Chapter 5

Blackhawk Gang! Level 48 of Qi Cultivation

The first mission… It was his second senior brother, Gao Ruyang, who had helped him complete it.

Qin Huai sat in the carriage, leaning against the window and looking at the scenery outside. He had been in Pingnan City for more than two months. This was the first time he had left the city.

The land was already barren, and weeds were everywhere. Many skinny people leaned against the city wall with listless eyes.

The people who wanted to enter the city lined up three miles away from the city gate. They were all bare-chested, dirty, bare-footed, and in ragged clothes.

When Qin Huai saw them, he seemed to see himself in the past. However, things were different now. He was wearing a silk robe and sitting in a carriage, and he was a martial artist with vigorous Qi and blood.

“More and more people are fleeing,” Qin Huai muttered.

“That’s right. The demons have swept through sixteen states, and the imperial court’s demanding taxes are getting higher by the day. The people are having a hard time with the mountain bandits running rampant.” Li San, who was walking by the window, shook his head.

His senior brother, Gao Ruyang, didn’t say anything. He had long been used to this.

“There’s a mountain road ahead. Please sit tight!” Li San shouted and walked to the front.

Suddenly, the horses neighed, and the convoy suddenly stopped. Immediately, a wave of arrogant shouts could be heard.

“I opened this mountain and planted this tree. If you want to pass through, leave some money to buy your way through!”

It was a familiar tone, but there was no sense of relaxation in the atmosphere. It was filled with a murderous aura.

Qin Huai immediately clenched his fists.

“I’ll take care of it.” Gao Ruyang patted Qin Huai’s shoulder and got out of the carriage with him.

Outside, there were more than ten mountain bandits dressed in black and holding long sabers. They surrounded the carriage.

“I’m a disciple of the Liu family’s apothecary in Pingnan City. My master is Liu Changyue! I hope all of you will give me face!” Gao Ruyang cupped his fists and looked around.

“So it’s the Liu family’s carriage.” The leader of the mountain bandits came to a realization, and his ferocity decreased. “I can reward you with face, but the premise is that you have to give me enough silver. The rules of the underworld can’t be broken, you know. Our brothers also need to eat!”

The mountain bandits were arrogant and didn’t put Gao Ruyang and Qin Huai in their eyes at all.

“Naturally!” Gao Ruyang respectfully handed over the ten taels of silver.

The mountain bandit weighed the silver bag in his hand, then waved his hand impatiently. “Get lost! Get lost!”

The group set off again. In the carriage, Qin Huai was puzzled. “Who are those people? I don’t think they’re martial artists. Why did Senior Brother pay them?”

“They’re the Blackhawk Gang, the famous mountain bandits who occupy the Ghost Slope Mountain outside Pingnan City,” Gao Ruyang explained.

“There are many experts in there. The chief, Black Eagle, has been at the peak of the first refinement for a long time, and his Qi and blood are at their peak too.

“The second leader, Black Tiger, and the third leader, Black Fist, are also experts who have entered the first refinement realm for many years. Other than that, there are seven other martial artists in the gang. Their strength cannot be underestimated,” Gao Ruyang said solemnly.

Qin Huai calculated that there were only five martial artists in the apothecary, including himself. Not to mention that the Qi cultivation technique wasn’t good at attacking, the difference in strength between the two sides was huge.

No wonder Gao Ruyang would lower himself to a few ordinary mountain bandits. He really couldn’t afford to offend these people. But they’d usually let you go as long as you pay the money, so there wouldn’t be any problems.

“In the future, try not to get into a conflict with them,” Gao Ruyang reminded him several times.

“Well said!”

Suddenly, a voice exploded beside the two.

Qin Huai’s hair instantly stood on end. He rolled a few times out of the carriage and looked up in the direction of the carriage after he was several meters away.

He saw a big man in black standing at the carriage’s driver’s position. It was almost right behind him.

When he spoke, Qin Huai could clearly feel his breathing.

But…

Qin Huai didn’t notice anything before he spoke!

‘He’s an expert!’ Qin Huai’s expression was grave.

The surrounding people were also scared out of their wits that they could not say a word.

“May I ask if you’re Black Eagle, the chief of the Blackhawk Gang?” Gao Ruyang’s voice was also shaking.

“You have a good eye, kid.” Black Eagle sneered.

“What can I do for you, sir?” Gao Ruyang became more respectful after he got the answer.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“It’s nothing. I just heard you guys talking about the Blackhawk gang, so I came to join in the fun.” Black Eagle acted as if there was no one else around. It seemed as if he was not taking Qin Huai and Gao Ruyang, the two martial artists, seriously.

“Continue on your way. After you pay the toll, the Blackhawk gang will not make things difficult for you.” Black Eagle waved his hand.

“Many thanks, sir!” Gao Ruyang could only cup his fists and thank him.

After that, Black Eagle flashed past and quickly disappeared into the forest.

When he left them, only then did Qin Huai dare to take a deep breath. The two of them sat back in the carriage with lingering fear in their hearts.

“Senior Brother, didn’t you say that the Blackhawk Gang’s leader is also in the first refinement realm? How come we didn’t even notice him when he walked behind us?”

“The Blackhawk gang’s signature technique is the breath control technique. When it’s complete, it can be done without making a sound. Moreover, there is still a difference within one refinement.

“They have a lot of gold and silver in their hands, and they drink vitality soup every day. The difference between our vitality and mine is naturally like heaven and earth,” Gao Ruyang explained.

Qin Huai came to a realization. In his heart, his impression of the Blackhawk Gang’s strength was raised to another level.

The difference between their combat strength and the Blackhawk gang’s was definitely not as simple as the number of people. Luckily, he had thought that the first escort mission would be a big one, but it turned out to be a close one.

Qin Huai finally heaved a sigh of relief. Excluding the cost and his master’s share, he and his senior brother Gao Ruyang would share the rest.

Qin Huai had earned two taels of silver in one go, which was a month’s salary for him. Unfortunately, this kind of work was not available every day.

…

In the following days, Qin Huai took on an average of one escort job every five or six days. Every time, he would spend and save some money. That was 20 taels of silver and four bowls of blood Qi soup a month.

Fortunately, the effect was remarkable. Qin Huai felt enriched every time, and his Qi and blood surged. As for his Qi-nurturing technique, it stabilized at one level every ten days, and as the days passed, it became more and more profound.

...

In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.

Qin Huai sat cross-legged in his private room with his eyes closed. He immersed himself in the internal world.

Qin Huai looked at his personal panel.

Name: Qin Huai

[ Cultivation Method ]: [ Qi-nurturing technique (level 48, 813/1000) ]

[ Skill: Alchemy (advanced, 247/1600) ]

[ Stage ]: Level 1 Blood Refinement Realm

“Because of the skills of the junior brothers in the apothecary, my alchemy has been advancing slowly. Now, there is no improvement.

“As for the Qi cultivation technique, it’s still maintaining its initial momentum and is very stable.”

The ‘white snake’ in his body had now grown into a white flood dragon. Qin Huai’s body was already filled to the brim, and the flood dragon wriggled as if the sky and earth were being overturned.

Fortunately, this white flood dragon seemed to have form, yet was invisible. It did not hurt the five internal organs and even had a pushing effect. Otherwise, he would have been blown up by the white flood dragon.

...

“I feel that it’s not that the Qi cultivation technique can’t break through to the second refinement, but that the level required is too high,” Qin Huai muttered to himself. He had a feeling that the 50th level of his cultivation technique would be the time for him to transform.

His master, Liu Changyue, had not changed at all after reaching the twentieth level. It could only be said that his cultivation level was still not high enough.

Qin Huai stood up and struck forward with his palm, activating the white flood dragon in his body. The next moment, a huge amount of Qi burst out of his body, and the waves of Qi surged along his palm.

Bang! Bang!

The porcelain jar several meters away shattered.

“Although the Qi cultivation technique isn’t good at attacking, once it reaches a certain level, it will still have amazing effects.” Qin Huai slowly retracted his palm.

This move of his was completely unexpected, and its killing power was astonishing. It was so powerful that it could kill enemies within seven steps.

The forty-eighth level of the cultivation technique had already undergone an incredible change. Even an ordinary first refinement martial artist would not be able to withstand his palm.

“It’s a pity I drank too little vitality soup. The growth of my vitality is too slow.”

Qin Huai felt regretful. In the past year, the prices of commodities had been increasing. For example, the price of rice had increased from ten wen per jin to fifty wen per jin.

Originally, one wen could buy four white steamed buns, but now it became one wen for one. The most important thing was that the blood Qi soup had also increased from five taels to fifteen taels. Qin Huai could not afford to drink it.

Nonetheless, the increase in vitality this year was better than nothing.

Everything was increasing, but his salary was not. The maidservants assigned to each room in the apothecary’s backyard had also been dismissed. Also, more and more mountain bandits appeared on the way to deliver the medicine, and the price they demanded was different each time.

“Senior Brother Qin, lunch is ready!” A knocking sound came from outside the door.

“Many thanks.” Qin Huai pushed the door open. Outside was his Little Junior Sister, Luo Ya. She had an innocent and beautiful face, and her figure was also very impressive. She was not inferior to his eldest Senior Sister, Liu Xiaomei.

She seemed to be the legitimate daughter of the Luo family. She was well-behaved and very likable. And the most important thing was that this Little Junior Sister was not a martial artist yet.

He gave himself the most experience points, 19 points each time, which was the upper limit for aspiring martial artists.

Therefore, every time Qin Huai saw Luo Ya, he couldn’t help but feel happy. He usually took care of her.

“Senior Brother, you’re too polite to thank me!” Luo Ya was a little shy and handed him a black robe. “I see that Senior Brother hasn’t changed his clothes for a long time. I’m not as busy as Senior Brother. When I’m free, I’ll take a stroll.

“Anyway, I had nothing to do, so I made a big robe. Actually, it was for Father, but you two have the same size. Here, try and see if it fits you.”

Luo Ya said a bunch of things that did not make sense.

“I didn’t expect Junior Sister to be so talented.” Qin Huai’s body fit perfectly with the robe. “This robe is beautiful, and the workmanship is great,” he said with a pleasant expression.

After the maidservants in the courtyard left, most of Qin Huai’s food was brought over by this Little Junior Sister.

“What a coincidence! It actually fits Senior Brother so well!” Lou Ya was ‘shocked’. “Then I’ll give this robe to you, Senior Brother.”

“How can this be? Didn’t you make this for your father?” Qin Huai asked.

“I’ll make more for Father, so don’t worry!” Luo Ya did not wait for Qin Huai’s refusal and turned to run.

“This little girl…” Qin Huai shook his head helplessly.

“By the way, Senior Brother Qin, don’t forget that Master wants you to escort him tomorrow.” Luo Ya peeked out from behind the tree and immediately ran away after she finished speaking, as if she was afraid of being caught by Qin Huai.

“I know.” Qin Huai stretched out his hand, but he put it down helplessly.