Thoughts (Seeking Follow-ups, Godfathers!)

Autumn faded away and the chill deepened. It had been exactly three months since Master Li Chengyue brought back that hind leg of the Red-Striped Leopard King.

During these three months, Chen Jianghe had barely stepped outside the small courtyard and the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall.

When his Dark Strength first formed, the energy was like a stream—long and continuous, yet thin, and always sluggish in its circulation. Now, three months later, that stream had gradually grown into a river.

[Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success is Inevitable]

[Current Skill: Three-Body Stance (Great Success)]

[Progress: 86%]

[Current Skill: Five Elements Fist (Great Success)]

[Progress: 48%]

[Effect: Energy contained within, penetrates the body to shatter meridians]

However, there was not a shred of joy in Chen Jianghe's heart.

Though he had spent these three months in secluded cultivation, he had not been deaf to the world outside.

Every morning while practicing his stance, he could hear various sounds drifting in from the street beyond the wall: hurried footsteps, stifled weeping, and the occasional eruption of fighting and screams.

At first, these were sporadic, but they soon became the norm.

Lin brought back heavier news with every daily trip to the market.

"The butcher shop of Butcher Wang on East Street has closed. They say he can't get stock, but in truth, his youngest son was snatched by the Black Tiger Gang the night before last, and they are demanding fifty taels for his ransom."

"Over at Loach Bay... I heard a family had nothing left to eat, so they sold their daughter just to trade for three liters of coarse rice."

"The old Sun family on East Street—the whole family of four was gone by last night... They say they were so hungry they swallowed Guanyin Clay and bloated to death."

When Lin returned yesterday, her eyes were red-rimmed, and she barely spoke a word all day.

Only after Chen Jianghe asked repeatedly did she tremble and speak, her voice so low it was barely audible:

"In West City Alley... there was a family, two children starved until they were nothing but skin and bone... the head of the house secretly... secretly traded children with the neighbors..."

She could not go on; she raised her hands to cover her mouth tightly, her shoulders shaking violently.

Trading children to eat.

In these chaotic times, human life was as cheap as dust.

He had known this truth long ago, but when the tragedy truly struck within arm's reach, the chill still surged from the soles of his feet straight to his crown.

What made Chen Jianghe feel even more urgent was the drastic scarcity of cultivation resources.

The Red-Striped Leopard King's leg had long since been consumed. The monthly meat ration from the martial arts hall, which had been barely enough in the past, could no longer support his high-intensity training now that his Dark Strength had matured.

Chen Jianghe recalled the scene when Su Derong visited a few days ago.

This usually laid-back Third Senior Brother was fanning himself, but the usual smile was gone from his face, and a layer of deep anxiety weighed upon his brow.

"Jianghe, starting today, Zuichun Brothel is limiting the supply of Exotic Beast Meat," Su Derong had said, his voice very low. "They only serve three tables a day, and you must book three days in advance. Most of it is reserved for those masters in the Inner City."

He paused, then gave a bitter laugh: "The Green Dragon Gang has completely taken control of Black Wind Ridge. Every hunting party entering the mountains, whether from a martial arts hall, an escort agency, or a family's private militia, must pay fifty percent of their haul to the Green Dragon Gang as a 'passage tax.' If you are caught hunting privately... the lightest punishment is the crippling of your cultivation, and the worst is immediate execution."

"Fifty percent?" Chen Jianghe had frowned at the time.

"They say fifty percent, but they specifically take the most valuable parts. For instance, if you hunt a Red-Striped Leopard, all the rare materials like the leopard heart, bones, and eyes are confiscated. Then, they take half of the remaining meat."

Chen Jianghe's gaze tightened: "Do the families and large martial arts halls in the Inner City just let them do this?"

Su Derong shook his head: "The Five Great Families and those large halls have their own beast farms to raise exotic beasts. This move by the Green Dragon Gang is merely to choke off the survival of the Outer City and the smaller halls."

Chen Jianghe fell silent.

This was cutting off the firewood from under the cauldron—a complete severance of the path for those at the bottom.

He looked at Chen Jianghe with a complex expression: "Jianghe, I know your Dark Strength has matured and you need a massive amount of resources to push toward Transforming Strength. But in the current situation... it's difficult."

Chen Jianghe had said nothing then, merely nodding.

After seeing Su Derong off, he stood in the courtyard for a full hour.

The chaotic times had arrived; without strength, one was merely fish on another's chopping block.

Chen Jianghe slowly clenched his fists.

"I cannot wait any longer."

He whispered to himself, a flash of resolve in his eyes.

Master Li Chengyue needed to hold down the fort at the martial arts hall—now that the Outer City was in turmoil, the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall, though dilapidated, was still a name.

With a master of Transforming Strength holding the line, ordinary gangs and petty thugs would not dare to intrude easily.

The Su Family Escort Agency did have escort missions, but the area outside the city was unsafe; the Green Dragon Gang had set up checkpoints to collect taxes, and mountain bandits were looting in the chaos, making the risks too high.

Furthermore, a single trip took at least half a month, sometimes more than a month, which would delay his cultivation.

Even if he could book the Exotic Beast Meat at Zuichun Brothel, it would be a drop in the bucket.

The only path left was Black Wind Ridge.

There, he would find exotic beasts, rare medicinal herbs, and all the resources he needed to break through to Transforming Strength.

The Green Dragon Gang held a monopoly on hunting rights, setting up checkpoints to collect taxes and strictly cracking down on private hunting.

However, Black Wind Ridge stretched for hundreds of miles, a vast expanse of towering mountains, dense forests, and crisscrossing ravines.

No matter how powerful the Green Dragon Gang was, it was impossible for them to seal off the entire mountain range like an iron bucket.

There were always loopholes to exploit.

There were always opportunities to be found.

"It's decided."

Chen Jianghe took a deep breath, turned, and walked toward Li Chengyue's room.

Some things needed to be reported to his master.

"Knock, knock."

He tapped lightly on the door.

From inside, Li Chengyue's slightly raspy voice replied, "Enter."

Chen Jianghe pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The room was dim, filled with the mingled scents of alcohol and medicinal herbs. Li Chengyue was propped up against the headboard, a wine gourd in his hand. Seeing it was him, he lifted his eyelids. "Something the matter?"

"Master," Chen Jianghe bowed, "this disciple wishes to enter Black Wind Ridge."

Li Chengyue's movement of drinking paused.

He set down the wine gourd and looked Chen Jianghe up and down. "Alone?"

"Yes."

"When are you setting off?"

"In three days."

Li Chengyue was silent for a moment, then suddenly let out a scoffing laugh. "What, is the leopard leg I hunted not enough for you to eat?"

Chen Jianghe shook his head. "I will never forget Master's kindness. But given the current situation in the outer city, Master needs to hold down the martial arts hall. My Dark Strength has matured; it is time for me to go out and gain some experience."

Li Chengyue stared at him for a long time before speaking slowly. "Black Wind Ridge is not what it used to be. The Green Dragon Gang's claws reach far, and the Green Dragon Guards patrolling the mountains have all seen blood. Going alone is dangerous."

"This disciple understands," Chen Jianghe said calmly. "That is why I will only roam the outskirts, focusing on scouting rather than venturing deep."

"Scouting?" Li Chengyue sneered. "Do you think I don't know what's going on in that head of yours? You're after the Exotic Beast Meat, aren't you?"

Chen Jianghe did not deny it.

Li Chengyue chuckled, fished a small cloth bundle from the side of the bed, and tossed it to Chen Jianghe. "Catch."

Chen Jianghe caught it and opened it to find several yellowed animal-skin maps, marked with crooked lines and symbols drawn in charcoal.

"These are the route maps I hand-drew when I went into the mountains a while back," Li Chengyue said, taking a swig of wine. "Don't take the red lines; those are where the Green Dragon Gang has set up checkpoints. The blue lines are worth a try, but be careful—some paths have fallen into disrepair and might be broken. The green lines... those are a few hidden trails that not many people know about."

He paused, his tone turning serious. "Jianghe, remember this. Once you enter the mountains, keep your eyes on all six directions and your ears open to all eight. Wild beasts aren't scary, and even Exotic Beasts aren't scary. The most terrifying thing... is people."

Chen Jianghe nodded. "This disciple will keep it in mind. Thank you for your guidance, Master."

Li Chengyue waved his hand, turned over to face the wall, and left only his back to him. "Go. Come back alive."

Chen Jianghe bowed deeply to his master's back, turned to exit the room, and pulled the door shut behind him.

The cold wind of the corridor rushed to meet him.