29: Poverty is the greatest enemy!
Inside the Turtle Mansion valley, everything was in a state of ruin.
Uprooted stone pillars lay across the valley floor, surrounded by rubble and cracks, bearing witness to the intensity of the battle just now.
The newly appointed General, Black Python, now coiled its massive body submissively before Li Qing.
The previous tyrannical and bloodthirsty Aura had vanished completely, replaced by total submission.
The remaining seven subordinates swam out from their hiding spots, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at the Black Python.
When they turned to look at Li Qing, their eyes were filled with fanatical adoration.
Even a third-rank Middle Stage overlord had been suppressed and subdued by their master in a direct confrontation.
The master's strength was absolutely formidable.
As everyone knew, fast cultivation progress meant one was a Genius.
But to be able to fight and win against higher ranks...
That was a Genius among geniuses!
Now.
In this stretch of water, who else could be a match for the master?
"Black Python."
Li Qing's intent was transmitted over.
"Your subordinate is here."
The Black Python responded respectfully.
"From this day forward, you shall guard this Turtle Mansion. All subordinates shall be under your command."
"During the day, help me gather information on Spirit Medicines and collect large fish."
Li Qing's orders were concise and clear.
"As you command, Master!"
Li Qing wasted no more words and quickly issued a series of new directives.
The original scouting and hunting teams were merged, to be deployed uniformly by the Black Python.
The primary task remained finding energy-rich food for him; whether it was Vicious Beasts or Spiritual Plants, the more the better.
Secondly, they were to continue expanding the scouting range to thoroughly map out the waters near Jinling City. Any anomalies, especially the movements of human vessels, had to be reported immediately.
With the Autumn River Night Hunt approaching, he wanted to turn the entire Great River into his home turf.
Having arranged everything, dawn was approaching.
He took one last look at the underwater kingdom he had established, and with a thought, his consciousness returned... to the bedroom.
Li Qing snapped his eyes open. In the darkness, he could clearly see the grain on the ceiling beams.
The thrilling battle and ultimate victory of his Clone had given him a shot of adrenaline.
It left his spirit exceptionally excited.
It hadn't been long at all since he had moved from the stream in the Slum to the Great River.
And he had even become an overlord of the Great River!
A familiar sense of hunger swept over him.
Li Qing was used to it by now.
He quietly rolled out of bed.
The sky was just beginning to brighten, and Hou San's snoring continued.
Li Qing finished dressing, pushed open the door, and walked straight toward the dining hall.
It was still early, and the dining hall was empty.
He found the servants' eating area with practiced ease. Looking at the watery porridge in the wooden bucket and a small dish of pickles, the hunger in his stomach grew even more intense.
He stopped being polite, picked up a large ladle, and began eating his breakfast.
After this bit of food went down, it only barely suppressed that burning sensation; the hunger remained.
He smacked his lips and could only leave helplessly.
This kind of life had to end as soon as possible.
In the afternoon.
Chen Meng was practicing the Fierce Wind Palm in the courtyard. The wind from her palms whistled, possessing a fair amount of Aura.
Li Qing, timing it right, walked in from the gate.
"Senior Sister Chen."
Chen Meng stopped her movements, her beautiful brows furrowing slightly as she looked at him.
It was this guy again.
"What is it?"
Her tone was somewhat cold.
"I want to go wander around the Inner City again to broaden my horizons."
Li Qing put on that timid yet somewhat yearning expression.
Hearing this, the last bit of patience in Chen Meng's heart was completely exhausted.
Going out to play again!
She was here Cultivating hard, preparing for the Autumn River Night Hunt in two days, hoping to leave an impression on the Hall Master.
Someone as exceptionally gifted as Senior Brother Lu still practiced diligently every day.
But what about him?
This attendant her father had forced upon her did nothing but eat and sleep, and the moment he was free, he thought about running out. He was simply a piece of rotten wood that couldn't be carved.
She didn't even bother to scold him anymore, feeling only a sense of annoyance.
When she went home to visit her parents this month, she would definitely make it clear to her father that she didn't need such a useless attendant.
"Go then."
Chen Meng waved her hand, feeling that even a second glance at him was a waste.
"Thank you, Senior Sister Chen."
Li Qing lowered his head and walked away quickly, his heart completely untroubled.
What did other people's opinions have to do with him?
Right now, his mind was occupied with only two things.
Filling his stomach, and then, finding Gao Qiang... In the Inner City, at the old place.
Li Qing sat in a small restaurant, a small mountain of empty bowls already piled up on the table in front of him.
"Boss, ten more bowls of noodles and twenty meat buns."
"Coming right up!"
The restaurant owner wiped the sweat from his forehead, his gaze toward Li Qing having shifted from initial shock to current awe.
Was this kid the reincarnation of a starved ghost?
The surrounding diners also looked over one after another, pointing and whispering about him.
Li Qing didn't care at all. He focused solely on stuffing food into his mouth, slowly leveling out the hunger in his belly.
It wasn't until the fortieth bun went down that he let out a long sigh of relief.
Full.
An unprecedented sense of satisfaction made him almost want to lie down right there.
"Check, please."
"Guest, that will be a total of two hundred and thirty wen."
The owner carefully stated the price.
Li Qing pulled a money pouch from his robes and poured out two strings of copper coins and some loose change.
After paying the bill, he weighed the remaining money pouch in his hand.
It was light as a feather.
He walked to a deserted corner and poured out all the money inside.
Three pieces of broken silver and a few dozen copper plates.
At most, it was just a bit over three taels.
In the past few days, he had eaten through nearly ten taels of silver just on food.
This small amount of money was only enough for him to eat two more meals like today's at most.
A severe problem sat before him.
He was out of money.
If he didn't find a way to make money soon, never mind looking for cultivation resources, he might not even be able to eat his fill and would starve to death.
Poverty was the greatest enemy at hand!
Li Qing put away the silver, his brow furrowed.
His Clone was ruling the Great River, yet his main body had to worry about three meals a day. Who would believe such a thing if it were told?
He had to find a way to earn money, and quickly.
If it really didn't work out, he would just quit being an attendant.
If he returned to the Slum, there would be no problem even if he ate the large fish provided by his Clone every day.
But then he thought of Uncle Chen's kindness toward him.
Forget it, he'd wait two more days.
He would find an opportunity during the Autumn River Night Hunt to cripple Lu Yunfei.
And then he would quit being an attendant.
His path of martial arts was still in its early stages.
How could he keep struggling as an attendant forever!
Having eaten and drunk his fill, he began to attend to the second matter.
He began to wander aimlessly through the Inner City, his eyes constantly scanning the passing crowds, searching for that familiar figure.
The streets of the Inner City were much wider and more prosperous than those of the Outer City, bustling with carriages and people.
He walked from the East Street to the West Market, and from the entertainment quarters in the south to the brothels in the north.
An hour passed, but he hadn't seen even a glimpse of Gao Qiang.
The Jinling Inner City was too large.
Trying to run into someone here was no different from searching for a needle in a haystack.
Li Qing stopped and leaned against a corner of a wall.
Searching like this wasn't the way.
He had to change his approach.
Gao Qiang was a Constable of the Jinling City government; he couldn't be wandering the streets all day.
This was something Li Qing had learned from asking Uncle Chen last time.
And the person behind the scenes mentioned by that Personal Disciple yesterday...
Li Qing guessed it was someone from the government.
Gao Qiang was merely a spokesperson pushed forward by the government to collect wealth.
As a Constable.
He should have a fixed place of duty or a few places he frequented.
For example, the Jinling City Government Offices or certain crime scenes.
But as a martial arts hall attendant, he couldn't enter those places at all.
It seemed that to get rid of this trouble, he would still have to do some planning!
Seeing that his time out was almost up, Li Qing had no choice but to give up his search for the day.
He turned and walked toward the Fierce Wind Martial Arts Hall.