An old dog

Planting people among the clerks and patrol inspectors could not be accomplished in a single leap; it required careful planning. Zhang Laochong knew how difficult it would be and did not press Zhang Lingfeng.

After paying the farmland taxes, Zhang Lingfeng took Hei Hu back to the county town.

Chen Qing stayed in Zhang Family Gully to help watch over the granaries and fields.

"Zhang Laochong thinks Zhang Lingfeng can run wild around here just because he's cultivated Dark Force. The Great Qing's laws are strict. A mere Dark Force martial artist without an official qualification still has to pay every bit of tax he owes. No one is an exception."

Liu Dongsheng hefted the money pouch in his hand and could not help sneering.

"Lord Liu, the food and wine are ready. This way, please."

Li Mingtian smiled.

"Mm, mm."

Liu Dongsheng nodded.

He left with the other clerks and patrol inspectors.

"Father, why did we give that Liu fellow an extra two hundred shi of grain?"

Zhang Erxi asked, puzzled.

"Lingfeng has no official qualification yet, so dealing with the authorities is difficult for him for now. Let Liu taste some sweetness first. He'll be easier to handle later."

Zhang Laochong spoke mildly.

Though Zhang Erxi was reluctant to part with it, he nodded silently.

Inside the county town.

As soon as Zhang Lingfeng returned, he went to the martial arts school to train, continuing to farm experience in front of Guo Wei and establish the persona of a diligent, eager student who trained hard.

Guo Wei would only give him one Qi and Blood Pill every two months.

There was no rushing this. Zhang Lingfeng only needed to ensure that his progress bar stayed ahead of Ye Fan's to keep Guo Wei's favor.

Ever since losing to Zhang Lingfeng, Ye Fan had become somewhat self-defeating and often sought comfort from Wei Hong. Although he still reported to the martial arts school every day, his cultivation progress could no longer compare with Zhang Lingfeng's.

Good news arrived that evening.

Zhang Fukang had successfully broken through, finally cultivating Ming Jin through the Flowing Cloud Saber Technique. With that, the three cousins, Zhang Lingfeng, Zhang Fugui, and Zhang Fukang, had all joined the ranks of martial artists.

Three outstanding talents in one Zhang Clan household. When the news reached Zhang Family Gully, the gloom caused by the two hundred shi of grain spent greasing Liu Dongsheng's palm was swept away.

Zhang Pingping opened the map of the eastern district.

With Zhang Fugui and Zhang Fukang also having cultivated Ming Jin, their expenses kept growing. On top of that, Zhang Lingfeng needed to buy Qi and Blood Pills. The little income from Warm Breeze Hall was already leaving them stretched thin.

"Changle Ward is Iron Saber Gang territory. It borders the Nine Dragons River, and the fees they collect from the waterways they control are several times what the gambling dens bring in.

"But the yamen has always..."

Wang Ergou spoke from beside her.

He worked under Huang Jiefu as a runner who had yet to enter the official establishment, and no one was more familiar with the gang members under Huang Jiefu's control.

With his guidance, Zhang Pingping could tell which ones they could move against and which ones they could not touch yet.

Zhang Lingfeng did not interfere in these matters. He only needed to cultivate step by step and ensure he could attempt the breakthrough to transforming Jin as soon as possible.

At the Zheng Family Martial Arts School.

Zhang Fugui was training hard.

He was sparring with Wei He.

After a month of hard training, Zhang Fugui's mastery of the Black Baleful Intent Fist had grown increasingly proficient. His Ming Jin could spread throughout his body, and the punches he threw were powerfully destructive.

"All of you, come here."

Suddenly, Elder Zheng called everyone over.

"Why is Senior Brother Yang standing beside Master?"

Zhang Fugui found it strange.

This Senior Brother Yang was named Yang Yu and came from a blacksmithing background. His parents ran a smithy, ordinarily forging farm blades, trimming horses' hooves, and doing similar work.

Yang Yu had trained for over three months before breaking through to Ming Jin.

He had always kept a very low profile at the martial arts school and rarely interacted with others, preferring to cultivate quietly off to the side. After breaking through to Ming Jin, he had taken a position at an escort agency in Changle Ward.

"You should all learn from Yang Yu. It took him over three months to break through to Ming Jin, yet only a year and a month to break through to Dark Force.

"Sometimes hard work matters more than innate aptitude. I hope you can all cultivate quietly like Yang Yu and one day astonish everyone."

Elder Zheng addressed them all.

Yang Yu possessed only low-grade innate aptitude.

Yet through sheer dogged determination, he had broken through to Dark Force in less than a year and five months, exceeding both Elder Zheng's expectations and everyone else's.

This was a highly representative example.

Elder Zheng could not resist holding him up for publicity.

"What?"

Everyone was astonished.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Yang."

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Yang."

After coming to their senses, everyone could not help stepping forward to offer congratulations and thanks.

Ming Jin was merely the entry point to the martial path.

Even a small place like Baiyang County had several hundred Ming Jin martial artists among its common people, but Dark Force stood across a sheer precipice. Once someone cultivated Dark Force, they had a place to stand in Baiyang County.

Even the authorities would show them some consideration.

Those who broke through to Dark Force at a young age and had a chance of earning an official qualification in the martial examinations, in particular, could often receive funding from many lineages and gangs.

Or receive the true teachings of a martial arts school.

"A year and a month?"

Zhang Fugui's face went white.

"How did he do it?"

Wei He could not understand.

How had Yang Yu, with only low-grade innate aptitude, successfully broken through to Dark Force on his first attempt?

His own innate aptitude was better than Yang Yu's.

He had also accumulated more Qi and blood, yet his breakthrough attempt had still failed. He was currently preparing for his second attempt.

Learning that someone he ordinarily overlooked had now become stronger than him left a bitter taste in Wei He's heart.

That night.

Wei He and Zhang Fugui told Zhang Lingfeng and Zhang Pingping about it.

"Yang Yu?"

"Low-grade innate aptitude?"

Zhang Lingfeng was also extremely shocked and caught off guard.

"You never noticed anything unusual about him?"

Zhang Pingping asked.

"No. That fellow keeps a very low profile. Other than cultivating, all he does is carry out assignments for the Delong Escort Agency. He never associates with the other fellow disciples.

"He was a nobody at the martial arts school, someone everyone overlooked. Who would have thought..."

Wei He had taken a heavy blow.

"Looks like he's an old dog!"

Zhang Lingfeng tapped the table.

The martial path was perilous, and there were always people who liked to lie low and grow stronger. This Yang Yu was a prime example: he stayed silent until a single cry astonished everyone.

"He went from Ming Jin to Dark Force in just a year and a month. Judging by my master's attitude, he's very likely to choose him as his true disciple."

Zhang Fugui spoke.

If Yang Yu received Elder Zheng's true teachings.

Then the final move of the Black Baleful Intent Fist could not be Zhang Fugui's. In the future, Yang Yu would also control the Zheng Family Martial Arts School's connections, leaving their Zhang Clan with no part in them.

Zhang Lingfeng also understood what was at stake.

He had done everything he could to fund Zhang Fugui precisely because he hoped Zhang Fugui could distinguish himself at the Zheng Family Martial Arts School and help him master this fist technique in the future.

He had thought that, without someone like Ye Fan at the Zheng Family Martial Arts School, Zhang Fugui would sooner or later receive Elder Zheng's true teachings. He had not expected a Yang Yu to suddenly appear.

And an old dog at that.

He understood full well the importance of lying low to grow stronger. People like that were the hardest to deal with.

"Don't get anxious yet. Keep training hard and find a way to befriend Yang Yu. It won't be that easy for him to obtain the true teachings."

Zhang Lingfeng reassured him.

"I understand, Brother."

Hearing that, Zhang Fugui felt much more at ease.

PS: Please support me with your monthly votes!