Wang Family Visitors

"Don't worry, I checked. The physician said it's nothing serious. I just need to get plenty of rest."

Zhao Xiuyun patted Zhao Ping'an on the arm and said with a smile.

"That's good."

"Let's see what's inside these!"

Mu Yunmeng strode over to the eight large chests. As she reached for the nearest one, she spoke.

"Wow!!!"

When the chest opened, she saw it was filled with gleaming silver, and couldn't help crying out in surprise.

"I've never seen so much silver before! Junior Brother, is this the stuff you said wasn't very useful?"

Mu Yunmeng exclaimed in amazement, then shot Zhao Ping'an an exasperated, coquettish look.

Then she opened all eight chests.

Three were full of silver, one of gold, and two of martial arts manuals and secret techniques. One held assorted things, such as land deeds, pills, jewelry, and ornaments, while the last contained fine weapons.

[ps: Weapons, like pills and Spiritual Medicines, were divided into grades from First-grade to Ninth-grade, with Saint Weapons and Divine Weapons above the Ninth-grade. First-grade corresponded to Martial Warriors, Second-grade to Houtian Martial Artists, and so on.

Weapons of the same grade were further divided into four quality levels: low, middle, high, and top. Pills and Spiritual Medicines were classified the same way.

As for the Spiritual Medicines Zhao Ping'an had absorbed before, perhaps because his cultivation was too high, both high-grade and low-grade ones gave him the same number of Deduction Points. There was no significant difference between them.]

The last chest held only Third-grade weapons. There were thirteen in all: seven low-grade, four middle-grade, and two high-grade.

As for the many First- and Second-grade weapons, Zhao Ping'an had sold them to the City Lord's Mansion for thirty percent below market price.

The others were drawn to the things inside the chests, picking them up and rummaging through them, their faces full of wonder.

"If there's anything you like, each of you can pick a few things. We'll leave the rest to Master."

"Really? Then I won't hold back!"

"Thank you, Junior Brother!"

Aside from Fourth Senior Disciple Brother Liu Zhe, who stood to one side, at a loss, the other three immediately began choosing.

"Fourth Senior Brother, leave Blazing Blade Sect and come back. Song Lieyang might treat you decently for Master's and my sake, but that's all. Here, you'd have a hundred times more martial arts manuals, weapons, silver, and Spiritual Medicines than you could get at Blazing Blade Sect. Why make things hard for yourself?"

Seeing Fourth Senior Disciple Brother Liu Zhe hesitate, Zhao Ping'an stepped over and tried to persuade him.

"I'll think about it..."

Seeing that his Fourth Senior Brother was wavering, Zhao Ping'an patted him on the shoulder and said no more.

As Master Zheng Hetong's health improved day by day, Fourth Senior Disciple Brother Liu Zhe also returned to the Alchemy Workshop. South Ridge City settled back into peace.

But beneath the surface, things remained unsettled. The various factions were doing everything they could to carve up the Poison Wolf Gang's former underworld business, though they kept up a cordial front.

Zhao Ping'an knew nothing about it. Even if he had, he would have simply laughed it off.

Having lived two lives, he understood one truth: the bigger your fists, the more right you had to speak; the harder your fists, the more reason you had. And he wanted his fists both bigger and harder.

After staying in South Ridge City for three days, Zhao Ping'an returned to Wu'an City and plunged once more into endless cultivation.

He trained tirelessly in body cultivation, True Essence, saber techniques, Lightness Skills, eye techniques, palm techniques, concealed weapons, and methods of concealing his presence.

A month later, he advanced Purple Light Ghostly Eyes to the Profound Grade Martial Art Purple Shadow Demonic Eyes;

advanced Five Thunders Sky Severing Palm to the Profound Grade Martial Art Mad Thunder Dragon Transformation Palm;

and advanced Phantom Flying Dagger to the Profound Grade Martial Art Sky Breaking One Saber.

He also trained his Profound Grade Martial Art Nine Forms of Hegemonic Saber to perfection.

Unfortunately, his body cultivation still needed a little more to reach the fabled Martial King Realm, and his True Essence was still nowhere near enough.

Without an art as its foundation, he still couldn't use Deduction to advance his Profound Grade Martial Arts.

His Game Panel had changed dramatically once again:

[Name: Zhao Ping'an]

[Realm: Martial Venerable Second Layer]

[Body Cultivation: Martial Venerable Ninth Layer]

Arts:

[Jade Armor Art (Profound Grade Art): 689/1500 (Ninth Layer, simplified) Repeatedly ram your body into an iron pillar 500 times to gain 1 point of Training Progress]

[Four Symbols Essence Gathering Art (Profound Grade Art): 563/1500 (Second Layer, simplified) Absorb Heavenly Qi continuously for thirty minutes to gain 1 point of Training Progress]

Martial Arts:

[Nine Forms of Hegemonic Saber (Profound Grade Martial Art): 1500/1500 (Perfect, simplified) Swing a Steel Saber weighing at least twenty kilograms 500 times in a row to gain 1 point of Training Progress. Requirements not met. Cannot be deduced!]

[Flying Dragon Crossing (Profound Grade Martial Art): 689/1500 (Great Achievement, simplified) Run five kilometers continuously to gain 1 point of Training Progress]

[Purple Shadow Demonic Eyes (Profound Grade Martial Art): 896/1500 (Proficient, simplified) Stare intently at the square hole at the center of a copper coin thirty meters away for five minutes to gain 1 point of Training Progress]

[Mad Thunder Dragon Transformation Palm (Profound Grade Martial Art): 879/1500 (Skilled, simplified) Strike an iron pillar with both palms 500 times in a row to gain 1 point of Training Progress]

[Sky Breaking One Saber (Profound Grade Martial Art): 231/1500 (Skilled, simplified) Hit a one-meter-diameter target thirty meters away with a pebble 500 times to gain 1 point of Training Progress]

[Breath Concealing Art (Yellow-grade Martial Art): 467/1000 (Great Achievement, simplified) Hold your breath for one minute to gain 1 point of Training Progress]

[Deduction Points: 14%]

(Method of obtaining Deduction Points: omitted)

The biggest improvement on the panel was undoubtedly his method of concealing his presence. It had advanced straight from a First-rate Martial Art, past Human-grade Martial Art, to the Great Achievement stage of a Yellow-grade Martial Art. His progress had been astonishingly fast.

This was also thanks to how simple it was to train. He could practice holding his breath while cultivating any art or martial art.

"Almost there! Almost there! The Martial King Realm? Flight?"

As he ate a lavish lunch and studied the dramatic changes in his attributes, Zhao Ping'an murmured in anticipation. He closed the Game Panel and buried himself in his meal again.

To satisfy his appetite, he had hired four of the best chefs from South Ridge City's finest restaurant to prepare all his meals each day.

So even though the portions were enormous, every dish was still a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

After eating his fill, Zhao Ping'an contentedly leaped onto the rooftop terrace and lay there, basking in the sun while letting his food settle.

It was the most relaxing part of his day.

As the saying went, skip your midday nap, and your afternoon would fall apart!

"Report! Sir, someone outside claiming to be from the Wang Family has requested an audience!"

Zhao Ping'an had been dozing with his eyes closed when a shout abruptly interrupted his pleasant dream.

Frowning, he looked toward the open space in front of the loft and murmured:

"The Wang Family? What do they want with me?"