57: garrison

Feeling the subtle changes brought by the initiation into the Golden Bell Shield, Chen Linsheng was quite satisfied.

This Cultivation Technique indeed lived up to its reputation; just the initiation made him feel that his muscle fibers were tighter. When exerting force, there was an extra hint of steady and heavy meaning, and his capacity to carry Qi and blood seemed to have strengthened slightly, while the efficiency of Flesh Refining also seemed to have improved.

"Not bad, this Cold Spring wasn't spent in vain."

He muttered to himself, getting up to stretch his muscles and bones. His joints made fine crackling sounds throughout his body, like beans being roasted.

Pushing open the door of the cultivation room, the sky was near dusk, and the aroma of food wafted from the courtyard.

Su Wan and Aunt Zhang were bringing the prepared food to the table. Seeing him come out, a gentle smile immediately appeared on Su Wan's face: "A Sheng, finished practicing? Just in time for dinner."

Although the food wasn't exquisite, it was full of the warmth of home.

Chen Linsheng had a great appetite and ate three large bowls of rice in a row.

Putting down his bowl and chopsticks, Chen Linsheng said to Su Wan, "Wan'er, I have some matters tonight and need to go out for a trip."

Su Wan was now used to him going out often and knew he bore the responsibilities of the Water Patrol Division, so she only softly urged, "Be careful with everything and come back early."

"Mhm," Chen Linsheng nodded, adding with a slightly solemn expression, "The city hasn't been peaceful lately, White Lotus Cult Heretics might be lurking nearby. You and Aunt Zhang must not go out at night, and lock the doors and windows tight."

Seeing his serious expression, Su Wan also nodded seriously: "I understand, don't worry."

Night fell completely, and the lights began to shine.

Chen Linsheng changed into dark plain clothes and quietly left the residence through the back door.

He didn't take the land route, but like a ghost, he came to a secluded riverbank and dove into the cold river water.

With his [Mastery of Water Nature], he was like a fish in the water, his speed much faster than running on land, and he was more concealed.

He swam upstream, relying on his precise perception of the water flow and the star navigation of [Celestial Phenomena Minor Achievement], accurately swimming towards the direction outside the north gate of Qinghe County.

About half an hour later, he landed on a desolate riverbank several miles outside the north gate.

After using his technique to dry his clothes, he found a hidden thicket and began to Disguise himself again.

Before long, a middle-aged man with a sorrowful face and a slightly hunched back walked out.

He then took out a monkey mask from his bosom, which he had bought for fun while taking Su Wan to the Market last time, and put it on his face, covering his disguised features.

On his back, he carried an ordinary steel saber, dressed like a common Jianghu traveler.

After identifying the direction, he used his Movement Technique and sped towards Mount Mang.

Mount Mang was majestic, like a crouching beast in the night, much larger than the mountain forests near Xiaohe Village.

The outline of a military camp and the light of patrol torches were faintly visible at the foot of the mountain; this was the garrison of Qinghe County, where ordinary people dared not approach.

"The Black Market is actually set up here... It really is the darkest under the lamp."

Chen Linsheng thought to himself, having some guesses about the background of the person who opened this Black Market.

He didn't approach the military camp directly, but instead used the insight of [Tracking Perfection] to search carefully around the outskirts of Mount Mang.

Sure enough, at a seemingly ordinary mountain hollow entrance, he found a small path trampled by people and a hidden aura of vigilance.

Deepening along the path and turning a corner, two figures standing like stone statues suddenly appeared ahead, blocking the way.

Although they wore ordinary clothes, their posture was upright and their eyes sharp, carrying a clear military aura.

"Stop! Token!" one of them barked, his voice raspy but carrying an unquestionable authority.

Chen Linsheng lowered his voice, saying in a slightly raspy tone: "Brother, this old man is a newcomer and doesn't have a token."

The guard looked him over, especially the monkey mask on his face, seemingly unfazed, and said indifferently: "If you don't have a token, you need to pay five taels of Silver to buy a temporary one before you can enter."

Five taels of Silver!

Chen Linsheng felt a pang of heartache; this was almost enough for an ordinary family's expenses for several months.

But he still painfully fished out five taels of Silver from his pouch and handed them over.

The guard took the money, his expression softened a bit, and handed over a crude wooden plaque with the word "Mang" carved on it.

"Go in. You know the rules, right? Don't cause trouble."

"I know, I know."

Chen Linsheng took the wooden plaque and cupped his hands in thanks. While walking in, he carefully scanned the two guards out of the corner of his eye, becoming more certain in his heart:

'Steady posture, condensed Qi and blood, definitely military experts! This Black Market is most likely run by the garrison!'

Entering the so-called Black Market, Chen Linsheng found that it wasn't much different from an ordinary night Market, except the light was dim, relying entirely on scattered torches and lanterns for illumination.

Furthermore, everyone inside covered their faces, either wearing various masks or using black cloth, with no one showing their true face.

"Quite cautious." Chen Linsheng shook his head, thinking no more of it, and strolled inside.

He looked around as he walked. The stalls on both sides sold a variety of things: medicinal herbs, Ores, weapons, leather armor, and even some antique jade of unknown origin. He mainly looked for stalls with Cultivation Technique manuals.

After walking a short distance, his gaze was drawn to a stall filled with various old books.

The stall owner was a person wearing a hood whose face couldn't be seen.

Chen Linsheng squatted down and looked through them carefully. Most of these books were crude fist and leg techniques or health-preserving exercises, but he quickly picked out two that looked decent.

One was "Soft Cloud Nine Strikes", a palm technique that emphasized overcoming hardness with softness and continuous attacks, which he could teach to Su Wan.

The other was the archery technique "Layered Waves". The description said that through special techniques, arrows could be accelerated a second or even third time in the air, overlapping like sea waves, with their power multiplied.

He picked up the two Secret Manuals and looked at the stall owner, lowering his voice: "These two, what's the price?"

The stall owner didn't even look up, extending two fingers crossed together.

"Ten taels?" Chen Linsheng asked tentatively.

The stall owner sneered: "One hundred taels, no bargaining."

Chen Linsheng's mouth twitched, one hundred taels!

His reward for suppressing bandits plus his salary from the Water Patrol Division, more than half of it was here.

Although Su Wan still had five hundred taels, that was also his hard-earned money!

This price was simply robbery!

But he also understood the principle of getting what you pay for. He had briefly looked at these two Martial Skills, and they were indeed more subtle than his current ones.

Hesitating for a moment, thinking about the danger he might soon face and the urgency of improving his strength, he gritted his teeth: "Deal!"

Enduring the heartache, he paid the money and tucked the two Secret Manuals into his bosom.

At the moment he stood up, the keen perception of [Tracking Perfection] made him notice that at least three gazes from different directions had briefly focused on him when he paid.

'I've been targeted...'

Chen Linsheng A cold laugh in his heart, but remained outwardly calm as if he hadn't noticed anything, continuing to wander around the Black Market for a while before seemingly casually walking towards the exit.

Leaving the Black Market area and walking into the darker mountain forest path, he hadn't gone far when several "whoosh whoosh whoosh" sounds of breaking air rang out, and five black shadows leaped from the forest ahead, blocking his way.

The leader held a steel saber, a sinister smile on his face as he looked Chen Linsheng up and down, especially at his bosom where he had just tucked the Secret Manuals, his tone playful: "Yo, is the fat sheep going home? The brothers are short on cash, mind lending some Silver to spend?"

Chen Linsheng looked at the five masked men before him and sighed helplessly; this Black Market really wasn't peaceful.

But he then changed his tone, saying to the five robbers with a hint of undisguised joy:

"Sigh, I was originally worried about spending money too fast and was thinking about where to get some travel expenses... How did you all know? Truly, you're so thoughtful."

His tone was as if he had met kind people who provided help in his hour of need.

The five robbers were stunned for a moment, looked at each other, and then burst into even louder laughter.

"Hahaha, is this old guy scared silly?"

"Big brother, don't waste words with him, take him down!"

Chen Linsheng He slowly drew the steel knife from his back., the cold blade reflecting a glint of cold light under the faint moonlight.

Under the mask, the corners of his mouth curled into a cold arc.