Becoming an immortal from a canal worker

Early in the morning.

Chen Ping finished his practice in the courtyard, wiped his sweat, and went into the kitchen. Old Liu had already set out the meal. On the table were a large bowl of stewed meat, two bowls of thick porridge, a dish of pickled vegetables, and several multigrain pancakes, all steaming hot.

Old Liu was already used to it; the appetite of someone in the Refining Realm was beyond what ordinary people could match, and he still felt that this was not enough for each meal.

Chen Ping picked up the bowl and first ate most of the stewed meat. The meat was stewed until tender and had a slightly savory aroma. Only after finishing the meat did he go to get the porridge bowl.

Old Liu sat opposite, slowly eating his pancake without saying a word. The courtyard was quiet, with only the sound of the wind blowing over the wall, making the branches of the withered tree in the corner of the courtyard tremble slightly.

The sky was grayish-white, and the thick clouds, like a single piece, pressed down on the entire town of Qingkou, filtering out most of the light. The distant noise from the docks drifted in through the walls, faint and indistinct.

Halfway through the meal, there was a knock on the courtyard gate, the rhythm neither too light nor too heavy.

Chen Ping got up to open the door.

Scarface stood outside the door. When Chen Ping opened the door, he cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Master Chen, I've come to report."

Chen Ping stepped aside and said, "Come in and sit down."

Scarface paused for a moment, then stepped into the courtyard, sat down on the stone bench by the stone table, placed his hands on his knees, and sat very upright.

Chen Ping sat back down, picked up the bowl of porridge, and raised his chin: "Speak."

Scarface responded and began to report: the ships that came and went at the dock yesterday, the new personnel registered at the greywater yard, and the suspicious faces that his informants in the West Market had been watching recently. He spoke in a low voice and in a clear and organized manner, listing each item one by one.

After finishing the usual stuff, Scarface paused and said, "There's one more thing. Recently, our informants have reported that the White Gang has recalled all the people they sent out on the outskirts. Also, our informants have noticed some unfamiliar faces in Xiahe County."

Chen Ping put down the bowl of porridge in his hand, remained silent for a few moments, and did not speak.

The white gang contracted; this was not an ordinary movement.

Last time, during the incident in the west of the city, the White Gang eliminated several informants. At that time, Chen Ping knew that it wasn't that the White Gang couldn't find informants, but rather that they were unwilling to waste their energy on them.

Nowadays, there are refugees everywhere, making it extremely difficult to find even one or two informants among them.

He said, "Take down those people in high-risk, easily exposed positions to minimize losses."

Scarface nodded in agreement.

Chen Ping thought for a moment and asked, "How many people have been selected from the greywater treatment plant?"

Scarface said, "There are twenty people registered so far, but some are still observing."

Chen Ping nodded and said, "It's alright. If you think being a spy is too dangerous, you can be assigned to fishing in Luhua Village. You can handle these things yourself, but don't make any big moves, take it slow."

Scarface responded, stood up to take his leave, and his footsteps faded into the distance as he left the courtyard.

Old Liu sat opposite him, finished the last bite of his pancake, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said nothing.

Chen Ping finished the rest of the porridge, put down the bowl, and got up to find Lü Cheng.

At Lü Cheng's residence, there were only two people in the main hall.

The wind outside made the window paper flutter gently before settling down. The fire in the charcoal brazier burned steadily, warming this small area cozy and inviting, as if it were a completely different world from the chill outside.

Chen Ping recounted what Scarface had reported: the White Gang was shrinking, and unfamiliar faces were appearing; the two events were presented together.

Lu Cheng, holding his teacup, listened for a moment without speaking immediately, then slowly said, "You've removed those informants who pose a high risk of exposure?"

Chen Ping nodded.

Lu Cheng hummed in agreement, put down his teacup, tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, and said, "The White Gang's retreat is the right thing to do. At a time like this, they won't cause trouble before the Dragon Head Ceremony."

Chen Ping spoke up: "Those unfamiliar faces?"

Lu Cheng raised his head, glanced at him, and said calmly, "Just keep an eye on him, no need to do anything."

He paused, his gaze falling on Chen Ping, and said, "Li Yuan should have already told you how to break through to the Ming Jin level."

Chen Ping nodded.

Lu Cheng turned around, took a diagram from the bookshelf behind him, unfolded it, and placed it in front of Chen Ping. The diagram was densely marked with lines and points. He said, "This is the diagram of the sixteen external and sixteen internal acupoints. It is only a general location. Everyone's physique is different, and the location of the acupoints and the time for flushing will be different. Just take a look beforehand to have a general idea."

Chen Ping took the map and looked at it carefully. The path on the map was generally consistent with what Li Yuan had said, but there were many more annotations in the details. There were a few words written next to some key points, indicating the direction that was easy to deviate from during rinsing.

Lu Cheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "If you can reach the Ming Jin level before the Dragon Head Ceremony, with your martial arts skills, winning the championship this time will not be difficult."

He paused, then continued, "As for the White Gang, you only need to pay attention to one person: Wan Guihong. He's just entered the Ming Jin realm, skilled in staff techniques, using the Broken Mountain Staff. Like you, he's straightforward and hard-hitting. His martial arts proficiency should be at the master level. You don't need to worry about him."

"The one we need to worry about is Yuan Shao from the Great River Gang. He's just entered the Dark Force realm and wields an Iron Wrist Blade. He should be the strongest at this Dragon Head Festival."

Lu Cheng gave Chen Ping a deep look and said, "However, I believe in you. These two should be no match for you."

Chen Ping folded the map neatly, put it in his pocket, and bowed to take his leave.

Lu Cheng did not get up, but simply held his teacup and watched him leave. The hall fell silent again, with only the faint crackling of the fire in the charcoal brazier.

As soon as I left Lü Cheng's residence, the wind on the street blew in my face. It was cold and a little damp, so I pulled my collar inside.

Chen Ping didn't linger and turned to walk back.

That night.

Chen Ping sat cross-legged in the room, an oil lamp burning. The flame was slightly tilted to one side by the wind leaking in through the window cracks, but then it stabilized.

He closed his eyes, and the condensed qi and blood in his body slowly circulated, completing a full cycle. It lingered for a moment at the soles of his feet before dissipating.

After three months, the purification process came to an end.

He felt the lingering sensation, calmed his mind, and slowly groped around. There was something faintly visible under his feet, like a door hidden against the wall, indistinct but definitely there.

A spring.

The first key point.

Chen Ping opened his eyes. The flame of the oil lamp flickered gently in front of him. The room was quiet, and the sound of the wind outside could be faintly heard.

He lowered his head, feeling the faint, indistinct spot beneath his feet, and understood.

The purification is complete.

......

The next morning, after breakfast, Chen Ping went to the greywater field.

It was the same road, the same place: muddy ground, shacks, withered grass. When the wind blew, the grass blades trembled, just like when I first came here.

The difference lies in the people.

The thugs and hooligans that used to be everywhere have disappeared, replaced by Scarface's men.

Scarface walked back and forth on the street with a few of his men, stopping to say a few words to people he saw. His tone was low, but everyone listened attentively.

As Chen Ping walked over, the eyes of the people squatting, standing, and leaning against the shacks on the street all turned to him. Someone was whispering something, not loud, but clearly audible in the quiet greywater field.

"That Master Li was able to leave this place and live a decent life thanks to Steward Chen's help."

"Yes, I heard that Master Li has now passed the imperial examination."

Chen Ping listened to these words without saying anything. He walked around the area and scanned the place from beginning to end, getting a general idea of ​​the number of shacks, the number of people, the old and the young, and those who could move and those who couldn't.

He turned around, walked up to Scarface, and said, "These people can live, but they must follow the rules."

Scarface nodded quickly and replied, "Yes."

Chen Ping said, "You'll get whatever you do."

Scarface noted these words down and was about to speak when he suddenly seemed to remember something, raised his head and said, "Master Chen, news has come from Shanyang City that the document for Prefect Qian's transfer has been issued, around the time of the Dragon Head Ceremony."

The wind blew in from the other side of the greywater field, carrying a fishy smell.

Chen Ping stood there without saying a word.