72: Chapter 72 You? You're not qualified...

Night fell, and the cold wind in the Servant District cut through the air like a knife.

Inside a remote woodshed of the Ninth Squad, there were no lights, and it was pitch black.

But if one looked closely, one could discover a faint mass of True Qi violently fluctuating in the darkness.

Zhao Linger sat cross-legged on the cold straw. Her coarse cloth garments were thoroughly soaked in sweat, clinging tightly to her slender frame.

"Father..."

"I must have my revenge... I must become stronger!"

Hatred, like a raging fire, burned wildly within her internal organs.

At this moment, her only focus was to achieve a Breakthrough in her cultivation; she was determined to succeed or die trying.

Finally, at dawn...

"Crack!"

The sound of some kind of shackle being broken echoed within her body.

A surge of blood energy, several times more powerful than before, burst from Zhao Linger's slender body, sending the surrounding straw flying into the air.

As naturally as water flowing into a channel, she achieved a Breakthrough to Mortal Stage 7.

Zhao Linger slowly opened her eyes. Looking down at her grime-covered yet powerful hands, she clenched her fists tightly.

"Father, I did it... I will definitely become a guard and get revenge for you in the future!"

...

In the early morning, the first ray of sunlight sprinkled onto the main courtyard of the Ninth Squad.

Qin Feng was shirtless, practicing a fierce set of fist techniques in the courtyard. Every punch he threw was accompanied by a heart-stopping sonic boom.

The terrifying recovery ability of the Chaos Art kept the True Qi within his body at its Peak state at all times.

"My lord."

Just then, a voice filled with excitement and pride drifted in from the courtyard entrance.

Zhao Linger hadn't even had time to change her clothes; with messy hair and covered in sweat and grime, she ran in.

She stood before Qin Feng. Gone was the humbleness of yesterday; she straightened her back, and a confident light flickered in her eyes.

"Captain Qin, I did it!"

Zhao Linger excitedly released the blood energy pressure of Mortal Stage 7 from within her body and said happily:

"I only used one night to achieve a Breakthrough to Mortal Stage 7. Now, I have the qualifications to become a guard! Please agree, Captain, and let me join the combat unit!"

In her view, achieving a Breakthrough in one night with such talent and perseverance was definitely enough to make anyone look at her with new respect.

However, Qin Feng only slowly stopped his movements, picked up a towel resting on the stone table nearby, and casually wiped the sweat from his body.

He turned his head, his deep gaze like a basin of ice water poured directly onto Zhao Linger's fiery heart.

"In my eyes, there is no difference between Mortal Rank 6 and Mortal Stage 7."

As he spoke, Qin Feng casually tossed the towel onto the table, walked step by step to Zhao Linger, and looked down at her from above, coldly saying:

"They are both ants that can be crushed at will, so this is not enough to make me look at you with new respect."

"You..."

Zhao Linger was struck as if by lightning, her whole body trembling violently.

The Breakthrough she had risked her life for and endured agonizing pain like a thousand cuts to achieve was, in this man's eyes, completely worthless?!

Grievance and anger welled up in her heart; Zhao Linger's eyes turned red, and she gritted her teeth, wanting to argue something.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Just at this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps interrupted the oppression in the courtyard.

Chen Pingan came running in, drenched in sweat, holding a red invitation with gold stamping in his hand.

"Captain, something happened!"

Chen Pingan rushed directly to Qin Feng, handed over the invitation with both hands, his expression extremely grave.

"The Fifth Squad just sent someone to deliver this. That woman, Captain Zhang Yan, is inviting you to go over tonight, saying she has prepared good wine and food to welcome you."

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Chen Pingan's eyes were full of worry as he said urgently:

"Captain, we just crippled Vice Captain Zhang Hu yesterday, and today Captain Zhang Yan is hosting a banquet. It is clearly a weasel paying respects to a chicken—she has no good intentions!"

"I think this is ill-intentioned; we absolutely cannot go. Or, I will immediately gather all our brothers from the Ninth Squad, bring our gear, and fight them!"

Watching Chen Pingan's appearance of facing a formidable enemy, Qin Feng just casually took the invitation, not even having the interest to open it and take a look.

His distinct knuckles gently rubbed the edge of the invitation, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled into an arrogant cold smile.

"What are you nervous about?"

Qin Feng tossed the invitation onto the stone table and spoke calmly, nodding:

"Go, why not go? Someone is treating us to a meal, and someone is treating us to sweat. This free bargain, it would be a waste not to go..."

"But Captain..."

Chen Pingan still wanted to persuade him, but was interrupted by Qin Feng raising his hand.

"You just need to come with me; the others, stay at home and watch the gate."

The slightly majestic tone was unquestionable, revealing an absolute dominance that stepped on everything beneath his feet.

After saying this, Qin Feng turned directly and went back to his room to change clothes. From beginning to end, he did not take another look at the cute and pretty Zhao Linger, who was standing to the side, trembling with anger.

It was as if she were truly just a puff of insignificant air.

Zhao Linger stared fixedly at the retreating back. Tears finally couldn't help but fall, but her eyes became even more fierce.

"You think I'm weak, right? Fine, I will never give up!"

...

At dusk.

Intermediate Laborer District, Chunfeng Restaurant.

This was one of the few high-end restaurants in the 666th Menial District.

Today, the entire Chunfeng Restaurant had been completely booked by the Fifth Squad.

Inside and outside the restaurant, there were guards stationed every three steps and sentries every five steps, all Fifth Squad guards wearing dark gray uniforms and carrying sharp blades at their waists. The air was permeated with a murderous sense of oppression.

Qin Feng was wearing a spotless black robe, walking with unhurried steps, as if strolling in a leisurely garden along the street.

Chen Pingan, lagging half a step behind, kept his hand on the hilt of the blade at his waist. His forehead was covered in fine, cold sweat as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings. The two of them walked all the way to the front gate of Chunfeng Restaurant.

Just as they reached the door, a harsh, fake laugh came over.

"Oh! Captain Qin, you have finally arrived. My Captain Zhang Yan has been waiting for a long time."

Vice Captain Zhang Hu was seen wearing a brand-new brocade robe, his face wrapped in thick white gauze, revealing only a pair of rat-like eyes flickering with resentment and sinister intent. He stood on the steps, hunched over, putting on a hypocritical, fawning appearance.

"As the saying goes, we only get to know each other through fighting. Yesterday was a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple. Today, our two squads will sit down and have a drink, and past grudges can be considered settled!"

While Vice Captain Zhang Hu spoke with false sincerity, he quickly walked down the steps, very enthusiastically reaching out his rough, large hand, making a gesture to shake Qin Feng's hand,

"Come, come, Captain Qin, please come inside!"

Facing the hand extended by the other party, Qin Feng acted as if he didn't see it, his hands remaining casually behind his back, not even intending to reach out.

His gaze calmly swept over the face with the fawning smile, his thin lips parted slightly, and he spat out a sentence:

"Our statuses are different; you are not qualified to pay me such respects."

Once these words were spoken, Vice Captain Zhang Hu's hand, extended in mid-air, instantly froze!

The fawning disguise in his pair of rat-like eyes was instantly torn apart, and extreme resentment and anger flashed across them.

Being looked down upon in front of so many subordinates, such humiliation made him even more furious than being slapped yesterday.

"You..." Vice Captain Zhang Hu gritted his teeth, his Stage 9 blood energy surging uncontrollably.

However, Qin Feng completely ignored his anger, stepped onto the stairs, and walked into the Chunfeng Restaurant as if there were no one else around.

"Hehe..."

Just when Vice Captain Zhang Hu was so embarrassed that he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, Chen Pingan, who was following behind, suddenly grinned.

He stepped forward and grabbed Vice Captain Zhang Hu's hand that was frozen in mid-air.

"Vice Captain Zhang Hu, I've heard so much about you..."

After perfunctorily shaking it a couple of times, Chen Pingan immediately let go and then quickly followed the figure in front...