Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed ​​at the Start

Yi Yang looked at Zhao Gang, but didn't rush to reply. The steam from the teacup rose, carrying a slightly bitter taste, and entered his nostrils.

Zhao Gang is a very good person. He first points out the benefits of the Sky Patrol Division, and then reveals his own selfish motives.

The truth is shrouded in calculation, and the calculation is covered by favors.

That's what a true江湖人 (jianghu person) should be like.

If he were to start by talking about serving the country and its people, and eliminating evil and upholding justice, Yi Yang would rather touch the woodcutter's knife to see if it was still there.

Zhao Gang didn't mince words, tapping his fingers on the table. "Several small-time gang leaders in Yunwen Town have joined the Sky Patrol Bureau."

"We're the ones who deliver messages to the Sky Patrol, run errands, and investigate clues about cults. We may not have big titles, but once we're in this guise, the Red Tiger Gang will have to think twice before trying to swallow me up."

As Yi Yang listened, he rubbed the rim of his teacup with his palm; these words carried considerable weight.

He has killed quite a few people recently.

Sun Mazi was left unattended, and even Yang Er's death could be attributed to a cult.

But Yang Shuqing is different.

The deputy chief constable of the county government had just made a meritorious contribution and was leaving the county town with the Yi Jin Ba Gu Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine for strengthening tendons and bones).

The man is gone; the county government will investigate sooner or later.

Do they really think those government employees are blind?

What's even more critical is that Yi Yang's cultivation level is rising too fast.

The resources available on the regular black market are no longer sufficient.

The four-fold strengthening of Qi and Blood requires more expensive medicinal materials and narrower channels. Sometimes, even a waist token that allows you to enter the gate is worth less than silver in your hand.

Having lived for sixty years and carrying the knowledge from his previous life, Yi Yang understood one principle all too well.

Developing an unregistered business is too risky; having a formal employment status is the only viable option.

He picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip. "Did Master Zhao summon me here today to try and recruit me?"

Zhao Gang slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump.

"That's great! Talking to smart people saves me the trouble of arguing."

Ren Hao, startled, peeked out from outside the door, but Zhao Gang waved him away.

He leaned forward and lowered his voice, saying, "Old man Yi, I won't lie to you."

"It's good for you to come in, and it's good for me too."

"I'll recommend a master of the Body Refinement Realm; the Sky Patrol Division will record it. This way, I'll have another person in the division to help me out."

Yi Yang glanced at him.

"You're honest."

Zhao Gang spread his hands, a roguish smile on his face. "There are too many lies in the underworld. If I occasionally tell the truth, people will think I'm crazy."

"The monthly salary of a patrol guard is three taels, and that of a patrol captain is fifteen taels, plus access to internal medicinal supplies."

"Qi Xue Wan (a traditional Chinese medicine), Tuo Gu Dan (another traditional Chinese medicine), Zhuang Jin San (another traditional Chinese medicine) – these are hard to buy outside, but the department can exchange them according to merit."

Upon hearing the words "Tuogu Dan," Yi Yang paused for a moment while holding the teacup.

Zhao Gang, with his sharp eyes and confident mind, spoke more steadily: "Old man, I see that with your skills, you have a good chance of becoming a patrol chief."

"If we use the Sky Patrol Office as a route, we might be able to revive and climb a little higher."

Yi Yang didn't respond; the only sounds inside were the chaotic shouts of the drinkers downstairs playing drinking games.

Zhao Gang stared at him, slowing his speech. "I can tell you're at the second level of Qi and Blood, and you're not weak at that level, about the same as me."

"If you'd like, I can write an introduction for you."

Ignoring Zhao Gang's words, Yi Yang mentally reviewed his own strength.

He possesses genuine cultivation, reaching the third level of Qi and Blood, and has achieved minor mastery of the superior martial art, the Nine Peaks Saber.

Only the Qi and Blood are exposed, so the risks are manageable.

The matter of the martial arts competition cannot be kept secret for long. Rather than letting others guess, it's better to reveal it ourselves and change positions.

The Sky Patrol Division is a powerful tool that allows them to acquire resources and cover up past grievances.

If one day the county government reopens Yang Shuqing's case and traces it back to the Bureau of Astronomy, then things will get interesting.

Who will investigate whom is still uncertain.

Yi Yang put down his teacup. "Are the Sky Patrol Bureau strict?"

Zhao Gang understood the meaning behind those words and shook his head.

"We're in an expansion phase now, so there aren't as many rules."

"We regularly listen to instructions and investigate information about cults; those who make contributions will be rewarded."

"If it's a really big case, the higher-ups will send someone to lead the team."

Yi Yang then asked, "What if they find that one of our own people has committed a crime?"

Zhao Gang looked at him for a moment. "It depends on the severity of your crime, whether you have anyone to bail you out, and whether your position is high enough."

Yi Yang smiled; this organization suited his taste perfectly.

In this chaotic world, places that are as clean as a blank sheet of paper are mostly not holy sites, but cemeteries.

"OK."

Yi Yang pushed the teacup back onto the table. "Then I'll trouble Brother Zhao to recommend me to the Celestial Patrol Division."

Zhao Gang slapped his thigh.

"good!"

Zhao Gang couldn't hide his joy. "Old Master Yi, your decision is very sound."

"As the old saying goes, it's good to have a big tree to lean on for shade. The Sky Patrol Bureau is such a big tree that its canopy can cover half of Qingzhou."

Yi Yang offered a reminder.

"A tall tree can attract lightning."

Zhao Gang was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Old man, you have such a sharp tongue."

"However, the criticism is justified."

He took out a blank wooden plaque from his pocket, then took out a small booklet, dipped it in ink, and began to write.

"Name, place of origin, age, level of attainment."

Yi Yang reported the information.

"Yiyang was a native of Sanmu Village, Yunlin County, Suining Prefecture, Qingzhou."

"sixty."

"Qi and Blood in Dual Elements"

Zhao Gang paused for a moment.

Sixty years old.

Qi and blood are both important.

The way these words are placed on the booklet is somewhat absurd.

Martial arts training emphasizes vigorous blood and energy, with a foundation laid in youth and the potential developed in adulthood.

To have such cultivation at the age of sixty, one must either have kept it well hidden in their early years or had another extraordinary encounter.

Zhao Gang didn't ask any more questions. The most annoying thing in the underworld is digging up someone's roots.

After registering, he closed the booklet.

"Once I send the list to the Cloud Pattern Town branch, I will receive a reply within a day or two."

"If it's approved, then the old man will be one of us."

Yi Yang stood up, slung his medicine bag over his shoulder, and left. "Let's put aside the 'we're all on the same side' thing for now."

"We can talk about it after we get the waist pass."

When we went downstairs, Ren Hao stood by the stairs and politely made way for us, even bending his waist lower than last time.

After Yi Yang walked away, Ren Hao returned to the private room.

"Boss, are you really recommending him for the patrol chief position?"

Zhao Gang held the tea, but didn't drink it for a long time.

"This is not a recommendation."

"Yes, please."

Ren Hao was taken aback.

Zhao Gang looked out the window. People were coming and going on the street, and Yi Yang's hunched figure had blended into the crowd and was inconspicuous.

"Two weeks ago, he was still in the early stages of muscle building."

Zhao Gang drank the tea; it was so bitter it made his tongue numb. "Now, when I look at him, it's like looking at a mountain through the fog—I can only see the outline, I can't tell how high it is."

Ren Hao felt a chill run down his spine.

"Didn't the boss say he had two levels?"

Zhao Gang put down his teacup. "I only saw two layers in him."

Ren Hao fell silent.

Two days later.

In the northwest corner of Yunwen Town, in an inconspicuous courtyard made of blue bricks, the gate was tightly closed.

The plaque above the door did not bear the words "Patrol Office," but only an old wooden sign that read "Patrol Warehouse."

Outsiders would only think this is a place where government officials pile up miscellaneous items.

But there's more to the story inside the courtyard.

The front yard is paved with bluestone, with iron stakes standing at the four corners, and knives, guns, clubs, and chains hanging on the wall.

In the center, a robust middle-aged man is practicing martial arts.

He wore a black short-sleeved shirt, had strong arms, a calm face, and a few gray hairs at his temples, but he didn't look old. Instead, he exuded a fierce and weathered aura.

This person's name is Fang Yue.

The patrol chief of the Yunwen Town Sky Patrol Division.

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, lowered his waist and back, and thrust his fist out from under his ribs.

Snapped!

The force of the punch caused the wooden stake three steps away to sway, and fine cracks appeared on the old surface of the stake.

Another slap.

laugh!

The edge of his palm sliced ​​through the air, pulling the hemp rope hanging by the wall to a horizontal position, its end striking the wooden frame with a crisp sound.

The guards standing nearby stood ramrod straight, and no one dared to whisper to each other.

Fang Yue's training wasn't just for show.

Every move is short, every step is steady.

The fist moves along the center line, the elbow protects the ribs, and the leg does not go past the knee.

If someone with ordinary Qi and Blood deficiency suffers a minor injury, they may be bedridden for ten days, or even die on the spot.

When Fang Yue finished throwing his punch, his chest and abdomen rose and fell steadily, and only a layer of sweat hung on his forehead.

A young patrolman strode into the courtyard, holding the booklet in both hands.

"Manager, this is the list of candidates recommended for membership this month."

Fang Yue took it and turned two pages.

"Five people at the second level of Qi and Blood, thirteen people at the first level of Qi and Blood, and twenty-seven ordinary spies."

"Um."

He pointed to the name with his fingertip.

Those with both Qi and Blood levels will be directly appointed as patrol chiefs.

"If you are at the first level of Qi and Blood, your personal background will be assessed first. If you pass, you will be retained as a patrol guard."

"Those that haven't entered the Qi and blood system should be relegated to the periphery as errand runners."

The guard nodded hurriedly, and Fang Yue climbed over to the back and stopped.

"Recommended by Zhao Gang, Yiyang."

Sixty years old.

"Qi and Blood in Dual Elements"

Fang Yue frowned.

The wind in the courtyard blew through the iron stakes, causing the pages of the book to turn gently.

The guard whispered, "Sir, Zhao Gang said that this man is skilled with a sword, experienced, and reliable."

"It's just that I'm quite old."

"old?"

Fang Yue slapped the booklet into his palm. "At sixty, one enters the second stage of Qi and Blood, and the period of decline in Qi and Blood is almost here."

"Send him to fight? You think the coffin shop isn't doing enough business?"

The guard lowered his head, not daring to reply.

Fang Yue took two steps in the courtyard.

With the expansion of the Sky Patrol Bureau, the shortage of personnel is a real problem.

The Nine Evil Cults are like rats in a ditch, scattered here and there, gnawing at the granary tonight and eating the bones of the dead tomorrow night.

The three factions and two gangs in the county town were watching the show from the sidelines, hoping that the Sky Patrol Bureau would stumble a few more times.

At this time, no one who is still usable should be wasted.

Fang Yue turned back to Yi Yang's page. "Qi and Blood at the Second Level, even in old age, one remains at the Second Level."

"Since Zhao Gang dared to submit it, he's at least not an incompetent fool."

The patrolman asked in a low voice, "Then how about assigning a patrol leader?"

Fang Yue shook his head.

"The patrol chief is tasked with leading investigations, conducting night patrols, and hunting down cult members."

"A sixty-year-old man may have experience, but his legs may not be able to keep up."

"We're short-staffed right now, so we've assigned him to tour the museum."

The guard paused, taken aback. "Guarding the case files?"

"right."

Fang Yue closed the booklet.

"The archives are piled with old case files, clues about cults, lists of local forces, and information on recent disturbances in various villages and towns."

"That place is peaceful, but you still need to be smart."

"Let him contribute what he can."

Fang Yue paused at this point.

"Give the patrol chief the same treatment."

"After all, he is at the second level of Qi and Blood, so don't embarrass Zhao Gang."

The patrolman quickly wrote it down: "Understood, sir."