110: Arrogant Skyscraper
“The Black Gold was lost eighty li from Zhou City.”
Cui Moyang, holding a simple map, began to explain, “This location has some mountains, and there are bandits on them!”
“The servants who escaped said they also encountered bandits ambushing them.”
“And outside Zhou City, there is a Prosperous Land, where news is well-informed!”
After more than ten minutes,
Chu Qing understood the specific situation.
When the Black Gold was lost, not only Thugs were involved, but also bandits.
Some servants remembered the appearance of a few Thugs and bandits.
Chu Qing had portraits made and distributed them to The Crowd, saying, “First, prepare your things; we will depart tomorrow morning.”
“Alright!”
The Crowd busied themselves, preparing their things.
Chu Qing went to find Madam Jin and told her he was going on a long journey.
Madam Jin was quite worried.
When she learned he was going to Zhou City, she became even more worried.
Zhou City was even more prosperous than Prefecture City, with many Big Shots and countless experts.
She repeatedly exhorted him to be careful.
Cui Moyang quietly wiped her hairpin-sword in her room, brewing Killing Intent.
The Mingyue Twins were carefree.
They played when they should, and Cultivated when they should, just like before.
Nangong was in a gloomy mood, very worried.
After all, there were too many experts in Zhou City.
Although she was a Young Master of a Prominent Family, she had never been to Zhou City.
This time, they had to travel over a thousand li to Zhou City, and she had no idea what they would encounter on the way or in Zhou City.
Wang Yinyang wiped his long sword, accumulating Killing Intent.
“The Black Gold was specially prepared by us to repay Qing Ge.”
“It doesn’t matter if he throws this thing away, as long as it’s given to him.”
“But, it must not be taken away by others.”
Zhao Hongxiu met Shi Tiezhu.
“I’m going on a long journey with Qing Ge.”
“You Cultivate diligently. If anything happens at the martial arts school, please look after it.”
Shi Tiezhu nodded, remaining silent.
He was in a bad mood.
During this time, his feelings for Zhao Hongxiu had grown stronger.
However, this lovely Senior Sister was getting closer and closer to Chu Qing, and now she had even become his follower.
He had heard some rumors:
The followers of the Inner Courtyard were actually playthings of the Inner Courtyard disciples.
The thought of his lovely Senior Sister possibly being wantonly defiled by Chu Qing twisted his heart like a knife.
This time:
They were going on a long journey, and who knew what would happen.
“Why did it turn out this way?”
“I clearly worked so hard.”
“Why is Chu Qing still more powerful than me?”
Shi Tiezhu clenched his fists.
Many times in the middle of the night, he would wake up in regret.
“If I had continued to stew frog meat for him back then, would he… have chosen me as his attendant?”
Zhao Hongxiu did not know Shi Tiezhu’s thoughts.
She looked at Shi Tiezhu intently. This cloth-clad youth was much more energetic and confident than when he first joined the martial arts school.
He was growing very quickly.
But… compared to Chu Qing… the difference was simply too great.
“How many Iron Tendons have you refined?”
Shi Tiezhu said excitedly, “Thirty Iron Tendons!”
“By the end of the year, I can refine at least a hundred Iron Tendons.”
Zhao Hongxiu fell silent.
He and Chu Qing joined the martial arts school at the same time.
Chu Qing started with Golden Tendons, and perhaps had even reached Golden Tendons Great Perfection.
But… Shi Tiezhu and she were still struggling with Iron Tendons.
“How can the gap be so wide?”
...In the early morning, Chu Qing emerged from the Jin Residence.
Madam Jin leaned against the doorframe, ignoring Cui Moyang and the others, and softly said, “Qing’er, return safely.”
“Mhm!”
“When you return, I’ll give you a surprise!”
As she spoke, she gently pressed her hand to her chest, her heart filled with worry.
Chu Qing smiled and said, “I’ll be fine.”
With that, he turned, waved, and headed straight for Zhou City, over a thousand li away!
...A Zhou City governs 30 Prefecture Cities; each Prefecture City governs more than 50 county towns.
Zhou City was prosperous, with intricate and complex forces.
Even Young Masters of a Prominent Family like Cui Moyang had never been there.
When Chu Qing and his group went this time, apart from a few portraits and names, they knew nothing else.
It was truly difficult to find the Black Gold.
But Chu Qing didn’t care.
“I must get the Black Gold!”
The ink condition was met.
The nourishing ointment was sufficient.
Only the Black Gold was missing to advance to a top Secret Inheritance.
So… he had to get the Black Gold.
“Whoever blocks me, I will cut them down!”
Chu Qing, carrying his Dragon Snake Chain Spear and a two-handed greatsword, full of Killing Intent, headed straight for Zhou City… The seventy-two Caotou Mountains were located seventy to eighty li northwest of Shangrao, Zhou City.
Each Caotou Mountain was occupied by a group of bandits.
They usually never robbed travelers or merchant caravans.
They would only act when ordered by a Big Shot in Zhou City.
The bandits occupying the 36th Caotou Mountain called themselves the Sky-Touching Vajra Bandits, and it was said that their Lead Big Brother, Sky-Touching Vajra, was a former novice monk from Sky-Touching Vajra Temple.
He was over two meters tall, with bulging muscles, dark skin, and thick hair, resembling a large black bear.
He had also Cultivated the Vajra Indestructible Art, making him invulnerable to swords and spears; with ten Blood Refinement cycles, he possessed immense strength and wielded a Vajra pestle as a weapon, making him quite formidable.
A few days ago, he received an order to ambush a group of Martial Artists from the countryside.
At the time, he was careless and did not personally act, which resulted in a few Martial Artists escaping.
However, he didn’t care.
Because:
That group of Martial Artists were clearly country bumpkins.
And he was from Zhou City.
He also had Big Shot support, so he wasn’t afraid of retaliation.
This day, Sky-Touching Vajra, bored, decided to go to Zhou City to relax.
However, his status was special, so he couldn’t enter the city, but there was a Prosperous Land outside the city where he could also enjoy himself.
He summoned a dozen fierce bandits, and they galloped on horseback straight to the Prosperous Land.
The Prosperous Land had Meihong House, casinos, and everything imaginable.
Many Thugs moved through it, seeking employers and waiting for tasks.
Bandits, fugitives, and others could openly operate here, and no one cared.
And this was also the largest black market in Zhou City, where all sorts of contraband were openly displayed and sold.
Sky-Touching Vajra, with his subordinates, swaggered through, and many people dodged and nodded in greeting as he passed:
“Motian Ge, why do you have time to come and play, old man?”
Sky-Touching Vajra laughed heartily, letting his subordinates pick and choose at the stalls without paying.
He even casually grabbed a woman, and despite her screams, he wantonly defiled her, saying, “I haven’t done business for several days, and my bones ache from idleness!”
“So I came here to relax!”
Someone laughed, “Motian Ge, what a coincidence, someone is looking for you.”
Sky-Touching Vajra laughed heartily, not caring.
Many people sought him out.
Some wanted to hire him to do things.
Some wanted revenge.
If it was the former, he could earn extra money, get some resources, and improve his Cultivation.
If it was the latter—he didn’t mind if the bone-strewn back mountain gained a few more skeletons.
“Motian Ge, the person looking for you is at Meihong House, and they seem very mysterious.”
Someone who wanted to curry favor with Sky-Touching Vajra said, “Should we let our brothers go and probe them?”
Sky-Touching Vajra poked his chest with his thumb and sneered, “Me, Sky-Touching Vajra, what am I afraid of? There’s no need to probe anyone.”
“If I meet an enemy, I’ll smash them to death with one blow.”
“If I meet a guest, I’ll be polite.”
As he spoke, he tightened his grip, making the woman in his arms cry out in pain.
The Crowd bowed and fawned over him.
After all, Sky-Touching Vajra’s past achievements were truly impressive, and he himself had already undergone Blood Refinement.
Although he had only undergone ten Blood Refinement cycles, he was still in the Blood Refinement realm.
He could easily suppress those who refined tendons and bones.
Even if he encountered a minor Genius, as long as the opponent couldn’t refine Great Perfection Iron Tendons, he wasn’t afraid.
And among ordinary people, how many could refine Great Perfection Iron Tendons?
In this Prosperous Land, in the seventy-two Caotou Mountains, Sky-Touching Vajra was considered a prominent figure.
Ordinary people dared not provoke him.
Those who dared to provoke him also had scruples due to the Big Shot behind him and dared not truly take his life.
Therefore:
Sky-Touching Vajra was quite arrogant.