The Supreme Lord Donghuang
Zhou Donghuang, a man from the Earth, is able to destroy any planet in the universe without lifting a finger. His supreme will can sweep across the vast cosmos in the blink of an eye. And his immortal spirit can depart from his body and wander around the universe!
In Kunlun Mountains lies a circular slate, which brought him back to one thousand years ago…
Read The Supreme Lord Donghuang - Chapter 1 - A Betrayal of Grace online free - Light Novel Full
Chapter 1: A Betrayal of Grace
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Magnolia Guild, Qingshan Town.
This is… my past… my room in the Magnolia Guild?
Wasn't I on Earth?
The young man, roughly fifteen to sixteen years old, looked around at the familiar setting of the room: a smooth, unweathered face in the mirror stared back at him, and a calendar hung on the wall. He was at a complete loss, and it took him a long time to regain his composure.
The date according to the latest page of the calendar on the wall was, shockingly, the twelfth day, the twelfth month, year 1227 of the Ziyun Era.
Zhou Donghuang took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and searched through his memory of what had happened moments ago…
He had been at his home on Earth conducting research on a wondrous circular slate in the year 2359 of the Ziyun Era, which was year 3150 of the Earth Era.
He suspected that wondrous circular slate, which was unique in every aspect, had been handed down from generation to generation since ancient times. Even though he had the power to extinguish any star in the universe as he wished, he could not leave a slight mark on this wondrous circular slate.
It all came back to him now… when his psyche entered the circular slate, the term "chronospace slate" had appeared in his mind out of nowhere. A mysterious and irresistible force reached out from the circular slate and completely enveloped him. Then he blacked out.
When he was awake, he realized that he had been transported back to this familiar, yet faraway place from the depths of his memory.
This was not Earth but another planet in the boundless universe, Ziyun.
The Ziyun Era was the astronomical calendar of the planet Ziyun.
Wait! Chronospace slate… chronospace?
Is it possible that this chronospace slate has sent me back to a thousand years ago?
Zhou Donghuang sobered up immediately at this thought, suppressed his raging emotions, and gradually began to calm down.
Year 1227 of the Ziyun Era… I turned sixteen that year.
That mad cultist appeared in Qingshan Town when I was sixteen and took me away from Ziyun all the way across the universe to Earth.
I remember it was the twenty-second day of the twelfth month in year 1227 of the Ziyun Era.
And today is the twelfth day of the twelfth month in year 1227 of the Ziyun Era, so if the date is accurate, the mad cultist will show up here in ten days.
Zhou Donghuang shut his eyes as countless scenes flashed through his mind.
He arrived on Earth on November 5, 2018 of the Earth Era.
Earth was a planet where the Spirit was thin and weak. However, there were ancient legends there such as "Pan Gu creates the heavens,""Nu Wa repairs the heavens,""Hou Yi shoots the suns,""Chang'E flies to the moon" and others…
It was not difficult to deduce that a group of mighty practitioners had once dwelled on Earth, and their world had once been glorious.
However, by the time he had reached Earth, the world that the practitioners had built was already in decline, and the whole Earth had descended into an age of ignorance about the arts.
Who knew that even though he could claim to be among the most talented in the universe, he would still end up spending a hundred years on Earth before he was able to leave?
Upon leaving Earth and travelling into intergalactic space saturated with the Spirit, his true potential was unleashed…
A mere thousand years later, he had travelled across the stars, engaging a countless number of mighty opponents in battle and never tasting defeat. He had earned himself the title of "Battle-lord Donghuang."
Back in my youth, I did not have the power to extinguish stars with a gesture or reach out across the stars with my supernatural will with a mere thought or even project my essence out of my physical form and wander the cosmos…
Zhou Donghuang sighed. Just a moment ago, he tried to trigger some response from inside him but found that he was completely empty inside.
The "seal" that would be broken on Earth later by the mad cultist was still there.
He was now quite literally where he was a thousand years ago before he had encountered the mad cultist.
I'm not dreaming, am I?
On a childish impulse, perhaps because he was now in the body of a sixteen-year-old, Zhou Donghuang reached up and pinched his face hard.
The sharp pain that registered in the next instant made him realize beyond any doubt that it was not a dream but entirely real!
…
Why would Lady Dandan be with the master of the Sunset Guild? Moreover, the master of the Sunset Guild is following Lady Dandan as though he thoroughly respects her.
When I glanced into the receiving chamber, I saw the expression on our guild master's face was terrible and frightening.
On the other side of the door, the voices of two serving girls in conversation brought Zhou Donghuang back to reality.
That's right… today is the twelfth day of the twelfth month in the year 1227 of the Ziyun Era!
Today, Chen Dandan will reveal the formula that the Lin family offered Mother to support the business of Magnolia Guild to their rivals, the Sunset Guild!
After this, the Lin family would be furious and would withdraw their support for the Magnolia Guild and expel Mother from the Lin family… When word from the Lin family reached Qingshan Town eight days later, Mother would be overcome with a rage that would lead to her death!
Without hesitation, Zhou Donghuang burst out of the room through the door and sprinted to the receiving chamber.
The Magnolia Guild was one of the two major guilds in Qingshan Town, and the room which was used as their receiving chamber was spacious, luxuriously decorated, and unrivaled in its extravagance.
But now, something seemed off in the atmosphere of the receiving chamber.
"Mother!"
Zhou Donghuang strode into the receiving chamber, his eyes fixed on the beautiful lady standing in its center. Emotions that were impossible to express in words glittered in his eyes.
He had not seen his mother in over a thousand years.
"Donghuang, why are you here?"
The beautiful lady had been trembling with rage, but upon seeing Zhou Donghuang, her frosty and severe demeanour transformed immediately into a lovely smile, and the fury in her eyes gave way to a tender look of love.
The beautiful lady was the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, Lin Lan.
"Mother, I know everything."
Standing beside the beautiful lady, Zhou Donghuang turned his gaze toward the two people opposite him before letting it come to rest on the leader of the two, the young lady.
The young lady was dressed in a pale green gown and seemed to be of a similar age as Zhou Donghuang. She was slender and graceful and her beautiful face was smooth and unblemished- every inch of her appearance proclaiming what a rich brat she was.
"Why?" Zhou Donghuang asked in a low growl, levelling an icy stare at the girl.
Previously, he did not have the chance to ask the young lady this question before he was taken away by the mad cultist.
He wanted to seek her out to ask her this question after he managed to leave Earth and return to Ziyun, but by then she had been long gone, and he did not manage to find her.
This had become a knot in Zhou Donghuang's heart.
It was a heaven-sent opportunity to be transported back a thousand years into the past. He never expected to have a chance to undo this gordian knot in his heart.
"Everyone has his own ambitions!" the young lady replied with a stoic expression, fearlessly meeting Zhou Donghuang's stare.
"Indeed!" Zhou Donghuang smiled a brilliant smile. "Ten years ago, you, Chen Dandan, were wandering the streets penniless and destitute with no one to turn to, almost starving to death. It was Mother and I who brought you in out of the wind and snow. We fed you, clothed you, and Mother even took you in as an adopted daughter, giving you an enviable position of privilege.
"When you were nine and you fell ill, it was Mother who braved the wind and rain to scale the cliffs of Mount Daliang, defying death to gather herbs to treat you and save your life. When you were twelve and training to build up your qi, you could not make the connection at first. It was Mother who spent three days and three nights helping you find your qi, neglecting her own well-being just to help you successfully get started on the path of the Martial Way!"
Zhou Donghuang stopped speaking. His eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fists tightly. His fingernails cut into his skin, and blood seeped out from the cuts in his palm.
"Five years ago, you told Mother that you would marry me when you grew up, but I said I saw you only as a sister. Mother and I almost had a falling out because of this. She praised you to high heaven and told me that the chance to take you as my wife was the accumulated luck of several lifetimes…
"I agreed to it later on to ease Mother's worries. But today… who would have thought that you would ally yourself with outsiders to ruin Mother, to ruin the Magnolia Guild that she single-handedly built up from nothing! Where is your shame? Have you got any shred of dignity left?"
Zhou Donghuang's voice seemed to grow colder, and the chill permeated the room as he spoke. It began to feel as though the temperature in the receiving chamber had dropped by a few degrees.
"Had I known earlier that you, Zhou Donghuang, were a useless piece of trash who could not manifest his qi, I would never have thought of marrying you!"
Chen Dandan laughed humorlessly, her eyes betraying no hint of emotion. Shades of condescension and spite flickered across her beautiful, delicate face.
"Fine, despise me as you wish, I couldn't care less… but Mother? Has she ever done anything to let you down?" Zhou Donghuang challenged.
"She has never let me down… but please remember that I didn't ask her to shelter me from the wind and snow. Nor did I ask her to scale the cliffs for medicinal herbs for me and help me find my qi and manifest it in training."
"Perhaps she intended to use me to earn a good reputation so that the Magnolia Guild could enjoy smoother business dealings here in Qingshan Town," Chen Dandan replied nonchalantly.
Upon hearing Chen Dandan's answer, Zhou Donghuang was dumbstruck.
How could a person be so shameless? Previously, as he wandered amongst the stars, he had visited countless places and met countless shameless people, but Chen Dandan's shamelessness was in a class of its own!
"I should kill you!"
Zhou Donghuang could no longer control himself. With a cold gleam in his eyes and a bone-chilling roar, he rushed towards Chen Dandan.
But at the first hint of movement from him, the man behind Chen Dandan took a big step forward, blocking his path.
"Lady Dandan is now the young mistress-to-be of the Hong family of the prefecture capital."
The middle-aged man was the guild master of the Sunset Guild, Hong Yue. Hong Yue was a level-one adept of the gathered qi and possessed the strength of a bull.
"Get lost!"
Because of the seal within him, Zhou Donghuang had yet to manifest his qi, but banking on his memories from the past thousand years, he was able to utilize every inch of muscle in his body to channel the accumulated strength into an explosive burst.
Although his body was not yet fully developed, the maximum burst potential of his strength was more than enough to neutralize a level-one adept of the gathered qi.
Bang!
A deafening sound reverberated around the receiving chamber.
It was Zhou Donghuang who made the next move, charging in a frenzy towards Hong Yue and hitting him with a strike that sent him sprawling to the floor outside with blood spurting from his mouth.
"How is this possible?!"
There was a look of incomprehension on Chen Dandan's face as she wondered how a level-one adept of the gathered qi could be wounded and soundly defeated after exchanging blows with Zhou Donghuang.
How could such a useless piece of trash be so powerful?
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 2: The Formula for the Blood-Staunching Elixir
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Disbelief showed in the eyes of Lin Lan and the elderly lady behind her.
Just like Chen Dandan.
They knew Zhou Donghuang inside out.
Zhou Donghuang had not yet been able to manifest his qi.
But now, he was able to soundly thrash and injure a level-one adept of the gathered qi and dominate him completely.
They simply could not believe it. Could they be dreaming?
Watching as Hong Yue struggled to his feet, Zhou Donghuang bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Another false move and I'll end your miserable life!"
Under the murderous glare of Zhou Donghuang, Hong Yue quailed in fear and stood there motionless as though his legs were filled with lead.
"Chen Dandan!"
Zhou Donghuang's gaze found Chen Dandan again, staring daggers at her.
Sensing Zhou Donghuang's murderous rage towards Chen Dandan, Hong Yue's pupils contracted and refocused. Turning to Lin Lan, he reminded her in a low voice, "Guild Master Lin, restrain your son, don't make things worse…"
"Lady Dandan is the esteemed daughter-in-law of the Hong family!"
By saying this, Hong Yue was blatantly threatening Lin Lan.
Lin Lan paled at this but immediately suppressed her anger. "Donghuang, come back here," she commanded, looking lovingly at him standing with his back to her.
Neither of them were her biological children, but how did he come to be so close to her?
Zhou Donghuang turned slowly. "Mother, are you still protecting her even now?" he asked, his voice betraying a momentary hoarseness.
"This is the last time… from this day forth, I, Lin Lan, and her, Chen Dandan, sever all ties between us!" Lin Lan said, her voice filled with indignation.
"Fine. As a token of respect to you, Mother, I won't kill her today…"
At these words, Chen Dandan breathed a sigh of relief.
"But if I let you walk away just like this…I would feel that I did something too unfair to myself!" Zhou Donghuang muttered.
The moment Chen Dandan changed her expression, Zhou Donghuang darted forward and landed a savage slap on her face.
Piak!
The sharp, clear sound echoed in the chamber, and Chen Dandan fell down beside Hong Yue. Her face began to swell, and she spat out blood and bits of broken teeth. She looked even worse than Hong Yue.
Chen Dandan glared hatefully at Zhou Donghuang, her delicate features twisting into a savage mask. "Zhou Donghuang, you dare hit me? Do you wish to…"
But Chen Dandan swallowed the rest of her threat upon seeing the cold, murderous look in Zhou Donghuang's eyes.
"Chen Dandan, each person has to take responsibility for his or her actions… I only hope you won't end up regretting this."
Zhou Donghuang kept his cold gaze on Chen Dandan, his voice completely emotionless.
"Of course I won't regret it!"
Suppressing her murderous rage, Chen Dandan returned his gaze with a humourless smile. As her rage subsided, bewilderment emerged in its wake.
How had this useless piece of trash suddenly come to possess such abilities? Not only had he defeated Hong Yue, but he had managed to close the distance between them and strike her before she could react.
Despite this and the fact that Zhou Donghuang evidently had some ability, Chen Dandan remained nonchalant. The man she, Chen Dandan, was about to marry, was, after all, the first young master of the Hong family of the prefecture capital, a man so blessed that he seemed favored by the gods.
How could he be compared with this piece of trash here?
"Guild Master Hong, let's take our leave."
Chen Dandan struggled to her feet and led Hong Yue away. At the door of the receiving chamber, she hesitated and gazed back at Zhou Donghuang with a deep look. "I can only hope that you will be able to withstand the fury that will come down upon the Lin family of the prefecture capital…"
"After all, I do not wish to see the Magnolia Guild that I have grown up in be destroyed just like that."
A mocking smile pulled at the corners of Chen Dandan's bloody mouth.
"If you don't leave now, make no mistake, I will kill you!" Zhou Donghuang roared through gritted teeth as he stepped forward menacingly, his lips drawn back in anger.
Chen Dandan cowered in fear and turned away, leading Hong Yue hastily away.
"How did we not realize earlier that this sh*t was such a wretched ingrate?"
After Chen Dandan and Hong Yue had departed, even the elderly lady behind Lin Lan had her face twisted in rage.
"Mother!" Zhou Donghuang turned and dashed to the stunned-looking Lin Lan, swept her into a hug and held her closely for a long time.
Lin Lan only then noticed that her son had grown and was now a little taller than she was.
"Donghuang, I'm fine."
Lin Lan was under the impression that Zhou Donghuang was feeling sorrowful over this whole disastrous episode and had no idea that Zhou Donghuang was actually emotional because he had not seen her for such a long time.
A thousand years had slipped by, and everything changed.
At this moment, only Zhou Donghuang himself could understand how he felt.
"My Lady, what should we do now? The formula is in the hands of the Sunset Guild and effectively belongs to the Hong family… Even though Chen Dandan has betrayed us, the Lin family will not take that into consideration. They will vent their fury on you and the Magnolia Guild anyway."
The elderly lady was fidgeting with anxiety.
Lin Lan trembled at the elderly lady's words and worry clouded her eyes.
She had expected this outcome.
The Lin family, just like the Hong family, was a great family of the prefecture capital. As a scion of the Lin family, Lin Lan had been sent to Qingshan Town early on to set up a guild to conduct business, the result of which was the Magnolia Guild.
The price for enjoying the protection and resources of the Lin family was a tithe of nine-tenths of the Magnolia Guild's yearly profit.
Only the remaining tenth belonged to the guild master of the Magnolia Guild.
If the Lin family discovered that the formula had been leaked by Lin Lan's Magnolia Guild, they would be furious.
Zhou Donghuang felt Lin Lan trembling. He released Lin Lan and asked, "Mother, what kind of formula was lost?"
Prior to this, although he knew that Chen Dandan had revealed the formula, he did not know what kind of formula it was. However, he wasn't worried about whatever formula the Lin family had produced.
He had stood at the figurative peak of the universe. What kind of formula had he not seen before?
In his eyes, a formula made by a small family from a small planet like Ziyun was no different from rough paper.
"It's a special kind of blood-staunching elixir. Moreover, it was formulated personally by the intermediate-level medicine master who was invited at great cost to practice in the Lin family household. Its blood-staunching effect is 30% greater than that of the usual blood-staunching elixirs commonly available on the market."
The planet of Ziyun was one where the Martial Way was a part of life and where only the strong earned respect. Fights and disputes between adepts were commonplace; thus, blood-staunching elixirs were always in demand.
Naturally, the more effective the blood-staunching elixir, the higher the demand for it.
"Blood-staunching elixir?"
Zhou Donghuang racked his brain, searching through the accumulated memories of a thousand years. He managed to recall the formula for the lowest grade of blood-staunching elixir very quickly.
Its effectiveness was double that of the widely available blood-staunching elixirs on the market in the country of Yunyang!
If I remove a few of the ingredients, I should be able to reduce its effectiveness a little…
Zhou Donghuang did not intend to use the formula wholesale, but was intending to remove several ingredients to reduce the effectiveness of this blood-staunching elixir. That was the lowest grade of blood-staunching elixir he could recall.
Otherwise, once this blood-staunching elixir was circulated, it would shake the whole country of Yunyang!
In his opinion, this was not a good thing.
He had seen too many cases of innocent men getting into trouble because of their wealth during the thousands of years of trials he had previously experienced.
"Mother, I'm going to the medicine storehouse. If nothing goes wrong, I'll formulate an even better blood-staunching elixir for you within a quarter of an hour!"
Determined to help, Zhou Donghuang glanced at Lin Lan, whose expression was full of worry, and bluntly told her, "When it is time, take that blood-staunching elixir back to the Lin family, and I believe they will not even consider blaming you. Instead, they will reward you."
"Young Master, this is not the time for such jokes."
Thinking he was joking, the elderly lady behind Lin Lan replied with a rueful smile before Lin Lan could speak.
The elderly lady had served Lin Lan since she was very young. Such was her loyalty to Lin Lan that she even left the Lin family and the prefecture capital together with Lin Lan and followed her out to Qingshan Town. Because of this, Zhou Donghuang did not keep his plan from her that he was going to formulate a better blood-staunching elixir.
"Donghuang, there is no need to console me."
Lin Lan was shaking her head, evidently not taking Zhou Donghuang's claim seriously. Although this was not her own biological son, she had watched him grow up. What abilities could he possibly have that she was not aware of?
"Mother, Granny Lian, I really am not joking. Wait here, and I'll be back within 15 minutes with the formula!"
As soon as he had spoken, Zhou Donghuang left the receiving chamber briskly and went to the medicine storehouse.
He arrived at the medicine storehouse very shortly since it was less than two hundred meters away from the receiving chamber.
The guards of the Magnolia Guild who were guarding the medicine storehouse naturally did not dare prevent the entry of Zhou Donghuang, the Young Master of the Magnolia Guild, and allowed him to pass unhindered.
Once he entered the medicine storehouse, Zhou Donghuang began to gather the necessary ingredients and prepare the blood-staunching elixir all from memory.
The preparation of the formula only required the ingredients to be ground into powder, so Zhou Donghuang was able to prepare the blood-staunching elixir very quickly given the availability of the required apparatus in the medicine storehouse.
"Done!"
In less than 15 minutes, he had further suppressed the effectiveness of the lowest grade of blood-staunching elixir from his memory by 60%.
He had created a formula for a blood-staunching elixir that was 40% more effective than those available on the market.
After he returned so quickly to the receiving chamber and handed the formula over, both Lin Lan and granny Lian were naturally skeptical.
However, as soon as Lin Lan personally tested the blood-staunching elixir made by Zhou Donghuang, she could not help but be convinced!
"Could it be true?"
Lin Lan and granny Lian exchanged a glance, and saw the look of incredulity in each other's eyes.
"Donghuang!"
Lin Lan looked solemnly at Zhou Donghuang. "Tell your mother honestly… where did you obtain the formula for this blood-staunching elixir?"
The value of the formula for a blood-staunching elixir of this kind would greatly exceed that of the formula for the blood-staunching elixir leaked by Chen Dandan.
After all, this was 40% more effective, compared with the leaked formula of 30% more effectiveness.
"Also, you have not managed to manifest your qi, so how did you manage to defeat Hong Yue, the guild master of the Sunset Guild?"
For the first time, Lin Lan felt that she might not understand her son completely.
"Mother, I created this blood-staunching elixir. As for the origins of the formula and how I defeated Hong Yue, it's a long story."
Zhou Donghuang said impatiently, "Why don't you send the formula to the Lin family in the prefecture capital to make up for this whole debacle?"
"I'll tell you all about it when you return. How's that?"
At this moment, Zhou Donghuang's goal was to get his mother out of this sticky situation so that she could avoid a similar fate to what she had suffered before.
"Agreed! I will ask you about it when I return."
Lin Lan understood the gravity of the situation, and after delegating some minor tasks to granny Lian who had remained by her side, she departed for the prefecture capital on a fast horse.
Lin Lan herself was a level-one adept of the gathered qi; moreover, since no one knew that she was carrying such a valuable formula on her, Zhou Donghuang was not worried that something might happen to her on her journey.
"When Chen Dandan learns that the Young Master has produced an even better formula, I fear that she will vomit blood in anger," granny Lian chuckled after Lin Lan had left.
Upon hearing granny Lian mention Chen Dandan, a frosty look flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes and the corners of his mouth pulled upwards in a cold smile.
"There's no rush, let's play with her slowly… We'll crush her beneath our feet when she is least expecting it to inflict even greater despair upon her."
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 3: The Seal
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Granny Lian, is there any hundred-year-old blood ginseng in the guild's rare material storehouse?" Zhou Donghuang asked.
He had not seen any blood ginseng greater than twenty years of age when he was in the medicine storehouse earlier. Therefore, he guessed that any blood ginseng older than twenty years must have been stored in the treasure vault of the Magnolia Guild.
It was the Magnolia Guild's practice to store items of value in a special treasure vault. Lin Lan and Granny Lian were the only two people in the entire Magnolia Guild who knew the location of the treasure vault. Anyone else would have difficulty even locating the treasure vault, let alone gaining entry.
"Hundred-year-old blood ginseng? Young Master, what do you want it for? It is a rare and extremely valuable herb, not just an ordinary herb!"
Granny Lian was shocked at Zhou Donghuang's request.
"I need it urgently… Is there any?" Zhou Donghuang asked sincerely.
"There was a stick of it several years ago, but we have already sold it."
Granny Lian shook her head. "But there are two sticks of fifty-year-old blood ginseng… Young Master, do you want them?"
Ordinarily, Granny Lian would not have so readily offered even fifty-year-old blood ginseng to Zhou Donghuang for fear that he would waste or squander it. But now, seeing how Zhou Donghuang had produced an even better formula than the one produced by the intermediate-level medicine master of the Lin family, she was inclined to trust his ability in this area.
"There is only fifty-year-old blood ginseng?"
Zhou Donghuang was somewhat disappointed.
Fifty-year-old blood ginseng was substantially inferior compared with hundred-year-old blood ginseng.
However, under the current circumstances, he had no choice but to make do.
"That's fine… Granny Lian, please have the two sticks of fifty-year-old blood ginseng sent to my room."
After instructing Granny Lian, Zhou Donghuang returned to the medicine storehouse to gather some other ingredients before returning to his room.
The most urgent matter is to remove the seal in my body!
Previously, the mad cultist was drawn to me by his curiosity about the seal within my body. That was why he brought me to Earth.
Although Zhou Donghuang had remained on Earth for a hundred years and considered it his home with a lot of acquaintances there.
The Spirit on Earth was too weak and thin, nothing like on the planet of Ziyun. He had no intention of returning to Earth before he could successfully manifest his qi.
If only I could remove the seal, then that mad cultist will not be drawn to me.
The blood ginseng that Zhou Donghuang had requested from Granny Lian was the main ingredient among the many medicinal herbs that he needed to loosen the seal within his body.
The heap of herbs that he had gathered earlier in the medicine storehouse were only common herbs. If he used a single stick of hundred-year-old blood ginseng as the main ingredient, it would take only a single night for the seal within his body to be loosened completely. But with two sticks of fifty-year-old blood ginseng as the main ingredients, it would take three or even four days to loosen the seal.
In any case, even though it might take three to four days, there is enough time… After all, the mad cultist will only show up ten days later.
Several years ago, when Zhou Donghuang had wanted to learn to manifest his qi, Lin Lan had told him that there was a seal in his body. This seal had been put in place by his biological father, sealing up the meridians in his body, denying him the ability to manifest his qi and become an adept of the Martial Way.
Even though he had questioned Lin Lan about the identity of his father, she knew only that he was a benefactor who had saved her life and subsequently entrusted Zhou Donghuang to her care.
"I do not know what kind of man your father was, but he said that he was not from Ziyun… He hoped that you would not practice, but instead be an ordinary person and live out your life in peace."
Those had been Lin Lan's exact words.
Previously, he had not known what kind of person his father was.
However, many years after he left to go to Earth, he came into possession of a jade tablet that his father had left him. He learned from that tablet what kind of man his father was as well as the events that occurred at that time which led his father to entrust him to someone on the planet of Ziyun.
By then, his parents had been long gone for many years.
He could completely understand how those difficulties led to his father's decisions.
At this moment, from nowhere, a jade tablet appeared in Zhou Donghuang's hands.
On the front of the jade tablet were lifelike carvings of three people. One was a handsome young man. Another was a beautiful young woman. And the last was a baby lying in the young woman's arms.
On the back of the tablet were carved three names. The name 'Zhou Donghuang' was the largest, taking up almost half of the space on the back of the jade tablet.
On the other half were carved two other names: Zhou Haotian, Zhuge Jing.
Father, Mother, your son was too late last time, but this time, I will surely save you, and I won't let anything bad happen to you again!
Looking at the jade tablet in his hands and thinking of the terrible fate of his parents, Zhou Donghuang felt his heart ache.
This was also one of his greatest regrets from his last life.
Previously, not long after he had left Earth, his father's Primordial Soul had spontaneously combusted, killing him instantly. His mother had passed away soon after.
Venerable Master, Third Sister, Senior Brother Qinghong… Since I'm back, this tragic series of events and the regrets of my previous life… I will not allow them to happen again!
There was a look of unshakable resolve in Zhou Donghuang's gaze.
Previously, my mother Lin Lan's death was the greatest regret in my heart… The mad cultist brought me away less than seven days after she had passed away, while I was keeping vigil at her wake.
This time, I have traveled back a thousand years. Since I resolved the trouble caused by the formula being leaked, her fate should be different.
Zhou Donghuang let out a sigh of relief at the thought of having one less regret to burden him.
Previously, Zhou Donghuang had spent only a thousand years to develop the power that was unparallelled within universe. He battled the champions from ten thousand different civilizations and emerging undefeated, therefore he was then publicly recognized as the absolute genius in the world of practitioners.
But few people knew that he carried so many regrets in his heart that his lack of courage prevented him from advancing further as a practitioner.
The reason for this lack of courage was the fact that to advance, he would have to undergo "Deity's Tribulation".
A "Deity's Tribulation" was the tribulation for those who would like to advance into the deity stage.
That was a step that not just he but many other equally accomplished practitioners did not take with ease. Once it was taken, it would trigger Deity's Tribulation, and if one could not overcome it, one's life and cultivation would be extinguished, leaving only ashes and smoke.
However, if one managed to overcome it, he would be elevated to the divine world of legend, become a Divine Being and live forever as long as the heavens and earth existed.
Big as the universe was, it was still a mortal world. Only those elevated to become divine beings could claim to have transcended the mortal realm.
The Thundery Tribulations that makes up the first portion of the Deity's Tribulation can be overcome by strength, and I have no fear of that… But the Tribulation of Demon-In-The-Heart that comes next cannot be overcome by strength.
I've had too many regrets in my past life, therefore I would have no chance of overcoming the Demon-In-The-Heart as part of the Deity's Tribulation.
Zhou Donghuang was under no illusions regarding this point. The Demon-In-The-Heart Tribulation was to test the most fragile parts of one's inner self. He had never even taken the first step because he did not have any confidence that he could pass the trial. However, overcoming the tribulation, transcending the mortal realm, and being elevated to the divine world was something he had always dreamed of.
This time, I not only want to rid myself of my past regrets, but I also don't want to have any regrets at all…
I, Zhou Donghuang, resolve to be elevated to the divine world in this life and make the deities in the divine world tremble at my name!
There was suddenly a strong conviction in Zhou Donghuang, and his eyes shone with resolve.
This would be the ultimate goal that he would strive for in this life!
"Young Master."
Granny Lian's voice was coming from just beyond the door, reining in Zhou Donghuang's drifting train of thought and lighting up his eyes.
Granny Lian had arrived, and that could only mean that the two sticks of fifty-year-old blood ginseng had arrived as well.
After opening the door and receiving an embroidered box containing the two sticks of fifty-year-old blood ginseng, Zhou Donghuang made his next request.
"Granny Lian, please get the servant girls to prepare the bathtub and bath water. I am going to soak myself."
"As you wish," Granny Lian replied and immediately left to find the servant girls.
Zhou Donghuang intended to soak himself in a medicinal bath to loosen the seal within his body.
The seal within his body had been put in place by his biological father. His father, although not as powerful as Zhou Donghuang himself had previously been, had still been extremely powerful among the tens of thousands of civilizations.
Using brute force to break the seal his father had left would not work unless he practiced at a higher level than his father.
In the past, even the mad cultist who could physically cross the stars was unable to break the seal within his body by using brute force. It was only after doing some research upon arriving on Earth that the mad cultist had discovered the method of soaking in a medicinal bath to loosen the seal—the method he was preparing to use now.
In the beginning, the mad cultist had used a substantial amount of precious herbs, but nothing had worked. Later he managed to loosen the seal using a complicated combination of some common herbs.
This cunning and ingenious seal was evidence that Zhou Donghuang's biological father was no fool.
The next step is to infuse these herbs and the blood ginseng into the water…
While the servant girls were readying the bath water, Zhou Donghuang worked hard to distill the blood ginseng and other herbs into six bottles of liquid medicine.
He had taken with him six empty bottles he had found lying around in the medicine storehouse when he was there earlier.
The servant girls took about a quarter to prepare the bathtub and water. When they were done, he poured the contents from two of the bottles into the bathtub and mixed them thoroughly with the water. Then he undressed and got in.
This feels great!
Soaking naked in the warm water, Zhou Donghuang felt so relaxed and comfortable that the foul mood he had been in evaporated. Without realizing it, he slipped into a deep sleep.
He had not been so relaxed in a very, very long time.
It was before dawn on the second day when he awoke.
So it has all been absorbed.
Zhou Donghuang opened his eyes and looked at the water in the bathtub. The water, which had been turned cloudy by the liquid medicine, was now clear again.
This meant that his body had absorbed all the liquid medicine. I can feel that the seal within my body is beginning to loosen up… Two bottles of the liquid medicine a day is the limit to avoid developing a resistance to the medicine. I'll continue soaking in the medicinal bath tomorrow night.
Zhou Donghuang's thoughts turned immediately to the techniques from his previous life. He tried to take in the Spirit that saturated the air around him and manifest something, and he found that the Spirit did not dissipate once it entered his body as before but was retained for a while before dissipating completely.
This was the effect of loosening the seal.
At this rate… In three days I should be able to completely remove the seal.
When that happens, I can begin to manifest my qi and start afresh on the path of the Martial Way!
Zhou Donghuang wore a satisfied expression as he got out of the bathtub, put on his pajamas, and casually tore off the page of the calendar that showed the previous date before climbing into bed and going back to sleep.
That day was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 4: Nine Levels of Perfection
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhou Donghuang left in the morning after finishing his breakfast which was prepared by the servant girls.
In his previous life, when he had returned to Ziyun and Qingshan Town after leaving Earth, he had found that the place had not changed, but the people he knew were gone.
Because the seal within his body was still there, he could not practice for now. Since he was bored with nothing to do, he decided to go out for a stroll.
What I am seeing is really familiar… Yet it seems like a distant memory.
Strolling along the streets and alleys of Qingshan Town, the shops lining on both sides of the street as well as the small stalls in front of the shops gradually jogged his memories from a thousand years before.
More than nine-tenths of the herbs sold in this medicine shop were collected from the Magnolia Guild… I remember having come here twice for deliveries.
The iron ore used in this weapons shop was also provided by the Magnolia Guild.
And this shop… and that shop…
As he strolled on, Zhou Donghuang saw many shops that had business dealings with the Magnolia Guild. He had even personally delivered stock to some of these shops before.
"Young Master Donghuang."
"Young Master Donghuang."
…
There were many people whom he had a vague impression of but could not recall, and they came forward one by one to greet him. Even though he could not recall who each person was, Zhou Donghuang smiled back at them all to avoid any awkwardness.
Although Qingshan Town was considered a small town, it was still bustling with people.
On the main road, horse carriages went past in a constant stream, and the shouts of street vendors hawking their wares and haggling with customers could be heard everywhere.
Hmm?
Zhou Donghuang was just casually glancing at the roadside stalls, but one of the stalls was displaying something that caught his eye and stopped him in the middle of his walk.
That's…
Zhou Donghuang stooped down and narrowed his eyes. His heart skipped a beat. Spirit… A spirit stone?!
What caught Zhou Donghuang's eye was a lamp, which, from the wear and tear on it, looked as though it had a story to tell.
More accurately, what had attracted Zhou Donghuang was the white jade stone set into the lamp.
It was no ordinary jade stone, but a "spirit stone."
Although it was only a spirit stone of inferior quality, it surprised Zhou Donghuang just by its presence. Spirit stones were special stones formed from ordinary stones that stored large quantities of the Spirit from the heavens and earth.
Upon attaining a certain level of manifestation, further progress by absorbing the Spirit from the surroundings alone was slow; however, with the help of a spirit stone, the rate of progress could be greatly raised.
Usually, on a small planet like Ziyun, only the extremely powerful adepts would have the ability to obtain a spirit stone and use it to aid them in practice. Zhou Donghuang had never imagined that he would be able to find a spirit stone in Qingshang Town. This was something way beyond his expectations.
Never mind Qingshan Town, it would have been inconceivable if a spirit stone had appeared in the country of Yunyang.
If it contains enough of the Spirit, even though it is an inferior quality spirit stone… I could use it to advance to the Great Consummation level of Qi-gathering stage, and become an adept who possesses the strength of nine bulls and two tigers!
At this thought, Zhou Donghuang's eyes lit up.
Great Consummation of Qi-gathering was the highest level of achievement in Qi-gathering stage. The strength that a Great Consummation level practitioner could release would be unstoppable!
The stage of the Qi-gathering was divided into nine levels of perfection: level-one of Qi-gathering stage, level-two of Qi-gathering, level-three of the Qi-gathering… and so on up to level-nine of Qi-gathering.
After that came Petty Consummation level of Qi-gathering, and then Great Consummation level of Qi-gathering.
Respectively, each level corresponded to the strength of one bull, two bulls, three bulls… nine bulls, nine bulls and one tiger, and nine bulls and two tigers. The strength of one bull was approximately eight hundred jin of force, and the strength of one tiger was approximately two thousand jin of strength!
It was impossible to compare them both.
"Sir, how much for this lamp?"
Zhou Donghuang strode over to the stall, picked up the lamp with the inferior quality spirit stone set into it and began stroking it in an attempt to induce the inferior quality spirit while questioning the stallholder.
The stall was an antique stall.
The stallholder was a shrewd looking old fellow. Seeing Zhou Donghuang take an interest to that lamp, he chuckled and said, "Young Master, no doubt you are the son of Guild Master Lin. You have a pair of discerning eyes… you have identified the most valuable antique in my stall with just one look."
As the son of Lin Lan, the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang was pretty known among the store owners and stallholders in Qingshan Town.
However, Zhou Donghuang put down the lamp he was holding just as the stallholder finished speaking, leaving him a look of disappointment. The stallholder's heart had suddenly skipped a beat, and a sense of doubt came over him.
I was overthinking things after all… if there was still any Spirit left in this inferior quality spirit stone, anyone who had manifested his Qi, even though he or she may not have attained level-one of Qi-gathering—they would only need to brush his or her hand against it to realize that it was something extraordinary. How could I have been the only one to spot it?
When Zhou Donghuang had brushed his hand against the inferior quality spirit stone, he had realized that though this inferior quality spirit stone had retained its appearance, the Spirit within it had already been completely expended.
Usually, once all the Spirit within a spirit stone had been expended, it would revert to its original appearance as an ordinary stone.
However, a clear coating of some kind had been applied to the inferior quality spirit stone that was set into the lamp, and this prevented its appearance from changing accordingly as the Spirit within the stone had been expended.
If I had my divine will, I would not have even needed to feel it to know that it was just a used-up spirit stone.
Zhou Donghuang shook his head and straightened up, walking away immediately and leaving the stallholder behind with a dumbfounded look on his face.
The stallholder could not understand how the Young Master of the Magnolia Guild could show such a keen interest in his wares at one moment and lose interest so completely in the next.
Sorely disappointed, Zhou Donghuang hung his head as he continued walking down the street. He had barely gone a few steps when he heard someone call out in derision, "Hey! Isn't that Zhou Donghuang of the Magnolia Guild? Young Master Zhou!"
Zhou Donghuang snapped back to reality and looked in the direction of the voice.
He immediately saw a youth who looked about his own age in a brocade outfit standing at a distance. The youth was staring at him with a smug expression on his face.
"You are… Wang Feng?"
Zhou Donghuang slowly recognized the identity of the youth before him by digging through his memory.
It was the first young master of the Wang Family of Qingshan Town, Wang Feng.
Wang Feng was only sixteen years old and had already manifested his Qi at a basic level. He had mastered four hundred jin of force and had the potential to master the strength of one bull and attain level-one of the Qi-gathering to become an martial adept before he turned twenty. Within the Wang Family, he was a rare prodigy of the Martial Way.
Whenever Zhou Donghuang had gone out alone and met Wang Feng, Wang Feng would bully him, but Wang Feng would never go too far since Zhou Donghuang's mother was the guild master of the Magnolia Guild.
And even though Zhou Donghuang had lost every time, he never told his mother of these incidents for fear of worrying her.
Although Wang Feng had not yet attained level-one of the Qi-gathering, he had attained a reasonable level of manifestation of his Qi, and he had already surpassed many adults in terms of ability.
Previously, Zhou Donghuang had been limited by the seal within his body and had no way to manifest his Qi, so naturally, he had been no match for Wang Feng.
"What? Our Young Master Zhou does not even recognize me?"
Wang Feng laughed mockingly, "It seems that Chen Dandan's betrayal has hit you really hard and caused some memory loss… Come to think of it, your Magnolia Guild will be finished in a few days. Without a guild, what difference will there be between you, Zhou Donghuang, and an invalid?"
Wang Feng's words had startled more than a few bystanders.
"The Magnolia Guild will be finished in a few days? Is that really true?"
"This is the first young master, Wang Feng, of the Wang Family of our Qingshan Town. What he says may have merit."
"Master Wang Feng, have you received any news?"
…
A group of passersby had gathered and were all looking curiously at Wang Feng.
"Everybody, you might not know yet… But the formula for a blood-staunching elixir given to the Magnolia Guild by the Lin Family of the City of Jun has been leaked to the Sunset Guild by the adopted daughter Chen Dandan of the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, Lin Lan."
Faced with questions from the group of bystanders, Wang Feng replied reassuringly, "The formula for that blood-staunching elixir is complicated, and it is 30% more effective than the commonly available ones on the market. It will monopolize the market for high-end blood-staunching elixirs if it appears in Qingshan Town.
"Apparently, the formula was researched after great efforts by an intermediate-level medicine master invited into the Lin Family at great cost to them. That the Magnolia Guild should leak this formula… do you think the Lin Family of the City of Jun would give Lin Lan a free pass? Can the Magnolia Guild be anything but finished?"
As he reached the latter part of his speech, Wang Feng smiled a brilliant smile as if he would very much enjoy seeing the Magnolia Guild fall as soon as possible.
He had heard this news just before he left home. As he passed by the great clan hall of the Wang Family, he overheard the conversation between his father and an elder of the Wang Family.
"If this is the case… the Magnolia Guild is surely finished!"
"I never thought that Chen Dandan would turn out to be such an ingrate… I heard that she was once a street urchin, and she is only where she is today because Guild Master Lin Lan took her in out of the goodness of her heart."
"Turns out that Guild Master Lin Lan raised a wretched ingrate!"
…
Upon hearing Wang Feng's words, the bystanders were filled with rage and indignation on behalf of Lin Lan.
Zhou Donghuang gave Wang Feng one brief, apathetic glance before turning and walking away without any further acknowledgment.
From his perspective, although Wang Feng frequently bullied him, he saw now that it was nothing more than children making noise and being rowdy. If he were to get into a dispute with Wang Feng, it would show that he had not learned anything from such a long life.
Unfortunately, as he was passing by, Wang Feng put his arm up to bar his way. Wang Feng evidently did not intend to let him leave.
"Zhou Donghuang, did I let you leave?"
"Wang Feng, I'll give you one chance… Move your arm out of my way now!"
Zhou Donghuang narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Wang Feng. At this moment, his originally calm voice carried a hint of iciness. Even though he had wanted to avoid any conflict, Wang Feng was starting to push him beyond his limit.
If Wang Feng continued to pester him, he would not object to teaching him a lesson he would not soon forget.
"I'm not moving it… I'd like to see what you intend to do about it, you useless piece of trash."
Wang Feng smiled smugly.
A useless piece of trash like Zhou Donghuang, who could not even manifest his Qi and whom he had toyed with in the past, dared to threaten him?
"You're not going to move it?"
Seeing how Wang Feng was not taking him seriously, Zhou Donghuang returned with his own cold smile.
"If that's the case, I will… move it for you!"
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 5: The Wang Family
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Without waiting for Wang Feng to respond, Zhou Donghuang darted forward like lightning, grabbing Wang Feng's wrist with one hand and his shoulder with the other.
Instantly, Zhou Donghuang exerted the maximum strength of the muscles in both arms in an abrupt explosion of force.
Ka-chak! Ka-chak! Ka-chak!
…
The gathered crowd felt their goosebumps tingle and their hair stand on end at the successive snapping sounds of bones breaking and being crushed.
"Aaaahhhh—"
Wang Feng let out a terrible scream like the shrill cry of a pig being slaughtered and fainted immediately.
"Fainted just like that?" Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows and casually remarked, "Really useless."
Zhou Donghuang stepped over Wang Feng's body and walked away with ease, leaving the onlookers mystified.
Wang Feng lay unconscious on the main road with one of his arms tied in a knot as though it contained no bones.
The arm in question was the one Wang Feng used earlier to block him. Zhou Donghuang had forcibly twisted it into a knot as though he was making a braided dough twist.
It was obvious that all the bones in Wang Feng's arm had been almost completely snapped or shattered by Zhou Donghuang's strength, and the arm was now completely useless.
There would be no way to restore Wang Feng's maimed arm— at least not on the planet of Ziyun.
Hisssssss!
It was only when Zhou Donghuang was out of sight that the crowd regained their senses and collectively released the breaths they were holding.
"This is the Young Master Zhou Donghuang of the Magnolia Guild. How could he have such power?"
"Oh heavens! To be able to twist the arm of Wang Feng like this, how great must his strength be?"
"Isn't he a martial invalid who is unable to manifest his qi? Is this something a martial invalid is capable of?"
…
Looking at the prone form of Wang Feng with his arm twisted into a knot, many of the bystanders felt a chill down their spine and shivered involuntarily.
"Wang Feng is not only the beloved son of the head of the Wang family but also the favorite grandson of the patriarch of the Wang family… now that he has been maimed, the Wang family will definitely not let the matter past!"
"The Wang family might have been cautious with the Magnolia Guild before… But now that the Magnolia Guild is on shaky ground and might fall apart at any moment, they might not be able to protect Zhou Donghuang."
"The Magnolia Guild may or may not fall apart. It is not certain… Right now, we only have Wang Feng's side of the story."
"The only thing I can say for certain is that the Wang family will not take this lightly."
…
It was indeed as many people had guessed.
After retainers from the Wang family had brought Wang Feng back to the Wang family mansion, the atmosphere in the Wang family had become heavy and somber.
"Second Uncle, is it really true that my arm cannot be healed?"
Wang Feng had just awoken and found himself lying in bed in a spacious room. His expression had changed to one of shock upon realizing that his family members had unanimously decided to amputate his right arm.
Wang Feng's second uncle "Bamboo Crane Wang," was a basic-level medicine master. When faced with Wang Feng's hopeful look, he only shook his head gently. "Feng'er, if your arm had been snapped in two, a full recovery would definitely be possible. I would have confidently guaranteed at least an 80 or 90% chance of a complete recovery.
"However, the bones in your whole arm are shattered and broken. Never mind that I'm just a basic-level medicine master; even a superior-level medicine master would not be able to help."
Bamboo Crane Wang sighed, "Moreover, if your arm is not amputated in time… the high risk of gangrene may endanger the rest of your body.
"No… no… no!!"
Wang Feng was so agitated that he leaped off the bed and made to escape like a madman to avoid having his arm amputated.
"I refuse! I refuse!"
Peng!
In the end, it was the head of the Wang family, "Red Crane Wang," who struck his son unconscious with a single blow.
"Second younger brother, please begin."
Throughout the whole process, Red Crane Wang's expression was terrible to behold.
His son was the most talented, direct descendant of the Wang family in a hundred years, and he had a bright future ahead of him. It was everyone's hope that he would lead the Wang family to even greater heights in the future.
Now that his right arm had been maimed, his future was ruined together with it.
"Zhou Donghuang!"
Red Crane Wang left the room, staring solemnly in the direction of the Magnolia Guild with murderous look in his eyes. "You have maimed my son's arm, so I, Red Crane Wang, will take your life!"
A moment later, Bamboo Crane Wang came out of the room. "Big brother, Feng'er's injuries have been taken care of.
"What are you going to do about this? Will we go in force to punish the Magnolia Guild, or wait for Father to return?" Bamboo Crane Wang asked Red Crane Wang.
"Let's wait for Father to return… If we go there now, it's not Lin Lan we have to fear, but the adept who is at level-two of Qi-gathering stage stationed there," Red Crane Wang said thoughtfully.
Both he and his second younger brother were only level-one adepts of Qi-gathering stage. There was only one level-two adept in the Wang family, and that was their father, the patriarch of the Wang family.
"In addition, by the time Father returns, the Magnolia Guild should have lost the support of the Lin family of the prefecture capital. If that happens, Lin Lan will be expelled from the Lin family, and the level-two Qi-gathering adept who stationed at the Magnolia Guild will also be recalled to the Lin family.
"Lin Lan alone cannot protect that little swine!"
The more Red Crane Wang spoke, the colder his voice became.
"Big brother, isn't Zhou Donghuang a useless piece of trash who can't even manifest his qi? To wound Feng'er so gravely… Even if he sneaked the attack, he must have three to four hundred jin of strength in his arms."
Bamboo Crane Wang was puzzled by this.
"It's highly probable that Lin Lan used some kind of invaluable treasure on him that temporarily increased his strength. There's nothing to worry about," Red Crane Wang replied nonchalantly.
…
"Go back."
After spending the morning strolling leisurely through Qingshan Town, it was almost noon when Zhou Donghuang returned to the Magnolia Guild.
Huh?
Passing by the receiving chamber, Zhou Donghuang heard granny Lian pleading earnestly with someone, "Elder San, I really cannot return you the money for now… When my Lady returns, the money will still need to be invested into the production of the blood-staunching elixir."
"The entire Qingshan Town knows of the circumstances that your Magnolia Guild is in. Your formula has been leaked to the Sunset Guild, which implies that the blood-staunching elixir produced by your Magnolia Guild cannot monopolize the market, and thus will have a hard time making a high profit," said a confident voice.
"In addition, I know that the formula belongs to the Lin family of the prefecture capital… Having leaked such a valuable formula, the Lin family will not let Guild Master Lin Lan off lightly. From what I can see, the Magnolia Guild might not survive for long.
"If we don't demand repayment of the loan now… We might end up losing our original investment in a few days' time."
Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows upon hearing this.
Although it was such a long time ago, he could still remember very clearly that the Magnolia Guild had to borrow money from external parties if it wanted to further develop its business, especially since it paid nine-tenths of its monthly profit to the Lin family.
Of course, the high-interest rates that came with borrowing money from external parties were considered to be a normal expenditure. This was all because the Lin family would not give money directly to the Magnolia Guild or any of the other guilds under the Lin family for that matter.
I remember… When the Magnolia Guild borrowed money from external parties, we usually only borrowed from one person. That person was Zhao San, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, and the wealthiest man in Qingshan Town.
Just now, Granny Lian called him Elder San… I guess he is Zhao San.
Still deep in thought, Zhou Donghuang entered the receiving chamber.
As he entered, he saw a middle-aged man sitting at the side of the receiving chamber on a wooden armchair with one leg crossed over the other. He was toying with two obviously very expensive pearls in his right hand.
The middle-aged man was dressed splendidly and had a regal look about him. He kept a small goatee on his chin, and his eyes sparkled with intelligence.
It really is Zhao San.
Although he had been to Zhao San's Yunxuan Restaurant several times in his previous life, he had never before seen Zhao San because he rarely showed himself.
However, he had seen paintings of Zhao San hung on the walls of the great hall on the ground floor of Yunxuan Restaurant.
According to my memory… Zhao San is not only a level-two adept of the Qi-gathering, but I think he is also a direct descendant of the Governor's Household of the prefecture capital. No doubt, he has an illustrious background.
All these memories from long ago slowly came back to him.
"Young Master," Granny Lian greeted Zhou Donghuang hastily as he entered before turning back to Zhao San, who was sitting at the side of the receiving chamber with his leg up. "Elder San, we have already emerged smoothly from this troubled period… I can guarantee you that our Magnolia Guild is under no threat."
"Oh?" Zhao San looked at Granny Lian with interest. "Then I shall wish to hear how your Magnolia Guild has overcome its troubles. If the Magnolia Guild truly can overcome its troubles, I will have no qualms about leaving my money with you."
Zhao San scooped up the teacup on the table before him, raised it to his lips, took a sip, and put it down slowly while waiting for Granny Lian's reply.
As Granny Lian was getting ready to tell the story of the formula of the new blood-staunching elixir, Zhou Donghuang spoke first. "Zhao San, if I am not mistaken… You were previously a Qi-gathering level-four adept?"
As Zhou Donghuang spoke, his piercing gaze settled on Zhao San.
"Eh?"
When Zhou Donghuang had entered, Zhao San merely spared him a glance and had not even looked directly at him.
But now, after hearing Zhou Donghuang's words, Zhao San was looking incredulously at Zhou Donghuang. "You… How did you know?"
There was only one person other than himself who knew that he had once attained level-four of Qi-gathering.
That person was his older brother.
He had not told anyone else about this, and it was also impossible that his older brother would have told anyone.
"It's not difficult to tell," Zhou Donghuang said matter-of-factly. "It was a pity that when you attained level-four of the Qi-gathering, you overextended yourself and did not enter it smoothly. Because of this, you regressed to level-two of Qi-gathering instead and subsequently could not advance further to level-three. Am I correct?"
Earlier, with just one look at Zhao San, Zhou Donghuang had been able to discern some of these problems just by looking at Zhao San's slightly swollen temples.
With his experience from once having been the greatest being in the universe, it was not difficult to identify Zhao San's problem.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 6: The Formidable Zhao San
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Just as Zhou Donghuang finished speaking, Zhao San had already risen from his seat and was staring intently at Zhou Donghuang.
"You are Guild Master Lin's son, Zhou Donghuang, the one who is unable to manifest his qi, right?"
Zhao San had deduced Zhou Donghuang's identity earlier when Granny Lian had greeted him with the title of "Young Master".
"So, what do you say? Have you ever wished to regain level-three of the Qi-gathering…? Well… I should be asking, have you ever wished to recover to level-four of Qi-gathering?" Zhou Donghuang asked unhurriedly, gazing profoundly at Zhao San.
"Do you have a solution?"
Zhao San's eyes were round with anticipation. Although there was still a hint of doubt in his eyes, he looked at Zhou Donghuang incredulously.
"From what I know… You are unable to even manifest your qi, how are you going to help me?"
"What? Aren't you even interested in giving it a try?" Zhou Donghuang asked calmly, a serene expression on his face.
"If you are indeed able to help me regain level-four of the Qi-gathering… No! If you are able to help me regain just the level three of the Qi-gathering, you can keep all the money I have loaned to the Magnolia Guild. Besides, I will even give you Yunxuan Restaurant!" Zhao San solemnly swore.
"Yunxuan Restaurant?"
Zhou Donghuang had never imagined that Zhao San would swear something of this magnitude.
Yunxuan Restaurant was the largest and best restaurant in Qingshan Town and had an uninterrupted flow of customers every day. It was the most profitable business in Qingshan Town.
It was the fortune Zhao San had earned from Yunxuan Restaurant that made him the wealthiest man in Qingshan Town. His other sources of income were a mere trickle in comparison.
The money that Zhao San had loaned to the Magnolia Guild was nothing compared to the value of Yunxuan Restaurant.
"Young Master."
Hearing Zhao San's words, Granny Lian took a deep breath and looked at Zhou Donghuang with an expression full of emotion.
If the young master of her house could cure Zhao San, that would solve everything!
In the past, if Zhou Donghuang had claimed that he could have cured Zhao San's chronic ailment caused by his overexertion, she would have chided him for spouting nonsense.
However, after witnessing Zhou Donghuang, who had not yet manifested his qi, defeat Guild Master Hong Yue of the Sunset Guild and produce a formula for a blood-staunching elixir superior to the one formulated by the Lin family's intermediate-level medicine master, she did not dare doubt Zhou Donghuang's abilities.
Eh?
Zhao San had assumed that by making such a solemn promise, Zhou Donghuang would be so excited that he would lose his composure. He never imagined Zhou Donghuang would remain unruffled, as though he could remain indifferent in the face of a landslide.
Zhao San's esteem for Zhou Donghuang increased several notches in that moment.
This son of Guild Master Lin has more to him than meets the eye.
"Granny Lian, please prepare a quiet room for us," Zhou Donghuang instructed Granny Lian.
Granny Lian left to arrange it at once, and when it was ready, she personally escorted Zhou Donghuang and Zhao San into the quiet room.
Granny Lian herself stood watch outside the door, preventing anyone from approaching and disturbing Zhou Donghuang and Zhao San.
As she stood watch outside the door, Granny Lian's face betrayed her uneasiness. She could not be completely sure that Zhou Donghuang could really cure Zhao San's chronic ailment.
If he could not, Zhao San might be shamed and that shame might turn into fury, and he might insist that the money he had loaned to the Magnolia Guild be returned to him.
"Hahahaha… hahahahaha…"
Roughly an hour later, Granny Lian heard Zhao San's hearty laughter coming from the quiet room, as though the cloud hanging over his heart had been swept away in an instant.
"It succeeded?"
Granny Lian's eyes lit up.
In the quiet room, it was only after Zhao San's laughter had died down that he calmed his raging emotions and bowed in salute to Zhou Donghuang, who was drenched in sweat from head to toe.
"Esteemed Master Zhou, till my dying day, I will never forget this service!" he said earnestly.
"I have already cleared the meridians in your body that had been blocked by your overexertion… go home and practice for two to three days, you should be able to properly attain level-four of Qi-gathering stage."
Zhou Donghuang's eyes were closing, and his body was swaying. He said in a weakening voice, "If nothing goes wrong, you…"
Before he could finish, Zhou Donghuang collapsed into unconsciousness due to his exertion.
"Esteemed Master Zhou!"
Zhao San's expression changed, and only after he was assured that Zhou Donghuang was unharmed and had only fainted from the exertion did he let out a sigh of relief.
"Young Master!"
Granny Lian burst into the room, realizing by now that something was wrong.
"Don't worry. Esteemed Master Zhou fainted from overexerting himself in the process of clearing the flow of my meridians. He should be fine after resting… when he awakes, may I trouble you to tell him that I, Zhao San, will return another day to express my gratitude!"
After relaying his message to Granny Lian, Zhao San left.
Zhao San now walked with a swagger in his step.
He had now regained the level three of Qi-gathering, and after accumulating his qi for another two to three days, he could attain level-four of Qi-gathering, and become a level-four adept, possessing the strength of four bulls!
Right then, Zhao San was eager to get home and practice.
As soon as he had confirmed that Zhou Donghuang was unharmed, he felt an urgent need to leave the Magnolia Guild and return home to practice.
…
It was evening when Zhou Donghuang awoke.
"Young Master, you're awake."
Granny Lian had kept a constant watch beside Zhou Donghuang's bed. Seeing that he had awoken, she could not help but heave a sigh of relief.
"Granny Lian, I'm hungry," Zhou Donghuang told her, rubbing his empty belly.
"No problem! I'll tell the servant girls to prepare something for you to eat at once!"
Granny Lian left immediately.
Without qi in my body, even performing some simple massage techniques on Zhao San caused me to faint from overexertion… I am still really weak right now.
Zhou Donghuang smiled bitterly after Granny Lian had left.
Zhao San's ailment had not been serious, and he had been able to cure the ailment with some basic massage techniques.
Of course, Zhou Donghuang had helped Zhao San because he remembered from his previous life that Zhao San was a principled man who stood by his friends. If Zhao San had been an ingrate, he would not have bothered to offer his help.
"Young Master, before he left, Zhao San of the Yunxuan Restaurant wanted me to tell you that he will return another day to express his gratitude."
Granny Lian had returned to Zhou Donghuang's room after she had instructed the servant girls to prepare food.
"Young Master… you, really healed his chronic ailment?"
Even now, Granny Lian did not dare to believe it.
Zhao San from the Yunxuan Restaurant was known to be very resourceful, and if it had been just an ordinary ailment, he would have found someone capable of healing him long ago. Zhou Donghuang would never have gotten the opportunity to treat him.
"Yes." Zhou Donghuang nodded. "I used a special technique to help him clear the blockages in his meridians caused by his overexertion, allowing him to regain the level-three of Qi-gathering. Under his present circumstances, he only needs two or three days of practice before he can smoothly attain level-four of Qi-gathering, and become a level-four adept with ease."
"Granny Lian, Zhao San's reputation is formidable… Rumor has it that he is a direct descendant of the Governor's Household of the prefecture capital?"
In Zhou Donghuang's opinion, Granny Lian would be more knowledgeable in these matters than him, because Granny Lian had lived in the prefecture capital and served the Lin family from early on. It was only later that she came to Qingshan Town with Lin Lan.
"I have heard this rumor too," Granny Lian said, shaking her head. "However, it is probably true… if not, he could not have run Yunxuan Restaurant in Qingshan Town for so many years."
"Yunxuan Restaurant is a big money-spinner in Qingshan Town, even the Magnolia Guild and the Sunset Guild combined do not earn as much. Moreover, Yunxuan Restaurant is unlike the Magnolia Guild or the Sunset Guild in that it does not have to hand nine-tenths of its profit to the family that is backing it… It is the personal enterprise of Zhao San, and the money it brings in belongs entirely to Zhao San."
Even though Yunxuan Restaurant is only a restaurant in Qingshan Town, it was already a significant enough prize to be coveted by the other great houses of the prefecture capital.
However, no one had dared to attempt a takeover since Yunxuan Restaurant had opened for business. Evidently, it was no mystery that the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhao San, had some influence.
"Granny Lian… in the prefecture capital, how would a level-four adept of Qi-gathering stack up?" Zhou Donghuang asked.
As far as he could remember, the strongest adepts in Qingshan Town were those few second-level adepts of Qi-gathering: Zhao San of Yunxuan Restaurant, those few senior members of the Wang family and other local families, and the second-level adepts stationed at the Magnolia Guild and Sunset Guild.
"Young Master, in the prefecture capital, there is only one fifth-level adept of Qi-gathering, that is the governor himself… in the Lin family of the prefecture capital that backs our Magnolia Guild, the strongest are three level-four Qi-gathering adepts. Therefore, a level-four adept is considered powerful in the prefecture capital, and is strong enough to support a preeminent family," Granny Lian explained.
In the country of Yunyang, power was effectively held by the various families. The Royal Household was the greatest family, next was the Wang Household, and then came the tycoons, the grand families, the preeminent families, and the lesser families.
A family in Qingshan Town that included a second-level adept of Qi-gathering, such as the Wang family, would barely qualify as a lesser family.
"If Zhao San is really a direct descendant of the Governor's Household of the prefecture capital… he will return to the Governor's Household once he has recovered his abilities. The Governor's Household will not allow a level-four adept of Qi-gathering to languish in a backwater town like Qingshan," Granny Lian said.
Several servant girls sent food over after Zhou Donghuang and Granny Lian had chatted for a while.
Zhou Donghuang was ravenous, and after devouring the food, he left Granny Lian to instruct the servant girls to prepare the bathtub and bath water.
Today was the second day of soaking in the medicinal bath, and he would be another step closer to loosening the seal within his body.
This is comfortable.
Soaking in the bathtub, Zhou Donghuang soon fell asleep and did not awake until dawn the next day.
Seeing that the medicine in the water had been absorbed into his body, Zhou Donghuang dressed himself, tore off the old page of the calendar, and returned to bed.
It was now a new day.
The Ziyun Era had entered into the fourteenth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227.
The seal within my body is even looser now… one last soak tonight will be enough to completely remove it tomorrow by morning.
When that happens, I can begin to manifest my qi, and start afresh on the path of the Martial Way!
At this thought, Zhou Donghuang could not help being excited, even though he had a thousand years of memories from his previous life. He felt alert and energetic, not the slightest bit of sleepiness.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 7: The Way of the Four Supremes
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"The stage of Qi-gathering is the gateway to the Martial Way; it is necessary to get the basics right… only then will your future progress be smooth," Zhou Donghuang muttered to himself, sitting cross-legged on the bed.
"Previously, I concentrated on practicing the methods that were popular in Ziyun and had only an average foundation, which put me at a disadvantage from the beginning… Even though I had many encounters later on with the champions of various great civilizations and cultures like star clans and supreme factions, I could only barely manage to remain undefeated."
"This time, I must choose the best and most suitable practice method for myself!"
Zhou Donghuang's thousand years' worth of memories contained a myriad of practice methods, more than enough for him to take his pick from.
"'Thousand Star Sword Technique' is the pinnacle of sword techniques. If I practice this technique starting from the stage of Qi-gathering, I will be in an unassailable position when I engage other champions in battle."
The Thousand Star Sword Technique was plundered from the dimensional ring of an enemy that Zhou Donghuang had killed in his previous life. It was the genuine, original technique from one of the supreme sects, the Thousand-Star Sword Sect. This enemy had been the lead disciple of the sect.
In that fight, if Zhou Donghuang had not unintentionally advanced his level of practice, which allowed him to fight at a higher stage, he might not have been able to kill his opponent.
"'The Fiery Thunder Training Regimen' is the pinnacle of physical martial art techniques, and it was mastered by another supreme sect. However, that sect had provoked too many powerful adversaries and was utterly defeated by their combined efforts. He eventually vanished into the tides of history."
Although the champions of the great civilizations were powerful—it could be said that they stood at the peak of the universe—they were not invincible.
There were still some but not many that could equal them; incur the wrath of them, and it would be difficult to endure.
"If I practice the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen, even if I encounter a prime user of the Thousand Star Sword Technique, all I would have to do is bide my time and wait for an opportunity to get close to him, and I would be able to defeat him easily!"
Zhou Donghuang was inclined to the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen over the Thousand Star Sword Technique.
At that time, the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen was dominant, and its users were bloated with arrogance. In the end, they had made too many enemies and caused their own demise.
Zhou Donghuang had obtained the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen by accident, just like the Thousand Star Sword Technique, and he had memorized its teachings completely.
"'Manual of Unruffled Sage' is an extremely rare and potent practice method that focuses on developing one's divine will in the initial stages and spiritual attacks in the subsequent… If faced with an opponent trained in the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen, its users only need to prevent their opponents closing in, and keep them at a distance and wait for an opportunity to strike. With their divine will… they could destroy their opponent's Primordial Soul completely!
"However, the demands of practicing Manual of Unruffled Sage are harsh… One must forsake all emotions and become completely emotionless. Only then can one maintain an unshakable resolve and successfully develop an unbreakable divine will."
Zhou Donghuang had come across Manual of Unruffled Sage while he was exploring an ancient and secret place. According to the legends, it was the technique that had the highest probability of elevating its users to divinity.
The disaster of the demon in the heart that was a part of the divine disaster would be no obstacle to an emotionless person.
In addition, a practitioner of this level who mastered Manual of Unruffled Sage would not be defeated by other techniques in a divine disaster.
Zhou Donghuang was also able to completely recall the contents of Manual of Unruffled Sage.
These three techniques were the pinnacle of all the techniques in the universe, and of all the other techniques Zhou Donghuang was familiar with, including those he had previously practiced, none could match these three.
"Why not… choose either the Thousand Star Sword Technique or the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen?" Zhou Donghuang muttered, finding it hard to make up his mind.
Manual of Unruffled Sage did not interest him at all, other than it being a level higher than both the Thousand Star Sword Technique and the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen.
What meaning would life have for an emotionless person?
Why don't I choose the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen?
But the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen is only strong in close combat… it is too weak in ranged combat.
Against an opponent matching or inferior to me in terms of speed, there would be no problem. However, against a faster opponent, even if his combined abilities were no match for me, I would only be able to watch him flee.
The Thousand Star Sword Technique is suitable for both close combat and ranged combat… but it neglects defense completely. It allows for fast, strong attacks but also has obvious weaknesses. By this point, it is far inferior to the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen.
Previously, I practiced a mish-mash of techniques, and the result was excelling in certain areas but appearing merely average in others… if I did not have the miraculous experience of having lived such a long life, I would have had no chance of contending with any of the star clans and supreme factions of the great civilizations.
In the course of practicing, one could switch freely between different techniques.
However, if you didn't stick to the same one technique as you started with, you would not reach the best state later when you completed the practice.
This was the problem Zhou Donghuang had faced in his previous life, and even though he could identify the problem, he had been unable to rectify it.
It would be unrealistic for him to erase all his achievements in the Martial Way, become an ordinary person, and start all over again. Because Zhou Donghuang had previously been at such a disadvantage, he made up his mind this time to choose the most suitable technique for himself and pursue it as far as he could go.
Even though he might have to settle for the second best, he would establish a strong foundation for himself.
That's right… how could I have forgotten?
The Lord Of The Four Supremes!
Previously, when Zhou Donghuang had found the chronospace slate in the Kunlun Mountains on Earth, he had found some jade writing tablets on which a particular technique was recorded .
The technique recorded was called the "The Lord Of The Four Supremes."
The "four supremes" the technique referred to were the four ancient legendary beasts: the azure dragon, the white tiger, the vermillion bird, and the black tortoise-snake.
He had then begun researching on the chronospace slate after he had memorized The Lord Of The Four Supremes, and eventually, he had been transported back a thousand years into the past.
However… the technique of The Lord Of The Four Supremes can only be practiced to a maximum stage of 'Primordial Soul.'
Zhou Donghuang knitted his brows at this thought. This was the fatal shortcoming of The Lord Of The Four Supremes.
Among the thousands of civilizations in the universe, the practice of the Martial Way could be divided into nine stages: Qi-gathering, Connate, Primal Core, Dharma Laws, Primordial Soul, Divine Transformation, Separating Divinity, Immortal, and Deity's Tribulation.
Previously, Zhou Donghuang had practiced until he had attained the pinnacle of the Immortal stage. Even across the universe, it was rare to find an opponent who was his match.
At the pinnacle of the stage of Immortal, Zhou Donghuang had been able to extinguish any star he wished with a gesture. He could extend his will across vast swathes of the heavens and even project his soul out of his body and roam the universe at will!
The Lord Of The Four Supremes is very difficult to master… After the stage of Primal Core, it is at least three times more difficult than usual!
Anyway, so what if it is difficult. Effort produces reward… if I practice The Lord Of The Four Supremes and after I attain the stage of Primal Core, I will be far superior to an opponent of a similar stage, regarding only individual ability and not any external factors.
The hardest thing to accept is the fatal shortcoming of this technique… which is that the maximum stage for this technique is the stage of Primordial Soul.
From there on, it will be up to me to improvise.
Zhou Donghuang was faced with an aching choice to make.
When it came to establishing a foundation, The Lord Of The Four Supremes was the best.
If he chose the technique of The Lord Of The Four Supremes, to progress from the Connate stage to the Primal Core stage, he would have to condense four cores as prerequisite.
An ordinary adept would only need to condense one primal core to progress from the stage of Connate to the stage of Primal Core. Whereas, the technique of The Lord Of The Four Supremes required four.
If he chose to practice The Lord Of The Four Supremes, there would be no shortcuts, and he would have to condense four primal cores in order to progress to the next stage. In other words, to attain the stage of Primal Core, a practitioner of The Lord Of The Four Supremes would have all four cores completed within his body.
Consider this: with four portions of Primal Core to draw strength from, compared with an opponent with just one core… how would that turn out?
It was exactly the same as for the next stage—the stage of Dharma Laws.
Only if he fully utilized the four primal cores would he reach the pinnacle level of Primal Core stage and have a chance to break through the stage of Dharma Laws.
Entering into the stage of Dharma Laws, four primal cores will reveal different aspects… the difference will be determined by the laws of the four ancient legendary beasts.
Once I break through to the stage of Primordial Soul, the four portions of Primordial Soul will merge with the different aspects revealed, and I can then utilize the Primordial Soul of the four ancient legendary beasts.
The Primordial Soul of the azure dragon excels at spiritual attacks.
The Primordial Soul of the white tiger excels at close combat.
The Primordial Soul of the vermillion bird excels at long-range attacks.
The Primordial Soul of the black tortoise-snake excels at defense.
At the thought of attaining the stage of Primordial Soul with the technique of The Lord Of The Four Supremes, Zhou Donghuang's eyes lit up, and an intense look of longing filled his eyes.
With The Lord Of The Four Supremes at the stage of Primordial Soul, he would be able to use the Primordial Soul of the four ancient legendary beasts against his enemies, and he would be incredibly powerful!
Why don't I… practice the technique of The Lord Of The Four Supremes? Although there is no established progression further on, could I, Zhou Donghuang, not find a way to refine and perfect it?
Although doing this will put me under great pressure… but, if life was pressure-free, what difference would there be between my life and that of a fish?
At the thought of that, Zhou Donghuang took a deep breath, and in that early morning of the fourteenth day, twelfth month, year 1227 in the Ziyun Era, he made a decision that would chart the course of his life—he would practice The Lord Of The Four Supremes!
The most important reason for choosing The Lord Of The Four Supremes was that it could give him the four Primordial Souls of the four ancient legendary beasts.
The four Primordial Souls of the four ancient legendary beasts would leave almost no weaknesses if used in conjunction with each other.
If this was not the case, he would not have chosen a technique that would allow him to advance only to a maximum stage of Primordial Soul.
Now, by the time the next medicinal bath to completely rid me of the seal… I can start practicing The Lord Of The Four Supremes in earnest and start afresh on the path of the Martial Way!
Having made his decision, Zhou Donghuang's eyes were filled with anticipation.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Zhou Donghuang woke up early the next day.
After tonight, the seal within his body would be removed completely, and he would be able to start afresh on the path of the Martial Way.
Although the Spirit on Ziyun was dense, probably as dense as it previously was on Earth, he would still need some time to attain level-one of Qi-gathering stage.
Practicing the conventional way step-by-step is too slow… I still prefer a shortcut.
Previously, when Zhou Donghuang was at the peak of his powers, aside from being extremely accomplished in the Martial Way, he was also at a very high level in the Alchemy.
The Alchemy referred to the practice of producing and refining powerful elixir or pills. Alchemy could only be done by those at the level of Primal Core and above.
The reason was that only those of the level of Primal Core and above possessed "true core", and the three concealed fires required to produce elixir or pills could only be drawn out by the true core.
Those below the level of Primal Core could not be considered "alchemist." No matter how deeply they may have delved into the medical use of essence, they would only be considered "medicine masters."
Medicine masters were ranked in order of basic-level, intermediate-level, superior-level, earth-level, with the culmination at heaven-level.
Within the borders of the country of Yunyang, a superior-level medicine master would be much sought after— even in the Imperial Court— and treated with reverence and waited upon.
As for earth-level medicine masters, there were none within the country of Yunyang, and if any existed, they would not remain in a backwater country like Yunyang for long.
Heaven-level medicine masters were unheard of in the history of Yunyang.
There is no hope of producing 'Qi-gathering Pill' before attaining Primal Core… however, even if that's the case, I can still use some combination of herbs to produce a 'qi-gathering elixir.'
A qi-gathering elixir was a medical elixir used by adepts to aid their practice; it made them more sensitive to qi and allowed their practice to progress more quickly. Qi-gathering elixirs were extremely valuable and usually only those whose families were well-off could afford to use them.
There are also qi-gathering elixirs in the country of Yunyang… but the ordinary ones available and widely used can only increase sensitivity to qi by 50% and correspondingly increase the rate of practice by 50%.
Even the best qi-gathering elixir in the country of Yunyang, which comes from the Imperial Court and is formulated by a superior-level medicine master, can only double the sensitivity to qi and the rate of practice… In addition, it costs ten times more than an ordinary qi-gathering elixir.
As far as I can remember, the best formulated qi-gathering elixirs could produce an increase in sensitivity to qi and the rate of practice by ten times.
Two days later, Zhou Donghuang went once again to the Magnolia Guild's medicine storehouse and gathered all the herbs he needed before going to see Granny Lian.
"Granny Lian… does the guild have these herbs?"
Zhou Donghuang had already written out all the ingredients he needed on a piece of paper, which he now passed to Granny Lian.
"Rainbow snake flower, purple caltrop leaf, earth lingzhi that is at least fifty years old…"
The ingredients on the list were precious and costly herbs, and Granny Lian felt her scalp tingle. The value of these herbs greatly exceeded the value of the two fifty-year-old sticks of blood ginseng.
"Young Master, at most, only half of these herbs can be found in the guild's treasure vault."
Granny Lian smiled bitterly.
Having witnessed Zhou Donghuang's many startling actions, she dared not doubt the Young Master's decisions.
Every decision the Young Master made had to have a rationale behind it.
Had they been on Earth, Granny Lian would be the equivalent of Zhou Donghuang's most ardent fan girl.
"Only half?"
Zhou Donghuang furrowed his brows. The herbs he had listed could all conceivably be found in Qingshan Town.
He had not even listed those more precious herbs that could not be found in Qingshan Town.
"Which ones?" Zhou Donghuang asked. If only half the ingredients could be found, he would just have to settle and make do with a lower quality qi-gathering elixir.
After Granny Lian had named those herbs which could be found, Zhou Donghuang sighed.
These herbs, together with what I took from the medicine storehouse… I can produce a qi-gathering elixir that can only triple my sensitivity to qi, which will only triple the rate of practice.
It's too slow, but that's the best I can do for now.
Just as well that no one knew what Zhou Donghuang was thinking. If anyone had known, they would surely have vomited blood in exasperation.
In the country of Yunyang, the best qi-gathering elixir produced by the superior-level medicine master of the Imperial Court could only double the user's sensitivity to qi.
It was not difficult to imagine that if the news got out that Zhou Donghuang succeeded in producing a qi-gathering elixir that tripled the user's sensitivity to qi using only the few herbs available in humble Qingshan Town, it would make waves.
Done at last.
With Granny Lian's cooperation and help to gather all the valuable herbs that he needed, Zhou Donghuang took only an hour to produce a qi-gathering elixir that tripled his sensitivity to qi.
Everything is ready! Now for the final piece of the puzzle!
After taking care of the qi-gathering elixir, Zhou Donghuang waited patiently for nightfall. Once night had fallen, he could administer the last soak in the medicinal bath.
…
Before dawn on the fifteenth, twelfth month 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
It's done!
Throughout his soak in the medicinal bath the previous night, Zhou Donghuang had not slept but had waited in anticipation for the seal within his body to be removed instead.
In the wee hours of the second day, the seal was finally removed.
At that moment, even though Zhou Donghuang had a thousand years' memories, he could not help but feel emotional. Only after he dried himself off, changed into his clothes, and returned to his bed did he manage to slowly control his emotions.
Sitting cross-legged, Zhou Donghuang gulped down a bottle of the qi-gathering elixir and began to practice.
The Lord Of The Four Supremes!
Zhou Donghuang searched for his memories of The Lord Of The Four Supremes and switched to that technique. Taking in the Spirit from the surroundings, he began to practice.
Because of his experience in his previous life, Zhou Donghuang was able to progress smoothly, and with the additional aid of the qi-gathering elixir, he managed to take in the Spirit at an astonishing rate.
The spirit on Ziyun is much more dense compared with that on Earth after it dissipated… at the present rate of practice, I feel that I will need only a month before I smoothly attain level-one of the Qi-gathering!
If Zhou Donghuang's thoughts were known to others, it would have shocked them.
In the history of the country of Yunyang, the fastest to attain level-one of the Qi-gathering were the scions of the Imperial Court, and the process took them two full years to manifest their qi.
And right now, Zhou Donghuang believed he could attain level-one of the Qi-gathering in only a month.
Of course, there were reasons why Zhou Donghuang's rate of practice could be so much faster than the scions of the Imperial Court.
First, Zhou Donghuang's parents were among the most accomplished practitioners of the Martial Way in the universe, and he had inherited their competence. In terms of talent, he was among the greatest in the universe.
Second, the qi-gathering elixir that he had consumed had tripled his sensitivity to qi. In addition, he had a thousand years' rich experience to draw upon, and he was able to absorb the Spirit with maximum efficiency and convert it into qi stored within his body.
Finally, The Lord Of The Four Supremes that he was practicing was far superior to the other techniques that were widely practiced on Ziyun.
All in all, his rate of practice could not have been matched by the scions of the Imperial Court of Yunyang.
Engrossed in practicing, Zhou Donghuang lost track of time.
He only awoke two days later with an expression of pleasant surprise.
I never thought that once I was familiar with The Lord Of The Four Supremes, I would be able to absorb the Spirit and convert it into qi at an even faster rate…
It seems that I won't even need a month; ten to fifteen days should be enough for me to smoothly attain level-one of Qi-gathering and become a level-one adept of Qi-gathering, possessing the strength of one bull.
When that happens, if I coordinate all my muscles and exert maximum strength… even without any techniques of the Martial Way, I will be able to kill a level-two Qi-gathering adept with a single blow just by using brute strength!
After this pleasant surprise, Zhou Donghuang continued practicing.
Only this time, he had not practiced for long before he was startled awake by Granny Lian's voice, "Young Master, Elder San of Yunxuan Restaurant is here."
Zhao San?
Zhou Donghuang's eyes flashed at being startled awake, and he murmured in a low voice, "It seems that Zhao San… has smoothly attained level-four of Qi-gathering."
Zhou Donghuang met Zhao San once again in the receiving chamber of the Magnolia Guild.
Zhao San had brought someone along. Standing behind him was a middle-aged man dressed in a manner similar to the people of the Tang Dynasty on Earth. He sported a beard that resembled a mountain goat's and had a rather intelligent look about him.
This time, as soon as Zhou Donghuang had entered the receiving chamber, Zhao San rose hurriedly from the armchair and saluted him respectfully.
"Esteemed Master Zhou."
Up till now, Zhao San was unable to hide the astonishment in his eyes.
"It seems that your level of practice has reverted to its prior state," Zhou Donghuang said with a placid smile.
"It is all due to the efforts of Esteemed Master Zhou."
Upon hearing Zhou Donghuang mention this, Zhao San broke into a wide smile and fished out a piece of paper that was richly textured and looked extremely valuable. He presented it to Zhou Donghuang, saying, "Esteemed Master Zhou, this is the title deed for Yunxuan Restaurant. From this day forth, Yunxuan Restaurant belongs to you, Esteemed Master Zhou."
Zhou Donghuang casually reached out and took the title deed with a simple, "Thank you."
To him, wealth was still important at this moment.
Only with wealth he could purchase more and better herbs to aid and increase his rate of practice so that he could leave the planet of Ziyun as soon as possible and explore the boundless universe!
Zhou Donghuang merely glanced at the richly-textured title deed in his hand, before stuffing it into his pocket, his expression as calm as before.
It was as though what he had stuffed into his pocket was not the title deed for the most profitable business in Qingshan Town, but an inconsequential piece of rough paper…
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 9: Lin Lan Returns
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Esteemed Master Zhou, this is Chief Steward Li. It is his duty to ensure that Yunxuan Restaurant operates smoothly… if Esteemed Master Zhou does not wish to personally oversee the running of Yunxuan Restaurant, you can delegate this duty to Chief Steward Li."
Upon seeing that Zhou Donghuang had kept the title deed of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhao San introduced the middle-aged man standing behind him.
"After I leave, he will remain at Yunxuan Restaurant and serve the Esteemed Master Zhou."
"Chief Steward of Yunxuan Restaurant, Li Xian, here, acknowledging your presence, Young Master Zhou," the middle-aged man said humbly as he saluted Zhou Donghuang.
Zhou Donghuang nodded mildly in acknowledgment and turned his gaze back to Zhao San.
"Will you be preparing to leave Qingshan Town and return to the Governor's Household in the prefecture capital?"
Zhao San nodded, "It seems that you already know that I am of the Governor's Household… you are correct, I set out today for the Governor's Household in the prefecture capital."
"If you ever have the time, you are welcome to see me in the Governor's Household in the prefecture capital, and I will be delighted to entertain you," Zhao San said with a slight smile.
"Moreover, as I have promised earlier… the money that I have loaned to the Magnolia Guild from this moment on belongs to the Esteemed Master Zhou," Zhao San said with a glance at Granny Lian.
Following that, Zhao San and Zhou Donghuang chatted for a short while, but upon seeing that Zhou Donghuang had no interest in continuing their chat, he tactfully chose to leave with Li Xian.
Zhou Donghuang, under the dumbfounded gaze of Granny Lian, returned to his room to practice.
Young Master… is now the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant?
Granny Lian was still grappling with reality, and she felt as though she was dreaming. It all felt too surreal.
Outside the Magnolia Guild, Li Xian was walking behind Zhao San.
"Elder San, you gave Yunxuan Restaurant to him just like that? That is the most profitable business in Qingshan Town, and it rakes in money every day!"
Zhao San grunted in acknowledgment and nodded. "I will be returning to the prefecture capital soon, and keeping Yunxuan Restaurant will not benefit me. I owe him big time, and I consider giving Yunxuan Restaurant to him to be paying off this moral obligation."
"Elder San, in the past, your support sustained Yunxuan Restaurant, and no one dared to attempt a takeover… now, with you gone and Yunxuan Restaurant in the hands of a new owner, I fear there will be many takeover attempts."
Li Xian cast a probing gaze at Zhao San and asked, "If there really is a takeover attempt… when that happens, should I warn them that even though Elder San has left, he will still not stand for any takeover attempts?"
At Li Xian's words, Zhao San stopped and looked back in the direction of the Magnolia Guild.
After that momentary halt, he looked away and said mildly, "Since I have already given Yunxuan Restaurant to him, whether or not he is able to hold on to it will depend entirely on how capable he is."
Although one word from Zhao San would have been enough to forestall anyone who was planning a takeover attempt on Zhou Donghuang's Yunxuan Restaurant, he would not say the word.
He felt that Zhou Donghuang, who had been able to cure his chronic ailment, was no ordinary person, despite rumors saying that Zhou Donghuang was unable to practice and was a martial invalid.
Would a martial invalid be able to maim Wang Feng, the grand master of the Wang family, and tie his arm into a knot?
Thinking back to the news he had heard about the events of that day, Zhao San was still rather startled.
Interesting fellow… I only hope that since you have accepted Yunxuan Restaurant, your performance will not disappoint me.
Of course, Zhao San said this in his heart and not out loud.
"Depending on how capable he is?" Li Xian's eyes lit up suddenly at Zhao San's reply, and a look of greed flickered across the depths of his eyes.
Zhao San obviously did not have eyes in the back of his head and noticed nothing.
…
Two days later.
Zhou Donghuang was awakened once again from his practice, but this time, it was because his mother Lin Lan had returned from the Lin family in the prefecture capital.
Lin Lan sought him out soon after returning.
"Mother, have you given the formula to the Lin family?"
Zhou Donghuang had a look of tenderness in his eyes as he looked at Lin Lan.
Although Lin Lan was only his adoptive mother, the love she had shown him was no less than his biological mother had. It was even more than most mothers showed their own biological children.
Lin Lan remained unmarried till this day because of him.
When he was young, he had overheard Granny Lian advice Lin Lan to find a good family to marry into, but Lin Lan had firmly rejected her advice.
Lin Lan's exact words had been, "This life of mine has been saved by Donghuang's father… In this lifetime, I will never let Donghuang suffer even the slightest wrong."
Evidently, Lin Lan had felt that if she were to marry and bear children, she would have wronged Zhou Donghuang. Therefore, she had never considered marrying.
Even when Zhou Donghuang had grown up and matured, and he advised Lin Lan to marry, she had deflected the advice with a smile.
"I would." Lin Lan smiled and gave a slight nod, but the look she gave Zhou Donghuang was conflicted.
Just now, upon her return, Granny Lian had apprised her of what had happened while she was away from the guild…
Firstly, her son had cured the chronic ailment that Zhao San, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, was suffering from, and had been gifted Yunxuan Restaurant as a result.
Secondly, her son had the misfortune to be provoked by the grand master of the Wang family, Wang Feng, and had maimed one of his arms.
She was not particularly surprised by the latter.
After all, she had been present when her son had defeated Hong Yue, the guild master of the Sunset Guild, who was a level-one adept of Qi-gathering. Wang Feng was not even a level-one adept of Qi-gathering and would naturally have been no match for her son.
If she were to be surprised, it would be at how savage her son had been, which was totally different from the impression she had of him as a well-behaved boy.
It was the former that had surprised her most.
Zhao San was no ordinary person; he was the scion of the Governor's Household of the prefecture capital, and he had surely sought out many healers to treat the dark affliction that he suffered. They had all failed, but he had finally been healed by her son.
The fact that Zhao San had given away Yunxuan Restaurant was proof that her son had performed a great service to Zhao San!
"What did the Lin family say?"
What Zhou Donghuang wanted to know of most was the reaction of the Lin family, and whether his mother had been able to extricate herself from the trouble she was in.
"It is not known for now," Lin Lan said, shaking her head. "However, I have handed the formula over to the fourth elder who has been in charge of liaising with the Magnolia Guild… the fourth elder said to wait for him to submit the formula to the patriarch, and the patriarch would dispatch someone to inform us of his decision."
"Fourth Elder?" Zhou Donghuang furrowed his brows slightly. "Mother, are you saying that you did not meet with the patriarch? Or the head elder? That fourth elder… is he trustworthy? Won't he snatch the formula for himself?"
In the Lin family, the final decisions were made by the patriarch and head elder of the Lin family. Zhou Donghuang knew this.
"The fourth elder said that the patriarch was in seclusion and the head elder was away on business," Lin Lan said.
"Such a coincidence."
Zhou Donghuang began to feel suspicious at Lin Lan's words.
"Probably… that shouldn't be the case? This is no small matter."
Now, seeing the suspicion on Zhou Donghuang's face, Lin Lan began to worry, but she still tried to console herself.
"When there is a personal benefit at stake, nothing is impossible," Zhou Donghuang said, shaking his head.
In the thousand years of previous experience, he had seen too many self-serving people.
Presented with such a golden opportunity, the fourth elder of the Lin family would not hesitate to take full advantage.
"The hearts of man cannot all be that bad… I feel we should look on the bright side," Lin Lan said.
Of course, despite her words, Lin Lan was still worried. After all, if the adopted daughter she had raised for ten years could betray her, it was not inconceivable that the fourth elder might misappropriate the formula.
"Let us hope for the best," Zhou Donghuang nodded.
He allowed himself to hope that the fourth elder of the Lin family would not have any ill intentions regarding the formula that his mother had sent, but if he had…
At this thought, a cold glimmer flickered across Zhou Donghuang's eyes.
"Donghuang, since I'm back, isn't it time to tell me everything?"
Lin Lan's stare burned into Zhou Donghuang. Evidently, she remembered what Zhou Donghuang had said before she left.
Zhou Donghuang had told her that when she returned, he would tell her how he had come up with the formula for the blood-staunching elixir and how he had defeated Hong Yue despite not being able to manifest his qi.
"Mother," Zhou Donghuang's expression changed, and he suddenly became very stern. "Regarding what I am about to tell you, you must not breathe a word to anyone… not even Granny Lian. This is a grave matter; it even involves my personal safety!"
Zhou Donghuang trusted Lin Lan unconditionally.
Therefore, he did not think too much when it came to revealing everything about his previous life to Lin Lan, and perhaps it would help to preempt any shock Lin Lan might feel at anything he would do in the future.
"It has implications on your personal safety?"
Lin Lan's expression changed, and she shook her head repeatedly. "Donghuang, if that's the case, you don't need to tell me, I don't want to know… it is my enduring belief that whatever happens to you, you'll always be my son!"
Lin Lan resolutely refused to listen to Zhou Donghuang. She had evidently been frightened by his words. Zhou Donghuang could not help this and did not insist.
In reality, what he was about to tell Lin Lan was neither good nor bad. But now, if Lin Lan refused to listen, Zhou Donghuang would play along and not insist.
After Lin Lan had left, Zhou Donghuang continued to practice. He was now completely focused on attaining level-one of Qi-gathering as soon as he could. Only by building up his abilities could he have the capacity to protect himself and those he cared about.
In this life, he would not allow himself any regrets.
Besides, the other reason he practiced so desperately was that he wanted to leave the planet of Ziyun as soon as possible and embark on an expedition across the boundless universe.
Out there, he could grow up very fast.
In addition, there were some people out there who were waiting for him to change their fate…
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 10: A Farce of a Meal
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Big Brother Donghuang! Big Brother Donghuang!"
It was almost noon. Not long after Lin Lan had left, Zhou Donghuang, who had just calmed down and was beginning to practice, was startled by a voice from outside.
The voice belonged to a girl, and it sounded tender and musical to the ears.
This voice…
Zhou Donghuang opened his eyes, and memories from a thousand years before surfaced in his mind, causing the corners of his mouth to be pulled upwards in a slight smile.
He had been ten years old that year.
He had seen a little girl, five or six years old, being bullied by several boys about the same age as her on the main street. He had stepped forward, grabbed one of the boys, and hit him hard, scaring away the other boys.
From then on, the little girl often came to the Magnolia Guild seeking his company, following him and Chen Dandan around, calling them "Big Brother Donghuang" and "Big Sister Dandan."
That's right, today is the nineteenth, , the twelfth month, 1, 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
On this day in my previous life, Xiaoyu came to invite me out for a meal… but because of Chen Dandan's betrayal and the precarious situation of the Magnolia Guild, I was in a bad mood and rejected her invitation.
Zhou Donghuang recalled the incident just as he opened the door.
Outside stood a girl who looked about eleven or twelve years old, delicate looking and with well-formed features, and it was not hard to imagine that she would grow up to be a beauty.
Qin Xiaoyu was eleven that year and was from a branch of the Qin family of Qingshan Town.
In the past, Qin Xiaoyu's position in the Qin family was ordinary, but ever since her father had a breakthrough and became a level-one adept of the gathered qi and an elder in the Qin family three years ago, she had become the little princess of the Qin family in one fell swoop.
"Big Brother Donghuang, I have been invited for a meal at the earthly dining booth at Yunxuan Restaurant… Let's go together, shall we?"
This scene played out exactly as he remembered it.
At first, Zhou Donghuang was planning to reject the invitation just like he had previously, but seeing the look of longing on Qin Xiaoyu's face, his heart melted, and he agreed.
"Big Brother Donghuang, whenever my father brings me for a meal at Yunxuan Restaurant, we only go to the people's dining booth and never the earthly dining booth… I heard that the earthly dining booth is magnificent; there are more dishes on the menu, and there is a minimum expenditure of thirty liang of silver."
Qin Xiaoyu's excitement was plain to see during their journey to Yunxuan Restaurant after leaving the Magnolia Guild.
"Xiaoyu, who is hosting the meal?" Zhou Donghuang asked curiously.
Ordinary people couldn't usually spend the money to eat in the earthly dining booth at Yunxuan Restaurant. As the son of the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, he was naturally somewhat aware of the costs involved.
The great hall did not have a minimum expenditure. The booths, however, did have a minimum expenditure.
The lowest class of booths was the people's dining booth, with a minimum expenditure of twenty liang of silver, and the slightly better earthly dining booths had a minimum expenditure of thirty liang of silver.
The next class above the earthly dining booths was the best class of heavenly dining booths, with a minimum expenditure of a hundred liang of silver.
Even when the heads of the lesser families of Qingshan Town went to eat at Yunxuan Restaurant, they would only go to the earthly dining booths at most.
They would only reserve a heavenly dining booth if they had an important guest to entertain.
A hundred liang of silver for a meal was a great expenditure even for the head of a lesser family.
In Qingshan Town, an ordinary family of three would spend at most eight to ten liang of silver in a year.
"It's Zhong Gang of the Zhong family. He lost a bet with Big Brother Qin Fei, so now he has to treat Big Brother Qin Fei to a meal in the earthly dining booth of Yunxuan Restaurant."
Qin Xiaoyu giggled. "Big Brother Qin Fei brought me along and told me that I could bring someone else along, anyone I wanted… the first person I thought of was you, Big Brother Donghuang."
The Big Brother Qin Fei that Qin Xiaoyu mentioned was the first young master of the Qin family, who was a year older than Zhou Donghuang.
Be it the Zhong family or the Qin family, all the lesser families of equal status to the Wang family each had a level-two adept of the gathered qi in command. They were considered the most illustrious person in the family.
Zhou Donghuang felt a surge of warmth in his heart at Qin Xiaoyu's words. This little girl did not forget him when such an opportunity presented itself.
At that moment, Zhou Donghuang was thinking about how he would bring Qin Xiaoyu to the heavenly dining booth in Yunxuan Restaurant some day in the future for a good meal and let her eat her fill.
He was now the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, and the entire Yunxuan Restaurant was his business. He would not even need to spend money to eat at Yunxuan Restaurant.
Zhou Donghuang and Qin Xiaoyu were soon approaching Yunxuan Restaurant.
As the best restaurant in Qingshan Town, Yunxuan Restaurant was located in the bustling center of Qingshan Town and occupied an area comparable to any of the family mansions in Qingshan Town.
With Qin Xiaoyu leading the way, they both entered an earthly dining booth on the second floor.
As they walked through the main entrance of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang spied the chief steward of Yunxuan Restaurant, Li Xian, whom he had met two days ago. Li Xian was calculating a bill with his head lowered and had not seen him.
"I knew that if I allowed Xiaoyu to bring someone, she would surely look for you at the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang."
As soon as he entered the booth with Xiaoyu, Zhou Donghuang heard a familiar yet distant voice from his memory. It was the first young master of the Qin family, Qin Fei.
Currently, there were three people in the booth besides Qin Fei, and they were all people whom Zhou Donghuang could recall from memory.
The first young master of the Zhong family, Zhong Gang, second master Zhong Yi, and third lady Zhong Xiu.
Of course, other than the six of them, there were two servant girls standing aside to serve them. This was the standard in the earthly dining booths of Yunxuan Restaurant.
"Little Sister Xiaoyu, why did you bring him? In two days' time, he will no longer be on the same level as us."
Zhong Xiu looked at Zhou Donghuang with scorn.
As the third lady of the Zhong family, Chen Dandan's betrayal and the peril that the Magnolia Guild was in was known to Zhong Xiu.
"What do you mean not the same level? Whatever happens, Big Brother Donghuang will always be my big brother!" Qin Xiaoyu said with annoyance, giving Zhong Xiu a hard stare.
"Everyone here is a guest… let's take a seat, the food should be served soon."
Qin Fei intervened just as the atmosphere in the booth turned awkward.
Qin Xiaoyu took Zhou Donghuang's hand, led him to a table, and then sat down beside him. During the whole process, it was obvious to Zhou Donghuang that Qin Fei's careless gaze had a touch of coldness to it, and there was an element of jealousy in that coldness.
Does this Qin Fei have designs on Xiaoyu?
As a man, Zhou Donghuang naturally saw through Qin Fei's intent, and his heart froze suddenly.
If he was not wrong, Xiaoyu would be only eleven that year.
This Qin Fei was a beast!
"Zhou Donghuang, listen to me, you maimed Wang Feng on the streets several days ago, right?" Zhong Yi asked as he narrowed his eyes. He was sitting beside Zhong Xiu.
"Yes." Zhou Donghuang nodded. "He blocked my way, and I asked him to move his arm. He refused, and I merely helped him do it."
Zhou Donghuang skimped on the details, as though maiming Wang Feng's arm was something inconsequential.
In fact, it really was a small matter to him.
Zhong Yi did not expect Zhou Donghuang to answer in this manner. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth twitched involuntarily.
"Zhou Donghuang, you must realize… the head of the Wang family, Red Crane Wang has put out the word that he wants your life as compensation for maiming his son's arm!" Zhong Gang warned, looking seriously at Zhou Donghuang.
"Really?" Zhou Donghuang was rather shocked. "I have not heard of this… anyway, I have been at the Magnolia Guild and have not been out the past few days, and he has not come looking for me. He probably was just joking," Zhou Donghuang said as he scooped up a cup of tea that the servant girl had just poured and took a gentle sip. His expression was as calm as before.
"Zhou Donghuang, are you really dumb or just acting?" Zhong Xiu laughed coldly. "Now, you can still turn to the Magnolia Guild for support, and the Wang family cannot easily do anything to you… do you think the Lin family of the prefecture capital will let your Magnolia Guild off for leaking the formula? In two days, the Lin family will surely send someone to expel your mother, Lin Lan from the Lin family, and recall the level-two adept of the gathered qi from the Magnolia Guild. When that happens, the Magnolia Guild will live on in name only… do you think the Wang family will let you off?
"Your mother is only a level-one adept of the gathered qi; can she protect you?"
As she said this, the cold smile on Zhong Xiu's face became even more pronounced.
"Big Brother Donghuang!"
Seated beside Zhou Donghuang, Qin Xiaoyu's expression changed. Although she had heard rumors, she was still young and did not fully understand the peril that Zhou Donghuang was in.
"Zhou Donghuang, although your mother is a level-one adept of the gathered qi, the Wang family has no fewer than five level-one adepts and even a level-two adept."
Zhong Yi looked at Zhou Donghuang and laughed.
"The Magnolia Guild will lose the support of the Lin family from the prefecture capital, and it will soon cease to exist… When that happens, how will you stand up to the Wang family?"
"That is my problem; I do not wish to burden you with it," Zhou Donghuang said casually. From the beginning till now, there had not even been a ripple across his calm expression.
Seeing this, both Zhong Xiu and Zhong Yi felt a sense of helplessness.
Just then, there was knocking at the door.
It was the head chef of Yunxuan Restaurant, who had personally come to serve the dishes. As he served each dish, he matched it with a quote from literature.
However, just as he was preparing to give the quote for the second dish, Zhong Gang dismissed him rudely. "We are here to eat, not to hear your nonsense… you may leave."
The head chef retreated.
After the dishes had all been served, Qin Fei invited them all to eat, taking on the role of a good host.
"We get to eat in this earthly dining booth not even twice a year… Qin Fei, my gratitude to you for your treat, letting us have a taste of the delicacies in this earthly dining booth," Zhong Yi grunted as he shoveled food into his mouth.
At this, Qin Fei's expression changed immediately.
Zhong Xiu and Zhong Gang, who were seated beside Zhong Yi, knitted their brows, and Zhong Xiu even kicked Zhong Yi under the table, giving him a shock.
Immediately, Zhong Yi realized he had let the cat out of the bag, and an awkward expression came over his face.
"Big Brother Qin Fei, isn't Zhong Gang treating us to this meal? You told me that you lost a bet to him, which is why this is his treat, right?"
Qin Xiaoyu looked at Qin Fei suspiciously, and Qin Fei could only smile awkwardly. "Xiaoyu, Zhong Gang and I have been close friends for many years, the bet was just for fun… him or me, it makes no difference whose treat it is."
Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows.
Right then, if he still could not tell that this meal was a farce arranged to provoke him, he would really have wasted a thousand years of life.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 11: Chief Steward Li Xian
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Since the moment they entered the earthly dining booth at Yunxuan Restaurant, the three Zhong siblings had taken turns provoking Zhou Donghuang. Every word and sentence from them emphasized the difficulties he was facing.
At first, Zhou Donghuang thought that the three of them were shooting off their mouths.
But now that he knew Qin Fei was the one treating them to the meal, he could guess with certainty that Qin Fei had deliberately brought Xiaoyu along to witness his humiliation.
His motive was obvious.
It was surely to belittle him and diminish her impression of him, in the hope that she would not stick as close to him as before.
Because Qin Fei had eyes on Xiaoyu.
It was a man's possessiveness that made Qin Fei refuse to accept that Xiaoyu could be close to another man.
Because of this, Zhou Donghuang had naturally become a thorn on Qin Fei's side.
Upon realizing this, Zhou Donghuang laughed in his heart.
Still just a… little fart who has not grown up.
It was as though Zhou Donghuang had forgotten that he was only sixteen years old, and Qin Fei was a year older than him.
"Brother Donghuang, we have always heard that you are unable to manifest your qi… how did you maim Wang Feng? You must know that Wang Feng's ability is comparable to mine and Zhong Gang's," Qin Fei asked curiously, looking at Zhou Donghuang.
At Qin Fei's question, not just the three siblings Zhong Gang, Zhong Yi and Zhong Xiu, but also Qin Xiaoyu, turned curiously to look at Zhou Donghuang.
They were all evidently curious about this.
The fact that Zhou Donghuang was a martial invalid who could not manifest his qi was no secret in the whole of Qingshan Town.
"Although I have no qi, I still have brute strength," Zhou Donghuang said as he helped himself to the dishes on the table. Till now, he had not so much as glanced at Qin Fei.
Qin Fei's face sank a little at Zhou Donghuang's perfunctory reply, although he still managed to force a smile. "From what I know, Wang Feng has manifested his qi at a reasonable standard and should have at least a few hundred jin of force… even if Wang Feng had been careless, mere brute strength should not have been enough to force his arm into a knot, should it?"
"That can only be because his arm was too weak and fragile," Zhou Donghuang said.
"Zhou Donghuang, the reason that you could have such brute strength is that Guild Master Lin Lan has searched everywhere for some rare and exotic supplements to increase your physical strength, am I right?"
Zhong Yi gave Zhou Donghuang a profound look. "If that's not the case, you could not possibly have such brute strength!"
Zhong Xiu snorted in derision and added, "No wonder Chen Dandan betrayed Guild Master Lin Lan, she showed such favoritism…"
Zhong Xiu stopped in the middle of her sentence and shut her mouth because Zhou Donghuang had stopped helping himself to the food and was glaring at her icily.
Zhou Donghuang's icy glare exerted a great unseen wave of pressure on her, robbing her of the courage to continue.
"Mention Chen Dandan again, and I won't mind… tying your arm in a knot too!"
Zhou Donghuang grinned slowly, revealing two rows of gleaming white teeth. His icy voice seemed to bring the temperature in the booth down by several degrees in that instant.
"Zhou Donghuang!"
"Zhou Donghuang! You've gone too far!"
Seeing Zhou Donghuang threaten their sister, both Zhong Gang and Zhong Yi stood up in an instant, staring daggers at Zhou Donghuang.
However, Zhou Donghuang did not even spare either of them a glance and continued eating as though they did not even exist.
This only made them both even angrier!
"Everybody, please sit down… we don't meet up often, why make it so tense? Zhong Xiu, you are at fault. Chen Dandan is an ingrate and is no better than a rat on the street. She is the object of everyone's ire. How could you stick up for her?"
Once again, Qin Fei played the peacemaker and at the same time sent a strong hint to Zhong Gang and Zhong Yi. Both of them resumed their seats reluctantly.
"Xiaoyu, am I not correct?" Qin Fei followed up immediately with a smile.
"Big Brother Qin Fei is correct; Chen Dandan is truly an ingrate, just like a rat on the street!"
Qin Xiaoyu nodded diligently and thanked Qin Fei softly while giving him a grateful look.
"Big Brother Qin Fei, thank you for getting Big Brother Donghuang out of that difficult situation."
"Xiaoyu is too courteous, your friends are also my friends," Qin Fei replied softly, but joy blossomed in his heart.
This was exactly what he wanted. Otherwise, why would he have saved Zhou Donghuang from embarrassment?
Anyway, he still felt that Zhou Donghuang had been able to maim Wang Feng because Wang Feng had been careless. Zhong Gang and Zhong Yi together were more than he could handle, and he could not imagine that Zhou Donghuang would be a match for them.
The discreet exchange between Qin Xiaoyu and Qin Fei, although soft, was still clearly audible to Zhou Donghuang.
The Way of the Supreme Four Divisions which he had been practicing was an extremely potent technique, and aside from raising his physical level, it was also capable of heightening his senses.
Although he had not yet attained level-one of the gathered qi, his hearing had been greatly enhanced.
What a hypocrite! Zhou Donghuang cursed in his heart.
It was obvious that Qin Fei was trying to court Qin Xiaoyu's favor.
The atmosphere in the booth calmed down once more.
"Brother Donghuang."
In the end, it was Qin Fei who broke the silence and asked Zhou Donghuang, "Frankly speaking … the troubles faced by the Magnolia Guild, do you think they can be smoothly resolved this time?"
"Frankly speaking?"
Zhou Donghuang gave a blank stare, followed by a smile. "I love speaking frankly."
Then in front of Qin Fei and the others in the booth, Zhou Donghuang said as frankly as he could, "Whether or not the Magnolia Guild can resolve its problems, I really couldn't care less about that. The only thing I care about is that my mother remains safe."
Zhou Donghuang spoke the truth.
The stark truth of the matter was that the Magnolia Guild merely represented his mother working for the Lin family, and however much profit it made, nine-tenths would still go to the Lin family. The remaining tenth would belong to Lin Lan after much effort, and still, she would have to reinvest it into the guild to earn more money.
If more money was needed, they would even have to come up with ways to borrow money. It was fair to say that his mother had not had a day of good rest in recent years because of the Magnolia Guild.
In other words, only without the Magnolia Guild would his mother be able to rest.
"You don't care? Who would believe that!" Zhong Xiu laughed in derision.
"Haha… this has got to be the best joke we have heard in our entire lives!" Zhong Yi guffawed.
"Zhou Donghuang, without the Magnolia Guild, you have no background whatsoever… now, based on your background with the Magnolia Guild, people greet you as Young Master Donghuang. Without the Magnolia Guild, you are nothing more than a martial invalid who cannot manifest his qi. Who will respect you?" Zhong Gang asked disdainfully.
"Why is it that no one believes anything of what I say?"
Zhou Donghuang shook his head and heaved a long sigh, seeming to be dejected for reasons only he knew.
"Brother Donghuang, I never before realized that you were so… humorous."
Qin Fei played the peacemaker once again.
"What? You don't believe me either?" Zhou Donghuang asked Qin Fei.
"I…"
Qin Fei looked at Zhou Donghuang, then looked back again at Qin Xiaoyu and spread his palms helplessly, saying, "It's not that I don't believe your words, it's just that what you're saying is… quite unbelievable."
"What if I told you… that even if that level-two adept of the gathered qi from the Wang family came personally to make trouble for me, I could kill him with a single blow," Zhou Donghuang asked Qin Fei. "Would you believe me?"
Qin Fei was dumbstruck.
Qin Xiaoyu was stupefied.
The two servant girls beside the table were also stunned by Zhou Donghuang's words.
"Hahahaha… hahahaha…"
The three Zhong siblings simultaneously broke into uncontrollable laughter. Their laughter flooded the entire booth and was so loud that even some of the lighter plates on the table started vibrating.
"Zhou Donghuang, I see that you are unable to accept the reality that the Magnolia Guild is about to fall. Have you gone insane?"
Zhong Xiu laughed till tears fell from her eyes.
"Zhou Donghuang, you really know how to exaggerate… Why don't you simply say that you and Zhao San, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, are brothers, and you can eat here for free?"
Zhong Yi was rocking with laughter.
"Exactly! You can exaggerate, can't you? Why don't you exaggerate even more?" Zhong Gang echoed, looking at Zhou Donghuang as though he were a performing monkey.
"You've really hit the mark."
Zhou Donghuang looked at Zhong Yi and said with all seriousness. "I really can eat here at Yunxuan Restaurant for free. However, the reason I can eat here for free is not because Zhao San and I are brothers, but because… I am the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant."
Zhou Donghuang said this very solemnly and very earnestly.
"Hahahahahaha…"
The three Zhong siblings laughed even harder, and it seemed they would not be able to stop.
Zhao San was the wealthiest man in Qingshan Town and the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant. This truth was ironclad, but now Zhou Donghuang was saying that he was the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant?
What other jokes could beat this one?
"This Zhou Donghuang probably really has gone insane!"
When Qin Fei looked again at Zhou Donghuang, it was with a look of pure hatred.
"What? Qin Fei, you still don't believe what I said?" Zhou Donghuang asked Qin Fei.
"Brother Donghuang, let's stop here."
Qin Fei shook his head, his voice losing its former warmth and becoming much colder. He could now not even be bothered to pander to Zhou Donghuang.
"Big Brother Donghuang…"
Qin Xiaoyu was looking worriedly at Zhou Donghuang, trying to figure out whether her Big Brother Donghuang was ill. Why else would he be spouting nonsense incessantly?
Although she was young, she knew that Zhou Donghuang was not being realistic, and what he said could not be true.
Knock. Knock.
A sharp knock sounded from the door and caused the laughter of the three Zhong siblings in the booth to die down temporarily.
Qin Fei shouted in the direction of the door, "Come in!"
"Esteemed guests, your loudness is disturbing other guests… Could you please lower your volume?"
The door of the booth opened, and a middle-aged man with a beard like a mountain goat's and eyes sparkling with intelligence walked in.
"Chief Steward Li Xian!"
Immediately upon seeing the middle-aged man, the three Zhong siblings jumped to their feet as though they had sat on a pin, and Qin Fei also stood up, tugging Xiaoyu to her feet.
The three Zhong siblings and Qin Fei all bowed and saluted him humbly and respectfully.
Although Li Xian was only a lowly steward, he was the Chief Steward of Yunxuan Restaurant, and was employed by Zhao San, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant.
It was normal even for their elders to treat Li Xian respectfully.
Naturally, they would not dare to misbehave in front of Li Xian.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 12: The New Owner of Yunxuan Restaurant
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"So it's Grand Master Qin, Grand Master Zhong, Second Master Zhong, and Third Lady Zhong."
Even though the four people before him were the scions of the Qin and Zhong Families of Qingshan Town, Li Xian merely gave them a mild nod.
Had the patriarchs of the Qin and Zhong Families been there, they would still have treated him respectfully and appropriately.
These small fries were insignificant to him.
"Esteemed guests, please lower your volume from now on… After all, you are not the only patrons of Yunxuan Restaurant!" Li Xian said softly, looking at Qin Fei and the others with a gleam in his eye.
"Chief Steward Li Xian has no need to worry, we will definitely be quiet from now on," Qin Fei replied, bowing hastily.
The three Zhong siblings all nodded and echoed Qin Fei, forcing smiles on their faces and nodding like chickens pecking at rice grains.
Qin Xiaoyu was standing beside Qin Fei, and the look in Li Xian's gaze gave her a sense of restraint and fear.
Usually, whenever her father saw Li Xian when they were both at Yunxuan Restaurant for a meal, her father would prompt her to follow his lead as he bowed respectfully to Li Xian.
Li Xian was the Chief Steward of Yunxuan Restaurant and was also a trusted servant of Zhao San, the wealthiest man in Qingshan Town.
Zhao San was held in high esteem in Qingshan Town, and it was said that he had direct connections to the Governor's Household in the prefecture capital.
As Li Xian turned to leave, Qin Fei and the others simultaneously let out their breath.
"Chief Steward Li, that was magnificent!"
A calm voice rang out suddenly in the booth, causing Qin Fei and the others to shrink back and tremble in fear.
The voice seemed familiar to Li Xian, who had just turned around, and he turned back again to look in the direction of the voice.
He immediately saw Zhou Donghuang, who had half his face blocked by Qin Xiaoyu who was standing in front of him.
Although he could only see half his face, Li Xian recognized Zhou Donghuang at once.
The new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant!
Why is he here?
Thinking of his earlier performance, Li Xian's heart thudded and looked uneasily at Zhou Donghuang, not making a sound for a long while, just like a little boy who had been caught doing wrong.
"Zhou Donghuang, you went too far!"
Zhong Yi stared furiously at Zhou Donghuang, and yelled, "You don't really think that you are the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, do you?"
"Zhou Donghuang, you really are insane! You dare behave like this in front of Chief Steward Li Xian. Today, even though the Magnolia Guild has not yet fallen, it still will not be able to protect you!"
"Zhou Donghuang, apologize immediately to Chief Steward Li Xian… If not, I will not spare you today!" Zhong Gang followed up with an angry roar, trying to stand up for Li Xian.
"Zhou Donghuang, I, Qin Fei, called you brother out of respect… I never thought you would throw that respect away!"
Seeing how Zhou Donghuang dared speak to Li Xian, Qin Fei, who did not want to be dragged down with Zhou Donghuang, hastily tried to draw a line between them.
"If it were not for my treat, in two days' time, when your Magnolia Guild has fallen, you would never have the chance to step into the earthly dining booth of Yunxuan Restaurant for the rest of your life."
"Now, I command you, apologize immediately to Chief Steward Li Xian… if not, don't even think about walking out of this earthly dining booth!"
Qin Fei looked at Zhou Donghuang with a look of extreme coldness, as though he would strike Zhou Donghuang if his command was not obeyed.
From the moment Zhou Donghuang had spoken, all eyes had been on him, and no one noticed the uneasy expression on Li Xian's face.
"Big Brother Donghuang…"
Qin Xiaoyu's expression had also changed; she never imagined that her Big Brother Donghuang would dare behave in this manner in front of Li Xian.
Was he not afraid of offending Li Xian?
"Chief Steward Li Xian, my big brother has been feeling moody these few days, what he said just now was nonsense, you… please don't take it seriously," Qin Xiaoyu said as she shifted her gaze from Zhou Donghuang to Li Xian.
As she did, she was stunned.
She saw Li Xian looking uneasily at Donghuang, as though Donghuang were some kind of sea monster.
Piak!
The clear, sharp, sound of a slap echoed around the booth without any warning, as suddenly as Zhou Donghuang had spoken just now.
It was Li Xian who had moved to face Qin Fei and had given him a fiery slap, immediately leaving a red palm print on his cheek.
"Chief Steward Li Xian, you…"
With blood dribbling from the corners of his mouth, Qin Fei looked at Li Xian in stupefaction, having no clue as to why Li Xian had slapped him.
If he recalled correctly, had he not been sticking up for Li Xian? Even if Li Xian had wanted to slap somebody, it should not have been him, should it?
The slap had also gotten the attention of the three Zhong siblings, but they were equally dumbfounded at the scene before them.
And now, Li Xian, who had just slapped Qin Fei, ignored the shocking face of Qin Fei and said respectfully with a trembling voice to Zhou Donghuang, who was seated in the booth, "Young Master Donghuang, I… I did not know you were coming… If I had known, I would definitely have arranged a heavenly dining booth for you."
This scene left everyone else in the booth wide-eyed in shock.
Good heavens!
What was going on?
Li Xian, the chief steward of Yunxuan Restaurant, who was treated with respect even by the patriarchs of the lesser houses of Qingshan Town, was bowing to Zhou Donghuang?
Moreover, the humility which Li Xian was showing was something they could not have imagined.
Could this Zhou Donghuang have some secret identity they did not know about?
If he was merely the son of Lin Lan, the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, Li Xian would have no reason to treat him this way, would he?
Qin Fei and the three Zhong siblings were utterly confused. At this moment Qin Xiaoyu was stunned as well, looking dumbly at the scene before her.
"Li Xian, tell them… when I eat at Yunxuan Restaurant, can I have the bill waived?" Zhou Donghuang said mildly.
"Young Master Donghuang must be kidding," Li Xian smiled bitterly. "You are now the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant. If you eat at your own restaurant, who would dare charge you?"
As Zhou Donghuang was speaking to Li Xian, the hearts of Qin Fei and the three Zhong siblings skipped a beat in unison and left them with a hunch that disaster was imminent.
Indeed, what Li Xian said confirmed that hunch.
"Big Brother Donghuang… is the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant?"
Qin Xiaoyu's mouth was hanging open in shock, and it took sometime before she closed it. Qin Fei and the three Zhong siblings were also stunned motionless to the extent that they wondered if they were dreaming, and pinched themselves in unison.
The sharp pain told them that they were not dreaming.
In that instant, the four of them exchanged glances and saw panic and disbelief in each other's eyes.
Zhou Donghuang, the son of Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild, a martial invalid who could not manifest his qi…
How did he become the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant?
Was not the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant Zhao San, the wealthiest man in Qingshan Town?
"Chief Steward Li Xian… you… are you mistaken? Isn't Elder Zhao San the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant?" Zhong Xiu asked, swallowing hard, as though clutching at the last straw that would save her life.
"Hmmmph!"
Li Xian looked Zhong Xiu once over and replied coldly, "Elder San returned to the prefecture capital two days ago… before he left, he gave Yunxuan Restaurant to Young Master Donghuang. Since then, Young Master Donghuang has fully accepted the ownership of Yunxuan Restaurant and is the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant."
Li Xian's reply shattered the final hope deep in Zhong Xiu's heart.
In that instant, not only Zhong Xiu but also Zhong Gang and Zhong Yi all felt their faces burn…
Zhou Donghuang had not been exaggerating after all; he could eat without being charged at Yunxuan Restaurant because he really was the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant!
"What kind of devil's luck could Zhou Donghuang have? How could Elder Zhao San have given him Yunxuan Restaurant?"
When Qin Fei returned his gaze to Zhou Donghuang, it was with a look of hatred and envy.
What kind of character and abilities does Zhou Donghuang have? he roared in his heart.
"Young Master Donghuang, let me escort you to the heavenly dining booth," Li Xian offered.
"No thank you, I've eaten my fill."
Zhou Donghuang shook his head and glanced at Qin Xiaoyu beside him, smiling. "Xiaoyu, if you are still hungry, please feel free to follow Chief Steward Li to the heavenly dining booth to continue your meal."
"From this day on, whenever you come to Yunxuan Restaurant for a meal, you may go directly to the heavenly dining booth… all expenditures will be waived! I have matters to attend to, I will be taking my leave."
Zhou Donghuang stood up as he finished speaking.
He had not intended to come in the first place, and now that he had drunk and eaten his fill, it was time to go back and continue practicing.
After all, his top priority at the moment was to practice. Anything else was not important.
Before leaving, Zhou Donghuang glanced casually at Li Xian.
"Chief Steward Li Xian, did you hear what I just said?"
"Yes I did. Will do."
Li Xian nodded hurriedly in reply and looked at Qin Xiaoyu.
"From this day on, this young lady may come to Yunxuan Restaurant, go directly to the heavenly dining booth, and all expenditures will be waived."
"Hm!" Zhou Donghuang nodded in satisfaction and strode freely out of the earthly dining booth, leaving everyone staring at his back.
"Big Brother Donghuang…"
Qin Xiaoyu took a long while to regain her composure after Zhou Donghuang had left, as though she were in a dream.
As for Qin Fei and the three Zhong Siblings, their expressions were terrible to behold, extremely terrible…
That day, they had intended for Zhou Donghuang to join them so they could thoroughly humiliate him and make him lose face completely.
Now, they were the ones who had lost face.
…
Not long after Zhou Donghuang had returned to the Magnolia Guild and continued practicing, the news began spreading around Qingshan Town: Zhao San, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, had left Qingshan Town two days ago. Before leaving, he had given Yunxuan Restaurant to Zhou Donghuang, the son of Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild!
Consequently, Qingshan Town was in an uproar.
Yunxuan Restaurant was the most profitable business in Qingshan Town, raking in money daily. Even the combined earnings of the Magnolia Guild and Sunset Guild, which were the two major guilds, could not equal Yunxuan Restaurant.
And now this restaurant had a new owner, and that was the famous martial arts invalid of Qingshan Town, Zhou Donghuang.
That Elder Zhao San… actually gave Yunxuan Restaurant to that little swine?
A look of dread flashed across the eyes of Red Crane Wang, the patriarch of the Wang family, as he got wind of this news.
What kind of connection to Elder Zhao San does that little swine have?
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 13: The Lin Family Sends Word
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The level of gathered qi was the starting point of the Martial Way.
The requirement at this level was to absorb the Spirit in the atmosphere, incorporate it into the body and convert it into qi, storing it in the various meridians in the body. The meridians in a person's body started out very small and could only hold very little qi.
To hold even more qi, it was necessary to expand the meridians through practice to enlarge and widen them.
When the meridians was expanded to a certain degree, the stored qi would be enough to generate the strength of one bull when expended, and you would be considered to have attained "level-one of Qi-gathering."
To become even stronger, one must further widen the meridians.
Up till now, I have been practicing for five days… relying only on the qi stored in my meridians, and I am already capable of generating half a bull's strength of force!
In a room in the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang, who was sitting cross-legged on the mattress as he practiced, opened his eyes.
In at most five days, I will be able to smoothly attain level-one of Qi-gathering, and become a level-one adept of Qi-gathering!
Zhou Donghuang's eyes lit up at this thought.
Today is… the twentieth, the twelfth month, 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
Zhou Donghuang's eyes narrowed subconsciously as he tore off the old page from the calendar and looked at the new one.
In his previous life, the messenger from the Lin family of the prefecture capital would arrive and announce the decision the patriarch of the Lin family had made: As a consequence of the Magnolia Guild having leaked the Lin family's precious formula, the Lin family will no longer support the Magnolia Guild, and Lin Lan will also be expelled from the Lin family.
His mother, Lin Lan, would be angered to death.
"Young Master! The Lin family of the prefecture capital has sent someone!"
Zhou Donghuang's drifting train of thought was yanked back to the present by Granny Lian's voice.
Presently, he left his room and walked to the receiving chamber together with Granny Lian.
"Lin Lan, this letter is addressed to you from the fourth elder."
As the two of them arrived at the door of the receiving chamber, they heard a confident voice.
In the receiving chamber, a travel-worn middle-aged man in a green robe was handing a sealed letter to Lin Lan.
"I will inform you of the patriarch's decision once you have read the letter… this was what the fourth elder explicitly instructed me to do when he handed me the letter before I left."
"By the way, you should thank the fourth elder, if not for him, you would have been expelled from the Lin family!" the middle-aged man said after he had handed the letter to Lin Lan.
In the moment it took for Zhou Donghuang and Granny Lian to enter the receiving chamber together, Lin Lan had already opened and read the letter.
An awful expression rapidly spread across her face, and she swayed as though about to fall.
"Mother! What's the matter?"
Zhou Donghuang's expression changed, and he reached out a hand to take the letter in Lin Lan's hand, but she stopped him.
"Clan-brother, I've read the letter… please continue," Lin Lan said to the middle-aged man, sighing deeply. However, her eyes were full of anger and indignation.
"Regarding the formula given by the clan that has been leaked by the Magnolia Guild, from this day on, the clan will no longer support the Magnolia Guild, and will hence take back the title deed of the Magnolia Guild."
"You all have three days to move out of the Magnolia Guild… in three days' time, the clan will send agents to take over this place and establish a new guild."
The middle-aged man said solemnly, "The patriarch's decision: You, Lin Lan, will not have a clan to turn to, you are to be barred from entering the family compound."
The middle-aged man paused and shook his head, saying, "Speaking of this, your luck is actually not bad… Recently, the fourth elder managed to obtain a formula for an even better blood-staunching elixir from elsewhere and handed it over to the clan. Bearing this in mind, the patriarch did not expel you from the clan. If not for this, given the grave error you have committed, there is no way that you would not have been expelled!"
As the middle-aged man finished speaking, Zhou Donghuang's expression darkened. A murderous look flashed across his eyes, and he subconsciously curled his hands into fists.
He had guessed correctly after all.
That fourth elder of the Lin family of the prefecture capital had indeed coveted the formula Zhou Donghuang had given his mother. The fourth elder had not misappropriated it and used it for himself, but had used it to improve his standing in the Lin family and benefit himself."
Granny Lian's expression changed as well.
She was about to speak, but Lin Lan stopped her and stepped forward simultaneously, telling the middle-aged man in a low voice, "I would like my clan-brother to take just one sentence back to the patriarch… I, Lin Lan, thank the patriarch for showing mercy."
"I will." The middle-aged man nodded and acknowledged and continued, "Next, I am required to inform the clan-brother, the level-two adept stationed here, that he has been recalled by the clan."
The level-two adept of Qi-gathering, the commander of the guards of the Magnolia Guild, was a scion of the Lin family of the prefecture capital who had been sent to Qingshan Town. He was stationed at the Magnolia Guild.
Now that the Lin family would not support the Magnolia Guild, they would naturally not allow him to stay.
The middle-aged man finished speaking and left the receiving chamber.
"My lady, why didn't you tell him that the formula the fourth elder handed over to the clan was actually from you?"
Granny Lian was hopping madly and would have said so herself if Lin Lan had not prevented her earlier.
Zhou Donghuang was also looking at Lin Lan.
"An arm cannot defeat a leg." Lin Lan sighed and smiled bitterly as she passed the letter in her hand to Granny Lian.
Granny Lian opened the letter and read it, and her expression changed at once.
"Shameless! Too shameless! That Lin Tonghong should go and die!"
Lin Tonghong was the fourth elder of the Lin family of the prefecture capital.
Zhou Donghuang had also moved beside Granny Lian and finished reading the contents of the letter.
Lin Lan, I know you sneaked a look at the formula for the blood-staunching elixir that I obtained that was intended for the family. If you dare spread it around, you should think of that martial invalid son of yours, even if you are not afraid of your own death.
The letter from Lin Tonghong did not reveal that he had stolen Lin Lan's formula but was intended to threaten Lin Lan.
It had to be said that this was a brilliant move on his part.
Using me to threaten my mother?
Zhou Donghuang broke into an ugly smile, laughing coldly in his heart.
You, Lin Tonghong, handed over that formula to the Lin family, and the Lin family will surely reward you. Enjoy the pleasure for a few days… one day I will go to the prefecture capital in person and knock on the Lin family's door, and we will meet face to face!
It was clear to Zhou Donghuang that whatever he said to the Lin family's messenger would be useless because the messenger would not possibly believe him.
Of course, he could have written out a formula for an even better blood-staunching elixir for the messenger on the spot. But what purpose would it serve? It would not prove that the fourth elder of the Lin family had stolen his formula.
In addition, Zhou Donghuang's character was such that he most enjoyed collecting his "debts" in person!
"Mother, don't worry… I ensure that you will enjoy a fair outcome in this matter," Zhou Donghuang promised, looking at Lin Lan with a sincere expression.
"Donghuang, don't do anything silly… you must remember that I only want you to be safe, on top of everything else."
Lin Lan dutifully forced a smile, saying to Zhou Donghuang, "Anyway, the patriarch did not expel me from the Lin family, and even though the right to return to the Lin family has been taken away, I am still a member of the Lin family."
Zhou Donghuang knew in his heart that other than himself and Chen Dandan, what she valued most in her life was her identity as a member of the Lin family.
The Magnolia Guild came second.
Not long ago, Chen Dandan's betrayal had pierced his mother's heart. What his mother was left right now was just him and her identity as a member of the Lin family.
Previously, the reason for his mother's suicide was that she had been expelled from the Lin family.
This time, his mother had not been expelled from the Lin family, and naturally would not be seeking death like she previously had.
"Mother, you and Granny Lian pack up your things… we will go to Yunxuan Restaurant together in two days' time. Other than the front area that is open to the public for meals, there is a large private compound behind Yunxuan restaurant where Zhao San used to live. Now that he is gone, we can stay there," Zhou Donghuang said to Lin Lan.
Since Zhao San had given him Yunxuan Restaurant, it had been his second home, and the more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that the decision to treat Zhao San's ailment had been the correct one.
"I would have forgotten it if you hadn't mentioned it… my son, you are now the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant."
Lin Lan smiled at Zhou Donghuang's words, and the previously dejected look in her eyes was replaced by a sparkle.
After the Lin family's messenger had left the Magnolia Guild with the level-two adept of Qi-gathering who had been the commander of the guards, Lin Lan gathered the servants and guards of the Magnolia Guild and asked them if they were willing to move to Yunxuan Restaurant.
Anyone who did not wish to move could claim three months' payment and was free to go.
Even though the Magnolia Guild was about to become history, Lin Lan could still afford this.
Yunxuan Restaurant was the most profitable business in Qingshan Town after all, and it rolled in god knew how much more money than the Magnolia Guild. In the end, not a single servant girl or guard chose to leave, and they all decided to move to Yunxuan restaurant together.
This was a great consolation to Lin Lan.
At the same time, the matter of how the Lin family of the prefecture capital had dealt with the Magnolia Guild spread slowly throughout Qingshan Town.
The whole of Qingshan Town knew shortly that the Magnolia Guild was about to fall.
Three days later, agents of the Lin family of the prefecture capital would arrive in Qingshan Town and establish a new guild.
…
In a spacious garden in the Wang family mansion.
"Father, I've secretly asked Chief Steward Li Xian of Yunxuan Restaurant… he said, there is no special relationship between Zhao San and that little swine Zhou Donghuang. Whether he lives or dies, Zhao San does not care. The reason he gave Yunxuan Restaurant to that little swine seems to be that the little swine did him a favor, and he was merely discharging a moral obligation."
As night fell, Red Crane Wang had just returned and sought his father out immediately, the grand patriarch of the Wang family one generation above him, Wang Yukun.
Wang Yukun was the only level-two adept of Qi-gathering in the Wang family, and he had been away on a long journey, having just returned the night before.
"Right now, the level-two adept of Qi-gathering at the Magnolia Guild has left with the messenger from the Lin family of the prefecture capital. The only ones that the little swine, Zhou Donghuang can rely on now are Lin Lan and that old granny with Lin Lan."
"Second Younger Brother and I can easily handle Lin Lan together. That old granny with Lin Lan is also a level-one adept of Qi-gathering, and I'll bring two elders who are level-one adepts of Qi-gathering to handle her."
Red Crane Wang outlined his plan. "We are preparing to lead men over tomorrow… Father, you need not go over, they are not worthy enough for you to get personally involved."
He did not even make mention of Zhou Donghuang, as though Zhou Donghuang was no threat to them since they were level-one adepts of Qi-gathering.
Of course, this was also because Guild Master Hong Yue of the Sunset Guild was protecting his image, and he did not spread the word of how he had been defeated by Zhou Donghuang.
Otherwise, Red Crane Wang would definitely not have dared to look down on Zhou Donghuang.
"I will bring Feng'er over together with you all tomorrow," Wang Yukun said with an icy expression. "Lin Lan and that old granny are yours… that little swine, I will capture him personally and hand him over to Feng'er, and let Feng'er kill him with his own hands!"
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
The afternoon of the twenty-first day, twelfth month, 1227 of the Ziyun Era.
Six riders mounted on large, strong horses and galloped away from the Wang family's mansion, making themselves as conspicuous as possible as they moved through the town in the direction of the Magnolia Guild.
At last, the six riders arrived at the Magnolia Guild and blockaded the main entrance, giving out an aura of arrogance with their imposing presence.
They were led by a well-built old man whose cheeks were covered by white curly sideburns and whose short white hair stood up straight from his scalp, giving him the appearance of a white-haired lion.
Behind the old man was a youth, two middle-aged men, as well as two other old men, one thin and one fat.
"It's the Wang family!"
A crowd had gathered in anticipation of what was about to happen, and many of them recognized the six people blocking the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild.
"Isn't that Red Crane Wang, the patriarch of the Wang family? And he is following… the old man leading them, isn't he the grand patriarch of the Wang family, the one called the 'bloody-handed butcher,' Wang Yukun?" a bystander cried out in awe, staring wide-eyed at the old man leading the group.
Following his cry of alarm, the gathered crowd became rowdy.
"Wang Yukun? That is the… the bloody-handed butcher who single-handedly massacred a force of one hundred bandits?
"I've heard that the leader of the bandit gang was approaching level-two of Qi-gathering, and he had five lieutenants who had attained level-one of Qi-gathering… the six of them took on Wang Yukun together, but were all killed by him! From then on, Wang Yukun gained the title of 'bloody-handed butcher.'"
"Good heavens! This is a rare public appearance for him… and today, he did not just appear but also blocked the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild; it seems like he intends to exact vengeance for his grandson, Wang Feng!"
"Isn't that obvious? That Wang Feng whose arm was maimed by Guild Master Lin Lan's son is right behind him."
The first young master of the Wang family, Wang Feng, was following behind Wang Yukun. He stared at the wide-open entrance of the Magnolia Guild, a bloodthirsty look in his eyes.
Zhou Donghuang, you maimed my arm, and today I will have your life!
Wang Feng's heart was consumed by the thought of revenge.
"Yesterday, the news that the Magnolia Guild lost the support of the Lin family of the prefecture capital went around, and today, the Wang family is here to seek revenge… it seems that the son of Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang, is in for some trouble today."
"I heard that the level-two adept of Qi-gathering who commanded the guards of the Magnolia Guild has also returned to the Lin family… today, even if those other people from the Wang family were here without Wang Yukun, they would be enough to sweep the Magnolia Guild clean!"
"That's only natural. Behind Wang Yukun is the patriarch of the Wang family, Red Crane Wang, the second master of the Wang family, Bamboo Crane Wang, and the second and third elders of the Wang family. The four of them are all level-one adepts of Qi-gathering! And it seems the Magnolia Guild right now only has Lin Lan as the level-one adept of Qi-gathering."
"I heard that the elderly lady who is always with Guild Master Lin Lan is also a level-one adept of Qi-gathering."
"Even if she is, they will not be able to resist the Wang family's four level-one adepts."
By now, more than a few of the gathered bystanders were already mourning silently for Zhou Donghuang.
"Isn't Zhou Donghuang now the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant? Zhao San gave him Yunxuan restaurant before he left, and that should mean that they are close, right?"
"Isn't the Wang family afraid that Elder Zhao San might retaliate?"
"If you could have thought of it, the Wang family would definitely have considered it. The fact that the Wang family would dare block the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild today is evidence that Elder Zhao San will definitely not help Zhou Donghuang."
"However, we really don't know what Elder Zhao San is thinking… how could he just give Yunxuan Restaurant to Zhou Donghuang? It is the most profitable business in Qingshan Town."
"Elder Zhao San's thoughts are beyond our understanding."
The crowd of bystanders got larger and larger, and it seemed that more and more people made their way over from all around Qingshan Town as the news spread.
Upon receiving the news, the members of the other two lesser families of Qingshan Town rushed over in anticipation as soon as they could.
The first young master of the Qin family, Qin Fei, made his way over as soon as he received the news.
It seems that you, Zhou Donghuang, only got lucky to take possession of Yunxuan Restaurant… but you are not close with Elder Zhao San at all.
Seeing the members of the Wang family blocking the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, Qin Fei had easily deduced this fact and was standing in the crowd, taking pleasure in the unfolding disaster.
"Qin Fei!"
Right then, three figures came into Qin Fei's view: they were the First Young Master Zhong Gang of the Zhong family, Second Young Master Zhong Yi, and Third Lady Zhong Xiu. They had evidently come as soon as they heard the news.
"What? You came to watch a good show?" Qin Fei laughed.
"Haha… how could we miss such a good one?" Zhong Yi chuckled.
"When we found out that day that Zhou Donghuang was the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, we assumed he had some deep connection with Elder Zhao San… it seems we were thinking too much. If he was really close to Elder Zhao San, the Wang family would not be parading themselves so brazenly outside the Magnolia Guild demanding vengeance."
Zhong Gang was also taking obvious delight in Zhou Donghuang's misfortune.
"Zhou Donghuang was so gleeful at Yunxuan Restaurant two days ago… today, I, Zhong Xiu, would very much like to see what fate he suffers!" Zhong Xiu laughed coldly.
"Even Grand Patriarch Wang Yukun of the Wang family has come… in my opinion, Zhou Donghuang is probably not going to survive this day. This bloody-handed butcher is famous for spoiling his offspring." Qin Fei's smile widened.
However, he quickly wiped the smile off his face because he spied a pretty and delicate-looking girl of about eleven or twelve years of age. She was holding on to a young man's hand, and they were making their way towards Qin Fei.
Qin Fei abandoned the three Zhong siblings and went to meet her.
"Xiaoyu, Uncle Zhen."
The new arrivals were Qin Xiaoyu and her father, Qin Zhen.
Qin Zhen was from a side branch of the Qin family and had no great importance, but several years earlier, he had broken through to level-one of Qi-gathering, and had become the sixth elder of the Qin family.
In the three lesser families of Qingshan Town, even a member of the side branches could rise to become an elder of the clan, only if he was able to break through and attain level-one of Qi-gathering and become a level-one adept.
"First Young Master," Qin Zhen greeted Qin Fei. Qin Xiaoyu merely swept a glance over Qin Fei and didn't bother to greet him.
The incident at Yunxuan Restaurant two days ago when Qin Fei had revealed his true feelings towards Zhou Donghuang had left her extremely displeased.
"Xiaoyu!"
In the end, under the frown and stern words of Qin Zhen, Qin Xiaoyu finally greeted Qin Fei reluctantly.
After paying lip service to Qin Fei, Qin Xiaoyu looked at the group of people at the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, her face full of worry. "Father, Big Brother Donghuang is now the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant; isn't the Wang family afraid of Elder Zhao San's displeasure if they cause trouble for him?"
"Xiaoyu," Qin Fei cut in before Qin Zhen could say a word, "that the Wang family would even dare to show up means that they know Elder Zhao San will not help Zhou Donghuang."
"Father, is this true?"
Qin Fei's reply caused Qin Xiaoyu to look worriedly at Qin Zhen, and she turned as white as a sheet when she saw Qin Zhen nodded.
"Father… could you help Big Brother Donghuang?" Qin Xiaoyu begged Qin Zhen.
"Xiaoyu, even if I wanted to help, I would not be able to… There are six of them in the Wang family, and except Wang Feng, I cannot match any of them." Qin Zhen laughed bitterly.
There were differences in ability among fellow level-one adepts of Qi-gathering.
"Big Brother Qin Fei, I'm sure you can think of something… can't you?"
Qin Xiaoyu looked at Qin Fei. For the sake of Donghuang, she would put aside her annoyance with Qin Fei; the only thing she was concerned about was the safety of her Brother Donghuang.
"Xiaoyu, even the bloody-handed butcher of the Wang family is here… unless my grandfather intervenes, no one can stop him."
Qin Fei also laughed bitterly and shook his head. "And my grandfather would not offend the Wang family for the sake of Zhou Donghuang."
"Then… Big Brother Donghuang is beyond rescue?" Qin Xiaoyu said softly to herself, her face pale and her spirits sagging.
Right then, someone in the crowd exclaimed excitedly, "Someone is coming out!"
"It is Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild!"
Under the gaze of the crowd, two figures walked out from the Magnolia Guild, an elegant, beautiful lady and an elderly lady following her.
It was Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild, with Granny Lian beside her.
"Father, she is the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, Lin Lan," the patriarch of the Wang family, Red Crane Wang, said to Wang Yukun who mounted on the horse in front of him, as Lin Lan led Granny Lian out.
Wang Yukun, who had retired a long time ago, had no dealings with Lin Lan, the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, who had come to Qingshan Town about ten years ago.
"You are Lin Lan?"
Wang Yukun stared down icily at Lin Lan and said coldly, "Today, I am not here for you… where is your son Zhou Donghuang? Let him show himself!"
"Lin Lan acknowledges Grand Patriarch Wang."
Lin Lan, standing not far from Wang Yukun, gave a slight bow in greeting and continued, "Grand Patriarch Wang, you are the elder and therefore surely more reasonable."
"My son Zhou Donghuang was bullied every so often in the past by your grandson Wang Feng, but never brought this matter to me… some days before, it was also under the provocation of your grandson Wang Feng that he lost control and maimed Wang Feng's arm. If you don't believe this, you may ask those who were present…"
Before Lin Lan could finish, she was interrupted by Wang Yukun's roar, "Enough of this nonsense! I will be the judge of this! Today, if I say that he is wrong, then he is wrong! Bring him out to me at once. Otherwise, don't expect any mercy from me!"
As Wang Yukun finished speaking, he looked at Lin Lan with eyes brimming with cold, murderous intent.
"What a bully! Such thuggish behavior!"
The gathering onlookers all felt a shiver in their hearts and agreed that Wang Yukun was being overbearing. But they were clear on one thing—Wang Yukun had the prerogative to be overbearing.
He was a level-two adept of Qi-gathering after all, and within Qingshan Town, there were few who could stand up to him. None could suppress him.
"Grand Patriarch Wang, since you feel that my son is in the wrong, let us consider him to be in the wrong… However, the failings of my son are purely the result of my inadequate upbringing."
Lin Lan forced back anger and humiliation, gritted her teeth and continued, "Therefore, whatever offenses he has committed, allow me, as his mother, to bear all the consequences!"
"Whatever the consequence, let me take it!"
Lin Lan had only one thought in that instant: That she would protect her son Zhou Donghuang from harm even at the cost of her own life.
At this moment, the eyes of many of the gathered onlookers were wet with tears.
"Guild Master Lin Lan, I believe you are only Zhou Donghuang's step mother? You are willing to sacrifice yourself to protect an adopted son, you truly are a shining example for all mothers!"
Many onlookers sighed at this, but they only dared to sigh softly, in fear of incurring the wrath of the Wang family.
"Aunty Lin Lan," Qin Xiaoyu sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
"Hahahaha…"
Wang Yukun roared with laughter as he jumped off his horse, stopping only after he landed.
"How moving! Since this is the case, I will give you, Lin Lan, one chance. If you, Lin Lan, can withstand three blows from me and stay alive, I will spare your son's life today!"
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 15: Donghuang Intervenes
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhou Donghuang was in his room, concentrating on practicing the Way of the Supreme Four Divisions. As the meridians in his body expanded, the qi stored in them increased.
Suddenly, he heard someone shouting urgently and frantically, "Young Master! Young Master!"
"Granny Lian?"
Zhou Donghuang's expression changed upon hearing her voice, and he leaped off the bed and sprinted out of the room.
"Granny Lian, what's wrong? Has something happened?"
"Young Master, people from the Wang family are here, led by the level-two adept, Grand Patriarch Wang Yukun. They are at the entrance. Her Ladyship did not want me to tell you and went out alone with me…"
Granny Lian blurted out everything as fast as she could.
As soon as Granny Lian mentioned that Lin Lan was willing to suffer three blows from Wang Yukun for his sake, Zhou Donghuang's expression changed completely.
"Mother!!"
Zhou Donghuang's eyes popped out of their sockets, and his first thought was to rush out, but Granny Lian stopped him.
"Granny Lian, what are you doing?!"
Zhou Donghuang glared angrily at Granny Lian as though about to devour her, scaring her so badly that she trembled.
"Young Master, I told you this to see if you were able to rescue Her Ladyship," she said through trembling lips. "If you are unable to face that Wang Yukun, I will prevent you from going out with my life… because Her ladyship told me as we were going out that I should bring you away if the opportunity arises.
"If you are unable to face Wang Yukun, I can only bring you away! If you stubbornly insist, there is only one way, that is over my dead body."
Granny Lian stood squarely in front of Zhou Donghuang, blocking him, her voice firm and resolute, leaving no room for any doubt about her resolve.
Lin Lan had actually not allowed Granny Lian to tell Zhou Donghuang what had happened and had only intended that Granny Lian find a way to sneak away with Zhou Donghuang while she stalled the Wang family members.
Granny Lian had spilled everything out to see if Zhou Donghuang was able to find a way to stop Wang Yukun.
Although she felt it was improbable, she had resolved to try nonetheless. After all, the Young Master had surprised her again and again in recent days…
"Granny Lian, come out with me."
Hearing Granny Lian's story, Zhou Donghuang took a deep breath, and after calming his raging emotions, a cold murderous look shone in his eyes.
Granny Lian's eyes lit up. Going by the Young Master's actions, he seemed really confident.
Leaving Granny Lian staring blankly, Zhou Donghuang had already sprinted off at a speed that left her, a level-one adept, choking on dust.
"Young Master's speed…"
Granny Lian's eyes narrowed, and gasping with astonishment, she ran after him.
…
Outside the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild.
Pong!!
As a level-two adept, Wang Yukun used his full force of two bull's strength and with one blow, sent Lin Lan flying. She crashed into a pillar at one side of the Magnolia Guild's main entrance and fell heavily to the ground. Her breathing was shallow, and blood spurted from her mouth.
"Mother!"
Zhou Donghuang had just arrived, and looking at the scene before him, his expression changed completely. He dashed to Lin Lan's side and tipped a bottle of medicine into her mouth.
"Mother, swallow this… this is a healing elixir I made."
Only after making certain that Lin Lan's injuries were not life-threatening did Zhou Donghuang let out a breath and stand up. His gaze had turned cold and fell upon Wang Yukun.
"Zhou Donghuang!"
Behind Wang Yukun, Wang Feng jumped off his horse as well and moved to stand beside Wang Yukun. He stared at Zhou Donghuang with an expression full of hate and anger, as though he wanted to bite Zhou Donghuang's head off.
"You are Zhou Donghuang?"
Wang Yukun's gaze fell on Zhou Donghuang, and he smiled placidly.
"Your step mother treats you really well… she agreed to suffer three blows from me just to protect you."
"It's too bad that after just one blow from me, she can't even stand… one more blow and that will be the end of her! You can say you've saved her life by coming out, if not, both of you would have died today."
Wang Yukun was now looking at Zhou Donghuang as though he were a dead man, and indeed, Zhou Donghuang was no different from a dead man in his eyes.
"Donghuang…"
Lin Lan struggled to stand, but her severe injuries had robbed her of the strength to stand. After trying to push herself up with her palms, she collapsed again.
"Granny Lian, take good care of my mother."
Just then, Granny Lian came out, and after turning back to instruct her, Zhou Donghuang's gaze found Wang Yukun once more.
"And you are Wang Yukun?"
Zhou Donghuang grinned, showing two rows of snow-white teeth. Instead of showing anger, he smiled a radiant smile.
"Today, you can consider yourself to have lived a worthy life, to be able to die by my hand."
Hearing Zhou Donghuang's words, Wang Yukun was stunned, as was Wang Feng beside him.
So was everyone else.
No one had expected that Zhou Donghuang would suddenly say such a thing. Did this mean that he intended to fight Wang Yukun?
"Donghuang!"
Lin Lan's expression changed, and she tried to push herself up again but was stopped by Granny Lian.
"Lady, don't you feel that… Young Master is now very self-confident?"
Granny Lian was still unable to hide the shock in her eyes as she thought of the speed at which Zhou Donghuang had sprinted out.
"Self-confident?"
Lin Lan was stunned, and glancing at Zhou Donghuang's back, she saw him standing proudly with both hands behind his back, unmoving and exuding an aura of tremendous confidence.
"Hahahahahaha…"
Wang Feng roared with laughter till tears flew from his eyes.
"Zhou Donghuang, it seems that the anger from seeing your mother injured this badly has driven you insane?"
"You think you are a match for my grandfather?" Wang Feng said in derision.
The gathered onlookers were also shaking their heads, and no one believed that Zhou Donghuang had the ability to stand up to Wang Yukun.
Zhou Donghuang was the famous martial invalid of Qingshan Town, and Wang Yukun was a fearsome level-two adept, also called the "bloody-handed butcher."
The two of them were on completely different levels.
The former, compared to the latter, was like a baby compared to an adult; the latter could strangle the former to death at any time.
Other than Granny Lian, no one had any hope for Zhou Donghuang except a middle-aged man standing in the corner of the crowd. That middle-aged man was the guild master of the Sunset Guild, Hong Yue.
Zhou This Zhou Donghuang is more than he seems… when he defeated me that day, he had more than a thousand jin of force! Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so soundly defeated.
Thinking of how he had been defeated by Zhou Donghuang that day when he was at the Magnolia Guild with Chen Dandan, Hong Yue still felt some residual fear.
It was clear to him that the adopted son of Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild was more than what he seemed.
Of course, at a glance, he did not expect Zhou Donghuang to be able to match Wang Yukun. After all, Wang Yukun was a level-two adept possessing two bull's strength and was one of the strongest people in Qingshan Town.
"Qin Fei, do you still remember?" Zhong Gang glanced at Qin Fei, who was beside him. "Two days ago in the earthly dining booth at Yunxuan Restaurant, this Zhou Donghuang said that if the level-two adept of the Wang family came looking for trouble, he would be able to kill him with a single blow."
At this, Zhong Gang began to smile.
Qin Fei wanted to laugh, but upon seeing Qin Xiaoyu nearby, dared not to. Instead, he did everything he could to hold back his laughter.
"Zhou Donghuang!" Zhong Yi looked at Zhou Donghuang and laughed loudly. "Two days ago, didn't you say that if the old man from the Wang family came looking for trouble, you would be able to kill him with a single blow? Now you have your chance… Demonstrate it for us will you?" Zhong Yi said and smiled even wider.
"I heard that too… Zhou Donghuang, all eyes are on you," Zhong Xiu joined in the chorus of mockery.
"Big Brother Donghuang… perhaps, he really is confident in taking on that old man from the Wang family?" Qin Xiaoyu was reminded by the three Zhong siblings of what Zhou Donghuang had said two days ago in the earthly dining booth of Yunxuan Restaurant.
That day, her Big Brother Donghuang mentioned three things which no one believed he was capable of.
The first was that he did not care if the Magnolia Guild fell, and while no one had believed him at first, no one doubted him once they knew that he was the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant.
The second was that he could kill the level-two adept of the Wang family with a single blow, but this had not been proven yet.
The third was that he could eat for free at Yunxuan Restaurant because he was the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, and this had already been confirmed by Chief Steward Li Xian of Yunxuan Restaurant himself.
Big Brother Donghuang has already accomplished two things… could he also accomplish the third?
Qin Xiaoyu's eyes lit up with hope at this thought.
Of course, it was also because Qin Xiaoyu was still young and had not begun to practice, and there were many things she did not yet understand. Otherwise, she surely would not have had this thought.
The claims of the three Zhong siblings raised a commotion in the crowd.
"Zhou "This Zhou Donghuang would really say such things?"
"Is he crazy?"
"From what he just said, could he not be crazy?"
…
More and more people began to look at Zhou Donghuang, but this time with a pitiful gaze.
Most people could only believe that Zhou Donghuang had gone insane.
Why else would he say such things?
Outside the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang looked indifferently at the three Zhong siblings before looking away and back at Wang Yukun.
"Let us begin… I'm in a rush to send my mother back so that she can recover."
Although Zhou Donghuang's tone was calm, the murderous intent in his eyes was increasingly pronounced.
"Little brat, you are not worthy enough for the grand patriarch himself to act!"
As soon as Zhou Donghuang had spoken, the thin old man behind Wang Yukun leaped off his horse and soared through the air in Zhou Donghuang's direction.
"I will capture you and let First Young Master kill you himself!"
While he was still in the air, the old man had drawn his right hand into a claw and reached out, grabbing for Zhou Donghuang's neck.
Under the gaze of the crowd, Zhou Donghuang's expression did not change, and he remained still.
At the last moment, just when the old man's hand was about to touch him, he tilted his head smoothly to the side.
Whoosh!
Zhou Donghuang tilting his head to the side was a masterstroke, and the old man was left grasping air.
The crowd was shocked, and before they could recover from their shock, Zhou Donghuang's right hand had already shot out like lightning.
Pong!!
His palm rose and fell like a shadow of doom on the old man's skull, with a fearsome strength like a tiger leaping down a mountain. The old man fell with a sound and died instantly.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 16: A Single Killing Blow
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
His power… seems greater than it was before.
Standing in the crowd, Guild Master Hong Yue of the Sunset Guild swallowed hard. Looking at that youth in the distance, the look of dread in his eyes grew more pronounced.
When the second elder of the Wang family had made his move, he had known that he was in for trouble.
The second elder's ability was of a similar level as his, and since even he had been so badly beaten by Zhou Donghuang, the second elder of the Wang family would be no exception.
What he did not expect was this: In just one exchange, Zhou Donghuang had killed the second elder of the Wang family whose ability was comparable to his, showing a level of power even more fearsome than he had that day.
Is this Zhou Donghuang really a martial invalid who is unable to manifest his qi?
Even though this assertion came from the lips of Young Mistress Chen Dandan of the Hong family of the prefecture capital, Hong Yue could no longer believe it.
As of now, the only ones present who were clear on this matter were Hong Yue, Granny Lian, and Lin Lan. These three people had witnessed Zhou Donghuang's abilities.
A mere level-one adept would be no match for Zhou Donghuang.
However, it was different for the others.
Witnessing the second elder of the Wang family make the first move against Zhou Donghuang, but get killed by him instead, everyone including the grand patriarch of the Wang family Wang Yukun was shocked for a while.
"Second Elder!"
Patriarch Red Crane Wang of the Wang family recovered his wits, and his expression changed.
As his attention turned from the corpse on the floor to the youth, his eyes involuntarily showed an expression of incredulity.
Was not Zhou Was not this Zhou Donghuang a martial invalid?
How could a martial invalid kill the second elder of the Wang family?
As for the rest of the members of the Wang family, their expressions had changed completely as well.
Wang Feng, the first young master of the Wang family, was so frightened that his whole body trembled, and thinking of that day when Zhou Donghuang had only maimed one of his arms, he could not help but feel that he had been fortunate.
"This… how is this possible?!"
"He… killed the second elder of the Wang family?!"
…
In the crowd, Qin Fei and the three Zhong siblings were just as shocked. What had just happened was something they could never have imagined in their wildest dreams.
Zhou Donghuang, who was a martial invalid, had killed the second elder of the Wang family, who was a level-one adept?
And it ended in just one exchange, with the second elder having made the opening move?
"Big Brother Donghuang!"
Qin Xiaoyu's eyes lit up, and her little fists which had been curled up in anxiety now relaxed a little.
"This…"
Qin Zhen, who was standing beside Qin Xiaoyu, had a shocked expression on his face, and there was a look of pure disbelief in his eyes.
The second elder of the Wang family was a level-one adept who was more powerful than him, but he had been killed in an instant at the hands of a youth who was publicly known to be a martial invalid.
Was this youth the same martial invalid that he used to be?
The crowd seethed with excitement!
"My God! Am I dreaming? The second elder of the Wang family, a full level-one adept, dead at the hands of Zhou Donghuang?"
"This Zhou Donghuang, isn't he a martial invalid? How did he kill a level-one adept? Was he too careless?"
"Careless? They were face to face, and they could see each other's every move… Zhou Donghuang evaded his attack, and he could not evade Zhou Donghuang's blow; how could this be carelessness, it's obviously a difference in ability!"
"When Zhou Donghuang maimed First Young Master Wang Feng's arm, I felt that he could not possibly be a martial invalid… but even then, I never imagined that he had the ability to kill a level-one adept."
"He… he is only sixteen years old, and he can kill a level-one adept? Even if he was the most outstanding son of a preeminent family such as the Lin or Hong Families of the prefecture capital, he would still not be able to kill a level-one adept at this age, right?"
…
Looks of shock and disbelief were turned towards Zhou Donghuang, making him the focus of the entire scene.
Zhou Donghuang, a youth of sixteen years, had killed the second elder of the Wang family who was a level-one adept in just a single exchange.
From this day on, Zhou Donghuang would be a legend in Qingshan Town regardless of whether he survived.
"I must be mistaken… I never thought that a little boy like you could have such ability," Wang Yukun said coldly as he gave Zhou Donghuang a searching look. "If you grew and developed well, your future would be limitless… it's a pity that you must die at my hands today.
"I consider myself to have lived a worthy life, to be able to kill a prodigy like you in my lifetime."
As he said this, Wang Yukun stared at Zhou Donghuang suddenly with a bloodthirsty look.
"You intend to kill me all by yourself?"
Zhou Donghuang smiled a brilliant smile, as though he had heard the funniest joke.
"Little boy, since you are in a hurry to die, let me send you on your way!"
Seeing Zhou Donghuang mocking him, Wang Yukun's expression turned cold. He moved in a flash, and it seemed as if he had turned into a hunting dog, rushing towards Zhou Donghuang.
In the eyes of the gathered onlookers, it seemed that Wang Yukun had become a gust of wind, charging towards Zhou Donghuang and leveling a blow at him.
"Donghuang!"
Lin Lan's heart was in her mouth.
"Young Master."
Granny Lian looked at Zhou Donghuang's back in anticipation.
"Even a mere level-two adept talks about killing me, Zhou Donghuang? Laughable!"
As Wang Yukun was charging towards him, Zhou Donghuang seemed to flicker as he moved to intercept Wang Yukun, and to the gathered onlookers, it looked as though he was moving into the path of the blow.
As a level-two adept, the full force of Wang Yukun's blow contained the strength of two bulls, and it seemed to rip through the sky and create wind.
"Die!!"
Seeing Zhou Donghuang expose himself, Wang Yukun smiled a savage smile and aimed his blow at Zhou Donghuang's chest with a roar.
"Donghuang!"
"Young Master!"
Seeing Wang Yukun's palm just a hair's breadth away from Zhou Donghuang's chest, Lin Lan's expression changed, and Granny Lian began to doubt Zhou Donghuang's earlier self-confidence.
"Die."
Qin Fei and the three Zhong siblings broke into a wide smile at the same time.
"Big Brother Donghuang!"
Qin Xiaoyu's expression changed completely, and Qin Zheng sighed a long sigh next to her. "Heaven envies heroes."
Just then, everyone thought that Zhou Donghuang was about to be killed by Wang Yukun's blow.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Zhou Donghuang's legs quivered as they remained planted on the ground, and he demonstrated a swiftness technique. His legs left twin tracks on the ground as he slid aside like a ghost to evade Wang Yukun's full force.
Huh?
Wang Yukun never dreamt that his blow would strike thin air, and in the instant that it took his target to vanish from right in front of him, his expression changed completely.
Right now, he wanted to withdraw and retreat, but the momentum from the force of his blow was too great, and he was unable to stop the follow-through in that instant.
Whoosh!
In the same instant that Zhou Donghuang took to evade Wang Yukun's blow, he swept in like a ghost behind Wang Yukun, who could not possibly turn around in that short a time.
It is over.
With a cold gleam in his eyes, Zhou Donghuang stiffened his palms, and summoning every ounce of strength from his muscles and channeling all the qi in his meridians to his palms, he swung at Wang Yukun's neck.
Ka-chak!!
As his palm made contact with Wang Yukun's neck with over a thousand jin of force, it was as though a metal club had been swept downwards, shattering the vertebrae in his neck.
With his vertebrae shattered, Wang Yukun's head was flung forward towards his chest, and he turned his body around with great effort, trying to reach out and point his finger at Zhou Donghuang. He only managed to extend his arm halfway before he collapsed with a blank stare and a defiant expression on his face.
Thud!!
Wang Yukun's corpse threw up a cloud of dust as it hit the ground.
Silence descended over the scene.
At this moment, everyone was looking at Zhou Donghuang as though they had seen a ghost.
The grand patriarch of the Wang family, also known as the bloody-handed butcher, Wang Yukun, had actually been killed by a single blow from this youth?
"Young Master, he…"
Granny Lian's aged face was full of shock. At first, she had thought that the Young Master had merely hoped to stand up to Wang Yukun and force him to retreat.
She never imagined that the Young Master would actually kill Wang Yukun!
This was Wang Yukun, the legendary bloody-handed butcher of Qingshan Town, a level-two adept, not just any ordinary opponent…
"Donghuang…"
Lin Lan was deeply shocked as well, and although she knew that her son's abilities were no longer insignificant, she never thought that he would be able to contend with Wang Yukun, and what's more, kill him!
Moreover, killing him in a direct confrontation with one blow!
Even if Wang Yukun had been careless, it could not hide the fact that her son had a frightening level of power.
At the very least, even another level-two adept might not have been able to evade Wang Yukun's blow just when it was about to land.
However, her son had managed to evade it.
…
The people in the crowd forced out cold breaths, making a sound like the bellows used to stoke the furnace. The sound only died down slowly after a good while.
"Grandfather!"
"Father!"
"Grand Patriarch!"
The four surviving members of the Wang family, Wang Feng, Red Crane Wang, Bamboo Crane Wang, and the grand elder of the Wang family, let out shrill cries of anguish once they had recovered their wits from the unbelievable scene before them.
Wang Yukun was the pillar that held up the Wang family.
And now, that pillar had been toppled.
Without the support of a level-two adept, could the Wang family maintain its standing?
Earlier, the six members of the Wang family had ridden out in majesty… and now, two of them were dead, and the four remaining members found themselves in an extremely difficult situation. They were like dogs who had lost their home.
"Now… do you believe me?" Zhou Donghuang asked calmly, sweeping a casual gaze over Qin Fei and the three Zhong siblings.
Their expressions changed, and not daring to answer, they lowered their heads and left, trembling. They dared not look at Zhou Donghuang, fearing that he would return seeking vengeance.
Zhong Yi was so frightened that he had pissed his pants.
At the same time, Zhou Donghuang saw Qin Xiaoyu and her father Qin Zhe and greeted them with a smile and a nod before turning away and walking to Lin Lan.
"Mother, I'll bring you back to rest."
Zhou Donghuang bent down to scoop Lin Lan up and returned to the Magnolia Guild with Granny Lian in tow.
Only after Zhou Donghuang was out of sight did the gathered onlookers recover their wits one-by-one, expressions of shock and amazement on all their faces.
What they had seen today had completely overturned what they thought they knew…
A sixteen-year-old youth had killed a level-two adept in a direct confrontation.
The twenty-first of the twelfth month,1227 in the Ziyun Era would be seared into the memory of all the people of Qingshan Town who were present.
This day, outside the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, the son of Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild, the sixteen-year-old Zhou Donghuang killed the level-two Qi-gathering adept, Wang Yukun, and earned great renown!
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 17: Squaring The Accounts
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhou Donghuang sat on the edge of the bed in Lin Lan's room with a stern expression, telling Lin Lan, who was half lying in bed, "Mother, in the future, whenever you encounter such situations, don't hide it from me… the person I am now, I can already hold up a patch of sky."
"Yes, yes, yes… I know that now."
Although Lin Lan was still pale, there was a radiant smile on her face, and her eyes were full of relief.
Without her realizing it, her son had grown up and was now a strong and capable man.
"Young Master, my lady acted as she did because she did not know Young Master had the ability to kill Wang Yukun."
Granny Lian looked at Zhou Donghuang curiously.
"Young Master, what move did you use to evade Wang Yukun's blow earlier?"
Earlier, everyone's attention had been on Wang Yukun's blow when he had struck out at Zhou Donghuang.
Only Granny Lian had happened to glance at Zhou Donghuang's legs and had seen Zhou Donghuang's feet move in a curious sequence of steps.
"Move?"
Lin Lan's eyes narrowed slightly, and she looked at Zhou Donghuang with an inquisitive expression.
Martial art techniques in the country of Yunyang were extremely rare and valuable. The most widely used techniques in the country of Yunyang were lesser-grade techniques, and in the country of Yunyang, only the Imperial Court and the Royal Family possessed third-grade techniques.
However, a small place like Qingshan Town did not even have any lesser-grade martial art styles, and even though the preeminent families in the prefecture capital did possess specialized styles, usually only those of their direct lineage could practice them.
"Hmm." Zhou Donghuang nodded. He really had demonstrated an interesting move, and a third-grade technique at that. It was called "Star-Stepping Footwork."
Although there were many martial art styles in his memory, he could only utilize third-grade techniques with the qi he currently had.
Even though he was familiar with second-grade martial arts and even more powerful martial arts, the qi within his body was still insufficient to allow him to utilize those martial arts.
Right now, his level of practice was too low, and though he had a head full of precious martial arts, he could only utilize third-grade techniques.
My level of practice is too low, and the qi within my body is spread thin. When I used the Star-Stepping Footwork earlier, it cost me a third of my qi.
After that, when I used the third-grade technique, Weighted Sand Palm, to kill Wang Yukun, I expended almost all the qi within my body.
Moreover, the power it released was not from the technique I practiced, but the maximum strength from all the muscles in my body.
At this thought, Zhou Donghuang sighed inwardly.
His level of practice was still too low, and if he had attained level-one of the gathered qi, he would not need to expend almost all his qi to utilize these two forms of martial arts.
Sss!
At Zhou Donghuang's confirmation, both Granny Lian and Lin Lan could not help but suck in a breath of cold air.
They never imagined that Zhou Donghuang had really mastered any martial art techniques, much less martial art techniques of the rarer style of swiftness techniques.
Of course, they did not know that the move Zhou Donghuang had demonstrated was a third-grade technique. Otherwise they would surely be even more shocked.
"Mother, you must rest well… when you have recovered, I will pass on that style of swiftness technique to you," Zhou Donghuang said with a slight smile. Seeing the shock in Lin Lan's eyes, he understood her feelings.
"Can it really be done?"
Lin Lan's eyes showed anticipation but still betrayed some hesitation. After all, she did not know where the martial art her son had mastered had come from or whether it could be passed on to her easily.
The Lin Family of the prefecture capital also possessed a style of lesser-grade martial arts, but it was a purely offensive martial art and could not match the specialized swiftness technique in terms of value.
Even so, only the elders of the side branches and those of the direct lineage of the Lin Family were allowed to practice this style of martial arts.
A side relation, such as Lin Lan, was not entitled to practice it.
However, just because she was not entitled to practice, it did not mean Lin Lan had no desire to practice it.
"Of course," Zhou Donghuang nodded in assurance and glanced at Granny Lian who was standing to one side. "If Granny Lian would like to learn as well, I can pass it on to her too."
"Young Master…"
Zhou Donghuang's words moved Granny Lian immensely. Even in the prefecture capital, martial art techniques were greatly treasured.
From what she knew, in the prefecture capital, lesser-grade martial arts were possessed by only the Governor's Household. The other preeminent families had at most one or two styles of specialized offensive and defensive martial arts.
In a small place like Qingshan Town, even if a level-one adept had practiced only lesser-grade martial arts, it would be enough for him to sweep aside other level-one adepts who had not practiced any martial arts.
Martial arts were techniques produced by the deep study of using qi at the highest level, and although one could create a martial art from scratch, it was extremely difficult.
Even when it came to lesser-grade martial arts, very few people were capable of creating them from scratch, and the vast majority of people were merely enjoying the fruits of their ancestors' labor.
"Granny Lian, take good care of my mother… I'm going out for a while, I have matters to attend to."
Zhou Donghuang waited till Lin Lan had fallen asleep before he stood up. He quietly left Lin Lan's room.
It is public knowledge in Qingshan Town that I am the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant… anyone would think that I have deep connections to the previous owner Zhao San and would fear me as a result.
There was an unpleasant expression on Zhou Donghuang's face at the thought of the day's events as he walked out of the Magnolia Guild.
He never imagined that the Wang Family would come seeking revenge.
Under usual circumstances, even if the Magnolia Guild had lost the support of the Lin Family of the prefecture capital, his identity as the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant would be enough to deter the Wang Family.
However, the Wang Family had come.
This was evidence that the Wang Family had some source of intelligence… at least, if the Wang Family would not have dared to act thus unless they were certain that Zhao San would not come to his aid.
He needed to get to the bottom of this matter.
The crowd at the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild had already dispersed, and the Wang Family members were gone, along with the corpses of Wang Yukun and the second elder of the Wang Family.
The Wang Family.
Zhou Donghuang walked out of the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild and went directly to the Wang Family's mansion, attracting a steady stream of onlookers as he went.
"Young Master Donghuang of the Magnolia Guild intends to go to the Wang Family?"
"It seems that the day's events are not over… however, I never thought that he had the ability to kill the bloody-handed butcher, Wang Yukun.
"I can't believe we thought all along that he was a martial invalid… if he is a martial invalid, then what are we? Invalids among martial invalids?"
…
Under the gaze of the crowd, Zhou Donghuang arrived at the main entrance of the Wang Family mansion.
Pong!
He kicked the tightly shut doors open and strode in.
However, none of those who had followed him dared to follow him in.
This place was the Wang Family mansion after all and was not a place that one could enter at will.
If Zhou Donghuang had entered the mansion to wipe out the Wang Family, they would be able to enter freely… but if he did not, the Wang Family would surely not let any busybodies off lightly if they entered.
Although they were curious, they did not dare take the gamble.
About 15 minutes later, they saw Zhou Donghuang come out, and they watched wide-eyed till Zhou Donghuang's silhouette vanished at the end of the road before they recovered their wits one by one.
"What… what is going on?"
"So fast?"
This short period of time would be insufficient to wipe out the Wang Family.
Shortly, they saw several junior members of the Wang Family come out, repair the door and shut it, and the Wang Family mansion returned to its peaceful state.
…
The heavenly dining booth in Yunxuan Restaurant.
Zhou Donghuang was sitting before the dining table with his legs crossed, his left hand resting on his elevated left thigh, and his right hand in front of the dining table with his fingers curved, drumming gently on the table.
Chief Steward Li Xian of Yunxuan Restaurant stood before him, pale and trembling from head to toe.
"Li Xian, good for you," Zhou Donghuang grinned.
"Young Master Donghuang, your servant has erred."
Although Zhou Donghuang was smiling, Li Xian was frightened enough to drop to his knees with a thud, confessing his wrongdoings with his head lowered.
"You should know… because of that one word from you, my mother is now still lying on her bed?"
The wider Zhou Donghuang's smile became, the colder his gaze turned, and the temperature in the booth seemed to fall by several degrees in that short time.
"If I had not gone out in time… she would have been killed by Wang Yukun."
After his visit to the Wang Family, he had now gained a full understanding of every detail of this whole incident.
When Red Crane Wang, the patriarch of the Wang Family had seen him, it was as though a mouse had seen a cat, and far from mentioning vengeance for Wang Yukun, it was as if he wished he could drag his son Wang Feng out to beg for forgiveness.
Faced with Zhou Donghuang's threatening questions, Red Crane Wang answered truthfully that it was because Li Xian said Zhao San would not intervene that the Wang Family had dared to block the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild.
"Young Master Donghuang, your servant has erred, your servant begs for a chance to redeem himself."
Sensing the murderous intent in Zhou Donghuang's icy tone, Li Xian trembled even more violently, and his voice was filled with fear.
"As a sign of respect for Zhao San, I'll make it quick."
Zhou Donghuang's rose and nonchalantly decided Li Xian's fate.
"Young Master Donghuang, you cannot kill me! You cannot kill me!"
In the face of death, Li Xian was flustered and panicked.
"If you spare me, when my clan-brothers arrive from the prefecture capital, I will warn them away and dissuade them from attempting to take over your Yunxuan Restaurant… If you kill me, they will surely be even more determined to seize Yunxuan Restaurant!"
"Li Family? The prefecture capital? It seems you still serve the Li Family of the prefecture capital… and notified them to make plans to seize my Yunxuan Restaurant?"
Zhou Donghuang never thought that Zhao San would leave him a ticking time bomb such as this before he left.
Of course, it was clear to him that this had definitely not been Zhao San's intention. Otherwise, giving Yunxuan Restaurant to him would have been an unnecessary move by Zhao San.
He had helped Zhao San treat his chronic ailment without making any extra requests, and Zhao San had given Yunxuan Restaurant to him of his own free will.
The Li Family of the prefecture capital as well as the Lin and Hong Families of the prefecture capital, which backed the Magnolia Guild and Sunset Guild respectively, were the preeminent families of the prefecture capital.
"So… you think I will be afraid of your family?"
Zhou Donghuang gave him a cold smile and raised his leg, bringing it down with fearsome strength on Li Xian, killing him!
The whole process was as simple as stepping on an ant.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 18: Earth
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
When Zhou Donghuang had arrived at Yunxuan Restaurant this time around, the servant girls and waiters looked at him with a look of respect and even worship from the moment he entered. Evidently, they all knew about the events that had occurred at the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild that afternoon.
Now, Zhou Donghuang had killed Chief Steward Li Xian of Yunxuan Restaurant, and as he walked out of Yunxuan Restaurant, the look that a group of servant girls and waiters gave him carried more than a tinge of dread as if he was some kind of sea monster.
"What is your name?" Zhou Donghuang turned to ask the waiter who had followed him out to see him off.
Although Yunxuan Restaurant had much staff, this waiter was the only one who had dared to follow him out to see him off; all the others seemed to have their legs turned into lead and did not even dare move.
"Boss, call me 'Fu.'"
The waiter was about seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and well-built, and a simple and honest smile spread across his plain face at Zhou Donghuang's question.
"Hmm," Zhou Donghuang nodded. "For the next few days, you will be the surrogate chief steward of Yunxuan Restaurant and manage Yunxuan Restaurant in place of Li Xian… if you do well, you shall be the new chief steward of Yunxuan Restaurant."
Not waiting for Fu to recover his wits, Zhou Donghuang turned to leave.
"Thank you, Boss!"
Fu finally gave a start and recovered his wits. He followed Zhou Donghuang's distant figure with his gaze for a long time, his eyes and face full of excitement and gratitude.
The rest of the servant girls and waiters of Yunxuan Restaurant felt like slapping themselves when they heard Zhou Donghuang's words to Fu… why had they not followed Zhou Donghuang out like Fu?
However, there was no cure for regret, and Fu's bravery had earned him his reward.
After leaving Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang went to the Sunset Guild.
"Young Master Donghuang."
In the receiving chamber of the Sunset Guild, Guild Master Hong Yue of the Sunset Guild showed Zhou Donghuang to the best seat with a humble smile on his face.
"May I ask, what business brings you here today?"
Actually, Hong Yue's heart was beating furiously, as he was worried that by leaking the formula for the blood-staunching elixir, Chen Dandan might have brought Zhou Donghuang's anger upon him by association.
Zhou Donghuang was powerful enough to kill him with a single blow.
"These herbs, gather them all for me in two days."
Zhou Donghuang requested a piece of paper from Hong Yue and listed down the names of the herbs.
"Of course, I will pay for them. If you are unable to gather these herbs in two days… Yunxuan Restaurant will not lend money to the Sunset Guild again in the future."
Putting down the piece of paper, Zhou Donghuang rose and strode out of the receiving chamber of the Sunset Guild.
Hong Yue was left alone holding the piece of paper, a bitter smile on his face.
This Young Master Zhou Donghuang has really given me a problem. There is no way these herbs can be gathered in such a short period of time in Qingshan Town…
It seems the only solution is to send someone on a fast horse to do rounds in the neighboring towns. That should allow me to gather all these herbs in two days.
The Sunset Guild, just like the Magnolia Guild, would borrow money from time to time when it needed more funds.
Now that Zhou Donghuang was the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, it would only take a word from him to break the close borrower-and-lender relationship that the Sunset Guild had built up with Yunxuan Restaurant over the years.
Moreover, if Yunxuan Restaurant refused to lend money to the Sunset Guild, the several lesser families of Qingshan Town would definitely not lend money readily to the Sunset Guild for fear of offending Zhou Donghuang.
Today, outside the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang made himself a legend when he stepped over Wang Yukun's corpse… From now on, Qingshan Town's list of prominent people will have lost a Wang Yukun and gained a Zhou Donghuang.
Hong Yue was completely clear that this was a significant development, and he would spare no effort to complete the task Zhou Donghuang had given him, no matter how difficult it was.
As he left the Sunset Guild, Zhou Donghuang's eyes narrowed slightly.
I put Hong Yue under great pressure, he should be able to gather the herbs for me in two days… when that time comes, I can formulate an even better qi-gathering elixir which will allow me to further increase my rate of practice!
This way, I will be able to attain level-one of the gathered qi even sooner.
The herbs that Zhou Donghuang had written out for Hong Yue earlier were those that the Magnolia Guild did not have, and although it would be difficult to gather them from within Qingshan Town on such short notice, there was a good chance of gathering them from the several small neighboring towns around Qingshan Town.
On the way back to the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang recalled something.
Today is the twenty-first day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era… Tomorrow will be the twenty-second day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
In my previous life, tomorrow was when that mad cultist would appear before me and bring me to Earth. The mad cultist was drawn to me because of the seal within my body… now, the seal has been removed, and he will not be drawn to me and bring me to Earth as before.
However, although he will not bring me away, he will definitely still go to Earth… because he was originally on his way to Earth and noticed the seal within my body just as he was passing Ziyun. He took an interest in it which was why he brought me along with him to Earth.
The mad cultist was a deranged, sloppily dressed old practitioner, and it was for this reason that Zhou Donghuang called him a "mad cultist."
He knew nothing regarding the mad cultist's origins.
Previously, after the mad cultist had helped him remove the seal from his body on Earth, he had vanished completely, and he had not seen the mad cultist again even after he had left Earth.
Earth…
Thinking of Earth caused a look of longing to flash across Zhou Donghuang's eyes.
That beautiful azure planet was the planet he had spent the most time on in his previous life, and he considered it his home.
Before he arrived on Earth, he had never in his wildest dreams imagined that there would be such a curiously unique planet, where the Martial Way had died away and where science was dominant, where there were so many wondrous modes of transport: Bicycles, motorbikes, trishaws, cars, airplanes, and so much more.
Only several days after arriving on Earth did he learn that a holiday could be turned into an occasion for frenzied shopping.
Previously, the date when he had arrived on Earth was November the fifth, 2018 in the Earth Era.
November the eleventh, 2018 in the Earth Era was Singles' Day, and also a day when everyone went crazy shopping.
When I have the ability to physically travel across the stars, I will go and visit Earth… there are several friends there who have helped me greatly and who are waiting for me to go and change their fate!
Previously on Earth, Zhou Donghuang had met many people who had helped him out not long after he arrived on Earth. Later, some among them had encountered severe trials which he had helped them overcome.
In this life, the mad cultist would not bring him to Earth, and those people would surely not recognize him.
However, their trials would still occur. Therefore, Zhou Donghuang decided to visit Earth to help them overcome these trials. Otherwise, this would surely become a regret in his heart.
But it is too early to be thinking of these matters… the most important thing now is to attain level-one of the gathered qi.
Upon returning to the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang resumed his seclusion, concentrating fully on practicing the Way of the Four Supremes.
He did not sleep for the rest of the day and night, and practiced till the morning of the next day. Then he left his room and went to his mother's.
"Donghuang, what kind of wound-healing elixir did you give me yesterday that can heal such serious internal injuries in one night?"
When Zhou Donghuang entered, Lin Lan was already out of bed. She was light and refreshed as though nothing had happened to her. "What's more, my whole body feels light and energetic, and I have not felt so relaxed in a very long time."
"Mother, that is a wound-healing elixir I made… it was only one bottle, and the herbs I used exceeded thirty liang of silver in value. How could it be ineffective?" Zhou Donghuang laughed.
"Thirty liang of silver?" Lin Lan was so shocked that she turned pale. "The cost of just that one bottle of wound-healing elixir exceeds thirty liang of silver?"
"Mother, you are the most familiar with your wounds from yesterday… a wound-healing elixir that heals wounds of such severity in a single day and night, how much would it cost on the market?" Zhou Donghuang asked with a smile.
"My wounds from yesterday, not only my ribs and meridians were damaged, but also my internal organs slightly were wounded and even moved slightly out of place…" Lin Lan muttered to herself, thinking. The more she thought, the more shocked she became.
People would be fighting to buy a wound-healing elixir of this effectiveness, even if it was priced at a hundred liang of silver on the market!
As the guild master of the Magnolia Guild, Lin Lan could estimate very accurately the prices of goods on the market.
"Using widely available wound-healing elixirs on the market, my wounds would take at least ten to fifteen days to heal to this extent. Which is to say… the value of this wound-healing elixir exceeds the value of the widely available wound-healing elixirs on the market by ten!"
Her muttering ended, and Lin Lan looked at Zhou Donghuang with light in her eyes, just like a starving wolf finding its prey.
"Donghuang… do you have the formula for this kind of wound-healing elixir?"
Seeing this, Zhou Donghuang naturally knew that Lin Lan's nose for business had been triggered. Smiling, he shook his head and threw a wet blanket on Lin Lan's hopes.
"Mother, don't forget that the Magnolia Guild has fallen. Moreover, do you think we can openly sell this kind of wound-healing elixir just like that? Think about it… in the country of Yunyang, how effective was the best wound-healing elixir that has ever existed?"
Within the country of Yunyang, the best wound-healing elixir that had ever existed was the one made by the superior-level medicine master of the Imperial Court. Its effectiveness was only two times greater than the widely available wound-healing elixirs on the market.
At Zhou Donghuang's reminder, Lin Lan recovered her sense of reason and said with a serious face, "Your mother was too emotional just now… this wound-healing elixir must not be disseminated!"
The saying "an innocent commoner whose possession of treasure makes him guilty" was naturally familiar to Lin Lan, having been the guild master of the Magnolia Guild for so many years.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 19: The Technique of Everlasting Youth
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhou Donghuang did not continue practicing for the whole of the next day.
He helped Lin Lan and Granny Lian move all the valuable goods from the treasure vault of the Magnolia Guild to the mansion in the compound behind Yunxuan Restaurant. A group of guards and servant girls would be responsible for moving the rest of the goods.
As night fell, the Magnolia Guild was empty, and Zhou Donghuang kept Lin Lan company at the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild. They stood there for a long time.
"Mother, if the old does not go, the new cannot come," Zhou Donghuang advised.
"Even so… the Magnolia Guild has existed for over ten years," Lin Lan sighed.
Was ten years' toil of blood and sweat really going to be irrevocably lost?
"The old Magnolia Guild has fallen… why can't a new Magnolia Guild be started?" Zhou Donghuang countered.
"A new Magnolia Guild?" Lin Lan turned, looking at Zhou Donghuang with sparkling eyes. "Donghuang, you mean… establishing a new Magnolia Guild?"
"Only if you are willing… Yunxuan Restaurant will forever be behind you," Zhou Donghuang said with a slight smile.
He had thought things through over the past two days, such as letting his mother establish a new Magnolia Guild with the financial support of Yunxuan Restaurant if she could not let go of the Magnolia Guild and it would be able to match the old Magnolia Guild as well.
"Donghuang," Lin Lan smiled bitterly, "Establishing a guild is not so easy… the preeminent families of the prefecture capital will not allow an ordinary person to establish a guild that will compete with the guilds under their control. If I establish a new Magnolia Guild, neither the Hong family nor Lin family of the prefecture capital will allow it, because Qingshan Town is the territory of the guilds under their control. Even more so for your Yunxuan Restaurant, if not for Elder Zhao San's reputation, there would be many people who would attempt a takeover."
At this, Lin Lan's expression became solemn again.
The Wang family coming the previous day to seek revenge had allowed her to guess some truths. Zhao San would not be concerned with what happened to her son, Zhou Donghuang. Zhao San might very well have given her son Zhou Donghuang Yunxuan Restaurant purely to discharge a moral obligation.
In the days that followed, the change of ownership of Yunxuan Restaurant would reach the prefecture capital, and surely many people would go to the Governor's Household seeking Zhao San's comments.
If Zhao San showed that he was not concerned about the ownership of Yunxuan Restaurant, it would result in many people coming to Qingshan Town to fight for the ownership of Yunxuan Restaurant.
"Donghuang, tell meyour mother honestly… what is your connection to Zhao San? If someone comes to seize Yunxuan Restaurant, will he help you?" Lin Lan asked Zhou Donghuang solemnly.
"Mother, I am able to protect what is mine," Zhou Donghuang smiled nonchalantly.
To Lin Lan, his words carried a different meaning: Zhao San would not help.
Immediately, Lin Lan began worrying. Her only thoughts were of how to help Zhou Donghuang protect Yunxuan Restaurant, and she no longer thought about establishing a new Magnolia Guild.
"Donghuang, I"m tired… let's go back."
At Lin Lan's wish, Zhou Donghuang and Lin Lan left the Magnolia Guild and returned to Yunxuan Restaurant.
Yunxuan Restaurant occupied a large piece of land, but only the area in front was open to the public; the area in the back was a compound and mansion that was not open to the public.
This was where Zhao San used to stay.
Compared with the Magnolia Guild, the environment here was even better, and the smiles on the faces of the guards and servant girls who had come here were even brighter than before.
When they got back, Granny Lian had already finished supervising the guards and servant girls in arranging everything.
The spacious room that Zhao San had stayed in was now Zhou Donghuang's room.
That Zhao San really knew how to enjoy life.
A partition divided that spacious room into two areas: in one area was the bed, and in the other was a table with paper and a brush; it was evidently where Zhao San usually did his writing.
Besides that, the walls of the room were decorated with several scrolls of calligraphy and paintings, the brush strokes forceful and sure, with the signature "Zhao San" on all of them.
The writing is not bad… pity that it lacks character.
Zhou Donghuang stood before the table, and with sudden inspiration, picked up the brush, dabbed it in ink, and wrote out twelve words on the white paper spread out on the table: If anyone dares to provoke me, I will teach him a lesson!
These twelve words were more forceful than the words Zhao San had written, and more importantly, they carried a sense of majesty.
Finally, with a casual sweep of his hand, Zhou Donghuang left his signature on the paper with a flourish.
A work of calligraphy far superior to what Zhao San had written was born.
However, Zhou Donghuang did not hang it up but left it lying carelessly on the table instead. He walked around the partition and went to his bed to continue practicing.
Zhou Donghuang practiced continuously until the second day and only awoke when the guild master of the Sunset Guild Hong Yue came calling. He had sent over all the herbs that Zhou Donghuang wanted.
With the herbs he required, Zhou Donghuang formulated a qi-gathering elixir that would increase his sensitivity to qi by 30%.
When Lin Lan tried the qi-gathering elixir after it was ready, she could not help being shocked beyond words.
"Mother, expend all the qi in your body now and start practicing all over again," Zhou Donghuang said to Lin Lan with a sincere expression. "I have a style of practicing that is even more suitable for you, and if you practice this technique, your future will be limitless."
"I"m agingmy years, how can my future be limitless?"
Lin Lan shook her head, thinking that Zhou Donghuang was merely comforting her. "However, if you feel it is beneficial, I have no objection to expending all my qi and starting all over again."
Finally, Lin Lan expended all her qi right then in front of Zhou Donghuang, intending to start practicing from scratch with the technique that Zhou Donghuang gave her.
She had absolutely no regrets from the beginning until the end, trusting Zhou Donghuang unconditionally.
The technique that Zhou Donghuang gave Lin Lan was not the Way of the Four Supremes, neither was it the Way of the Thousand Star Sword, Fiery Thunder Training Regimen, or Manual of Unruffled Sage, but a technique called "Everlasting Youth."
This technique was one of the supreme techniques in the universe, but its focus was not on combat, but on lengthening one's life.
The longer one practiced this technique, the longer one's life would be. Moreover, the rate of practice was not that slow. The most important thing was that it was extremely accessible to people with average potential.
In the course of practicing the Technique of Everlasting Youth, it would exert a subtle influence on the practitioner, increasing his potential.
"Mother, this Technique of Everlasting Youth is the most suitable technique for you that I can think of. Practice it well, and in time, you will feel how wonderful it is."
Zhou Donghuang wrote down the Technique of Everlasting Youth, and after instructing Lin Lan to memorize the contents before burning it, he left behind ten bottles of the qi-gathering elixir that increased sensitivity to qi by 30% for Lin Lan. Only then did he leave.
The technique he gave Lin Lan might not be the best, but it was the most suitable for her.
The next thing I should do is to use the new qi-gathering elixir that I formulated to attain level-one of Qi-gathering as quickly as I can.
Zhou Donghuang devoted his full concentration to practicing once he returned from seeing Lin Lan.
Zhou Donghuang spent the twenty-second day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era practicing as it passed slowly.
This whole time, the mad cultist did not appear.
Zhou Donghuang had avoided being brought away from Ziyun and to Earth by the Mad Cultist and had smoothly revised the course of history.
…
The afternoon of the twenty-third day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
"Young Master, Chief Steward Fu says… there is a guest having lunch in the heavenly dining booth of Yunxuan Restaurant, and he claims to be from the Li family of the prefecture capital and insists on seeing you personally."
Granny Lian's voice was carried into the room, causing Zhou Donghuang to pause his practice.
"The Li family of the prefecture capital?" Zhou Donghuang's eyes narrowed slightly with a cold gleam. "It seems to be the clan-brother from the Li family of the prefecture capital that Li Xian mentioned."
When Zhou Donghuang entered the heavenly dining booth of Yunxuan Restaurant, a slim and strong-looking middle-aged man dressed in blue was busy devouring the delicacies on the table.
"You're looking for me?" Zhou Donghuang asked, nonchalantly sweeping his gaze over him as he pushed the door open and entered.
"You are the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang?"
The middle-aged man merely glanced up with an indifferent look at Zhou Donghuang, before returning his attention to the delicacies on the table. He spoke with a commanding tone as he ate, "Where is Li Xian? Let him come and see me."
"Li Xian?" Zhou Donghuang smiled calmly. "I'm afraid you will not be able to see him."
"What do you mean?"
The middle-aged man finally stopped eating, and his gaze fell on Zhou Donghuang like lightning, his expression darkening slightly.
"I don't mean anything by it. I just want to tell you… if you want to see him, I'm afraid you'll have to pass the gates of hell."
"You… you killed him?!"
The middle-aged man's expression changed, and he shook his head. "I almost forgot, you are only a martial invalid… you instructed someone to kill him?"
"What if I told you… that I killed him with one stomp, would you believe that?" Zhou Donghuang asked, smiling.
"You?" The middle-aged man laughed derisively. "Although Li Xian was not particularly talented in the Martial Way, he was still a level-one adept of Qi-gathering… as a martial invalid, how could you kill him?"
"I see you have just arrived in Qingshan Town."
Hearing the middle-aged man's words, Zhou Donghuang knew for sure that he had just arrived in Qingshan Town. Otherwise, he would definitely have heard the news that Zhou Donghuang had killed Wang Yukun, a level-two adept of Qi-gathering.
These few days, the topic of conversations in Qingshan Town had been centered almost entirely on how he had killed Wang Yukun.
"Never mind, why are you looking for me?" Zhou Donghuang said impatiently. "If it's nothing important, I'm eager to resume practicing."
"You are a martial invalid, what are you practicing?" The middle-aged man smiled coldly. "Zhou Donghuang, since you are already here… I will be straightforward. This Yunxuan Restaurant has caught the attention of the second young master of the Li family of the prefecture capital, and he sent me here in Qingshan Town to purchase it over from you."
The middle-aged man stated his motives succinctly.
Several days ago, he had received a letter from Li Xian and had sought out immediately the second young master of the Li family of the prefecture capital whom he served.
He knew that a business such as Yunxuan Restaurant was beyond his ability to handle.
Moreover, if he made a gift of it to the second young master, not only would he have earned merit but would also surely gain substantial practical benefits.
"Purchase Yunxuan Restaurant?" Zhou Donghuang fixed a searching look on the middle-aged man and asked indifferently, "In that case… how much is your second young master of the Li family of the prefecture capital willing to spend on Yunxuan Restaurant?"
"A thousand liang of silver."
The middle-aged man's gaze was like lightning as he stared at Zhou Donghuang.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 20: Delivering the Goods
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"A thousand liang of silver?" Zhou Donghuang was stunned at first but started laughing uncontrollably immediately after. "You should know… the pure profit from a single day of business from my Yunxuan Restaurant, regardless of all operating costs, already exceeds a thousand liang of silver. If Yunxuan Restaurant was yours, would you sell it to someone offering you a thousand liang of silver for it?"
Zhou Donghuang looked at the middle-aged man as he spoke as though he were looking at an idiot.
"Zhou Donghuang, a thousand liang of silver is the greatest gesture of sincerity our second young master will offer… if you are not willing, just beware that you might lose the restaurant and not get a single cent!"
The middle-aged man had a cold gleam in his eye, and his tone was threatening.
"What? Your second young master of the Li family of the prefecture capital is surely not thinking of seizing my Yunxuan Restaurant?"
Zhou Donghuang remained expressionless, but his smile became brighter and brighter.
"You could say that," the middle-aged man said in a low voice, "I'll give you one last chance… accept the thousand liang of silver and hand over the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant. Otherwise, I'll maim your arms and legs and take the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant off your body myself."
The middle-aged man began to rise as soon as he finished speaking, fixing Zhou Donghuang with a savage grin as though he would lash out immediately if Zhou Donghuang dared to refuse.
As a level-two adept, he believed that he could handle this martial invalid before him.
"What? You intend to start a fightsomething?" Zhou Donghuang asked with a laugh, his expression carefree and relaxed, not showing even a hint of the fear that the middle-aged man expected.
However, there was a touch of coldness in the depths of his gaze.
Maim his arms and legs?
"It seems you have chosen the latter."
The middle-aged man's eyes flashed, and his body seemed to flicker as he swiftly took a large step towards Zhou Donghuang. He extended and then tucked in his arms like a hawk would with its wings and grabbed for Zhou Donghuang's shoulders with both clawed hands. "If that's the case, I'll maim both your arms first!"
A level-two adept?
In the split-second the middle-aged man took to make his move, Zhou Donghuang had already discerned that he was a level-two adept, although his qi was not as concentrated as Wang Yukun's.
Anyway, even Wang Yukun had died at his hands, and Donghuang had been nowhere near as strong then as he was now.
These two days of practice had made the qi within his body even more concentrated, and he was only a step away from level-one of the gathered qi.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The middle-aged man's figure flashed before Zhou Donghuang, and as both his clawed hands grabbed for Zhou Donghuang's shoulder, Donghuang bent his upper body backwards as though he was drawing a bow. His arms trembled as he straightened up in an instant, and Donghuang flung his body forward like a thunderclap, both palms aiming for the middle-aged man's arms.
Eh?
As the middle-aged man was surprised at how quickly Zhou Donghuang had struck out with his palms, Zhou Donghuang's palms had already landed on both his arms.
Pong! Pong!
Ka-chak! Ka-chak!
Two loud sounds were followed by the clear sound of bones shattering.
The next moment, "Aaaahhhhh—"
The middle-aged man let out a piteous scream like a pig being slaughtered and flew backwards, landing heavily on the dining table with no way out of this difficult situation.
Swoosh!
As the middle-aged man landed on the dining table, Zhou Donghuang moved in a flash to pursue him and stomped down with one foot on the chest of the middle-aged man as he struggled to rise.
"With just this little bit of ability, you intend to seize Yunxuan Restaurant from me, Zhou Donghuang?" Zhou Donghuang smiled, looking down at the middle-aged man.
"You…"
Now, the middle-aged man looked at Zhou Donghuang with shock and dread as though he had seen a ghost, cursing Li Xian continuously in his heart.
Did Li Xian not say that this Zhou Donghuang was a martial invalid? How could a martial invalid have such great abilities?
In the instant that Zhou Donghuang's palms had struck his arms, he realized that Zhou Donghuang's ability exceeded his.
Without considering any other factors, the strength contained in the blows from Zhou Donghuang's palms was not what an ordinary level-two adept would have been able to exert.
"Go back and tell your dog sh*t, second young master that if he wants to seize my Yunxuan Restaurant, he can come here personally."
As Zhou Donghuang finished speaking, his gaze suddenly turned cold, and he squatted down without warning. With a whoosh, his palms landed on the middle-aged man's legs.
Immediately, the middle-aged man's legs suffered the same fate as his arms, and with another piteous scream like a pig being slaughtered, he fainted.
Just a moment ago, the middle-aged man had been supremely arrogant, proclaiming that he would maim Zhou Donghuang's limbs. Now, Zhou Donghuang's limbs were whole and undamaged, and it was this man's limbs that had been maimed.
Walking out of the heavenly dining booth, Zhou Donghuang instructed Chief Steward Fu who had been waiting outside, "Take the money for the meal off his body… then go out and find some people and a stretcher and send him back to the Li family. The money to employ those people and buy the stretcher, you don't have to take it from him… our Yunxuan Restaurant can still afford this bit of money."
As soon as he finished, Zhou Donghuang left under the reverent gaze of Fu.
It seems that I, Zhou Donghuang, becoming the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant has led many people to make stupid moves.
As he left Yunxuan Restaurant, a cold look flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes.
However, we shall see if they have the ability to seize Yunxuan Restaurant from my hands!
It was clear to Zhou Donghuang that the takeover attempt by the Li family of the prefecture capital was only the beginning.
Because of Li Xian, the Li family of the prefecture capital had more updated news and knew that Zhao San actually had no close connection to him and would not intervene on his behalf.
In the future, there would be even more people seeking out Zhao San, and once they were certain that there were no close connections between Zhao San and him, they would definitely not spare Yunxuan Restaurant from their attention.
As the most profitable business in Qingshan Town, Yunxuan Restaurant would be a worthy prize for any of the preeminent families of the prefecture capital.
I must strive to attain level-one of the gathered qi by today.
After leaving Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang returned to the compound behind Yunxuan Restaurant and was greeted by the guards at the entrance with respectful bows.
"Young Master."
"Young Master."
…
Several of the guards had served the Magnolia Guild for a long time and had watched Zhou Donghuang grow up. But now, the looks they gave this young master were full of reverence.
They dared not look at Zhou Donghuang even though he was a child a generation younger than them. They understood perfectly that after this young master killed Wang Yukun, a level-two adept, the main pillar of strength of this family was no longer the former guild master of the Magnolia Guild, Lin Lan, but this young master.
On the way back to his room, Zhou Donghuang had to pass Lin Lan's room, and he immediately saw a worried-looking Granny Lian hesitating outside the door of Lin Lan's room, undecided whether to knock or not.
"Granny Lian, what's wrong? You want to see my mother?" Zhou Donghuang asked Granny Lian gently.
"Young Master."
Seeing Zhou Donghuang, Granny Lian looked carefully at Lin Lan's room and said, "Let's go outside to the receiving chamber and talk."
When they reached the receiving chamber, Granny Lian said with a bitter smile, "Young Master, what happened was this… Half a month ago, the Qingyun Guild of Ningping Town ordered ten bracelets of pure gold from the goldsmith of the Lin family through the Magnolia Guild. Because of their great value, the original plan was for Commander Lin Ping to deliver them personally, but now he has been recalled by the Lin family.
"Lin Ping was the commander of the former Magnolia Guild's guards, a level-two adept, and the man stationed in Qingshan Town by the Lin family of the prefecture capital to protect the Magnolia Guild. The goods of high value that the Magnolia Guild sent out would usually be delivered personally by Lin Ping."
"The agents sent by the Lin family of the prefecture capital to establish the new guild should already have reached Qingshan Town, right? Why not let them deliver it?" Zhou Donghuang asked.
Granny Lian shook her head. "The payment for the items on this account was previously settled with the Lin family of the prefecture capital, and the money to be paid upon delivery of these ten bracelets belongs to the Magnolia Guild. We do not need to split it with the Lin family."
This was the reason why they had to deliver the goods themselves and collect the balance of the money owed.
Ten bracelets of pure gold…
Ten bracelets of pure gold had considerable value, and without a level-two adept to personally deliver them, it would be too risky to deliver.
"Granny Lian, I'll make the delivery personally," Zhou Donghuang told Granny Lian. "Prepare a carriage for me, I intend to practice during the journey."
One day and one night was enough time to get from Qingshan Town to Ningping Town on a fast horse at top speed. However, if a carriage was used instead, three days and three nights would be needed. He would not be able to practice if he rode a fast horse at top speed, but if he rode in a carriage, he would be able to practice during the journey.
At this crucial time when he was about to attain level-one of the gathered qi, Zhou Donghuang did not want to waste any time.
"Good!"
Upon hearing Zhou Donghuang say that he would personally deliver the ten bracelets of pure gold, Granny Lian's eyes lit up, and she left the receiving chamber hurriedly to make arrangements.
In her view, as long as the young master of her family made the delivery personally, all would be well.
It was known that the young master of her family could kill even the Wang family's level-two adept, Wang Yukun, who was known as the bloody-handed butcher. The bandits who made their rounds between the small towns could not possibly be a match for the young master of her family.
Granny Lian was extremely efficient at doing things.
Roughly 15 minutes later, Zhou Donghuang had gotten into the carriage with the ten bracelets of pure gold, which were stored in a thick, heavy wooden box, and left Qingshan Town.
The driver of the carriage was a middle-aged guard who had followed them over from the Magnolia Guild. He had served the Magnolia Guild for a long time, right from the time when the Magnolia Guild was established.
"Sir, if you encounter anything on the road you can't handle, throw this bell," Zhou "Uncle, if you encounter anything on the road you can't handle, throw this bell," Zhou Donghuang said once they had left Qingshan Town. He passed a bell to the middle-aged guard who was driving the carriage.
"If they are ordinary bandits, you can warn them off… if they refuse to go away and you can't handle them, throw the bell in, and I will deal with themact."
The cold gleam in Zhou Donghuang's eyes as he said this would have made people swallow in fear.
"Yes, Young Master," the middle-aged guard acknowledged as he took the bell from Zhou Donghuang respectfully and put it carefully into his pocket.
Zhou Donghuang then prepared to concentrate fully on practicing; he did not wantintend to be interrupted during his practice. Therefore, he had given the middle-aged guard a bell to prepare for a time of need.
This bell was also something he had instructed Granny Lian to prepare.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 21: Bandits
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
It was peaceful and quiet in Qingshan Town. However, once outside Qingshan Town, danger was always present.
Danger could come in the form of wild and savage beasts that came out from the forests, or bandits that roamed everywhere. Bandits would often lie in ambush along the road from Qingshan Town to Ningping Town, waiting for the opportunity block off the road so they could plunder and rape.
Girls were not the only victims of rape, but young boys who looked tender and delicate could also be raped.
Between Qingshan Town and Ningping Town was a road that all travelers were forced to take that passed through wild and untamed forested mountains.
Here was where bandits struck most frequently. And now, there was a small group of bandits lying in wait in the forest beside the road, waiting for the chance to strike.
"Second-In-Command, I've heard that your practise is nearing the next stage… it won't be long before you attain level-two of Qi-gathering, will it?" a knife-scarred middle-aged man mounted on a large, strong horse asked with a smile, turning to the young man who led them.
Just like the five men behind him, the young man who was their leader was dressed in light black clothes, wore a woven bamboo hat, and had a cape woven from bamboo grass. This all made him seem to blend into the landscape around him.
His mount was a fine steed that was a head taller than the already large horses his five companions were mounted on, and it was completely crimson in color as though it had been dyed in blood. It was a genuine ferghana horse.
Ferghana horses were the cream of the crop among horses and were capable of journeys of a thousand kilometers in a single day. They were also known by their title of "kings among the horses." On the market, a ferghana horse foal could fetch a thousand liang of silver.
Ferghana horses had to be raised as foals; otherwise, there was no way to control them. As for mature ferghana horses, they were extremely proud, and seldom could they be tamed by people. Most mature ferghana horses would rather bash themselves to death than be tamed.
"Within three months, I will surely attain level-two of Qi-gathering!"
The young man's stern face conveyed a sense of immense confidence, and his eyes sparkled with light.
"Second-In-Command, in three months you will be only twenty-six years old."
Another well-built middle-aged bandit could not help sighing. "Attaining level-two of Qi-gathering before thirty… Second-In-Command will be the first level-two adept of Qi-gathering under thirty years old in the area around Qingshan Town for the past few decades.
"The first level-two adept of Qi-gathering under thirty years old in the area around Qingshan Town for the past few decades?"
The young man shook his head at his subordinate's flattery, the image of a youth surfacing in his mind.
Although he was a bandit, most of the people who had ever seen him were already dead. Therefore, he frequently changed his attire and went into Qingshan Town like a common man walking around and shopping, and at the same time, he would stop by Yunxuan Restaurant for a meal.
The delicious food and fine dishes of Yunxuan Restaurant were not something that could be found in the wilds outside Qingshan Town. Therefore, even if he did not need to buy anything, he would still go to Qingshan Town about once a month to visit Yunxuan Restaurant for a meal.
Several days ago, he had visited Qingshan Town as usual, and he would never forget that day.
Standing in the crowd outside the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild to watch the commotion, he saw with his own eyes how a youth of sixteen years old had killed the bloody-handed butcher, Wang Yukun, who had been legendary around Qingshan Town for many years.
Moreover, he had killed Wang Yukun with a single blow!
Zhou Donghuang.
This name had been seared into his memory on that day. Even if he did not have any interactions with Zhou Donghuang in this life, he would never forget this name.
My talent is a joke compared to his.
The young man sighed inwardly.
"Second-In-Command, there's a carriage coming towards us!"
Just as the young man was thinking about the impossible scene from several days ago, a sound coming from behind him startled him out of his reverie.
He looked up and saw a carriage in the distance coming from the direction of Qingshan Town, and it was traveling very fast.
"Second-In-Command, do we make our move?"
Just as another bandit questioned the young man, a group of ten bandits spurred their horses out from the opposite side of the road, blocking the carriage and surrounding it tightly.
"It's those fellows from Black Tiger Bastion… their leader is the Second-In-Command of Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian!
The knife-scarred middle-aged man frowned. "Seems that we will have to give half of today's plunder to them again."
The Black Tiger Bastion was another stronghold of bandits, and they were the direct competitors of the Green Wolf Bastion in the area.
The unwritten code of the bandits stipulated that if two or more groups of bandits found the same prey, and if they were evenly matched, they would split the plunder evenly.
By this means, needless conflict could be avoided.
And now, the middle-aged driver of the stationary carriage was shouting loudly to the bandits surrounding the carriage, "Gentlemen, my passenger is the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant in Qingshan Town, please make way."
"The owner of Yunxuan Restaurant in Qingshan Town?"
In the forest, the expressions of the five bandits behind the young man on the ferghana horse changed at once.
"Is that Elder Zhao San?"
Even in the eyes of the bandits around Qingshan Town, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant Zhao San was not someone to trifle with.
It's him?!
The young man reacted differently from the five bandits behind him, and his eyes narrowed slightly as the image of that youth resurfaced in his mind.
Several days ago when he made a trip to Qingshan Town, he had learned that Zhao San, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, had already left Qingshan Town and had given Yunxuan Restaurant to a youth named Zhou Donghuang before he left.
At first, he had known only that Zhou Donghuang was the son of Guild Master Lin Lan of the Magnolia Guild. And just as he was preparing to leave Qingshan Town, he had personally witnessed Zhou Donghuang kill Wang Yukun at the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild.
"Elder Zhao San?!"
When the bandits surrounding the horse carriage heard this, their expressions changed completely as well.
The big, burly man who led them was the first to dismount, bowing in the direction of the horse carriage. "Second-In-Command of Black Tiger Bastion Qian Tongtian, acknowledges Elder San."
"We acknowledge Elder San."
The other bandits surrounding the horse carriage dismounted one by one and bowed in the direction of the carriage.
This display frightened the middle-aged driver of the horse carriage, and his expression changed slightly before he sucked in several deep breaths, finally calming his emotions.
Eh?
Realizing that it had been a long time and there was yet no response to his greeting, Qian Tongtian frowned, and spoke again, "Elder San, according to the rules of the road… please come out so that we can see you."
Bandits who lived by their swords were not so easily fooled.
Just like now.
If Zhao San was really inside, they would leave tactfully once they saw him with their own eyes. Otherwise, if it was just someone impersonating Zhao San, why should they return empty-handed?
"Commander," said the driver of the horse carriage to Qian Tongtian, "Haven't you heard? Yunxuan Restaurant had a change of ownership several days ago… the owner now is not Elder Zhao San, but the young master of our family, Zhou Donghuang."
"Yunxuan Restaurant has changed owners?"
Qian Tongtian was stunned but recovered with a cold smile. "You say Yunxuan Restaurant has a new owner, but so what? Everyone knows that since the day Yunxuan Restaurant was established, Elder Zhao San has always been the owner."
"I would like to find out… the young master of your family, what kind of connections does he have that Elder Zhao San would give him Yunxuan Restaurant, the most profitable business in Qingshan Town."
At that moment, the look of fear in Qian Tongtian's eyes disappeared and was replaced by an icy look.
Hearing the exchange between Qian Tongtian and the driver, the other bandits in the forest except for the young man were all shaking their heads.
"It's not Elder Zhao San after all… nevertheless, this driver is really naive, he thinks that he can fool Qian Tongtian with his words?" the knife-scarred man said disdainfully.
"Second-In-Command, let's go out too. It's late, the meat is about to be devoured by those fellows from Black Tiger Bastion," another bandit said to the young man leading them.
It really is him.
Hearing the middle-aged driver's words, the young man was certain that the person in the carriage was that youth whom he still could not forget.
"Second-In-Command?"
The other bandits were beginning to pester the young man.
"If you don't want to die, stay right here," the young man instructed.
"Second-In-Command, you mean…"
The knife-scarred man and the other bandits had confusion written all over their faces. They could not understand why their Second-In-Command of Green Wolf Bastion, who had always acted swiftly and decisively, had suddenly become so timid.
"Just enjoy the show… Qian Tongtian is in a heap of trouble."
The young man narrowed his eyes, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a cold smile.
Meanwhile, seeing that the bandits surrounding the carriage had remounted their horses and were staring at him with a predatory look, the middle-aged driver hastily fumbled for a small bell in his pocket and threw it into the carriage.
Ding, Ding… Ding… Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding…
The bell made a clear ringing sound as it fell to the floor.
"What? Throwing a bell to help your young master recover from his shock?"
Qian Tongtian grinned, the saber in his hand already raised, ready to give the signal for his bandits to attack.
"Hahahahaha…"
The bandits surrounding the carriage could not help but laugh at Qian Tongtian's words.
Having heard the bell, Zhou Donghuang had already woken from his practice.
"Only a little more, and I would have broken through to attain level-one of Qi-gathering… too bad I was interrupted. If I had not been interrupted, I would have made the breakthrough within half an hour at most."
In the cabin of the carriage, Zhou Donghuang's expression became so heavy that it seemed water would drip from it. "Now that I've been interrupted, I will need at least half a day before I can make the breakthrough."
Fwoosh!
Pulling aside the curtains of the cabin, Zhou Donghuang walked out.
"Young Master."
The middle-aged guard who was driving the carriage bowed and greeted Zhou Donghuang respectfully, and continued, "These bandits don't believe that you, Young Master, are the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, and I have no idea what to do with them, so…"
"Hmm, I know." Zhou Donghuang nodded, and just as his gaze fell on the person before him, he gave a slight start. "A ferghana horse?"
The fine steed that Qian Tongtian, the Second-In-Command of Black Tiger Bastion who led these bandits was mounted on was also a ferghana horse.
"You are the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant?"
Seeing Zhou Donghuang come out, Qian Tongtian's smile became wider, and his eyes were full of disdain and spite.
From what he saw, he could crush this fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth to death with any one of his fingers!
"I see that you are the leader of these bandits."
Zhou Donghuang got off and walked to the front of the carriage, his icy gaze finding Qian Tongtian. "Do you know… that you have disturbed my practice?"
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
"Disrupted your practice?"
Qian Tongtian stared blankly at Zhou Donghuang, then broke out in uncontrollable laughter. "So what if I did? Perhaps I should accompany you to play with bells to make up for it?"
"Hahahaha…"
The bandits around the carriage laughed at this, and several of them laughed to the extent that tears fell from their eyes.
"Second-In-Command, I see this little boy is smooth and tender, why don't we bring him back as a captive to the bastion and present him to the commander?" a bandit laughed evilly.
"Agreed! We'll bring him back to Black Tiger Bastion and present him to Boss!"
Qian Tongtian cast an appraising look at Zhou Donghuang, and his smile widened.
In the next instant, his smile froze on his lips… because Zhou Donghuang made his move.
The Star-stepping Footwork!
Zhou Donghuang's figure seemed to flicker as he made some curious steps, and in a flash, he was standing before the ferghana horse that Qian Tongtian was mounted on.
That is… a swiftness technique?
In the forest, amazement showed on the face of the young man mounted on the ferghana horse, and his eyes lit up.
Swoosh!
Zhou Donghuang's left leg shook the ground, and he seemed to rise into the air like a hawk. His right leg landed on the head of the ferghana horse, causing it to neigh and rear up in pain.
Oh no!
Right then, Qian Tongtian finally realized that the youth before him was no ordinary person.
Needless to say, seeing the speed that the youth had just displayed, he knew he was hopelessly outmatched. Even in the Black Tiger Bastion, not even the commander had that kind of speed.
"What kind of person are you?"
Qian Tongtian's expression turned serious. He knew that even if the swiftness technique demonstrated by the youth was just a lesser-grade swiftness technique, such a person was still not to be trifled with.
Within the territory governed by the prefecture capital, it was likely that only the governing Zhao family possessed a style of lesser-grade swiftness technique.
Could he be a member of the Zhao family?
He trembled in his heart, and facing Zhou Donghuang, who had now turned to face him, Qian Tongtian brandished the saber in his hand with all his might, hoping to force Zhou Donghuang back and preserve himself.
The saber in his hand gave him great confidence despite his opponent's speed.
"The person who will kill you."
As Qian Tongtian brandished the saber at him, Zhou Donghuang stood firm and unyielding, and with a quiver of his arms, he brought his palms together and gripped the back of the saber between his palms.
In the next instant, Zhou Donghuang swung his arms in a circle, spinning his whole body around with the saber still in his grip, the force of it tearing Qian Tongtian's hand open between his thumb and index finger. Blood spurted everywhere, and he was forced to release his grip on the saber.
As the saber left Qian Tongtian's hand, Zhou Donghuang released the saber from his palms, and his right hand shot out like lightning to grab the handle of the saber.
Whoong!
In the hands of Zhou Donghuang, the saber seemed to take on a life of its own, leaving his hands as it spun with a terrible strength and speed straight for Tian Tongtian's throat.
"No—"
With the saber bearing down menacingly on him, Qian Tongtian could not possibly evade it in time. He could only bring both his arms up in that instant in an attempt to shield himself.
Pu-chi! Pu-chi!
Both his arms were severed at the wrist, and Qian Tongtian let out a shrill howl of pain and suddenly fell completely silent.
The reason was that after severing his arms, the momentum from the sheer speed and strength of the saber's flight carried it onwards, leaving a deep knife wound across his throat that ended his life.
Thud!
As the saber returned to Zhou Donghuang's hand, Qian Tongtian's corpse fell heavily from the ferghana horse and crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust as it landed.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye, too fast for the bandits surrounding the carriage to react.
It was only as Zhou Donghuang turned around and turned his icy gaze on them that they were shocked back to their senses, their expressions changing one by one.
"Second-In-Command is dead!"
"Run!!"
Seeing that even their second-in-command who was close to the level of a level-two adept of Qi-gathering had been killed, and the bandits of Black Tiger Bastion scattered like a flock of crows, spurring their horses in every direction in an effort to escape.
Thinking of escaping?
In the end, they did not make it far before the saber in Zhou Donghuang's hand flew out whistling again like lightning, returning to his hand only after killing three more bandits.
Whoong! Whoong!
Two more passes of the saber that Zhou Donghuang flung out and the remaining six bandits had all been killed.
The last bandit to be killed had only managed to gallop a distance of less than twenty meters from the carriage.
Any single one of these bandits had hands stained with the innocent blood of untold numbers of victims, and Zhou Donghuang had acted against them without a moment's hesitation and without a shred of mercy.
"Young Master…"
Shock was written all over the face of the middle-aged guard who was driving the carriage, and it was a long while before he came to his senses.
Although he had the utmost confidence in Zhou Donghuang, he never imagined Zhou Donghuang could be this fearsome, that it would take him only moments to wipe out a troop of ten bandits.
After killing the bandits, Zhou Donghuang suddenly looked at the forest across the road without any warning.
A split second later, he looked away and back at the ferghana horse before him.
…
In the forest.
Gulp…
Except for the young man who led them, the other five bandits including the knife-scarred man all swallowed with difficulty, their bodies covered in a cold sweat from head to toe.
"Second-In-Command… he wouldn't have seen us, would he?" the knife-scarred man asked, his voice trembling.
"If he didn't see us, then what was he looking at?" the young man answered matter-of-factly. This whole time, his gaze never left the youth.
He was looking at this youth again after only a few days.
Today, the ability demonstrated by the youth was obviously more fearsome than what he had shown that day.
"My god… I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes, that a youth who seems about fifteen or sixteen years old has such ability!" another bandit said with a look of shock.
"Yes, it's terrifying… the ability of the second-in-command of Black Tiger Bastion Qian Tongtian was approaching that of a level-two adept of Qi-gathering, but still he was killed in just one exchange."
"The speed with which he swept towards Qian Tongtian was incredibly fast… was that a swiftness technique?
"It probably was."
"With his ability, he definitely could contend with a level-two adept of Qi-gathering."
The several remaining bandits could not help whispering among themselves, shock written on their faces and in their eyes and dread in their hearts.
Thankfully, they had not gone out.
"When I went to Qingshan Town several days ago, I witnessed… he killed that bloody-handed butcher of the lesser family the Wang family of Qingshan Town in a single exchange."
The young man who led them spoke up.
"The bloody-handed butcher? Second-In-Command… you are referring to Wang Yukun?"
The knife-scarred man's eyes were wide, and his breathing shallow; evidently, he was deeply frightened.
"Is there another bloody-handed butcher in Qingshan Town?" the young man countered.
"That bloody-handed butcher is a ruthless man who once fought our commander of the Green Wolf Bastion to a standstill… even he died at this youth's hands?"
The other bandits were stunned.
Now, they finally understood why the commander-in-chief of the Green Wolf Bastion had stopped them from going out.
Never mind just the six of them, but even if the entire Green Wolf Bastion descended on him, such a ruthless person might not be satisfied even if he killed them all.
"Good heavens… has he tamed the ferghana horse? That's a mature ferghana horse and almost untamable, how did he manage it?"
Just then, the knife-scarred man noticed with shock that under the supervision of the youth, the middle-aged driver had harnessed the ferghana horse that formerly belonged to the Second-In-Command of Black Tiger Bastion to the carriage. Moreover, the ferghana horse showed not the slightest bit of resistance and was as agreeable as… a cat.
It was also because he did not know how fearsome Zhou Donghuang had been in his previous life. Otherwise, he would not have been so shocked.
In his previous life, Zhou Donghuang had been able to tame even the most powerful and dreadful monsters that could reduce a city of ten thousand to ruins with a single breath, rendering them completely docile.
What challenge did a ferghana horse pose compared to that?
Zhou Donghuang had returned to the cabin, and the middle-aged driver had also mounted the carriage, preparing to resume their journey.
The young man in command gritted his teeth and spurred his ferghana horse towards the carriage. "Let's go!"
"Second-In-Command!"
"Second-In-Command, don't be rash!"
The five bandits, including the knife-scarred man, were pale-faced with terror at the young man's actions. Such a ruthless person was not someone they could handle.
Nevertheless, the knife-scarred man and the other bandits eventually gritted their teeth and followed.
The Second-In-Command of Green Wolf Bastion had saved each one of their lives before, and to let their Second-In-Command ride to his death before their eyes was not something they could do.
"Young Master, there are bandits coming again," the middle-aged guard informed Zhou Donghuang, who had just entered the cabin with a bitter smile. The six bandits of Green Wolf Bastion rode out of the forest just as he was about to get the carriage moving.
However, before Zhou Donghuang could reply, he saw the bandits, who were led by a young man, dismount in unison.
"The Second-In-Command of Green Wolf Bastion, Freezing Wind, acknowledges Young Master Donghuang."
Upon dismounting, Freezing Wind bowed respectfully towards the carriage.
"We acknowledge Young Master Donghuang."
The knife-scarred man and the other bandits released their breath as they saw their second-in-command had no intention of attacking, and they bowed towards the carriage together.
"Is there a problem?" came Zhou Donghuang's voice with a hint of lethargy from within the cabin.
"Young Master Donghuang, you are preparing to go to Ningping Town?" Freezing Wing asked respectfully.
"Hmm," Zhou Donghuang answered nonchalantly.
"Young Master Donghuang, there is still a good distance from here to Ningping Town, and there is a high chance of running into unsavory characters… why don't you allow my brothers and I to escort you the rest of the way?
Freezing Wind said respectfully, "I, Freezing Wind, am of some status on this road… any bandits we meet will surely not dare to make trouble if they see me. If we meet any savage beasts, I can also help Young Master Donghuang take care of them. Thus, Young Master Donghuang, you may practice in peace."
Freezing Wind finished speaking and looked at the carriage uneasily.
In the cabin, it had to be said that Freezing Wind's words had moved Zhou Donghuang, and he replied, "Do as you suggested… when we reach Ningping Town, I will not leave you shortchanged."
"Young Master Donghuang, I, Freezing Wind, make this offer not for any reward, but out of esteem for Young Master's ability, to show respect for Young Master," Freezing Wind said in a low voice, a look of displeasure flashing across his eyes.
"Second-In-Command!"
The expressions on the faces of the knife-scarred man and the other bandits changed, and they were terrified that Freezing Wind had offended the savage youth in the cabin.
This Second-In-Command of Green Wolf Bastion really is sincere.
In the cabin, Zhou Donghuang gave a slight smile as he heard the displeasure in Freezing Wind's voice.
"When we reach Ningping Town, take a look at what I give you and reconsider whether to accept or reject my goodwill," Zhou Donghuang replied.
He did not think that Freezing Wind, the Second-In-Command of the Green Wolf Bastion, could reject the boon that he would give.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 23: Third Grade swiftness technique
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Even though the ferghana horse was pulling a carriage, it was still very fast, and it outpaced a carriage pulled by a normal horse by far.
With the ferghana horse pulling the carriage at top speed, we should reach Ningping Town by tomorrow morning at the latest.
Zhou Donghuang had left on the afternoon of the previous day.
It was now was the afternoon of the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
A journey that originally could only be completed by the afternoon of the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era could now be completed earlier—the early morning of the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era when they would reach Ningping Town.
Previously, Zhou Donghuang's carriage had traveled the road all by itself. But now, it was escorted by six bandits mounted on big horses.
The young bandit in command was mounted on a ferghana horse, and his imposing presence scared off any rag-tag groups of bandits that were waiting in ambush beside the road.
"It's Freezing Wind, second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion!"
Many bandits recognized Freezing Wind, who was riding ahead of the carriage.
"Perhaps the person in the cabin… could it be the commander of Green Wolf Bastion?"
"It probably is. Other than the commander of the Green Wolf Bastion, who else would Freezing Wind personally clear the way for?"
"I don't recognize the four people beside the carriage… but that middle-aged man with the scar riding behind the carriage seems familiar; he's You Hengkun of the Green Wolf Bastion."
"You Hengkun? The third most powerful person in the Green Wolf Bastion? The one whose ability is second only to the commander and second-in-command of the Green Wolf Bastion?"
"That's him. I heard that the commander of Green Wolf Bastion had long ago intended to appoint him third-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion to give him his own command, but You Hengkun rejected it out of his gratitude to Freezing Wind for saving his life, so he would rather serve Freezing Wind.
Zhou Donghuang was currently in the cabin devoting his full attention to practicing and had no idea that the bandits outside along the road had taken him to be the commander of Green Wolf Bastion.
And with the second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion Freezing Wind escorting him through this leg of the journey, it was turning out to be very peaceful indeed. Occasionally, a ferocious wild beast would appear, but the other bandits would already have killed the beast with their swords without Freezing Wind himself having to lift a finger.
The bandits in Freezing Wind's troop were all level-one adepts of Qi-gathering and were the elite among the troops of the Green Wolf Bastion. Although they were just six men, they were not any weaker compared to the ten bandits of Black Tiger Bastion who had been killed earlier by Zhou Donghuang.
I've finally broken through.
In the cabin, Zhou Donghuang opened his eyes just as night fell, a smile spreading over his face.
He had finally attained level-one of Qi-gathering. Now, he could exert the strength of one bull using only his qi.
Added to the thousand jin of force he could exert from the maximum strength of his muscles, he could kill a level-two adept with a single blow without using any martial arts!
I'll resume.
After attaining level-one of Qi-gathering, Zhou Donghuang consumed a bottle of qi-gathering elixir and continued practicing The Lord of the Four Supremes.
It was only after practicing till the wee hours of the second day that he awoke from his practice.
By then, they had arrived at their destination, Ningping Town.
"Young Master, Ningping Town is just before us," the middle-aged guard driving the carriage said to Zhou Donghuang, as the carriage came to a stop.
At the same time, the second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion Freezing Wind stood off to one side with his five bandits and saluted towards the carriage.
"Young Master Donghuang, we are fortunate not to have disgraced ourselves. In the future, if Young Master Donghuang has any esteem for me, I, Freezing Wind, would like to visit Yunxuan Restaurant and raise a toast with you, Young Master Donghuang," Freezing Wind said as he prepared to leave with the bandits under his command.
Swoosh!
Just as Freezing Wind was turning his horse, a gust of wind emanated from the cabin, and with the gust of wind came a bounded scroll of paper, flying towards Freezing Wind.
Freezing Wind instinctively grabbed it, and frowning at the carriage, he asked in a serious voice, "Young Master Donghuang, do you have no esteem for me, Freezing Wind?"
"This is a record of a style of swiftness technique, you have probably seen it… when I killed the second-in-command of Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian that day, it was this swiftness technique that I used."
Swiftness technique?!
Hearing Zhou Donghuang's words, not only Freezing Wind, but the five bandits behind him too could not help their disbelief.
In the lands governed by the prefecture capital, swiftness techniques, and even the lowest grade of lesser-grade swiftness techniques, were possessed by only by the Zhao family that governed the prefecture capital.
And now, after escorting the person in the carriage for less than a day and night, was he actually giving away a style of swiftness technique?
Could this be real?!
This was the thought that rose in all their minds, but as soon as the thought arose, it was suppressed immediately.
Someone of this ability had no need to cheat them.
"Does Young Master Donghuang believe… that after knowing this is a swiftness technique, I will be overwhelmed with gratitude and accept it?"
After recovering from his shock, Freezing Wind shook his head, his gaze more resolute than ever.
"Young Master Donghuang, I, Freezing Wind have said that I would escort you to Ningping Town solely out of esteem for your ability, out of respect, and not for any reward. It is better that you keep this swiftness technique."
As he finished, Freezing Wind threw the swiftness technique in his hand towards the window of the cabin under the reluctant gaze of the five bandits behind him, showing absolutely no hesitation in the process.
However, just as it hit the curtains hanging at the window, a force propelled it back out and returned it to Freezing Wind's hand.
You really are full of surprises.
In the cabin, a look of surprise flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes. "This really is a style of swiftness techniques, since you say you don't want it, then don't take it… but I, Zhou Donghuang, don't like to owe any moral obligations, so you should just accept it. Don't you want me to hold you in esteem? Take it, and I will have esteem for you… also, Yunxuan Restaurant welcomes you anytime."
Zhou Donghuang instructed the middle-aged guard who was driving the carriage as he finished speaking, "Uncle, let's enter the town."
"Yes, Young Master."
With a shake of the reins, the middle-aged guard sent the ferghana horse galloping towards the main gate of Ningping Town, pulling the carriage behind it and leaving Freezing Wind and his men behind them.
Freezing Wind held the swiftness technique in his hand, watching the receding figure of the carriage, a bitter smile on his face.
Given the way Zhou Donghuang had put it, he could not have refused to accept it.
"Second-In-Command, take a look… is there really a swiftness technique recorded there?" a bandit prompted with a gleam in his eyes.
The other bandits, including the knife-scarred man, You Hengkun, all turned to look at Freezing Wind with light in their eyes.
Hearing this, Freezing Wind unrolled the paper in his hand with an expression of excitement and curiosity and read it at a glance.
You Hengkun, and the others waited silently.
After roughly the time it would take for ten breaths, Freezing Wind's expression changed completely, and moving his fingers rapidly, he tore the paper into countless bits.
A gust of wind blew, and the bits of paper were scattered through the air. Now, no one could piece them together again, even if they had wanted to.
"Second-In-Command, what are you doing?"
"Perhaps the swiftness technique was fake?"
…
With the exception of You Hengkun, the other four bandits were all looking at Freezing Wind with uncertainty and some suspicion.
"It's fake."
Freezing Wind said with a downcast expression, "I never thought that the dignified owner of Yunxuan Restaurant would take pleasure in toying with people!"
As he spoke, Freezing Wind managed with some difficulty to cast a discreet glance at You Hengkun, who caught the meaning in his glance and immediately chimed in, "No matter how great his ability is, he is still a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, it's normal for him to be a little childish."
"That makes sense… how could he have so casually given away such a valuable thing as a swiftness technique."
You Hengkun's words had the other four bandits nodding their heads, the suspicion in their gaze dissipating.
However, there still remained a trace of suspicion.
It was no secret that the second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion, Freezing Wind, had a photographic memory. If it had really been a swiftness technique, that span of ten breaths would have been enough for the second-in-command to memorize it completely.
But after thinking about it, the four bandits felt that the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant really had been making fun of them. The second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion was not a man who was uncaring towards his brothers and not one who would keep a swiftness technique for himself.
"Let's go back," Freezing Wind commanded and led his men back to Green Wolf Bastion.
On the journey back, Freezing Wind could not hide the shock, surprise, and disbelief in the depths of his gaze.
When they arrived at Green Wolf Bastion, Freezing Wind called You Hengkun over once he saw that the other four bandits had returned to their quarters.
"Second-In-Command, that swiftness technique… it wasn't a fake, was it?" You Hengkun asked in a low voice.
"Indeed, it wasn't." Freezing Wind smiled bitterly.
"If it wasn't a fake, why did you lie to our brothers?"
You Hengkun's eyes were full of incomprehension at receiving this confirmation from Freezing Wind. He knew the character of the second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion, and he was not the kind of person who would keep a swiftness technique for himself.
"Scar, I lied to them for their own benefit." Freezing Wind smiled even more bitterly.
Hearing this, You Hengkun was even more lost.
"Do you know what kind of swiftness technique it was that Young Master Donghuang gave us?" Freezing Wind sighed deeply.
"Wasn't it that lesser-grade swiftness technique he used when he killed the second-in-command of Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian?" You Hengkun countered.
"It really was that swiftness technique…" Freezing Wind nodded, then continued with difficulty, "but, it was not a lesser-grade swiftness technique, it was a… third-grade swiftness technique!"
"Third… third-grade swiftness technique?"
You Hengkun was stunned speechless at this, and it seemed that he had been struck by lightning, leaving him frozen with a blank stare.
"Now, I think you understand why I said… I lied to them for their own benefit?"
"Second-in-command, you have really thought it over."
You Hengkun finally regained his wits after a long while, a bitter smile on his face.
People talk, and word spreads, and the fewer people knew about this, the better.
Third-grade swiftness technique.
It was easy to imagine how the entire Green Wolf Bastion would have invited catastrophe upon themselves once it became known that they possessed such a swiftness technique!
"What kind of person is this new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant? Within the country of Yunyang, only the Imperial Court and the Royal family possess third-grade techniques, and yet he not only possesses it, but gives it away casually?"
As he muttered, You Hengkun's expression was full of surprise and incomprehension.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 24: Li Rui
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Once they reached Ningping Town, Zhou Donghuang ordered the middle-aged guard, who was driving the carriage, to head straight for Qingyun Guild.
The guild master of Qingyun Guild was also a woman, a member of a side branch of the Li family of the prefecture capital named Li Yun, and a good friend of Lin Lan's for many years.
"Aunty Yun, the goods and accounts are settled, I should be going," Zhou Donghuang told Li Yun in the receiving chamber of Qingyun Guild as he put the money away.
He had a very good impression of Li Yun because he remembered that Li Yun had visited the Magnolia Guild several times, bringing him a gift each time.
"Donghuang, you don't visit often, stay a night with Aunty Yun before you leave," Li Yun said with a slight smile.
She and Lin Lan were close friends of many years, and they got along fabulously, each treating the other as a sister and loving everything that was dear to the other. She had never treated Lin Lan's adopted son as an outsider.
"Aunty Yun, I don't want to trouble you, I'm in a rush to get back."
Zhou Donghuang shook his head, for he had never intended to stay the night in Ningping town.
Right now, Granny Lian was the lone level-one adept of Qi-gathering at Yunxuan Restaurant. His mother Lin Lan had already expended all her qi to start practicing the Technique of Everlasting Youth from scratch and did not have the abilities she used to.
He would not feel at peace if he were to delay his return.
"Then let's have lunch this afternoon… it's almost noon now. Donghuang, surely you won't refuse to even have a meal with Aunty Yun?"
Li Yun tried again, "Or is it… now that you are the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, you look down on Aunty Yun?"
"Aunty Yun, you know about that too?"
This was unexpected for Zhou Donghuang; he did not think Li Yun knew about him becoming the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant.
"How could I not? The day before yesterday, I heard people who had arrived from Qingshan Town say that the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhao San, had given Yunxuan Restaurant away to you, Donghuang."
Li Yun said with a sigh, "Yesterday, I also heard someone who had arrived from Qingshan Town say… you killed the second elder of the Wang family of the lesser families of Qingshan Town, a level-one adept of Qi-gathering, then killed with the grand patriarch of the Wang family, the one called the bloody-handed butcher, Wang Yukun!
"At first, I couldn't believe it. But today, you Donghuang have safely delivered ten bracelets of pure gold all by yourself, so I cannot disbelieve it even if I wanted to."
At this, a knowing look flashed across Li Yun's eyes.
Encountering bandits was common on the road from Qingshan Town to Ningping Town, and if an ordinary person was not carrying anything of great value, he would be allowed to continue on his way after being searched for valuables and paying a toll to the bandits.
If the victims cooperated and did not resist, the bandits would usually not kill them. The bandits were worried that if they killed too many people, no one would even dare to leave the small towns.
Killing the goose that laid the golden egg was not a long-term strategy.
The fact that Zhou Donghuang was able to deliver ten gold bracelets without a hitch to Ningping town spoke volumes about his capability.
"Since Aunty Yun extends her warm hospitality, I won't reject it."
Seeing Li Yun look expectantly at him, and thinking that just having a meal would not take up too much time, Zhou Donghuang agreed.
"Excellent! Donghuang, wait here for a while, Aunty Yun will get someone to make arrangements."
Seeing Zhou Donghuang agree, Li Yun broke into a radiant smile. She left the receiving chamber to make arrangements after exchanging greetings with Zhou Donghuang.
After about 15 minutes, Li Yun returned to the receiving chamber. With her was a girl who looked about the same age as Zhou Donghuang.
The girl wore clothes of light blue and had a beautiful face, and her forehead bore a slight resemblance to Li Yun's. She stood there looking slim and graceful, but the slight frown on her face implied that she was not too happy to be there.
"Li Rui."
Zhou Donghuang recognized the girl as Li Yun's daughter, Li Rui, who was a year younger than him. They had played together when they were young, but they had not seen each other for the past few years and had naturally drifted apart.
"Li Rui, this is your Big Brother Donghuang, why haven't you greeted him?" Li Yun frowned at Li Rui.
"Mother, he's only a year older than me… can't I just call him by his name?" Li Rui said with some displeasure.
"You…"
Just as Li Yun's expression began to change and she was about to get angry, Zhou Donghuang smiled nonchalantly and said, "Aunty Yun, it's just a title, I don't mind anyway, so you don't have to bother either."
Then, looking at Li Rui, Zhou Donghuang smiled and greeted, "Xiao Rui, it's been a long time."
"What right do you have to call me Xiao Rui? Call me Li Rui!" Li Rui said with a cold snort of displeasure and a look of dissatisfaction.
She naturally remembered that Zhou Donghuang was the son of her mother's good friend Lin Lan and was also a martial invalid who could not manifest his qi.
Although her mother said the Zhou Donghuang of the present could not be compared to the Zhou Donghuang of the past, she did not believe it at all, and neither did she believe the recent news concerning Zhou Donghuang.
How could a martial invalid become the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, the most profitable business in Qingshan Town?
How could a martial invalid kill the grand patriarch of the Wang family of Qingshan Town, Wang Yukun?
Moreover, in her view, even if he was not a martial invalid, sixteen-year-old Zhou Donghuang could not possibly have the ability to kill Wang Yukun.
Wang Yukun was, after all, a level-two adept of Qi-gathering.
Within the country of Yunyang, sixteen-year-olds with the ability to kill him were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, and such a person could not possibly be found in a small town.
"Umm, Li Rui."
Although Zhou Donghuang did not mind being calculative with a little girl, the smile had vanished from his face at Li Rui's rudeness, and his voice had gained a measure of indifference.
Seeing this, Li Yun sighed.
She had originally planned for her daughter and her good friend Lin Lan's adopted son to socialize and see if there was any potential for their relationship to develop further. But now, it was evidently impossible.
"Donghuang, Rui'er, let's go over."
Li Yun had sent someone to a restaurant in Ningping Town to reserve a booth, and as she led Zhou Donghuang and Li Rui out of the door, she noticed the carriage parked at the main entrance of Qingyun Guild.
An ordinary carriage would not have caught Li Yun's attention. However, the horse harnessed to this carriage was a ferghana horse!
A carriage drawn by a ferghana horse.
Even in the prefecture capital, few were this extravagant.
A ferghana horse?
Seeing the carriage drawn by the ferghana horse, Li Rui was shocked and could not help asking Li Yun, "Mother, whose carriage is this?"
Just as Li Yun was about to shake her head and reply "I don't know," the middle-aged driver of the carriage jumped off the carriage and bowed respectfully to Zhou Donghuang, greeting, "Young Master."
"Umm."
Zhou Donghuang nodded and acknowledged the greeting and turned to Li Yun.
"Aunty Yun, let's take my carriage there… after eating, I'll send you both back before I leave for Qingshan Town."
"Sure… sure."
Only then did Li Yun realize that this was actually Zhou Donghuang's carriage.
As the carriage got on its way, Li Rui, who was sitting beside Li Yun in the cabin, frowned at Zhou Donghuang and said, "Zhou Donghuang, what a reckless waste of resources to use a ferghana horse to draw a carriage!"
"A reckless waste of resources?"
Zhou Donghuang gave a blank stare, followed by a slight smile.
A ferghana horse was a treasure in the eyes of most people, but in Zhou Donghuang's eyes, it was no different from a fine stallion of an ordinary breed.
Moreover, it was the accumulated good fortune of several lifetimes for this ferghana horse to be able to draw the carriage of Zhou Donghuang.
Seeing that Zhou Donghuang did not seem willing to entertain her, Li Rui's frustration turned to anger, "I will be going to the Li family in the prefecture capital in a few days to practice, but I have never let my mother buy me a ferghana horse… that's because I know she puts in great effort to make money and I can't bear to spend too much of her money.
"But you, a martial invalid, not only allow your mother to use her hard-earned money to buy you a ferghana horse, but you even use the ferghana horse to draw your carriage… how can you face your mother? Seems that there is still a difference between a biological child and an adopted child," Li Rui said, sweeping a hateful glance over Zhou Donghuang.
"Rui'er!"
Li Yun's expression changed, and she slapped Li Rui with a loud smack right in front of Zhou Donghuang. "Apologize to Donghuang immediately!"
"Mother, you… you hit me? Did I say anything wrong?"
Li Rui covered the side of her face, which had begun to swell, and she looked wide-eyed at Li Yun with a look of disbelief. This was the first time her mother had ever hit her since she was young.
What she did not know was that Li Yun had hit her not to stand up for Zhou Donghuang, but to protect her.
The Zhou Donghuang of the present was not someone to be trifled with.
"Hmm, you're very mature," Zhou Donghuang glanced at Li Rui nodding with all seriousness, "However, I hope that you will be clear on one point, that I didn't ask my mother to buy me this ferghana horse, and neither did my mother buy me this ferghana horse."
"If your mother did not buy it, where did you get so much money to buy a ferghana horse?" Li Rui asked disdainfully, her attention caught by Zhou Donghuang's reply.
"This ferghana horse is a trophy from yesterday, when I killed the second-in-command, Qian Tongtian of Black Tiger Bastion on the way here," Zhou Donghuang replied nonchalantly.
Li Yun blinked hard at Zhou Donghuang's words.
She naturally knew that the Black Tiger Bastion was a powerful nest of bandits that made its lair somewhere between Qingshan Town and Ningping Town.
The commander of Black Tiger Bastion was a level-two adept of Qi-gathering, and the second-in-command of the Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian, had attained a level of practice close to a level-two adept of Qi-gathering.
"Qian Tongtian has been killed by you, Donghuang?" Li Yun asked, her heart trembling.
"Boasting does not make something real!" Li Rui laughed in derision. "The second-in-command of Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian, is said to be on the verge of breaking through to level-two of Qi-gathering for the past few years… the number of people in the whole of Qingshan Town who can kill him can be counted on the fingers of one hand, so how could you, a martial invalid, kill such a person?"
"Young Lady, the young master of my family killed the second-in-command of Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian, and this is something I have witnessed with my own eyes. And this ferghana horse really did belong to Qian Tongtian at first, but it was tamed by the young master of my family and was used to draw his carriage."
The middle-aged guard driving the carriage could stand it no longer and spoke up in defense of Zhou Donghuang.
"He's the young master of your family, so even if he exaggerated to high heavens, you would still back up his lie," Li Rui said scornfully. "From what you say… this mature ferghana horse was tamed just yesterday by the young master of your family? Who doesn't know that a mature ferghana horse has an extremely strong-willed temperament, and would rather kill itself than allow someone to tame it against its will!"
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 25: The Qin Family Mansion
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhou Donghuang could not be bothered to reason with Li Rui, ignorant as she was. If not for the respect he had for Li Yun, he would have slapped Li Rui long ago and shut her up.
Li Rui tried to make conversation during the meal, but seeing Zhou Donghuang focus on helping himself to the food and showing no sign of entertaining her, she slowly fell silent.
However, she looked at Zhou Donghuang with a look of even greater disdain, because she thought that Zhou Donghuang would not answer her due to his guilty conscience.
"Aunty Yun, thank you for your hospitality."
After they finished their lunch and left the restaurant, Zhou Donghuang sent the two ladies back to the main entrance of Qingyun Guild. After thanking Li Yun, he returned to the carriage.
Li Yun sighed as she watched the carriage grow smaller in the distance as it left a trail of dust behind it.
"Mother, why are you sighing? He's only a martial invalid, we don't really need to have any dealings with him," Li Rui said.
"Rui'er, you are mistaken. Donghuang is a dragon among men, if you cross him, you'll regret it later."
"I'll regret it? Impossible!" Li Rui said disdainfully. "As a man that even Chen Dandan did not want, naturally I, Li Rui, would not want him… The person that I Li Rui should marry should at least be a grandson of the eldest son from one of the preeminent families in the prefecture capital. Otherwise, won't I have lost out to Chen Dandan? Zhou Donghuang, a martial invalid, is completely unworthy of me!"
…
It was completely unavoidable that the carriage being drawn by the ferghana horse would draw the attention of a group of passers-by as it passed through Ningping Tow. The ferghana horse was simply too eye-catching.
However, the middle-aged man driving the carriage was already accustomed to this because he had had the same experience that morning when he drove the carriage into Ningping Town.
"Young Master, the daughter of Guild Master Li Yun of Qingyun Guild is too short-sighted… why didn't you demonstrate your abilities in front of her to shut her up?" the middle-aged guard couldn't help asking Zhou Donghuang as they left Ningping Town.
Even he could not stand the manner in which Li Rui had spoken to Zhou Donghuang.
"Uncle, do you think… if a cat challenged a tiger to a fight, the tiger would entertain the cat?" Zhou Donghuang smiled indifferently.
"Of course not. Young Master, I understand, it was simply beneath you to nit-pick with her."
As realization dawned on the middle-aged guard, he could not help thinking to himself how his Young Master was simply on a higher level. If he had been in his Young Master's shoes, he would surely not have been able to suppress his temper.
"Uncle, we'll do the same thing… if there's a problem, throw the bell into the cabin. Otherwise, I will not rouse myself."
After exchanging greetings with the middle-aged guard, Zhou Donghuang crossed his legs and resumed practicing of The Lord of the Four Supremes.
…
The journey back was uneventful, and no one made trouble for them.
The carriage drawn by the ferghana horse that Zhou Donghuang sat in was too eye-catching, and it was what the bandits waiting in ambush by the road assumed to be the carriage of the commander of Green Wolf Bastion.
Although there were many bandit camps between Qingshan Town and Ningping Town, only the Black Tiger Bastion could compare in strength to the Green Wolf Bastion.
The rest of the bandit camps were inferior to the Green Wolf Bastion in strength. Because of this, no one dared to antagonize the commander of the Green Wolf Bastion whom they assumed was in the carriage.
Occasionally, one or two wild beasts showed themselves and were beaten back or killed by the middle-aged guard.
Zhou Donghuang left Ningping Town on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era to return to Qingshan Town. He arrived at Qingshan Town and returned to Yunxuan Restaurant on the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
The entire return journey had taken him only three days and three nights.
If Zhou Donghuang did not have the ferghana horse to draw his carriage, he would only now have reached Ningping Town.
"Young Master, you're… back so soon?"
Granny Lian was astounded when she saw Zhou Donghuang at the door, evidently not expecting him to have returned so soon.
"Mhm."
Zhou Donghuang nodded as he handed the fees from delivering the gold bracelets to Qingyun Guild in Ningping Town over to Granny Lian.
"Someone gave me a ferghana horse along the way, and I let the ferghana horse draw the carriage, so there weren't many delays along the way.
"Gave you a ferghana horse?"
Granny Lian wanted to ask who could have been so generous, but Zhou Donghuang had already turned and left.
Nevertheless, that night, Granny Lian pieced together the events that occurred on the way to Ningping Town from the conversations between some of the guards.
"Hearing it from Old He, our young master met a gang of ten bandits led by the second-in-command of Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian on his way to Ningping Town… in just one exchange, he managed to snatch Qian Tongtian's saber and kill him, then he flung the saber out three times and killed the remaining bandits.
"Young Master was able to kill that bloody-handed butcher of the Wang family in just one exchange, and Qian Tongtian's ability was inferior to the bloody-handed butcher's. It's not unexpected that he was killed by Young Master. Nevertheless, I never thought Young Master could fling a saber out and kill people with it.
"Don't you think this is too far-fetched? Could Old He be exaggerating things?"
"Old He is well known for being straight as an arrow. I've known him for many years and understand him well, it's not possible that he's lying."
Granny Lian could never have imagined that the ferghana horse the young master of her family said was given to him was actually a trophy that he claimed when he killed the second-in-command of Black Tiger Bastion, Qian Tongtian.
"Young Master he… is able to tame even a mature ferghana horse?"
Even though Granny Lian knew the young master of her family was immensely capable, she still could not avoid feeling a sense of shock when she became aware of this.
There was only one thought in her head: Was there anything in the world that the young master of her family could not do?
…
As he passed by the door of Lin Lan's room, Zhou Donghuang noticed Lin Lan was practicing with the door closed, and he returned straight to his room without disturbing her.
"The seal within my body was broken and removed on the fifteenth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era… and that was the time I started practicing in earnest. I attained level-one of Qi-gathering on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era, just as night fell. Which means… I managed to attain level-one of Qi-gathering in less than ten days."
Sitting on the bed, Zhou Donghuang muttered to himself.
"Hmm, that's still within expectations… next, to advance from level-one to level-two of Qi-gathering, I will need a longer time, perhaps about twenty days."
Just as well that no one had overheard Zhou Donghuang, for if not, they would have been exasperated to death.
How could anyone complain that twenty days was a long time to advance from level-one to level-two of Qi-gathering?
For the people of the country of Yunyang, it was normal to begin practicing at eleven or twelve years of age not because they did not want to begin earlier, but because they could only practise after they had entered puberty.
Some people who attempted to practice before puberty not only advanced very slowly, but also adversely affected their puberty and development. They would establish the roots of an illness that was very difficult to treat.
It was said that outside the country of Yunyang, there was a miraculous panacea that once consumed would allow a person to start practicing from the age of three or four. Moreover, it would not affect you physically.
However, this miraculous panacea had never appeared before in the country of Yunyang and was nothing more than a legend to the people of Yunyang.
In the history of the country of Yunyang, the royal who holds the record for the fastest practice started practicing when he was eleven, and he attained level-one of Qi-gathering when he was thirteen, level-two when he was fourteen, level-three when he was sixteen, and level-four when he was twenty…
Beginning with nothing, it took him two years to attain level-one of Qi-gathering.
But from level-one to level-two of Qi-gathering, he only took a year… this is also because he got more familiar with practicing and was not feeling his way and trying to get accustomed to it like he was when he was trying to attain level-one of Qi-gathering. That had indeed caused him to waste a good deal of time.
An ordinary person would not find it entirely smooth sailing when they started practicing, even if they had some method to guide his practise.
After all, these methods were ultimately only a paper exercise, and one would definitely still encounter difficulty in turning it into a reality.
However, Zhou Donghuang was different.
With the thousand years of memories from his past life, he was like a fish in water when it came to practicing, and because of this, his rate of practice was extremely fast.
It seems that I'll still need someone to visit the prefecture capital for me to help me buy some other herbs… with the ferghana horse, it should take at most two days and two nights for a return trip to the prefecture capital even with rest breaks.
The last time Lin Lan had visited the Lin family in the prefecture capital, the return journey had taken her seven days and seven nights, but that was because Lin Lan had used only an ordinary horse.
The speed of a ferghana horse far exceeded that of an ordinary horse.
I only require the herbs from the prefecture capital, and I will be fully capable of formulating an even better qi-gathering elixir… when that time comes, I might be able to smoothly attain level-two of Qi-gathering in half a month.
Although Zhou Donghuang could make the trip to the prefecture capital to buy herbs himself, he did not intend to. It would be too much of a waste of time if he made the trip personally. Galloping on a horse to the prefecture capital, there would be no way for him to practice during the journey.
Two days and two nights is enough for me to raise my level of practice considerably… but, if I'm to send someone to the prefecture capital to buy herbs, who should I send?
Zhou Donghuang muttered to himself as he considered for a moment before his eyes lit.
"It shall be him!"
…
The Qin family was one of the three great lesser families of Qingshan Town.
The mansion of the Qin family occupied a large plot of land, comparable to the land that the Wang family's mansion stood on. Qin Xiaoyu had brought Zhou Donghuang to the Qin family mansion several times in the past, but the scene then was totally different from now.
Now, he had only just reached the main entrance of the Qin family mansion, and once the junior Qin family members guarding the door saw him, they immediately ran to report his arrival to the patriarch, Qin Long.
The patriarch of the Qin family, Qin Long, appeared shortly before Zhou Donghuang and welcomed him into the mansion personally.
"Young Master Donghuang, are you here to look for Xiaoyu?"
It was no secret in the Qin family that Zhou Donghuang and Qin Xiaoyu were close. Because of this, Qin Xiaoyu's status in the Qin family had skyrocketed the day Zhou Donghuang had killed the patriarch of the Wang family, Wang Yukun.
With a big brother who could kill the bloody-handed butcher Wang Yukun with one blow, who in the entire Qin family, including the level-two adept in the Qin family, would dare offend Qin Xiaoyu?
Now, the first young master of the Qin family, Qin Fei did not dare pester Qin Xiaoyu like before, as he was terrified that this may offend Zhou Donghuang.
"I'm not here to look for Xiaoyu." Zhou Donghuang shook his head. "I'm here to look for the grand patriarch of the Qin family."
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 26: Modifying a Martial Art
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Young Master, you're looking for me?"
As soon as he knew that Zhou Donghuang was looking for him, Qin Yi hastily stopped whatever he was doing and rushed to the receiving chamber of the Qin family.
Qin Yi was the patriarch of the older generation of the Qin family and was the only level-two adept in the Qin family. He was just as well-known in Qingshan Town as Wang Yukun, and his ability was on par with Wang Yukun's.
Still, Qin Yi did not dare put on any airs in front of Zhou Donghuang, who had killed Wang Yukun with a single blow, and his demeanor was as humble as could be, even though he was a prominent figure in Qingshan Town.
"Mm." Zhou Donghuang nodded casually. "I'm here because I would like to ask the Grand Patriarch of the Qin family for his help on a certain matter."
"Young Master Donghuang, if anything is the matter, just speak plainly! As long as it is within my power, I Qin Yi, will definitely help you sort out every last detail."
Qin Yi's promise was sincere, and from his manner, it was as though he was ready to leap through hoops for Zhou Donghuang.
"I would like to ask the Grand Patriarch of the Qin family to ride as fast as he can to the prefecture capital on a ferghana horse, to help me buy some herbs."
Zhou Donghuang fished out a piece of paper covered with the names of various herbs from his pocket as he spoke, "Of course, it is not necessary to buy them all… just buy whatever you are able to buy."
"It's nothing."
Unhesitatingly, Qin Yi reached out and took the paper and swore solemnly, "Young Master Donghuang, within two days, I will bring back all the herbs you need."
"Of course, I won't allow the Grand Patriarch of the Qin family to run my errands for me without reward."
Zhou Donghuang fished out a scroll of paper from his pocket with a flourish and presented it to Qin Yi.
"Young Master Donghuang, you don't have to feel obligated with me… to be able to help you out is Qin Yi's honor."
This time, Qin Yi did not reach out to take the paper that Zhou Donghuang presented to him. In his opinion, what could be more precious than the obligation of this Young Master Donghuang?
If he accepted the gift, would not the obligation of Young Master Donghuang be gone?
Zhou Donghuang killed Wang Yukun with one blow, and he was just sixteen years old.
Wang Yukun's abilities were not inferior to Qin Yi, and in a fight to the death with Wang Yukun, he might not necessarily emerge alive.
And yet, such a man had been killed by the youth standing before him in a single blow.
He was extremely clear on what this implied.
He was already this fearsome at sixteen years of age.
If this Zhou Donghuang grew up without incident, there would be nothing that could contain him, not just in Qingshan Town, but also the prefecture capital, the capital, or even the whole of the country of Yunyang.
If he, as well as the Qin family, could cultivate a relationship with such a person, there would be all the world to gain from it and nothing to lose from it.
"Grand Patriarch Qin, this is a martial arts technique," Zhou Donghuang said with a slight smile, "Are you certain… that you will abandon this martial arts technique on behalf of the Qin family?"
A martial arts technique?!
Although Zhou Donghuang had spoken softly, his words shook him to his core and left him stunned, and he stared blankly for a time before a feverish expression began to show on his face.
In the next instant, Qin Yi's arm shot out like lightning and took the paper Zhou Donghuang had offered without any hesitation, and he opened it and began to read.
Shortly, he was left staring dumbly, his hands shaking in fright until the paper almost fell to the floor, but thankfully he recovered in time to catch hold of it again.
"Weighted Sand Palm… third… third-grade offensive martial art?
Qin Yi originally assumed that the martial art Zhou Donghuang had passed to him was a style of lesser-grade martial art, and if that had been the case, it would have been a huge stroke of good fortune if the Qin family had managed to obtain it.
And now, looking at the words written on the paper that Zhou Donghuang had passed to him, he came to the realization that this was not a lesser-grade martial art, but a third-grade technique.
In the country of Yunyang, only the Royal family and the Imperial Court possessed third-grade techniques!
This Young Master Donghuang, what kind of person is he? Giving the Qin family a third-grade technique just for helping him run an errand for two days?
In the more than sixty years of Qin Yi's life, this was the first time he had lost his composure this badly.
If it could be said that a lesser-grade martial art was the object of his dreams, then a third-grade technique was something he would not even dare dream of in a dream.
"Young Master Donghuang, you'd better take it back."
Qin Yi passed the paper that the third-grade offensive martial art, Weighted Sand Palm, was recorded on back to Zhou Donghuang with a bitter smile.
But Zhou Donghuang did not reach out to take it.
"Grand Patriarch Qin, I am giving this martial art to the Qin family not only as compensation, but also because I hope the Qin family will make me a promise: In the future, treat Xiaoyu well, and don't force Xiaoyu to do anything she does not want to do."
The Qin family was a lesser family. Oftentimes, the women of the Qin family had no choice in their marriage.
He would have to leave Qingshan Town sooner or later, and so before leaving Qingshan Town, he hoped to be able to make arrangements to provide for the future of his little sister, Qin Xiaoyu.
"Young Master Donghuang, even if you didn't give this martial art to the Qin family, the Qin family would not mistreat Xiaoyu and force her to do anything she was unwilling to do… you can be rest assured on this point." Qin Yi said solemnly, "You had better take back this martial art… the Qin family cannot accept it."
Even if Zhou Donghuang dared to give a third-grade technique, Qin Yi dared not to accept it.
It was easy to imagine how the Qin family would invite catastrophe on itself if one day if word got out that the Qin family was in possession of a third-grade technique.
A third-grade technique was so coveted that not just the preeminent families, but also the powerful grand houses and the tycoons would resort to any means necessary to obtain it.
Cannot accept?
Zhou Donghuang could not understand at first, but after Qin Yi had spoken, realization dawned on him. He had not thought so far ahead.
He had thought by giving the Qin family a third-grade technique, he would be granting them a great boon and ensuring that the Qin family could take good care of Qin Xiaoyu in the future.
"You're saying that you don't dare to accept a third-grade technique… but if it was a lesser-grade martial art, you would accept it?"
Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows and continued muttering, "But I don't have any lesser-grade martial arts… third-grade techniques are the lowest grade of martial arts that I have."
Zhou Donghuang's voice was not very soft, and Qin Yi could hear him clearly. Consequently, Qin Yi began to tremble in his heart fearfully.
From what this Young Master Donghuang had said, this meant that he possessed even more potent martial arts than third-grade techniques?
A martial art more potent than a third-grade technique would be a second-grade martial art… in Yunyang country, probably only the Imperial Court has a second-grade martial art?
Qin Yi was so shaken that he started breathing faster, his chest rising and falling like a bellows, and it took him a long time to calm down.
"Forget it, since you don't want a mainstream martial art, I'll modify this Weighted Sand Palm and reduce its potency to the level of a lesser-grade martial art."
Taking the paper on which the Weighted Sand Palm was recorded on from Qin Yi's hand, Zhou Donghuang requested a pen from Qin Yi and began to write on the paper.
After about 15 minutes, Zhou Donghuang presented the paper once again to Qin Y.,
"It's done. Now, this palm technique, even if practiced to its most extreme limit, will only have the potency of a lesser-grade martial art. This way, you can rest assured, can't you?" Zhou Donghuang glanced at Qin Yi.
Qin Yi's hands were shaking as he took the paper, and as he read the amended palm technique, his heart began trembling even more violently.
At first, he did not dare believe that Zhou Donghuang could modify a martial art by himself.
Someone who was able to modify a martial art technique was usually also able to create a martial art technique, and in the history of the country of Yunyang, there probably had never been such a gifted person.
Now, as he read the writing on the paper, Qin Yi was easily able to tell that this was indeed a lesser-grade palm technique martial art.
"Regarding the money for the herbs, you'll pay for it first… and as for the ferghana horse, the Qin family should have one, so I won't be lending you my ferghana horse."
While Qin Yi was still stunned, Zhou Donghuang had already walked out of the Qin family's receiving chamber, his voice reaching Qin Yi over a distance.
By the time Qin Yi recovered his wits, Zhou Donghuang was long gone.
This Young Master Donghuang… what kind of person is he?
Qin Yi's eyes had an imposing look, having lived through more than sixty years of life, but still, he felt that he was unable to read this youth of only sixteen years old.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Yi carefully put away the lesser-grade palm technique in his hand and proceeded directly to find his son, the patriarch of the current generation of the Qin family, Qin Long.
"These few days, send invitations out saying… I, Qin Yi, invite everyone to a banquet in ten days to mark the adoption of Qin Xiaoyu as my daughter."
Qin Yi told Qin Long sternly, "Send two invitations to Yunxuan Restaurant… one for Zhou Donghuang, one for Lin Lan."
"Father, why are you suddenly adopting Xiaoyu as a daughter?"
Qin Long felt this was rather drastic. Even if Zhou Donghuang and Qin Xiaoyu were close, there was surely no need for this?
If his father adopted Qin Xiaoyu as a daughter, then Qin Xiaoyu would be his adopted sister, and his son Qin Fei would have to call her "Aunty."
"Have a look at this."
Qin Yi fished out a piece of paper from his pocket and passed it carefully to Qin Long. It was the paper that Zhou Donghuang had edited.
"This is…"
At first, Qin Long, Qin Long did not think much of it, but by the time he finished reading the words on the paper, his expression had changed completely.
"A martial arts technique?"
"More accurately, this is a martial arts technique given to the Qin family by Zhou Donghuang," Qin Yi said. "Now, do you understand my decision?"
"Father, I'll see to it at once!"
Qin Long sucked in a deep breath and suppressed his excitement; then he left hurriedly after returning the paper to Qin Yi.
Naturally, he clearly understood what a martial arts technique meant for the Qin family.
This was a stroke of good fortune for the Qin family!
And not long after Qin Long had left, Qin Yi rode his ferghana horse away from the Qin family and out of Qingshan Town, heading towards the prefecture capital.
…
Somewhere else.
Back in his room in the mansion behind Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang shook his head gently.
I forgot, in this country of Yunyang, a third-grade technique could be enough to trigger a bloodbath.
When I previously gave the third-grade swiftness technique, Star-Stepping Footwork to the second-in-command of the Green Wolf Bastion, I probably harmed instead of helped him.
I can only hope he was smart about it and kept it low-key, Zhou Donghuang thought to himself.
This time, with Qin Yi rushing to the prefecture capital to buy the herbs for me, I will definitely be able to obtain the herbs as soon as possible, and this way, I will be able to formulate an even better qi-gathering elixir in the shortest time possible.
Before he began practicing, a look of anticipation flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes.
Traveling from Qingshan Town to the prefecture capital was actually far safer than travelling from Qingshan Town to Ningping town and the other small towns. There were public roads from the prefecture capital to all the small towns, and these public roads were patrolled by powerful adepts of the Martial Way from the Governor's Household. Ordinary bandits did not dare take the risk of robbing travelers on these roads.
However, someone riding hard on a ferghana horse would still attract the attention of braver bandits who were willing to take a risk.
To avoid the risk of unnecessary complications, Zhou Donghuang had thought of getting the level-two adept of the Qin family to make the trip to the prefecture capital to buy the required herbs for him.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 27: Li Pingyun
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Dawn on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
Zhou Donghuang and Lin Lan were having breakfast together in the dining room when Granny Lian burst in.
In her hand were two invitations.
"My lady, these invitations were delivered personally by the patriarch of the Qin family Qin Long; he said they are for you and Young Master."
Granny Lian placed the invitations on the table and retreated.
"Invitations?" Lin Lan stared blankly. "Could there be some happy occasion in the Qin family?"
In the next moment, Lin Lan opened the invitation, read it, and was dumbfounded.
"This… the grand patriarch of the Qin family is taking Xiaoyu in as his adopted daughter? Isn't this… a little too far-fetched?"
In Lin Lan's view, the grand patriarch of the Qin family Qin Yi was already past sixty, and Qin Xiaoyu was only an eleven-year-old girl.
Even Qin Yi's grandson was older than Qin Xiaoyu. And now, Qin Yi was going to adopt Xiaoyu as his daughter?
Hearing Lin Lan's words, Zhou Donghuang was also momentarily dumbstruck, and reaching out for the other invitation, he opened and read it. Then he shook his head and smiled.
"That Qin Yi really knows how to conduct himself."
He was very satisfied with what Qin Yi had done.
At least, as long as the Qin family did not fall, Qin Xiaoyu would be able to live her life in safety and without worries.
Although Qin Xiaoyu was not his biological sister, their friendship over the past few years had long ago ensured that he treated Qin Xiaoyu as his own biological sister.
"Donghuang, is this because of you?"
It was not difficult for Lin Lan to guess why Qin Yi had done this.
"But then, even if the Qin family doesn't dare mistreat Xiaoyu because they fear you, there still would be no need for them to go to this extent, would there?"
"What if I gave a lesser-grade palm technique to the Qin family?" Zhou Donghuang countered.
Realization dawned on Lin Lan.
"No wonder…"
As to why Zhou Donghuang had given the Qin family a martial art technique, she did not probe because she knew that her son would have his reasons for doing so.
"Mother, how has your practice been going recently?" Zhou Donghuang asked Lin Lan. The past few days, although he knew that Lin Lan had been concentrating fully on practicing, he did not know how she was progressing.
"Donghuang, that technique you gave your mother is wonderful… and together with the qi-gathering elixir you formulated, my level is improving by leaps and bounds."
Hearing Zhou Donghuang bring up her practice, Lin Lan became lively and animated, and she was in high spirits.
"Soon, in less than a month, your mother is confident of regaining the level of level-one of Qi-gathering."
Although Zhou Donghuang's talent was on an entirely different level from Lin Lan's, she had originally been a level-one adept. Even though she had expended all the qi in her body and began practicing from scratch, the meridians in her body had already been expanded long ago and had not shrunk.
Now, all she needed to do was to let the qi fill her meridians, and she would smoothly recover level-one of Qi-gathering.
Thus, she could very quickly return to level-one of Qi-gathering when she practiced from scratch.
"Mother, when you are not practicing, you can try to master these two martial art techniques."
Zhou Donghuang passed Lin Lan two sheets of paper that were rolled together. The third-grade techniques, Star-Stepping Footwork and Weighted Sand Palm, were recorded on them.
These two martial art techniques that Zhou Donghuang previously gave to the second-in-command of the Green Wolf Bastion Freezing Wind and the Qin family were actually intended for Lin Lan. Zhou Donghuang had written them out for her, but because she was practicing in seclusion, he never had the chance to give them to her.
He had written out these two copies that very morning.
"Techniques?"
Lin Lan's eyes lit up, and she eagerly reached out to take the two pieces of paper that Zhou Donghuang passed to her. She opened one of them and read it and was immediately dumbstruck.
"Weighted Sand Palm… this is a third-grade technique?"
Lin Lan tore her gaze away from the paper with some difficulty and looked up at Zhou Donghuang with incomprehension written all over her face.
"The other one, Star-Stepping Footwork, is also a third-grade technique." Zhou Donghuang smiled.
Third-grade technique?
After reading the other swiftness technique, Star-Stepping Footwork, that was recorded on the other piece of paper, Lin Lan was completely stunned.
In the country of Yunyang, only the Royal Household and the Imperial Court possessed third-grade techniques, and her son had not only casually produced one, but two of them!
Zhou Donghuang had given Lin Lan too many surprises during this period of time, and therefore, Lin Lan was able to recover fairly quickly this time.
After hurriedly finishing her meal, Lin Lan left the dining room and went to the backyard to practice the martial art techniques she had just received.
Third-grade techniques were the lowest grade of martial art techniques from Zhou Donghuang's thousand years' worth of memories, and they were no different from rubbish to him.
However, these were incomparable treasures to Lin Lan.
After finishing his breakfast alone, Zhou Donghuang also returned to his room to practice.
What he did not expect was that on the afternoon of the second day, the grand patriarch of the Qin family Qin Yi would appear at the door, caked with dust from his travels and with obvious black circles under his eyes.
"Young Master Donghuang, here are the herbs you wanted. I only managed to get two-thirds of them… I visited all the large medical halls in the prefecture capital, but there was no stock of the remaining third," Qin Yi said with a tinge of regret.
"The grand patriarch of the Qin family need not blame himself, to be able to buy this much herbs already exceeds my expectations… go home and rest first, I'll visit the Qin family another day to settle accounts for these herbs." Zhou Donghuang said with a slight smile, looking at Qin Yi with a gaze that carried more than a hint of friendship.
Qin Yi had returned from the prefecture capital within two days and two nights, and even riding the ferghana horse, he would not have had time to rest on the journey.
It was obvious that Qin Yi had not rested for the whole journey.
"Young Master Donghuang, these herbs are a gift to you from the Qin family, if you are going to talk about money, don't blame this old man for turning hostile."
At Zhou Donghuang's mention of money, Qin Yi's expression became ugly in an instant. "What are these trifles compared to what Young Master Donghuang has given to the Qin family?"
"Agreed, as the grand patriarch of the Qin family wishes."
Right then, Zhou Donghuang was hoping that Qin Yi would return home to rest as soon as he could, and he did not haggle over the money that Qin Yi had spent to buy the herbs.
He would just find some other way to return Qin Yi the favor.
After Qin Yi left, Zhou Donghuang muttered to himself in a low voice, "In eight days' time, Qin Yi will take Xiaoyu as his adopted daughter… that day, I'll give him and the Qin family another martial arts technique. Hmm, I'll modify the Star-Stepping Footwork and give it to him as a lesser-grade swiftness technique."
Zhou Donghuang soon reached a decision.
Regardless of whether in his previous life or this life, the thing he did not want to owe the most were favors.
Just like the benefactors who had helped Zhou Donghuang on Earth in his previous life—although they had helped Zhou Donghuang, he had already returned the favor during his previous life…
In this lifetime, Zhou Donghuang had not gone to Earth, and it was impossible for those people to help him, but he still intended to return to Earth and help them out of their troubles.
A little act of grace would be repaid many times over.
This was a basic principle of how Zhou Donghuang treated others.
…
The thirty-first day of the twelfth month of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era was the last day of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era.
However, all was not peaceful in the Li family of the prefecture capital.
"Second Young Master, you must avenge me!"
The middle-aged member of the Li family of the prefecture capital whose four limbs had been maimed by Zhou Donghuang had finally been sent back to the Li family of the prefecture capital after many days.
The Li family of the prefecture capital was a preeminent family, and the lesser families in the small towns could not hope to compare to it. The strongest in the lesser families in the small towns was usually a level-two adept.
But in the preeminent families, level-two adepts of Qi-gathering were as numerous as the hairs on a cow.
In the lesser families of small towns, a level-one adept could be elevated to the rank of an elder, but in the preeminent families, only level-three adepts of Qi-gathering could be elevated to the rank of elder.
This was the extent of the difference between a lesser family and a preeminent family.
Of course, this was not the most important difference. The most important difference was that preeminent families had at least one level-four adept in charge.
A family without a level-four adept in charge would not be acknowledged as a preeminent family, and no matter how many level-three adepts of Qi-gathering it had, it would still only be considered a lesser family if it did not have a level-four adept.
Of course, lesser families of this kind were usually only found in the prefecture capital, as they would not be content to remain in a small town.
"Who did this?" asked an ordinary-looking man dressed in rich, brocaded clothes. He gave off an air of arrogance, and he frowned slightly at the middle-aged man on the stretcher.
He was the second young master of the Li family of the prefecture capital, Li Pingyun, the only son of the patriarch of the Li family, and the designated heir to the title of Patriarch of the Li family.
If nothing went wrong, he would be the future patriarch of the Li family.
"It's the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant in Qingshan Town Zhou Donghuang. I did as Second Young Master commanded and went to buy Yunxuan Restaurant over from him. He not only said that Second Young Master was a deluded idiot but also maimed my arms and legs!"
The middle-aged man had a savage expression, and staring vengefully, he said in a low voice, "He said, he let me live so that I can report to you, Second Young Master… that if you dare attempt a takeover of his Yunxuan Restaurant, you will share my fate!"
With all four limbs maimed, his life was ruined, and the middle-aged man now lived for only one thing—to exaggerate the details of the incident to provoke the second young master of the Li family so that he would take action and have Zhou Donghuang killed to avenge him.
Of course, not everything he said was a lie.
At least, Zhou Donghuang had indeed refused to sell Yunxuan Restaurant to the second young master of the Li family.
"Isn't he a martial invalid? You are a full-fledged level-two adept, and still, you were maimed by him? Are you joking?"
Although Li Pingyun's voice remained calm, the fires of anger were already burning fiercely in the depths of his eyes, and once released, it would not be quenched!
A nobody in a small village dared claim that he would maim Li Pingyun's arms and legs? Besides that, Li Pingyun did not believe that a youth of sixteen years could maim the middle-aged man before him. Although this middle-aged man was only a relative from a side branch of the Li family, he was still a level-two adept.
If he recalled correctly, the strongest person in Qingshan Town was only a level-two adept.
"Second young master, I too thought that he was a martial invalid at first… but after he acted, I realized that he wasn't a martial invalid, he was an adept of greater ability than me."
The middle-aged man's voice still carried a trace of dread at the mention of Zhou Donghuang's ability.
"Even if he has not already attained level-three of Qi-gathering, I fear he is already close."
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 28: Our Boss Does Not Have a Very Good Temper
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"According to you, that Zhou Donghuang, a youth of sixteen, is already a level-two adept?"
Li Pingyun gazed coldly at the middle-aged man.
"Even among the current generation of youths in the prefecture capital, the two fastest people to attain level-two of Qi-gathering did so only when they were eighteen years old. Now, you are telling me that there is a sixteen-year-old, level-two adept in Qingshan Town?"
Evidently, Li Pingyun did not believe the middle-aged man's words.
"Young Master, I would not believe it if I had not seen it with my own eyes, that there could be a sixteen-year-old, level-two adept in a small town like Qingshan Town… but that Zhou Donghuang's ability has already been demonstrated on me."
Seeing Li Pingyun's disbelief, the middle-aged man began to get anxious.
"I fought him straight up, and I was no match for him!"
"Enough."
Li Pingyun looked over the middle-aged man impatiently and said to the two junior Li family members standing to the side, "Send him back to his home."
The two junior Li family members were also the ones who had carried the middle-aged man in.
"At once, Second Young Master."
The middle-aged man, with his limbs maimed, could only lie on the stretcher and be carried away. The two junior Li family members lifted the stretcher and walked out briskly.
"Second Young Master, if you still intend to buy Yunxuan Restaurant, you must send an elder who is a level-three adept to Qingshan Town. If not, he will not be a match for that Zhou Donghuang!" the middle-aged man continued to remind Li Pingyun loudly as he was being carried away.
After the middle-aged man had been carried away, Li Pingyun smiled scornfully.
This useless fellow really thinks I will believe what he says? A sixteen-year-old youth from a small town, a level-two adept? If there really is such a person, then for twenty years, haven't I, Li Pingyun, been living like a dog?
Li Pingyun, the son of the patriarch of the Li family of the provincial capital, was the cream of the Li family's current generation of youth. He was twenty years old and had attained level-two of Qi-gathering a year before.
However, to be able to maim Li Dong like this is proof that this Zhou Donghuang really is an adept with formidable abilities on his side… he's at least stronger than Li Dong, but definitely not a level-three adept.
After all, if he was a level-three adept, the Lin family of the prefecture capital could not possibly punish his mother, Lin Lan that severely over a blood-staunching elixir that was past its prime, out of respect for that level-three adept.
It has to be said that Li Pingyun considered matters carefully. And he had indeed guessed correctly.
Zhou Donghuang was not a level-three adept.
I'll leave early tomorrow for Qingshan Town… I'll find out whether that Zhou Donghuang dares to reject me, Li Pingyun, to my face.
A cold look flashed across Li Pingyun's eyes, and he muttered softly to himself in an icy tone, "If he dares reject me, I'll make him regret it for the rest of his life!"
…
Qingshan Town, Yunxuan Restaurant.
"Three Young Masters, isn't it rather inappropriate for you to act this way?"
Chief Steward Fu walked out of the restaurant and looked at the three young men who were blocking the entrance, looking rather foul.
The three young men were all dressed in splendid clothes and had tender white skin, and one look was enough to tell that they were the pampered sons of wealthy families. Behind one of the youths was a middle-aged man. This middle-aged man was solidly built with a thick waist, broad back, and a sword sheathed at his waist. He gave off an aura of harshness as he stood there that kept people away.
Peng!!
Fu had just walked out and finished his sentence when a young man dressed in blue landed a kick on Fu's chest, sending him flying. He crashed heavily into one of the pillars at the side of the restaurant's entrance.
"Ahhh—"
Fu slid to the ground and spat blood, his face unhealthily pale. However, he gritted his teeth and stood up again.
"Three Young Masters, how is Yunxuan Restaurant supposed to do business if you behave like this?"
The three young men before him had come out of nowhere and immediately chased all the guests in Yunxuan Restaurant away. After that, they had blockaded the door of Yunxuan Restaurant, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.
The two guards who were near the level-one of Qi-gathering had attempted to intervene, and the middle-aged man behind the three youths, felled each of them with a blow, driving the fight out of them.
"I hope you three young masters don't make too big a scene… the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant does not have a very good temper," Fu said seriously.
Fu was indeed not bluffing.
The new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang, had made a name for himself by killing the level-two adept of the Wang family, Wang Yukun. Then he had killed the original chief steward of Yunxuan Restaurant, Li Xian, and finally, he had maimed a level-two adept who claimed to have been sent by the Li family of the prefecture capital.
Putting it all together, it was not hard to see that the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant really did not have a very good temper.
"Your boss does not have a very good temper?"
A young man wearing green looked down at Fu with a condescending gaze and smiled.
"I heard, the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, the one called Zhou Donghuang, is only sixteen years old, and he killed the level-two adept of a lesser family, the Wang family, Wang Yukun? And so, you people of Qingshan Town all believe he has the ability to kill a level-two adept?" the young man in green asked, his tone dripping with disdain. "Sixteen years old, and he killed a level-two adept? Whoever believes that is a fool! Especially those people who said they witnessed it! In my opinion, they probably accepted who knows how much money from the owner of your Yunxuan Restaurant."
A condescending look flashed across the eyes of the last young man dressed in yellow.
"He thinks he can spend money and get people to spread this story everywhere and fool people to protect his Yunxuan Restaurant? It has to be said that he really is naive!"
"You have one chance… send someone to tell Zhou Donghuang to come out here!" said the young man who had just sent Fu flying through the air with a kick. He was smiling coldly.
"Who are they?"
"No idea. Looking at their bearings, they are obviously not ordinary people. Even those few young masters from the three lesser families of Qingshan Town are not as imposing as them."
"They should be from outside."
"They don't believe that Young Master Donghuang of Yunxuan Restaurant killed Wang Yukun? And they even think that we took his money and are helping Young Master Donghuang exaggerate the story?"
…
Many onlookers had gathered outside the main entrance of Yunxuan Restaurant. And just when the young man in blue ordered someone from Yunxuan Restaurant to summon Zhou Donghuang out, there was a commotion at the back of the crowd.
Many people turned around and saw at once a handsome and delicate looking youth dressed in snow-white clothes, walking slowly towards Yunxuan Restaurant with a calm expression.
"Young Master Donghuang!"
"Young Master Donghuang!"
The crowd parted of its own accord and bowed respectfully to the youth.
"Boss."
Fu dragged his badly injured body up, gritting his teeth as he walked out one step at a time to greet Zhou Donghuang.
Once he was before Zhou Donghuang, Fu said shamefully with his head lowered like a child caught in the wrong.
Boss, I'm really useless. I failed to look after Yunxuan Restaurant properly… Boss, get someone else to take my position. I, Fu, am not fit to be the chief steward of Yunxuan Restaurant."
"Who injured you?"
Seeing Fu so badly injured, Zhou Donghuang remained expressionless. He spoke to Fu nonchalantly.
"Huh?"
Fu did not respond.
"I asked… who injured you?" Zhou Donghuang repeated.
Fu had not yet spoken when the young man dressed in blue who had attacked him cut in, looking at Zhou Donghuang as he spoke, "You are the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang, right? He was injured by me, and with a kick that sent him flying no less… what? You want to avenge him?"
As he spoke, the young man in blue smiled coldly, and he looked condescendingly and disdainfully at Zhou Donghuang.
"Which leg?" Zhou Donghuang asked as he merely glanced at the young man in blue before looking back at Fu.
This time, Fu reacted when he heard Zhou Donghuang, glancing discreetly at the right leg of the young man in blue.
And just when Fu's gaze was fixed on the right leg of the young man in blue, Zhou Donghuang moved without warning.
Swoosh!!
A shake of his body and Zhou Donghuang had flashed past the gathered crowd like lightning, right up to the young man in blue.
"Stop!!"
The middle-aged man standing behind the young man in green reacted the fastest, and his expression changed as he drew the sword hanging at his waist from its scabbard.
Ka-chak!
Ka-chak! Ka-chak!
…
In the time it took for the middle-aged man to draw his sword, the clear sound of bones breaking was heard, followed closely by a piteous scream.
"Ahhhhhh—!"
The piteous scream was incredibly shrill, and it caused the scalp of each person in the crowd to tingle. It was difficult to imagine just how much pain it took to trigger such a scream.
Then, as the crowd recovered their wits, they saw that the young man in blue had already fallen to the ground, and Zhou Donghuang was stepping on the lower part of his right leg. Where Zhou Donghuang's leg was, the lower leg of the young man in blue was almost flat on the ground, flattened like a meat patty!
Immediately after screaming, the young man in blue fainted from the pain.
"The bones in his lower leg are shattered to bits… even a superior-level medicine master would probably not be able to restore his leg, right?"
"Not just a superior-level medicine master, even the legendary earthly-level medicine master or heavenly-level medicine master would probably not be able to get him standing on that leg again."
"This Young Master Donghuang of Yunxuan Restaurant… is too fearsome."
"I feel that out of everyone who provokes him, not one remains unharmed. Nevertheless, he really does treat those around him well, and this time he is standing up for Chief Steward Fu of Yunxuan Restaurant, which is why he is so ruthless."
Just looking at the lower leg of the young man in blue, which had been stomped into a meat patty, everyone in the gathered crowd involuntarily felt a shiver.
"Boss."
Fu recovered from his shock, and the gaze he gave Zhou Donghuang was full of resolve.
Right then in Fu's heart, his boss, Zhou Donghuang, assumed a place more important than his own life.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Chapter 29 – The Elite Lesser Families
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"You… you dare maim Ma Jin? Do you have any idea who he is?"
When the young man dressed in yellow looked back at Zhou Donghuang, there was a look of shock and dread in his eyes. Zhou Donghuang had moved at such a speed that his reactions were unable to keep up.
Could it be… that this incident where Zhou Donghuang killed the level-two adept is true?
After seeing Zhou Donghuang maim Ma Jin, who was a level-one adept, in the blink of an eye, he would have lived twenty years of life in vain if he was still unable to tell that Zhou Donghuang's ability was no laughing matter.
"Ma Jin is the first young master of the Ma family, an elite lesser family of the prefecture capital… you have maimed him, and the Ma family will not let you off."
The young man in green gave Zhou Donghuang a somber look, and his eyes also showed traces of shock and dread.
The extent of Zhou Donghuang's abilities was something they had never dreamed possible.
He realized in that moment that the stories in Qingshan Town concerning the new owner of Yunxuan Restaurant were more than just rumors.
This guy's ability was at least at the level of level-two of Qi-gathering. If not, he could not possibly move with such speed, and it was even more impossible for him to have maimed Ma Jin so efficiently.
"What incredible speed!"
"What tremendous strength!"
As the saying went, the layman enjoys the show, while the expert appreciates the technique. While the middle-aged man behind the young man in green had drawn his sword from its scabbard, he had not made a move yet.
The palm of his hand that held the sword was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat.
Although he was a level-two adept, he had to admit that neither his speed nor strength could match that of the youth dressed in white before him.
The speed of the youth in white was obvious for all to see.
As for strength, the youth in white had stomped Ma Jin's lower leg flat like a meat patty, and although the middle-aged man could have done the same, he knew he could not have done it as cleanly and efficiently.
From this, he concluded that his opponent's ability exceeded his.
That was why he had not made a move.
If he still rushed in despite knowing the extent of his opponent's ability, would that not be futile?
He… really is only sixteen years old?
The eyes of the middle-aged man showed shock and incredulity as he looked at the youth in white who stood nearby.
The Ma family of the prefecture capital…?
After the young men in yellow and green had spoken in turn, Zhou Donghuang had not yet shown any hints of a reaction, but the gathered crowd of Qingshan Town residents had been frightened.
"This young man who has been maimed by Young Master Donghuang, is he really from the Ma family of the prefecture capital? Moreover, is he the first young master of the Ma family?"
"The Ma family is not an ordinary lesser family; it far surpasses the three lesser families of Qingshan Town in every aspect… I heard that in the Ma family, there are four level-three adepts of Qi-gathering, and as for level-two adepts, there are over twenty."
"The Ma family is exceptional among the lesser families. Young Master Donghuang has invited disaster by maiming this first young master of the Ma family.
Among the crowd, there were a fair number of people who knew something about the Ma family of the prefecture capital, and after they had spoken, the crowd collectively wiped away a trickle of cold sweat on behalf of Zhou Donghuang.
Hearing the crowd whisper and mutter in discussion among themselves, both the young man in yellow and the young man in green subconsciously lifted their heads up, giving themselves an incomparably arrogant look.
"I am Fang Tianyi, the third young master of the Fang family of the prefecture capital."
The young man in yellow looked at Zhou Donghuang and spoke up arrogantly, "The Fang family of the prefecture capital has three level-three adepts and over twenty level-two adepts of Qi-gathering… In the eyes of the Fang family of the prefecture capital, the three lesser families of Qingshan Town are no more than ants."
He paused and looked at the young man in green.
"And this gentleman, he is the first young master of the Lu family of the prefecture capital, Lu Yuan. The Lu family of the prefecture capital has five level-three adepts of Qi-gathering and over thirty level-two adepts of Qi-gathering."
Hearing the words of the young man in yellow, many in the gathered crowd of Qingshan Town locals could not help drawing in a sharp breath. They could never have imagined that the three people blockading the entrance of Yunxuan Restaurant could have such illustrious backgrounds.
They were all from the elite lesser families of the prefecture capital!
"We thought that a sixteen-year-old youth like you could not possibly have the ability to kill a level-two adept… it seems that we had too low an opinion of you."
Lu Yuan looked at Zhou Donghuang and said in a menacing voice, "Zhou Donghuang, if you have any sense, hand over the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant now. If you do, I can guarantee you that the Ma family will kill only you for maiming Ma Jin, and those close to you will not be dragged into the matter. If you do not have the sense to hand over the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant… not only you but also those closest to you will be killed, right down to the last man!" Not just your relatives, but also the staff of Yunxuan Restaurant will all forfeit their lives."
Lu Yuan paused, a cold smile on his lips.
The group of waiters and servant girls of Yunxuan Restaurant turned pale when they heard Lu Yuan's words, and they made plans in their hearts to leave Yunxuan Restaurant if their boss did not hand over the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant.
Although their boss was powerful, the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital were even more powerful! They were not confident that their boss could outmatch the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital.
Although the pay at Yunxuan Restaurant was high, it was not as important as their lives.
"So these people from the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital are here for the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant."
"They came here all the way from the prefecture capital. Evidently, they're sure that Elder Zhao San will not intervene in the matter of Yunxuan Restaurant's ownership.
"Young Master Donghuang is in trouble."
"It would be fine if Young Master Donghuang had not maimed First Young Master Ma Jin, he only had to hand over the title deed, and he would be safe… but now that he has maimed First Young Master Ma Jin, the situation is not so simple anymore. Even if he hands over the title deed, the Ma family will not let him off so easily."
The gathered crowd were shaking their heads as they muttered among themselves. At that moment, the looks they gave Zhou Donghuang were looks of sympathy, pity, and most of all, regret.
A martial prodigy who could kill a level-two adept at sixteen years of age would be a force to be reckoned with in the country of Yunyang if he was allowed the chance to grow and develop.
But now, he did not seem to have that chance.
"Very imposing, for just three lesser families!" Zhou Donghuang smiled indifferently and stared profoundly at Lu Yuan. "If you want the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant, come and get it yourself, and show me the ability of a young master from an elite lesser family."
Zhou Donghuang paused and showed a mocking smile.
Other than Fu, the staff of Yunxuan Restaurant paled in fear. They realized that their boss did not intend to hand over the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant.
"Zhou Donghuang, although your abilities are strong, they are nothing in the eyes of our three families… you and those around you should prepare themselves to bear the wrath of the Ma family!"
Fang Tianyi laughed coldly and looked at Lu Yuan.
"Lu Yuan, let's bring Ma Jin back… since he wants to be buried with those close to him, we'll oblige him."
"Uncle Gang, bring Ma Jin, let's go!" Lu Yuan ordered the middle-aged man behind him. He walked towards Ma Jin, who was still trapped under Zhou Donghuang's foot.
"Did I allow you to leave?"
Before the middle-aged man Lu Gang could reach Ma Jin, Zhou Donghuang spoke again.
Although his expression was as calm as before and his tone as indifferent as before, there was now a cold gleam in Zhou Donghuang's eyes.
"Coming as you wish, going as you wish… do you think you are playing house?"
The people before him were obviously here for the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant. If his ability could not match theirs, they would already have taken the title deed to Yunxuan Restaurant, and he would not have had a pleasant fate.
"Zhou Donghuang, you'd better think carefully… if you dare lay a finger on us, you will have irrevocably offended the Fang family and the Lu family."
Fang Tianyi's expression changed as he discerned from Zhou Donghuang's words that he intended to do them harm.
Lu Yuan's expression had also changed.
"Zhou Donghuang, although your ability is without question, there are many in the Lu family who are able to dispose of you," Lu Gang told Zhou Donghuang with a threatening expression.
"Does that include you?" Zhou Donghuang smiled derisively.
"You think I'm afraid of you?"
Lu Gang was a level-two adept, and with his sword in hand, he was confident in himself. Staring fiercely at Zhou Donghuang, he brandished his sword, showing off the gleaming edge of the keen blade.
"If you survive one exchange, I'll let you all leave unharmed." Zhou Donghuang grinned, angering Lu Gang till his face turned red. With a flicker of his body, his legs began to move quickly.
Star-Stepping Footwork!
Zhou Donghuang's speed was so great that the only thing everyone around saw was a blur of white.
Lu Gang only reacted after Zhou Donghuang had covered half the distance between them, the sword in his hand whistling through the air, sunlight reflecting brilliantly from the blade.
Whoosh!!
It had to be said that Lu Gang was an excellent swordsman. He swung his sword horizontally across Zhou Donghuang's path, and if Zhou Donghuang did not reduce his speed, he would meet the sword's edge head-on.
But could flesh and blood withstand a meeting with the edge of a sword?
Obviously not.
Just as everyone concluded that Zhou Donghuang would choose to retreat against the sword stroke of Lu Gang, Zhou Donghuang still showed no intention of slowing down.
It was as though he was trying to get himself sliced in half by Lu Gang.
"Looking for death!?"
Seeing this, Lu Yuan and Fang Tianyi laughed coldly as one, and their hearts unclenched because from Lu Gang's reaction. They thought Lu Gang was no match for Zhou Donghuang, but now it seemed that Zhou Donghuang was no match for Lu Gang.
"Boss!"
Fu's expression changed.
Trying to kill himself!
Just when the sword in Lu Gang's hand was closing in on Zhou Donghuang, and he felt that Zhou Donghuang would be dead in the next moment, Zhou Donghuang's hand shot out like lightning, his palm sweeping downwards towards the face of the sword.
What a pathetic skill!
Seeing this, Lu Gang snorted in derision and turned the sword such that the blade was angled towards Zhou Donghuang's descending palm.
"Not bad, it's a pity that you're too inexperienced… when you enter the gates of hell, remember that the man who killed you was Lu Gang of the Lu family!"
Under these circumstances, it had to be said that Lu Gang's mastery of the sword was impressive, given how he had adjusted the direction of the blade with such speed.
Whoosh!
Zhou Donghuang's palm would not be able to avoid meeting the keen edge of Lu Gang's sword.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
Oh no!
A palm against the keen edge of a sword. Everyone present expected Zhou Donghuang's palm to be severed by the sword in Lu Gang's hand.
You use the sword clumsily. If you want to sever my hand, you need more finesse.
Just as many people thought Zhou Donghuang was doomed, Zhou Donghuang smiled nonchalantly. In the instant when his hand met the sword, he curved his thumb and fingers to pinch the face of the sword tightly.
Stonebreaking Fingers was a third-grade technique, allowing your qi to be concentrated in any of the fingers to bore through stone easily.
If enough qi was used, even metals such as bronze or iron could be bored through easily.
Now, it was this martial art technique that Zhou Donghuang was demonstrating. His qi concentrated in his five fingers, making them hard as steel. They pinched the face of Lu Gang's sword with the edge only half an inch away from his palm, but they prevented it from advancing any further and even touching him.
"Whoa——"
Lu Gang's face turned red, and he roared like a wild beast as he channeled all the qi in his body to his hand. He tried to free his sword from Zhou Donghuang's control, but no matter how much effort he put in, the sword in his hand remained frozen.
What terrible strength!
In that instant, Lu Gang's heart trembled as it struck him how fearsome this youth was. He could not hope to contend with him.
"Come here!"
As Zhou Donghuang spoke casually, he pulled the hand pinching the sword towards the side of his body with a savage tug, and Lu Gang, who was holding on to his sword with a death grip, was pulled in as well.
In the blink of an eye, Zhou Donghuang released his grip, allowing the sword to pass beside his body and allowing Lu Gang to rush towards him with the momentum from the enormous strength of his tug.
Weighted Sand Palm!
Zhou Donghuang had already formed his hand into a rigid palm as he released the sword, and he struck out with a whoosh as Lu Gang headed directly for him.
Pong!!
Zhou Donghuang's palm landed squarely on Lu Gang's unprotected chest like a thick metal cudgel, making a loud sound and caving Lu Gang's chest inwards in an instant.
Lu Gang was dead the instant his chest was caved in, but the force of Zhou Donghuang's palm sent him flying three meters clear before he crashed to the ground.
Ka-dum!
Even at the moment of his death, Lu Gang had not released his grip on the sword, and the sword crashed to the ground together with him.
From the time when Lu Gang adjusted the face of his sword to the edge up to the moment Zhou Donghuang pulled him in closely only to kill him with a single blow—the whole process all happened in the blink of an eye. It was so fast that the gathered onlookers were unable to react.
By the time the crowd outside Yunxuan Restaurant had come to their senses, Lu Gang had already been killed by Zhou Donghuang.
How… how is this possible?
The smiles on the faces of Lu Yuan and Fang Tianyi froze, and dread and shock surfaced in their eyes once again.
Lu Gang was a level-two adept, and he was armed. But he had still died at the hands of this sixteen-year-old Zhou Donghuang?
Even if they were beaten to death, they would not have believed that a youth of only sixteen years old could have this level of ability if they had not witnessed it with their own eyes.
"The man that Young Master Donghuang killed called himself Lu Gang of the Lu Family?"
"Lu Gang? That level-two adept who is called the 'frenzied sword,' of the Lu Family of the prefecture capital?"
"This Lu Gang, it's said that he once killed a bandit chief who was a level-two adept in the span of ten breaths, and he earned the title 'frenzied sword' after that battle."
"Even with a sword in hand, the frenzied sword, Lu Gang was still killed in one exchange by Young Master Donghuang?"
"Young Master Donghuang's ability is incredibly fearsome, isn't it? Even if Young Master Donghuang was not a level-three adept, it seems that few level-two adepts of Qi-gathering are a match for him."
Many of the Qingshan Town locals recognized Lu Gang, and this created an uproar among the crowd, and also many exclamations at Zhou Donghuang's ability.
"Young Master Donghuang is only sixteen years old. Even if tomorrow was a new year in the Ziyun Era, he would still only be seventeen years old."
"It's just a pity that this time he has completely offended the elite lesser families of the prefecture capital, the Ma Family and the Lu Family. If not, when he grew up, even if the entire Ma and Lu Families come out to kill him, they might not be enough."
"Heaven envies heroes."
The more outstanding Zhou Donghuang's performance, the more regret the people of Qingshan Town felt for him.
"Boss."
Seeing Zhou Donghuang kill Lu Gang made Fu's eyes shine with gratitude. But the waiters and servant girls in Yunxuan Restaurant, as well as the chefs who had come out when they heard the commotion, all had ugly expressions on their faces.
In that moment, Zhou Donghuang's calm and emotionless gaze found Lu Yuan and Fang Tianyi, and he smiled suddenly, showing two rows of snow-white teeth.
"I said just now that if he could survive one exchange with me, I would let you leave unharmed. Too bad he was too useless."
Zhou Donghuang's tone was calm, and he spoke unhurriedly.
"Zhou Donghuang!"
Fang Tianyi was scared witless and took a step back instinctively.
"If you dare touch me, the Fang Family will definitely not let you off!"
"Zhou Donghuang, if you let us go now, I guarantee the Lu Family will not make trouble for you," Lu Yuan said solemnly.
Of course, this was just an expedient measure to Lu Yuan. When he returned home, he would get his father to send the most able men with him to Qingshan Town, kill Zhou Donghuang, and seize Yunxuan Restaurant!
"You may leave if you wish but leave a leg behind like him."
Zhou Donghuang turned to glance at Ma Jin, who was still lying unconscious and said indifferently, "Everyone has to pay the price for their actions. You should have prepared yourselves from the moment you thought of seizing my Yunxuan Restaurant. I don't have time to waste with you here. After ten breaths, if you don't do something, I'll send you to keep Lu Gang company!"
A murderous look flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes, and his tone was cold and resolute.
Fang Tianyi and Lu Yuan's expressions changed completely.
"Zhou Donghuang, if only you let us leave, I will not only guarantee the Fang Family will not make trouble for you but also, I will beg my father to guarantee your life in front of the Ma Family."
Fang Tianyi was scared out of his wits and hastily began making guarantees to ensure his safety, not doubting at all that Zhou Donghuang dared to harm him.
After all, Ma Jin had been maimed by Zhou Donghuang.
"Zhou Donghuang, do you really want to offend our three elite lesser families at once?" Lu Yuan asked icily, staring coldly at Zhou Donghuang.
Between them, Lu Yuan and Fang Tianyi were playing the good cop and bad cop, hoping that Zhou Donghuang would stay his hand.
Right then, they regretted not establishing all the details about Zhou Donghuang before coming to Qingshan Town to seize Yunxuan Restaurant.
"You still have five breaths' time."
Zhou Donghuang spoke with the same indifferent tone.
From Zhou Donghuang's demeanor, both Lu Yuan and Fang Tianyi could see that Zhou Donghuang would not be placated, and their expressions grew uglier and uglier.
"Zhou Donghuang, you watch out!"
Lu Yuan stared furiously at Zhou Donghuang, and with a chilling roar, sprinted to Lu Gang's corpse and took the sword from his hand.
Taking a deep breath, his body trembling, Lu Yuan shut his eyes tightly and swung the sword downwards.
"Ahhhh——"
Lu Yuan let out a shrill, piteous scream and fainted.
"You still have three breaths' time."
Zhou Donghuang stared intently at Fang Tianyi.
Immediately, Fang Tianyi moved beside the unconscious Lu Yuan, his face pale, and raised the sword with trembling hands, and only when Zhou Donghuang said there was one breath remaining did he swing the sword down, following in Lu Yuan's footsteps.
"Fu, help them staunch the flow of blood then find a carriage and send them back to the prefecture capital."
From start to end, Zhou Donghuang's expression did not change much, and after instructing Fu, he departed under the shocked and reverent gaze of the crowd.
"Young Master Donghuang is leaving himself no path of retreat by doing this, and also his relatives, and those around him as well!" many people sighed, with bitter smiles.
"But wasn't Young Master Donghuang too ruthless?"
"I, however, feel that Young Master Donghuang cannot be considered ruthless, if he was really ruthless, he would have killed them all, and possibly even kill all of us, cover up the evidence, and not let anyone from the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital know about this."
"Young Master Donghuang really cannot be considered ruthless. If today, Young Master Donghuang's ability could not match theirs, what kind of fate would he have had? Frankly speaking, they aren't saints, they came to seize Yunxuan Restaurants; they are robbers!"
No matter what was said, on the last day of the year 1227 in the Ziyun Era, the actions of Zhou Donghuang made him famous once more in Qingshan Town.
At the same time, the vast majority of people felt that Zhou Donghuang was as good as dead. And Zhou Donghuang's relatives and those close to him were also as good as dead.
The news reached the ears of the three elite lesser families of Qingshan Town very quickly.
…
In the Wang Family mansion.
"That Zhou Donghuang maimed the scions of the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital?"
Hearing the news, the patriarch of the Wang Family Red Crane Wang laughed heartily.
"He's dead for sure! He's dead for sure!"
"Father, your son is useless and unable to avenge you, but now, there will be someone to avenge you!"
…
In the Zhong Family mansion.
"This time, that Zhou Donghuang is dead for sure!" one of the three people sitting around a stone table, laughed coldly. It was Second Young Master, Zhong Yi of the Zhong Family.
The third young mistress of the Zhong Family Zhong Xiu also had a cold smile on her face.
"He dares provoke even the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital? That Zhou Donghuang is trying to get himself killed!"
"Disaster is looming over Zhou Donghuang. The grand patriarch of the Qin Family should go back on his word and cancel that banquet to celebrate his adoption of Qin Xiaoyu Qin Fei. At least he will be relieved that he doesn't have to call an eleven-year-old girl, 'Aunty.'" First Young Master Zhong Gang of the Zhong Family laughed mockingly.
…
In the Qin Family mansion.
"Grandfather, that Zhou Donghuang has offended the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital; he must surely be dead! Since he is going to die, you no longer need to adopt Xiaoyu as your daughter," Qin Fei told Qin Yi in his private compound.
"Father, if you still adopt Xiaoyu as your daughter I'm afraid the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital will find you guilty by association and bring their wrath down on the rest of the Qin Family," Qin Long, the patriarch of the Qin Family, warned Qin Yi as well.
"In this life, I, Qin Yi, will not do anything in bad faith." Evidently, Qin Yi was resolute on this. "Since I have already decided to take Xiaoyu as my adopted daughter, I will do it! No matter if Zhou Donghuang is still alive or even if he is dead, this decision will not change!"
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
The first day of the first month of the year 1228 in the Ziyun Era.
As the saying went: "A new year, a new beginning." On the first day of the year, many ordinary families in Qingshan Town were willing to splurge on a meal at the expensive Yunxuan Restaurant.
This year, however, they realized upon arriving at the main entrance to Yunxuan Restaurant that it was not open for business.
There was a notice on the tightly shut door:
Yunxuan Restaurant will be closed temporarily. There will be a special promotion on the first day of reopening—all food and drinks at half price.
—Zhou Donghuang
"Yunxuan Restaurant is closed?"
"I suppose it's because of what happened yesterday."
"I heard the chefs, waiters, and servant girls of Yunxuan Restaurant have all fled… except for Fu. I thought it was just a rumor, I didn't expect it to be true."
"When Yunxuan Restaurant next opens for business… I fear the boss might no longer be Zhou Donghuang."
…
After some debate about the matter, the group of people gathered outside Yunxuan Restaurant gradually dispersed, making their way to other smaller restaurants.
Zhou Donghuang had maimed the young masters of the three elite lesser families from the prefecture capital the previous day. The staff of Yunxuan Restaurant, fearful of retaliation due to their association with Zhou Donghuang, had fled as a result.
In the end, big as Yunxuan Restaurant was, only Chief Steward Fu remained. Therefore, Zhou Donghuang allowed Fu to close Yunxuan Restaurant as staying open would be pointless.
All the staff had fled, and without manpower, doing business was impossible.
Of course, not only had the staff of Yunxuan Restaurant left, the servant girls and guards from the Magnolia Guild had also left.
Just like the staff of Yunxuan Restaurant.
Faced with the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital, they also had no confidence in Zhou Donghuang and were fearful of being dragged down with him and dying at the hands of the three elite lesser families.
Suddenly, the whole compound behind Yunxuan Restaurant had become eerily quiet.
When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.
Sitting at a stone table in the front courtyard and drumming his fingers on the table, Zhou Donghuang shook his head with a rueful smile. He was not displeased because he could empathize with these people.
Now, all in all, there remained only Granny Lian and Fu other than him and his mother.
"Fu, you have manifested your qi, haven't you?" Zhou Donghuang asked, smiling at Fu who was standing to the side respectfully.
He was surprised that Fu had stayed. After all, faced with the possibility of death, no one else had been willing to face it together with him when their own lives and those of their families were at stake.
"Boss, Fu has not been blessed with talent and is able to manifest only two or three hundred jin of strength," Fu replied, scratching his head with an embarrassed smile.
"Who else is in your family?" Zhou Donghuang asked again.
"I am an orphan."
The smile on Fu's face faded, and he lowered his eyes, a look of dejection flashing across his face.
"In the future, my mother and I, and Granny Lian as well, consider you our relative," Zhou Donghuang said with a gleam in his eye. "And you don't need to call me boss, just call me 'Young Master.' Also, during these two days, expend all the qi in your body. I will pass on to you a new technique and give you some qi-gathering elixir… if all goes well, you will be able to attain level-one of Qi-gathering within half a year, regardless of how little talent you have."
That Fu had stayed proved that he was willing to gamble his life on Zhou Donghuang, and Zhou Donghuang would not shortchange such a person.
He also intended to pass on a technique to Granny Lian and provide her with some qi-gathering elixir.
Difficult times bring out true character. What had happened so far had caused him to no longer view Granny Lian and Fu as outsiders.
"Young Master, don't trouble yourself." Fu shook his head with a bitter smile.
In his view, there were only several days left to live, and there was no need for such trouble.
"Why not? You think I cannot deal with those three lesser families?" Zhou Donghuang easily guessed what was on Fu's mind and was unable to stifle a laugh. "Fu, you stayed… just to wait for death with me?"
"Young Master, those three lesser families are all elite lesser families… they have more than ten level-three adepts of Qi-gathering in total."
Previously, when Zhou Donghuang had maimed the level-two adept of Qi-gathering from the Li family of the prefecture capital, Fu had feared for Zhou Donghuang and dreaded that people from the Li family would come seeking revenge.
Now that Zhou Donghuang had maimed the young masters of the three elite lesser families, he did not believe that Zhou Donghuang could survive their wrath.
He advised Zhou Donghuang to leave, but his advice had fallen on deaf ears. Therefore, he could only wait for death with Zhou Donghuang.
He had already given his life to Zhou Donghuang the day before when Zhou Donghuang had stood up to defend him.
"You…"
Before Zhou Donghuang could speak, Granny Lian burst into the front courtyard and reported respectfully to Zhou Donghuang, "Young Master, there is someone outside looking for you. He says he is called 'Freezing Wind.'"
Freezing Wind?
An image of a young man with a stern face, dressed all in black surfaced in Zhou Donghuang's mind. It was the second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion, Freezing Wind.
"Young Master, he rides a ferghana horse; I don't think he is an ordinary person," Granny Lian warned.
"Fu, go and show him in."
As Zhou Donghuang instructed Fu to show Freezing Wind in, he replied to Granny Lian, "Granny Lian, he is the one who escorted me on my journey to Ningping Town, the second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion."
"That's him?!" Granny Lian was shocked.
She could never have imagined that the decent-looking young man she saw was in fact a bandit who could kill a man without blinking.
Shortly, Freezing Wind was led into the front courtyard by Fu.
"I acknowledge Young Master Donghuang."
Freezing Wind bowed respectfully to Zhou Donghuang upon entering.
"What brings you to look for me?" Zhou Donghuang asked.
"I originally planned to visit Yunxuan Restaurant for a meal and pay my respects to Young Master Donghuang… but when I got here, I saw that Yunxuan Restaurant was closed," Freezing Wind replied. "I heard what happened yesterday when I was outside just now. Young Master Donghuang, I came to ask you… are you still accepting people here?"
Swiftly and succinctly, Freezing Wind presented his motive for seeking out Zhou Donghuang.
"If you will accept me, I want to leave Green Wolf Bastion to follow you and work for you."
"Work for me?"
Zhou Donghuang was momentarily dumbstruck and gave Freezing Wind a searching look.
"You are the second-in-command of Green Wolf Bastion, and you have men under your command. Why would you need to renounce that identity and follow me? Moreover, you are now aware of my current circumstances… aren't you worried that when the three elite lesser families send people to kill me, they will kill you too because of your association with me?" Zhou Donghuang asked with a laugh.
"Young Master Donghuang, actually from the first time I saw you in action, I have wanted to follow you and work for you… however, it would not have been appropriate at the time if I had said I wanted to follow you and work for you," Freezing Wind said. "Today, knowing that Young Master Donghuang is facing difficult times, I know my opportunity has arrived.
"Although the three elite lesser families are powerful and Young Master Donghuang will struggle against them… I still want to follow you, and even if I die in the conflict with the three elite lesser families, I will have no regrets.
Freezing Wind spoke very earnestly, looking at Zhou Donghuang resolutely in the eye and without any fear.
A person had many opportunities to make choices in their lives. Some choices, if made correctly, could lead to a bright future.
A wrong choice could very well turn out to be catastrophic.
"If you are willing to leave Green Wolf Bastion and to follow me instead and work for me, isn't that the same as betraying Green Wolf Bastion? I have no interest in traitors," Zhou Donghuang said plainly. "Today, you may betray Green Wolf Bastion, and tomorrow, you could likewise betray me."
"Young Master Donghuang has misunderstood," Freezing wind replied with a sigh. "Actually, I never wanted to be a bandit. I stayed with Green Wolf Bastion only to repay the grace shown by the commander of Green Wolf Bastion when he saved my life that year. Now, whatever grace there was to be repaid has been repaid. I have the chance to leave Green Wolf Bastion, and I don't want to stay there."
Freezing Wind and Zhou Donghuang were looking each other in the eyes unblinkingly as he said this.
The eyes were the windows to the soul, and with the thousand years' worth of experience that Zhou Donghuang had, he could naturally tell that Freezing Wind spoke truthfully.
"If I guess correctly… there is another reason that you are choosing to follow me, which is that you want to gamble everything, am I right?" Zhou Donghuang asked meaningfully, with a suddenly profound look.
The profound look Zhou Donghuang gave Freezing Wind made him feel completely exposed, and he nodded without hesitation.
"I admit this is true," he acknowledged. "If Young Master Donghuang is unable to withstand the trials from the three elite lesser families, I, Freezing Wind, will die together with you. If Young Master Donghuang successfully withstands it… I am certain that you can give me a better future!"
Freezing Wind spoke plainly and with no deceit.
"That makes sense," Zhou Donghuang smiled lightly. "If that is the case, go and get your belongings and put your affairs in order; then come and find me."
Zhou Donghuang agreed to Freezing Wind's proposal and granted his wish to work for him.
"Many thanks to Young Master." Freezing Wind's eyes lit up, and he bowed hastily in thanks. "Tomorrow, I will come looking for you, Young Master."
Right then, Freezing Wind began to address Zhou Donghuang as 'Young Master' instead of 'Young Master Donghuang.'
After Freezing Wind left, Granny Lian looked at Zhou Donghuang worriedly.
"Young Master, there is nothing good among bandits… isn't it rather unseemly to allow him to follow you?"
It would have been inappropriate for Granny Lian to rebut Zhou Donghuang when Freezing Wind had been present earlier.
Now that Freezing Wind had left, she could not but help remind Zhou Donghuang.
"Granny Lian, you can rest assured, I am a good judge of character." Zhou Donghuang shook his head with a smile. "Moreover, under the present circumstances, do you think an ordinary person would dare follow me?"
Freezing Wind was honest, straightforward, and of good character, and he suited Zhou Donghuang just fine.
Moreover, he was now in need of people.
Having an adept of Qi-gathering with a reasonable ability working for him would give him more peace of mind when he would be away on long journeys in the future.
Compared to his mother, Lin Lan, Freezing Wind was more resilient.
This was because Freezing Wind was younger and more talented than her.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter
The second day of the first month in the year 1228 of the Ziyun Era.
Granny Lian presented a letter from the Qin family to Zhou Donghuang early that morning.
"Young Master, someone from the Qin family delivered this letter… he said that it was written personally by Grand Patriarch Qin Yi of the Qin family."
"The banquet was canceled?"
The letter stated that although the banquet organized by the Qin family that was to take place in several days had been canceled. Qin Yi guaranteed Zhou Donghuang that the Qin family would never mistreat Qin Xiaoyu, but he would not be taking her as his adopted daughter.
Besides that, Qin Yi also wrote that he had burnt the paper that recorded the lesser-grade palm technique and that he would no longer practice it, nor would he pass it on to anyone in the Qin family.
"It seems that Qin Yi is also afraid of the three lesser families of the prefecture capital."
Zhou Donghuang put the letter down with a resigned smile.
"Young Master," Granny Lian spoke up, "The news I received yesterday says otherwise… the grand patriarch of the Qin family never intended to cancel the banquet to celebrate his adoption of Qin Xiaoyu. However, the elders of the Qin family were adamant, and the patriarch of the Qin family Qin Long and First Master Qin Fei kept adding oil to the fire… finally, the grand patriarch of the Qin family had no choice but to relent," Granny Lian said with a sigh.
"That's why I said that this does not seem like something Qin Yi would do… that explains it," Zhou Donghuang said with sudden realization.
When he read the contents of the letter earlier, he thought that he had been mistaken in his judgment of Qin Yi.
As it turned out, there were other circumstances behind this. However, this response from the Qin family was not unexpected.
The banquet thrown by the Qin family and Qin Yi's adoption of Qin Xiaoyu as his daughter were seen by the people of Qingshan Town as attempts by the Qin family to pander to Zhou Donghuang.
Most people in the Qin family probably felt that way too.
Only Zhou Donghuang knew that Qin Yi was not trying to pander to him but had done this to return the moral obligation from Zhou Donghuang's gift of the lesser-grade palm technique.
Even then, so what?
The people of the three elite lesser families of the prefecture capital would only acknowledge what the people of Qingshan Town told them, and if they discovered the close connection between the Qin family and Zhou Donghuang, they would definitely not spare the Qin family.
The Qin family canceled the banquet to draw a line between themselves and Zhou Donghuang and thus protect themselves.
"The three elite lesser families?" Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows as a cold smile spread over his face. "In order for Yunxuan Restaurant to be open for business as soon as possible… it seems that I had better visit the prefecture capital personally."
Regarding the matter of the three elite lesser families, each day it remained unresolved was one more day that no one dared to work for him.
Because of this, Yunxuan Restaurant could not open for business.
Just when Zhou Donghuang decided to visit the prefecture capital, Freezing Wind arrived.
"Young Master, I have settled matters at Green Wolf Bastion… from now on I will follow you."
"Hm."
Zhou Donghuang nodded in acknowledgment, returned Freezing Wind's greeting, then led him to a quiet room.
"Young Master, what are your instructions?"
Seeing Zhou Donghuang lead him to a quiet room, Freezing Wind thought that Zhou Donghuang had some duties to assign him.
"I have a way that will enable you to attain level-two of Qi-gathering within three days," Zhou Donghuang said directly. "And also, you will be able to utilize the full potential of your muscles, which will allow you to exert your maximum muscular strength."
"Attain level-two of Qi-gathering within three days?"
Freezing Wind sucked in a breath of air, looking at Zhou Donghuang with shining eyes. Although he did not understand the concept of maximum muscular strength, he did not think much of it.
Although Freezing Wind was confident of attaining level-two of Qi-gathering, it would have taken him at least two months. How could he not be excited when Zhou Donghuang said that he could accomplish it within three days?
"The strength of a normal young person is somewhere between one and two hundred or more jin… and the maximum muscular strength of a normal young person is about 1500 jin," Zhou Donghuang continued.
Hearing these words, Freezing Wind began to take the maximum muscular strength mentioned by Zhou Donghuang seriously, and his breathing sped up. "Young Master, you mean… within three days, other than attaining level-two of Qi-gathering, this will also give me over a thousand additional jin of muscular strength?
If an ordinary person had told him the same thing, there was no way he would have believed it. But since Zhou Donghuang had said it, he did not suspect that it was false. Nevertheless, he still felt that it was unbelievable.
"Not only that," Zhou Donghuang continued, "in the process of enabling you to exert your maximum muscular strength, the qi in your body can be stored temporarily in your expanding muscles… at that time, I will pass on an even better technique, and you can switch to practicing that one. Within three days, not only will you be able to return the qi to your meridians, but you will also be able to break through smoothly and attain level-two of Qi-gathering."
Freezing Wind's eyes grew brighter and brighter as Zhou Donghuang spoke, and he bowed promptly.
"I thank Young Master for his indulgence!"
Although he still found it hard to believe, Freezing Wind was prepared to give it a try in case it really worked.
Attaining level-two of Qi-gathering within three days, and to control over a thousand jin of strength, and being able to switch to practicing an even better technique—this was a golden opportunity for him!
If I become that powerful… even those three elite lesser families will not dare provoke me carelessly.
Freezing Wind's eyes shone, and he began to tremble with barely controlled excitement as he looked at Zhou Donghuang expectantly.
"Don't rush to thank me yet."
Seeing how excited Freezing Wind was, Zhou Donghuang narrowed his eyes at him. "You probably have heard the saying… the greater the reward, the greater the risk. Just like how if you robbed someone from the Governor's Household when you were a bandit, you would definitely be richly rewarded… but doing so carries great risk as well, and even a small mistake could cause the entire Green Wolf Bastion to be wiped out by the Governor's Household," Zhou Donghuang reminded Freezing Wind.
Freezing Wind sobered up suddenly, as though he had a bucket of cold water thrown over him.
"Young Master, what danger is there?"
"If you want to do what I have just said, you must endure excruciating pain for an entire half a day… every muscle in your body will feel as though it is being gnawed by ants and beetles."
Zhou Donghuang gazed deeply at Freezing Wind as he spoke, "Only one out of a hundred people can endure that kind of extreme pain and live. And of those who survive, it is the will and desire of every single one that makes them so tenacious."
Zhou Donghuang stopped and hesitated. After a pause, he continued, "Now, you have to decide if you are willing to endure this pain, and challenge death."
"If you fail, you will die," Zhou Donghuang reminded Freezing Wind.
Excruciating pain?
Every muscle feeling as though it is being gnawed by ants and worms?
"Freezing Wind felt his scalp tingle as he listened to Zhou Donghuang, and he muttered to himself distractedly, "Only one in a hundred can survive…"
Zhou Donghuang stood aside quietly, waiting silently for Freezing Wind to make his decision.
He allowed Freezing Wind to make this choice because he hoped that when he left Qingshan Town for the prefecture capital, he could spare himself some worrying about his family at home.
This was the only way that Freezing Wind could become powerful enough to protect his mother, Granny Lian, and Fu.
Although he told Freezing Wind that only one in a hundred people would be able to endure it and survive, he did not reveal that while he was around, Freezing Wind would not die even if he could not bear the pain.
At most, he would fail.
He did not tell Freezing Wind this because he wanted to find out if Freezing Wind had sufficient courage. In addition, if he had revealed that there was a way out, Freezing Wind would certainly not only be willing to try it but might not show his full potential. Therefore, by not mentioning these points, he intended to force Freezing Wind to make a tough decision.
After approximately five breaths, Freezing Wind looked at Zhou Donghuang with flashing eyes.
"Young Master, prosperity is plucked from the jaws of danger… I'm willing to try it!"
Although the cost was grievous, the gains were generous, and Freezing Wind decided to try it.
Most importantly, he had confidence in himself!
Seeing how Freezing Wind had agreed decisively after a moment's consideration, Zhou Donghuang began to smile.
Freezing Wind had not disappointed him.
"Wait here for a while; I'll go and prepare some tools."
Zhou Donghuang exchanged greetings with Freezing Wind and left to find Granny Lian to get the silver needles she prepared for him the previous day.
There were eighteen silver needles in all, and their tips shone with a fearsome light as they lay in an exquisite sandalwood box.
When he returned to the quiet room, Zhou Donghuang began to apply the needles to Freezing Wind according to the needle technique he had unexpectedly obtained on Earth, called the "Divine Marrow Cleansing of I Ching."
As he began applying the needles, Freezing Wind merely trembled a little and broke out in a cold sweat.
After about fifteen minutes, Freezing Wind's face was twisted into a savage mask, and blood flowed from his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth. His features, smeared with blood, looked exceptionally savage.
After about half an hour, blood was oozing out from all of Freezing Wind's pores, but the color of the blood was not the pure crimson of fresh blood, but mixed with black.
This Freezing Wind really is tenacious.
Seeing Freezing Wind covered in blood after half an hour, gritting his teeth and refusing to cry out, Zhou Donghuang could not help but be moved despite all that he had seen in his previous life.
Even in his previous life, it was rare to come across someone so tenacious.
It seems that I have struck gold this time.
As Zhou Donghuang's eyes lit up, he thought to himself, I planned to pass on to him only a passable technique… but now it seems I can consider passing on the Way of the Thousand-Star Sword to him.
The Way of the Thousand-Star Sword was one of the most potent techniques that Zhou Donghuang possessed, and it was one of the top techniques in the universe, originating from the peerless School of the Thousand-Star Sword.
Of course, Zhou Donghuang considered giving the Way of the Thousand-Star Sword to Freezing Wind also because he felt that Freezing Wind was a good person.
However, he only intended to give him the portion of the Way of the Thousand-Star Sword that was of the Qi-gathering stage.
As for the rest, he would decide later whether to pass it on to Freezing Wind or not.
It would all depend on whether he was satisfied with Freezing Wind's performance.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report chapter