Chen Jianghe stood outside the Mission Hall and returned the deacon token to Deacon Zhao for verification.
"Ask for leave?" Deacon Zhao looked up at him and paused with the brush in his hand, "Junior Brother Chen, you just took office not long ago and you want to ask for leave?"
"Private matters." Chen Jianghe was concise and to the point.
As he was writing, he said, "I heard that Junior Brother Chen made another meritorious service last month? I've heard about Feng Yan and Song Qi's stuff. Tsk tsk, the two Initiation of Gang Force misappropriated the resources of exotic beasts, and finally died in internal strife. They really deserve it."
Chen Jianghe's expression remained unchanged, but he just said a faint "hmm".
Deacon Zhao wrote the leave note, handed back the identity card, and said in a low voice, "Junior brother Chen, you have to be careful when going down the mountain this time. Changxi Prefecture City Although he is under the protection of the sect, he has been under the protection of the sect recently. It's not peaceful. Last month in the south of the city, I heard that a few casual cultivators disappeared inexplicably, with no trace of their bodies alive or dead. I heard it was the remnants of the Demonic Sect who did it. In short, it's always good to be more careful."
Chen Jianghe cupped his fists. "Thank you Deacon Zhao for the reminder."
After saying that, he turned around and walked in the direction of Soaring Wood Court.
According to the rules of the sect, disciples of Gang Jin who take leave of absence must bid farewell to Court Master of this hospital.
This is a rule and etiquette.
Hundred Herb Peak depths, Han Shuitian residence.
The green lamp was still burning, casting a swaying light and shadow in the dim hall.
Han Shuitian sat cross-legged on the futon and slowly opened his eyes after listening to Chen Jianghe's purpose.
"Pulse-Renewing Spirit Marrow?" He repeated in a low voice, a glimmer of light flashing in his old muddy eyes, "Hundred Treasures Pavilion actually got this thing--it's really rare."
Chen Jianghe lowered his eyes. "I want to ask for this medicine for my master."
Han Shuitian looked at him, was silent for a moment, and suddenly said, "Do you know that although Pulse-Renewing Spirit Marrow is a treasure, it can only warm and nourish the meridians, but cannot cure Bone-Eroding Poison?"
"Disciple knows." Chen Jianghe said in a calm voice, "Even if it allows my master to live one more day, I am willing to ask for it."
Han Shuitian raised his eyes and looked at Chen Jianghe, with a more scrutinizing look in his eyes. "Did you bring enough money with you when you went down the mountain this time? Hundred Treasures Pavilion's auction is no small matter. That Pulse-Renewing Spirit Marrow should cost tens of thousands taels at least."
Chen Jianghe nodded. "This disciple has one hundred thousand taels with him. If it's not enough, the three firms can still turn over the money."
Han Shuitian nodded slightly and said no more.
He took out a thumb-sized green jade talisman from under the case and handed it over.
"This is the identity certificate of a disciple of Soaring Wood Court Gangjin. With this talisman, if you are in danger, you can seek help from the nearby Soaring Wood Court industry.
There is a "Hundred Herbs Hall" on Changxi Prefecture City West Street, which is opened by me, Soaring Wood Court. If you need it, you can go there."
Chen Jianghe took it with both hands and put it into his arms solemnly.
Han Shuitian waved his hand. "Go ahead. Go early and come back early."
Chen Jianghe clasped his fists in salute, turned around and exited the hall.
Soaring Wood Court school ground.
Chen Jianghe was walking along the small bluestone path towards the mountain gate. When passing by the edge of the school field, I suddenly heard a noise coming from the front.
He paused slightly and raised his eyes.
In the middle of the school grounds, more than a dozen Soaring Wood Court disciples stood with their heads bowed, their faces gloomy and defeated, their eyes full of unwillingness and despair.
Liu Shuling stood in front of them, dressed in dark black clothing, with his arms folded across his chest, and his face was calm.
"Wang Chuang, a beginner in Huajin. He has been hospitalized for three years and seven months. He has not made any progress. His cultivation has been stagnant for one year and two months. He is unable to pay for life. According to the rules of Soaring Wood Court, he will be removed."
The disciple whose name was called trembled and raised his head suddenly, "Senior Sister Liu! Give me another half year! Within half a year, I will definitely be able to break through Minor Completion of Transforming Force!"
Liu Shuling looked at him, there was no mockery or pity in his eyes, only a kind of accustomed calmness.
"Wang Chuang," she said slowly, "You have been in Soaring Wood Court for nearly four years, and your cultivation has stagnated. Do you know why?"
Wang Chuang opened his mouth but was speechless.
Liu Shuling continued, "Soaring Wood Court's rules, you should understand it when you get started. The three words "main vitality" are not just words. What is vitality? It is resources, perseverance, and opportunity, all of which are indispensable. Your cultivation is stagnant and you are unable to pay the vitality money. You are no longer in line with our hospital's "vitality"."
She paused and lowered her voice a bit. "The rules of Soaring Wood Court are not to force anyone to death. It is to let every disciple who is admitted to the hospital understand that there is no room for luck in the path of Martial Dao. If you have no intention of pursuing martial arts, don't occupy a position, which will delay yourself and others."
Wang Chuang's face was pale, his lips were trembling violently, but in the end he couldn't utter a single word.
The dozen or so disciples behind him all lowered their heads, not daring to look at Liu Shuling.
Liu Shuling glanced at them and waved his hand. "Let's all leave. Being removed from the list today is not a dead end. If there is a chance in the future, if you have a breakthrough in cultivation and save enough life money, you can return to the hospital. Soaring Wood Court's door is never closed to those who are truly interested in martial arts."
The dozen or so people turned around silently and walked dejectedly down the mountain road.
Liu Shuling stood there, watching those figures disappear, sighed softly, turned around and was about to leave, but saw Chen Jianghe standing not far away, looking here quietly.
She raised her eyebrows slightly and strode over. "Jianghe, why are you here?"
Chen Jianghe clasped his fists and saluted. "Senior sister."
Liu Shuling waved his hand, glanced at him, and suddenly smiled, "Are you improving again? It's only been a few days, but your progress is getting faster and faster."
Chen Jianghe did not answer the call, but just said, "Sister, what was that just now...
Liu Shuling followed his gaze towards the school grounds and wrote lightly, "It's just a matter of cleaning up the school. Soaring Wood Court has hundreds of disciples. Those who can stay either have talent, resources or perseverance. If you don't have any of the three, staying here is a waste of time."
She paused, then turned to look at Chen Jianghe, with some deep meaning in her eyes. "When you first joined Soaring Wood Court, Five Forms Root Bone paid a lot of money. Court Master accepted you because you seized the chance of financial resources. Later, you got to where you are today step by step, relying on perseverance and opportunity. But those people...
, she shook her head and said no more.
Chen Jianghe was silent for a moment and said slowly, "Sister, that's what I said."
Liu Shuling looked at him and suddenly smiled, "Okay, stop standing here and sighing. Are you going out?"
Chen Jianghe nodded. "Go to Changxi Prefecture City, Hundred Treasures Pavilion is holding an auction. I want to see if there are any medicinal materials suitable for the master."
Liu Shuling said "Yeah" and patted his shoulder. "Go. Be careful on the road. Go early and come back early."
She turned to leave, but suddenly stopped and looked back, looking at him with a half-smile, "By the way, I heard that you have made great achievements recently, which makes us Soaring Wood Court look good. Now, when people mention you Chen Jianghe, who doesn't give a thumbs up?"
Chen Jianghe cupped his fists. "Senior sister is so complimentary."
Liu Shuling waved his hand and strode down the mountain road. His voice came from far away. "Don't do this. Practice hard and try to surpass me as soon as possible. When the time comes, Soaring Wood Court Chief Disciple will let you sit in the position!"
Chen Jianghe looked at the burly back disappearing into the depths of the bamboo forest, raising the corners of his lips slightly, revealing a smile.
Then, he turned around and walked towards the mountain gate.
Xingyi Sect Thousands of miles away, there is a mountain temple that has been abandoned for many years.
The temple door has long since decayed and fell crookedly to one side. The golden paint of the statues in the temple is peeling off, their faces are blurred, and the altar tables are covered with thick dust.
Three figures sat around the broken altar table.
The leader was about in his early forties, with a strong build, a gloomy face, and a pair of triangular eyes with a fierce light.
He was wearing a gray-brown suit, with a thick-backed machete hanging from his waist, surrounded by Gang Qi, and he was clearly Initiation of Gang Force.
--
It's Black Mountain Five Bandits's second dick - Ge Hong.
The man sitting next to him was younger, in his mid-thirties, with a stocky build and a dark face, but his eyes were always flickering, showing a bit of guilt.
He was at the peak of his strength, and the hand holding the wine bag was trembling slightly.
The third child Guo Mu.
Opposite him, a figure was leaning on a broken pillar, with his arms folded across his chest and his expression indifferent.
The man was about in his early fifties, thin, wearing a red and white robe, with a pale face, three long beards under his chin, and a pair of eyes half closed and half open. He seemed careless, but the faint aura circulating around him made Ge Hong dare not speak loudly.
Sun-Moon Divine Cult, Minor Mastery of Gang Force Hu Yi.
"So," Hu Yi spoke slowly, with a low voice, but with a natural coldness, "You Black Mountain Five Bandits, the boss Black Wolf has been missing for almost a year, and the fourth and fifth died at the hands of the Xingyi Sect's disciples. Now there are only two of you left?"
Ge Hong's face was gloomy, and the veins in the hand holding the handle of the knife popped out.
"Mr. Hu," he gritted his teeth and said word by word, "Brother Black Wolf has not shown up since the Black Wind Cave battle that day.
My three brothers have been looking for him for a long time, but they can't find him alive or dead. The fourth and fifth brothers - they died miserably."
He paused, and a trace of deep hatred flashed in his eyes. "The person who killed them must be the same person."
Hu Yi raised his eyelids slightly. "Who?"
"Xingyi Sect Soaring Wood Court, Chen Jianghe." Ge Hong spit out the name word by word, the hatred in his eyes almost solidified, "The fourth and fifth child are in Black Wind Cave set up an ambush outside. He originally wanted to rob a few Xingyi Sect disciples who were alone, but ended up bumping into him. The kid was just at the peak of his strength at that time, but he didn't know what means he used, and actually killed the fourth and fifth old ones on the spot."
Guo Mu interrupted at this time, his voice trembling. "Second brother, I----I heard that Chen Jianghe is now Initiation of Gang Force----
"Shut up!" Ge Hong glared at him fiercely, "I know!"
Guo Mu shrank his neck and did not dare to speak anymore.
Hu Yi looked at this scene, with a trace of imperceptible sarcasm flashing in his eyes.
The deep brotherly love and revenge for brothers are just excuses.
He knew the true purpose of these two people.
Black Mountain Five Bandits Over the past few years, people have been robbing homes and houses openly, but secretly they have been smuggling the flesh, blood, medicinal materials, and ores of exotic animals.
And that Chen Jianghe, after becoming the deacon of Hunting Ground No. C-7, cut off their financial path.
The two trashes Feng Yan and Song Qi were originally their sources of supply in the Xingyi Sect, but they were uprooted by Chen Jianghe and died cleanly.
Now these two people came to his door, saying they wanted to avenge their brothers, but in fact they just wanted to use his hand to get rid of the thorn in their side who had cut off their wealth.
Hu Yi lowered his eyes and raised the corners of his lips slightly, showing a cold smile.
But he didn't point it out.
He needs manpower and guides who are familiar with the terrain.
These two people come in handy.
"Chen Jianghe," he muttered the name in a low voice with a hint of playfulness in his voice, "Soaring Wood Court disciple, from Minor Completion of Transforming Force to Initiation of Gang Force in one and a half years - he is a rare talent."
He raised his eyes and looked at Ge Hong: "How do you want to take revenge?"
Ge Hong gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Hu If you can help me, my two brothers are willing to go through fire and water for my husband, no matter what!"
Hu Yi looked at him and said nothing.
Ge Hong was heartbroken by what he saw, but he gritted his teeth and continued, "That Chen Jianghe is now the deacon of Hunting Ground No. C-7. He usually practices in the sect and rarely leaves the mountain. But according to the information we found, he took leave of absence today and went to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion Changxi branch."
Hu Yi raised his eyebrows slightly. "Oh?"
"Hundred Treasures Pavilion There will be a small auction in the Changxi branch in three days." Ge Hong's eyes flashed with a fierce look, "It is said that there is a Pulse-Renewing Spirit Marrow in the auction, which is what his master Li Chengyue needs to survive. He must be here because of that thing."
He paused and lowered his voice. "Set an ambush on his only way back to the clan and kill him by surprise!"
Hu Yi was silent for a moment and suddenly smiled.
The smile was very faint, but it revealed an indescribable weirdness.
"Set an ambush to kill him?" He said slowly, "Did you know that Chen Jianghe killed Feng Yan and Song Qi with one against two? Those two were also Initiation of Gang Force."
Ge Hong's face changed slightly.
Hu Yi looked at him with a bit of scrutiny and a bit of playfulness in his eyes. "You Ge Hong are also Initiation of Gang Force. How confident are you that you can beat him?"
Ge Hong opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Hu Yi looked at Guo Mu again. "You are at the peak of your strength. How many moves can you sustain in front of him?"
Guo Mu's face was pale, his lips were trembling, and he couldn't squeeze out a single word.
Hu Yi withdrew his gaze and adjusted his sleeves slowly.
"However," he changed the topic, "If it is an ambush, there is not no chance."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Ge Hong's eyes: "Mr. Hu means----"
Hu Yi stood up, walked to the door of the temple, and looked at the rolling mountains in the distance.
"Then Chen Jianghe, no matter how strong he is, is only one person. The three of us join forces to catch him by surprise and attack him unprepared, so we may not be unable to succeed."
He turned back and looked at Guo Mu, with a deeper smile on his lips, "What's more, Guo Mu, you have been stuck at the peak of your strength for many years. If you can absorb his blood after the war, you may be able to break through."
Guo Mu was shocked all over.
He watched helplessly as those people who were not as talented as him were making breakthroughs one by one with Sun-Moon Demonic Art, that kind of unwillingness, that kind of despair, that kind of torment that gnawed at his heart day and night.
Ge Hong also spoke at this time, with a bewitching tone in his voice. "Lao San, haven't you always wanted to break through the Gang Jin? This is a God-given opportunity! Then Chen Jianghe can go from Minor Completion of Transforming Force to Initiation of Gang Force in one and a half years, and the purity of Qi and blood in his body is far beyond ordinary Gang Jin. If you can absorb his blood essence, you might be able to break through the Gang Jin immediately!"
Guo Mu's face changed, struggling, fearful, greedy, and finally turned into a low roar.
"I--I'll do it!"
Hu Yi looked at him and nodded with satisfaction.
"Okay." He turned around and walked towards the outside of the temple, "Let's go. First find out his return route, choose a suitable place, and wait for the prey to be caught in the net."
Ge Hong and Guo Mu looked at each other, stood up, and followed.
Changxi Prefecture City South, Hundred Treasures Pavilion branch.
Chen Jianghe stood in front of the pavilion, looking up at a three-story vermilion pavilion with cornices and brackets, carved beams and painted pillars. There was a plaque hanging in front of the door, which read "Hundred Treasures Pavilion" with three large gilded characters.
People were coming and going in front of the door, mostly people in rich clothes and fine clothes. Occasionally, there were warriors in powerful attire and swords, walking in a hurry.
A familiar figure came out of the pavilion.
Qian Shouyi is wearing a dark gray brocade robe today, with a red face.
"Jianghe!" He strode forward, grabbed Chen Jianghe's arm, looked up and down for a moment, and suddenly smiled, "Okay, okay, a bit calmer than the last time we met. Initiation of Gang Force, it's really extraordinary."
Chen Jianghe cupped his fists and saluted. "Qian Family Lord."
"What do you call me Patriarch? I took advantage and called you Uncle Qian!" Qian Shouyi pretended to be angry, "You saved my life and you are still polite to me?"
Chen Jianghe raised the corners of his lips slightly and changed his words: "Uncle Qian."
Qian Shouyi then nodded with satisfaction and pulled him towards the pavilion.
"Let's take a walk, go and have a rest first. That Deacon Zhou is my old friend for many years, and has arranged a private room for you. The auction will not start until the day after tomorrow. You will stay in the city for the past two days, and I will take you to try the most authentic restaurant Changxi Prefecture----"
Chen Jianghe was pulled in by him, and Qian Shouyi's nagging voice could be heard in his ears.
He felt inexplicably at peace in his heart while listening to these trivial and trivial chatter.