133: News
Late at night, when all was quiet:
Chu Qing disappeared into the night.
Madam Shi was in a joyous mood:
“Does he really take me for a child?”
“I never played on a swing when I was little, but now I have!”
“It’s wonderful!”
A short while later:
She pondered for a moment, then called Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon and said, “Go, bring Madam Jin here!”
“From now on, she’ll live with me!”
The maidservants sweetly replied, “Yes!”
“Also, is the secret passage finished?”
Feng Nü replied, “It’s finished. The secret passage connects to the small forest outside the city. From there, it’s only ten kilometers to the bamboo sea of Shiji Mountain!”
“We crossed three mountains and found a bamboo house by a lake.”
“The environment there is quite good; perhaps it can serve as a foothold!”
Madam Shi sneered, “That’s what the Groom set up.”
“Stockpile plenty of food, medicinal ingredients, and weapons there.”
“When the Groom left, he left a letter. Take the letter and find a fellow named Apothecary Li.”
“He’ll know what to do with the rest.”
Feng Nü sweetly replied, “Understood!”
...Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Under the night sky, Chu Qing was like a large dragonfly, rushing on his way.
He was more than five thousand Li from the Eight Hundred Li Shui Po.
Such a long journey would be impossible for an ordinary person to complete in a lifetime.
But, for a Martial Artist, for Chu Qing, it wasn't actually that far.
He swallowed a Secret medicine and ran all the way.
His speed was seventy miles per hour, and his mood was: murderous intent boiling.
“Fisherman!”
“Peddler!”
“I hope everything was an Anomaly.”
“I hope that Peddler didn’t notice the Anomaly of the dragon tendon!”
Chu Qing reassured himself.
But, he also knew that the Peddler had definitely discovered the strangeness of the dragon tendon.
Otherwise, why would he trade fish tendons with the fisherman?
Fish tendons, theoretically, are not valuable.
“I hope the Peddler hasn’t eaten my dragon tendon yet.”
“Otherwise... I’ll have to try and extract the strange power of the dragon tendon.”
...One day...Two days...Chu Qing traveled day and night, under the stars and moon.
Although the distance was only over five thousand kilometers, the actual journey, crossing mountains and ridges, greatly increased the total distance.
Initially, he was anxious.
But: after two or three days, he thought things through.
Many days had passed since the dragon tendon first appeared.
Whether he was anxious or not, it was all the same now.
Although his mindset had calmed, his traveling speed did not slow down.
He still maintained a steady pace.
Only in his spare time did he begin to observe the situation on the road.
The mountains were lush, and wild beasts roamed.
Occasionally encountering hunters, he found that these hunters were all ordinary people, who had not learned martial arts, nor had they Cultivated their tendons and bones.
Passing through some rural villages and towns, most residents looked sallow and emaciated.
When he wanted to buy dry rations, these people only had coarse grains mixed with wild vegetables and leaves.
Chu Qing asked in confusion, “I see the crops in the fields are very good, so why is the food so simple?”
The rural residents smiled bitterly, “Tyrannical government is fiercer than tigers!”
“Most of the grain is handed over to the Fortified Manor lords.”
Chu Qing understood.
He was powerless to change such matters.
Keep going!
Day and night!
This day:
He crossed more than a dozen large mountains in one go, and now he was only three to five hundred kilometers from the Eight Hundred Li Shui Po.
Not far away, dark clouds rolled in.
A strong wind swept through, and dust filled the air.
Chu Qing didn't care and continued on his way.
However, not long after, large raindrops fell from the sky.
The strong wind blew, carrying the rain, haphazardly hitting his face.
After more than ten minutes:
The wind and rain grew stronger.
Between heaven and earth, it was a vast expanse of white, with rain falling in sheets, making it impossible to travel.
Chu Qing continuously slowed down.
After a long while, he saw several thatched huts at a crossroads ahead.
His heart stirred, and he rushed over.
The several thatched huts were actually connected to each other.
Chu Qing entered and found that it was an eatery.
Inside the eatery, a couple in their thirties or forties, with their child, were tidying up tables and benches.
Occasionally, they looked at the wind and rain with worry.
In such weather, there would be many fewer customers.
At this moment, seeing Chu Qing approach, they were immediately delighted.
When they saw Chu Qing in brocade clothes, their smiles became a little unnatural.
“Customer!”
Chu Qing looked around and found that there were no outsiders except this family.
Then he casually grabbed a piece of silver and handed it over:
“Serve good wine and good dishes.”
“If it’s not enough, I’ll give more later. The extra is a tip!”
The shopkeeper was happy.
This piece of silver was equivalent to many days of his income.
“Customer, it’s enough!”
“This much is enough for you to eat dozens of meals!”
Chu Qing smiled and said nothing.
Not long after, a woman with some white hair brought dog meat, turbid wine, rabbit meat, green vegetables, and so on.
Finally, she also served a wild pheasant.
Chu Qing took a bite, hmm, although the taste was not as good as what Madam Jin made.
But, it retained the most original flavor.
Very good.
He gulped it down.
The food, enough for several people, he devoured cleanly like a whirlwind.
At this moment:
The wind and rain had lessened a bit, and he planned to get up.
But, just then, a group of people rushed in from outside.
They were soaking wet and shouted loudly:
“Quick, serve strong wine, serve good dishes!”
As they spoke, they placed their weapons on the table.
The shopkeeper quickly said, “Everyone...customers!”
“What would you like to eat?”
This group wanted the best wine and the best dishes.
The shopkeeper dared not neglect them and quickly agreed.
Chu Qing saw that they carried swords, spears, staffs, and clubs, and also saw that they were strong and powerful in their movements, so he knew that this group of people had Cultivated martial arts.
They might even have Cultivated their tendons and bones.
This place was only a few hundred kilometers from the Eight Hundred Li Shui Po.
He wanted to learn about the situation from these Jianghu people.
Therefore, he did not leave.
Not long after:
This group drank and chatted.
After hearing their conversation, Chu Qing immediately frowned.
Because:
These Jianghu people actually knew about the dragon tendon.
“I heard that if that strange great tendon is wrapped around the body, it can speed up the Cultivation of tendons.”
“If wrapped around the lower body, it can increase combat power.”
Chu Qing’s mouth twitched.
These guys were really going too far.
He coughed and asked with a smile, “Everyone, where did you hear about the strange great tendon?”
A big man glared and said, “Kid, where I heard it, why should I tell you?”
“By the way, are you also trying to snatch the strange great tendon?”
Chu Qing was silent, gently stroking his greatsword.
He didn't speak, but this group of people refused to let it go.
A big man staggered over, pointed at his nose, and said, “Kid, my brother is asking you a question, why don’t you answer?”
Chu Qing smiled and said, “The strange great tendon was originally mine, but it was lost.”
“Tell me, where did you hear the news?”
The big man sneered, “You bloody...”
Boom!
Chu Qing suddenly reached out, grabbed his head, and slammed it onto the table with force.
The table shattered.
Wood splinters pricked his face, and the big man cried out in pain, clutching his face.
Chu Qing wasn't appeased, he casually picked up a stool and fiercely brought it down.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
One...ten...the stool shattered.
Chu Qing then stomped on his head with one foot:
Crack!
The head burst!
Blood stained his brocade clothes.
At this moment:
Chu Qing stared at the dumbfounded Jianghu people and said:
“Now, can you tell me where you heard the news?”