Chapter 136: Dragon Tiger Power Pill

Chapter 136: Dragon Tiger Power Pill

At the riverside of Luoshui County.

After Yang Kai left, Jiang Li also made his way to the East Courtyard.

With the commotion that had just occurred in the courtyard, Jiang Li naturally heard it during the quiet late-night hours.

After calming Liu Wanwan, he hurried over with a bright blade in his left hand.

Stepping into the courtyard where Jiang Ning was located.

He smelled the lingering blood in the air and saw Jiang Ning standing in place.

"Younger brother, what happened just now?"

Jiang Ning replied, "Big brother, don't worry. Tonight, there were two thieves who sneaked in, but I scared them away."

"Are you injured, younger brother?"

"No!" Jiang Ning shook his head and reassured him, "Big brother, don't worry. With my current strength, ordinary people can't pose a threat to me."

"Big brother, you should go back first! Go and comfort your sister-in-law so she won't worry."

Jiang Li looked at Jiang Ning seriously once more, then glanced around at the changes in the surroundings.

With his years of experience as a constable, he noticed some things and felt completely relieved.

"Since younger brother is fine, I'll head back first!"

At the stroke of dawn.

In the outskirts of Luoshui County.

Knock knock knock—

A series of knocks sounded.

"What's the matter?"

"Master, something big has happened. Shopkeeper Yang is waiting for you outside!"

A moment later.

The candles inside the house were lit, and the bright light shone through the window lattice into the courtyard.

The next moment.

Creak—

The door opened.

An old, skinny man appeared before the servant outside.

The old man had a slightly hunched back, and his silver hair shone under the bright moonlight.

As he fastened his belt, he said, "What exactly happened? Why would Yang Kai come to see me in the middle of the night?"

"I don't know the details, but I saw the body of Qiu Dazhangpu," the servant replied truthfully.

"What?" The old man's hands trembled involuntarily.

Then he said, "Take me there quickly!"

He didn't even have time to properly fasten his belt; he hastily tied it and set off.

Arriving at the backyard of the manor.

As soon as the old man stepped into the courtyard, he smelled blood.

He also saw Yang Kai standing there, and the corpse at Yang Kai's feet.

"Gong Lao!" Upon seeing the old man, Yang Kai quickly bowed.

"Forget about these formalities!" The old man waved his hand and asked, "Yang Kai, what exactly happened?"

Hearing this, Yang Kai began to recount the events of the day.

On his way here, he had already decided to tell the truth.

As for the decision the Blacksmith Shop should make, it would depend on Gong Lao's understanding of the situation.

After all, the decades-long foundation of the Blacksmith Shop had mainly developed to this point due to Gong Lao's efforts.

A moment later.

After hearing Yang Kai's account, Gong Lao fell into deep thought.

After another moment.

He said, "Prepare some gifts. Tomorrow, I'll go with you to apologize."

"Apologize?" Yang Kai was a bit surprised.

"Hmm," Gong Lao nodded slowly. "Regardless of right or wrong, we can't offend that person! To learn martial arts for a few months and master blade techniques is unheard of."

"And in a certain aspect, we were indeed in the wrong. Qiu Shilong was at fault!"

"Since it's been given away, there's no reason to take it back!"

Gong Lao immediately made a decisive statement.

Hearing this, Yang Kai asked, "Then I'll go and prepare the gifts?"

"No need!" Gong Lao shook his head and continued, "I have a Dragon Tiger Power Pill here, which is perfect for a gift."

Then he turned to Yang Kai and said, "As for the Blacksmith Shop, with Qiu Shilong's death, you will be the new head, and the shop will be in your hands."

"Me?" Yang Kai hesitated, "Can I handle it?"

"You have to handle it! Currently, in the shop, you're the only one at the Eighth Rank Martial Dao, and no one else can take on this responsibility."

"That young man's future is limitless. You being the head is the best choice."

"Since Gong Lao trusts me so much, I'll do my best," Yang Kai said.

"Hmm," Gong Lao nodded and added, "Tomorrow, I'll go to the shop with you to make arrangements, and in the afternoon, we'll visit Jiang Ning's home."

"Yes, Gong Lao!" Yang Kai replied.

In the blink of an eye.

The next day.

[Invincible Body Experience +1]



[Invincible Body Experience +1]



[Invincible Body Experience +1]



.

As Jiang Ning felt the skin membrane reaching its limit, he finally stopped the refinement process.

[Skill]: Invincible Body (853/2000)



"Almost there! Not far from perfecting the skin refinement!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.

Then, he went to the side and picked up a bottle of Herb Essence, pouring it into his mouth.

A cool sensation slowly spread throughout his body, and he immediately felt his physical condition improve significantly.

Afterward, he sat in a shaded area, taking the opportunity to rest while also picking up a book and slowly flipping through it.

The growth of his literacy and knowledge was equally important in his eyes.

The daily increase in experience points for various skills had long become a habit for him, and watching his gradual improvement was like a sweet treat.

A moment later—

Footsteps approached.

"Uncle!" a voice sounded in Jiang Ning's ear.

Jiang Ning looked up and revealed a smile.

The visitor was Jiang Li's eldest son, his nephew.

"Why are you here, Yuming? Is there something you need?" Jiang Ning asked.

Jiang Yiming shook his head. "Uncle, someone has come to visit you, and Father asked me to call you."

"Visit me?" Jiang Ning was puzzled. "Did they reveal their identities?"

"Yes!" Jiang Yiming nodded. "They said they're from the Blacksmith Shop."

"So, it's them!" Jiang Ning stood up.

He already understood the reason for their visit.

The visitors from the Blacksmith Shop must be here because of last night's incident.

Then, he went to the side and grabbed the Dragonfrost Sword.

"Let's go, Yuming!" He spoke.

Jiang Ning walked ahead, heading toward the main hall.

The people from the Blacksmith Shop had come, but he didn't know if they were here to demand an explanation!

If they were truly here to seek accountability, he wouldn't mind a confrontation.

He hoped they would be smart about it!

In the main hall—

As Jiang Ning's figure appeared—

"Gong Lao, this is Jiang Ning!" Yang Kai stood up and said softly to the elderly Gong Lao beside him.

Hearing this, Gong Lao also stood up and looked Jiang Ning up and down.

Then his gaze fell on the long sword in Jiang Ning's left hand.

"This should be the spirit blade that Yang Kai told me about!"

"As far as I know, spirit blades possess a spiritual consciousness. For him to be able to draw the sword from its sheath, he must have gained the recognition of the spirit within the blade."

"In ancient times, this would be considered the blade recognizing its master."

"Only the owner of the weapon can wield it; others would find it useless."

Gong Lao muttered to himself.

At this moment—

Jiang Ning stepped over the threshold, and his gaze also fell on the silver-haired old man beside Yang Kai, his back slightly hunched.

Seeing this old man, Jiang Ning knew.

This person was the founder of the Blacksmith Shop, Gong Mingyuan.

Don't be fooled by his ordinary appearance.

In Luoshui County, this man had established a formidable reputation. His hammer technique was unparalleled among his peers.

Wielding the Thousand Jin Hammer, he was an undisputed powerhouse in the Eighth Rank Martial Dao.

At his peak, he was a top-tier expert in Luoshui County.

Even the leaders of the three major gangs would not dare provoke this former grandmaster of the Blacksmith Shop.

However, even after recognizing his identity, Jiang Ning felt no fear.

Because this former grandmaster of the Blacksmith Shop was already old and frail, and his martial prowess had long entered a declining phase.

At Gong Mingyuan's age, it was already remarkable for him to maintain half of his peak strength.

Moreover, with age, his stamina was far inferior to his younger days, making prolonged battles difficult.

So, Jiang Ning felt no fear.

Not to mention that these two visitors were empty-handed, whether it was Yang Kai or Gong Mingyuan, both renowned for their hammer techniques.

Without their specialized weapons, they could only unleash three or four-tenths of their strength.

At that moment—

Jiang Li saw Jiang Ning approaching and quickly introduced him.

"Ah Di, these two esteemed guests are from the Blacksmith Shop. They came today to pay you a special visit."

Yang Kai, seeing Jiang Ning approach, quickly introduced him.

"Brother Jiang Ning, this is Elder Gong, the former grandmaster of the Blacksmith Shop."

Gong Mingyuan also said, "Hearing about someone is not as good as seeing them in person. I met Brother Jiang Ning today and knew that he possesses the potential of a hidden dragon. One day, he will surely soar to the heavens."

Jiang Ning slowly revealed a smile.

Because at that moment, he understood that Yang Kai and Gong Mingyuan's visit was one of goodwill.

Since they had good intentions, he saw no need to put up a cold front.

"So, you're the former grandmaster of the Blacksmith Shop, a man of great reputation." Jiang Ning clasped his hands.

Then he asked, "May I ask why you've come today?"

Elder Gong's face showed warmth. "Today, we've come to apologize! Last night, Qiu Shilong and Yang Kai intruded into your home, and I deeply apologize for that."

As he spoke, Elder Gong also bowed to Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning didn't move. "I thought you'd come to seek justice for Qiu Shilong!"

Elder Gong shook his head. "Intruding into someone's home in the middle of the night, it's only natural for the owner to take action. Qiu Shilong's fate was well-deserved."

Jiang Li, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but widen his eyes upon hearing this conversation.

The night before, he had a conversation with Jiang Ning, and the details were still fresh in his mind.

According to what Jiang Ning said last night, two thieves had sneaked into the eastern courtyard of the residence in the middle of the night.

When Jiang Li heard this last night, he truly believed it was two thieves.

After all, the commotion ended very quickly.

Before he could even arrive at the scene, the person causing the disturbance had already disappeared.

Based on the bloody scent lingering in the courtyard and the fact that Jiang Ning was unharmed, it was clear that the intruder had been dealt with by his own younger brother.

Hearing their conversation now, how could he not understand the situation?

The person who broke into the house last night was no ordinary thief.

They were none other than Qiu Shilong, the head manager of the Blacksmith Shop, and Yang Kai, the deputy manager.

These two were considered important figures in the eyes of most people in Luoshui County.

Moreover, based on the information revealed in their conversation, Qiu Shilong, the head manager of the Blacksmith Shop, had died at Jiang Ning's hands the night before.

At this thought, a look of shock flashed across Jiang Li's face.

When had his younger brother become so formidable?

Qiu Shilong was an Eighth Rank Martial Artist, and he was taken care of by his younger brother in such a short time last night?

He clearly remembered that the disturbance last night only lasted for a brief moment.

By the time he had calmed Liu Wanwan down and arrived with his sword, everything had already been settled, and only Jiang Ning was left alone in the courtyard.

"Then where is the sword? I wonder what Master Gong was thinking?" Jiang Ning asked, raising the jet-black scabbard in his hand as he spoke.

"A spiritual weapon has its own consciousness. Since it has chosen you, and Yang Kai has clearly expressed his intention to gift this spiritual weapon to you, then this sword naturally belongs to you," Gong Mingyuan said.

"Master Gong is so generous!" Jiang Ning said with a bow.

Gong Mingyuan smiled warmly, "Once something is given away, there's no reason to take it back."

Then, he took out a brocade box from his body and continued, "I came to visit in a hurry today and didn't prepare much. I only brought a Dragon Tiger Power Pill with me."

As he spoke, Gong Mingyuan handed the brocade box in his hand to Jiang Ning.

"Please accept this as a token of my apology, Jiang Ning."

Upon hearing these five words, a look of surprise flashed across Jiang Ning's eyes.

He had also heard of this pill, and its reputation was impressive.

It was a pill refined by the Dragon Tiger Sect.

The pill was made from extremely precious medicinal ingredients and used a secret technique, infusing it with profound Dragon Tiger Essence Force.

Hence, it was named the Dragon Tiger Power Pill.

After consuming this pill and refining it, one could achieve remarkable results in a very short time.

For any Eighth Rank Martial Artist, it was an extremely precious pill.

It could significantly reduce the time needed to temper muscle strength and accelerate martial progress.

The reason this pill was famous was that it was said to help advance one small step within the Eighth Rank Divine Strength Realm.

For a typical Eighth Rank Martial Artist, the first step in this realm was to achieve success in cultivating strength, increasing it by five hundred jin.

Therefore, most beginners in the Divine Strength Realm possessed a strength of one thousand five hundred to two thousand jin.

Minor Mastery in the Divine Strength Realm meant possessing a strength of over two thousand jin, up to two thousand five hundred jin.

Great Mastery in the Divine Strength Realm meant possessing a strength of over two thousand five hundred jin, with exceptional individuals reaching three thousand jin.

The strength varied depending on the innate conditions of the body's foundation and the cultivation techniques practiced.

The better the innate foundation, the higher the upper limit.

For example, some individuals were born with innate divine strength.

According to Jiang Ning's knowledge, Gong Mingyuan in his prime was one such person.

It was said that Gong Mingyuan, at his peak, possessed a strength of four thousand jin and wielded a thousand jin hammer, making him an invincible existence in this realm.

At this moment, Jiang Ning accepted the brocade box handed to him by Gong Mingyuan.

He opened the box, took a look inside, then closed it.

"Thank you for your kind gesture, Master Gong! If the Blacksmith Shop needs my help in the future, I'll be there, as I still owe you a favor."

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Gong Mingyuan's face.

"Young man, you have a broad mind."

Then he added, "From now on, Yang Kai will be the new head manager of the Blacksmith Shop. If you need anything, just find Yang Kai."

"The Blacksmith Shop, Yang Kai will be in charge of all matters, big and small, from now on."

"Good!" Jiang Ning said.

Afterward, seeing that his purpose had been achieved, Gong Mingyuan spoke, "Then I'll take my leave and not disturb your cultivation any further."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end