356 Looking for Answers Through Ancient History
“Relinquish your businesses temporarily. Your fifth brother will oversee them for now.”
“Thank you for your mercy, Foster Father!” A tearful Huang Qiguang thanked Wen Zonghao profusely as he dropped to his knees and kowtowed.
“As for Yin Rongen’s business, I’ll entrust that to Fang Qi.”
“Understood!” The middle-aged man, Fang Qi, accepted the order. He was one of Yin Rongen’s trusted, capable men, a fifth-level bone pattern realm expert. With Yin Rongen and Song A’san gone, the responsibility naturally fell onto him.
Wen Zonghao resolved the issue with a few words. With a wave of his finger, the Liu Street neighbors who had been summoned here instantly died.
“Remember, Yin Rongen is not dead. If anyone inquires, inform them that Yin Rongen is in closed-door cultivation, preparing for his next breakthrough.” Wen Zonghao surveyed those present, causing them to lower their heads in acquiescence.
“Understood!” Everyone acknowledged, each harboring their own thoughts.
Qin Huai understood that the upheaval was a consequence of him eliminating too many of the Blood Poison Gang’s leaders. Initially, the gang had four experts with three full veins and above. Apart from Shao Mo’s inexplicable disappearance, which was unrelated to Qin Huai, the other two had fallen at his hands.
While the Blood Poison Gang wouldn’t suffer as much as the Lin Gang, which had lost half its combat strength due to the great demon’s torture, they were bound to lose a substantial amount of their original territory.
Still, Qin Huai had accomplished his goal. He had eliminated Yin Rongen and successfully exonerated himself. As for Huang Qiguang’s life, it wouldn’t be too bad to wait for a while.
The room was left vacant. Huang Qiguang, propped up by his subordinates, was visibly shaken.
“Boss, Fifth Master is truly a good man,” one of Huang Qiguang’s men remarked, sighing as they watched Qin Huai’s departing figure.
“Indeed. Despite our usual rivalries, Fifth Master stood up for us during these trying times,” others joined in, genuinely admiring Qin Huai’s character.
The next instant, Huang Qiguang glared fiercely at his men. “Good, my ass!” he spat out. Although he momentarily entertained such thoughts, he quickly recovered. Who else but Qin Huai could be the culprit?
In the entire Blood Poison Gang, Qin Huai was the only one who could master the earth dragon finger and the poison king technique in such a short time, exhibiting extraordinary martial arts talent.
Huang Qiguang had no clue how Qin Huai had obtained other cultivation techniques, nor did he wish to know. But he was certain that it had to be Qin Huai. Regrettably, no one seemed ready to believe him.
“Qin Huai… I swear, I will find a way to kill you!” he vowed through gritted teeth.
…
Meanwhile, in a small courtyard engulfed in poisonous fog, Qin Huai sat cross-legged on a bed.
In his dantian world, the divine power book of a thousand creations shone brilliantly. The thunderbolt blade technique, the various cultivation techniques from the Lin Gang’s corpses, and the techniques obtained from the bodies of Yin Rongen and Song Asan—countless experience points were refined through the Divine Power Book of a Thousand Creations.
Wisps of white gas emerged from it, surging toward the dragon pearl.
86%, 87%, 88%…
As night descended, the ten dragon patterns on Qin Huai’s ribs illuminated brightly, along with the dragon king mark. Tiger and wolf patterns intertwined with dragon patterns, all intensifying in brilliance and complexity. They blended seamlessly, unleashing unprecedented power.
“Two full marks…” Qin Huai muttered to himself, feeling the surge of energy within him. “If I unleash all my power now, it would directly draw the peculiar green qi…”
Qin Huai stood up, stepped out of the courtyard, and left the Blood Poison Gang’s territory, heading towards the area beyond the city. He sought to ascertain the extent of the strange green qi – whether it enveloped the whole world or just Qingzhou City.
He quickly arrived at the boundary of Qingzhou’s outer city. Upon activating the nine dragons true qi technique, ten dragons swirled around, enveloping Qin Huai completely.
Buzz…
A bright white light then filled his sight, followed by the slow materialization of the peculiar green gas. In this hazy world, countless large creatures seemed to observe him.
He quickly retracted his aura and ventured further from the city. After covering another two miles, he repeated the process, only to be met with the same green gas. Pushing further for ten miles, the result remained unchanged.
“Could it be that this peculiar green qi encapsulates Qingzhou whenever I’m here?” Qin Huai pondered, furrowing his brows.
He didn’t venture any further. Ten miles was enough to demonstrate the situation.
He contemplated leaving Qingzhou to cultivate in another city. However, he dismissed this idea almost immediately. The closest state city, located in Barren State, was two large provinces away from Qingzhou, and it would take nearly two months to travel such a distance. Moreover, it was far from Lingjiang, making it impossible for Qin Huai to monitor the county’s movements and safeguard the Nine Dragons sect.
“We can only take one step at a time,” Qin Huai said. “After all, others have navigated through this before. As long as it’s not a place of absolute death, there’s hope. If this strange phenomenon truly blankets the entire Qingzhou, maybe I can find some clues in Qingzhou’s history.”
Qin Huai disguised himself and headed to the pill pavilion again.
“Mr. Long!” The shopkeeper greeted him respectfully. At this point, Qin Huai was unarguably their top customer.
“The Three Cauldron Elixir Dispensary has been established in Qingzhou for several hundred years, correct?” Qin Huai asked.
“Indeed. The Three Cauldron Elixir Dispensary has been rooted in Qingzhou for three hundred and twenty-seven years and has had nine pavilion masters,” the shopkeeper responded with unmistakable pride.
“The historical records of Qingzhou, any intriguing rumors… The pill pavilion should have quite a few, right?”
“Hehe. You’re in luck, Mr. Long. You’ve come to the right place.”