Meeting the Gang Leader

[Target killed, Unlimited Combat proficiency increased by 3%]

[Target killed, Slaughter proficiency increased by 3%]

At the old house, Qin Yan looked at the proficiency gains from killing Qiao Laosan.

He had now killed all three Qiao brothers.

Qiao Laosan's wife and children, as well as the brothers' father, Qiao Yuanshi, were still in Qinghe Town.

"I need to find a time to deal with them."

Qin Yan murmured.

At the same time, he needed to think about the road ahead.

The Azure Blade Gang might be a good stepping stone. As long as he gained a firm foothold, it would bring him plenty of benefits.

Besides gaining someone to back him, he could also learn more about martial cultivation.

That was what he lacked most right now.

Suddenly, he remembered the staff technique manual he had obtained from the Qiao family.

"Ape Strike Staff Technique."

Qin Yan leafed through it carefully for a while. From what he could tell, it was not a particularly sophisticated staff technique.

It emphasized wide, sweeping movements while also incorporating nimble variations.

He picked a suitable stick from the firewood pile. The entire staff technique consisted of only thirteen forms, and after studying them for a while, he committed the moves and their key points to memory.

As his mental attribute continued to rise, both his memory and his comprehension kept improving as well.

The moves were simple and to the point, and the manual also recorded some techniques for exerting force.

Whoosh!

The movements kept appearing in Qin Yan's mind. With each move, the long staff in his hands cut through the air with a mighty rush.

A month for the staff, a year for the saber, a lifetime for the spear.

The staff was among the easiest weapons to master. Qin Yan practiced the forms only a few times before he grew familiar with them, executing them with increasing ease.

[Ape Strike Staff Technique (Beginner Level): proficiency 10%]

Qin Yan's staff technique grew increasingly formidable, the whistling gusts becoming louder beneath the silent night sky.

[Ape Strike Staff Technique proficiency increased by 1%]

[Ape Strike Staff Technique proficiency increased by 1%]

[Ape Strike Staff Technique proficiency increased by 1%]

As the sky began to brighten, the wooden staff in Qin Yan's hands snapped in two with a crack. After a night spent grinding proficiency, the staff had fulfilled its mission with that final swing.

[Ape Strike Staff Technique level increased: Entry Level]

Effect: ordinary-grade martial art, combat IQ increased by 10%, combat ability increased by 10%.

Sensing the information that surfaced in his mind, Qin Yan could not help nodding in satisfaction. It seemed that mastering more skills would let him grind for more passive abilities.

After practicing the staff technique all night, Qin Yan was still full of vigor. As every aspect of his physique improved, his stamina grew more abundant as well.

Lately, he only needed to sleep for two or three hours to stay energetic throughout the day.

It was still early, so Qin Yan practiced the Basic Body-Tempering Technique for nearly two hours.

[Basic Body Tempering Technique (Beginner Level): proficiency 91%]

It looked like the Basic Body-Tempering Technique would level up in two or three days at most.

He ate a simple meal.

Qin Yan remembered Qiao Laosan's staff. It had seemed quite sturdy.

"I need to ask where that staff is today."

While he was pondering, Qin Yan heard a familiar voice.

"Brother Qin!"

Chen Hui's voice reached him before the man himself did. Soon, a very dilapidated old house came into Chen Hui's view.

He could not help being surprised that a young man like Qin Yan lived in such a run-down place.

"Brother Yan!"

Song Bao was following behind Chen Hui. "This uncle came to the village early this morning and said he was looking for you."

"Oh!"

"Brother Qin, our gang leader is very interested in you. I must congratulate you in advance."

Chen Hui was all smiles.

Qin Yan possessed tremendous strength from birth. Whether in internal cultivation or external training, his talent would not be poor.

If the gang leader took him as a disciple, his status would rise by far more than a notch or two.

"So soon?"

Qin Yan was a little surprised to hear this and took a deep breath.

What had to come would come.

"Then let's go!"

Qin Yan nodded slightly. Before leaving, he told Song Bao and the others to practice their fundamentals on their own.

"Brother Qin, you know kung fu too?"

Hearing Qin Yan's instructions, Chen Hui looked over in some surprise.

"It hardly counts as kung fu. My father brought home a copy of the Basic Body-Tempering Technique while he was alive, and I've been using it to train my body."

Qin Yan shook his head slightly. Naturally, he had to hide his abilities from people he did not know well.

"Basic Body-Tempering Technique!"

Understanding dawned on Chen Hui. It was a basic body-training technique that almost every formal disciple of the Azure Blade Gang had to learn.

Once someone had trained enough to sense Qi and blood, the basic technique was essentially useless.

Glancing at Qin Yan's height of 1.8 meters, Chen Hui could not help showing a hint of envy.

To have grown so tall and broad at fourteen, and as for the strength of his physique, Chen Hui had never seen anyone in the entire Qi-Blood Realm who surpassed Qin Yan.

"Let's go! The gang leader may be getting impatient."

With that, Chen Hui and Qin Yan went to the village entrance, where they saw two strong, fine horses.

The road down the mountain was not well suited for riding, so they had to lead the horses to the official road first.

"Brother Qin, can you ride?"

Chen Hui asked first.

"No." Qin Yan shook his head helplessly. Learning horsemanship had been beyond the reach of both his previous self and the original owner of this body.

"It's all right if you can't. It's actually quite simple...!"

Smiling, Chen Hui explained the techniques of horseback riding to Qin Yan.

Qin Yan listened carefully. When they reached the official road, he mounted the horse without making a fool of himself.

The horse was restless at first, but Qin Yan soon brought it under control with his great strength, and it quickly settled down.

[Skill acquired: Riding (Beginner Level)]

By the time they neared the town gate, Qin Yan had acquired a new skill.

Seeing the long line of ordinary townsfolk, Chen Hui led Qin Yan straight to the entrance and merely exchanged a greeting with the yamen runners.

Then they entered Qinghe Town under the envious gazes of the crowd.

Because of the flooding, refugees from dozens of li around had poured into Qinghe Town, causing widespread congestion.

Many commoners had come with their whole families in tow, and as time went on, their numbers would probably keep growing.

Qingfu Gambling House!

Quite a few people studied Qin Yan curiously. Their gazes held curiosity and even a trace of hostility, though they concealed it so well that an outsider could not tell.

Qin Yan paid them no mind. Most were just ordinary, burly men, and those who had reached a recognized grade could be counted on one hand.

Soon, he saw the man in charge here.

Li Wenqing, leader of the Azure Blade Gang.

A trace of surprise flashed in Qin Yan's eyes. The middle-aged man before him was not as rough and burly as he had imagined, and had a steady, reassuring bearing.

When he saw Qin Yan!

A trace of surprise also flashed in Li Wenqing's eyes. At fourteen, Qin Yan had grown to 1.8 meters.

In this era, he was already taller and bigger than many grown men.

He had a strong physique and had already condensed Qi and blood. He truly was a promising seedling for martial arts.

"Not bad!"

A smile on his face, Lin Wenqing walked over to Qin Yan and sized him up for a while, then placed a hand on Qin Yan's shoulder.

At the first touch.

As one of the few top experts in Qinghe Town, he could clearly sense the strength of Qin Yan's physique.

No wonder Qiao Laosan had been beaten to death by this boy.

A trace of fervor appeared in Li Wenqing's eyes. Such a promising seedling would surely reach the Bone-Tempering Realm with ease in the future.

As for the Marrow-Washing Realm, it required extremely high comprehension and extraordinary control over Qi and blood.

Neither could be lacking. A single mistake could even ruin one's foundation and leave one crippled.

"I already know what happened to your family. Qiao Laosan brought it on himself.

"Starting today, you will formally become a disciple of the Azure Blade Gang. You may also inherit your father's trading position.

"You'll be responsible for purchasing mountain goods from Clear Water Village and the several villages nearby. I'll give the word in half a month."

Li Wenqing spoke with a smile.

There's something this good too? Qin Yan was surprised, but his face showed gratitude. "Thank you for your support, Gang Leader. I, your disciple Qin Yan, will never forget it as long as I live."

"Mm!"

Li Wenqing nodded with a smile. He was very satisfied with the attitude Qin Yan had shown.

"All right, you may go back now!"

He watched Qin Yan leave.

Chen Hui, who had been silent at the side, looked puzzled. "Gang Leader, Qin Yan is so talented. Why not take him as your disciple?

"With him, wouldn't our Azure Blade Gang be like a tiger that had grown wings?"

"Talented as he is, we still know too little about him. We need to observe him for a while longer."

Li Wenqing chuckled. Even if the young man's character proved lacking, he would still take him as a disciple in the future.

But he would hold something back, treating him as a piece to expand his territory.