Rustle, rustle!
Fang Qing’s expression was solemn, his hands crimson, like sharp swords, constantly thrusting into the red sand within the wooden barrel.
This sea sand came from the beach outside the fishing village. Supposedly, it was the place where some fiendish beast had wept blood, dyeing a vast stretch of sand red that had not faded even after a hundred years.
Cultivating the *Red Sand Hand* with this red sand could be described as progressing a thousand li in a single day, surpassing many medicinal baths.
Pfft, pfft!
Beads of sweat appeared on Fang Qing’s forehead, yet the movements of his hands did not change in the slightest.
As sand continuously flowed past his fingertips, the crimson hue on his hands gradually deepened.
“My power… has deepened yet again.”
After half a shichen, Fang Qing lay sprawled on the ground without a care for his image, gasping for breath.
“The Red Sand Hand can only be cultivated for two shichen a day, but after dissolving its power, my body seems able to endure more, allowing me to practice an extra half shichen every day…”
This should be a small convenience of *Returning to Origin*, Fang Qing noted to himself.
After a brief rest, he stood up again and began practicing the horse stance, cultivating the *Thousand Jin Drop*.
Although these two were only third-rate martial arts, Fang Qing still treasured them greatly. After all, the Fang Family of Sanshui Ao had not possessed a single martial art.
*Speaking of which… the martial arts from Little Huan Sea can actually be used here. Is it because they are too basic, merely ordinary bodily exertion and force conversion? Or is it the power of my golden finger?*
Fang Qing had always harbored some concerns, such as whether the supernatural systems of the two worlds were compatible.
But with the Dao Birth Pearl, it didn’t really matter.
Moreover, he had no choice in the first place!
“An ordinary person’s body has its limits. Four shichen of high-intensity martial arts training must be paired with restorative medicine and meat!”
“Not to mention, these martial arts all have their limitations. For example, the Red Sand Hand can be cultivated for two shichen at most each day; exceeding that, the body cannot endure…”
“But using my golden finger, I can convert the time and experience cultivated in the Thousand Jin Drop into the Red Sand Hand, almost equivalent to doubling my experience points… Of course, it might not completely convert, since they are two different martial arts. If switched to other second-rate or first-rate martial arts, perhaps ten shichen of cultivating third-rate martial arts might only convert into one shichen of first-rate martial arts power!”
“Besides, cultivating martial arts will also encounter bottlenecks.”
Fang Qing silently recorded the various conversion ratios and states, preparing for future exploration of his golden finger’s capabilities.
“Now… I barely have some ability to protect myself. I can go look for Old Uncle.”
He looked toward the mountains beyond and sighed.
Before, constrained by the mystery of the womb, he had been young and ignorant, not knowing much.
He only knew that this world was incomparably vast. The Ancient Shu Lands alone surpassed the area of great nations from his previous life, and Ba Commandery, where the Fang Family resided, contained many cities with flourishing populations.
“According to what Old Uncle revealed before, we were preparing to flee to Tianfu City. It’s the nearest great city, with stable order… If he was being pursued and had a large sum of money on hand, he would definitely run toward the city. Perhaps I can go take a look…”
…
Tianfu City.
The city gate towered tall, carrying a somewhat mottled sense of time.
After entering, the crowds jostled shoulder to shoulder. On both sides of the road: ready-made clothing stores, cloth shops, pawnshops, restaurants, taverns, pleasure quarters, cosmetic shops… All kinds of businesses stood in close succession, nearly overwhelming to behold.
Fang Qing stood at the city gate, gazing at the notices and wanted posters, his eyes dimming.
*Old Uncle never said who to seek refuge with here… Like looking for a needle in the ocean.*
Fortunately, finding someone was only a one-in-ten-thousand hope for this trip.
Seeing Old Uncle was not there, he turned his steps and walked toward the pleasure quarters… or rather, the restaurant beside them — Heavenly Flavor Tower.
Although he really wanted to experience the service industry of this world and listen to songs in the pleasure quarters.
Fang Qing had to admit that he was captured by the aroma of wine and food…
For a wilderness traveler, a hearty meal was more attractive than anything else. After all, only when warm and full can one think about *that* thing…
“Wait… only children make choices. Adults should… have it all.”
Fang Qing turned his steps again and walked into a pleasure quarter.
“Young Master… do you have a familiar lady?”
A brothel attendant immediately came forward, his face full of ingratiating smiles.
“No. Call a few ladies to sing… and by the way, go to the neighboring Heavenly Flavor Tower and order a top-quality banquet.”
Fang Qing fished out a piece of silver.
Jade Island didn’t use silver taels but a type of silver shell. However, in terms of purchasing power, it was much lower than here in Ancient Shu. Fang Qing didn’t care much for money.
With a passage between two worlds in his grasp, he would sooner or later become the wealthiest man under heaven.
…
“Delicate white snow clad in crimson skirts, infinite charm within every bend… capturing the spring breeze beneath the mandarin duck quilt…”
Moments later, in a private room, two heavily made-up women sang while casting resentful glances at their guest.
After bathing and changing, Fang Qing now wore a loose green robe. While not exactly a jade tree in the wind, he was at least a graceful young man — far better than those lecherous old men in their seventies and eighties.
Unfortunately, this guest truly only listened to the songs, not even glancing at them.
Fang Qing naturally wouldn’t tell them that, tempered by his previous life, his standards were quite high despite never having personally indulged.
Moreover, there was something even more attractive to him…
Meat!
Red braised pork!
Put into his mouth, his lips glistened with oil, carrying the aromatic fragrance of being fresh from the wok. The rice was steamed until fluffy, fragrant, and soft. Mixed with meat sauce, he could easily eat three bowls in one go.
There were also emerald, dewy greens and rich, delicious chicken soup…
The only thing that didn’t catch Fang Qing’s eye was the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish. He was truly tired of eating fish.
*In the pleasure quarters, the Three Teachings and Nine Streams gather. It’s a top-notch place for information…*
*Just… it’s only a hundred li away, yet they don’t even know about the plague in my hometown?*
Fang Qing shoveled rice into his mouth while pondering.
After eating and drinking his fill, he bantered with the two resentful ladies for a while, rejected their invitation to stay the night, walked out of the pleasure quarters, and stretched contentedly. “Now this is living…”
Unfortunately, he had only asked Old Man Zha for one day off. For now, Jade Island remained the priority.
“It’s getting late. Time to leave the city.”
Fang Qing exited the city gate and headed down a remote path.
Before long, he suddenly frowned. “Who is it? Come out!”
As soon as his voice fell, three large men flashed out from the forest behind him. The leader had a pockmarked face, held a dagger in his hand, and wore a cold smile. “The old one got away, but the young one remains.”
“Ma Laosan?”
Fang Qing immediately recognized him. It was actually the leader of that group of refugees who had surrounded and tried to kill him — Ma Laosan!
He couldn’t help but be shocked. “How did you find me?”
“Hehe… This lord has eyes at the city gate. You brat truly walked right into the trap. If we were in the city, we’d still have some scruples, but now…”
Ma Laosan grinned fiercely and stepped forward.
“Something’s off about you. Very off!”
But Fang Qing’s face darkened. “My worth isn’t enough for you to pursue me for three months, is it? Or could it be… there’s another hidden reason behind this?”
“Hmph!”
Although Ma Laosan was a villain, he wasn’t talkative at all. He charged forward with his men.
If this were Fang Qing from three months ago, he could only allow himself to be captured.
But now?
Fang Qing’s hands turned crimson. In an instant, they split into two palms like twin dragons emerging from the sea.
Bang! Bang!
Two of Ma Laosan’s underlings screamed, their chests caved in, and toppled backward.
“Hmm? He knows martial arts!”
Ma Laosan’s figure flashed. The dagger in his hand was like a venomous snake spitting its tongue. He actually knew a bit of shallow, third-rate martial arts.
Seeing this, the corner of Fang Qing’s mouth hooked slightly. His right hand shot out like a fish grasped from water, seizing Ma Laosan’s wrist holding the dagger.
In the next instant, he exerted force through his feet. The power of the Thousand Jin Drop erupted. His right foot landed on Ma Laosan’s instep like an iron hammer.
Crack!
A piercing bone-breaking sound rang out.
Ma Laosan’s expression twisted. He screamed and collapsed to the ground.
“Let’s go!”
Fang Qing picked up Ma Laosan, his figure rapidly disappearing.
…
The wilderness, a hill.
Fang Qing casually tossed Ma Laosan aside. “How do you feel about this place as your burial ground?”
Although Ma Laosan’s face was pale with cold sweat from pain on his forehead, his expression was full of malevolence. “I didn’t expect you to have such good martial arts. Nothing to say. If I die, I die… Just a pity my family died from villains releasing a plague. I cannot take revenge!”
“Revenge?”
In a daze, Fang Qing remembered that Ma Laosan was actually a refugee just like him and Old Uncle. They were even formerly not particularly close fellow villagers!
“You mean… this plague was man-made, not a natural disaster?”
His heart suddenly trembled as he thought of his family.
“Exactly… I threw in with the Luo Family and finally learned that we shouldn’t have died at all. It was just villains from the Black Chong Gate performing Chong refinement techniques in our hometown, causing the plague to spread until nine out of ten houses stood empty… But leaving the range of the Chong art, one is naturally unharmed.” Ma Laosan ground his teeth.
“Black Chong Gate? Performing Chong?”
Fang Qing already somewhat believed it. Without supernatural power, there was simply no way to explain why the large group had no plague after leaving the plague-stricken area.
“Wait… this is a matter between immortals. How did you know? Did the Luo Family tell you?”
Suddenly, he caught an important point: “Is it that Luo Family?”
The Luo Family was a true local power. Theoretically speaking, including the vast land around the Fang Family’s Sanshui Ao, all was under the Luo Family’s control.
And the *Lunar Flowing Light* sacrificial artifacts that the Fang Family sold every year were all sold to the Luo Family!
“Exactly!” Ma Laosan gave a miserable smile. “I know I’m dead today, but you will definitely take revenge on the Black Chong Gate. Telling you doesn’t matter. I originally only planned to flee my hometown, but the Luo Family found me and had me pay attention to several families, including your Fang Family!”
“Pursuing the remnants of our Fang Family? For what?”
Fang Qing was even more puzzled.
“I don’t know either. I only vaguely heard a few sentences… saying your Fang Family has good fate. After the plague passes, they would continue to cultivate literary culture and such…” Ma Laosan’s eyes were also somewhat blank.
“Good fate? Cultivate literary culture?”
Fang Qing memorized this silently, then interrogated the details several times to verify, confirming Ma Laosan wasn’t making things up. Only then did he raise his hand, press it upon the other’s heavenly spirit, and send him on his way.