Perfection

The instant he heard the black-clad man's voice.

Sun Erhu felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

He knew that voice all too well.

Deep and powerful, carrying a trace of ruggedness—it was unmistakably Qin Dongsheng's voice.

"Qin Dongsheng had returned long ago?!"

An unbelievable thought surfaced in Sun Erhu's mind.

"Father."

Qin Yang sounded somewhat excited.

"Mm, you've worked hard these past few days."

"Remember to proceed according to the original plan."

The black-clad man remained calm and steady.

"I understand." Qin Yang nodded.

The black-clad man said no more and turned, vanishing through the doorway.

Qin Yang shut the back door again and left with the lantern.

Sun Erhu hid in the corner, clamping a hand tightly over his mouth.

He had never imagined that Qin Dongsheng had not disappeared at all.

And judging from their conversation, they seemed to have some sort of plan.

There was no need to think about it—this plan was naturally aimed at the Twin Snake Gang.

Qin Dongsheng and Qin Yang, this father and son, were truly deep schemers.

For a time.

Sun Erhu was filled with regret. He regretted tipping off the Twin Snake Gang.

But the arrow had left the bow; he could only walk this dark road to the end.

Once She Qing was killed, the Twin Snake Gang would definitely expose him.

As a traitor, he would surely die without a burial place.

Sun Erhu crouched in the grass for half a shichen before finally climbing over the wall and leaving through the back entrance.

Twin Snake Gang.

She Qing's expression changed drastically after hearing Sun Erhu's report.

"What! Qin Dongsheng had returned long ago?!"

Sun Erhu nodded. "I may not have seen him in person, but I would never mistake that voice!"

"Damn it!"

She Qing had originally intended to make his move within the next few days.

But Sun Erhu's words were like a basin of cold water, dousing that intention completely.

A vicious glint flashed through his narrow eyes.

This deadly enmity had been forged. Both sides wanted to put the other to death.

How could he, She Qing, possibly sit still and wait for death?

"Return to Qin Manor and see if you can find out what their so-called plan is."

"I'll lie low for now and wait for the right opportunity."

She Qing exhaled a breath of turbid air, his expression returning to its usual calmness.

Sun Erhu had not wanted to return after sneaking out tonight, but he did not dare defy She Qing. He could only grit his teeth and leave.

The next day.

Qin Yang led Qian Hai and a group of guards, charging menacingly toward the Twin Snake Gang's headquarters.

But when they arrived, the gates of the Twin Snake Gang's headquarters were tightly shut.

No matter how Qin Yang shouted and provoked them, no one opened the gates.

Left with no choice, Qin Yang could only take his people back first.

Word of this quickly spread throughout the Twin Snake Gang's territory.

Everyone believed that She Qing feared Qin Yang, which was why he had chosen to shut his doors rather than fight.

Later, the Qin Family's Laifu Inn reopened, and no one from the Twin Snake Gang came to make trouble.

The matter seemed to have come to an end.

A dim room.

She Qing sat cross-legged on the bed in meditation.

Creak—

Zhao Mengzhuang pushed open the door and entered, his expression anxious. "Gang Leader, Qin Yang has trampled right up to our doorstep."

She Qing opened his eyes slightly. "No rush. This is likely Qin Dongsheng's scheme. He has Qin Yang provoke us head-on; if I make a move, Qin Dongsheng will certainly follow. With father and son joining forces, my chances of winning are slim."

"But as long as I do not show myself, they will remain wary."

Zhao Mengzhuang's face darkened. "Then are we supposed to hide for the rest of our lives?"

She Qing gave a faint shake of his head. "What are you so anxious about? An opportunity will come eventually."

"First, let the storm pass. We'll see the situation clearly before stepping into the game."

Only then did Zhao Mengzhuang let the matter drop.

Night fell.

Outside Linjiang City.

"Old Lin, once you take this money, don't come back."

"Go as far away as you can."

Qin Yang handed a banknote to an ordinary-looking man.

"Don't worry, Young Master Qin."

"This money is enough for me to return to the countryside and live out my retirement."

"The green mountains remain, the clear waters flow on; if fate allows, we'll meet again."

The man chuckled, tucked away the banknote, and rode off directly.

"Qin Yang, how did you fool the Twin Snake Gang?"

"Old Lin's ventriloquism can only imitate voices. It can't change his face."

Li Baling asked in confusion.

Earlier, Qin Yang had told him to sneak out of Qin Manor to find Old Lin on Nansheng Street.

This man was something of an eccentric. He was skilled in ventriloquism and could imitate all kinds of voices.

Li Baling arranged a room for the two to meet.

Every night, Qin Yang went there to teach Old Lin how to imitate Qin Dongsheng's voice.

After several nights of practice, Old Lin had achieved a perfect imitation.

"A master of the mountains has his own clever scheme."

"Thanks for this time. Once I deal with the Twin Snake Gang, I'll treat you to a month of listening to tunes at the pleasure houses."

Qin Yang laughed heartily.

"The pleasure houses won't do. At the very least, it has to be Huaxiang Tower in the Inner City. That place is a den that steals the soul."

Li Baling revealed a lecherous grin.

"Fine. Wait for my news."

Qin Yang patted Li Baling on the shoulder and turned to enter the city.

Watching Qin Yang's figure gradually disappear into the pitch-black streets, Li Baling muttered to himself, "Qin Yang really isn't like he used to be."

Over the next half month.

The Twin Snake Gang completely went into hiding, seemingly unwilling to clash with Qin Manor.

Qin Yang also remained in the small courtyard, practicing his fists day and night.

He was more crazily focused than at any time before.

He knew these tricks of deception could only confuse them for a while.

As long as Qin Dongsheng did not appear, She Qing would grow suspicious, then be unable to resist probing again.

Every day, he ate more than ten jin of meat, and drank Blood Replenishing Decoction morning, noon, and night.

Only in this way could his physique withstand such extreme strain.

That day.

The sun was setting.

Golden sunlight spilled over Qin Yang, as if coating him in a layer of gold. It made his frame appear ever more towering and robust, truly like a Dharma-protecting arhat—fierce and invincible.

At the instant the setting sun was about to sink below the earth.

Qin Yang threw a punch.

Xiao Huan had been watching at his side.

When Qin Yang threw that punch, it happened to overlap with the sun on the distant horizon.

Qin Yang also felt his consciousness blur slightly. In the unseen darkness, he seemed to glimpse a hazy figure with a powerful physique, radiating golden light all over, seated cross-legged and chanting obscure scriptures.

When he came back to himself, he only felt his blood and qi raging like dragons, swelling and boiling without end as they churned through his meridians, flesh, blood, tendons, bones, and organs like clouds rolling and seas overturning.

His muscles were constantly breaking apart, his tendons and bones cracking and shattering. Even his internal organs trembled violently.

Qin Yang clenched his teeth and endured it.

In his previous life, he had suffered from a terminal illness, enduring pain that sank into his bones every single day.

It could be said that his tolerance for pain far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Xiao Huan was so frightened that she panicked, wanting to come over and support Qin Yang.

"D-Don't come near me."

"G-Go boil the medicine in the kitchen. Hurry. Go!"

Qin Yang's face was flushed red, beads of sweat the size of soybeans dripping continuously from him.

"I'll go right away!"

Xiao Huan hurriedly ran toward the courtyard.

Qin Yang bared his teeth as he leaned against the old tree, waiting for the agitation of his blood and qi to end.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick.

Qin Yang finally felt his body gradually recover.

"It's finally over."

Qin Yang summoned the Proficiency Panel.

Host: Qin Yang

Arhat Fist: Perfection (Zen Meditation)

"This is..."

Qin Yang had not expected that after cultivating Arhat Fist to perfection, something new would appear.

He lightly placed his mind upon the words Zen Meditation.

Zen Meditation: Allows the mind to enter a state of deep concentration, increasing comprehension.

"I never expected that cultivating a martial art to perfection could even give rise to such a wondrous Divine Ability."

"It seems I still underestimated the Proficiency Panel."

Qin Yang was overjoyed.

This was an unexpected delight.

"Young Master, your medicinal soup."

Xiao Huan carried a bowl of medicinal soup as she jogged in.

It was clear that she was extremely anxious, running until she was gasping for breath.

"All right, this young master is fine now."

Qin Yang laughed loudly. Rising to his feet, he took the medicinal soup and drank it in one gulp.

Xiao Huan looked at Qin Yang, her little head full of confusion.

She could not understand how he had looked as though he were on the brink of death just moments ago, only to suddenly become full of life again.

It was simply too strange.