Lu Li immediately felt his sphincter tighten. He forced a laugh and said, "Master Zhang, you're joking. I don't know Master Wang at all. Why would he take a liking to me?"
Zhang Hu smiled faintly and took out a written agreement, handing it to Lu Li. "Master Wang may not know you, but I do. I'll recommend you."
"What do you think? Your Master Zhang treats you well, doesn't he?"
Lu Li looked at the agreement. There was nothing wrong with the terms for taking him as a godson, but in this world, didn't everything come down to what the people in power said?
He was just a poor peasant. What say did he have?
Once he entered the Wang Mansion, he'd have no say in anything.
Besides, the real reason wasn't to take him as a godson. Master Wang had taken a fancy to his body.
A chill ran through Lu Li. As he looked at Zhang Hu, a cold glint flashed beneath his eyes.
At that moment, he wanted to strike and kill Zhang Hu.
But broad daylight wasn't the right time to act.
And the Black Tiger Gang's leader was also a martial artist. His cultivation seemed to be quite high.
Lu Li couldn't afford to provoke him—not yet!
Lu Li smiled and made an excuse. "Master Zhang, you're joking. My father still wants me to find a wife and carry on the Lu family line..."
Before he could finish, Zhang Hu cut him off. "Oh, Master Wang is a kind man. He won't make you change your surname."
Lu Li's heart tightened. He gave Zhang Hu a long look. It seemed Zhang Hu was determined to devour him.
Lu Li pretended to hesitate. He looked at the agreement, then sighed. "Master Zhang, could you give me some time to think it over?"
Zhang Hu's smile didn't fade. He placed both hands on Lu Li's shoulders and squeezed hard. "All right. This is a big decision, so I'll give you a week to think it over. Discuss it with your dead father."
Lu Li immediately put on a pained expression and nodded repeatedly.
With that, Zhang Hu led his men away, dragging the corpse along the ground. Its blood streaked behind them in a long line, like a river of blood.
Against the snow-white ground, it stood out all the more.
Lu Li clenched his fists and watched Zhang Hu's back disappear around the corner. Murderous intent surged within him.
That had been an outright threat.
When Zhang Hu had squeezed Lu Li's shoulder just now, Lu Li had also sensed his strength. Zhang Hu was still some distance from the Skin-Refining Realm, but not much.
But gang leaders like him always had a few lackeys at their side, making it difficult to strike.
"The time isn't right yet. I'll look for another chance. He'll be alone eventually!" Lu Li's thoughts raced, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Before long, Lu Li slung his medicine basket onto his back and went to gather herbs.
Two days passed quickly.
After making his usual daily trips, he also took time to ask around about Zhang Hu.
The man was either collecting protection money with his men or stuffing himself at taverns and brothels.
So Lu Li still hadn't found a chance.
Over those two days, Lu Li had also made especially rapid progress in martial arts.
His Tiger-Subduing Fist proficiency had reached 100 points.
On the third day, Lu Li carried his medicine basket straight to the Huang Mansion. After the Huang family's apothecary examined the herbs and recorded those that met the requirements, Lu Li prepared to leave.
"Uncle Zhao." Lu Li suddenly spotted an old man with a full head of white hair, yet a spirited look about him, and greeted him.
He had inherited his father's trade, but he was still young and couldn't avoid being bullied. If he ran into someone particularly vicious, they might simply snatch his medicine basket, leaving him with a whole day's work for nothing.
Then the Huang family would dock his wages, and he wouldn't even have enough to eat.
Fortunately, Uncle Zhao had helped him. Thanks to the old man's support, Lu Li had managed to get through those hard times without much trouble.
"Oh, it's you, Lu. How have you been lately?" Uncle Zhao asked with a smile.
"Not bad," Lu Li replied casually. He didn't complain. At least he had work. It was tough, but it kept him from starving.
Besides, he was practicing martial arts, and his future looked bright.
The two hadn't seen each other in a while. They chatted for a bit, then gradually made their way out of the Huang Mansion.
Suddenly, Uncle Zhao glanced around. Once he was sure no one was nearby, he leaned toward Lu Li and whispered, "Lu Li, be careful these days. Don't spend so long gathering herbs. Come back early."
He swallowed and continued, fear plain on his face. "The Black Tiger Gang and the Blood Wolf Gang are about to fight!"
Lu Li raised an eyebrow.
The Blood Wolf Gang was just as powerful as the Black Tiger Gang. Neither had the upper hand, and they had never gotten along. Clashes between them were common.
Lu Li nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Uncle Zhao."
"Oh, why thank me? Your father and I were good brothers. I'm glad to see you growing up. At least I haven't let your father down."
The two talked a little longer, then went their separate ways.
But Lu Li didn't head straight home. Instead, he took another route, heading toward Flowery Street.
Prosperity Street was a famous commercial district in the Inner City.
Changfeng County was divided into an Inner City and an Outer City. The Inner City was home to wealthy families such as the Huang family and the Wang family.
Compared with the Outer City, its streets were broad enough for three carriages to travel side by side.
They were clean and well kept, with people often tidying them up.
Constables also patrolled the area, and everything was orderly.
Living in the Inner City had always been the dream of people at the bottom like Lu Li.
As he walked along the street, Lu Li's thoughts raced.
Ever since he'd heard the two gangs were going to fight again, an idea had been circling in his mind.
Zhang Hu had forcibly sold him to Master Wang. That was reason enough for him to die.
As long as Zhang Hu was alive, Lu Li couldn't feel at ease.
He had been unable to find a chance to strike.
But now that the two gangs were about to go to war, everything would be in chaos. It was the perfect opportunity.
The gangs were full of men who knew only a move or two. They relied on sheer ruthlessness and had little real skill. If Lu Li joined the fray, he'd be able to handle them with ease.
Perhaps he could get involved and fish in troubled waters.
Besides, he needed to kill Zhang Hu and needed silver, too. Wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone?
He arrived on Flowery Street.
The area was broad and bustling, with vendors' cries rising and falling without end.
Lu Li's nose twitched. He caught a strong scent of medicinal herbs, and warmth spread through his lower abdomen.
Turning his head, he saw a medicine shop called Tongchun Hall. It was filled with an astonishing array of medicinal herbs.
Some of them were meant for martial artists.
"Blood-Boiling Powder, twenty taels of silver."
"Spring-Returning Pill, fifty taels of silver."
"Marrow-Cleansing Heart-Purifying Leaf, seventy taels of silver."
"Azure Coiled-Dragon Root, one hundred taels of silver."
"Whew." Lu Li drew a sharp breath.
With the twenty taels of silver he had, he could afford only a small packet of Blood-Boiling Powder.
Lu Li furrowed his brow and looked at the description beneath it. Blood-Boiling Powder stimulated the blood and strengthened the skin, muscles, and bones, but the forced stimulation caused severe damage to the body.
And it still cost twenty taels of silver?
Lu Li glanced to the side and saw that the Flesh-Regenerating Pill Master Zhao had given him also cost one hundred taels of silver.
"It's actually that expensive!" Lu Li exclaimed inwardly. He quickly moved on and stopped looking. These things were far beyond his reach.
"Looks like making money really needs to become a priority."
"After this, there are the Houtian and Xiantian realms. If even medicines for this Body-Refining Realm cost so much, what will the later ones cost?"
"Pills aren't the only expenses. Weapons and martial arts techniques cost money, too..."
"The saying 'Poor in letters, rich in martial arts' is true." Lu Li swallowed. Suddenly, the path of martial arts ahead of him seemed much more difficult.
He went straight to a cloth shop and spent one coin of silver on a large piece of pitch-black cloth. Then he went straight home.
He picked up a needle, thread, and scissors, and cut the cloth with a few quick snips. He made a small piece into a face covering, then roughly stitched the rest into a loose robe to hide his figure.
When he had finished, he checked himself in a bronze mirror. Satisfied that even people who knew him wouldn't recognize him, he nodded.
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