The Golden Snake Gang

As Zhou Cheng and the others were eating their fill, footsteps sounded in the distance. From their pace, there seemed to be six or seven people.

Qin Meng and the others immediately grew alert.

As the footsteps drew closer, six people dressed in rags and covered in grime, looking like beggars, came into view.

Judging by their clothes, they seemed to be one family.

When they arrived, they hung back timidly, not daring to approach. One middle-aged man mustered his courage and clasped his fists toward Zhou Cheng. "Young master, we've come from Central Province and hoped to make a living in the Capital. But we've spent all our travel money, and my mother hasn't eaten a thing for a whole day."

Then he pleaded, "Please, young master, spare us something to eat."

They were simply too hungry to resist coming over when they caught the smell of meat.

Zhou Cheng's gaze fell on the old woman in her sixties. She looked very frail and needed a cane even to walk.

The two children, both in their teens, also stared hungrily at the meat roasting over the bonfire. Clearly, it wasn't only the old woman who hadn't eaten for a whole day; the children had been hungry all day, too.

"Have a seat," Zhou Cheng said. Then he had Qin Meng cut up the roasted meat over the fire and share it among them.

They took the meat and thanked Zhou Cheng profusely, their hearts brimming with gratitude.

Once they had sat down, Zhou Cheng asked the middle-aged man out of curiosity, "It's a long journey from Central Province to the Capital. Why are you going there to make a living? I've heard Central Province is very prosperous."

The middle-aged man took a bite of the roasted meat, then paused at Zhou Cheng's question. With a bitter expression, he said, "Central Province really was prosperous once. But a year ago, a large bandit gang came from Heng Mountain. They rob people all the time and stop at nothing. They've also colluded with many powerful clans in Central Province."

Zhou Cheng frowned. "What's the gang called? Are they powerful?"

"They're called the Golden Snake Gang. They have a lot of members. When they first arrived, there were one or two thousand of them, but they've been recruiting ever since they came to Central Province. Now, there must be five or six thousand." The middle-aged man said, "They've made their lair on Vicious Tiger Mountain in Central Province. The terrain is treacherous, and the provincial authorities have sent troops several times, but they couldn't do a thing to them."

"Now, once night falls, nobody in the seven cities around Vicious Tiger Mountain—including Salt City, Qingling, and Ye'an—dares to open their doors."

"On top of that, the Golden Snake Gang demands protection money from merchants in those seven cities every month. The fee is even higher than the imperial taxes. How could merchants like us afford to pay it?"

"With no other choice, I had to flee Salt City."

"Actually, most of the thirty-six provinces are troubled these days. I've heard the Demonic Cult is wreaking havoc all over Dongsheng Province, and things are even worse there. You Province has Heng Mountain, so there's no need to say more about that."

"In the north, the Mongol Kingdom often invades through the passes."

The middle-aged man shook his head. "These days, only the Capital is somewhat peaceful. That's why we thought we'd head there and try to find a way to make a living."

Zhou Cheng asked him a few more questions about the Golden Snake Gang.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, as they were leaving, Zhou Cheng gave them ten taels of silver.

As long as they didn't waste it on the road, ten taels would be enough to get them to the Capital.

The middle-aged man took the silver with tears in his eyes. Then he and his children bowed to Zhou Cheng again in thanks.

"Young master, you've shown us great kindness. If Qian Zhenduo ever sees you again, he'll surely repay you," the man said gratefully.

Hearing that his name was Qian Zhenduo, Zhou Cheng smiled. It was certainly an interesting name.

They went their separate ways.

Zhou Cheng continued on toward the Ten Thousand Stars Sect.

On the road, Zhou Cheng checked the character panel and saw that the Northern Dark Divine Technique had reached Qi Refining Level Three, 94.

Three days earlier, the Northern Dark Divine Technique had devoured a year's worth of inner power from the Demon Face Left Envoy and advanced to Qi Refining Level Three.

Over the past few days, he had kept swallowing one Nine-Orifice Golden Pill each day. Combined with the Northern Dark Divine Technique's automatic absorption of the world's spiritual energy, his cultivation had reached the peak of Qi Refining Level Three.

Seeing that the Northern Dark Divine Technique had reached its peak, Zhou Cheng took out a Nine-Orifice Golden Pill and swallowed it.

At once,

his body shuddered.

The barrier around his fourth meridian, the Dai Meridian, was smashed open in one blow.

Surging inner power rushed through his Conception Vessel, Governing Vessel, Thrusting Vessel, and Dai Meridian.

On the morning of his twentieth day in the Immortal Martial World, he finally broke through to Qi Refining Level Four.

Even after he broke through to Qi Refining Level Four, the pill's power did not stop. The Northern Dark Divine Technique continued to improve, finally stopping at Qi Refining Level Four, 21.

Seeing that he had reached Qi Refining Level Four, 21, Zhou Cheng wondered whether his elder brother, Zhou Li, had broken through to Qi Refining Level Four yet.

A few days earlier, back in the Capital, his elder brother Zhou Li had still been at the peak of Qi Refining Level Three.

If Zhou Li still hadn't broken through, then Zhou Cheng had already surpassed his elder brother in cultivation.

"Congratulations, host. You have advanced to Qi Refining Level Four and received a Realm-Breakthrough Gift Pack."

"Would you like to open the Realm-Breakthrough Gift Pack now?"

The system's voice left Zhou Cheng stunned.

After he broke through into the Qi Refining Realm, there had been no breakthrough gift packs for Levels One, Two, or Three. He had assumed there would be no more gift packs from then on.

Zhou Cheng opened the gift pack.

"You received four Marrow-Cleansing Pills."

Then the voice fell silent.

Zhou Cheng swallowed all four Marrow-Cleansing Pills.

In an instant, his progress with the Northern Dark Divine Technique surged again, finally reaching Qi Refining Level Four, 45.

His aptitude also improved by 10, bringing his century-level genius aptitude to 20.

As Zhou Cheng rode his warhorse, he thought about the breakthrough gift packs. Back in the Body Refining Realm, he had received a gift pack every time he advanced one minor level. But after reaching the Qi Refining Realm, he had received none until Qi Refining Level Four. It seemed that in the Qi Refining Realm, gift packs only came at major breakthroughs, such as Levels Four and Seven.

And the rewards would probably grow scarcer from now on.

From here on, he would have to rely on his own efforts.

Over the next two days, Zhou Cheng and the others continued on their way.

Whenever they passed through a city, they would stop for the night at an inn. When he had spare time, Zhou Cheng sparred with Qin Meng and Lin Ru in saber techniques, fist techniques, and footwork.

As a result, his Demon-Subduing Saber Technique, Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist, and Wind-Facing Willow Steps improved every day. By the time they reached the Ten Thousand Stars Sect, all three martial arts should have reached the realm of perfection.

After breaking through to Qi Refining Level Four, each Nine-Orifice Golden Pill could increase his progress by 24. Over two days, that added up to 48. With the Northern Dark Divine Technique absorbing the world's spiritual energy each day as well, Zhou Cheng successfully opened his fifth meridian, the Yin Wei Meridian, two days later and advanced to Qi Refining Level Five.

"Young master, that's Vicious Tiger Mountain." Qin Meng pointed toward the mountain ahead.

On his way to the Ten Thousand Stars Sect, Zhou Cheng planned to pass through Central Province and deal with the Golden Snake Gang tonight before continuing on.

When they reached the foot of Vicious Tiger Mountain, Zhou Cheng and the others tethered their horses. Under cover of night, they made their way to the cliff-top.

The Golden Snake Gang's lair lay across the gorge. But the gang had drawn up the iron bridge over the cliff, and even a Xiantian Level Ten grandmaster would struggle to leap across to the other side.

Moreover, a large number of the Golden Snake Gang's archers were waiting on the other side.