Chương 51: Black Tiger Fist

Yellow Leaf Town. The Five Flavors Pavilion. Just as Liang Jing was caught in a dilemma, a group of people walked down the stairs together. It was Song Que, Lu Ji, Wu Yi, and the rest.

"Oh? Gang Leader Feng, what is the meaning of bringing your men to surround this place?" Seeing the two people who suddenly appeared, Feng Han's pupils shrank. He didn't put Liang Jing in his eyes; even with his current injuries, he was confident he could defeat or even kill him. But with Lu Ji here, he knew he couldn't act recklessly. After all, Lu Ji was an imperial official. Out in the open, he didn't dare openly defy him. That would be courting death! Furthermore, that young man was standing right next to him!

Secretly grinding his teeth, Feng Han forced an ugly smile onto his face, cupped his hands, and greeted:"So it is Lord Lu. It was my oversight; I didn't know Your Lordship was here. If I have caused any offense, please forgive my sins, My Lord."

"Mm. I don't know what business you have, Feng Han, but why have you set up such a massive formation? Aren't you afraid of causing panic in the town? If the Town Mayor blames us for this, don't blame me for disregarding our past ties." Lately, Lu Ji had been highly dissatisfied with the Black Tiger Gang. Originally, things were great: the town's power dynamic was balanced. While minor frictions between the factions were common, no one ever went to war, and Yellow Leaf Town enjoyed a facade of peace.

The Black Tiger Gang and the Iron Blade Society kept each other in check, and the Axe Gang couldn't be ignored either. With all three restricting one another, his job was incredibly relaxed. Every month, he collected his tribute, happily cultivated, and enjoyed life to the fullest. But recently, Feng Han's cultivation had progressed, and the Black Tiger Gang was expanding rapidly. They picked fights and caused trouble at the drop of a hat, resulting in Lu Ji getting scolded by the Town Mayor quite often.

However, wary of Feng Han's martial prowess, he hadn't wanted to push things too far. Now, the sudden emergence of Song Que—a new power capable of checking Feng Han—made Lu Ji incredibly happy. And now, after behaving for barely three days, the Black Tiger Gang was out biting people again. How could Old Lu not be annoyed? Being reprimanded by his opponent, Feng Han was very tactful. He hurriedly apologized:"It is my fault. Tomorrow, I will personally visit the Town Mayor and Your Lordship to plead guilty."

"Today, a truly grave matter has occurred. An assassin infiltrated the Black Tiger Gang and attempted to assassinate me. Therefore, we are searching the entire town. I hope everyone can understand." Hearing this, Lu Ji and Liang Jing were startled. It seems Feng Han looking like he wants to murder someone actually has a reason! Song Que, on the other hand, was snickering inwardly. Old Feng really doesn't dare air his dirty laundry in public!

I wonder if he'll bring enough silver when he goes to apologize to the Mayor and Old Lu tomorrow? If not, he might blame me for not leaving him enough 'capital'!

"Hmph. Considering there is a valid reason, I will let it slide this time. But you cannot use this as an excuse to disturb the citizens and throw the whole town into chaos!"

"Many thanks, My Lord. I will instruct my subordinates to act with discretion." Watching the two of them put on this act, Song Que secretly curled his lip. Neither of them looked like decent people; they were just colluding and covering for each other. But naturally, he wasn't stupid enough to show it on his face. This was just how the world worked nowadays; what could he possibly change? Yellow Leaf Town was like this, and other places were likely the same. It wasn't his place to manage it.

At this moment, Feng Han suddenly asked:"My Lord, may I ask if you and everyone here have been together the entire time?" Lu Ji guessed what he was getting at. Out of respect for Feng Han's years of "contributions" to the town's development, he answered truthfully:"Yes. I and everyone here have been together since the early evening. No one has left even for a moment. You can rest assured." Seeing Feng Han acting so paranoid and suspicious, Song Que felt secretly delighted.

My efforts to create a distraction weren't in vain! Right now, my alibi is as solid as a mountain. Even if they racked their brains, no one would suspect me! Just then, a scout came over and whispered into Feng Han's ear. Hearing the report, Feng Han cupped his hands in apology to the group and swiftly departed. He didn't mention searching the premises again. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Watching him leave, the four men lost their interest in drinking. After exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone headed home. Arriving at his door, Song Que bid farewell to Wu Yi, then brought Xiong Ba and his pets inside, closed the door, and went to his room to rest. Stepping into the room and seeing the little monkey sitting there, Song Que sighed with endless emotion. This little guy's contribution today was massive! Seeing Song Que return, the little monkey affectionately hopped over and hugged his leg.

It had absolutely no idea that the Great Demon King in front of it had been fully prepared to sell it out and leave it to fend for itself if the Black Tiger Gang had discovered it! Seeing the monkey rub against his pant leg, leaving smears of black ink, Song Que wasn't angry. He smiled and rubbed its head:"Since you and I share an affinity, you'll follow me from now on. I'll call you Wukong. Remember that, alright?"

The little creature looked at him with sparkling eyes, shrinking its neck in enjoyment as if nodding in agreement, which made Song Que chuckle. Calling Xiong Ba to carefully give it a bath, he shooed them both out, locked his door tightly, and began to review today's harvest. Silver, gold, and banknotes mixed together—amounting to roughly ten thousand taels! Plus the jewelry, the cash alone was an incredibly substantial sum.

Next were the six aged ginseng roots, the oldest being nearly 300 years old, making Song Que's eyes curve into joyful crescents. And finally: the Black Tiger Fist. Opening the secret manual, he read it slowly. Although there were still many terms he didn't fully grasp, he understood the general content. The entire fist technique consisted of 36 moves mimicking a fierce tiger.

It included three ultimate lethal strikes and one secret technique that could burn one's essence and blood to exponentially boost combat power for a short period. Naturally, there were severe side effects afterward: the body would be severely weakened depending on the amount of essence burned. But it was undeniably an ultimate move—perfect for both preserving one's life and securing a kill. Its utility was immense. Reading this part, Song Que secretly rejoiced that Old Feng hadn't unleashed this on him that day.

Otherwise, the consequences would have been unpredictable! Gathering his focus, Song Que began attempting to cultivate according to the Black Tiger Fist manual. Controlling his internal breathing and following the illustrations, he executed the moves one by one. Furthermore, having secretly observed Feng Han so many times in the past, it only took a short while before his Black Tiger Fist began to display a hint of true intent.

He stayed up all night, practicing until he was exhausted, then sitting in meditation and using the Tesseract's energy to restore his body.... Early morning. A young figure practiced martial arts in the courtyard. The youth's aura was entirely restrained, hidden like a predatory beast lurking in the dark. His hands curled into claws. With every move he struck, a low, rumbling sound echoed from within his body, like a tiger's growl. This was Song Que.

After a single night, he could proficiently execute 35 moves of the Black Tiger Fist, grasping 60-70% of the intent. Only the final secret technique, Cornered Tiger Leaps the Wall, which involved complex blood, Qi, and acupoint mechanics he didn't fully understand yet, remained unpracticed. But even so, the power of the fist technique he displayed was unpredictably fierce! Afraid of making too much noise, he hadn't dared use Ming Jin to temper his skin yet.

However, stepping into the realm of a First-Grade martial artist was now a certainty; he could break through whenever he pleased.

"It seems I need to return to Giant Willow Village as soon as possible so I can focus on cultivation." The Black Tiger Gang had been searching madly all night. If he caused too much of a commotion in the courtyard and was discovered, it would be troublesome. If Feng Han went mad and sought revenge, Song Que's current martial arts wouldn't be enough to handle it. Keeping a low profile was the safest bet.

Returning to his room to bathe and wipe himself down, Grandee Song, feeling completely refreshed and invigorated, began to leisurely enjoy his breakfast. Just then, the courtyard door was rudely pushed open. Using his Domain to see who it was, Song Que smiled.

"A'Que! You little rascal, you're really something! I never expected that my Brother Hong would one day be acquainted with the number one expert of Yellow Leaf Town!" Zhong Hong led a group of his lackeys, rushing in with extreme excitement.

"Master Song!"...

"Master Song!" Seeing Song Que again, the group of fair-weather friends didn't dare act casually anymore; they looked at him with pure reverence and greeted him respectfully.

"Haha! Brother Hong, your news is a bit slow!"

"You brat, it's all because of you! Hiding in that remote mountain village is practically being cut off from the outside world! It's so annoying! When Shitou came to report the news, I didn't even believe him! I rushed back this morning and only dared believe it was you after my big brother confirmed it! Hehe, my Brother Hong truly has the 'eyes of a genius' to have discovered a young hero like you so early!" Zhong Hong was beaming with joy, feeling incredibly smug.

Watching him act so intimately with Song Que, his lackeys were burning with envy.

"Haha, right, right! It's Brother Hong who has the sharpest eyes! Have you all eaten breakfast? Sit down and eat together."

"I've been running since dawn, haven't had a single grain of rice! Hurry up and serve the food so Brother Hong can celebrate!" Zhong Hong sat down boldly, spread-eagled like a boss. The lackeys behind him waited for his signal before sitting down carefully, feeling both nervous and excited. Calling Xiong Ba to bring out a few more portions of breakfast, the two chatted while eating.

"Brother Hong, how is the construction progressing?"

"It's basically done. Only the interior finishing and courtyard landscaping are left. If you're in a hurry, it can be finished in ten days." Zhong Hong slurped his congee, speaking vaguely with his mouth full.

"No rush, just keep an eye on it for me. While you're at it, Brother Hong, have Foreman Tao build a proper grave for my parents and A'Xin's father. Best if it's enclosed in a nice courtyard. Also, transport some fish and release them into Mirror Lake; I can fish for fun when I have free time."

"I really don't understand you, kid. You're so young, yet you act like an old man, only caring about growing vegetables and raising fish all day! Isn't coming to the Town or the County City much more lively and fun?!" Zhong Hong smacked his lips in dissatisfaction. In his opinion, with Song Que's skills, he could make a name for himself anywhere! Yet he stubbornly stayed in that remote village!

Zhong Hong had only stayed there for a few days, and he already felt completely uncomfortable, like a wild man living isolated in the wilderness.

"Haha, no rush. I'll definitely go to the County City eventually, but not right now. We'll talk about it once A'Xin grows up a bit." Hearing this, Brother Hong's eyes lit up.

"A'Que, when that time comes, you absolutely have to take me with you! I've had enough of this place; I've wanted to go out and broaden my horizons for a long time!"

"Haha, absolutely! Don't worry, Brother Hong."