Winds and Clouds Rise

The patron, having been excused from paying for the wine, smiled in satisfaction and began to recount the recent events at Little Cui Ridge.

"First off, they sealed off the mountain for a few days. The Prince's Estate, along with people from the major martial arts schools, started excavating the tomb of a former dynasty's Internal Energy master."

"Everything was going fine until one night, a Fierce Tiger descended from the mountain and killed quite a few people!"

Upon hearing the words "Fierce Tiger," Li Qing's eyes lit up slightly, but he suppressed his emotions and continued listening.

"The Fierce Tiger launched a surprise attack under the cover of night, injuring several Outer Strength experts before it was finally driven back."

"With so many casualties, the excavation progress slowed down. Those from the Prince's Estate grew impatient and called everyone who had been guarding the mountain to help with the digging."

"Just as the tomb was about to be opened, guess what happened?"

It had to be said, this patron had the makings of a storyteller. With every word, he had drawn everyone's attention.

"Tell us, tell us quickly, don't keep us in suspense! What happened next?"

"Yeah, what exactly happened?!"

Urged on by the crowd, the patron took a contented sip of wine and said with gusto, "Then, the Nine Lotus Sect attacked the mountain, mixed in with quite a few people from the Jianghu. Little Cui Ridge descended into utter chaos!"

"I heard that the Nine Lotus Sect sent two Lotus Protectors this time, and with the skilled fighters from the Jianghu, they absolutely routed the team from the Prince's Estate!"

"That's all I know. The specific casualty figures will probably reach Shengtian in a few days, but from what I can see, the Prince's Estate has probably lost a lot of face this time."

After hearing about the events at Little Cui Ridge, the people in the inn erupted into a heated discussion, with opinions flying from all directions.

"The Nine Lotus Sect is truly audacious, daring to openly attack the Prince's Estate."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I wonder what kind of martial arts legacy from the former dynasty is buried in that tomb to be so attractive?"

"Hard to say. The former dynasty was founded on martial arts. It's rumored that even Grandmaster realm experts were common back then."

"..."

Li Qing sat in a corner of the inn, swirling the wine in his cup, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Unlike everyone else, who were focused on the tomb of the former dynasty's martial arts master, his mind was on the Fierce Tiger that appeared at Little Cui Ridge.

Since obtaining the two wine recipes, he had managed to gather almost all the ingredients at Quanshan Herbal Shop. However, he had never found any information about Tiger Bone.

After all, in this era, no one would bother keeping a tiger as a pet. To obtain Tiger Bone, one would have to hunt wild Fierce Tigers in the deep mountains and old forests.

This was no easy feat. An ordinary Outer Strength expert, without significant protection or preparation, would likely find themselves in a rather desperate situation if they encountered a Fierce Tiger in the woods.

Li Qing remained seated in the inn for a while longer. After finishing the wine in his cup, he left.

Returning to his shop, Li Qing frowned slightly, pondering and processing the news he had received that day.

"Hunting a Fierce Tiger... this is not something to rush into. I need to plan carefully and proceed with extreme caution."

Little Cui Ridge was currently a chaotic place of conflict, with many Jianghu experts flocking there. It was definitely a murky situation.

If nothing else, the Prince's Estate and the Nine Lotus Sect alone were enough for Li Qing to keep his distance.

"No rush. Being a tiger-slaying hero isn't easy. Before that, I need to retrieve the Fine Iron Battle Halberd."

"Then, after the Prince's Estate finishes excavating the tomb, I'll figure out a way to get the Tiger Bone."

"It would be best to find an old hunter in the area..."

And so, Li Qing finalized his plan to acquire the Tiger Bone in his mind.

Ever since he obtained the two medicinal wine recipes, he had been eager to start brewing.

Unfortunately, after arriving in Shengtian City, although he had gathered the ingredients for the Five Poisons Blood Activating Wine, he could only start brewing in the summer.

As for the Tiger Bone Health Preserving Wine, after so long, he had finally received news about Tiger Bone today.

"Hoo, I thought I would have to wait at least a few more years to gather the materials and start brewing. I didn't expect to be able to start by next summer at the latest."

"As expected of Shengtian, it truly is a blessed land of outstanding people and exceptional places!"

Li Qing muttered to himself with satisfaction. He could already envision his path of martial arts becoming a smooth and prosperous highway.

Time passed quietly, and a few days went by in the blink of an eye.

During these past few days, Shengtian had been anything but calm.

First, Prince Yu personally took action, wielding his sword and razing the Nine Lotus Sect's main headquarters in Shengtian. He engaged in a fierce battle with the Green Lotus Protector who was stationed there.

Finally, with the assistance of the masters of Shengtian's three major martial arts schools, Prince Yu defeated the Green Lotus Protector.

This event sent shockwaves throughout Shengtian. Countless Jianghu figures marveled at the Prince's formidable martial arts skills, actually managing to defeat a Lotus Protector of the Nine Lotus Sect in person!

At the same time, many became even more wary of the Nine Lotus Sect, a gang rooted in Feng Kingdom that dared to snatch food from the tiger's mouth when facing a prince.

Afterward, His Majesty was enraged. Emperor Taiwen issued a decree demanding a thorough investigation into the entire Nine Lotus Sect's influence in Shengtian.

Instantly, Shengtian was in turmoil.

However, it was unfortunate that the Nine Lotus Sect members received advance warning. They all fled the imperial capital overnight, rendering the imperial decree ineffective.

The next day, Prince Yu, disregarding all advice, led his men directly to Little Cui Ridge, intending to personally oversee the deep excavation of the tomb.

This caused further consternation among some in the Jianghu, who speculated about what exactly was buried in the tomb of the former dynasty's expert, to warrant such intense interest from a prince!

In an instant, the entire Jianghu was abuzz with the news, and more and more people rushed towards Little Cui Ridge, creating an increasingly chaotic situation.

And now, Shengtian seemed empty, with many martial arts experts gone.

But that wasn't the case. The Nine Lotus Sect had previously controlled nearly half of the underground forces in the capital, with almost half of the capital's merchants paying them protection fees.

Now that the Nine Lotus Sect had angered the royal family and fled Shengtian overnight, that half of the profit had become available.

The only forces qualified to eye this lucrative opportunity and compete for it were the three major martial arts schools.

And so, the three martial arts schools, which had been at peace for many years, gradually became more tense without realizing it.

Li Qing, upon learning all of this at the blacksmith shop, couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

"What a turbulent time. We haven't had peaceful days for long, and now it's chaotic again!"

Fortunately, the chaos didn't seem to be spreading towards him, so Li Qing couldn't be bothered to interfere. He simply sat back, like a fisherman waiting for his bait, and quietly watched the situation unfold.

Even he couldn't quite understand the current situation in Shengtian. Too many forces were involved, and who knew what kind of secret deals were being made behind the scenes.