Captain Zhao Heiniu carried Wang Zheng’s severed head to the county office to claim the bounty.
Thirty taels of gold, together with the more than forty taels of gold taken from the stronghold, were enough for him to purchase every Second-Rank martial arts manual in the Yulong Gang’s Martial Vault—and even pick up a few for Chen Ergou as well.
As for Su Wangchuan, with the one thousand five hundred taels of gold contributed by the Earthfiend Sect, his funds were plentiful once more. He instructed the two of them to first cultivate 《Water-Subrged Breath Regulation Art》 and Underwater Killing Techniques. Hunting fish underwater would allow them to advance to First Rank more quickly.
He himself continued cultivating the Third-Rank martial art 《Qingcheng Sword Art》.
That very night, Captain Zhao Heiniu successfully cultivated 《Water-Subrged Breath Regulation Art》 and smoothly broke through to beco a First-Rank Martial Artist.
Chen Ergou brought Underwater Killing Techniques to the realm of “Practice Makes Perfect” and likewise broke through to First Rank.
At the Huishui County branch, there was now one Second-Rank Martial Artist overseeing operations, five First-Rank Martial Artists under his command, and, counting the escort agency and inner disciples, more than two hundred Quasi-Martial Artists. In terms of foundation and strength, they already far surpassed the Yulong Gang of a year ago.
Two days passed…
Su Wangchuan finally cultivated 《Qingcheng Sword Art》 to Minor Mastery.
He had to admit that cultivating a Third-Rank martial art was truly agonizing.
The sword forms of 《Qingcheng Sword Art》 had to be executed in a continuous sequence at least twenty tis to gain a single point of experience. Any mistake in movent during that process counted as failure, and he had to start all over again.
After much stumbling and trial, he finally reached “Minor Mastery.” When he perford 《Qingcheng Sword Art》 again, the feeling was completely different.
His movents beca light and elusive.
His steps were airy and nimble, softness concealing steel. The body seed to float while the sword sank; when the sword rose, the man surged forward. The transitions between forms grew increasingly fluid.
The follow-up combinations finally achieved a balance of hardness and softness, growing faster and smoother, carrying a faint yet rising montum.
《Qingcheng Sword Art》: Minor Mastery
Attack
20. Each move contains the interplay of feint and substance, using softness to overco hardness and hardness to restrain softness. Through blocking and entangling, it suppresses the enemy, causing the enemy’s Attack -10 (0.3 seconds). The subsequent connected strike gains Attack
30 and further suppresses the enemy, causing Attack -20 (0.3 seconds). If it strikes a vital point, it deals double damage and double suppression.
Next Realm: Practice Makes Perfect
Attack
30. Each move contains the interplay of feint and substance, using softness to overco hardness and hardness to restrain softness. Through blocking and entangling, it suppresses the enemy, causing the enemy’s Attack -15 (0.4 seconds). The subsequent connected strike gains Attack
40 and further suppresses the enemy, causing Attack -30 (0.4 seconds). If it strikes a vital point, it deals double damage and double suppression.
The mont Su Wangchuan saw the detailed attributes of 《Qingcheng Sword Art》, he was stunned.
A Third-Rank martial art.
It could suppress an enemy’s Attack!
Moreover, the attack bonus of the follow-up strike increased, and the suppression effect on the enemy’s attributes also rose accordingly.
This…
It was sowhat terrifying.
He finally understood why Yang Feiyue had been almost powerless against Branch Master Chen, a Third-Rank Martial Artist, and had relied entirely on his hidden-weapon belt to repel him.
If a Third-Rank martial art was already this formidable, then what about a Fourth-Rank martial art?
Truly fearso.
Truly fearso.
The attributes of 《Qingcheng Sword Art》 invigorated Su Wangchuan even further. He cultivated day and night, increasing his experience bit by bit.
During the days he imrsed himself in training, news ca from Heilong County:
The Yulong Gang had recently driven all remnants of the Qingyi Sect out of Heilong County and even killed several stubborn troublemakers.
The news of the Beggar Sect’s branch leader’s death had spread. Naturally, so suspected Yang Feiyue, believing he was taking the opportunity to retaliate against the Beggar Sect.
But it was a fact that Yang Feiyue had been ambushed and gravely injured in broad daylight. He had been recuperating in Heilong County ever since. How could he possibly have the ability to seek revenge?
And the Yulong Gang had no second Second-Rank Martial Artist…
The Beggar Sect turned its fire toward Caobang, convinced that Caobang had stepped forward on behalf of Yang Feiyue.
Every day, mbers of the Beggar Sect branch caused trouble in Caobang’s territory under the pretext of searching for the murderer.
Caobang, being in the right and having no leverage held against them, naturally refused to tolerate it. More than a dozen clashes of varying scale erupted. Both sides suffered casualties, and the situation reached a stalemate.
As ti passed, the Beggar Sect discovered that it had lost all of its territory in Heilong County and could not gain any advantage at the prefectural governnt either. In the end, they had no choice but to temporarily lower their banners and cease hostilities.
There was no alternative. The Beggar Sect’s earning capacity could not compare to Caobang’s, and the costs of dicine and pension compensation for injured and fallen mbers were becoming a serious burden.
With Caobang drawing most of the Beggar Sect’s attention, no one suspected Su Wangchuan—nor the Hall Master of the Huishui County branch.
Calm and composed, Su Wangchuan cultivated 《Qingcheng Sword Art》 to “Practice Makes Perfect.” He then encountered a bottleneck and could no longer gain experience through ordinary daily training.
“Ding!”
System Notification:
“《Qingcheng Sword Art》 has advanced from ‘Minor Mastery’ to ‘Practice Makes Perfect.’ Reward:
2 Agility.”
At this point, 《Qingcheng Sword Art》 had far surpassed the Second-Rank martial art 《Swift Sword Art》 and had beco his foremost choice for close combat.
“With 《Qingcheng Sword Art》, I should now have at least a modest foothold among Second-Rank Martial Artists. I have the capital to contend with others of the sa rank.”
“Next…”
“Should I cultivate 《Wudang Sanshou》 or 《Shaolin Subduing Tiger Fist》?”
In truth, Su Wangchuan was in no hurry to go to Sanhe Commandery.
According to the intelligence he had gathered, Caobang’s branch in Sanhe Commandery consisted of four helms, three islands, and seven mines—various lucrative departnts—all controlled by Second-Rank Martial Artists. Every position was already occupied, and many coveted them. If he went elsewhere, the profits and待遇 would be far inferior to his current position as Hall Master of the Huishui County branch.
The Huishui County branch generated at least thirty taels of gold in total profit each day.
Every extra day ant another thirty taels of gold in revenue.
Rather than go to Sanhe Commandery to be a minor figure, was it not better to remain here, collect the branch’s earnings, and accumulate more wealth?
…
That day, while he was studying and cultivating 《Wudang Sanshou》, a carrier pigeon ssage from Yang Feiyue arrived.
The letter said:
Tomorrow, a batch of highly important goods would travel upstream from the coast, entering the territory of Sanhe Commandery and heading north. Along the way, it would pass through Rongcheng County, the Water Stronghold, Huishui County, and a stretch of waters near Heilong County. It was currently docked at Rongcheng County.
Because the total value of the cargo was extrely high, the owner of the goods had personally gone to Heilong County to visit Yang Feiyue and paid one hundred taels of gold as protection money, requesting that the Yulong Gang take responsibility for security along this segnt.
Yang Feiyue had sent carrier pigeon ssages to Qin Ming of Rongcheng County, Su Wangchuan of Huishui County, He Haisheng of the Water Stronghold, and Song Minshu of Heilong County, ordering them to personally lead their fleets in escorting the shipnt along the way.
Yang Feiyue repeatedly emphasized:
This order ca from the Ouyang Family, a powerful clan of imnse wealth. Caobang and all subordinate branch gangs had received paynt; the client had demonstrated full sincerity. Therefore, in each stretch of waters, there must not be the slightest negligence. The goods must travel safely and unimpeded within each faction’s own jurisdiction.
At such a ti, whichever branch made a mistake would likely be unable to withstand Caobang’s wrath.
Su Wangchuan frowned slightly.
What kind of treasure was the Ouyang Family escorting, that a single branch alone was paid one hundred taels of gold in protection fees?
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