Six Harmonies Spear-Proficient

"Can I not go?"

The middle-aged constable who had come in looked at Gao Linyue and hesitated for a moment.

"I can't make that decision. You can ask the chief, but there's no one else available right now, so probably not."

Gao Fei looked himself over. He was wearing the ordinary cloth clothes he had changed into that morning.

"Going like this?"

The middle-aged constable said nothing, merely staring straight ahead. The answer spoke for itself.

Gao Fei knew he could not dodge this. He had to leave the city, so he could only walk over to Gao Linyue.

"Second Uncle. Let me borrow some weapons from the martial arts hall! And take out some loose change."

Get some money and see if he could earn a little Merit Points in the city along the way.

The original owner had died the last time he left the city. Even now, Gao Fei had no idea who wanted him dead.

It would be good to earn some Merit Points, raise his spear and saber techniques, and gain a little more power to protect himself.

Gao Linyue had spotted the middle-aged constable the moment he entered through the gate. Gao Fei coming over to greet him and ask for money was entirely expected.

"Take whatever weapon you want. Just remember to return it!"

Then he began complaining quietly again.

"There are three people practicing martial arts in this household, and you don't contribute to the living expenses. With only my meager salary, where am I supposed to get money?"

Gao Fei's face grew a little hot, and he felt somewhat embarrassed. But his life mattered more. After looking around, he saw his cousin Gao Yan still concentrating on his stance training, and a wicked smile appeared on his face.

"Uncle! How about, after I get back, I take my cousin out to have some fun and broaden his horizons?"

Gao Linyue's gaze instantly turned savage, killing intent visible in his eyes. "If you dare lead Yan'er astray, I'll beat you to death!"

Gao Fei smiled at the middle-aged man before him. He could tell that Gao Linyue treated the original owner, his nephew, rather well.

"Then both our families will die out. Would you be willing to accept that?"

Gao Linyue fell silent for a while, then let out a long sigh. With great reluctance, his thick hand pulled more than twenty copper coins from his chest and held them out.

"Fine! Consider it a debt your family owes mine. I've got a little private savings—take it..."

"Second Uncle, don't be like this. I'll pay you back..."

Gao Linyue cut him off directly, his face full of disbelief.

"You said the same thing last time, the time before that, and the time before that. Take it. Just don't ruin your cousin. Remember, don't let your Second Aunt find out."

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed."

The current Gao Fei had no habit of owing money, but there was no point saying more. If the man did not believe him, he did not believe him.

That original owner, that coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong, truly deserved to die!

Looking at things today, he had nearly ruined everyone around him. His idea of borrowing usury to buy Blood and Qi Soup had completely fallen through.

If he could not borrow money even from relatives, there was no need to mention outsiders.

Usurers were not fools either. Knowing what sort of person he was, knowing they would never get their money back, why would they lend to him?

Taking the copper coins, he quickly walked to the weapon rack.

He selected a white-shafted spear two and a half meters long, its spearhead three-edged and designed to pierce armor.

Then he picked out a Tang straight saber and hung it at his waist.

He weighed it in his hand. It was around five jin. It was a little light for the current Gao Fei, but it would do.

Once everything was ready, he said, "Let's go!"

He did not know the way, so he could only look at the middle-aged constable. The two stared at each other for a while.

The middle-aged man was indeed steady and composed. As though he had come to terms with it, he took the lead and walked ahead to guide the way.

After walking for some time, the two arrived on a broad, clean, orderly street.

Blossom Street.

There were more women on the road, all dressed in thin gauze over tight-fitting clothing, exposing most of their fragrant shoulders, their figures hazy and alluring.

Their outfits were very similar to Song Dynasty cross-collar garments, comparable to those Hanfu girls in future short videos who flirted with the edge of decency.

But seeing True People in person was far more overwhelming than watching a video. Their figures and looks were not bad at all. They cast seductive glances and wore expressions that seemed to say they were ripe for the picking, standing at the doors to solicit customers.

"Young master, it's my first time today. Come in and have some fun!"

"Don't leave in such a hurry! You can take a look first."

"Pick me. I just had seven days off..."

Gao Fei had grown up in an orphanage in his previous life. Just after graduating from university, he had arrived here, without ever having the chance to experience the great path of yin and yang.

He had not even dared to date!

The reason was simple: he had no money!

He saw things clearly: merely keeping himself alive had already been a mountain of hardships and a sea of trials. Why hold up some lovely girl's future?

Every one of them cast flirtatious looks at Gao Fei, while treating the middle-aged man with utter disdain.

That made him realize the original owner must have been a regular here.

"Young master, are you thirsty? Come in for a cup of water..."

As they spoke, the women came over and grabbed Gao Fei's arm, pressing it against their chests. They acted coquettishly while pushing him inward.

Sensing something off, Gao Fei hurriedly pulled his hand back and quickened his pace.

"I'm on official business. Just passing by, that's all!"

As he spoke, he repeatedly waved his hands and quickly caught up with the middle-aged man.

They passed through three streets, and after half an hour, they reached the city gate.

Only after leaving the city did they see a row of raggedly dressed people beside the gate, some squatting and some sitting against the base of the city wall, each with a broken bowl before them.

Ten people.

After calculating it, Gao Fei quickly walked over and tossed two copper coins into each person's bowl.

System prompt:

Merit Points +1

Merit Points +1

He waited for quite a while, but no more prompts appeared.

"That shouldn't be right! There are ten people. It should've been ten Merit Points, so why did I only get two?"

He looked at the ten people again.

At that moment, only two extremely thin people picked up the two copper coins from their bowls and stood up, walking toward the city gate.

Standing outside the gate, they shouted weakly toward the city.

"Bring out two coarse-flour steamed buns! I have money, throw them out..."

Either only those on the verge of starving to death counted for Merit Points, or the others were fake beggars—or at least, they would not starve to death anytime soon.

He did not dwell on it any further. Keeping himself alive was what mattered most.

He looked at the crowd flowing in and out through the city gate. This was just the right time to test the system.

After thinking for a while: an inch longer, an inch stronger.

"System, use all Merit Points to upgrade the Six Harmonies Spear."

In the space of his consciousness.

In the first year, your proficiency with the Six Harmonies Spear greatly increased.

In the third year, your Six Harmonies Spear entered the Proficient realm.

Three years of focused practice! It felt like a lifetime had passed.

Only Proficient? Was his aptitude really this terrible?

Gao Fei began questioning his life, but when he remembered that he had never practiced martial arts before, it was understandable.

After comforting himself.

He opened his eyes and swiftly examined his surroundings.

The middle-aged constable had not turned back and was still walking normally. His raised right foot had only just landed.

At the city gate, the auntie who had just paid the entry fee had not yet withdrawn her hand.

Less than a second!

Breaking through a realm required absorbing energy, so one could not break through in the middle of battle. Martial techniques could be upgraded, however, and that was also a means of preserving one's life.

With his mind at ease, he quickened his pace and followed.

The middle-aged constable noticed nothing. He merely glanced at him before continuing to lead the way.

The two did not exchange a single word the entire way.

Tao Hua Village was twenty li from the county seat.

The village buildings were packed extremely tightly together, with mountains surrounding it on three sides. A wooden barricade had been built at the entrance.

The log gate was tightly shut. Through the gaps in the wood, villagers could be seen inside holding long spears and keeping vigilant watch on the people outside.

"Two officers, nothing is wrong in our village. We've made you come all this way for nothing. This is compensation for your trouble."

As he spoke, a string of copper coins was thrown over the gate.

Gao Fei caught it and opened his palm. Around fifty copper coins were strung together on a red cord.

"Not enough!"

The middle-aged constable took one look, smiled, and kicked the barricade.

"Sir, we are only farmers. There are barely more than forty mu of poor fields at the foot of the mountain, only enough to feed..."

The middle-aged constable did not listen at all, cutting him off directly with a sleazy grin.

"Stop making excuses. If you don't have money, draw lots for people. Don't try to fool us with old men and old women!"

He turned to Gao Fei and chuckled softly.

"Pick a prettier young wife. You can use her three times!"