Chapter 492 - 26: Primordial Yang Qi

The Qingyi Gang had dominated Taiyuan Prefecture for nearly thirty years, their headquarters expanding almost every year into a dense sprawl of buildings.

Within were several lavish and magnificent courtyards, which served as venues for the Prefecture City’s elite to feast and gather.

But now.

Before their eyes.

A scene of utter devastation.

The beams, burnt to charcoal, vaguely retained the shape of a house, but everything inside had long since turned to ash.

The standing water on the ground was blood-red, and bodies that had yet to be dealt with were piled to one side.

"Young Master Zhu."

Zhou Ruxuan extended a hand, leading the way.

"This way."

"We’ve gotten to know each other a bit. Continuing to call you Young Master Zhu feels a little distant. You don’t mind if I call you Brother Zhu, do you?"

"..." Zhu Ju turned his head, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Of course not."

"Hehe..." Zhou Ruxuan pursed her lips in a light smile and explained, "Girls mature early. Don’t let my appearance fool you; I’m actually two months younger than you."

"You don’t seem mature, Miss Zhou. It’s just..." Zhu Ju sighed.

"An Eighth-Grade at fifteen or sixteen... it truly puts me to shame!"

"It’s nothing special," Zhou Ruxuan said, shaking her head.

"I’ve been consuming all sorts of Spiritual Medicine since I was a child, and I accumulated the Qi Blood needed for Grade Entering early on. Being an Eighth-Grade now is quite normal."

"As long as one hasn’t reached the Sixth Grade, one is ultimately still a mere mortal."

"We’re here!"

The two stopped before a hall with all four of its doors wide open. This must have been where the Qingyi Gang handled their external affairs, but it had now been commandeered by the Sanhe Gang and the City Lord’s Mansion. Still, some familiar faces could be seen.

With the tree fallen, the monkeys had scattered.

Hong Qingyi was dead and the Qingyi Gang had collapsed. Its former members had naturally joined the Sanhe Gang.

These former members of the Qingyi Gang all looked anxious, and they were especially proactive in their tasks.

"Sister Xuan."

A man with a longsword hanging at his waist waved to them.

"Over here!"

"Second Brother." Zhou Ruxuan’s eyes lit up. She pulled Zhu Ju into the hall, introducing him at the same time.

"This is my second brother, Zhou Jingren. He was away studying his craft for the past few years and only recently joined the Sanhe Gang."

"Second Brother!"

"This is my friend, Zhu Ju."

Zhou Jingren looked to be around thirty. His features were regular, his eyes were sharp, and he had a cold, imposing aura.

Not long ago, he had wielded the Cyan Frost Sword alongside two other Sixth-Grade experts to kill Hong Qingyi; his Sword Technique and overall strength were truly extraordinary.

As Zhu Ju was sizing him up, Zhou Jingren was also scrutinizing him.

As the son of a wealthy family, his social graces were impeccable, showing no hint of condescension.

"My father has mentioned you, Young Master Zhu. Seeing you today, you truly are extraordinary. Ru Xuan has good taste!"

Zhou Ruxuan’s pretty face flushed slightly, and a complex look flashed in her eyes.

"Come!"

"The Qingyi Gang has extorted a great deal from the common people over the years. Today, we’ve pulled it all out of their storehouses."

Zhou Jingren gestured with his hand.

"Brother Zhu, you’re no outsider. Feel free to pick something!"

"This..." Zhu Ju looked surprised.

"Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?"

"It’s appropriate if I say it is." Zhou Jingren’s eyes narrowed, and the aura of someone long accustomed to a position of power emerged.

"Are you slighting me, Brother Zhu?"

"I wouldn’t dare." Zhu Ju clasped his hands and gave a dry laugh.

"In that case, I’ll take you up on your offer."

The area was piled high with all sorts of things: chests of gold, silver, and jewels; various weapons and armor; and of course, no shortage of Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals.

Zhu Ju paused for a moment before the piles of gold and silver, then walked over to the shelves where the Cultivation Techniques were placed.

"Good."

"Gold, silver, and treasure are all external possessions. As long as you have enough strength, these things will come to you on their own."

Zhou Jingren nodded.

"So far, we’ve found over a hundred Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals in the warehouse. The vast majority are Mortal Grade."

"These few are quite good. You can choose one to copy and take with you."

He stepped forward and laid out a few selected Cultivation Techniques in a row.

Thunder Shocking Force!

Cloud Ladder Thirteen Jumps!

Primordial Yang Qi Technique!

...

Zhu Ju already had a copy of Thunder Shocking Force. He flipped through it briefly, then picked up the Primordial Yang Qi Technique.

"Hmm..." Zhou Jingren raised an eyebrow at this, slightly surprised.

"A keen eye!"

"Although this Cultivation Technique isn’t high-grade, it is a legacy left behind by a certain Second-Grade master. Its concepts are profound. With guidance from an expert, cultivating this technique can build an incredibly solid foundation."

"Unfortunately..."

He shook his head lightly.

"There’s no follow-up Method."

"This is the one." Zhu Ju patted the book.

He didn’t lack Cultivation Techniques. What he lacked was an understanding of Qi Blood Martial Arts, something that Low-Tier Methods couldn’t provide.

This Primordial Yang Qi Technique could nurture a stream of Primordial Yang Qi within the body. Besides other benefits, it also had the wondrous effect of breaking through shackles.

By cultivating it, advancing to the Sixth Grade in the future would be much easier. However, successfully mastering it was no simple task.

"Oh!"

Just then, a somewhat frivolous voice sounded out.

"This beauty looks unfamiliar. Brother Zhou, do you know her?"

"Brother Hai." Zhou Jingren turned, his brow furrowed slightly.

"You should be hunting down the remaining masters of the Qingyi Gang right now."

"It’s already over." Hai Yunzou waved his hand dismissively, his gaze roaming up and down Zhou Ruxuan’s body.

"Those guys are as cunning as monkeys. By the time I got there, they had long since vanished."

This ’person’ was none other than the Flood Dragon who had helped besiege and kill Hong Qingyi. He had a Sixth-Grade Cultivation and had just undergone Transformation.

Flood Dragons are licentious by nature, and Hai Yunzou was no exception. Even though he had a human form, he still exuded an uncultured, bestial air.

"This is my younger sister, Ru Xuan."

Zhou Jingren said slowly.

"Ru Xuan, greet Young Master Hai, then take Zhu Ju and leave first."

"Yes." Zhou Ruxuan felt uncomfortable under his gaze. She immediately bowed, then grabbed Zhu Ju.

"Young Master Hai, I’ll take my leave now."

"Hehe..." Hai Yunzou rubbed his chin, his laughter frivolous. "Little sister, come visit whenever you’re free. My residence never turns a beauty away."

?

Zhou Ruxuan gave a dry laugh. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly asked:

"Young Master Hai, is the Vice Gang Leader of the Qingyi Gang, Ma Gulan, dead?"

"No."

Hai Yunzou shook his head.

"She ducked into the mine shafts outside the city. That place is a maze—dark, gloomy, and cold. I wasn’t willing to spend much time searching."

Zhou Ruxuan’s expression darkened.

*

*

*

「The Zhou Family Estate.」

「The Study.」

Zhou Huaishan was flourishing his brush, spreading ink on paper, as he asked:

"What are your impressions?"

"Of Zhu Ju?" Zhou Ruxuan pursed her lips.

"He’s just..."

"Very ordinary."

Her feelings for Zhu Ju were complicated.

Because of the Mind Enchantment Talisman, she felt a natural urge to be close to Zhu Ju. The feeling of intimacy was intoxicating.

But...

Zhou Ruxuan didn’t know if this feeling was true affection or just an emotional fluctuation caused by the Magic.

Besides, aside from his looks, there was nothing about Zhu Ju that she admired.

Her reason told her that this ordinary young master from an ordinary family was not a good match for her.

She wanted to be close, yet she resisted.

"Ordinary is good."

Zhou Huaishan said slowly.

"You have a strong personality. If you were to marry a strong-willed man, wouldn’t the household be in constant turmoil?"

"Zhu Ju’s talent is average, and he has no legacy. He’s destined to be an ordinary person his whole life, which means you can easily control him."

He set down his brush and straightened his back.

"I made some specific inquiries. That True Inheritance disciple of the True Martial Sect named Wujiu is very likely to succeed in his breakthrough. Once he reaches the Third Grade, he’ll be an Elder of the True Martial Sect. And when that happens, the status of Zhu Ju’s maidservant, Shuang’er, will rise with the tide."

"By securing Zhu Ju, we can build a connection with Shuang’er, which will be very beneficial for our Zhou Family."

"Therefore..."

"He is your perfect match."