What do you mean I'm a ghost story?

Chapter 69 Subduing Dragons and Tigers, Locking the Jade Gate

"?"

Xia Qing didn't speak, but her eyes said it all.

just you?

From the Mirror Demon to the Ironclad Cavalry just now, how could he not know how capable Ling Shuang was?

This guy is just a reserve officer, with virtually no combat capability; he's probably only slightly better than a logistics personnel.

"I'm just a low-level employee in a department. Do you expect me to give the order and have my superiors unconditionally trust and obey me, and mobilize a large force right away?"

Ling Shuang rolled her eyes: "My orders are to continue the investigation. This strange tale is in the suburbs, and there is no intention to attack or seek death. It is impossible for the higher-ups to mobilize manpower based on just one sentence. Moreover, our work process is to investigate thoroughly first and then mobilize manpower accordingly."

As she spoke, she sighed and continued, "You and I have just experienced it firsthand, so it's natural that we think this strange tale is very threatening. But let alone looking at the whole country, even in Xingcheng, based on its current performance, it doesn't even rank high in the danger assessment."

Resources and manpower are limited and can only be used where they are most needed, not to mention that the vast majority of Star City's resources are currently devoted to disaster relief in the Nightmare Domain.

"Since you're so short-staffed, can't you bring in people from other places?"

Xia Qing nodded to show that she understood, and then asked.

Ling Shuang shook her head: "We've already transferred some people from other cities, but each place has its own difficulties. Small-scale transfers are fine, but large-scale transfers are just robbing Peter to pay Paul."

Hearing Ling Shuang say this, Xia Qing understood.

The world is not just one place like Xingcheng, and a country is not the will of a single person. It cannot be decided to do whatever one wants or act arbitrarily.

Even setting aside a nation, a company is still a collection of countless people, countless wills, ideas, hearts, and interests.

Each department, section, and individual has its own balances, responsibilities, and interests, and therefore needs to rely on and maintain rules to constrain the organization.

Although the relevant departments manage supernatural cases, they are essentially the same as other public security departments, each with its own jurisdiction and its own matters to handle.

Small-scale dispatching and assistance is possible, but large-scale mobilization will definitely require a decision from a higher level.

Moreover, as a department with its own jurisdiction, it cannot even mobilize on a large scale as freely as the military. If one part is moved, another part will be missing. It must weigh the pros and cons.

The forces and energy that have been drawn from all sides are now certainly being devoted to the Nightmare Domain, leaving no room to attend to other areas. They can only deal with the most urgent and dangerous matters.

"Okay, there are still ten days left anyway."

Hearing Ling Shuang say this, Xia Qing could only sigh.

He instinctively felt that the "impending calamity" mentioned by the valiant and scholarly general was probably not so simple.

However, he couldn't interfere with the actions of the relevant departments. He had already said what he needed to say, and the rest was beyond his control.

In addition, he was quite interested in the white dragon horse mentioned by the valiant and scholarly general.

He possessed the horsemanship and charging skills of the Overlord Halberd Technique, but he was still worried about not having a fine steed.

Since the relevant departments can't come and resolve the issue quickly, it's a good opportunity for him to get his revenge and see if he can win back the white dragon horse.

Others may not be able to undergo a sudden qualitative change in a short period of time, but that doesn't mean he can't.

After all, he was a martial arts genius who practiced martial arts with a soul.

"Uncle Li: You want undiluted aged liquor? I do know a few small local distilleries, but they're not very well-known brands. However, if you just want high-proof liquor with decent vintage and taste, it should meet your requirements."

At this moment, Grandpa Li also replied to the message, but perhaps the old man was too lazy to type or simply didn't know how to type, so he sent a voice message that was so long that even young people wouldn't want to open it.

"Then I'd appreciate it if you could take me there tomorrow, Uncle Li."

Xia Qing also sent a few voice messages to chat with Grandpa Li and finalized the matter of going to the small winery to buy wine tomorrow morning.

Back home, nothing was said that night. The next morning, after completing his usual morning exercise in the park, Xia Qing invited Grandpa Li to the winery he had mentioned.

"This must be Mr. Xia, right? Please, please, let me show you around our winery..."

Upon arriving at the location, whether it was due to Mr. Li's influence or the current difficulties in the winery's business, the winery owner, who was over fifty years old, personally came to greet us.

However, the distillery was indeed quite small, consisting of only two old steel-structured factory buildings, with even the doors looking dilapidated. If it weren't for the persistent aroma of alcohol lingering around, Xia Qing would have almost thought she had gone to the wrong place.

Fortunately, when the distillery owner led him into a wine cellar and poured a glass of wine from a vat for Xia Qing to taste, he immediately felt relieved.

"Your Drunken Fist technique, while savoring fine wine, was filled with joy. Taking advantage of your intoxication, you practiced your fist techniques, and in an instant, you felt your blood and energy surge to the sky, feeling thoroughly exhilarated. With the union of dragon and tiger, decades of stagnation and bottlenecks vanished, and you soared straight to the Jade Gate Realm!"

"Your Drunken Fist style enjoys fine wine and appreciates the precious liquor you gifted, resulting in a significant improvement in your teamwork."

A surge of warm currents—no, it should be said that a more noticeable surge of vital energy began to ripple.

All sorts of profound insights also flooded into my heart after the wine entered my mouth.

"Subduing dragons and tigers, locking the Jade Gate..."

Along with the various insights gained from Drunken Fist, a number of martial arts knowledge emerged that differed from physical strength and instead focused on the application of qi and blood.

Yuguan!

Subduing dragons and tigers, locking down the Jade Gate!
Slay the red dragon, subdue the white tiger, lock in the essence and strengthen the vital energy, so that you will have no leakage and your essence, vital energy and blood will naturally become strong.

When Qi and blood are sufficient, the body will naturally be strong. Once the Jade Gate is locked, the body will gradually strengthen, eventually reaching a state beyond human capabilities.

This is clearly no longer just martial arts, but has reached the level of martial arts philosophy, a transformation in realm or even in terms of life level.

This is no longer even at a level that is usable by ordinary people.

Even the Drunken Fist master himself struggled for decades to break through his current level; it would be even more impossible for an ordinary person.

Name: Drunken Fist

"Traits: Body Enhancement (Intermediate); Drunken Fist (Intermediate)"

"Progress: 0%"

"Understanding: 10%; Unlocked: Heart-to-heart communication"

"Drunken Fist has already reached the intermediate level on its first upgrade..."

After taking a look at the more intuitive attribute panel, Xia Qing couldn't help but be somewhat surprised.

His previous martial arts skills were only at the beginner level and had not been upgraded, which prevented him from making any qualitative improvement in his physical strength and other basic aspects. This was a problem that greatly troubled him.

Unexpectedly, this Drunken Fist technique reached the intermediate level on its first upgrade, achieving a qualitative breakthrough.

This is a qualitative change from physical strength to martial arts based on qi and blood, and also a qualitative change from surpassing ordinary people to completely entering the superhuman realm.

Even a normal Jade Gate Realm cultivator should gradually accumulate Qi and blood, but this personalized martial art is extraordinary, reaching near perfection with each upgrade.

This is why the physical enhancement level directly reached the intermediate level.

At the same time, the physical enhancement of this Drunken Fist is also very interesting. Apart from the comprehensive enhancement brought about by the spontaneous flow of qi and blood, the main effect of the technique is to enhance the internal organs and arm strength.

It's probably... using arm strength to hit someone, and internal organs to drink alcohol?

　I don't really know much about the price of aged wine that has been stored in cellars for decades. I looked it up and it seems that wine aged over ten years is around 11,000 to 26,000 yuan per ton. Does anyone know the specific price? If not, I'll just use this.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)