Mounting Suspicions

"Elder Xie, this disciple needs some pills!"

Su Xinghe's heart warmed, and he spoke impatiently.

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

But before Grade Eight, 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 with some. 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. As for pills, which were inconvenient to store, he had long used them all up during these twenty years of retirement.

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

Perhaps because their third-rate Martial Arts School had fallen from being a second-rate force, in the eyes of certain snobs, they were not even as good as newly risen third-rate factions.

People in the Martial Dao Bureau were kicking them while they were down and making things difficult at every turn, simply refusing to give them pill resources.

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

If not for the little nest egg he still had, even the pills needed to maintain his own qi and blood would have been cut off.

His old face could not help reddening as he pretended to be angry.

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

Su Xinghe could only lower his head, his expression slightly awkward.

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

Xie Guang froze upon hearing that.

The thought of this "impoverished" disciple before him made him angry. The Martial Arts School did not even have enough pills for its own people to use—where would it find extras for him to profit from reselling?

"No!"

He pulled a long face and spoke with absolute finality.

"What if I don't need the kind you give me at a discount?"

Su Xinghe probed.

"You brat..."

"Sigh... I'll tell you the truth. I only have two bottles left myself."

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 punches.

However, in order to conceal the Consciousness Space in his mind, he could only honestly assume his boxing stance.

Naturally, his efficiency was cut in half.

Fortunately, the medicinal effects of the Qi-Replenishing Pill were merely a drop in the ocean to him now, so they would not go to waste.

At dusk, on the way home.

His heart sank.

It seemed that 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 up to meet him.

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

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

"Tonight, should we..."

Little Beggar made a throat-slitting gesture.

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

Su Xinghe frowned, then thought for a moment before asking.

"Where do those two live?"

Little Beggar lifted his chin and pointed toward Tongzi Ward.

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

Considering that Tongzi Ward was densely populated and poorly soundproofed, acting too early might cause some disturbance.

Su Xinghe instructed him.

"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 quite a bit of time left, but next he needed to temper the skin and flesh on his head.

Afraid that he would be noticed with his face covered in bruises, he had no choice but to wait until he got home to continue.

More than half an hour later.

After using 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 was 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: Grains of Sand Build a Tower, When Water Comes, a Channel Forms"

"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.

He tidied up his room.

He fed Little White Bat in advance.

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

He wore straw sandals like those of dock laborers, gripped a chisel beneath his cloak, and revealed only his eyes.

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

With everything ready, he blew out the candle.

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

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

Su Xinghe hurried to the rear window and peered out secretly.

He saw his younger brother's wife dressed in black nightwear, with black cloth wrapped around her head. Carrying a bulging floral bundle on her back, she vaulted over the wall and headed north.

Watching her back, Su Xinghe's heart stirred.

This...

Was she running away from home?

But that was only an instinctive thought.

Other than the chest in the hidden compartment beneath the bed, what valuables did their family even have?

His gaze fell upon that floral bundle. Inside should have been the spoils from the Black Tiger Gang last night.

And she was heading north.

Then... the Luhua Village black market...

North of Lin County, five li along the trade road, lay Luhua Village. It had Lin County's largest livestock trading and slaughtering yard, as well as the biggest underground black market in the area.

Su Xinghe's copy of the Ascending Dragon Stance had been bought from someone peddling it in that black market half a year ago.

Thus, he was filled with distrust toward Luhua Village.

And things over there were damn expensive.

But things were different now. He was already a Grade Martial Artist. Aside from the wares sold by wandering peddlers, he could also take a look at those permanent shops.

With that thought.

Su Xinghe halted his plan to kill and silence them.

Little Beggar was watching them over there. Tomorrow night would work too.

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

On one hand, he wanted to follow Yang Huaiyu and see exactly where she came from. On the other, he could take the opportunity to find a reliable seller and buy some pills.

Following the familiar route from the west side of the city, he left the county's north gate after a quarter of an hour.

Outside the city, everything was pitch-black, but fortunately, he was a Martial Warrior.

With the Listening to Tides Art assisting him, movement within twenty zhang was as clear as in daytime.

Though it was midnight, there were already caravans and porters heading out of the city to purchase goods. They carried dim yellow lanterns, their scattered lights stretching along the trade road like stars.

These people set out in the middle of the night. After buying and slaughtering livestock, they would return to the city just in time for the morning market.

Because he was anxious to catch up to her, he moved swiftly.

He sprinted more than two li in one breath.

A familiar petite figure appeared among the people ahead.

She carried that large floral bundle on her back. Her twin ponytails were likely too long to tuck inside, so they could only hang outside her headscarf and swing 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 manner of mountain goods, strange tools, and medicinal items.

Most of them were related to livestock.

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 and lined up along the roadside, waiting to load their goods.

There were no more carts or horses on the road ahead, and pedestrians suddenly decreased by ninety percent. Only some hurried travelers remained, their bodies concealed from head to toe. A few moved with astonishing speed, clearly people with cultivation.