You Want to Collect Protection Money?

[You successfully taught a group of hooligans to cooperate with the constables. Merit +8.]

Zhao Zhi slightly raised his head, looked at the prompt on the panel, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

This Merit Panel's judgment was truly rather subjective.

He set the thought aside.

Zhao Zhi glanced outside. He could not see what the Gray Snake Gang members were doing, but he could hear them moving the corpses.

He had consecutively slain Flying Cloud Stronghold's Fifth and Fourth Chieftains, forming a death feud with Flying Cloud Stronghold.

Of course.

Even before this, the two sides had already formed a death feud.

The father of this body's former owner had died during the campaign to suppress Flying Cloud Stronghold.

From seeing Flying Cloud Stronghold's Fifth Chieftain, Wu Jiu, during the day, to seeing Cloudflight Mountain's Fourth Chieftain, Ge Zhou, just now, with the constable Qi D aqu accompanying him in secret.

It seemed County Magistrate Lu Guangyi had long since colluded with Flying Cloud Stronghold.

Each bandit-suppression campaign was likely more than a routine assignment. There were probably plans to amass wealth, or something else.

Zhao Zhi lowered his head and eyes, pondering in secret.

No matter what County Magistrate Lu Guangyi intended, or what Flying Cloud Stronghold might do, the most important thing for him now was to increase his strength.

Only overwhelming power could tear all schemes and tricks to pieces.

Initial Xiantian was not enough.

Flying Cloud Stronghold's First Chieftain was an Innate Warrior, with strength at the level of Innate Minor Achievement or even Greater Xiantian.

With a thought from Zhao Zhi, the Merit Panel appeared.

[Martial Arts: Innate Unity Qi Technique (Beginner), Seizing Hand (Perfected), Grand Ancestor Saber Art (Perfected)]

[Merit: 54]

Fifty-four Merit was enough.

With another thought, Zhao Zhi fiercely poured Merit into the Innate Unity Qi Technique once more.

[50 Merit consumed. Innate Unity Qi Technique: Minor Achievement.]

In an instant.

A great mass of memories regarding the cultivation of the Innate Unity Qi Technique flooded Zhao Zhi's mind. One person, one technique, cultivating day after day, month after month, night after night, pushing the Innate Unity Qi Technique to a higher level.

A strange and profound power surged from deep within his body, circulating along the path of the Innate Unity Qi Technique and gradually merging into his original inner qi.

In the blink of an eye.

The wisps of inner qi within his body grew to the size of a little finger, nourishing his five viscera and six bowels, sinews, meridians, blood, and bones far better than before.

After carefully sensing the state of his inner qi, Zhao Zhi slowly opened his eyes.

Innate Minor Achievement was not at the very peak in Qingfeng County, but it still ranked among the foremost.

Other than several influential local gentry, not even the county yamen possessed such an expert.

Zhao Zhi looked at the Merit Panel once again.

He had the Innate Unity Qi Technique for realm cultivation, but his martial methods were somewhat lacking. Whether the Seizing Hand or the Grand Ancestor Saber Art, neither was particularly suited for an Innate Warrior.

He would visit the yamen tomorrow and take a look.

The next day, at the yamen.

Zhao Zhi walked out of the yamen, slightly raised his chin, and summoned the Merit Panel with a thought.

[Martial Arts: Innate Unity Qi Technique (Minor Achievement), Giant Gate Palm (Not Started), Wild Wind Saber Technique (Not Started), Seizing Hand (Perfected), Grand Ancestor Saber Art (Perfected)]

[Merit: 4]

The Giant Gate Palm and Wild Wind Saber Technique were both Innate Warrior-level martial arts he had obtained from the yamen.

The yamen's control over martial arts was neither strict nor lax. One needed a certain amount of merit and the county magistrate's approval.

But after Lu Guangyi took control of Qingfeng County, the yamen's rules had become exceedingly lax. Everything revolved around Lu Guangyi.

Lu Guangyi only cared about money, not the yamen's martial arts.

So long as no yamen martial arts, especially Innate Warrior-level martial arts, were taken out of the yamen, one could browse them freely.

This gave Zhao Zhi tremendous convenience.

Next, he only needed to cultivate diligently, or obtain a large amount of Merit to advance his martial arts.

Seeing that it was already getting late, Zhao Zhi glanced at Luo Dashan not far away, walked over, and headed with him toward Wang Family Tavern.

Inside Wang Family Tavern.

Zhao Zhi and Luo Dashan drank wine and ate small dishes, looking relaxed and utterly at ease.

"Zhao Zhi, is it really all right that we aren't patrolling the streets? If Constable Chen finds out, that won't be good." Luo Dashan spoke cautiously.

"Don't worry. They have no time to bother with us right now." Zhao Zhi raised his wine cup, smiling with casual composure as he blinked at Luo Dashan. "Besides, aren't we patrolling the streets right now, keeping an eye on the safety of the commoners' shops?"

Luo Dashan smiled. "That's true."

Last night, for some unknown reason, the Gray Snake Gang had thrown the corpse of Flying Cloud Stronghold's Fourth Chieftain, Ge Zhou, outside the yamen gates, causing the entire yamen to erupt in commotion.

If the county magistrate had not ordered that it not be spread, the matter would likely have traveled throughout all of Qingfeng County.

The county yamen was busy dealing with Ge Zhou and the Gray Snake Gang, so naturally they paid little attention to them.

Luo Dashan leaned a little closer to Zhao Zhi, glanced toward the Wang family girl by the counter, and lowered his voice. "Zhao Zhi, look. That Wang family girl keeps secretly looking at you. It seems your heroic rescue of a beauty the other day won her heart."

Noticing the Wang family girl's gaze, Zhao Zhi smiled faintly. "She's only afraid you'll dine and dash."

"You..." Luo Dashan stared wide-eyed at Zhao Zhi, then gave a bitter smile. "You really can't take a hint. But you killed the county magistrate's brother-in-law. He definitely won't let you off lightly. Be careful in everything you do these days. Don't act impulsively, and don't stick your head out."

Zhao Zhi glanced at Luo Dashan.

Would not let him off lightly?

Indeed. They had already made their move.

Qian Tong and Luo Dashan were merely ordinary blue-clad constables in Qingfeng County. They did not know how to fawn over the powerful, so naturally they had not caught County Magistrate Lu Guangyi's eye and knew nothing of what had happened in secret.

"Mm."

Zhao Zhi lifted a cup of wine and took a small sip. His gaze shifted toward several people entering from outside the tavern.

"Old Wang."

Ma Dazhong puffed out his chest and strode into Wang Family Tavern with imposing swagger.

"Master Ma." Shopkeeper Wang hurried forward with a smile plastered across his face. "May I ask what brings you here this time?"

Ma Dazhong bared a mouthful of yellow teeth. "What else could it be? Naturally, this month's incense money."

Shopkeeper Wang's expression abruptly changed. "Incense money? Didn't I already pay it half a month ago? Why do I have to pay again?"

As Ma Dazhong listened, his eyes gradually narrowed, and a fierce gleam gathered in their depths. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the Wang family girl behind the counter. An inexplicable smile curved his lips as he approached Shopkeeper Wang and patted his shoulder. "Isn't the gang leader about to break through in martial arts? Expenses are high, and he needs more money. So from now on, you'll pay incense money once every half month."

"Once every half month?"

Shopkeeper Wang's lips trembled, and his face turned slightly pale.

Once a month was already no small sum. Once every half month, and the tavern likely would not even make a profit.

"Master Ma, could you ask the gang leader to show some leniency? Once every half month is truly too much."

"Leniency?" Ma Dazhong's brow twitched lightly, and he said with a sly grin, "It's not impossible. Send your daughter to the gang leader. Once you become the gang leader's in-law, all future incense money can be waived."

Shopkeeper Wang hurriedly refused. "No."

"No? Then I'll see whether you have enough silver."

A fierce light burst from Ma Dazhong's eyes. He pressed heavily on Shopkeeper Wang's shoulder, sending him crashing straight to the ground. Then he strode toward the counter, frightening the Wang family girl until her face went pale.

Bang.

Before Ma Dazhong had taken more than a few steps, he collided with a sturdy, upright body.

"You want to collect protection money?"

Zhao Zhi looked at Ma Dazhong with a pleasant expression.