Eternal Life from Taking Care of Master's Wife-Chapter 56 - 54: Survival of the Fittest

Yunmeng City.

Salt Gang Headquarters.

"What? All the experts sent from both Qinghe Branch and Headquarters have mysteriously disappeared overnight?"

Gang Leader Qiao Beiming was stunned upon receiving the news.

This time, two elders had gone. Elder Wang Kang’an of Body Refining Seventh Layer was no great concern, but Law Enforcement Elder Bai Guinong was the second best warrior of the Salt Gang, only next to Qiao Beiming himself.

Even across the entire Yunmeng Prefecture, he could be considered a master.

And now he mysteriously vanished?

In such a small Qinghe County where the top fighters were merely at Body Refining Fifth Layer!

Yet upon hearing that Divine Arrow Peak Master Li Changfeng appeared in Qinghe City and took Zhou Chen as his disciple, Qiao Beiming fell silent.

The situation was clear.

Zhou Chen, after somehow learning the Yi Arrow Skill, killed Qinghe Branch Leader Shi Lei and Tributor Bai Ruyun.

Li Changfeng received the news, rushed to Qinghe County to take Zhou Chen as his disciple, and then wiped out Bai Guinong and the others who went to find the murderer.

"This is truly outrageous!"

Fueled by anger and frustration, Qiao Beiming fiercely slammed his hand on the black wooden table. The exquisite and luxurious table shattered, turning into a cascade of wood splinters.

"Li Changfeng... Zhou Chen..."

He definitely did not believe Zhou Chen had the capability to kill Bai Guinong of Body Refining Ninth Layer; it must have been Li Changfeng. But everything started because of Zhou Chen.

Bai Guinong was the Salt Gang’s second-best talent; the loss was unimaginable!

Yet, how could he seek revenge against Li Changfeng? He dared not.

Moreover, he had no evidence.

The strong don’t need evidence to kill.

The weak must have evidence, though often even with evidence, it’s useless.

Truth and justice are often upheld by fists and weapons.

"However, it’s not necessarily Li Changfeng who did it..."

After venting his anger, Qiao Beiming calmed down. It was also possible that opposing forces took the opportunity to slay the Salt Gang experts and pin it on Li Changfeng.

"I must personally go and find out!"

Suppressing the news, Qiao Beiming quietly set off alone.

Being a Divine Power Realm expert, he moved swiftly.

In less than half a day, he arrived at Qinghe County, and after some investigation, although he didn’t find any clear information, there were no traces of other opposing forces.

However, he learned quite a bit about Zhou Chen. Despite outwardly being merely Body Refining Second Layer, based on various indirect clues, Zhou Chen should possess Body Refining Sixth to Seventh Layer cultivation.

Zhou Chen likely had a ninety percent chance of having killed Bai Ruyun and Shi Lei.

Yet even so, Li Changfeng shouldn’t have killed Bai Guinong.

Because Bai Ruyun had a bad reputation and wasn’t particularly strong; his death was inconsequential. Shi Lei was even more of a nobody.

The Salt Gang wouldn’t offend Li Changfeng over them; the matter could be glossed over.

However, when Qiao Beiming discovered that Bai Guinong and his party had forced Zhou Chen’s close woman to self-detonate, he knew the issue was clear.

Li Changfeng acted to wipe out Bai Guinong because Zhou Chen asked him to help avenge him.

But even upon discovering the truth, what then?

It was all just a hypothesis.

What difference would evidence make?

Could he kill Li Changfeng and his disciple?

"Damn it!"

Qiao Beiming returned to the Salt Gang Headquarters, filled with frustration, and convened another major meeting.

The atmosphere in the conference hall was somewhat heavy.

Quite a few well-informed people had already learned about the mysterious disappearance of the Qinghe Branch disciples and the experts sent from the Salt Gang Headquarters.

They had also heard rumors linking it to Cyan Cloud Li Changfeng.

"Today, I’ve gathered everyone to share a sorrowful news!"

Qiao Beiming’s expression was sorrowful and his voice subdued:

"Elder Bai, Elder Wang, and other Salt Gang disciples went to Qinghe Branch to investigate the murders of Tributor Bai and Stone Leader, and encountered strange events, resulting in their mysterious disappearance."

"As for the murderer of Bai Tributor and Stone Leader, the perpetrator has been killed. I consider Qinghe Branch a cursed place and plan to dismantle it. What do you all think?"

"Gang Leader is wise!"

Some elders and tributors, who initially wanted to question, saw those with inside knowledge promptly agreeing and followed suit.

Observing this, even the uninformed elders and tributors sensed something was amiss.

They swallowed the words they had prepared, opting for silence.

In this world, neither good nor bad people die needlessly; it’s only the foolish who perish.

Since they could sit there, they obviously weren’t foolish.

"In that case, let’s decide: from now on, there will be no Qinghe Branch in the Salt Gang!"

Despite feeling suppressed, Qiao Beiming had no alternative.

Qinghe City being Zhou Chen’s origin, setting up a branch there would inevitably lead to future clashes with Zhou Chen.

Could he not just avoid trouble?

As for revenge?

What nonsense! He wouldn’t recklessly risk his life and the life of everyone in the Salt Gang against Zhou Chen.

Even if Zhou Chen were killed, so what?

The dead wouldn’t come back to life.

And killing a Cyan Cloud Sect True Inheritor—what would that entail?

The consequences would mean extermination.

No evidence needed; simply suspecting you were involved would suffice for the Cyan Cloud Sect to eliminate you.

That’s power.

It’s also the dignity Cyan Cloud Sect must protect.

True Inheritors are the face and foundation of a sect; anyone daring to cross this line would be struck down by lightning.

Otherwise, anyone could secretly hunt Cyan Cloud Sect True Inheritors in the future.

"Dismissed!"

Qiao Beiming didn’t wish to say more and turned away.

His heart bore deep bitterness.

Feeling blue!

Mushroom!

Elders and tributors gathered in small groups as they left, whispering about the meeting.

The fact that Bai Guinong and others were most likely killed by Li Changfeng couldn’t be concealed, yet the elders and tributors were all sensible.

The news stopped there.

They all depended on the Salt Gang for their livelihood and wouldn’t spread it widely to undermine the Salt Gang’s dignity.

Therefore, their official statement was that Bai Guinong and companions die under mysterious circumstances.

Such events were countless.

Not just Bai Guinong of Body Refining Ninth Layer; even a Divine Power Realm expert might meet such a fate if unlucky enough to encounter formidable supernatural forces.

The Salt Gang hung white lanterns and prepared funerals for Bai Guinong and others, sadness shrouding them.

The Cyan Cloud Sect, however, was in an uproar.

The news that Divine Arrow Peak Master Li Changfeng had accepted a disciple spread rapidly across the Nine Peaks of Cyan Cloud like an autumn wind sweeping away leaves, sparking astonishment and envy among countless disciples.

Being Li Changfeng’s disciple almost certainly ensured becoming a True Inheritor.

The status of a True Inheritor rivals that of an elder.

It’s considered soaring to great heights.

"Who is Zhou Chen? Could he be another Arrow Spirit Body?"

"Chances are likely he is an Arrow Spirit Body."

"You’re mistaken there, I heard Zhou Chen isn’t an Arrow Spirit Body, but learned remnants of the Yi Arrow Skill left outside, which led Master Li to take him as a disciple!"

"What? Not an Arrow Spirit Body, learning remnants of Yi Arrow Skill?"

"Such archery talent is terrifyingly impressive!"

"Indeed, ordinary archery mastery is extremely challenging. In all these years at Divine Arrow Peak, only the first Peak Master wasn’t an Arrow Spirit Body. Zhou Chen is the second since the ancestor of Divine Arrow Peak!"

"I wonder who Zhou Chen is?"

Countless disciples passionately discussed, brimming with curiosity about Zhou Chen.

Not being an Arrow Spirit Body, yet mastering divine archery, learning Yi Arrow Skill—such a person is truly rare.

Most people, having the energy to practice archery, would rather learn other martial skills.

The world isn’t lacking martial arts comparable to, or even exceeding, Yi Arrow Skill, so why painstakingly study Yi Arrow Skill?

This is why Divine Arrow Peak remains thinly populated.

Arrow Spirit Bodies are scarce, and those who master archery are even rarer.

Zhou Chen and Qin Hongyu settled into the mansion they had first seen.

In the afternoon, Li Changfeng returned, handing Zhou Chen a True Disciple Token.

The token displayed a purple-gold hue, its material unknown but extremely hard, engraved with his name and likeness.

"With this token, you can access most places within Cyan Cloud Sect. If you don’t understand something, seek your senior sister’s help."

As he spoke, Li Changfeng tossed a manual to Zhou Chen:

"This is the complete Yi Arrow Skill, study it diligently. Ask your senior sister if you have questions!"

Zhou Chen: "..."

So, you’re practically a hands-off teacher.

Seek your senior sister for everything?

But it’s fine with him.

Possessing the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror, as long as there is a manual, he can practice independently and prefers a master with fewer commitments.

"In a month, the Sect Leader will hold a True Disciple Ceremony for you."

"Prepare well, don’t shame me."

...