18. Marksmanship Is Paramount

Returning to Wuqiao Town, it was already late at night.

The two parted ways at the town entrance.

Xie An returned to the small cottage in the pawnshop’s backyard, while Chen He hurriedly drove the horse-drawn cart back to the pharmacy beside the entrance of the Chen Martial Arts School.

The pharmacy was brightly lit.

As soon as he entered, Chen He saw his elder brother Chen Lei sitting inside, lighting an oil lamp, looking anxious and frequently glancing toward the door.

“Brother, what are you doing here?”

Though Chen Lei was two years older than Chen He, years of martial arts training had made his presence imposing and vigorous, his demeanor commanding respect without anger. He was truly a martial artist who had mastered the gate.

“Third brother, why did you only just return? You scared me to death. I was worried something happened to this batch of medicinal herbs.”

“The horse ran wild halfway through the journey, causing the delay. Luckily, the herbs are intact,” Chen He said with a sigh of relief. Although Chen Lei was kind to him, losing the herbs would have meant the end of his tenuous connection to the Chen Martial Arts School, a distant relative relying on this chance.

“That’s good,” Chen Lei exhaled deeply, then followed Chen He outside to inspect the herbs beside the cart.

The Chen Martial Arts School required a large amount of medicinal aid to support both instructors and students. Each trip to the county town to procure raw herbs involved sums of hundreds of taels, an exceptionally important matter that could not afford any mishap.

While helping unload the herbs, Chen He casually asked, “Brother, I overheard some people talking about the Giant Whale Gang in the county town today. Have you heard of them?”

Chen Lei, not sensing any oddity, replied offhandedly: “The Giant Whale Gang is a criminal organization established only in recent years. They’ve grown rapidly, numbering six or seven hundred members and even maintaining a cavalry unit. They’re the biggest scourge in Qingwu County. The gang leader is said to be a formidable expert from another county, ambitious enough to challenge both the Tiger Wolf Sect and the Heavenly Blade Society for dominance.”

What?

Chen He was stunned, never imagining the three bandits he encountered tonight belonged to such a powerful group.

A gang of six or seven hundred was terrifying enough, but they also trained mounted fighters—cavalry.

No wonder Xie An warned him not to mention the robbery to anyone.

Even his cousin Chen Lei, if he knew, might scold him or refuse to keep the matter secret. There was even a risk Chen Lei might drag him to the Giant Whale Gang to apologize in order to smooth things over.

Fortunately... he had listened to Old Xie’s advice.

Chen Lei noticed Chen He’s strange expression. “What’s wrong?”

Chen He quickly found an excuse. “Perhaps the cold weather got to me.”

...

Xie An returned to the backyard cottage, took a bath, and carefully washed the bloodstains from his clothes before collapsing onto the bed, deep in thought.

There was one detail Xie An hadn’t told Chen He.

That was: Li Wei was the illegitimate son of the mistress of the Giant Whale Gang’s leader.

He overheard this when Wang Wu muttered to himself.

This was very troubling.

But after reviewing the events of the night carefully, Xie An told himself he hadn’t left any clues that could reveal his identity. Even finding the bodies of the three would take the Giant Whale Gang considerable time.

If there was a weak point, it was the Yong’an Pawnshop.

If Li Wei colluded with people from Yong’an Pawnshop, then those people would know that Li Wei’s robbery target was themselves.

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy Xie An felt, like needles pressing into his back.

Having lived to this age, Xie An valued caution above all else—eliminating danger at its source. Any potential threat unsettled him deeply.

“I’m still too weak, lacking the ability to deal with the Giant Whale Gang. Although I have the longevity trait to extend my life, my strength cannot transform overnight. If only I had a patron stronger than the Giant Whale Gang, I wouldn’t have to live in fear.”

With this in mind, Xie An thought of Zhang Lin, the black market’s security steward.

“Zhang Lin’s backers are the Tiger Wolf Sect. No matter how strong the Giant Whale Gang is, they pale before the Tiger Wolf Sect. Zhang Lin has already shown an interest in recruiting me... This could be a good opportunity. Not only would it solve the Giant Whale Gang problem, but it would also provide me with abundant cultivation resources. It’s better than struggling alone.”

“But before joining, I must raise my strength and seek a better position and treatment. I also need to learn about the Tiger Wolf Sect’s true nature—whether they’re genuinely benevolent or just another ruthless gang in disguise.”

Having resolved this, Xie An’s mind settled somewhat, and he began reviewing the battle from the night, reaching a conclusion:

“The bow and arrow suit me perfectly! From now on, I must prioritize archery training.”

Tonight’s events made Xie An realize more than ever that he disliked taking risks. Close-quarters combat was not for him, while the bow allowed him to eliminate enemies beyond threatening range, an excellent choice.

“However, archery requires an open space to be effective. In cramped rooms, it’s useless. Therefore, besides archery, I urgently need to cultivate a close-combat martial art to ensure I can kill enemies if they get too close.”

“I’ve never trained in martial combat techniques; my greatest advantage is strength. The broadsword is undoubtedly the best close-range weapon. But it’s too conspicuous and lacks subtlety. Besides swordsmanship, I need to learn a concealed weapon that outsiders won’t easily notice. This way, if an enemy approaches, I can resist with the sword and also use a hidden technique to catch them off guard and kill them. That would reduce risk considerably.”

Concealed weapons...

Daggers, short swords, or a soft sword hidden in the belt...

Xie An felt these were too conventional.

Not the best choices.

Something was missing...

“Never mind, I’ll think about it gradually...”

In the following days, Xie An continued his routine: rising early to inspect the pawnshop, and after seeing normal business, returning to the backyard cottage to practice health-preserving exercises and archery.

He also remained vigilant for any outsiders coming to inquire about the Giant Whale Gang bandits’ deaths and secretly gathered information about the Tiger Wolf Sect.

One day, after an intense day of cultivation, Xie An checked his status panel.

[Embryonic Breath Technique: Level 3 (6/100)]
[Five Animals Play: Balanced Form and Spirit (9/100)]
[Remaining Years: 16]

The display had changed—no longer showing the prompt “Complete to increase lifespan by XX years.”

At first, Xie An thought he must be mistaken, but after several checks, the result remained the same. He had to accept it.

As long as the remaining years still showed, there was no cause for alarm.

“It’s still too slow. I have to gather all the herbs from Tang Qingfeng’s unique prescription. Only the bear’s heart is missing.”

At dusk, Xie An took two hundred and ninety taels of silver and headed to the Blood Bell Black Market.

Because he carried a token from Zhang Lin, the guards at the canyon entrance let him through without hesitation; no stall or admission fees were charged, and the attitude was much more respectful.

Tonight’s black market was even more bustling than before.

Hundreds of stalls thronged with merchants and customers in a continuous flow. Zhang Lin’s efforts to purge robbers around had borne fruit—order improved, and the market’s safety increased, attracting more buyers and sellers.

Besides the stalls, there were simple tea houses and eateries nearby. In the distance stood a distinctive courtyard, likely where Zhang Lin and his group stayed while conducting business.

Xie An moved confidently to the stall selling fierce beast skins, tendons, innards, and bones.

He found a bear’s heart. After bargaining, the vendor’s lowest price was sixty taels.

Reluctantly, Xie An prepared to pay with his silver ingots.

At that moment, a familiar voice called out.

“Haha, brother, you’re here early!”

It was Zhang Lin.