Cold Ice True Qi—this was a palm technique created by Sect Master Zuo Lengchan of the Songshan Sect.
It could transform one’s Inner Strength into a frigid yin force, releasing an extremely cold true qi through the palm.
On the surface, that cunning old fox Zuo Lengchan used the Songyang Divine Palm, but in truth, Cold Ice True Qi was his ultimate killing move.
Chen Yu couldn’t help wondering whether someone like Zuo Lengchan even existed in this world.
He tried hard to sift through the original body’s memories, but they were blurred and incomplete. The original host had been young and of low status, joining the Beggar Sect purely by chance.
He hadn’t even recognized all the leaders within the sect, let alone understood much about the broader martial world.
Perhaps he could ask Vice Sect Master Ma Dayuan later.
Without hesitation, Chen Yu used the Cold Ice True Qi Major Achievement Card. In just a short moment, he had already cultivated this internal-energy palm technique to Major Achievement.
Then he remembered he still had a Martial Arts Realm Upgrade Card that could elevate a technique from Minor Achievement to Major Achievement. After a brief pause, he chose the Nine Yang Manual.
There was no other reason. Although Phantom Ripple Steps was indeed a top-tier Lightness Skill, it still paled in comparison to the Nine Yang Manual.
In the novels, Zhang Wuji had roamed the martial world with unmatched dominance, all because he relied on the Nine Yang Divine Art.
With a few steady breaths and controlled circulation, Chen Yu immediately felt his Inner Strength surge, full and overflowing. As he raised a hand, it was as if true qi naturally coiled around him.
Now, both his Cold Ice True Qi and Nine Yang Manual had reached Major Achievement. The Pure Inner Strength he had obtained through rewards was also steadily growing.
Although he had only accumulated two years’ worth of Pure Inner Strength, his battle with Quan Guanqing had already proven something… those two years might rival the lifetime cultivation of someone with mediocre talent.
After all, Inner Strength lay in refinement, not quantity. Many martial artists spent their entire lives cultivating, yet their results remained limited.
Looking across the entire Northern Beggar Sect, there were probably only three or four people who could contend with him now.
The Nine-Bag Enforcement Elder Bai Shijing from earlier could count as one. Thinking about it, that man had surely already sent people to investigate him.
But Chen Yu didn’t care. Bai Shijing would find nothing.
Who could ever imagine that beneath the same face, the person inside had already changed?
As for what he would do next…
Chen Yu slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.
With martial arts in hand, the world would be his.
He would use that vicious Madam Ma, along with the countless Malicious Thoughts in this world, as stepping stones.
In his previous life, he had been a cripple who could do nothing. Now that heaven had granted him a second chance, he would never waste it.
He would start with the Beggar Sect.
…
He slept straight through until noon the next day.
After eating a combined breakfast and lunch, Chen Yu learned that Madam Ma was looking for him, so he went to find her.
Today, Kang Min was once again dressed in a simple white gown. With only light makeup, she appeared pure and untouchable.
Standing at the entrance of the Headquarters, she spotted Chen Yu approaching and waved from afar, smiling warmly. “Good little brother, you’ve finally come.”
Following her gesture, Chen Yu noticed an old carriage already waiting outside the gate. A deaf-mute old coachman stood beside it.
“Come with me. We’re heading to the western market to buy medicinal herbs. Many of the brothers were injured during the recent bandit suppression, and we’re running low on medicine. I’ll go purchase some for them.”
After explaining the reason, Kang Min bent slightly and stepped into the carriage. As her plain dress tightened faintly, it revealed her alluring curves.
She turned back and saw Chen Yu staring blankly at her. Naturally, she assumed this young hero couldn’t resist her charm.
Pleased inwardly, she pretended not to notice and said with a gentle smile, “Don’t just stand there. Come sit in the carriage.”
“Alright.”
Chen Yu stepped in without hesitation.
Inside, the carriage was worn and faded, its paint long gone. A torn cloth covered the window. The space was cramped, and the suspension was poor. As the carriage began to move, the occupants swayed with every jolt.
Kang Min sat opposite him and behaved normally for the moment. Along the way, she took out a pouch and carefully counted the copper coins they had brought.
When she focused, her side profile was stunning. Through the faint light filtering in, her jade-like neck appeared snow-white. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
A few strands of hair fell gently by her cheek. Occasionally, she would lift her head in thought, murmuring softly under her breath.
There was no trace of cruelty visible. Compared to some beggar’s wife, she looked far more like the refined daughter of a wealthy merchant family.
“Dayuan has been working himself to exhaustion these past few days. It pains me just to watch. Sigh… people say the Vice Sect Master stands second only to one in the sect, but if you ask me, I’d rather he not hold that position at all.”
Kang Min sighed softly while counting coins.
Her words sounded gentle and sincere.
Chen Yu, however, was completely unmoved. Her current Malicious Thoughts had already been laid bare before him.
[Current Target: Kang Min]
[Malicious Thought 1: Ma Dayuan, you useless waste deserves to die. Why aren’t you dead yet!] Advanced Reward
[Malicious Thought 2: Qiao Feng, you dared to humiliate me. In this world, no man can reject me, Kang Min. I will kill you!] Special Reward
[Malicious Thought 3: Buying medicine for Beggar Sect brothers? What do those filthy beggars’ lives have to do with me? I want Soft Tendon Powder. Only this shop in the city has it. Once I get it, hehe…] Initial Reward
As expected…
Chen Yu felt no surprise at all. This Madam Ma was a venomous woman through and through.
She claimed to be buying medicine, but in truth, she had other intentions.
It seemed Kang Min was planning to make a move against her own husband. Most likely because Ma Dayuan refused to reveal the former Sect Master Wang Jiantong’s letter exposing Qiao Feng as a Khitan.
Whether Ma Dayuan lived or died didn’t matter much to Chen Yu.
Although the man was known for his kindness and integrity, excessive tolerance had only allowed scum like Ma Er to grow within the sect.
But Kang Min making her move meant something else entirely… the conspiracy against Qiao Feng had begun.
In the storm of blood that would follow, Chen Yu needed to prepare in advance.
He still couldn’t determine how different this world’s Qiao Feng was from the one in the novels. After all, even the Beggar Sect here was divided into north and south.
However, based on the sect members’ accounts, this Qiao Feng was still a towering hero.
To be honest, Chen Yu had a bias toward him… and a collector’s instinct.
In his previous life, when playing martial arts games, he had always loved gathering legendary heroes and beauties into his estate.
In game terms, Qiao Feng would undoubtedly be an SSR… the rarest card.
If he could recruit this Sect Master Qiao to his side, that would be ideal.
The carriage rattled along for about half an hour before finally arriving at their destination.
It was a modest, somewhat secluded medicine shop. The owner was an elderly man with white hair and beard, his back slightly hunched.
He wasn’t surprised to see Kang Min.
This shop had always operated under the protection of the Beggar Sect’s influence. Injured members frequently came here for medicine.
After hearing Kang Min’s request, the old man nodded and instructed his assistants to stop their current tasks and prioritize preparing supplies for the Beggar Sect.
Kang Min glanced around before suddenly pulling Chen Yu aside. Lowering her voice, she said softly, “Good little brother, can you help me with something?”
Here it comes.
Chen Yu already knew exactly what she intended.
She wanted to obtain Soft Tendon Powder… to “honor” her husband and send him happily to the underworld.
“I haven’t been feeling well lately and need a special medicinal ingredient. But it’s the shop owner’s treasure, and he won’t give it to just anyone.”
Kang Min leaned in close, her red lips almost brushing Chen Yu’s ear.
Her tone turned soft and coquettish, almost like she was acting spoiled. “It’s in the second room in the back courtyard, in the left drawer. You’re skilled, so use that ghostlike movement technique from yesterday to fetch it for me, alright?”
So she had already investigated everything.
“What’s so difficult about that?”
Chen Yu didn’t hesitate.
The moment he spoke, Kang Min blinked, only to realize the young man before her had vanished.
When she came back to her senses, she understood that Chen Yu’s Lightness Skill was extraordinary, and a delighted smile spread across her face. This chapter was copied from NovelPing without permission.
Meanwhile, Chen Yu slipped past the busy assistants with ease and quietly entered the room where the Soft Tendon Powder was stored.
He retrieved the medicine from the drawer, tucked it into his chest, and returned to the front hall without a sound.
Silently, he stepped behind Kang Min and raised his right hand, slipping the powder into her palm.
[Malicious Thought 3: Obtain Soft Tendon Powder] Completed
[Initial Reward Granted: Inner Strength Growth Rate x1.15]
The task had been simple.
By now, Chen Yu had accumulated three boosts to his Inner Strength growth rate. With each passing second, his Inner Strength grew stronger and denser.
He understood the importance of Inner Strength in the martial world. The deeper it was, the more effectively powerful techniques could be used.
Kang Min happily stored the medicine. Glancing sideways at Chen Yu’s handsome face, her gaze flickered.
As she accepted the bottle, her fingers lightly traced across his palm twice, her voice soft and teasing. “Good little brother.”
She had already noticed the way Chen Yu had looked at her yesterday and assumed the young man harbored feelings for her.
When it was time to give a little sweetness, one should give it.
Chen Yu glanced around. The shop was full of people.
If anyone had seen her earlier action, her carefully maintained image of purity would have shattered.
Chen Yu wasn’t one to remain passive. With equal speed, he traced his fingers across Kang Min’s palm twice.
She looked slightly surprised, but quickly suppressed it. Her beautiful face remained composed.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, she asked, “Good little brother, what are you doing?”
“Hm?”
Chen Yu scratched his head in confusion. “I didn’t do anything.”
A dangerous glint flashed briefly in Kang Min’s eyes before dissolving into something soft and playful. She smiled faintly and said, “Oh, I thought a mosquito bit me.”
“Mosquito bites in late autumn hurt more.”
Chen Yu agreed immediately, his expression calm and unflustered.
“Hmph, so young, yet already so mischievous.”
Madam Ma spoke with a soft, coquettish tone, her voice light and crisp as she said what both of them clearly understood.
[Current Target: Kang Min]
[Malicious Thought 1: Ma Dayuan, die!] Advanced Reward
[Malicious Thought 2: Qiao Feng, you die too!!] Special Reward
[Malicious Thought 3: Want to go further] Initial Reward
What the hell…
Chen Yu didn’t even know how to respond.
Suddenly, noise erupted from outside.
Amid the crackling sounds of fighting and curses drawing closer, a purple figure rushed straight toward the entrance.
“Move aside, move aside!”
A crisp voice rang out like a lark.
Chen Yu shielded Kang Min and easily stepped aside, but the assistants busy preparing medicine weren’t so fortunate.
In an instant, dust filled the shop, and true qi surged wildly.
Several assistants were struck by the inner force surrounding that purple figure. Their faces turned green instantly, blood pouring from their seven orifices.
They died on the spot.