Ma Qianli

"You mean Liu Feng? He asked me to lend him money too."

"Funny, where would I get money to lend him? As soon as I got paid, I bought a bottle of Blood-Strength Powder. Sure enough, training with Blood-Strength Powder and without it were completely different matters."

Zhang Shitou could not help but sigh.

"I heard that the young masters and ladies in the estate use even higher-grade Blood-Strength Pills for training. I wonder what that feels like."

As he said this, his face was filled with longing.

Coming back to his senses, Zhang Shitou continued, "As for why he was so desperate to borrow money, I have heard something about it."

"Do you remember that Brother Zhao he always mentioned?"

Chen Xun nodded.

Of course he remembered Brother Zhao. Liu Feng had borrowed a bottle of [Blood-Strength Powder] from that man and flaunted it before Chen Xun for days.

Between the lines, Liu Feng had used the matter to mock Chen Xun for being stingy.

That was also why Chen Xun remembered this Brother Zhao.

"Heh, didn't Brother Zhao lend Liu Feng a bottle of Blood-Strength Powder?"

"Actually, it should have been said that it was two-thirds of a bottle. Brother Zhao had used quite a bit of it beforehand."

"So, when everyone got paid, Brother Zhao directly demanded that Liu Feng return a full bottle of Blood-Strength Powder."

"Brother Zhao is a Qi-Blood Second Transformation Martial Artist. Liu Feng did not dare defy him and could only pay it back."

"And just like that, Liu Feng would have no Blood-Strength Powder to train with for the entire next month."

"How could a Martial Artist who had trained with Blood-Strength Powder endure that snail-like training speed from before?"

"So, in order to buy another bottle of Blood-Strength Powder, Liu Feng had been borrowing money everywhere."

Zhang Shitou chuckled, clearly taking pleasure in Liu Feng's misfortune.

Though he had no particular grudge against Liu Feng, seeing someone better than himself fall into bad luck was still a source of delight.

Chen Xun did not join in the gloating. He merely nodded calmly.

Afterward, he stopped practicing the Stake Stance and left the Li Estate, arriving on a bustling street.

Before he even drew near, he could smell the rank, bloody stench of animals.

This was the famous butcher shop street of Flowing Cloud City.

Weaving through the crowd, Chen Xun stopped in front of a shop.

The plaque above its entrance bore four striking characters: Dragon-Tiger Butcher Shop.

The moment he entered, a clerk greeted him warmly.

"Oh, Young Master Chen, you're here. Are you buying another set of python bones this time?"

"No, I haven't used up the last batch yet. This time, I'm here to buy a bowl of Dragon-Tiger Soup and give it a try."

"I've long heard that Dragon-Tiger Butcher Shop not only sells meat, but also delicacies like Dragon-Tiger Soup. I've wanted to taste it for a long time."

"All right, I'll fetch it for you right away."

Not long afterward, a food box was handed to Chen Xun. After paying, he turned and left.

After he left, the clerk went to the rear courtyard and repeated everything Chen Xun had said to the young master of Dragon-Tiger Butcher Shop, Li Long.

"Not buying python bones, but coming for Dragon-Tiger Soup? I understand. Go back to the front and get busy."

"Yes."

The clerk withdrew, and Li Long pondered, "Has he encountered a bottleneck in his Iron Garment Art training?"

"Don't disappoint me. I'm still waiting for you to train the Iron Garment Art to Major Accomplishment."

Naturally, Chen Xun had no idea that someone had designs on his skin.

Yet he could vaguely sense that the owner of Dragon-Tiger Butcher Shop definitely had some scheme concerning him.

It was simple: unsolicited kindness concealed either treachery or theft.

The first time he had stepped into Dragon-Tiger Butcher Shop, he had felt that once they learned he wanted to buy python bones, their attitude had suddenly become exceptionally warm.

That was clearly not normal.

"What do they want to do?"

Chen Xun narrowed his eyes and thought for quite a while, but still could not figure it out.

"Forget it. I won't overthink it. No matter what they want to do, as long as my strength keeps growing, they won't be able to do anything to me."

Carrying the food box, Chen Xun carefully toured the entire butcher shop street, only to fail to find what he wanted.

"As expected, tiger bones aren't so easy to buy."

Chen Xun could not help but sigh inwardly.

Ordinary hunters would avoid tigers like the plague. Only hunters who were Martial Artists would actively hunt tigers.

But such people were mostly gathered in the Hunting Teams of the major Lineages. The tigers they hunted were generally consumed internally and never made their way outside.

They did not care about that small amount of money.

Therefore, if Chen Xun wanted tiger bones, he either had to hunt alone or join a Hunting Team. Then, when they hunted a tiger, he could get a share of the spoils. Buying some tiger bones would not be a problem.

It was just that the entry requirement for the Li Family Hunting Team was Qi-Blood Second Transformation.

"My cultivation is still insufficient."

Chen Xun shook his head and left the place.

He had not gone far when a group of people suddenly appeared before him and blocked his path.

"Who are you?"

Chen Xun watched them warily, his right hand already quietly gripping the hilt of the blade at his waist.

As a Martial Artist, he was qualified to carry a blade in public.

"Brother Chen truly has the memory of a nobleman. Don't you remember me?"

One man pushed his way out from the crowd and looked at Chen Xun with a smile that was not quite a smile.

Chen Xun looked at the newcomer, and his pupils contracted.

"Ma Qianli."

"Indeed. It seems Brother Chen still remembers me."

Ma Qianli had an effeminate air about him. Though he wore a smile, he gave off a cold, sinister feeling, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

"What do you want with me?"

Chen Xun swiftly regained his composure and looked at him coldly.

"Naturally, I'm here because of the deaths of the Yu Sheng and Yu Qiang brothers."

"Yu Sheng is one thing, but Yu Qiang was one of the Wild Wolf Gang's branch leaders. We cannot let him die without explanation."

As he spoke, Ma Qianli narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze scrutinizing Chen Xun's expression.

"Is that so? Then go find the murderer. Why are you looking for me?"

Chen Xun replied with an even expression.

"We suspect that you killed the two of them."

Ma Qianli stopped beating around the bush and barked sharply.

"Speak. Was it you?"

"No."

Chen Xun answered without hesitation.

"If you think I killed them, then bring out the evidence. Without evidence, don't block the road here."

"Move aside."

Chen Xun took a step forward and met Ma Qianli's gaze, refusing to yield an inch.

Ma Qianli stared hard into Chen Xun's eyes, yet saw not the slightest trace of guilt within them.

At last, Ma Qianli looked away first and waved his hand. "Make a path."

At once, the Wild Wolf Gang members lined up neatly in two rows.

Every one of them glared wide-eyed at Chen Xun with savage expressions.

Yet Chen Xun acted as if he could not see them and walked out with steady steps.

"Branch Leader Ma, are we just letting that brat go?"

At his side, Ma Qianli's trusted subordinate leaned over and asked.

"If we don't let him go, do you intend to arrest him?"

Ma Qianli cast him an impatient glance. "He belongs to the Li Family now. I heard he recently rendered merit and was rewarded. It can be said that he has already drawn the Li Family's attention."

"Without reasonable evidence, if we act casually, do you think the gang will help us withstand pressure from the Li Family?"

The subordinate pondered briefly, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "No."

"Then that settles it. Why drag ourselves down for the sake of one dead man?"

"The gang sent me to investigate. Putting on a show and reporting everything I uncover will be enough. If anything happens, let the higher-ups decide."

With that, Ma Qianli led his men back to the gang.

However, before leaving, he looked back at Chen Xun, his eyes narrowing unconsciously.

"Though there is no evidence, I have never needed evidence to do things."

"Since he has already offended me, I cannot leave him alive, lest trouble arise later."

Killing intent surged in Ma Qianli's heart.

On the other side, Chen Xun carried the food box with a gloomy expression.

"Ma Qianli is a sinister man who stops at nothing. He definitely will not let me off easily."

"I'm not afraid for myself. I'm afraid something will happen to Qingqing."

Thinking of this, he could not help quickening his pace toward home.

Ma Qianli had been the first to discover the potential in Chen Xun's business. After staking it out for several days and confirming his suspicions, he had called Yu Sheng and Yu Qiang to seize Chen Xun's business together.

At that time, Ma Qianli had not yet become a branch leader. Yu Qiang had been the branch leader, while Ma Qianli had served under him.

Without giving Yu Qiang a share of the pie, Ma Qianli could never have held onto the business.

Afterward, using the framework Chen Xun had built, Yu Qiang expanded the business and earned a great deal of money. With that money, he bought many resources and finally forced his way into the Qi-Blood Second Transformation, becoming a new branch leader of the Wild Wolf Gang.

"How should I arrange things for Qingqing to ensure her safety?"

Chen Xun pondered as he walked.

Suddenly, as he passed a building, an idea came to him.

"Perhaps I can do it this way."