Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 143 - 67: Rising Reputation, Taiping Escort Agency Sending Invitations

After coming out of the study, Shen Qing's gaze passed through the familiar corridor and finally settled on the half-open wooden door. He walked over slowly and pushed it open to go inside.

This was the small courtyard where Ouyang Tiezhu and his senior brothers practiced and sparred with him.

In the past, at this time, the senior brothers would have gathered early and started training inside, honing their skills. But today, the courtyard was unusually quiet.

After the incident with the Mi Gang, second senior brother Niu Daping, third senior brother Dong Zizhuang, and fourth senior brother Wushili all faced mishaps—some died, and some were left crippled.

The once lively scenes in the courtyard, full of shouts during practice, the crisp sound of weapons clashing, and the camaraderie of laughter and jest, could no longer be recreated.

Shen Qing walked to the center of the courtyard, took a deep breath, slowly assumed a stance, and closed his eyes.

Thanks to his ability to "Never Forget," the moves Li Linfeng just taught him and the key points kept surfacing in his mind.

Puch...

Shen Qing's body churned with Qi, muscle and bone strengthening, erupting from his skin through his fingers.

Accompanied by a whistling sound, this Power burst out of his body, striking the tiles on the ground, causing a cracking sound, and creating many tiny cracks.

"When my Qi burst out of my body before, it would dissipate upon hitting the wall. Now, it can crack the tiles. It's indeed a significant improvement, stronger than before. But this level is still far from enough."

Shen Qing remembered clearly that Li Linfeng's Wind Defying Finger could already create a pit in the tiles with his Qi.

He simply couldn't do it yet.

Not to mention those martial artists whose bodies were as tough as steel walls. With just a bit of power, it was impossible to hurt them.

To some extent, the Wind Riding Force condensed in the physical body could harm some experts, while the Wind Riding Force bursting out could only harm ordinary people.

"This is still not enough."

Shen Qing thought deeply, instinctively bringing up the Water Ink Panel, where the relevant progress information for the Wind Defying Finger appeared before him.

[Skill: Wind Defying Finger (Great Perfection)]

[Progress: 16/500 points]

[Status: Cannot be improved]

[Note: Blue surpasses the blue. After continuous training, you have reached the Great Perfection of this martial art. Continued practice and mastering Wind Riding Force can break its limit.]

"According to the note on the Water Ink Panel, there are still areas for improvement in the Wind Defying Finger, capable of breaking its limit. Since it's nearly impossible to open the Qi Hai Realm now, it's better to focus all energy on martial arts training and cultivate each one to perfection while cultivating Qi."

Shen Qing looked around the empty small courtyard, reflecting: "In this chaotic world, where life is as fragile as grass, having more strength brings more peace of mind."

He made up his mind and immediately resumed training, first fully mastering the Power moves Li Linfeng taught him.

Focused on training, Shen Qing felt that in a blink, it was already afternoon.

Seeing the time was about right, he went to Linfeng Hall's pharmacy to get some medicine.

Inside a servant's room in the Outer Court, A Fu was busy when he saw Shen Qing walk in and greeted him politely: "Lord Shen, you're here. Are you here to pick up the medicine?"

As the steward of Linfeng Hall, once Shen Qing obtained his martial title, A Fu had consciously lowered his stature and no longer dared to address Shen Qing as a peer.

Shen Qing didn't demand any changes, nodding: "Yes, I want to get some."

A Fu replied respectfully: "The master instructed that, in this room, Lord Shen can take any medicine you need without paying silver."

In Shen Qing's eyes, Li Linfeng was a capable person. Making such arrangements was within his expectations.

He smiled: "Then I won't stand on ceremony and get it myself."

"Lord Shen, help yourself. I will go attend to other matters." A Fu knew that some medicine formulas were top-secret and shouldn't be known to others.

He tactfully left the room, leaving Shen Qing alone.

Once he was alone, Shen Qing took out the fundamental medicine formula given by Li Linfeng and gathered several prescriptions by comparing with it. Then he picked up some Shiquan Dabu Decoction to brew for Shanwa and Xiaohu to strengthen their bodies.

After handling these errands, Shen Qing took Shen Xiaohu, who was already itching to go, back to the courtyard.

Shen Xiaohu felt a bit down, realizing the family had moved to the big house but left him out.

Shen Qing, walking behind, patted Shen Xiaohu's head: "What, you have a room to yourself and still aren't happy? Stop dithering like a woman, and go inside."

Saying this, Shen Qing pushed the door open and went inside.

Shen Xiaohu followed blankly.

"Qingzi, you're back." As soon as they entered, Uncle Shen the Second hurried forward eagerly.

"Uncle, what's the matter?"

Uncle Shen the Second pulled Shen Qing to the stone table, pointing to a stack of invitations and a wooden box: "After you left this morning, many came looking for you. They wanted to leave this... what's it called... yes, an invitation, insisting on leaving it here. Each family left some gifts, saying it was to congratulate you on moving to the Inner City. I didn't understand, so I put them here. Take a look."

"Invitations?"

Shen Qing surmised that people in the city had heard of his feats of slaying demons and dealing with the Mi Gang and had come to visit.

Shen Qing put the medicine he was carrying on the table and opened one of the invitations to read it carefully.

"Shen Shou Sect..."

He roughly browsed through it. The gist was that Shen Shou Sect was hosting a banquet at Wanfeng Building to entertain him and promising substantial benefits if he joined them.

Shen Qing set that invitation down and picked up another.

"Feiying Hall."

"Kuai Dao Gang."

"Hong Men."

"..."

One by one, Shen Qing quickly browsed through the invitations. The contents were mostly similar, basically all aiming to win him over.

"Hmm? Taiping Escort Agency."

Among the many invitations, Shen Qing found a familiar name.

He had some impression of this Taiping Escort Agency.

Before Linfeng Hall's incident, senior brother Ouyang Tiezhu had once found him a marriage prospect. To get by, he chose a miss from Taiping Escort Agency.

If he remembered correctly, that young lady's name was Tang Wanrou.

Shen Qing looked down at the signature—Tang You.

The Chief of Taiping Escort Agency.

It was indeed their family.

Shen Qing opened the invitation and glanced at it. The content was similar to other sects, inviting him to become an escort master and promising ten gold coins per journey.

Such a small amount of money no longer enticed him.

Shen Qing shook his head, set the invitation aside, and opened the wooden box.

Inside, neatly lay fifty or sixty silver ingots.

Shen Qing pushed the silver to Uncle Shen the Second, saying, "Uncle, Shanwa mentioned that the horse feed at home isn't good. Take him to the market to buy some."

Seeing the box pushed his way, Uncle Shen the Second's expression froze, and his breathing gradually became rapid.

This was tens of taels silver.

Back in the village, he would have to toil for three to five years to get this much, yet Shen Qing gave it to him without batting an eye.

"Qingzi, this is too valuable, I... I..."

Shen Qing smiled: "Uncle, you helped us siblings a lot during hard times. Now it's my turn to repay you. Take the money; there's no harm in it. If it's not enough, just tell me. If it makes you uncomfortable, call upon Zhang Shu Chi and let him bill me, how about that?"

After a while, Uncle Shen the Second's old eyes narrowed into slits as he smiled, seemingly gratified, nodding vigorously: "Alright!"

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