Chapter 11: Chapter 10 Divided into 64 Parts
"I need a bit of help."
Even though Mr. Mo spoke through the veil hanging from his hat, Qing Yu could feel his piercing gaze. It was clear where the help he mentioned would come from.
Qing Yu was no longer surprised enough to jump to his feet, feeling even the slightest movement might send him flying into the air.
"Mr. Mo," Qing Yu couldn't see his own face, but he could feel its extreme bitterness, "Can't you see that I'm merely at the Postnatal Fourth Realm?"
"I can see not only that you're at the Postnatal Fourth Realm, but also that you haven't opened any of the Twelve Meridians," Mr. Mo slowly stated.
The Extraordinary Meridians and the Twelve Meridians are two systems of energy pathways within the human body. The Extraordinary Meridians govern the flow of Inner Strength, and Internal Cultivation Methods are mostly circulated within these eight pathways. Even some unique and rare techniques require the use of other meridians, though the main circulation stays within the Extraordinary Meridians.
Some complex Absolute Skills or unique martial techniques relate to the Twelve Meridians. However, the Twelve Meridians primarily handle the transmission and operational route of Inner Strength during the execution of martial moves.
Simply put, the Extraordinary Meridians generate Inner Strength, while the Twelve Meridians serve as conduits for deploying the moves. Only by opening the relevant meridians can one unleash the true power of their techniques. For instance, the well-known "Six Meridian Divine Sword" emits invisible Sword Qi through the six meridians on the hand: the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming, the Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin, the Triple Burner Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang, the Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin, and the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang.
Qing Yu, being new to martial arts, had yet to open the meridians needed for Quanzhen Swordsmanship, Golden Wild Goose Skill, and Divine Transformation, which are all on the arms and legs, limiting his ability to utilize his Inner Strength to less than eighty percent.
"Master's discerning eyes see all. With my humble power, I likely couldn't even compete with the Four Great Families of Yang City, let alone confront the abundance of experts in the Zhen Shan Army," Qing Yu stated.
"Rest assured, being a disciple of Xuanfa, I won't mislead you."
That's hardly comforting, Qing Yu thought to himself, with nothing to say but to shake his head and wryly smile.
"The Four Great Families of Yang City, having grown accustomed to wielding power for years, have likely forgotten they are merely watchdogs guarding treasuries, yet they dare to dip their paws into the treasury. The greatest virtue of a dog is loyalty. What use is a disloyal dog? The Zhen Shan Army has long been dissatisfied with these overly ambitious dogs.
Moreover, those brigands know nothing of commerce. The same goods, when handled by us, could fetch two to three times the price.
I've already made arrangements with the commanding officer of the Zhen Shan Army, 'Lord Zhen Shan' Zhang Huchen, to reopen the Shadow Market and split the profits, sixty-forty. Whether that split is sixty for me and forty for him or the other way around will depend on whether my people can eliminate those four disloyal dogs."
"You could just send someone to directly storm their houses and wipe them out. I imagine you have no shortage of Innate Experts, such as this silent and motionless Black-faced Brother standing beside you," Qing Yu's eyes shifted toward the man in the black mask, who stood as still as a corpse.
Black-faced Brother glanced at Qing Yu, his look chilling. It seemed his naming as 'Black-faced Brother' had struck a nerve, and he was not quite dead after all.
"To win with experts, do I, a castaway to this desolate Shadow Market, have as many as the Zhen Shan Army? These brutes, who only understand force, value cunning over mere martial power. A more cunning approach will make them believe that the benefits I bring far outweigh their clumsy efforts. Thus, I can only resort to using force below the Postnatal Sixth Realm. Only by using a force far inferior to the Four Great Families and defeating them can I prove the superiority of my strategies."
Qing Yu felt a twinge in his teeth. The future profits from the Shadow Market—20%, in and out made a 40% discrepancy—entrusted to him, if he bungled this up, he feared he would have to go down and meet his deceased master and, along the way, get acquainted with his previously unmet deceased senior brothers and sisters.
Mr. Mo ignored the agonized expression on Qing Yu's face and continued, "With such a significant interest, I obviously wouldn't just pick anyone to mess it around. If you do mess it up, I still have a bit of time to find a new candidate, but your outcome probably won't be good either. Of course, if you succeed, your gains will exceed your imagination.
I won't force you, the choice to take on this matter is yours."
'Do I even have a choice? If I refuse and word gets out, letting the Four Great Families catch wind, Postnatal Sixth Realm and still dreaming of overturning heaven? It seems to be a single-choice question. If I decline, I'll really have to go and reunite with my master and the others.' Qing Yu was full of sarcastic thoughts internally, such scenarios he had seen plenty in TV dramas and novels from his previous life—accept and maybe die, refuse and die immediately, truly a dead-end question.
"Mr. Mo is a good friend of my late master, how could the junior refuse to help? This favor, I, Qing Yu, will definitely take on," Qing Yu declared unequivocally, as if the person hesitating and struggling earlier was someone else.
Mr. Mo, too, was stunned by Qing Yu's righteous acting, sizing him up from head to toe, feeling that his three years of attention had been in vain, even emotionless Black-faced Brother couldn't help but give him a sidelong glance.
"By the way, there's some bad news I forgot to tell you."
"Uh," Qing Yu had a bad premonition.
"Your previous guess about Beicang Mountain was correct," Mr. Mo said in a low chuckle, "indeed, someone has been monitoring you, two people, one Postnatal Sixth Realm, and the other Postnatal Seventh Realm. Since you've been quiet these past three years, they've lowered their guard, occasionally going to the Southern Border Secret Forest to gather resources for cultivation. However, in three days, it's their routine check, and they'll definitely return to check your current status.
You're at an age of growing, and your appearance has changed greatly from three years ago. Those two people, it can be said, are the only two Zhenwu Sect disciples who know your current appearance."
"So..." Qing Yu unconsciously narrowed his eyes, hiding the thick killing intent in his sockets.
"So, to live peacefully, those two people must die," Mr. Mo finished Qing Yu's thought.
"This is also a test for you. Prove it to me—prove that you are still that young beggar who caught Xuanfa and my attention back then, prove that these years of laying low haven't truly turned you into a coward."
Qing Yu remained silent, the killing intent in his heart soaring continually. Mr. Mo's shocking bad news ignited the resentment and hostility Qing Yu had accumulated over the years along with deep panic, that kind of life without seeing tomorrow, he never wanted to return to. 'They must die.' His resolve to kill had never been firmer.
Mr. Mo tossed two items towards him, Qing Yu caught them; they were two gourd-shaped small medicinal vials, one purple and one blue.
"The purple vial contains the Meridian Opening Pill, used to clear the Twelve Meridians. The blue vial contains Meridian Opening Pill as well, also used to clear meridians but tailored for the Extraordinary Meridians. These two vials can be considered an advance investment from me; don't let me down," Mr. Mo exclaimed, rising and brushing off the dust, placing his left hand behind his back, striding away, with Black-faced Brother following closely.
Qing Yu stayed in place, his right thumb caressing the pattern on the vials, contemplating as he watched Mr. Mo's retreating figure: "He's had me pegged from the start. Meridian Opening Pill, just for clearing meridians in the Postnatal Realm. His entourage is surely not below Innate, and he himself obviously doesn't need to carry such low-level elixirs. Therefore, these two vials of elixir can only be intended for me.
A disciple of an acquaintance, huh, how ridiculous..."
Chapter 12: Chapter 11 Wohu Village
"New task released. Eliminate threat: Cover your tracks, handle the aftermath, and kill the two Observers who know your true identity. Task reward: Two chances at a low-level lottery. Punishment for failure: None (unnecessary)."
"Indeed, it's unnecessary. Failing this so-called test is like refusing an inevitable outcome." Qing Yu stared at the task notification before him.
If he didn't eliminate this threat and prove his capabilities, Mr. Mo naturally wouldn't trust Qing Yu to handle the struggle against the Four Great Families. No system punishment needed—failure spelled doom for Qing Yu.
Having decided, Qing Yu got up and left.
He walked out of the cave. The fire basins on either side were still fiercely burning, though it was unclear what they were using as fuel.
Outside, the sky was beginning to brighten. Looking ahead, Yang City was already coming to life, with street vendors starting to set up their breakfast stalls.
Walking on the street, Qing Yu glanced at a bun vendor, swallowing his saliva greedily. Unfortunately, he was broke. The money generously provided by a few kind-hearted people yesterday had all been spent at the inn. Ah, the pains of poverty.
"New task released. The first pot of gold: A single cent may stymie a hero, but you are no hero. By any means, acquire one hundred taels of gold or an item of equivalent value within a month. Task reward: Access to the system shop. Punishment for failure: You are stymied by money, it seems you're not cut out to be a villain, go be your hero, system uninstall."
The system popped in to make its presence felt again, making today feel particularly burdensome with tasks. Looking at another do-or-die task notification, Qing Yu said, "System, you are really stirring things up."
"Host, this system merely releases tasks based on your thoughts. All tasks originate from the host's own intentions," the system replied in its usual mechanical tone.
"Then give me an easy task now. Hmm, let the requirements be to stand in place for three minutes, with the reward being a high-grade lottery draw."
"The reward matches the task's difficulty. If the host desires a high-grade lottery, the system can issue the task: Kill Mr. Mo. Also, a reminder, tasks released are related to the host's own strength, otherwise given your previous murderous intent towards Mr. Mo, the system would have already issued this task."
"Ahahaha," Qing Yu scratched the back of his head, chuckling awkwardly, ignoring the glances from people nearby.
"First, I'll go back and catch up on some sleep. It's the last day at the inn today, and it feels like a total loss not to sleep there again."
One day later, three miles away from Yang City towards the heart of Ling Province, on Wo Hu Mountain.
There's a stronghold on this mountain, rather perfunctorily named Wo Hu Village, a bandit's lair.
At that time, within Juyi Hall of Wo Hu Village, Qing Yu was sitting on the throne symbolizing the Grand Master, holding a white cloth, meticulously wiping the long sword lying across his lap.
The young man, dressed in black, his handsome face adorned with eyes shimmering like stars, stared intently at the sword in his hands. With a swipe of the white cloth in his left hand, the remaining fresh blood on the sword was wiped off, the cold gleam of the blade reflecting in the young man's eyes, which still held a hint of murderous intent.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch, that hurts." Qing Yu exerted too much force with his left hand, overacting, and aggravated the wound on his left arm. His stern pose immediately collapsed, and he threw the sword aside.
"Bad call, bad call, why did I only think about making a sedative and not bother with some golden sore medicine?" Qing Yu pressed on the freshly bandaged wound, which to his misfortune started bleeding again as he bore the bitter fruit of trying to act cool when no one was around.
"Hope the wound doesn't get infected. I heard that King Fu Chai of Wu's dad, what was his name, something with two gates, got shot in the toe with an arrow, got an infection, and just gg'd, probably the most stifling death for a king."
Qing Yu slumped onto a Taishi Chair covered in unrecognizable fur, lamenting that the chair wasn't large enough to pull off a lounge pose like Ge You.
"Low, so low. The Grand Master's throne doesn't even have a tiger skin, thumbs down." Qing Yu, who should only recognize tiger skins with distinctive stripes, critiqued the Wohu Village, which had nothing to do with actual tigers. (Qing Yu: Nonsense, I also recognize zebra skin.)
Yesterday afternoon, after waking up, Qing Yu began taking an Elixir to open up his meridians. Fearing death, the first ones he opened were the Foot Shaoyin Ren Meridian of the Golden Wild Goose Skill and Divine Transformation. Then, due to a depleted balance, he got chased out of the inn by the owner. Luckily, while Qing Yu was wandering the streets, he met some kind-hearted folks who not only gave him money but also filled him in on the local culture and geography. It was these good Samaritans who told him about Wohu Village.
Afterwards, Qing Yu took the initiative and began seeking help from these kind-hearted folks. The iron sword he held was sponsored by someone worried about Qing Yu being alone and in danger. At that moment, Qing Yu couldn't help but comment, "These toughs really have the spirit of lackeys, finding someone who uses a sword isn't easy, no wonder they never make it to rich and handsome."
Then, financially buoyed, Qing Yu found a better inn where, after a night's work, he'd opened another meridian, this time the Yin Qiao Meridian, which belongs to the Extraordinary Meridians. Along with the previous meridian opened on Beicang Mountain, both the Yin Qiao and Yang Qiao Meridians were cleared. 'Qiao' signifies agility and agility. Opening these two meridians greatly benefited his Qinggong, meaning Qing Yu could run faster now, which was indeed cause for celebration.
It must be said, a world rich in Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi sure has its perks. You see, in the world of Juxia, Grandmaster Lao Yue, despite his hard work, is still stuck in the Postnatal Realm all his life.
Just as Qing Yu was lost in thought in the Juyi Hall, from outside Wohu Village came the sound of horse hooves, probably a dozen or so men galloping towards the village.
"Whoa," called out Sun Man, the Grand Master of Wohu Village, grabbing the reins and shouting, "Lads, open the gates."
Silence atop the watchtower.
A bandit captain behind him spurred his horse forward and said, "Grand Master, there's a smell of blood."
Sun Man unsheathed a big chopper, dismounted cautiously, and proceeded forward, followed closely by his fifteen men, all gripping their weapons tightly.
Slowly approaching the gate, Sun Man tightly grasped his chopper, waved his hand, and one of the bandits behind him reluctantly became a sacrificial lamb and stepped forward to push the gate.
As feared, it wasn't good—the gate had no crossbar, and the probing bandit easily pushed open the heavy door.
Sun Man led his men inside. The village was littered with bodies; without counting, Sun Man roughly estimated there were more than twenty bodies, about the same number as his men left behind to guard the village.
A wave of anger rushed to his head. Ignoring the cautious approach, he strode toward the Juyi Hall. If the enemy was still there, they'd surely be waiting for him.
The Juyi Hall, straight ahead from the main gate and not far; Sun Man charged into the hall.
There he saw a young man in black, sprawling on the Grand Master's throne with his upper body leaning forward, his right hand resting on his knee, holding a gleaming long sword tilted upward to the left. In his left hand, he held a piece of white cloth, wiping the sword blade, on which fresh bloodstains were visible. Upon hearing Sun Man and his group's footsteps, the black-clothed young man's eyes, which were focused on the sword edge, shifted to the main entrance of the Juyi Hall. Through the strands of hair scattered across his delicate face due to his posture, Sun Man caught sight of the young man's icy cold eyes.
Cold and stern pose number 2, online.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
12 Power
stone 
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