ã€ŠI Can See Through Everythingã€‹


 Chapter 1

    "Gurgle..."

    Early in the morning, Lu Qing woke up to the sound of his stomach growling.

    Feeling the hunger in his belly, he sighed and rubbed his stomach.

    "No use in growling. Where am I supposed to get food now?"

    He looked around at the dpidated house, which could barely be called home, and gave a wry smile.

    Others who transmigrate end up well-fed; why is it that he can¡¯t even fill his stomach? What a situation.

    He had been lying in bed for two days.

    Two days ago, when Lu Qing opened his eyes, he found himself in this strange world.

    Wearing tattered clothes, emaciated, and even his body had changed, bing that of a boy around ten years old.After spending some time, Lu Qing figured out his situation.

    He had transmigrated.

    Reborn into the body of a boy who had just lost his parents, and after selling off the family property to bury them, he couldn¡¯t survive a cold night due to his frail health and excessive grief.

    Perhaps, for the original owner, this was a kind of release.

    After receiving the memories in his mind, this was Lu Qing''s first thought.

    It¡¯s too difficult for a teenage boy to survive in this world.

    Death might not be such a bad thing.

    But...

    "Brother, you¡¯re awake!"

    Lu Qing''s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a joyful shout.

    He turned his head to see a little girl of five or six years old, holding a gray object, standing at the door with a face full of joy, looking at him.

    The little girl ran to Lu Qing''s side. "Brother, are you feeling better?"

    "Yes, I¡¯m better now. Xiao Yan doesn¡¯t need to worry anymore," Lu Qing smiled.

    "That¡¯s great, brother! You¡¯re finally better." Hearing that Lu Qing was alright, the little girl¡¯s eyes turned red, and tears started to fall. "You were so hot and kept saying you were cold for the past two days. I didn¡¯t know what to do. No matter how I called you, you wouldn¡¯t respond. I thought you were going to leave me like Daddy and Mommy."

    Seeing the little girl crying, Lu Qing felt a pang of sorrow.

    In the past two days, he had been merging the memories in his mind, appearing to be in aa. Although he could barely sense the surroundings, his consciousness couldn¡¯t stay awake.

    Except for waking up briefly a few times, he soon fell back into aa.

    He vaguely heard the little girl¡¯s cries but couldn¡¯t respond.

    Lu Qing reached out to rub the little girl¡¯s yellowish hair. "It¡¯s my fault. I promise you, I won¡¯t get sick again and make you worry, okay?"

    "Okay," Xiao Yan smiled through her tears and extended her small hand. "Let¡¯s pinky promise."

    Lu Qing extended his pinky and hooked it with Xiao Yan''s.

    "Pinky promise, a hundred years without change. Whoever breaks it is a puppy!"

    After the pinky promise, Xiao Yan immediately became happy.

    In her little mind, once they made a pinky promise, things would not change. Her brother would never get sick again.

    "Xiao Yan, what are you holding in your hand?"

    At this moment, Lu Qing noticed the object in the little girl¡¯s hand.

    "It¡¯s a mantou, brother. Don¡¯t you recognize it?" Xiao Yan held the gray object with both hands and handed it to Lu Qing, delighted. "Grandpa Zhang next door gave it to me. I didn¡¯t want to eat it alone, so I brought it back to share with you. I didn¡¯t expect to see you recovered when I got back."

    "Mantou?"

    Lu Qing looked at the grayish thing, which was quite different from the mantou he remembered.

    But then he thought about being in another world and felt relieved.

    The world itself was different, so it wasn¡¯t strange for mantou to look different.

    As he pondered, his gaze lingered on the gray mantou for a few seconds, and suddenly, a line of text appeared.

    <strong>¡¾Mantou: Made from rice bran, wheat flour, and wild vegetables, with limited nutritional value.¡¿</strong>

    At the same time, the mantou emitted ayer of gray light.

    What is this?

    Lu Qing was stunned. He blinked and found the text still floating above the gray mantou, not disappearing.

    It wasn¡¯t an illusion...

    Before Lu Qing could delve further, Xiao Yan brought the gray mantou to his mouth.

    "Brother, eat this. Grandpa Chen said that sick people need to eat to recover."

    Smelling the grainy scent from the gray mantou, Lu Qing, who was already starving, felt the hunger surge again.

    Without hesitation, he took it, tore it in half, and handed one half back to Xiao Yan.

    "Yes, Xiao Yan should eat too."

    He hadn¡¯t forgotten that the little one had said this mantou was given by someone else and she wanted to share it with him.

    Unexpectedly, the little one shook her head and pushed the half mantou back into Lu Qing''s hand. "Brother, eat. Xiao Yan is not hungry. Brother needs to eat more to recover quickly."

    However, Lu Qing clearly saw the little one swallow unconsciously when handing the mantou back.

    Looking at the little one''s yellowish hair, he felt a pang of pity and put the half mantou back into her hand.

    "Brother just recovered and can¡¯t eat too much at once, or his stomach will hurt. So, Xiao Yan should eat this half."

    "Is that so?" The little one tilted her head, holding the half mantou. "But Grandpa Chen didn¡¯t say that."

    "People who have just recovered shouldn¡¯t overeat. Ask Grandpa Chen next time and see if it¡¯s true," Lu Qing said.

    "Okay." The little one nodded, somewhat understanding.

    She didn¡¯t realize that a mere mantou couldn¡¯t be considered overeating.

    Lu Qing took the opportunity to continue coaxing her. "Since brother can¡¯t finish it, Xiao Yan should help brother eat it, or it will get cold and not taste good."

    "Mm!" Xiao Yan nodded vigorously. "Since brother can¡¯t finish it, Xiao Yan will help."

    The siblings then each held half a mantou and happily gnawed on it.

    Soon, Lu Qing finished his half mantou. The empty stomach finally had something to fill it, and a warmth spread from his belly, making him feel much better.

    Truth be told, the mantou didn¡¯t taste great, but it was substantial and quiterge.

    Even half of it slightly alleviated his hunger, preventing the dizziness and weakness he had felt earlier.

    Seeing Xiao Yan still gnawing on her mantou, Lu Qing didn¡¯t disturb her and shifted his focus to another matter.

    He recalled the text that appeared on the mantou earlier.

    Thinking about it, Lu Qing stood up, walked to the table, and picked up a chipped bowl.

    He held it in front of him, staring at it quietly.

    After a few seconds, ayer of gray light appeared on the bowl, followed by a line of text.

    <strong>¡¾Damaged ceramic bowl: A chipped pottery bowl, seemingly not very clean.¡¿</strong>

    Just as expected, a smile appeared on Lu Qing''s face.

 Chapter 2

    "Ah, don''t run away!"

    In a small courtyard surrounded by a simple wooden fence, Xiao Yan was running with her short legs, chasing a butterfly.

    Lu Qing sat on a stone stump, holding a nt with small red flowers in his hand.

    At this moment, in his vision, the nt with small red flowers was emitting a faint white glow, and two lines of text appeared on it.

    *<em>[Cowbone Grass: Average quality, can be used medicinally.]</em>*

    *<em>[It seems to be quite effective for bone injuries, might be useful when injured.]</em>*

    After spending some time, Lu Qing barely understood what the text in front of him meant.

    In simple terms, perhaps because of the transmigration, he had acquired a supernatural ability.

    Currently, the main manifestation of this ability was that as long as he focused his gaze on an object for a certain period, the object would emit a glow and disy a simple text description.Moreover, the longer he stared, the more information he would obtain, but this information was not limitless; it seemed to follow a certain standard.

    Lu Qing temporarily guessed that this standard was rted to the glow on the object.

    Objects with a gray glow, no matter how long he looked, would only have one line of description.

    Objects with a white glow would have more than two lines of description.

    The Cowbone Grass he was holding was the only nt around the courtyard emitting a white glow.

    What is this, a game interface?

    Lu Qing recalled some map exploration games he asionally yed in his previous life.

    Thinking about it, he beckoned, "Xiao Yan,e here."

    "Brother, what''s up?"

    The little girl ran over eagerly.

    "Brother wants to take a look at you."

    Lu Qing removed the dead grass sticking to her head and focused his gaze on her face.

    After a while, Xiao Yan''s body emitted a faint white glow, and a line of text floated above her.

    *<em>[Lu Xiao Yan: A human child, female.]</em>*

    What a lousy description!

    Several ck lines appeared on Lu Qing''s forehead.

    But he continued to look.

    After a while, another line of text appeared.

    *<em>[A pitiful human child, she seems to be somewhat malnourished.]</em>*

    Lu Qing paused and looked at the little girl''s yellowish hair with a bit of sadness.

    "Brother, have you finished looking?"

    Xiao Yan looked up innocently.

    "Yes, I have. When you grow up, Xiao Yan will be a great beauty."

    Lu Qing patted the little girl''s head affectionately.

    Xiao Yan tilted her head, "What is a great beauty?"

    "Haha, you''ll know when you grow up."

    Hearing the little girl''s innocent words, Lu Qing''s mood improved significantly.

    No matter what the future holds, the most important thing now is to take good care of this little girl who depends on him.

    This was also the greatest wish the original owner left before dying.

    To live well in this unfamiliar world, he would have to rely on this inexplicable supernatural ability.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing picked up the Cowbone Grass and ced it in front of Xiao Yan.

    "Xiao Yan, do you know what this nt is and what it''s used for?"

    Xiao Yan looked at the nt with small blue flowers, frowned in deep thought for a moment, then shook her head.

    "I don''t know, but Grandpa Zhang''s big ox seems to like eating this grass."

    Seeing Xiao Yan didn''t know, Lu Qingughed. He was being silly.

    Even the original owner''s memory had no information about Cowbone Grass. How could he expect a little child to know?

    But Xiao Yan''s next words surprised him.

    "Brother, if you want to know what this grass is, you can ask Grandpa Chen. Grandpa Chen loves these flowers and nts. He also likes to make bitter water from them for us to drink."

    At this point, Xiao Yan''s face wrinkled as if she remembered something unpleasant.

    Grandpa Chen?

    Lu Qing recalled a kindly, thin old man respected by the vigers.

    Oh, he was the old doctor respected by the vigers.

    A doctor?

    Lu Qing''s heart moved.

    ording to the description, Cowbone Grass was undoubtedly a medicinal herb. He wondered if the old doctor knew how to use it.

    "Xiao Yan, when brother was sick, did Grandpa Chene over?"

    "Yes, he did. Brother was always sleeping then. No matter how I called, you wouldn''t wake up. I was scared and kept crying. Later, Grandpa Chen came and looked at you. He said you were sick, something about wind cold, and made bitter medicine for you. After drinking it, you woke up the next day."

    Xiao Yan''s eyes sparkled with admiration, "Grandpa Chen is amazing. Brother got better after drinking just one bowl of bitter water!"

    Lu Qing fell silent.

    Only he knew that the medicine Grandpa Chen prescribed didn''t save the boy''s life.

    But he now remembered that during his unconscious period, he vaguely felt someone pouring something into him, giving his cold body a bit of warmth to protect his heart, helping him survive the difficult period of merging consciousness.

    Otherwise, with his frail body, he might not have woken up smoothly.

    So, this old doctor did indeed have real skills and had helped him.

    As Lu Qing pondered, he felt a gaze on him. He looked down and saw Xiao Yan staring at him.

    "What''s wrong, Xiao Yan?"

    "Brother, I''m hungry."

    Lu Qing felt hungry too.

    He hadn''t eaten enough, and the half mantou he had earlier was long digested.

    But earlier, he checked, and there was no food left in the house.

    The rice jar was so clean even mice wouldn''t visit. If not for Grandpa Zhang''s help, Xiao Yan would have starved during his two-daya.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing realized he needed to thank Grandpa Zhang and Grandpa Chen. Without their care, the siblings might not have survived.

    But now, the family was too poor, with nothing to offer as thanks.

    First, he needed to find food. Gratitude couldeter.

    But where to find food?

    Most of the family''s fields had been sold by the original owner to bury his parents.

    The remaining bit was neglected and barely yielded anything.

    So, relying on the fields for food was out of the question.

    Thinking for a while, Lu Qing went into the room where the original owner''s parents lived and searched for a while. He finally found an iron needle and some hemp thread in a small box.

    The iron needle was much thicker than embroidery needles from his previous life, looking quite sturdy.

    Lu Qing took the needle, bent it into a hook using chopsticks, and twisted several hemp threads together to make a slightly thicker, sturdy thread, then tied it tightly to the hook.

    Next, he cut a flexible bamboo from the thicket behind the house and tied the other end of the thread to it.

    Finally, he tied a piece of dead wood to the thread above the hook.

    A simple fishing rod was thus made by Lu Qing.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°Brother, what is this?¡±

    Xiao Yan had been obediently watching Lu Qing busy himself. After he finally finished making the fishing rod, her curiosity got the better of her.

    ¡°This is called a fishing rod, it''s used for fishing. Whether we have something to eat today depends entirely on it,¡± Lu Qing said, waving the bamboo rod and testing its feel, seemingly satisfied.

    In his previous life, he was an avid fishing enthusiast who enjoyed making his own small rods for fun. He never expected this skill woulde in handy here.

    Xiao Yan''s eyes lit up instantly, ¡°Brother can catch fish?¡±

    ¡°Whether we can catch any remains to be seen. Let''s give it a try first. If we do catch fish, we can have fish soup.¡±

    ¡°Fish soup¡­¡± Xiao Yan was already lost in fantasy, drool slipping from the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Brother, let''s hurry and go fishing!¡±

    The little one was already a bit impatient.Thest time she had fish was a long, long time ago, during New Year, when their father had bought a big fish from the market. In her memory, fish were incredibly delicious.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a rush. We still need to prepare some bait.¡±

    Finding bait wasn¡¯t difficult. In a corner of the courtyard, Lu Qing dug into a patch of cool, fertile soil and quickly found what he needed.

    [Red Worms: Excellent for loosening soil, also seems to have medicinal properties.]

    Ignoring the information that surfaced about the worms, Lu Qing ced them into a bamboo tube. He wasn''t interested in using them as medicine, as he didn¡¯t understand medical practices.

    After sealing the bamboo tube, leaving only a small air hole, Lu Qing slung the fishing rod over his shoulder, grabbed an old wooden bucket, and the two siblings set off with high spirits.

    They hadn¡¯t walked far from their courtyard when a woman called out to them.

    ¡°Lu Qing, you¡¯ve recovered? You can walk now?¡±

    The woman was holding a basket of clothes, evidently just back from washing them. Her tone was full of surprise.

    Wasn¡¯t the Lu family boy said to be gravely ill, barely clinging to life, with even Doctor Chen saying it was up to fate?

    How could he be up and about just after a day, looking lively and able to go out?

    Justst night, the vigers were discussing when to prepare for his burial.

    ¡°Yes, Aunt Wang. Somehow, after sleeping for two days, my condition gradually improved, and I could get out of bed this morning,¡± Lu Qing replied, mimicking the original owner''s tone.

    Fortunately, the original owner had been somewhat reserved and gloomy, which wasn¡¯t hard to emte.

    ¡°Brother drank Grandpa Chen¡¯s medicine and got better all of a sudden!¡± Xiao Yan interjected.

    Aunt Wang, not paying much mind to the change in Lu Qing¡¯s demeanor, smiled when she saw he was indeed better.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± she said repeatedly, feeling relieved.

    In the past two days, several elderly vigers had visited Lu Qing, concluding he might not survive this ordeal. They were already discussing who would take care of Xiao Yan if Lu Qing passed away. The consensus was that one family in the vige would adopt Xiao Yan, while others would contribute some money for her upkeep.

    Coincidentally, Aunt Wang¡¯s husband hade back and mentioned wanting to adopt Xiao Yan, iming he owed a debt to herte father from their days fleeing famine together.

    Aunt Wang was naturally displeased at the thought of taking in an extra mouth to feed but didn¡¯t dare openly oppose her husband. She could only hope Lu Qing would pull through.

    Now seeing Lu Qing had indeed recovered, she was genuinely happy.

    ¡°Lu Qing, you must take good care of your health from now on. Xiao Yan only has you to rely on. If anything happens to you, what will she do?¡± Aunt Wang said earnestly.

    Lu Qing was a bit surprised. In the original owner''s memories, Aunt Wang didn¡¯t seem like such a kind-hearted person. Nheless, he politely replied, ¡°I understand. Thank you for your concern, Aunt Wang. I¡¯ll take good care of Xiao Yan.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good boy,¡± Aunt Wang said, satisfied. As long as Lu Qing was alive, her husband wouldn¡¯t insist on adopting Xiao Yan, relieving her of a burden.

    Feeling in a better mood, Aunt Wang noticed the items in the siblings¡¯ hands.

    ¡°What are you doing with that wooden bucket and bamboo rod?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Brother and I are going fishing!¡± Xiao Yan said excitedly.

    ¡°Fishing?¡± Aunt Wang was puzzled. With just a bamboo rod and an old bucket, what could they catch?

    Recalling the Lu family¡¯s current plight, she suddenly understood. Perhaps the siblings were desperate enough to catch fish for food.

    ¡°You must be hungry. Come to my ce; I have some food. Lu Qing, you just recovered. You shouldn¡¯t go to the river and risk getting sick again,¡± Aunt Wang said quickly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Wang. We won¡¯t go into the river. We¡¯ll just try fishing from the shore,¡± Lu Qing reassured her with a smile.

    While it would be nice to get a free meal, the siblings couldn¡¯t always rely on the vige¡¯s charity. Eventually, even the kindest people would tire of giving.

    ¡°Fishing? Lu Qing, you know how to fish?¡± Aunt Wang asked, surprised.

    She knew what fishing was but didn¡¯t recall anyone in the vige being particrly good at it. Could Lu Qing really know how?

    ¡°Just a bit. My father told me about it once, so I wanted to try,¡± Lu Qing replied.

    Aunt Wang remembered that Lu Qing¡¯s father was somewhat literate and traveled often, probably knowing more than the vigers.

    Still worried, she said, ¡°It¡¯s not urgent. You¡¯ve just recovered and should rest more. Fishing isn¡¯t easy; you might end up sick again if you stay by the river too long.¡±

    If Lu Qing fell ill again, his frail body might not survive.

    Touched by her concern, Lu Qing reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Wang. I¡¯ll be careful and won¡¯t push myself.¡±

    After a bit more persuasion, Aunt Wang reluctantly let them go, reminding them to stay out of the river.

    ¡°Okay, we promise not to go into the river. Goodbye, Aunt Wang.¡±

    Aunt Wang watched the siblings head towards the vige outskirts, suddenly jolting with realization.

    ¡°I need to tell my stubborn husband that Lu Qing has recovered. He needs to stop thinking about adopting Xiao Yan.¡±

    Hurrying home, Aunt Wang left Lu Qing and Xiao Yan to continue their journey, encountering several vigers along the way.

    Each one was shocked to see Lu Qing up and about, asking how he recovered.

    Each time, Xiao Yan happily exined that Grandpa Chen¡¯s medicine had healed her brother, earning the old doctor even more respect for his remarkable skills.

    After the initial surprise, the vigers were happy for the Lu family, knowing their lineage continued.

    Hearing that Lu Qing was going fishing, they all advised him against getting into cold water so soon after recovering.

    Lu Qing had to repeatedly assure them he wouldn¡¯t go into the river before they reluctantly let him go.

    The mention of fishing didn¡¯t interest them much. Many had tried it themselves but found it too difficult, often spending hours for just a few small fish.

    Even if they asionally caught a bigger fish, it wasn¡¯t worth the time lost from farm work.

    For someone like Lu Qing, with no fields to tend and no food reserves, fishing was a desperate measure.

    Knowing his situation, they let him be, offering somest words of caution before leaving.

    However, a few half-grown children, intrigued by Lu Qing¡¯s n, followed the siblings to the river, eager to see how he would fish.

 Chapter 4

    Lu Qing, with a small tail of children trailing behind him, arrived at a river outside the vige.

    This river wasn''trge, about ten meters wide at its broadest point. However, despite its narrow width, it wasn''t shallow. The deepest part could submerge a person, which is why the adults always forbade the vige children from ying in it.

    Naturally, Lu Qing adhered to this prohibition.

    Upon reaching the riverbank, he sternly addressed the few kids following him, "You guys, don''t go near the riverbank or y in the water, understood?"

    Despite his frail appearance, Lu Qing was fourteen or fifteen years old, making him nearly an adult in the eyes of the children.

    So, the children obediently responded, "Got it, Brother Lu Qing."

    Seeing theirpliance, Lu Qing turned to Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan, you also need to behave. Don''t go near the river; stay here and watch the bucket. Don''t let the fish escape, okay?"

    "Okay~" Xiao Yan obediently replied, then asked, "Brother, when are you going to start fishing?"

    "Don''t rush, brother needs to check first. You can''t just fish anywhere," Lu Qing advised from experience.In fishing, there are several crucial steps to catching good fish, such as choosing a spot, baiting, adjusting the float, and preparing the bait. Each step can affect the sess of catching fish.

    Among these steps, choosing the fishing spot is the most important.

    A good fishing spot can directly impact the probability of catching fish. After all, even the most skilled fisher can''t catch fish where there are none. If the spot is chosen poorly and there are no fish underwater, even the best fishing techniques would be in vain.

    In his previous life, Lu Qing was an avid fishing enthusiast, with a wealth of experience in fishing. Choosing a fishing spot was naturally something he was well-versed in.

    Although he was now in another world, many principles of nature were universally applicable. The habits of fish in this world shouldn''t differ much. He wondered if he could use his past experience to find a good fishing spot, making his fishing trip more fruitful.

    He dismissed the idea of baiting the water, as his family didn''t even have enough food for themselves, let alone extra grain for baiting.

    After instructing the kids to stay put under a big tree, Lu Qing began to walk along the riverbank, scanning the water''s surface.

    Soon, he found a spot that seemed promising. Using a stick to press down the weeds along the bank, he reached the spot and began observing.

    It was a bend in the river where the water flowed gently and the vegetation was lush, which seemed like a good fishing spot.

    After a while of observing and feeling satisfied, he was about to turn back to get his fishing rod when a gray light appeared in his vision.

    Lu Qing was all too familiar with this gray light, having seen it countless times today. He froze, quietly watching the water.

    The gray light gradually surfaced, forming a meter-wide spiral ripple on the water. Then, a line of text appeared.

    <strong>¡¾Ordinary Fishing Spot: A ce where small fish gather, seems like a good choice for fishing.¡¿</strong>

    The location was exactly the spot Lu Qing had just chosen.

    Lu Qing was stunned, then delighted. His ability could even identify fishing spots?

    He felt a bit proud, knowing his spot-choosing skills were validated by his ability.

    With this unexpected discovery, Lu Qing wasn''t in a hurry to start fishing. He continued walking along the riverbank, deliberately using his ability to search for fishing spots.

    Before long, he found two more new spots in this section of the river. To his surprise, one of them emitted a faint white light instead of gray.

    <strong>¡¾Ordinary Fishing Spot: A ce where fishe to feed, may yield good catches.¡¿</strong>

    <strong>¡¾Beginner Fishing Spot: A ce where wild fruits often fall, favored by certainrge fish. May yield unusual catches.¡¿</strong>

    The three notes indicated that gray light corresponded to ordinary spots and white light to beginner spots. There were likely even higher-grade spots.

    He wondered if there were such spots in this small river outside the vige.

    After discovering these three spots, Lu Qing stopped searching. These three spots covered the cleanest part of the river outside the vige. Further along, the vegetation on both sides became denser, making the path difficult.

    Unless he had tools to clear the area, it would be hard to even get close to the river, let alone fish.

    For now, these three spots were enough for him.

    He needed to decide which spot to fish at first.

    After some thought, Lu Qing decided to start at the first spot he found. The reason was simple: the note indicated that many small fish gathered there.

    His fishing rod was simple, and he wasn''t sure how strong the x line was or how much force it could withstand. Trying to catch big fish might break the line, which would be a disaster as he had limited x at home for making new lines.

    And he only had one fishing hook. If he lost it, he couldn''t fish at all.

    So, it was safer to start with small fish.

    Having made up his mind, Lu Qing returned to the big tree and found the kids waiting obediently. He nodded in satisfaction.

    He hadn''t gone far, always staying within the kids'' sight, fearing they''d run off if they couldn''t see him.

    "Brother, you''re back!" Xiao Yan was the first to cheerfully run up to him.

    "Yes, I''m back."

    "Did you decide where to fish?"

    "Yes, I did. Let''s go."

    Hearing that he had decided, the kids perked up. One smart kid even stepped forward to help with the bucket, "Brother Lu Qing, I''ll help you carry it!"

    Lu Qing didn''t refuse. These kids were between eight and twelve years old, full of energy. It was good to let them help.

    The group soon reached the chosen fishing spot.

    "Stay here and watch me fish. Don''t get too close to the river. Got it? Ah Hu, you''re the oldest, keep an eye on them."

    Ah Hu, the oldest of the kids at twelve, was mature enough to understand.

    "Got it, Brother Lu Qing!"

    Satisfied with theirpliance, Lu Qing nodded and headed down the slope to the fishing spot with his rod and bucket.

 Chapter 5

    Lu Qing arrived at the fishing spot, trampled down the surrounding grass to tten it, ced it in a wooden bucket, and then took out the bamboo tube filled with earthworms.

    Removing the sealing y from the bamboo tube, he revealed the wriggling red earthworms inside.

    The keen-eyed children, standing above, immediately eximed upon seeing the wriggling creatures in the tube.

    Of course, they knew what earthworms were, having often caught them to y with.

    Sometimes, they would even dig them up to feed the chickens and ducks at home.

    But they didn¡¯t know that these things could be used to catch fish.

    Under the watchful eyes of the children, Lu Qing took out an earthworm and threaded it onto the hook.

    Then he cast the still wriggling earthworm into the water.

    The spot where itnded was precisely the gray light-marked fishing spot identified by his ability.With the hook in the water, Lu Qing began to wait quietly.

    The children on the slope behind him held their breath in tense anticipation, watching closely.

    Soon, they saw the small wooden float tied to the fishing line begin to move slightly on the water¡¯s surface.

    The children grew even more nervous.

    Only Lu Qing remained calm andposed, unmoving as he watched the float tremble.

    It wasn¡¯t until the float suddenly dipped sharply that he swiftly lifted the rod.

    A white line shot out of the water.

    When everyone could see clearly, a small white fish, about the width of two fingers, was already hooked.

    ¡°He really caught a fish!¡±

    Seeing the small white fish with its tail flicking and jumping on the hook, the children were stunned.

    Xiao Yan jumped up, ¡°Brother caught a fish, a big one!¡±

    Lu Qing also smiled.

    Luckily, his skills hadn¡¯t dulled, catching one on the first cast. Otherwise, he would have been embarrassed in front of the children.

    Taking the fish off the hook, Lu Qing examined it closely.

    This small white fish was quite simr to the white-striped fish he had caught in his previous life.

    Soon, a faint gray light emerged from the fish¡¯s body.

    [Small White Fish: Edible, perhaps a good source of nutrition.]

    Seeing the word "edible," Lu Qing was instantly relieved.

    As long as it was edible, today¡¯s rations were secured.

    He added some water to the bucket and ced the fish inside, hearing the excited shouts from the children behind him with a bit of helplessness.

    ¡°Keep quiet, or you¡¯ll scare the fish away.¡±

    Hearing this, the children quickly covered their mouths, not daring to make any more noise.

    Their excitement, however, was unmistakable in their eyes.

    Seeing Lu Qing actually catch a fish, they felt as if they had discovered a new world, their hearts filled with excitement.

    But what happened next truly showed them what excitement meant.

    Lu Qing threaded another earthworm onto the hook, and after just a short while in the water, another small white fish was pulled up.

    From then on, Lu Qing entered a streak of continuous catches.

    One small fish after another was caught effortlessly, as if he was simply pulling fish out of the water.

    The fish he caught weren¡¯t limited to small white fish; there were other types as well.

    Yellow bone fish, small river shrimp, and many more were caught in abundance.

    The children behind him were thrilled, barely containing their excitement to avoid scaring the fish away.

    Reaching into the bamboo tube again, Lu Qing found it nearly empty.

    Looking inside, he saw that most of the earthworms were already used up, with only a few left at the bottom.

    ncing at the nearby wooden bucket, it was full to the brim with fish.

    He couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    It had been a long time since he had such a satisfying fishing experience.

    No wonder this otherworldly ce, with its pristine environment, produced such different fish.

    They were full of strength; even the small fish had a great feel when pulled up.

    At the same time, he felt a bit lucky.

    Choosing this fishing spot was a wise decision. If he had gone to one of the other two spots, the line might have been snapped by a big fish.

    Seeing the earthworms nearly used up and the frequency of fish biting decreasing, Lu Qing knew it was time to stop.

    If he continued, he would clear out all the small fish at this spot.

    They needed time to gather again.

    Thinking this, Lu Qing began to pack up the fishing rod and dumped the remaining earthworms into the water before picking up the wooden bucket and heading up the slope.

    The children¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration as they watched him approach.

    Seeing himing, they immediately gathered around.

    They marveled at the bucket full of fish.

    ¡°Brother Lu Qing, you¡¯re amazing! You caught so many fish!¡±

    ¡°So many fish, how long will it take to eat them all?¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s really possible to catch fish with a bamboo rod!¡±

    ¡°Brother, brother, so many fish!¡±

    Xiao Yan jumped around in excitement, her face flushed with joy.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, the fish are just a bit small.¡± Lu Qing said modestly.

    When the children had calmed down a bit, Lu Qing added, ¡°You guys help me carry this bucket of fish back. Everyone will get a share.¡±

    He estimated that the fish he caught weighed about seven or eight pounds. With the bucket and water, it was quite heavy.

    His body was still weak, and while he could carry it briefly, hauling it back to the vige was beyond him.

    Besides, there were too many fish for just him and Xiao Yan to eat in one or two meals.

    Small fish die easily, and without proper storage conditions at home, it was better to share them.

    ¡°Alright, Brother Lu Qing!¡±

    Hearing they would get fish, the children were instantly excited.

    Two of them easily lifted the bucket.

    Those who didn¡¯t get a chance were almost in tears from frustration.

    Lu Qing had to intervene, organizing them to take turns carrying the bucket, finally settling the dispute.

    With the children carrying the bucket, they headed back to the vige.

    The children¡¯s excited chatter attracted some vigers out of their homes to see what was happening.

    Seeing the scene, they were surprised.

    ¡°Lu Qing actually caught fish, and so many of them!¡±

    During the time Lu Qing was fishing, news of his recovery had spread through the vige.

    Many vigers knew he had gone to the river to fish.

    But no one expected him to catch so many fish.

    Looking at the bucket, there seemed to be at least ten pounds of fish.

    When had Lu Qing learned this skill?

    Curiosity piqued, many vigers, especially those who had tried fishing themselves, wanted to know Lu Qing¡¯s secret to catching so many fish.

    Driven by curiosity, some vigers followed them to Lu Qing¡¯s house.

 Chapter 6

    Back home, faced with the eager eyes of the little children, Lu Qing wasted no time and immediately began distributing the fish.

    He went to the back of the small courtyard, picked two banana leaves, and cut them into several pieces.

    He gave each child a handful of fish, not much, probably less than half a pound per person.

    Though the fish was not plentiful, the children were ecstatic.

    After receiving the fish, each child ran home happily as if they had obtained a treasure.

    Seeing Lu Qing finish distributing the fish, vigers approached him.

    ¡°Lu Qing, how did you catch so many fish at once?¡±

    ¡°Just luck,¡± Lu Qing smiled. ¡°Maybe the bait I used was particrly attractive to the fish.¡±

    ¡°What bait did you use?¡±¡°Just themon earthworms from the field.¡±

    Lu Qing didn¡¯t hide anything and told the truth.

    After all, even if he didn¡¯t say it, the vigers would find out soon enough.

    When he was fishing, there was a group of children watching behind him.

    Since that was the case, he might as well be generous and avoid being called stingy.

    ¡°Earthworms can be used as bait?¡± the vigers were surprised.

    ¡°Of course, and fish quite like them.¡±

    Lu Qing wasn¡¯t surprised that the vigers didn¡¯t know earthworms could be used for fishing.

    From the original owner''s memory, he roughly deduced that the world he was in resembled ancient China.

    In such an ancient and feudal era, transportation was inconvenient, and information was isted.

    People were cautious and conservative about new things and wouldn¡¯t easily try them.

    It was normal formon knowledge in one ce to be rare in another.

    No one in the vige was good at fishing, so it was normal for them not to know that fish liked to eat earthworms.

    ¡°No wonder we never had much luck fishing before. We were using the wrong bait,¡± a viger sighed.

    ¡°Lu Qing, did your father tell you this method?¡±

    Lu Qing hesitated for a moment and then nodded. ¡°I heard my father mention it before, and I just happened to remember. Today, Xiao Yan kept saying she was hungry, and there was no food at home, so I thought of this method and decided to try it. I didn¡¯t expect to actually catch fish.¡±

    The viger was momentarily stunned and looked at Xiao Yan.

    The little girl was squatting by the bucket watching the fish. Feeling the viger¡¯s gaze, she looked up and immediately showed a big smile.

    The viger¡¯s heart ached, and he looked at the thin Lu Qing with rising pity.

    ¡°What will you do next? You can¡¯t just eat fish, it won¡¯t be good for your stomach.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to discuss something with you uncles,¡± Lu Qing said sincerely. ¡°You know the situation at my home, there¡¯s almost no grain left. I¡¯d like to borrow some grain and oil from you. When I find work, I will repay you double.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? We¡¯re all from the same vige, helping each other is only right. It¡¯s just some grain. Shanbo will bring some over soon!¡±

    The viger spoke emotionally, raising his voice.

    Hearing this, the other vigers naturally couldn¡¯t stand idly by.

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s just some grain, I¡¯ll get some for you!¡±

    ¡°I bought too much salt at thest market, I can spare some.¡±

    ¡°We have plenty of oil at home, I¡¯ll get some for you!¡±

    Several vigers patted their chests, looking generous.

    Lu Qing was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, uncles!¡±

    ¡°Wait here, Lu Qing. I¡¯ll go get some grain.¡±

    Shanbo was the first to leave, and the other vigers followed suit.

    Not long after, they returned to Lu Qing¡¯s courtyard.

    ¡°Here, this half bag of rice shouldst you and Xiao Yan for a while. If you need more, just ask Shanbo!¡±

    ¡°Lu Qing, this half jar ofrd shouldst you a while, right?¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s a small bamboo tube of salt for you to use.¡±

    ¡°I have some tbreads my wife made this morning, theyst a long time and are very filling. Is that enough?¡±

    Looking at the items the vigers brought, Lu Qing was deeply moved.

    He bowed repeatedly. ¡°This is more than enough. Thank you, uncles!¡±

    Then he took several handfuls of small fish from the bucket and divided them into portions.

    In an instant, more than half of the fish in the bucket were gone.

    ¡°Please take these fish as a token of my gratitude.¡±

    The vigers waved their hands. ¡°How can we ept? These fish are from your hard work, keep them for you and Xiao Yan.¡±

    ¡°Xiao Yan and I can¡¯t eat so much. The weather is hot, and the fish won¡¯tst long. We don¡¯t have chickens or ducks at home, and the fish will spoil easily. Please take them to avoid waste.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Lu Qing handed the fish wrapped in leaves to the vigers.

    ¡°Well... alright, we won¡¯t refuse then.¡±

    The vigers, who had given away a lot of their surplus grain, felt much better after receiving the fish.

    After sending the vigers away, Lu Qing sighed in relief.

    He felt fortunate.

    Luckily, the vigers were kind-hearted, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to ask for grain.

    Now, with this food, he and Xiao Yan wouldn¡¯t worry about meals for the next ten days or so.

    This buffer period would allow him to figure out how to survive in this world.

    ¡°Brother, these tbreads smell so good!¡±

    While Lu Qing was thinking, Xiao Yan¡¯s voice interrupted him.

    Looking down, he saw the little girl squatting on the ground, drooling over the tbread brought by one of the vigers.

    He tore off a small piece and handed it to Xiao Yan.

    ¡°Be good, Xiao Yan, eat this while I cook.¡±

    ¡°Okay, brother!¡±

    Xiao Yan nodded obediently, happily gnawing on the piece of bread.

    After calming the little one, Lu Qing started busying himself in the kitchen.

    First, he washed the rice and set it to steam, then he cleaned and gutted about half a pound of the small fish.

    When he was ready to fry the fish, he realized a problem.

    There was no cooking pot in the kitchen.

    Lu Qing recalled that the original owner had sold the iron pot to buy grain some time ago.

    Now, there was only a y pot for steaming rice, no pot for cooking.

    Sighing, Lu Qing went outside and found a t stone b. After cleaning it, he ced it over the fire to heat.

    Once the stone was hot, he carefully took a small spoonful ofrd from the jar brought by a viger.

    As therd hit the stone, it melted with a sizzle, releasing a fragrant aroma.

 Chapter 7

    Seeing the oil ready, Lu Qing began cing the small fish onto the pan one by one, slowly frying them.

    In fact, adding a little salt to the oil before frying would be better, as it prevents the fish from sticking to the pan.

    But Lu Qing noticed earlier that the salt brought by the uncle was too coarse and unsuitable for frying fish directly.

    Carefully controlling the heat, Lu Qing fried the fish slowly.

    The enticing aroma attracted Xiao Yan, who had already finished her pancakes, making her sit down and stare intently at the fish on the stone b.

    Seeing her like this, Lu Qing felt a pang of heartache.

    He ruffled the little girl''s hair.

    "Xiao Yan, wait a little longer. It will be ready soon."

    "Okay!" Xiao Yan nodded obediently, "Brother, the fish smells so good.""If it smells good, eat moreter. I caught enough fish today for you to eat your fill."

    When the rice in the pot was ready, Lu Qing had almost finished frying the fish.

    He picked up the fish and ced them in a bowl.

    He boiled some saltwater and drizzled it over the fish.

    Thus, a simple dish of saltwater fried fish was ready.

    Lu Qing served two bowls of rice and ced them on the table.

    "Xiao Yan, time to eat."

    "I''m here, brother."

    The little girl had already been waiting at the dining table.

    Lu Qing added a small stool to the chair and lifted Xiao Yan onto it so she could reach her bowl.

    Then he ced a few small fish without many bones on her rice.

    "Eat, little glutton. Remember to spit out the bones and don''t get choked."

    "I know, brother."

    The little girl, who had been drooling for a while, immediately picked up a small fried fish and put it in her mouth, chewing quickly like a hamster.

    Fortunately, Lu Qing had given her fish with few bones; otherwise, she would have choked.

    After eating one small fish, the little girl''s eyes widened.

    "Brother, this fish is so delicious, better than what Mom used to make!"

    Hearing this, Lu Qing didn''t feel happy but rather a bit sad.

    This fish had only a bit of oil and saltwater. To save oil, he didn''t even dare to use much while frying.

    No matter how good such a simple fried fish tasted, it couldn''t be that delicious.

    When one is hungry, everything tastes good.

    It''s hard to imagine how much Xiao Yan had endured during this period to find such a simple dish so delicious.

    But Lu Qing didn''t show it. He just smiled and said, "If it''s good, eat more, Xiao Yan."

    "Okay!"

    The little girl took a big bite, her cheeks puffed up, unable to speak, only nodding.

    Lu Qing smiled and ate a piece of fish himself.

    After eating a fish, he raised an eyebrow.

    The fish wasn''t as bad as he had imagined.

    Perhaps it was because the ancient environment wasn''t polluted, making the river fish very good.

    So, despite theck of seasoning, the fish was fresh and tasty, with its unique vor.

    The siblings were both very hungry, so they ate quickly.

    Soon, the rice in the pot and the bowl of small fried fish were all gone.

    Of course, most of it ended up in Lu Qing''s stomach.

    No matter how hungry Xiao Yan was, she was just a six or seven-year-old child with a limited appetite.

    Moreover, Lu Qing deliberately controlled her intake to prevent her from overeating and getting sick.

    "Brother, Xiao Yan is full!"

    The little girl put down her bowl and patted her stomach, looking satisfied.

    Xiao Yan hadn''t felt this full in a long time!

    "Now that you''re full, rest for a bit and don''t run around. I''ll wash the dishes."

    Lu Qing instructed, then began to clean up.

    "Xiao Yan will help brother."

    The little girl jumped off the stool.

    "No need, just sit and rest." Lu Qing declined.

    So, Xiao Yan had to sit obediently on the stool, watching Lu Qing busying himself.

    Children are sleepy. By the time Lu Qing had finished cleaning and came out, the little girl''s head was already nodding off.

    Lu Qing smiled and gently picked her up, carrying her to the room.

    "Brother, Xiao Yan wants to go fishing with you next time. The fish is delicious."

    Just as he put her on the bed, the little girl mumbled in her sleep.

    "Okay, next time I''ll take you fishing."

    Lu Qing lovingly covered her with the patched quilt and said softly.

    Seemingly reassured by her brother''s promise, Xiao Yan said no more and fell into a deep sleep.

    After ensuring she was asleep, Lu Qing quietly left the room and sat on a simple lounge chair in the hall, feeling a sense offort.

    He had been busy all day. His body, though just recovering, was still weak.

    He had worked hard despite his hunger, fishing and cooking.

    To say he wasn''t tired would be a lie.

    Now, lying in the lounge chair, he felt much morefortable.

    He even felt a wave of drowsiness.

    But he couldn''t sleep yet.

    There were still some things he needed to think about.

    After today''s activities, interactions with the vigers, and the memories in his mind, Lu Qing had basically deduced the nature of his current environment.

    Firstly, it was undoubtedly a world simr to ancient China.

    Moreover, it was an era with rtively low productivity.

    This was evident from the fact that even an iron pot was a rare item.

    But that was the extent of his knowledge.

    He couldn''t determine more information.

    For instance, the social structure, the distribution of powers, and who held the authority in this world were still unclear to him.

    He only knew that there seemed to be no court or government offices.

    At least, there was no such concept in the original owner''s memory.

    Of course, this wasn''t absolute.

    After all, the original owner was just a simple vige boy who had never left the vige.

    He had no idea about the outside world, so how could he have those concepts?

    However, even though he wasn''t sure about the existence of a court or government offices, he was certain that there were towns.

    Vigers bought certain daily necessities from the nearby town market.

    Items like salt and iron were usually only avable in towns.

    And the most powerful people in these towns seemed to be called city lords.

    Unfortunately, the original owner, despite being fifteen, had never been to the city, so Lu Qing couldn''t know what the towns were like.

    "It seems I need to go to the town when I have the chance," Lu Qing murmured to himself.

    Only by understanding this world enough could he decide the best path for the future.

    Of course, thinking about this now was a bit premature.

    The most urgent task was to find a way to support himself and Xiao Yan.

    After all, he owed the vigers a lot today, and these debts needed to be repaid.

    And his greatest reliance at the moment was undoubtedly his special ability.

    What could his ability do?

    Lu Qing quietly pondered.

    Suddenly, a name appeared in his mind.

 Chapter 8

    Lu Qing''s mind conjured the image of a kind, gaunt old man.

    Old Doctor Chen.

    This elderly physician was the only doctor for several nearby viges.

    His medical skills were superb. While not miraculous, he could curemon ailments like headaches, colds, and injuries with great effectiveness, rarely failing to heal.

    Thus, he was highly respected by the local vigers.

    It was said that even wealthy families in the town often sought his services.

    Such a person held a special ce in the vige.

    Almost no viger dared to show him any disrespect.

    The original owner of Lu Qing''s body was a naive young man with limited vision and little awareness of many things.However, Lu Qing, after some thought, noticed something unusual.

    For example, Old Doctor Chen''s age should have been quite advanced, but he was still very robust, frequently venturing alone into the deep mountains to gather herbs.

    One must know that the mountains in this world were not like the tourist destinations of his previous life, which had been developed.

    These were real, towering, and primitive mountains.

    Filled with venomous insects, snakes, wolves, and tigers, they were exceedingly dangerous.

    Even experienced hunters dared not venture too deeply into the forests.

    Yet Old Doctor Chen, an elderly man, could safelye and go in such ces, which was truly extraordinary.

    Lu Qing was very curious about his abilities.

    If he could learn some of Old Doctor Chen''s medical skills, it would be great.

    His special ability allowed him to see the basic information of everything.

    Using it to identify medicinal herbs would be foolproof.

    It would perfectlyplement medical skills.

    If he could learn a bit from Old Doctor Chen, he and Xiao Yan''s future would be somewhat secure.

    But how could he learn from Old Doctor Chen?

    As Lu Qing pondered this, his eyelids began to droop uncontrobly.

    After all, his body was weak, and the fatigue was beyond his willpower to resist.

    In the end, he fell asleep withouting up with any good ideas.

    However, to Lu Qing''s surprise, before he could think of a way to approach Old Doctor Chen, the doctor came to him.

    Lying on the lounge chair, Lu Qing slept. In a daze, he seemed to hear someone talking, then felt someone grabbing his hand.

    He woke up with a start.

    "Lu Qing, you''re awake. Old Doctor Chen is checking you!"

    A loud voice sounded.

    Lu Qing found it familiar, probably Old Man Zhang from next door. He felt a bit relieved.

    Then, he quickly became alert and opened his eyes.

    Old Doctor Chen?

    Turning his head, he saw two old men beside him, one standing and one sitting.

    The seated one was thin and kind-looking. Who else could it be but Old Doctor Chen?

    "Don''t move, let me check your pulse first."

    Seeing Lu Qing trying to get up, Old Doctor Chen said gently.

    Lu Qing immediately stayed still.

    Only then did he realize that Old Doctor Chen''s hand was on his wrist.

    No wonder he had felt someone grabbing his hand in his daze¡ªit was Old Doctor Chen checking his pulse.

    Seeing the old doctor close his eyes again to check the pulse, Lu Qing dared not move, obediently lying on the lounge chair.

    Sensing it would take some time, Lu Qing couldn''t help but observe the somewhat mysterious Old Doctor Chen.

    At first nce, the doctor seemed even gentler than he remembered. His slender frame exuded an ethereal, almost otherworldly aura.

    It gave aforting feeling at first sight.

    However, at the moment, his face was serious, brows furrowed, as if encountering a difficult problem.

    As Lu Qing quietly observed Old Doctor Chen, he suddenly saw a faint red glow around the doctor.

    <strong>[Chen Songqing: Expert in medicine, kind-hearted, respected by many, an excellent old physician.]</strong>

    <strong>[Cultivation: Mastered Qi Refining, Postnatal Internal Organs Stage.]</strong>

    What was this?!

    Lu Qing''s eyes widened, not just because of the faint red glow around the doctor, but also due to the following description.

    During this time since waking up, Lu Qing had gradually figured out some patterns of his ability.

    Ordinary things usually appeared with a grey glow under his ability.

    More special items, like medicinal herbs, showed a white glow.

    But humans always appeared with a white glow, at least those he had met in the vige.

    Only the intensity varied¡ªstrongest for adults, weaker for children, and weakest for the elderly.

    Lu Qing spected that this might be rted to a person''s energy or life force.

    After all, adults generally had the most energy, while the elderly had the least.

    But Old Doctor Chen''s disy overturned his understanding.

    The glow was an unprecedented red!

    More importantly, the description that followed.

    Cultivation?

    Mastered Qi Refining, Postnatal Internal Organs Stage?

    What did this mean? Could it be that the world he was in was not like ancient China but a more mystical world where one could cultivate?

    Lu Qing''s mind was thrown into chaos by the sudden revtion.

    Just as he wanted to observe further and gather more information from the doctor, Old Doctor Chen suddenly opened his eyes.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s panic and shock, the doctor first frowned, then rxed.

    He gently reassured, "Don''t be afraid. I''m just checking your pulse."

    He misunderstood, thinking his serious expression while checking the pulse had frightened Lu Qing.

    Seizing the moment to control his emotions, Lu Qing asked somewhat nervously, "Grandpa Chen, how is my illness? Am I fully recovered?"

    Old Man Zhang, standing nearby, also looked at Old Doctor Chen with hopeful eyes.

    After some contemtion, Old Doctor Chen replied, "Yes, your illness is indeed cured. Although you''re still a bit weak, with proper care, you''ll be fine."

    "Really? That''s great! Lu Qing, hurry and thank Old Doctor Chen. If it weren''t for his medicine, you might not have woken up!" Old Man Zhang eximed joyfully.

    "Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

    Lu Qing got up from the lounge chair and moved to kneel and bow.

    After all, the old doctor had saved his life.

    Without that bowl of medicine, he might not have survived the period of merging memories.

    For that alone, Old Doctor Chen deserved his gratitude.

    But Old Doctor Chen stopped him, saying, "No need for that. Your recovery was due to your own luck. I just did what I could."

    Old Doctor Chen was not being modest.

    In truth, he was still quite astonished.

    When Lu Qing fell ill, he had indeede to see him.

    At that time, Lu Qing was gravely ill, cold to the bone, barely breathing, on the verge of death.

    Even a true medical saint would have found it hard to save him.

    Out of a doctor''spassion, he still prescribed a bowl of medicine, adding many precious herbs.

    His intention was merely to do his best and leave the rest to fate.

    The herbs he added were actually reserved for some wealthy clients in the city.

    As a result, he had to hastily gather more herbs in the mountains the next day to replenish his stock.

    He had thought Lu Qing wouldn''t survive, but upon returning from gathering herbs, he heard rumors in the vige that Lu Qing had recovered.

    Not only could he get out of bed, but he could also catch fish by the river.

    Amazed, he rushed over to see for himself.

    When he arrived, he coincidentally met Old Man Zhang, who had just returned from the fields, and they entered the house together.

    He initially thought the vigers'' words were exaggerated.

    But now, after checking Lu Qing''s pulse, he found they were entirely true.

    Lu Qing''s illness waspletely cured.

    Except for some lingering weakness, the previous symptoms were all gone.

    This left Old Doctor Chen extremely surprised.

 Chapter 9

    Could it be that I was mistaken yesterday?

    Looking at Lu Qing, who had an innocent expression on his face, Old Doctor Chen doubted his own medical skills for the first time.

    However, he quickly dismissed this thought from his mind.

    He had confidence in his medical expertise.

    Yesterday, Lu Qing was indeed critically ill; there was no way he could have misdiagnosed that.

    As for why Lu Qing could recover overnight, there must be some mystery behind it.

    But this mystery was beyond hisprehension.

    Old Doctor Chen pondered deeply but still couldn''t figure it out.

    In the end, he could only attribute it to Lu Qing¡¯s good fortune and that his destiny wasn''t meant to end.At the same time, hemented that his medical skills were not advanced enough to uncover the many secrets of the human body.

    If he had the abilities of a grand master, able to see through every detail, he might have discovered how Lu Qing recovered.

    Thinking of this, Old Doctor Chen looked at Lu Qing and suddenly said:

    "Lu Qing, although your illness has improved, your body is still somewhat weak. Starting tomorrow,e to me every three days. I''ll give you acupuncture to strengthen your vitality."

    Before Lu Qing could speak, Uncle Zhang, who was standing by, was already overjoyed.

    "Lu Qing, thank Old Doctor Chen quickly. He seldom gives acupuncture to anyone!"

    Lu Qing hesitated: "But I have nothing at home now and cannot afford the medical fees."

    "You don¡¯t need to pay," Old Doctor Chen said. "Your illness improved in a peculiar way, and there might still be hidden dangers that I can''t diagnose. Acupuncture will help me verify some medical theories, which will also benefit me."

    Seeing that Old Doctor Chen insisted, Lu Qing could only thank him: "Thank you very much, Grandpa Chen."

    He was actually worried about not having a chance to get close to Old Doctor Chen. Now, this gave him a reason.

    As for how his illness got better, to be honest, he wasn''t sure himself.

    Maybe it was cured when his memories merged.

    Or perhaps it was healed by some strange power within him.

    In any case, he didn''t think Old Doctor Chen would be able to diagnose it.

    Moreover, he didn''t sense any malice from the old doctor. With his abilities, he was quite confident in his safety.

    Since that was the case, having a highly skilled doctor help him recuperate was something he dly epted.

    Seeing Lu Qing agree, Old Doctor Chen also smiled.

    He had devoted his life to medicine and rarely encountered a case he couldn''t understand. This made him curious about Lu Qing''s body.

    For him, helping Lu Qing recover was a simple task.

    If it could bring him some medical insights, he would be happy.

    "Then I''ll head back now. Remember toe for acupuncture tomorrow morning."

    After meeting Lu Qing, Old Doctor Chen was ready to leave.

    The herbs he collected today needed to be dried in time, or they wouldn''t be ready for the distinguished patient.

    "Grandpa Chen, Uncle Zhang, wait a moment!"

    Seeing the two elders about to leave, Lu Qing quickly got up, ran into the kitchen, and brought out two bowls of small fish.

    "Grandpa Chen, Uncle Zhang, I caught these fish this morning. Please take some home and try them if you don''t mind."

    Uncle Zhang looked at the two bowls of small fish. "When I returned earlier, I heard the vigers talking about your fishing. Lu Qing, is this method of using earthworms to fish something your father left behind?"

    "Yes, my father mentioned it to me before."

    Lu Qing had be quite adept at using this exnation.

    "You... fool!" Unexpectedly, Uncle Zhang was somewhat distressed, "Since it''s a method your father left behind, you should keep it a secret. How could you tell everyone in the vige? If they all go fishing and catch all the fish in the river, what will you and Xiao Yan eat in the future?"

    "It¡¯s alright, Uncle Zhang. As long as I¡¯m here, Xiao Yan won¡¯t go hungry," Lu Qing said nonchntly.

    Fishing wasn''t that simple. If knowing just one bait could always guarantee a catch, there wouldn''t have been so many empty-handed anglers in his previous life.

    Moreover, he understood nature''s resilience.

    Relying on wild fishing alone couldn''t possibly deplete the river''s fish.

    But Uncle Zhang couldn''t possibly know these things.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s indifferent attitude, he was both anxious and helpless.

    In the end, he could only sigh, "You will understand after you suffer a loss."

    Old Doctor Chen, on the other hand, didn''tment on this matter.

    To him, these were trivial issues not worth his concern.

    He was, however, quite pleased with the fish Lu Qing offered.

    He was well aware of the Lu family''s current situation.

    These small fish were probably the only valuable things Lu Qing could offer, perhaps even his and his sister''s food for the next few days.

    Yet he gave them without hesitation.

    This showed that Lu Qing was a grateful child.

    No one could dislike such a young man.

    Therefore, Old Doctor Chen did not decline Lu Qing¡¯s gift.

    Even Uncle Zhang, wanting Lu Qing to feel a sense of loss, deliberately took the other bowl of fish.

    After seeing the two elders off and watching them walk away, Lu Qing returned to the house.

    Confirming that no one was around, he let out a deep sigh of relief, his heart pounding.

    What seemed like a mundane event had put him on edge several times.

    On one hand, he feared exposing that he wasn''t the original Lu Qing.

    On the other hand, the information revealed by Old Doctor Chen had shocked him.

    Fortunately, the idea of soul fusion and rebirth was too mystical for anyone to consider.

    With the original Lu Qing''s memories and his deliberate concealment, he maintained hisposure and didn''t reveal anything.

    Having passed this hurdle, his identity was more secure.

    He believed that in a few more days, even if his personality changed, no one would suspect he wasn¡¯t the original Lu Qing.

    After all, a young person''s personality is naturally capricious. He had experienced the trauma of losing his parents and hade back from the brink of death. A change in personality was entirely normal.

    So, although the sudden visit from Old Doctor Chen and Uncle Zhang caught him off guard, it also provided him with an opportunity.

    The information revealed by Old Doctor Chen made Lu Qing realize that his previous assumptions about this world might be wrong.

    He initially thought he was in a world simr to ancient China, where people were just ordinary like him.

    But just now, he saw something beyondmon sense in Old Doctor Chen.

    Cultivation, Qi practice, realms... these were elements of those fantastical martial arts worlds where people could perform extraordinary feats.

    Could it be that he had crossed into such a world?

    Lu Qing''s emotions becameplex.

    There was fear, confusion, and a sense of anticipation.

 Chapter 10

    Suddenly realizing that his rebirth might be in a world possessing extraordinary powers, Lu Qing''s heart was filled with both joy and shock.

    The joy stemmed from being a person of Chinese heritage, where there was an innate yearning for a life of chivalry and heroism, wielding a sword and singing songs of valor.

    The shock came from the realization that a world capable of producing powerful individuals would also be far more dangerous than a typical world.

    As the saying goes, "A hero with martial arts can defy thew." Once someone gains powerful abilities, it bes easy to disregard various rules. The rage of the strong can easily lead to the sorrow of the weak, which is likely amon urrence.

    And now, he was a weakling, unable to defend himself.

    If he were to encounter a malevolent person skilled in cultivation, he could be wiped out in an instant.

    Thinking of this, a sense of crisis arose in Lu Qing''s heart. Some of his initial ns needed to be adjusted.

    Lu Qing fell into deep thought, slowly pondering over his new circumstances.

    The next morning, Lu Qing cooked a pot of river shrimp porridge and woke up Xiao Yan. The siblings ate breakfast together."Brother, the shrimp porridge is delicious."

    The little girl, with a piece of porridge still stuck to her face, looked up happily at Lu Qing.

    "As long as you like it. Eat slowly, don''t choke."

    Lu Qing reached out to remove the porridge from her mouth.

    "Brother, are we going fishing today?" Xiao Yan asked.

    "Not today. After breakfast, we''ll visit Grandpa Chen."

    With the immediate food supply taken care of, Lu Qing decided not to fish for the next couple of days. Besides, he had caught a lot of fish from the small fishing spot yesterday, which would need time to recover. As for the other two fishing spots, his rudimentary fishing rod would likely not hold up. Until he could make a better rod, Lu Qing did not n to fish there.

    There was no choice; their household was too poor. Every bit of resource was precious and couldn''t be wasted.

    "Are we going to visit Grandpa Chen?" Xiao Yan''s eyes lit up.

    The little girl had been asleep all day yesterday and didn''t know that Grandpa Chen and Old Zhang had visited.

    "Yes, do you want to go?" Lu Qing asked.

    Generally, children have a natural fear of doctors, and Lu Qing wasn''t sure if Xiao Yan felt the same way.

    "I want to~" The little girl said seriously, "Grandpa Chen is very kind. He cured you, Brother. I haven''t thanked him yet."

    Lu Qing smiled, "Yes, we''ll go thank Grandpa Chen together."

    After breakfast, Lu Qing locked the door and took Xiao Yan out.

    Grandpa Chen didn''t live in the vige but in a small courtyard halfway up a hill behind the vige.

    Lu Qing led Xiao Yan along the path. From a distance, they could see a secluded small courtyard halfway up the hill, giving a sense of tranquility.

    Upon reaching the halfway point, Lu Qing saw a figure moving in front of the courtyard. He was about to speak but suddenly closed his mouth, motioning Xiao Yan to be silent.

    Grandpa Chen was practicing martial arts.

    Lu Qing didn''t recognize the martial art, but it looked somewhat like the Tai Chi that elderly people practiced in parks back in his previous life. The movements were slow and deliberate.

    However, after a few nces, Lu Qing noticed something different. Grandpa Chen''s seemingly soft and gentle movements carried a hidden force, flowing like water and looking quite impressive.

    As Lu Qing watched, entranced, a line of text suddenly appeared in his vision.

    <strong>¡¾Martial technique detected, would you like to simte it?¡¿</strong>

    Hmm?

    Lu Qing''s pupils shrank. His ability had such a function?!

    Looking at Grandpa Chen, who was still immersed in his practice, Lu Qing suppressed his wildly beating heart and silently chose "Yes" in his mind.

    <strong>¡¾Simtion started, current progress: 1%, 2%, 3%...¡¿</strong>

    Watching the progress bar silently jump in his vision, Lu Qing''s heart couldn''t help but race faster.

    He didn''t expect his ability to include the function of simting others'' martial techniques.

    Just yesterday, he had been troubled by not being able to ess this world''s cultivation methods.

    And now, it was as if a pillow had been offered when he was about to fall asleep.

    Lu Qing kept his eyes fixed on Grandpa Chen''s movements while keeping an eye on the simtion progress.

    <strong>¡¾48%, 49%, 50%¡¿</strong>

    When the simtion progress reached fifty percent, it stopped, and the text disappeared.

    Looking up, he saw that Grandpa Chen had finished his practice. Lu Qing felt a pang of disappointment.

    If he had arrived a bit earlier, he might have been able to simte the entire set of martial arts.

    Now, being stuck at fifty percent felt quite frustrating.

    However, Lu Qing quickly adjusted his mindset.

    Discovering his ability''s new function was already a significant gain. As for Grandpa Chen''s martial technique, he had plenty of time toplete it in the future, so there was no need to rush.

    Grandpa Chen finished his practice, gathered his breath, and then looked at Lu Qing and Xiao Yan.

    In fact, he had long known that the two siblings were nearby. However, practicing in the morning was a habit, so he hadn''t stopped.

    "You''re here. Have you had breakfast?" Grandpa Chen asked warmly.

    "Yes, we have," Lu Qing replied respectfully.

    Xiao Yan stepped forward and took Grandpa Chen''s hand, "Grandpa Chen, thank you for curing my brother."

    "Hehe, little one, you should thank yourself. If it weren''t for your loud crying that day, I wouldn''t have gone into the house to check."

    Grandpa Chen patted Xiao Yan''s head, feeling sentimental.

    That day, while wandering in the vige, he had heard Xiao Yan crying and, out ofpassion, had gone into the house to see what was wrong, discovering that Lu Qing was seriously ill.

    "Why should I thank myself? It was Grandpa Chen who cured Brother," the little girl said, puzzled.

    "It''s not entirely my credit. Your brother''s recovery was also due to his good fortune," Grandpa Chen sighed.

    After returning home yesterday, he had checked various medical books again but still couldn''t find a record of Lu Qing''s symptoms.

    In the end, he could only attribute it to Lu Qing''s good luck.

    Xiao Yan didn''t understand Grandpa Chen''s words and nodded in confusion.

    Lu Qing then realized that Grandpa Chen''s treatment had anotheryer of reason behind it.

    He nced affectionately at Xiao Yan and then bowed deeply to Grandpa Chen, "Thank you for saving my life, Grandpa Chen."

    "You... sigh, forget it," Grandpa Chen eventually waved his hand, deciding not to exin further.

    He knew that no matter how he exined, the siblings would still believe he had cured Lu Qing.

    "Grandpa Chen, what were you doing just now, practicing martial arts?" Xiao Yan asked innocently.

    Lu Qing also looked at Grandpa Chen.

 Chapter 11

    "What''s this? Xiao Yan, can you tell that Grandpa Chen is practicing martial arts?" Doctor Chen asked with a smile.

    "I can''t tell," Xiao Yan shook her head, "It was my brother who told me that Grandpa Chen is practicing martial arts and not to disturb you."

    "Sorry, Grandpa Chen, we didn''t know you were practicing martial arts," Lu Qing apologized with a respectful tone.

    "No worries. What I practice is merely a farmer''s exercise to keep fit, not worth calling a martial arts technique," the old doctor waved his hand dismissively.

    "But I think Grandpa Chen''s moves look really good!" Xiao Yan earnestly eximed.

    "Hahaha, I''ve been practicing this set of moves all my life. It''s worth it to receive apliment from a little one like you!"

    Hearing the innocent words of the child, Doctor Chenughed heartily.

    Seeing the old doctor so happy, Lu Qing also felt relieved.

    He had been a bit worried that the old doctor might have some rule against being watched while practicing, which would mean they had unknowingly broken a taboo."Come, let''s go inside. I''ll start the acupuncture for you," said Doctor Chen, lifting Xiao Yan and motioning for Lu Qing to follow.

    Lu Qing respectfully followed the old doctor into the courtyard.

    Upon entering, he was immediately attracted by the herbs spread out to dry in the yard.

    A quick nce revealed one herb he recognized, Cowbone Grass, which also grew in his own yard.

    Unfortunately, he didn''t have enough time to investigate each herb.

    "Grandpa Chen, are all these herbs for medicinal use?" Lu Qing inquired.

    "That''s right. Why, do you know how to identify medicinal herbs?"

    Doctor Chen was somewhat surprised.

    "Not really," Lu Qing replied, "I just noticed that one of the herbs here also grows near our home."

    "Which one?"

    "That one drying in the sieve," Lu Qing pointed in a direction.

    Xiao Yan saw the small blue flowers on the herb and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, lots of it grows outside our house, and Niu Niu likes to eat it too."

    The old doctor nced over, "That''s right, that''s Cowbone Grass, a verymon herb."

    "Cowbone Grass," Lu Qing repeated the name, then asked, "Grandpa Chen, what is Cowbone Grass usually used for?"

    "It''s mainly used for treating bruises and injuries," the old doctor answered offhandedly, then looked at Lu Qing, "Are you interested in medicinal herbs?"

    "Yes," Lu Qing admitted, "I''ve heard from Xiao Yan that it was your medicine that cured her illness, and it made me realize how miraculous these herbs are. They are just flowers and nts, yet they can alleviate pain and save lives."

    "If you want to study medicine, it''s not easy. Learning about herbs requires courage, precision, a clear mind, and literacy to read medical books," Doctor Chen patiently exined, not mocking Lu Qing''s interest.

    "I do know how to read some," Lu Qing quickly added.

    This was not a lie.

    In his memories, the original Lu Qing indeed knew some characters, which, upon verification, were quite simr to the Chinese characters from his previous life, just with moreplex strokes.

    "You can read?" Doctor Chen was once again surprised.

    In this rural area, finding someone literate was not easy.

    Lu Qing was just an orphan, and yet he could read?

    "My grandfather taught me some characters when he was alive. Though I''m a bit dull and have forgotten some since his passing, I can recognize them but not write them."

    The old doctor now understood Lu Qing''s situation.

    Rumor had it that Lu Qing''s grandfather was a schr who had fallen on hard times.

    He hade to this ce with the vigers during a famine.

    But he passed away before the old doctor arrived here to live in seclusion, so they never met.

    It was also said that Lu Qing''s father was naturally unruly, not suited for studying, often driving his grandfather to fury in his youth and ultimately notpleting his education.

    Unexpectedly, it was the young Lu Qing who had learned some characters.

    Sadly, his grandfather died early; otherwise, the Lu family might have produced another schr.

    The old doctor sighed inwardly and looked at Lu Qing more kindly.

    No wonder he found Lu Qing''s speech different from the average rural youth. It must have been the influence of his grandfather and father.

    "Since you are interested in medicinal herbs, every time youe for acupuncture, I will allow you to help me dry the herbs for half an hour. How much you can remember depends on yourprehension."

    "And you," the old doctor said, patting Xiao Yan''s head, "youe along with your brother too. I''ll make some medicinal food for you. How can you be so weak?"

    Lu Qing was overjoyed and hurriedly thanked him, "Thank you, Grandpa Chen. Xiao Yan, thank Grandpa Chen!"

    "Thank you, Grandpa Chen~"

    The little one, not fully understanding what medicinal food was, obediently expressed her gratitude since her brother said so.

    "Don''t mention it. Seeing you so frail, it pains me too," the old doctor said kindly.

    Inside the house, the old doctor put Xiao Yan down and took out a needle pouch.

    "Lie on the bed and take off your shirt," he instructed Lu Qing.

    Following the instructions, Lu Qing took off his shirt andy down on the wooden bed.

    Seeing his bony chest, the old doctor paused momentarily before drawing a silver needle from the pouch.

    Xiao Yan, seeing the long silver needle, showed a trace of fear on her face.

    However, she knew Grandpa Chen was treating her brother, so despite her fear, she stayed quiet.

    "Don''t be afraid and don''t move. I will start the acupuncture now," the old doctor told Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing nodded.

    He wasn''t afraid.

    In his past life on Blue Star, he had experienced acupuncture, making him quite familiar with it.

    The old doctor twirled the silver needle and gently inserted it into one of Lu Qing''s acupoints. Lu Qing felt no pain as the needle went in three-tenths of an inch deep.

    Without hesitation, the old doctor took another silver needle from the pouch and inserted it into another acupoint.

    Before long, eighteen silver needles were inserted into various acupoints on Lu Qing''s upper body.

    As for Xiao Yan, she had covered her eyes, not daring to look at her brother, who now resembled a porcupine.

    After inserting the eighteenth needle, the old doctor didn''t let go immediately.

    Instead, he lightly twisted the end of the needle.

    Instantly, something magical happened. Lu Qing felt a warm current flowing beneath the needle.

    A tingling sensation spread through his body, making him feel incrediblyfortable.

    At the same time, a wave of drowsiness washed over him, his eyelids grew heavy, and he quickly fell asleep.

    "Grandpa Chen, is my brother asleep?" Xiao Yan peeked through her fingers.

    "Yes, your brother''s body is too weak. This acupuncture will help him have a good sleep."

    "Oh," Xiao Yan responded, not fully understanding the medical terms.

    "Let''s go, let your brother sleep here for a while. We''ll go outside," the old doctor stood up.

    "Where are we going?"

    "Grandpa Chen will make something delicious for you¡­"

 Chapter 12

    As Lu Qing woke from his slumber, the first sound he heard was Xiao Yan''s joyousughter.

    He looked at himself and noticed that the silver needles were no longer there, and a thin nket covered him.

    He had no idea how long he had slept.

    Lu Qing thought to himself, lifting the nket and dressing, he walked outside.

    In the courtyard, he saw Old Doctor Chen and Xiao Yan sitting at a stone table.

    They seemed to be sharing a joyful conversation, bothughing heartily.

    Especially Xiao Yan, who held a white pastry in her hand,ughing happily.

    "Brother, you''re awake!"

    Xiao Yan, who had been giggling, saw Lu Qinging out of the house and was instantly delighted.She jumped off the stone bench with a thud, offering the pastry to Lu Qing.

    "Brother, look, this is yam cake made by Grandpa Chen. It''s delicious. Would you like to try a piece?"

    Lu Qing did not take the cake but looked at Old Doctor Chen. "Grandpa Chen, Xiao Yan didn''t trouble you, did she?"

    Old Doctor Chen waved his hand. "No trouble at all. Xiao Yan is innocent and lively. Having her around to chat with is a joy. How do you feel now that you''ve just woken up?"

    "I feel great." Lu Qing stretched his body. "It seems like I''ve suddenly gained a lot of strength. Grandpa Chen, does this mean I''m fully recovered now?"

    "It''s not that simple." The old doctor chuckled. "Your body is still very weak and needs to be nourished slowly. My treatment only temporarily boosted your energy, giving you the illusion of increased strength."

    "From now on, you''ll need to supplement your diet with medicinal food to truly recover."

    "Here, this te of yam cake is not only for Xiao Yan but also for you. Eat a few pieces."

    "Yam has benefits for the spleen, lungs, kidneys, and essence, making it perfect for you."

    The old doctor pushed the te of snowy white yam cake forward, gesturing to Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing looked at the te of yam cake, hesitating. "Grandpa Chen, this yam cake must be quite valuable, right?"

    "It''s not particrly precious. It''s rare outside but not hard to find in the mountains. I still have some stored here. You can eat it without worry."

    Old Doctor Chen spoke lightly, but Lu Qing knew better.

    The dangers of the mountains were well-known. The old doctor had the skill to gather these items, but to treat them asmon was naive.

    However, he also knew that since the old doctor had said so much, refusing would be overly pretentious.

    So he bowed deeply to Old Doctor Chen, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

    Then he sat down at the stone table, picking up a piece of yam cake and eating it.

    The cake was soft, fragrant, and delicious.

    Even someone like Lu Qing, who had tasted various modern pastries in his past life, found it delightful.

    As he looked at the pastries on the te, a white light shed, and words appeared.

    <strong>[Yam Cake: A pastry made mainly from yam.]</strong>

    <strong>[Beneficial for the spleen, lungs, kidneys, and essence, it seems to have a good nourishing effect on the body.]</strong>

    The evaluation from his ability matched Old Doctor Chen''s description perfectly.

    "Brother, isn''t it delicious?" Xiao Yan asked proudly.

    "Yes, it''s very delicious." Lu Qing nodded honestly.

    Old Doctor Chen had been observing Lu Qing. Seeing him stop after eating a few pieces, he nodded approvingly.

    Though hungry, Lu Qing remained disciplined, not overeating.

    His behavior impressed the old doctor.

    In the past, he had not noticed such an exceptional young man in the vige.

    However, it was too early to make a final judgment; further observation was needed.

    Reflecting on the thoughts that had arisen while Lu Qing slept, the old doctor pondered.

    Then he asked, "Lu Qing, you mentioned an interest in medicinal herbs. Do you want to study medicine?"

    "I wouldn''t dare im to study medicine." Lu Qing quickly replied. "I''m just fascinated by the wonder of medicinal herbs."

    "Grandpa Chen knows about the misfortunes my family faced, with my parents passing away and leaving us impoverished. It''s hard to survive on just two acres of poornd."

    "So I thought if I could learn to identify and gather herbs, I might support my sister and myself."

    "Herb gathering is indeed a viable path," Old Doctor Chen nodded. "But it''s not easy. The mountains are dangerous, and bing a good herb gatherer is challenging."

    "You have to try to know. Besides, what work in this world is easy?"

    "True, there''s no easy work in this world." The old doctor agreed. "Your understanding is rare."

    "In that case, from next time, after your acupuncture, stay and help me dry herbs. How much you learn will depend on yourprehension."

    "Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

    Though Old Doctor Chen had mentioned this before, hearing it again still made Lu Qing happy.

    "Grandpa Chen, why can''t you teach my brother today?" Xiao Yan asked.

    The little girl had been listening and understood a bit.

    "Not today," the old doctor chuckled. "I have to go to town, and there''s not enough time."

    To town?

    Lu Qing was intrigued but held back.

    He had already stood out today and should not probe further.

    Besides, knowing about the town wouldn''t be useful to him now.

    Xiao Yan, however, had no such reservations. Hearing about the town, her eyes widened with curiosity.

    "Grandpa Chen, what''s the town like?"

    "The town? That''s not something I can exin quickly. When you grow up, you can see for yourself. The town is much better than outside."

    Xiao Yan looked longingly.

    Even Lu Qing was surprised.

    The old doctor''s words made it sound like the town held many secrets.

    After chatting a bit more, the old doctor stood up.

    "Alright, you two should go back. I need to prepare for my trip to town. Lu Qing, remember toe back for acupuncture in three days."

    Seeing the old doctor about to leave, Lu Qing hesitated, then asked, "Grandpa Chen, may I ask you something?"

    "Oh, what is it?"

    "I''d like to know if there''s a type of silk thread that''s tough and hard to break."

    "Silk thread? Why do you ask?"

    Lu Qing considered his words carefully. "Yesterday, I went fishing by the river and discovered I might have some talent for it. But the hemp line on our fishing rod isn''t strong enough. A slightlyrger fish breaks the line, making it hard to catch bigger fish."

    "So I wanted to ask if there''s a tougher silk thread suitable for making a better fishing rod."

    "Tough silk thread..." The old doctor pondered, then walked towards the house.

    "Wait here."

 Chapter 13

    The old doctor quickly came out of the room after he had entered. He was holding a small box in his hand.

    "Take this," he said, handing the box to Lu Qing.

    "What is this?" Lu Qing opened the box to find a small bundle of nearly transparent white threads inside.

    "These threads were given to me by an injured hero I saved during my travels years ago," the old doctor exined. "I don''t know exactly what they are, but they are exceptionally tough and hard to break. They should meet your needs for fishing lines."

    "Grandpa Chen, this is too valuable; I can''t ept it," Lu Qing hurriedly pushed the box back, realizing that something given in gratitude for saving a life must be extraordinary.

    Hearing the word "hero" made his heart stir. It confirmed that there were indeed such extraordinary people in this world.

    But Grandpa Chen waved his hand dismissively. "You should take it. It''s of no use to me. I''ve had it for over ten years and never found a use for it. If you hadn''t mentioned needing a strong thread, I would have forgotten I even had it."

    "If you need a tough thread for fishing, you might as well use this. It''s better than letting it gather dust here. If you feel guilty, just bring me something good you catch. That small fish you caught yesterday was quite tasty with wine."

    Holding the box, Lu Qing felt both grateful and ashamed. The old doctor treated him and his sister so well, yet he had been nning to secretly learn the old man''s techniques, which now filled him with guilt.Looking at the box in his hand, Lu Qing made a silent decision. In the future, unless Grandpa Chen willingly taught him, he would never try to mimic the old doctor''s techniques again.

    "Don''t worry, Grandpa Chen. Whenever I catch something good, I''ll bring it to you first!" Lu Qing promised earnestly, gripping the box tightly.

    The old doctorughed heartily. "Haha, then I''ll look forward to it!"

    Leaving the old doctor''s house, Lu Qing felt exhrated. Today had been incredibly fruitful. He had not only gained the old doctor''s favor and improved his health but also learned how to identify herbs and received a mysterious box of threads.

    His intuition told him that the threads in this box were not ordinary. However, he hadn''t dared to examine them closely at the old doctor''s house, where he could have used his abilities to investigate further.

    Descending the mountain with Xiao Yan, they reached the vige just as a few vigers were returning from the vige entrance, carrying bamboo poles and buckets, chatting andughing.

    Upon seeing Lu Qing, they called out from afar, "Lu Qing!"

    "Uncle Shi, did you juste back from fishing?" Lu Qing asked, noticing the poles on their shoulders.

    "Yes," Uncle Shi replied excitedly. "Yesterday, we tried your method of fishing with worms, and it worked! Look at today''s catch!"

    He proudly showed Lu Qing the bucket, which contained quite a few fish, weighing about one or two pounds. Some were evenrger than what Lu Qing had caught yesterday. He checked the other vigers'' buckets, finding that everyone had caught something, with the smallest catch still weighing about half a pound. One viger even caught a fish over a pound.

    However, that viger was also frustrated. "I almost caught an even bigger one, but it broke my line with its strength and got away!"

    "I told you not to pull so hard and to give it some ck, but you wouldn''t listen. It''s no wonder your line snapped," another viger scolded.

    "How was I supposed to know the fish would be that strong? I''m sure it weighed over five pounds!"

    "No way, at most two pounds. If it were five pounds, you wouldn''t have held onto it at all!"

    "It was definitely five pounds!"

    ...

    Listening to the vigers argue about the size of the fish that got away, Lu Qing couldn''t help butugh. This scene was all too familiar. In his previous life, he and his fishing friends behaved the same way. If someone lost a fish, they always exaggerated its size. Anything less than ten pounds was an insult to their fishing skills!

    He never expected to witness this in a different world.

    Indeed, no matter the world, the nature of fishermen remained the same.

    Lu Qing''sughter made Uncle Shi and the others feel a bit embarrassed, especially with Xiao Yan watching them argue with wide eyes.

    "Lu Qing, where are youing from?" Uncle Shi asked to change the subject and ease the embarrassment.

    "We just came back from Grandpa Chen''s ce," Lu Qing replied.

    Uncle Shi nodded. "Ah, the old doctor. It''s right for you to visit and thank him since he cured you."

    He assumed Lu Qing had gone to express his gratitude.

    "Yes, without Grandpa Chen, I wouldn''t be standing here," Lu Qing agreed without denying it.

    "By the way, Lu Qing, you came up with the fishing method, so you should take some of these fish home," Uncle Shi offered.

    "Yes, without your method, we wouldn''t have known that worms could be used for fishing!" another viger added.

    "Take mine! Mine are bigger!"

    "Don''t be ridiculous; mine are the biggest. Take mine!"

    The other vigers chimed in, urging Lu Qing to take their fish.

    "Thank you, uncles, but I still have fish from yesterday," Lu Qing politely declined.

    "Eat more! You and Xiao Yan are so skinny. Fish is nutritious; you should eat more!" Uncle Shi insisted.

    In the end, Lu Qing couldn''t refuse their kindness. He took a few fish from each viger''s bucket, threading them onto a piece of grass he picked by the roadside. Even so, he ended up with nearly half a pound of fish.

    "Take more!" Uncle Shi urged.

    "I can''t take any more. I don''t have enough oil and salt to cook them all," Lu Qing finally refused firmly.

    Hearing this, the vigers stopped insisting. Without enough oil and salt, the fish would indeed not taste good.

    With a string of fish in hand, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan bid farewell to the vigers and returned to their small courtyard. After putting the fish in the kitchen, Lu Qing took out the small box given by the old doctor and opened it, quietly examining the threads inside.

 Chapter 14

    Lu Qing examined the silk thread, a faint red glow emerging from it.

    <strong>¡¾Snow Silkworm Thread: Produced by the mystical Snow Silkworm, extremely resilient.¡¿</strong>

    <strong>¡¾Impervious to water and fire, resistant to swords and knives, seems to be a remarkable treasure.¡¿</strong>

    <strong>¡¾Primary material for making Snow Silkworm Silk Garments.¡¿</strong>

    ...

    As Lu Qing used his ability to investigate the thread gifted by the old doctor, his face couldn''t hide his astonishment.

    This mysterious thread was actually a red-glowing item.

    Since awakening his ability, Lu Qing had learned that the glow an item emitted under his investigation often indicated its value.

    So far, he had seen three types of glows: gray, white, and red.Among them, he had only seen the red glow on the old doctor.

    His ability had revealed that the doctor was a hidden cultivator.

    And now, he had discovered another red-glow item.

    And this item was also gifted by the old doctor.

    "I didn''t expect this to be a red-glow treasure."

    Lu Qing had suspected the thread was not ordinary, but he didn''t expect it to be this valuable.

    For his ability to recognize it as a treasure, it must be extraordinary.

    Look at how the description was phrased.

    Impervious to water and fire, resistant to swords and knives!

    What kind of thread has such properties if not a treasure?

    "I wonder if the old doctor knows just how amazing this thread is."

    Lu Qing felt conflicted.

    In just a few days, he and Xiao Yan had received so many favors from the old doctor.

    Now, even such a precious thread was gifted to him.

    This made him feel both touched and ashamed.

    After all, he knew that his purpose in approaching the old doctor wasn''t entirely pure.

    "It seems I must seriously catch some good fish to give to Grandpa Chen."

    Lu Qing wanted to repay the old doctor''s kindness.

    But his family was truly destitute at the moment, with nothing of value to offer.

    And given the old doctor''s discerning eye, mary gifts might not impress him.

    After all, he had gifted a treasure like the Snow Silkworm Thread.

    The only thing Lu Qing could do was to start with the old doctor''s hobby.

    From their previous conversations, it seemed the old doctor liked fish.

    Fortunately, fishing was what Lu Qing was best at.

    "It seems you''re destined to be my fishing line."

    Lu Qing picked up the small bundle of Snow Silkworm Thread, feeling its soft and cool texture.

    The thickness of the thread was simr to the fishing lines he had used in his previous life. He wondered what kind of mystical creature the Snow Silkworm was to produce such thick silk.

    The bundle of Snow Silkworm Thread didn''t look like much, but upon closer inspection, Lu Qing realized it could extend to about a hundred meters if fully unwound.

    For a fishing line, he didn''t need that much thread.

    Lu Qing took a hatchet from the kitchen, ready to cut a piece of the thread to make a fishing line.

    However, when he ced the thread on a wooden block and struck it with the hatchet, the thread and the de both sank into the wood without cutting the thread at all.

    At that moment, Lu Qing remembered the description of the thread.

    Impervious to water and fire, resistant to swords and knives.

    He had thought it was a metaphor, describing the thread''s resilience.

    He didn''t expect it to be literal.

    At least, with his current household hatchet, cutting the Snow Silkworm Thread was impossible.

    Now, Lu Qing wasn''t in a hurry.

    To verify whether the thread was truly impervious to water and fire, he lit a firebrand in the kitchen and tried to burn a small section of the thread.

    The Snow Silkworm Thread didn''t burn immediately. It took a full five minutes to finally break.

    "It seems ''impervious to water and fire'' means difficult to damage, not impossible."

    Lu Qing watched a small section of the thread fall to the ground, lost in thought.

    Of course, the ability to withstand five minutes of fire was impressive enough.

    After all, it was silk, not steel.

    However, the fact that the thread could be burned was good news for Lu Qing.

    If even fire couldn''t affect it, he would have had to make a casting rod, which was much moreplex than a hand rod.

    And in his previous life, manyponents for casting rods were purchased, not made from scratch.

    Given the current conditions, making a usable casting rod was unrealistic.

    Fortunately, the Snow Silkworm Thread could be burned, saving him a lot of trouble.

    Next, Lu Qing focused entirely on making the fishing rod.

    First, he selected bamboo.

    Lu Qing spent a whole day in the bamboo forest behind the vige, choosing a few small, old bamboo stalks to bring home.

    After selecting the bamboo, he had to process and treat it to prevent insects, which took a lot of time.

    But Lu Qing couldn''t wait that long, so he chose one old bamboo, quickly processed it, and used it to make the fishing rod.

    The remaining bamboo stalks were left for more thorough processing.

    Once the bamboo was ready, the rest was easy.

    In no time, Lu Qing had crafted a new fishing rod.

    "Ding ding! Xiao Yan, look at this new fishing rod I made. Isn''t it beautiful?"

    One morning, Lu Qing proudly showed off his new fishing rod to Xiao Yan.

    "It''s beautiful!"

    The obedient and cute Xiao Yan immediately became a cheerleader, nodding vigorously.

    "I think it''s beautiful too!"

    Lu Qing swung the fishing rod with a satisfied smile.

    Although he had made it quickly, the quality of this new rod wasn''t bad.

    In Lu Qing''s eyes, the new rod was emitting a strong white glow.

    <strong>¡¾Snow Silkworm Fishing Rod: A fishing rod made with Snow Silkworm Thread.¡¿</strong>

    <strong>¡¾The fishing line is resilient, the rod is sturdy, capable of withstanding a hundred pounds of pull without breaking. With this rod, one might catch big fish.¡¿</strong>

    When he first saw these descriptions, Lu Qing was startled.

    The new rod he had made could withstand a hundred pounds of pull.

    Snow Silkworm Thread was a treasure, capable of bearing such force, though impressive, was understandable.

    But for the old bamboo from the vige''s back hills to be this tough was truly unexpected.

    It could only be attributed to this otherworldly ce, where not only could treasures like Snow Silkworm Thread exist, but even bamboo was extraordinary.

    If his old fishing buddies from his previous life knew about this, their eyes would probably turn green with envy.

    "Brother, now that the rod is ready, are we going fishing?" Xiao Yan asked.

    "Yes, of course!"

    With the new rod in hand, Lu Qing felt confident.

    Moreover, it had taken him two days to make this rod.

    Their home fish supply was nearly exhausted.

    More importantly, in another day, it would be time for the acupuncture session with the old doctor.

    This time, he couldn''t go empty-handed.

    "Yay! We can go fishing again!" Xiao Yan cheered. "Brother, I''ll help you dig for worms."

    She ran outside eagerly.

    Lu Qing shook his head.

    Most children, especially girls, were somewhat afraid of worms.

    But Xiao Yan wasn''t afraid at all. Instead, she wanted to help catch worms, showing a bravery far beyond ordinary girls.

    "I wonder if Xiao Yan will grow up to be ady or a tomboy?" Lu Qing thought with a hint of worry.

    Although there''s nothing wrong with being a tomboy, he preferred his sister to be a gentle anddylike girl.

    Shaking off these distant thoughts, Lu Qing grabbed the fishing rod and headed outside.

    Outside, Xiao Yan was already holding a bamboo tube filled with worms, waiting for him.

    "Hurry up, brother!" Xiao Yan urged.

    "Coming,ing."

    Lu Qing took a shovel and walked over.

    After digging up the worms, Lu Qing took a small cloth bag from the house and put it in his pocket.

    "Brother, what''s this?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.

    "This is our secret weapon. Whether we can catch big fish today depends on it," Lu Qing said mysteriously.

    "Big fish!" Xiao Yan''s eyes sparkled.

    She didn''t know how big the big fish her brother mentioned was, but it sounded impressive!

    With the secret weapon ready, Lu Qing found the wooden bucket used for storing fish and set off with the new rod.

    "Let''s go, off we go!"

    "Off we go!" Xiao Yan echoed cheerfully.

    ...

    Before long, the siblings reached the vige entrance.

    Xiao Yan, holding the bamboo tube of worms, skipped ahead, chanting, "Big fish, big fish..."

    Vigers passing by couldn''t help but smile at her enthusiasm.

    "Xiao Yan, where are you and your brother going?"

    "It''s Uncle Zhao. We''re going to the river to fish, to catch big fish!" Xiao Yan replied politely.

    "Oh, big fish? How do you know you''ll catch big fish?" Uncle Zhao teased.

    "Of course I know. Brother said so. Brother is the best at fishing!" Xiao Yan said proudly.

    "Yes, yes, your brother is the best."

    Seeing her proud little face, Uncle Zhaoughed heartily.

    "Children''s words are innocent, don''t mind her," Lu Qing apologized.

    "No problem, Xiao Yan is adorable. When you were sick, she cried so much it broke our hearts," Uncle Zhao said warmly.

    "But while you''re fishing, be sure to watch Xiao Yan and keep her away from the water."

    "I understand," Lu Qing replied seriously.

    "Xiao Yan, listen to your brother. Don''t y in the water when you get to the river," Uncle Zhao reminded her.

    "I know," Xiao Yan answered obediently. "I''m very good."

    "Yes, Xiao Yan is the best."

    Uncle Zhao ruffled her hair, his tone nostalgic.

    After bidding farewell to Uncle Zhao, the siblings continued toward

    the river.

    However, upon reaching the river, they were both stunned.

    The spot where Lu Qing had fishedst time was already upied.

    Not just by one or two people, but seven or eight, all crammed into the small area.

    And they recognized these people; they were vigers.

    "Lu Qing, you''re here to fish too? Want to squeeze in with us?"

    A viger greeted them.

    "Yes, we ran out of fish at home, so I thought I''d catch some more," Lu Qing replied, smiling.

    He then curiously asked, "Why are you all fishing in the same spot? Aren''t you afraid the lines will get tangled?"

    "Don''t mention it. We don''t want to either," the viger said with a bitter smile. "Other spots are too hard to catch fish, taking forever to get a bite. Only this spot is easier. I heard from Tiger that you fished herest time?"

    So, because it''s easier, everyone is crammed here?

    Lu Qing was speechless.

    But he nodded. "Yes, I fished herest time."

    "You''re impressive!" The viger gave a thumbs up. "You found a good spot. We''ve been fishing here the most, but today the fish aren''t biting as much."

    Of course, they''re not biting!

    With so many people fishing in one spot, no matter how many fish there are, they''d be scared off.

    Lu Qing shook his head.

    This fishing spot was probably ruined.

    At least for a while, it wouldn''t return to its former state.

    "You all continue fishing. I''ll try my luck elsewhere."

    Feeling resigned, Lu Qing led Xiao Yan to another spot.

    The vigers didn''t try to keep them. In fact, they seemed relieved.

    It was already crowded here, another person would make it unbearable.

    As for Lu Qing trying his luck elsewhere, they didn''t mind.

    They had fished in other parts of the river recently with poor results.

    Fishing here was the most fruitful, hence the crowd.

    After leaving the crowded fishing spot, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan walked along the river.

    Though he found the vigers'' actions frustrating, he couldn''t say anything.

    The river was for everyone, and anyone had the right to fish there.

    It wasn''t as if someone owned a spot after fishing there once.

    So Lu Qing didn''t mind the vigers upying the fishing spot.

    With his ability, he could always find another.

    The river was long, with many potential spots.

    Thinking this way, Lu Qing led Xiao Yan further along the river.

    He didn''t even check the two other spots he had found before.

    Those spots were also visible to the vigers.

    If he started catching fish, they might flock over again, creating another crowded situation.

    So he decided to go further, to a ce out of sight, to avoid unnecessary trouble.

    He was well-prepared, bringing a fishing rod, bucket, and even a hatchet to open new fishing spots if needed.

    As they walked along the riverbank, Lu Qing used his ability to scan the water continuously.

    Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

 Chapter 15

    In a curved bay, Lu Qing finally discovered a new fishing spot.

    <strong>[Beginner Fishing Spot: A ce rich in nutrients and abundant in aquatic nts, favored by schools of fish for foraging.]</strong>

    <strong>[Here, strange fruits grow, which certain unique fish love to eat. Fishing here might yield unexpected surprises.]</strong>

    The emitted white light was even more intense than the previous beginner fishing spot he had found.

    "Strange fruits grow here?"

    Lu Qing looked up, searching the bank of the fishing spot.

    Soon, a few peculiar-looking nts caught his attention.

    Under the investigation of his abilities, these nts also emitted white light.

    <strong>[Blood Apricot Tree: Produces blood apricots, non-toxic, can be used medicinally.]</strong><strong>[It is rumored that blood apricots contain a special substance that certain unique fish are very fond of.]</strong>

    "Blood apricots?"

    Lu Qing looked at the small red fruits, the size of his pinky, hanging from the tree.

    Are these the strange fruits that unique fish like to eat?

    Feeling a spark of interest, he walked forward.

    Fortunately, the blood apricot trees weren''t very tall, and he easily picked a handful.

    "Brother, these fruits look delicious."

    Xiao Yan couldn''t help but swallow as she saw the bright red blood apricots in Lu Qing''s hand.

    "These aren''t for eating."

    Although his abilities indicated that blood apricots were non-toxic, they also mentioned that they had medicinal properties. Since they were considered medicine, Lu Qing didn''t dare let Xiao Yan eat them recklessly.

    "If they''re not for eating, why did you pick them, Brother?"

    "To fish. Some fish really like these fruits. I want to see if I can use them to catch a big fish," Lu Qing exined.

    "Fish like to eat fruits?" Xiao Yan''s eyes widened in surprise.

    "Yes, fish like many things¡ªworms, fruits, corn, grass¡ªthey all enjoy these."

    "They like corn and grass too?!" Xiao Yan''s eyes grew evenrger.

    It was her first time hearing such things, and she found it very magical.

    "So, Xiao Yan, you can''t eat these fruits. They''re for catching big fish."

    "Okay! I understand!" Xiao Yan nodded eagerly.

    Compared to the fruits, she was more interested in the big fish.

    "Xiao Yan, you stay here and wait. I''ll tidy up the area."

    After warning Xiao Yan not to run around, Lu Qing tied a short-handled machete to a wooden stick and started clearing the weeds and trees around the fishing spot.

    Having done this countless times in his past life, Lu Qing was quite adept at it.

    It didn''t take long for him to clear the weeds and trees and create a good fishing spot.

    However, he left the blood apricot trees untouched, as they were valuable white-light-level nts.

    Once the spot was ready, Lu Qing prepared to start fishing.

    Without baiting the spot, since the family didn''t have enough grain to waste on such activities, he relied on the natural abundance of the otherworldly river and his ability-selected fishing spot. Even without baiting, he was confident in catching fish.

    Sitting by the bank, Lu Qing decided to start with worms to secure their food supply for the next two days.

    After hooking a worm and casting the line, the floatnded on the water''s surface.

    No sooner had he cast the line than the float began to move.

    First, it twitched a few times, then suddenly plunged underwater.

    With a flick of his wrist, Lu Qing lifted the rod, a whistling sound apanying the movement, and he hauled up a fish.

    It wasn''t big¡ªa small white fish, about two fingers wide.

    Lu Qing raised an eyebrow, recognizing this small white fish as one of the mostmon types in the river.

    "It''s a small white fish!"

    Xiao Yan immediately shouted upon seeing the fish.

    "Yes, a small white fish. Looks like we''ll have a good harvest today."

    Lu Qing unhooked the fish and put it into the bucket.

    Catching a fish so quickly was a good sign, making him optimistic about catching a big one today.

    With renewed energy, he continued fishing, but after a few more small fish, there was a long period without any bites.

    "Either the fish are gone, or there''s a big fish below scaring them away."

    With his extensive experience, Lu Qing quickly made his judgment.

    He decisively lifted the hook, removed the worm, and took out a small cloth bag.

    "It''s the secret weapon!"

    Xiao Yan recognized it as the item her brother had prepared before they left home.

    Lu Qing opened the bag and took out a few golden kernels of corn.

    These corn kernels, which he had obtained from Aunt Wang next door that morning, were meant to be used as bait.

    In his previous life, Lu Qing often used corn to catch big fish like carp and grass carp, which were particrly fond of corn.

    He wasn''t sure if the big fish in this world had the same preference, but he had to try.

    If it didn''t work, he nned to try the blood apricots he had just picked.

    After hooking a fresh corn kernel, Lu Qing cast the line again.

    To his surprise, the moment the hook hit the water, the float sank quickly, and a strong force pulled the line, almost making him lose his bnce.

    Luckily, Lu Qing reacted swiftly, stepping forward to stabilize himself.

    "Got you, trying to sneak attack, huh?"

    With both hands gripping the rod, Lu Qing felt a surge of excitement.

    This was definitely a big fish!

    The force it exerted was far beyond what a fish under five pounds could manage.

    The fish started to fight back, pulling the line taut and making it whistle with tension.

    "Think you can escape from me? No way!"

    Despite the fish''s struggle, Lu Qing remained calm, skillfully adjusting the tension to avoid breaking the line.

    His new fishing rod, certified by his abilities, could withstand a hundred pounds of force, so he was confident it wouldn''t break.

    "Go, Brother!"

    Xiao Yan, standing nearby, was also very tense but didn''t dare to shout, fearing it would scare the fish away. She quietly cheered her brother on.

    The battle of wits and strength between Lu Qing and the fishsted for a full half hour before Lu Qing felt the fish''s strength begin to wane.

    "Finally wearing you down," Lu Qing sighed in relief.

    The struggle had drained a lot of his energy too.

    Had it not been for the acupuncture treatment by Doctor Chen a few days ago, which restored much of his vitality, he might not have been able to oust the fish.

    With the fish reaching its limit, it became impossible for it to escape Lu Qing''s grasp.

    After a while, with one final effort, Lu Qing managed to pull the fish to the surface, revealing its true form.

    "What a big fish!"

    Seeing the fish''s head and back, Xiao Yan couldn''t hold back her exmation.

    Even Lu Qing couldn''t hide his excitement.

    This fish was easily over ten pounds.

    Suppressing his excitement, Lu Qing maintained a firm grip on the rod.

    Fishing required utmost care, especially at the final moment. Losing the fish now would be a lifelong regret.

    However, just as he was about to scoop the fish up, he realized a crucial problem: he hadn''t prepared a.

    Of course, this wasn''t entirely his fault, as they didn''t own a.

    Without a, he couldn''t scoop the fish up. Lu Qing had no choice but to tire the fish outpletely before attempting to lift it by hand.

    This was risky because a fish of this size could easily knock a person out with a powerful tail p.

    Fortunately, the fish was thoroughly exhausted.

    Eventually, without any further incidents, Lu Qing managed to haul the fish onto the bank.

    "Brother, this big fish seems taller than me!"

    Xiao Yan eximed as shepared the fish''s length to her own height.

    "It does seem a bit taller."

    Lu Qing agreed, noting that the fish was over a meter long, indeed taller than Xiao Yan when held upright.

    "Let me see what kind of fish this is."

    Lu Qing examined the fish, noticing its sleek, armored scales that gave it an imposing appearance.

    Using his abilities, he quickly scanned the fish for information.

    A rich white light emitted from the fish''s body.

    "White light, huh."

    Lu Qing felt a bit disappointed.

    He had hoped the fish might reach the red light level.

    But on second thought, he realized he was being greedy. If this fish had been at the red light level, he might not have been able to catch it.

    Red light-level entities were rare and powerful, often possessing unique abilities.

    Considering the few red light-level things he had encountered¡ªDoctor Chen and the Snow Silk¡ªhe felt fortunate. Both were extraordinary.

    If this fish had been red light-level, it might have had some special abilities, making it even harder to catch.

    Calming his mind, Lu Qing focused on the new information disyed.

    <strong>[Green Armored Fish: Arge fish with green armor-like scales, dominant in the river, contains a fish stone.]</strong>

    <strong>[Rumor has it that fully grown Green Armored Fish have a fish stone in their throats, which, when polished and worn, has a calming and soothing effect.]</strong>

    Seeing the information, Lu Qing was thrilled.

    A fish stone!

    The big fish he had just caught had a fish stone!

    Fish stones were not unfamiliar to Lu Qing. In his previous life, he had once caught a twenty-pound wild green fish with a fish stone inside.

    At the time, a wealthy buyer had offered thousands for it, but Lu Qing had refused to sell.

    The reason, aside from liking it, was a prevalent belief among anglers that well-aged fish stones could bring safety and peace.

    Whether that was true, Lu Qing didn''t know, but now his abilities confirmed that the Green Armored Fish''s fish stone had a calming effect.

    This was perfect for Xiao Yan,

 Chapter 16

    The sudden bite on the hook caught Lu Qing off guard.

    Fortunately, with his years of fishing experience, his reaction was swift.

    In an instant, he gripped the fishing rod tightly and steadied himself, preventing both him and the rod from being dragged into the water.

    The pull this time was no weaker than the previous Blue-armored Fish!

    "Goodness, do all the fish in your world like to ambush?"

    Feeling the pull on the rod, Lu Qing couldn''t help butugh.

    As a seasoned angler, he had nearly been outwitted twice today, almost bing the bait himself.

    The fish in this otherworldlyke had a peculiar way of attacking the bait without any warning, often ambushing without any prelude.

    Had it not been for his extensive experience, he might have fallen for it.But now that the initial ambush had failed, it was time to reel them in!

    Lu Qing gripped the rod with both hands, constantly feeling the changes in the force from the rod and responding ordingly, beginning a new round of battle with the fish beneath the water.

    After some time of fighting and exerting strength, Lu Qing noticed something was amiss.

    Initially, he thought the new fish on the hook was anotherrge one like the Blue-armored Fish.

    The initial tug was indeed strong.

    However, he soon realized something different.

    Unlike the Blue-armored Fish, which exerted a strong and continuous force, this new fish, although powerful at first,cked endurance.

    As long as Lu Qing could stabilize the initial surge, the force would quickly weaken.

    It was the type of fish that had explosive strength but couldn''t sustain it.

    Based on his experience, Lu Qing guessed that the fish beneath the water was not asrge as he initially thought.

    Instead, it was a fast-swimming, highly explosive fish but notrge in size.

    Realizing this, Lu Qing felt more at ease.

    Speed-driven fish were much easier to handle thanrge fish like the Blue-armored Fish.

    The Blue-armored Fish had tremendous strength, requiring cautious handling at every moment, and had great endurance, turning the battle into a test of patience for both sides.

    In contrast, with a sprinting explosive fish, once he managed the initial struggle, its strength would diminish rapidly, making escape impossible.

    Things proceeded just as Lu Qing had anticipated.

    After stabilizing the force of the fish¡¯s struggle a few more times, he clearly felt its explosive power diminishing.

    Then, after a period of tugging, Lu Qing saw the fish¡¯s silhouette.

    "A red fish?"

    When the fish emerged from the water, Lu Qing was stunned.

    It was a vivid, fiery red.

    An extraordinary fish, undoubtedly!

    Seeing such a brilliant red, Lu Qing¡¯s heart leaped with excitement.

    At the same time, he noticed that the fish was notrge, only about twenty to thirty centimeters long.

    Feeling more confident, Lu Qing rxed and yed with the fish more easily.

    Before long, the fish, exhausted, was reeled in.

    "Brother, this fish is so beautiful!"

    Xiao Yan¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked at the fish on the grass.

    "It really is beautiful."

    Seeing the fish clearly, Lu Qing couldn''t help but praise it.

    The newly caught fish was about a foot long, slender, resembling the carp from his previous life on Earth.

    It had two long, flowing whiskers at the corners of its mouth, and its tail looked like a blossom.

    Coupled with its me-like red scales, the whole fish appeared very beautiful.

    After observing for a while, information about the fish began to surface in Lu Qing''s mind.

    <strong>[Red Moon Carp: An extraordinary fish covered in red scales, exceptionally fast.]</strong>

    <strong>[Contains a trace of spiritual energy, making its flesh highly nutritious and delicious. Its scales can also be used in medicine.]</strong>

    <strong>[It is said that with proper nurturing, the Red Moon Carp has a chance to evolve into a spiritual fish.]</strong>

    Along with these descriptions, a white glow tinged with a hint of red emanated from the fish.

    "Red glow?"

    At first, Lu Qing thought he had seen it wrong.

    The red glow was reflected from the Red Moon Carp¡¯s scales.

    But upon closer inspection, he confirmed it wasn¡¯t just a reflection from the scales but a genuine light that only his abilities could see, indicating the item''s grade.

    This meant that the Red Moon Carp was not just an ordinary white-light level item.

    It was a unique fish thaty between the white and red-light grades.

    No wonder it had three lines of description.

    Ordinary white-light items typically had only two lines of description.

    He immediately focused on the third line of the description.

    "Has a chance to evolve into a spiritual fish¡­" Lu Qing pondered as he read the third line. "Does this mean that the spiritual fish is a higher grade than the extraordinary fish?"

    He suddenly remembered the Snow Silkworm silk given by the old doctor.

    Snow Silkworm silk was already a red-light level treasure; perhaps the Snow Silkworm that produced such a treasure was a spiritual silkworm.

    Unfortunately, this hypothesis could not be confirmed for the time being.

    Even the old doctor didn''t know the origin of the Snow Silkworm silk, so there was no one to ask for advice.

    Therefore, the description of the second line was more useful to him than the third.

    "Extremely nutritious and delicious flesh¡­"

    Reading the information, Lu Qing couldn''t help but smile.

    Finally, he had a suitable gift for visiting the old doctor tomorrow.

    Originally, he had nned to take the Blue-armored Fish if there were no other catches.

    But now, the Red Moon Carp was clearly more valuable.

    Moreover, its size made it more suitable as a gift.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing quickly took out the Blue-armored Fish and ced the Red Moon Carp in the bucket.

    Since it was meant to be a gift, he couldn''t let it die.

    Fortunately, the Red Moon Carp lived up to its extraordinary nature. Although it had been exhausted from the struggle and had stayed on the grass for a while, it immediately started swimming vigorously when it hit the water again.

    Its vitality was remarkably strong.

    With the Red Moon Carp in hand, Lu Qing decided not to continue fishing.

    After battling tworge fish, he was exhausted.

    Even if he continued fishing, he wouldn¡¯t have the strength to reel in another one.

    So, it was best to stop while ahead.

    "Xiao Yan, let''s get ready to go back."

    Using materials on hand, Lu Qing twisted a grass rope to tie up the Blue-armored Fish and hoisted it onto his back.

    With a bucket in one hand and a knife and fishing rod in the other, he turned to Xiao Yan.

    "Brother, let me help you carry something."

    Xiao Yan looked at her brother, feeling distressed seeing him carrying so much.

    "Alright."

    Lu Qing tried walking a bit and realized it was indeed difficult to manage all the items.

    After some thought, he hung the bamboo tube holding the worms around Xiao Yan''s neck.

    Then, he ced the fishing rod on her shoulder.

    "Xiao Yan, you carry this fishing rod and walk carefully, don¡¯t trip."

    "Okay, I got it!" The little one nodded seriously.

    With that, the siblings trudged back with one carrying the fish and the other the fishing rod.

    As they passed the fishing spot, the vigers were astonished to see the two figures, one big and one small, making their way back.

 Chapter 17

    As Lu Qing and Xiao Yan''s figures appeared at the fishing spot, the vigers still fishing there were all stunned when they saw the fish on Lu Qing''s back.

    "Lu, Lu Qing, what are you carrying on your back?" one viger stammered.

    "Fish," Lu Qing panted, replying.

    He really felt a bit exhausted. His body hadn''t fully recovered, and he had been fighting with the Blue Armored Fish and Red Moon Carp for so long. Now, walking with so many things on his back, he felt like he couldn''t hold on any longer.

    However, his answer left the vigers somewhat in shock.

    Of course, they knew it was fish on his back! The problem was, where did he catch such big fish from? The vigers looked at the big fish on Lu Qing''s back, which was taller than most of his body, with its tail dragging on the ground, and they felt a bit dizzy.

    My goodness, it was the first time they had seen such a big fish!

    But some vigers noticed Lu Qing''s predicament and quickly stepped forward to help him unload the fish.

    "Come,e, I''ll help you carry it. Your body just recovered, don''t overexert yourself."Lu Qing didn''t refuse. He was indeed struggling a bit, thinking he could carry the fish home but overestimating his strength.

    "Thank you, Brother Da An."

    Lu Qing put down the fish, panting a bit.

    "Hehe, no need to thank me. It''s the first time I''ve seen such a big fish. Being able to touch it is a blessing. Wait, there''s another one in this bucket. This fish is so beautiful!"

    Viger Wang Da An was delighted, and when he looked down, he eximed again.

    The other vigers couldn''t hold back any longer and immediately surrounded the bucket to look inside.

    "There''s really another big fish in the bucket!"

    "What kind of fish is this? It''s bright red, never seen anything like it!"

    "This fish is so beautiful, the city folks will definitely like it."

    "Wow, Lu Qing, how did you catch them? Two big fish in one go?"

    When thest question came out, everyone looked at Lu Qing.

    "How did I catch them? Just like you all do." Lu Qing took the fishing rod from Xiao Yan''s shoulder. "I picked a spot in the river ahead, and I didn''t expect to catch two big fish. It was luck."

    "Where exactly did you catch them?" a viger asked, his eyes shifting.

    Hearing this, the other vigers looked at him with some disdain.

    His intention was too obvious, not even bothering to hide it, trying to take advantage of a child.

    The viger realized it was inappropriate and quicklyughed awkwardly, "I was just curious, don''t tell me you''re not curious."

    Lu Qing, of course, understood the viger''s intention but didn''t care much.

    After all, even if he didn''t say anything, they would definitely search the areater. The traces of where he set up the fishing spot couldn''t be hidden.

    So he directly said, "Not far ahead, but I advise you not to go there now."

    "Why?" the viger blurted out.

    "Because it''s already a mess there. Now, not to mention big fish, there aren''t even small fish left. Otherwise, I wouldn''t havee back so soon," Lu Qing said half-truthfully.

    The other vigers thought it made sense.

    Lu Qing caught two big fish, especially the one on the ground, which was astonishingly big. Catching such a big fish must have caused quite amotion, scaring away the other fish.

    But some vigers still held onto a glimmer of hope.

    For example, the viger who asked Lu Qing about the fishing spot was determined to sneak over and check where exactly Lu Qing was fishing.

    Lu Qing didn''t care what these vigers thought.

    After all, he had said what he needed to say. If they didn''t believe him and insisted on fishing there, he couldn''t help it. And even if someone did go there, he didn''t mind.

    He didn''t care about small fish, but as for big fish...

    It wasn''t that he looked down on these vigers, but with their skills, they couldn''t possibly catch big fish. Even if a big fish bit the hook, their fragile fishing lines couldn''t withstand the force of a big fish.

    After resting for a while, Lu Qing felt his strength returning a bit.

    "Everyone, Xiao Yan and I are heading back. You all continue fishing."

    He said this and was about to lift the Blue Armored Fish.

    Wang Da An quickly bent down to pick up the fish, "Didn''t I say I would carry it? Lu Qing, you just carry the bucket. Wow, this big fish is really heavy, almost twenty pounds!"

    Only when he actually picked up the Blue Armored Fish did Wang Da An realize it was even heavier than he had expected. He looked at Lu Qing in amazement, finding it hard to imagine how Lu Qing, with his small build, managed to catch such a big fish.

    "Thank you, Brother Da An. When we get back, I''ll treat you to some fish!"

    Lu Qing didn''t refuse. He was happy to have someone help.

    "That sounds great! I''ve never eaten such a big fish before!" Wang Da An was delighted.

    Watching Lu Qing and Xiao Yan walk towards the vige, the remaining vigers looked at each other.

    Suddenly, one viger shouted, "Forget fishing! Let''s go back and watch the show!"

    "Exactly, we''ve been here all morning and only caught a few small fish. We might as well go back and see how Lu Qing handles the fish!"

    "I haven''t seen enough of those two big fish. I need to take another look."

    If the vigers had the patience to continue fishing before Lu Qing returned, seeing Lu Qing leave with two big fish made their mental state copse.

    They had been here for two or three days, yet they couldn''t match Lu Qing''s catch in just two hours. How could they reason with that?

    Forget fishing!

    With their mental state broken, the vigers packed up and prepared to return to the vige.

    Lu Qing and the others had just left not long ago, so if they hurried, they might catch up with them.

    "Old Zhao, aren''t you going back?"

    While everyone was packing up, one person remained unmoved, still fishing there.

    Seeing this, the others asked.

    "You all go back first. I''ll fish for a bit longer. Maybe some fish wille."

    The viger called Old Zhao, who had previously asked Lu Qing about the fishing spot, grinned.

    "Fine, you keep fishing. But I think this spot has been fished out. Didn''t you see how disdainful Lu Qing was of this ce earlier?"

    If they hadn''t taken Lu Qing''s fishing skills seriously before, thinking he caught so many small fish using some secret bait, no one dared to underestimate Lu Qing''s fishing skills after seeing those two big fish.

    Such big fish were impossible for them to catch.

    In the past few days, several had tried to catch big fish, but all failed.

    Either the fishing line broke, or the rod snapped. None managed to catch a big fish.

    After packing up, everyone gradually left.

    Only Old Zhao remained, fishing peacefully.

    After a while, confirming no one could see him, Old Zhao suddenly jumped up, hurriedly packing his things.

    "Fools, believing everything Lu Qing says. I don''t believe he caught all the fish there!"

    He then carried his things and ran towards the direction where Lu Qing and Xiao Yan had returned.

 Chapter 18

    The vigers ultimately couldn''t catch up to Lu Qing and hispanions.

    With Wang Da''an''s assistance, their pace wasn''t slow, and the river wasn''t far from the vige.

    By the time they were still packing up by the river, Lu Qing and the others had already returned to the vige.

    When they arrived, the reaction they triggered was nothing short of sensational.

    It was inevitable; the giant fish Wang Da''an carried was simply too eye-catching.

    This guy loved to show off. As soon as he entered the vige, he would carry the fish wherever people were gathered.

    People weren''t blind; of course, they saw the fish on his back.

    Seeing such a huge fish, how could they not be amazed?

    "Da''an caught a huge fish! Such a big fish!"This call naturally attracted others toe out and join the fun.

    Seeing it was indeed a big fish, and a frighteninglyrge one at that, themotion escted.

    "Good job, Da''an! How did you manage to catch such a big fish?"

    "My goodness, this fish must be over twenty pounds. Well done, Da''an!"

    "Da''an is amazing, catching such a huge fish!"

    The vigers surrounded Da''an, reaching out to touch the fish and eximing in amazement.

    The children were even more excited, jumping and shouting.

    Lu Qing watched Wang Da''an showcase the Blue-armored Fish to everyone with amusement.

    This scene reminded him of fishing enthusiasts in his previous life who, upon catching a big fish, would show off in the same way.

    As if not boasting would be an injustice to the hard work of waiting by the river.

    Once Wang Da''an had shown off enough, Lu Qing called out with a bit of exasperation, "Alright, Da''an, let''s go home."

    After showing off, Wang Da''an squeezed out of the crowd and ran to Lu Qing''s side.

    "I forgot to tell you all, this big fish wasn''t caught by me, but by Lu Qing!"

    "It was caught by Lu Qing?"

    Everyone turned to look at Lu Qing.

    Xiao Yan proudly raised her head, "Yes, my brother caught this big fish with great effort. We even have another beautiful big fish in our bucket!"

    "Really, Lu Qing caught it?!"

    "Another big fish in the bucket?!"

    Hearing this, everyone rushed over to look into the bucket Lu Qing was carrying.

    At a nce, they were all stunned.

    Nothing else, the appearance of the Red Moon Carp was simply too stunning.

    Its dazzling fiery red color, like a me burning in the water, made it clear at a nce that this fish was extraordinary.

    "What kind of fish is this? It''s too beautiful!"

    "I''ve never seen a bright red fish before."

    "Lu Qing, where did you catch such a beautiful fish?"

    "Lu Qing, do you know what kind of fish this is?"

    Everyone asked in amazement.

    "I don''t know what kind of fish this is either." Lu Qing shook his head. "I n to take it to Grandpa Chen tomorrow to see if he recognizes it."

    "Yes, yes, yes, Grandpa Chen has seen a lot. He''ll definitely know this fish."

    If there was anyone in the vige who was most respected by the vigers, it was undoubtedly Grandpa Chen.

    Not only because everyone had visited the old doctor for treatment at some point.

    But also because the old doctor was recognized as the most knowledgeable person in the vige.

    He frequently visited the city, and his experiences far exceeded those of the rural folk.

    The vigers surrounded them, discussing the two big fish for a long time before finally dispersing, satisfied after getting their fill of the sight.

    Lu Qing had invited everyone to his home to eat the fish.

    But everyone in the vige knew his family''s situation, so they all refused.

    Even those who were tempted to taste the big fish were pulled away by others before they could speak.

    No one wanted to be seen taking advantage of two poor orphans.

    After everyone left, Lu Qing picked up the bucket and returned to their courtyard with Xiao Yan and Wang Da''an.

    "Lu Qing, I''m heading back."

    As soon as they reached the courtyard, Wang Da''an put down the fish and prepared to leave.

    Lu Qing quickly called him back, "Don''t go, Da''an. We agreed I''d treat you to fish."

    "You took that seriously? I was joking before. Given your family''s situation, if I stayed for dinner, my old man would chase me with a stick!"

    "But you can''t let me break my promise."

    "Anyway, I can''t stay for dinner."

    The two argued, but neither could persuade the other.

    "Da''an, you know we can''t finish such a big fish. It''s warm now, and the fish won''t keep long. Take some back; it''ll help lighten my burden." Lu Qing said earnestly.

    "Well... okay." Seeing Lu Qing''s sincerity, Wang Da''an hesitated but finally agreed.

    Seeing him relent, Lu Qing immediately went to the kitchen to get a knife to clean the fish.

    The Blue-armored Fishwas indeed worthy of its name; its scales were tough.

    It took Lu Qing a lot of effort, even with Wang Da''an''s help, to scrape off the scales and gut the fish.

    After cleaning the fish, he nned to discard the intestines, except for the swim dder.

    Though in his previous life he liked eating fish intestines, given their current situation andck of seasoning, he couldn''t properly cook the fish offal and decided to forgo it.

    After gutting the fish, Lu Qing immediately cut tworge pieces of fish meat, wrapped them in banana leaves, and handed them to Wang Da''an.

    "So much?!"

    Wang Da''an was surprised by the amount.

    These two pieces weighed several pounds each.

    "It''s not much, Da''an. Look, there''s still so much fish meat left. Xiao Yan and I can''t finish it all."

    Lu Qing forced the fish meat into Wang Da''an''s hands.

    Seeing the remaining pile of fish meat, Wang Da''an didn''t refuse further.

    "Lu Qing, I think your family is the only one in the vige troubled by having too much fish to eat."

    After witnessing Lu Qing''s catch today, Wang Da''an realized that Lu Qing''s family would likely neverck fish.

    "Fish can''t rece rice." Lu Qing sighed. "We still need to eat grain, but our fields are abandoned, and it''s not nting season yet."

    "That''s a problem." Wang Da''an nodded.

    He knew that the upheaval in Lu Qing''s family had caused him to miss the nting season.

    It would be several months before the next nting.

    He thought for a moment, and then his eyes lit up.

    "Lu Qing, you''re so good at fishing. You can sell the fish at the market. With money, you can buy food!"

    "Sell fish?" Lu Qing was puzzled. "But I remember there''s a city entrance fee, and I don''t have money."

    "I''m not talking about the city, but the market near our vige!"

    "The market?" Lu Qing blinked.

 Chapter 19

    Lu Qing blinked and searched through his memories for a moment.

    Only then did he gradually recall memories about therge market.

    In simple terms, thisrge market was actually a trade fair formed spontaneously by severalrge nearby viges.

    After all, towns were far away, and entering and exiting required paying an entry fee, which many vigers and mountain people were reluctant to spend unless necessary.

    Therefore, it was unknown when it started or who organized it.

    Gradually, however, arge market emerged nearby, where vigers from surrounding areas would gather every five days to buy and sell goods.

    When he was young, the original owner had gone to the market once with his parents, but since Xiao Yan was born, he had taken on the responsibility of looking after his sister and never went to the market again.

    His memories of the market had be increasingly blurred.

    Until now, when Wang Da''an mentioned it, Lu Qing recalled some impressions.Wang Da''an said, "People from various viges go to the market, even those mountain folks asionallye out to buy things. With the big fish you caught, as long as it''s not too expensive, someone will definitely want it."

    In Wang Da''an''s view, since Lu Qing had more fish than he could eat, it would be a waste to keep them.

    It was better to sell them cheaply at the market to make some money.

    Lu Qing thought for a moment and then nodded, "I''ll see. If I catch another big fish next time, I''ll take it to the market and see if I can sell it."

    "It will definitely sell," Wang Da''an said happily. "I''ve seen people selling fish at the market, but none as big as the one you caught today."

    Lu Qing smiled, "These big fish aren''t something I catch every time."

    "No matter whether you catch them or not, if you want to go to the market, remember toe and tell me. There are some rules to follow," Wang Dashan reminded him.

    "Okay, if I decide to go to the market, I''ll definitely let you know, Da''an."

    "Just remember that. I''ll be going now."

    After Wang Da''an left, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.

    He had overlooked this information about therge market.

    Perhaps he could start from here if he wanted to learn about the city.

    "Brother, when can we eat the fish? Xiao Yan is hungry."

    While Lu Qing was pondering how to gather information from the market, Xiao Yan called out from the side.

    "Oh, very soon. Once I finish preparing the fish, I''ll cook it for you."

    Lu Qing snapped back to reality and quickly resumed his work.

    He first chopped the remaining fish into several pieces, preparing to give some to Grandpa Zhangter.

    During the time he was unconscious, Grandpa Zhang had been taking care of Xiao Yan, and he couldn''t forget this kindness.

    After portioning the fish, Lu Qing picked out the best piece of fish meat.

    He carefully removed the bones and sliced the fish into thin slices.

    Then he put a pot on the stove, boiled water, and started making porridge.

    As for the remaining fish meat, he strung it up with bamboo strips and hung it on a bamboo pole under the eaves to dry, nning to make dried fish.

    Looking at the long string of fish meat on the bamboo pole, Lu Qing resolved to get an iron pot as soon as possible.

    And some seasoning!

    Otherwise, despite having good culinary skills, he couldn''t make the most of them without proper tools and ingredients.

    Seeing such good ingredients going to waste made him feel a bit distressed.

    After Lu Qing finished his tasks, the porridge in the y pot was already boiling.

    He first added some salt, stirred it to ensure the salt dissolved, and then carefully ced the fish slices into the porridge. Once they turned white, he immediately turned off the heat.

    Finally, he added a small spoonful ofrd to the porridge,pleting the dish.

    Lu Qing first scooped a bowl of fish porridge for Xiao Yan, fanned it to cool it down, and then ced it in front of her.

    "Xiao Yan, wait a bit longer. It''s still very hot."

    "Okay, Xiao Yan understands!"

    Although the little girl was drooling with hunger, she obediently agreed.

    But her eyes were fixed on the fish porridge without moving.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing smiled and scooped himself a bowl of porridge.

    Relying on his thick skin, he scooped a spoonful of porridge with fish slices, blew on it a few times, and put it into his mouth.

    As soon as the fish slices entered his mouth, he felt a burst of freshness on his tongue, and his face showed surprise.

    The fish meat was tender, smooth, and fragrant, with a faint oily aroma, unexpectedly delicious.

    Indeed, high-quality ingredients often required only the simplest cooking methods.

    He had only added a bit of salt and oil to the fish porridge, not even any scallions, yet it tasted so good.

    No wonder it was high-grade fish that emitted a strong white glow!

    One spoonful of porridge gave Lu Qing a feeling of satisfaction.

    "Brother, can Xiao Yan eat now?"

    Seeing her brother enjoying the food, Xiao Yan couldn''t help but look at him eagerly.

    Lu Qing touched her bowl and, feeling it wasn''t too hot, nodded.

    "You can eat now, but be careful not to burn your tongue."

    "Okay, Xiao Yan will be careful!"

    The little girl was thrilled to hear she could eat.

    She scooped a spoonful of porridge, carefully blew on it like Lu Qing did, and only put it in her mouth when it wasn''t too hot.

    After one spoonful, her eyes widened.

    "Brother, brother, this fish porridge is so delicious! It''s even better than the shrimp porridge from the morning!"

    The little girl gestured excitedly, unable to contain her joy.

    "Of course, you didn''t see how hard it was for brother to catch this big fish. It has to be good." Lu Qing said proudly.

    "Brother is the best!"

    The little girl was very appreciative and didn''t hesitate to praise him.

    "Since it''s delicious, eat more. Grandpa Chen said you need to eat well to grow beautiful hair."

    "Yes, Xiao Yan will eat a lot. Xiao Yan wants beautiful hair!"

    The little girl nodded vigorously, her face full of determination.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing felt a slight ache in his heart.

    A few days ago, when Xiao Yan was ying outside, some vige kids had said her hair didn''t look good.

    When she came back, she had asked him, feeling a bit aggrieved, how to grow beautiful hair.

    Lu Qing knew that Xiao Yan''s hair condition wasrgely due to malnutrition.

    He told her that if she ate well and took care of her body, her hair would soon be beautiful.

    So now, every time Xiao Yan ate, she was very serious and didn''t waste a bit.

    Although, they never really had the luxury to waste anything.

    After enjoying a delightful meal of fish porridge, both siblings leaned back in their chairs contentedly.

    Even Lu Qing hadn''t expected the fish to be so tender and delicious, an unexpected surprise.

    He couldn''t help but think that if the fish was this good, how amazing would the Red Moon Carp, known for its exquisite vor, taste?

    Unfortunately, the Red Moon Carp was a gift he prepared for Old Doctor Chen and couldn''t be eaten.

    After resting for a while, Lu Qing stood up and went to the kitchen.

    He had one more thing to do.

    The fish stone from the fish still needed processing.

 Chapter 20

    The fish stone of the blue-armored fish was not retrieved by Lu Qing in front of Wang Da''an.

    Instead, he kept it inside the blue-armored fish.

    It wasn''t that he was stingy or unwilling to show it to others, but it was difficult for him to exin this thing.

    Now that no one was around, it was the perfect time to extract the fish stone.

    In the kitchen, therge fish head of the blue-armored fish was ced in a wooden basin.

    Lu Qing split the fish head and found the fish stone at the throat.

    However, when he saw the fish stone, Lu Qing was extremely surprised.

    In his previous life, Lu Qing had once caught a blue fish weighing over twenty pounds, and also obtained a very good fish stone.

    But when he took that fish stone back then, it was more gtinous.After extracting it, it still needed to be cleaned, dried, and processed before bing a fine fish stone.

    Now, as he touched the fish stone at the throat of the blue-armored fish, he found it was not soft at all; it had already hardened.

    Lu Qing fetched a small wooden spoon and carefully dug out the fish stone.

    After washing and drying it, he examined it again, bing even more amazed.

    This fish stone was about two centimeters in size and half a centimeter thick, shaped like a scallop.

    Its texture was like stone and jade, smooth and warm to the touch, feeling very pleasant.

    Its quality was far superior to the fish stone he had carefully nurtured in his previous life.

    Gently ying with the jade-like fish stone in his hand, Lu Qing felt a sense of peace.

    He knew this was not an illusion.

    Because in his vision, the fish stone in his hand was emitting a thick white glow.

    <strong>[Blue-Armored Fish Stone: Aplete fish stone nurtured by an adult blue-armored fish, already jade-like.]</strong>

    <strong>[It is said that a jade-level blue-armored fish stone, when worn close to the body, has a calming effect.]</strong>

    After carefully ying with it for a while, Lu Qing found that this fish stone was nearly perfect.

    It didn''t need any additional polishing and could be worn directly.

    He gathered some tools and carefully drilled a hole in the thin end of the fish stone.

    Fortunately, although the blue-armored fish stone had be jade-like, it wasn''t as hard as real jade.

    With little effort, he drilled a perfect hole.

    After drilling, he took the remaining hemp thread, twisted it into a sturdy rope, and threaded the fish stone.

    After all this work, a simple fish stone pendant was made.

    Admiring his creation for a while, Lu Qing called Xiao Yan, who was ying in the yard, into the house.

    "Brother, why are you calling me?"

    The little one ran into the house cheerfully.

    "Brother made something nice for you," Lu Qing said, holding the pendant in his hand.

    "What is it?" Xiao Yan''s eyes sparkled.

    "It''s this."

    Lu Qing let go of the hemp rope, and the fish stone pendant swayed in the air.

    "Wow! What is this? It''s so beautiful!"

    The little one''s eyes widened as she stared at the pendant.

    "This is a pendant. I made it from the fish stone of the big fish. With it, you won''t kick the nket off at night."

    Lu Qing untied the hemp rope and hung the pendant around Xiao Yan''s neck, then tied it securely.

    The knot was small enough that the little one couldn''t take it off over her head, preventing her from losing it carelessly.

    "Thank you, brother. I really like this gift!"

    The little one yed with the pendant around her neck, feeling extremely happy.

    It was her first piece of jewelry, and such a beautiful stone.

    Children are generally fond of pretty stones, and Xiao Yan was no exception.

    The more she looked at the pendant, the more she liked it.

    "As long as you like it. Remember not to lose it. Otherwise, brother won''t be able to catch another big fish for you."

    Lu Qing reminded her, seeing how much she loved the pendant.

    "Xiao Yan knows. I''ll take good care of it!" Xiao Yan said seriously.

    Seeing that the little one had taken his words to heart, Lu Qing let her continue ying.

    He then returned to the kitchen to deal with therge fish head.

    For dinner, the siblings had a feast of fish head.

    Lu Qing grilled one half and made soup with the other.

    The siblings were thoroughly satisfied with the meal.

    "Brother, the big fish is really delicious."

    At bedtime, Xiao Yany in her small bed, touching her still full stomach, and spoke to Lu Qing.

    "As long as Xiao Yan is good, brother will make more delicious food for you."

    Lu Qing tucked her in.

    Xiao Yan used to sleep in the same room as their parents. After they were gone, she cried every night, so the original owner moved her small bed to his room, allowing her to sleep more peacefully.

    "Mm, Xiao Yan will be very good!"

    The little one touched the pendant on her neck and nodded earnestly.

    "Then go to sleep early. We have to visit Grandpa Chen tomorrow."

    "Mm, I miss Grandpa Chen too."

    As the little one spoke, her eyelids grew heavier, and soon, she fell asleep.

    Lu Qing gently covered her with a light nket.

    The little one had had a tiring day.

    They had gone fishing, helped carry the fishing rod, and yed in the yard for most of the day.

    It was impressive that she didn''t get sleepy until now.

    After making sure she was asleep, Lu Qingy down on his bed.

    Listening to Xiao Yan''s soft breathing, he couldn''t fall asleep immediately.

    He was thinking about tomorrow.

    Tomorrow was his acupuncture day at Old Doctor Chen''s ce.

    ording to the doctor''s previous promise, after tomorrow''s session, he would have half an hour to learn to identify medicinal herbs with the doctor.

    Identifying herbs was secondary. With his abilities, Lu Qing wasn''t worried about learning it.

    What he needed to consider was how to use this opportunity to gain the doctor''s favor and recognition.

    There was also the matter Da''an mentioned about the market, which he needed to think about.

    After these few days, the borrowed grain at home was nearly consumed.

    More importantly, the salt and oil were running low.

    In a few days, they would be gone.

    So he had to find a way to make money quickly.

    It wasn''t the farming season, so there was no yield from the fields to think about.

    Besides, he didn''t even have money to buy seeds now.

    He could only look for other opportunities.

    The market might be a good choice.

    But he didn''t know much about it and seemed to have some special rules ording to Da''an''s hints.

    Various thoughts swirled in Lu Qing''s mind, and gradually, his eyelids grew heavy.

    Finally, he fell asleep.

    The room was quiet, and the siblings slept soundly.

    Outside, the night breeze was cool, and the sky was full of stars.

    Suddenly, a ck shadow jumped into the yard, eyeing the fish meat hanging under the eaves.

 Chapter 21

    That night, Lu Qing slept soundly without any dreams. Xiao Yan, too, did not wake up in the middle of the night as she usually did, calling out for him tofort her. The siblings both had a good night''s sleep.

    In fact, Lu Qing slept so deeply that it was Xiao Yan who woke him up in the morning. Groggily, he helped Xiao Yan get dressed, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. He tied her hair into two small buns before starting his own morning routine.

    As hezily cleaned his teeth with a willow twig brush, his eyes unfocused, drifting around the room. Suddenly, something felt off, and his gaze sharpened. Walking over to the bamboo poles, he saw that the two bamboo hoops were empty. His eyes widened in surprise.

    Who on earth had stolen his tworge pieces of fish?

    Could it be someone from the vige?

    Lu Qing quickly dismissed the thought. Although the vigers were not wealthy, no one was so poor as to steal two pieces of fish. Yesterday, when he offered fish to everyone, they all declined. Besides, if someone really wanted to steal, they would have taken the whole lot, not just two pieces. More importantly, there were still bits of fish left on the bamboo hoops, indicating that the fish had been forcibly pulled off.

    What kind of thief would make such a noise, risking waking everyone?

    Unfortunately, he had slept too soundlyst night to notice any disturbance outside.

    Carefully, Lu Qing searched around and found some plum blossom-shaped mud prints on the wall, with small holes in them. Simr prints were also on the ground. He quietly observed the prints, soon noticing a faint white glow emanating from them.White glow?

    Lu Qing was slightly startled and quickly looked at the emerging text.

    <strong>[Mud footprints: Judging by their shape, they seem to belong to a mysterious small beast.]</strong>

    <strong>[The small holes in the footprints indicate this creature has sharp ws.]</strong>

    As he read the descriptions, a scene formed in Lu Qing''s mind. A mysterious and nimble little beast leaped, using the wall for support, and pounced on the fish hanging on the bamboo pole, forcibly tearing it down.

    What kind of creature could it be? A cat? But were there even cats in this world?

    He hadn¡¯t seen anyone in the vige keeping cats. Anyway, it was enough to know it wasn''t a person who stole the fish.

    Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. If a viger had stolen the fish, it would not have been good news for him. Fortunately, it was just a wild beast, and judging by its footprints, it wasn''t veryrge. The vige was near the mountains, and wild beasts asionally came down, which was quite normal. However, from now on, he would need to be more careful about closing doors and windows at night to prevent any beasts from sneaking in and harming Xiao Yan.

    After figuring out what had happened, Lu Qing was no longer concerned. He couldn''t fight a wild beast anyway; he could only make sure to store things properly at night.

    Suddenly, Lu Qing remembered something and hurried to the kitchen. He came out a whileter, looking relieved. Fortunately, he had kept the Red Moon Carp in a wooden basin in the kitchen, covering it tightly with a wooden board and stones to prevent the fish from jumping out. Otherwise, it might have been taken by the beast as well.

    After this little incident, Lu Qing was fully awake. He didn''t tell Xiao Yan about it. Instead, he made breakfast, and after eating, the siblings carried the bucket with the Red Moon Carp and headed to the small hillside where Doctor Chen lived.

    This time, Lu Qing deliberately dyed a bit before going. He was afraid of arriving too early and catching the doctor practicing Tai Chi again, which would tempt him to use his abilities to mimic the doctor''s techniques. The doctor had been so kind to them, and he couldn''t do anything so ungrateful. So, he avoided testing his moral limits by arriving a bitter.

    His strategy worked. When he and Xiao Yan arrived at the small courtyard halfway up the hill, they saw Doctor Chen finishing his practice. Clearly, he had justpleted his Tai Chi routine.

    "Grandpa Chen, we''re here to see you!" Xiao Yan ran up happily when she saw the doctor.

    "Oh, Xiao Yan is here!" Doctor Chen picked her up, his old face beaming with a smile like a chrysanthemum.

    "Good morning, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing also greeted politely.

    "You¡¯re here, why are youter thanst time?" Doctor Chen asked.

    "Because my brother waszing in bed!" Xiao Yanughed. "I had to wake him up this morning!"

    Lu Qing blushed slightly. "I spent the whole morning fishing by the river yesterday. I was a bit tired, so I slept more deeply."

    "Sleeping more is good," Doctor Chen nodded. "At your age, getting enough rest is important for growing up."

    He looked at Lu Qing and Xiao Yan¡¯splexion. They seemed much better than a few days ago, indicating they had been doing welltely, which pleased him.

    "Grandpa Chen, my brother caught a huge fish yesterday!" Xiao Yan started to boast.

    "Oh? How big?" Doctor Chen smiled.

    "Really big, as big as me!" Xiao Yan gestured with her hands.

    "That big?" Doctor Chen was surprised. He had thought Xiao Yan meant a fish of two or three pounds at most, but if it was as she described, it would be much more.

    "Yes, yes! The fish is not only delicious but also has beautiful stones on it. My brother made it into a pendant and gave it to me. Look, Grandpa Chen, isn''t it pretty?" Xiao Yan pulled out the fish stone pendant from around her neck to show the doctor.

    "This is... a Blue-armored Fish Stone?" Doctor Chen was even more surprised.

    Hearing this, Lu Qing''s heart skipped a beat. He feigned surprise. "Grandpa Chen, do you know what this stone is?"

    "You didn''t know?" Doctor Chen asked.

    "No, I found it in the fish''s throat when I was cleaning it. I thought it looked nice, so I made it into a pendant for Xiao Yan," Lu Qing exined.

    "Well, you''re quite lucky. This fish stone is quite a rarity," Doctor Chen examined the pendant. "The fish you caught must be an old Blue-armored Fish. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have such a well-formed fish stone."

    "This Blue-armored Fish Stone, once crystallized, has a magical calming effect. It''s also a rare medicinal material. Its powder, when mixed with water, can calm a child''s nerves."

    "By the way, where did you catch this Blue-armored Fish?"

 Chapter 22

    ¡°It''s in the river outside the vige. Yesterday, Xiao Yan and I went fishing and were lucky to catch it,¡± Lu Qing replied.

    ¡°There are Blue-armored Fish in that little river?¡± Dr. Chen was somewhat surprised.

    The river outside the vige wasn¡¯t veryrge, so it was rare for a Blue-armored Fish to grow to this size.

    But then he remembered that the nearby viges didn¡¯t rely on fishing for their livelihood.

    Perhaps that was why the Blue-armored Fish could grow sorge.

    ¡°No wonder you said you felt talented in fishing. To catch such a specimen of Fish Stone, the Blue-armored Fish must be enormous. How did you manage to catch it?¡±

    Dr. Chen looked at Lu Qing¡¯s somewhat thin body with new respect.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the fishing line you gave me, Grandpa Chen,¡± Lu Qing said modestly. ¡°Grandpa Chen, that fishing line is incredibly durable. Without it, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to pull in such a big fish.¡±

    ¡°As long as it was useful. It¡¯s of no use to me anyway,¡± Dr. Chen waved his hand, not particrly concerned.On the contrary, he was more interested in the wooden bucket Lu Qing was holding.

    ¡°What¡¯s in your bucket? It looks quite heavy.¡±

    Because Lu Qing had put some branches and leaves in the bucket when he went out to avoid scaring the fish, Dr. Chen couldn¡¯t see clearly what was inside.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I want to give you, Grandpa Chen,¡± Lu Qing began to remove the branches from the bucket. ¡°Yesterday, Xiao Yan and I caught two big fish. We ate therger Blue-armored Fish and saved this smaller one for you to try.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Grandpa Chen, this fish is really beautiful. Grandpa Zhang and the others didn¡¯t recognize what kind of fish it was,¡± Xiao Yan added.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so thoughtful. Let me see what kind of fish it is.¡±

    Hearing this, Dr. Chen was even more interested.

    ¡°It¡¯s this fish.¡±

    Lu Qing removed all the branches from the bucket and handed it to the old doctor.

    Dr. Chen looked into the bucket and, upon seeing the fish that resembled mes, his expression first froze and then turned emotional.

    He blurted out, ¡°Is this a Red Moon Carp?¡±

    Dr. Chen indeed recognized the fish.

    Lu Qing¡¯s thoughts were racing, but he maintained a look of confusion on his face.

    ¡°Grandpa Chen, do you know what kind of fish this is?¡±

    Dr. Chen put Xiao Yan down and leaned closer, reaching into the bucket to tease the fish and examine it carefully.

    Finally, he confirmed, ¡°There¡¯s no mistake, this is a Red Moon Carp!¡±

    Dr. Chen looked at Lu Qing with genuine astonishment. ¡°You managed to catch a rare Red Moon Carp?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa Chen, what is a Red Moon Carp?¡± Xiao Yan asked innocently.

    ¡°The Red Moon Carp is quite extraordinary,¡± Dr. Chen began to exin.

    ¡°Red Moon Carp is a type of rare fish. Any fish that can be called rare has unique qualities.¡±

    ¡°The Red Moon Carp is known for its exquisite taste.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said that its vor is so delicious that once you¡¯ve tasted it, you¡¯ll never forget it. Because of this, some people have even called it one of the ten greatest delicacies in the world.¡±

    ¡°One of the ten greatest delicacies?¡±

    This time, it was Lu Qing¡¯s turn to be surprised.

    He hadn¡¯t expected the Red Moon Carp to be so famous.

    No wonder it was rated as an extremely fresh delicacy by abilities.

    ¡°This big red fish is so amazing!¡± Xiao Yan was also stunned. ¡°Grandpa Chen, have you ever eaten Red Moon Carp?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa once had the chance to taste Red Moon Carp at a nobleman¡¯s banquet. The vor¡­¡±

    Dr. Chen didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but even Xiao Yan could see the nostalgic look on his face.

    ¡°Then giving this Red Moon Carp to you, Grandpa Chen, is the best decision,¡± Lu Qing said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ept such a gift,¡± Dr. Chen regained hisposure. ¡°Do you know how much this Red Moon Carp would sell for in the city?¡±

    Lu Qing shook his head.

    ¡°One hundred taels of silver.¡± Dr. Chen held up one finger, and seeing the shock on Lu Qing¡¯s face, he continued, ¡°The best quality Red Moon Carp can sell for at least one hundred taels of silver.¡±

    ¡°A single fish is worth one hundred taels of silver?¡± Lu Qing gasped.

    He knew that silver was very valuable in this world.

    One tael of silver could support a family of three for a month.

    And in his memory, the most prosperous time in the Lu family didn¡¯t even have ten taels of silver in savings.

    Now a single fish was worth one hundred taels, which was beyond his expectations.

    The key was, this was just an ordinary rare fish with a hint of red light. If it were a true red-light level spiritual fish, how precious would that be?

    ¡°This world is vast, Lu Qing,¡± Dr. Chen sighed. ¡°The daily expenses of those noblemen are beyond ordinary people¡¯s imagination. Do you know how much it costs them to host a banquet?¡±

    Lu Qing shook his head again.

    ¡°At least a thousand taels of silver. If they are entertaining distinguished guests, the expenses are even more unimaginable.¡±

    ¡°This Red Moon Carp is a rare delicacy. For those rich noblemen, a mere hundred taels of silver is nothing.¡±

    Lu Qing¡¯s mouth hung open.

    His expression was half-pretended, but the other half was genuine surprise.

    Indeed, no matter which world it is, the extravagance of the wealthy is always so exaggerated.

    ¡°Well, do you still want to give this Red Moon Carp to me?¡± Dr. Chen teased, seeing the incredulous look on Lu Qing¡¯s face.

    Lu Qing came back to his senses, hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly, ¡°Yes, of course, I¡¯ll give it. Compared to Grandpa Chen¡¯s life-saving grace, what is a hundred taels of silver? Without you, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here, let alone have caught this Red Moon Carp!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±

    Dr. Chen suddenly burst into heartyughter.

    Afterughing for a while, he stopped, looking gratified. ¡°I¡¯m very happy with your kindness, but I really can¡¯t ept this Red Moon Carp. It¡¯s too wasteful for me to eat such a precious fish.¡±

    ¡°But Grandpa Chen¡­¡±

    Lu Qing wanted to say more, but Dr. Chen raised his hand to stop him.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. Leave the fish with me. In a couple of days, I¡¯ll take it to the city to sell. I¡¯ll exchange it for silver, and you can take it home for your household expenses.¡±

    Lu Qing opened his mouth but didn¡¯t insist further. He only said, ¡°Alright, but Grandpa Chen, the money from selling the fish should first be used to pay for your previous medical treatments.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± Dr. Chen nodded.

    But he didn¡¯t tell Lu Qing that the precious herbs in the previous decoction he made were worth no less than this Red Moon Carp.

    Dr. Chen could tell that Lu Qing was a very proud young man.

    If he knew the value of that decoction, he probably wouldn¡¯t ept the money from selling the Red Moon Carp.

    Dr. Chen looked at the Red Moon Carp in the bucket again.

    Then he frowned, ¡°Unfortunately, this Red Moon Carp, although its appearance is good, is a bit toorge. It might not be worth a hundred taels, and its value might be slightly lower.¡±

    ¡°Why, Grandpa Chen? Isn¡¯t it better if the fish is bigger?¡± Xiao Yan asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Generally, that¡¯s the case, but not for the Red Moon Carp,¡± Dr. Chen exined.

    ¡°The most unique thing about the Red Moon Carp is its freshness. Usually, a Red Moon Carp weighing around two pounds is at its most tender and delicious. If it exceeds this weight, even though the vor doesn¡¯t diminish, the meat bes slightly tougher, so its value naturally decreases.¡±

    Lu Qing could understand this.

    It was like certain seafood in his previous life, which wasn¡¯t more expensive the bigger it was. Instead, when it was smaller, the price per unit was higher.

    ¡°No matter its value, it¡¯s up to you, Grandpa Chen,¡± Lu Qing said.

    No matter how valuable the Red Moon Carp was, Lu Qing couldn¡¯t sell it himself.

    He believed that if he dared to bring such a rare fish into the city, even if he sold it, he might not be able to leave the city safely.

    Perhaps only someone like Dr. Chen, who was a practitioner, had the qualification to engage in such transactions.

    ¡°By the way, Red Moon Carp is always rare and its habits are difficult to discern. It likes to be solitary and is hard to spot. How did you manage to catch it?¡± Dr. Chen asked curiously.

    ¡°Maybe it was luck. Yesterday, after catching the Blue-armored Fish, I continued fishing for a while and happened to catch this Red Moon Carp,¡± Lu Qing replied.

    But he was thinking deeply.

    Hard to discern habits? So even Dr. Chen didn¡¯t know that Red Moon Carp liked to eat Blood Apricots?

    ¡°Maybe it really was your luck,¡± Dr. Chen sighed. ¡°Perhaps heaven took pity on you and your sister living such a hard life, so it granted you this fortune.¡±

    Dr. Chen thought of Lu Qing¡¯s sudden recovery from his illness.

    Maybe Lu Qing¡¯s illness suddenly getting better was also for this reason?

    After sighing for a while, Dr. Chen temporarily kept the Red Moon Carp in a water tank in his house and then started to perform acupuncture on Lu Qing.

    This time, after the acupuncture, Lu Qing slept for a shorter time than thest.

    When he woke up, he saw Dr. Chen still chatting andughing with Xiao Yan in the courtyard, and a te of yam cakes was still on the stone table.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake. Come, have some food first.¡±

    Seeing Lu Qinge out, Dr. Chen pushed the te of snacks towards him.

    This time, Lu Qing didn¡¯t decline. He took a piece of cake and slowly ate it.

    Dr. Chen observed Lu Qing¡¯splexion and nodded.

    ¡°Not bad. It seems you¡¯ve been following my advice these past few days and haven¡¯t skimped on your food.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa Chen, my brother and I have been eating well every day. My brother¡¯s cooking is really good!¡± Xiao Yan boasted proudly.

    ¡°Yes, Grandpa can see that.¡± Dr. Chen affectionately patted the little girl¡¯s head.

    With his medical skills, how could he not see that the siblings¡¯plexions were much better than a few days ago?

    After Lu Qing had eaten a few pieces of cake, Dr. Chen spoke slowly, ¡°I mentioned before that after this acupuncture session, I would allow you to study medicinal herbs with me for half an hour. Do you remember?¡±

    Lu Qing immediately sat up straight and said solemnly, ¡°Of course, Lu Qing remembers.¡±

    ¡°Then do you still have the desire to learn about medicinal herbs now?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Lu Qing¡¯s interest in herbs has never waned.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Dr. Chen smiled. ¡°I thought that after catching a Red Moon Carp and soon having arge sum of money, you might no longer want to pursue herbal medicine.¡±

    ¡°Lu Qing wants to learn about medicinal herbs not just to make a living but out of genuine curiosity about the miraculous properties of various herbs and how they cure diseases,¡± Lu Qing said seriously.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, thene with me.¡±

    Dr. Chen got up and walked into the house.

    Lu Qing hurriedly followed.

    Inside, Dr. Chen took out a book and handed it to Lu Qing.

    ¡°Here is the ¡®Compendium of Hundred Herbs.¡¯ It records the names, illustrations, and growth habits of various herbs. Take it and study it well. Compare it with the herbs drying outside in the courtyard. If you have any questions,e and ask me.¡±

    Holding the book, Lu Qing was stunned. ¡°Grandpa Chen, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d have me help dry the herbs while learning from you?¡±

    Now he was directly handed a book.

    Lu Qing knew that books were precious in this world.

    First, paper was expensive, and second, ink was also costly.

    The original owner¡¯s grandfather, when fleeing a disaster, had brought nothing but a few books.

    Unfortunately, during the escape, those books were lost.

    As a result, the original owner often heard his grandfatherment that losing those family heirloom books was a great shame to their ancestors.

    Later, due to the family¡¯s poverty, they couldn¡¯t afford paper and ink, so Lu¡¯s grandfather never managed to rewrite those family heirloom books.

    Thus, the original owner only recognized some characters and had very shallow writing skills.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you unwilling?¡± Dr. Chen asked.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m willing,¡± Lu Qing quickly replied.

    He knew the value of knowledge in this world.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s settled. You can start learning now.¡±

    Seeing Dr. Chen¡¯s insistence, Lu Qing could only take the book and return to the courtyard.

    After instructing Xiao Yan for a bit, he found a quiet spot and opened the book.

    However, after skimming through a few pages, Lu Qing couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    Because many of the herb names in the ¡°Compendium of Hundred Herbs¡± were quite peculiar and the characters were very obscure.

    The original owner didn¡¯t know many characters.

    Even though he had memories from his past life, the characters of the two worlds were somewhat different.

    There were some characters he didn¡¯t recognize.

    As a result, reading this ¡°Compendium of Hundred Herbs¡± was very challenging.

    At this rate, he didn¡¯t know how long it would take to learn the knowledge in the book.

    Lu Qing knew he wasn¡¯t exceptionally intelligent.

    Nor did he have the ability to read ten lines at a nce and understand everything instantly.

    In his past life, he was just an average person with normal intelligence who had to study hard to barely get into a regr university.

    So, to learn the ¡°Compendium of Hundred Herbs,¡± he estimated he would need the same diligence as when he studied for college entrance exams.

    Encouraging himself, Lu Qing continued reading.

    Then, as he read, the herbal book suddenly emitted a faint white light.

    <strong>[Compendium of Hundred Herbs: A book that records knowledge about various herbs.]</strong>

    <strong>[Learning this book might give you a rough understanding of the world¡¯s herbs.]</strong>

    <strong>[Do you want to download it?]</strong>

    The first two messages were fine, but when the third message appeared, Lu Qing waspletely stunned.

 Chapter 23

    <strong>¡¾Proceed with download?¡¿</strong>

    When Lu Qing saw the prompt on the note, he was stunned.

    Then he smiled.

    His abilities always managed to surprise him.

    He had been worried about how to tackle the "Compendium of Materia Medica," and now it seemed a pillow had been delivered just in time.

    Without hesitation, Lu Qing chose to download.

    <strong>¡¾Downloading in progress, current progress: 1%...¡¿</strong>

    Lu Qing waited patiently, but after a while, he noticed the progress bar hadn''t moved.

    Puzzled, he picked up the "Compendium of Materia Medica" and began to flip through it slowly from the beginning.Sure enough, as he turned the pages, the progress bar started to move.

    <strong>¡¾1%, 2%, 3%... 98%, 99%, 100%¡¿</strong>

    <strong>¡¾"Compendium of Materia Medica" downloadplete. Proceed with learning?¡¿</strong>

    When Lu Qing finished reading the entire book, his ability indicated that the download wasplete.

    A new prompt appeared.

    Lu Qing chose to learn.

    In the next moment, a vast amount of information surged into his mind, like a sudden enlightenment, enabling him to quickly memorize and understand the contents of the "Compendium of Materia Medica."

    On the outside, it appeared as though Lu Qing was simply staring at the book in a daze. No one knew what transformations were urring in his mind.

    "The study of herbs is indeed profound and extensive."

    After a while, Lu Qing regained his senses and sighed in admiration.

    At this moment, he had memorized the entire "Compendium of Materia Medica."

    He also had a basic understanding of its contents.

    The names and characteristics of various herbs described in the book were now familiar to him.

    Of course, this understanding was still theoretical.

    Next, he needed topare the actual herbs to truly grasp the essence of the "Compendium of Materia Medica."

    However, even this level of memorization had already given Lu Qing a profound appreciation for the depth of herbal medicine.

    The "Compendium of Materia Medica" recorded hundreds of herbs, but this was merely a fraction of the myriad of herbs in the world.

    Thebinations and variations of these herbs could produce various remedies to treat illnesses, which was truly magical.

    Understanding the wonders of herbs, Lu Qing''s interest grew even stronger.

    Even though he had the entire book memorized, he continued to read the "Compendium of Materia Medica" in his hands, reviewing to gain new insights.

    Dr. Chen had been waiting inside for Lu Qing toe to him with questions.

    After a long wait without seeing Lu Qing, he stepped outside to check.

    He saw Lu Qing engrossed in the "Compendium of Materia Medica."

    Xiao Yan was ying with butterflies in another corner, not disturbing her brother.

    Dr. Chen felt a sense of relief.

    It seemed Lu Qing''s interest in herbs was genuine.

    Otherwise, why would he be so absorbed in a dull book like the "Compendium of Materia Medica"?

    However, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" was not easy to understand.

    Just as Dr. Chen was about to ask Lu Qing if he had any questions, urgent cries came from outside the courtyard.

    "Dr. Chen! Is Dr. Chen home?"

    "I''m here."

    Hearing the panicked voices outside, Dr. Chen quickly went to greet them.

    Lu Qing was also rmed and stood up with the book in hand.

    He saw several vigers carrying an unconscious man into the courtyard, and Dr. Chen directing them to ce him in the center.

    Lu Qing recognized the unconscious man as Zhao Shu, another viger he should address as Uncle Zhao.

    At this moment, Uncle Zhao was drenched, his face was ashen, his abdomen swollen, and he was unconscious.

    "Step aside and let me see."

    Dr. Chen directed the vigers to ce the man down and then move back.

    No one dared to disobey Dr. Chen and immediately stood far away.

    One of them stepped back right in front of Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing lightly tapped his shoulder, "Da''an ge."

    The viger jumped, turned around, and was surprised to see Lu Qing, "Lu Qing, what are you doing here?"

    "Let''s talk about thatter," Lu Qing said softly, "What happened to Uncle Zhao?"

    "He fell into the water. If we hadn''t been nearby, he would have been swept away by the river," Wang Da''an replied.

    "How did he fall into the water?" Lu Qing was surprised, "Aren''t you usually fishing together?"

    "He wasn''t with us today; he went fishing in another spot by himself."

    "Where?"

    Wang Da''an''s expression became uneasy. He looked around and whispered, "It should be the ce where you caught the big fish yesterday."

    "..." Lu Qing was silent for a moment and said, "That ce shouldn''t be dangerous. I made it quite t."

    "I don''t know about that. We just heard his cries for help. By the time we got there, he was already in the river, swept far away, almost sinking."

    Wang Da''an recounted, and then, as if remembering something, added, "When we rescued Uncle Zhao, he was still holding onto his fishing rod tightly, but the line was broken."

    Lu Qing fell silent again, a hypothesis forming in his mind.

    But he still asked, "Uncle Zhao can''t swim?"

    "No, if he could swim, he wouldn''t have drowned. The current there isn''t very strong."

    "..." Lu Qing was speechless.

    Not knowing how to swim, yet going to the river alone to fish and daring to wade in to grab the rod. Uncle Zhao was too reckless.

    Based on his fishing experience, Lu Qing had a pretty good idea of how Uncle Zhao fell into the water, but the exact reason would have to wait until he woke up.

    Lu Qing looked toward the center of the courtyard.

    At this moment, Dr. Chen had learned from the other vigers that Uncle Zhao''s unconsciousness was due to falling into the water.

    He immediately pried open Uncle Zhao''s mouth to check for obstructions.

    After confirming there was nothing blocking his airway, he ced his hands on Uncle Zhao''s chest and abdomen.

    Using an unknown technique, he pressed gently, and the next moment, Uncle Zhao vomited out arge mouthful of turbid water.

    Dr. Chen pressed again, and another mouthful of turbid water came out.

    He continued this process, with each press resulting in more water being expelled.

    After seven or eight presses, the amount of water reduced significantly. After more than a dozen presses, Uncle Zhao, who had been unconscious, suddenly coughed and slowly opened his eyes.

    "He''s awake, he''s awake!"

    "Uncle Zhao is alive!"

    "Dr. Chen is amazing!"

    The vigers cheered with joy.

    They were in awe of Dr. Chen''s medical skills.

    When they brought Uncle Zhao, they saw his chest barely moving, thinking he might not make it.

    But Dr. Chen''s miraculous hands had brought him back to life.

    Uncle Zhao coughed for a while and slowly regained consciousness.

    He looked around in confusion, "Where am I?"

 Chapter 24

    "Where am I?"

    Old Zhao woke up, looking around at the people surrounding him, and asked in confusion.

    "Old Zhao, did you forget? You fell into the water and almost drowned. We rescued you!"

    "Yes, we heard your cries. When we got there, you were nearly submerged!"

    "If it weren''t for the old doctor''s excellent medical skills, you would be seeing your father in the afterlife by now!"

    "How did you fall into the water? Were you pulled in by a fish?"

    As the vigers chattered around him, Old Zhao finally recalled some of what had happened earlier.

    He jolted upright: "That''s right, the fish! Where''s my fishing rod?"

    "You still remember your fishing rod? When we pulled you out, you were clutching it so tightly that we tossed it aside by the river," a viger replied."Oh no, why did you throw my rod away? Where is it?" Old Zhao became anxious.

    The viger was displeased, "What are you saying, Old Zhao? We saved your life, and you didn''t even thank us. Now you''re ming us?"

    "That''s right. If we''d known, we wouldn''t have saved you and let you drown!"

    "Ungrateful! We went through so much trouble to drag you to the old doctor!"

    Other vigers echoed their dissatisfaction.

    "This, this... I was just worried about my rod. I put a lot of effort into making it. Don''t take it the wrong way, and thank you for saving me."

    Realizing his fault, Old Zhao quickly expressed his gratitude.

    The vigers, though gruff, were soft-hearted. Seeing Old Zhao''s thanks, their expressions softened.

    "Alright, forget about that rod. Just tell us, how did you end up in the water? I remember you never went near the river before."

    "I, I jumped in myself." Old Zhao''s mouth twitched a few times before he confessed.

    "You jumped in yourself?!" a viger eximed in disbelief, "Don''t you know you can''t swim? How did you dare jump into the river?"

    "How was I supposed to know the water was that deep? I thought it would only reach my thighs," Old Zhao defended.

    "Then why did you jump in?"

    "Well, I... identally let the fish pull the rod, and in a rush, I jumped in to retrieve it."

    Not far away, Lu Qing: "..."

    As expected.

    When Wang Da''an had recounted the story earlier, he guessed that Old Zhao had jumped in to save his fishing rod.

    He had seen such things happen many times in his previous life.

    He himself had done simr things.

    He just didn''t expect Old Zhao to be so reckless, not even knowing how to swim.

    "You fool!"

    The other vigers were stunned to learn the reason Old Zhao nearly drowned.

    "That old rod of yours isn''t worth much. You could just cut a new one from the mountain. You almost lost your life over it. Are you out of your mind?"

    A viger who was close to Old Zhao scolded him.

    Old Zhao didn''t dare speak.

    He didn''t dare admit that it wasn''t just about the rod. It was also because a rare big fish had bitten the hook, one that could easily drag his rod away. He couldn''t bear to let it go.

    Yesterday, Lu Qing had caught two big fish, making him incredibly envious.

    Suchrge fish could feed many meals. He finally had a chance to catch a big one himself and couldn''t let it slip away.

    But this incident confirmed to him that there were indeed big fish in that spot.

    Next time, if he was more careful, he would definitely catch one!

    The vigers were unaware of Old Zhao''s thoughts, or else he would get another round of scolding.

    Old Zhao tried to get up but found himself weak and unable to muster any strength. His head was also dizzy, and he couldn''t move his body.

    He was startled: "Old doctor, what''s wrong with me? Why can''t I move?"

    Doctor Chen sighed, "You were soaked in the water for too long, the cold invaded your body, and you drank a lot of dirty river water, damaging your spleen and stomach. You even held your breath for a long time. Although I expelled the dirty water and woke you up, your body has suffered damage."

    "What should I do, doctor? Please save me!"

    Old Zhao, terrified, quickly begged.

    The thought of catching a big fish had long vanished from his mind.

    "Calm down, I am a doctor, and I will treat you," Doctor Chen reassured him. "But you are old, and your recovery will not be easy. You need to rest and recuperate for a while."

    "Will I be able to walk again?" Old Zhao asked hopefully.

    "Walking won''t be a problem. How well you recover depends on how well you rest," the doctor replied.

    "As long as I can walk," Old Zhao rxed a bit.

    He was truly afraid he would be paralyzed.

    "Where is my father?"

    As Old Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, there was amotion outside the courtyard, and a group of people rushed in.

    Leading them were two young men, a woman, and an elderlydy.

    Following them were other vigers who had heard the news ande over.

    "Father!"

    The older young man hurried over when he saw Old Zhao lying down.

    "I heard from Dashan that you fell into the water and were brought to the old doctor. What happened?"

    Wang Da''an and his group had informed Old Zhao''s family while bringing him over.

    "I''m alright now," Old Zhao said, feeling guilty as he looked at his son.

    "Alright? A viger immediately exposed him, "Amin, your father went fishing alone, jumped into the river himself, and almost died..."

    Then he recounted the entire story.

    As soon as he finished, the elderlydy, Old Zhao''s wife, started crying and cursing.

    "You wretched man! I told you not to go fishing, but you insisted. You can''t swim, so why go near the river and jump in? Do you want to die and take me with you?!"

    Old Zhao''s son, Zhao Ming, also looked displeased.

    But as a son, he couldn''t scold his father.

    He could only persuade, "Father, maybe we should stop fishing. We don''tck fish to eat at home, so why insist on it?"

    The second son added, "Yes, father, if you want anything, just tell us. No matter how hard it is, we''ll get it for you. Don''t do such dangerous things again."

    "I won''t go anymore, never again."

    Old Zhao, embarrassed by his wife and sons'' words, agreed.

    "Don''t worry, Amin. Even if your father wants to fish again, he can''t," a viger said. "The old doctor said your father was severely affected by the water and needs to rest properly, or he''ll have trouble walking in the future."

    "What?!"

    Old Zhao''s family was shocked.

 Chapter 25

    In the end, Old Zhao was carried away by his two sons amid the scolding of his wife.

    Dr. Chen gave him an acupuncture treatment and prescribed some medicine. By the time Old Zhao returned home, hisplexion had already improved significantly.

    Once Old Zhao''s family left, the vigers, having lost their source of excitement, were hesitant to disturb Dr. Chen further and began to disperse.

    ¡°LuQing, are you leaving?¡± Wang Da''an asked Lu Qing.

    ¡°Huh, Lu Qing, why are you here? Xiao Yan is here too?¡±

    It was only then that the other vigers noticed Lu Qing and Xiao Yan standing in the corner.

    ¡°I''ve been here the whole time, but everyone was concerned about Uncle Zhao''s condition and didn''t see me,¡± Lu Qing said with a smile. ¡°Brother Da''an, you can head back first. I have some questions to ask Grandpa Chen.¡±

    ¡°Questions?¡± Wang Da''an finally noticed the book in Lu Qing''s hand and realized, ¡°Are you learning from Dr. Chen?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I''m learning some herbal knowledge from Grandpa Chen,¡± Lu Qing admitted without hesitation.The vigers were astonished.

    Lu Qing was actually valued by the elder doctor to this extent?

    After their initial surprise, envy followed.

    The elder doctor''s medical skills were well-known; he could bring the dying back to life.

    Many had seen how sick Lu Qing was before, but he was cured with just one prescription from the elder doctor.

    Earlier, when Old Zhao fell into the water, they heard his face was ashen and he wasn''t breathing.

    Yet, the elder doctor revived him with a few maniptions.

    This level of medical skill was practically miraculous.

    Now that Lu Qing had the privilege of learning medicine from the elder doctor, how could they not be envious?

    However, despite their envy, the vigers understood that such opportunities were not attainable through mere desire.

    Learning medicine was clearly not easy. One had to be extremely smart to even get a foot in the door.

    They saw that Lu Qing was holding a book, and they knew that among everyone in the vige, their collective literacy wouldn''t fill a basket.

    Only Lu Qing, who had been taught by his grandfather from a young age, could recognize some characters.

    Perhaps this was also why Dr. Chen valued Lu Qing.

    Realizing this, many vigers felt their jealousy diminish somewhat.

    They knew that even if such good fortune befell them, they wouldn''t have the ability to seize it.

    An elderly viger stepped forward and patted Lu Qing on the shoulder.

    ¡°Well done, Lu Qing. You must learn well from the elder doctor and strive to master all his skills!¡±

    The sudden encouragement left Lu Qing somewhat bewildered.

    He wanted to say that he was really just learning a bit of herbal knowledge from Dr. Chen for now.

    But seeing the earnest look in the old man''s eyes, he could only nod. ¡°I''ll do my best.¡±

    Even after the vigers had left, Lu Qing still felt a bit dazed.

    He had thought that when people saw him learning medicine from the elder doctor, they would be envious and jealous.

    But he had seen it just now.

    There was envy and jealousy among the vigers, but not as much as he had imagined.

    Instead, besides their envy and jealousy, they also seemed genuinely hopeful that he could truly learn the elder doctor''s medical skills.

    Lu Qing didn''t like to think ill of others.

    But he also knew that people''s hearts were unpredictable, and jealousy could sometimes arise without any reason.

    ¡°Are you feeling confused?¡± Dr. Chen approached Lu Qing.

    ¡°What?¡± Lu Qing didn''t understand.

    ¡°Wondering why the vigers are so eager for you to learn my medical skills?¡± Dr. Chen smiled.

    Lu Qing nodded. He indeed didn''t quite understand.

    Could the elder doctor know the reason?

    ¡°Lu Qing, do you know how many doctors were in the nearby viges when I settled here?¡± Dr. Chen asked, instead of directly answering Lu Qing''s question.

    Lu Qing shook his head.

    When the elder doctor came to the vige, he was still very young and had little memory of such things.

    ¡°Not a single one,¡± Dr. Chen said, giving an answer that surprised Lu Qing. ¡°Before I came to the vige, there wasn''t a single doctor in the nearby viges.¡±

    ¡°When vigers got sick, for minor illnesses, they would pick some herbs they recognized and brew them, or get some medicine from midwives or shamans. For the rest, they would just endure it. If they couldn''t endure, they would go to the city for treatment.¡±

    ¡°But many major illnesses develop from minor ones. By the time they couldn''t endure and went to the city, it was often already a serious illness.¡±

    ¡°Serious illnesses are hard to treat. Even city doctors can''t guarantee a cure for every illness.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, living in the city is not easy, let alone seeking medical treatment.¡±

    ¡°Even if city doctors were confident in their treatments, the high medical fees were unaffordable for ordinary vigers.¡±

    ¡°So for ordinary vigers, serious illnesses often meant the end of their lives.¡±

    ¡°Before I came to the vige, many people in the surrounding viges died from illnesses each year.¡±

    Lu Qing recalled and realized that before the elder doctor came, there indeed seemed to be funerals in the vige every year.

    ¡°Back then, when I was traveling and came to this ce, I saw many people in the surrounding viges suffering from illnesses with no ess to medical treatment. Feelingpassion, I decided to stay and give these vigers a chance.¡±

    ¡°Unexpectedly, I stayed for ten years.¡±

    ¡°Over these ten years, I can''t say I''ve saved countless lives, but at least I''ve given the vigers a ce to seek medical help when they''re sick, preventing minor illnesses from turning into major ones.¡±

    Lu Qing felt a deep shock in his heart.

    ording to Dr. Chen, over the past ten years, he had indeed brought peace to the area and was a living Buddha for the people here.

    ¡°So that''s why everyone hopes I can learn your medical skills and treat people in the future?¡± Lu Qing asked.

    ¡°Yes, they probably fear returning to the days of having no ess to medical care,¡± Dr. Chen nodded.

    ¡°But isn''t Grandpa Chen still here?¡±

    ¡°But I''m very old now,¡± Dr. Chen said.

    ¡°Although I rarely go out in the vige, I asionally hear people whispering, wondering what they would do if I suddenly died. Where would they go for treatment?¡±

    Lu Qing was speechless.

    He thought of the elder doctor''s identity as a cultivator.

    Those vigers who gossiped certainly wouldn''t have thought that an old man could have such keen hearing.

    Now Lu Qing fully understood why, despite their envy and jealousy, the vigers still urged him to learn well from the elder doctor.

    It turned out they were afraid of returning to the days without a doctor.

    Afraid that if one day the elder doctor was no longer there, they would be back to how it was before.

    ¡°Grandpa Chen, are you angry about this?¡± Lu Qing asked.

    ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± Dr. Chenughed. ¡°This is just human nature, and besides, I am indeed very old, with one foot almost in the grave.¡±

    But you look perfectly healthy to me, Lu Qing thought.

    He recalled seeing the red glow emanating from the elder doctor.

    ¡°Lu Qing, you are a bright child. Now you understand the vigers'' thoughts, don''t you?¡±

    ¡°I understand a little,¡± Lu Qing nodded.

    ¡°Then, would you be willing to learn medicine from me?¡± Dr. Chen suddenly asked.

 Chapter 26

    "What?"

    Lu Qing looked at the old doctor in surprise, doubting if he had heard correctly.

    "Grandpa Chen, did you just say you want me to study medicine with you?"

    "Why, are you unwilling?" the old doctor asked.

    "It''s not that, but Grandpa Chen, didn''t you say you just wanted me to stay by your side and learn some herbal knowledge?"

    "I''ve changed my mind. Old Wang''s words reminded me that the vige indeed needs a doctor in the future."

    "You are the only literate person in the vige, so perhaps I should give you this opportunity."

    Old Wang, the elder who had patted Lu Qing on the shoulder earlier, had encouraged him to follow the old doctor and learn medicine.

    Lu Qing was stunned.He had thought it would be a long time before he could have the chance to learn medicine.

    Unexpectedly, things had turned around so quickly.

    His face lit up with joy, and he was about to express his gratitude.

    The old doctor continued, "But don''t get too happy too soon. Learning medicine requires aptitude. If you don''t have it, even if I am willing to teach you, you may not be able to learn."

    "Then what counts as aptitude?" Lu Qing asked.

    "One month," the old doctor said. "If you can memorize all the herbs and their properties in the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' within a month, I will formally take you as my apprentice."

    "If you can''t, then you should honestly learn some herbal knowledge and be a herbalist to make a living."

    "Grandpa Chen, I will definitely memorize the ''Compendium of Materia Medica''!" Lu Qing said excitedly.

    Memorizing the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' was something he could do right now.

    However, Lu Qing knew that if he recited the entire book in front of the old doctor right now, it might not be surprise but fear that he would receive.

    So he couldn''t rush this. He had to let the old doctor gradually ept it.

    After all, he had previously told the old doctor that he only knew some words, not that he was well-read.

    Lu Qing then took the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' and asked the old doctor about some of the questions he had.

    Mainly about some rare characters and the pronunciation of herbal names.

    Although his ability had helped him memorize the entire ''Compendium of Materia Medica,'' he still wanted to understand the meaning of some characters more deeply.

    It was also a way to verify if there was any difference from his understanding.

    The old doctor, of course, exined everything patiently to Lu Qing.

    In the process of exining, the old doctor was surprised to find that Lu Qing had an excellent memory.

    Many characters, after being exined once or twice, he could remember without needing further exnation.

    "Lu Qing, you are indeed a very smart child," the old doctor said with great satisfaction.

    Lu Qing''s performance greatly exceeded his expectations.

    At this rate, he might really be able to memorize the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' within a month.

    "Grandpa Chen, it''s all because of your good teaching," Lu Qing said modestly.

    At the same time, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    This was the first time he felt that pretending to be ignorant was also tiring.

    Even though he already understood many things, he still had to ask several times and not let the old doctor see through him.

    This was a significant test of his acting skills.

    "Alright, that''s it for today. It''s not good to recognize too many characters at once, or you might get them mixed up. Take the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' back, study it well tonight, ande back tomorrow for your exam," the old doctor said.

    "Grandpa Chen, don''t I need to wait until the next acupuncture session toe again?" Lu Qing asked in surprise.

    "If you are going to study the ''Compendium of Materia Medica,'' why wait so long? In three days, you might forget what you learned today!" the old doctor scolded with a smile.

    "Then we''lle back tomorrow to greet you, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing said happily.

    "Grandpa Chen, does that mean Xiao Yan cane to y with you tomorrow?" Xiao Yan asked excitedly.

    "Of course. Tomorrow, Grandpa will make you some new pastries to try," the old doctor said, picking up the little girl.

    Xiao Yan''s eyes lit up. "New pastries, will they be as delicious as yam cake?"

    "They won''t be worse than yam cake," the old doctor assured.

    The little girl almost drooled at the thought.

    After leaving the small courtyard halfway up the mountain with Xiao Yan, Lu Qing''s heart was still joyful.

    Today''s harvest was immense.

    The Red Moon Carp he had originally wanted to give to the old doctor turned out to be such a precious fish.

    Once the old doctor sold the Red Moon Carp, after deducting the fee for the medicinal soup, there should still be some silver left.

    Just in time, he was currently very poor, and with the silver, many urgent matters could be resolved.

    More importantly, he learned that the Red Moon Carp liked to eat Blood Apricots.

    Since there was one Red Moon Carp in the river outside the vige, there must be others.

    As long as he was patient, he might be able to catch more.

    At that time, it would be another fortune.

    Aside from the Red Moon Carp, the greatest gain was the opportunity given by the old doctor.

    Next, as long as he studied the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' thoroughly and gained the old doctor''s approval, he would truly have the opportunity to learn medicine.

    Lu Qing believed that with his ability, as long as he studied diligently, he would surely master medical skills.

    Moreover, the function he discovered today also made him realize that his ability was even stronger than he had imagined, with many functions waiting for him to discover.

    With excitement, the siblings walked home.

    Meanwhile, news of what had happened at the old doctor''s house today was spreading throughout the vige.

    Especially the news that Lu Qing was learning medicine from the old doctor, which attracted almost everyone''s attention.

    Under the big tree in the center of the vige, a group of vigers was discussing.

    "Do you think Lu Qing is really learning medical skills from the old doctor?" a viger asked in surprise.

    "Of course it''s true. Everyone saw it with their own eyes. Lu Qing was holding a medical book and memorizing it there!" a viger replied.

    "Yes, and when we asked Lu Qing, the old doctor didn''t deny it, so it must be true," another viger added.

    "So, does this mean our vige will have a doctor in the future?" an old man asked excitedly.

    "It''s still early. Lu Qing is just learning from the old doctor. Who knows when he will be able to practice medicine," someone said.

    "Anyway, it''s a hope. If there''s no doctor in the vige, we''ll have to go back to the old days," another person said.

    Hearing this, the vigers fell silent.

    Indeed, before the old doctor came, they had to endure their illnesses without any help.

    Some minor ailments might get better with time, but some could develop into serious problems.

    Many people in the vige had died like this.

    After the old doctor arrived, their lives became much better.

    No matter what illness they had, the old doctor could treat it. Even if he couldn''t cure it immediately, he could alleviate the pain and make the patient morefortable.

    The most crucial point was that the old doctor didn''t charge much for his services.

    Even if someone couldn''t pay immediately, he would still treat them, allowing them to owe the fee temporarily.

    Such a good doctor was hard to find.

    Therefore, the vigers held deep respect for the old doctor.

    But they also knew that the old doctor was very old.

    Sometimes they couldn''t help but think about what they would do if the old doctor was no longer there.

    No one wanted to return to the days when they had no medical help.

    Now, hearing that Lu Qing was learning medical skills from the old doctor, they were genuinely happy.

    As the vigers were chatting under the tree, someone suddenly shouted.

    "Lu Qing is back!"

 Chapter 27

    As Lu Qing led Xiao Yan back to the vige, they saw vigers gathered under the big tree, chatting away.

    They were greeted with smiles.

    ¡°LuQing and Xiao Yan are back?¡± a viger said with augh.

    ¡°Yeah, we just came back from Grandpa Chen¡¯s ce.¡± Lu Qing nodded, a bit puzzled. ¡°Why is everyone gathered here? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± the vigers shook their heads.

    ¡°LuQing, you must study diligently at Dr. Chen¡¯s ce!¡± an elderly man advised.

    ¡°Right, if you encounter any difficulties, just let us know. We¡¯re all from the same vige, no need to be so formal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare for Dr. Chen to be willing to teach you medicine. You must seize this opportunity!¡±

    Other vigers chimed in.Seeing the concern on the vigers¡¯ faces, Lu Qing felt a bit dazed.

    He remembered the words Dr. Chen had said to him before he left the mountain.

    ¡°Lu Qing, do you know why I chose to live in your vige among all the nearby viges?¡±

    ¡°Lu Qing does not know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I admire the simplicity of your vige.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve traveled across thend for decades, visited and lived in countless viges.¡±

    ¡°Among these viges, some are wealthy, some are poor, some are kind, and some are exclusive.¡±

    ¡°But the simplicity of your vige is rare.¡±

    ¡°Unity, mutual help, and neighborly harmony.¡±

    ¡°Although vigers sometimes quarrel, they don¡¯t hold grudges. When someone is in trouble, others help.¡±

    ¡°Such harmonious viges are rare even in my extensive travels.¡±

    ¡°When I first came to your vige, I was attracted by this simplicity and decided to stay.¡±

    After hearing Dr. Chen¡¯s words, Lu Qing was thoughtful.

    Indeed, even he could feel the simplicity of the vigers.

    Otherwise, if it were another vige with a less friendly atmosphere, he and Xiao Yan would have faced cold stares or even bullying long ago.

    They wouldn¡¯t be living peacefully in their home as they were now.

    ¡°Grandpa Chen, you said that the viges outside are different from ours?¡± Lu Qing had asked.

    ¡°Very different. Even the harmonious ones are not as mutually supportive and righteous as your vige.¡±

    ¡°Why is our vige different?¡±

    ¡°That, I¡¯m not sure. Maybe you can ask the vige elders someday.¡±

    Recalling his conversation with Dr. Chen and seeing the vigers¡¯ concerned faces, Lu Qing smiled and nodded seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. I will study medicine diligently under Grandpa Chen.¡±

    After saying goodbye to the vigers, Lu Qing took Xiao Yan¡¯s hand and walked home, feeling very happy.

    He felt fortunate.

    Fortunately, he was reborn in this vige.

    If he had been reborn in one of those less friendly viges Dr. Chen mentioned, he would have faced a lot of troubles.

    Now, although life was tough, there were fewer worries.

    Moreover, as he became more familiar with this world, he believed that life would get better.

    Back home, Lu Qing let Xiao Yan y by herself while he took out the "Compendium of Materia Medica" and continued reading.

    Knowing the value of the Red Moon Carp, he no longer felt an urgent need to find a way to make money.

    Once Dr. Chen sold the Red Moon Carp, he would have enough money for him and Xiao Yan to live on for a while.

    What he valued most now was Dr. Chen¡¯s test.

    As long as he passed the test, he could formally learn medicine from Dr. Chen, an opportunity he must seize.

    Therefore, even with the help of his abilities, having memorized the entire "Compendium of Materia Medica," Lu Qing did not rx and diligently studied its contents.

    Time passed slowly as Lu Qing read.

    Some vigers came by, wanting to ask him about fishing.

    After all, the two big fish he caught yesterday were quite impressive.

    Some wanted to learn from him.

    But when they saw him reading in the yard, they didn¡¯t dare to disturb him and quietly left.

    For dinner, Lu Qing still made fish, along with some wild vegetables he picked from the yard.

    After dinner, as it got dark, Lu Qing read a bit more before the sky turnedpletely ck.

    They couldn¡¯t afford oilmps, so once it was dark, he put the book away.

    However, after an afternoon of review, he became even more familiar with the "Compendium of Materia Medica."

    Except for a few words he didn¡¯t fully understand, he had no more doubts.

    After all, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" was just a book introducing herbs, a popr science medical book, and didn¡¯t involve any medical theories, so it wasn¡¯t hard to understand.

    Especially with his abilities.

    He believed he could pass any test Dr. Chen might give him now.

    After putting the book away, Lu Qing prepared to put Xiao Yan to bed.

    This world was unlike his previous one, where nightlife began at midnight.

    Here, going to bed at ten o¡¯clock was consideredte.

    Usually, everyone slept by eight or nine o¡¯clock after dark.

    ¡°Brother, Xiao Yan is not sleepy yet.¡±

    The little girly in bed, covered with a small nket.

    Moonlight shone through the window, illuminating her round eyes.

    ¡°Be good, Xiao Yan. Go to sleep early. We have to visit Grandpa Chen tomorrow.¡± Lu Qing coaxed.

    ¡°But Xiao Yan can¡¯t sleep.¡± The little girl pouted.

    ¡°What should we do then?¡± Lu Qing was at a loss.

    ¡°Brother, tell me a story. Xiao Yan wants to hear the monkey story again!¡± the little girl said her wish.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Lu Qing sighed. ¡°Where did we leave offst time?¡±

    He regretted it a bit.

    The past few nights, Xiao Yan woke up crying and wouldn¡¯t stop no matter how he coaxed her.

    He had to tell her a story, and she got hooked.

    ¡°Last time, the monkey wanted to be the king!¡± Xiao Yan remembered clearly.

    ¡°Alright, so the monkeys were ying by the stream and discovered a Water Curtain Cave¡­¡±

    Yes, Lu Qing was telling the story of the Monkey King.

    But he hadn¡¯t read the original in his previous life and didn¡¯t remember the details clearly.

    He could only use his imagination to piece together the story.

    Fortunately, the Monkey King¡¯s story was captivating for children.

    Even though he skipped many details, Xiao Yan listened intently.

    But being a child, she soon became sleepy, aided by the calming effect of the Fish Stone.

    Xiao Yan fell asleep before hearing how the monkey became king.

    Lu Qing gently covered her with the nket and was about to go to his own bed.

    Suddenly, he heard a noise outside.

 Chapter 28

    The sudden noise startled Lu Qing, and he became wary.

    What was that sound?

    A person, an animal, or a rat?

    He thought of the mysterious little beast that had stolen tworge pieces of fish meat the previous night.

    Could it be that the creature had returned?

    But he had already brought all the fish meat inside. Would this creature be bold enough to break in?

    Recalling the information from his morning''s abilities, the mysterious little beast seemed to have sharp ws. Lu Qing tightly gripped the stick he kept by his bed.

    At that moment, he missed the electricity from his previous life.

    If this were his previous home, any small beast could be scared away just by turning on the light.Unfortunately, he couldn''t even afford an oilmp now, let alone use light to frighten away wild animals.

    The noise outside continued, sounding like something scratching at the door.

    Even though Lu Qing was usually brave, he felt a bit scared at this moment.

    He gripped the stick and quietly walked out of the room into the hall.

    Suddenly, the stick struck the door with a loud bang.

    The noise outside immediately stopped.

    Lu Qing stood in the hall, gripping the stick and trying to stay calm.

    After a long time, he didn''t hear the noise again.

    However, he didn''t dare to open the door to check.

    Only after ensuring that there was no more movement outside did he return to his room.

    He had to admit, the calming effect of the Fish Stone was excellent.

    Despite the loud noise, Xiao Yan was still sound asleep.

    Otherwise, he would have had tofort her for a long time.

    That night, Lu Qing couldn''t sleep well.

    Fearing that the creature might return, he hardly slept at all, only dozing off briefly as dawn approached.

    As a result, when he arrived at Doctor Chen''s ce the next day, he had tworge dark circles under his eyes and looked exhausted.

    Seeing his condition, Doctor Chen frowned.

    "Lu Qing, I know you want to master the Compendium of Materia Medica as soon as possible, but you must bnce work and rest. Sometimes, overstudying can be counterproductive."

    "Moreover, if you wish to be a healer, you must take care of your own body. How can you treat others if you can''t keep yourself well?"

    He assumed Lu Qing had been up all night studying.

    "Grandpa Chen, it''s not what you think," Lu Qing said with a bitter smile. "I didn''t sleep wellst night for another reason."

    He then recounted the events of the previous night.

    "You mean to say, a wild animal tried to enter your housest night, causing you to stay up all night?" Doctor Chen was surprised.

    "Yes, I was worried it might sneak in and harm Xiao Yan, so I stayed up," Lu Qing replied, rubbing his eyes.

    "Brother, howe I didn''t know?" Xiao Yan asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

    "You slept like a little pig, of course you didn''t know," Lu Qing teased, tapping her nose.

    "But you can''t stay up every night like this," Doctor Chen said thoughtfully. He then went inside and soon returned with a packet of powder, handing it to Lu Qing.

    "Take this powder."

    "Grandpa Chen, what is this?" Lu Qing asked.

    "It''s a mixture I made myself, containing various herbs to repel insects and animals. I often use it for protection when I walk in the mountains," Doctor Chen exined. "From what you said, the animal isn''t very big. Spread this powder around your house, and it should be deterred."

    Lu Qing was overjoyed. "Thank you, Grandpa Chen!"

    The powder came at just the right time. Otherwise, he might have considered setting traps to catch the mysterious little beast.

    However, the information he had gathered made him hesitant.

    After all, the footprints of the mysterious little beast alone were of a high level.

    Who knew how powerful the beast itself was?

    After putting away the powder, Lu Qing took out the Compendium of Materia Medica and continued to seek Doctor Chen''s guidance.

    This time, Doctor Chen was even more pleased.

    He found that Lu Qing was learning the Compendium of Materia Medica very quickly.

    Not only had he memorized what was taught the previous day, but he had also reviewed the remaining content and could infer other principles from it.

    At this rate, it wouldn''t take long for him to master the entire book.

    "Excellent. It''s clear you studied diligently yesterday," Doctor Chen said with satisfaction, stroking his beard.

    "I wouldn''t dare forget your teachings, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing replied respectfully.

    "Alright, that''s enough for today. You''re bing familiar with the Compendium of Materia Medica, but mere familiarity with the book is not enough," Doctor Chen advised. "Whether you be a healer or a herbalist, you need to know how to identify and select real herbs."

    "I remember there are somemon herbs growing near the vige. You can observe them andpare them with the descriptions in the Compendium of Materia Medica to see if they match," Doctor Chen instructed.

    "Yes, I will remember that," Lu Qing replied.

    "Oh, by the way, you and Xiao Yan don''t need toe tomorrow. I need to go to town to sell the Red Moon Carp for you. You can study at home," Doctor Chen added.

    "You''re going to town, Grandpa Chen?" Lu Qing asked excitedly.

    "Yes, the pharmacy in town ordered some herbs from me. I need to deliver them," Doctor Chen replied. "Do you need me to buy something for you? Selling the Red Moon Carp will bring you a good sum of money."

    "Yes!" Lu Qing answered immediately. He did have something he wanted Doctor Chen to buy.

    "Oh, what do you want to buy?"

    "I want to buy an iron pot," Lu Qing said. "Grandpa Chen, you know our house went through some changes, and I sold many things, including our only iron pot. So, I want to get a new one."

    "An iron pot... that''s reasonable," Doctor Chen considered and agreed. "Anything else?"

    "Also, some salt. We''re almost out of salt at home," Lu Qing added.

    "Anything else you need?"

    "No, that''s all for now," Lu Qing shook his head.

    In fact, there were many things he wanted to buy: oil, grain, clothes, shoes, and more.

    But he knew he had to be reasonable.

    Doctor Chen was an elder and was already kind enough to help him buy things. If he asked for too much, it would be inconsiderate.

    If not for the fact that iron pots and salt could only be bought in town, he wouldn''t have troubled Doctor Chen even for these.

    As for other items, he could buy them at the marketter.

    When he returned from Doctor Chen''s, the first thing Lu Qing did was spread the powder around the house.

    He thought he could finally get a good night''s sleep.

    However, after Xiao Yan fell asleep that night, he heard the noise again.

 Chapter 29

    When Lu Qing heard that familiar scratching at the door, he could hardly believe his ears.

    Hadn''t Old Doctor Chen said that his medicinal powder was incredibly effective, enough to deter even wolves?

    Why was this creature stilling back?

    Lu Qing felt a wave of frustration.

    Would he be unable to sleep again tonight?

    This couldn''t go on. If he didn''t solve this problem, he''d never get a good night''s sleep again.

    After two sleepless nights, Lu Qing was starting to get irritable.

    He had to find out what kind of creature had the nerve to keeping back.

    Grabbing the stick by his bed, Lu Qing tiptoed to the main door. Suddenly, he yanked thetch and flung the door open.The sudden action clearly startled whatever was outside.

    He saw a dark shadow dart out of the courtyard in an instant.

    Ever since he awakened his abilities, Lu Qing''s eyes had undergone subtle changes.

    Firstly, his vision had improved significantly; he could see things clearly from a great distance.

    Secondly, his sensitivity to light sources had heightened.

    Although he couldn''t see inplete darkness, as long as there was a bit of light, he could make out seven to eight parts of his surroundings.

    At this moment, under the bright moonlight, Lu Qing could see what had been disturbing him these past two nights.

    It was a small ck beast.

    About two feet long, it looked like a cross between a cat and a leopard, with eyes that shone like light bulbs.

    The ck beast''s fur was bristled, its tail erect, and its limbs crouched low, watching Lu Qing warily.

    Seeing the ck beast''s appearance, Lu Qing sighed in relief.

    Thankfully, it didn''t look particrlyrge or ferocious.

    After all, a creature that had been scared off by a mmed door the previous night couldn''t be that bold.

    For some reason, the ck beast didn''t flee this time. It just crouched and watched Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing stood quietly, not making any sudden moves.

    He wanted to use his abilities to gather information about the beast before deciding what to do.

    Lu Qing tried to remain calm, his gaze fixed on the small beast.

    Soon, his eyes widened.

    A faint red light appeared on the mysterious beast.

    [ck Night Spirit Lynx: Mountain spirit beast, juvenile, female.]

    [Extremely fast, with sharp ws that can break stone and split metal.]

    [Legend has it that the ck Night Spirit Lynx loves fish but hates water, forever yearning for fish in vain.]

    A red light-level beast?!

    Lu Qing almost jumped in surprise.

    The mysterious beast''s aura had reached the red light level.

    That meant it was on the same level as Old Doctor Chen!

    No wonder the medicinal powder had no effect.

    Taking several deep breaths, Lu Qing calmed his emotions.

    A sense of relief washed over him.

    Thankfully, he hadn''t acted rashly.

    He hadn''t expected the small creature to be a red light-level spirit beast.

    And what did the description say?

    Extremely fast! ws that can break stone and split metal!

    Such destructive power would surpass even tigers and leopards.

    Fortunately, the small beast was timid. Otherwise, he might have been lying on the ground already.

    Hiding the stick behind him, Lu Qing put on a harmless smile.

    "Little one, did youe here for fish?"

    The ck beast continued to watch Lu Qing warily, not understanding his words.

    Lu Qing didn''t expect the beast to understand him.

    He moved cautiously, trying not to startle the ck beast, and quickly fetched two pieces of dried fish from the kitchen.

    When Lu Qing returned to the doorway with the fish, he noticed the ck beast''s eyes seemed to light up.

    So, it was here for the fish.

    Lu Qing remembered the third line of the description.

    He waved the fish in front of him.

    "Sorry for scaring you earlier. These two pieces of fish are my apology."

    The ck beast''s eyes, glowing in the dark like light bulbs, followed the fish as it moved.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing felt more confident.

    "Here you go."

    He tossed the fish into the courtyard, deliberately throwing them far from the ck beast to avoid startling it.

    The fishnded on the ground, causing the beast to retreat a few steps, still eyeing Lu Qing warily.

    Lu Qing stood still, quietly.

    Sensing that Lu Qing had no intention of attacking, the ck beast rxed its bristled fur a bit.

    It sniffed the air a few times, then suddenly darted forward.

    Lu Qing saw a dark shadow sh, and the next moment, the fish were gone.

    The beast''s figure then leaped over the fence, quickly disappearing into the night fog.

    After waiting for a while to ensure the beast was gone, Lu Qing closed the door and returned to his room.

    Lying in bed, his heart pounded uncontrobly.

    The situation had been quite tense.

    The ck beast, though timid, could still attack if provoked.

    As the saying goes, even a cornered rabbit will bite.

    And this wasn''t just a rabbit but a powerful spirit beast!

    Sharp ws that could break stone and split metal!

    If it could tear through stone and metal, what about flesh and blood?

    So Lu Qing dared not provoke it.

    Fortunately, the ck beast was not only timid but alsocked aggression.

    Otherwise, Lu Qing might not have survived the encounter.

    "Such a powerful beast, why haven''t I heard the vigers talk about it?"

    After calming down, Lu Qing pondered.

    He recalled the description from his abilities.

    The beast was still a juvenile. Could its parents be nearby?

    Probably not. If its parents were around, they would havee together by now.

    Lu Qing remembered the description also mentioned that the ck Night Spirit Lynx loved fish.

    It must have migrated from elsewhere, either driven away by its parents or separated due to an ident.

    Lu Qing made several guesses but couldn''t be sure.

    However, he had a feeling that the ck beast might return after tonight.

    There was no evidence, just a hunch.

    "Looks like I can''t stop fishing after all."

    Lu Qing thought helplessly.

    He had nned to take a break from fishing to focus entirely on learning medicine.

    After all, once Old Doctor Chen sold the Red Moon Carp, Lu Qing would have a substantial amount of money, enough for him and Xiao Yan to livefortably for a long time.

    But now, with the ck beast''s visits, he had to adjust his ns.

    That was a red light-level spirit beast, not something he could provoke. He had to prioritize keeping it calm.

    "What a situation this is!"

    Lu Qing sighed in despair.

 Chapter 30

    That night, Lu Qing finally had a good sleep.

    Early the next morning, after breakfast, he took Xiao Yan to the river to fish.

    This time, he saw fewer people at the riverside, unlike before when seven or eight people crowded a single fishing spot.

    It made sense, as it was the busy farming season, and there was still much work to be done in the fields. Fishing was ultimately just a leisure activity, a way to asionally improve their meals. The crops in the fields were far more important; they were the lifeblood of the farmers.

    This time, Lu Qing did not go to the spot where he had previously caught the strange fish.

    These peculiar fish were fine to catch asionally, but if he caught a few every few days, even a fool would know something was off.

    Besides, even if he caught one now, he had no ce to sell it. He couldn''t always rely on Dr. Chen to help him sell them.

    As for eating them himself, he was reluctant. Ever since he learned the value of the strange fish, Lu Qing nned to make it an important source of ie.

    He decided to fish at another spot he had discovered on his first visit to the riverside.After fixing up the fishing spot, Lu Qing began to fish.

    Compared to the previous two times, this fishing trip was uneventful.

    After an hour, he had caught nearly half a bucket of fish.

    The fish varied in size, thergest being a two or three-pound grass carp, and the smallest being the same little white fish.

    With nearly half a bucket of fish, Lu Qing began to pack up.

    These fish should be enough to feed the nocturnal spirit fox for several nights.

    Back home, after Xiao Yan fell asleep that night, Lu Qing once again heard the familiar scratching at the door.

    This time, he did not panic. He calmly took the fish he had prepared from the kitchen and opened the front door.

    As the door opened, he saw the little ck beast standing in the middle of the courtyard.

    However, its mood seemed much calmer this time.

    Although it was still cautious, it didn''t look as rmed as the previous night, with its fur all standing on end.

    "I''ve been waiting for you."

    Lu Qing smiled, trying to appear as peaceful and friendly as possible.

    He then took out a wooden basin filled with fish and slowly walked toward the courtyard.

    The ck beast retreated a few steps and made a warning sound.

    Lu Qing immediately stopped, "Don''t be nervous, I mean no harm."

    He gently ced the basin on the ground and slowly backed away.

    Once he was back inside, the ck beast calmed down, sniffed the air, and in a sh, darted to the basin, grabbed thergest fish, and disappeared to eat it.

    Lu Qing wasn''t surprised. He waited quietly inside the door.

    Sure enough, after a while, the beast reappeared in the courtyard, grabbed another fish, and disappeared again.

    The little creature was quite cautious.

    Lu Qing chuckled and lost interest in watching a wild animal eat.

    There were plenty of small fish in the bucket. The little beast would be running back and forth for a while, and he didn''t want to wait around.

    He closed the door, went back to his room, and feltpletely rxed.

    It seemed he had solved the problem perfectly.

    Although he had to part with some fish, for someone who loved fishing, that amount of fish was nothing.

    He always caught more fish than he could eat. Having the nocturnal spirit fox help consume them wasn''t a bad thing.

    It was like in the countryside, where leftover food and bones were fed to cats and dogs.

    With a rxed mind, Lu Qing had another good night''s sleep.

    The next morning, he found the basin empty.

    Over two pounds of fish, all gone. The little creature had quite an appetite.

    After cleaning up, Lu Qing prepared breakfast.

    After eating with Xiao Yan, they prepared to visit Dr. Chen.

    Carrying over a pound of freshly caught small fish, Lu Qing took Xiao Yan out.

    Dr. Chen had mentioned he liked small fish, and since Lu Qing had caught plenty, he brought some along.

    Walking up the mountain path, Lu Qing felt a hint of anticipation.

    Dr. Chen had gone to town yesterday to sell the Red Moon Carp for him. He wondered how it went.

    Although Dr. Chen said the Red Moon Carp was a rare and valuable fish that would easily sell, Lu Qing was still a bit anxious until he saw the silver in hand.

    At the house, Lu Qing saw Dr. Chen just finishing his morning exercise.

    "Grandpa Chen!" Xiao Yan ran up to him.

    "Xiao Yan, did you miss Grandpa?" Dr. Chen picked up the little girl.

    "I did~" Xiao Yan replied sweetly.

    "Hahaha..."

    "Good morning, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing greeted as well.

    "You''re looking well today. Did the wild animal not bother you again?" Dr. Chen asked.

    In Dr. Chen''s view, his medicinal powder was always effective. No matter what wild animal it was, they would stay away after smelling it. He had given Lu Qing arge bag, enough to keep even tigers and leopards at bay. A mere unknown beast shouldn''t be an exception.

    However, Lu Qing looked a bit embarrassed.

    "Grandpa Chen, it seems the powder wasn''t very effective. The beast came to my house again these past two nights."

    "Oh, really?" Dr. Chen was surprised.

    "I don''t know why, but it doesn''t seem to fear the powder," Lu Qing answered truthfully.

    "How did you get it to leave?"

    Dr. Chen looked at Lu Qing''splexion, confirming he hadn''t stayed up all night.

    "I didn''t do anything special. It seemed to be after the fish in my house, so I threw some fish to it. After eating, it left."

    "It likes to eat fish?" Dr. Chen pondered. "What does this beast look like? Did you get a good look?"

    "It''s a small ck beast, about two feet long, all ck except for its paws and neck, which are white. Grandpa Chen, do you know what kind of beast it is?"

    "A two-foot-long ck beast?" Dr. Chen thought for a moment and shook his head. "I''ve traveled far and wide for many years and have never seen such a beast."

    "Even you don''t know?" Lu Qing was surprised.

    "You must understand," Dr. Chenughed, "this world is vast and boundless, full of countless creatures. Although I''ve traveled for decades, the ces I''ve been to are just a small part of the world. It''s normal to encounter creatures I don''t recognize."

    "You''re right, Grandpa Chen." Lu Qing nodded.

    He had hoped to learn more about the nocturnal spirit fox from Dr. Chen, but it seemed that wasn''t going to happen.

    "However, from your description, the little beast seems quite intelligent. Since it doesn''t intend to harm people and only wants food, there''s no need to drive it away for now."

    Dr. Chen, with his vast experience, knew that some creatures in this world were very special.

    From Lu Qing''s description, the little ck beast seemed to be one of them.

    "I think so too. Anyway, I can''t eat all the fish I catch. Sharing some with it is no big deal," Lu Qing smiled.

    Even if he wanted to drive it away, he wouldn''t dare.

    That little creature was quite formidable!

    Xiao Yan, who had been listening for a while, finally understood what they were talking about.

    Her eyes lit up. "Brother, next time you feed the little beast, can Xiao Yan see it too?"

    "That might be difficult," Lu Qing said. "It seems to onlye when you''re asleep."

    "Why?" The little girl looked a bit disappointed. "Does it hate Xiao Yan?"

    "I don''t know," Lu Qing replied, "maybe it''s just shy. When it gets more familiar with us, it might be willing to see you."

    "Brother, you must make friends with it quickly. Xiao Yan wants to see what it looks like," she said eagerly.

    "I''ll try my best."

    What else could Lu Qing say? He could only nod and agree.

    "By the way, Grandpa Chen, this is for you. I caught some small fish yesterday. You mentioned you liked themst time. I hope these are enough."

    Lu Qing handed over the fresh small fish he had prepared.

    Dr. Chen looked at them, quite satisfied. "Put them inside. By the way, the items you asked me to buy are also back. They''re in the house."

 Chapter 31

    As soon as Lu Qing entered the house, he saw a brand-newrge iron pot ced there.

    Dr. Chen returned to the inner room and took out a cloth bag.

    "These silver taels are from selling the Red Moon Carp. Keep them well," he said, handing the bag to Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing felt the heavy weight in his hands and was surprised.

    "So much, Grandpa Chen? How much did the Red Moon Carp sell for?"

    "Your luck is good," Dr. Chen replied. "The noble I delivered the herbs to this time, his wife has been weak recently and needed nourishment. When he heard I had a Red Moon Carp, he bought it immediately for one hundred taels of silver."

    "One hundred taels?" Lu Qing''s eyes widened. "Grandpa Chen, didn''t you say the Red Moon Carp was too big and its value would be lower?"

    He remembered Dr. Chen mentioning that even the best Red Moon Carp was worth at most one hundred taels.

    "That''s why I said your luck is good," Dr. Chen said, stroking his beard. "Usually, only the best Red Moon Carp fetches one hundred taels. But this nobleman dotes on his wife. Besides being delicious, the Red Moon Carp is highly nutritious, so he bought it at the highest price."Such a coincidence.

    Lu Qing couldn''t help but agree with Dr. Chen. His luck was indeed good.

    "I got you the full one hundred taels in silver. After deducting the ten taels for your past medical treatments, five taels for the iron pot and salt, you have eighty-five taels left."

    Lu Qing opened the bag and saw the gleaming silver, which was somewhat dazzling.

    There were various ingots, big ones worth ten taels each, small ones worth five taels, and some loose silver pieces.

    It was clear Dr. Chen had exchanged part of it for small silver pieces for his daily use.

    As for the fifteen taels spent, Lu Qing didn''t mind.

    Dr. Chen''s fee of ten taels for treatment and medicine seemed high, but knowing Dr. Chen, he suspected it was undercharged.

    As for the cost of the iron pot and salt, the iron pot being expensive was expected.

    In his memory, the original owner of the body had sold an iron pot for quite a sum.

    Even now, not many families in the vige could afford an iron pot, showing its value.

    But regardless of the cost, Lu Qing had to buy one.

    After living in this world for so long, he was tired of eating boiled and stewed food all the time.

    With an iron pot, he could make many more dishes.

    While he couldpromise on clothing, he couldn''t skimp on food¡ªa principle he always adhered to.

    "I also seasoned the iron pot for youst night. You can use it right away without having to season it yourself," Dr. Chen added.

    Lu Qing looked and saw the inside of the pot was already shiny, properly seasoned.

    "Grandpa Chen, seasoning a pot takes a lot of oil. Let me pay you," Lu Qing said, opening the bag.

    "No need," Dr. Chen waved it off. "It just took two pieces of pork fat, not worth much. I don''t want to bother giving you change."

    Seeing Dr. Chen insist, Lu Qing didn''t push further.

    He knew people in this world looked down on pork, especially the upper sses, who considered it lowly meat for the poor. Those with some wealth preferred beef ormb.

    So pork wasn''t expensivepared to beef ormb, though still not cheap formoners who couldn''t afford meat often.

    Even pork was a rare treat, usually reserved for festivals or special asions.

    But Dr. Chen wasn''t short on money, and two pieces of pork fat were nothing to him.

    "Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

    "Enough with the thanks. Lie down so I can give you acupuncture."

    Lu Qing obediently took off his shirt andy on the wooden bed.

    Dr. Chen took out the silver needles.

    "Today is the third andst time I''ll give you acupuncture. After this, you won''t need it anymore."

    "Grandpa Chen, does that mean I''m fully recovered?" Lu Qing asked joyfully.

    "Notpletely, but your vital energy is stable. With good food and rest, you''ll slowly recover. There''s no need for more acupuncture."

    "Thank you, Grandpa Chen."

    "Rx and stay still."

    Dr. Chen began inserting the needles, and soon Lu Qing fell asleep.

    Dr. Chen looked at the sleeping Lu Qing with a slight frown.

    Though Lu Qing had been recovering well under his care, he couldn''t find the reason for Lu Qing''s sudden improvement.

    Despite detailed examinations during acupuncture, there was nothing abnormal in Lu Qing''s body, no lingering issues, which puzzled him.

    After some thought, unable to find an answer, Dr. Chen rxed his brow.

    Not finding the cause was fine as long as Lu Qing was getting better, making his efforts worthwhile.

    "Grandpa Chen, is Brother asleep?" Xiao Yan asked softly.

    Having seen several acupuncture sessions, the little girl was no longer as scared, though she still didn''t dare watch closely.

    "Yes, he''s asleep. Let''s not disturb him. Come outside. I bought some pastries from the city yesterday that are supposed to taste very good."

    "Really? What kind of pastries?"

    "Osmanthus cake..."

    When Lu Qing woke up, he felt full of energy.

    This time, it wasn''t a mere illusion like after the first acupuncture. He was truly recovering.

    All thanks to Dr. Chen.

    As he thought this, he heard Xiao Yan''sughter outside.

    He smiled, put on his shirt, and walked out.

    Dr. Chen and Xiao Yan were sitting on stone stools, the girl holding a pastry,ughing with her feet swinging, her head thrown back in joy.

    The scene was almost identical to when Lu Qing first woke up from acupuncture.

    But now, he was healthier, with a hundred taels of silver, and a chance to learn medicine from Dr. Chen.

    Everything had changed.

 Chapter 32

    Lu Family, in the kitchen.

    Lu Qing was tending the fire, a brand-new iron pot ced on the stove.

    Initially, he had nned to bring the pot home discreetly after dark. However, he realized that in such a close-knit vige, keeping secrets was nearly impossible.

    Even if he snuck the pot home, the aroma of stir-fried dishes would reveal the truth eventually. Unlike steamed or boiled dishes, stir-frying produces a distinctive fragrance. He couldn''t seal off the kitchen to keep the scent contained.

    So, he decided to openly carry the pot back, inevitably causing a smallmotion in the vige.

    An iron pot was considered a luxury for the vigers. Many still couldn''t afford one.

    Seeing Lu Qing with such arge iron pot naturally drew everyone''s attention.

    Lu Qing imed that Doctor Chen had given it to him, stirring envy and astonishment among the vigers.

    An iron pot was worth several taels of silver. Doctor Chen must really value Lu Qing to gift him something so precious.This confirmed to the vigers that Doctor Chen truly regarded Lu Qing as a disciple and held him in high esteem.

    Otherwise, why would he gift such an expensive item to a disciple? Normally, disciples were expected to honor their masters, not the other way around.

    Especially since the pot was already seasoned, it further solidified their belief.

    Reflecting on the vigers'' reactions, Lu Qing felt relieved. Fortunately, he had the foresight to leave most of his silver with Doctor Chen, only bringing back a few loose pieces.

    Otherwise, arge bag of silver would have surely drawn unwanted attention.

    If a nosy viger had opened the bag out of curiosity, it would have been troublesome.

    The fire was now burning well, and soon the pot started to smoke.

    Lu Qing took adle ofrd and added it to the pot. Watching therd melt, he felt a surge of satisfaction.

    Now that he had money, he no longer needed to be frugal with oil.

    Previously, he had always struggled to use the least amount of oil while still making decent-tasting food.

    In a joyful mood, Lu Qing quickly prepared two dishes and a soup: fried fish, fish soup, and stir-fried vegetables.

    Though simple due to limited seasonings, the moment Lu Qing took his first bite, he was nearly moved to tears.

    Finally, this was the taste he had long dreamed of.

    "Brother, the food cooked in this big iron pot is so delicious!"

    On the other side, Xiao Yan was eating happily. Even the usually disliked green vegetables tasted wonderful to her.

    "Of course, this big iron pot is a great tool for cooking. That''s why I''ve always wanted one."

    "The big iron pot is amazing!"

    The siblings enjoyed their meal immensely, leaving nothing behind, not even the soup.

    After eating, Xiao Yan patted her slightly full stomach, looking satisfied.

    "Brother, let''s always use the big iron pot for cooking from now on."

    "Okay."

    Lu Qing nodded without hesitation. That was the very reason he insisted on buying the iron pot.

    However, they wouldn''t have stir-fried dishes every meal. Even the best food can be tiresome if eaten too often.

    Trying different dishes asionally was a good idea too.

    After dinner, Lu Qing read for a while. As the sky darkened, he put away his book.

    He moved the old reclining chair to the yard,y down on it, and watched the sunset in the distance.

    Although he appeared to be daydreaming, he was actually thinking.

    He pondered over what Wang Da''an had said about the uing market.

    The oil at home was nearly depleted after tonight¡¯s indulgence and needed replenishing.

    There were also items he couldn''t ask Doctor Chen to buy.

    Plus, it was time to return the borrowed items to the vigers.

    Therefore, attending the market was a must for him.

    "I''ll go tomorrow. Da''an said there are rules to follow at the market. I can ask him about them."

    Lu Qing quickly made up his mind.

    "Brother, will the little beaste to our house tonight?"

    Xiao Yan suddenly asked.

    "It should," Lu Qing replied uncertainly.

    "Then I''ll wait for it tonight."

    The little girl was very curious about the small beast her brother mentioned and wanted to see it for herself.

    "Alright, but if it gets toote and it hasn''te, you must go to sleep."

    "Okay~"

    Xiao Yan decided to stay up and wait for the little beast.

    But children¡¯s willpower isn¡¯t strong.

    Used to sleeping early, Xiao Yan¡¯s eyelids grew heavy as the night progressed.

    In the end, despite her efforts, she soon fell asleep.

    Not long after she dozed off, Lu Qing heard the familiar scratching at the door.

    He was surprised.

    Could it be that the little creature was waiting for Xiao Yan to fall asleep before showing up?

    Holding a te of prepared fish, Lu Qing opened the door.

    Sure enough, the little ck beast was there.

    This time, it stayed in the middle of the yard, looking more rxed and less wary.

    Lu Qing even thought he saw a hint of anticipation in its eyes when it saw him.

    Could it have be sentient?

    Lu Qing wondered, cing the fish on the ground and stepping back.

    As soon as he retreated to the doorway, the ck beast approached, grabbed a fish, and ran off.

    Alright, though its vignce had lessened, it was still cautious.

    Watching the ck beast run back and forth, taking a fish each time, Lu Qing chuckled.

    He closed the door, yawned, and went to bed.

    He had many tasks to handle the next day and no time to y with the little creature.

    The night passed without incident.

    The next morning, Lu Qing saw the empty wooden basin.

    How did the little creature digest so much food? It was small, yet its appetite was astonishing.

    Two or three pounds of fish were gone in no time, more than an adult could eat.

    "Brother, did the little beastest night?"

    Xiao Yan was up, asking as soon as she ran out of the room.

    "It did. Look, it ate all the fish."

    Lu Qing pointed to the empty basin.

    "Ah! Why didn¡¯t you wake me up!"

    Xiao Yan was frustrated.

    "I told you, if you fall asleep, I won''t wake you."

    "Brother, I''ve decided. I won''t sleep tonight. I''ll wait for the little beast!"

    "Alright, good luck."

    Lu Qing didn¡¯t mind.

    He was now certain that the Fish Stone was indeed magical.

    With it, Xiao Yan couldn¡¯t stay upte even if she tried.

    At bedtime, she would surely feel sleepy and go to bed, making things much easier for him.

    "Xiao Yan, go y at Grandpa Zhang''s house today. I have to go out."

    "Where are you going, brother?"

    "You''ll know when Ie back."

    After asking Grandpa Zhang next door to watch over Xiao Yan, Lu Qing took a piece of silver and headed to Wang Da''an''s house.

 Chapter 33

    "Amin, are you home?"

    In front of a mud house, Lu Qing called out.

    "Who''s that? Who''s calling me?" A tall figure ran out of the house, and upon seeing Lu Qing, he was pleasantly surprised. "It''s you, LuQing. What brings you here?"

    "Amin, who is it?"

    Before Lu Qing could answer, an elderly voice came from inside, and an old man with a bamboo pipe also stepped out of the house.

    "Grandpa, it''s LuQing!" Wang Da''an called out directly.

    "Grandpa Wang." Lu Qing greeted the old man.

    "Oh, it''s LuQing. Come in,e in, have a seat inside."

    Seeing Lu Qing, the old man was also delighted and tried to pull him inside for a drink."No need, Grandpa Wang. I have something to discuss with Amin, so I won''t disturb you inside." Lu Qing quickly declined.

    "By the way, what brings you here?" Wang Da''an asked.

    "I want to go to the big market. Last time you said if I wanted to go, I shoulde to you first because there are some rules I need to know."

    "You want to go to the big market?" Wang Da''an was taken aback, then he reacted, "Oh, today is market day."

    The big market is held once every five days, and today is exactly the fifth day since thest market.

    "LuQing, what do you want to do at the big market, sell fish?" Wang Da''an asked.

    "I''m not in a hurry to sell fish. I want to check out the market first, understand the situation, and maybe buy some things."

    "I see, I don''t have a problem with that. It''s just that Grandpa was just asking me to go collect pigweed." Wang Da''an scratched his head.

    Grandpa Wang took two puffs of his pipe and said, "In that case, Da''an, you take LuQing along. He is now the head of his household and should know the rules for going out."

    "Alright, Grandpa, don''t worry. I''ll make sure to teach LuQing!" Wang Da''an said happily.

    He was quite pleased not to have to collect pigweed, which was a boring task.

    "Let''s go, LuQing, we can talk on the way."

    Wang Da''an pulled Lu Qing and started walking out.

    At the vige entrance, Wang Da''an pointed to a big tree.

    "LuQing, the first rule for going out is right here."

    "Here?" Lu Qing looked at the tree, a bit puzzled.

    He knew this tree well. It wasn''t very tall, but it was thick, with lush branches and leaves. The trunk was so wide that it took several people to encircle it.

    It looked somewhat like a banyan tree from his previous life.

    And this tree seemed to be quite important.

    Not only did people often burn incense at its base, but the vige children were also warned from a young age to stay away from it and not to climb it.

    If anyone vited this rule and was caught, they would get a severe beating at the least and could end up kneeling in the ancestral hall without food.

    So the vige children always kept their distance from this tree, preferring to y in other ces.

    However, he couldn''t find any real use for this tree in his memories and thought it was just for praying for peace.

    Now hearing Wang Da''an, it seemed to have another purpose.

    "That''s right, this tree is our vige''s sacred tree and signal tree. Anyone going out, whether to the big market or the city, must leave a mark here to indicate their destination."

    "In this way, if someone doesn''t return in time, the vige can trace their whereabouts based on the mark."

    "This tree has such a use?" Lu Qing was surprised.

    He never thought the tree he feared in his memories had such a history.

    "How do you leave a mark on it?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Here."

    Wang Da''an walked forward and lifted a stone b at the base of the tree.

    When he came back, he had two red strings in his hand.

    Wang Da''an handed one red string to Lu Qing and pointed at the tree:

    "Do you see those old branches on the tree? The left side represents the big market, the middle represents the city, and the right side represents other distant ces."

    "In the future, when you go out, tie a red string on the corresponding branch, so the vige will know someone has gone out."

    "When youe back, just take the red string off."

    "Is that all?" Lu Qing was stunned.

    He thought it would be moreplicated, but it turned out to be so simple.

    "That''s all. What else would you expect?" Wang Da''an was puzzled.

    "Don''t we need to hang a tag or some other sign? Otherwise, how would people know who went out?" Lu Qing asked.

    "A tag for what?" Wang Da''an was even more confused.

    "We could write names on the tags..."

    As Lu Qing said this, he suddenly realized.

    He forgot that most people in the vige were illiterate.

    Sure enough, Wang Da''an grinned at his words.

    "You think we''re all like you, LuQing, knowing so many characters. Who would write their name?"

    "Besides, it''s unnecessary. The vige is small. If a red string is left, just asking around will reveal who hasn''t returned."

    Lu Qing thought about it and agreed.

    His mind was stuck in the past, thinking this ce was like his previous life where people could easily travel.

    In reality, in such an ancient world, vigers were very cautious about going out.

    They wouldn''t leave the vige unless necessary.

    Some vigers might never go far in their entire life.

    Children were strictly forbidden to run outside.

    In such a situation, there weren''t many people leaving the vige, so it wasn''t too troublesome.

    This also made Lu Qing understand why people often burned incense under this tree.

    Besides worshipping gods, vigers were mostly praying for the safety of those who went out.

    "Here, let me tie it for you."

    Wang Da''an tied two red strings on the left branch.

    "Another rule in the vige is that the big market is close. If you want to go, you can go alone, just tie the red string here."

    "But if you go to the city or farther, at least two people must go together to look out for each other."

    "If no one in our vige wants to go to the city, you can ask in the neighboring vige. See if anyone wants to go together. Our viges have simr rules for going out."

    "Going to the city is different from going to the market. More people can take care of each other."

    "Amin, is the road to the city very dangerous?" Lu Qing asked upon hearing these rules.

    Wang Da''an paused and then said, "Not really dangerous. It''s been peaceful these years, but my grandpa said that bandits used to appear on the road. Someone from the neighboring vige was captured and only escaped after several years."

    "We all thought he had died outside. When he escaped back, we found out he had been captured by bandits."

    "Butter, the county lord sent people to exterminate those bandits, so the road became peaceful again."

    "Since then, our viges established these rules for going out."

    Bandits!

    Lu Qing was shocked.

    Indeed, this world was not as peaceful as he thought.

    The term "county lord" also caught his attention.

    But Lu Qing didn''t ask more. There would be time to learnter.

    After exining the vige rules and tying the red strings, Wang Da''an finally led Lu Qing towards the direction of the big market.

 Chapter 34

    "Is this the Grand Bazaar?" Lu Qing was surprised as he looked at the bustling scene in front of him.

    The Grand Bazaar was even livelier than he had imagined. The stalls on both sides were orderly, reminiscent of the markets he had seen in small towns in his previous life.

    "Yes, this is the Grand Bazaar," Wang Da''an nodded and pointed ahead. "Do you see those stalls over there? Those are rented long-term, only for those who run regr businesses."

    Lu Qing observed that the stalls Wang Da''an pointed out mainly sold meat, cloth, or grain.

    Wang Da''an continued, "Further back is an open space where you don''t need to rent a stall. However, if you want to sell something there, you have to pay a fee of one coin."

    "If you want to sell fish, A-Qing, you can just go to the open space."

    "Who do I pay the fee to?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Master Ma," Wang Da''an pointed to a ce. "See that man in the blue cloth? He''s Master Ma, the one who collects the temporary stall fees here."

    Lu Qing looked over and saw a middle-aged man in blue clothes, somewhat thin, walking around the bazaar with a smile.He also noticed several other men in simr cloth patrolling to maintain order.

    As if sensing Lu Qing and Wang Da''an''s gaze, Master Ma suddenly turned his head, his eyes sharp. Seeing two young farmers in shabby clothes, his expression softened, and he moved his gaze away, continuing his stroll.

    Lu Qing''s heart tightened. To sense their gaze from such a distance, this Master Ma was not an ordinary person. He no longer dared to stare directly, only watching from the corner of his eye.

    Soon, he saw a dense white light appear around Master Ma.

    [Ma Gu: Deep-thinking, fair in actions, sharp-eyed, greatly respected at the bazaar.]

    [Cultivation: Strong and muscr, initial stage of the Postnatal Bone and Muscle Realm.]

    Receiving this information from his ability, Lu Qing''s face remained unchanged, but his heart was turbulent. A practitioner, this Master Ma was a practitioner! No wonder his senses were so keen; he was an extraordinary practitioner.

    This was the second practitioner Lu Qing had encountered sinceing to this world. The first was naturally Old Doctor Chen. However, despite both being practitioners, Lu Qing noticed differences. For one, the light around Master Ma was white, while Old Doctor Chen''s was red. Clearly, in the path of cultivation, Old Doctor Chen was more advanced than Master Ma.

    Was the difference in their realms? Lu Qing noted that Master Ma''s cultivation was at the initial stage of the Postnatal Bone and Muscle Realm, while Old Doctor Chen was at the Postnatal Internal Organ Realm. Did this mean the Internal Organ Realm was stronger than the Bone and Muscle Realm? Were there other realms between these two?

    Lu Qing''s thoughts churned as he pondered.

    "A-Qing, you''ve seen the Grand Bazaar now. Didn''t you say you wanted to buy something? What do you need?" Wang Da''an interrupted Lu Qing''s thoughts.

    Lu Qing put his thoughts away and smiled, "I have quite a few things to buy. I''ll need your help, Da''an."

    "You''re buying a lot? Did you strike it rich, A-Qing?" Wang Da''an''s eyes widened.

    Lu Qing smiled without answering. Wang Da''an realized it wasn''t appropriate to discuss this here and didn''t ask further. He patted his chest, "Don''t worry, no matter how much you buy, I''ll help you carry it home!"

    "Thanks, Da''an."

    Lu Qing walked towards the stalls. His first stop was the meat stall. The pork on disy didn''t look as good as the meticulously fed pork from his previous life, but to Lu Qing, it was still enticing. He hadn''t had a good piece of meat in a long time!

    He picked tworge pieces of fatty meat and some half-fat, half-lean pieces and prepared to pay. However, the stall owner looked troubled when he saw the silver Lu Qing took out.

    "Young sir, you''re joking with me. I can''t make change for this silver," he said.

    "Can''t make change?" Lu Qing was puzzled.

    "No, I just opened my stall today and haven''t had much business. Your silver is almost half a tael; I don''t have that many copper coins to give you," the stall owner exined honestly.

    Wang Da''an was also startled by the silver Lu Qing took out. He quickly covered Lu Qing''s hand and pulled him aside.

    "A-Qing, where did you get the silver?"

    "Grandpa Chen gave it to me."

    Lu Qing used Old Doctor Chen as a shield. After all, when they descended the mountain, Old Doctor Chen had said if anyone asked about the silver, he should say it was given by him.

    "Old Doctor Chen treats you well."

    Wang Da''an looked envious. Why couldn''t he be Old Doctor Chen''s apprentice? But then he realized, "Even if the silver is from Old Doctor Chen, you shouldn''t take it out directly. No one uses silver at the bazaar!"

    "But I don''t have any copper coins, only this silver."

    Lu Qing knew silver was precious, but his family was running out of food, and he needed to buy many things. They didn''t have copper coins, and even if they did, carrying them would be inconvenient.

    "That makes sense."

    Knowing Lu Qing''s family situation, Wang Da''an scratched his head, unsure of what to say.

    "Young sir, do you still want the meat?" the stall owner called.

    "I want it, but you said you can''t make change for the silver," Lu Qing said helplessly.

    The stall owner was at a loss.

    "What happened here?"

    A gentle voice sounded. Lu Qing turned to see the middle-aged man Wang Da''an called Master Ma standing behind them.

    "Master Ma!"

    The stall owner and Wang Da''an quickly bowed.

    "I heard somemotion here. What happened?" Master Ma asked.

    "Master Ma, this young man brought silver to buy meat, but I can''t make change for it," the stall owner exined.

    "Oh?"

    Master Ma looked at Lu Qing. Even he rarely saw someone using silver at the bazaar. Seeing Lu Qing''s attire, he was even more surprised.

    "Young man, where did you get the silver?" Master Ma asked.

    "Why, do you need to exin where your moneyes from to buy things at the bazaar?" Lu Qing asked calmly.

    "No, that''s not necessary. My apologies," Master Ma bowed slightly, apologizing. He smiled, "I''m just curious. You don''t look like someone who would have silver."

    Although Master Ma was smiling, the stall owner and Wang Da''an felt a pressure and began to sweat.

    Lu Qing seemed affected by the pressure, showing a nervous expression. After a moment''s hesitation, he said, "The silver is from my master."

    "Oh? Who is your master?" Master Ma''s smile remained.

    "I don''t know my master''s name, but everyone calls him Old Doctor Chen."

    "What, that old doctor?"

    Master Ma''s expression changed immediately.

 Chapter 35

    "Young master, did you say your master is that old doctor Chen?"

    Master Ma''s face lost its previous smile and became somewhat serious.

    "It seems the vigers do refer to him as such."

    The tension on Lu Qing''s face eased a bit as he responded.

    "Yes, Master Ma, this little brother of mine goes to study with Doctor Chen every day."

    At this moment, Wang Da''an seized the opportunity to chime in.

    Master Ma scrutinized Lu Qing and Wang Da''an, then suddenly smiled.

    "So, you''re a distinguished student of Doctor Chen. My apologies."

    Master Ma solemnly bowed to Lu Qing, which seemed to startle him, causing him to step back two paces.He hurriedly waved his hands, "I can''t bear such a title. I only know a little about herbs from my master; I can''t even diagnose illnesses yet."

    Seeing Lu Qing''s honesty, Master Ma couldn''t help but smile.

    "Regardless, I did offend you earlier. How about this: I''ll pay for the meat you bought at this stall."

    "That won''t do," Lu Qing shook his head repeatedly. "One shouldn''t ept unearned rewards; my master taught me not to take things from others casually."

    "But I did offend you. Think of this meat as my apology."

    No matter how Master Ma insisted, Lu Qing steadfastly refused to let him pay.

    Wang Da''an, watching from the side, was wide-eyed.

    This was the first time he had seen Master Ma being so courteous to someone.

    And that someone was his little brother, Lu Qing.

    Seeing Lu Qing continuously refuse Master Ma''s offer, Wang Da''an was anxious.

    That was several catties of meat, after all. How could anyone refuse such a gift? What was LuQing thinking?

    Though anxious, Wang Da''an didn''t intervene. He knew Lu Qing could read and had the old doctor''s guidance, so he must have his reasons.

    Master Ma, seeing Lu Qing''s refusal, had a sudden idea and smiled again.

    "You truly are kind-hearted, befitting of Doctor Chen''s student. How about this, I noticed you seem to need change for that silver. Shall I help you with that?"

    The butcher immediately chimed in, "Indeed, young master, Master Ma is the only one here who can change your silver."

    Lu Qing hesitated briefly, then nodded, "Then I''ll trouble you, Master Ma."

    He took out the silver, and Master Ma, seeing it was a fine piece of snowke-patterned silver, believed Lu Qing''s words even more.

    A typical vige boy wouldn''t have ess to such fine silver.

    Weighing it, Master Ma smiled, "This silver is about six taels, which equals roughly six hundred copper coins."

    Master Ma took a cloth bag from his body, pulled out two small strings of copper coins, and handed the bag to Lu Qing.

    "These copper coins should be worth your silver. Count them."

    Lu Qing took the bag and began counting without hesitation.

    Wang Da''an wanted to help but knew he wasn''t good at counting. He''d only cause confusion, so he watched anxiously from the side.

    Lu Qing quickly counted the coins.

    Master Ma watched Lu Qing''s counting with narrowed eyes.

    It''s rare for vigers to be literate, and those who can count beyond a hundred are even rarer.

    Watching Lu Qing count, it was clear he had no difficulty with numbers.

    Master Ma became increasingly convinced that Lu Qing was indeed Doctor Chen''s disciple.

    Soon, Lu Qing finished counting.

    "It seems there''s extra."

    There were six hundred and fifty copper coins in the bag, fifty more than the exchange rate of one tael to a thousand copper coins.

    "It''s not extra. Your silver is of excellent quality; the extra fifty coins are justified." Master Ma smiled.

    Lu Qing thought for a moment and didn''t refuse.

    He understood that Master Ma was showing goodwill.

    But after refusing several times, he couldn''t continue to be ungracious.

    Besides, this could be an opportunity to learn more about the outside world.

    "Now that the money is exchanged, you can shop with ease. By the way, young master, may I know your name?" Master Ma inquired.

    "I am Lu Qing," he said, pointing to Wang Da''an beside him, "and this is my fellow viger, Brother Da''an."

    "Master Ma, I am Wang Da''an," Wang Da''an said obsequiously.

    "Wang Da''an, not bad."

    Master Ma could see that Wang Da''an was just an ordinary vige youth.

    Nevertheless, he nodded graciously.

    This simple gesture was enough to make Wang Da''an excited, his face flushed.

    "Brother Lu Qing, I wish you a pleasant time here. I have some matters to attend to, so I''ll take my leave."

    Master Ma was perceptive enough not to linger but kept a respectful distance.

    Lu Qing was d to see him go.

    Though he intended to befriend Master Ma, now was not the time.

    Currently, their strengths were not equal.

    For now, he was only held in regard because of his identity as "Doctor Chen''s disciple."

    After Master Ma left, Lu Qing returned to the butcher''s stall.

    "Boss, can I buy the meat now?"

    "Of course." The butcher beamed, "Young master, I didn''t know you were Doctor Chen''s student. No wonder you''re so dignified!"

    Lu Qing nced at his patched clothes, feeling a bit speechless.

    "Is this what you call dignified?"

    "Boss, you know Doctor Chen too?" Wang Da''an asked curiously.

    "Young man, who around here doesn''t know Doctor Chen? My wife got a postpartum infectionst year, nearly lost her life. It was Doctor Chen who cured her. He''s a renowned healer in these parts!"

    "In that case, shouldn''t you give us a discount on the meat?" Wang Da''an suggested.

    "Of course, a discount!"

    In the end, the butcher shaved off a few coins from the price, saving Lu Qing three wen.

    After buying the meat, Lu Qing and Wang Da''an continued shopping at the market.

    Soon, they had bought arge pile of goods.

    Mainly food and daily necessities.

    Grain was the biggest purchase.

    Besides that, Lu Qing also bought some vegetable seeds and needles.

    He wanted to grow more vegetables in the courtyard, not just forage for wild ones.

    As for the needles, the fishhook made from an old iron needle at home was no longer reliable.

    He needed to make more fishhooks as spares.

    Lu Qing also saw fish for sale at the market. Upon inquiring, he found it was cheaper than pork.

    But that''s understandable. For the poor, fat is crucial, so even pork''s fat is more expensive than lean meat.

    Fish,cking fat, didn''t stave off hunger.

    Only wealthy nobles would pay dearly for a taste of fish.

    Formoners, if given a choice, they would prefer pork over fish.

    After buying these items, more than half of Lu Qing''s six hundred fifty copper coins were spent.

    He bought tworge bamboo baskets, and he and Wang Da''an carried and lifted their purchases.

    Finally, they left the market with heavy steps, heading back to the vige.

 Chapter 36

    Lu Qing and Wang Da''an''s grand shopping spree at the Grand Bazaar naturally attracted quite a bit of attention.

    So, when they left, a few people gathered outside the Grand Bazaar, whispering among themselves.

    "Boss, those two kids bought a lot of stuff. They look like fat sheep. Should we go and get some money from them?" suggested a young man with shifty eyes.

    However, his suggestion was met with immediate disdain from the others.

    Especially the man called "Boss," who looked at him as if he were an idiot.

    "Are you out of your mind? Didn''t you see even Mr. Ma was polite to that kid? And you want me to rob them?"

    Feeling unjustly scolded, the shifty-eyed youth felt a bit aggrieved.

    "I just thought they looked like easy targets. Look at all the stuff they''re carrying. It must have cost hundreds of wen. Even taking a little would make us happy for days."

    (Trantor Note:The word "Wen" (ÎÄ) refers to a unit of currency used in ancient China. It was a form of cash coin and was widely used for transactions.)Hearing this, the Boss fell silent.

    How could he not be tempted? Just the meat those two kids were carrying made his mouth water.

    Lately, they had been down on their luck and hadn''t tasted meat in days.

    But thinking of Mr. Ma in the Grand Bazaar made him a bit scared.

    That guy wasn''t someone to mess with. Offending him would spell trouble for them all.

    Still, the thought of the goods Lu Qing and Wang Da''an were carrying was hard to resist.

    As they hesitated, inside the Grand Bazaar, Mr. Ma was summoning one of his subordinates.

    "Xiao Tian, I remember Old Doctor Chen lives in Jiuli Vige, right?"

    "Yes, that old doctor lives halfway up a small hill next to Jiuli Vige. Everyone in the nearby viges knows him."

    Xiao Tian replied respectfully.

    "Find some time to visit Jiuli Vige and see if that old doctor has recently taken on an apprentice named Lu Qing."

    "Yes," Xiao Tian replied, understanding that Mr. Ma wanted to check on the young man who had bought items with silver just now.

    Suddenly recalling something, Xiao Tian quickly reported, "Mr. Ma, I saw Chen San and his gang acting suspiciously outside. It seemed like they had some ideas about that boy named Lu Qing."

    "Chen San? What are those little punks doing on my turf?" Mr. Ma squinted his eyes.

    "I heard they stole some things from Damu vige recently and were banned from going near it by the vige elders. So, they''ve been hanging around here."

    "Those little punks never do anything good, just thinking about stealing and robbing. Go warn them. If they dare touch our customers, I''ll break their legs!"

    "Yes, Mr. Ma!"

    Xiao Tian went out excitedly.

    He had long been annoyed by Chen San and his gang. They never did anything good, only stealing and causing trouble in the viges.

    His cousin, who was married in Damu vige, hadined to him about their house being robbed of several chickens by Chen San''s gang.

    Now, with Mr. Ma''s backing, he finally had a chance to deal with them properly.

    After Xiao Tian went out, there was soon amotion outside, apanied by cries for mercy.

    Mr. Ma ignored these minor issues and sat in his chair, deep in thought.

    Lu Qing''s appearance today had been a pleasant surprise.

    If this young man was indeed Old Doctor Chen''s apprentice, it would be great news for him.

    Themon folks only knew that the old doctor had amazing medical skills and a kind heart, a godly doctor.

    But they didn''t know that in the city, this old doctor was also highly influential.

    Many noble and wealthy people treated him as an honored guest.

    Because not only did the old doctor have remarkable medical skills, but he was also a martial arts master.

    Even the county magistrate had praised him for his profound skills, nearly reaching the peak of the Postnatal stage.

    Such a person was someone Mr. Ma had always wanted to befriend, but he had never found the right opportunity.

    Now, with Lu Qing''s appearance, he saw a glimmer of hope.

    If he could win over Lu Qing and connect with Old Doctor Chen, he might even have a chance to return to the city.

    He had had enough of this godforsaken ce.

    If not for the trouble he caused earlier, leading his father to order him to stay here for five years, he would have left long ago!

    Mr. Ma silently plotted his next steps.

    Meanwhile, Lu Qing and Wang Da''an were unaware of the happenings at the Grand Bazaar after they left.

    However, Lu Qing remained vignt, knowing that their purchases at the bazaar were quite eye-catching.

    But there was no choice. He had a lot to do in theing days and couldn''t afford to make frequent trips to the Grand Bazaar, so he had to take the risk.

    Fortunately, they encountered no unexpected incidents on their way back to the vige.

    They took down the red ribbon from the big tree, ced it back under the stone b, and continued carrying their goods to Lu Qing''s house.

    It was almost noon, and most vigers were resting at home, with few people walking around the vige.

    So, when Lu Qing returned home, they didn''t run into anyone.

    "Phew, finally back," Wang Da''an said, panting as he put down the stuff.

    "Thank you, Da''an. Without your help, I wouldn''t have been able to bring all these things back," Lu Qing said gratefully.

    The heavier items like grains and meat were carried by Wang Da''an, while Lu Qing carried lighter daily necessities.

    "Don''t mention it. It''s what I should do. Besides, I should thank you. Today was my first time talking so closely with Mr. Ma, and he even remembered my name!"

    Wang Da''an said excitedly.

    "Is Mr. Ma very powerful?" Lu Qing asked curiously.

    "Of course! You should know, the entire Grand Bazaar is managed by him, and he has a group of subordinates. In this area, he''s the most influential person!"

    This made Lu Qing even more puzzled.

    To him, the Grand Bazaar''s prosperity was a bit unexpected.

    But after all, it was just a small market, not a big deal.

    The items sold there were mostly agricultural products, not luxury goods.

    The money earned from such a market wouldn''t be much.

    But looking at Mr. Ma''s manner, he didn''t seem like someone who cared about such small money.

    Why would he stay in the Grand Bazaar?

    Could there be some hidden reason?

    Lu Qing couldn''t figure it out.

    "Da''an, has Mr. Ma always managed the Grand Bazaar?"

    "No, it used to be managed by an old man called Uncle Li. About two years ago, Mr. Ma took over."

    "I see¡­" Lu Qing thought deeply.

    "Alright, I need to go now. LuQing, you should rest. Carrying so many things back must have tired you out."

    Seeing Wang Da''an about to leave, Lu Qing quickly called out, "Wait a moment, Da''an!"

    Then he took out a piece of pork from the basket, half fat and half lean.

    "Take this meat home and cook something good tonight. Let Grandpa Wang have a taste too."

    "Oh, I can''t take this! This meat isn''t cheap. You should keep it for yourself and Xiao Yan."

    "I have plenty more. You saw it yourself. Besides, you led the way and helped me carry so many things. Consider this a token of my gratitude."

    "But it''s too much. Such a big piece of meat is worth more than ten wen."

    "Just take it!" Lu Qing insisted, pushing the meat into Wang Da''an''s hands. "If you don''t take it, I won''t feelfortable asking for your help in the future."

    "Well, alright then."

    Seeing Lu Qing so insistent, Wang Da''an had no choice but to ept the meat.

    "Alright, don''t feel bad. Hurry back. We''ve been out for a while. Grandpa Wang might be worried. Go home and let him know you''re safe."

    Seeing Wang Da''an still feeling a bit embarrassed after epting the meat, Lu Qing urged him to leave.

    After Wang Da''an left, Lu Qing cut a small piece of meat.

    Then he took the meat and went next door to Grandpa Zhang''s house to pick up Xiao Yan.

 Chapter 37

    In the kitchen, a rich aroma of meat filled the air.

    Squatting by the stove to watch the fire, Xiao Yan couldn¡¯t help but drool at the smell.

    ¡°Brother, when can we eat?¡± the little one asked impatiently.

    ¡°Just a little longer,¡± Lu Qing replied, feeling a bit restless himself.

    As a meat-lover in his previous life, Lu Qing hadn¡¯t had proper meat sinceing to this world, apart from fish. Now, the tempting aroma was almost too much to bear.

    Lu Qing was making braised pork. Due to ack of seasonings, it was a simplified version, more like stewed meat.

    The idea of making braised pork came to him when he saw soy sauce for sale at the Grand Bazaar. A farmer¡¯s wife was selling it in jars, and after tasting it, Lu Qing was delighted to find it tasted somewhat like soy sauce, though not as salty.

    He bought a lot, making the farmer¡¯s wife very grateful. After asking about the sauce''s origin, he learned her grandfather, a former cook from a distant city''s restaurant, had created the recipe. She started making the sauce to support her poor household.

    People here didn¡¯t seem to appreciate the sauce much, so Lu Qing was her biggest customer ever. Feeling sorry for her, he bought another jar, which earned him even more gratitude.With the soy sauce in hand, Lu Qing decided to make braised pork. He cut the fatty pork into chunks, nched it, and then fried it until slightly golden. He saut¨¦ed the sauce before adding the meat, then stewed it with sugar, salt, and water.

    Though not authentic braised pork, it was as close as he could get. Despite the simple method, the meat aroma soon filled the air, making both siblings salivate.

    Judging the time was right, Lu Qing opened the pot, releasing a burst of steam and intense meat fragrance that filled the kitchen and drifted outside.

    Passersby stopped, astonished by the strong smelling from Lu Qing''s house. Curious but hesitant to intrude, they eventually left, feeling hungrier by the minute.

    The aroma reached nearby households, causing simr reactions.

    ¡°The Lu family¡¯s doing well, cooking such fragrant meat!¡±

    ¡°After Lu Ming and his wife passed, I thought Lu Qing and Xiao Yan would struggle. Now, they seem just fine.¡±

    ¡°I heard Lu Qing and Wang Da''an went to the Grand Bazaar, bought a lot, and repaid everyone who lent them food and salt.¡±

    ¡°Old Doctor Chen treats his disciple well.¡±

    ¡°If only my son were as promising. I¡¯d ask the doctor to take him in too.¡±

    Lu Qing, oblivious to the vigers'' talk, focused on thickening the sauce. He served the tender meat, trembling slightly in the bowl, looking incredibly appetizing.

    He quickly stir-fried some greens and announced dinner was ready.

    ¡°Xiao Yan, this is yours. Eat slowly, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    ¡°Got it, brother.¡± She obediently blew on the meat to cool it.

    Lu Qing took a piece himself, and after blowing on it, took a bite. His eyes lit up. The meat, stewed to perfection, was vorful and slightly stic, a satisfyingbination.

    ¡°Brother, this is delicious!¡± Xiao Yan eximed with a mouthful of oily meat.

    ¡°Of course, it took a lot of effort,¡± Lu Qing said proudly.

    ¡°Brother¡¯s cooking is the best! I want to learn and make lots of delicious food!¡± the little foodie dered.

    ¡°Then you must eat well and grow. I¡¯ll teach you when you¡¯re older.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    The siblings enjoyed a wonderful meal. After cleaning up, Lu Qing took a piece of cloth to Elder Zhang¡¯s house next door.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhang, is my second aunt at home?¡±

    The second aunt, known for her sewing skills, came out.

    ¡°I bought some cloth at the bazaar to make clothes for Xiao Yan, but I can¡¯t sew. Could you help? I¡¯ll pay you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention payment. We help each other out,¡± she said, taking the cloth. ¡°Bring Xiao Yan tomorrow for measurements.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Lu Qing. We¡¯ll get it done,¡± Elder Zhang added.

    Back home, Lu Qing smiled at Xiao Yan ying in the yard. Her patched-up clothes were getting worn. He bought the cloth today to make her new clothes as a surprise.

    That night, Xiao Yan fell asleep waiting for the ck night spirit lynx, which didn¡¯te. She was grumpy the next morning until she heard about the new clothes.

    Two dayster, Xiao Yan beamed in her new outfit, showing it off for days.

    With enough supplies from the bazaar, Lu Qing stayed in the vige, studying under Doctor Chen, farming, and perfecting his cooking.

    He asionally fished for the ck night spirit lynx, living a peaceful routine.

    One morning, as he and Xiao Yan reached the Halfway House, Doctor Chen told him he no longer needed to read the Compendium of Materia Medica.

 Chapter 38

    "Grandpa Chen, are you saying I don''t need to study the Compendium of Materia Medica anymore?" Lu Qing was somewhat surprised.

    "That''s right. Your learning speed has surpassed my expectations. You have already thoroughly read the Compendium of Materia Medica. In the future, just review it asionally; there''s no need to study it intensively anymore."

    Dr. Chen stroked his beard as he spoke.

    Over this period, he had been extremely satisfied with Lu Qing''s performance.

    Lu Qing''s intelligence exceeded his expectations.

    It had only been half a month, yet Lu Qing had already mastered the Compendium of Materia Medica.

    Originally, Dr. Chen thought that if Lu Qing could read the Compendium of Materia Medica smoothly within a month, it would be quite good.

    "It''s because of your excellent teaching, Grandpa Chen."

    Lu Qing''s heart rxed considerably.Finally, he didn''t have to study the Compendium of Materia Medica anymore!

    Heavens knew how thoroughly he had read the Compendium of Materia Medica during this time.

    He could recite it backward perfectly.

    But he couldn''t reveal that he had memorized the Compendium of Materia Medica entirely in one go.

    Even if he wanted to show his intelligence, there needed to be an eptable process.

    Otherwise, disying his extraordinary talent right away might backfire.

    Now, he had finally reached this moment.

    "Lu Qing, although your cleverness has exceeded my expectations, we still need to proceed with the agreed-upon assessment," Dr. Chen said.

    "Lu Qing understands. Please conduct the assessment, Grandpa Chen," Lu Qing replied respectfully.

    "You have thoroughly read the Compendium of Materia Medica, but merely remembering the text isn''t enough. You mustbine it with practical application to truly understand it."

    "My assessment is simple. You have one hour to find ten types of medicinal herbs recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica in the vicinity of the vige and bring them to me."

    "Remember, you cannot bring the book with you, and you must not pick the wrong herbs. Also, you must not damage the herbs during the harvesting process."

    Lu Qing silently memorized Dr. Chen''s words and only spoke after he finished, "Is that all, Grandpa Chen?"

    "That''s right, that''s all. If you can aplish these tasks, I will officially ept you as my first disciple and my only disciple."

    "Rest assured, I will not let you down!" Lu Qing said confidently.

    "Here, take this herb basket and hoe. Remember, you only have one hour. If you exceed the time limit, even if you gather all the herbs, it won''t count as passing."

    Dr. Chen handed two tools to Lu Qing.

    "Then I''ll set off now!"

    Lu Qing took the herb basket and hoe and headed down the mountain.

    As soon as he reached the foot of the mountain, he found a medicinal herb.

    [Thunderroot Grass: Superior quality, medicinal. Clears heat and detoxifies, effective in treating heat ailments and coughs.]

    This Thunderroot Grass was indeed recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica.

    Seeing the superior quality indicated by his ability, Lu Qing immediately bent down to dig it up.

    The hoe given by Dr. Chen was quite sharp, so Lu Qing dug carefully, fearing he might identally damage the herb.

    After all, one of the assessment criteria was not to damage the herbs.

    Carefully, he dug up the Thunderroot Grass and ced it in the herb basket. After considering the time, he felt a sense of urgency.

    Digging just one Thunderroot Grass had taken nearly a quarter of an hour.

    If he continued at this pace, it would take ten quarters to dig up ten herbs.

    But Dr. Chen had only given him one hour for the assessment.

    "I can''t be this slow; I need to speed up."

    Originally, Lu Qing thought that finding ten medicinal herbs would be simple with his special ability.

    But now he realized that if he was careless, he might not pass the assessment.

    Putting aside his rxed attitude, Lu Qing quickened his pace and moved to other areas.

    Along the way, he kept scanning the bushes on both sides of the path.

    Whenever he saw nts resembling those in the Compendium of Materia Medica, he would immediately use his ability to check their information.

    Once he confirmed they were recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica, he would start digging.

    Dandelions, Xanthium, ntain...

    One by one, the herbs recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica were dug up and ced in the herb basket.

    To dig up the herbs, his forehead was covered in sweat, which he wiped away with a muddy hand, leaving streaks of dirt.

    Vigers passing by saw Lu Qing in this state and couldn''t help butugh.

    "LuQing, what are you doing, looking like a mud monkey?"

    "Uncle Wang, I''m digging medicinal herbs. This is a task assigned by Grandpa Chen; I can''t be careless," Lu Qing replied.

    "Oh, it''s an assignment from Dr. Chen. You should be serious about it. Do you need my help?" Uncle Wang''s expression became serious.

    The vigers had deep respect for Dr. Chen.

    Hearing it was a task from him, they didn''t dare to joke anymore.

    "No need, no need. This is something I must do myself. It''s an assessment of my learning achievements over this period," Lu Qing declined, waving his hand.

    "I see. Then you must do your best, LuQing. Don''t disappoint Dr. Chen," Uncle Wang''s expression became even more solemn.

    After all, whether Lu Qing could learn well also concerned the future medical needs of the vige.

    "Okay, I''ll do my best." Lu Qing waved, "Uncle Wang, I have to go now. Grandpa Chen only gave me one hour for the assessment, and I need to dig up more herbs."

    Watching Lu Qing leave, Uncle Wang immediately ran back to the vige.

    Soon, almost everyone in the vige knew that Lu Qing waspleting an assessment task given by Dr. Chen.

    As a result, even if they saw Lu Qing, they didn''t dare to disturb him.

    They feared that if he failed the assessment, he would be sent down the mountain.

    Even the little kids were ordered not to approach Lu Qing to avoid distracting him.

    Focused on gathering herbs, Lu Qing didn''t notice the vigers'' actions.

    He only found it odd that the vige seemed quieter than usual today.

    Usually, at this time, the kids would be running around, causing chaos.

    However, this thought only shed through Lu Qing''s mind briefly before he dismissed it.

    At this moment, he had no time to ponder such things.

    He had already gathered eight herbs and needed two more, but most of the time had already passed.

    If he didn''t hurry, he might really fail the assessment.

    At this moment, Lu Qing also felt a bit regretful.

    He hadn''t paid much attention to the herbs around the vige in daily life; otherwise, he wouldn''t be so pressed for time now.

    It seemed that relying too much on his special ability wasn''t always a good thing.

    He had thought that with his ability, he could find herbs anytime, which made him careless.

    Fortunately, Lu Qing''s luck wasn''t bad. Soon, he found another herb recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica.

    "Just one more herb to go."

    After carefully digging up the herb, Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

    But he also knew that time was running out.

    "Where can I find thest herb?"

    Lu Qing thought for a moment and then suddenly pped his forehead.

    "Of course, how could I forget this? It''s right under my nose, the most familiar thing that I almost overlooked!"

    With that, he ran towards his home.

    A viger saw Lu Qing running and was startled.

    "LuQing, what''s wrong? Did something go wrong with the assessment?"

    "No, my assessment is fine!"

    Lu Qing didn''t have time to wonder how the vigers knew about his assessment. He answered while running.

    Soon, he reached his home and smiled at the well-growing patch of nts in the corner of his yard.

    "It''s you, Cowbone Grass."

 Chapter 39

    "Grandpa Chen, I''ve gathered all the herbs."

    In the Halfway House, Lu Qing, a bit out of breath, showed the herb basket to the old doctor Chen.

    After digging up the Cowbone Grass, he had sprinted all the way up, fearing he wouldn''t make it in time.

    The old doctor nced at the herbs in the basket and nodded in satisfaction.

    "Not bad, not bad. You really managed to gather all these herbs."

    "Grandpa Chen, what do you mean by that?" Lu Qing asked, puzzled.

    The old doctor seemed to have more to say.

    "Do you know why I set the assessment range near the vige?" the old doctor asked.

    "No, I don''t." Lu Qing shook his head."That''s because the herbs growing near the vige are actually quite few, barely ten kinds at most." The old doctor stroked his beard. "For you to dig up these herbs intact and bring them here within an hour shows you''ve paid attention to these herbs in your daily life."

    Hearing this, Lu Qing couldn''t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

    In his daily life, he hadn''t really paid special attention to the herbs near the vige.

    Maybe subconsciously, he believed there wouldn''t be any precious herbs near a bustling vige.

    So unless he encountered them while out, he would use his abilities to check.

    But to say he had consciously looked for how many types of herbs were near the vige, he hadn''t.

    It seemed his mindset was still toox.

    Even the old doctor knew what herbs were near the vige, yet he, with his abilities, hadn''t done this. It was indeed inexcusable.

    Lu Qing couldn''t help but reflect on himself.

    The old doctor saw Lu Qing silent and thought he was acknowledging it.

    He smiled and said, "Alright, you''ve passed this assessment. Now go invite the vige elders up here."

    "Invite the vige elders up here?" Lu Qing was a bit stunned.

    "Yes, I want to officially take you as my disciple. There should be some witnesses present, otherwise, it would be too casual."

    "Yes, I''ll go right away!"

    Lu Qing, overjoyed, ran back down the mountain.

    The vigers, knowing Lu Qing was taking the old doctor''s assessment today, had been paying attention all along.

    Seeing Lu Qing run down from the mountain and learning that the old doctor invited the vige elders to witness the ceremony of officially epting Lu Qing as a disciple, everyone was delighted.

    "Great, great, now our vige finally has a doctor!"

    "Well done, Lu Qing. You''re truly the smartest kid in our vige, really passing the assessment."

    "Lu Qing, go tell Doctor Chen we''ll be up soon!"

    The vigers had previously seen Lu Qing going to the old doctor''s ce every day to learn things and thought he was already the doctor''s disciple.

    Butter, Lu Qing told them he could only be considered the old doctor''s apprentice at most and wasn''t qualified to officially be his disciple yet.

    Now hearing Lu Qing finally passed the assessment and was to be officially epted as a disciple, how could they not be excited?

    Lu Qing returned to the Halfway House, and before long, the vige elders, all dressed neatly, came up the mountain.

    Some elders even wore the clothes they only wore during the New Year.

    Besides the vige elders, other vigers at home also came up to watch the fun.

    Some vigers brought rice, eggs, and meat.

    Doctor Chen was already waiting at the courtyard gate.

    Seeing the crowding up, he went forward and saluted.

    "Thank you all foring to this old man''s apprentice ceremony."

    "Doctor, you''re too kind," said Elder Zhang, hurriedly. "It''s us who should thank you."

    "Since you came to our Jiuli Vige, you''ve rid us of countless ailments. We always remember your kindness."

    "Elder Zhang, you''re too kind. I just did my duty as a doctor, it''s not worth such gratitude," the old doctor smiled faintly.

    "Whether it''s a favor, we know in our hearts."

    Elder Zhang took a basket from a young man behind him.

    "Doctor Chen, we don''t have anything valuable to give. Here are some eggs and bacon, and some rice and flour as a small token for Lu Qing''s apprenticeship. Please don''t mind."

    After speaking, two young men brought up two bags of rice and flour.

    This scene left Lu Qing and the old doctor both stunned.

    Elder Zhang continued, "It''s quite embarrassing. Most of us in Jiuli Vige were refugees back then."

    "It was a difficult time. Without Lu Qing''s grandfather''s support and leadership, we wouldn''t have survived that disaster, let alone found this ce to settle down."

    "You could say, without Lu Qing''s grandfather, there wouldn''t be the current Jiuli Vige."

    "Sadly, Lu Qing''s grandfather fell ill during the escape and passed away early without proper treatment."

    "And we couldn''t protect his son and daughter-inw either. They were deceived and left, leaving only Lu Qing and Xiao Yan behind."

    "Now that Lu Qing is fortunate enough to be chosen by you as a disciple, it''s his great fortune. We hope you''ll be lenient with him in the future, even if he makes mistakes."

    After saying this, Elder Zhang bowed deeply to the old doctor.

    Other elders and vigers followed suit.

    Seeing the vigers bowing to him, even with his decades of cultivation, the old doctor couldn''t help but feel moved.

    As for Lu Qing, he was already deeply shaken.

    First, some things Elder Zhang mentioned were not in the original owner''s memory.

    Secondly, he never expected the vigers to do so much for him.

    The old doctor, startled, quickly helped Elder Zhang up.

    "Please, get up. You''re making this old man feel ashamed."

    Then he said to Elder Zhang, "Elder Zhang, Lu Qing is a very smart child. It''s my fortune to take him as a disciple, so don''t worry, I''ll teach him well."

    Elder Zhang, thrilled, said, "Then I''ll thank you on behalf of his grandfather and parents!"

    Saying this, he handed over the basket.

    "These modest gifts, please ept them."

    "Elder Zhang, you mustn''t. I know life is hard for you, so there''s no need for such gifts."

    "But a gift is necessary. Since it''s an apprenticeship, there should be an apprenticeship gift."

    ...

    After several refusals, the old doctor finally took a few eggs and a piece of bacon from the basket as the vigers'' gift for Lu Qing.

    As for the rest, he wouldn''t ept anything more.

    Watching this, Lu Qing made a mental note to repay the vigerster.

    Honestly, he hadn''t thought about the apprenticeship gift at all.

    He thought it was just about bowing to the old doctor in front of everyone.

    But he overlooked that this was a world simr to ancient times.

    A formal apprenticeship ceremony was moreplicated than he had imagined.

    After this episode, the old doctor invited the vigers into the courtyard.

    Then, in front of everyone, Lu Qing officially became his apprentice.

 Chapter 40

    Lu Qing''s apprenticeship ceremony was notplicated.

    Doctor Chen was not one to enjoy grandiose disys, preferring simplicity in everything.

    Thus, Lu Qing simply followed the process: in the presence of witnesses, he paid respects to the ancestral master, kowtowed, served tea, and said, "Master, please have some tea."

    Doctor Chen sat in the chair, took the tea, sipped it, and the apprenticeship ceremony wasplete.

    "Alright, get up now."

    After finishing the tea, Doctor Chen addressed Lu Qing.

    "Yes, Master."

    Lu Qing stood up, his hands at his sides.

    Doctor Chen also stood up and bowed to the vigers in the courtyard, saying:"Thank you all foring to witness this apprenticeship ceremony. Today, I have gained a beloved disciple, and I am overjoyed. My courtyard is small and humble, so I couldn''t prepare any food for you. I have only prepared some small gifts for everyone."

    With that, he took a tray from the table behind him, filled with small cloth bags.

    "These are medicine pouches I made in my spare time. They have a calming effect and can repel mosquitoes."

    "If you don''t mind, please take one or two home and hang them by your bed. They will keep mosquitoes away for about ten days to half a month."

    "Is it really that effective?!" The vigers looked at the medicine pouches with delight.

    This was the most bothersome season for mosquitoes, and if the pouches worked as well as the doctor imed, they were indeed very tempting.

    For a moment, the vigers, who initially wanted to be polite, found it hard to refuse.

    Seeing this, Doctor Chen smiled and said to Lu Qing, "Aqing, distribute these pouches to the vigers."

    "Yes, Master."

    Lu Qing took the tray and walked to the vigers, distributing the pouches one by one.

    "Here you go, Grandpa Zhang."

    The first person Lu Qing handed a pouch to was Grandpa Zhang.

    "Good child, remember to learn well from Doctor Chen."

    Grandpa Zhang took the pouch with a gratified expression.

    "I will, Grandpa Zhang." Lu Qing nodded earnestly.

    The other vigers, after receiving their pouches and smelling the medicinal fragrance, felt refreshed. Knowing they were good items, they quickly put them away.

    These were personally made by the doctor, and they might not be avable elsewhere, so they had to be well preserved.

    "Folks, remember to hang the pouches in your rooms after you go home. Otherwise, the medicinal scent will dissipate after half a month, and the pouches will be useless."

    Seeing some vigers carefully putting the pouches away, Doctor Chen reminded them.

    Upon hearing this, some vigers gave up the idea of hiding the pouches at home.

    After witnessing the apprenticeship ceremony, Grandpa Zhang and the others began to leave one by one.

    Before leaving, Grandpa Zhang pulled Lu Qing aside and reminded him to visit his grandfather and parents'' graves and share the good news.

    Seeing Lu Qing agree seriously, he left the mountain satisfied.

    When all the vigers had left, Lu Qing still stood in front of the courtyard, watching their figures disappear down the mountain.

    "Aqing, your grandfather made good friends back then, which is why you have such good neighbors today."

    Doctor Chen walked up to Lu Qing and looked at the people at the foot of the mountain with admiration.

    "Master, I never knew these things. My grandfather and parents never mentioned them." Lu Qing said.

    "This shows that your grandfather was a man of high moral character who did not seek repayment for his good deeds. Unfortunately, I came here toote to meet such a principled schr."

    Doctor Chen said with some regret.

    He had a feeling that if he hade earlier, he might have be good friends with Lu Qing''s grandfather.

    "Master, do you know how my parents died?" Lu Qing suddenly asked.

    "Because of what Grandpa Zhang said earlier?"

    "Yes, I always thought my parents died in an ident, but from Grandpa Zhang''s words, it seems there''s more to it." Lu Qing nodded.

    In his memories, he always believed his parents died identally. Now it seemed it wasn''t that simple.

    Doctor Chen was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

    "I don''t know either. During the time your parents died, I was in the city treating a noble. When I returned, I heard they had drowned, but I never saw their bodies, so I can''t be sure."

    "If you want to know the truth, you might have to ask Grandpa Zhang and the others."

    Lu Qing remained silent.

    In his memories, the information was the same: his parents drowned identally. When their swollen bodies were brought back, it was so terrifying that he was scared out of his wits.

    The subsequent events urred while he was in a daze.

    Selling thend, preparing the bodies, mourning and keeping vigil, and apparently someone causing trouble.

    By the time he regained his senses, his parents were already buried.

    Now that he thought about it, there were many doubts.

    Unfortunately, during that period, the trauma was too great, and many memories were chaotic, making it hard for Lu Qing to piece things together.

    "However, I don''t rmend you ask Grandpa Zhang and the others for the truth now."

    Doctor Chen said suddenly, seeing Lu Qing''s silent demeanor.

    "Why, Master?"

    "If Grandpa Zhang and the others are hiding this from you, it must be for your and XiaoYan''s sake. They fear you might do something rash if you know the truth. Do you think Grandpa Zhang would harm you?"

    Recalling the vigers'' attitude towards him and Xiao Yan, Lu Qing shook his head.

    "Grandpa Zhang would never do such a thing."

    Most importantly, his abilities had never detected any malicious intent from the vigers.

    "In that case, you should trust Grandpa Zhang. They haven''t told you the truth yet because they think it''s not the right time."

    "So, what you should do now is not seek the truth but learn as much as you can. When you have enough ability, they will naturally tell you the truth."

    Lu Qing remained silent.

    In fact, he didn''t want the truth to act impulsively.

    Although he had inherited the original owner''s memories, he had no deep feelings for the "parents" he had never met.

    He was worried that the truth about their death might bring harm to him and Xiao Yan.

    But as his master said, he was too weak now.

    Even if he knew the truth, it wouldn''t help.

    So it was better to focus on learning first.

    "I understand, Master."

    With this rity, Lu Qing spoke.

    Seeing that Lu Qing seemed to have figured it out, Doctor Chen smiled.

    His disciple was smart; he didn''t want him to be consumed by hatred at a young age.

    That would only twist his mind.

    So he approved of Grandpa Zhang and the others'' approach.

    Seeing the lingering gloom on Lu Qing''s face, Doctor Chen decided to divert his attention.

    "Aqing, now that you''ve officially be my disciple, there are some things you should know."

    Lu Qing looked up.

    Seeing it was effective, Doctor Chen smiled.

    He continued, "Aqing, do you know what it takes to be a good doctor?"

 Chapter 41

    "A-Qing, do you know what qualities one should possess to be a good healer?"

    Hearing his master''s question, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before answering, "Excellent medical skills?"

    "That''s just one part of it," Doctor Chen replied. "In addition, an outstanding healer should have a calm mind and a healthy body."

    "A calm mind and a healthy body?" Lu Qing murmured.

    "Indeed," the old doctor nodded. "As a healer, having a calm mind is very important."

    "Because as a healer, you will inevitably encounter various patients with different conditions."

    "Some patients will be in unbearable pain, crying out in agony. Some will be on the brink of death, barely clinging to life. Some conditions will be terrifying and ghastly, and there will even be those with violent tempers who might resort to insults and violence at the slightest provocation."

    "When you encounter such patients, if you do not have a calm andposed mind, it will be difficult to urately diagnose their conditions and treat them."

    "So, you must remember that when your medical skills are aplished, no matter what kind of patient you encounter, you must maintain a calm mind. Only then can you better help them.""I will remember, Master," Lu Qing replied respectfully.

    "As for a healthy body..."

    The old doctor pondered for a moment before continuing.

    "As I mentioned earlier, as a healer, you will always encounter some troublesome patients."

    "Some patients not only have bad tempers themselves, but their family members can also be difficult to deal with. Sometimes, even a slight dissatisfaction can lead to them venting their anger on the healer."

    "In such cases, as a healer, you should prioritize your own safety before thinking about treating the patient."

    "Therefore, a healthy body is necessary. Without it, it would be hard to handle those unreasonable patients and their families."

    As the old doctor said this, an indescribable expression appeared on his face, as if recalling some unpleasant memories.

    It seems Master had encountered many troublesome patients in the past, Lu Qing thought.

    Shaking off those memories, the old doctor continued.

    "Besides dealing with difficult patients, a healer often needs to venture into the mountains to gather herbs and travel to different ces, which also requires a good physique."

    "Therefore, to be an outstanding healer, while medical skills are important, a calm mind and a strong body are equally crucial."

    "Master, how can one train to have a strong body?" Lu Qing asked humbly.

    "That''s a good question," Doctor Chen smiled.

    "Do you remember the set of martial arts I practiced when you first came here?"

    "I remember."

    Lu Qing thought to himself, not only do I remember, but I also nearly imitated it.

    This was the first time Master had mentioned anything about cultivation, and Lu Qing couldn''t help but feel excited.

    "This martial art is something I stumbled upon in my younger years. It is thanks to it that I still have a rtively strong body at this age."

    "Since you are now my disciple, it''s time to teach you this martial art."

    "Master wants to teach me martial arts?" Lu Qing''s face lit up with surprise. "I didn''t know Master knew martial arts!"

    "I only know a little. Your body is somewhat weak. Whether you want to gather herbs in the mountains or travel the world, you need to train more. As healers, we not only need to know how to treat others but also how to take care of ourselves and strengthen our bodies."

    "If you are always sickly yourself, how can you be in the right state to diagnose and treat others?"

    Doctor Chen knew that someone as intelligent as Lu Qing would never give up on finding out the truth about his parents'' deaths.

    He had no reason to stop his disciple.

    After all, wanting to know the truth about one''s parents'' deaths is a natural desire.

    Since that was the case, the best he could do was to give his disciple some means of self-protection.

    Back at the courtyard, the master and disciple stood in the center. Xiao Yan sat at a stone table nearby, happily eating snacks while watching them.

    "A-Qing, before officially teaching you martial arts, I need to exin somemon knowledge about martial cultivation," Doctor Chen said solemnly.

    "Yes, Master."

    Lu Qing suppressed his excitement.

    Finally, he could learn something about cultivation!

    "In martial cultivation, as discussed among practitioners, there are several realms," Doctor Chen began.

    "The major realms are divided into Postnatal and Innate."

    "In the minor realms, just within the Postnatal realm, there are three levels: Qi and Blood, Tendon and Bone, and Internal Organs."

    "The Qi and Blood realm is where beginners in martial arts focus on invigorating their qi and blood and regting their breath."

    "When qi and blood are vigorous and breath is smooth, the body naturally bes strong, strength increases, and energy is abundant."

    "Therefore, martial artists who have mastered the Qi and Blood realm are all strong and powerful, capable of easily throwing off three to five strong men."

    "The Tendon and Bone realm is where martial artists intentionally train their tendons and bones."

    "Through various secret techniques, they temper their tendons and bones, achieving the effect of strengthening and transforming the body."

    "Martial artists who have mastered the Tendon and Bone realm possess strength far beyond that of the Qi and Blood realm. They can stop a galloping horse and throw a bull with their bare hands."

    "As for the Internal Organs realm..."

    Doctor Chen paused before continuing, "Martial artists at this level have their qi, blood, tendons, and bones so strong that it''s hard to make further progress. So, they start seeking further physical transformation from within."

    "And this transformation lies in the internal organs."

    "The internal organs of humans are always fragile. Even a slight injury can be life-threatening."

    "But martial artists in the Internal Organs realm can train their internal organs to be exceptionally strong, unified inside and out, with long breath and great endurance."

    "Martial artists who have mastered the Internal Organs realm have such powerful internal energy that they can travel a thousand miles without tiring and can stay underwater for hours without running out of breath."

    "Reaching this level of martial arts is beyond the imagination of ordinary people, reaching the peak of human postnatal limits."

    "Those who can reach this realm are extremely rare, considered dragons among men. Therefore, martial artists who have mastered the Internal Organs realm are honored with the title of ''Grandmaster'' in the martial world."

    This exnation left Lu Qing both thrilled and awed.

    The cultivators of this world were far more powerful than he had imagined.

    Stopping a galloping horse, throwing a bull, traveling a thousand miles...

    Such feats were beyond human capability.

    No wonder he felt such a strong sense of pressure from Master Ma before.

    It turned out that he possessed such formidable power.

    "Master, if the Postnatal realm is so powerful, what about the Innate realm?" Lu Qing eagerly asked.

    "The power of the Innate realm is unknown to me," Doctor Chen shook his head. "Experts at that level are as elusive as dragons. Some roam the world freely, while others guard a nation. Ordinary martial artists rarelye into contact with them."

    Lu Qing''s eyes shifted as he asked, "Then, Master, what realm are you in now?"

    "Hahaha," Doctor Chenughed. "I am old now, with a declining body. The realm doesn''t matter to me anymore. Besides, I am just a doctor. My focus is on healing and saving lives, not onpeting for strength. The level of my realm is unimportant."

    Alright, Lu Qing knew that the old man didn''t want to reveal his cultivation level.

    "However, although I don''t fight, I can still teach you some methods to strengthen your body."

    "You must learn this set of martial arts well."

 Chapter 42

    "I am going to teach you a set of martial arts that I stumbled upon in my youth. It is easy to learn but difficult to master. Getting started isn''t too hard. Let me demonstrate it once, and you should watch closely."

    After speaking, the old doctor assumed a stance and began performing the set of punches he practiced every morning.

    Lu Qing watched intently.

    As soon as the old doctor executed the first move, a prompt appeared in Lu Qing''s vision.

    *<em>[Martial art detected. Would you like to simte it?]</em>*

    Staring at his master''s movements, Lu Qing silently chose to simte.

    *<em>[Simtion started. Current progress: 1%, 2%, 3%...]</em>*

    With each move the old doctor performed, the progress bar in Lu Qing''s vision rapidly advanced.

    *<em>[97%, 98%, 99%, 100%]</em>*Finally, when the old doctorpleted thest move and began to close his stance, the progress bar in Lu Qing''s vision reached one hundred percent.

    <strong>[Simtion sessful.]</strong>

    <strong>[Martial art name: Health Nourishing Boxing.]</strong>

    <strong>[Origin: Derived and perfected by Chen Songqing from an iplete martial art he stumbled upon in his youth.]</strong>

    <strong>[Effect: Strengthens the body and improves health. It is particrly effective in regting qi and blood, and fortifying muscles and bones. Mastery may lead to the possibility of breaking through to the internal organ realm.]</strong>

    <strong>[Would you like to start practicing?]</strong>

    Lu Qing didn''t choose to practice immediately.

    Instead, he was intrigued by some of the information.

    It turned out that this martial art was created by his master, who had deduced and perfected it from an iplete technique he encountered in his youth.

    The ability to deduce and perfect a martial art on his own¡ªhis master''s skill was impressive enough to be considered a martial arts genius in the martial world.

    It seemed his master''s abilities were even more formidable than he had imagined.

    Lu Qing couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of respect.

    "How was it, LuQing? Did you understand the moves I just demonstrated?" the old doctor asked with a smile after finishing his routine.

    "Not really," Lu Qing replied honestly.

    He was telling the truth.

    Without relying on his special ability, he truly couldn''t grasp the martial art the old doctor demonstrated.

    Apart from sensing a unique rhythm, everything else was a blur.

    "Haha, it''s normal not to understand," the old doctorughed heartily. "What I just showed you was just the form of this martial art. The truly important aspects¡ªthe methods for circting qi and blood, and tempering muscles and bones¡ªI haven''t taught you yet."

    "Come, let me now teach you the method for circting qi and blood in this martial art."

    The old doctor then began to exin each move in detail to Lu Qing.

    How to regte breathing, how to circte qi and blood, how to focus on the dantian...

    Every essential point of practicing the martial art was exined in great detail.

    This lecturested for two hours.

    "That''s enough for today."

    When he finished exining the ninth move and saw that Lu Qing could imitate the form reasonably well, the old doctor said.

    "This set of punches consists of thirty-six moves. The main effect of the first nine is to invigorate qi and blood and regte breathing."

    "In theing days, as long as you practice diligently, when you truly master them, you will formally enter the qi and blood realm."

    "As for theter moves, your current physical condition can''t handle them yet, so you don''t need to practice those for now."

    "Master, you mean that once I master these nine moves, I will be as strong and powerful as the martial artists you mentioned?" Lu Qing asked excitedly.

    "That''s right. Once you enter the qi and blood realm, you will naturally be like them," the old doctor nodded.

    He then cautioned, "However, remember not to overdo it. Practicing martial arts requires moderation. Do not be impatient or strive for quick sess, as it could harm your body instead."

    "I understand," Lu Qing nodded seriously.

    "Also, practicing martial arts is very energy-consuming, so you need to keep up with your nutrition. Don''t save the money you earned from selling the Red Moon Carp. Buy more meat to eat regrly, so you don''t deplete your body while replenishing qi and blood."

    "I understand," Lu Qing nodded again.

    He had already retrieved the money from his master after selling the Red Moon Carp and hid it in a secret ce at home.

    Now it seemed it was time to use that money.

    "It''s a pity that I stillck a few herbs. If I had all the necessary ingredients, I could prepare some qi and blood nourishing soup for you, which would greatly shorten the time for you to enter the qi and blood realm," the old doctor said with some regret.

    "No need, Master. You have already helped me so much. I haven''t repaid even a fraction of it yet. How could I trouble you further?" Lu Qing said hastily.

    "Alright then. If I have the chance to go up the mountain someday, I''ll see if I can find those herbs," the old doctor said.

    Seeing that his master had not given up, Lu Qing was deeply moved.

    He didn''t know what to say and could only silently remember this kindness in his heart.

    "That''s it for today. When you go back, don''t forget to practice. Come back tomorrow, and I will check your progress," the old doctor said.

    After chatting for a while longer, the old doctor waved him off.

    "Master, why don''t I stay here to take care of you?" Lu Qing hesitated and asked.

    "No need. My body is still strong. I don''t need anyone to take care of me yet. Besides, this ce is filled with medicinal herbs, and there isn''t space for you and Xiao Yan to stay. You should go back home," the old doctor refused without hesitation.

    "Then I will take my leave ande back tomorrow to greet you," Lu Qing said.

    Seeing the old doctor insist, Lu Qing could onlyply.

    He picked up the drowsy Xiao Yan and prepared to leave the mountain.

    "Wait a moment."

    Just as they were about to descend, the old doctor suddenly came out from the courtyard and handed Lu Qing a book.

    "You have already familiarized yourself with the ''Compendium of Materia Medica.'' Now read this ''Acupuncture Points Theory.'' Memorize the acupuncture points; I will test youter."

    Holding the book and carrying Xiao Yan, Lu Qing descended the mountain, his expression still somewhat dazed.

    He initially thought that after bing the old doctor''s disciple, he and Xiao Yan would live in the Halfway House.

    After all, as a disciple, taking care of the master and handling daily chores was a given.

    But the old doctor seemed to have no such intention, instead letting him continue living at home in the vige.

    Although this was also beneficial for Lu Qing, it felt a bit strange to him.

    Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Lu Qing carried the sleeping Xiao Yan and headed home.

    Upon returning home, the first thing he did was take some money and find Uncle Zhang.

    Ignoring Uncle Zhang''s refusal, he replenished the money for the apprenticeship gifts prepared by the vigers.

    After all, now that he wasn''t short of money, how could he let the already not-so-wealthy vigers bear the cost of his apprenticeship gifts?

    After giving the money to Uncle Zhang, Lu Qing returned to his courtyard and prepared to practice the martial art.

    This time, he intended to use his special ability for the training.

 Chapter 43

    "Would you like to start cultivating now?"

    Staring at the prompt in his vision, Lu Qing chose yes this time.

    In the next moment, a torrent of information surged into his mind.

    Various insights about the Health Nourishing Boxing emerged in his heart like a divine revtion.

    Combining the previous guidance from his master at the Halfway House, Lu Qing instinctively began to practice the Health Nourishing Boxing.

    First move, second move, third move...

    This set of Health Nourishing Boxingseemed to have no specific names for each move, so Lu Qing could only refer to them in sequence.

    He practiced slowly and somewhat awkwardly. Afterpleting the ninth move, just as he was about to perform the tenth, his body felt a sharp ache.

    Although he knew the key points of the tenth move in his mind, his body found it extremely difficult to execute.Remembering his master''s advice, Lu Qing realized that the moves beyond the ninth were beyond his current physical capabilities.

    Forcing himself to practice could potentially harm his body.

    He immediately stopped attempting the tenth move and started over from the first.

    Thus, Lu Qing repeatedly practiced the Health Nourishing Boxingfrom the first to the ninth move.

    Following the insights in his mind, his movements gradually became more fluid.

    If someone had been watching, they would have noticed.

    During his first attempt, Lu Qing''s movements were stiff, his stances wobbly, and his forms crooked.

    By the second attempt, his movements became noticeably smoother and his forms more precise.

    By the third attempt, he was starting to show some proficiency, no longer appearing clumsy.

    Fourth attempt...

    Fifth attempt...

    With each repetition, Lu Qing made visible progress.

    By the ninth attempt, his movements were exceptionally fluid, his transitions natural, and his forms precise, giving a pleasing visual effect.

    It seemed as if he had immersed himself in this set of fist techniques for a long time.

    Afterpleting the ninth attempt, Lu Qing instinctively stopped, gradually closing his stance.

    Once finished, he exhaled a warm breath.

    He felt his breath smooth, his spirit calm, his whole body warm andfortable.

    Filled with joy, Lu Qing realized that he had grasped some of the essentials of the first nine moves of the Health Nourishing Boxing.

    If he continued to practice diligently, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he could step into the realm of Qi and Blood as his master had mentioned.

    Simultaneously, Lu Qing also began to understand the nature of his ability to simte cultivation methods.

    In essence, after the ability simtes a cultivation method, it doesn¡¯t allow him to master it directly.

    Instead, it presents the key points and insights of the cultivation method in his mind as guidance.

    This enables him to understand the method more quickly.

    However, to truly master it, to internalize it, he still needs to train diligently himself.

    Just like now, his mind was filled with insights into the Health Nourishing Boxing.

    But he still needed to practice repeatedly to digest these insights and strengthen himself.

    "Gurgle..."

    Lu Qing''s stomach growled.

    Feeling the hunger in his belly, he knew that the recent training had consumed a lot of his energy.

    Recalling his master''s advice, he returned to the house and retrieved a piece of cured meat made a few days ago.

    He also caught a two to three-pound fish from the kitchen barrel that he had caught the day before.

    Then he picked some wild vegetables from the yard.

    The vegetables he had nted were just starting to sprout, so he had to eat wild vegetables for now.

    With the ingredients ready, Lu Qing started cooking.

    First, he washed the pot and steamed the rice. Once the rice was almost done, he began to cook the dishes.

    Not long after, a dish of stir-fried wild vegetables with cured meat and a steamed fish were ready.

    Just as he ced the dishes on the table, Xiao Yan came out of her room, rubbing her eyes.

    "Xiao Yan, you''re awake. Are you hungry? I was just about to call you."

    The little one touched her belly and earnestly replied, "I think I''m hungry."

    "If you''re hungry,e and eat," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    Children are truly fascinating. She had just had snacks at the master''s ce before her nap.

    But soon after waking up, she was already hungry again.

    After a bowl of rice, Lu Qing felt significantly less hungry and let out a long sigh.

    Except for the first two days after waking up, it had been a long time since he felt this hungry.

    It was evident how much energy his training had consumed earlier.

    Lu Qing ate several bowls of rice and finished all the dishes without leaving any leftovers.

    After the meal, he reclined on a lounge chair, digesting his food while pondering over the day''s events.

    A lot had happened today, and he needed to organize his thoughts.

    Firstly, there was the change in his status.

    He had finally be the disciple of the old doctor. With this identity, he had a foothold in this foreign world.

    He was no longer like a rootless duckweed, unsure of his future path.

    Secondly, there was the information about martial artists that his master had mentioned.

    The martial artists in this world were even more powerful than Lu Qing had imagined.

    Based on his master''s description of the different levels of Postnatal martial artists, Lu Qing could feel that these martial artists possessed extraordinary strength and resilience.

    Not to mention the higher-level Precelestial martial artists.

    From his master''s words, it seemed that Precelestial martial artists could even suppress the fortune of a nation.

    The martial path could indeed cultivate individuals to such a powerful extent. It was impossible for Lu Qing not to yearn for it.

    Therefore, he decided to focus primarily on martial arts cultivation and supplement it with medical studies in theing days.

    Since he had the ability, bncing both would not be difficult for him.

    Given his decision to practice martial arts, he needed to consider other matters as well.

    After the meal, Lu Qing estimated that as he gradually mastered the Health Nourishing Boxingand formally entered the Qi and Blood realm, his appetite would increase significantly.

    In that case, the daily nutritional intake for his diet would need to be ensured.

    As the saying goes, "A schr needs wealth to support his study of martial arts." Maintaining the daily consumption needed for martial arts training would likely be costly.

    He wondered how long the silver from selling the Red Moon Carp wouldst.

    Lu Qing decided to try his luck again at the strange fish fishing spot in a few days.

    If he was lucky enough to catch one or two more strange fish, he wouldn''t have to worry about finances for a while.

    After pondering these matters, Lu Qing remembered the issue concerning his original parents.

    Based on what Old Zhang had said, it was clear that there was more to the death of his original parents.

    However, Lu Qing did not n to investigate this matter for the time being.

    Unless he made significant achievements in martial arts in the future and became strong enough, he might seek the truth for Xiao Yan''s sake.

    For now, he decided to live his life peacefully.

    After thinking for a while in the lounge chair, Lu Qing felt he had digested his food enough.

    Then he took out the book his master had given him before he left the mountain.

 Chapter 44

    <strong>The Theory of Acupuncture Points: A book documenting various theories about human acupuncture points.</strong>

    <strong>Reading this book thoroughly might provide a clear understanding of numerous acupuncture points on the human body.</strong>

    <strong>Would you like to download it?</strong>

    When Lu Qing flipped open the "Theory of Acupuncture Points" and read for a while, it was no surprise that this message appeared in his vision. Without hesitation, he chose to download it.

    <strong>Downloading, current progress, 1%...</strong>Lu Qing began to turn the pages from the beginning. As he flipped through the book page by page, the progress bar in his vision continued to advance.

    <strong>...97%, 98%, 99%, 100%</strong>

    <strong>"Theory of Acupuncture Points" downloadplete. Would you like to start learning?</strong>

    After finishing thest page, the ability also indicated that the book had been fully downloaded. Lu Qing immediately chose to learn it. In the next moment, a vast amount of knowledge about acupuncture points surged from deep within his mind. He tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and silently absorbed the information.

    After a long while, he opened his eyes, amazement gleaming within them.

    "These acupuncture points on the human body are truly marvelous."

    "ording to the ''Theory of Acupuncture Points'', the major points of the human body govern various crucial areas and are closely linked to one''s life state."

    "A skilled healer, if they apply the right techniques, can treat illnesses with needles alone, without any medicinal herbs, bringing the dying back to life and rescuing people from dire situations."

    At this moment, Lu Qing hadpletely memorized the entire "Theory of Acupuncture Points". However, memorizing it was one thing; it did not mean he now knew how to perform acupuncture. He had only theoretical knowledge without any practical experience. If he were to treat a patient now, he wasn''t sure if he could cure them, but he was certain he could harm them.

    To fully master this "Theory of Acupuncture Points", he still had much to learn. Nevertheless, just gaining an understanding made Lu Qing realize how extraordinary the field of medicine was. Whether it was pharmaceuticals or acupuncture, both were extensive and profound, withplex knowledge. Mastering either was incredibly challenging.

    If it weren''t for his special ability, he didn''t know how long it would take him to understand the two medical books given by his master.

    Gently flipping through the book, Lu Qing resumed his study. Although he had memorized the contents, he still preferred the feeling of reading a physical book.

    In the golden light of dusk, Lu Qing kept reading until the sun set and the sky darkened before putting the book away.

    That night, Xiao Yan once again did not see the ck beast she had been eagerly waiting for. The little creature seemed to have some special ability, appearing only when Xiao Yan had fallen asleep.

    Indeed, just as Lu Qing tucked the sleeping child in, he heard the familiar scratching at the door. He brought out the fresh fish he had prepared from the kitchen and opened the door.

    He saw a ck figure nimbly jump back, its front paws together as it elegantly sat down, quietly watching Lu Qing, waiting for him to put down the fish.

    "You are getting more and more rxed." Lu Qing shook his head, cing the fish down and stepping back a few paces.

    The ck beast immediately approached and started devouring the fish in the wooden basin. Lu Qing watched it eat in silence, not disturbing it.

    Compared to ten days ago, the ck beast had grown slightlyrger. Its attitude had also changed from being suspicious and wary to now facing Lu Qing calmly. It no longer grabbed one fish and hid to eat beforeing out for the next; now, it simply ate directly from the basin.

    Though its attitude had be much calmer, Lu Qing still couldn''t get close to it, let alone touch it. Not that he ever intended to. If the little creature got agitated and scratched him, his hand might be ruined.

    He didn''t believe his hands or feet could be as hard as steel or stone. Besides, even if they were, this little thing could tear through them.

    So every time, after cing the fish, he would step back to avoid provoking this little master. The ck beast, after eating the fish, would leave without a second nce. But this time, something was different.

    After finishing the fish, the ck beast turned and jumped out of the fenced yard. Just as Lu Qing was about to retrieve the wooden basin, he saw it reappear before him.

    "What, didn''t you get enough to eat?" Lu Qing couldn''t help but ask.

    That shouldn''t be the case. Today he had added more fish than the day before. Even if the little creature had grown, its appetite shouldn''t have increased that much all at once.

    The ck beast, hearing Lu Qing''s words, revealed a faintly disdainful look in its eyes. If Lu Qing had noticed, he would have seen it as a look of contempt.

    Unfortunately, Lu Qing didn''t pay attention to that because his focus was on something else.

    "What are you holding in your mouth?"

    It turned out that the ck beast had something in its mouth. It seemed to be grayish-white, but Lu Qing couldn''t see clearly. The moonlight tonight was dim, with only a thin crescent moon hanging in the sky.

    The ck beast approached, cing the item on the ground, then retreated a few steps.

    "Is this for me?" Lu Qing was surprised.

    The ck beast didn''t move, just quietly watched Lu Qing. Lu Qing understood that the item was indeed a gift for him.

    "Really for me?"

    Lu Qing was genuinely astonished. After feeding the little creature for so long, this was the first time he received a gift in return.

    "What is this?"

    Lu Qing stepped forward and gently picked up the item. As soon as he held it, he could tell it was a nt root. It had leaves at the top and numerous roots below, still covered in some soil.

    Under the faint moonlight, he began to examine the item in his hand. The more he looked, the wider his eyes opened.

    Having memorized the "Compendium of Materia Medica" thoroughly, Lu Qing recognized the nt in his hand more and more.

    "This can''t be..."

    Before the thought fully formed in his mind, his special ability provided the answer.

    A faint glow of ability light appeared from the nt in his hand. Most importantly, this light wasn''t just white; it had a faint hint of red.

    <strong>Ginseng: A precious medicinal herb, edible and non-toxic.</strong>

    <strong>This ginseng has grown for a long time, seemingly over a hundred years.</strong>

    <strong>Legend has it that ginseng has various miraculous effects, and those that have grown long enough may develop spiritual intelligence.</strong>

    A hundred-year-old ginseng!

    Seeing the information provided by his ability, Lu Qing''s eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 45

    Hundred-year-old Ginseng!

    When Lu Qing read the information about the nt root in his hand, he was astonished.

    This was an exceptionally precious herb documented in the "Compendium of Materia Medica"¡ªginseng! And it was over a hundred years old!

    "Little one, what a grand gift you''ve given me!"

    Lu Qing looked at the ginseng in his hand, then nced at the small ck beast, eximing in amazement.

    It''s known that among the hundreds of herbs recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica," ginseng is one of the most valuable.

    Moreover, the older it is, the more valuable it bes.

    Ginseng that''s several decades old is already highly effective and worth a fortune.

    The one in his hand, being over a hundred years old, was exceedingly rare.In many apothecaries, such a ginseng could serve as a treasure of the establishment.

    "I guess it wasn''t in vain to fish so much for you."

    Lu Qing was very pleased.

    Although he wasn''t sure of the exact value of this Hundred-year-old Ginseng, it was clearly more valuable than the Red Moon Carp.

    After all, although the Red Moon Carp has nourishing properties, wealthy people buy it more for its exquisite vor.

    But this Hundred-year-old Ginseng was different; it could genuinely save lives.

    Such precious herbs are often invaluable, and once they appear, people scramble for them.

    Moreover, this ginseng in Lu Qing''s hand emitted a faint red glow, indicating it had begun to develop the characteristics of a spiritual herb.

    Such a treasured herb was likely even more valuable than ordinary ginseng.

    Compared to this, the fish he''d been feeding the little ck beast were nothing inparison.

    Looking at the ck Night Spirit Lynx, now leisurely licking its paws and washing its face, Lu Qing''s eyes shifted. He squatted down and said ingratiatingly, "Little fellow, let''s make a deal. If you find more things like this, bring them to me, and I''ll catch any fish you want to eat, okay?"

    If anyone saw Lu Qing''s current expression, they''d find his smile resembled that of a creepy uncle trying to entice a child with candy.

    Whether the little ck beast understood him or not, it finished licking its paws, gave Lu Qing a sideways nce, then elegantly hopped to the fence and disappeared into the night.

    This time, Lu Qing noticed its gaze clearly.

    He felt as if he had been despised by a small beast.

    Lu Qing paused, then shook his head with a smile.

    Despite being looked down upon by a small beast, he was in high spirits.

    Bringing the wooden basin back to the kitchen, Lu Qing lit an oilmp, fetched a wet cloth, and sat in the hall to carefully clean the ginseng.

    With meticulous care, the ginseng gradually revealed itsplete form.

    The main body was plump, resembling a small radish.

    Its long roots made it look somewhat human-shaped.

    If left to grow longer, it might indeed take on the form of a small person.

    Regrettably, some of the roots were obviously broken, making it less than perfect.

    Clearly, the little ck beast had snapped the roots while digging it up.

    Though Lu Qing regretted this, he knew he shouldn''t be too greedy.

    Truthfully, for the ck beast to dig up a ginseng was already surprising enough.

    He couldn''t expect it to retrieve the ginseng as wlessly as a seasoned herbalist.

    After admiring the Hundred-year-old Ginseng for a while, Lu Qing carefully put it away.

    He nned to take it to his master the next day to find out how to maximize its value.

    Despite having thoroughly studied the "Compendium of Materia Medica," his knowledge of herbs couldn''tpare to his master, a divine physician.

    The next morning, Lu Qing rose early, practiced Tai Chi in the courtyard, feeling refreshed before making breakfast.

    After breakfast, he took Xiao Yan to the Halfway House.

    Upon meeting the old doctor, he immediately presented the ginseng wrapped in cloth.

    "Master,st night I unexpectedly obtained a herb and want your opinion on how best to use it."

    "Oh, what herb?"

    The old doctor was curious.

    Had his disciple gone herb picking at night?

    "It''s this herb."

    Lu Qing unwrapped the cloth, revealing the ginseng inside.

    "This is..." The old doctor''s eyes widened upon seeing the herb. "This is ginseng?!"

    Surprised, the old doctor took the cloth bundle from Lu Qing and closely examined the ginseng.

    "It''s indeed ginseng, and a top-grade centenarian fresh ginseng at that!"

    After a thorough inspection, the old doctor sighed in admiration.

    "LuQing, where did you get this ginseng? Did you go into the mountainsst night?"

    The old doctor looked at Lu Qing in astonishment.

    This kind of top-grade Hundred-year-old Ginseng usually grows in remote, uninhabited mountains.

    Ordinary herb pickers rarely venture into such areas.

    Even he, with years of herb-picking experience, had rarely encountered such specimens.

    Judging by its freshness, the ginseng had been recently dug up.

    How did Lu Qing get it?

    Could it be that he ventured into the deep mountainsst night?

    But that seemed impossible.

    Facing his master''s curiosity, Lu Qing smiled, "Master, you''ll never guess who gave me this ginseng."

    "Someone gave it to you? Who?" The old doctor was even more curious.

    Who would be so generous as to gift such a precious Hundred-year-old Ginseng?

    "It was the ck beast I told you about before. After I fed it fishst night, it brought me this ginseng."

    "It was that ck beast?" The old doctor was astounded.

    Lu Qing then recounted the events of the previous night in detail.

    Not only did it astonish the old doctor, but Xiao Yan was also wide-eyed in amazement.

    "It seems that ck beast is indeed highly intelligent, almost capable of understanding human speech."

    After listening to Lu Qing''s ount, the old doctor marveled.

    "I think so too. I feel it might even understand us."

    Lu Qing recalled the scornful look the ck Night Spirit Lynx had given him before leaving.

    "This is the reward for doing good deeds." The old doctor stroked his beard. "If you hadn''t been kind-hearted, feeding it every night instead of driving it away, how could you have this fortunate encounter?"

    I didn''t drive it away because I was scared of it!

    Hearing his master''s words, Lu Qing felt a bit embarrassed.

    That little creature was formidable; who would dare to provoke it?

    "Master, ording to you, since this ginseng is over a hundred years old, how valuable is it?" Lu Qing asked.

 Chapter 46

    "So, are you thinking of selling this ginseng?" the old doctor asked.

    "Not necessarily, I just want to know its value so I can have an idea," Lu Qing replied honestly.

    The old doctor pondered for a moment and said, "Generally speaking, ginseng of this age is always in high demand and hard toe by."

    "Ginseng can replenish energy and blood, strengthen the body, and even save lives in critical moments."

    "Those nobles in the city, martial artists, are always eager to get their hands on such a precious herb."

    "Although the roots of this old ginseng are slightly damaged, it doesn''t affect its medicinal properties."

    "In fact, I just tested it. Perhaps because of the unique environment where it grew, this ginseng''s medicinal effect is even stronger than typical hundred-year-old ginseng."

    Hearing this, Lu Qing recalled the red glow on the ginseng.

    The special quality mentioned by his master might be due to this."A typical hundred-year-old ginseng can sell for at least a thousand taels of silver in those big cities."

    "This one might be worth even more, but I can''t say exactly how much."

    A thousand taels of silver! Ten times the price of a Red Moon Carp!

    Hearing this number, despite being mentally prepared, Lu Qing couldn''t help but feel his heart race.

    "Are you tempted?" The old doctorughed, seeing the shocked expression on his disciple''s face.

    "A little," Lu Qing nodded.

    Who wouldn''t be tempted by a thousand taels of silver?

    Especially a country boy like him.

    "However, despite its high value, I still suggest you don''t sell it for silver," the old doctor suddenly changed his tone.

    "Why, Master?" Lu Qing was puzzled.

    "You want to practice martial arts, don''t you? This ginseng is one of the best auxiliary medicinal materials for a martial artist at the Qi and Blood level."

    "Didn''t I say before that I wanted to prepare some Qi and Blood Nourishing Soup for you? This hundred-year-old ginseng, if used properly, is even more effective than that soup."

    "With its help, it will be much easier for you to enter the Qi and Blood level."

    "I can refine it into Blood Replenishing and Energy Boosting Pills for you. Once you master Health Nourishing Boxing, taking one pill a day will help you step into the Qi and Blood level in no time."

    Such good fortune?

    This was indeed a pleasant surprise.

    Lu Qing was overjoyed.

    He was worried about how to quickly enter the Qi and Blood level, and now a solution had appeared.

    "So, do you still want to sell this ginseng or keep it for yourself?" the old doctor asked.

    Lu Qing didn''t hesitate, "Please help me refine it into pills, Master!"

    "Oh, have you thought it through?" The old doctor looked at him.

    "Yes, silver is valuable, but it''s ultimately an external thing. My own abilities are more important," Lu Qing said.

    "It''s good that you have this awareness," the old doctor nodded with satisfaction. "In this world, nothing is more important than your own abilities. Without abilities, no matter how much silver you have, you won''t be able to keep it."

    "Since you''ve decided, I''ll refine the Blood Replenishing and Energy Boosting Pills for you in the next couple of days."

    "Thank you, Master!" Lu Qing said happily.

    "But don''t be too happy yet," the old doctor dampened his spirits. "Even if I make the pills, you won''t be able to take them until you master Health Nourishing Boxing."

    "Otherwise, taking the pills will just waste their medicinal properties."

    Mastering the boxing?

    Lu Qing''s heart stirred. "Master, yesterday after I went back, I practiced the boxing you taught me and seemed to grasp some key points. Could you check if I''m on the right track?"

    "Oh, you''ve understood something so quickly?" The old doctor was intrigued but didn''t take Lu Qing''s words seriously, thinking he had just familiarized himself with the moves.

    "Show me what you''ve learned."

    "Yes, Master."

    Lu Qing immediately began to practice the first to ninth forms of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    At first, the old doctor watched with a smile.

    But as Lu Qing moved from the first to the second form, the old doctor''s smile faded, reced by surprise.

    He noticed that Lu Qing''s movements were not only precise and smooth but also carried a unique vor.

    As the creator of Health Nourishing Boxing, the old doctor knew what this meant.

    It signified that Lu Qing had not only mastered the moves but had also infused them with his own understanding.

    In other words, he had truly grasped the form and begun to internalize the technique.

    But how was this possible?

    It had only been a night since he taught Lu Qing the boxing!

    How could he have progressed this far?

    The old doctor was shocked.

    Yet, more surprises awaited him.

    Lu Qing continued to practice each form with fluidity and ease.

    After finishing the ninth form, he started again from the first, practicing repeatedly.

    After nine cycles, he finally stopped, exhaling a breath of stale air, his face glowing with health and vitality.

    The old doctor stood there, shocked and speechless.

    "Master, did I make any mistakes?" Lu Qing asked, full of energy.

    "Nine cycles to return to the source, energy and blood thriving, spirit renewed. This means you''ve fully mastered Health Nourishing Boxing."

    The old doctor seemed to be talking to himself, not hearing Lu Qing''s question.

    "Master, what''s wrong?"

    Seeing the old doctor like this, Lu Qing was a bit worried. Had he scared his master with his disy?

    "A Qing, be honest with me!" The old doctor''s face suddenly turned serious, startling Lu Qing. "What happened when you practiced yesterday?"

    "What happened?" Lu Qing thought for a moment. "Yesterday, as I practiced in the courtyard, I suddenly felt many insights flooding my mind. My body followed the key points you taught, and before I knew it, I feltpletely refreshed. The first to ninth forms became much clearer to me, no longer obscure and difficult."

    What Lu Qing described was his state after using his ability, though he omitted the existence of the ability.

    However, to the old doctor, his words were like thunderps.

    "Epiphany... it was an epiphany," the old doctor murmured.

    He looked at Lu Qing as if he were a rare treasure.

    "I took in a disciple on a whim, and it turns out he is a martial arts prodigy who could achieve an epiphany on his first try?"

 Chapter 47

    The old doctor looked at Lu Qing as if he were a rare treasure.

    He was both excited and shocked.

    "Master?"

    Lu Qing was confused by his master''s intense gaze and called out.

    The old doctor regained hisposure. As a master cultivator, he quickly concealed his astonishment, though the excitement in his heart was hard to hide.

    "I didn''t expect, LuQing, that you have such a talent in martial arts. I truly misjudged you," the old doctor sighed.

    "The state you entered during yesterday''s boxing practice, if I''m not mistaken, is what all martial artists dream of¡ªa sudden enlightenment."

    Only sudden enlightenment could exin why Lu Qing had mastered Health Nourishing Boxing to such a level overnight.

    "Sudden enlightenment?"Lu Qing thought about it and realized that his cultivation with his special ability was indeed akin to sudden enlightenment. The difference was that his state of "enlightenment" could be actively entered multiple times.

    "Exactly, sudden enlightenment," the old doctor said. "It is said that sudden enlightenment is a mystical state of understanding."

    "Entering this state is like receiving divine inspiration. The mind bes extremely sharp and agile, capable of mastering anything quickly."

    "But for ordinary people, achieving sudden enlightenment is extremely difficult."

    "In martial arts cultivation, only those with exceptional talent or those who have deep foundations and umtion can asionally glimpse this mysterious state."

    "That you were able to master the first nine forms of Health Nourishing Boxing overnight clearly shows that you inadvertently entered the state of sudden enlightenment yesterday."

    "Master, do you mean that I have considerable talent in martial arts?" Lu Qing asked.

    "You have exceptional talent!" the old doctor said solemnly. "To enter sudden enlightenment on your first cultivation attempt, your martial arts talent is something I''ve never encountered in all my years."

    It seemed his demonstration had been quite effective. Feeling his master''s excitement, Lu Qing nodded secretly. He had intentionally showcased his "martial arts talent" before his master. With his special ability, his progress in martial arts would undoubtedly be rapid. It was best to establish his reputation as a rare martial arts genius now, making it easier to advance his martial skills in the future.

    "Since you''ve mastered the first nine forms of Health Nourishing Boxing, we must not dy the preparation of the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill," the old doctor said, his excitement evident.

    Knowing his disciple was a rare martial arts genius, the old doctor decided to go into seclusion immediately to refine the century-old ginseng into a pill. Lu Qing, who had wanted to consult him on the Acupuncture Points Theory, didn''t have the chance.

    Watching his master hurriedly enter the medicine room and hearing him say it would take at least a day and a night toplete the refinement, Lu Qing found himself with nothing to do.

    With nothing else to upy him, Lu Qing took Xiao Yan home, fetched his fishing rod, and headed to the riverbank.

    The ck spirit lynx had given him such a generous gift; he felt he needed to show some appreciation.

    Taking Xiao Yan to the river, Lu Qing set down his fishing gear. Over time, he had gathered a full set of fishing equipment¡ªrods,s, and a fish basket. Of course, his fish basket wasn''t the kind used in his previous life. It was arge, long fish basket made by an elderly viger skilled in weaving. It could hold fish and fishing gear, making it quite convenient.

    This time, Lu Qing chose to fish at the rare fish spot. He was pleased to see the dense white ripples on the water''s surface.

    This was his first time returning to this spot since catching the Red Moon Carp. The fish activity here seemed good, with the ripples still dense. Unlike the small fish spot, which had been overfished by the vigers and had lost its luster, it was unclear when it would recover.

    Due to this, the vigers'' enthusiasm for fishing had waned. Without Lu Qing''s ability to easily find fishing spots, they often had poor catches. So, aside from true fishing enthusiasts, most vigers no longer came to the river to fish.

    With everything ready, Lu Qing plucked some fruits from the Blood Apricot Tree, baited a hook with one, and waited quietly.

    Yes, this time he came to see if he could catch another rare fish after such a long time.

    As Lu Qing fished quietly, Xiao Yan yed with a bamboo dragonfly under a tree behind him. She had grown used to apanying her brother to fish daily and could entertain herself alone.

    Biting a grass stalk, Lu Qing watched the float silently. Despite the float remaining motionless for a long time, he remained patient.

    As a fisherman, if hecked patience, he might as well not fish at all.

    After a long while, a ripple appeared near the float.

    Seeing the float tremble slightly, Lu Qing smiled.

    Finally, there was some activity.

    He gently ced his hand on the fishing rod, ready at any moment.

    From his fishing experience, Lu Qing knew that big fish in this world often liked tounch sneak attacks.

    Sure enough, just as his hand touched the rod, the float suddenly sank into the water.

    Lu Qing jerked the rod.

    A strong force pulled on the rod.

    Got it!

    Feeling the power transmitted through the rod, Lu Qing was delighted.

    With such a strong pull, the catch was either a big fish or a rare fish.

    What followed was a battle of wits and strength between Lu Qing and the fish.

    Relying on his rich fishing experience, Lu Qing kept releasing tension.

    After a while, he judged that the fish wasn''t a Blue-armored Fish or a Red Moon Carp because the fish''s movements were entirely different from those two types.

    This fish kept diving towards a specific spot at the bottom, determined not to give up.

    But since it was already hooked, Lu Qing wouldn''t let it escape easily.

    He had recently upgraded his fishing rod. The hook and rod were new and more durable, while the line was still made of Snow Silkworm silk.

    Moreover, his physical condition was much better now.

    Even when he was physically weak, he could catch Red Moon Carp and Blue-armored Fish.

    Now, after practicing Health Nourishing Boxing, he was even stronger.

    As expected, after a battle, the fish in the water tired out.

    As soon as it surfaced, Lu Qing scooped it up with a.

    He was stunned when he saw the fish''s true form.

    It was a fish about two or three fingers thick, roughly two feet long, entirely golden, and resembled a loach.

 Chapter 48

    <strong>¡¾Golden Loach: A peculiar fish, entirely golden in color, adept at burrowing.¡¿</strong>

    <strong>¡¾Contains spiritual essence, its flesh is delicious and nourishing, capable of enhancing both yin and yang, a superb tonic.¡¿</strong>

    <strong>¡¾It is said that Golden Loaches always appear in pairs, a male and a female, inseparable and never swimming alone.¡¿</strong>

    Seeing the creature in the bucket, its body glowing with a white and red hue, resembling a loach, Lu Qing was filled with joy.

    Indeed, this creature was a peculiar fish.

    Moreover, it was on the same level as the Red Moon Carp.

    What thrilled Lu Qing even more was the information on the third note.

    Golden Loaches always appeared in pairs and never swam alone.

    This meant there was another Golden Loach in the water!Although he didn''t know if themotion just now had scared the other Golden Loach away, Lu Qing still wanted to give it a try.

    He baited the hook with another Blood Apricot Fruit and lowered it into the water.

    He thought he would have to wait a long time again, maybe even in vain.

    However, to his surprise, the float sank into the water shortly after he lowered the hook.

    "So soon?!"

    Caught off guard, Lu Qing quickly reacted and grabbed the fishing rod.

    There was no suspense after that.

    After another bout of strength and skill, he pulled up another Golden Loach.

    Staring at the two Golden Loaches in the bucket, Lu Qing fell silent.

    It seemed he had underestimated the allure of the Blood Apricot Fruit to these peculiar fish.

    It was no ordinary fruit to be called a mystical fruit by the abilities.

    He wondered what was so special about it that it could attract these peculiar fish to devour it relentlessly.

    Lu Qing put away a few Blood Apricot Fruits, nning to ask his master about this mystical fruitter.

    Baiting another Blood Apricot Fruit, Lu Qing continued to fish.

    But this time, his luck wasn''t as good.

    He waited a long time without another catch.

    Not even an ordinary fish.

    "Strange, could it be that these peculiar fish have territorial awareness, and only one type appears at a time?" Lu Qing wondered.

    He decided to lift the hook and rece the bait with a worm.

    As soon as the hook was lowered again, a fish bit it quickly.

    A neat flick of the rod brought up a small white fish pping its tail in the air.

    Looking at the small white fish on the hook, Lu Qing was silent.

    "You''re really everywhere."

    Feeling there were no more peculiar fish below, Lu Qing stopped using the Blood Apricot Fruit.

    Instead, he continued fishing with worms.

    After a while, he had caught dozens of small white fish.

    With so many small white fish, plus the ones left at home, it should be enough to feed the ck beast well.

    After catching enough food for the ck beast, Lu Qing decided to pack up.

    It was a pity, though, as he had hoped to catch one or two big fish to give the ck beast a hearty meal.

    But perhaps because of the Golden Loach''s presence, all the big fish were nowhere to be found.

    Even when he switched to corn bait midway, there was no action.

    Unable to catch any, he could only let the ck beast settle for small fish, which tasted good anyway.

    "Xiao Yan, let''s go home."

    After packing up, Lu Qing called out to Xiao Yan, who was ying in the grass nearby.

    "Coming, brother."

    The little one ran back happily, holding a small bunch of wildflowers.

    She had gone to pick wildflowers earlier.

    "Brother, look at the flowers I just picked. Aren''t they pretty?"

    Xiao Yan held up the bouquet to show off to Lu Qing.

    "Pretty."

    Lu Qing nodded, noticing some grass leaves on her head and casually picked them off.

    "Hehe, I knew you''d like them."

    Xiao Yan was delighted with thepliment.

    Seeing her happy, Lu Qing had a sudden thought.

    "Xiao Yan, do you get boreding fishing with me every day?"

    "What''s bored?" the little one asked, tilting her head in confusion.

    "Uh... do you ever feel unhappy?" Lu Qing rephrased.

    "No, as long as I''m with you, I''m never unhappy," she said earnestly. "There are flowers to pick and butterflies to chase, it''s so much fun!"

    "...Alright then."

    Lu Qing had nothing to say.

    He had thought about leaving her in the vige to y with other kids if she felt bored while he went fishing.

    After all, she often yed with her friends in the vige after meals.

    But since she didn''t feel bored, he decided to let it be for now.

    Back home, Lu Qing poured out the small fish, leaving only the two Golden Loaches in the bucket, and fell into contemtion.

    He was considering what to do with these two Golden Loaches.

    Sell them or eat them himself?

    He preferred eating them.

    First, his master hadn''t been able to go to towntely, and he didn''t know how long the Golden Loaches would live out of the river.

    If they died in a few days, it would be a big loss.

    Secondly, he wasn''t short of money anymore.

    Peculiar fish were rare, and selling them felt like a waste.

    Lastly, the Golden Loaches'' effects were very tempting.

    ording to the abilities, these Golden Loaches were superb tonics.

    Now that he had started practicing Health Nourishing Boxing and was about to step into the Qi and Blood Realm, his body still felt weak due to a past illness.

    These two Golden Loaches might help him ovee this shoring.

    After some thought, Lu Qing decided to keep both Golden Loaches for himself.

    But he didn''t n to enjoy them alone.

    He intended to take them to the Halfway House tomorrow and share them with his master.

    Last time, he had nned to give the Red Moon Carp to his master but ended up selling it for money.

    Since bing a disciple, Lu Qing had only received benefits from his master without giving anything in return.

    Now that he had caught these peculiar fish, it was a good opportunity to let his master have a taste.

    Lu Qing''s n was excellent, but an unexpected event urred that night.

    After Xiao Yan fell asleep, the ck beast came scratching at the door again.

    Lu Qing brought out a bowl of fish and ced it on the ground.

    To his surprise, the ck beast, which usually devoured the fish as soon as it was put down, didn''t move this time.

    Instead, it sniffed a few times, its eyes lit up, and it circled around Lu Qing.

    After a few circles, it sat down and stared at him.

    "What''s wrong? Not eating? I even added extra fish today," Lu Qing said, puzzled.

    The little creature had changed its habits, no longer interested in fish?

    "Meow!"

    The ck beast suddenly let out a soft cry, startling Lu Qing.

    It was the first time he had heard it meow.

    He had only heard its warning growls in the first few nights.

    This meow was different, like a kitten''s, cute and endearing.

    But Lu Qing couldn''t pay attention to how pleasant the sound was now.

    Because he noticed that after the ck beast meowed, it stared straight at the house behind him.

    More precisely, at the direction of the kitchen.

    Remembering how the ck beast had sniffed him earlier, a thought suddenly struck Lu Qing.

    "Could it be..."

 Chapter 49

    "Little one, are you eyeing my two golden loaches?"

    Lu Qing noticed the ck little beast staring persistently towards the kitchen, prompting him to cover his forehead with his hand.

    No need to guess; it was obvious.

    Because those two golden loaches were right in the kitchen.

    He recalled how the ck little beast had been circling around him earlier, sniffing, likely detecting the scent of the golden loaches on him.

    After all, just that evening, he had moved the two golden loaches into the water tank and covered it with a wooden nk to prevent them from jumping out at night.

    The fishy smell, once attached, was hard to remove quickly.

    Unexpectedly, this little one''s nose was so keen that it could discern the scent of the golden loaches amidst a mix of various fish smells.

    The ck little beast did not respond, merely gazing at Lu Qing quietly.But from their time together, Lu Qing understood its meaning.

    It indeed wanted to eat those two golden loaches.

    Lu Qing couldn''t help but feel a headacheing on.

    "Little one, let''s make a deal. You can eat any fish here. If that''s not enough, I''ll get you more. But I need to keep those two golden loaches, okay?"

    Lu Qing didn''t care whether the little beast could understand his lengthy speech; he started negotiating with it.

    However, the ck little beast either pretended to be dumb or genuinely didn¡¯t understand.

    It simply blinked its eyes and continued staring fixedly in the direction of the kitchen behind Lu Qing.

    Alright, Lu Qing understood now that the little one was determined to eat the golden loaches.

    Knowing there was no room for negotiation, Lu Qing had topromise.

    "One. I can only give you one. The other one, I need it. I can''t give it to you."

    Lu Qing raised one finger, speaking seriously.

    The ck little beast stared at Lu Qing for a moment, then finally nodded.

    "You really can understand me!"

    Seeing the ck little beast''s action, Lu Qing could no longer doubt.

    He had suspected before but was never sure.

    Now, witnessing its behavior, he could confirm.

    This little guy had understood him all along and had been pretending to be dumb!

    Upon hearing Lu Qing''s words, the ck little beast resumed its earlier naive and calm expression, acting as if it had no idea what he was saying.

    But Lu Qing wouldn¡¯t be fooled by it anymore.

    Thinking about how he had been deceived by a small beast for so long, he found it both funny and frustrating.

    Turning back to the kitchen, he lifted the nk covering the water tank and grabbed one of the golden loaches, then returned to the courtyard.

    "I can only give you one. Do you want it or not?"

    Seeing the golden loach struggling in Lu Qing''s hand, the ck little beast''s eyes brightened.

    Just as Lu Qing finished speaking, he felt a shadow sh before his eyes, and the golden loach in his hand disappeared.

    When he focused again, the ck little beast was already munching on the golden loach voraciously.

    Watching it bite off the loach''s head in one gulp, Lu Qing''s heart ached.

    That was worth hundreds of silver taels.

    But seeing the ck little beast eat happily, eyes squinting in joy, tail wagging cheerfully, he could only console himself.

    Well, at least the little one had given him a valuable hundred-year-old ginsengst night. Feeding it something good in return was only fair.

    The ck little beast ate quickly. Before long, the nearly two-pound golden loach was entirely in its stomach.

    After finishing the loach, the ck little beast looked at Lu Qing again.

    Lu Qing was startled and quickly said, "No more. I need the remaining one. I can''t give it to you!"

    The ck little beast gave Lu Qing a sidelong nce, seemingly displeased by his stinginess, then walked over to the tub of fish and began eating leisurely.

    Lu Qing: ...

    So, you didn''t dislike the small fish; you just wanted the tasty ones first.

    Seeing that the ck little beast did not continue demanding the remaining golden loach, he sighed in relief.

    Luckily, the little one was reasonable. If it had tried to snatch the other golden loach, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop it.

    Watching the little beast eat happily, Lu Qing squatted down, thinking.

    "Little one, do you really like eating such exotic fish?"

    Now that he was sure the little beast could understand him, Lu Qing was eager tomunicate.

    The little beast looked up at him, its eyes sparkling.

    Lu Qing hurriedly added, "I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll give you the other golden loach. Don''t misunderstand."

    Hearing this, the little beast lowered its head and continued eating, ignoring him.

    Lu Qing didn''t mind. "However, just because I can''t give you the other golden loach doesn¡¯t mean I won''t give you other exotic fish I catch in the future."

    The little beast looked up again, puzzled.

    "Little one, how about we make a deal?" Seeing its interest, Lu Qing continued, "If I catch any more exotic fish like the golden loach, as long as you bring me the same kind of nt root asst night, I¡¯ll trade them with you. How about that?"

    Last night''s nt root?

    The little beast tilted its head, realizing Lu Qing meant the nt it had instinctively found special and dug up for him.

    He seemed to like it a lot?

    It remembered the nt grew in some ces within its mountain territory.

    Though digging it up was easy for the little beast, it didn''t want to agree too readily.

    Why should it, when he was so stingy about giving it another fish? Hmph!

    The little beast pretended to hesitate for a while before reluctantly nodding.

    Lu Qing had no idea a young beast could have suchplex thoughts.

    Seeing it agree, he was overjoyed.

    If the little one could indeed find more hundred-year-old ginseng, he didn¡¯t mind giving it all the exotic fish he caught.

    After all, the ginseng was far more valuable to him than the exotic fish.

    Thus, both man and beast felt they had struck a great deal and happily reached an agreement.

    Though it had eaten a golden loach, the little beast still finished all the fish in the tub. Its belly was slightly bloated when it left.

    Watching the little beast clumsily jump over the fence, Lu Qing shook his head with a smile.

    It truly loved fish, preferring to overeat rather than leave any behind.

    Once the little beast disappeared, Lu Qing took the wooden tub back to the kitchen to clean, then went to his room to sleep.

    The night passed uneventfully.

    The next morning, Lu Qing woke up, practiced several rounds of Health Nourishing Boxing, and felt refreshed.

    Health Nourishing Boxing, created by his master, truly lived up to its name.

    Just practicing for a few days, he already felt much stronger and more energetic.

    After a simple yet nutritious breakfast, Lu Qing took Xiao Yan, carrying the remaining golden loach in a bucket, and headed to the Halfway House.

    Climbing the mountain, Lu Qing felt a sense of anticipation.

    ording to his master''s words before going into seclusion, the Vitality and Blood Replenishing Pill should be ready today.

    With the help of the pill, he was confident that reaching the Qi and Blood stage was within his grasp.

 Chapter 50

    Arriving at the Halfway House.

    Lu Qing was surprised not to see his master practicing boxing in the open space in front of the door.

    He went inside to take a look and found the door to the medicine room still tightly closed, with a faint medicinal fragrance wafting out.

    Knowing his master was still refining medicine inside, he did not make a sound to disturb him.

    Instead, he ced the bucket in a corner, consciously took out a broom, and began to clean the yard.

    Seeing her brother cleaning, Xiao Yan also dragged out a small broom from the corner to help.

    When the siblings had almost finished cleaning the yard, Lu Qing finally heard the sound of the door opening from inside the house.

    Immediately following was the heartyughter of the old doctor.

    "You two, have you been here for a long time?"Seeing Lu Qing and Xiao Yan cleaning the yard, the old doctor asked.

    "Not very long, less than half an hour," Lu Qing replied honestly.

    "Grandpa Chen, Xiao Yan helped her brother clean too," the little one boasted, holding up her broom.

    "Grandpa knows, Xiao Yan is the best," the old doctor praised immediately.

    "Hee hee," the little one smiled happily upon receiving thepliment.

    "Master, did you stay up all night?"

    Lu Qing asked, noticing that the old doctor''s clothes were exactly the same as yesterday''s.

    "That''s right. In the path of medicine refining, one cannot be negligent. Especially with this Blood-Nourishing and Qi-Tonifying Pill, it''s best to refine it in one go to preserve the ginseng''s efficacy to the maximum," the old doctor nodded.

    "Master, don''t you want to rest for a while?" Lu Qing asked with some concern.

    "No need, it''s just one night. My old body isn''t that weak yet," the old doctor waved his hand. "Moreover, old people naturally need less sleep; sleeping a little less is no big deal."

    Lu Qing observed that his master''s face was still rosy and energetic, with no signs of fatigue.

    He knew his master was telling the truth.

    After all, his master was a powerful martial artist at the Internal Organs Realm. Staying up all night would hardly affect him.

    "Does this mean the Blood-Nourishing and Qi-Tonifying Pill is ready?" Lu Qing''s eyes lit up.

    "Indeed, it''s already refined," the old doctor took out a white porcin bottle. "That old ginseng yielded twenty Blood-Nourishing and Qi-Tonifying Pills."

    "With these twenty pills, not only will it be much easier for you to enter the Qi and Blood Realm, but your cultivation progress will also be very rapid once you do."

    Lu Qing took the porcin bottle, feeling its weight.

    He suddenly asked, "Master, is it best to take these pills after entering the Qi and Blood Realm?"

    The old doctor was stunned for a moment and then replied, "That''s right, these pills are one of the best auxiliary pills for the Qi and Blood Realm. Refining just one can bring significant progress. Many martial artists in the Qi and Blood Realm would spend a fortune to get a few pills."

    "Then wouldn''t it be a waste if I take these pills before entering the Qi and Blood Realm?"

    "Although some efficacy would be wasted, your foundation is a bit weak. Without the help of these pills, even if you''ve mastered Health Nourishing Boxing, it would still take some time for you to enter the Qi and Blood Realm."

    Hearing his master''s words, Lu Qing smiled and changed the subject.

    "Master, yesterday I went fishing and caught two peculiar fish that seem quite unusual. I wanted you to take a look."

    "Oh, what good things did you catch this time?" The old doctor was interested.

    He knew that his disciple had a great talent for fishing and often caught unusual fish.

    These days, there was never a shortage of small fish at his ce.

    Fried small fish were delicious, especially with wine, which had almost depleted his two jars of aged wine.

    "This type of fish is something I''ve never caught before. It''s small but quite strong and feels very unusual."

    Lu Qing took out the bucket with the golden loach from the corner of the yard.

    The old doctor looked inside and saw the golden loach swimming around. He suddenly widened his eyes.

    "This is a golden loach!"

    "Master, you recognize this fish?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Of course I do," the old doctor said excitedly. "Remember the Red Moon Carp you caught before? I told you it was one of the Ten Delicacies of the world."

    "Is this fish also one of the Ten Delicacies?" Lu Qing was intrigued.

    He hadn''t expected this.

    "Yes, this fish is also a rare one, called the golden loach, and it ranks among the Ten Delicacies, though much lower than the Red Moon Carp, being one of thest. Therefore, its taste is not as good as the Red Moon Carp."

    "However, what itcks in taste, it makes up for in its highly nourishing properties, making it perfect for those with weak constitutions."

    "Last time, I told you that your Red Moon Carp was bought by a nobleman in the city to nourish his wife."

    "After eating the Red Moon Carp, her health improved significantly, but she was still somewhat weak."

    "If she had eaten this golden loach, she would have fully recovered."

    Lu Qing was surprised to learn that the golden loach was indeed one of the Ten Delicacies.

    He realized that he had caught two types of the Ten Delicacies in the small river outside the vige.

    A small rural river hiding two, possibly more, rare fish was quite intriguing.

    Could it be because of the Blood Apricot Tree, or some other unknown reason?

    Lu Qing couldn''t help but ponder deeply.

    The old doctor had evidently thought of this as well.

    "A Qing, where did you catch this golden loach?"

    "At the same ce where I caught the Red Moon Carp," Lu Qing replied honestly.

    "The small river outside the vige has both Red Moon Carp and golden loach?"

    The old doctor realized something unusual.

    "Master, is there something wrong with that?" Lu Qing asked humbly.

    "It is quite unusual," the old doctor said. "But I can''t exin the reason. However..."

    "However, what?" Lu Qing noticed the old doctor''s serious expression and asked quickly.

    "Don''t tell anyone about the rare fish in the river outside the vige," the old doctor warned solemnly. "Rare fish are valuable, and once the news spreads, it might not be good for the vige."

    "I understand," Lu Qing nodded.

    He understood his master''s warning.

    The so-called crime of having a treasure¡ªrare fish were too valuable.

    If others found out about the rare fish in the river, they might try to take over the river and drive the vigers away.

    This kind of thing he had seen in many news stories in his past life.

    It would be a disaster for the vigers of Jiuli Vige.

    It seemed he could no longer reveal the rare fish he caught.

    Understanding this, Lu Qing immediately made up his mind.

    Even if he caught rare fish in the future, he wouldn''t sell them.

    After all, he had an agreement with the ck beast: if he caught rare fish, he could exchange them for ginseng.

    "Just remember that," the old doctor nodded, knowing his clever disciple wouldn''t need too much guidance.

    However, he was curious about something else.

    "Didn''t you say you caught two golden loaches? I remember golden loaches always appear in pairs. Where''s the other one?"

    "The other one was eaten by that ck beast," Lu Qing replied with a bitter smile and then exined how the ck beast insisted on eating the rare fish, leaving out their agreement.

    "I originally wanted to keep both golden loaches, but the beast wouldn''t let up, so I had to give it one."

    "I see. That''s not a problem. The ck beast gave you a hundred-year-old ginseng, so it''s only fair to give it a rare fish in return," the old doctor said, not feeling it was a loss.

    "Master, there''s only one golden loach left. Why don''t you enjoy it? Consider it a token of my appreciation," Lu Qing suggested.

    "It would be a waste for me to enjoy such a good thing alone," the old doctorughed. "Let''s eat it together."

    "Besides, your timing in catching this golden loach is perfect. If we''re lucky, you might enter the Qi and Blood Realm today."

    Hearing this, Lu Qing was stunned.

 Chapter 51

    "Master, what do you mean?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Your body has always been somewhat weak. To step into the Qi and Blood Realm, you must first replenish your foundation."

    "Normally, taking the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill would achieve this effect, but that would be somewhat wasteful."

    "So, your timing with catching this Golden Loach is perfect. With it, I can make a medicinal soup that will replenish your deficiencies."

    "But Master, I intended to share the Golden Loach with you," Lu Qing said hesitantly.

    "Just let me have a bowl of the soup; no need to be so formal."

    The old doctor wasted no time and took the Golden Loach into the kitchen.

    Lu Qing followed, watching as the old doctor skillfully prepared the fish.

    He removed only the innards, keeping even the blood, and ced everything into an earthen pot.Then the old doctor added some medicinal herbs and began to stew the mixture.

    The cooking took an entire hour.

    The aroma of the nourishing soup soon filled the house, making Lu Qing and Xiao Yan''s mouths water.

    "It''s ready."

    The old doctor extinguished the fire, let the pot cool slightly, and brought it to the table.

    As the lid was lifted, a rich fragrance wafted out, making Lu Qing and his sister salivate even more.

    Even the old doctor couldn''t help but praise, "It''s truly one of the ten rare delicacies."

    He took out three bowls, tworge and one small.

    First, he served two bowls of soup.

    Then he pushed the remaining pot towards Lu Qing.

    "Xiao Yan is still young and can''t handle much medicinal power. A small bowl is enough for her. As for me, a taste will suffice. The rest is for you."

    "Master..." Lu Qing hesitated.

    "Don''t dawdle. Remember, you must consume everything, including the residue."

    Seeing his master''s stern expression, Lu Qing could only take the pot and pour himself a bowl of soup.

    The three of them began to drink the soup.

    Lu Qing took a sip and felt an indescribable freshness spread from his tongue, making his whole body feel like it was opening up.

    Across from him, Xiao Yan was also drinking happily, her eyes narrowing with delight.

    The old doctor savored a sip of soup, tasting it carefully before swallowing.

    He sighed, "No wonder the wealthy are willing to pay a fortune for these rare fish."

    "Brother, this fish soup is delicious!" Xiao Yan eximed joyfully.

    Following his master''s instructions, Lu Qing drank bowl after bowl. Before long, he had finished half the pot, including the residue.

    After finishing the soup, Lu Qing sat for a while before feeling his whole body heat up, and a surge of warmth rose from his dantian.

    Seeing his state, the old doctor smiled, "Good, the medicinal power of the soup has begun to take effect. Now go outside and practice the Health Nourishing Boxing to fully absorb the medicine."

    Hearing this, Lu Qing hurried outside, unable to sit still from the heat building inside him.

    In the courtyard, he calmed his mind and began to perform the nine forms of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    The old doctor followed him outside, nodding approvingly as he watched Lu Qing quickly enter a state of concentration.

    His disciple was indeed a martial arts genius, quickly entering a state of cultivation even under the effects of the medicinal power.

    In the courtyard, the initially ufortable heat from the medicinal soup began to calm as Lu Qing practiced his boxing forms.

    Thoughts about the Health Nourishing Boxing flowed through his mind, and a sense of enlightenment arose within him.

    Instinctively, he started to guide the medicinal power inside him using the boxing forms.

    Health Nourishing Boxing was the culmination of the old doctor''s lifelong research, perfected from a fragmented martial art he had obtained in his youth.

    It encapsted his decades of medical experience, understanding the body''s qi, blood, muscles, bones, and internal organs.

    It had remarkable effects on nurturing the body and improving health.

    The Health Nourishing Boxing consisted of thirty-six forms, with the first nine forming a cohesive set that worked in harmony.

    Practicing these forms could nurture qi and blood, regte breathing, and was an excellent method for cultivating qi and blood.

    Immersed in his practice, Lu Qing repeatedly performed the first nine forms of the Health Nourishing Boxing.

    With each movement, the medicinal power from the nourishing soup gathered like homing birds, quickly being absorbed into his qi and blood, enhancing his vitality and strengthening his body''s foundation.

    Lost in his practice, Lu Qing was unaware of the passage of time.

    Suddenly, he felt a tremor throughout his body.

    His qi and blood seemed to break through a barrier, flowing freely throughout his body, perfectly controlled.

    Feeling a surge of enlightenment, Lu Qing began to slow down and finally stopped, closing his eyes to quietly sense the changes within his body.

    "Good, the qi and blood are connected, circting throughout the body. You''ve finally stepped into the Qi and Blood Realm!"

    The old doctor eximed in admiration as he watched.

    After a while, Lu Qing opened his eyes.

    He felt light and powerful, with an enhanced control over his body.

    He extended his palm, and with a thought, a burst of blood qi condensed in his hand, making his palm turn red, almost dripping with blood.

    As his thoughts dissipated, the blood qi disappeared, and his palm returned to normal.

    "The Qi and Blood Realm allows a martial artist to control their qi and blood, purifying the body and enhancing strength."

    "With a thought, the qi and blood connect throughout the body, capable of unleashing tremendous power and significantly increasing defense."

    "That''s why even a few ordinary strongmen can''t match a martial artist in the Qi and Blood Realm."

    "Whether in explosive power or defense, the gap is too vast to ovee."

    Feeling the various changes in his body, Lu Qing gained a deeper understanding.

    No wonder his master said that a martial artist in the Qi and Blood Realm could easily throw off several strong men.

    Compared to ordinary people, the explosive power of a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist was indeed extraordinary.

    "How do you feel after stepping into the Qi and Blood Realm?" the old doctor asked, approaching.

    "I feel great," Lu Qing replied joyfully. "Master, no wonder you say martial artists are powerful. I''ve just entered the Qi and Blood Realm and already feel much stronger. I can''t imagine how powerful higher-level martial artists must be."

    "With your aptitude, reaching those levels is only a matter of time."

    The old doctor had great confidence in Lu Qing''s martial arts potential.

    After all, how many could step into the Qi and Blood Realm from a frail youth in just a few days?

    Lu Qing''s martial arts talent was no less than the prodigies the old doctor had heard of in his travels.

    "LuQing, now that you''ve stepped into the Qi and Blood Realm and be a true martial artist, there are some things you need to understand."

    The old doctor''s expression suddenly turned serious.

    "Please tell me, Master," Lu Qing responded respectfully, feeling a sense of urgency.

    "There''s something you must know. In the martial arts world, the methods are divided into training techniques andbat techniques..."

 Chapter 52

    ¡°Training methods andbat techniques?¡± Lu Qing was surprised.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the old doctor replied.

    ¡°Training methods, also known as nourishing methods, as the name implies, are techniques for nurturing the body, tempering the flesh, and enhancing one''s physical strength.¡±

    ¡°The Health Nourishing Boxing I taught you is actually a form of training method, a boxing technique I created myself to train the body.¡±

    ¡°As forbat techniques...¡±

    The old doctor paused to organize his thoughts before continuing.

    ¡°Martial artists who cultivate the way of martial arts have vigorous Qi and blood, and are usually energetic andpetitive. It is inevitable to have a strong desire to win.¡±

    ¡°Therefore, in the long history of conflict, martial artists have gradually developed many highly aggressive techniques, which arebat techniques.¡±

    ¡°Combat techniques are also known as killing techniques. These martial arts do not aim to nurture the body or temper the flesh, but focus on how to unleash the greatest destructive power and lethality in the shortest time with the least cost to defeat the opponent.¡±¡°Thus, in terms of lethality,bat techniques are much stronger than training methods.¡±

    ¡°Nourishing methods and killing methods...¡± Lu Qing pondered these two terms carefully.

    Just from these two names, he could feel the turbulence on the path of martial arts, a cruel road that might demand life-and-death decisions at any moment.

    ¡°Master, you said Health Nourishing Boxing is a training method. What about our lineage''sbat techniques?¡± Lu Qing couldn''t help but ask.

    ¡°Our lineage doesn''t havebat techniques.¡±

    The old doctor''s next words left Lu Qing stunned.

    ¡°Don''t make such a face,¡± the old doctor said with a smile, ¡°Master is not good at fighting. It''s not surprising that I didn''t create any powerfulbat techniques.¡±

    Lu Qing then remembered that his master was a physician, a very kind-hearted physician who did not like to fight.

    Ack ofpetitive spirit might be why he didn''t create any powerfulbat techniques.

    ¡°However, even though Master is not good at fighting, I do have a few decentbat techniques in my possession. Would you like to learn them?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lu Qing was stunned again. ¡°Master, didn''t you just say our lineage doesn''t have outstandingbat techniques?¡±

    ¡°Our lineage indeed doesn''t have outstandingbat techniques,¡± the old doctor replied.

    ¡°Your grandmaster, who was my master, was just an ordinary itinerant physician who knew some basic self-defense techniques.¡±

    ¡°Later, when I was young, I had some fortuitous encounters, which allowed me to create the Health Nourishing Boxing.¡±

    ¡°So, I wasn''t lying when I said our lineage doesn''t have outstandingbat techniques.¡±

    ¡°Then what did you mean just now, Master?¡±

    ¡°Thebat techniques I possess are mostly acquired during my travels. Some were given to me as medical fees by certain chivalrous individuals I treated, some I bought in markets inrge cities, and others I found while collecting herbs in the mountains.¡±

    With a few simple words, the old doctor hinted at his extraordinary experiences, which Lu Qing could discern.

    But...

    ¡°Master, canbat techniques be bought?¡± Lu Qing found it somewhat incredible.

    In his impression, martial arts manuals should be the most cherished possessions of martial artists. Who would sell them?

    ¡°Haha, this world is vast and full of wonders. When you have the chance to venture out, you''ll realize that not only are there people who sell martial arts manuals, but some even carve out their lifelong learning and make it public for everyone to learn,¡± the old doctorughed.

    ¡°Who is so generous?¡± Lu Qing asked in astonishment.

    ¡°That was a great martial artist admired by all martial artists under the heavens.¡±

    The old doctor seemed lost in thought, showing a longing expression and fell silent.

    After a long while, he came back to his senses, ¡°Alright, let''s not talk about that.¡±

    ¡°LuQing, although as physicians, our duty is to cure and save people.¡±

    ¡°But sometimes, when you travel outside, you will inevitably encounter unforeseen events, so you must have some self-defense skills.¡±

    ¡°Health Nourishing Boxing is good for dealing with ordinary people, but if you face martial artists who also cultivate martial arts, it is not enough.¡±

    Lu Qing nodded.

    Health Nourishing Boxing can be used to deal with enemies, but against those who can unleash powerful lethalbat techniques, it is evidently at a disadvantage.

    ¡°You have now stepped into the Qi and Blood Realm and be a true martial artist, so it is time to choose abat technique to cultivate.¡±

    ¡°Master, what kind ofbat techniques can I learn?¡± Lu Qing asked with some anticipation.

    ¡°Although I have manybat techniques here, most are quite ordinary, suitable only for the Qi and Blood Realm. The truly exquisite ones, there are only three. Wait a moment.¡±

    Saying this, the old doctor walked into the house and soon came out with three books.

    ¡°These three martial arts, one is a staff technique, one is a de technique, and the other is a sword technique. Each one is a martial art for the Bone and Muscle Realm. Which one do you want to learn?¡±

    Lu Qing''s eyes roamed over the three manuals.

    He did not foolishly say he wanted to learn all of them.

    Although he possessed supernatural abilities, he understood the principle of not being greedy.

    He was now just a small Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, focusing on cultivating one martial art was the best choice.

    After some contemtion, Lu Qing finally said, ¡°I choose the de technique.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Once you choose, it may affect your future martial path,¡± the old doctor said solemnly.

    ¡°Disciple has thought it through. I choose the de technique,¡± Lu Qing replied firmly.

    He was not very interested in staff techniques, and his interest in sword techniques was average.

    Instead, the de technique intrigued him.

    After all, the de was quite domineering, which suited his taste.

    ¡°Since you have decided, then take this manual.¡±

    The old doctor handed one of the manuals to Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing took the manual and opened the first page, his brows raised: ¡°Four Directions de?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this de technique is called Four Directions de. I found this manual by chance in a mountain cave while collecting herbs.¡±

    ¡°In the cave, there was a skeleton, already turned into bones. In front of the skeleton, there was an oiled paper package, containing this Four Directions de manual.¡±

    ¡°After burying the skeleton, I took the manual.¡±

    Lu Qing was amazed.

    He realized that his master seemed to have a lot of fortuitous encounters.

    When he was young, he could discover unknown martial arts that led to the creation of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    Even while collecting herbs, he could find martial arts manuals.

    This kind of luck was indeed incredible.

    ¡°LuQing, this Four Directions de technique, I have only read it, but not practiced it. Since you chose this de technique, I can only give you some training suggestions but cannot teach you hand-to-hand.¡±

    ¡°So how far you can master it depends on yourself.¡±

    ¡°Disciple understands,¡± Lu Qing nodded.

    ¡°Although the Four Directions de technique is intricate, if practiced deeply, even a Bone and Muscle Realm martial artist would find it hard to withstand its power. But with your martial aptitude, mastering it should not be difficult.¡±

    The old doctor''s confidence in Lu Qing made him somewhat embarrassed.

    If it weren''t for his supernatural abilities, he might indeed disappoint his master.

 Chapter 53

    That night, after Lu Qing put Xiao Yan to sleep and fed the ck little beast, he lit an oilmp and took out the "Four Directions de Manual."

    Interestingly, the ck little beast had brought another old ginseng nt that night. The quality was no less than the previous one. Unfortunately, Lu Qing did not have any strange fish to exchange, so the little beast was visibly unhappy when it ate the fish. Lu Qing had to promise to catch a strange fish for it as soon as he had time, which finally appeased the beast. However, before leaving, the little beast did not take the ginseng with it and left it behind. Therefore, Lu Qing now owed the ck little beast a strange fish.

    Under the bright oilmp, Lu Qing opened the first page of the "Four Directions de Manual." Quickly, he saw a dense white light and even a hint of red light emerging from the manual.

    [Four Directions de: A manual recording a high-level de technique.]

    [Muscle and Bone Realm de technique, emphasizing momentum and ughter.]

    [It is said that this de technique was created by a martial arts master at the peak of the Muscle and Bone Realm, who poured his life''s blood into it. With this de technique, he once fought against a master of the Internal Organs Realm and survived.]

    [Would you like to download and simte it?]

    "Is it really a manual with red light?" Lu Qing was surprised to see the red light on the manual. Having awakened his ability for so long, he had developed some judgment about the light emitted from items. Anything associated with red light was extraordinary, a true treasure. Whether it was the strange fish or the hundred-year-old ginseng, it was the same. This "Four Directions de" manual, which emitted a red light even stronger than the strange fish and ginseng, truly astonished Lu Qing.

    Choosing yes, he began to browse through the "Four Directions de" manual.[Downloading... current progress: 1%, 2%, 3%...]

    As Lu Qing flipped through the pages, the download progress gradually increased.

    [...97%, 98%, 99%, 100%]

    [Downloadplete. Starting simtion... current progress: 1%, 2%, 3%...]

    When Lu Qing finished reading the manual, the progress bar reached 100%, and another progress bar appeared.

    "So that''s how it is. If it''s detected that someone else is practicing a technique, it can be directly simted. For manuals, they need to be downloaded first and then simted," Lu Qing thought.

    He waited patiently, and before long, the progress bar reached 100%.

    [Simtionplete. Would you like to practice?]

    Without hesitation, Lu Qing chose yes.

    In the next moment, countless key points and insights on practicing the Four Directions de technique flooded his mind. Lu Qing closed his eyes slightly, quietly receiving this information. After a long time, he opened his eyes, a hint of shock in them.

    "This Four Directions de technique is truly extraordinary."

    By now, Lu Qing had absorbed all the insights from his mind and had aprehensive understanding of the technique. The Four Directions de technique had only nine moves in total. Each move focused on mobilizing the entire body''s strength to unleash the most powerful force and momentum, capable of cutting down any enemy.

    The so-called "Four Directions" did not simply refer to the four cardinal directions but to the entirety of the world, wherever one''s gaze could reach. The ambition of the martial artist who created this technique was indeed grand. Lu Qing saw in the manual that the creator of this de technique aimed to use it to counter and defeat masters of the Internal Organs Realm.

    Closing the manual, Lu Qing reached for a wooden de he had made himself in the afternoon. It was not very beautiful but was sturdy enough. In this rural area, where could he find a real battle de? He had to make do with this for now. After all, he was only practicing and not going to kill anyone.

    Holding the wooden de, Lu Qing stood silently, letting the insights about the Four Directions de technique flow through his mind. With these insights, he began to practice the moves recorded in the manual. After entering the Qi and Blood Realm, his control over his body had greatly improved. Although it was his first time practicing the de technique, he already executed it quite well on the first try. This was partly due to the simplicity of the moves in the Four Directions de technique.

    The technique consisted of nine moves, each straightforward, focusing on momentum rather thanplexity. Practicing it was not difficult. The real challenge was how to mobilize the entire body''s strength while wielding the de to ensure that each strike unleashed the maximum power. This involved veryplex force generation methods, including body movements, footwork, angles, and ways of striking, as well as the coordination of qi and blood with the bones. Mastery required a high degree of self-control.

    After practicing a few times, Lu Qing, with the help of his mental insights, soon mastered the basic de moves. However, he still struggled with the unique force generation method of the technique. He remained calm, continuing to practice the de moves repeatedly. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. He believed that with the help of his insights, once he practiced the moves to a certain proficiency, everything would naturally fall into ce.

    Indeed, as he continued to practice, his mastery of the de moves became increasingly refined. The connection between the moves grew smoother, and the technique flowed seamlessly. The nine moves of the Four Directions de technique, though simple, were interconnected, forming a whole. They were enough to cover all parts of the body, leaving no openings.

    As Lu Qing practiced continuously, he minimized the gaps in the connections between the de moves. Finally, when he eliminated thest w, a realization dawned upon him. The next moment, he took a step forward, linking his qi and blood throughout his body, which instantly burst forth, and he shed down fiercely with the de.

    Whoosh!

    Under the powerful force, the de wind scattered, pressing the weeds under his feet t to the ground.

    After this strike, Lu Qing stood still, a look of joy on his face.

    "So this is the feeling of linking qi and blood and bursting forth instantly."

    Just now, Lu Qing had finally grasped how to coordinate the burst of qi and blood with the de strike to maximize its power. ording to the description in the "Four Directions de" manual, only by achieving this could one be considered to have truly entered the technique. If he could perform an entire set of de moves, each strike apanied by a burst of qi and blood, he would have achieved minor sess in the de technique.

    "It wasn''t easy. Without my abilities, it might have taken me another month to master the basics of the Four Directions de."

    Although it seemed that Lu Qing had easily grasped the initiation of the technique in just a couple of hours, only he knew how difficult it was. He had been in a state of enlightenment with the help of his abilities. Even so, it took a significant amount of time to master the basics. Of course, this was partly because he had never practiced a de technique before. Ordinary martial artists rarely experienced enlightenment, and for them to master the Four Directions de might take a year or more.

    Grabbing the wooden de, Lu Qing intended to strike while the iron was hot and continue practicing. Suddenly, he heard a cracking sound from the de. It turned out that he had used too much force during thest move, causing the wooden de to crack.

    "It seems I need to find a way to get a real de."

 Chapter 54

    Lu Qing originally intended to practice the Four Directions de Technique to a small sess in one go.

    Unexpectedly, his wooden de broke, leaving him somewhat disappointed.

    As for achieving great sess or perfection in the future, he didn''t dare to think about it for now.

    That realm could only be touched by experts at the Tendons and Bones Realm or above, not something a mere Qi and Blood Realm cultivator like him could hope for.

    Although he understood the key points and insights of the de technique in his mind, he dared not attempt them.

    The extreme force exertion method was something his current body couldn''t withstand.

    Only those at the Tendons and Bones Realm or above could recklessly push their bodies to such limits.

    In fact, with Lu Qing''s current entry-level Qi and Blood Realm, it was unlikely he could achieve even a small sess in the Four Directions de Technique.

    His qi and blood weren''t sufficient to sustain so many consecutive bursts.Realizing this, Lu Qing''s somewhat heated mind from the excitement of practicing the de technique cooled down.

    He nced at the wooden de in his hand, shook his head, and tossed it into the woodpile under the eaves before turning back inside.

    The next morning, after preparing breakfast, Lu Qing practiced several sets of Health Nourishing Boxing, regting his breath and fully invigorating his qi and blood.

    Then he took out a snow-white porcin bottle, poured out a pill, swallowed it, and continued practicing to absorb the medicinal power.

    ording to his master''s instructions, it was best to take one Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill per day.

    Any more, and the body couldn''t immediately digest all the medicinal power, causing unnecessary waste.

    The century-old ginseng from the ck little beast had been refined into twenty Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, enough for Lu Qing to use for more than half a month.

    After consuming all twenty pills, he would undoubtedly make significant progress in the Qi and Blood Realm.

    As for the ginseng the ck little beast broughtst night, Lu Qing nned to use it after finishing the current bottle of Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills.

    The medicinal power of the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill was much gentlerpared to the Golden Loach tonic from yesterday.

    After practicing Health Nourishing Boxing for a while, slowly absorbing and refining the medicinal power, Lu Qing finished his practice.

    Feeling the increased vigor in his qi and blood, he was overjoyed.

    He then went to wake up Xiao Yan, who was still lying in bed, for breakfast.

    "Xiao Yan, have you grown taller?"

    While helping the little one wash her face and brush her teeth, Lu Qing noticed her sleeves were a bit short and couldn''t help but ask.

    "Really, brother?"

    Originally still a bit drowsy, Xiao Yan suddenly woke up.

    "Let me measure."

    Lu Qing wiped her face and had her stand at the threshold to measure her height.

    After measuring, he found that she had indeed grown a bit taller.

    "You have grown taller. Look, this was the mark we madest time, and this is the new mark."

    Lu Qing pointed at the marks on the door.

    Every time he measured Xiao Yan''s height, he would carve a mark, and this new mark was indeed higher than the previous one.

    "I really have grown taller!"

    Xiao Yan looked up at the marks with a face full of happiness.

    Lu Qing rubbed her head.

    Not only had she grown taller, but her health had also improved a lot.

    Her hair was no longer dry and yellow, herplexion was rosy, much better than when he first woke up.

    "Alright, let''s go inside and eat. If you eat well, you''ll grow even taller soon."

    Seeing Xiao Yan still smiling foolishly at the marks on the door, Lu Qing smiled and urged her.

    As a result, the little one ate half a bowl more during breakfast.

    After breakfast, Lu Qing took Xiao Yan to the Halfway House to greet and study with their master.

    Lu Qing didn''t tell the old doctor that he had already started practicing the Four Directions de Technique.

    Everything should have a limit. His rapid mastery of the Health Nourishing Boxing overnight had already shocked his master.

    At that time, he could still use the excuse of sudden enlightenment.

    But he couldn''t always be suddenly enlightened, or it would be too astonishing.

    So Lu Qing decided to keep a low profile and keep it a secret for now.

    That morning, nothing special happened.

    The old doctor started formally teaching Lu Qing some medical principles and knowledge about drying and storing medicinal herbs.

    Soon, the morning passed.

    After finishing his studies, Lu Qing left Xiao Yan at the Halfway House and found an excuse to go out, saying he wanted to buy some things at the Grand Bazaar.

    Now that Lu Qing was a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, and a clever one at that, the old doctor naturally had no worries about him.

    Hearing that he wanted to buy things, he immediately agreed.

    Leaving the Halfway House, Lu Qing went home, took some silver, put on arge bamboo basket, tied a red string around the sacred tree at the vige entrance, and headed straight for the Grand Bazaar.

    Soon, Lu Qing''s figure appeared at the Grand Bazaar.

    Seeing the bustling crowd, he smiled.

    Yes, today was market day at the Grand Bazaar.

    Since hisst grand shopping trip here with Brother Wang Da''an, Lu Qing hadn''t returned.

    He knew his performance during that trip had been quite eye-catching.

    To avoid drawing attention, he simply didn''te back.

    Now that he had be a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist with some self-defense ability, and the food at home was nearly gone, he decided to replenish supplies.

    However, his purpose today was not just to buy daily necessities but something more important.

    Walking around the Grand Bazaar, Lu Qing soon found his target, Master Ma.

    He was about to greet him but stopped and stepped aside.

    Because he saw someone beside Master Ma.

    A young man in luxurious clothing, with an arrogant expression.

    Behind him were several sturdy, imposing men, clearly not to be trifled with.

    Especially since Lu Qing noticed that the previously domineering Master Ma was now ingratiating himself with the young man.

    He decided to observe quietly and see what was happening.

    Seeing Master Ma and his group approaching, Lu Qing quietly hid, lowering his presence and listening carefully.

    He didn''t use his abilities to probe their information.

    After entering the Qi and Blood Realm, he knew that martial artists were very sensitive to others'' scrutiny.

    Using his abilities might alert them, causing trouble.

    So he only nned to listen and see if he could gather any useful information.

    Fortunately, the arrogant young man didn''t bother to lower his voice.

    "Ma Gu, your ce is really shabby, just like the alleys where beggars sleep in the west of the city, filthy and stinking."

    Walking through the Grand Bazaar, the young man in luxurious clothing looked disgusted.

    "Young Master Wei, you are of noble birth and naturally not ustomed to my rural ce. I beg your pardon."

    Ma Gu bent slightly, his face full of humility.

    "If it weren''t for my need to enter the mountains to find a good birthday gift for my father and having no other ce to stay, I would nevere here. It''s really disgusting!"

    The young man nearly gagged at the sight of the pork offal being sold in the market.

    How could there be people selling such lowly meat in this ce?

 Chapter 55

    "Mago, what is that? Such lowly meat, is it something people should eat?"

    The young man in luxurious clothes, his face pale, pointed at the meat stall, his voice somewhat sharp.

    Especially the pig offal on the stall, with a faint odor wafting over, almost making him vomit.

    Following his finger, Mago saw he was pointing at the pork stall and couldn''t help but feel helpless.

    At this moment, the entire Grand Bazaar was silent.

    As for the meat stall owner, he was already shivering with fear, his sturdy body trembling, almost wanting to hide under the stall.

    The young man in luxurious clothes was clearly a noble from somewhere.

    Even Lord Ma had to humble himself, let alone a rural pork seller who couldn''t afford to offend him.

    "Young Master Wei, this is the countryside. Naturally, these poor people can''t afford good things," Mago said with a forced smile."You are a noble, it''s natural that you can''t stand such filth. Let''s move over there to avoid dirtying your eyes."

    "I''ve already had the house cleaned up. You can move in at any time."

    "Then let''s go quickly. If I stay any longer, I might faint!"

    The young man in luxurious clothes covered his nose and mouth, his face full of disdain, and hurried forward.

    Mago quickly followed.

    As for the guards of the young man in luxurious clothes, they hadn''t said a word from beginning to end, and their expressions hadn''t changed much.

    After the young man in luxurious clothes and his entourage left, it was a while before the people in the Grand Bazaar dared to move again.

    Lu Qing also emerged from the crowd.

    He watched the direction in which the young man in luxurious clothes and his entourage left, lost in thought.

    This young man in luxurious clothes was clearly a noble from the city.

    It was his first time encountering a city noble, and indeed, he had quite an air about him.

    Even the few guards following him were not to be trifled with.

    Although Lu Qing hadn''t used his abilities to probe their backgrounds, he could sense that each of those guards was much stronger than him.

    None of them were likely below the Internal Organs Realm.

    He wondered about the background of this young man, who had such powerful guards.

    Originally, he had wanted to approach Mago, but it seemed there was no opportunity today.

    Lu Qing decided to continue his shopping at the Grand Bazaar, buying more food to take home, as their rice, flour, and meat had almost run out.

    As for salt, they still had plenty; his master had bought arge bagst time he went to the city, enough tost until next year.

    While Lu Qing was happily shopping, on the other side, Mago, who had just arranged for the young man in luxurious clothes and his entourage to move in, walked out of the house with a bitter expression.

    He had never expected that the young master of the Wei family would suddenly appear in his small ce.

    The key was that he had to greet him with a smile.

    Otherwise, if the n found out that he had not properly entertained the young master of the Wei family, he would be in serious trouble.

    But this young master of the Wei family was notoriously arrogant and difficult to serve in the city.

    If he could avoid it, he wouldn''t want to be associated with such a little tyrant.

    Good hospitality wouldn''t earn him any merit, and poor hospitality would bring a lot of trouble.

    Most importantly, if anything happened to the young master while he was here, even the n wouldn''t be able to protect him.

    Despite his unwillingness, Mago had no choice.

    He could only pray that the young master would quickly find what he wanted and leave.

    Otherwise, the longer he stayed, the more Mago would worry.

    Filled with gloom, Mago headed to the Grand Bazaar.

    He needed to handle some things there quickly, like temporarily stopping the sale of chickens, ducks, and pork, to avoid offending the cleanliness-obsessed young master.

    Upon arriving at the Grand Bazaar, the first thing Mago did was head to the pork stall.

    The fat man who ran the stall was usually very respectful to him, so he decided to let him take a break.

    "Young man, look here, today''s pork is especially good. Which piece would you like? I''ll give you a discount."

    Before Mago reached the pork stall, he heard this sentence.

    He was curious. The fat man was usually stingy when selling meat. Although he wouldn''t shortchange anyone, he wouldn''t cut even a bit more than a pound. Why had he suddenly be generous today?

    Then he saw a young man with a bamboo basket standing in front of the stall, choosing meat.

    The figure looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn''t remember who it was.

    As Mago was still pondering, he saw the young man with the bamboo basket stand up and point at the meat on the stall.

    "Boss, I want this piece, the biggest one."

    Finally, Mago saw the young man''s side profile and remembered who he was.

    He was the young man who had imed to be the apprentice of Doctor Chenst month!

    Seeing Lu Qing, Mago recalled some things.

    More than half a month ago, Lu Qing hade to the Grand Bazaar and bought a lot of things, iming to be Doctor Chen''s apprentice.

    Afterward, Mago had sent his men to investigate in Jiuli Vige.

    It turned out the young man hadn''t lied; he was indeed learning from Doctor Chen.

    This made Mago curious, and he had been pondering how to get closer to Lu Qing.

    However, after that visit, Lu Qing had not appeared at the Grand Bazaar again.

    This had rendered all of Mago''s preparations useless.

    Given his status, he couldn''t actively go to Jiuli Vige to approach Lu Qing; otherwise, anyone could tell he had ulterior motives.

    He had thought the opportunity was lost, but now, Lu Qing had reappeared.

    Mago was delighted, and he temporarily forgot the troubles brought by the young master of the Wei family.

    He walked up and said, "Young Lu, long time no see."

    Lu Qing, who was watching the boss cut his chosen piece of meat, turned his head upon hearing this. Seeing Mago, he was surprised.

    Wasn''t this the person apanying the noble from the city? Why was he here?

    But Lu Qing quickly reacted and smiled, "Ah, it''s Lord Ma. Long time no see."

    At this moment, Mago got a good look at Lu Qing''s current appearance.

    He was stunned.

    Compared to more than half a month ago, Lu Qing had changed significantly.

    Thest time Lu Qing came to the Grand Bazaar, he was thin, his face pale, and his clothes were patched.

    He had looked like a typical poor rural boy.

    This was one of the reasons why Mago had sent his men to investigate in Jiuli Vige.

    In his opinion, if Lu Qing was truly Doctor Chen''s apprentice, he shouldn''t be living so poorly.

    But now, although Lu Qing''s clothes hadn''t changed much, his physical condition had improved greatly.

    He was no longer thin, stood tall and straight, with a healthyplexion and bright eyes.

    More importantly, Mago could faintly sense the surging energy within Lu Qing.

    A Qi and Blood Realm warrior?!

    Mago''s heart was filled with shock.

 Chapter 56

    Sensing the faint yet unmistakable force of Blood Qi within Lu Qing''s body, Mago felt as if his world had been upended.

    Thest time he saw Lu Qing at the Grand Bazaar, the boy was nothing more than a frail, sallow-faced youth who knew nothing of martial cultivation. Yet here he was now, a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist!

    How was this possible? It hadn''t even been a month!

    In less than a month, he had transformed from an inexperienced boy into a Qi and Blood Realm warrior? Mago''s understanding of cultivation was profoundly shaken. He was astounded by Lu Qing''s rapid progress.

    During his previous visit to the Grand Bazaar, there was no trace of martial cultivation on Lu Qing. As a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist himself, Mago was certain of this.

    But now, the shock he felt was even more intense. He could hardly fathom how Lu Qing had managed to be a genuine martial artist in such a short time.

    When he had begun his own martial training at thirteen, it had taken him five full years to barely step into the Qi and Blood Realm by eighteen, and that was with his family''s support. Even then, his family had praised his diligent efforts and quick progress.

    For Mago, hailing from a side branch of his family with fewer resources, bing a martial artist by eighteen was a significant achievement, indicating his talent.

    Yet now, in front of Lu Qing, all his previous pride seemed utterly insignificant. Achieving Qi and Blood Realm in less than a month¡ªthis speed would surpass even the so-called martial prodigies meticulously nurtured by prominent families in the city.Mago was left almost in a daze by Lu Qing''s transformation.

    Seeing Mago''s dumbfounded expression, Lu Qing couldn''t help but ask, "Master Ma, are you alright?"

    Mago snapped back to reality, struggling topose himself before forcing a smile. "I''m fine. It''s just that the changes in you, Young Master Lu, have taken me by surprise."

    "Oh, I''ve been cultivating with my master recently, training my body. After some time, I made a bit of progress, making youugh at my feeble attempt," Lu Qing said modestly.

    This remark left Mago speechless. If this was "a bit of progress," what did his twenty years of effort, only to barely enter the Tendons and Bones Realm, amount to?

    However, a thought crossed Mago''s mind. Indeed, Lu Qing''s master was the renowned physician, Old Doctor Chen. Even the County Magistrate praised this mysterious figure. Perhaps Lu Qing''s swift advancement was rted to his master''s guidance.

    While these thoughts raced through his mind, Mago''s smile remained unchanged. "Young Master Lu, you are too modest. To achieve Qi and Blood Realm at your age, even in the city, you would be considered a genius."

    "You seem to know a lot about the city, Master Ma?" Lu Qing asked curiously.

    It was no surprise to Lu Qing that Mago could identify his Qi and Blood Realm status. A martial artist with substantial cultivation naturally exuded vigorous Blood Qi and a strong spirit, unless one practiced a unique concealment technique or had exceptional control over their essence and spirit to hide their martial identity.

    "I wouldn''t say I know a lot, but I did live there for a few years," Mago replied vaguely.

    "I see," Lu Qing nodded, not prying further into why Mago, once living in the city, now resided in the small Grand Bazaar.

    "Since you lived in the city, Master Ma, you must be well-informed. I have a dilemma that I hope you could help me with."

    Mago''s interest piqued. He had been seeking a way to grow closer to Lu Qing, and now the opportunity had presented itself.

    "What troubles you, Young Master Lu?"

    "I wish to purchase a battle de, but there are none avable at the Grand Bazaar. Do you know where I might find one?"

    "A battle de?" Mago was taken aback.

    "Yes, I''ve recently taken an interest in de techniques, but Ick a suitable weapon," Lu Qing exined directly, seeing no need to be coy since Mago had already identified his martial status.

    Mago found nothing unusual about Lu Qing''s desire for a weapon. For a martial artist, seeking a well-suited weapon was entirely normal.

    "As for a good battle de¡­" Mago pondered, "You would likely only find one in the city. There are a few shops there with good reputations."

    "Only in the city?" Lu Qing hesitated.

    "Indeed. Most skilled cksmiths gather in the city. While there are cksmiths in rural areas, they mainly produce crude farming tools. Crafting a battle de requires high-level forging skills that rural smiths typicallyck," Mago exined.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s hesitation, Mago''s mind raced.

    "Have you never been to the city, Young Master Lu?" Mago asked.

    Lu Qing sighed, "To be honest, Master Ma, I have not. Furthermore, my master forbids me from going to the city on my own before I finish my training."

    Old Doctor Chen had never said such a thing, but Lu Qing found it useful to use his master''s authority to handle Mago.

    "A master''s orders are not to be disobeyed. This is indeed a bit tricky," Mago sympathized.

    Noticing Lu Qing''s reluctant expression, Mago knew the timing was right.

    After a moment of feigned hesitation, he offered, "If you trust me, Young Master Lu, I could purchase a battle de from the city on your behalf."

    "Really?" Lu Qing''s eyes lit up but then quickly dimmed with doubt. "Wouldn''t that be too much trouble for you, Master Ma?"

    Seeing Lu Qing''s eager yet hesitant look, Mago found it amusing. Young people were so transparent.

    He chuckled, "It''s no trouble at all. We get along well, and it''s a small favor. It wouldn''t bother me."

    Lu Qing''s expression shifted, showing signs of inner struggle.

    Finally, as if making a significant decision, he said, "Then I must trouble you, Master Ma."

    Sess!

    Mago was delighted.

    Suppressing a smile, he asked, "What kind of battle de are you looking for, Young Master Lu?"

 Chapter 57

    ¡°Master Ma, what kind of war de does Young Master Lu want?¡±

    Lu Qing pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Master Ma, how much does it cost to buy a war de?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say,¡± Mago replied with some difficulty.

    ¡°A regr war de might cost just a few taels of silver. A better refined de could start from dozens of taels.¡±

    ¡°If there are special requirements, such as mixing in special metals, the price could be upwards of a hundred taels.¡±

    ¡°And those who like luxury, embedding jewels and jade into the hilt and scabbard, the price is even more unpredictable. It could reach thousands of taels.¡±

    Lu Qing immediately responded, ¡°I don¡¯t need any luxurious decorations. Please, Master Ma, just help me get a simple yet sturdy and sharp refined war de. It doesn¡¯t need to be too fancy.¡±

    ¡°As for the price, as long as it¡¯s within fifty taels of silver, I can ept it.¡±

    Saying that, Lu Qing took out a silver ingot from his bosom, ¡°Here¡¯s ten taels of silver as a deposit.¡±Master Ma looked at the shiny silver ingot and thought to himself that the old doctor indeed doted on Lu Qing, casually giving him so much silver.

    Even when he was young, living off the family¡¯s support, it was rare to have ten taels of silver on him.

    But then he thought it was only natural.

    With Lu Qing¡¯s martial aptitude, any prestigious family would certainly cultivate him with all their might.

    Such an outstanding disciple, the old doctor not paying attention would be abnormal.

    ¡°Fifty taels of silver is enough to buy a very good refined war de. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll select it carefully for you. Come and pick it up on the next Grand Bazaar day.¡±

    Mago epted the silver without hesitation.

    ¡°Thank you, Master Ma,¡± Lu Qing said solemnly.

    He knew that Mago had other intentions in helping him.

    But wasn¡¯t he also using Mago?

    In these times, who would help others without reason?

    In contrast, people like his master, who were truly kind, were rare and hard toe by.

    ¡°Young Master Lu, since you¡¯re here at the Grand Bazaar, why note to my ce for a small gathering? Let me y host properly.¡±

    Having received the silver and seeing their conversation go well, Mago took the opportunity to invite him.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Lu Qing hesitated, ¡°I¡¯d love to, but Master Ma, don¡¯t you need to attend to that noble young master? He seemed very distinguished.¡±

    Damn!

    Reminded by Lu Qing, Mago remembered the young master in his mansion.

    He had been out for a while and didn¡¯t know what the young master might need.

    If he couldn¡¯t find him and got angry, it would be trouble.

    Thinking of this, Mago hurriedly said, ¡°Maybe next time. When youe to pick up the de, we¡¯ll have a drink together.¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d be honored.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡±

    Seeing Lu Qing agree, Mago was pleased. He called a subordinate, gave a few instructions, and rushed back to his mansion.

    Lu Qing watched Mago, a Tendons and Bones Realm master, fear the young noble so much, and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head.

    It seemed the noble¡¯s background was indeed formidable.

    After Mago left, with the war de settled, Lu Qing was in a good mood and continued browsing the Grand Bazaar.

    It wasn¡¯t long before he bought everything he needed.

    Not only was his bamboo basket full, but both his hands were also carrying a lot.

    After finishing his shopping, he decided not to linger and prepared to leave the Grand Bazaar.

    Before leaving, he noticed Mago¡¯s men helping vigers pack up their stalls selling chickens, ducks, and pork.

    It was evident that Mago feared the vigers might offend the noble young master.

    Shaking his head, Lu Qing once again realized the stark difference between the city nobles and the rural vigers. He slowly walked out.

    After Lu Qing left, two men emerged from the bazaar.

    Watching Lu Qing¡¯s departing figure, they looked puzzled.

    ¡°Old Seven, doesn¡¯t that kid look familiar?¡± said a man with a somber expression.

    ¡°I think so. Feels like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before.¡±

    The other man, with arge ck mole on his face, was also puzzled.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he look like Lu Ming¡¯s son?¡±

    The somber man reminded.

    ¡°Lu Ming?¡± The man with the mole was first startled, then suddenly realized, ¡°Yes, he does! But wasn¡¯t that brat scrawny before? He looks stronger now.¡±

    ¡°Must be eating well,¡± the somber man sneered. ¡°Those old folks in Jiuli Vige said the Lu family sold theirnd and had no money to pay us. Now it seems we¡¯ve been fooled.¡±

    ¡°They must have kept a lot of money and intentionally not paid off Lu Ming¡¯s debt.¡±

    ¡°Fifth Brother, you mean the vigers in Jiuli Vige cheated us?¡± the man with the mole¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Of course, how else do you think that brat got money to buy so many things here?¡±

    ¡°Those old folks are tired of living, daring to cheat us?¡± The man with the mole was furious. ¡°I¡¯ll go catch that brat now!¡±

    He started towards the direction Lu Qing had gone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush.¡± The somber man stopped him. ¡°Catching that brat alone won¡¯t do. We need to make a big deal out of it. Otherwise, others will think there are no consequences for deceiving us. How will we keep our reputation?¡±

    ¡°Fifth Brother, you mean?¡± The man with the mole¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back first. It¡¯s not suitable to talk here, especially on Mago¡¯s turf.¡±

    They nced around the bazaar with a trace of fear.

    Mago was no ordinary person. Even their boss said to avoid provoking him if possible.

    If he got angry, even their boss might not be able to stop him.

    Their boss was a high-ranking martial artist, after all.

    If even he was wary, Mago was not someone they could offend.

    The two hurriedly left the bazaar.

    Meanwhile, Lu Qing was unaware that he was already being targeted.

    At that moment, he was being stopped by another group.

    ¡°You said you wanted to rob me?¡±

 Chapter 58

    "You just said you wanted to rob me?"

    Lu Qing, burdened with goods on his back, looked calmly ahead.

    In front of him, five or six men blocked the road, holding sticks and looking at him with ill intent.

    If Mago were here, he would recognize these people as the hooligans led by Chen San, whom he had warned and punished before.

    At this moment, Chen San and his group were eyeing Lu Qing''s belongings greedily.

    Especially the pork in the bamboo basket, making their mouths water.

    Half a month ago, they were beaten up by the people at the Grand Bazaar and had just recovered after many days of rest.

    They spent all the money they had left on the treatment.

    They hadn''t had a taste of meat for over ten days now.Initially, they were hoping to find some unlucky soul on the road to extort a bit of money.

    But unexpectedly, they encountered such a big, fat sheep.

    Seeing the meat and other provisions in Lu Qing''s basket, Chen San and his group almost had their eyes pop out in greed.

    Perhaps because of the significant changes in Lu Qing over the past few days, Chen San and his gang failed to recognize him as the young man they had tried to rob half a month ago.

    Moreover, he was the very reason they got beaten up by the people at the Grand Bazaar.

    "Kid, since you heard us clearly, hand over all your belongings and money obediently!"

    Chen San growled viciously.

    "That''s right, if you don''t want to suffer, put down your things and get lost."

    "Otherwise, we''ll beat you up!"

    The other thugs shouted.

    "What if I don''tply? Will you kill me, then dump my body in the wilderness, and take everything?" Lu Qing suddenly asked.

    "What did you say?"

    Chen San and his group were stunned.

    Had this kid gone mad from fear? They had only threatened to beat him up, not to kill him!

    "Hurry and answer. If I refuse, will you kill me?" Lu Qing asked calmly.

    Looking at Lu Qing''s serene face, a chill ran down Chen San''s spine.

    He felt something eerie about this young man.

    Who encounters a robbery and calmly asks if they will be killed?

    Shouldn''t he be panicking and begging for mercy?

    Was this kid insane?

    This question popped into the minds of Chen San and his group.

    However, even if he was insane, he was a rich insane person!

    Chen San and his gang eyed Lu Qing''s belongings greedily.

    If they could rob these things, it would be enough for them to splurge for several days.

    With this thought, they ignored the chill in their hearts.

    "That''s right, if you don''t hand over the money, we''ll cut you up and throw you into the river!"

    Unfortunately, Lu Qing had already seen through their bluster.

    He looked at the information floating above Chen San''s head.

    [Chen San: Unemployed, hooligan.]

    [Lives by petty theft and bullying, leads a few thugs, often steals from nearby viges, hated by everyone.]

    He nced at the others, and they were all the same¡ªpetty thieves and hooligans.

    He shook his head in disappointment.

    If these guys were truly ruthless, he could deal with them without restraint.

    But now, he had to hold back.

    Nevertheless, they still needed a lesson.

    Having these guys wandering around was ultimately not good for the vigers.

    It was just him today, but if it were someone else from the vige going to the market, they might indeed get robbed.

    "A bunch of useless worms, with hands and feet, yet only thinking about living off others. Even maggots have more value than you."

    Lu Qing gently put down his belongings, removed his basket, and stretched his limbs.

    "What did you say, kid? Tired of living?"

    Chen San and his group were furious.

    But before they could react, they saw a blur, and Lu Qing was already upon them like a whirlwind.

    Chen San, who was in the front, instinctively raised his stick to strike Lu Qing.

    But before he could swing, he felt a sharp pain in his wrist, dropping the stick.

    Then, a tremendous pain hit his chest, blood surged in his mouth, his vision went ck, and he fell to the ground.

    When Chen San barely recovered from the pain and opened his eyes, he saw his underlings all lying on the ground, clutching their hands or feet, groaning in agony.

    "Chen San, you should be grateful."

    Before Chen San could grasp what had happened, a shadow loomed over him.

    He looked up to see Lu Qing standing before him, his face obscured by the sun.

    Only the voice, cold and detached, was clear.

    "You should be grateful that I didn''t sense any great evil deeds from you."

    "Otherwise, you''d be floating corpses in the river by now."

    "I''ve merely broken one of your hands and feet each as a slight reprimand. If I find out you''re still stealing and harming the vigers, it won''t just be broken limbs."

    Chen San was filled with terror as he looked at Lu Qing.

    At this moment, he realized Lu Qing was far from the easy target they had imagined.

    He was someone they couldn''t afford to mess with!

    The other thugs, too, dared not make a sound, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Lu Qing.

    They could tell he wasn''t bluffing.

    If they didn''t do as he said, he would indeed kill them.

    Lu Qing returned to his basket, picked up his belongings, and continued toward the vige, without sparing another nce at Chen San and his group.

    To him, they were mere trash, unworthy of his attention.

    "Remember, don''t let me see you again, or I''ll break your other limbs too."

    Watching Lu Qing''s figure disappear, Chen San and his group finally dared to cry out in pain.

    "Boss, what should we do?"

    A thug wailed.

    "What else can we do? Get up and leave! Didn''t you hear that devil say he''d break our other limbs if he saw us again?"

    "But how can we leave?" The thug cried, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle.

    "Even if you can''t walk, you have to crawl! Damn it, those who still have their legs, get up!"

    Under Chen San''s orders, the thugs with unbroken legs struggled to stand.

    It seemed Lu Qing had deliberately left half of them with intact legs so they could leave.

    In the end, the group, supporting each other and crying out in pain, limped away pathetically.

 Chapter 59

    Lu Qing slowly walked along the road.

    His mind, however, was far from calm.

    Those few hooligans, after being crippled by him, would find it difficult tomit evil deeds again in the future.

    Even living like normal people would be a challenge for them.

    As for why he didn''t kill them outright, it was because Lu Qing wasn''t one to kill indiscriminately.

    In his past life, besides killing fish, he rarely even killed chickens or ducks, let alone people.

    Since crossing over to this world, Lu Qing had been mentally preparing himself, telling himself that this world was different¡ªmore cruel and survival of the fittest.

    But killing people was still a hard decision for him to make.

    He didn''t know what changes would ur once he crossed that line.After bing a martial artist, killing people wasn''t difficult for him.

    What was difficult was whether he could remain unchanged after taking that step.

    If those hooligans had been truly evil, Lu Qing might have been able to do it.

    But the information from his abilities told him they weren''t.

    So Lu Qing decided to give them a chance.

    Indeed, he wasn''t like the protagonists in those novels he read in his past life, who could kill decisively right after crossing over without any hesitation.

    In the end, he was still just an ordinary person.

    Lu Qing thought self-deprecatingly.

    However, after this incident, Lu Qing finally realized the strength of a martial artist.

    Even the weakest in the Qi and Blood Realm was an existence that ordinary people could not resist.

    Whether in strength, reaction, or defense, the two were not on the same level at all.

    When Lu Qing was teaching those hooligans a lesson earlier, he clearly felt it.

    Their movements and reactions were like slow motion to him, posing almost no threat.

    So he could easily break their limbs while remaining unscathed.

    "Fortunately, martial arts cultivation is not easy, and breaking through to the Qi and Blood Realm is even more difficult. Otherwise, I can''t imagine what this world would be," Lu Qing thought to himself.

    Don''t be fooled by the fact that he had entered the Qi and Blood Realm in a short time.

    That was because he had the help of his abilities, the selfless guidance of his master, and the great tonic like the Golden Loach to make up for the deficiencies in his foundation.

    Ordinary people didn''t have such conditions.

    Even after practicing martial arts for ten years, they might not even touch the edge of the Qi and Blood Realm.

    ording to his master, anyone who could be a martial artist in this world was extraordinary, at least one in a hundred talents.

    Others, without talent, no matter how long they practiced, could only be agile and strong, capable of bullying ordinary people but breaking at the touch when encountering real martial artists.

    With these thoughts in mind, Lu Qing returned home.

    After putting everything away, he felt a sense of relief.

    This trip to the Grand Bazaar, despite some twists and turns, left him in a good mood overall.

    Especially with sessfullymissioning Mago to get him a battle knife.

    Thinking about having his own battle knife in a few days, Lu Qing felt quite excited.

    Lu Qing originally thought he would have to wait another four or five days to see Mago again.

    But to his surprise, just one dayter, they met again.

    ¡­

    At the back courtyard of a house in the Grand Bazaar.

    Mago looked worried as he called for one of his subordinates.

    "Has the young master from the Wei family not returned yet?"

    "No, Master Ma, I''ve been waiting outside, but I haven''t seen Young Master Wei and his party return," the subordinate replied respectfully.

    "Why are they sote today?" Mago felt uneasy. "ording to yesterday''s schedule, they should have been back by now."

    After waiting for a long while and still not seeing them, Mago''s uneasiness grew.

    He paced back and forth, constantly reassuring himself, "There won''t be any problems. The Wei family''s guards are all experts in the Tendons and Bones Realm. It''s just a trip to the mountains, what could possibly go wrong?"

    But as time passed, Mago finally began to panic.

    He couldn''t help but curse, "Damn it, what''s that Wei brat thinking? Why does he insist on going into the mountains himself to find a birthday gift? Can''t he just send his men? Doesn''t he know that if anything happens to him, many people will suffer?"

    Just as Mago was on the verge of organizing a search party, his subordinate rushed in.

    "Master Ma, Master Ma, Young Master Wei and his party are back!"

    "Where are they?" Mago''s heart leaped with joy, but his subordinate''s face was filled with terror.

    "They''re back, but Young Master Wei¡­ he''s¡­"

    Mago''s heart sank. He grabbed his subordinate''s cor. "What''s wrong with Young Master Wei?"

    "He¡­ he seems to be dead¡­"

    This statement hit Mago like a bolt from the blue, leaving him stunned.

    The next moment, an overwhelming fear surged in his heart.

    He grabbed his subordinate''s cor again, his face twisted in rage. "How did he die? Who killed him?!"

    "I¡­ I don''t know. I saw the guards return, carrying a stretcher with Young Master Wei lying on it, covered in blood, not even breathing. I thought¡­ I thought¡­"

    The subordinate stammered, terrified by Mago''s fury.

    "Damn it!"

    Mago realized what was going on. It wasn''t certain that Young Master Wei was dead, but this guy''s words were definitely his own guess.

    "I''ll deal with youter!"

    He kicked his subordinate aside and rushed out.

    The fear in his heart didn''t lessen.

    Although the fool was guessing, it was clear that Young Master Wei was in a very bad state.

    Whether he was dead or gravely injured, the consequences were beyond Mago''s bearing.

    When Mago reached the front yard, he saw several Wei family guards gathered around a blood-soaked stretcher, looking somber.

    On the stretcher, Young Master Weiy pale and unconscious, his life hanging by a thread.

    "Guard Li, what''s going on?"

    Seeing this scene, Mago''s mind went nk, and he quickly shouted to the lead guard.

    "The young master identally fell into a ravine in the mountains, his abdomen shed open by a sharp stone," Guard Li replied, his face grim with fear.

    He couldn''t imagine the punishment they would face for failing to protect the young master.

    "Is the young master still alive?" Mago''s heart tightened, his voice trembling.

    Guard Li knew what he meant and directly answered, "The young master still has a breath. We stuffed his intestines back in, applied medicine, and barely stopped the bleeding temporarily."

    Mago''s heart pounded. "What are you nning to do now?"

    "We wanted to take him back to the city immediately, but the wound is toorge. The jostling kept reopening it, washing away the hemostatic powder. We''ve run out of medicine, and at this rate, he won''t make it back to the city."

    "So we came back to see if you had any extra medicine?"

    "Yes, I have it. I''ll get it right away!"

    Mago quickly fetched his precious hemostatic powder and handed it to Guard Li.

    Although the medicine was valuable, he couldn''t care about that now.

    Watching Guard Li apply the medicine to the young master''s wound made Mago''s heart twitch.

    He couldn''t fathom how Young Master Wei fell to sustain such a horrific injury.

    "Guard Li, what do you n to do next?" Mago asked after the medicine was applied.

    "We''ll take the young master back to the city," Guard Li replied without hesitation.

    "But didn''t you say the young master might not survive the journey?" Mago hurriedly asked.

    "Taking him back is his only chance. If we dy any longer, he won''t even have that."

    Guard Li didn''t mention that this was also their only chance.

    But Mago was anxious.

    If Guard Li and his team left, it would be disastrous if Young Master Wei died en route. Who knew if the guards would flee?

    He had toe up with a n!

    Mago''s mind raced, seeking a way out.

    Suddenly, a figure shed in his mind, and his eyes lit up.

    "Wait, I might have a way to save the young master!"

 Chapter 60

    "What method? What method?"

    Guard Li was initially taken aback, then quickly asked.

    The other guards also looked over.

    "In a nearby vige, there is a renowned doctor..."

    As Mago spoke, Guard Li and the others'' eyes gradually brightened.

    They had heard of this Dr. Chen before. It was said that his medical skills were superb and had been praised by many noblemen, including the County Magistrate.

    It was unexpected that this renowned doctor lived in a nearby vige instead of the city.

    With such a skilled doctor nearby, Guard Li and the others immediately decided to give up the risky n of taking the young master back to the city.

    "Brother Ma, where is Jiuli Vige?" Guard Li asked anxiously."It''s about three or four miles from here. I have a subordinate who is very familiar with the area and can take you there!" Mago said.

    He had previously sent his subordinate, Xiao Tian, to investigate Lu Qing in Jiuli Vige. Unexpectedly, this came in handy here.

    Mago immediately called Xiao Tian over, and under his guidance, they set off for Jiuli Vige.

    On the way, Mago learned how young master Wei had fallen into the valley.

    It turned out that he had chased a peculiar little beast to the edge of a cliff and, unwilling to give up, lost his footing and fell.

    Fortunately, the valley was not very deep and had some trees to break his fall. Additionally, due to the Wei family''s substantial resources and nurturing, young master Wei had reached the Qi and Blood Realm, which meant he had good physical fitness. This barely kept him from dying immediately.

    Otherwise, even ten lives wouldn''t have been enough.

    Listening to Guard Li''s story, Mago was speechless.

    How foolish must one be to chase a wild animal off a cliff, especially as a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist?

    They hurried to Jiuli Vige and, under Xiao Tian''s guidance, headed straight for Dr. Chen''s Halfway House.

    At the entrance, Mago saw a familiar figure.

    He shouted, "Lu Qing, Lu Qing, save us, save us!"

    Lu Qing, who was drying medicinal herbs in front of the courtyard, was startled.

    He turned and was surprised to see Mago leading the group. He had thought he wouldn''t see him until the next Grand Bazaar, yet here they were, meeting again so soon.

    "Master Ma, what''s going on?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Lu Qing, is Dr. Chen home? We have a gravely injured patient who urgently needs his help!" Mago said urgently.

    Lu Qing then noticed the stretcher behind them. Though shocked to see the well-dressed young man lying on it, he knew the situation was critical and quickly stepped aside.

    "Pleasee in. Master is resting inside. I''ll go call him right away!"

    He ran into the courtyard.

    Mago and the others quickly followed.

    Dr. Chen was only lightly napping inside and had already been awakened by themotion outside.

    By the time Mago and his group entered the courtyard, he had stepped out of the house.

    Seeing the pale-faced young master Wei on the stretcher, he immediately realized the severity of the situation.

    He checked the pulse and his expression turned grave.

    "Quickly, carry him inside."

    He instructed Lu Qing, "A Qing, quickly prepare a blood-replenishing medicine. White Atractylodes, Angelica... Boil three bowls of water with high heat, and be quick!"

    "Yes, Master!"

    Lu Qing immediately ran to the medicine cab to gather the herbs.

    Despite spending most of his free time on martial arts training, Lu Qing had also been learning medical knowledge from his master at the Halfway House.

    With his special abilities, Lu Qing learned quickly. In just a few days, he had mastered the skills of gathering herbs and even learned simple methods of decoction.

    After gathering the herbs, Lu Qing began to brew the medicine as instructed.

    The medicine stove was specially designed to adjust the fire intensity freely.

    Lu Qing used a fierce fire, and before long, the decoction was ready.

    He poured the medicinal liquid into a bowl and concentrated.

    Quickly, the liquid emitted a faint white glow.

    [Blood-Replenishing Decoction: A soup made from various herbs, beneficial for replenishing blood, generating new blood, and protecting the heart meridian.]

    [Due to the fierce boiling, the medicinal properties were somewhat damaged and could only achieve about seventy percent of its usual effectiveness.]

    Seeing the information from his special ability, Lu Qing felt relieved.

    As long as the medicine was not wrong, the slight damage to its properties could be tolerated. Given the urgency, seventy percent effectiveness was already quite good.

    Confirming there was no problem with the medicine, Lu Qing quickly carried it to the patient.

    By this time, young master Wei had been moved to the sickroom. Except for Guard Li, the others were asked to wait outside by Dr. Chen.

    Seeing Lu Qing approaching, everyone made way, not daring to hinder him in the slightest.

    Lu Qing entered the room and saw young master Wei, now shirtless, with many silver needles inserted into his body.

    The terrifying wound on his abdomen made Lu Qing''s heart skip a beat.

    "Master, the medicine is ready."

    Lu Qing handed over the medicine.

    Dr. Chen took the bowl, sniffed it, and nodded slightly after confirming there was no problem.

    "You feed him the medicine," Dr. Chen instructed.

    "Yes, Master."

    Lu Qing took the spoon, scooped a spoonful of the decoction, and carefully fed it to young master Wei.

    However, young master Wei was already semi-conscious and couldn''t swallow the medicine.

    But this did not stump Dr. Chen.

    He pressed several points on young master Wei''s throat, and miraculously, his throat started to move, swallowing the medicine.

    With theirbined effort, young master Wei gradually consumed the entire bowl of decoction.

    Dr. Chen continued applying acupuncture to help him absorb the medicine.

    After a while, with the medicinal effects and acupuncture, young master Wei''s face finally regained some color, and his chest began to rise and fall slightly.

    Guard Li, who had been watching nervously, finally felt relieved seeing this.

    He knew that the lives of the young master and his guards had been pulled back from the brink.

    "Dr. Chen, how is my young master?"

    Dr. Chen pondered for a moment and said, "The boy is quite lucky. Despite such arge wound on his abdomen, it didn''t damage his internal organs or intestines, which is fortunate amidst misfortune."

    "However, he has lost a lot of blood, his head was injured, and there are many cuts on his limbs. His situation remains critical."

    "For now, I can only use the decoction and acupuncture to temporarily sustain his life. As for when he will wake up, it''s hard to say."

    Hearing that young master''s life was temporarily saved, Guard Li finally rxed a bit.

    As long as he was alive, there was hope. If the young master had died, even if they escaped, their families would have no way out.

    "Dr. Chen, what can we do now?" Guard Li asked.

    Dr. Chen thought for a moment and said, "The biggest issue now is his severe blood loss. The abdominal wound is only an external injury and didn''t harm the intestines. If we had enough aged ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, and notoginseng, I''d be more confident in saving his life."

    Hearing this, Dr. Chen felt a bit regretful. If only they still had the ginseng Lu Qing had brought a few days ago, he would have had a better chance of preserving the young master''s vitality.

    Given the current situation, even if the boy survives, he might be severely weakened.

    "Ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, and notoginseng, right? Dr. Chen, don''t worry. I''ll immediately send someone back to the city to fetch them!"

    Guard Li said as he walked out.

    Outside, Mago and the others were anxiously waiting. Seeing Guard Lie out, they rushed up.

    "How is the young master?"

    "The young master is temporarily safe."

    Guard Li''s words immediately relieved everyone, especially the guards, who looked as if they had survived a disaster.

    "But the young master is still in a bad state. Old Zhao, Xiao Gu, you two return and report this to the mistress. Also, ask her to retrieve some ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, and notoginseng from the medicine storeroom. Dr. Chen said these herbs would greatly increase the young master''s chances of survival..."

    Following Guard Li''s orders, the two named guards solemnlyplied and quickly left.

    Mago, who overheard, had a glint in his eyes.

    He then pulled Xiao Tian aside and whispered.

    "Go back and fetch the battle de hanging in my study."

 Chapter 61-62

    "Master, please eat something first."

    Lu Qing brought in some food.

    Because Young Master Wei''s condition was not optimistic, the old doctor had to stay by his side at all times and could hardly leave the ward.

    Lu Qing had gone to the kitchen to make some food and brought it over.

    "Mm, just leave it here, I''ll eatter."

    The old doctor was checking Young Master Wei''s pulse, his brows slightly furrowed.

    At this moment, Guard Li was arranging matters outside, leaving only the master and apprentice in the ward with the unconscious Young Master Wei.

    Lu Qing thought for a moment and asked, "Master, can this young master be saved?"

    "It''s hard to say." The old doctor sighed. "He lost too much blood. When he was brought in, there was hardly any blood left in his body. If it weren''t for his strong constitution and the life-saving medicine given by Guard Li and the others, he wouldn''t have survived until now.""Master, I see that this young masteres from an extraordinary family. If he doesn''t wake up, will the Wei family me us?" Lu Qing asked.

    The old doctor paused.

    Then he turned to Lu Qing and said, "LuQing, you must remember that as healers, the most important thing is to avoid hesitation and second-guessing."

    "Once we decide to save someone, we must be fully dedicated and focused on the treatment. This is medical ethics."

    "If you don''t want to treat someone, you should leave before starting."

    "But once you begin treatment, you must do your best, so you can have a clear conscience."

    "I understand, Master," Lu Qing replied earnestly.

    "As for your concern..." The old doctor hesitated for a moment, then said, "Don''t worry, the Wei family is arge family, and the head of the Wei family is a reasonable person. We are just doing our job of saving lives. Even if something unfortunate happens to this young master, they won''t me us."

    Lu Qing seemed thoughtful.

    After leaving the ward, Lu Qing was still pondering his master''s words.

    He did not entirely agree with his master.

    His master had a kind heart and couldn''t bear to see others suffer, so he treated all patients equally, as long as they weren''t evil.

    But Lu Qing did not have such noble sentiments.

    He preferred to help people ording to his own preferences.

    However, he did agree with one thing his master said.

    If you''re going to treat someone, you should do your best so you have no regrets.

    "Young Master Lu, Young Master Lu."

    While Lu Qing was deep in thought, someone called out to him.

    Looking up, he saw Mago waving to him from outside the courtyard.

    "Master Ma, what is it?"

    Lu Qing walked over.

    The Wei family''s guards, who were standing in the courtyard, only nced over and then ignored them.

    To them, nothing was more important than their young master''s safety at this moment.

    Lu Qing followed Mago to a secluded ce.

    There was another person waiting there, whom Lu Qing recognized as one of Mago''s men.

    "Master Ma, what is this about?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Young Master Lu, thanks to you and Master Chen, Young Master Wei''s life was saved. If anything had happened to him, you wouldn''t see me here now," Mago said with some relief.

    "Master Ma, you''re too kind. It was mainly my master''s skill. I only helped a little," Lu Qing replied.

    "Young Master Lu, you''re too modest. Your skill in preparing and brewing medicine is exceptional. You''ll surely be a great doctor like your master in the future."

    Mago was not ignorant.

    In such an urgent situation, Lu Qing had perfectly prepared the life-saving medicine as Master Chen required.

    This could not have been done without a solid medical foundation and strong psychological resilience.

    ording to his subordinate Xiao Tian''s investigation, Lu Qing had not been Master Chen''s apprentice for long.

    To have grown so much in such a short time, Lu Qing''s talent in medicine might not be inferior to his martial arts talent.

    A young man with exceptional talent in both martial arts and medicine, Lu Qing''s importance in Mago''s eyes had only increased.

    "Young Master Lu, didn''t you say you wanted a battle de? I brought it for you."

    Before Lu Qing could continue being modest, Mago spoke again.

    "So soon?" Lu Qing was surprised. "Didn''t you say it would be ready on the next Grand Bazaar day?"

    "Young Master Lu''s matter is naturally important to me," Mago said, signaling Xiao Tian behind him. "Xiao Tian, bring the de."

    Xiao Tian immediately presented the long de he had been holding.

    Mago took it and handed it to Lu Qing.

    "This battle de was crafted by a top cksmith in the city. It can cut through iron like mud, is extremely durable, and has a simple design that matches your requirements perfectly."

    Lu Qing took the de and unsheathed it, hearing a pleasant ringing sound.

    Looking at the de in his hand, he saw that the de''s surface was finely textured, the edge was exceptionally sharp, and it exuded a chilling aura that made his skin tingle.

    After sheathing the de, Lu Qing said, "Master Ma, this de must be very valuable. I can''t afford it."

    Even though Lu Qing didn''t know much about swords, he could tell that this de was worth far more than a few dozen taels of silver.

    "You don''t need to pay, Young Master Lu. Consider it a gift from me," Mago said.

    "I can''t ept such an expensive gift," Lu Qing shook his head, trying to return the de.

    "Young Master Lu, please don''t decline. You and your master saved Young Master Wei''s life, which means you saved my life too. A life-saving favor cannot be repaid with just a battle de, so please ept it," Mago insisted.

    After some back-and-forth, Lu Qing finally said, "Alright, I''ll hold onto the de for now. If Young Master Wei wakes up, I''ll ept it as a gift."

    If something happened to Young Master Wei, he could always use his family''s hundred-year-old ginseng.

    "Agreed, we''ll do as you say. For now, the de is yours. If Young Master Wei wakes up, it''s yours to keep," Mago said.

    Lu Qing didn''t know what to say to Mago''s persistent attitude.

    In the end, the de stayed with Lu Qing for the time being.

    However, this also piqued Lu Qing''s curiosity about the Wei family.

    What kind of family could make a Tendons and Bones Realm expert like Mago so fearful?

    And the Wei family''s guards, their words and actions showed immense respect for their master.

    "Master Ma, what kind of family is the Wei family that makes you so respectful?" Lu Qing couldn''t help but ask.

    "The Wei family?" Mago''s face showed aplicated expression. "The Wei family is quite something."

 Chapter 63

    "The Wei family is the most prominent n in the county city, but it is not merely a local family in the county government."

    "In fact, the Wei family''s influence extends throughout the entire prefecture, and it is even rumored to have connections in the royal capital."

    "Young Master Lu, with such a grand family, a mighty n, can you me me for being fearful?"

    Upon hearing Mago''s exnation, Lu Qing finally understood why he held the Wei family in such reverence.

    However, he was still somewhat puzzled, "If the Wei family is so powerful, why do they reside in a small county?"

    "That, I am not sure," Mago shook his head. "Perhaps it is because Cang County is the birthce of the Wei family."

    "And from what I know, most of the Wei family''s industries and forces have already moved to the prefecture and the capital. In the county, there remains only an ancestral home and some minor businesses."

    "However, the head of the Wei family has always lived in the ancestral home, for reasons unknown."

    "Even though most of the Wei family''s industries have moved, their status in the county remains unchallenged."It seemed that the Wei family harbored secrets.

    Lu Qing pondered deeply.

    Otherwise, it was hard to exin such peculiar behavior.

    A grand family head, willing to remain in a small county rather than moving to the more prosperous prefecture or capital.

    However, no matter what the secret was, it was not something he could investigate at his current level.

    So, Lu Qing dismissed the matter.

    Hearing about the Wei family''s immense strength, he felt somewhat relieved.

    With the Wei family''s resources, they surely wouldn''tck precious medicinal herbs.

    As long as the two guards returned quickly and Young Master Wei could endure through the night, his life should be saved.

    In fact, the two guards returned much faster than Lu Qing had anticipated.

    Because of the critically ill patient, not knowing when his master might need to brew medicine, Lu Qing did not return home that night but stayed at the Halfway House.

    That night, Lu Qing sat on a chair, holding Xiao Yan, drowsy. The little one slept soundly in his arms.

    Suddenly, amotion outside woke him up.

    Seeing that Xiao Yan was still asleep, he carried her to his master''s room, letting her continue to sleep, and then walked outside.

    Outside, the courtyard was brightly lit, with many people present.

    On both sides of the courtyard, more than a dozen burly men stood in two rows, holdingnterns, illuminating the ce.

    Lu Qing saw Guard Li bowing and whispering to a stern-faced middle-aged man.

    "You mean to say that the young master''s injuries are too severe to be moved?"

    After hearing Guard Li''s report, the stern middle-aged man asked.

    "Yes, Steward, Doctor Chen said that the young master''s condition is still critical. It''s best to rest here temporarily. Once he wakes up and his condition improves, it will be safer to move him back to the mansion," Guard Li replied.

    "I want to see the young master."

    The stern man, addressed as the steward, did not immediately agree but made a request.

    Guard Li immediately looked at Doctor Chen.

    The old doctor nodded, "Only one or two people can enter. Too many people might bring in evil spirits, which would be harmful to the young master."

    Hearing this, the stern man immediately said, "You all wait outside. Only Doctor Chen and I will go in."

    "Yes, Steward."

    Watching the two enter the room, Lu Qing felt a shock.

    In his heart, he murmured, "Internal Organs Realm..."

    Inside the ward, as they approached the bed, seeing the pale-faced, closed-eyed, dry-lipped young master, the Wei family steward''s heart tightened.

    After examining the wound on the young master''s abdomen, his brows furrowed even more.

    Before arriving, he had thought that those two scoundrels exaggerated the young master''s injuries to shirk responsibility.

    Now it seemed that those two scoundrels had not only not lied but had even understated the severity.

    What nonsense about the life being saved and the condition stabilized.

    As someone with some medical knowledge, the steward could see that the young master''s current state was truly hanging by a thread, with death potentially imminent at any moment.

    This was after the doctor''s treatment. He could not imagine what the young master''s state was like before.

    Recalling the family head''s instructions, the Wei family steward turned around and bowed deeply to Doctor Chen.

    "Thank you, Doctor Chen, for saving my young master''s life. The Wei family will remember this great kindness."

    "No need for that. I was just doing my duty as a healer," the old doctor waved his hand. "Moreover, the young master is not out of danger yet. It is still too early to say these things."

    The Wei family steward quickly said, "I heard that Doctor Chen needs ginseng and Tian Qi? Before I came, the family head specially instructed me to bring many medicinal herbs. Please follow me outside to select the herbs."

    (Note: "Tian Qi" also known as "Panax notoginseng", is a type of medicinal herb highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine. It is often used to stop bleeding, reduce swelling, and alleviate pain. Tian Qi is known for its ability to promote blood cirction.)

    "Oh, you brought ginseng?"

    The old doctor brightened up.

    Although his medical skills were superb, even the best doctor could not work without good medicinal herbs.

    The two returned to the courtyard.

    "Bring the box up."

    At the steward''smand, two men immediately brought up a box.

    Opening the box, they saw rows of long boxes inside.

    The steward stepped forward and opened these boxes.

    Inside were top-grade medicinal herbs, all dried and cured.

    There were over a dozen ginseng roots alone.

    Lu Qing saw that some of them were evenrger than the two brought by the little ck beast.

    Lu Qing couldn''t help but be amazed.

    As expected of a grand family, their foundation was deep. Casually, they brought out so many hundred-year-old ginseng.

    "Doctor Chen, use these herbs as you please. If they are not enough, I will send more from the mansion," the steward said respectfully.

    "These will be more than enough."

    The old doctor chuckled and only took a few boxes, each containing ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, and Tian Qi.

    "I will go to the pharmacy to prepare the medicine. You all have been working hard. Take a rest. If you need anything, just ask my disciple."

    The old doctor pointed to Lu Qing.

    The Wei family steward immediately bowed to Lu Qing, "Thank you, young master."

    "It''s no trouble. Just call me if you need anything," Lu Qing quickly returned the bow.

    At the same time, he couldn''t help but marvel.

    As expected of a grand family, this steward was clearly a highly respected and authoritative figure in the Wei family.

    Judging by Guard Li and the others'' attitudes towards him, it was a respect that came from the core.

    Moreover, Lu Qing''s supernatural ability had revealed that this steward was a martial arts expert in the Internal Organs Realm.

    Yet, despite his stature, when asking for help, he could be humble and respectful, giving others plenty of face, without any arrogance or bullying.

    A steward with such demeanor¡ªno wonder the Wei family could develop from a county n to a grand family with far-reaching influence.

    The old doctor''s medicine preparation was swift. That night, he brewed the medicine.

    Then, in the presence of the Wei family steward, he fed the life-saving decoction to the young master.

    After drinking the decoction, with the old doctor¡¯s acupuncture to stimte the medicinal effects.

    Soon, the steward saw a hint of color return to the young master''s pale face.

    His breathing also became steadier, no longer as faint as a wisp.

    This change uplifted the steward''s spirits and strengthened his confidence in the old doctor.

    The next morning, at the break of dawn.

    The steward saw the young master''s eyelids twitch.

 Chapter 64

    "Young Master, Young Master!"

    The head steward of the Wei family saw the eyelids of the young master twitch and couldn''t help but call out softly.

    Finally, under his call, Young Master Wei slowly opened his eyes.

    At first, his eyes were full of confusion, but after a while, they gradually brightened with rity.

    "Where am I?"

    "Young Master, you are finally awake!"

    The head steward''s face lit up with excitement, tears almost falling.

    "Uncle Hai?" Young Master Wei turned his head, surprised, "Why are you here, and why am I lying here?"

    Young Master Wei tried to get up, but as soon as he moved, a sharp pain surged through him, causing him to cry out in pain, breaking into a cold sweat."Don''t move, your wound hasn''t healed yet, be careful not to tear it open again."

    Old Doctor Chen gently pressed him down and took out a silver needle, pricking him a few times.

    With this help, the intense pain Young Master Wei felt greatly lessened, and he slowly regained hisposure.

    "Who are you? And Uncle Hai, why does my body hurt so much?"

    "Young Master, do you remember anything? Guard Li and the others said you identally fell into a ravine in the mountains, and your stomach was cut open by rocks. You were in critical condition, but thanks to Old Doctor Chen here, your life was saved."

    The head steward exined slowly.

    He had never fully believed the story told by Guard Li and the others.

    Now that the young master was awake, he could finally ask for the truth.

    "The mountains, falling into a ravine..." Young Master Wei tried hard to recall.

    Finally, he remembered what happened before he lost consciousness.

    "Yes, I went into the mountains with Guard Li and the others, wanting to find a special birthday gift for my father."

    "In the mountains, I encountered a very peculiar ck beast. I told Guard Li and the others not to interfere, wanting to catch it myself."

    "I didn''t expect the beast to be so agile. I couldn''t catch it, and as I chased it, I reached the edge of a cliff. Seeing the beast about to jump off, I hastily followed, and after that, I can''t remember much."

    Hearing this, the head steward was rtively calm, but Old Doctor Chen''s heart skipped a beat.

    The ck beast described by Young Master Wei sounded like the little beast that often came to Lu Qing for fish.

    "It seems Guard Li and the others weren''t lying." The head steward nodded secretly.

    If the guards had lied even a little, they would have faced unbearable punishment.

    Now, although they still couldn''t avoid punishment, at least their lives were spared.

    "By the way, Uncle Hai, you said my stomach was cut open?"

    At this moment, Young Master Wei suddenly reacted, showing a terrified expression as he tried to sit up and look at his stomach.

    However, the head steward, prepared this time, gently pressed him down.

    Heforted him softly, "Young Master, don''t worry. The wound on your stomach is not serious anymore. With some rest, it will healpletely."

    "But, but you said my stomach was cut open!"

    Young Master Wei''s face was still full of fear.

    He couldn''t imagine what it looked like to have his stomach cut open.

    Can a person still live with their stomach cut open?

    The head steward could only continue tofort him softly.

    Fortunately, Young Master Wei was weak, and after being awake for a while, he fell back into a deep sleep.

    When the news that the young master had woken up reached outside, the Wei family''s guards cheered.

    Especially Guard Li and the others, who felt a huge weight lifted off their shoulders.

    The young master waking up meant his life was no longer in danger.

    Although they couldn''t avoid punishment, at least their lives were spared.

    As for Mago, he was almost moved to tears upon hearing the news.

    He hadn''t slept well since Young Master Wei came to his ce.

    Last night, he didn''t dare to rest at all, fearing any disturbance and bad news.

    Now, hearing truly good news, the heavy burden in his heart lifted, and even as a strong Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist, he felt his limbs go weak and almost copsed to the ground.

    "Old Doctor Chen, it is all thanks to your miraculous skills that my young master survived. The Wei family is deeply grateful."

    "I have already sent someone to report this to the family head. In a few days, our Wei family will present you with generous gifts."

    The head steward deeply bowed to the old doctor.

    After seeing the young master''s condition before he woke up, the head steward knew it was all due to the old doctor''s efforts that saved the young master''s life.

    If those useless guards had tried to bring the young master back to the city, he might not have survived the journey.

    "No need for such courtesy. I was just doing my duty as a doctor." The old doctor waved his hand indifferently.

    "Old Doctor Chen truly has the heart of a healer," the head steward praised.

    No wonder even the County Magistrate spoke highly of this old doctor. His demeanor surpassed many famous doctors in the provincial and capital cities.

    "Old Doctor Chen, now that my young master is awake, when can he return home?"

    The old doctor thought for a moment, "Not yet. The young master is still weak, and the wound on his stomach hasn''t healed. Any jostling could cause the wound to reopen and bleed profusely."

    "He needs a few more days of rest to regain some strength and let the wound scab over before he can travel."

    The head steward naturally trusted the old doctor''s judgment.

    He immediately said, "Then we will trouble the old doctor for a few more days."

    "This is no problem. However, my ce is small, and I''m afraid I can''t amodate so many people."

    "I wouldn''t dare trouble the old doctor. I will have the others find their own lodging. Only I will stay here."

    "That''s fine. I can manage to prepare one or two guest rooms, but the conditions are simple. I hope the head steward won''t mind."

    "Not at all."

    "I will have my disciple prepare a room for you."

    After this, the head steward went outside to instruct the guards, telling them the young master needed a few more days of rest.

    Some were to return to report to the main house, while others would stay with Mago, ready to act at any time.

    As for himself, he stayed at the Halfway House to take care of the young master.

    No one dared question the head steward''s words, so the Wei family''s guards quickly dispersed, and the Halfway House gradually returned to peace.

    Only Mago felt troubled, as the Wei family''s guards had to stay at his ce, putting him on edge again.

    However, he didn''t dare refuse and went to make arrangements.

    "Master, the guest room is ready."

    Lu Qing came to inform his master after preparing a guest room.

    "Thank you, young master."

    The head steward looked at Lu Qing, his gaze filled with some surprise.

    Previously, he was too worried about the young master to pay attention to anything else.

    Now he noticed that the old doctor''s disciple, so young, was already a martial artist in the Qi and Blood Realm.

    Such talent could be called genius even in the provincial city.

    "Head steward?"

    The old doctor noticed the head steward''s gaze and called out.

    The head steward came to his senses and praised, "A great teacher produces outstanding students. Your disciple is extraordinary, already aplished in martial arts at such a young age."

    "My disciple just had some good fortune and a few lucky encounters to break through. It''s his good fortune to receive your praise."

    The old doctor spoke modestly, but his satisfaction was evident on his face.

    "Haha, the old doctor is too modest."

    The head stewardughed, secretly thinking that the family''s gratitude gifts should also consider the old doctor''s disciple.

    Lu Qing remained silent, adhering to his role as a disciple.

    After the two finished talking, he respectfully said, "Master, I have prepared breakfast and put it in the kitchen. Also, I would like to go home for a bit."

    He had been busy at the Halfway House for a day and a night, not knowing how things were at home.

    More importantly, he hadn''t fed the ck beastst night and wondered how it was doing.

    If it got angry and destroyed the house, it would be a disaster.

    "Go ahead. You''ve been busy for a long time. Take a good rest. The young master''s condition is stable now, no need to keep watch constantly," the old doctor nodded.

    Lu Qing bowed and went to the old doctor''s room, picking up the still-sleeping Xiao Yan.

    The magic of the Blue-armored Fish Stone had to be mentioned again.

    Despite themotion in the courtyardst night, Xiao Yan hadn''t woken up and slept soundly in the room.

    Lu Qing didn''t wake her, carrying her as he walked down the mountain.

    When he got home, Lu Qing immediately checked the front door.

    Seeing it intact, he sighed in relief.

    It seemed the ck beast hadn''t gotten angry and destroyed the house.

    Rxing, Lu Qing opened the door and was about to enter.

    Suddenly, he sensed something was wrong.

    Instinctively, he looked up.

    Then he saw, in the corner of the eaves above, a pair of bright eyes looking at him with grievance.

 Chapter 65

    "......"

    A person and a beast, four eyes met, but no words were exchanged.

    Seeing the aggrieved look in the little ck beast''s eyes, Lu Qing fell silent.

    He hadn''t expected that this little creature would hide up here.

    And judging by its appearance, it must have been waiting all night.

    "Little one, have you been waiting here all night?"

    After a long silence, Lu Qing asked.

    The little ck beast didn''t move, but its eyes looked even more pitiful.

    "...... Sorry, I had something to dost night and wasn''t home.""......" The little ck beast still didn''t move, but there was a hint of mist in its eyes.

    Seeing the little ck beast on the verge of tears, Lu Qing felt a strange sense of guilt.

    If he remembered correctly, this little creature was still just a cub.

    Moreover, it was still his creditor.

    After all, he had taken its hundred-year-old ginseng for free.

    "Why don''t youe inside with me?" Lu Qing tentatively asked. "I still have some fish in the kitchen."

    Seeing the mist in the little beast''s eyes recede slightly, Lu Qing opened the door and walked in.

    When he carried Xiao Yan to the room and came back out, he saw the little ck beast sitting on a stool, watching him.

    Lu Qing smiled, went to the kitchen, dumped all the leftover fish into a wooden basin, and brought it out, cing it in front of the little beast.

    Seeing therge basin filled to the brim with fish, the little ck beast''s eyes lit up.

    It immediately pounced and started eating voraciously.

    The previous grievance vanished without a trace.

    Watching the little ck beast eat happily, Lu Qing couldn''t help but smile.

    Come to think of it, this little thing was quite remarkable.

    Even though it had been hungry all night, it hadn''t broken in but waited on the roof for him all night.

    This respect clearly meant it considered him a friend.

    Otherwise, with its nose, how could it not have smelled the fish in the kitchen?

    If it wanted to break in, it would have been an easy task.

    Seeing the little beast eating with abandon, Lu Qing didn''t disturb it and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

    Although he had made breakfast for his master and others at the Halfway House, he hadn''t eaten yet.

    He set up a pot of porridge, added some minced meat, and let it simmer. Then, Lu Qing went to take a bath.

    He had been brewing medicine for the past two days, sweating a lot, and the smoke and fire from the pharmacy had made him sticky and ufortable.

    After his bath, Lu Qing came out refreshed and was surprised to see the little ck beast still there after finishing its fish.

    Instead of leaving immediately, it sat on the stool, leisurely licking its paws and washing its face.

    As for the basin of fish on the ground, there was still quite a bit left.

    Remarkable!

    Lu Qing clicked his tongue in amazement.

    It was the first time he had seen the little ck beast leave fish.

    Previously, whenever he fed it, it would always finish all the fish.

    Even if it was too full, it would never leave any fish.

    This time, he had given it twice as much fish as usual, and it finally couldn''t finish it.

    But this still surprised Lu Qing.

    "Little one, when are you nning to leave? I''m about to wake Xiao Yan for breakfast."

    Lu Qing knew that apart from him, the little ck beast didn''t seem to like being around others.

    It would onlye to eat fish at night when Xiao Yan was asleep.

    But to his surprise, the little ck beast acted as if it hadn''t heard him.

    It walked to a corner, jumped onto a cab, curled up, and fell asleep.

    Lu Qing: ......

    "I''m really going to wake Xiao Yan now?"

    The little beast still didn''t move.

    Why was this little guy acting so strange today?

    Lu Qing felt puzzled.

    "...... You can stay, but if Xiao Yan sees you and gets excited, you better not hurt her."

    Lu Qing reminded it, then went to wake Xiao Yan.

    After urging the sleepy little girl to wash her face and brush her teeth, Lu Qing brought out the porridge he had prepared.

    Xiao Yan wasn''t fully awake yet.

    She sipped the porridge absentmindedly, her eyes unfocused and staring nkly ahead.

    Gradually, her eyes began to focus, and they grew wider and wider.

    "Brother, what is that?"

    Xiao Yan pointed to the ck figure on the cab and asked quickly.

    "That?" Lu Qing looked up and saw the little beast still motionless. "That''s the little ck beast you always wanted to see but could never catch a glimpse of."

    "This is the little beast?!"

    At this, the little girl couldn''t drink her porridge anymore.

    She jumped off the stool and ran to the cab, looking up.

    But she was too short and couldn''t see the little ck beast on top of the cab.

    This made Xiao Yan anxious.

    She thought for a moment, then ran back to the table to get a stool, intending to stand on it to see the little beast.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing quickly stopped her.

    "Don''t disturb it. Be careful, it might scratch you."

    The little ck beast wasn''t pleased with that.

    It stood up, stretchedzily, then softly called out to Xiao Yan.

    Xiao Yan immediately cheered up, "Brother, look, the little beast said it won''t scratch me!"

    Lu Qing: ......

    He didn''t hear that.

    But he could feel the little beast''s friendliness towards Xiao Yan.

    Thinking it over, he decided not to stop Xiao Yan from interacting with it.

    Over time, Lu Qing had learned that the little ck beast was highly intelligent, almost like a human.

    Since it was being friendly, it probably didn''t mind Xiao Yan.

    "Alright, you can make friends with it then." Lu Qing said.

    He then turned to the little beast and said, "Little one, don''t bully my sister."

    The little ck beast nced at Lu Qing disdainfully, then jumped down from the cab, walked up to Xiao Yan, and rubbed its head against her hand.

    Then it looked at Lu Qing provocatively.

    Xiao Yan was overjoyed and shouted excitedly, "Brother, the little beast wants to be my friend!"

    Lu Qing saw the little ck beast''s smug expression.

    Alright, this little thing was clearly trying to show off.

    But seeing the two little ones getting along made him feel relieved.

    He rxed and smiled at Xiao Yan, "Since that''s the case, you must be a good friend to it. It''s very powerful, so don''t make it angry."

    "Don''t worry, brother, I won''t!" Xiao Yan answered happily.

    The little ck beast looked satisfied upon hearing Lu Qing praise it.

    This two-legged creature had good judgment, recognizing its strength.

    "Little beast, little beast, can I touch you......"

    From then on, it was time for the two little ones to bond.

    Seeing them getting along, Lu Qing didn''t interfere.

    Noticing that Xiao Yan had almost finished her porridge, he cleaned up and went to the kitchen.

    Just as he finished washing the dishes, Xiao Yan ran in excitedly.

    "Brother, brother, let''s give the little beast a name, shall we?"

 Chapter 66

    "Naming it?"

    Lu Qing wiped his hands.

    "Yes, the little beast is our friend now. All my friends have names. Like Big Girl, Second Girl, Little Tigerhead, they all have their own names!" Xiao Yan counted on her fingers seriously, "So the little beast should have its own name too."

    "Isn''t ''Little Beast'' fine?"

    "''Little Beast'' doesn''t sound good, and many animals are called ''Little Beast.'' We need a special name." The little one shook her head.

    Lu Qing wanted to say that names like Big Girl and Second Girl were also verymon.

    He thought for a moment and saw the ck Beast peeking into the kitchen from outside.

    He asked, "Little one, do you also want a name?"

    The ck Beast showed a thoughtful look in its eyes and then nodded."Brother, look, the little beast also wants its own name." Xiao Yan said happily.

    "Since that''s the case, let''s give it a name."

    Seeing that the ck Beast wanted a name, Lu Qing didn''t refuse anymore.

    But what name would be good?

    Lu Qing thought for a while, and suddenly had an idea.

    "How about ''Xiao Li''?"

    "Xiao Li?" Xiao Yan tilted her head.

    The ck Beast also looked puzzled.

    Obviously, both little ones didn''t understand the meaning of the name.

    "Yes, the little beast looks a lot like an animal called a lynx, so we call it Xiao Li. Also, the character ''Li'' belongs to the fire element. Look at its fur, doesn''t it look like burning ck mes?"

    As Lu Qing exined, he took a piece of charcoal and wrote the character ''Li'' on it.

    After this period of learning, he had basically mastered the writing of the world''s characters.

    Xiao Yan might not have understood, but the ck Beast, hearing Lu Qing''s exnation, felt the name ''Xiao Li'' was very grand.

    It stared at Lu Qing with shining eyes.

    "Do you like this name?" Lu Qing saw its expression and understood immediately, "Then from now on, you will be called Xiao Li. As for the surname, you can choose to have it or not. If you want a surname, you can have ours and be called Lu Li or Lu Xiao Li."

    "Great, little beast, you have a name now!" Xiao Yan was very happy, "You are Xiao Li, I am Xiao Yan, our names are very simr."

    The ck Beast''s eyes also sparkled with emotion.

    With a name, the ck Beast''s stay at the Lu family became even more natural.

    It started ying around the house with Xiao Yan.

    Of course, it was mainly Xiao Li teasing Xiao Yan. Otherwise, with its speed, even a hundred Xiao Yans wouldn''t be able to catch it.

    "By the way, Xiao Li, I have a question for you."

    Seeing the ck Beast ying happily, Lu Qing suddenly remembered something.

    Xiao Li stopped and looked at Lu Qing.

    "Yesterday, was someone chasing you in the mountains, trying to catch you?"

    Lu Qing recalled the conversation he overheard from the Wei family''s guardsst night.

    They said their young master fell into the valley while chasing a strange ck beast in the mountains.

    He had suspected at the time that the beast might be Xiao Li, and now was the perfect opportunity to ask.

    Xiao Li tilted its head and thought, then nodded.

    "Were there six or seven people chasing you, one of them about my age?"

    Xiao Li nodded again.

    Lu Qing broke into a sweat. It really was that guy.

    His expression turned serious. "Xiao Li, stay in the house for now, don''t go outside. If someonees, find a ce to hide. Don''t let anyone see you, understand?"

    Xiao Li nodded.

    It didn''t like seeing others anyway.

    Lu Qing turned to his sister and warned, "Xiao Yan, outside, you can''t mention Xiao Li being at our house. Not even to your friends. Otherwise, Xiao Li might get caught and you won''t see it again, understand?"

    "Xiao Yan knows! I won''t tell anyone about Xiao Li!" The little one answered seriously, her face tense at the thought of possibly never seeing Xiao Li again.

    She had just be friends with Xiao Li and didn''t want to lose it.

    Seeing Xiao Yan''s promise, Lu Qing rxed a bit.

    He trusted his sister''s discretion. After all, she had never mentioned the family''s silver to anyone, just as he had instructed.

    It wasn''t that Lu Qing was overly cautious.

    Although Young Master Wei had fallen into the valley himself, it was still rted to Xiao Li.

    The young master had almost died. Even if he recovered, he would need many precious medicines to regain his health.

    After such a disaster, who could say he wouldn''t me Xiao Li?

    If he saw Xiao Li, he might insist on capturing it out of revenge.

    Lu Qing remembered that guy''s personality wasn''t very good.

    Although Xiao Li was a spiritual beast andparable to the Internal Organs Realm in his assessment, Lu Qing didn''t think it could outfight the Wei family''s guards.

    Human battle tactics were too diverse and cunning, not something a simple beast could understand.

    Not to mention, the Wei family''s chief steward was also a strong martial artist in the Internal Organs Realm.

    Thinking about it, Xiao Li should hide for now and avoid the Wei family.

    Lu Qing even wanted Xiao Li to hide deep in the mountains until the Wei family left.

    But seeing Xiao Li stay under the eaves for a night for a fish, he knew it had already imed the area as its territory.

    Asking it to leave wouldn''t be easy.

    If it couldn''t resist the temptation of fish and snuck back, the risk of exposure would be even greater.

    Better to let it hide at home and wait out this period.

    In the following days, Lu Qing learned that Xiao Li had no parents nearby.

    It was the only ck Night Spirit Lynx in the mountains.

    It didn''t even know how it ended up in the mountains, only that it had lived there since it gained consciousness, but in another area.

    It had only recently wandered to the mountains behind Jiuli Vige.

    Knowing this, Lu Qing was relieved. He didn''t have to worry about two mature ck Night Spirit Lynxes showing up to seek justice.

    Thus, Xiao Li officially moved into Lu Qing''s house.

    Since Young Master Wei''s condition had stabilized, Lu Qing didn''t need to stay at the Halfway House all the time.

    His life returned to its previous rhythm.

    Every morning, he greeted his master at the Halfway House, studied medicine in the morning, and had the rest of the time to himself.

    He could fish, grow vegetables, and practice martial arts.

    For Xiao Li, these days were undoubtedly happy.

    It got the freshest fish Lu Qing caught every day, a treat beyondpare.

    After eating, Xiao Yan would massage and scratch it.

    This life was much morefortable than its days in the mountains.

    Xiao Li didn''t want to leave, preferring to stay at home forever.

    Days passed, and Lu Qing''s worry about Xiao Li being discovered never came true.

    Young Master Wei''s condition improved visibly under the old doctor''s care.

    Finally, on the seventh day after Young Master Wei woke up, he could get out of bed and walk.

    This meant he could withstand the journey and was ready to return to the Wei family.

 Chapter 67

    "Thank you, Old Doctor Chen, for your care these past days."

    In the Halfway House, Young Master Wei, supported by his family''s servants, slightly bowed to the old doctor in thanks.

    "You don''t need to be so formal, Young Master. Remember to rest well and take care of yourself after you go back," the old doctor advised.

    "I will remember," Young Master Wei replied.

    After expressing his gratitude, Young Master Wei was carefully helped into a pnquin by the servants. His wounds had not fully healed, and his body was still weak, making it necessary for him to avoid the wind. On the way back, he could only travel in a soft, windproof pnquin to prevent any illness from worsening.

    Standing nearby, the chief steward of the Wei family nodded slightly as he observed this scene. Over these days, he noticed that after this brush with death, the young master had be moreposed and less mischievous than before. In the past, it had been difficult to get him to thank a physician. Although this ordeal had nearly cost him his life, if it could lead to his change for the better, it might be a blessing in disguise.

    Once the young master was settled in the pnquin, the chief steward stepped forward.

    "Old Doctor Chen, it is entirely thanks to your miraculous skills that our young master has woken up and is recovering so well without anysting ailments. For this, our entire Wei household is deeply grateful."

    "Here, we have prepared some small gifts to express our thanks for your care of our young master these past days."With that, the chief steward waved his hand, and two guards brought forth arge chest, while two others carried smaller chests and boxes. The chief steward took a small box from one of the guards and opened it, revealing rows of glittering gold ingots. Opening therge chest, a dazzling array of silver ingots was revealed.

    "Old Doctor Chen, here we have ten thousand taels of silver and one thousand taels of gold. Please ept them."

    The old doctor looked at the gold and silver in the chests, his expression calm. He sighed, "Your family is too generous. As a doctor, I was merely fulfilling my duty. I cannot ept such a heavy gift."

    "Old Doctor Chen, you are too modest. Our young master is very important to us, especially to thedy of the house. Your treatment saved her life as well. These small tokens of gold and silver are just a fraction of our gratitude."

    "Moreover, we have another gift for you that ourdy specially prepared."

    The chief steward then opened another box and took out a book.

    "This is the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' that ourdy specially ordered to be brought here for you."

    "What? The ''Compendium of Materia Medica''?" The old doctor, who had been about to refuse again, was suddenly taken aback.

    "Is it the one written by the legendary medical sage?"

    "Yes, the very one that contains the life''s work of the medical sage," the chief steward nodded with a smile.

    At this, the old doctor''s refusal caught in his throat. The ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' was an irresistible lure for any devoted physician. He had long admired this book but had never had the chance to see it. Families who owned it treated it as a treasured heirloom, rarely showing it to outsiders. Now, hearing that the Wei family was giving it to him, his heart was in turmoil.

    Seeing the old doctor''s hesitation, the chief steward smiled warmly. "Old Doctor Chen, there''s no need to be so concerned. This ''Compendium of Materia Medica'' will only realize its true value in the hands of a kind-hearted doctor like you."

    "Healing the sick and saving lives is the belief of all physicians. I''m sure the medical sage wrote this book hoping it would save countless lives and help doctors improve their skills."

    "With your medical expertise, this book will help you advance further, which will benefit many patients."

    Hearing this, Old Doctor Chen''s mind cleared. He epted the book with a smile, "You are right. It seems I was being too narrow-minded."

    Lu Qing, standing nearby, watched the scene with admiration. The Wei family''s chief steward was truly impressive. With just a few words, he had convinced his master to ept the gift.

    Unexpectedly, after presenting the ''Compendium of Materia Medica'', the chief steward turned his attention to Lu Qing.

    "As for Young Master Lu and Miss Xiao Yan, ourdy has also prepared a small gift for you."

    Lu Qing was surprised, "We also have a gift?"

    "Of course. I heard that when our young master was first brought here, Young Master Lu was in the pharmacy day and night, tirelessly preparing and decocting medicines. This kindness is something our Wei family cannot overlook."

    The chief steward then opened another box.

    "I have noticed that not only is Young Master Lu proficient in pharmacology, but he also has great talent in martial arts. At such a young age, he is already a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist. It will not be difficult for him to break through to the Tendons and Bones Realm and even the Internal Organs Realm in the future."

    "With Old Doctor Chen''s guidance in medicine, it is only a matter of time before Young Master Lu bes a great physician. There is no need for us to interfere in that aspect."

    "But in the martial arts path, talent alone is not enough. Resources for cultivation are also essential. Therefore, ourdy has prepared two gifts for you."

    "This book contains a secret technique for the Tendons and Bones Realm, and this bottle contains a pill called the Bone-Strengthening Pill, which is beneficial for martial artists at that realm."

    "These are meant to provide a small help on your martial path."

    The gifts for Lu Qing were a martial arts secret technique and a bottle of pills, both essential for someone at the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    "Bone-Strengthening Pill?" Old Doctor Chen was slightly surprised. "Is it the one that can enhance the muscles and bones of a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist by thirty percent?"

    "Exactly. Most Tendons and Bones Realm martial artists, after reaching their peak, find their growth limits reached and can only seek breakthroughs within their internal organs. This Bone-Strengthening Pill can break this limit, allowing even those at their peak to further strengthen their muscles and bones by thirty percent."

    Hearing this, Lu Qing realized the value of these gifts. The secret technique was already significant, but the Bone-Strengthening Pill was extraordinarily precious.

    Feeling the weight of these gifts, Lu Qing looked to his master. Old Doctor Chen, though feeling the gifts were too valuable, thought it over. He had epted the precious ''Compendium of Materia Medica,'' so there was no need for further modesty.

    He nodded to Lu Qing, "Since it is a kind gesture from the Wei family, you should ept it."

    Lu Qing then took the box.

    Seeing him ept the gifts, the chief steward smiled.

    No one knew that these gifts were his suggestion to thedy of the house. During his stay at the Halfway House, he had noticed Lu Qing''s exceptional martial talent. Though Lu Qing never trained in front of him, he could sense the young man''s Qi and Blood power growing stronger daily.

    This discovery, along with hearing from vigers about Lu Qing''s rapid progress since bing Old Doctor Chen''s disciple, convinced him that Lu Qing''s talent was extraordinary.

    Realizing this, the chief steward decided to establish a good rtionship with this rare martial prodigy. Thus, the Wei family''s generous gifts were not only to thank Old Doctor Chen but also to build rapport with this master and disciple.

    After presenting Lu Qing''s gifts, the gifts for Xiao Yan were simpler¡ªjust some jewelry and clothing that young girls liked. Though not cheap, they were far less valuable than Lu Qing''s gifts.

    "Old Doctor Chen, Young Master Lu, we will now escort our young master back home. When you visit the county in the future, please be sure toe to our Wei residence so we can properly host you," the chief steward said, bowing.

    "If we visit the county, we will certainly pay a visit. Have a safe journey back," Old Doctor Chen replied.

    "Thank you for your kind words."

    The chief steward bowed again to Old Doctor Chen and Lu Qing before turning to the guards. "Let''s head back!"

    At hismand, the guards swiftly moved into action. The sturdy Tendons and Bones Realm guards lifted the pnquin gently and began descending the mountain path. Despite the uneven terrain, the pnquin remained steady, without any noticeable jolts.

    As everyone started to descend, the chief steward, following behind, turned to bow once more to Old Doctor Chen and Lu Qing before finally making his way down the mountain.

 Chapter 68

    Lu Qing and Old Doctor Chen stood in front of the Halfway House, watching the Wei family¡¯s people slowly leave.

    After a while, Lu Qing said, "Master, this chief steward of the Wei family is truly formidable."

    Lu Qing genuinely admired this chief steward of the Wei family.

    From his first encounter with the young master of the Wei family at the Grand Bazaar, Lu Qing had initially thought the Wei family to be an arrogant, domineering family that liked to throw their weight around.

    Otherwise, how could their heir have such a personality?

    But this chief steward of the Wei family had changed Lu Qing¡¯s impression significantly.

    No wonder Mago said that the influence of the Wei family extended throughout the prefecture, reaching even the capital.

    One could see it from the methods of this chief steward.

    Not to mention the Wei family head whomanded such loyalty.Perhaps, this was what truly defined an influential aristocratic family.

    With such a person in charge, it was difficult for the Wei family not to develop rapidly.

    "To hold the position of chief steward in an aristocratic family like the Wei family, one would naturally not be a simple person."

    Old Doctor Chen also sighed.

    Even he, having lived for most of his life, had rarely seen a person like the chief steward of the Wei family.

    Upright and open, knowing that he was winning hearts, yet they still couldn¡¯t refuse.

    "Master, what should we do with all this gold and silver?"

    Back in the courtyard, Lu Qing looked at the piles of gold and silver and couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    The Wei family¡¯s gift of ten thousand taels of silver and one thousand taels of gold was not all in cash.

    Aside from arge chest of silver ingots and a small chest of gold ingots, the rest were converted into silver notes and gold notes, ced in another small box.

    But even thisrge chest of gold and silver was enough to dazzle anyone.

    It was only because Old Doctor Chen and Lu Qing were extraordinary people; otherwise, an ordinary person seeing these yellow and white objects would have pounced on them by now.

    "First, carry them inside and put them away."

    Old Doctor Chen also didn¡¯t know how to handle these things for the time being, so he and Lu Qing carried them into the house for storage.

    Looking at therge and small chests casually ced in a corner of the storage room, Lu Qing thought to himself.

    No one would ever guess that these two chests contained such arge amount of gold and silver.

    After casually covering the chests with some misceneous items, Lu Qing walked out.

    "A Qing, about that bottle of Tendon-Bone Strengthening Pills in your hand, I have something to tell you."

    After stepping out of the storage room, Old Doctor Chen spoke with some seriousness.

    Lu Qing immediately walked up to his master, listening respectfully.

    "The Tendon-Bone Strengthening Pill is indeed a coveted pill for many martial artists at the Tendons and Bones Realm. It can break the limits of those in the Tendons and Bones Realm, expanding their foundation and potential."

    "But the medicinal power of this pill is extremely overbearing. Even an ordinary strong person in the Tendons and Bones Realm may not be able to withstand its power."

    "So even if you step into the Tendons and Bones Realm in the future, you must not be in a hurry to consume and refine this pill. At least wait until you have achieved minor sess in the Tendons and Bones Realm before attempting to refine it."

    "Otherwise, consuming it too early, and if you can¡¯t withstand its power, it could burn your bone marrow and blood Qi, leading to death."

    Hearing that consuming and refining the Tendon-Bone Strengthening Pill could be so dangerous, Lu Qing¡¯s expression became very solemn: "Yes, Master, I will remember."

    After cautioning him about this, Old Doctor Chen waved his hand, "Since you¡¯ve remembered, you can go back now. You¡¯ve been tired these days dealing with the young master of the Wei family. Go back and rest well. You don¡¯t need toe to help me these days."

    "Huh?"

    Lu Qing was first surprised, then quickly realized seeing the box in his master¡¯s hand.

    Master had just obtained a precious scripture and wanted to retreat for focused study.

    He didn¡¯t expose his master¡¯s little n and respectfully said, "Yes, Master."

    He also wanted to take some time to focus on his martial arts.

    Recently, Lu Qing had been refining one Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill each day, rapidly increasing his Blood Qi power.

    In the past two days, he had faintly felt that he was on the verge of a breakthrough.

    Holding the gifts meant for himself and Xiao Yan, Lu Qing walked down the mountain.

    Back home, he saw Xiao Yan and Xiao Li ying together.

    Since Xiao Li came to their home, having such a ymate, Xiao Yan rarely went out.

    She always wanted to y with Xiao Li.

    Even the time spent ying with her friends in the vige had decreased.

    Lu Qing also didn¡¯t want her to linger in front of the Wei family¡¯s chief steward, lest she inadvertently reveal Xiao Li¡¯s existence.

    So these days, when he went to the Halfway House, he left Xiao Yan at home.

    Anyway, with Xiao Li there, and having instructed Xiao Li to protect Xiao Yan, he was reassured.

    This creature was a Red Light Spirit Beast.

    Unless they encountered an Internal Organs Realm expert, ordinary martial artists couldn¡¯t do anything to it.

    "Brother, you¡¯re back!"

    Seeing Lu Qing return, Xiao Yan, who was ying chess with Xiao Li, immediately called out.

    Xiao Li also called out to him.

    "Yes, I¡¯m back."

    Lu Qing put his things back in his room, then came out and saw the chessboard on the table, asking, "Who won more games today?"

    The chessboard was made by Lu Qing from a wooden board, carved with a knife.

    The chess pieces were also simple, just a box of short wooden sticks and a box of small stones.

    As for the chess they yed, it was the game of Go-Moku he had taught them.

    He had taught them chess because one day, while Lu Qing was studying medical books, these two little ones were ying and making noise in the house, making it impossible for him to concentrate.

    Even if he temporarily quieted them, they would soon secretly y again.

    To keep them quiet for longer, Lu Qing had an idea and taught them to y chess.

    Anyway, Go-Moku wasn¡¯t difficult, and it could also exercise their thinking abilities.

    As expected, the two little ones were instantly fascinated by this novel game, even Xiao Li was no exception.

    These days, whenever they had time, the two little ones would start a chess match.

    As for winning or losing, it was often hard to decide.

    Sure enough, it was the same this time.

    Xiao Yan said happily, "I won more games today. I won seven games, and Xiao Li only won six!"

    Then Lu Qing saw Xiao Li ce a small stone on the chessboard with its paw, causing Xiao Yan to immediately look dejected: "Now it¡¯s tied, Xiao Li also won seven games."

    This time, Xiao Li was the happy one, its ears moved back, eyes smiling, and tail held high.

    Lu Qing: ¡­

    These two little ones yed like this so much recently, often making his head spin, and it was no wonder.

    With their intelligence, they were indeed extraordinarypanions.

    He decided not to mind them and went to the bamboo forest at the back mountain to practice.

    In the following days, because he didn¡¯t need to go to the Halfway House, Lu Qing didn¡¯t go out, focusing on practice in the back mountain.

    Feeling he was close to a breakthrough, he even paused his Four Directions de practice to concentrate on Health Nourishing Boxing and refining Blood Qi.

    Finally, after consuming a few more Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, he sensed the breakthrough opportunity one morning.

 Chapter 69

    In the bamboo forest of the back mountain, Lu Qing was practicing the first nine forms of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    After more than a month of training, his mastery of Health Nourishing Boxing had be second nature.

    His movements, graceful and fluid, carried a unique rhythm and essence.

    The vigorous energy exuding from him made it pleasing to the eye and soothing to the heart.

    Even the old doctor Chen, if present, would surely praise Lu Qing¡¯s boxing.

    Because Lu Qing had developed his unique understanding of the first nine forms, mastering thempletely.

    Focused and absorbed, Lu Qing practiced his boxing.

    He concentrated deeply, sensing the flow of blood and qi within, searching for the breakthrough opportunity.

    At this moment, the blood and qi within his body were several times more vigorous than when he first stepped into the Qi and Blood Realm.With each move, the power hidden within surged, causing the surrounding air to swirl and fallen leaves to dance.

    Suddenly, a sh of insight struck Lu Qing¡¯s mind, and he grasped the secret of the blood and qi flow.

    Instantly, his blood and qi connected seamlessly, forming a unified whole, circting effortlessly.

    Lu Qing shuddered, a wave of understanding rising from his heart.

    "Blood and qi like a, continuous and unbroken. I''ve finally reached the minor sess of the Qi and Blood Realm."

    Indeed, Lu Qing had achieved the minor sess in the Qi and Blood Realm.

    The three stages of the Postnatal Realm: Qi and Blood Realm, Tendons and Bones Realm, and Internal Organs Realm.

    Each stage divided into four levels: entry, minor sess, major sess, and perfection.

    The hallmark of minor sess in the Qi and Blood Realm was the seamless connection of blood and qi, forming an invisible, continuous and unbroken.

    With this connection, power could be unleashed at will, no longer needing to gather blood and qi before exerting strength.

    Both endurance and explosive power were greatly enhanced.

    For Lu Qing, the biggest obstacle to reaching minor sess was not understanding the continuous and unbroken flow of blood and qi.

    It was the total amount of blood and qi power within his body.

    With his unique abilities, he neverckedprehension in boxing techniques.

    But the insufficient blood and qi power within his body had always limited his breakthroughs.

    Now, with the daily refinement of a Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill, his blood and qi power had finally reached a critical point.

    Breaking through to minor sess was just a matter of course.

    In a sh, Lu Qing moved to arge old bamboo, gripping the battle de inserted nearby.

    The de hummed as it was drawn, a cold light shing.

    Returning to his original position, Lu Qing exuded a murderous aura, beginning to practice the Four Directions de.

    de light shimmered, like moonlight flowing. With each move, he coordinated with the explosion of blood and qi, speeding up his strikes.

    The de sliced through the air, causing strong winds to rise, scattering dry bamboo leaves.

    Afterpleting the nine forms of the Four Directions de, Lu Qing stood still, feeling the residual strength within, a smile spreading across his face.

    This minor sess in the Qi and Blood Realm did not disappoint him.

    Before the breakthrough, he could only execute up to the seventh form of the Four Directions de, his blood and qi power insufficient to continue.

    But now, afterpleting a full round, he still had strength left, able tounch another round if needed.

    Nine forms in a row, each strike executed with full power, continuous and unbroken.

    ording to the records of the Four Directions de, he had achieved minor sess in this de technique.

    Sheathing the de, Lu Qing prepared to go home.

    Having achieved breakthroughs in two techniques, he was in an excellent mood.

    He decided to celebrate with a good meal.

    As he walked back, Lu Qing thought about his next training n.

    In martial arts realms, he had now reached minor sess in the Qi and Blood Realm. With continuous enhancement of his blood and qi, achieving major sess or even perfection wasn¡¯t far off.

    However, he was running low on Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, and it was time to ask his master to help refine another batch.

    Though skilled in gathering and brewing herbs, he hadn¡¯t tried refining pills yet and had no experience.

    Otherwise, he could have made them himself.

    After all, he wasn¡¯t short of ginseng now.

    When Xiao Li moved in, Lu Qing had asked about it.

    He learned that in the mountains, Xiao Li had discovered more than one ginseng nt.

    Some even matched the size of the two he had brought before.

    Upon hearing this good news, Lu Qing didn¡¯t immediately send Xiao Li to gather the ginseng.

    Instead, he let them continue growing in the mountains.

    He nned to dig them up personally when needed.

    After all, whenever Xiao Li dug up ginseng, they got slightly damaged, affecting their medicinal properties.

    Moreover, he always wanted to see the actual growth environment of those herbs in the mountains.

    Despite his thorough study of the Compendium of Materia Medica, book knowledge and real-life experience were different. To be a good doctor, one had tobine knowledge with practice.

    Therefore, Lu Qing decided to seek his master''s guidance on refining the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills after his master finished studying the Qing Nang Medical ssic.

    With those ginseng nts, Lu Qing¡¯s cultivation in the Qi and Blood Realm would face no obstacles.

    In terms of martial arts techniques, he needed to find new ones to practice.

    Having reached minor sess in the Four Directions de, further progress required the body of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Before reaching the Tendons and Bones Realm, he could no longer progress in this de technique.

    So, he needed to find one or two more martial arts techniques to practice.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll see if my master has suitable martial arts for me to train,¡± Lu Qing thought.

    He remembered his master mentioning that besides the three Tendons and Bones Realm techniques he had shown, there were other ordinary Qi and Blood Realm techniques.

    Since he had nothing better to do, Lu Qing didn¡¯t mind the lower level of those techniques. After all, he was still just in the Qi and Blood Realm.

    Having made up his mind, Lu Qing quickened his pace.

    To celebrate his breakthrough, he nned to go home and cook some meat for a good meal.

    As he descended from the back mountain and approached his house, he suddenly heard amotion, mixed with angry shouts, as if there was a dispute in front.

    What happened?

    Lu Qing paused, putting the wrapped battle de through the back window of his house, then circled around to the front yard.

    Arriving at the front, he saw arge group of people gathered, divided into two opposing sides.

    On one side were the vigers of Jiuli Vige.

    Grandpa Zhang protected Xiao Yan behind him, while other vigers, like the young Wang Da''an, held farm tools, looking agitated.

    Opposite them stood seven or eight burly men, leisurely waiting.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Lu Ming¡¯s debt was cleared? Why are you here again?¡±

    Grandpa Zhang, shielding Xiao Yan, angrily shouted.

 Chapter 70

    The seven or eight burly men faced the indignant vigers of Jiuli Vige without changing their expressions, looking quite leisurely.

    It seemed they didn''t regard these rural people at all.

    Upon hearing Old Man Zhang''s reprimand, a man with arge ck mole on his face red at him.

    "I remember you, old man. Last time we came, it was you who begged for mercy, asking us to spare those two kids from the Lu family, right?"

    "But, out of great kindness, we spared those two little brats, yet you lowly people dared to deceive us, the ck Wolf Gang!"

    Old Man Zhang was stunned: "When did we ever deceive you?"

    "Still denying it?" The mole-faced man sneered, "You said back then that all of the Lu family''s fields and property had been sold to pay off Lu Ming and his wife''s debts, right?"

    "Yes, if not for that, would you ruthless ones have ever left?" Old Man Zhang said angrily.

    "Still trying to argue!" The mole-faced man shouted loudly, "It was clearly agreed that all the money from selling the Lu family''s property would be handed over without a cent left. But what happened? You dare to withhold part of it. Truly audacious!""We never withheld any money from you!"

    Old Man Zhang was extremely angry.

    Not only did they not withhold any money, but also out of fear that these viins might find it too little and not spare Lu Qing and his sister, every household had even pooled some money together to give them.

    Now, hearing these people turn the tables and use them, Old Man Zhang was so angry that his lungs were about to explode.

    "I think you just spent all the money and now want toe back and extort more!"

    "Grandpa Zhang, why waste words with them? At worst, we fight them to the death! We can''t let them take Xiao Yan away!"

    Wang Da''an, his face flushed, shouted while holding a hoe.

    This shout roused the other young vigers too, "Yes, fight them! We don''t believe that so many of us can''t take down a few of them!"

    Seeing dozens of vigers waving their sticks and hoes, looking like they were about to charge, the so-called members of the ck Wolf Gang on the opposite side began to look a bit pale.

    Even though they were strong and knew some martial arts, they couldn''t say for sure they could withstand being mobbed by so many vigers.

    Those with weaker mental fortitude were already panicking a little.

    Even the mole-faced man, who had been shouting the loudest, was now having second thoughts.

    Usually, he was used to running rampant, relying on the ck Wolf Gang''s power. Wherever he went, no one dared to look him in the eye.

    Unexpectedly, in this small Jiuli Vige, this trick didn''t work.

    Seeing that a major conflict was inevitable, the leader of the ck Wolf Gang, who had remained silent, finally spoke in a slow, gloomy tone: "Old man, you say all the money from selling the Lu family''s property was handed over, but can you answer a few questions for me?"

    "Ask!"

    Old Man Zhang also didn''t want everyone to really sh with the other side.

    The ck Wolf Gang had a notorious reputation. Even if they managed to drive them away this time, there was no guarantee they wouldn''te back with more people tomorrow.

    They were just ordinary vigers. How could they truly fight against these ruthless viins?

    "My question is simple. If you say all the money from selling the Lu family''s property was handed over, then why do Lu Ming''s two children still have so much money?"

    "Recently, I saw with my own eyes that Lu Ming''s eldest son was spending money like water at the Grand Bazaar, buying things left and right. Hisvishness even made me envious."

    "And the little girl behind you, isn''t she wearing new clothes? How do you exin that?"

    "Well..." Old Man Zhang was speechless at first, then quickly responded, "That''s the money given to Lu Qing by his master."

    "Do you think I''m an idiot?" The gloomy-eyed man¡¯s face turned cold immediately, "I''ve only ever heard of disciples giving money to their masters, never the other way around. I think that money is what you withheld back then and gave to these two little brats!"

    "You''re talking nonsense! There''s no such thing!"

    However, the gloomy-eyed man didn''t want to waste any more words with Old Man Zhang and the others.

    He directly gave an order: "Old Qi, go and grab that little girl, then find the other brat!"

    "Yes, Fifth Brother!"

    The mole-faced man stepped forward and walked towards them.

    "What are you doing?!"

    Old Man Zhang quickly protected Xiao Yan and retreated. Wang Da''an shouted loudly, holding his hoe.

    "What are we doing?" The mole-faced man sneered, "Lu Ming and his wife haven''t finished paying their debt to us. Since these two brats still have money, they have to hand it all over!"

    "If they don''t have money, this little girl looks pretty good. Selling her to a trafficker should fetch a decent price, enough to cover part of her parents'' debt!"

    "You dare!"

    Wang Da''an''s eyes widened, the hoe in his hand pointed straight at the mole-faced man.

    "You''d better think carefully," the gloomy-eyed man said coldly, "If you don''t hand over the little girl, do you really think the ck Wolf Gang is easy to deal with?"

    "Don''t me me for not warning you. No one has ever messed with the ck Wolf Gang and walked away unscathed. Whoever dares to stop us will have their family destroyed!"

    These words sent a shiver through the vigers of Jiuli Vige.

    Han Lao Wu and his gang were notorious in the area.

    Relying on their membership in the ck Wolf Gang, they were ruthless and inhumane in their actions.

    No one doubted his threat.

    Because in the nearby viges, some had indeed suffered such fates for offending him, ending up with their families destroyed and scattered.

    Seeing the vigers were scared by his words, the mole-faced man grinned grimly.

    He stepped forward, and this time the vigers didn¡¯t dare to block him.

    Only Wang Da''an stood his ground, refusing to budge.

    "Damn it, do you really think I''ll tolerate this?!"

    The mole-faced man suddenly grabbed the hoe from Wang Da''an''s hand, stepped forward, got close to Wang Da''an, raised his arm, and spread his fingers, ready to p his face.

    This p carried all the strength of the mole-faced man. Wang Da''an, not knowing martial arts, didn¡¯t know how to dodge.

    If this pnded, his face would be bruised, his teeth broken, and half his face would be ruined.

    As the p was about tond on Wang Da''an''s face, some vigers couldn''t help but close their eyes.

    The next moment, the mole-faced man''s arm was caught by another hand.

    "This brother seems to have quite a temper."

    At the same time, a voice sounded.

    "Brother!" Xiao Yan immediately shouted.

    "A Qing?!!"

    When the vigers saw the person clearly, they couldn''t help but exim.

 Chapter 71

    "Lu Qing?!!"

    The vigers had initially thought that Wang Da''an was about to be severely beaten by the man with the ck mole.

    Unexpectedly, someone suddenly appeared and blocked the blow.

    What surprised them even more was that the person was Lu Qing!

    "It''s you, you little brat?!" The man with the ck mole was also taken aback, but then he sneered, "Perfect, I was just wondering where to find you, and you delivered yourself to me!"

    "Come back, v, these people are not to be trifled with!" Grandpa Zhang quickly shouted.

    "Now you think of running? Toote!" A cruel look shed in the ck mole man''s eyes.

    He exerted force, trying to free his arm and grab Lu Qing.

    However, as he tried to shake Lu Qing off, he found that Lu Qing''s grip on his wrist was like a steel mp, unmoving.Not only did he fail to shake Lu Qing off, but the grip tightened, causing pain in his wrist.

    Lu Qing smiled at him, gradually increasing his strength.

    "Let go of me right now!"

    Feeling the increasing pain, the ck mole man''s expression changed, and he shouted.

    He released Wang Da''an''s hoe with his left hand and threw a punch at Lu Qing''s head.

    "Let go, did you hear me?!"

    However, just as his punch was halfway through, there was a crack, and unbearable pain shot through his wrist held by Lu Qing.

    Before the ck mole man could cry out in pain, a tremendous force hit his chest and abdomen. With the sound of cracking bones, he felt a sweet taste in his throat and spat out a mouthful of blood.

    His body flew through the air, and as he was still mid-air, he cked out.

    Thud!

    With a thud, his body hit the ground, skidding seven or eight meters, leaving a long mark on the ground, motionless.

    Everyone fell silent, dumbfounded.

    Especially the vigers of Jiuli Vige, who looked at this scene in disbelief.

    "What?!"

    Seeing the ck mole man kicked away by Lu Qing, the sullen man¡¯s pupils contracted in disbelief as he looked at Lu Qing.

    Although Old Seven''s skills weren''t as good as his, they weren''t far off.

    Yet Lu Qing had kicked him into an unknown state of life or death with one kick.

    How did this kid do it?!

    After breaking the ck mole man''s wrist and crippling him with a kick, Lu Qing turned his gaze to the remaining few people opposite him.

    Lu Qing had been observing from the side for quite a while.

    After hearing Grandpa Zhang''s conversation with them, he had a general understanding that this group was likely the real culprits behind Xiao Yan''s parents'' deaths.

    For this reason, he used his ability to probe into the information of this group.

    He discovered that they were members of a gang called the ck Wolf Gang.

    Among them, the sullen man in front was the leader.

    [Han Lao Wu: ck Wolf Gang peripheral member, ruthless and cunning, vengeful and cruel.]

    [Skilled in martial arts, once guided by a martial artist, only a step away from the Qi and Blood Realm.]

    Recalling the information he had just probed, Lu Qing''s gaze on the sullen man turned colder.

    For even the ability to judge him as ruthless and cruel, this Han Lao Wu must havemitted countless atrocities.

    Pierced by Lu Qing''s gaze, Han Lao Wu, who was still in shock, suddenly came to his senses.

    Looking at Lu Qing, he blurted out, "Are you a martial artist?!"

    "Oh, you do have some knowledge," Lu Qing said in surprise, "Tell me, who exactly are you people?"

    Hearing Lu Qing''s direct admission, Han Lao Wu''s heart shook again.

    He knew that a month ago, he had seen Lu Qing with his own eyes.

    At that time, Lu Qing was thin and dispirited, looking like he wouldn''t live long.

    How had he be a martial artist in such a short time?

    How had he done it?

    Han Lao Wu couldn''t believe it.

    He knew how difficult it was for a martial artist to be one.

    Take him, for example. He had practiced martial arts for over ten years, with his elder brother''s guidance, yet he still hadn''t broken through to be a martial artist.

    He was always just a step away from the Qi and Blood Realm.

    And this son of Lu Ming, who was weak and dying a month ago, had now be a martial artist. How was this possible?!

    Lu Qing saw the shock on Han Lao Wu''s face but didn''t care.

    He continued to stare coldly at him, "You haven''t answered my question. Who exactly are you people?"

    Feeling the coldness in Lu Qing''s gaze, Han Lao Wu shivered.

    It no longer mattered how Lu Qing had be a martial artist.

    What mattered was that if he didn''t handle this well, none of them would leave here alive today.

    His mind raced, and Han Lao Wu forced a smile.

    "Lu Xiangjun, this is all a misunderstanding..."

    Before he could finish, Grandpa Zhang shouted from behind, "Lu Qing, they are the ones who caused your parents'' deaths!"

    "That''s right, Lu Qing, your parents were forced to death by them!"

    "Lu Qing, don''t let them go!"

    "Just now, they even tried to take Xiao Yan away!"

    Other vigers, seeing Lu Qing''s prowess, shouted one after another.

    Sweat immediately broke out on Han Lao Wu''s forehead, "No, Lu Xiangjun, your parents drowned themselves. Their deaths have nothing to do with us..."

    "Nonsense! If you hadn''t tricked Lu Ming into debt, how would they havemitted suicide? You drove them to death!" Grandpa Zhang angrily shouted.

    "No, it''s not..."

    Han Lao Wu''s words were interrupted repeatedly by Grandpa Zhang, and his heart filled with killing intent.

    He swore that if he got out of this alive, he would torture this old man to death and whip his corpse for three days to vent his hatred!

    "Lu Xiangjun, it really is a misunderstanding. Your father wanted to do business and borrowed a lot of money from us. When the business failed, he couldn''t repay the debt and, in panic, chose to drown himself with your mother."

    "From beginning to end, we never forced them. Look, here''s the IOU, signed and fingerprinted by your father."

    Han Lao Wu quickly took out a piece of paper and showed it to Lu Qing.

    "You... shameless!" Grandpa Zhang was furious upon seeing the paper, "You said you had destroyed the IOU, and now you bring it out. Shameless!"

    Other vigers were equally furious and confused.

    They had seen Han Lao Wu destroy the IOU. How could there be another one?

    Lu Qing nced at the IOU and nodded, "It does have my father''s name on it, but what does that prove?"

    "It doesn''t prove anything. I just want to show that your father did owe us money, and their deaths have nothing to do with us."

    "Think about it. We lent so much money to your father and haven''t even recovered the principal. Why would we want to force him to death? We would lose both the person and the money."

    "Who would want to do such a losing deal?"

    "It seems to make some sense." Lu Qing nodded again.

    "Lu Qing..."

    The vigers behind him grew anxious, seeing that Lu Qing seemed to believe Han Lao Wu''s sophistry.

    But Han Lao Wu, seeing Lu Qing''s hesitation, was pleased and didn''t give the vigers a chance to speak.

    He quickly said, "But as they say, when a person dies, their debt is forgiven. Since Lu Ming is dead, his debt is nullified. This IOU is our gift to you from the ck Wolf Gang. Consider it returned to its owner."

    He took out a few silver notes and presented them with the IOU.

    "Also, we feel deep sorrow for your parents'' deaths. Here are three hundred taels of silver, a token of our sympathy. Please ept it."

    Han Lao Wu''s words sounded sincere, as if everything he said was true, without a hint of falsehood.

    Lu Qing looked at the silver notes and the IOU, then at the earnest Han Lao Wu.

    After a long silence, he suddenly smiled, "Indeed, this is quite a generous gift."

    Seeing Lu Qing smile, Han Lao Wu was overjoyed.

    "Then, Lu Xiangjun..."

    But before he could finish, a hand silently appeared at his heart.

    Suddenly, an unstoppable force erupted from his chest, shattering his heart.

    Han Lao Wu''s body trembled, his limbs went limp, and he slowly fell to the ground.

    In his final moments, he heard Lu Qing''s voicepleting the sentence.

    "Unfortunately, knowing your nature, I can''t believe you even a little."

 Chapter 72

    In front of the Lu family''s courtyard, a deathly silence prevailed.

    Everyone was shocked as they looked at Han Lao Wu, lying lifeless on the ground.

    No one had expected Lu Qing to suddenly make a move and directly kill Han Lao Wu.

    The vigers of Jiuli Vige were especially stunned and bewildered.

    Just moments before, they had seen Lu Qing with a gentle smile, seemingly ready to ept Han Lao Wu''s apology and let bygones be bygones. They had been anxious, fearing that he would be deceived by Han Lao Wu and truly forgive these people.

    But to their astonishment, in the blink of an eye, Lu Qing had struck, killing Han Lao Wu with a single blow.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s calm demeanor after killing someone, the vigers felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

    Was this still the same Lu Qingthey knew, the one who was always gentle and courteous to everyone?

    Lu Qing paid no attention to the vigers'' gazes. After killing Han Lao Wu, he continued to focus on the remaining members of the ck Wolf Gang.Those gang members immediately trembled and knelt down.

    "Hero, hero, spare us!"

    "Young Master, it really has nothing to do with me!"

    "I was forced by Master Wu and the others. I didn''t do anything wrong!"

    "I won''t dare anymore. Young Master, please spare me, spare me!"

    "I ask you, how did my parents die?" Lu Qing asked indifferently.

    "We don''t know, Young Master. This whole thing was nned by Master Wu and Master Qi. We don''t know the details."

    "I only know that Master Wu and the others tried to force your mother into prostitution, which led her to drown herself."

    "We really don''t know anything else. Please, Young Master, give us a chance to reform!"

    Looking at the men in front of him, crying and begging for mercy, Lu Qing''s expression didn''t change.

    Anyone who could work under someone like Han Lao Wu couldn''t be a good person.

    Moreover, the information from his previous investigation told him that all of these people were scum, none of them innocent.

    He shook his head. Since he couldn''t get more information, there was no need to keep these scum alive.

    Without hesitation, Lu Qing''s Blood Qi surged within him, and he suddenly kicked out.

    In an instant, each member of the ck Wolf Gang was kicked in the throat and temple.

    With a series of bone-cracking sounds, the remaining five members couldn''t even react before their eyes turned red, clutching their throats, convulsing and falling to the ground, soon lifeless.

    From beginning to end, Lu Qing didn''t say another word.

    After confirming that they were all dead, Lu Qing turned to the vigers of Jiuli Vige.

    As for the man with the mole, he didn''t even need to look; he was already dead.

    When Lu Qing turned around, the vigers involuntarily took a step back.

    They couldn''t help it; Lu Qing''s performance just now was too frightening.

    So many fierce members of the ck Wolf Gang were all killed by him in an instant.

    The key point was that after killing so many people, his expression didn''t change much.

    Such a ruthless Lu Qing was something the vigers had never seen before.

    For a moment, fear arose in their hearts.

    Seeing the vigers'' reaction, Lu Qing paused and then nonchntly asked, "Grandpa Zhang, how should we handle these bodies?"

    Grandpa Zhang, who had been covering Xiao Yan''s eyes to prevent her from being frightened, watched Lu Qing for a while. Once he was sure that this was still the Lu Qingthey knew, he let out a sigh of relief.

    "What else can we do? Find a secluded mountain ditch and bury them. These evildoers, it''s a blessing for them to even have a grave."

    Lu Qing: "..."

    He hadn''t expected that Grandpa Zhang, who usually seemed kind, could be so bold.

    Lu Qing didn''t know that for Grandpa Zhang, a few corpses were nothing. He had seen much worse in his younger days.

    In fact, none of the elders in Jiuli Vige feared corpses.

    During the years of fleeing from disaster, they had seen much more gruesome things.

    Only the young ones, who hadn''t seen much of the world, were scared by the current scene.

    Grandpa Zhang wasn''t fazed by the bodies. Instead, he was amazed by Lu Qing''s earlier performance.

    "Lu Qing, when did you learn martial arts? These ck Wolf Gang members are all fierce and highly skilled, yet they couldn''t even withstand one move from you?"

    The other vigers were also very curious.

    They had watched Lu Qing grow up, and they had no idea when he had learned martial arts and be so powerful.

    "I learned it from my master, some time ago," Lu Qing replied.

    "The old doctor knows martial arts?"

    This truly stunned all the vigers.

    After so many years of living together, they had no idea that the kind old doctor also knew martial arts.

    "Let''s not talk about that now," Lu Qing said. "Grandpa Zhang, I killed these people. Will it cause any trouble?"

    "I''m worried about that too," Grandpa Zhang said, frowning. "Although these ck Wolf Gang members deserved to die, they have more people. Once they find out these people are dead, they won''t let it go."

    "Grandpa Zhang, what''s the background of this ck Wolf Gang? How can they act so wickedly without anyone stopping them?" Lu Qing asked.

    "I don''t know. I just heard that the ck Wolf Gang is a gang from the city, with many members, and most people can''t afford to offend them."

    Grandpa Zhang was just an old farmer with limited knowledge and didn''t know the specifics of the ck Wolf Gang.

    Lu Qing fell silent for a moment, then suddenly thought of someone.

    Maybe that person would know the details of the ck Wolf Gang.

    He said to Grandpa Zhang, "Grandpa Zhang, I need to go out for a while. Please have everyone deal with these bodies and help take Xiao Yan to my master''s ce."

    "You''re going out? Where to?" Grandpa Zhang was surprised.

    "I need to find someone to ask about the ck Wolf Gang. I''ll be back soon."

    Lu Qing returned to the house and strapped on his battle knife.

    A ck figure silently appeared beside him.

    "Xiao Li, where were you just now?"

    Xiao Li made a sound and pointed its paw outside the door.

    Lu Qing saw it was the bush near the gate, not far from where Xiao Yan had been. With Xiao Li''s speed, it could reach there in an instant.

    No wonder he had felt a faint sense of danger nearby earlier; it turned out Xiao Li was hiding there.

    He realized that if he hadn''t appeared at thest moment, Xiao Li would probably have acted.

    If Xiao Li had made a move, those guys would have died even more miserably.

    Lu Qing had seen Xiao Li''s ws in action recently and knew how deadly they were.

    Even though he was now at the Qi and Blood Realm and had furthered his mastery of the Four Directions de, he still had no confidence in blocking Xiao Li''s ws.

    "Well done," Lu Qing patted Xiao Li''s head.

    He was pleased with the little beast''s patience and didn''t me it for not acting immediately.

    Xiao Li was his biggest trump card. He didn''t want it to be exposed unless absolutely necessary.

    After instructing the little beast a few things, Lu Qing walked out of the house with his knife.

    He approached Xiao Yan and ruffled her hair. "Be good, Xiao Yan. Go stay with Grandpa Chen for a while. I''ll be back soon. Don''t be afraid. I''ve taken care of the bad guys. They won''te for you again."

    "Okay!" Xiao Yan nodded. "Brother,e back soon."

    "I will," Lu Qing said, ruffling her hair again. Then he nodded to Grandpa Zhang. "Grandpa Zhang, please take care of her."

    With that, he walked away with his knife.

    All the vigers watched Lu Qing''s familiar yet unfamiliar figure, suddenly realizing that he had grown much taller. He was no longer the thin boy they once knew.

 Chapter 73

    Lu Qing was on his way to the Grand Bazaar.

    Yes, the person he was looking for was none other than the overseer of the bazaar, Mago.

    Mago could even contact people from the Wei family, so he must have some knowledge about the ck Wolf Gang.

    Walking slowly, Lu Qing''s expression remained calm.

    He felt that his current state was somewhat peculiar.

    Although he had just killed quite a few people, his heart remainedrgely unaffected.

    If there was any change, it felt more like a shackle had been removed, making his entire being feel somewhat lighter.

    What did this mean? Was he naturally a murderer?

    After killing so many people, not only did he not feel any fear or anxiety, but he actually felt relieved.Or was it because those he killed were all scum, so he felt no burden?

    Lu Qing pondered this strange thought.

    Since achieving some sess in martial arts, he had always avoided falling into a cycle of killing, unsure of what he would be if he started.

    This was probably a trace of inexplicable sentimentality from being a person who had crossed over from a modern,w-abiding society.

    Now, it seemed he had overthought it.

    Killing was not something to be happy about, but it did not affect him as much as he had imagined.

    As long as he could maintain his true self, killing would not disturb his inner peace.

    With these strange thoughts in mind, Lu Qing arrived outside the Grand Bazaar.

    Today was not a market day, so the bazaar was empty.

    After a quick nce, Lu Qing walked towards a nearby house.

    When he reached the house, he found the door tightly shut and knocked a few times.

    Soon, someone came out to open the door. Upon seeing Lu Qing, they were first stunned, then surprised.

    "Lu Xiangjun, why are you here?"

    It turned out that the one opening the door was Xiao Tian, a subordinate of Mago whom Lu Qing had met before.

    "I''m here to visit Master Ma. Is he at home?" Lu Qing inquired.

    "Yes, yes, Master Ma is in the backyard drinking. I''ll go call him out." Xiao Tian replied hurriedly.

    "No need to trouble yourself. I will go to the backyard to see him directly."

    Lu Qing did not want to waste time.

    Xiao Tian thought for a moment and saw nothing wrong with it.

    He knew that Master Ma had always wanted to befriend Lu Xiangjun, even gifting him a treasured knife.

    So after a brief hesitation, he nodded, "Please, follow me inside."

    Lu Qing followed Xiao Tian into the house, passing through two doors, and arrived at a quaint little courtyard.

    In the courtyard, under a vine trellis with a stone table, a man was drinking alone. Who else could it be but Mago?

    "Lu Xiangjun, please wait here."

    Xiao Tian stopped Lu Qing and then ran ahead to whisper in Mago''s ear.

    Soon, Lu Qing saw Mago stand up with a look of surprise and delight, looking towards him.

    "Lu Xiangjun, why have youe?"

    "Master Ma, you seem to be in high spirits, drinking this early in the morning." Lu Qing walked forward with a smile.

    "Just a few casual drinks to pass the time," Mago said cheerfully. "How about it, Lu Xiangjun? Will you join me for a drink?"

    Of course, he was in a good mood.

    The recent incident with Young Master Wei was resolved perfectly. Not only was he not punished by the Wei family, but he was also rewarded generously by the Wei family''s head steward, making him very happytely.

    "Maybe another time. Today, I have something to ask Master Ma." Lu Qing declined.

    It was then that Mago noticed the battle knife on Lu Qing''s back.

    His heart skipped a beat, and his expression became somewhat serious.

    "Xiao Tian, go keep watch outside and don''t let anyone approach."

    "Yes, Master."

    After Xiao Tian left, Mago invited Lu Qing to sit.

    "Lu Xiangjun, what has happened?"

    Instead of answering directly, Lu Qing asked, "Master Ma, do you know someone named Han Lao Wu?"

    "Han Lao Wu?" Mago thought for a moment, then shook his head, "I''ve never heard of this name."

    "This person ims to be a disciple of the ck Wolf Gang. He has a sworn brother named Zhao Xiong, who is also a disciple of the ck Wolf Gang."

    Zhao Xiong was the man with the mole on his face whom Lu Qing had kicked to death. This name was obtained through his abilities.

    "ck Wolf Gang?" Mago was startled, "How did you get involved with this gang?"

    "Is the ck Wolf Gang very powerful?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Not exactly powerful, but they are known for their underhanded and ruthless methods. Their usual businesses are unsavory, involving brothels and gambling dens, so they have considerable influence in the county and are one of the three major gangs."

    "I see." Lu Qing nodded thoughtfully.

    "Why, have you had a conflict with the ck Wolf Gang?" Mago asked.

    "Something like that." Lu Qing nodded. "I believe my parents were killed by them."

    Mago: "..."

    This wasn''t just a conflict; it was a deep-seated blood feud!

    However, he was unaware of this matter. Previously, ording to Xiao Tian''s investigation in Jiuli Vige, Lu Qing''s parents had identally drowned.

    It seemed there was more to this story.

    "Lu Xiangjun, have you confirmed this information?" Mago asked.

    "I''m still investigating, but this is what the elders in my vige told me, so it should be urate."

    "And what about Han Lao Wu and Zhao Xiong that you mentioned earlier?"

    "This morning, a group iming to be members of the ck Wolf Gang broke into our vige, trying to take Xiao Yan and me away, iming it was to repay a debt my parents owed to the ck Wolf Gang. Han Lao Wu and Zhao Xiong were among them."

    "Later, they were stopped by the vigers, and I learned that my parents'' deaths were rted to the ck Wolf Gang." Lu Qing exined.

    "And those members of the ck Wolf Gang?"

    "I killed them all."

    "..."

    Mago did not expect that his little brother had just killed some people.

    However, considering Lu Qing''s identity as a martial artist, he understood.

    These days, which martial artist didn''t have a few lives in their hands?

    As long as it didn''t involve massacring civilians, even the county magistrate wouldn''t care about martial artists fighting and killing each other.

    After thinking for a moment, he continued to ask, "Then, you didn''t manage to ask Han Lao Wu and Zhao Xiong about the truth behind your parents'' deaths?"

    Lu Qing shook his head, "I struck too hard in the heat of the moment and killed them before I could question them."

    Mago: "..."

    His little brother seemed to have a heavy hand when it came to killing.

    "So, although you killed some members of the ck Wolf Gang, you still don''t know the exact circumstances of your parents'' deaths?"

    "That''s correct." Lu Qing nodded. "But I know that Han Lao Wu and Zhao Xiong seemed to be peripheral members of the ck Wolf Gang, and they had a few brothers in the area who were also involved in my parents'' deaths."

    "Peripheral members?"

    Mago was taken aback, then as if recalling something, his eyes suddenly brightened.

    "I think I know who you''re looking for."

 Chapter 74

    "About fifty miles from here, there is a fort called the Happy Fort. It operates casinos and brothels, attracting ruralndlords and idle vigers to spend their money."

    "asionally, even some city dwellers seeking noveltye to experience a different kind of pleasure that the county town can''t offer."

    "That fort is actually one of the ck Wolf Gang''s properties. It''s said that the fort master is the ninth leader of the ck Wolf Gang."

    "I think the Han Lao Wu and Zhao Xiong you mentioned are probably from there."

    "Master Ma, what is the martial prowess of this ninth leader?" Lu Qing asked.

    "I''m not too sure, but I don''t think it''s anything extraordinary, probably no higher than the Qi and Blood Realm," Mago replied.

    "Just the Qi and Blood Realm?" Lu Qing was surprised.

    "What do you mean by ''just the Qi and Blood Realm''?" Magoughed, "Brother Lu, don''t think that just because you have an extraordinary martial aptitude, practicing martial arts is an easy task."

    "For ordinary people, reaching the Qi and Blood Realm means countless efforts and hard work, and even then, they only break through by luck.""Many people practice martial arts for ten or twenty years, and all they achieve is a stronger body and more skilled techniques, without making any real progress."

    "But for someone like you, who can grasp the essence of connecting Qi and Blood so soon after starting, you are truly a rare talent."

    "You should know that even the leader of the ck Wolf Gang, ck Wolf, is only in the Tendons and Bones Realm. So, how strong can his ninth leader be?"

    "If a small leader of an outer industry were in the Tendons and Bones Realm, the ck Wolf Gang wouldn''t be just one of the three major gangs in the county; it would be the number one."

    Lu Qing then realized he had underestimated the situation.

    Perhaps because he had been dealing with the Wei family every day recently and saw that even a guard in the Wei family was in the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    He subconsciously felt that Tendons and Bones Realm martial artists were verymon.

    But he forgot that the Wei family was different; it was a colossal entity in the entire prefecture, iparable to a small gang in the county.

    "Thank you for your guidance, Master Ma. I will take my leave now."

    After obtaining the information he needed, Lu Qing prepared to leave.

    "Wait a minute, Brother Lu," Mago quickly called him back. "Are you nning to go to the Happy Fort?"

    "Yes, as a son, knowing that my parents'' death has other causes, I have to investigate," Lu Qing did not deny.

    But I see that you don''t seem to be going just for investigation.

    Mago''s eyes nced at the battle knife on Lu Qing''s back, silently thinking.

    However, he knew that it was impossible to persuade Lu Qing.

    A parent''s death is an unforgivable enmity.

    Moreover, this brother of his had already killed people from the Happy Fort.

    The enmity was already irreconcble.

    Knowing the ck Wolf Gang''s usual style, Mago understood that Lu Qing was better off striking first.

    Otherwise, when the ck Wolf Gang truly took action, even if Lu Qing had extraordinary skills, he wouldn''t be able to withstand it.

    But thinking about Lu Qing''s martial prowess, Mago couldn''t help but worry.

    No matter how talented Lu Qing was, he had only been practicing martial arts for just over a month.

    Even if he had reached the Qi and Blood Realm, there could still be a significant gap in strength among those in the same realm.

    Realm does not equalbat power.

    Realm only represents the martial artist''s physical quality and strength.

    But whether the realm can be converted intobat power depends on the martial artist''s application of techniques.

    In this regard, Mago wasn''t very optimistic about Lu Qing.

    Still, Lu Qing had been practicing martial arts for too short a time.

    Martial arts techniques require time to practice diligently and actualbat to hone.

    Lu Qing spent his days in Jiuli Vige, either studying medicine or fishing and farming. Where would he have the opportunity to hone his techniques?

    If he really rushed into the Happy Fort, he might suffer a significant loss.

    Thinking it over, Mago finally said, "In that case, why don''t I apany you to the Happy Fort?"

    As a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist, Mago was confident in his strength.

    A small Happy Fort couldn''t stop him.

    However, Lu Qing shook his head, "Thank you for your kindness, Master Ma, but this is a matter between me and the ck Wolf Gang. You don''t need to get involved."

    Mago wanted to persuade him further, knowing that the Happy Fort had many people, and the fort master was also a martial artist. It was too dangerous for Lu Qing to go alone.

    But seeing the calm and determined look in Lu Qing''s eyes, he knew that further persuasion was useless.

    He could only say, "Brother Lu, you must be careful. If you find anything wrong, run immediately. Don''t fight head-on."

    With Lu Qing''s martial prowess, if he focused on escaping, unless he fell into a trap or the ninth leader of the ck Wolf Gang took action personally, ordinary gang members couldn''t stop him.

    Mago was worried that Lu Qing, in his youthful vigor, might get hot-headed and fight the entire fort.

    "Don''t worry, Master Ma. I know my limits."

    After Lu Qing left with his battle knife, Mago sat there, deep in thought.

    After a while, he called for Xiao Tian, "Prepare the horses and bring my sword."

    "Master Ma, didn''t Young Master Lu say he didn''t want us to follow?" Xiao Tian asked.

    "Do you want me to just sit and watch?" Mago red, "The Wei family has instructed me to look after Brother Lu. If anything happens to him, how will I exin it to the Wei family?"

    "Besides, who said I''m following Brother Lu? I just suddenly feel like hunting and will pass by the Happy Fort."

    Xiao Tian was speechless.

    Fine, you''re the boss; whatever you say goes.

    But...

    "Master Ma, are we really going to confront the ck Wolf Gang? They''re not easy to deal with, and the family head might not agree."

    "Are you stupid?" Mago looked at him with disappointment, "Brother Lu is favored by the Wei family, and his master, the old doctor Chen, is also a strong Internal Organs Realm martial artist. In front of the Wei family and the old doctor Chen, the ck Wolf Gang is nothing!"

    Suddenly, Mago froze, "By the way, does the old doctor Chen know about this?"

    Whether his master knew about today''s events, Lu Qing wasn''t sure.

    But he knew that his master had a kind heart and couldn''t bear to see others suffer. He also didn''t like to hurt people.

    So he never thought of asking his master to help deal with the ck Wolf Gang.

    He wanted to handle this matter in his own way.

    After hearing about the ck Wolf Gang''s vengeful nature from Mago,

    Lu Qing understood that only one could survive between him and the gang.

    Currently, he didn''t have the ability to storm the county town.

    But the Happy Fort was still within his reach.

    As he left the Grand Bazaar and walked down a small path, a ck figure suddenly jumped from a tree andnded on his shoulder.

    It was Xiao Li.

    This was why Lu Qing refused to let Mago apany him to the Happy Fort.

    Compared to theplex-minded Mago, he trusted Xiao Li, who was like family.

    Moreover, Xiao Li''s prowess far surpassed Mago''s.

    "Let''s go, Xiao Li. From now on, my safety depends on you."

    Lu Qing patted the ck Beast''s head, his gaze fixed eastward.

 Chapter 75

    "Is this the Happy Fort?"

    Lu Qing stood on arge tree, looking at the fort ahead with a mysterious expression in his eyes.

    Xiao Li was perched on his shoulder, its ck silhouette blending almost perfectly into the tree''s shadow.

    After leaving the Grand Bazaar, Lu Qing followed Mago''s directions and quickly found a fort nestled in a mountain hollow.

    However, he did not act rashly. He nned to wait until nightfall before sneaking in.

    Silently, Lu Qing moved to a tree near the fort''s entrance and climbed up, lurking quietly.

    After advancing to the small aplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm, his control over his body had significantly improved.

    With deliberate restraint of his breath, no one could detect him.

    As for Xiao Li, there was no need to mention its abilities.The ck Night Spirit Lynx was a natural hunter, its stealth far superior to that of humans.

    If it truly wanted to hide, it would be difficult to spot even from a short distance away.

    If Lu Qing didn''t know Xiao Li''s exact location, even he would be deceived.

    Perhaps because they never expected trouble, the fort''s defenses were quitex.

    At the entrance, only two men stood guard in a loose,ckadaisical manner.

    Lu Qing used his abilities to investigate and found that these two were also peripheral members of the ck Wolf Gang, confirming he had found the right ce.

    He held his breath, quietly lurking in the tree, waiting for nightfall.

    "Damn it, so boring, why is it us two on guard duty again?"

    Just as Lu Qing was about to close his eyes and rest, he suddenly heard one of the guards spit in frustration.

    "Keep it down. We''re the least experienced here. If not us, then who else?" The other guard repliedzily.

    "Then why is that little sly dog Er Gou enjoying himself inside?" The first guard was still dissatisfied.

    "His sister is now the top card in our fort. Can wepare to that?" The second guard continued.

    "Top card, my ass. Just a whore, pretending to be some high-ss courtesan." The first guard scoffed. "And I heard Er Gou''s sister was sold to us by their parents, using the money to build two new houses."

    "Er Gou not only doesn''t try to redeem his sister, but he alsoes here to leech off her. They''re really not human! No, their whole family isn''t human!" The second guard remained silent after this.

    Though not a good person himself, he also felt that Er Gou''s family was truly inhumane.

    Lu Qing listened quietly from the tree, making no sound.

    It was unclear whether the two guards were too disdainful to continue talking about Er Gou or had simply lost interest, but they fell silent for a long while.

    Just when Lu Qing thought they would remain quiet, the first guard spoke again.

    "Still, Wang Fu is better off, able to follow Fifth Master and Seventh Master. He gets a share of any good deals. I heard he went out early this morning with them again, probably for another profitable venture."

    Lu Qing''s heart stirred. He knew the Fifth Master and Seventh Master mentioned must be Han Lao Wu and Zhao Xiong.

    "I know about this. It seems there was a problem in Jiuli Vige. Fifth Master went to handle it." The second guard said.

    "Jiuli Vige? Isn''t that the vige of that fool Lu Ming? What happened there?" The first guard asked curiously.

    "Fifth Master and the others went to take Lu Ming''s farnd, but the vigers kept some money for themselves instead of handing it all over. Fifth Master found out." The second guard exined.

    "Those vigers in Jiuli Vige must be crazy to deceive Fifth Master! Now he''ll definitely punish them harshly. He hates being cheated the most!" The first guard was shocked.

    "That''s why Fifth Master and Seventh Master took Wang Fu and others out early this morning. They should be back by now, but we haven''t seen them yet." The second guard wondered.

    "Maybe Fifth Master is still enjoying himself. You know he loves to torment people when he''s in a bad mood. He''s probably punishing those vigers now!" The first guard said indifferently.

    The second guard thought this made sense. Among the leaders, Fifth Master was the hardest to predict and the most temperamental.

    If he wasteing back, he must have a reason. It wasn''t for them to guess.

    "I envy Wang Fu and the others. Following Fifth Master to Jiuli Vige, they''ll probably get a lot of spoils." The first guard said enviously.

    "Unlike us, exposed to the elements with no benefits." The first guard sighed.

    The second guard fell silent, also feeling envious but helpless.

    Lu Qing gathered a lot of information from their conversation.

    But hearing the envy in their voices, he felt a bit strange.

    He wondered how these two would react if they knew Han Lao Wu''s current situation.

    As the two guards continued their idle chat, Lu Qing listened, gradually realizing how corrupt the Happy Fort was.

    Hearing their conversation, his killing intent rose.

    His gaze towards the two guards below turned icy.

    These two might just be gatekeepers, but from their words, Lu Qing knew they were not good people either.

    They didn''t refrain from doing evil out of choice but because theycked the opportunity.

    At this moment, Lu Qing fervently wished for nightfall toe sooner.

 Chapter 76

    Time slowly ticked by as Lu Qing continued to lie in wait atop the tree.

    On the other side, Mago was growing increasingly anxious.

    "What''s the status? Have you found any trace of Brother Lu?"

    "Nothing yet. Dasha and I have scoured the area multiple times, but there''s no sign of Lu Qing," Xiao Tian replied.

    "How could that be? Did we arrive toote, and Brother Lu has already been captured?" Mago said with rising concern.

    "I doubt it," Xiao Tian hesitated, "We''ve been here for a while, and there''s no sign ofmotion in Happy Fort. If Brother Lu had gone in, it shouldn''t be this quiet."

    "I think Brother Lu is hiding somewhere, waiting for the right moment to act."

    Mago thought about it and agreed.

    Lu Qing was a warrior in the Qi and Blood Realm. If he had entered, there¡¯s no way Happy Fort could have dealt with him without any disturbance.It was more likely, as Xiao Tian said, that Lu Qing was lying in wait, ready to strike.

    "Then we¡¯ll wait as well. We can''t let anything happen to Brother Lu," Mago said, trying to quell his anxiety.

    Xiao Tian and Dasha exchanged nces.

    If this had been the usual Master Ma, he wouldn¡¯t have overlooked such details.

    It was clear how much Master Ma valued Lu Qing, even losing his usualposure.

    Unaware that Mago had brought reinforcements waiting to support him on the other side of the mountain, Lu Qing remained hidden in the tree, biding his time until nightfall.

    Finally, dusk arrived, and the sky gradually darkened. Lights began to illuminate Happy Fort, turning it into a glowing spectacle.

    Having rested his eyes throughout the afternoon, Lu Qing opened them, ready for action.

    "Stay alert. Guests will be arriving soon!"

    The two guards below straightened up, no longer lounging around.

    Lu Qing realized then that Happy Fort was a nighttime operation.

    No wonder he had seen no one entering all this time.

    With the lights now on, Lu Qing soon saw people arriving.

    Vigers in simple clothes walked over, whilendlords dressed in silks and satins were carried in sedan chairs.

    He even saw an old man in patched clothes with a lecherous expression.

    It was perplexing where these people got the money to spend in this den of iniquity.

    Just as Lu Qing was about to make his move during the guests'' arrival, a suddenmotion broke out, approaching the fort''s gate.

    Lu Qing saw a man in his forties struggling with a young girl.

    The girl¡¯s cries were heart-wrenching as she clung to the man¡¯s hand, begging.

    "Father, please, don¡¯t gamble this money away. I embroidered for days to earn it for mother¡¯s medicine!"

    "Rubbish! Your money is mine. I need it, so I¡¯ll use it!" the man shouted. "Your mother¡¯s illness isn¡¯t serious. She can tough it out. Once I win, I¡¯ll have all the money we need, and you can buy all the medicine and doctors you want!"

    "Father, no, mother coughed up blood yesterday. If she doesn¡¯t see a doctor soon, she¡¯ll die!"

    The girl clung desperately to her father, tears streaming down her face.

    "She¡¯s fine! She¡¯ll be alright after a few days of rest!" the man snapped. "Let go, or I¡¯ll kick you!"

    "Father, please, mother will die without the medicine!"

    The girl sobbed, refusing to let go of his arm.

    "Then let her die!" The man kicked his daughter away. "Less of a burden for me!"

    The girl, stunned by her father''s cruelty, saw him about to enter the fort and rushed to grab his leg.

    "Father, please don¡¯t gamble. Give me the money back..."

    "Let go!"

    The man raised his hand to strike her as she held him back.

    Onlookers, mostly guests of Happy Fort, watched with amusement instead of pity.

    The guards at the gate mocked, "Zhao Laosan, can¡¯t even handle your own daughter? If you can¡¯t, leave her to us. We¡¯ll train her properly!"

    Zhao Laosan¡¯s eyes lit up at the guard¡¯s suggestion.

    "Master Chen, you mean it? Will you take her?"

    The guard, taken aback, hadn¡¯t expected Zhao Laosan to take him seriously.

    He nced at the girl, noticing she had some beauty.

    "Think carefully. Once she¡¯s in the fort, redeeming her will be tough," the guard warned.

    "No problem. She¡¯s a burden anyway. Name your price," Zhao Laosan said eagerly, thinking of his gambling funds.

    "I¡¯ll have to call someone to appraise her," the guard said.

    "Thank you, Master Chen!" Zhao Laosan bowed.

    "Father!" The girl, in disbelief, watched as the guard went to fetch someone. She panicked and tried to run.

    "Where do you think you''re going?"

    Zhao Laosan grabbed her, dragging her back.

    "You wouldn''t go home before, now you won''t leave. You¡¯ll stay here and make money for me!"

    "Father, no! I¡¯m your daughter, you can¡¯t sell me!"

    The girl cried in terror.

    "I¡¯m doing this for you. You''ll live well here, better than embroidering at home. You wanted money for your mother, earn it here."

    Zhao Laosan dragged her to the gate.

    Just then, the guard returned with someone from inside.

    The deal was made as the girl watched in despair.

    Zhao Laosan received silver while the girl was dragged inside, crying.

    Ignoring his daughter''s pleas, Zhao Laosan admired his newfound wealth, thinking of his gambling funds.

    "Zhao Laosan, you¡¯re ruthless. Aren¡¯t you afraid your wife will kill you when you get home?" someone mocked.

    "She wouldn''t dare!" Zhao Laosan red. "And who are you to talk? Didn¡¯t you sell your widowed sister-inw?"

    This shut the man up.

    "Zhao Laosan, is your daughter unmarried?" asked a portly man.

    "Yes, she¡¯s sixteen," Zhao Laosan replied.

    "Good, I¡¯ll have some fun with her tonight," the man said, patting Zhao Laosan¡¯s shoulder. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll treat her well!"

    "Then you must call Zhao Laosan father-inw," someone joked.

    "Shut up! He¡¯s not worth it," the portly man retorted.

    The gate filled withughter, but Zhao Laosan¡¯s face darkened.

    Up in the tree, Lu Qing stood up, his face hidden in shadows, but the cold aura emanating from him made Xiao Li bristle.

    Watching the scene below, Lu Qing held back his rage.

    It wasn¡¯t time yet.

    He quietly descended the tree, using the darkness to find a weak spot in the fort¡¯s defenses and slipped inside.

    Xiao Li perched steadily on his shoulder.

    Inside, Lu Qing assessed the fort¡¯syout. It wasrge, with many buildings, the most prominent being a tall wooden tower in the center.

    That was his target.

    Using the shadows, Lu Qing moved quickly through the fort, with Xiao Li alerting him to nearby people.

    He moved undetected, nearing the main tower when he heard shouting.

    Turning a corner, he saw a garishly dressed woman and two men escorting the girl he had seen earlier.

    The girl, bound and led by a rope, moved slowly, eliciting curses from her captors.

    Seeing her despair, Lu Qing hesitated but then quietly followed.

    They shoved the girl into a stone building in a corner of the fort.

    Lu Qing, ensuring no one was watching, approached the building.

    Inside, he heard a sharp, harsh voice, "Lock her up. Starve her for three days, she¡¯ll behave. And you other girls, disobey, and you¡¯ll be fed to the wolves!"

    Peeking in, Lu Qing saw the scene clearly, his eyes narrowing.

    The suppressed killing intent within him surged uncontrobly.

 Chapter 77

    "Jiao Auntie, will they starve to death if we leave them hungry like this? We spent a lot of silver to buy these little girls. If even one dies, the heads of the house won''t let us off."

    In a somewhat dim room, a thug from the Happy Fort asked.

    "Don''t worry, I have experience. These girls are very stubborn. If we don''t starve them until they''re obedient, and grind away their rebelliousness, it will be troublesome when they start receiving guests and get temperamental, upsetting the customers."

    The heavily made-up middle-aged woman screeched, "You guys are just inexperienced. Don''t worry, they won''t starve to death. These girls are just cheap bones. As long as they have some water to drink, they won''t die even after a few days."

    "Of course, who canpare to your extensive experience, Jiao Auntie? Everyone knows you were once the top courtesan of the Spring Moon Pavilion, naturally much more knowledgeable than us," the thug ttered.

    "Yes, look at the girls in our fort. After your training, which one doesn''t obey and listen? It''s all thanks to you, Jiao Auntie," another thug chimed in with a fawning tone.

    "Hehehe... you little ones sure know how to talk."

    Jiao Auntie let out a piercingugh, her whole body shaking, causing the makeup on her face to nearly fall off.

    However, the next moment, theugh came to an abrupt halt.Because the tip of a de emerged from her chest, piercing right through her.

    "Jiao Auntie, what''s wrong?"

    In the dimness, the two thugs hadn''t realized what happened. Seeing her suddenly go silent, they asked in confusion.

    Then, to their horror, they saw Jiao Auntie''s body fly backward, crashing against the stone wall, blood sttering, rolling to the ground, life or death unknown.

    Simultaneously, a figure emerged from behind Jiao Auntie.

    "Who is it!"

    The two thugs instantly knew that an enemy had infiltrated.

    However, before they could react, the next moment, the de shed, shing across their throats.

    The two thugs who wanted to call for help could no longer make any sound, clutching their throats in terror as they fell to the ground.

    Mouths gaping, trying to speak, but nothing came out. Blood flowed through their fingers, eyes gradually dimming.

    The sudden change took everyone by surprise.

    Except for the newly arrived girl who let out a scream, the others huddled in the corners, trembling and watching the scene in terror.

    It seemed the recent harsh lessons had made them afraid to shout no matter what happened.

    The girl quickly realized something, covering her mouth and not daring to make another sound.

    After killing the three scoundrels, Lu Qing showed no sign of joy on his face.

    With a near-night vision ability, he could clearly see the situation in the dim corner separated by the thick fence.

    There were seven or eight girls chained with iron. Judging by their appearance, the oldest was no more than sixteen or seventeen, and the youngest was probably only eight or nine.

    These girls, except for the newly captured one, were all disheveled, emaciated, looking neither human nor ghost.

    Looking at these frightened girls, Lu Qing didn''t know how tofort them.

    He could only say, "Stay here and don''t move. I''lle back to rescue you in a while."

    After saying this, Lu Qing walked out of the room and closed the door.

    Standing outside, looking at the bright lights, Lu Qing''s gaze was full of coldness.

    Just killing three scoundrels hadn''t eased his heart in the slightest. On the contrary, the killing intent in his heart was boiling even more.

    The plight of the girls in the room made him think of how Han Lao Wu and his gang came to Jiuli Vige today intending to capture Xiao Yan.

    He couldn''t imagine what would have happened if he didn''t have some strength and Xiao Yan was captured and brought here.

    "Xiao Li, can you sense where the strongest person in this fort is?"

    After a long silence, Lu Qing asked calmly.

    Xiao Li tilted its head and thought for a moment, then pointed in a direction.

    Lu Qing looked and saw it was indeed the tallest and most prominent wooden building in the center of the fort.

    "So it''s there, huh?"

    Lu Qing, holding his knife, slowly walked towards the tall wooden building.

    This time, he no longer hid his figure. The burning killing intent in his chest made him no longer want to do any lurking.

    What he needed now was to vent this boiling killing intent.

    Activating his ability, Lu Qing walked straight towards the wooden building.

    Suddenly, two men carryingnterns and holding wooden sticks turned a corner and came into view, patrolling the area.

    Seeing Lu Qing with a knife and a strange little beast on his shoulder, they were startled.

    Immediately, one shouted, "Stop, who are you?"

    Before the words finished, Lu Qing stepped forward, his figure shing, and passed between the two men.

    The next moment, two heads flew from behind him, and the two patrolling thugs from the Happy Fort fell to the ground, hands iling.

    Cutting down the two thugs with one blow, Lu Qing didn''t look back and continued walking forward.

    After several more steps, he saw a man walking from the direction of the wooden building, cursing under his breath about things like "bastard," "impossible," and "turn the tables."

    When the man saw someone blocking his way, he looked up and cursed, "What the hell, get out of the way, can''t you see I''m walking..."

    Halfway through his curse, seeing the knife in Lu Qing''s hand, he suddenly fell silent, like a duck with its neck grabbed.

    Lu Qing looked at the man with the scarred head and remembered the conversation he overheard outside the fort earlier.

    Without hesitation, he lightly swung his hand, and another head flew up.

    The man with the scarred head was beheaded without even a chance to beg for mercy.

    Avoiding the sttering blood, Lu Qing continued towards the wooden building.

    By this time, he was already very close to the wooden building.

    Two men holding knives and sticks guarded therge door at the base of the building.

    Seeing this scene, they were shocked and ran towards him immediately.

    "What are you doing!"

    Seeing the two men running over, Lu Qing did not draw his knife this time.

    Instead, he crouched slightly, and the next moment, his powerful blood qi erupted. His feet left two footprints on the hard ground as his body vanished from the spot, rushing towards the two men at high speed.

    Then, when they were close, with two loud bangs, apanied by a series of bone-cracking sounds, the two guards flew back even faster.

    They crashed through the wooden building''s door, causing a series of screams.

    Amid the screams, Lu Qing walked into the wooden building. The little beast on his shoulder had already disappeared.

    Inside, Lu Qing nced around and quickly took in the scene.

    The ground floor of the wooden building was very spacious.

    It looked like a gambling hall, but therge table in the middle, covered with various gambling tools, was smashed to pieces by the bodies of the two guards he had kicked in. Coins and broken silver were scattered all over.

    The various gamblers and scantily d girls were panicking and hiding on both sides.

    Seeing Lu Qing walk in, everyone couldn''t help but look at him.

    At this moment, a voice filled with anger came from above.

    "Who dares cause trouble in my Happy Fort?!"

    Lu Qing looked up, seeing several people walking out from the second floor, especially focusing on the tall figure leading them.

    He suddenly grinned, "Naturally, it''s someone here to kill you all!"

 Chapter 78

    Wei Shan, nicknamed "Heart-Snatcher Wolf," was the ninth leader of the ck Wolf Gang and the master of Happy Fort. He was notorious for his cruel and cunning nature and insatiable greed.

    Cultivation Level: Postnatal Qi and Blood Realm, adept in fist and w techniques, with a penchant for extracting human hearts.

    Lu Qing grinned as he read the information about the ninth leader of the ck Wolf Gang above.

    As Mago had said, this master of Happy Fort was only at the Qi and Blood Realm.

    He hadn''t even reached the Great Completion of Qi and Blood, just like him, who had barely achieved the Small Completion of the Qi and Blood Realm.

    He nced at the few people beside him, all ordinary martial artists who had not yet entered the martial path.

    Judging by their information, they were likely leaders in this fort, simr to Han Lao Wu.

    "Everyone''s here. Perfect, saves me the trouble of finding you all one by one."

    Lu Qing''s eyes sparkled with a strange light as he looked at the people above.The few minions he had in earlier hadn''t lessened his murderous intent. On the contrary, it had only grown stronger.

    When the Heart-SnatcherWolf saw Lu Qing''s appearance clearly, he was taken aback.

    He had initially thought it was an enemy of the ck Wolf Gang causing trouble.

    Now, seeing it was a young man he''d never met before, he was surprised.

    Feeling the surging Blood Qi from Lu Qing, his heart trembled.

    To have reached the Qi and Blood Realm at such a young age, and with such abundant Blood Qi, was no less than his own.

    He had also achieved the Small Completion of the Qi and Blood Realm in his teens!

    Realizing this, the Heart-SnatcherWolf''s expression turned serious.

    He knew that such a rare young genius often had a powerful background.

    When had his Happy Fort provoked such a person?

    Or was it that the main stronghold had angered someone they shouldn''t have?

    Various thoughts raced through his mind.

    Yet, he smiled, "Young hero, who are you? Why are you causing trouble in my Happy Fort? Is there some misunderstanding? If we''ve done something wrong, we will certainly apologize."

    His words startled the people beside him.

    It was the first time they saw their leader being so polite, especially to a young boy.

    The boy hade to cause trouble, killing people in the fort, yet their leader greeted him with a smile?

    Who was this boy?

    Everyone couldn''t help but look at Lu Qing again.

    But with their strength not even breaking into the Qi and Blood Realm, they couldn''t see through Lu Qing''s background.

    Hearing the Heart-SnatcherWolf''s probing question, Lu Qing''s expression didn''t change.

    Indeed, those who could be fort masters were never brainless.

    But he didn''t want to waste words with them. The murderous intent in his heart made him unwilling to engage in false niceties with these people.

    Moreover, he sensed more people wereing this way outside.

    Obviously, other members of the fort were gathering.

    Though Lu Qing didn''t want to let anyone in Happy Fort go, he wasn''t about to wait for them to organize their defenses.

    So, facing the Heart-SnatcherWolf''s probe, he remained silent, taking a horse stance, body slightly lowered, assuming the starting form of the Four Directions de.

    His entire Blood Qi erupted, and the murderous intent in his heart, no longer suppressed, surged towards the Heart-SnatcherWolf.

    Feeling this intense murderous intent, the Heart-SnatcherWolf''s face changed.

    He knew there was no point in talking anymore.

    The boy''s deadly resolve told him everything.

    Although he didn''t know why Lu Qing held such intense murderous intent towards him, it didn''t affect his ability to make the right choice.

    "Attack! Kill this boy!"

    The Heart-SnatcherWolf waved his hand, giving the order.

    However, faster than hismand was Lu Qing''s action.

    As the first word left his mouth, Lu Qing''s figure had already shot upwards, heading for the second floor.

    By the time he finished speaking, Lu Qing had pounced in front of him. Using the momentum of his charge, both hands held the de, shing upwards towards the Heart-SnatcherWolf!

    Lu Qing poured all his strength into this strike.

    Beyond the full burst of Blood Qi, it carried the boundless murderous intent he''d suppressed since arriving at Happy Fort.

    As the de shed, Lu Qing''s spirit seemed to undergo a transformation, his understanding of the Four Directions de elevating once again.

    A thought of the initial evaluation of the Four Directions de by the anomalous power shed through his mind.

    The Four Directions de, heavy on momentum, leaned towards ughter!

    The Four Directions de had never been a technique of intricate moves.

    It emphasized an all-or-nothing approach, full force in every strike, with a heart set on killing, cutting down all enemies before him!

    The Heart-SnatcherWolf didn''t expect Lu Qing toe so swiftly and decisively.

    Feeling the momentum of Lu Qing''s de, his expression drastically changed.

    Immediately, he knew he couldn''t take this blow head-on.

    Otherwise, he would die!

    Without time for any thought, instinctively, the Heart-SnatcherWolf crossed his arms in front of him and stepped back with force.

    Crash!!

    Lu Qing''s de, fierce in momentum, sliced through the second-floor railing and floor without hindrance, cutting straight towards the Heart-SnatcherWolf''s chest, aiming to cleave him in half.

    However, when the de reached his crossed arms, Lu Qing felt a tremendous resistance, failing to sever them instantly!

    Boom!!

    The collision of powerful forces, coupled with the Heart-SnatcherWolf''s deliberate retreat, sent his body flying backward, crashing through the door behind him and out of sight.

    "Big brother!!"

    The other leaders, already intimidated by Lu Qing''s aura, were now terrified upon seeing this.

    They never imagined their powerful leader could be so easily sent flying with one strike!

    "Where did this boye from? Is this really a Qi and Blood Realm de technique?!"

    Rolling on the floor, throat sweet, chest tight, the Heart-SnatcherWolf, already heavily injured internally, looked at his arms.

    His custom-made, expensive steel guards, now bearing deep de marks,pletely torn, filled him with dread.

    He never expected that, as a fellow Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, he couldn''t withstand even one of Lu Qing''s strikes.

    "Escape!"

    The Heart-SnatcherWolf reacted immediately.

    After a single exchange, he was heavily injured, his protective gear half-ruined.

    He realized if he didn''t flee now, he wouldn''t leave here alive today!

    Without hesitation, he got up, smashed the window behind him, and jumped outside.

    "Trying to escape?"

    Lu Qing instantly sensed the Heart-SnatcherWolf''s intent.

    His de traced an arc, heads flew.

    The once arrogant leaders of Happy Fort were all beheaded by Lu Qing''s single strike.

    After dispatching the scum, Lu Qing used his strength to shatter the second-floor wooden floor, chasing after the Heart-SnatcherWolf.

 Chapter 79

    As Lu Qing pursued the Heart-SnatcherWolf, the gamblers who had been terrified in the wooden building slowly began to rise from the ground, trembling. They stared at the headless corpses on the second floor and the blood streaming down, their bodies shaking. Yet, they dared not flee the building, fearing they might encounter that deadly star outside. They could only hope that the Vige Chief would kill the deadly star, ensuring their safety.

    ying several leaders of Happy Fort took Lu Qing almost no time. When he leaped out from the second floor, he immediately spotted the Heart-SnatcherWolf trying to escape by hiding behind a small building.

    ¡°Heart-SnatcherWolf! You can''t escape!¡± Lu Qing shouted, his voice echoing for miles. Hended, Blood Qi surging, and shot towards the small building.

    ¡°Kid, don''t push me too far!¡± The Heart-SnatcherWolf didn''t expect Lu Qing to catch up so quickly. Exposed, he immediately fled in another direction.

    ¡°Today, you will die without a doubt!¡± The two began a deadly chase through the vige.

    "Lu, the young brother, has indeed infiltrated!" Outside Happy Fort, Mago, who had been waiting impatiently, heard the shouts and was overjoyed but puzzled.

    ¡°Howe it sounds like Lu is gaining the upper hand inside?¡± Regardless, Mago didn''t want to wait any longer. The entire afternoon had tormented him. On one hand, he worried if Lu Qing had been silently dealt with by Happy Fort¡¯s people. On the other, he feared that barging in might ruin Lu Qing¡¯s n. This uncertainty was agonizing. In hindsight, he should have insisted on apanying Lu Qing from the start.

    ¡°Go, they''re fighting inside. Let''s get ready to move.¡± As Mago and his men headed over, Lu Qing finally caught up with the Heart-SnatcherWolf. Despite their simr ranks, the Heart-SnatcherWolf was already injured, affecting his mobility. Lu Qing shed down, and though the Heart-SnatcherWolf blocked with his arm, he was forced back several steps, leaning against a wall, panting.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s an arm guard. No wonder it¡¯s so tough, blocking two of my strikes.¡± Lu Qing noticed the steel arm guard hidden under the Heart-SnatcherWolf¡¯s torn sleeve.¡°Kid, must you kill me?¡± The Heart-SnatcherWolf panted, eyes full of ferocity.

    ¡°Scum like you can¡¯t wash away your sins even if you die a hundred times,¡± Lu Qing said coldly.

    ¡°What do you want to spare me, money, or women? I have plenty, all yours!¡± the Heart-SnatcherWolf growled.

    ¡°I want your life!¡± Lu Qing stopped talking and shed again.

    ¡°Think you can kill me that easily?¡± Realizing Lu Qing wouldn¡¯t spare him, the Heart-SnatcherWolf went all out. His face twisted, he mustered his Blood Qi, and charged at Lu Qing. Skilled in hand-to-handbat, he needed to get close to have a chance against Lu Qing¡¯s long de. But Lu Qing had seen through his intentions. The information from his abilities revealed the Heart-SnatcherWolf¡¯s expertise in hand-to-handbat. As the Heart-SnatcherWolf tried to close the distance, Lu Qing swung his de, forcing him back with a single strike. Undeterred, the Heart-SnatcherWolf dodged the de and lunged again, only to be repelled once more. This time, he couldn¡¯t entirely evade the de. A bloody wound appeared on his right shoulder, nearly severing his arm. Already injured internally, this new wound further slowed him down.

    But he had no choice. It was either him or Lu Qing. Only by closing in within three feet of Lu Qing could he hope to survive. Otherwise, he would eventually be in.

    Thus, their fight reached a stalemate. The Heart-SnatcherWolf desperately tried to close the distance, while Lu Qing¡¯s de kept him at bay. Despite their simr ranks, they were evenly matched, locked in a deadly struggle.

    Despair grew in the Heart-SnatcherWolf¡¯s heart. He couldn¡¯t understand why Lu Qing¡¯s de skills were so superior. His techniques seemed simple, yet no matter what he tried, he couldn¡¯t break through.

    In a moment of despair, the Heart-SnatcherWolf faltered and suffered another wound, this time to his leg, causing his movements tog. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Qing¡¯s eyes shed with determination. He burst forth with Blood Qi, shing at the Heart-SnatcherWolf¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Spare me¡­¡± The Heart-SnatcherWolf¡¯s plea was cut short as Lu Qing¡¯s de severed his head.

    After decapitating the Heart-SnatcherWolf, Lu Qing wasted no time. He swiftly moved towards the trembling members of Happy Fort who were watching from a distance. He hadn¡¯t forgotten his goal: to annihte Happy Fortpletely.

    ¡°Ah! Spare us!¡± The members of Happy Fort were terrified, their fear intensified by the sight of their chief being so swiftly decapitated. They begged for mercy, but Lu Qing¡¯s resolve remained unshaken.

    A massacre began.

    ¡°Hero, spare me, spare me!¡±

    ¡°I have silver, it¡¯s all yours!¡±

    ¡°Just spare me, and it¡¯s all yours!¡±

    In front of the wooden building, Zhao Lao San knelt, holding a pouch of silver, hatred burning in his heart. He had been winning big tonight, only to have everything ruined by this young man. But he dared not show his hatred, terrified that Lu Qing would kill him like the others.

    Seeing Zhao Lao San weeping and begging, Lu Qing¡¯s eyes showed no mercy. With a flick of his de, Zhao Lao San¡¯s pleading ceased as a line of blood appeared on his neck, his head falling. This scene was witnessed by Mago and his men as they entered Happy Fort.

 Chapter 80

    Lu Qing decapitated a man with a single stroke.

    Looking around at the corpses strewn everywhere, blood flowing freely, and heads scattered about, Mago and the others couldn''t help but gasp.

    They couldn''t fathom what had transpired here to lead to such carnage.

    Xiao Tian looked around, suddenly shouting, "Master Ma, look there!"

    Mago followed his gaze and saw a head rolling on the ground, its eyes wide open in terror, extremely frightening.

    "Heart-SnatcherWolf... even he is dead?"

    Mago''s heart skipped a beat as he recognized the head.

    Hearing the noise, Lu Qing turned his head to look at the neers.

    His emotionless, ice-cold gaze immediately made Xiao Tian and the others take several steps back in fear.Even Mago, a strongman of the Tendons and Bones Realm, felt his heart race and a chill rise from within, making his body go numb.

    "Brother Lu! It''s us!"

    Afraid that Lu Qing might strike them down, Mago forced down his fear and quickly called out.

    There was no choice; Lu Qing looked terrifying now.

    His entire body emanated killing intent, like a grim reaper emerging from hell, incredibly intimidating.

    After staring at the group for a while, making Xiao Tian and the others tremble, Lu Qing''s killing intent gradually receded, and he regained his calm.

    He didn''t ask why Mago and the others were here.

    Instead, he said directly, "Since you''re here, Master Ma, I have a favor to ask."

    "What is it, Brother Lu?"

    Seeing Lu Qing''s killing aura subside significantly, Mago felt a bit relieved and asked.

    Lu Qing didn''t speak further. He used his de to pick up a money pouch from the ground and walked forward.

    Mago was stunned for a moment, then followed. The others hesitated for a moment before slowly following.

    As Lu Qing continued walking, Xiao Tian and the others saw the corpses lying on both sides of the path, growing increasingly fearful.

    They could recognize that most of these corpses were from Happy Fort, but there were also quite a few who were clearly gamblers or patrons seeking pleasure.

    What had caused Lu Qing to unleash such a massacre?

    Looking at Lu Qing''s back, Xiao Tian and the others felt both fear and trepidation.

    They could never have imagined that the normally polite and courteous Lu Qing had such a brutal and murderous side.

    Mago, too, was taken aback by the corpses on the ground.

    He could tell that most of these people had been killed with a single stroke while fleeing.

    Some had clearly been killed while kneeling and begging for mercy.

    Even begging for their lives hadn''t saved them, showing just how strong Lu Qing''s killing intent had been.

    Lu Qing did not pause along the way and went straight to a house.

    Mago''s eyes narrowed, noticing that this house was different from the others in the fort, built of stone.

    Lu Qing pushed open the door, making Mago''s eye twitch again.

    By the light outside, he saw three more bodies inside the house.

    However,pared to the gruesome scenes outside, these three had died more decently.

    At least, they had retained their whole bodies.

    Mago was puzzled as to why Lu Qing had brought them here. Was there something special about these three corpses?

    Then he saw that Lu Qing didn''t even nce at the three bodies but continued to a fence, shing the chain on the door.

    A few faint cries of rm sounded, making Mago realize that there were others in the dim corner.

    Considering all the shocks he''d had since entering the fort, he might have missed them.

    With his cultivation at the Tendons and Bones Realm, he should have noticed the people inside earlier.

    "Master Ma, there are a few pitiable girls in here, and also some unfortunates in the wooden building in the middle of the fort. If possible, I''d like you to help arrange for them."

    "As for the expenses..." Lu Qing paused before saying, "There should be plenty of silver in this fort to cover their care."

    Mago took antern from the doorway, walked into the house, and finally saw the scene in the dim corner.

    Seeing the few girls, thin and frightened, chained up, he understood why Lu Qing had been so furious and had gone on a killing spree.

    Even he, now looking at this scene, couldn''t help but feel a surge of anger.

    "The ck Wolf Gang''s actions are too excessive," Mago said solemnly. "Don''t worry, Brother Lu. I''ll find a way to take care of these poor children."

    "Not just these few," Lu Qing shook his head. "There are also some girls in the wooden building, mostly sold into the fort against their will. I hope you can help arrange for them as well. They don''t need much, just a meal and a ce to live."

    Lu Qing knew that with his abilities, he couldn''t properly care for these girls.

    He neither had the time nor the energy.

    Only someone like Mago, with family influence and resources, could handle such a task.

    After a moment''s consideration, Mago nodded, "Don''t worry, I''ll do my best to arrange it."

    "Thank you."

    Lu Qing pushed open the fence gate and walked in. In the girls'' fearful gazes, he swung his de, cutting the chains on their hands and feet.

    Mago watched, his eye twitching again.

    In such a dim environment, Lu Qing could precisely cut the chains without harming the girls.

    This level of de control was something even Mago couldn''t easily achieve.

    No wonder Lu Qing had single-handedly wiped out Happy Fort.

    Even the Heart-SnatcherWolf of the ck Wolf Gang had been in by him.

    With such de skills, who in Happy Fort could stand against him?

    "You few, the bad guys outside have all been killed by me. Soon, you''ll follow this uncle, and he will arrange your future. Don''t worry, you won''t starve anymore."

    At this time, Lu Qing spoke to the girls in the corner.

    Seeing thest girl brought in, Lu Qing paused.

    He took out a money pouch from his bosom.

    "This is the money your father got from selling you. Use it to buy medicine for your mother and cure her illness as soon as possible. As for your father," Lu Qing paused, "I have already killed him."

    The girl''s eyes widened in shock, staring nkly at Lu Qing.

    Without caring about her reaction, Lu Qing ced the money pouch in her hand and walked out.

    Mago followed, giving instructions to Xiao Tian and the others tofort the girls and clean up the aftermath.

    After that, he saw Lu Qing walking out of the fort and hurried to catch up, "Brother Lu, where are you going?"

    "I have some matters to think over alone. I will visit you in a few days to thank you, Master Ma."

    Hearing this, Mago stopped in his tracks.

    He looked around at the bodies scattered everywhere and decided not to follow.

    He just watched as Lu Qing, carrying his battle de, slowly left the fort.

 Chapter 81

    Lu Qing carried his knife on his back, slowly walking through the mountains.

    Xiao Li quietly perched on his shoulder.

    During the battle between Lu Qing and the Heart-Snatcher Wolf, Xiao Li had always been lurking in the shadows.

    If Lu Qing had shown any signs of being overwhelmed, it would have stepped in.

    However, since the Heart-Snatcher Wolf was not a match for Lu Qing, it remained hidden.

    Later, when Mago and the others arrived, it still did not reveal itself.

    So, from beginning to end, no one knew that Lu Qing had such an ace up his sleeve.

    Walking quietly in the mountains, Lu Qing remained silent, not uttering a word.

    At this moment, he was in a state of indescribable emotion.Today, Lu Qing had killed so many people; it was impossible for his heart to remain unaffected.

    After all, those were dozens, even hundreds of human lives, not just a few ants.

    The wails and pleas for mercy from those people before they died had indeed impacted Lu Qing''s heart.

    But rationally, Lu Qing understood that he had done nothing wrong.

    Given the deeds of those in Happy Fort, even if they died ten times over, it wouldn''t be too much.

    On one hand, there was the psychological shock of personally ending so many lives.

    On the other hand, there was the rational conviction of moral correctness.

    Thus, Lu Qing was caught in a contradictory psychological struggle.

    He knew he had toe to terms with this matter, or else today''s events would be a demon in his heart, haunting him for life.

    Walking aimlessly along the mountain path, various thoughts churned in Lu Qing''s mind.

    As he walked, he suddenly found himself in a wide-open space.

    No trees obstructed the view ahead, and a bright moon hung in the sky, clear and bright.

    Unknowingly, he had walked to a cliff top.

    Lu Qing stood dazed, looking at the bright moon above, unmoving for a long time.

    Suddenly, he smiled.

    Drawing the battle knife from his back, he assumed a starting stance.

    Xiao Li lightly jumped onto a nearby rock, watching quietly without disturbing him.

    Lu Qing began to practice his de technique.

    He was still practicing the Four Directions de.

    However, unlike the previous times when his practice was filled with vigor and momentum, this time it seemed particrly devoid of fireworks.

    Each move was entirely restrained, like a ram''s horn hanging from a tree, leaving no trace.

    Wherever the battle knife went, it not only did not stir the air but seemed topletely merge into it, not causing a ripple.

    If a martial arts expert were here to see Lu Qing''s de practice, they would be shocked.

    Such grand and open moves, yet practiced with such calmness, indicated that Lu Qing''s control over his own power had reached an extremely high level.

    Only then could he practice the de technique without leaking any power, fully concentrating it on the battle knife.

    After practicing the

    Four Directions de several times, Lu Qing sheathed his knife and stood still, gazing at the bright moon. His eyes were now calm and serene.

    "To see one''s true nature and hold onto one''s original heart."

    "A true martial arts master always acts ording to their heart, without being constrained by so-called rules and regtions."

    "As long as I believe what I am doing is right, even if it means being enemies with the world, my heart should remain unshaken."

    "Just like this bright moon, no matter how the world changes or how deceitful people''s hearts be, it remains pure and wless, unchanged through the ages."

    "Without such a mindset and belief, how could one ever hope to climb the peak of martial arts, break through the Postnatal realm, and achieve the status of a Precelestial grandmaster."

    As Lu Qing looked at the bright moon in the sky, waves of understanding flowed through his heart.

    The negative emotions that had arisen from killing nearly a hundred people dissipatedpletely.

    In their ce was a renewed determination to pursue martial arts.

    "Unexpectedly, this trip to Happy Fort has given me an unexpected harvest. My control over my power has reached a new level, and my martial arts realm has achieved the peak of the Qi and Blood realm."

    Indeed, just now, after gaining rity of mind and refining his temperament, Lu Qing''s martial arts realm had made significant progress.

    In terms of realmprehension, he had reached the peak of the Qi and Blood realm.

    He now had perfect control over his Qi and Blood power, achieving seamless integration.

    Of course, this was just the realmprehension reaching the peak of the Qi and Blood realm.

    Next, he still needed to continuously nurture his Qi and Blood, increasing the total amount of his Qi and Blood power to truly achieve the peak of the Qi and Blood realm.

    At that time, he could attempt to break through to the next realm, the Tendons and Bones realm.

    Meanwhile, having achieved this realmprehension also meant that the previous limitation of refining only one Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill per day no longer existed.

    In theing days, as long as he had enough pills, he could unrestrainedly enhance his Qi and Blood power.

    Because, no matter how much Qi and Blood power he had, he could perfectly control it.

    "Xiao Li, let''s go back."

    With these thoughts, Lu Qing no longer wanted to stay here. He called out and started walking down the mountain.

    He had been away from the vige for a long time.

    He wondered how worried everyone was about him.

    With a swoosh, Xiao Linded back on Lu Qing''s shoulder.

    "Xiao Li, this time I owe you a lot. In a couple of days, I''ll catch some rare fish for you to eat, how about that?"

    "Roar~"

    ...

    Standing on a small hill, looking at Jiuli Vige under the moonlight ahead, Lu Qing felt a surge of emotions.

    After witnessing the ugly faces of Zhao Lao San, Laizi Tou, and other vigers from other viges, he felt extremely fortunate that he had crossed over to such a simple vige as Jiuli Vige.

    Otherwise, he and Xiao Yan might not have survived.

    This was also one of the reasons why he insisted onpletely eliminating Happy Fort.

    He could have taken Xiao Yan and left, but if he did that, Jiuli Vige would not escape the revenge of Happy Fort.

    Now that Happy Fort had been eradicated, although there was still the hidden threat of the ck Wolf Gang, their forces were far away in the county seat. With Mago''s intelligence, it shouldn''t be difficult for him to temporarily conceal Lu Qing''s identity.

    Lu Qing believed that given a little more time, it wouldn''t be long before even the ck Wolf Gang would no longer be a threat.

    As he approached the vige entrance, Xiao Li suddenly leaped off Lu Qing''s shoulder and disappeared into the darkness.

    Lu Qing was taken aback and then heard a voice ahead, full of surprise and uncertainty, "A Qing?"

    Lu Qing looked carefully and saw a figure jumping out from behind the vige''s faith tree.

    With the help of the moonlight, he immediately recognized who it was.

    "Brother Da''an?"

    "It''s really you, A Qing. You finally came back!"

    Wang Da''an let out a big sigh of relief, overjoyed.

    "Brother Da''an, why are you here?" Lu Qing asked.

    "You said you''d be back soon when you went out this morning. We''ve been waiting for you all day, but you didn''t return. Everyone is worried sick, and Grandpa Zhang sent me here to wait for you," Wang Da''an exined.

    "I''m sorry for making everyone worry," Lu Qing said apologetically.

    "A Qing, now that you''re back, what about the ck Wolf Gang?" Wang Da''an asked cautiously.

    "It''s been taken care of. The ck Wolf Gang won''t being to our vige to cause trouble anytime soon," Lu Qing replied.

    "That''s great, A Qing! You''re amazing! Come on, let''s go back. Everyone''s waiting for you!" Wang Da''an said excitedly, reaching out to pull Lu Qing.

    "Wait a moment."

    Lu Qing did not immediately follow him back but walked to the faith tree and took down the red ribbon he had tied there in the morning, cing it back under the stone b.

    "Alright, let''s go."

 Chapter 82

    "Grandpa, Grandpa, Lu Qing is back!"

    As Wang Da''an ran towards the brightly lit ancestral hall, he shouted loudly.

    "What, Lu Qing is back?"

    "Is Lu Qing alright?!"

    "Stupid boy, are you sure you didn''t see it wrong?"

    As soon as the voice rang out, the ancestral hall erupted inmotion, and many vigers ran out from inside.

    "How could I be wrong? Look, isn''t that Lu Qing!"

    Wang Da''an, feeling aggrieved, pointed to the rear and shouted.

    Following the direction of his finger, everyone saw a person slowly approaching. Under the bright moonlight, his eyebrows and eyes were vaguely recognizable. Who else could it be but Lu Qing?"It''s really Lu Qing!"

    The vigers were extremely delighted.

    "Sorry for making everyone worry about me."

    Lu Qing walked up to the ancestral hall and bowed gently to the vigers.

    "It''s good that you''re back, it''s good that you''re back," Grandpa Zhang said with great relief.

    "Yes, as long as you return safely."

    The other vigers echoed.

    All day long, they had been living in fear and anxiety.

    They were worried that Lu Qing would never return, nevere back to the vige.

    They were also afraid that the ones who woulde would be the vicious ck Wolf Gang.

    Now, seeing Lu Qing finally return safely, the heavy stone in their hearts finally fell.

    "Grandpa Zhang, where is Xiao Yan?"

    Lu Qing looked around and did not see Xiao Yan, so he asked.

    "She is sleeping inside. You didn¡¯t return all day, in the afternoon, she cried for her brother and refused to eat dinner. Dr. Chen had to give her two needles to make her fall asleep."

    "Is Master also inside?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Yes, Dr. Chen saw you hadn''t returned, so he brought Xiao Yan down from the mountain."

    Lu Qing fell silent.

    He knew that besides worrying about him, Master also came down to protect the vigers of Jiuli Vige.

    "Grandpa Zhang, let me go inside and apologize to Master. It''s really inexcusable to make him worry so much." Lu Qing said.

    "Of course, you should. Although Dr. Chen didn¡¯t say anything, we could all see that he was very worried about you." Grandpa Zhang replied quickly.

    Lu Qing walked into the ancestral hall and saw his master holding Xiao Yan under a tree, sitting on a stone.

    "You''re back?"

    Dr. Chen finally rxed his face when he saw Lu Qing.

    "Disciple was reckless, causing Master to worry. Please punish me." Lu Qing lowered his head.

    "As long as you return safely."

    Dr. Chen sighed.

    Although he thought Lu Qing''s decision in the morning was reckless, he also understood that, as a filial son, who could remain calm upon suddenly learning the truth about their parents'' deaths?

    The reason he taught Lu Qing martial arts in the first ce was precisely because he worried such a day mighte.

    "Is everything resolved?"

    Dr. Chen nced at Lu Qing and keenly noticed some bloodstains on his clothes.

    But he did not see any signs of injuries on his disciple.

    "Yes, it is temporarily resolved. No one shoulde to bother the vige for a while." Lu Qing replied.

    "Oh, what did you do?"

    Dr. Chen was somewhat surprised by his disciple''s confidence.

    During the day, he had heard from the vigers that it was the ck Wolf Gang causing trouble in the vige.

    As someone who frequently went to the county town, how could Dr. Chen not know what the ck Wolf Gang represented?

    Precisely because he knew their ruthless behavior, he came down from the mountain to protect the vigers of Jiuli Vige.

    Now hearing Lu Qing say that the matter was resolved, how could he not be surprised?

    Lu Qing did not directly answer his master''s question.

    Instead, he asked, "Master, do you know there is a ce called Happy Fort nearby?"

    "Happy Fort?" Dr. Chen thought for a moment and shook his head. "Never heard of it."

    Lu Qing was speechless.

    But he thought about it and realized that apart from treating people and studying medicine, his master didn¡¯t concern himself with other matters.

    It was normal for him not to have heard of Happy Fort.

    "Happy Fort is a casino and brothel run by one of the ck Wolf Gang''s leaders, about fifty or sixty miles from here."

    "My father was framed by people from Happy Fort, ruing arge debt."

    "Those people wanted to seize our family''snd and force my mother into the fort. My parents refused and eventuallymitted suicide by drowning."

    "I see." Dr. Chen finally understood why his disciple suddenly brought up this ce.

    The vigers also finally knew how Lu Ming and his wife had died.

    "So now, this Happy Fort¡­" Dr. Chen asked.

    "Happy Fort no longer exists," Lu Qing said. "I have avenged my parents with my own hands."

    "¡­" Dr. Chen was silent for a moment before he said, "It is good that such a harmful ce is gone."

    Dr. Chen thought Lu Qing meant he killed the leader and disbanded the fort.

    Although he did not like violence, avenging one''s parents was a natural duty, and he couldn¡¯t say anything against it.

    At that time, Dr. Chen had no idea that his disciple''s bloodthirst was so heavy that he had killed everyone in the fort except for the unfortunate girls.

    Lu Qing did not directly mention that he had killed nearly a hundred people in one night.

    Seeing that his master did not me him, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    But the other vigers, hearing Lu Qing say he had destroyed the entire fort, were shocked.

    Although they already knew in the morning that Lu Qing was skilled in martial arts, his extraordinary feat of single-handedly destroying a mountain stronghold was beyond their imagination.

    Lu Qing noticed the expressions of the vigers.

    After thinking for a moment, he said, "Grandpa Zhang, although I destroyed the fort that harmed my parents, everyone should not spread this matter outside. The fort was backed by the ck Wolf Gang from the city. We don''t know if they will send people to investigate, so everyone should not mention it recently."

    Although Lu Qing believed that Mago could handle the matter of Happy Fort, he still had to remind them.

    "Yes, yes, you all heard him. When you go out, you must not mention anything about Lu Qing! In fact, during this period, except for working in the fields, you should not go out at all, not even to the Grand Bazaar. Do you understand?" Grandpa Zhang responded quickly.

    "Understood!"

    Those still gathered at the ancestral hall were mainly the more stable adults in the vige. They naturally understood the seriousness of the matter and responded one after another.

    "Alright, since Lu Qing is back, let''s disperse. Everyone has been worried all day and hasn''t eaten dinner. We''re all tired. We can talk about any other matters tomorrow," Grandpa Zhang said again.

 Chapter 83

    "Master Ma, Happy Fort has been dealt with, but what should we do with the rescued girls?"

    It was night at the Grand Bazaar, inside Mago''s residence. Xiao Tian was reporting.

    "What are their wishes?" Mago asked.

    "Most of these girls were sold to the fort by their parents or husbands. They don''t want to return to their previous homes and hope Master Ma can provide them a way out."

    Mago pondered for a moment and said, "Keep a few to help at the Grand Bazaar. Send the rest to the cloth shop. Old Li mentioned he was short on hands. Sending him so many people should stop him from bothering me again."

    "Yes."

    Xiao Tian agreed with the idea. The cloth shop was all women, so arranging for the girls there was perfect.

    "There''s one more thing, Master Ma. Besides a lot of money, we found these two items at Happy Fort."

    Xiao Tian took out two books from his chest and presented them.Mago was surprised when he looked at them. "Secret manuals?"

    He flipped through them and discovered they were martial arts books for the Qi and Blood Realm.

    One was called Heart-Snatching Hand, and the other was Poison Wolf Fist.

    "The ninth leader of the ck Wolf Gang, the Heart-Snatcher Wolf, must have relied on these two martial arts," Mago said.

    "Yes, these manuals were found in Heart-Snatcher Wolf''s bedroom, ced conspicuously. The pages were worn, indicating frequent study," Xiao Tian exined.

    "What''s the use of diligence? He was no match for Brother Lu, who didn''t even get a scratch," Mago said disdainfully.

    Mago had observed earlier that Lu Qing had ughtered almost everyone in Happy Fort without getting hurt, only his clothes stained with blood.

    It was clear that Heart-Snatcher Wolf posed no threat to Lu Qing.

    "Indeed, the girls present at the time said that Heart-Snatcher Wolf was defeated by Young Master Lu in one move," Xiao Tian said.

    "My little brother is truly extraordinary. I thought his cultivation talent was amazing, but his martial skills are equally impressive," Mago sighed.

    He was genuinely shocked by Lu Qing''s disyed strength.

    Both were Qi and Blood Realm fighters, and Heart-Snatcher Wolf had been honing his skills for years. Yet, he was no match for Lu Qing.

    The disparity in strength was so vast that Mago couldn''tprehend how Lu Qing had achieved it.

    While martial arts progression could be attributed to talent,bat experience required more than just innate ability.

    From the battle marks in the fort, it was evident that Lu Qing had crushed Heart-Snatcher Wolf effortlessly.

    How did he do it?

    Mago couldn''t figure it out.

    "Young Master Lu''s killing intent is terrifying," Xiao Tian said, recalling the carnage at Happy Fort.

    He couldn''t believe that the usually gentle and polite Lu Qing could be so ruthless, beheading people with ease.

    Now, Xiao Tian held a deep sense of awe and fear towards Lu Qing.

    Mago also felt uneasy thinking about the massacre at Happy Fort.

    As a Tendons and Bones Realm fighter, he had seen his share of battles and taken lives.

    But even his years of killing couldn''tpare to Lu Qing''s ughter in one night.

    He shook his head to dispel the gruesome images.

    "Alright, keep these manuals here. They''re Brother Lu''s spoils. When the money from Happy Fort is counted, I''ll deliver it to him personally," Mago said.

    "Master Ma, how should we handle the ck Wolf Gang next?" Xiao Tian asked, worried. "They''ll surely investigate after losing Happy Fort."

    Xiao Tian was concerned. The ck Wolf Gang was powerful, stronger than the Ma family.

    If a conflict arose, they might not withstand the pressure.

    "There''s nothing for us to handle," Mago said. "The Wei family''s head steward values Brother Lu highly and won''t let anything happen to him. I''ll write a letter tonight. You will deliver it to the Wei mansion. They will handle the rest."

    Xiao Tian''s eyes brightened, realizing Master Ma had already nned ahead.

    That night, Xiao Tian rode swiftly to the Wei mansion, arriving at dawn and handing the letter to the gatekeeper.

    When the Wei family''s head steward received the letter, he opened it and read, showing a surprised expression.

    He took the letter to a serene courtyard where a middle-aged man with a ck beard was practicing Tai Chi.

    "Master, there''s a matter requiring your decision," the steward said respectfully.

    "Oh? What requires your decision?" the middle-aged man asked while practicing.

    "It''s about Dr. Chen''s disciple."

    The ck-bearded man paused his practice and stopped.

    "What is it?"

    "This letter from Mago of the Ma family just arrived," the steward said.

    "Mago? That branch member almost expelled from the Ma family?" the man asked.

    "Yes, it''s the same Mago. Young Master Zian was staying with him when he was injured, and thanks to Mago''s warning, he was treated in time by Dr. Chen," the steward exined.

    The ck-bearded man nodded and opened the letter.

    As he read, his brows furrowed.

    "Is this true?"

    After reading, he looked up.

    "The letter came without verification, but Mago wouldn''t dare lie about such a matter," the steward replied.

    "The ck Wolf Gang''s actions are outrageous," the ck-bearded man frowned.

    "Shall I send someone to deal with the ck Wolf Gang?" the steward asked tentatively.

    The Wei family''s power made erasing the ck Wolf Gang easy.

    Moreover, the master disliked such misconduct.

    The ck-bearded man considered the letter again.

    "The letter mentions Dr. Chen''s disciple, right?"

    "Yes, Young Master Lu stayed up all night making medicine to save our young master," the steward confirmed.

    "What a ruthless youth!" the ck-bearded man praised. "Killing nearly a hundred viins in one night. Such ferocity is rare even in all of Cang County."

    The steward remained silent, also amazed by Lu Qing''s other side.

    He saw Lu Qing daily at the Halfway House but never realized he was so decisive in killing.

    Initially, he doubted Mago''s letter, thinking it was a mistake.

    More surprising was Lu Qing''s martial progress.

    When leaving the Halfway House, Lu Qing had just entered the Qi and Blood Realm.

    How could he now defeat Heart-Snatcher Wolf, a seasoned Qi and Blood Realm fighter?

    "I remember you suggested the mistress send gifts to this young man, right?" the man asked.

    "Yes, seeing his talent, I rmended befriending him," the steward exined.

    "Your judgment was right. He is indeed a rare talent."

    The ck-bearded man praised again.

    "But even geniuses need pressure to grow. The ck Wolf Gang will serve as his whetstone."

    "I understand."

    The steward grasped the master''s intent.

    "Go and arrange it."

    The steward left, summoning the guards and writing a letter for Xiao Tian to deliver.

    As Xiao Tian rushed back, a group of silver-armored guards rode out from the Wei mansion''s side gate.

    "Are those Wei family''s Silver-armored Guards?"

    "What''s happening for Wei mansion to deploy them?"

    "Thest time they moved was when the young master was injured. Has something happened again?"

    "Nonsense! The young master is still recovering. How could he go out?"

    "Then why are they moving?"

    The Wei mansion''s actions always attracted the city''s attention.

    Seeing the Silver-armored Guards, all spies were on alert.

    The Silver-armored Guards were an elite force of at least Tendons and Bones Realm fighters.

    Such strength was formidable even in other factions, but they served as guards in the Wei mansion.

    This highlighted the Wei family''s superior status, untouchable by any faction.

    Even the County Magistrate needed permission to meet the Wei family head.

    Seeing the guards move shocked the factions.

    "Look, they''re heading west!"

    Seeing their direction, the factions were even more shocked.

    The west side was a chaotic area with mixed inhabitants andplex forces.

    Why were the guards heading there?

    Especially the west side factions felt uneasy, unsure if they were the target.

    The Silver-armored Guards rode west, stopping before a building.

    "Spring Moon Pavilion?"

    Seeing their destination, everyone was stunned.

    Spring Moon Pavilion was the city''s most famous brothel.

    But why were the guards there? To escort someone?

    Then a loud voice shouted from the lead guard:

    "ck Wolf, get out here!"

    ck Wolf?!

    Hearing this, everyone was shocked again.

    They didn''t expect the guards to target the ck Wolf, the leader of the ck Wolf Gang.

    Now everyone watched eagerly, especially the west side factions, gloating.

    They didn''t know how ck Wolf offended the Wei mansion but were d to see it.

    Inside Spring Moon Pavilion, a tall, burly man with long limbs, a hairy chest, and a scarred face looked shocked.

    "The Silver-armored Guards are here for me?"

    "Brother!" Several men burst in. "What''s happening? Why do the Wei mansion''s guards want to see you?"

    They were other leaders of the ck Wolf Gang.

    "I don''t know!" ck Wolf said, panicking.

    He tried to recall recent events but couldn''t think of anything that offended the Wei mansion.

    "Why are the guards so aggressive, calling you out?" the second leader asked.

    "I wish I knew! I haven''t left the west side recently, let alone provoke the Wei mansion!" ck Wolf said, scared and confused.

    The other leaders were silent, agreeing that ck Wolf couldn''t dare offend the Wei mansion.

    "What now? Should we go out?" someone asked.

    "Do we have a choice?" ck Wolf said bitterly.

    They realized they had no choice, seeing the guards outside.

    "Maybe it''s not as bad as we think. The guards didn''t storm in, so there''s room for negotiation," the second leader said.

    "True," the others agreed.

    If they had deeply offended the Wei mansion, the guards would have stormed in.

    "Alright, I''ll go out!"

    Trusting the second leader''s judgment, ck Wolf gritted his teeth and decided.

 Chapter 84

    Outside Spring Moon Building, the spies from various forces waited for a while but didn''t see the ck Wolf Gang emerge, showing astonished expressions.

    Could it be that the ck Wolf Gang dared to defy the Wei family''s orders?

    Even the leading Silver Moon Guard was somewhat surprised.

    Just as he was considering whether to storm in and arrest the people directly, a few figures suddenly appeared at the building''s entrance.

    The man at the forefront, wearing a humble smile, jogged over to the Silver Moon Guards.

    Nodding and bowing, he said, "I did not know the esteemed Silver Moon Guards were gracing us with their presence. Please forgive us for not weing you sooner!"

    Behind him, the other leaders of the ck Wolf Gang also apanied with smiles, their postures extremely low.

    However, the Silver Moon Guards remained unmoved.

    The leader, holding a long spear, shouted directly, "ck Wolf, do you know your crime!"ck Wolf''s heart skipped a beat.

    The other leaders of the ck Wolf Gang also had a change of expression.

    "Sir, I am innocent! I truly don''t know what crime I''vemitted. Even if you gave me a hundred thousand guts, I wouldn''t dare offend your noble house!" ck Wolf looked extremely aggrieved.

    Bang!

    As soon as ck Wolf finished speaking, the leading Silver Moon Guard reversed his long spear, the butt of the spear thrusting toward ck Wolf''s chest with lightning speed.

    This sudden move was extremely swift and the technique was profound. With ck Wolf''s strength, he didn''t even have time to react before he was struck in the chest.

    The powerful force exploded, causing him to spurt a mouthful of blood and fly backward, crashing into the wall of Spring MoonBuilding, leaving a hole.

    "Big brother!"

    The other leaders of the ck Wolf Gang shouted in rm.

    However, it was not over yet. Just as their shouts escaped, several spear shadows shed, and the remaining leaders were also sent flying, spitting blood,nding beside ck Wolf.

    This sudden turn of events shocked all the onlookers.

    No one expected the Silver Moon Guards to suddenly make a move.

    Even more unexpected was that the renowned ck Wolf couldn''t even withstand a single move before being seriously injured and spitting blood.

    "Sir, why is this?"

    ck Wolf, slumped against the wall, looked at the Silver Moon Guard in fear.

    Tendons and Bones Realm perfection!

    With just one move, he could tell that the Silver Moon Guard''s martial arts level was far above his, reaching the perfection of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Otherwise, with his already perfected Tendons and Bones, how could he not withstand even a single move?

    Only someone at the perfection of the Tendons and Bones Realm, with perfect control over their strength, could make him unable to catch the trajectory of that spear.

    Just a guard with such power at the perfection of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    At this moment, ck Wolf''s awe towards the Wei family reached its peak.

    "ck Wolf, don''t think that what your ck Wolf Gang has done can really deceive everyone."

    At this time, the leading Silver Moon Guard spoke indifferently.

    "Your ck Wolf Gang set up a stronghold in the mountains outside the city, kidnapping women and forcing them into prostitution, harming the region. Did you think no one would find out?"

    "Is it because of the Happy Fort?" ck Wolf''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    He never thought that the disaster would be brought upon him by the insignificant Happy Fort outside the city.

    When did the mighty Wei family start paying attention to such trivial matters?

    "Sir, it''s not like that..."

    ck Wolf hurriedly tried to exin, but the Silver Moon Guard didn''t give him a chance.

    "Our master greatly disapproves of the Happy Fort. It is already destroyed, but your ck Wolf Gang must be punished. This spear strike is just a warning. If you do not restrain yourself, then there is no need for the ck Wolf Gang to exist."

    It even rmed that person in the Wei family!

    This time, ck Wolf was truly terrified.

    However, before he could exin further, the Silver Moon Guards had already turned their horses and were leisurely heading back the way they came,pletely ignoring the injured ck Wolf Gang leaders on the ground.

    The Silver Moon Guards came suddenly and left quickly.

    But the shock they left was enormous.

    Just one Silver Moon Guard, with a few casual spear strikes, rendered all the leaders of the ck Wolf Gang severely injured.

    The unfathomable depth of the Wei family''s power once again filled all the forces in the county with awe.

    In recent years, the Wei family had focused their efforts on the prefecture, keeping a low profile in Cang County.

    This had made many forces restless recently.

    But the Silver Moon Guard''s actions made everyone clearly realize.

    In Cang County, the Wei family still called the shots.

    Looking at the seriously injured ck Wolf Gang leaders in front of Spring MoonBuilding, the crowd felt a mix of pity and schadenfreude.

    Offending the Wei family, even the head of the Wei family expressed displeasure.

    The days ahead for the ck Wolf Gang in this county town seemed bleak.

    The other forces in the western part of the city looked at ck Wolf and his people with malicious intent.

    Some even thought about taking advantage of their injuries to finish them off.

    But that thought was quickly dismissed.

    Even the Silver Moon Guards didn''t kill ck Wolf and his people. Killing them now would be a tant p in the Wei family''s face.

    After witnessing the Wei family''s dominance, only a fool would want to provoke them further.

    However, while they couldn''t kill them, the power dynamics in the western part of the city could still change.

    The ck Wolf Gang had been domineering in the west for too long; it was time for them to relinquish some benefits.

    The forces in the western part of the city were calcting.

    Other forces, however, were concerned about something else.

    "Find out immediately what the Silver Moon Guard meant by the Happy Fort!"

    Many forces issued thismand simultaneously.

    In the county magistrate''s office, a handsome middle-aged man with phoenix eyes also gave a simr order.

    After his subordinates left, he looked in a certain direction in the city, his eyes shing with an inexplicable light.

    As the county magistrate, he should have been the highest authority in the county town.

    But because of the Wei family, his presence in the county was greatly diminished.

    Of course, this was also intentional on his part.

    After all, the Wei family was not someone he could afford to offend.

    Even though he was from a noble family, it didn''t matter.

    Because the Wei family was special.

    Other noble families did not have a Precelestial ancestor still alive.

    "I want to see what it is that made you, usually silent, suddenly so high-profile."

    The man with phoenix eyes looked ahead and murmured.

    Unaware of the events in the town, Xiao Tian received the Wei family''s reply and immediately left the city, heading back to the Grand Bazaar.

    Thus, he missed such a dramatic scene.

    Due to his horse not getting enough rest, Xiao Tian did not rush on his way back.

    By the afternoon, he returned to the Grand Bazaar and handed the letter to Mago.

    Mago took the letter, opened it, and his face lit up with joy.

    "Prepare, we''re going to Jiuli Vige!"

 Chapter 85

    As Lu Qing saw Mago off, he gazed at the two martial arts manuals in his hand and fell into deep thought.

    Not long ago, Mago hade to visit, bringing part of his spoils from Happy Fort and two pieces of news.

    One piece of news was that he had cleaned up all the bodies in Happy Fort and made proper arrangements for those unfortunate girls. Lu Qing wasn''t surprised by this. Earlier in the day, he had gone out again and found that Happy Fort had been reduced to ruins. Not only had Mago dealt with the bodies, but he had also burned down the entire fort.

    The other piece of news was somewhat unexpected: the Wei family had stepped in to help cover up the incident. This meant that, for the time being, he didn''t need to worry about the ck Wolf Ganging to the vige to cause trouble.

    "The Wei family... I owe them a favor this time," Lu Qing thought to himself.

    He could guess why the Wei family would help him. It was likely because they saw his potential in martial arts and wanted to invest in him early. Understanding this was one thing, but Lu Qing still noted the favor in his heart. After all, in this world, there were many who would add flowers to a brocade but few who would send charcoal in snowy weather. This time, the Wei family had sent charcoal.

    However, Lu Qing didn''t have the ability to repay this favor for now and could only keep it in mind.

    "Ah Qing, are you home?"

    As Lu Qing was deep in thought, a call came from outside the house. Recognizing Grandpa Zhang''s voice, he put away the two manuals and stepped outside."Grandpa Zhang, what''s the matter?"

    "Nothing much, I just saw you had visitors earlier and came to check," Grandpa Zhang said.

    "Yes, they just left," Lu Qing replied.

    He had originally wanted Mago and hispanions to stay for dinner, but Mago seemed to have other matters to attend to and regretfully declined.

    "Ah Qing, the people who came earlier looked familiar. Was one of them Master Ma from the Grand Bazaar?" Grandpa Zhang asked.

    Grandpa Zhang asionally visited the Grand Bazaar and had some impression of its overseers.

    "Yes, it was Master Ma. We have some connections, and he brought some things for me," Lu Qing confirmed.

    "It really was Master Ma!" Grandpa Zhang was surprised. "Ah Qing, you''re bing more impressive, able to associate with such important figures."

    To a rural old man like Grandpa Zhang, Mago was one of the most prominent figures in the area, being someone who managed arge bazaar. He was astonished that Lu Qing knew such a person.

    "It''s just that Master Ma thinks highly of me," Lu Qing said modestly.

    "But you must have abilities of your own, otherwise, even if someone tried to force a connection, Master Ma might not even look their way," Grandpa Zhang disagreed with Lu Qing''s modesty.

    Although Grandpa Zhang didn''t have much experience, he knew that someone like Master Ma, who appeared friendly to everyone, actually had very high standards. Rural folks like them wouldn''t catch his eye. Otherwise, with the bustling bazaar, he wouldn''t be so courteous to anyone, let alone visit personally.

    "Let''s not talk about this. Grandpa Zhang, I was just about to cook. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

    Lu Qing smiled, changing the subject.

    "No, I''ve got my share at home. Actually, I came to talk about these banknotes and this IOU," Grandpa Zhang said, taking out a few banknotes and an IOU from his pocket.

    Lu Qing recognized them as the ones Han Lao Wu had offered in exchange for his life. After killing Han Lao Wu and the others, he had been too busy seeking information from Mago to pay attention to these small matters.

    "These banknotes were given to you by that ck Wolf Gang viin. Now they are returned to their rightful owner," Grandpa Zhang said, handing over the banknotes and the IOU.

    Lu Qing took the IOU but left the banknotes.

    "Grandpa Zhang, I don''t need these banknotes. Please distribute them to the vigers," he said.

    "You don''t want them?" Grandpa Zhang was stunned. The three banknotes totaled three hundred taels of silver. It was hard to believe that Lu Qing would refuse such a sum.

    "Grandpa Zhang, after this incident, I realized there were many hidden truths about my parents'' deaths. If it weren''t for the vigers'' help back then, Xiao Yan and I would have been captured by the ck Wolf Gang long ago. And yesterday, if it weren''t for everyone''s efforts to protect Xiao Yan, she wouldn''t have waited for me to return and would have been taken away."

    "The vigers have been very kind to us siblings, and I can''t repay this kindness. These silver taels are a small token of my gratitude," Lu Qing said sincerely.

    He had seen how the vigers protected Xiao Yan with their lives. Although Xiao Li was there and Han Lao Wu couldn''t have harmed Xiao Yan, the vigers'' bravery touched him deeply. Having encountered despicable people like Zhao Lao San and the other scoundrels, he valued the vigers'' purity even more.

    A few hundred taels of silver was nothing to him now. It was better to use it to improve the vigers'' lives as a token of appreciation for their care.

    "Ah Qing, your words put us to shame," Grandpa Zhang sighed. "If it weren''t for your grandfather, most of the vigers wouldn''t have survived until now. Your grandfather''s kindness to Jiuli Vige was a matter of life and death."

    "If we let you and Xiao Yan be bullied by those viins, how could we face your grandfather in the afterlife?"

    "So, you should keep these banknotes. We just did what we had to do."

    Seeing Grandpa Zhang''s serious expression, Lu Qing finally took one banknote.

    "Alright, I''ll take this one hundred taels. The rest is my token of appreciation."

    Seeing that Grandpa Zhang still wanted to say something, Lu Qing added, "Grandpa Zhang, with my abilities now, do you really think I won''t earn more silver in the future?"

    Grandpa Zhang thought of how easily Lu Qing had defeated the ck Wolf Gang, his apprenticeship under the old doctor, and his connection with Master Ma. He realized that Lu Qing was no longer the helpless boy he once was. He was now capable of handling things on his own, and his future aplishments were beyond their imagination.

    Finally, Grandpa Zhang nodded.

    "Alright, I''ll thank you on behalf of everyone," he said.

 Chapter 86

    "Grandpa Zhang, how do you n to divide these two hundred taels of silver?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Of course, it will be divided equally. Every household in the vige will get the same amount," Grandpa Zhang said matter-of-factly.

    Lu Qing nodded.

    As the saying goes, "Fear not scarcity, but inequality." When ites to money, the most feared thing is favoritism. Equal distribution is the best way.

    "However, it''s not easy to exchange these silver notes for silver," Grandpa Zhang said with some difficulty.

    Lu Qing thought for a moment and understood the old man''s concern.

    To exchange these silver notes for silver, they would need to go to a silver bank.

    But silver banks only exist in the county seat.

    And asking the vigers to take the silver notes to the city to exchange for silver, not to mention they wouldn''t dare, even Lu Qing wouldn''t feel at ease.The county seat is so far away. Carrying such arge sum of silver, if they were targeted by ill-intentioned people, it would be uncertain if they could return safely.

    "It was my oversight. Grandpa Zhang, give me the silver notes," Lu Qing said. "I''ll go find Master Ma tomorrow to exchange the notes for silver."

    "That would be best." Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhang immediately handed the two silver notes to Lu Qing.

    "I''ll bring the silver to you tomorrow."

    After Grandpa Zhang left, Lu Qing returned to his room and opened a small box, revealing a dazzling array of silver ingots.

    This box of silver was one of the gifts brought by Mago not long ago.

    Last night, Mago and his men ransacked Happy Fort.

    It was unknown how long Happy Fort had been umting without sending money to the headquarters, but Mago and his men had gained a lot.

    After counting, Mago brought what he believed to be Lu Qing''s share.

    Lu Qing couldn''t refuse, so he epted it.

    Lu Qing began to take out silver ingots from the box.

    Mago had carefully packed the box, which was mostly filled with silver ingots.

    Therge ones were ten taels each, and the small ones were five taels.

    Lu Qing took out forty five-tael silver ingots, almost emptying the box of small ingots.

    Early the next morning, Lu Qing carried the silver to Grandpa Zhang''s house.

    "Grandpa Zhang." Standing outside Zhang''s house, Lu Qing called.

    "Ah Qing is here,e in quickly!"

    Grandpa Zhang hadn''t slept wellst night and stayed home all morning, afraid that he would miss Lu Qing if he came looking for him.

    It wasn''t that he was greedy for the silver; it was because this silver was meant to be distributed to the vigers, a matter of great importance, so he didn''t dare to be careless.

    Lu Qing carried the silver inside with Grandpa Zhang.

    "Ah Qing, why are you here?"

    Coincidentally, Grandpa Zhang''s whole family, including his two sons and daughters-inw, were all home.

    Seeing Lu Qinge in, they all stood up, very surprised.

    Especially Grandpa Zhang''s two sons, who looked at Lu Qing with a hint of restraint.

    They had been present yesterday when Han Lao Wu and his men arrived, witnessing firsthand how Lu Qing killed those evildoers.

    So now, both of them felt a certain reverence towards Lu Qing.

    "I''vee to deliver the silver," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    "Deliver the silver?"

    Grandpa Zhang''s sons and daughters-inw were confused.

    Lu Qing poured the silver ingots from the cloth bag onto the table, and the white silver light dazzled everyone in the room.

    In the stunned gazes of Grandpa Zhang''s family, Lu Qing said, "Grandpa Zhang, I''ve exchanged the silver notes for silver. Here are forty ingots, each weighing five taels. You can distribute them to everyone."

    "Good, good. I''ll gather everyone to divide the silver right away."

    Grandpa Zhang was also momentarily stunned by the pile of silver, but he quickly recovered, having lived many years and having better self-control than his sons and daughters-inw.

    "Father, what do you mean by dividing the silver?"

    At this point, Grandpa Zhang''s eldest son finally reacted.

    "Ah Qing decided to distribute the silver notes obtained from those evildoers yesterday to the vigers. These silver ingots are what he exchanged at the Grand Bazaar," Grandpa Zhang exined.

    "So much silver, and you''re giving it all away?"

    Grandpa Zhang''s sons and daughters-inw were astonished.

    "Don''t talk nonsense. You two, go and call everyone to the ancestral hall. Don''t mention dividing the silver yet, just say I have something important to discuss," Grandpa Zhang red at them.

    "Okay, I''ll go right now."

    The two sons hurried out.

    "Grandpa Zhang, I won''t participate in the silver distribution. You handle it," Lu Qing said as he stood up to leave.

    "How can that be? The silver is yours. What will it look like if you''re not present?" Grandpa Zhang quickly said.

    "It''s just some silver. Don''t worry, Grandpa Zhang. Just distribute it normally. I have important matters to attend to with my master, so I can''t stay," Lu Qing said.

    Lu Qing wanted the vigers to be happy with the distribution. If he showed up, he would inevitably face a lot of gratitude and formalities.

    So, it was better not to appear at all.

    Seeing Lu Qing so determined, Grandpa Zhang could only say, "Alright then. If you have urgent matters with the old doctor, go ahead."

    Watching Lu Qing leave, Grandpa Zhang sighed.

    He could somewhat guess that Lu Qing didn''t want to go to the ancestral hall because he was shy and didn''t want to face the vigers'' gratitude.

    Not knowing how to persuade him, Grandpa Zhang could only let him be.

    Grandpa Zhang was highly respected in the vige.

    Upon hearing that he had something important to discuss, it wasn''t long before vigers began gathering at the ancestral hall, even those busy in the fields.

    "Old Zhang, what''s going on? Why the urgency to gather everyone?"

    At the ancestral hall, seeing that Grandpa Zhang had called all the heads of the vige households, the vigers were surprised, thinking something serious had happened again.

    Some elderly vigers called out immediately.

    The others, still anxious from yesterday''s events, began to worry.

    "Don''t be nervous. This time, I''ve gathered you all to announce good news," Grandpa Zhang said, signaling everyone to stay calm.

    Behind him on the desk was a bulging cloth bag, its contents unknown.

    Next to it were a small scale and scissors, their purpose unclear.

    "What good news?"

    Hearing it was good news, everyone rxed and quickly asked.

    "Yesterday, Ah Qing obtained some silver notes from the evildoers he killed. He has decided to distribute most of it to everyone," Grandpa Zhang said as he carefully poured out the silver ingots from the bag.

    "Here is the silver that Ah Qing exchanged. A total of two hundred taels. Our vige, excluding Ah Qing''s family, has thirty-seven households. Divided equally, each household will receive about five taels of silver."

    Everyone in the ancestral hall was first stunned by the sight of the white silver ingots.

    Then, hearing Grandpa Zhang''s words, they couldn''t help but exim in surprise.

    Not far away, on the hillside heading to the Halfway House, Lu Qing heard themotion and smiled.

 Chapter 87

    "Xiao Li, is this the ce where you found the ginseng?"

    Lu Qing surveyed the surroundings and asked Xiao Li, who was perched on his shoulder.

    At this moment, he was deep within the mountains, several tens of miles away from Jiuli Vige.

    Dense forests surrounded him, with towering trees exuding a primordial atmosphere.

    The contrast between the inside and outside of this mountain was like two different worlds.

    Since learning that the ck Wolf Gang had been suppressed by the Wei family and wouldn''t be able to trouble him for a while, Lu Qing had felt much more rxed.

    He began to consider how to utilize this opportunity to quickly enhance his strength.

    Once his strength increased, he wouldn''t have to fear the small ck Wolf Gang anymore.

    Currently, the easiest way for him to improve was through the power of blood qi.Afterprehending the mysteries ofplete blood qi, the Qi and Blood Realm presented no bottleneck for Lu Qing.

    As long as he had sufficient pills, he could increase his blood qi power without restraint.

    However, due to previous training, he had almost exhausted the bottle of Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills his master had refined.

    So, after some thought, Lu Qing decided to enter the mountains with Xiao Li to gather the wild ginseng it had discovered before.

    This was why Lu Qing now found himself in the deep mountains.

    "Howl~"

    Xiao Li let out a cry, nodded, and pointed in a direction with its paw.

    Lu Qing immediately activated his ability and began to search the vicinity.

    Ignoring themon herbs, Lu Qing''s only target now was ginseng.

    After a search, he soon made a discovery.

    [Ginseng: A precious herb, edible, non-toxic.]

    [This ginseng has grown for fifty years.]

    Seeing the ginseng emitting a white light in his vision, Lu Qing felt a bit disappointed.

    This ginseng hadn''t reached a hundred years, and the light it emitted was merely white, making it far less precious than the two ginseng roots Xiao Li had given him.

    Leaving the newly discovered ginseng untouched, Lu Qing continued his search.

    A fifty-year-old wild ginseng would still be considered valuable in an external pharmacy.

    But now, Lu Qing didn''t think much of it.

    So, he nned to search some more.

    Before long, he made another discovery.

    [Ginseng: A precious herb, edible, non-toxic.]

    [This ginseng has grown for five years, with average medicinal properties.]

    To his surprise, this newly found ginseng was even worse than thest, having only grown for five years.

    It was nothing more than a baby ginseng.

    "Really? Such bad luck?"

    Seeing the information from his ability, Lu Qing was somewhat stunned.

    "I don''t believe it!"

    Lu Qing resumed his search.

    He could have asked Xiao Li directly, but he didn''t.

    He had fallen into a mindset of not giving up.

    Even Xiao Li, a small beast that didn''t understand herbs, could find two hundred-year-old ginseng roots. How could he, who had thoroughly studied the Compendium of Materia Medica and possessed abilities, not find a hundred-year-old ginseng?

    Continuing his search, Lu Qing found a few more ginseng roots, but none of them were over a hundred years old. The oldest was only eighty years.

    Seeing that the eighty-year-old ginseng still emitted a white light, Lu Qing didn''t pick it either.

    "Could it be that the only hundred-year-old ginseng here was the two Xiao Li dug up?"

    After finding another thirty-year-old ginseng, Lu Qing began to doubt.

    "It shouldn''t be, otherwise Xiao Li wouldn''t have brought me here."

    Lu Qing resumed his search, and finally, half an hourter, he had a breakthrough.

    However, upon seeing this newly found ginseng, he was stunned.

    [Ginseng: A precious herb, non-toxic, edible.]

    [This ginseng has grown for over two hundred years.]

    [Legend has it that ginseng with enough age possesses various miraculous effects, and some can even develop spiritual intelligence.]

    "Two hundred years!"

    Seeing the ginseng emitting a red-tinted white light on the ground, Lu Qing''s eyes widened.

    He hadn''t expected to find nothing but young ginseng roots before, and now suddenly, he had found such an old one!

    A two-hundred-year-old ginseng was even stronger than the two roots Xiao Li had found.

    Even the ginseng the Wei family recently brought to his master to nourish Young Master Wei''s body didn''t reach this age.

    This was truly a rare treasure!

    Finally, he had struck it lucky.

    Looking at the ginseng on the ground, Lu Qing suppressed his excitement, immediately putting down his medicine pouch and taking out a bundle of red strings and a small hoe, preparing to dig it up.

    Lu Qing first tied the red strings around the ginseng.

    This was a rule among herbalists; when encountering such rare herbs, they must first tie them with red strings to prevent them from suddenly burrowing away during harvesting.

    In his previous life, Lu Qing would never have believed such a thing.

    But now, he had experienced even the strange urrence of transmigrating.

    This world had magical creatures like Xiao Li and the Blue-armored Fish, and his abilities also mentioned the possibility of ginseng developing spiritual intelligence.

    If he still didn''t believe, he''d be a fool.

    So even though he knew this ginseng might not yet have developed spiritual intelligence, Lu Qing still followed the herbalists'' rules and tied the red strings first.

    After tying the red strings, Lu Qing began to carefully dig.

    First, he cleared the surrounding weeds, then slowly dug along the ginseng''s growth lines with the small hoe.

    Throughout the process, Lu Qing didn''t dare to be careless.

    A ginseng root of this age, even a single strand of its roots, was highly valuable and potent.

    He wasn''t like Xiao Li, who didn''t appreciate such things.

    If he identally damaged this rare herb, he''d be heartbroken.

    Fortunately, as a martial artist whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm, Lu Qing had excellent control over his body.

    With his careful efforts, he finally dug out the over two-hundred-year-old ginseng intact.

    Seeing theplete and undamaged ginseng in his hand, Lu Qing couldn''t help but smile.

    Ginseng of this age, when refined into Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, would be much more potent than those made from hundred-year-old ginseng.

    With this ginseng, his journey to reaching the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm could be significantly shortened.

    Xiao Li, seeing Lu Qing''s silly smile, was puzzled.

    Wasn''t it just a root? Why was he smiling like an idiot?

    After admiring the ginseng he had personally harvested for a while, Lu Qing wrapped it in a piece of turf, tied it with red strings, and ced it in his medicine pouch.

    After finishing all this, he straightened up, looking at the forest before him, his eyes filled with excitement.

    Since this ce could produce a two-hundred-year-old ginseng, was it possible that there were even older ones hidden here?

 Chapter 88

    Ginseng: A precious herb, non-toxic, edible.

    This ginseng has grown for a long time, exceeding a hundred years.

    ording to legend, ginseng possesses various miraculous effects, and ginseng that has grown for a long enough time seems to have the ability to gain intelligence.

    Looking at the ginseng before him, with information floating in his mind, Lu Qing smiled.

    Ever since he dug up that over-two-hundred-year-old ginseng, his luck seemed to have turned around.

    He had found three more ginseng nts, all over a hundred years old.

    Carefully extracting this hundred-year-old ginseng and cing it in his medicine pouch, Lu Qing was in a very good mood.

    There were already four ginseng nts in the medicine pouch, plus the one Xiao Li had brought home earlier.

    Five ginseng nts, one two-hundred-year-old, and four hundred-year-old ones, if all refined into Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, would be more than enough to support his cultivation to the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm."This is truly a treasure mountain!"

    Lu Qing looked around and sighed from the bottom of his heart.

    He hadn¡¯t searched arge area, yet he had found so many hundred-year-old ginseng nts.

    Combined with the other medicinal herbs he had seen while searching for ginseng, it was evident how abundant the medicinal resources of this mountain forest were.

    Calling it a treasure mountain was not an exaggeration.

    However, while the medicinal herbs here were abundant, entering the forest was not easy.

    In such a primeval forest, it was filled with insects and snakes, hidden beasts, and a slight carelessness could result in death.

    Lu Qing managed because he was a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, carrying a medicine pouch prepared by his master to repel snakes and insects.

    Additionally, Xiao Li, being a spirit beast, seemed to have some deterrent ability against other creatures in the mountain, making it seem easy.

    For an ordinary herb gatherer, trying to venture this deep into the forest was as hard as climbing to the sky.

    So even if people knew this ce was full of treasures and medicinal herbs, they could only hesitate and withdraw.

    Of course, this was a good thing for Lu Qing.

    Only he could freelye and go here, meaning he coulde and find any medicinal herbs he needed at any time.

    Having gathered enough ginseng for his cultivation, Lu Qing temporarily stopped searching for more.

    This time entering the mountain, besides digging up ginseng, he also wanted to practice the knowledge from the Compendium of Materia Medica.

    He wanted to observe the growth environments of other medicinal herbs in the mountains.

    Thus, Lu Qing wandered around the mountain with Xiao Li.

    With Xiao Li and the medicine pouch, those poisonous insects and snakes didn¡¯t daree near him.

    After wandering for a while, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel again at the abundance of medicinal herbs in this mountain.

    In just a short while, he had seen dozens of different herbs.

    All of them were growing very well and had strong medicinal properties.

    Lu Qing also picked some rare and precious herbs that were notmonly seen outside.

    His master often treated vigers from nearby viges for free, so the consumption of herbs was quiterge.

    Ordinary herbs could be found on the hills near the vige.

    So Lu Qing specifically picked herbs that were not avable outside or were rare.

    After a while, Lu Qing discovered another surprise.

    Tian Qi: A precious herb, non-toxic, medicinal.

    It has the effects of promoting blood cirction, stopping bleeding, and relieving pain, making it an excellent medicine for treating both external and internal injuries.

    Looking at the thick white light on the herb in front of him, Lu Qing was very excited.

    He didn¡¯t expect to find Tian Qi here.

    This was another very rare medicinal herb.

    The famous top-grade Golden Sore Medicine, known as a holy healing medicine in the martial world, primarily uses high-quality Tian Qi.

    Previously, to treat Young Master Wei¡¯s blood loss condition, his master specifically asked the Wei family for Tian Qi.

    This showed the power of this herb.

    Lu Qing immediately started digging it up.

    Although the white light emitted by this Tian Qi indicated it was not the best quality, it was still very precious.

    Taking it back could make arge bottle of Golden Sore Medicine, a lifesaving medicine in critical moments, not to be missed.

    While digging up Tian Qi, Lu Qing also felt a bit puzzled.

    ording to the Compendium of Materia Medica, ginseng and Tian Qi never grow in the same ce.

    Their growing environments arepletely different.

    Ginseng likes shade and coolness, can withstand low temperatures, and dislikes direct sunlight. The climate in the deep mountains here suits it.

    But Tian Qi is different. It likes humidity, can¡¯t tolerate high temperatures or extreme cold, and grows best in ces with warm winters and cool summers.

    Logically, it shouldn¡¯t be found here.

    Lu Qing knew from his memories that the area around Jiuli Vige snows in winter.

    What caused Tian Qi to defy its growing habits and appear in this forest?

    After digging up the Tian Qi and putting it in his medicine pouch, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.

    Now that he thought about it, something indeed seemed off.

    The abundance of medicinal herbs in this forest was astonishing.

    So many hundred-year-old ginseng nts appeared at once, other herbs were growing exceptionally well, and now even Tian Qi, which shouldn¡¯t be here, was thriving.

    Earlier, Lu Qing thought it was just the good environment and the rarity of human activity that led to the abundance of herbs.

    But now, seeing ginseng and Tian Qi growing in the same area, he realized something was amiss.

    His first thought was whether there was something mysterious about this mountain.

    Thinking about it, Lu Qing looked at the ck Beast beside him, "Xiao Li, you¡¯ve been moving around this mountain for a while, have you noticed anything unusual nearby?"

    Unusual ces?

    Xiao Li tilted its head, puzzled, clearly not understanding his question.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing pondered for a moment and continued, "Is there any ce nearby that feels different from other ces, like more dangerous or particrlyfortable?"

    This time, Xiao Li seemed to understand a bit.

    It tilted its head, thought for a moment, then bit Lu Qing¡¯s clothes and pointed in a certain direction.

    Is there really such a ce?

    Lu Qing was startled.

    Looking at Xiao Li¡¯s actions, he asked, "You mean I should follow you?"

    The ck Beast nodded.

    "Is it dangerous?"

    If it was dangerous, he wasn¡¯t nning to go.

    Risking his life for a bit of curiosity wasn¡¯t worth it.

    The ck Beast shook its head.

    After thinking for a moment, Lu Qing decided to trust Xiao Li¡¯s instincts.

    "Alright, let¡¯s go. Just walk slowly, or I won¡¯t be able to keep up."

    So, the ck Beast bounced ahead, and Lu Qing followed behind, activating his Blood Qi.

    Although they were in the mountains, their speed was not slow.

    Soon, Lu Qing followed Xiao Li to a valley.

    "Is it just ahead?"

    Seeing Xiao Li stop, Lu Qing asked.

    The ck Beast nodded, gesturing with its paws to indicate this was the special ce it mentioned.

    Lu Qing observed for a moment and felt there didn¡¯t seem to be any danger.

    On the contrary, upon reaching this ce, he felt rxed, with a sense of tranquility, even his mind seemed clearer.

    Feeling invigorated, he knew he hade to the right ce.

    Even without considering anything else, just the atmosphere that cleared his mind and rxed his body indicated the uniqueness of this ce.

    Seeing Lu Qing standing still, Xiao Li, puzzled, pulled his clothes and led the way into the valley.

    Lu Qing quickly followed.

    Entering the valley, Lu Qing was stunned.

    Inside the valley, birds were singing, flowers were blooming, streams were flowing, and the scene was full of life.

    Inside and outside the valley were like two different worlds.

    Xiao Li seemed very familiar with the valley. As soon as it entered, it led Lu Qing deeper inside.

    At the end of the valley, there was a waterfall cascading down into a pool, with water sshing everywhere.

    "Ow~"

    The ck Beast stood on arge rock in front of the waterfall, pointing at the waterfall and calling to Lu Qing.

    "You mean there¡¯s something inside?"

    Lu Qing looked at the waterfall in surprise.

    The waterfall wasn¡¯trge, and the water curtain wasn¡¯t thick. Soon, he noticed something peculiar.

    There seemed to be a cave entrance behind the water curtain.

    "Ow~" The ck Beast called again.

    "You¡¯re saying I should go in?" Lu Qing asked.

    The ck Beast nodded.

    Lu Qing hesitated.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Xiao Li, but exploring an unknown cave without any information was risky.

    Not to mention, this valley seemed peculiar, who knew what was inside the cave.

    If there were any strange beasts, entering would be courting death.

    "Xiao Li, how about we go in together?"

    After thinking for a while, Lu Qing said.

    The ck Beast, a Red Spirit Beast, was much stronger than him. With it by his side, Lu Qing felt much safer.

    The ck Beast immediately shook its head, looking at the water curtain with disdain.

    Lu Qing remembered that this creature hated water. Except for drinking water, it wouldn¡¯t touch water.

    Last time, when it yed with Xiao Yan at home, it got covered in dust, and Lu Qing wanted to give it a bath. It nearly tore the house apart.

    In the end, he had to wipe it down with a damp cloth.

    Even so, the little creature threw a tantrum and ignored Lu Qing for quite a while.

    "No problem, I¡¯ll carry you in, and I won¡¯t let you get wet at all." Lu Qing smiled. "Besides, you want to know what¡¯s inside, right

    ?"

    The ck Beast hesitated.

    Seeing this, Lu Qingughed.

    He knew that this creature hated water so much that it hadn¡¯t been inside.

    Moreover, judging by its behavior, something inside was attracting it.

    If even such a water-hating creature was attracted, what was inside must be extraordinary.

    After all, Xiao Li didn¡¯t even care about a hundred-year-old ginseng.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll wrap you in my clothes, and you won¡¯t get wet at all," Lu Qing assured.

    Seeing Lu Qing¡¯s insistence and the temptation of what was inside, the ck Beast reluctantly nodded.

    Seeing the little creature finally agree, Lu Qing immediately took off his backpack and ced it on arge rock.

    Then, he took off his outer coat and made a nest out of it.

    The ck Beast immediately crawled inside.

    It didn¡¯t mind the smell of Lu Qing on the clothes.

    After all, it slept in the same room as Xiao Yan and Lu Qing at home.

    Even its nest was made from Lu Qing¡¯s old clothes, so it was used to it.

    Seeing the ck Beast inside the clothes, Lu Qing strapped on his battle knife.

    Yes, he had brought the battle knife this time.

    Besides poisonous insects and snakes, there might be wild beasts in the mountains. How could he not bring a handy weapon?

    Securing the knife and the medicine hoe at his waist, Lu Qing picked up the ck Beast and stepped back a few steps, activating his Blood Qi and leaping towards the waterfall.

    At the moment his body touched the water curtain, Lu Qing curled up, protecting Xiao Li in his arms, and rolled into the cave entrance behind the water curtain.

    Once inside, Lu Qing immediately drew his medicine hoe, ready for any attack.

    Luckily, his precautions were unnecessary; nothing came at him from the cave.

    Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

    He had seen too many ¡°opening door¡± traps in movies and didn¡¯t want to experience one.

    Feeling Lu Qing stop, the ck Beast poked its head out from his clothes.

    "See, I told you you wouldn¡¯t get wet."

    Lu Qing checked and found that apart from his coat getting a bit wet, the ck Beast waspletely dry.

    He, on the other hand, looked like a soaked rat.

    But Lu Qing didn¡¯t mind. If he wanted, he could dry his clothes by activating his Blood Qi.

    However, with the cave¡¯s situation still unclear, he didn¡¯t want to waste his energy on such a trivial matter.

    "Ow~"

    The ck Beast was delighted to be dry.

    "Let¡¯s go inside."

    Lu Qing looked around the cave. Seeing nothing unusual and feeling no danger, he decided to go further.

    After all, havinge this far, he had to see what was inside.

    He took out a fire stick, lit it, and continued walking with the ck Beast.

    But soon, he realized it was unnecessary.

    After a few steps and a turn, the cave gradually brightened.

    The stone walls, resembling stctites, sparkled with a mesmerizing glow.

    Looking at the fire stick in his hand, Lu Qing smiled and put it out, continuing with the ck Beast.

    Interestingly, although the cave entrance was behind a waterfall, the inside was dry.

    This pleased the ck Beast, which came out of Lu Qing¡¯s arms and stood on his shoulder.

    The cave was deep but not dark. The further they went, the brighter the glowing stone walls became.

    Lu Qing used his ability to check and found that these stones were a unique, harmless luminous mineral, so he continued.

    As he ventured deeper, the rity of mind he felt since entering the valley intensified.

    He even felt a strange attraction from the cave¡¯s depths.

    After many twists and turns, Lu Qing and the ck Beast reached a spacious area.

    When Lu Qing saw the scene before him, he was stunned.

 Chapter 89

    "What is this?"

    Lu Qing gazed ahead, utterly shocked.

    Before him and Xiao Li, a spacious and grand cave chamber suddenly appeared.

    The walls and floor of the chamber had a jade-like texture, withplex and ancient mysterious runes carved into them, giving off an air of deep mystery.

    In the center of the chamber stood a massive stone tform.

    A crystal-clear stctite hung from above, its pointed tip aimed directly at the center of the stone tform.

    Lu Qing was astounded by the almost entirely jade-like cave chamber before him.

    He never imagined that such a peculiar ce existed within the belly of the mountain.

    Unexpectedly, there was no danger. The end of the cave revealed this unimaginable jadeized chamber.Even Xiao Li was a bit dumbfounded.

    It hadn¡¯t anticipated that the ce it had been longing for would turn out to be such a sparkling spot.

    Standing outside the jadeized chamber, Lu Qing did not immediately step in.

    Upon reaching this ce, the rity in his mind grew stronger, and his caution intensified.

    This chamber was too unusual to be naturally formed.

    Since it was man-made, there could very well be some protective measures.

    Although he didn¡¯t sense any danger now, he didn¡¯t want to rush in recklessly.

    To his surprise, Xiao Li suddenly leapt from his shoulder, dashing towards the chamber.

    "Wait, Xiao Li!"

    Lu Qing shouted in rm.

    To his further astonishment, as Xiao Li was about to enter the chamber, a faint light screen appeared, intending to block Xiao Li.

    Just when Lu Qing thought Xiao Li would be hurt, a ck sh suddenly struck, and the light screen was effortlessly torn apart, vanishing like a punctured bubble.

    "Hmm?"

    Seeing Xiao Li safelynd inside the chamber, Lu Qing''s mouth opened in disbelief.

    He had assumed that the defenses of this miraculous jadeized chamber would be formidable, yet they were so easily broken by Xiao Li.

    "Yowl?"

    Xiao Li stood inside the chamber, looking back at Lu Qing in confusion.

    It didn¡¯t understand why he had shouted.

    "...It''s fine now."

    Seeing Xiao Li inside for a while with no other incidents, Lu Qing realized he had been overly cautious.

    As a spirit beast, Xiao Li''s sense of danger far surpassed his own. Since it felt no danger, it should be safe.

    Lu Qing tentatively stepped into the chamber. Whether the light screen could regenerate or not, he passed through smoothly without any hindrance.

    Upon fully entering the chamber, the rity in his mind increased significantly, as if ayer of dust had been wiped away, making him feel at ease.

    His thoughts flowed much faster, and Lu Qing''s eyes sparkled with wonder.

    Even if there were no other treasures, the rity nurtured by this chamber was a significant gain.

    He had a feeling that cultivating here would greatly benefit him.

    Putting aside thoughts of cultivation forter, Lu Qing''s curiosity about the chamber¡¯s contents took precedence.

    Xiao Li, already eager, tugged him towards the central stone tform.

    Following Xiao Li''s lead, Lu Qing approached the tform.

    The tform was half a person''s height and, like the surrounding walls and floor, almost entirely jadeized.

    Intricate patterns adorned the tform.

    At the center, there was a round depression filled with a liquid resembling white jade.

    Seeing the liquid, Lu Qing looked up at the hanging stctite above, guessing that the liquid must have dripped from it.

    He focused on the liquid on the tform.

    After a while, a faint golden glow emanated from the white jade-like liquid.

    [Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid: Rare treasure liquid, non-toxic, consumable.]

    [This spiritual liquid is a rare treasure, capable of reviving the dead, healing bones and flesh, prolonging life. Consumed by humans or beasts, it can improve aptitude, enhance potential, and defy fate.]

    [Legend has it that those with magical power can inscribe formations ording to the terrain, refining the earth''s essence to form this treasure liquid.]

    [Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid can be consumed directly or used in pill concoction, with endless wondrous uses.]

    "Golden light?!"

    Lu Qing was stunned upon seeing the golden glow from the liquid.

    This was his first time seeing an item emitting such golden light.

    Even Xiao Li, as a magical spirit beast, only emitted a red glow in his eyes.

    Reading the information from his ability left himpletely stunned.

    Reviving the dead, healing bones and flesh!

    Prolonging life!

    Improving aptitude, enhancing potential, defying fate!

    Each term alone would make an item a coveted treasure.

    Yet now, they were all used to describe the white jade-like liquid on the tform.

    This clearly indicated how precious the Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid was!

    Lu Qing''s gaze towards the liquid grew fervent.

    Such a liquid was a true rare treasure, dwarfing the likes of ginseng and Tian Qi inparison.

    After a long while, Lu Qing''s excitement subsided somewhat.

    He stopped Xiao Li from trying to scoop the liquid.

    Such a treasure couldn¡¯t be used carelessly. Wasting even a drop would be a huge loss, enough to cause heartache.

    Taking deep breaths to calm himself, Lu Qing shifted his thoughts away from the Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid for now.

    He noted an important piece of information from the ability''s analysis.

    Someone with magical power!

    This chamber was created by someone with magical power.

    What kind of person could possess such power?

    Was it the mysterious Grandmaster that his master mentioned, or someone of even higher status?

    Lu Qing''s heart was filled with excitement.

    Regardless, this indicated that the upper limits of cultivation in this world were far beyond his imagination.

    For him, this was very promising news.

    After contemting for a while, Lu Qing began to inspect the chamber.

    Since this ce was deliberately arranged by someone with magical power, it might contain more than just this chamber.

    Indeed, after some searching, Lu Qing discovered a secret mechanism on one side of the chamber.

    [Secret Door: A deliberately constructed stone door, leading to another hidden space.]

    [This secret door has no mechanisms; simply push it open with force.]

    Seeing no mechanisms, Lu Qing immediately stood before the door, mustering his blood qi to push it open.

    The secret door, made of jade-like stone, was quite heavy.

    Fortunately, Lu Qing managed to push it open with some effort.

    As he gradually exerted force, the secret door slowly opened.

 Chapter 90

    As the stone door slowly opened, Lu Qing gradually took in the scene inside.

    What he saw startled him.

    Behind the stone door was a small stone chamber. Right in front of the door, on a stone bed, sat a figure in a cross-legged position.

    The sudden sight of someone behind the door gave Lu Qing quite a fright.

    But he quickly realized that the figure had no breath, and its face had be skeletal, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

    At the same time, he couldn''t help but mock himself inwardly.

    After all his precautions against an ambush, he hadn''t escaped this shock.

    Knowing that the person on the opposite side had been dead for an unknown period, Lu Qing felt reassured enough to enter.

    He did not disturb the skeleton but first circled around the stone chamber.The space behind the door wasn''t veryrge, divided into three stone chambers, each the size of an ordinary room.

    Besides the chamber with the skeleton, one of the other two chambers appeared to be a meditation room, and the other seemed to be an alchemy room.

    Unfortunately, both the meditation room and the alchemy room were empty, with nothing of value left.

    There were some jade bottles in the alchemy room, but Lu Qing found them all empty, yielding nothing.

    After inspecting the stone chambers, Lu Qing turned his attention to the skeleton.

    At first nce, he noticed the skeleton''s bones were somewhat translucent, almost like jade.

    His heart trembled, realizing that this skeleton must have belonged to a very powerful practitioner in life.

    The second realm of martial cultivation, the Tendons and Bones Realm, specifically focused on tempering the bones and tendons.

    But even in the heritage Lu Qing had received, there was no mention of bones being tempered to a jade-like state upon reaching perfection.

    Thus, this skeleton must have belonged to someone far beyond the Tendons and Bones Realm, perhaps even a Postnatal Realm martial artist.

    Could this person be the mysterious individual who created this jade-like cave?

    A thought shed through Lu Qing''s mind.

    He began to focus on the skeleton.

    Soon, a dense red light emerged from the skeleton.

    [Precelestial Realm Skeleton: This skeleton belonged to a Precelestial Realm practitioner.]

    [Soul dispersed, bones remain. The bones of a Precelestial Realm practitioner are tempered by Precelestial Qi, remaining intact for thousands of years.]

    [The owner of this skeleton seemed to have perished after a failed breakthrough attempt, exhausting their essence, energy, and spirit.]

    Seeing the information floating above the skeleton, Lu Qing realized this person wasn''t the mysterious individual who had created the cave.

    Instead, this was an unknown Precelestial Realm practitioner.

    Considering the golden items left behind by the cave''s creator, it was clear that if these bones belonged to them, they would have emitted golden light, not red.

    Still, it was puzzling why this Precelestial Realm practitioner ended up here and failed their breakthrough attempt.

    Regrettably, there were no books or other sources of information here to provide more context.

    Lu Qing was a bit disappointed.

    After a sigh, he quickly adjusted his mood.

    This expedition had already yielded substantial rewards.

    Not only had he found numerous Hundred-year-old Ginsengs, but he had also obtained the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, a treasure that could drive anyone mad with desire.

    To want more would be too greedy.

    After calming his mind, Lu Qing''s gaze fell on the skeleton again.

    He considered whether to bury the skeleton.

    Logically, leaving the skeleton here was best.

    After all, the stone chamber was extremely clean, and the skeleton would remain undisturbed for centuries.

    However, since Lu Qing intended to visit this cave often in the future, he felt uneasy about facing a skeleton every time.

    So, after some thought, he decided to give the skeleton a proper burial.

    Having made his decision, Lu Qing solemnly bowed three times to the skeleton and apologized before preparing to move it out.

    However, as soon as he moved the skeleton, he heard a soft tter as something fell from it.

    He initially thought he had identally dislodged a bone and was about to apologize when he saw that what had fallen wasn''t a bone.

    It appeared to be a long, rectangr jade stone.

    Curious, Lu Qing picked it up.

    It was indeed a beautiful piece of jade, with several peculiar patterns on it.

    Looking at the patterns, Lu Qing felt a sense of familiarity.

    After thinking for a moment, he realized that these patterns were simr to those carved on the walls of the outer cave.

    Lu Qing''s heart trembled.

    Could this jade be rted to the mysterious individual who created the cave?

    He immediately activated his ability and focused on the jade stone.

    After a while, a dense red light emerged from the jade.

    [Inheritance Jade Slip: A jade slip that can record and transmit information.]

    [It is said that those who have cultivated their divine sense can engrave information onto certain special jade slips, leaving behind legacies to ensure their secrecy.]

    [Without divine sense and the corresponding activation method, it is extremely difficult to ess the information on the jade slip.]

    [Do you want to download the information?]

    "Red light?"

    Seeing the supernatural light emanating from the jade in his hand, Lu Qing was momentarily stunned.

    He knew that this item likely had little to do with the mysterious individual who created the cave.

    Nevertheless, he was thrilled.

    ording to the information provided by his ability, this might be exactly what he was looking for.

    He immediately chose to download the information.

    As per his usual practice, he kept his eyes fixed on the jade slip.

    [Downloading... Current progress: 1%, 2%, 3%... 97%, 98%, 99%, 100%]

    [Downloadplete. Do you want to learn the information?]

    [Found a technique. Do you want to simte the technique?]

    The information download from the jade slip took much longer than Lu Qing had expected.

    It took a full quarter of an hour toplete.

    After the download finished, he saw two more choices appear.

    One asked if he wanted to learn the information.

    The other asked if he wanted to simte the technique.

    This indicated that the jade slip contained not just ordinary information, but also a legacy technique!

    Lu Qing was overjoyed.

    Even if this jade slip wasn''t left by the mysterious individual who created the cave, it was still extremely precious.

    Otherwise, the unknown Precelestial Realm practitioner wouldn''t have kept it so close even in death.

    Thus, the legacy technique within must be invaluable.

    He immediately made his choices.

    He chose to simte the technique while learning the other information.

    As soon as he made his choices, Lu Qing felt a flood of information pour into his mind.

    Familiar with the process, he closed his eyes and silently absorbed the information.

    A long timeter, when he opened his eyes again, they were filled with joy.

 Chapter 91

    "This Jade Slip is indeed miraculous. Such a small piece can store so much information!"

    Lu Qing''s eyes were filled with amazement.

    He had already received most of the inheritance information from the Jade Slip.

    And this information brought him great surprise.

    It differed slightly from his previous guesses.

    This Jade Slip was not left by the mysterious entity who opened the Jade Transformation Cave, but was created by the deceased Precelestial Realm master in front of him.

    However, when he made this inheritance Jade Slip, he added a bit of hisprehension about the mysterious runes he had realized in the outer cave, which made the patterns of the two somewhat simr.

    From the Jade Slip, Lu Qing also learned a lot of information he wanted to know.

    First, about the Precelestial master in front of him.ording to the information left by this Precelestial master in the Jade Slip, his name was Li Weitian. He was once a renowned martial artist who shook the world with his strength.

    Even among the Precelestial Realm, he was considered one of the top existences.

    With his formidable cultivation, he had once suppressed a group of Precelestial masters from surrounding countries, astonishing everyone.

    Unfortunately, even Precelestial masters have a day when their lifespan runs out.

    If they cannot break through to a higher realm, Precelestial masters can only live for three hundred years at most.

    In hister years, Li Weitian searched everywhere for a breakthrough opportunity. Finally, as his lifespan was nearing its end, he found this mysterious ce.

    When he first discovered the Jade Transformation Cave, Li Weitian was extremely delighted.

    Because in the runes left by the mysterious entity who opened the cave, he glimpsed a chance to break through to a higher realm.

    At that time, with little lifespan left, he immediately closed himself in the cave, hoping to break through.

    Unfortunately, due to his dwindling lifespan and weakened spirit, coupled with the heavy consumption and injuries he suffered while breaking the cave¡¯s defenses, he failed to break through despite the aid of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. His energy and spirit were nearly exhausted, unable to reach that higher realm.

    Before his death, he recorded all this information in the Jade Slip, as a final ount of his illustrious life.

    At the end of the information, Lu Qing saw a passage left by Li Weitian.

    "s, in my youth, I loved topete with others. I desired to win in everything. After achieving sess in cultivation, I battled across thend, challenging famous masters, defeating countless enemies, and gaining endless glory.

    Throughout my life, my reputation overshadowed my peers, making many martial arts geniuses pale inparison, relegating them to mere foils.

    In myter years, I finally realized that in the pursuit of fame, I wasted too much time. My lifespan was almost exhausted.

    Even though I found an opportunity, I couldn''t break through due to the limits of my lifespan, unable to reach that supreme mysterious realm.

    Regret, remorse, and sorrow.

    I hope future generations take my experience as a lesson. In cultivation, focus on the path of practice itself. Do not get lost in the pursuit of fame and fortune, wasting precious time. Remember this well."

    After reading Li Weitian''s final words, Lu Qing fell silent.

    He could feel Li Weitian''s unwillingness and regret from his words.

    Clearly, he had touched that long-desired higher realm, but due to his limited lifespan, he ultimately could not break through.

    He couldn''t imagine how regretful Li Weitian must have felt at that time.

    But from his words, it was clear that he deeply regretted wasting so much time in his prime onpeting for fame and fortune.

    "Cultivation should be focused on practice itself. It''s a pity that Senior Li Weitian realized this toote," Lu Qing sighed.

    However, on the other hand, Li Weitian''s unmatched strength, which suppressed his contemporaries, might not have been unrted to hispetitive nature.

    If he hadn''t fought with opponents for so long, he might not have fully unleashed his potential and reached the peak of the Precelestial Realm.

    So, whether hispetitive nature ultimately made him or ruined him is really hard to say.

    "Li Weitian, if I get a chance in the future, I''ll see if I can find more about your life."

    In the Jade Slip, Li Weitian only briefly introduced himself, without detailing his specific deeds.

    Given Lu Qing''s limited knowledge of this world, he hadn''t heard of this master before.

    Judging by the remains, it¡¯s unknown how many years he had been dead.

    Most things in this world can''t withstand the changes of time.

    After such a long time, it''s uncertain how many stories about him still circte.

    After a while of reflection, Lu Qing turned his attention to other information.

    In the information left by Li Weitian, he also mentioned some origins of the cave.

    ording to Li Weitian, this cave had existed for a very long time.

    He found it based on some fragmented records in an ancient book he had obtained by chance.

    Originally, there were some defensive formations here, but due to the long passage of time, when he arrived, the formations had weakened and he broke through them one by one.

    Even so, breaking the formations consumed a lot of his energy, which was one reason for his eventual failure to break through.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing finally understood.

    No wonder he and Xiao Li encountered no danger on their way in. He had been puzzled as to why such a miraculous ce had no defenses.

    It turned out that this Precelestial master had cleared the obstacles for them.

    Li Weitian mentioned in the Jade Slip that when he first entered the cave, he was astonished by the scene inside.

    Firstly, there was the spirit liquid condensing on the stone tform, a rare treasure he had only seen recorded in ancient books, called Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    This spirit liquid could bring the dead back to life, extend lifespan, and improve cultivation aptitude, a treasure countless martial artists dreamed of.

    He didn''t expect to find it in such an inconspicuous mountain belly.

    Unfortunately, such a treasure was of immense benefit to ordinary people and Postnatal Realm martial artists, even to ordinary Precelestial masters.

    But for Li Weitian, who had reached the limit of the Precelestial Realm and was nearing his life''s end, it was of little use.

    Because the lifespan limit of a Precelestial master was set by thews of nature, even such a rare treasure as the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid could not break thesews.

    So, even if Li Weitian consumed all the spirit liquid on the stone tform, it could only heal the injuries he sustained breaking into the cave, without providing more benefits.

    But aside from the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, what excited Li Weitian more were the mysterious runes left by the entity who opened the Jade Transformation Cave, used to condense the spirit liquid.

    From those runes, Li Weitian glimpsed a hint of the mysterious power belonging to the realm above the Precelestial.

    At that moment, with his lifespan nearing its end, he drank the nearly thousand-year-old spirit liquid in the stone tform in one gulp.

    Then he closed himself off, hoping to break through with the insight he had just gained and the power of the spirit liquid.

    Unexpectedly, he still failed in the end.

    His energy and spirit were exhausted, and he couldn''t reach that mysterious realm above the Precelestial.

 Chapter 92

    After reading about Li Weitian''s experiences, Lu Qing fell silent once more.

    He withdrew his previous thoughts, realizing that this man''s luck was extraordinarily poor.

    If his lifespan had been a bit longer, or if he had arrived here earlier, he would have had enough time toprehend the runes. If that had been the case, perhaps he could have gained more insights and broken through to a level beyond the Precelestial.

    Unfortunately, there are no "ifs" in this world. Fate is cruel in such a way that Li Weitian found this jade cavern just as his life was nearing its end. He could only make a desperate attempt, which ultimately failed.

    Experiencing such despair, seeing hope, and then falling into despair again, Li Weitian did not go mad in the end. He calmly recorded hisst words, advising future seekers to learn from his mistakes. This kind ofposure truly befits a martial arts master at the peak of the Precelestial realm. Even in the face of imminent death, he remained unflustered.

    ¡¾...97%, 98%, 99%, 100%¡¿

    ¡¾Simtion of the techniquepleted, would you like to learn it?¡¿

    Just as Lu Qing was lost in thought, a prompt appeared in his vision. Perhaps due to the profound nature of the techniques left by Li Weitian, this simtion took much longer than usual.

    Lu Qing looked at the prompt in his vision and silently chose "Yes."In the next moment, countless pieces of information and insights about the technique flooded his mind. Lu Qing closed his eyes, and after a long time, he finally woke up from his epiphany.

    "So, it''s just a Precelestial technique?"

    Understanding dawned in Lu Qing''s eyes as he muttered to himself.

    Indeed, all the techniques left by Li Weitian in the jade slip were of the Precelestial level, his lifelong proud achievements. There were no techniques of lower, Postnatal levels. Li Weitian was proud. In his view, anyone qualified to read his jade slip should at least have tempered their soul force and stepped into the Precelestial realm. Such martial artists would have no use for mere Postnatal techniques. He disdained to inscribe such low-level techniques in his inheritance jade slip.

    Li Weitian never anticipated that someone like Lu Qing, an anomaly from future generations, could read the information in the inheritance jade slip without having soul force.

    "The key to breaking through from the Postnatal to the Precelestial lies in tempering one''s soul force, sensing the world''s energy with the soul, breaking through barriers, and drawing the energy into the body?"

    After receiving the technique information, Lu Qing immediately understood the crucial point of breaking through from the Postnatal to the Precelestial. However, understanding it was of no use.

    The saying goes, "A strong body nurtures a strong soul." Only a sufficiently strong body can nurture a powerful soul. To temper one''s soul force, the physical body must reach an extremely robust state, only then is there a chance.

    ording to martial arts cultivation, one must achieve perfection in the Postnatal realm, with Blood Qi, tendons and bones, and internal organs all reaching their limits. Then, through secret techniques, one must repeatedly temper the spirit, only then is it possible to break through the limits andprehend soul force.

    Lu Qing was currently only at the minor aplishment stage of the Qi and Blood Realm, far from the perfection of the Postnatal realm. Thus, even though he obtained Li Weitian''s Precelestial techniques, he was not yet qualified to practice them.

    He still needed to progress step by step, reaching the perfection of the Postnatal realm before he could practice these Precelestial techniques.

    Nevertheless, Lu Qing''s gains were still immense. At least, with these Precelestial techniques, he would no longerck techniques for his future cultivation. The Health Nourishing Boxing taught by his master was already sufficient to cultivate to the Internal Organs realm. Now that he also had Precelestial techniques, he just needed to focus on his cultivation. With the aid of his special ability, achieving the Precelestial realm would no longer be an extravagant hope.

    With a very good mood, Lu Qing took Li Weitian''s remains outside the valley and gave them a proper burial before returning to the cavern.

    After returning to the cavern, he still did not touch the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. Instead, he stood before the cavern wall, observing the mysterious patterns carved on the jade wall.

    In the inheritance jade slip, Li Weitian highly praised these mysterious patterns, referring to them as runes, and had gained some insights beyond the Precelestial realm from them. ording to Li Weitian''sst words, if his life limit hade a bitter, giving him enough time toprehend these runes, he would have surely broken through the limits and reached a realm beyond the Precelestial.

    This naturally piqued Lu Qing''s curiosity about these mysterious patterns. He wanted to see if his special ability could glean anything from them.

    Activating his special ability, Lu Qing focused intently on the mysterious patterns.

    He watched for a long time.

    After a quarter of an hour, just as Lu Qing thought that even his special ability couldn''t prate the secrets of these mysterious patterns, a dense golden light emerged from them.

    ¡¾Array Runes: Mysterious runes inscribed by those with magical power, containing magic, capable of guiding and gathering the earth''s energy.¡¿

    ¡¾The Way of Runes: Created by great beings who observed the textures of all things in the world, inherently possessing the mysterious power tomunicate with everything.¡¿

    ¡¾The Way of Runes: Ever-changing, differentbinations of runes can produce various incredible effects.¡¿

    ¡¾Inheritance found, would you like to simte and download it?¡¿

    Lu Qing was stunned.

    Then, a surge of ecstasy welled up in his heart.

    The introductory lines about runes were manageable; after all, Li Weitian''s information had prepared him somewhat for the mysterious power of these patterns. However, thest line greatly exceeded his expectations.

    He hadn''t anticipated that these mysterious patterns would contain an inheritance, not just techniques.

    Lu Qing noted the term "inheritance" used by his ability. Anything worthy of being called an inheritance must be veryplete.

    Without hesitation, he chose to simte and download it.

    Then, he stared intently at the mysterious patterns before him with unprecedented seriousness.

    ¡¾Simtion download starting, current progress: 1%, 2%...¡¿

    The progress bar in his vision moved very slowly, but Lu Qing was in no hurry. The slower the simtion download, the more precious the inheritance contained within the runes.

    When the progress bar in his vision reached 10%, it stopped moving.

    Lu Qing was taken aback for a moment, then thought for a while. He switched to another part of the cavern wall and continued to observe the runes.

    Sure enough, shortly after, the progress bar in his vision started moving again.

    In this manner, every time the progress bar stopped, Lu Qing would switch to a different part of the cavern wall to observe other runes.

    When he had scanned all the visible runes in the cavern, he finally saw the progress bar in his vision reach its end.

    ¡¾...97%, 98%, 99%, 100%¡¿

    ¡¾Simtion downloadpleted, would you like to learn it?¡¿

    Looking at the prompt in his vision, Lu Qing, filled with excitement, chose to learn it.

 Chapter 93

    As Lu Qing continued his studies, a flood of insights surged into his mind once more.

    This time, the insights came with unprecedented force.

    Lu Qing was caught off guard and quickly calmed his mind to fully receive the information.

    "Entering the Divine Rune Sect, one must take heaven and earth as their teachers, observe the patterns of all things in the world, draw spiritual runes, andmunicate with everything..."

    Unlike any previous experience, this time, a grand voice resonated in Lu Qing''s mind, making him feel as if he were listening to the sound of the Dao, and his spirit couldn''t help but be immersed.

    Nearby, Xiao Li saw Lu Qing close his eyes and stand still again. After a nce, it ignored him.

    The two-legged beast often did this, and it had long been ustomed to it.

    Xiao Li continued to drool over the stone tform.

    It could sense that the items on the stone tform would be greatly beneficial to it.Unfortunately, the two-legged beast wouldn''t allow it to touch them yet, so it could only watch and drool.

    Lu Qing''s reception of the insightssted a long time.

    So long that Xiao Li looked up several times to see if he had fallen asleep.

    Finally, Lu Qing opened his eyes, his face filled with disbelief.

    "Learning from all things in heaven and earth, the Way of Runes is indeed a separate system from martial arts practice?"

    Lu Qing was utterly shocked.

    The heritage within these mysterious patterns was far more magical than he had imagined.

    It was an entirely different system of practice from martial arts cultivation.

    Martial arts training starts with tempering blood and qi, tendons and bones, and internal organs, striving for the ultimate physical strength. Finally, one tempers the soul, breaks through the acupoints, integrates the inner and outer selves, and achieves Precelestial status.

    In contrast, the Way of Runes does not emphasize physical strength initially.

    It emphasizesprehending the principles of heaven and earth, understanding the runes within all things. Once the principles are understood, control over power follows naturally, without deliberate pursuit.

    Therefore, the Way of Runes demands extremely highprehension.

    Without sufficientprehension, one might study for a lifetime without achieving anything, unable even to enter the door.

    "I thought that martial arts training was tough enough, with only one in ten practitioners grasping the secret of connecting blood and qi to step into the Qi and Blood Realm, which is already a low probability."

    "But the Way of Runes is a thousand times more difficult. Only one in ten thousand has the aptitude for it. It is truly the most challenging path."

    Lu Qing marveled.

    The entry difficulty of the Way of Runes was unimaginably high, making martial arts training seem simple inparison.

    At least in martial arts, even if one doesn''t reach the Qi and Blood Realm, they can still have decent physical fitness and martial skills, making them stronger than ordinary people.

    But in the Way of Runes, if one cannotprehend the principles, they are no different from ordinary people.

    Lu Qing even suspected that the heritage of the Way of Runes had vanished because its entry difficulty was too high, and even a master like Li Weitian in the Precelestial realm had never heard of it, leaving only this jade cavern as a chance for the destined.

    Unfortunately, the heritage he obtained did not mention this point.

    It only stated that the heritage was left by a mysterious sect named the Divine Rune Sect, without more information.

    The Divine Rune Sect''s doctrine was to learn from heaven and earth, to understand one''s unique runes from all things, emphasizing natural freedom. The sect''s practices were very spontaneous.

    Otherwise, it wouldn''t have disappeared, leaving behind this jade cavern as an opportunity for the fated.

    "However, this means that the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid must be used sparingly."

    The heritage from the Divine Rune Sect included a secret technique that allowed disciples to temper their soul force without their physical body reaching the Postnatal perfection, but this technique required the assistance of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    From the jade slip left by Li Weitian, Lu Qing understood the importance of soul force.

    Soul force could be considered the key and bridge to breaking through from the Postnatal to the Precelestial realm. Withoutprehending soul force, no matter how good one''s aptitude, strong their skills, or deep their umtion, one couldn''t open that door or cross the chasm between Postnatal and Precelestial.

    Now that he knew the heritage of the Divine Rune Sect included a technique toprehend soul force in advance, how could Lu Qing not take it seriously?

    He immediately walked to the stone tform and examined the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid in the pit.

    "Fortunately, there are at least thirty or forty drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid here. ording to the heritage, using the secret technique requires at most ten drops to temper soul force. If ten drops are used up without sess, more will be useless. This is more than enough."

    Seeing the quantity of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

    At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.

    The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid had been emptied by Li Weitian before, and it took twenty years for one drop to condense. Didn''t this mean that Li Weitian was a figure from seven or eight hundred years ago?

    Seven or eight hundred years...

    In this world, anything over a hundred years could be considered a significant change.

    Li Weitian was from such a distant past that it was questionable whether anyone still remembered him.

    Xiao Li saw Lu Qing staring at the items on the stone tform and became excited.

    It jumped onto the stone tform and tugged at Lu Qing''s clothes.

    Lu Qing looked at the ck Beast and saw it pointing at the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid in the stone tform, its face full of longing.

    "You want to eat this?" Lu Qing asked.

    Seeing Xiao Li nod, Lu Qing pondered.

    Finding this treasure trove wasrgely thanks to Xiao Li.

    Without its guidance, he would never have discovered the miraculous cave behind the waterfall.

    Since it wanted the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, he should give it.

    The insights from the abilities also indicated that this liquid greatly benefited both humans and beasts.

    Lu Qing was not stingy with Xiao Li.

    He nodded, "Alright, but try a few drops first. If it''s not enough, you can have more."

    Although the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was miraculous, consuming more wasn''t always better.

    ording to the heritage, its effectiveness in improving aptitude had limits.

    Its effect was strongest on beings below the Precelestial realm, and it weakened significantly for those above.

    For ordinary Postnatal beings, one drop could enhance their aptitude to its limit.

    For special beings, at most five drops could be consumed; any more would be useless.

    Xiao Li was a spirit beast, considered a special being. Lu Qing nned to give it five drops.

    Hearing Lu Qing''s words, Xiao Li''s eyes lit up, and it nodded eagerly.

    "Wait here."

    The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid needed to be stored in jade containers to maintain its spirituality.

    Fortunately, there were jade bottles in the alchemy room behind the secret door. Lu Qing fetched one, cleaned it, and filled it with all the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    Then he said, "Open your mouth."

    Xiao Li had been watching eagerly. Hearing this, it was overjoyed, obediently tilting its head and opening its mouth.

    Lu Qing poured five drops of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid from the jade bottle into Xiao Li''s mouth.

    The ck Beast smacked its lips, seemingly enjoying the taste, and happily rolled on the stone tform.

    However, its joy was short-lived. After a while, it felt its eyelids grow heavy and soon fell asleep on the stone tform.

    Lu Qing was not surprised. The heritage mentioned that spirit beasts would generally fall asleep after consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, slowly enhancing their aptitude and purifying their bloodline.

    He picked up Xiao Li and ced it on a nest made of his outer clothes, then sat cross-legged beside it, quietly waiting for it to wake up.

 Chapter 94

    The ck Night Spirit Lynx: A mountain spirit beast, juvenile, female.

    Extremely fast, with sharp ws that can shatter stones and split metal.

    ording to legend, the ck Night Spirit Lynx loves fish but is inherently averse to water, leaving it longing for fish it can never reach.

    This little beast is currently undergoing a peculiar transformation; it may undergo significant changes upon awakening.

    After using his abilities to check Xiao Li''s current condition and finding no problems, Lu Qing rxed.

    He sat nearby, waiting for Xiao Li to wake up, while silently continuing to study the inheritance left by the Divine Rune Sect with his abilities activated.

    The first step in rune cultivation is called "Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart."

    Through specific breathing and meditation techniques, one¡¯s mind is trained to achieve a state of rxation and emptiness.

    In this state, observing the outside world makes it easier to see the essential patterns of all things, triggering inspiration and finding that moment of spiritual resonance, gaining insights into the mysteries of these patterns.Even this first step is not easy for many people.

    Most people in the world are restless and find it difficult to maintain a pure mind.

    The human mind, full of erratic thoughts, is the hardest to control, often giving rise to distracting thoughts and irritability if not careful.

    Naturally pure-hearted people who can easily control their minds are rare.

    Therefore, this first step of rune cultivation, "Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart," stumps countless people.

    For Lu Qing, however, this step was not difficult.

    He had already purified his mind once after the battle at Happy Fort, strengthening his martial spirit.

    Moreover, he had his abilities to assist him.

    When he activated his learning state, he entered a state simr to epiphany, making it extremely easy for him to achieve a state of mental emptiness.

    Thus, he easily aplished the first step of rune cultivation, "Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart."

    After sessfully calming the mind and purifying the heart, the next step was to choose an object for observation.

    One should observe its growth patterns and structure, thenpare these with the runes recorded in the inheritance, looking for connections and understanding the runes.

    The inheritance suggests that beginners in rune cultivation should start by observing simple objects, such asmon grass, stones, or wood.

    This makes it easier to gain insights and verify the runes.

    Lu Qing looked around; the cave chamber had been transformed into jade, devoid of any debris, let alone stones or soil.

    Not knowing when Xiao Li would wake up, he was reluctant to leave the cave.

    After some thought, he took out a piece of silver from his money pouch.

    After all, silver is amon item, simr to grass or stones, and should not be difficult to observe.

    Holding the piece of silver in his hand, Lu Qing began his detailed observation.

    This piece of silver was from the box sent by Mago, pure snowke silver with very high purity and beautiful snowke patterns.

    Lu Qing had never observed a piece of silver so closely before.

    In the state of mental emptiness from "Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart," he watched the silver ording to the Divine Rune Sect¡¯s mental techniques, feeling a noticeable difference from usual.

    The silver seemed magnified in his eyes, revealing some special patterns.

    These patterns seemed somewhat familiar.

    He recalled that some runes recorded in the Divine Rune Sectinheritance bore a slight resemnce.

    "So, this is how one verifies runes?"

    Lu Qing remained calm, but a sense of realization arose in his mind.

    The Divine Rune Sectinheritance included a general outline.

    It recorded three hundred runes, divided into five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, with sixty runes in each element.

    The patterns on this piece of silver shared some simrities with the metal-element runes.

    If Lu Qing couldprehend these simrities, he could use the metal-element runes to connect with the patterns on the silver.

    At that time, even a piece of silver in his hand could be a formidable weapon, unleashing terrifying power.

    However, reaching this level required a profound realm, likely the same as the mysterious existence that had created the jade-transformed cave chamber.

    This was beyond Lu Qing¡¯s current abilities.

    Nheless, this insight gave Lu Qing a deeper understanding of the essence of rune cultivation.

    He realized that observing the patterns of all things and connecting with them was the key.

    With this understanding, Lu Qing became even more interested in rune cultivation.

    He continued observing the piece of silver in his hand, constantlyparing its unique patterns with the runes in his mind, trying to find connections.

    Time passed slowly, and Lu Qing immersed himself in the unique practice of rune cultivation.

    The cave chamber, with its special light, seemed perpetually bright, oblivious to the changes outside.

    It was unclear how much time had passed when a slight movement beside him awakened Lu Qing from his cultivation state.

    "Xiao Li, you''re awake?"

    Lu Qing stopped his cultivation and looked at Xiao Li, who was stretchingzily.

    At this sight, surprise shed in his eyes.

    Xiao Li seemed unchanged in size, still the same small beast.

    However, its ck fur, like mes, had be deeper and its aura more ethereal, giving apletely different impression.

    Lu Qing focused his gaze on the ck Night Spirit Lynx.

    A dense red light with a hint of gold emerged from Xiao Li''s body.

    The ck Night Spirit Lynx: A mountain spirit beast, juvenile, female.

    Extremely fast, with sharp ws that can shatter stones and split metal, cutting through everything.

    It possesses a gifted ability: its fur can distort light, merging it into darkness.

    ording to legend, the ck Night Spirit Lynx loves fish but is inherently averse to water, leaving it longing for fish it can never reach.

    Gold?!

    Lu Qing was astonished to see the golden light emerging from Xiao Li.

    Previously, although Xiao Li was a spirit beast, as a juvenile, its aura was only a faint red light, inferior even to that of the Wei family''s chief steward.

    Unexpectedly, after consuming a few drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, it had directly broken through the limit, reaching a hint of golden level.

    Moreover, the description now indicated it had gained a new gifted ability.

    The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid indeed deserved its reputation as a rare treasure that could enhance one''s aptitude.

    Lu Qing marveled and couldn''t help but look forward to the changes he would undergo after consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    "Xiao Li, how do you feel now? Any changes in your body?" Lu Qing asked expectantly.

    He wanted to see Xiao Li''s newly acquired gifted ability.

    "Yip?"

    Xiao Li tilted its head in confusion, then seemed to sense something.

    The next moment, an extraordinary scene unfolded before Lu Qing.

    The light around Xiao Li twisted.

    Then, Xiao Li suddenly vanished before his eyes.

 Chapter 95

    Lu Qing was astounded as he watched Xiao Li disappear before his eyes. Xiao Li not only hid its body but alsopletely concealed its aura. With Lu Qing¡¯s perception abilities, he couldn¡¯t sense any presence, as if there was no living being before him. Such a perfect hiding talent,bined with those unbreakable ws and teeth, could make Xiao Li the most terrifying night assassin. Even a master-level Internal Organs Realm expert would find it hard to resist its fatal strike.

    At that moment, a ck shadow leapt from another direction¡ªit was Xiao Li. Lu Qing hadn¡¯t noticed when it had moved to another spot. ¡°Can it move without breaking the invisibility effect?¡± Lu Qing marveled as he watched Xiao Li appear as if from another dimension. Xiao Li seemed quite pleased with its new ability, diving in and out of the air, having a great time. From Lu Qing¡¯s perspective, it looked like Xiao Li had the power to pierce through space, constantly disappearing and reappearing.

    ¡°Xiao Li, how long can you maintain this invisibility?¡± Seeing Xiao Li y for a while without showing signs of fatigue, Lu Qing asked. Xiao Li tilted its head, thought for a moment, and let out a cry. ¡°You mean you can maintain the invisibility as long as you want?¡± Having spent so much time with the ck Beast, Lu Qing had learned to understand its expressions. Xiao Li nodded. ¡°Is this a gifted ability? It¡¯s truly unreasonable,¡± Lu Qing sighed in admiration, feeling quite satisfied.

    The five drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid were well worth it. Awakening this talent, Xiao Li¡¯s lethality had increased countless times. More importantly, he no longer needed to worry about Xiao Li being discovered. Not even the Wei family¡¯s chief steward could pose a threat to Xiao Li now. ¡°Xiao Li, with this talent, you cane fishing with us from now on,¡± Lu Qing said with a smile. Usually, to avoid attention, Lu Qing would take Xiao Yan fishing while Xiao Li stayed home. Now, with its invisibility, it could go out even during the day.

    Xiao Li¡¯s eyes lit up instantly at the mention of fishing. Passionate about fish, Xiao Li had always wanted to join Lu Qing, and now it could finally fulfill its wish. ¡°Alright, now it¡¯s my turn to consume the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. Xiao Li, guard me,¡± Lu Qing said after confirming Xiao Li didn¡¯t need more Spirit Liquid. Seeing Xiao Li gain such benefits made him eager to try.

    After instructing Xiao Li, Lu Qing took out a jade bottle and poured a drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid into his mouth. He didn¡¯t consume much. ording to the Shenshen Sect¡¯s records, an ordinary Postnatal being usually needed just one drop to enhance their aptitude to the limit. Lu Qing¡¯s body, being that of an ordinary person, couldn¡¯tpare to the unique spirit beast Xiao Li. So, he decided to start with one drop to avoid waste.

    As the drop entered his stomach, Lu Qing felt a gentle yet strange, vast yet not domineering energy emerge within him. This peculiar energy, full of life force, seemed inherentlypatible with his body. It was swiftly absorbed into his muscles, bones, and every inch of his flesh. Lu Qing felt an unimaginable transformation in his body. A warm,forting sensation rose within him, rxing both his body and mind.

    However, perhaps because he didn¡¯t consume much Spirit Liquid, he felt rxed and slightly drowsy but remained conscious, unlike Xiao Li who fell into a deep sleep. Lu Qing quietly experienced the changes within him. The gentle energy nourished his body, causing a profound transformation not directly enhancing his physical strength but breaking his previous limits from the deepest level, improving his aptitude.

    After a while, Lu Qing noticed the gentle energy was diminishing, but his transformation hadn¡¯t reached its peak. Without hesitation, he took another drop of Spirit Liquid. The gentle energy surged again, continuing his transformation. In total, Lu Qing consumed three drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid before his transformation ended.This surprised Lu Qing. He initially thought one drop would be enough to reach his body¡¯s limit. After all, his original body was innately weak and frail. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have sumbed to a mere cold. Even after enhancing his foundation through martial arts and consuming supplements like the Golden Loach and Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill, his body remained ordinary.

    Unexpectedly, he needed three drops of Spirit Liquid toplete his transformation. Was it because he was a transmigrant or due to his Qi and Blood Realm physique? After pondering for a while without a conclusion, Lu Qing decided not to dwell on it. The more Spirit Liquid his body absorbed, the higher his potential limit, which was entirely beneficial for him.

    Standing up, Lu Qing began practicing the Health Nourishing Boxing. Feeling the flow of energy and performing the moves smoothly, Lu Qing was delighted. He could sense that his body had indeed undergone a drastic transformation. Although the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid didn¡¯t directly enhance his Blood Qi, his current Qi and Blood Realm remained the same. Yet, he could now overpower several of his former self.

    His potential had increased, allowing him to exert much more strength at the same level. ¡°In that case, the ginseng I dug up earlier won¡¯t be enough,¡± Lu Qing mused. He had previously found a two-hundred-year-old ginseng and three hundred-year-old ginsengs, plus one more at home. Together, they were enough to refine enough Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills to reach the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm.

    Now, with his enhanced physique from the Spirit Liquid, he needed more resources to reach the peak quickly. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to keep digging,¡± Lu Qing decided. ¡°Xiao Li, let¡¯s go out.¡± Having obtained all the opportunities in the cave, there was no need to stay. Not knowing the time outside, he was concerned about his master and Xiao Yan worrying. They could return anytime, so there was no need to linger.

    Exiting the cave, they returned to the valley. The bright sunlight outside indicated it was morning. Not knowing if it was the second or third day since they entered the mountains, Lu Qing thought about their overnight absence and his master¡¯s potential worry. Without lingering, he left the valley. Before leaving, Lu Qing took a deep look at the cave behind the waterfall. This expedition with Xiao Li had yielded enormous gains.

    He obtained not only a powerful master¡¯s technique but also the mysterious and extraordinary inheritance of the Shenshen Sect. Plus, the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. Any one of these treasures would cause a frenzy outside. Such great opportunities fell solely to him, making Lu Qing feel incredulous.

    ...

    After leaving the valley, Lu Qing and Xiao Li didn¡¯t return to the vige immediately. Realizing it was morning, Lu Qing didn¡¯t rush home. Having already spent so long in the mountains, another half day wouldn¡¯t hurt. So, he continued searching for ginseng to ensure enough resources for reaching the Qi and Blood Realm¡¯s peak.

    This time, Lu Qing didn¡¯t insist on finding the ginseng himself. Instead, he relied on Xiao Li¡¯s extraordinary sensing ability to lead him to the right spots. After consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Xiao Li¡¯s sensing ability seemed enhanced. Under its guidance, Lu Qing soon dug up several hundred-year-old ginsengs, even finding a three-hundred-year-old one!

    Yet, the surprises didn¡¯t end there. In the end, they found a five-hundred-year-old treasure ginseng! Yes, a treasure ginseng. Seeing the red-dominant aura, Lu Qing knew this ginseng was a true treasure. ¡°This should be the oldest ginseng we can find in this area,¡± Lu Qing judged, looking around. After gaining the Shenshen Sect¡¯s inheritance, he understood why this forest had so many hundred-year-old ginsengs and even the Tianshi herb, which didn¡¯t share the same environment.

    The reason was simple. It was all due to the mysterious being who created the Jade Cave. After creating the cave, the Shenshen Sect¡¯s mysterious being scattered herb seeds in the forest, intending to cultivate it into a herb field. The cave¡¯s mysterious patterns formed a rune array named Earth Pivot Gathering Array, which gathered and refined the earth¡¯s essence, nurturing the surrounding herbs and trees.

    The Jade Cave condensed the essence into the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, blessing the herbs in the area with a touch of spiritual charm, exining why the ginseng Xiao Li brought back had exceptional efficacy. The spiritual charm made the herbs potent. Lu Qing realized that ginseng over five hundred years old would develop a spiritual sense, capable of avoiding danger. Such a spirit herb could move, making it impossible for him and Xiao Li to find it.

    However, the five-hundred-year-old ginseng was sufficient for Lu Qing¡¯s current needs. With this treasure ginseng, he had all the resources to reach the Qi and Blood Realm¡¯s peak. Carefully, Lu Qing dug up the five-hundred-year-old ginseng, wrapped it, and ced it in his medicine pouch, feeling content. Seeing the sunlight filtering through the tree gaps, he noticed it was near noon. ¡°Xiao Li, let¡¯s go home. If we don¡¯t return, Xiao Yan will cry again!¡±

    Xiao Li jumped onto Lu Qing¡¯s shoulder, looking happy. It missed the little biped and the fresh fish feast at home. Having not eaten a single fish in the mountains, it was now craving. With Xiao Li, Lu Qing traversed the mountains for half a day before finally emerging from the forest. Only a martial artist like him, guided by Xiao Li, could manage such a feat. Other herb gatherers wouldn¡¯t find their way out

    even after three days and nights.

    Standing on a mountaintop, looking at Jiuli Vige ahead, Lu Qing smiled sincerely. The mountains were wonderful, with various treasures and the mystical Jade Cave. But only in Jiuli Vige did his heart truly rx. Unconsciously, he hade to see it as his real home in this world. Tightening the medicine pouch on his back, Lu Qing walked toward the vige.

    Upon arrival, he met a viger. The viger, seeing Lu Qing, happily greeted him, ¡°Ah Qing, you¡¯re back from gathering herbs?¡± ¡°Yes, just got back. Uncle Hong, how long have I been in the mountains?¡± Uncle Hong was puzzled, ¡°You went into the mountains and don¡¯t know the time?¡± ¡°I spent a long time in a cave gathering a particr herb and fell asleep, so I lost track of time,¡± Lu Qing exined. ¡°No wonder,¡± Uncle Hong understood, ¡°You¡¯ve been in the mountains for three days.¡±

    ¡°Three days?¡± Lu Qing was shocked. He didn¡¯t realize Xiao Li slept for so long or that he spent so much time studying the patterns on the silver. It didn¡¯t feel that long to him. More importantly, he worried about Xiao Yan¡¯s anxiety over his two-day absence. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect it to be so long. Uncle Hong, I need to go back to my master¡¯s ce quickly, or Xiao Yan will cry again.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Uncle Hong waved.

    Lu Qing waved back and ran toward the Halfway House.

 Chapter 96

    "Brother, you''re back!"

    As soon as Lu Qing arrived at the Halfway House, a small figure ran out from inside and jumped into his arms.

    Gently catching the little one and holding her up, Lu Qing felt a sense of relief seeing Xiao Yan''s happy face.

    Thankfully, the little one didn''t cry.

    "Yes, I''m back. Did Xiao Yan behave at home?" Lu Qing asked lovingly while holding his sister.

    "Of course, I did. This time, even though Brother didn''te back at night, Xiao Yan didn''t cry," the little one boasted.

    "Xiao Yan is amazing!" Lu Qing praised without hesitation.

    It was quite surprising that the little one didn''t cry.

    "Because Grandpa Chen said that Brother is very powerful now and would be fine. Knowing that Brother woulde back, Xiao Yan didn''t cry," the little one exined seriously."Yes, Brother is very powerful now," Lu Qing said, rubbing the little one''s head.

    "You''re back. Why did you stay in the mountains for so long this time?"

    Old Doctor Chen walked out of the courtyard at this moment.

    "Master," Lu Qing put Xiao Yan down, his expression turning serious, "there were some unexpected situations that caused concern."

    "There''s no need to worry. It''s not easy to gather herbs in the mountains, so it''s normal not to return on time," the old doctor waved his hand.

    The old doctor often went into the mountains to gather herbs himself, so he knew what it was like in the mountains.

    Sometimes, even if it was sunny outside the mountains, there could be a sudden mountain rain inside.

    Not to mention the mountain fog that could spread at any time.

    With a little carelessness, it was normal to be trapped inside for several days.

    If Lu Qing hadn''t already reached a minor achievement in the Qi and Blood Realm and had the strange Spirit Beast, Xiao Li, the old doctor wouldn''t have agreed to let him go into the mountains alone to gather herbs.

    "By the way, where''s your ck Beast? Why didn''t ite back with you?" the old doctor asked curiously.

    These days, the old doctor had seen Xiao Li and seemed to sense the natural kindness in the old doctor''s aura, so Xiao Li didn''t reject him.

    "Yes, Brother, where''s Xiao Li? Did ite home?" Xiao Yan also asked.

    "Aw~"

    Before Lu Qing could answer, a sound was heard, immediately attracting Xiao Yan''s attention.

    "It''s Xiao Li!"

    The little one yed with Xiao Li every day, even sleeping together, so she was very familiar with its sound.

    Hearing this sound, she immediately looked around, "Xiao Li, where are you?"

    But no matter how she looked, she couldn''t find Xiao Li''s figure, which puzzled her little head.

    She clearly heard the sound right beside her, but where was Xiao Li hiding?

    On the contrary, the old doctor was now looking at Lu Qing with some uncertainty.

    He could tell that the sound came from Lu Qing''s side.

    But he didn''t see Xiao Li''s figure, and Lu Qing didn''t seem to be hiding the ck Beast.

    Could it be hidden in the medicine basket?

    The old doctor looked at the medicine basket on Lu Qing''s back.

    "Xiao Li, stop ying around. Come out."

    Seeing that his master and Xiao Yan were confused, Lu Qing smiled and patted his shoulder.

    Then, under the watchful eyes of the old doctor and Xiao Yan, Xiao Li released its invisibility.

    Seeing Xiao Li suddenly appear on Lu Qing''s shoulder with a proud look, both the old doctor and Xiao Yan were stunned.

    Especially Xiao Yan, whose eyes and mouth were wide open in shock.

    Seeing this, Xiao Li became even more proud, raising its tail high.

    "A Qing, this is..."

    The old doctor was very surprised. He could confirm that he really hadn''t noticed Xiao Li staying on Lu Qing''s shoulder just now.

    At such a close distance, for even someone like him in the Internal Organs Realm not to notice, when did Xiao Li''s hiding ability be so powerful?

    "This little thing had some lucky encounters in the mountains this time and awakened a very good talent. It''s showing off to you," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    With a swish, Xiao Li jumped in front of Xiao Yan, looking proud, as if waiting for her praise.

    Xiao Yan didn''t disappoint it and immediately picked it up, her face full of disbelief.

    "Xiao Li, you''re amazing! How did you do that?"

    "Aw~"

    Being praised, Xiao Li was even happier.

    It jumped down from Xiao Yan''s arms, ran around her in circles, and, like performing magic, drilled through the air, making Xiao Yan exim repeatedly.

    The old doctor, watching Xiao Li''s disy as if it was traversing through space, couldn''t help but feel a bit shaken.

    Even though he wasn''t skilled inbat, he could see how terrifying Xiao Li''s ability was.

    "A Qing, what did you encounter in the mountains that caused such a big change in Xiao Li?" the old doctor couldn''t help but ask.

    "Let''s talk inside, Master," Lu Qing said, tightening the medicine basket on his back.

    In the courtyard, Xiao Li and Xiao Yan were ying hide-and-seek.

    Lu Qing and his master went into the house.

    "Master, this time in the mountains, Xiao Li and I had quite a harvest. First, these herbs."

    Lu Qing put down the medicine basket on his back and took out the herbs one by one.

    "Tian Qi, Angelica, Tian Qi, Ginseng... Wait, this ginseng?!"

    The old doctor looked at the herbs Lu Qing took out, each one surprising him.

    Not to mention the quality of the herbs, which were exceptionally good, just the Tian Qi alone was enough to surprise him.

    When did this mountain behind Jiuli Vige start producing Tian Qi?

    When he saw the ginseng that Lu Qing took out, the old doctor almost jumped up.

    Because he saw that the ginseng''s roots and hairs wereplete, almost forming a human shape!

    Based on his experience, ginseng of this quality had to be at least four or five hundred years old, a true treasure, priceless and rare.

    But that wasn''t all. Even after taking out that treasure ginseng, Lu Qing continued to take out herbs from the medicine basket.

    And all of them were ginseng, each at least a hundred years old, with two or three even surpassing that.

    "Master, this time in the mountains, I gathered these herbs."

    After taking out thest ginseng and cing it on the ground, Lu Qing said.

    "Just these?"

    The old doctor looked at the long row of hundred-year-old ginsengs on the ground and was somewhat speechless at his disciple.

    "With just these ginsengs, I''ve gathered only a few in my lifetime. You went into the mountains once and dug up a whole lot. Did you find a ginseng nest?"

    "More or less," Lu Qingughed, "the ce Xiao Li led me to had a lot of ginseng. I only picked the ones with enough years."

    "You really found a ginseng nest?" the old doctor eximed. "Xiao Li is indeed amazing to find such a treasure trove."

    He finally understood why Lu Qing had been dyed in the mountains for so long.

    So many precious herbs, if it were him, he would also be reluctant to leave the mountains quickly.

    As a healer, seeing good herbs made it hard to move away.

    "Master, I would like to ask you to help refine these ginsengs into Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills."

    "All of these ginsengs into Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills?" the old doctor was puzzled, "You are already at a minor achievement in the Qi and Blood Realm. With at most four or five hundred-year-old ginsengs, it would be enough for you to cultivate to the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm. Why refine so many Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills?"

    "This is another fortunate encounter I had in the mountains."

    Lu Qing took out a small jade bottle from his pocket.

    "Master, in the mountains, I discovered a miraculous spirit liquid in a cave."

 Chapter 97

    "Master, during my recent trip into the mountains, I stumbled upon a peculiar cave. In there, I found a type of spiritual liquid. Xiao Li¡¯s unique ability awakened after consuming it," Lu Qing said, holding a jade bottle in his hand. "I also took a few drops and gained significant benefits."

    "Oh, what kind of spiritual liquid is so miraculous?" The old doctor¡¯s curiosity was piqued.

    "ording to the records in the cave, it''s called Earth Vein Spirit Liquid," Lu Qing replied.

    To his surprise, his master was so shocked upon hearing this that he stood up immediately. "What? Earth Vein Spirit Liquid?!"

    "Master, you know about Earth Vein Spirit Liquid?" Lu Qing was astonished to see his master so knowledgeable about it.

    "I didn¡¯t originally know. It¡¯s only recently that I learned such a spiritual liquid exists," the old doctor said, calming himself before sitting back down. "Not long ago, the Wei family gifted me the ''Qing Nang Medical ssic.'' This masterpiece mentions some very magical elixirs, and Earth Vein Spirit Liquid is among them."

    "In the ''Qing Nang Medical ssic,'' the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid is highly praised. It¡¯s said to revive the dead, heal bones, extend lifespan, and is far more wondrous than any medicine."

    "However, the method to produce this mysterious liquid has been lost for ages. How did you find it?"

    Lu Qing smiled, "It was mostly luck. Xiao Li discovered the ce." He continued, "The ''Qing Nang Medical ssic'' does not fully describe the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. It can not only revive the dead, heal bones, and extend lifespan, but also enhance one¡¯s potential and aptitude.""Xiao Li¡¯s hidden talent was awakened after consuming this liquid. I, too, experienced a significant improvement in my aptitude, requiring more resources to cultivate to the perfect stage of Qi and Blood. Thus, I wanted Master to refine more Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills."

    "Is that so?" The old doctor was amazed. He looked at his disciple and said, "You seem to know the effects of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid very well. Clearly, obtaining the liquid wasn¡¯t all you gained."

    "Yes, I also received some inheritance that includes information about the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid," Lu Qing admitted.

    "You have truly profound fortune to find such a spiritual substance," the old doctor nodded, not inquiring further about the inheritance, knowing his disciple would share if it were convenient.

    "It¡¯s mainly thanks to Xiao Li," Lu Qing said modestly. "Without Xiao Li leading me, I would never have found that strange ce."

    "Xiao Li truly is a spiritual creature. Choosing to feed it fish instead of driving it away was indeed a great act of kindness," the old doctor said with satisfaction.

    Lu Qing silently chuckled, thinking to himself that he didn¡¯t dare provoke Xiao Li back then. He shook the small jade bottle in his hand. "Master, this Earth Vein Spirit Liquid can revive the dead and heal bones, and also extend lifespan. I want to offer it to you to repay your teachings."

    The old doctor eyed the jade bottle. It was impossible not to be moved by an elixir that could increase lifespan. Even someone as detached as he was would wish to live a bit longer.

    "Such a precious liquid would be wasted on an old man like me. You should keep it for yourself," the old doctor said after some contemtion.

    Lu Qing was stunned but understood that his master wanted him to keep the valuable liquid for himself. Touched, Lu Qing smiled and said, "Master, don¡¯t worry. I obtained quite a lot of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. Besides the ones in this jade bottle, I have more."

    "Moreover, the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid has a limit to its aptitude enhancement effect. Each being can only benefit from up to five drops. Any more than that, and it only serves as a healing aid."

    "So, please, take these five drops. It won¡¯t affect me," Lu Qing assured him.

    "Is this true?" The old doctor was skeptical. To him, such a rare elixir must be incredibly scarce.

    Lu Qing replied earnestly, "How could I deceive you, Master? The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid is not concocted from medicinal stones but nurtured in a ce as mysterious as the cave. It takes twenty years to produce a single drop."

    "No one has visited that cave for centuries, so it umted quite a bit, which I have collected."

    Seeing Lu Qing¡¯s sincerity, the old doctor finally epted the jade bottle. "Then I¡¯ll ept it shamelessly," he said.

    Relieved, Lu Qing smiled, "Master, please take the liquid soon. The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid can extend life by fifty years and restore the body to its peak condition."

    "No rush. I¡¯ll study it first," the old doctor replied, more interested in examining the liquid.

    Understanding his master¡¯s passion for medicine, Lu Qing didn''t mind. However, he knew his master¡¯s effort would be in vain since the liquid¡¯s creation involved mysterious methods beyond their understanding.

    Indeed, after a long study, the old doctor could not decipher anything. "No wonder the medical sage highly praised this elixir. It¡¯s truly magical," he sighed, giving up the research.

    "Master..." Lu Qing prompted.

    "You won¡¯t rest until you see me consume it, will you?" The old doctorughed. "Do you fear I might hoard it? Fine, I¡¯ll go into seclusion now."

    With that, the old doctor went into seclusion. Lu Qing guarded him, preventing any disturbance. Fortunately, the Halfway House was quiet that day, with no vigersing for treatment.

    Half a dayter, Lu Qing heard the door to the seclusion room open. Turning around, he saw his master emerging, looking a bit bewildered.

 Chapter 98

    "Master, what happened?"

    When Lu Qing saw his master, he immediately noticed that he looked much younger.

    His skin had be more firm, and his once gray hair had turned significantly darker.

    However, his master seemed somewhat lost, as if he was unsure about his changes, his face full of confusion.

    "I think I broke through," the old doctor said, bewildered.

    "Broke through?" Lu Qing was initially stunned, then overjoyed. "Master, are you saying you''ve reached the peak of the Internal Organs Realm?"

    Lu Qing remembered that his master''s martial arts level was initially at the Great Aplishment of the Internal Organs Realm, just a step away from the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, the level of a grandmaster.

    Now that he had broken through, he must have reached the peak of the Postnatal Realm.

    However, the old doctor still looked confused. "It feels like the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, but not quite.""Hmm?" Lu Qing''s expression changed.

    He quietly activated his ability and looked at his master.

    Soon, his vision revealed a dense red glow around his master.

    Several pieces of information appeared.

    [Chen Songqing: Excellent medical skills, kind-hearted, respected, a good old doctor.]

    [Cultivation: Qi Apertures loosened, Soul Force not formed, Half-step Precelestial.]

    [Practiced medicine all his life, saved countless lives, possesses great merit and deep blessings.]

    Half-step Precelestial? Is there such a realm?

    Lu Qing was initially stunned, then he pondered those words.

    Qi Apertures loosened, Soul Force not formed?

    "Master, how do you feel now?"

    After thinking for a moment, Lu Qing asked.

    "I can vaguely sense that I have touched a new realm, but I don''t know how to open that door," the old doctor said with some frustration.

    Of course, he knew what realm he was sensing.

    It was the Precelestial Realm he had longed for, the supreme realm that countless martial artists dream of.

    However, with the supreme realm right before his eyes, he didn''t know how to take that step, a feeling that was quite ufortable.

    Lu Qing pondered.

    He had some understanding of his master''s current state.

    ording to the inheritance left by Li Weitian, to enter the Precelestial Realm, one must first forge Soul Force.

    Then, using Soul Force, one must break through the Qi Apertures, draw Qi into the body, and refine the first wisp of Precelestial True Qi to officially advance to the Precelestial Realm.

    Currently, his master''s Qi Apertures were about to open, but he had not formed Soul Force, so he could not draw Qi into his body.

    "Master, do you not know how to break through to the Precelestial Realm?" Lu Qing asked.

    "I only know that for a martial artist at the peak of the Postnatal Realm to break through to the Precelestial Realm, one must have a Precelestial Law to guide them. Only then can they break through that barrier and advance to that profound realm."

    "But what exactly the Precelestial Law looks like, I have never had the chance to see."

    "Moreover, such secret techniques are rted to the secrets of the Precelestial. Who would easily show them to others?"

    "Even those major sects and noble families that have produced Precelestial experts only allow the most core and excellent disciples and heirs to ess them."

    "Your master is just a wandering doctor, how could I have the fortune to glimpse such profound techniques?"

    The old doctor''s tone was filled with regret.

    He had once thought that he would never have the chance to touch the Precelestial Realm in his lifetime.

    He hadn''t even dared to hope to reach the peak of the Postnatal Realm.

    After all, he was really old, his vitality long past its peak. Maintaining the Great Aplishment of the Internal Organs Realm was already not easy, let alone advancing further.

    Unexpectedly, he could still benefit from his disciple''s fortune, having the chance to take the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    His martial arts level, which had not progressed for many years, suddenly surged forward, sensing the barrier between the Postnatal and Precelestial.

    Unfortunately, the opportunity for advancement was right in front of him, but he didn''t have the key to open the door.

    Even the usually indifferent old doctor couldn''t help but feel regret.

    Seeing the regret on his master''s face, Lu Qing smiled slightly.

    "Master, don''t be disheartened. Although we don''t have the foundation of major sects and noble families, obtaining a mere Precelestial Law is not that difficult."

    "Hmm? What did you say?"

    The old doctor looked at Lu Qing in astonishment.

    "Didn''t I tell you before, Master? I obtained some inheritance in that mysterious cave, and it just so happens that there is a Precelestial Law in it."

    "Aqing, is what you said true?" The old doctor was stunned.

    "Of course it''s true. I will transcribe the Precelestial Law for you right now."

    Lu Qing got up and went to the medicine cab.

    Since he sometimes needed to prescribe medicine for others, the old doctor kept ink, paper, and a brush there.

    Lu Qing took them out, added water to the inkstone, ground the ink,id out the paper, and began to write quickly.

    After some practice and further control over his body strength, Lu Qing''s calligraphy had greatly improved.

    Even though he was writing quickly, his handwriting was not messy.

    Soon, he had transcribed the Precelestial Law left by Li Weitian.

    "Master, the key to advancing from the Postnatal to the Precelestial Realm is to forge one''s Soul Force. Then, using Soul Force, break through the Qi Apertures, sense the Heaven and Earth Qi, draw Qi into the body, and refine the first wisp of Precelestial True Qi in the Dantian."

    "The so-called Precelestial Law is actually a secret technique that can forge Soul Force. I was fortunate to obtain such a technique in the inheritance."

    "I was nning to give you a surprise when you reached the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, but I didn''t expect this day toe so soon."

    "This ''Essence Forging Spirit Technique'' is now presented to you, Master."

    Lu Qing handed the transcribed Precelestial Law to his master.

    The old doctor took it dazedly and slowly read it.

    As he read, his eyes grew brighter.

    Although the old doctor was not fond of fighting, it was because he disliked harming others'' lives, not because he didn''t practice martial arts.

    In fact, his martial aptitude was also very high.

    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to deduce Health Nourishing Boxing, an Internal Organs Realm technique, from a fragmented, nameless martial art, and cultivate it to the Great Aplishment of the Internal Organs Realm.

    Furthermore, having practiced medicine for most of his life, his understanding of the human body''s meridians and acupoints was profound, giving him great insight into health cultivation.

    Thus, he could see at a nce how profound the Precelestial Law transcribed by Lu Qing was.

    The detailed descriptions of how to operate one''s Essence and forge Soul Force were things he had never imagined.

    For a moment, the old doctor was fascinated.

    After reading it, he read it twice more before letting out a long breath.

    He sighed, "No wonder it''s called a Precelestial Law, it''s truly incredible. I never thought there could be such a subtle connection between human Essence and Soul Force."

    "Master, how is it? Does this Precelestial Law help you?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Help? It''s more than helpful; it''s like a revtion. I always thought I had some achievement in medicine, but seeing this Precelestial secret technique today, I realize that the human body''s mysteries are vast and profound. My previous medical knowledge was just the shallow understanding of a frog at the bottom of a well."

    The old doctor sighed sincerely, feeling extremely pleased.

    From this Precelestial Law, he gained not only the method to forge Soul Force but also various insights into the rtionship between human Essence and Soul Force.

    This was an immense benefit to his medical skills.

    In fact, thetter made him happier than the former.

    As a doctor, the old doctor had a deep, intrinsic love for medical skills.

    Any improvement in his medical skills brought him joy.

    "Master, with the help of this Precelestial Law, how long will it take for you to advance to the Precelestial Realm?" Lu Qing continued to ask.

    "It''s hard to say. After pondering it, I think I can sessfully forge my Soul Force within a year, maybe six months if I''m fast."

    "Will it take that long?" Lu Qing was somewhat surprised.

    "You silly child, you really don''t understand the hardship of cultivation."

    "Ask any martial artist at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm. If they were certain they could forge their Soul Force and advance to the Precelestial Realm within a year or six months, imagine how ecstatic they would be."

    "Do you know how many grandmasters at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm never touch that Precelestial barrier in their entire lives?"

    "Given my old age, if it weren''t for the few drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid you gave me, even if I sensed that barrier and obtained the Precelestial Law, it would take me three to five years to forge my Soul Force."

    "And you think it''s too slow?"

    The old doctor was somewhat helpless.

    His disciple had such a great talent in martial arts that he faced no difficulties in cultivation, progressing smoothly all the way.

    As a result, Lu Qing didn''t have a personal experience of the hardships of the martial path.

    His path had been too smooth, which might not be a good thing for him.

    "It was foolish of me." Lu Qing

    smiled sheepishly.

    He had seen the information revealed by his ability, indicating that his master was now at half-step Precelestial.

    He had thought that once his master obtained the Precelestial Law, he could quickly forge his Soul Force and advance to the Precelestial Realm.

    In that case, he would have a Precelestial master to rely on, which was a thrilling prospect.

    He hadn''t realized that he was being overly optimistic.

    "You..."

    The old doctor didn''t know what to say, only shaking his head.

    "Master, once you officially advance to the Precelestial Realm, I have another technique for you, to congratte you on your breakthrough," Lu Qing said.

    "Aqing, what kind of inheritance did you get? You remember so many Precelestial techniques so clearly?"

    Even the old doctor couldn''t help his curiosity, asking.

    Also, he was amazed by how Lu Qing had transcribed the Precelestial Law earlier.

    Although he had spent a long time with Lu Qing and knew he had an excellent memory, almost photographic, the ''Essence Forging Spirit Technique'' was exceptionally profound and precise. A single mistake could have serious consequences.

    Lu Qing had transcribed it confidently, clearly believing there were no mistakes.

    Now he said he would present another Precelestial technique in the future.

    How long had Lu Qing been in the mountains, and how could he remember so many Precelestial techniques?

    "The inheritance I received in that cave was not recorded on paper or bamboo slips."

    Lu Qing had already prepared an exnation for his master''s doubts.

    "It was imprinted directly in my mind by a mysterious expert using Soul Force. I couldn''t forget it even if I wanted to, so you don''t need to worry."

    "Soul Force imprinting? Such a miraculous method exists in the world?"

    The old doctor was amazed.

    But then he realized that the person who could create something like Earth Vein Spirit Liquid would naturally have divine methods beyond hisprehension as a mere Postnatal cultivator.

    "So, Master, you can focus on your cultivation in theing days without worrying about subsequent techniques," Lu Qing said.

    "Passing on the techniques to me, won''t there be any problems?" the old doctor asked, concerned.

    He knew that many major sects and noble families took their inheritances extremely seriously.

    Lu Qing''s inheritance was likely from some mysterious sect.

    Passing on techniques without permission was a grave offense in any sect.

    "Don''t worry, Master. The senior who passed on the techniques to me has been gone for many years and didn''t leave any instructions against sharing the techniques. It''s entirely up to me," Lu Qing reassured.

    Li Weitian had been dead for seven or eight hundred years, and even his remains had turned to skeletons.

    Having someone inherit the techniques was already fortunate; there was no need for him to be picky.

    The old doctor finally rxed.

    He was all smiles, "I never expected that in my old age, I could benefit from my disciple''s fortune and have the chance to glimpse the Precelestial Realm, a dream for countless martial artists. This world is indeed full of surprises!"

    Looking at Lu Qing, the old doctor was filled with emotion.

    He could never have imagined that the disciple he had taken on a whim would bring him such great opportunities.

    Not only did it extend his life by several decades, but now he also had the chance to advance to the Precelestial Realm.

    The old doctor almost wondered if he was dreaming.

    Seeing his master happy, Lu Qing was also very pleased.

    Once his master broke through, he would have a Precelestial master as a backing.

    Even if his master wasn''t good at fighting, a Precelestial master was still a Precelestial master. No Postnatal cultivator would dare to provoke him.

    At that time, he could pass on a more powerful technique to his master. This way, even among Precelestial cultivators, his master would be a strong presence.

    After all, it was a technique left by Li Weitian.

    A genius who dominated an era as a peak Precelestial cultivator had passed it down.

    Any Precelestial who obtained it would rise to the upper echelons of the Precelestial Realm.

    With such a powerful master, he could walk with his head held high in Cang County.

    The ck Wolf Gang would be nothing but a joke.

    Even the Wei family would not dare to provoke a Precelestial expert.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing felt excited.

    "Does this count as a different kind of nurturing?" Lu Qing thought with some amusement.

    While others nurtured little children or animals, he was nurturing his master into a Precelestial expert.

    The difference was quite significant.

 Chapter 99

    "Brother, what is this?"

    In the evening, at the Lu family residence, after dinner, Xiao Yan looked at the jade bottle that Lu Qing had taken out and asked curiously.

    "Something good, a dessert after dinner, for you to eat," Lu Qing replied with a smile.

    "Sweet?" The little one''s eyes lit up immediately.

    She loved sweet things.

    "Yes, it''s a bit sweet. Try it."

    Xiao Yan obediently opened her mouth, and Lu Qing dripped a drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid into it.

    "It really is sweet!"

    Xiao Yan smacked her lips happily.Then she looked at Lu Qing eagerly, "Brother, just one drop?"

    "This thing can''t be eaten too much. Since you like sweet things, tomorrow I''ll make you some sweets."

    Xiao Yan was still young, and the energy of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was extraordinary. Although the medicine was mild, Lu Qing dared not give her too much at once.

    He wanted to see the effect with just one drop first.

    If she could digest it well, he would give her moreter.

    "Then it''s a deal, brother." Xiao Yan was instantly delighted.

    After taking a drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Xiao Yan quickly became drowsy.

    Soon, her eyelids grew heavy, and she slowly fell asleep next to her brother.

    Lu Qing picked her up, ced her on a small bed, and covered her with a nket.

    Xiao Li also jumped up, lying in its small bamboo nest at the head of the bed, silently guarding the little two-legged creature.

    After making sure Xiao Yan was covered properly and feeling her steady breathing, Lu Qing felt relieved, walked out of the room, and sat down in his favorite recliner in the courtyard.

    It was now close to dusk. Lu Qing looked at the distant sunset, feeling a sense of peace.

    Although his trip to the mountains had been very fruitful, gaining opportunities that others dared not even dream of, his spirit had been quite tense in the mountains.

    After all, the mountains were full of poisonous insects and snakes. If he rxed too much, he could easily fall into misfortune.

    Now back home, he could finally fully rx.

    Watching the sunset, he let his mind wander for a while, then began to think again.

    His master was now helping him refine the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills.

    Originally, he wanted to help and practice his pill-refining skills.

    But his master, having just broken through and full of energy, found him a hindrance and kicked him out of the medicine room.

    He said that refining some Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills was simple, and he didn''t need any help.

    Moreover, using Hundred-year-old Ginseng to practice pill refining was too wasteful. He couldn''t bear to see Lu Qing squander such good medicinal materials.

    Lu Qing didn''t insist. Anyway, he knew the method for refining the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills. He could practiceter.

    Once his master finished refining the pills, he could fully focus on cultivation.

    Then his strength would rapidly advance.

    Now, he just needed to wait calmly for two or three days.

    Besides martial arts cultivation, the study of runes could not be neglected.

    Although the path of runes was weak in the early stages, once truly mastered, it could control various mysterious powers, which was iparable to martial arts.

    How could Lu Qing give up such a magical power?

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing took out a piece of broken silver from his pocket, activated his ability, and entered the state of Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart, observing slowly.

    Previously in the Jade Cave, he had gained some insight, which waster interrupted by Xiao Li''s awakening.

    Now he could continue hisprehension.

    As the sky gradually darkened, Lu Qing, in his state ofprehension, didn''t feel the passage of time.

    It was only when the moon hung on the branches and the stars shone brightly in the deep night that he suddenly came to his senses.

    He looked around, then up at the sky, feeling a bit dazed.

    "It''s already this time. The study of runes really makes one forget the passage of time."

    Earlier in the Jade Cave, he had only felt that a few hours had passed, but in reality, a whole day and night had gone by outside.

    "However, the time spent is worth it."

    Lu Qing looked at the silver in his hand and smiled.

    He had gained some understanding of the patterns on the silver.

    He believed that with a few more sessions, he could fullyprehend it.

    Of course, understanding the patterns on a piece of silver didn''t mean he had mastered the path of runes.

    If the path of runes were that simple, it wouldn''t have disappeared, leaving only a Jade Cave.

    This inheritance was profound and mysterious. Lu Qing had a long way to go to truly master it.

    Putting away the silver, Lu Qing got up and found that his clothes were damp with dew.

    It was fortunate that he was now a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist with a strong physique.

    If an ordinary person with a weaker body sat in the courtyard for half a night, they would probably catch a cold.

    Shaking his head, Lu Qing circted his Blood Qi, raising his body temperature to quickly evaporate the moisture, then returned to the house to rest.

    Early the next morning, Lu Qing got up, practiced boxing a few times, and then went to make breakfast.

    As soon as he finished making breakfast, he heard Xiao Yan and Xiao Li ying in the room.

    He walked into the room and saw the two little ones rolling around on the bed.

    "Brother!"

    Seeing Lu Qinge in, Xiao Yan immediately called out.

    "Awake? How do you feel after sleeping all night?"

    "Brother, Xiao Yan seems to have turned white!"

    The little one stretched out her hand, rolled up her sleeve, and showed Lu Qing her chubby little arm.

    The originally somewhat dark arm was now as white and tender as a lotus root, very cute.

    In fact, Lu Qing had already noticed Xiao Yan''s changes without her showing.

    Recently, the food at home had been quite good, and under his care, Xiao Yan''s body was much better than when he first crossed over.

    She had gained a lot of weight, and even her originally yellowish hair had improved a lot.

    Although it had improved, the time for conditioning was still short, and her hair was still somewhat yellow.

    Also, because she yed outside every day, her skin was a bit tanned.

    But now, her hair was ck and shiny, and her skin had be white and tender.

    She had be even cuter and more endearing.

    "Yes, not only has your skin turned white, but your hair has also turned ck," Lu Qing nodded.

    "Really? Xiao Yan''s hair has turned ck?" The little one¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Ever since her ymates said her hair was ugly, Xiao Yan had been very conscious of her hair.

    Hearing her brother say her hair had turned ck, she became very concerned.

    "Of course, you''ll see when you wash up," Lu Qing nodded.

    Xiao Yan immediately climbed out of bed, "Brother, I''m going to brush my teeth and wash my face!"

    She ran outside to the washbasin and looked at her reflection in the water. After a while, she shouted happily, "Brother, Xiao Yan''s hair has really turned ck!"

    "Brother already told you, if you eat well and sleep well, your hair will soon be beautiful," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    At the same time, he activated his ability to secretly check the little one''s information.

    Soon, a faint red light appeared on Xiao Yan''s body.

    [Lu Xiao Yan: A human child, female.]

    [A lucky little one. After taking the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, she seems to have awakened a special talent.]

    [Ice Muscle and Jade Bone (not fully activated): Pure body, free of impurities, as pure as ice and jade, a natural cultivation seed, with double the effect when practicing water and cold attribute techniques.]

    Seeing the information on Xiao Yan''s body, Lu Qing was very surprised.

    Not only because of the red light, which was on the same level as Xiao Li''s ability, but also because of the two notes.

    Under the stimtion of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Xiao Yan had actually awakened a talent called Ice Muscle and Jade Bone.

    And this talent, ording to the notes, was quite powerful.

    It was simply a natural cultivation genius.

    However...

    "Not fully activated?"

    Lu Qing looked at the words on the third note and pondered.

    Was it because she had only taken one drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid?

    Lu Qing felt it was likely.

    Xiao Li had awakened its invisibility talent only after taking five drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    Xiao Yan had only taken one drop, which was certainly not enough.

    To fully activate this Ice Muscle and Jade Bone talent, she would probably need a few more drops of the liquid.

    But, he had plenty of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    From the Jade Cave, Lu Qing had obtained about forty drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid in total.

    He had used three drops himself, given five drops each to Xiao Li and his master, and given one drop to Xiao Yanst night, using a total of fourteen drops.

    Now he still had more than twenty drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid left.

    Even if he used four more drops on Xiao Yan, he would still have about twenty drops remaining.

    These twenty drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, besides the ten drops he needed to save for practicing the Essence Forging Spirit Technique of the Divine Rune Sect, he would still have ten drops left for emergencies.

    So Lu Qing was not worried about running out of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    On the contrary, seeing that Xiao Yan had unexpectedly awakened such a special cultivation

    talent made Lu Qing happy but also a bit speechless.

    After taking the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, both Xiao Li and Xiao Yan had awakened talents, and his master''s cultivation had also improved, soon to break through to the Precelestial Realm.

    Only he, apart from a slight increase in potential, had not gained any special benefits.

    In the end, everyone turned out to be talented, except for him being a useless one?

    Lu Qing''s feelings were quite mixed.

    In the next two days, Lu Qing continued to give Xiao Yan a few more drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid.

    Finally, after she took the fifth drop and woke up, he used his ability to check her information again.

    A rich red light appeared on Xiao Yan''s body.

    [Ice Muscle and Jade Bone: Pure body, free of impurities, as pure as ice and jade, a natural cultivation seed, with double the effect when practicing water and cold attribute techniques.]

    Seeing that the words "not fully activated" had disappeared from the notes, Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

    Sure enough, as he thought, Xiao Yan''s talent also required five drops of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid to be fully activated.

    "Brother, what''s wrong?"

    Xiao Yan had just finished washing up and was waiting for Lu Qing to tie her hair. Seeing her brother staring at her in a daze, she felt strange.

    "Nothing, brother was just thinking."

    Lu Qing quickly tied Xiao Yan''s hair into two little buns.

    After tying it, he looked around, feeling very satisfied.

    Her ck, shiny hair, fair and tender face, and big eyes.

    Xiao Yan, who was already very cute, looked like a porcin doll after taking the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, very endearing.

    ording to the little one, when she went out to y these days, Grandpa Zhang and others always praised her and gave her many small treats, making her very happy.

    "Alright, let''s have breakfast."

    In the house, the siblings were having meat porridge together, while Xiao Li enjoyed its fresh fish on the side.

    It had to be said, the ck Night Spirit Lynx truly loved fish.

    Even if Xiao Li ate fish three times a day, it would never get tired of it.

    As he drank the porridge, Lu Qing thought about another matter.

    Now that Xiao Yan had awakened such a special cultivation talent, some of his ns needed to be changed.

    Originally, Lu Qing hoped that Xiao Yan could live a peaceful life without pursuing any great achievements.

    But now that Xiao Yan had awakened such a good talent, it would be a waste not to use it.

    In this world where martial artists were revered, mastering martial arts was something countless people dreamed of.

    However, most people didn''t have the qualification.

    Since Xiao Yan had such a talent, he should support her.

    So in theing days, he would start teaching Xiao Yan some knowledge about cultivation.

    But ording to the information disyed by his ability, the best techniques for Xiao Yan to practice were water and cold attribute techniques.

    It happened that he had no such techniques.

    Li Weitian''s inheritance included all Precelestial Realm techniques, none of which were water or cold attributes, unsuitable for Xiao Yan.

    "It seems I need to find a water or cold attribute inheritance for Xiao Yan in the future," Lu Qing thought.

    But this wasn''t urgent.

    Before reaching the Precelestial Realm, there was no attribute division in the Postnatal Realm''s cultivation.

    Everyone followed the steps to temper Blood Qi, tendons, and internal organs.

    Only after reaching the Precelestial Realm and cultivating unique Precelestial Qi did attributese into y.

    Xiao Yan was still a little child, not having started the first step of cultivation. Even with extraordinary talent, who knew when she would reach the Precelestial Realm.

    Finding a technique could be done slowly.

    For now, the Health Nourishing Boxing that his master taught was enough for her.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing said, "Xiao Yan, do you want to learn to read?"

    "Read?" Xiao Yan blinked, confused.

    "Yes, reading. You like listening to the little monkey''s stories, right? There are many stories better than the little monkey''s outside, but they are all written in books. Only if you learn to read can you understand them."

    Lately, Lu Qing still had to tell Xiao Yan stories from time to time.

    He couldn''t understand how Xiao Yan could listen to the same monkey story repeatedly without getting bored.

    Even Xiao Li would sit obediently, eyes bright, listening intently whenever he started a story.

    So, to inspire Xiao Yan''s interest in learning, he decided to use this to tempt her.

    Sure enough, Xiao Yan was immediately interested.

    Even Xiao Li perked up its ears.

    "Brother, are there really many stories better than the little monkey''s outside?"

    "Of course, but those stories are all written in books. People who can''t read can''t understand them."

    "I want to learn! Brother, I want to learn to read!" Xiao Yan said immediately.

    "Alright, from today on, brother will teach you to read. If brother is busy, you can also learn from Grandpa Chen."

    Seeing that Xiao Yan was hooked, Lu Qing smiled.

    At this moment, he felt something tug at his pants. Looking down, he saw Xiao Li looking at him expectantly.

    "What, Xiao Li, do you want to learn to read too?" Lu Qing was stunned.

    Seeing it nod, Lu Qing was speechless.

    He didn''t expect the allure of stories to be so strong that even the ck Beast wanted to learn to read.

    But how should he teach a little beast to read?

    He had no experience!

    "Then it''s settled, brother. Xiao Li and I will learn together!" Xiao Yan said happily.

    Having a learning partner was naturally the best.

    "Alright then."

    Faced with the expectant gazes of the two little ones, Lu Qing could only nod in agreement.

 Chapter 100

    Lu Qing began to teach the two little ones to recognize characters right after breakfast.

    "Heaven and Earth, Mysterious and Yellow, Universe''s Great Destion..."

    Lu Qing held a small wooden stick, writing in a basin of sand while reciting aloud.

    In his previous life, he had never tutored children, so he could only teach ording to his own understanding, slowly guiding them.

    He didn''t know what the introductory readings of this world were like, so he taught them bit by bit ording to the thousand-character essay he had learned.

    Fortunately, both Xiao Yan and Xiao Li were very intelligent. Even though Lu Qing''s teaching was clumsy, they could still quickly remember.

    Of course, they only recognized the characters, they couldn''t write or understand their meanings.

    "Alright, now that you recognize these characters, you can try writing them yourselves."

    Seeing that Xiao Yan and Xiao Li had remembered, Lu Qing brought out two more basins of sand and ced them in front of them.If a teacher saw this scene, they would probably be furious.

    Teaching characters like this, on the first day, in such a cramming method, they would worry the children couldn''t keep up.

    But at the moment, only Lu Qing and the two little ones were in the room.

    One dared to teach, and the other dared to learn. Upon hearing Lu Qing''s words, Xiao Yan and Xiao Li earnestly began learning to write.

    Xiao Yan held a small wooden stick, first looking at the characters her brother had written, then imitating them in the sand basin with the stick.

    Xiao Li had more trouble; with only its paws, it found holding the stick very inconvenient. After trying a few times, it simply threw the stick away and used its sharp ws to write in the sand.

    Lu Qing found it amusing but didn''t stop it.

    Making a small beast hold a pen to write was indeed too difficult for it.

    Just as the two little ones were seriously learning to write, a voice came from outside the house: "Aqing."

    "Master, why are you here?"

    Lu Qing went out to meet him, surprised.

    "I''ve finished making the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills you needed, so I brought them over," the old doctor Chen said with a smile.

    "How could I let you, Master, bring them personally? I should have gone to get them," Lu Qing said, a bit embarrassed.

    "We''re master and apprentice, no need to stand on ceremony. Besides, I''ve been in the medicine room for a few days, needed some fresh air."

    The old doctor walked into the house.

    "Grandpa Chen!"

    Xiao Yan greeted obediently, and even Xiao Li called out.

    "Hmm, good children. What are you doing?"

    The old doctor saw the two little ones each sitting in front of a sand basin and was curious.

    "Brother is teaching us to recognize characters, we''re learning to write!" Xiao Yan said happily.

    "Recognizing characters?" The old doctor was even more puzzled and looked at Lu Qing.

    Teaching Xiao Yan to recognize characters was understandable, but even Xiao Li was sitting there obediently.

    Lu Qing felt a bit embarrassed: "I had some free time and thought Xiao Yan should start learning to read, so I taught her. I didn''t expect Xiao Li to be interested too, so I taught both."

    The old doctor was surprised to see Xiao Li''s eagerness to learn. This little ck beast was even more diligent than many human children.

    He didn''t know that the two little ones were so eager to learn because Lu Qing had enticed them with stories, sparking their interest in reading.

    "Learning to recognize characters is good. Most of the world''s knowledge is hidden in books. If you can read, you can learn many things on your own in the future," the old doctor said with satisfaction.

    "Grandpa Chen, are there many interesting stories in books?" Xiao Yan asked excitedly.

    Xiao Li also looked over.

    The old doctor was taken aback, then nodded: "Of course, many storybooks are very interesting."

    Xiao Yan and Xiao Li''s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and they became even more enthusiastic about writing.

    Lu Qing quickly diverted his master''s attention: "Master, you said the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills are ready?"

    "Yes, they''re ready," the old doctor nodded and took out severalrge medicine bottles. "They''re all here. I''ve ssified the pills by potency. These two bottles are made from ginseng under two hundred years old, this one from three hundred years, and this one from that five hundred-year-old treasured ginseng. Keep them well."

    After Lu Qing received the pills, the old doctor said: "Aqing, pills are good, but you must be careful in using them. Medicine has three parts poison; no matter how good the pill, dosage must be watched. Don''t harm your body in haste."

    "I''ll remember," Lu Qing said seriously.

    "Alright, I won''t disturb you any longer. I''ll head back to the mountain."

    Having delivered the pills, the old doctor felt relieved and said.

    "Master, you''ve been making pills for days, probably didn''t even eat properly. How about I make you a meal?" Lu Qing quickly said, seeing his master about to leave.

    "No need, I''ve already eaten. While making the pills, I contemted the Precelestial Law you gave me and had some insights. I''ll go back and retreat for a while. You continue teaching Xiao Yan and Xiao Li," the old doctor refused.

    Seeing his master so determined, Lu Qing didn''t insist.

    Insights were precious, and he didn''t want to interrupt his master''s understanding.

    After his master left, Lu Qing saw Xiao Yan and Xiao Li still earnestly writing and didn''t disturb them. He went to the courtyard, took out a hundred-year-old Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill, swallowed it, and began practicing.

    As the pill entered his stomach, its power quickly spread within. Lu Qing started performing the first nine moves of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    Lu Qing''s Health Nourishing Boxing had changed significantlypared to before.

    After a trip to the mountains, Lu Qing gained great fortune, not only obtaining the legacy of a top Precelestial master like Li Weitian but also the method of rune cultivation.

    Although these two legacies didn''t directly boost his strength, they greatly broadened his horizons.

    His understanding of cultivation had reached a new level.

    This deepened hisprehension of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    As Lu Qing moved through the forms, there was no hint of smoke or fire, full of vibrant life, making one feel refreshed and rxed just by watching.

    He fully embodied the "nourishing" aspect of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    If the old doctor were here, seeing Lu Qing''s boxing skills, he would be astonished.

    Because Lu Qing''s attainment in the first nine forms of Health Nourishing Boxing was now on par with his own.

    This deepened mastery of Health Nourishing Boxing also sped up Lu Qing''s absorption of the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills.

    Before long, he hadpletely absorbed the power of a hundred-year-old pill, converting it into his Qi and Blood.

    He didn''t hesitate, taking out another pill from the bottle, swallowing it, and continuing to practice.

    Lu Qing''s martial realm had long reached the stage of understanding Qi and Blood perfection, onlycking the strength of Qi and Blood.

    Therefore, continuous pill absorption posed no problem for him.

    He only needed to be cautious about not consuming too many pills in one day, allowing his body time to adapt.

    However, absorbing a few Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills a day wouldn''t be an issue.

    Lu Qing practiced in the courtyard, and passing vigers couldn''t help but stop and watch, their eyes full of envy.

    But no one dared to disturb him.

    Lu Qing''s status in Jiuli Vige was very high now.

    Aside from his ability to easily kill people, the silver he had previously distributed to the vige was enough to earn everyone''s gratitude.

    So, seeing Lu Qing practicing, no one dared to interrupt.

    ¡­

    In the following days, Lu Qing''s life became very regr.

    Every day, aside from greeting his master and learning some medicine.

    Most of his time was spent practicing and absorbing the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills.

    The rest of the time, he taught Xiao Yan and Xiao Li to read.

    asionally, he would go fishing to supplement Xiao Li''s diet.

    It''s worth mentioning that since catching those two Golden Loaches, Lu Qing hadn''t caught any strange fish again.

    He didn''t know if the river''s strange fish were all caught or if they had be cautious.

    As a result, he had been unable to fulfill his previous promise to Xiao Li.

    Time passed quickly.

    As Xiao Yan and Xiao Li learned more characters, Lu Qing''s martial skills also rapidly improved.

    On the seventh day after Xiao Yan and Xiao Li started recognizing characters, Lu Qing reached the stage of great achievement in Qi and Blood.

    On the fifteenth day, in the bamboo forest behind the mountain.

    Lu Qing, who was practicing, trembled all over, a vast force of Qi and Blood rising up, moving smoothly with his intention, gathering and dispersing as he wished, wless and perfect.

    "Finally, Qi and Blood perfection."

    Lu Qing opened his eyes, his face full of joy.

    After half a month of continuous practice, consuming most of the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills, he finally raised his Qi and Blood strength to its limit, reaching the stage of Qi and Blood perfection.

    Next, after some rest to fully master the Qi and Blood perfection, he could attempt to break through to the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    "Martial cultivation is truly a gold-consuming beast."

    Looking at the bottles beside him, Lu Qing sighed.

    In half a month, he went from minor to major achievement in Qi and Blood.

    Such a cultivation speed would astonish other martial artists.

    But

    Lu Qing didn''t think it was remarkable.

    In the past half-month, he didn''t know how many Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills he had consumed.

    If these pills were all converted into silver, they could crush several Tendons and Bones Realm practitioners.

    With such a pile of resources, if his cultivation progress wasn''t fast, it would be disgraceful.

    "However, thanks to the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, my potential has increased significantly. The amount of Qi and Blood I can hold far exceeds that of an ordinary Qi and Blood perfection practitioner."

    "The Qi and Blood strength within me now is several times that of a normal Qi and Blood perfection martial artist."

    Feeling the wless Qi and Blood strength within, Lu Qing was very satisfied.

    The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, after all, was a mystical item created by a Precelestial existence, its effect on enhancing potential was formidable.

    If he faced the Heart-Snatcher Wolf again now.

    He was confident that he could kill it with one punch, without needing a second move.

    Even against another Qi and Blood perfection martial artist, unless they were also a martial genius, they would struggle to withstand a few of his moves.

    "I wonder, if I were to face Mago now, how would I fare?"

    Lu Qing remembered that Mago was at the initial stage of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    A beginner in the Tendons and Bones Realm, at the bottom.

    In martial arts, each realm had a huge gap.

    In theory, even the weakest Tendons and Bones Realm practitioner should be stronger than someone in the Qi and Blood Realm.

    But in this world, many things defy logic.

    Some exceptionally gifted martial geniuses can cross that chasm and fight beyond their level.

    Lu Qing didn''t know if his current potential counted as such

    a martial genius.

    Therefore, he wasn''t sure if he had the qualifications to duel Mago.

    "Maybe I should find an opportunity to spar with Mago?"

    This thought had just arisen when Lu Qing immediately dismissed it.

    His current strength, far surpassing an ordinary Qi and Blood perfection martial artist, shouldn''t be revealed.

    Otherwise, it would undoubtedly attract undue suspicion.

    Unusual urrences often indicate something odd. No one is truly a fool.

    He had managed to cultivate to Qi and Blood perfection in such a short time, which was already astonishing.

    But this could still be exined by natural talent.

    If he also revealed an extraordinary amount of Qi and Blood strength, even a fool would know there was something amiss.

    Even if others couldn''t guess the existence of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, they would suspect he had acquired some otherworldly treasure.

    This would undoubtedly lead to endless trouble.

    Right now, Lu Qing didn''t have the power to deal with such troubles.

    "At present, I should remain low-key. Once I reach the Internal Organs Realm or my master officially breaks through to the Precelestial Realm, I won''t need to fear most of the world''s forces."

    Lu Qing set this goal for himself.

    He reminded himself not to becent with his newfound strength.

    The Qi and Blood Realm was only the first step on the martial path. He had a long way to go.

    If he became arrogant now, how could he climb to the pinnacle of martial arts in the future?

    After some self-reflection, Lu Qing calmed his excitement from the breakthrough and regained his usualposure.

    He sat down, slowly adjusting his breath, then entered the state of Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart, taking out a piece of broken silver from his pocket.

    During this period, most of his time had been spent absorbing the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pills and breaking through his martial realm.

    Hisprehension of the runes had been somewhat neglected.

    Now that he had reached a breakthrough and needed time to prepare for the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    He could continueprehending the runes.

    Holding the broken silver, Lu Qing observed it in the state of Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart.

    Although he hadn''t spent much timeprehending the runes recently, he had asionally studied the patterns on the silver.

    He had a feeling that with one more serious effort, he could fullyprehend the patterns on the silver.

    The mountain breeze lightly blew, creating a faint sound among the bamboo leaves.

    Sunlight quietly streamed through the gaps in the bamboo.

    Everything seemed so leisurely and content.

    In this environment, Lu Qing quietlyprehended the mysterious patterns on the silver.

    Time passed bit by bit, the sunlight gradually nting, yet Lu Qing''s body remained motionless, his attention fully focused on the silver.

    Finally, as dusk approached, a sh of light suddenly appeared in his eyes.

    Table of content

 Chapter 101

    "Who would''ve thought that the patterns on a small piece of silver could contain so much information," Lu Qing murmured to himself, eyes gleaming with insight.

    Just now, he had finallyprehended the patterns on the piece of broken silver in his hand, grasping their connection to the metal-element runes in the Divine Rune Sect''s general manual.

    Of course, this didn''t mean he had mastered the art of runes¡ªthis was just a glimpse, a first step in understanding. The initial breakthrough is always the hardest, and any progress from zero to one is the most challenging.

    Now that he had taken this crucial first step, understanding the patterns of other things would be much easier. Lu Qing believed that the day he truly mastered the path of runes wasn''t far off.

    Stowing the silver piece in his chest, Lu Qing felt ted. Today was indeed a good day¡ªnot only had his martial arts cultivation reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm, but he also made a breakthrough in hisprehension of runes.

    He packed up his belongings and left the Bamboo Forest, heading home. Upon returning to the vige, he saw someone waiting at his courtyard gate, looking out anxiously.

    "Brother Xiao Tian?" Lu Qing recognized the person and called out in surprise.

    "Lu Xiangjun, you''re finally back!" Xiao Tian''s face lit up with joy upon seeing Lu Qing.

    "Why are you standing outside? Come in and have a seat," Lu Qing invited."I knocked on the door, but no one was home," Xiao Tian said, a bit embarrassed.

    Lu Qing then remembered that Xiao Yan and Xiao Li had gone to y at their master''s ce today. "Sorry for theck of hospitality. Please,e in," he said, opening the bamboo gate.

    "No need, Lu Xiangjun. I''m here on urgent business," Xiao Tian declined.

    "Oh? What''s the matter?" Lu Qing noticed Xiao Tian''s earlier anxious expression.

    "I don''t know the specifics. Here is a letter from Master Ma. You''ll understand once you read it," Xiao Tian said, taking out a letter sealed with wax.

    Lu Qing took the letter, opened it, and read it quickly. His expression grew more serious with each line he read.

    The letter was indeed from Mago. Lu Qing recognized his handwriting. It mainly conveyed one thing: the Wei family was in trouble.

    It all started a few days ago when a group of mysterious people arrived at the Wei mansion in the county and began to publicly berate them. This scene immediately rmed all the factions in the city. The Wei family had always held a prominent position in the county, even the County Magistrate had to show them respect.

    Now, someone dared to provoke the Wei family openly, causing shock among the city''s factions. Did these people have a death wish?

    As expected, the Wei family''s Silver Moon Guards were dispatched. A whole squad of them charged at the mysterious group. Unexpectedly, the seemingly invincible Silver Moon Guards couldn''t defeat the intruders. They were pushed back, and it was only when the Wei family''s chief steward personally intervened that the situation was stabilized.

    Despite being held back, the mysterious group remained defiant, dering that since the Wei family''s Precelestial ancestor had died, it was wise for them to surrender their treasure instead of clinging to it and risking annihtion.

    After leaving these harsh words, the mysterious group temporarily retreated, but their words shook the entire city.

    The city''s factions learned that the Wei family had a Precelestial ancestor, and now it seemed this ancestor had passed away. The mysterious group appeared to be after a treasure in the Wei mansion, showing no fear of the Wei family.

    Everyone was stunned. This was only the beginning. Over the next few days, new faces appeared in the city, and at night, sounds of fighting could be heard from the Wei mansion. The next day, bodies were seen being carried out, but this did not deter those coveting the treasure.

    In his letter, Mago warned Lu Qing about the turmoil in the county. With many warriors gathered, the situation was vtile. The Wei family might not have the energy to deal with the ck Wolf Gang, who had be more arrogant recently, possibly due to backing from a strong warrior. Mago advised Lu Qing to stay low and avoid unnecessary trouble.

    Lu Qing folded the letter, his expression heavy. Mago''s message was indeed important. The Wei family''s troubles were unexpected, given their Precelestial ancestor, which exined their rapid rise. But now, with their foundation shaken, enemies had swarmed in. Could the Wei family withstand this storm?

    Lu Qing hoped their deep foundations were enough to weather the crisis. As for the ck Wolf Gang, Lu Qing''s eyes grew cold at the thought. He had unresolved scores with them, and if they caused trouble again, he wouldn''t hesitate to teach them a harsh lesson.

    Seeing the stern look in Lu Qing''s eyes, Xiao Tian shivered, recalling the terrifying scene of Lu Qing standing amidst fallen heads that night.

    "Lu Xiangjun, with the city''s current chaos, my master has returned to help maintain order, leaving the Grand Bazaar to me. If you need anything, just let me know, and I''ll do my best to get it for you," Xiao Tian offered.

    "Thank you," Lu Qing nodded, then had a thought. "Brother Xiao Tian, have you been stuck before the Qi and Blood Realm for a long time?"

    Xiao Tian was taken aback, then replied respectfully, "Yes, my aptitude is poor. Forgive me for making a fool of myself."

    Seeing Xiao Tian''s dejection, Lu Qing smiled and handed him a pill. "You''ve been running errands for me. This pill is a small gift. Take it, and you should be able to break through to the Qi and Blood Realm."

    Xiao Tian was both surprised and delighted, asking, "Lu Xiangjun, what is this pill?"

    "It''s a Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill."

    Xiao Tian was stunned, remembering Mago mentioning this valuable pill, saying he had only ever received three such pills during his Qi and Blood Realm training. For Xiao Tian, this was a precious opportunity. Despite his hesitation, he couldn''t refuse Lu Qing''s generosity and epted the pill gratefully.

    Lu Qing saw Xiao Tian''s careful handling of the pill and understood why he hadn''t broken through. Xiao Tian was too cautious andcked the courage needed for martial progress. "Brother Xiao Tian, take the pill now. I''ll watch over you," Lu Qing suggested.

    Though hesitant, Xiao Tianplied, swallowing the pill. He immediately felt a surge of energy, struggling to control it. Lu Qing shouted, "Start practicing, refine the energy!"

    Xiao Tian quickly began practicing a boxing technique taught by Mago. Lu Qing watched, satisfied. Despite its simplicitypared to Health Nourishing Boxing, Xiao Tian''s familiarity with it should soon lead him to breakthrough.

    However, as time passed, Xiao Tian still hadn''t made the crucial step. Seeing his struggle, Lu Qing drew his sword, enveloping Xiao Tian in a killing intent, and shouted, "Xiao Tian, watch the de!"

    Startled, Xiao Tian looked over, eyes wide with fear.

    Table of content

 Chapter 102

    Lu Qing''s sudden attack was something Xiao Tian had never anticipated.

    He never even imagined that Lu Qing would suddenly try to kill him here.

    But the deadly intent in Lu Qing''s strike was unmistakably real.

    Xiao Tian had no doubt that if he didn''t evade, Lu Qing would truly cut him in half with that strike!

    Images of Lu Qing''s massacre at the Happy Fort shed through his mind involuntarily.

    An intense fear instantly engulfed Xiao Tian''s entire body.

    In that moment between life and death, he couldn''t think of anything else. He could only rely on his instincts, desperately dodging backwards.

    At that critical moment, he instinctively unleashed all his strength.

    He focused all his mind and willpower on his legs, hoping to draw on more power to increase his speed and avoid Lu Qing''s lethal strike.In that moment of utmost concentration, Xiao Tian seemed to sense an additional force within him that he couldmand.

    Without a second thought, he directed this force to his legs.

    Boom!

    In this desperate attempt, Xiao Tian finally managed to retreat before Lu Qing''s de could reach him, crashing into a fence and rolling into the vegetable garden.

    Though Lu Qing''s attack failed, he did not pursue. Instead, he withdrew his de and looked at Xiao Tian lying on the ground with a smile.

    "Not bad, your reaction was pretty quick."

    "Young Master Lu, why are you doing this? How did I offend you?"

    Lying on the ground, Xiao Tian asked in terror.

    He truly couldn''t understand why Lu Qing would suddenly attack him.

    "You didn''t offend me. Now feel the Qi and Blood in your body, see if anything is different from before?" Lu Qing said with a smile.

    "The Qi and Blood in my body?"

    Xiao Tian was stunned and quickly began to sense his body.

    In his earlier desperate effort, Xiao Tian had used all his strength. Now he felt weak all over, his leg muscles strained and sore.

    But at this moment, he didn''t care about that. He discovered that his Qi and Blood were particrly vigorous. More importantly, he could control them at will, easily mobilizing and linking them.

    In that moment, Xiao Tian understood everything.

    He had finally grasped the secret of linking Qi and Blood, stepping into the Qi and Blood Realm that he had longed for!

    "Thank you so much, Young Master Lu!"

    Xiao Tian climbed to his feet and kowtowed to Lu Qing.

    He knew very well how much effort he had put in over the years to enter the Qi and Blood Realm.

    For some reason, he had always been unable to take that crucial step.

    Even after taking the Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill earlier, he had thought he would surely break through immediately.

    Yet, even after most of the pill''s power had been consumed, he still couldn''t find the opportunity to break through.

    Just as he was about to despair, Lu Qing''s strike had forced him into the Qi and Blood Realm.

    Now he understood that Lu Qing''s killing intent in that strike wasn''t meant to kill him but to push his potential to its limits.

    Otherwise, with Lu Qing''s martial prowess, he wouldn''t have needed to make such a show of force. A single casual strike would have been enough to kill him.

    Thus, at this moment, Xiao Tian was filled with gratitude towards Lu Qing.

    "Enough, no need for this. Heaven rewards diligence. If you hadn''tid a solid foundation and were just a step away from the Qi and Blood Realm, my strike wouldn''t have helped you break through." Lu Qing said with a smile.

    Xiao Tian kowtowed three more times before getting up.

    "No matter what, Young Master Lu, you are my benefactor. I will never forget your great kindness and virtue for the rest of my life." Xiao Tian said solemnly.

    Lu Qing shook his head with a smile and was about to speak when a loud voice suddenly shouted, "Who''s causing trouble, breaking my fence and trampling my vegetable garden?!"

    Lu Qing was startled. He saw the second son of Grandpa Zhang, ring angrily at the ruined vegetable garden.

    It turned out that earlier, to avoid Lu Qing''s strike, Xiao Tian had crashed into the fence, breaking it and trampling the vegetable garden.

    Now, the vegetables in the garden were a mess.

    Xiao Tian''s face flushed with embarrassment.

    "Uncle Zhang, it''s me."

    Seeing this, Lu Qing had to call out.

    "Ah Qing, you did this to the garden?"

    The angry Uncle Zhang was stunned when he saw Lu Qing.

    "Sorry, Uncle Zhang. My friend and I were sparring and identally broke your garden. I''ll help you fix itter." Lu Qing said apologetically.

    "No problem, no problem. I thought it was some troublemaker. Since it''s you, Ah Qing, it''s fine. I''ll take care of itter. No need to trouble you." Uncle Zhang waved his hand, his anger dissipating.

    He also recognized Xiao Tian.

    After all, Xiao Tian often came to the Grand Bazaar, so Uncle Zhang knew this man who was in charge of maintaining order at the market and was one of Master Ma''s trusted subordinates.

    Seeing Xiao Tian''s muddy and disheveled appearance, and then looking at Lu Qing, who was spotless, Uncle Zhang couldn''t help but think this wasn''t a sparring match but rather a one-sided beating.

    Xiao Tian''s face turned even redder. He took out a small pouch from his clothes, poured out a piece of broken silver, and handed it to Uncle Zhang.

    "Uncle Zhang, I broke your fence and garden. This ispensation."

    Then he bowed to Lu Qing and said, "Young Master Lu, I will return to the Grand Bazaar. If you need anything in the future, just tell me, and I will do my best to help!"

    With that, he turned and walked out of the vige with a flushed face.

    Seeing the silver, which was half a tael, Uncle Zhang shouted, "Hey, young man, the garden and fence aren''t worth this much!"

    But the more he shouted, the faster Xiao Tian walked, not looking back at all.

    Lu Qing found it amusing and said, "Uncle Zhang, just ept it. It''s hispensation."

    Xiao Tian, as a trusted subordinate of Mago, now in charge of the Grand Bazaar, wouldn''t be short of money.

    Half a tael of silver was nothing to him.

    "Well, it isn''t necessary for such a small matter. I just need to fix the fence and rent the vegetables. It doesn''t cost that much silver." Uncle Zhang still felt it was too much.

    Lu Qing didn''t care. After chatting briefly with Uncle Zhang, he turned and walked back to his courtyard.

    Once inside, Lu Qing''s expression turned serious.

    The news Xiao Tian brought was significant.

    The county town was now turbulent, with many powerful martial artists gathering, and a major battle was likely imminent.

    Although the county town was far from Jiuli Vige, and the conflict there shouldn''t affect them, one could never be too cautious.

    If the county magistrate''s office was overthrown and martial artists roamed unchecked, it could cause unforeseen trouble.

    So, he couldn''t let his guard down.

    "Hopefully, the Wei family can stabilize the situation."

    "Is it true that the Wei family''s Precelestial ancestor has died?"

    Lu Qing pondered.

    ording to Mago''s letter, the mysterious group openly imed the death of the Wei family''s Precelestial ancestor. This seemed credible.

    But something felt off to him.

    Firstly, how did the Wei family''s Precelestial ancestor die?

    If it was a vendetta, why didn''t the killers directly destroy the Wei family?

    If it was an ident, how did the mysterious group know about it?

    Moreover, the situation in the county town, where everyone seemed to know about the Precelestial ancestor''s death, was unusual.

    ording to his master''s teachings, Precelestial experts were elusive and rarely seen.

    Now, the death of one was making such amotion, which was strange.

    Lu Qing felt there was a hidden agenda behind this turmoil.

    "Could it be that the Wei family has some treasure worth such a grand scheme?"

    "Why doesn''t the schemer directly seize it? Is there fear or a test involved?"

    Lu Qing recalled Mago mentioning that the Wei family''s head always stayed in the county town''s old mansion, suggesting a secret.

    Now it seemed his guess was right.

    But he wondered if the Wei family could still protect this secret.

    Unfortunately, he had too little information to analyze the situation.

    "Forget it. Even if there''s a grand scheme, it''s not something I can meddle in now."

    Lu Qing thought for a while, finding no clues, and decided to stop thinking about it.

    He was merely in the Qi and Blood Realm, while the county town''s martial artists included many who could crush him.

    Even if he knew the truth, what could he do?

    Better to stay out of it and pray for the Wei family.

    "But I should inform Master. The town is too dangerous now; he shouldn''t go there."

    Although his master was half a step into the Precelestial Realm, the town''s conflict might involve Precelestial experts.

    Lu Qing didn''t want his master involved.

    Thinking this, he locked his house and headed to the Halfway House.

    As he approached, he heard Xiao Yan''sughter.

    Entering the courtyard, he saw his master and Xiao Yan with Xiao Li, chatting and drinking tea.

    "Brother!"

    Xiao Yan saw Lu Qing and shouted.

    "Hmm." Lu Qing walked over.

    The old doctor turned and saw Lu Qing, a look of surprise on his face.

    "Have you broken through?"

    "Yes, just recently."

    Lu Qing knew he couldn''t hide his martial progress from his master, who was on the verge of tempering his soul force.

    "Your cultivation speed is truly..."

    The old doctor marveled.

    His disciple''s speed was astonishing.

    Since bing his disciple, it hadn''t been long

    , yet Lu Qing was already at the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm.

    Even in his travels, he had never heard of such a rapid progression.

    "It''s just good teaching from Master." Lu Qing habitually humbled himself.

    "Don''t tter me. I only taught you some basic Health Nourishing Boxing and made a few pills."

    "If it weren''t for Master''s teachings, I wouldn''t be where I am today."

    The old doctor shook his head helplessly.

    His disciple was excellent but overly humble, never seeing himself as a martial prodigy.

    No matter how others praised him, Lu Qing never saw himself as a genius, genuinely not prideful about his fast progress.

    "Master, Mago''s man just delivered a letter. It mentions some important matters you should know about."

    Lu Qing said.

    "Oh? What matters?"

    The old doctor noticed Lu Qing''s serious expression and became serious too.

    He knew his disciple had connections with Mago. Was there trouble needing Lu Qing''s help?

    "Everything is in the letter. Please read it."

    Lu Qing handed over the letter from Xiao Tian.

    The old doctor opened it and read. His face grew serious.

    "To think so much has happened in just a few days."

    After reading, the old doctor sighed.

    "Master, the town is chaotic and unpredictable. It''s best if you don''t go there for now." Lu Qing suggested.

    He knew his master often went to town to deliver medicine, but with the current chaos, he didn''t want him to go.

    "Alright, I wasn''t nning to go anyway. With such trouble, it''s best to avoid it."

    The old doctor nodded.

    He waspassionate but not stubborn.

    Knowing the town was a powder keg, he wouldn''t rush in.

    Seeing his master''s agreement, Lu Qing felt relieved.

    He had feared his master''s kind nature might lead him into danger, but it seemed his master understood the situation well.

    "Ah Qing, be careful too. The ck Wolf Gang seems to be stirring again. You might face their retaliation." The old doctor warned.

    "I will be cautious, Master."

    In the following days, Lu Qing continued his usual routine but with more caution when going out.

    asionally, he would visit the Grand Bazaar to get news from Xiao Tian.

    Through Xiao Tian, he learned much about the town''s situation.

    With more martial artists gathering, the town''s dynamics changed rapidly.

    The small town couldn''t contain so many martial artists without conflicts.

    Street fights becamemon, with blood often spilled.

    Some martial artists seized local forces for pleasure, exterminating those who resisted and allying with those whoplied, quickly bing major powers.

    The ck Wolf Gang was a typical example.

    Its leader, the ck Wolf, somehow persuaded several powerful martial artists to join, including some at the Internal Organs Realm.

    Now, the ck Wolf Gang was one of the town''s major forces, very arrogant.

    In short, the town was in chaos, with daily deaths.

    The county magistrate''s office had decreed that martial artists must not disturb civilians, preventing total anarchy.

    But despite this, many civilians fled the town, nning to return after the turmoil subsided.

    Despite the chaos, Lu Qing was surprised that the Wei Mansion remained untouched.

    The rampant martial artists avoided attacking it, seemingly in mutual agreement, waiting for something.

    This struck Lu Qing as unusual.

    Table of content

 Chapter 103

    The confrontation between the martial artists in the county town and the Wei Mansion was something Lu Qing hadn''t anticipated.

    He had thought that the two sides would quickly start a battle.

    This, however, proved that his previous spections held some truth.

    The mysterious death of the Wei Family''s Precelestial Ancestor indeed had some strange aspects.

    The current stalemate in the county town indicated that there was someone manipting things behind the scenes.

    It was unclear how long this strange calm wouldst.

    Meanwhile, Lu Qing continued his peaceful life, observing from the sidelines.

    Every day he studied medicine, trained, and taught the two little ones how to read. His days were fulfilling.

    To his surprise, half a month passed, and the situation in the county town remained unchanged.However, Lu Qing had no time to focus on these matters.

    Over the past half-month of grinding and brewing, he sensed signs of a breakthrough.

    Back in the Bamboo Forest.

    Lu Qing was seated in meditation, his expression calm. Steam rose from his body as his blood and qi reached their peak.

    He was attempting to break through the Qi and Blood Realm and step into the second realm of martial arts, the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    The key to breaking through from the Qi and Blood Realm to the Tendons and Bones Realm was to surpass the limitations of blood and qi, allowing it to prate into the bones and fascia, repeatedly nurturing and refining them, thereby gradually strengthening one''s bones and fascia.

    This required an extremely high level of control over one''s blood and qi.

    One must perfectly control the force of blood and qi to nurture and refine the bones and fascia without causing self-injury.

    Otherwise, if one''s control was insufficient and they forced the refining process, they could easily damage their bone marrow.

    This could result in minor fractures or, in severe cases,pletely ruin the bone marrow.

    This was why, despite having reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm and being able to fully control his blood and qi, Lu Qing had still chosen to grind for half a month before attempting the breakthrough.

    The breakthrough in martial arts realms must not be rushed; haste would not work, and hesitation was also not advisable.

    Everything had to be polished just right before attempting a breakthrough. This was the safest method.

    At this moment, Lu Qing''s blood and qi had reached their peak, converging into a strand of incredibly powerful qi.

    He carefully controlled this strand of qi to break through its original path and prate deeper into his body.

    This step seemed extremely dangerous, as if he were using a steel wire to control a ferocious beast.

    Any slight mistake could cause a runaway reaction of blood and qi, resulting in severe injuries or even death.

    However, Lu Qing''s face remained calm.

    At his current level, he had long since mastered the control of his blood and qi.

    What seemed dangerous was actually under his full control.

    Quickly, the powerful strand of blood and qi began to break through limitations and seep into his bones.

    Under Lu Qing''s strong control, it began to circte slowly around his bones.

    With this step, Lu Qing had sessfully breached the boundary between the Qi and Blood Realm and the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    But this alone was not enough.

    Lu Qing stood up, assumed a martial stance, and began to practice his Health Nourishing Boxing.

    Starting from the first form, he quickly moved to the ninth form.

    ording to his usual training habits, Lu Qing should have started again from the first form.

    But this time, he did not do so. Instead, he continued to practice a new form.

    This was the tenth form of Health Nourishing Boxing.

    The Health Nourishing Boxing taught by his master consisted of thirty-six forms.

    The first nine forms were for the Qi and Blood Realm, and starting from the tenth form, they entered the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Previously, whenever Lu Qing attempted the tenth form, his bones and fascia would ache, preventing him from continuing.

    But this time was different.

    As he practiced the forms, the strand of qi he had condensed began to flow rapidly through his bones and fascia, nourishing them and alleviating fatigue.

    This allowed Lu Qing to continue practicing.

    With the help of this powerful strand of qi, Lu Qing smoothlypleted the tenth form.

    He did not stop but continued to practice the eleventh form.

    The first nine forms of Health Nourishing Boxing were for the Qi and Blood Realm, while the tenth to eighteenth forms were for the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Lu Qing quickly practiced up to the eighteenth form. Afterpleting it, he slowly stopped and stood still, carefully sensing the condition within his body.

    At this moment, he felt that his internal state was excellent.

    His blood and qi were vigorous, and his bones and fascia felt warm andfortable, as if soaked in warm water.

    He recalled what his master had said when teaching him Health Nourishing Boxing.

    "If you feel morefortable the more you practice, it means you are practicing correctly. If you feel more painful, then something must be wrong."

    Given his current state, it was clear that he was practicing correctly.

    "Finally stepped into the Tendons and Bones Realm."

    A look of joy appeared on Lu Qing''s face.

    From now on, he could be considered a martial artist in the Tendons and Bones Realm, standing on the same level as Mago.

    Of course, this was only in terms of realm.

    He was just a neer to this level, while Mago had been immersed in it for years, having long since refined his bones and fascia to their limits.

    In terms of pure physical quality, Lu Qing probably stillgged behind him.

    However, Lu Qing was not worried.

    Now that he had stepped into the Tendons and Bones Realm, his strength would rapidly increase.

    Given his potential, which had been enhanced by Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, surpassing Mago would not take long.

    Even now, if they were to fight, it would be hard to say who would win.

    After all, he felt that his strength had at least doubledpared to before the breakthrough.

    Originally, his strength was several times greater than that of an ordinary peak Qi and Blood Realm martial artist.

    Now, with this doubling, his explosive power was likely unmatched by any Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist below the middle stage.

    This was the benefit of having good aptitude.

    In the same realm, martial artists with better aptitude had higher limits and could exert far greater strength than ordinary martial artists.

    After experiencing the feeling of the breakthrough for a while, Lu Qing gradually reined in his thoughts.

    He then took a book from a package under an old bamboo nearby.

    Looking at the book, Lu Qing''s mood was somewhat inexplicable.

    This book was one of the gifts given to him by the chief steward of the Wei Family.

    The chief steward had given him two items.

    One was the Tendon Strengthening Pill, which countless Tendons and Bones Realm martial artists craved.

    The other was the book in his hand.

    When Lu Qing first received the book, he did not study it immediately but stored it along with the Tendon Strengthening Pill.

    Later, due to many events and numerous opportunities, including receiving multiple Precelestial techniques and the more mystical Divine Rune Sect heritage, he hadpletely forgotten about this book.

    It wasn''t until a few days ago, when he was organizing his home, that he noticed it.

    Now that he had broken through to the Tendons and Bones Realm, he could finally study the secrets within.

    As he looked at the book, a dense white light began to emerge from it.

    ¡¾Discovering technique, initiate simtion download?¡¿

    Lu Qing chose to download, then slowly opened the book.

    ¡¾Downloading, current progress, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%...¡¿

    As Lu Qing flipped through the pages, the progress bar gradually moved.

    By the time he reached thest page, the progress bar was at one hundred percent.

    ¡¾Downloadplete, initiate simtion, current progress, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%...¡¿

    Lu Qing waited quietly. Before long, a prompt appeared in his vision again.

    ¡¾Simtionplete, initiate study?¡¿

    He immediately chose to study.

    In the next moment, arge amount ofprehension information flooded his mind. Lu Qing habitually closed his eyes and silently absorbed the information.

    Before long, he finished absorbing the information and opened his eyes, revealing a hint of surprise.

    "So that''s it, this technique is an explosive one."

    With the help of his ability, Lu Qing had thoroughly understood the technique described in the book.

    The book detailed an explosive technique called the ¡¾Explosive Qi Technique¡¿.

    The principle of this technique was to stimte the martial artist''s body through a special method of circting blood and qi, temporarily unleashing strength several times greater than usual.

    Of course, like all explosive techniques, it left the practitioner weak afterward. This ¡¾Explosive Qi Technique¡¿ was no exception.

    It could be used at most once every three days, with each usesting half an hour.

    Afterward, rest was necessary to avoid leaving hidden dangers that could impede future cultivation.

    "A fairly standard explosive technique."

    After understanding the details of the ¡¾Explosive Qi Technique¡¿, Lu Qing gave his assessment.

    If it were the old him, he might have found this technique impressive.

    But now, having received the heritage of Li Weitian and the Divine Rune Sect, his perspective had broadened significantly.

    Seeing this technique now, he naturally found it ordinary.

    However, despite its low level, it was still useful to Lu Qing at the moment.

    So he decided to practice it once his strength in the Tendons and Bones Realm had stabilized.

    For now, having just broken through, his bones were not fully refined and couldn''t withstand the power surge from the technique.

    Understanding this, Lu Qing put the technique aside.

    He checked the time and, finding it still early, resumed his cultivation.

    The situation in the county town was severe and could erupt at any moment.

    Who knew what would happen if a real fight broke

    out?

    It was always good to have more strength.

    While Lu Qing was diligently cultivating.

    In the county town, at the Wei Mansion.

    Since being publicly provoked by a group of mysterious people, the Wei Mansion had closed its doors, refusing all visitors.

    Even the County Magistrate was turned away.

    Now, the once grand Wei Mansion appeared quiet from the outside.

    Even the fallen leaves outside the main gate were not swept, giving it a deste look.

    Compared to the once feared mansion that no one dared to gaze directly at, it now had a hint of mncholy.

    Inside the Wei Mansion, in a secluded courtyard, the head of the Wei Family was practicing martial arts.

    Nearby, the familiar chief steward of the Wei Family stood respectfully.

    "Is everything arranged?" the head of the Wei Family asked suddenly as he practiced.

    Although the Wei Mansion seemed to be in a dire situation from the outside, the head of the Wei Family remained calm, showing no signs of anxiety.

    "Everything is arranged," the chief steward replied respectfully. "The madam and the young master have been escorted out of the city through the underground passage. They should be heading towards the provincial capital by now."

    "That''s good," the head of the Wei Family said lightly.

    "But..." the chief steward hesitated.

    "But what?" the head of the Wei Family asked.

    "Before leaving, the young master threw a tantrum, saying he didn''t want to go and wanted to stay with you. In the end, I had to knock him out to calm him down," the chief steward said.

    Hearing this, the head of the Wei Family paused, stopping his practice.

    He sighed, "Ah, it''s my fault and the madam''s for spoiling him too much. I apologize for making you y the viin."

    "I dare not, it''s my duty," the chief steward said quickly.

    "Hopefully, An''er will grow from this experience. I just wonder if I will have the chance to see that day," the head of the Wei Family sighed deeply.

    Seeing him like this, the chief steward was deeply moved.

    "Master, could it be that the old ancestor is truly..."

    "I don''t know," the head of the Wei Family shook his head. "All I know is that the old ancestor was ambushed by enemies over half a month ago and severely injured. Whether he survived, no one knows."

    The chief steward fell silent.

    For the first time, he learned the specific news about the old ancestor from the head of the family.

    But the news was not good.

    Seeing his expression, the head of the Wei Family smiled.

    "Don''t worry, things haven''t reached that point yet. As long as there''s no news of the old ancestor, those outside won''t dare attack. The wrath of a Precelestial expert is not something those Postnatal warriors can withstand."

    "Besides, even if they have the guts to attack, our Wei Mansion is not without the strength to fight back. What is there to fear?"

    "Those petty thieves coveting our Wei Family''s treasures should consider if they have the capability!"

    As he spoke, a dominant aura emanated from the head of the Wei Family, recing his earlier calm.

    But the chief steward''s worry did not lessen.

    The people outside were not the main concern.

    What worried him were the masterminds behind them.

    To mobilize so many Postnatal warriors, the person behind this must be a Precelestial expert, possibly the one who injured the old ancestor.

    Although there was a royal decree prohibiting Precelestial experts from attacking those below them without cause, there was significant leeway in its enforcement.

    Who could guarantee that the mastermind would follow the rules?

    In this world, strength was supreme.

    The head of the Wei Family had also thought of this.

    After his bold statement, he fell silent.

    If not for fearing those behind the attackers, he wouldn''t have sent his wife and child away.

    Precelestial experts were too powerful.

    Even their Wei Mansion couldn''t contend with them.

    Now, their only hope was for the old ancestor to recover and return.

    But with half a month gone and no sign of the old ancestor, he couldn''t help but have a bad premonition.

    As the two worried, suddenly, a loud shout was heard from the sky above the mansion.

    Table of content

 Chapter 104

    "Wei Xinghe, your half-month deadline has arrived. Have you made up your mind? Will you surrender, or will you stubbornly hold onto that treasure, dragging your entire Wei family to ruin with you?"

    This voice, like rolling thunder, carried immense pressure. It was clear that only a top martial expert could produce such a sound.

    The faces of the Wei family head and the chief steward changed instantly.

    Wei Xinghe was the name of the Wei family head.

    The Wei family head took a deep breath and responded loudly, "Enough nonsense. If you are confident,e and try. If you want to seize the property of my Wei family, you must have the capability to do so!"

    His response was equally powerful, no less than the person outside.

    He was also a formidable martial expert.

    "Haha, Wei Xinghe, you are truly stubborn. Do you not fear that we might leave no living thing in your Wei residence?" the voice continued.

    "If you are so confident, thene in and try!" The Wei family head retorted without showing any weakness.The voice outside fell silent for a moment, seemingly surprised by Wei Xinghe''s unyielding attitude at this point.

    At this moment, everything was silent. No one dared to intervene in the conversation between these top martial experts.

    After a while, the voice resumed, "Wei Xinghe, you are only hoping that your Wei family ancestor might still be alive. Let me tell you the truth: your ancestor was struck by that master''s precelestial sword qi and cannot possibly survive. If you are wise, surrender and hand over the treasure to leave a way out for your Wei family. Otherwise, be prepared for your Wei family to be exterminated."

    However, the Wei family head was unmoved.

    He said indifferently, "One question: are you fighting or not? If not, shut up! Hiding in the shadows, without even showing your true self, do you expect my Wei family to surrender with just your words?"

    The voice paused, unable to believe that Wei Xinghe was so impervious to threats.

    Hearing the contempt in his tone, the person outside felt a surge of anger, wanting to fight Wei Xinghe right then.

    As a grandmaster at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, how could he not have a temper?

    But remembering that master''s words, he suppressed his anger.

    He then sneered, "Wei Xinghe, you continue to hold out because you''ve sent your wife and children out of the city and have no worries. But do you think they can truly escape to the provincial capital?"

    Hearing this, the Wei family head could no longer maintain his calm demeanor.

    His face changed drastically, and he angrily shouted, "You, a grandmaster, would stoop to troubling women and children? Isn''t that beneath your status?"

    "Hahaha..." The voiceughed wildly, "Didn''t you just call me a rat? Now I am a grandmaster? Wei Xinghe, do you think you will see your wife and children''s heads disyed at your gate tomorrow?"

    With that, the voice faded away, no longer speaking.

    "Wait!" the Wei family head called out urgently.

    But the voice did not return. It was unclear whether the person ignored him or had left.

    The Wei family head was left calling out in vain.

    "Master, what should we do now?" The chief steward beside him was anxious and puzzled. "The underground tunnel is deep and the exit is hidden. How could they have discovered it?"

    "There are only two reasons: first, there is an insider in the mansion who leaked their whereabouts."

    The Wei family head took a breath, forcibly calming himself to think.

    "Impossible! I personally arranged for thedy and young master''s departure. Their guards are the most loyal; they would never betray the Wei family!" the chief steward said firmly.

    "Then there is only one reason left."

    The Wei family head showed aplex expression.

    "We underestimated the capabilities of precelestial experts. We thought the tunnel would hide them, but from the beginning, our arrangements might never have escaped their notice."

    The chief steward fell silent.

    If that was the case, they were indeed helpless.

    Precelestial experts were mysterious and their methods were beyond ordinary understanding.

    Even they were unclear about the true capabilities of precelestial experts.

    The ancestor never demonstrated these abilities to them.

    "What about thedy and young master? Have they really fallen into their hands?" the chief steward asked.

    "They should not have. Otherwise, that person would have already used them to threaten us. Now he only uttered a few harsh words, clearly indicating they have detected their presence but have not captured them yet."

    The Wei family head, though initially disturbed by the mysterious person''s words, quickly calmed down and noticed the inconsistencies.

    "Shall I go to support thedy?" the chief steward asked urgently.

    "No, the mansion still needs you. The Silver Moon Battle Formation requires your leadership to be most effective. If you leave, ourbat strength will be halved." The Wei family head decisively replied, "Perhaps that is why they mentioned An''er and the others, to lure you away!"

    "But thedy..."

    "We can only leave it to fate!" the Wei family head sighed, "As Wei family members, we must be prepared to sacrifice for the family. If they cannot escape, it is their destiny."

    The chief steward fell silent.

    He did not understand why the master insisted on defending the ancestral home to the death, refusing to retreat.

    But as a member of the Wei family, his martial skills and honor were given by the Wei family. As long as the head ordered, he would obey to the death.

    "Master, maybe things aren''t so bad. The guard Pang Zhan is also a strong Internal Organs Realm expert. With his leadership and the Silver Moon Guards forming the Silver Moon Battle Formation, they can hold off even top-tier experts. As long as the precelestial experts do not intervene, thedy and young master might still have a chance."

    After a long silence, the chief steward spoke tofort him.

    "We can only hope for that." The Wei family head sighed.

    But he knew that hope was slim.

    The Silver Moon Battle Formation was formidable, but their enemies were numerous and strong.

    The mysterious person he conversed with was beyond Pang Zhan''s capabilities.

    Now he could only pray that their pursuers did not include top-tier experts. Otherwise, he dreaded the choices he would have to make.

    The Wei family head spent a sleepless night in torment.

    The next day, at the same time, nothing unusual happened outside the mansion, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

    It seemed that An''er and the others had not been captured yet.

    Otherwise, given the arrogance of the mysterious expert, he would not miss the chance to show off.

    Another day passed without incident. The Wei family head rxed significantly.

    He believed that his wife and children had probably escaped.

    Even the chief steward felt relieved.

    Thedy had been kind to him, and now knowing that she and the young master were safe, he felt at ease.

    The forces in the county had been closely watching the Wei mansion''s situation.

    The conversation between the Wei family head and the mysterious expert had echoed throughout the town.

    Everyone knew someone was after the Wei family''sdy and young master.

    People spected whether they would see their corpses or figures the next day.

    Unexpectedly, two days passed without any disturbance.

    Even the mysterious expert had not reappeared.

    Did the Wei family''sdy and young master escape?

    Everyone wondered.

    "Zhiyue, do you think the Wei family''sdy and young master escaped, or have they been caught?"

    At the county magistrate''s residence, a handsome middle-aged man with almond-shaped eyes sat at a chess table, holding a chess piece, asking the person opposite him.

    "If you, the county magistrate, don''t know, how could I?" replied the man in in clothes across from him.

    "Don''t be modest. Everyone knows your Tianji Tower''s intelligence is unparalleled. Nothing escapes your notice. Compared to you, I, a mere county magistrate, am insignificant."

    The man with almond-shaped eyes ced the chess piece on the board, smiling.

    "My Tianji Tower may gather intelligence, but we do not interfere in the struggles of families and sects. So, you won''t get any information from me."

    The in-clothed man''s expression remained unchanged as he ced a piece.

    "If you don''t interfere, why are you here?" The almond-eyed man''s tone turned indifferent, putting down his piece and looking at the in-clothed man.

    "Rest assured, my presence has nothing to do with you. I''m not interested in your affairs."

    The in-clothed man maintained hisposure.

    "Oh, then why are you here?"

    Hearing this, the almond-eyed man rxed slightly, his smile returning.

    He knew this person disliked lying. If he said it was unrted, it must be.

    "I came to confirm something." The in-clothed man said.

    "The Sacred Mountain has issued a prohibition: any warrior above precelestial level must not harm those below without cause, nor fight in densely popted areas to avoid unnecessary ughter."

    "I am here to see if anyone dares to defy this prohibition."

    The almond-eyed man''s expression became serious.

    The prohibition the in-clothed man mentioned was not widely known.

    Only the truly prestigious families and hidden great sects knew about it.

    But this did not diminish its importance.

    On the contrary, those who knew understood the terrifying power behind this prohibition.

    It was a force all had to respect.

    "So, the current chaos in the county is driven by a precelestial expert?" The almond-eyed man probed.

    "Yan Canghai, stop pretending." The in-clothed man said coldly, "Such obvious things are not worth feigning ignorance over."

    "Haha, I was just unsure. After all, the actions of precelestial experts are beyond us postnatal

    folks."

    The almond-eyed man wasn''t offended, instead growing more curious.

    "Zhiyue, tell me, who wants the Wei family ancestor dead, and what treasure does the Wei mansion hold that a precelestial expert would stoop so low?"

    "Are you not afraid they''ll hear your disparaging remarks?" The in-clothed man nced at him.

    The almond-eyed man stiffened, then rxed.

    Feigning nonchnce, he said, "With you here, what do I have to fear? Would a precelestial expert bother with someone like me?"

    His words were light, but he dared not inquire further.

    "Your curiosity is a problem. If not for it, you wouldn''t have been demoted to this remote ce as a county magistrate."

    The in-clothed man ced another piece on the board.

    "Hehe." The almond-eyed man chuckled awkwardly, not daring to speak further.

    If not for his friend¡¯s help, he might not even have his current position.

    His friend''s words also reassured him.

    The past days had been stressful, with numerous warriors entering the city, some as strong as him.

    If they fought, countless civilians would suffer, and he couldn''t shirk his responsibility.

    But with his friend here, even if they couldn''t stop the battle, at least he had a witness to his powerlessness.

    He quietly yed chess for a while.

    Suddenly, the almond-eyed man couldn''t resist asking, "Zhiyue, tell me one thing: is the Wei family''s precelestial ancestor dead?"

    The in-clothed man looked up, his gaze calm but sending chills down the almond-eyed man''s spine.

    He quickly waved his hands, "No more questions, I won''t ask!"

    The in-clothed man stared at him until he was terrified.

    Then he suddenly spoke, "There''s one thing I can tell you."

    "What is it?" The almond-eyed man asked eagerly.

    "The Wei family''sdy and young master have not been captured."

    Table of content

 Chapter 105

    Mago felt extremely unlucky.

    At this moment, he was lying in a pit in the forest, covered with thick fallen leaves.

    At first nce, it was impossible to tell that there was a person hidden underneath.

    But Mago did not dare to be careless, as he knew that the people hunting him in the mountains were all martial arts experts, some of whom were no less skilled than he was.

    A slight mistake could lead to discovery.

    Once surrounded, even if he was familiar with the area, escape would be impossible.

    "What on earth is this?"

    Thinking of his recent experiences, Mago couldn''t help butment his misfortune.

    The situation in the county had been tense recently, and it could erupt at any moment.Worried, his family began to prepare for the worst by transferring some of their assets to the state capital.

    A few days ago, he was assigned a task to escort some goods to the state capital.

    After delivering the goods sessfully, he decided to visit the Grand Bazaar to check on Xiao Tian and the others.

    He informed the other family members and left the group.

    In retrospect, Mago deeply regretted his decision.

    He wanted to p himself for foolishly deciding to visit the Grand Bazaar.

    Now he had brought so much trouble upon himself.

    Two days ago, after leaving the family group, he took a shortcut through the mountains to the Grand Bazaar.

    While passing through a valley, a group of people suddenly emerged from the forest.

    These people wore silver armor and exuded a murderous aura, forming a triangle to protect a woman and a young boy in the center.

    The woman appeared injured, looking weary and unable to lift one arm.

    When Mago saw the boy, he knew trouble was brewing.

    He recognized the boy, as well as the silver-armored guards.

    They were the Young Master Wei of the Wei family and his Silver Moon Guards.

    Mago wanted to avoid them, but it was toote.

    The boy saw him and shouted.

    "Mago, what are you doing here?"

    His shout immediately drew the attention of the silver-armored guards.

    "Young Master, who is this?" the leader of the guards asked, his eyes sharp.

    "Pang Guard, this is Mago of the Ma family. Last time I was injured, the guards from the mansion stayed at his ce," the boy replied.

    "Yes, Captain, we did stay at his cest time," one of the guards confirmed.

    "Oh?"

    Pang Guard''s gaze softened slightly, but he remained vignt.

    Mago''s presence here was too unusual.

    If not for Mago''sck of strength and solitary presence, he would have suspected a deliberate ambush.

    "We have temporarily evaded the pursuers. First, tend to thedy''s injuries!" Pang Guard ordered.

    Immediately, a guard took out some golden healing ointment for the boy to apply to thedy.

    "Greetings, Young Master, Lady."

    Seeing that Young Master Wei recognized him, Mago had no choice but to step forward and greet them.

    Although he didn''t know why these people were here, given the recent turmoil in the city and the bloodied state of the Silver Moon Guards, it was clear that he had seen something he shouldn''t have.

    Could it be that the city had finally erupted into conflict?

    Would he be silenced?

    Mago silently cursed his luck.

    But now, even if he wanted to escape, he couldn''t.

    Each of the Silver Moon Guards was stronger than him, making escape impossible.

    "Mago, why are you here?" Young Master Wei asked.

    "I was on my way back to the Grand Bazaar and happened to run into you," Mago replied truthfully.

    Just then, there was another noise from the forest, causing all the Silver Moon Guards to tense up.

    "Captain, they''ve caught up!" a guard eximed.

    "I know. The other side also has Internal Organs Realm experts. With thedy and the young master, we can''t shake off their pursuit," Pang Guard sighed.

    "What should we do? They outnumber us, and our battle formation can only hold for so long. Plus, thedy is injured and needs treatment soon," the guard said anxiously.

    "Perhaps you should leave me behind and take An''er away," Lady Wei said, her face pale. "I''m the Wei family''s matriarch. They want to capture me to threaten my husband. They won''t kill me immediately."

    "Mother!" Young Master Wei cried out.

    "Absolutely not, Lady!" Pang Guard quickly said. "Protecting you is our mission. Unless all the Silver Moon Guards are dead, they won''t touch a hair on your head!"

    "But if I stay, everyone will eventually die in this forest. I can''t drag everyone down because of me," Lady Wei insisted.

    "There will be a way. Don''t worry, Lady," Pang Guard reassured her.

    But as the noise in the forest grew louder, his gaze swept around andnded on the quietly standing Mago.

    "Young Master, can this person be trusted?" Pang Guard asked.

    Young Master Wei was taken aback but then nodded. "Mago is reliable. He saved my life with his suggestionst time."

    Pang Guard wasn''t fully satisfied with this answer, but he had no other options.

    Gritting his teeth, he turned to Mago. "Brother Mago, I have a request."

    Mago, who had been ying it safe, felt a shiver. Forcing a smile, he asked, "What is it?"

    "Please escort thedy and the young master to a safe ce. The Wei family will reward you handsomely," Pang Guard said solemnly.

    Everyone turned to look at Pang Guard.

    Mago broke into a cold sweat. "Sir, you''re joking. If even you can''t protect them, how can someone like me in the Tendons and Bones Realm manage it?"

    He had overheard the Silver Moon Guards'' conversation and knew they were being pursued. He wanted to escape, not get involved in this mess.

    "You have no choice. Those people are nearby. Without our help, you won''t make it out of this forest. They are ruthless and will kill you on sight!" Pang Guard said.

    Mago''s face stiffened.

    This was exactly what he feared.

    If a whole squad of Silver Moon Guards was being hunted so relentlessly, the pursuers must be incredibly powerful.

    If he encountered them, he would be dead without question.

    He had witnessed how ruthless those people were in the county.

    Now, outside the county with no restrictions, they would be even more unscrupulous.

    "Sir, even if we split up, any of the Silver Moon Guards would be more suitable to protect thedy and the young master than me," Mago argued.

    "That was possible before, but not now," Pang Guard shook his head. "We lost men earlier and can''t spare anyone to protect thedy."

    Thinking of this, Pang Guard''s heart ached.

    If not for the ambush, they wouldn''t be in this situation, and he wouldn''t have to entrust thedy and young master to an outsider.

    Without the Silver Moon formation, facing so many strong enemies, they couldn''t dy for long.

    "Now, you have to help us hold off the pursuers so you can escape!" Pang Guard''s eyes bore into Mago''s. "Brother Mago, do you agree?"

    Mago held his gaze for a while before finally smiling bitterly. "As you said, I have no choice."

    "Brother Mago, I entrust the safety of thedy and the young master to you!"

    Pang Guard knelt on one knee, pleading.

    "Captain!"

    "Pang Guard!"

    The other Silver Moon Guards and Lady Wei''s family were shocked.

    Mago was equally stunned.

    A strong Internal Organs Realm expert kneeling to a lowly Tendons and Bones Realm cultivator was unimaginable.

    Seeing the earnestness in Pang Guard''s eyes, Mago felt a surge of heroism.

    "Rest assured, Sir Pang. I will protect thedy and the young master with my life!"

    Recalling his bold words two days ago, Mago now wished he could p himself.

    What was the point of showing off? Now it seemed he really might lose his life.

    After agreeing to escort Lady Wei and Young Master Wei, the Silver Moon Guardsunched an attack, forming a battle formation to counter-ambush their pursuers.

    Themotion quickly drew all the enemies in the forest.

    Mago then carried Lady Wei and led Young Master Wei in a different direction.

    However, they soon discovered that the perimeter was surrounded, leaving no way out.

    Helplessly, Mago led them deeper into the mountains.

    Fortunately, his years of hunting in the area had made him familiar with the terrain.

    Using his knowledge, he managed to temporarily evade the pursuers.

    But this left them hiding deep in the mountains, afraid toe out, unaware of the Silver Moon Guards'' fate.

    After hiding for a long time and seeing no movement in the forest, with the sky darkening, Mago decided to act.

    Seeing no enemies but spotting a fat rabbit, the starving Mago couldn''t resist. He leapt up, knocked out the rabbit, and caught it.

    After dealing with the pit''s traces, he headed toward a hidden cave.

    "Who?" a wary voice called from inside.

    "It''s me."

    Mago shook his head at Young Master Wei''s reaction.

    If it had been the enemy, his voice would have given away their position.

    But considering the young master¡¯s sheltered life, Mago held back his criticism.

    "Mago, you''re back?" Young Master Wei asked excitedly.

    "Yes, how is thedy?"

    "Mother is still unconscious and has a fever. Do you have any solutions?"

    Young Master Wei''s face filled with worry.

    "I can''t help," Mago shook his head. "Your mother''s wound hasn''t healed, she''s lost a lot of blood, and has an infection, much like your condition before. I''m not a doctor; I can''t cure her."

    Lady Wei had been seriously injured during the escape. Though

    they applied medicine, theck of proper treatment had left her in a critical state by the time Mago found the cave.

    "Like my condition?" Young Master Wei recalled his past injury, feeling a twinge of pain in his stomach.

    Fear gripped him. "Mago, will my mother die?"

    Mago remained silent.

    Given the current situation, it was hard to say.

    Lady Wei''s injuries, though not as severe as her son''s, werepounded by her weaker constitution.

    Seeing his silence, Young Master Wei grew more frantic. "No, I can''t let my mother die! Mago, think of something!"

    Seeing Young Master Wei''s panicked shouting, Mago felt a surge of irritation.

    "Shut up!"

    Grabbing Young Master Wei by the neck, he pressed him against the cave wall, speaking in a low voice. "Will yelling wake your mother? If you alert the enemies, we''ll all die!"

    Young Master Wei''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    But as his breath tightened, fear overcame him, and he started to struggle.

    Mago held firm, staring into his eyes. "I¡¯ll let you go if you promise not to yell again. Otherwise, I''ll cut you down!"

    With his vision darkening, Young Master Wei frantically nodded.

    Seeing his face turn purple, Mago released his grip.

    Watching the young master cough and gasp for air, Mago felt an unexpected satisfaction.

    Meeting this boy always brought trouble. He couldn''t help feeling resentful.

    Previously, he wouldn''t have dared to rough up the young master.

    But now, with enemies everywhere, they were living on the edge.

    In this desperate situation, Mago''s courage grew, and he had no patience for the young master''s antics.

    "Young Master, you''re not a child anymore. Think about how to survive in these mountains. The Silver Moon Guards sacrificed themselves for you and Lady Wei. Don''t disgrace their efforts by acting like a fool.

    "I''ll search for medicinal herbs to reduce Lady Wei''s fever tomorrow. Think about what you should do."

    Leaving these words, Mago took the rabbit outside to skin and prepare it.

    Young Master Wei was left in the cave, lost in thought.

    Soon, Mago returned with some raw rabbit meat on arge leaf.

    "Eat."

    "What is this?" Young Master Wei asked, looking at the pink meat.

    "Rabbit meat, fresh."

    "It''s raw. How can I eat this?" Young Master Wei eximed.

    "Do you want to start a fire to roast it and attract enemies? They¡¯ll surround us and capture your mother," Mago sneered.

    "But I can''t eat it," Young Master Wei said, terrified.

    "You have to. You''ve been starving for two days. Without food, you won''t be able to walk. I''m already struggling to carry your mother. I can''t carry both of you! Do you want me to abandon your mother?" Mago said coldly.

    Hearing this, Young Master Wei struggled internally.

    Finally, he took a piece of rabbit meat and swallowed it with closed eyes.

    Table of content

 Chapter 106

    Watching Young Master Wei swallow the rabbit meat, Mago nodded slightly. He also picked up a piece of rabbit meat and began to eat. Perhaps because he was too hungry, Young Master Wei found that after swallowing a piece of rabbit meat, despite the psychological difort, it wasn''t as hard to swallow as he had imagined. So, he silently continued to eat.

    The two silently ate the entire rabbit raw. After finishing, Mago cleaned up the ce and then sat at the entrance of the cave, holding his knife, leaning against the cave wall, and closed his eyes to rest. Young Master Wei went to check on his mother and found that her condition had not improved, which made him anxious. He wanted to discuss it with Mago, but remembering the scene of Mago gripping his neck earlier, he felt scared and could only sit there silently.

    By now, night hadpletely fallen, but as a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist, Mago''s senses were still sharp. In the darkness, he noticed Young Master Wei''s movements and said calmly, "Go to sleep. Early tomorrow, I will find medicine for Madam Wei. Worrying now is useless; it''s better to rest well and keep your energy."

    Young Master Wei was silent for a moment before speaking, "Mago, tell me the truth, can my mother get better?"

    Mago did not immediately answer. After a while, he said, "I don''t know either. I told you, I''m not a doctor and my understanding of medicine is very superficial. Madam''s injuries are severe. I can only try to find some familiar herbs for her to take and see if it works. As for whether she can pull through, it depends on fate."

    Saying this, Mago paused before continuing, "Unfortunately, we can''t go out now. Otherwise, if we could reach old doctor Chen, your mother''s life would definitely be saved."

    Hearing this, Young Master Wei''s eyes brightened, "Yes, we can take my mother to old doctor Chen!"

    He remembered thatst time, even with his severe injuries, he was saved by the old doctor. If he could take his mother there, her injuries would definitely be healed!

    Mago shook his head, "It''s not that I don''t want to take Madam there, but you know the situation outside. There are people searching for us everywhere; we simply can''t go out."Young Master Wei realized this and his eyes dimmed. Yes, if they could go out, they wouldn''t be trapped in this cave.

    "Alright, sleep. Let''s see what happens tomorrow," Mago said as he saw Young Master Wei stop talking and closed his eyes to rest.

    That night, Young Master Wei couldn''t sleep well. He woke up frequently, checking on Madam Wei, giving her water now and then, barely resting. Mago saw all this but didn''t say anything.

    Early the next morning, Mago told Young Master Wei that he was going to find herbs. He noticed that perhaps due to the effects of the Golden Healing Ointment, Madam Wei''s condition hadn''t worsened but she was still unconscious. But staying like this in the harsh mountain environment was not good. If she remained unconscious, she might never wake up again.

    Carrying his weapons, Mago carefully walked through the mountains, searching for familiar herbs. Finally, beside a mountain stream, he found a usable herb. Delighted, he was about to pick it when he suddenly felt a warning and quickly dodged to the side. The next moment, an arrow grazed his body and embedded itself deeply in the ground, leaving only the arrow''s tail trembling slightly above the surface.

    Mago felt a chill in his heart. If he hadn''t dodged, his body would have been pierced through by the arrow. He turned around abruptly, seeing a figure standing on the branch of a nearbyrge tree. It was a robust young man in leather armor, carrying a quiver and holding arge bow, with a short knife at his waist. Clearly, it was he who had shot the arrow.

    "Oh, not bad. You actually dodged my arrow?" The leather-armored youth seemed a bit surprised that his arrow missed.

    "Who are you, and why did you suddenly attack me?" Mago asked, drawing his knife and scanning his surroundings.

    "Don''t y dumb. Two days ago, you took Madam Wei and Young Master Wei away, right? Tell me where they are, and I might spare your life," the leather-armored youth said.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m just a hunter who came into the mountains to hunt," Mago denied tly.

    "A Tendons and Bones Realm hunter? Do you take me for a fool?" The leather-armored youth shook his head. "Looks like I have to capture you first to make you talk."

    Before his words fell, he had already pulled three arrows from his quiver and ced them on his bow. In the next instant, three arrows were shot at Mago almost simultaneously.

    "Three Stars Linked Pearls?!"

    The three arrows, forming a triangr formation, sealed off all escape routes around Mago, leaving him with no room to dodge. Startled, Mago instantly recognized the leather-armored youth''s archery skills. This was a famous archery technique, signifying that the archer had truly mastered archery.

    Escape!

    Mago made a swift decision, swinging his knife to deflect one arrow, rolling to dodge the other two. While rolling, he secretly threw a dart aimed at the leather-armored youth''s face.

    "Hmm?"

    The sudden counterattack caught the leather-armored youth off guard. He swung his bow to deflect the dart and looked ahead, only to see Mago already dozens of feet away. The moment he threw the dart, Mago had leaped backward, beginning to flee. He used the trees to cover himself, making it difficult for the leather-armored youth to target him.

    "Interesting. If you can still escape, where will my face be?" The leather-armored youth chuckled, put away his bow, and chased after Mago, his speed faster than Mago''s.

    Hearing the sounds of pursuit behind him, Mago felt bitter. Seeing the leather-armored youth''s Three Stars Linked Pearls technique, Mago knew he was no match for him. The technique required a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist to shoot three arrows in rapid session, a skill beyond Mago''s level. Besides, there could be more enemies nearby. The only option was to escape.

    But now, even escaping seemed uncertain. The footsteps behind him grew closer, and Mago felt anxious. He thought the leather-armored youth, with such arge bow, would be slower in the forest. But the youth''s movement technique was so advanced that he was catching up.

    Mago had no choice but to plunge into a denser thicket. Though this slowed him down, he hoped the youth would have more trouble. As expected, the leather-armored youth struggled with his bow getting caught in the vines and branches. Seeing Mago almost out of sight, the leather-armored youth became furious.

    "Do you think you can escape, you rat?"

    He took out a special ck arrow, drew his bow, and aimed. Mago, unaware, felt a sudden danger. He instinctively dived forward. The ck arrow whistled through the air, ripping through leaves and branches, creating a clear path and hitting a tree in front of Mago, leaving a deep hole.

    Mago was terrified. Could such powerful archery be from a Tendons and Bones Realm warrior? What kind of enemies had the Wei family provoked?

    Mago despaired. The leather-armored youth''s arrow was either a casual shot or powered by a secret technique. Either way, it spelled bad news for Mago. But he kept running. He touched his bloodied back, thankful that he was only grazed.

    With his injury not hindering his movement, Mago leaped up and continued to flee. The leather-armored youth, feeling weak after the powerful arrow, saw Mago still alive and swore to kill him.

    "You rat, you won''t escape!" The youth''s shout echoed through the forest. Mago regretted not returning to his n after the bazaar, cursing his misfortune.

    Suddenly, hearing water ahead, Mago''s hope rekindled. If there was a river, he might survive. This hope gave him new strength. The leather-armored youth, realizing Mago''s n, chased him with renewed vigor, readying another arrow. Mago leaped, but the arrow pierced his shoulder, and he fell among the stones.

    "It''s a waterfall gorge?"

    Mago, in pain, saw he was in a valley with a waterfall, not a river. The leather-armored youth, mocking, approached. "This time, you can''t run."

    Mago, despairing, saw a figure approaching.

    "Mago?" A surprised voice called out.

    Table of content

 Chapter 107

    The sudden voice startled both Mago and the youth in leather armor.

    Neither of them had realized that someone else was present in the valley.

    The two of them quickly turned their heads and saw a figure standing with hands behind his back on arge rock beside the waterfall.

    "Brother Lu Qing?" Mago''s eyes filled with disbelief when he saw the figure. "What are you doing here?"

    Could it be that in his desperate escape, he had inadvertently fled near Jiuli Vige?

    The thought shed through Mago¡¯s mind involuntarily.

    But there was no time to ponder whether this made sense. Seeing that Lu Qing hadn¡¯t realized the severity of the situation, Mago urgently shouted:

    "Brother Lu Qing, run! This man is vicious, not someone you can provoke!"

    Mago felt no joy upon seeing Lu Qing. He knew that Lu Qing¡¯s martial strength was merely at the Qi and Blood Realm.He was no match for the leather-armored youth in front of him, not even for a single strike.

    If Lu Qing intervened recklessly, it wouldn¡¯t help but would only cost him his life.

    "Can you really escape?" the leather-armored youth said coldly. "You fool, now not only will you fail to escape, but you''ll drag your friend to his death as well. Doesn¡¯t that feel worse than dying yourself?"

    "Brother Lu Qing, run! I¡¯ll hold him off as long as I can; you look for a chance to escape!" Mago ignored the leather-armored youth¡¯s words, struggling to his feet. He gripped his knife tightly with one hand, ring at the youth with fierce determination.

    "Surprising, you actually have some loyalty for a coward," the leather-armored youth remarked, slightly surprised by Mago¡¯s desperate stance.

    "But with just you, do you really think you can stop me?"

    Mago said nothing, staring intently at his opponent, searching for an opportunity to strike.

    "Hey, shouldn¡¯t you both ask for my opinion first?" Lu Qing, watching them talk as if he wasn¡¯t there, spoke up helplessly.

    Both Mago and the leather-armored youth froze and looked toward Lu Qing.

    The leather-armored youth, in particr, couldn¡¯t believe this kid had the nerve to interrupt him.

    A hint of wariness flickered in his heart, and he began to carefully observe Lu Qing.

    But Lu Qing was standing too far away for the leather-armored youth to sense his Qi and Blood strength.

    For the moment, he couldn¡¯t gauge Lu Qing¡¯s true power.

    "Master Mago, care to exin what¡¯s going on?" Lu Qing asked with a slight smile.

    "Brother Lu Qing, you¡­" Mago, seeing Lu Qing¡¯s calm demeanor, was suddenly struck by a thought.

    In his impression, Lu Qing had always been clever. His earlier words should have already made Lu Qing realize the gravity of the situation.

    But now, Lu Qing didn¡¯t seem concerned at all, which made Mago uncertain of his intentions.

    "Let me exin it for you," the leather-armored youth suddenly said.

    "This fool overestimates himself. He hid the wife and son of the Wei family, making an enemy of us. Kid, are you sure you want to get involved in this mess?"

    Lu Qing looked at Mago in surprise.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Mago to be so bold, daring to meddle in the affairs between the Wei family and those mysterious martial artists.

    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense! I know nothing about the Wei family¡¯s wife and son. I was just hunting in the mountains, and you attacked me without any reason. No matter how you spin it, you¡¯re in the wrong!" Mago firmly denied the usation.

    "Keep up the lies if you want. I just hope your mouth stays as tough when I break your limbs and slowly torture you." The leather-armored youth didn¡¯t care about Mago¡¯s denial.

    At this point, even if Mago had nothing to do with the Wei family, he had to die.

    The moment Mago dodged his kill shot, the leather-armored youth had already decided to torture him to death.

    Lu Qing, however, could see that Mago had indeed gotten himself into this mess.

    Although he didn¡¯t know why Mago, usually so cautious, had gotten involved in such a deadly matter, since they knew each other, Lu Qing couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch him die.

    More importantly, Lu Qing¡¯s eyes revealed a strange glint as he looked at the information the leather-armored youth was emitting in his vision.

    At this moment, the leather-armored youth was glowing with a strong white light in Lu Qing¡¯s sight.

    [Tong Canng: Disciple of the Northern Border¡¯s Tian Cang Sect, student of Xiantian realm warrior Wang Cangyi, cruel and bloodthirsty, prone to mood swings, enjoys torturing opponents.]

    [Cultivation: Houtian Tendon and Bone Realm, minor achievement. Due to recently using a secret technique, his strength has dropped to less than seventy percent of his usual power.]

    This time, the information Lu Qing gleaned was more detailed than usual.

    It was something he had only discovered after recently breaking through to the Tendon and Bone Realm.

    As his cultivation advanced, his abilities seemed to strengthen as well.

    Not only could he gather information faster than before, but the details he obtained were also moreprehensive.

    Staring at the message floating above the leather-armored youth, Lu Qing¡¯s mind raced with many thoughts.

    The details provided crucial information¡ªeverything from the youth¡¯s background to his current physical condition gave Lu Qing valuable insights.

    "Hey kid, for some reason, I find your gaze really annoying."

    As Lu Qing pondered, the leather-armored youth felt increasingly ufortable. Lu Qing¡¯s gaze made him very uneasy.

    "I¡¯ve decided, I¡¯ll take care of you first!"

    Mago was already heavily injured and posed no threat, but the leather-armored youth still couldn¡¯t figure out Lu Qing¡¯s strength.

    Yet, he wasn¡¯t overly concerned. Judging by Lu Qing¡¯s age, which was younger than his own, even if Lu Qing was a prodigy who had trained since childhood, he couldn¡¯t be that formidable.

    Moreover, the leather-armored youth didn¡¯t believe that someone in such a remote ce could possess martial talent surpassing his own as a Tian Cang Sect inner disciple.

    So, seeing Lu Qing standing there calmly with his hands behind his back, giving him that infuriating gaze, the leather-armored youth moved.

    Not good!

    Mago, who had been watching the leather-armored youth closely, was the first to notice his movement.

    But before he could react, the leather-armored youth was already rushing at Lu Qing.

    Already injured and weaker, Mago couldn¡¯t stop him.

    All he could do was shout anxiously, "Brother Lu Qing, run!"

    But it was toote. Before Mago¡¯s words even finished, the leather-armored youth had closed the distance to Lu Qing in just a few steps.

    His hand formed a w, and the force of his strike whipped the air as he aimed for Lu Qing¡¯s throat.

    Mago watched in horror, his eyes wide, seemingly able to see the gruesome scene of Lu Qing¡¯s neck snapping and his windpipe tearing in the next moment.

    Even the leather-armored youth believed that his strike was unstoppable.

    The [Splitting Wind w] was one of his signature techniques, one that few even among the inner disciples could execute as skillfully as he could.

    Against a rural nobody like Lu Qing, it would be an easy kill.

    Just as his ws were about to tear into Lu Qing¡¯s throat, a sh of de light appeared before him, slicing toward his head.

    This de light was sharp, filled with killing intent, and, more importantly, incredibly fast. Though it was ate strike, it reached him before his own attack couldnd.

    "What?"

    The leather-armored youth was caughtpletely off-guard and shocked.

    He had assumed Lu Qing was standing empty-handed, but it turned out Lu Qing had been holding a war de behind his back the entire time!

    What a crafty kid!

    At the critical moment, the leather-armored youth tilted his head back, barely dodging the fatal strike.

    But his body couldn¡¯t fully evade.

    Boom!

    The de light struck his chest, sending him flying backward under its tremendous force.

    "Hmm?"

    As the de made contact, Lu Qing sensed something off.

    The impact didn¡¯t feel like he had struck a person, but something incredibly tough, like hardened leather.

    He quickly realized it was the armor the youth was wearing.

    Without wasting a moment, Lu Qing unleashed his full Qi and Blood power, leaping off the rock and kicking up dirt and debris as he chased after the airborne youth. With another sh, he struck down.

    ng!

    The sharp sound of collision rang out.

    The leather-armored youth had drawn a short de from his waist and managed to block the strike.

    However, blocking the attack while airborne meant he couldn¡¯t brace himself.

    Lu Qing¡¯s sh sent him crashing to the ground, rolling over in the dirt and scattering stones everywhere.

    But Lu Qing didn¡¯t let up. He pressed his advantage, stepping forward and delivering yet another sh.

    Damn it! Does it ever end?

    The leather-armored youth hadn¡¯t expected to be pushed into such a disadvantage.

    Furious, he was filled with anger.

    Since when had Tong Canng suffered such a loss?

    Boom!

    In his rage, the leather-armored youth stopped caring about anything else, forcibly circting his Qi and Blood along a strange path within his body.

    Instantly, a powerful force surged within him.

    "Get lost!"

    Empowered by this force, when Lu Qing¡¯s next strike came, the leather-armored youth shouted and swung his short de, directly blocking Lu Qing¡¯s war de.

    This time, the strength behind his block was

    immense, even surprising Lu Qing.

    The force numbed Lu Qing¡¯s arms, and he nearly dropped his de.

    rmed, he used the recoil to step back a few paces, putting some distance between himself and the leather-armored youth.

    The skirmish paused, with Lu Qing holding the upper hand for now.

    Mago, standing aside, was already dumbfounded.

    From the moment the leather-armored youth rushed at Lu Qing, to Lu Qing¡¯s quick response and counterattack, to the leather-armored youth being forced back¡ªeverything had happened within just a few breaths.

    By the time Lu Qing retreated, Mago was still staring in shock, his mouth hanging open.

    He had never expected that Lu Qing, whom he thought was about to die, would instead almost kill the leather-armored youth.

    The contrast was too great. Had he not witnessed it himself, Mago wouldn¡¯t have believed it.

    At this moment, he had only one thought in his mind.

    When did Lu Qing break through to the Tendon and Bone Realm?

    Indeed, after seeing Lu Qing¡¯s powerful disy, if Mago still couldn¡¯t tell that Lu Qing had reached the Tendon and Bone Realm, then all his years of cultivation would have been in vain.

    Yet, it was precisely because he realized this that his shock was even greater.

    He knew full well that from the time Lu Qing first started practicing martial arts until now, it had only been a few months at most.

    In just a few months, Lu Qing had gone from a martial novice to a Tendon and Bone Realm expert.

    Such a cultivation speed¡ªhe had never seen or even heard of anything like it!

    Even in the provincial capital, he had never heard of a young genius like this!

    What kind of monstrous talent is Brother Lu Qing?

    Mago stared at Lu Qing¡¯s figure in utter disbelief, even forgetting the pain in his shoulder.

    Mago was not the only one in shock. The leather-armored youth was also filled with disbelief.

    He looked at Lu Qing, still holding his war de, with wide eyes.

    "Tendon and Bone Realm? You¡¯re actually a Tendon and Bone Realm warrior?"

    And not just that¡ªLu Qing seemed to be on the verge of achieving minor sess in the Tendon and Bone Realm.

    The leather-armored youth recalled Lu Qing¡¯s earlier dominance.

    The power Lu Qing had shown far exceeded that of a mere neer to the Tendon and Bone Realm.

    It wasn¡¯t much weaker than his own.

    The fact that such formidable power was being wielded by a boy younger than himself was unbelievable to the leather-armored youth.

    "That¡¯s some impressive armor," Lu Qing remarked, not answering the youth¡¯s question. His eyes were fixed on the crack in the leather-armored youth¡¯s chest, where faint traces of blood seeped through.

    Clearly, although the armor had blocked Lu Qing¡¯s attack, it hadn¡¯t been able to fully prevent injury.

    Lu Qing marveled at the strength of the armor, which had withstood his full-force strike as a Tendon and Bone Realm warrior.

    Although his words were meant as praise, to the leather-armored youth, they sounded incredibly mocking.

    How could he not hear the sarcasm in Lu Qing¡¯s tone?

    Yet, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit fortunate.

    If not for the armor his master had given him, he would have been cleaved in two.

    This kid is terrifying.

    Despite being so young, this Tendon and Bone Realm warrior had already shown such cunning. Truly ruthless for his age.

    "Kid, don¡¯t get cocky. Thatst strike was your best chance. Since you failed to kill me, now it¡¯s your turn to die!"

    The leather-armored youth¡¯s eyes glinted with cruelty.

    At the same time, his heart filled with killing intent.

    Upon realizing that Lu Qing was a Tendon and Bone Realm warrior, his desire to kill Lu Qing far surpassed his desire to kill Mago.

    So young, and already in the Tendon and Bone Realm, nearing minor sess. If given more time, what would this kid be?

    The leather-armored youth, once considering himself a genius, was filled with jealousy and fear after realizing Lu Qing¡¯s martial talent.

    At this moment, only one thought upied his mind.

    This kid cannot be allowed to live!

    If he does, not only I but even Tian Cang Sect will face great danger in the future!

    Table of content

 Chapter 108

    The young man in leather armor was not a person of broad mind. On the contrary, he was extremely narrow-minded and jealous.

    Once, in the sect, he secretly murdered a fellow disciple who was more talented than him and had always admired him. The reason was that he saw a threat in that junior brother. The master''s affection for that junior brother was obviously greater than for him. Given time, with the master''s bias, that junior brother might take away the resources that belonged to him.

    So, he decided to strike first. During an outing, he killed that junior brother when he was off guard. He did it very secretly and prepared thoroughly, with an alibi. Therefore, although the master was heartbroken, he did not suspect him at all. Instead, the master focused more energy on him and gave him a lot of cultivation resources.

    Since then, the young man in leather armor felt as if a switch had been turned on inside him. Whenever he saw someone more talented than him, he couldn''t help but feel a murderous intent, wanting to destroy them.

    Now, seeing Lu Qing so young yet already not much weaker than him in the Tendons and Bones Realm, and he had almost fallen into Lu Qing''s trap, nearly dying under his de, how could he not burn with jealousy and a strong desire to kill?

    "Kid, you are a martial genius, but unfortunately, you are destined to die by my hand!" The young man in leather armor spoke coldly to Lu Qing.

    Facing the harsh words of the young man in leather armor, Lu Qing remained calm. He quietly reflected on the previous exchange and concluded that the Precelestial personal disciple was nothing special. Although this young man''s martial realm was a level higher than his, hisbat skills were inferior. His repertoire seemed extensive¡ªw techniques, de techniques, and judging by the quiver on his back, he might even know archery, though it was curious why he had arrows but no bow. Perhaps because he dabbled in too many disciplines, none of his martial skills were refined.

    Far from the polished mastery of Lu Qing''s Four Directions de Technique.

    Seeing Lu Qing once again ignoring him, the young man in leather armor''s eyes grew colder."Brother Lu Qing, let''s fight together," Mago said, stepping beside Lu Qing, holding his knife with one hand.

    "No need. I should be able to handle him alone," Lu Qing replied, looking at the young man in leather armor with a peculiar gaze.

    Ever since stepping into the Tendons and Bones Realm, thanks to the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Lu Qing had found that his cultivation progress was rmingly fast. Each practice of Health Nourishing Boxing noticeably strengthened his tendons and bones. In just a few days, his physical strength had increased significantly, almost reaching the small sess stage. This was why he could strike down the young man in leather armor with a single de earlier. In terms of physical strength alone, he was not much inferior.

    However, despite his rapid progress, Lu Qing had always been unsure of his current strength because he practiced alone. Now, the appearance of the young man in leather armor was the perfect opportunity to test himself. With a realm higher than his own but weakened by a secret technique, what better grindstone could there be?

    Lu Qing''s eyes showed a mysterious glint as he looked at the young man in leather armor.

    That look again! The young man in leather armor grew furious. Despite having greater strength, the kid always looked at him with an expression he detested, as if he were never taken seriously. How could he tolerate that?

    "Kid, you''re seeking death!" The young man in leather armor kicked a stone at Lu Qing and, with a burst of Qi and Blood, followed it with a flexible movement, attacking Lu Qing.

    "Mago, help keep an eye out for me!" Lu Qingughed, sidestepping the stone and meeting the attack head-on.

    Seeing this, Mago stayed where he was. As a fellow martial artist, he understood the pride of a warrior. Since Lu Qing wanted to fight alone, stepping in would be an insult to him.

    The two martial geniuses shed quickly. Taking advantage of his long de, Lu Qing attacked first. When a few steps away, a bright white de light shed, shing at the young man''s face.

    Seeing the straightforward de technique, the young man in leather armor showed disdain. He had only been caught off guard before, leading to his earlier disgrace. Now prepared, how could he be hurt by such clumsy moves?

    Dodging the de, he closed in, aiming for closebat where his short de excelled. Once within range, Lu Qing''s long de would be useless, while his short de would be lethal. As long as he could get close, Lu Qing was dead.

    However, just as he moved to evade and close the distance, a cold sensation pricked his neck. To his horror, he saw Lu Qing''s de following his movements, elegantly slicing toward his neck.

    Impossible! He was stunned. Lu Qing''s de technique was supposed to be straightforward and unrefined, how could it change so skillfully?

    In his shock, the young man in leather armor rolled aside, narrowly avoiding decapitation. The de grazed his right cheek, drawing blood.

    Cold sweat poured from his body.

    "So close!" Mago thought, stunned by Lu Qing''s de mastery. He had never seen such a perfect blend of strength and subtlety, transforming an aggressive strike into a delicate, precise attack. He finally understood why so many had fallen to Lu Qing alone, including the Heart-Snatcher Wolf.

    Realizing Lu Qing''s profound de mastery, surpassing even the founder of the Four Directions de, Mago''s admiration grew.

    "Nice movement," Lu Qing remarked, forcing the young man in leather armor back without pursuing.

    The young man, though furious, was now filled with disbelief. "Such mastery... Your de technique has reached such heights?"

    "A mere trick," Lu Qing replied calmly.

    The young man''s shock deepened. Reaching this level of de mastery was a mark of a true master. Any de user achieving this blend of strength and precision was considered a master. Such mastery meant pushing the limits of Postnatal martial arts, a level even Internal Organs Realm experts couldn''t surpass.

    Despite being only in the Tendons and Bones Realm, Lu Qing''s de technique had reached the level of a master, shocking the young man.

    Unfazed by the disbelief, Lu Qing maintained hisposure. Each practice session, aided by his special ability, brought rapid improvements, allowing him to absorb and refine his skills quickly. Combined with the mysterious legacies in his mind, his perspective and understanding far exceeded ordinary martial artists. His confidence in surpassing even the founder of the Four Directions de was well-founded.

    The young man, now realizing the extent of Lu Qing''s abilities, felt a chill. Facing a monster like Lu Qing, whose de technique was at a master level, drained his fighting spirit. He knew he had no chance of victory. His previous boldness evaporated as he decided to flee.

    "You think you can escape?" Lu Qing, sensing his intent, stepped forward, blocking the path with his de.

    "Don''t push me!" The young man, cornered, unleashed a secret technique, increasing his strength and speed. He charged at Lu Qing, aiming for a desperate strike.

    Lu Qing''s face remained calm. His de moved with agility, deflecting the attack and slicing at the young man''s arm. Despite the strength of the Hundred Refined Battle de, the leather armor proved tough. A full-strength sh would be needed to break through, but a simple cut wouldn''t suffice.

    Realizing the vulnerability of the young man''s head, Lu Qing dodged the desperate attack and aimed for his neck. Despite his enhanced strength, the young man couldn''t match Lu Qing''s precise strikes. The de found its mark, severing his head.

    "Junior brother!!!" a grief-stricken shout echoed from above the valley.

    Table of content

 Chapter 109

    The youth in leather armor was finally beheaded by Lu Qing with a single stroke.

    When Mago saw the head flying into the air, he felt both shocked andplex emotions.

    He was shocked because he didn''t expect Lu Qing''s current strength to have reached such a formidable level.

    Even a formidable opponent like the leather-armored youth could be easily in.

    Theplexity arose from seeing the once powerful enemy, who had driven him to the brink of despair, perish in an instant, leaving him with a sense of wistfulness.

    However, before Mago could dwell further on his thoughts,

    "Junior Brother!"

    A mournful cry echoed from above the valley, resounding through the mountains and forests.

    Immediately after, a figure leaped down from the top of the valley, borrowing force several times from the cliff face beforending in the valley.The immense downward force directly created tworge pits at the bottom of the valley, and the surging Qi and blood energy made Mago feel a chill of fear.

    It was a burly, disheveled middle-aged man with a face full of ferocity.

    "Internal Organs Realm?"

    Lu Qing''s expression also became serious. He immediately activated his abilities and looked towards the neer.

    Soon, a faint red light emerged from the neer''s body.

    [Wang Qingshan: A disciple of the Northern Border Tian Cang Sect, an adopted son of the Precelestial martial artist Wang Cangyi. He is domineering, protective, and cruel. His cultivation: Postnatal Internal Organs Realm, possessing a secret explosive technique that can temporarily double hisbat strength. Due to the deliberate ttery and praise from Tong Canng, Wang Qingshan regards him as a brother.]

    Internal Organs Realm Small Aplishment!

    When Lu Qing saw the neer''s cultivation, his heart grew heavy.

    Such an opponent was not someone he could handle.

    Even if his de skills were superior, the gap in cultivation was too vast.

    Sheer power can ovee any skill when the strength difference is too great.

    However¡­

    Lu Qing''s eyes also noticed another piece of information.

    It seemed that this Northern Border Tian Cang Sect was not a righteous sect. How could their disciples be so cruel and bloodthirsty?

    A sect that could teach such disciples meant that the Precelestial Wang Cangyi was probably not a kind person either.

    "Junior Brother!"

    The middle-aged man looked mournfully at the head on the ground, confirming it was indeed his junior brother who had always shown him great respect. Boundless anger rose in his heart.

    "You dare to kill my junior brother?"

    The middle-aged man''s eyes turned red with rage as he looked at Lu Qing.

    "Boy, you''re dead. No one in this world can save you. I will break your limbs, skin you, and torture you in front of my junior brother''s grave for seven days. You will beg for death but find no release, to appease my junior brother''s spirit!"

    The cruel and hateful words sent chills down Mago''s spine.

    It''s over!

    Mago''s heart sank into despair again.

    He never expected that after killing the leather-armored youth, an even stronger senior brother would appear.

    Sensing the horrifying Qi and blood energy from the opponent, Mago knew very well.

    The person in front of them must be a top expert surpassing the Tendons and Bones Realm, an Internal Organs Realm martial artist!

    How could they possibly deal with such an enemy?

    "Those who kill will be killed. If your junior brother attacked me, he should be prepared to be killed. Didn''t your master teach you these principles?"

    Facing the murderous intent from the middle-aged man, Lu Qing remained unfazed and spoke calmly.

    "Well said. In that case, are you ready to be tortured to death by me?"

    The middle-aged man grinned, his eyes shing with ferocity. His Qi and blood erupted, shaking the air as he pounced towards Lu Qing.

    The palm, asrge as a fan, created a gust of wind, directly aiming for Lu Qing''s neck.

    The middle-aged man''s pounce was extremely intimidating, like a ferocious tiger leaping from its cage. The sheer ferocity made Mago retreat continuously.

    "Come on!"

    Facing the middle-aged man''s extremely ferocious attack, Lu Qing showed no fear. Instead, his eyes shone brightly.

    The power that had been brewing since the middle-aged man''s appearance finally erupted.

    His Qi and blood fully circted, stimting the major acupoints throughout his body.

    Explosive Qi Technique, activate!

    The surged power several times over empowered Lu Qing.

    He lowered his body, sank his shoulders, and set up the starting stance for the Four Directions de.

    His muscles and bones were fully connected, resounding with a series of explosions.

    In the next instant, a dazzling de light appeared, slicing through all the air currents in front of Lu Qing, shing towards the middle-aged man!

    Huh?

    The middle-aged man''s fierce eyes shed with a hint of surprise.

    He felt that Lu Qing''s strike had locked all his movements, giving him the feeling that no matter which direction he moved, he would collide with Lu Qing''s de.

    This kid''s de technique is so exquisite?

    The middle-aged man was slightly surprised.

    However, what use is exquisite technique!

    After the surprise, the middle-aged man''s eyes were once again filled with ferocity.

    Facing Lu Qing''s exquisite strike, he didn''t slow down. The hand that was reaching for Lu Qing''s neck shifted its trajectory, pping towards the side of Lu Qing''s de.

    With the middle-aged man''s strength, if this pnded, even a well-tempered steel de would likely break.

    However, Lu Qing, whose de technique had reached the level of blending hardness and softness and meticulous precision, was not so easily bested.

    At the critical moment, he slightly twisted his wrist, reversing the de to meet the middle-aged man''s palm.

    What?!

    The middle-aged man''s eyes shed with surprise again.

    Lu Qing''s counter move once again exceeded his expectations.

    He hadn''t expected Lu Qing''s control over his power to be so seamless and effortless.

    To execute such a change of move in such a confined space.

    Seeing that if he didn''t evade, his hand would be sliced off.

    Even though he was an Internal Organs Realm expert, his body was still flesh and blood, not invulnerable.

    Reluctantly, the middle-aged man had to flick his fingers, hitting the back of the de, avoiding the edge, and retreating.

    This exchange ended with the middle-aged man retreating.

    Mago, watching from the side, almost popped his eyes out.

    What did he just see?

    Brother Lu Qing actually forced that middle-aged man to retreat with a single strike?

    What just happened?!

    The exchange between Lu Qing and the middle-aged man happened too quickly.

    Even Mago, who was also at the Tendons and Bones Realm, couldn''t grasp the intricacies.

    But it didn''t stop him from feeling immense shock.

    Because he simply couldn''t imagine, how Lu Qing, at the Tendons and Bones Realm, could force a top Internal Organs Realm martial artist to temporarily retreat.

    "Unexpectedly, even though you are at the Tendons and Bones Realm, you can alreadyprehend such a profound de technique!"

    After steadying himself, the middle-aged man looked at Lu Qing with surprise.

    Although Lu Qing''s cultivation was insignificant in his eyes,

    The de technique he had just disyed was something he had to take seriously.

    At the same time, his heart was filled with astonishment.

    de technique master!

    This boy in front of him had already reached the level of a de technique master inprehension!

    Even though he had stepped into the Small Aplishment of the Internal Organs Realm,

    His martial arts skills had not yet reached that level.

    How did this boy in front of him train!

    At this moment, the middle-aged man finally understood why his junior brother, with such cultivation, was killed by Lu Qing, who had just entered the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    de technique master.

    Being targeted by such a monster, how could his junior brother not lose.

    "Boy, who exactly are you?"

    Unconsciously, the middle-aged man''s expression became solemn.

    Toprehend a master-level de technique at such a young age.

    He had never heard of such a martial arts genius.

    Even among the major martial arts sects, there was no disciple as outstanding as this.

    If anything, only those mysterious hidden sects could possibly cultivate such a monstrous talent.

    Could it be that this boy in front of him was a disciple from one of those mysterious ces out for training?

    Thinking of this, the middle-aged man''s heart tightened.

    ording to rumors, those mysterious ces produced geniuses who couldn''t be judged bymon standards.

    They often had mysterious experts as guardians.

    If Lu Qing was indeed a disciple from those mysterious ces, there might be a martial arts expert hidden nearby.

    The middle-aged man immediately started scanning his surroundings, trying to find traces of that mysterious expert.

    Lu Qing didn''t know that his disy of de technique had caused the middle-aged man to have some strange misunderstandings.

    He was quietly circting his Qi and blood, easing the numbness in his arm.

    At the same time, he marveled at the strength of an Internal Organs Realm expert.

    Just a flick of the finger had left his arm numb.

    If not for the Explosive Qi Technique, that single move might have disarmed him.

    Indeed, it was too ambitious to think of facing an Internal Organs Realm expert with just de technique.

    Without the support of cultivation, even the highest level of technique was a castle in the air.

    After circting his Qi and blood for a while, feeling his arm had recovered, Lu Qing finally responded to the middle-aged man''s question.

    "I am just a mere countrysided, not worth mentioning."

    "Hmph! I didn''t expect a disciple from a mysterious ce to be so evasive, not even daring to admit your master."

    The middle

    -aged man sneered, not believing Lu Qing''s words.

    "However, even if you are a disciple from a mysterious ce, you are at fault for killing my junior brother. I will capture you and bring you back to my sect, making your master give an exnation to our Tian Cang Sect!"

    The middle-aged man had already thought it through.

    His junior brother was dead, and he had already attacked Lu Qing.

    The enmity was already formed, and it wouldn''t be easily resolved.

    It was better to strike first and capture Lu Qing, then take him back to his master.

    At least it could probe whether there was a guardian expert nearby.

    With that, the middle-aged man reached out, took a pair of iron gauntlets from his waist, and put them on.

    Lu Qing''s de technique was too formidable. Even he wouldn''t easily capture Lu Qing barehanded.

    A moment of carelessness could lead to a loss.

    So the middle-aged man decided to go all out and capture Lu Qing as quickly as possible.

    Once Lu Qing was captured, even if the guardian expert showed up, he would have a bargaining chip.

    As a core disciple of the Tian Cang Sect, the middle-aged man knew some of the rules of those mysterious ces.

    The disciples who came out for training, though guarded by experts, could only be rescued in life-threatening situations.

    As long as he didn''t intend to kill Lu Qing, the guardian might not intervene.

    Even if they did, he wasn''t afraid.

    The rule that Precelestial experts couldn''t attack those below Precelestial was set by the Sacred Mountain.

    Even the mysterious ces had toply.

    If the guardian was a Precelestial expert, they wouldn''t dare kill him.

    If they were Postnatal, even at the peak, he could still escape.

    Thinking of this, the middle-aged man immediately flexed his arms and pounced at Lu Qing again.

    Although he didn''t know why the opponent''s attitude changed from a killing intent to just capturing him.

    Seeing the middle-aged man retrieve his weapon, Lu Qing naturally didn''t want to engage again.

    As the man pounced, Lu Qing lightly stepped back and called softly, "Xiao Li."

    This inexplicable word made the middle-aged man hesitate slightly, but then he felt a sudden chill from his heart.

    He was instantly horrified, forgetting about capturing Lu Qing.

    He quickly crossed his arms in front of his chest.

    The next moment, a sh of cold light, and a white paw reached out from the void in front of the middle-aged man, aiming for his heart!

    What is this?!

    The sudden and bizarre turn of events was beyond the middle-aged man''s wildest dreams.

    But after years of cultivation, his instinctive reaction kicked in.

    Without thinking, he wed towards the white paw!

    Swish!

    He thought he could block the strange paw, but to his greater horror,

    The iron gauntlets, forged from refined steel, were sliced like tofu.

    The same happened to half of his hand.

    "Ugh!"

    With half his hand falling to the ground, the middle-aged man couldn''t help but groan in pain.

    The pain of losing a hand was unbearable even for an Internal Organs Realm expert.

    However, more than the pain, what terrified the middle-aged man was that the white paw disappeared after injuring him.

    He watched it merge into the void.

    The eerie scene made the middle-aged man feel cold all over.

    Because he sensed that the chilling presence was still around.

    The owner of the paw was still nearby.

    But no matter how he sensed, he couldn''t find any trace.

    "Wait!"

    The middle-aged man shouted.

    However, before he could finish, he felt another chill from his heart, and the white paw appeared again, aiming for his heart.

    This time, the target was still his heart!

    The white paw moved so quickly that even an Internal Organs Realm expert like him couldn''t dodge.

    Helpless, he used his other intact hand to meet it.

    Swish!

    Another sh of cold light, and this time, the middle-aged man wasn''t so lucky.

    His entire hand was severed from the wrist by the white paw.

    The muscles and bones of an Internal Organs Realm couldn''t withstand it.

    In an instant, the middle-aged man had lost both hands.

    Table of content

 Chapter 110

    In an instant, his hands were crippled.

    The middle-aged man, drenched in cold sweat from pain, was also terrified to the extreme.

    He never imagined that he would encounter such a bizarre event.

    To this moment, he still didn''t know what had severely injured him.

    That small white paw looked cute but had terrifying destructive power.

    Whether it was steel or his own body, tempered through countless trials, none could resist it, all were cut like tofu.

    The most frightening thing was that he had not been able to see how this mysterious creature appeared.

    Its ghostly appearance made it impossible to catch a trace of it.

    Even if he wanted to counterattack, there was no chance.How could he fight this?

    Could it be that this was the protector assigned by the mysteriousnd for the disciple''s training, a ghostly terrifying creature?

    The middle-aged man''s heart turned cold.

    Beside him, Mago was stunned to see the middle-aged man''s hands crippled in an instant.

    He could hardly believe his eyes.

    What kind of creature could instantly cripple an Internal Organs Realm warrior?

    What shocked Mago even more were the middle-aged man''s next words.

    "This young friend, I was wrong earlier. Could you please spare me this time?"

    Feeling the chill in his heart, the middle-aged man dared not dy.

    He could see that this terrifying mysterious creature seemed to be under Lu Qing''smand, so he hurriedly begged for mercy.

    His hands were already crippled, if that eerie creature attacked again, he would have no means of defense.

    Facing the middle-aged man''s plea, Lu Qing had no response.

    There was only a trace of mockery in his eyes.

    As expected, so-called Internal Organs Realm experts were no different from ordinary people.

    When they had strength, they bullied others and acted arrogantly.

    When their lives were threatened, they knelt down and begged for mercy, revealing their true nature.

    If not for Xiao Li''s presence today, both he and Mago would have suffered and died.

    How could he possibly feelpassion for such a person?

    "Kid, don''t push me too far. If you want me dead, I''ll kill you first!"

    Seeing the coldness in Lu Qing''s eyes, the middle-aged man knew that begging for mercy was useless.

    In despair, a fierce glint emerged in his heart.

    He roared, and suddenly a powerful aura burst from him. He had activated his sect''s unique secret technique, stimting the acupoints around his body with blood and qi, his strength surged.

    After activating the secret technique, the middle-aged man felt a pang of regret.

    He regretted underestimating his opponent too much.

    If he had used the secret technique and fought Lu Qing with all his might from the beginning, no matter how high Lu Qing''s de skills were, he wouldn''t have been his match in a single move.

    If he had captured or killed Lu Qing in the first moment, he wouldn''t be in this situation.

    But there was no medicine for regret in this world.

    Now, with his hands crippled, even using the secret technique couldn''t stop that mysterious creature.

    All he could do was stake his life to kill Lu Qing, the main culprit!

    After activating the secret technique, the middle-aged man stomped his feet, a powerful force erupted, creating arge pit on the spot, causing the entire riverbed to shake slightly.

    Using this explosive power, the middle-aged man''s figure suddenly disappeared from his original position. When he reappeared, he was already close to Lu Qing.

    So fast!

    When the opponent''s aura erupted, Lu Qing had already retreated.

    But he was still instantly caught up by the middle-aged man.

    As expected, an Internal Organs Realm expert was powerful. Even with crippled hands, it hardly affected his explosive power.

    Feeling the middle-aged man''s incredible speed, Lu Qing silently praised.

    However...

    In terms of speed, who among the Postnatal realm warriors in this world could match Xiao Li!

    Facing the middle-aged man''s murderous face, Lu Qing was not panicked.

    Because Xiao Li was right on his shoulder at this moment.

    The middle-aged man, using the secret technique, approached Lu Qing rapidly.

    Seeing Lu Qing right in front of him, with his hands crippled, he didn''t use any other moves. Instead, he lowered his body, using his shoulder as a ram, and charged at Lu Qing with all his might!

    This charge was made with a killing intent, extremely fierce.

    The air in front of him waspressed together, even before hitting, the raging air currents already made Lu Qing''s figure slightly unstable.

    "Xiao Li!"

    Feeling the formidable force, Lu Qing''s expression became serious, he softly called out, while retreating even faster.

    "Can you escape!"

    The middle-aged man''s eyes were bloodshot, his secret technique running to the extreme, staring at Lu Qing, determined to crush him to pieces.

    However, just as his shoulder was about to touch Lu Qing and smash him to death.

    The next moment, he felt a pain in his heart.

    All his strength, like a copsed dam, rapidly drained away.

    As his strength drained, the middle-aged man''s speed drastically decreased, only able to watch as Lu Qing gradually moved away from him.

    But he felt his body weakening, stumbling, even standing was difficult.

    Holding onto thest bit of a warrior''s dignity, the middle-aged man finally didn''t let himself fall to the ground.

    He barely stood, looking down at his body.

    He found that his chest had arge hole, running through to his back.

    His heart was gone.

    Seeing the hole in his chest, the middle-aged man gave a bitterugh.

    He knew he had no chance of survival.

    Among the five organs, the heart is the most important.

    The heart governs the power of blood and qi, crucial to any warrior.

    Even a Precelestial expert couldn''t survive without a heart.

    He was only in the Internal Organs Realm. With his heart gone, he was certainly doomed.

    He was still alive now, only because of his high cultivation, barely controlling his blood and qi, holding on.

    Unexpectedly, he had not been injured in his fight with the Silver Moon Guards, but would die in this small valley.

    A sense of absurdity arose in the middle-aged man''s heart.

    He looked at Lu Qing: "Kid, you''ve won, but before I die, can you answer a few questions?"

    Lu Qing silently watched him, neither nodding nor shaking his head.

    But he still didn''t approach the middle-aged man, keeping his distance.

    The middle-aged man took this as acquiescence and asked, "Are you really not a disciple from some mysteriousnd?"

    Lu Qing''s heart moved, remembering the middle-aged man''s earlier change in attitude.

    It seemed that he had mistaken him for a disciple from some mysterious sect.

    Lu Qing thought for a moment, then shook his head: "No."

    Mago was right there, knowing his background well, there was no need to lie.

    "Not really."

    Seeing Lu Qing shake his head, the middle-aged man''s eyes narrowed.

    He didn''t think Lu Qing would lie to a dying man.

    If he said no, then it must be no.

    Thinking about his previous fears and guesses, the middle-aged man felt extremely ridiculous.

    Heughed at himself and continued, "What is that mysterious creature, can you let it show itself?"

    Without thinking, Lu Qing shook his head.

    Xiao Li was one of his greatest cards, keeping it mysterious was the best.

    He didn''t want his enemies to see its true form.

    Not even a dying enemy.

    "Didn''t expect that after a lifetime of dominance, I, Wang Qingshan, would die without even seeing my opponent."

    Seeing Lu Qing refuse, the middle-aged man''s eyes showed disappointment.

    But he knew that he was the fish and Lu Qing the knife.

    Even if Lu Qing refused, he had no means to force him.

    Forget it, forget it, already dying, why cling to this?

    The middle-aged man shook his head, letting go of this obsession, his gaze falling on the corpse of the young man in leather armor not far away.

    "Junior Brother, we swore brotherhood, now both of us die in this small valley. It seems we kept our oath."

    With that, the middle-aged man let go of his control over his blood and qi.

    The blood and qi that he had forcibly restrained with his strong will, now gushed out from the wounds in his chest and hands.

    As his blood and qi dissipated, his eyes gradually lost focus.

    Finally, with a thud, he fell to the ground, his blood staining the earth.

    Seeing the middle-aged man fall, Lu Qing remained cautious.

    He activated his ability, looking over.

    Soon, white light shone, a few words appeared.

    ¡¾Wang Qingshan: Disciple of Northern Border Tian Cang Sect, foster son of Precelestial warrior Wang Cangyi, domineering and protective, ruthless and bloodthirsty.¡¿

    ¡¾Cultivation: Postnatal Internal Organs Realm, possessing an explosive secret technique, temporarily doubling hisbat strength.¡¿

    ¡¾Favored by Tong Canng, Wang Qingshan treated him as a brother due to his ttery.¡¿

    ¡¾Severely injured, heart destroyed, blood and qi copsed, died with dissipated will.¡¿

    Seeing the description on thest piece, Lu Qing confirmed that the middle-aged man was really dead, finally rxing.

    There was no other way, his earlier performance was too shocking.

    Even with his heart destroyed, he could still stay alive and talk clearly with him.

    He was really afraid the other was faking death, waiting to give him a fatal blow.

    Now, seeing his ability confirm his death, Lu Qing let down his guard a bit.

    At the same time, he felt a sense of awe.

    He could tell that if this man hadn''t voluntarily let go of his blood and qi, he could have lived a bit longer.

    Indeed

    , as expected of an Internal Organs Realm expert, such vitality was truly formidable.

    "Brother Lu Qing, is he dead?"

    Mago, seeing Lu Qing checking the middle-aged man''s condition, cautiously asked.

    "Dead," Lu Qing nodded.

    "Ah!"

    Hearing Lu Qing''s confirmation, Mago could no longer hold on, slumping to the ground, feeling like he had escaped death.

    The earlier aura from the middle-aged man was too terrifying.

    Even though it wasn''t aimed at him, Mago''s mind still bore immense pressure.

    Now, hearing that this top-notch warrior was dead, he finally rxed his tense mind.

    After a moment of relief, Mago looked at Lu Qing with incredulity.

    He never expected that after theirst meeting, Lu Qing had already stepped into the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    And not just any Tendons and Bones Realm, but a monstrous level, easily killing warriors of the same rank, and forcing back Internal Organs Realm experts with a single de!

    Recalling the de skills Lu Qing disyed earlier, Mago was still in awe.

    He didn''t understand the level of de skills the young man in leather armor and the middle-aged man talked about, but he could see that Lu Qing''s de skills had reached an unimaginable level.

    And that mysterious creature that could pierce through the void!

    Although Mago had watched the Internal Organs Realm expert being killed with his own eyes, he still couldn''t see what the small white pawed creature was.

    More frighteningly, the mysterious creature seemed to be under Lu Qing''smand. How did he manage that?

    Mago looked at Lu Qing, feeling he had suddenly be a stranger, shrouded in ayer of mystery.

    He recalled the middle-aged man''s words, a thought arose in his mind.

    Could it be that Lu Qing was really a disciple of some mysterious sect?

    No!

    As soon as this thought arose, Mago immediately dismissed it.

    He had thoroughly investigated Lu Qing''s background.

    He was just a country boy from Jiuli Vige.

    If he really were a hidden sect''s disciple, his parents wouldn''t have been harmed by a small faction like Happy Fort.

    Moreover, what kind of hidden sect disciple would be so destitute they couldn''t even fill their stomach?

    Mago hadn''t forgotten the first time he saw Lu Qing, how emaciated he looked.

    So, Lu Qing''s background was definitely not a problem.

    His current strength must havee from his own cultivation.

    However, thinking this way, Mago felt even more terrified.

    Just relying on his own cultivation, he had achieved the strength to easily kill Tendons and Bones Realm warriors within a few months.

    How terrifying was Brother Lu Qing''s cultivation talent?

    Lu Qing didn''t know Mago''s mind was spinning with so many thoughts.

    After confirming the middle-aged man''s death, he searched his body, then checked the young man in leather armor.

    Soon, he found some loot.

    After looting, Lu Qing took a basket from under arge stone by the waterfall, packed the items inside, and walked towards Mago.

    "Master Ma, this ce is dangerous, let''s leave."

    "Yes, let''s go!" Mago was jolted awake.

    Themotion caused by the middle-aged man wasn''t small.

    Who knew if it would attract anyone?

    He knew there were quite a few warriors hunting Lady Wei and herpanions that day.

    The two immediately moved, not even having time to bury the middle-aged man''s and the young man''s bodies.

    In the deep mountains, wild beasts were abundant. Even if left there, they would be cleaned up in a few days.

    They were enemies, Lu Qing and Mago wouldn''t risk their own safety for the enemy''s bodies.

    Both were familiar with the forest.

    Especially Lu Qing, who had frequentlye here to practice and gather herbs, knew this area well.

    Soon, they reached a hidden cave.

    "Master Ma, you seem seriously injured, let me treat you first."

    In the cave, Lu Qing took out a box from the basket, and a needle pouch from it.

    "Thank you, Brother Lu Qing."

    Mago felt the pain in his shoulder.

    He had been pierced by a dart-like arrow from the young man in leather armor, and the wound was serious.

    Lu Qing was the old doctor Chen''s apprentice, so he trusted his medical skills.

    Lu Qing first used silver needles to relieve Mago''s pain, then cleaned the wound, and finally applied the Golden Healing Ointment.

    After treating Mago''s injury, the two finally had time to talk.

    "Brother Lu Qing, how did you end up here?"

    Table of content

 Chapter 111

    "Brother Lu Qing, why are you here?"

    "I came to the mountains to gather herbs and happened to run into you," Lu Qing replied.

    Since stepping into the Tendons and Bones Realm, Lu Qing received another herbal bath recipe from his master to aid in his cultivation.

    So, his consumption of medicinal herbs had been significant in recent days, exhausting his master''s collection.

    To replenish the herbs, he brought Xiao Li into the mountains to gather more.

    Unexpectedly, he stumbled upon Mago being chased.

    "In that case, my luck isn''t too bad," Mago sighed.

    If Lu Qing hadn''te to the mountains for herbs today, he wouldn''t have escaped the young man in the leather armor''s pursuit.

    "Master Ma, why were you being chased by that person, and who are they?" Lu Qing asked.From his investigation, Lu Qing only knew that both men were from a sect called Tian Cang Sect.

    But he wasn''t sure why Mago had provoked them.

    "I don''t know who they are either, and as for why I was being chased, it''s a long story."

    Mago''s face showed aplex expression as he began to recount the recent events.

    "That''s how I was discovered by that young man in the leather armor while searching for medicine for Lady Wei, leading to the chase into the valley where I met you."

    "Master Ma, you''ve had quite an exciting couple of days."

    After listening to Mago''s story, Lu Qing looked at him oddly.

    He realized Mago''s luck was rather poor, and he seemed to have a bit of a conflict with Young Master Wei.

    Every time they met, Mago suffered, and this time he almost got killed.

    "Brother Lu Qing, please don''t tease me," Mago said, sweating. "I regret walking into that forest so much now."

    Lu Qing chuckled and stopped teasing.

    Instead, he felt a bit of admiration for Mago.

    Mago could have chosen to abandon Lady Wei and her son or handed them over to save himself.

    But he didn''t, even when chased to a dead end, he kept his mouth shut.

    Such loyalty and adherence to promises made him a true man.

    "Brother Lu Qing, there''s something I need to ask you. Lady Wei is unconscious due to an infected wound and is in critical condition. Can you help her?"

    Lady Wei and her son were escorted out by a small group of Silver Moon Guards who fought to the death.

    Mago almost sacrificed his life for them.

    He didn''t want her to die from her injuries, making many sacrifices meaningless.

    Lu Qing fell into deep thought.

    Mago didn''t dare to rush him.

    Lu Qing was powerful and skilled in medicine, and he seemed tomand a mysterious and terrifying creature.

    With his help, the chances of rescuing Lady Wei and her son were much higher.

    Thinking about the mysterious creature, Mago discreetly scanned the surroundings.

    During their journey, he hadn''t seen the mysterious creature.

    He wondered if it was hiding nearby or had already left.

    Lu Qing didn''t notice Mago''s subtle movements. He was considering whether to get involved.

    The situation was clear now.

    Tian Cang Sect was the force targeting the Wei family during the county''s turmoil.

    Although their strength was unknown, as a sect with Precelestial experts, they were certainly formidable.

    Opposing such a force would have severe consequences if exposed.

    With Xiao Li around, Lu Qing wasn''t too afraid of Postnatal martial artists.

    But Precelestial experts were another matter.

    Even Xiao Li might not pose much of a threat to such beings.

    After some contemtion, Lu Qing decided to go with Mago.

    Previously, the Wei family helped him fend off the ck Wolf Gang at Happy Fort.

    He owed them a favor.

    By rescuing Lady Wei and her son, he could repay that debt.

    As for the Precelestial experts, they shouldn''t be in the mountains.

    The Precelestial Wang Cangyi, eyeing the Wei family''s treasure, shouldn''t leave the county and would be watching closely.

    Otherwise, if he left and the Wei family moved the treasure, it would be a wasted effort.

    Of course, this assumed that Tong Canng and Wang Qingshan''s deaths hadn''t reached the county.

    If the news of two disciples'' deaths, one of whom was an adopted son, reached the county, who could predict if Wang Cangyi would go mad?

    So, if they were to rescue someone, it had to be fast.

    They had to transfer Lady Wei and her son before the news of Tong Canng and Wang Qingshan''s deaths reached the county.

    "Alright, I''ll go with you," Lu Qing finally said.

    "Thank you, Brother Lu Qing!"

    Mago was overjoyed and thanked him profusely.

    With their decision made, they didn''t dy in the cave.

    The recovery ability of someone at the Tendons and Bones Realm was strong. With Lu Qing''s treatment and Golden Healing Ointment, Mago''s shoulder injury was no longer serious.

    Except for not being able to use the injured arm inbat, normal activities were fine.

    They prepared to head to the cave where Lady Wei and her son were hiding.

    But before setting off, Lu Qing made a request.

    Mago would point the direction, but Lu Qing would decide the route.

    Mago had no objections.

    He knew Lu Qing often came to the mountains for herbs and was more familiar with the area.

    Lu Qing must have his reasons for making such a request.

    Standing in front of the cave, Mago began to discern the direction.

    Although he had fled in a panic from the young man in the leather armor, he had a rough idea of the direction.

    After a while, Mago pointed Lu Qing in a direction.

    With the direction set, Lu Qing led the way.

    Xiao Li, on his shoulder, asionally gave hints.

    The reason Lu Qing wanted to choose the route was due to Xiao Li.

    Xiao Li had a miraculous sensing ability to detect the presence of nearby creatures from afar.

    After consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, this ability had significantly enhanced.

    Lu Qing had tested that if Xiao Li focused, it could sense creatures within a mile radius.

    In open terrain, this might not seem far.

    But in the mountains, this range was extensive.

    In the dense forest, with itsplex environment, hiding a few steps away could make you invisible.

    A mile''s sensing range was akin to having a divine eye.

    Lu Qingmunicated with Xiao Li while choosing the route, asionally changing direction.

    Sometimes, they would suddenly hide.

    Initially, Mago was confused, but when two powerful martial artists passed by shortly after they hid, he understood.

    Lu Qing could foresee these martial artists'' movements!

    Mago was amazed and noticed Lu Qing''s subtle gestures, as ifmunicating with something.

    But on his shoulder, there was nothing visible.

    He guessed that Lu Qing wasmunicating with the mysterious creature that killed the Internal Organs Realm man.

    He spected that the creature was responsible for sensing the martial artists.

    What kind of creature could perfectly hide and possess such formidable sensing abilities!

    Mago''s curiosity peaked, but he sensed that Lu Qing didn''t want to reveal information about the creature.

    Despite his curiosity, he restrained himself from asking.

    Lu Qing was also surprised.

    After a while, Xiao Li had sensed several groups of martial artists.

    How many people had Tian Cang Sect sent into the forest?

    Or had Tong Canng and Wang Qingshan''s bodies been discovered, drawing everyone here?

    Lu Qing couldn''t be sure and could only proceed cautiously with Mago.

    Fortunately, after passing through the forest, Xiao Li no longer sensed any martial activity.

    Their pace quickened.

    Thanks to Xiao Li''s sensing ability, Lu Qing and Mago arrived safely at the mountain where Lady Wei and her son were hiding.

    "There''s a hidden cave ahead where Lady Wei and Young Master Wei are hiding."

    Mago indicated to Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing nodded, and Xiao Li also sensed people in the cave.

    At the cave entrance, Mago checked the small traps he had set as rms before leaving in the morning.

    Seeing they were undisturbed, he sighed in relief.

    It seemed no one had discovered the cave during his absence.

    Young Master Wei had also obediently stayed inside.

    Mago walked into the cave, and as he reached the entrance, a stick swung out, aimed at his head.

    Mago dodged and said in a deep voice, "Young Master, it''s me."

    "Mago, you''re back?"

    Young Master Wei''s surprised voice came from inside, and he ran out, holding the stick he had used to attack Mago.

    "Did you find the medicine? No, you''re hurt?"

    Young Master Wei first asked about the herbs but then saw the blood on Mago''s shoulder and his arm hanging in front.

    "I was discovered by those people and got injured. Luckily, Brother Lu Qing was there; otherwise, I wouldn''t have made it back."

    "Brother Lu Qing?"

    Young Master Wei was puzzled and then noticed Lu Qing standing not far away.

    His eyes widened.

    "I know you, you''re the one, the one..."

    Young Master Wei found Lu Qing familiar but couldn''t recall his name.

    "This is Brother Lu Qing, Disciple of Old Doctor Chen. You should remember him," Mago reminded.

    "Right, I remember, you''re the one who made my medicine every day!" Young Master Wei finally recalled.

    When he was seriously injured, he stayed with Old Doctor Chen for a while.

    During that time, Lu Qing made his medicine and brought it to him daily.

    But during that period, Lu Qing rarely spoke to him and barely appeared in front of him.

    So, although Young Master Wei found him familiar, they weren''t close.

    "Greetings, Young Master Wei. I didn''t expect to meet you here in the mountains," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    "How did you get here?" Young Master Wei was surprised.

    "Young Master, Brother Lu Qing is Old Doctor Chen''s prized disciple and also skilled in medicine. I ran into him

    in the mountains and invited him to help Lady Wei," Mago exined.

    "Right, you''re Old Doctor Chen''s disciple." Young Master Wei reacted, then anxiously said, "Lu Qing, please save my mother. I just checked on her, and her fever has worsened, and she''s delirious. She looks very bad!"

    Speaking of Lady Wei, Young Master Wei couldn''t care about why Lu Qing was there and urgently pleaded.

    "Oh, it''s that serious? Let me take a look."

    Hearing Young Master Wei''s words, Lu Qing''s expression turned serious.

    The three entered the cave, and Mago, to avoid suspicion and to keep watch, stayed at the entrance.

    Lu Qing followed Young Master Wei into the cave to where Lady Wei was lying.

    Seeing Lady Wei, Lu Qing frowned.

    She was lying on her side with leaves and grass cushioning her from the cold ground.

    Her unbandaged side was wrapped in white cloth, faintly showing blood, indicating the wound wasn''t healing well.

    Her face was pale, and sweat covered her forehead.

    Lu Qing knew she was nearing her limit.

    He took her pulse and frowned deeper.

    He activated his ability to examine her condition.

    Soon, a faint white light mixed with a touch of gray appeared from her body.

    [Li Ningyan: Mistress of the Wei family, wife of Wei Xinghe, mother of Wei Zian, outwardly gentle but strong-willed and kind-hearted.]

    [Her waist and abdomen were wounded by a de, causing significant blood loss. Due to improper treatment, the wound is severely infected, and she is on the verge of death.]

    Seeing the information, Lu Qing''s expression grew serious.

    He didn''t expect her condition to deteriorate so badly.

    If he hade half an hourter, she might not have survived.

    Even now, the situation was dire.

    "Lu Qing, how is my mother?"

    Young Master Wei anxiously asked after Lu Qing checked her pulse.

    "Young Master, to be honest, Lady Wei''s condition is very bad," Lu Qing said. "Her wound wasn''t treated properly, leading to severe infection, and the prolonged journey has worsened her condition. She''s in critical danger."

    "What should we do?" Young Master Wei panicked, grabbing Lu Qing''s sleeve and pleading, "Lu Qing, please save my mother. I''ll give you anything you want if you save her!"

    "Young Master, there''s no need for that. Healing is a doctor''s duty. I will do my best to save her," Lu Qing said.

    After calming Young Master Wei, Lu Qing began to ponder.

    With Lady Wei''s current condition, ordinary medicine wouldn''t help.

    He decided to use the special medicine he had prepared earlier.

    Table of content

 Chapter 112

    After thinking for a while, Lu Qing began to treat Mrs. Wei.

    Seeing Mrs. Wei''s difort, he first used silver needles to administer acupuncture.

    After a few needles, Mrs. Wei''s tightly furrowed brows slightly rxed, and her face wasn''t as pale.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing nodded with some satisfaction.

    With the recent study of medical techniques and progress in martial arts, he had gained a deeper understanding of the human body.

    His skill in acupuncture had improved significantly.

    The immediate effect of the needles, relieving Mrs. Wei''s pain, was the best proof.

    However, this was only a temporary solution.

    Given Mrs. Wei''s condition, acupuncture alone couldn''t solve the problem.Ordinary medicines might also have limited effect.

    Moreover, given their current situation, it was not suitable to start a fire to brew medicine.

    So, after administering the needles to alleviate Mrs. Wei''s pain, Lu Qing took out a jade bottle from his small medicine box and fell into contemtion.

    "Doctor Lu Qing, what is this?" Young Master Wei asked in surprise upon seeing the jade bottle.

    As a young master of a wealthy family, he might seem naive in some matters, but he had considerable knowledge about certain things.

    The jade bottle in Lu Qing''s hand was pure white without any impurities, like mutton-fat jade.

    He could tell at a nce that it was priceless, worth thousands in gold.

    If the bottle itself was so valuable, the contents must be even more precious.

    "This contains a very precious elixir prepared by my master," Lu Qing said. "I am considering how to administer it to Mrs. Wei."

    "A very precious elixir?" Young Master Wei immediately asked, "Can it save my mother?"

    "It should be able to. Even if it can''t immediately cure Mrs. Wei, it should be able to temporarily save her life."

    Upon hearing this, Young Master Wei hurriedly pleaded, "Doctor Lu Qing, please save my mother. No matter how precious this elixir is, our Wei family willpensate you double, no, ten times the price!"

    "Young Master Wei, you jest. Since I intend to save your mother, I won''t be stingy with the medicine. I am considering something else," Lu Qing said seriously.

    "Is there anything else troubling you, Doctor Lu Qing?"

    "Never mind, it''s nothing." Lu Qing shook his head. "I''ll administer the medicine to Mrs. Wei now."

    Lu Qing had Young Master Wei support his mother''s head, then opened the jade bottle and carefully dripped two drops of the jade-colored liquid into her mouth.

    Perhaps she was thirsty, or perhaps it was a survival instinct, but Mrs. Wei swallowed the liquid without Lu Qing having to stimte the jaw acupuncture points.

    "Just this much? Doctor Lu Qing, can''t you give my mother a few more drops?" Young Master Wei asked anxiously as Lu Qing stopped after administering only two drops.

    "More is not always better. Although this elixir is precious, its effects are strong. Given Mrs. Wei''s current condition, it''s not advisable to administer too much at once, or it could be harmful," Lu Qing exined.

    His words were half-true. The elixir was indeed potent, but the real reason he didn''t give Mrs. Wei more was that he feared a rapid recovery might arouse unnecessary suspicion.

    The jade bottle contained a medicinal liquid prepared from Earth Vein Spirit Liquid and other precious ingredients like ginseng juice.

    One drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid,bined with a whole century-old ginseng and other rare herbs, yielded only three bottles of this medicinal liquid.

    So, when Lu Qing said this elixir was extremely precious, he wasn''t exaggerating.

    Its value truly reached the level of being worth thousands in gold per drop.

    As for its efficacy, his master had tested it.

    Although the liquid didn''t have the miraculous effects of directly consuming Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, such as reviving the dead or greatly enhancing one''s aptitude, it still had powerful healing and strengthening effects.

    For an ordinary person, as long as they weren''tpletely dead, even if they had just a breath left, this liquid could sustain their life and gradually restore them.

    The information obtained through special abilities also gave this elixir a high evaluation, reaching the red-light level.

    Lu Qing had prepared three bottles, leaving two with his master and carrying one with him for emergencies.

    This kind of elixir was too precious to use lightly.

    Previously, when Mago''s shoulder was seriously injured, but not life-threatening, he hadn''t considered using it.

    If Mrs. Wei''s condition hadn''t been so critical, with her life hanging by a thread, he wouldn''t have taken out the elixir now either.

    Even now, he only nned to use two drops, leaving the rest for Mrs. Wei to recover slowly.

    Young Master Wei, hearing Lu Qing''s exnation, did not doubt him.

    He understood the medical principle that excessive nourishment could be harmful, especially given his mother''s frail state.

    Realizing this, he immediately apologized to Lu Qing, "I''m sorry, Doctor Lu Qing, I was too impatient."

    "It''s fine, Young Master Wei. You are just concerned about Mrs. Wei''s health," Lu Qing smiled.

    In fact, he was somewhat surprised.

    This time, Young Master Wei seemed to have changed a lot, his temper far less arrogant than before.

    It seemed that after going through so much, he had matured and grown considerably.

    "So, Doctor Lu Qing, is my mother safe now?" Young Master Wei asked.

    "Mrs. Wei should gradually improve after taking the medicine. Look, her breathing is already much steadier," Lu Qing said.

    He was confident in the elixir he and his master had meticulously prepared.

    After all, the special abilities'' information indicated the elixir''s efficacy was indeed strong.

    Young Master Wei looked at his mother''s face and noticed her breathing was indeed much steadier, and the cold sweat on her forehead had mostly disappeared.

    Most importantly, her previously pale face had regained some color, looking less frightening.

    Touching his mother''s forehead, he found it no longer felt feverish.

    He was overjoyed, "Doctor Lu Qing, your medicine really works! My mother''s condition has improved significantly!"

    At this moment, Young Master Wei truly believed in the value of the elixir, realizing it wasn''t exaggerated to raise the price.

    He knew how bad his mother''s condition had been, and he didn''t expect that just two drops of the elixir would bring such rapid improvement.

    It truly was a miraculous medicine.

    "Mrs. Wei''s external evil is being dispelled, and the inmmation in her wounds is subsiding. Let her rest well; we should go outside," Lu Qing said.

    "Alright."

    Young Master Wei, now full of trust in Lu Qing, wiped his mother''s sweat and followed him to the cave entrance.

    "How is Mrs. Wei''s condition?" Mago immediately asked upon seeing theme out.

    "She''s out of danger. With some rest, she should wake up," Lu Qing replied.

    "That''s great, that''s great!"

    Mago finally rxed.

    Mrs. Wei had been protected by the Silver Moon Guards, and even he had almost lost his life for her.

    He really didn''t want anything to happen to her.

    "Brother Lu Qing, your medical skills are indeed impressive, worthy of being the prized disciple of Old Doctor Chen," Mago praised.

    "Don''t say that. It''s all thanks to my master''s elixir. My medical skills still have a long way to go," Lu Qing said modestly.

    While Lu Qing and the others were waiting for Mrs. Wei to wake up, another scene was unfolding at the waterfall valley where Lu Qing had previously fought.

    Over a dozen powerful martial artists were gathered, looking grimly at the two corpses in the valley.

    Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by, and a white figure appeared in the valley.

    It was a young man with a white fan, dressed in white robes, with a fairplexion.

    "Second Senior Brother!"

    The martial artists immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing him.

    "Why did you urgently call me here? Did you capture Wei Xinghe''s wife and child?" the young man in white asked.

    "No, Second Senior Brother, it''s Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother. They''re both dead."

    The martial artists stepped aside, revealing the corpses of Wang Qingshan and another man.

    "What?!"

    The young man in white was shocked and quickly stepped forward.

    When he saw Wang Qingshan''s corpse, his pupils contracted.

    After a thorough examination, his face turned dark.

    "Such ruthless methods. One decapitated, the other pierced through the chest, with the heart removed. Have you found out who did this?"

    "No, when we discovered this ce, there were only the bodies of Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother. There was no one else," a martial artist replied.

    The young man in white fell silent, deeply shocked.

    He had thought capturing the Wei family''s mother and child, protected by only a small team of Silver Moon Guards, would be an easy task.

    He hadn''t expected Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother to die in this unknown valley.

    Seventh Senior Brother was not that strong, but Third Senior Brother was a powerful Tendons and Bones Realm expert, almost as strong as himself.

    With such strength, even if he encountered a stronger opponent, he could at least escape.

    But it seemed that Third Senior Brother had his hands disabled before his heart was removed.

    There were also signs that he had used a secret technique, indicating he had fought with all his might before being defeated.

    Yet, he hadn''t even managed to wound the enemy.

    To so easily kill a Tendons and Bones Realm expert, the assant must have been incredibly strong.

    Could it have been a master at the Precelestial level?

    But that was unlikely. The Wei family, aside from Wei Xinghe, had no other Precelestial masters.

    And Wei Xinghe couldn''t have left the Wei residence without being noticed.

    Moreover, the injuries on Third Senior Brother''s body were strange, seemingly caused by some

    unconventional weapon, unlike the Wei family''s methods.

    Could it be that another force was involved, seeking to share the spoils?

    Suddenly, the young man in white had a thought that shocked him.

    If that were the case, things would beplicated.

    "Second Senior Brother, what should we do now?" a martial artist asked.

    "What else can we do? Take Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother''s bodies and return to Cang County," the young man in white sighed.

    "Return just like that? But we haven''t captured Wei Xinghe''s wife and child yet," the martial artist hesitated.

    "What else can we do? Whoever killed Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother is beyond our capabilities. If we don''t retreat, we might not be able to leave at all."

    The other martial artists were startled and realized the truth.

    Yes, if a master strong enough to kill Third Senior Brother could easily deal with them, it was best to leave.

    They felt a chill in their hearts and looked at the surrounding forest with fear, as if it hid some terrifying beast.

    "Alright, let''s quickly take Third Senior Brother and Seventh Senior Brother''s bodies and leave."

    Seeing that he had frightened the others, the young man in white also felt relieved.

    After examining the corpses, he had given up any thought of revenge and only wanted to leave quickly.

    He didn''t have a deep bond with them and saw their deaths as a chance to gain more resources from their master.

    However, he dreaded the master''s reaction, especially since Third Senior Brother was the master''s adopted son.

    The master''s anger would be unimaginable.

    Thinking of the wrath awaiting him, the young man in white felt a headacheing on.

    He needed to think of a good excuse to face the master on the way back.

    Meanwhile, Lu Qing and his group, unaware that the Tian Cang Sect disciples had retreated out of fear, remained cautiously in the cave, waiting for Mrs. Wei to wake up.

    Suddenly, Lu Qing heard a strange noise and turned to see it was from Young Master Wei''s stomach.

    As Young Master Wei felt embarrassed, Mago''s stomach also growled.

    "Sorry, Brother Lu Qing, we haven''t had a proper meal for two or three days, so we''re very hungry," Mago said, embarrassed.

    Young Master Wei nodded repeatedly.

    At this moment, he even missed the raw rabbit meat from the previous night.

    Lu Qing understood and nodded.

    Martial artists naturally hadrge appetites, and going without proper food for days was hard to bear.

    He took out a package wrapped in oil paper from his basket and handed it to them.

    "These are some dry rations I prepared for emergencies. If you don''t mind, you can eat some."

    Mago didn''t hesitate and opened the package, revealing a stack of thick, fried tbreads. The aroma made him swallow hard.

    Young Master Wei''s eyes also lit up at the sight of the tbreads.

    "Young Master Wei, please have some first," Mago said, handing him a few tbreads.

    Young Master Wei, though wanting to be polite, couldn''t resist his hunger and took them with a flushed face.

    "Brother Lu Qing, we won''t stand on ceremony then."

    After giving some to Young Master Wei, Mago started eating.

    After a few bites, his eyes brightened.

    "Brother Lu Qing, where did you buy these tbreads? They taste so good!"

    Young Master Wei, also chewing, showed a simr reaction.

    The tbreads were oily and fragrant, with a unique vor, tasting surprisingly good.

    "I didn''t buy them; I made them myself," Lu Qing smiled.

    These tbreads were made using some seasoning methods from his previous life, with added spices he recently discovered.

    They were quite different from the local bread.

    "I didn''t know you had such skills, Brother Lu Qing. I regret not staying for meals when you invited me," Magomented.

    "You can''t me me; you always said you had things to do," Lu Qingughed.

    "I really missed out," Mago said regretfully.

    Young Master Wei enjoyed the tbread, feeling it was the best he had ever tasted.

    He couldn''t help but ask, "Doctor Lu Qing, what oil did you use for these tbreads? They taste so good."

    Seeing the curious look on Young Master Wei''s face, Lu Qing remembered their first meeting at the bazaar and had a mischievous thought, "I usedrd."

    "Lard?"

    Young Master Wei pictured a pig and felt a bit ufortable.

    He had never eaten anything from a pig.

    But he couldn''t bear to spit out the delicious food.

    After convincing himself that he had even eaten raw rabbit meat, he continued eating, the difort disappearing.

    "I never thought food made withrd could be so delicious. I must have had too many prejudices before," he said.

    Lu Qing nodded slightly.

    He could see that Young Master Wei had indeed matured.

    In the past, he would never have said such a thing.

    He remembered the boy''s terrified reaction to pig meat and offal at the bazaar.

    "Yes, pigs may seem dirty, but if cooked properly, pork can be delicious," Lu Qing said.

    "Really? When we get out, I''d love to try more of your cooking, Brother Lu Qing," Mago said eagerly.

    "You''re wee anytime," Lu Qingughed.

    Though the tbreads were plentiful, they only half-filled Mago and Young Master Wei.

    Young Master Wei saved one piece for his mother, thinking she would be hungry when she woke up.

    Lu Qing and Mago naturally approved of his filial piety.

    After eating, they waited another hour before hearing a moan from the cave.

    Mrs. Wei, who had been unconscious for days, finally woke up.

    Table of content

 Chapter 114

    After settling Mrs. Wei and her son, Lu Qing left Mago''s residence.

    There was nothing more he could help with.

    As long as Mrs. Wei and her son stayed quietly in the house and didn''t attract attention, there shouldn''t be any major problems.

    Mrs. Wei''s body would fully recover with time after taking two drops of the medicinal liquid, so he didn''t need to provide extra treatment.

    So Lu Qing, having aplished his task, left directly.

    Walking on the way home, Lu Qing felt rxed.

    This mountain trip, although it had some unexpected events, it was a good thing that he could repay his debt to the Wei family.

    "Xiao Li, it''s all thanks to you this time. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to deal with that person in the end."

    Lu Qing scratched Xiao Li, who was standing on his shoulder, making it squint its eyesfortably.At this moment, Xiao Li had already removed its invisibility, revealing its true form.

    "Howl~" Xiao Li called out proudly.

    "I know, I know, I''ll give you plenty of fish when we get back," Lu Qingughed.

    After getting the promise, Xiao Li was satisfied andy down on Lu Qing''s shoulder.

    Seeing Xiao Li''szy appearance, Lu Qing couldn''t help butugh.

    Who would have thought that such a cute little thing could actually be a terrifying spirit beast capable of easily killing even Internal Organs Realm experts?

    Thinking of the aura Wang Qingshan erupted with before his death, Lu Qing still felt a bit frightened.

    But such a powerful warrior was still no match for Xiao Li.

    With the talent of invisibility and astonishing speed, plus its invincible ws and fangs, Xiao Li was truly terrifying.

    Even Internal Organs Realm experts found it hard to withstand its attack.

    After all, though the bodies of Internal Organs Realm experts were strong, they were still not as good as real tempered steel.

    Xiao Li''s ws could easily cut through steel, how could Internal Organs Realm warriors resist?

    Lu Qing wondered if even Precelestial Realm experts could withstand Xiao Li''s ws.

    But the abilities of Precelestial Realm experts were far beyond those of Postnatal Realm, so whether Xiao Li''s invisibility would still be effective against them was hard to say, so this hypothesis was just something to think about.

    Back home, Lu Qing first served a te of fish for Xiao Li to eat.

    Then he started cooking his own meal.

    He had given all his rations to Mago and Young Master Wei, leaving him without food for the whole day.

    He cooked something casually, and by the time it was ready to eat, Xiao Li had already eaten most of its fish.

    Seeing it still eating heartily, Lu Qing shook his head with a smile.

    Unfortunately, he hadn''t been able to catch any more rare fishtely.

    That rare fishing spot seemed to have no more rare fishing.

    Otherwise, he could reward this little guy well.

    Maybe he should find some time to look for a new good fishing spot.

    Lu Qing thought while eating.

    After eating and drinking their fill, Xiao Li went to sleep in its little nest.

    Today, Xiao Yan was at the Halfway House, and it was alreadyte at night, so Lu Qing wasn''t in a hurry to pick her up.

    He thought for a moment and took his basket, starting to rummage through it.

    After killing Tong Canng and Wang Qingshan during the day, he found some items on their bodies.

    He hadn''t had time to look closely then, but now he could see what they had.

    After searching for a while, Lu Qingid out all the items on the table.

    There weren''t many things, mostly silver notes and a small amount of gold and silver.

    The rest were a piece of leather armor, a few medicine bottles, and a piece of skin Parchment made of unknown material.

    After all, Wang Qingshan and Tong Canng had entered the mountains with tasks, so they naturally wouldn''t carry too many things.

    There were no martial arts manuals or the like, which Lu Qing wasn''t surprised about.

    Except for those without a sect, most people wouldn''t carry their manuals with them.

    Especially those with a master, their sects wouldn''t allow them to take manuals out.

    Otherwise, it would only expose their martial arts and weaknesses.

    Ignoring the silver notes and gold, Lu Qing focused on the other items.

    He first looked at the piece of leather armor.

    The leather armor was from Tong Canng''s body, a broken piece from his armor.

    Lu Qing had long been curious about the leather armor Tong Canng wore.

    He wanted to know what it was made of that it could withstand his sword strikes.

    Lu Qing concentrated on the leather armor.

    Soon, a light white with a hint of red energy glowed from the armor.

    [Tattered Leather Armor: A piece of leather armor made from the skin of a White-Horned Bull, with amazing defense, capable of blocking swords and des.]

    [The White-Horned Bull is a strange beast living in the deep mountains of the northern frontier. Its skin is sought after by many warriors for its remarkable defense, leading to its near extinction.]

    "White-Horned Bull?"

    After reading the information about the tattered leather armor, Lu Qing understood.

    It turned out that the leather armor worn by Tong Canng was made from the skin of a strange beast, no wonder its defense was astonishing.

    Unfortunately, the armor had been damaged by him.

    Plus, he had to leave quickly and Mago was watching, so he felt awkward stripping a corpse, otherwise, he would have brought the whole armor back.

    Putting the tattered leather armor aside, Lu Qing turned his attention to the medicine bottles.

    The medicine bottles were found on Wang Qingshan and Tong Canng, and since they were closely guarded by these two sect disciples, the medicines inside must be rare.

    The bottles were simr in design, with only slight differences, likely mass-produced by the Tian Cang Sect.

    Withoutbels on the bottles, Lu Qing couldn''t tell what was inside.

    He directly used his ability to look.

    A white light appeared.

    [White Porcin Medicine Bottle: A high-quality bottle that can preserve the medicinal effects of pills well.]

    [It seems to contain good cultivation pills.]

    Sure enough, the bottles contained pills.

    Lu Qing picked up one bottle from Tong Canng and shook it, hearing a slight clinking sound inside.

    He took a bowl from the kitchen, ced it on the table, and carefully opened the bottle, pouring its contents into the bowl.

    There were seven or eight pills sealed with beeswax.

    Lu Qing used his ability to check, confirming it was beeswax before picking one up.

    He couldn''t be med for being cautious.

    Human hearts are unpredictable, and Tong Canng wasn''t a good person, who knew if he had tampered with the pills?

    In case he had poisoned the beeswax to prevent theft, it wasn''t impossible.

    Carefully peeling off the beeswax, revealing a red pill inside, Lu Qing used his ability to examine it.

    A light red glow rose from the pill.

    "Red light?"

    Seeing the light from the pill, Lu Qing''s eyes showed a trace of joy.

    Although notpletely red, anything with red light wouldn''t be bad.

    [Tendon Strengthening Pill: A precious pill, non-toxic, safe to consume.]

    [This pill is made from tiger bone, deer tendons, ginseng, and other precious herbs. It greatly benefits the tendons and bones, an excellent aid for Tendons and Bones Realm warriors.]

    [Take one pill per day at most; taking more can umte pill toxins and harm the body.]

    "Tendon Strengthening Pill, a Tendons and Bones Realm pill?"

    Seeing the information from the pill, Lu Qing was overjoyed.

    This was indeed an unexpected surprise.

    This pill was far better than the decoction made from the recipe given by his master.

    He was now in the Tendons and Bones Realm and could use it well.

    Looking at the four bottles, two were from Tong Canng.

    He opened the other bottle and found it was also filled with Tendon Strengthening Pills.

    And this bottle was full, with eighteen pills.

    In total, he had gained twenty-five Tendon Strengthening Pills, enough for a month''s training.

    A month...

    Thinking about his rapid progress in recent days.

    With the help of these Tendon Strengthening Pills, Lu Qing couldn''t imagine how far he could progress in the Tendons and Bones Realm in a month.

    "Indeed, a horse doesn''t get fat without night grazing, and a person doesn''t get rich without windfall. Tong Canng really gave me a big gift."

    Lu Qing, delighted, turned his attention to the other two bottles.

    If the pills carried by Tong Canng were so surprising.

    Then the pills carried by his senior brother, the much stronger Internal Organs Realm expert Wang Qingshan, must be extraordinary.

    He immediately opened one of the bottles.

    Inside were pills also sealed with beeswax.

    Lu Qing peeled off a bit and found the pill inside was pearl-like, milky white.

    He used his ability to check.

    A faint red light emerged from the pill.

    [Qi Nourishing Pill: A precious pill, non-toxic, safe to consume.]

    [This pill is made from Yunmeng Fruit, Snow Lotus, and other precious herbs. It has a strong effect on nurturing the body''s vitality, an excellent aid for Internal Organs Realm warriors.]

    [One pill per day is best; taking more wastes the medicinal power.]

    Red light pill!

    Seeing the light from the pill, Lu Qing''s hand trembled.

    After reading the information, he was even more delighted.

    As expected, the pills carried by the Internal Organs Realm expert Wang Qingshan were more precious.

    Specially aiding Internal Organs Realm cultivation.

    Lu Qing saw that the remaining two bottles were also Qi Nourishing Pills.

    And nearly full, with thirty pills in total!

    Enough

    for a whole month of cultivation after he breaks through to the Internal Organs Realm.

    Looking at the four bottles of pills on the table, Lu Qing, though delighted, also felt a bit wary.

    Wang Qingshan and Tong Canng could carry these precious pills, with identical bottle designs.

    Indicating these pills were likely not self-made.

    They were probably resources granted by their sect or master.

    In any case, allowing sect disciples to use such precious pills for cultivation showed the Tian Cang Sect''s depth.

    And he had killed two disciples of such a sect.

    Once the news spread, it would be a huge trouble.

    Then, he might have to flee immediately.

    It seemed he should stay in the vige for now and avoid entering the mountains.

    Lu Qing decided.

    After all, with so many Tendon Strengthening Pills, he didn''t need to enter the mountains to gather herbs for a long time.

    With this decision, Lu Qing turned his attention to thest item.

    It was a piece of skin Parchment found on Wang Qingshan.

    At that time, Wang Qingshan had hidden it carefully, its color close to human skin, almost unnoticed.

    Anything guarded so closely by Wang Qingshan couldn''t be ordinary.

    Lu Qing focused on the skin Parchment.

    A rich red light emerged from it.

    [Precelestial Human Skin Parchment: Skin Parchment made from the skin of a Precelestial Realm warrior, resistant to des and fire.]

    [It is said that the bodies of Precelestial Realm warriors, nurtured by Precelestial Qi, have unique properties valuable to certain sinister minds.]

    [Technique found. Download simtion for learning?]

    Seeing the information from the skin Parchment, Lu Qing was stunned.

    He didn''t expect the Parchment to be made from human skin, and from a Precelestial Realm warrior no less.

    He wondered which unlucky Precelestial Realm warrior had their skin peeled off after death.

    Seeing the ability''s prompt, Lu Qing hesitated.

    Honestly, a technique recorded on human skin made him feel uneasy.

    He turned the Parchment over several times but found no writing.

    Not even a hiddenyer.

    Making it impossible to understand the technique beforehand.

    No wonder Wang Qingshan kept the Parchment close.

    Though it was unclear how he got it, he clearly recognized its uniqueness.

    So he carried it with him, trying to unlock its secrets.

    Whether he figured anything out was unknown, but Lu Qing couldn''t discern anything without his ability.

    This left Lu Qing conflicted.

    However, after some thought, he decided to download the technique first.

    Whether to learn it would depend on the technique.

    With that thought, Lu Qing chose to download.

    Then he stared at the Parchment.

    [Downloading, progress: 1%, 2%, 3%...]

    Though he saw nothing, the ability indicated the Parchment did contain a technique.

    [...97%, 98%, 99%, 100%, downloadplete. Simte?]

    Lu Qing chose to simte.

    [Simting, progress: 1%, 2%, 3%...99%, 100%]

    [Simtionplete. Learn?]

    This time, Lu Qing didn''t hesitate and chose to learn.

    The next moment, familiar insights flooded his mind, and he closed his eyes to absorb them.

    After a while, he returned from the state of enlightenment, his eyes full of astonishment.

    "What a sinister technique, befitting one recorded on human skin."

    "But despite its sinister nature, it''s truly powerful!"

    "Moreover, this techniqueplements my Four Directions de perfectly!"

    Table of content

 Chapter 115

    The Death Qi Technique.

    This is the secret technique recorded on the human skin parchment.

    To be precise, it is an arcane art.

    The cultivation method of this arcane art is quite unique.

    It involves a peculiar visualization technique, imagining oneself in a state of near-death stillness.

    From this state, oneprehends a deathly killing aura that can annihte all life.

    ording to the description in the arcane art, this deathly killing aura is extremely powerful and has a strong destructive force on the vitality of any living being. It is truly a killing technique.

    It sounds simple, but in reality, this arcane art is extremely dangerous to cultivate.

    Especially when visualizing oneself in a deathly stillness, any slight mistake could result in actual death, with no chance of awakening.To kill others, one must first kill oneself.

    This is the sinister aspect of this arcane art.

    After understanding the cultivation points of this arcane art, Lu Qing knew that his previous guess was correct.

    The technique recorded on the human skin parchment is indeed evil and not righteous.

    It is an extreme arcane art that seeks destructive power.

    However, this arcane art alsoplements his Four Directions de technique.

    The Four Directions de focuses on ughter.

    It emphasizes wielding the de with the intent to kill across all directions.

    The Death Qi Technique can cultivate the purest deathly killing aura.

    If Lu Qing could integrate the two techniques, his de skills would likely advance to a terrifying level.

    "However, the Death Qi Technique requires extremely high physical fitness, otherwise the body cannot withstand the burden of the deathly killing aura."

    "ording to the arcane art, only when one''s physical strength reaches the peak of the Internal Organs Realm can one attempt to cultivate it. I am still far from that level."

    After understanding the mysteries of the Death Qi Technique, Lu Qing temporarily set it aside.

    He had not even reached the minor sess stage of the Tendons and Bones Realm. Even with the help of pills, it would take some time to step into the Internal Organs Realm.

    For the time being, he could not cultivate this arcane art.

    From the inheritance of the arcane art, Lu Qing also understood why he couldn''t decipher the mysteries of the human skin parchment before.

    It turns out that the arcane art was inscribed with a special ink on the human skin parchment.

    Only by washing it with a special potion would the content be revealed.

    That Wang Qingshan had been unable to decipher the mysteries of the parchment because he did not know this.

    After checking everything, except for the two bottles of Tendon Strengthening Pills, Lu Qing put everything else away.

    He looked at the sky and saw that it was almost dawn.

    He didn''t bother to go back to bed. Given his current physical fitness, even if he didn''t sleep for several days and nights, it wouldn''t matter.

    Thinking about it, Lu Qing took out the Tendon Strengthening Pill he had broken open before, removed the wax coating, and swallowed the pill.

    Not long after the pill entered his stomach, he felt a domineering medicinal power rising from his abdomen.

    Lu Qing did not ck off. He lightly jumped into the courtyard and started practicing Health Nourishing Boxing in the dark, refining the medicinal power.

    As he practiced, the medicinal power of the Tendon Strengthening Pill was rapidly refined and absorbed by Lu Qing.

    He could clearly feel his tendons and bones strengthening bit by bit.

    As expected of a pill from a major sect, its efficacy was truly powerful.

    Lu Qing praised inwardly and then focused on his cultivation.

    As he practiced Health Nourishing Boxing repeatedly, by the time a sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon, he had fully refined all the medicinal power.

    He slowly ended his practice and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

    Sensing the state of his body, Lu Qing was overjoyed.

    Refining this Tendon Strengthening Pill had further strengthened his tendons and bones.

    At this rate, he would reach the minor sess stage of the Tendons and Bones Realm in at most ten days.

    And it had only been a few days since he broke through to the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    In half a month, he had progressed from just entering the Tendons and Bones Realm to reaching minor sess.

    Even Lu Qing himself was a bit amazed by his cultivation speed.

    At this moment, he finally realized how significant the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was to him.

    It was clear that after consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, his aptitude had been greatly enhanced.

    This enhancement allowed his cultivation speed to increase rather than decrease after entering the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Of course, this was a good thing, so Lu Qing was in a very good mood.

    Just as Lu Qing was feeling happy about his cultivation progress, a group of martial artists was standing in a courtyard in the county town, trembling with fear.

    In front of them were two corpses covered with white cloth.

    Under the light, the scene was quite horrifying.

    If Lu Qing were here, he would recognize the corpses as Tong Canng and Wang Qingshan, whom he and Xiao Li had killed.

    "Junior brother, what happened? Why did the third and seventh brothers die in the mountains?"

    At this moment, a burly man with a figure like a mountain bear asked in a deep voice.

    "I don''t know either, senior brother." The young man in white robes, who had been in the valley, smiled bitterly. "The third and seventh brothers separated from me. When we arrived, we only found their bodies, without any trace of the enemy."

    "The seventh brother was killed by decapitation, and the third brother died with his heart gouged out. These two methods are vastly different, clearly not done by one person. Could they have been besieged?"

    The burly man, who had examined the bodies, spected.

    "I checked the valley. Besides the third brother and others, there were indeed traces of two other people," the young man in white robes replied.

    "From what you said, the third and seventh brothers separated from you not long ago. For them to be easily killed in such a short time, the attacker must be much stronger than the third brother."

    "I think so too, so I didn''t dare stay in the mountains. I led everyone out first," the young man in white robes agreed.

    The burly man nodded, not ming the young man for retreating.

    Even the third brother had died. There was no point for the second brother and others to stay in the forest.

    If they didn''t leave, they might also die there.

    But who was the attacker?

    Someone who could easily kill the third brother must be nearly as strong as he was.

    In the Wei residence, only Wei Xinghe had that kind of strength.

    But Wei Xinghe wouldn''t leave the Wei residence unless he abandoned his ancestral home.

    Could it be that the Wei family had hired outside help, or that another force had intervened to take a share?

    The burly man''s heart sank at the thought.

    If that was the case, they had to be careful.

    They didn''t want their hard-earned momentum to be taken advantage of, which would make them aughingstock.

    "Senior brother, isn''t master in the city?" the young man in white robes cautiously asked.

    "Master went outside the city to receive someone."

    "Who is so important that master had to personally receive them?" the young man in white robes asked, eyes wide.

    The burly man nced at him. "You shouldn''t ask about things you don''t need to know. Master''s matters aren''t for you to inquire about. You should think about how to exin the third brother''s death to master when he returns."

    The young man shivered and dared not ask further.

    He knew that although he ranked second among master''s disciples, his status was far inferior to the senior brother''s in master''s eyes.

    He didn''t even match the third brother, who was master''s adopted son.

    The senior brother knew everything, but he knew nothing.

    Like this time, they pressured the Wei family for their treasure, but he had no idea what the treasure was.

    It seemed the senior brother knew it well.

    A hint of jealousy arose in the young man''s heart but was quickly suppressed.

    As time passed and the sun rose, a shadow suddenly appeared in the courtyard, unnoticed at first.

    It was an old man with a thin, fierce face like a bald eagle.

    "What happened, second disciple? How did the third brother die?"

    The hoarse voice made everyone tremble.

    They finally noticed the shadow.

    Everyone hurriedly bowed, "Master (Second Elder)!"

    This person was their master, Wang Cangyi.

    Wang Cangyi ignored their greetings, his fierce eyes fixed on the young man in white robes.

    "I asked you, how did the third brother die?"

    Under his master''s gaze, the young man broke into a cold sweat.

    "Master... it happened like this..."

    The young man stammered, repeating what he had told the senior brother.

    After listening, Wang Cangyi looked at the others.

    He pointed at one of them. "You, speak. Is it true?"

    "Yes... yes, Second Elder, it''s true," the disciple replied, trembling.

    "So, you went into the mountains, failed to capture Wei Xinghe''s wife and child, and lost the third and seventh brothers?"

    The young man trembled and bowed his head. "Yes, master."

    Wang Cangyi stared at his second disciple.

    The young man shivered, nearly copsing, when he felt his master''s gaze move away.

    "Useless!"

    Wang Cangyi snorted coldly.

    With a wave of his hand, he uncovered the corpses of Wang Qingshan and the others, revealing their gruesome wounds.

    His face turned icy as he examined the bodies.

    "Good, very good. Whoever you are, for daring to kill my disciples, I, Wang, will remember this."

    Hearing

    his master''s cold words, everyone trembled more violently.

    No one dared to speak and provoke his anger.

    Even the burly man stood quietly aside.

    After a while, sensing his master''s mood had improved, the burly man said, "Master, we should first take care of the third brother''s body. The one who killed him is formidable. I suspect another force has intervened. Our n may need to change."

    Wang Cangyi''s coldness subsided slightly, considering his disciple''s words.

    After a while, he said, "Come with me, Xiong. Second disciple, take care of the third brother''s body."

    Seeing the senior brother and master enter the house, the young man breathed a sigh of relief.

    He had narrowly escaped punishment.

    He had feared his master might harm him.

    But after relief, jealousy surged again.

    Once again, his master discussed matters only with the senior brother.

    Although he was a direct disciple, he always felt like an outsider, only tasked with chores and never trusted by his master.

    Suppressing his jealousy, the young man began organizing the handling of Wang Qingshan''s body.

    Inside, the burly man asked Wang Cangyi, "Master, did you receive the person?"

    "Yes, I did. I intended to use my friend''s strength to help you defeat the Wei family, but from what you said, our n may need to wait."

    Wang Cangyi''s eyes remained cold.

    The deaths of his disciples made him suspect another force''s involvement.

    But who could it be?

    Anyone daring to provoke him must have the support of another Precelestial expert.

    Could it be one of their rivals from Tian Cang Sect?

    Regardless, anyone who dared oppose him would face his wrath. Even a Precelestial would be in!

    Thinking of the Wei family''s treasure, Wang Cangyi''s resolve strengthened.

    The treasure was crucial to his martial path, and he was determined to obtain it.

    At a critical moment, he would break the rules and act personally if necessary.

    "Xiong, investigate who killed the third brother. I want to see who dares to pluck the tiger''s whiskers!"

    "Yes, master!"

    ...

    Lu Qing didn''t know that killing Tong Canng and Wang Qingshan had caused many spections among Tian Cang Sect.

    Indirectly, he had saved the Wei family once again.

    In the following days, his life returned to peace.

    To avoid trouble, he didn''t even go to the Grand Bazaar.

    He spent his days either cultivating or learning medicine from his master.

    Life was fulfilling.

    With daily practice and consuming one Tendon Strengthening Pill each day, his cultivation progressed rapidly.

    Soon, he was about to reach the minor sess stage of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    One morning, Lu Qing went to the Halfway House, intending to ask his master for two days off to focus on his breakthrough.

    Entering the courtyard, he saw his master sitting at the usual stone table.

    As he was about to greet him, he felt something unusual.

    He noticed a strange change in his master''s aura, as if he had merged with the space around him seamlessly.

    At that moment, the old doctor looked at Lu Qing.

    His gaze was so clear it seemed to see through him, making Lu Qing shudder.

    His face showed disbelief. "Master, have you broken through?"

    "Yes," the old doctor smiled.

    Lu Qing was overjoyed.

    Table of content

 Chapter 116

    "Master, have you broken through to the Precelestial Realm?" Lu Qing asked excitedly.

    "Not yet. I have only refined the power of soul force, but I haven''t officially stepped into the Precelestial Realm," the old doctor replied.

    Lu Qing wasn''t disappointed upon hearing this.

    The power of soul force was the crucial step from the Postnatal to the Precelestial Realm.

    Master was already a half-step Precelestial,cking only the soul force.

    Now that the most critical element wasplete, he was just a step away from the Precelestial Realm. The breakthrough would be natural and unobstructed.

    "When will you be able to formally advance to the Precelestial Realm?"

    "In a few days. Once I adjust my energy, spirit, and essence to their optimal state, I can attempt to draw qi into my body and take the final step," the old doctor said.

    "Master, you previously said it would take at least six months to break through. How has it happened so soon?" Lu Qing asked curiously."It was a stroke of luck," the old doctor sighed. "The Precelestial Law you gave me is extraordinarily profound. Coupled with my recent studies of the ''Qing Nang Medical ssic,'' I gained a deeper understanding of the rtionship between the body''s essence and soul force, allowing me to advance this step ahead of time."

    Lu Qing fell silent.

    He had guessed correctly; his master was indeed a genius in the path of cultivation.

    In his youth, he could derive the Health Nourishing Boxing from a fragmented technique.

    Now, he could gain insights from medical texts and break through earlier than expected.

    It was important to note that his master had no formal teachings in cultivation.

    His master¡¯s teacher was merely a wandering doctor with basic martial skills, not a true martial artist.

    One could say that his master''s path in martial cultivation was almost entirely self-explored.

    Yet, despite this, he had now reached the point of refining soul force, just a hair''s breadth from the Precelestial Realm.

    Although the opportunities provided by the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid were a factor, his master''s innate talent in cultivation was undeniable.

    Of course, Lu Qing knew that his master likely didn¡¯t view himself as a true martial artist, but rather as a healer with some knowledge of cultivation methods.

    However, his master¡¯s impending advancement to the Precelestial Realm was great news for Lu Qing.

    Having saved Mrs. Wei and her son, and killing Wang Qingshan and Tong Canng with Xiao Li, he had greatly offended the Tian Cang Sect.

    Although the sect might not discover it, it was still a hidden danger.

    Now that his master was finally breaking through, Lu Qing¡¯s confidence was bolstered.

    With this in mind, Lu Qing took out a jade slip.

    "Master, congrattions on your breakthrough. I don''t have anything valuable to give you, so please ept this inheritance jade slip as a token of my gratitude."

    Lu Qing presented the jade slip to his master.

    "Inheritance jade slip?" The old doctor looked curiously at the jade slip.

    "Indeed. An inheritance jade slip can only be made by someone whose soul force has reached a significant level in the Precelestial Realm. This small jade slip can contain a wealth of information.

    "Only a cultivator with refined soul force can read the information within. The Precelestial Law I gave you was derived from this jade slip."

    "Since an inheritance jade slip requires soul force to read, how did you¡­" The old doctor was puzzled.

    His disciple had not yet refined soul force.

    "I had a fortunate encounter in a cave and managed to obtain all the information from within, but it was a one-time opportunity. I can no longer ess the jade slip¡¯s information, so it¡¯s of no use to me now. It¡¯s perfect for you, Master."

    Lu Qing shared his prepared exnation.

    He knew that with his master¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t probe further into the nature of his disciple¡¯s fortunate encounter.

    Sure enough, the old doctor didn¡¯t question it.

    ording to Lu Qing¡¯s description, the cave produced miraculous treasures like the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid. It was reasonable for it to have other extraordinary attributes.

    The old doctor took the jade slip and examined it.

    Only the purest core of jade could be made into an inheritance jade slip, so this slip was of excellent quality. Even as a simple collectible, it was priceless.

    But the old doctor was more interested in the intricate patterns on the slip.

    The patterns exuded a unique charm.

    After examining it for a while, the old doctor didn¡¯t discern anything profound.

    His cultivation level was still too low.

    He couldn''t yetprehend the patterns left by Li Weitian, a consummate Precelestial expert.

    Following Lu Qing''s instructions, the old doctor ced the jade slip against his forehead and cautiously directed his newly refined soul force into it.

    His soul force easily entered the jade slip.

    Inside the slip, he perceived several small light clusters and directed his soul force towards one of them.

    As his soul force touched the light cluster, arge amount of information began to flood into his mind.

    Lu Qing watched his master attempt to read the inheritance jade slip and didn¡¯t intervene.

    Unless the jade slip was set with a soul force restriction, simply reading its information was not dangerous.

    Li Weitian hadn¡¯t set any restrictions when making this slip; any cultivator with soul force could freely read its contents.

    The old doctor¡¯s face showed various emotions as he absorbed the jade slip''s information.

    As he was engrossed, he suddenly felt a bit dizzy. He had pushed his soul force to its limit.

    After all, his soul force was still weak, having just been refined. It wasn¡¯t suitable for overuse.

    Reluctantly, the old doctor withdrew his mind from the jade slip.

    "I didn''t expect Senior Li Weitian¡¯s fate to be so tragic," he sighed.

    He must have read Li Weitian¡¯sst words in the jade slip.

    "Master, have you heard of Senior Li Weitian?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Never," the old doctor shook his head. "I¡¯ve traveled far and wide for many years but never heard of this senior¡¯s name."

    Lu Qing was unsurprised.

    ording to his calctions, Li Weitian lived at least seven or eight hundred years ago.

    In such a long time, entire dynasties could rise and fall.

    It was no surprise that a Precelestial expert would be forgotten.

    "Master, I¡¯ll leave this inheritance jade slip with you. When you officially step into the Precelestial Realm, you can practice the techniques within."

    The old doctor nodded, saying nothing in refusal.

    At this point, the bond between master and disciple surpassed any need for formalities.

    "The breakthrough requires three days of closed-door cultivation to adjust my energy, spirit, and essence. After that, I will draw qi into my body and attempt to break through. Remember toe," the old doctor instructed.

    "Three days?" Lu Qing was pleasantly surprised. "I will definitelye to guard you, Master!"

    Witnessing a breakthrough to the Precelestial Realm would be highly beneficial for Lu Qing.

    "Guard me? Do you think someone will harm me?" the old doctor joked.

    "You¡¯re right. My words were ill-omened," Lu Qing quickly corrected.

    "Alright. I see your qi and blood are harmonious, your tendons and bones strong. I imagine you¡¯re close to achieving the Small Achievement in the Tendons and Bones Realm?" the old doctor observed.

    "Master, your eyes are sharp. I came today to ask for leave to focus on breaking through. I didn¡¯t expect to hear about your breakthrough," Lu Qing said.

    "Your cultivation speed is astounding. Even the famous martial geniuses in the prefecture likely can¡¯t match you," the old doctor marveled.

    His disciple had only recently broken through to the Tendons and Bones Realm and was already nearing a small achievement in the realm.

    But he also knew that Lu Qing had taken the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, greatly enhancing his talent. In terms of martial aptitude, he was no less than those extraordinary geniuses.

    "Master will be in seclusion for three days, and I also need to break through to the Small Achievement in the Tendons and Bones Realm. It¡¯s perfect timing," Lu Qing smiled.

    ...

    Coming down from the Halfway House, Lu Qing felt very pleased.

    His master''s early breakthrough was an unexpected joy for him.

    Once his master formally stepped into the Precelestial Realm, coupled with Li Weitian¡¯s inheritance, he would quickly be a formidable Precelestial expert.

    By then, his foundation would be even more solid.

    Feeling content, Lu Qing returned home.

    Inside, Xiao Yan and Xiao Li were ying Gomoku again.

    The two little ones seemed to never tire of the game, ying it multiple times daily.

    Both werepetitive and kept track of wins and losses meticulously.

    Thanks to this, their counting skills improved rapidly. They could now count well past a thousand, saving Lu Qing a lot of effort.

    Lu Qing had considered introducing them to another game, like Animal Chess, for variety.

    But seeing they were still engrossed in Gomoku, he didn¡¯t bother.

    Seeing the two engrossed in their game, Lu Qing didn¡¯t disturb them.

    He greeted them and then took his battle knife, heading to the Bamboo Forest behind the mountain.

    In the following days, Lu Qing devoted himself entirely to cultivation.

    On the third morning, he sessfully broke through to the Small Achievement in the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    In the Bamboo Forest, Lu Qing was practicing boxing.

    Not the Health Nourishing Boxing, but a martial art from his master¡¯s study, a qi and blood realm boxing technique.

    Recently, as his de techniques reached a bnced and refined state, Lu Qing hit a bottleneck, with no room for further improvement.

    With nothing better to do, he started practicing other martial arts from his master¡¯s collection.

    This included the two martial arts he had initially bypassed: the staff technique and the sword technique of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Knowing Lu Qing¡¯s extraordinary martial aptitude and clear priorities, the old doctor allowed him to take all the manuals.

    Using his abilities, Lu Qing quickly learned all the martial arts.

    With his current mastery in de techniques and the aid of his abilities, he quickly reached an advanced level in all of them, including the other two Tendons and Bones Realm techniques.

    After some experience, Lu Qing still preferred using a de, so he had no intention of switching to other weapons.

    At that moment, Lu Qing was practicing a boxing technique from his master¡¯s collection.

    Named Fierce Tiger Fist, it was a qi and blood realm martial art.

    Despite being a qi and blood realm technique, in Lu Qing¡¯s hands, it was incredibly powerful.

    With each punch, his tendons and bones resonated like a drawn bow, emitting tremendous force.

    The force of his punches roared through the air, as if a fierce tiger was roaring within him, which was quite intimidating.

    Such power would leave the creator of the technique speechless, unable to imagine the Fierce Tiger Fist could achieve such momentum.

    Roar!

    Afterpleting the final move of the Fierce Tiger Fist, Tiger Roar Under Heaven, Lu Qing slowly withdrew his energy.

    His qi and blood were like a furnace, turning his sweat into white steam.

    "Tendons like bowstrings, bones like the bow body, drawing the bow like a full moon, strength like sessive arrows. Being able to throw a hundred punches without losing strength within a breath is a small achievement in the Tendons and Bones Realm."

    "The key to a small achievement in the Tendons and Bones Realm lies in the ten words: drawing the bow like a full moon, strength like sessive arrows."

    "Only by tempering the tendons and bones to a certain level of strength and flexibility, enabling them to exert force without damage, can one reach a small achievement."

    "The other day, Tong Canng could survive my full-strength strike without serious injury. Apart from his armor''s extraordinary defense, another reason was his small achievement in the Tendons and Bones Realm, allowing his tendons and bones to act like springs, deflecting most of my force."

    Standing in the Bamboo Forest, Lu Qing had various realizations.

    His understanding of the Tendons and Bones Realm deepened.

    A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

    Though his mind held many high-level legacies, broadening his horizons, the path of martial cultivation required steady progress.

    Only by truly reaching each level would he gain deeper insights into the inherited knowledge.

    "With the help of the Tendon Strengthening Pill, my next goal, therge achievement in the Tendons and Bones Realm, isn''t far."

    Breaking through to the small achievement, Lu Qing felt pleased but mostly calm.

    After gaining many opportunities, his vision expanded, setting higher cultivation goals.

    A minor breakthrough in the Tendons and Bones Realm wasn¡¯t enough to excite him.

    His sole goal now was to reach the pinnacle of the Internal Organs Realm and strive for the Precelestial Realm.

    "Tomorrow, I¡¯ll witness the breakthrough to the Precelestial Realm."

    Remembering his agreement with his master, Lu Qing looked forward with anticipation.

    Table of content

 Chapter 117

    ¡°Grandpa Chen!¡±

    Early morning, in front of the Halfway House.

    Lu Qing held Xiao Yan''s hand, with Xiao Li standing on his shoulder, justing up from the foot of the mountain.

    Seeing the old doctor practicing boxing in the courtyard, Xiao Yan sweetly called out.

    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±

    The old doctor finished thest move of Health Nourishing Boxing and effortlessly concluded his practice.

    ¡°Master, your Health Nourishing Boxing has reached the pinnacle of perfection, far surpassing mine,¡± Lu Qing eximed.

    The master¡¯s boxing, which was seamlessly integrated with the surroundings, was something Lu Qing couldn¡¯t yet achieve.

    ¡°After all, I''ve been practicing for decades more than you; it''s only natural I''m a bit more proficient,¡± the old doctorughed.¡°It seems you''ve been adjusting well these past few days, Master.¡±

    Lu Qing observed his master, who now looked like an ordinary old man, without any sign of being a powerful warrior on the verge of stepping into the Precelestial realm.

    Even Lu Qing, without using his abilities, couldn''t discern anything unusual.

    This indicated that the master''s control over himself had reached an astonishing level, with not a trace of Blood Qi leaking out.

    ¡°You¡¯re already slightly stronger than me, having quickly broken through to the Tendons and Bones Realm.¡±

    With his current level, the old doctor naturally saw through Lu Qing''s progress at a nce.

    After exchangingpliments, the group entered the courtyard.

    ¡°Master, where do you n to break through?¡± Lu Qing asked.

    ¡°Here in the courtyard. I''ve lived here for so many years and am most familiar with this ce. The fragrance of herbs in the courtyard gives me a sense of peace,¡± the old doctor replied.

    Lu Qing nodded.

    From the inheritance in his mind, he knew that the breakthrough to the Precelestial realm didn''t have stringent requirements for the external environment.

    Since primordial qi was everywhere, once the level was reached, the location wouldn¡¯t significantly affect the warrior''s ability to draw qi into their body.

    Of course, some famous mountains and rivers, natural blessednds, had inherently abundant primordial qi, increasing the chances of a sessful breakthrough.

    However, such blessednds were usually upied by powerful forces and inessible to Lu Qing and his master.

    Thus, since the master felt at peace in the Halfway House, it was the best ce for his breakthrough.

    ¡°A Qing, this is my first attempt at breaking through to the Precelestial realm. Watch carefully; you might gain something from it.¡±

    The old doctor sat cross-legged on the stone table where he usually drank tea, his expression solemn.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Lu Qing nodded earnestly and told Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, ¡°You two, watch Grandpa Chen closely.¡±

    Being able to observe a breakthrough to the Precelestial realm up close was a tremendous opportunity for any Postnatal realm warrior.

    That¡¯s why Lu Qing brought the two along.

    Even though they were young and naive, the essence of the breakthrough would leave asting impression, greatly benefiting their future growth.

    Even spirit beasts like Xiao Li were no exception.

    These weren¡¯t mere guesses; the inheritance from Li Weitian explicitly recorded these facts.

    In some major sects, when someone broke through to the Precelestial realm, they would often hold a viewing ceremony for core disciples to experience the essence of the breakthrough.

    The goal was to hope the Precelestial breakthrough could bless the disciples, helping them gain insights and progress more smoothly in their cultivation journey.

    Hearing Lu Qing''s words, the two children widened their eyes, watching the old doctor intently.

    Especially Xiao Li, whose spirit beast sensitivity made it keenly aware that something miraculous was about to happen to the old doctor.

    The old doctor closed his eyes, breathing quietly, adjusting his state to the best condition.

    He then mobilized the meticulously refined power of his soul, directing it towards the qi orifice in his dantian.

    For a Postnatal realm warrior to break through to the Precelestial realm, the first step was to refine the power of the soul.

    The second step was to use this soul power to open the qi orifice in the dantian.

    The third step was to draw primordial qi into the body, guiding it into the dantian qi orifice, refining it into the unique Precelestial qi.

    Only with the formation of Precelestial qi could one truly break through to the Precelestial realm.

    Among these steps, the second and third must not be separated.

    If the dantian qi orifice opened but didn¡¯t receive the nourishment of primordial qi in time, it would quickly shrink and close.

    Then, reopening it would be ten times more difficult.

    Thus, the first breakthrough from Postnatal perfection to the Precelestial realm was the most critical.

    If interrupted or attacked during the breakthrough, causing the qi orifice to close, it would be exceedingly difficult to break through again.

    Such actions were akin to cutting off one''s path, leading to enmity even among the closest of kin.

    Knowing this crucial point, Lu Qing insisted on protecting his master during the breakthrough.

    Under the guidance of the old doctor''s mind, the power of his soul quickly reached the dantian, finding the door to the qi orifice.

    The qi orifice door in the dantian, existing between reality and illusion, was profound and mysterious, only perceptible by a warrior''s soul power.

    Hence the saying that only by refining the soul power at Postnatal perfection could one hope to break through to the Precelestial realm.

    Without soul power, unable to sense the qi orifice door, no matter how strong one was, they couldn¡¯t open the qi orifice to break through to the Precelestial realm.

    Having consumed the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, the old doctor¡¯s body was full of vitality, perfectly bnced, with a loosened qi orifice.

    Thus, upon finding the qi orifice door, he smoothly opened it, carving out the qi orifice.

    The newly opened qi orifice was fragile and unstable, requiring the use of soul power to carefully polish and stabilize it.

    This was a meticulous task, demanding a high level of mental stability from the warrior.

    Any impatience or excessive force could damage the qi orifice, affecting the foundation even if the breakthrough seeded, trapping one in the initial Precelestial stage.

    Fortunately, the old doctor, having witnessed countless life and death, suffering and joy in his long career, had honed his mind to be calm and unperturbed.

    Even many true Precelestial experts might not match his mental stability.

    Thus, he meticulously polished his qi orifice, remaining patient even when mentally exhausted.

    Finally, when his mind was half-spent, the qi orifice was fully polished and stabilized, no longer closing.

    After stabilizing the qi orifice, the old doctor was spiritually enlightened.

    He directed the remaining soul power to rush towards the Baihui acupoint at the top of his head, known as the meeting point of all meridians and acupoints.

    Invisibly, the old doctor seemed to hear a faint sound.

    As the Baihui acupoint opened, he felt a mysterious connection between his qi orifice and the external world.

    Simultaneously, his soul power sensed the omnipresent primordial qi in the world, previously unnoticed.

    What a profound mystery of the world!

    The old doctor was moved by this newfound perception of the world.

    Fortunately, he quickly realized he couldn¡¯t lose himself in this worldly perception.

    Otherwise, his mind would deplete, and his will would be assimted by the primordial qi, never to awaken.

    Regaining awareness, the old doctor cautiously used his soul power, through the mysterious connection, to draw a strand of primordial qi into his body, guiding it into the dantian qi orifice.

    Once the primordial qi entered the qi orifice, he began refining it ording to the secret method left by Li Weitian.

    This was another meticulous task.

    After an unknown period, the old doctor finally refined the primordial qi into a strand of his own Precelestial qi.

    With the emergence of this Precelestial qi in the qi orifice, it was as if an ancient deity had opened the heavens and earth. The previously stabilized qi orifice instantly expanded and merged with the entire dantian.

    From then on, the dantian was the qi orifice, and the qi orifice was the dantian, inseparable.

    With the formation of the dantian qi orifice, a chain reaction urred, causing the old doctor¡¯s entire body, including his soul power, to undergo an astonishing transformation.

    Simultaneously, an intangible essence emerged in the external world.

    Countless primordial qi rapidly gathered, forming a white mist that poured into the old doctor¡¯s body, providing the energy needed for his transformation.

    Lu Qing and Xiao Yan watched this miraculous scene, feeling the awe-inspiring will of the heavens and earth, their mouths slightly agape in astonishment.

    After the initial shock, joy appeared on Lu Qing¡¯s face.

    ¡°The white mist appears; the Precelestial realm is achieved. Master has sessfully broken through to the Precelestial realm!¡±

    With the inheritance in his mind, Lu Qing naturally understood the significance of this scene.

    The white mist was the result of the extremely dense primordial qi condensing, a reward from the heavens for a warrior who overcame great trials to break through from Postnatal to Precelestial.

    With this extremely dense primordial qi, the warrior had enough energy to transform their body into a Precelestial form.

    The body¡¯s strength would greatly increase, and lifespan would be extended, allowing them to live up to three hundred years without illness or disaster.

    As the white mist continued to gather, Lu Qing¡¯s heart tensed.

    The time for each warrior to break through from Postnatal perfection to the Precelestial realm varied.

    The longer the transformation, the more solid the warrior¡¯s foundation, and the greater their potential for future

    advancement.

    Generally, an ordinary Precelestial breakthrough wouldplete the transformation within a quarter of an hour.

    Some martial geniuses, with exceptionally solid foundations, could sustain longer transformations, bing outstanding among Precelestial warriors.

    Naturally, Lu Qing hoped his master¡¯s transformation wouldst as long as possible.

    However, he also knew that his master was not particrly obsessed with martial cultivation, so he was unsure how long his master¡¯s transformation wouldst.

    As time passed, the awe-inspiring will of the heavens and earth continued to shock Lu Qing and Xiao Yan.

    Meanwhile, strands of the white mist, formed from primordial qi, alsonded on them, merging into their bodies.

    This was the blessing of witnessing a Precelestial breakthrough.

    Both the imprint of the heavens and earth¡¯s will and the white mist of primordial qi were greatly beneficial to Lu Qing and the others.

    They would make their future cultivation journey smoother.

    As time ticked by, Lu Qing kept counting the minutes.

    Slowly, his mouth began to open wider in surprise.

    He realized that his master¡¯s transformation had alreadysted for two full quarters, twice the usual time for a Precelestial breakthrough.

    ¡°Did Master build such a solid foundation, or is it the effect of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid?¡± Lu Qing was astonished.

    In his astonishment, over three quarters passed.

    He finally saw the white mist around his master gradually dissipate, and the intangible will of the heavens and earth that enveloped the courtyard also gradually faded.

    When his master¡¯s body became visible, Lu Qing¡¯s eyes widened again.

    His master¡¯s appearance had changed significantly.

    The once graying hair had turned jet ck, and the wrinkles on his face had disappeared, his skin glowing. He looked decades younger, appearing middle-aged.

    ¡°Brother, the tree is blooming!¡±

    At that moment, Xiao Yan eximed in surprise.

    Lu Qing then noticed that the tall old plum tree beside the stone table was now covered in white blossoms, overshadowing his master.

    Under this snowy white canopy, the old doctor opened his eyes.

    His gaze was calm, like a tranquil sea, devoid of ripples.

    ¡°Congrattions, Master, on sessfully bing a Precelestial expert.¡±

    Lu Qing stepped forward to congratte him.

    ¡°Yes, I finally broke through.¡±

    A hint of emotion appeared in the old doctor¡¯s eyes as he sighed.

    He had thought this breakthrough would be smooth and quick, but unexpected dangers arose.

    Especially when his mind rushed through the Baihui acupoint to sense the primordial qi. Had he not regained his senses quickly, his will might have been assimted, leaving him a soulless body.

    Indeed, the path of cultivation required caution at every step.

    No matter how well-prepared, dangers still lurked in breakthroughs.

    These couldn¡¯t be truly understood without experiencing them firsthand.

    ¡°Grandpa Chen, you look so young now!¡±

    At this time, Xiao Yan approached, speaking with great surprise.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    The old doctor looked at his body, then chuckled.

    ¡°What is this? I¡¯m still old, yet I look so young. It¡¯s just a cause forughter.¡±

    Saying this, he seemed to use some technique, quickly restraining his qi and blood.

    His hair reverted to gray, and the wrinkles on his face reappeared.

    Aside from a change in temperament, he returned to his original appearance.

    ¡°Master, what is this?¡± Lu Qing was shocked.

    ¡°Just a technique to restrain qi and blood,¡± the old doctorughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m already so old, what¡¯s the point of looking young? If people saw me like this, wouldn¡¯t they call me a monster? How would I continue treating patients then?¡±

    Lu Qing was speechless.

    Master truly embodied the essence of a pure healer.

    Even after bing a Precelestial expert, his first thought was still about treating patients.

    Such a sincere heart was truly rare.

    Moreover, Lu Qing was amazed at his master¡¯s technique to change his appearance at will, a method far surpassing any disguise technique.

    The Precelestial realm was indeed formidable.

    ¡°Master, now that you¡¯ve broken through to the Precelestial realm, how does it differ from the Postnatal realm?¡± Lu Qing asked curiously.

    Table of content

 Chapter 118

    "Precelestial Realm?"

    The old doctor''s face showed a mysterious expression.

    "This is a miraculous realm, but you''ll need to experience it yourself to understand."

    With that, a powerful aura emanated from the old doctor, enveloping Lu Qing.

    In an instant, Lu Qing felt as if a heavy mountain was pressing down on him.

    The surrounding space seemed to solidify, making it impossible for him to move even a finger.

    Lu Qing''s eyes widened in horror.

    Though he knew his master wouldn''t harm him, the suffocating feeling of being in the depths of the ocean still terrified him.

    Fortunately, the aura was only present for a moment. The old doctor withdrew it after letting Lu Qing feel the pressure of the Precelestial Realm.Lu Qing felt a sudden relief, the previous suffocation disappearing as if it had been an illusion.

    As for Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, they remained bewildered,pletely unaffected, not sensing their master''s aura at all.

    But Lu Qing knew it wasn''t an illusion. Just now, he truly couldn''t move.

    If his master had wanted to kill him, it would have been as easy as a thought.

    "Master, what was that just now?" Lu Qing asked hastily.

    Although he had inherited knowledge about the Precelestial Realm, the inheritance couldn''t cover every detail about it.

    Li Weitian was not one to be overly verbose.

    "Just now, what I disyed was the unique pressure of the Precelestial Realm, the Precelestial Pressure," the old doctor exined.

    "A Postnatal warrior who has tempered their soul power to perfection, upon breaking through to the Precelestial Realm with the help of thews of heaven and earth, will have their soul power rapidly grow in strength, gaining considerable power."

    "This soul power,bined with the aura of the Precelestial Realm, forms a unique pressure. While it cannot directly harm people, it can intimidate a warrior''s mind. Postnatal warriors, unless they have great determination and perseverance, find it hard to break free from this intimidation."

    "Even if some warriors can resist the intimidation, under such pressure, their mind would be clouded, and their body would feel heavy, making it difficult to exert more than thirty or forty percent of their strength."

    "Precelestial Pressure," Lu Qing murmured.

    At this moment, he finally felt a hint of the power of the Precelestial Realm.

    Not to mention the Precelestial body''s strength and the mysterious Precelestial Qi.

    Just the Precelestial Pressure alone could give a natural advantage when facing Postnatal warriors.

    "Indeed, so Ah Qing, if you encounter a Precelestial Realm in the future, you must be cautious and never provoke such an existence lightly."

    The old doctor knew his disciple had extraordinary talent and might reach the Internal Organs Realm soon.

    Exceptional talent often came with strong self-confidence.

    He didn''t want Lu Qing to encounter a Precelestial Realm and provoke their displeasure due to ack of respect.

    If that happened, no matter how amazing the talent, it would be powerless against absolute strength.

    "Can''t provoke the Precelestial Realm?" Lu Qing scratched his head. "Master, if you had said this a few days earlier, it might have been useful, but now, it''s already toote. It seems I''ve already offended a Precelestial."

    "What do you mean?" The old doctor was startled.

    "A few days ago, while I was gathering herbs in the mountains, I came across Master Ma being pursued..."

    "I suspect those two evil pursuers of Mrs. Wei and her family are from the force that has been oppressing the Wei family in the county. I killed them, and the force behind them likely won''t let this go."

    Lu Qing detailed the events of a few days ago, when he saved Mago and Mrs. Wei''s mother and son, including killing the two disciples of Tian Cang Sect.

    He didn''t mention it earlier because his master hadn''t broken through yet, and it would have been useless to say anything.

    Moreover, he didn''t want to worry his master during his critical breakthrough period.

    Now that his master had finally broken through to the Precelestial Realm, he could reveal the incident.

    "This..." After hearing Lu Qing''s story, the old doctor fell silent.

    He hadn''t expected that just after warning Lu Qing not to provoke a Precelestial, Lu Qing would reveal that he had already done so, and it might even be an experienced Precelestial expert.

    But he couldn''t say Lu Qing was wrong.

    Because he knew that if he had encountered such a situation, he would also intervene. He couldn''t just stand by and watch Mago and Mrs. Wei be harmed.

    At most, he wouldn''t have killed those two.

    But he understood his disciple''s capabilities.

    Not long ago, Lu Qing was only at the beginning of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Facing two such powerful enemies, surviving was already a miracle.

    To ask him to show mercy would be unrealistic.

    So, for a moment, the old doctor didn''t know what to say.

    "Master, did I do something wrong?" Lu Qing asked nervously.

    The old doctor sighed, "You were saving lives, how could it be wrong? It''s just our bad luck that we encountered such a situation. It''s not about right or wrong."

    Thinking that his disciple had offended such a powerful existence, the old doctor suddenly felt his breakthrough wasn''t so joyful anymore.

    If he hadn''t broken through, he wouldn''t understand the power of the Precelestial Realm and wouldn''t be so worried now.

    "Master, now that you are in the Precelestial Realm, shouldn''t you be less afraid of other Precelestial beings?" Lu Qing asked.

    "How can your masterpare with other Precelestial beings?" The old doctor smiled bitterly. "I''m just a healer, not skilled inbat. How could I match those who have been fighting and killing their entire lives?"

    "Even with the legacy left by Senior Li Weitian?"

    The old doctor paused.

    After a moment of silence, he said, "That''s the only option. But the methods left by Senior Li Weitian are profound. I don''t know if I can learn them."

    "You definitely can, Master! If you could reach the peak of the Internal Organs Realm with just the Health Nourishing Boxing, you can surely master Senior Li Weitian''s techniques!" Lu Qing ttered.

    "Stop trying to butter me up. I know my limits," the old doctor scolded with a smile.

    But at this point, he had no choice but to try.

    He would see if he could learn one or two simple techniques from the legacy of Senior Li Weitian.

    Not to defeat that mysterious Precelestial but to gain more strength to protect his disciple and the vigers.

    Seeing that his master nned to practice the legacy, Lu Qing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    He knew his master''s character.

    Without some pressure, even after a breakthrough, his master would rather study medicine than quickly practice the techniques left by Li Weitian.

    As for whether his master could learn the techniques in the Jade Slip, Lu Qing had no doubts.

    His master, without a martial arts background, had deduced the refined Health Nourishing Boxing from a fragmentary technique.

    He hadprehended the Precelestial Law left by Li Weitian, tempered his soul, and stepped into the Precelestial Realm in a short time.

    From any angle, his master was a true martial arts genius.

    Only his dedication to medicine had clouded his perception of his own talent.

    "Master, I know that the Precelestial Qi cultivated by Precelestial beings has attributes. What is your attribute, Master?" Lu Qing asked.

    "My Precelestial Qi has no attribute."

    To Lu Qing''s surprise, the old doctor shook his head.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s confusion, the old doctor smiled.

    He knew his disciple, despite having inherited many Precelestial techniques, only had a superficial understanding of the realm.

    After all, the path of cultivation is profound and mysterious. Many things can''t be fully understood without personal experience.

    In simple terms, without reaching the realm, knowing more won''t lead toplete understanding.

    "It''s not hard to understand."

    "The human body is wondrous, filled with mystery. Except for those with extraordinary talents or natural disabilities, a normal person''s body contains all five elements, cycling continuously, making one healthy and vigorous, free from illness. How could there be any attribute division?"

    "The attributes of Precelestial Qi mentioned in the ssics are not inherent but are the result of the cultivator''s deliberate actions."

    "The initial Precelestial Qi cultivated in the Precelestial Realm is attribute-less, like the pure and nk state of the world at the beginning of time."

    "Only through subsequent cultivation, with the cultivator using their soul power to merge with the Qi and operate the technique, can they selectively refine the external elemental Qi, giving their internal Precelestial Qi an attribute."

    Having reached the Precelestial Realm, the old doctor''s understanding of the cultivation knowledge in Li Weitian''s Jade Slip became much clearer.

    He exined his insights to Lu Qing.

    "So, Master, the choice of technique after breaking through to the Precelestial Realm determines the attribute of the Precelestial Qi?" Lu Qing understood.

    "Exactly. Everything in the world can be ssified into the five elements, and so can the elemental Qi. The choice of which elemental Qi to refine determines the attribute of one''s Precelestial Qi," the old doctor nodded.

    When his soul power emerged from his Baihui Acupoint, sensing the colorful Qi of heaven and earth, the old doctor''s understanding deepened.

    "Is it possible to refine all five elements of Qi and have one''s Precelestial Qi contain all five elements?" Lu Qing wondered.

    "In theory, yes, but human energy is limited. Refining one type of Qi already consumes most of a Precelestial cultivator''s time. How could they have the energy to refine more types?"

    Lu Qing realized the truth.

    Greed often leads to failure. Being overly ambitious usually

    results in achieving nothing.

    If refining all five elements were easy, there wouldn''t be attribute divisions in Precelestial techniques.

    "So, Master, which technique do you n to practice?"

    Lu Qing knew that the legacy left by Li Weitian included several Precelestial techniques with different attributes. He wondered which one his master would choose.

    "I haven''t decided yet. I need to think it over," the old doctor shook his head.

    After staying in the Halfway House for a while, gaining more insights about the Precelestial Realm from his master, Lu Qing finally left with Xiao Li and Xiao Yan.

    His master needed time to seclude himself and process his breakthrough. Lu Qing didn''t want to disturb him for too long.

    Before leaving, the old doctor also warned Xiao Li not to cause trouble by relying on its invisibility.

    Earlier, while Xiao Li and Xiao Yan were ying hide and seek in the yard, Xiao Li used its invisibility again.

    But the old doctor, now in the Precelestial Realm, saw through Xiao Li''s invisibility immediately, confirming Lu Qing''s previous suspicion.

    Xiao Li''s invisibility couldn''t fool a Precelestial''s senses.

    The old doctor''s warning was also a subtle reminder to Lu Qing not to rely too much on Xiao Li''s ability for risky actions.

    Upon returning from the Halfway House, Xiao Li and Xiao Yan started feeling drowsy.

    Lu Qing knew this was because they had absorbed a lot of the elemental mist during his master''s breakthrough.

    The elemental mist, condensed from thews of heaven and earth, was rich in life energy,parable to Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, highly beneficial to the body.

    Ordinary people who absorbed even a small amount would experience significant health benefits.

    The two little ones had absorbed a lot, so they felt sleepy as their bodies couldn''t immediately process all the energy and needed to sleep it off.

    Even Lu Qing felt a surge of energy within him, making him restless.

    He let the two little ones rest on the bed and, after they fell asleep, went to the yard to practice Health Nourishing Boxing.

    As he moved, the energy from the elemental mist began to flow within him.

    He guided the energy, gradually integrating it into his blood, tendons, and deeper parts of his body.

    His body quickly grew stronger and more vibrant.

    This time, Lu Qing practiced for a long time.

    He repeated Health Nourishing Boxing over and over.

    From the zing sun to the setting dusk.

    If the vigers hadn''t often seen him practicing in the yard, they might have thought he had gone mad.

    But even so, seeing him practice for so long made some vigers worry about his health.

    Grandpa Zhang from next door came out many times, looking at Lu Qing with concern from outside the yard.

    If he hadn''t seen that Lu Qing looked fine, he might have interrupted him.

    Lu Qing paid no mind to these concerns.

    Completely immersed in his practice, he was in a unique state.

    Finally, as thest bit of sunset faded, Lu Qing''s body shook, and his tendons and bones started to crackle.

    Table of content

 Chapter 119

    "Breaking through again, reaching the pinnacle of the Tendons and Bones Realm."

    Standing in the courtyard, Lu Qing quietly sensed the state of his body.

    Indeed, he had just sessfully broken through to the pinnacle of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    The opportunity gained from witnessing the breakthrough to the Precelestial Realm was truly significant.

    Just yesterday, he had broken through to the early stage of the Tendons and Bones Realm. Using the energy mist absorbed during his master¡¯s breakthrough, he managed to break through again in less than a day, stepping into the pinnacle of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    If other martial artists knew about his cultivation speed, they would be astonished.

    Moreover, Lu Qing felt that the vital energy formed from the white mist had not beenpletely exhausted and was still nourishing his body in a deeperyer.

    At this rate, it wouldn''t be long before he reached the perfect stage of the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    "Ah Qing, what was that?"A surprised voice sounded.

    Lu Qing turned to see Grandpa Zhang and several vigers looking at him in shock.

    It was clear they had been frightened by the crackling of his bones and the vibration of his energy.

    "Oh, it''s nothing. Just a small breakthrough in martial arts this afternoon," Lu Qing replied.

    In fact, while practicing, he could sense the outside situation and knew about Grandpa Zhang and the others'' movements. Since they didn''t disturb him, he didn''t mind.

    However, seeing their worried faces, Lu Qing decided it was better to practice in the bamboo forest behind the mountain from now on.

    This time, he was training in the courtyard because Xiao Yan and Xiao Li were asleep and he didn''t want to go far.

    "Is that so? That''s good then."

    Grandpa Zhang and the others sighed in relief after hearing Lu Qing''s exnation. They didn''t understand cultivation but knew it was a good thing from Lu Qing''s words and felt happy for him.

    After knowing Lu Qing was okay, they gradually dispersed.

    Lu Qing returned to the courtyard and found that Xiao Yan and Xiao Li were still asleep, so he didn''t disturb them and made dinner for himself.

    The next morning, the two little ones finally woke up, both shouting that they were hungry.

    Lu Qing brought out the breakfast he had already prepared, and they started eating heartily.

    While the little ones were eating, Lu Qing used his ability to check their condition.

    First was Xiao Yan.

    In the rich red light, a streak of golden energy suddenly shone before Lu Qing''s eyes.

    [Lu Xiaoyan: A human cub, female.]

    [A lucky little one, after consuming the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, seems to have identally awakened a special talent.]

    [Ice Muscle and Jade Bone: Pure constitution, free of impurities, naturally suited for cultivation, especially effective with water and cold attribute techniques.]

    [Due to absorbing the life-filled energy mist during the Precelestial breakthrough, her body now has a hint of the Precelestial Dao physique.]

    Gasp!

    Lu Qing was first shocked by the streak of gold in Xiao Yan''s energy light.

    Then, seeing the final note, he gasped again.

    Precelestial Dao Physique?!!

    This was a highly revered mystical physique in the Divine Rune Sect¡¯s heritage.

    It was said that those with such a physique were truly blessed by heaven, geniuses among geniuses.

    No matter what they cultivated, it would be incredibly fast with almost no bottlenecks.

    For example, the cultivation of runes was extremely difficult; without true talent, it was impossible to even get started.

    But for a true Precelestial Dao Physique, rune cultivation would be as simple as eating and drinking.

    Unexpectedly, Xiao Yan had a trace of the Precelestial Dao Physique. Even though it was just a trace, it indicated her incredible talent.

    If the Divine Rune Sect still existed, they would fight to bring Xiao Yan into their fold due to their reverence for the Precelestial Dao Physique.

    After examining Xiao Yan''s changes, Lu Qing turned his attention to Xiao Li.

    Once again, in the rich red light, a faint golden energy appeared.

    [ck Night Spirit Lynx: A mountain spirit beast, juvenile, female.]

    [Extremely fast, with sharp ws capable of breaking stones and cutting metal.]

    [Has the innate ability to distort light and blend into the darkness.]

    [Legend says ck Night Spirit Lynxes love fish but hate water, always yearning for fish they can''t reach.]

    [After absorbing the life-filled energy mist during the Precelestial breakthrough, it shows signs of evolving into a Precelestial Spirit Beast.]

    The golden energy in Xiao Li was even more intense than Xiao Yan''s.

    Likewise, it had an extra note.

    ¡°Precelestial Spirit Beast? What¡¯s that?¡±

    However, Lu Qing didn''t understand this term.

    The Divine Rune Sect''s heritage had no records of Precelestial Spirit Beasts.

    But judging by Xiao Yan''s situation, it seemed like an extraordinary creature.

    He didn¡¯t expect the two little ones to gain so much benefit after sleeping overnight.

    Compared to them, his hard-earned breakthrough to the pinnacle of the Tendons and Bones Realm seemed ordinary.

    "Brother, what''s wrong? Is there rice on Xiao Yan''s face?"

    Seeing Lu Qing staring at her nkly, Xiao Yan touched her face and asked.

    "No, brother was just thinking. Keep eating," Lu Qing smiled,ing back to his senses.

    He also secretly resolved that the better the little ones'' talents, the more he should train them, not waste such a good opportunity.

    "Okay." Xiao Yan continued eating after hearing that there was nothing wrong.

    At this moment, Lu Qing felt his pants being tugged. Looking down, he saw Xiao Li sitting in front of him.

    "What''s wrong, Xiao Li?" Lu Qing asked.

    Xiao Li pointed to her empty food bowl with her paw.

    "Already finished?"

    Lu Qing was surprised.

    He had given her the usual amount of fish, which usuallysted a while.

    Did her appetite increase after absorbing the energy mist?

    "Xiao Li, are you still hungry?"

    "Ow~" Xiao Li nodded.

    "I''ll get more."

    It seemed her appetite really did grow.

    Lu Qing went to the kitchen, only to find that the fish in the tank were nearly gone, with only a few left.

    Because he had been focused on cultivation and anticipating his master''s breakthrough, he hadn''t gone fishing.

    As a result, the household supply was almost depleted.

    Lu Qing scooped up the remaining fish and brought them to Xiao Li.

    "Xiao Li, these are all that''s left. Is it enough?"

    Xiao Li looked at the fish, then at Lu Qing, her eyes welling up.

    "Stop, stop! I get it. I''ll go fishing for youter, so don''t cry!"

    Seeing her expression, Lu Qing immediately shouted.

    The tears in Xiao Li''s eyes gradually disappeared.

    "Brother, are Xiao Li''s fish all gone?" Xiao Yan asked.

    "Yes, brother hasn''t had time to fish, so we''re out of fish."

    Hearing this, tears welled up in Xiao Li''s eyes again.

    "Xiao Li, be good. We can go fishing with brotherter. Then you''ll get fresh fish."

    Xiao Yanforted her, stroking her back.

    Xiao Li looked up at Lu Qing after hearing this.

    Lu Qing nodded, "Sure, we can go fishing together."

    With Xiao Li¡¯s invisibility talent, there was no worry about being seen. She had joined them fishing before.

    Seeing Lu Qing agree, the little ck beast cheered up, her tail standing tall.

    She loved going fishing with Lu Qing.

    To her, it was magical and impressive how Lu Qing could use a bamboo rod to catch the fish she could only see but not catch.

    Knowing they could go out soon, Xiao Yan finished eating quickly.

    "Hurrah! Brother, I''m full, let''s go fishing!"

    "Wait a moment, let me wash the dishes first."

    Lu Qing shook his head, cleaned up the dishes, and put them away.

    Then he grabbed the fishing tools.

    Fishing rod, basket,, bait...

    When everything was ready, the little ones were already waiting obediently.

    Xiao Yan even had a small basket on her back.

    Lu Qing had asked a vige elder skilled in bamboo weaving to make it. Since Xiao Yan often followed him around, she needed her own basket for her little trinkets and toys.

    "Brother, let me carry some."

    Xiao Yan took the bait bucket, hung it around her neck, and shouldered the, pointing forward bravely, "Let''s go!"

    She rushed out first.

    Lu Qing locked the door and followed her.

    Xiao Li went invisible and jumped into Xiao Yan''s basket.

    With Xiao Yan''s current physical fitness, the weight was no problem for her.

    In the vige, Xiao Yan ran ahead, and Lu Qing followed leisurely.

    Seeing them, the vigers understood immediately.

    "Ah Qing, going fishing again?" a viger asked.

    "Yes, just fishing for fun," Lu Qing nodded.

    "I don''t understand why you love fishing so much. Don''t you get tired of eating so much fish?" the viger wondered.

    They often saw Lu Qing fishing and bringing back a lot.

    They couldn''t imagine eating fish every day.

    "I just like it. Besides, I love eating fish, and master also loves fried fish with his wine," Lu Qing smiled.

    He couldn¡¯t say there was a fish-loving eater at home.

    "Fried fish? That must be delicious. No wonder the old doctor loves it!"

    The vigers'' eyes widened.

    They could only imagine how delicious fried fish would be.

    But oil wasn''t cheap, so they wouldn''t dare use it just for fish.

    "It''s quite good. You should try it sometime."

    "Sure, if there''s a chance."

    After chatting with the vigers, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan left for the river outside the vige.

    He headed to the special fishing spot.

    It was his habit.

    Every time

    he fished, he would try this spot first, hoping to catch another special fish.

    After catching two golden loaches, he hadn''t caught any more special fish.

    Initially, he thought the river outside the vige had more special fish than expected.

    Now he realized it was because he was in the new world protection period and could easily catch special fish.

    After the protection period ended, he hadn''t even caught a scale.

    He had tried other river sections, hoping to find another special fishing spot.

    But after exploring ten miles up and down the river, he found no more special fish spots.

    There were basic spots, but none for special fish.

    Lu Qing concluded that the only special fishing spot was near the Blood Apricot Trees on the riverbank.

    The Blood Apricot Trees attracted special fish.

    He had once picked Blood Apricots for his master, but his master didn¡¯t recognize the fruit. After testing its properties, he deemed it a good medicinal material.

    However, he couldn''t exin why it attracted special fish.

    Sitting at the fishing spot, Lu Qing skillfully baited his hook with two Blood Apricots and cast it into the water.

    Over time, he had upgraded his fishing gear.

    The fishing line was still silkworm thread, but the rod and hook were reced.

    The hooks were custom-made by a cksmith in the city, costing him a lot.

    Ten hooks cost him ten taels of silver, one tael per hook.

    Each hook was more valuable than its weight in gold.

    The cksmith''s reaction was also one of surprise.

    He couldn''t believe Lu Qing had such an expensive hobby, spending so much on hooks.

    But Lu Qing didn¡¯t care.

    He wasn¡¯t short on money, thanks to the silver from Happy Fort and his master¡¯s wealth.

    Spending a little silver on hooks didn¡¯t bother him.

    Besides, you get what you pay for. The hooks¡¯ quality was indeed excellent.

    They were almost as sturdy as his battle knife and could be used as weapons.

    With the hook in the water, Lu Qing patiently waited.

    Xiao Li appeared beside him, watching the float intently.

    Xiao Yan, knowing her brother and Xiao Li would be absorbed in fishing, yed with her toys.

    Watching Xiao Li, Lu Qing found it amusing.

    The little one had the potential to be a fishing expert. If her paws could hold things, he would make her a small rod.

    After a while, the float didn¡¯t move.

    Lu Qing was used to it.

    He even suspected the river had no more special fish.

    He kepting out of habit and a faint hope of catching one more.

    As time passed and the float remained still, Lu Qing prepared to switch spots for regr fish.

    The spot had been fished out and needed time to recover.

    Just as he reached for the rod, the float suddenly trembled and then plunged underwater.

    "Gotcha!"

    Lu Qing grabbed the rod.

    At the same time, Xiao Li¡¯s eyes widened in excitement.

    Table of content

 Chapter 120

    Seeing the fish suddenly tugging the hook, Lu Qing was not surprised.

    The fish in this other world liked tounch sneak attacks; he had long been used to it.

    What excited him was that this time he used blood apricots as bait!

    This was something that only strange fish liked to eat; ordinary fish didn¡¯t seem to care for it.

    Feeling the strong pull from the rod, Lu Qing was almost certain that this time, he had hooked a strange fish!

    Because besides the Blue-armored Fish, no other ordinary fish in the river had such exaggerated strength.

    Xiao Li couldn¡¯t stay calm either, pacing anxiously beside him, almost wishing he could help Lu Qing pull the rod.

    "Xiao Li, don¡¯t worry, this fish won¡¯t get away."

    Lu Qingforted the ck Beast while holding the rod steadily.With his current martial arts strength, it was impossible for him to be unsteady from a fish like he was before.

    Hearing Lu Qing¡¯s words, Xiao Li calmed down a bit and sat by the shore.

    However, its eyes were still fixed on the water, and its tail swayed restlessly, indicating its inner excitement.

    Lu Qing held the rod and began to reel in the fish.

    Now that he was a martial artist of the Tendons and Bones Realm, with his de control at a master level, reeling in a fish was a piece of cake.

    Not long after, a faintly golden, slender fish was pulled out by Lu Qing.

    "Ow~ Ow~ Ow~"

    Seeing the fish being pulled out, Xiao Li instantly became excited.

    It circled around Lu Qing¡¯s feet, constantly calling out.

    "Brother, this fish is so beautiful!"

    Xiao Yan, who had been ying under the tree, ran over upon hearing themotion.

    "Xiao Li, don¡¯t worry. Let me see what kind of fish this is before giving it to you."

    Lu Qing took the fish off the hook and weighed it.

    The fish wasn¡¯t heavy, just over two pounds, but its strength was definitely not small.

    When Lu Qing was reeling it in, he found it was stronger than the Red Moon Carp he had caught before.

    If his rod hadn¡¯t been upgraded, he might not have been able to pull it out.

    The most distinctive feature of this fish was the long whiskers on both sides of its mouth, almost half the length of its body.

    Its body was covered with faintly golden scales, which looked beautiful under the sunlight.

    Holding the fish in front of him, Lu Qing used his special ability to examine it.

    Soon, a half-red, half-white glow emanated from the fish.

    ¡¾Dragon Beard Fish: A strange fish with golden scales, immense strength, and incredible swimming speed.¡¿

    ¡¾Contains spiritual essence, its flesh is tender and nourishing, a creature of the sun.¡¿

    ¡¾It is said that the Dragon Beard Fish contains a trace of dragon blood, making its flesh extremely nourishing and full of yang energy.¡¿

    "Dragon Beard Fish?"

    Lu Qing looked curiously at the strange fish in his hand.

    ording to the description, this thing seemed more suitable for males.

    Would it be okay for Xiao Li to eat it?

    But seeing Xiao Li¡¯s eager eyes, Lu Qing knew that if he didn¡¯t give it the fish, the little guy might cry on the spot.

    However, Lu Qing believed that as a peculiar spirit beast, Xiao Li had a very special and magical sense.

    It could easily tell what was beneficial and harmful to it.

    Since it was so eager for this strange fish, it must be very beneficial to it.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing simply tossed the fish to Xiao Li.

    "Alright, Xiao Li, this strange fish is yours."

    Xiao Li, who had been staring intently at the strange fish in Lu Qing¡¯s hand, was instantly delighted.

    It pounced on the fish, catching it and dragging it to a clean patch of grass to eat.

    With each bite, its eyes squinted in happiness, and its tail wagged joyfully.

    Seeing it eat so happily, Lu Qing felt at ease.

    He hooked another couple of blood apricots and cast the line back into the water.

    Although he knew the chances were slim, he still wanted to see if he could catch another strange fish.

    Not long after, Xiao Li finished the fish, licked its paws contentedly, and squatted next to Lu Qing again, eagerly watching the water.

    Both of them hoped to catch another strange fish.

    But this time, they were destined to be disappointed.

    After waiting for a long time, with no movement on the float, Lu Qing knew there would only be this one strange fish this time.

    To catch another, it would take some time.

    However, Lu Qing had figured out the pattern.

    Clearly, this fishing spot attracted strange fish because of the nearby Blood Apricot Trees.

    As long as the Blood Apricot Trees were there, strange fish would be attracted over time.

    So if Xiao Li wanted to eat another strange fish, it would have to wait.

    Lu Qing exined his guess to Xiao Li, who wasn¡¯t disappointed but rather happy.

    This meant that every so often, it could eat its favorite strange fish, something it never dared to dream of before.

    After confirming that he couldn¡¯t catch another strange fish, Lu Qing moved to another fishing spot with Xiao Yan and Xiao Li.

    It was a new spot he had scouted a few days ago, a bit far but teeming with fish.

    At the new spot, Lu Qing quickly caught a lot of fish, enough to make Xiao Li¡¯s belly round and full before stopping to feed it and putting the fish into the bucket.

    With Xiao Li no longer by his side eating fish, Lu Qing¡¯s efficiency in storing fish increased.

    In no time, he had caught over ten fish weighing more than two pounds, and the bucket was almost full of smaller fish.

    Swish!

    Another small fish was tossed into the air. Lu Qing removed it and threw it into the bucket, feeling a sense of satisfaction and rxation.

    Recently, he had been busy cultivating, and asional fishing like this was a great way to rx.

    The path of cultivation also required a bnce of tension and rxation.

    Overdoing it could sometimes lead to problems.

    "Oww!"

    Just as Lu Qing was enjoying the rxation of fishing, Xiao Li suddenly appeared before him, barking seriously.

    "Are you saying someone ising?" Lu Qing¡¯s expression became serious.

    After spending so much time with Xiao Li, their mutual understanding was very high.

    He could basically tell what Xiao Li wanted to express from its expressions and actions.

    If it were vigers, Xiao Li wouldn¡¯t act like this.

    It only acted this way if outsiders, especially non-ordinary ones, were approaching.

    Could it be that a stranger martial artist wasing?

    A thought shed through Lu Qing¡¯s mind.

    "Xiao Li, where are they now?"

    Xiao Li pointed in a direction with its paw.

    "Are there many people?"

    Xiao Li nodded.

    Lu Qing didn¡¯t hesitate.

    He first instructed Xiao Li, then called out to Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan,e here quickly!"

    "What is it, brother?" Xiao Yan ran over.

    Meanwhile, Xiao Li had gone invisible, hiding somewhere.

    "It¡¯s nothing. We need to pack up and go home," Lu Qing said, rubbing her head.

    "Okay~" Xiao Yan responded obediently.

    Lu Qing quickly packed up, then carried their stuff and Xiao Yan, and left quickly.

    With Xiao Li¡¯s special senses, he didn¡¯t encounter anyone and returned to the vige smoothly.

    Back in the vige, he didn¡¯t put Xiao Yan at home but took her directly to the Halfway House.

    After informing his master, Lu Qing left again with Xiao Li.

    With so many martial artists suddenly appearing near the vige, he had to find out what was going on.

    "Xiao Li, can you still sense those people now?"

    After strapping his battle de to his back and arriving at the vige entrance, Lu Qing tied a red ribbon to the tree and asked.

    Xiao Li shook its head.

    Its special sense had a range limit, and beyond that distance, it couldn¡¯t sense.

    Lu Qing pondered.

    Since those people were not near the vige, they weren¡¯t directly targeting the vige.

    So what were they targeting?

    The Grand Bazaar!

    As soon as this question arose, Lu Qing already had the answer.

    Only that ce could attract so many martial artists.

    Could it be that Mrs. Wei and her son were exposed?

    Lu Qing wasn¡¯t sure, but he knew he had to find out quickly.

    Tightening the battle de on his back, Lu Qing looked towards the direction of the Grand Bazaar and walked quickly.

    Today wasn¡¯t a bazaar day, so vigers rarely left the vige.

    Thus, Lu Qing didn¡¯t encounter anyone on the way.

    "Oww~"

    As they neared the bazaar, Xiao Li, hidden on his shoulder, suddenly tugged at his hair with its paw.

    "You mean those martial artists are up ahead?"

    Lu Qing¡¯s heart tightened, knowing he was right; those people were indeed heading for the bazaar.

    It seemed Mrs. Wei and her son were indeed exposed. But why? Magu shouldn¡¯t be so careless.

    With doubts in mind, Lu Qing concealed his aura and quietly advanced.

    With his master-level de control, he couldpletely hide his blood Qi. Even an Internal Organs Realm expert wouldn¡¯t sense him unless within three steps.

    Lu Qing stealthily moved forward and soon heard a voice.

    "Leader Fang, what brings you here with so many people to visit my humble bazaar?"

    Lu Qing recognized Magu¡¯s voice.

    His heart stirred, realizing the situation might not be as he thought.

    The voice came from Magu¡¯s house. Lu Qing approached silently.

    He climbed a big tree and looked down.

    He saw two groups confronting each other in front of the house.

    One group was led by Magu with seven or

    eight followers.

    The other group had over twenty people, with nearly half of them being martial artists.

    The leader was a tall, long-limbed man with a scar on his face, exuding a fierce aura.

    In terms of numbers, Magu¡¯s side was at a disadvantage, not to mention the number of martial artists.

    "Haha!"

    Before Lu Qing could use his ability to check these people¡¯s information.

    The tall man oppositeughed twice.

    "I just want to ask you, Magu, a question.

    Not long ago, our ck Wolf Gang¡¯s ninth leader and some brothers were killed in a nearby vige, the vige was burned to the ground, and their bodies were gone.

    I want to ask Magu, do you know who did this?"

    ck Wolf Gang?!

    Lu Qing¡¯s heart shook. He immediately focused on the tall man.

    Soon, a strong white light appeared from his body.

    ¡¾Fang De: Nicknamed "ck Wolf," leader of the ck Wolf Gang, ruthless and merciless, bullying the weak and fearing the strong.¡¿

    ¡¾Cultivation: Postnatal Tendons and Bones Realm.¡¿

    It was indeed the ck Wolf Gang!

    Lu Qing scanned the other people with his eyes, finding they were all members of the ck Wolf Gang.

    Not only was the leader ck Wolf here, but most of the other leaders were also present.

    "This is really a coincidence."

    A chill slowly rose in Lu Qing¡¯s eyes.

    But he didn¡¯t act rashly, continuing to watch silently.

    The sudden arrival of the ck Wolf Gang was suspicious; there might be other reasons.

    "Leader Fang, you must be joking. I, Magu, offended some nobles in the city and was thrown to this broken ce by my family. I just drink and have fun in my house every day, not caring about outside matters.

    When Happy Fort caught fire that night, I only found out the next day. When I sent people to check, I only saw ruins, not knowing what happened.

    But isn¡¯t there a rumor in the city that it was done by the Wei family?"

    On the other side, Magu, hearing ck Wolf¡¯s question, was shocked but didn¡¯t show it on his face.

    "Hmph, don¡¯t try to use the Wei family to pressure me. The Wei family is now in trouble, facing extinction soon and disappearing from Cang County!"

    ck Wolf snorted coldly, angry.

    Everyone in the county knew that he was defeated by the Wei family¡¯s Silver Moon Guard, wounded, and humiliated.

    Magu mentioning the Wei family now was clearly mocking him.

    "You say you know nothing about Happy Fort, but my men saw a woman from Happy Fort in your family¡¯s cloth shop a few days ago. How do you exin that?"

    Magu was shocked but kept his expression calm.

    "Really? I don¡¯t know about that. The cloth shop matters are not under my control. I¡¯ll ask the person in charge when I have time."

    "Magu, do you think I¡¯m a fool?" ck Wolf sneered. "Since she appeared in your shop, it¡¯s clear that your family is involved in the death of my ninth leader and the destruction of Happy Fort.

    You must be colluding with the Wei family. I think Wei Xinghe¡¯s wife and child are also hidden by your family, maybe even in this house!"

    "ck Wolf! Don¡¯t nder us!" Magu¡¯s face changed, shouting angrily, "Do you think our family is easy to bully? Randomly throwing dirt on us, do you want to start a war?"

    "Haha, war? Do you qualify?"

    ck Wolfughed disdainfully.

    "If it were before, I might have feared your family a bit. But now, go ask your elders if they dare to sh with our ck Wolf Gang?"

    Magu trembled.

    He knew ck Wolf was right.

    Since the ck Wolf Gang allied with those mysterious martial artists, their power had grown rapidly.

    If they fought, his family had no chance.

    But he couldn¡¯t let ck Wolf search the house.

    Although Mrs. Wei and her son were hidden in the secret room, these wolf-like gang members were good at sneaking and stealing; they might find the secret room.

    Thinking of this, Magu was anxious.

    He didn¡¯t know if Mrs. Wei and her son had escaped through the tunnel after hearing themotion outside.

    The ck Wolf Gang¡¯s sudden arrival left him unprepared, with no time to get them out.

    "If you don¡¯t dare, then get out of my way!"

    ck Wolf, seeing Magu¡¯s ugly face, became more arrogant.

    He knew that despite appearances, people like Magu¡¯s family didn¡¯t think much of their gang.

    Seeing Magu¡¯s frustrated and speechless face made him feel immensely satisfied.

    "Brothers, search the ce! Don¡¯t miss any corner!"

    ck Wolf waved his hand, ordering his men.

    "Yes!"

    The ck Wolf Gang members responded loudly and moved forward.

    "Wait!"

    "Don¡¯t you dare!"

    Magu tried to stop them, but ck Wolf had already moved, his massive fist creating a gust of wind as it swung towards Magu!

    Table of content

 Chapter 121

    The power behind the ck Wolf''s punch was ferocious, his entire being bursting with Blood Qi, like a beast unleashed from its cage, incredibly intimidating.

    Magu''s heart trembled with fear.

    He hadn''t expected the ck Wolf to attack so suddenly.

    Already injured in the shoulder and not fully recovered, he dared not face this punch head-on. He stomped his foot, rapidly retreating to avoid the blow.

    Boom!

    The ck Wolf''s punch missed, the force of the blow causing Xiao Tian and the others to pale and step back repeatedly.

    "Not bad!"

    Seeing Magu dodge his near sneak attack, the ck Wolf''s eyes shed with surprise.

    However, having already attacked, he would not let it go so easily.Seeing Magu retreat, he pressed his advantage, stepping forward and throwing another punch towards Magu''s chest.

    This time, Magu had nowhere to retreat, for behind him was the tightly shut gate of the courtyard.

    Seeing the punch nearing his face, Magu gritted his teeth, lifting his uninjured right hand to meet the blow head-on.

    In that moment, Magu deeply regretted not bringing his battle knife in his haste. Without it, he was at a severe disadvantage.

    The ck Wolf''s strength far surpassed his. Even if he managed to block this punch, his right hand would likely be crippled.

    Seeing Magu dare to raise his hand to block, the ck Wolf''s eyes gleamed with cruelty.

    Just as he was about to unleash his full strength to shatter Magu''s arm, a piercing whistle suddenly sounded in his ear.

    At the same time, a strong sense of danger surged within him, stabbing at the back of his head.

    The ck Wolf was startled, hastily retracting his punch and twisting his body to strike behind him.

    Bang!

    Dust scattered as a fist-sized stone was shattered by his punch.

    The shattered stone fragments flew in all directions, causing several unlucky members of the ck Wolf Gang to be struck, their heads bleeding and crying out in pain.

    Yet, the ck Wolf had no time for them. Though he shattered the stone, his arm also trembled violently, his fist aching and bleeding.

    The power within that stone was astonishing,parable to his full-strength punch!

    "Who is it!"

    The ck Wolf was shocked, looking towards the tree where Lu Qing was hiding.

    "Heh, I didn''t expect to encounter the scum of the ck Wolf Gang here. What a pleasant surprise."

    A voice rang out as a figure appeared atop the tree.

    "Brother Lu Qing?!"

    Magu, relieved to be alive, looked up in surprise.

    "Young Master Lu?!"

    Xiao Tian and the others were equally astonished.

    "Brother Lu Qing, Young Master Lu?"

    The ck Wolf heard their exmations, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Lu Qing.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s youthful face, he couldn''t help but be shocked.

    It was hard to believe that such a young boy could throw a stone with such terrifying power.

    The ck Wolf tried to sense Lu Qing''s strength, but with his Qi and Blood concealed, he could not discern anything.

    The other members of the ck Wolf Gang were equally disturbed.

    No one expected their assant to be such a young boy.

    The ck Wolf, filled with uncertainty, demanded, "Kid, who are you?"

    "An enemy." Lu Qing replied coldly from the tree, "You''re looking for the one who destroyed Happy Fort? That was me."

    Hearing this, the ck Wolf Gang was thrown into chaos again.

    "It was you?" The ck Wolf''s eyes sharpened, "What grudge do you have with us to ughter the entire fort? Isn''t that too ruthless?"

    "Ruthless?" Lu Qingughed, "It seems the ck Wolf Gang is truly oblivious to its own evil deeds."

    "Enough. There''s no reasoning with scum like you. You''re just beasts in human skin."

    "Kid, what did you say?!"

    The ck Wolf Gang couldn''t hold back. In the county, they had always been tyrannical. When had they ever been so humiliated?

    Immediately, one of them, skilled with hidden weapons, threw a dart at Lu Qing, "Get down here, kid!"

    The dart flew swiftly, aiming for Lu Qing''s head.

    Lu Qing remained calm, raising his fingers to catch the dart.

    "Returning it to you!"

    In the next instant, a white sh streaked through the air, followed by a scream.

    The gang member who had thrown the dart fell to the ground, arge hole in his throat, blood gushing out. The dart was embedded in the ground beside him, the same one he had thrown at Lu Qing.

    "Eighth Boss!"

    "Eighth Brother!"

    The ck Wolf Gang shouted in panic.

    But the Eighth Boss, with his throat torn open, was beyond saving.

    His eyes filled with terror, he gurgled but couldn''t make a sound.

    After struggling for a while, his eyes zed over, his legs stretched out, and he died.

    "Eighth Boss!"

    The ck Wolf Gang was horrified.

    Looking back at Lu Qing, fear crept into their eyes.

    The Eighth Boss was a master at the Qi and Blood Realm, renowned for his hidden weapon skills in the county.

    Yet, his sneak attack not only failed but got him killed by his own dart.

    With a single move, Lu Qing had killed a martial artist at the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm. What kind of terrifying figure was this?

    "Old Eight!"

    The ck Wolf, seeing his sworn brother dead, was equally enraged.

    He red at Lu Qing, "You ruthless brat, today I swear I won''t be human if I don''t kill you!"

    "Scum like you don''t deserve to be human. You''re worse than pigs and dogs."

    Lu Qing''s tone was calm, but his words were cutting.

    "Good, very good! I, the ck Wolf, swear that if I don''t y you, cut off your limbs, and hang you to dry for seven days, then capture and torture all your family and friends to death to avenge my brothers, I''ll no longer be called human!"

    The ck Wolf''s rage was so intense his eyes turned red, his words dripping with venom.

    Seeing him on the verge of madness, Magu and the others were terrified.

    Especially Xiao Tian and the others, who felt their bodies trembling.

    They knew that the ck Wolf was a madman who could do anything he said.

    In the county, everyone knew that the ck Wolf was insane, sometimes actingpletely recklessly.

    This madness extended to the entire ck Wolf Gang, making them infamous for their viciousness.

    No one in the west of the city wanted to provoke them unless absolutely necessary, for it meant facing a rabid attack.

    This was why, despite not being the strongest, the ck Wolf Gang held a dominant position among the city''s three major gangs.

    Young Master Lu had infuriated these madmen, ensuring a deadly battle ahead.

    "Yes, Boss, let''s catch this brat and torture him to death to avenge Eighth Boss and Ninth Boss!"

    "Make him tell us where his family is, catch them all!"

    The gang''s morale soared with their leader''s words, their fear of Lu Qing vanishing.

    Seeing their frenzy, Lu Qing''s expression remained unchanged.

    He mocked, "Is that all the ck Wolf Gang can say? I recall the Heart-Snatcher Wolf saying the same before I beheaded him."

    "Good, very good!"

    The ck Wolf was nearly speechless with rage. He no longer cared about their grudge. It didn''t matter anymore.

    All he wanted now was to capture Lu Qing and torture him to death.

    "Get him down!"

    At hismand, the gangunched their attack.

    Hidden weapons flew, arrows were shot, and even those without weapons threw stones and dirt at Lu Qing.

    In an instant, all sorts of projectiles were hurled at him.

    Despite witnessing Lu Qing''s skill with hidden weapons, they didn''t believe he could stand against such an onught.

    Sure enough, as the projectiles flew, Lu Qing vanished from the tree.

    He reappeared at the base, having evaded all attacks.

    But there, someone was waiting.

    "Die!"

    The ck Wolf had anticipated this, using the projectiles to force Lu Qing down.

    Seeing Lu Qingnd, he struck with a fierce punch before Lu Qing could steady himself.

    The ck Wolf''s eyes gleamed with cruelty, confident that this punch would either severely injure or kill Lu Qing.

    But Lu Qing remained unfazed.

    He lightly grasped the ck Wolf''s arm, using the force to propel himself backward,nding steadily.

    Impossible!

    The ck Wolf was shocked, unable to believe Lu Qing had so effortlessly neutralized his full-strength punch.

    Even after exchanging blows, he couldn''t gauge Lu Qing''s level.

    Lu Qing''s Qi and Blood were entirely concealed, making him a mystery.

    What kind of monster was this boy?

    "Interested in fist techniques?"

    Lu Qing looked at the ck Wolf with interest.

    "Perfect, I''ve been keen on fist techniquestely. Let''s see how yours measure up."

    "Arrogant brat!"

    The ck Wolf, enraged, lunged at Lu Qing again.

    He couldn''t believe this young boy had a higher martial level than his decades of cultivation.

    The ck Wolf''s assault was fierce, his footwork agile, his hands forming ws, resembling a wolf king hunting its prey.

    It was his renowned technique, the ck Wolf Fist.

    This technique, passed down from a strange Internal Organs Realm man from the western border, was inspired by the life habits of the prairie wolves.

    Ferocious and domineering, mastering it could lead to the coveted Internal Organs Realm.

    Young, the ck Wolf had schemed his way into the strange man''s trust, bing his sole disciple.

    Serving the man for three years, he finally received the true teachings of the ck Wolf Fist.

    Once he had mastered

    it, he revealed his true nature, poisoning the man and attacking when he was weakened, eventually killing him and taking everything he had.

    Fleeing to the remote Cang County, he used the man''s legacy to train and grow stronger, ultimately founding the ck Wolf Gang.

    Throughout this journey, the ck Wolf Fist had been his key to establishing dominance in the west of the county.

    Confident in his technique, he believed no one at the same level could match him.

    With agile and mysterious footwork, the ck Wolf swiftly closed in on Lu Qing, his ws aiming for Lu Qing''s throat.

    "Good!"

    Facing the ferocious attack, Lu Qing remained calm.

    He advanced instead of retreating, his Qi and Blood exploding in an instant, shaking the surrounding air.

    His shoulder sank, fist twisted, and with a step that shook the ground, his right fist shot out like thunder, aiming for the ck Wolf''s heart.

    Fierce Tiger Fist, Tiger''s Heart Strike!

    Roar!

    The power behind Lu Qing''s punch was ten times stronger than the ck Wolf''s.

    With a faint tiger''s roar and the ground shaking beneath his feet, the punch was both fast and fierce.

    "What?!"

    The ck Wolf was utterly unprepared for such a powerful strike.

    Before he could react, a sharp pain pierced his heart, blood spewing from his mouth.

    He flew backward, crashing into the tree where Lu Qing had stood, showered in falling leaves.

    A gaping hole in his chest revealed a fatal wound, piercing through him.

    Table of content

 Chapter 122

    ¡°Boss!¡±

    ¡°Big brother!¡±

    ¡°Leader!¡±

    Seeing the ck Wolf slumped against the tree trunk, all the members of the ck Wolf Gang couldn''t help but shout. Their hearts were filled with fear.

    They had just witnessed their usually formidable leader being blown away by a punch, his chest shattered, his body flying backward and crashing into a tree.

    Now, looking at the gaping hole in ck Wolf''s chest, the gang members knew their leader was unlikely to survive.

    The ck Wolf was still alive. The tenacity of a Tendons and Bones Realm warrior allowed him to cling to life even with such a grave injury. But his head hung low, and he saw the massive hole in his chest and his shattered heart.

    He lifted his head to look at Lu Qing, his eyes filled with disbelief. He couldn''t believe he couldn''t even take a single move from Lu Qing. He couldn''t believe this young man, so youthful, was already a master in the Tendons and Bones Realm, just like him.

    Just moments ago, when Lu Qing suddenly exploded with power, the ck Wolf finally saw through his martial arts realm.Step by step, Lu Qing walked towards the ck Wolf, a trace of regret on his face.

    ¡°What a pity. I thought you could at least give me a bit of a challenge to test my recent training. I didn''t expect you couldn''t even withstand a single punch.¡±

    ¡°Who... who exactly are you?¡± The ck Wolf asked with difficulty, looking at Lu Qing.

    He couldn''t think of when the ck Wolf Gang had ever provoked such a terrifying figure. A young master in the Tendons and Bones Realm¡ªthere might not even be a few in the ancient sects with long histories. Why would such an individual appear in this remote county and im to have a grudge against the ck Wolf Gang?

    ¡°Who I am is not something you need to know. You only need to know I came to destroy the ck Wolf Gang,¡± Lu Qing said calmly.

    As soon as he finished speaking, his figure suddenly disappeared and reappeared in front of the remaining ck Wolf Gang members.

    Roar! The faint sound of a tiger''s roar echoed as Lu Qing¡¯s arms shot forward, striking two gang members squarely in the chest. A series of bone-cracking sounds followed, and the two members spewed blood as they flew back, dead before they hit the ground.

    Fierce Tiger Fist, Fierce Tiger Descends the Mountain!

    After killing two gang members with one move, Lu Qing''s expression remained unchanged. His body did not pause as his fists flew out again, killing two more gang members with bone-shattering blows.

    Lu Qing moved through the ck Wolf Gang members like a tiger among sheep. With every punch, another gang member died. At first, the gang members tried to fight back, relying on their numbers. But they soon realized that with each move Lu Qing made, two more of theirrades fell dead. In the blink of an eye, only half of them were still standing. Even the stronger ones among them couldn¡¯t withstand a single move from Lu Qing.

    The remaining members immediately copsed in fear.

    ¡°Run! This guy isn''t human!¡±

    ¡°Monster! Monster!¡±

    ¡°Spare us! Please spare us!¡±

    Although the ck Wolf Gang members were ruthless, they were not fools. Seeing that they were no match for Lu Qing, they either fled or begged for mercy, no longer showing any of their previous arrogance.

    However, Lu Qing had no mercy for these wicked scum. Whether they fled or begged for mercy, he treated them all the same, chasing them down and killing them with a single punch.

    Soon, all the ck Wolf Gang members were dead. Even the two deputies, both masters in the Tendons and Bones Realm, couldn¡¯t withstand a single punch from Lu Qing and died with shattered internal organs.

    In just a moment, the once mighty and overbearing ck Wolf Gang waspletely annihted by Lu Qing alone.

    Mago and the others watched in stunned silence. Xiao Tian and his group were in awe, looking at Lu Qing with reverence. They had felt the ck Wolf¡¯s formidable presence firsthand and couldn¡¯t believe that such a powerful warrior had been killed by Lu Qing with a single punch. Just how powerful was Lu Qing?

    Even Mago was deeply shocked. He knew of Lu Qing''s strength, having witnessed Lu Qing kill a mysterious martial artist in the Tendons and Bones Realm not long ago. Lu Qing¡¯s de skills had even forced a master in the Internal Organs Realm to retreat.

    So when Mago saw Lu Qing appear, he was mostly relieved, knowing that their lives were temporarily safe. With Lu Qing¡¯s strength, he wouldn¡¯t be much weaker even against someone like the ck Wolf in the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Not to mention, Lu Qing had a mysterious, formidable creature that could easily kill masters in the Internal Organs Realm. However, Mago didn¡¯t expect that in such a short time, Lu Qing¡¯s martial arts had improved to a level he couldn¡¯t even fathom. Killing the ck Wolf with a single punch without even using his de was astonishing.

    The progress in Lu Qing''s martial arts was incredibly shocking. After all, it had been less than half a month since theyst met!

    ¡°Mago, are you all okay?¡±

    After killing all the ck Wolf Gang members, Lu Qing finally turned to Mago and the others. As for the ck Wolf, he had already died when Lu Qing was ughtering the other gang members.

    ¡°Fortunately, you arrived in time, Brother Lu Qing. We are all fine,¡± Mago said with relief. ¡°By the way, Brother Lu Qing, why did youe over?¡±

    During the sh, none of them had died. The most seriously injured was a subordinate with a head wound caused by flying debris from the ck Wolf''s punch.

    ¡°I was fishing with Xiao Yan by the river and saw this group passing by. Worried that something might happen, I came over,¡± Lu Qing exined.

    Mago was speechless. He knew Lu Qing loved fishing and had even spent a lot of money on expensive fishing hooks. But to think that Lu Qing discovered the ck Wolf Gang¡¯s movements while out fishing¡ªit made Mago unsure whether to be grateful for their luck or pity the ck Wolf Gang''s misfortune.

    ¡°Mago, what should we do with these corpses?¡± Lu Qing asked, looking at the scattered bodies.

    ¡°Let Xiao Tian and the others handle it,¡± Mago waved. ¡°They are familiar with this kind of work.¡±

    Xiao Tian and his group: ...

    Mago, please don¡¯t make us sound like a bunch of murderers. The only reason we¡¯re familiar with this is because we helped Lu Qing clean up an entire vige¡¯s worth of corpsesst time.

    Standing in front of the ck Wolf¡¯s body, Mago sighed inwardly. The ck Wolf had a notorious reputation in the county. The ck Wolf Gang''s rise to be one of the top three gangs in the county wasrgely due to the ck Wolf''s strength. A master in the Tendons and Bones Realm was among the top-tier warriors in the county, second only to the Wei family and the county magistrate''s office.

    But such a powerful warrior couldn¡¯t withstand a single move from Lu Qing.

    ¡°Brother Lu Qing, you should have left one alive. The ck Wolf Gang¡¯s arrival is suspicious. We don¡¯t know who sent them to cause trouble in this small ce,¡± Mago said.

    ¡°No need to trouble yourself. The person who sent them is already here,¡± Lu Qing suddenly said.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Mago was shocked.

    However, Lu Qing didn¡¯t answer but looked towards arge tree in the distance and said loudly, ¡°You¡¯ve been here for a while. Aren¡¯t you nning to show yourself?¡±

    Mago immediately looked towards the tree.

    ¡°How interesting. A mere Tendons and Bones Realm warrior can detect my presence. Who are you?¡± a voice came from behind the tree.

    Then, a white-clothed youth holding a jade fan stepped out from behind the tree.

    Table of content

 Chapter 123

    When Mago saw the young man in white, he trembled all over.

    It was not only because he hadn¡¯t noticed a trace of the other person before.

    It was more so because in his perception, the young man in white had a blood and qi presence as deep as an abyss, even more terrifying than the middle-aged man he had seen in the unnamed valley.

    Internal Organs Realm!

    Moreover, it was an Internal Organs Realm cultivator even more formidable than that middle-aged man!

    Mago immediately made this judgment in his heart.

    Lu Qing''s expression was equally solemn.

    In his vision, ayer of thick red light was emerging from the body of the young man in white.

    [Bai Yuhua: Disciple of the Tian Cang Sect from the Northern Border, second disciple of the Precelestial martial artist Wang Cangyi, character is insidious and treacherous, fickle and unpredictable.][Cultivation: Postnatal Internal Organs Realm, possesses a secret technique for explosive power, temporarily doubling hisbat strength.]

    [Because of his master''s favoritism and neglect, he harbors resentment, and he is deeply jealous of his other fellow disciples.]

    As expected, he was from the Tian Cang Sect.

    Looking at the information about the young man in white, Lu Qing understood.

    But this Wang Cangyi, although a Precelestial expert, really wasn''t good at teaching disciples.

    Howe every disciple has a rebellious nature, not only having discord among fellow disciples but also holding deep resentment towards their master?

    On the other side, the young man in white was also deeply shocked at this moment.

    Recently, because of the deaths of his seventh and third junior brothers, his master was furious and issued orders to find out which faction had intervened.

    Among these orders, he was tasked with continuing to search for Wei Xinghe''s wife and children.

    After witnessing the deaths of his third and seventh brothers, how could the young man in white risk his life so easily?

    But he couldn''t disobey his master''s orders, so he directly used a gang he had recently subdued to investigate the news outside the city.

    As for himself, he followed behind these people, hoping to flush out the hidden serpent in the dark.

    Because he feared that mysterious faction, the young man in white didn''t dare to follow the ck Wolf Gang too closely, always staying a mile or two away.

    This way, he could ensure that he could react in time when the ck Wolf Gang made amotion and also guarantee his own retreat.

    Unexpectedly, because of this distance, when he heard the screams of the ck Wolf Gang members and sneaked over, it was already toote.

    In such a short time, Lu Qing had already ughtered the entire ck Wolf Gang.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s young face, the young man in white was shaken.

    When he sneaked over, he happened to see Lu Qing killing thest few members of the ck Wolf Gang.

    From the burst of qi and blood, he knew that Lu Qing was a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist at the Great Aplishment stage.

    A Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist wasn''t rare, but such a young Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist was extremely rare.

    Even in those top sects, such a genius disciple was hard to find.

    At least in their Tian Cang Sect, there was no such genius.

    Therefore, the moment he saw Lu Qing, the young man in white was almost certain that Lu Qing was definitely connected to the mysterious faction they were looking for.

    Ordinary family ns absolutely couldn''t cultivate such a young Tendons and Bones Realm expert.

    After confirming Lu Qing''s identity, the young man in white wanted to retreat.

    Unexpectedly, his presence was revealed by Lu Qing.

    ¡°Impressive, for a mere Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist to see through my presence. Which sect''s core disciple are you?¡± the young man in white asked with a leisurely demeanor, shaking his jade fan.

    Hearing his words, Mago''s heart trembled, knowing that his earlier guess was correct, and Lu Qing had indeed reached the Tendons and Bones Realm Great Aplishment stage!

    However, Lu Qing did not answer him but solemnly said, ¡°Master Ma, step aside.¡±

    Mago nodded and quickly retreated, without any hesitation.

    He knew that staying here would only be a burden to Lu Qing.

    Seeing Lu Qing ignore him, a trace of displeasure shed in the eyes of the young man in white.

    But he did not get angry immediately; instead, he became even more cautious.

    Lu Qing''s arrogance surely meant he had something to rely on.

    In his mind, he shed back to the sight of the third and seventh juniors¡¯ deaths in that unnamed valley.

    Thinking of this, the young man in white cupped his hands and said, ¡°Since you are unwilling to reveal your identity, I shall take my leave.¡±

    After saying this, he lightly tapped his foot and immediately retreated.

    This sudden change caught Lu Qing off guard.

    He hadn¡¯t expected that a dignified Internal Organs Realm expert would retreat without a fight against a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist like him.

    No wonder he was described as insidious and treacherous, fickle and unpredictable, not caring about his own face at all, retreating immediately upon sensing something wrong.

    However, can he escape?

    Lu Qing stepped forward, chasing in the direction the young man in white retreated.

    ¡°Master Ma, take care of things here!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    Watching Lu Qing and the young man in white disappear into the forest, Mago had no other choice but toply.

    The level ofbat was beyond his ability to intervene.

    However, he was not worried about Lu Qing¡¯s safety because he knew that if Lu Qing dared to pursue, the mysterious being from the unnamed valley must be nearby.

    That was a terrifying creature capable of easily ying an Internal Organs Realm expert.

    With its presence, he was more concerned about whether the young man in white would escape sessfully.

    ¡°Master Ma, what should we do now?¡±

    At this moment, Xiao Tian and the others cautiously asked.

    The aura the young man in white had revealed when he left made them tremble with fear.

    It was a feeling far more terrifying than the ck Wolf.

    They couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of expert could have such a terrifying aura.

    ¡°Continue dealing with these bodies, I¡¯ll check inside. Don¡¯t worry, with Brother Lu Qing around, everything will be fine.¡±

    Mago gave a brief instruction and hurried into the house.

    Upon reaching the secret room and finding Mrs. Wei and her son still there, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    He was really afraid that Mrs. Wei and her son had already escaped through the tunnel, which would have made searching for them troublesome again.

    ¡°Mago, what happened outside?¡±

    Seeing Mago enter, Mrs. Wei and her son were startled, and Young Master Wei immediately asked.

    ¡°Madam, just now, the leader of the ck Wolf Gang, ck Wolf, led arge group of his gang members, trying to break into the house to search for you,¡± Mago replied.

    ¡°The ck Wolf Gang, how did they know we were here?¡±

    Young Master Wei asked anxiously.

    Mrs. Wei couldn¡¯t help but frown. She had heard from her husband that ck Wolf was a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist.

    If he forcibly broke into the house, it was impossible to stop him with just Mago and the people in the house.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but rest assured, Brother Lu Qing arrived in time and has killed all the ck Wolf Gang¡¯s viins. The crisis is temporarily resolved.¡±

    ¡°Did Doctor Lue?¡± Young Master Wei asked in surprise.

    Mrs. Wei was also shocked. It seemed Mago said that Lu Qing killed all the ck Wolf Gang members?

    Including the Tendons and Bones Realm expert ck Wolf?

    ¡°Where is Little Doctor Lu now?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s someone more powerful behind the ck Wolf Gang. Brother Lu Qing has chased after him. I was worried you might escape through the tunnel, so I came in to check the situation first.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Hearing this, Mrs. Wei and Young Master Wei were even more shocked.

    Table of content

 Chapter 124

    In the forest, Lu Qing was relentlessly pursuing the young man in white.

    ¡°You, a mighty Internal Organs Realm expert, havee here and now flee without a fight. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being ridiculed by the world?¡±

    Seeing the young man in white not far ahead, Lu Qing spoke loudly.

    The young man in white was both furious and rmed upon seeing Lu Qing catching up.

    He was angry that a mere Tendons and Bones Realm boy dared to mock him, showing no respect.

    He was rmed because if Lu Qing dared to chase him so boldly, it meant he had some backing, likely the person who killed Lao San and Lao Qi nearby.

    Thinking of this, although the young man in white was enraged and wished to capture Lu Qing immediately, his feet only moved faster.

    Ever cautious, he had already decided to report the situation here to his master and request the help of his senior brother.

    Though he was jealous of his senior brother, he had to admit that in terms of strength, his senior brother far surpassed him.An Internal Organs Realm at its peak, reaching the limits of the Postnatal realm, was almost the most powerful martial artist if Precelestial experts were absent.

    With his senior brother¡¯s intervention, there would be no need to fear any hidden experts.

    By then, capturing Lu Qing, a mere Tendons and Bones Realm boy, would be as easy as turning his hand.

    Seeing the young man in white running even faster, Lu Qing sighed inwardly, realizing that using taunts to make him stay was unlikely.

    Recently, his realm had soared, and he wanted to test his current strength against an Internal Organs Realm expert.

    Unexpectedly, the young man in white was so cautious, giving him no chance.

    As the young man in white was about to escape his sight, Lu Qing had no choice but to shout, ¡°Xiao Li, stop him!¡±

    As soon as he spoke, the young man in white immediately felt an intense sense of danger from behind, making his back chill.

    ¡°How is this possible?!¡±

    The young man in white was shocked.

    Lu Qing should be more than twenty zhang away. How could he be so close behind?

    Feeling the piercing cold behind him, in a moment of crisis, the young man in white could only stab backward with his folded jade fan.

    Whoosh!

    The young man in white¡¯s strike, powerful and sharp, met with empty air the next moment. His hand felt light.

    His jade fan, made of hard jade and as strong as steel, had been cut in half!

    His hand ached, and if not for his quick withdrawal, his wrist might have been severed.

    What?!

    The young man in white was horrified.

    He quickly hid behind a tree thick enough for a person to embrace and looked back.

    To his shock, there was nothing behind him.

    The nearest was Lu Qing, more than ten zhang away, running towards him.

    What had just attacked him?

    Staring at the shattered jade fan on the ground and the deep cuts on his hand, the young man in white felt a heavy sense of dread.

    The unknown was the most terrifying.

    He couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of attack could almost disable his hand in an instant.

    But he knew it was definitely rted to Lu Qing.

    Because it was right after Lu Qing¡¯s shout that he was attacked.

    ¡°Take this!¡±

    While the young man in white remained vignt, Lu Qing showed no concern for his shock.

    Seeing Xiao Li stop the man, Lu Qing charged forward, his speed undiminished, drawing his long sword and shing with unstoppable force.

    The momentum of the sh seemed to want to cut both the young man in white and the tree in half.

    This de technique!

    Feeling the force of Lu Qing¡¯s sh, the young man in white couldn¡¯t help but shudder.

    He sensed danger in this sh.

    If he wasn¡¯t careful, even he would be seriously injured.

    A mere Tendons and Bones Realm boy, able to perform such a de technique, who was this kid?

    Though shocked, the young man in white didn¡¯t hesitate, controlling the bleeding from his right hand and drawing a silver light from his waist with his left hand, which shot towards Lu Qing¡¯s throat like a venomous snake.

    At this point, the young man in white no longer cared what had attacked him. His only chance was to quickly capture Lu Qing to force the mysterious entity into a dilemma, giving him a chance to escape.

    ¡°A flexible sword?¡±

    Seeing the true nature of the silver light, Lu Qing was surprised.

    He thought the jade fan was the young man¡¯s weapon but didn¡¯t expect his true skilly in swordsmanship, particrly the challenging flexible sword technique.

    This matched the youth''s cunning nature.

    The flexible sword in the young man¡¯s hand wobbled like a snake, quickly breaking through Lu Qing¡¯s de stance and aiming for his throat.

    Just this move disyed his excellent swordsmanship.

    Using the tree trunk for cover and suddenly striking like a snake, it was extremely lethal and precise.

    A typical Tendons and Bones Realm warrior, even at the peak, would find it hard to block this and would be fatally pierced.

    But Lu Qing was clearly no ordinary Tendons and Bones Realm fighter.

    Feeling the flexible sword faster than his saber, he swiftly changed his move.

    His powerful saber technique transformed into a flowing, binding force, deflecting the flexible sword.

    His wrist turned, and with a fluid motion, his saber curved around the tree towards the young man¡¯s neck.

    ¡°This kid¡¯s saber technique!¡±

    The sudden change caught the young man off guard.

    Seeing the saber about to slice his neck, he quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding the de.

    Rolling away to distance himself, he looked at Lu Qing in shock.

    He had lost count of how many times he¡¯d been surprised by Lu Qing.

    But Lu Qing¡¯s saber technique was beyond his expectations.

    Switching from hardness to softness so smoothly was unprecedented.

    This level of de mastery, even he had never seen before.

    ¡°Combining hardness and softness, meticulous and masterful. Kid, did you kill Lao Qi?!¡±

    The young man in white suddenly recalled Lao Qi¡¯s death in the unnamed valley and blurted out.

    Lao Qi had been beheaded, his armor split, but his body wasn¡¯t heavily damaged.

    It was clear the enemy¡¯s strength was insufficient to cut through Lao Qi and his armor in one blow.

    Back then, he wondered why, despite theck of strength, Lao Qi was killed so easily.

    Now, seeing Lu Qing¡¯s saber technique, he finally understood.

    If it were this kid, Lao Qi indeed stood no chance.

    Lu Qing ignored the young man¡¯s outburst.

    He knew Lao Qi was likely Tong Canng.

    But he would not answer such questions. Seizing the moment while the young man was distracted, Lu Qing advanced, shing again.

    ¡°Hmph, a master of de technique is still just a Tendons and Bones Realm. Do you think I fear you?¡±

    The young man in white was enraged by Lu Qing¡¯s silence.

    Though he couldn¡¯t fathom how Lu Qing had achieved such mastery at a young age, realm still required strength to support.

    If an Internal Organs Realm warrior wielded a master¡¯s de technique, he¡¯d have no choice but to flee.

    But a Tendons and Bones Realm was different.

    The gap between realms couldn¡¯t be easily crossed.

    As Lu Qing¡¯s fierce sh approached, the young man¡¯s flexible sword thrust out, aiming for Lu Qing¡¯s wrist.

    Lu Qing¡¯s wrist twisted, avoiding the thrust, and his saber continued its arc.

    ng, ng, ng...

    The sound of de and sword shing was continuous, silver lights shing.

    In mere moments, they had exchanged dozens of blows.

    One had deep cultivation, immense power, and lightning speed.

    The other had profound de mastery, executing wless techniques.

    For a time, neither could gain the upper hand.

    ng!

    Another loud sh, Lu Qing¡¯s strike was again blocked.

    The young man in white used the rebound force to retreat, momentarily escaping Lu Qing¡¯s range.

    This time, Lu Qing didn¡¯t chase, standing still.

    Seeing Lu Qing¡¯s calm demeanor, the young man was resentful.

    If not for his right hand¡¯s injury, using his left hand would not be so clumsy, and Lu Qing couldn¡¯t have blocked his strikes so easily.

    Now, as an Internal Organs Realm expert, he was fighting a Tendons and Bones Realm to a draw, an utter disgrace!

    Seeing the young man¡¯s sour expression, Lu Qing sighed inwardly.

    He noticed the young man¡¯s sword technique, though fierce, was somewhat disjointed.

    Likely due to unfamiliarity with using his left hand.

    Otherwise, it would be tougher for Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing also realized he could only barely match the young man; killing him was nearly impossible.

    An Internal Organs Realm was indeed formidable, even injured, far from what a Tendons and Bones Realm could easily kill.

    If the young man knew Lu Qing¡¯s thoughts, he¡¯d be even angrier.

    A mere Tendons and Bones boy, lucky to fight him to a draw, still dreaming of defeating him was sheer arrogance!

    But the young man was struggling internally.

    In normalbat, he couldn¡¯t defeat Lu Qing.

    Should he use his secret technique?

    He hesitated.

    The secret technique could instantly double his strength, making it easy to defeat Lu Qing.

    But it was hisst resort, reserved for the mysterious entity that had wounded him.

    Using it now left him defenseless against that hidden threat.

    Moreover, the technique would weaken him afterward. If he failed to capture Lu Qing quickly, it would be his end.

    ¡°Xiao Li, attack!¡±

    As the young man hesitated, Lu Qing suddenly ordered Xiao Li.

    Since he had gauged his strength, there was no need to prolong the fight.

    This grindstone had no further value.

    With the order given, Lu Qing charged with his saber.

    Clearly abandoning martial ethics, intending to gang up with Xiao Li.

    Hearing Lu Qing shout the name again, the young man¡¯s heart trembled.

    The previous chill returned.

    Without hesitation, he stimted his qi and blood, activating his acupoints.

    With the secret technique in motion, powerful energy surged from within.

    But the next moment, an intense chill gripped him. In the void before him, a small white w appeared, reaching for his chest!

    What kind of monster was this?!

    The young man was horrified, never imagining such a strange urrence.

    Without thinking, his flexible sword vibrated, striking towards the w.

    ng!

    The w was deflected by a de tip, and a small ck beast leapt from the void, evading the sword, and pouncing on his chest.

    Thud!

    A dull sound echoed as the young man felt pain and something leave his body, weakening him rapidly.

    Looking down, he saw a gaping hole in his chest, his heart gone.

    The special inner armor seemed to provide no protection.

    The young man incredulously looked up, but a de had already reached his face, decapitating him.

    As the young man¡¯s head fell, his dying thoughts recalled the sight in the unnamed valley.

    He suddenly understood how Lao San had died.

    Plop.

    As the head hit the ground, Lu Qing¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    Xiao Li alone could have killed the young man.

    But to avoidplications, he chose a quick end.

    Looking at the corpse, Lu Qing sighed.

    It seemed he was at odds with Wang Cangyi.

    In such a short time, three of his disciples had died by his and Xiao Li¡¯s hands.

    If that Precelestial expert knew his identity, he¡¯d seek revenge relentlessly.

    Thinking this, Lu Qing grabbed the body and head, heading deep into the mountains.

    Finding a secluded valley, he buried the remains.

    Only after this did he rx.

    In the vast mountains, finding a living person was hard, let alone a corpse.

    Wang Cangyi finding his second disciple¡¯s remains was near impossible.

    Though it couldn¡¯tpletely deceive him, as long as the body was missing, Wang Cangyi couldn¡¯t be sure he was dead.

    Buying time until his master¡¯s strength increased would change the situation.

    Table of content

 Chapter 125

    "Brother Lu Qing, you¡¯re back?"

    When Lu Qing returned to the Grand Bazaar, Mago greeted him with a face full of joy, finally able to rx his previously tense heart.

    Lu Qing had been gone for more than half an hour, and it would be a lie to say Mago wasn¡¯t worried. Now, seeing him return safely, he felt relieved.

    "Yes," Lu Qing nodded. "How are Mrs. Wei and the others?"

    "They¡¯re fine, just a bit frightened. Brother Lu Qing, that young man in white..." Mago asked.

    "Already dealt with," Lu Qing said tly.

    Mago was shocked. Although he had anticipated this, hearing it confirmed by Lu Qing was still astonishing. That young man in white was of the Internal Organs Realm. Including him, two Internal Organs Realm experts had already fallen to Lu Qing.

    Though it was partly due to that mysterious creature¡¯s help, the creature was clearly under Lu Qing''smand, so his strength should not be underestimated.

    "By the way, Master Ma, it¡¯s not safe here anymore. We need to relocate Mrs. Wei and the others," Lu Qing said. The ck Wolf Gang had not hidden their tracks. Once the county town discovered their disappearance, they would send someone to investigate, which would lead them to the Grand Bazaar.

    "But where can we move them?" Mago asked in distress. He knew keeping Mrs. Wei hidden in the house was no longer safe but didn''t know where else to take them.

    Lu Qing also felt troubled. Mrs. Wei and her son were like hot potatoes. No matter where they were hidden, it could bring disaster to those who sheltered them unless the people were not afraid of experts like Wang Cangyi of the Precelestial Realm.

    After thinking, Lu Qing said, "It seems we have to hide them in the mountains."

    The vast mountains made it easy to hide. Mrs. Wei had recovered from her injuries, and as long as they were well-prepared, they could hide in the mountains for a while.

    "That¡¯s the only way," Mago nodded. "Let¡¯s go in and ask for Mrs. Wei¡¯s opinion."

    They went to the secret chamber.

    "Young Master Lu!"

    Mrs. Wei and her son were delighted to see Lu Qing. They had been worried when Mago said Lu Qing had gone after the enemy. Seeing him return safely, they were overjoyed.

    "Madam, Young Master," Lu Qing nodded. "The viins have been dealt with for now, but it¡¯s no longer safe for you to stay here..."

    Lu Qing exined his n to relocate them. Mrs. Wei thought for a moment and didn¡¯t object. Since their whereabouts might be exposed, staying would be unsafe and could bring disaster to the nearby people. Moving was the best option.

    With Mrs. Wei¡¯s consent, the rest was easy. They packed essential supplies, with Lu Qing and Mago carrying them, and left through the secret passage with Mrs. Wei and her son.

    Before leaving, Mago ordered Xiao Tian and the others to close the Grand Bazaar and find ces to hide.

    Exiting the passage, Lu Qing and the others were already in the mountains behind the Grand Bazaar. Lu Qing gave the pack to the young master and carried Mrs. Wei as they headed deeper into the mountains.

    After some searching, Lu Qing found a hidden cave on a cliff more than ten meters high. After cleaning it, it served as a temporary shelter.

    After everything was set, Lu Qing scattered a packet of medicinal powder at the cave entrance.

    "Madam, you¡¯ll have to bear with this for now. This powder repels insects and beasts, so with it here, ordinary wild animals and poisonous insects won¡¯t dare to enter."

    Having arranged everything, Lu Qing said, "No need to be polite," Mrs. Wei said quickly. "Given the situation, having a ce to stay is already a great relief."

    "I¡¯ll bring supplies periodically. If you need anything, just let me know."

    After settling Mrs. Wei and her son, Lu Qing prepared to leave. He wouldn¡¯t stay in the valley, but Mago would remain with Mrs. Wei to assist them, as they had no experience surviving in the wilderness.

    "Brother Lu Qing, let me see you off," Mago suddenly said.

    "Alright," Lu Qing didn¡¯t refuse.

    They came to the cave entrance and leaped down to the valley floor. The entrance had a softdder made of old vines, but it was unnecessary for their skills.

    "Master Ma, I see your movements are powerful and agile. You must be close to breaking through to the Tendons and Bones Realm," Lu Qing said, observing Mago.

    "Indeed, after fighting that leather-armored youth, I felt Iprehended something about the Tendons and Bones Realm," Mago smiled, feeling fortunate.

    He had been pursued by the leather-armored youth, using all his strength to escape. After surviving, his potential was unlocked, touching the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    However, due to his shoulder injury, he hadn¡¯t fully entered that realm yet.

    "This is good news. I don¡¯t have much to give you, but take this pill as a congrattory gift," Lu Qing took out a white porcin bottle and tossed it to Mago.

    Mago caught it awkwardly and asked, "Brother Lu Qing, what is this?"

    "These are Tendon Strengthening Pills given to me by Chief Wei, beneficial for those in the Tendons and Bones Realm," Lu Qing said.

    "Tendon Strengthening Pills?" Mago was shocked. He had heard of these precious pills.

    "Brother Lu Qing, this is too valuable," Mago said hastily.

    "No worries, it¡¯s useless to me now. Keeping it would be a waste, so you should have it."

    The main effect of Tendon Strengthening Pills is to assist Tendons and Bones Realm cultivators, enhancing their potential. But after using the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid and absorbing the Elemental Mist from his master¡¯s breakthrough, Lu Qing¡¯s potential had reached its limit.

    The Tendon Strengthening Pill, though good, could no longer improve his potential. For him, it was better to give it to Mago.

    Lu Qing appreciated Mago as a friend who could aid him in his cultivation journey.

    "Brother Lu Qing, then... I will shamelessly ept it."

    Holding the bottle, Mago felt moved. Such precious pills were rare even in his family. Usually, onlyrge ns and sects could make them. Small forces could only buy them at a high price.

    Though Mago held a good position in his family, he wasn¡¯t from the main line and couldn¡¯t make the family spend a lot for him. Lu Qing giving him such precious pills so easily made Mago deeply touched.

    "Alright, as friends, no need for thanks. And Master Ma, remember, you must wait until you¡¯ve stabilized your foundation in the Tendons and Bones Realm before refining this pill. Otherwise, the strong medicinal power could harm your body," Lu Qing advised.

    "I understand."

    Mago was startled; he hadn¡¯t known about this.

    "I¡¯ll leave now. I¡¯lle back in a few days. You stay here and rest."

    With that, Lu Qing left, quickly disappearing into the mountains.

    Watching him go, Mago was dazed for a while before climbing the vinedder back to the cave.

    "Mago, did Young Master Lu leave?" Wei Zian asked.

    "Yes, he said he¡¯d visit in a few days."

    "What¡¯s in your hand?"

    Wei Zian noticed the bottle in Mago''s hand.

    "This is a Tendon Strengthening Pill given by Brother Lu Qing. Your family once gave it to him," Mago exined.

    "Tendon Strengthening Pill? Young Master Lu didn¡¯t use them?" Mrs. Wei was surprised.

    She had personally picked those pills from the family pharmacy. She didn¡¯t expect Lu Qing not to use them.

    "Brother Lu Qing said they were no longer useful to him, so he gave them to me," Mago exined.

    Mrs. Wei was silent for a while. She remembered hearing from Mago that Lu Qing¡¯s martial skills might have reached the Tendons and Bones Realm. If so, those pills must have been very helpful to him. She didn¡¯t expect he hadn¡¯t used them, increasing their family¡¯s debt to him.

    Wei Zian was also conflicted. Finally, he said, "Mago, can you teach me martial arts?"

    "What?" Mago thought he misheard.

    "I asked if you could teach me martial arts."

    Seeing Mago¡¯s confusion, Wei Zian repeated, "I know the guards at home are better, but they aren¡¯t here. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll ever return to the Wei family. If enemiese for us, I don¡¯t want to just watch helplessly. I want the strength to protect my mother."

    Mago was surprised by Wei Zian¡¯s seriousness. Mrs. Wei was equally astonished, not expecting her son to say such things.

    In the past, Wei Zian despised training. He wouldin about the slightest hardship and often skipped training, leaving the martial artists at home helpless. Despite the family''s resources, he barely reached the Qi and Blood Realm with only superficial skills.

    Now, seeing her son ask to learn martial arts, Mrs. Wei was both shocked and relieved. She realized her son''s face had be much more resolute.

    Feeling gratified, Mrs. Wei stood up and bowed to Mago, "Master Ma, since Zian has this heart, as his mother, I shamelessly request you to ept him as your disciple."

    "Madam, I can¡¯t ept this!" Mago was shocked, quickly refusing.

    A true master-disciple ceremony was not taken lightly

    . Mrs. Wei wanted Wei Zian to officially be Mago¡¯s disciple, but Mago didn¡¯t dare to ept.

    "It¡¯s not too much. You¡¯ve risked your life for us many times. Zian bing your disciple is a blessing," Mrs. Wei pleaded.

    "Madam, don¡¯t praise me too much. I know my limits," Mago smiled wryly.

    "But if Young Master sincerely wants to learn, I can teach him, as long as you don¡¯t mind my crude skills."

    "Zian, thank Master Ma."

    "Thank you, Master!"

    Wei Zian knelt and kowtowed to Mago, calling him Master.

    "This..."

    Mago was flustered. By the time he wanted to stop Wei Zian, it was toote.

    Suddenly, Mago found himself as Wei Zian¡¯s master, feeling bewildered.

    Table of content

 Chapter 126

    Lu Qing didn''t know that after he left, Mago actually became the teacher of the Young Master Wei.

    After returning home, he kept an eye out for a few days and found no unusual people around the vige. It seemed that the death of the young man in white had not yet been exposed.

    A few dayster, he packed some things and went to the hiding ce of Mago and the others. As he entered the cave, he was surprised to see Mago seriously training the Young Master Wei in horse stance in a spacious cave chamber.

    After understanding the reason, he was happy for Mago.

    "Master Ma, congrattions on acquiring such a talented disciple."

    Not far away, Young Master Wei was practicing horse stance, while Mrs. Wei watched nearby. Lu Qing chatted with Mago on the other side. Given the Wei family''s status, Mago bing Young Master Wei''s teacher was undoubtedly a good thing for him. Provided, of course, the Wei family could survive this crisis.

    "Brother Lu Qing, don''t make fun of me. I know my own skills well enough," Mago said with a wry smile. "I''m just worried that my teaching might mislead the young master."

    "No worries, just take it step by step and help the young master build a solid foundation. I think there shouldn''t be any problems," Lu Qing suggested.

    "That''s what I thought too. So I''ve been focusing on his horse stance and Qi and Blood training these days. Zian has been doing quite well.What surprised me is that Zian has a pretty good aptitude for martial arts. Once he gets serious, he quickly understands the mysteries of Qi and Blood cirction. I think it won''t be long before he breaks through to the Qi and Blood Realm."

    Young Master Wei''s name is Wei Zian. Since Mago became his teacher, he naturally couldn''t call him ''Young Master,'' as it would be inappropriate.

    "Oh, that''s great. Why are you still frowning?" Lu Qing was also a bit surprised.

    "The better Zian''s martial arts talent, the more anxious I get. What should I teach him next?" Mago said worriedly.

    "That''s simple. Just ask him what kind of martial arts he likes, and teach him that," Lu Qing said. He knew that Mago was good at saber techniques and also quite proficient in sword techniques.

    "I asked, but Zian''s preferences are a bit different," Mago''s expression became somewhat peculiar.

    "What kind of martial arts does he like?" Lu Qing was curious.

    "Staff techniques. Zian prefers staff techniques," Mago said helplessly. "But I know very little about staff techniques. How can I teach him?"

    "Staff techniques?" Lu Qing''s expression also became strange. He didn''t expect Wei Zian, who looked gentle and refined, to like staff techniques. Typically, young masters from noble families preferred elegant techniques like swordsmanship or saber techniques, or something like the jade fan.

    "I was surprised too. But Zian said thatst time, when I was out and he was being pursued, he held a wooden stick and guarded his mother alone in the cave. At that time, the stick was his only reliance. So he vowed that if he had the chance, he would learn a powerful staff technique to protect his mother."

    Lu Qing: "..."

    Well, this exnation, though a bit absurd, was not entirely unreasonable. However, staff techniques...

    Seeing Mago''s troubled look, Lu Qing thought for a moment.

    "I happen to know a staff technique. I''m not sure if Young Master Wei would be interested."

    "Brother Lu Qing, you know staff techniques?" Mago was shocked.

    "I know a little. Recently, I was bored and practiced some ordinary martial arts from my master."

    "..." Mago looked at Lu Qing in speechless disbelief. Listening to him, it sounded almost inhuman. What did he mean by practicing for fun when bored? Mago had always thought that Lu Qing''s rapid progress in martial arts was due to extreme diligence and never ckening in his practice. But now, Lu Qing said he even practiced random martial arts to pass the time. Was this the true daily routine of a martial arts genius? Mago felt a bit disoriented.

    However, thinking back to how Lu Qing had punched the ck Wolf to death a few days ago, a Qi and Blood Realm expert, he realized that Lu Qing''s martial arts skills were indeed extraordinary. It seemed reasonable that he would know some staff techniques as well.

    "Martial arts that Brother Lu Qing values must be extraordinary. I believe Zian would be very happy to learn it."

    "Okay, I''ll ask him if he wants to learn."

    The two walked towards Wei Zian''s cave chamber. The cave was specially chosen by Lu Qing for its hidden entrance and spacious interior, divided into several chambers to avoid awkwardness among the residents.

    "Master Ma, Young Master Lu."

    Mrs. Wei stood up to greet them as they approached. Wei Zian, meanwhile, was practicing horse stance until his face turned red, his legs trembling, not daring to speak for fear of losing his concentration.

    "Zian, that''s enough for now. Take a rest," Mago said, noticing that his disciple had reached his limit.

    "Hu!"

    Upon hearing this, Wei Zian copsed to the ground, gasping for air. Mago nodded in satisfaction. Over the past few days, he had seen his disciple keep his promise of diligent practice withoutints.

    "Zian, you wanted to learn staff techniques. I don''t know anything about staff techniques, but Brother Lu Qing just said he knows one. Would you like to learn from him?" Mago asked.

    "Young Master Lu, aren''t you good at saber techniques?" Wei Zian was surprised. He had always seen Lu Qing carrying a saber.

    "Brother Lu Qing is a true martial arts genius. Any martial art is easy for him. Staff techniques are no exception," Mago praised.

    "I''m not a genius, but I do know a bit about staff techniques. If you don''t mind, I can teach you," Lu Qing smiled.

    "Yes, I''d love to learn!" Wei Zian nodded eagerly.

    With Wei Zian''s agreement and Mrs. Wei''s approval, Lu Qing went to the forest, found a sturdy tree branch, trimmed it into a staff, and brought it back to the cave.

    "Young Master, the staff technique I know was originally a Qi and Blood Realm technique. Your current level is too low to practice it fully, so I''ve simplified it into eight forms suitable for your level. Once you master them, even ordinary Qi and Blood Realm fighters won''t be your match."

    Holding the staff, Lu Qing stood in the middle of the cave chamber and began to demonstrate. Wei Zian watched with shining eyes.

    In his perception, Lu Qing seemed like an ordinary young man, simr in age to him. But in Mago''s words, Lu Qing was highly skilled, capable of defeating Mago in a single move. This, along with Lu Qing''s feat of destroying the ck Wolf Gang, filled Wei Zian with curiosity about his abilities.

    When Lu Qing demonstrated the staff technique, Wei Zian was even more excited. The staff in Lu Qing''s hands moved like a dragon, creating a whirlwind of staff shadows that filled the cave. The air swirled, and the staff''s movements were apanied by explosive sounds.

    Feeling the pressure from the staff shadows, Wei Zian was both suppressed and fascinated.

    "Is this the staff technique that Young Master Lu will teach me?"

    Wei Zian murmured to himself, his eyes bright with anticipation. As Lu Qing finished thest move, the staff retracted and swiftly struck out seven times, each strike creating a sonic boom, vibrating the cave.

    "What''s the name of this final move?" Wei Zian asked eagerly.

    "This move is called Seven Star Chain. The key is to burst out consecutively within a breath. Mastering it means you''ve learned the entire staff technique," Lu Qing exined.

    "Seven Star Chain..." Wei Zian repeated, his eyes full of admiration.

    "Young Master Lu, I want to learn this staff technique. Teach me, please!"

    "Alright, I''ll teach you the forms and key points of this technique."

    Seeing Lu Qing teaching Wei Zian, Mago felt amazed. The staff technique Lu Qing demonstrated was intricate and powerful. If this was the simplified version, how strong was the original One Qi Staff Technique?

    "Alright, you''ve grasped the key points of the first two forms. With diligent practice, you should master them soon. Once you''re proficient, I''ll teach you the remaining forms."

    Wei Zian, indeed, had some martial arts talent. After half an hour of instruction, he had a basic grasp of the first two forms of the One Qi Staff Technique. All that was left was practice.

    "Got it, Young Master Lu!" Wei Zian responded enthusiastically. He found Lu Qing''s exnations clear and easy to remember, much simpler than theplex instructions given by his previous teachers.

    "Alright, practice on your own for now," Lu Qing said, seeing Wei Zian''s excitement. He left him to practice and walked over to Mago and Mrs. Wei.

    "Thank you, Young Master Lu. This is the first time I''ve seen An''er so enthusiastic about martial arts. At home, whenever his father made him practice, it was like asking for his life," Mrs. Wei said gratefully.

    "Zian has good martial arts aptitude. As long as he practices diligently, his future prospects are limitless," Lu Qing smiled.

    "I don''t expect him to achieve great martial arts feats. I just want him to have some self-defense skills so that even if the Wei family falls, he can live without being bullied," Mrs. Wei sighed.

    Lu Qing remained silent. He knew Mrs. Wei was pessimistic about the Wei family''s situation. After all, their Precelestial ancestor''s fate was unknown, and facing the pressure from the Tian Cang Sect, it was natural to feel hopeless.

    "Madam,

    don''t worry. As long as those people are still searching for you and Zian, it means the main house is still holding on. Otherwise, they wouldn''t need to put in so much effort to trouble you two," Magoforted.

    His words made sense. Mrs. Wei''s spirits lifted.

    "You''re right. The main house is still holding on. I shouldn''t be saying such discouraging things. I apologize for making you both worry."

    "No worries, Madam. We''ve seen your strength and perseverance firsthand," Lu Qing said earnestly. Mrs. Wei''s resilience was indeed admirable, and both he and Mago respected her for it.

    In the following days, Lu Qing''s life returned to its peaceful routine of studying medicine, practicing martial arts, and fishing. Every few days, he would go into the mountains to bring supplies to Mago and check on Wei Zian''s progress with the staff technique.

    During these tranquil days, Lu Qing''s cultivation continued to advance rapidly. One morning, ten dayster, while practicing in the bamboo forest, he felt a surge of energy throughout his body.

    "Finally, I''ve reached the peak of the Tendons and Bones Realm."

    Table of content

 Chapter 127

    Feeling the powerful energy within his body, Lu Qing was somewhat satisfied.

    The Tendons and Bones Realm Perfection.

    It signified that the strength of his muscles and bones, as a Postnatal Realm martial artist, had reached its utmost limit.

    Continuing to temper with Qi and Blood would no longer yield any improvement.

    Even if he broke through to the Internal Organs Realm, his muscles and bones wouldn¡¯t significantly strengthen.

    Unless he encountered a great opportunity and obtained some miraculous elixir, it might be possible to break through this limit and further enhance his muscles and bones.

    However, Lu Qing had already consumed the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, which had greatly improved his aptitude.

    Now, his muscle and bone strength was several times stronger than the ordinary Tendons and Bones Realm Perfection.

    It seemed almost impossible to find an elixir more precious than the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid to break through this limit further.The next step, therefore, was to stabilize his foundation and strive to break through to the Internal Organs Realm.

    Although the breakthrough in the Tendons and Bones Realm made Lu Qing happy, what pleased him more was another breakthrough.

    Lu Qing picked up a green bamboo leaf and quietly observed it.

    At this moment, what seemed an ordinary bamboo leaf to others appeared quite unique to him.

    Especially its patterns, which held a special meaning.

    ¡°After cultivating for so long, I¡¯ve finally entered the path of runes.¡±

    Gently rotating the bamboo leaf in his hand, Lu Qing smiled.

    When he perfected his Tendons and Bones Realm, leveraging that perfect state, he felt a breakthrough in his understanding of runes, which had been stuck at a bottleneck for some time.

    The three hundred mysterious runes in his mind were now imbued with a trace of meaning, and he could find corresponding patterns in the real world.

    Ever since obtaining the inheritance from the Divine Rune Sect, Lu Qing had been cultivating the path of runes for quite some time.

    This was arguably the most challenging path among all the inheritances he had received.

    Even with the assistance of special abilities, it had taken him a long time to truly enter this path.

    During these days, he had observed all kinds of things in life.

    Pots and pans, stones and leaves, flowers and weeds, gold and silver jewels¡­

    Anything he could see, he would observe from the perspective of Calming the Mind and Purifying the Heart.

    The more he observed, the deeper his understanding of the three hundred mysterious runes in his mind became.

    Gradually, a vague sense of understanding started umting in his heart.

    But not long ago, this understanding reached a bottleneck, with no further progress.

    Lu Qing could feel that he was only one step away from truly entering the path of runes.

    But this step eluded him.

    The inheritance from the Divine Rune Sect mentioned that this step had to be realized on one¡¯s own.

    Because the path of runes was ever-changing and contained the ultimate principles of the universe.

    Every rune cultivator had their own unique understanding and perspective on the connection between runes and the universe.

    Being too fixated on the experiences of predecessors could easily lead to limitations, hindering future cultivation.

    This had caused Lu Qing to be stuck at this step for a long time.

    Now, leveraging his breakthrough in martial arts and the understanding of Qi and Blood and muscle changes, he had a sudden enlightenment, finally opening the door to the path of runes.

    ¡°I was too narrow-minded. The first sentence of the Divine Rune Sect¡¯s inheritance demands disciples to learn from the universe. I only observed the external world but forgot that humans themselves are part of the universe.

    Living beings themselves are the most mysterious and incredible existence in the universe.

    Without understanding the mystery of life, how can one draw a rune with a soul?¡±

    Of course, drawing a rune with a soul was a miraculous skill not achievable by ordinary rune cultivators.

    Even in the Divine Rune Sect¡¯s inheritance, it was considered a lofty pursuit.

    Currently, Lu Qing couldn¡¯t possiblyprehend such a profound mystery.

    He had merely understood a bit of the wonder of Qi and Blood and muscle changes during his breakthrough and entered the path of runes.

    He hadn¡¯t even mastered the simplest runes, let alone drawn a rune with a soul.

    ¡°However, having entered the path of runes, I can finally cultivate the secret technique recorded in the inheritance.¡±

    A glimmer of light appeared in Lu Qing¡¯s eyes.

    In the Divine Rune Sect¡¯s inheritance, there was a special secret technique that allowed practitioners to cultivate Soul Power before reaching the Postnatal Realm Perfection.

    However, this secret technique had stringent cultivation requirements.

    First, the practitioner¡¯s physical condition had to be at least at the Tendons and Bones Realm level to withstand the pressure of tempering the soul.

    Second, the practitioner had to have entered the path of runes with a strong enough mind.

    Once these two conditions were met, the practitioner needed the protection of rare treasures like the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid to cultivate the secret technique.

    Therefore, although the secret technique allowed practitioners to cultivate Soul Power early, the cultivation conditions were equally stringent.

    It was as challenging as cultivating to the Internal Organs Realm Perfection.

    Fortunately, Lu Qing now met all the conditions.

    Seeing that it was still early, Lu Qing decided to take Xiao Li and head into the mountains.

    Before long, they arrived at the valley where the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber was located.

    Looking at the picturesque valley, Lu Qing felt a bit nostalgic.

    Since leaving the valleyst time, this was his first return.

    When he left, he was still a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist.

    Now he had perfected the Tendons and Bones Realm, with his strength greatly enhanced.

    Much of his rapid improvement was due to the opportunities he obtained in the cave.

    At Li Weitian¡¯s tomb, Lu Qing offered a simple tribute before taking Xiao Li and entering the cave behind the waterfall.

    Inside the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber, everything was as it was when he left, unchanged.

    But now, looking at the runes in the cave, Lu Qing had a different feeling.

    Last time, he hadn¡¯t started cultivating the path of runes, and although he found the runes mysterious, he couldn¡¯t see the intricacies.

    Now, having entered the path of runes, he immediately felt a sense of enlightenment looking at these runes.

    A feeling of awe arose in his heart.

    The mysterious existence who created the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber had profound achievements in the path of runes.

    Standing before the cave wall for a long time, Lu Qing felt his understanding of the path of runes deepened significantly, both feet truly stepping into the door of runes.

    It seemed he would need to visit this cave often forprehension in the future.

    Lu Qing thought to himself.

    He casually pushed open the secret door in the cave and entered the dark chamber where Li Weitian had passed away.

    Everything inside was also unchanged.

    ¡°Xiao Li, guard me outside. I¡¯ll be cultivating for a while. Don¡¯t let anyone disturb me.¡±

    Lu Qing instructed Xiao Li.

    The secret technique from the inheritance was risky to cultivate and requiredplete concentration without interruptions.

    Although the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber was hidden, ensuring no one would find it, Lu Qing still asked Xiao Li to guard him for absolute safety.

    Seeing Xiao Li nod seriously, Lu Qing felt reassured and closed the door of the dark chamber.

    He then sat cross-legged on the stone bed where Li Weitian had passed away, slowly adjusting his breathing.

    Once his body was in the best state, he produced a jade bottle.

    It was the bottle containing the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid that he had taken from here before.

    Without hesitation, Lu Qing poured a drop of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid into his mouth.

    The liquid quickly transformed into a massive, life-filled energy.

    Lu Qing didn¡¯t dare to dy, immediately running the secret technique to direct Qi and Blood in a peculiar trajectory towards the brain¡¯s brow center acupoint.

    Qi and Blood surged, and Lu Qing¡¯s face turned red, especially the brow center, almost bleeding.

    But his expression remained calm, controlling the surge of Qi and Blood with strong ability.

    This was extremely dangerous; the brow center was a vital acupoint and couldn¡¯t be easily damaged.

    Fortunately, his saber technique had reached the Postnatal Master level, understanding the bnce of hardness and softness, and he had high control over his body.

    This allowed him to control Qi and Blood precisely, tempering the acupoint as per the secret technique.

    During the tempering process, the life energy from the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid continuously flowed into the brow center acupoint, nourishing and stabilizing it.

    Throughout this, Lu Qing meticulously controlled Qi and Blood, not daring to rx.

    Even so, he made a mistake after a while.

    A slight deviation in controlling Qi and Blood caused damage to the brow center acupoint, nearly copsing it.

    Fortunately, the life energy from the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid protected the acupoint, preventing its copse.

    It quickly repaired the damage, restoring it to its original state.

    Sensing these changes, Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

    This highlighted the danger of this secret technique.

    The human brain was extremely fragile, even for martial artists.

    Even Internal Organs Realm experts wouldn¡¯t easily direct Qi and Blood towards their brains.

    Any damage to the brain could have unimaginable consequences.

    Mild damage could result in paralysis or idiocy, while severe damage could be fatal.

    Without the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Lu Qing wouldn¡¯t dare to cultivate this secret technique.

    Having learned from this experience, he became even more cautious in tempering the brow center acupoint.

    In this highly focused state, Lu Qing¡¯s mental energy was quickly depleted.

    But he remained calm and persistent.

    Feeling the life energy within his body start to weaken, he didn¡¯t hesitate to pour another drop of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid into his mouth.

    With the new energy, he continued cultivating.

    Lu Qing kept tempering the acupoint ording to the secret

    technique, consuming a drop of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid whenever the energy weakened.

    After consuming the fifth drop and with its energy half-depleted, Lu Qing finally heard an inaudible sound in his mind.

    It felt like an egg cracking; the brow center acupoint was finally opened.

    With its opening, Lu Qing felt the whole world change.

    However, before he could fully appreciate this change, the remaining life energy and Qi and Blood rushed into the brow center acupoint.

    A sense of weakness surged in Lu Qing¡¯s heart.

    He quickly poured three more drops of the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid into his mouth.

    The liquid transformed into life energy, replenishing his body.

    The rest continued to flow into the brow center acupoint.

    It was unclear how such a small acupoint could hold so much energy.

    With the continuous supply of life energy, a peculiar force finally began to form within Lu Qing¡¯s brow center acupoint.

    As this force appeared, Lu Qing¡¯s body trembled.

    He felt enlightened, merging all his mind into the acupoint with the peculiar force.

    Then, with a boom, he entered a strange state.

    In this hazy state, time seemed to pass slowly.

    Lu Qing gradually opened his eyes, a look of understanding in them.

    ¡°This is the power of the soul, truly miraculous.¡±

    At this moment, a lively and peculiar soul power was slowly moving in his brow center acupoint.

    Compared to the spacious acupoint, it seemed insignificant.

    But this tiny soul power was precious, cultivated with much Earth Vein Spirit Liquid and through great danger.

    And it did not disappoint.

    The world in Lu Qing¡¯s eyes had changed.

    ¡°This is what Master mentioned, the Elemental Mist?¡±

    Sensing the faint energy flow around him, Lu Qing realized it was likely what his master had referred to as the Elemental Mist.

    However, his soul power was still weak and couldn¡¯t clearly perceive this Elemental Mist.

    Also, as his physical body hadn¡¯t reached Postnatal Perfection, he couldn¡¯t draw the Elemental Mist into his body to break through to Precelestial.

    Nheless, after cultivating soul power, Lu Qing felt a closer connection between his mind and body.

    His control over his body greatly improved, likely surpassing that of Internal Organs Realm experts.

    This advancement might bring his breakthrough to the Internal Organs Realm even closer.

    Of course, these changes were secondary.

    The truly important change after cultivating soul power, which Lu Qing valued most, was that he could now truly cultivate the path of runes.

    The first step in cultivating runes was to calm the mind, sense the world,prehend the patterns in all things, and find connections with the runes in the General Outline to seek an entry point.

    After entering the path, the second step was the true cultivation of runes.

    In this step, soul power was essential.

    Now, Lu Qing had finally met this requirement.

    Table of content

 Chapter 128

    "Xiong''er, has Yuhua returned?"

    In a mansion in the county, Wang Cangyi''s face was somber.

    He had sent his second disciple on a task, but he had disappeared for a long time.

    He thought that the boy was unable toplete the mission and didn''t dare to return.

    After all, his second disciple was known for being deceitful and cunning.

    But now, he had a bad feeling.

    "No news from the junior brother. Even the small gang he subdued didn''t return. However, those who went to search brought back this."

    The eldest disciple, a burly man, also looked grim.

    He took out a slender jade piece."What is this?"

    Wang Cangyi didn''t understand the significance of the jade piece.

    "This piece of white jade, called corundum, is a type of jade unique to our Northern Territory, found near our Tian Cang Sect. The fan bone of the jade fan that the second junior brother used is made of this corundum."

    "Moreover, there were many bloodstains around where this fan bone was found."

    "Also, several miles away, our people found arge pit with some partially burned corpse remains."

    The burly man exined.

    "You mean?" Wang Cangyi''s heart sank.

    "I suspect the junior brother has met with misfortune, and the small gang he took along also didn''t survive." The burly man spected.

    Based on the information brought back, he felt that this guess was almost certain.

    Otherwise, no matter how daring the second junior brother was, he wouldn''t have dared to stay away for so long without reporting back.

    "Good, very good!" Wang Cangyi''s face was dark, trembling with anger. "Who exactly is targeting me like this, killing several of my disciples? Do they really think I''m made of y!"

    Sensing the terrifying murderous aura from his master, the burly man''s heart also turned cold.

    He knew that his master was truly enraged this time.

    "Master, what should we do now? The Wei family has been resisting stubbornly and refuses to surrender. Moreover, there''s a mysterious force watching us. Should we continue to wait?"

    The burly man felt equally frustrated.

    Their Tian Cang Sect was renowned in the Northern Territory, feared by many.

    But in this remote area, they had repeatedly suffered losses, with several junior brothers dying mysteriously without knowing the culprit.

    Such a loss, the Tian Cang Sect had never experienced!

    "No more waiting. If we wait any longer, I''m afraid even you will be lost." Wang Cangyi said coldly.

    "Since someone wants to break the rules and reap the benefits, don''t me me for flipping the table!"

    "Xiong''er, gather the men and attack the Wei mansion. I want it leveled today!"

    "But master, without the second and third junior brothers, weck the Internal Organs Realm strength to break the Wei family''s Silver Moon Formation." The burly man said urgently.

    "No matter, I will help if necessary. That Silver Moon Formation is nothing to fear." Wang Cangyi said coldly.

    "Master, if you intervene, the Holy Mountain''s prohibition..." The burly man was shocked.

    If it were elsewhere, they could kill to cover their tracks.

    But this was the county town, with the County Magistrate present, and they couldn''t hide from everyone.

    "At this point, do you still want us to retreat? The Holy Mountain''s prohibition? After this, I will imprison myself in the Holy Mountain for ten years. No more nonsense, do as I say!"

    The Wei family''s treasure was something Wang Cangyi was determined to obtain.

    As long as he could get the treasure, even ten years of imprisonment would be worth it.

    Seeing his master''s determination, the burly man knew he could no longer persuade him.

    He had to obey, "Yes, master, I''ll prepare immediately."

    After the eldest disciple left, Wang Cangyi looked up at the sky, eyes full of resolve.

    "No matter who you are, if you want to take advantage of me, Wang Cangyi, let''s see if you have the ability!"

    "Brother Wang, have you really decided?"

    At this moment, a voice sounded, and an old man with white hair and a ruddyplexion walked out.

    Obviously, he had heard the conversation between Wang Cangyi and his disciple.

    "Yes, Brother Zhao, please help me."

    Wang Cangyi seemed unsurprised by the old man''s presence and instead asked sincerely.

    "Sigh, although I don''t agree with your actions of killing for treasure, I owe you my life. This time, I will return the favor."

    "You''re too kind, Brother Zhao. The Wei family only has their head, Wei Xinghe, at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm. With your and Xiong''er''sbined strength, defeating him will be easy."

    The old man shook his head, saying no more.

    If it were that easy, Wang Cangyi wouldn''t have waited so long.

    Clearly, the Wei family''s reliance wasn''t that simple.

    The burly man acted quickly, and soon arge number of martial artists gathered in the mansion''s courtyard.

    "Master, everyone is assembled." The burly man reported.

    "Good." Wang Cangyi responded, then asked the old man, "Brother Zhao, please."

    Not long after, arge group of martial artists left the mansion, heading towards the Wei mansion.

    Such arge movement couldn''t escape the notice of those in the city.

    At the County Magistrate''s office, the middle-aged man with phoenix eyes felt a chill upon hearing the report: "Are they finally making a move?"

    The past few days had been so calm that he almost thought the hidden hand had given up.

    "Hurry, bring Zhiyue here!"

    "County Magistrate, Zhiyue is not in his room."

    Hearing Zhiyue was not present, the man''s heart sank, knowing this time was real.

    His figure shed, disappearing from the courtyard, heading outside.

    At this moment, dozens of martial artists had gathered outside the Wei mansion.

    "Wei Xinghe, I''m giving you onest chance, will you surrender?"

    The burly man stood at the front, his voice booming.

    "Hahaha! I already answered, there are only Wei family members who die in battle, none who surrender!"

    Wei Xinghe''s voice came from within the mansion.

    "Fine, since you''re so stubborn, don''t me us for being ruthless!"

    The burly man had expected this answer.

    His expression stern, he raised his hand high, then swung it down.

    "Kill! Leave no one alive in the Wei family!"

    "Yes!"

    As soon as the words fell, several men stepped forward, wielding heavy meteor hammers.

    They spun the hammers quickly, then hurled them forward with great force.

    The target was the solemn, majestic red gate of the Wei mansion.

    Boom!

    Under the powerful impact, the gate copsed with a loud crash.

    Table of content

 Chapter 129

    In the town of Cang County, at the Wei family residence.

    The Wei household, once a ce of supreme status and reverence, was now in utter chaos, blood staining the grounds.

    Numerous bodiesy lifeless on the ground, their breathspletely gone.

    Just a quarter of an hour ago, they were still vigorous martial artists, full of spirit and vitality.

    In the spacious front courtyard of the Wei residence, two groups of people were facing off against each other.

    A burly man stood expressionless, observing the scene before him.

    Among the fallen were both his men and the Silver Moon Guards of the Wei family.

    They were the remnants of the initial sh when his forces stormed in.

    The Wei family''s Silver Moon battle formation was truly formidable.Despite his men being overall stronger than the Silver Moon Guards, in the actual fight, his side suffered greater losses and more casualties.

    "Wei Xinghe, you truly live up to your reputation. The Silver Moon battle formation of your Wei family is indeed extraordinary."

    The burly man couldn''t help but praise as he looked at the head of the Wei family standing opposite.

    Even as an enemy, he had to acknowledge the prowess of the Wei family''s Silver Moon battle formation.

    A few people could form a formation, their energy connecting, working in perfect harmony as if they were one. Even against a stronger enemy, they could still put up a good fight.

    Such a sophisticated battle formation¡ªwho knows where the Wei family obtained it from?

    Even the Tian Cang Sect didn¡¯t possess such a powerful battle formation technique.

    "You tter me. It''s just a minor formation technique, hardly worth your notice as a grandmaster at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm."

    The head of the Wei family replied calmly.

    Looking at the fallen Silver Moon Guards, a hint of sorrow shed in his eyes.

    Each Silver Moon Guard in the residence was not easy to cultivate.

    Many were personally selected by him, having watched them grow from a young age.

    Seeing them dead now, how could he not feel heartache?

    "However, no matter how formidable your Wei family''s Silver Moon battle formation is, it can''t withstand our sheer numbers. Wei Xinghe, are you really willing to see the Wei residence razed to the ground, leaving no one alive?"

    "If you hand over the treasure, I promise to withdraw my men immediately and leave Cang County. What do you say?" the burly man asked.

    "Do you think I''m a three-year-old child to believe the words of someone who leads a band of viins to attack my Wei residence?" Wei Xinghe sneered.

    "In that case, it¡¯s truly unfortunate," the burly man said regretfully.

    If possible, he really didn''t want to fight the Wei family to mutual destruction.

    Although most of the people they brought this time were from the outer forces of the Tian Cang Sect, if they suffered too many losses, even his master, an elder of the sect, would face consequences.

    It seemed that this battle was inevitable after all.

    The burly man bowed respectfully to an elderly man with a ruddyplexion behind him, saying, "Mr. Zhao, please assist me."

    "s, must ite to this?" the ruddy-faced elder sighed and stepped forward. "Don''t worry. I''ll keep this Wei family head upied. Break the battle formation first, and then we''ll take him down together."

    Seeing the ruddy-faced elder, Wei Xinghe''s heart sank.

    From the aura the elder exuded, he knew this was another grandmaster at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, no less powerful than himself.

    Although he was mentally prepared for the fierce onught, seeing the elder step forward still made his heart sink.

    But now, he had no choice but to face whatever came his way.

    "Master Wei, let¡¯s have a spar," the ruddy-faced elder said straightforwardly. As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished and reappeared in front of Wei Xinghe, lightly striking out with his palm.

    Though the palm strike seemed light, Wei Xinghe felt a tremendous sense of danger.

    He dared not be careless and immediately raised his arm to block.

    Boom!

    Wei Xinghe''s block seemed slow and ponderous, but when their arms collided, a muffled sound erupted, and a powerful energy burst out from around them.

    The bluestone bs under their feet cracked and spread outward.

    The entire front courtyard shook violently, a terrifying sight.

    The martial artists in the courtyard were shocked by this horrifying scene.

    The initial sh of two grandmasters at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm disyed such a fearsome power.

    The might of a grandmaster was truly terrifying!

    "What a powerful soft palm!"

    Wei Xinghe took several steps back, exhaling a breath, and said in a deep voice.

    "Master Wei''s boxing technique is equally impressive!" the ruddy-faced elder praised.

    Looking at the elder, Wei Xinghe''s expression grew solemn.

    From their brief exchange, he realized that this elder was equally matched with him.

    To avoid being defeated, he had to give his all.

    "Ahai, the rest is up to you," Wei Xinghemanded.

    "Yes, Master," responded the chief steward of the Wei family, d in silver armor, standing behind him.

    "Master Wei, let me experience your skills once more!"

    This time, it was Wei Xinghe who took the initiative.

    He moved with the agility of a dragon, quickly approaching the elder, throwing a punch like a dragon emerging from its cave.

    As the punch was thrown, a strong wind gusted, making the elder''s clothes flutter.

    Facing this formidable punch, the elder smiled slightly.

    His palms gently wrapped around Wei Xinghe''s arm, appearing soft but hiding a lethal force, aiming to break Wei Xinghe''s arm.

    Seeing through the intricacies of this move, Wei Xinghe remained unafraid, his blood qi surging as he continued to strike towards the elder''s chest.

    Boom!

    Their arms collided again, creating another explosion of energy, raising a whirlwind.

    In a blink, the two grandmasters had exchanged over a dozen moves. Each collision of fists and palms caused the ground to tremble, an astonishing sight that left the martial artists in the courtyard gaping in awe.

    The only one who remained calm was the burly man, also at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm.

    "Stop staring and follow me! Break the Silver Moon battle formation!"

    The burly man''s icy voice rang out, making his subordinates shudder.

    "Yes!"

    Seeing the burly man charge forward with his saber, his subordinates dared not hesitate and followed him in the attack.

    However, they all avoided the area where Wei Xinghe and the elder were fighting.

    A grandmaster''s battle was beyond their participation. A slight misstep, and they could be killed by the force of the fight.

    "Formation!"

    The chief steward, dressed in silver armor and wielding a long spear, led the Silver Moon Guards with a sharp gaze as he looked at the charging burly man.

    His long spear struck out like a giant serpent towards him.

    Behind him, the Silver Moon Guards formed a marvelous formation, connecting their energies with his.

    "Wind and Thunder de, break!"

    The burly man''s blood qi surged, his expression fierce as his war saber created sounds of wind and thunder, shing forward.

    Table of content

 Chapter 130

    Boom!

    The sh of des and spears created a powerful wave of force.

    Recently, Chief Steward Wei, who had just broken through to the Great Achievement Stage of the Internal Organs Realm, felt a tremendous force transmitted through his spear, making his body tremble.

    Fortunately, he was within the Silver Moon Battle Formation, his energy linked with the other Silver Moon Guards.

    The force that reached him quickly dispersed, transmitted to the other Silver Moon Guards, allowing him to maintain his grip on the spear without injury.

    Though unharmed, Chief Steward Wei was still astonished.

    As expected of someone at the Perfect Stage of the Internal Organs Realm, this strength was indeed terrifying.

    Even with the support of the Silver Moon Battle Formation, he had nearly failed to block the attack.

    "Damn it."The burly man also retreated two steps due to the shock.

    Seeing that Chief Steward Wei had blocked his full-force attack without injury, he knew that he alone could not break through the Silver Moon Battle Formation.

    Reluctantly, hemanded his subordinates, "All of you, disperse and attack this formation separately."

    His subordinates immediately spread out, surrounding the entire Silver Moon Battle Formation and attacking together.

    Meanwhile, the burly man continued to assault Chief Steward Wei.

    The two sides shed again.

    The Tian Cang Sect had more people than Wei''s Silver Moon Guards, and their overall strength was also superior.

    Logically, the Silver Moon Guards should have quickly sumbed.

    However, they had not anticipated that Wei''s Silver Moon Battle Formation was so exquisite.

    Once activated, it was seamless, with the minds of dozens of people interconnected as one.

    With the energy linked, each Silver Moon Guard could receive the power of the formation.

    As a result, after a while, it was the Tian Cang Sect being pushed back.

    "This Wei family''s Silver Moon Battle Formation is truly formidable!"

    In a corner, under an eave, a figure stood watching the battle in the courtyard below, his phoenix eyes full of admiration.

    "It''s said that the Wei family''s Silver Moon Guards must be trained from a young age, living and eating together, practicing the same set of skills, and training for many years to achieve such a level of unity to perfectly execute this battle formation."

    "In the past, some doubted the Wei family''s Silver Moon Battle Formation, but seeing its disyed power now, it indeed deserves to be an exceptional protective weapon for the family."

    "Any family with such a battle formation can ensure a hundred years of prosperity!"

    At this moment, the burly man was equally furious.

    Despite having a high estimate of the Wei family''s protective formation, he hadn''t expected the Silver Moon Battle Formation to be so intricate.

    Even with him leading many martial artists, they still couldn''t break through the formation.

    "Damn it, if only the second and third elders hadn''t died. With their help, no matter how intricate this Silver Moon Battle Formation is, it would be broken!"

    At this moment, the burly man cursed the hidden forces responsible for the deaths of the second and third elders.

    Both were martial experts at the Small Achievement Stage of the Internal Organs Realm, their strength extraordinary.

    If they were still here, leading teams to attack from three sides simultaneously, even this powerful formation couldn''t withstand the pressure.

    Now, with just a little more strength needed, they couldn''t break through.

    "I must think of a solution!"

    The burly man grew anxious.

    He realized that as the battle continued, the enemy''s formation was running more smoothly.

    It was like an indestructible, resilient ball, with both offense and defense.

    Gradually, their side began to suffer casualties.

    While the enemy remained unscathed.

    If this continued, they would eventually be defeated.

    With this realization, the burly man intensified his attacks.

    Boom!

    Blocking another fierce strike from the burly man, Chief Steward Wei skillfully dispersed the powerful force.

    As the battle continued, he became more adept atmanding the Silver Moon Battle Formation.

    Seeing the enemy suffering casualties, his spirits lifted, seeing a glimmer of victory.

    If they could defeat these martial artists, they could support the family head and kill the red-faced elder.

    Then, the Wei family''s crisis would be mostly resolved.

    Other Silver Moon Guards noticed this as well.

    Invigorated, their attacks within the formation became fiercer.

    "Could it be that the Wei family is about to win?"

    The middle-aged man with phoenix eyes in the corner also noticed the changing situation below, his eyes full of surprise.

    "But, that person probably won''t let this happen, will they?"

    As the thought arose, a chill crept into his heart.

    A sense of dread spread through him, making his body tremble.

    Startled, he looked at the highest roof opposite.

    There, a figure had appeared.

    A terrifying aura emanated from this figure, making even this martial expert at the Great Achievement Stage of the Internal Organs Realm tremble.

    Precelestial Realm!

    In an instant, the middle-aged man with phoenix eyes knew the origin of that figure.

    Only a mysterious and immensely powerful Precelestial Realm expert could possess such a terrifying presence.

    The appearance of this figure also drew the attention of the martial artists in the courtyard.

    For a moment, everyone trembled, involuntarily halting their actions.

    There was no way to ignore such a presence.

    Even Wei Xinghe and the red-faced elder, still entangled in battle, separated and retreated, looking suspiciously at the rooftop.

    "Master!"

    The burly man''s pupils shrank.

    "Second Elder!"

    The martial artists who hade with the burly man also eximed.

    "Master, Second Elder?"

    Wei Xinghe''s heart moved, realizing this was the mastermind behind the disaster befalling the Wei family.

    "A bunch of useless idiots!"

    Wang Cangyi looked at the scene below, his face grim.

    He hadn''t expected that despite having so many subordinates, they were still showing signs of defeat.

    This was intolerable for his proud self.

    The burly man shivered and immediately half-knelt.

    "Disciple failed, please punish me, Master!"

    The other Tian Cang Sect disciples also knelt quickly.

    "Hmph!"

    Wang Cangyi snorted coldly but said nothing.

    Punishment was inevitable, but not now.

    His gaze swept over the worthless disciples andnded on Wei Xinghe.

    "Are you the current head of the Wei family?"

    Under Wang Cangyi''s gaze, Wei Xinghe felt a crushing weight on him, making it hard to breathe.

    Fear spread uncontrobly from his heart, almost making him kneel and beg for mercy.

    "Not good!"

    Wei Xinghe realized he was under the influence of the Precelestial aura, creating illusions.

    He clenched his fists, nails piercing his palms, using the pain to shake off the fear, regaining rity.

    "Yes, I am Wei Xinghe, the current head of the Wei family. Greetings, Precelestial Master."

    Wei Xinghe bowed low.

    "Good determination. With your willpower, you may forge your own Soul Power and enter the Precelestial Realm in the future."

    Wang Cangyi''s expression remained unchanged, but he praised.

    "Thank you."

    Wei Xinghe shivered.

    The more peaceful the opponent''s attitude, the more uneasy he felt.

    "Wei Xinghe, I now give you two choices: hand over the item, and I will spare your family, or I will personally destroy your family. Which will you choose?"

    Wang Cangyi''s words shocked Wei Xinghe.

    He quickly shouted, "Master, the Sacred Mountain forbids Precelestial experts from attacking those below the Precelestial Realm. Do you intend to defy the sacred decree¡­"

    "Impudent!"

    Wang Cangyi''s face darkened, a powerful aura surging from him, creating a fierce wind that pressed down on everyone.

    Those with weaker wills immediately knelt, faces filled with fear.

    Under the greatest pressure, Wei Xinghe felt as if the sky was falling, crushing the solid bluestone beneath him.

    "Illusion, it''s all an illusion!"

    Wei Xinghe kept telling himself not to kneel.

    As the family head, he had experienced the Precelestial aura from the ancestor, knowing it couldn''t directly harm.

    With firm resolve, Wei Xinghe managed to withstand the aura, trembling but standing firm.

    "Hmm?"

    Wang Cangyi''s eyes showed surprise.

    Previously, Wei Xinghe''s resistance could be attributed to strong willpower.

    But now, under his full aura, Wei Xinghe still held on.

    It indicated his willpower far exceeded ordinary Perfect Stage of the Internal Organs Realm.

    Willpower was closely rted to one''s spirit.

    Initially, Wang Cangyi''s words were partly to deceive Wei Xinghe, hoping he would surrender the treasure for a chance at the Precelestial Realm.

    Now, he believed Wei Xinghe indeed had potential to achieve the Precelestial Realm.

    Especially after enduring his aura, Wei Xinghe might soonprehend Soul Power.

    This person could not be allowed to live!

    With this thought, Wang Cangyi''s gaze sharpened.

    He raised his hand, and a white sword energy shot towards Wei Xinghe!

    "What?"

    Wei Xinghe was shocked.

    He hadn''t expected a Precelestial master to be so shameless, attacking him with a sneak attack.

    He wanted to dodge.

    But the sword energy was too fast, and Wang Cangyi''s aura still pressed on him, reducing his strength by seventy percent, leaving no time to evade.

    He could only watch as the sword energy approached.

    "My fate ends here!"

    Wei Xinghe sighed inwardly, closing his eyes.

    In his mind, two figures appeared.

    "Wife, An''er, I may not be able to find you."

    Waiting for death with closed eyes, the surrounding martial artists watched in shock.

    The next moment, an even more shocking scene urred.

    Just as the sword energy was about to

    hit Wei Xinghe, a red light intercepted it.

    Boom!

    The sh of white and red lights caused a fierce explosion.

    The powerful force knocked Wei Xinghe and nearby martial artists off their feet.

    "Wang Cangyi, you''re still so shameless, sneak attacking a Postnatal junior, disgracing us Precelestial masters."

    After the explosion, an old yet hearty voice sounded from above.

    "Ancestor!"

    Despite coughing blood from the st, Wei Xinghe looked up joyfully.

    Indeed, on another roof stood a familiar figure.

    That strong-willed, imposing elder with a battle saber on his back.

    Another Precelestial master!

    Sensing the new aura, the martial artists below knew another Precelestial grandmaster had appeared.

    And from Wei Xinghe''s address, this elder was the Wei family''s ancestor!

    "Damn it, another Precelestial master!"

    In the tense atmosphere, one person was extremely frightened.

    The middle-aged man with phoenix eyes, hidden under the eaves, dared not move.

    "Why did I get curious and stay? I should have left earlier!"

    Hemented inwardly.

    Caught between two Precelestial masters, he couldn''t leave.

    He dared not hope they hadn''t noticed him.

    He could only pray they wouldn''t trouble him, considering his status as the County Magistrate.

    "Wei Shanhai, you''re still alive!"

    Wang Cangyi''s face was calm, addressing the Wei family''s ancestor.

    "Spit! I have a long life, but you, a treacherous scoundrel, won''t die!"

    Wei Shanhai spat disdainfully.

    "Hmph, even if you''re alive, my sword energy has infiltrated your heart, weakening you. How much strength can you exert?"

    Wang Cangyi smiled.

    "I don''t know, but killing a despicable scoundrel like you is more than enough." Wei Shanhai scoffed.

    "Really? Let''s see."

    Wang Cangyi raised his arm, white sword energy forming.

    "Afraid of you?"

    Wei Shanhai''s eyes sharpened, a saber light appearing in his hand.

    As the two Precelestial masters'' auras shed, the martial artists below felt suffocated, as if they were about to die, filled with fear.

    "Do you really want to fight in the city?"

    At this moment, a calm voice sounded.

    Table of content

 Chapter 131

    "Who dares to question two Precelestial beings?"

    The martial artists, who were suffocating under the pressure of two Precelestial beings, were stunned upon hearing these words.

    Then they saw a figure appear, slowly walking in through the main gate of the Wei mansion.

    It was a young man dressed in in clothes with an ordinary appearance.

    In his hands, he held a jade scroll.

    The jade scroll emitted a faint white light, enveloping the young man in in clothes, allowing him to walk freely under the pressure of the two Precelestial beings without any hindrance.

    This strange scene shocked not only the martial artists but also the two Precelestial experts, Wang Cangyi and Wei Shanhai.

    "Both of you, Sacred Mountain has a decree: Precelestial martial artists must not harm humans below the Precelestial level without reason and must not engage in Precelestial-level battles in densely popted cities. Do you intend to vite this decree?"

    Facing the gazes of the two Precelestial experts, the expression of the young man in in clothes did not change, but his tone became increasingly serious."Dan Book Jade Scroll, are you from Tianji Tower?"

    Wang Cangyi stared intently at the jade scroll in the hands of the young man in in clothes, his expression heavy.

    "Tianji Tower''s Zhiyue greets the two Precelestial experts."

    The young man in in clothes slightly bowed and spoke calmly.

    Upon hearing the young man in in clothes acknowledge this, Wang Cangyi''s heart trembled.

    He quietly stared at the young man in in clothes for a while before slowly dispersing the sword qi gathered in his palm.

    Although he did not know whether the other party''s identity was real or not, he had heard of the mysterious properties of the Dan Book Jade Scroll.

    Such a mysterious jade scroll could only be activated by someone from Tianji Tower.

    Even Wei Shanhai withdrew his de light.

    However, unlike Wang Cangyi, he secretly let out a sigh of relief.

    He knew that since someone from Tianji Tower was here, the battle for today would likely not happen.

    Wang Cangyi keenly noticed this slight shift in Wei Shanhai''s mindset.

    He immediately realized that the other party''s injuries had not yet healed, and he had been bluffing just now.

    In an instant, Wang Cangyi''s expression turned dark.

    He looked at the young man in in clothes and questioned, "I''ve heard that Tianji Tower never participates in the conflicts between various factions. So, is Zhiyue here intending to break this stance?"

    "Tianji Tower''s stance has never changed, Senior Wang. There''s no need for doubt," the young man in in clothes said lightly. "We have no interest in interfering with your dispute with Senior Wei, but if you insist on fighting in the city, you should understand the consequences."

    Wang Cangyi''s expression immediately became uncertain.

    If the young man in in clothes were not here, he could kill Wei Shanhai, destroy the Wei family, seize that treasure, and escape.

    Afterward, even if Sacred Mountain pursued the matter, he would have ways to minimize his responsibility.

    But with the young man in in clothes present, he did not dare to act recklessly.

    It was rumored that the Dan Book Jade Scroll of Tianji Tower had a magical function.

    The content written on it could be transmitted to the headquarters of Tianji Tower in an instant, incredibly mysterious.

    With the young man in in clothes present, even if he ughtered everyone in the city to silence them, he could not prevent the news from spreading.

    "Wei Shanhai, do you have the courage to fight me outside the city?"

    Wang Cangyi''s expression was dark as he suddenly shouted at the old ancestor of the Wei family.

    "Hahaha, Wang Cangyi, no need to rush. I have traveled for days and am a bit tired. After a few days of rest, I will personallye to take your head!"

    However, Wei Shanhai, who seemed bold and straightforward,ughed heartily and did not respond to the challenge.

    "You!" Wang Cangyi was furious. "You coward, you don''t even have the heart to fight. You disgrace the title of Precelestial!"

    "I''m not like you, a despicable person who only knows how to sneak attack and do such petty acts," Wei Shanhai mocked.

    "You..."

    Wang Cangyi''s chest heaved violently. He knew that Wei Shanhai was determined to hide in the city and note out.

    And he had no way to deal with it.

    If he insisted on fighting, unless he could instantly kill Wei Shanhai.

    Otherwise, no matter the oue of the battle, as long as there were other casualties during the fight, he could not escape the me from Sacred Mountain.

    The thought of the consequences of starting a Precelestial battle in the city made Wang Cangyi''s heart tremble.

    He did not want to spend the rest of his life imprisoned on Sacred Mountain, living in fear.

    After weighing the situation, knowing that Wei Shanhai''s injuries had not yet healed but not being able to kill him instantly, Wang Cangyi gritted his teeth and red at Wei Shanhai with a ferocious look:

    "Old scoundrel, you wait. I will not give up until I get that item. You''d better never leave the city and stay hidden here, or the day you step out will be your death day!"

    With that, there was a sound of an explosion, and his figure disappeared from the rooftop.

    "Master!"

    Seeing Wang Cangyi leave, the burly man and others were shocked.

    "Get out now!"

    Wei Shanhai did not make things difficult for them. With a deep voice, he released a powerful aura.

    The burly man and others, relieved, quickly rushed out of the Wei mansion.

    Those who were slower were kicked by the people behind them, scrambling to escape.

    After all the Tian Cang Sect people left, Wei Shanhai spoke to a spot under the eaves, "Sir, pleasee out."

    Someone hiding up there?

    The Wei family members looked in that direction.

    Under everyone''s gaze, a figure emerged from under the eaves, jumped down, and stood gracefully.

    "Greetings, Senior Wei."

    The middle-aged man with phoenix eyes first saluted Wei Shanhai, then turned to the young man in in clothes and said:

    "Zhiyue, thank goodness you came in time, or I might not have seen another day."

    Seeing this figure, the Wei family members were stunned.

    They did not expect the County Magistrate to be hiding there.

    The young man in in clothes also did not expect his friend to be in that ce.

    The usually calm young man was a bit dumbfounded.

    Seeing his friend still nonchnt, he couldn''t help but sigh, "You, if you don''t change your love for watching the excitement, one day I won''t be surprised to hear news of your death."

    "Zhiyue, you are not being kind. Why curse a friend to death?"

    While the two bantered, Wei Shanhainded on the ground, saluting the young man in in clothes.

    "Thank you, Zhiyue, for saving the lives of my entire Wei family."

    The young man''s expression returned to calm.

    "Senior Wei, don''t misunderstand. I am here not to help the Wei family but to prevent anyone from viting the Sacred Mountain decree."

    "Regardless, Zhiyue''s presence indeed saved our Wei family. I will never forget this kindness."

    The young man shook his head without further words and walked away.

    "Zhiyue, why hurry? Wait for me, let''s go have a drink together!"

    The middle-aged man with phoenix eyes saluted Wei Shanhai, then hurriedly chased after him.

    Wei Shanhai watched them leave without trying to retain them.

    "Ancestor!"

    After all the outsiders left, Wei Xinghe, clutching his chest, led the n members forward excitedly.

    "Xinghe, I couldn''tpletely block Wang Cangyi''s sword qi in the rush, are you okay?" Wei Shanhai asked.

    "No problem. Who would have thought a Precelestial would sneak attack a junior? Luckily, you arrived in time." Wei Xinghe shook his head.

    "Humph, Wang Cangyi has always been despicable and shameless," Wei Shanhai snorted coldly.

    "Ancestor, why didn''t you keep Zhiyue? He saved our family; letting him leave seems ungrateful." Wei Xinghe asked.

    Wei Shanhai shook his head, "It''s not that I didn''t want to keep him, but his identity is special. He never gets close to other factions. Keeping him would only trouble him."

    Wei Xinghe wanted to ask more, but Wei Shanhai waved his hand, "Let''s talk inside. Have someone clean up the courtyard."

    Wei Xinghe had to close his mouth temporarily. Once inside, with only him, the chief steward, and the ancestor, he continued, "Ancestor, when did you return?"

    "I''ve been back for several days but didn''t enter the city because I knew Wang Cangyi was waiting for me in the shadows."

    "Ancestor, who are these people, and what grudge do you have with Wang Cangyi?"

    This had been puzzling Wei Xinghe.

    The treasure in their house was well hidden, known to only a few in the n.

    How did these mysterious forces find out?

    "The people attacking our Wei family mostlye from a northern sect called Tian Cang Sect. Wang Cangyi is their second elder."

    "And our grudge..."

    Wei Shanhai sighed before saying, "We were once friends."

    "Friends? Then how..."

    Wei Xinghe and the chief steward were shocked.

    "That was a hundred years ago..."

    As Wei

    Shanhai recounted, Wei Xinghe and the chief steward gradually understood the situation.

    A hundred years ago, Wei Shanhai was a young and promising martial artist.

    At that time, he had achieved sess in martial arts and was already a Tendons and Bones Realm expert, a rare talent in the Wei family.

    To seek a breakthrough to the Internal Organs Realm and broaden his horizons, Wei Shanhai decided to travel and meet heroes from all over the world at the age of twenty.

    During his travels, he met a young man of simr age, Wang Cangyi.

    Wang Cangyi came from a great sect, powerful and knowledgeable.

    In terms of strength and knowledge, he surpassed the then-small n member Wei Shanhai.

    They hit it off instantly, and Wei Shanhai was impressed by Wang Cangyi''s demeanor.

    Eventually, they became sworn brothers.

    After that, they roamed the world together, experiencing and witnessing much.

    But during their travels, Wei Shanhai gradually realized that Wang Cangyi was not as noble as he seemed.

    He was narrow-minded and sometimes made things difficult for minor characters over trivial matters.

    He was vengeful, holding grudges even for unintentional slights.

    Many times, he wanted to retaliate against others'' families, if not for Wei Shanhai''s persuasion.

    As they traveled, their philosophies diverged, leading to frequent quarrels.

    But at that time, Wei Shanhai still considered Wang Cangyi a brother.

    He thought Wang Cangyi was extreme but still righteous.

    Their real fallout happened when they explored a secret ce together.

    They identally discovered a cave and gained great fortune.

    When dividing the treasures, they had a disagreement.

    Wang Cangyi thought he did most of the work and should get ny percent of the treasures.

    Wei Shanhai believed that since they were brothers, they shouldn''t be so calctive.

    Although he didn''t contribute as much, he saved Wang Cangyi from a deadly trap.

    Based on that, he felt he deserved more than ten percent.

    They argued fiercely and almost fought.

    In the end, Wei Shanhaipromised, willing to take only ten percent, but with the condition that he chose first.

    To his surprise, Wang Cangyi refused, insisting they take turns picking items.

    This thoroughly disappointed Wei Shanhai.

    The treasures they obtained were incredibly mysterious. With their then abilities, they couldn''t tell which were the best.

    Even if he chose first, he couldn''t pick all the best ones.

    Yet Wang Cangyi was unwilling to suffer any loss.

    Seeing Wang Cangyi''s true nature, Wei Shanhai epted it. He randomly picked a few items and, after leaving the cave, severed ties with Wang Cangyi.

    "Thinking back, if not for my breakthrough during the travels, making us equals, Wang Cangyi might have tried to kill me back then."

    Wei Shanhai sighed.

    "Ancestor, ording to you, one of the treasures you got then is..." Wei Xinghe probed.

    "Yes, one of the items I got is the one in our secret vault." Wei Shanhai nodded. "And it is the most precious among them."

    "The most precious?"

    "Yes, I didn''t expect that casually picking would get the most precious one."

    "Wang Cangyi wouldn''t have thought my luck would be so good to pick the best item. Maybe this is fate."

    "I wonder if he was ever infuriated in those years."

    A mocking smile appeared on Wei Shanhai''s face.

    Wei Xinghe and the chief steward imagined Wang Cangyi''s reaction and thought he must have been very angry.

    "So, Wang Cangyi came for that treasure. Ancestor, how did he manage to sneak attack you?" Wei Xinghe asked.

    "I was careless." Wei Shanhai sighed.

    "After our fallout, I hadn''t seen him for years. He recently wrote, inviting me to reunite as old friends."

    "I thought years had passed, and we were young and impulsive back then. So, I went."

    "Unexpectedly, he chatted about our travels, and when I rxed, he suddenly attacked. I was caught off guard and severely injured, escaping only by chance."

    "How are your injuries now?" Wei Xinghe quickly asked.

    "My injuries haven''t healed. At best, I can use thirty percent of my strength." Wei Shanhai said calmly.

    Hearing this, Wei Xinghe and the chief steward were shocked.

    Just as they wanted to ask more, Wei Shanhai asked, "By the way, I''ve been back for a while. Why haven''t I seen Ningyan and An''er? Where are they?"

    The sensory abilities of a Precelestial are extraordinary. Wei Shanhai now noticed that the mansioncked the presence of Li Ningyan and Wei Zian.

    Table of content

 Chapter 132

    "So, is it true that Ning Yan and Zian''s fate is still unknown?"

    Wei Shanhai frowned as he spoke.

    Just now, Wei Xinghe had recounted everything that had happened during this period.

    This included the attempt to secretly send his wife and children away, which had unfortunately been discovered.

    "But Madam and Young Master should be fine, otherwise the other party would have already used them to threaten us," analyzed Manager Wei. "It''s just unclear where they are now, whether they''ve reached the provincial capital or are hiding somewhere."

    "No matter what, we need to confirm their safety first," said Wei Shanhai. "Xiao Hai, arrange for someone to check the provincial capital, and send others to scout outside the city."

    "Yes, Ancestor, I''ll arrange it right away," Manager Wei agreed.

    In fact, they had wanted to do this long ago, but the people from Tian Cang Sect had been watching them closely, making it too risky to send anyone out.

    Now that the ancestor had returned, providing a backbone of support, they could handle many matters with more confidence.After Manager Wei went out to arrange the personnel, Wei Xinghe looked at the ancestor.

    "Ancestor, is your injury serious? When do you think you will recover?"

    "My injury is probably beyond cure."

    At this moment, Wei Shanhai''s face suddenly showed a tired look, his breath quickly weakening, and he seemed to age several years, copsing onto the chair.

    "Ancestor!"

    Wei Xinghe was shocked and hurriedly shouted.

    "Don''t make a fuss," Wei Shanhai waved his hand and sighed. "Wang Cangyi''s Precelestial sword qi is indeed formidable. I took a sword strike from him. Although I avoided most of the damage, my heart meridian was still invaded by his sword qi, causing severe injury."

    "With your strength, Ancestor, you can''t expel that sword qi?"

    "It''s difficult to do it alone," Wei Shanhai shook his head. "Wang Cangyi''s Precelestial sword qi is extremely insidious, like a poison that corrodes the bones, entangling my heart meridian.

    "Besides, our cultivation levels are simr. I can''t confidently expel the sword qi without damaging my heart meridian. I can only suppress it with true qi temporarily, preventing it from erupting."

    Hearing this, Wei Xinghe became anxious, "Then is there no other way?"

    "Unless another Precelestial realm expert helps me, using gentle true qi to protect my heart meridian, so I can exert full effort to expel the sword qipletely."

    Hearing this, Wei Xinghe felt despair.

    Not to mention that Precelestial realm experts are rare, rarely appearing before ordinary people.

    In such a remote ce, where could they find a Precelestial realm expert in a short time?

    Moreover, even if such an expert appeared by chance, letting another Precelestial''s true qi enter his heart meridian was too risky.

    Human hearts are unpredictable. If the other party harbors ill intentions, they could destroy the ancestor''s heart meridian in a moment of thought.

    By then, not even a deity could save him.

    Wei Shanhai also knew the difficulty of this matter.

    However, his mind was strong, and seeing Wei Xinghe''s worried face, heforted him instead, "Don''t be so disheartened. Things haven''t reached the final step. As long as I''m alive, I can still protect the Wei family."

    "Ancestor, what will happen if the sword qi is not expelled?"

    Wei Shanhai paused and then said, "Suppressing the sword qi continuously puts a heavy burden on my heart meridian. In about a year, my heart meridian will fail, and I will die."

    Wei Xinghe fell silent.

    He had thought that everything would be fine with the ancestor''s return.

    Unexpectedly, the ancestor''s injury had such a hidden danger.

    His earlier joy vanished instantly.

    After a while, Wei Xinghe, still unwilling, said, "Ancestor, if we use that treasure, can it heal your injury?"

    "Very difficult," Wei Shanhai shook his head. "That treasure is extraordinarily profound, not an ordinary object. Back then, I was able toprehend the Silver Moon Formation and the current cultivation method from it and advanced to Precelestial by luck. Over the past decades, I have been unable toprehend more. It''s not worth wasting the foundation umted over these years."

    Otherwise, his realm wouldn''t have been stuck at the peak of the initial Precelestial stage for so many years.

    "But it is still a chance, isn''t it?" Wei Shanhai quickly said, "What if you gain new insights and reach a higher realm through this life-and-death experience?"

    "You... sigh, alright, I''ll give it a try."

    Seeing his insistence, Wei Shanhai sighed and agreed.

    While the Wei family temporarily resolved a life-and-death crisis due to Wei Shanhai''s return, in another part of the county, discussions about the battle between Tian Cang Sect and the Wei family were also gradually rising.

    Despite the fact that both sides of the conflict were far superior to other forces in the county, and logically, smaller forces should avoid them altogether, the world nevercks fearless people.

    Every force had its secretly cultivated spies.

    As a result, some details of the battle inevitably leaked out.

    Especially the dialogue between the young man in in clothes and the two Precelestial realm experts, which was heard throughout the city.

    So, everyone learned that there was such a prohibition concerning the mysterious Precelestial realm.

    "Who would''ve thought that Precelestial realm experts are prohibited from attacking those below their level?"

    "What kind of power is Sacred Mountain to impose such a restriction on the mighty Precelestial realm experts?"

    "Thankfully, this prohibition exists; otherwise, we might all be dead. The previous aura was too terrifying."

    "Yes, my heart was pounding crazily before. If those two really fought, half the county might be destroyed."

    "And what about Tianji Tower? What kind of force is that?"

    ...

    Due to the lingering presence of Tian Cang Sect in the county, the residents didn''t dare to discuss it openly.

    But private discussions couldn''t be avoided.

    So, it didn''t take long for the entire county to be abuzz with talk about the battle.

    At the same time, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    The previous confrontation between the two Precelestial experts was too terrifying.

    The entire city had been in silence, not daring to make a sound.

    No one wanted those two to actually fight, not knowing if they would survive the aftermath.

    Knowing that Precelestial experts couldn''t casually fight in the city, everyone felt genuine relief.

    Among the discussing crowd, one person''s face gradually showed joy.

    However, he quickly restrained his joy, pretending to be indifferent, and joined in the discussion.

    The next morning, he disguised himself and blended into the crowd to leave the city.

    After leaving the city, he changed his route several times, even staying overnight at his brother-inw''s ce in the countryside, making sure no one was following him before heading towards Jiuli Vige.

    Upon reaching Jiuli Vige, he went straight to Lu Qing''s house and found Lu Qing practicing boxing in the courtyard.

    "Young Master Lu!"

    "Xiao Tian?"

    Lu Qing looked up, surprised.

    ording to Mago''s instructions, Xiao Tian and the others were supposed to hide after dealing with the ck Wolf Gang''s bodies. Why was he here?

    "Xiao Tian, why are you here?"

    Lu Qing felt a chill, wondering if something had happened.

    "Young Master Lu, something big happened in the city these past two days. I came specifically to tell you," Xiao Tian said excitedly.

    Indeed!

    Lu Qing''s expression turned serious, "Come inside and tell me."

    Inside, Xiao Yan hadn''t gotten up yet, and the table was set with freshly prepared breakfast.

    The steaming aroma made Xiao Tian swallow unconsciously.

    He had left early in the morning without eating at his brother-inw''s ce, hurrying over.

    "Xiao Tian, have you had breakfast? Why not eat something here?" Lu Qing noticed his movement and asked.

    "No need, let me tell you first," Xiao Tian insisted.

    "Alright, go ahead."

    Lu Qing didn''t press further, sensing the importance of the news Xiao Tian was about to share.

    Could it be that Tian Cang Sect and the Wei family finally shed?

    As Lu Qing pondered this, Xiao Tian began.

    "The day before yesterday, the foreign martial artists in the city finally dered war on the Wei family. They gathered many martial artists andunched an attack on the Wei residence..."

    Xiao Tian''s first words shocked Lu Qing.

    However, as Xiao Tian continued, his expression gradually turned to astonishment.

    "In the end, the two Precelestial experts didn''t fight, sparing us from disaster. I took the chance to slip out of the city to tell you this."

    After hearing Xiao Tian''s ount, Lu Qing fell silent.

    Xiao Tian''s words contained too much information, and he needed time to sort it out.

    Seeing his silence, Xiao Tian didn''t disturb him, waiting patiently.

    He knew Young Master Lu was no ordinary person, far more knowledgeable than himself.

    He didn''t need to say much, just wait for him to process it.

    However, as he waited, Xiao Tian''s hunger grew stronger with the aroma of the food.

    Finally, his stomach growled uncontrobly.

    The sound snapped Lu Qing out of his thoughts.

    He looked at the embarrassed Xiao Tian and smiled, "Xiao Tian, don''t be polite. Eat something first."

    "Yes, Young Master."

    This time, Xiao Tian didn''t hold back and started eating a bun.

    After finishing two buns and a bowl of porridge, Lu Qing asked, "Xiao Tian, are you sure Precelestial experts can''t casually attack those below their level or fight in the

    city?"

    "Sure!" Xiao Tian nodded seriously. "That was what the Tianji Tower lord said when he barged into the Wei residence before the two Precelestial experts could fight, citing a Sacred Mountain prohibition. The whole city heard it.

    "And the two Precelestial experts really didn''t fight. The foreign Precelestial left angrily."

    Lu Qing tapped the table lightly with his fingers.

    He hadn''t expected such a prohibition for Precelestial experts.

    Sacred Mountain, what kind of ce is that?

    To impose such restrictions on Precelestial experts and seemingly make themply without overt defiance.

    What kind of terrifying power must it be to have such deterrence?

    It seemed that this world indeed had many secrets and terrifying powers unknown to ordinary people.

    Even bing a Precelestial expert didn''t guarantee freedom.

    However, this prohibition was good news for Lu Qing now.

    At least it gave him more confidence against Wang Cangyi.

    Of course, this didn''t mean Lu Qing no longer feared Wang Cangyi.

    Even a cornered dog would jump over the wall; Precelestial experts were not made of y. To reach such a level, they were all proud and independent.

    If truly provoked, filled with murderous intent, any prohibition would be meaningless.

    If someone really wanted to kill, it would be a matter of thought.

    Would Sacred Mountain be able to resurrect the dead?

    Therefore, proper respect for Precelestial experts was still necessary.

    "Young Master Lu, now that the Wei family''s ancestor has returned, their crisis is resolved. When can Master Ma return?"

    Xiao Tian was a keen person.

    Although he hadn''t seen Madam Wei and the young master in person at the Grand Bazaar, he had deduced some things from clues and subsequent events.

    He knew that his master''s disappearance was likely rted to the Wei family''s mistress and young master.

    "No rush. You just mentioned that the mysterious Precelestial left with a warning. The situation in the city is still tense. In such circumstances, Master Ma shouldn''t appear. He is safe where he is now," Lu Qing said.

    Xiao Tian thought the same and didn''t inquire further.

    As long as he knew Master Ma was safe, that was enough.

    After finishing his meal, Xiao Tian left.

    He wanted to return to the city to gather more information.

    Lu Qing didn''t stop him, only urging him to be careful.

    After Xiao Tian left, Lu Qing woke Xiao Yan, washed her up, and took her and Xiao Li to the Halfway House.

    The news Xiao Tian brought was very important.

    Especially the prohibition against Precelestial experts, which he had to inform his master about.

    At the Halfway House, his master was drying medicinal herbs.

    Lu Qing told his master about the news Xiao Tian brought.

    Then he asked, "Master, you have traveled extensively. Have you heard of this prohibition, or know what Sacred Mountain and Tianji Tower are?"

    The old doctor was surprised after hearing Lu Qing''s ount.

    He shook his head, saying, "I haven''t heard of these names, nor this prohibition."

    Table of content

 Chapter 133

    Hearing his master say that he hadn''t heard of these two mysterious forces, Lu Qing wasn''t surprised.

    Although his master once possessed advanced martial skills in the Internal Organs Realm, the old man had always regarded himself as a healer rather than a warrior. His early life was spent in rural areas, treating the sick and saving lives, uninterested in martial conflicts. Therefore, it wasn''t surprising he didn''t know about these top-tier forces.

    However, since such a ban on the Precelestial Realm existed outside, and his master was now a Precelestial martial artist, this matter couldn''t be ignored.

    Lu Qing expressed his thoughts, but the old doctor remained unconcerned.

    "I have no desire for conflict. A ban is fine by me, it means more peace."

    Lu Qing agreed. His master had always beenpassionate and gentle. Even when patients were rude, he would calmlyfort them, rarely getting angry. For him to use force would be as difficult as letting someone die without helping.

    Thus, this ban might be restrictive for other Precelestial Realm individuals, but for his master, it didn''t make a difference.

    With this thought, Lu Qing wasn''t worried anymore.

    "Master, I have another question. Since the Wei family¡¯s Precelestial ancestor has returned, should we escort Mrs. Wei and her son back to the county?"Lu Qing didn''t hide the fact that Mrs. Wei and her son had been moved to a remote mountain.

    The old doctor thought for a moment and said, "Let''s wait. The situation in the county is still unclear. It''s better not to get involved."

    "I thought so too. They are currently safe, so there''s no rush."

    ording to Xiao Tian, Wang Cangyi was still eyeing the Wei family¡¯s treasures in the county. If Mrs. Wei and her son returned now, they might fall into Wang Cangyi''s hands, bing burdens rather than helpers.

    Still, it was necessary to inform them of this development.

    After spending half a morningpleting his studies with his master, Lu Qing took Xiao Li and headed into the mountains.

    As for Xiao Yan, she had been learning more characters and could now recognize some simple sentences. Knowing that Lu Qing often needed to go into the mountains, the old doctor volunteered to teach her.

    Carrying Xiao Li, Lu Qing arrived at the cave where Mago and others were hiding. He found Wei Zian practicing his staff techniques. Observing for a while, he nodded in satisfaction at Wei Zian''s progress.

    Just as Mago had said, Wei Zian had some talent in martial arts. Lu Qing had taught him a simplified version of a staff technique, and Wei Zian had been diligently practicing.

    "Good, not bad!"

    When Wei Zian finished a set of staff movements, Lu Qing praised him.

    "Dr. Lu, you''re here!"

    Wei Zian turned around, delighted.

    Mrs. Wei, resting in another part of the cave, came out upon hearing themotion.

    "Young Master Lu, why have youe so soon this time?" she asked, surprised.

    Lu Qing typically visited every three to four days, but only a day had passed since hisst visit.

    "I have something to discuss. Where is Master Ma?" Lu Qing asked.

    "He went out to see if he could find some game to improve our meals," Mrs. Wei replied.

    Lu Qing nodded, not saying more.

    Over time, everyone realized that the mysterious forces were unlikely to search the mountains again, so Mago and the others were less tense and began to move beyond the cave.

    Soon, Mago returned with two wild rabbits, surprised but happy to see Lu Qing. However, he feared something bad had happened.

    "Since everyone is here, I have some news to share."

    Hearing this, Mago and Mrs. Wei felt uneasy.

    "As long as it¡¯s good news, we¡¯re fine," Mrs. Wei said, trying to calm herself.

    "Master Ma¡¯s associate Xiao Tian informed me this morning that the Precelestial ancestor of the Wei family has safely returned," Lu Qing exined.

    Mrs. Wei and Wei Zian¡¯s eyes widened with joy.

    "Your family¡¯s crisis is now resolved. You can rest easy," Lu Qing continued.

    "Mother, can we go home now?" Wei Zian asked excitedly.

    "Not yet," Mrs. Wei said, though excited, she remained calm.

    "Those viins haven¡¯t given up on our treasures. Returning now is too risky," she said.

    "Exactly," Lu Qing agreed, impressed by her clear-headedness despite the good news.

    "Those mysterious forces won''t leave easily. If you return now, you¡¯ll be walking into a trap, causing trouble for your family," he said.

    "Then what should we do?" Wei Zian asked, more mature now, understanding theplexity.

    "Wait," Mrs. Wei said firmly. "Since the household is safe, we should ensure our safety here. When those people leave, we can return home. Use this time to master the staff technique, impressing your father upon return," she encouraged.

    Wei Zian felt his blood boil with determination. "I will practice diligently!"

    Seeing this enthusiasm, Lu Qing and Mago found it amusing.

    Lu Qing had nned to escort Mrs. Wei and her son backter, but an unexpected visitor disrupted his ns.

    The next morning, Lu Qing, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Li arrived at Halfway House. While Xiao Yan studied, Lu Qing helped with the herbs.

    Suddenly, a gentle voice came from outside.

    "Is anyone home?"

    "Come in if you need medical help," Lu Qing replied, assuming it was a viger.

    But the visitor''s first words upon entering were surprising.

    "Plum blossoms nourished by elemental mist would make excellent tea. May I have a cup?" the visitor asked.

    Lu Qing looked up, startled, at a in-clothed young man at the door.

    Seeing Lu Qing''s reaction, the man continued, "Such young age yet already Tendons and Bones Realm. No wonder you''re a disciple of a Precelestial grandmaster."

    "Who are you?" Lu Qing asked, unable to see through the man''s martial realm without using his abilities. The visitor seemed ordinary but had hidden depths.

    Activating his abilities, Lu Qing saw an intense red aura with a touch of gold around the man.

    [Lin Zhiyue: True disciple of Tianji Tower, calm and intelligent.]

    [Cultivation: Internal Organs Realm Perfection.]

    [Possesses an unusual treasure that conceals his aura.]

    [Proficient in multiple secret techniques, can defend against Precelestial martial artists.]

    It''s him!

    The young man who had stopped the fight between Wang Cangyi and the Wei family¡¯s Precelestial ancestor!

    Not only powerful but also possessing extraordinary abilities.

    "I am Zhiyue, a disciple of Tianji Tower. I came to visit the newly ascended Precelestial elder, Doctor Chen Songqing."

    Knowing his master¡¯s name and that he had ascended to Precelestial, Lu Qing felt a deep sense of the power of Tianji Tower.

    "I will inform my master," Lu Qing said, shaken.

    The old doctor had heard themotion and asked, "Is it the young man you mentioned?"

    "Yes, Master, he knows you¡¯ve be Precelestial."

    The old doctor, puzzled but calm, decided to meet him.

    Leaving Xiao Yan inside, the old doctor and Lu Qing went out.

    The young man, appreciating the plum blossoms, turned to them.

    "Junior Zhiyue of Tianji Tower, greetings to Senior Chen," he said respectfully.

    "No need for formalities, please sit," the old doctor smiled.

    "Thank you, Senior," Zhiyue insisted on the old doctor sitting first.

    Lu Qing stood aside as a disciple.

    "What brings you here?" the old doctor asked directly.

    "May I have a cup of plum tea first?" Zhiyue asked, not revealing his purpose immediately.

    "Of course, Ah Qing, prepare the tea," the old doctor instructed.

    Lu Qing fetched the tea set and plum tea, and as the water boiled, a strange fragrance filled the air.

    This plum tree had bloomed when the old doctor broke through to Precelestial. The flowers, nourished by the elemental mist, were fragrant and beneficial.

    Lu Qing brewed the tea, and a pleasant aroma spread, surprising visitors.

    Having never done anything wrong, the old doctor was confident and weed Zhiyue¡¯s visit, ready for whatever came next.

    Table of content

 Chapter 134

    "Zhiyue, please."

    Lu Qing brought a cup of plum tea to the young man in in clothes.

    "Thank you."

    The young man took the tea, sipped it lightly, and his eyes immediately narrowed in pleasure.

    He quietly savored it for a while before opening his eyes, which were full of admiration: "What a wonderful tea! It¡¯s truly unique, nurtured by the Elemental Mist."

    "If you like it, take some back with you when you leave."

    The old doctor, also a tea enthusiast, was pleased with the young man¡¯s high praise for his meticulously prepared tea.

    "Thank you, Senior Chen." The young man happily epted.

    Lu Qing went back inside and packed a small bag of plum tea.After finishing the cup of tea, the young man set down the cup and his expression turned serious.

    "I believe Senior Chen is curious about how I knew you had broken through to the Precelestial realm."

    "Indeed, I am quite puzzled," the old doctor admitted.

    When he broke through, he hadn''t sensed anyone nearby, and he had never shown his Precelestial skills in front of others.

    He truly couldn''t understand how the young man had learned of his breakthrough.

    "Senior Chen need not worry. I learned of your breakthrough by pure coincidence, not through any deliberate spying."

    "It happened that I was in the county when you broke through. I had a sect treasure with me that detected the changes in the Elemental Mist, which is how I knew a Postnatal martial arts master hadprehended the Elemental Mist, drawn it into their body, and achieved the Precelestial state."

    "However, the situation in the county has been tensetely, and I couldn''t leave immediately. It took until today toe and visit you, Senior Chen."

    The young man exined.

    Besides being unable to leave, he was probably also investigating his master¡¯s background, Lu Qing thought.

    However, this exined why the young man knew so much about his master.

    His master frequently traveled to the county, even the County Magistrate had seen him. His identity and residence were no secret among the city¡¯s elite.

    With the young man''s status, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find out the details.

    But the fact that his treasure could sense changes in the Elemental Mist from a hundred miles away was quite terrifying.

    "No wonder. I didn¡¯t realize such miraculous treasures existed. I¡¯ve been quite ignorant," the old doctor sighed.

    "It¡¯s a rare sect treasure, not widely known. Senior Chen, you are a kind-hearted healer dedicated to saving lives; it¡¯s normal that you haven''t heard of it," the young man smiled.

    "I¡¯m just a wandering doctor doing my duty, not deserving of such high praise," the old doctor quickly responded.

    The young man smiled but didn¡¯t argue further.

    If someone with the light of merit couldn¡¯t be called kind-hearted, then there were no good people in the world.

    To be honest, the young man was still quite shocked.

    The light of merit was something only umted by doing countless good deeds.

    Even though the old doctor¡¯s merit light was faint, it was still merit light, not easily gathered.

    Even in the Hanging Temple, not many could possess such light.

    Unexpectedly, he found it on an unassuming wandering doctor.

    How many people had he saved to umte such merit?

    "Senior Chen, besides enjoying your tea, I have another matter to discuss with you."

    "Please, go ahead," the old doctor indicated.

    Lu Qing¡¯s heart tightened, knowing they were finally getting to the main point.

    "Senior Chen, have you heard of Sacred Mountain?" the young man asked.

    "No, I haven''t," the old doctor shook his head.

    "Sacred Mountain is a mysterious and great ce, responsible for maintaining order in this continent. Even the Hanging Temple, Cold Water Pce, and Qingyang Temple acknowledge its status."

    "All major families and sects in the world respect it greatly..."

    As the young man exined, the old doctor and Lu Qing gradually understood the concept of Sacred Mountain.

    Sacred Mountain is a very special force.

    Unlike ordinary sects, it was formed a thousand years ago by the coboration of several mysterious ces and numerous sects and families to maintain order in this continent.

    In Lu Qing¡¯s understanding, it was simr to a united organization from his past world.

    However, unlike that organization which could only argue, Sacred Mountain had formidable martial power.

    Its power was unrivaled except by a few mysterious ces and somerge sects.

    Sacred Mountain had a transcendent status and did not involve itself in factional conflicts.

    Even if countries went to war, it remained neutral.

    Sacred Mountain maintained order that could affect the human race''s overall situation.

    For example, the order between Precelestial and Postnatal martial artists, and ordinary people.

    Precelestial beings were extremely powerful. Once a martial artist reached the Precelestial stage and could refine the Elemental Mist, their strength increased rapidly.

    Ordinary Postnatal martial artists were no match for them, akin to ordinary people.

    Precelestialbat was no longer limited to physical fights. A simple sword qi or de light could kill dozens or hundreds of people.

    A powerful Precelestial could massacre an entire city in a short time.

    Such power, if unchecked, could lead to unimaginable consequences.

    History recorded several instances of Precelestial conflicts destroying cities.

    Such incidents made various families and sects realize that it couldn¡¯t continue.

    Precelestial powerhouses were lofty, but ordinary people were the foundation of the human race and shouldn''t be ughtered wantonly.

    So, after discussions, Sacred Mountain issued a decree.

    Precelestial martial artists were forbidden from attacking those below Precelestial without good reason, especially in cities.

    Vitors would be imprisoned in Sacred Mountain, or even killed.

    "Senior Chen, I know you dislike conflict, but now that you¡¯re a Precelestial martial artist, this decree applies to you too," the young man said. "I came to inform you of this."

    "I didn¡¯t know such a decree existed. Rest assured, it¡¯s a great deed and I will abide by it," the old doctor readily agreed.

    Seeing the old doctor agree, the young man smiled.

    "Of course, the decree states that Precelestial martial artists must not attack those below Precelestial without reason. However, a Grandmaster cannot be humiliated. If someone provokes or offends them, they won''t be punished for defending themselves."

    Lu Qing nodded.

    This was only right; the world ultimately respected the strong.

    How could a Precelestial martial artist, who had trained so hard, endure insults from the weak?

    If they couldn¡¯t fight back when provoked, what was the point of being strong?

    Such a decree would never be epted by the various powers.

    "And Sacred Mountain won¡¯t make Precelestial martial artists abide by this decree for nothing," the young man continued.

    "Every newly ascended Precelestial who agrees to the decree can get an opportunity to train in the Sacred Mountain¡¯s holy pool for three days. This opportunity is valid for life."

    "Senior Chen, this is a great opportunity for you."

    "Oh, how so?" the old doctor asked.

    "Sacred Mountain is a mysterious and great ce, filled with opportunities. One of the greatest is the holy pool at the peak."

    "The holy pool is mysterious and miraculous, helping people attain enlightenment, break through bottlenecks, incredibly magical."

    "Even the dullest martial artist can make rapid progress in it, advancing by leaps and bounds."

    Hearing this, even the old doctor couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued.

    "The world is indeed vast and full of wonders. What Zhiyue said, I have never heard or seen before. I have learned a lot today," the old doctor sighed.

    "Senior Chen, this jade token is Sacred Mountain''s recognition. I will inform my sect and ry it to Sacred Mountain. When you reach the Central ins, you can inquire about Sacred Mountain at Tianji Tower with this token."

    The young man handed a small jade token to the old doctor.

    The old doctor took the token, feeling a slight thrill.

    The jade quality was simr to the heritage jade slip Lu Qing had given him before.

    After handing over the token, the young man stood up: "Senior Chen, my main purpose was to inform you about the decree. Now that it¡¯s done, I should take my leave."

    "Leaving so soon? Won¡¯t you stay for a meal?" the old doctor asked.

    "No, the situation in the city hasn¡¯tpletely calmed, and I shouldn¡¯t be away for too long," the young man declined.

    "Speaking of which, I¡¯ve heard about the situation in the county. Can you tell me when the Wei family¡¯s crisis will be resolved?" the old doctor asked.

    The young man shook his head: "I¡¯m afraid the Wei family¡¯s crisis is hard to resolve."

    The old doctor was surprised: "Why do you say that?"

    "Although the Wei family¡¯s ancestor has returned, he was wounded by Elder Wang Cangyi of Tian Cang Sect. The sword qi in his heart is difficult to remove. If it remains, he may not survive a year."

    "If Wang Cangyi is patient, waiting a year for the Wei family¡¯s ancestor to die naturally, it could be the end of the Wei family."

    "Can¡¯t you stop this?" the old doctor asked urgently.

    The young man shook his head: "Tianji Tower has its principles. We don¡¯t get involved in factional conflicts unless Wang Cangyi himself intervenes, I have no reason to interfere."

    The old doctor was silent for a long time.

    Seeing the old doctor¡¯s silence, the young man hinted:

    "The Wei family¡¯s survival depends on their ancestor¡¯s recovery. If he recovers, the Wei family will be safe. If he dies, the Wei family is doomed."

    The old doctor pondered deeply.

    Seeing the old doctor understood, the young man smiled

    .

    He nodded to Lu Qing, picked up the small bag of plum tea, and left the courtyard, heading down the mountain.

    After confirming the young man had left, Lu Qing asked, "Master, what should we do now?"

    Though not explicitly stated, the old doctor knew Lu Qing referred to the Wei family.

    The old doctor sighed: "It seems I cannot avoid this."

    "Are you nning to go to the Wei family to treat their ancestor?"

    "ording to Zhiyue, only I can treat his injury. We have met the Wei family before; they aren¡¯t bad people. I can¡¯t stand by and watch them get ughtered."

    Seeing his master¡¯s heavy expression, Lu Qing knew that if his master didn¡¯t go, and the Wei family was exterminated, he would be tormented by guilt forever.

    Now that he knew about the Wei family ancestor¡¯s injury, he couldn¡¯t lie to himself.

    No way around it, his master was just too kind-hearted.

    Now it seemed the young man had calcted his master¡¯s nature and intentionally said those words before leaving.

    "If you want to go, then go. I support you," Lu Qing said. "But how will you get there, sneak into the Wei family?"

    "I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t work," the old doctor shook his head. "The Wei family ancestor¡¯s injury is in his heart. How could they trust a stranger to treat such a vital area?"

    "Moreover, now that I¡¯ve reached the Precelestial stage, I need to use my soul force to merge with the Elemental Mist, draw it into my body, and refine it into Precelestial qi."

    "Over time, this leaves a trace of the Elemental Mist on us, which is hard to hide. Postnatal martial artists can¡¯t sense it, but Precelestial ones can."

    "If I sneak into the Wei family and get mistaken, it could lead to conflict and a serious misunderstanding."

    He understood difficult patients too well.

    Lu Qing recalled the young man¡¯s words. If a Precelestial fight broke out in the city, it would be a big problem.

    "So, only a trusted person from the Wei family can introduce you to avoid unnecessary conflict." Lu Qing had a sh of inspiration. "Mrs. Wei and Young Master Wei!"

    "That¡¯s a good idea, but it might put them at some risk," the old doctor said.

    "We¡¯re saving the Wei family; Mrs. Wei will understand," Lu Qing said.

    Knowing Mrs. Wei, she would be even more anxious once she knew the reason.

    "Alright, go fetch them from the mountains. We¡¯ll head to the county this afternoon," the old doctor nodded.

    Lu Qing then took Xiao Li and hurried to the mountains.

    When the young man came, he had Xiao Li hide, not wanting them to meet.

    The young man¡¯s treasure was too magical; it could detect changes in the Elemental Mist from a hundred miles away.

    Though unsure if hiding Xiao Li helped, it was better not to meet.

    However, the young man didn¡¯t seem to notice he had cultivated soul force.

    Thus, the treasure wasn¡¯t omnipotent.

    At least not all information could be detected.

    Unfortunately, the young man didn¡¯t show the treasure, so Lu Qing¡¯s ability couldn¡¯t probe it.

    With Xiao Li, Lu Qing quickly reached Mago and the others¡¯ hideout.

    Coincidentally, all three were there.

    "Brother Lu Qing, what happened?"

    Seeing Lu Qing, Mago and the others were surprised.

    No one expected Lu Qing, who had just left yesterday, to return so soon.

    "We¡¯ll talk on the way. Pack up, we¡¯re leaving the mountain."

    Table of content

 Chapter 135

    ¡°Master Lu, what exactly happened? Can you tell us now?¡±

    In the mountains, Lu Qing, who was carrying Mrs. Wei, asked.

    His face showed some tension.

    Just a moment ago, Lu Qing suddenly arrived, telling everyone to pack up and leave the mountain immediately.

    Although everyone was bewildered, they trusted Lu Qing, and despite their tension, they obeyed.

    As they walked through the mountains, Mrs. Wei could no longer suppress her curiosity.

    ¡°This morning, a young man in in clothes, the one I mentioned to you yesterday, stopped the battle between your ancestor and the mysterious Precelestial disciple from Tianji Tower. He brought some bad news to my master.¡±

    ¡°Your Wei family¡¯s Precelestial ancestor was ambushed by that mysterious Precelestial, and his heart meridian was injured by Precelestial sword qi. The injury is severe and if not treated in time, he has at most one year to live.¡±

    Lu Qing exined slowly.¡°How could this be?¡±

    Mrs. Wei and the others were shocked upon hearing this.

    ¡°This was said by Zhiyue, the disciple of Tianji Tower. Considering his recent performance in the county, there¡¯s no reason for him to deceive us about this matter, so it should be true.¡±

    Mrs. Wei and the others felt a turmoil in their hearts.

    They had thought that after the ancestor returned, the mansion would stabilize, and they could safely wait for the day to go home.

    Unexpectedly, the ancestor¡¯s injury had such a serious hidden danger.

    After a while, Mrs. Wei calmed her mind and continued to ask, ¡°So, Master Lu, what is the reason for us leaving the mountain?¡±

    Even if the ancestor was seriously injured, they, as a mother and son, had little ability to help and seemed to have no reason to leave the mountain.

    ¡°My master, upon hearing about your ancestor¡¯s condition, intended to go to the county to see if he could help alleviate the ancestor¡¯s injury.

    But madam, you also know that the current situation in the county isplicated. Your family might also be on high alert against outsiders.

    If only my master and I go, it might be difficult to gain your family¡¯s trust, and it could even cause misunderstandings.

    So, we thought of asking you and the young master toe out of the mountain and return to the county with us.¡±

    ¡°Does your master have confidence in treating our ancestor¡¯s injury?¡± Mrs. Wei asked with joy.

    ¡°Absolute confidence is not there. Without personally diagnosing your ancestor¡¯s injury, it¡¯s hard to make any judgment, but we must at least try, right?¡± Lu Qing did not promise too much.

    But Mrs. Wei heard a hint of mystery in Lu Qing¡¯s words.

    If the old doctor had no confidence at all, why would he take such a big risk to go to the county?

    A spark of hope ignited in her heart, ¡°Then I thank Master Lu and your master for your righteous help on behalf of the Wei family.¡±

    Mrs. Wei felt immense gratitude.

    Given the current situation of the Wei family, most people would avoid them, not wanting to get involved at all.

    Not kicking them while they were down was already something to be thankful for.

    But Lu Qing and his master had repeatedly extended a helping hand, saving her and her son, and even the entire Wei family. She didn¡¯t know how to express her gratitude.

    The group walked through the mountains, and aftering out of the mountain, they went directly to the Halfway House.

    The old doctor was already waiting in the courtyard.

    Seeing everyone return, he smiled, ¡°You¡¯re all back?¡±

    Mrs. Wei had alreadye down from Lu Qing¡¯s back and bowed gracefully.

    ¡°Ning Yan greets the old doctor. In the past, you saved my son from life and death, and I couldn¡¯t thank you in person. I¡¯m truly ashamed.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, it was a small matter, no need to take it to heart.¡±

    The old doctor stroked his beard and chuckled.

    ¡°Greetings, old doctor.¡±

    At this time, Wei Zian also stepped forward to salute.

    The old doctor looked at hisplexion and nodded, ¡°Your body has recovered well and has be much stronger.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been practicing martial arts with my master and Lu Xiaodafu recently, and my body is much better than before!¡±

    Wei Zian clenched the wooden stick in his hand and said happily.

    ¡°Good, very good.¡±

    The old doctor also noticed that Wei Zian¡¯s temperament had changed a lot and was very satisfied.

    As for Mago, since he often came here before, he was already considered a familiar face, so he didn¡¯t engage in much small talk, just saluted the old doctor.

    ¡°Old doctor, when are we setting off?¡±

    After the greetings, Mrs. Wei asked.

    Ever since she learned about the ancestor¡¯s injury, she had been feeling uneasy.

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush. You¡¯ve juste out of the mountain, freshen up first, have lunch, and then rest well before we depart.¡± The old doctor said.

    Mago and the others had been living in a cave, where, although they had enough to eat and drink, other aspects were inconvenient.

    So they were now all looking a bit disheveled.

    Mrs. Wei also knew that their current appearance was somewhat improper and understood that saving the Wei family couldn¡¯t be rushed.

    So she did not oppose the old doctor¡¯s arrangement and went to freshen up.

    The old doctor had already prepared hot water for them. After they washed up, they saw that Lu Qing was busy in the kitchen, with the aroma of food wafting from within.

    ¡°Miss, you look so beautiful!¡±

    At this moment, Mrs. Wei heard a sweet voice.

    She looked down and saw a little girl standing in front of her, tilting her head and looking at her curiously.

    Seeing this little girl, who looked like a carved jade statue, Mrs. Wei¡¯s heart filled with affection.

    She bent down to pick up Xiao Yan and asked, ¡°Little one, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Lu Xiao Yan. Miss, who are you?¡± Xiao Yan asked happily.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re Xiao Yan. I¡¯m not your sister. Call me Aunt. I¡¯m your brother¡¯s friend. My surname is Li.¡±

    Mrs. Wei immediately understood that this little girl was the one An¡¯er had talked about, Lu Qing¡¯s sister.

    She just didn¡¯t expect Xiao Yan to be so pretty.

    Even the girls in the city couldn¡¯tpare to her delicate and lovely appearance.

    ¡°Aunt?¡± Xiao Yanpared her to the aunts in the vige and was a bit puzzled, ¡°But aunts aren¡¯t as young as you, right?¡±

    ¡°You little darling, you¡¯re so cute.¡±

    No woman wouldn¡¯t like to be called young, and Mrs. Wei was immediately all smiles hearing this innocent remark.

    Holding the soft and sweet Xiao Yan, she didn¡¯t want to let her go.

    Xiao Yan also liked this pretty and kind aunt, finding her very affectionate.

    So, the two of them happily chatted.

    Their cheerful demeanor made Wei Zian, who was watching from the side, a bit dazed.

    Since the escape, this was the first time he saw such a genuine smile on his mother¡¯s face.

    ¡°Xiao Yan, the food is almost ready. Set the table.¡±

    As the two chatted happily, Lu Qing¡¯s voice came from the kitchen.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to eat. Aunt, you sit here. I¡¯ll go help my brother!¡±

    Xiao Yan jumped out of Mrs. Wei¡¯s arms and ran towards the kitchen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help too.¡± Mrs. Wei followed her into the kitchen.

    Then she saw Xiao Yan taking bowls from the cupboard.

    As for the kitchen, many dishes were already prepared.

    Several vegetarian dishes were ced on the small table, and the pot was steaming with something inside.

    Next to it, a y pot was simmering soup, and a nearby casserole was boiling bright red meat.

    Looking at these dishes and smelling the rich aroma, Mrs. Wei couldn¡¯t help but swallow.

    These days, hiding in the mountains, although they didn¡¯tck food, eating well was impossible.

    Now, suddenly seeing so many delicious-looking dishes, even she, with her upbringing, felt a bit greedy.

    ¡°Madam, why did youe in? The kitchen is smoky; it might hurt your eyes.¡±

    Lu Qing, who was tending the fire, saw Mrs. Wei and said hurriedly.

    ¡°I came to see if there¡¯s anything I can help with.¡± Mrs. Wei said.

    ¡°No need, the dishes are almost ready. You just need to take these vegetarian dishes out. Once the fish is steamed, we can eat.¡± Lu Qing smiled.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    After Mrs. Wei took the dishes out, Xiao Yan also carried a stack of bowls out of the kitchen.

    ¡°Xiao Yan, let Aunt help you.¡±

    Mrs. Wei, feeling worried, said hurriedly.

    ¡°No need, Aunt. Xiao Yan can do it!¡± The little one refused.

    Xiao Yan had taken Earth Vein Spirit Liquid and absorbed the elemental mist that gathered when the old doctor broke through, so her physical condition was excellent.

    In terms of strength, many kids over ten years old in the vige might not match her.

    So carrying a few bowls was a simple task.

    Once the tableware was set, Lu Qing¡¯s fish was also ready.

    Soon, a table full of dishes was neatly arranged.

    ¡°Alright, time to eat.¡±

    When Lu Qing ced the steamed fish in the center of the table, he pped his hands.

    As for Xiaoli, it had already found a corner outside and was happily devouring a bowl of fish.

    ¡°Ah Qing¡¯s culinary skills have improved a lot.¡±

    The old doctor sitting at the main seat smiled.

    ¡°Yes, my brother¡¯s food is the best!¡±

    Xiao Yan, sitting on her little

    stool, said proudly.

    As for Mago and the others, their eyes widened at the sight of the delicious dishes.

    Steamed fish, chicken soup, braised rabbit, fried small fish, stir-fried vegetables¡ªthese hot dishes were things they hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time.

    ¡°Brother Lu Qing, what dish is this?¡±

    Mago pointed to the red, steaming meat in the casserole.

    ¡°This is braised pork. It tastes quite good.¡± Lu Qing answered.

    ¡°Alright, no need to be polite. Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    The old doctor said, picking up a fried small fish first.

    Seeing the old doctor start, the others also picked up their chopsticks.

    Mago and Wei Zian first reached for the braised pork in the casserole.

    The quivering, shiny meat was too tempting.

    After each took a piece and put it in their mouths, they felt it melt with a light press, filling their mouths with the aroma. Their eyes widened.

    They had never eaten such rich meat before.

    ¡°Lu Xiaodafu, what meat is this? How is it so delicious?¡±

    Wei Zian couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°This is pork. I bought it from the butcher in the neighboring vige this morning.¡± Lu Qing smiled.

    ¡°Is pork this delicious?¡± Wei Zian found it hard to believe.

    After his recent training, he was no longer the delicate young master who felt nauseous at the thought of pork.

    But he still couldn¡¯t believe the dirty-looking pork could be so delicious.

    ¡°Ordinary pork wouldn¡¯t be this vorful, but this braised pork, with some special preparation, tastes better than regr pork.¡±

    In recent days, while roaming the mountains, Lu Qing often used his abilities to find several nts that could rece certain seasonings from his previous life.

    This improved his culinary skills significantly.

    Now, he could make this braised pork taste almost as good as it did in his previous life.

    Seeing her son eating so heartily, Mrs. Wei, who wasn¡¯t initially interested in the oily meat, couldn¡¯t resist trying a small piece.

    Then she was also surprised.

    The braised pork looked greasy but wasn¡¯t fatty at all. Instead, it was rich and incredibly appetizing.

    They tried other dishes and were even more astonished.

    The chicken soup was delicious, the steamed fish was sweet, the fried fish was crispy, and even the vegetables were very tasty.

    Every dish¡¯s vor exceeded their expectations.

    So they all ate to their heart¡¯s content, leaving no leftovers.

    Even thest bit of braised pork sauce was mixed with rice by Mago and Wei Zian until it was finished.

    Even Mrs. Wei, with her refined manners, couldn¡¯t resist having an extra bowl of chicken soup after she was full.

    ¡°Brother Lu Qing, I regret not staying for meals before. How many delicious dishes have I missed!¡±

    After the meal, Mago looked regretful.

    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not toote. It¡¯s just an extra pair of chopsticks.¡± Lu Qingughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Even if you don¡¯t invite me, I¡¯lle and eat shamelessly.¡± Mago joked.

    Seeing this, Wei Zian looked envious.

    If his family lived in the city, he would also want toe and eat often.

    However, he thought for a moment. Now Mago was his master.

    As a disciple, it was reasonable to visit the master frequently, right?

    So asionallying to Lu Xiaodafu¡¯s ce for a meal would be normal, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Wei Zian felt clever and was pleased with his own wit.

    Even Mrs. Wei was tempted by this idea.

    But she knew that once she returned to the mansion, it wouldn¡¯t be easy toe out again.

    For a while, everyone¡¯s mood lightened up after this meal, almost forgetting about the journey ahead to the county.

    But they couldn¡¯t avoid what they had to face.

    After the meal, the old doctor, after a moment of silence, finally said, ¡°Ah Qing, go and prepare. We should get going.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Lu Qing nodded and went out to make preparations.

    Because of the presence of the Tian Cang Sect, they couldn¡¯t go to the county openly this time.

    They needed to disguise themselves properly.

    So Lu Qing went to the vige to borrow clothes for Mrs. Wei and Wei Zian and dressed them up.

    He also went to Grandpa Zhang¡¯s house next door and borrowed his gentle ox and cart, loading it with some herbs.

    After everything was ready, Lu Qing carried his war de and a covered bamboo basket, and brought Xiao Yan onto the cart.

    Yes, this time, he decided to take Xiao Yan along.

    This trip to the county was dangerous, and he and his master didn¡¯t know what might happen.

    Xiaoli would follow them too. Leaving Xiao Yan alone in the vige wasn¡¯t safe.

    They had always depended on each other.

    So this time, they would go together.

    He and his master wouldn¡¯t let anyone hurt Xiao Yan as long as they stood.

    ¡°Brother, where are we going?¡±

    Xiao Yan, sitting on the cart, was excited.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to the county. You always wanted to see the city, right?¡±

    ¡°To the city? Great!¡±

    Xiao Yan was delighted.

    She had never been to the city.

    ¡°Mrs. Wei, please help look after Xiao Yan on the way.¡± Lu Qing said to Mrs. Wei, who was also on the cart.

    ¡°I will!¡±

    Mrs. Wei, now dressed like a vige woman, held Xiao Yan tightly.

    She didn¡¯t expect Lu Qing to bring Xiao Yan.

    But she felt Lu Qing¡¯s determination and knew that persuasion would be useless.

    She could only resolve inwardly that unless she died, she wouldn¡¯t let Xiao Yan be harmed.

    Once everything was set, the old doctor drove the cart, and with a shout, the wheels rolled, slowly heading out of the vige.

    Lu Qing, Mago, and Wei Zian walked alongside.

    The vigers didn¡¯t know what Lu Qing and the others were going to do, nor did they know Mrs. Wei¡¯s true identity.

    They thought they were all going to the city with the old doctor.

    So, seeing them off, they just gave a few reminders without much emotion.

    Now, with Lu Qing¡¯s strength, they weren¡¯t worried.

    The cart reached the vige entrance, and the old doctor stopped.

    Lu Qing walked up, tied three red strings to a tree under the letter stone.

    ¡°Master Lu, what is this?¡±

    Mrs. Wei asked when Lu Qing returned.

    ¡°It¡¯s a vige tradition. Anyone leaving the vige ties a red string to the tree...¡±

    Lu Qing briefly exined.

    But his simple words made Mrs. Wei¡¯s heart tremble.

    She held Xiao Yan tighter.

    Mago and Wei Zian also looked more determined.

    They made a silent decision in their hearts.

    The whip cracked, and the cart moved again, slowly heading forward.

    The cart passed through the forest, startling a flock of birds into flight ahead.

    Table of content

 Chapter 136

    Early morning, the sun had just risen.

    ¡°Wow, so beautiful!¡±

    Sitting on the ox cart, Xiao Yan eximed in awe.

    At this moment, Lu Qing and others had already left the forest and were in the middle of a vast in.

    Surrounding them were vast fields with many farmhouses scattered among them.

    Lu Qing¡¯s ox cart was traveling along a wide official road in the middle of the fields.

    It was the golden autumn season, the fields were a sea of gold, and no wonder Xiao Yan was amazed.

    Compared to the scattered patches of paddy fields in Jiuli Vige, these vast stretches of paddy fields were indeed shocking.

    ¡°Brother Lu Qing, just a bit further and we¡¯ll reach the county town.¡±Mago pointed to the tall city walls in the distance and said to Lu Qing.

    Looking at the distant city, Lu Qing was a bit surprised.

    He had thought that the county town wouldn¡¯t be very big, but he was wrong.

    Just the height of the city walls made it apparent that this county town was muchrger than those so-called ancient towns he had visited in his previous life.

    No wonder Master used to say that the city is a different world.

    Just by looking at it,pared to Jiuli Vige, the county town was indeed much more prosperous.

    ¡°Master, the county town is almost here. What should we do to enter the city?¡±

    Yesterday afternoon, Lu Qing and his group had set off from Jiuli Vige. The ox cart was slow, and the journey of over a hundred miles was not close.

    After traveling for the better part of the day, it was already dark.

    Night travel was difficult, and the county town closed its gates at night.

    So, after nightfall, Lu Qing and his group had simply found an abandoned kiln to spend the night. They continued their journey at dawn.

    ¡°Just go in like this. As long as we get into the city, everything will be safe,¡± the old doctor said.

    Lu Qing nodded.

    His Master was a Precelestial martial artist. As long as they could enter the city, even if Wang Cangyi noticed, there was nothing he could do to them.

    Unless he was willing to risk everything and start a battle within the city.

    Thus, Lu Qing and his group hid their auras, their swords and knives concealed on the ox cart, trying to blend in as farmers heading to the city market.

    Mrs. Wei and Wei Zian had their fair faces smeared with dust to look like ordinary farm folk.

    The old doctor wore a bamboo hat to hide his face.

    Following behind other early market-goers, their ox cart slowly moved forward.

    As they got closer to the county town, everyone¡¯s hearts started to race.

    Especially Mrs. Wei, whose heart was pounding. She tightly held Xiao Yan, trying to calm her nerves and not reveal any ws.

    Lu Qing, looking at the thirty-meter-high, neatly built city wall ahead, understood why Mago didn¡¯t suggest sneaking into the city at night.

    The high and slippery city wall would be difficult to climb even for martial artists in the Tendons and Bones Realm without alerting anyone.

    Moreover, they were apanying Mrs. Wei and her child.

    The closer they got to the city wall, the more the anxiety grew among the group.

    However, just a hundred meters from the city gate, the old doctor suddenly stopped the ox cart.

    Lu Qing''s backpack also made a slight movement.

    ¡°Master?¡± Lu Qing was startled.

    ¡°s, we can¡¯t hide it after all,¡± the old doctor sighed.

    Mago and the others were shocked, just about to ask questions when a loudugh came from the city gate.

    A figure suddenly appeared on the city wall.

    At the same time, arge number of people came out of the city, driving away the crowd and blocking the city gate.

    Those intending to enter the city screamed and scattered. The slower ones were beaten ck and blue, their belongings scattered.

    Fortunately, those people had some restraint since it was the county town, and no one was killed.

    Watching this scene, Lu Qing''s eyes grew cold.

    ¡°Too much, where are the county magistrate¡¯s people? Are they just going to let these people run rampant?¡±

    Even Mago was furious.

    As for Mrs. Wei and her child, they felt even more indignation.

    These people were so arrogant. They couldn¡¯t imagine how badly the household had been bullied these past days.

    Soon, the crowd wanting to enter the city was dispersed, leaving only Lu Qing¡¯s ox cart standing alone.

    ¡°Which Precelestial fellow is so kind to bring Wei Xinghe''s wife and child personally? Wang Cangyi is truly grateful.¡±

    With these words, the whole city was shocked.

    Originally, the Tian Cang Sect''s blockade of the city gate was enough to attract the attention of all the city''s forces, wondering what the intruding dragon wanted to do.

    Now, hearing Wang Cangyi¡¯s words, it seemed the Wei family''s mistress and Young Master Wei had returned?

    Moreover, it involved another Precelestial expert?

    Instantly, all the forces in the city were in turmoil, sending their experts to the city gate.

    ¡°Another Precelestial?¡±

    In the County Magistrate¡¯s Office.

    The County Magistrate, who was ying chess, was stunned upon hearing Wang Cangyi¡¯s voice.

    When did his remote little town be so popr, with Precelestial experts appearing one after another?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±

    The young man in in clothes across from him stood up calmly.

    ¡°Zhiyue, do you know something?¡±

    The County Magistrate quickly asked his friend, recalling that he had seemed to disappear for a while yesterday.

    However, the young man in in clothes ignored his question and walked out.

    ¡°Hey, Zhiyue, wait for me!¡±

    The County Magistrate hurried after him.

    In the Wei residence, a secluded courtyard.

    ¡°Ningyan and An''er are back?¡±

    Wei Xinghe was first overjoyed upon hearing the voice that echoed through the city, then his face changed dramatically.

    ¡°Another Precelestial, who is it? Did Ningyan and An''er fall into his hands?¡±

    ¡°What should we do, Master? The ancestor hasn¡¯te out yet! Should we inform him?¡±

    Wei¡¯s steward asked anxiously.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already heard,¡± Wei Shanhai appeared in the courtyard.

    ¡°Ancestor!¡± Wei Xinghe and the steward were delighted, ¡°How is your injury?¡±

    ¡°No improvement,¡± Wei Shanhai shook his head, giving a disappointing answer, ¡°I¡¯ve been meditating for several days with no progress.¡±

    But Wei Xinghe quickly cheered up: ¡°Ancestor, Wang Cangyi said Ningyan and An''er are back, in the hands of another Precelestial, right?¡±

    ¡°Their blood and qi are too weak, too far away for me to be sure, but there is indeed another unfamiliar Precelestial aura outside the city.¡±

    Wei Shanhai looked serious.

    He couldn¡¯t imagine how a small Cang County could attract a third Precelestial.

    Is the neer friend or foe, passing by or a powerful ally of Wang Cangyi?

    For a moment, even Wei Shanhai, with his calm demeanor, felt uneasy.

    But he knew that no matter what, he must go out and figure this out.

    Inside the city, all the forces were in turmoil because of Wang Cangyi¡¯s words.

    Outside the city, Lu Qing looked up at the figure on the city wall.

    At this moment, the figure on the city wall was radiating a faint golden light in his vision.

    [Wang Cangyi: Inner Elder of Tian Cang Sect in the northern border, hypocritical and suspicious, skilled in disguise, very protective.]

    [Cultivation: Precelestial Initial Peak, gold attribute true qi.]

    [Possesses multiple Precelestial secret techniques, especially skilled in swordsmanship.]

    [Traveled with Wei Shanhai in his youth, were close friends, butter fell out over uneven distribution of treasure.]

    Seeing the information disyed in his vision, Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, Wang Cangyi¡¯s cultivation was only at the initial peak of the Precelestial, not much stronger than Master.

    They were not at aplete disadvantage.

    However, he was surprised to learn that Wang Cangyi and the Wei family¡¯s ancestor were once friends.

    This exined why the Tian Cang Sect, from the far northern border, knew about the Wei family in this remote town and came all this way to seize their treasure.

    ¡°Master, how did he find us?¡± Lu Qing asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s just our bad luck. This Precelestial seemed to have been waiting near the city gate, and as soon as we got close, he sensed my Precelestial aura.¡±

    The old doctor said with a bitter face.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not our bad luck, but that he never left the vicinity, always watching the Wei family¡¯s ancestor,¡± Lu Qing sneered.

    From the information he sensed, this Wang Cangyi was a typical hypocrite.

    Such people were often relentless in achieving their goals.

    Lu Qing guessed that since the failed attack on the Wei family, Wang Cangyi had probably been guarding the city, sensing anyone from the Wei familying or going.

    ¡°Master, can you defeat Wang Cangyi?¡± Lu Qing asked quietly.

    ¡°Afraid not,¡± the old doctor shook his head, ¡°This Precelestial has strong aura, and I¡¯m not good at fighting. In a real fight, I wouldn¡¯t be his match.¡±

    ¡°Not even with the techniques left by Senior Li?¡±

    ¡°Difficult. Your Master is dull-witted. I¡¯ve only practiced two of Senior Li¡¯s techniques and only grasped three or four-tenths of their mysteries, nowhere near these true Precelestial experts.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯ll have to dy until the Wei family¡¯s ancestores out.¡±

    Lu Qing felt troubled.

    But he believed

    that Wang Cangyi wouldn¡¯t act rashly.

    After all, he didn¡¯t know that Master wasn¡¯t good at fighting.

    With another Precelestial from the Wei family watching, he wouldn¡¯t easily provoke another conflict with a Precelestial.

    Mago and the others, hearing the master-disciple conversation, were stunned.

    ¡°Old, old doctor, you¡¯re a Precelestial expert?¡±

    Mago stammered.

    ¡°Just lucky to break through to Precelestial, not an expert.¡± The old doctor shook his head.

    Mago¡¯s mouth gaped.

    He never thought the kind, amiable old doctor could be a Precelestial expert.

    Even though he knew the old doctor was an Internal Organs Realm martial artist, he never imagined he¡¯d silently be Precelestial.

    Mrs. Wei and her child couldn¡¯t believe that the old man who had been driving the cart was a legendary Precelestial expert.

    While Mago and the others were shocked, Wang Cangyi was displeased.

    He didn¡¯t expect that his goodwill would be ignored, as if they didn¡¯t take him seriously.

    However, thinking of Wei Shanhai in the city, he suppressed his anger.

    ¡°Sir, what do you think of my proposal? If you hand over the Wei mother and child, my Tian Cang Sect will reward you greatly.¡±

    This was Wang Cangyi¡¯s first public mention of his sect.

    Clearly, he was cautious about the mysterious Precelestial, hoping to intimidate him with the sect¡¯s name.

    Unfortunately, the old doctor didn¡¯t know what the Tian Cang Sect was.

    He shook his head, ¡°Forgive me, but I can¡¯tply. You have killing intent. These two children wouldn¡¯t end well in your hands.¡±

    ¡°So, you are determined to help the Wei family?¡±

    Wang Cangyi¡¯s eyes turned cold, his aura rising.

    He confirmed that the old doctor and his group were indeed helping the Wei family.

    Remembering his three dead disciples, his eyes grew colder.

    His tone was no longer polite: ¡°Old man, did you kill my disciples?¡±

    Feeling Wang Cangyi¡¯s rising aura, Lu Qing¡¯s heart shook. He stepped forward and shouted:

    ¡°Sir, do you intend to defy the Sacred Mountain¡¯s ban and attack us?¡±

    ¡°Impudent!¡±

    Seeing a mere Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist dare to shout at him, Wang Cangyi¡¯s eyes shed with fierceness, and his powerful aura pressed down on Lu Qing.

    Including everyone on the ox cart.

    The might of a Precelestial was extraordinary. Even being on the edge of his aura made Mrs. Wei and others feel ufortable, almost fainting.

    Fortunately, the old doctor waved his hand, a gentle aura covering them, blocking Wang Cangyi¡¯s pressure.

    Even so, Mrs. Wei and the others coughed loudly.

    Even the Tendons and Bones Realm Mago was flushed and terrified.

    It was his first time feeling the might of a Precelestial, and it was terrifying.

    ¡°Auntie, are you okay?¡±

    Xiao Yan, worried, patted her aunt¡¯s back to help her breathe.

    ¡°Auntie is fine¡­¡± Mrs. Wei shook her head, but soon felt something wrong, ¡°Xiao Yan, aren¡¯t you ufortable?¡±

    Seeing Xiao Yan looking concerned and unaffected, Mrs. Wei was stunned.

    ¡°No, but that uncle over there is scary. Xiao Yan doesn¡¯t like him.¡±

    Xiao Yan shook her head, frowning with dislike.

    Mrs. Wei was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Wang Cangyi was shocked to see his aura so easily neutralized by the old doctor.

    What surprised him more was that Lu Qing, who bore the brunt of his aura, stood there calmly, unaffected.

    ¡°How is this possible!¡±

    All the martial artists who saw this were shocked.

    Table of content

 Chapter 137

    At this moment, near the city gate, besides the disciples of the Tian Cang Sect, there were other martial artists present.

    They were the strongest from various forces within the city.

    Even the weakest among them were powerful martial artists close to mastering the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    Since learning about the decree that Precelestial beings must not harm those below their level, people''s awe towards Precelestial experts had diminished.

    Upon hearing that another Precelestial expert had arrived outside the city, they all rushed over.

    After all, it was rare to see a Precelestial expert up close. Observing and sensing the aura of a Precelestial might benefit their future cultivation.

    Unexpectedly, they saw Lu Qing withstand Wang Cangyi''s Precelestial aura without any change in expression.

    This left everyone in disbelief.

    A few days ago, they had personally felt how terrifying the pressure from Precelestial experts could be.Back then, during Wang Cangyi and Wei Shanhai''s confrontation, the entire county town seemed to tremble under their Precelestial pressure.

    How could the young man before them be unaffected?

    "It seems that Senior Wang truly disregards the Sacred Mountain''s decree. But I wonder if you can bear the consequences of breaking it?"

    Lu Qing looked at the figure on the city gate and said loudly.

    His calm demeanor left the other martial artists dumbfounded.

    This youth was incredibly bold, daring to question a Precelestial Grandmaster in public!

    Was he not afraid of provoking Wang Cangyi into killing him with a single strike?

    Wang Cangyi looked down at Lu Qing with cold eyes. Just as he was about to speak, he sensed two auras appearing on the nearby city wall.

    Turning his head, he saw the County Magistrate and a youth in in clothes standing not far away, watching.

    Seeing the calm look in the in-clothed youth''s eyes, Wang Cangyi''s expression changed, and he swallowed the harsh words he was about to utter.

    However, he could not suppress the anger in his heart.

    If not for the Tianji Tower disciple''s presence, he would have already started a massacre.

    But, unable to deal with the in-clothed youth did not mean he could not handle Lu Qing.

    "Kid, you have some guts and a bit of cleverness. A mere Tendons and Bones Realm dares to provoke me with words. Do you think the Sacred Mountain''s decree will stop me from dealing with you?"

    "No, you''re just courting death!"

    Wang Cangyi''s face was full of mockery, looking at Lu Qing as if he were a dead man.

    "Xiong''er, capture this kid for me. Don''t kill him yet; torture him well first!"

    "Yes, Master!"

    The robust man, his senior disciple, responded in a deep voice and stepped forward.

    "Master Zhiyue, this kid was disrespectful to me. Letting my senior disciple teach him a lesson doesn''t vite the Sacred Mountain''s decree, right?"

    Wang Cangyi turned to the in-clothed youth.

    "Of course not," the in-clothed youth shook his head.

    "And if the Precelestial below intervenes with my disciple, does that vite the decree?" Wang Cangyi asked again.

    "Yes!" The in-clothed youth replied expressionlessly.

    "Good, very good," Wang Cangyi nodded in satisfaction.

    He then called out, "Xiong''er, did you hear that? If the old man dares to make a move on you, your master will take care of him. Don''t worry."

    "Understood, Master!" the robust man responded loudly.

    Wang Cangyi and the in-clothed youth did not conceal their conversation, so almost all the martial artists heard them.

    Immediately, everyone looked at Lu Qing with pity.

    Who was the robust youth? He could spar with the head of the Wei family and was at the pinnacle of Postnatal martial artists, a Grandmaster in the Internal Organs Realm.

    Among everyone here, except for the two Precelestial experts and the mysterious Master Zhiyue, his cultivation was the highest.

    Lu Qing was merely a Tendons and Bones Realm martial artist. How could he possibly be a match for him?

    Moreover, his words to provoke Wang Cangyi were used against him, binding his only support.

    "Old doctor, what should we do now?"

    Seeing the robust man approaching step by step, feeling the strong Blood Qi emanating from him, Mago knew they could not deal with him.

    This robust man felt much stronger than the Internal Organs Realm expert they had encountered in the unnamed valley.

    "Aqing, step back."

    The old doctor could not bear to see his disciple suffer and was ready to act.

    However, Wang Cangyi, who had been watching closely, would not let this happen.

    Seeing the old doctor about to act, he immediately condensed a sword aura.

    "Old man, if you want to bully the young, don''t me me for being impolite!"

    As the powerful aura rose, just as Wang Cangyi was about to charge, Lu Qing stopped the old doctor.

    "Master, it''s not time for you to act yet. Let me handle this brute first."

    "But Aqing..."

    "Don''t worry, Master. I am confident. Even if I am not his match, I can retreat safely."

    Seeing the faint smile on his disciple''s face, the old doctor finally let go.

    He knew Lu Qing was always steady and rarely did anything without confidence.

    Although even he could not imagine how someone in the Tendons and Bones Realm could fight against someone in the Internal Organs Realm.

    But out of trust for his disciple, he decided to believe in Lu Qing.

    "Young Master Lu, are you going to fight that viin?"

    Mrs. Wei on the ox cart was shocked.

    "Someone needs to buy some time. But Madam, your Wei family''s reinforcements are too slow. We''ve been waiting for so long, and they haven''t shown up."

    Lu Qing said with a solemn expression.

    "I... I don''t know... Maybe something happened at the mansion that dyed them..."

    Mrs. Wei said with some shame.

    "Hopefully, the Wei family head can arrive soon. Otherwise, I may not be able to hold on for long." Lu Qing sighed.

    He removed the cover from the basket, handed it to Xiao Yan, and pulled his war de from the ox cart.

    "Xiao Li, protect Xiao Yan. If anyone tries to harm her, kill them without mercy."

    Mrs. Wei and her son were stunned, just about to ask who Xiao Li was, when they saw Lu Qing walking forward with his de.

    Only Mago, hearing Lu Qing''s words, was greatly shocked.

    He thought Lu Qing would fight the robust man with the mysterious creature that knew how to be invisible, as they did in the unnamed valley.

    But now it seemed he intended to let that mysterious creature protect Xiao Yan and fight alone!

    But he was only in the Tendons and Bones Realm. How could he possibly be a match for an Internal Organs Realm expert?

    Unfortunately, before Mago could stop him, Lu Qing had already walked far, leaving him anxious.

    Meanwhile, the martial artists near the city gate were equally astonished.

    Because they saw the young man not only didn''t run but also approached the robust man with his weapon.

    "Is this young man crazy? Does he want to fight an Internal Organs Realm Grandmaster?"

    "This kid is scared silly. Now the senior brother will tear him apart!"

    "Young and ignorant, can''t he see how strong his opponent is?"

    "Overestimating himself, this kid is dead for sure!"

    ...

    There was an uproar at the city gate, and the strong men on the city wall were equally surprised.

    Wang Cangyi''s face first showed a trace of surprise, then turned into a sneer.

    Indeed, he did not know his limits, thinking he was powerful because of some talent.

    Just as well, Xiong''er could capture him as a hostage.

    Then force the old man to hand over Mrs. Wei and her son.

    "Zhiyue, who is this young man? He''s so reckless!"

    The County Magistrate couldn''t help but ask his friend.

    "I don''t know either."

    The in-clothed youth shook his head, but there was a strange look in his eyes as he watched Lu Qing.

    Yesterday, when he saw Lu Qing at the Halfway House, he felt Lu Qing was somewhat special, always giving him a sense of being in a fog.

    But at that time, most of his attention was on the old doctor, so he didn''t pay much attention.

    Now it seemed that Lu Qing was probably more special than he imagined.

    The in-clothed youth''s mind moved, and a strange aura quietly emerged from his eyes.

    Under the gaze of many martial artists, Lu Qing walked up to the robust man.

    In his vision, information about the robust man appeared.

    Amidst the dense red light of supernatural power, several words were disyed.

    [Zhao Xiong: Disciple of Tian Cang Sect, senior disciple of Precelestial warrior Wang Cangyi, calm and mature in character.]

    [Cultivation: Postnatal Internal Organs Realm perfection, skilled in de techniques.]

    [Possesses a secret technique that can double hisbat power in a short time.]

    Seeing the information in his vision, Lu Qing was somewhat surprised.

    As another disciple of Wang Cangyi, this senior disciple''s character was unexpectedly not as bad.

    The previous ones he and Xiao Li had killed were not good people.

    "Kid, you have guts. If you kneel and beg for mercy now, I might ask my master to leave you a whole corpse."

    The robust man looked at Lu Qing with a hint of admiration.

    It was the first time he saw a Tendons and Bones Realm warrior brave enough to stand before him.

    Whether

    Lu Qing was arrogant or had something to rely on.

    Just the courage alone was enough for him to admire.

    "Thank you for the kindness, but I have a hard bone by nature and never beg for mercy. I''d rather die standing than live on my knees," Lu Qing smiled.

    "Good, you have guts. But I wonder if your strength is as hard as your bones."

    The robust man shouted, praising him.

    "What''s the use of talking so much? Let''s see the real skill. Seeing the war de on your back, you should also be a de master. Draw your de."

    Lu Qing said.

    "Against you, a Tendons and Bones Realm, I don''t need to draw my de. That would be a joke." The robust man grinned, "If you can force me to draw my de, I won''t need to ask my master. I can promise to leave you a whole corpse."

    "Is that so? Then I am grateful."

    Lu Qing smiled, his body slightly lowered, adopting a de technique stance.

    "But be careful, my de technique is not easy to counter with just your fists."

    As he finished speaking, a powerful killing intent surged from Lu Qing''s body.

    Then, with a tremor in the ground, Lu Qing''s figure disappeared from the spot. When he reappeared, he was already in front of the robust man.

    A bright de light, carrying a rolling killing intent, shed down towards the robust man''s head like a thunderbolt!

    "What?!"

    The robust man was greatly shocked.

    In an instant, he felt the profundity of Lu Qing''s de technique.

    Itpletely locked his surrounding space, giving him a feeling that no matter where he dodged, he would be hit.

    Sensing this unavoidable, deadly de intent, the robust man reflexively reached behind and drew his war de to counter the impending de light.

    ng!!

    A piercing sh of war des resounded. Under the powerful collision, air currents swirled, and both Lu Qing and the robust man were pushed back several steps.

    "See? I told you, my de technique is not easy to counter."

    Lu Qing looked at his de, which had a notch, unconcerned.

    He then looked at the robust man holding a long de, equally nicked, with a face of shock, and smiled.

    Table of content

 Chapter 138

    The burly man gripped his battle saber, looking at Lu Qing in shock.

    He couldn''t believe that he had been forced to draw his weapon with a single strike from Lu Qing.

    What shocked him even more was that Lu Qing''s saber technique was extremely advanced.

    It was so advanced that even he, a master of saber techniques, almost couldn''t block the intricate strike.

    The most important discovery was that Lu Qing''s burst of power was surprisingly strong.

    Although he hadn''t used his full strength when he hastily drew his saber earlier.

    But to be able to fight him to a draw, this strength had far surpassed the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    "Hmm?"

    Atop the city gate, Wang Cangyi, a Precelestial expert, couldn''t help but widen his eyes in disbelief."Saber intent? How is that possible?!"

    What he saw was that the boy''s saber technique faintly showed signs of breaking through the Postnatal limit and reaching the realm of "intent" that only Precelestial experts couldprehend!

    But how could this be possible!

    A mere Tendons and Bones Realm warrior, how could he possiblyprehend saber intent?

    "What the hell, what did I just see, is this boy so fierce that he forced a Postnatal master of the Internal Organs Realm to draw his saber with one strike?"

    The County Magistrate not far away almost jumped up.

    Even the young man in in clothes who had used a secret technique showed surprise in his eyes.

    He had never imagined that Lu Qing''s strength would be so formidable.

    A mere Tendons and Bones Realm warrior nearly caused a Postnatal master of the Internal Organs Realm to suffer a loss, even he couldn''t do that when he was in the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    As for the warriors watching the battle below the city gate, they were even more excited.

    "What! Senior Brother drew his saber?"

    "Did I see it wrong, was Senior Brother forced back by that boy''s strike?"

    "This boy''s saber technique is so murderous!"

    "What a terrifying saber technique!"

    ...

    Amidst the exmations, the burly man finally suppressed his shock and regained hisposure, his expression turning serious.

    "Excellent saber technique, no wonder you are so confident. In terms of saber techniques, I might be slightly inferior to you!"

    "You''re too kind," Lu Qing smiled.

    "Although I don''t know how you train, toprehend such a saber technique in the Tendons and Bones Realm, among all the saber wielders I''ve met, you are undoubtedly the best in terms of talent."

    The burly man spoke solemnly, no longer daring to underestimate Lu Qing, already cing him on the same level as himself.

    "However, no matter how high your technique, it still needs power to support it. Next, I will use my full strength. I hope you won''t disappoint me. It''s rare to meet a true saber master; I don''t want to kill you in just a few moves!"

    The burly man rapidly circted his Qi and blood, his aura rising sharply, directly using a burst-type secret technique!

    "As you wish."

    Seeing the burly man use his burst-type secret technique without hesitation, Lu Qing''s expression turned serious.

    Not daring to be careless, he focused his mind, and a small runeposed of soul power began to glow faintly at the center of his brow, illuminating his entire body.

    As the soul rune lit up, Lu Qing immediately felt an incredibly tight connection between his consciousness and his body.

    All the power within his body waspletely under his control.

    He could at any time and any ce, unleash the full potential of his body and exert the greatest power.

    "Every time I use this secret technique, I can''t help but marvel at how miraculous the way of runes is."

    Feeling the surging power within him, which was entirely under his control, Lu Qing admired inwardly.

    The soul rune at the center of his brow was the greatest result of his diligent cultivation these past days.

    It was not a martial art, but a method of the way of runes.

    The first step in rune cultivation is to calm the mind and purify the heart, observing the patterns of all things in heaven and earth.

    After reaching entry level and cultivating one''s own soul power, one can enter the next stage of cultivation.

    This is also the stage where rune practitioners begin to cultivate methods unique to the way of runes.

    In this stage, rune practitioners mainly do one thing.

    That is, to outline and refine their own natal rune at the brow chakra using soul power.

    Once the natal rune is formed, it can draw upon the elemental mist of heaven and earth, refining the rune and ascending to an extremely marvelous realm.

    By then, rune practitioners truly be powerful.

    Of course, Lu Qing''s current soul power was still very weak, far from being able to refine his natal rune.

    His hard cultivation over these days had only managed to condense a core rune that forms the basis of a natal rune.

    But even this core rune possessed quite miraculous abilities.

    It greatly enhanced his control over his body and perfectly concealed the fluctuations of soul power at his brow chakra.

    Previously, the young man in in clothes couldn''t tell he had cultivated soul power because of the existence of this soul rune.

    Originally, Lu Qing didn''t want to use this bottom-line method so early.

    But the burly man across from him had already used his burst-type secret technique. If he didn''t go all out, he might really be defeated in a few moves.

    Given Lu Qing''s physical fitness, far superior to that of an ordinary Tendons and Bones Realm warrior, low-level burst-type secret techniques like Explosive Qi Technique were no longer useful to him.

    Those crude methods of circting Qi and blood couldn''t deeply stimte his body and unleash its potential.

    Even if he used it, it wouldn''t add much strength.

    Inparison, reflecting his whole body with the soul rune allowed him to freely unleash his potential, bursting out all his power without harming his body.

    Unlike other burst-type secret techniques, which always leave a period of weakness after use, making it impossible to use the technique again for a while.

    Lu Qing''s secret technique could be used as long as his soul power could support it, without exhausting his body.

    To Lu Qing, this was the perfect burst-type secret technique.

    Therefore, he called it the Perfect Burst!

    Although it took long to exin, it all happened in an instant.

    After the burly man used his burst-type secret technique, Lu Qing also activated his soul rune.

    Almost simultaneously, a powerful aura surged from both of them, startling all the Postnatal warriors watching.

    A disciple of Tian Cang Sect showed a shocked expression: "Senior Brother used a burst-type secret technique?"

    What made him even more unbelievable was that even after using the secret technique, Senior Brother''s aura didn''t seem to overwhelm the boy opposite.

    "Good, very good!"

    The burly man felt the aura from Lu Qing and, although he didn''t understand how the other could burst out such strength, his battle intent was boiling, and he couldn''t bother to think about it.

    He swung his long saber, and the ground under his feet cracked instantly. In the next moment, his body moved from extreme stillness to extreme motion, appearing before Lu Qing like shing lightning.

    The long saber in his hand carried the sound of muffled thunder, leaving afterimages as it shed towards Lu Qing.

    "Take my Thunder Saber Technique!"

    Facing the burly man''s powerful and swift strike, Lu Qing remained unflustered, his expression steady, shing back with his own saber.

    He chose to meet the attack head-on, adopting a strategy of mutual destruction!

    However, in a split second, the burly man sensed something was wrong.

    Lu Qing''s sh, which seemed to aim for mutual destruction, was actually extremely clever, striking precisely at the w in his saber technique.

    If he didn''t change his move, there was only one oue: before his saber could strike Lu Qing, his wrist would hit the de, leading to aplete defeat, perhaps even death.

    What incredible insight!

    The burly man was amazed, more convinced that Lu Qing''s saber technique was indeed superior to his.

    To be able to perceive the w in his move in such a short time was something he had never encountered since perfecting his Thunder Saber Technique.

    However, although his w was exposed, the burly man was, after all, a master of the Internal Organs Realm.

    His saber technique had also reached a masterful level of harmony and subtlety.

    His control over the saber was effortless, and he naturally wouldn''t be defeated so easily.

    He turned his arm, and the long saber in his hand changed direction, shing towards Lu Qing''s saber.

    If my technique isn''t as good as yours, I''ll suppress you with strength!

    The burly man''s eyes widened, his Qi and blood explodedyer byyer, and he elerated his saber to its peak, striking Lu Qing''s de!

    Zheng!!

    Another ear-piercing sh of weapons resounded.

    The energy burst forth, but this time neither of them retreated. Instead, they stood firmly rooted, their bodies slightly pausing before engaging in battle again.

    Saber light flickered, murderous intent filled the air.

    Countless saber shadows appeared around Lu Qing and the burly man, then vanished.

    The asional sh of sabers was sharp and loud, sending chills down the spines of those who heard it.

    One had the advantage of strength, while the other had superior technique.

    For a while, neither could overpower the other.

    But to the surrounding warriors, this scene was utterly shocking.

    Table of content

 Chapter 139

    "I... I didn''t see it wrong, did I? That kid can actually fight the senior brother to this extent?"

    "The senior brother, who has unleashed the explosive secret technique, still can''t suppress that kid?"

    "Is this kid really just at the Tendons and Bones Realm?"

    ...

    All the martial artists watching the battle between Lu Qing and the burly man could not hide their inner shock.

    By now, under Lu Qing''s full outburst, everyone could see that Lu Qing''s cultivation level was indeed still at the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    But precisely because of this, everyone''s hearts were even more shocked.

    Because they couldn''t imagine how Lu Qing managed to fight a martial arts master of the Internal Organs Realm to a standstill with a Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation.

    If it were only that his de technique was at a high level, it could be exined by saying Lu Qing had an extraordinary talent in de arts, grasping a realm far beyond ordinary de users in advance.But cultivation is something real and tangible, without any room for trickery.

    Normally, no matter how strong a Tendons and Bones Realm is, it shouldn''t be able to be a match for a grandmaster level expert at the Internal Organs Realm.

    The difference in cultivation alone means they are not on the same level.

    Yet here, Lu Qing brokemon sense, fighting a martial arts master with a Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation to a draw.

    This left many martial artists not only shocked but also puzzled.

    "It''s actually de intent. Although it''s just a hint of de intent, it''s enough to suppress Wang Cangyi, the senior disciple, in de arts. But, what is with this boy''s body? How can it be so strong, exploding for so long without losing momentum?"

    On the city gate, the young man in coarse clothes had a hint of strange energy in his eyes, observing the battle below.

    He was secretly shocked.

    He didn''t expect that this boy, whom he had met once, had such terrifying martial arts talent.

    To be able toprehend de intent at the Tendons and Bones Realm stage, even if it''s just a hint of de intent, is still enough to defy the heavens.

    What he couldn''t understand more was that Lu Qing''s body was also unexpectedly strong, being able to fight the burly martial arts master for so long without falling behind.

    Even the true disciples of the top sects in Central State might find it difficult to achieve this.

    Perhaps only the heirs of those few mysterious ces could do such monstrous things.

    The young man in coarse clothes moved his gaze to the side.

    He saw that Wang Cangyi''s face had already turned ashen, his eyes gloomy, not knowing what he was thinking.

    He became wary, secretly on guard.

    "Old doctor, when did Brother Lu Qing''s strength be so powerful?"

    By the ox cart, Mago asked stammeringly.

    He had always known that Lu Qing was very strong, not to be viewed as an ordinary Tendons and Bones Realm.

    In the unnamed valley, he had once forced back an Internal Organs Realm expert with one de strike.

    But at that time, it was only because Lu Qing''s de technique was superb and caught the opponent by surprise.

    In a real fight, when facing the outburst of an Internal Organs Realm expert, he still had to avoid the sharp edge.

    How long had it been, and he could already fight an Internal Organs Realm grandmaster head-on without losing?

    This speed of strength growth was simply too frightening.

    "I don''t know either." The old doctor shook his head, "I never interfere with A''Qing''s cultivation, nor do I know when his strength reached this level."

    As for Wei Zian and Mrs. Wei on the side, they were already dumbfounded.

    They never thought that the usually gentle and mild Lu Qing would be so terrifying inbat.

    Just as everyone was shocked by this rare battle.

    The fight between Lu Qing and the burly man changed again.

    ng!!!

    The two battle des shed once more.

    However, this time, the already scarred des couldn''t withstand the power of the two, and the des shattered.

    Only the hilts with a small piece of the de remained in their hands.

    "Not good!"

    Mago was startled, about to throw his long de.

    But Lu Qing and the burly man tacitly threw away their hilts.

    Bare-handed, they charged at each other.

    "Come on!"

    "Just what I wanted!"

    The two were so excited that they decided to fight with their fists and feet again.

    Roar!

    This time, it was Lu Qing who took the initiative.

    He moved like a dragon and a tiger, every step shaking the solid ground.

    His blood and qi surged, faint tiger roars emanated from his body.

    In the blink of an eye, he reached the burly man and punched.

    With this punch, the surrounding air waspletely disturbed, producing a whistling sound.

    The air on the fist couldn''t disperse in time due to the rapid speed, condensing into an explosive air mass, carrying an extremely powerful force, and sted towards the burly man!

    So fierce?!

    Seeing Lu Qing''s ferocious punch, the burly man''s eyelids twitched.

    He originally thought that after losing the de, Lu Qing, bare-handed, would not be his match.

    After all, he had been training in the sect for many years. Besides his proudest de technique, his fist and foot skills were also quite good.

    In a contest, even the third junior brother might not be able to surpass him.

    Although Lu Qing, as a young man, had unparalleled talent in de arts,prehending the de realm of a grandmaster in advance.

    His fist and foot skills should be inferior.

    But now, feeling the momentum of Lu Qing''s punch, the burly man realized he was wrong, very wrong.

    Lu Qing''s fist technique was far superior to his!

    However, it was toote to realize this.

    In a sh, Lu Qing''s fist reached him.

    Vaguely, the burly man instinctively felt that he couldn''t retreat from this punch.

    If he retreated, the initiative would instantly be in Lu Qing''s hands.

    With Lu Qing''s mastery in fist techniques and his current unstoppable momentum.

    If he lost the initiative, it would be extremely difficult to regain it.

    He might not be able to turn the tables until he was defeated.

    To maintain the initiative, he had to take it head-on!

    In a sh, the burly man made his decision.

    Lu Qing''s strength was slightly inferior to his.

    As long as he could withstand the attack, he would have a chance to counterattack when Lu Qing''s momentum waned!

    With the decision made, the burly man steadied his horse stance, firmly stood his ground, and crossed his arms to block Lu Qing''s fist.

    Boom!!

    Under the watchful eyes of the martial artists, Lu Qing''s tiger-roaring punch, without any fancy tricks, smashed into the burly man''s crossed arms.

    The immense force exploded instantly, twisting the surrounding atmosphere, making the figures of thebatants blurry.

    The crowd vaguely saw the burly man''s figure retreat a step under Lu Qing''s punch.

    But his stance wasn''t broken, still firmly rooted!

    But it wasn''t over!

    Seeing the burly man retreat, Lu Qing pressed forward, stepping forward, his shoes instantly tearing, the ground beneath his feet twisting like soft dough.

    Drawing strength from the ground, with a tiger''s roar, Lu Qing punched again.

    The burly man had no choice but to block again.

    Boom!!

    This punchnded, and the force exploded, making the burly man retreat another step.

    Lu Qing stepped forward again and punched.

    Boom, boom, boom...

    Like this, every step the burly man took back, Lu Qing advanced with a punch.

    Finally, on the ninth punch, Lu Qing stopped, no longer attacking.

    The burly man also stood still, maintaining his defensive posture.

    At this point, both Lu Qing and the burly man were steaming, white mist swirling around them.

    This was the steam from sweat due to the high temperature generated by their powerful blood and qi.

    The ground around them was a mess, full of pits and hollows, no longer t.

    "What is this fist technique?"

    Suddenly, the burly man asked.

    "Fierce Tiger Fist." Lu Qing replied.

    "Fierce Tiger Fist, a good name, fierce like a world-dominating tiger, worthy of a grandmaster-level fist technique!"

    "To be defeated by such a fist master, I have noints."

    The burly man finished speaking, and a mouthful of blood mist he couldn''t suppress spurted out, his body falling backward.

    Under Lu Qing''s continuous bombardment, his blood and qi had been scattered.

    His internal organs were severely injured, unable to fight any longer.

    Lu Qing looked at the fallen burly man and turned to leave.

    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to deliver a final blow, but after this fierce fight, his strength was also nearly exhausted.

    Moreover, the moment the burly man was defeated, he felt a faint killing intent lingering around him.

    It was a warning from Wang Cangyi.

    He was sure that if he dared to kill the burly man, Wang Cangyi would attack him without hesitation.

    At that time, whether he could kill the burly man or not, he didn''t know.

    But the situation would undoubtedly be uncontroble.

    No one knew what a Precelestial master who had lost his mind would do.

    Wow!

    Seeing the burly man fall and Lu Qing turn to leave.

    The martial artists watching couldn''t suppress their shock any longer, and the crowd erupted.

    "Am I dreaming? That boy actually defeated a martial arts grandmaster?"

    "Tendons and Bones Realm defeating Internal Organs Realm perfection, can such a thing really happen?"

    "The boy''s fist technique is also so formidable?"

    The martial artists

    couldn''t believe their eyes, wondering if they were dreaming.

    As for the disciples of Tian Cang Sect, they were all disheartened, almost not believing their eyes: "Senior brother, lost?"

    "This boy, this boy..."

    On the city wall, the County Magistrate looked at Lu Qing''s figure, wanting to say something.

    But his mouth trembled for a long time, unable to find words to express his shock.

    Even the young man in coarse clothes was slightly open-mouthed, somewhat losingposure.

    After a while, he exhaled deeply.

    "Indeed, heroes emerge from the youth. This boy probably qualifies for the Hidden Dragon List."

    "What? Zhiyue, you say he can make it onto the Hidden Dragon List?" The County Magistrate was shocked.

    "Why, do you think he doesn''t qualify?" The young man in coarse clothes retorted.

    The County Magistrate looked at the fallen burly man, then reacted.

    "Indeed, with a Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation, defeating an Internal Organs Realm grandmaster head-on, such a record, if not qualifying for the Hidden Dragon List, would be a joke."

    On the side, Wang Cangyi, who had been sullen, became even more unsightly hearing their conversation.

    "What, Zhiyue, you want to put this person on the Hidden Dragon List?"

    "Whether he can be on the Hidden Dragon List is not for me to decide. But I will report this battle as it happened to the headquarters of Tianji Tower. Whether the boy qualifies for the Hidden Dragon List will be decided by the headquarters." The young man in coarse clothes smiled.

    But Wang Cangyi''s face became even more grim hearing this.

    Once the young man reported this battle to Tianji Tower, the whole world would know that his disciple Wang Cangyi was defeated by an unknown Tendons and Bones Realm boy.

    The trouble was, if that boy made it onto the Hidden Dragon List, many powerful sects would likely extend an olive branch to him.

    At that time, it would be even harder for him to regain his reputation.

    Wang Cangyi''s killing intent arose again.

    But seeing the calm face of the young man, he ultimately suppressed it.

    But in his heart, his desire for that treasure of the Wei family grew stronger.

    If he could get that treasure, breaking through to Precelestial in the future, why would he need to fear this small Tianji Tower and endure this humiliation?

    Anything that displeased him could be killed!

    Not to mention this little true disciple of Tianji Tower, even the master of Tianji Tower could be trampled to death!

    Thinking of this, Wang Cangyi''s determination to seize the Wei family''s treasure grew stronger, regardless of the cost.

    "Senior brother, senior brother!"

    The disciples of Tian Cang Sect ran to the burly man, checking his injuries.

    But the burly man only looked up at the sky.

    He was wrong, thinking that as long as he endured Lu Qing''s attack, he could find a w to counterattack.

    But he didn''t expect Lu Qing''s stamina to be so longsting.

    In the end, it wasn''t Lu Qing who was exhausted, but his secret technique reached its limit, his blood and qi scattered.

    What kind of monster is this boy, his stamina as a Tendons and Bones Realm is even more exaggerated than his Internal Organs Realm perfection.

    "Senior brother, are you alright? Don''t scare us!"

    A disciple of Tian Cang Sect, seeing the burly man not responding, was almost crying.

    "I''m fine, just help me back."

    The burly man suddenly spoke weakly.

    Immediately, a disciple stepped forward to help him up.

    Just as they returned to the city gate, a jade bottle fell in front of the burly man.

    At the same time, a cold voice came from above: "Useless thing, take it!"

    "Master..."

    The burly man held the jade bottle, feeling ashamed.

    As for the disciples of Tian Cang Sect, hearing the second elder''s cold voice, they shivered, not daring to speak.

    "Brother!"

    Unlike the disheartened disciples of Tian Cang Sect, on the ox cart side, Lu Qing received a hero''s wee.

    Xiao Yan saw Lu Qing return and immediately jumped on him.

    "How is it, isn''t brother amazing?"

    Lu Qing caught her, smiling.

    "Amazing, very amazing, brother is the best!"

    Xiao Yan''s little head nodded like a pecking chicken, her eyes full of stars.

    "Little doctor Lu, you''re amazing!"

    Wei Zian also looked at Lu Qing with admiration.

    "Brother Lu Qing, you... you actually defeated a martial arts grandmaster?"

    Mago was so excited that his mouth was trembling.

    "As long as youe back safely, as long as youe back safely!"

    Mrs. Wei was relieved and happy.

    "A''Qing, are you hurt?" The old doctor asked.

    "No, but my strength is almost exhausted. Next, I''ll have to rely on you, master." Lu Qing replied.

    "It''s alright, you rest. Although I can''t fight, I can protect you all." The old doctor, perhaps stimted by his disciple''s fight, was unusually spirited.

    "Then we''ll rely on you, master."

    Lu Qing nodded, took out a jade bottle, poured out a Blood Replenishing and Qi-boosting Pill, and swallowed it to recover his strength.

    "Senior Wang, what do you n to do next, still not willing to give up?"

    On the city wall, the young man in coarse clothes asked indifferently.

    "Give up? Haha, Wang Cangyi''s dictionary has never had the word give up." Wang Cangyiughed, "Zhiyue, if you want me to give up, you might as well persuade Wei Shanhai. As long as he is willing to hand over the thing, I will naturally leave."

    "So, Senior Wang is determined not to give up?"

    "Why should I give up? I still have dozens of disciples here, and that boy is exhausted. As long as I give the order, who can stop us?"

    The young man in coarse clothes was speechless.

    Indeed, that was his concern.

    As long as Wang Cangyi was shameless enough to let his disciples besiege Lu Qing and others, the old doctor would definitely intervene.

    But that would give Wang Cangyi an excuse to act.

    This ce wasn''t inside the city, so the restrictions were greatly weakened.

    Even if Wang Cangyi initiated a Precelestial-level battle, as long as he didn''t deliberately ughter ordinary martial artists, even the Sacred Mountain would find it difficult to deal with him.

    After all, in this world, strength still reigned supreme.

    Even the Sacred Mountain wouldn''t punish a Precelestial master for a minor issue.

    Just as the young man in coarse clothes was anxiously thinking, suddenly, his expression changed, looking outside the city.

    On the side, Wang Cangyi''s face lit up with joy.

    "Hahaha, Wei Shanhai, you dare to leave the city?"

    Before the words fell, Wang Cangyi''s figure had disappeared from the city gate.

    The next moment, a terrifying Precelestial pressure descended upon the martial artists.

    Table of content

 Chapter 140

    Not long ago, at a section of the city wall some distance from the gate.

    Two figures were also paying close attention to themotion at the city gate: Wei Shanhai and Wei Xinghe.

    The position they chose was quite clever.

    It was at a corner, avoiding Wang Cangyi''s line of sight and just outside his precelestial sensing range.

    The sensing of qi between precelestial realms also had its limits.

    Beyond a certain distance, it could no longer be sensed.

    If one deliberately restrained their qi, this distance could even be shortened to around a hundred meters.

    Having grown up in Cang County, Wei Shanhai was intimately familiar with the city¡¯syout.

    Finding a spot that avoided Wang Cangyi''s sight and senses while observing the gate was naturally not difficult.Thus, while everyone wondered why the Wei family hadn''t appeared.

    They were unaware that Wei Shanhai and Wei Xinghe had long been on the city wall, lying in wait.

    As a result, they too witnessed the battle between Lu Qing and the burly man.

    Shocked, they also saw an opportunity.

    The burly man was seriously injured, and the Tian Cang Sect had temporarily lost a master-levelbatant.

    Now was the best time to retrieve Ningyan and Zian.

    After a brief discussion, the two moved, rushing out from the corner towards the ox cart.

    However, their momentum immediately caught Wang Cangyi''s attention.

    He leaped down from the city gate, sword pointing at Wei Shanhai.

    "Xinghe, quick, I can only hold him off for half a quarter of an hour!"

    Sensing Wang Cangyi''s full force, Wei Shanhai''s face changed, and he used a soft palm to send Wei Xinghe towards the ox cart.

    Simultaneously, his own aura exploded skyward.

    ¡°Hahaha, Wang Cangyi, our century-long feud should be settled today. Let me see what progress you''ve made over these hundred years!¡±

    Laughing heartily, Wei Shanhai faced the airborne Wang Cangyi, a long saber suddenly appearing in his hand, shing down.

    A fiery red de qi tore through the air towards Wang Cangyi.

    At the same time, he roared, ¡°Silver Moon Guards, form up and charge!¡±

    His voice echoed for ten miles, clearly heard throughout the county.

    The head steward of the Wei residence, upon hearing this, straightened his expression.

    He pointed his spear forward, ¡°Men, charge with me!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The gates of the Wei residence opened, and led by the head steward, the Silver Moon Guards rode out like a silver dragon, swiftly heading towards the city gate.

    In just over ten breaths, they had reached the gate.

    ¡°Those who block us will die!¡±

    Seeing some Tian Cang Sect disciples still blocking the gate, the head steward¡¯s eyes gleamed fiercely. His qi linked with the Silver Moon Guards behind him, and his spear shook as he charged forward.

    The momentum from the charge had been umting, and nowbined with the battle formation, the power of this spear reached its peak.

    Even a martial arts master at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm would struggle to withstand it.

    The Tian Cang Sect disciples blocking the gate, the strongest among them just having entered the Internal Organs Realm, didn''t dare face this terrifying charge. They scrambled aside, giving way.

    Those who were slow were sent flying with a casual flick from the head steward, coughing blood, bones shattered, their lives uncertain.

    In an instant, the head steward and the Silver Moon Guards had burst through the gate, reaching the outside.

    ¡°Why was it so easy to get out?¡±

    The head steward, smoothly out of the city gate, felt a bit puzzled.

    Having been on standby in the residence, he was unaware of the situation outside.

    But the anticipated resistance did not appear.

    The martial arts master who had once fought him also did not make a move.

    This made him uneasy.

    ¡°Could it be a trap?¡±

    Just as the head steward raised his vignce.

    He suddenly felt a wave of qi and pressureing from ahead.

    His steed neighed in shock.

    He quickly looked forward to see two figures fighting.

    Red saber light and white sword qi intertwined, and the asional sh of their powers made everyone¡¯s hearts tremble.

    ¡°Ancestor!¡±

    Recognizing thebatants, the head steward eximed.

    ¡°Don''t mind me, first escort Ningyan and the others into the city!¡±

    Wei Shanhai shouted.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    In no time, the head steward had spotted Mrs. Wei and the others, adjusted his spear, and led the Silver Moon Guards towards the ox cart.

    At the ox cart, Mrs. Wei and Wei Zian were in the midst of a joyous reunion.

    ¡°Father!¡±

    Seeing Wei Xinghe, Wei Zian rushed over.

    Mrs. Wei, eyes brimming with tears, looked at her husband.

    ¡°Good, very good, you¡¯re all safe.¡±

    Wei Xinghe, though equally emotional, knew now was not the time for words.

    Hearing the approaching hoofbeats, he bowed deeply to Lu Qing and the others.

    ¡°Thank you for escorting my wife and children safely. Please follow us back to the residence so that I may properly express my gratitude.¡±

    Just then, the head steward and the Silver Moon Guards surrounded the ox cart, protecting it.

    Mago looked at Lu Qing.

    Having just finished adjusting his breath, Lu Qing smiled, ¡°It would be impolite to refuse. Master, let¡¯s enter the city.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    The old doctor nodded.

    Gently guiding the ox, he drove the cart towards the city gate.

    ¡°Lu Xiangjun! Mago, Miss Xiaoyan?¡±

    The head steward, upon seeing the familiar faces, eximed.

    Even Xiaoyan was on the cart.

    And the old man driving the cart, though wearing a bamboo hat, was clearly the old doctor, whom Lu Qing called master.

    The head steward¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil.

    If not for maintaining the Silver Moon Formation, he would have demanded an exnation.

    The old doctor, driving the ox cart, increased the speed by sending a burst of precelestial qi into the ox.

    With this boost, the ox moved like it had consumed a powerful tonic, galloping towards the city gate.

    However, just as they were halfway there, a figure crashed heavily in front of Lu Qing and the others¡ªWei Shanhai.

    ¡°Ancestor!¡±

    Wei Xinghe and the others cried out in shock.

    Hadn¡¯t the ancestor said he could hold on for half a quarter of an hour? How long had it been?

    Wei Shanhai was now in a sorry state.

    His hair was disheveled, his clothes tattered, and he had several deep wounds.

    ¡°Hahaha, Wei Shanhai, your injuries haven¡¯t healed. You¡¯re using qi to suppress the sword qi I left in your heart. In such a state, you can¡¯t even use thirty percent of your strength. How can you be my match?¡±

    Wang Cangyi, sword in hand, walked over step by step.

    The terrifying precelestial pressure oppressed everyone.

    And he was unscathed, his clothes intact.

    ¡°Hmph! If not for your sneak attack that day, how could you be my match? Despicable! To think I once called you brother, it makes me sick!¡±

    Despite his severe injuries, Wei Shanhai sneered.

    ¡°Stop ttering yourself. You never won against me back then. Even at your peak, you couldn¡¯t beat me. Besides, the winner takes all. If I have a more efficient way to defeat you, why not use it?¡±

    Wang Cangyi''s expression remained calm, unmoved by his former friend¡¯s words.

    ¡°In the end, you feared I had mastered that thing, so you dared only to ambush. It¡¯s my fault for foolishly hoping you remembered our old friendship, when you never changed, always the hypocrite.¡±

    Wei Shanhai scoffed.

    ¡°Enough talk. Will you hand it over?¡±

    Wang Cangyi no longer wished to argue, demanding coldly.

    ¡°Dream on. You¡¯ll never get it. I¡¯d rather die than give it to you!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill you and wipe out your Wei family. I¡¯ll find it myself!¡±

    Wang Cangyi¡¯s eyes turned ruthless. He raised his hand, and a fierce sword qi shot towards Wei Shanhai.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you dodge this!¡±

    Behind Wei Shanhai was the entire Silver Moon Formation and Mrs. Wei and the others.

    If he dodged, the sword qi would destroy the formation, causing unknown casualties.

    Understanding this, Wei Shanhai smiled bitterly.

    He had no choice.

    Gathering his qi, he formed a red saber light.

    But he knew it couldn¡¯t block Wang Cangyi''s full-power sword qi.

    He started channeling the qi that was suppressing the sword qi in his heart into the saber light.

    This would make the sword qi in his heart erupt, destroying his heart.

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±

    Just then, a hand pressed against Wei Shanhai¡¯s back.

    A gentle qi entered, calming the sword qi in his heart.

    At the same time, water vapor swirled, a transparent stream appearing before Wei Shanhai, meeting the white sword qi.

    The fierce white sword qi, encountering the water stream, was trapped like a fish in a, unable to escape.

    Under the swirling water¡¯s grinding, the sword qi shattered and dissipated.

    This sudden turn shocked everyone.

    Even Wang Cangyi''s pupils contracted.

    ¡°The old doctor?!¡±

    Mrs. Wei and the others eximed.

    The old doctor, who had been on the ox cart, was now behind Wei Shanhai.

    One hand on Wei Shanhai''s back, the other pointing forward.

    The water stream had been his doing.

    ¡°Sir, your heart is injured. Don¡¯t force your

    qi, or your heart won¡¯t withstand it.¡±

    After stabilizing Wei Shanhai¡¯s almost erupting injury, the old doctor removed his hand, speaking gently.

    ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡±

    Wei Shanhai looked at the old doctor, stunned. After several breaths, he reacted, quickly thanking him.

    His shock was indescribable.

    Not only had the old doctor effortlessly neutralized Wang Cangyi¡¯s full-force sword qi.

    But he had also suppressed the sword qi in his heart with ease.

    Saving a person and countering an enemy.

    The realm and bearing the old doctor disyed in that instant.

    Made Wei Shanhai feel like he was looking up at a mountain.

    Yet, he sensed the old doctor¡¯s qi was much weaker than his.

    The old doctor suddenly seemed shrouded in mystery, bing unfathomable.

    Wang Cangyi felt simrly.

    He hadn¡¯t expected his near-full-strength sword qi to be neutralized by someone weaker than him.

    And the old doctor didn¡¯t seem strained.

    Wang Cangyi''s dread of the old doctor soared.

    ¡°Are you determined to be my enemy?¡±

    Wang Cangyi¡¯s face darkened, his voice heavy.

    ¡°I have no desire for enmity. I only hope you¡¯ll show mercy and avoid unnecessary ughter.¡±

    The old doctor spoke sincerely.

    ¡°My feud with the Wei family is irreconcble. If you won¡¯t step aside, you¡¯re my enemy. I¡¯ll kill you too!¡±

    At this point, Wang Cangyi wouldn¡¯t listen. Seeing the old doctor persist, his killing intent surged.

    His gaze turned cold, his precelestial qi rapidly circting, his aura skyrocketing, suffocating everyone.

    Under this terrifying pressure, Wang Cangyi swung his sword, a torrent of sword qi engulfing the old doctor and Wei Shanhai.

    This time, Wang Cangyi truly unleashed his full power.

    Determined to crush the old doctor.

    Facing this torrent of precelestial sword qi, the old doctor¡¯s expression grew serious. Forming a sword with his fingers, he slowly thrust forward.

    As he did, the surrounding elemental mist surged, water vapor appeared, countless water droplets forming.

    ¡°Still.¡±

    With a softmand, the space seemed to freeze.

    The water droplets and sword qi were immobilized.

    ¡°Break!¡±

    With anothermand, the water droplets turned into swords, meeting the sword qi, neutralizing and dissolving each other.

    When all the sword qi vanished, the water vapor dissipated, the sky cleared, and everything returned to calm.

    As if nothing had happened.

    But everyone knew it had been real.

    The terrifying precelestial power still loomed in their minds.

    Everyone was astounded by the old doctor¡¯s miraculous means.

    Wang Cangyi was in disbelief.

    Muttering, ¡°Precelestial Domain, transforming illusion into reality, how is this possible?¡±

    Table of content

 Chapter 141

    Wei Shanhai was equally stunned by the scene before him.

    The old doctor¡¯s technique to freeze the sword qi was somewhat reminiscent of the legendary Precelestial Domain.

    But the Precelestial Domain was usually only essible to the pinnacle of experts who had reached the perfection of the Precelestial stage.

    Moreover, the power disyed by the old doctor seemed much smaller inparison.

    It was said that a true Precelestial Domain, once unfolded, could control everything within it.

    If that were the case, annihting Wang Cangyi¡¯s sword qi would be a mere thought.

    There would be no need to freeze it first and then gradually grind it away.

    Nevertheless, the old doctor¡¯s disy was still beyond what the initial Precelestial stage should possess.

    So, both the two Precelestial experts and the young man on the city wall werepletely shocked.As for the other martial artists, they were long since dumbfounded.

    When had they ever seen such a miraculous method? This had surpassed their understanding of martial arts.

    ¡°Master¡¯s martial talent is indeed extraordinary.¡±

    Lu Qing, seeing his master break Wang Cangyi¡¯s full-force killing move with one strike, nodded silently.

    Among all the martial artists, he was probably the only one not too surprised by this scene.

    Having his own special abilities, he had long known that his master had grasped a hint of the Precelestial Domain.

    After all, the techniques his master practiced were left behind by Li Weitian, who had perfected the Precelestial stage.

    Techniques valued by such an unparalleled expert couldn¡¯t be simple.

    However, since Lu Qing hadn¡¯t reached the Precelestial stage, he was unsure if a hint of the domain¡¯s power could contend with someone like Wang Cangyi, who had been immersed in the Precelestial stage for many years.

    Now it seemed that even a hint of the domain¡¯s power was beyond what an ordinary initial Precelestial stage could handle.

    ¡°Do you still wish to fight?¡±

    After breaking Wang Cangyi¡¯s sword qi, the old doctor secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling more confident.

    ¡°Who exactly are you, sir?¡±

    Wang Cangyi looked at the old doctor, a sense of fear arising in his heart, and his tone became respectful.

    Toprehend the domain at the initial Precelestial stage, he couldn¡¯t be an ordinary Precelestial expert.

    Such monsters only existed in the topmost forces.

    Realizing that he might have offended such a force, Wang Cangyi¡¯s heart trembled.

    Though the Tian Cang Sect was not weak, it couldn¡¯tpare to those truly top-tier forces standing tall in the world.

    Facing such ancient and deeply rooted legacies, they were still far inferior.

    ¡°Who I am doesn¡¯t matter. I came here merely to ask you to show mercy and not to engage in wanton killing.¡±

    Wang Cangyi¡¯s face turned grim.

    He had put so much effort into cornering the Wei family, losing three of his direct disciples in the process. How could he be willing to give up now?

    But looking at the calm old doctor and the vignt Wei Shanhai beside him, Wang Cangyi knew that, despite his unwillingness, he had to ept the reality.

    He no longer had the power to destroy the Wei family.

    If he continued to fight, he might even end up dead.

    At this moment, Wang Cangyi suddenly regretted.

    When he came to Cang County, a sect elder had expressed a desire to cooperate with him.

    He had rejected the elder¡¯s offer to monopolize the treasure, thinking he could control the situation himself.

    If he had agreed to cooperate, the Wei family would have long been under his control, avoiding the currentplications.

    But it was toote for regrets now.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you face, sir. Let¡¯s go, Xiong¡¯er!¡±

    However, Wang Cangyi was not an ordinary person. As a Precelestial expert over a hundred years old, he still had decisiveness.

    Seeing no point in further entanglement and fearing to offend a mysterious powerful force, he decided to give the old doctor face.

    After a deep look at Wei Shanhai, Wang Cangyi sheathed his sword and left.

    The burly man followed silently, and the remaining Tian Cang Sect disciples quickly followed suit.

    ¡°These viins are just leaving?¡±

    Seeing the Tian Cang Sect members gradually retreat, Wei Zian couldn¡¯t believe it, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Child, that Wang Cangyi cannot defeat this Precelestial master. What else can he do but leave?¡±

    Wei Xingheughed, feeling relieved.

    Earlier, facing Wang Cangyi¡¯s terrifying sword qi, he thought they were all doomed.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my family from a life-and-death crisis. We, the Wei family, will never forget this kindness.¡±

    At this moment, Wei Shanhai suddenly bowed deeply to the old doctor, performing a solemn salute.

    ¡°Thank you for saving us!¡±

    Wei Xinghe, the head steward, and the Silver Moon Guards also respectfully saluted the old doctor.

    ¡°No need for such formality. I just did what I felt was right,¡± the old doctor said, waving his hand.

    Having practiced medicine for many years and received countless gratitude, he was long ustomed to it.

    ¡°Husband, Ancestor, there are many people here. We should return to the manor,¡± Mrs. Wei reminded.

    She knew the main purpose of the old doctor¡¯s visit was to heal the Ancestor¡¯s injuries, something not suitable to mention here.

    ¡°Yes, it was my oversight.¡± Wei Shanhai quickly responded, ¡°Please, follow me to the manor, so I can properly thank you.¡±

    The old doctor and the others naturally did not refuse, and the group headed into the city.

    At this time, many martial artists still lingered near the city gate, all elites from various forces within the city.

    But seeing the Wei family, they quickly stepped aside, not daring to voice any opinions.

    With the Tian Cang Sect members gone, the Wei family had once again be the most transcendent force in the county. No one would be foolish enough to offend them.

    As they avoided them, all eyes were on the old doctor and Lu Qing, trying to remember their appearances.

    Everyone could see that the Wei family¡¯s survival was entirely due to the old doctor¡¯s help.

    Curiosity about such a mysterious and powerful Precelestial expert was natural.

    Unfortunately, the old doctor wore a hat throughout, preventing anyone from seeing his true face.

    So, everyone focused more on Lu Qing.

    After all, defeating a martial arts grandmaster with Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation was equally astonishing.

    But as they watched, some noticed something strange.

    After the Wei family had entered the city, one martial artist nudged another beside him.

    ¡°Chief Ma, the young man walking beside that incredibly strong young man, doesn¡¯t he look a bit like your Magu?¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!¡±

    The one nudged was a lean old man with a goatee, feeling confused.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him. I watched that kid grow up. Although he hasn¡¯t returned to the city much in recent years, I wouldn¡¯t mistake him.¡±

    Another martial artist, obviously friendly with the Ma family, said confidently.

    ¡°Congrattions, Chief Ma! Magu knows that mysterious Precelestial expert and even escorted the Wei family¡¯s matron and young master back. Your Ma family is bound to rise!¡±

    A martial artist said enviously.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll go confirm.¡±

    After dealing with familiar members of other families, Chief Ma hurried home, feeling dizzy.

    Although he imed uncertainty, he could still recognize Magu. He had recently sent him to escort a batch of supplies to the state capital.

    But after escorting the supplies, Magu didn¡¯t return, saying the city was too chaotic and he¡¯d wait out the trouble at the Grand Bazaar.

    Unexpectedly, he had aplished such a great feat in silence.

    Thinking of this, Chief Ma couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.

    He suddenly felt their Ma family¡¯s rise might be imminent.

    ¡°Zhiyue, do you know who that Precelestial expert wearing the hat is?¡±

    On the city wall, the County Magistrate looked at the Wei family¡¯s figures with a solemn expression and asked.

    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± the young man in in clothes nodded.

    ¡°Who is he?¡± the County Magistrate asked eagerly.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find outter, but I can tell you that you know this Precelestial expert.¡±

    ¡°Someone I know?¡± The County Magistrate¡¯s eyes widened.

    But the young man in in clothes was too preupied to answer his friend¡¯s surprise.

    He watched the old doctor¡¯s back, still carrying a hint of indescribable shock in his eyes.

    ¡°A Precelestial Domain, to think a Precelestial warrior could touch such a realm. Is this the power of the Light of Merit?¡±

    Table of content

 Chapter 142

    The ox cart, escorted by numerous Silver Moon Guards, returned grandly to the Wei Mansion.

    "Mother,e down."

    Wei Zian stepped forward to help his mother off the cart.

    The mother and son looked at the gates of the Wei Mansion, feeling as if a lifetime had passed.

    Their time on the run had made them endure too much.

    They had brushed against death more than once.

    Now that they could return safely, it filled them with mixed emotions.

    "An''er,e here."

    Mrs. Wei led Wei Zian to kneel before Mago and Lu Qing."Thank you, Master Ma, Lu Xiangjun, for risking your lives to save us, allowing us to return to the mansion."

    Mrs. Wei bowed deeply, and Wei Zian kowtowed without hesitation.

    "Madam, there''s no need for this."

    Lu Qing and Mago hurriedly stepped forward to help them up.

    Wei Xinghe and the Chief Steward, who were standing nearby, were moved upon hearing this.

    They began to understand that it was Lu Qing and the others who had been protecting the mother and son during this period.

    "Thank you, Xiangjun, for saving my wife and child."

    Wei Xinghe also bowed deeply to Lu Qing.

    "Father, and Master, if it weren''t for Master''s protection in the early days, Mother and I wouldn''t be here to see you now!"

    Wei Zian, seeing his father only thanking Lu Qing, reminded him, fearing that his master might feel unappreciated.

    "Master?" Wei Xinghe was taken aback.

    "Indeed, while hiding from those evildoers in the mountains, I had An''er acknowledge Master Ma as his teacher. It was also Master Ma who stood up and led us out of the secret path from the city, allowing us to escape with our lives," Mrs. Wei nodded.

    Hearing this, Wei Xinghe had no doubts and bowed to Mago, "Thank you, Master Ma, for risking your life to save us."

    Mago felt overwhelmed by the Wei family''s head''s formal gesture and waved his hands repeatedly, "No need, no need, I was merely following the orders of the Silver Moon Guards, and didn''t do much. It was the Silver Moon Guards who sacrificed their lives, giving us a chance to escape."

    "Master, did Pang Guard and the others return?"

    Mrs. Wei asked the question that had been on her mind.

    "No," Wei Xinghe shook his head.

    Mrs. Wei''s expression dimmed, knowing that the squad of Silver Moon Guards was likely doomed.

    "Master, An''er and I were able to return safely thanks to Pang Guard and the others. Please treat their families well," Mrs. Wei pleaded.

    "Of course, this incident has taught us a lesson. Every guard and servant who remained loyal will be greatly rewarded," Wei Xinghe said solemnly.

    These words were not only meant for his wife but also for all the Silver Moon Guards present.

    As expected, upon hearing the head''s promise, although the Silver Moon Guards'' expressions remained tense, there was a hint of joy in their eyes.

    "Alright, let''s enter the mansion. It''s not polite to keep our guests waiting outside," Wei Shanhai said.

    Mrs. Wei stepped forward and held Xiao Yan''s hand, "Xiao Yan, would you like toe inside with Auntie?"

    Xiao Yan, already curious about the grand gates of the Wei Mansion, looked at her brother for permission. Upon receiving it, she nodded enthusiastically, "Okay~"

    Lu Qing handed the ox cart''s reins to a servant of the Wei Mansion, "Old man, this ox has worked hard bringing us to the county. Please take good care of it."

    "Of course," the old servant replied quickly, "The feed in the mansion is the best. Please rest assured, Xiangjun."

    Once inside the mansion, in the courtyard reserved for distinguished guests, the old doctor finally removed his hat after everyone else had left.

    "Doctor Chen, it''s really you!"

    The Chief Steward eximed in surprise.

    "Chief Steward, it''s been a long time since we parted," the old doctor smiled.

    "Master, Ancestor, this is Doctor Chen who treated the young masterst time. And this is his disciple, Lu Qing..."

    The Chief Steward exined to the head, who looked puzzled.

    Wei Xinghe then understood the connection these two had with the mansion.

    But his heart was even more shaken.

    ording to previous information, the old doctor was only an Internal Organs Realm martial artist, and Lu Qing was just a talented Tendons and Bones Realm youth.

    But now, standing before them were a master who could make Wang Cangyi retreat and a disciple who could defeat an Internal Organs Realm grandmaster as a Tendons and Bones Realm youth.

    The difference was too vast.

    "It turns out to be Doctor Chen and his esteemed disciple. I owe you both a great debt," Wei Xinghe suppressed his inner turmoil and thanked them again.

    "We''re merely fulfilling our duties as doctors. No need to dwell on it, Master Wei," the old doctor shook his head.

    After some more pleasantries, Mrs. Wei seized the opportunity to speak:

    "Ancestor, Doctor Chen came to the county this time mainly to see if he can treat the sword wound in your heart. How are you feeling now?"

    "How did you know about the sword wound in my heart?" Wei Shanhai was shocked.

    The sword wound in his heart, even Internal Organs Realm experts couldn''t see through it. Only Wei Xinghe and the Chief Steward knew about it in the mansion.

    How did the old doctor and his disciple, far away in a rural mountain vige, find out?

    "It was Zhiyue who informed us," the old doctor exined. "Zhiyue came to Jiuli Vige a few days ago, and from him, I learned about Master Wei''s serious injury."

    "So, it was Zhiyue secretly helping us!"

    Wei Shanhai suddenly understood.

    If it was that person, it made sense that he could see through his injury.

    After all, those from Tianji Tower were always mysterious and possessed abilities ordinary martial artists did not have.

    "Master Wei, I have some knowledge in medicine. Would you be willing to let me treat your wound?"

    "Of course, of course, I would be grateful!" Wei Shanhai said joyfully.

    He had been troubled by his injury.

    Without removing the sword qi, he would only live for another year at most.

    As a Precelestial, his theoretical lifespan was three hundred years.

    Having lived just over a hundred years, he didn''t want to die so soon.

    However, to remove the sword qi from his heart, he needed another trustworthy Precelestial to help.

    But in this remote ce of Cang County, where could he find a trustworthy Precelestial in a short time?

    Wei Shanhai thought he was without hope, but now he saw a glimmer of it.

    He trusted the old doctor.

    Not only was the old doctor a renowned and kind-hearted doctor in Cang County, but he also defended the Wei family in a critical moment by driving away Wang Cangyi.

    The old doctor was serious about healing.

    Seeing that Wei Shanhai agreed, he immediately proposed to treat the injury as soon as possible.

    Initially, Wei Shanhai wanted to be polite, thinking it was inappropriate to ask a guest to treat his injury right after arriving without even having a meal.

    But seeing the old doctor''s insistence and wanting to recover quickly, he agreed.

    They chose a quiet room for the treatment.

    "Xiao Yan, Auntie will take you to eat something delicious, okay?"

    Seeing that everyone was busy with serious matters, Mrs. Wei gently asked Xiao Yan, holding her hand.

    Xiao Yan''s eyes lit up and she looked at her brother.

    Lu Qing, who also needed to help his master, hesitated but then nodded.

    "Alright, but don''t be naughty and cause trouble for Mrs. Wei."

    "I won''t, Xiao Yan will be good," Xiao Yan nodded earnestly.

    "And take Xiao Li too."

    Lu Qing took a small ck figure from his bamboo basket and ced it in Xiao Yan''s arms.

    It was Xiao Li, who had been hiding in the basket.

    Because Precelestial experts could easily see through Xiao Li''s invisibility, Lu Qing had instructed Xiao Li to hide in the densely packed bamboo basket this time.

    Precelestial experts, though perceptive, couldn''t see through objects.

    Hiding in the bamboo basket, Xiao Li was less noticeable.

    "Xiao Li!"

    Xiao Yan hugged Xiao Li happily.

    She hadn''t been able to y with Xiao Li in the past few days because it needed to stay hidden. Now seeing it again, she was overjoyed.

    "Ow~" Xiao Li rubbed affectionately against Xiao Yan''s face.

    "What''s this?"

    Mrs. Wei was surprised to see Xiao Li.

    Wei Zian''s eyes widened.

    "This is Xiao Li, Xiao Yan''spanion. Mrs. Wei, please prepare some food for it too. It likes fresh fish," Lu Qing exined.

    "Xiao Li..."

    Mrs. Wei seemed thoughtful.

    She recalled what Lu Qing had said when he went to face the strong enemy earlier.

    Her view of Xiao Li changed.

    If Lu Qing said such things, this ck beast was clearly not as harmless as it seemed.

    Mago, looking at Xiao Li in Xiao Yan''s arms, was even more surprised.

    He had always imagined the mysterious creature beside Lu Qing as something terrifying.

    Now, seeing Xiao Li, it was hard to associate it with a creature capable of such fearsome actions.

    "What a strange beast."

    Wei Shanhai, watching Mrs. Wei lead Xiao Yan to the back courtyard, couldn''t help but praise.

    As a Precelestial, he keenly sensed Xiao Li''s peculiar aura.

    "It is indeed unique. Lu Qing found it in the mountains and adopted it. It''s quite intelligent," the old doctor smiled.

    "Your disciple is

    indeed fortunate to have such a mystical beast."

    They chatted as they walked and soon reached the quiet room.

    As the old doctor''s assistant, Lu Qing naturally stayed behind, and Wei Xinghe, as the head of the family, also wanted to help.

    So, they remained in the quiet room.

    "Master Wei, I need to check the extent of your heart injury."

    The old doctor said, sitting cross-legged.

    "Feel free to check," Wei Shanhai said calmly, retracting his defensive true qi.

    The old doctor nodded slightly, cing his hand on Wei Shanhai''s chest. A strand of gentle water-attributed Precelestial true qi quietly prated his body.

    This step was extremely dangerous. With Wei Shanhaipletely defenseless, if the old doctor harbored ill intentions, he could easily destroy his heart.

    If it weren''t for the old doctor, Wei Shanhai wouldn''t dare risk his life like this.

    While the old doctor diagnosed Wei Shanhai''s injury, Lu Qing activated his abilities, monitoring Wei Shanhai''s condition.

    In his vision, faint golden light emerged from Wei Shanhai''s body.

    [Wei Shanhai: Wei Family Ancestor, straightforward and generous, deeply cares for his family.]

    [Cultivation: Peak of Early Precelestial Stage, fire-attributed Precelestial true qi.]

    [Possesses several secret techniques, especially skilled in saber techniques. Revitalized the family byprehending the Silver Moon Formation from a treasure.]

    [Used to travel with Wang Cangyi, but fell out due to personality differences and unequal distribution of treasures.]

    [Ambushed by Wang Cangyi, wounded by Precelestial sword qi, severely injured heart.]

    Lu Qing nodded secretly.

    The robed youth had not lied; Wei Shanhai''s heart injury was indeed severe.

    The old doctor''s diagnosis didn''t take long. After a short while, he retracted his true qi.

    "Doctor, can my injury be treated?" Wei Shanhai asked.

    Wei Xinghe also showed concern.

    The old doctor pondered for a moment and said, "The treatment is not difficult, but it will be somewhat painful. Master Wei, you must endure it."

    "Haha, I''ve lived over a hundred years and have seen all kinds of things. I won''t flinch even with a sword to my body. Please, go ahead with the treatment, no matter how painful."

    Wei Shanhaiughed heartily, delighted by the news.

    "In that case, I won''t be polite," the old doctor said seriously, "Lu Qing, you will handle the needles. I need to use my true qi to protect Master Wei''s heart and can''t spare a hand. Master Wei, please remove your shirt."

    "Yes, Master."

    Lu Qing took out the needle pouch. Wei Shanhai removed his shirt, revealing a horrifying sword scar on his chest.

    Wei Xinghe''s eyes widened.

    He knew his ancestor was injured but didn''t realize the wound was so severe.

    Seeing the sword scar, it was clear that the ancestor was on the brink of death at that time.

    He couldn''t imagine the pain the ancestor endured to escape from Wang Cangyi.

    His hatred for Wang Cangyi and his allies deepened.

    "Lu Qing, when I say, start needling."

    The old doctor said, pressing his hand against Wei Shanhai''s chest.

    "Understood," Lu Qing replied solemnly.

    "Shenmen, Neiguan, Tanzhong..."

    The old doctor recited the acupoints, and Lu Qing''s hands moved swiftly, inserting the silver needles urately.

    With each needle, Wei Shanhai felt the sword qi in his heart start to stir, being forced to gather and surge, making his heart feel ufortable.

    At this moment, a gentle and cool true qi enveloped his heart, bringing a wave offort.

    As Lu Qing inserted thest needle, the sword qi, previously fused with the heart, was forced out, gathering into a ball.

    But at its most powerful, the gathered Precelestial sword qi threatened to burst his heart.

    At this critical moment, the gentle true qi protecting his heart suddenly surged in, bing highly adhesive.

    Itpletely enveloped the Precelestial sword qi and forcefully pulled it out.

    Wei Shanhai felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by immense relief.

    Table of content

 Chapter 143

    After the old doctor extracted the sword qi from Wei Shanhai''s heart meridian, Lu Qing and Wei Xinghe witnessed a peculiar scene. They saw a cluster of white, hair-thin sword qi, like cowhair, confined by an invisible barrier on the old doctor''s fingertip, trying to escape but failing. Soon, the old doctor eradicated it with his true qi, and it vanished into thin air.

    "It¡¯s done," said the old doctor after eradicating the sword qi. "Old Wei, the sword qi in your heart meridian has beenpletely removed by me."

    "Is it really that simple?" Wei Shanhai was stunned. He had been bracing himself for the pain the old doctor had mentioned during the treatment, yet it was over so easily? He quickly circted his true qi and found no obstruction, feeling utterly relieved and free of foreign qi. Overjoyed, he eximed, "The old doctor¡¯s medical skills are truly exceptional. I am in awe!"

    The sword injury that had troubled him for so long, once thought to be his demise, was cured so effortlessly, leaving Wei Shanhai both shocked and delighted.

    "The person who injured you has indeed mastered a formidable sword technique. The yin and tangled sword qi absorbed your life force to maintain itself and merged with your heart meridian¡¯s qi, making it difficult to remove. However, ultimately, it was rootless. By using the silver needle to seal your acupoints temporarily, revealing its true form, it was not too difficult to eradicate," the old doctor exined.

    Wei Shanhai nodded, recalling Wang Cangyi''s sword technique. Although he resented his former friend, he had to admit Wang Cangyi''s swordsmanship was outstanding, reaching a sophisticated level where sword qi flowed gently around his fingers.

    "Old doctor, does this mean the old ancestor''s injury is healed now?" Wei Xinghe asked.

    "With the sword qi gone, the heart meridian is unobstructed. As for the other external injuries, they are easy to handle. Apply the Golden Healing Ointment, and I will prescribe some medicine to be taken regrly. With some rest, Old Wei should fully recover soon," the old doctor replied, stroking his beard.

    "That''s wonderful news! Thank you, old doctor!" Wei Xinghe eximed happily."Healing the sick is our duty as doctors, no need to be so formal," the old doctor responded.

    After chatting for a while, they all left the quiet room together.

    Outside, the head steward of the Wei family had been waiting. Seeing everyone emerge, and the old ancestor looking much better, he knew the treatment had gone well. He approached them respectfully, "Master, old ancestor, the banquet is ready."

    "Good." Wei Shanhai nodded, then turned to the old doctor, "You must be tired from the long journey. We have prepared some food and wine in the mansion. Please, join us to refresh yourselves."

    "Very well," the old doctor agreed.

    As they headed to the banquet hall, they saw Mrs. Wei arriving with Xiao Yan, who was holding Xiao Li.

    "Brother, Grandpa Chen!" Xiao Yan shouted happily when she saw Lu Qing and the old doctor.

    "Have you been troubling the madam?" Lu Qing asked, rubbing her head.

    "No, no," Mrs. Wei quickly replied, "Xiao Yan has been very good. I just took her to have some snacks."

    "Yes, brother! Xiao Yan had some very delicious snacks, and Xiao Li ate a lot of fish!" the little girl boasted.

    "I can tell," Lu Qing said, shaking his head at the sight of the little animal''s round belly, nestled in Xiao Yan''s arms, unwilling to move. Xiao Li had eaten little these days to maintain a low profile, so he let it indulge this time.

    Inside the hall, everyone took their seats, and the servants began serving the dishes.

    Lu Qing marveled at thevish lifestyle of the noble families. Although there were only seven or eight people at the banquet, dozens of different dishes were served, many of which he did not recognize.

    "Dr. Chen, Lu Xiangjun, Master Ma, it is thanks to your righteous help that our Wei family was saved from annihtion. This toast is for you," Wei Shanhai raised his cup after the food and wine were served.

    After the toast, everyone began to eat. Lu Qing, a lover of good food, was delighted to see many dishes he had never seen before. He gave Xiao Yan some dishes first, then started tasting them one by one. After trying a few, he sighed, impressed by the deliciousness of each dish.

    While Lu Qing was enjoying his food, he overheard Wei Zian murmuring, "Mom, why do I feel that the food at home isn''t as good as what Lu Xiaodaifu cooked?"

    "Don''t talk nonsense, or your father will scold you!" Mrs. Wei chided softly. She also felt that the family dishes seemed less vorful than what Lu Qing had cooked the previous day.

    Wei Zian thought he had whispered, but he forgot who was at the table. Everyone had already heard him.

    "Oh, Lu Xiangjun can cook? It must be very delicious if Zian and Ningyan are so fond of it," Wei Shanhai teased, making Mrs. Wei blush.

    "Just some home-cooked dishes, not worth mentioning. The madam and the others hadn''t tasted them before, so they found them fresh," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    They continued eating and chatting, the atmosphere very harmonious. Even Mago was not ignored, and Wei Xinghe toasted him several times, promising to prepare a formal apprenticeship ceremony for Wei Zian to officially be his disciple, which made Mago ttered.

    After several rounds of drinks, when everyone was almost done eating, Wei Shanhai said, "Dr. Chen, this time, Wang Cangyi brought his disciples to attack our Wei family. I think you know the reason, right?"

    The old doctor was puzzled by the sudden mention of this matter but answered honestly, "I heard some rumors that it was for some treasure."

    This was not a secret. When Wang Cangyi''s disciple had pressured the Wei family, his words had been heard by the entire city.

    "Indeed, he came for our family''s treasure. When I was young and inexperienced, I roamed the world with Wang Cangyi, calling each other brothers. That treasure is something we obtained from a mystical ce during our travels," Wei Shanhai exined.

    "Later, we had some disputes and parted ways after dividing the treasure, cutting tiespletely."

    The old doctor didn''t know these details and could only say, "What a pity."

    "There''s nothing to pity," Wei Shanhai said calmly. "With such a despicable person, I only regret not seeing his true nature earlier and cutting ties sooner. That would have saved my family from today''s disaster."

    The old doctor remained silent, not knowing the specifics of the past and thus unable toment.

    "Haha, Dr. Chen, I didn''t bring this up to ask for your judgment," Wei Shanhaiughed, seeing through the old doctor''s thoughts.

    "I just wanted to invite you to view that treasure after the banquet."

    Hearing this, the old doctor was stunned.

    Table of content

 Chapter 144

    "Observing treasures?"

    Old Doctor Chen was very surprised, not expecting Wei Shanhai to extend such an invitation.

    "Indeed, the treasure I obtained contains a special essence that can cleanse the mind and has a miraculous effect on enlightening the spirit. It is greatly beneficial for martial artists'' cultivation.

    Especially for Precelestial martial artists, the first observation is extremely effective and may be of some help to you in your future cultivation."

    Wei Shanhai exined.

    "But this is after all a treasure of your Wei family. As an outsider, it seems inappropriate for an old man like me."

    Old Doctor Chen wasn''t particrly interested in treasures. He helped the Wei family out of sincerity, not for any gain.

    "This is not true. Doctor Chen''s kindness to our Wei family is like rebirth. Our Wei family has no precious items to repay you, only this treasure''s unique essence to express a little gratitude."

    Wei Shanhai said earnestly.Finally, under Wei Shanhai''s sincere invitation, Old Doctor Chen agreed to his request and decided to observe the treasure after the banquet to see its mysterious nature.

    However, he had one condition: he wanted to bring Lu Qing and Mago along.

    Wei Shanhai had no objection to this.

    He already knew that it was thanks to Lu Qing and Mago that Mrs. Wei and her son could return safely.

    After the banquet, Old Doctor Chen and the others rested for a while and then followed Wei Shanhai to the back courtyard.

    They finally arrived at a tall tower in the center of the Wei Mansion.

    "Doctor Chen, please."

    Inside the tower, Wei Shanhai opened a hidden door, and a dry breath wafted out.

    "Your mansion''s treasure is stored underground?"

    Old Doctor Chen looked at the stairs extending underground from the hidden door and asked curiously.

    As for Lu Qing, he secretly remained alert, activating his ability to look towards the hidden door.

    He saw a rich red light emanating from the hidden door.

    [Hidden Door: A portal leading to a peculiar underground ce.]

    [There is a different world behind the door, seemingly hiding a treasure.]

    [Contains guarding mechanisms but currently inactive.]

    Seeing the information on the hidden door, Lu Qing rxed a bit.

    This was indeed the ce where the Wei family stored treasures, and Wei Shanhai was not deceiving them.

    As for the mechanisms, that was understandable. How could a ce storing important treasures not be guarded?

    Of course, Lu Qing did notpletely rx his guard.

    It wasn''t that he was suspicious, but a necessary precaution was always advisable.

    After the hidden door opened, Wei Shanhai led the way inside.

    He seemed aware that inviting others into such a passage could easily arouse suspicion.

    So he walked at the forefront, allowing Wei Xinghe and Lu Qing to walk together, indicating that the Wei family had no harmful intentions.

    After all, with Old Doctor Chen''s strength, if anything unexpected happened, capturing Wei Xinghe would be a matter of a moment.

    The group walked down the passage, illuminated by oilmps, so it wasn''t dark.

    As they walked, Lu Qing''s expression changed slightly.

    He noticed the passage bing hotter, and the elemental energy in the air grew denser.

    Though he had cultivated soul power, his Qi apertures were not open, and he couldn''t distinguish the type of elemental energy present.

    Old Doctor Chen praised, "Such dense fire elemental energy! I didn''t expect there to be such a ce under this county. Your mansion truly has deep foundations."

    He now understood why Wei Shanhai practiced fire elemental true energy.

    With such a ce rich in fire elemental energy, cultivating fire elemental techniques would be twice as effective.

    "To be honest, this ce wasn''t built by our Wei family. It was a peculiar ce discovered by our ancestors, existing for an unknown number of years. We are just benefiting from their legacy." Wei Shanhai said humbly.

    As they chatted, they suddenly saw that the stairs no longer descended but became t. After walking a few more steps, it opened up into a wide room.

    A spacious cave appeared before them.

    The cave walls were light red, looking like a mix of stone and jade, with strange runes engraved on them.

    In the center of the cave was a stone tform with a half-human tall, giant light-red cauldron, emitting wisps of strange aura.

    Such a wondrous scene left Old Doctor Chen and the others in a daze.

    Especially Mago, who had never seen such a sight, stood with his mouth agape.

    Only Lu Qing, looking at the familiaryout of the cave, felt a shock in his heart.

    He recognized the runes on the cave walls at a nce.

    They were runes forming an array rted to the fire element.

    And the array formation method was very familiar to him.

    Could this cave be rted to the Divine Rune Sect?

    A thought shed through Lu Qing''s mind.

    "Old Wei, is this cauldron..."

    Seeing the scene before him, Old Doctor Chen asked.

    "Indeed, this light-red cauldron is one of the treasures Wang Cangyi and I discovered in a miraculous ce years ago, the most precious among them all." Wei Shanhai nodded, "Wang Cangyi went to great lengths just to obtain it."

    "But this cauldron looks extraordinary. How did Wang Cangyi allow you to take it away?" Mago asked, puzzled.

    Lu Qing was equally confused.

    Moreover, the cauldron was sorge and looked extremely heavy, weighing at least ten thousand pounds. How did Wei Shanhai bring it back?

    Along the way, there would be countless people coveting it.

    "It''s a strange story. When Wang Cangyi and I discovered it, the cauldron was only the size of a thumb, rusty and insignificant.

    We both thought it was just a trinket. Otherwise, with Wang Cangyi''s stingy nature, how could he have let me take it?"

    "Thumb-sized?"

    Mago eximed in disbelief.

    He looked at the giant cauldron on the stone tform, unable to imagine its original form.

    Even Lu Qing and Old Doctor Chen were surprised.

    "It''s hard to believe, but it''s true. After I obtained the cauldron, I traveled with it for many years, and it never showed any unusual traits.

    It wasn''t until I returned to the Wei Mansion, reached a bottleneck in my cultivation, and started training in this ancestral underground chamber,ing into contact with the pure fire elemental energy here, that it began to reveal its mysteries.

    I discovered its extraordinariness, ced it on the stone tform, and watched it grow year by year.

    From the size of a thumb to a fist, then asrge as a sea bowl, a water jar, and now, nearly a centuryter, it has be what you see."

    "A growing giant cauldron?"

    Mago''s mouth dropped open again.

    What Wei Shanhai said was beyond his understanding, leaving him momentarily stunned.

    Lu Qing was equally shocked. He activated his ability silently, focusing on the red giant cauldron.

    Table of content

 Chapter 145

    When Lu Qing activated his ability and focused on therge cauldron.

    After more than ten breaths, there was still no movement.

    He was not disappointed, but rather more surprised.

    Since cultivating the power of the soul, Lu Qing''s ability had also been strengthened to some extent.

    The time required to probe the information of items had been significantly reduced.

    Generally, for items below the red light, it would only take one or two breaths to detect the information.

    Even for red light items, it would only take three or four breaths at most.

    Now, thisrge cauldron required such a long time, indicating its preciousness far exceeded expectations.

    Lu Qing did not avert his gaze and continued to stare at the cauldron.Wei Shanhai did not find anything unusual, as anyone who heard his previous words would be immensely curious about the cauldron.

    After a few more breaths, the cauldron in Lu Qing''s vision finally changed.

    A rather rich purple light of extraordinary ability emerged from the cauldron.

    Several strips of text floated out.

    "Purple light?!"

    Lu Qing''s heart trembled.

    It should be noted that back in the Yuhua Cave, even the inheritance of the Divine Rune Sect was only of purple color.

    He quickly looked at the text strips.

    [Li Huo Cauldron: A fire-attribute mid-grade spiritual artifact, made from various rare spiritual materials by a master with great magical powers.]

    [Spiritual artifacts contain a trace of thews of heaven and earth, have spiritual nourishment within, can absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth, and evolve into growth artifacts, known as spiritual artifacts.]

    [Every spiritual artifact is a creation of heaven and earth, born under rare opportunities, possessing various incredible uses and powers, difficult to seek.]

    [ording to legend, every spiritual artifact is only of the lowest grade when it is first born. It must be nourished by spiritual energy and absorb thews of heaven and earth to advance in grade.]

    [This cauldron seems to have encountered some kind of ident, losing much of its spirituality, and is now in a state of slow recovery.]

    [Discovered inheritance, would you like to download and simte?]

    A series of messages, each containing arge amount of information, made Lu Qing very excited.

    It turned out this cauldron was actually a spiritual artifact, a treasure so rare that even the inheritance of the Divine Rune Sect only mentioned it briefly without leaving any specific method for its creation.

    He didn''t expect to have the opportunity to see one here.

    Knowing that the cauldron was a spiritual artifact, Lu Qing finally understood why it could slowly growrger.

    Spiritual artifacts are creations of heaven and earth, born under rare circumstances, naturally possessing spirituality, and the ability to change size is just one of its basic abilities.

    This cauldron had been damaged for unknown reasons, reducing to the size of a thumb. It was probably because it had been severely damaged, even to the point where it could no longer absorb and refine spiritual energy from the outside world, thus retracting all its power and lying dormant.

    It wasn''t until it came into contact with the pure fire energy condensed from the runes in this cave that it began to gradually recover.

    Of course, these are just Lu Qing''s guesses.

    The true reason still needs to be verified.

    Lu Qing looked at thest strip of text floating from the cauldron without any expression, not making a choice immediately.

    "Unexpectedly, there are such magical items in the world, indeed the world is full of wonders."

    The old doctor looked at the cauldron and sighed.

    "Doctor Chen, there is a peculiar aura on this cauldron. I will activate itter, and everyone canprehend it together. How much can beprehended will depend on one''s own understanding and fate," said Wei Shanhai.

    "Then I will trouble Old Wei."

    Knowing the cauldron''s magic, the old doctor also became very interested, wanting to see what kind of profound aura this cauldron had.

    "Please be prepared, everyone."

    At Wei Shanhai''s reminder, Lu Qing and the others sat cross-legged around the stone tform.

    Even Wei Xinghe was no exception.

    The aura on the cauldron cannot be activated at any time.

    Generally, even ten years of umtion can only activate it once.

    Even though he was the family head, he had onlyprehended it once. This time, he was also taking advantage of Lu Qing and the others, to be able toprehend it together.

    When everyone was ready and adjusted their minds to the best state, Wei Shanhai sent a stream of precelestial qi gently hitting the cauldron.

    The cauldron trembled slightly, and then a peculiar aura spread out, enveloping everyone within it.

    This aura was extraordinarily mysterious. The old doctor and others felt a tremor in their hearts, their minds and consciousness seemingly immersed in warm sunlight. Besides feelingfortable, various insights about cultivation began to emerge in their minds.

    Lu Qing was even more surprised.

    Because this state was too familiar to him.

    It was simr to the feeling he had when he activated his ability to cultivate, a state of sudden enlightenment.

    The difference was that this aura, besides helping peopleprehend, also had a breath that could nourish the soul, making his soul power faintly stronger.

    Feeling this change, Lu Qing was overjoyed.

    The so-called state of sudden enlightenment was of little help to him.

    With his special ability, he could enter this state at any time.

    He had long sinceprehended the cultivation methods to his own limits.

    What limited his strength now was his cultivation level, not theprehension of the methods.

    But this breath that could strengthen the soul power was very rare for him.

    Among all the things he cultivated, the power of the soul was the most difficult to improve.

    The power of the soul is unlike other things; it cannot be enhanced by taking pills.

    Apart from the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Lu Qing had not encountered any other spiritual medicines or pills that could directly enhance the power of the soul.

    And the power of the soul is extremely important, whether for the future precelestial martial arts or the cultivation of the rune path.

    Now, having the opportunity to enhance the power of the soul truly delighted him.

    Immediately, Lu Qing did not hesitate, promptly activating his soul power to absorb the aura.

    As the aura entered the brow chakra, it merged with Lu Qing''s soul power, gradually strengthening it.

    With the concealment of the soul rune, the fluctuations of Lu Qing''s soul power did not leak out.

    Additionally, everyone was immersed in their own cultivation, making it impossible to notice.

    Thus, even Wei Shanhai, who was nearby, did not discover that Lu Qing, who was in the Tendons and Bones Realm, possessed soul power.

    In this quiet atmosphere, Lu Qing''s soul power grew silently.

    It wasn''t until the aura could no longer enhance his soul power that he stopped cultivating.

    Lu Qing knew that the aura on the cauldron had reached its limit in helping him.

    But he was already very satisfied.

    In just a short while, his soul power had increased more than twice.

    When he returned, he could at least condense two more soul runes.

    He was one step closer to truly refining his life talisman.

    Opening his eyes, he saw his master and the others stillprehending and cultivating. Lu Qing activated his ability and looked at thest strip of text in his vision, making a choice.

    [Downloading, current progress, 1%, 2%, 3%...]

    Maintaining a focused state, Lu Qing quietly waited.

    [...98%, 99%, 100%]

    [Downloadplete, begin simtion?]

    Lu Qing chose to simte immediately.

    [Begin simtion, current progress, 1%, 2%, 3%...98%, 99%, 100%]

    [Simtionplete, begin learning?]

    Lu Qing chose to learn.

    Immediately, arge amount of information and insights began to emerge from the depths of his mind.

    Lu Qing closed his eyes, quietly receiving and digesting the information in his mind.

    After a while, when he opened his eyes again, there was a sh of understanding in them.

    "So that''s how it is."

    Table of content

 Chapter 146

    ¡°The origins of this Li Huo Cauldron are so ancient.¡±

    After receiving the inheritance, Lu Qing had a much deeper understanding of the great cauldron''s history.

    The Li Huo Cauldron originated from the Li Huo Sect, an immortal cultivation sect from tens of thousands of years ago. It was a sect-protecting spiritual artifact, painstakingly refined by pooling the entire sect''s strength.

    Later, due to a great upheaval, the spiritual energy in the world diminished, spiritual materials became extinct, and conflicts frequently erupted among various immortal sects vying for resources.

    The Li Huo Cauldron was damaged in a fierce sh between the Li Huo Sect and another immortal sect''s protecting artifact.

    That battle was extremely brutal.

    Not only was the Li Huo Cauldron damaged, causing the spiritual formations within to copse and revert to its original form, but the Li Huo Sect itself was also obliterated, uprootedpletely. Only a few disciples managed to escape.

    The Li Huo Cauldron was taken by the sect leader''s son, who fled and eventually hid in a secret cave abode built by the sect, barely surviving.

    However, the sect leader''s son also eventually sumbed to his severe injuries and passed away in that cave abode.The Li Huo Cauldron remained in the cave for tens of thousands of years until it was discovered by Wei Shanhai and Wang Cangyi.

    The inheritance within the cauldron was left by the Li Huo Sect''s leader''s son.

    ¡°Spiritual energy, immortal sects... I never thought that in this world, tens of thousands of years ago, there existed such a strange energy called spiritual energy, and the cultivation methods that thrived on it were the legendary immortal cultivation techniques.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, spiritual energy is now scarce. Even if I have obtained these immortal cultivation techniques, they are of no use.¡±

    Lu Qing felt a bit regretful.

    The Li Huo Sect''s leader''s son had left behind numerous immortal cultivation techniques within the Li Huo Cauldron, including the sect-protecting technique "Nanming Bright Fire Technique," which was reserved for the sect leader''s lineage.

    However, all these immortal techniques required the absorption and refinement of spiritual energy to enhance one''s power.

    In the current world, where spiritual energy wascking, these immortal techniques, no matter how powerful, became useless.

    The cost-effectiveness of cultivating these techniques paled inparison to martial arts.

    After all, martial arts, upon reaching the Precelestial realm, were not much weaker in powerpared to immortal cultivators of the same realm.

    Moreover, the elemental energy of the world, although not as mystical as spiritual energy, was abundant and omnipresent.

    Therefore, despite acquiring the immortal techniques, Lu Qing had no intention of switching his cultivation focus.

    ¡°However, even if I cannot cultivate these immortal techniques, some of the minor methods in the inheritance are still very useful to me.¡±

    For instance, some of the techniques for refining tools and alchemy in the inheritance were highly instructive for Lu Qing.

    The Li Huo Sect, named after fire, evidently had profound research in the path of fire.

    In fact, besides their powerful techniques, the Li Huo Sect was also extremely adept in tool refining and alchemy.

    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to refine a spiritual artifact as extraordinary as the Li Huo Cauldron.

    Lu Qing, who was originally trained in medicine, found the alchemy techniques immensely enriching for his medical knowledge.

    As for tool refining...

    Earlier, in the battle with the burly man, his war de had been damaged.

    This forced him into a hand-to-handbat situation.

    This made Lu Qing realize the importance of having a good weapon.

    If his war de had been sturdy enough, defeating the burly man wouldn''t have required so much effort.

    de skills alone would have sufficed.

    Now, with the tool refining techniques, he could attempt to forge a truly treasured de of his own.

    Moreover, some methods in the inheritance regarding the use of soul power were also very enlightening for him.

    Perhaps he could even develop a technique specifically for cultivating soul power from these methods.

    In the quietness, Lu Qing meticulously sorted through the inheritance he had just received, contemting his cultivation path.

    When he had almost finished organizing his thoughts, he was suddenly awakened by a strong fluctuation from outside.

    He opened his eyes and saw that the source of the fluctuation was his master.

    At this moment, his master disyed a strange phenomenon.

    On the left side of his body, white mist rose, and water vapor filled the air. On the right side, red light radiated, filled with heat.

    Between his hands, a red and white swirling vortex slowly rotated, intertwining and blending harmoniously, appearing extremely mystical.

    The others who wereprehending techniques were also awakened by thismotion.

    When they saw this scene, they all widened their eyes.

    Especially Wei Shanhai, who was greatly astonished and couldn''t help but exim, ¡°Water and fire in harmony, how is this possible!¡±

    Water and fire in harmony?

    Lu Qing''s heart stirred, and he immediately activated his ability to observe his master.

    Amid the intense red light of the ability, several lines of text emerged from his master''s body.

    [Chen Songqing: Masterful in medicine, kind-hearted, respected, an excellent old physician.]

    [Cultivation: Peak of Precelestial Initial Stage, true qi of water and fire attributes.]

    [Possesses the power of merit, can avoid misfortune and attract blessings, highly fortunate.]

    [Remarkableprehension, has grasped a trace of the Precelestial Domain.]

    [Comprehended the principle of water and fire in harmony, controls true qi of water and fire attributes, enhancing cultivation speed and power.]

    ¡°Master is truly a genius in cultivation.¡±

    Reading the text emerging from his master, Lu Qing was amazed.

    Originally, his master cultivated a water attribute Precelestial technique left by Li Weitian, and his true qi was also of the water attribute.

    Unexpectedly, in this underground chamber, heprehended the principle of water and fire in harmony and mastered another attribute of true qi.

    Moreover, these two types of true qi not only didn''t conflict but alsoplemented each other, greatly enhancing their power and even elerating cultivation speed.

    In the chamber, everyone lost their focus on cultivation, their eyes fixed on the old physician disying the phenomenon.

    Wei Xinghe, Mago, and the others vaguely sensed something from the phenomenon disyed by the old physician.

    But when they tried to grasp that inspiration, it always slipped away.

    Until the phenomenon on the old physician gradually faded and he opened his eyes, they still hadn''t captured that inspiration.

    ¡°Why are you all staring at this old man?¡±

    The old physician, upon opening his eyes and seeing everyone except Lu Qing staring at him intently, was startled, thinking something was wrong with him.

    ¡°Doctor Chen, what were you cultivating just now?¡±

    Wei Shanhai couldn''t wait to ask.

    Being in the Precelestial realm himself, he waspletely shocked by the water and fire aura on the old physician.

    ¡°Nothing much, just a moment of realization whileprehending the mystical essence on this cauldron, and integrating another technique I had previouslyprehended.¡± The old physician smiled.

    ¡°I saw water and fire alternating on you just now. You can actually cultivate twopletely opposing types of true qi simultaneously?¡±

    Wei Shanhai was incredulous.

    ¡°It was just a fortunate moment of insight into the principle of mutual generation and restraint of the five elements.¡±

    Wei Shanhai''s eyes widened even more, losing all semnce of a Precelestial expert''s demeanor.

    Table of content

 Chapter 147

    When everyone was preparing to leave the underground chamber, Wei Shanhai still had a somewhat dazed expression.

    The others, with their shallow cultivation, did not understand the significance of the old doctor''s previous abnormality.

    But as someone who was also in the Precelestial Realm, he knew how difficult it was to simultaneously master two types of Precelestial true qi, especially when their attributes werepletely opposite.

    Not to mention making them blend andplement each other, promoting mutual growth and enhancing one''s cultivation.

    This was as difficult as ascending to the heavens!

    Yet this seemingly impossible feat had happened right before his eyes.

    This almost shattered Wei Shanhai''s martial heart.

    Though they were both in the Precelestial Realm, he felt the gap between himself and the old doctor was enormous.

    The strange essence on the cauldron, he hadprehended it at least seven or eight times.But evenbined, his gains were not as much as the old doctor''s this time.

    Before leaving, Lu Qing took a deep look at the Li Huo Cauldron.

    The inheritance he obtained from the cauldron naturally included the method to refine the Li Huo Cauldron.

    But that method required an understanding of the cultivation methods of immortality.

    Moreover, to refine such a medium-grade spiritual tool, one needed a very high level of cultivation, at least above the Precelestial Realm.

    With his current strength, it was impossible to refine this cauldron.

    So, Lu Qing decided that when his cultivation reached the level where he could refine the Li Huo Cauldron, he would figure out a way to obtain it from the Wei family.

    Until then, it was best to let this cauldron quietly remain in the underground chamber, slowly recovering its energy.

    When they emerged from the underground chamber, it was already evening.

    Overall, everyone was in a good mood.

    Especially Wei Xinghe and Mago, they had alsoprehended much from the strange essence on the Li Huo Cauldron, though not as significantly as the old doctor.

    So aftering out, it wasn''t long before they went back to their rooms for seclusion.

    After retrieving Xiao Yan and Xiao Li from Mrs. Wei, Lu Qing also returned to the guest room arranged by the Wei family to rest.

    That night, Xiao Yan hugged Xiao Li, and the two little ones slept soundly on the small bed beside him.

    Lu Qing, however, sat cross-legged on the bed without sleeping.

    He was cultivating.

    In the underground chamber, after absorbing the strange essence emitted by the Li Huo Cauldron, his soul power had greatly increased.

    Now with enough strength, he continued to outline and condense the next soul rune.

    In the brow chakra, Lu Qing''s soul power flowed slowly, diligently condensing something.

    These soul fluctuations were perfectly hidden under the cover of the existing soul rune.

    As Lu Qing outlined, a new soul rune was slowly taking shape.

    Everything proceeded silently.

    When the new soul rune was fully formed, the initially condensed rune moved aside and established a peculiar connection with the new rune, rotating slowly around each other.

    Lu Qing felt a slight tremor in his brow chakra. It became more stable, and its range expanded considerably.

    His expression remained unchanged.

    He knew this was just the appetizer.

    ording to the records of the Divine Rune Sect''s inheritance, the real qualitative change would ur when the third core rune was condensed, representing the framework of the life symbol finally taking shape.

    Feeling that his soul power was still sufficient, Lu Qing began to condense the third rune without hesitation.

    Time passed slowly.

    No one knew how long had passed when Lu Qing heard a faint rooster crowing, and he finallypleted the condensation of the third soul rune.

    When the third rune was condensed, it formed a connection with the other two runes, rotating slowly along a peculiar trajectory.

    Lu Qing''s whole body shook, and his brow chakra underwent a drastic transformation.

    The void within the chakra expanded rapidly, increasing tenfold in size.

    At the same time, Lu Qing felt his mind be extraordinarily clear, and his sensitivity to the outside world was incredibly sharp.

    It was as if the entire Wei Mansion''s activities were clearly within his perception.

    "This is what Master mentioned, the five elemental energy''s in the world?"

    Lu Qing closed his eyes, but in his perception, everything around him was vividly colorful.

    Various colored elemental energies could be clearly "seen."

    No longer as vague as before, like looking through a mist.

    However, because his qi orifices were not opened, although he could "see" these elemental energies, he still could not draw them into his body to step into the Precelestial Realm.

    "Well, even if I could now step into the Precelestial Realm, it would be counterproductive for me."

    Lu Qing, having taken the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, had exceptional aptitude.

    Now, he was merely at the peak of the Tendons and Bones Realm, with his body''s potential far from being fully developed, and many secret techniques still unmastered.

    Pursuing a premature breakthrough to the Precelestial Realm would be harmful rather than beneficial.

    With multiple high-level inheritances, he knew that only the most solid foundation could support a sufficiently powerful path of strength.

    "However, there''s no rush to reach the Precelestial Realm, but I''ve spent enough time in the Tendons and Bones Realm. It''s time to break through."

    Lu Qing got off the bed, quietly opened the door, and went outside to the small courtyard.

    The sky was already slightly bright.

    Lu Qing, facing the morning dew, began to slowly practice his punches.

    With each move of the Health Nourishing Boxing, his qi and blood flowed more vigorously.

    Every move was as fluid as water, pleasing to the eye, exuding the demeanor of a master.

    Now, Lu Qing''s mastery of the first eighteen forms of the Health Nourishing Boxing was not inferior to his master''s, incorporating his own unique insights.

    Lu Qing practiced one form after another, soon reaching the eighteenth form.

    ording to usual practice, he would either stop his morning exercise here or return to the first form and start over.

    But this time was different.

    Lu Qing''s punch stance changed, continuing with a unique move.

    His breathing became extremely long, the flow of qi and blood in his body slowed down significantly, breaking through the limitations, gradually flowing into his internal organs.

    Quickly, Lu Qing''s body trembled, and a powerful aura rose from him.

    He had broken through the barrier between the Tendons and Bones Realm and the Internal Organs Realm, bing a martial artist of the Internal Organs Realm.

    Such an easy breakthrough, yet Lu Qing remained calm.

    With his foundation, he could have stepped into the Internal Organs Realm long ago.

    Moreover, he had already cultivated soul power in advance andprehended the realm of swordsmanship beyond a master.

    He had stayed in the Tendons and Bones Realm, continuously honing his foundation for the sake of perfection.

    Now, this breakthrough was merely a natural progression, nothing surprising.

    "Who''s there?"

    However, Lu Qing''s breakthrough aura immediately rmed the strong individuals within the Wei Mansion.

    Several powerful auras quickly approached.

    Table of content

 Chapter 148

    "Everyone, there''s no need to be rmed. It was just a minor breakthrough during my morning practice, not an enemy invasion."

    Sensing Lu Qing''s powerful aura, Wei Shanhai and several Silver Moon Guards'' leaders had rushed over.

    When they arrived in the courtyard, Lu Qing exined.

    "So it was Young Master Lu practicing. Then there''s nothing to worry about. You may all leave," Wei Shanhai said.

    "Yes!"

    The Silver Moon Guards'' leaders responded, but their gazes at Lu Qing grew even more reverent.

    Yesterday, outside the city, Lu Qing had personally defeated a martial arts master at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm right in front of them. Now, with another breakthrough, how powerful could he be?

    More importantly, after a night of fermenting, the Silver Moon Guards were well aware of Lu Qing''s identity.

    After all, when they had gone to the Halfway House to protect the Young Master, many guards had seen Lu Qing. They knew that two or three months ago, he was merely a Qi and Blood Realm warrior. In such a short time, he had grown from a Qi and Blood Realm warrior to someone even martial arts masters couldn''t contend with, and now he had made another breakthrough.

    The Silver Moon Guards'' leaders were genuinely astonished to the core.

    Wei Shanhai was equally shocked. However, he knew that Lu Qing had followed the ancestor toprehend a treasure yesterday, so he managed to maintain hisposure.

    "Young Master Lu is truly a martial arts prodigy. Compared to you, my decades of cultivation are not worth mentioning."

    After the Silver Moon Guards'' leaders left, Wei Shanhai said with a smile.

    "You tter me, Chief Wei. I just had a bit of good fortune," Lu Qing replied humbly.

    Wei Shanhai smiled, knowing this was just Lu Qing''s modesty.

    "Since Young Master Lu is already up, I should go and have the servants prepare breakfast. Please join us with Dr. Chen in the dining hallter."

    "Thank you, Chief Wei."

    After Wei Shanhai left, Lu Qing first went to wake up Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, then went to the neighboring room to greet his master.

    The old doctor was already up. He had awakened the moment Lu Qing broke through. However, sensing the presence of Wei Shanhai and others, he had decided to get up only after they left.

    "Had a breakthrough?"

    Seeing Lu Qing enter, the old doctor asked with a smile.

    He knew something about his disciple''s umtion.

    "Yes, Master. I had reached the limit of the Tendons and Bones Realm and couldn''t advance further, so I broke through."

    "Your cultivation speed is truly astonishing. Ah Qing, you are not yet sixteen, are you?"

    "I''ll be sixteen after the new year."

    "Not yet sixteen..."

    Even though the old doctor had watched Lu Qing progress and break through, he still found this age unbelievable.

    An Internal Organs Realm warrior under sixteen... Such martial achievements were rare even in the prosperous and talented Central Province.

    Moreover, he knew that Lu Qing had only started practicing martial arts a few months ago.

    Given Lu Qing''s talent, the Internal Organs Realm would not hold him for long. In a few years, he would likely break through to the Precelestial stage. By then, he would only be around twenty years old.

    A Precelestial Grandmaster at twenty...

    The old doctor trembled at the thought.

    If Lu Qing reached that stage, he would be a figure that would leave an indelible mark on martial history.

    "Master, Chief Wei said breakfast would soon be ready and invited us to the dining hall."

    Lu Qing didn''t notice his master''s astonishment.

    To him, his master was the true martial genius. He was merely taking advantage of his abilities.

    In terms of cultivation talent, he felt far inferior to his master.

    "I understand."

    The old doctorposed himself and nodded.

    While Lu Qing and hispanions were washing up, Wei Xinghe was listening to Wei Shanhai''s report in another courtyard.

    "So it was indeed Young Master Lu who had a breakthrough."

    Wei Xinghe sighed in amazement.

    He had also sensed Lu Qing''s breakthrough aura earlier. Confirming his guess with Wei Shanhai''s report, he was not surprised.

    "Ah Hai, I remember you said that when you first saw Young Master Lu, he was just a Qi and Blood Realm warrior?"

    "Yes, master. When the Young Master was injured, I went to protect him. At that time, Young Master Lu had just entered the Qi and Blood Realm," Wei Shanhai replied respectfully.

    "How much time has passed? The Young Master''s recovery has not been long, yet he has broken through to the Internal Organs Realm and can defeat even a Postnatal Grandmaster. How does Young Master Lu cultivate?" Wei Xinghe eximed.

    "A prodigy like Young Master Lu cannot be measured bymon standards, much like the renowned prodigies of Central Province, who are beyondprehension to others," Wei Shanhai said.

    "But even those Central Province prodigies are like firefliespared to the bright moon when facing Young Master Lu," Wei Xinghemented.

    Wei Shanhai remained silent.

    Indeed, the prodigies of Central Province were extraordinary. Butpared to Lu Qing, the gap was immense.

    A sixteen-year-old Internal Organs Realm warrior who had defeated a true martial arts master with bare hands at the Tendons and Bones Realm. Such achievements were utterly astounding.

    "And that old doctor is equally unfathomable. Did you know, afterprehending that treasure yesterday, the ancestor seemed dazed. When I went to greet him, he said he was shaken by the old doctor. He mentioned that even though both were in the Precelestial stage, the gap between them was vast."

    "Master and disciple, both are true prodigies!"

    Wei Xinghe fell silent after his exmation.

    Master and servant quietly savored their inner shock.

    "Father, you''re awake!"

    At this moment, a cheerful voice broke the silence.

    Wei Xinghe turned, surprised. "Zian, it''s rare to see you up so early."

    "I''ve been getting up early to practicetely. Didn''t mother tell you?"

    Wei Zian, dressed in training clothes with a flushed face and a bit of sweat on his forehead, clearly had just finished exercising.

    Wei Xinghe''s thoughts shifted, and he smiled. "Your mother mentioned some of your interesting stories from the mountainsst night. She said you''ve been diligent in practicing every morning as instructed by Master Ma. Is that so?"

    "Yes!" Wei Zian nodded vigorously, eager. "And I''ve recently learned a staff technique from Young Master Lu. Would you like to see it and give me some pointers?"

    "Oh, a staff technique taught by Young Master Lu?" Wei Xinghe''s interest was piqued by his wife''s ountst night. "Let''s see it, then."

    "Master, you don''t mind if this old servant watches too, do you?"

    Wei Shanhai was equally interested.

    "Not at all, Uncle Hai. Your expertise will be helpful," Wei Zian said excitedly.

    Wei Xinghe and Wei Shanhai exchanged nces.

    They noticed a significant change in Wei Zian''s demeanor. He was more cheerful and respectful than before.

    "Father, I''m starting now."

    Wei Zian, holding a long staff, stood in the courtyard''s center.

    The staff was from the family''s weapon collection. The one he brought back from the mountains was carefully preserved.

    Although the wooden staff was rough, it held special meaning for him and could not be discarded casually.

    "Go ahead."

    Wei Xinghe looked at his spirited son with satisfaction.

    Wei Zian took a deep breath, adjusted his breath, and suddenly his staff turned into a blur. A set of staff techniques flowed smoothly from his hands.

    Wei Xinghe initially watched with a smile.

    As he watched, his eyes filled with surprise.

    Wei Shanhai was equally astonished.

    Soon, Wei Zianpleted the staff technique, holding the staff horizontally, his breathing steady, and slowly withdrew the stance.

    His serious expression left Wei Xinghe momentarily dazed.

    It was the first time he had seen his son practice martial arts so earnestly.

    "Father, Uncle Hai, how was my staff technique?"

    Wei Zian eagerly asked after calming his breath.

    "Not bad, very good. You surprised me today," Wei Xinghe said, genuinely impressed.

    Wei Zian''s staff technique was precise, with well-practiced moves and proper force, indicating serious effort.

    "The technique is skilled, and the moves are exquisite. Master, your staff technique is impressive even among Qi and Blood Realm practitioners," Wei Shanhai praised.

    "Thank you, Father and Uncle Hai!" Wei Zian beamed with joy.

    One reason he had worked so hard recently was to earn his father''s approval.

    Now that he had achieved it, he was filled with a great sense of aplishment.

    "Zian, you said this staff technique was taught by Young Master Lu. What is it called?" Wei Xinghe asked.

    "It''s called the ''One Breath Staff Technique,'' but Young Master Lu said he simplified it. The real ''One Breath Staff Technique'' can only be learned after reaching the Tendons and Bones Realm," Wei Zian replied.

    "Simplified?"

    Wei Xinghe and Wei Shanhai were surprised.

    The technique Wei Zian had demonstrated was seamless,bining offense and defense, with almost no ws, aplete staff martial art.

    If not told, they wouldn''t have known it was a simplified technique.

    They exchanged astonished nces again, both amazed.

    The ''One Breath Staff Technique'' was a Qi and Blood Realm martial art, not too profound, not something they''d normally consider significant.

    But the technique''s depth revealed Lu Qing''s martial understanding, which they couldn''t fathom.

    Wei Xinghe suddenly felt he understood the ancestor

    ''s feelings.

    Both in the Precelestial stage, the ancestor couldn''t grasp the old doctor''s martial realm, feeling deeply frustrated.

    Simrly, Wei Xinghe couldn''tprehend Lu Qing''s martial realm despite being in the same Internal Organs Realm.

    Encountering such a prodigious talent was indeed a humbling experience.

    Looking at his happy son, Wei Xinghe''s thoughts stirred.

    He then smiled, "Zian, did you greet Master Ma today?"

    "Yes, I greeted Master Ma beforeing to find you," Wei Zian replied quickly.

    Wei Xinghe''s smile deepened. "Good. Since you''ve acknowledged him as your master, you must respect him as you would your father. Understand?"

    "I understand, Father. Mother taught me this," Wei Zian nodded earnestly.

    "That''s good. Since you''ve remembered, that''s excellent," Wei Xinghe said, satisfied. "However, your ceremony in the mountains was too simple. We didn''t even present a proper gift. It''s too unfair to Master Ma."

    "Master Ma is not just your teacher but also your and your mother''s savior. Our Wei family cannot neglect him."

    "So I''ve decided to choose a good day to hold a proper ceremony and make up for the formalities. What do you think?"

    "Great! I''ll go tell Master Ma right away!"

    Wei Zian said, rushing out excitedly.

    "Master, the Young Master has indeed changed."

    Watching Wei Zian''s cheerful figure, Wei Shanhai sighed.

    "Yes, the recent attack on our family, though a cmity, has helped Zian grow. It''s a blessing in disguise," Wei Xinghe said with satisfaction.

    "But master, is it really appropriate to have the Young Master apprentice under Ma Gu? His cultivation level is still low," Wei Shanhai said, somewhat concerned.

    Wei Xinghe nodded. "Indeed, Master Ma''s cultivation is low, but Zian respects him. Previously, I hired highly skilled tutors, but Zian wouldn''t listen. What good are they then?"

    "Moreover, Master Ma has excellent character. He saved Madam and Zian, showing his virtue. Such a person is more than suitable as Zian''s master."

    "As for cultivation, our Wei family has plenty of methods and pills. As long as Zian works hard, we have the resources to improve his cultivation."

    "For Zian, a master who can discipline him is more suitable than one with high skills."

    Wei Shanhai thought for a moment, realizing the master''s words made sense.

    He also knew there was another unspoken reason.

    Master Ma had a good rtionship with Lu Qing, which was enough for them to value him.

    After all, those two were truly unfathomable.

    Even the Wei family dared not easily offend such formidable individuals.

    "Alright, it''s decided. You''ll prepare it and ensure it''s well done," Wei Xinghe concluded.

    "Understood."

    As Wei Shanhai went to prepare for the ceremony,

    Ma Gu was stunned by Wei Zian''s news.

    Table of content

 Chapter 149

    "An''er, you mean, the Wei family head is going to hold a grand ceremony for you to formally acknowledge your master?"

    Mago asked, stuttering a bit.

    "Yes, Master," Wei Zian nodded vigorously. "My father said that the ceremony in the mountains was too simple, and there wasn''t even a proper gift for you. It was too unfair to you, so he wants to make up for it with a formal ceremony."

    "This... I, Mago, what virtue or ability do I have to deserve this!" Mago waspletely stunned.

    He hadn''t expected the Wei family to do such a thing.

    To be honest, since returning to the county, he had been thinking about how to handle his rtionship with Wei Zian as master and disciple.

    Mago knew his own limitations.

    Frankly, with his abilities, he wasn''t qualified to be Wei Zian''s personal master.

    The Wei family had many martial experts, any of whom were far superior to his mere Tendons and Bones Realm.What qualifications did he have to be the master of the Wei family''s young master?

    It would beughable if he told anyone.

    Aside from fearing people would say he was seeking fame, Mago was more worried about dying Wei Zian''s martial future.

    After all, he knew there wasn''t much he could teach Wei Zian.

    With Wei Zian''s martial talent, it wouldn''t be long before he surpassed Mago''s cultivation.

    By then, he would be even less qualified to be Wei Zian''s master.

    But sinceing to the Wei residence, everyone had shown him great respect, treating himpletely as Wei Zian''s master.

    This made Mago unable to find an opportunity to speak up.

    Now, hearing that the Wei family wanted to hold a grand ceremony for him and Wei Zian, Mago felt even more uneasy.

    "An''er, why don''t you tell the Wei family head not to hold the ceremony?"

    After hesitating for a long time, Mago finally said.

    "Why, Master?" Wei Zian didn''t understand.

    "The main reason is that my cultivation is too low, I can''t hold up the scene, and I''m afraid I''ll embarrass you," Mago sighed. "I always felt I wasn''t capable of being your master. Many in the Wei family are stronger and more suitable to be your master."

    Given the Wei family''s status in the county, if they held a grand ceremony, it would surely invite important figures from other families to witness.

    Thinking of so many martial experts being present made Mago feel very anxious.

    "But I only want you to be my master!" Wei Zian said earnestly. "Master, ever since you scolded me awake, I''ve understood many things."

    "I know what you mean, the leaders of the Silver Moon Guards in the residence are very strong, but they all care too much about my status. Even if they teach me, they just humor me, no matter how I practice, they only praise and tter me, rarely pointing out my shorings.

    If it were before, I might have thought it was fine, as I found martial training hard and liked the leaders'' leniency.

    But after experiencing so much recently, I''ve realized that in this world, everything can be deceiving, except for one''s own strength.

    Without strength, one can be bullied and unable to protect those they want to protect.

    I know I''mzy and undisciplined, and if I want to achieve something in martial arts, I need someone to strictly supervise me.

    The leaders in the residence can''t do this, only you, Master, truly care about me and won''t let me ck off.

    So, Master, I beg you not to abandon me and continue to teach and supervise my cultivation."

    Wei Zian was originally very clever.

    But the Wei family''s transcendent status in the county made him think he could livefortably without effort.

    This attack by the Tian Cang Sect made him realize that his once-proud family power was insignificant in the face of true strength.

    These days of fleeing made him understand many truths he hadn''t considered before.

    Outside the city gates, witnessing the battle between Lu Qing and the burly man, the sh between the ancestor and Wang Cangyi, and the old doctor''s powerful move, he was deeply shocked and fully realized that only his own strength was true power.

    From that moment, a desire grew in his heart.

    He hoped that one day he could also possess such strong power.

    Even if he couldn''t reach Lu Qing''s level, getting close would be enough.

    Seeing Wei Zian''s serious expression, Mago felt a bit dazed.

    He hadn''t expected his disciple to say such things.

    The once arrogant young master Wei, whom everyone avoided, seemed to have truly grown up.

    "Master, please agree!"

    Seeing Mago''s silence, Wei Zian pleaded again.

    Looking into his disciple''s expectant eyes, Mago suddenly smiled.

    "Alright, since you''ve said so, it would be too unkind for me to refuse."

    "You agreed, Master? I''ll go find my mother to prepare the ceremony gift!"

    Wei Zian was overjoyed and ran out after hurriedly saluting Mago.

    Mago wanted to call him back, but the words stuck in his throat.

    His hand hovered in the air for a moment, then Mago smiled and shook his head.

    Forget it, a man must be decisive. Since he agreed, there''s no need to hesitate.

    It''s just a ceremony, could it be more dangerous than being hunted in the mountains?

    With this thought, Mago felt at ease.

    So much so that when Wei Xinghe mentioned it during breakfast, he remained calm.

    "I''ll leave the matter to you, Wei family head, but the ceremony is important, so I need to inform my n."

    "Of course, I''ll have someone deliver the invitation personally," Wei Xinghe said.

    "That''s unnecessary, Wei family head. Your presence would cause too much spection in the city," Mago quickly said.

    Wei Xinghe''s special status would cause unnecessary attention if he visited in person.

    Unlike the Wei family, they respected the mysterious county magistrate and had to consider his reaction.

    Wei Xinghe thought for a moment and agreed. "I''ll have Ahai deliver the invitation."

    "That would be best."

    Mago sighed in relief.

    The chief steward was the face of the Wei family, the most suitable person for the task.

    "Master Ma, you''re going back? I also need to go out, let''s go together."

    Lu Qing, who was eating, suddenly said.

    "Lu Xiangjun is going out?" Wei Xinghe asked.

    "Yes, it''s rare for me to visit the county, I want to show Xiaoyan around."

    Lu Qing had long been curious about the cities in this world, and he hoped to gather some information.

    "I''ll arrange someone to guide you around the city," Wei Xinghe said.

    "No need, Wei family head. I''ll just wander around with Xiaoyan, having someone follow us would be ufortable," Lu Qing smiled and declined.

    Wei Xinghe wanted to say more but realized that with Lu Qing''s strength, no one in the city could threaten him. Even if he wanted to storm the county magistrate''s office, no one could stop him. There was no need to worry about his safety.

    So, he didn''t insist on having someone apany Lu Qing.

    Wei Zian wanted to follow, but a nce from Mrs. Wei stopped him.

    After breakfast, Lu Qing, holding Xiaoyan and Xiaoli, prepared to go out.

    The old doctor, uninterested in wandering, was eager to read some rare medical ssics in the Wei residence library.

    "Lu Xiangjun, Madam prepared some money for your expenses in the city. If it''s not enough, just mention the Wei residence, and someone will settle the bill."

    Before leaving, the chief steward handed Lu Qing a money pouch.

    Lu Qing opened it to find gold ingots, silver pieces, and banknotes, a considerable sum.

    He smiled and epted it. "Thank you, please convey my thanks to Madam."

    "Master Ma, I''ll be going first."

    Holding Xiaoyan, with Xiaoli on his shoulder, Lu Qing waved and walked out.

    He had nned to go out with Mago.

    But seeing the many things prepared for Mago by the Wei family, he found it too troublesome to wait.

    Outside the courtyard, Lu Qing didn''t leave through the main gate.

    He knew the Wei residence was being watched by many eyes.

    This was one reason he didn''t want to go out with Mago.

    He wanted to explore the county, not be watched like a spectacle.

    Holding Xiaoyan, Lu Qing found a secluded part of the wall, waved to a hidden Silver Moon Guard, and nimbly climbed over.

    Leaving the guard speechless.

    After a while, the guard went to report to the chief steward.

    Table of content

 Chapter 150

    "Master Wei, I''ll take my leave now."

    Mago bowed to Wei Xinghe before heading towards the main gate of the Wei Residence.

    Behind him, the head steward of the Wei family led a group of servants, carrying the numerous gifts prepared by the Wei family.

    Initially, Mago declined these gifts, but unable to resist the Wei family''s insistence, he had no choice but to ept them.

    As the gates of the Wei Residence opened, the spies from various factions outside took notice immediately.

    "They''reing out, the people from the Wei family areing out!"

    "Who is that? His cultivation level doesn''t seem very strong, yet the head steward of the Wei family is apanying him?"

    "That''s the man who was beside that mysterious Precelestial realm expert yesterday!"

    "I recognize him, it''s Mago from the Ma family!""Why is Magoing out of the Wei Residence, and with the head steward personally escorting him?"

    "Why is he the only oneing out? What about the Precelestial realm expert and the mysterious youth the family head mentioned?"

    "So many things, the head steward is leading so many servants, where are they going?"

    "Look, they''re heading towards the south of the city, isn''t that where the Ma family is located?"

    Seeing Mago escorted by the head steward of the Wei family, all the spies were astonished.

    Those who recognized Mago were even more surprised.

    They had not witnessed yesterday''s battle at the city gate, as only the strongest from each faction dared to get close.

    Thus, most of the spies didn''t know Mago was present during the battle.

    Now seeing Mago leave the Wei Residence so openly, apanied by the head steward and a line of Wei family servants carrying gifts, they were all taken aback.

    Seeing Mago heading south, the spies quickly followed.

    At the same time, they ryed this scene back to their respective factions.

    While the various factions were in turmoil, Lu Qing, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Li had already arrived at the busiest area of the county town.

    The street ahead was wide and clean, lined with shops and stalls on both sides.

    The streets were bustling with activity, vendors loudly hawking their wares.

    The air was filled with the fragrance of food, creating a lively scene.

    "Wow!!"

    Xiao Yan couldn''t help but open her mouth wide at the sight.

    This was a scene she had never dreamed of; her little heart waspletely overwhelmed.

    Perched on Lu Qing''s shoulder, Xiao Li''s eyes were also wide open.

    Having lived in the deep mountains for as long as it could remember, it had never seen such bustling scenes.

    Only Lu Qing remainedposed, though there was a hint of surprise in his eyes as well.

    He hadn''t expected themercial street of just a county town to be so lively.

    What grander sights would therger prefectures or even the capital hold?

    "Alright, stop gawking, let''s go in."

    Seeing Xiao Yan and Xiao Li still wide-eyed, Lu Qing chuckled.

    Patting the heads of the two little ones, he led them inside.

    Lu Qing did not have Xiao Li enter stealth mode.

    At his current strength, aside from the Precelestial realm, he had little to fear.

    There was no need to keep Xiao Li in stealth mode all the time as before.

    Today, he wanted it and Xiao Yan to experience the bustling human world.

    Entering themercial street, Lu Qing first bought some snacks for the little ones.

    Xiao Yan got a string of candied hawthorns, while Xiao Li got a packet of fried small fish.

    The two little ones happily ate their treats.

    After walking around the street to satisfy their curiosity, Lu Qing finally stopped in front of a bookstore.

    This was one of the main reasons he came out today.

    His understanding of this world was still too limited.

    As his strength continued to grow, he would inevitably interact with more high-level circles.

    If he didn''t prepare in advance, he might suffer a major loss someday.

    And books were one of the best ways to understand a world.

    He just didn''t know if this bookstore had the information he wanted.

    "Brother, are you going to buy books?"

    Xiao Yan asked, seeing Lu Qing standing still in front of the bookstore.

    "Yes, didn''t I tell you before? There are many interesting storybooks in the city, you can choose a few you like."

    "Really?" Xiao Yan was instantly excited.

    She now recognized many characters and could barely read some simple articles.

    Xiao Li''s eyes also lit up at this, tugging at Lu Qing''s sleeve with its paw.

    Turning around, seeing the anticipation in its eyes, Lu Qing said, "Xiao Li can choose too, pick what you like!"

    He nearly forgot that Xiao Li''s motivation to learn characters back then was to read stories by itself.

    Hearing this promise, Xiao Li''s eyes squinted in satisfaction.

    "Brother, there are so many books here!"

    Entering the bookstore, Xiao Yan eximed in awe.

    "Little Master, Little Lady, are you here to buy books?"

    The bookstore owner, who had been watching Lu Qing and Xiao Yan, quickly approached with a nodding and bowing posture.

    He couldn''t help it; the clothes Lu Qing and Xiao Yan were wearing were specially prepared by Mrs. Wei, made of exquisite materials that only wealthy families could afford.

    Moreover, with Lu Qing''s extraordinary demeanor and Xiao Yan''s adorable charm, along with a strange little beast, the bookstore owner dared not neglect them even without knowing which noble family they belonged to.

    "Do you have storybooks?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Yes, yes!" The bookstore owner quickly replied, leading Lu Qing to a section, "These are all storybooks, what kind does the Little Master want?"

    "Something simple, easy to understand, with straightforward stories that have educational significance. I''m buying them to help my sister learn to read."

    Lu Qing stated his requirements.

    The bookstore owner scratched his head, evidently a bit stumped by these requirements.

    However, being able to run such arge bookstore, he soon came up with arge pile of books.

    "These storybooks should meet your requirements, Little Master."

    Lu Qing picked up two books and flipped through them. They contained short, simple stories with easy-to-understand sentences, seemingly written by a schr with time on their hands.

    "Not bad." Lu Qing nodded, "Xiao Yan, Xiao Li, you can choose the ones you like."

    The two little ones, eager to browse, immediately began carefully looking through the storybooks.

    Seeing this, the bookstore owner was a bit dumbfounded.

    Xiao Yan, though young, wasn''t umon in wealthy families where children started learning to read early.

    But seeing a small beast seriously flipping through books was something he had never seen or heard of before.

    Lu Qing didn''t mind the owner''s reaction. Seeing the little ones engrossed in choosing storybooks, he moved to another section to find the books he wanted.

    This time, he activated his special ability to search the bookshelves.

    Table of content

 Chapter 151

    With Lu Qing''s abilities activated, the books on the shelves began to emit their respective auras.

    Most of the books glowed with a faint white light.

    asionally, when the light was more intense, Lu Qing would take the book down and flip through a few pages to see if it was something he needed.

    If he found something suitable, he would take it, nning to buy itter for a thorough study.

    After a round of browsing, Lu Qing already had a thick stack of books in his hands.

    Most of them were about the local customs and culture of this world, which could help him understand it better.

    At the innermost part of one shelf, Lu Qing took down another book with intense white light. As he was about to leave, he suddenly noticed a sh of red light out of the corner of his eye and stopped.

    Following that red light, he moved aside a pile of disorganized books at the bottom of the shelf.

    He revealed a book emitting a faint red glow.Lu Qing was surprised; this was the only red-glowing book he had seen in the bookstore.

    He picked up the dusty book and wiped it clean, only to find that the cover had no title or author¡¯s name.

    But it didn¡¯t matter, as his ability quickly revealed information about the book.

    "Wanderer''s Notes: Written by a pitiful person attempting to uncover the truth about the disappearance of the Cultivation Era."

    "This book contains some information about the Cultivation Era."

    "It has some interesting guesses about the truth of the Cultivation Era¡¯s disappearance."

    "Would you like to download and learn?"

    It was a book rted to the Cultivation Era!

    Lu Qing was pleasantly surprised.

    He opened the book and, after flipping through a few pages, his smile grew wider.

    Thinking for a moment, he took the book and approached the bookstore owner.

    "Boss, where did this booke from? Do you have any others like it?"

    The bookstore owner, already smiling broadly at the sight of Lu Qing¡¯srge stack of books, took the book and examined it.

    However, after flipping through the notes, his brows furrowed.

    "Young master, forgive my ignorance, but I do not know the origin of this book."

    "Even you don¡¯t know?" Lu Qing was surprised.

    He had thought the owner was very knowledgeable about the bookstore.

    "To be honest, young master, our family has been running this bookstore for three generations. Many books were collected starting from my grandfather¡¯s time. So, even I cannot identify every book¡¯s origin. Moreover, this book has no name, making it even harder to trace. May I ask where you found this book?"

    "It was at the bottom of the innermost shelf."

    "That exins it. Most of the books there have unknown authors and origins, rarely read by anyone. I don''t even know where my grandfather collected them from. Some have been sitting there for decades, nearly a hundred years. If I didn''t asionally air them out and revise them, they would have rotted long ago. It will be difficult to find the source of this book."

    After hearing the bookstore owner''s exnation, Lu Qing understood that it was unlikely to find other works by the Wanderer.

    He felt a bit disappointed but knew there was no way around it, so he ced all the books he had chosen on the counter.

    "Then forget it, boss. I¡¯ll take all these books. Xiao Yan, Xiao Li, have you picked out the books you want?"

    "Yes, brother!" Xiao Yan ran over with a small stack of books in her arms, "These are the ones Xiao Li and I want to buy."

    "Alright, boss, please add these up."

    "Certainly, young master. Please wait a moment."

    The bookstore owner¡¯s smile grew even brighter.

    He immediately began to tally the books, his abacus clicking away.

    Before long, he looked up, "It¡¯s all tallied, young master, a total of..."

    Hearing the amount, Lu Qing nodded without surprise.

    Books in this world were generally expensive. Some richly detailed and beautifully bound books could cost over ten taels of silver each.

    Compared to that, the price the owner gave was quite reasonable.

    "I don¡¯t have that much silver with me. Do you ept gold?"

    "Yes, yes!" The owner quickly replied.

    Gold was not as easy to circte as silver, but it was always more valuable.

    "Alright then, boss, here you go."

    Lu Qing took out two small gold ingots from the purse given by Mrs. Wei and handed them over.

    The bookstore owner carefully inspected the gold ingots. Seeing the small "Wei" mark on the bottom, he was startled.

    He realized that these gold ingots came from the Wei family, indicating that these people were guests of the Wei household.

    His demeanor became even more respectful as he weighed the gold ingots and then handed a few taels of silver back to Lu Qing.

    "Young master, here is your change. I¡¯ll pack up the books for you right away."

    "Alright, do as you see fit. We¡¯re not in a hurry."

    After Lu Qing left the bookstore, he found it was still early, so he decided to stroll around a bit more before returning.

    This time, he wandered more casually.

    Apanied by Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, they went wherever it was lively, satisfying the curiosity of the two little ones.

    The people in the market, seeing Lu Qing and Xiao Yan''s attire and the strange little beast on their shoulders, instinctively stepped aside, not daring to crowd them.

    Those dressed like this were either wealthy or noble, not people themon folk could afford to offend.

    So, despite the crowded market, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan enjoyed their strollfortably.

    Wandering around, they eventually came upon a crowd, with sounds of a quarreling from within.

    Having nothing else to do, Lu Qing carried Xiao Yan over to have a look.

    After squeezing through the crowd with his strong physique, he saw a thin man with a monkey face and a mustache grabbing an old man''s arm, loudly using him of something.

    "Old man, you broke my antique vase. If you don''t pay up today, you¡¯re not leaving!"

    The old man, dressed in patched clothes, looked terrified, his dark face full of anxiety.

    "I didn¡¯t touch it. It fell on its own," he murmured.

    "Nonsense! My vase was perfectly fine. How could it fall on its own? You must have knocked it over!"

    The mustached man held on to the old man''s arm, yelling fiercely.

    "I really didn¡¯t touch it. When I passed by, I was several feet away from your stall. How could I have knocked it over?" the old man argued weakly.

    "I don¡¯t care. I saw you walk past my stall, and then my vase fell. It had to be you. Either pay up or we go to the County Magistrate!"

    Hearing about going to the authorities, the old man panicked even more. He had heard thatmon folk entering the Magistrate¡¯s office often faced harsh treatment regardless of their innocence.

    He looked around for help, hoping someone would testify that he hadn''t touched the vase, that it had just fallen on its own. But he saw only amused onlookers, no one willing to speak up.

    Seeing the mustached man¡¯s fierce demeanor and the two burly assistants behind him, the old man knew he had no choice but to pay.

    "Fine, I¡¯ll pay. How much is the vase?" the old man resignedly asked.

    "It¡¯s an antique vase. Even at a discount, it¡¯s twenty taels of silver."

    The mustached man smirked.

    "How¡­ how much?" the old man stuttered in disbelief.

    "Not a tael more or less, twenty taels!" the mustached man insisted. "What, you don¡¯t want to pay? Then we go to the Magistrate!"

    His two assistants stepped forward menacingly.

    The old man trembled, "But I don¡¯t have that much money."

    "How much do you have?"

    The old man began to search his pockets.

    After a while, he pulled out a worn purse, "I only have three taels of silver."

    Lu Qing had been watching quietly and had figured out that the old man was being scammed.

    But not knowing the full context and seeing everyone else treating it as a spectacle, he hadn¡¯t stepped in immediately.

    Instead, he activated his ability to assess the situation.

    First, he looked at the broken vase on the ground.

    A faint gray light appeared.

    "Broken Vase: A newly made ceramic vase that has been shattered."

    As expected.

    Lu Qing''s eyes showed understanding. He then turned his gaze to the mustached man.

    A faint white light appeared.

    "Chen Songqing: Nicknamed ''Jackal'', notorious in the market for being a swindler."

    "Sharp-eyed and skilled at identifying people, he loves extorting farmers and foreign merchants."

    By now, Lu Qing understood the situationpletely.

    Just as he was about to retract his ability, his gaze fell on the old man¡¯s purse.

    Suddenly, he was shocked, his eyes widening in surprise.

    Table of content

 Chapter 152

    "Purple light, how is this possible!"

    Lu Qing stared intently at the old man''s worn-out money pouch, his eyes filled with disbelief.

    In his vision, the old money pouch emitted a faint purple light.

    Although the light was faint, it appeared dazzling to Lu Qing.

    Sinceing to this world and awakening his abilities, he had seen this kind of purple light only three times.

    The first time was when he obtained the Divine Rune Sect inheritance, the second time was yesterday when he saw the Li Huo Cauldron in the Wei mansion''s underground chamber.

    The third time was now, in this old money pouch.

    Could this money pouch also be a spirit artifact?

    As the thought crossed Lu Qing''s mind, the eight-character-mustache man snatched the money pouch, opened it, weighed it, and stuffed it into his bosom along with the pouch."Three taels, just three taels, consider me unlucky. Old man, watch your step next time. Luckily, it''s my stuff you bumped into. I''m a kind person, so I''ll let you go this time. If it were someone else, you''d be thrown into jail for sure!"

    The eight-character-mustache man sneered.

    Among the onlookers, those familiar with the man''s nature showed contempt at his hypocritical demeanor.

    But this man had a brother-inw working in the County Magistrate''s office, who managed this market.

    They had to make a living in the market, so they didn''t dare to offend him easily.

    Even though some sympathized with the old man, they remained silent in the end.

    The old man stood there, looking grief-stricken.

    The silver taels were his morning earnings from selling grain.

    It was nearly half a year''s savings for his family.

    He had nned to buy a gift for his granddaughter. She was learning needlework but often pricked her fingers because she didn''t have a good thimble. Seeing her hurt made him feel sad.

    He wanted to buy a nice thimble for her while in town.

    Unexpectedly, disaster struck, and all the money was gone.

    Thinking of how he would exin to his son and daughter-inw, the old man''s head heated up, and blood surged. Suddenly, he let out a cry and rushed towards the corner of the wall in front of the eight-character-mustache man''s stall.

    The unexpected change caught everyone off guard.

    The onlookers were mostly ordinary people and couldn''t react in time. They could only watch in horror as the old man rushed towards the wall.

    Just as he was about to crash, a figure appeared before him, gently pressing his shoulder to stop him.

    It was a young man in fine clothes, holding a fairy-like little girl, with a peculiar ck beast on his shoulder, smiling.

    "Old man, even if you feel wronged, there''s no need to seek death. Otherwise, it would only cause pain to your loved ones and joy to your enemies."

    Seeing someone stop the old man, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    The eight-character-mustache man, startled, cursed: "Old man, what are you doing?"

    Terrified, he realized if the old man died in front of his stall, the County Magistrate''s office would intervene, and even his brother-inw might not be able to help.

    Thinking of this, he red fiercely at the old man: "Old man, if you want to die, do it elsewhere. Can you afford to dirty my stall?"

    His ferocious demeanor frightened the surrounding people.

    "Shut up."

    Seeing the man still spewing venom, Lu Qing''s face darkened. He moved swiftly, pping the man''s face.

    The man''s body spun several times like a ragdoll,nding on the ground unconscious.

    His face swelled grotesquely, with a few teeth mixed with blood falling aside.

    Lu Qing''s current strength was formidable. Even though he held back ny-nine percent of his power, the p was more than the man''s frail body could bear.

    Surviving was already Lu Qing''s mercy.

    But he would certainly be left disabled.

    Lu Qing''s p had a soft force, causing internal damage far beyond the superficial.

    A hush fell over the scene.

    Everyone was stunned.

    No one expected the young man, who had been smiling, to suddenly act so ruthlessly.

    Looking at the man''s face, it seemed he would have trouble eating even if cured.

    Strangely, seeing the man''s miserable state, everyone felt a surge of satisfaction.

    Many shopkeepers in the market had long been fed up with him.

    If not for his luck having a brother-inw in the County Magistrate''s office, he would have been kicked out long ago.

    Now seeing someone finally deal with him, they almost wanted to cheer.

    As for the twockeys, they had long disappeared.

    After knocking out the eight-character-mustache man, Lu Qing casually picked up the old money pouch from his bosom and handed it back to the old man.

    "Old man, this is yours. Please take it back."

    The old man stared at Lu Qing nkly. When the pouchnded in his hand, he came to his senses.

    He hurriedly said, "Young man, you hit someone. You should leave quickly, or you''ll be in trouble when the authoritiese!"

    "Yes, yes, his brother-inw works in the County Magistrate''s office. It''s troublesome. Young man, you better leave."

    The onlookers chimed in.

    Though Lu Qing''s attire was extraordinary, suggesting he was from a noble family, the County Magistrate''s authority was still daunting, and no force in the city dared to oppose it openly.

    "Don''t worry. This man extorted the old man with fake antiques and almost caused a death. Such behavior, I think, even the County Magistrate''s office wouldn''t publicly cover up, right?" Lu Qing said calmly.

    The crowd was speechless.

    They thought the young man was naive. If the County Magistrate''s office were so just, how could this scoundrel have roamed the market so long?

    "Old man, there are too many eyes here. Let me escort you out."

    Seeing the crowd silent, Lu Qing spoke to the old man again.

    The old man wanted to leave long ago. He remembered the indifferent looks of these people.

    Now that he had shown his wealth, he dared not stay any longer.

    "Thank you, young man." The old man said gratefully.

    Lu Qing led the old man out.

    Before leaving the street, he paused and said, "If the County Magistrate''s peoplee to ask, tell them to find me at the Wei mansion. My name is Lu Qing."

    With that, Lu Qing left with the old man.

    Leaving the stunned crowd watching their departing figures.

    Table of content

 Chapter 153

    "That young man, he is actually from the Wei family?"

    Watching Lu Qing''s departing figure, everyone was astonished.

    They hadn''t expected his background to be so significant.

    After the surprise, they looked at the unconscious man with a mustache with schadenfreude.

    This Chen Wolf usually rampaged through the market, deceiving and intimidating others.

    What he relied on was his brother-inw who worked at the County Magistrate''s office.

    Now that he had provoked someone from the Wei family, let''s see if he could still act arrogantly in the future.

    It was known that most families and forces in the city had to show some respect to the County Magistrate''s office.

    But there was one exception¡ªthe Wei family.Not only did the Wei family not fear the County Magistrate''s office, but the office had to show deference to the Wei family.

    In front of the Wei family, what did his brother-inw count for? Even the County Magistrate had to be polite.

    "What happened? County Magistrate''s office at work, move aside!"

    Just as everyone was gloating, a loud shout came. A few officers from the County Magistrate''s office, led by the two shop assistants from earlier, came running over.

    It turned out those two had gone to find reinforcements.

    The crowd recognized among the officers the brother-inw of Chen Wolf, Officer Wang.

    Despite showing disdain, they stepped aside.

    "Brother-inw!"

    When Officer Wang saw his brother-inw''s miserable state, he couldn''t believe his eyes.

    Half of his face was swollen like a pig''s head, looking shocking.

    "Who dared to randomly hurt people in the market, tantly defying the County Magistrate''sw? Step forward immediately!"

    In his grief and anger, Officer Wang roared.

    The surrounding area fell silent, no one spoke.

    "Fine, no one wants to speak? Then take everyone back and interrogate them one by one. I don''t believe no one will confess!" Officer Wang shouted.

    Hispanions were startled and quickly stepped forward to quietly persuade him, "Brother Wang, calm down. If we take so many people back and this esctes, neither of us can handle it."

    Hearing Officer Wang''s madness of wanting to arrest everyone, the crowd felt both fear and indignation.

    Someone immediately shouted, "What does this have to do with us? The person who hit your brother-inw introduced himself as someone from the Wei family, named Lu Qing. If you have the guts, go find him. Bullying us, what kind of skill is that?"

    "What? Someone from the Wei family?!"

    Officer Wang''s heart suddenly felt like it was doused in cold water, his whole body shivering.

    Hispanions were even more frightened and quickly asked, "Are you sure? Did that person really im to be from the Wei family?"

    "Why would I lie to you? That young man was dressed in luxurious clothes, with an extraordinary demeanor, clearly not an ordinary person. Even if he''s not from the Wei family, he muste from a distinguished background. Officer Wang, if you don''t believe me, go to the Wei family to verify. Don''t wrong the innocent here!"

    The shopkeeper speaking had also had enough and directly responded sarcastically.

    Officer Wang''s face turned pale, his fists clenched, speechless.

    Seeing the situation was bad, hispanion stepped forward and said, "Brother Wang, this involves someone from the Wei family, which we can''t handle. The urgent matter now is to take your brother-inw to the clinic and wake him up to ask what really happened."

    Officer Wang took a deep breath, slowly unclenching his fists, and nodded, "Let''s do that. Brothers, please help me carry my brother-inw to the clinic."

    "It''s no trouble, but since this involves the Wei family, it''s beyond our handling. When we return, we''ll have to report to our superiors."

    The Wei family''s status in the city was exceptional, even the County Magistrate had to be cautious, so they had to be careful.

    Watching Officer Wang and his group leave in a huff, the market vendors were all pping and cheering.

    These officers usually extorted them a lot, so seeing them deted was immensely satisfying.

    Lu Qing was unaware of what happened after he left.

    At this moment, he was in a private room of a restaurant.

    "Old man,e, have a drink to calm your nerves."

    After ordering a table full of good dishes, Lu Qing poured a cup of wine for the old man and smiled.

    "Young master, if you have something to say, just say it directly. Your kindness is too much for me to bear."

    The old man looked at the table full of dishes, feeling uneasy.

    Coming from a poor background, he had never been to such a high-end restaurant or seen such exquisite dishes.

    The dishes on this table might be worth a month''s ie for his entire family, so how could he dare to touch them?

    If Lu Qing hadn''t been dressed luxuriously, saved his life earlier, and helped him recover his silver, he wouldn''t have dared to enter such an expensive ce.

    "No need to worry, old man." Lu Qing gave a piece of chicken to Xiao Yan and smiled, "To be honest, I have a favor to ask."

    "A favor to ask me?" The old man was astonished, almost thinking he heard wrong, "Young master, you must be joking. What can an old man like me do for someone like you?"

    "Old man, could you take out that money bag and let me have a look?"

    "Money bag?"

    The old man was puzzled, then realized Lu Qing was talking about the small bag he used to hold his silver.

    Although he didn''t understand why Lu Qing wanted to see the old bag, he still took it out and handed it to him.

    He wasn''t worried about Lu Qing having any ulterior motives.

    The little bit of silver he had wouldn''t be worth even a pot of wine here, so how could it catch Lu Qing''s eye?

    Sure enough, after taking the money bag, Lu Qing poured out the silver pieces and ced them on the table without a second nce. Instead, he closely examined the bag itself.

    Looking closely, Lu Qing immediately noticed something unusual.

    Although the money bag was old, it was exceptionally tough, without a single tear.

    Moreover, its material didn''t seem like cloth but more like some kind of animal skin, with natural, subtle, strange patterns that were hard to see without careful observation.

    After a closer inspection, Lu Qing activated his ability and looked into the money bag.

    Soon, a faint purple light emerged from the bag.

    [Spatial Qi Bag: Low-grade spiritual tool, crafted by a powerful being with great supernatural abilities, using the outer skin of a spatial cloud beast as the main material.]

    [Contains a vast space inside, capable of storing items, and has the abilities to swallow clouds and mist, exhale air and wind, and refine living beings.]

    [The spatial cloud beast naturally possesses spatial abilities, and the natural patterns on its skin contain a hint of spatialws.]

    [Due to the depletion of spiritual energy, its spirituality is greatly reduced, and its power is barely one percent of its peak.]

    Seeing the words appear on the bag, Lu Qing was delighted.

    Sure enough, it was a spiritual tool, named the Spatial Qi Bag.

    Moreover, ording to the information, it was a legendary spatial item.

    What surprised him was that this bag didn''t seem to have any legacy like the Li Huo Cauldron.

    But even so, it was enough to make Lu Qing ecstatic.

    The old man opposite him, seeing Lu Qing examining the old money bag so intently, waspletely puzzled.

    He didn''t understand; wasn''t it just an old bag? What was so special about it?

    "Old man, may I ask where you got this money bag?"

    Confirming it was indeed a spiritual tool, Lu Qing suppressed his joy and asked the old man.

    "This money bag was something I dug up while reiming wastnd when I was young. I saw it was a bit old but not damaged, so I took it home, washed it, and used it. It''s strange, though; the bag looks old, but after all these years, it hasn''t broken and has always been like this."

    Speaking of this, the old man seemed to realize something.

    Could it be that this money bag was special?

    Seeing his expression, Lu Qing knew he had guessed something.

    He frankly said, "Old man, to be honest, this money bag is made of special material and is useful to me, so I want to buy it from you. How much would you want for it?"

    "Young master, is this bag really a treasure?" The old man widened his eyes.

    "To someone like me who practices cultivation, it is. But for an ordinary person like you, it¡¯s just a bag for holding money and has no other use." Lu Qing hinted.

    The old man understood. This was something only martial artists could use and had no significance to ordinary people like him.

    He directly said, "Since the young master likes it, take it. Anyway, it¡¯s useless to me. Besides, you saved my life just now. Consider this bag my token of gratitude."

    The old man wasn''t a fool.

    Since this was a treasure even martial artists wanted, it wasn¡¯t something an ordinary person like him could keep.

    It was only because Lu Qing was kind-hearted that he politely asked for it.

    If it were any other martial artist, not directly snatching it would already be good enough, and the more ruthless ones might even take his life.

    "Let''s keep things fair. This item is useful to me, but I can''t take it for nothing. Here, old man, take this gold ingot as payment for the bag."

    Lu Qing took out a small gold ingot from his pocket and ced it on the table.

    The golden glow immediately mesmerized the old

    man.

    He had never seen such arge piece of gold in his life.

    But he quickly waved his hand, "I can''t ept this. Young master, it¡¯s just a bag, and you saved my life. How can I take your money?"

    "No need to decline, old man. It''s settled. I¡¯ll buy the bag from you."

    Without giving him a chance to refuse, Lu Qing pressed the gold ingot into the old man''s hand.

    The old man wanted to refuse, but once the gold was in his hand, he couldn''t let go.

    He suddenly thought that with such arge piece of gold, many of his family''s problems could be solved.

    His granddaughter''s dowry, his wife''s chronic illness, and even building a couple of rooms so the family wouldn''t have to be so crowded could all be taken care of.

    Thinking this way, he could no longer refuse.

    Lu Qing saw this and knew the old man was tempted.

    He smiled slightly, "It''s just a small piece of gold to me. Don''t worry, old man, just take it."

    Seeing Lu Qing being so firm, the old man finally epted the gold ingot.

    "Old man, are you hungry? It would be a waste not to eat this table full of dishes."

    With the old man epting the gold ingot, Lu Qing put away the money bag and smiled.

    The old man, having epted the gold, was no longer as restrained and joined Lu Qing in enjoying the meal.

    After eating and drinking, Lu Qing personally apanied the old man out of the city and even followed him for a while to ensure no one was following before returning to the city.

    After all, he didn¡¯t want the old man to be harmed after he had just helped him.

    Just as he entered the city, Lu Qing suddenly tensed up and looked ahead.

    Not far away, a man with a gentle smile was approaching him. He was a handsome middle-aged man, particrly striking with his phoenix eyes.

    Table of content

 Chapter 154

    "Yan Canghai greets Lu Xiangjun."

    The middle-aged man with phoenix eyes approached Lu Qing, a smile on his face, yet he immediately revealed Lu Qing''s identity.

    At this moment, information about the neer appeared in Lu Qing''s vision.

    In the rich red glow, several notes emerged.

    [Yan Canghai: County Magistrate of Cang County, royal bloodline, easygoing and carefree, indifferent to small matters, extremely curious.]

    [Cultivation: Postnatal Internal Organs Realm, proficient in various secret techniques, especially skilled in swordsmanship.]

    [Originally a royal descendant, he was exiled from the capital due to his excessive curiosity about forbidden events.]

    So, he was the nominal ruler of the county.

    After reading the information, Lu Qing understood.He hadn''t expected that the person''s background was quiteplex, being a royal descendant.

    "Is the County Magistrate here because of the troublemaker in the market?"

    Lu Qing wasn''t surprised that this person knew his whereabouts.

    As a county magistrate,cking even this level of intelligence would be quite pathetic.

    "No, Chen Songqing''s rampage in the market, extorting the people, has already been investigated. Lu Xiangjun need not worry," Yan Canghai replied.

    "Oh, then how did the County Magistrate handle him?" Lu Qing asked curiously.

    "Naturally, he was imprisoned for a year, his property confiscated, and after his sentence, he will be expelled from the city."

    Lu Qing nodded. He wasn''t familiar with thews of this world, so he couldn''t judge if the punishment was severe or not.

    "I''ve heard that the reason Chen Songqing could act so recklessly in the market was due to his brother-inw''s protection, who works in the County Magistrate''s office. How did the County Magistrate handle that?" Lu Qing continued to ask.

    Yan Canghai hesitated before replying, "Chen Songqing''s brother-inw, Wang Yi, has been a diligent officer for years. He imed to be unaware of Chen Songqing''s fraudulent actions, so considering his hard work and ignorance, he was fined three months'' sry as a warning."

    Lu Qing smiled faintly, notmenting on the handling.

    "Since the County Magistrate has uncovered the truth, it seems there''s nothing more involving me. I''ll take my leave."

    Lu Qing bowed slightly, ready to leave with Xiao Yan.

    Yan Canghai quickly called out, "Lu Xiangjun, I have prepared some food and wine at Yan Feng Tower. Would you honor me with your presence?"

    Yan Feng Tower was the best and most expensive restaurant in the county.

    "I appreciate the County Magistrate''s kindness, but I''ve already eaten, and I must return soon to avoid worrying my master. I must decline your kind invitation."

    With that, Lu Qing left with Xiao Yan, heading towards the Wei residence, leaving Yan Canghai looking regretful.

    "Zhiyue, why do you think he refused my invitation?"

    After Lu Qing disappeared, Yan Canghai asked suddenly.

    "He doesn''t like you."

    A figure appeared beside Yan Canghai, his expression calm. It was themoner youth.

    "Why is that? I haven''t offended him," Yan Canghai was puzzled.

    "He disliked you the moment he heard how you dealt with Wang Yi," themoner youth replied tly.

    "What was wrong with my punishment?"

    "Yan Canghai, ask yourself, do you truly believe Wang Yi was unaware of Chen Songqing''s fraudulent actions?"

    Themoner youth looked at his friend mockingly, "If you truly think so, then you''ve been getting more foolish over the years."

    Yan Canghai fell silent.

    After a while, he said, "Wang Yi is talented. With only the basic techniques issued by the County Magistrate''s office, he has reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm in just a few years. Given more resources, he might achieve the Tendons and Bones Realm, or even the Internal Organs Realm."

    "You know, I have no one useful at the moment."

    "So you yed dumb, giving him a chance?" Themoner youth shook his head, "Yan Canghai, you really disappoint me."

    "I thought being exiled to this remote county would clear your mind, but you¡¯ve only be more confused."

    "A mere peak Qi and Blood Realm can make you abandon your principles. With such small-mindedness, you dream of returning to the capital and reiming what was originally yours?"

    "Yan Canghai, when did your ambition be so petty?"

    Yan Canghai trembled all over, his face turning pale.

    Themoner youth shook his head, even more disappointed.

    He turned to leave, "Since Lu Xiangjun dislikes you, I advise you not to provoke him. He may appear gentle, but he has a strong murderous intent. If you anger him, he might kill you."

    Lu Qing did not know about this conversation after he left.

    He returned to the Wei residence with Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, just as Wei Xinghe and Mrs. Wei emerged from the backyard.

    "Lu Xiangjun, Xiao Yan, you¡¯re back! Did you have fun?"

    Mrs. Wei greeted them warmly.

    "It was alright," Lu Qing smiled, "The city is quite different from the countryside, very bustling."

    "Auntie, we went to many ces, ate a lot, and bought books!" Xiao Yan said excitedly.

    Since Lu Qing had warned her on the way back, Xiao Yan didn''t mention the incident at the market.

    "Did Lu Xiangjun buy books?"

    Wei Xinghe noticed the books in Lu Qing''s hand.

    "Yes, books are rare in the countryside. Usually, I teach Xiao Yan and the others to read using my master''s medical books. Since we''re in the city, I bought some books to broaden our horizons."

    "Xiao Yan, you¡¯re learning to read?" Mrs. Wei was surprised.

    "Yes, Xiao Yan knows many characters!" The little one said proudly, "Not only me, but Xiao Li also knows characters!"

    This really shocked Wei Xinghe and Mrs. Wei.

    They looked at Xiao Li differently now.

    This little ck beast could recognize characters?

    Unfortunately, Xiao Li was always aloof to strangers.

    Under their gaze, it didn''t even open its eyes, justy on Lu Qing''s shoulder pretending to sleep.

    Wei Xinghe, hiding his surprise, said to Lu Qing, "Since you love books, our Wei residence has a small library. If you¡¯re interested, feel free to visit and see if there¡¯s anything you like."

    Lu Qing''s heart moved. Books kept by the Wei family must be extraordinary, perhaps containing the information he needed.

    He dly nodded, "I thank the Wei family head in advance."

    After chatting a bit more, Lu Qing learned that the chief steward of the Wei family was still at the Ma residence and his master was discussing Precelestial martial arts insights with Wei Shanhai.

    Mrs. Wei also invited Xiao Yan and Xiao Li to y in the backyard.

    Having nothing else to do, Lu Qing found an excuse to return to his room to rest.

    Back in his room, with the door closed, Lu Qing finally took out his gains from today.

    Table of content

 Chapter 155

    Lu Qing first took out the essay collection by the Wandering Immortal.

    This time, after a stroll around the city, Lu Qing had gained significantly.

    The greatest gain was this essay collection and the Qiankun Bag.

    ording to the information revealed by his special abilities, the essays contained records about the era of immortal cultivation.

    Lu Qing was very curious about that mysterious era.

    So, he decided to first delve into this book.

    After a brief inspection, Lu Qing found that the material of the book was unusual. The paper was particrly resilient, seemingly able tost for a very long time without deteriorating.

    "Do you want to download and study it?"

    Looking at the prompt in his vision, Lu Qing chose "yes.""Downloading... Progress: 1%, 2%, 3%... 97%, 98%, 99%, 100%"

    "Downloadplete. Do you want to start learning?"

    Lu Qing continued to choose "yes."

    The next moment, familiar sensations and insights surged from deep within his mind. He gently closed his eyes.

    After a while, when he had digested the information in his mind, he opened his eyes with a hint of sigh.

    "This Wandering Immortal was truly a tragic figure."

    After absorbing the information in the essays, Lu Qing finally learned about some of the Wandering Immortal''s deeds.

    The Wandering Immortal was actually a cultivator from over a thousand years ago.

    More precisely, he was a pitiable person who pursued the path of immortal cultivation.

    The Wandering Immortal was originally a schr. In his youth, by chance, he obtained an immortal cultivation legacy in a strange cave.

    Coincidentally, his aptitude was exceptionally good, highlypatible with that legacy.

    Thus, relying on the legacy he acquired from the strange cave and some resources, he managed to achieve sess through self-study, breaking through barriers, and stepping into the Qi Refining realm, bing a true immortal cultivator.

    Later, with the resources from the cave, he advanced rapidly, reaching the peak of Qi Refining in just over ten years.

    ording to the Wandering Immortal''s words in the essays, his progress would have made him a genius even in the brilliant era of immortal cultivation, sought after by major sects.

    Unfortunately, he was born in the wrong era, an era where spiritual energy was scarce, the path of immortal cultivation was extinct, and martial arts prevailed.

    So, despite his extraordinary aptitude for immortal cultivation, there were no sects for him to join.

    This made the Wandering Immortalment his unfortunate timing many times in his essays.

    What made him even more desperate was that due to the scarcity of spiritual energy, his cultivation stagnated after reaching the peak of Qi Refining, unable to progress any further.

    No matter how hard he cultivated, he could not break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, a higher level where one¡¯s body is wless and free of impurities.

    In search of a breakthrough, the Wandering Immortal began to travel the world.

    He visited various famous mountains and rivers, strange ces, hoping to find a chance to break through.

    With his cultivation level equivalent to the Precelestial realm of martial artists, and even stronger due to the mystical nature of immortal cultivation, traveling the world was not difficult for him.

    However, after spending decades searching for the locations of former immortal sects as recorded in his legacy, he found that those once-famed paradises and immortal abodes had vanished without a trace.

    asionally, only ruins and destion remained.

    At this point, the Wandering Immortal truly realized that the era of immortal cultivation had indeed ended.

    But he was not without any gains.

    In the ruins of a sect called Tiandao Sect, he saw a jade wall.

    The jade wall recorded a secret.

    It roughly stated that the decline of spiritual energy was a natural cycle, like the breathing of a person, rising and falling alternately.

    The cycle of spiritual energy''s rise and fall was approximately sixty thousand years.

    Thirty thousand years of decline and exhaustion, followed by thirty thousand years of resurgence and prosperity, repeating endlessly.

    Upon seeing this secret, the Wandering Immortal''s heart turned cold.

    ording to the jade wall''s record, he calcted that he was at the end of a decline period, with at least a thousand years to go before the next resurgence of spiritual energy.

    Knowing this, the Wandering Immortal became desperate.

    At the peak of Qi Refining, with a lifespan of only three hundred years, even with mystical immortal cultivation methods prolonging his life, he could only live up to five hundred years.

    Waiting for the resurgence of spiritual energy was impossible.

    In other words, despite his outstanding talent in immortal cultivation, he would never see the day of spiritual energy''s resurgence and shine with his own brilliance.

    In the final part of the essays, Lu Qing read that the Wandering Immortal did not give uppletely after knowing the secret on the jade wall.

    Throughout his life, he fought against thews of heaven, attempting to reach higher realms with his talent and effort.

    In the following centuries, he tried many things, searched for various secret ces, absorbed residual spiritual energy, practiced martial arts, and even studied the notorious path of insect sorcery.

    But all attempts ended in failure.

    Until his death, he could not break through the peak of Qi Refining and step into the higher Foundation Establishment stage.

    After reading the life of the Wandering Immortal recorded in the essays, Lu Qing remained silent for a long time.

    This was the second time he was shocked by someone''s life story.

    The first was Li Weitian, and the second was this Wandering Immortal.

    However,pared to Li Weitian, the life of the Wandering Immortal seemed more tragic.

    Li Weitian''s end could be said to be partly due to his own faults. If he had not wasted so much time in his early yearspeting with others, he would not have been forced to break through in haste with insufficient umtion, ultimately leading to his demise.

    But the Wandering Immortal was different. He pursued the path of immortality all his life, diligently cultivating without ever cking off.

    Yet, fate yed a cruel joke on him, letting him be born in the wrong era.

    Despite having extraordinary aptitude for immortal cultivation, he was trapped at the peak of Qi Refining due to theck of spiritual energy and eventually died of old age.

    "A tragic genius abandoned by the era of immortal cultivation."

    Lu Qing sighed deeply, feeling pity for the Wandering Immortal''s fate.

    In an era of scarce spiritual energy, without any guidance, he managed to cultivate himself to the peak of Qi Refining.

    If the Wandering Immortal had been born in the prosperous era of immortal cultivation, it is hard to imagine what heights he could have achieved.

    But, there are no ifs in this world.

    Being born in the wrong era doomed the tragedy of the Wandering Immortal.

    After sighing for a while about the Wandering Immortal''s life, Lu Qing turned his attention to another matter.

    ording to the Wandering Immortal''s records in the essays, in his time, there were at least a thousand years left until the resurgence of spiritual energy as calcted by the Tiandao Sect.

    Now, nearly a thousand years had passed since the Wandering Immortal''s death.

    By this calction, the period of spiritual energy''s resurgence should be in his current era?

    But he had not sensed any significant changes in the world.

    Wait!

    Lu Qing suddenly remembered something, and his heart shook violently.

    Table of content

 Chapter 156

    "Xiao Li, and the Li Huo Cauldron!"

    Lu Qing suddenly thought of Xiao Li''s appearance and the gradual restoration of the Li Huo Cauldron, perhaps it was already a sign of something.

    Xiao Li is a spirit beast, and the Li Huo Cauldron is a spiritual artifact.

    Both are rted to spiritual energy.

    Does this mean that the spiritual energy of this world has already begun to quietly recover?

    It''s just that the recovery speed is too slow, coupled with the severance of the immortal heritage, so it''s not noticed by people.

    After all, ording to the records on the jade wall of the Tian Dao Sect, the rise and fall of spiritual energy in the operation of the heavenly dao, a cycle canst for sixty thousand years.

    "If this is true, we must prepare in advance."

    A solemn look appeared in Lu Qing''s eyes.If the spiritual energy is indeed recovering, it will be a major change that has not happened in tens of thousands of years.

    The entire world''s structure will undergo significant changes.

    Lu Qing did not believe that the once-mighty immortal forces that controlled the entire world''s resources had all perished.

    Having received the inheritance of the immortal cultivation, he knew that the methods of cultivators were much more profound than those of martial artists.

    It was impossible that they had no means to cope.

    He preferred to believe that they were lurking somewhere, waiting for the day when the spiritual energy truly recovered to a certain extent.

    "However, this may not be a bad thing for me," Lu Qing murmured softly.

    Whether those immortal sects were lurking orpletely vanished.

    But in this era, the fact that immortal cultivators are rarely seen is true.

    Because, before the spiritual energy is fully recovered, Lu Qing might be able to take advantage of this opportunity and seize the initiative.

    Just like this time, he almost effortlessly obtained a spiritual artifact.

    It must be known that even in the most prosperous period of the immortal era, spiritual artifacts were still extremely precious.

    Many small sects didn''t have any spiritual artifacts, and somerge sects might only have one or two spiritual artifacts as the foundation to suppress the sect''s fortune.

    Being able to obtain one so easily, he could be said to have great luck.

    Lu Qing took out the Spatial Qi Bag.

    Gently stroking the patterns on the Spatial Qi Bag.

    He suddenly thought that due to the depletion of spiritual energy, many famous spiritual artifacts in the immortal era might be in poor condition now.

    Perhaps, like the Spatial Qi Bag, their spiritual nature had greatly diminished and degraded to a state simr to ordinary objects.

    Although most of them should have been taken away by those immortal sects, it is hard to say if there are any that have been lost outside.

    If he could find these spiritual artifacts, wouldn''t he be making a huge profit?

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing couldn''t help but feel a little excited.

    The demise of the immortal era was a disaster for those cultivators, but for him, it was a great opportunity.

    After a moment of excitement, Lu Qing calmed his mind and prepared to start refining the Spatial Qi Bag.

    Although he couldn''t find any inheritance on the Spatial Qi Bag, the inheritance he obtained from the Li Huo Cauldron included the method of refining artifacts.

    Coincidentally, Lu Qing could barely perform that method.

    Holding the Spatial Qi Bag, Lu Qing''s spiritual power in the aperture between his eyebrows surged, extending a thread into the Spatial Qi Bag.

    Soon, he sensed the restrictions inside the Spatial Qi Bag.

    As long as he could refine these restrictions, he could smoothly control this spiritual artifact.

    Following the secret refining method of the Li Huo Sect, Lu Qing controlled his spiritual power and began to refine the restrictions bit by bit.

    Just a few days ago, Lu Qing couldn''t perform this refining method.

    But after condensing the third soul runest night, the outline of his natal talisman had a trace of framework, his spiritual power had also made significant progress, and he could barely manage it.

    The Spatial Qi Bag had been dormant for countless years, its spiritual nature greatly diminished, and the power of its restrictions was weakened to the extreme.

    Lu Qing''s refining process went very smoothly, almost without much effort, he refined the control restrictions.

    When thestyer of restriction was infiltrated by his spiritual power, Lu Qing suddenly felt a shock in his mind.

    A stream of information poured into his mind.

    With a thought, he immediately understood the various functions of the Spatial Qi Bag.

    First, as he previously detected, the Spatial Qi Bag is a spiritual artifact with spatial attributes.

    It not only contains vast space inside but can also store items and amodate living beings to temporarily survive.

    Additionally, it has arrays inside that can emit clouds and mist, alter the climate within ten miles, and release strong winds to kill enemies, making it incredibly powerful.

    Of course, these were the functions of the Spatial Qi Bag in its prime.

    Now, with the scarcity of spiritual energy, the arrays and restrictions inside the Spatial Qi Bag were weakened to the extreme, almost stagnant, and difficult to activate.

    For now, Lu Qing could only use it to store items.

    And it could only store inanimate objects, not living beings.

    This was within Lu Qing''s expectations, so he was not disappointed.

    If the arrays and restrictions of the Spatial Qi Bag had not been weakened to the extreme, he wouldn''t have been able to refine and control a spiritual artifact so easily with his current realm.

    He understood the gains and losses clearly.

    With a thought, Lu Qing''s mind entered a mysterious space.

    This space was quite vast, empty, and deste.

    "Um?"

    Lu Qing''s expression changed slightly, and the next moment, his mind had already reached a corner of the space.

    Looking at the things inside, he was a bit surprised.

    "Could these be the spiritual materials left by the previous owner of the Spatial Qi Bag?"

    With a thought, a small pile of items suddenly appeared in the room.

    It was exactly the items Lu Qing had taken out from the Spatial Qi Bag.

    There were more than a dozen jade bottles, some withered herbs, and severalrge pieces of ck, iron-like materials.

    Lu Qing first examined the jade bottles.

    He found that they were either empty or contained pills that had already turned into muddy residue and were useless.

    He then used his ability to examine the withered herbs.

    He found that they were indeed spiritual herbs, but without exception, they were all dead, with their medicinal properties dissipated.

    Lu Qing felt a bit disappointed but understood that this was normal.

    The decline of spiritual energy hadsted for tens of thousands of years, even the Spatial Qi Bag had nearly degraded to a mortal object due tock of nourishment.

    How could it possibly preserve the spiritual nature of the items inside?

    However, holding on to ast glimmer of hope, Lu Qing turned his attention to the pieces of iron.

    Soon, a rich red glow emerged from the ore.

    [Heavenly Meteorite Iron: A mysterious meteorite iron that fell from the heavens and was buried deep underground for hundreds of thousands of years.]

    [Heavy and extremely hard, very precious.]

    [Extremely inclusive, one of the best materials for forging artifact and spiritual artifact embryos.]

    After reading the information emerging from the ore, Lu Qing''s face revealed a look of joy.

    Table of content

 Chapter 157

    "Could it be meteorite iron?"

    Lu Qing was overjoyed.

    In the inheritance of the Li Huo Sect, this rare spiritual material was highly regarded and praised as one of the best materials for refining spiritual weapon embryos.

    When the mid-grade spiritual tool, the Li Huo Cauldron, was being refined, a significant amount of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron had been added by the Li Huo Sect.

    The young master of the Li Huo Sect had oncemented in the inheritance records that if the entire body of the Li Huo Cauldron had been made of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron, they would not have lost in that sect war.

    Unfortunately, Heaven''s Meteorite Iron was extremely rare. Even with the Li Huo Sect''s umtion over thousands of years, they hadn''t gathered much.

    Lu Qing hadn''t expected to find severalrge pieces of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron in the Spatial Qi Bag.

    "It seems that the refinement of my battle knife can be prioritized."

    Lu Qing''s battle knife had been damaged in the fight with the burly man, and he hadn''t found a suitable recement since then.Although the Wei family had provided some precious swords for him to choose from, he felt that while those swords were good, they weren''t significantly better than his original one, so he hadn''t picked any.

    After obtaining the inheritance of the Li Huo Sect, he became even more determined to forge a precious knife by himself.

    Originally, he had nned to find some good iron stones after attending the apprentice ceremony of Mago and Wei Zian.

    Now, with this Heaven''s Meteorite Iron, it was better than any refining material.

    After admiring the pieces of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron for a while, Lu Qing put them back into the Spatial Qi Bag.

    He also put the books he had just bought, along with other misceneous items, into the bag.

    With this, Lu Qing felt refreshed. Except for his clothes and the Spatial Qi Bag, he had no other burdens.

    In fact, spiritual tools could be stored within the body.

    However, Lu Qing was not a cultivator yet, not even at the Precelestial level. His qi orifice had not been opened, so he couldn''t store the Spatial Qi Bag in his dantian for nurturing; he could only hang it temporarily on his body.

    After finishing these tasks, Lu Qing walked to the small courtyard outside, found afortable spot, and with a slight thought, took out a book from the Spatial Qi Bag and leisurely read it.

    This time, he didn''t choose to directly use his ability to download the contents of the book; instead, he turned the pages one by one, enjoying the pleasure of reading and passing the time.

    After all, life wasn''t just about cultivation; there were times when one needed to rx.

    The proper way of cultivation was to bnce work and rest.

    Unfortunately, there was no river in the city; otherwise, Lu Qing would have wanted to go fishing.

    He spent a few hours pleasantly reading in the small courtyard until the Wei family''s servant came to inform him that dinner was ready. Only then did Lu Qing put away his book.

    He followed the servant to the dining hall with a satisfied heart.

    In one afternoon, he had read a small part of the books he bought.

    He had gained much understanding about many things in this world.

    The acquisition of knowledge could make one feel fulfilled.

    So he was in a very good mood.

    When he arrived at the dining hall, he saw his master, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Li, and even the head steward Wei was present.

    During dinner, Lu Qing learned that the head steward Wei had already discussed with the Ma family, and the apprentice ceremony was set for three dayster.

    Tomorrow, they would send out invitations to invite various families and forces in the city to attend.

    Three days, that was plenty of time.

    After learning this, Lu Qing thought for a while and went to find Wei Xinghe after dinner.

    "Master Wei, there''s something I''d like to ask for your help with."

    "Oh, what is it? Please tell me, Young Master Lu."

    Wei Xinghe was immediately invigorated and said quickly.

    It was rare for Lu Qing to ask him for help; this was a good opportunity to get closer.

    "I have a list here with some materials on it. I wonder if Master Wei could help me gather them. I can pay for them."

    Lu Qing took out a note.

    "Young Master Lu, how could you say such a thing? Collecting some materials is no trouble at all, and there''s no need for you to spend money."

    Wei Xinghe took the note, opened it, and was surprised.

    Because some of the materials on the list were quite unusual and not easy to find.

    "Young Master Lu, if I may ask, what do you need these materials for?"

    "I need them to prepare a kind of potion. What''s the matter, Master Wei? Are these materials hard to find?"

    Lu Qing was a bit anxious. The materials on the list were organized ording to the records in the inheritance of the Li Huo Sect.

    Although there were no spiritual materials in them, he was not sure if they could all be found.

    After all, the Li Huo Sect was a long time ago, who knew if some of the materials still existed.

    "It''s not that difficult. Most of the items are avable in the secret vault of the mansion, but a few might require some effort. It might take a few days to get a response," Wei Xinghe said.

    "That''s fine. I''m not in a hurry," Lu Qing smiled. "Master Wei, please try to gather them. If you really can''t find them, it''s okay."

    If the materials were iplete, the potion''s effect would be weaker. He would just have to put in more effort; it wouldn''t be a big issue.

    "I''ll arrange for someone to look for them right away."

    Hearing Lu Qing say this, Wei Xinghe felt relieved.

    But he also decided in his heart that he must handle this matter well.

    It was rare for Lu Qing to ask for his help; such opportunities were notmon.

    "By the way, there''s one more thing I''d like to ask Master Wei about."

    "Please, go ahead."

    "I wonder which cksmith shop in this county is the best?"

    ...

    Early the next morning.

    "Young Master Lu, this Heart Forging Workshop is the best cksmith shop here. The owner, Master Lin, has a superb mastery of the Fiery Hammer Technique, with almost the skill of a master weapon craftsman."

    Standing in front of a cksmith shop, the head steward Wei introduced it to Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing looked at the various weapons hanging inside and the faintly visible hot atmosphere, nodding, "Thank you for the trouble, head steward."

    "Head steward Wei, you''re here! The owner is waiting inside. Please,e in."

    At this moment, a middle-aged fat man, who looked like a shopkeeper, hurriedly came out from inside, bowing and scraping.

    "Thank you, Manager Wang, for leading the way."

    Knowing that Lu Qing wanted to visit the best cksmith shop in the city, Wei Xinghe had made arrangementsst night.

    "No trouble at all. Please,e in."

    Lu Qing and the head steward Wei followed the shopkeeper inside.

    The cksmith shop looked small from the outside but was very spacious inside.

    As soon as they reached the backyard, Lu Qing felt a wave of heat.

    A busy scene unfolded before him.

    Several cksmith furnaces were spewing mes, surrounded by more than ten shirtless burly men. Some were working the bellows, some were forging iron blocks, and some were quenching. Everyone had their own tasks, busily forging various items.

    Among them, a short but extremely robust red-faced old man, with extremely thick arms, walked around with a stern face, asionally shouting to correct the men''s actions.

    The middle-aged shopkeeper ran over and reported to the old man.

    The old man turned his head and looked over, then walked towards them.

    "Head steward Wei, your presence brings light to our humble workshop. My apologies for not greeting you earlier."

    The old man cupped his hands and said in a loud voice.

    "Master Lin, you are too kind. I should be the one apologizing for disturbing you when you are busy," the head steward Wei smiled.

    "Haha, this is no disturbance at all. You are too polite, head steward Wei. It is an honor for our Heart Forging Workshop to have you visit."

    The old man waved his hand andughed heartily.

    Then he turned his gaze to Lu Qing, "This must be the young hero you mentioned in your invitation, who wishes to visit our Heart Forging Workshop?"

    Table of content

 Chapter 158

    "This young master Lu, is a distinguished guest of the Wei family. He is quite interested in forging and wants to visit the best cksmith shop in the county. So I brought him here to Master Lin''s workshop," Wei Dazongguan introduced.

    "Greetings, Master Lin," Lu Qing slightly bowed in greeting.

    At this moment, his vision disyed information about this old cksmith.

    [Lin Tiechui: Master of Heartforge Workshop, a highly skilled old cksmith with a straightforward personality.]

    [Cultivation Level: Postnatal Tendons and Bones Realm, proficient in hammer techniques.]

    What a down-to-earth name, Lu Qing thought to himself.

    "No need for such ttery, Wei Dazongguan. If old Wang next door heard this, he would challenge me to a duel," Master Lin said modestly, though his face couldn''t hide his happiness.

    Wei Dazongguan smiled faintly without saying more. Everyone in the county knew about the rivalry between Master Lin of Heartforge Workshop and Master Wang of Iron Weapon Workshop. He had no interest in getting involved.

    "What would Young Master Lu like to see?" Master Lin, knowing Lu Qing was a distinguished guest of the Wei family, did not dare to neglect him.For someone who could have Wei Dazongguan personally apany him, his status must be extraordinary.

    Although Master Lin did not go to the city gate yesterday, he felt the bursts of terrifying power within the city. Later, he heard that a young man, with his peak Tendons and Bones Realm, had defeated a martial arts grandmaster at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm.

    Seeing Wei Dazongguan''s attitude, could this young man be the one? Thinking of this, Master Lin''s attitude became even more respectful.

    "I actually want to rent your workshop''s forge to make a weapon for myself. Is that possible, Master Lin?" Lu Qing asked directly.

    "You also understand the art of forging, Young Master?" Master Lin was very surprised.

    Lu Qing''s demeanor didn''t resemble a cksmith''s at all. His hands were smooth without any calluses, not like someone skilled in forging.

    "I understand a little, but I am not proficient and need more practice."

    Master Lin understood immediately. Lu Qing wasn''t skilled in forging but had an interest and wanted to try making a weapon for fun. He had encountered such young masters before, so it wasn''t too surprising.

    "Of course, which forge would you like to use? I can clear it out for you," Master Lin said.

    If it were anyone else making such a request, Master Lin would be very displeased. But Lu Qing was a distinguished guest of the Wei family, apanied by Wei Dazongguan, and likely a powerful martial artist who could defeat a grandmaster. In front of such a figure, everything could be amodated.

    "Master Lin, please choose a forge for me. One with strong firepower," Lu Qing said.

    "Then use Forge Number One. Its airflow is the strongest, and the temperature the highest. It can even forge volcanic steel, which should meet your requirements," Master Lin said after some thought.

    "Then I''ll rely on Master Lin''s choice."

    Lu Qing knew about volcanic steel, a type of mystical steel with a very high melting point, usually found near volcanoes. If even such mystical steel could be forged, then Forge Number One''s firepower must be very strong.

    Soon, Master Lin cleared out Forge Number One.

    "Young Master Lu, please. What kind of weapon would you like to forge?"

    "No rush. I''ll practice and familiarize myself with the process first."

    Hearing this, Master Lin was even more convinced that Lu Qing was here for fun. If he wasn''t even familiar with the forging process, how could he possibly make a good weapon?

    "Master Lin, if you''re busy, you don''t have to stay with me," Lu Qing smiled.

    "No problem. Recently, there aren''t any special orders. I''m free and can observe Young Master''s forging techniques," Master Lin said. How could he let Lu Qing tinker alone? If he got injured, Master Lin wouldn''t be able to bear the responsibility.

    However, he did disperse the onlookers and apprentices to avoid disturbing Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing smiled, understanding Master Lin''s intentions. He didn''t point it out, stepped forward, and after some selection, chose a medium-sized hammer.

    "Master Lin, may I use some materials from your workshop?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Please use them freely," Master Lin immediately replied.

    The materials on the forge were just ordinary iron bars. Even if they were damaged, he wouldn''t mind.

    Lu Qing saw that the materials were indeed ordinary iron bars and used them with peace of mind. He took the hammer in his right hand, used tongs to retrieve a red-hot iron bar from the carbon furnace with his left hand, and ced it on the anvil.

    He then activated his ability, entering a learning state. The hammer technique from the Li Huo Sect''s inheritance flowed through his mind, and various insights surfaced.

    Ding! Lu Qing struck the iron bar with a crisp sound.

    Master Lin''s heart jumped at first, then his face showed understanding. As expected, this young master Lu wasn''t skilled in cksmithing. The force of this strike was decent, but the technique wascking, and the force was misapplied, making it seem very unfamiliar.

    With such strikes, it would be difficult to hammer out the impurities from the iron. However, he didn''t offer any advice, just watched silently.

    After a few strikes, Lu Qing realized something was wrong. He paused and quietly thought. Seeing him remain still for a while, Master Lin considered offering some pointers, but then Lu Qing raised the hammer again.

    Ding! Lu Qing struck again. This time, Master Lin couldn''t help but open his eyes slightly, showing a hint of surprise.

    Because this strike from Lu Qing waspletely different from the previous random strikes. The force was applied very appropriately and skillfully, just enough to hammer out the impurities in the iron bar. Even his disciples might not be able to achieve such a strike.

    "Was it luck?" Master Lin wondered.

    But he quickly realized he was wrong. Lu Qing felt the difference after the strike, knowing he had found the right direction, and smiled.

    He continued to raise the hammer and struck again.

    For the next period, Lu Qing kept hammering the iron bar, one strike after another.

    During this process, Master Lin''s eyes opened wider and wider, bing ultimately wide with astonishment.

    Table of content

 Chapter 159

    Ding! Ding! Ding¡­

    In front of the number one forge at Heart Forging Workshop, Lu Qing had been hammering at that iron bar for several hours.

    But he didn¡¯t seem tired at all. Not only were his hands steady, but he hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat.

    It was as if he wasn¡¯t standing beside a scorching forge but in a cool valley.

    Outside the number one forge, the others had already gathered.

    Like Master Lin, they all stood dumbfounded, watching this scene.

    The entire backyard was silent, with only the rhythmic sound of Lu Qing¡¯s hammering.

    Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Lu Qing stopped hammering.

    By now, the iron bar in his hand had transformed into the shape of a long sword embryo.Hiss!

    Lu Qing plunged the sword embryo into the cool water, causing steam to rise.

    After the sword embryo cooled, he took it out and examined it closely.

    A faint red glow appeared on the sword embryo.

    [Hundred-Fold Sword Embryo: A sword embryo formed through repeated folding and hammering, reaching the hundred-fold level.]

    [Only through countless hammerings can a weapon be forged. This sword embryo has the foundation to be a treasured sword.]

    It actually reached the hundred-fold level?

    Lu Qing was somewhat surprised.

    Just now, he was immersed in practicing the hammer technique in his mind and hadn¡¯t kept count of how many times he folded and hammered the iron bar.

    He didn¡¯t expect to forge it into a hundred-fold refined steel at once.

    Seeing Lu Qing examining the sword embryo, the anxious Master Lin hurriedly approached.

    ¡°Little Lord Lu, may this old man take a look at this sword embryo?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s made from your materials after all.¡±

    Lu Qing handed over the sword embryo.

    Master Lin carefully examined it.

    Seeing the special hammering patterns, he was shocked and couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Hundred-Fold Sword Embryo!¡±

    ¡°What, Master, are you serious? Did this sword embryo really reach the hundred-fold level?¡±

    The other cksmiths were incredulous.

    They hadn¡¯t watched Lu Qing hammer from start to finish, so they didn¡¯t know how many times he had folded and hammered the sword embryo.

    ¡°What, do you doubt my judgment?¡±

    Master Lin was displeased and immediately red.

    ¡°No, no, we wouldn¡¯t dare question your judgment!¡±

    The apprentices trembled and quickly smiled in agreement.

    Yet, their hearts remained shocked.

    Their gazes toward Lu Qing changedpletely.

    They recalled Lu Qing¡¯s earlier statement about knowing a bit about forging.

    Forging a hundred-fold sword embryo in a single morning was called knowing a bit?

    Even their master would struggle to achieve that!

    Who exactly was this Little Lord Lu?!

    Master Lin was equally shocked.

    He could forge hundred-fold weapons.

    As a nearly grandmaster-level cksmith, he could even forge five hundred-fold, seven hundred-fold weapons.

    However, such weapons required extensive preparation, effort, and time to forge.

    Strict requirements could mean taking half a year to forge a single one.

    Even a hundred-fold weapon would take him several days to forge.

    Yet, Lu Qing had forged a hundred-fold sword embryo right under his nose in just a few hours.

    This efficiency far surpassed his own.

    How could Master Lin not be astonished?

    However, what astonished Master Lin most wasn¡¯t the hundred-fold sword embryo but Lu Qing¡¯s state while hammering.

    His extreme focus, undistracted state, without a single mistake from start to finish.

    His movements, filled with beauty and power like a heavenly being.

    If not for Lu Qing¡¯s youth, he might have suspected some grandmaster was pretending to joke with him.

    By now, Master Lin realized Lu Qing¡¯s earlier humility was self-deprecating.

    It wasughable that he had thought Lu Qing was a clueless noble.

    Even Wei Dazongguan was surprised.

    He knew Lu Qing¡¯s extraordinary talent couldn¡¯t be measured bymon sense.

    But seeing him forge a hundred-fold sword embryo still left him stunned.

    He knew Lu Qing¡¯s background well and knew he had no opportunity to learn forging skills.

    Yet now, he had personally forged a hundred-fold sword embryo. How was this possible?

    ¡°Little Lord Lu, are you from a family of cksmiths?¡±

    Master Lin asked respectfully.

    Previously, Master Lin¡¯s respect for Lu Qing was due to his status as a guest of the Wei family.

    Now, it was from the heart.

    A young man already surpassing him in forging skills.

    Such a person couldn¡¯t have a simple background.

    ¡°No, I just happened to acquire some forging knowledge and tinkered with it. I have no formal training.¡±

    ¡°No formal training?¡±

    Master Lin gasped, even more shocked.

    No formal training, yet he had honed his forging skills to this extent.

    He couldn¡¯t imagine Lu Qing¡¯s innate talent in forging.

    Facing their astonishment, Lu Qing remained unfazed.

    With his current cultivation and abilities, learning a hammer technique didn¡¯t take much time.

    In fact, the hammer technique he practiced was merely basic in the Li Huo Sect¡¯s heritage.

    It was used by outer disciples to practice forging mundane weapons.

    The truly profound forging methods could, in a single thought, activate the true fire, melt materials, inscribe spells, draw on the energy of heaven and earth, and forge spiritual artifacts. Those were the real miracles.

    Compared to that, hammering piece by piece was inefficient.

    Of course, the foundation was crucial. Hammering was the start of forging; a solid foundation and understanding were necessary to grasp advanced forging techniques.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing picked up the hammer again, took another iron bar, and prepared to continue forging.

    This time, he chose thergest hammer.

    ¡°Little Lord Lu, do you still want to forge? Isn¡¯t this sword embryo up to your standard?¡±

    Master Lin quickly asked.

    ¡°That was just a practice piece, not up to my weapon standard.¡± Lu Qing shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Lin, I¡¯ll pay for the materials I use.¡±

    A mere hundred-fold sword embryo barely reached the threshold of a treasured sword, far from Lu Qing¡¯s goal.

    The battle de Mago gave him was five hundred-fold.

    ¡°Little Lord Lu, I didn¡¯t mean that. Feel free to use the iron, there¡¯s plenty in the warehouse. But you¡¯ve been forging for a while, don¡¯t you need a rest?¡±

    Master Lin quickly exined, afraid Lu Qing would misunderstand his stinginess.

    ¡°No worries, I have good stamina, this bit of effort is nothing. Besides, this time it won¡¯t take as long.¡±

    Lu Qing smiled.

    He lifted the hammer; the heavy hammer, weighing dozens of pounds, felt weightless in his hand.

    Lu Qing focused and, after a moment, swung the hammer down.

    Bang!

    A loud noise echoed.

    Master Lin¡¯s eyes widened instantly.

    Table of content

 Chapter 160

    Old Master Lin watched as Lu Qing hammered down with immense force.

    Under the massive pressure, the red-hot iron bar emitted sparks and waspressed into an iron disc.

    Then, Lu Qing folded it and hammered it heavily again, turning it back into an iron disc.

    Just like that, Lu Qing continued hammering one blow after another.

    The iron bar seemed like dough in his hands, easily ttened.

    But Old Master Lin and his apprentices knew it wasn''t that the iron bar was soft as dough; it was Lu Qing''s incredible strength.

    Each hammer blow easily ttened the iron bar.

    Most importantly, Old Master Lin noticed that Lu Qing wasn''t just using brute force.

    Every hammer blow contained intricate variations, precisely reaching the iron bar''s limit, squeezing out impurities without breaking it."One hammer, one forging, how is this possible?"

    Watching Lu Qing swing the heavy hammer effortlessly, hammering repeatedly, Old Master Lin was stunned, muttering in disbelief.

    His heart was filled with indescribable shock.

    He never imagined that forging iron could be done this way.

    Every hammer blow was a forging. Such divine forging techniques couldn''t be achieved even by the master cksmiths he had seen.

    Yet, it was happening right before his eyes.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    In the backyard of the Heartforge Workshop, Lu Qing continuously swung the heavy hammer, each blow causing the entire backyard to tremble.

    Everyone was mesmerized by the powerful and beautiful scene, including Wei Dazongguan.

    Due to his higher cultivation, he could better appreciate the terrifying hammer technique Lu Qing disyed.

    He estimated that even with his Internal Organs Realm cultivation, he couldn''t withstand a few of Lu Qing''s hammer blows.

    Lu Qing seemed tireless, hammering continuously for over an hour.

    Suddenly, feeling something, he stopped folding and hammering and began shaping the iron bar.

    Gradually, the iron bar in his hands took the shape of a sword.

    Bang!

    With another hammer blow, sparks flew, and Lu Qing finally stopped hammering, cing the formed sword embryo into the cool water.

    Sizzle!

    As steam rose, Lu Qing took out the sword embryo and examined it closely.

    A rich red glow emerged from the sword embryo.

    [Thousand-Fold Sword Embryo: A sword embryo formed by repeated folding and hammering, reaching the thousand-fold level.]

    [Only after countless hammerings can it be a true weapon. A thousand-fold sword embryo already has the potential to be a magical artifact.]

    [Due to material limitations, this sword embryo has reached its limit, and further hammering won''t improve its quality.]

    Indeed.

    Lu Qing understood this after seeing the sword embryo''s information.

    He had sensed this during the forging process.

    The iron bar had reached its limit, and further folding and hammering were pointless.

    Mundane iron remained mundane iron; it couldn''t endlessly improve through folding and hammering.

    The thousand-fold level was the iron bar''s highest quality.

    "Lu Xiangjun, may I have a look at this sword embryo?" Old Master Lin''s voice trembled with anticipation.

    "Of course."

    Lu Qing handed the sword embryo to the old cksmith.

    Old Master Lin carefully examined the sword embryo, and his apprentices gathered around, disregarding their usual manners.

    Lu Qing''s sword embryo was slightly smaller than the previous one, as he hadpletely removed its impurities.

    But this wasn''t what Old Master Lin and his apprentices focused on.

    They immediately examined the sword embryo''s patterns.

    When they saw the intricate patterns, Old Master Lin''s body trembled: "These patterns, it''s truly a thousand-fold treasure embryo! This sword embryo has reached the thousand-fold level!"

    "Master, has it really reached the thousand-fold level?"

    The apprentices, who had never seen thousand-fold refined iron, were equally shocked.

    "There''s no mistake, the fine scales are the hallmark of a thousand-fold treasure embryo!"

    Hearing their master''s confident tone, all the apprentices were thrilled.

    They crowded around the sword embryo, their eyes glued to it.

    For a cksmith, seeing a thousand-fold level iron item was a tremendous honor!

    Old Master Lin, holding the sword embryo, looked at Lu Qing with trembling lips.

    He had expected the sword embryo''s quality, having watched Lu Qing forge it from start to finish, with a rough count of the folds and hammerings.

    But seeing the thousand-fold patterns on the sword embryo was still profoundly shocking.

    Lu Qing''s forging technique was incredibly awe-inspiring.

    One hammer, one forging¡ªsuch divine skills truly existed!

    Old Master Lin had never met a grandmaster cksmith, so he didn''t know the extent of their skills.

    But he was sure Lu Qing''s forging technique, especially his hammering, was unmatched.

    "A thousand-fold treasure embryo?"

    Wei Dazongguan couldn''t help but open his mouth in surprise.

    He hadn''t expected Lu Qing to forge a thousand-fold sword embryo.

    Even their Wei family mansion had only a few such treasured swords.

    "Lu Xiangjun, thank you for letting me observe this treasure."

    Old Master Lin respectfully returned the sword embryo to Lu Qing.

    He acted like an apprentice facing a grandmaster.

    "It''s just a sword embryo, no need to be so formal," Lu Qing smiled, not taking it back. "I have a favor to ask of you, old cksmith."

    "Please, Lu Xiangjun, anything I can do to help, I will!" Old Master Lin replied eagerly.

    "It''s nothing major. I want to ask you to make this sword embryo into a long sword. A friend of mine has a celebration in a few days, and I want to give it as a gift. Can you help?"

    "Of course, but why don''t you do it yourself?" Old Master Lin asked curiously.

    "To be honest, I''m only skilled in hammering. I''m not familiar with the other forging techniques like iying, polishing, and sharpening. That''s where your experience surpasses mine."

    Creating a perfect sword involved more than just forging the sword embryo.

    It also required iying, polishing, and sharpening, which Lu Qing wasn''t familiar with.

    "I see. Rest assured, Lu Xiangjun, I will make this treasure sword well!"

    Old Master Lin was excited. Creating a thousand-fold treasure sword was an unprecedented experience for him.

    But then he remembered something.

    "Lu Xiangjun, didn''t you say you were here to forge a weapon for yourself? Is this sword embryo not for you?"

    "My weapon can wait," Lu Qing shook his head.

    "I came here to practice my hammering skills. I''lle back for your help when I gather the materials."

    Table of content

 Chapter 161

    When Lu Qing and Wei Dazongguan left the Heartforge Workshop, they were respectfully escorted out by Master Lin and his apprentices. The scene left the middle-aged shopkeeper, who had been watching from outside, utterly stunned. He couldn''t fathom what had happened for the workshop master to treat that young man with such reverence. It was known that even when encountering the County Magistrate, the workshop master had never shown such deference.

    "Lu Xiangjun, are you nning to give that Thousand-Folded Sword to Master Ma?" Wei Dazongguan asked after they left the Heartforge Workshop.

    "Yes, in two days, Master Ma and the young master will hold an apprenticeship ceremony. Master Ma is skilled in both swords and knives, and a sword, being the gentleman among weapons, is a perfect gift," Lu Qing replied.

    Creating the Thousand-Folded Sword Embryo was a pleasant surprise for Lu Qing. He had been pondering what gift to present at Master Ma''s apprenticeship ceremony in a few days, and this had solved his dilemma. As for the Hundred-Fold Sword Embryo, he left it at the Heartforge Workshop as payment for using their forge.

    "Young Master Lu, your gift is indeed substantial. A Thousand-Folded Sword is priceless, and even in the state capital, it''s a rare sight that countless sword enthusiasts covet," Wei Dazongguan said with a smile.

    A sword of the Thousand-Folded level is a true treasure, able to slice through iron like mud and cut hair with a breeze. Such a sword is rare even in a family as affluent as the Wei''s. That Lu Qing could so casually give it away left Wei Dazongguan in awe. Especially knowing that Lu Qing forged it in just a couple of hours, his amazement deepened.

    Before apanying Lu Qing to the Heartforge Workshop, he had never imagined that Lu Qing possessed such mastery in forging, able to effortlessly create weapons of such caliber. This level of skill was on par with renowned forging masters. A young forging master,bined with his formidable martial prowess, made Wei Dazongguan realize that the more he interacted with Lu Qing, the more he couldn''t fathom the depths of the young man''s abilities. Every skill was astonishing and exceptionally advanced.

    Lu Qing, unaware of Wei Dazongguan''s inner thoughts, was quite satisfied with the results of his visit to the Heartforge Workshop. Being able to forge a Thousand-Folded Sword Embryo from ordinary iron indicated that his forging skills had truly reached a masterful level. Once the Wei family gathered the necessary materials, he could begin crafting his own war knife.

    Upon returning to the Wei residence, Wei Dazongguan hurried to report to Wei Xinghe. The revtion that Lu Qing possessed forging skillsparable to a master was significant news. Wei Xinghe was equally shocked but did not make it public. Instead, he elevated Lu Qing''s importance in his mind and instructed his subordinates to expedite the search for the materials Lu Qing required.In the following days, Lu Qing stayed at the Wei residence, practicing and reading. He had already asked the Wei family to send word to Grandpa Zhang and others in Jiuli Vige, informing them that he would be staying in the county for a while, so he wasn''t in a hurry to return.

    Two dayster, on the eve of the apprenticeship ceremony, the Heartforge Workshop delivered the Thousand-Folded Sword to the Wei residence. The delivery was made by Master Lin himself, who respectfully presented a beautifully decorated wooden box to Lu Qing.

    "Lu Xiangjun, please check if this sword meets your requirements," Master Lin said, handing the box to Lu Qing. The respect he showed even amazed Wei Xinghe, who was present. Master Lin, known for his high craftsmanship and pride, was now so humble before Lu Qing, clearly impressed by the young man.

    Lu Qing opened the box, revealing the long sword inside. He took it out and flicked it with his finger, causing the de to unsheathe with a sh of cold light, instantly filling the room with a sharp aura. The sword''s edge was snow-white, and the de was adorned with intricate patterns, making it exceptionally beautiful.

    Lu Qing pulled a hair from his head and tossed it into the air, then flicked his wrist. In an instant, the space in front of him was filled with shes of light and sword shadows, as he executed a flurry of strikes. This sudden disy of swordsmanship left everyone present in awe, even causing Wei Xinghe''s eyes to twitch. He realized that even he would have difficulty defending against Lu Qing''s swift sword.

    When Lu Qing sheathed the sword, he looked at the hair on the ground, now cut into countless segments, and nodded in satisfaction. The sword''s sharpness was evident as it easily sliced through the hair in mid-air.

    "This sword is excellent. Thank you, Master Lin," Lu Qing said.

    Master Lin, still awed by Lu Qing''s swordsmanship, replied hurriedly, "Young Master Lu, it''s an honor for us to be involved in creating such a treasure. It''s us who should thank you."

    Recalling how his friend, Old Wang, had been astonished by the sword during a visit, Master Lin felt immensely pleased and proud.

    After Master Lin left, Lu Qing ced the sword back in the box and handed it to Wei Dazongguan, asking him to add it to the gift list for the next day.

    Meanwhile, throughout the county, various factions were preparing for the apprenticeship ceremony at the Wei residence. With the Wei family sending out invitations, the news that the young master of the Wei family would be apprenticed to Mago of the Ma family had spread throughout the city. Initially, there was confusion about who Mago was, with some specting he was one of the mysterious figures from the city gate incident. However, upon investigation, it was discovered that Mago was a lesser-known member of the Ma family with only Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation.

    The revtion that the Wei family would have their young master apprentice under someone with such modest cultivation shocked the city''s factions. They began to wonder if Mago had some extraordinary qualities or if he, like the mysterious youth from before, possessed strength far beyond his realm.

    As curiosity grew, factions prepared their gifts and eagerly awaited the ceremony. The entire county was abuzz with anticipation.

    Amid this atmosphere, in the afternoon, a noisy procession of carriages and horses entered the city, heading towards the Wei residence. Simultaneously, Wei Dazongguan received the news and joyfully rushed to the estate.

    "Master, the young master has returned!"

    Table of contentNext Chapter >>>

 Chapter 162

    "Has Hao''er returned?"

    Upon hearing the news, Wei Xinghe was delighted.

    "Not just him, a few of the Young Master''s fellow disciples have returned with him. Miss Yu Yan has alsoe back with the Young Master."

    "Yu Yan is back too?" Wei Xinghe was even more surprised. "Quick, inform thedy. Where are they now?"

    "They have already entered the mansion. The young master is weing them outside."

    Wei Xinghe hurriedly moved forward.

    His eldest son, whom he had sent to the Qingyun Sword Pavilion in Jizhou to study several years ago, had not returned for years.

    He did not expect that he would return so suddenly this time, just in time for An''er¡¯s apprenticeship ceremony. It was indeed a double blessing.

    Upon reaching the front yard, he saw his youngest son happily circling a tall and upright young man.There were also a few other young men and women of simr age, all with extraordinary temperaments.

    That gentle-faced young man could only be his eldest son, Wei Zihao.

    "Good, good, you''ve grown stronger."

    Wei Zihao looked at his younger brother with a pleased expression.

    He remembered that his younger brother used to be quite delicate and somewhat gloomy in temperament.

    Now he seemed much stronger and more cheerful.

    "Brother, why didn''t you inform us in advance that you wereing back? The family didn''t know at all!" Wei Zian asked excitedly.

    "I was on a sect mission and happened to pass by our Cangzhou, so I decided toe home and have a look. By the way, little brother, I have heard some news about our family recently and wanted to ask you about it."

    "Ah-hem!" As the two brothers chatted, Wei Xinghe coughed twice and walked out.

    "Father!"

    Wei Zihao turned and straightened his expression, bowing respectfully.

    "Greetings to the head of the Wei family."

    The young men and women beside him also bowed slightly.

    "No need for formalities. You must be tired from your journey. Ah Hai, go prepare a feast to wee these young heroes."

    "Yes, master."

    Wei Dazongguan responded and went to make preparations.

    "Uncle, where is my aunt?"

    At this moment, one of the young women stepped forward with a smile.

    Seeing her, Wei Xinghe also smiled. "Yu Yan, you are here too. Your aunt is in the backyard. You can go find her yourself."

    "Father, I will go pay my respects to Mother first," Wei Zihao said.

    "Go ahead, your mother hasn''t seen you for years and misses you dearly." Wei Xinghe nodded.

    After Wei Zihao greeted his mother and had a family reunion, he went to his father''s study.

    "Father, I heard many things about our Wei family upon returning. They say that recently, the Tian Cang Sect from the northern border sent people to besiege our family, even a Precelestial Grandmaster appeared. Is this true?"

    As soon as he entered the study, Wei Zihao asked directly.

    "Yes, it is true," Wei Xinghe nodded.

    "Then why didn''t you send someone to notify me so I coulde back to help?" Wei Zihao asked anxiously.

    When he first heard this news, he was genuinely worried.

    The Tian Cang Sect of the northern border was a powerful sect, no less powerful than their Qingyun Sword Pavilion.

    They had crossed several major states to attack the Wei family. It was utterly insane.

    If he had notter heard that the crisis in the mansion had been resolved, he would have rushed back overnight.

    "At that time, the situation was critical. All the people in the mansion were under the enemy''s control, and we couldn''t send any messages out," Wei Xinghe exined.

    There was another reason he did not mention.

    The ancestor''s life and death were uncertain back then, and there was a Precelestial expert like Wang Cangyi on the other side.

    Even if Wei Zihao had returned, he would not have been able to change the situation. It was better for him to stay in the Qingyun Sword Pavilion to preserve a bloodline for the Wei family in case of extermination.

    "Let''s not dwell on the past. Fortunately, we had the help of noble people, and the crisis in the mansion has been resolved. The ancestor has returned safely. There couldn''t be a better oue."

    Seeing his eldest son still wanting to say something, Wei Xinghe spoke first.

    Wei Zihao swallowed his words and curiously asked, "Father, who helped our Wei family resolve the crisis? I heard many rumors outside, but they all seem absurd and hard to believe."

    Recalling the news he had heard on the way back, Wei Zihao felt that most of it was probably exaggerated.

    "The ones who helped us resolve the crisis were old doctor Chen and Lu Xiangjun. Even your mother and Zian were saved by them..."

    Wei Xinghe briefly recounted the events, leaving Wei Zihao increasingly astonished.

    "Father, you mean to say that a powerful Precelestial defeated Wang Cangyi, who had gravely injured our ancestor, and his disciple, with only the Tendons and Bones Realm, defeated a Martial Grandmaster at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm?"

    "Exactly. Without the help of old doctor Chen and his disciple, our Wei family would have been ttened by the Tian Cang Sect."

    "But how is this possible!" Wei Zihao eximed in disbelief. "How could someone in the Tendons and Bones Realm be a match for a Martial Grandmaster at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm? Are you sure you didn''t see it wrong, Father?"

    "Even if I saw it wrong, could all the experts in the county have seen it wrong? Moreover, the ancestor was present at the time, as were the County Magistrate and Master Zhiyue from the Tianji Tower. They all witnessed Lu Xiangjun defeat Wang Cangyi''s senior disciple."

    Recalling Lu Qing''s battle with the burly man, Wei Xinghe still felt a thrill in his heart.

    As a Martial Grandmaster himself, he understood how terrifying Lu Qing''s disyed strength was.

    Wei Zihao was speechless for a long time.

    Since the ancestor was present, there was no mistake.

    But this made it even more unbelievable.

    He couldn''t fathom how someone in the Tendons and Bones Realm could defeat a Martial Grandmaster head-on.

    "Don''t dwell on it. Lu Xiangjun is not an ordinary person. His talent is beyond imagination. Do notpare him to ordinary martial artists."

    Seeing his eldest son in shock, Wei Xinghe exined to avoid dampening his martial spirit.

    After a while, Wei Zihao came to his senses and smiled bitterly. "I understand that some geniuses are extraordinary. I just didn''t expect that such a peerless talent could emerge from a small ce like our Cang County."

    He recalled his own experience of being repeatedly struck by the geniuses in the sect when he first went to the Qingyun Sword Pavilion to study.

    But now,pared to Lu Xiangjun, the geniuses in his sect seemed insignificant.

    "Lu Xiangjun is indeed gifted and powerful, but he is also very amiable. He is currently staying in our mansion. If you are interested, you can take your younger brother to visit him when you have time."

    Wei Xinghe hoped that both of his sons could build a good rtionship with Lu Qing.

    "Oh, is Lu Xiangjun staying at our ce?" Wei Zihao was intrigued.

    "Yes, he and his master are staying in the Bamboo Grove Courtyard. There is also a youngdy. Be careful not to offend them."

    "The Precelestial master is also here?" Wei Zihao was even more excited.

    "Do not disturb old doctor Chen. The ancestor often invites him to discuss Precelestial martial arts. If you anger the ancestor, I won''t be able to protect you," Wei Xinghe warned directly.

    Wei Zihao shivered.

    He dared not offend the ancestor.

    Table of content

 Chapter 163

    "This time, your return is timely. Tomorrow, Zi''an will be formally apprenticed. As his elder brother, you should help receive the guests," Wei Xinghe said.

    "Father, about this matter, I wanted to ask, do you truly intend for Zi''an to be apprenticed to that Magu?" Wei Zihao asked.

    "Why, is there something inappropriate about it?"

    "I heard that Master Magu is only at the Tendons and Bones Realm. Isn''t he a bit unqualified to be Zi''an''s master?"

    "Your brother has just entered the Qi and Blood Realm. Master Magu is more than capable of teaching him," Wei Xinghe shook his head. "The most important thing is that your brother is willing to listen to him. You know how Zi''an''s attitude towards martial arts was before."

    Wei Zihao thought for a moment and agreed. His brother used to bezy about practicing martial arts and did the bare minimum to get by.

    Since Master Magu could discipline him, he indeed was the best teacher.

    "That¡¯s fine then. I thought if Zi''an truly wanted to practice martial arts, he coulde with me to Qingyun Sword Sect. I just became an inner disciple there and can take on three sword attendants."

    Although they were called sword attendants, most inner disciples used them to cultivate their confidants or support family and friends. It was an unspoken rule."You became an inner disciple of Qingyun Sword Sect?"

    Wei Xinghe was overjoyed upon hearing this. Bing an inner disciple of Qingyun Sword Sect required reaching the Great Aplishment of the Tendons and Bones Realm and passing the sect''s trials, which were rumored to be extremely strict.

    "I am ashamed to say, half a year ago, I reached the Great Aplishment of the Tendons and Bones Realm. It took me three months of preparation to barely pass the inner sect trials."

    "Great Aplishment of the Tendons and Bones Realm half a year ago... I remember five years ago, when you went to Qingyun Sword Sect, you were only at the Initial Stage of the Qi and Blood Realm. In just over four years, you reached the Great Aplishment of the Tendons and Bones Realm. Hao''er, I was right about your talent; you are indeed suited for learning the sword."

    Wei Xinghe felt very satisfied. Qingyun Sword Sect was one of the strongest sects in Jizhou. The benefits of Wei Zihao bing an inner disciple were self-evident.

    "I was a bit proud of myself, butpared to the young master Lu, these achievements seem insignificant."

    "Do notpare yourself to Lu Xiangjun. He and his master are extraordinary people. We ordinary folk cannotpare. The path of martial arts emphasizes a solid foundation and steady progress. As long as you take one step at a time without haste, you will have the opportunity to reach the peak of martial arts and achieve the Precelestial realm."

    "Yes, father, I will remember your teachings." Wei Zihao responded solemnly.

    In the evening, Wei Zihao took Wei Zian to visit Lu Qing at the Bamboo Grove Courtyard.

    "Lu Xiaodafu!"

    As soon as they arrived, Wei Zian rushed in.

    "Young master, what brings you here?"

    Lu Qing, who was reading in the courtyard, was somewhat surprised. This boy was about to be an apprentice tomorrow, yet he still had time to wander around.

    As for Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, Madam Wei especially liked Xiao Yan and offered to help teach her literacy when she learned about her studying. Therefore, the two little ones spent most of their time there, only returning in the evening.

    "My elder brother is back. He wanted to meet you, so I brought him here," Wei Zian said happily.

    "Your elder brother?"

    Lu Qing looked behind him and saw a tall, gentle-faced young man staring at him in a daze.

    Wei Zihao was filled with shock. Before meeting Lu Qing, he had always imagined him as a young man around his age. After all, although his father often mentioned this young master, he never specified his exact age.

    Unexpectedly, Lu Qing was so young, looking just a few years younger than Zi''an.

    To think that such a young person had defeated a martial arts grandmaster of the Internal Organs Realm in public with his Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation.

    Wei Zihao''s heart trembled. He finally understood why his father repeatedly emphasized not topare himself with this young master Lu.

    Who couldpare to such a monstrous talent?

    "Young master?"

    Seeing Wei Zihao staring nkly at him without speaking, Lu Qing called out.

    Wei Zihao snapped out of his trance and hurriedly bowed, "Greetings, young master Lu. I am Wei Zihao, Zi''an''s elder brother. Thank you, young master Lu, for your righteous intervention, not only saving my mother and brother but also rescuing my Wei family from a crisis."

    After speaking, Wei Zihao bowed deeply to Lu Qing.

    "No need to be so polite, young master. I was just acting on my principles," Lu Qing smiled.

    "Young master Lu, you jest. Your great kindness to my Wei family will never be forgotten," Wei Zihao felt at ease. As his father said, this young master was indeed gentle and did not exude an overbearing aura.

    Seeing the book in Lu Qing''s hand, Wei Zihao tactfully took his leave with his brother after a brief stay.

    Once outside, he let out a long breath, feeling a weight lifted.

    "Brother, what''s wrong?" Wei Zian asked, puzzled by his behavior.

    "This young master Lu is indeed extraordinary. The psychological pressure he exerts is immense," Wei Zihao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

    "Really? I think Lu Xiaodafu is very approachable," Wei Zian said, confused.

    "That''s because your cultivation is too low to sense the danger he poses."

    Wei Zihao shuddered. Although Lu Qing had concealed his aura well, appearing like an ordinary youth, he could not gauge Lu Qing''s true strength. However, his sect''s secret technique constantly warned him of the extreme danger posed by Lu Qing.

    It was a suffocating feeling of power, capable of taking his life instantly, no matter how he struggled. Even facing the sect''s elders at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, he had never felt such danger.

    At this moment, Wei Zihao believed his father''s words were not exaggerated; if anything, they were understated. This young master Lu was not just capable of defeating a martial arts grandmaster; his true strength was beyond anyone''s imagination.

    Wei Zihao trusted his instinctspletely, as they had repeatedly saved him from peril in thepetitive Qingyun Sword Sect and helped him be an inner disciple.

    "This young master Lu is someone we must never provoke!"

    Wei Zihao made up his mind instantly.

    Back in the courtyard, Lu Qing, sensing the departure of the Wei brothers, smiled with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

    "Qingyun Sword Sect, secret technique of the mind?"

    "It seems this Wei family''s young master is also quite extraordinary."

    Table of content

 Chapter 164

    In the morning, the Wei residence was filled with joy.

    Inside and outside the mansion,nterns and decorations were set up, creating a festive atmosphere.

    Even the servants and maids wore smiles on their faces.

    Today was the auspicious day of the Young Master¡¯s apprenticeship ceremony. Thedy of the house would certainly reward everyone generously, and they had already received an initial reward in the morning. How could they not be happy?

    At this time, the guests had not yet arrived. Mago, dressed in elegant attire, waited in the small bamboo courtyard.

    "Master Ma, rx a bit. Today is the auspicious day of officially taking the Young Master as your apprentice. You should be happy," Lu Qing said, noticing Mago¡¯s uneasiness.

    "That''s true, but I still feel a bit anxious," Mago replied with a wry smile.

    "There''s no need to worry. In the Wei residence, no one would dare cause trouble. The Young Master genuinely wishes to be your apprentice, so just follow the procedure," Lu Qing reassured him. "You¡¯ve survived far more dangerous situations than this, so why worry about a mere apprenticeship ceremony?"

    Mago felt much more at ease after hearing this.Initially, the Wei family had intended for the ceremony to take ce at the Ma residence, with Wei Xinghe bringing Wei Zian to formally be Mago''s apprentice.

    However, the Ma family panicked at the thought and quickly declined. They couldn¡¯t possibly let Wei Xinghe, a prominent figure in the county, lower himself in such a manner.

    Moreover, the Ma family was just a minor family in the county. They couldn¡¯t possibly handle the influx of powerful guests who woulde to celebrate.

    In the end, after discussing with the head steward, it was decided that the ceremony would be held at the Wei residence. At least there, no one would dare make trouble.

    "Master Mago, Young Master Lu, the head steward said the auspicious time is near. He asked me toe fetch you," a servant respectfully informed them.

    "Brother Lu Qing, let''s go," Mago said.

    "Alright," Lu Qing nodded, then called into the house, "Xiao Yan, Xiao Li, it''s time to go."

    "Brother, can we go see the festivities?" the two children asked eagerly, rushing out of the house.

    "Yes, we¡¯re going outside for a feast!" Lu Qing picked up Xiao Yan and walked out with Mago.

    Xiao Li climbed onto his shoulder, looking excitedly at the outside world.

    The old doctor would not be attending the ceremony, and even Wei Shanhai would not be present. As Precelestial realm experts, their presence would make everyone else at the banquet ufortable.

    On the way, Mago was led by a servant to the main house to prepare, while Lu Qing took Xiao Yan and Xiao Li to the front yard.

    In the front yard, it was already quite lively, with many guests having arrived.

    Using his ability, Lu Qing scanned the crowd and saw that most of the attendees were heads of various families and factions from the city, clearly showing great respect for the Wei family.

    Xiao Yan and Xiao Li looked around with wide eyes, finding everything fascinating.

    Lu Qing''s arrival caused a bit of a stir.

    Heads of various factions, who had been engaged in lively discussions, fell silent upon seeing Lu Qing, staring at him in awe.

    "Master Li, why did you stop talking?" a warrior at the same table asked, following Master Li''s gaze to see Lu Qing, and then also falling silent.

    Other guests also noticed Lu Qing.

    The previously lively courtyard suddenly grew quiet.

    Almost all the guests looked at Lu Qing with a mixture of respect and fear, not daring to speak loudly.

    This scene caught the attention of a few disciples from the Qingyun Sword Sect, sparking their interest.

    "Young Master Lu, Young Miss Lu, you''ve arrived. The head steward has arranged your seats here," Wei Dazongguan, who had been weing guests, quickly led Lu Qing to an important table.

    Several people were already seated there.

    One couple in particr looked uneasy, with low cultivation levels.

    "Thank you, head steward," Lu Qing said, sitting down with Xiao Yan and nodding politely to the others at the table.

    "Let me introduce you, Young Master Lu. This is Master Ma, and these are Master Mago''s parents," Wei Dazongguan exined, knowing that Lu Qing was not familiar with the county''s affairs.

    Lu Qing realized that the seemingly unimportant couple were actually Mago''s parents.

    "Greetings, Uncle and Aunt, Master Ma. I am Lu Qing, a friend of Master Ma. You can call me A Qing," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    "Oh no, we wouldn''t dare, Young Master Lu," Master Ma quickly replied.

    He was well aware of Lu Qing¡¯s prowess, having witnessed his battle with a martial arts grandmaster firsthand. He wouldn¡¯t dare to address such an eminent warrior casually.

    Mago''s parents looked even more nervous.

    Though they were simple people, they were not foolish.

    From the way the atmosphere changed when Lu Qing arrived, the head steward¡¯s personal wee, and Master Ma¡¯s attitude, it was clear that this young man was a significant figure.

    They couldn¡¯t understand how their son had be acquainted with such an important person.

    Honestly, even now, Mago¡¯s parents felt as though they were dreaming.

    Although they had always been proud of their son, who had trained to the Tendons and Bones Realm and be a pir of the family, the idea of him taking the Young Master of the Wei family as an apprentice was beyond belief.

    Even after receiving the news days ago and now sitting in the Wei residence, it still felt surreal to them.

    Seeing Master Ma ingratiate himself to Lu Qing, the other guests didn¡¯t look down on him; instead, they were envious.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to curry favor with someone like Lu Qing, a top martial artist with an even more mysterious and powerful Precelestial realm master backing him?

    The Ma family had truly struck gold. Not only was Mago about to be the Young Master¡¯s mentor, but they also seemed to be forming ties with Lu Qing. Their rise was inevitable.

    However, despite their jealousy, none of the guests dared to show any dissatisfaction.

    In fact, with Lu Qing present, everyone¡¯s conversation became much quieter and more reserved, unlike the earlier rxed atmosphere.

    This only heightened the interest of the Qingyun Sword Sect disciples.

    "Brother Li, who is that young man? Hemands such respect, and it seems the guests are all in awe of him," one disciple asked a young man at their table.

    The table was filled with young people, brought by their family heads to gain some experience.

    The young man addressed as Brother Li looked bewildered. "I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s unfamiliar to me. We¡¯ve never seen him before."

    Table of content

 Chapter 165

    "Brother Li, don''t you recognize this young man?"

    Several disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect were surprised.

    "Indeed, we don''t recognize him. This is the first time we''ve seen this young man," another young man shook his head.

    To be honest, they were equally astonished.

    Lu Qing not only had an unfamiliar face, but his aura was also quite ordinary.

    Why then did their elders disy such reverence upon seeing him?

    This was a scene they had never witnessed before.

    Those with quick minds suddenly thought of something and were shocked.

    However, they hesitated to confirm, "Could this be the young hero rumored these days, who defeated a martial arts master head-on at the city gate battle?"Reminded of this, the others also reacted.

    "Yes, it must be him. Otherwise, how could so many martial arts experts be so reverent and fearful?"

    Looking at Lu Qing''s somewhat youthful face, a group of young people felt a tremor in their hearts.

    No wonder they didn''t think of this at first, as their elders had been vague when mentioning this matter, only referring to the person as a young hero.

    They had assumed this person was at least their age, but they never expected him to be so young.

    "Everyone, are you saying this young man defeated a martial arts master? You must be joking, right?"

    The disciples of Qingyun Sword Sect all looked incredulous upon hearing this.

    No wonder they didn''t believe it.

    What these people said was simply too outrageous.

    A teenager defeating a martial arts master at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm?

    How absurd!

    A teenage martial arts master?!

    Not to mention in this remote Cang County, but even in the most prosperous and talented Zhongzhou, such a person would be rare.

    Only the top super sects might be able to cultivate such a monstrous genius.

    How could a ce like Cang County produce such a talent?

    "Brother Zhao, we know it''s hard to believe, but it''s indeed the truth. If we are not mistaken, this young man is likely the one who recently saved the Wei family."

    With that, several noble young men recounted the events of recent times.

    After chatting for a while, everyone knew that these young men with distinctive temperaments were fellow disciples of the eldest son of the Wei family, hailing from a major sect in Jizhou.

    Such people naturally wanted to make connections, so they recounted the recent events in the county in detail.

    After hearing this, the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect were even more perplexed.

    They had heard rumors about the Tian Cang Sect''s invasion of the Wei family on their way here.

    But the subsequent story they heard sounded more and more absurd.

    Especially the part about the young man defeating a martial arts master with the Tendons and Bones Realm''s perfect cultivation?

    How could that be!

    This was not just absurd, butplete nonsense.

    No matter how strong the Tendons and Bones Realm was, it could not be a match for a martial arts master.

    The gap between their cultivation and realms was immense!

    If they truly fought, the Tendons and Bones Realm would have no oue other than defeat.

    The disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect, hailing from a major sect and themselves in the Tendons and Bones Realm, had witnessed martial arts masters'' battles multiple times.

    They knew well how vast the gap was between the Tendons and Bones Realm and martial arts masters.

    It was a chasm that could not be bridged by martial techniques alone!

    It must be a small ce, where even such poor rumors can spread. The martial arts knowledge here is terriblycking.

    Instantly, the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect made their own judgment.

    They thought the previous statements were nothing but nonsense.

    These noble young men must have been either gullible or bragging to attract attention.

    However, despite their disdain, the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect maintained theirposure and did not show it.

    They continued to chat politely with the local noble sons.

    As for their inner ridicule, only they knew.

    "County Magistrate, Lord Zhiyue is here!"

    At this moment, the gatekeeper''s announcement came from outside.

    The guests in the courtyard were once again in an uproar, all looking outside.

    Soon, they saw the County Magistrate and the mysterious Lord Zhiyue, led in by Wei Dazongguan.

    "County Magistrate, Lord Zhiyue, please sit here," Wei Dazongguan courteously directed them to the table where Lu Qing was seated.

    "Young Master Lu, we meet again."

    The County Magistrate fanned himself and smiled.

    "Yes, I regretted not being able to drink with youst time. Today, my wish is fulfilled," Lu Qing also smiled.

    The County Magistrate''s smile stiffened.

    The in-clothed young man beside him couldn''t help but twitch his mouth at Lu Qing''s courteous demeanor.

    He found this young man''s words quite amusing.

    Silently, he managed to make his friend run into a soft nail.

    After the County Magistrate''s failed attempt to engage Lu Qing in conversation, he sat across from him and drank alone.

    Lu Qing ignored him, remaining calmly seated.

    For this County Magistrate, Lu Qing felt neither like nor dislike, just an instinctive aversion.

    So, it was best for them not to have any interactions.

    This, however, made the other people at the table somewhat uneasy.

    The head of the Ma family keenly sensed the subtle discord between Lu Qing and the County Magistrate.

    Unfortunately, he was insignificant, so he didn''t dare say anything, just sat quietly, trying to lower his presence.

    As for the in-clothed young man, not being talkative by nature, he wouldn''t engage in idle chat.

    For a while, the most important table fell into an inexplicable silence.

    Fortunately, it wasn''t long before all the guests arrived.

    Wei Xinghe and his wife, along with Magu and other protagonists, also came out from the inner courtyard.

    With a shout from Wei Dazongguan, the apprenticeship ceremony officially began.

    There wasn''t much to say about the process.

    Although there were many steps, everything went smoothly, except for Magu''s slightly nervous expression.

    When Wei Zian knelt down and kowtowed several times before offering tea, which Magu drank, the apprenticeship ceremony was trulypleted.

    All the forces present knew that this matter was settled and could no longer be changed.

    However, they hadn''t expected that the Wei family would indeed have Wei Zian apprentice under Magu.

    They had thought there might be some hidden agenda.

    The head of the Ma family was overjoyed.

    With so many witnesses, the master-disciple rtionship between Magu and Wei Zian was now firmly established.

    From now on, Magu was the personal teacher of the young master of the Wei family, responsible for his instruction.

    Simrly, he also had the authority to discipline Wei Zian.

    Even in future marriage matters, if Magu wished, he could have a say.

    "Congrattions to the young master of the Wei family for finding a good teacher, and congrattions to Master Ma for gaining a fine disciple!" A white and chubby guest stood up and congratted loudly, "I have a small gift here, a token of my regard. Please ept it, young master."

    The guests were initially stunned, then they realized and secretly cursed the old fox.

    Their gifts had been given upon entry.

    Who knew someone would y this trick?

    Presenting the gift in front of Wei Xinghe would surely leave a deeper impression. If he was pleased, it would be a great gain.

    "Master Qian, what treasure do you have that you need to present it in front of Master Wei?" Someone joked.

    But everyone was indeed curious.

    What gift made this usually shrewd Master Qian so confident to present it publicly?

    Knowing that in front of so many people, if the gift was not special enough, it would not be showing off but rather making a fool of oneself.

    "It''s just a small thing, but I''m sure the young master will like it."

    Master Qian smiled tteringly, holding a delicate wooden box about a foot long, and walked forward.

    "Really? What is it?" Wei Zian''s interest was piqued, looking at the wooden box.

    Everyone''s eyes were also drawn to the box, their curiosity fully aroused by Master Qian.

    Lu Qing was no exception. However, when he focused on Master Qian, a warning instinctively arose in his heart, making him subconsciously activate his ability.

    Immediately, his expression changed.

    He shouted urgently, "Young Master, be careful!"

    At the shout, the first to react was not Wei Zian, but Master Qian.

    His ttering smile vanished, reced by a cold and solemn look.

    Bang!

    The wooden box shattered, revealing its contents.

    It was a sharp ck short sword with a glimmer of cold light and a bloodstain on the de!

    At the same time, a powerful and chilling aura erupted from Master Qian, suppressing everyone''s spirits.

    Grabbing the short sword, his immense strength shattered the bluestone underfoot as he shot towards Wei Zian like an arrow from a bow!

    Table of content

 Chapter 166

    This sudden upheaval caught everyone off guard.

    No one had expected that the usually amiable and prudent Qian Family Patriarch would suddenly make such a frenzied move.

    Has this old man gone mad?

    This was the first thought that crossed the minds of all the guests.

    But soon, they realized something was amiss.

    The aura erupting from the Qian Family Patriarch was too strong, too terrifying.

    That extreme coldness seemed capable of freezing one''s heart, causing all the guests to tremble uncontrobly, their limbs stiff and almost unable to move.

    ¡°Not good!¡±

    Even Wei Xinghe, a Martial Grandmaster, felt a momentary stagnation in his mind, reacting several beats slower.He was horrified and could only watch helplessly as the "Qian Family Patriarch," who had exploded with immense aura, lunged towards Wei Zian, his eyes wide with fury.

    ¡°Divine Shaking Technique, Bloodsword, Seven Kill Tower assassin?!¡±

    The young man in in clothes suddenly stood up, his face full of shock.

    He possessed a sect treasure that shielded him from the Divine Shaking Technique, but being too far away, he could only watch and sigh, unable to rescue in time.

    ¡°Wait, where is Lu Xiangjun?¡±

    Just as the young man in in clothes began to sigh, he noticed something was wrong. Lu Qing, who had been sitting at his table, was already nowhere to be seen.

    But in the next moment, he knew where Lu Qing had gone.

    On the makeshift stage, both Wei Zian and Mago were already immobilized by the cold aura of the "Qian Family Patriarch."

    With cold limbs, Wei Zian felt an endless chill rising from his heart, seeing the opponent rush towards him, yet his body waspletely immobile.

    Mago behind him was in the same condition.

    The aura from the "Qian Family Patriarch" was so terrifying that it seemed to have some strange power, capable of freezing one''s thoughts and rendering them unable to move.

    In an instant, the "Qian Family Patriarch" was already in front of Wei Zian.

    With deep, cold eyes, devoid of any emotion, like a death god crawling out of the abyss, he thrust his sword towards Wei Zian''s heart.

    With the aura he had released, even a deity descending would struggle to save Wei Zian if this sword struck true.

    However, just as the short sword was about to pierce Wei Zian''s heart, out of nowhere, a teacup, carried by a violent wind, smashed into the short sword.

    Bang!

    The teacup shattered instantly upon impact with the side of the short sword.

    But the force contained within it was entirely channeled into the sword.

    The force was so immense that even with the "Qian Family Patriarch''s" strength, he felt his arm tremble, unable to fully control the short sword, forcing it to veer off course.

    Swish!

    A streak of blood sttered.

    The short sword missed its target, only grazing Wei Zian''s arm.

    ¡°Get away!¡±

    At the same time, a fierce tiger roar sounded, and Lu Qing''s figure appeared on the stage.

    With his right hand clenched into a fist, his entire body erupted with qi and blood, carrying an immensely powerful aura, and he punched at the "Qian Family Patriarch''s" side.

    What?

    The "Qian Family Patriarch''s" dead eyes showed a trace of surprise, as if he couldn''t believe someone could react so quickly under his Divine Shaking Technique.

    But he knew the opportunity was lost. If he continued to act, even if he could forcibly kill Wei Zian, he wouldn''t escape once Wei Xinghe and the others reacted.

    In a sh, the "Qian Family Patriarch" made a decision.

    He spun around and struck out a palm, meeting Lu Qing''s fist.

    Boom!

    Fist and palm shed, energy exploded, the stage shook. In the hurried response, the force from the "Qian Family Patriarch" was no match for Lu Qing''s momentum.

    That plump body was sent flying, crashing through a nearby wall!

    ¡°Trying to escape?!¡±

    However, Lu Qing instantly noticed something was wrong.

    During the sh, the opponent had used a sophisticated deflection technique, using his fist strength to escape.

    Without thinking, Lu Qing pushed off with his feet and chased through the wall''s breach.

    ¡°Xiao Li, protect Xiao Yan!¡±

    With this, Lu Qing''s figure disappeared, leaving the guests staring in shock.

    From the eruption of the "Qian Family Patriarch''s" qi and blood to Lu Qing saving Wei Zian and punching the "Qian Family Patriarch" away, all of this happened in just a few breaths.

    Many guests hadn''t even had time to react before Lu Qing had already chased after them.

    But in that brief moment, the powerful auras unleashed by the two shook everyone''s hearts.

    Especially the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect, who were filled with disbelief.

    ¡°An''er!¡±

    At this moment, Mrs. Wei''s cry of rm rang out.

    Everyone quickly looked over to see Wei Zian being held by Mago, surrounded by Wei Xinghe, his wife, and Wei Zihao, all looking anxious.

    As for Wei Zian, he was clutching his wounded arm, his eyes closed, and a trace of ck air appeared on his face, growing deeper.

    ¡°There''s poison on the sword?!¡±

    Everyone was immediately shocked, guessing the cause.

    Their hearts were filled with terror.

    What kind of poison was on that sword? Wei Xiaogongzi had only been injured for a few breaths, yet he had already fainted from the poison!

    ¡°Wei Family Patriarch, quickly seal the acupoints on Xiaogongzi''s arm to prevent the blood from flowing back to his heart. That man is an assassin from the Seven Kill Tower, and the poison he used is the Blood Fiend Poison. If the blood poison reaches the heart, it will be toote!¡±

    The voice of the young man in in clothes sounded, as he also appeared on the stage.

    Seven Kill Tower?

    Most guests felt confused upon hearing this name, not knowing what kind of force it was.

    Only a few Qingyun Sword Sect disciples, from prominent sects, trembled with shock and horror.

    Wei Xinghe, hearing this, didn''t doubt and immediately sealed the acupoints on Wei Zian''s arm.

    However, after sealing the blood flow, the ckness on Wei Zian''s face didn''t slow down much, and his condition was still very grim.

    ¡°Master Zhi Yue, what should we do next?¡±

    Wei Xinghe knew the young man in in clothes was knowledgeable and quickly asked.

    ¡°I have an antidote pill here. Let Xiaogongzi take it to temporarily suppress the poison.¡±

    The young man in in clothes took out a porcin bottle and poured out a pill.

    ¡°Thank you, Master Zhi Yue.¡±

    Wei Xinghe took the pill, pried open Wei Zian''s mouth, and made him swallow it with water.

    The pill quickly took effect, significantly slowing the spread of the ckness on Wei Zian''s face.

    But it was clear that his condition had not improved, and he had not regained consciousness.

    ¡°Master Zhi Yue, why is this happening?¡±

    Seeing this, Mrs. Wei was extremely anxious and asked sorrowfully.

    ¡°Madam Wei, my pill can only do so much.¡± The young man in in clothes sighed, ¡°That assassin used the infamous Blood Fiend Poison. This poison is a secret of the Seven Kill Tower, extremely vicious, made from various hot poisons. Even a Martial Grandmaster would struggle to neutralize it if infected.¡±

    ¡°Then our An''er is¡­¡±

    Mrs. Wei burst into tears upon hearing this.

    The guests were equally horrified.

    It was their first time hearing of such a terrifying poison, even capable of challenging a Martial Grandmaster.

    Wei Xinghe''s mind also went nk, but he quickly calmed down as a martial expert.

    ¡°Master Zhi Yue, is there no way to save him?¡±

    ¡°My antidote pill can only suppress the Blood Fiend Poison for half an hour. During this time, if you can find a famous doctor, there might be a chance to detoxify him. Isn''t old doctor Chen in the mansion? Why not ask him for help?¡±

    The young man in in clothes asked curiously.

    With that doctor¡¯s medical skills and his Precelestial realm, he should be able to deal with the Blood Fiend Poison.

    Unexpectedly, Wei Xinghe''s face showed bitterness: ¡°Master Zhi Yue, you are unaware. This morning, due to the banquet, the ancestor found the mansion too noisy, so he invited old doctor Chen to gather herbs in the mountains. They are probably still on the way.¡±

    Otherwise, with such amotion, how could it escape the detection of those two?

    But with their speed, who knew how far they had gone. Even sending someone to find them wouldn''t bring them back in half an hour.

    ¡°Is that so? Then I have no better solution.¡± The young man in in clothes sighed.

    Is it truly fate?

    At this moment, even Wei Xinghe couldn''t help but feel despair.

    Although there were doctors in the city, no ordinary doctor could handle a poison that even Master Zhi Yue was helpless against.

    Unfortunately, old doctor Chen and the ancestor weren''t in the mansion. Was An''er destined for this cmity?

    ¡°Lu Xiangjun!¡± At this moment, Mago suddenly shouted, ¡°Patriarch Wei, quickly call Lu Xiangjun back. He knows medicine and can save Zian!¡±

    ¡°Yes, quickly call Lu Xiangjun!¡± Mrs. Wei also realized, ¡°When I was injured, it was Lu Xiangjun who healed me. He must have a way!¡±

    Mrs. Wei remembered how her injury, which was near

    death, was no better than An''er''s current state.

    But under Lu Qing''s treatment, she was able to walk in just half a day.

    If he were here, he would surely have a solution.

    ¡°But father, Lu Xiangjun is chasing that assassin. With our skills, we might not keep up with their speed.¡± Wei Zihao said, ashamed.

    ¡°Ah Hai, go and bring back Lu Xiangjun, tell him Zian is in critical condition, only he can save him!¡± Wei Xinghe ordered immediately.

    Among those present, only a few had a chance to catch up with Lu Qing and the assassin.

    The County Magistrate and the young man in in clothes were out of his control, and he couldn''t leave.

    The only hopey with the Internal Organs realm chief steward.

    ¡°Yes, master!¡±

    The chief steward dared not dy and immediately moved to pursue through the wall breach.

    However, before he could take two steps, he heard a sudden wind.

    With a bang, a figure flew in from outside the wall, crashing heavily to the ground.

    Then, Lu Qing''s calm voice came from above.

    ¡°I told you, you can''t escape.¡±

    Everyone looked up to see Lu Qing standing on the wall.

    And on the ground, with twisted limbs and covered in blood, who else could it be but the "Qian Family Patriarch"?

    Table of content

 Chapter 167

    The ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡±y on the ground, looking up at Lu Qing, his face full of disbelief.

    He couldn''t believe that as a top assassin from the Seven Killers Tower, he would be defeated by such a young boy.

    Moreover, it was aplete and utter defeat, without the slightest chance to fight back.

    Thebat techniques he had honed for many years werepletely useless in front of Lu Qing and were utterly crushed.

    The overwhelming, dragon-like, tiger-like fist power was terrifying.

    It enveloped all directions, sealing off everything, leaving no room for his stealth and escape techniques.

    No matter which direction he fled, he would inevitably be covered by the fist power.

    In front of Lu Qing, the ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± felt like a fly trapped in a spider¡¯s web, with no escape.

    What kind of monster was this?A sliver of fear rose in the ¡°Master of the Qian Family''s¡± heart.

    Looking at the "Master of the Qian Family" lying on the ground like a dead dog, and then at Lu Qing standing tall on the wall, all the guests were utterly shocked.

    Regardless of whether this ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± was real or fake, the terrifying momentum he had disyed earlier was real.

    Everyone estimated that even if he hadn¡¯t reached the level of a Martial Grandmaster, he was not far off.

    His swordsmanship and movement techniques were also exceptional.

    Among those present, except for Wei Xinghe and the young man in in clothes, no one dared to im they could withstand a single move from him.

    Not to mention, he also possessed a mysterious technique capable of shaking even a Grandmaster''s mind.

    Such a powerful assassin couldn¡¯t escape Lu Qing''s pursuit and was easily captured.

    From the assassin''s escape to Lu Qing¡¯s return, only a few moments had passed, right?

    The guests realized thatpared to the previous city gate battle, Lu Qing''s strength had significantly improved.

    ¡°What happened to the Young Master?¡±

    Lu Qing ignored the guests'' awe-inspiring gazes. His first nce saw that the unconscious Wei Zian¡¯s face was unusual.

    ¡°Lu Xiangjun, you came back just in time. This viin¡¯s sword is poisoned, An''er was cut, and the poison has entered his body, rendering him unconscious. Zhi Yue said the poison is called Blood Fiend Poison, extremely vicious. Please, Lu Xiangjun, save An''er!¡±

    Mrs. Wei was overjoyed to see Lu Qing return and hurriedly pleaded.

    ¡°Let me see!¡±

    Lu Qing immediately went to the stage upon hearing this, not daring to dy.

    ¡°Master Wei, please keep an eye on that assassin. I have broken his limbs and dislocated his jaw, so he should pose no threat.¡±

    After saying this, he activated his ability and looked at Wei Zian.

    He saw a greyish hue emerging from Wei Zian¡¯s body.

    [Wei Zian: The Young Master of the Wei Family, noble status, resolute and cheerful personality.]

    [Cultivation: Initial stage of the Postnatal Qi and Blood Realm.]

    [Poisoned by the Blood Fiend Poison from the Seven Killers Tower, in critical condition, life hanging by a thread.]

    It was indeed Blood Fiend Poison.

    Lu Qing''s heart tightened, knowing the situation was urgent.

    He quickly took out a small wooden box from his arms, opened it, and took out a jade bottle and a needle pouch.

    First, he opened the jade bottle and dropped several drops of the medicinal liquid into Wei Zian¡¯s mouth.

    Then he removed Wei Zian¡¯s upper clothing, and quickly inserted more than ten silver needles, using acupuncture to help stimte the medicinal power.

    Seeing this scene, the ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± showed a mocking expression in his eyes.

    The Blood Fiend Poison of their Seven Killers Tower was not so easily resolved.

    This boy was indeed overestimating his abilities.

    Unfortunately, his jaw was dislocated, preventing him from speaking; otherwise, he would have mocked them.

    The ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± looked on expectantly.

    The reason he had left so decisively earlier, aside from avoiding being surrounded, was also because Wei Zian had been poisoned by his Blood Fiend Poison, an almost certain death.

    The Blood Fiend Poison was terrifying; even their own antidote was only effective within a quarter of an hour after ingestion.

    After that, there was almost no hope of saving the victim.

    He had embarked on this assassination mission with a determination to kill, without carrying the antidote.

    He wanted to see the expressions on these people''s faces when Wei Zian sumbed to the poison.

    As an assassin, he had already put his life and death aside upon being captured.

    If he could see these people in grief and despair before he died, it would be a great satisfaction.

    On the other side, under Lu Qing¡¯s full application of acupuncture, the medicinal liquid containing Earth Vein Spirit Liquid quickly dissolved and exerted its power.

    The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid had incredibly miraculous effects, capable of bringing the dead back to life, regenerating flesh and bones, created by beings far beyond the Precelestial realm.

    Although the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid in this medicinal liquid was heavily diluted, it was supplemented with Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng to replenish vitality.

    Its healing effect was outstanding, truly a life-saving medicine.

    Therefore, no matter how terrifying the Blood Fiend Poison was, it was rapidly neutralized by this life-saving elixir.

    The ck gas on Wei Zian¡¯s face faded visibly.

    He quickly improved, hisplexion bing rosy.

    Momentster, he opened his eyes, looking around in confusion.

    ¡°Mother, what happened to me?¡±

    ¡°An''er, you¡¯re awake!¡± Mrs. Wei hugged him, crying with joy.

    Wei Xinghe exined, ¡°You were poisoned just now and almost couldn¡¯t wake up. It was Lu Xiangjun who saved you.¡±

    ¡°Really saved?¡±

    The guests were incredulous.

    They had clearly seen that Wei Zian¡¯s condition was critical.

    The Blood Fiend Poison was terrifying, knocking people unconscious instantly, even Zhi Yue¡¯s antidote pill had little effect.

    Unexpectedly, such a potent poison was swiftly neutralized by Lu Qing.

    There¡¯s a saying, ¡°illnesses like andslide, recovery like pulling silk.¡±

    Detoxification is the same; poisoning is easy, but detoxification is troublesome.

    Yet, Lu Qing neutralized it easily, showcasing his superb medical skills.

    His martial prowess was profound, and his medical skills were equally impressive.

    Looking at the still slightly youthful face of Lu Qing, the guests found this young man increasingly mysterious and unfathomable.

    As for the ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± who had initially hoped to see a good show, his eyes were now filled with disbelief.

    He couldn¡¯t believe the Blood Fiend Poison he had spent a great price to acquire was so easily neutralized.

    This was even harder for him to ept than being captured by Lu Qing within moments.

    Unfortunately, with his jaw dislocated, he couldn¡¯t speak even if he didn¡¯t believe it.

    After Wei Zian woke up, Lu Qing checked him again.

    Seeing that the Blood Fiend Poison had beenpletely neutralized and the wound on his arm had healed, he finally rxed.

    Wei Xinghe also breathed a sigh of relief. Afterforting Wei Zian for a while, he approached the ¡°Master of the Qian Family,¡± looking at him coldly.

    ¡°Who are you, and why did you want to kill my son? Where is the real Master of the Qian Family?¡±

    All the guests looked over.

    Wei Xinghe wasn¡¯t a fool and could naturally tell that this ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± was a fake.

    Other guests could see it too; the real Master of the Qian Family was entirely different from the one before them, especially in terms of strength.

    The ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± just coldly looked at Wei Xinghe, saying nothing.

    Seeing his obviously abnormal mouth, everyone remembered that Lu Qing had said earlier that his jaw had been dislocated.

    ¡°Master Wei, I have removed the poison capsule hidden in his mouth, so he cannotmit suicide by poisoning himself. We can fix his jaw.¡±

    Lu Qing said from the side.

    Wei Xinghe stepped forward and fixed the ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡¯s¡± jaw.

    He immediately sneered, ¡°Why kill him? As an assassin of the Seven Killers Tower, we kill without needing a reason. As long as someone offers a bounty, we can take even the head of a king. As for that fat Qian Family Master, since I had to impersonate him, I naturally killed him first!¡±

    Everyone¡¯s hearts chilled.

    They felt the audacity of the Seven Killers Tower assassins.

    ¡°Who offered the bounty to take my son¡¯s life?¡±

    Wei Xinghe was angry but forced himself to calm down and continued to ask.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The rule of the Seven Killers Tower is that assassins only take tasks without asking reasons. Only the headquarters knows who offered the bounty. I only kill for the reward, nothing else.¡±

    Hearing this, the ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± was also filled with resentment.

    The information he had received from headquarters only mentioned that the Wei Family had a Martial Grandmaster at the Internal Organs Realm and a severely injured old ancestor.

    But it didn¡¯t mention a monster like Lu Qing.

    With such a huge gap in intelligence, there were only two possibilities.

    One, the headquarters deliberately gave him wrong information.

    Two, the client concealed the information to avoid paying a higher reward.

    But regardless of the reason, he was terribly screwed.

    Damn it, if I survive this, I¡¯ll find out who set me up!

    The ¡°Master of the Qian Family¡± swore bitterly in his heart.

    ¡°If you know nothing, then there

    is no need to keep you alive!¡±

    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t get any useful information, Wei Xinghe, in his anger, decided to kill him to vent his anger.

    ¡°Wait, Master Wei.¡± At this moment, the young man in in clothes stopped Wei Xinghe, ¡°May I ask a few questions?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Zhi Yue.¡±

    Wei Xinghe stopped and made way.

    He was very respectful towards the young man in in clothes.

    Had it not been for him alerting Old Doctor Chen and Lu Qing that day, the Wei Family might have already been annihted.

    Earlier, he also reminded them to seal Zian¡¯s blood and gave an antidote pill, otherwise, Zian might not havested until Lu Qing returned.

    So, Wei Xinghe naturally had no objections to such a small request.

    The young man in in clothes stood before the ¡°Master of the Qian Family,¡± who still coldly looked at him, seemingly indifferent to life and death.

    However, the young man¡¯s next words made his face change instantly.

    ¡°I have heard that in the Seven Killers Tower, there are countless assassins, but the most famous are the 36 Heavenly Gang and the 72 Earthly Fiends. I wonder, which one are you among the 36 Heavenly Gang?¡±

    Table of content

 Chapter 168

    However, although the "Master of the Qian Family" changed his expression, he still remained silent.

    The young man in in clothes did not mind and continued, "It is rumored that the Seventy-two Earthly Fiends and the Thirty-six Heavenly Gang killers of the Seven Killers Tower are all proficient in assassination and stealth techniques, making them formidable.

    The Seventy-two Earthly Fiends are all martial artists who have at least reached the Tendons and Bones Realm.

    They can alter their tendons and bones, disguise themselves, and adopt different identities seamlessly, making them undetectable.

    As for the Thirty-six Heavenly Gang killers, they are even more impressive. Each of them is at least in the Internal Organs Realm, possessing various assassination secrets.

    Moreover, the Internal Organs Realm experts of the Seven Killers Tower must have assassinated at least three martial artists of the same level to qualify for the position of Heavenly Gang.

    The Thirty-six Heavenly Gang killers are divided into upper, middle, and lower twelve gangs. Judging by your cultivation and the divine technique you used earlier,

    you must be one of the upper twelve gangs, right?"

    The more the crowd listened, the more they felt shocked.The power of the Seven Killers Tower was indeed terrifying.

    ording to the young man in in clothes, just the Seventy-two Earthly Fiends and Thirty-six Heavenly Gang killers already constituted an immensely powerful force.

    One must know, the entire Cang County did not have many Internal Organs Realm experts.

    It is uncertain if the entire state could even gather so many Internal Organs Realm experts.

    With the power of the Seven Killers Tower, sweeping across a state would be easy.

    The "Master of the Qian Family" originally did not want to respond, but as the young man in in clothes spoke,

    he finally couldn''t hold back and spoke.

    "Indeed, you are a disciple of Tianji Tower. You know so much about our Seven Killers Tower. However, isn''t Tianji Tower always iming to be absolutely neutral, not participating in any factional struggles? Doesn''t your current behavior vite your principles?"

    "Our Tianji Tower acts as we see fit. Why should we exin to you people who hide in the shadows?" the young man in in clothes said indifferently.

    "Recently, the Seven Killers Tower has been acting more and more unscrupulously, engaging in widespread assassinations, stirring up chaos among various sects and states, showing signs of affecting the stability of the human race. Do you really think no one dares to punish you?"

    "Hahaha, don''t speak so righteously. The unprecedented great turmoil in millennia is about to arrive. Who is notpeting now? Do you Tianji Tower really think you are that noble? Is the human race''s great situation something you can control?"

    Unexpectedly, the "Master of the Qian Family"ughed heartily, his face full of mockery.

    "Indeed, you have learned something!"

    The young man in in clothes looked serious, finally getting the information he wanted.

    The recent actions of the Seven Killers Tower were indeed part of arger scheme.

    "Hmph, do you so-called righteous alliances really think you can cover the sky with one hand? Don''t forget, our Seven Killers Tower is also a supreme sect with a millennia-long heritage. Do you think you can monopolize the information and seize the initiative? Do you really think the world''s great situation can be controlled by you hypocrites?"

    The "Master of the Qian Family" seemed to no longer care and revealed the intelligence of his own faction without any concern.

    Since he was trapped this time, he naturally wanted to drag others down with him.

    The young man in in clothes felt a tremor in his heart, knowing that the situation was indeed developing as the tower master had predicted, towards a dire direction.

    The surrounding guests listened to the conversation between the two, all looking confused,pletely not understanding the meaning.

    Only Lu Qing felt a movement in his heart.

    He knew that the "millennia-long turmoil" they were talking about was probably rted to the revival of spiritual energy.

    It seemed that those top forces were indeed aware of the rise and fall of spiritual energy.

    Moreover, they had already started preparing early to seize the opportunity.

    Looking at the somewhat hideous expression of the "Master of the Qian Family," the young man in in clothes remained silent.

    At the same time, he felt even more worried in his heart.

    If things were indeed as the other party said, it wouldn''t be long before this world really fell into chaos.

    "Master Wei, I have no other questions. You can deal with this person as you see fit."

    Seeing Wei Xinghe stand in front of him again, with a cold expression on his face,

    the "Master of the Qian Family" knew that this time, he really couldn''t escape.

    He was not afraid. As a top assassin of the Seven Killers Tower, he had stained his hands with countless lives, long prepared for the possibility of mission failure and death.

    However, there was one thing he had to rify, or he wouldn''t die in peace.

    So he looked at Wei Xinghe and said, "I know I will die. I do not know who the client is, but if you let this young master answer a few questions, I can tell you the content of this assassination mission, so you can guess who the enemy is."

    Wei Xinghe couldn''t help but look at Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing''s expression remained unchanged, and he said indifferently, "Ask."

    He did not say whether he would answer.

    "May I ask where youe from? Are you a disciple of the Four Great Secret Lands?"

    In the eyes of the "Master of the Qian Family," a monstrous genius like Lu Qing could only be cultivated by those legendary mysterious ces.

    Unfortunately, those mysterious ces were elusive.

    Even with the intelligencework of the Seven Killers Tower, they had not been able to find them after thousands of years of investigation.

    If it weren''t for the fact that the descendants of these mysterious ces would appear to correct the course of the world during times of great changes, they would have thought these ces didn''t exist.

    Unexpectedly, Lu Qing shook his head directly, "I am not a disciple of any secretnd. My master is just a wandering physician, not a descendant of any secretnd."

    "Not a disciple of the secretnd?!"

    The "Master of the Qian Family" showed a look of disbelief, but then he seemed to think of something, suddenlyughing crazily.

    "Hahaha, I understand now. In our Seven Killers Tower''s records, there is an ancient prophecy that when the millennia-long turmoil arrives, the world''s situation will undergo immense changes.

    At that time, dragons and snakes will rise, heroes will emerge, and monstrous talents will appear, all vying for opportunities,peting for luck, to be the chosen ones blessed with endless fortune.

    You, without any sect or school, can achieve the Internal Organs Realm at such a young age, and your martial arts skills are at the master level, be it fists, feet, or swords.

    A character like you must be one of those legendary, fortune-blessed monstrous talents.

    I never thought I, ''Heavenly Solitude'' would be defeated by a ''Child of Fortune.''

    It''s worth it, it''s worth it!"

    The "Master of the Qian Family"ughed maniacally, saying words that moved everyone.

    Afterughing for a while, he calmed down.

    "Master Wei, don''t you want to know the content of this assassination mission?"

    "Speak!" Wei Xinghe said in a deep voice.

    "This time, the mission was simple. The client had only one requirement, which was to kill your most beloved youngest son in front of you, so you could experience the heart-wrenching pain of losing a loved one, to feel the agony of a loved one''s death and the joy of an enemy''s sess.

    As for the reward, it was three pills that could give Internal Organs Realm martial artists a certain probability ofprehending perfection, stepping into the Internal Organs Realm''s perfection, and achieving mastery."

    Hearing this, Wei Xinghe still frowned, unable to determine who the client was.

    But the "Master of the Qian Family" no longer cared about these things.

    He turned his gaze to Lu Qing, with a strange light in his eyes, "Young master, although you are blessed with fortune and unparalleled talent, the era of great strife is about toe. By then, there will be many monstrous talents no less than you,peting for luck.

    I advise you, do not be bound by the so-called righteousness of these hypocrites, being falselypassionate and cautious.

    If you do, you will only be someone else''s pawn, forever unable to break free from the chessboard.

    In this world, if one does not act for oneself, they will be doomed. In the era of great strife, everything must be contested.

    Only those who are truly unscrupulous and seize everything have the right toughst and stand at the pinnacle of the world.

    Since you defeated me, I sincerely hope you will be the one to seize the supreme fortune and reach the peak of martial arts!"

    After saying this, the "Master of the Qian Family" suddenly turned red, his aura skyrocketing.

    Then, hisplexion paled, and his life force dissipated, his eyes losing their luster.

    He had severed his own heart meridian and died.

    Table of content

 Chapter 169

    "Patriarch Qian" severed his heart veins, an unexpected move for everyone.

    His final words also stirred the hearts of many.

    No one could have imagined that an assassin, who lived by taking others'' lives, would leave a final warning and advice to his opponent, Lu Qing.

    Even Lu Qing showed some emotion in his eyes as he silently gazed at the assassin''s corpse, lost in thought.

    As the aura of "Patriarch Qian" faded, his appearance and body began to change gradually.

    His originally short and fat body started to stretch and elongate, bing taller and much slimmer.

    His face transformed into an ordinary-looking middle-aged man.

    Such a bizarre change left the guests feeling creeped out.

    "Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique, a secret technique that top assassins of the Seven Kill Tower must practice. It allows one topletely alter their physique and appearance, changing identities, truly eerie.It is precisely because of this technique that the assassination sess rate of the Seven Kill Tower is so high, making it a feared assassination sect.

    It is also because of this technique that the Seven Kill Tower has survived till now. Even several top sects have tried to annihte them but failed."

    The young man in in clothes sighed.

    The guests felt chills down their spines.

    This Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique is indeed extremely bizarre and indefensible.

    Topletely change one''s appearance and assassinate, who could guard against that?

    After all, who in this world doesn''t have one or two close people?

    Wei Xinghe was even more horrified.

    "Master Zhi Yue, now that this person is dead, what about An''er''s future safety¡­"

    The Seven Kill Tower is so terrifying. If they have targeted him, can Zian still have a way out?

    "Master Wei, please rest assured. The rules of the Seven Kill Tower state that once an assassin takes on a mission, the reward must be paid. If the assassination is sessful, seventy percent of the reward goes to the assassin. If the assassination fails and the assassin dies, the reward belongs to the Seven Kill Tower.

    Unless the assassin himself admits failure andpensates the sect, the Seven Kill Tower might consider returning the reward.

    Therefore, if the client wants to continue targeting Young Master Wei, they must issue another bounty.

    But this time, even the top twelve killers failed.

    To continue the assassination, the required reward would be more than doubled.

    I don''t believe the client will be willing to pay such a high price."

    The young man in in clothes reassured.

    Everyone understood the domineering nature of the Seven Kill Tower.

    The young man''s meaning was clear: as long as someone issues an assassination bounty at the Seven Kill Tower and an assassin takes the mission, unless the assassin admits failure andpensates, the reward must be paid regardless of sess or failure.

    Of course, the Seven Kill Tower dares to act this way because they have their backing.

    Perhaps it is because, as Master Zhi Yue said earlier, the Seven Kill Tower''s assassination sess rate is very high, giving them the confidence to set such rules.

    Even Wei Xinghe felt slightly relieved upon hearing this.

    To move an assassin stronger than the top twelve, the bounty must be extremely high.

    It is clear that the mastermind is targeting him.

    If the other party could afford to hire such an assassin, they would have directly targeted him instead of indirectly attacking Zian to provoke him.

    "On the other hand, I am more worried about Young Master Lu."

    At this moment, the young man in in clothes continued.

    Everyone was stunned and looked at Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing also looked over.

    "ording to the assassin''sst words, he called himself ''Heavenly Solitude.'' If I am not mistaken, he should be ranked ninth among the top twelve of the Seven Kill Tower.

    Although the Seven Kill Tower has countless assassins, the positions of the seventy-two Earthly Fiends and thirty-six Heavenly Stars are fixed.

    Since you defeated ''Heavenly Solitude,'' causing him tomit suicide, the ninth position among the top twelve is now vacant.

    The positions of the thirty-six Heavenly Stars hold special significance in the Seven Kill Tower. Now that one is vacant, it will inevitably attract other assassins'' covetous eyes.

    Topete for the position of a Heavenly Star, one must prove oneself.

    The quickest way to prove oneself is naturally to assassinate you, the martial artist who defeated ''Heavenly Solitude.''

    So, I guess that next, many assassins from the Seven Kill Tower will want to challenge you.

    The Seven Kill Tower might even issue an internal kill order against you.

    The assassination techniques of the Seven Kill Tower are bizarre and difficult to deal with. You must be careful."

    The young man in in clothes warned solemnly.

    "Is that so? Then won''t Xiao Yan be in danger?"

    Hearing this, Lu Qing''s expression became serious.

    If the Seven Kill Tower really targets him, it will indeed be troublesome.

    He is not afraid for himself but is worried that those people might harm Xiao Yan.

    "You don''t have to worry about that. The Seven Kill Tower has its pride. ording to its rules, to prove one''s ability topete for the position of a Heavenly Star, one must openly defeat you with assassination techniques.

    If they resort to threatening others to force you into submission, not only will the Seven Kill Tower not recognize such achievements, but they will also impose punishment.

    The positions of the thirty-six Heavenly Stars hold special significance in the Seven Kill Tower and will not be obtained in such a trivial manner."

    The young man in in clothes exined.

    "I see. In that case, let theme. I would like to see what is so bizarre about the Seven Kill Tower."

    Hearing that it would not affect others, Lu Qing was relieved.

    As for the assassinations from the Seven Kill Tower¡­

    The Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique can indeed change appearances, which is miraculous.

    But in front of him, who possesses soul power and special abilities, no matter how miraculous the transformation technique is, it will be futile.

    Unless the assassins are at the Precelestial level, he need not worry too much.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing asked, "Master Zhi Yue, are there any Precelestial-level assassins in the Seven Kill Tower?"

    "Yes!" The young man in in clothes answered confidently.

    "But don''t worry. Even the Seven Kill Tower must abide by the Sacred Mountain''s prohibition. Precelestial-level warriors must not act against those below Precelestial without cause.

    If they dare to vite the prohibition openly, even the Seven Kill Tower cannot withstand the pressure from the Sacred Mountain and the Four Great Secret Lands."

    "That''s good to hear. I also want to see the other secret techniques of the Seven Kill Tower. This is a good opportunity."

    Now Lu Qing was truly relieved.

    Seeing that Lu Qing remained calm andposed in the face of potential assassinations, the guests were all impressed.

    They recalled the words of "Heavenly Solitude" before his death.

    Although they did not understand what the so-called millennium change meant, they somewhat believed in the idea of the child of destiny.

    If even a stunning figure like Lu Qing could not be the child of destiny, they could not imagine what kind of monster the real child of destiny would be.

    Table of content

 Chapter 170

    Seeing that Lu Qing showed no fear of the possible assassination attempts from the Seven Kill Tower, even the young man in in clothes felt a sense of admiration.

    At this moment, even he had to admit that what "Heavenly Solitude" said before his death did hold some truth.

    Lu Qing might indeed be the unparalleled genius born with great fortune in anticipation of theing era of Great Strife.

    "Young Master Lu, perhaps this might be an opportunity for you," the young man in in clothes said with a hint of jest, noticing Lu Qing''s calm demeanor.

    "Oh? How so?" Lu Qing asked, slightly puzzled.

    "The Seven Kill Tower is an ancient sect with mysterious traditions, and it also follows some ancient rules.

    The assassination order issued by the Seven Kill Tower is called the Seven Kill Command.

    Once the Seven Kill Command is activated, you will face the assassination attempts from the entire Seven Kill Tower. However, these attempts are not limitless.

    ording to the rules of the Seven Kill Command, it will only conduct up to seven assassination attempts on you.After seven attempts, if you are still alive, the Seven Kill Tower will cease their attempts on your life and will honor you with the highest respect.

    Not only will they treat you as an esteemed guest, but they will also promise never to ept any assassination missions rted to you again.

    They will also announce to the entire assassin world that you have be an esteemed guest of the Seven Kill Tower, and any other assassin organization that targets you will be seen as provoking the Seven Kill Tower and will face their retaliation.

    Furthermore, it is rumored that besides these honors, the Seven Kill Tower will offer you an opportunity, though what exactly this opportunity is, remains unknown."

    The young man''s exnation left everyone stunned.

    No one expected that the assassinations from the Seven Kill Tower had so many intricacies.

    "Lord Zhi Yue, ording to you, does this mean that anyone who survives the Seven Kill Command will be protected by the Seven Kill Tower?" Wei Xinghe asked.

    "Correct." The young man in in clothes nodded.

    Lu Qing then asked, "Dare I ask, Lord Zhi Yue, has anyone ever survived the Seven Kill Command?"

    "Yes!" The young man in in clothes affirmed.

    "The Seven Kill Command of the Seven Kill Tower is not issued lightly. However, ording to the records of our Tianji Tower, in the past ten thousand years, the Seven Kill Tower has issued hundreds of Seven Kill Commands.

    Due to the long passage of time, it is difficult to verify most of the cases, but in the past thousand years, three people have survived the Seven Kill Command.

    The most recent one was a figure from three hundred years ago.

    And those three people did indeed receive the protection of the Seven Kill Tower and never faced any assassination attempts for the rest of their lives.

    It is said that one of them was targeted by a new assassin organization. However, before anyone could take the mission, that organization was eradicated overnight,pletely wiped out.

    It is because of these incidents that people believe that the Seven Kill Tower sincerely follows the rules of the Seven Kill Command."

    Only three people have survived the Seven Kill Command in a thousand years!

    Upon hearing this, everyone finally understood how difficult it was.

    No wonder the Seven Kill Tower would make such a promise. For them, encountering someone who can survive the Seven Kill Command is a rare urrence even in centuries.

    Anyone who can escape the seven assassination attempts of the Seven Kill Tower is undoubtedly a peerless genius with great fortune.

    For such individuals, it is wise to temporarily retreat.

    Some perceptive guests, upon further reflection, immediately understood the intricacies.

    The rule of the Seven Kill Tower, which seemed restrictive, was actually a way to leave a path for themselves.

    "So, Young Master Lu, you don''t need to worry about the Seven Kill Tower not keeping their promise if you survive the Seven Kill Command. This is an ancient rule they have followed for thousands of years, and they won''t break it." The young man in in clothes concluded.

    "I never ce my life in the hands of others'' promises," Lu Qing responded indifferently.

    "Whether the rules of the Seven Kill Command are true or false, it doesn''t matter to me. If the Seven Kill Tower really wants to assassinate me, they should be prepared to be my enemy. By then, it might not be up to them to decide when to stop."

    Lu Qing was not someone who would passively take hits.

    If the Seven Kill Tower really tried to assassinate him, it was uncertain who would end up hunting whom.

    Sensing the coldness in Lu Qing''s words, the young man in in clothes couldn''t help but shiver.

    He suddenly remembered that the person before him was not as amiable as he appeared.

    The other guests felt a sudden chill as well.

    Especially Mago, who couldn''t help but recall the scene in Happy Fort where Lu Qing stood with a long knife amidst the firelight, heads rolling, corpses everywhere, and blood flowing like a river.

    Because of "Heavenly Solitude''s" assassination, the Wei family''s apprenticeship ceremony had to end hastily.

    However, apart from the Qian family, the other guests were not disappointed at all.

    This time, attending the Wei family''s apprenticeship ceremony brought them immense gains.

    Not only did they witness a battle between martial experts, but they also learned many hidden secrets they would never have known otherwise.

    Some particrly sharp-minded individuals even picked up extremely important information from the conversation between the young man in in clothes and the assassin.

    For instance, the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect.

    "What is this ''unprecedented change in ten thousand years''?"

    In a small courtyard, several disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect were whispering.

    "I don''t know, but Tianji Tower has always been mysterious, knowing countless secrets. The Seven Kill Tower is also an ancient sect with a long history. For them to take it so seriously, it must be incredibly important."

    "We must report this to the sect. If what those two said is true, and the world is about to undergo great changes, our Qingyun Sword Sect must prepare in advance!"

    "Seventh Junior Brother, I will write a letter, and you will set off immediately to report today''s events to the sect."

    "Yes!"

    After a brief discussion, they made a decision and then talked about other matters.

    "Speaking of which, that Young Master Lu is truly terrifying. Even the top assassin of the Seven Kill Tower couldn''t withstand a single move from him and couldn''t even escape."

    One disciple of the Qingyun Sword Sect was still in awe when he recalled the events of the morning.

    The top assassins of the Seven Kill Tower were recorded as extremely terrifying beings in the sect''s annals.

    It was said that they had the capability to assassinate martial grandmasters.

    And reality proved that the rumors were true.

    The aura that "Heavenly Solitude" exuded was not only terrifying but also had a strange effect that shook the mind and hindered thoughts.

    Even the head of the Wei family, a martial grandmaster, seemed affected, moving sluggishly.

    But such a terrifying assassin was utterly defeated in front of Young Master Lu, unable to escape, which was simply unbelievable!

    "Indeed, it''s hard to imagine that in such a small ce like Cang County, there is such an unparalleled genius. I fear that even the top disciples of our sect might not match Young Master Lu in talent.

    The elders were right. There are always people more talented than us. This world is full of geniuses beyond our imagination.

    We thought that the people of Cang County were just ignorant and had never seen real martial experts, hence the excessive admiration for Young Master Lu.

    But it turns out, the real frogs in the well are us."

    Another disciple sighed.

    The remaining disciples were silent.

    They couldn''t help it; the shock from Lu Qing was too great.

    It was unimaginable that a teenager could achieve such martial prowess.

    Defeating the top assassins of the Seven Kill Tower with ease, his strength was beyond belief.

    What''s more, despite his formidable martial skills, he was also proficient in medicine, easily neutralizing the deadly poison feared by the Seven Kill Tower.

    His medical skills were no less impressive than his martial prowess.

    A teenager, excelling in both martial arts and medicine.

    This left the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect in awe and bewilderment.

    In fact, they all felt a bit fortunate.

    Fortunately, during the banquet, despite their initial disbelief upon hearing the local nobles praise Young Master Lu, they didn''t mock him openly.

    Otherwise, they would have madeplete fools of themselves.

    It seemed following the elders'' teachings was indeed wise.

    No matter where they went, they should always remain humble and never let pride get the better of them.

    Now, the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect deeply understood the wisdom of their elders'' teachings.

    Perhaps this was the true purpose of the sect sending them out for training.

    While the disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect were pondering the meaning of their training.

    In a small building in the county magistrate''s mansion.

    The young man in in clothes sat at a desk, holding a jade pen, writing on a jade scroll called the Dan Shu Jade Scroll.

    As he wrote, the tip of the jade pen emitted a glow, forming characters that disappeared into the scroll.

    After writing for half an hour, recording all the recent events in the Dan Shu Jade Scroll and transmitting them to the sect, the young man in in clothes put down his pen and stood up, looking at the distant sky with a worried expression.

    "The unprecedented change in ten thousand years is approaching, the world''s situation is about to undergo a great transformation, and the demonic and evil forces are stirring. Where will the fortune of the human race lead?"

    The conversation with "Heavenly Solitude" had made the young man realize that the impending change was no longer a secret among many top forces.

    Thinking of the things Tianji Tower had discovered in recent years, he felt even more anxious.

    He sensed that

    great changes were imminent, and the world''s situation would soon be in turmoil, leading to countless deaths and suffering.

    He wondered if Tianji Tower could adapt and survive in such a massive change.

    He thought of Lu Qing.

    He still couldn''t fully understand this mysterious young man.

    Even using the sect''s precious treasures, he couldn''t see through Lu Qing''s true nature.

    It was as if Lu Qing was always shrouded in ayer of mist, hiding his true self from any investigation or calction.

    Although he couldn''t see through Lu Qing, he had a sense of warning in his heart, feeling that Lu Qing''s strength was incredibly formidable, and he might not even be his match.

    Recalling Lu Qing''s age and "Heavenly Solitude''s"st words, the young man in in clothes couldn''t help but agree with "Heavenly Solitude."

    Perhaps Lu Qing was indeed the unparalleled genius born in response to the impending great changes.

    Only such a heaven-blessed genius could evade the calctions of Tianji Tower and hide his destiny.

    But was an unparalleled genius really that terrifying?

    The young man in in clothes thought of some ancient records in the sect.

    ording to those records, when great changes approached, many heroes would rise, and countless geniuses would be born,peting for fortune.

    If all these geniuses were as terrifying as Lu Qing, he couldn''t imagine how dazzling theirpetition would be.

    How could Tianji Tower guide the great trend of the world in the face of such unparalleled geniuses?

    Thinking of the ancestral teachings of the sect, the young man in in clothes felt a shiver down his spine.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if the founding ancestor of the sect was a bit too ambitious.

    "Zhi Yue, are you there?"

    While the young man in in clothes was lost in thought, he suddenly heard his friend''s voice outside.

    "I''m here,e in."

    The young man in in clothes casually put away the jade pen and Dan Shu Jade Scroll and replied.

    The door opened, and the county magistrate Yan Canghai walked in, carrying some wine and a chess set.

    "What is it?" the young man in in clothes asked.

    "To drink and y chess with you."

    Yan Canghai lifted the items in his hands.

    "Didn''t you drink a lot at the Wei family this morning? More drinking?"

    The young man in in clothes was speechless, noticing that his friend seemed increasingly fond of drinking.

    "That bit of wine was nothing. It was scared away by the Seven Kill Tower assassin."

    Yan Canghai set the wine and chessboard on the table.

    "Come, I see you have many worries, why not have a few drinks with me?"

    The young man in in clothes thought for a moment, then joined him at the table.

    His friend poured him a drink.

    After a few sips and a few moves in their game, Yan Canghai finally asked, "Are you worried about what the Seven Kill Tower assassin said today, about the unprecedented change in ten thousand years?"

    The young man in in clothes paused, then replied expressionlessly, "It''s not something you should know. Don''t ask. Have you forgotten the previous lesson?"

    This time, Yan Canghai didn''t back down but smiled, "It seems what ''Heavenly Solitude'' said is true, the world is really about to change."

    The young man in in clothes was silent.

    After a while, he said, "Indeed, the world is about to change, but not in the way you think.

    Yan Canghai, put away your little thoughts. This is not something you can touch.

    If you interfere recklessly, it won''t just be you; even my Tianji Tower and the Sacred Mountain could be destroyed, never to recover.

    Do you want to drag your Yan family to ruin?"

    Hearing this, Yan Canghai''s face finally changed drastically.

    Table of content

 Chapter 171

    "Young Master Lu, the materials you asked me to find have all been gathered."

    Three days after the apprenticeship ceremony ended, Wei Xinghe came to the courtyard where Lu Qing lived, smiling happily.

    "Finally gathered?" Lu Qing was equally surprised. "Where are the materials?"

    "I''ve already had them brought here."

    "No need to trouble yourself, I need to prepare these materials. Lord Wei, there should be a pill room in the mansion, right? I''d like to borrow it."

    "Yes, of course. Shall I have the materials sent to the pill room?"

    "That will do, thank you."

    After Wei Xinghe left, old doctor Chen asked, "Ah Qing, what materials did you ask Lord Wei to find?"

    "Some materials for preparing potions, rted to forging," Lu Qing replied.The old doctor nodded and didn''t continue asking. He knew Lu Qing had received a mysterious inheritance and was used to him asionallying up with some strange things.

    "Master, after I prepare the potion, I need to go to the iron workshop, so I might be backte," Lu Qing said.

    "Alright, be careful when you go out and stay safe," the old doctor cautioned.

    The previous two days, the old doctor and Wei Shanhai went out to collect herbs and only learned upon returning that there had been an assassination attempt at the mansion.

    Wei Shanhai was furious and almost went to confront the Seven Kill Tower for an exnation.

    The old doctor, hearing the discussions about the cloth-d youth''s words regarding the assassination order, was also worried about Lu Qing''s situation.

    However, he knew that one shouldn''t stop eating for fear of choking. They couldn''t just stay cooped up in the Wei mansion because of a possible assassination.

    Moreover, the old doctor knew Lu Qing''s character. Since he thought it was safe to go out, he must be confident in ensuring his own safety.

    "I understand, Master. I''ll give you a surprise when I get back."

    Lu Qing tidied up and headed to the pill room in the Wei mansion.

    Upon arrival, he saw the materials Wei Xinghe had sent, checked them, and nodded in satisfaction. These materials were almost exactly what he needed; any minor discrepancies wouldn''t affect the potion preparation.

    This was also due to the detailed material list he had given Wei Xinghe, which included not only the names but also the characteristics of the materials.

    Otherwise, just having the names wouldn''t have been enough to gather everything so easily. After all, many materials in Lu Qing''s inheritance still used names from tens of thousands of years ago.

    Who knew if the names had changed over such a long time? But while names might change, the characteristics of the materials wouldn''t.

    Therefore, Lu Qing was able to gather the materials smoothly.

    "Lord Wei, I''m going to prepare a special potion with these materials. Please ensure no one disturbs me," Lu Qing said.

    "Rest assured, Young Master Lu. I will personally ensure no one disturbs you," Wei Xinghe said solemnly.

    Since Lu Qing had saved Wei Zian''s life again and after listening to the conversation between the cloth-d youth and "Tian Gu," Wei Xinghe''s respect for Lu Qing had grown significantly.

    "Thank you, Lord Wei."

    Lu Qing entered the pill room, closed the door, and began focusing on preparing the potion.

    Half an hourter, Lu Qing looked at the fiery red potion emitting wisps of heat in front of him and showed a hint of satisfaction.

    Despite having used his abilities multiple times to simte and practice preparing the ming Liquid in his mind, this was his first time actually doing it.

    Unexpectedly, he seeded on the first try, a pleasant surprise.

    Originally, he had asked Wei Xinghe to prepare more materials for practice.

    However, not wanting to waste the remaining materials, Lu Qing continued preparing.

    After another half an hour, Lu Qing opened the door of the pill room and walked out.

    "Young Master Lu, how did it go?" Wei Xinghe immediately approached.

    "The potion has been sessfully prepared. Lord Wei, I need to go to the Heartforge Workshop next. I won''t be back for lunch, so no need to prepare my portion."

    "Is Young Master Lu going to the Heartforge Workshop to forge your weapon?"

    Wei Xinghe recalled what the chief steward had mentioned and couldn''t help but ask.

    "Yes, I have an appointment with Master Lin at the Heartforge Workshop to use his forge for the next few days."

    Wei Xinghe hesitated for a moment and said, "Young Master Lu, may I apany you to observe?"

    "Of course. Lord Wei, are you interested in forging as well?" Lu Qing was a bit surprised.

    "To be honest, I''ve heard the chief steward say that you are highly skilled in forging, with the demeanor of a master. I''ve never had the chance to see a master forge, so I''m naturally very interested," Wei Xinghe said frankly.

    "The chief steward overpraised me. I just have some insights into forging, not deserving of the title of master. However, if Lord Wei is interested, it would be my honor," Lu Qing replied.

    With Lu Qing''s permission, Wei Xinghe was quite excited and immediately made arrangements.

    Lu Qing also went back to Bamboo Grove Courtyard to fetch a wooden box, then took the smallest piece of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron from his Spatial Qi Bag and ced it inside.

    He then left the courtyard with the wooden box and, along with Wei Xinghe, headed to the Heartforge Workshop.

    "Young Master Lu, you''ve arrived."

    At the Heartforge Workshop, Master Lin and his apprentices were already waiting respectfully for Lu Qing.

    It turned out that while Lu Qing went back to fetch something, Wei Xinghe had sent someone ahead to notify the Heartforge Workshop.

    Knowing that Lu Qing was finallying to forge his weapon, Master Lin was overjoyed.

    He immediately temporarily closed the entire workshop and led his apprentices to wait respectfully for Lu Qing''s arrival.

    "Master Lin, I need to trouble you again this time to borrow your forge," Lu Qing said politely.

    "No trouble at all!" Master Lin quickly replied. "It''s an honor for our workshop to have you, Young Master Lu!"

    Master Lin now had immense respect for Lu Qing. A few days ago, while helping to polish the Thousand-Folded Sword Embryo that Lu Qing had forged, he was increasingly astonished.

    That sword embryo was forged to perfection by Lu Qing, wless and without a single impurity, truly a masterpiece.

    Seeing this made Master Lin deeply impressed and fascinated.

    So even though Wei Xinghe apanied him this time, Master Lin wasn''t surprised at all.

    In Master Lin''s view, Lu Qing''s forging skills, reaching a master level, fully deserved such attention.

    The group entered the Heartforge Workshop.

    "Young Master Lu, will you be using Furnace No. 1 again?" Master Lin asked eagerly.

    "Yes, I used it once before and got used to it, so I''ll use it again," Lu Qing nodded.

    "Let me light the furnace for you."

    Master Lin eagerly went to the bellows, pulling hard, and the mes roared, heat waves rolling.

    "Young Master Lu, please."

    Master Lin''s respectful manner was like that of a humble apprentice.

    "Thank you."

    Lu Qing did not refuse. He understood Master Lin''s intention was to observe his forging techniques up close.

    He didn''t mind; if Master Lin could gain some insight, it would be his good fortune.

    Lu Qing ced the wooden box down, opened it, and took out the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron.

    When Master Lin saw the meteorite iron, he was first stunned, then his eyes gradually widened.

    Table of content

 Chapter 172

    "Lu Xiangjun, could this be the legendary Heaven''s Meteorite Iron?"

    Looking at the item Lu Qing took out, Master Lin asked with wide eyes.

    "Yes, this is a piece of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron I obtained by chance, perfect for forging my weapon," Lu Qing confirmed.

    "Such arge piece of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron..."

    Hearing Lu Qing''s confirmation, Master Lin was so shocked he nearly jumped up.

    His eyes were filled with disbelief.

    This was Heaven''s Meteorite Iron, a legendary forging material.

    Just a small piece could transform ordinary iron into a divine weapon.

    Yet Lu Qing had such arge piece!Master Lin finally understood why Lu Qing had dismissed even the Thousand-Folded Sword Embryo and given it away so casually.

    It turned out he had such a divine forging material in his possession.

    Wei Xinghe, standing beside them, was equally astonished.

    He had heard of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron, one of the best materials for forging divine weapons. He never expected Lu Qing to have it.

    "Lu Xiangjun, although Heaven''s Meteorite Iron is a divine forging material, it is also highly resistant to high temperatures. I''m afraid my furnace won''t be able to melt it," Master Lin said with a bitter smile after calming down a bit.

    Heaven''s Meteorite Iron, falling from the heavens, had already been tempered by natural forces like celestial winds and thunderclouds, making it extremely resistant to high temperatures.

    The forge at Heartforge Workshop was unlikely to handle such divine material.

    "No problem, I am prepared. Master, just control the heat for me; leave the rest to me," Lu Qing said, cing the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron into the furnace.

    Master Lin, seeing this, could only follow Lu Qing''s instructions and continue working the bellows.

    As the bellows continued to blow, the mes in the furnace grew stronger, but the piece of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron remained unchanged, not even a hint of red.

    As expected, the forge at Heartforge Workshop couldn''t handle this divine iron.

    However, Lu Qing remained calm. He took out a palm-sized porcin bottle from a wooden box, uncorked it, and poured a drop of red medicinal liquid into the furnace.

    As the liquid entered the furnace, the mes, already strong, surged higher, changing from red to blue.

    The intense heat radiated, making even Master Lin, a lifelong cksmith, feel unbearably hot.

    But Master Lin ignored the heat, staring in disbelief at the blue mes.

    "mes of pure blue, how is this possible?!"

    He knew the capabilities of his forge well; it couldn''t produce such pure blue mes, which were legendary among cksmiths.

    "It''s the medicinal liquid!"

    Master Lin quickly realized it was the liquid Lu Qing had added to the furnace that caused the change.

    He eyed the porcin bottle in Lu Qing''s hand with intense curiosity.

    What kind of precious liquid could produce such legendary mes?

    "Master, continue!" Lu Qing''s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

    Master Lin quickly regained his focus, fully controlling the bellows.

    Lu Qing closely watched the furnace. Whenever the mes showed signs of turning red, he added another drop of the liquid to keep them blue.

    With the continuous burning of the blue mes, after ten breaths, the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron finally began to change, gradually turning red.

    Seeing this, a smile appeared on Lu Qing''s lips.

    The ming Liquid, developed by the Li Huo Sect, could enhance mes and significantly increase their temperature.

    Its purpose was to help sect disciples who hadn''t cultivated true fire to control higher-level mes for forging divine weapons.

    In the era of immortal cultivation, this was not a remarkable technique.

    But now, with the decline of the immortal path and the disappearance of cultivators with true fire, the value of the ming Liquid had increased significantly.

    It became the only way Lu Qing could melt Heaven''s Meteorite Iron.

    The iron in the furnace gradually turned red, and after dozens of breaths, it was fully red.

    Lu Qing didn''t dy. He immediately took it out, ced it on the iron anvil, and with a heavy hammer in hand, brought it down with the force of a mountain!

    BANG!!!

    Under Lu Qing''s immense strength, sparks flew, and a loud noise echoed for miles, shaking the entire backyard of Heartforge Workshop.

    Master Lin and his apprentices were startled.

    Lu Qing''s hammering was even more fierce than when he forged the Thousand-Folded Sword Embryo.

    If the anvil hadn''t been sturdy enough, it might have been destroyed by Lu Qing''s blow.

    Even though it was Heaven''s Meteorite Iron, under such intense hammering, it began to deform.

    Seeing this, Master Lin''s eyelids twitched.

    Another hammer blow!

    Who would have thought that Lu Xiangjun could forge Heaven''s Meteorite Iron with such precision and strength?

    BANG!!!

    One hammer strike followed another without pause.

    BANG! BANG! BANG!...

    As Lu Qing continued to hammer, the loud sounds reverberated continuously.

    Such amotion rmed the entire neighborhood.

    People came out of their houses, looking towards Heartforge Workshop in confusion and fear.

    Was this the sound of thunder, or what was Heartforge Workshop doing to cause such terrifying noise?

    Unfortunately, no one had an answer.

    To allow Lu Qing to concentrate on forging, Master Lin had closed the workshop and stationed apprentices to guard it, preventing outsiders from entering.

    Unless someone forced their way in, they couldn''t see what was happening in the backyard.

    However, Master Lin was a renowned cksmith in the county, and most people didn''t dare offend him without knowing the cause.

    So, despite their shock, the crowd could only suppress their curiosity and listen to the continuous hammering.

    But to everyone''s surprise, the noisested much longer than expected.

    It continued for more than two hours before finally stopping.

    Table of content

 Chapter 173

    The backyard of the Heartforge Workshop was silent.

    Everyone was staring fixedly at the position of Furnace No. 1.

    There, Master Craftsman Lin was panting heavily, drenched in sweat, and looking as if he was about to copse.

    Despite his mastery in the Tendons and Bones Realm, continuously working the bellows for more than two hours and carefully controlling the heat had exhausted him.

    Lu Qing was also drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, and significantly drained.

    The Heaven''s Meteorite Iron was iparable to ordinary iron, each hammer strike consuming a considerable amount of his mental strength.

    Even though he was exhausted from forging the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron into shape, both men were in high spirits.

    At this moment, their eyes were bright as they looked at the anvil.

    On the anvil, the piece of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron that Lu Qing had brought hadpletely changed its form.It had transformed into a rough ck long de, simple in style, very simr to the one Lu Qing used before.

    However, what astonished Master Craftsman Lin the most were the peculiar patterns on the de, resembling water ripples, mes, and even lightning.

    The patterns seemed naturally formed, exuding a mysterious aura that was captivating.

    "Patterns formed naturally, as if bestowed by the heavens. This de embryo has already stepped into the realm of divine weapons, and it is of the highest grade!" Master Craftsman Lin murmured.

    Looking at the strange patterns on the de, his eyes were full of fascination.

    After a lifetime of forging weapons, he had never seen the patterns of a true divine weapon.

    Lu Qing was also intently observing the rough de.

    Amidst the intense red glow, a faint trace of purple light appeared in his vision.

    [Divine Weapon de Embryo: Forged from Heaven''s Meteorite Iron through over ten thousand hammer strikes, it has reached the top-grade divine weapon level.]

    [Embracing All: The unique material of Heaven''s Meteorite Iron is highly inclusive, allowing this de embryo to amodate multiple elemental power attributes: gold, wood, water, earth, wind, fire, and lightning.]

    [Unbreakable: This de embryo is extremely solid, and once sharpened, it can cut through iron like mud, split water, and cleave mountains with ease.]

    [Embryo of a Magic Treasure: Due to its excellent material, if properly nurtured and refined, this de can continuously evolve, potentially advancing to a magical artifact or spiritual artifact.]

    "There''s actually a trace of purple!"

    Seeing the information about the de embryo, Lu Qing was delighted.

    No wonder the Li Huo Sect had been so enamored and highly praised this exotic treasure.

    The Heaven''s Meteorite Iron had just been forged into a rough de embryo, yet it already exhibited a trace of purple light.

    He knew that the Spatial Qi Bag in his hand and the Li Huo Cauldron in the Wei family''s underground chamber were both just purple.

    This showed the immense potential of this de embryo.

    The information revealed by the de embryo confirmed this.

    Not only could it amodate multiple types of power, but it could also continuously evolve and transform, which was incredibly magical.

    Lu Qing did not believe that this was due to his own forging skills.

    Although everyone in the Heartforge Workshop admired him greatly, he was very self-aware.

    His forging skills were just beginning, andpared to the master forgers of the Li Huo Sect, they were worlds apart.

    The quality of this de embryo was primarily due to the extraordinary nature of the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron.

    Its material was simply excellent.

    "A divine weapon!"

    Standing outside, everyone who heard Master Craftsman Lin''s words was stunned.

    Even Wei Xinghe was shocked.

    The Wei family only had one divine weapon, the saber used by their ancestor.

    Unexpectedly, Lu Qing had easily forged one.

    This was something even the true master forgers of Zhongzhou might not be able to achieve.

    "Young Master Lu, do you need us at the Heartforge Workshop to help sharpen this de?"

    Master Craftsman Lin asked Lu Qing respectfully and carefully.

    "No need, I have other ns for this de. For now, it doesn''t need to be sharpened. Please just make a scabbard for me," Lu Qing replied.

    Knowing the de embryo''s potential, it would be inappropriate to sharpen it hastily.

    Moreover, such a divine weapon no longer needed to be manually sharpened.

    Once Lu Qing properly refined it, the de would naturally reveal its sharp edge, unmatched in its keenness.

    "This is simple. Young Master can rest assured, I will have the scabbard ready by tomorrow and send it to your residence."

    Hearing Lu Qing''s response, Master Craftsman Lin felt a mix of disappointment and relief.

    To be honest, if Lu Qing had entrusted him with sharpening the de, he wouldn''t have dared to do it.

    After all, this was a divine weapon de embryo. Even a lifetime of effort might not yield such a weapon for a master forger.

    As a mere craftsman, not even a master forger, how could he dare to sharpen such a de?

    Lu Qing asked for a cloth strip, wrapped the de embryo, and prepared to leave with Wei Xinghe.

    Initially, Lu Qing had wanted to forge a treasured sword for his master, but the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron was too extraordinary. Just forging a single de embryo had exhausted most of his energy.

    He would have to forge his master''s sword another day.

    As Lu Qing and Wei Xinghe left the Heartforge Workshop, they saw a crowd of people outside.

    Some of them were powerful martial artists.

    After a moment''s thought, Lu Qing realized that themotion from forging the de embryo must have attracted the attention of nearby onlookers.

    He didn''t exin and left directly with Wei Xinghe.

    The onlookers wanted to investigate what had happened inside the Heartforge Workshop, but when they saw Lu Qing and Wei Xinghe, they were all stunned, staring dumbfoundedly at them.

    Their previous thoughts disappeared, and no one dared to act.

    Thus, until the two left, no one dared to stop them. They just watched with respectful eyes, not daring to move.

    "Whoosh!"

    When Lu Qing and Wei Xinghe''s figurespletely disappeared, the spies let out a sigh of relief, looking at each other with cold sweat and bitter smiles.

    They didn''t even dare to think about going into the Heartforge Workshop to gather information.

    It was clear that the morning''smotion was rted to Lu Qing and Wei Xinghe.

    And their statuses were significant.

    Especially Lu Qing, who had now been listed by various forces in the city as the most untouchable person, even more so than the Wei family.

    No one dared to probe into their affairs.

    Knowing something they shouldn''t could be deadly.

    Lu Qing didn''t know that he had already beenbeled as a taboo figure by various forces in the city.

    In the following days, after regaining his strength, he visited the Heartforge Workshop twice more.

    Besides making some small items, he also used a piece of exotic iron from the Heartforge Workshop to forge another ten-thousand-fold divine weapon sword for his master.

    However, this divine weapon sword''s potential was far inferior to his battle de, merely an ordinary divine weapon with almost no chance of evolving.

    It wasn''t that Lu Qing didn''t want to forge a Heaven''s Meteorite Iron sword for his master.

    But now, the remaining Heaven''s Meteorite Iron in his Spatial Qi Bag was toorge to cut.

    Given his current abilities, cutting the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron was too difficult.

    Additionally, the fuel he had prepared was almost exhausted.

    Without the blue mes generated by the fuel, the Heartforge Workshop''s furnace couldn''t melt the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron.

    So Lu Qing could only opt for a second-best option, spending arge sum of money to buy a piece of exotic iron from Master Craftsman Lin to forge an ordinary divine weapon for his master.

    Even so, when the old doctor Chen received this gift, he was extremely delighted.

    Even Wei Shanhai was astonished when he saw the sword.

    He found that the sword''s quality was no less than his own battle de.

    Knowing that Lu Qing had forged the divine weapon, Wei Shanhai was dumbfounded, speechless for a long time.

    After forging the divine weapon sword, Lu Qing and the others stayed for a few more days.

    Finally, they bid farewell to the Wei family.

    Table of content

 Chapter 174

    "Young Master Lu, Old Doctor Chen, are you really leaving?"

    In the Wei residence, upon hearing that Lu Qing and the others were preparing to leave, Wei Zian immediately ran to the Bamboo Grove Courtyard.

    He then saw that his father and mother were also present.

    "Indeed, we have stayed at your esteemed residence long enough. It is time for us to return, or else the people in the vige might be worried," Lu Qing nodded.

    They had stayed in the county for nearly half a month.

    Although they had previously asked the Wei residence to send a message back to Jiuli Vige, it was inevitable that the vigers would still worry after such a long absence.

    Now that the matters in the county had been satisfactorily resolved, there was no reason for them to stay any longer.

    Moreover, while the county was nice, it was also restrictive, making many things inconvenient.

    During this period, even Lu Qing had to be very careful while practicing his skills, fearing he might disturb others.So home was still the best ce. In the mountains, he could practice without worrying about disturbing anyone.

    Even the old doctor had a strong desire to return.

    He still had a few patients in Jiuli Vige whose illnesses were notpletely cured.

    Before leaving, he had prepared medicine for them, but it was likely nearly used up by now, and he needed to go back for follow-up treatment.

    "Young Master Lu, how could you say such a thing? Having you and the old doctor stay here is an honor for our Wei residence, how could it be considered a disturbance?" Wei Xinghe said hurriedly.

    He wished Lu Qing and the others would stay in the residence indefinitely.

    "Indeed, Young Master Lu, you can stay as long as you like. How could you possibly be a disturbance?" Madam Wei also said.

    She did not want Lu Qing and the others to leave, especially reluctant to part with Xiaoyan.

    These days, she had been teaching Xiaoyan to read and write, and they had grown very close, almost treating her like a real daughter.

    "Thank you for your kind offer, but we have been away from home for a long time and should go back to check on things."

    In the end, no matter how much Wei Xinghe and the others tried to persuade them, Lu Qing and the old doctor expressed their intention to leave.

    Helpless, Wei Xinghe had to order preparations to be made.

    As for Wei Shanhai, he had not appeared at all. It was unclear whether he was not in the residence or simply did not care about their departure.

    Soon, Wei Xinghe and the others escorted Lu Qing and the others to the city gate.

    "You are living quitefortably, I see."

    Seeing the significantly plumper White-Horned Bull in front of the cart, Lu Qingughed and scolded.

    "Moo!"

    The bull seemed very happy to see Lu Qing, lightly nudging his hand.

    Lu Qing began to take some boxes from the Wei family''s servants and ce them on the cart.

    Most of the contents were special products he had bought for the vigers.

    As for the generous gifts from the Wei residence, they only took a token amount, politely declining the rest.

    Given their current status, they no longer had a great need for gold and silver.

    At home, they already hadrge boxes of gold and silver, which they had not yet figured out how to use.

    "Xiaoyan, let''s go!"

    After everything was loaded, Lu Qing called out.

    "Auntie, goodbye! Xiaoyan is going home!"

    Hugging Xiaoli, Xiaoyan reluctantly said goodbye to Madam Wei.

    During these days, she had spent every day with Madam Wei, and they had developed a deep bond.

    Madam Wei was even more reluctant, her eyes filling with tears. "Xiaoyan, be good. When Auntie has time, she will visit you in Jiuli Vige."

    "Really? Then Xiaoyan will wait for Auntie at home!" Xiaoyan''s eyes lit up.

    Madam Wei felt a pang in her heart, almost wanting to follow them.

    Fortunately, she still had her reason, and she nodded with tears in her eyes. "Of course it''s true."

    The little girl immediately became happy, bouncing towards Lu Qing and was lifted onto the cart.

    The old doctor still wore his hat, sitting at the front.

    Because he had been living a secluded life, keeping a low profile, during this period, except for the people in the Wei residence, no one in the county knew that the mysterious Precelestial expert who had suddenly appeared was the well-known Old Doctor Chen.

    "Master Wei, there''s no need to see us off any further. As the saying goes, a thousand miles together must part eventually. Let us part here."

    Lu Qing cupped his hands, speaking politely.

    "Young Brother Lu, once I''m done with family matters, I''ll visit the Grand Bazaar and have a meal and drink at your ce!"

    Just arriving at the city gate, Mago called out heartily.

    "Haha, that would be great. I''ll prepare a few good dishes for you." Lu Qingughed as well.

    Amidst theughter, the old doctor snapped the whip, and with a crisp sound, the cart started moving, slowly heading out.

    Just as it had arrived from afar.

    Except, there were now two or three fewer people on the cart.

    Madam Wei and Wei Zian watched the cart slowly leave, their eyes reddening.

    Initially, they had returned with great anxiety.

    Now, the cart that had escorted them was leaving.

    For a moment, their hearts were filled with various emotions, a mix of feelings.

    "Auntie, goodbye!"

    As the cart moved far away, almost out of sight, Xiaoyan stood up, waving vigorously.

    Her childish voice echoed from afar.

    Madam Wei''s tears finally could not be held back, streaming down her face.

    Lu Qing and the others left the city openly, without trying to conceal their departure.

    So, before long, news of their departure spread throughout the various forces in the city.

    "They really left?"

    In the County Magistrate''s residence, Yan Canghai looked at his confidant who hade to report, his face serious.

    "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Young Master Lu left in a cart, with the youngdy also on board. The driver seemed to be an old man, and many people in the city saw it," the confidant confirmed.

    "Did you see the old man''s face?" Yan Canghai asked quickly.

    "No, the old man wore a hat, hiding his face. His voice sounded very old, but his appearance couldn''t be seen," the confidant replied.

    "Still hiding his identity," Yan Canghai was disappointed and waved his hand. "Alright, you may go."

    After the confidant left, Yan Canghai sat there, pondering for a while, then suddenly got up and went to the small building where the in-clothed youth stayed.

    Just as he was about to knock, he heard a faint voice from beside him, "What is it?"

    Turning his head, he saw his friend standing in the pavilion not far away, holding a book.

    Yan Canghai smiled and walked over, "I just received news that Young Master Lu and his master have left the county."

    "Mm." The in-clothed youth nodded, showing no surprise on his face.

    "Zhi Yue, since they have left, can you now tell me who Young Master Lu''s master, that mysterious Precelestial expert, really is?"

    Ever since the in-clothed youth said that the suddenly appeared Precelestial expert was someone he knew, Yan Canghai had immediately started investigating.

    However, after checking all the martial arts experts he knew, he still had no clue.

    Not a single identity matched that mysterious Precelestial expert.

    Later, he tried to investigate Lu Qing, but that also led nowhere.

    Because this one was even more mysterious.

    No one knew Lu Qing''s background.

    It was as if he had appeared out of thin air. Beforeing to the county, there had not been any rumors about this young man in the world.

    So, Yan Canghai was extremely curious about their identities.

    The in-clothed youth did not speak, just quietly looked at him.

    Yan Canghai felt a chill in his heart, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Previously, you spoke of that thousand-year upheaval in such a terrifying manner. I couldn''t inquire about that, but I should at least know the identity of this mysterious Precelestial expert, right? You said I even know him."

    The in-clothed youth looked at Yan Canghai for a while, knowing that he would not rest until this matter was rified.

    So, he sighed and said helplessly, "I suppose there''s no harm in telling you. That Precelestial expert is indeed someone you know. He is the old doctor you once invited, Chen Songqing."

    "What?!"

    Yan Canghai''s eyes widened,pletely stunned by this revtion.

    It took him a long time to recover.

    "Zhi Yue, are you sure that Precelestial expert is Old Doctor Chen Songqing?" Yan Canghai asked with difficulty.

    The in-clothed youth nced at him sideways, seemingly disdaining to answer.

    "But, how is that possible?" Yan Canghai swallowed, still finding it hard to believe.

    "That Old Doctor Chen, though his martial arts were decent, reaching the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, his age had long surpassed his prime. It would be impressive if he could maintain his realm without regression. How could he have broken through to the Precelestial Realm in such a short time?"

    Moreover, he was so powerful that even the old Precelestial expert, Wang Cangyi, did not dare to offend him.

    The more Yan Canghai thought about it, the more incredulous it seemed.

    "Frankly, I was also surprised," the in-cl

    othed youth sighed.

    "Old Doctor Chen is indeed an extraordinary person. From what I have found, he spent his life doing good deeds, healing and saving people, truly embodying the heart of a benevolent healer and a great phnthropist.

    Years of doing good deeds umted a light of merit around him.

    If I''m not mistaken, it was this light of merit that allowed him to defy his declining vitality in his old age, continually breaking through to the Precelestial Realm, a dream for many martial artists.

    In essence, it was the result of his long umtion, but his path was different from the typical martial artist''s."

    "The light of merit from doing good deeds?"

    This left Yan Canghaipletely bewildered.

    He did not understand what that meant at all.

    Unfortunately, this time, the in-clothed youth did not exin further.

    He brushed off his clothes and ced the book he was holding on the stone table in the pavilion.

    "Alright, since Young Master Lu and the others have left, I should also be going. Canghai, thank you for your hospitality these past days."

    "You''re leaving too?" Yan Canghai was caught off guard, greatly surprised.

    "Yes, I''ve stayed in Cang County long enough. It''s time to go. However, before I leave, I have a few words to say to you."

    The in-clothed youth''s expression became serious.

    This made Yan Canghai''s words of persuasion get stuck in his throat, so he quietly listened.

    "Canghai, to be honest, I''m disappointed this time.

    I originally thought you wereying low, honing yourself all these years in Cang County.

    But what I saw was that you were not only wasting time, but regressing, far worse than you were before.

    Frankly speaking, the current you have no qualifications topete with your brothers.

    So, I advise you to abandon that thought and focus on being the County Magistrate here.

    As long as you remain honest, the capital will likely not pay attention to this ce.

    This way, your mother won''t have to worry about you taking the wrong path every day."

    The in-clothed youth''s words left Yan Canghai in deep silence for a long time.

    "Alright, think it over. I''m leaving."

    The in-clothed youth did not wait for his response, his figure flickering and disappearing from the pavilion.

    "Zhi Yue..." Yan Canghai was startled.

    "Onest thing, remember, don''t provoke Young Master Lu."

    The voice faded away, leaving Yan Canghai in the pavilion, feeling lost.

    ¡­

    "Brother, brother, that flower is so beautiful, and so is that one over there!"

    The cart continued forward, the surrounding scenery changing.

    Originally feeling sad about parting with Madam Wei, Xiaoyan quickly put that sorrow behind her.

    She pointed at the wildflowers and grasses along the road, constantly calling out to Lu Qing.

    Even though she had seen them on the way before, she still found them new and interesting.

    "Yes, they are very beautiful."

    Seeing her cheer up, Lu Qing felt relieved.

    After all, children¡¯s sadnesses and goes quickly.

    As for Xiaoli, it was already happily bouncing around the cart, its figure appearing and disappearing, exuberantly burrowing through the air.

    During their time in the Wei residence, Xiaoli had always remembered Lu Qing''s instruction not to disy its talents casually.

    So all this time, apart from showing great intelligence, it had not done anything unusual.

    It was always harmless, being held by Xiaoyan.

    Apanying her in reading and writing, eating, and ying.

    Apart from being very intelligent, in the eyes of the Wei family, it was no different from an ordinary pet.

    Even Madam Wei, though suspecting Xiaoli''s extraordinariness, had never witnessed its true abilities.

    Because of this, Xiaoli had been quite stifled.

    Now finally leaving the Wei residence, it was having the time of its life.

    Because they had started early and did not dy the journey on the road.

    This time, they did not stay overnight on the way.

    Instead, they hurried back, reaching Jiuli Vige before dusk.

    "Almost home!"

    Seeing the familiar surroundings, Xiaoyan was excited.

    After being away for so long, she missed everyone in the vige.

    Xiaoli, too, stood on Lu Qing''s shoulder, its eyes shining as it looked towards Jiuli Vige.

    Everything was good in the Wei residence, and it had plenty of fish to eat every day.

    But for some reason, it still preferred the days in Jiuli Vige.

    "We''re finally back."

    The old doctor had already removed his hat, looking ahead and sighing.

    Having lived in Jiuli Vige for so many years, he had a deep attachment to it.

    "Master, I''ll go take down the red rope."

    When the cart reached the vige entrance, Lu Qing jumped down.

    After he took down the red rope from the tree and ced it back under the stone b, the vigers finally noticed the cart.

    Soon, the whole vige began to buzz with excitement.

    Table of content

 Chapter 175

    "Indeed, home is always the best."

    In the early morning, Lu Qing stepped out of the house, stretchedzily, and felt immenselyfortable.

    Recalling yesterday''s events, he couldn''t help but smile.

    At dusk yesterday, their return caused quite a stir in the vige.

    The vigers all rushed out and surrounded him and his master with a barrage of questions.

    After all, they had originally said they were going to the county town for the market, but ended up being away for over ten days.

    Although the Wei family had sent people to deliver a message, Grandpa Zhang and the others were still skeptical and worried.

    Seeing them finally return now, how could they not ask for details?

    In the end, after Lu Qing exined everything and distributed the special products they brought back, everyone realized it was a false rm and slowly dispersed.Although it took a lot of talking, Lu Qing''s heart felt warm.

    After all, having people who worry about you is quite a nice feeling.

    After adjusting his mood, he practiced the Health Nourishing Boxing twice to stretch his muscles and bones, then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

    Seeing that Xiao Yan and the others would take a while to wake up, Lu Qing used his body technique and within a few breaths, arrived at the bamboo forest in the back mountain.

    Sensing the surroundings and finding no one around, Lu Qing''s mind moved slightly, and the next moment, a battle de appeared in his hand.

    However, this battle de looked very rough, not only unpolished but also with an unsharpened de.

    It was the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron de Embryo that Lu Qing had forged in the Heartforge Workshop before.

    Compared to before, the de embryo had been adjusted again and fitted with a handle.

    Aside from its rough appearance and unsharpened de, it was no different from a regr battle de and could be used freely.

    Holding the de in his right hand, Lu Qing''s demeanor changed drastically, exuding an aura of killing intent.

    The next moment, he swung the long de, starting to practice his de technique.

    The de movements were profound and smooth, the de speed seemed slow, but each move contained a soul-stirring power.

    The increasingly fierce killing intent around him made the surrounding insects and birds fall silent, not daring to make a sound.

    After practicing the Four Directions de once, Lu Qing stood holding the de, a thoughtful expression on his face.

    "ording to the martial arts experience shared by Master and the Wei family''s ancestor, once martial arts techniques reach a state of bnce between rigidity and flexibility, and meticulous detail, the next step is toprehend the ''Intention'' within the techniques.

    And the most crucial aspect of this step is to infuse your martial arts techniques with a sense of spirit.

    With the spirit infused, guided by the mind, one can anticipate the enemy''s moves, strike preemptively, and defeat the opponent swiftly.

    Clearly, having tempered my soul power, I''ve somewhat touched this level.

    However, limited by the insufficiency of my soul power, I still have a considerable way to go to fullyprehend ''Intention''."

    Of course, although he couldn''t fullyprehend ''Intention'' for now, Lu Qing was already quite satisfied.

    After all, the realm of ''Intention'' is generally onlyprehended by Precelestial realm experts.

    When a Precelestial realm expert steps into the Precelestial stage, their soul power is greatly enhanced through the baptism of the world''s rules.

    Therefore, their martial arts training bes more adept, andprehending the realm of ''Intention'' is naturally not too difficult.

    Now, he had just stepped into the Internal Organs Realm and could already touch ''Intention'', which was quite impressive.

    There were still many days ahead, and who could say that he wouldn''tprehend the full ''Intention'' before stepping into the Precelestial realm?

    Moreover, Lu Qing was different from other martial arts experts.

    With his unique abilities, he could quickly master any martial art.

    So, once he fullyprehended the realm of ''Intention'', it wouldn''t just be about mastering de or sword ''Intention''.

    It would be that all the martial arts he practiced would rapidly ascend to the realm of ''Intention''!

    "Therefore, for me, cultivation is the most important. As long as my soul power improves,prehending the realm of ''Intention'' will naturally be much easier."

    "Coincidentally, there is a minor technique in the inheritance left by the Li Huo Sect that suits my current situation."

    Most of the inheritance obtained from the Li Huo Cauldron was not suitable for this era.

    But there were a few techniques that Lu Qing could barely cultivate.

    Among them, there was one technique that was perfect for Lu Qing''s current situation.

    The Furnace Visualization Method!

    This is a visualization technique that allows the practitioner to imagine themselves in a zing furnace, using soul power to resist the mes, tempering and strengthening their soul power.

    This visualization method is purely a soul-tempering technique and doesn''t rely on spiritual energy cirction, so even in this era of spiritual energy scarcity, it can still be cultivated.

    However, it must be practiced by a cultivator with soul power.

    Its cultivation threshold is extremely high for today''s martial artists.

    After all, apart from anomalies like Lu Qing.

    Generally speaking, in martial arts cultivation, one must reach the Grandmaster stage of Internal Organs Perfection to temper soul power.

    And among the countless people cultivating martial arts, how many can truly reach the Internal Organs Perfection stage?

    Sitting cross-legged, Lu Qing activated his ability, found the cultivation method of the Furnace Visualization in his mind, and began to simte and learn.

    Various insights flooded his mind, and Lu Qing quickly entered a state of cultivation.

    The Furnace Visualization Method has three cultivation levels: Furnace View, Melting Furnace View, and the final perfected Furnace View.

    These three levels are progressively more difficult.

    The practitioner must act ording to their ability and visualize cautiously.

    If their strength is insufficient and they forcefully visualize higher-level imagery, it is easy to set themselves on fire, with the furnace imagery they visualized burning their mind, turning them into a living dead.

    Naturally, for his first cultivation, Lu Qing wouldn''t challenge such high difficulty.

    On the contrary, for his first practice, he was very cautious. Following the method of visualization, he visualized a small furnace in his heart.

    Moreover, its appearance was very simple. If Xiao Yan could see this imagery, she would immediately recognize it as the small furnace at home used for cooking porridge.

    After visualizing the furnace, Lu Qing transformed into a wisp of soul power and entered the furnace.

    As soon as he entered the furnace, Lu Qing felt as if he had entered a world of mes, surrounded by raging fire.

    The Furnace Visualization Method was indeed magical.

    Although the furnace was just a visualization, an illusion.

    At this moment, Lu Qing felt as if he was really being burned by mes, incredibly real.

    It seemed that the next moment, his soul power-transformed body would be melted andpletely incinerated.

    Lu Qing did not dare to neglect, immediately reciting the cultivation mantra, stabilizing his mind, and silently enduring the tempering of the furnace.

    Table of content

 Chapter 176

    In his mind''s eye, Lu Qing found himself within a furnace.

    His spirit was constantly being tempered, giving him the feeling that in the next moment, his soul would scatter and his body would perish.

    However, he knew that all of this was illusory.

    So he remainedpletely unmoved, silently reciting the cultivation mantra in his heart, enduring it all patiently.

    It was unclear how much time had passed, but the mes around him gradually extinguished, and the furnace dissipated. A wisp of soul power returned to his apertures.

    Lu Qing immediately noticed a difference.

    He felt that his soul power had significantly increasedpared to before.

    A trace of joy appeared in his eyes.

    "This Furnace Visualization Method truly lives up to its reputation as a cultivation technique from the Immortal Era. Just one initial practice has clearly enhanced my soul power.With such a profound technique, it¡¯s no longer a distant dream to fully grasp the realm of ''Intent'' before achieving Precelestial status.

    I might even consider forming a Soul Talisman.¡±

    Thinking of the various profound descriptions of the Soul Talisman in the Divine Rune Sect¡¯s heritage, Lu Qing couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit excited.

    Since arriving in this world and awakening his abilities, he had received many inheritances.

    The most precious among them were the inheritances from the Divine Rune Sect and the Li Huo Sect.

    The Li Huo Sect¡¯s inheritance originated from the Immortal Era.

    But the origins of the Divine Rune Sect''s inheritance remained a mystery.

    Lu Qing hadn¡¯t been able to learn about the Divine Rune Sect¡¯s past from the inheritance.

    Even in the Li Huo Sect¡¯s heritage, there was no mention of the Divine Rune Sect.

    Lu Qing didn¡¯t know which of these two sects was stronger.

    But in his heart, the Divine Rune Sect was far more mysterious than the Li Huo Sect.

    And the art of runes was much more profound than the techniques of the Li Huo Sect.

    It must be known that Lu Qing possessed extraordinary abilities.

    No matter what he practiced, he could do so at an extremely fast pace.

    Yet, even with such abilities, he still spent a long time just to barely get started with the art of runes.

    To this day, he had not yet managed to form a Soul Talisman.

    It was conceivable how difficult the practice of runes was.

    The art of runes also differed from ordinary cultivation methods.

    It emphasized learning from all things in heaven and earth, and likewise, using all things in heaven and earth.

    It wasn¡¯t constrained by spiritual energy; even in times of scarcity, it could still be used.

    Just that its power wouldn¡¯t be as strong.

    Such a powerful inheritance was something Lu Qing naturally wouldn¡¯t abandon.

    So he never cked off in his efforts to form a Soul Talisman.

    But due to the limitations of his soul power, the speed of formation had always been slow.

    Now, with the effectiveness of the Furnace Visualization Method, which could rapidly enhance his soul power,

    It gave him hope for fully forming a Soul Talisman. How could Lu Qing not be excited?

    After imagining the future for a while, seeing that it was gettingte, Lu Qing calmed his emotions, put his battle de into the Spatial Qi Bag, and then headed home.

    At home, he woke Xiao Yan and Xiao Li from their beds, urged them to wash up, and after having breakfast,

    Lu Qing took the two little ones to the Halfway House.

    ¡°Ah Qing, Xiao Yan, going to see the old doctor Chen?¡±

    Vigers greeted them warmly on the way.

    At the same time, they couldn¡¯t help but nce at Xiao Li on Lu Qing¡¯s shoulder.

    Since returning from the county, Lu Qing no longer made Xiao Li hide its identity.

    After all, in the county, it showed its form every day.

    Moreover, with his current strength, he no longer needed to worry about anyone harming Xiao Li.

    Sost night, many vigers saw Xiao Li and knew it was Lu Qing¡¯s pet.

    However, because Xiao Li¡¯s appearance was so unique and full of spirituality,

    Even knowing of its existence, the vigers still felt amazed.

    ¡°Yes, I wonder if Master has woken up yet.¡± Lu Qing smiled.

    ¡°He¡¯s definitely up. I just passed by the mountain base and saw the old doctor practicing boxing in front of his yard.¡±

    After chatting with the vigers for a few moments, Lu Qing led the two little ones up the mountain. When they arrived at the Halfway House, they saw that the Master was indeed in the yard.

    What surprised him was that someone else was also there.

    ¡°Lord Zhi Yue?¡±

    Seeing the young man in in clothes drinking tea with the Master under the plum tree, Lu Qing was very surprised.

    He didn¡¯t expect to meet him here.

    ¡°Lu Xiangjun.¡±

    The young man in in clothes smiled slightly, nodding to Lu Qing.

    ¡°Lord Zhi Yue, what brings you here? Has something happened in the county?¡± Lu Qing couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    In his impression, this person''s whereabouts were always a bit elusive, and he never came without reason.

    Moreover, recently, he had learned some information about Tianji Tower from the Wei family''s ancestor, which made him quite wary of this person.

    He knew that this person not only possessed many unknown secret pieces of information but also seemed to have special abilities and a keen insight.

    ¡°The county is peaceful. ording to the information from Tianji Tower, Wang Cangyi has led his disciples back to Tian Cang Sect. Lu Xiangjun need not worry. As for me, I have left the county and n to travel to other ces,¡± exined the young man in in clothes.

    ¡°Then what brings you here, Lord Zhi Yue?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because I missed the floral tea made by the old doctor.¡± The young man in in clothes smiled. ¡°The floral tea I got from the old doctorst time has long been used up. I couldn¡¯t resisting before my departure to shamelessly ask for more.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s simple. It¡¯s rare that Lord Zhi Yue likes it so much. Later, the old man will give you some more as a parting gift.¡± The old doctorughed.

    ¡°Then I must thank the old doctor here.¡± The young man in in clothes rejoiced.

    After getting the floral tea, the young man in in clothes straightened his expression.

    ¡°Of course, apart from asking for tea, there are some things I want to discuss with you.¡±

    Lu Qing: ...

    He knew that this person couldn¡¯t havee just for some floral tea.

    ¡°Please speak, Lord Zhi Yue.¡±

    The old doctor clearly expected this, so he wasn¡¯t surprised.

    ¡°The first matter concerns Lu Xiangjun.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Lu Qing was surprised.

    ¡°Yes, I just received news that yesterday, Seven Kill Tower officially issued a Seven Kill Order against you.¡±

    ¡°Seven Kill Order¡­¡±

    Lu Qing¡¯s face gradually turned serious.

    ¡°Exactly, so Lu Xiangjun, you are now very famous in the assassin world.

    You must know that it¡¯s rare for Seven Kill Tower to issue a Seven Kill Order, sometimes decades apart. Many people are curious to know who you are to warrant such an order from Seven Kill Tower.¡±

    ¡°If I could, I wouldn¡¯t want such fame.¡± Lu Qing said wryly.

    Being targeted by the entire assassin world, even he felt some psychological pressure.

    ¡°Lu Xiangjun, with your martial prowess, from the moment you decided to go to the county to save the Wei family, it was destined that your name would rise and shake the four directions.¡± The young man in in clothes shook his head.

    ¡°The second matter I want to discuss also concerns you.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Lu Qing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Could there be something worse than being targeted for assassination?¡±

    ¡°This time, it should be a good thing.¡±

    The young man in in clothes took out a scroll from his bosom and ced it on the table.

    ¡°This is a list called the Hidden Dragon List,piled by my Tianji Tower, gathering countless young talents and genius martial artists from all over the world.

    It¡¯s a list that countless young martial artists dream of entering.

    And Lu Xiangjun, you are on the list.¡±

    Table of content

 Chapter 177

    "Hidden Dragon List?"

    Lu Qing looked at the scroll on the stone table.

    "May I ask, Your Excellency Zhi Yue, what is the Hidden Dragon List?"

    "The Hidden Dragon List is a rankingpiled by Tianji Tower, listing the top one hundred martial artists in the Internal Organs Realm who have the highest potential to advance to the Precelestial Realm.

    Once a martial artist enters the Precelestial Realm, their lifespan greatly increases, and they gain various extraordinary abilities, akin to dragons soaring in the heavens, vast and unbounded.

    Thus, this list is named the Hidden Dragon List."

    Lu Qing: ...

    He thought that the name "Hidden Dragon List" was something grand and significant.

    It turned out to be just a preparatory list for the Precelestial Realm.If Lu Qing were an ordinary country boy, he might find this Hidden Dragon List impressive.

    But he wasn''t, so he could only maintain a polite smile.

    It''s not that Lu Qing looked down on this list.

    It''s just that, with the various inheritances he possessed, he knew that on the path of cultivation, the Precelestial Realm was merely the beginning, far from being an achievement worthy of being called a true dragon.

    Therefore, he found it difficult to evaluate this list.

    The young man in in clothes, seeing Lu Qing''s calm expression, immediately understood that Lu Qing didn''t think much of the Hidden Dragon List.

    He too fell silent.

    He suddenly remembered that the boy before him was different from any martial arts genius he had ever seen.

    His talent was simply too monstrous.

    For other Internal Organs Realm martial artists, and even Martial Grandmasters, the Precelestial Realm was a great chasm.

    To cross it required immense effort and luck.

    But for Lu Qing, it wasn''t a difficult realm to reach.

    For an absolute genius almost certain to step into the Precelestial Realm, was being on the Hidden Dragon List truly an honor?

    The young man in in clothes sensed Lu Qing''s thoughts and could only remain silent.

    The courtyard suddenly fell into a somewhat awkward atmosphere.

    Lu Qing noticed the awkwardness and felt that treating a guest like this was a bit rude.

    He thought for a moment and decided to ask, "Your Excellency Zhi Yue, may I ask where I rank on this Hidden Dragon List?"

    To Lu Qing''s surprise, when he asked this, the young man in in clothes fell even more silent.

    After a long while, he finally answered, "¡­Twenty-ninth ce."

    Lu Qing was a bit surprised, "It seems the world is indeed full of hidden talents and martial arts geniuses. May I ask who are the martial arts masters ranked ahead of me?"

    "Those ranked ahead of you are mostly Martial Grandmasters who have been at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm for a long time, some even having tempered their own soul power, just a step away from the Precelestial Realm."

    Lu Qing nodded.

    Breaking through from the Postnatal Realm to the Precelestial Realm, one of the most crucial factors is soul power.

    Those martial arts masters, having reached this step, are indeed close to the Precelestial Realm.

    Ranking ahead of him was reasonable.

    What Lu Qing didn''t know was that on the Hidden Dragon List, not only those ahead of him were martial arts masters on the verge of a breakthrough.

    Even those ranked behind him were mostly Martial Grandmasters, with the weakest being strong martial artists at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm.

    Almost all of them were well-known, with considerable fame.

    However, after realizing that the Hidden Dragon List meant little to Lu Qing, the young man in in clothes lost interest in discussing it further.

    "The rankings of the Hidden Dragon List are updated every six months. I''ll leave this copy here. Young Master Lu can look at it in his leisure to understand the current martial arts masters."

    The young man in in clothes handed the scroll to Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing took it and put it away without looking at it immediately.

    The young man in in clothes didn''t mind and instead said, "Old Doctor Chen, thest thing Zhi Yue needs to discuss concerns you."

    "Oh? Please go ahead."

    "In the next ten years, the world might undergo significant changes, with chaos arising and the conflict between good and evil likely to resurface. Even the Sacred Mountain might struggle to cope.

    Old Doctor, you have a chance to enter the Sacred Pool for cultivation. If you don''t want to waste this opportunity, you should use it within five years.

    Otherwise, this opportunity might be wasted."

    The young man in in clothes spoke solemnly.

    "A great turmoil ising, how so?" The old doctor frowned and asked.

    "I''m not sure about the specifics, but this is the prophecy left by the founder of Tianji Tower, so it shouldn''t be wrong."

    The old doctor thought for a moment and said, "I understand. If nothing happens in the next few years, I will visit Zhongzhou."

    In recent days, after exchanging ideas with Wei Shanhai, the old doctor had learned a lot.

    Moreover, after hearing that Lu Qing was targeted by the Seven Kill Tower, he became more concerned about cultivation.

    "That''s good. It''s gettingte. Old doctor, I should be on my way."

    Having said everything, the young man in in clothes prepared to leave.

    "Leaving so soon? Ah Qing, go inside and fetch some flower tea for Zhi Yue."

    After the young man in in clothes left, Lu Qing finally took out the Hidden Dragon List.

    He didn''t open it directly but first activated his ability to focus.

    He saw a faint golden glow emerging from the scroll.

    "Golden?"

    Lu Qing was a bit surprised.

    It''s just a ranking list, yet it had a golden quality?

    Interesting.

    Lu Qing then looked at the notes.

    [Hidden Dragon List: A ranking listpiled by Tianji Tower, based on the data of countless Postnatal Realm martial artists.]

    [This list records the top one hundred Postnatal Realm martial artists who are believed by Tianji Tower to have the highest potential to break through to the Precelestial Realm.]

    [Those who make it to the Hidden Dragon List will be noticed by the world and will gain a bit of luck, making their cultivation journey smoother.]

    "This Hidden Dragon List has the effect of gathering luck?"

    After reading the notes, Lu Qing was truly surprised.

    Earlier, from the young man in in clothes'' tone, it seemed that all martial artists revered the Hidden Dragon List, which puzzled him.

    Now he understood.

    In this light, being on the list wasn''t entirely a bad thing.

    Lu Qing opened the scroll and immediately looked down.

    Then, at the twenty-ninth position, he found his name.

    Cangzhou Lu Qing, seventeen years old, initial stage of Internal Organs Realm.

    The information was very simple, only his name, age, and cultivation level, without revealing much more.

    Lu Qing looked at the other names on the list.

    The information disyed was simr to his.

    At most, some had their sect or family added.

    Other details, such as their practiced techniques and preferred weapons, were not disclosed.

    Lu Qing was quite satisfied with this.

    It showed that Tianji Tower was discreet and didn''t reveal too much about those on the list.

    He found a few familiar names on the list.

    One was the name of the young man in in clothes, ranked seventeenth.

    Another two were Wei Xinghe and the burly man from Tian Cang Sect, Zhao Xiong.

    These two were ranked not far apart, one at seventy-eight, the other at eighty-one.

    However...

    Even two Martial Grandmasters at the peak of the Internal Organs Realm were ranked so low.

    It seemed there were indeed many martial arts masters in the world.

    Lu Qing noticed several names from the Seven Kill Tower on the list.

    The most formidable was a person named "Tan Lang," ranked ninth.

    Most importantly, Lu Qing noticed that none of the top fifty on the list were over thirty years old.

    Even the oldest among thest fifty were only forty-eight, still in their prime.

    In other words, the Hidden Dragon List was quite a "young" list.

    The martial artists on it were all in their prime.

    "Indeed, the Hidden Dragon List ranks those most likely to break through to the Precelestial Realm.

    Once a person surpasses thirty, their blood and energy start to decline from their peak, reducing the chance of breaking through to the Precelestial Realm.

    That''s probably why Wei Xinghe and Zhao Xiong are ranked so low due to their age."

    Lu Qing quickly understood the reason.

    Not everyone had the talent and luck like his master.

    His master, who created the Health Nourishing Boxing, kept his vitality well into old age.

    He didn''t like to fight, so his body had no injuries.

    Later, after taking the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, his body not only restored to its peak but also tempered his soul power.

    Plus, he had the Light of Merit protecting him.

    This allowed him to enter the Precelestial Realm in his old age, creating an almost impossible miracle.

    Other old martial artists, without his master''s foundation and luck, would find breaking through as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

    Thus, there were no names of elderly grandmasters on the Hidden Dragon List.

    After briefly looking at the list, Lu Qing rolled it up, nning to study it in detailter.

    "Master, what are you thinking?"

    After putting away the list, Lu Qing looked up to see his master frowning in thought.

    "I''m thinking about what His Excellency Zhi Yue said earlier. I heard people in the Wei Mansion talking about a thousand-year change. I wonder if it''s the same as the turmoil he mentioned."

    The old doctor was troubled.

    After hearing about the uing great turmoil, he had a premonition that it was something significant.

    Lu Qing thought for a moment and finally said, "Perhaps I know something about what His Excellency Zhi Yue mentioned."

    "You know?" The old doctor was surprised.

    "I''m not

    "ording to the Wandering Immortal, if his calctions are correct, the so-called spiritual revival might happen in our era."

    "The great turmoil mentioned by His Excellency Zhi Yue might refer to this."

    Lu Qing shared some details from the notes left by the Wandering Immortal.

    "Immortal Era, spiritual revival?"

    After listening to Lu Qing''s exnation, the old doctor was stunned.

    He never expected this matter to involve ancient affairs from tens of thousands of years ago.

    However...

    "Does the Immortal Era really exist? Are there immortals in this world?"

    The old doctor found it hard to believe.

    Though he was a Precelestial Realm expert, he always considered the legends of immortals and gods to be just that¡ªlegends.

    Hearing now that immortals actually existed was a huge shock to his beliefs.

    "I also find it incredible, but after witnessing certain things, I think it might not bepletely groundless. For example, the great cauldron in the Wei family''s underground chamber." Lu Qing reminded.

    The old doctor suddenly understood.

    Indeed, the great cauldron of the Wei family was extraordinary.

    It not only contained mysterious Dao rhythms but, ording to Wei Shanhai, was originally the size of a finger but grew to its current size over a hundred years.

    A cauldron that grows on its own couldn''t be a mundane object.

    Perhaps only an immortal could create such a magical item.

    "In this case, the great turmoil mentioned by His Excellency Zhi Yue might indeed refer to the revival of spiritual energy." The old doctor sighed.

    He initially thought the turmoil mentioned by the young man in in clothes was no more than sect conflicts or regional wars.

    He didn''t expect it to involve such a monumental change.

    But how should they deal with such a change?

    The old doctor was momentarily lost.

    "Master, don''t worry too much. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up."

    Seeing his master''s confusion, Lu Qingforted him.

    "Though His Excellency Zhi Yue didn''t reveal the cause of the great change, I believe he knows something. Even if he doesn''t, the powerful sects behind him surely do.

    These sects wouldn''t want chaos, so we should just wait and see."

    The old doctor realized.

    Yes, even the Wandering Immortal found the jade disk. Those powerful sects with vast resources and influence must know more.

    They were likely prepared for theing change.

    So why was he worrying here?

    "Indeed, we are just doctors, insignificant. Our duty is to heal. Let the great sects handle the world''s affairs."

    Having figured it out, the old doctor rxed and spoke lightly.

    Lu Qing secretly sighed in relief.

    Thankfully, his master was kind but had no grand ambitions of saving the world.

    Otherwise, if he got stubborn, Lu Qing wouldn''t know how to persuade him.

    As Lu Qing and his master chatted, they were unaware that the world outside was in an uproar because of the Hidden Dragon List newly released by Tianji Tower.

    The reason, of course, was that his name appeared on it.

    Table of content

 Chapter 178

    The Hidden Dragon List of the Tianji Tower has always been closely monitored by various forces across the world.

    After all, the martial artists who make it to the list represent a high probability of breaking through to the Precelestial Realm.

    Precelestial Realm experts are exceptionally powerful. Even in top sects, they are pirs of strength that no force dares to underestimate.

    Countless martial artists in the world take pride in making it onto the Hidden Dragon List.

    Because that represents true fame and recognition, known throughout the world.

    Most martial artists, who practice so hard, are driven by the pursuit of fame and fortune.

    Those who make it onto the Hidden Dragon List are considered to have made a name for themselves, stirring the hearts of many.

    Thus, every time the biannual Hidden Dragon List is announced, it bes the busiest time for Tianji Tower.

    This time was no exception.Early in the morning, numerous martial artists were already waiting at the branches of Tianji Tower across various states and counties, eager to be the first to see the list.

    Among them were scouts sent by various major sects and forces.

    When the list was finally posted, everyone was stunned.

    Because an incredibly unfamiliar name appeared on it.

    "Lu Qing of Cangzhou, who is this? I''ve never heard of him before."

    "Ranked twenty-ninth with just an initial Internal Organs Realm cultivation, ahead of many Martial Grandmasters?"

    "A seventeen-year-old martial artist in the Internal Organs Realm! Which core disciple of Cangzhou''s sects is he?"

    ¡­

    Almost everyone was captivated by the name Lu Qing on the list.

    The information disyed on the list was simply too astonishing.

    A seventeen-year-old martial artist in the initial Internal Organs Realm, making his first appearance on the Hidden Dragon List, and ranking twenty-ninth, ahead of many Martial Grandmasters.

    Any one of these facts would be astounding on its own if it were another martial artist.

    Now, all these were concentrated on one person, bringing true shock to people.

    Some even questioned whether Tianji Tower had made a mistake.

    But Tianji Tower quickly responded to the doubts.

    The ranking was correct, and the information was urate. There was no need to worry about errors.

    The credibility of Tianji Tower was highly reliable.

    Since they said there was no mistake, it must be true.

    Therefore, after Tianji Tower''s response, the martial artists around the world were truly in an uproar.

    There actually existed such a young genius in the world!

    A seventeen-year-old making it onto the Hidden Dragon List.

    Which sect nurtured such an extraordinary genius?

    Numerous sects and forces were deeply intrigued.

    As for obtaining more information from Tianji Tower, that was out of the question.

    Tianji Tower had been publishing the Hidden Dragon List for over a thousand years. Apart from some basic information, they never disclosed more details about those on the list.

    If one wanted to know who this "Lu Qing" really was, they had to investigate on their own.

    Soon, countless forces began sending people to Cangzhou to find out.

    Of course, not all forces werepletely ignorant about Lu Qing.

    In Jizhou, Qingyun Sword Sect.

    In a small building, several elders sat facing each other.

    On the table before them was a copy of the Hidden Dragon List.

    "Lu Qing, Cangzhou..."

    One of the white-bearded elders looked at the name on the list, deep in thought.

    He then asked, "A few days ago, when Ming Jian and the others went out to train, they reported encountering a young genius in Cangzhou, also named Lu Qing?"

    "That''s right," a short-haired elder nodded, "They said that the young genius had an astonishing martial talent, and it was rumored that he defeated a Martial Grandmaster with a perfect Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation. They even witnessed him capture a top assassin from the Seven Kill Tower, ''Tian Gu,'' within a few breaths using only his fists."

    "This seemed too unbelievable. When I first received the letter, I thought Ming Jian and the others had been deceived by rumors and was very angry."

    "But after carefully questioning the disciple who brought back the letter, I found that it wasn''t a rumor, but indeed the truth."

    "Coincidentally, the day before yesterday, the Seven Kill Tower issued a Seven Kill Order for someone named Lu Qing."

    "This confirms that Ming Jian''s ount was urate," the white-bearded elder nodded.

    With the same name and all in Cangzhou, all young geniuses¡ªsuch coincidences were impossible.

    The white-bearded elder immediately concluded that the Lu Qing on the Hidden Dragon List was the same person mentioned by their disciples.

    However, this realization made him even more astonished.

    "A seventeen-year-old in the Internal Organs Realm, defeating a Martial Grandmaster with perfect Tendons and Bones Realm cultivation¡ªthere truly exists such an extraordinary genius in the world."

    "No wonder Tianji Tower would ce him on the Hidden Dragon List. If such a talented individual isn''t qualified, then few in the world are."

    "Which force could have nurtured such a young genius?"

    "ording to Ming Jian, this Lu Qing''s master is very mysterious, only known to be a mysterious Precelestial expert, but they didn''t get to see him at the Wei residence," the short-haired elder added.

    "A mysterious Precelestial master, who could it be?" the white-bearded elder pondered.

    "It''s a pity that Ming Jian and the others haven''t returned yet; otherwise, we could ask for more details."

    Letters can only convey so much; many details can''t be fully described.

    Making it difficult for them to obtain more information.

    "Since this Lu Qing already has a master, there''s no need to probe further to avoid offending him."

    The white-bearded elder decided after some thought.

    Given that Lu Qing had a Precelestial master, it was clear that his backing was substantial.

    If they probed too much and caused offense, they might make an unnecessary enemy, which wouldn''t be worth it.

    So after a brief discussion, the white-bearded elder set the matter aside.

    "I called you here today not just for the Hidden Dragon List but for something more important: the ''Ten Thousand Year Shift.''"

    As soon as these words were spoken, the elders'' expressions became solemn.

    "Patriarch, is the Ten Thousand Year Shift reallying?" a thin elder asked urgently.

    "Judging by the movements of various sects over the years, it seems inevitable," the white-bearded elder said gravely, "This matter concerns the future glory of our Sword Sect and must not be taken lightly."

    "But we still don''t know what the Ten Thousand Year Shift refers to. How should we respond?" another elder asked.

    "Only the Four Great Secret Grounds, as well as ancient sects like Tianji Tower and Seven Kill Tower, which have been around for thousands of years, might know the details. Unfortunately, our Sword Sectcks such deep heritage."

    "Even if we don''t know the cause, we can''t just wait passively. We must take action."

    The white-bearded elder said with resignation.

    The other elders fell into silence.

    Knowing that a great change ising but not knowing its cause is indeed frustrating.

    Suddenly, an elder spoke up, "Why don''t we consult with our junior uncle? He has vast experience and might know some of the secrets."

    At these words, the expressions of all the elders changed, bing unnatural.

    It seemed the mention of this person brought up someone special, making them all uneasy.

    But they knew that consulting him might indeed be a solution.

    After all, that individual had dug up the graves of the founding ancestors in pursuit of his answers.

    However, considering their junior uncle''s temperament, they were hesitant.

    Would he really be willing to help, given his deep-seated grudge against the sect?

    After a while, the white-bearded elder sighed, "I''ll go. Junior uncle was fond of me back then. Perhaps out of old affection, he will share some information. After all, he grew up here too."

    Fifteen minutester, the white-bearded elder, carrying a bamboo basket, appeared on a cliff behind the Sword Sect.

    By the cliff''s edge was a small, dark cave entrance, its depth unknown.

    This ce was forbidden within the sect, and only the sect leader and a few grand elders were allowed near.

    The white-bearded elder hesitated for a moment at the entrance, then bent down and entered.

    After taking a few steps inside, the passage widened, allowing him to walk upright.

    Following the passage, the white-bearded elder soon heard the sound of water. Turning a corner, he found himself in arge cavern.

    Light filtered down from above, giving the cavern a faint glow.

    There was a small pool inside the cave, with water flowing into it from above.

    Ignoring the scenery, the white-bearded elder walked straight to the cave wall by the pool.

    He respectfully bowed there, "Greetings, junior uncle."

    Apart from the sound of water, the cave was silent.

    After a while, a hoarse voice spoke, "Oh, it''s our sect leader. Why have youe to visit this old man, leaving your Sword Sect unattended?"

    A trace of shame shed across the white-bearded elder''s face, "It is my fault, junior uncle. I''ve been busy managing sect affairs and haven''t had time to visit you."

    "Visit? That''s a nice way to put it," the voice sneered, "Weren''t you the one who poisoned me and imprisoned me here?"

    "Junior uncle, although I wronged you back then, I do not regret my actions," the white-bearded elder said firmly.

    "The disaster you caused back then was too great. If we hadn''t given an exnation to the other party, the entire Sword Sect would have been destroyed. As sect leader, I had to prioritize the sect, even if it meant wronging you."

    "So, you took advantage of my

    trust, poisoned me, destroyed my cultivation, and imprisoned me in this dark ce?" the voice said emotionlessly.

    "Junior uncle''s cultivation was profound. We were no match in a direct confrontation. Poisoning was the only option. I owe you an apology, but I do not regret my decision. You may scold me as you wish," the white-bearded elder said resolutely.

    After a moment of silence, the voice sighed, "Enough, enough. Why bring up old matters? I''m just a cripple now. Speak, why are you here?"

    "You are perceptive as always, junior uncle."

    "That''s easy to guess. Ever since imprisoning me, you have avoided me out of guilt. If you''re here now, it must be for something important."

    "We were indeed too ashamed to face you."

    "Cut the nonsense. What''s the matter?" the voice demanded impatiently.

    "It''s like this, junior uncle." The white-bearded elder organized his thoughts before speaking, "In recent years, strange phenomena have urred frequently across thend. The major sects are acting unusually, seemingly plotting something."

    "We have tried everything to investigate but have found no answers.

    We only learned by chance that Tianji Tower mentioned that a great change, the ''Ten Thousand Year Shift,'' ising. The world will change, disputes will arise, and chaos will ensue.

    But we couldn''t find out what this great change entails or what it will bring.

    Junior uncle, with your vast knowledge, do you know anything about this?"

    "What did you say? The Ten Thousand Year Shift ising?!"

    To his surprise, the voice became instantly agitated upon hearing this.

    The sound of chains nking echoed, and a figure suddenly sat up from the cave wall.

    The person had been lying there all along, blending into the dark cave wall.

    "Xiao Jianwen, are you serious? The Ten Thousand Year Shift ising?"

    The person was so agitated that their body trembled, causing the chains to rattle again.

    This individual was bound by several thick iron chains, anchored to the cave wall.

    "This is what I learned from Tianji Tower. It should be urate."

    "Hahaha, finally, the day hase! I have waited over two hundred years for this! The heavens haven''t defeated me yet!"

    The figureughed manically, appearing almost crazed.

    "Junior uncle, you do know something, don''t you?"

    Seeing this, the white-bearded elder was overjoyed.

    "Of course, I know. How could I not? If it weren''t for this secret, I wouldn''t be in this state now!"

    The figure''s voice was still frenzied.

    "Junior uncle, since you know the reason, please enlighten us." The white-bearded elder pleaded.

    "You want to know what the Ten Thousand Year Shift is?" the figure asked.

    "Please, junior uncle, enlighten us."

    "Then let''s make a deal."

    Beneath the disheveled hair, the figure revealed a sinister smile.

    Table of content

 Chapter 179

    "What deal?"

    A trace of caution rose in the heart of the white-bearded old man.

    This little uncle had always been erratic in temperament. No one could clearly understand what he was thinking.

    But his methods had always been strange and fierce.

    Back in the day, he was known for his ruthless methods, making a great name for himself.

    Even now, though he was a cripple, the old man still feared him.

    "Don''t you want to know what the millennium upheaval is? Just let me out, and I will tell you."

    "I''m afraid that''s not possible, little uncle." The white-bearded old man said with some difficulty.

    "The trouble you caused back then was too great. That person''s intention was to have you eliminated. It was only after several of us pleaded for you that you were spared.But that person still sends people to check every three years to ensure you are still imprisoned.

    If I let you go, the Sword Pavilion won''t be able to exin."

    "What''s so hard about that? Just dere that I''m dead, forge some traces, and fool them. Don''t tell me that, as the leader of a sect, you can''t handle such a small matter?" The figure said.

    The white-bearded old man fell silent.

    After more than ten breaths, he said, "Little uncle, you are old and weak now. Why insist on leaving? Why not spend your remaining years peacefully within the sect? If you find this ce ufortable, I can arrange for a morefortable residence."

    "Stop wasting time. I''ve had enough of being imprisoned here for decades. Just answer me: will you let me out or not?" The figure said impatiently.

    The white-bearded old man fell silent again, a hint of hesitation appearing on his face.

    Seeing this, the figure continued, "Xiao Jianwen, I know you have always been loyal to the sect. Let me tell you clearly, this millennium upheaval is a major change concerning the survival of our Sword Pavilion.

    If we are not prepared, maintaining our current status in Zhongzhou will be the least of our concerns. We might be oppressed or annexed. In severe cases, we might even bepletely annihted, and our legacy will be lost!"

    "Little uncle, are you serious?" The white-bearded old man trembled.

    "I swear on the name of your grandmaster, I am not lying!"

    The white-bearded old man had heard from his deceased master that the little uncle had always been rebellious, feared nothing, and respected no one.

    But he held great respect for the grandmaster who saved him from the war and raised him.

    Now that he even brought up the grandmaster''s name, what he said might not be an exaggeration.

    The white-bearded old man''s heart fell into a struggle.

    The figure did not urge him further, letting him think it through himself.

    The cave fell into silence again, with only the faint sound of flowing water.

    After a while, the white-bearded old man''s face suddenly became resolute, as if he had made a decision.

    He asked, "Little uncle, what do you n to do after you leave?"

    "What can I do? I''m just an old man now, with few years left. I just want to go out and see the world before I die. I''ve been in this cave for decades and don''t know what the outside world looks like anymore."

    Hearing the sadness in the little uncle''s voice, a wave of guilt surged in the white-bearded old man''s heart.

    The little uncle''s downfall was his own doing.

    But back then, it was he who personally imprisoned the little uncle here. Seeing him like this, he also felt bad.

    And the little uncle was right. Now, he was nearing the end of his life and had lost all his powers. Even if he went out, he couldn''t cause any more trouble.

    With this in mind, the white-bearded old man finally made up his mind.

    "Little uncle, I can let you out, but you have to promise me a few things."

    "Of course."

    Seeing the white-bearded old man finally agree, the figure was thrilled.

    Hidden in the darkness, his face revealed a strange and sinister smile.

    ¡­¡­

    As for what was happening far away in Zhongzhou, Lu Qing naturally knew nothing.

    At this moment, he was leisurely fishing by the river.

    The fishing spot was a special one for catching rare fish.

    Beside him, Xiao Li was eagerly watching the float.

    During their time in the county, Xiao Li had been living well, eating a lot of fresh fish every day.

    But it had not been able to eat any rare fish since.

    So it missed them dearly.

    "Don''t worry, Xiao Li. We haven''t fished here for a while. The rare fish should have gathered again by now."

    Lu Qing rubbed Xiao Li''s head and smiled.

    Xiao Li nuzzled Lu Qing''s hand and continued watching the float.

    Lu Qing couldn''t help butugh and began to focus as well.

    He couldn''t disappoint the little guy who was so eager.

    Perhaps because they hadn''t fished here for some time, the rare fish had indeed replenished.

    Before long, Lu Qing felt a light tug on the hook baited with a blood apricot. Then the float sank sharply, and a strong pulling force came from the fishing rod.

    However, with Lu Qing''s current strength, such an ambush had no effect on him.

    He held the fishing rod steadily, a smile on his face.

    "My fishing hook is newly forged from thousand-refined iron. If you can pull it away, I''ll admit you have skill."

    Yes, since returning, Lu Qing had upgraded his fishing rod.

    The fishing line was still made of snow silkworm silk, which was incredibly tough. Even after all this time, it hadn''t shown any signs of breaking.

    He had also looked for other lines in the county for backup.

    But he found none as good as the snow silkworm silk, so he didn''t change it.

    What he upgraded was the hook.

    Previously, Lu Qing had asked Mago to order some fine iron hooks in the county, but he still felt they weren''t enough.

    As a fishing enthusiast, no matter how good the gear, there''s always a feeling that it could be upgraded further.

    Coincidentally, Lu Qing had spent the past few days at Heartforge Workshop, so he forged a batch of thousand-refined hooks.

    Lu Qing still remembered the indescribable expressions on the faces of Master Lin and his apprentices when they saw the hooks.

    Perhaps in the eyes of these craftsmen, using thousand-refined iron to make fishing hooks was a waste.

    But out of respect for him, they didn''t say anything.

    After recing the hooks with thousand-refined ones, Lu Qing''s fishing rod leveled up.

    Under the detection of his abilities, it even emitted a faint golden light, fully qualifying as a treasure.

    With such a treasure rod, Lu Qing was not worried at all about the rare fish below.

    As expected.

    Despite the fish''s considerable strength, it was no match for Lu Qing now.

    Before long, a beautiful figure was pulled into the air.

    Table of content

 Chapter 180

    "Is it really the Red Moon Carp?"

    Looking at the beautiful red figure on the fishhook, Lu Qing was somewhat surprised.

    It turned out to be the first kind of strange fish he had ever caught, the Red Moon Carp.

    Moreover, its size was muchrger than the first one he had caught, at least three or four pounds.

    No wonder he felt that this strange fish was much stronger than before. It turned out to be such a big one.

    "Woof! Woof! Woof!"

    Seeing the Red Moon Carp floating in mid-air, Xiao Li was excited.

    Pacing back and forth along the shore, its tail wagging eagerly, it was clearly impatient.

    If it weren''t for its dislike of water, Lu Qing suspected the little creature would have jumped in long ago."Don''t worry, I''ll take it off for you right now."

    After calming Xiao Li, Lu Qing took the fish off and tossed it over.

    Whoosh!

    The fish had barely hit the ground when Xiao Li snatched it up and ran to the nearby grass to devour it.

    While eating, it twitched its ears, looking extremely content.

    Seeing the little one eating so happily, Lu Qing shook his head and continued fishing.

    Actually, he was also curious to taste the Red Moon Carp, as it was one of the top ten delicacies in the world.

    Having once tasted the Golden Loach, which was also one of the top ten delicacies, he still remembered the taste vividly.

    However, Lu Qing knew it was impossible to take food from Xiao Li''s mouth.

    If he really did that, the little one would stare at him with pitiful eyes all day.

    So, he decided to continue fishing and see if he could catch another one.

    Maybe it heard Lu Qing''s expectations. Not long after Xiao Li had only eaten half of the fish, another one bit the hook.

    "Could it be that the strange fish have gathered because I haven''t fished for half a month?"

    Feeling the strength transmitted from the fishing rod, Lu Qing was pleasantly surprised.

    This pulling force could onlye from a strange fish.

    More importantly, he felt this force was very familiar!

    After a while, pulling the fish up, Lu Qing was even more surprised.

    "It is indeed another Red Moon Carp. Could there be a shoal of Red Moon Carp down there?"

    Looking at the slightly smaller Red Moon Carp on the hook, Lu Qing couldn''t help but fantasize.

    He quickly took the fish off and put it into the bucket, then baited the hook with two Blood Apricots and cast it again.

    Then, a quarter of an hourter, the float sank again.

    "Is there really a shoal of Red Moon Carp?"

    Seeing the third Red Moon Carp he caught, Lu Qing was both surprised and a little uneasy.

    Even if he hadn''t fished for half a month, it shouldn''t have resulted in so many strange fish all at once.

    There must be a reason for this.

    Lu Qing felt it might be necessary to find some time to investigate this matter thoroughly.

    Although he was puzzled, he continued fishing since it was a rare opportunity.

    In the end, after catching two more Red Moon Carp, the float finally stopped moving.

    It was unclear if the Red Moon Carp below had been caught or if the continuous catches had scared the rest away.

    But Lu Qing was already very satisfied.

    This fishing trip had resulted in five Red Moon Carp.

    Apart from the one Xiao Li had eaten, there were still four left, enough for him, Xiao Yan, and his master to taste.

    "Xiao Li, you''ve already eaten the biggest one. You''re full now. I can only give you two more, but you have to wait until tonight."

    Seeing Xiao Li''s greedy look again, Lu Qing quickly said.

    Hearing this, Xiao Li was a bit disappointed.

    But it patted its small belly, feeling a bit full now, and decided that waiting until the evening was also eptable.

    The best part was, it could eat two at once in the evening!

    With this thought, it suddenly became happy again.

    With excitement, one man and one beast started heading home.

    As for Xiao Yan, the little one had learned many characters by now, and her studies had be more demanding.

    Every morning, she had to go to the Halfway House for old doctor Chen''s lessons.

    So if Lu Qing went fishing in the morning, Xiao Yan couldn''te along.

    Standing on Lu Qing''s shoulder, Xiao Li''s tail wagged leisurely.

    However, when they reached the vige entrance, its ears twitched, and it suddenly pulled Lu Qing''s hair with its paw.

    "What''s wrong, Xiao Li?"

    Lu Qing asked.

    The little creature made a few gestures, and Lu Qing was slightly startled but kept a calm face.

    "Nothing, let''s go home first."

    With a quickened pace, Lu Qing returned home, put everything down, and then looked at Xiao Li.

    "Xiao Li, you said you sensed a strong unfamiliar aura lurking nearby, not from our vige, and quite powerful?"

    Xiao Li nodded.

    Lu Qing''s expression became serious.

    Ever since he discovered Xiao Li''s special sensing ability, he had it remember the auras of all the vigers.

    This way, if a stranger approached, it could detect it immediately.

    Now, a powerful martial artist was lurking nearby, which seemed suspicious.

    The first thing he thought of was the assassins from Seven Kill Tower.

    Honestly, since learning that Seven Kill Tower had issued an assassination order against him, Lu Qing was very displeased.

    To be so publicly announced as a target for assassination, and to be told he should feel honored, had made his dislike for Seven Kill Tower reach a peak.

    "Hopefully, it¡¯s not what I think. Otherwise..."

    A cold glint appeared on Lu Qing''s face.

    "Xiao Li, let''s go meet this scoundrel."

    ording to Xiao Li''s sensing, the person was lurking on a small hill north of the vige, observing the vige''s movements.

    Following Xiao Li''s guidance, Lu Qing climbed over the back of the house into the bamboo forest, circled around to avoid being seen, and then quickly approached the location.

    With the power of his soul and the framework of the soul rune he had condensed, if Lu Qing truly hid his aura, even an ordinary Precelestial strongman wouldn''t see through his facade.

    Possessing a precious artifact, he was also well-disguised.

    As for Xiao Li, with its innate stealth ability, it was even more concealed.

    So, the mysterious person lurking near the vige, unaware of Lu Qing and Xiao Li''s approach, continued to hide confidently in arge tree, quietly observing Jiuli Vige below.

    He was very confident in his stealth skills.

    As long as he didn''t reveal himself, no one could discover him.

    He had once assassinated a prince of a certain county, hiding under the prince''s bed for an entire day and night without being detected by the prince''s bodyguard, who was a Martial Grandmaster.

    He finally found the opportunity, killed the prince, and escaped the pursuit, sessfully getting away.

    Even a Martial Grandmaster couldn''t detect him, let alone that young man named Lu Qing.

    ording to the information on the Hidden Dragon List, he was just at the initial stage of the Internal Organs Realm.

    Although it was surprising that someone at the Internal Organs Realm could make it onto the Hidden Dragon List, everyone knew the ranking on the Hidden Dragon List represented the probability of breaking through to the Precelestial Realm in the future, not currentbat strength.

    Those ranked in the top ten of the Hidden Dragon List might not necessarily defeat those ranked lower.

    This young man made it onto the Hidden Dragon List because of his unparalleled cultivation talent.

    After all, reaching the Internal Organs Realm at seventeen was indeed terrifying.

    But talent was just talent, not strength.

    A seventeen-year-old at the Internal Organs Realm was astonishing, with limitless potential.

    But as long as he hadn''t fully grown, he was just a genius.

    No matter how powerful he was, he couldn''t have a stronger intuition than a Martial Grandmaster and detect his presence.

    Just when the mysterious man was full of confidence, he suddenly heard a voice from below.

    "My friend, will youe down yourself, or shall I pull you down personally?"

    Table of content

 Chapter 181

    What?!

    The infiltrator in the tree was shocked.

    He never expected that someone would suddenly appear under the tree where he was hiding and directly expose his whereabouts.

    And he had no prior warning.

    The infiltrator dared not move a muscle.

    He wasn''t sure if Lu Qing had really discovered his whereabouts or was just bluffing.

    He had great confidence in his stealth techniques, so he still held a glimmer of hope.

    But the next moment, he knew he was wrong.

    Seeing that the person in the tree did not reveal themselves after his shout, Lu Qing knew that the visitor must not have good intentions.He looked up, seeing the tree¡¯s lush foliage like a canopy,pletely obscuring the infiltrator''s figure.

    But with the power of his soul and the framework of soul runes he had condensed, his sensing ability far surpassed that of an ordinary Martial Grandmaster.

    Even without Xiao Li''s guidance, he could clearly sense where the presence was hiding.

    Without hesitation, he picked up a fist-sized stone from the road and hurled it upwards with a hidden weapon technique.

    With Lu Qing¡¯s current strength, the explosion of qi and blood could imbue even an ordinary stone with tremendous power.

    Boom!

    The elerated stone, containing powerful impact, pierced through the tree canopy in an instant.

    Amidst the fluttering leaves and broken branches, a figure fell from the tree, rolled, and stood up, arms trembling slightly, looking at Lu Qing with shock.

    The infiltrator was not only shocked by Lu Qing¡¯s ability to see through his stealth but also by his decisiveness in attacking.

    Wasn''t it rumored that this young man had a chivalrous heart?

    Why had he attacked lethally without even confirming his identity?

    Thinking back to the recent events, the infiltrator still had lingering fears.

    Lu Qing''s attack was too sudden and urately pinpointed his location.

    He had no time to dodge and could only take it head-on.

    Now, his arms were injured, sore, and numb, and it would take at least half an hour to recover.

    "Luckily, I wore soft armor in advance. Otherwise, just that one blow would have crippled my hands."

    The infiltrator felt lucky and no longer dared to underestimate Lu Qing.

    Just throwing an ordinary stone held an attack power no less than that of a Martial Grandmaster.

    This young man was definitely not an ordinary Internal Organs Realm martial artist!

    Besides, he still couldn''t figure out how Lu Qing had discovered his whereabouts.

    ¡°Finally willing toe down? I thought you¡¯d rather die than stay hidden in the tree,¡± Lu Qing said tly.

    The infiltrator, dressed in old clothes and looking like an ordinary rural youth, would not attract attention in a vige.

    But Lu Qing didn¡¯t care about his appearance.

    Top assassins from the Seven Kill Tower mastered the Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique, easily changing their appearance.

    If this person was sent by the Seven Kill Tower, his current appearance might not be his real face.

    So he activated his ability immediately.

    Soon, a dense red light of the ability appeared on the young man in front of him.

    [Lin An: One of the Twelve Sky Killers of the Seven Kill Tower, codenamed "Shadow."]

    [Cultivation: Postnatal Internal Organs Realm, proficient in multiple assassination techniques, especially stealth."]

    [Because the Seven Kill Tower issued the Seven Kill Order, he wants to gain sect rewards by assassinating you to seize a ce among the Twelve Sky Killers.]

    Indeed, he was an assassin from the Seven Kill Tower. Lu Qing''s eyes turned cold.

    Feeling the coldness from Lu Qing, the assassin ¡°Shadow¡± was startled.

    But his face showed anger: "What do you mean? I was just resting in the tree. How did I offend you? Why did you suddenly attack? If not for my skills, I would have been killed by you for no reason."

    Facing "Shadow''s" feigned indignation, Lu Qing''s expression did not change.

    He quietly looked at him: "Is this the extent of a Seven Kill Tower assassin''s courage? If you dared toe assassinate me, were you prepared to die?"

    "Shadow" was shocked.

    The sect had issued the Seven Kill Order only a few days ago, yet Lu Qing, in this remote ce, already knew!

    Where did he get the news from?

    But his face still showed confusion: "What Seven Kill Tower? Have you misunderstood? I was just passing by without malice."

    Seeing him still ying dumb, Lu Qing didn''t want to talk anymore.

    With a step, dirt flew up, and he was in front of "Shadow," his right hand clenched, a tiger''s roar sounded, and a fierce Tiger Fist struck towards the opponent''s chest.

    Feeling the power of this punch, "Shadow" was horrified.

    Though he didn''t know why Lu Qing was so sure he was a Seven Kill Tower assassin, he knew it was not the time to dwell on it.

    Lu Qing¡¯s punch was too terrifying. If he continued to show weakness, he might really be killed.

    No longer caring about pretense, "Shadow" exploded with qi and blood, a short sword appearing in his hand, stabbing straight at Lu Qing¡¯s fist.

    Despite the terrible power of Lu Qing¡¯s punch, ¡°Shadow¡± had a way to counter it.

    The opponent, whether too confident or having forgotten his weapon, was fighting bare-handed.

    His short sword was coated with poison. If it could pierce Lu Qing''s fist even a bit, thetter would surely die.

    Facing ¡°Shadow''s¡± counterattack, Lu Qing remained calm. Just as the sword was about to stab his fist, his shoulder dropped, avoiding the de.

    Then he flicked his fingers, hitting the sword.

    This seemingly casual flick was incredibly powerful, causing the already injured arm of "Shadow" to tremble violently, almost dropping the sword.

    Seizing the opening, Lu Qing transformed his fist into a palm and struck "Shadow''s" chest.

    Under the powerful palm force, a sound of bones cracking was heard, and "Shadow" was sent flying, crashing into a tree ten meters away, shaking down countless leaves before stopping.

    Hey motionless on the ground, life or death unknown.

    Defeated in one move!

    A dignified Sky Killer from the Seven Kill Tower, a powerful Postnatal Internal Organs Realm warrior, was defeated by Lu Qing in one move.

    Lu Qing¡¯s face showed no pride.

    He flipped his hand, and another stone appeared.

    With a loud tearing sound, he hurled the stone without hesitation, aiming directly at ¡°Shadow¡¯s¡± head.

    Sure enough, just before the stone crushed his skull, "Shadow," who nned to attack when Lu Qing was off guard, moved, dodging the stone and fleeing into the woods.

    However, before he could get far, another tearing sound followed.

    Boom!

    This time, "Shadow" couldn''t avoid it. The stone hit his back squarely.

    The tremendous force sent "Shadow" spewing blood, mixed with bits of internal organs.

    Plop!

    With such a severe injury, even a strong Postnatal Internal Organs Realm warrior couldn''t withstand it. "Shadow" fell like a rag doll, rolling several times before stopping, motionless.

    "Stop pretending to be dead. You¡¯re wearing armor. My strike at most incapacitated you, not killed you."

    Seeing "Shadow" motionless, Lu Qing stepped forward, stopping seven steps away, speaking lightly.

    "Shadow" didn¡¯t move.

    Lu Qing didn''t get angry, flipping his hand to reveal another stone.

    "Guess if your head can dodge my stone this time?"

    "Cough, cough! You¡¯re really cautious, even now."

    Facing Lu Qing¡¯s threat, "Shadow" knew pretending was futile.

    He smiled bitterly, struggling to sit up, leaning against a tree, looking pale at Lu Qing.

    "Though I dislike the Seven Kill Tower, I must admit you shadowy rats have some skills. It''s easy to underestimate you and fall into your traps."

    Seeing the severely injured "Shadow," Lu Qing still didn¡¯t approach.

    "You¡¯re really powerful, so young and already so strong. No wonder Tianji Tower ranked you twenty-ninth on the Hidden Dragon List."

    "Shadow" looked at Lu Qing like he was a monster.

    When he saw the ranking, like others, he thought Lu Qing made the list due to unprecedented martial talent.

    But now he knew Lu Qing''s martial talent was indeed terrifying.

    Even more frightening was hisbat talent.

    That punch just now was astonishing. Even a master of fists and kicks couldn¡¯t do better.

    An Initial Internal Organs Realm martial artist''s punch wasparable to a Grandmaster''s.

    Such an unbelievable thing existed.

    "Shadow" felt his martial belief wavering.

    More importantly, besides terrifying martial talent, Lu Qing was meticulous.

    Despite multiple traps and lures, Lu Qing didn''t reveal a single w, harder to deal with than an old fox.

    Was this really just a teenager?

    "Shadow" couldn''t help but think.

    "Enough nonsense. Do you know why I haven''t killed you yet?"

    Ignoring "Shadow''s" praise, Lu Qing¡¯s face remained unchanged.

    "You must think I have something you want."

    "Shadow" smiled bitterly.

    "Correct." Lu Qing nodded. Talking with a smart person was easy. "I don''t want much, just the Seven Kill Tower''s bases. Tell me, and I might let you die painlessly."

    "You want our bases?"

    "Shadow''s" eyes widened, then showed disbelief.

    "Are you nning to retaliate against the Seven Kill Tower?"

    Lu Qing didn''t answer, but his calm face gave "Shadow" the answer.

    Heughed suddenly: "Hahaha... Truly fearless youth. You dare challenge the Seven Kill Tower!"

    "So, will you give the base locations or not?"

    "Of course I''ll give!"

    "Shadow" smiled mockingly: "You want to die, why should I stop you? Just not sure if you have the guts to really challenge the Seven Kill

    Tower?"

    "Don''t try to provoke me. Whether I go is my business. You won''t see it anyway." Lu Qing said indifferently.

    His intent to kill "Shadow" was clear.

    "Shadow" knew Lu Qing''s killing intent but didn¡¯t care anymore.

    The stone Lu Qing threw had shattered his internal organs.

    He was dying, surviving on the Postnatal warrior''s strong vitality.

    Unless he found legendary healing elixirs.

    Otherwise, even if Lu Qing let him go, he wouldn¡¯t live long.

    "Good, brave enough!"

    "Shadow" praised.

    "Only the Seven Kill Tower assassinated others. First time seeing someone provoking us. Lu Qing, your ranking on the Hidden Dragon List is well-deserved!"

    Lu Qing: ¡­

    He realized that people took the Hidden Dragon List seriously.

    Being highly regarded by all martial artists, no wonder the list could gather fortune.

    Since he agreed, "Shadow" straightforwardly revealed a series of locations.

    Lu Qing silently memorized them. "Shadow" saw this and believed Lu Qing truly intended to retaliate against the Seven Kill Tower.

    He felt a thrill, eager to see this young monster sh with the sect.

    As a killer with blood on his hands, "Shadow" felt no loyalty to the Seven Kill Tower.

    He was captured young, trained brutally, and tortured.

    He only hated the cold-blooded organization, not grateful.

    But, growing up in the Seven Kill Tower, he knew its horror.

    Despite his hatred, he never dared to resist.

    Seeing someone challenging this giant, though knowing it was hopeless, he felt a rush.

    "Lu Qing, the bases I mentioned are minor. Even if destroyed, it won''t hurt the Seven Kill Tower."

    "But one ce, if you destroy it, will cause great loss, driving them mad with rage!"

    "Shadow" revealed another location, describing its traps andyout in detail.

    Table of content

 Chapter 182

    On a small hillside, amidst the forest.

    Lu Qing looked at the lifeless body of "Shadow" as it gradually lost its breath and fell silent.

    His mind echoed with the dying words of the other party.

    "Lu Qing, I have told you everything I can, but I advise you not to rush into revenge. In our Seven Kill Tower, there are many assassins stronger than me. Some of the most important strongholds even have Precelestial realm elders guarding them.

    Lu Qing, your martial prowess is extraordinary, and your future is boundless. You will surely grow into a martial titan. When that timees, dealing with our Seven Kill Tower will be as easy as turning your hand.

    Unfortunately, I won''t be able to see that day..."

    Lu Qing could feel that "Shadow" was filled with resentment towards Seven Kill Tower before he died.

    That¡¯s why he revealed all the information about Seven Kill Tower.

    Who knows what kind of cruel things Seven Kill Tower had done to "Shadow" to make him, as a disciple, have no loyalty to the sect and instead hope for itsplete destruction.He remembered that the assassin who tried to kill Young Master Wei, "Tian Gu," also gave him a warning before dying.

    It seems that these assassins from Seven Kill Tower are quite interesting.

    Maybe because they have assassinated so many others, they are already prepared to face death.

    When they face their own death, they remain quite calm.

    However, despite having a slightly different impression of these assassins, enemies are still enemies.

    Lu Qing would not spare "Shadow''s" life because of this.

    Even though with his ability, it would not be difficult to heal "Shadow''s" injuries.

    But being kind to the enemy is being cruel to oneself.

    From the moment "Shadow" decided to assassinate him, it was already destined that only one of them could live.

    Lu Qing was not so magnanimous as to let go of someone who tried to kill him.

    After confirming with his abilities that "Shadow" was indeed dead, Lu Qing searched his body and put some useful items into his Spatial Qi Bag. He then found a ce to bury the body, allowing it to rest in peace and avoid being exposed in the wild.

    After finishing all this, he took the hidden Xiao Li and headed home.

    Previously, he did not let Xiao Li appear, just in case.

    If the enemy was too strong and he couldn''t handle it, he would still have a backup n.

    But obviously, he was overthinking.

    Returning home, Lu Qing took out the things he had just collected from "Shadow."

    After checking them, he found that there were not many useful items.

    Apart from some gold and silver, and money notes, the truly valuable items were just a few.

    Two medicine bottles, a set of soft armor, and a highly poisonous Thousand-Folded short sword.

    One of the bottles contained poison, while the other contained pills for cultivating in the Internal Organs Realm.

    But these things, except for the Internal Organs Realm pills, were not very useful to Lu Qing and could be given as gifts in the future.

    Lu Qing felt a bit disappointed.

    Whether it was "Tian Gu" or "Shadow," he had never found any secret manuals on them.

    Honestly, he was quite interested in the Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique of Seven Kill Tower.

    Although with his current level, he had reached a high level of control over his body.

    Changing his appearance temporarily was not difficult.

    But achieving the seamless disguise like "Tian Gu," coordinating his entire body with almost no ws, was still extremely difficult.

    Unfortunately, it was obvious that Seven Kill Tower had some restrictions, not allowing their assassins to carry secret manuals with them, to prevent the leakage of their sect''s core techniques.

    Finding nothing particrly useful to him, Lu Qing put everything away and, carrying a fish bucket, headed to the Halfway House with Xiao Li.

    "Brother, Xiao Li, you''re back!"

    At the Halfway House, Xiao Yan, who was reciting texts in the yard, immediately put down her book and ran over.

    "Yes, did you memorize today''s text?" Lu Qing asked with a smile.

    Xiao Li jumped into Xiao Yan''s arms, enjoying her petting.

    "I did. How was your fishing? Did you catch any special fish?"

    Xiao Yan knew that Lu Qing went fishing mainly because Xiao Li had been craving special fishtely, begging and rolling around, so he went out early in the morning to fish.

    "I did, and I caught quite a few."

    As the siblings talked in the yard, Old Doctor Chen came out of the house.

    He looked at Lu Qing with a serious expression, "A Qing, what was that earlier?"

    Clearly, the old doctor had sensed the battle fluctuations between Lu Qing and "Shadow."

    After all, the Halfway House was not far from that hill.

    "A small fry from Seven Kill Tower, already dealt with by me," Lu Qing said casually.

    The old doctor nodded and did not ask further about the assassin from Seven Kill Tower.

    He himself did not like taking lives but would not require his disciple to do the same.

    Moreover, he disliked forces like Seven Kill Tower, who easily assassinate others.

    "Although nothing happened this time, you still need to be careful in the future," the old doctor advised.

    "I understand, Master."

    Lu Qing nodded and then said, "Master, I had good luck this morning and caught several Red Moon Carps. Last time we sold the Red Moon Carp, we didn''t get to taste it. Why don''t we try one of the top ten delicacies tonight?"

    "You caught several Red Moon Carps?" The old doctor was very surprised, "Is it so easy to catch Red Moon Carps now?"

    "I found it strange too. Maybe because I haven''t fished for a long time, the special fish in the river gathered."

    Lu Qing had his suspicions but didn''t want to specte without evidence.

    Hearing there was Red Moon Carp to eat, the old doctor was also looking forward to it.

    In the evening, when Lu Qing was cooking, the old doctor even put aside his medical books and came out early from the study.

    Lu Qing made two Red Moon Carps, one steamed and one in soup.

    At dinner, everyone tasted the fish and found it incredibly tender and vorful, with the fish soup being exceptionally refreshing. It was indeed worthy of its reputation as one of the top ten delicacies.

    They all ate heartily and enjoyed the meal immensely.

    That night, after Xiao Yan and Xiao Li had fallen asleep, Lu Qing sat on his bed, quietly contemting.

    During the day, he had obtained a lot of information about Seven Kill Tower from "Shadow."

    This included the locations of some important strongholds.

    But he did not n to take action against Seven Kill Tower in the near future.

    Lu Qing was very self-aware. With his current strength, thinking about shaking Seven Kill Tower was just a pipe dream.

    Even if he could surprise and destroy one or two strongholds, it would be insignificant to a giant like Seven Kill Tower. Besides alerting them, it wouldn''t do much good.

    If you want to hit a snake, you must hit its vital spot. Either don''t make a move, or if you do, you must thoroughly injure or even kill it!

    So, Lu Qing was in no hurry.

    What he should do now was to build up his strength and increase his power as much as possible.

    Only when he was strong enough would he be qualified to contend with a powerful force like Seven Kill Tower.

    Moreover, he had a premonition that the great change mentioned by the cloth-clothed youth was not far away.

    Perhaps it wouldn''t take many years for the world to truly change.

    After condensing a thread of the Soul Rune framework, Lu Qing had more faith in his intuition.

    To stand firm in the uing great change, strength was indispensable.

    Temporary gains and losses and disputes of pride meant nothing; increasing his strength was the most important thing.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing''s mind moved slightly, and a de appeared in his hand, the divine weapon de embryo forged from Heaven''s Meteorite Iron.

    cing the de embryo on his knees, Lu Qing calmed his mind and spirit. A thread of soul power emerged from the orifice at the center of his forehead, entering the de embryo and beginning the refinement process.

    Lu Qing was using a secret technique from the Li Huo Sect.

    Using his mind and spirit to refine the de embryo, inscribing secret runes and leaving his spiritual imprint within.

    Once the secret runes were fully inscribed and the refinement wasplete, the de embryo would transform into a Daoist artifact, a level higher than divine weapons.

    However, due to his weak soul power, Lu Qing could only refine it for a short time each day.

    So it was destined to be a long process, requiring a lot of time.

    After refining for a quarter of an hour, Lu Qing felt mentally exhausted, knowing he was reaching his limit. He stopped the refinement and put the de embryo back into the Spatial Qi Bag.

    Then he took the opportunity to practice the Furnace Visualization Method, pushing his mind and spirit to the extreme, and then fell into a deep sleep using a special breathing technique.

    The next morning, Lu Qing woke up feeling refreshed, his soul power significantly improved.

    This was a cultivation method he had pieced together from the various inheritances in his mind.

    Every night, he first used his soul power to refine the Heaven''s Meteorite Iron de embryo, then practiced the Furnace Visualization Method, pushing his mind to the limit, and finally used a turtle breathing technique to adjust his breath and sleep, recovering his soul power in his dreams.

    This way, by the next morning, after sufficient rest, his soul power would not only fully recover but also increase significantly.

    He truly achieved both refining and cultivation.

    Feeling the enhanced soul power, Lu Qing was very satisfied.

    At this rate, before reaching

    the Precelestial realm, condensing aplete Soul Rune was no longer a distant dream.

    After practicing a few rounds of Health Nourishing Boxing in the yard, Lu Qing went to prepare breakfast.

    Just as he finished making breakfast and was about to call Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, he heard amotion outside, followed by a hearty voice.

    "Lu Qing, I''m here for breakfast!"

    "Master Ma, are the matters in your family resolved?"

    Lu Qing walked out, somewhat surprised.

    It was indeed Mago. He was dressed in a blue robe with a long sword at his waist, back to his old appearance.

    "It''s all done, thanks to Zian. Actually, my family no longer needs me for much. The family head and elders just keep reminding me to maintain my rtionship with Zian and you all, nothing else matters.

    I got tired of it and found an excuse toe back to the Grand Bazaar."

    Mago looked a bit embarrassed, as if he felt his family was too calcting about his rtionship with Lu Qing and the others.

    Lu Qing didn''t mind much.

    Instead, he asked, "Since you''re back at the Grand Bazaar, what about Zian? Aren''t you supposed to supervise his cultivation?"

    Lu Qing knew the real reason why Wei Zian apprenticed himself to Mago.

    "Well, let me keep it a secret for now. You''ll know in a few days."

    Unexpectedly, Mago smiled mysteriously, keeping Lu Qing guessing.

    Lu Qing: ...

    Just as Lu Qing was speechless, Mago took the long sword from his waist.

    "By the way, Lu Qing, I recently noticed, is this sword a gift from you?"

    Lu Qing looked at the sword sheath, finding it familiar. It was indeed the one he had made at Heartforge Workshop, so he nodded.

    "Yes, I gave it as a gift for the apprenticeship ceremony with Young Master Wei."

    "Really? Lu Qing, do you know this is a Thousand-Folded level treasure sword?"

    "I know, why else would I give it to you?" Lu Qing continued to nod.

    Of course, he knew the quality since he made it himself.

    But he was puzzled.

    He had given the sword a while ago; why was Mago asking now?

    "A Thousand-Folded treasure sword is very valuable, hard to find even with a thousand gold pieces. I can''t ept such a precious gift, you should take it back." Mago hurriedly said.

    In his mind, Lu Qing was a great benefactor who had saved him multiple times.

    He hadn''t even had a chance to repay such a great favor, so how could he ept such a valuable gift?

    A Thousand-Folded level weapon was a treasure not even found in the Ma family''s treasury.

    So when Mago discovered this gift, he and the family head werepletely stunned.

    Lu Qing: "Didn¡¯t Wei Dazongguan tell you that I made the sword myself and it didn¡¯t cost much?"

    "This sword was made by you?!"

    To Lu Qing¡¯s surprise, Mago¡¯s eyes widened even more, looking like a cow¡¯s eyes, full of disbelief.

    Lu Qing fell silent.

    From Mago¡¯s expression, it didn¡¯t seem like he was pretending. He really didn¡¯t know.

    But how could Wei Dazongguan make such a mistake?

    What Lu Qing didn¡¯t know was that given Wei Dazongguan¡¯s usual thoroughness, it was indeed unlikely for him to make such a low-level mistake.

    However, during the apprenticeship ceremony, many things happened, especially Wei Zian¡¯s assassination and severe injury.

    Although Lu Qing saved him with spiritual medicine, Wei Zian was still severely injured, causing the ceremony to end hastily.

    Afterward, the Wei family was eager to find out who had ordered the assassination, neglecting the gift matters. They only delivered Mago''s gift to the Ma family without further exnation.

    Among the many gifts, Lu Qing¡¯s was inconspicuous.

    The Ma family discovered the Thousand-Folded treasure sword and were shocked.

    By then, Lu Qing and the old doctor had already returned to Jiuli Vige.

    After hearing Mago¡¯s story, Lu Qing understood.

    He smiled, "Since that''s the case, just keep the sword. It¡¯s a practice piece I made at Heartforge Workshop, nothing special and didn¡¯t cost much."

    These words left Mago speechless.

    A practice piece of Thousand-Folded level...

    Had Lu Qing''s forging skills reached this level?

    Wait, when did Lu Qing learn forging? Howe he didn¡¯t know?

    Was it during the few days he was home? But that was only a few days!

    For a moment, Mago¡¯s mind was in disarray, almost going nk.

    But knowing that Lu Qing had made the sword himself, he finally epted the Thousand-Folded treasure sword.

    "Have you eaten, Master Ma? I just made breakfast, want to join us?"

    Seeing Mago''s mood stabilize, Lu Qing asked.

    Mago''s eyes lit up, "Of course, I purposely came empty-stomached, just to taste your cooking again."

    "..." Lu Qing could onlyugh at such a straightforward reason for a free meal, "Alright, wait inside, I¡¯ll call Xiao Yan and the others."

    Table of content

 Chapter 183

    In the deep mountains, within the peculiar valley where Li Weitian was buried.

    Lu Qing and Xiao Li appeared.

    "Half a year has passed since Ist came here, and nothing has changed."

    Lu Qing sighed as he looked at the valley, vibrant with birdsong and fragrant flowers.

    Outside the valley, the autumn wind was bleak, and leaves were falling, but inside, it was still spring-like, a truly strange phenomenon.

    "Ow~"

    Xiao Li on his shoulder called out, seemingly urging Lu Qing.

    "I know, I know. You made a promise to Xiao Yan to get back early for your chess game. This time my seclusion shouldn''t take too long."

    Lu Qing patted the little creature''s furry head, soothing it.He regretted his whim to make a chess set earlier; now the two little ones were obsessed and spent every moment ying.

    After paying respects at Li Weitian''s grave, Lu Qing took Xiao Li, passed through the waterfall, and entered the cave.

    In the Yuhua Cave Chamber, everything remained as it was when Lu Qing first saw it, unchanged.

    It seemed as if, no matter how the world changed outside, this ce would remain eternal.

    Of course, Lu Qing knew this was just an illusion.

    From the time he discovered this cave chamber, barely over two years had passed, hardly enough to talk about eternity.

    "Xiao Li, guard me outside. I''m going into seclusion."

    Lu Qing took many items from the Spatial Qi Bag.

    Soft cotton bedding, clean water, dried fish, all prepared for Xiao Li.

    He even ced two storybooks for the little one to read when bored.

    In these two years, Xiao Li had learned to recognize all the characters and could understand not-tooplex articles.

    This seclusion was crucial, and Lu Qing didn''t know how long it would take, so he prepared well.

    Previously, when entering the mountains, he could only carry a bamboo basket, limiting what he could bring.

    Now, with the Spatial Qi Bag, a storage spiritual artifact, he made thorough arrangements.

    "Ow~"

    Xiao Li, used to seeing many thingse out of the small bag, calmly walked into the bedding,fortably lying down to show it understood.

    "Youzy little thing."

    Lu Qing chuckled, shaking his head.

    But he trusted Xiao Li''s abilities.

    Its unique sensing ability could detect even Precelestial realm experts unless they deliberately concealed their aura.

    Plus, its stealth talent and indestructible ws made it a formidable guardian.

    No one could be a better protector.

    Leaving the little one lounging, Lu Qing pushed open the secret door, entered the hidden chamber, and sat on the jade bed.

    After calming his breath and reaching a state ofplete tranquility, adjusting his energy and spirit to the best condition, he immersed his mind into the brow acupoint.

    Compared to two years ago, Lu Qing''s brow acupoint had significantly changed.

    Not only had the space expanded, but his soul power had also advanced greatly.

    If, two years ago, his soul power in the brow acupoint was a thin mist, now it was a dense fog, dozens of times thicker.

    More importantly, at the center of the orifice floated a soul rune, ancient and intricate, stabilizing the entire orifice space.

    The soul rune was nearlyplete, except for a small missing corner on the lower right.

    Lu Qing''s goal for this seclusion was toplete this final corner, fully forging the soul rune.

    This step was crucial for his future path, demanding utmost care.

    Thus, he brought Xiao Li to the secluded Yuhua Cave Chamber for this purpose.

    "Finally, the time hase."

    "The enhancement of soul power is indeed much harder than physical cultivation. My physical condition reached the Internal Organs Realm perfection a year ago, yet soul power, even with Immortal Dao secret methods, took another year to almost forge the soul rune."

    Lu Qing sighed, "watching" the rune in the brow acupoint.

    These two years, he diligently trained, continually tempering his soul power.

    He even advanced the Furnace Visualization Method to the second level, the Furnace View realm.

    Only then did he elevate his soul power to the point of nearlypleting the soul rune.

    On the other hand, his martial cultivation, despite minimal effort, advanced rapidly, reaching the Internal Organs Realm perfection as a Martial Grandmaster.

    His martial prowess was too substantial.

    Two years ago, he had mastered various martial arts to the grandmaster level, even touching the realm of "Intent."

    In these two years, his understanding of martial arts had further improved.

    Having consumed rare treasures like Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, his talent was extraordinary.

    With such umtion, rapid martial progress was inevitable.

    "Two years of hard cultivation have greatly advanced all aspects of my practice. Now, it''s finally time for the soul rune."

    Looking at the nearlyplete soul rune in his brow acupoint, Lu Qing began to forge the final rune as per the Divine Rune Sect''s heritage.

    He was skilled in forging soul runes, having practiced countless times over the past two years.

    Soon, he forged the final rune needed.

    Carefully, he moved the rune toward the soul rune.

    As the rune approached, a strange force emerged, drawing the rune to the soul rune''s missing corner, seamlesslypleting it.

    As the runepleted, a miraculous scene unfolded.

    The entire rune began to glow faintly, with the many runes Lu Qing painstakingly forged over the years converging, merging, and rotating.

    Finally, everything settled.

    Aplete soul rune emerged once more.

    Buzz!

    Simultaneously, Lu Qing felt an invisible wave emanate from the rune.

    The brow acupoint began to change.

    The change was sudden and intense, catching Lu Qing off guard.

    His mind was swept by the wave, plunging into a strange state, akin to enlightenment.

    Table of content

 Chapter 184

    "The enlightenment of the soul is indeed different from the state ofprehending supernatural abilities."

    Lu Qing didn¡¯t know how long had passed before he awakened from his state of enlightenment, eyes full of amazement.

    At this moment, he felt incredibly good.

    Everything around him was within his grasp.

    Not only had his sensory power greatly increased, but his control over his physical body had also reached a new level.

    With a thought, his mind once again immersed into the qi acupoint at his brow.

    He saw that the qi acupoint at his brow had undergone a dramatic transformation.

    Not only had the space of the qi acupoint expanded several times, allowing it to contain more soul power, but the white mist representing the soul power had also be much denser.

    With these twobined, his soul power had increased more than tenfoldpared to before.In the center of the qi acupoint at his brow, a misty soul rune stood, exuding an ancient, heavy, and majestic aura, hovering in the air and swallowing the surrounding white mist of soul power.

    Every time it inhaled and exhaled, Lu Qing could feel that the white mist of soul power seemed to be refined, subtly enhancing.

    "ording to previous estimates, before condensing the soul rune, my soul power was alreadyparable to a martial grandmaster at the initial precelestial realm, not much weaker than the ancestor of the Wei family."

    "Now that the soul rune has formed, and the soul power has skyrocketed, in terms of soul power alone, I can already crush most ordinary initial precelestial martial artists."

    The soul of a person has always been extraordinarily mysterious and elusive.

    Even precelestial martial artists have a limited understanding of it, making it difficult toprehend, let alone grasp its essence.

    Without special techniques, it is very difficult for precelestial martial artists to specifically enhance their soul power through cultivation.

    Typically, soul power only increases during breakthroughs in cultivation realms, when thews of heaven and earth wash over them and their bodies transform.

    However, soul techniques are extremely precious, and only the most ancient and powerful top-tier forces have ess to them. Ordinary precelestial martial artists can hardly get in touch with them.

    Therefore, unless they have special opportunities, the soul power of ordinary initial precelestial martial artists does not differ much.

    With the formation of his soul rune, the transformation of his brow''s qi acupoint, and the great increase in soul power, Lu Qing had far surpassed ordinary initial precelestial martial artists.

    He might even be on par with those who have achieved small sess in the precelestial realm.

    Most importantly, with the refinement and enhancement from his soul rune, his soul power was continuously increasing.

    Although each inhale and exhale only slightly enhanced his soul power, over time, this umtion was quite significant.

    "Plus, with the Furnace Visualization Method, my soul power still has great potential for growth in theing days."

    Lu Qing was very pleased.

    With several top-tier inheritances and the teachings of his master, he understood the path of cultivation. After stepping into the precelestial realm, soul power bes extremely important.

    Stronger soul power leads to higherprehension, making it easier to understand the precelestial dao and progress faster.

    The more solid the foundation, the greater the benefits during future breakthroughs.

    Now, before even stepping into the precelestial realm, he already possessed soul power far surpassing ordinary initial precelestial martial artists.

    When he truly steps into the precelestial realm and undergoes the baptism of thews of heaven and earth, to what extent would his soul power transform?

    Lu Qing was very much looking forward to it.

    "And moreover..."

    Lu Qing extended his right hand, and with a thought, a small rune gradually formed at his fingertip, emitting a mysterious aura.

    "With the formation of the soul rune, I can finally use some techniques of the rune path."

    This exins why the rune path is difficult to cultivate.

    Even with Lu Qing¡¯s abilities and many fortuitous encounters, it still took him more than two years to condense the soul rune.

    Ordinary rune path practitioners have no idea how long it would take to reach this step.

    Before the soul rune is fully formed, rune path practitioners do not have many means of self-protection.

    Unless they practice other systems simultaneously, pure rune path practitioners might not even be able to defeat a martial artist at the qi and blood realm before condensing the soul rune.

    However, a person¡¯s energy is limited.

    Cultivating the rune path is already difficult enough; if one were to practice other methods simultaneously, progress would be even slower.

    Those with lesser aptitude might not even be able to get started.

    "I wonder if the disappearance of the Divine Rune Sect has anything to do with this."

    A thought suddenly shed through Lu Qing¡¯s mind.

    "But in any case, I have finally condensed the soul rune."

    "I was recently hesitant about whether to break through to the precelestial realm, but now there¡¯s no rush. I¡¯ll first practice some techniques of the rune path."

    Lu Qing had reached the peak of the internal organs realm and the grandmaster realm a year ago.

    With his soul power long tempered and very strong, if he wanted, he could have already used his soul power to pry open the qi acupoint, build the bridge to heaven and earth, draw in qi, and achieve the precelestial realm.

    However, with a vague premonition, Lu Qing had not done so.

    With the great change in heaven and earth imminent and the spiritual revival about to fully unfold, he felt that rushing to achieve the precelestial realm might cause him to miss a great opportunity.

    At that time, his soul rune had already been more than half condensed, its framework taking shape. He trusted his intuition and suppressed his cultivation, refraining from breaking through.

    Now, with the soul rune fully formed and his soul power greatly increased, this feeling had be even stronger, making him less eager to break through.

    "My master ns to visit Zhongzhou soon to use the opportunity to enter the Sacred Mountain¡¯s holy pool."

    "Zhongzhou is the most prosperous and affluent ce in the nine states, truly and of heroes and spiritual richness. Perhaps I can gather some useful information there."

    Having made his decision, Lu Qing collected his aura and got out of bed.

    Leaving the secret chamber, he saw Xiao Li sleeping soundly in its small nest.

    Beside it was a half-open storybook and several scattered dried fish.

    Even as Lu Qing came out, Xiao Li showed no sign of waking up.

    "You little thing, you¡¯re so carefree."

    Seeing this, Lu Qing couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    But he knew that Xiao Li was so rxed because it was very familiar with his aura and trusted himpletely.

    If it were a stranger, Xiao Li would wake up the moment they entered its sensing range.

    Lu Qing went up and tugged Xiao Li¡¯s ear.

    "Xiao Li, wake up."

    Xiao Li woke up groggily and, seeing Lu Qing, its eyes widened.

    "Meow?"

    "Yes, my retreat is over. How many days was I inside?"

    Xiao Li extended three small ws.

    "Three days?"

    Lu Qing was a bit surprised.

    It seemed that the transformation of the qi acupoint at his brow had taken longer than he had imagined.

    He had thought it had only been a day at most.

    "Meow?" Xiao Li called again.

    "Alright, pack up and we can head back."

    Upon hearing this, Xiao Li immediately jumped out of its nest, quickly packed up the storybook and its nest, shoved them into Lu Qing¡¯s arms, and jumped onto his shoulder, signaling that it was ready to go.

    "You little thing, it¡¯s only been a few days since youst yed chess with Xiao Yan, no need to be so eager."

    Seeing Xiao Li''s anxious demeanor, Lu Qing shook his head helplessly, and casually put everything into his Spatial Qi Bag.

    Then, carrying Xiao Li, he walked out of the cave.

    Table of content

 Chapter 185

    "My soul sensing ability has greatly enhanced."

    Inside the Yuhua Cave chamber, obscured by an array, Lu Qing did not feel much difference.

    But once he stepped outside, he immediately noticed that under the blessing of the Soul Rune, his soul sensing ability had increased dramatically.

    From the original range of a hundred meters, it expanded to a full two miles, a tenfold increase, and the precision of his sensing also greatly improved.

    Within this range, most living beings could not escape his detection.

    "After refining the Soul Rune, my soul sensing has somewhat acquired Xiao Li''s peculiar sensing ability."

    Lu Qing understood this in his heart.

    Xiao Li''s peculiar sensing ability was extremely mystical.

    Until now, he hadn''t found anything that could evade its detection.Even a master like his, who hadprehended a trace of domain intent in the Precelestial realm, would still be detected by Xiao Li if they got too close while concealing their aura.

    The only time it failed was when the in-clothed youth from Tianji Tower visited.

    But that was because the youth had a special treasure thatpletely concealed his aura, thus evading Xiao Li''s detection.

    "The fluctuation of the world''s elemental energy is bing increasingly intense."

    With his greatly enhanced soul power, Lu Qing could sense the world''s elemental energy more clearly.

    In fact, over the past two years, he had already noticed that the fluctuations of elemental energy in the world were bing more lively.

    It was as if something extremely important was about to be nurtured from a deeperyer of space.

    Yet, due to the timing being not quite right, it had not yet seeded.

    However, Lu Qing had a premonition that once that thing was truly nurtured, the entire world would undergo a tremendous change.

    "Is it spiritual energy?"

    Lu Qing carefully sensed the changes in the surrounding elemental energy, pondering in his heart.

    "Hmm, what is this?"

    Suddenly, his expression changed as if he had discovered something. The next moment, his figure had already disappeared from where he stood.

    With a few swift leaps, he arrived at a small slope above the valley.

    When hended, a certain nt on the ground seemed to sense something and its branches and leaves shrank, attempting to burrow into the ground.

    However, it was toote. Before it couldpletely burrow underground, Lu Qing had already grasped its branches with a skillful force, pulling it out from the ground.

    "Indeed, it is ginseng."

    Looking at the thing in his hand, Lu Qing''s face showed delight.

    At this moment, he was holding arge ginseng in his hand.

    Its roots were intact, and its five limbs were fully developed, already having taken on a humanoid shape.

    He immediately activated his special ability to examine it.

    A dense red glow, mixed with a trace of golden light, emerged from the ginseng.

    [Ginseng: A precious herb, non-toxic, edible.]

    [This ginseng has grown for over 1,800 years, developing a trace of instinctive intelligence.]

    [It is said that ginseng that has developed intelligence will awaken a trace of innate magical power, allowing it to burrow underground quickly when in danger to save itself.]

    "Thousand-year ginseng!"

    Seeing these words, Lu Qing was even more delighted.

    This was a ginseng that had already developed a trace of intelligence and had been growing for over 1,800 years.

    It was known that once ginseng surpassed a thousand years and developed intelligence, its medicinal properties would undergo a qualitative change, truly stepping into the realm of spiritual medicine.

    It was truly a rare treasure.

    "As expected, this mountain forest, nourished by the earth''s energy gathered by the Yuhua Cave chamber for so many years, indeed has thousand-year-old ginseng."

    However, such ginseng, having developed a trace of intelligence and possessing a trace of magical power, could autonomously burrow and escape, which is why it had remained undiscovered.

    "Buzz!"

    An invisible wave emanated from the ginseng in his hand, its roots trembling, seemingly very afraid.

    Lu Qing remained unmoved.

    Although this thousand-year ginseng had developed a trace of intelligence, it was very naive and could only act on instinct.

    Its true intelligence was likely inferior to that of ordinary chickens and ducks.

    So he directly ignored the ginseng''s trembling, taking out red strings and other items from his Spatial Qi Bag, binding them around the ginseng.

    Immediately, the ginseng stopped struggling.

    However, because this ginseng had already developed a trace of intelligence, stepping into the level of a living being, Lu Qing could not store it in the Spatial Qi Bag and had to temporarily wrap it in wet moss, cing it in a medicine box in his bosom.

    After securing the medicine box, Lu Qing searched the surrounding area but did not find any other thousand-year ginseng.

    It was unclear whether there was only this one thousand-year ginseng here or whether the others had sensed danger and burrowed underground.

    His soul sensing range could reach two miles on the surface, but it was much weaker underground.

    He could only sense movements within twenty or thirty meters underground, and that too was quite vague. Beyond that, it was just a blur.

    If the remaining thousand-year ginseng had burrowed underground, it would be almost impossible for him to find it.

    The earth was thick and heavy, and protected by the earth''s energy, making it very difficult for soul power to prate.

    However, although he did not find any other thousand-year ginseng, Lu Qing found several hundred-year-old ginseng.

    He dug out the one that had grown the longest, about four hundred years old, and left the others untouched.

    At his current level of power, hundred-year ginseng had little use for him.

    He dug one out to bring back to his master to replenish the medicine stock for future needs.

    After finishing everything, Lu Qing headed out of the mountain with Xiao Li.

    With Lu Qing''s current power, entering and exiting the forest was very easy.

    In no time, Jiuli Vige came into view.

    Just entering the vige, hearing the sound of reading from a distance, Lu Qing couldn''t help but smile.

    Over the past two years, Jiuli Vige had undergone significant changes.

    Not only were the roads repaired smoothly, but the vigers'' houses were also renovated, and there was even a new school.

    These changes were brought about by the Wei family.

    Two years ago, Mago left the county town to escape his family''s nagging and returned to the Grand Bazaar to live a leisurely life.

    At that time, Lu Qing was curious about what would happen to Wei Zian, but the next day, Wei Zian also came to Jiuli Vige, apanied by Wei Dazongguan and many Wei family servants.

    Later, the Wei family bought a piece ofnd next to Jiuli Vige at a high price, built a vi as Wei Zian''s residence.

    Sometimes, Mrs. Wei and Wei Xinghe woulde and stay for a while.

    Even the old ancestor of the Wei family asionally appeared to have tea with his master.

    Because there were many people in the Wei family''s vi, the daily consumption of vegetables, meat, and eggs was substantial.

    These items were directly purchased from the vigers, giving the vigers an additional source of ie.

    Gradually, the Wei family helped repair the vige roads and even built a school on the pretext that the young master needed to study, hiring two teachers to teach.

    They openly stated that if the vigers had school-age children, they could send them to the school without paying tuition, only needing to provide their own meals.

    At first, the vigers were skeptical.

    After receiving repeated assurances from the Wei family and asking Lu Qing, they were overjoyed.

    They sent their children to school one after another.

    Even the families in difficult situations gritted their teeth to do so.

    They preferred to work harder themselves than let their children fall behind.

    Lu Qing and the old doctor did not oppose the Wei family''s actions, but rather tacitly approved.

    After all, what the Wei family did was beneficial to Jiuli Vige.

    Naturally, they also hoped that the vige would be better and better.

    Lu Qing even quietly subsidized some of the poorer families.

    Thus, after two years, Jiuli Vige had undergone these changes.

    With Xiao Li, Lu Qing headed towards the Halfway House.

    As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the old ancestor of the Wei family sitting under the plum tree with his master, leisurely drinking tea.

    Xiao Yan was quietly writing beside them.

    "Brother, Xiao Li, you''re back!"

    Facing the courtyard gate, Xiao Yan was the first to notice Lu Qing''s return. She immediately put down her pen with joy and ran over.

    On the contrary, the old doctor and Wei Shanhai were a bit surprised as they turned their heads.

    Because they hadn''t sensed Lu Qing''s return earlier.

    "Yes, just returned."

    Lu Qing rubbed his sister''s head. Over the past two years, the little girl had grown a bit, but she was still a little kid.

    Xiao Li jumped onto Xiao Yan''s shoulder, tugged her hair with its ws, and then pointed towards the house.

    "Alright, I''ll go get the chess now!"

    Xiao Yan, who had been with Xiao Li day and night, immediately understood its meaning and ran excitedly into the house.

    Lu Qing shook his head, letting the two little ones y.

    Then he came under the plum tree and first greeted, "Greetings, Elder Wei."

    Then he said to the old doctor, "Master, I am back."

    At this moment, the old doctor''s expression had already returned to calmness. "Has the closed-door training ended?"

    "Just ended this morning. Xiao Li missed Xiao Yan, so we came back."

    "I think it is addicted to chess and wanted toe back quickly to y with Xiao Yan." The old doctorughed.

    He knew that recently Lu Qing hade

    up with a new type of beast chess, making the two little ones quite addicted.

    "It seems that Lu Xiangjun has gained a lot from this closed-door training!"

    Wei Shanhai, who was beside them, sighed.

    He was still very surprised.

    When Lu Qing returned just now, as a Precelestial realm expert, he hadn''t sensed anything.

    Even now, standing in front of him, he still couldn''t see through Lu Qing.

    If he closed his eyes, in his soul perception, there was only a void, no one existed.

    Such a strange scene, how could Wei Shanhai not be surprised.

    Did Lu Qing break through to the Precelestial realm?

    But after careful sensing, he didn''t find the unique aura of the Precelestial realm on Lu Qing.

    "Just a small breakthrough, not worth Elder Wei''s praise."

    Facing Wei Shanhai''s admiration, Lu Qing remained humble.

    Hearing this, Wei Shanhai knew that Lu Qing didn''t want to reveal his breakthrough, so he awkwardly took a sip of tea.

    "Xiao Li, hurry up!"

    Fortunately, at this time, Xiao Yan ran out of the house with the chessboard, resolving the awkward atmosphere.

    "Ow~"

    Xiao Li swiftly jumped onto the stone table, waiting.

    Xiao Yan quickly packed up her writing materials and began to set up the chessboard.

    Soon, the two little ones started their game.

    This scene left Wei Shanhai stunned.

    He knew that Xiao Li was very intelligent,parable to a child.

    But seeing it ying chess so seriously, he still found it incredible.

    Out of curiosity, he stepped forward to watch the game between the two little ones.

    After watching for a few moments, he was once again amazed.

    "What kind of chess is this? I don''t seem to have seen it before."

    "Grandpa Wei, brother said this is called Beast Chess, it''s very fun." Xiao Yan answered obediently.

    "Beast Chess?" Wei Shanhai looked at Lu Qing.

    Lu Qing smiled, "It''s just a little game I came up with when I was bored, not worth mentioning."

    "Oh, it was invented by Lu Xiangjun himself. How do you y it?"

    Unexpectedly, Wei Shanhai became more interested.

    "Grandpa Wei, let me teach you. Beast Chess is very simple. First, these beasts are ranked by level. The ancient elephant is thergest and strongest, and the little mouse is the smallest, but the little mouse can crawl into the elephant''s nose and defeat it..."

    Xiao Yan immediately began exining the rules of Beast Chess to Wei Shanhai.

    The Beast Chess Lu Qing created was slightly different from the one in his past life. He reced some of the beasts from the past with ones more familiar to the people of this world.

    However, the core rules remained unchanged, following the principle that the big beats the small, and the smallest can counter the biggest.

    After listening, Wei Shanhai was even more surprised.

    The rules of Beast Chess, though simple, were logically sound, with no loopholes, and quite yable. It was very suitable for enlightening children.

    Moreover, it subtly contained the principle of mutual restraint.

    Lu Qing''s ability toe up with such a game showed his high intelligence.

    Truly a peerless prodigy with great fortune.

    If Lu Qing knew what Wei Shanhai was thinking at this moment, he would be speechless.

    It was just a simple Beast Chess, yet so many connections were being made.

    Seeing Wei Shanhai engrossed in watching the game, Lu Qing suddenly remembered the medicine box in his bosom.

    He took it out and said, "Master, I discovered a thousand-year ginseng in the mountains this time. It seems to have developed some intelligence. I''m not sure how to handle it. Please decide."

    "A thousand-year ginseng that has developed intelligence?!"

    This time, not only the old doctor was surprised, but even Wei Shanhai turned his head in shock.

    "Yes, this ginseng can burrow and escape. If I hadn''t reacted quickly, it would have escaped."

    Lu Qing opened the medicine box, revealing the ginseng bound by red strings inside.

    "It has distinct facial features and limbs. It is indeed over a thousand years old!"

    The old doctor, well-versed in various medical ssics, could immediately tell that the ginseng in the medicine box was at least a thousand years old.

    "Master, this ginseng contains intelligence and has some characteristics of a living being."

    Lu Qing untied the red string and gently held the main body of the ginseng.

    Once freed, the ginseng''s roots started moving again, trembling.

    "It truly has developed intelligence." The old doctor was delighted. "Ah Qing, this ginseng needs to be well cared for. It will be of great use in the future!"

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 Chapter 186

    Under the exnation of the old doctor, Lu Qing finally understood.

    It turned out that his master had been diligently studying the "Qing Nang Medical ssic" over the years and had also thoroughly read many medical ssics treasured by the Wei family.

    He had learned some peculiar methods for cultivating medicinal fields.

    After all, once many renowned doctors became famous, they rarely ventured deep into the mountains to dig for medicinal herbs themselves. Such efficiency was not only low but also often required a stroke of luck.

    So many medical masters began to ponder cultivating medicinal fields.

    In this way, many special methods of cultivating medicinal fields were created.

    One of these methods happened to require a millennium-old ginseng.

    "A millennium-old ginseng with intelligence can instinctively gather and organize the earth''s energy, nurturing its habitat. It is one of the best helpers for organizing the earth''s energy and nurturing medicinal fields.

    The ginseng you brought back, I see its age far exceeds a thousand years, and its spirituality is even stronger. It is the best choice for cultivating medicinal fields."Lu Qing praised his master for his keen eyesight. Indeed, the age of this ginseng far exceeded a thousand years, reaching a full eighteen hundred years.

    "But master, this millennium-old ginseng has intelligence and can escape on its own. If we put it in the medicinal field and it runs away, what should we do?"

    Lu Qing had not forgotten the scene where this ginseng tried to escape before. If he hadn''t reacted quickly, it would have really burrowed into the ground.

    The old doctor smiled slightly, "I naturally have a way. Moreover, ginseng cherishes its home. When the medicinal field is truly cultivated and the earth''s energy and medicinal aura be rich, it will be greatly beneficial for its growth. By then, it will not only not escape but will actively protect this ce."

    "In that case, I''ll leave this ginseng to master."

    Upon hearing this, Lu Qing handed the ginseng in his hand to his master, while also taking out another medicine box from his bosom.

    "By the way, I also found another ginseng that is several hundred years old. I''ll give it to you as well, master."

    The old doctor opened it and was even more delighted, "Good, good, with this several hundred years old ginseng, the cultivation of the medicinal field will be even easier."

    Seeing Lu Qing continuously taking out ginseng, Wei Shanhai, who was beside them, was already stunned.

    Not to mention the first one, a millennium-old ginseng with intelligence was a legendary spiritual medicine.

    Even though he had lived for over a hundred years, it was the first time he had seen one.

    Even the few hundred years old ginseng that followed was equally precious. Even their Wei family didn''t have many of them.

    Such precious spiritual medicines, Lu Qing had managed to obtain in a single retreat into the mountains. What kind of luck was this?

    At this moment, Wei Shanhai became increasingly convinced that Lu Qing was indeed the legendary Child of Fortune.

    Otherwise, how could he have obtained such rare spiritual medicines just by casually going into the mountains?

    After handing over the ginseng to his master, Lu Qing felt a sense of relief.

    However, his master''s words also reminded him.

    In fact, in the inheritances he had obtained, such as from the Li Huo Sect, there were methods for cultivating medicinal fields and even spiritual fields.

    Most of those methods required immortal means, which he could not perform at his current level.

    But there were also some rtively simple methods that he could use.

    Moreover, with the imminent spiritual revival, he should make preparations early.

    Lu Qing, having the inheritance, knew well that the path of cultivation was extremely resource-intensive.

    Making ns early would give him an advantage in the uing changes in the world.

    However, this might require some assistance from the Wei family.

    Thinking of this, Lu Qing said to the Wei family patriarch, "Senior Wei, there is something I would like to ask for your help with."

    "Oh? What is it?"

    "I need some materials. Could you have your family help collect them?"

    "That''s easy. Just give me the list of materials."

    Wei Shanhai agreed without hesitation.

    At the same time, he was secretly pleased.

    Ever since he recognized Lu Qing as a peerless genius with great fortune, he valued Lu Qing even more.

    He had also heard about the impending great change in the world.

    Even great forces like Tianji Tower and Seven Kill Tower were taking it seriously.

    Their small family needed to be even more cautious.

    Having a future pir like Lu Qing, he naturally wanted to hold on tight.

    Therefore, he was more than willing to fulfill Lu Qing''s requests.

    Lu Qing went inside, wrote a detailed list of materials, and handed it to Wei Shanhai.

    Wei Shanhai did not look at it and solemnly put it away, intending to have his family members help gather the materials immediately upon returning.

    Cultivating a medicinal field was quite aplex task, requiring many preparations.

    For this, the old doctor also asked the Wei family to help find some materials.

    With the Wei family''s efforts, the materials the old doctor needed were gathered within a few days.

    However, the materials Lu Qing needed were rtively rare and would take some time to collect.

    After obtaining the materials, the old doctor immediately started working.

    "Master, is this the medicinal field you are cultivating?"

    A few dayster, behind the halfway house, Lu Qing looked at a small garden his master had organized, feeling a bit dazed.

    There was no way around it, the medicinal field was simply too small. Its length and width were only about a zhang, far from the medicinal field he had imagined.

    "This is just a trial. Don''t underestimate this small medicinal field; it took quite a bit of effort."

    The old doctor brought out a flower pot, which contained the millennium-old ginseng Lu Qing had caught.

    "Master, this ginseng seems to be showing affection to you?"

    Seeing the millennium-old ginseng gently rubbing its leaves against his master''s hand like a small dog, Lu Qing was surprised.

    "I have been feeding it a few drops of medicinal liquid prepared from the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid every day for the past few days, so it has be more affectionate."

    Lu Qing suddenly understood.

    No wonder, the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was such a precious liquid, entirely condensed from the essence of the earth. Even when diluted, it had a fatal attraction for nt spirits like the millennium-old ginseng.

    The lush growth of herbs in the forest outside the Yuhua Cave was due to the underground formation gathering the earth''s energy for nourishment.

    "Little guy, from now on, this will be your home."

    The old doctor gently tipped the millennium-old ginseng along with the soil into the medicinal field.

    The medicinal field had been pre-treated with materials and transnted with many herbs, rich in medicinal aura.

    As soon as the millennium-old ginseng touched the ground, it swiftly burrowed down, surprising Lu Qing.

    Fortunately, it soon re-emerged, found the spot with the densest earth energy in the medicinal field, rooted itself, shook its branches and leaves for a while, and then slowly settled down.

    Only then did Lu Qing breathe a sigh of relief.

    He had thought the little thing was going to escape.

    "Don''t worry," the old doctor smiled, "I have beenmunicating with this little guy with my mind over the past few days and have reached an agreement. From now on, it will peacefully help us manage the medicinal field. Every three days, I''ll give it a drop of medicinal liquid prepared from the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid."

    "As long as you are confident, master."

    Lu Qing rxed and smiled as well.

    Although the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was precious, as long as his master was happy, it was worth it.

    Moreover, Lu Qing could feel that as the millennium-old ginseng took root, the earth energy under this small mountain became much more orderly, and the nearby earth energy was also slowly gathering here.

    Over time, if given enough time, the halfway house might even slowly be a blessednd.

    Thinking of this, it seemed quite worth it to exchange a little Earth Vein Spirit Liquid for the medicinal liquid.

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 Chapter 187

    That night, Lu Qing was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

    With his mind focused and calm, his expression remained serene.

    His hands, however, were forming an unusual Seal, and from the brow acupoint, waves of soul power surged out, connecting with the earth-elemental energy of the heavens and earth.

    As the earth-elemental energy surged, a yellow talisman gradually emerged before Lu Qing, taking form.

    With the final wave of soul power emerging, the yellow talismanpletely took shape, emitting a faint glow, suspended in the air, appearing extremely mysterious.

    "This Earth Movement Talisman is finally condensed."

    Lu Qing exhaled a breath, a smile appearing on his face.

    The path of runes, once the soul talisman was condensed, possessed certain methods for confronting enemies, gradually revealing the mystical aspects of this cultivation system.

    Among these, the mostmonly used methods were talismans and formations.A talisman, under the blessing of the soul talisman, was drawn bymunicating with the elemental energy of the heavens and earth through the power of the soul, forming aw talisman.

    Thesew talismans possessed various extraordinary powers, being quite mystical.

    As for formations, they were even moreplex.

    To sessfully set one up required long preparation, drawing runes ording to the terrain and surrounding environment.

    Given Lu Qing''s current cultivation level and his short time studying runes, he had not yet reached the stage of setting up formations.

    Recently, he had mostly been studying talismans.

    The just-condensed Earth Movement Talisman was one of the talismans from the ¡¾Five Elements Talisman Art¡¿ of the Divine Rune Sect.

    Its primary ability was to lighten the body, significantly reducing the physical burden, making it easier to move across the earth.

    "Now that the Earth Movement Talisman is condensed, it''s time to settle the score with the Seven Kill Tower."

    A trace of coldness shed in Lu Qing''s eyes.

    Over the past two years, since the incident with "Shadow", he had encountered three assassination attempts by the Seven Kill Tower.

    Thest one urred three months ago.

    Although all three attempts were thwarted by Xiao Li''s early detection, the Seven Kill Tower''s audacity had thoroughly angered Lu Qing.

    Previously, he had been focused on condensing his soul talisman, unwilling to get involved in more troubles, hence he had tolerated it repeatedly.

    But now, with all his techniques refined, it was time to collect some interest from the Seven Kill Tower.

    Conveniently, Mrs. Wei hade to stay at the courtyard today, and Xiao Yan and Xiao Li were with her for the night.

    With no one at home, Lu Qing felt at ease to go out.

    With a slight change in his Seal, the Earth Movement Talisman turned into a stream of light, entering his brow acupoint.

    It then transformed into a miniature light cluster, emitting a faint glow, revolving around the soul talisman like a satellite.

    Beside it were several other simr light clusters, differing only in color.

    After storing the Earth Movement Talisman, Lu Qing quietly left the house, not rming anyone, and came to the outskirts of the vige.

    Once outside the vige, sensing no one around, Lu Qing slightly moved his mind. The light cluster representing the Earth Movement Talisman in his brow acupoint space brightened.

    In the next moment, a strange power enveloped Lu Qing, making his body feel extremely light, almost as if he was floating.

    "Indeed, as the inheritance says, the body feels incredibly light."

    After familiarizing himself with the sensation, a look of satisfaction appeared on Lu Qing''s face.

    Then, with a forceful step, he shot forward like an arrow from a bow.

    He dashed out for dozens of meters, his momentum only slightly waning.

    But with another step, his speed surged again.

    "This Earth Movement Talisman is truly magical. With its assistance, I can run for a thousand miles with minimal physical exertion."

    Lu Qing was pleasantly surprised.

    The power of the talisman was even more astonishing than he had imagined.

    With this, he felt more confident about his uing action.

    "Seven Kill Tower, are you ready for my revenge?"

    Lu Qing''s eyes turned icy as he looked into the distance.

    Thus, with the help of the Earth Movement Talisman, Lu Qing spent most of the night reaching a high mountain.

    This ce was seven hundred miles away from Jiuli Vige.

    It was no longer within Cang County, but in another county, close to the state capital.

    "A night assault of seven hundred miles, a round trip would be fourteen hundred miles.

    Even a Martial Grandmaster would be exhausted and far from maintaining my speed over such a distance.

    This Earth Movement Talisman should perhaps be called a Divine Movement Talisman."

    Lu Qing was extremely satisfied with the effect of the Earth Movement Talisman.

    The only slight drawback was that the light cluster representing the Earth Movement Talisman in his brow acupoint space had dimmed considerably.

    At most, it could support him for another hundred or two hundred miles beforepletely dissipating.

    But such an effect was already more than satisfactory for Lu Qing.

    The means of the rune path had given him a great surprise on its first use.

    It was not in vain that he had spent so much effort over the past two years to condense the soul talisman.

    After marveling at the wonders of the rune path, Lu Qing raised his head to look at the high mountain ahead.

    Halfway up the mountain, the brightly lit manor could be seen, with faint sounds of people and musical instruments, indicating a lively scene inside.

    Gazing at the mountain, Lu Qing''s expression was calm.

    Two years ago, after defeating "Shadow", he had obtained considerable information about the Seven Kill Tower''s bases from his dying words.

    One of which was the stronghold before him, the closest one to Cang County.

    ording to the information provided by "Shadow", the strongest guardian here was only at the Great Aplishment stage of the Internal Organs Realm, not his match.

    However, out of caution, Lu Qing did not intend to storm in directly.

    He took a set of soft armor from his Spatial Qi Bag and put it on.

    This soft armor was something he had taken from "Shadow".

    In this Seven Kill Tower stronghold, with its many traps, the soft armor would provide an additionalyer of protection against hidden dangers.

    After donning the soft armor, Lu Qing put on a prepared set of ck night clothes and a ck mask that only revealed his eyes.

    Furthermore, after wearing the mask, his body shape began to change as his blood and qi surged.

    He became slimmer, and even his face under the mask changedpletely.

    He was using the unique secret technique of the Seven Kill Tower, the Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique.

    As for the origin of this technique, it was a long story.

    Over the past two years, after "Shadow", Lu Qing had faced three more assassination attempts by the Seven Kill Tower.

    From these three assassins, he had finally obtained the long-coveted Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique.

    Of course, the process involved some extreme methods.

    Although those methods were somewhat cruel, Lu Qing had no mercy for those trying to kill him.

    A little torture did not trouble his conscience.

    After transforming his body and appearance, andpletely concealing his aura with the soul talisman, Lu Qing quietly infiltrated the mountain.

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 Chapter 188

    As Lu Qing prepared to stealthily ascend the mountain.

    In the vige, within a secret attic.

    Several figures exuding powerful auras were discussing something.

    "Master, we just received a message from headquarters this evening. They want us to find out Lu Qing''s true strength in Cang County at all costs," said a small figure.

    "Lu Qing again? How are we supposed to find out? In the past two years, four Heaven-ranked assassins have already fallen at his hands. Investigating his strength is just sending us to our deaths!" A tall man in brocade clothes growled impatiently.

    Nowadays, just hearing the name Lu Qing made him irritated.

    In the past two years, four Heaven-ranked assassins from their Seven Kill Tower had been confirmed dead at his hands.

    Those people were dead, and their Seven Kill Tower assassins had always had little affection for each other, often beingpetitors.

    He had no time to mourn for opponents.The key issue was that all of them had set out from his ce before dying, yet no intelligence about Lu Qing could be retrieved, leading to multiple scoldings from headquarters.

    "Those useless fools! They upy Heaven-rank positions but are so ineffective. They can''t even deal with a mere Internal Organs Realm kid!"

    "The old folks at headquarters insisted on issuing the Seven Kill Order. Now it''s backfired. If that kid survives seven assassination attempts, let''s see how they exin themselves!"

    The man in brocade couldn''t help but curse, including the headquarters in his anger.

    But after cursing, he was still troubled.

    All signs pointed to Lu Qing''s extraordinary strength.

    Even Heaven-ranked assassins were no match for him.

    It was very likely that he possessed some secret method to see through the Seven Kill Tower''s stealth techniques.

    Otherwise, it was hard to exin why four Heaven-ranked assassins failed to not only assassinate him but also failed to escape or send any intelligence.

    Yet, headquarters kept pressing him to find out Lu Qing''s true strength.

    How was he supposed to investigate such a deadly matter?

    He had no intention ofpeting for a Heaven-rank position and did not want to have any connection with that monster!

    Moreover, he wasn''t willing to risk his life gathering intelligence just to pave the way for those little bastards at headquarters.

    "Master, Young Master Zheng wants to see you."

    Just as the brocade-d man was troubled, a subordinate came in to report.

    "What does that second-generation ancestor want now?" the brocade-d man asked.

    "He said he had a lot of fun with those two girlsst time and wants something more exciting this time. He hopes you can arrange it."

    "This useless trash! No skills at all, relying on being a direct descendant of the Zheng family to cause trouble daily, never doing proper business. Last time, those two girls almost died from his y. What more does he want?"

    "In any case, he asked you to go out."

    "Damn it! If I didn''t have to keep a low profile, I''d crush him and turn him into a cripple!"

    The brocade-d man couldn''t help but curse.

    "Master, be careful. Walls have ears," the small figure reminded.

    "Fine, I know. You go out first. Tell him I''ll see himter!"

    The brocade-d man was just venting his anger.

    He knew that headquarters was setting up a big n, and every stronghold took a lot of effort to establish.

    If he acted impulsively and exposed this ce, he would face severe punishment.

    So, he couldn''t touch the Zheng family waste now.

    Otherwise, drawing the Zheng family''s attention would expose them.

    Lu Qing silently sneaked up the mountain.

    The Soul Rune perfectly concealed all his aura.

    With the protection of his night walking clothes, even a Precelestial Realm expert would find it hard to detect his presence.

    So, Lu Qing easily infiltrated the vige.

    Inside, the vige was bustling and brightly lit, a scene of debauchery and indulgence.

    This reminded Lu Qing of the Happy Fort he had destroyed, which he despised.

    In fact, ording to the intelligence provided by "Shadow," this ce was simr to Happy Fort, a brothel and casino run by the Seven Kill Tower, used for gathering and exchanging information.

    Of course, most of the people who came here for pleasure had no idea it was the Seven Kill Tower''s territory.

    Upon entering the vige, Lu Qing activated his abilities, hiding in the shadows while using his soul power to sense the entire situation of the vige.

    "Fifty-seven warriors, twenty in the Tendons and Bones Realm, five in the Internal Organs Realm, and the rest in the Qi and Blood Realm."

    Within a few seconds, Lu Qing had a clear understanding.

    He was surprised by the strength of this seemingly insignificant stronghold.

    This ce alone had enough strength to crush any force in Cang County, except for the Wei family.

    The Seven Kill Tower was indeed a top faction with formidable foundations.

    "Let''s start with you two!"

    Lu Qing''s gaze fell on two figures in a high pavilion behind the vige gate.

    Under his watchful eyes, the two clearly marked Seven Kill Tower members'' identities stood out.

    With a flick of his fingers, Lu Qingunched two steel needles using his concealed weapon technique.

    Under his immense power, the needles shot out with a slight sound, instantly piercing the heads of the two Qi and Blood Realm guards.

    After dealing with the visible guards, Lu Qing didn''t stop. He sent two more steel needles towards a dark corner of the vige wall.

    Although it was dark and nothing could be seen there, his soul power sensed two hidden auras.

    Their breathing patterns were identical to the two guards on the high pavilion, indicating they practiced the same technique.

    Under Lu Qing''s steel needles, the two hidden figures trembled, and their auras quickly dissipated without a sound.

    The faint sound of the needles piercing through the air was drowned out by theughter and revelry in the vige, causing no disturbance.

    After swiftly eliminating four guards, Lu Qing immediately moved towards the nearest warrior aura.

    With the Soul Rune concealing his presence, he moved like a ghost and arrived in front of a Qi and Blood Realm warrior.

    Seeing the Seven Kill Tower memberbel above the man''s head, Lu Qing didn''t hesitate, breaking his neck.

    Thus, relying on his superior stealth abilities, Lu Qing quickly reaped the lives of the Seven Kill Tower members in the vige.

    In just over ten breaths, more than ten Seven Kill Tower assassins had perished at his hands, including three Tendons and Bones Realm assassins.

    Given Lu Qing''s current strength, there was no difference between Qi and Blood Realm and Tendons and Bones Realm; neither could withstand a single blow from him.

    However, his ughter couldn''t continue smoothly forever.

    In the Seven Kill Tower''s stronghold, the sentinels were required to use a secret method tomunicate at regr intervals to ensure mutual safety and alertness.

    When Lu Qing broke the neck of the thirteenth Seven Kill Tower assassin, the vige finally sensed something amiss.

    Suddenly, rm bells rang, and numerous lights illuminated the entire vige.

    Several powerful auras appeared in the tallest building in the vige''s center.

    At the same time, a loud voice rang out.

    "Whoever is here ying tricks with Yuanyang Vige, show yourself!"

    Seeing that he had been detected, Lu Qing stepped out of the shadows, tossing the corpse he was holding aside.

    Plop!

    Seeing the corpse fall to the ground, the burly man who had spoken narrowed his eyes at Lu Qing.

    "Who are you? Why have you intruded into Yuanyang Vige and ughtered our people? If you don''t give me an exnation, you won''t leave here alive."

    Lu Qing looked up at the building.

    He saw many people standing there, some of whom were not members of the Seven Kill Tower, likely there for pleasure.

    Seeing Lu Qing wrapped up tightly, concealing his face, and not responding to the vige master''s question, while brazenly surveying them, a Tendons and Bones Realm middle-aged man shouted, "Scoundrel, our master is speaking to you. Answer quickly!"

    Lu Qing remained silent, using his abilities to carefully identify each person''s identity.

    Suddenly, his gaze stopped on a luxuriously dressed young man with a jade fan, his pupils narrowing slightly.

    At that moment, the young man also closed his jade fan and smiled, "Master Long, it seems Yuanyang Vige has encountered some trouble. Do you need my help? My condition is simple: just fulfill my previous request."

    "No need. This minor issue can be handled by Yuanyang Vige. There''s no need to trouble Young Master Zheng."

    Recalling the second-generation master''s earlier request, the brocade-d man''s eyes shed with disgust and refused.

    "That''s a pity," the young man looked disappointed. "But if you ever need help, I''m always willing."

    "No need for such courtesy. You won''t escape either."

    Before the brocade-d man could respond, Lu Qing suddenly spoke.

    "I came here today just to settle ounts with the Seven Kill Tower. But I''ve changed my mind. You all must die!"

    The mention of the Seven Kill Tower shocked the brocade-d man and others.

    Before they could react, Lu Qing''s hand suddenly produced several steel needles.

    The next moment, with a whizzing sound, the needles shot towards the people on the high building.

    "Protect the young master!"

    "Ah!"

    "Master, save me!"

    Amidst the screams, most people on the high building, except a few, turned into rolling gourds.

    The luckier ones were merely pierced and suffered flesh wounds.

    The less fortunate were directly pierced through the head, dying instantly.

    What!

    The brocade-d man was stunned, looking at the steel needles that had prated heads and embedded deeply into the walls, shining coldly.

    The steel needlesunched by Lu Qing had almost caught him off guard.

    This intruder''s hidden

    weapon skills were terrifying!

    Young Master Zheng was dumbfounded, staring ahead.

    Before him, a steel shield blocked the way, with a steel needle deeply embedded, almost piercing through, with only the tail visible, pointing at his face.

    Seeing the cold, gleaming needle half a foot away, Young Master Zheng turned pale, cold sweat dripping.

    He realized that without his guard''s protection, this needle would have taken his life!

    After fear came immense anger.

    Who dared to attack him so brazenly?

    But before he could vent his fury, a cold voice sounded beside him.

    "Oh? You didn''t die. Your guard is indeed capable."

    Everyone was shocked.

    Lu Qing had somehow already reached the high building, standing silently on the railing.

    "Young master, stay silent and step back!"

    As Young Master Zheng was about to curse, his guard pushed him behind, shielding him with the steel shield, and warily eyed Lu Qing.

    The guard was secretly rmed.

    His shield, made of refined steel, had been pierced by a mere steel needle.

    This hidden weapon skill was beyond belief.

    Even the dark weapon masters in the state capital might notpare.

    Where did this mysterious experte from?

    Facing the guard''s vignce, Lu Qing remained unmoved, his gaze shifting to the brocade-d man and others.

    "Are you the master of this Seven Kill Tower stronghold?"

    The brocade-d man''s heart trembled, but he put on a tragic expression, "What Seven Kill Tower? You must be mistaken. This is Yuanyang Vige. You barged in, killing wantonly, relying on your martial prowess. Aren''t you afraid of being ridiculed?"

    "You put on a good act, but it won''t work on me," Lu Qing shook his head slightly. "Tonight, you all die."

    "Attack!"

    At that moment, the brocade-d man suddenly shouted.

    With his shout, several figures emerged from the shadows, attacking Lu Qing.

    Simultaneously, the brocade-d man drew a ck short sword, its shadow shing as he thrust it towards Lu Qing''s chest.

    The Zheng family guard''s eyes widened.

    This ambush was sudden.

    He hadn''t sensed these figures'' presence until they appeared.

    Such stealth techniques!

    Recalling Lu Qing''s earlier words, the guard wondered if they were indeed Seven Kill Tower assassins.

    But before he could think further, his gaze was drawn to the sh.

    The figures and the brocade-d man all exuded powerful auras, reaching the Internal Organs Realm.

    Facing such a group, even the ck-d man''s strength couldn''t prevail!

    However, just as this thought crossed the guard''s mind, the next moment his eyes widened further.

    In an instant, an overwhelmingly powerful aura burst from the ck-d man.

    The next moment, the brocade-d man and the powerful figures were all sent flying.

    "How is this possible!"

    The Zheng family guard couldn''t help but exim in shock.

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 Chapter 189

    Facing the siege of Seven Kill Tower¡¯s members, Lu Qing remained calm.

    Only when the attacks were about tond on him did his momentum suddenly explode.

    His body spun like a top, whirling rapidly.

    With lightning speed, his hands struck out continuously.

    In an instant, countless fist shadows appeared, resembling a blooming ck lotus.

    Those few powerful assassins from Seven Kill Tower were all hit in the chest by Lu Qing''s fists without exception.

    As the sound of cracking bones echoed, they all flew backwards, spraying blood everywhere.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Amidst a series of loud noises, the figures attacking Lu Qing crashed through the walls and windows behind them, falling to the ground with unknown life or death."How is this possible?!"

    The Zheng family guard couldn''t believe his eyes as he watched the man in fine clothes and the other powerful figures being sent flying by the ck-d man.

    It must be noted that each of these figures emitted an aura not weaker than his own, all at the Internal Organs Realm.

    Even the master of the Yuanyang Vige was a martial expert of the Great Aplishment in the Internal Organs Realm.

    Yet, these experts couldn''t even handle the ck-d man, all defeated in a single move.

    Four people ambushed and attacked, resulting in three deaths and one serious injury.

    Such strength was simply terrifying!

    "Who exactly are you?"

    The man in fine clothes, crashing against the wall behind him, spat out blood, his face filled with horror.

    He looked at Lu Qing with disbelief.

    This person, barehanded, not only easily neutralized their long-prepared killing moves but also defeated them all with a single move.

    Out of four attackers, only he survived.

    The martial skills were unbelievably profound.

    Even the grandmasters of martial arts he had met didn''t have such exquisite and terrifying techniques.

    "I told you, I''m the one here to kill you."

    Lu Qing looked at the man in fine clothes. Through the shattered clothes on his chest, he saw the dark golden soft armor inside.

    "It seems this soft armor saved your life."

    The man in fine clothes paused.

    Indeed, if it weren''t for this soft armor that never left his body, he would have been dead like hispanions.

    Even so, he was severely injured now.

    His strength was reduced to only two or three tenths of his full capacity.

    The mysterious ck-d man''s fist power was too terrifying.

    Even with the soft armor protecting him, his heart was heavily injured, his martial qi and blood all scattered, unable to regroup for the time being.

    More importantly, until now, he couldn''t see through Lu Qing''s cultivation.

    The opponent seemed to stand amidst thick fog, perfectly hiding his realm despite the explosive qi and blood.

    Could this be a Precelestial Realm monster, yet he still used qi and blood power instead of Precelestial true qi?

    For a moment, the man in fine clothes was in turmoil, his thoughts racing, unable to make sense of anything.

    But one thing he knew very well.

    Today, he was in big trouble.

    The ck-d man clearly came for the Seven Kill Tower.

    Although he found it hard to believe that someone in this world dared to provoke the Seven Kill Tower actively, the facts were in front of him, and he had to believe it.

    Seeing that the man in fine clothes was not dead, Lu Qing flipped his hand and somehow took out a fist-sized stone, weighing it lightly.

    The man in fine clothes felt a chill in his heart.

    Having witnessed Lu Qing''s skill with projectiles, he dared not be negligent.

    He quickly said, "Sir, there must be some misunderstanding. This vige is really not what you said about the Seven Kill Tower. I am just a businessman with nothing to do with the Seven Kill Tower. If you want money, I am willing to offer all the wealth in the vige..."

    Before the man in fine clothes could finish speaking, the stone in Lu Qing''s hand had already flown out.

    With powerful force, the stone''s speed was extreme. The man in fine clothes, with his damaged heart and scattered qi and blood, had no time to dodge.

    Bang!

    The stone hit the man in fine clothes'' head precisely.

    Despite the hard skull of an Internal Organs Realm expert, it was as fragile as an egg under the terrifying force of the stone driven by Lu Qing.

    His head exploded instantly, scattering red and white matter all over, horrifyingly.

    The man in fine clothes was dead!

    "Ah!"

    The second young master of the Zheng family, having never seen such a horrifying scene, screamed in terror.

    "Not good!"

    The Zheng family guard was shocked, trying to cover the young master''s mouth.

    But it was already toote.

    Lu Qing''s gaze had already turned to them.

    "Sir, we are from the Zheng family of the prefecture, just here for some fun. We have nothing to do with these people. Please discern this, sir."

    The Zheng family guard said bravely.

    As for the second young master, trembling and pale, he had already understood that this person was a true killer, unlike any martial artist he had ever met.

    Seeing that Lu Qing remained silent, the Zheng family guard was extremely nervous.

    The Zheng family, though powerful, and influential in the entire prefecture, even the major sects in Cangzhou gave them some face.

    But facing such a ruthless killer, he couldn''t be sure if the other would show them any respect.

    "The Zheng family? So what!" Lu Qing''s hoarse voice carried a cold smile. "Even if it''s someone from the Yan family of the capital, if they offend me, they still must die!"

    "Not good, young master, run!"

    When Lu Qing uttered the first word, the guard already sensed something was wrong. By the time he heard "die," he had no hesitation and made a decisive move.

    He pushed the second young master of the Zheng family backward with a soft force.

    At the same time, his right hand grabbed a short knife from his waist.

    Shield in hand, he charged at Lu Qing with ferocity, trying to force him back and buy time for his young master to escape.

    However, he was too optimistic.

    Facing the fierce shield charge, Lu Qing did not dodge. His five fingers spread, drawing a circle with his hand, pressing down on the shield with immense force.

    Boom!

    Under the crushing power, the thick shield made of refined steel shattered into pieces. The guard behind it vomited blood, his bones broken.

    How could he be so strong?!

    Defeated in one move, the guard sat on the ground in despair.

    Lu Qing''s power far exceeded his imagination. Even the martial grandmasters in the house did not possess such overwhelming strength!

    Who exactly is this mysterious man? When did such a terrifying martial artist appear in Cangzhou?

    "Your loyalty ismendable, but unfortunately, the person you are protecting is a scum."

    Lu Qing shook his head, stepping over the severely injured guard, heading towards the second young master of the Zheng family, who was too scared to run.

    "Please, don''t kill me! I beg you! If you kill me, my family won''t let you go. My father won''t let you go!"

    The second young master screamed in terror as Lu Qing approached.

    "Sir, we really have nothing to do with this vige. Please, for the sake of the Zheng family, spare my young master. We can swear never to speak of today¡¯s events!"

    The Zheng family guard spoke with difficulty, enduring his pain.

    "You think I''m killing this scum to silence him?"

    Lu Qing stopped, looking back curiously.

    The guard was taken aback. Besides this reason, he couldn¡¯t think of another motive.

    "Typical thinking of a noble family, treating human lives like grass. Let me tell you, I kill him only to seek justice for those girls he raped and killed."

    The guard''s eyes widened, seemingly realizing something.

    However, the next moment, he saw a stone fly out from Lu Qing¡¯s hand.

    Then, the second young master''s head exploded like a rotten watermelon.

    "Young master!"

    The guard cried out in grief.

    "I was nning to spare you, but you reminded me."

    Casually killing the second young master, Lu Qing turned around.

    "This scum abused and killed those girls with you present, didn''t he?"

    "Sir, you mean to say that because of those lowly brothel girls, you decided to kill my young master?" The guard said in shock.

    "Yes, isn''t that reason enough?"

    The guard remained silent.

    He wanted to say, of course, it wasn¡¯t enough!

    Those lowly people, no matter how many, couldn¡¯tpare to the worth of his young master!

    But he knew from Lu Qing''s tone that he believed this reason was sufficient.

    So he stayed silent.

    Though he said nothing, Lu Qing saw the answer in his expression.

    With a mocking smile, Lu Qing said, "As expected. In that case, you can go down and apany your young master."

    The sound of the stone breaking through the air was heard again as it flew straight towards the guard''s head.

    With a muffled sound, a blood hole appeared in the guard¡¯s forehead, his body trembled, and he copsed, life fading.

    After dealing with the guard, Lu Qing didn¡¯t linger, slowly walking into the building.

    Passing by a supposedly dead assassin¡¯s body, he suddenly kicked its temple.

    The corpse opened its eyes wide in disbelief, unable to believe its disguise had been seen through.

    Lu Qing remained calm.

    Though the assassin¡¯s Turtle Breathing Technique was profound, it was clear as day under his Soul Sensing Ability, not to mention his special power.

    Even a Precelestial wouldn¡¯t be able to hide their aura from him, let alone a mere Internal Organs Realm.

    After killing the assassin who yed dead, Lu Qing walked into the building.

    All the Internal Organs Realm martial artists in the vige had been in

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 Chapter 190

    When Lu Qing returned to Jiuli Vige, the surroundings were still shrouded in darkness; dawn had not yet arrived.

    No one knew that within one night, he had traversed over a thousand miles and utterly annihted a Seven Kill Tower stronghold hundreds of miles away.

    Sitting cross-legged on the wooden bed, Lu Qing regted his breathing for a while to calm his energy before he began to ponder.

    He mainly wanted to summarize the gains and losses of this night''s battle.

    First, there was nothing much to summarize about the opponents.

    The Yuanyang Stronghold was just an ordinary stronghold of the Seven Kill Tower, although it had several assassins at the Internal Organs Realm, and was heavily guarded with numerous sentries both overt and covert.

    However, to Lu Qing, who possessed Soul Power, these were as good as nonexistent.

    The few Internal Organs Realm assassins, led by the man in brocade robes, did not put any pressure on him.

    There was no way around it. His current umtion was far beyond the scope of an ordinary Postnatal Realm martial artist.Lu Qing estimated that with his current strength, within the Postnatal Realm, only the legendary peerless geniuses or Children of Fortune could pose a threat to him.

    Or perhaps those elite descendants meticulously nurtured by top sects, who were endowed with various powerful secret techniques.

    Other than those, even Martial Grandmasters who had tempered their Soul Power might not be his match in a normal state, let alone forcing out his various trump cards.

    Even ordinary Precelestial Realm...

    That would have to be tested inbat to know for sure.

    The results of this retaliatory action did not surprise Lu Qing.

    On the contrary, the process brought him a considerable surprise.

    The biggest surprise was the effect of the Earth Talisman.

    A single Earth Talisman allowed him to travel a thousand miles without fatigue; such auxiliary effects were truly astonishing.

    This also made Lu Qing realize that although he could currently only store five talismans in the Brow Acupoint space, with each attribute limited to one, if used properly, these five talismans could be one of his greatest trump cards.

    "If talismans condensed from elemental energy can have such divine effects, I wonder what kind of power those ¡¾Spiritual Talismans¡¿ condensed from spiritual energy would possess."

    Lu Qing couldn''t help but specte.

    The path of runes is a unique cultivation system.

    It takes all things under heaven and earth as its teachers, thus having strong adaptability and not being constrained by the cultivation environment of the time.

    During periods of abundant spiritual energy and flourishing immortal cultivation, it uses spiritual energy as the root, condensing various miraculous ¡¾Spiritual Talismans¡¿ tobat enemies and strengthen oneself.

    In times of scarce spiritual energy, it uses elemental energy to condense elemental energy talismans, which, although less powerful than ¡¾Spiritual Talismans¡¿, still possess various extraordinary abilities.

    Lu Qing had already experienced the power of elemental energy talismans.

    Naturally, he looked forward even more to the more powerful ¡¾Spiritual Talismans¡¿.

    With the imminent revival of spiritual energy, if the power of ¡¾Spiritual Talismans¡¿ is strong enough, then even if he doesn''t switch to the path of immortal cultivation, he won''t have to fear anyone in the future.

    After pondering the path of runes, Lu Qing carefully reviewed the entire process of this operation.

    After confirming that he hadn''t overlooked anything and that his identity wasn''t exposed, he finallyy down to rest for a while.

    While Lu Qing was entering dreand to rest, on the other side, in the Cangzhou Prefecture, the renowned Zheng family was shrouded in an oppressive atmosphere.

    "Are you telling me this is Yu''er?"

    In the main hall of the Zheng residence, the stern-looking head of the Zheng family asked with a face as cold as ice.

    In front of him, several guards knelt on the ground. Two corpses covered with white clothy in the center.

    One had its brow pierced, and the other was a headless corpse with its entire head blown off.

    Hearing the master''s question, the kneeling guards trembled all over and began to shiver, none daring to speak.

    As for the other guards and servants in the hall, they were even more silent, not daring to breathe too loudly, desperately lowering their presence.

    Who would have thought that the second young master would die just by going out once?

    If the old ancestor found out, who knows how many people would die.

    "I''m asking you, are you all deaf?"

    The Zheng family head''s face turned even colder.

    Feeling the increasingly icy gaze of the family head, finally, one guard trembled and spoke with difficulty.

    "Reporting to the master, when the second young master left the residence this afternoon, he was wearing this outfit, and the one apanying him was indeed Leader Yang."

    "In other words, Yu''er was killed in less than a day after going out, without even leaving aplete body. Can any of you tell me what happened? Also, where exactly did he go this afternoon?"

    Just as the guard was about to reply, an oppressive aura spread, and several figures emerged from the inner hall.

    Leading them was an olddy supported by a middle-aged beautiful woman.

    "Mother, why are you up?"

    Upon seeing her, the head of the Zheng family hurriedly stepped forward to help support the olddy.

    Seeing this, the guards and servants in the hall lowered their heads even further.

    "Hmph! Why am I up? I had justid down when Yanran came crying, saying something had happened to Yu''er. Is this true?"

    The olddy snorted coldly, and as she lightly tapped her dragon-headed cane, a muffled sound echoed, and the ground gently trembled.

    It turned out that the dragon-headed cane was made of metal and extremely heavy.

    The Zheng family head''s heart skipped a beat as he nced at his wife without leaving any trace.

    He then said sorrowfully, "Mother, I just found out about this. Yu''er has been killed!"

    "What did you say!!"

    Hearing this, the olddy''s eyes widened, and a terrifying aura emanated from her.

    "Yu''er was killed. Where is he?!"

    "Right in front of you. The guards said this headless corpse is Yu''er, but I haven''t had time to verify."

    The olddy swiftly turned her head, looking at the two corpses on the ground.

    When she came out earlier, she hadn''t noticed the corpses covered with white cloth, so she couldn''t see their attire.

    Never did she expect that one of them would be her most beloved grandson.

    The middle-aged beautiful woman was also shocked upon hearing this.

    She had only heard from her maid that something had happened to the second young master, but she didn''t expect he had died.

    Looking at the headless body, the olddy''s hands trembled slightly.

    But she was not an ordinary person; with great willpower, she suppressed her emotions and spoke in a hoarse voice.

    "Green Mother, go check."

    "Yes, Miss."

    At the olddy''s gesture, a green-d nanny with a somewhat eerie demeanor stepped forward and gently lifted the white cloth covering the headless body.

    Seeing the attire on the corpse, the olddy''s fingers trembled slightly.

    She remembered that when Yu''er came to greet her in the morning, he was wearing this outfit.

    The green-d nanny''s hand paused for a moment, but she still gently undressed the corpse.

    Then, upon seeing the distinctive birthmark on the corpse''s chest, she stopped and covered the body again before retreating.

    Returning to the olddy''s side, she reported softly, "Miss, it is indeed Young Master Yu''er."

    The olddy staggered, almost falling.

    "Mother!"

    The Zheng family head, who had been watching, quickly stepped forward to support her.

    "Get away!"

    However, in the next moment, a terrifying aura erupted from the olddy, pushing him away.

    "Who is it? Who dared to kill my Yu''er in such a cruel manner!"

    Her icy words, as if from the depths of the Nine Hells, came from her mouth, her gnashing teeth as if she wanted to devour someone.

    Table of content

 Chapter 191

    "Tell me, where and how did Yu''er die? Exin everything clearly. If not, I''ll make sure all of you apany him in death!"

    In the main hall of the Zheng residence, an old woman exuded an oppressive, chilling aura, ring at the few kneeling guards.

    Her lips, resembling old tree bark, formed words one by one.

    Although the guards felt a deep chill, they trembled as they recounted what they knew.

    "The Second Young Master''s body was found in a ce outside the city called Yuanyang Vige.

    Yesterday, we followed the Second Young Master out of the city. Before reaching a mountain vige, he found an excuse to send us away, telling us to wait for him at the foot of the mountain.

    He went into the vige alone with only Commander Yang.

    That vige, called Yuanyang Vige, is a ce for indulgence and pleasure..."

    As the guard spoke, the old woman suddenly shouted, "Nonsense! Yu''er was always so well-behaved and sensible. How could he go to such a filthy ce!"The guard was so frightened that he immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word, his body trembling even more violently.

    "Mother," the head of the Zheng family said softly.

    The old woman snorted coldly, "Continue!"

    "Yes, Ancestor."

    The guard''s body trembled, and he chose his words even more carefully.

    "After the Second Young Master entered the vige, it wasn''t long before we heard chaotic noises from the mountain. Many people fled the vige in panic.

    Sensing something was wrong, we rushed up to the vige, only to find corpses everywhere, all of them martial experts.

    Even the Second Young Master and Commander Yang were not spared.

    Commander Yang''s steel shield was shattered with a single palm strike, his bodypletely broken, and his brow pierced."

    At this point, the guard couldn''t help but shiver.

    Commander Yang was a highly skilled martial artist in the Internal Organs Realm, known for his expert use of the sword and shield technique.

    Even an average martial artist in the Internal Organs Realm wouldn''t easily defeat him.

    Yet, such a powerful Commander Yang met a tragic end with his shield broken, his death unimaginable. What kind of terrifying person could have done this?

    "In other words, as Yu''er''s guards, you didn''t even see his killer?" the old woman said coldly.

    The guards felt a deep chill, hurriedly replying, "Reporting to Ancestor, although we couldn''t catch the killer, after finding the Second Young Master''s body, we immediately captured a group of people trying to escape the vige and interrogated them.

    From their mouths, we learned that the one who killed the Second Young Master was a man in ck nightwear.

    This person was incredibly powerful, moving like a ghost. He killed everyone in Yuanyang Vige.

    More importantly, from some guests, we learned that the man in ck imed that Yuanyang Vige was actually a base of Seven Kill Tower.

    His massacre was to retaliate against Seven Kill Tower, so he didn''t kill those guests!"

    "What did you say, Seven Kill Tower, are you sure you didn''t hear wrong?!"

    The head of the Zheng family trembled, quickly asking.

    Even the old woman showed a serious expression, a gleam shing in her eyes.

    "I swear, we didn''t hear wrong. We interrogated over ten people, and they all said the same thing!" the guard said urgently.

    "Seven Kill Tower has established a base here?"

    The head of the Zheng family looked grave.

    This terrifying sect, which controlled most of the assassin world, had its power always concentrated in Zhongzhou. When did it be interested in a remote ce like Cangzhou?

    What shocked him even more was that someone dared to provoke Seven Kill Tower so boldly, destroying this base.

    Who was this person, and what was their motive?

    For a moment, the head of the Zheng family sensed something unusual.

    The old woman also had many thoughts swirling in her mind.

    But none of this couldpare to her pain of losing a grandson.

    "You say this person''s target was Seven Kill Tower, then why did he kill my Yu''er?"

    The old woman''s eyes shed with a terrifying light, staring intently at the guard. "Exin, are you lying?"

    "Injustice, Ancestor, every word I said is true. I dare not deceive Ancestor," the guard immediately cried out.

    "Then tell me, why did the man in ck kill Yu''er? Wasn''t Yu''er a guest?"

    "That''s because, because..."

    The guard stammered, too afraid to speak.

    "Because of what? Speak, or I''ll kill you with one strike!" the old woman said sternly.

    "I heard from a guest that when the Second Young Master and Commander Yang were killed, he was hiding in a corner of the building.

    He heard the man in ck say that the reason for killing the Second Young Master was to seek justice for the brothel women whom the Second Young Master had abused and tormented to death..."

    "Rubbish!"

    Before the guard could finish, the old woman could no longer endure. Her steel dragon-head cane suddenly struck the guard''s chest.

    The guard, unable to resist the blow, was sent flying. He spat a mouthful of blood in mid-air and fell heavily to the ground.

    His chest caved in, and it was clear he wouldn''t survive.

    "Those lowly brothel women, how can theypare to my Yu''er? Even a thousand, ten thousand of them couldn''tpare to a single hair of Yu''er''s!

    The vile wretch dared to humiliate Yu''er, humiliate our Zheng family. No matter who you are, I will find you, torture you to death, and tear you to pieces!"

    After sending a guard flying, the old woman''s anger showed no sign of abating. Her face was full of malice, each word dripping with venom.

    The terrifying aura she emitted pressed down on everyone in the hall, nearly suffocating them, even spilling outside, rming those outside.

    Seeing the Ancestor''s fury, the kneeling guards trembled even more, their legs weak, almost copsing.

    But even so, the old woman had no intention of sparing them.

    "And you, tasked with protecting Yu''er, yet you left your posts. Not only do you deserve death, but your families will also apany Yu''er in death!"

    The guards were shocked, about to beg for mercy, but the old woman''s dragon-head cane struck out, hitting their vital points.

    In an instant, the kneeling guards trembled, their eyes vacant, copsing dead.

    Their faces still bore expressions of terror in death.

    The smell of blood filled the hall, and everyone turned pale, drained of color.

    After a long time, the head of the Zheng family stepped forward to support the old woman.

    "Mother, the dead cannot be brought back. You must take care of your health."

    "Don''t worry, I''m not dying yet," the old woman said coldly. "Prepare the best coffin for Yu''er''s body, and as for these useless guards, death is too lenient for them.

    Bring their families; they will all apany Yu''er in death!"

    "Mother!" The head of the Zheng family was shocked. "Living sacrifice is a great taboo. Both the royal capital and the Sacred Mountain have explicitly banned it!"

    "Hmph, who said anything about living sacrifice? As long as they''re dead before being buried, it won''t be considered a living sacrifice. Yu''er died so tragically, without a father since childhood. He may be lonely in the afterlife. Sending more people to serve him, isn''t that right?"

    "But mother..."

    The head of the Zheng family wanted to say more.

    But seeing the old woman ring at him, he felt a chill in his heart.

    He could only say, "I dare not disobey. I''ll make the arrangements right away."

    Table of content

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 192

    "Moreover, no matter what methods you use, you must find the viin who killed Yu''er."

    "If I don''t torture him to death, if I don''t tear him to pieces, I swear I won''t be human!"

    The old woman gritted her teeth as she spoke.

    Her tone was chillingly cold, sending shivers down anyone''s spine.

    "Mother!" The head of the Zheng family hesitated upon hearing this, "Since that person dared to oppose the Seven Kill Tower, his identity and background must be extraordinary. If we pursue this matter..."

    Before he could finish, the old woman red at him with icy eyes. "So, you''re saying we shouldn''t avenge Yu''er?"

    The head of the Zheng family froze, swallowing hard before replying, "That''s not what I meant. I just think we should consider this matter carefully."

    "Consider carefully? You just want to drag this out until I''m dead, right?" The old woman sneered.

    "Your son dares not!"The head of the Zheng family trembled and quickly lowered his head.

    "Hmph! Only you know what you''re truly thinking. I just want to know if this dying old woman can still call the shots in the Zheng family?"

    "Mother is the pir of our family. The entire Zheng family stands because of you, so you naturally have the final say."

    "Since I can still call the shots, then you will follow my orders obediently. No matter the cost, find that man''s whereabouts before Yu''er''s seventh-day memorial.

    I don''t care who he is or how powerful his background is!

    I want his head, ced before Yu''er''s grave, to honor his spirit in heaven!"

    Seeing his mother''s vicious and sinister face, the head of the Zheng family knew that opposing her was futile.

    He could only lower his head andply, "Yes, I will take care of it."

    Watching the head of the Zheng family leave in dejection, the old woman''s face remained cold, her killing intent chilling and boiling, lingering around for a long time.

    The hall fell into a deadly silence; no one dared to move, not even to breathe loudly.

    Even the middle-aged beautiful woman was drenched in cold sweat, her back soaked.

    Outside the Zheng mansion, in another huge residence two miles away, a schrly old man was leisurely writing in his study. Suddenly, his expression changed, his wrist trembled slightly, and a drop of ink fell from his brush, spreading on the paper.

    "What madness is that old woman from the Zheng family up to again?"

    The schrly old man put down his brush, thought for a moment, and called a servant. "Go and invite the master over."

    Soon, a middle-aged man in a long robe, who bore some resemnce to the old man in demeanor, hurriedly arrived at the courtyard.

    "Grandfather, you called for me?"

    "Just now, I felt an astonishing killing intent from that old woman of the Zheng family. I don''t know what madness she''s up to again. Go and investigate." The schrly old man said.

    "The old ancestor of the Zheng family?" The middle-aged man was shocked. "Who dares to provoke her? Are they tired of living?"

    "That''s why I want you to check it out. That old woman is nearing the end of her life. If she goes mad now, no one can stop her."

    "Yes, I will investigate immediately."

    The middle-aged man left in a hurry.

    Ever since that old woman from the Zheng family was severely injured a few years ago and confirmed that she didn''t have many years left to live, she had be an untouchable existence in the prefecture.

    After all, a Precelestial Realm expert with few years left to live, if truly driven mad, who could withstand her?

    After his grandson left, the schrly old man looked up at the distant sky, which was faintly white, his emotions turbulent.

    It was indeed a turbulent time, with dark undercurrents surging everywhere.

    As a Precelestial Realm martial artist, he had an instinctive feeling that something extremely important was about to happen.

    At such a time, the old woman from the Zheng family must not go mad.

    Half an hourter, the middle-aged man returned, his face showing a very peculiar expression.

    He seemed both surprised and somewhat gloating.

    "Did you find out?" The schrly old man asked calmly.

    "I did, but..."

    "But what?"

    "ording to our spies, the second son of the Zheng family was ughtered outside the cityst night in a brothel, his head even smashed. The old ancestor of the Zheng family is furious because of this, and she has already killed several guards."

    The middle-aged man reported.

    "The second son of the Zheng family, the posthumous child of thete eldest son of the Zheng family?" The schrly old man asked.

    "That''s him, named Zheng Yu, very much loved by the old ancestor of the Zheng family. He was extremely arrogant in the prefecture. I didn''t expect him to go out of the city and get himself killed!" The middle-aged man''s face showed a hint of schadenfreude.

    "No wonder that old woman went mad." The schrly old man nodded. "Thete eldest son of the Zheng family was exceptionally talented. He became a Martial Grandmaster before the age of thirty and had a bright future, with hopes of reaching the Precelestial Realm before forty, bing the youngest Precelestial in our Cangzhou.

    But who would have thought that early fame and a smooth path of cultivation could sometimes be a disaster.

    Thete eldest son of the Zheng family, being the youngest Martial Grandmaster in Cangzhou at the time, was arrogant and full of himself, even disregarding several Precelestial Realm experts in the prefecture.

    Due to the old woman of the Zheng family and the restrictions of the Sacred Mountain decree, we didn''t pay much attention to him, which only made him more arrogant.

    Twenty years ago, a strange Precelestial Realm expert traveled to Cangzhou with his female disciple.

    The eldest son of the Zheng family, while out ying, saw that the female disciple was exceptionally beautiful and wanted to take her back to his mansion as a concubine.

    Naturally, this provoked the Precelestial Realm expert, who killed him on the spot.

    Upon hearing this, the old woman from the Zheng family went mad and chased the stranger for over three hundred miles. They fought to the death, and she managed to kill him.

    She even captured the female disciple and buried her with her son.

    But the old woman herself was severely injured, greatly reducing her lifespan. She hasn''t fully recovered to this day."

    "I didn''t know such a thing happened. So that''s how the eldest son of the Zheng family died." The middle-aged man sighed.

    "You were still young at that time, traveling with your master. The eldest son''s death was disgraceful, and the old woman was prideful, so few knew the details." The schrly old man exined.

    "The Zheng Yu you mentioned should be the posthumous child of thete eldest son. After his death, the old woman of the Zheng family changed drastically, bing extremely violent. Every day, servants were beaten to death in the Zheng mansion, and everyone lived in fear.

    Later, the wife of thete eldest son discovered she was pregnant. The old woman was overjoyed, and her violent tendencies gradually subsided.

    However, during childbirth, the wife of thete eldest son died, leaving only this single bloodline.

    The old woman naturally doted on him to the core.

    Now that you say he was killed, no wonder her killing intent was so intense earlier."

    The schrly old man felt somewhat relieved. As long as it wasn''t someone from his own household provoking that old woman, everything was still manageable.

    But he was also curious. "Did you find out who killed Zheng Yu?"

    "No, the spy reported that the Zheng family only knew it was a ck-clothed martial artist. His identity remains a mystery.

    Moreover, it seems the ck-clothed martial artist didn''t specifically target Zheng Yu. He killed him while robbing the brothel."

    "It seems we have encountered a formidable outsider. Thete eldest son of the Zheng family was also killed by a visiting Precelestial Realm expert. Unexpectedly, his son met the same fate."

    The schrly old man sighed. If it were a local martial artist, no one would dare risk provoking that old woman by killing Zheng Yu.

    Only an outsider, unaware of the local situation, would dare to take such a risk.

    "But Grandfather, I also discovered something else." The middle-aged man''s expression turned serious.

    "It''s said that the ck-clothed martial artist, while ughtering the brothel, mentioned it was a stronghold of the Seven Kill Tower and that he was targeting them."

    "Is that true?" The schrly old man was shocked.

    "I''m not sure, but that''s what the guard beside Zheng Yu said before he died. It seems highly likely."

    "The ws of the Seven Kill Tower have reached our Cangzhou? They''ve always been entrenched in Zhongzhou. And who would dare provoke such an ancient sect?"

    The schrly old man muttered, feeling that the matter was far from simple.

    However, the middle-aged man then dropped another bombshell.

    "Also, Grandfather, the spies found out that the old ancestor of the Zheng family, in her rage over Zheng Yu''s death, not only killed all the guards who failed to protect him but also ns to capture their families and nsmen for live human sacrifice to apany Zheng Yu."

    "What did you say?!"

    The schrly old man was so shocked that he couldn''t think about the Seven Kill Tower anymore. He stood up abruptly, staring at his grandson in disbelief.

    "Live human sacrifice! That old woman has truly gone mad!"

    At that moment, the schrly old man felt a wave of overwhelming sorrow, apanied by cries and wails,ing from the northwest.

    That was where the Zheng family was located.

    He shuddered, ignoring his grandson, and immediately

    used his body technique to rush towards the Zheng family.

    When the schrly old man arrived at the Zheng family, he saw arge group of people chained and kneeling on the ground, crying and begging for mercy.

    There were old and young, men and women, even infants still in swaddling clothes.

    Nearby, an elderly man had been decapitated, blood flowing everywhere. His severed head stared with wide eyes, filled with anger and sorrow.

    The schrly old man knew that the sorrow he felt earlier was from this elderly man before his death.

    He also recognized the old man.

    He was a steward of the Zheng family, with considerable internal organs cultivation, quite renowned in the prefecture.

    This man had always been loyal to the Zheng family, managing many of their businesses efficiently.

    It was said his eldest son also served as a guard in the Zheng mansion, but he too died here.

    "Spare us, old ancestor, spare us!"

    Cries for mercy rang out from the chained crowd.

    Some kowtowed so hard their foreheads bled, staining the green stone bs with blood.

    But others stared at the old woman with eyes full of hatred.

    "Spare you?"

    The old woman remained indifferent, unmoved by the scene before her.

    "If I spare you, who will spare my Yu''er?

    Your men were supposed to protect Yu''er, but they neglected their duty, causing his death.

    Those worthless wretches deserved to die. You, as their family and n, are also unforgivable and must be buried with my Yu''er!"

    "No, old ancestor, please don''t. It''s not our fault. Spare us, old ancestor!"

    The chained people were terrified, desperately kowtowing and begging for mercy.

    But the old woman remained unmoved.

    She waved her hand. "Take these wretches away and lock them up. On the day of Yu''er''s burial, send them down to serve him."

    "Yes!"

    Immediately, guards stepped forward, dragging the chained people away.

    "I won''t go, I won''t go, spare us, old ancestor, spare us!"

    The crowd panicked, some refusing to leave but were forcefully dragged away by the strong guards.

    Those who tried to escape were whipped until their flesh was torn.

    The scene at the front gate of the Zheng mansion was filled with screams and cries, a tragic sight.

    Finally, when everyone was dragged away, peace returned to the front gate of the Zheng mansion.

    The nearby residents heard the cries but, fearing the Zheng family''s power, no one dared toe out and watch, let alone intervene.

    "Old man, since you''re here, don''t hide. Come out."

    Once everything quieted down, the old woman suddenly spoke.

    The schrly old man, his face grim, revealed himself.

    The surrounding Zheng family guards were startled.

    They hadn''t noticed his presence until he revealed himself.

    To hide his presence so well under their noses.

    The answer was obvious.

    This old man must be one of the few Precelestial Realm experts in the prefecture, not to be provoked.

    "Olddy Zheng, don''t you think you''ve gone too far?" The schrly old man said grimly.

    "Oh, I''m just punishing my family''s ves. How is that too far?"

    The old woman sneered, "They all have contracts with my family. Even if I kill them all, it''s a family matter. Since when is it your business, old man?"

    "You have the right to punish your servants, but if you perform live human sacrifice, it concerns me."

    The schrly old man said solemnly.

    "Live human sacrifice is too cruel, against the principles of heaven and earth, and the Sacred Mountain forbids it. Anyone has the duty to stop it!"

    "Hahaha, heaven and earth principles?"

    The old womanughed as if hearing a joke.

    Then her face twisted with hatred. "If heaven truly had eyes, why didn''t it protect my Yu''er? My obedient Yu''er, just ying outside the city, and he met such a fate!

    Those worthless guards failed to protect him, didn''t they deserve to die?

    I want them all to be buried with my grandson!

    Whoever dares to stop me, I''ll fight them to the death!"

    With that, a powerful aura burst from the old woman.

    She mmed her dragon-headed cane on the ground, cracking the stone bs.

    Her eyes locked onto the schrly old man. "Old man Lin, are you sure you want to stop me?"

    Feeling the old woman''s overwhelming aura and her madness.

    The schrly old man''s face changed, finding himself in a dilemma.

    Table of content

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

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 Chapter 193

    After a brief standoff with the old woman of the Zheng family, the refined elder eventually chose to temporarily retreat.

    Firstly, they were in the city. If the two Precelestial Realm experts were to fight here, it would inevitably affect the nearby citizens. Viting the Sacred Mountain¡¯s prohibition would lead to both of them being held ountable, possibly even captured and imprisoned.

    Although he had ample reasons, the old woman had not yet truly performed a human sacrifice. If things escted, they would both be at fault.

    Secondly, the elder saw madness and resolve in the old woman¡¯s eyes. He could sense that if he truly tried to stop her, she would fight him to the death without hesitation. The old woman had little time left and didn¡¯t care about anything anymore. But the elder did not want to throw his life away with her.

    So, he decided to step back.

    However, before leaving, the refined elder advised, ¡°Old Madam Zheng, human sacrifice is too cruel. It goes against Heavenly Dao and damages your virtue. You are dragging the Zheng family into a bottomless abyss. Please reconsider.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! Old fool, if you don¡¯t dare to fight, get lost and stop being an eyesore! And which eye of yours saw me performing human sacrifices? I¡¯m merely dealing with some disobedient servants. Even if someone from the Sacred Mountain came, they couldn¡¯t interfere with my Zheng family¡¯s affairs!¡± the old woman replied coldly.

    Seeing this, the refined elder realized that the old woman hadpletely lost her mind and couldn¡¯t be persuaded. Shaking his head, he turned and left.

    Watching his departing figure, the old woman¡¯s eyes filled with disdain. Years ago, when her eldest son was killed by an outsider at the Precelestial Realm, she had begged these old fellows for help to avenge him. They all refused, unwilling to assist. If they had helped back then, she wouldn¡¯t have been severely injured, shortening her lifespan. Now, she was merely dealing with some servants, and they all jumped out to stop her. Hypocrites!The refined elder walked home with a heavy heart. Suddenly, he sensed something and looked at the top of a nearby tower. He saw an old man with crane-white hair and a middle-aged man with a jade-like face standing there, smiling.

    ¡°You came too?¡±

    With a slight movement, the refined elder leaped to the tower top.

    ¡°With your Precelestial auras almost covering half the city, how could we note?¡± The old man with crane-white hair said helplessly, ¡°Brother Lin, why provoke that old woman? You know her temperament. She is no longer the person we knew in our youth.¡±

    ¡°But she is performing human sacrifices. This method is too cruel and against the Heavenly Dao. It will bring trouble from the Sacred Mountain, and the whole Zheng family will suffer.¡±

    ¡°Then let her perform it!¡± The middle-aged man with a jade-like face said indifferently. ¡°If she wants to drag the Zheng family to death, can you stop her?¡±

    The refined elder smiled bitterly and shook his head.

    The old man with crane-white hair understood his thoughts. When they were young, the refined elder, the old woman, and the now-deceased patriarch of the Zheng family were close friends. But due to differences in ideals and life experiences, they gradually drifted apart. However, the refined elder still held onto that old friendship.

    ¡°Brother Lin, I know you still remember our youthful promises. But you should understand that the old woman has long changed. She is no longer the white-robed heroine we knew. Now, she is ruthless, paranoid, crazy, and cold-hearted, apletely different person.¡±

    The refined elder remained silent for a while before sighing, ¡°Of course I know, but seeing those people¡¯s miserable conditions, including infants less than a year old, how can I bear it?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re overthinking it. Don¡¯t forget, we still have the City Lord¡¯s mansion. Our City Lord is not a weakling. If the old woman truly performs human sacrifices, the City Lord¡¯s mansion will not sit idly by. How else can they maintain order in Cangzhou?¡±

    The refined elder paused, his eyes brightening as he fell into deep thought.

    Although the conflict between the old woman and the refined elder didn¡¯t erupt, their conversation spread, and rumors about the Zheng family performing human sacrifices for the deceased grandson began circting in the city.

    ¡°Yuanhao, how is the investigation of the person who killed Yu¡¯er going?¡± The old woman asked coldly.

    ¡°Mother,¡± the head of the Zheng family said with difficulty, ¡°I¡¯ve used all our resources to investigate, but we can¡¯t find any trace. We only know that the ck-d martial artist who killed Yu¡¯er is a Martial Grandmaster skilled in hidden weapons and fist techniques. We can¡¯t find any information about his identity. It¡¯s as if he appeared out of thin air.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t find anything? So, Yu¡¯er died in vain?¡± the old woman asked, staring at her second son.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. It¡¯s just that he appeared too mysteriously, and our resources are insufficient to discover anything.¡±

    ¡°If our resources aren¡¯t enough, can¡¯t you use others? The Seven Kill Tower had a stronghold destroyed. Don¡¯t they have any information? Can¡¯t you inquire there?¡±

    The head of the Zheng family was taken aback, not having thought of this.

    Seeing her son¡¯s clueless expression, the old woman felt even more disappointed. If her eldest son were still alive, he would not have overlooked this.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, mother. I¡¯ll send someone to the Seven Kill Tower immediately.¡± The head of the Zheng family responded quickly.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± The old woman snorted.

    Silence fell over the room again.

    After a while, the head of the Zheng family recalled another report and hesitated before speaking.

    ¡°Mother, there are rumors in the city that we¡¯re performing human sacrifices. If these rumors spread, it will be very detrimental to our family.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then it¡¯s exactly what I want!¡± To his surprise, the old woman wasn¡¯t fazed but instead sneered.

    ¡°I want this rumor to spread far and wide, throughout Cangzhou. The person who killed Yu¡¯er imed to be righteous. If so many people are about to die tragically because of him, let¡¯s see if he dares toe out and stop it!¡±

    ¡°Mother, you¡­¡±

    The head of the Zheng family was shocked, never expecting such a n.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, though I am filled with hatred, I haven¡¯t lost my mind. I wouldn¡¯t actually perform human sacrifices. Just follow my instructions and prepare.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother. I¡¯ll make the arrangements immediately.¡±

    Relieved that his mother wasn¡¯t truly mad, the head of the Zheng family bowed and left happily.

    He didn¡¯t notice the suddenly cold and venomous look in his mother¡¯s eyes behind him.

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 Chapter 194

    Early in the morning, Lu Qing brought Xiao Yan and Xiao Li to the Halfway House.

    They happened to see the Wei family''s old ancestor there, while the old doctor was brewing tea under a plum tree.

    "Greetings, Senior Wei," Lu Qing saluted.

    "Good morning, Grandpa Wei," Xiao Yan also greeted politely.

    "Good, good," Wei Shanhai smiled warmly. "By the way, Lu Xiangjun, the materials you asked me to find a few days ago have been gathered. I have ced them inside the house. You can check if there is anything missingter."

    "All the materials have been gathered?"

    Lu Qing was pleasantly surprised.

    He went into the house to check and indeed found all the materials.

    He hurried out to express his gratitude, "Thank you, Senior Wei, for gathering these materials. Please let me know how much it cost, and I willpensate you.""Lu Xiangjun, you tter this old man. It''s just some materials, nothing worth mentioning. Your kindness to our Wei family is not something that can be repaid with these small items," Wei Shanhaiughed.

    Lu Qing insisted a little more, but seeing Wei Shanhai''s persistence, he had to give up.

    "Then I will thick-skinnedly ept them."

    "That''s the right attitude. But I''m also quite curious, Lu Xiangjun, some of the materials you asked for are quite peculiar. What are they for?" Wei Shanhai asked.

    "I''m nning to experiment with something. As for the specifics, I hope Senior Wei can allow me to keep it a secret for now. I will exin everything once it''s sessful."

    "Haha, then I will eagerly await it."

    Seeing that Lu Qing was not willing to reveal more, Wei Shanhai wasn''t angry but became even more expectant.

    Last time, Lu Qing asked their Wei family to find materials, which he used to make a mysterious ming liquid. With that, he forged a rare divine weapon.

    This time, the materials Lu Qing requested were even more peculiar, so what he nned to experiment with must be extraordinary.

    He was very much looking forward to it.

    "Here, Wei Laozhang, have some tea."

    At this time, the old doctor had finished brewing tea.

    Xiao Yan sensibly took Xiao Li to the study to read.

    Lu Qing also sat down to chat with the two elders.

    "Good tea!" Wei Shanhai took a sip and praised, "Old doctor, your plum tea always has a unique taste. Your tea-brewing skills are truly remarkable."

    "It''s just that this plum tree is special. My tea-brewing skills are quite ordinary," the old doctorughed.

    Although Wei Shanhai knew this was modesty, he couldn''t help but nod.

    He looked at the plum tree behind the old doctor with some envy.

    This plum tree had been nourished by the liquid of heaven and earth''s spiritual energy and had long mutated into a rare treasure tree.

    He regretted that when he reached the Precelestial Realm, he hadn''t thought of this.

    If he had sought a good tea tree to break through at that time, he would also have a treasure tea now.

    However, Wei Shanhai knew he was just daydreaming.

    Back then, when he saw the opportunity to break through, he was ecstatic and forgot everything else, only focusing on the breakthrough, afraid of missing the chance.

    How could he have thought so far ahead and made such borate arrangements?

    After drinking several cups of tea, the conversation grew lively.

    "By the way, Lu Xiangjun, many of the materials you needed were bought from the state capital. Yesterday, the steward who escorted the materials brought some news about recent major events."

    "Oh, what interesting news?" Lu Qing asked with interest.

    Nowadays, with the changes in heaven and earth imminent, he was very concerned about the world''s movements.

    "The first major event is from Jizhou. In the past few months, a very powerful demon has appeared there, who likes to hunt down martial arts experts.

    This demon seems to practice some kind of demonic skill that can absorb a person''s blood and marrow, extremely tyrannical and terrifying.

    Every martial artist he kills is drained of blood and marrow, looking like a dried corpse, very frightening.

    And this demon seems to specifically target young, talented martial artists.

    So far, dozens of young martial artists have fallen victim to him, many of whom are disciples of sects in Jizhou, including some at the Internal Organs Realm.

    This matter has caused an uproar in Jizhou, and the major sects have already sent experts to kill this demon to avenge their disciples."

    "Is there such a thing?"

    The old doctor and Lu Qing were both shocked.

    Especially Lu Qing, who thought of some unpleasant things from the description of those martial artists'' deaths.

    "This matter is absolutely true. Nowadays, people in Jizhou are very fearful, and many young martial artists dare not travel outside, afraid of encountering this demon and bing his prey," Wei Shanhai said seriously.

    Lu Qing thought for a moment, "Senior Wei, I remember your eldest son is learning martial arts in Jizhou. Isn''t that..."

    "No need to worry. Haor has been traveling in Zhongzhou with a few of his fellow disciples for half a year, not in Jizhou."

    Hearing this, Wei Shanhai was also somewhat relieved.

    Otherwise, given the demon''s cruelty, he wouldn''t have been sure that Wei Zihao wouldn''t fall victim.

    The old doctor pondered and asked, "Can absorb blood and marrow, could that demon be a demonic cultivator at the Precelestial Realm?"

    "I don''t know, but I think not," Wei Shanhai shook his head.

    "For the past thousand years, since the establishment of the Sacred Mountain, demonic cultivation has been in decline. It''s been a long time since a Precelestial demonic cultivator appeared. If this demon were really at the Precelestial Realm, the Sacred Mountain would have taken action."

    "If not a Precelestial demonic cultivator, the Sacred Mountain won''t take action?" Lu Qing asked.

    "That''s right. The Sacred Mountain''s status is so high that it can''t possibly manage everything.

    Except for some principled prohibitions, it won''t intervene in fights below the Precelestial Realm.

    Even wars involving hundreds of thousands, it would just observe and remain indifferent.

    If that demon hasn''t reached the Precelestial Realm, the Sacred Mountain would probably still do nothing.

    After all, the world is vast, and martial artists are countless. The deaths of dozens of young martial artists may be a big deal in Jizhou, but looking at the whole world, it''s not much."

    Lu Qing pondered these words, gaining a deeper understanding of the Sacred Mountain''s stance.

    "If the demon only wreaks havoc in Jizhou, it''s still fine," Wei Shanhai continued.

    "I''m worried that now the major sects in Jizhou have sent experts to eliminate the demon. If the demon sees things going badly and flees to our Cangzhou, it will be troublesome.

    For instance, Lu Xiangjun, you must be extremely careful. The demon likes to target young, talented martial artists and mighte for you.

    Demonic cultivators have strange skills, very different from our martial arts. You must be extra cautious."

    The old doctor also said seriously, "That''s right, Ah Qing, you must be careful."

    Lu Qing was on the Hidden Dragon List, a true peerless genius.

    ording to the demon''s pattern, if he fled to Cangzhou, Wei Shanhai''s worry was not unfounded.

    "Yes, I will be careful," Lu Qing replied earnestly.

    Although he was confident, he didn''t think there was no one in the world who could harm him.

    ording to Wei Shanhai, if the demon''s skills were what he suspected, he really couldn''t be careless.

    "Besides the matter in Jizhou, there''s another major event."

    Seeing that Lu Qing had taken the warning to heart, Wei Shanhai continued chatting.

    "But this event happened in our Cangzhou, just in the past two days."

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 Chapter 195

    ¡°Oh, I wonder what major event has happened in Cangzhou this time?¡±

    Upon hearing Wei Shanhai mention something about Cangzhou, Lu Qing¡¯s thoughts stirred slightly, and he asked nonchntly.

    ¡°Two days ago, something happened over at the state capital.

    There was a brothel, a ce of ill repute, which for some unknown reason was massacred.

    It wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal¡ªthese small, shady factions often offend others and get destroyed frequently, which isn''t surprising.

    But unexpectedly, the second young master of the Zheng family from the capital was also there and was killed.

    This incident stirred up a ho¡¯s nest.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? Is the Zheng family in the capital very powerful?¡± The old doctor was a bit curious.

    ¡°The Zheng family in the capital is a long-standing and powerful family.Their heritage is well-known throughout the state, ranking among the most powerful families in Cangzhou.

    Their ancestral matriarch, though a woman, has profound cultivation and was a formidable martial artist at the peak of the Precelestial Realm many years ago.

    Although she was severely injured and couldn¡¯t advance further due to some events, she remains one of the strongest in the capital¡¯s Precelestial Realm.¡±

    Wei Shanhai exined.

    ¡°Is the big event you mentioned rted to this Zheng family?¡± Lu Qing continued to ask.

    It seemed that the matter of Yuanyang Vige being a Seven Kill Tower base had not spread.

    It was uncertain whether the news was deliberately covered up or if the guests who escaped hadn¡¯t spread the word.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Shanhai nodded.

    ¡°Initially, the death of the Zheng family¡¯s second young master wasn¡¯t considered a major issue.

    In these times, even disciples from top sects can die if they are careless during training, let alone a mere family young master.

    But this second young master was the beloved grandson of the Zheng family¡¯s matriarch.

    After his death, the matriarch went mad, not only executing all his guards but also imprisoning their wives and children, threatening to sacrifice them alive during her grandson¡¯s burial.¡± ?

    Hearing about live human sacrifices, Lu Qing didn¡¯t react much.

    He was just a bit shocked by the Zheng matriarch¡¯s ruthlessness.

    Killing the guards for failing to protect was understandable, but involving their families was excessive.

    Such behavior was unexpected for a prominent family.

    The old doctor, however, was horrified: ¡°Live human sacrifice? Is the Zheng family matriarch really that cruel?¡±

    ¡°Master, what is a live human sacrifice?¡±

    Lu Qing had rarely seen his master so agitated and couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Live human sacrifice is an extremely cruel burial practice.¡±

    Before the old doctor could respond, Wei Shanhai had already exined.

    ¡°In this practice, the sacrificial person is given a life-prolonging drug and then tortured with various severe methods. Finally, when they are on theirst breath, they are sealed in y, made into a y figurine, and buried with the deceased.

    Because of the life-prolonging drug, even as a y figurine, the person inside doesn¡¯t die immediately but hangs on to ast breath.

    Then, in the eternal darkness of the grave, filled with immense fear, they slowly feel their life ebbing away, ultimately dying in endless resentment.¡±

    Lu Qing shivered slightly.

    He hadn¡¯t expected live human sacrifice to be so cruel, no wonder his master was so moved.

    The old doctor¡¯s face turned pale: ¡°I remember this practice was banned by royal decree due to its cruelty and vition of naturalws.¡±

    Wei Shanhai nodded: ¡°Not only the royal capital, but even the Sacred Mountain issued a decree against live human sacrifices.

    Hence, it¡¯s rare for such incidents to ur nowadays.

    Even if someone were to perform this ritual, they would do it secretly, not daring to be overt.¡±

    ¡°Then why would the Zheng matriarch dare to defy the world¡¯s condemnation and perform such a cruel and inhumane ritual?¡± the old doctor asked.

    ¡°Indeed, isn¡¯t she afraid of the Sacred Mountain sending someone to hold her ountable?¡± Lu Qing added.

    ¡°That I do not know,¡± Wei Shanhai shook his head.

    ¡°But there are rumors that the Zheng matriarch has gone mad.

    She had two sons; the elder son was highly talented in martial arts and one of the most famous young talents in Cangzhou.

    The Zheng matriarch loved him dearly and intended to groom him as the family head.

    But unexpectedly, the elder son offended a passing Precelestial Realm martial artist and was killed on the spot.

    The Zheng matriarch, upon hearing this, fought the Precelestial Realm martial artist to avenge her son.

    However, she was severely injured, her lifespan greatly reduced, and she has only a few years left to live.

    It¡¯s said that the recently deceased second young master was the posthumous child of her elder son.

    With such sessive blows and her own nearing end, the Zheng matriarch might have lost her sanity, disregarding the Sacred Mountain¡¯s ban.¡±

    ¡°Even so, she shouldn¡¯t perform live human sacrifice. This practice is too cruel. It is said that those tormented by this ritual have lingering resentment, their souls trapped in the y figurines, unable to enter reincarnation or find peace. It¡¯s a great vition of naturalws.¡± The old doctor¡¯s face remained grim.

    ¡°Senior Wei, since the royal capital has banned this practice, isn¡¯t there anyone in the state capital to stop it?¡± Lu Qing asked.

    ¡°The rumors about the Zheng family¡¯s live human sacrifices haven¡¯t been confirmed, and the Zheng family vehemently denies it.

    Without concrete evidence, not even the city lord¡¯s mansion can act against the Zheng family.

    But what¡¯s strange is that despite these damaging rumors, the Zheng family hasn¡¯t tried to stop them, letting them spread unchecked.

    Moreover, they indeed imprisoned the families of those guards.

    So, many believe the rumors might not be baseless.

    As a result, there¡¯s tension in the state capital, with everyone uncertain if the Zheng matriarch will truly go mad and perform such a heinous act during her grandson¡¯s burial.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope the Zheng matriarch shows mercy and doesn¡¯tmit more sins.¡±

    Hearing there might still be a chance, the old doctor felt somewhat relieved.

    He was always kind-hearted and couldn¡¯t bear the thought of such cruelty.

    ¡°But I heard that among the imprisoned families, there¡¯s even a child less than a year old. If the child were to suffer such a fate, it would be too horrific.¡± Wei Shanhai sighed.

    The old doctor¡¯s face turned heavy again.

    Lu Qing, however, felt a sudden realization from Wei Shanhai¡¯s words, suspecting something.

    But he kept his face calm, continuing to chat with the two elderly men.

    Afterward, Wei Shanhai shared more recent events from around the world.

    Although the Wei family lived in a remote area, they kept an eye on external affairs.

    Especially after nearly facing annihtion two years ago and knowing that the world was on the brink of great changes, they were particrly sensitive to external happenings.

    Lu Qing thus gained a lot of information about the world.

    After Wei Shanhai had finished talking and returned to his courtyard, Lu Qing went back home, his expression calm as he quietly pondered.

    Table of content

 Chapter 196

    "This old ancestor of the Zheng family, allowing rumors detrimental to her own family to spread, is she trying to provoke me into revealing myself?"

    Lu Qing pondered quietly.

    When Wei Shanhai mentioned that the Zheng family did not admit to performing live human sacrifices but also did not stop the rumors, he roughly guessed their intention.

    Previously, when he attacked Yuanyang Vige, he used multiple disguises and even employed the Earth Movement Talisman, a profound talisman.

    Even if his master was present at the time, it would be difficult to see through his true identity, let alone the Zheng family.

    ording to Wei Shanhai''s description, the personality of the old ancestor of the Zheng family was such that she could hold grudges against innocent guards and nsmen, being narrow-minded and vicious to such an extent. It was impossible for her not to hate him, the one who personally killed her grandson, to the core.

    It was just that he hid his tracks so well that they had no way to investigate.

    But it was clear that the old ancestor of the Zheng family would never let go of her hatred for him.

    She would definitely try every possible means to find him."Is it because those guests knew the reason I killed Zheng Yu, and thus she wants to use morality as a hook to force me out?"

    Lu Qing tapped his fingers lightly on the table, roughly guessing some of the old ancestor''s thoughts.

    At that time, he did not kill those guests and prostitutes.

    Firstly, because the information obtained through his abilities showed that those people had no significant sins, especially those women forced into prostitution, who were pitiable.

    Although he did not see himself as a saint, he did not want to kill innocents indiscriminately.

    Secondly, he was confident in his disguise abilities, believing that no one could see through his true identity at that time.

    Naturally, he felt it was unnecessary to kill them to silence them.

    Now it seemed that while no one could see through his identity, some information about him was still leaked.

    "If I were a young warrior full of a sense of justice, I might indeed have been tricked by now."

    Lu Qing shook his head, slightly amused.

    But slowly, his smile faded, and a strange look appeared in his eyes.

    "However, even though I know this is a trap, I still want to kill you. What should I do?"

    Lu Qing had to admit that the other party''s n was indeed clever.

    Even though he saw through their intention, he couldn''t help but feel a surge of killing intent.

    This trap was both a scheme and an open plot, aimed at attacking his heart.

    "Moreover, are you so sure you can handle me?"

    The next day, Lu Qing arrived at the Wei family''s vi.

    "Lu Xiangjun, what did you say? You want to spar with me?"

    Wei Shanhai looked at Lu Qing, who had a sincere expression, and wondered if he had heard wrong.

    Mago and Wei Zian, who were beside him, also stared at Lu Qing in astonishment.

    Especially Wei Zian, who was full of disbelief.

    What did he just hear? Lu Qing actually wanted to challenge their ancestor, a Precelestial Realm expert?

    "Yes, the junior has recently encountered a bottleneck in his cultivation and can''t figure out some things. I want to spar with the senior to see if I can gain some insights. I hope Senior Wei will not hesitate to give me some advice." Lu Qing said seriously.

    Seeing that Lu Qing was not joking, Wei Shanhai became more serious.

    "In that case, why not ask your master for guidance? Doctor Chen''s martial realm is much higher than mine and should be better able to guide you."

    Wei Shanhai had always greatly admired Doctor Chen''s martial prowess.

    Especially his mastery of the harmoniousbination of water and fire and the concept of the Precelestial Domain, which Wei Shanhai had asked about many times but could neverprehend.

    "I don''t need guidance; I need pressure," Lu Qing shook his head. "Senior Wei should know that my master does not like to fight with others and is very fond of me. Sparring with him would not give me any pressure."

    "That''s true."

    Wei Shanhai nodded, recalling Doctor Chen''s character.

    To be honest, after knowing Doctor Chen for a long time, he had been surprised many times.

    Doctor Chen, who did not like fighting and was not very enthusiastic about martial arts, did not seem like a warrior at all.

    Yet his achievements in martial arts far exceeded Wei Shanhai''s understanding.

    This was something he could never figure out.

    However...

    Wei Shanhai looked at Lu Qing and asked, "To need to spar with a Precelestial Realm expert to feel pressure, what level has your cultivation reached, Lu Xiangjun?"

    This was something Wei Shanhai had been curious about for a long time.

    About a year and a half ago, he suddenly realized he could no longer see through Lu Qing''s cultivation.

    At that time, he was quite shocked.

    After all, as a Precelestial Realm expert, not being able to see through the cultivation of a Postnatal Realm warrior was simply unbelievable.

    At that time, Lu Qing exined that he had practiced a peculiar secret method that could hide his cultivation aura from others.

    Now, a year and a half had passed, and Wei Shanhai was very curious about Lu Qing''s current cultivation level.

    Upon hearing this, Mago and Wei Zian also perked up and looked at Lu Qing intently.

    They, whose cultivation levels were much lower than Lu Qing''s, had already been unable to sense his true cultivation level for two years.

    Seeing this, Lu Qing knew he had to reveal a bit of his strength.

    He restrained the power of his Soul Talisman and let a bit of his true aura leak out.

    Then, Mago and Wei Zian felt a strong aura like that of an ancient fierce beasting at them, causing them to involuntarily step back a few paces, their eyes full of astonishment.

    Wei Shanhai was also shocked, his face showing surprise.

    After a long while, he sighed, "The pinnacle of the Postnatal Realm, the realm of a Martial Grandmaster. Lu Xiangjun, you have indeed reached such a level."

    Actually, when Lu Qing mentioned that only a Precelestial Realm expert could give him pressure, Wei Shanhai had already guessed it.

    However, when he truly sensed Lu Qing''s cultivation, he couldn''t help but be surprised.

    After all, if he remembered correctly, Lu Qing was not yet neen years old.

    A neen-year-old Martial Grandmaster, such an achievement, even in thend of Zhongzhou, filled with talented people, would be unparalleled.

    Moreover, over the past two years, he also knew that Lu Qing had truly practiced martial arts for less than three years.

    In less than three years, from not being a warrior to reaching the realm of a Grandmaster...

    This was an astonishing cultivation speed.

    No wonder he was a peerless genius blessed with great fortune!

    Wei Shanhai sighed in his heart again.

    As for Mago and Wei Zian, they were already dumbfounded.

    "Brother Lu Qing, have you really be a Martial Grandmaster?" Mago asked with wide eyes.

    "I was fortunate to break through a few days ago." Lu Qing nodded. "But it is also because of this that I have encountered a bottleneck, so I want to spar with Senior Wei to see if I can gain some insights."

    "I see. With your strength, only a Precelestial Realm expert can give you pressure."

    Wei Shanhai understood.

    When Lu Qing was at the peak of the Tendons and Bones Realm, he could already defeat a Martial Grandmaster.

    Now that he had achieved the pinnacle of the Postnatal Realm, his strength had increased to an unknown extent.

    But it was obvious that ordinary Martial Grandmasters could no longer be his opponents.

    Thinking of this, Wei Shanhai also felt a bit excited.

    He also wanted to know how strong Lu Qing was now.

    "Lu Xiangjun, where shall we spar?"

    Table of content

 Chapter 197

    In the depths of the mountains, a certain valley.

    Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai were standing opposite each other, holding their weapons.

    Of course, their weapons were just ordinary hundred-folded battle knives, not divine weapons.

    After all, they were just sparring, not fighting for their lives.

    "Lu Xiangjun, this ce is quiet and pleasant, with a broad view. It really is a good spot for sparring," Wei Shanhai praised as he looked around the surroundings.

    "I discovered this ce by chance when I was gathering herbs in the mountains. I asionallye here to practice. It is indeed a good spot," Lu Qing said with a smile.

    The other courtyard was too close to Jiuli Vige.

    The aura of a Precelestial expert was too terrifying for ordinary people.

    There were many elderly people in the vige, and to avoid scaring them, Lu Qing chose to spar in the mountains, far from the vige.Mago looked around and recognized this ce. It was the nameless valley where Lu Qing had saved him when he was being chased.

    At that time, Lu Qing, along with Xiao Li, had killed two disciples of the Tian Cang Sect.

    Wei Zian, however, did not care about the environment of the valley. Standing on the hillside, he was eagerly watching the two below, full of anticipation.

    When they saw that Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai were about to spar, they naturally didn''t want to miss such a great show, so they shamelessly followed along.

    "Master, who do you think will win this sparring match, Dr. Lu Qing or the Old Ancestor?" Wei Zian asked.

    Mago thought for a moment and said hesitantly, "I can''t say."

    Logically speaking, although Lu Qing was a Martial Grandmaster, he was still in the Postnatal Realm, while the Wei family¡¯s Old Ancestor was a Precelestial expert.

    The gap in their cultivation was immense, and there was no doubt that the Wei family¡¯s Old Ancestor should be stronger.

    But somehow, Mago felt that things might not be so simple.

    Since he had known Lu Qing, the young man had created too many miracles and given him too many shocks.

    So even in a fight between a Postnatal and a Precelestial, he still felt that Lu Qing would not be easily defeated.

    Wei Shanhai had no such confusion.

    As a Precelestial expert, he had absolute confidence.

    Although Lu Qing was a rare Martial Dao genius, with an unlimited future on the martial path, he had not yet fully matured.

    The gap between the Postnatal and Precelestial realms was not something that could be bridged by talent alone.

    So he was still very rxed.

    Looking at Lu Qing, Wei Shanhai said, "Lu Xiangjun, how do you want to spar?"

    "I want to experience the true power of the Precelestial Realm. Is that possible?" Lu Qing asked.

    "Are you sure?" Wei Shanhai was taken aback.

    "Yes, please, Senior Wei," Lu Qing said earnestly.

    Seeing the sincere look on Lu Qing¡¯s face, Wei Shanhai¡¯s expression gradually became serious.

    Suddenly, he smiled again. "The power of the Precelestial Realm is not easily withstood. How about this, I will suppress my power to the Postnatal Realm. If you can push me to a certain extent, you will naturally experience the power of the Precelestial Realm."

    Lu Qing thought about it and found it reasonable.

    If he couldn¡¯t even defeat Wei Shanhai when his power was suppressed to the Postnatal Realm, how could he qualify to witness the power of the Precelestial Realm?

    So he nodded, "Alright, please instruct me, Senior Wei."

    With a wave of his long knife, he assumed a starting stance.

    Seeing Lu Qing¡¯s stable and poised stance, Wei Shanhai¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "Good knife stance, Lu Xiangjun, your knife technique has already reached an extraordinary level."

    Wei Shanhai was also proficient in knife techniques, and at this moment, he was thrilled to see Lu Qing¡¯s level.

    However, he did not move, waiting for Lu Qing to make the first move.

    As a Precelestial martial artist, Wei Shanhai was very proud.

    He would not make the first move in a sparring match with a Postnatal martial artist.

    Lu Qing understood this. After saying "Excuse me," he lunged forward.

    When he reached Wei Shanhai, Lu Qing¡¯s wrist moved slightly, and in an instant, the long knife was out of its sheath. The cold light of the knife shed swiftly toward Wei Shanhai.

    The cold intent of the knife made Mago and Wei Zian, who were standing on the hillside, get goosebumps, and their eyes were filled with astonishment.

    "This knife technique!"

    Even Wei Shanhai was surprised by the power of Lu Qing¡¯s knife.

    The power and precision of Lu Qing¡¯s knife far exceeded that of an ordinary knife master.

    He recalled the scene two years ago when Lu Qing fought against Zhao Xiong, Wang Cangyi''s senior disciple.

    At that time, Lu Qing¡¯s cultivation was far inferior to Zhao Xiong¡¯s, but he was able to fight him to a standstill with his knife technique.

    Now, two yearster, Lu Qing¡¯s progress in knife techniques was evident.

    However, Wei Shanhai was still a Precelestial expert with profound knowledge in knife techniques.

    Though surprised, his actions were not slow.

    With a flow of light, Wei Shanhai¡¯s long knife drew a circr arc, and he also shed out.

    The timing was perfect, striking at the peak of Lu Qing¡¯s knife momentum.

    It was a move to counter strength with strength, attack with attack, to crush Lu Qing¡¯s momentum head-on.

    ng!

    The two knives collided, and in the next moment, countless knife lights shone around the two of them.

    In an instant, it was impossible to tell how many times they had exchanged blows.

    One could only seeyers of energy and knife aura erupting from the sh between Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai, like a violent storm, surging and roaring.

    Both chose to attack with speed, using fast knives to battle.

    Standing on the hillside, Mago and Wei Zian were watching with bated breath, so engrossed that they almost forgot to breathe.

    Neither had expected that the battle would be so intense right from the start.

    In this way, after ten or so breaths of fast-knife exchanges between Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai, suddenly, the knife lights disappeared, and a figure retreated sharply.

    Retreating more than ten steps before steadying himself, he looked ahead in shock.

    His clothes had several noticeable cracks.

    "What? The Old Ancestor retreated?"

    "Did Brother Lu Qing win?"

    Mago and Wei Zian eximed in disbelief.

    It turned out that the one who retreated was Wei Shanhai.

    "Knife intent..."

    At this moment, Wei Shanhai¡¯s heart was filled with waves of shock.

    He swallowed hard, looking at Lu Qing in disbelief.

    "Lu Xiangjun, you have actually stepped into the realm of knife intent andprehendedplete knife intent?"

    "While practicing my knife technique a few days ago, I was fortunate enough to have some insight," Lu Qing said as he put away his battle knife, his clothes intact.

    "It really is knife intent..."

    Although he was somewhat prepared, hearing Lu Qing¡¯s confirmation still made Wei Shanhai¡¯s heart beat violently.

    "Toprehendplete knife intent while in the Postnatal Realm, Lu Xiangjun, you and your master both have monstrous martial Daoprehension."

    The old doctor could exhibit a trace of Precelestial domain intent with his initial Precelestial cultivation, andterprehended the bnce of water and fire, being able to cultivate two types of Precelestial true qi. This had already shocked Wei Shanhai enough.

    He didn''t expect Lu Qing to be no less impressive than his master.

    Toprehendplete knife intent while still in the Postnatal Realm.

    The realm of "intent" was extremely mysterious.

    Even a Precelestial expert who had been in the realm for many years might not necessarilyprehend their unique "intent."

    Even Wei Shanhai himself only graduallyprehended his knife intent decades after stepping into the Precelestial Realm.

    Yet Lu Qing, at such a young age, without even breaking through to the Precelestial Realm, had alreadyprehendedplete knife intent.

    If this news were to spread, it would immediately cause a sensation in the entire cultivation world.

    More importantly, Wei Shanhai felt that Lu Qing¡¯s knife intent was even more profound than his own Precelestial-level knife intent.

    In the final dozens of moves of their fast-knife duel, he waspletely suppressed by Lu Qing.

    Using his own knife intent to control his knife technique, he could not find any ws in Lu Qing¡¯s knife technique.

    Instead, his own moves were repeatedly found to have ws by Lu Qing, cutting through his clothes.

    If not for Lu Qing showing mercy, he would have been wounded long ago.

    "Senior Wei, do you still want to continue sparring with me at the Postnatal level?" Lu Qing asked.

    "There''s no need to spar further," Wei Shanhai said with a bitter smile, "Just in terms of knife technique, I am alreadypletely defeated by you."

    As he said this, his heart was still somewhat bitter.

    Before sparring with Lu Qing, he had been full of confidence.

    He thought that although Lu Qing had unparalleled talent and was a rare martial Dao genius in centuries, he would surely struggle against his Precelestial-level martial Dao awareness.

    Unexpectedly, it was he who ended up defeated.

    "Do I now qualify to witness the power of the Precelestial Realm

    ?" Lu Qing continued to ask.

    "Of course."

    As a Precelestial expert, Wei Shanhai quickly adjusted his mindset, his expression serious.

    "However, Lu Xiangjun, I must tell you that the power of the Precelestial Realm is on apletely different levelpared to the Postnatal Realm.

    In the Precelestial Realm, one cultivates Precelestial true qi.

    Using the mind as a guide to absorb the energy of heaven and earth, refining it into Precelestial true qi, which is extremely mysterious and contains immense power.

    Techniques driven by it are incredibly powerful, far beyond what the Postnatal Realm canpare to.

    The same martial art, when driven by a Precelestial martial artist using Precelestial true qi, its power is at least several times, or even dozens of times stronger than when used in the Postnatal Realm.

    The two arepletely iparable."

    "I understand," Lu Qing said solemnly.

    Wei Shanhai¡¯s meaning was clear.

    Although he had slightly lost to Lu Qing in knife technique just now, if he used Precelestial true qi, the oue would bepletely different.

    When power reaches a certain level, it can almost ignore technique.

    Moreover, Wei Shanhai alsoprehended knife intent.

    If he used Precelestial true qi, it would be Lu Qing who would be overwhelmed.

    However...

    Although Wei Shanhai did not go all out just now, did Lu Qing show all his cards?

    Lu Qing¡¯s eyes gleamed with fighting spirit.

    Without a real fight, experiencing the true power of the Precelestial Realm, how could he prepare for what he nned to do next?

    "Good, very good! You truly deserve to be called a child of fortune born in this era of great change, only someone with such courage can be worthy of that title."

    Feeling Lu Qing¡¯s fighting spirit, Wei Shanhai was also filled with heroic excitement, cheering loudly.

    Lu Qing smiled slightly. He never took the title of "child of fortune" seriously.

    He always believed more in his own strength and the knife in his hand!

    "Please instruct me, Senior!"

    "Alright!"

    As soon as he said "alright," an overwhelming aura erupted from Wei Shanhai¡¯s body.

    The powerful Precelestial pressure appeared out of thin air, pressing down on Lu Qing.

    Mago and Wei Zian, who were on the hillside, felt the pressure and immediately felt a weight on their bodies, their legs turned weak, and they couldn¡¯t help but sit down, looking below with horror, worrying for Lu Qing.

    Even though they were so far away, just being touched by a trace of the Precelestial pressure made them feel as if a mountain was pressing down on them, unbearable.

    But when they looked at Lu Qing¡¯s situation, they couldn¡¯t help but widen their eyes.

    Lu Qing was calm andposed, showing no signs of difort, as if the overwhelming Precelestial pressure was just a spring breeze to him, causing him no pressure at all.

    Even Wei Shanhai was stunned.

    "Senior Wei, there¡¯s no need for such pretense. Things like aura don¡¯t affect me," Lu Qing said with a rare disy of boldness, his fighting spirit boiling.

    "Very well, then be careful!"

    Although he didn¡¯t know what secret technique Lu Qing had practiced topletely resist his Precelestial pressure, Wei Shanhai did not want to think about it at this moment. He swung his long knife, and a red de aura appeared, quickly shing toward Lu Qing!

    Lu Qing didn¡¯t think twice, shing down against the de aura.

    Bang!

    After all, the de aura formed by true qi was not as solid as a battle knife forged through countless hammerings and was easily shattered by Lu Qing.

    However, Lu Qing also felt his arm tremble, the power of the de aura was astonishing, making his arm slightly numb.

    Swish swish swish!

    But it wasn¡¯t over. Wei Shanhai shed several more times, several red de auras flew toward Lu Qing in an intricate pattern.

    "Can¡¯t block the de aura formed by Precelestial true qi with just the strength of a perfect Postnatal body?"

    Looking at the iing de auras, a thought shed through Lu Qing¡¯s mind.

    "Then, perfect burst!"

    With that thought, in an instant, the power of his blood and qi surged, a strong aura shed from his body.

    In the next moment, the knife light shed, several crisp sounds, and the red de auras were shattered by Lu Qing in an instant.

    Boom!

    After shattering the de auras, Lu Qing stepped hard, cracking arge rock underfoot, and his figure shot toward Wei Shanhai like an arrow.

    Defending for too long without attacking was not Lu Qing¡¯s style.

    He hadn¡¯t yet reached the Precelestial level and didn¡¯t have long-range attack methods like the Precelestial de aura. His only chance of winning was to engage in closebat with Wei Shanhai!

    "Using a burst technique? Well done!"

    Facing Lu Qing¡¯s attack, Wei Shanhai was not surprised but delighted, shouting loudly, he shed down with a move called "Splitting Mountains."

    This knife brought apletely different sense of pressure to Lu Qing than before.

    The powerful knife forcepletely enveloped him, and the strong power contained in the knife had yet to explode, but Lu Qing already felt a slight sense of suffocation.

    "This is the true power of the Precelestial Realm?"

    Feeling the power of Wei Shanhai¡¯s knife and the faint trembling in his heart, Lu Qing had no fear, but his fighting spirit surged.

    Without thinking, he flipped his battle knife and shed toward Wei Shanhai.

    He chose to attack strongly again!

    Table of content

 Chapter 198

    In an unnamed valley, Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai were locked in an intense battle.

    The scattered de and energy auras left numerous cracks on the riverbank within the valley, creating a terrifying scene.

    Mago and Wei Zian, who were on the hillside, were already stunned, watching this scene with wide eyes.

    Even Wei Shanhai was filled with disbelief.

    He hadn¡¯t expected that even after using his Precelestial true qi, he couldn¡¯t swiftly defeat Lu Qing. He was only barely able to suppress him, holding a slight advantage.

    And even this advantage wasn¡¯t stable because Lu Qing¡¯s resilience was incredibly strong. Even when at a disadvantage, his de technique remained exceptionally sharp.

    If Wei Shanhai wasn¡¯t careful, Lu Qing might reverse the situation in an instant.

    Simultaneously, Wei Shanhai was also shocked by Lu Qing¡¯s stamina.

    Logically, a martial artist using an explosive secret technique would rapidly deplete their stamina, and the burst couldn¡¯tst long.However, despite fighting for such a long time, Lu Qing showed no signs of exhaustion. His breathing remained steady, which was terrifying.

    It was unknown what explosive secret technique Lu Qing was using, but the power it unleashed was extraordinary,parable to the initial stage of Precelestial.

    Even the duration of its effect was incredibly long, which was simply unbelievable.

    "Do I need to use a secret technique too?" Wei Shanhai suddenly thought.

    But he quickly dismissed this idea.

    What a joke. As a Precelestial, sparring with a Postnatal junior and failing to win quickly was bad enough. Using a secret technique would be utterly disgraceful.

    As these thoughts churned in Wei Shanhai¡¯s mind, he shed with Lu Qing once more.

    Bang!

    Another crisp sound rang out.

    This time, it wasn¡¯t Wei Shanhai¡¯s de aura shattering but Lu Qing¡¯s battle de that finally sumbed to the immense pressure and shattered instantly.

    Lu Qing¡¯s body swayed lightly, dodging the flying shards of his battle de, and he retreated several steps.

    Looking at the broken hilt in his hand and Wei Shanhai¡¯s nearly intact battle de, he sighed inwardly.

    The power of Qi and blood in the Postnatal realm ultimately couldn¡¯tpare to the Precelestial true qi refined from the essence of heaven and earth.

    Despite his best efforts to protect his battle de with Qi and blood, it still shattered after continuous shes.

    In contrast, Wei Shanhai¡¯s battle de, enhanced by Precelestial true qi, remainedrgely undamaged.

    ¡°Lu Xiangjun, do you want to continue sparring? I remember you have a divine weapon battle de that you forged yourself. Shall we use that?¡± Wei Shanhai said, feeling a bit regretful seeing Lu Qing¡¯s de shatter. ??

    He was quite enjoying the fight. Lu Qing¡¯s de intent was more profound than his own.

    In his exchanges with Lu Qing, he vaguely felt his own de intent improving.

    The sudden interruption made him feel somewhat ufortable.

    ¡°No need,¡± Lu Qing shook his head. ¡°This battle has been very beneficial for me. I have gained significant insights into my confusion, thanks to your help, Senior Wei.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve gained some insights?¡± Wei Shanhai asked excitedly, ¡°Did you glimpse the path ahead, sensing the opportunity to step into the Precelestial realm?¡±

    Having learned that Lu Qing had reached the peak of the Postnatal realm, Wei Shanhai naturally assumed that the bottleneck Lu Qing mentioned was the barrier between the Postnatal and Precelestial realms.

    ¡°More or less,¡± Lu Qing nodded. ¡°The path to the Precelestial realm is quite clear to me now. With a bit more umtion, breaking through shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    Wei Shanhai was very pleased. Lu Qing¡¯s progress made his sparring efforts worthwhile.

    ¡°Senior Wei, how much strength did you use in our sparring earlier?¡±

    Lu Qing asked an important question.

    ¡°If we¡¯re talking about regr strength, I used almost my full power. If we continued, to win, I might have to use a secret technique,¡± Wei Shanhai replied honestly.

    His feelings were quite mixed.

    He wasn¡¯t being humble.

    He had indeed used almost his full strength earlier.

    Apart from not using Precelestial secret techniques, he had nearly pushed his Precelestial true qi to the limit.

    Under normal circumstances, a Precelestial martial artist could easily crush any martial grandmaster at the peak of the Internal Organs realm without using secret techniques.

    But unexpectedly, Lu Qing was so formidable. His explosive secret technique¡¯s power wasn¡¯t much weaker than his own.

    Coupled with Lu Qing¡¯s more exquisite de technique, Wei Shanhai couldn¡¯t handle him quickly.

    Thinking about it, looking at Lu Qing¡¯s still strong aura, Wei Shanhai couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Lu Xiangjun, what secret technique did you use earlier? It¡¯s so powerful, allowing you to unleash strengthparable to the initial stage of Precelestial?¡±

    ¡°That was a legacy I stumbled upon. I practiced for a long time to master it,¡± Lu Qing said vaguely.

    Perfect Burst could be considered his unique secret technique, relying on his exceptionally strong soul force.

    The soul talisman was one of Lu Qing¡¯s greatest trump cards, something he hadn¡¯t even told his master, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t reveal it easily.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Wei Shanhai understood that Lu Qing didn¡¯t want to borate, so he tactfully didn¡¯t press further.

    ¡°Old Ancestor, Dr. Lu!¡±

    At this time, Wei Zian and Mago descended from the hillside, their faces filled with shock.

    Especially Wei Zian, who was extremely excited.

    He looked at Lu Qing with admiration, ¡°Dr. Lu, you¡¯re incredible! To be able to fight Old Ancestor to a draw, it¡¯s unbelievable!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tter me. Didn¡¯t you see my de broke?¡± Lu Qing smiled. ¡°If we continued, I¡¯d be no match for Senior Wei unarmed.¡±

    ¡°Lu Xiangjun is too modest. I only had the advantage of Precelestial true qi. If you used your divine weapon battle de, it¡¯s hard to say who¡¯d win,¡± Wei Shanhai disagreed.

    ¡°You also have a divine weapon, so I¡¯d still lose...¡±

    The group, exchangingpliments, slowly left the valley.

    After leaving the deep mountains and parting with Wei Shanhai and the others, Lu Qing returned home. After meditating and resting to recover his strength, he began to ponder the gains from this sparring.

    There was one thing Lu Qing hadn¡¯t told Wei Shanhai.

    He wanted to spar not because his cultivation had hit a bottleneck.

    With his abilities, he naturally had an almost enlightened understanding.

    There were few techniques he couldn¡¯tprehend.

    The barrier between Postnatal and Precelestial was already clear to him, with no confusion, and he could cross it at any time.

    It was only a certain intuition that held him back from taking that step.

    Lu Qing¡¯s real purpose in inviting Wei Shanhai to spar was to personally experience the power of the Precelestial realm and understand its strengths.

    This would serve as a reference for his next steps.

    Table of content

 Chapter 199

    ¡°I''ve roughly gauged the conventional power of the early Precelestial stage.¡±

    ¡°The only thing that''s difficult to estimate is the power of Precelestial-level secret techniques.¡±

    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Lu Qing fell into deep thought.

    Wei Shanhai was a veteran Precelestial realm expert, his cultivation had long reached the peak of the early Precelestial stage. However, his de intent had never broken through, which prevented him from stepping into the minor aplishment stage of the Precelestial realm.

    If Wei Shanhai wasn''t being modest this time, Lu Qing could basically figure out the approximate strength level of a Precelestial early-stage warrior who hadprehended the realm of [Intent] without using secret techniques.

    At the same time, he also had an estimate of his own strength. That is, after a perfect burst, he could now directly confront a peak early-stage Precelestial warrior.

    Lu Qing wasn''t particrly surprised by this result.

    Precelestial warriors are indeed powerful, having undergone a baptism of the world''sws and nourished by their own Precelestial true qi. Their physical strength alone is several times greater than that of a regr Martial Grandmaster who has perfected the Internal Organs Realm.

    Additionally, the mysterious nature of Precelestial true qi makes a casual strike from a Precelestial expert more powerful than a full-force secret technique from a Martial Grandmaster. But that¡¯s onlypared to ordinary Martial Grandmasters.

    Lu Qing was different.

    Having consumed Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, his aptitude had been enhanced to an extreme. Though he had also perfected the Internal Organs Realm, his physical constitution far exceeded that of ordinary Martial Grandmasters.

    Coupled with the boost from a perfect burst and his de technique at the level of de intent, Lu Qing indeed wasn''t very intimidated by early-stage Precelestial warriors.

    This sparring session confirmed his assumptions.

    ¡°For someone like Senior Wei, without a powerful special heritage, an ordinary peak early-stage Precelestial warrior, without using secret techniques, poses little threat to me.¡±

    Lu Qing pondered in his mind.

    ¡°As for using secret techniques...¡±

    A trace of a mysterious light shed in his eyes.

    Precelestial warriors have secret techniques; does he not have trump cards?

    This time, sparring with Wei Shanhai, although thetter only used the conventional power of the Precelestial realm, he too only revealed a part of his strength. His most powerful trump cards were entirely hidden.

    ¡°ording to Senior Wei, the old ancestor of the Zheng family is only at the peak of the early Precelestial stage. Moreover, he suffered severe injuries in his early years and his vitality was greatly damaged. His strength has long been past its peak.

    However, rumors are just rumors; I still need to see for myself to be sure.¡±

    Although Wei Shanhai spoke with certainty, Lu Qing didn''t fully trust the rumors. To confirm the strength of the old ancestor of the Zheng family, he needed to see for himself.

    ¡°Olddy, you want to draw me out, do you? Then let''s see if you can spot me when I truly appear before you.¡±

    A cold light flickered in Lu Qing''s eyes.

    Thinking of the olddy who seemed determined to ensnare him, a killing intent inexplicably arose in his heart.

    Without hesitation, Lu Qing first requested a two-day leave from his master, saying he needed to go into the mountains. That night, after resting well and adjusting his physical state to its peak, Lu Qing quietly left his home.

    Outside the vige, with a slight movement of his mind, he invoked the light group of the Earth Movement Talisman within his brow acupoint space, applying it to himself.

    A light and agile feeling appeared once more. Lu Qing took a step and swiftly headed toward the prefecture city.

    Because it was nighttime and the wilderness was rarely popted, Lu Qing encountered no incidents along the way and arrived outside the prefecture city after spending most of the night.

    ¡°The prefecture city indeed lives up to its name. Its walls are far more magnificent than those of a county city.¡±

    Looking at the colossal city ahead, lying on the ground like an ancient beast in the darkness, Lu Qing marveled.

    He did not enter the city but found a ce to rest and recover before refining another Earth Movement Talisman.

    The prefecture city was nearly a thousand miles from Jiuli Vige. After such a long journey, the light group representing the Earth Movement Talisman within his brow acupoint space had long dissipated.

    Therefore, he needed to replenish it first.

    A quarter-hourter, the Earth Movement Talisman was sessfully refined.

    However, Lu Qing still did not hurry to enter the city. Cities in this world generally closed their gates at night, forbidding entry or exit.

    Given hisck of knowledge about the situation in the prefecture city, sneaking in at night was not a wise move.

    So Lu Qing decided to wait until dawn to enter openly.

    No one in the prefecture city knew him, so even if he went in, no one would recognize him.

    Finding a giant tree, Lu Qing climbed up andfortablyy on arge branch, closing his eyes to rest while waiting for dawn.

    As the sky gradually brightened and the morning sun rose in the east, Lu Qing leisurely opened his eyes and smiled as he looked at the distant sky.

    ¡°Today is indeed a good day.¡±

    After taking some dry food and water from his Spatial Qi Bag and having a full meal, Lu Qing felt refreshed.

    Then, with a slight movement of his mind, his muscles and bones shifted and transformed.

    In just a dozen breaths, his appearance hadpletely changed.

    Not only had his body be much slimmer, but even his face had turned into that of an ordinary rural boy.

    Meanwhile, the soul talisman within his brow acupoint trembled slightly.

    In the next moment, Lu Qing''s aura was entirely concealed, revealing a simple and honest vibe.

    ¡°With the help of the soul talisman, my Muscle and Bone Transformation Technique can be considered truly superb.

    Not only can I change my appearance, but I can also simte different physical auras at will.

    Now, even if my master were in front of me, he probably wouldn''t recognize me.¡±

    Lu Qing thought to himself.

    As the fundamental cultivation method of the Divine Rune Sect, the soul talisman had many miraculous uses. Simting and changing his aura was naturally a piece of cake.

    ¡°Prefecture city, I hope you can bring me some surprises.¡±

    Afterpleting his transformation, Lu Qing looked at the distant giant city with a peculiar gleam in his eyes.

    Then he jumped down from the tree and headed toward the city.

    Soon, Lu Qing arrived in front of the city.

    Seeing many inly dressed people, some carrying burdens as if going to a market, Lu Qing naturally blended in.

    At the city gate, Lu Qing found that outsiders entering the prefecture city did not need to be checked. They could enter directly without even paying a city entry fee.

    The soldiers guarding the gate merely stood on either side, not questioning the people entering or leaving.

    It seemed they were confident that no one would dare cause trouble in such arge city.

    ¡°The prefecture city indeed has a grand air.¡±

    Lu Qing silently praised, feeling pleased.

    Theck of identity checks was better for him, making his entry easier.

    Walking in with a grand demeanor, Lu Qing was immediately captivated by the bustling scene before him.

    Table of content

 Chapter 200

    "No wonder this is the provincial capital."

    Watching the bustling scene of traffic and crowds before him, Lu Qing couldn''t help but sigh again.

    Compared to the county town, this ce was at least ten times more prosperous.

    After marveling for a while, Lu Qing began to wander around.

    Of course, his wandering had a purpose.

    Soon, after spending a little money to support a few small vendors, he got the information he wanted.

    "You mean the Zheng residence? It''s over there in the west of the city. The biggest mansions of the most prominent families in the city are all there. Young man, are you also going to pay respects to the second son of the Zheng family and get some reward money?"

    A vendor selling candied haws, after Lu Qing bought two sticks, enthusiastically answered his questions.

    "Pay respects?" Lu Qing feigned confusion, "No, I just heard that the Zheng family is the biggest family in the provincial capital and wanted to take a look.""So, you''re also a martial artist, young man?" The vendor suddenly understood. "But you''re not here at the right time. The second son of the Zheng family was recently killed by a viin, and they are currently holding a funeral. I''m afraid they won''t have time to entertain you. However, if you''re going to pay respects, you should be able to get in. The funeral of the second son is grand, and the Zheng family has announced that anyone from the city whoes to pay respects and prays for the second son will receive a reward of one hundred coins. I went yesterday, bowed a few times to the second son, and really got the reward."

    "Such a good thing? Then I should also go pay my respects." Seeing the vendor''s delighted expression, Lu Qing responded with feigned surprise.

    After leaving the stall, Lu Qing''s expression became calm, a trace of mockery in his eyes.

    "Seeking the blessings of the people? That scoundrel is not worthy."

    Following the vendor''s directions, Lu Qing quickly arrived at the western part of the city.

    Immediately, he noticed the difference.

    Compared to other bustling areas, this part of the city was much quieter.

    However, the buildings here were much grander.

    They were mostlyrge mansions, clearly homes of the truly wealthy.

    After a few nces, Lu Qing quickly identified the Zheng residence among thergest mansions.

    Only this mansion was adorned with white silk and had mournful music emanating from it.

    Lu Qing slowly approached the mansion, observing the surroundings.

    On the way, he saw many ordinary people walking away from the Zheng residence, their faces showing traces of joy.

    Clearly, these were the city residents who had gone to the Zheng residence to pay respects and get reward money, as the vendor mentioned.

    While walking, Lu Qing continued to observe the environment.

    Eventually, he noticed a tall tower in the city and nced at it several times.

    "Stop, what are you doing here?"

    At the entrance of the Zheng residence, Lu Qing was stopped by a guard.

    "My name is Lin An, from Jizhou. I''m traveling to Cangzhou. I heard the second son of the Zheng family was harmed by a viin and felt saddened. I wish to pay my respects. May I?"

    Lu Qing easily made up an identity for himself.

    "So, you''re Young Hero Lin. Since you''re here to pay respects to the second son, you may enter. Pleasee in."

    The guards examined Lu Qing, noting that although he appeared ordinary, he had the aura of a martial artist, at least at the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm.

    Without any further suspicion, they politely invited him in.

    This had happened many times already.

    The Zheng family, being a prominent family, was well-known throughout Cangzhou.

    Every day, countless people sought to align themselves with the family.

    Under normal circumstances, someone like Lu Qing, with his modest cultivation, wouldn''t be able to enter the Zheng residence.

    However, due to the funeral, the matriarch had decreed that anyone who came to pay respects should not be turned away.

    She wanted her son to enjoy the worship and incense offerings of the people, umting yin virtue, so that he could enjoy glory even in the afterlife.

    The Zheng family did not dare to disobey the matriarch''s orders.

    To fulfill her wishes, they even offered money to the city residents toe and pay respects.

    Thus, Lu Qing easily entered the Zheng residence.

    Following the directions of the servants, he arrived at the mourning hall.

    At this time, there were many people in the hall, mostly city residents seeking reward money.

    While waiting for his turn, Lu Qing quietly observed the mourning hall.

    The most eye-catching feature was therge, luxurious coffin in the center, iid with gold and jade.

    Clearly, the Zheng family wanted Zheng Yu to enjoy wealth even in the afterlife.

    Near the coffin were several strong auras, obviously guards arranged by the Zheng family to protect it.

    However, Lu Qing paid them no mind. What really concerned him was the figure sitting beside the coffin.

    An old woman, looking frail and wrinkled like tree bark, sat there with a wooden expression.

    Despite her appearance, Lu Qing sensed a formidable power from her.

    "This must be the old matriarch."

    Silently activating his abilities, Lu Qing discreetly observed her.

    Soon, a faint golden light emanated from the old woman, apanied by a few floating characters.

    After reading the characters, Lu Qing lowered his gaze, not wanting to attract attention.

    The perception of a Precelestial Realm expert was sharp. Even though he had restrained his aura, staring too long could still get him noticed.

    However, remembering the words from the characters, Lu Qing''s eyes couldn''t help but show coldness.

    This old woman was truly someone who deserved to die to quell his anger.

    "Herees the steward of the City Lord''s Mansion, Steward Wang!"

    Suddenly, an announcement rang out.

    The crowd paying respects became restless, and even the old matriarch looked slightly moved, showing a trace of surprise.

    Soon, a middle-aged man with a dignified bearing and a square face, dressed in simple clothes, entered, bowing to the old matriarch.

    This time, the old matriarch did not remain seated but stood up and slightly bowed in return.

    "Old Madam Zheng, I havee on behalf of the City Lord to pay respects to the second son of the Zheng family."

    "The City Lord is thoughtful. I will remember this kindness."

    The old matriarch replied calmly.

    Quickly, someone brought incense, and after the middle-aged man finished his respects, he approached the old matriarch.

    "Old Madam Zheng, the City Lord has a few words for you. May we speak in private?"

    The old matriarch looked at him quietly for a few moments, then nodded. "Please, Steward Wang, follow me."

    "Perfect opportunity!"

    Seeing the old matriarch and the steward leave the hall, Lu Qing moved quietly as well.

    He came here only to assess the strength and condition of the Zheng family''s matriarch and had no intention of genuinely paying respects to Zheng Yu.

    Leaving the mourning hall, Lu Qing openly walked out of the Zheng residence.

    The guards at the gate did not stop him.

    To them, someone like Lu Qing, having the chance to enter the residence and pay respects to the second son, would be too grateful to even think of mischief.

    Who would have thought that he merely took a stroll in the mourning hall and then slipped out?

    Once outside the Zheng residence, Lu Qing did not linger and headed to the tall tower he had seen earlier.

    This tower seemed to be a scenic spot in the city.

    At the moment, the tower was closed, locked up, and empty inside.

    But that couldn''t stop Lu Qing. With a few light movements, he effortlessly reached the top of the tower.

    "This ce indeed has a splendid view and a perfect location."

    Standing atop the dozens of meters high tower, Lu Qing felt he could almost see the entire western part of the city.

    More importantly, this tower conveniently faced the Zheng residence a few hundred meters away.

    After enjoying the view for a while, Lu Qing''s gaze towards the Zheng residence grew cold.

    With a thought, a longbow appeared in his hand.

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 Chapter 201

    "Treasure bow, you have been in my hands for nearly two years, and today you can finally show your brilliance."

    On top of the high tower, Lu Qing gently caressed the longbow in his hand, recalling the situation when he first obtained this treasure bow.

    This longbow was not forged by him but was discovered by Xiao Li two years ago when they went into the mountains to gather herbs.

    The location where it was found was near the nameless valley where he sparred with Wei Shanhai yesterday.

    Later, he learned that this treasure bow should have belonged to Tong Canng, a disciple of Wang Cangyi who was chasing Mago at the time.

    In his haste to catch up with Mago, Tong Canng had temporarily hidden the bow in a tree to avoid it hindering his speed.

    He nned to retrieve it after killing Mago, but he was instead in by Lu Qing.

    No one else knew the bow''s whereabouts.

    If it weren''t for Xiao Li''s miraculous sensing ability, which led them to the bow while gathering herbs, it might have been damaged by rain and weather over the years.After acquiring the bow, Lu Qing used his abilities to inspect it and discovered it was a rare treasure.

    The main body was made from the materials of a White-Horned Bull, a rare beast.

    Its quality was extraordinary, emitting a rich red glow with a hint of gold, suggesting the characteristics of a divine weapon.

    Not wanting to waste such a treasure, Lu Qing asked the Wei family to procure several archery manuals for him to practice.

    With the aid of his abilities, he quickly mastered these manuals and achieved the level of a grandmaster in archery.

    Afterprehending the realm of "Intent," his archery skills advanced further, allowing him to understand the essence of arrow intent.

    "Old witch, do you want Zheng Yu to enjoy the worship of thousands? It''s not that easy."

    "Isn''t it just a heart-wrenching tactic? You are not the only one who understands this trick."

    Looking at the Zheng residence hundreds of meters away, Lu Qing''s gaze was icy.

    He took a deep breath, the soul talisman at his brow acupoint stirred, suppressing all his emotions, and his mind became clear.

    Then he took out a treasure arrow he had forged himself, made mainly of thousand-refined fine iron, from the Spatial Qi Bag.

    Bending the bow and nocking the arrow, the bow arched like a full moon, ready to release.

    The qi and blood in Lu Qing''s body surged like a furnace, containing immense power.

    However, all this aura was effortlessly concealed by the soul talisman, attracting no one''s attention.

    Everything was prepared, but Lu Qing did not immediately release the string.

    Instead, he closed his eyes slightly, emptying his mind, sensing the airflow around him.

    After a few breaths, his eyes suddenly opened, shining with sharp light, focusing on the Zheng residence ahead.

    In the next moment, his qi and blood erupted, and his fingers released the string.

    With a loud bang, the air in front of Lu Qing exploded, and the arrow vanished from the bow.

    Boom!

    Almost simultaneously, a loud noise came from the Zheng residence''s ancestral hall.

    Apanied by exmations and screams.

    Only then did a long white mist of airflow appear in front of Lu Qing, connecting him to the Zheng residence, slowly dissipating.

    "What was that noise!"

    In the garden, the old woman of the Zheng family, who had been speaking with the city lord''s chief steward, was shaken by the loud noise from the ancestral hall.

    She no longer cared about Chief Steward Wang, her aura exploded, and in a sh, she arrived at the ancestral hall.

    However, the scene before her was almost unbelievable.

    The once well-maintained ancestral hall was now a mess, utterly chaotic.

    Most importantly, the luxurious coffin that housed Yu''er had been shattered into pieces, with the body inside pulverized, leaving no remains.

    Seeing the coffin broken into pieces, the old woman of the Zheng family felt her vision go dark, her body swaying, almost unable to stand.

    Chief Steward Wang, who followed closely behind, was equally stunned by the sight.

    He couldn''t understand why the ancestral hall turned into such a state after he and the old ancestor left for just a short while.

    "Who did this?!"

    Fortunately, the old woman was a Precelestial Realm expert with a strong will. She steadied herself with a surge of spiritual power.

    An icy aura burst from her, her gaze chilling, as if she would devour anyone.

    "Old ancestor, we don''t know either! Young Master Yu''s coffin suddenly exploded!"

    A guard cried out in anguish, clutching his arm.

    He was one of the guards responsible for watching over the coffin. When the coffin exploded, he couldn''t evade in time and got injured by a piece of wood.

    But now, he didn''t care about his arm at all.

    As a guard who failed to protect Young Master Yu''s coffin, he could already foresee his fate.

    Recalling the fates of his colleagues who previously failed to protect Young Master Yu, endless fear rose in his heart.

    Sure enough, seeing that he didn''t even know how the coffin was damaged, the old woman''s gaze turned icy.

    "Mother, it was someone attacking from a distance with a bow and arrow. Look!"

    At this moment, the master of the Zheng family stepped out from behind the ancestral hall, speaking in a deep voice.

    He handed a long arrow to the old woman.

    "Just now, this thousand-refined arrow flew in from outside the mansion, hit Yu''er''s coffin, destroyed both the coffin and Yu''er''s body, and then embedded in the back of the hall."

    The Zheng family master''s voice was filled with shock.

    He couldn''t imagine what kind of archery skill could possess such powerful force, to shatter a sturdy coffin from such a distance.

    If this arrow had been aimed at a person in the mansion, no one except the old ancestor could have withstood it.

    "Using a bow and arrow, does this mean that person is still in the city?"

    However, the old woman''s focus was entirely different from the Zheng family master''s.

    Seeing the long arrow her son handed over, her eyes shed with murderous intent, her aura exploded, and she vanished from the ancestral hall.

    A momentter, her figure appeared on the highest rooftop in the mansion, her gaze sweeping across all directions.

    Soon, she saw faint traces of white mist in the sky, about to dissipate.

    Following the direction of the white mist, she immediately saw the figure standing on the high tower.

    "It''s you!"

    Seeing the longbow in that person''s hand, the old woman instantly knew that this was the person who destroyed her Yu''er''s coffin and body.

    Seeing that the old woman had noticed him, Lu Qing grinned.

    "Old witch, haven''t you been trying every means to lure me out? Now I stand before you, what can you do to me?"

    "You want to use the live burial ritual to apany your grandson, hoping for thousands to worship and pray for him?"

    "I have nowpletely destroyed his body, ensuring he can never be reborn. What can you do to me?"

    "You little bastard! You''re courting death! If I don''t kill you today, I swear I won''t be human!"

    Hearing Lu Qing''s heart-wrenching questions, the old woman of the Zheng family was so furious she could explode, shouting madly.

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