Gou Zai Wudao Shicheng Dao

Fang Xia walked to her front door and pushed open the slightly worn wooden door.

The aroma of food wafted over, instantly dispelling his fatigue.

Fang Xia's tense nerves relaxed a bit as a result.

Under the dim light of the oil lamp, Fang's mother, Han, was clearing away the dishes, her white hair at her temples particularly noticeable in the lamplight.

Hearing the door open, she looked up sharply and saw Fang Xia's figure, her eyes filled with unwavering affection.

"A-Xia, you're back?"

You must be exhausted. Sit down and rest!

As Han spoke, she reached out and gently brushed the dust off Fang Xia's shoulder.

"Mom, I'm not tired." Fang Xia nodded with a smile, her eyes full of warmth.

As the two were talking, the elder sister-in-law, Ruan Linghe, came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of meat soup.

She wore a plain-colored cloth dress, with gentle eyes and brows, her movements were nimble and steady, and her aura was even and serene.

"Xia, have some meat broth to tide you over first."

Sister-in-law Ruan Linghe smiled and handed the soup bowl to Fang Xia.

"This soup, which has been simmering for an hour with some tonics, is designed to replenish vital energy."

The eldest sister-in-law and the eldest brother were childhood sweethearts and got married a year ago.

Even when the Fang family fell into decline and the eldest brother was seriously injured, he never abandoned them and kept the family in good order.

Fang Xia sincerely admires this dedication and hard work.

Fang Xia solemnly accepted the soup bowl with both hands, her Adam's apple bobbing slightly, and said sincerely in a low voice, "Thank you so much for your trouble, sister-in-law..."

After drinking the broth, Fang Xia felt warm all over and refreshed.

Just then, a figure leaped over and nestled into Fang Xia's arms.

"Second Brother! You're finally back! I've missed you so much!"

Eight-year-old Fang Qiuwan has two small buns in her hair, and her eyes are bright and lively, full of quirky charm.

The lively and cheerful children's voices dispelled the gloom in Fang Xia's heart.

Fang Xia affectionately picked up her younger sister and gently flicked her nose.

"Second brother also misses Qiu Wan, but second brother has to practice martial arts at the martial arts school!"

"Once your second brother has mastered the skills, he'll teach you martial arts, okay?"

"Okay!" Fang Qiuwan nodded vigorously, hugging Fang Xia's neck with her eyes crinkling.

.......

After the meal, Fang Xia took out a cloth bag from her bosom and gently placed it on the table: "Mother, this is thirty taels of silver that Aunt Luo asked Luo Yue to bring."

Han picked up the cloth bag, opened it, and saw a pile of gleaming silver.

Her eyes instantly reddened, and she quickly pushed the object back in front of Fang Xia.

"Ah Xia, keep this money!"

Once you've mastered basic stance training and condensed your Qi and blood at Sanyang Hall, you'll need to purchase body-tempering ointment to aid your cultivation!

A bottle of body-tempering ointment costs three taels of silver; these thirty taels are enough for you to cultivate for more than half a year.

Han's words were full of love, and she instinctively wanted to pour all her resources into her son.

Fang Xia gently pressed her mother's hand down, shaking her head to interrupt, her attitude resolute.

"Mother, the family has already emptied its coffers to raise that fifty taels for tuition."

My elder brother needs to recuperate, and Qiu Wan is still young; we need money for everything.

I absolutely cannot accept the silver sent by the Luo family.

Seeing Fang Xia and Han Shi locked in a stalemate, her sister-in-law Ruan Linghe stepped forward.

She took out fifteen taels of silver from her cloth bag and stuffed it into Fang Xia's hand.

"Xia, keep these fifteen taels of silver to buy body-tempering ointment."

The remaining money will be enough for our household expenses for more than a year.

Seeing her sister-in-law make the distribution, Fang Xia nodded slightly.

Standing to the side, Madam Han accepted the silver and remarked with emotion, "My son has grown up and is becoming more and more sensible..."

We will remember the Luo family's kindness, and we will repay them properly when you achieve success in your martial arts career.

Fang Xia nodded emphatically: "Mother, I know."

......

After calming her mother and sister down, Fang Xia got up and went to the backyard.

As night deepened, the moonlight shone like water.

A desolate figure sat alone on a stone bench in the backyard, his empty left sleeve hanging slung at his side, strikingly conspicuous.

The eldest brother, Fang Qing, lowered his head, looking dejected, and stared blankly at the weeds in the corner of the yard.

"Big brother," Fang Xia called softly, her footsteps extremely light.

Fang Qing slowly came back to her senses, and the loneliness in her eyes faded slightly.

"You're back? How was your stance training today?"

Fang Xia walked to the stone bench and sat down, looking directly at his elder brother, his tone filled with certainty.

"I am about to complete the Three Yang Stance. Within seven days, I will be able to condense my Qi and blood and reach the Body Tempering Gate."

A glimmer of light finally appeared in Fang Qing's eyes, and he nodded: "Good, very good. A solid foundation is the most important thing."

As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes dimmed again, and he subconsciously glanced at his empty left sleeve.

Fang Xia saw it all and felt a pang of sympathy. She then changed the subject and recounted what she had encountered on the way.

"Brother, when I came back, I ran into Huang Laizi from the Black Tiger Gang at the alley entrance."

Fang Xia recounts how Huang Laizi attempted to extort money from him under the pretext of "monthly allowance," and how he cleverly used his "military examination qualification" to deflect the attack.

He recounted in detail how he used the "scholar class" to make them back down.

"That yellow-skinned man is backed by Boss Biao of the Black Tiger Gang. Rumor has it that he is vindictive and vicious."

Although I managed to stop him for the time being, this person may not give up so easily.

Brother, we still need to be more careful.

Fang Xia knew that although she had memories of her past life, she was mentally mature.

However, when dealing with local gangs like the Black Tiger Gang, especially when past grudges or karmic entanglements are involved.

My elder brother Fang Qing's experience, information, vision, and connections are far beyond what I can match now.

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Fang Qing's previously dejected eyes, and he sneered, "Peng Biao? It really is him! It can only be him!"

Fang Qing spoke slowly, his tone low and suppressed, recounting the cause and effect of the past.

"Back when I was the commander of the Demon Suppression Division, I led a team to crack down on the smuggling and trafficking of the Black Mountain demons."

Those people were utterly depraved, abducting young children and trading medicinal herbs and spirit stones with the Black Mountain demons.

Peng Biao was in charge of the smuggling business for the Black Tiger Gang!

On one occasion, I intercepted their goods, cutting off their source of income and nearly landing them in the Demon Suppression Bureau's prison.

Peng Biao held a grudge and never hesitated to seek revenge.

"The Black Tiger Gang's test of you today is only aimed at me!"

Fang Xia felt a chill run down her spine. She hadn't expected that her elder brother's feud with the Black Tiger Gang was so deep, and that it involved such a taboo as trading with demons.

No wonder that leper was behaving so strangely and was so wary of my elder brother.

Fang Qing took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and his eyes regained some of their former decisiveness.

"I am aware of this matter. You need not be distracted by it, nor need you be afraid."

Although the Black Tiger Gang is powerful and Peng Biao is ruthless, they are ultimately rats that cannot be brought into the light!

Just focus on martial arts and try to break through to the Body Tempering stage as soon as possible.

These demons and monsters have their own ways of dealing with them.

A sharp glint flashed in Fang Qing's eyes, and his tone was firm.

"Tomorrow, I will go to find some old friends from the Demon Suppression Division to catch up."

Peng Biao wants to play? I'll play along!

Seeing the renewed vigor in his elder brother, Fang Xia felt somewhat relieved and nodded solemnly.

He trusted his elder brother's arrangements.

Even though his elder brother's martial arts foundation has been destroyed, he was once the chief of the Demon Suppression Division. He is knowledgeable, experienced, and has a deep network of connections, which is far beyond what I can compare to.

"Brother, there is something else that is even more urgent."

After a pause, Fang Xia's expression became extremely solemn as she informed her elder brother, Fang Qing, of Luo Yue's warning.

"Uncle Luo noticed that the Black Mountain demons have been making strange moves recently, and there are also many unorthodox martial artists wandering around the county town and the surrounding area!"

The three centurions of the Demon Suppression Division, who had reached the Qi Gathering stage, were all preoccupied and worried!

Uncle Luo risked his life to find out what was going on, and told me that my family must keep the doors and windows tightly closed and guard them, so as not to give any "evil spirits" a chance to take advantage of us!

He asserted that Heishan County... was likely to be engulfed in a massive upheaval!

"What?" Fang Qing's expression changed drastically. He suddenly stood up from the stone bench and gasped.

His eyes were filled with shock, and Fang Qing's brows furrowed into a deep frown as he pondered the information Fang Xia had brought.

"Demonic disturbances... Demonic forces are gathering... The three centurions are deeply worried..."

He paced back and forth a few steps, then suddenly stopped, looked at Fang Xia, and said in a serious tone.

"These signs... are extraordinary! Perhaps... a 'primordial creation' has been born deep within the Black Mountains!"

Fang Xia's heart trembled violently; the four words "innate creation" struck him like a thunderbolt.

Seeing Fang Xia's surprised and uncertain expression, Fang Qing explained in a deep voice.

"In martial arts cultivation, the acquired realm is ultimately limited."

Tempering the body, refining the inner energy, and opening the meridians to gather qi are all the ways to achieve the Acquired Perfection. However, the lifespan is only two Jiazi (60 years) and although the combat power is strong, it is still within the realm of mortals.

However, once one enters the Innate Realm, one can draw Qi into the body, condense Qi and open the orifices, and one's lifespan can be increased to three hundred years.

"Transforming true qi into vital energy, one can fly by controlling qi, which is already extraordinary and grants an incomparably revered status, making one a true overlord!"

After a pause, Fang Qing's eyes revealed a look of awe and longing.

"Only the 'Innate Creation' that can help a fully-fledged Acquired Realm expert break through that insurmountable barrier and advance to the Innate Realm is enough to cause such a turmoil!"

This has driven demons mad, made the demonic path covetous, and even made the three centurions of the Demon Suppression Division feel as if they were facing a formidable enemy, unable to sit still or rest!

Three hundred years of lifespan!

Soaring through the air!

True Qi transforms into罡 (gang)!

What an enchanting realm this is!

Fang Xia was deeply moved, glimpsing the magnificence of the martial arts world for the first time.

"Xia!"

Fang Qing's voice rang out, his tone more stern than ever before, pulling Fang Xia back from her shock.

"Heishan County has become the eye of the storm!"

You must remember Uncle Luo's advice!

From today onwards, be extra careful! Absolutely do not leave the city!

Be extra vigilant when returning home from Sanyangtang, understand?

"Don't worry, brother! I understand!" Fang Xia nodded heavily, as the strange movements in Black Mountain were of great importance.

Seeing his younger brother solemnly agree, Fang Qing's tense expression eased slightly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fang Qing glanced at his left arm, and a look of sadness returned to his eyes, his voice low.

"Uncle Luo's kindness...we, the Fang family, will remember it forever..."

Unfortunately, I...sigh...

Fang Qing let out a long sigh, as if he wanted to release all his pent-up frustrations.

"My path in martial arts has been severed. I will rely on you to repay this debt of gratitude on behalf of the Fang family."

Fang Xia's heart clenched, and her eyes welled up slightly.

The eldest brother, Fang Qing, has a natural talent and aptitude of C-level, and also possesses excellent comprehension.

At a young age, he passed the martial arts examination and cultivated to the level of the Inner Refinement Heavenly Ladder.

Originally, he had a bright future and was the hope for the rise of the Fang family!

If he hadn't been severely injured by demons, losing an arm and destroying his martial arts foundation, he wouldn't be in this situation.

Why is she spending her days in such a depressed state, even having to entrust the repayment of a debt of gratitude to her younger brother?

These days, the Fang family inquired everywhere and finally learned the truth.

To rebuild his elder brother's left arm and allow him to continue his martial arts journey, he needs to take the "Bone-Changing and Body-Shaping Pill".

However, this Bone-Changing and Body-Shaping Pill is a rare innate treasure pill.

It requires rare and precious materials of innate quality, and must be refined by a master alchemist with painstaking effort!

Their value is often tens of thousands of taels of silver! And they are priceless!

Ordinary people wouldn't even see it, and the Fang family had neither the resources to acquire the precious elixir nor the connections to obtain it.

Seeing the desolation in her older brother's eyes, Fang Xia felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if she were being pricked by needles.

My eldest brother was once the hope of the Fang family and the chief of the Demon Suppression Division.

If it weren't for avenging his father, he wouldn't have ended up like this.

"We must find the Bone-Changing and Body-Sculpting Pill to help our elder brother regain his strength!"

A resolute glint flashed in Fang Xia's eyes as she murmured to herself.

"No matter how difficult! No matter what the cost!"