Breakthrough to Late Bone Refining

After returning to his residence, Bai Ze paid no mind to what had happened earlier.

After all, murder and plunder were the most ordinary things in the Black Market.

Even the County Magistrate of Changqing County merely turned a blind eye. There was simply no way to eradicate it completely.

After all, this place was still far too remote within the Golden Sun Dynasty.

Over the following period, Bai Ze remained in his residence and cultivated constantly, rarely leaving except when necessary.

Even so, he sensed that the atmosphere within the Black Tiger Gang was growing increasingly oppressive.

Especially three days ago, when the Old Gang Leader, Black Tiger, officially announced that he intended to make his son the new gang leader.

Although the hall masters of the other three halls did not openly object, their expressions were exceedingly grim.

The formation of factions became even more apparent. They appeared obedient only in name, while secretly making moves behind the scenes.

None of this had much impact on Bai Ze, but Black Panther, the hall master of Leopard Hall, had still tried to win him over and specially sent him a Bone Forging Pill.

Bai Ze accepted it outright. His current strength did not allow him any other choice.

Scarface stood before Bai Ze, expressionless as Bai Ze said, "Go back and thank Hall Master Wang for his kindness. Hall Master Li has shown me great favor, and I know what I should do."

"Besides, we are all working for the Black Tiger Gang. If there is anything you need me to do in the future, I will not refuse if it is within my ability."

"Hehe, easy enough, easy enough."

Scarface sneered upon hearing this, and the scar on his face became even more sinister.

Though Bai Ze had not openly torn his face from theirs, his meaning was already perfectly clear.

Seeing him play dumb, Scarface stopped wasting words and said coldly, "Since Deputy Hall Master Bai has put it that way, I will not waste any more breath. But I hope you will be more careful during this time. I heard Li Fei was the illegitimate son of the Ten Thousand Blades Sect's sect master. I wonder whether that is true. I also heard that the Ten Thousand Blades Sect's assassinations are continuing as revenge. I wonder who will be next!"

Bai Ze's expression turned cold at those words. This was already a direct threat.

In Scarface's eyes, anyone who could not be recruited was an enemy.

Bai Ze looked at him expressionlessly and said calmly, "Don't worry. I know that better than you do."

"That is good, that is good."

After shooting Bai Ze a cold glance, Scarface gave a few meaningful laughs, then turned and left with several others.

In his eyes, such a fool who did not know life from death was merely courting death. There was no need to waste more words on him.

Watching their retreating backs, Bai Ze realized that the Black Tiger Gang's internal situation might be even worse than he had imagined.

He did not believe they had only tried to recruit him. The hall masters of every hall were likely doing everything they could to gather people around themselves, strengthening their own forces to gain a greater voice within the gang.

Yet no one wished to be the first bird to stick its head out. The Old Gang Leader Black Tiger was old, not dead.

Who knew what methods he still had hidden away? Everyone wanted to sit atop the mountain and watch the tigers fight, then reap the fisherman's profit.

It was like a sheet of paper-thin window paper. Everything could be seen clearly, and everyone understood it in their hearts, yet no one wished to be the first to poke through it.

But as things stood, Bai Ze was still the deputy hall master of Leopard Hall.

Several groups had tried to recruit him during this time, but he had refused them all.

It was not because he was particularly loyal to Black Panther. This was simply the best choice for now.

In the end, it still came down to strength. Otherwise, he would never have been in such a passive position.

So Bai Ze still had to raise his strength as quickly as possible, increase his talent, and break through to the Viscera Refining Realm. Only then could he preserve himself as much as possible in this struggle.

A week later,

Aside from making a few trips when Black Panther summoned him, he spent all his remaining time cultivating in his residence.

He tempered his body with all manner of martial techniques, making it tougher and tougher, and finally broke through to Late Bone Refining on this day.

In addition, the newly acquired Seven Wind Chasing Swords had been cultivated to Great Accomplishment, further increasing his offensive methods.

The other martial techniques he had obtained from the Black Market were the same.

Though reaching Great Accomplishment could not raise Bai Ze's strength by much now, it could earn him quite a few Talent Points.

Seeing that his Talent Points had surpassed a hundred, a trace of excitement inevitably appeared in Bai Ze's eyes.

He said, "Now that Seven Wind Chasing Swords has reached Great Accomplishment, I have enough Talent Points to improve myself once more. I wonder if I can reach the level of a genius this time."

"System, improve my talent."

As the system added all his Talent Points to his talent, a peculiar sensation arose within him.

It was as though a special current had spread throughout his entire body, rapidly transforming it.

His mind became clear and cool, and even trivial matters from long ago seemed to return vividly to him.

More than ten seconds later, he could feel the changes throughout his body compared to before.

At Bai Ze's thought, a translucent interface visible only to him appeared before his eyes.

[Martial God System]

[Host: Bai Ze]

[Age: 15/73]

[Talent: Intelligent Talent (200/500)]

[Realm: Late Bone Refining Realm]

[Cultivation Method: None]

[Martial Techniques: Sword Drawing Technique, Perfection (7%); Seven Wind Chasing Swords, Great Accomplishment (43%); Stone Fist, Great Accomplishment (17%); Wind-Following Steps, Great Accomplishment (26%); Mad Bull Body Tempering Fist, Perfection (21%)...]

[Talent Points: 9]

Upon seeing Intelligent Talent displayed under his talent, Bai Ze swiftly drew his longsword and began practicing Seven Wind Chasing Swords in the courtyard.

He could clearly sense that, compared to before, the sword technique had become more effortless after reaching Great Accomplishment.

Like Autumn Wind Sweeps Fallen Leaves, the longsword in his hand flashed like lightning and swept freely with the wind.

Several minutes later,

Bai Ze stopped and said with a smile, "Not bad. As expected, after my talent increased, cultivation became easier too."

"With the perfected Sword Drawing Technique, if I catch an opponent off guard, I can kill even someone at Bone Refining Perfection with a single sword strike."

"And with Seven Wind Chasing Swords at Great Accomplishment, I may not be invincible in the Bone Refining Realm, but within Changqing County, I should be close enough."

The world was vast beyond measure. Who dared claim invincibility among those of the same realm? Who dared say they would never be defeated?

Bai Ze understood this point very clearly now.

But the most crucial matter now was still the Bone Forging Pill. If he wanted to quickly break through to the Viscera Refining Realm, it was indispensable.

Although a Bone Forging Pill cost only three hundred taels of silver, Bai Ze truly did not have that much money right now.

Moreover, he could not fall behind in collecting all kinds of martial techniques. After all, this concerned his talent.

He had originally planned to use some methods to obtain cultivation resources, but he had not expected someone to deliver themselves to his door.

Plans could never keep up with changes!

Around one in the morning,

Several black-clad figures silently appeared. After glancing at Bai Ze's residence nearby, they swiftly vaulted over the wall.

The leader in black held a long saber. He pointed toward the room at the four people behind him, made a few gestures, and quickly stepped forward.

One person lightly poked a small hole through the window paper with his finger. After seeing Bai Ze lying on the bed inside, he took out a tube and blew sleeping medicine into the room.

Though Bai Ze appeared to be lying motionless on the bed, his eyes had long since narrowed slightly.

To guard against covert attacks, he had made all sorts of preparations long ago.

Though their footsteps seemed light, he had already noticed them the moment they entered the courtyard.

Without such caution, he might not even have survived until now as an ordinary man when he had first crossed over.