Muscle Transformation and Bone Reshaping, a Mask Hides the True Face! (Please Follow, Please Vote)

Crack, crack, crack—

Zhou Qing circulated the Muscle Transformation and Bone Reshaping Art. A string of explosive cracks rang out from his bones as his height, build, and appearance began to change.

Very soon, Zhou Qing's appearance had completely transformed.

From a sixteen-year-old youth, he became a middle-aged man in his thirties—tall and powerfully built, with a resolute face. His Internal Art stimulated his facial skin, and a thick beard swiftly grew across his face, giving him an exceptionally bold and uninhibited air of the martial world.

"Not bad!"

Zhou Qing stroked the beard on his face, satisfaction showing in his eyes.

Now, with but a thought, he could freely alter his appearance, physique, and voice. Even his own aura could be changed to a certain extent, as though he could transform into thousands upon thousands of people. Unless one possessed an exceptionally profound art of discernment, they would never see through him.

"With this disguise technique, handling matters will be much more convenient in the future."

Zhou Qing silently pondered.

He knew full well that he had killed the Eagle Wolf Guard's Red Wolf Commander and ransacked the Eagle Wolf Guard yamen in Taining Prefecture. He had thoroughly offended the imperial court, so the identity of "Zhou Qing" could not appear for the time being.

To make things easier, he needed a new identity.

Now that he had mastered the Muscle Transformation and Bone Reshaping Art, he could alter his appearance, physique, and voice at any time. Even if the imperial court's hounds wanted to find him, it would be harder than climbing to the heavens.

Next, Zhou Qing planned to continue searching for other first-rate Internal Art manuals. He would strive to fuse enough Internal Arts as soon as possible, blast open the Gate of Heaven and Earth within his body, shatter the shackles, and step into the Xiantian Realm.

Anyang Prefecture, Prefecture City!

Zhou Qing entered the city openly and boldly. He even wandered about in front of the Eagle Wolf Guard yamen. Standing before the notice board, he carefully examined his own wanted poster. The portrait was quite a good likeness.

However, he had changed his appearance, height, and build with the Muscle Transformation and Bone Reshaping Art. He had also switched his weapon from a saber to a sword. Not a single passing Eagle Wolf Guard recognized him.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing made his way to Wind Full Tower in the Prefecture City without worry.

Wind Full Tower primarily dealt in selling intelligence; this was common knowledge throughout the martial world. Moreover, Wind Full Tower itself was no weak force. The master who had founded it was a grandmaster ranked near the top of the Earth Ranking. Thus, there was no need for concealment—they simply opened their doors and did business openly.

So long as one had enough money, one could purchase any information one wanted at Wind Full Tower.

The moment Zhou Qing entered Wind Full Tower, a dedicated attendant immediately came forward to receive him and led him into a private room. He asked, "Honored guest, are you here to purchase intelligence or sell intelligence?"

"To purchase information on first-rate Internal Arts." Zhou Qing considered for a moment, then said, "Exclude metal, ice, wood, and earth attribute techniques."

The Primordial Chaos True Art required the fusion of Internal Arts with different attributes.

Among the first-rate Internal Arts he cultivated, the Great White Golden Gang Art belonged to the metal attribute, the Profound Ice Heart Method to the ice attribute, the Hundred Herbs Azure Wood Art to the wood attribute, and the Mountain Profound Art to the earth attribute.

Upon hearing this, surprise flashed through Wind Full Tower's intelligence agent's eyes. Clearly, Zhou Qing's request had caught him off guard.

But he quickly regained his composure and nodded slightly. "I have noted your request, honored guest. Information on first-rate Internal Arts—especially excluding the four attributes of metal, ice, wood, and earth—please wait a moment. I will look into it for you immediately."

"Good."

Zhou Qing nodded.

Wind Full Tower's intelligence agent turned and left the private room. Zhou Qing sat upright inside, closing his eyes to rest.

Before long, the intelligence agent returned.

"Honored guest, I have found the information you requested." Wind Full Tower's intelligence agent said, "There are two pieces of intelligence concerning first-rate Internal Arts here, priced at one hundred taels of silver and three hundred taels of silver respectively."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing took out a one-hundred-tael silver note and handed it over. "Tell me about the one-hundred-tael information first."

Wind Full Tower's intelligence agent accepted the silver note and said, "Half a month from now, Four Seas Pavilion will hold an auction in Yuanzhou City. A first-rate Internal Art will be among the items auctioned."

"An auction in Yuanzhou City half a month from now." Zhou Qing nodded, then took out a three-hundred-tael silver note and handed it over. "What about the three-hundred-tael information?"

"The head of the Li Family, one of Qingyan Prefecture's five great families, suffered a relapse of an old injury and died suddenly. Because his death came too abruptly, he did not name an heir, and so several capable legitimate sons are now fighting for the position of family head."

Wind Full Tower's intelligence agent continued, "Among the Li Family's legitimate sons, the Sixth Young Master, Li Qi, is the weakest. In order to contend for the position of family head, he intends to offer the family's inherited first-rate Internal Art, the Howling Wind Sword Art, as payment in exchange for the support of a powerful expert. However, this matter cannot be publicized on a large scale.

"Thus, Wind Full Tower will only reveal it to customers seeking intelligence related to first-rate Internal Arts. When the time comes, honored guest may take this tower's token to the Li Family of Qingyan Prefecture and meet Li Qi.

"However, this tower's token can only allow honored guest to meet Li Qi. Whether you can obtain the Howling Wind Sword Art will depend on your own abilities."

Having said that, Wind Full Tower's intelligence agent handed Zhou Qing a token.

"Understood."

Zhou Qing nodded, tucked the token into his robes, and turned to leave.

Seeing this, Wind Full Tower's intelligence agent rose and escorted Zhou Qing out. He then gave a slight bow. "Take care, honored guest. Should you have any other needs, you are welcome to return at any time."

After leaving Wind Full Tower,

Zhou Qing bought a horse at the market, then rode straight for Qingyan Prefecture.

After two days of travel, Zhou Qing finally arrived at the Prefecture City of Qingyan Prefecture. Its city walls rose high into the sky, the guards at the gates were strict, and pedestrians streamed endlessly in and out. It was clearly a prosperous great city.

Leading his horse, Zhou Qing slowly entered through the city gates, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

Shops lined both sides of the streets, and cries of vendors rose and fell one after another. The city was exceptionally lively.

As one of Qingyan Prefecture's five great families, the Li Family's residence was easy enough to locate after a few inquiries. Zhou Qing then headed straight for the Li Residence.

Along the way, Zhou Qing also heard some news regarding the Li Family.

Several of the Li Family's legitimate sons had already fought one another to a standstill over the position of family head. They had agreed to hold a contest three days later.

Naturally, these legitimate sons would not personally take the field and risk their lives. Instead, they had invited powerful experts to lend them their fists and compete on their behalf.

Whichever legitimate son's invited expert could defeat every opponent would be considered the winner. The elders would then support that legitimate son's succession as family head.

This action by the Li Family had caused quite a stir in Qingyan Prefecture.

After all, the Li Family was one of the five great families. Every powerful expert invited by the Li Family's sons was bound to be a person of extraordinary strength.

Their clashes would undoubtedly be a feast for the eyes.

At this moment, quite a few martial artists had gathered at the estate where the Li Family's Sixth Young Master, Li Qi, resided.

These martial artists had all come at his invitation. Some stood while others sat, discussing matters in low voices, all filled with anticipation for the coming contest.

However, if they wanted to represent Sixth Young Master Li Qi in battle, they first had to undergo a round of competition themselves, because there were only three available spots.

"Sixth Young Master, when will the contest begin?"

"We've already waited here for an hour. Are we fighting or not?"

"Hurry up and choose the three spots. Then those freeloaders can get lost instead of wasting my time here."

From within the crowd, a burly man with knotted muscles shouted loudly.

His words undoubtedly struck a sore spot for many of the martial artists present.

After all, since they had been invited here, who did not want to fight on behalf of Sixth Young Master Li Qi and make a name for themselves before Qingyan Prefecture's many martial artists? But there were only three spots to fight, so most of them were destined to be eliminated.