88: Does he still want to gain a foothold in the capital?

Chu Qing suddenly understood.

During this period, he had suppressed the Wubao Disciples.

However, he had overlooked the Powerful in the city.

The number of Powerful in the city was much smaller than that of the Fortified Manors.

But, over the years, they had always been able to contend with the Fortified Manors.

Clearly, the Powerful were very strong.

One-on-one, the Fortified Manors were no match for the Powerful.

At this moment, the senior student continued:

“Master Qing, the Fortified Manors have, to some extent, submitted to you.”

“And you have become the Lead Big Brother of the Fortified Manors!”

“The Powerful have always been at odds with the Fortified Manors!”

“They… will definitely target you this time!”

Chu Qing smiled and said:

“So what?”

“The Stone Tower Challenge is me challenging them, not them challenging me.”

“They… have no way to target me.”

The senior student suddenly understood.

However, a sense of unease still lingered in her heart.

These days, people constantly knocked on the door, wanting to see Chu Qing.

Some were Wubao Disciples.

Some were Aristocratic Descendants.

But Chu Qing refused them all.

Aside from going out to see Madam Jin every few days, he spent the rest of his time at home.

Cui Moyang and others could handle the minor disturbances outside.

Chu Qing hadn't felt any impact at all.

However, if he participated in the Stone Tower Challenge, then… those people would definitely look for an opportunity to cause trouble.

Chu Qing actually knew all of this.

But he didn't care at all.

Because:

He had plenty of confidence.

These days, his strength had already undergone Heaven Flipping changes.

Not to mention Limit Breaking Technique and Perfection Cultivation Technique.

Just speaking of his Jingu (tendons and bones), he now had 200 Golden Tendons.

This meant that:

The Secret Toad Skill, when activated, could make any of his extreme Cultivation Techniques unleash the Power of 1600 Iron Tendons.

With such a terrifying number of Iron Tendons, who could stop him?

Unless the opponent had cultivated over three hundred Iron Bones.

However:

Which of the Stone Tower second-floor students had cultivated that many Iron Bones?

So… Chu Qing didn't care.

Two days before the Stone Tower Challenge, Chu Qing received another letter from Tang Wuming.

【Brother, I appreciate your kind intentions.】

【Although I know your so-called strange fish tendons are a joke, I will still have all my subordinates search for fish tendons.】

【By the way, can you advance me some more medicine this time?】

【We want to stir up a big event!】

【Also, I have a few more questions I'd like to ask for your guidance, Brother; I hope you can enlighten me!】

Chu Qing pondered.

After a long while, he began to answer them one by one:

First: 【Profit!】

Second: 【Land!】

Third: 【Heavy industry, logistics】

Fourth: 【Martial Dao for all】

Chu Qing's Dragon and Phoenix-like writing answered Tang Wuming's confusions.

Initially, he answered seriously.

However:

Tang Wuming had too many questions.

He grew a little impatient, then let himself go, writing down all sorts of chaotic rebellion ideas, thoughts, and methods from keyboard warriors on forums in his previous life.

When he stopped writing, he realized he had written two to three hundred densely packed sheets of letter paper.

A bit much?

The content was a bit wild and imaginative, even impractical?

Never mind, forget it!

Anyway, I'm not the one rebelling.

If problems arise, they have nothing to do with me.

Stamped.

Wax-sealed.

Stamped again.

Chu Qing handed the thick envelope to the maid and said:

“Give this to the messenger!”

“Also, no medicine for them this time!”

“Those medicines… I have other important uses for them!”

A few days ago at the black market, grain and medicinal materials had become valuable items, more important than things like Secret Manuals and weapons.

He keenly noticed:

The surroundings might be about to fall into chaos.

In times of war and disorder, gold and silver were worthless.

Medicine and grain were the most valuable.

Hemostasis Powder and Marching Pills were enough to allow him to gain a lot of profit in the coming turmoil.

“I hope the chaos comes slowly!”

“At least… wait until I've cultivated all 365 Golden Tendons!”

…The messenger held the thick letter, looking bewildered.

“Um… Sister, Young Master Chu, are there no other letters?”

The round-faced maid nodded and said: “No!”

“Just this one letter.”

“You should hurry back!”

The messenger was disappointed.

He had brought seven or eight porters to carry medicine boxes.

But:

The medicine boxes were gone.

There was only a thick pile of worthless paper.

Never mind:

Presumably, Young Master's friend wasn't a fool either and wasn't willing to give out good things.

Thinking this, he bid farewell to the round-faced maid and ran off.

As a messenger, he had to deliver the letter as quickly as possible.

And as he left with the porters, in the distance, a Martial Artist quickly followed, continuously sending signals.

Soon:

More Martial Artists quietly caught up.

Swords and sabers in hand.

These Martial Artists stopped the messenger and said fiercely:

“Who are you people?”

“Hand over what Chu Qing gave you!”

The messenger's face turned grim.

He said to the porters: “You guys hold them off for a bit, I'll run first.”

“This letter… must be delivered to Young Master intact.”

“Yes!”

…In a certain large residence:

Several young men and women gathered, each accompanied by their Family's old butler.

They discussed Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon, critiqued the world, and talked about the Empire's new policies.

Sometimes they clapped in approval, other times they cursed eunuchs and treacherous officials.

After a while, a bright young woman said:

“Everyone… what do you think of Chu Qing?”

A Young Master laughed: “Chu Qing is just a commoner.”

“Brave but without strategy.”

“His future achievements will be ordinary!”

Another Young Master laughed: “If he hadn't mingled with the Young Master of a Prominent Family, he would have been eliminated by the Fortified Manors long ago.”

The bright young woman secretly shook her head.

She whispered: “Everyone… Chu Qing is actually not simple.”

Many Young Masters and Young Misses looked at her curiously.

The bright young woman said: “Our several Noble families, even working together, couldn't subdue the Fortified Manors!”

“But Chu Qing subdued them!”

A Young Master sneered: “Chu Qing is a lone wolf, a bachelor.”

“He has no property, no weakness!”

“And he's allied with Prefecture City Noble families, so he can brazenly ambush Fortified Manors one by one!”

“If he had property like us, would he dare to be so arrogant?”

Many Young Masters and Young Misses nodded in agreement.

The bright young woman remained silent, then said after a moment:

“Our Family wants us to deal with Chu Qing. How do you think we should deal with him?”

A voluptuous woman laughed: “I'm on the ninth floor of the Stone Tower; I can only suppress him when he climbs to the ninth floor.”

“But… can he even climb up?”

A Young Master fanned himself and said: “Chu Qing goes to the Jin Residence every few days.”

“According to the pattern, he should go again tomorrow night!”

“I'm thinking—ambush and kill him midway!”

The bright young woman frowned and said:

“Chu Qing is also a notable figure.”

“Killing him would be too wasteful… better to subdue him!”

There was another thought she didn't voice.

That was:

How strong was Chu Qing exactly?

How much would it cost to kill him?

Last time, the Fortified Manors gathered so many people to kill Chu Qing.

Although most of them were ordinary servants and gang thugs.

But… they failed.

Chu Qing killed them all.

One must know that even if there were hundreds of pigs, it would take a long time to kill them all, or even be impossible to kill them all.

But… Chu Qing managed to do it.

Just as He Qigou said:

Chu Qing's heart was like iron, killing people like cutting grass.

How much would the Family have to pay to kill him?

If they failed… could they withstand his retaliation?

“It would be good to have them join us!”

A Young Master scoffed: “Make him a servant?”

“Would he agree?”

“Marry him? Is he worthy?”

Someone else said:

“During this time, not just here, but even Prefecture City and Zhou City have been in turmoil.”

“The rebel army's activities are becoming increasingly rampant!”

“The Bingjia Sect and the Fortified Manors are becoming more closely linked with the rebel army.”

“This flood has led to a large number of refugees.”

“Those rebel armies… are absorbing refugees.”

“It won't be long before chaos erupts.”

“And Chu Qing is now an unstable factor; he must be eliminated.”

“To avoid future trouble.”

The bright young woman sighed silently.

“We have the ability to take in refugees, but we let them be.”

“Chu Qing… gathers refugees to dig stones and build roads.”

“He… has made Shiji County more stable, so how did he become an unstable factor?”

However, a Young Master sneered: “Are refugees even people? Why should we take them in? Letting them fend for themselves is the king's way.”

“Chu Qing, gathering refugees, must be planning a rebellion!”

“He procured tens of thousands, even over a hundred thousand quarrying tools, to serve as weapons.”

“If this child is not eliminated, he will become a great disaster!”

The other Young Masters and Young Misses all nodded and said:

“If this child is not eliminated, he will become a great disaster!”

The bright young woman sighed and said: “I will not participate in this operation.”

Having said that, she stood up and left.

The other Young Masters and Young Misses exchanged glances and continued discussing where to ambush him.

And the old butlers recorded it to show their Family Heads.

This time:

The Family Heads were using Chu Qing as a whetstone to train their descendants.

Their performance was crucial to their future Family status.

They couldn't afford to be careless.

After more than an hour, they had made their arrangements.

“This time, each Family will send out one Flesh Realm expert.”

“He Chu Qing can kill Tendons and Bones Realm Martial Artists, but can he really kill Flesh Realm Martial Artists?”

…At this moment:

The bright young woman found her father and asked in confusion: “Why must Chu Qing be killed?”

Her father smiled: “The Imperial Star is wavering, and chaos is about to begin.”

“Many Noble families hope to see you, the new generation, grow quickly!”

“And Chu Qing is a very good whetstone.”

“Because he is not that weak, nor is he that strong!”

The bright young woman said bitterly: “I believe it would be best to win him over!”

The Family Head sneered: “Chu Qing is from humble origins!”

“Moreover, he acts lawlessly; he dared to wipe out an entire Fortified Manor a few days ago, and in a few days, he might dare to wipe out our entire Family!”

“Such a person has a rebellious streak!”

“He doesn't respect rules, nor does he understand awe.”

“And… Shiji County is too small to accommodate the rise of a new Family!”

The bright young woman smiled bitterly: “Father… perhaps his ambition isn't confined to the small Shiji County!”

The Family Head sneered: “Does he still want to go to Prefecture City?”

“Our Family has struggled for hundreds of years and still cannot establish itself in Prefecture City; he… hehe…”