Combat Technique Perfected, Golden Fish Annihilated!

Break!

Liu Chu suddenly stepped forward, clenched his fist, and punched straight at the wooden post, unleashing a surging burst of force.

Crack!

Several fine fissures actually split across the wooden post, flakes of wood peeling away.

"The Combat Technique... is perfected!"

A sharp gleam flashed in Liu Chu's eyes.

"With the Combat Technique perfected, I can now unleash Dragon-Tiger Force. Its power is astonishing!"

Liu Chu stared at the cracked wooden post, secretly startled.

This was specially treated timber, denser and harder than ordinary wood. An average Skin Refining Realm martial artist would find it difficult to damage.

Yet now, this wooden post had been cracked open by a single punch of his.

"My strength seems to have risen tremendously again. I wonder if I can fight a Tendon Refining Realm martial artist?"

He could not help looking toward Senior Sister Luo. She still wore that icy expression, and occasionally glanced at him, though far less often now.

"Forget it. Senior Sister Luo was defeated by someone below her realm once already. She must have been left with a shadow in her heart. If I defeat her again, it may deal her an irreparable blow."

Liu Chu shook his head and gave up on the eager impulse to test himself.

They bore each other no grudge. He could not do something so cruel just because she had looked at him a few extra times.

He searched for Senior Brother Lin Bei, only to discover that Lin Bei was not in the courtyard today.

"Never mind. I should keep cultivating and strive to bring the Yanglian Technique to greater mastery as soon as possible!"

Liu Chu put aside the notion of sparring with others and continued cultivating the Yanglian Technique.

Attribute Panel:

Host: Liu Chu

Comprehension enhancement multiplier: 2x (Sacrificable: ten Treasure Fish / one hundred taels of silver, lifespan is three years)

Dragon-Tiger Nourishing Practice (minor mastery 85%)

Dragon-Tiger Combat Technique (perfected)

Dragon-Tiger Blade-Breaking Technique (minor mastery 17%)

"The Yanglian Technique is not far from perfection either..."

Liu Chu rejoiced inwardly. "A twofold enhancement to my comprehension really has greatly increased the speed at which I cultivate techniques!"

After completing a full day of cultivation, Liu Chu stretched lazily. His bones and joints immediately crackled like beans popping in a pan.

He left the martial arts hall and headed home. Passing through the dark alleyways, he still heard no sounds of fighting.

But upon reaching Heilu Bay, he saw that subtle changes had taken place there today!

"What is going on? These people do not seem to be members of the Golden Fish Gang!"

Along the way, Liu Chu saw patrolmen who should have belonged to the Golden Fish Gang, yet he did not recognize a single one of them.

"This is bad. Could something have happened to the Golden Fish Gang?"

A foreboding feeling rose in Liu Chu's heart. He hurriedly quickened his pace and rushed back.

To his shock, Han Qi's door stood wide open. The interior was a complete mess, with pots, bowls, and utensils scattered all over the floor.

"Han Qi..."

Liu Chu's pupils contracted. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Looks like I guessed right. Something really has happened to the Golden Fish Gang!"

He stepped into the house and examined it. His heart eased slightly. "It looks like Han Qi should have escaped!"

Judging by the obvious signs of searching at the scene, they were clearly trying to capture Han Qi.

"Who's there?!"

Just as he was about to tidy up the room, Liu Chu's gaze sharpened. He abruptly spun around and shot outside, his five fingers curling into a fist as he struck viciously.

Whoosh!

His fist whipped up a howling gale, like a charging flood dragon, and stopped instantly before the newcomer's throat.

"Gulp!"

An Adam's apple bobbed as the man swallowed. Looking up, Liu Chu saw a pale face filled with terror.

"So it's Ah Sheng!"

Liu Chu recognized the newcomer and slowly lowered his fist.

Ah Sheng was also a member of the Golden Fish Gang. Liu Chu had dealt with him before, and Ah Sheng had a decent relationship with Han Qi.

"Ah Chu, what was that...?"

Ah Sheng looked uncertain and alarmed, suspecting that he was facing a martial artist.

"Ah Sheng, what are you doing here?"

Liu Chu's eyes held scrutiny as he looked Ah Sheng up and down.

The man had appeared sneakily in Han Qi's house. Who knew what wicked schemes he might be brewing in his belly?

"I..."

Ah Sheng hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Ah Chu, do you know that the Golden Fish Gang has been destroyed by the Green Tiger Gang?"

"So it really was wiped out!"

Liu Chu was not overly surprised. He had already suspected as much on his way back; now his guess had merely been confirmed.

"Do you know where Han Qi is?"

Liu Chu asked.

"When the Golden Fish Gang was destroyed, Brother Qi chose to flee because he had previously captured Li Hui, the Green Tiger Gang leader's brother-in-law."

After saying this, Ah Sheng added, "The Green Tiger Gang sent me here to let him know that the Golden Fish Gang has been destroyed. Past grudges will be written off in one stroke. If he is willing, he can join the Green Tiger Gang."

"Past grudges will be written off in one stroke?"

Liu Chu frowned slightly. Then he suddenly asked, "By the way, is the Green Tiger Gang leader's brother-in-law still alive?"

Ah Sheng shook his head. "Brother Qi captured him and handed him over to the Golden Fish Gang leader. To stop the Green Tiger Gang from encroaching on Golden Fish Gang territory, the Golden Fish Gang leader used him to threaten the Green Tiger Gang into withdrawing. But the Green Tiger Gang refused..."

"So he died?"

Liu Chu's heart tightened. He began to doubt the Green Tiger Gang's claim that "past grudges will be written off in one stroke."

"Yes. Li Hui was killed in the Golden Fish Gang leader's fury..."

Ah Sheng said, "But the Green Tiger Gang leader is a man of great ambition and vision. He probably will not hold these matters against anyone."

"You joined the Green Tiger Gang?"

Liu Chu narrowed his eyes and stared at Ah Sheng.

Ah Sheng looked somewhat guilty and said awkwardly, "Gangs fight and kill. Being wiped out is nothing unusual. What can lowly thugs like us decide? We are only trying to scrape together a meal."

Liu Chu could understand that.

When gangs fought, thugs charged into battle. Surviving by sheer luck was already the greatest of fortunes.

In the end, they were only scraping together a meal.

"Enough. Leave. Ah Qi isn't here."

Liu Chu waved his hand, dismissing him.

"Ah... Brother Chu, with skills like yours, why not join the Green Tiger Gang too? The Green Tiger Gang is in need of men right now. You might even rise above the crowd!"

Intimidated by that punch earlier, Ah Sheng had quietly changed the way he addressed Liu Chu and invited him to join the Green Tiger Gang.

But Liu Chu shook his head. "Gang warfare is nine deaths for every one life. Take care of yourself."

Seeing Liu Chu's resolute attitude, Ah Sheng could only leave helplessly.

"The death of the Green Tiger Gang leader's brother-in-law also has some karmic entanglement with me. Heilu Bay has already been occupied by the Green Tiger Gang. It has become a dangerous place."

Liu Chu watched Ah Sheng's departing back, weighing matters in his heart.

He had not forgotten that he and Han Qi had captured the Green Tiger Gang leader's brother-in-law together. For that, he had received sixty taels of silver and half a Treasure Fish.

The Green Tiger Gang leader made it sound nice enough: past grudges would be written off in one stroke.

But if he truly believed those words, he might not even know how he died!

"I can't keep living here!"

Liu Chu quickly made his decision. He packed his belongings and returned to the inner city overnight.

He first stayed one night at an inn.

Early the next morning, he found a broker and rented a courtyard near the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Hall. He acted swiftly and decisively.

Only after finishing all this did he enter the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Hall and begin cultivating.

"I wonder where Han Qi has gone?"

Liu Chu felt somewhat worried. After hesitating for a long time, he finally decided to follow several Green Tiger Gang members tonight and see whether he could uncover anything.

If the Green Tiger Gang found Han Qi, he could rescue him at the first possible moment.

After finishing today's cultivation, he walked out of the martial arts hall.

"Kind sir, please have mercy! I haven't eaten for days!"

Suddenly, a small, ragged figure ran up before him, holding out a broken bowl and blocking his path.

Liu Chu frowned and looked at the small beggar before him. The child was filthy from head to toe and so hungry he was little more than skin stretched over bones.

"What a world..."

Liu Chu sighed and casually took out several copper coins, tossing them into the broken bowl.

The coins rang crisply against the bowl. The little beggar's numb eyes immediately lit up.

"May you live to a hundred, sir, and may your blessings be as vast as the Eastern Sea!"

The little beggar offered these flattering words, then happily ran past him.

Liu Chu continued a few steps forward, turned into a hidden alley, and unfolded the note in his hand.

"A letter from Han Qi..."

Liu Chu read the contents of the note and breathed a sigh of relief. "Han Qi is safe for now. He and the hall master have sought refuge with the Changle Gang in the north of the city."