That day, the town remained peaceful, maintaining its superficial calm. To maximize their profits, the Jinsha Gang had yet to bare its fangs.
Zhou Qiming worked at the restaurant during the day. Now that he had been promoted to head chef, he earned ten taels of silver each month, but as the saying went, poor scholars and rich martial artists—in light of his current expenses, that was only enough to maintain his daily livelihood.
That evening, he went to the Blacksmith Shop and bought another ten jin of Refined Iron, spending twenty taels of silver. Zhang Tie was still the same as ever, but there were far fewer people in the shop. It seemed the Jinsha Gang had captured them and forced them into hard labor.
"Is this the Hundred-Year Mushroom of Immortality?"
Zhou Qiming sat cross-legged, practicing his martial arts as he looked at the Spiritual Medicine in his bundle.
He had just gone outside the town to meet Cheng Yan and had obtained this Precious Medicine. With his current skill, apart from Sha Heihu, whose inner art had reached perfection, there were few people who could discover his movements.
"Let's see how effective it is." Zhou Qiming's eyes were filled with anticipation.
It was said that a thousand-year-old Mushroom of Immortality could even gain spiritual awareness and transform into a human form to walk about. It was a great medicine coveted even by Grandmaster Experts.
Although this hundred-year-old specimen was inferior, it was still worth a great deal. It had cost a full eight hundred taels of silver at the Treasure Pavilion, making Zhou Qiming's heart ache. Fortunately, the Cheng Family had helped pay three hundred taels.
After practicing the Earth Fiend Legs all night, this leg technique finally reached Great Accomplishment, bringing with it a slight increase in Root Bone Value.
With fifteen points of Root Bone, plus the Earth Fiend Legs at Great Accomplishment, Zhou Qiming felt only that his speed had increased by a huge margin. When he exerted the muscles in his legs, he vanished from his original spot in an instant, leaving behind an afterimage.
The transformation brought by increased Root Bone was simply too great. His speed was practically on par with a fully accelerated cheetah.
With his strength rising once more, Zhou Qiming finally felt somewhat secure. After eating several ginseng roots and the Mushroom of Immortality, he fell into a deep sleep.
At daybreak, he impatiently checked the Martial arts panel.
[Root Bone: 7/15] [Iron Cloth Skill Second Breakthrough] [Earth Fiend Legs Great Accomplishment]
"Gasp, I recovered nearly three points of Root Bone Value in one night. It's fast."
Zhou Qiming had not expected the Hundred-Year Mushroom of Immortality to be so effective. It was enough to rival two Treasure Fish.
Unfortunately, no plus sign had appeared beside the Iron Cloth Skill. It seemed seven points of Root Bone were not enough to pay the cost of Limit Breaking.
He was not in a hurry. After eating more Precious Medicine and recovering a few points of Root Bone, it should be enough.
After washing up and changing clothes in the morning, Zhou Qiming hurriedly sought out Cheng Yan. This time, he directly gave her two thousand taels of silver to buy two more portions of Hundred-Year Mushroom of Immortality.
The County Town was neither especially near nor far from Jinshui Town. Zhou Qiming escorted her out of the small town, then arranged to meet her again tomorrow night.
"Qiming has grown stronger again. Perhaps he can become a Gold-Rank Blade Catcher."
As she left, Cheng Yan sighed repeatedly. Under Qingfeng Hall's blockade, Zhou Qiming could still enter and leave with her as if there were no one around. His movement technique and strength were simply inconceivable.
At Zhou Qiming's rate of improvement, he might truly be able to contend with Sha Heihu of the Tendon Transformation Realm. Cheng Yan was filled with anticipation.
Time flew by, and ten days had already passed.
"My Root Bone Value has recovered by another three points. If only I had an endless supply of Precious Medicine!"
Looking at his recovered Root Bone points, Zhou Qiming eagerly prepared to allocate them.
During these days, he had completely consumed the ginseng and exhausted all the Treasure Fish. After eating the two newly acquired portions of Mushroom of Immortality as well, his Root Bone had been renewed and restored to fullness.
[Root Bone: 15/15] [Iron Cloth Skill Second Breakthrough +] [Earth Fiend Legs Great Accomplishment 68%!]
"I've revived with full health. Could this Third Breakthrough really consume fifteen points of Root Bone?"
Zhou Qiming felt a pang of heartache, but when he thought of the threats he would face next—and that he might even encounter the Hantian Army—he no longer hesitated and directly tapped the plus sign.
The Martial arts panel blurred for an instant. Then, all kinds of memories and power surged forth, condensing into new golden characters.
[Name: Zhou Qiming] [Level: Bone Forging Great Accomplishment] [Root Bone: 0.1/15] [Iron Cloth Skill Third Breakthrough (Traits: Iron Gall, Recoil, Control Strength)]
"I actually reached Bone Forging Great Accomplishment. I'm only missing the brain bones."
Zhou Qiming's eyes shone. He had not expected the improvement brought by the Third Breakthrough to be so great. Moreover, his Iron Gall and Recoil traits had risen with the tide as well, gaining stronger amplification while consuming less Blood Qi.
It was just that the Root Bone Value he had painstakingly accumulated had once again dried up like a pond. Fortunately, the next Limit Breaking should be some time away, so he would certainly be able to recover and adjust by then.
"I should have reached the Hua Jin level now, right?"
Zhou Qiming lightly clenched his palm. He could feel his Strength entering the finest details, sensing the flow of his tendons, membranes, and blood, even the material transport within his cells.
Moreover, the Control Strength trait had made his defense even more abnormal. The Strength throughout his body seemed to have formed a water-film shield around him. Even the Mountain-Weight Saber swung with full force could not break through that invisible barrier.
"That's enough. With my current strength, even if I can't suppress Sha Heihu, protecting myself should definitely be no problem."
Zhou Qiming was brimming with confidence, his face full of smiles. Even if Sha Heihu had hidden strength, he had trump cards of his own. With all his various Limit Breaking traits stacked together, he could pile them high enough to crush his opponent to death!
Moreover, after mastering the techniques of Hua Jin, he could finally begin refining King's Blood. His strength would be even greater by then.
As for the next Tendon Transformation Realm, Zhou Qiming planned to completely temper his brain bones as well. He had pushed Skin Grinding and Muscle Cultivation to the extreme, laying a foundation like that of a towering building. Therefore, he had to persist through the Bone Forging Realm too.
In theory, he could now unite the meridians throughout his body and break through to the Tendon Transformation Realm, but that would also mean his potential was limited. Only by tempering and developing his brain bones as well could he become one with heaven and earth in the future and wield the great power of nature!
"It's time to head to the County Town."
After buying the Mushroom of Immortality, his purse was nearly empty. It was also time to set out for the County Town and develop there. With the Iron Cloth Skill at the Third Breakthrough and Bone Forging Great Accomplishment, he could carve out a place for himself even in Luoshan County.
Zhou Qiming went to work as usual, but as soon as he arrived at the restaurant, he discovered that Head Chef Liu, Chef Li, and several assistants had not come.
"What happened? Did they flee for refuge?"
At that moment, Xu Hailai appeared, his face full of worry. "It must have been the Jinsha Gang. Damn it, I already paid the protection fee, but they still won't let us go."
"How outrageous. I'll bring them back." Zhou Qiming could not tolerate it either.
Head Chef Liu had always treated him well. Now that the Jinsha Gang had abducted him, nothing good would come of it. For all he knew, they might send him to the Sky Shaker Bandits' army to serve as cannon fodder.
"Qiming, don't act rashly. I heard that Sha Heihu has already broken through. Even Hall Master Yuan isn't his match." Xu Hailai earnestly tried to dissuade him.
At that moment, Li Qian came in crying, her face streaked with tears like pear blossoms in the rain. "Uncle Xu, my father..."
Zhou Qiming said nothing. Killing intent flickered in his eyes as he went home to retrieve the Mountain-Weight Saber.
"Are you going to throw your life away? If Brother Xiao Tian were still alive, he would definitely be able to protect us." Li Qian glanced at Zhou Qiming, but held no hope for him.
Even someone as powerful as Xiao Tian had seen his entire clan wiped out by the Jinsha Gang. How could a mere restaurant head chef possibly bring back Head Chef Liu and the others?
"Uncle Xu, go meet up with Yuan Tieyi now. We'll act tonight. Once I bring them back, I'll escort you out of here."
Zhou Qiming could not be bothered to explain himself to Li Qian. He merely instructed Xu Hailai in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Alright, I'll go pack our things." Xu Hailai did not know where Zhou Qiming got his confidence, but for now, following the martial arts hall was indeed the safest option.
If Yuan Tieyi was willing to act regardless of the cost, perhaps he really could lead them in fighting their way to a chance at survival.
"Hmph, he's still showing off. Does he think he's Xiao Tian? What gives him the right to escort us?" Li Qian shook her head, not believing him.
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