Wiping the Slate Clean

"Hmm, even the taste is different... hopefully it's poison, though cultivation pills would be good too. Practicing the Nine-Turn Golden Armor Art has been taking a lot out of me lately..."

As he crushed the pill and swallowed it, Zhao Er speculated about its effects.

Once the pill reached his stomach, Zhao Er used his qi and blood to help absorb it. A warm current immediately rose from his belly.

"It should be a cultivation pill... hmm? Something's wrong. This warmth..."

Zhao Er had actually been quite pleased when he first felt the warmth. Although it was not poison, something that could replenish what he had exhausted practicing the Nine-Turn Golden Armor Art was still welcome. But as he activated the medicinal potency, he began to notice something was wrong.

The warmth produced by cultivation pills would circulate throughout the body. After the body absorbed their medicinal potency, he could also draw on it to practice his arts.

Yet this medicinal potency was gathering in one place, then heading downward...

Fuck! This is an aphrodisiac!

Feeling where that warmth was headed, Zhao Er had ten thousand curses in his heart but did not know where to begin.

In the end, Zhao Er sat up in bed, then went to the Side Room, took out all the poisons he had stored, and began cultivating the five poisons returning to origin body.

He kept cultivating until the sky began to brighten, then finally dragged himself back to his room to rest.

Still, this incident taught Zhao Er one thing: he needed to be more cautious in the future. He could not just stuff any medicine into his mouth.

But after waking up and hesitating for a long while, he still took a pill from another bottle and swallowed it.

This time, his luck was good. It really was a pill that aided cultivation, and after absorbing all its medicinal potency, Zhao Er felt considerably more at ease.

Looks like I'll have to pay more attention in the future. When practicing arts like the Nine-Turn Golden Armor Art, I still need pills to help, so I don't damage my foundation.

Should I go to town again tonight?

Zhao Er still did not head into the mountains during the day. Instead, he practiced the Five Poisons Fist in the courtyard, wondering whether he should go again that night to check the Longwind Gang's response.

"Second Brother! Second Brother!! Outsiders are coming into the village! Lots of outsiders!!"

While Zhao Er was pondering this, his younger sister Zhao Shan, who had been stationed at the village entrance to keep watch, came running back, breathless and shouting as she ran.

"Lots of outsiders? How many? Where are they now?"

Hearing his sister's cries, Zhao Er immediately stopped practicing.

At that moment, Zhao Dazhu and Zhang Xuan'e, who had been staying at home, also came out of the house.

"I don't know how many, but they're almost at the village entrance! Grandpa Village Chief said they're from the Longwind Gang and told me to let you know."

Zhao Shan shook her head, her face covered in sweat.

"Second Son, should you go hide somewhere first?"

Upon hearing that they were from the Longwind Gang, Zhao Dazhu looked at Zhao Er.

"Hiding won't help. Let's see what they have to say first!"

Zhao Er shook his head. He had not expected them to send people before the three days were even up.

What Zhao Er could not understand was why they had sent people today when he had only assassinated the Longwind Gang's leader last night.

Could the man I assassinated yesterday not have been the gang leader?

As that thought crossed his mind, Zhao Er was already walking out of the courtyard.

After leaving the courtyard and walking a short distance, Zhao Er had just reached the village ancestral hall when he heard some movement behind him.

Zhao Er looked back and saw a group following at a distance, hoes or carrying poles in their hands. They said nothing, silently gathering together and trailing behind him.

When they saw Zhao Er stop and turn around, they too silently halted where they stood.

Zhao Changde, Zhao Changgui, Zhao Damin, Zhao...

Zhao Er's gaze swept across their faces. He knew they were all villagers from Zhao Family Village.

After a moment's thought, Zhao Er made no attempt to dissuade them. He turned and quickened his pace toward the village entrance.

A group was already waiting at the entrance, and the village chief was talking to them. Only when he saw Zhao Er approaching with the villagers did he walk over.

"Zhao Er, these men are from the Longwind Gang. The one leading them is their deputy leader, Gao Du. They're here for you, but they don't look like they've come to cause trouble."

The village chief came up beside Zhao Er and quietly explained.

Zhao Er looked over and saw that the man at the head of the group was a young man dressed like a scholar, holding an iron abacus.

Zhao Er had seen this man on both his scouting trips, but he had paid him little attention, assuming he was merely an accountant. He had never imagined this man was the Longwind Gang's deputy leader—and its other martial artist besides the leader.

"You must be Master Zhao, Zhao Family Village's newly ascended martial artist. Seeing you today, you truly are a man of extraordinary martial bearing!"

Before Zhao Er could speak, Gao Du walked over first, cupping his hands in greeting as he spoke, his face wreathed in smiles.

"Hehe... please don't misunderstand, Master Zhao. I came today to thank you. I'm always telling them not to run amok under the gang's banner, but some people simply won't listen. Thankfully, you stepped in... bring him forward!"

Seeing that Zhao Er did not respond, and noticing the ever-growing crowd of villagers behind him, Gao Du smiled and explained his purpose. Then he waved a hand behind him.

Two men dragged forward the fellow surnamed Yang whose leg Zhao Er had broken two days earlier. He was in a far more miserable state than before, barely clinging to life as they dragged him along, his head drooping and both legs bent at grotesque angles.

"I've already punished him according to our gang rules and expelled him from the Longwind Gang. From now on, we'll also collect only eighty percent of Zhao Family Village's protection fees."

"Eighty percent?"

"Doesn't that mean my family can pay four hundred copper coins less each year...?"

At those words, the villagers of Zhao Family Village, who had looked so belligerent moments earlier, all showed traces of delight.

"Master Zhao, I'm truly sorry, but waiving the remaining eighty percent isn't within my authority. Please forgive me."

Gao Du had been watching Zhao Er's expression the whole time. Seeing that he still had not spoken, Gao Du added this quietly.

"Mm!"

Zhao Er had also been observing Gao Du, but he could not quite tell whether the man was putting on an act.

"To be frank, our leader met with an accident yesterday. From now on, I'll be the leader of the Longwind Gang, and all our past grudges will be wiped clean."

"If you're interested, Master Zhao, you can join our Longwind Gang as deputy leader. If that position is beneath you, I can also recommend you to the Red Tiger Gang. Having broken through to become a martial artist at such a young age, you're certain to shine brilliantly in the future."

Gao Du's face remained wreathed in smiles, but his words carried considerable hidden meaning.

All that talk of settling grudges, recruitment, and recommendations was nonsense. His real message was clear: he already knew Zhao Er had assassinated the previous leader, but they would not come after him, and they hoped Zhao Er would not come after them either. They also had powerful backing.