Chapter 122: Chapter 97: Entering the City

This city wall was much taller than a courtyard wall, a good ten meters tall.

The walls were faced with Haiman and patrolled by soldiers year-round.

Even after nightfall, they would light torches.

’Never mind that Qin Fang probably couldn’t leap ten meters high... even if he could, he’d almost certainly be spotted by the patrolling guards. Getting caught would be a huge hassle.’

So, Qin Fang decided to have Monkey contact his Senior Brother first. His Senior Brother was well-connected and would likely have a way to sneak him in.

Upon hearing this, Monkey quickly said, "Yes!"

"Mm... alright, I’ll wait for news from you here."

Qin Fang said to Monkey as the city gates came into faint view up ahead.

Monkey nodded and hurried toward the city gate.

He was a local and carried his Identity document with him. Qin Fang watched as his Identity was checked before he entered the city without a hitch.

He settled in to wait patiently.

He waited for a little under an hour. By then, the sky had grown completely dark. Just before the city gates were sealed shut, a figure came running out, heading straight for him.

It was Monkey.

Monkey gasped, out of breath. "Master Qin, I contacted Master Zhou. He said he’ll come to this gate soon. He told me to have you wait for him."

Hearing this, Qin Fang breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

Monkey waited beside him.

About another hour or so passed when the tightly shut city gate suddenly opened a crack. A figure stepped out and looked around.

A smile spread across Qin Fang’s face when he saw who it was...

It was his Senior Brother.

"Let’s go."

He called out to Monkey.

Monkey, who had been squatting on the ground watching ants fight, looked up, saw Zhou Xing, and quickly scrambled to his feet.

The two of them hurried over.

It had been a full three months since they last met. Zhou Xing looked the same, still dressed in his usual Black Clothes. He quickly spotted the two of them.

"Senior Brother."

Qin Fang walked up and called out in a low voice.

First, Zhou Xing’s eyes lit up. Then, he let out a quiet breath and whispered, "Save it for later. Let’s get inside the city first."

Qin Fang nodded.

The three of them slipped through the crack in the gate. They saw the few officials who should have been on duty gathered nearby, apparently having a late-night meal.

"Let’s go."

Zhou Xing whispered. Qin Fang needed no further prompting. The three of them quickly moved away from the gate. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’...The last time he left, someone had glanced at him, but they’d immediately looked away. They clearly wanted nothing to do with him.’

’So this is what they call turning a blind eye, huh?’

Qin Fang thought.

Winding through streets and alleys, it wasn’t long before Zhou Xing led them to his home.

This was Qin Fang’s first time at Zhou Xing’s house. The courtyard wasn’t large, but it was quite elegant. There was a large tree in the yard with a stone table beneath it.

Once they were inside, Zhou Xing finally let out a breath and said in a low voice, "I heard from Monkey that you’re planning to make a move against Wang Hu?"

Qin Fang nodded.

Zhou Xing’s brow remained tightly furrowed. "I know you have a knack for Darts..." he finally said, frowning. "But Wang Hu is an Anjin expert. Your Darts... honestly, even if you’ve improved, I doubt they’d pose much of a threat to him."

Zhou Xing shook his head.

’After all, he was in charge of the Wang Long case. He’d seen Qin Fang’s Darts before. And frankly... they were nothing special. The strength behind them was weak and unsteady. Forget an Anjin expert—even he could react in time... And even if one did hit, it wouldn’t be a serious issue. After all... a Peak of Mingjin Martial Artist has a formidable Physique. I wouldn’t say we’re invulnerable to blades, but against Darts like Qin Fang’s... I really don’t rate his chances. Let alone an Anjin Martial Artist. That kind of being has already formed their Anjin, and their five senses are starting to heighten. They can even perceive faint killing intent! Even if Qin Fang is a Mingjin Martial Artist now and the strength behind his Darts has improved, trying to kill Wang Hu... is just a fool’s dream.’

When Qin Fang heard this, he was stunned for a moment.

Then a strange look crossed his face...

’Ah, that’s right. We’ve been exchanging letters, but I’ve mostly been asking about Master and how things are in town. I haven’t really said much about myself. Could it be that Senior Brother still doesn’t know my current level of strength?’

Thinking of this, he hesitated for a moment, then suddenly asked in a low voice, "Senior Brother, have you heard who it was that seized Wang Hu’s assets during the last big mess in Pingze City?"

Startled by the sudden question, Zhou Xing frowned and answered automatically, "There are rumors... I heard it was a mysterious Expert in Hidden Weapons. His skills were extraordinary; even Ma Zhao, the fourth-in-command of the Iron Tiger Gang, was killed without even having time to react."

"But I hear this person is very mysterious. They say no one has ever seen him. The people who rushed to Wang Hu’s house after the fact only found the place littered with bodies..."

As the words left his lips, Zhou Xing suddenly realized something. He snapped his head up to look at Qin Fang, his eyes wide.

Qin Fang coughed and nodded lightly.

Zhou Xing’s eyes widened again, and he couldn’t help but ask in astonishment, "It was really you?"

Qin Fang nodded again.

Then Zhou Xing thought of something else and blinked. "So... the two hundred taels you gave Master last time..."

Qin Fang nodded calmly. "It was Wang Hu’s. Where else would I get that much money?"

Zhou Xing: "..."

He looked Qin Fang up and down, and the more he looked, the more something felt... different. That presence...

"What... is your Cultivation now?" he asked cautiously.

"Ahem, Mid-Mingjin Stage... and getting close to the Late Stage."

Qin Fang coughed.

’It was true, he was close. The panel already showed ’4687’... At this rate, he could break through to the Late Stage in five or six days.’

Those words were enough to make Zhou Xing’s eyes nearly pop out of his head!

"Mid-Mingjin Stage?! And almost at the Late Stage?! Are you sure?!"

He simply couldn’t believe it.

’Qin Fang reaching the Mingjin stage in just over a month was shocking enough. But now he was being told that in less than four more months, he had already broken through to the Middle Stage... and was even approaching the Late Stage?! What in the world?! He himself was only at the Late Mingjin Stage! Yes, they called it the Peak, but the Peak... was still just a part of the Late Mingjin Stage. It was just that he had been at the Late Mingjin Stage for several years, making him naturally stronger than someone who had just entered it. He was even at the point where he could attempt to break through to Anjin. In fact, he’d already attempted the breakthrough to Anjin twice in the last two years. Unfortunately, both attempts ended in failure and even left him with lingering internal injuries. And how long had it taken him to get here? Ten years! A full ten years! Ten years to cultivate all the way to the Peak of Mingjin. His Talent couldn’t be called peerless, but it was still considered excellent. And this junior brother of his... how long had he been cultivating? Six months, tops? And he was already at the Middle Stage, about to reach the Late Stage?! So what did his own ten years amount to?!’

Zhou Xing’s eyes were wide. The same shocked question he’d had on the day he saw Qin Fang break through to the Early Mingjin Stage welled up in his heart once more!

"No, I don’t believe it. Come on, let’s trade some moves!"

Zhou Xing simply couldn’t accept it. He stood up, intending to test Qin Fang’s skills himself.

A glimmer appeared in Qin Fang’s eyes, too... Last time, his Senior Brother had beaten him soundly.

It had been a complete rout.

This time...

"Heh heh. Alright, Senior Brother. But you can’t get angry if you lose..."

Qin Fang said with a dry cough.

"Me, lose?" Zhou Xing was so exasperated he almost laughed.

"Fine, fine, you’re full of confidence... Let me see just how much you’ve improved in these four months!"

The two walked to the side and took their stances.

Monkey, who had been silent until now, watched with shining eyes.

’Two Mingjin experts sparring! You don’t see that every day!’

He watched with keen interest.

"Senior Brother, be careful!"

Qin Fang wasted no more words. With a low shout, he shot forward. Just like four months ago, he opened with the Wild Bull’s Horn Attack, charging straight at Zhou Xing!

’The moment Zhou Xing saw his speed, his heart skipped a beat. He really was much faster than four months ago! And...’

Muscle-Bone Thunder Sound!

The moment Qin Fang moved, a crackling sound like thunder erupted from his body.

It was the signature phenomenon of achieving the Muscle-Bone Thunder Sound!

’He actually did it?’

Zhou Xing was shaken to the core.

But he immediately took a deep breath and roared, "Good!"

He moved as well. Just like their last spar, he also used the Wild Bull’s Horn Attack, choosing to meet force with force!

BAM!

As their fists collided, there was a muffled thud and a savage whoosh of displaced air...