Immortal Martial: Pushing Through Two Realms From Reality Section 34

He didn't immediately answer Old Man Li's words.

Jiang Shu lowered himself, twisted Zheng Kun's neck, ensuring he was completely dead, and then retrieved a small bag of gold beans from the corpse.

Zheng Kun was even more pathetic than he'd imagined. Although his Full Body Vital Energy Circulation was complete, he only had the vital energy itself. His cultivation method was passable, but when it came to fighting techniques, he was far inferior to himself, having already mastered the Tiger Form Three Styles.

This showed that there was a significant gap between the hall masters of the outer city gangs and the formal disciples of the martial arts schools in the inner city.

The former had merely passable vital energy, which could be enough to overcome the weak with sheer force.

But compared to the formal disciples of the martial arts schools who had truly mastered the three methods of cultivation, conditioning, and fighting, it would take three or four such hall masters to perhaps even surround one of them.

After confirming there were no omissions, Jiang Shu stood up. At this moment, he was incredibly grateful that he had apprenticed with the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School early on and mastered the three methods of cultivation, conditioning, and fighting.

Otherwise, with his perfected Horse Stance, but without any fighting techniques, facing an injured Zheng Kun, he could indeed run, but what about afterward?

Old Man Li would surely die.

He himself would also be hunted by the members of the Green Snake Gang from the Poison Fang Hall.

This world was not Xuan Star after all.

Even in the outer city of this small Pingling County, dangers lurked everywhere, and one never knew when peril would strike.

Let alone the inner city, where martial artists gathered.

Beneath the behemoths like the county yamen and the large households, without sufficient strength, one could at best barely make a living in the inner city, leading a precarious existence.

"Little Brother Jiang... maybe we should run..."

"Run where? Zheng Kun wasn't killed by me. Wasn't he being pursued by the Black Water Gang when he died?"

Standing up, Jiang Shu stretched his limbs and turned to Old Man Li, speaking with admirable nonchalance, "Old Man Li, rest assured. If anything happens to Zheng Kun, the Green Snake Gang will only suspect the Black Water Gang. Even if the Black Water Gang denies it, will the leader of the Green Snake Gang believe them?"

"When the rain gets heavier, I'll dump him in a corner of the outer city."

"If he hid here, he was naturally concealing himself from everyone. He brought his death upon himself, and who would know he had ever appeared in Coiling Snake Alley?"

"As for you and me, Old Man Li. Tomorrow, you should go to the escort agency and say that you're scared because of the ongoing turf war between the Green Snake Gang and the Black Water Gang, and you're just back to sweeping the floors. Favors should be called in at a time like this."

"As for me, as a formal disciple of the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School, I naturally live in the inner city. Why would I come to a place like the outer city?"

Jiang Shu's tone was calm, as if he hadn't just killed someone but had merely brushed some dust off his clothes.

Old Man Li felt his mind was a complete mess. At this moment, he couldn't utter a single word.

Little Brother Jiang... wasn't he studying under Master Qin?

How did he suddenly become a formal disciple of the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School?

During those months he spent sweeping floors at the Poison Fang Hall...

What on earth had happened?!!!

"Old Man Li, you mentioned before that your daughter was sold to the inner city. Do you remember which pawnshop bought her? And approximately how many years ago was that? I'll keep an eye out during this time and see if I can find any traces."

"Once I become a martial artist, I'll help you resolve your household registration issues with the county yamen, and then I'll move to the inner city too. Gang wars in the outer city, moving back and forth isn't safe at all. You're old enough now, you should enjoy your later years and not live in fear every day."

As he spoke, Jiang Shu picked up a wooden bucket from Old Man Li's room, went out to fetch rainwater, and washed away the blood on the ground.

Killing.

Cleaning up.

Done in one go.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the outer city, the Green Snake Gang and the Black Water Gang continued their clashes. After the news of Hall Master Zheng's death spread, the Poison Fang Hall disintegrated, and the Green Snake Gang was pushed back further and further. Strangely, neither gang leader had made a move, with only waves of casualties among their members.

Refugees and residents from alleys like Coiling Snake Alley began to relocate.

However, the county yamen remained indifferent.

If one batch of refugees was unwilling to stay here.

The next batch would be willing, wouldn't they?

Inner City.

Jiang Shu stood in his newly rented courtyard. After the rain, the air in Pingling County was refreshingly clean.

In these three days, he had not only sorted out his household registration but also rented a small courtyard in the eastern part of the inner city.

It was located in a secluded spot and was reasonably priced.

The attached yard was only about twenty square meters. Jiang Shu casually planted some unknown plants to add a touch of life. Of the two rooms, one was for his own use, and the other he had tidied up and converted into a practice room.

"Finally, I have a foothold in Pingling County. I have to thank Hall Master Zheng. Without that small bag of gold beans, where would I have gotten so much silver?"

"Murder and arson lead to a belt of gold; the ancients never lied. Even a mere hall master possessed such wealth. I can't even imagine the accumulated wealth of those noble families..."

"If I had the strength, why bother with business? Wouldn't robbing those damned nobles be faster?

"It's a pity. My strength isn't enough, and my talent doesn't seem to be very good either. Three days have passed, and I still haven't even grasped the basics of Roaring Tiger Mountain Strength. It seems I'll have to resort to the slow and steady method, grinding all three methods of cultivation, conditioning, and fighting to perfection."

Jiang Shu muttered inwardly as he pushed the door open.

Unlike the narrow Coiling Snake Alley.

Outside the small courtyard, the bluestone path was clean and spacious. Nearby, many small stalls and hawkers were calling out their wares. Bathed in a ray of sunlight, Jiang Shu walked towards the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School.

By the time he arrived, the entrance of the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School was already filled with the sound of gongs and drums, a lively scene.

Residents from the vicinity gathered around, and the apprentices who were practicing Blood Essence circulation were maintaining order outside. Zhou Yang, benefiting from Jiang Shu's presence, shed his usual lazy demeanor and stood in the most conspicuous place, loudly announcing the various congratulatory gifts presented by the attending forces.

After a while.

Inside the martial arts school.

All the martial arts school masters from Pingling County's inner city were present.

Wealthy families also sent their illegitimate sons and stewards to congratulate Elder Qiu on taking a highly talented disciple.

Qiu Hai sat on a high chair, and beside him stood the twelve formal disciples who had already become martial artists in the Skin Grinding Realm.

After everyone was seated.

Qiu Hai cleared his throat, looked at Jiang Shu in the center of the courtyard, and said:

"Apprentice Jiang Shu, possessing a kind nature and diligently practicing martial arts. He has now achieved Full Body Vital Energy Circulation and has been accepted by this old man as a formal disciple, ranked thirteenth. In this life, he shall not disgrace the Martial Arts, nor violate his master's teachings, training day and night, and reaching the Skin Grinding Realm as soon as possible, so as not to tarnish the reputation of our Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School..."

Amidst a round of congratulations.

Jiang Shu changed into the training uniform for formal disciples of the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School.

On the chest of the pure black training uniform, a fierce tiger head with sharp fangs was embroidered with golden thread.

He received a cup of clear tea from his senior disciple, took a few steps forward, knelt on the ground, and respectfully offered the tea with both hands.

"Master, please accept this bow from your disciple, Jiang Shu."

"Brother Jiang, from now on, you're my own brother!"

Zhou Family Restaurant.

In a private room.

A table full of dishes exuded a captivating aroma.

Zhou Yang never imagined that after Jiang Shu put those white, small crystals into the dishes, these dishes, which originally had no taste, would gain an ultimate savory flavor.

If Jiang Shu hadn't been present, he would have been unable to resist devouring them.

With such a secret recipe, how could his family's restaurant's business not prosper?

"Don't give me that. I've tasted the dishes, now go discuss it with your father. For this collaboration, am I investing in your Zhou Family Restaurant, or are you buying my salt and MSG separately?"

Jiang Shu sat at the head of the table, leisurely tasting the dishes. After the disciple-accepting ceremony yesterday, his status had undergone a qualitative change, and for the first time, he personally felt the prestige of Elder Qiu.

In the small courtyard, a continuous stream of gifts arrived. Merchants from some shops even waited at the entrance, begging him to lend his name.

Some illegitimate sons from wealthy families also sent invitations, inviting him to meet at the Sparrow Pavilion.

Jiang Shu did not know what the treatment for martial artists was like.

But what he was now extremely certain of was that with the same Full Body Vital Energy Circulation, formal disciples and ordinary apprentices lived in completely different worlds!

Inside the martial arts school, those apprentices like him were still working hard for an extra set of Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine per month.

But he could now buy a set from Elder Qiu for five taels of silver every three to five days.

Although ordinary apprentices could also lend their names to shops, they basically had to sit in the shops to protect them.

He, however, only needed to spread the word that he was affiliated with the shop.

For ordinary apprentices, lending their names usually fetched around ten taels of silver.

But he quoted at least thirty taels of silver.

In a single day, his status had changed drastically, as if he were two different people.

Even as a formal disciple with Full Body Vital Energy Circulation, he could receive such treatment, transforming from a refugee living in Coiling Snake Alley in the outer city, whose survival was uncertain.