Chapter 90: Return to the Martial Arts Hall!

"Steamed buns, fresh out of the steamer..."

"Sir, you're from out of town, aren't you? Want a meal or just a quick bite?"

"Hey kid, don't run, give me back my rattle drum..."

In Black Water City, the streets were bustling with noise and extraordinary liveliness.

Everything remained exactly as it was, no different from a month ago.

Qin Shuo walked down the street, and from time to time street vendors approached him to sell their goods, all of which he politely declined one by one.

"Could I have guessed wrong?"

Seeing the endless stream of pedestrians on the street, Qin Shuo couldn't help but frown.

He quickened his pace, heading toward the Inner City.

Soon, he arrived outside the gates of the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall.

Hearing the familiar shouts coming from within the courtyard, Qin Shuo's tense heart instantly relaxed.

Thank goodness, thank goodness, everything is still normal, none of the worst-case scenarios I imagined have come to pass.

Qin Shuo straightened his clothes, stepped through the gate, and the familiar sight before him brought him further ease.

"Junior Brother Qin, why have you come back?"

Seeing Qin Shuo, Liu Xuan, the Fourth Senior Brother who was guiding the outer courtyard apprentices, instantly lit up with joy and strode over in large steps.

"Where are Second Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Sister? Where are they?"

"You've finally returned, Master has been mentioning you two every day these past two days, constantly worrying you'd run into bandits, and was even preparing to send Third Senior Brother to look for you."

Liu Xuan's face was full of excitement as he craned his neck to look outside the door, only to find no one there—only Qin Shuo had returned.

"Second Senior Brother and the others are still behind; I missed A Lan a little, so I came back early."

Qin Shuo casually made up an excuse to brush it off.

Then he shifted the topic: "By the way, Senior Brother Liu, during the month we were away, did anything major happen in Black Water City?"

"Major events? Nothing major at all!" Liu Xuan looked bewildered.

Hearing this, Qin Shuo let out another sigh of relief.

No major events—good!

No major events means the Sky Wolf Gang hasn't started moving yet, so there's still time.

But what Liu Xuan said next made Qin Shuo's relieved heart tighten again.

"No major events, but there is one happy occasion.

After you left, Master went to the Sky Wolf Gang and bought a large quantity of qi and blood-nourishing pills.

With the help of these pills, several outer courtyard disciples successfully charged their passes and became inner strength martial artists.

Even Third Senior Brother Zhan Bai has made further progress from a high starting point, beginning to transform inner strength into qi." Liu Xuan said with a delighted smile.

"Master went to the Sky Wolf Gang to buy pills?" Qin Shuo's pupils suddenly contracted.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Liu Xuan asked, noticing Qin Shuo's grim expression, unable to help his curiosity.

"No problem."

Qin Shuo shook his head, not wanting to startle the snake, so he said calmly: "Fourth Senior Brother, do you still have any pills? I also obtained some pills during my trip to the prefectural city, and I'd like to compare them."

"I've already eaten them all."

Liu Xuan shook his head and said: "But Master left a portion for you and Second Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Sister; when you see Master later, he should give it to you."

"Alright, thank you, Senior Brother."

Qin Shuo clasped his hands in farewell, preparing to leave the outer courtyard to find Wei Yuan.

At that moment, Liu Xuan spoke again: "By the way, I forgot to tell you, Qin Lan has also become an inner strength martial artist.

That girl's talent is no worse than yours.

After you left, Master took her in as a True Disciple and even spent heavily at the Sky Wolf Gang to buy a Blood Boosting Pill to help her breakthrough.

That little girl has now achieved Inner Strength Great Success, her strength is not inferior to mine or Sixth Junior Brother's.

Sigh, I originally thought that in Black Water City, I, Liu Xuan, could barely call myself a heaven-chosen talent.

But then I ran into you two siblings, a pair of freaks..."

"What did you say? Qin Lan took the Blood Boosting Pill?"

Qin Shuo's eyes suddenly widened.

A domineering aura burst forth from within him, shaking Liu Xuan opposite him into repeated retreats.

The outer courtyard disciples who were training were also startled, each one looking as if they'd seen a ghost, their faces filled with terror as they stared at Qin Shuo.

"Holy shit! Qin Junior Brother, you... you..."

Liu Xuan stared, mouth agape, his face showing a spectacular range of expressions—first shocked, then astonished, finally turning into wild joy.

"Qin Junior Brother, you... you've broken through again! You... you are now at the Tongmai Realm!?"

As Liu Xuan's astonished words spread, the entire outer courtyard erupted.

Many senior disciples looked at Qin Shuo with straightened eyes, filled with shock and fervor.

Fast!

Too fast!

In just a short month without seeing him, this newly risen legend of the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall has actually broken the record again, becoming the second Tongmai Realm cultivator in the hall.

The Tongmai Realm may not be much in the prefectural city, but in Black Water City, it is heaven itself, the pinnacle of combat power.

Now, this junior brother who joined later than them has already reached the same level as Hall Master Wei Yuan, leaving people unable to look up to him.

Qin Shuo ignored the crowd's shock and nearly sprinted out of the outer courtyard.

He didn't go to the back courtyard to find Wei Yuan, but first went to the side courtyard to see Qin Lan.

The little girl practicing swordplay saw Qin Shuo return, first letting out a startled cry, then darting forward in a quick step and clinging to Qin Shuo's neck, saying: "Brother, you're back..."

The other female disciples from the side courtyards, seeing this, all began to giggle.

A bolder female disciple joked: "Qin Lan, you're already a grown young lady, still hanging on your brother's neck—aren't you ashamed?"

"This is my brother, I wouldn't be ashamed!"

Though she said that, Qin Lan still blushed as she released Qin Shuo's neck and glared at the girl who had teased her.

Qin Shuo, who had originally been worried sick, saw the little girl full of lively energy, and the anxiety in his eyes eased slightly.

He forced out a smile and said: "Yeah, I'm back."

Afterwards, he called Qin Lan aside, carefully inquired about her physical condition, confirmed there was nothing abnormal, and then left.

"Could it really be that I guessed wrong?"

On the way to Wei Yuan's courtyard, Qin Shuo furrowed his brow tightly.

He hoped he had guessed wrong, hoped the Blood Boosting Pill and the Tianlang Blood Pill were not the same thing, and that Yan Song's demonization had nothing to do with the Blood Boosting Pill.

That way, Qin Lan would not face the risk of turning into a wolf demon.

But...

His intuition told him this possibility was very small.

Just thinking of Qin Lan possibly turning into a vicious, bloodthirsty wolf demon made Qin Shuo's heart surge with uncontrollable anxiety.

"Such a thing must not happen!" Qin Shuo silently swore in his heart.

Arriving at the back courtyard, Wei Laotou was already waiting for him.

The Fourth Senior Brother Liu Xuan, who had previously been teaching disciples in the outer courtyard, was also there, evidently the one who brought the news.

"Old Four said you've already broken through to the Tongmai Realm?"

Wei Yuan greeted him with eager anticipation, and when he was about three meters from Qin Shuo, he suddenly struck out.

His vast palm force carried a strong wind, blowing Wei Laotou's clothes to flutter.

Bang!

The dull thunder-like explosion echoed through the hall!

Wei Laotou retreated several steps with a thud-thud-thud, but his eyes shone bright as stars, and he exclaimed delightedly: "Good, good, good... Tongmai, indeed it is Tongmai, hahaha!"

The Third Senior Brother Zhan Bai beside him darkened his gaze, his face showing bitterness as he said: "A monster, truly a monster!"

Afterwards, he stepped forward, bowed his hands to Qin Shuo, and said: "Congratulations, Junior Brother, for surpassing your peers and becoming the second Tongmai Realm cultivator of our Liuhe Martial Arts Hall!"

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Qin Shuo returned the salute with clasped hands.

Everyone took their seats in turn.

Wei Yuan then said: "Originally, I had prepared Blood Boosting Pills for you, intending for you to refine them over three to five months before making a single breakthrough to Tongmai. I never expected you to give me such a surprise."

"Master, is this Blood Boosting Pill really that miraculous?"

Qin Shuo remained calm, wanting to learn how everyone felt after taking the medicinal pill.

"It truly is miraculous—not only is the medicinal power pure and refined, but it also contains immense vitality, greatly aiding in healing injuries." Third Senior Brother Zhan Bai said seriously.

Originally, with his injuries, he wouldn't have recovered so quickly.

But after taking the Blood Boosting Pill, his qi and blood surged, his internal hidden injuries were fully healed, and his strength surpassed before, reaching the level of Inner Strength Transforming into Qi.

"The medicinal effect is indeed good—I took two pills and feel my body has become much younger, with my spirit and energy all improved."

Wei Yuan nodded slightly, very satisfied with the Blood Boosting Pill produced by the Tianlang Gang.

"Are there more Blood Boosting Pills? I'd like to see for myself."

Qin Shuo's heart sank.

As he expected, even Master Wei Yuan had taken the Blood Boosting Pill.

After all, breaking through to the Tongmai Realm likewise requires qi and blood support to continuously generate blood and strength, transform inner strength into qi, and maintain power.

The Blood Boosting Pill's effect is so powerful that Wei Yuan could not possibly leave it unused.

But if the Blood Boosting Pill is the same as the Tianlang Blood Pill, then who could restrain Wei Laotou after his demonization?

He is the second strongest in Black Water City—if even he falls under the control of the Xiaoyue Demon King, then the entire Black Water City might truly be doomed.

"You little brat, why didn't I notice before how impatient you are?"

Wei Yuan laughed, shook his head, picked up a porcelain bottle from the table, and handed it to Qin Shuo, saying:

"I heard you were coming back, so I had this prepared for you—this was originally meant for you."

Qin Shuo took the porcelain bottle, eagerly opened the stopper, and poured out a blood-red medicinal pill exuding a tempting herbal fragrance.

At the moment he saw the pill, Qin Shuo's anxious heart...

Finally died!