"Senior..." The beautiful woman was cautious and anxious in her heart.
All kinds of taverns, shops, and brothels in Luoluo City stand with the backing of Foundation Establishnt forces, so even directly controlled by the Returning True Sect, but having a powerful backer is one thing, personally facing a Foundation Establishnt cultivator, especially a Guest Elder from the Returning True Sect, is quite another.
If they angered the other party.
Even if they were killed.
It would be a death in vain.
In the end, it would probably be unresolved.
Chen Li waved his hand to stop her mid-sentence, "This is not a good place to talk, let’s speak in the courtyard."
"Yes, Senior!"
The two of them walked to the courtyard, one after another.
"I called you here to ask about sothing you must already know," Chen Li turned around, his expression indifferent, "Tell everything about what happened from beginning to end!"
The beautiful woman dared not hide anything and hastily recounted everything she knew.
Her story was very similar to what Gu ngqing said.
The matter was very simple, without any complex grudges or feuds.
Brothels are places of conflict and chaos, filled with all sorts who live on the edge of the blade.
Conflicts over words leading to a deadly altercation was all too common.
"Who is the murderer?" Chen Li asked sternly, "Identify him. I don’t care about the rest, but since it happened in your establishnt, you must give an explanation!"
"Please rest assured, Senior, within ten days, I will surely find the murderer and deliver him to your hands," the beautiful woman quickly bowed and said, her teeth clenched in hidden frustration, despising the despicable killer.
Why kill soone at all?
And why kill soone with connections?
Especially near a brothel.
It truly does extensive harm.
"Ten days is too long. I will give you only five days!" Chen Li said coldly.
"Yes, Senior."
Chen Li waved his hand, dismissing her.
When he entered the door again, Gu ngqing’s wife was sewing up the corpse, her large sewing needle piercing skin and flesh to stitch the severed head back together, and Zhang Shuniang, comforted by Ms. Zhou, had stopped crying and kept wiping away tears with her handkerchief.
"I won’t say much more, but I’ve already had soone looking into your father’s murder. He will not die with his eyes closed in dissatisfaction; don’t overthink it," Chen Li consoled.
Zhang Shuniang, moved to tears, kneeled to express her gratitude but was promptly held back by Ms. Zhou.
...
"My na is Hu Buwei, Chen, I have long heard of your esteed na and have always wished to visit, but I feared disturbing you uninvited. Today, thanks to this incident, I have the chance to et you, and I’m not sure if I should feel lucky or express my regret," Hu Buwei said.
That very evening.
A Foundation Establishnt cultivator paid a visit, representing the power behind the brothel.
The man appeared to be middle-aged, and his attitude was very amiable, showing a lot of deference from the outset.
"Fellow Daoist Hu, you are too kind. It is I, a junior at the early stage of Foundation Establishnt, who should pay a visit to my seniors," Chen Li responded with a polite bow, "I did not intend to trouble you this ti; I truly apologize for the offense."
"Ah, how can you call it a disturbance? Since a friend of Fellow Daoist has encountered trouble in my brothel, it becos my issue, Hu’s issue. I will certainly help Fellow Daoist find the murderer," Hu Buwei cordially offered.
To him, this was a small effort that could curry favor, a benefit without cost—why not do it?
Chen Li quickly expressed his gratitude.
Hu Buwei then paid his respects in the spirit hall, lighting incense sticks and leaving a mid-grade Spirit Stone as an offering. After fulfilling all the social niceties, he then took his leave.
...
Zhang Yan’s funeral arrangents were almost entirely managed by Gu ngqing and his wife.
Chen Li rely provided an overseeing presence.
Fortunately, the funerary affairs for lower-tier Qi Cultivation Loose Cultivators are not as complex and are even simpler than those for ordinary mortals in the secular world.
The body was displayed for one day and one night, and the next morning, Zhang Yan was solemnly and simply buried in a favorable location chosen by Chen Li.
At the funeral, wearing mourning clothes, Zhang Shuniang was supported by Ms. Zhou, weeping until her eyes were swollen like peaches.
Chen Li, looking at the newly covered mound of soil, also felt a pang of sadness.
Zhang Yan was only forty-nine years old, just three years older than him.
And yet, he had died so abruptly.
...
With the involvent of a Foundation Establishnt power, the efficiency was naturally very high.
Shortly after the funeral procession returned,
a man bound by a magic artifact rope was brought in, badly beaten and bloody, with a face pale with terror and trembling uncontrollably.
"Senior, I have fulfilled your command."
"This is the man who killed Zhang Yan!" Chen Li proclaid.
"Yes, Senior, he has already confessed," the beautiful woman spoke respectfully, "He was a regular at our brothel, and had an argunt with Fellow Daoist Zhang that night. Holding a grudge and in need of money, he followed Fellow Daoist Zhang out and killed him in secrecy.
This is the purse, magic artifact, and robe found on him. Please see if there are any of Fellow Daoist Zhang’s belongings."
"rcy, please, have rcy!" The man begged, slamming his head on the ground in despair, yet he never offered a word in his own defense from start to finish.
Chen Li turned to Gu ngqing standing aside and instructed, "Go call Shuniang over."
"Yes!" Gu ngqing turned around and called for others.
Soon, Zhang Shuniang rushed over upon hearing the news.
"Uncle, these really are my father’s..." Zhang Shuniang’s eyes reddened, and tears stread down as she spoke.
"Go collect your father’s belongings," Chen Li consoled her. "Your father may be gone, but you still have Uncle Zhou and Ms. Zhou to look after you."
As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and a beam of light entered the killer’s head, causing the man to shudder, and a bloody hole appeared on his forehead.
...
The snow fell on and off, continuing throughout the entire winter.
His cultivation speed kept accelerating, from once every two months to once every month and a half, to once a month, and most recently, every twenty-five days, which made him feel more and more exhilarated.
He saw the dawn of the Golden Core future.
During this period, he finally mastered the Yuan Magnetism Evasion Skill to max level.
The Yuan Magnetism Evasion Skill was known for its speed; at max level, it was extrely fast, like lightning in flight. Ordinary Foundation Establishnt middle-stage Flight with Instrunt Control probably couldn’t match Chen Li’s speed.
Inside the cultivation room.
The rock wall was crisscrossed with sword marks dense like a spider’s web.
As Chen Li was practicing his sword skills, he suddenly heard footsteps. He sheathed his sword and grabbed a towel to wipe off his sweat.
Soon, Zhang Shuniang ca in with a large basin of at, placing it on a stone table. Her eyes fleetingly glanced at the shirtless Chen Li; her cheeks couldn’t help but turn slightly red as she softly said, "Uncle, I’ve put the at here, rember to eat it while it’s still hot, it won’t taste as good once it cools down."
Yesterday, Zhou Hong, who had been stuck at the sixth level of Qi cultivation for a long ti, finally felt her realm loosen and began her closed-door breakthrough to the seventh level. Therefore, the responsibility of taking care of Chen Li fell entirely on Zhang Shuniang.
"Mhm! You’ve been working hard these days," Chen Li said with a smile as he walked over, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and stuffed a piece of at into his mouth.
"It’s not hard at all, Uncle, I just cook. Is it good? Is it not stewed long enough?" Zhang Shuniang looked at Chen Li, full of hope.
"It’s stewed just right," Chen Li said with a smile.
"Uncle, then I’ll be leaving. Just call if you need anything."
"Mhm, take care."
Zhang Shuniang quickly left, leaving behind a lingering scent in the air.
Chen Li cleaned out the large basin of at, soup and all.
After Foundation Establishnt.
His digestive absorption capacity had greatly increased compared to before. Now, he needed to eat five als a day, each al consisting of more than two pounds of Second Order Demon Beast at.
The two thousand pounds of at he bought last ti were already eaten. Fortunately, Feng Qi who practiced the Mixed Yuan Cultivation Skill was really penniless and occasionally had to take others out hunting to earn Spirit Stones, so there was no worry about not being able to buy Second Order Demon Beast at.
However, the effectiveness of the Second Order Demon Beast at was diminishing.
His pure physical strength had now reached three tons, approximately a fifty percent increase from during the Qi Cultivation Stage.
During the Qi Cultivation Stage, he needed to concentrate and exert full power to unleash the Sonic Boom Sword. Now, a casual stab could produce a sonic boom, and at the sa ti, his body’s strength also saw a significant improvent.
"Among Second Order elixirs, there are indeed those that aid in Body Refinent, but their price also requires three Mid-grade Spirit Stones per bottle. If I buy them, it would be another large expense each month!" Chen Li sighed.
He had thought that his savings were quite abundant before.
But it hadn’t been long since Foundation Establishnt, and he was finding that his money was depleting faster and faster.
At this rate, he doubted if he could hold out for six years.
Moreover, the situation in the Returning True realm was stable now, and prices for various items were as solid as rocks; there was no opportunity for arbitrage.
"It seems I must go back to my old trade of talisman drawing!" he thought to himself.
With his current Spiritual Power, he could draw up to six Golden Light Body Protection Talismans in one breath. Considering a fifty percent success rate, he’d have three talismans a day. Even if he consigned them to a shop for twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones each, his annual inco would be roughly two hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
This would be enough to cover a significant part of his expenses.
At the very least, he could persist a few more years.
...
Zhou Hong shut herself in and after more than ten days, finally made a difficult breakthrough to the late stage of Qi Cultivation.
She beca radiant and appeared to be two or three years younger.
At night.
Afterwards!
"Now that you’ve beco stronger, I’m sowhat overwheld by myself. Why don’t you take Shuniang as well?" Zhou Hong, nestled in Chen Li’s arms, whispered.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I’m her uncle, how could I do such a thing!" Chen Li replied incredulously.
This was ridiculous.
One shouldn’t be so shaless, or at least... not this shaless.
"There’s no blood relation, and we’re not officially kin, what’s the problem with that? Shuniang is all alone; don’t you find her pitiable? Or do you think she’s not beautiful?" Zhou Hong said with a smile.
Chen Li really couldn’t understand the logic in her words.
"There are many beautiful won in this world, am I supposed to take every one I see? I’ve already told you, one of you is enough," Chen Li said as he embraced Zhou Hong.
Zhou Hong felt sweet in her heart, like she had eaten honey, but she insisted, "Look at those with Foundation Establishnt, aside from the bachelors, which one of them doesn’t have three wives and four concubines, even eight or nine in so households? You’ve only ever had , people who don’t know might think I’m jealous."
"It seems you’ve regained your energy," Chen Li said, turning over and pinning her down.
"Don’t!" Zhou Hong cried out, pinching his waist: "You’re going to break... ... to... death...!"
Her words started strong but turned intermittent, breaking off into incomplete murmurs, losing coherence.
ps: Sorry, I’ve been a bit busy with the new year, but it’ll be better after.
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