Flying Stone Technique Mastery, Wang's Ready-to-Wear Shop

[Realm: Late Mortal Transformation Layer One]

[Mortal Transformation Vitality: 366/100000]

[Pine Crane Longevity Technique: Initial Glimpse 67/80]

[Flying Stone Technique: 12/12]

Lin Xuankong glanced at the large lines in his mind, rose beneath the old willow tree, and walked over to the large bluestone in the courtyard. Circulating his Mortal Transformation Vitality, he formed a finger sword with his right hand and jabbed out repeatedly.

"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"

The large bluestone shuddered again and again, erupting with a string of dull thuds.

Half a breath later, six finger holes, each half a foot deep, had appeared in the bluestone. They formed a neat ring around Li Xiaolan's finger hole at the center.

The difference between these finger holes Lin Xuankong had made and Li Xiaolan's was slight.

Cracks had appeared around the six holes he had jabbed out. That showed that the force of his Spirit Crane Finger was still not condensed enough. Yet compared with the hole Li Xiaolan had made with a casual jab, the gap was no longer great!

Looking at those finger holes, a trace of satisfaction appeared in Lin Xuankong's eyes.

From the day he had begun cultivating the Pine Crane Technique until this very moment,

only a few dozen days had passed, yet he had gone from a little old man on the brink of death to a powerful Martial Cultivator in the same realm as Zhang Wu!

Now that he possessed such strength, of course he had to kill his way to their door!

Killing intent surged in Lin Xuankong's eyes. He decisively turned and headed toward the wooden building.

The instant he reached the wooden building's rear door, his left hand flicked slightly.

Six shadows shot from his hand, carving six straight lines through the air before landing with unerring accuracy in six finger holes at different points on the large bluestone!

Flying Stone Technique,

Sky-Shading Locust Swarm,

complete!

Guangju Xuan was the most renowned restaurant on Shuinan Street.

Its fame naturally came in part from its delicious dishes and authentic brews, but the most important reason was that its owner was named Xu Zhongxiong. Zhang Wu, the Black Tiger Gang big shot who controlled the Four Streets Thirty Alleys, including Shuinan Street and West Gate Street, had two most famous subordinates. One was Ma Xiong, while the other was Xu Zhongxiong, who had a rather close relationship with Granny Wang.

Unlike Ma Xiong, whose martial prowess was ordinary and who relied on schemes and tricks to serve as a strategist, Xu Zhongxiong was famous because his strength was second only to Zhang Wu's. Moreover, among Zhang Wu's men, he had killed the most people!

Some even said that when making a living in the Four Streets Thirty Alleys, one could offend Zhang Wu but must never offend Blood Tiger Xu Zhongxiong. If one offended the lecherous Zhang Wu, one could still offer up a beauty to avert disaster. But Xu Zhongxiong was never lustful; he only liked killing people and ransacking homes!

Seated in a corner on Guangju Xuan's first floor, Lin Xuankong watched the setting sun beyond the window. Naturally, he had heard these rumors as well.

However, he had not come here merely for Xu Zhongxiong.

From this window, he could see a three-story building across the street. At its entrance hung a couplet: "Tailored to measure, craftsmanship beyond compare; horse-riding amid flowers, spring colors bloom of themselves." Above it were the words: Wang's Ready-to-Wear Shop.

Over the past ten-odd days, Lin Xuankong had not simply holed himself up at home. According to the information he had secretly gathered, Granny Wang owned many residences, but the one she loved living in most was this residence on Shuinan Street.

Her favorite food was Guangju Xuan's wine and dishes.

And her favorite place to sit was Heaven Grade One Private Room on Guangju Xuan's first floor.

Retracting his gaze, Lin Xuankong, dressed in dark blue-green robes and wearing a veiled bamboo hat and mask, popped a peanut into his mouth. He chewed it with the only two molars remaining on the left side of his mouth while waiting patiently.

"Sir, pardon the interruption. All the seats are full, and two newly arrived guests would like to share a table with you. Would that be all right?" A waiter approached and asked with a bow.

Lin Xuankong frowned slightly and turned to look.

Two people stood behind the waiter, a man and a woman, both with swords at their waists. The man, who wore three wisps of long beard, smiled. "Brother, I truly apologize. How about this? Put the cost of your food and wine on our bill. I'll settle it later."

Sharing a table was no matter. He would not be sitting here much longer anyway. Once Granny Wang and Xu Zhongxiong both arrived, it would be time to act! Lin Xuankong nodded. "Fine!"

After sitting down, the long-bearded swordsman took a cup, filled it with wine, and raised it. "Meeting is fate. I am Gu Beicheng. Let me toast you, brother. May I ask your name?"

Lin Xuankong also raised his cup and answered casually, "Wanderer Under Heaven, Ask Me Not. Just call me brother."

The long-bearded swordsman drained his cup in one gulp and sighed. "Brother is truly free and easy. Beicheng has fallen into the commonplace."

Seeing how mild-tempered he was, Lin Xuankong found himself rather fond of him, so he drained his own cup as well.

The swordswoman beside them frowned and shot Lin Xuankong a glare. Her little mouth pouted slightly, her face full of disdain.

Gu Beicheng and Lin Xuankong chatted idly for a while, and they got along fairly well.

A moment later, Gu Beicheng looked at Lin Xuankong, whose face was concealed, and said quietly, "Brother is an interesting man and very much to my liking, so let me offer a warning. Things may get a little chaotic here later. You should leave Guangju Xuan as soon as possible."

Lin Xuankong glanced at Gu Beicheng's longsword beside the table, made a guess inwardly, then smiled. "I like watching excitement most of all. The more chaotic, the better! Besides, this is Guangju Xuan, under Xu Zhongxiong's protection. How chaotic can it possibly get?"

Seeing him say this, Gu Beicheng sighed, said nothing further, and lowered his head to drink.

The swordswoman gave a snort. "Good words cannot persuade a ghost bent on dying. Senior Brother, why waste so many words on an old man!"

The swordswoman had clearly judged Lin Xuankong's approximate age from his voice.

Lin Xuankong frowned slightly, while Gu Beicheng said apologetically, "Brother, don't take offense. My junior sister is young, straightforward by nature, and her mouth is a little—"

Just then,

a burst of commotion sounded from Guangju Xuan's entrance.

Soon, more than a dozen broad-shouldered, burly Black Tiger Gang members entered. Leading them were Xu Zhongxiong and Granny Wang. Xu Zhongxiong wore black robes and stood nearly nine feet tall, with broad shoulders, a thick waist, a square face, heavy brows, and leopard-like eyes. He carried an imposing aura even without showing anger.

Most of the diners eating on the first floor were wealthy merchants and landlords with influence in the Four Streets Thirty Alleys. Otherwise, they would not have had the means to spend money here.

Yet upon seeing Xu Zhongxiong and Granny Wang come upstairs, at least seventeen or eighteen of those wealthy diners rose to their feet and cupped their hands toward them from afar.

The remaining diners did not stand and salute, but they lowered their voices and looked over with reverence on their faces.

Standing at the entrance to Heaven Grade One Private Room, Xu Zhongxiong returned the greetings of those diners. "Lord Zhang, Gentleman Li, Boss Zhao, everyone, please sit. Be sure to eat and drink your fill. I won't accompany you all."

"Brother Lu is too courteous. Please, attend to your business!"

"Yes, you and Godmother Wang should go to the private room!"

The dozen or so people whose names had been called all spoke polite words with glowing faces, yet none of them sat down.

Only after Xu Zhongxiong and Granny Wang entered the private room did they glance around at the other diners with faintly smug expressions before sitting down grandly.

Their expressions made it seem as though being "called by name" by Xu Zhongxiong, and having him remember their names, were some extraordinary honor!

"Gentleman Li, when did you become acquainted with Mister Lu of the Black Tiger Gang?"

"Boss Zhao knows Mister Lu? Then could you put in a word for me about the street-clearing fee for my shop lately...?"

The richly dressed diners gathered around those dozen or so people and began whispering among themselves.

Seeing that old sow-dog Granny Wang,

thinking of all the disgusting things that old hag had done and said,

then recalling what he had seen when he lifted the Li Family's rice jar, killing intent had long since surfaced in Lin Xuankong's eyes.

However, he suppressed the urge to strike immediately and looked thoughtfully at the two people sharing his table. Just as he had expected, the long-bearded man and the swordswoman had both already gripped the swords beside them, their faces covered in frost as they stared toward Heaven Grade One Private Room.