I Can Upgrade Everything Infinitely-Chapter 71 - 70: Gold Medal Demon Hunter

Xu Qing didn’t try to stop Yu Chen. In fact, he thought Yu Chen’s plan was quite good, especially for them.

"Brother Xu, what are your plans now?"

Yu Chen asked, "I can’t help you much now, and I might even become a burden. But if there’s anything at all I can do, just say the word."

"I’ll do everything in my power."

"Don’t worry about it."

Xu Qing shook his head and stood up, ready to leave. "Just take care of yourselves. I have my own plans."

"Very well."

Yu Chen nodded.

Afterward, Xu Qing left. He found Qingfeng Town’s brokerage and spent ten thousand in silver to buy a courtyard house in the town’s Inner City.

Qingfeng Town.

It was one of the county towns within the borders of Moon River Prefecture City. In all of Moon River Prefecture City, there were a total of nine county towns, Qingfeng Town and Qingbei Town among them.

Similarly, Qingfeng Town was divided into an Outer City and an Inner City. The Outer City was where common folk, ordinary merchant guilds, Martial Arts Halls, and gangs lived and operated.

Xu Qing also learned that there were three major gangs in Qingfeng Town’s Outer City: the Chushui Gang, the Cyan Snake Gang, and the Dragon Dance Gang.

These three gangs held the most power, with members spread throughout the entire Outer City. Their status and influence were comparable to that of the Three Great Martial Arts Halls in Qingbei Town.

The Gang Leaders of all three gangs were experts who had reached the Outer Gang Level.

In truth, with his current strength, Xu Qing could run rampant throughout the entirety of Qingfeng Town’s Outer City. He had no need to fear even the three great gangs, for he was more than powerful enough.

That was why Xu Qing decided to live in the Inner City. There, the Qingfeng Town Government Office held authority over the entire county, but there were also three prominent families: the Zhuang Family, the Wang Family, and the Gongsun Clan.

These three families had been rooted in Qingfeng Town for a very long time. Their members were enmeshed in every aspect of the county town, like three giant trees whose tangled roots spread to every corner. It was impossible to uproot them. To even try would be to damage the very foundation of Qingfeng Town itself.

For this reason, the Zhuang Family, the Wang Family, and the Gongsun Clan acted like three local emperors, bleeding the people of Qingfeng Town dry. No one could stop them.

’It seems the power structure in Qingfeng Town isn’t all that different from Qingbei Town.’

Xu Qing mused, ’Of course, the exact circumstances of these factions and families, their feuds and grievances, have nothing to do with me.’

’I came to Qingfeng Town mainly to find a quiet, secluded place to focus on my Cultivation and increase my strength.’

’When the time is right, I’ll return to Qingbei Town and settle the score. If it weren’t for Jiang Feiying, I wouldn’t have had to flee in such a rush, like a beaten dog.’

’After all, Grandpa Nine Fingers’ grave is still on White Dwarf Mountain.’

「By dusk.」

Xu Qing had already moved into the Inner City. All the paperwork was complete, for which he had to spend an extra thousand in silver.

It just went to show that no matter where you were, silver made things easy. Money talked.

"Sir."

The broker was all smiles. He had made a hefty profit from Xu Qing today, so his service was exceptionally thorough. He handed the new deed and other documents to Xu Qing. "From this day forward, this courtyard is all yours."

"Good."

Xu Qing nodded. He had already inspected the entire courtyard home and confirmed there were no issues. Its size was about the same as his place back in Qingbei Town.

But the price was vastly different.

The courtyard Xu Qing had bought in Qingbei Town had only cost five hundred and eighty in silver. Here, buying this courtyard home in the Inner City had cost a full ten thousand, plus another thousand to expedite the paperwork.

So in total, he had spent a whopping eleven thousand in silver.

A difference of about twenty-fold.

"Sir."

The broker bowed. "It’s getting late, so this humble one will take his leave. Sir, if you have any other needs, or if you require maids or servants, please feel free to find me at the brokerage."

"When you do, I’ll give you a ten percent discount."

"Mm."

Xu Qing merely nodded.

The broker then left, leaving Xu Qing alone in the courtyard. The sky had darkened, and the courtyard home was reasonably well-furnished.

In the bedroom, Xu Qing put his belongings away, lay down on the bed, and went to sleep early. He didn’t wake until the next morning.

After a full night’s sleep, Xu Qing felt much more relaxed. Now that he was in a new place, free from the oppressive atmosphere of Qingbei Town, his mood had lightened considerably.

When Xu Qing walked out into his courtyard, he saw his neighbors. Naturally, anyone who could afford to live in the Inner City was a person of means or status. The neighbors were just slowly becoming aware that someone new had moved in.

’From now on, I’ll stay here and focus on my Cultivation to increase my strength. I won’t get involved in anything unnecessary. The silver I have on hand should last me for a long time.’

Xu Qing mused, ’But before that, I need to figure out where the Black Market in Qingfeng Town is. That’s the only way I’ll be able to buy Level 3 Spiritual Food.’

’And the Dapeng Root Method.’

With a thought.

Xu Qing’s consciousness connected to the Encyclopedia of All Things. He hadn’t had time to record the Dapeng Root Method before, but now that he was settled in Qingfeng Town, he could finally get to it.

HUM!

The Encyclopedia of All Things began to glow.

The next moment, the Dapeng Root Method manual in Xu Qing’s hands also flashed with a white light.

HUM! HUM!

Instantly, Xu Qing felt the Dapeng Root Method in his hands come to life. The characters, runes, and diagrams seemed to transform into countless little black figures, endlessly practicing the skill.

BOOM!

Finally, they all merged into a torrent that surged into Xu Qing’s mind.

Xu Qing’s mind trembled with a thunderous roar. His consciousness seemed to enter a mystical space, where it began to practice the Dapeng Root Method over and over again.

[Recording Successful!]

[Dapeng Root Method (Incomplete) Level 1: 0/200 (This is a Flawless Root Method. Cultivated to the final Realm, one can reach the Immortal level. It was created by an Extraordinary Realm being who comprehended the mysteries of the Dapeng. However, only the first half exists, so it is merely comparable to an Upper Grade Root Method and can only be cultivated to the Innate Gang Qi Level.)]

’It worked.’

Xu Qing opened his eyes. He had just experienced a moment of pure enlightenment. In the instant the recording was completed, he had mastered the Dapeng Root Method (Incomplete).

"Dapeng Spreads Its Wings!"

BOOM!

With a low cry, Xu Qing began to practice the incomplete Dapeng Root Method. The moves were intricate, yet they held a unique, profound mystique.

More than ten minutes later.

Xu Qing completed one run-through of the Dapeng Root Method.

"Hooo..."

Xu Qing exhaled a breath of stale air. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

[Experience +1]

[Dapeng Root Method (Incomplete) Level 1: 1/200 (...)]

Similarly, although Xu Qing had "mastered" the incomplete Dapeng Root Method, it didn’t mean he had perfected it. It still required a gradual process of slow improvement.

For instance, while he had instantly mastered the Heaven-Fighting Cyan Eagle Force, that didn’t mean he had perfected it either—he had merely grasped the fundamentals of the Martial Art.

Furthermore, the Dapeng Root Method was a Fundamental Skill, and Fundamental Skills could only be cultivated by Danjin Martial Artists. Therefore, when Xu Qing mastered the incomplete Dapeng Root Method, the skill itself started directly at the Outer Gang Realm.

As a result, Xu Qing had now cultivated two different types of Gang Qi.

They were the Baji Gang Qi from his Baji Heaven-Striking Fist and now the Dapeng Gang Qi from his Dapeng Root Method. When circulated, the Dapeng Gang Qi manifested as a pure cyan color—identical to Du Cangying’s.

Clearly, Du Cangying had also cultivated the Dapeng Root Method.

’My Baji Heaven-Striking Fist is currently only Level 6. To merge two Fundamental Skills, one of them must reach Level 10.’

Xu Qing mused, ’After reaching Level 6, Baji Heaven-Striking Fist requires four thousand Experience Points for the next level-up. The Dapeng Root Method, however, is different. It only needs two hundred Experience Points to upgrade.’

’So, for the time being, practicing the Dapeng Root Method to gain Experience is the most efficient path. It’s also the fastest way to increase my overall strength.’

Time flew.

「One month later.」

Xu Qing had finished all the Level 3 Spirit Food: White Jade Tiger Meat he had on hand. During that month, he had also managed to learn the specific details of how things worked in Qingfeng Town.

At the same time, Xu Qing found out the location of the Inner City Black Market.

Over the course of the month, Xu Qing had also learned the identities of his neighbors. The one on the left was a Gold Medal Demon Exterminator from the Government Office.

His full name was Dian Hongbo.

Qingfeng Town’s Government Office was also divided into two main branches: the Demon Extermination Agency and the Governmental Agency. This was standard for the Government Office in any county town.

Dian Hongbo had a primary wife and two concubines. His wife had borne him a son, while his two concubines had given him two daughters.

In other words, Dian Hongbo was clearly a successful man with a prosperous career, children of both genders, and a happy life. This kind of life and status was something ordinary people could only dream of.

Xu Qing had gotten to know Dian Hongbo because of an incident that occurred half a month prior.

One of Dian Hongbo’s enemies had found his residence in the Inner City and tried to murder his wife and children to settle a grudge.

As it happened, Xu Qing had been practicing his Martial Arts in the courtyard and noticed the commotion. He rushed over immediately, killed the assailant, and saved Dian Hongbo’s family.

Because of this, Dian Hongbo was naturally extremely grateful to Xu Qing.