Chapter 69

Kōdai Kōno, within the Inner City Seven Families Alliance, has managed to hold on for so long and continues to produce talented individuals, which is simply unbelievable.

Wei He couldn't help but associate this with Hong Family Fort, which had been relatively quiet. He suspected that Hong Family Fort was secretly supporting Kōdai Kōno's forces.

Otherwise, how could Kōdai Kōno, who does not engage in production, have so much food to sustain them?

After resting in the courtyard for a while, Wei He began to eat the exotic beast meat again. He combined the wild bear meat obtained from Kōdai Kōno with the wild bear meat he had previously obtained from Shaoyang Gate. By comparing them and using the identification method he learned from Guan Ye, he tested the meat with rats to ensure it was non-toxic before starting to eat it a few days later.

However, even so, the amount of meat was not enough to last him for long.

Holding the dried meat, Wei He took a few bites, chewed it, and swallowed it with water. His strong digestive ability made him feel warm and comfortable in his stomach very quickly.

After eating his fixed portion, Wei He got up and entered his room. He skillfully retrieved a package from a hidden compartment under his wardrobe.

The package was wrapped in a brown coat and sprinkled with light yellow powder.

As soon as he took it out, the light yellow powder emitted a strong, peculiar smell.

"Calculating, two months, sixty days, is one cycle for the decomposition powder. The toxins on this should have disappeared."

Wei He estimated in his mind, carefully put on gloves, and placed the item in a wooden basin he had prepared in advance.

This package was the loot he had taken from the body of Den Yōgun, who was full of toxins. When he searched the body, he found that Den Yōgun had been hit by two poisoned darts and a poisoned needle before their fight, and the wounds were foul and rotten.

Additionally, there was a pungent smell on his back, likely from another potent toxin.

Then, combined with the mixed toxins he had sprinkled, Den Yōgun was practically a walking poison.

So, Wei He quickly picked out the items from Den Yōgun's body, placed them in a leather bag, and sealed it. On his way back, he washed it with rainwater.

After bringing it home, he followed the simple universal detoxification method explained by Guan Ye, grinding the bark of an iron-gray tree into powder and evenly applying it inside and outside the package.

This powder could act as a decomposition powder, gradually breaking down most toxins over a long period, making them less toxic.

Wei He carefully shook out the contents of the package, then carried the basin and went out through the side door to the Feiye River, scooping water to rinse the items.

After a series of efforts, he returned to his room with the cleaned items.

After drying them, he began to carefully examine what Den Yōgun had left behind.

Wei He used chopsticks to pick out each item and placed them on one side.

A black silver-edged money bag, a book that seemed to be an account book, a dark green jade pendant, a pile of various wooden-cased ceramic bottles of different sizes, and three discolored gas masks.

Wei He first picked up the gas masks and examined them carefully.

It was clear that these were things Den Yōgun had prepared in advance to deal with the Guan family, but they seemed to have been damaged by some toxins.

The areas around the nose and mouth, which should have been white, had turned light green in the middle and grayish-white around the edges. There were also blue spots scattered here and there, with varying shades.

The three masks had different patterns of discoloration, indicating the intense battle this senior had endured to force the three members of the Guan family to the brink.

Wei He sighed, threw the masks aside, and then examined the pile of small bottles.

These bottles were wrapped in wood, with ceramic inside, and each had writing on the outside.

"Snake Venom Pill," "Spider Venom Pill," "Grass Venom Pill," "Stabilizing Venom Pill," and so on.

There were about ten small bottles, but most were empty.

Some bottles had even lost their stoppers, indicating the urgency of the situation at the time.

It seemed that when Den Yōgun took them, he would throw away the stoppers and pour them directly into his mouth.

Wei He shook his head slightly, threw the bottles aside, and then looked at the remaining items.

The remaining items were the jade pendant, the account book, and the money bag.

The jade pendant felt cool to the touch and seemed valuable, but in this era, it was of little use. It was not as valuable as a piece of exotic beast meat.

Wei He put it aside and picked up the account book.

When he slowly opened it, the writing inside was waterlogged and illegible, making it useless.

He silently threw it away.

The last item was the money bag.

This was the most important.

Wei He calmed down, thinking that the wealth accumulated by a high-level expert over many years should not disappoint him.

He used chopsticks and a small knife to carefully untie the money bag and poured out its contents.

Rustle.

A crisp sound.

The money bag contained a few pitiful gold notes, a few thin, soft gold leaves, and a pink, transparent stone that looked like amber or crystal.

Wei He glanced at the gold notes, which were only a few hundred taels each. The value of the gold notes was determined by their thickness and size. If they were damaged, they would depreciate.

So, the value of a gold note could be roughly determined by its size and completeness.

Ignoring the gold notes, Wei He focused on the pink stone.

He picked up the stone with chopsticks, still wearing gloves, and examined it carefully.

The pink stone was about the size of a quail's egg, irregular in shape, and had a misty appearance inside, making it look very appealing.

"An item that a high-level expert would keep with gold notes in a money bag must be something valuable that can be used as currency. I'll keep it for now."

Wei He knew he lacked experience and understanding of higher-level matters, so he did not plan to dispose of the item rashly.

After finishing, he felt somewhat disappointed as he cleaned up. He had waited so long, but the items he had taken from Den Yōgun were so few.

After tidying up, Wei He sat cross-legged on his bed, regulated his qi and blood, and recalled the fundamental diagram of the Return Mountain Fist. Recently, he had a vague sense of understanding about the diagram.

After reaching the third level of qi and blood in the Five Ridges Palm, he had a deeper understanding of the third-level qi and blood.

Over time, he gradually understood how qi and blood were generated and circulated.

This understanding gave him a new perspective when he looked at the fundamental diagram of the Return Mountain Fist.

Being from the modern era, he had broader knowledge and a richer imagination compared to people in this era. Combined with his third-level qi and blood, he could compare the current circulation of qi and blood in the Return Mountain Fist.

Wei He felt that he might be able to break through the third level of the Return Mountain Fist without the Breakthrough Pearl.

"The Breakthrough Pearl should be used for more critical moments, such as breaking through the Five Ridges Palm to a higher level!" Wei He had a growing sense of this.

In recent days, he had continuously pondered the fundamental diagram and felt that he had grasped the essence of the Return Mountain Fist.

The fundamental diagram, as its name suggests, depicted how the third-level qi and blood should circulate in the Return Mountain Fist.

The landscape painting was not about the landscape but about the circulation of qi and blood.

Wei He continued to contemplate, then stood up and slowly practiced the Return Mountain Fist in his room. His fists were filled with qi and blood, gradually turning grayish-white.

As he practiced, the scenes from the fundamental diagram gradually transformed into a series of special images of his own qi and blood circulation in his mind.

Where to be fast, where to be slow, where to be delicate, where to be forceful, the various flows and circulations of qi and blood gradually accelerated under the influence of the fundamental diagram.

Wei He gradually focused his mind, concentrating all his attention on the circulation of qi and blood in his body.

He felt that if the circulation of qi and blood were fully mapped out, it might resemble another landscape painting similar to the fundamental diagram.

After an unknown amount of time, a thunderous sound echoed in Wei He's ears.

Boom!!!

He suddenly shuddered, and his qi and blood involuntarily rushed to his fists, like two surging waves, unstoppable and irreversible.

Puff!

A muffled sound, as if something had been broken.

Wei He felt a pain in his hands, followed by a rapid return of qi and blood, which was more than twice as fast as before.

The rapid circulation of qi and blood made his body quickly warm up, and his skin became scorching hot.

A sense of exhilaration and comfort spread throughout his body.

Raising his fists, Wei He saw that they had turned grayish-black.

He knew that the third-level qi and blood of the Return Mountain Fist had been achieved!

"With the foundation of the third-level qi and blood, understanding what qi and blood is, and then revisiting and studying it, I have surpassed many people. Even if my qi and blood quality is a bit lacking, my insight and thinking are not inferior to anyone!"

Wei He straightened up, feeling the two types of qi and blood from the Five Ridges Palm and the Return Mountain Fist, which were now distinct yet harmonious in his body.

The third-level qi and blood of the Five Ridges Palm was more tranquil.

The third-level qi and blood of the Return Mountain Fist was more aggressive.

The two types of qi and blood, one dynamic and one static, complemented each other, giving Wei He a sense of growth.

He could feel that the total amount of his qi and blood was rapidly increasing with this second breakthrough.

"Unfortunately, there are no other techniques at the brink of perfection. Otherwise, I could have broken through smoothly and perhaps gained a deeper understanding of the key to the next level."

Wei He sighed.

He spread his hands, and under the circulation of qi and blood, the Return Mountain Fist and the Five Ridges Palm generated two types of qi, which continuously compressed and refined his arm bones like a millstone.

This refinement gave him a strange tingling sensation.

"According to Master Zheng's explanation, after each breakthrough in qi and blood, a period of rest is needed to allow the body to complete the transformation. This is a good time to focus on enhancing the Flying Dragon Technique without expending qi and blood on the Return Mountain Fist."

The Five Ridges Palm was still far from breaking through to the fifth level, and it was unknown how long it would take to reach the critical point.

The Return Mountain Fist had just broken through, and it would take a long time to reach the critical point. These two techniques were time-consuming, and by the time they were ready, the Breakthrough Pearl might be full twice.

So, the next focus would be the Flying Dragon Technique.

"Also, I plan to test what happens when I use the Breakthrough Pearl to break through a lower-level technique after reaching a higher level."

"Will it be consumed entirely as before, or will it leave some progress?"

Wei He did not fully understand the Breakthrough Pearl.

After all, it accumulated progress slowly and was too precious, with few opportunities for experimentation.

After the breakthrough, Wei He felt the circulation of qi and blood in the Return Mountain Fist, which was much more dynamic than the Five Ridges Palm.

"The Return Mountain Fist is only considered average in Feiye City, yet it is much stronger than the Five Ridges Palm. I wonder how many more incredible techniques exist in the world."

Wei He couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

The third-level qi and blood could extend life by twenty years. What about other, stronger techniques? What about higher levels?

Perhaps one day, he could achieve immortality.

He went to the courtyard and slowly practiced the Return Mountain Fist, accelerating the circulation of qi and blood to speed up the transformation of his body.

He stayed at home for three days, until he could fully control his qi and blood and felt that the transformation of his body had gradually slowed down. Then, he changed his clothes and went to the martial arts academy.