Chen Ping's Sword-Chapter 49: A Visit with Unfathomable Intentions
[Spring and Autumn Silkworm (Second Transformation)]
[Talent: Trace Origin and Steal Fortune, Cocoon Rebirth]
[Innate Talent: 6 (Average)]
[Enlightenment: 4 (Average)]
[Tribulation: 0 (Breaking Realm)]
[Fortune: 0 (Change Destiny)]
[Cultivation Technique: Wandering Body Bagua Palm (Perfection), Spring Leg (Great Success), Seven Stars Step (Proficient), Silk Thread Puppetry (Mastery)]
[Body Refining: Tier Two (Refining the Organs) 20%]
[Qi Refining: Tier Two (Qi Cultivation) 16%]
...
The numbers on the attribute panel of the Spring and Autumn Silkworm indicate.
Innate Talent and Enlightenment are not actually fixed.
Just like myself now, having completed Marrow Cleansing and reaching the stage of Refining the Organs and Strong Heart, the Innate Talent has quietly increased a bit.
As for "Enlightenment" also increasing a bit, that can be understood.
Observe a thousand swords, and then recognize the weapon...
"Enlightenment" relates to all aspects; it involves sudden insights and the influence of extensive knowledge.
Having undergone several "Trace Origin and Steal Fortune," I have learned many martial arts, dabbled in both Body Refining and Qi Refining, my insight has increased, and my life has been tempered. If there was no realization in my heart, it wouldn’t make sense.
Therefore, the fact that "Enlightenment" can rise along with everything else, reaching the average level from mediocrity, is quite natural.
As for "Silk Thread Puppetry" reaching the Mastery Realm, crossing the Marrow Cleansing Realm in one step, refining the five organs, and achieving the feat of heart strengthening, it’s all the more reasonable.
I just tried it.
After the heart refining was completed, the blood within the body became thicker, containing more energy.
The power becomes stronger, and the speed becomes faster, which is a fundamental improvement of the body.
Just like the abilities Chang Sansi once displayed...
With the heart activated, pumping blood more forcefully, the body inexplicably became much larger, and under the burst of strength, the attack power multiplied.
Even after receiving Chen Ping’s full-force attack "Overlord’s Farewell," and with the left side of his body collapsed, his heart frantically beat, temporarily suppressing the injuries without affecting combat power.
The strength of his life force is evident.
Not easily killed.
From this, it can be seen that once heart refining is successful, life force also becomes extremely strong.
The chances of survival increase greatly.
Generally, if not killed on the spot, one can recover and maintain most of their combat power.
The endurance in battle is also extremely strong.
Chang Sansi could do it.
Now Chen Ping can naturally do it too.
He can even, supported by this strong life force, make his body soft and boneless, allowing muscles and bones to expand or contract in the shortest time.
More so, he can change the distribution of bones and muscles on a very subtle level.
It’s genuinely infinitely useful.
Looking at the copper mirror in the room, Chen Ping had a thought.
With a thought in mind, operating all his bones and squeezing his muscles, his body made strange cracking sounds, and his stature suddenly decreased considerably, turning into a short fellow about 1.5 meters tall.
The muscles on his face twisted, and the bones were compressed...his eyebrows and the bridge of his nose underwent slight changes.
Upon closer inspection, the person in the copper mirror had turned into a young man with a pointy chin and monkey-like cheeks, possessing a wretchedly bitter-gourd face.
He jumped twice, swung his fists, and kicked his legs, finding everything perfectly satisfactory.
It didn’t affect the exertion of his power at all.
"This..."
Chen Ping once again marveled at the ingenuity of the "Silk Thread Puppetry" cultivation technique.
Who exactly invented this martial art?
If anyone says this martial art wasn’t made for assassins, they are certainly lying.
Indeed, after reaching the Mastery Realm in this art, he could comfortably call himself a "Thousand-Change Divine Monarch," and no one would dare say it’s inappropriate.
Blending into the enemy’s rear for assassination, then concealing breath and form, changing appearance...escaping pursuit easily.
With this technique, how much assistance does it provide to an assassin? Chen Ping simply doesn’t dare to think too deeply.
He thought of Chang Sansi again.
Couldn’t help but sigh.
That old fox had such a trump card but couldn’t use it at all.
He just presented himself openly like a bodhisattva, unable to let go of the enterprise he had built over the years, yet couldn’t control his desires.
As a result, learning a powerful martial discipline was like throwing pearls before swine.
In face-to-face confrontations and hard battles, he was restrained at every turn, dying a miserable death.
One can only say, it’s timing and fate.
Sometimes, luck is more important than anything else.
...
"Seventh Brother, what’s wrong with you?"
When Chen Ping restored his original appearance, he walked out of the room with a smile.
This drew gasps of surprise.
"How did you get so thin?"
Looking at Chen Ping’s gaunt appearance, skin and bones, Hua Lian’er was struck as if by lightning...
The basin she was holding fell to the ground with a clang, and tears started spilling down.
Zuo Duanshou and the Kuihua Brothers widened their eyes, staring fixedly at Chen Ping, their expressions exceedingly grim.
"What’s going on with all this? It’s nothing, just practiced too hastily earlier, damaged my body’s Vitality, but it can be replenished."
Due to the law of conservation of energy, whenever there is an enhancement on one side, there must be a loss on the other side.
Either take from Heaven and Earth; or require Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
Chen Ping currently cannot directly absorb nutrients from Heaven and Earth. To successfully perform Cleansing Marrow and Refining Heart in a very short time, there’s no other way but to forcibly dig into his body’s potential.
Turning his well-fleshed body into that of a consumptive ghost.
To those who don’t know the situation, they might think he’s become critically ill.
"It’s true, I’m not lying to you; my strength has actually improved."
Seeing disbelief in several people’s faces, Hua Lian’er couldn’t stop her tear beads like snapped threads from falling, rendering Chen Ping somewhat helpless.
With a casual tap, the porcelain bowl on the stove showed no sign of movement, silently turning into fine sand flowing away.
"Smash stone into powder, mold iron into mud."
Hua Lian’er, disregarding her sadness, leaned forward to examine the spot where the porcelain bowl turned to sand, wiping her face unbelievingly asked, "Only someone at the Mid-Stage Meridian Passage could do this. Seventh Brother, your Inner Qi?"
"Inner Qi is still the same, it’s just my Qi Blood Martial Arts have improved, making my body much stronger."
Alright, you’re calling this consumptive ghost look, a strengthening of the body.
Zuo Duanshou and the others fought the urge to roll their eyes, but still accepted his explanation.
Because even the knowledgeable Hua Lian’er stopped worrying at this moment.
She hurriedly prepared meat and vegetable rice, and also took out two bottles of Qi Blood Powder.
These were her stock from Baoyue Tower, bought ahead for their escape, once used up there’d be no more.
...
There was nothing to say all night.
Towards dawn, the old servant from the Qii Family woke up, and after some explanation, didn’t cause any disturbance.
At daybreak, seeing the streets gradually filling with people, each household began hanging lanterns and red cloth, adorning with various festive decorations; only then did they feel relieved as they headed north of the city.
Today is the Lantern Festival, every year at this time, there’s a grand celebration for three days.
Nowadays, with unrest throughout the land, ordinary people are mostly in deep distress, terribly worried about the future.
Yet even more in such times, the annual traditions cannot be changed.
This thing called morale can only be encouraged, not damaged.
If morale collapses, Xingqing Prefecture would face significant issues.
People of insight all understand this truth.
The Government is naturally no exception.
From early morning, it deliberately created a festive celebratory atmosphere.
Moreover, to prevent anyone from causing trouble during the festival, even though it’s early, a few city guards are already patrolling the streets.
They collaborate with constables, constantly patrolling every street.
"Let’s go."
Several people changed their outfits, scattered apart, maintaining sight of each other from front to back, walking towards the north of the city.
On the road, no members of the Seven-Colored Hall came to inquire or obstruct.
It’s unknown whether those people have completely withdrawn, no longer searching;
or are brewing a more intense attack?
Or maybe they have more important matters to attend to, unable to spare enough manpower to keep watch...
Chen Ping leans towards the latter.
Based on the news from Zuo Duanshou, it can be judged.
On this Lantern Festival day, the Cyan Hall and Chizi Hall have to unite for a grand event.
At such a crucial moment, evidently, it’s not suitable to expend too much effort playing hide-and-seek with a few little beggars.
The pursuit and revenge can happen anytime.
However, the long-discussed significant event cannot be delayed.
...
Arriving at Yuanfeng Pier, it’s thriving and bustling here, laborers are shouting slogans while working hard, sweating like rain, breathing like clouds.
Across the street, breakfast vendors align, some grab the steamed buns and fried pastry as they walk, gulping down the food... their numb faces carry a hint of hopeful glow.
"The situation here seems better than the South City District by quite a bit."
Chen Ping stopped briefly, watched for a while, and sighed.
The person in charge of managing the market here should be someone with ideas.
Understanding how to win people’s hearts, and knowing not to fish by draining the pond...
They didn’t linger, led by Hua Lian’er, reached a medium-sized house at the end of Yuanfeng Main Road.
The house is serene and spacious.
The environment is good.
According to Little Table, this was a business-loss home of a small merchant, needing silver coins to circulate, yet reluctant to sell off the family estate... So, it’s offered for long-term rent.
Chen Ping had early on devised the "rabbit’s three burrows" strategy, having already looked at several houses...
Buying would be a bit of a loss; renting, even if empty, wouldn’t pain him.
As a temporary safe house, it’s very suitable.
This was Hua Lian’er’s responsibility.
Her legs are nimble, and she’s intelligent, running back and forth without complaint.
This time, it’s really useful.
They casually cleaned up, settled in, just boiled a pot of hot water to make coarse tea, then heard the knock on the door.
Their expressions slightly tightened, exchanged glances.
The knocking was neither fast nor slow, with three long and two short strikes, it unnerved them a bit.
Zuo Duanshou tightly gripped the short dagger in his hand, leaned sideways, cautiously opened the door.
Before his eyes, a rough and hearty large face appeared smiling.
The visitor was tall, about eight feet or more, with a waist as thick as a barrel, standing there, exuding a certain intimidating presence.
"My arrival is unasked for, Brother Tian Qi, with a heroic spirit and elegant temperament, surely wouldn’t mind."
He waved his hand, and eight burly men came forward, in pairs, carrying various gifts inside.
