Realm: Mid-grade First Layer of Transcendence
Cultivation Technique: [Pine Crane Longevity Technique: Initial Glimpse 32/80]
In just ten days, the progress of the Pine Crane Longevity Technique had already surpassed one-third. Through continuous Cultivation of the Pine Skill, Lin Xuankong's Transcendence Realm was also steadily improving. It had reached the Mid-grade of the First Layer, and his body had undergone a significant Metamorphosis! Especially his arms, which already boasted the strength to withstand a thousand pounds, with skin and flesh as tough as leather! The First Layer of Transcendence focused heavily on tempering the arms with Transcendent Qi Blood. When the muscles and skin of both arms were perfectly tempered, the First Layer would reach Perfection!
One-third in ten days! At my current Cultivation Speed, when the Young Lady returns in another ten days, I estimate I'll have reached the Late Stage of the First Layer, just one step away from Perfection!
I wonder what kind of expression she will have by then?
However, the Young Lady said that her Entry Level speed in the Pine Skill was similar to mine. I don't know if what she said is true... If her Talent is really that strong, she probably won't be too surprised to see me reach the Late Stage of the First Layer!
It's unbelievable to think she could be on par with my fifty-times speed boost...
Fortunately, I am now in my fifties, with a fifty-times Cultivation Speed boost. Next year, when I turn sixty, I should have a sixty-times boost. By then, my Cultivation Speed will be even faster, far surpassing hers!
Lin Xuankong sighed for a moment, then looked at the bluestone in the courtyard. Gazing at the finger holes left by the Young Lady on the large bluestone, he thought to himself: Once I reach the Perfection of the First Layer, I'll be able to do what the Young Lady demonstrated with her Spiritual Crane Finger—pierce the hard bluestone with a single touch!
As for now... He glanced at the Old Willow Tree in the courtyard, then activated his Qi Blood and leaped to its side.
In the next moment, with a light HISS, the Old Willow Tree trembled slightly. His right hand had already pierced into its hard trunk. Effortlessly withdrawing his right hand, a hole several inches across and half a foot deep appeared on the trunk!
Lin Xuankong nodded in satisfaction. At the Mid-grade of the First Layer of Transcendence, though he couldn't easily pierce bluestone yet, his arm and fingers, when infused with Qi Blood, were nearly as tough as refined steel. With a single finger strike, he could now easily pierce an extremely hard tree trunk!
This level of power... if my self from ten days ago faced it, I'd undoubtedly be killed instantly!
Especially as his Pine Skill progressed, his use of the Spiritual Crane Finger became more refined. With such an exquisite Martial Skill, if everyone fought barehanded, even facing Zhang Wushi's fifty-odd fierce subordinates, it would only take a dozen or so strikes!
Just as he was contemplating this, a sudden knocking sound came from the old wooden building.
Lin Xuankong put those thoughts aside and quickly entered the wooden building. He walked towards the outer room and opened the door to see an unfamiliar man in servant's attire and a retainer's cap.
This man, seeing Lin Xuankong open the door, asked, "Are you Old Lin, the one who sells fried cakes?"
Lin Xuankong searched his memory but couldn't recall who this person was. "And you are?"
The retainer said, "I am Li An, a servant from the Li Mansion on East Water Street. Tomorrow, our Li Mansion is holding a birthday celebration for the Third Young Master, and we need to prepare a running banquet. I heard you're good at making fried cakes, so we'd like you to come and make some staple foods, like fried cakes and fritters."
Hearing this, Lin Xuankong finally understood. In his memory, his previous self was often hired by wealthy families to cook for running banquets due to his skill in making fried cakes.
The retainer continued, "The running banquet needs to last for six days, and during this time, a considerable number of fried cakes will be required. This job pays two ounces of silver. You can hire four or five helpers and give them a share of the payment."
Two ounces of silver! he thought. When I sell fried cakes, it takes a whole month of hard work to earn just one or two ounces!
Of course, working for such a wealthy household would be exhausting. An ordinary old man wouldn't be able to handle it and would need several helpers. So, dividing two ounces of silver among four or five people wouldn't amount to much for each person after all.
However, with my current physique, I could handle this job alone, easily and comfortably!
Thinking of the thirty-odd ounces of silver Lii Xiaolan had given him, he thought to himself: I need to start earning more money; I can't keep freeloading!
"Well? If you agree to it, I won't look for anyone else," the retainer asked.
"Alright, I'll head over early tomorrow morning. Brother Li, would you like to come in and rest for a bit?" Lin Xuankong nodded.
The retainer, seeing he had agreed, nodded and turned to leave, clearly uninterested in chatting with such an impoverished old man.
After the Li Mansion retainer left, Lin Xuankong closed the door and returned to the back courtyard to continue practicing the Spiritual Crane Finger.
The retainer left Wutong Village and headed straight for the Li Mansion.
After he had gone some distance, Ma Xiong, holding a birdcage, leisurely emerged from a tavern on the street. He watched the departing retainer, Li An, his eyes flickering.
A Black Tiger Gang member beside him said, "Brother Ma, it looks like Old Lin has accepted the job from the Li Mansion."
Ma Xiong teased the bird in the cage, then nodded with a smile.
Ever since he'd accepted the task from his Big Brother to eliminate Old Lin, the old fellow hadn't stepped out of his house for over ten days. It was quite strange... However, money talks. There are plenty of ways to lure Old Lin away from that beautiful Young Lady!
At this moment, many passersby on the street, upon seeing Ma Xiong, showed fear and gave him a wide berth. Even wealthy merchants and young masters in fine clothes, surrounded by their entourages, respectfully greeted Ma Xiong, Boss Zhang Wu's right-hand man.
Ma Xiong stood for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "The route from Wutong Village to the Li Mansion definitely passes through that dense forest path. Find two tight-lipped, ruthless brothers to stake it out early tomorrow morning! Also, bring the Hu Family Brothers!"
The gang member frowned. "The Hu Family Brothers? Why let them in on such a prime opportunity to earn merit?"
Ma Xiong smiled. "How could we monopolize such a chance to earn merit? The Hu Family Brothers are exceptionally talented; they reached the First Layer of Transcendence just a few days ago! They've only cultivated for five years and have already undergone the Mortal Transformation into Martial Arts, entering the Early Stage of the First Layer. That's even faster than me, and I've been cultivating for six or seven years. With such Talent, those two have a great future ahead of them, possibly even surpassing Brother Zhang... A man has to think about the future!"
The gang member was stunned for a moment, then chuckled. "Amazing, Brother Ma! You truly live up to your name, always thinking so far ahead!"
Ma Xiong, however, narrowed his eyes. Calling the Hu Family Brothers wasn't just about currying favor with them...
That Miss Lin is incredibly strong, yet Big Brother wants me to take out Old Lin. It's a task I can't refuse, but I need an escape route! If the Hu Family Brothers are involved and things go south, those two 'tall trees' will make perfect scapegoats!
To make it in the underworld, you need brains, not just brawn!