“Young Master, you’re looking for me?”
As soon as he knew that Zhou Donghuang was looking for him, Qin Yi hastily stopped whatever he was doing and rushed to the receiving chamber of the Qin family.
Qin Yi was the patriarch of the older generation of the Qin family and was the only level-two adept in the Qin family. He was just as well-known in Qingshan Town as Wang Yukun, and his ability was on par with Wang Yukun’s.
Still, Qin Yi did not dare put on any airs in front of Zhou Donghuang, who had killed Wang Yukun with a single blow, and his demeanor was as humble as could be, even though he was a prominent figure in Qingshan Town.
“Mm.” Zhou Donghuang nodded casually. “I’m here because I would like to ask the Grand Patriarch of the Qin family for his help on a certain matter.”
“Young Master Donghuang, if anything is the matter, just speak plainly! As long as it is within my power, I Qin Yi, will definitely help you sort out every last detail.”
Qin Yi’s promise was sincere, and from his manner, it was as though he was ready to leap through hoops for Zhou Donghuang.
“I would like to ask the Grand Patriarch of the Qin family to ride as fast as he can to the prefecture capital on a ferghana horse, to help me buy some herbs.”
Zhou Donghuang fished out a piece of paper covered with the names of various herbs from his pocket as he spoke, “Of course, it is not necessary to buy them all… just buy whatever you are able to buy.”
“It’s nothing.”
Unhesitatingly, Qin Yi reached out and took the paper and swore solemnly, “Young Master Donghuang, within two days, I will bring back all the herbs you need.”
“Of course, I won’t allow the Grand Patriarch of the Qin family to run my errands for me without reward.”
Zhou Donghuang fished out a scroll of paper from his pocket with a flourish and presented it to Qin Yi.
“Young Master Donghuang, you don’t have to feel obligated with me… to be able to help you out is Qin Yi’s honor.”
This time, Qin Yi did not reach out to take the paper that Zhou Donghuang presented to him. In his opinion, what could be more precious than the obligation of this Young Master Donghuang?
If he accepted the gift, would not the obligation of Young Master Donghuang be gone?
Zhou Donghuang killed Wang Yukun with one blow, and he was just sixteen years old.
Wang Yukun’s abilities were not inferior to Qin Yi, and in a fight to the death with Wang Yukun, he might not necessarily emerge alive.
And yet, such a man had been killed by the youth standing before him in a single blow.
He was extremely clear on what this implied.
He was already this fearsome at sixteen years of age.
If this Zhou Donghuang grew up without incident, there would be nothing that could contain him, not just in Qingshan Town, but also the prefecture capital, the capital, or even the whole of the country of Yunyang.
If he, as well as the Qin family, could cultivate a relationship with such a person, there would be all the world to gain from it and nothing to lose from it.
“Grand Patriarch Qin, this is a martial arts technique,” Zhou Donghuang said with a slight smile, “Are you certain… that you will abandon this martial arts technique on behalf of the Qin family?”
A martial arts technique?!
Although Zhou Donghuang had spoken softly, his words shook him to his core and left him stunned, and he stared blankly for a time before a feverish expression began to show on his face.
In the next instant, Qin Yi’s arm shot out like lightning and took the paper Zhou Donghuang had offered without any hesitation, and he opened it and began to read.
Shortly, he was left staring dumbly, his hands shaking in fright until the paper almost fell to the floor, but thankfully he recovered in time to catch hold of it again.
“Weighted Sand Palm… third… third-grade offensive martial art?
Qin Yi originally assumed that the martial art Zhou Donghuang had passed to him was a style of lesser-grade martial art, and if that had been the case, it would have been a huge stroke of good fortune if the Qin family had managed to obtain it.
And now, looking at the words written on the paper that Zhou Donghuang had passed to him, he came to the realization that this was not a lesser-grade martial art, but a third-grade technique.
In the country of Yunyang, only the Royal family and the Imperial Court possessed third-grade techniques!
This Young Master Donghuang, what kind of person is he? Giving the Qin family a third-grade technique just for helping him run an errand for two days?
In the more than sixty years of Qin Yi’s life, this was the first time he had lost his composure this badly.
If it could be said that a lesser-grade martial art was the object of his dreams, then a third-grade technique was something he would not even dare dream of in a dream.
“Young Master Donghuang, you’d better take it back.”
Qin Yi passed the paper that the third-grade offensive martial art, Weighted Sand Palm, was recorded on back to Zhou Donghuang with a bitter smile.
But Zhou Donghuang did not reach out to take it.
“Grand Patriarch Qin, I am giving this martial art to the Qin family not only as compensation, but also because I hope the Qin family will make me a promise: In the future, treat Xiaoyu well, and don’t force Xiaoyu to do anything she does not want to do.”
The Qin family was a lesser family. Oftentimes, the women of the Qin family had no choice in their marriage.
He would have to leave Qingshan Town sooner or later, and so before leaving Qingshan Town, he hoped to be able to make arrangements to provide for the future of his little sister, Qin Xiaoyu.
“Young Master Donghuang, even if you didn’t give this martial art to the Qin family, the Qin family would not mistreat Xiaoyu and force her to do anything she was unwilling to do… you can be rest assured on this point.” Qin Yi said solemnly, “You had better take back this martial art… the Qin family cannot accept it.”
Even if Zhou Donghuang dared to give a third-grade technique, Qin Yi dared not to accept it.
It was easy to imagine how the Qin family would invite catastrophe on itself if one day if word got out that the Qin family was in possession of a third-grade technique.
A third-grade technique was so coveted that not just the preeminent families, but also the powerful grand houses and the tycoons would resort to any means necessary to obtain it.
Cannot accept?
Zhou Donghuang could not understand at first, but after Qin Yi had spoken, realization dawned on him. He had not thought so far ahead.
He had thought by giving the Qin family a third-grade technique, he would be granting them a great boon and ensuring that the Qin family could take good care of Qin Xiaoyu in the future.
“You’re saying that you don’t dare to accept a third-grade technique… but if it was a lesser-grade martial art, you would accept it?”
Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows and continued muttering, “But I don’t have any lesser-grade martial arts… third-grade techniques are the lowest grade of martial arts that I have.”
Zhou Donghuang’s voice was not very soft, and Qin Yi could hear him clearly. Consequently, Qin Yi began to tremble in his heart fearfully.
From what this Young Master Donghuang had said, this meant that he possessed even more potent martial arts than third-grade techniques?
A martial art more potent than a third-grade technique would be a second-grade martial art… in Yunyang country, probably only the Imperial Court has a second-grade martial art?
Qin Yi was so shaken that he started breathing faster, his chest rising and falling like a bellows, and it took him a long time to calm down.
“Forget it, since you don’t want a mainstream martial art, I’ll modify this Weighted Sand Palm and reduce its potency to the level of a lesser-grade martial art.”
Taking the paper on which the Weighted Sand Palm was recorded on from Qin Yi’s hand, Zhou Donghuang requested a pen from Qin Yi and began to write on the paper.
After about 15 minutes, Zhou Donghuang presented the paper once again to Qin Y.,
“It’s done. Now, this palm technique, even if practiced to its most extreme limit, will only have the potency of a lesser-grade martial art. This way, you can rest assured, can’t you?” Zhou Donghuang glanced at Qin Yi.
Qin Yi’s hands were shaking as he took the paper, and as he read the amended palm technique, his heart began trembling even more violently.
At first, he did not dare believe that Zhou Donghuang could modify a martial art by himself.
Someone who was able to modify a martial art technique was usually also able to create a martial art technique, and in the history of the country of Yunyang, there probably had never been such a gifted person.
Now, as he read the writing on the paper, Qin Yi was easily able to tell that this was indeed a lesser-grade palm technique martial art.
“Regarding the money for the herbs, you’ll pay for it first… and as for the ferghana horse, the Qin family should have one, so I won’t be lending you my ferghana horse.”
While Qin Yi was still stunned, Zhou Donghuang had already walked out of the Qin family’s receiving chamber, his voice reaching Qin Yi over a distance.
By the time Qin Yi recovered his wits, Zhou Donghuang was long gone.
This Young Master Donghuang… what kind of person is he?
Qin Yi’s eyes had an imposing look, having lived through more than sixty years of life, but still, he felt that he was unable to read this youth of only sixteen years old.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Yi carefully put away the lesser-grade palm technique in his hand and proceeded directly to find his son, the patriarch of the current generation of the Qin family, Qin Long.
“These few days, send invitations out saying… I, Qin Yi, invite everyone to a banquet in ten days to mark the adoption of Qin Xiaoyu as my daughter.”
Qin Yi told Qin Long sternly, “Send two invitations to Yunxuan Restaurant… one for Zhou Donghuang, one for Lin Lan.”
“Father, why are you suddenly adopting Xiaoyu as a daughter?”
Qin Long felt this was rather drastic. Even if Zhou Donghuang and Qin Xiaoyu were close, there was surely no need for this?
If his father adopted Qin Xiaoyu as a daughter, then Qin Xiaoyu would be his adopted sister, and his son Qin Fei would have to call her “Aunty.”
“Have a look at this.”
Qin Yi fished out a piece of paper from his pocket and passed it carefully to Qin Long. It was the paper that Zhou Donghuang had edited.
“This is…”
At first, Qin Long, Qin Long did not think much of it, but by the time he finished reading the words on the paper, his expression had changed completely.
“A martial arts technique?”
“More accurately, this is a martial arts technique given to the Qin family by Zhou Donghuang,” Qin Yi said. “Now, do you understand my decision?”
“Father, I’ll see to it at once!”
Qin Long sucked in a deep breath and suppressed his excitement; then he left hurriedly after returning the paper to Qin Yi.
Naturally, he clearly understood what a martial arts technique meant for the Qin family.
This was a stroke of good fortune for the Qin family!
And not long after Qin Long had left, Qin Yi rode his ferghana horse away from the Qin family and out of Qingshan Town, heading towards the prefecture capital.
…
Somewhere else.
Back in his room in the mansion behind Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang shook his head gently.
I forgot, in this country of Yunyang, a third-grade technique could be enough to trigger a bloodbath.
When I previously gave the third-grade swiftness technique, Star-Stepping Footwork to the second-in-command of the Green Wolf Bastion, I probably harmed instead of helped him.
I can only hope he was smart about it and kept it low-key, Zhou Donghuang thought to himself.
This time, with Qin Yi rushing to the prefecture capital to buy the herbs for me, I will definitely be able to obtain the herbs as soon as possible, and this way, I will be able to formulate an even better qi-gathering elixir in the shortest time possible.
Before he began practicing, a look of anticipation flashed across Zhou Donghuang’s eyes.
Traveling from Qingshan Town to the prefecture capital was actually far safer than travelling from Qingshan Town to Ningping town and the other small towns. There were public roads from the prefecture capital to all the small towns, and these public roads were patrolled by powerful adepts of the Martial Way from the Governor’s Household. Ordinary bandits did not dare take the risk of robbing travelers on these roads.
However, someone riding hard on a ferghana horse would still attract the attention of braver bandits who were willing to take a risk.
To avoid the risk of unnecessary complications, Zhou Donghuang had thought of getting the level-two adept of the Qin family to make the trip to the prefecture capital to buy the required herbs for him.
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