Yin Tianxing

"Senior Brother Chen, I have something to do. I'd like to go home for a while."

Qin Shuang looked at the hooked-nosed young man as he spoke. He remembered that this was Chen Jingye, the martial school's third senior brother, whom First Senior Brother Liu Hao had introduced when Qin Shuang first joined the school.

"Junior Brother Qin, if you don't have time to practice your fists, I do have a suggestion."

Chen Jingye sized Qin Shuang up, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes as he spoke with considerable warmth.

"Oh?"

Qin Shuang's gaze flickered.

Chen Jingye smiled. "It's like this. Qingzhou City hasn't been peaceful lately. First, a traitor from the Divine Saber Sect appeared, and last night there was a murder at East Gate Wharf. Quite a few people died. Many disciples who've only recently entered the martial school have hired guards. If Junior Brother Qin is interested in hiring one, I happen to have some free time..."

Chen Jingye's family was not well-off. He had heard that Qin Shuang came from a wealthy family and only practiced martial arts intermittently, like fishing for three days and drying the nets for two. His parents had probably forced him into it, leaving him with no choice. So Chen Jingye wanted to recommend himself as Qin Shuang's guard, earn some silver, and buy Pills for his own cultivation.

"Thank you for your kind intentions, Senior Brother Chen, but I don't need a guard."

Qin Shuang shook his head and politely declined.

"Oh, then forget it."

A flash of gloom passed through Chen Jingye's eyes. He had made himself so proactive, yet Qin Shuang still refused. Wasn't that refusing to give him, the third senior brother, any face?

Qin Shuang bade Chen Jingye farewell and headed for the gate. He saw Jin Yang sitting at the entrance with a smoking pipe in hand, puffing away with a "puff, puff." Qin Shuang clasped his fists and said, "Martial Uncle Jin, I'd like to ask about something."

"Oh? What is it?"

Jin Yang was somewhat surprised.

"That Tiger Roar Painting on our martial school's wall is truly excellent. I'd like to buy one. Martial Uncle, do you know which master painted it?"

Qin Shuang asked.

"That Tiger Roar Painting was painted by Old Master Li Qin of the East City Li Family Stele Forest. His painting skills have reached the pinnacle of perfection; everyone admires him. But he retired from painting last year. If you want a Tiger Roar Painting, why not ask his son?"

At the mention of Li Qin from the Li Family Stele Forest, Jin Yang's face was full of admiration. Then his tone shifted, and he earnestly said, "Martial Nephew Qin, you should still keep practicing every day. Otherwise, your ten taels of entrance fees will go to waste! Besides, once your martial arts are good, your body will be strong. Don't be fooled by my age—I've got stamina no worse than you young people!"

"Thank you for the reminder, Martial Uncle Jin. I'll practice properly."

Qin Shuang clasped his fists at Jin Yang and said, "I'll head back first and come again tomorrow!"

"This... ah!"

Seeing Qin Shuang preparing to leave again, Jin Yang could only shake his head and sigh.

The East City Li Family Stele Forest was located behind the end of East Gate Street, more than six li from the Golden Tiger Martial Arts School.

The large courtyard covered several mu of land, enclosed by white walls over a zhang high. Four large characters were carved above the gatehouse: "Li Family Stele Forest."

For generations, the Li family had made their living exclusively by carving gravestones, stone lions, and stone sculptures.

The moment Qin Shuang arrived at the entrance of the Li Family Stele Forest, he heard chisels striking stone. No one was at the gate. Peering inside, he saw four burly, dark-skinned men in the courtyard, bare to the waist, holding chisels as they polished a pair of stone lions.

There were also quite a few finished gravestones lined up along the courtyard wall.

"Little brother, who are you looking for?"

When Qin Shuang entered, one of the Short-bearded Men used the sweat cloth draped over his shoulder to wipe the beads of sweat from his face and asked.

"Sir, I heard that Old Master Li is skilled at painting tigers. I'd like to buy a Tiger Roar Painting. Do you happen to have any for sale?"

Qin Shuang said with clasped fists.

"A Tiger Roar Painting?"

The Short-bearded Man froze, then immediately said, "My father no longer paints, but I have a few paintings he casually made before retiring in my room. If you want one, I can go get them?"

"Alright!"

Qin Shuang's eyes lit up at those words. This was perfect.

The Short-bearded Man set down his chisel and headed deeper into the courtyard.

If you can't find a book by searching its title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!

Qin Shuang looked at the gravestones nearby, walked over, and raised his hand to pat one.

[Striking stone tablet +1 time!]

"Hm?"

Hearing the prompt in his mind, Qin Shuang's eyes immediately lit up. This was perfect—there was hope for the Tablet Splitting Hand.

Qin Shuang continued lightly patting the stone tablet.

[Tablet Splitting Hand: (Beginner, practice twenty times daily; proficiency in three months)]

[Simplified advancement requirements: strike stone tablet one hundred times; soak in body-tempering medicinal broth for a quarter of an hour]

Just as Qin Shuang lightly struck the stone tablet for the tenth time, the system prompt sounded in his mind.

"Little brother, what do you think of these?"

At that moment, the Short-bearded Man came over carrying two scrolls and handed them to Qin Shuang.

Qin Shuang accepted the scrolls and unrolled one of them.

This was a small Fierce Tiger painting, three chi long and two chi wide, made of "Hard Yellow Paper." Five tigers of varying poses were painted on it, each lifelike and vivid. One of them had its head raised toward the sky in a roar.

[Study Tiger Roar Painting +1 minute]

Qin Shuang held the Tiger Roar Painting and studied it carefully. After about a minute, a system notification finally sounded in his mind. He immediately said, "Alright. How much is this?"

"If you want it, little brother, one tael of silver will do!"

the Short-bearded Man said.

"Alright. I'll take this little stone tablet too." Qin Shuang nodded, then pointed at a small stone tablet by his feet and spoke to the Short-bearded Man.

It was half a stone tablet, roughly two chi long and one chi wide. It was clearly the incomplete remnant of a tablet that had been ruined during carving. However, when Qin Shuang lightly patted it, a system prompt appeared.

[Palm Strike Stone Tablet 1 time]

"This is a defective stone tablet. If you want it, little brother, just take it! No charge."

Li Jingfeng said with a smile.

"Then many thanks!"

Qin Shuang smiled faintly, packed away the Tiger Roar Painting and slung it over his back. Carrying the broken stone tablet, he headed for Fusheng Restaurant to take it home.

After delivering the stone tablet and the Tiger Roar Painting, he still had to go catch dragonflies. The dragonfly from yesterday had probably been shut in a cage until it lay there barely alive, and it did not increase his flight progress. He had no choice but to release it yesterday, so he needed to catch fresh, lively ones again.

Qingzhou City.

By the Clear Water River north of the city stood a three-courtyard Mountain Villa shaded by lush bamboo.

Black tiles and red pillars stood in neat, overlapping rows.

Inside one of the central side rooms.

A Brocade-robed Youth sat in the seat of honor, a Golden Long Saber Pattern embroidered on the hem of his robes.

At this moment, the Brocade-robed Youth looked at the Date-red-faced Elder before him, a man nearing sixty, and said in a deep voice, "Yin Tianxing, I can sense that the traitor is still in Qingzhou City. Search every inch of it for me! As long as you help me kill the traitor, you may refine the Divine Seed on her body and condense a Divine Wheel!"

"Rest assured, Young Master. This subordinate will mobilize the entire gang. Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we will find that person!"

Upon hearing this, Yin Tianxing's eyes gleamed with wild delight.

He was already in the Marrow Jade Realm. The chance of breaking through to a higher realm through his own cultivation was infinitesimal. But if he obtained a Divine Seed and refined it, he could directly condense a Divine Wheel!

The only drawback was that refining someone else's Divine Seed meant he would be stuck at this level for the rest of his life!

But he did not care. He was already nearly sixty. If he could condense a Divine Wheel, he would become the strongest expert in Qingzhou City. That would be more than enough to satisfy him!

"Mm. Go."

The Brocade-robed Youth waved a hand at Yin Tianxing.