Layers of Doubt

"Elder Xie, this disciple needs some pills!"

Su Xinghe's heart burned with excitement as he spoke impatiently.

He had the Grade-Eight True Art now; all that remained was to pile up his martial realm.

But before Eighth Rank, he still had to pass through Body Tempering and Bone Forging.

The few bottles of Bone-Forging Pills at home definitely would not be enough. It would be best if Elder Xie could support him a little. Wouldn't that neatly solve his most difficult-to-voice problem?

"Pills?"

Xie Guang's heart skipped a beat.

His collection consisted of little trinkets like martial techniques and weapons. Pills, which were inconvenient to store, had long since been used up during his twenty years of retirement.

He had also asked the academy master, Zhou Yingjun, about the Martial Arts School's shortage of resources.

Perhaps because they were a third-rate Martial Arts School that had fallen from the ranks of second-rate forces, in the eyes of certain snobs, they were not even as good as newly risen third-rate schools.

Someone at the Martial Dao Bureau had kicked them when they were down and made things difficult at every turn, refusing to provide them with pill resources.

But thinking about it, that made sense. One side was a fallen household, while the other was a rising new star.

If not for the little nest egg he still had, he would even have had to stop taking the pills that maintained his own qi-blood.

His old face could not help turning red. Pretending to be angry, he said:

"You brat, didn't I give you ten bottles just last month?"

Su Xinghe could only lower his head, looking slightly embarrassed as he said:

"This time, I can... pay for them..."

Xie Guang froze at those words.

Whenever he thought of this "financially struggling" disciple before him, he got angry. The Martial Arts School did not even have enough pills for its own people—where would it find extras for him to make a profit from reselling?

"No!"

He pulled a long face and spoke with absolute finality.

"What if I don't need you to give me the discounted kind?"

Su Xinghe probed.

"You brat..."

"Ah... I'll tell you the truth. I only have two bottles left here as well."

In the end, Su Xinghe still managed to get one bottle.

That was only because he had become an Inner Disciple today.

After leaving the inner courtyard, he found a corner and began practicing his fists.

However, in order to conceal the Consciousness Space in his mind, he could only honestly set up his fighting stance.

Naturally, his efficiency was cut in half.

Fortunately, the medicinal power of the Qi-Replenishing Pill was just a drop in the bucket for him now, so it would not go to waste.

Toward evening, on the way home.

His heart sank.

It seemed his family's Martial Arts School had run into some sort of problem.

He shook his head and sighed inwardly.

His strength was still insufficient. Otherwise, where would all these troubles come from?

He decided to pull another all-nighter tonight.

A thin, small figure slipped out from the mouth of an alley and came toward him.

"Boss, I found where those two thugs are staying."

Su Xinghe nodded. He had noticed this fellow from far away.

"Tonight, should we..."

Little Beggar made a throat-slitting gesture.

It looked like this fellow had gotten a little swollen with confidence after learning the Listening to Tides Art recently.

Su Xinghe frowned. After thinking for a moment, he asked:

"Where do those two live?"

Little Beggar raised his chin and pointed toward Tongzi Ward.

"At the very end of the alley where those three drank last night. They're all bachelors, and there's usually no one at home."

Considering how densely populated Tongzi Ward was, and how poor its soundproofing was, acting too early might cause some disturbance.

Su Xinghe instructed:

"Keep watching them. We'll go later."

"Got it, Boss!"

Night fell.

Su Xinghe returned to his room early.

During the day at the Martial Arts School, he had practiced the Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art thirty times in one go.

His Body Tempering had also reached 85%.

There had originally been plenty of time left, but next he needed to temper the skin and flesh on his head.

Afraid that anyone would notice his bruised face, he had no choice but to wait until he got home before continuing.

More than an hour later.

After consuming two Bone-Forging Pills, he completed eight rounds of the "+2" Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art in the Consciousness Space.

Su Xinghe's entire head had turned pitch-black, and the Body Tempering throughout his body was finally complete.

He focused his mind on the Fate Panel.

"Su Xinghe: White Ape Martial Academy (Inner Disciple)"

"Martial Dao: Ninth Grade Realm (Body Tempering 100%)"

"Fate: Diligence Makes Up for Dullness"

"Trait 1: Water-Tight, Unyielding"

"Trait 2: Many Grains Make a Tower, Success Follows Naturally"

"Dripping Water Swordsmanship (First Glimpse of the Path) 0/100"

"Listening to Tides Art (Transcendent Mastery) 1582/100000"

"Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art (Perfect Mastery) 3271/10000"

"Ascending Dragon Stance (Hall-Entering) 566/1000"

"Incomplete Red Lotus Treasure Vase Qi 0/10000"

With Body Tempering complete, Bone Forging was next.

But he still had to go silence them tonight, so he could only wait until he returned.

After tidying up his room.

He fed Little White Bat in advance.

He changed into an ordinary gray linen short shirt, then draped a faded old cloak over it.

He wore straw sandals like those worn by dock laborers. With a chisel clutched in his hand and hidden beneath the cloak, only his eyes were exposed.

After all, he was going to Tongzi Ward to kill people. Though they were just two weaklings, he still had to be as cautious as possible.

Once everything was ready, he blew out the candle.

He raised his leg, just about to climb out through the window.

Then he heard the sound of fluttering clothes slicing through the air from the rear courtyard.

Su Xinghe hurried over to the back window and secretly looked outside.

He saw his younger sister-in-law dressed in black nightwear, with a piece of black cloth wrapped around her head. Carrying a bulging floral-patterned bundle on her back, she vaulted over the wall and headed north.

As he watched her back, Su Xinghe's heart stirred.

This...

Was she running away from home?

But that was only an instinctive thought.

Other than the box in the hidden compartment beneath the bed, what valuable things did their home even have?

His gaze fell upon the floral bundle. It should contain the spoils from the Black Tiger Gang last night.

And the direction she was heading was north of the city.

Then... the Luhua Village Black Market...

North of Lin County, five li along the trade road, lay Luhua Village. It housed Lin County's largest livestock trading and slaughterhouse, as well as the largest underground Black Market in the area.

Su Xinghe's copy of the Ascending Dragon Stance had been purchased from someone peddling it at that Black Market half a year ago.

Thus, he was full of distrust toward Luhua Village.

And the things there were outrageously expensive.

But things were different now. He was already a Grade Martial Artist. Aside from the goods peddled by those wandering vendors, he could also take a look at the established shops.

With that thought.

Su Xinghe halted his plan to kill and silence them.

Little Beggar was watching them over there, and tomorrow night would work too.

He rummaged out some spoils from beneath his bed and followed after her.

On one hand, he wanted to track Yang Huaiyu and see exactly what her background was. On the other, he could take the opportunity to find a reliable seller and buy some pills.

Setting out from the west side of the city along familiar routes, he left the county's north gate a quarter of an hour later.

Outside the city was pitch-black, but fortunately, he was a martial artist.

With the Listening to Tides Art assisting him, the movements within twenty zhang were as clear as in daylight.

Though it was the middle of the night, caravans and laborers heading out of the city to purchase goods had already appeared on the road. They carried dim yellow lanterns, their lights stretching across the trade road like scattered stars.

These people set out at midnight. After purchasing and slaughtering livestock at the market, they would return to the city just in time for the morning market.

Because he was in a hurry to catch up, his footsteps flew.

He sprinted more than two li without stopping.

Among the crowd ahead, a familiar petite figure appeared.

She carried the huge floral bundle on her back. Perhaps her twin ponytails were too long to tuck inside, so they could only hang outside her headscarf and sway back and forth.

Su Xinghe began slowing down, trailing her from twenty zhang away.

Before long, they arrived at Luhua Village.

Past the village entrance, the roadside was packed with all kinds of mountain specialties and strange tools and medicines.

Most of them were related to livestock breeding.

The sulfur he had asked Little Beggar to buy last time had come from here.

Beyond the village entrance was the livestock market. Merchants pushed carts as they lined up by the roadside, waiting to load their goods.

There were no more carts or horses on the road ahead, and the number of pedestrians abruptly dropped by ninety percent. Only some hurried travelers, covered from head to toe, remained. A few moved with astonishing speed; at a glance, they clearly possessed cultivation.