When My Carrier Pigeon Delivers a Letter, It Will Summon the Brothers

Inspect the corpses; wipe his fingers clean.

Carrying a faint scent of blood, Chu Qing entered the Black Market again.

He still had over a thousand taels of silver.

He wanted to buy secret medicine and improve his Iron Cloth Shirt.

Although the Iron Cloth Shirt had already reached Great Completion, and all its Iron Sinews had been cultivated—

He wanted to keep improving his ability to withstand blows.

After all:

Iron Sinews were Iron Sinews; resistance to blows was resistance to blows. The two were different.

Perhaps because he carried the scent of blood, everyone on the street instinctively kept away from him.

Very soon:

Chu Qing stood before the medicine vendor once more.

The medicine vendor's pupils contracted when he saw him.

"This man has repeatedly bought secret medicine for the Eagle Claw Technique."

"And now he wants more?"

"There's a new scent of blood on him... did he just kill someone?"

The medicine vendor said in a low, hurried voice, "You... why are you here again?"

Chu Qing smiled. "Another thirty portions... of Iron Cloth Shirt secret medicine."

The medicine vendor panicked and looked around.

In an instant, he realized that the man before him was the murderer who had killed the fake medicine vendor.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the murderer would merely change clothes, then swagger back into the Black Market.

This man had the guts of ten thousand men?

And where had that fresh scent of blood all over him come from?

His heart was in chaos.

"Do you have it?"

Chu Qing took out the Silver Notes.

"Yes!"

"Please wait!"

The medicine vendor was terrified, but money that should be earned still had to be earned.

A minute later:

Chu Qing left with the Iron Cloth Shirt secret medicine tucked away.

The medicine vendor waited for over an hour before slowly packing up his stall and slipping away.

Although that Great Figure had said that every sale of Iron Cloth Shirt secret medicine had to be reported—

He would not report it.

So what if it was a Great Figure?

If I don't say anything, what the hell would you know?

At daybreak:

The Black Market dispersed.

A group of muscular men gathered and discovered that two of their companions were missing.

More than ten minutes later, they found their companions' corpses in a small grove.

"What terrifying claw techniques!"

"He actually killed my best brothers."

The Chief Subordinate held out his hand. "Bring me my carrier pigeon."

One of the underlings presented him with a white pigeon.

"Watch as my carrier pigeon delivers a letter to report to my lord and summon the brothers. Then we'll follow the traces, hunt down the murderer, and avenge my best brothers."

"Yes!"

Flutter!

The white pigeon soared into the sky.

Outside Stone Rock County:

Chu Qing swallowed thirty portions of Iron Cloth Shirt secret medicine in one gulp.

Cultivate!

Beneath his skin, strands of Iron Sinew wriggled.

The secret medicine took effect. Driven by the technique, its medicinal power frantically nourished his skin.

Iron Cloth Shirt: Great Completion — practice one thousand times daily; consume secret medicine; Perfection after three thousand days.

Promotion Condition — 1: Fifty portions of secret medicine

The Iron Cloth Shirt had reached Great Completion.

Although all the Iron Sinews of his Iron Cloth Shirt had already been cultivated, when he circulated the technique now, his skin was continually strengthened.

The Iron Sinews over his chest, back, and limbs emerged, forming a strange pattern.

Once...

Ten times...

A hundred times...

His skin changed from rough to smooth.

Then from smooth to pale.

Shortly afterward, it turned iron-blue.

One portion...

Ten portions...

As portions of secret medicine were consumed, his skin color continually changed.

Every time it changed from pale to iron-blue, it was as though he had donned another layer of old cowhide.

Three hours later:

The thirty portions of secret medicine had lost their effect.

At this point, Chu Qing seemed to be clad in thirty layers of old cowhide.

Although the Iron Cloth Shirt had not reached Perfection, a technique that began at Proficient or even Great Completion produced results several times greater from consuming secret medicine than ordinary cultivators could achieve through step-by-step training.

Mantis Fist!

Chu Qing drove a punch into his own arm.

Thud!

The Mantis Fist, which could easily split tables, flesh, and bone, was actually bounced away.

"My Iron Cloth Shirt is even more defensive than Li Hao's perfected Iron Cloth Shirt?"

"If I continue training like this, will I be able to withstand the strikes of weapon techniques?"

He immediately raised the priority of the Iron Cloth Shirt.

Now:

His technique priorities were:

First: Toad Skill.

Second: Iron Cloth Shirt.

Third: Eagle Claw Technique.

Fourth: Mantis Fist, Red Snake Leg.

Fifth: Iron Hand, Iron Thread Fist, Dual Mantis Sword.

As for the Lightness Skill Grass on Wings... it had already reached Perfection and could not yet break through its limits, so it was not worth considering.

"Speaking of Lightness Skills, I might also need one with strong explosive force."

"What a pity... the person selling Lightness Skills wasn't there today, and I'm out of silver too."

"In a few days, once I've saved enough silver, I'll go to the Black Market again!"

18 days until the Martial Academy Preliminary Exam:

Ever since Chu Qing returned from killing enemies at the Black Market a few days ago, he had never gone back.

During these days, he went to Madam Jin's place during the daytime to read and write, wore steel gloves while spinning stone spheres, and trained the Eagle Claw Technique, Iron Hand, and Iron Thread Fist all at once.

At night, he diligently cultivated the Iron Cloth Shirt.

In just a few days, both Iron Hand and Iron Thread Fist had reached the Proficient level. Although he had yet to officially cultivate Iron Sinews, his hands had become steadier and stronger.

As for one-third of the Eagle Claw Technique's second condition, he had completed even more than that.

The spring day was warm and bright:

In the courtyard, a Linen-Clad Barefoot Youth wore steel gloves and spun white jade spheres.

A lady dressed in silks and satins lay in a rocking chair, reading.

Yet most of the time, she was looking at the Cloth-clothed Youth.

Screech!

Screech!

The white jade spheres rubbed against the steel gloves.

At first, the sound was grating.

But after several days, when the steel fingers flicked the stone spheres, the sound had become fine and smooth, just like human hands playing with them.

"If those hands were playing with other balls, I wonder whether they would hurt them?"

"I heard that Eagle Claw Technique requires one to crush walnuts and hardwood and the like. Is training this way effective?"

Madam Jin covered her face with her book and simply stopped looking.

A moment later, footsteps approached.

She heard the stone spheres hit the ground, followed by the steel gloves landing.

Then a pair of strong, powerful hands settled on her shoulders.

Fingers kneaded her shoulders, making them feel wonderfully comfortable.

When those fingers pressed against her neck, she instinctively lifted her head like a white swan.

One minute...

Ten minutes...

Madam Jin suddenly gripped the armrests of the rocking chair.

A minute later, orchid-scented breath left her lips. Pressing down the silk clothing beneath her collarbone, she said in panic, "Qing'er, are we still going to watch the opera later?"

Chu Qing smiled. "No."

"My technique is about to break through. I'll head back early to cultivate and strive to make the breakthrough tonight."

The Toad Secret Medicine had been prepared several days ago.

But he had not retrieved it.

Instead, every night, he wandered around Pharmacist Li's house, checking whether anyone was watching Pharmacist Li.

Several days passed without anything unusual.

Tonight, he wanted to take the secret medicine back, swallow it, and make his breakthrough.

It was not that he was being overly cautious.

Because after discovering the strange properties of the Secret Transmission Toad Skill, Chu Qing remembered what that child had said: an old man was looking for people who caught toads.

Though he did not know whether it had anything to do with the Toad Skill, he decided to be careful.

After all... the Toad Skill was far too precious.

While Chu Qing was lost in thought, Madam Jin rose, plucked a flower, and lowered her head to smell it.

Golden sunlight shone down, black hair draped over her cheeks, and the beauty looked like a painting.

Chu Qing recalled a poem from his previous life. His heart stirred, and he blurted out:

"The tenderness of that lowered head was like a flower, shy beneath the cool breeze."

Madam Jin's heart raced. Holding the fresh flower, she remained utterly still.

Only after a long while:

When she heard Fatty Jin's voice, did she suddenly realize that Chu Qing had left!

"Madam, where is Chu Qing?"

Madam Jin lightly toyed with the petals and said coolly, "He left long ago."

Fatty Jin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

These days, that Linen-Clad Barefoot Youth had come far too often.

He felt somewhat uneasy.

And he did not know whether it was merely an illusion, but he always felt that the people of the Blood River Gang liked staring at the top of his head.

"The Blood River Gang is growing stronger by the day. Everyone is so high and mighty that they look down on all beneath them. That isn't a good thing!"

"But it has nothing to do with me."

"I'll just peacefully be a fat rat, hollowing out the Blood River Gang bit by bit. Then I'll ask Madam to move my household registration to the prefectural city."

"When it is time to leave, if Chu Qing performs well, I'll take him to the prefectural city with me and show him what a world of flowers and splendor truly is."