Qin Shuang knew it well.
The golden bones meant his aptitude was no ordinary thing. He would go farther on the path of martial arts!
If I can find more Qi and Blood and infuse all the bones in my body until they turn golden, just how far could I go?
A look of anticipation appeared in Qin Shuang's eyes.
But he also knew that turning every bone in his body golden would require an astronomical amount of Qi and Blood resources.
At six in the evening.
"Congratulations, young master, on your tremendous increase in strength!"
"Congratulations, young master!"
"..."
Qin Shuang had just stepped out of the tile-roofed house when Jin Yang and Liu Hao appeared outside with more than thirty young men. They stood respectfully, offering their congratulations.
"You've all worked hard."
Qin Shuang nodded to them.
"Young master, all eight tigers we brought back have been skinned. We've prepared the hides, paws, and penises separately. Also, twenty-five disciples who escaped from Golden Tiger Martial Arts School have come to pledge their loyalty." Liu Hao stepped forward and respectfully cupped his fists toward Qin Shuang.
"Greetings, young master!"
"Greetings, young master!"
"..."
The twenty-five disciples who had come to pledge their loyalty all cupped their fists respectfully toward Qin Shuang.
"Good! There's no need for formalities!"
Qin Shuang looked at the twenty-five young men behind Liu Hao, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
After absorbing the white python's blood essence, his physical Qi and Blood strength was already twice that of the Qi and Blood Furnace realm!
As far as he knew, the leaders of Qingzhou City's two major gangs, Yin Tianxing of the Flying Eagle Gang and Chen Qinglang of the Green Wolf Gang, were both in the Marrow Jade Realm. Their Qi and Blood were like furnaces. With his current strength, he should rank among the very best in Qingzhou City—more than capable of founding a gang.
Besides, now that he had the Simplification System, he would need all sorts of things simplified in the future. Having subordinates run errands for him would save him a great deal of time. Establishing a gang was absolutely necessary.
With that thought, Qin Shuang turned to Jin Yang and Liu Hao and said, "Since forty of you have chosen to follow me, let's form a gang. It'll make things more convenient!"
"Form a gang? That's wonderful!"
"What name does young master have in mind for our new gang?"
Jin Yang's eyes lit up at once.
"Our gang began with the slaying of the white serpent, so let's call it the Azure Dragon Society!"
Qin Shuang considered it briefly, then spoke in a firm voice.
"The Azure Dragon Society—a fine name! Your subordinate Jin Yang pays his respects, Hall Master!"
"Greetings, Hall Master!"
"Greetings, Hall Master!"
"..."
Jin Yang and Liu Hao led the thirty-eight disciples of Golden Tiger Martial Arts School in respectfully cupping their fists.
"Good. Rise."
Qin Shuang nodded at Liu Hao, Jin Yang, and the other forty Azure Dragon Society disciples under his command.
"Liu Hao, Jin Yang, have some people gather the villagers and get them to catch ten thousand dragonflies. Pay one tael of silver for every two hundred. Remember, they must be alive, and they must be kept in cages! No dead ones!"
"Also, dig up a hundred earthworms!"
Qin Shuang considered it briefly, then spoke in a firm voice.
Grass on Flying required catching dragonflies to advance. Paying the villagers to catch them was the easiest way.
Swimming Dragon Steps required him to walk around carrying an earthworm. The earthworms he'd dug up before had died in less than half a day, so he needed to dig up some live ones.
He wasn't short on silver. If silver could solve a problem, then it wasn't a problem.
"Catch dragonflies? Dig up earthworms? This..."
"Yes, Hall Master!"
Jin Yang and Liu Hao exchanged a glance. They'd thought the Hall Master would have them fight and kill, but instead, he wanted them to catch bugs...
Still, neither asked questions. They turned and went to make arrangements.
Meanwhile.
South of the city.
At a manor with white walls and black tiles, two lanterns hung by the entrance.
A date-red-faced elder in a brocade robe stood beneath an ornamental tree in the courtyard, his hands behind his back. He stared up at the night sky, his expression grim.
For the past two days,
Yin Tianxing had been in a foul mood.
Two days ago, he'd received word that Liang Chang, one of his hall masters, had gone missing. The two underlings accompanying him had been killed, and Liang Chang was likely dead as well.
Yesterday, Young Master Situ's battle against the Divine Saber Sect traitor had ended in failure at Fusheng Restaurant, and both men had vanished. The Divine Seed he'd been promised had never materialized; it had been nothing but a pie in the sky. He'd gone to all the trouble of helping Young Master Situ of the Divine Saber Sect hunt down the traitor, only to end up with nothing. The thought made his heart ache with frustration.
"Reporting to the Gang Leader! We've just received word that the person who killed eleven tigers on Xuan Yin Mountain has also killed a White Jade Unicorn Python!"
"He's currently in Hualing Village!"
Just then, a lean man came rushing over. He stopped before Yin Tianxing and reported respectfully.
"Someone killed a White Jade Unicorn Python?"
Yin Tianxing stared at Jiang Chao, the Intelligence Hall Master, his eyes widening in surprise. "Are you sure?"
"Certain!"
Jiang Chao spoke with confidence.
As the Flying Eagle Gang's Intelligence Hall Master, he'd double-checked the report before bringing it to Yin Tianxing.
"Anyone who can kill a White Jade Unicorn Python must be quite strong," Yin Tianxing murmured thoughtfully. "Summon the other hall masters. I'll go investigate."
Yin Tianxing knew that the White Jade Unicorn Python's flesh and bones were the main ingredients for refining Dragon Blood Pills, and that the python was extremely rare.
As a result, Dragon Blood Pills were exorbitantly expensive; even with silver, they were almost impossible to buy.
His cultivation was already at the peak of the Marrow Jade Realm, his Qi and Blood like a furnace. He needed Dragon Blood Pills to cultivate!
How could he let such a fine opportunity slip by?
He planned to go take a look first. If the other party was weaker than him and still outside the city, making him silently "fall" somewhere in the Xuan Yin Mountain Range would be perfectly reasonable.
"Yes, Gang Leader!"
Jiang Chao acknowledged the order and turned to leave.
[Step on Grass +1 time!] [Turn pill +1 time!] [Imitate tiger roar +1 time!] [...]
Qin Shuang paced in circles around the room, making a low tiger roar as he went. He rolled a pill in his left hand, while his soles were padded with grass. Notification sounds rang in his mind without pause.
[Ding! You have imitated a tiger's roar 100,000 times. Tiger Roar Divine Intent Skill has advanced to the proficient realm!] [Proficient realm simplification to mastery: Imitate a tiger's roar one million times, kill a hundred tigers, and consume 1,000 Tiger Blood Pills.]
An hour later, a notification suddenly appeared in Qin Shuang's mind.
A stream of information flooded into his mind. It contained the cultivation method and insights for the proficient realm of Tiger Roar Divine Intent Skill.
Those insights fused with Qin Shuang's consciousness in an instant.
In that moment, he felt as if he'd been cultivating Tiger Roar Divine Intent Skill for more than ten years!
At the same time,
a vast, ocean-like surge of Qi and Blood suddenly appeared in Qin Shuang's Dantian and spread through his limbs and bones, nourishing his entire body. A crackling sound, like beans popping, rang out!
"Tiger Roar Divine Intent Skill has advanced to the proficient realm!"
Feeling the tremendous Qi and Blood within him, Qin Shuang was overjoyed. He immediately circulated Tiger Roar Divine Intent Skill, channeling the Qi and Blood gained from its breakthrough into his bones and beginning to infuse them!
Before you continue