The Qi Cultivation Technique is Complete! Strength greatly increased, the abandoned pawn

Chapter 60 The Qi Cultivation Technique is Complete! Strength greatly increased, the abandoned pawn Fei Jianhua [Second update, Happy New Year, brothers and beauties!]

In the early morning, the first rays of sunlight shone through the window and fell on Su Yang.

He sat cross-legged in the room, breathing deeply, with the two energy centers within his body subtly resonating with each other.

The nourishing internal energy in the lower abdomen's dantian surges like a hot spring, nourishing the meridians throughout the body. The profound true energy in the navel's Shenque acupoint flows like an icy spring, cool and condensed. Though only a wisp, as thin as a hair, it is incredibly solid, slowly coiling within the tiny sea of ​​qi in the navel.

"Gurgle————"

Su Yang picked up the ginseng soup on the table and drank it all in one gulp.

Fifteen-year-old ginseng, though not as potent as purple lingzhi, is gentle and long-lasting, making it ideal for increasing proficiency in health-preserving exercises.

A warm current rises from the abdomen and flows into the lower abdomen, specifically the dantian.

[Proficiency in Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Exercise +1]

【…

.】

【Nourishing Life and Strengthening Vitality Exercise (Small Completion 12013/12500)】

"It's almost done. We're just one step away from mastery."

Su Yang was filled with anticipation. Looking out the window, he muttered to himself, "This morning, I still need to get some genuine hemp paper and tell Chen Wenyuan to copy Fei Jianhua's incriminating evidence."

The next day.

early morning.

The first to notice the anomaly were the night watchman who got up early to sweep the streets and the old farmer who carried the first load of vegetables into the city.

"Huh? What's that pasted on the gate of the Huang residence?"

"Red paper with black characters, and blood-red lettering at the beginning—"

A gasp shattered the morning's tranquility.

Soon, groups of people gathered around, pointing and whispering about the glaring charges against the vermilion gate of the Huang residence. The murmurs grew louder and more boisterous.

Someone who couldn't read was anxiously asking others, "What's written? What's written? What did Manager Fei do wrong?"

The literate man gasped and read in a low voice: "The giant parasite Fei Jianhua, who embezzled public funds, sold banned drugs, and trafficked children!"

This is an outrage against Heaven! On the fifteenth day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year of the Daye era, eight hundred taels of silver were embezzled from the government treasury to purchase twenty-year-old ginseng for private sale. On the ninth day of the first month, twenty packets of "Five Watches Bewitching Powder" were purchased from the "Ghost Market" in the south of the city. Accounts related to the "Happy Forest" brokerage firm are suspected of involving the purchase of young children.

"Five-Watching Bewitching Powder? Isn't that a cheap trick used by con artists?"

"Happy Forest Dental Clinic? Isn't that a shady den that specializes in—that kind of business? Damn it! Fei Jianhua actually—"

"Tsk tsk, they always look so respectable, I never imagined they were so wicked behind the scenes!"

"With a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks, short and sleazy, he looks like a no-good guy!"

"How did such a thing come from the Huang family?"

The news spread like wildfire, as if it had grown wings.

Not only the main gate of the Huang Mansion, but also the walls at the three main intersections leading to the Huang Mansion, as well as the bulletin board at the busiest morning market in the city, were covered with similar and strongly worded "evidence of crimes".

The large characters written in cinnabar looked like bloody wounds in the morning light, shocking to the eye.

Around noon.

Ruifeng Cloth Shop, inside Su Yang's room.

The man with the left forked leg burst through the door, his face ashen, his voice trembling: "Squad leader! Steward Fei is finished! Posters are plastered all over the city, and the officials dragged him away like a dead dog!"

Su Yang was drinking ginseng soup and didn't even lift his eyelids when he heard this.

[Proficiency in the Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Exercise +1!]

The soup dissolved, a warm current surged in my lower abdomen, and the screen in my mind flickered.

He put down the bowl before raising his eyes, his tone flat: "The cycle of nature has saved me some trouble."

The man with three toes on his left trembled violently on the ground, his mind reeling with shock: It really was the squad leader! And this was just a "convenient" tactic?!

Su Yang stopped there, his tone turning icy and sharp: "Now that Fei Jianhua has been arrested, are you thinking you can get away with defaulting on the debt?"

The man with three left feet suddenly looked up, his face filled with terror.

"stupid."

Su Yang's words were as cold as ice: "The debt contract is now stolen property of the government, evidence of the Huang family, and a noose for the remaining accomplices. What you thought was liberation is actually a death warrant!"

The man with the left hand was drenched in cold sweat, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Su Yang stood up, walked to him, and said in a voice as deep as iron, "I have never broken my promises. The debt contract, whether it's in the yamen's treasury or a secret compartment in the Huang residence, will ultimately end up in your hands. The settlement allowance and the two acres of land—you'll receive them all!"

The man with the left forearm froze, then collapsed completely, banging his head on the ground, tears streaming down his face: "Master! My life is yours! I would die a thousand deaths for you! If I have any disloyal thoughts, may I be struck down by heaven and earth!!"

"stand up."

Su Yang's tone softened slightly, then he changed the subject: "I have my own plans regarding the debts, deeds, and land. You have more important matters to attend to right now."

He walked to the window, looking in the direction of the Huang residence, and said clearly, "I want you to keep a close eye on Zhao Liu, and everyone who has connections with Fei Jianhua or has old grudges against him. See if they panic, hide, are secretly pleased, or are trying to take advantage of the chaos."

The man with the left forehand suddenly focused his gaze.

"You're a textile worker," Su Yang added. "During the day, in the cloth shop, listen to your colleagues' casual conversations in the kitchen. When you pass by the Huang residence after work, pay attention to the neighborhood gossip and the movements of Zhao Liuchang. Remember, just look and listen, don't ask questions."

Memorizing the things you are responsible for and can clearly see is a great achievement.

"Yes! I understand!" The man with the three-pronged left straightened his back, a sharp glint in his eyes.

He felt reassured that he could handle the task.

The initial sense of bewilderment was immediately replaced by a heavy feeling of being entrusted with a great responsibility.

"This two taels of silver is for you to use for errands. Gather information, buy someone a drink, or get medicine for your mother. It's not much, but don't be stingy when it's necessary. If I find out you dare to use it for anything else—"

Su Yang said no more, turned around and took out a piece of silver weighing about two taels from under his pillow, placing it on the edge of the table.

"Thank you for your kindness, Master! I will make sure every penny is spent wisely and will never fail to repay your kindness!"

The man with the left foreleg stepped forward and bowed deeply.

After receiving a slight nod from Su Yang, he picked up the heavy silver ingot with both hands, clenched it tightly until his fingertips turned white, and carefully put it into the closest place to his body.

Go ahead. Be careful.

"yes!"

The man with the left foreleg bowed and withdrew, his steps much more steady than when he arrived.

"They probably can't find anything about Chen Wenyuan..."

""

Su Yang stood at the door, looking out the window, thinking to himself.

He bought the paper, pen, and ink for the poster from the black market. He wasn't sure if Huang Shiyun would investigate, but he was just doing it as a precaution.

Six o'clock in the evening.

The backyard of Ruifeng Cloth Shop.

Su Yang picked up the warm 15-year-old ginseng and chicken soup that Sun Wang had just brought over and drank it all in one gulp.

[Proficiency in the Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Exercise +1!]

[Proficiency in the Nourishing Life and Strengthening Qi Exercise +1!]

The panel indicator flashes smoothly.

He sat cross-legged, a tiger skin the size of a palm resting on his knees, his right hand constantly chopping with a wooden knife, and on the wall in front of him was a picture of a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

"Buzz!"

About fifteen minutes later, Su Yang's body suddenly trembled, and the panel in his mind flickered.

【Nourishing Life and Strengthening Vitality Exercise (Complete 1/62500)】

at the same time.

A surge of powerful internal energy appeared in the dantian and the eight extraordinary meridians, causing the dantian to expand violently as if being forcefully opened by an invisible hand.

The total amount of internal energy, which was originally like a surging river, more than doubled in the blink of an eye, and is still slowly increasing. If the internal energy at the minor completion stage was a raging river, it is now like a wide river surface after several rivers have flowed together, vast and turbulent, and unfathomable.

The more profound change lies in quality.

The internal energy within the dantian was now condensed into a substantial liquid, heavy and carrying immense vitality. With the slightest thought, this solidified power could instantly reach the fingertips, the ends of the hair, and even the finest pores of the skin.

Extremely precise control.

Su Yang could even clearly perceive every path of internal energy flowing through his meridians, and could precisely control every bit of internal energy he output. At this moment, if he were to pick up a feather, he could make it feel as heavy as a thousand pounds. If he were to lift a hundred-pound stone lock, he could do so with ease.

Endless life.

As his internal energy circulated, it subtly formed a self-sustaining cycle. While being consumed, it slowly recovered, and its endurance was vastly different from before.

"boom!"

The surging energy overflowed uncontrollably.

His robes fluttered and rustled without wind, billowing like a ball, while his full head of black hair flew up and danced wildly behind him.

The airflow in the room suddenly became chaotic!

The tables and chairs creaked and swayed, and the oil lamp flame was pushed about by the invisible air currents, finally going out with a "poof".

As darkness descended, Su Yang took a deep breath.

Focus your mind.

All the overflowing energy, like rivers flowing into the sea, was forcibly suppressed back into his body—this in itself was clear evidence of a leap in his control.

at the same time.

A massive flow of information flooded into my mind, revealing profound insights into the ultimate realm of cultivating life essence.

How to nourish and expand the meridians more effectively!

How to transform internal energy into a continuous source of vitality to accelerate the recovery from injuries.

How to perfectly attach internal energy to a weapon, and even—initially release it externally!

"The Nourishing Life and Strengthening Vitality Exercise—finally complete!"

Su Yang opened his eyes in the darkness.

His eyes flashed with a sharp light, like a cold star suddenly appearing, but it quickly subsided, returning to a gentle and peaceful state.

"Let's go out and see its power!"

Su Yang stood up, changed into dark-colored close-fitting clothes, wrapped the ring-pommel straight sword in cloth and carried it on his back. With a sway of his body, he naturally used the perfect level of Grass-Flying Lightness Skill. Like a wisp of light green smoke, he quietly flipped over the back wall of the cloth shop. With a few leaps, he disappeared into the night and headed straight out of the city.

West of Jingling City, there is a desolate river beach, with jagged rocks and a swift current.

Su Yang stood on a huge rock by the beach and took off his knife and cloth.

The ring-pommel straight sword gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

At the peak of his cultivation, Su Yang forcibly compressed and urged his vast and boundless internal energy to flow into the blade.

"Buzz!!"

The blade trembled and emitted a low hum as it was infused with internal energy.

Su Yang's eyes were sharp as a knife. He exhaled and slashed down at the rushing river in front of him with a simple yet powerful strike that embodied all his energy and spirit!

"laugh!!"

A condensed, semi-transparent, arc-shaped blade of energy, shaped like a crescent moon, shot out from the blade!

The blade energy pierced the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound like tearing silk, so fierce that it made one's scalp tingle!

"boom!!!"

The blade's energy sliced ​​into the river's surface, creating a white wave over ten feet high!

A straight chasm, about ten feet long and several feet deep, was cleaved open in the river! The water on both sides was pushed apart by the fierce force, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly closed up with a thunderous sound.

This strike already possesses the power to project internal energy outwards and injure the enemy from a distance!

Su Yang sheathed his sword, his heart surging with heroic spirit, and then turned his gaze to the rugged rocky area on the riverbank.

"If the sword is like this, what about footwork?"

With a thought, the perfected internal energy naturally flows to the meridians of the legs. The "Flying on Grass" lightness skill at the perfect level has become one with the breath without needing to be deliberately activated.

His body sank slightly, and the boulder beneath his feet cracked with a soft "crack," revealing several fine lines.

The next instant, the person had vanished from the spot.

Under the moonlight, a faint, wispy blue shadow swept across the dense, jagged rocks in an instant, leaving no trace. Its speed was so great that it left a barely perceptible afterimage behind it, as if three or four Su Yangs were simultaneously leaping lightly across the rocky peaks.

The three-zhang-wide river that he used to need to use to catch his breath when he was still a beginner was now like a shallow ditch in his eyes.

Qingying lightly stepped on the last rock on the beach, and her figure shot towards the opposite bank like an arrow, leaving only a very faint sound of wind breaking in the air.

When my toes touched the soft mud on the opposite bank, I didn't even leave a complete footprint, only a tiny, almost invisible indentation.

"Truly worthy of being called a master of internal energy!"

Su Yang stood with his hands behind his back on the opposite bank, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

At this moment, his aura was perfectly smooth and unobstructed, without any hindrance.

The Huang residence, study.

The lights were on, but they couldn't dispel the cold and oppressive atmosphere in the room.

Dressed in a brocade robe, Huang Shiyun sat in a grand chair, his knuckles tapping the sandalwood tabletop, the sound exceptionally clear in the deathly silence. His face showed no rage, only a bottomless, sinister aura.

Huang Chengzong, a trusted confidant, and Ye Jianhong, the steward, stood at attention with their hands at their sides, not daring to utter a sound.

The knocking stopped abruptly.

Huang Shiyun spoke, his voice hoarse like the grinding of gravel: "What is the origin of the papers pasted on the gate of my Huang residence? Which shop produced them? And what kind of ink is used? Examine each one for me."

He slightly raised his eyelids, his gaze sweeping across the night outside the window: "Were the men who patrolled last night blind or dead? Who was on duty last on the three streets outside the mansion? Drag them away and question them one by one. If you can't get anything out of them, then use torture."

Finally, his gaze fixed on Ye Jianhong, the steward of the inner palace, his chilling expression piercing the bone: "Fei Jianhua's filthy accounts, the times, the amounts, the witnesses, all written so clearly—there are traitors in this household. Don't miss a single one of those close to him, those who handled the accounts. Make Yang Yunxing cooperate with you!"

"Yes, sir!"

Ye Jianhong bowed and accepted the order, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead.

Huang Shiyun then slowly turned to Huang Chengzong, his tone becoming even colder: "Chengzong, go to the government office."

"Isn't Deacon Liu always complaining about being poor, saying he can't even afford to pay for the runners' shoe soles?"

He picked up his teacup and blew away non-existent tea foam: "Tell him that the Huang family understands his difficulties and is willing to donate a sum of money to the government treasury under the guise of a reward to assist in the investigation. Consider it as a way to buy the brothers a pair of shoes and moisten their throats."

At this point, he looked up at Huang Chengzong, his gaze sharp as needles: "But you must make him understand—this silver wasn't donated for nothing. Someone in Jingling has used such despicable means to break the rules, which is not only a slap in the face to the Huang family, but also to the incompetence of Steward Liu's administration. I want his men to mobilize; the official constables must patrol, and the spies must be deployed in secret. Official silver is respectable, and it can truly catch that rat—"

Huang Shih-yun put down his teacup and lightly tapped the table: "My Huang family will privately prepare three more substantial gifts as a token of our gratitude."

One copy was given to Deacon Liu personally, one to the capable brothers, and one to any江湖友 (jianghu friends) who could relay messages.

Huang Chengzong bowed deeply, understanding perfectly: "Your subordinate understands. I will certainly let Steward Liu know that this is a letter to him..."

A transparent deal that benefits both the government and the local community.

Two hours later, Ye Jianhong returned with news: "Master, it's been investigated. The paper is hemp paper, sold in three paper shops in Jingling City. The ink is ordinary pine soot ink, and there's no trace of it."

Which store sold it?

Huang Shiyun tapped his fingertips on the table: "Who is the buyer?"

"The shop assistant at Wenmozhai said that five days ago, a stranger bought thirty tickets at once, paid in cash, and left no message. His appearance was so bad that he wouldn't be recognized in a crowd."

"Thirty sheets of hemp paper —"

Huang Shiyun's eyes darkened: "Ordinary households can't afford this amount, but shops keep their own accounts for paper usage. Go and check who has recently lost paper or suddenly used more paper... Don't ask openly, have your subordinates go door-to-door under the guise of patrolling the streets to check for fire and prevent thieves, and sound them out."

Ye Jianhong accepted the order and left.

This investigation took up most of the day.

It wasn't until late at night that he stepped back into the study, his expression even more grave than when he left: "Master, we have results. Our men searched three streets and finally found out at the Zhang family's residence in the east of the city. Their old steward got drunk and complained that the storeroom had been robbed ten days ago, with two rolls of hemp paper and over twenty taels of loose silver stolen. The Zhang family felt ashamed and, fearing that reporting it to the authorities would only cause trouble, kept quiet, treating it as just a petty thief."

The study suddenly fell silent.

The knocking stopped.

"The stolen paper—"

Huang Shiyun slowly exhaled, but a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Good, you're quite meticulous. The thread is here, so it's broken."

He stood up and walked to the window: "Using dirty paper, ordinary ink, choosing the right time, and knowing how to patrol—this is not a dragon crossing the river from outside, but a venomous snake hiding in Jingling City that knows the rules."

As he turned, a cold, razor-sharp glint appeared in his eyes: "Keep digging. Who has Fei Jianhua recently argued with?"

Whose way have I been blocking?

"besides."

He lowered his voice even further, each word like iron: "Everyone in the manor who has ever been associated with Fei Jianhua, especially those who know about his outside business, is to be kept under close surveillance. Anyone who dares to run away, anyone who suddenly causes trouble, anyone who does something dishonest—don't even bother telling me, just subdue them."

"yes!"

Ye Jianhong responded solemnly and quickly stepped back.

Huang Shiyun was alone in the study. He stood by the window, muttering to himself, shadows slanting across half his face, his eyes surging with murderous intent: "You have to consider the owner before you beat a dog! Dare to touch the Huang family, and I'll make you regret ever being born!"

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