11: The power of the secret Toad Kung Fu
At noon, the children exchanged hundreds of toads for a lot of malt candy from Chu Qing.
The children were happy.
Chu Qing was also happy.
【You have eaten one thousand toads, completing the first condition】
Chu Qing smiled.
Now, he still needed a few hundred more frog jumps.
This was simple, time to get to it.
Afternoon:
Shi Tiezhu heard that a young man in hemp clothes and bare feet, under too much pressure, had a mental breakdown and was hopping around like a toad.
Shi Tiezhu took a moment to look, and from a distance, seeing it was Chu Qing, he immediately turned and left.
“Poor Chu Qing, perhaps I struck him a blow.”
“I hope he recovers soon!”
In the attic, Zhao Wuji looked at Chu Qing and nodded to himself.
“No money for meat, so he eats toads to replenish his Flesh…”
“Mantis Fist leg work is also very important; using this method to train his legs is quite unique.”
“Too bad… no matter how hard he tries, he won't be able to enter the Martial Academy.”
980… 990… 1000
Chu Qing ignored the strange looks from outsiders and frantically frog-jumped.
【You have met the second condition.】
【Toad Skill has leveled up.】
【Cultivation Technique: Toad Skill Proficient — One hundred daily practices, one Secret medicine every ten days, mastery in one thousand days, (Secret Inheritance)】
【Promotion Conditions: 1: One hundred thousand frog jumps, 2: One portion of Toad Secret medicine】
Toad Skill leveled up.
However, the promotion conditions made Chu Qing frown.
One hundred thousand frog jumps — this was easy to handle.
At worst, he would just act like a mentally broken young man for a few more days.
But… Toad Secret medicine? He didn't know where to get it.
“No rush for this, I'll take my time with it later.”
Chu Qing found a corner and Cultivated Toad Skill.
Croak!
Croak!
His Five Viscera and Six Bowels vibrated, and his muscles and tendons and bones vibrated.
He coughed up black phlegm and went to the latrine.
Repeating this, Chu Qing felt his body becoming lighter and more agile; his spirit and energy grew more vigorous.
After Cultivating for a while, he had an idea and switched to Cultivating the Perfection Mantis Fist.
One round… 【Iron Tendons + 0.2】
Hm?
Chu Qing was stunned.
Previously, the Perfection Mantis Fist only gave +0.1%, but now it was 0.2%.
The progress doubled.
“Could this be the effect of Toad Skill?”
He continued to practice.
One round… ten rounds… his spirit and energy dwindled, and fatigue swept over him.
Iron Tendons + 0.15%
Iron Tendons + 0.1%
Chu Qing had an idea and Cultivated Toad Skill again.
His diminished spirit and energy became vigorous once more.
He focused on Cultivating Mantis Fist.
His spirit and energy were consumed, Iron Tendons + 0.2%.
“Good Cultivation Technique.”
“Secret Inheritance Toad Skill actually has such a miraculous effect.”
“Is this the power of Secret Inheritance?”
Chu Qing rejoiced: “A proficient-level Secret Inheritance has this effect, so will a Perfection Secret Inheritance have an even stronger effect?”
“Toad Skill + Secret medicine + Perfection Mantis Fist, will the effect be even stronger?”
“Let's get a Secret medicine and try it first.”
Ten-odd minutes later:
In a corner of the training ground, Chu Qing first practiced Toad Skill to boost his spirit and energy, then swallowed a Secret medicine, and finally performed the Perfection Mantis Fist:
【Iron Tendons + 25%】
【Iron Tendons + 25%】
One portion of Secret medicine allowed him to develop a full 7 Iron Tendons.
“These fifty gold coins were really worth it.”
At this point, he had 29 Iron Tendons, only one portion of Secret medicine away from the 36 Iron Tendons for Perfection.
“In a couple of days, I'll borrow some more gold coins from Jin Pangzi.”
time flies:
Three or four days passed in a flash.
Chu Qing happily went to see Jin Pangzi; as he entered the courtyard, he saw a Big Boss coming out with a worried expression.
“Hall Master Jin.”
Jin Pangzi… you used to call me Godmother, now you call me Hall Master Jin?
After getting close to my wife, you treat me with such contempt?
Jin Pangzi said unhappily: “Something wrong?”
Chu Qing cupped his fists and said: “I want to buy a Phoenix hairpin and Phoenix tail tassel earrings for Godmother.”
Jin Pangzi seemed to understand.
He remembered that his wife had wanted them a few days ago, but he had been too busy with gang affairs to buy them.
“Then let Chu Qing buy them for me.”
Jin Pangzi readily approved a loan of seventy gold coins.
As Chu Qing tucked the silver into his pocket and left, he was met by a burly man with a scarred face.
Big Boss Liu Jun.
He was bruised and swollen, with a grim expression.
Seeing Chu Qing, he said fiercely: “Little brat, wait for me here.”
Chu Qing cupped his fists and smiled: “Big Boss, what is the matter?”
Liu Jun sneered: “You'll explain to this old man about He Xiaogou and Liu Hai later.”
After speaking, he hurried into the main courtyard.
Chu Qing's smile faded.
He Xiaogou? Liu Hai?
My killing has been exposed?
No, if it had been exposed, it would be the Enforcement Hall coming, not Liu Jun.
Liu Jun had no evidence.
But… he suspected me.
Chu Qing sighed inwardly: “I just want to be a good person.”
“Why are you forcing me?”
He didn't wait for Liu Jun, but went straight to the Martial Academy.
Gold Coin Hall headquarters:
“Hall Master Jin, I'd like to borrow a thousand silver taels.” The burly Liu Jun said, his eyes lowered submissively.
Jin Pangzi sipped his tea and said lazily: “How much gold coins does the gang even have? You all borrow every day?”
“No borrowing!”
Thump!
Liu Jun knelt down and pleaded: “Hall Master, the Seventh Young Master of He Family Wubao is demanding tribute from me.”
“Three thousand silver taels… I've borrowed from everywhere and only managed to gather two thousand.”
“Now I'm only short a thousand.”
“Please, Hall Master, save me.”
“Otherwise, if I can't gather the silver, the Seventh Young Master of He Family Wubao will surely flay me and pull out my tendons and bones.”
Jin Pangzi sighed inwardly.
More and more Wubao Disciples were coming; these rural Noble families acted arrogantly; they didn't dare to demand gold coins from the gang leader, but they set their sights on the gang's Big Bosss.
A single Big Boss had to offer three thousand silver taels in tribute.
These days, everyone was borrowing gold coins.
“Damn it, mixing with the gang, to this extent.”
“Disgraceful!”
“Fortunately, they still care about their reputation a little and didn't demand from the Hall Master level; otherwise… I would also have to bleed a lot.”
Jin Pangzi said irritably: “What did you say outside just now?”
Liu Jun was stunned for a moment, then recounted his threat to Chu Qing.
Jin Pangzi snorted coldly: “Chu Qing is my wife's godson.”
“How could he kill those two Mud Leg?”
“And even if he did, what would you do about it?”
Liu Jun murmured: “I wouldn't dare pursue it, I absolutely wouldn't dare pursue it.”
Hall Master Jin said with satisfaction.
He wrote two IOUs.
One in the gang's name: 1000 taels.
One in Jin Pangzi's name: 50 taels.
Liu Jun honestly signed and fingerprinted them.
As he left, he saw Li Hao, a burly, muscular Big Boss, entering with a worried look; the two exchanged glances and smiled bitterly to themselves.
Outside the door, not seeing Chu Qing, Liu Jun's face darkened.
“Bastard, even if you have Jin Pangzi's wife backing you, you shouldn't treat me with such disrespect.”
“Just wait, once I get through this difficult period, I'll make you pay.”
…Training ground corner:
【Iron Tendons + 25%】
【You have developed an Iron Tendon.】
Crack!
Crack!
His Iron Tendons writhed.
Chu Qing's strength surged, and his body became even lighter and more agile.
His movements were more nimble than a real mantis.
His fist and finger changes, sometimes like a knife, sometimes like a hook, were vicious and insidious, far more powerful than when he had twenty-two Iron Tendons.
“The Iron Tendons for Mantis Fist are fully developed.”
“Toad Skill's progress is slow without Secret medicine.”
“I either need to find another common martial art, or advance Mantis Fist to see if Extreme Mantis Fist can produce new Iron Tendons.”
“Oh right, there's also Liu Jun.”
“He's already starting to suspect me, wanting to put me to death.”
“A gang member, insisting on acting like a constable investigating a case?”
“Since you're not doing your proper job… then don't do anything at all.”
Under his hemp clothes, thirty-six Iron Tendons were faintly visible, outlining a vivid mantis pattern, brimming with Killing Intent.