Assessment Begins

"What kind of thing is a servant overseer?!"

"You think I didn't know you were sneaking looks at me just now? Even if you hadn't made a move, I would've gouged out your eyes!"

Qi Weiwei glared viciously at Li Qiming as she spoke.

With that, she was about to strike.

Just then.

"Junior Sister Qi! Stop!"

Qin Yu had been eating with his head lowered and hadn't reacted in time. Now he rose to his feet, his expression rather displeased as he stopped Qi Weiwei.

"Senior Brother! You... why are you speaking up for these servants?!" Qi Weiwei was somewhat stunned.

Servants like these were lower than dogs, unworthy even to stand before her.

Qin Yu shook his head, seeming deeply disappointed in her. He turned to Li Qiming, surprise in his eyes, then cupped his fists and said:

"Junior Brother, congratulations. I reckon we'll soon become fellow disciples."

Li Qiming was taken aback. He hadn't expected this distinguished young master to perceive his martial realm. He returned the gesture and humbly said, "I haven't entered yet, so I don't dare accept being called Junior Brother."

Just last night, with the help of the Blood Dragon Pill, he had pushed the Tiger Roar Fist to Major Accomplishment. The Blood Qi in his arms was as thick as ox bones.

At the same time, the Yanqing Grass-Flying Technique had reached Entry Level. Blood Qi had opened the Zusanli Points in his legs, making his entire body as light as a feather.

His Blood Qi was now nearly Perfected at the early stage of the Blood Refining Realm.

He seemed to be just one step away from the middle stage of the Blood Refining Realm!

However, he felt that he had run into some kind of bottleneck. Breaking through wouldn't be so easy.

"Until we meet again."

Qin Yu nodded, then turned and left with the other two.

"Hey? Senior Brother, wait for me!" Qi Weiwei shot Li Qiming a vicious glare. Then, too lazy to keep fussing with the two servants, she hurried after Qin Yu.

"Big Brother, I'm sorry. I've caused you trouble." The servant's cheeks were red and swollen, blood still bubbling from his mouth. Tears welled in his eyes as he spoke with profound guilt.

"Go get some rest. Come back to work in a few days after you've healed up." After some thought, Li Qiming took out a few pieces of broken silver and had the younger man use them to buy medicine.

Though the world was treacherous, his soul had been watered and nurtured by the soil of the People's Republic of China.

He was absolutely no good man. If driven into a desperate corner, he would care for no one but himself. He was selfish, but he was no villain either; all he sought was a conscience clear as a mirror.

Most importantly, the money wasn't his anyway. Consider it Third Elder doing a bit of charity.

"Kid, where's your head chef?!"

Two figures slowly approached from outside. The man in front wore black fitted clothes, his arms folded across his chest, his entire bearing sharp and fierce.

Li Qiming's eyelids twitched. He felt this man was likely a gang enforcer. Judging from the sensation of his Blood Qi, he should be an expert of the Blood Refining Realm.

"Kid, Brother Kun asked you a question! Are you deaf?"

"Zhang Mingshun? He's seriously ill and bedridden. Come back another day."

Li Qiming said.

He didn't understand. When had Zhang Mingshun offended gang members?

"We're from the Black Snake Gang. I'm Ah Kun. Tell Zhang Mingshun that if he doesn't repay the five taels of silver he borrowed from me, don't blame us for taking his daughter as payment! I'll give him three days!"

Ah Kun said coldly.

Then he turned and left with his lackey.

Li Qiming frowned.

But Zhang Mingshun really had gone home to rest due to serious illness, and Li Qiming had no way of finding him.

Zhang Mingshun was a good man—at least, he'd treated him well. Li Qiming hoped nothing would happen to him.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

At noon that day.

Li Qiming was practicing in the courtyard.

Zhang Mingshun suddenly arrived.

"Brother Qiming, I want to ask you for a favor..."

Li Qiming turned to look. Zhang Mingshun's face was sickly. It seemed that witnessing the execution last time had frightened him badly. Perhaps some evil presence had invaded him, and he still hadn't recovered.

He seemed barely able to stand.

"Go on..."

"Could you..."

Zhang Mingshun gritted his teeth, rubbing his hands awkwardly together, finding it hard to speak.

"Yes."

Li Qiming had already guessed why he had come. Before the man could say it aloud, he took out a money pouch from his robe. Inside were exactly five taels of silver.

Zhang Mingshun froze. This man in his late thirties had his eyes turn red in an instant. Taking the pouch, he dropped to his knees before Li Qiming with a thud.

"Brother Zhang, what are you doing?"

"Brother, my life is yours from now on! I truly had no other way... My wife came down with a serious illness. I borrowed two taels from Brother Kun, and I paid it all back, but he said there was another five taels in interest! If I don't pay, they'll take my daughter and sell her to a brothel!"

With nowhere left to turn, Zhang Mingshun had even thought of dying with his daughter in his arms. Coming to Li Qiming, he'd only screwed up his courage, harboring no hope at all. After all, Li Qiming might not have any money—and even if he did, why would he lend it to him? The Dragon Roar Martial Hall assessment was at hand; this was exactly when money was needed.

So when he accepted the five taels of silver, he did so with immense guilt.

"Get up first..."

Li Qiming helped him up and asked, "Has Sister-in-law recovered?"

"She... died."

"But she didn't suffer..."

Zhang Mingshun lowered his head, not daring to look at him. These five taels of silver weighed too heavily.

After Zhang Mingshun left, Li Qiming looked at the old locust tree in the courtyard.

A breeze swept past. Fallen leaves churned beneath the roots, exposing a patch of bloodstained earth.

He murmured softly, "Third Master, what a good death."

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

Early that morning, Li Qiming changed into a servant's outfit that, though patched, had been washed spotlessly clean.

He washed his long black hair and tied it up with a straw rope.

Then he pushed open the door and left Laifu Restaurant.

Usually, the streets would be deserted at this hour, but today they were rather lively. Servants walked the roads in twos and threes; some traveled together, though most, like him, walked alone.

Li Qiming moved among the crowd, following them in the same direction.

At every intersection, more servants joined the flow.

Ten... twenty... fifty...

The crowd surged onward, a vast sea of dark heads.

Li Qiming now felt firsthand just how enormous the Dragon Roar Martial Hall organization was. There were this many servants from its various businesses alone?

And every one of these servants had brought the Tiger Roar Fist to Entry Level!

Still, the overwhelming majority had only reached Entry Level.

A glance showed men in their thirties, people his own age, and even some younger than him.

Some wore silent expressions, some seemed indifferent, and some had sharp eyes, determined to win.

Yet the dim eyes that usually filled the streets seemed to hold light today.

Before long, everyone arrived at the entrance of Dragon Roar Martial Hall.

After waiting a while.

Several luxurious carriages slowly rolled over and stopped before the crowd.

Then three or four young masters and young ladies from wealthy families stepped down.

The glimmer in the servants' eyes seemed to be utterly extinguished the moment they saw those young masters and young ladies.

Boom!

A bell rang out.

Then a deep, resonant voice sounded from within the courtyard:

"The Dragon Roar Martial Hall servant martial arts assessment begins now!"