Chapter 38 - 37: Momentum like a Rainbow

Chapter 38: Chapter 37: Momentum like a Rainbow

After giving his orders, Cai Xun left directly.

As the frontline commander-in-chief for the encirclement of the Qingshui Gang, he still had much to do. Naturally, he wouldn’t delay here for too long.

Once he was gone, Zheng Jun turned his head to look at the somewhat exhausted Cai Liu and immediately cupped his hands. "Thank you for your assistance just now, Senior."

"There’s no need for thanks. I was acting on my Master’s orders to strike together with Cai Jiu. However, I didn’t expect that this Zhang Qingyu’s aura was completely concealed, and that he had already reached the Half-Step Outer Gang realm..."

Cai Liu let out a long sigh. Just as he was about to get up and collect Cai Jiu’s corpse, he suddenly noticed something and looked up in astonishment. "You... you’ve achieved your third Blood Refining?"

Such a matter couldn’t be hidden, nor was there a need to do so. Zheng Jun cupped his hands again. "To be honest with you, Senior, seven days ago, I took two Blood Nourishing Pills gifted by the County Captain and fortunately completed my third Blood Refining."

Hearing this, Cai Liu froze once more. "Two Blood Nourishing Pills to fortunately complete the third Blood Refining?"

If broken down, the components of that sentence were very familiar to him.

But combined, why did it sound so alien?

He completed his third Blood Refining using only two Blood Nourishing Pills?!

Cai Liu clicked his tongue, his gaze toward Zheng Jun filling with a mix of shock and marvel. "According to the Marquis’s Mansion records, the Marquis of Martial Valor completed his Blood Refining using twelve Blood Nourishing Pills back in the day!"

The Marquis of Martial Valor was the Cai Family Ancestor.

He passed away a century ago and was given the posthumous title ’Valor’!

He was the only Great Power in the entire Cai Family to have nurtured a Primordial Pill!

To think that Zheng Jun could also complete Blood Refining with Blood Nourishing Pills. It seemed Cai Liu’s previous estimation had been a massive miscalculation!

Furthermore, there was one detail Cai Liu didn’t even dare to think about.

Back then, aside from using the Blood Nourishing Pills, his family’s old Marquis, a Primordial Pill expert, had soaked in medicinal baths daily and dined on Demon Flesh every single day!

Looking at it this way, Zheng San’s talent might be even more terrifying than the old Marquis’s from years past.

"Huh?"

Zheng Jun was somewhat bewildered by Cai Liu’s reaction, but then a realization suddenly struck him.

His speed of Blood Refining was far from ordinary.

"Why is this the case?" he wondered.

Zheng Jun was surprised. He knew very well that his talent was absolutely not this outrageously monstrous.

"If I truly had such incredible talent, how could the original owner of this body have been so weak?

"Perhaps it has something to do with the Great Tao Martial Book?"

At that thought, Zheng Jun looked inward at the Great Tao Martial Book once more, seeing it floating quietly in his mind.

Between its pages, waves of Qi churned, as if containing the formless and traceless true sounds of the Great Tao.

"It seems it really does have something to do with the Great Tao Martial Book."

Zheng Jun took a deep breath, reined in his thoughts, and cupped his hands toward Cai Liu. "How could I have the virtue or ability to be compared to the Marquis of Martial Valor? In this life, if I can attain even ten percent of the Marquis’s prestige, I will be more than satisfied."

"The tallest tree catches the most wind."

Cai Liu looked at Zheng Jun pointedly and said indifferently, "Showing off too much is not necessarily a good thing. There are plenty of people in this world who cannot stand seeing geniuses. Once an opportunity presents itself, they won’t pass up the chance to trample on you."

Hearing this, Zheng Jun was momentarily taken aback before speaking with utmost sincerity, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

Although he appeared sincere on the surface, Zheng Jun didn’t actually take the matter to heart.

Time waited for no one.

"If I hadn’t proved myself time and time again, how would I have gained the County Captain’s favor?

"Hide in the County Government Office and take out loans until I become a god?

"That is not my style."

Having come to this Yanfu World, Zheng Jun cared not for past or future lives; he only sought to live life to the fullest, exacting vengeance and repaying favors as he saw fit!

With that in mind, Zheng Jun cupped his hands again and said to Cai Liu, "I still have a task assigned by the County Captain, so I will take my leave now."

With that, Zheng Jun turned and left. He planned to wash off the blood and grime, change into clean clothes, and head out to raid Zhang Qingyu’s home.

Among Qi Storage Martial Artists, Zhang Qingyu was undeniably a top-tier expert.

His assets would naturally be extremely valuable.

At the very least, if he could find a move or two from the Shattered Jade Sect, he could quickly comprehend it and imprint it onto the Great Tao Martial Book to practice later, all before handing it over to the County Captain!

Zhang Qingyu’s Iron Bone physique was also something Zheng Jun deeply envied.

Of course, there was one other matter.

[Face the Shattered Jade Sect member, carve paths through mountains and build bridges over rivers; advance without ever retreating, remaining unrivaled in the world! A chance glimpse of Spiritual Light evolves the trait ’Momentum like a Rainbow’. Current repayment progress: 5000/5000.]

[Ma Family Fist repayment complete.]

As the small ink-wash characters flashed before his eyes, joy welled up in Zheng Jun’s heart.

"The trait, Momentum like a Rainbow.

"In that case, it seems I can finally bring the Cloak and Dagger Technique to Perfection.

"After all, I’ve met all the requirements for Cloak and Dagger Technique (Perfection)!"

[Cloak and Dagger (Great Success) → Cloak and Dagger (Perfection).]

[Requirement: After reaching the realm of Blood Refining and Bone Tempering, master the trait ’Sword Technique Foundation’ and the trait ’Momentum like a Rainbow’.]

"Should I borrow this Saber Technique now?"

Zheng Jun pondered for a moment before deciding it was better to raid the house first.

If he found other gains in Zhang Qingyu’s home, his options would naturally expand.

With his mind made up, Zheng Jun cupped his fists, took his leave, and went off to change into a fresh Official’s Uniform.

Watching Zheng Jun’s departing figure, a sharp glint flashed in Cai Liu’s eyes.

"I must report this to the old Patriarch. We absolutely cannot let this boy slip away! Even if we can’t recruit him, we must stay on good terms with him. Fortunately, the Third Young Master has favored him ever since coming to Black Mountain County, otherwise..."

Stopping his train of thought there, Cai Liu said no more. Instead, he collected Cai Jiu’s corpse and silently disappeared into the alleyways at the street corner.

***

"Squad Leader, of the two brothers who died, one was Luo Daping from Xiaohuan Town, and the other was Yang Le from the county."

Zheng Jun had just changed into a fresh Official’s Uniform when Zhou Pu immediately stepped forward to report the situation, a trace of sorrow in his eyes. "Seven brothers were injured. Liu San’s injuries are quite severe; he lost an arm."

Although Zhou Pu was Zheng Jun’s brother-in-law, they had to address each other by their titles while on duty.

At least in public, they needed to use official designations.

"Prepare their pensions. In addition to the portion from the County Government Office, I will also contribute a share."

Zheng Jun sighed, then continued, "The rest of the brothers will also be rewarded! However, we will set this matter aside for now. Have the men ready their weapons and follow me to raid Zhang Qingyu’s house. Let’s see what treasures he had stashed away."

Zheng Jun was now flush with cash.

The bounty for Lou Wei was as high as a hundred taels of silver. Furthermore, since he was the one who had slain Zhang Qingyu in the end, he would naturally receive Zhang Qingyu’s bounty as well.

There were also the fifty taels in silver notes taken from the burly man.

It could only be said that from this massive Qingshui Gang rebellion case alone, Zheng Jun would rake in anywhere from three to five hundred taels in pure wealth!

He had struck it rich overnight!

However, to Zheng Jun, silver was just an unremarkable pile of rocks.

Only by converting these ores into the things he truly needed would this silver actually hold its value as silver!

If he just clutched it in his hands until it corroded away, it would remain nothing more than rocks without a shred of value.

Hearing Zheng Jun’s orders, Zhou Pu immediately gave a solemn nod and cupped his fists. "Understood!"

Zhou Pu was about to retreat when Zheng Jun suddenly remembered something and spoke up, "By the way, Zhou Pu, find me a new saber. Mine broke again."

While the Court’s Ceremonial Sabers were good, they were only effective for hacking down ordinary opponents.

If faced with someone who had bones of steel and iron like Zhang Qingyu, these sabers would fall woefully short.

"It seems I still need to find an opportunity to acquire a Treasure Saber.

"Otherwise, changing sabers this frequently...

"People who don’t know any better might think I’m here to test the quality of the Great Zhou Court’s blacksmithing."