Chapter 27

The number of people has really decreased.

Wei He immediately noticed that at least a third of the people in the courtyard were missing.

"What's been going on recently? I haven't paid much attention." He led Ouyang Zhuang to a corner and began their daily routine practice.

However, while preparing, he still looked around in confusion.

The people in the courtyard seemed unusually silent and restless.

Ouyang Zhuang looked around, making sure no one was nearby, and then leaned in to whisper, "I heard from a senior sister that most of them are those who couldn't break through and were stuck for too long."

"But they shouldn't all leave at once, right?" Wei He knew that in this courtyard, if you couldn't break through for a long time, you had to consider finding another way to make a living, after all, you had to pay tuition every month.

Although the tuition wasn't much for them now, the problem was that they had to spend most of their time practicing, leaving little time to earn money.

As they got older, it wasn't a good idea to keep living off their savings.

So many of them took part-time jobs outside, just like Wei He, who also worked part-time at the Cheng family's Yonghe Escort Agency.

"I heard that the Hong Family Fort outside the city is recruiting soldiers... The benefits are very good, and those who perform outstandingly can directly become squad leaders or platoon leaders," Ouyang Zhuang said with admiration.

"Apparently, all squad leaders are provided with special medicinal soups that can greatly replenish their qi and blood, and there are even more powerful experts to personally guide them through breakthroughs."

Wei He understood.

Those who had been unable to break through for a long time had good reason to leave. After all, twenty was the peak age, and once you passed it, your physical strength would gradually decline, and it would be too late.

Speaking of which, he was about to turn eighteen...

"Medicinal soups can only be obtained by risking your life," Wei He scolded, seeing the envy in Ouyang Zhuang's eyes, and quickly urged him to practice.

All day, Ouyang Zhuang was restless and couldn't focus on practicing, while Wei He remained calm and continued his routine of practicing, resting, and repeating, completely undisturbed by the situation.

However, after Ouyang Zhuang's words, he was also curious about how powerful the experts in the military were.

In the evening, just as they were about to finish, Cheng Shaojiu finally arrived. He had been dealing with matters at the family's escort agency all day.

Wei He wanted to ask, but since Cheng Shaojiu didn't mention it, he didn't press the issue.

Now that his qi and blood were almost full, his main task was to save up enough to break through.

Cheng Shaojiu entered the courtyard, noticed the decrease in people, and was surprised for a moment. Someone quickly explained the situation to him.

He pondered for a moment, then went into the inner room, seemingly to speak with Old Zheng.

After a while, he came out and beckoned to Wei He.

"Xiao He, are you done?"

"Almost." Wei He nodded, hung his sweat towel on the rack, and walked over.

"Brother Cheng, what's up?"

As their relationship grew closer, he and Cheng Shaojiu began to use more intimate terms.

"Nothing, just come with me to the inner city to relax a bit." Cheng Shaojiu patted Wei He's shoulder but quickly withdrew his hand, which was now full of Wei He's sweat.

"Inner city?" Wei He paused; he had never been to the inner city.

"Never been there? No problem, I'll show you around!" Cheng Shaojiu smiled.

"Okay." Wei He was brief. He had never been to the inner city, partly because he had heard that the expenses were enormous, and partly because he had no time or energy.

After tidying up, Wei He briefly informed Ouyang Zhuang about his practice, took a shower, changed clothes, and then got into Cheng Shaojiu's carriage.

The carriage headed toward the entrance of the inner city.

The inner city, essentially, was a separate area from the outer city.

Surrounded by a high wall, it was a city within a city, completely isolated from the outside.

The two entered through a small gate, and Cheng Shaojiu didn't wander around but went straight to a three-story tavern.

The tavern was called Baihua Tower. The name was common, but the style was unique.

As Wei He walked in, he noticed that each table was served by an eighteen-year-old girl in a white dress, with bare shoulders and legs, serving wine and food to the guests.

"How about it? Hehe, today I'll show you something new!" Cheng Shaojiu patted Wei He's shoulder proudly and led him to a seat by the window.

A waiter, a young woman in a red dress, at least twenty-five years old, with a tight-fitting dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure, quickly approached.

Cheng Shaojiu quickly and skillfully ordered a few dishes and then looked at Wei He.

"Want anything? Some wine?"

"No, it's best for us to avoid alcohol while practicing." Wei He, who had been busy accumulating qi and blood, was afraid of any external factors affecting him and didn't dare to drink casually.

"Fine, bring us a pot of Jiuyun Green Tip tea." Cheng Shaojiu waved his hand and ordered.

"Sure, sir. Would you like a familiar girl to serve you?" the red-dressed woman asked with a smile.

"No, just the two of us will do." Cheng Shaojiu waved her off.

The woman quickly left, descending the stairs to the second floor. Only after she was completely gone did Cheng Shaojiu收回视线。

他端起茶杯，想喝一口润润干燥的喉咙，但发现茶水还没上，又立刻放下。

“唉……”他长叹一声。

“程哥，为何叹气？”魏合奇怪道，左右看看周围，这里少女服侍，桌上酒菜丰盛，美酒美人佳肴都有，还有什么不顺心？

“小河……你我久在飞业城内，很少外出，不清楚现在的情况。”程少久轻声说道，眉头皱起。

“今晚我特意过来，提前订好位置，就是为了见识见识，这洪家堡入城之人，传闻中的猎虎洪道元，到底是不是名副其实。”

“洪家堡？洪道元？”魏合不明所以。不是来散心的吗？怎么突然绕到洪家身上。

程少久看出了魏合的疑惑，继续解释道：“昨晚，洪家堡的士兵和七家盟的查税队发生了冲突，查税队七死一伤，剩下的那个受伤的逃回来给七家盟的欧家告状。

现在七家盟和洪家堡关系紧张起来，双方不知道怎么协商，洪家堡据说要派出年轻一代的最强者猎虎洪道元，入城面见城守欧辰大人。”

“这……和我们有什么关系？”魏合无言。

“你不明白，洪家堡近些年蓄养私兵，势力越来越强，其心思早就明目张胆，这次公认屠杀查税队，就是例子。

但七家盟又不敢彻底撕破脸，忌惮之下，双方互有妥协，我估计，这是洪家堡让洪道元进城示威了。”

程少久小声说道。

“示威？”魏合顿时感觉问题有点大了。

能上升到示威层次，如果是真的，那么这个洪家堡，或许随时可能有不臣之心。

“等着吧，按照约定时间，快了快了，还有一刻钟左右。”程少久看了看不远处的滴水计时器。

那计时器被一大块琉璃封在其中，不让外人随意触碰，黑色石盆一个接一个如同阶梯，每一个石盆里都有水流，一点点地从边缘往下滴落。

魏合一直闷头苦修，闻言后，这还是第一次产生好奇。

这飞业城外，似乎是一个完全不同的纷乱世界。

洪家堡可以说是守护飞业城附近平安的强大威慑力，而其中被称为年轻一代最强的洪道元。

又是怎样的水平和存在。

这让他不由自主地生出好奇。

“三帮二派的人也到了。”忽然程少久低声道。

魏合一愣，顺着他的目光一起看过去。

酒楼二楼的楼梯处，拐角那里，正有一队队人鱼贯朝三楼方向上去。

这些人一波接一波，穿着统一帮派服饰，带着帮派标记的一群黑衣人。

这些黑衣人一个个身材健壮，腰圆膀宽，一看就相当不好惹。

黑衣人右臂处都有一座小山的白色图案。

“那是山川帮的人，带头的至少也是黑山高手。”程少久介绍道。

“山川帮的人，一般不在我们町混，其内大致分成白山、黑山以及最高层的青山。白山层次就是普通帮众，黑山就得注意了，最少也是突破一次气血的好手。”

魏合心凛然，连连点头。

他注意到，这队人带头的，光袖子上纹着黑山的，就有三人。

除开山川帮的，其余就是些小帮派，程少久稍稍介绍了一下，便不再提。

都是和他们一样过来凑热闹的。

魏合还是第一次和其余的帮派势力近距离接触。

他一直都是闷头苦练，不理窗外事，这次却是和三帮二派距离最近的一次。

“不用担心，三帮二派在内城都不敢放肆，这里是七家盟的地盘。除开洪家堡，其余所有势力都不敢有任何造次。真当欧家不敢杀人？”程少久淡定道，似乎是司空见惯。

魏合心领神会，但同时对这个时代真正的军队和家族势力也产生了好奇。

连他们这些外城区之人，服用一点点气血之物，就能突破成一次气血。

那内城的这些七家盟子弟，绝对条件远超他们，那他们又能达到什么高度。

而且那让七家盟还忌惮万分的洪家堡，又是何等层次？

魏合忽然也相当期待好奇起来。

他忽然有些理解程少久的想法了。

或者说，任何一个练武之人，都很难愿意错过这一幕。

毕竟洪家堡一向以深居简出为主。

“来了！”忽然一旁有人低声道。

“师妹，那便是飞业之虎。乃飞业年轻一辈最强之人！”

魏合闻声望去，发现不知何时，在他们前面一桌上，坐了两个青衣佩剑的青年男女。

男子丰神俊朗，身材健壮修长。

女子戴着白色面纱，美目顾盼间隐有水波流转。

两人之前一声不吭地坐着，毫无存在感，此时站起身往窗下看去，才让魏合发觉他们的位置。

但此时魏合也没工夫仔细观察两人，窗下隐隐有兵器碰撞和战马马蹄捶地声响起。