Rushing Currents

Another ten days passed.

The aftermath of the riot on Qing Tian Festival was gradually surfacing.

Linjiang Outer City had always been exceedingly complicated, with gangs and factions of every size tangled together like interwoven roots.

During this riot, Blood Moving Martial Artists from many gangs were assassinated. For a time, the gangs were left leaderless and thrown into complete chaos.

After all, among the forces of the Outer City, Blood Moving Martial Artists were the pillars holding everything up.

Once those pillars were gone, the gangs would fall apart from within, even turning on one another.

Even in broad daylight, gangs could be seen fighting and killing in the streets.

Even the County Office tried to get the situation somewhat under control, but to no effect.

The chaos was simply too great. No sooner had they suppressed a few small gangs than gangs on several neighboring streets began fighting again.

In the end, the many forces of the Inner City stepped in and barely managed to bring the situation under control.

The Inner City's prosperity and extravagance were built upon the foundations of the Outer City.

Once the Outer City became too chaotic, the Inner City would be affected as well. That was why they had no choice but to intervene.

The White River Gang, however, seized quite a bit of territory in the turmoil and took the opportunity to expand its influence.

Over at Qin Manor, Qian Hai recruited five young men from the martial academy, temporarily resolving their manpower shortage.

Qin Yang remained as he always was, cultivating bitterly within the manor all day long.

This day.

Xiao Huan sat in the small courtyard, bored out of her mind and nodding off.

For the past few days, Qin Yang had been cultivating in his room and had not stepped outside even once.

Other than bringing Qin Yang food, Xiao Huan had nothing else to do.

"Young Master really can endure."

"He hasn't even needed to leave his room for so many days."

Xiao Huan muttered sleepily.

Inside the room.

Qin Yang sat cross-legged, rapidly mobilizing the blood and qi within his body until it churned endlessly like raging waves.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~

His blood and qi surged like a tide, washing over his skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and internal organs.

After circulating once, it gathered again within both kidneys before spreading outward once more.

Wave after wave of crashing tempestuous seas resounded from within his body.

One wave.

Three waves.

Six waves.

After reaching the eighth wave, it still did not stop. The roaring grew ever more turbulent and violent.

Qin Yang felt his entire body trembling.

The ninth wave of blood was too ferocious, as though it would scatter apart all the flesh, bones, and tendons in his body.

An eerie blood-red hue even surfaced on his face, dense crimson veins spreading all over it.

Blood seeped from his nose and ears.

Yet Qin Yang was like an old monk in Zen Meditation, without the slightest expression of pain or distortion.

At present, his mind was in a state of deep focus, utterly undisturbed by anything beyond himself.

Finally.

When the ninth wave came to an end.

Qin Yang slowly opened his eyes.

Host: Qin Yang

Arhat Fist: Perfected (Zen Meditation)

Azure Wave Blood Transference Method: Perfected (Rushing Rivers Return to the Sea)

Po Jun Saber Technique: Minor Accomplishment (542/1500)

Primordial Qi Shield: Fifth Layer (23/1000)

"Finally perfected!"

Qin Yang's expression filled with delight.

He wanted to slowly calm the blood and qi within his body.

Yet he discovered in surprise that his blood and qi no longer needed his control. As though they had gained sentience, they circulated through his body on their own.

Moreover, they coursed along the meridian route of the Azure Wave Blood Transference Art.

The blood and qi expended during his breakthrough was rapidly recovering.

"Could this be..."

Qin Yang fixed his gaze on the Divine Ability formed after the Azure Wave Blood Transference Method reached perfection.

Rushing Rivers Return to the Sea: The blood and qi within the body surged like rushing waves, endlessly renewing themselves and greatly increasing the speed of qi recovery.

"Endlessly renewing itself. Have I become a legendary Perpetual Motion Machine?"

Qin Yang smiled and rose from the bed.

He quickly familiarized himself with his state after the breakthrough.

He discovered that the wonders of this ceaseless rushing went far beyond that.

The injuries caused by his breakthrough moments ago were rapidly being repaired by his blood and qi.

Clearly, Rushing Rivers Return to the Sea could also increase the speed at which injuries healed.

"After Blood Moving reaches perfection, the next step is Gathering Qi."

"What a pity I still have no leads on a Qi Gathering Cultivation Method."

Qin Yang's gaze flickered.

These past days, he had already asked Uncle Qian to search for one on his behalf, but there was still not the slightest lead.

Qi Gathering Cultivation Methods were all hoarded by the various factions and rarely appeared on the market.

Not even the martial academies had them.

The martial academies in the city taught Blood Moving Cultivation Methods at most. Beyond that, there was nothing.

"Looks like I'll have to search in a larger city."

"What a pity that, with Linjiang City in its current state, I can't get away."

Qin Yang sighed softly.

Linjiang City was currently a place of treacherous clouds and undercurrents.

No one knew what might happen.

Naturally, Qin Yang did not dare leave.

"Young Master, Young Master Zhao has come to see you."

Xiao Huan's clear voice drifted over.

"Young Master Zhao?"

Qin Yang pushed open the door and asked doubtfully, "Is it Zhao He?"

"Yes." Xiao Huan nodded.

"He's probably asking me to go listen to music at the pleasure houses again."

"Turn him down for me."

Qin Yang shook his head.

That fellow Zhao He had also been one of the former Qin Yang's fair-weather friends.

"He seems to have something urgent to discuss. He isn't asking you to go to that sort of place."

Xiao Huan's pretty face reddened.

"Something urgent?"

Only then did Qin Yang leave his room and head toward the main hall.

There, he saw a white-robed young gentleman with a handsome, jade-like appearance who had clearly been waiting for quite some time.

He was Zhao He. His father was Zhao Wanhai, the head of a powerful Inner City lineage.

Unfortunately, Zhao He's birth was lowly. He was merely one of Zhao Wanhai's illegitimate sons and held little status within the lineage, spending his days carousing with Qin Yang and the others.

"Zhao He, what wind blew you here?"

Qin Yang asked with a teasing smile.

In his memories, this Young Master Zhao was a genuine wastrel, either in the pleasure houses or the taverns.

Zhao He stared dumbfoundedly at Qin Yang, who was a head taller than himself and possessed a tall, powerful physique.

"Qin Yang... you..."

"Li Baling told me before about the changes in you. I thought he was joking."

"I never expected it to all be true."

Zhao He was utterly shocked.

Had he not spent so much time carousing with Qin Yang, he would not even have recognized him.

It was not just his physique, but also the aura around him.

His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were completely different from before.

"Enough. What did you come to see me about this time?"

Qin Yang asked curiously.

Although Zhao He was merely an illegitimate son, ordinary people should still not dare provoke him.

"I heard something happened to that kid Li Baling."

"I wanted to go check on him with you."

Zhao He said solemnly.

"Li Baling?"

"He seemed perfectly fine when I saw him on Qing Tian Festival."

"What happened?"

Qin Yang was taken aback.

"I heard he caught some strange illness."

"I'm not too sure either. Let's go take a look first."

"Are you coming?"

Zhao He asked.

"I am." Qin Yang did not hesitate.

Li Baling had helped him before. Whether out of gratitude or propriety, it would be inappropriate not to go.

He had Xiao Huan fetch some tonics and pack them into a gift box before leaving the manor with Zhao He.

Li Baling had now moved into the Inner City. Qin Yang did not know where he lived and had to rely entirely on Zhao He to lead the way.

The Inner City appeared somewhat more prosperous and stable.

There were jade shops, money houses, wine shops, tea houses, and all kinds of businesses.

The streets bustled with carriages and horses. The common people were noticeably more respectably dressed, most wearing long robes with rosy complexions.

Grand residences and sprawling courtyards were scattered everywhere like stars across the sky, forming a maze.

"The Outer City is in such chaos, yet the Inner City is still so peaceful."

"It's hard to imagine these scenes exist within the same city."

Qin Yang said blandly.