"That's simple enough!"
A glint flashed in Qin Shuang's eyes, and he immediately called out in a low voice. "Chen Wang!"
"Hall Master! At your service!"
As soon as Qin Shuang finished speaking, a sturdy-looking young man of about twenty-three or twenty-four entered from outside. He cupped his fists respectfully toward Qin Shuang.
"Go to a villager's home and buy a set of printing blocks for Rebirth Hell Money. I need them."
Qin Shuang took out one tael of silver and handed it to Chen Wang.
He knew that ordinary villagers usually had printing blocks at home.
"Understood!"
Chen Wang didn't know why the Hall Master wanted them, but he didn't ask. He took the silver and turned to carry out the order.
Not long after Chen Wang left, hurried footsteps sounded in the distance.
A moment later, Liu Hao, dressed in white and carrying a bundle, appeared at the doorway of the tiled house. He reported respectfully, "Hall Master, your subordinate searched Yin Tianxing's eldest son Yin Shang and found the Flying Eagle Six Forms movement technique!"
After speaking, Liu Hao untied the bundle in his hands, revealing what was inside.
Qin Shuang glanced over. It was a thick stack of banknotes, along with deeds and account books. The Flying Eagle Movement Technique lay right on top.
"Very good. Thanks for your hard work!"
Qin Shuang picked up the Flying Eagle Movement Technique and flipped through it, satisfaction showing in his eyes.
Beneath the Flying Eagle Six Forms manual was an account book listing the Flying Eagle Gang's assets.
"Hall Master, it was only right for me to do this."
Liu Hao cupped his fists modestly, then added, "By the way, Hall Master, the Flying Eagle Gang has five halls. With the help of the two hall masters, Jiang Quan and Jiang Chao, I killed Yin Tianxing's two sons and took control of four of the gang's territories. Tang Sanyuan, the master of Eagle Hall, refused to submit and led four hundred gang members to join the Green Wolf Gang!"
"Oh?"
Qin Shuang raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "I'll deal with the Green Wolf Gang. You should first consolidate the members and secure the territory. Find a manor in East City and make it the Azure Dragon Society's headquarters. Stay ready for my orders!"
"Understood!"
Liu Hao bowed, acknowledged the order, and left.
Chen Wang had yet to return with the printing blocks.
Qin Shuang immediately held a pill in his left hand and a dragonfly in his right. With the Flying Eagle Six Forms movement technique laid out in front of him, he stood on the grass, let out a low tiger's growl, and began to study it. The Flying Eagle Six Forms consisted of Eagle Spreads Wings, Eagle Strikes the Sky, Eagle Returns and Scans, Eagle Perches on Pine Cliff, Eagle Circles in the Wind, and Eagle Soars in All Directions.
This movement technique emphasized leaping above all else, with a focus on the explosive power of striking from above.
[Flying Eagle Six Forms (Not yet initiated)] [Simplification: Mimic a flying eagle spreading its wings ten times to reach Initiation]
Qin Shuang read through the Lightness Skill Manual twice, and two prompts appeared in his mind.
"Hm?"
"Mimic a flying eagle spreading its wings?"
At the prompt on the panel, Qin Shuang's thoughts stirred. He immediately stretched out his arms and flapped them like a flying eagle spreading its wings. He did it ten times.
[Flying Eagle Six Forms (Initiated)] [Simplified: Mimic a flying eagle spreading its wings one hundred times and eat one braised eagle to reach Proficiency]
After Qin Shuang mimicked the motion ten times, a mechanical voice rang in his mind.
"Mimic a flying eagle spreading its wings one hundred times? Eat one braised eagle?"
Qin Shuang glanced at the panel, his eyes glinting. That was easy. There were plenty of eagles in the Xuan Yin Mountain Range, and they should be for sale at the Qingzhou City market.
Just then, Chen Wang hurried in carrying a cloth bag. He respectfully offered it to Qin Shuang. "Hall Master, the printing blocks are here. I also prepared plenty of Yellow Paper. Do these look right?"
"Mm, very good!"
Qin Shuang took the bag and inspected everything, satisfaction showing in his eyes.
Inside were printing blocks, Yellow Paper, and an Ink Pad Box, along with more than six hundred copper coins. Chen Wang hadn't pocketed any of the money; he was honest, and Qin Shuang was pleased.
"Chen Wang, next, find a way to buy me an eagle in the city. If you can't find one, ask Jin Yang to handle it. Make sure it's done as soon as possible!"
Qin Shuang took out twenty taels of silver and handed them to Chen Wang, speaking in a low voice.
"Yes, Hall Master!"
Chen Wang took the silver, cupped his fists respectfully, and left.
"With people taking care of all the odds and ends, this feels pretty good!"
Qin Shuang watched Chen Wang's departing back, feeling quite satisfied.
Qin Shuang took out the printing blocks, ink pad, and Yellow Paper and began printing Rebirth Hell Money. After printing ten sheets, a mechanical voice rang in his mind.
[Life and Death Seal (Initiated)] [Simplified: Print one hundred sheets of Rebirth Hell Money and form a Life and Death Seal to control one person to reach Proficiency]
"To advance Life and Death Seal to Proficiency, I have to print a hundred sheets and form a Life and Death Seal to control one person?"
Qin Shuang studied the panel, deep in thought, and continued printing Rebirth Money.
Fifteen minutes later, Qin Shuang had printed one hundred sheets of Rebirth Money. A prompt appeared in his mind, and he immediately rose to his feet. With a flash, he arrived at the tiled house across from him.
Inside, three men—two fat and one thin—sat cross-legged. They were the three men under guard by Azure Dragon Society disciples: Jin Shisan and the other two.
"Hall Master!"
"Greetings, Hall Master!"
When they saw Qin Shuang arrive, the three men hurried to their feet and respectfully cupped their fists.
"Mm, there's no need for formalities."
Qin Shuang waved his hand at them. "Jin Shisan, I'm going to place a few measures of control on you. As long as you help me get Ding Dian's things, I'll restore your freedom and see that you're well rewarded!"
"We understand your concerns, Hall Master. Go ahead."
A trace of helplessness crossed Jin Shisan's eyes as he nodded.
He knew he had no choice. All he could do now was hope the Hall Master would keep his promise later.
The other two also said they had no objections.
"Good."
Pleased, Qin Shuang joined his index and middle fingers like a sword. Following the method for using the initiated Life and Death Seal in his mind, he drew on a trace of Qi and Blood within his body. The Qi and Blood formed a droplet-sized sphere that rolled along his fingertip, dancing as if alive.
Following the Life and Death Seal's incantation, Qin Shuang pressed the Qi and Blood sphere to the center of Jin Shisan's brow.
The sphere instantly sank into Jin Shisan's brow and disappeared.
[Life and Death Seal advanced to Proficiency!] [Simplified: Print one thousand sheets of Rebirth Hell Money and form Life and Death Seals to control ten people to reach Mastery]
Just then, a system prompt rang in Qin Shuang's mind.
"Hm?"
"It worked!"
Qin Shuang's eyes lit up at the prompt. He immediately forced out two more drops of the Life and Death Seal and sent them into Su Shi'er and Jiang Shi'yi's brows.
"Done."
"This restriction is called the Life and Death Seal. You must take an antidote once a year. Otherwise, your Qi and Blood will flow backward, and an itch will burrow into your soul, leaving you begging for life and unable to die. Remember that!"
Qin Shuang took the pulse of each man and clearly sensed his Qi and Blood—the Life and Death Seal—lying dormant in their brows. Pleased, he spoke.
"Yes, Hall Master!"
"Hall Master, I swear I'll serve you with all my heart and help you seize control of the Blood Shadow Gang!"
"..."
The three men, Jin Shisan, respectfully cupped their fists.
"Very good. Come with me to Qingzhou City!"
Qin Shuang nodded to the three of them.
To advance Life and Death Seal to Mastery, he needed to form Life and Death Seals to control ten people. A trip to the Green Wolf Gang was essential.
On the way to the Green Wolf Gang in West City, they would pass the Slaughterhouse.
Perfect.
He could complete the requirements to advance Blood Rage Saber Art from Proficiency to Mastery along the way.
After all, the Yellow Springs Saber was so deadly that only Blood Rage Saber Art at Perfection could unleash its full power.
East City.
East Gate Slaughterhouse.
Stall Number One.
The burly, potbellied Bearded Man, Butcher Chen, looked at Qin Shuang and greeted him warmly. "Brother, are you here to slaughter ten pigs this time?"
"That's right. Do you have them?"
Qin Shuang smiled faintly. "I'll pay ten taels of silver."
As far as Qin Shuang knew, the slaughterhouse usually butchered pigs in the morning. At other times, they only slaughtered them as needed.
"Sure! I'll arrange it!"
Butcher Chen saw the silver and broke into a broad grin.
There were only two live pigs awaiting slaughter at his stall, so he would have to talk things over with the stall next door.
[Blood-Soaked Saber Technique (Proficient)] [Simplified: Slaughter one hundred wild boars and take one hundred Tiger Blood Pills to reach Greater Mastery]
Half an hour later.
Qin Shuang stood ten zhang from the slaughterhouse entrance, looking at the panel in his mind with satisfaction.
At that moment.
A flood of knowledge about the techniques and applications of Blood Rage Saber Art at the Proficiency stage filled his mind, along with the insights that came with it.
"I'll try out my Proficient Blood Rage Saber Art on the Green Wolf Gang!"
Qin Shuang silently made up his mind.
"Master, that young gentleman actually paid a mountain of silver to stab pigs... Rich people really are strange!" At Stall Number One in the slaughterhouse, a fat apprentice watched Qin Shuang disappear into the distance, puzzled.
Ten taels of silver was enough for him to get married!
And he'd spent it all just to stab ten pigs?
"What do you know?"
"He paid us to do a job, understand? Don't ask questions that aren't your business! Hurry up and wash the pig bladders in that basin!"
Butcher Chen smacked the apprentice on the back of the head.
"Yes, Master!"
The apprentice picked up the basin of pig bladders from the ground and went on his way.
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