Chapter 45: Conflict (A Crucial Day for Testing the Waters)

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Inside the small courtyard, the sound of stones hitting the wall rang out one after another.

Chen Pingan stood inside the house, continuously throwing Flying Locust Stones. A full two days had passed since he reached the entry level of the Flying Locust Stone technique; today was the third day.

+1!

As a familiar experience symbol surfaced, Chen Pingan ceased his morning practice.

His eyes flickered slightly, and a panel appeared before him.

Name: Chen Pingan Realm: Blood Qi Second Layer (Consummate) Martial Arts: Iron Cloth (Consummate), Flying Locust Stone (Entry) (12/15)

"Only 3 points of cultivation experience left! I can reach the Small Success stage of the Flying Locust Stone by tonight!"

Chen Pingan felt a surge of excitement.

According to his deductions, once the Flying Locust Stone reached the Small Success stage, the blood qi surging within his body would be enough to push his realm to the third layer of Blood Qi.

The third layer of Blood Qi!

If he could successfully enter this realm, he would become a figure of some standing within the vast Nanquan Lane.

In the smaller gangs within Nanquan Lane, a deputy leader was typically only at the third layer of Blood Qi.

In a more powerful gang like the Tiger Head Gang, the third layer was enough to become a high-level member.

The Tiger Head Gang consisted of the leader Tiger Lord and Qing Lord—one official and one deputy leader—along with three renowned Great Protectors. In the middle, seven great captains served as the backbone, and below them were hundreds of gang members as fierce as wolves and tigers.

Among the three Great Protectors of the Tiger Head Gang, Little Tiger Lord was the weakest because he was the adopted son of the leader, Tiger Lord, and a key focus of the gang's cultivation. Aside from his Blood Qi second layer (consummate) cultivation, the other two Great Protectors were both at the third layer of Blood Qi.

According to information from the Nanquan Lane Zhenfusi (Pacification Office), the deputy leader, Qing Lord, was suspected to be at the third layer of Blood Qi (consummate). As for the leader, Tiger Lord, he had been a Blood Qi fourth-layer martial arts expert in his prime. However, in recent years, due to old age and declining strength, his power was likely no longer at its peak, being only slightly stronger than an average third-layer (consummate) expert.

"The third layer of Blood Qi is enough to command the respect of the Tiger Head Gang! Unfortunately, my strength cannot be revealed; I must keep it hidden."

Chen Pingan’s heart burned with anticipation. If the third layer could command respect, what about the fourth?

That would likely make the Tiger Head Gang exhaust all their efforts to curry favor and flatter him!

Carrying his hopes for the future, Chen Pingan finished breakfast with Chen Erya and headed to the Nanquan Lane Zhenfusi for duty.

The Nanquan Lane Zhenfusi remained the same: a pre-shift meeting, a briefing from the head officer, and then patrolling the streets according to assigned locations.

Dressed in their official black constable uniforms, the group walked through the streets with a certain sense of prestige.

With the banter and idle chatter from Houtou and Dashan, Chen Pingan’s day passed without a hint of boredom.

Once off duty, Chen Pingan headed straight home.

"I wonder what Nannuo is cooking today?"

On his way home, Chen Pingan thought to himself.

After a day of physical exertion, he was already famished. Turning a corner, Chen Pingan saw his courtyard gate standing wide open from a distance.

Huh!?

Chen Pingan’s pupils shrank violently.

There were people in the courtyard! And several of them! Who were they?

Chen Pingan’s expression darkened. He quickened his pace and ran straight toward the house.

"Little girl, don't be ungrateful! If you don't hand it over, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The speaker was Liu'er, a thug and confidant of the Tiger Head Gang's Little Tiger Lord. He wore a ferocious expression as he glared at the young girl nearby. Behind him stood two thug lackeys, also wearing malicious looks.

"The neighbor auntie said the Tiger Head Gang's monthly fee is based on headcount. One silver coin for an able-bodied man, half a silver coin for an able-bodied woman, and twenty small coins for the elderly and children. There are only two of us in this house, my brother and me. The monthly fee should only be one hundred and twenty small coins. Why are you asking for two silver coins?"

A trace of fear was on Chen Erya's face, but she still stared stubbornly at the men before her, her hands tightly clutching a black cloth bag.

"The rules of my Tiger Head Gang have never changed! We never collect a monthly fee lower than two silver coins! There are only two of you in this house—do you expect me, Lord Liu, to make up the difference for you!? Speak! Are you paying or not!?"

Liu'er stepped closer to Chen Erya.

"I won't pay two silver coins!" the little girl said stubbornly.

"Fine, you won't, will you!?"

Liu'er turned around, grabbed the table, and shoved it to the ground.

The table had been full of food. With the shove, bowls and chopsticks fell, and soup spilled everywhere, leaving a chaotic mess.

Looking at the mess in the courtyard, Liu'er felt a sense of satisfaction.

"No one refuses to pay the Tiger Head Gang's monthly fee!"

With that, he reached out to snatch the black cloth bag from Chen Erya's hands. However, he hadn't expected the thin little girl to be gripping it so tightly; his grab failed, and instead, he ended up pulling the girl toward him.

Hardening his heart, he exerted sudden force, shoving Chen Erya away, and the black cloth bag fell into his hands.

Liu'er had reached the entry level of martial arts, so his strength was naturally not small. Chen Erya was pushed to the ground, and as she scraped against the uneven stones, the skin on her arm broke, and blood began to flow.

However, the little girl ignored the injury. She looked at Liu'er and screamed, "Give the silver back to me!"

"This little girl is quite stubborn, huh? Hahaha, interesting," the two lackeys laughed loudly.

"Interesting indeed," Liu'er sneered. "Little girl, are you choosing money over your life?"

He stepped forward and grabbed Chen Erya by her clothes, intending to give her a beating to vent his anger, when a furious shout erupted from outside the courtyard.

"Let her go!"

Chen Pingan was incredibly fast. He burst into the courtyard, bypassed the two lackeys, and grabbed Liu'er's arm.

"Let go!" Chen Pingan stared coldly at Liu'er.

"Brother..." Chen Erya felt as if she had found her anchor.

"Nannuo, don't be afraid." Chen Pingan comforted her, but the coldness in his eyes did not waver. He looked at Liu'er, his voice as cold as frost.

"Article 178 of the Great Qian Law: Those who break into a home and commit violence shall be sentenced to thirty strokes and five years in prison!"

"If there are casualties, the perpetrator shall be sentenced to one hundred strokes and twenty years in prison!"

Chen Pingan's voice rang in Liu'er's ear.

"Chen Pingan, you're trying to pressure me with the Great Qian Law!?"

Liu'er raised his voice loudly, attempting to suppress Chen Pingan with sheer intimidation.

"If the actions cause irreparable circumstances..." Chen Pingan ignored the thug, speaking one word at a time.

"Death by strokes!"

"Death by strokes!? Ridiculous! My Tiger Head Gang is just collecting the monthly fee normally. How does that involve death by strokes? Death by strokes?! Just because of you?"

"Because of the Great Qian Law! Because of the Zhenfusi!"

Chen Pingan stared intensely at Liu'er. It had to be said that Chen Pingan possessed a natural aura at this moment; for a moment, Liu'er actually felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

"The Zhenfusi! The Zhenfusi! What are you, just a temporary constable, to threaten me with the Zhenfusi?"

"If you don't believe me, you can try," Chen Pingan said calmly.

Looking at the expressionless Chen Pingan, Liu'er seemed to realize something and released his grip on Chen Erya's clothes.

"Screw this! I don't have time for this!"

He glanced at the black cloth bag in his hand and then surveyed the surroundings.

"Consider yourselves lucky today! We're leaving!"

"Lord Liu?"

The two lackeys were confused; they thought they were going to teach the kid a lesson. They hadn't expected Lord Liu to prepare to leave.

"Let's go."

With a dark expression, Liu'er walked straight out of Chen Pingan's courtyard.

Seeing this, the two lackeys followed. Before leaving, one of the thugs gave Chen Pingan a vicious glare.