Chapter 40: 39

The people from the Mi Gang, are they really going to harm Master and Senior Brother??!

Zhang Rongfang couldn’t understand the logic behind this at all.

He widened his eyes, suppressing his fluctuating breath due to shock.

’No, that’s not right!’ He suddenly thought of something.

If someone knows that it was him who killed Chen Wuyou, then… it makes sense to target him along with his Master and Senior Brother.

Without alerting anyone, Zhang Rongfang silently retreated, his back against the wall. Reaching back, he grabbed a gap between the bricks with his fingers, and with its leverage, leapt upwards.

Lightly touching down atop the wall, he silently and swiftly descended outside and sped away.

On the quiet, empty street at night, the only sound was the distant footsteps of the patrolling constables and soldiers.

Various thoughts flooded Zhang Rongfang’s mind as he repeatedly pondered over the situation he had overheard.

Returning to the temple, he recalled encountering Chen He from the Mi Gang near his sister-in-law’s house earlier, realizing now that it wasn’t a coincidence. The Mi Gang had been monitoring her all along.

’This is troublesome…’

He sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, removing his dirty, dusty outerwear and rolling it up to hide under the bed.

’The current situation requires that I immediately inform Master and Senior Brother and prepare defenses. Moreover, the Mi Gang’s presence is widespread in the county; if they indeed decide to act, the best way is… to seek help from the authorities.’

Without hesitation, Zhang Rongfang lay down to rest.

The next morning, he went up the mountain once again.

In Qinghe Palace.

Old Daoist Zhang Xuan sipped a cup of hot tea, gazing blankly at the sparrows flitting on the wall.

“Master.”

Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang’s voice came from behind.

“I’ve discovered something I need to explain to you.”

“Why are you here again?” Zhang Xuan said helplessly, quite unhappy at having his daydream interrupted.

“It’s about Senior Brother,” Zhang Rongfang said seriously after bowing before Zhang Xuan.

“Oh? Have you decided on what gift to give your senior brother?” Zhang Xuan asked curiously.

“No… it’s about the Mi Gang. I unintentionally discovered that the Mi Gang in Huaxin County might be plotting against Senior Brother,” Zhang Rongfang said quickly.

“Why?” Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.

“Because…” Zhang Rongfang hesitated, “because they might suspect that Chen Wuyou was killed by Master, Senior Brother, and myself.”

“Chen Wuyou?” Zhang Xuan finally showed some surprise. “I figured Mi Gang must be bored to mess with me. So, it turns out the Young Master was killed…”

He stood up and paced a few steps.

“This is indeed troublesome. Mi Gang is quite influential in the county; their people could be everywhere…”

He frowned, aware that Zhang Xintai was soon to betroth, and his fiancée, Yang Hongyan, was a local of Huaxin County.

If they clashed with Mi Gang, the local power, it would be quite troublesome.

“I didn’t expect this either. Previously, I encountered the gravely injured Chen Wuyou and Jiao Teng, who were already at death’s door, and I didn’t want to invite trouble, so I didn’t save them.

I didn’t expect the Mi Gang to bear a grudge over this… such an unforeseen disaster,” Zhang Rongfang said, looking helpless.

“And Jiao Teng too? Looking at it this way, this is not your fault. No one would think you could kill them; you were only at the Muscle Forging level then, without any weaponry. Killing two second-tier martial artists was impossible.”

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

“Besides, after the incident with the Chen family, Qinghe Palace and Mi Gang weren’t as close as before. Plotting against our family might be part of their plan. I’ve met Shao Quanhua, he’s quite cunning.”

He paced a few more steps. “I should go see the Supervisor and Palace Master at once. The current situation might be a bit tricky. Mi Gang’s circumstances aren’t as simple as you think.

After Shao Quanhua’s son died, he went mad, while other high-level members have families and aren’t willing to risk it all with him.

So, their plan getting discovered by you could be an intentional signal, to negotiate for compensation.”

Zhang Xuan didn’t believe Mi Gang would truly turn against Qinghe Palace solely for Chen Wuyou.

After all, Qinghe Palace is backed by the Great Dao Teaching, a religious organization officially recognized by the Jixian Institute.

Hearing this, Zhang Rongfang felt somewhat relieved.

“Indeed, it seems likely. Acting rashly against Qinghe Palace is to openly oppose the authorities. Mi Gang would get obliterated; they aren’t that foolish.”

“Exactly. Well, I’ll check if the information is true. You continue back to the county, be cautious and don’t wander alone.” Zhang Xuan advised.

As long as they’re in the city, with soldiers around, Mi Gang wouldn’t dare act publicly, so their safety is assured.

“Yes,” Zhang Rongfang nodded.

After all, Mi Gang is primarily a business gang, attacking others publicly in broad daylight would be rebellion, so it’s generally safe within the county town.

Now that he delivered the message, he didn’t linger.

Before leaving, Zhang Xuan reassured again, “Don’t worry. If the Mi Gang is spreading rumors, they’re probably using you to let us know, aiming for more compensatory benefits.”

“I understand,” Zhang Rongfang nodded.

He couldn’t fathom why Mi Gang would do something so thankless. Qinghe Palace is a powerhouse with considerable influence in the official sphere.

However, his Master’s explanation made sense; attempting to exchange benefits by leaking information was also possible.

In any case, the matter was reported, and Master and Senior Brother would be prepared, which was sufficient.

Leaving Zhang Xuan’s place, Zhang Rongfang felt at ease and took another stroll around the Daoist Palace.

Pang Fatty was no longer around; perhaps he went down the mountain.

Li Suanmei had gone to work in the mail room.

Situ Nan was nowhere in sight.

Additionally, in the Spirit Official Hall, he saw Xiao Qingying, her long hair let down, devoutly reciting sutras.

She was dressed in plain white, still in mourning for her father.

Zhang Rongfang stood outside the hall, glanced inside, but did not greet her.

Since he was expelled from the sect, he had severed ties with the Xiao family.

Before long, he left the Spirit Official Hall and went to the Martial Cultivator training ground to find Zhao Dachong.

Inside the Spirit Official Hall, Xiao Qingying’s delicate face was pale, her eyes more mature than before, yet darker.

Gazing at the towering statue of the Three-Eyed Spirit Official in the hall, she bowed deeply, kowtowing.

In her lowered eyes, a flow of determination and hatred flickered faintly.

*

*

*

Mi Gang.

Shao Quanhua and Chen Zihan stood side by side in their backyard, looking at the makeshift wooden weapons hanging on the racks.

At night, these weapons swayed slightly with the wind, faint rustling noises spreading out.

“There are actually very few in the gang willing to act with me,” Shao Quanhua said in a low voice.

“I know, of course. After all, in this kind of matter, no one would want to get involved without gains. Many of them might be waiting for us to step down and take the lead themselves,” Chen Zihan also understood this point.

Their son died, so they must capture and kill the culprit, but others would merely talk about it on the surface. When the day comes, few would have the courage to act.

“Tomorrow, I’ll put the word out, asking Qinghe Palace for compensation, and then let the matter rest,” Shao Quanhua said, “That way, you can prepare to act.”

“Specific time?”

“We won’t act on the first day of the lunar month, so they’ll think I’ve accepted Qinghe Palace’s compensation, and the matter is settled.

Make your move on the road when Zhang Xuan returns to the mountain. Outside the city, even if it’s known that we acted, there’ll be no evidence,” Shao Quanhua said lightly.

“And you?” Chen Zihan asked.

“I haven’t got long to live anyway, so I’ll stay in the city and ease their minds.”

Now, with Chen Zihan framed by Qinghe Palace as colluding with rebels, and Shao Quanhua’s condition worsening with not much time left, and their only son gone, what else did they care about?

Only Shao Quanhua’s condition was known to them alone, and no one else would suspect she truly intended to kill Zhang Xuan.

Instead of bluffing for compensation at Mi Gang’s gathering.

Though everyone seemed outraged at Mi Gang’s meetings, when it came to action, who could predict how many would execute or alert others?

Mi Gang, in the end, was a gang formed by businessmen.

*

*

*

Time passed day by day.

Within Qinghe Temple, Zhang Rongfang calmed down and resumed focused martial training, eating and sleeping well, accumulating attribute points.

Gradually, the injuries on his hands healed. The final medicinal materials were nearly depleted.

Torrential rain poured down, forming a curtain of water under the temple eaves.

Zhang Rongfang stood quietly at the room’s entrance, watching the water dripping on the ground.

Countless raindrops splashed into the puddles, creating ripples.

He seemed dazed watching the rain, but in reality, he was observing his activated attributes panel.

At this time, the attribute panel at the bottom of his vision had undergone new changes.

Another ten days passed, and a new attribute point emerged.

Adding to the leftover point, he now had two points, just enough to push the Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill to the limit-breaking level.

After a martial skill breaks through the limit, there will be subtle changes in the body, and a Limit-Breaking Skill might be gained, directly boosting strength to a higher level.

Just like the Mountain-shaped Talisman, without Zhongshan back then, meeting Chen Wuyou and the others would have meant death.

So, a limit-breaking technique could become a powerful trump card to reverse situations.

’If I break through the Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill, it’ll be the third limit-breaking for me. Although it’s not martial arts of the third rank, breaking through three times should count as the third rank, right?’

Second-rank talisman martial arts, used alone, wield second-rank power; but if combined with hidden martial arts….

With expectation in his heart, Zhang Rongfang hesitated no more, focusing his attention on the plus sign behind the Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill.

Imagining clicking on the plus sign.

Shii.

The two attribute points vanished abruptly.

The parentheses after the Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill blurred suddenly.

Soon, new inscriptions slowly surfaced.

’Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill (Limit-Breaking) (Limit-Breaking Skill: Ground Shrinking.)’

A vast influx of new memories on training the Dragon and Snake Wandering Step Skill surged into Zhang Rongfang’s mind.

His muscles and bones crackled, hidden by the sound of rain, unnoticed by anyone.

The muscle density in his legs increased, and his body weight rose again.

The bones, muscles, and body lines gradually transformed into a form more suitable for explosive speed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep