Shen Xiuying

Leaving the prison, Li Feng hurried home. He did not want to stay in the prison a moment longer, as the atmosphere there was truly oppressive.

Stepping out of the City Guard Office, Li Feng pondered to himself.

In this world, without strength, one was just like Zhang Qiang-saying the wrong thing could lead to someone casually crushing you to death.

Earlier, he had heard Shen Xiuying mention that besides external martial arts like sabers, swords, spears, halberds, and unarmed combat, this world also possessed profound and mysterious Internal Training Methods.

Internal Training Methods, whether in terms of cultivation difficulty or talent requirements, far surpassed external martial arts. At the same time, they needed to be paired with medicinal diets, and just a single dose of medicinal diet would consume dozens of silver taels. This doomed those who practiced internal methods in the world to be few and far between.

However, the true experts in this world were all practitioners of Internal Training Methods.

Practicing only external martial arts, even if trained to the pinnacle to produce force, could at best make one a match for ten or a hundred enemies. Once internal gong was mastered, however, one's breath would be endless and unceasing.

It was rumored that those who achieved mastery in internal gong could even move freely amidst tens of thousands of men, truly becoming a match for a thousand or ten thousand!

He possessed the Heavenly Dao Advance Panel, and his strength had also reached the Qi-Blood First Stage, alongside mastering the Blade Force.

Even in a life-or-death battle, he might not lose to those official runners. Yet within the entire Great Yan Dynasty, this bit of strength was merely a slightly sturdier ant.

He had to seize the time to repay the debt for the Water-Cutting Saber Art as soon as possible, and then proceed to cultivate the next martial art.

Li Feng did not stop his strides, hurriedly making his way home all the way.

The hour was already late, and even though he wore the uniform of a runner, walking in the night was still unsafe. It was better to head back quickly.

When he returned home, the sky had already grown completely dark, and his maternal cousin Chen Yulian and niece Zhang Yuner had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Li Feng push the door open and enter, Chen Yulian hurriedly stood up and greeted him, asking with red-rimmed eyes, "Xiaofeng, how did it go?"

Li Feng nodded toward Chen Yulian, saying slowly, "Don't worry, Cousin, the jailer accepted the silver. Furthermore, the jailer gave me the bottom line-Xiaoqiang shouldn't suffer any heavy torture in there."

Hearing this, the heart that had been suspended in Chen Yulian's throat finally fell back into her stomach. She let out a long breath of relief and repeatedly said, "That's good, that's good..."

These past two days, she had been living in terror, fearing her son would be beaten to death by others in the prison. Although she failed to fish him out now, his life had at least been preserved.

Li Feng pulled over a long bench, motioned for Chen Yulian to sit, and continued, "However, Cousin, the person Xiaoqiang offended this time is the newly arrived Constable Jiang of our City Guard Office. She is a noble from the inner city, and since her momentum is fierce right now, it is impossible to bail people out immediately."

"The jailer has made an accommodation, however. He said that although meals and water are cut off inside the prison, we are allowed to deliver food ourselves every night on schedule. Remember, it's at night, don't get it wrong. They'll turn a blind eye and won't block it."

Pausing for a moment, Li Feng went on to comfort her, "Cousin, don't worry yourself too much over this matter. When the boat reaches the bridge-head, it will naturally straighten itself out. Once the storm passes, perhaps there will be a turning point, and we can find an opportunity to fish him out then. For now, we can only wrong him by letting him stay in there a while longer."

This Zhang Qiang was simply fated to suffer this tribulation. He didn't cause trouble sooner or later, but happened to get stuck right at this critical juncture.

If the incident had happened a little earlier, before Shen Xiuying was injured, she was the youngest constable and her momentum was at its peak. Back then, a few words probably could have pulled someone out of prison.

If the incident had happened a little later, after he advanced a few more martial arts and raised his martial Dao realm to become a Constable Commander... with his age, if he could sit in the position of a Constable Commander, he would inevitably catch the eye of such figures in the guard office. By then, what difficult task would it be to fish someone out of prison?

Listening to Li Feng's comfort, Chen Yulian felt somewhat more settled in her heart, but after all, she still felt heartache for her own biological son.

She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly pleaded in a low voice:

"Xiaofeng, since Xiaoqiang offended the new constable and you both serve in the City Guard Office, can you... look for opportunities in the future to interact with her more and cozy up to her? I don't ask for anything else, even if it just lets Xiaoqiang be released a day earlier, that would be good."

Hearing this, Li Feng smiled wryly in helplessness, shook his head, and rejected this unrealistic idea: "Cousin, you think too simply of this matter, and you overestimate me too much."

Li Feng sighed, patiently explaining to her: "I am currently nothing more than a temporary white runner in the City Guard Office, while that new Constable Jiang is a noble who came down from the inner city to gild herself. What a noble status hers is-how could someone at the bottom like me casually strike up a conversation with her?"

"She acts high and mighty on ordinary days. Let alone me, even those official runners consider it supreme face just to exchange a few words with her. If I went to butter her up, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to step into her Administrative Office, so where would I get the qualifications to persuade her to show mercy?"

Hearing this, Chen Yulian opened her mouth, and the hope that had just risen dimmed once more.

Although she did not understand the twists and turns within the City Guard Office, she knew that nobles who descended from the inner city were simply not people that ordinary folk like them could casually approach. She could only sigh helplessly and completely banish the thought.

Seeing that the matter was already settled, Chen Yulian looked outside the door at the pitch-black sky, then stood up and said, "Xiaofeng, it's getting late. Yuner and I will head back first. We still have to go to the prison tomorrow night to deliver food to Xiaoqiang, so we need to make some preparations beforehand."

Li Feng stood up alongside her, looked at the heavy night outside, frowned slightly, and said, "Cousin, the world isn't very peaceful late at night, and walking the night road is somewhat unsafe. How about I escort you a stretch?"

"No need, no need."

Chen Yulian waved her hands repeatedly in refusal, her expression full of embarrassment: "Today, on account of Xiaoqiang's affairs, we've already troubled you enough. How could I have the face to make you suffer the fatigue of escorting us? Besides, our two families don't live far apart; we'll just follow the main road and be careful."

Seeing her cousin insist, Li Feng figured that the two households were indeed not far apart, so he could only nod and agree: "Alright, then you folks pay more attention to safety on the road."

Just as Chen Yulian pulled Zhang Yuner to the courtyard gate, her steps suddenly halted.

She turned around, as if suddenly remembering something, and abruptly asked: "That's right, Xiaofeng, you aren't so young anymore. In your heart... do you have a girl you like?"

Li Feng was taken aback by the question and shook his head: "Cousin, I'm just a white runner, where would I have the mind to think about these things?"

Hearing Li Feng say no, Chen Yulian's eyes instantly lit up quite a bit, and she hurriedly said, "You child, your father left early, and Shen Xiuying is currently severely wounded in bed and unable to arrange things for you. Cousin has to worry about this matter for you."

Saying this, a trace of a smile squeezed onto her face as she leaned closer and said, "Do you remember the daughter of Old Neighbor Shen from back in the old street, Shen Xiuying? When this little girl was young, she frequently came over to your house to visit, running along behind you every day. She liked you a lot back then."

Shen Xiuying?

Li Feng carefully searched his memories, and it seemed there really was such a matter. Back then, there did indeed appear to be a little girl with twin buns who loved to stick to him, but so many years had passed now that the impression had long since blurred.

He couldn't help saying, "It seems there was indeed such a thing... But how many years have passed since then? I have no idea what she looks like now."

"Aiyo, you can rest assured about this!"

Chen Yulian slapped her thigh and smiled, saying, "That girl has blossomed into a graceful young lady now, and her looks are extremely bright. Moreover, she has even studied some books under a scholar, making her an exceptionally good girl. Right now, she helps me keep accounts at my grain shop. Coupled with how much she liked you when she was young, we know her roots and bottom. I see no problem with this matter at all. Another day, Cousin will arrange for you two to meet. What do you think?"

Hearing this, Li Feng initially wanted to reflexively refuse, but the words paused on his lips.

His thoughts turned slightly. If he waited until he achieved success in the martial Dao and possessed status and position before considering marriage, the people who came knocking on his door at that time would probably all be flatterers and hypocrites.

Instead, it would be better to take advantage of the present while he had not yet completely risen to prominence to meet someone whose roots were familiar. If he could truly find someone to live a steady life with, it wouldn't be entirely out of the question.

Thinking of this, Li Feng nodded slightly, loosening his stance: "Since Cousin puts it that way... then I will trouble Cousin to look into arranging it. Meeting another day is fine."

"Good, good, good! With your words, Cousin has a foundation in her heart!" Chen Yulian laughed from ear to ear. "When I get back later, I'll go probe her thoughts for you, and then we'll set a suitable time. Xiaofeng, just wait for Cousin's good news!"

After giving those instructions, Chen Yulian brought Zhang Yuner and left the courtyard with profuse thanks.

Li Feng stood at the door, watching the mother and daughter's figures completely melt into the night until they vanished, before turning to close the courtyard door tightly and drop the bolt.

The night air was slightly cool, blowing away a trace of fatigue.

Li Feng shook his head, temporarily casting the thoughts of matchmaking and marriage to the back of his mind.

Although taking a wife and having children was the common rule of the mundane world, without strong strength, how could he protect his family?

Just like this time when Zhang Qiang caused trouble and was arrested, he could only take silver and go look for the jailer to compromise, enduring people's faces. If he possessed sufficient strength, why would he need to be so servile?

He took a deep breath, banished all distractions, and strode to the center of the courtyard. Reaching behind his back, he drew the Constable Saber at his waist, once again immersing himself wholeheartedly into the practice of the Water-Cutting Saber Art.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Within the narrow courtyard, saber light fluttered and fierce winds howled. Qi-blood power surged and circulated within his body continuously with his practice.

He practiced for I knew not how long, until the night was deep, his entire body was drenched in sweat, and both arms began to slightly swell. Only then did Li Feng sheath his saber and let out a long breath.

With a slight thought, he summoned the panel:

[Heavenly Dao Advance Panel]

[Advanced Item 1: Archery Mastery (100% completed)]

[Advanced Item 2: "Water-Cutting Saber Art" Perfection (Debt Completion Progress: 15%)]

[Current Advanceable Items: 0]

[Current Realm: Qi-Blood First Stage]

"The progress has risen a bit more..."

Li Feng looked at the progress that had jumped by 5% and nodded with satisfaction.

Because he had acquired quite a bit of silver over the past two days from looting corpses, his meals had also improved considerably. His qi-blood was able to receive timely replenishment from meat, so paying back his debt was naturally a bit faster than before.

The Black Jade Bone-Molding Paste to treat his sister-in-law cost at least two hundred silver taels, while the ones with better medicinal efficacy required five hundred taels. The bit of silver he obtained from looting corpses was merely a drop in the bucket, so it was better to use it to buy more meat to supplement his nutrition in order to pay off the debt for the Water-Cutting Saber Art faster.

As long as he continued practicing bitterly according to this progress, he estimated that in less than a month, he could pay off the debt for the Water-Cutting Saber Art.

By then, if he could find an Internal Training Method to advance, his strength would inevitably usher in a qualitative leap. Only then would considering how to fish up silver to treat his sister-in-law's right arm yield twice the result with half the effort.

Putting away the Constable Saber, Li Feng fetched some water to briefly wash up, then returned to his room to rest.