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

late at night.

The gate to the small courtyard was bolted shut, and the window paper was pasted tightly shut.

Yi Yang didn't rush to wash up. First, he turned over the wooden stakes in the yard and placed them against the wall.

Moonlight filtered through the leaves of the locust tree, scattering across the ground like pieces of broken silver.

Yi Yang drew out the knife.

First move, begin.

The blade curved upwards from the waist, accompanied by a whooshing sound. It wasn't just any whooshing sound; it was the whistling of blood and energy coursing through the air as it flowed into the blade.

The skeleton and blood energy of the Bone Forging Realm supported this strike, and when the blade reached its highest point, the air within three feet in front of him vibrated.

Afterwards, Yi Yang continued to practice the last eight moves of the Nine Peaks Saber in the courtyard. After completing the eight moves, Yi Yang sheathed the saber and breathed to calm his blood and qi.

Small characters appeared before my eyes.

[Nine Peaks Blade Mastery: (15800/18000)]

[Internal Strength Cultivation of the Five Organs: Minor Success (13600/15000)]

After tucking the knife back into his waistband, Yi Yang stretched his wrists.

During that period, he devoted all his energy to the progress of the Yi Mu Health Preservation Exercise, focusing wholeheartedly on achieving the fifth level of Qi and Blood.

He set aside his swordsmanship and internal cultivation techniques, practicing them a few times a day to maintain his progress, without focusing on them. Now that he is close to breaking through to the Refining Realm, he cannot make a significant breakthrough in the Qi and Blood realm to reach the sixth level for the time being. With his foundation in Qi and Blood stable, it's time to learn how to fight.

Nine Peaks Blade is still 2,200 points away from reaching the Great Perfection.

The internal strength of the five internal organs is 1,400 points away from reaching the minor success level.

At the current rate of sixty times the blessing, it should only take three or four days.

By then, with a cultivation level of five Qi and Blood, coupled with a mastered sword technique and a minor mastery of internal cultivation, he should be invincible throughout the entire Yunwen Town.

Even if we expand the scope to include Yunlin County—

Yi Yang recalled the Mu Fenghai he had seen in the courtyard that day. Mu Fenghai was a sixth-level Qi and Blood cultivator who had undergone a marrow cleansing and blood transformation, and the head of the Lei Yun Martial Arts Academy. He was one of the top experts in the entire county.

But it's only six levels.

With his current level five cultivation, coupled with the Nine Peaks Blade mastery and the internal energy refinement of his five internal organs to protect him, even if he were to encounter an opponent, he wouldn't necessarily win, but he would have a good chance of escaping unscathed.

Moreover, he is still climbing upwards.

Once the fifth level of the Yi Wood Health Preservation Exercise begins, the sixth level of Qi and Blood will be the next step.

Yi Yang put the knife away and went back to the house to boil water for a medicinal bath.

As the scalding medicine seeped into his flesh and bones, he closed his eyes and slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

Tang Hao.

Fu Man Lou will be open tomorrow night.

Hopefully, this won't be a trap, or you'll know what regret is.

……

The next day.

Everything was normal at the Sky Patrol Office.

Yi Yang, as usual, clocked in at 7:00 AM and sat on the second floor of the Imperial Archives, flipping through files. Sun Hao was dozing downstairs, Li Tong was copying old documents, and Huang Yu was engrossed in organizing the file shelves.

No one mentioned Tang Hao's treat last night.

No one cared where the old man ranked thirty-fourth went last night, what he ate, or who he talked to.

In the Sky Patrol Office, everyone is focused on whether they can reach the ceiling above their heads. Who has time to look down at the old ants on the ground?

Yi Yang was happy to have some peace and quiet.

Lunch was at the Sky Patrol Division's canteen: coarse grain pancakes with stewed meat. The meat was lean beef shank; the canteen chef's skills were so-so, but the portions were generous. Yi Yang had two extra bowls of rice, scraping the bottom of each bowl clean.

After reaching the fifth level of Qi and Blood, her appetite became frighteningly large. She could eat the equivalent of four adult men in one meal. These past two days, Jiang Yuexin has started doubling the amount of rice she adds to the pot while cooking, muttering, "Grandpa, do you have a pig growing in your belly?"

I continued reviewing the case files in the afternoon.

The sun was setting in the west.

Yi Yang closed the booklet in his hand and stood up.

"Sir, is the payout over?" Li Tong peeked out from the doorway.

"Okay. I have plans tonight, so don't wait for me."

Li Tong simply said "oh" and didn't ask any further questions.

After leaving the Sky Patrol Office, Yi Yang went back to his courtyard to change into a clean, old blue robe. Jiang Yuexin was busy in the kitchen when she heard the noise and poked her head out.

"Grandpa, aren't you eating at home?"

"Someone's treating. You eat with Aunt Yang, then lock the door and go to bed early."

"understood."

……

The hour of You (5-7 PM).

The third floor of Fumanlou Restaurant, the top-tier private room.

When Yi Yang pushed open the door, a table full of dishes was already laid out.

Braised pork hock, braised fish, poached chicken, braised bamboo shoots, a large plate of braised beef and peanuts, and a jar of Shaoxing wine in the middle of the table, the aroma of wine mixed with the aroma of meat wafting into the nose.

Tang Hao was sitting in the main seat. When he saw him arrive, he stood up and went to the door to greet him. He was very warm and friendly with the two of them, as if they were old friends.

"The old man is here! Please, please invite him in!"

But Yi Yang's gaze was not on Tang Hao.

There were two other people sitting at the table.

Two burly men.

He was dressed in a dark, fitted outfit with tight cuffs and a wide leather belt around his waist.

One had a thick beard, a scar on his face, and shoulders broad enough to carry a door; the other was leaner, with a hooked nose, calluses on the back of his hands, and the pads of his index and middle fingers worn shiny—marks of years of gripping knife handles.

When Yi Yang entered, the two men did not stand up, but simply raised their chins slightly while holding their wine bowls as a greeting.

Yi Yang's internal energy circulated on its own, scanning the auras of both of them.

A full beard, a harmonious balance of Qi and blood, and profound, deep strength.

A hooked nose, perfect balance of Qi and blood, also indicates considerable strength.

Two triple perfections.

In addition, Tang Hao himself had just broken through to the third level of Qi and Blood.

Three against one.

Okay, I'll give you face.

Yi Yang, beaming, hunched over as he walked inside. "Oh, Lord Tang has invited friends? This is quite a grand affair."

Tang Hao patted Yi Yang on the shoulder, his eyes crinkling into slits with a smile, without explaining why there were two more people in the room now, when he had clearly said yesterday that he would be hosting the banquet alone.

"Come, come, let me introduce you, old man." He pointed to the man with the thick beard, "This is Brother Cao of the Red Tiger Gang, Cao Tie." Then he pointed to the man with the hooked nose, "This is Qian Jiu of the Red Tiger Gang."

The two nodded to Yi Yang.

Tang Hao pulled Yi Yang's arm and pressed him into a seat, talking nonstop: "Both Brother Cao and Brother Qian are top-notch members of the Red Tiger Gang, prominent figures in the county. Father-in-law, you manage the files at the Imperial Archives; if you encounter any trouble—"

He paused, a new layer of meaning appearing in his smile.

"For example, if you have some items whose origins are questionable and you need to sell them or convert them into cash, you can ask the two brothers for help. The Red Tiger Gang has many connections, so everything can be easily resolved."

Something whose origins are hard to explain.

That's a very clear and unambiguous statement.

Yi Yang understood.

But he pretended not to understand.

The old man slapped his thigh and burst into laughter, a hearty laugh that caught everyone off guard.

"Excellent! That's wonderful!" Yi Yang raised his wine bowl to the two burly men. "You two young men are promising. I'll really need your help in the future! This old man has been rummaging through papers in the archives for so long, and I've collected quite a bit of junk. I'll have you help me see if it's worth anything!"

These words were spoken.

The private room was quiet for a couple of breaths.

Tang Hao's smile froze on his face.

Cao Tie and Qian Jiu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with confusion.

Did the old man understand or not?

Tang Hao's voiceover has made it clear that "things of dubious origin" means, in layman's terms, "hand over the thing you took from Yang Shuqing."

The old geezer actually grinned and said, "Help me check if this junk is worth anything?"

Is he genuinely stupid or just pretending?

The three exchanged glances several times beneath the table.

Tang Hao was the first to react, putting the half-finished smile back on and refilling Yi Yang's glass.

"Old man, you're so generous! Come on, drink!"

Since the old man isn't following the rules, there's no rush.

Anyway, no one will be able to leave this street tonight.

After several rounds of drinks...

Tang Hao pulled a deerskin bag from his pocket, pinched the opening with his fingers, and loosened it, letting two small, bright yellow strips roll onto the table.

Small yellow croaker.

Two pieces, ten taels of gold.

The golden glow under the candlelight flickered twice, making Yi Yang's face feel warm.

Tang Hao pushed the gold bars toward Yi Yang, his tone as sincere as if he were apologizing to his own father.

"Old man, it was indeed dishonest of me to have Master Mu test you with the Thunder Sound Mantra last time. Putting aside everything else, that offense alone has made me feel guilty to this day. Please accept this small token of my appreciation."

Ten taels of gold.

On the black market, it was roughly equivalent to one hundred taels of silver, which was a considerable sum of money.

Upon seeing the two small yellow croakers, Yi Yang's eyes lit up immediately. Although he could sell purple wood for money, who wouldn't love something like gold?

He reached out and picked up the two small yellow croakers, weighing them in his palm. They were substantial, of excellent quality, with neat edges and no burrs—genuine official minting.

One hundred taels of silver.

That's enough for him to buy a few pills, and enough for him to take medicinal baths for a month.

That's enough for Jiang Yuexin and Yang Hui to eat and wear for a year without worry.

Yi Yang, of course, didn't stand on ceremony. As if afraid that Tang Hao would take the item back, he stuffed it directly into his pocket and patted his chest.

"You're too kind, Lord Tang! I'll remember this favor!"

Seeing the smile lines around Tang Hao's eyes smooth out as the other party handed him the items, he was certainly not unconcerned about the ten taels of gold.

Rather, it's because after tonight, the gold will be returned to him with interest. He'll also be given a free copy of what the county magistrate wanted.

Cao Tie and Qian Jiu, sitting across the table, also laughed.

A master of Qi and Blood at the third level is no match for an old man who's just browsing through the archives. Once he's outside this door, the fight will be over in thirty moves.

Ten taels of gold? That's enough for the two brothers to drink and have fun for half a month after they get it back.

As they toasted and drank, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.

Tang Hao filled Yi Yang's bowl with wine again, then raised his own bowl and clinked it against Yi Yang's.

"Old man, let's put an end to our previous unpleasantness with this drink tonight. My feud with Zhao Gang is between him and me, and I will never involve you."

Yi Yang tilted his head back and downed the wine, wiped his mouth, and grinned with a face full of wrinkles.

"Of course! Of course! Lord Tang is so generous!"

Bowls clinked, wines clinked, laughter clashed.

The guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely.

……

It's past midnight.

Yi Yang walked out of the Fu Man Lou restaurant with slightly unsteady steps, two gold bars tucked into his sleeve, humming an off-key tune.

drunk.

He at least looked drunk.

He walked with a limp, and the sound of his feet stepping on the stone slabs was uneven, sometimes loud and sometimes soft.

His figure disappeared around the street corner.

……

The third floor of Fu Man Lou.

Tang Hao put down his wine bowl, his smiling face completely stripped away, revealing something chilling beneath.

"Go ahead and do what we agreed on before."

He didn't look at Cao Tie and Qian Jiu; he spoke to the night outside the window.

Cao Tie stood up, pressed the short sword at his waist to make sure the scabbard was securely fastened.

"Don't worry, Brother Tang, we brothers never drag things out."

Tang Hao leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and picked up a peanut from the table, tossing it into his mouth.

"I'm staying here tonight, on the third floor, room number 'Tian'. I won't be going out all night."

The implication was clear: he was trying to create an alibi.

Qian Jiu tightened the collar of his outer garment, and the thin lips beneath his hooked nose curled upwards, waiting for Tang Hao to finish speaking—after all, he was the sugar daddy.

"Is the gold the delivery fee?"

"He has something else on him." Tang Hao chewed on a peanut shell, his voice muffled but the content clear: "The county magistrate lost a booklet, and that old geezer is hiding it. You have to find out."

Cao Tie rubbed his hands together, the calluses on his palms making a rustling sound.

"Don't worry, Brother Tang."

The old scar on his face twitched under the light, and coupled with his grinning expression, he looked exactly like a vicious dog that hadn't eaten for three days.

"Our Red Tiger Gang's methods of torture can make the dead open their coffins and speak."

Qian Jiu chuckled sinisterly, "A sixty-year-old man's bones are more brittle than paper. If you pinch him with two fingers, he'll have to tell you all about his ancestors for eighteen generations."

Tang Hao spat the peanut shells into the dish and waved his hand.

"Go, I need the results before dawn."

Two dark figures darted out from the side door of the private room, not through the main entrance, and disappeared into the night along the back alley.

Tang Hao sat alone amidst a table full of leftovers and cold food, poured himself a bowl of wine, and slowly drank it.

The candlelight flickered twice, casting an alternating light and shadow on his face.

"Yiyang, oh Yiyang."

He pressed the rim of the bowl to his lips, speaking so softly that only he could hear it.

"I've survived sixty years, but I still failed because I took something that didn't belong to me."

The wine in the bowl was gone.

Tang Hao closed his eyes, intending to return at dawn to arrange a resolution regarding Yi Yang's death.