Chapter 429: Warring States Makes Its Move

After his conversation with Su Wan, Wangchuan understood that this escort operation was absolutely essential to Warring States Game Studio and tied directly to the future plans of its boss, so he no longer tried to interfere too much.

There were many things he simply could not influence.

But the Ultimate Art being put up at the Capital auction would certainly be worth a fortune, and it would inevitably attract the attention and competition of all sides...

He had money in hand;

he simply did not want to become the target of everyone’s attention too early.

After thinking it over again and again, he ultimately decided to continue training honestly.

With Su Yun and Su Qi as sparring partners, he finally pushed 《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》 to Practice Makes Perfect after two days.

“Ding!”

System prompt:

“《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》 has risen from Minor Mastery to Practice Makes Perfect. Reward: +2 Strength.”

Wangchuan: Male (Hunger 59/100)

(Life Profession: Blacksmith)

(Combat Profession: Fourth-Rank Martial Artist)

Strength 97; Attack 32–33;

Agility 131; Defense 26.2; Speed +131;

Stamina 101; HP 1010/1010;

Spirit 47: Internal Energy 470/470.

Free Attributes: 0 (Assignable)

As long as he raised one strength-type cultivation method from Practice Makes Perfect to Entry-Level Mastery, he would officially break through to the Fifth Rank!

Wangchuan’s heart surged with excitement.

Because every few days, Ye Baiyi would take men into the great mountains outside the city to capture venomous snakes, and the number of snakes on the seventh floor had already grown to more than three thousand—more than enough for him to raise multiple cultivation methods to Entry-Level Mastery.

If he wanted to step into the Fifth Rank...

It would be simple!

Easy!

Just a matter of logging off for a few minutes!

But after thinking it over again and again, Wangchuan still held himself back.

He did not want to find himself facing an assault from a fifth-rank Beggar Sect martial artist the moment the New Year began.

“Keep training.”

“Keep piling up attributes.”

“First master the Ultimate Art 《Wind Fills the Vast Sky》.”

“But...”

“Where would be the right place to train it?”

Gang Leader Luo Tiancong had reminded him before to avoid letting a third person learn that he had mastered an Ultimate Art.

This was his trump card, his final killing move!

And when cultivating 《Wind Fills the Vast Sky》, his entire body brimmed with internal energy, and his internal force burst outward. The oppressive pressure of that momentum simply could not be concealed...

He had tried practicing it offline.

The feeling of internal energy filling him had come up just fine, but there was not a single target that could withstand the attack of 《Wind Fills the Vast Sky》.

None could last even five seconds...

It was the same as the move missing its target entirely and ending without effect.

He was stuck in an awkward position, unable to go forward and unable to withdraw.

An Ultimate Art could only truly be trained and grown through life-and-death combat.

After thinking it over from every angle, Wangchuan called Li Qing in.

“This subordinate greets Hall Master.”

“What instructions does Hall Master have?”

Recently, Li Qing had recruited more than fifty brothers and spread them all out, placing them throughout the key areas of Sanhe Commandery to build an intelligence network.

“I’m asking you this. Have there been any unfamiliar faces in Sanhe Commandery lately?”

Wangchuan asked.

“As for non-local martial artists, there are more than thirty of them. All of them came together with martial artists returning from elsewhere, traveling in groups to the prefectural city... there are also some from nearby county seats.”

Li Qing answered immediately, every figure clear in his mind.

“Most of them are first-rank and second-rank martial artists, but there are also two third-rank martial artists. This subordinate has already asked about them. They are said to have returned from elsewhere to visit relatives.”

Wangchuan nodded.

“Have you discovered any disciples of the Five Poisons Sect, or any experts from the Beggar Sect?”

“None so far.”

Li Qing replied.

A trace of disappointment rose in Wangchuan’s heart. He waved his hand and had Li Qing withdraw.

It seemed that cleansing Sanhe Commandery too thoroughly was not necessarily a good thing.

Feeling somewhat stifled, he returned to the courtyard.

Su Yun and Su Qi were practicing in the yard. Hearing his footsteps, they immediately stopped and saluted.

“Hall Master.”

“Hall Master.”

The moment Wangchuan saw the two of them, he suddenly thought of someone.

“Su Yun.”

“I remember you once said that the Branch Master of the Qinghe Commandery Sub-Branch is a third-rank martial artist, and that he spends every night at his mistress’s house?”

“Yes.”

Su Yun was keen-minded. He immediately cupped his fists and lowered his voice.

“Does Hall Master have something in mind? Do we take him?”

Su Qi also leaned in with a face full of excitement, his eyes shining.

“Hall Master, headquarters sent experts to station themselves in Qinghe Commandery to investigate the deaths of those two Outer Elders. It seems they still haven’t withdrawn.”

Wangchuan had his answer.

If the man was secretly sleeping at his mistress’s house, then he was alone.

There was an opportunity!

He began calculating the travel time from here to Qinghe Commandery.

The moment he stepped out, he instructed Chen Ergou to secretly arrange a boat. He was going to make a trip to Qinghe Commandery.

By late afternoon, a quiet, steady Caobang disciple took charge of a fast boat and rowed a guest wearing a broad hat and a thick fur cloak toward Qinghe Commandery.

Inside the cabin, Wangchuan circulated 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》.

All one had to do with 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 was follow its circulation route and complete one full Greater Heavenly Cycle to count as Entry Level. After that, every fifteen full cycles granted 1 point of experience.

One Greater Heavenly Cycle took around sixteen minutes, meaning it took nearly four hours to gain a single point of experience.

At present, after cultivating it for an entire day, he had only obtained 2 points of experience.

This speed was difficult to endure!

The boatman rowed with steady movements and had excellent control over both the current and direction. The boat moved quickly and smoothly, remaining unaffected even after night fell.

Like a fish, it slipped swiftly and nimbly into Qinghe Commandery.

Shipping between Sanhe Commandery and Qinghe Commandery had not been sealed off, and now and then, boats could still be seen on the river.

This fast boat, however, was able to conceal itself perfectly within the shadows and advance in silence.

“Guest, we’ve arrived.”

The boat came to a stop near a pitch-black patch of forest.

Wangchuan opened his eyes. His gaze shone like stars, sharp light flickering within them. He stepped out and swept his eyes over the surroundings.

The river reflected the pure white bright moon.

The boatman bent respectfully and pointed toward the forest ahead.

“If you go ashore here and walk a hundred zhang, you’ll reach the official road. Three li to the east, and you’ll see the prefectural city of Qinghe Commandery... This subordinate will wait here.”

“Good.”

Wangchuan nodded and tossed out a ten-tael silver ingot.

The silver ingot landed in the boatman’s hands. By then, Wangchuan had already landed soundlessly on the shore, drifting into the darkness of the forest and disappearing in an instant.

At the same time, the boatman noticed that the guest’s fur cloak had been left on the bow.

He quickly picked it up and stored it inside the cabin.

...

Although this was Wangchuan’s first time in Qinghe Commandery, he had already thoroughly learned the nearby routes of the official road and the situation inside the prefectural city.

From afar, he cast a glance at Qinghe Commandery’s city wall. His enhanced five senses clearly took in the manpower stationed atop it. Then, like a ghost, he ran up the wall in a few swift bounds, silently reached the top, and slipped into the city.

With the New Year approaching, the nights were bitterly cold, and the streets were already deserted.

Even so, Wangchuan did not dare relax in the slightest. Avoiding the territories of the major families and various gang factions, he wound through streets and alleys until he arrived near a small courtyard tucked behind a busy district.

Lights were still burning inside, and muted voices could be heard.

He had found the place.

Su Yun’s intelligence had been correct.

The Beggar Sect Branch Master, Yao Dahe, was in bed with his mistress, murmuring sweet words to her.

“You dead man...”

“Tomorrow, you absolutely have to buy that necklace for me.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll buy it! My little sweetheart.”

Yao Dahe’s vigilance was weak. When the bolt on the bedroom door was split apart, his first reaction was not to flee, but to pull the covers over his mistress’s body with one hand.

“Who goes there!”

“You’ve got some nerve!”

“Are you blind, you dog-eyed fool!”