Translator: Myuu Editor: Myuu
“I was hiding amidst the rocks in the mountains just a few hundred meters away from the Blackwind Bandits. They were all wearing the same attire, so it was extremely difficult to differentiate between them. At first, I had no idea who their leader was so I didn’t make any moves against them. Instead, I quietly observed their movements until I discovered that one of them had been subtly giving nodding signals to a Blackwind Bandit. Then the second batch of Blackwind Bandits quickly approached the Hui Clan Gathering. Therefore, I decided to take a chance and shoot an arrow with that person as my target…”
Inside Sun Bingchen’s room at the inn, Yan Liqiang recounted the incident from last night to Sun Bingchen like a hero who had just returned.
Of course, his portrayal of the event had been adequately fabricated, but he still retained the original circumstances of the situation as much as he could without making a small slip. Even Sun Bingchen and Liang Yijie did not find any flaws as they continued listening.
Yan Liqiang did not mention that he was able to recognize Aligujin right away because he wouldn’t have been able to explain his reasoning anyway.
Sun Bingchen subtly nodded his head as he listened to Yan Liqiang speak. Indeed, it would be extremely difficult to make it this far if other people tried to do the same thing. However, with Yan Liqiang’s degree of eyesight and cautiousness, it was perfectly logical and reasonable for him to lock down the Blackwind Bandits’ leader through an imperceptible detail and alacrity. Moreover, this wasn’t the first time that Yan Liqiang had displayed his extraordinary observational skills. Sun Bingchen had already experienced it back when he was in Pingxi City.
After Yan Liqiang was done telling how he had disposed of Aligujin, he then brought up the next part of the story.
Yan Liqiang did not mention his own superb spiritual perception and perceptive ability because he felt that these abilities, along with the other related abilities to his Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing, were his trump cards. In consideration of that, he didn’t want to reveal them out that easily, which was why he only told them that he quietly followed those runaway Blackwind Bandits toward a plain that was several li away from the scene. He lost track of them in the end. Yet after all that, he surprisingly discovered that Goldie had been captured and locked inside a steel cage by those Shatu people. He followed them to a grassland in the mountain forest before discovering strange Shatu troops in the area.
The event that followed was the beginning of the sudden assault on the Sacred Flame’s priest by Mo Ziye and her senior martial brother from the Wise Ruler Sect. Yan Liqiang told Sun Bingchen and Liang Yijie exactly everything had happened, just omitting the conversation he had with Mo Ziye.
Due to the relationship between Sun Bingchen and the Wise Ruler Sect, Sun Bingchen would know about this matter sooner or later, thus Yan Liqiang did not feel the need to hide this from him. Moreover, Yan Liqiang believed that Mo Ziye would not disclose the conversation between the two of them even if she returned to the Wise Ruler Sect. Because of this, he decided not to reveal that certain fact. This was more like a tacit agreement between both parties.
Sun Bingchen and Liang Yijie did not expect that Yan Liqiang would still encounter such a thing. Since the recount was so thrilling, both of them continued to listen intently to Yan Liqiang. As Liang Yijie listened to the story, his eyes sparkled while Sun Bingchen’s eyebrows were raised.
“The ending is just like that. After I managed to help the female disciple named Mo Ziye from the Wise Ruler Sect by burying her senior martial brother, she said she was going to join the other senior and junior martial brothers at the Wise Ruler Sect. Meanwhile, I took Goldie who was injured and came back here…”
After Yan Liqiang was done talking, he picked up the teacup in front of him on the table and drank every ounce of water in one shot.
Sun Bingchen caressed his beard and softly muttered something before he stood up to search for the parcel inside the room for a stainless jade bottle. He then took out it out and handed it over to Yan Liqiang. “This Earthworm Herbal Cream is an imperial healing medication that His Majesty gave me before I left the Imperial Capital. It works miraculously on various kinds of internal and external injuries. You have worked hard for the night, Liqiang. Go have a rest first and take care of the wounds on your body…”
“Sir, I have a feeling that the collusion between the Shatu Alliance’s Sacred Flame and the Blackwind Bandits isn’t as simple as it seems…” Yan Liqiang tried to inquire about the matter.
“I know, it is indeed complex!” Sun Bingchen nodded his head. His expression was calm as he continued, “However, the Blackwind Bandits will be taking a breather for a little while after having gone through this fight. We still have to stay in the Hui Clan Gathering for two days to recover. You will do the same too, Liqiang. Remember, if you encounter such a thing next time, don’t take such risks…”
When Yan Liqiang saw Sun Bingchen’s reluctance to provide an explanation, he could only let out a helpless sigh in his heart before he took the bottle of imperial healing medicine that Sun Bingchen had given to him and leave the room with complicated feelings…
Liang Yijie followed him out of Sun Bingchen’s room and gave a meaningful pat on Yan Liqiang’s shoulder, “Take care of your recuperation. With your capabilities, you will definitely have the chance to shine once we get back to the Imperial Capital!”
Yan Liqiang replied with a sincere smile. “As long as we reach the Imperial Capital safe and sound, I’m satisfied with just seeing the world with Lord Sun!”
“I have already asked the inn to make something for you to eat. Eat first and then get some good rest. You don’t have to worry about anything for these two days. I believe the Blackwind Bandits will not have the guts to come again. If anything happens, just let the other guards in the troops handle it!”
“Alright!”
……
After parting ways with Liang Yijie, Yan Liqiang went straight to the dining area of the inn. Under the accommodating care of a few waiters at the inn, he was able to enjoy a warm meal.
There wasn’t a large variety of dishes. They had mutton, mutton soup, cooked rice, and a bit of salted vegetables.
Yan Liqiang had used up almost all of his physical strength last night, causing his body to become slightly weak. It was only when he saw these dishes that his entire body began to crave food. Without hesitating, he quickly cleared the dishes on the table all by himself.
Yan Liqiang only finally felt rather full after having four jin of mutton, two jin of rice, and a big pot of mutton soup all by himself.
The waiters at the inn didn’t expect that Yan Liqiang could eat this much food. Altogether, they served the dishes to Yan Liqiang twice.
After he was done with his food, Yan Liqiang sensed that his body had finally recovered a little. He ordered the clerk to bring two pails of hot water to his room before taking one jin of mutton with him. He then proceeded to the firewood pile near the kitchen in the courtyard to find two suitable pieces of firewood and returned to his room.
……
Goldie, whose leg was broken, lay quietly inside Yan Liqiang’s room, looking somewhat lethargic. Yan Liqiang brought some mutton for Goldie to eat first before taking Goldie into his arms and removing the cloth wrapped around its broken leg. After he was able to find a small knife, he meticulously shaved the fur surrounding the broken leg. He took out the bottle of imperial-made Earthworm Herbal Cream that Sun Bingchen had given to him and took a whiff of it. Carefully, he applied a layer of cream on Goldie’s broken leg and used a clean cloth to wrap it up again. He then used the small knife to trim two pieces of firewood, making them into two small splints that were suitable for Goldie’s leg. After he attentively bandaged up Goldie’s broken leg, he clapped his hands together and let out a sigh of relief.
“How do you feel now? Is it any better…”
Goldie whimpered for a while and passionately licked Yan Liqiang’s hand.
“You shouldn’t go anywhere or do anything for these two days. Let’s wait until you’ve healed up…”
Goldie actually gave him a nod, as if it understood what Liqiang was saying to it.
Just then, there was a sound at Yan Liqiang’s door. The clerk of the inn shouted from outside, “Dear patron, the hot water you’ve requested is here…”
Yan Liqiang rubbed Goldie’s head and placed him on the ground. He then went over to open the door, allowing the clerk to bring in the two buckets of hot water into his room. After closing the door, he took off his clothes and stood inside his room to scrub himself.
In a place like the Hui Clan Gathering, this would essentially be considered as taking a bath.
After he was done, he changed into a set of clean clothes and footwear. Even though the wounds on his body had yet to recover, Yan Liqiang finally felt revitalized.
It was now the afternoon, probably a little before one o’clock. Everyone in Sun Bingchen’s troop knew that Yan Liqiang had worked hard last night and required rest, so they didn’t bother him. The inn was fairly quiet as well.
Yan Liqiang didn’t have anything to do either. He decided to take an afternoon nap in his room so that he could regain his strength.
After two hours, Yan Liqiang got up and worked out. Afterward, he began the cultivation of Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing.
Everything was as what Yan Liqiang had speculated.
During yesterday’s midnight, he was so exhausted that he felt like his legs were going to be crippled. He also felt like his lungs would burst at any moment and that he was about to vomit blood. When he began the Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing and entered his cultivation state, Yan Liqiang felt the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth entering his body and splitting into two directions. One went through the muscles and nerves in both of his legs, and the other went directly into his lungs…
His legs, which were somewhat limp and sore, felt comfortable again after receiving the nourishment of the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth. It was as if he had just undergone a perfect foot massage. His lungs were affected in the same way as well. The remnants of fatigue and discomfort from before vanished within just a moment of time. Yan Liqiang was able to gradually feel a new sense of strength emerging from both of his legs. His lungs felt like they had expanded as well…
Yan Liqiang could not remember how many times he had performed Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing. In any case, by the time he stopped and opened his eyes, the daylight that previously poured in through the window from outside had faded. Unknowingly, half a day had already passed by.
Yan Liqiang’s eyes shone when he felt the newfound strength in his legs and his breathing becoming easier. He felt slightly excited at this new sensation. It was only at this time that Yan Liqiang could confirm that the Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing was more effective after cultivating it again when his body was completely exhausted. Overall, the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth allowed his body to become more powerful…
That extraordinarily terrifying strength…
That extra quick speed and reaction time…
As long as he was able to endure the pain, this rare and unexpected thing that ordinary people would have a hard time imagining or obtaining through their cultivation was already beckoning itself to Yan Liqiang.
On that note, Yan Liqiang was inspired by an idea that suddenly struck his heart…
Since the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth could strengthen specific parts and organs of the body that were exhausted through the Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing, was it possible to enhance his vision after exhausting it as well?
If his vision became even more powerful, then…
Yan Liqiang suddenly jumped up because he had already thought of a way to test it out…
