The Black Armored Army soldiers were buzzing, their gazes towards Teng Qingshan in the distance completely altered. Strength commanded respect, even worship.
"Commander Bai Qi’s final strike was astonishingly powerful, but who would have thought Brother Qingshan could dispel it so effortlessly, even knocking the weapon from the Commander’s hand," marveled the tall, thin Centurion Wan Fanxiang. "Qingshan probably ranks in the top three among the younger generation," Centurion Tian Dan added.
Just then, Teng Qingshan approached, grasping the Samsara Spear. "Brother Qingshan, that final spear thrust of yours was far superior to when we competed for the Centurion position.
It seems you held back your strength during that contest," Tian Dan greeted him with a smile. Teng Qingshan returned the smile.
"Old Brother Tian Dan, I hadn't cultivated the Savage Ox Great Strength Art back then, so I was weaker. I must admit, this Savage Ox Great Strength Art is far superior to the secret manuals I practiced before!" "You practice the Savage Ox Great Strength Art?" The other four Centurions were somewhat shocked.
To become a first-rate martial artist required profound internal energy, which naturally meant possessing one's own secret manual. In the eyes of Tian Dan, Wan Fanxiang, and the other four, Teng Qingshan should have had a unique internal energy manual.
"Of course, it's thanks to it; otherwise, how could my strength have increased so much?" Teng Qingshan replied. "Which level have you reached for such might?" Tian Dan inquired.
"The eighth level," Teng Qingshan stated. The four Centurions exchanged glances, utterly dumbfounded!
The Savage Ox Great Strength Art was potent, yes, but notoriously difficult to master. Reaching the eighth level implied that the Extraordinary Meridians were nearly all unblocked.
"No wonder!" "Brother Qingshan must have consumed some heavenly treasure." The four Centurions now fully understood the source of Teng Qingshan’s sudden surge in power. Seeing their reaction, Teng Qingshan nodded inwardly.
"I can't completely conceal my strength even within the Black Armored Army. I need to reveal just enough to be valued!
The eighth level of the Savage Ox Great Strength Art should command the attention of all Xiantian experts." This was precisely why he had unleashed fifty thousand jin of force earlier. The eighth level of the Savage Ox Great Strength Art allowed for an instantaneous burst of internal energy, equating to nearly fifty thousand jin of force.
With this level of strength, Teng Qingshan felt confident engaging any Xiantian expert! His true full power, however, would only be revealed when facing genuine danger.
... The news of Teng Qingshan's spar with Bai Qi had spread rapidly throughout the mining district.
The Black Armored Army soldiers, along with the garrison guards stationed there, viewed Teng Qingshan with burgeoning respect and awe. The guards from Yicheng were particularly proud!
Teng Qingshan hailed from Yicheng, so the Yicheng guards naturally felt a surge of honor and pride! * Night!
The darkness was absolute, devoid of stars or moon. Torches were immediately lit across the mining area, and the night watch guards began their patrols.
A young man lay prone in a thicket of wild grass, his eyes fixed intently on the patrolling guards. "Don't these guards ever get tired?
Why don't they just sneak off for a nap?" The man was exceedingly anxious. Merely working as a forced laborer in the mines for meager wages was not what he desired.
Every day, sifting gold, watching those flecks of dust—it was enough to stir greed. The gold panned daily was pooled and handed over to the squad leader, who then submitted it to the warehouse.
He was the squad leader, and every day, he secretly pocketed a tiny amount—two or three qian of gold at a time. The Black Armored Army wouldn't notice such a minuscule loss.
After accumulating for a month or two, he had amassed nearly a jin and two liang of gold. Twelve liang of gold translated to twelve hundred taels of silver.
A commoner considered himself fortunate to earn twenty taels of silver in a year. This twelve hundred taels represented a lifetime of toil!
Grit hardening his resolve, the man had prepared for over two months, and tonight, he intended to escape with the stolen gold. "Damn it, today decides if I die or find prosperity." He noticed the patrolling guards turn their backs, heading west.
"Now is the time!" With a surge of determination! Whoosh!
He poured out every ounce of strength he possessed, bolting forward. The man shot past the first patrol line instantly and immediately dropped into a shallow depression in the earth.
If the guards had been observant, they might have spotted him. But it was the dead of night, and the patrols were heavy-eyed, exhausted.
Unless there was a major disturbance, they wouldn't look twice. Taking two quick breaths, the man dared not make a sound, staring intently at a distant tree.
"What good luck! I crossed the first kill-zone line undetected," the man rejoiced secretly.
For the laborers, these patrol lines were called the 'kill-zones.' "It probably won't be this easy from here on out. I need to make one final dash.
With visibility this poor, as long as I reach the area without torches, I have a chance to get away." The man inhaled deeply, gathering his power, then exploded forward, charging down the mountain like a swift leopard. Whoosh!
Whoosh! In this life-or-death moment, the man ran faster than ever before!
He could only hear the roaring rush of wind past his ears. Suddenly— "Gold thief!
Stop him!" a loud cry erupted. He had been discovered!
The man felt a sharp spasm in his heart, his mind racing. In this moment of mortal peril, his running speed fractionally increased.
Before the guards closing in could surround him, the man darted into a pitch-black area below the mountain. "Chase!
Keep chasing! A bunch of useless good-for-nothings, you couldn't stop one gold thief with so many of you!" a burly man with a thick black beard roared in fury.
"Catch him!" "Don't let him escape!" A multitude of guards, carrying torches, charged down the slope. Just then, Teng Qingshan, clad in black martial attire, approached.
Teng Qingshan rarely slept at night, preferring quiet cultivation to nurture his spirit and body; any disturbance immediately alerted him. "Sir." The stout man with the black beard bowed deeply.
"Hu Tong, what's happening?" Teng Qingshan inquired. During his time in the mines, Teng Qingshan had come to know several people.
This Hu Tong was the Captain of the City Guards of Huafeng City—a significant figure there, but considerably more deferential before the Black Armored Army. Hu Tong sighed, "A gold thief, sir!
It can't be helped; gold stirs the heart. Although many thieves are caught and executed, some still try!" "How many people attempt to steal gold from this mining district?" Teng Qingshan asked.
"There are about two to three thousand laborers here. Every year, over a hundred try to steal gold and flee.
However, fewer than ten actually manage to get away," Hu Tong lamented. "But this era is chaotic; some people don't fear death.
They risk it all for a jin of gold. If they succeed, they can marry a good wife and live comfortably back home." Failure meant death.
Success meant riches. Teng Qingshan shook his head subtly.
"Truly gambling with life." He then turned towards his own quarters. "How is it?
Did you catch him?" Hu Tong called out. "Sir, we were agonizingly close!
I even managed to land a strike on him, but that brat was too fast, and it was pitch black outside. With a final burst, he vanished, and we couldn't find him," the guards reported dejectedly.
Hu Tong immediately began muttering curses. "A group of useless lumps!
Since the start of spring, this is the first one to actually get away in just over a month." ... Life in the mining district was thus.
The laborers toiled daily, crushing ore and painstakingly sifting for gold. The guards and Black Armored Army soldiers patrolled and supervised.
Teng Qingshan and the others focused on spear practice. While the other four Centurions had heavy duties, Teng Qingshan's was the most demanding.
He was responsible for the Purple Gold Mining Area, bearing the greatest accountability, daring not to slacken for a single day. If gold drove men to such madness, what about purple gold?
In less than a month, Teng Qingshan had witnessed two individuals attempt to steal purple gold and flee, but neither escaped alive. The guard around the Purple Gold Mining Area was the strictest; the difficulty of escape there was far greater than in other sectors.
For the Guiyuan Sect, losing a few jin of gold annually was negligible. However, the loss of purple gold caused real heartache.
"Sir, I will return to Huafeng City shortly and be back tomorrow. Is there anything you require that I can bring back for you?" In the morning, Captain Hu Tong approached Teng Qingshan as he practiced his spear, speaking enthusiastically.
In Hu Tong's estimation, Teng Qingshan was young, powerfully skilled, and possessed boundless potential; currying favor now could only bring benefits. Teng Qingshan smiled at him.
"Bring me some Yanghe Wine!" Teng Qingshan enjoyed drinking, and Teng Qinghu enjoyed it even more. "Consider it done!" Hu Tong laughed, his beard shaking with mirth.
... Huafeng City, evening, at Hu Tong's residence.
"Brother Dong, you've truly thrown me onto hot coals here! If this matter is exposed, I will bear significant repercussions," Hu Tong said, setting down his wine cup as he looked at the man opposite him.
The man sitting across from Hu Tong was perhaps only seven chi tall, considered rather short, but his eyes were remarkably sharp. Yet, this seemingly sharp and cunning young man was someone Hu Tong knew possessed terrifying ruthlessness!
A young man barely in his twenties, and in Huafeng City, countless formidable figures had fallen to his machinations. Even as the Captain of the City Guards, Hu Tong felt a chilling sensation deep within when recalling this young man's deeds.
"Old Brother Hu, here is a bank note for five thousand taels of silver. After this is accomplished, I will have further rewards for you," the young man rubbed his nose and smiled.
"Everything that needs doing, I have already explained to you, Brother Hu. You must understand...
there is absolutely no danger to you in this. If anything goes wrong later, if I don't implicate you, who would know it was your doing?
Even if I did implicate you, you could simply claim I have a grudge against you and am deliberately slandering you. You will be completely safe." "Rest assured, Old Brother Hu.
Don't you know how Dong Yan operates?" This man, Dong Yan, stated. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the five-thousand-tael note, then he reached out and tucked it into his robes.
"Very well, Brother Dong. Because of our past acquaintance, I will help you this once!
But when will your people descend the mountain?" "The twenty-eighth of the third month! I already brought your relative to meet you last time.
You know him! There shouldn't be any problems, right?" Dong Yan replied.
"The twenty-eighth of the third month? Don't worry, I won't sleep that day until I ensure your task is completed," Hu Tong said with a slight smile.
"However, I can only manage my part of the link; I won't involve myself in anything else." "Your link is the most crucial part, Old Brother. Come, let us toast." Dong Yan raised his cup with a smile, his eyes gleaming with an indescribable light.