Chapter 61: 60 Strange (Part 2)

“You’re slandering us! We clearly haven’t touched your money pouch! This pouch is ours!” the man among the pair shouted loudly, his eyes full of resentment.

“There are so many people here, why do you come to us just because you lost something? Just because we’re sitting behind you?”

The woman’s features seemed quite similar to the man’s, indicating that they were likely siblings.

At that moment, her looks were somewhat attractive, and in her anger, her chest heaved continuously, drawing the attention of many around.

Great Spirit was open-minded, with various sects and countries assimilated after being conquered. Even on the streets, it was common to see women dressed in garments exposing their entire thighs.

Therefore, the woman’s dress slightly revealed her chest, coupled with an angry yet pitiful expression, immediately enticing many around her, making them eager to step forward and play hero.

Zhang Rongfang watched carefully from the side.

After his martial arts training, his eyesight had improved significantly, and he quickly noticed that although the red-bearded hulk appeared fierce, his gaze and speech were straightforward and honest, reflecting true anger in his chest.

And those siblings, although also filled with anger, upon closer inspection, Zhang could faintly discern that the woman’s slender fingers had calluses and peeling skin on the sides of her index and middle fingers.

Her brother, the man, seemed indignant, but in fact, his gaze was shifty.

Zhang Rongfang then looked at the money pouch in the woman’s hand.

The pouch was made of red animal fur with a white knit bag covering it.

If it were an average person, they might immediately focus on the knit bag.

But Zhang Rongfang noted the cleanliness of the pouch itself, which was starkly different from the outer bag.

Seeing this, he already understood that the pouch belonged to the red-bearded man.

He was just about to speak up.

At that moment, a graceful figure swiftly entered through the restaurant door—it was Lin Qixiao, who had just come from the yamen after reporting, to have a meal.

Seeing the burly red-bearded man pressuring the scrawny siblings, forcing them back step by step.

Her face expressionless, she drew out her saber, took several rapid steps forward, and combined the strength of her waist and arm.

Shhh!!

The blade flashed.

Clearly, the saber wasn’t an ordinary officer’s weapon; a faint blue reflection appeared as it swung.

The roaring red-bearded man was immediately smashed forward by the saber’s back.

His forehead hit the table corner, forming a crack, and blood instantly flowed down his cheek.

But his back was hit even harder.

Lin Qixiao’s strike caused excruciating pain in his back bones, rendering him unable to stand momentarily.

The surrounding diners were taken aback when she went straight to action, all exclaimed and retreated, creating distance.

Even before Zhang Rongfang spoke, Liu Han, who was beside him, noticed something was off and quickly stepped forward intending to speak.

“Captain Lin, you’ve got it wrong; this money pouch was stolen from this big brother here…”

Before finishing her sentence, she was silenced by Lin Qixiao’s cold stare.

The siblings hurried forward intending to express their gratitude.

Unexpectedly, Lin Qixiao slapped each of them briskly.

Two crisp slaps rang out.

The strikes sent them staggering back two steps, blood at the corners of their mouths, two teeth mixed with blood falling out.

Dizzy, they sat on the ground, unable to speak.

“I don’t care who’s right or wrong, this is my territory, want to make trouble, then do it outside!”

Lin Qixiao sheathed her saber coldly.

“And you,” she suddenly turned to Liu Han. Her eyes inexplicably carried a hint of murderous intent.

“What are you sneaking around doing here at midday? Go back and sleep!!”

“But Captain Lin, that red-haired uncle clearly…” Liu Han tried to say more.

Suddenly a shadow blotted her vision.

Lin Qixiao unexpectedly slapped her in the face with one swift motion.

Pa!

A crisp sound, Liu Han’s left cheek quickly swelled red.

The strike left her retreating two steps, somewhat dumbfounded.

Zhang Rongfang was also caught off guard by Lin Qixiao’s domineering temper.

He wanted to mediate.

“Captain Lin, let it go, Liu Han was just a bit anxious in speaking…”

“Did I say you could speak?” Lin Qixiao glared coldly at him.

Zhang Rongfang felt a thump in his heart.

“Captain Lin, you…”

“Get lost! Can’t even keep the scene under control, a bunch of useless people!”

Lin Qixiao grasped the saber handle. Not bothering to look at Zhang Rongfang and others, she quickly went upstairs past them.

The group was left behind, staring at the chaos on the floor, speechless.

The red-bearded man struggled to get up, his expression incredibly ugly.

Even though Liu Han later retrieved his money pouch, he merely thanked her with a simple salute and then quickly left the restaurant.

The thieving siblings, after quite some time, got up and supported each other, slowly and awkwardly departing the restaurant.

The few from Captain Lin’s team left silently, with no mood to eat.

Walking along the main street, Zhang Rongfang sighed deeply, looking at Liu Han’s swollen cheek, unsure of what to say.

“Captain Lin… has always been like this,” Chen Hansheng spoke softly beside him.

“The tyranny of the ninth team is notorious throughout the Department of Penology; this is considered mild.

A year ago, a master who had trained Iron Sand Palm to the fourth tier caused trouble at a brothel. He met Captain Lin and was beheaded on the spot.”

“Isn’t Captain Lin third tier?” Zhang Rongfang queried.

“Yes, but the saber in Captain Lin’s hand is named Zihan, which is much sharper than ordinary weapons.

With just a few clashes, she can cut off the opponent’s weapon on the spot. Plus, her family background is extremely strong.

Throughout Tan Yang, many are willing to show her respect; many dare not offend her.”

Chen Hansheng explained.

“After all, Zhenyi Sect’s Merak Palace is the second largest school in Tan Yang with thousands of followers.”

Zhang Rongfang understood; Lin Qixiao wielded a precious saber and donned leather armor. If also specializing in saber techniques, considering the cultivation technique gaps.

Third tier cutting fourth tier can be understood.

Holding a precious saber, unless your speed greatly exceeds hers, you can only dodge.

Any direct clash or a slight graze would be a major wound, ultimately lethal.

Unexpectedly, during previous patrols, Lin Qixiao always acted disinterestedly; today, her true nature was revealed slightly.

No wonder Li Huoyun had secretly tried talking to him before, even separately warning him that Lin Qixiao was difficult to deal with.

Zhang Rongfang now understood what “difficult to deal with” meant.

After splitting from the group, he finally understood that every profession has its inherent challenges.

With no good meal, Zhang Rongfang went to the pharmacy.

He had obtained quite a sum from the Mountain Opening Daoist. Now that he had taken up a position, it was time to secretly use it, exchanging it for attribute points.

As for Lin Qixiao, for the moment, she could only be pushed to the back of his mind.

The current focus is still to quickly increase attribute points and master more talismanic martial arts.

Half an hour later.

Zhang Rongfang quickly exited the herbal shop, carrying a large packet of medicine in his hand.

Inside was a supplement called Blood Nourishing Pill.

The effectiveness of the previous Hong Qi Soup had noticeably declined towards the end.

This time, he simply switched to another proven formula.

The purchase cost three hundred taels of silver, enough to last three months.

The price is slightly higher than Hong Qi Soup, but the Blood Nourishing Pill is much more convenient to consume.

No need for boiling, just swallow daily, and it has a much longer shelf life. It’s highly discreet and convenient.

With the medicine packet, Zhang Rongfang did not hesitate and quickly returned to the ninth squad building of the Criminal Division, entering his room.

Taking medicine and practicing martial arts.

The One Element Talisman has already exceeded its limits. Now, considering solely his talismanic skills, he is a third-class expert.

It’s just that he hasn’t gone out for classification, so no one knows yet.

Next is the fourth Spirit Gathering Talisman.

Such arduous practice, taking medicine, patrolling. In peaceful times…

Soon, another month passed.

By the end of July, Zhang Rongfang had accumulated four more attribute points.

However, instead of mastering the Spirit Gathering Talisman, he managed to master the Eagle Claw Skill he had acquired earlier.

In the middle of the night, inside his room.

Zhang Rongfang moved nimbly from side to side, his hands forming hooks, constantly tearing towards surroundings, producing faint whistling sounds in the air.

His every movement seemed to simulate the attack of an eagle’s sharp claws.

This is the basic routine of the Taichang Eagle Claw Skill. Although Zhang Rongfang hadn’t been taught by anyone, his extensive study of martial arts broadened his perspective.

After a rough exploration, he barely managed to master this routine.

According to the manual, strictly speaking, one must constantly refine fingers in coarse rice to master it.

But by utilizing the routine during practice, first practicing the complementary moves of the Eagle Claw Skill, he inadvertently managed to master it.

This was an unexpected delight.

At night, the moonlight was obscured by dark clouds, casting the room into darkness.

After completing a set of Eagle Claw Skill routines, Zhang Rongfang stood still, exhaling a long breath.

Carefully experiencing this so-called Eagle Claw Skill, he realized.

There were too many redundant moves, with plenty of flaws compared to Great Dao Teachings’ various talismanic techniques.

Many moves purely relied on the formidable ferocity of the eagle’s claws to exert significant power.

If Zhang Rongfang hadn’t found any other martial arts to pursue, he probably wouldn’t have valued this Eagle Claw Skill.

’Whatever, I might as well focus on leveling it up. After all, converting martial arts into combat effectiveness as quickly as possible is paramount.’

Zhang Rongfang closed his eyes and pulled up the attribute panel again.

Without hesitation, he immediately allocated all four attribute points to the Taichang Eagle Claw Skill.

Soon.

In the darkness, his palms began to rapidly deform, curving into hooks.

His fingertips became long, sharp, and piercing.

The hardness increased rapidly.

Approximately ten minutes later.

The color of his hands had turned a slightly darker shade.

Zhang Rongfang stood with eyes closed, dripping with sweat, while all his muscles twitched like little mice.

As time passed.

Gradually, his hands started undergoing new changes.

The skin transitioned from black to white, eventually returning to its original normal skin tone.

And then his fingers began to shed skin, peeling off a layer of hardened keratin to reveal slender fingers underneath, resembling white jade.

His fingernails, fingerprints, and knuckles became balanced and strong, as if sculpted from jade, with no roughness at all.

Finally, after another ten minutes.

Zhang Rongfang slowly opened his eyes, looking at the attribute panel before him.

He exhaled lightly.

“It’s done.”

’Zhang Rongfang—Life 24-25.

Skills: Rejuvenation Purification Talisman Manual—Mountain-shaped Talisman (Limit-Breaking) (Limit-Breaking Skill: Heavy Mountain, ten times),

Void Observation Skill (First Layer Exquisite Aperture).

Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill (First Layer Limit-Breaking) (Limit-Breaking Skill: Shrinking the Ground.)

Morning Energy Talisman (Limit-Breaking)

Eight Steps to Catching a Cicada (First Layer Limit-Breaking)

One Element Talisman (Limit-Breaking)

Taichang Eagle Claw Skill (Limit-Breaking)

Fusion Limit-Breaking Skill: Shrinking Step Heavy Mountain.

Available attribute points: 0.’

“Something’s not right!” Suddenly, a frown appeared on Zhang Rongfang’s face.

Everything else in the attribute panel was normal, but the life…

The upper and lower limits had both decreased by one point.

“I remember it was 25-26 before!”

Zhang Rongfang’s heart tightened. Before practicing, his life attribute hadn’t dropped.

Why would practicing martial arts to break limits cause a reduction in life attribute?

Now considering Great Dao Teachings’ martial arts alone, he is a third-class expert.

Adding all his martial arts, he is at the sixth class!

Sixth class!

Back at Qinghe Palace, the highest was the Palace Master Chen Heqiu, at sixth class.

That was an elderly sixth class.

Which means, returning now to Qinghe Palace, as a young man defeating an old man, he would easily sweep through in a duel!

Not to mention his fusion limit-breaking skill could drastically increase power in a short time.

Additionally, based on Zhenyi Sect’s superior body technique, he has fused a completely new body technique, making him ghost-like and silent.

“Why…..??. Why is it decreasing?” Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang had a sensation.

He seemed to have touched upon some special rule.

Regarding the connection between life attribute and martial arts cultivation.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep