I Can't Wait!

"Buzz!"

Just as the system notification for "Tiger-Fighting Fist, Perfection" rang out, Qin Yao suddenly felt as though his muscles, bones, skin, and hair had all been tempered through years upon years of training.

His original strength of a thousand jin surged upward once more!

Most importantly, his understanding of Tiger-Fighting Fist had reached an unprecedented depth.

Whenever he unleashed its moves, whether in motion or stillness, he seemed to meld into one with a fierce tiger of the mountains.

The first move, Tiger Pounce, gathered force before erupting forth. Its power was like a rhinoceros's horn, and its crushing overhead momentum was more than twice as strong as when he had achieved Major Accomplishment!

The second move, Tiger Whirl, turned the leg into a whip, sweeping out like a tiger's tail. It was fierce and forceful, yet no less domineering!

The third move, Tiger Leap, charged left and right, shifting and changing direction. Every movement was swift and decisive, unstoppable in its advance!

Qin Yao did not know about anyone else.

But as far as he himself was concerned, after cultivating Tiger-Fighting Fist to the Perfection realm, he already felt that even fighting tigers and wrestling lions barehanded would be effortless!

Just then.

" Ding! Congratulations to the host for raising a cultivation method (skill) to the "Perfection Realm.""

"The following rewards have been issued: System Points +10, along with one drop of "Fire Scorpion Heart-Shattering Poison.""

"Hmm? The reward for maxing out a skill appeared again?"

Qin Yao's heart leapt with joy.

Thinking back to half a month ago, when his "mining skill" had just reached Perfection, he had unlocked a points function called "Fill in Gaps" in addition to receiving 10 System Points.

It was precisely through this function that Qin Yao had restored the abridged version of Tiger-Fighting Fist, sold everywhere by Tiger Head Martial Hall, into its complete form and cultivated it to his current level.

He wondered what good thing the system had given him this time.

With a thought, the details of that drop of poison appeared on the system panel.

"Fire Scorpion Heart-Shattering Poison": A colorless, odorless liquid with extremely potent toxicity.

With only the tiniest drop, whether swallowed or merely touched against the surface of the skin, it can cause a person's heart to burst apart after four hours!

There is no cure for this poison beneath the level of spirit pills.

However, it is ineffective against martial artists at the third level of the Body-Tempering Realm and above.

Whenever the host wishes to use it, a single thought will cause this drop of "Fire Scorpion Heart-Shattering Poison" to appear at the tip of the host's right index finger, ready for use.

After reading it, Qin Yao could not help curling his lip. "Tsk, it's ineffective against martial artists at the third level of the Body-Tempering Realm and above?

"Then it's kind of useless..."

But on second thought, if this thing could poison even martial artists above the "third level of the Body-Tempering Realm"...

Wouldn't he be poisoned to death when using it as well?

Perhaps the system had considered Qin Yao's current martial realm before granting this reward?

In the end, his current martial cultivation was simply too low.

"Once my martial realm is higher, when another skill reaches Perfection, I probably won't receive such a useless reward, right?"

Qin Yao pondered silently as he opened the system panel.

"Host: Qin Yao"

"Realm: Fourth Level of the Body-Tempering Realm."

"The host's martial veins remain in a disabled state. The current martial cultivation realm is the result of grinding proficiency and using fist techniques to nourish the body in return; it is not a conventional path of martial growth. Therefore, the host still cannot break through the limit of the "Body-Tempering Realm Peak.""

"Cultivation Method: Tiger-Fighting Fist (Unranked), Perfection Realm"

"Skill: Mining, Perfection Realm"

"Eating, Proficient Realm (216/5000)"

"Acting, Minor Accomplishment Realm (405/2000)"

"Lockpicking, Minor Accomplishment Realm (362/2000)"

"Disguise, Minor Accomplishment Realm (359/2000)"

"Available Points: 38"

"Currently Unlocked Points Function: Fill in Gaps"

"Finally, the fourth level of the Body-Tempering Realm!"

Qin Yao let out a long breath of stale air. "With this level of cultivation, whether in Tang Village or at Ding Mine Pit, I'll be able to do many things!

"It's time to make my move and take Grandpa and Lan'er away with me.

"Before leaving, I should settle things one by one with those who once showed me kindness, and those who became my enemies!"

At that thought, the youth's eyes blazed like fire.

He called Old Master Qin over and laid out his entire plan.

As Qin Dashan listened, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Clearly, he too believed his grandson's escape plan had a high chance of success.

After Qin Yao had finished explaining everything, the old man nodded in great satisfaction. "Yao'er, you really have grown up. This move of 'the golden cicada shedding its shell' is quite excellent.

"With your current martial strength, doing what you described should not be difficult.

"It's just that there are too many details along the way that must be controlled with absolute precision.

"Are you... confident?

"If you are not completely certain, then wait a little longer. There is no need to rush.

"When the year's end draws near, it may be easier to succeed."

Yet Qin Yao shook his head at those words.

His gaze involuntarily turned toward the road by which they had come.

At the end of this road, stretching ever onward, lay Red River County!

"Grandfather, do you think that after Qin Yuwei and Qin Yongnian colluded with the county magistrate, framed me and perverted the law, stripped me of my scholarly title, and banished me to the Iron Mountain Mining Area as a slave...

"They will simply let the matter rest and leave us to fend for ourselves?

"Or will they wait until the uproar dies down, until no one is paying attention to me, this 'Top Scorer,' and then find an opportunity to wipe us out root and branch?"

The moment Qin Yao said this, his grandfather Qin Dashan's body trembled.

Before this, he had never considered such a possibility.

No matter what, Qin Yongnian, the clan head of the Qin family, was still family with their branch. They were blood relatives!

Qin Yongnian, all to win his granddaughter Qin Yuwei the reputation of being "accomplished in both letters and arms," had already made them suffer so miserably. That was beastly enough!

Surely he wouldn't...

Deny this grandfather and grandson even a hard-won path to cling to life?

Seeing his grandfather staring blankly into space without answering, Qin Yao continued, "Personally, I am more inclined to believe that they will wipe us out completely.

"People like Qin Yuwei and Qin Yongnian used such ruthlessly cruel methods to seize my scholarly title and convict me of cheating...

"That alone proves that they see me as less than grass, not as kin from a collateral branch. Naturally, they would show no mercy in killing me!

"Moreover, although I have been reduced to a slave, I did not die immediately.

"As long as I remain alive, I have a mouth of my own. No one can stop me from speaking of the injustice and suffering I have endured!

"Whether others believe it or not, the more such words spread, the more uncomfortable it will make Qin Yuwei, who bears the title of 'Red River County's once-in-a-millennium heavenly daughter, accomplished in both letters and arms.'

"Besides, as long as I live, the knowledge in my head will remain.

"No matter what, Qin Yuwei cannot take that from me. In her eyes, it is also the only thing I can rely on to rise again.

"She wants to erase the possibility of me making a comeback, yet she cannot erase the knowledge in my head.

"So she can only... kill me personally!"

"Therefore, I believe that once this discarded 'Top Scorer' no longer draws so much attention, Qin Yuwei will certainly rack her brains to kill me, eliminating all future trouble!"

"By my reckoning, they may already be preparing to act. I cannot wait, and I dare not gamble on their conscience!"

The more Old Master Qin listened, the more sense it made.

His old fists clenched as hard as iron!

He drew a deep breath, and his gaze became deeper and graver than ever before. "If the Qin main branch truly sends people to hunt you down...

"Then we need not show them the slightest bit of old affection!

"Whether Qin Yongnian, Qin Yuwei, or any other Qin family higher-ups involved in the decision, all are lifelong enemies of Qin Dashan. Until death, there will be no end!!"