39: You can't make a good impression on someone who's hopeless!

Inside the servants' quarters, snoring thundered, and the air was thick with the stench of sweaty feet.

Li Qing lay on the hard wooden bed boards, eyes tightly shut, breathing steadily.

His consciousness had long since entered his Clone.

The hunt was on!

Tonight wasn't going very smoothly.

He estimated it was because the ten fierce generals he led during the day had caused too much of a commotion.

The big fish and Vicious Beasts had all gone into hiding.

Deep within his consciousness, a panel emerged.

【evolution value: 2435/5000】

Over the course of one night, it had only increased by a bit over three hundred points.

He was less than halfway to the next evolution.

A burning desire welled up in his chest.

He had to endure.

Resigning from his position as a servant now would undoubtedly cause unnecessary noise.

Even though he was just a servant.

The Fierce Wind Martial Arts Hall had just lost an inner sect Genius and a City Prefecture Constable; everyone was on edge, jumping at shadows.

A lowly servant suddenly leaving at a time like this would inevitably draw unwanted scrutiny.

Moreover, he was the servant of Chen Meng, who had been in contact with the deceased Lu Yunfei.

Any slight abnormality in behavior could be magnified infinitely.

He needed a reasonable, unsuspicious excuse.

The Family Visitation Leave in ten days would be the perfect opportunity.

By then, the rumors would have settled.

He could leave as a matter of course and then discuss the next steps with Uncle Chen.

Until then, he had to continue playing the role of the cowardly, mediocre Li Qing... The next day, the atmosphere in the martial arts hall was oppressive.

Disciples moved in a hurry, their faces full of restraint, and even the usual sounds of training were much quieter.

The higher-ups of the martial arts hall were currently coordinating closely with the experts from the City Lord's Manor to search the Great River for traces of Spirit Beasts.

After lunch, Li Qing went to Chen Meng's training ground.

She sat alone in a corner of the training ground, a wooden sword placed before her, staring blankly.

Her face was somewhat pale, with faint dark circles under her eyes; she clearly hadn't rested well last night.

“Senior Sister Chen, I... I want to go out for a while.”

Li Qing walked up to her, his tone carrying a hint of awkwardness.

Chen Meng looked up, her gaze somewhat vacant, taking a moment to focus on his face.

“Go out?”

“Yes, to the Inner City, just to walk around and see the sights.” Li Qing lowered his head slightly, avoiding her gaze.

Chen Meng looked at him—at his timid appearance and his yearning for the prosperity of the outside world—and a surge of irritation suddenly rose in her heart.

Lu Shanhe's twisted face and that cold warning lingered in her mind.

The scene where Lu Yunfei pushed her toward the water arrows made it even harder for her to sleep at night.

In this world, without strength, one could only be slaughtered at will; even in death, one might just be used as someone else's stepping stone.

Her mind was now entirely occupied with becoming stronger.

On how to survive in this world.

In the past, her father had protected her too well.

She had even complained that her father was prejudiced against Lu Yunfei.

Thinking back on it now, it was truly laughable.

Experience truly counts for everything.

Yet the Li Qing before her was still thinking about wandering around the Inner City.

Playful, lazy, and lacking ambition.

He was like worthless sludge that couldn't be used to build a wall!

An inexplicable fire rose within her, but she eventually suppressed it, merely waving her hand wearily.

“Go then.”

She withdrew her gaze, letting it fall back onto the wooden sword, no longer paying Li Qing any mind.

Li Qing was delighted to hear this and turned to leave quickly.

Behind him, Chen Meng picked up the wooden sword, her gaze turning fierce.

Li Qing navigated the streets and alleys with ease, first going to a meat pancake shop and buying ten pancakes in one go.

Replenishing energy was the top priority.

This body of his was like an insatiable furnace.

The ferocious beast essence blood swallowed by his Clone every night fed back into his main body.

The growth of his strength could not be sustained without massive amounts of food.

He devoured the meat pancakes, and the hunger in his stomach slightly subsided.

He felt inside his robes.

His money pouch was empty, with only a few hundred copper coins clinking inside.

Trouble had arrived.

He was out of money!

With his large appetite, it wouldn't even last a few days.

He had to get some money.

Li Qing stood on the busy street, his mind racing.

Go to the docks to haul sacks?

With his current strength, he could do the work of ten men. The money would come fast, but it would be too conspicuous.

No.

Go to a casino?

He could certainly use his extraordinary hearing and perception to cheat.

But casinos were places where dragons and snakes mingled.

If he won, he'd be easily targeted, and it might even attract Martial Artists.

The risk was too great.

Thinking it over, there seemed to be no foolproof plan.

He needed a way to make money that utilized his advantages without exposing his identity.

Li Qing wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Yet his thoughts became clearer amidst the chaotic sounds of the marketplace.

Trying to get money without drawing attention seemed like an unsolvable puzzle.

Just as he was at his wit's end, a cry for help came from the corner ahead.

Passersby all lowered their heads and walked away quickly.

Li Qing was puzzled; such a situation still occurred in the Inner City?

He wanted to see what was going on!

He quietly walked to the corner and looked inside.

He saw a young man dressed in luxurious brocade robes, leading several lackey servants, cornering a young girl in a light green dress.

“Little beauty, it's your good fortune that this Young Master has taken a liking to you. Don't be ungrateful!”

The young man shook a jade-ribbed folding fan, a blatant, lewd smile on his face.

The girl clutched a medicinal bundle tightly in her arms, her face pale and her body trembling, yet she stubbornly bit her lip.

“In broad daylight, what... what do you want to do!”

“What do I want to do?” The young man laughed even more wantonly.

“Naturally, something that both you and I will enjoy doing!”

“Just come back to the manor with me obediently, and you'll find out.”

As he spoke, he stepped forward with a sinister grin, reaching out to grab the girl's arm.

“Young Master Qian! You mustn't!”

The girl cried out in alarm, her eyes filled with despair.

Young Master Qian?

Outside the alley, Li Qing's heart stirred when he heard this name.

There were many wealthy families named Qian in Jinling City, but only one Qian Family could afford to let their servants wear fabrics from 'Tianyun Workshop'.

The largest silk merchant in the city, rumored to have countless ties to the City Lord's Manor, they had always acted overbearingly.

No wonder the passersby were avoiding them.

Li Qing, who had already lifted his foot to leave, put it back down.

He then sized up Young Master Qian and his servants.

They were all sorts whose bodies had been hollowed out by wine and lust.

Their steps were unsteady, and their breathing was erratic.

The lead Guard, the strongest among them, was only at the Early Stage of the Condensing Essence Realm.

A plan quickly formed in his mind.

The risk was very low.

The reward... might be quite substantial.

He no longer hesitated, taking advantage of a panicked passerby walking past him.

With a chop of his hand, he silently knocked the person unconscious and dragged them into the shadows.

In a few swift motions, he stripped off the person's outer garment and put it on, then tore off a piece of cloth to mask his face before striding over.