No Promises Count, Supreme Saint Immortal Mother Wood Carving, Unexpected Turn

The firelight flickered.

It cast long, narrow shadows in the deep alley.

Shi Wen left Ghost Lane with an expressionless face, only quickening his pace once there was no one left behind him.

"Hah... one truly cannot underestimate the people of this world. If a nobody like Zhang Sheng from the Robbery Gang is this fierce, then the famous figures in Black Cloud County are certainly not people I can contend with!"

"If I hadn't mastered the Baji Fist Foundation to the minor success stage and frequently sparred with Senior Brother Li, I fear I would have truly been done for today."

"It is only a pity that my final kick failed to land on Zhang Sheng; otherwise, he would have definitely been injured by me. It seems I must seize the time to train tomorrow and bring my Iron Whip Leg to minor success as soon as possible!"

"If my Iron Whip Leg had reached the minor success stage, Zhang Sheng would never have been able to dodge that kick just now!!"

Shi Wen quickened his pace, disappearing into the darkness.

He ignored the stinging pain of his torn skin and flesh, grabbing dried meat and stuffing it into his mouth.

He reached a dark, deserted corner.

He tore off his clothes, which were hanging off him like rags, revealing a back covered in wounds!

Zhang Sheng's Eagle Claw Skill was extremely seasoned and vicious. Had his own Baji Fist Foundation not been superior to the average person's, he might truly have lost his life there.

It was not that he didn't want to kill Zhang Sheng just now.

Rather, when he unleashed the Lightning Chop, all his blood-energy had surged into that leg, leaving him unable to muster more in the short term. Coupled with his injuries, he could not afford to act rashly.

Fortunately, Zhang Sheng had not seen through his bluff.

He dared not imagine what might have happened otherwise.

Shi Wen felt Zhang Sheng was formidable, yet he did not know that he, having entered the early Blood-Tempering Stage less than two days ago, had broken several of Zhang Sheng's bones—a man who was nearly at the late Blood-Tempering Stage!

During his rapid departure.

Shi Wen also counted his banknotes; there weren't many, and many were small denominations.

They totaled about thirty taels, but it was enough for him to buy exotic beast meat for a period to maintain his bodily functions.

"Otherwise, I should find an opportunity to finish off Zhang Sheng. Keeping him alive might be a future disaster..."

Under the night sky, the pale moonlight shone upon Shi Wen's sharp-featured face. His gaze was calm, as if he were speaking of something entirely trivial.

If Zhang Sheng knew this, one wonders what he would feel in his heart!

During this time, Shi Wen circled Peace Lane several times.

Only then did he return home to rest.

The next day, Shi Wen woke up and suddenly remembered that Senior Sister Li Qianqian was going to take him on a blind date.

With a soft sigh, Shi Wen headed to the Fist Academy.

He resisted the urge to practice his punches and sat under the shade of a tree, chewing on a strip of meat.

He replayed the moves from his fight with Zhang Sheng yesterday in his mind, pondering silently.

In martial arts, one cannot become invincible by closing the door and training alone.

Moves are dead, but people are alive.

Only by frequently practicing techniques and sparring with experts can one become familiar with the moves one will face in various life-and-death struggles.

It was just a pity that he could find no one to spar with.

As for the wounds on his body...

Perhaps it was because martial artists were different from ordinary people, but the wounds on his back had already scabbed over.

After a while.

Li Qianqian walked out from the Inner Courtyard. This beautiful sight instantly drew the gazes of the hot-blooded young men in the Outer Courtyard.

Wherever her graceful figure passed, a faint scent of osmanthus seemed to linger.

The fragrance was intoxicating and unforgettable.

However, when the people present saw Senior Sister Li from the Inner Courtyard go to chat with the lazy Shi Wen under the tree shade, they were all stunned.

By the time the two of them left.

The discussions in the Outer Courtyard grew even louder.

The hot-blooded young men were filled with envy and jealousy.

We are all Outer Courtyard disciples, so why do you get to ride in the beautiful Senior Sister's carriage from the Inner Courtyard?

Isn't it just because you have a handsome face!

What skill is there in being handsome? It won't stop you from failing to refine your blood-energy within two months and being kicked out in disgrace!!!

The carriage's interior was simple, yet the air was filled with the unique, refreshing scent of a young girl.

Li Qianqian sat in her seat, dignified and calm, her eyes fixed on the book in her hand. She was quiet and elegant when not speaking, while Shi Wen was busy thinking about how he could have defeated Zhang Sheng if he were back in last night's battle!

The carriage swayed, and the two people sharing the cabin lived in entirely different worlds.

Only when the clamor and bustle of the city poured into his ears did he snap back to reality.

Shi Wen, who had been lost in deep contemplation and deduction, was startled awake. He peered through the window, and a towering, formidable inner city wall came into view. Passing through the gates, the sight of the prosperous, opulent streets made his pupils contract.

Sure enough, no matter which world he was in, the same truth held: behind the vermilion gates, wine and meat go to waste, while out on the road, people freeze to death!

Only by growing stronger, only by practicing martial arts, could one stand firm in such chaotic times!!

Once some time has passed, I will go check out the Red Lantern Gang. If they aren't strong, I'll just wipe them out. Perhaps I can seize enough wealth to lay a foundation for my future training.

Shi Wen leaned against the wooden panel of the carriage, meticulously mulling over his next steps.

At the same time, he wondered how long this trip would take.

His morning practice time had been wasted, and a sense of restless urgency bubbled up within him; he only wanted to train to grind away the unease in his heart.

They arrived at a lavishly decorated restaurant.

Shi Wen remained silent and reserved, following behind Li Qianqian as they ascended to a private room.

The room was already prepared with exquisite pastries and seasonal fruits.

A robust, powerfully built woman sat waiting at the table.

When she saw Li Qianqian enter, she hurriedly and enthusiastically greeted her, ushering her to a seat, fussing over her comfort, and pouring tea, all while acting as if Shi Wen, standing to the side, did not exist.

Shi Wen sat down in silence.

Before long, the dishes were served—eighteen in total, all hearty, heavy portions of meat, without a single vegetable in sight.

Everyone present was a martial artist, and they ate without any pretense or affectation.

Qiu Tongdan held a lamb leg in her left hand and a steak in her right, chewing voraciously.

Li Qianqian, despite her slender frame, ate like a glutton; her chopsticks flew as she snatched up food, and within moments, several plates were already empty.

Shi Wen also buried his head in his meal.

Martial artists were bottomless pits; only by eating their fill could they maintain their bodily functions.

Of all the days recently, this was the only time he had eaten a proper meal.

When Li Qianqian had eaten her fill, she set down her chopsticks.

The two women chatted idly about secret rumors in Black Cloud County unknown to outsiders, though they lowered their voices whenever they reached the important parts.

Shi Wen did not say a single word, keeping his head down as he ate.

After they had talked for a while longer, Li Qianqian suddenly said, "Xiao Ni, this is the junior brother from the Outer Courtyard. His name is Shi Wen. What do you think of him?"

Li Qianqian's directness made the atmosphere noticeably heavy.

Qiu Tongdan pretended not to hear.

When Li Qianqian asked again, Qiu Tongdan's expression soured. "Qianqian, I'm not feeling very well. Could we just leave it at this for today? Let's gather another time when we're both free, how about that?"

Li Qianqian sighed softly and nodded.

Seeing that Li Qianqian's mood had dampened, Qiu Tongdan quickly added, "Qianqian, I know you want to find some resources for this poor... for this kid to help him cultivate. How about this? I'll check the family businesses over the next couple of days to see if there's a suitable position. I can have him take a nominal post and pay him five times the usual wage. How does that sound?"

"Fine..."

Li Qianqian shook her head slightly, feeling only regret.

She felt that Shi Wen was gentle and honest, which would have been a good match for the fiery, impulsive Qiu Tongdan.

The Qiu Family had strong connections within the County Office and could provide Junior Brother Shi with abundant resources for his cultivation and pave the way for his future.

It was just a pity that Qiu Tongdan hadn't taken a liking to him.

The two chatted for a while longer before finding an excuse to disperse.

Throughout the entire time, aside from basic pleasantries, Shi Wen had not taken the initiative to say anything, nor had he tried to curry favor with anyone.

As for the offer of a nominal post...

He didn't take it to heart.

Even if it hadn't just been a polite remark made for Senior Sister Li's sake, even if she had promised it to his face, he wouldn't have believed it.

Only things he could control himself truly counted.

He sat back inside the carriage.

Shi Wen continued to review his fight with Zhang Sheng from the previous night, recalling the techniques of the Iron Whip Leg.

Ultimately, he wondered: if he could break down the Baji Fist Foundation and the Iron Whip Leg and fuse them together, he might be able to create a new, personal style of combat.

His strength might increase even further.

"Junior Brother Shi, I'm sorry about today."

Suddenly, Li Qianqian spoke, her voice apologetic. "The woman from earlier is named Qiu Tongdan. Her family is very wealthy, so I wanted to try and facilitate..."

"It's fine, Senior Sister Li."

Shi Wen interrupted her, "I only want to focus on training and tempering my body these days. I have no heart for such matters for the time being. Thank you for your good intentions, Senior Sister."

Truth be told, there was no great ripple in his heart.

He merely felt that his training time had been wasted.

By the time he returned to the Fist Academy, it was already noon.

Shi Wen had eaten his midday meal, so he simply took advantage of the lack of people to practice his foundation work in a corner.

Once he started, he practiced until the afternoon.

During this time, aside from going over to drink a symbolic bowl of medicinal soup, he remained immersed in his own world, beginning to attempt to incorporate Iron Whip Leg techniques while performing his Baji Fist Introductory Foundation.

Perhaps it was because the Iron Whip Leg had not yet reached minor completion, or because his grasp was not deep enough.

The fusion felt somewhat awkward.

When the gongs and drums sounded, the Outer Courtyard disciples finished their lessons one after another.

After Shi Wen finished his final set of foundation work, he began to tidy up his equipment while keeping his gaze on the Extreme Seal.

[Extreme Seal]

[Baji Fist Introductory Foundation: Minor Completion (22/100), Trait: Penetrating Momentum]

[Iron Whip Leg: Introductory (17/30)]

"It's a pity I wasted the whole morning; otherwise, my foundation work might have reached close to 30."

"I truly look forward to what kind of changes major completion of the foundation work will bring me."

Shi Wen took a deep breath.

He turned and walked toward the gate.

He quickened his pace, heading toward Vermilion Bird Street in the north of the city.

After observing the progress of the iron stakes at the blacksmith shop, he sat outside the shop entrance to wait for the arrival of the fanatical crowd.

Who would have known.

He waited and waited.

Yet he never saw the mysterious Taoist or the parade procession appear.

Relying on his memory from yesterday, Shi Wen walked through the alleys, his gaze fixed on a house with an open door, and he went over to ask, "Elder, do you know when the group handing out meat yesterday will be coming by today?"

Shi Wen observed that in this simple, cramped tiled house, an elderly person with limited mobility lay on a rocking chair, their hair streaked with gray.

"Perhaps they went to Minggong Street to hand out the meat."

The elder looked at Shi Wen. "Young man, do you also believe that the Supreme Saint Immortal Mother can bring good fortune?"

"Perhaps."

Shi Wen nodded, and the elder added, "Young man, could you help me bring that Immortal Mother Statue over here? I would like to wipe the dust off it."

"Alright."

Shi Wen picked up the wood carving enshrined on a small table in the corner.

The wood carving was very crude, about the size of a palm. The carved outline could barely be made out as an elderly woman; she was in a seated posture with her hands pressed together. Her body had many rough pits and bumps, along with some protruding wooden splinters, though it was unclear if this was due to the craftsmanship or some other reason.

What was eerie was that her eyes were bound with a red cloth.

Just as Shi Wen picked up the wood carving, a sudden change occurred...