Walking the Jianghu Is Like Playing Weiqi; the Will of Heaven Is Unpredictable, So Never Gamble on Human Hearts!

"Zhao Tianxing is about to condense Qi and Blood Force? That's truly inconceivable!"

"He's only been with the Seven Star Gang for a little over half a month..."

"Can't be helped. Instructor Cao said that before he joined the Seven Star Gang, the richness of his Blood Qi was already no less than that of a Nourishing Blood Realm martial artist."

"By the look of it, he'll probably condense those Three strands of Qi and Blood Force in just six or seven days..."

"Even Senior Brother Ling Feng, with talent like that, spent Half a Month on it. This man is truly frightening!"

"I heard that because his Blood Qi is abundant and his muscles and bones are tough, not only Blood Nourishment—even the later stages of Blood Refining and Tendon Tempering—will be several times faster for him than for ordinary people!"

Everyone on the Training Ground came to a halt.

Those who had been practicing their fists in the snow also stopped and turned to look this way, their discussions buzzing.

Ling Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression darkening slightly.

When he had heard this news Three days ago, it had felt as though a huge stone were pressing on his chest, leaving him deeply uncomfortable.

Back when he had broken through into Blood Nourishment, he had caused quite a sensation as well.

Though he could not compare to Li Qingxue's breathtaking talent, he had still been considered one of the rising stars of the Seven Star Gang's new generation.

Who would have thought that a hunter like this would come charging out of nowhere!

Hmph, he's nothing but a wild path cultivator. Ling Feng sneered inwardly.

He was only fifteen and had cultivated bitterly for just a few months.

Yet Zhao Tianxing was already seventeen. He had hunted in the deep mountains for years, and though he had never learned orthodox martial arts, his Blood Qi had long surpassed the ordinary.

But everyone deliberately chose to overlook that point. They acknowledged only the time Zhao Tianxing had spent condensing Qi and Blood Force after entering the Seven Star Gang, yet said nothing of the tempering he had undergone over those years.

What was even more infuriating—

Despite having such talent, he had not received any special attention from Cao Feng back then.

Yet that Chu Fan by Zhao Tianxing's side seemed to have received Instructor Cao's particular care instead!

This was simply outrageous!

"You were only boasting, yet you actually believed it?"

Zhao Tianxing grinned. "I did try condensing Qi and Blood Force, but unfortunately, I failed time and again. I've been worrying over it these past few days."

Chu Fan glanced at Zhao Tianxing, the corner of his lips curling slightly. This guy had really learned how to hide his edge and play the fool.

Ling Feng felt a slight easing in his heart, but he still put on an act. "Is that so... Your Blood Qi is as abundant as someone in Blood Nourishment. Once you grasp the trick, it will naturally become easier. Keep working hard!"

"Thank you!" Zhao Tianxing cursed Ling Feng a thousand times over in his heart, but his face showed a grateful expression.

Seeing the two of them putting on such a performance, Chu Fan nearly laughed aloud.

The two sides brushed past one another.

After walking some distance, Chu Fan looked back at Ling Feng's departing figure and frowned.

Was it an illusion?

Why did it feel as though this guy was not only jealous of Zhao Tianxing, but also looked at him with extreme malice?

At that moment, a sudden urge rose within Chu Fan. He dearly wanted to see whether he, with all Twelve Forms at Major Accomplishment, could slap Ling Feng—who had broken through Blood Nourishment more than a month ago—to death.

But the thought flashed past in an instant, and Chu Fan suppressed the impulse.

Then Zhao Tianxing let out a cold laugh. "A little brat like you dares put on airs before this old man... Once I quietly raise my strength, I'll scare the life out of you!"

"Tonight, I'll condense my second strand of Qi and Blood Force!"

What a coincidence. Tonight, I'll be condensing my second strand of Qi and Blood Force too... Chu Fan replied inwardly.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing had returned to the small courtyard.

Each of them held a large chicken leg, chewing as they walked, their mouths gleaming with grease.

The moment they stepped into the courtyard, they saw a young man with sword-like brows and starry eyes walking out.

When the young man saw their appearance, he could not help laughing. "Quite a harvest. Looks like your days are getting better."

"Ah, this is..." Chu Fan turned to Zhao Tianxing in surprise. "Do you know this senior brother?"

Before Zhao Tianxing could speak, Cao Feng walked out from the room and said, "You don't know him, but he knows you."

"He is my nephew, Cao Yan."

"When Lu Tao questioned you this morning, he was keeping watch nearby."

Chu Fan froze. "Senior Brother Cao... was there at the scene this morning too?"

Cao Feng said calmly, "With your strength, killing a few pieces of trash who could not achieve Blood Nourishment even after half a year naturally posed no danger."

"But killing several people in a single night ultimately violated the authorities' taboo. It was bound to draw the Qingyang County Office's attention."

"I had you kill to temper your ruthlessness, not to push you into a fire pit. Nor would I let you provoke trouble and bring about a fatal disaster."

"That was why I had Cao Yan go over there—to lend you a hand."

Zhao Tianxing scratched his head. "What does that mean? I don't understand... Instructor Cao, were you afraid the county office would trace things back to Chu Fan, so you had Senior Brother Cao deal with the county office people?"

Cao Feng smiled. "Walking the Jianghu is like playing Weiqi."

"If you want to survive for long in these chaotic times, it isn't enough to work hard and grow stronger. You must also look one move ahead and see three moves beyond, calculating every possibility before doing anything."

"I have dealt with those people from the county office countless times. I know what sort of person Magistrate Zhang Yunpeng is, and I know Lu Tao's character as well."

"After Chu Fan killed those four, there were no more than a few possible outcomes..."

"First, the county office might handle it perfunctorily, send someone to drag the corpses away and bury them, and let the matter end there;"

"Second, Zhang Yunpeng might order Lu Tao to investigate to the end for the sake of face. Lu Tao would trace it to Chu Fan and arrest him;"

"Third, Lu Tao might outwardly comply while secretly defying the order, handle things carelessly, and let Chu Fan off."

"Now it seems I did not misjudge Lu Tao... He used some secret art to inspect Chu Fan's Blood Qi, yet still let him go."

Zhao Tianxing chuckled. "Since you knew Lu Tao would let Chu Fan go, why did you send Senior Brother Cao Yan over?"

Smack! Cao Feng slapped the back of Zhao Tianxing's head. "Didn't I just say that you need to look one move ahead and see three moves beyond?"

"The Will of Heaven is unpredictable; never gamble on Human Heart!"

"Even if I guessed that Lu Tao would do so, I would never gamble with Chu Fan's life!"

Rubbing the back of his head, Zhao Tianxing asked, "Then... if Lu Tao hadn't let Chu Fan go, could Senior Brother Cao have beaten him?"

"Of course not." Cao Feng said, "That Lu Tao is not so simple..."

"As the Chief Constable of Qingyang County, his strength is no weaker than mine. Otherwise, how could he keep the Three Major Gangs and Four Great Clans in line?"

Zhao Tianxing pursued the question to the bitter end. "Since he couldn't beat him, weren't you afraid that Senior Brother Cao and Chu Fan would both be arrested?"

"Even if he can't beat them, he can still hold them back for a while." Cao Feng smiled faintly. "Cao Yan holds them off, and Chu Fan naturally gets the chance to escape back to the Seven Star Gang."

"If my guess is correct, when Lu Tao used that secret technique to inspect Chu Fan's Blood Qi, Chu Fan had already noticed something. He was probably already planning an escape route then, wasn't he?"

Chu Fan gave a bitter smile. "As expected, nothing can be hidden from Instructor Cao..."

Zhao Tianxing still muttered, "It was still a dangerous move..."

"Killing people is not like hunting tigers and leopards. What if Senior Brother Cao failed to hold Lu Tao back and got caught himself? What then?"

"Even in a desperate situation, there is still room to turn things around." Cao Feng said faintly. "If things truly went as you guessed, then I could only bleed heavily... take a stack of banknotes and go smooth things over with Magistrate Zhang Yunpeng."

"I have worn through the threshold of the Qingyang County Office more than once."

Zhao Tianxing and Chu Fan looked at each other in silence.

Instructor Cao truly was an old fox...

He had anticipated every possibility and already devised countermeasures for each one.

A few traces of gratitude also rose in Chu Fan's heart.

He had not expected that while Instructor Cao had sent him to kill and temper his ruthlessness, he had secretly made so many arrangements...

"Consider this matter settled."

Cao Feng continued, "Starting today, I'll begin teaching you the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber!"

"Chu Fan, all Twelve Forms have already reached Minor Accomplishment for you. Going forward, you can devote more time to saber practice..."

Plop!

Before Cao Feng could finish, the chicken leg in Zhao Tianxing's hand fell to the ground.