Chương 87: Returning to Lingjiang

Hui Wu left. As lightly as a breeze, without disturbing anyone in the Song Manor. But that single, short day of instruction had illuminated Song Que's martial arts path, making it broad and clear! From now on, he wouldn't have to worry about taking wrong turns or ending up in dead ends. Moreover, he was confident that he could generate An Jin within the next few days and strive to step into the Fourth Grade within a month! Therefore, after Hui Wu's departure, Song Que returned to living like an ascetic monk.

Aside from eating and sleeping, he did nothing but cultivate. After all, he was currently practicing a 'virgin boy' martial art; the less he went out and attracted romantic attention, the better! Grandee Song was good at many things, but resisting temptation was not one of them! He needed to strangle all potential dangers in the cradle!... With Hui Wu's insights and experience, everything became incredibly simple. It took only three days for Song Que to successfully generate An Jin!

Two weeks later, it was a matter of course for him to step into the Fourth Grade! However, since the external tempering portion of the Glass Sutra was not yet perfected, he didn't rush to begin tempering his bones. A Second-Tier martial artist at just over 15 years old! He was the only one of his kind in the entire Lingjiang Commandery! Currently, if only considering Qinghe County, his martial arts were among the very best. Even in the entire Commandery, he was a figure who could sit at the main table!

Song Que's heart began to swell with ambition. He wanted to build his own faction and make big money! But to do that, he first needed to make some 'small money'. Thinking of the meager few banknotes left in his Storage Space, Grandee Song secretly shed tears. The massive expenses over the past month had completely depleted his savings; he currently had less than 200 taels to his name! Practicing martial arts truly burned through wealth!

To skip stages and advance as rapidly as he did, the cost multiplied exponentially! Therefore, he planned to make a trip to the Commandery Capital today. He had practically bought out all the medicinal herbs in Qinghe County, and he was out of money anyway. So, he set his sights on Lingjiang Commandery! Since his cultivation had broken through, it was also time to go out and clear his head. He had many things to do on this trip, so Song Que only brought Xiong Ba along.

Not only because the kid was reliable, but also because he never asked curious questions about what Song Que was doing.... Early morning, Qinghe County Docks. Throngs of people were already coming and going. It was mostly merchants and porters, gathering in small groups, shouting and calling out to each other. Strolling leisurely with their hands behind their backs, Song Que and Xiong Ba actually stood out quite a bit.

As a result, the moment the master-servant duo—the towering Xiong Ba, who stood out like a crane among chickens, and the handsome, dashing Song Que—appeared at the docks, they immediately attracted attention.

"Young Hero Song! It has been a while. Didn't you say last time that you would come find me for a heart-to-heart? How is it that this concubine has strained her eyes waiting, yet there's still no news from you?" A fragrant breeze wafted over, followed by a cloyingly sweet voice right by his ear, sounding both angry and reproachful. It caused Young Master Song's blood to show signs of boiling over and running wild!

Suppressing the rising heat in his body, Song Que forced a smile at the newcomer and said:"Please do not take offense, Senior Weng. This junior has simply been too busy lately and couldn't find the free time to visit you." The newcomer was none other than Weng Hong, the Vice Hall Master of the Lingjiang Gang! Standing right in front of Song Que, a vast expanse of snow-white cleavage assaulted his eyes as she lowered her head and said in a heartbroken tone:"Too busy?

Or did that old fart Yun Shan speak ill of this concubine, whispering gossip into your ears, causing you to harbor prejudice against me, Young Master Song?" Looking at her demeanor, Song Que couldn't help screaming internally. This was pure, unadulterated temptation—and right when Young Master Song's blood and vigor were at their peak, making his breathing gradually grow heavy! It might have been a side effect of the Glass Immaculate Body: the more vibrant his blood and Qi grew, the more his desires burned!

And since he didn't know how to chant Buddhist sutras to cool his internal fire, luckily, he still had the Tesseract! Every time he felt an unbearable, restless urge, the electric current emitted by it cleared Song Que's mind. That was the only way he was able to cultivate this martial art so rapidly! It was the same this time. The electric current from the Tesseract coursed through his body, clearing Song Que's eyes.

Inwardly shouting 'that was close', he took a deep breath, discreetly averted his gaze, and smiled at the other party: You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Please don't misunderstand, Senior Weng. It's just that because this junior was lucky enough to kill Zheng Junqing, my home hasn't seen a day of peace recently! There's been an endless stream of families coming to visit, so I haven't even dared to show my face on the streets!"

"Isn't that why I'm taking advantage of the situation calming down today to escape to the Commandery Capital for a few days to relax?" Whether Yun Shan spoke the truth or Weng Hong did, it didn't matter to Grandee Song! He only knew that right now, staying far away from her was enough! This woman's allure was too great; out of sight, out of mind!

"Giggle... So that's how it is! I misunderstood you, Young Hero! This concubine thought Young Hero Song found me old and ugly and didn't want to chat with me!" Who knew if Weng Hong believed his words, but on the surface, she appeared to believe him without a doubt, giggling and patting her chest in relief. Only then did her gaze sweep over Xiong Ba behind him, her eyes lighting up:"Young Master Song, who is this?" What? Tempted again?!

Watching her greedy gaze scan Old Xiong's muscular physique, Grandee Song inwardly exclaimed that this woman had an incredibly wide palate! He quickly sold Xiong Ba out completely:"This is my brother, Xiong Ba. Xiong Ba, hurry and greet Senior Weng."

"Greetings, Senior." Xiong Ba remained stoic, cupping his hands and speaking in a gruff, booming voice. As long as he didn't smile, his outward appearance was still quite passable. Weng Hong's eyes darted between the two of them. Her fragrant tongue licked her peach-red lips, her soul-stealing eyes beginning to seduce:"It's a coincidence we met today! Why don't I invite both of you young heroes to my humble abode? We can enjoy some tea and slowly... chat?" Chat about what?! You succubus!

Don't even dream of eating my virgin body! Grandee Song bluntly refused, sighing with a face full of regret:"It truly is a pity today. This junior has urgent matters to attend to in Lingjiang Commandery. I will definitely come visit you another time, Senior Weng!" Seeing his resolute demeanor, Weng Hong sighed in regret inwardly:"What a pity, then! Next time, you must come find me, Young Hero Song!"

"I definitely will. This junior will take his leave first." Ignoring this succubus's gaze, which looked like a lovestruck maiden waiting for her lover, Song Que hurriedly grabbed Xiong Ba and briskly boarded the ship.... Thanks to Weng Hong, the two of them were arranged by the Lingjiang Gang members to sit inside the cabin, saving them the hardship of the journey. It seems this succubus hasn't given up her wicked designs on this Young Master's beauty! Song Que sat bored on the ship, stroking his chin in thought.

Curious, Xiong Ba kept looking left and right. Grandee Song wasn't interested in giving him a geography lesson, so he just let him do as he pleased. The banks on both sides were just mountains and forests anyway, nothing unusual. For Xiong Ba, who was born and raised in the forest, there was nothing novel about it. Thus, the kid quickly lost interest and sat honestly in his chair, quietly keeping watch for Song Que, who was resting with his eyes closed.

When the sun reached its zenith, the two finally set foot in Lingjiang Commandery. Having been here once before and being fairly familiar with the place, Song Que didn't linger. He quickly led Xiong Ba to find a luxurious restaurant and rented a private, separate suite to stay in. After a quick lunch, neither of them had the interest to stroll the streets. They both returned to their rooms to rest and recharge.

They slept until the sun was nearing the mountains, then the master and servant stepped out, feeling refreshed, to stroll the streets of Lingjiang Commandery. Song Que hadn't had the time to wander around during his last visit, so he found a lot of enjoyment this time. The city was naturally many times more prosperous than Qinghe County. Not only that, but the variety of goods was also incredibly rich; you could find practically anything you needed.

Benefiting from being a key commandery for water transport, merchants traveling north and south brought goods from the frontiers, the coasts, and even beyond the borders, all making an appearance here. There were many things that even a modern person like Song Que couldn't immediately identify. As the sun set, thousands of lanterns were lit, their hazy, shimmering glow making the city look even more beautiful and magnificent, completely captivating Grandee Song.

It wasn't until Xiong Ba's stomach let out a loud rumble that Song Que, still wanting to see more, finally stopped wandering. He led him to a nearby, packed restaurant called "Old Fish Eatery" to have dinner. When in a river town, you can't justify not eating the local river fish!...

"Guest, how many in your party?"

"Just the two of us. Give me a table upstairs near a window so we can easily watch the street." Song Que said as he casually slipped the waiter a piece of broken silver. Secretly slipping the silver into his sleeve, the waiter smiled radiantly and attentively led the way.

"Right this way, please." Heading up to the second floor, it was already nearly full. Luckily, there was one empty table left by the window, and the waiter immediately seated them there.

"What are the specialties here?"

"Haha, this little brother must have just arrived in Lingjiang City, right? Our most famous specialty here is the Saber Fish! Its body is flat like a blade, and it loves swimming against swift currents, so its meat is firm, chewy, and the flavor is unmatched! The Old Fish Eatery's signature 'Eight Saber Fish Dishes' is renowned throughout the city! You should definitely try a few!" Before the waiter could reply, a young man at the next table suddenly smiled and spoke up. Song Que turned to look.

The area he was seated in was a corner of the room, and there were only their two tables here. When he arrived, he had noticed a man and a woman sitting at the next table. Now that the man spoke, he took a closer look and found him quite familiar, though he couldn't recall where they had met.

"It is exactly as Young Master Chen said! Guest, our most famous dishes are the Eight Saber Fish Dishes, including grilled fish cakes, spicy stir-fried fish intestines... you should give them a try!" Young Master Chen? A flash of insight crossed Song Que's mind, and he immediately recognized the person! Wasn't this the young man standing next to the Chen Family Patriarch at the auction last time?! He didn't remember the exact name, but he was definitely an important figure in the Chen Family!

"Thank you, Young Master Chen, for the recommendation," Song Que smiled and thanked the other party. Young Master Chen had only spoken up out of casual helpfulness; he had no intention of striking up a conversation or getting acquainted. He was out with his girlfriend, busy chatting up the beauty! So, he just politely nodded and smiled before turning back.

Song Que only sighed in admiration at the other's helpfulness and quickly paid it no mind, turning to the waiter and ordering:"Then bring us two portions of each of the eight specialty dishes, and fetch us a jug of fine wine."

"Guest, our portions here are quite generous. If you order that much, I'm afraid..." The waiter hesitated.

"Don't worry about it. Just bring it all out."

"Very well, guest!" He had given his warning. If the customer didn't care, why should he hesitate? The waiter happily ran off to have the chef prepare the dishes. It wasn't long before the dishes were brought out one after another. A table completely full of fish, emitting a mouth-watering aroma, was laid out before him! Fresh river fish was naturally fragrant and sweet. Without needing complex preparation, it tasted incredibly delicious!

He and Xiong Ba devoured the food like a whirlwind scattering clouds, quickly clearing the entire table! Only then did they return to the inn, fully satisfied, to rest.