I attained immortality through meditation in the Great Qian Dynasty.

Zhang Jing paced back and forth.

"grown ups."

Zhao Zian's voice rang out behind Zhang Jing.

Zhang Jing turned around.

"Brother Zhao! Your arm!"

"What...what happened to you? Did you encounter a killer?"

"Um."

Zhao Zian nodded.

"We not only met, we also fought."

"What?"

Zhang Jing was terrified.

"Are you alright? What about the killer? Have they been caught?"

Zhao Zian glanced at him.

"Grasp?"

"Lord Zhang, you overestimate me. The other party was a cultivator, whose cultivation level was far above mine. It's already a miracle that I came out alive."

Zhang Jing's lips trembled.

"Alright, stop acting like the sky is falling."

Zhao Zian said.

"I won't be able to catch him for you tonight. The police were very shrewd; they missed their first shot and immediately retreated."

Zhang Jing broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.

"Then... what do we do now? Brother Zhao, your injury..."

"I need to find a place to treat my injury right away, otherwise this arm might be ruined."

"Go back to the county office and pretend nothing happened. Remember, I've been in jail all night and haven't gone anywhere."

"Alright! Alright! Brother Zhao, please be careful!"

Zhang Jing took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket.

"This is wound medicine; it works very well. You can use it first!"

Zhao Zian did not refuse.

Thanks.

……

Medicinal herb field.

As soon as he stepped into the herb field, Little White darted out and rubbed against his trouser leg.

"Master, you're bleeding so much! Does it hurt a lot?"

Xiao Bai's anxious voice was trembling with tears.

"I'm fine."

Zhao Zian tore open the blood-soaked sleeve, revealing a deep wound that exposed bone.

"Little White, protect me."

"No one is allowed near here, understand?"

"Um!"

Xiaobai nodded emphatically.

Zhao Zian took out the porcelain bottle containing Qi Gathering Pills, poured out four pills, and swallowed them.

His body was trembling violently.

Veins bulged on his forehead, and beads of sweat rolled down his face.

Ordinary cultivators would not be able to swallow four at once, let alone two.

All of these would be enough to damage his dantian, sever his meridians, and render him a cripple.

This is playing with fire!

But Zhao Zian had no other choice.

That black-clad assassin's cultivation level was at least at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

And that mysterious Wang Jingtian, and the two old servants beside him.

In front of these people, he, at the mere fourth level of Qi Refining, was nothing more than an ant that could be crushed at will.

He was fed up with this feeling of powerlessness.

"Send it to me!"

Zhao Zian activated the Longevity Technique.

The spirit-gathering array also began to hum.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of 100 meters surged into Zhao Zian's body.

This is a process of destruction followed by construction.

It was painful, but effective!

Xiao Bai watched this scene in horror.

The owner is going through an extremely critical moment, and any disturbance could be fatal.

Zhao Zian's body trembled.

The bottleneck of the fourth level of Qi Refining has been broken!

This is just the beginning.

The medicinal power of those four Qi Gathering Pills was less than half consumed.

The remaining medicinal power surged through his dantian.

Rush!

Zhao Zian had long since disregarded life and death.

He guided the torrent, crashing headlong into the barrier of the fifth level of Qi Refining.

Qi Refining Level 5, broken through!

His aura surged again.

At the wound site, granulation tissue grows and heals at a rate visible to the naked eye.

So cool!

But he didn't stop.

The medicine is still working!

The fighting spirit has not subsided!

Qi Refining Stage 7!

Break it!

This time, the resistance to the impact was significantly greater.

I don't know how much time passed.

Qi Refining Level 7, achieved!

Zhao Zian opened his eyes.

He broke through three realms in a row, from the fourth level of Qi Refining to the seventh level of Qi Refining!

Zhao Zian stood up.

He clenched his fist.

strength!

This is the real power that allows him to make a living!

"Owner!"

Little White leaped and landed on his shoulder.

"You scared me to death!"

Zhao Zian stroked its fur.

"It's alright now."

……

Yuelai Inn.

Wang Jingtian sat upright by the window.

"Young master, we've found it."

Gui Bo's voice was hoarse.

"That boy named Zhao Zian was from Liuxi Town. His parents died early, and he was raised by his older brother and sister-in-law. Half a year ago, his older brother went up the mountain to collect herbs, fell and injured himself, which left him with a chronic illness. He also recently passed away."

Wang Jingtian remained expressionless.

"continue."

"This man was originally just an ordinary country boy, even a bit dull. But starting two months ago, his personality changed drastically. First, he cured Manager Su Mei's strange illness at Jishetang and became a respected figure there. Then, he cured Magistrate Zhang Jing's elderly mother of a chronic illness and gained Zhang Jing's deep trust."

"Oh?"

Wang Jingtian put down his teacup.

"Medical skills?"

"Yes, his medical skills are profound."

Gui Bo added.

"According to our investigation, he seems to know some rudimentary cultivation methods."

"A country boy, transformed in just two months?"

Wang Jingtian tapped on the table.

"Do you believe there isn't a story behind this?"

Quan Bo stepped forward.

"Does the young master suspect that he had some extraordinary encounter?"

"A serendipitous encounter, or... something else entirely?"

Wang Jingtian stood up.

"He insulted me to distance himself from me and to prevent me from suspecting him."

"He saved me to curry favor with me and plan for the future."

"He retreated calmly because he knew I wouldn't kill him."

"He's got it all: cunning, guts, and ruthlessness. Could someone like that be just an ordinary country boy?"

Uncle Quan and Uncle Gui exchanged a glance.

They had indeed underestimated that young man.

"Young master, then we..."

"No rush."

Wang Jingtian waved his hand.

"Let's see what he's trying to do first. It would be a shame to kill such an interesting little mouse so quickly."

"As for those assassins..."

"They came from the Blackwater Alliance, a dog kept by Prefect Liu Mang."

"Liu Mang... has he finally lost his temper and is going to make a move against me?"

"Pass on my order: get moving."

"I want to show Liu Mang what happens when he messes with the Wang family."

"Yes, young master!"

The next day, as dawn broke.

Outside the county government office in Liuxi Town, there was already a great deal of noise and chatter.

"mighty--"

The gavel struck, and the courtroom fell silent for a moment.

Magistrate Zhang Jing sat upright in the courtroom.

"The one who brought the criminal is Zhao Zi'an!"

At Zhang Jing's command, Zhao Zian, dressed in plain clothes, was escorted up by two constables.

"Kneel down!"

The constable shouted at him sternly.

He didn't kneel; he just stood there, completely upright.

"You audacious commoner! Why don't you kneel before me, your official?"

Zhang Jingyi slammed the gavel.

He had to make the right gesture.

Zhao Zian bowed slightly.

"Your Honor, I am innocent, why must I kneel?"

Before he could finish speaking, the audience erupted in uproar.

"Bullshit! You murderer!"

A burly man with a face full of scars rushed out.

"It was you! You killed our Black Tiger Brother! So many eyes watched as you clashed with him! He died in less than an incense stick's time! Who else could it be but you?"

"Yes! That's him!"

"Please, Your Honor, do us justice!"