Chapter 8 - 7: What I Seek Is Clarity of Thought

Chapter 8: Chapter 7: What I Seek Is Clarity of ThoughtMeat-eaters are brave and fierce. For martial artists who had yet to formally step onto the path, meat was a crucial cultivation resource! Only by consuming meat could one rapidly strengthen their Qi Blood. Jiang Shu had realized this when he first began practicing the Horse Stance. After reaching the Qi Blood Sensing realm, his fondness for meat intensified; devouring over ten large meat buns each morning merely took the edge off his hunger. Fortunately, he was in Xuanxing. If he had been in Pingling County, with its scarce meat resources in the outer city, he might have only just achieved entry-level proficiency in the Horse Stance by now! Even he, with his proficiency panel, faced such challenges—let alone the others in the outer city! It could be said that in the outer city of Pingling County, only gang leaders typically had the backing of prominent families. This support allowed them to mobilize a gang’s resources for their personal Martial Arts training. Other martial artists had little choice but to venture into the inner city and serve these major households to obtain sufficient meat! Therefore, within the entire Green Snake Gang, the only individual Jiang Shu truly needed to be wary of was its Gang Leader. The Hall Masters and other high-ranking members beneath the Gang Leader, despite some being martial artists who had reached Qi Blood Transport, were largely powerful in name only. Their once surging Qi Blood had likely been squandered through indulgence in wine and women. As for the common gang members, they were likely physically weaker than even the manual laborers at the docks. They swaggered about, abusing their gang affiliation, yet in reality, their stances were unstable and their punches lacked force. Could such scum withstand even a few punches from him? Jiang Shu, his face masked, moved with deliberate steps, each one building his momentum, envisioning himself as a hungry tiger emerging from its lair. In his previous life, he had died at thirty, consumed by a profound obsession with achieving immortality. Yet, he knew better now. Immortality was merely the objective; without the power to defend oneself—to kill—an immortal being was but a fattened lamb ripe for slaughter. Tortoises are known for their longevity. But how many tortoises sold in the marketplace actually live out their long lives? Only by relying on one’s own inherent power and capabilities, independent of external aids, could true longevity be pursued! 「Bicao Lane.」 A notorious place of debauchery at the junction of the three gangs in the outer city of Pingling County. Even before he drew near, lustful moans from the small shacks ahead accosted his ears, insistent as buzzing mosquitoes. These sounds, like water dropped into hot oil, instantly roiled his Qi Blood. Jiang Shu frowned. He genuinely hadn’t anticipated his current body would react so intensely. Indeed, Qi Blood Sensing was, after all, just sensing. At this realm, a martial artist’s Qi Blood was potent, making them particularly susceptible to the allure of wine and women. If their willpower was weak, indulging in such pleasures could halt their progress in Martial Arts. In severe cases, their Qi Blood could deteriorate, reducing their strength to that of an ordinary person. Only upon reaching the Qi Blood Transport realm, enabling them to circulate Qi Blood throughout their entire body, could a martial artist begin to effectively resist these inner fires of desire. As long as they weren’t perpetually entangled in debauchery, they could circulate their Qi Blood to regain their composure and adjust their state. Taking two deep breaths, Jiang Shu suddenly looked towards the entrance of the lane. At the lane’s entrance, several women in cheap, padded jackets and garish makeup leaned against doorways, beckoning passersby. Their skin was coarse and somewhat dark, their supposedly voluptuous figures unable to hide an undeniable sag. In the Da Jing Dynasty, commoners married young and bore children early. Thus, the youngest prostitutes plying their trade in Bicao Lane were already in their twenties. It was anyone’s guess how many children they had already borne. As for the older, more seasoned courtesans, they likely had grandchildren in droves. Truly, once you saw their faces, even the most alluring voices instantly lost their charm. Jiang Shu, a connoisseur of beauty to a fault, snorted disdainfully and stepped into Bicao Lane. The third shack from the end, nestled in the deepest part of the lane. Zhao Tai certainly knew how to pick his spots. 「The You hour—the busiest time for business in Bicao Lane.」 Within the lane, not many prostitutes loitered outside their doors. Instead, groups of gang members ambled in from connecting alleys, clutching wine jugs, their belches reeking of stale alcohol. "Say, if these Bicao Lane women are so spirited, why’s Hall Master Zheng still into those pretty boys?" "Who the hell knows? Lucky I’m built like a brick shithouse. If Hall Master Zheng took a shine to me, what would I even do?" "Him fancying a big lug like you? That’d be perfect! Get in good with Hall Master Zheng, and you wouldn’t trade that for a minor boss position!" Jiang Shu maintained a steady pace, holding his breath slightly, his senses alert to his surroundings. To kill required strength, courage, and method. A clean escape afterward, however, depended entirely on prior preparation. 「In the depths of Bicao Lane, the third shack from the end.」 The door was ajar, and sounds drifted out from within. Jiang Shu stood at the doorway, his eyes like ice, listening to the lewd moans and the rhythmic creaking of the bed inside. After a minute or two, the sounds began to die down. "Master, you are truly incredible," the woman cooed. "This humble servant..." Zhao Tai panted, his laughter smug. "It should be about time, shouldn’t it? My associate will be here soon. Make sure you treat him well; he’s still a novice. By the way, I’ve run into a small problem. How do you think one can make a rookie willingly submit and come crawling?" "This humble servant doesn’t care if he’s a novice or not. I only have eyes for a man like you, Master." "Hahaha! This is important. Help me figure this out, and I’ll reward you handsomely. Come, get on top. Think while you... work." Satisfied grunts followed. Outside, Jiang Shu’s eyes narrowed. He kicked the door open violently. The lime powder, already prepared in his hand, scattered towards the two figures writhing on the bed. "Zhao Tai, die!" Jiang Shu roared. "Who?" Zhao Tai, assuming it was his associate, was caught completely off guard. Only when he heard his name did he sense danger. He tried to turn, forgetting the woman beneath him, her head still down. Instantly, an excruciating pain from a sharp bite seared through him. As he instinctively opened his eyes, the airborne lime powder stung them, an unbearable burning sensation flooding his vision. Zhao Tai’s heart hammered in his chest. He had no idea who he could have offended so grievously that they would try to kill him in a place like Bicao Lane. Normally, when he and his men were together, even if none were true martial artists, their numbers gave them power. They could bully the poor and displaced as they pleased. But now, he was alone. Lime stinging his eyes, the word ’die’ echoing in his ears. How could this not fill him with terror, with utter dread, making his courage evaporate! "AAH!" The plump prostitute, her head having been down, had avoided the lime powder to her eyes. She shrieked, blood smearing her lips, then quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, trembling violently on the bed. "Silence!" Jiang Shu whipped an electric baton from his back and flung it. It struck the prostitute squarely on the head. THWACK. "Mercy, kind sir! Spare me! I... I have thirty silver taels! I’ll buy my life!" Zhao Tai babbled, trembling at the sound of the woman’s cry. He couldn’t see his attacker, had no idea who it was. His legs felt like jelly; he wanted to flee but couldn’t even get up. He couldn’t recall offending anyone so dangerous. Surely, even if he had, thirty silver taels was enough to buy his life back, wasn’t it? However, he could never have imagined that his assailant cared nothing for silver. The man’s aura was overwhelming, his intent chillingly clear as a fist shot straight for Zhao Tai’s forehead, without a shred of hesitation. WHOOSH! By now, Jiang Shu could generate three hundred pounds of force with a single arm. Leveraging the momentum of his charge, the force behind his punch amplified severalfold. This single punch was the culmination of power he had been building since his training in the courtyard of the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School. He had practiced this strike thousands of times. All for this single, explosive strike, imbued with chilling killing intent! I, Jiang Shu, am killing today not for riches, but for the liberation of my will! Anyone who obstructs my path, my thoughts... Kill. Kill. KILL!