[Wolf Extinguisher]

The next day, news that the Skinning Assassin had appeared again and nearly slaughtered everyone in Zhang Manor flew through the city. From the surviving servants of the Inner Courtyard, it could be learned that this assassin, who loved skinning his targets' faces, had come to kill for payment.

The other three local magnates all felt endangered, probing one another in hopes of uncovering the mastermind behind it. What couldn't be settled through discussion? Hiring killers was something they absolutely did not endorse!

Meanwhile, the Purple-Robed Hetu Dao Master, whose noble air was impossible to ignore, paid Old Jin a visit.

"Did you kill him?"

"Why would I kill him? Besides, you know the state of my body. The injuries from over a decade ago still haven't healed. I won't fight unless I have to." Old Jin rolled his eyes as he explained in response to the Hetu Dao Master's question.

"What I care about now is whether the pill you mentioned is truly so miraculous that it can fulfill my long-cherished wish."

"Rest assured. I stole this Pill Recipe from my master back then. Although it was incomplete, after years of experimentation, I've practically restored it. So long as you do as I instructed, it will succeed. But there's one thing—don't forget what you promised me." With that, the Hetu Dao Master turned and left.

Old Jin watched his departing back and muttered to himself.

"Don't blame me. If you must blame something, blame this cannibalistic world!"

As for the culprit who had stirred the entire city into an uproar and left all the great households in fear, he rested in his room for half the night, and his injuries finally improved somewhat. But for the next ten-odd days, it was best if he did not fight. Otherwise, not only would it slow his recovery, it might even worsen his condition.

"That was way too close to capsizing!!"

He was certain that Old Master Zhang had not become a Secret Blood Warrior through the Heart Blood of the Blood Bear. Rather, the two men who had ambushed him in secret possessed speed and strength roughly equal to the four people who had besieged him at Hetu Dao back then.

"What a pity." If the Zhang Family had not moved away their women, children, and property in advance, he would definitely have stripped the place clean. You never knew how expensive firewood, rice, oil, and salt were until you ran a household. If Demon Eater had not kindly come knocking to deliver money and its life, he would have long since gone to the docks to carry sacks.

Farmland deeds?

Never mind whether they had been taken away. Even if they had been left behind, He Zhao could only stare helplessly. He had no way to liquidate them, and producing those things would be tantamount to admitting that he had nearly wiped out the Zhang Family.

For the sake of their Lineages, the remaining three households would surely gather all their strength and kill him, this assassin lurking in the darkness.

Time passed like a white colt flashing through a crack, and half a month went by in the blink of an eye.

After remaining vigilant for a while, the three wealthy households divided up the Zhang Family's remaining houses and fields like vicious dogs fighting over food. The farm slaves did not care in the slightest. All they cared about was whether they could fill their bellies after getting a new master.

Not only had He Zhao recovered from his injuries, he had also used up all the remaining Aberration Flesh in one go.

He postponed his late-night fist practice and focused all his efforts on conquering the Stake Method and Breathing Technique.

[Bronze Man Stance (Perfect)]

[Unknown Breathing Technique (Perfect)]

[Original Blood Warrior: 17%]

"Agility increased by 2 points. The power my legs can unleash is a full half greater than that of my fists." He Zhao made himself a chart, a crude artificial system.

[Strength: 6 (9/11/13)]

[Agility: 8 (11/13/15/20)]

There had originally been stamina as well, representing his ability to take a beating. But because of Death Resistance and High-Speed Regeneration, he truly had no way to estimate a specific value, so he had no choice but to abandon it.

The 6 and 8 represented his normal, stable values. The numbers in parentheses were arranged according to the bonuses from [Child of the Night], [combat], and [Severe Injury]. The additional number under Agility, 20, was the approximate value given with the Jade Register's bonus.

It was worth mentioning that 1 point of Strength represented a hundred jin of force unleashed by a fist. Some people might be able to easily lift two hundred jin of weight, but without systematic training, the force behind their punches might not even reach a hundred jin.

To some extent, Strength could be replaced with physical attack.

As for miscellaneous things like explosive power and defense, there were simply too many factors to determine a value. He might as well ignore them and retain only the most basic Strength and Agility.

He Zhao took stock of his assets again. Banknotes: 42,900 taels. Loose silver: 48 taels. Two Jade Registers, one of whose purpose remained unknown.

Hengshan Fist Technique had reached perfection. He could perform fifty sets of the fist technique in one night, gaining +200 proficiency per day. It would take sixty-eight days. Burning Rage Method had reached perfection and required twelve months—one full year.

The progress of Original Blood Warrior could not be calculated. Wancheng was now tightening its belt. Forget meat; even staple food was not guaranteed. He Zhao needed a great deal of food after every cultivation session, and that demand simply could not be met, leaving him no choice but to pause.

"Why haven't reinforcements arrived from outside after a month and a half?"

Unless the other cities could barely protect themselves, it made no sense.

He Zhao considered simply leaving, but he had yet to obtain knowledge concerning Unusual Scholars. He was unwilling to accept that!

"Force a kill!"

Back then, while three blades had stabbed him to death, he had dragged the Hetu Dao Master down with him. But times had changed. Having become an Original Blood Warrior through Demon Eater's Heart Blood, he would not stumble into the same pit twice.

To ensure nothing could go wrong, he planned to start with poison and make more preparations. There was no need to rush.

On the first day, [Toxicology: 100/1000 (Minor Accomplishment)]

On the second day, [Toxicology: 215/1000 (Minor Accomplishment)]

On the third day, [Toxicology: 349/1000 (Minor Accomplishment)]

On the fifteenth day, [Toxicology: 500/1000 (Minor Accomplishment)]

It was not that he was deliberately dragging things out. With vast amounts of money and research that had him neglecting sleep and food, He Zhao unexpectedly created a batch of Vicious Poison Powder on the evening of the fourth day.

This stuff was not lethal, but it had one trait: so long as even a tiny amount entered the mouth or nose, the entire body would itch unbearably, making one wish to scratch out one's own heart and liver.

Even contact with the skin would make someone scratch at their heart and claw at their lungs, and the effect lasted extremely long. A fingernail-sized amount could make someone scratch for half an hour.

At the time, relying on Death Resistance and High-Speed Regeneration, He Zhao pinched off a tiny amount to test it. Thirty minutes later, he had scratched himself raw all over, his entire body drenched in blood, as though he had suffered the Eighteen Tortures.

"It works wonders for screwing people over!"

Over the following days, he increased the dosage again and again. Each time his skin recovered completely, it would suffer anew.

More than ten days later, Ruthless He Zhao's tolerance had greatly improved. Even after consuming a large amount of Poison Powder, he could use his formidable willpower to resist the unbearable itch and move normally.

"With this, the trip to Hetu Dao Temple will definitely be foolproof!!"

After repeated tests, he discovered that Spirit Power had no effect on the Poison Powder, while ordinary Antidote Pills were utterly useless. He even spent a hundred taels of silver to buy a Hundred Flower Antidote Pill from the shopkeeper of the "partner" Herbal Shop, supposedly the best Antidote Pill in the entire city.

The result was that it not only failed to relieve the unbearable itch, it actually worsened it further. That time, He Zhao nearly scratched out his own internal organs.

Afterward, he bought five more without hesitation. Later, he would grind them into powder and mix them into the Poison Powder, using them to increase his own tolerance before employing it against his enemies.

The facts proved that Someone surnamed He was a Wolf Extinguisher hidden among ruthless men—far more ruthless than ruthless men, and even more overbearing.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Coming."

He Zhao cautiously opened the door. Before he could ask why the visitor had come, the man spoke first.

"Old Jin has ordered you to head to Hetu Dao before sunset tonight. He said this is the only chance in your life for a carp to leap through the Dragon Gate."

With that, the visitor quickly left.

A Secret Blood Warrior slot?

Something was wrong!

How did that Cheap Master know I lived here?

There had to be a trap!