CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 49: SECRET ELIXIR AND SCHEMES

Morning.

Outside, the sound of firecrackers was deafening, as Lin Zheyu punched the wooden stake in the courtyard, producing a thudding sound.

After practicing fist techniques for several hours, his understanding of the fist momentum improved slightly.

Walking on the street.

Everywhere, people were worshipping the gods, and the crackling of firecrackers filled the air.

The gods of Great Wei were as numerous as the hairs on a cow. On this small year’s day, people were either worshipping the gods or preparing to worship them.

Each household burned paper money, offering incense with sincerity, praying for the new year to be better, hoping for the war to cease.

Most adults didn’t have smiles on their faces, full of worry and distress.

Business was bad, bandits rampaged outside the city, and crops couldn’t grow, all stolen by bandits.

Even Lin Zheyu found it difficult, as his income kept shrinking.

From the peak period, earning about two thousand cash a day, it shrank to now, roughly just over a thousand cash in total, including the monthly wage given by the Feihong Gang.

In contrast to the hard life of commoners, the noble families still lived luxuriously, with music and dance festivals.

In the Xing Family’s Songning Garden, everything was unaffected by the war.

The dance girls wore revealing clothes, light pink gauze with nothing underneath, faintly visible, extremely eye-catching.

Today is the small year, and the younger generation of the Xing Family gathered in Songning Garden, watching dances, listening to music, chatting, and having fun, completely unaffected by the economic downturn.

Xing Jinglong and Xing Penghai, the two brothers, were also there, along with other relatives and related family members.

"Marvelous! Absolutely marvelous!"

Said the young master opposite Xing Jinglong, clapping his hands in admiration.

The dance girls invited today had graceful figures, and their dance was stunningly beautiful and otherworldly, truly pleasing to the eye.

"Brother, if you like, I can have some arranged for you to stay overnight later." Xing Jinglong said with a smile.

"And leave one for me too, I want to have a taste, hehe."

Xing Jinglong and Xing Jing’an were true brothers, thirteen years apart. Xing Penghai was the son of Xing Jinglong’s third uncle, his cousin.

Although they were true brothers, they looked quite different.

Xing Jing’an appeared handsome and well-proportioned, exuding a sense of grace. Xing Jinglong was tall and stout, looking somewhat sinister and fierce.

"It’s not our turn, these dance girls all have suitors, how could it be us choosing them." Xing Jing’an shrugged and laughed.

"Right, in previous years, the direct descendants would choose first, then us." Xing Jinglong regretfully said.

"There’s no lack of beautiful girls, after the party, why don’t we go to Baihua Tower for some fun? I’ve booked a big private room." Xing Penghai laughed.

"Hai, how’s it going on your side?"

Xing Jing’an asked, Xing Penghai was a few years older than him, his cousin.

"Those bandits are all sly, not easy to persuade. Moreover, Lion Valley is full of dangers, using the natural environment for concealment, hard to find."

"For so long, I’ve subdued a small group of fewer than fifty people, the leader’s strength is decent, reaching the Peak of Refining Internal Realm."

Xing Penghai said nonchalantly, his eyes glued to the dancing girls.

"Same here, every family has become guarded, hard to bribe over." Xing Jing’an said.

"Aren’t they afraid of being discovered by the City Lord? The City Lord’s power is terrifying, if he found out..."

Xing Jinglong said worriedly.

"What’s there to fear, as long as we don’t make a mess and disrupt Songyi City’s order, the City Lord wouldn’t care."

"Moreover, we are just recruiting bandits from outside the city to join the city garrison, subduing bandit troubles, and enhancing Songyi City’s strength, truly a good deed."

Xing Penghai chuckled, indifferent.

He turned to Xing Jinglong and asked, "Any movements on the youngster you were watching?"

"His comprehension talent is not bad. If we can recruit and control him, using secret medicine to cultivate, unleash potential, in less than half a year, we can develop a Qi Blood Realm expert."

The Xing Family had an ancestral secret medicine recipe capable of unleashing the potential of talented Martial Artists, making their strength soar in a short period.

However, the recipe required high potential in the Martial Artist, only useful for those with exceptional comprehension talent, ineffective for ordinary people.

Regardless of success, the use of this recipe would significantly shorten the Martial Artist’s lifespan to less than five years.

Therefore, the Xing Family would find talented outsiders, control them using the medicine, then enhance their strength for the family as henchmen.

This secret medicine was extremely expensive, and with only five years of life after use, not cost-effective.

They only used the secret medicine during wartime to enhance those talented Martial Artists’ strength, preparing for impending crises.

"He’s being watched, but he’s slippery, rarely goes out. In the city, with many eyes, it’s inappropriate to act."

Xing Jinglong said, "Once he leaves the city, the Wuding Gang will notify me, then I’ll take people and control him outside."

"Yes, this can’t be rushed, acting in the city stirs up everything, causing backlash from other families."

Xing Jing’an nodded, then everyone’s gaze shifted back to the dance girls.

The dancers invited today were indeed exceptionally beautiful, even those accustomed to beauties couldn’t help but steal a few more glances.

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