Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Persuasion (Congratulations to the Head of the Book Proofreading Team in Loquat Shade!)_1 Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Persuasion (Congratulations to the Head of the Book Proofreading Team in Loquat Shade!)_1 “My heart…”
After descending from Yuanhe Mountain, Fang Xi employed his light body technique and hastened towards Tri-element City.
While hurrying on the road, he still pondered the previous clash with Linghu Shan.
No, to call it a clash would be inaccurate, it was more like a one-sided trampling.
The might of the Real Gang Martial Saint was all-encompassing. He had almost been pressed down completely during the fight, and the Gang Qi released was also extremely fierce.
Several times, Fang Xi had almost lost his composure and wanted to release his magical weapon to chop down that old man!
The key issue was that even after the fight, he still had no clue on how to condense True Gang and break through to Grandmaster realm.
Upon entering Tri-element City, Fang Xi was thinking of returning to Youjian Martial Arts School.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he found a secluded spot. When he emerged again, he had removed Fang Leng’s disguise and restored his original appearance as Fang Xi.
…
In a certain area of the outer city district.
Outside a modest-sized martial arts school, two rows of willows swayed with the wind.
The plaque of the martial arts school was strikingly new, emblazoned with the four large characters “White Cloud Martial Arts School,” bordered with cloud patterns.
On the training ground.
Zhang Mingding was resolute, boiling poison in an iron pot to train his palms.
After being introduced by Fang Xi, he had joined White Cloud Martial Arts School under Mu Canglong and became Mu Piaomiao’s junior brother.
At this moment, he was arduously practicing White Cloud Palm, even advancing to the Dark Cloud level!
Only a fine line remained between him and the Black Cloud level of real strength warriors.
“Good!”
Mu Canglong, beside him, sipped tea from his beloved purple clay pot and frequently nodded in approval, “Among the eighteen newcomers in Tri-element City, only two or three can firmly suppress you… Zhang Mingding, you have a good chance at the Military Alliance’s selection for the Eight Steeds this year… cough cough…”
“Dad, you’re not yet well, don’t come out and wander unnecessarily.”
Mu Piaomiao hurriedly came over to support him. Her father almost died in Black Stone City years ago, and it was only by sheer luck that he was saved by one of Fang Xi’s spiritual pills. Yet, the residual poison wasn’t completely cleared, and he was not in good health in recent times, with many doctors unable to help.
Perhaps Mu Canglong’s joy was due to finally seeing successors in his martial arts school?
None of these people noticed a pair of eyes quietly watching them from atop the surrounding wall.
“Mu Canglong won’t live much longer…” Fang Xi sighed inwardly, his robes fluttering as he entered the martial arts school.
His light-footedness was astounding, and none of the disciples coming and going could detect him.
And inside a fine chamber, Lily was embroidering a piece of clothing, with dense and meticulous stitches, obviously putting a lot of care into it.
“My lord…”
As she embroidered, Lily looked at the clothing as if lost in thought.
“Sigh…”
Fang Xi let out a sigh but didn’t enter the room, choosing instead to leave.
His visit this time was just to follow his heart and see how everyone at White Cloud Martial Arts School was doing.
Seeing they were doing well, he felt at peace.
“My heart… my heart of Grandmaster… is to grow stronger! Stronger!!”
“This is not the Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm; as long as my strength is sufficient, strong enough… it will be enough to suppress everything!”
“Even, perhaps breaking through the Grandmaster level would mean fewer worries… not having to hide away, needlessly disguising my identity.”
Fang Xi’s expression slowly became determined, “The freedom unbound… based on strength, this is… the essence of my Martial Path?!”
…
Tri-element City certainly had a black market.
Moreover, it was much larger than that of Black Stone City.
At the end of a commercial street in the inner city, if one were accompanied by a familiar guide, they could pass through several cleverly concealed walls and enter into another bustling street.
“Is this the black market of Tri-element City?”
As Fang Xi walked through the black market, his gaze briefly swept over rarely seen weapons, manuals, precious medicines… Everything that appeared in the black market had somewhat unclear origins.
And plenty of fakes!
He knew of this black market and had bought some monster beast materials before.
But today, he was not here to shop.
After passing some small stalls, Fang Xi stopped in front of a building.
“Thousand Gold Building?”
Looking at the signboard, Fang Xi chuckled lightly, “Is it not rather the Thousand Pounds Building?”
With that, he walked in.
“What may I help you with, honored guest?” A shop waiter came up to greet him, smiling broadly.
“Looking for someone! Is Han Fatty around?”
Fang Xi looked around and realized that this place was a butcher shop.
Without Taisui, Han Fatty had stuck to his old trade, truly sticking to his roots.
“Han manager? I will inform him immediately!”
The waiter, startled by Fang Xi’s assured manner and taking him for an acquaintance, hurried in to notify.
It didn’t take long for him to come out and invite Fang Xi into the inner room.
“Brother Fang… Old Han has missed you dearly!”
Indeed, in the inner room sat a veritable mountain of flesh.
Han Fatty was seated on the ground, surrounded by many large basins filled with roasted chickens, ducks, suckling pigs… an assortment of meats piled into small hills, casually tossed into his mouth.
Seeing Fang Xi enter, he immediately dropped the chicken leg in his hand and called out affectionately.
“Han Fatty, you’ve gotten even fatter than before!”
Fang Xi saw that Han Fatty had put on even more weight than before and couldn’t help but make a barbed comment.
Speaking of which, this was the first time he had seen Han Fatty since he had arrived in Tri-element City.
With a wave of his hand, Han Fatty signaled the waiter to leave the private room, and then turned to Fang Xi with a serious expression:
“Brother Fang, you must have something important for old Han to do on the black market. Climb a mountain of swords, dive into a vat of oil — just say the word!”
“There’s no need to sacrifice all those pounds of yours,” Fang Xi shook his head. “I just want you to help me keep an eye out for monster materials on the black market. I’m willing to buy them at a high price…”
As he spoke, he threw over a parcel filled with heavy gold.
“Monster materials? No problem… Although they’re rare, they do show up from time to time!” Han Fatty accepted the parcel, his smile becoming more genuine: “But Brother Fang, since the last time we parted, where have you been?”
“Just wandering around… After you receive the materials, keep them here. I’ll come by periodically to collect them.”
Fang Xi instructed before preparing to leave.
“Wait, Brother Fang…” Han Fatty called out to Fang Xi: “Do you know that recently, White Cloud Martial Arts School has run into some trouble?”
“Oh?” Fang Xi was genuinely unaware and immediately stopped in his tracks. “I’d like to hear more about it…”
“It’s still about the Military Alliance. Ever since the Huang Family was exterminated, the ‘Flying Rainbow Martial Arts School’ and ‘Yellow Jade Martial Arts Hall,’ which they secretly controlled, have both encountered problems. Their power has declined sharply, forcing them to withdraw from the core circle of the Military Alliance. In these past two years, a few small martial arts schools have risen abruptly… And that’s how the struggle for power began! Coincidentally, it happened to be during the selection of the Eight Steeds, and Zhang Mingding of the White Cloud Martial Arts School got involved…”
Han Fatty quickly relayed the intelligence.
“It seems… some people aren’t happy with the small martial arts schools making a name for themselves and climbing the ranks?” Fang Xi’s eyes glinted darkly.
This wasn’t just about Zhang Mingding, was it?
His own Youjian Martial Arts School likely couldn’t escape it either!
‘Hmph, those people probably don’t know how formidable I, Fang Leng the ‘Sorrowful To A Ghost,’ am!’ Fang Xi thought to himself before asking, “May I know which schools these are?”
“Sir Xi Men from Gale Martial Arts School. He was once known as the Military Alliance’s number one expert, but he was always suppressed by the Huang Family. Now he seems keen on integrating the Military Alliance…” Han Fatty immediately replied.
“Thank you.”
Fang Xi gave a fist salute and turned to leave.
Of course, he wouldn’t take another’s words at face value, but he could find out the truth after some investigation when he returned.
Watching Fang Xi’s departing figure, Han Fatty immediately called for the waiter: “I remember… the Xi Men Family has been lending usury in secret, right? Send more people to borrow quickly, don’t worry about the high-interest rates… Wait a second!”
Just as the waiter acknowledged and was about to leave, Han Fatty called out again: “Never mind, let’s drop the matter!”
He still harbored an indescribable wariness towards Fang Xi.
Even taking advantage of a situation, if it might possibly upset the other party, he wanted to avoid it at all costs…
…
“Gale Martial Arts School, Xi Men Family?”
After leaving the black market, Fang Xi contemplated but did not immediately transform into ‘Sorrowful To A Ghost’ and go on a killing spree.
If he did, the next day the streets and alleys of Tri-element City would be abuzz with rumors that the Xi Men Family was wiped out simply because they stepped out of the house with their left foot first.
‘Who would believe such a story? Unless they could prove that ‘Sorrowful To A Ghost’ is mentally ill…’
‘If I followed Linghu Shan’s advice, and pretended to be an ordinary person at this moment, wouldn’t I just be at the mercy of others? How suffocating!’
‘His path of “Mortal World Refining Heart” through transforming into an ordinary person is not my path!’
‘My heart… My heart…’
Pondering all the way, Fang Xi entered a dark alley.
When he emerged again, he was no longer Fang Xi, but had the appearance of Fang Leng!
…
Youjian Martial Arts School.
Qing Sang walked out with a soft, warm smile on his face, ready to return home.
Snap!
The next moment, a pebble was shot out and he caught it with one hand: “Who’s there?”
A figure flashed and vanished.
Qing Sang immediately gave chase.
The two of them dashed through the streets, soon reaching a deserted alley.
“Qing Sang… Watching Qing Mu outpace you day by day, you must be feeling uncomfortable, right?”
The figure turned around, his face masked except for a pair of exposed eyes.
“Hmph, tiresome games!”
Qing Sang set himself in a fighting stance.
He and Qing Mu shared a bond that was forged in life-and-death struggles!
“Hehe… Your master has never favored you. It’s only Qing Mu that he values… One day, everything will be handed over to Qing Mu, not you!” The masked person chuckled: “And also… disaster is about to befall your Youjian Martial Arts School. Did you know that?”
“Ha! You think intimidating me with empty threats will work? When I was risking my life against street dogs, you didn’t even know where you were!”
Qing Sang roared and threw out a punch.
After years of hard practice at Mixed Origin True Skill, his cultivation was profound, concentrating most of his body’s strength into one punch, stunningly powerful!
But in the next instant, the masked figure simply dodged the punch with a flicker, moving like a ghost!
Missing his punch, Qing Sang immediately felt a pain in his back, and he plunged forward to the ground, unable to get up for a long while.
“A Real strength warrior?”
He looked at the masked person with some disbelief.
Since when were Master of the Martial Arts School Realm fighters so common?
“Hehe… I’m just a pawn in the game. Behind me stands a true Martial Teacher… And your Youjian Martial Arts School only has two Martial Artists at most…” The masked person said indifferently: “Whether you die with the school or find a way to live is up to you to decide!”