Hidden Turmoil, Murderous Intent Everywhere!

Dusk deepened.

The Seven Star Gang's dining hall was filled with clamorous voices, bowls and chopsticks clattering together.

Chu Fan was bent over his meal, his expression calm as his bowl and spoon rose and fell.

Across the table, Zhao Tianxing chewed his food while staring at him with the resentful gaze of a neglected young widow.

Ever since he had seen Chu Fan blast the Black Iron Wood Pile flying with a single punch last night, Zhao Tianxing had looked at him like this.

By now, even Zhao Tianxing's stupidity could not keep him from understanding that Chu Fan had condensed three strands of Blood Qi and broken through to the Nourishing Blood Realm.

But how exactly had Chu Fan cultivated?

The two of them had clearly joined the Seven Star Gang on the same day. On the first day, when they practiced Twelve Forms Boxing, Chu Fan had been exhausted like a dead dog...

So how had he suddenly left Zhao Tianxing far behind, making him unable even to see his dust?

"Hey, hey, hey..."

Chu Fan truly could not endure it any longer and said, "In broad daylight, under everyone's watch, could you stop staring at me with that resentful young widow's gaze?"

"If someone sees you, they'll think I did something outrageous to you!"

Li Qingxue, who had been quietly eating nearby, heard this. The corner of her eye twitched slightly, and as her gaze shifted, a trace of imperceptible blush flashed across her face.

Chu Fan turned his head and asked, "Senior Sister, why is your face so red?"

Li Qingxue did not answer. She merely snorted coldly and turned her face away.

Chu Fan continued watching her with a smile, as though waiting for her reply.

Zhao Tianxing also turned to look at Li Qingxue.

Li Qingxue's eyebrows drew together slightly. The pair of chopsticks in her hand snapped with a kachaa, crushed into four pieces.

Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing turned their heads back in perfect unison.

Zhao Tianxing let out a long sigh, his expression dejected, as though his soul had been sucked out.

Although he had previously lost to Chu Fan, he had not been discouraged. He had merely thought his boxing technique inferior and believed he still had a chance to catch up.

But now Chu Fan had even surpassed him in Blood Qi!

This was simply inconceivable.

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

The blow was truly not a small one.

But he also knew that everyone had their own secrets. If he pursued the matter further, he might damage their friendship.

Zhao Tianxing said angrily, "I want Roast Chicken. You're treating!"

"Fine, I'll treat." Chu Fan rolled his eyes, then added, "But come to think of it, when have I not been the one treating for Roast Chicken these past few days?"

Zhao Tianxing pulled a folded animal hide from his bosom and said, "This is a map of the Misty Swamp. I've looked at it countless times and memorized it already. Here, take it."

"Study it carefully. In a few days, we'll go explore it."

"Mm." Chu Fan accepted the map and tucked it into his clothes.

Li Qingxue, beside them, could not help frowning.

These two fellows had not even reached the Nourishing Blood Realm, yet they wanted to explore the Misty Swamp?

Who had given them such nerve?

However, Zhao Tianxing had originally been a hunter, and his archery was exceptionally formidable. He was also close to breaking through to the Nourishing Blood Realm. Bringing Chu Fan with him, he should be able to make a trip around the outskirts of the Misty Swamp.

After they finished the Roast Chicken.

Zhao Tianxing brought over two bowls of Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup.

Chu Fan accepted his bowl and fell into deep thought.

Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup could help cultivators rapidly increase their Blood Qi and assist them in recovering quickly. It was an indispensable item for breaking through to Blood Nourishment.

But if one wanted to break through to the next stage, Blood Refining, this medicinal soup was of no use.

To break through Blood Refining as quickly as possible, one needed the assistance of pills such as Blood Refining Pills.

This was also why Chu Fan wanted to go to the Misty Swamp.

Because of the matter concerning the Demon Suppression Stele, the ancestral home could not be sold anytime soon.

The silver money remaining on him was not enough to buy more than a few Blood Refining Pills.

A thought also flashed through his mind: perhaps he could report his breakthrough to Cao Shi.

During these days, if not for Cao Shi secretly looking after him, providing him with extra medicinal soup and ordering Aunt Zhang to stew Exotic Beast Meat soup every day, then even with the aid of the Mountains and Rivers Map, there was absolutely no way he could have broken through so swiftly.

However—

The Jianghu was like a chessboard, and the Human Heart was difficult to fathom.

Although Cao Shi had treated him generously, they ultimately had not known each other for long.

In the end, Chu Fan decided to hide his edge and guard his clumsiness, keeping the matter quiet for now.

When traveling the Jianghu, one ought to play it like a chess game;

the Will of Heaven was impossible to predict, so one must never wager on the Human Heart!

One had to be nervous and cautious, as if standing at the edge of a valley;

one had to be trembling with fear, as if walking on thin ice...

These were all words Cao Shi had once spoken.

Only by doing so could one live longer in this perilous world!

Chu Fan planned to use all his remaining silver money to purchase Blood Refining Pills.

These Blood Refining Pills would at least last him seven or eight days.

And during those seven or eight days, his Twelve Forms Boxing would certainly break through to Perfection.

His Ninefold Thunderclap Saber could also break through to Minor Accomplishment or beyond.

By then, he would be able to join forces with Zhao Tianxing and explore the outskirts of the Misty Swamp.

For the sake of caution, it would be better to buy the Blood Refining Pills outside.

Buying Blood Refining Pills inside the Seven Star Gang would be no different from telling others that he intended to break through Blood Refining, would it?

Chu Fan lifted the bowl of Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup and drained it in one gulp. He then crossed the Training Ground and returned to his quarters.

He wrapped the saber Cao Shi had given him in cloth, carried it with him, and walked toward the entrance of the Seven Star Gang's branch hall.

After these past few days, he wondered whether Uncle Zhao had already sold the residence to the Huang Family.

If it had been sold, he could investigate the truth tonight.

Just as he reached the entrance of the Seven Star Gang's branch hall—

"Ah!"

A scream came from ahead, accompanied by curses.

Following the sound, Chu Fan saw a young man in a Brocade Robe beating and kicking a young man in coarse cloth!

The young man rolled across the ground, wailing without pause!

Many people had gathered around them, yet no one dared to step forward and intervene.

Chu Fan recognized the beaten young man as one of the Miscellaneous workers, but he did not know his name.

"Ah, what an unlucky bastard..."

The Short Fat Youth who chopped firewood in the same courtyard as Chu Fan appeared from who knew where.

He sighed and said, "The one beating him is Zhou Ye, nephew of Incense Master Zhou of Qingmu Hall. He's a Minor Leader of Qingmu Hall."

"That kid walked without looking where he was going, barging around recklessly until he bumped into Boss Zhou."

"Wasn't that just asking to die?"

"Minor Leader..." Chu Fan's expression shifted slightly.

He remembered Zhao Hu saying that Huang Yu was also a Minor Leader in the Blood Saber Sect.

"Blind bastard! You even dared to bump into your Old man? Tired of living, are you?"

Zhou Ye planted one foot on the chest of the young man on the ground, stomping until blood seeped from the youth's lips and a shrill scream rang out!

Just then—

A wooden chair suddenly flew from outside the crowd and smashed straight into Zhou Ye's back!

Zhou Ye snorted coldly, abruptly turned around, and swung his hand down like a saber!

With a bang, the wooden chair exploded into pieces!

He glared furiously toward its source, only to see Li Qingxue standing quietly beyond the crowd, her face as cold as frost.

"Qingxue..."

Zhou Ye's expression changed. He forced out a trace of a smile and said, "Long time no see!"

Li Qingxue parted her lips and uttered a single word: "Get lost."

The muscles of Zhou Ye's cheek twitched. Fury surged in his eyes, yet in the end, he did not dare to act on it. He snorted coldly and left dejectedly with his men.

"Many thanks, Senior Sister, for saving my life!"

The beaten young man struggled to his feet, staggered before Li Qingxue, and bowed deeply, his voice choked with emotion.

Li Qingxue turned her head slightly, her voice cold and clear. "Take him to have his wounds treated."

"Yes!" The man standing nearby with a hand on his saber immediately bowed and accepted the order, then supported the youth and slowly walked away.

Everyone around them stood silently in place, their eyes filled with awe.

Li Qingxue's white robes stirred slightly. Without looking back, she walked straight ahead, her figure gradually disappearing into the dusk.

"So this is the Jianghu..."

The Short Fat Youth sighed.

Chu Fan said nothing.

After more than twenty days of peaceful cultivation in the Seven Star Gang, even he had nearly forgotten—

Within the Seven Star Gang, disputes never ceased.

Turmoil lurked beneath the surface, and murderous intent lay everywhere!