42 My Journey Will Lead Me to the Mountains
Translator: CatABoo
In the small courtyard, Pharmacist Feng took out a prescription from the room and handed it to Jiang Ming.
“This is something that Guan Feng obtained by chance when he was out training. It has no direct effect on practicing martial arts, but it can calm one’s heart and improve one’s concentration… It’s quite useful when you’re in a bad mood.”
Pharmacist Feng laughed. “He knows that you’re dedicated to martial arts. This is also what he wishes for you. Don’t get tempted by material things and stick to your martial arts path.”
“Help me thank Master Guan. I will not let you down. Thank you, Master Feng.” Jiang Ming took the prescription and cupped his hands. “Thank you for taking care of me for the past few months.”
“You don’t have to be formal with me!” Pharmacist Feng laughed and pointed at the prescription. “However, you must remember that you can only drink this prescription once a month. Otherwise, you will have a splitting headache and be dispirited for a long time… It’s best to use it at a critical time when breaking through a bottleneck.”
Jiang Ming raised his eyebrows and then nodded to show that he remembered it.
After bidding farewell to Pharmacist Feng, Jiang Ming touched the prescription, but his mind was racing. “I wonder what the effect will be if I drink it once a day.”
Returning to his small courtyard, Jiang Ming saw Fang Lie sitting under a big tree, reading a book about governance and world peace that he had read a few times. It was thicker than a brick.
As usual, Huang Xiaoying was practicing martial arts at the foot of the wall, but she still could not sense her blood Qi.
Wang Dong, Peng Lu, and the others had long gone to the city’s taverns to drink and inquire about the Qinghe Tower incident last night.
When Fang Lie saw Jiang Ming return, he closed his book and walked over, sighing, “Ming, if you really want to go to Peace Town, what about your martial arts journey? Great Cloud City is the perfect place to realize your ambitions.”
Jiang Ming pointed at the book that Fang Lie had placed at the root of the tree and smiled, “I’m an idle person who loves nature. Maybe my journey will lead me to the mountains just like yours will lead you to greatness. For now, you need to focus on being less hot-blooded.”
Fang Lie was still a teenager. Thus, his face immediately turned red, “I’m not hot-blooded.”
Jiang Ming patted him on the shoulder and smiled without saying anything.
Huang Xiaoying’s lips seemed to move slightly—as if she wanted to say goodbye, but in the end, she lowered her head and practiced her fist techniques without saying anything.
Jiang Ming did not mind. He packed up his things and left Tiger Hunting Village in big strides.
* * *
He went to Ji Shitang.
Jiang Ming brought Dr. Sun roast chicken and aged wine and accompanied him for a meal. Finally, he mixed a bowl of medicinal soup to regulate blood Qi before leaving.
The city streets were in chaos. Rows of government soldiers and private soldiers of the Shi family were searching everywhere.
The Shi family seemed to be really angry as they searched for the murderer.
Jiang Ming looked calm. The person that the hero, Zhang Shan, killed had nothing to do with him. Why would he panic?
At the city gate, Jiang Ming was stripped of his clothes and checked again before he was released.
Outside the city, Jiang Ming looked up. The sky was bright and clear, and the Cloudy Dream Mountain Forest was in sight.
“When things are done. I’ll wash my clothes and leave. I’ll hide my identity and name as well.” Jiang Ming smiled.
An old man with a face full of wrinkles was driving an ox cart full of dried grass, slowly passing by him.
“Sir, where are you going?” Jiang Ming waved his hand and shouted.
The old man turned his head slowly, and his blank eyes focused on Jiang Ming. Then, he said slowly, “Peace Town.”
“Give me a ride!”
Jiang Ming threw a copper coin at the old man. He did not care if the old man agreed or not. He directly jumped onto the ox cart and lay on the dry grass with a bang. He casually grabbed a stalk and put it in his mouth. Then, he lay down and closed his eyes to rest.
The old man held the copper coin and looked at it carefully for a moment, then grinned and drove forward. When there was no one in the wilderness, he even started singing a folk song.
* * *
Jiang Ming was drinking wine leisurely and eating the smoked tofu that he had not eaten for a long time in the small bar in Peace Town.
He had been back for a few days and had reported to the branch of the Tiger Hunting Village here. He knew that not everyone had arrived yet. After that, he went back into the mountains to pick herbs and drink tea, and only returned to town today.
A burly figure suddenly strode over and sat opposite him.
“Mr. Dong, long time no see.” Jiang Ming looked up and smiled.
Now, Jiang Ming could almost be sure that Mr. Dong was a martial artist. After all, the Old Snake Gang was going to establish a real branch here, so they still needed a martial artist to hold the fort.
However, the Old Snake Gang’s leader was only a second-class martial artist. Mr. Dong was at most a third-class martial artist, or even more likely an unranked one.
Now that Jiang Ming had entered the third-class realm, he had nothing to fear. Even if it was only based on status, Mr. Dong would not dare touch the people of Tiger Hunting Village.
Mr. Dong’s expression was somewhat unsightly as he said in a deep voice, “Back when I invited you to join the Old Snake Gang, you said you didn’t like to join gangs. Why did you join Tiger Hunting Village?”
Jiang Ming laughed out loud and said casually, “Mr. Dong, you’re well-informed, but times have changed, and the world is in chaos now. A fine bird chooses a good tree to live in, so what if I join Tiger Hunting Village?”
“You…!” Mr. Dong’s expression changed, and his eyes were overflowing with murderous intent, “Are you saying that the Old Snake Gang is incompetent?”
“Compared to Tiger Hunting Village, there’s still a slight difference between you guys,” Jiang Ming did o’t care at all and said arrogantly. “I’m sure you understand, Mr. Dong.”
“Jiang Ming, how dare you! Mr. Dong is a martial artist, who do you think you are?” One of Mr. Dong’s subordinates could not help but curse him. “Don’t push your luck. I’ll show you!”
As he spoke, he slapped Jiang Ming.
Mr. Dong sat still, but a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. Of course, he did not dare hit Jiang Ming, but his subordinate could not help it. What could he do?
Jiang Ming’s expression turned cold. He sat on the chair without moving. With a flick of his wrist, a wine bowl flew out and hit the subordinate’s nose hard.
The sound of bones breaking could be heard.
“Ah!” the subordinate let out a blood-curdling screech and stumbled back a few steps. In the end, he could not stop his retreat and fell on his butt.
His entire nose and the corners of his eyes were a bloody mess, and his broken bones were exposed. It was a very scary sight.
“Wu Yi, you really are something else!” Jiang Ming looked down at the young man indifferently.
When Uncle Ba was in power, Wu Yi was still an honest mountain miner. Later, when Mr. Dong came to power, he latched on to him. Jiang Ming still remembered that Wu Yi even bowed to him at that time.
He did not expect that in just a few months, Wu Yi would become this heartless.
The other customers were all shocked. Jiang Ming had been away for a few months. How did he become more arrogant than before?
However, Mr. Dong stared at Jiang Ming and said in a deep voice, “You sensed your blood Qi?”
Jiang Ming’s seemingly simple move was not something that anyone could do. Only those who could sense blood Qi could do that.
“Of course, how else would I have the audacity to return to Peace Town otherwise?” Jiang Ming laughed.
Jiang Ming looked at Mr. Dong fearlessly. Now, he had two identities. One was Zhang Shan, a fanatic beyond the law. He could not be seen in front of others. Once he appeared, he would see blood.
The other one was the great madman Jiang, who needed to be managed at all times… This identity was his primary one. It seemed arrogant and domineering, but it was not manipulative. It was the easiest to lower one’s vigilance and not get involved.
Last time, when he killed Uncle Ba, it was because of his identity as the great madman Jiang, was that made Mr. Dong dispel his doubts.
As for the real him, he was hiding behind these two identities, practicing martial arts, looking for immortals, and enjoying longevity.
Sure enough, when Mr. Dong heard this, the corner of his mouth twitched a little. He did not want to wrangle with Jiang Ming anymore. At this time, he just wanted to find a way out and quickly get away from Jiang Ming.
If this fellow was an ordinary person, Mr. Dong would naturally have his ways of dealing with him. After all. although the Old Snake Gang was a second-class faction, they had the Shi family backing them. They would still have ways to deal with an ordinary person. But now that Jiang Ming had already sensed his blood Qi, unless Mr. Dong personally took action, there was really no way to deal with him.
“Damn it! This thorn will be taken care of sooner or later,” Mr. Dong cursed in his heart and was a little regretful that he had provoked this dolt today.