Chapter 72: Teaching

Ten days later.

Chen Ci slowly opened his eyes in the quiet room; a metallic, fishy taste inexplicably welled up in his throat, and the True Qi throughout his body was mixed with wisps of baleful energy, causing a sense of irritability to rise within him.

However, there was no look of worry on his face.

Three Yin Qi-Eating Method: 36/100

"Phew, the Breaking Aperture Pill has finally been finished, but the baleful tiger within this pill is becoming harder and harder to subdue, and even the True Qi is left with some residual baleful energy. Fortunately, two days of nourishment can eliminate the effect."

Thirty-six apertures, not easy.

As for these days of making progress by popping pills, I reckon it will be a long time before I can experience it again.

But to be honest, the cost-effectiveness of cultivation by popping pills is not very high. If one has spare money, it is fine, but if one is living on a tight budget, it is more worthwhile to use Five Elements Divine Sand and Spirit Pearl to assist in cultivation.

Just like this Tiger Sha Breaking Aperture Pill for Chen Ci, it costs eighty Spirit Pearl and can break one aperture a day.

But in reality, if one had sixty Spirit Pearl, Chen Ci could break an aperture after twenty-plus days of bitter cultivation. Just regarding this pill for increasing cultivation, it is actually using more resources to exchange for speed in cultivation. If Chen Ci could exchange the Breaking Aperture Pill for Spirit Pearl, he could break four apertures within three months; the cost-effectiveness seems higher.

But even though that is said, who doesn't eat a meal of dumplings during the New Year?

He is going to eat this Breaking Aperture Pill, and it feels great.

Chen Ci stood up tall, walked out slowly, and went to the side courtyard.

During these few days, he hadn't taught Liu Heming too much, just some basic training for tempering the bones and muscles and basic sword moves.

This Liu Heming is only twelve or thirteen years old, just at the age for growing, and with one health-nourishing pill a day plus some meat for nourishment, his body has recovered quite quickly, and he even looks a bit more sturdy.

"Your skills are already considered not bad. Although you can't be called an expert, one or two ordinary villagers are really no match for you."

Chen Ci nodded slightly and grabbed a mortal weapon: "Watch the sword!"

"Bang!"

Liu Heming subconsciously raised his sword to block, but his hand went numb; not only did the sword fly away, but his wrist was also slightly sprained, and he staggered a few steps, unable to stand steady.

"You are small and weak, with short hands and a short sword; blocking is the most foolish choice."

Chen Ci shook his head: "Your only advantage is agility; you must remember that."

"Yes, thank you for your guidance, Benefactor True Person."

Liu Heming thought for a while, seemingly having realized something.

"You were told to slaughter one animal every day; have you done it?"

Chen Ci added another sentence.

"Reporting to True Person, this young one is weak and cannot subdue large livestock. These days I could only slaughter some dogs and sheep; as of today, it is exactly ten."

Liu Heming replied respectfully.

"Enough."

Chen Ci glanced at him. He had indeed put some heart into this kid; the health-nourishing pills he fed him alone were worth forty or fifty taels of gold: "Rest for a day, tomorrow I will take you to practice the sword."

"Yes!"

Liu Heming felt slightly uneasy inside, but he just nodded in agreement.

The Benefactor True Person had said he would only teach him for half a month, and now most of that time had passed. In a few more days, he would have to set off for that Quanshan. Although he was prepared, he was young after all, and his heart was still panicking.

But he couldn't delay any longer. It had been over a month since Ge Shi had an accident, and he didn't know how long it would take to find his way to Quanshan. If the time dragged on, whether his status as a convenient servant boy would be recognized was another matter.

Glancing at the back of the departing Benefactor True Person, a trace of determination flashed in Liu Heming's eyes; he must step into the immortal gate and become a person above others!

Changping County, Wantong Yahang.

As the largest agency in the county, Wantong Yahang mainly deals in the buying, selling, and leasing of vehicles, livestock, and houses.

It also moonlights in the business of introducing adopted sons, adopted daughters, and the marriage of refugee women.

Calling them adopted sons, adopted daughters, and marriages is actually human trafficking, but it sounds better after all, and even if something goes wrong, it is easy to shirk responsibility.

Things like agencies, although they have some positive effects, generally speaking, if you killed them all, there would definitely be some wronged ones, but if you killed half, there would definitely be some who escaped.

Just look, a few days ago, Wantong Yahang was smashed by a group led by someone, and the leader was even from the County Lieutenant Wang Family, which made the onlookers cheer in unison. Unfortunately, it was just smashing, and no one caught those agents and procuresses and threw them into jail, which made everyone feel quite regretful.

But after a few days, Wantong Yahang was set up again, still doing the same dirty business as before.

"A bunch of trash, a little kid, and you still haven't found him after so many days? Do you know how much money he has on him?"

In a side room of the agency, a big man in black gestured with his fingers and said viciously: "It is said to be at least three thousand taels, and I heard there is also a volume of the method to become an immortal. Can't you guys be a bit more capable!"

Three men on the side hung their heads, taking the scolding, and one of them said with a fawning face: "Big Brother, it's not that we aren't capable, but after that kid slipped into the backyard of the Liu residence, he disappeared. Do you think he might have been hidden by the Liu family?"

"That Liu family is a wealthy household, and the backyard is where the womenfolk are. Are you stupid, are you stupid!"

The man in black touched his chin, feeling speechless: "A beggar from back then, he really almost turned the tables. But with those injuries of his, could he have died after all these days? But even if he is dead, I have to see the corpse. No, I still have to look more in the county. Not to mention the money, I have to vent that foul breath."

But that kid is also funny; one of the backers behind Wantong Yahang is the County Lieutenant Wang Family, okay? If it weren't for the tacit permission of the county yamen runners to turn a blind eye, how could the agency do so many gray-area things?

"Bang!"

Suddenly, the door of the side room was pushed open, and two figures, one big and one small, walked in.

The big one is a Daoist, not very familiar.

The small one is a boy, exactly that Liu kid he had been searching for for over half a month.

This big man in black did not have the joy of finding what one is looking for, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he felt something was wrong.

"Big Brother, it's that kid, that kid delivered himself to our door!"

A subordinate seemed to recognize the person and pointed at him with a look of joy.

Damn it!

The big man in black felt his anus tighten; who are you pointing at, you bastard? Who is your boss?

But before he could speak, the Daoist at the door had already spoken, saying leisurely: "If you have any background or backing, state it first, so as not to let the flood wash away the Dragon King Temple; that wouldn't be good."

There's a chance!

The big man in black suddenly felt his heart relax, and the cold sweat that had been tight on his back also flowed out. He hurriedly bowed: "Reporting to the Daoist, this small one is just a small supervisor in the agency, making a living following Huang Ye. Our backer behind the scenes includes the Wang Family and Huang Family of the county... ah..."

Following a scream, this big man in black seemed to be snatched away by something and disappeared. A terrifying chewing sound echoed in the room, making one's hair stand on end.

Not only the remaining three men, but even Liu Heming froze abruptly, not knowing how to respond.

"If you're going to state your background, just state it; with so much nonsense, are you really going to state it?"

Chen Ci scanned the room with disdain, pinched the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag, and Adai spat out a small cluster of Essence Refining, looking aggrieved.

Eight drops; that could be considered a bit of an unexpected harvest.

"I heard you were looking for this little boy; well, here he is."

Chen Ci tucked the Spirit Nourishing Bottle into his robes and said calmly, "I, this Daoist, enjoy watching the excitement. Between you three and him, only one side can walk out of this room alive tonight. Come one by one, don't be too impatient."

After speaking, Chen Ci pushed Liu Heming forward and stood by the door, minding his own business, making his stance clear.

*Gulp~*

It was unclear who swallowed their saliva; Liu Heming drew a short blade, his arm trembling slightly.

He also hadn't expected that the "fast-track sword training" the benefactor True Person spoke of was trained in this way!

"What, afraid to make a move?"

Chen Ci glanced coldly at the three men leaning against the inside, saying coldly, "Rest assured, I will not intervene. Kill this little boy, and you can live; otherwise... heh heh!"

Since things had reached this point, although those three could not be considered desperate criminals, having mixed in the tooth agency, who hadn't stained their hands with a bit of blood?

An iron ruler, a dagger, and a short blade—these were the weapons the three pulled out from their robes.

Who goes first?

The three looked at each other, and seeing the displeasure on Chen Ci's face becoming increasingly obvious, his hand already pressing onto that strange and terrifying little bag, the man holding the dagger was the first to lose his patience; he let out a loud shout and charged to kill Liu Heming.

"Die!"

Liu Heming took a deep breath, using long to attack short and low to attack high; suddenly, he squeezed in and thrust the short sword into the man's lower abdomen. Before the man's dagger could even touch Liu Heming's chest or abdomen, his limbs went weak, and he collapsed softly.

He killed someone!

Liu Heming's eyes widened like copper bells, his heart began to beat violently, yet his hands and feet felt inexplicably weak.

This feeling was completely different from slaughtering dogs or butchering sheep.

Chen Ci patted the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag and disposed of the corpse on the ground.

Four drops of Essence Refining in hand; that wasn't bad either.

"Next."

Chen Ci's voice continued to ring out. The thin man holding the iron ruler gritted his teeth and also charged up, swinging the iron ruler from afar toward the top of Liu Heming's head. If this strike landed solidly, the outcome would at least be a cracked skull.

Liu Heming felt his hands and feet were weak at this moment and could only dodge to the side, backhanding a strike to the kidney. The thin man let out a miserable scream, and the iron ruler swept across, landing on Liu Heming's shoulder, causing the little boy to stagger, but it was not a vital spot after all. Instead, the man himself fell to the ground and couldn't crawl back up.

The third man had endured for a long time; seeing this situation, he didn't even shout, quietly taking two steps and hacking toward Liu Heming with his blade.

Liu Heming was also panicked at this moment; his shoulder couldn't exert force, and even his movements were a few beats slower. He gritted his teeth and traded a blow with this man, only to be knocked to the ground by a slash. Fortunately, his short sword had first pierced the man's right wrist; the man's hand went limp, his grip on the blade wasn't firm, and he only caused a wound without killing him.

The man gritted his teeth and switched the short blade to his left hand, intending to hack the little boy to death in one stroke, but the next second, his body felt an inexplicable pain, and he fell into boundless darkness, only looking at the Daoist watching the show on the side with confused eyes at the very end.

No, didn't you say you wouldn't intervene?

"Sorry, I lied to you."

Chen Ci shook his head, collected the Essence Refining from the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag into the Spirit Nourishing Bottle, then picked up Liu Heming, stopped his bleeding slightly, and turned to disappear into the night.

Every fist technique and sword technique has a "Stealing Heavenly Secrets" training method; one day can equal months of effort. Although it is not a proper method, it is useful.

It's not like he's really taking this boy as a disciple; this training method is just more worry-free and effortless, with rapid results.

"Almost there. Once the wounds are healed, it will be time to send this fellow on his way."

Chen Ci muttered in his heart, though he didn't know how much would actually be accomplished.

Perhaps it would all be in vain, but compared to other methods, this could be considered a path with a glimmer of hope for an Upper Grade Qi Refining Method that he could access.

(End of this chapter)