75: Observatory

The night was as dark as ink, and the scent of blood in the alley had not yet fully dissipated.

Chen Linsheng and Liu Ruyan quickly left the scene, found a secluded corner, and changed their Disguises again to erase any potential Tracking clues.

Liu Ruyan still had lingering fear and excitement on her face as she patted her chest and said:

"That was close! Junior Brother, it's all thanks to your miraculous archery! Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have been injured today."

Chen Linsheng frowned slightly and said in a heavy voice, "Third Martial Sister, these people came too quickly and too coincidentally."

Liu Ruyan calmed down upon hearing this, her brows furrowed. "Are you saying... we just got a lead on the purple silk thread and we were already targeted? But we used Disguises and kept our movements hidden..."

"A Disguise might not necessarily be seen through," Chen Linsheng's tone was calm but filled with absolute confidence. "My Skill is not just a surface application; even the bone structure, body shape, walking posture, and even the details of the aura are all changed, making it a complete transformation. Let alone these assassins, even Su Wan would find it difficult to recognize me if she were right in front of me."

He was fully confident in this; the effect of [Disguise Perfection] far exceeded ordinary Jianghu tricks, as it temporarily molded a completely new "individual" from the source.

"The problem must lie with that purple silk thread," Chen Linsheng asserted. "We only went to a few fabric shops to ask about purple material, and the opponent sent death soldiers to silence us so swiftly... This only proves that the purple silk thread is a key piece of evidence, and the opponent is extremely sensitive, having planted eyes in relevant locations. Or perhaps, there are very few users of this purple material, its scope is very narrow, and they can detect even the slightest disturbance."

Liu Ruyan gasped. "If that's the case, the Black Mountain Gang... or rather the White Lotus Sect behind them, has a much deeper grip on the county than we imagined!"

The two dared not delay and immediately took a detour back to the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall.

In the Quiet Room of the backyard, Zhao Zheng, Shi Poyue, and Di Moyu were still waiting. Seeing them return safely, Zhao Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, but after hearing Liu Ruyan's lingeringly fearful account of the attack and Chen Linsheng's analysis of the purple silk thread, his face instantly darkened.

"Good! Quite a Black Mountain Gang! Quite a White Lotus Sect!" Zhao Zheng laughed in anger. "To dare to attempt to kill my, Zhao Zheng's, Personal Disciple in broad daylight! Do they really think my Yangwei Martial Arts Hall is made of clay!"

He looked at Chen Linsheng, his eyes full of admiration and lingering fear:

"Linsheng, it's thanks to your alertness and superb archery this time, otherwise Ruyan would have been in danger. Your analysis is correct; this purple silk thread likely points directly to the killer, and might even have been left by Zhang Yuchen or someone close to him!"

Chen Linsheng nodded, then his gaze swept over the room as he asked in confusion, "Master, Senior Martial Uncle..."

The anger on Zhao Zheng's face softened slightly, revealing a meaningful smile as he teased, "What? Already feeling closer to your Senior Martial Uncle than your Master? You haven't seen him for just half a day, and you're already missing him?"

Chen Linsheng hurriedly said, "This Disciple wouldn't dare. I just felt that this matter is significant, and if Senior Martial Uncle were here to oversee things..."

"Alright, I'm just joking with you." Zhao Zheng waved his hand, his expression returning to serious. "Your Senior Martial Uncle has already set off to return to Jiuqu Prefecture."

"He went back? So suddenly?" Liu Ruyan said in surprise.

"Yes," Zhao Zheng nodded. "In his capacity as a Commandant of the Constabulary, he used an emergency channel to report the discovery of White Lotus Sect traces in Qinghe County, as well as the situation where Zhang Yuchen is suspected of being controlled by the 'Soul Transfer Great Art' and potentially involved in a series of blood cases, to the Prefectural Governors Mansion and the Immortal Hunting Division. With his connections and official channels, the higher-ups will surely take this very seriously. The subsequent pressure will be applied directly to the Qinghe County Magistrate and County Commandant Wang, leaving them no choice but to stop being evasive."

He paused, a glint flashing in his eyes. "Furthermore, there is a major event in Jiuqu Prefecture recently that requires your Senior Martial Uncle to return and oversee the situation. The personnel of the Immortal Hunting Division are also mainly concentrated there."

"A major event?" Both Chen Linsheng and Liu Ruyan were piqued with curiosity.

Zhao Zheng took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Do you know of the 'Evil Daoist'?"

Both shook their heads.

"This person is a traitor from the 'Ghost Ethereal Sect', a major Demonic Path sect of the Beigu Dynasty. For some reason, he defected and fled into our Great Liang territory. This person has a high level of cultivation, being an 'Iron Bone Realm' Martial Artist, and his Demonic Techniques are strange and ruthless. After escaping to Great Liang, he still didn't restrain himself and committed several bloody crimes, thus becoming wanted by the imperial court."

"Iron Bone Realm?!" Chen Linsheng was shocked. That was a Realm one level higher than the Jiaojin Realm. After Flesh Refining and Dragon Tendon, one tempered the bones of the entire body, making them harder than refined steel; that was the Iron Bone. Such an expert was already a first-class existence in the Jianghu.

"This person was incredibly bold; it's said he actually wanted to sneak into the Divine Capital to cause trouble." Zhao Zheng's tone carried a hint of mockery and awe. "As a result, before he even reached the gates of the Divine Capital, he was wounded by an esteemed individual from the [Star Gazing Platform] with supreme Divine Thought, using a remote strike of 'Divine Eye Piercing'. It's said his Foundation was damaged and his cultivation was greatly diminished."

"Star Gazing Platform?" This was the second time Chen Linsheng had heard this name, and his heart felt a sense of awe.

To heavily wound an Iron Bone Realm devil from an unknown distance—what kind of Divine Ability was this?

"The Star Gazing Platform is one of the cornerstones of our Great Liang. I cannot speak much on the specifics; you only need to know that it is a Realm beyond our imagination."

Zhao Zheng glossed over it and continued, "After that Evil Daoist's Foundation was damaged, he fled in panic all the way and recently drifted into our Hebei Circuit, where his traces were discovered in Jiuqu Prefecture by the Immortal Hunting Division. Now, the Immortal Hunting Division is organizing a hunt for this scoundrel. As the Commandant of the Jiuqu Prefecture Constabulary, your Senior Martial Uncle naturally has to return to assist with defenses and provide support, as he is the most familiar with the local situation."

So that was it!

Chen Linsheng and Liu Ruyan realized why their Senior Martial Uncle was in such a hurry.

On one side was the White Lotus Sect that might have infiltrated the imperial court, and on the other was a wandering Iron Bone Realm devil; neither could be taken lightly.

"Alright, it's enough that you know these things." Zhao Zheng drained his tea in one gulp and set the cup down heavily with a crisp sound.

The last trace of gentleness vanished from his face, replaced by a cold decisiveness and Evil Qi belonging to one of the underground overlords of Qinghe County.

"Senior Martial Uncle has his battlefield, and we have ours." His gaze swept over Chen Linsheng, Liu Ruyan, Shi Poyue, and Di Moyu, and he sneered, "As for the matters to follow, you juniors don't need to involve yourselves further. I can't have you all standing at the front for everything, making it look like I, your Master, only know how to hide behind my Disciples and fan myself."

His tone was flat but carried an unquestionable weight. "The Black Mountain Gang, Zhang Zhifeng, the White Lotus Sect... if they dare to reach their claws toward the Disciples of my Yangwei Martial Arts Hall, they must be prepared to have them chopped off! It's time to make them remember some of the rules beneath the surface again."

Chen Linsheng looked at the long-absent sharpness in his Master's eyes and understood.

His Master was going to use the influence and network the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall had built in Qinghe County over many years to launch a counterattack against the Black Mountain Gang in his own way.

A confrontation at this level was indeed beyond the range of what these Disciples could currently participate in directly.

"Yes, Master." The four responded in unison, asking no more.

After leaving the martial arts hall, Chen Linsheng felt slightly more at ease.

With his Master personally stepping in to restrain the Black Mountain Gang, it would at least temporarily suppress the opponent's arrogance and buy him precious time to catch his breath and improve.

He returned to the residence in the west of the city, and Su Wan was naturally delighted to see him return safely.

Chen Linsheng did not go into detail about the attack, only saying there were matters to discuss at the martial arts hall to avoid worrying her. He carefully checked the house's arrangements and once again urged Su Wan and Aunt Zhang to be extra careful recently and minimize going out.

The next day, the atmosphere in Qinghe County indeed underwent a subtle change.

First, the Yamen Runners and patrolling soldiers began to frequently "visit" the casinos, brothels, warehouses, and other properties under the Black Mountain Gang. Various types of inspections followed one after another, nitpicking every detail, and any slight non-compliance led to orders for suspension and rectification, or even direct arrests.

Next, a group of Black Mountain Gang members, who usually ran rampant in the streets, were taken away by the Patrol Office for reasons such as "suspected fighting" or "disturbing the peace," thrown into jail, and not released for a long time.

Most notably, the Black Mountain Gang Leader, Zhang Zhifeng, was personally "invited" to the county yamen by County Commandant Wang to discuss matters. This "discussion" lasted for half a day. When Zhang Zhifeng emerged, his face was livid, and he went straight back to the gang, making no further public appearances.

Anyone with eyes could see that this was the Museum Master Zhao Zheng launching a counterattack, using his influence in official circles to begin a comprehensive suppression of the Black Mountain Gang.

The change in the county yamen's attitude was clearly closely related to the pressure applied by Commandant Chen Chuan before he left.

Learning of these circumstances, Chen Linsheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

His Master's thunderous methods were indeed effective. The Black Mountain Gang was too busy looking after themselves, so the hidden threat of Zhang Yuchen likely wouldn't dare to make a move easily for a short while.

With the pressure temporarily eased, Chen Linsheng immediately poured all his energy into his cultivation.

He knew that this balance formed by external pressure was temporary; in the end, he would have to rely on his own strength. The Black Mountain Gang, the White Lotus Sect, and even that wandering Evil Daoist... this world was fraught with danger, and only powerful strength was the Foundation for survival.

Every day, he consumed the "crimson blood flesh paste" meticulously brewed by Master Fei.

The essence transformed from the Essence Spirit's heart meat contained majestic yet gentle energy, which continuously converted into pure Qi and blood, nourishing his Physical Body.

Most of the time, he stayed in the underwater Immortal Cave. The Spiritual Qi here was abundant, and it was quiet and undisturbed—an excellent place for cultivation.

He fully operated the Major Achievement [Python Dragon Strength], his Qi and blood like a python and a dragon, surging and roaring within his body.

The fused strength possessed both the endurance of a python and the explosiveness of a dragon; when circulated, it was seamless and flawless, its power doubled.

Traces of icy Evil Qi circulated with the strength, subtly tempering his muscles and fascia and penetrating deeper.

With the support of the "crimson blood flesh paste," his speed in tempering his muscles far exceeded that of ordinary people.

Under the wash of majestic Qi and blood and dual strengths, each muscle steadily advanced toward the ultimate state of ten-tenths Perfection. The Major Achievement Realm of [Python Dragon Strength] was completely stabilized and continuously pushed toward that mysterious level of Perfection. He could feel the python-dragon phantom within his body becoming increasingly solid, and he gained more insight into the application of Qi and blood transformation.

In addition to laboriously practicing [Python Dragon Strength], Chen Linsheng also began to systematically study the [Elementary Explanation of Alchemy] with his Master, Zhao Zheng.

Inside the Alchemy Room, Zhao Zheng explained patiently, "The Dao of Alchemy is broad and profound, and the most important thing is the Foundation. Identifying medicinal Materials is the first step; you must be familiar with their nature, taste, growing environment, and harvest season. A tiny error can lead to a massive failure."

He pointed to the dozens of common medicinal Materials laid out before him, explaining to Chen Linsheng their names, medicinal properties, and the principles of mutual generation and inhibition.

Chen Linsheng listened intently, and the deep Foundation brought by [Herb Gathering] Perfection played its role at this moment.

Many of the points Zhao Zheng spoke of resonated with his previous experience identifying and gathering herbs in the mountains, allowing him to understand with half the effort.

Coupled with his initiation into Alchemy, he had an extraordinary sensitivity to the smell, color, and texture of medicinal Materials, often able to detect extremely subtle differences.

"The second step is controlling the fire." Zhao Zheng channeled a wisp of his gentle Qi and blood into a small bronze Medicine Cauldron, demonstrating the control of the flames. "Heat control is the Soul of Alchemy; the shifts between gentle and intense, the timing of extinguishing and igniting, all reside in the mind. Different medicinal Materials have vastly different requirements for heat control..."

Chen Linsheng carefully observed the flickering of the flames and the changes in color, feeling the drop in the Medicine Cauldron's temperature.

[Five Senses Clarity] allowed him to clearly capture those subtle temperature differences and the extremely weak energy fluctuations coming from inside the Medicine Cauldron.

What his Master taught him was the second method of Alchemy, the Qi and Blood Furnace.

It was considered the most traditional Alchemy technique.

After the theoretical knowledge was explained, Zhao Zheng had Chen Linsheng begin practicing, starting with the simplest "blood qi pill."

The Materials used were just the most common Blood Qi Grass.

To prevent his Master from discovering his initiation into Alchemy, Chen Linsheng intentionally made some mistakes.

On his first attempt, Chen Linsheng's Qi and blood input was a bit too forceful. Before the medicinal power in the cauldron could fuse, there was a "puff" sound, and it turned into a lump of charred black waste, with a pungent burnt smell spreading out.

The second time, he strangely weakened the heat control, so the medicinal power could not be fully activated and fused, resulting in several dull-colored, inferior pills with negligible efficacy.

The third time, he held his breath and focused, his hands lightly pressing on the Medicine Cauldron, slowly outputting Qi and blood with high concentration.

In his perception, the flames beneath the cauldron were no longer a blur but were divided into several inner and outer layers, with the temperature gradient clearly discernible.

The Blood Qi Grass inside the cauldron gradually melted under the heat, and the medicinal power began to precipitate and intertwine... He carefully adjusted the output of Qi and blood, controlling the transitions between gentle and intense heat.

Fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, but his eyes were focused, as if the entire world consisted only of that Medicine Cauldron and the pill power being nurtured within it.

Finally, when a faint medicinal fragrance with a sense of burgeoning vitality wafted out from the cauldron, Chen Linsheng knew it was a success!

He slowly withdrew his Qi and blood and opened the cauldron lid.

He saw five round, plump, bright red pills lying at the bottom of the cauldron; they were exactly mortal grade Low Grade "blood qi pills"!

"Not bad, A Sheng, you truly are gifted."

Zhao Zheng nodded with satisfaction and then advised, "However, do not become obsessed with this path; you must still focus on your cultivation. Your three Senior Brothers and Sister are all Martial Students and have obtained the status of Martial Scholar candidates; they will go to the prefecture city to participate in the Martial Examination this time. As for you, you will participate in the local examination in our county town, and your opponent will include Zhang Yuchen."

Upon hearing this, Chen Linsheng's eyes flickered, and a surge of hostility rose in his heart. He was already thinking about how he would beat Zhang Yuchen to death when the time came!