known weapon shops. While he was absorbed in his reading, Little Qiu came over dragging along a large cloth bag. Her little mouth was huffing and puffing the whole time as she wobbled over, evidently using all her strength. Xu Yi quickly jumped off the bed and picked up the little girl in his arms. He smiled. ¡°So, what good stuff have you brought for Uncle Beardo this time?¡± Little Qiu might have been young, but she was smart. She knew that Xu Yi was pretending to be sick and could not openly eat good food. As such, under the pretense of getting food for herself, she had secretly brought food over to Xu Yi. Before this, she had already made two such deliveries to Xu Yi. ¡°Chicken drumstick. Hurry and eat. Don¡¯t let anyone see or it won¡¯t look like you¡¯re sick.¡± The little girl sat on Xu Yi¡¯s lap, took out a red roasted chicken drumstick, and handed it over to Xu Yi. Chapter 58 - The Alchemists Chamber Xu Yi had no appetite. The child had good intentions, and he did not wish to disappoint her. He rubbed her tiny head and started munching. The dainty child watched him eating happily. Her round chubby face was in full bloom. She flashed her silly looking tigress teeth. ¡°Come eat with me? There¡¯s so much food; how can I possibly eat it all?¡± Xu Yi chuckled. The child rubbed her bulging belly and pouted. ¡°I can¡¯t eat anymore. I am so full. Aye, Uncle Beardo, living with you has its pros and cons. I enjoy all the good food you¡¯ve bought me. However, I am always bloated. Now, even a chicken drumstick does not taste delicious anymore.¡± Xu Yi broke out in laughter. Suddenly, he recalled that Little Qiu might attend school in Furong Town. He queried, ¡°Little Qiu, what¡¯s Grandpa doing now? Please bring him out for a discussion on finding you a school in this town.¡± ¡°Go to school?¡± Little Qiu¡¯s eyes sparkled. Very quickly, they lost their glint. ¡°No need. It¡¯s not in Furong Town. I¡¯d rather stay home with Grandpa.¡± ¡°Lazy bum. We can go to school anywhere, can¡¯t we?¡± Xu Yi pinched her chubby cheeks and chuckled. The little girl did not wish to continue the discussion. She slipped down from Xu Yi¡¯s lap, put her hands behind herself, and walked towards the door. She sighed along the way and lamented, ¡°Uncle Beardo, how I wish I could grow up faster!¡± With that statement, she hurried out of the door. Xu Yi shook his head and smiled wryly. His suggestion for Little Qiu to attend school was non-urgent. He decided to tackle the matter another time. He was getting ready to read when Yuan Qinghua hurriedly entered the courtyard. ¡°Boss, bad news!¡± Yuan Qinghua was running out of breath. He was shouting as he pushed the door open. ¡°It¡¯s probably not that big of a deal. Tell me slowly.¡± Yuan Qinghua locked the door and pulled a chair to sit down by a window. He solemnly related, ¡°Damn Black Dragon Hall¡¯s bent on killing you. They¡¯ve sent Wan Tenyun!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s he? Is he some big shot?¡± ¡°Not only is he a bigshot, but he¡¯s renowned throughout Guang¡¯an! He¡¯s the young master of the Black Dragon Hall. This guy, though young at 30 years old, has already achieved his peak in his prowess. He¡¯s been listed among the top 10 Guang¡¯an elites. His Execute Extreme Sword is powerful, and no one survives after seeing him strike. Being the only child and heir, if the Black Dragon Hall sends him to duel, that shows their determination to win. Nonetheless, this guy¡¯s the trump card of Black Dragon Hall. Since Black Dragon Hall is sending him for the duel, they must have great confidence in the victory. Perhaps they have loaded him with other invincible weapons? I¡¯m afraid that Boss will confront a humanoid weapon. How will you make it through this duel?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a solution to any problem. We do our best. There¡¯s no need to worry too much. You¡¯ve managed to gather only this piece of news on today¡¯s trip? Have you forgotten what I asked you to do?¡± Xu Yi was indifferent as he had already anticipated that he would be confronted with the strong opponents within the Black Dragon Hall. Despite the dismal situation, he thought he could manage it. Yuan Qinghua was aghast at Xu Yi¡¯s lack of sense of impending danger. He continued to answer his questions. He had set out early that morning after Xu Yi had given him instructions last night. He first went over to the Linglong Hall to sell off the extraordinary silver spear for five hundred taels of gold. He requested Linglong Hall to gather and purchase medicinal herbs at high prices in various state capitals. Subsequently, he moved to the marketplace at An He North Bridge and easily disposed of the armour for twelve hundred taels of gold. Xu Yi received the sum of seventeen hundred taels of gold from Yuan Qinghua. With his earlier redemption of the lottery tickets at fifteen hundred taels of gold coupled with his original three hundred taels of gold, he had a total of thirty five hundred taels of gold on hand. That was indeed far superior to the two gold pieces prior. Xu Yi was elated. Watching Xu Yi¡¯s mercenary behaviour, Yuan Qinghua felt sick to his stomach. ¡°Boss, how can you be happy? Do you know the odds? It¡¯s a record in Guang¡¯an. The odds are 5 to 1. Those ruthless folks dare to take such odds to attract more bets. That means half your leg is already stepping on the coffin string. This time, I¡¯ll not buy you to win. You mustn¡¯t rebuke me for being disloyal. I¡¯ve gritted my teeth to control my urge to put in a bet for Wan Tenyun. That¡¯s the best I can do.¡± Xu Yi chuckled. He stood up and said, ¡°Hope you won¡¯t regret it!¡± He took the large bamboo hat that the maid He Hua had bought and strode out of the room. ¡°Boss, you are still unwell. Where are you going?¡± Yuan Qinghua shouted from behind. Xu Yi did not turn back. ¡°The odds have been given out. There¡¯s no need for me to pretend any longer. Take good care of Grandpa and Little Qiu. I¡¯ll be gone for two days.¡± He disappeared into the halo of the setting sun. He decided to look for Master Zhou. Since his fake injury, Master Zhou had not visited him in two days. He missed his friend. When he reached Zhou¡¯s residence, he found the door locked. He asked around and found an elderly lady living next door. She asked for Xu Yi¡¯s name and handed over a letter from Master Zhou. Xu Yi opened the letter and finally discovered the reason. Master Zhou had gone on an urgent trip. He went to the the neighbourly Luzhou Mansion. He would be there for a while. He left Xu Yi a note asking him not to worry about him. He predicted that Xu Yi would be successful and did not forget to remind him to practise the Domination Secrets. Xu Yi headed straight for the East City once he had left Master Zhou¡¯s. This is the city where pugilists and warriors gather. There was no need to avoid the pedestrians, hence he was able to enter the city swiftly. After a few moments, Xu Yi halted in front of a workshop. Despite the sprawling spacious land that the workshop sat on, the curtains on the door were plain and unadorned. The door was unpretentious. Even the signboard lacked lustre as compared to that of Linglong Hall. It was a plain black board. Alchemists Chamber was printed in bold black letters. There was a line of fine print ¡ª Guang¡¯an Branch. The facade and the signboard were not lavish. However, Xu Yi had dared not underestimate this workshop. Inside the workshop, it was thriving with cries of dragons and tigers. The skies were at times bursting with brilliant lights and vibrant colors, and at other times, they were shrouded by eccentric, illusionary shadows. It was definitely a mysterious sight. Once he had entered through the main door, he saw a few customers in the vast hall. Xu Yi did not meet any professional sales guides like those he had seen at the Linglong Hall. In fact, no one had greeted him since his entrance. Xu Yi was not upset. He understood that there would be good reason for the arrogant attitude. He had studied the authoritative technique. He changed his frame of thought and reckoned that there could be some written process to guide the customers how to go about things in the workshop. After he made a few attempts to scrutinise the place, he found an engraved list on the painted wall. He took a glance before moving forward another ten yards. He found the room he was searching for. The Booster Hall was written above the signboard in bright red font. He entered another door and arrived in the midst of a spacious hall. The decorations were ancient and unimpressive. This time, Xu Yi did not have to wait for long. A young service man dressed in a green uniform approached him upon entry. The youngster asked Xu Yi which grade of alchemist he needed. The young man did not worry about Xu Yi¡¯s weird outfit with the large bamboo hat. Everyone respected the privacy of the pugilists. Chapter 59 - Attributes ¡°I¡¯d like a Grade 3 Alchemist please.¡± The stone board made it clear that the Grade 3 alchemists were the most respectable alchemists. It also reminded the customers to take other grades of alchemists unless the item was a rare treasure. This principle was installed to ensure the efficiency of the Grade 3 alchemists. Obviously, the young customer serviceman in green changed his facial expression. He stared at Xu Yi and enquired, ¡°Do consider carefully if your material or item warrants our Grade 3 alchemists. In addition, we have a new policy to determine the assets worth of two thousand taels of gold before we accede to assign a Grade 3 alchemist for the job.¡± Initially, the stone board had not indicated the terms and conditions for commissioning Grade 3 alchemists. All customers who ask for the best alchemists. After the added reminder that Grade 3 alchemists would work on rare treasures, there were still many requests. Due to different assumptions and benchmarks, every customer would consider their materials to be priceless treasures. However. when these items were presented before the top grade alchemists, they were deemed to be insignificant and useless. That had wasted the alchemists¡¯ precious time. The last resort was to apply strict filters to those customers who requested the top alchemists. An evaluation of their assets had to be performed. At the minimum, those who could afford to pay two thousand taels of gold would certainly know the quality of their materials. Xu Yi did some quick thinking. He understood the policy. Without a flicker of hesitation, he took out the money from his waist pouch and passed it over to the customer service representative. The young man counted and returned the assets to Xu Yi. This time, he had a more respectful demeanor. He pointed to the left and motioned to Xu Yi. ¡°Respectable customer, please follow me.¡± He quickly led Xu Yi to a bright and elegant room. He asked Xu Yi to wait a while and hurried away. Xu Yi had not thought that the short while was more than half an hour. He had already finished the green tea on the table. He was bored stiff staring at the silent lake and the covered bridge outside the window. He waited impatiently. He stood up and was about to take action when he heard some movements outside the door. Alas, the green-uniformed youth was accompanying a scholarly old man dressed in a cloth robe. ¡°Are you looking for me? What¡¯ve you got? Take it out quickly. My furnace is still doing a hardening by quenching!¡± The elder was a roly-poly. He sported white beard and hair. His face was glowing, and his voice was loud like a bell. The green-uniformed man introduced them. ¡°Respectful customer, this is one of our two most senior alchemists. He is Elder Song. Due to his time constraints, do get straight to the point.¡± He left duo to themselves after making the brief introduction. Xu Yi¡¯s time was just as precious. He dug his hand into his waist pouch and fished out a palm-sized piece of dragon crocodile skin. He was about to hand it over to Elder Song. Elder Song¡¯s rotund body moved suddenly and deftly like a civet cat. He leapt forward and snatched the piece of the dragon crocodile skin away. His eyes were sparkling. He pulled the skin, bit the skin, then abruptly pulled out a tiny golden needle and started poking the specimen. After a while, the elderly man guffawed, ¡°It¡¯s amazing to be able to see dragon crocodile skin in our small Guang¡¯an. Oh my, oh my. And it¡¯s a dragon crocodile skin that carries the spatial attributes.¡± He let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there¡¯s only one piece. If we had hundreds of them, we could forge a Demon Sheaf. Oh my, oh my. We can even arrest a flood dragon.¡± ¡°Spatial attributes? Can Elder Song please enlighten on this?¡± Xu Yi¡¯s curiosity was piqued. He had obtained the dragon crocodile skin from the Linglong Hall. Because of its scarcity, Linglong Hall was able to provide limited knowledge on its usage. Even Gao Junmo was unable to grasp its defence capability after testing it. As such, Xu Yi had an incomplete understanding of this piece of dragon crocodile skin. But now, the most learned alchemist could identify the skin¡¯s spatial attributes. Such advanced terms were over his head. Xu Yi was excited, enchanted, and elated. Elder Song peered at Xu Yi in annoyance. ¡°What a shame that you¡¯re its owner and you¡¯ve no clue on its capabilities. How about you name me a price; I¡¯ll take it from you!¡± ¡°Pardon me Elder Song. I have no intention of selling off my dragon crocodile skin.¡± What a joke. Xu Yi knew that this price of dragon crocodile skin would save his skin at the next duel. Even if he were a mercenary, he would not exchange his life for mere money. Elder Song touched his beard. ¡°Young man, please do not attempt to raise my offer price. Five thousand taels of gold, and I¡¯ll take this piece of dragon crocodile skin.¡± Xu Yi had purchased the skin from an auction for eighteen hundred taels of gold. Now, the offer price was several times higher. It was indeed an enviable offer. ¡°Very sorry. This piece of dragon crocodile skin is of utmost importance to me. I¡¯ve no reason to sell it. My motive for this trip is to enlist your help to forge armour out of it. I¡¯m in no desperate need for money.¡± Xu Yi snatched his skin and explained. He had deliberately made known that he was ¡°not desperate for money.¡± He hoped that Elder Song would stop escalating his offer price. Elder Song sighed. ¡°Alright then. Since you¡¯re reluctant to let it go, I won¡¯t push it anymore. This piece of dragon crocodile skin is complete and intact. Its spatial attributes remain. To make an armour out of it, it¡¯s neither arduous nor simple. If there is no expert involved, this piece of dragon crocodile skin can¡¯t be put together for you to cover your body. I can guarantee that there¡¯s only one person in all of Guang¡¯an who has the expertise to refine the precious spatial properties of this material. And that would be me.¡± Xu Yi listened with trepidation. He knew that the senior was going to ask for an exorbitant price for the refinery work. True enough, after beating about the bush, Elder Song coldly added, ¡°One price: Three thousand taels of gold. If you¡¯re willing we¡¯ve a deal. If you¡¯re unwilling, please leave!¡± Xu Yi nearly fainted. Three thousand taels of gold! A refinery work that would cost him three thousand taels of gold¡­ It¡¯s an obvious money pit. ¡°Elder Song, you¡¯ve given me a ridiculous price. Earlier on, you¡¯ve offered me five thousand taels of gold to buy my dragon crocodile skin. How can refinery labour cost be more than half the value of the material?¡± Xu Yi suppressed his rage and protested vehemently. Elder Song sneered, ¡°The dragon crocodile skin is indeed extraordinary. What about my expertise? My skills are not plain and ordinary. I¡¯m the only capable man in all of Guang¡¯an, and am I not worth three thousand taels of gold? My offer remains the same. If you disagree, please leave immediately!¡± He scoffed and left after these words. ¡°Hold on!¡± Xu Yi swiftly blocked the old man¡¯s way. He was thinking fast, and he was already at his wits¡¯ end. He had no choice. The dragon crocodile skin was top priority due to imminent duel. He could not afford to go to the duel without it. Although three thousand taels of gold was an exorbitant price tag, his life was more precious. He decided to bite the bullet and was about to accept the offer when the earlier customer serviceman rushed in. Contorted with fear, he was shouting from afar, ¡°Elder Song, there¡¯s an astounding strange noise coming from the refinery. We¡¯re afraid that we¡¯ve come upon misfortune.¡± Elder Song¡¯s cold and silky eyebrows were suddenly raised. He scraped the floor and darted out. Xu Yi continued to shout and pursued closely. With the impending duel, he needed the dragon crocodile armour urgently. He could wait no longer. He was terribly worried that the elder would not return. He trailed behind Elder Song and made several turns. They took a long flight of old stairs that went ten yards underground. They were blocked by an ornamented arch door. Elder Song pressed his thumbprint against the black disc mounted in the centre of the arch door. The disc emitted a green beam, and the door opened. At this crucial moment, Xu Yi could not be bothered with protocol. As Elder Song dashed into the room, he managed to squeeze in before the arch door was closed. Chapter 60 - Cunning In the spacious refinery, the walls were built with dark brown stone slabs, a colour that resembled the skin of a giant. The floor was paved with heterogeneous granite slabs which were sometimes icy cold, and at times, fiery hot. Three enormous and rotund refinery furnaces segregated the room into three precise sections. The central furnace was burning ferociously with devious and mysterious blue flames. The reflections against the bezel of the closed hearth brought about the display of strange colours. The closed hearth was like the eight trigrams furnace that could suppress the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Its stove lid was whizzing and bubbling with seething hot blue steam, an amazing sight. The most bizzare thing could be found beside each side wall on the refinery room. On each side wall stood the body of a giant. It had an intact body despite a broken skull. Blood and cranial fluid spilled all over the floor. Elder Song hastened towards the tripod furnace once he entered the refinery room. He delivered a volley strike, and the stove lid, which had almost broken free, immediately began to vibrate less. Elder Song¡¯s grave expression cleared up slightly. Suddenly, the stove lid violently jumped. Elder Song was horrified. He executed another two blows. He roared at the stunned Xu Yi, ¡°What are you waiting for? Pull the air box!¡± Xu Yi sprung into action. He went to the furnace, grabbed the thick black handle, and pulled it vigorously. He frowned after he tried to exert his strength. The handle was ridiculously heavy. He had to use a bull¡¯s strength to move it. Xu Yi pulled twice. The stove lid stopped. Elder Song watched the stove lid nervously. He did not dare move it, and he did not ask Xu Yi to stop. Xu Yi quickly thought, ¡°Elder Song, I have some urgent errands to attend to. I think you¡¯d better get someone here to help!¡± Elder Song frowned and bellowed, ¡°What urgent errand would that be? Can it be to forge that piece of dragon crocodile skin? Haven¡¯t I told you that there¡¯s no one else but me in all of Guang¡¯an who¡¯s capable of doing that?¡± ¡°The old man doesn¡¯t know how to play the game. Let me add some accessories.¡± Xu Yi was cursing silently. He eased his strength and continued, ¡°I beg to differ. Who will dare to conclude that there¡¯s no other talent? I may discover more.¡± Once he eased his strength, immediate results could be seen. The stove lid started to jump boisterously. Elder Song was so mad that his face turned a different color. He desperately struck at the tripod furnace and barked at Xu Yi, ¡°I¡¯ll forge for you! Quickly, take action!¡± Xu Yi started to use more force and he gently implored, ¡°I know you¡¯re kind-hearted, however, the price¡­¡± Elder Song felt like slapping the hateful Xu Yi dead. The latter wanted to rip him off. But now, he did not have the upper hand. He stiffened his neck and offered, ¡°Two thousand, two thousand taels of gold for the deal!¡± Son of a bitch, we are at the eleventh hour, and he¡¯s still so adamant and stubborn? Xu Yi cursed silently, but he quipped, ¡°How kind of you. You¡¯re the only expert alchemist in all of Guang¡¯an who can forge that material with spatial attributes. Pushing down your price seems disrespectful.¡± Elder Song was astonished. He thought, ¡°That rascal has had a change of heart.¡± Suddenly, he felt a little embarrassed. Who would have thought that after his apologetic remark, his next statement would nearly cause Elder Song to lose his footing and slam into the wall. ¡°Elder, I¡¯ve always charged for my services. How much do you think my work pulling the air box is worth?¡± After beating about the bush, Xu Yi was waiting for his reply. ¡°One thousand taels of gold, I¡¯ll charge you one thousand taels of gold. Are you satisfied?¡± Elder Song was seething in anger. ¡°Elder, I¡¯ve said it. I won¡¯t bargain with the charges for forging my armour. I¡¯m merely asking how much are you paying me for pulling the air box? If you have no sincerity, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± As he was saying that, he released his hand again. At that instant, the tripod lid started to jump around. Perhaps it was due to the prolonged quenching that something had changed inside the tripod furnace. The knocking noises became louder and vigorous. Many a time the tripod lid was nearly knocked off the furnace. ¡°You name a price, I¡¯ll agree to whatever price you name. Please do not let go again!¡± Elder Song was stricken with terror. He desperately directed his palm force at the tripod furnace. Xu Yi grabbed the handle and pulled along. He added, ¡°In view of your sincerity, it¡¯d be gaudy to talk about money. You help me forge the armour, and I¡¯ll help you with pulling the air box. We help each other, and we are on the same team. It¡¯s fair and square. Do you agree, Elder Song?¡± We help each other? What a rascal! It¡¯s easy to find anyone in Guang¡¯an to pull the air box. How¡¯s that comparable with one expert who can forge an armour out of a piece of dragon crocodile skin? And he says it¡¯s fair and reasonable? Elder Song clenched his teeth. His lungs were bursting with anger. He forced one word out of his mouth: ¡°Deal!¡± He had no more options. Earlier, two strong men had been smashed to the wall by the forceful air currents and perished. It would be too late to ask for replacements. In hindsight, Elder Song had allowed Xu Yi to follow him. Perhaps he had subconsciously intended for him to handle the air box. He had not anticipated that rascal to be so conniving and cunning! Xu Yi was overjoyed. He added more strength, and the furnace was roaring. That stabilised the tripod lid. He did not stop talking, ¡°From what I can see, your seniority and cultivation has already attained the level of Qi Ocean Stage. I reckon you¡¯re a man who honours his word!¡± ¡°Young man, if you utter another word, do you believe that I¡¯d sacrifice this Star Moon Sword in exchange for your pathetic life?¡± Elder Song was on the verge of spitting out blood. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll shut up. Geez, there¡¯s no need to get angry with me!¡± After his mumble, Xu Yi kept his reticence and focused on pulling the air box. He was not afraid that Elder Song¡¯s anger would escalate. He had predicted that the item in the furnace must have been extremely important to Elder Song. He was more concerned that the Elder might reject the forging job out of spite. An hour passed along with at least several hundred pulls. It reminded Xu Yi of those tormented days where he had to carry five hundred catties of heavy metals. Xu Yi was a man who honoured his word. As long as Elder Song did not signal him to stop, he would continue despite his gruelling and arduous task. As time passed, Elder Song began to admire the young man. The disgust he had for him had dissipated. He knew very well how heavy his supreme tripod furnace¡¯s air box was. That was built from ancient metals and heavy sand. Every tug and pull would require the strength of a bull. An ordinary warrior who had reached the peak of Body Forging stage could sustain several pulls before they were exhausted. That had been the precise reason for Elder Song to purchase two brute forces. Their jobs were to pull the air box. These two strong men were put on rotational shift work. Each shift lasted no more than an hour. However, this young man was scrawny, and his cultivation must not have reached the peak of Body Forging stage, but he could still persist the arduous tasks for over an hour. What was more impressive: this young man was not panting nor out of breath. His body was upright, his techniques were still suave and smooth, and he did not appear to be drained of energy. Elder Song had yet to meet one with such alarming stamina and perseverance. While Elder Song was trying to figure Xu Yi out, a sharp howl from the tripod furnace pierced through the air. Elder Song bellowed, ¡°Hold it there!¡± He mastered his palm force and aimed at the tripod furnace. He delivered over a dozen bolts before the sharp noise deepened and gradually came to a halt. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Elder Song signaled and leapt towards the furnace. He pulled the control lever and turned off the furnace fire. He waved his big sleeves to open the tripod lid. When he struck out his palm force, the air currents surged. An item flew out from the hearth and was caught in Elder Song¡¯s hand.