Chapter 43: Making a Scene

Early morning.

The sky was just beginning to dawn.

Lin Zheyu rose early, sitting cross-legged on his bed to practice the Great Turtle Breathing Technique.

Now that his strength had reached the Blood Qi Realm, he could resume his cultivation of the technique.

Through his recent practice, he had discovered that the efficiency of the Great Turtle Breathing Technique was much higher immediately after waking up in the early morning.

This was related to the changes in metabolism that occur upon waking after a night of sleep.

When a person is in deep sleep, their metabolism and blood qi activity drop to their lowest points, which is somewhat similar to the state achieved through the Great Turtle Breathing Technique.

Perceiving the natural changes of the human body allowed him to better comprehend the profound mysteries of the technique.

After practicing for an hour, Lin Zheyu went out for a stroll.

On the streets of Songyi City.

The roads were much quieter than usual.

If not for the occasional passing groups of refugees entering the city and bringing a flicker of vitality, Songyi City would have become deathly still.

In the afternoon.

At the Bidan Teahouse.

Lin Zheyu and his companions gathered here every day.

"Have you heard? Zhou Jiang is dead," Xie Jiang said.

"What? He was so strong, how could he die!"

Jia Yanyong exclaimed, his eyes filled with shock. "Could it be that a powerful martial artist has appeared among the bandits?"

Zhou Jiang was a member of the Flying Rainbow Gang, and his strength had reached the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, making him stronger than Jia Yanyong and the others.

He was a combat fanatic who fought with extreme ferocity.

"The Baishi Mountain mining area was forcibly attacked by a group of bandits. A conflict broke out, and three people died. Two of them were just guys who only knew basic brawling moves."

"Zhou Jiang was very strong, but he got carried away in the heat of battle and charged into the center of the bandit encirclement. The others couldn't provide timely assistance; he was overwhelmed by numbers and beaten to death," Xie Jiang said, his eyes fixed intently on Jia Yanyong.

Hearing this, Lin Zheyu and Ning Hui also turned their heads in unison to look at Jia Yanyong.

In Zhou Jiang, they saw a glimpse of Jia Yanyong's potential future.

"Hey, hey, why are you all looking at me like that?"

"I'm not that kind of lunatic who fights without regard for his own life," Jia Yanyong muttered, feeling a chill run down his spine under their gaze.

"No, you are," the others said in unison.

Jia Yanyong: "..."

"Do you think Gang Leader Xu will mobilize men to provide support?" Ning Hui asked.

"It hasn't reached that level yet."

"However, bandits are rising all over the outskirts of the city, and other places are also under attack. It's possible they might send us to support elsewhere," Xie Jiang said.

This fellow loved to gossip and was extremely well-informed.

Lin Zheyu focused solely on martial arts, Jia Yanyong cared nothing for such things, and Ning Hui was addicted to wine and women, leaving him in the dark.

Therefore, they gathered every day to listen to the gossip Xie Jiang brought.

"Brother Lin, if we are truly deployed for support, we should be in the same squad. When that time comes, my life will be in your hands," Xie Jiang said, looking at Lin Zheyu.

"Brother Jiang, you're being too polite. Just call me by my name; there's no need for 'Brother Lin'," Lin Zheyu said, somewhat speechless.

It felt awkward to be called "Brother Lin" by someone older than himself.

"Don't scholars say that 'the one who reaches the goal becomes the teacher'?"

"Your strength is much greater than ours; calling you 'Brother Lin' is nothing. If I weren't so embarrassed, I'd want to call you Brother Yu," Xie Jiang chuckled.

Lin Zheyu rolled his eyes at him.

After getting to know them, he had discovered Xie Jiang's true personality.

Unlike Jia Yanyong's recklessness and lack of intellect, this guy often had clever little ideas, though he was somewhat thick-skinned.

Amidst their idle chatter, the storytelling began.

The storyteller was an old gentleman with great depth; his skills were leagues ahead of Lin Zheyu's.

The customers listened with great interest.

"That fat man Xing has changed his ways; he's actually come to listen to stories," Ning Hui curled his lip, gesturing toward a nearby table.

The group looked over and saw the familiar figure.

"The fat guy is definitely here to pick a fight again."

"He failed to cause trouble last time, so he's brought quite a crowd this time," Jia Yanyong said.

It didn't need much thought to know what Xing the Fat was up to.

That young master was no match for storytelling; he spent his days fighting, gambling, and chasing women.

Seeing Xing Jinglong, Lin Zheyu's brow furrowed.

He felt that Xing Jinglong was coming specifically for him.

*Just don't let me find an opportunity, or I'll beat you to death,* Lin Zheyu thought privately as he watched Xing Jinglong from a distance.

He wanted to crush anyone who harbored ill intentions toward him.

The feeling of being targeted was unpleasant; he had to remain constantly vigilant to prevent being ambushed.

After returning from outside the city last time, Lin Zheyu had set up a concealed bed in the kitchen and had been sleeping there every night.

...

The storyteller spoke eloquently on stage, and the audience below listened intently.

*Bang!*

Suddenly, Xing Jinglong slammed his hand down with an extremely loud sound.

The entire teahouse fell silent instantly.

"What kind of garbage is this?"

"You dare bring out a story like this? Get off the stage!"

He looked at the storyteller with disdain, his face fierce and menacing, causing the storyteller to break into a cold sweat.

"Damn it, I'll go deal with him!"

Jia Yanyong stood up and slammed the table in anger.

He was naturally a man of action rather than intellect, and his temper flared easily.

Provoked by Xing's words, he was ready to fight.

"Ignore him."

"That guy is intentionally causing trouble just to provoke you."

"Look at the people sitting beside him. One of them is an expert at the Viscera Refining stage. If we fight, we'll be the ones at a disadvantage," Lin Zheyu said, pressing a hand on Jia Yanyong's shoulder, not wanting to reveal his strength by fighting.

His perception was extremely sharp, far surpassing that of an ordinary Blood Qi Realm expert.

Without an active test, it was difficult for a Blood Qi Realm expert to discern whether a martial artist was at the Viscera Refining or Bone Forging stage.

Viscera Refining and Bone Forging both focus on tempering the internal tissues of the body, and the improvement to one's spirit and essence is not always obvious.

Some people who reached the Viscera Refining stage might not even look as robust or imposing as Bone Forging Realm martial artists.

However, after Lin Zheyu had practiced the Great Turtle Breathing Technique to the third level, his control over his body had reached a terrifying degree.

By observing certain physical details, he could identify an opponent's level of strength.

"Even a Viscera Refining expert has come along. Is this guy trying to spark a war between two gangs?" Xie Jiang said in shock.

While their gangs brawled frequently, they always kept things within limits in the city; battles at the Viscera Refining stage had never occurred.

A Viscera Refining martial artist was considered a top-tier expert in Songyi City; if they fought, it would mean the two gangs had officially declared war.

"How do you know there's a Viscera Refining expert hiding in there?" Jia Yanyong asked, quickly sitting back down in confusion.

"I saw that man when I was with Senior Brother Han. He is very strong, nearly at the peak of the Viscera Refining stage," Lin Zheyu made up an excuse, subtly pointing toward the middle-aged man sitting beside Xing Jinglong.

The man was around forty years old, with a small mustache and an ordinary face that looked quite unremarkable.

"Despicable fellow."

"I'll send someone to call Lord Qiu over and see if they still dare to be so insolent!" Xie Jiang said angrily, summoning a subordinate to fetch help.

...

Xing Jinglong glanced toward Jia Yanyong and the others out of the corner of his eye. Seeing Jia Yanyong stand up, a triumphant smile played on his lips.

But soon, his expression turned sour.

Lin Zheyu had pulled Jia Yanyong back down.

"This kid is a coward. He can actually endure being provoked like that?" Xing Jinglong cursed inwardly.

He had been extremely frustrated after letting Lin Zheyu escape last time.

In the city, he couldn't openly attack, otherwise, it would easily trigger a conflict between two families.

However, after finding a reason to provoke someone, he could still give them a beating.

In the middle of a fight, isn't it normal to accidentally break a few limbs? As long as no one died in the city, it wouldn't be a major problem.

"Since you don't plan to step up, then I'll just keep making trouble until I ruin this shop's business," Xing Jinglong sneered coldly.

Wasn't Lin Zheyu rumored to be someone who repays kindness? He wanted to see if the boy would still endure this.

He picked up a plate from the table and hurled it toward the storytelling platform.

*Crash!*

The plate hit the wall behind the platform and shattered into pieces.

Seeing this, the old storyteller turned pale with fear and quickly scrambled off the stage.

...

(End of Chapter)