Early the next morning, Qin Yuesheng ate a few pieces of boiled potatoes for breakfast, then took a carriage back to Cyan Yang City. As the village chief of Baihe Village, Gao Peng naturally had the duty to report the situation to the city, so he set off with Qin Yuesheng and the others.
There were more than ten people when they came, but only a few were left on the return journey, truly making one sigh at the unpredictability of life.
After Qin Yuesheng resolved the water ghost issue, there shouldn't be any more cases of people disappearing upon entering the water at Gusu Fishing Bay. The work of harvesting water lotus young can naturally resume, and it is believed that it will soon return to its previous normal state.
However, even though everything seemed to be over, a deep sense of unease loomed over Qin Yuesheng's heart.
Through the bizarre disturbances of the white human face and the water ghost, he could vaguely sense that Cyan Yang City wasn't as peaceful as he had previously imagined. Perhaps it was peaceful before, but now some indescribable things were causing trouble in secret.
"My strength is still not enough," Qin Yuesheng thought quietly, sitting in the carriage.
Through last night's battle, he had gained an initial understanding of the Outer Forging Realm for martial artists.
Hard, tough.
These are the biggest advantages of the Outer Forging Realm.
When you won't lose your life due to a single enemy strike, your combat gains a higher margin for error, making it possible to use various methods to slay the enemy.
Non-Outer Forging Realm martial artists, with their fragile flesh, would be gravely injured from a single slash and die from a second. This obviously makes battles very stressful, where every move cannot be careless, lest it would pose a threat to life.
Last night, Qin Yuesheng relied on the iron shirt to withstand many punches from the water ghost, which was very significant.
If he didn't have the iron shirt with him, he certainly wouldn't have been a match for the water ghost. For survival, he probably would have had to mercilessly abandon everyone on the scene and escape alone.
Upon returning to the Qin Mansion, Qin Feng and Duan Hongjin hurried over in concern.
Qin Yuesheng ran off to Baihe Village without a word, and stayed there for a night, worrying his parents greatly, fearing he might encounter some accident outside.
However, the couple had no idea that Qin Yuesheng had just stepped into the Outer Forging Realm for martial artists. Though not invincible across Cyan Yang City, he was certainly capable of self-defense.
Patiently comforting his doting parents, Qin Yuesheng returned to his room.
Cao Zhengchun was presently sent out by him to recover and bury the bodies of the hospital guards torn apart by the water ghost. With no one else to assist, Qin Yuesheng poured himself a cup of tea, sipped while deep in thought.
I lack a blade skill.
Qin Yuesheng thought so.
There's no doubt that when facing bizarre and strange things, the Evil-Subduing Saber is the biggest trump card of Qin Yuesheng.
This treasure knife, purely made from Evil-Subduing refined steel and adorned with relics from high monks, has quite a destructively effective impact on those indescribable things.
Previously, Qin Yuesheng had asked Qin Feng about the origins of Evil-Subduing refined steel, hoping he could find a way to get some more, so Qin Yuesheng could forge a pair of gloves to accompany the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist.
Who would've thought, even as the Patriarch of the Qin family, Qin Feng had never heard of Evil-Subduing refined steel, let alone where to buy it. This showed just how rare this material was, and Qin Yuesheng had to set the matter aside.
Learning a blade skill is necessary to unleash the full power of the Evil-Subduing Saber.
To survive in this world, if you wish to learn martial arts, there are four ways.
First, become an apprentice to skilled practitioners, with the master teaching you martial arts.
Second, join a martial arts sect.
Third, spend money to buy some martial arts manuals that are for sale in the market.
Fourth, leap off a cliff and see if you can encounter an adventure cave left by some martial arts predecessors.
The Tiger Crane Double Form Fist, Bear Splay Stance, and Iron Shirt that Qin Yuesheng learned belong to the first type. But since he is the young master of the Qin family, Qin Yue and Qin Yu would never let him become their apprentice.
There is no martial arts sect near Cyan Yang City, not even third-rate ones.
Therefore, he naturally could only turn to the third method for blade skill sources.
The Qin family is affluent, never caring about expenses, with a Herb Workshop, Weapons Depot, Stables, Library Pavilion fully in place. But when it comes to purchasing martial arts manuals, they have never been involved.
This was because the Mountain Guardian Escort Agency, an industry of the Qin family, fulfilled this aspect. The escort masters there were all skilled practitioners, with the escort leaders and chief escort leaders being unusually strong experts. To train hospital guards in Qin Mansion, they naturally do not need to buy martial arts manuals to teach them; just having the escort leaders come to impart martial arts is enough.
Like Qin Yue.
Qin Yuesheng put down his teacup and shouted towards outside the door, "Someone come here."
Immediately, a young maid ran into the room and sweetly responded, "What orders do you have, young master?"
"Go and find Housekeeper Qin for me."
"Yes."
In no time.
Soon, the chief housekeeper of Qin Mansion, Qin Zheng, was found by the young maid and brought over.
Qin Zheng has been the housekeeper in Qin Mansion for a good twenty or thirty years, which makes him a quite reliable person who handles affairs neatly and efficiently.
Qin Feng trusts him greatly, entrusting all the affairs, from personnel adjustments to garden weeding, to Qin Zheng.
This person has a round face, small eyes, naturally longevity eyebrows, a tilted mouth corner, quite an adorably amusing appearance, faintly resembling Maitreya.
"Young master," Qin Zheng bowed and greeted.
"Housekeeper Qin, are there places in Cyan Yang City where martial arts manuals can be purchased?"
Qin Zheng raised his head, thought for a moment, "As far as I know, the Eighteen Arts, Ten Thousand Swords Workshop, and Spring and Autumn Pavilion are three places where they can be bought. If the young master needs any martial arts, I will send someone to purchase immediately."
"Hmm..." Qin Yuesheng lightly tapped the table with his fingers, "I need... all the blade skill manuals available for purchase in Cyan Yang City."
Even though Qin Zheng was used to the family's wealth, he couldn't help being taken aback at this moment.
Young Master, what are you planning to do? Are you starting your own martial arts sect or something?
A normal person would need to spend decades to master a single martial art, and having two or three would be enough to occupy someone for a lifetime.
If it's a more profound martial art, one might never reach mastery even after a lifetime of effort.
But don't try to guess the master's intentions, you'll never understand it even if you try.
Qin Zheng had long understood the meaning of this saying, nodding directly in agreement, "Yes, I will take care of it right away."
"Furthermore, there's another matter I need to ask you to help with," Qin Yuesheng said.
"Young Master, that's too serious. It's my duty to work for you, no need to ask for favors, just say the word."
"Hmm... never mind, just handle the earlier matter," Qin Yuesheng thought of something and discontinued the topic.
Qin Zheng didn't ask further and withdrew immediately.
Purchasing all the blade skill manuals currently on sale in the entire city is quite a large project.
...
The bright moon hung high, illuminating Cyan Yang City, east bright and west dark. Large red lanterns were hung along the streets, barely serving as nighttime lighting.
The Great Tang had no curfew, but only in Chang'an could the land boast a city where lights never dimmed, day blending with night in its brilliance.
Though Cyan Yang City was lively, at night only the brothel area along the Gusu River remained brightly lit as day, while the western city became pitch black as if ink spilled over the earth, casting only the silhouettes of buildings.
Cre-ea-k! Cre-ea-k!
A rickety cart drove through the street of the west city district.
Perhaps the cart was long unmaintained, as the rotating cart wheels against the ground constantly emitted a grating creaking sound.
An unsteady lantern swayed, casting flickering and dim light.
"Ugh!!!"
The cart suddenly halted, the driver turned back helplessly and asked towards the curtain, "Young Master, do you want to get out and rest?"
With that, the curtain was immediately lifted by someone, and a dizzy-eyed, flushed young man staggered out.
"Ugh!"
Before he could say more, he jumped down, crouched, and began retching forcefully.
"Young Master, it's better to drink less in the future; your body can hardly take it," the driver couldn't help but advise.
"Ugh... you, you know nothing…" The young man wiped his lips and smacked, "Bah."
"Alas." The driver shook his head.
"Wait here, I'm off to take a leak over there, and I'll come back and leave," the young man lifted his clothes, unfastened his pants, and wobbly headed toward a nearby alley.
Seeing his staggering steps, the driver really wanted to help support him, but considering the young master's recent temper and mood, he gave up the idea.
"Hic! Damn old man died, the family's business is down, and now everyone looks down on me, the bastards," the young man muttered continuously, holding his pants, leaning against the wall for balance.
Thud!
Suddenly, a shadowy object rolled out from deep within the alley and bumped right at the young man's feet.
"Damn, what is this?" The young man, reeking of alcohol, his eyes blurred, could hardly see clearly.
So he lifted his leg and kicked it away with force, not knowing where he kicked it to.
The night wind was slightly chilly.
"Young master, did you see something I dropped?" A voice, as if whispering in his ear, suddenly sounded.
Startled, he shivered, hurriedly looking behind him.
But there was nothing.
"Who? Who's speaking?"
From the darkness of the alley, a graceful figure slowly emerged.
As she came closer, under the moonlight, the young man was able to see her—a woman without a head.
On her back, a skinny, one-eyed child clung tightly to her shoulders, speaking in a soft voice.
"Young master, did you see something I dropped?"
"Ghost, ghost, there's a ghost!"
...
In the dead of night, a scream suddenly pierced through the silence.
The driver's face changed dramatically, he quickly jumped down from the cart and ran towards the alley, but where was the figure of the young master? Only water stains on the wall hinted that someone had been here.
Just then, clouds drifted away from beneath the bright moon, revealing moonlight at the alley's entrance.
The driver clearly saw the surroundings and was instantly wide-eyed in disbelief.
"How, how could it be! How could this be Fuan Alley!"