I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 18 Shooting skills are the most important
It was already late at night when we returned to Wuqiao Town.

The two said goodbye at the town entrance.

Xie An returned to the small house in the backyard of the pawnshop, while Chen He drove the carriage back to the pharmacy next to the gate of Chen's martial arts school.

The lights were on in the drugstore.

As soon as he entered the door, Chen He saw his elder brother Chen Lei sitting in the shop with an oil lamp lit. He looked very anxious and looked out the door from time to time.

"Brother, why are you here?"

Although Chen Lei was two years older than Chen He, he had a powerful aura due to years of martial arts training, and he looked unfazed and imposing. This was a true warrior who had entered the realm of martial arts.

"Third brother, why did you come back just now? I was so worried. I was worried that something might happen to this batch of herbs."

"The horse ran away halfway and delayed the trip. Fortunately, the herbs are fine." Chen He felt fortunate. Although Chen Lei treated him well, if he lost the herbs, he was afraid that he would not be able to stay in the Chen family martial arts school any longer, and this distant relative would be over.

"That's good." Chen Lei breathed a sigh of relief and followed Chen He out to the carriage to check the medicinal materials.

The Chen family martial arts school produces a large number of medicinal supplements to meet the expenses of the entire school's instructors and students. Each trip to the county town to purchase medicinal materials often costs hundreds of taels. However, this is a top priority and cannot be easily overlooked.

While helping to unload the herbs, Chen He asked subtly, "Brother, I heard people talking about the Giant Whale Gang in the county today. Have you heard of them?"

Chen Lei didn't notice anything unusual and casually said, "The Giant Whale Gang is a gang that was established in recent years. It has grown rapidly, with 600 to 700 members and knights. It is a major threat to Qingwu County. It is said that the gang leader is a master from another county, and he is very powerful. He is ambitious to compete with the Tiger and Wolf Sect and the Heavenly Sword Society."

what?
Chen He was stunned. He never expected that the three robbers he met tonight had such powerful backgrounds.

A gang of six or seven hundred people is already terrifying. Not to mention they also train knights... that is, cavalry.

No wonder Xie An told him not to tell anyone about the robbery incident tonight.

Even if my cousin Chen Lei knew about this... I'm afraid he would reprimand me, and might not even help me keep it secret. He might even tie me up and take me to the Giant Whale Gang to admit my mistake and settle the matter peacefully.

Fortunately... I listened to what Old Xie said.

Chen Lei saw Chen He's strange expression and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Chen He quickly made an excuse, "Maybe it's because the weather is freezing."

……

Xie An returned to the hut in the backyard, took a bath, and cleaned the bloodstains on his clothes. Then he fell on the bed and began to think.

There was a detail that Xie An did not tell Chen He.

That is, Li Wei is the illegitimate son of the Giant Whale Gang leader's mistress.

This was what Wang Wu said to himself, but Xie An heard it.

This is not good.

However, Xie An carefully reviewed what happened tonight and felt that he hadn't left any details that might reveal his identity. It would take the Giant Whale Gang quite a while to find the bodies of the three men.

If we have to mention loopholes, there are some... that is Yong'an Pawnshop.

If Li Wei had colluded with the people from Yongan Pawnshop, then the people from Yongan Pawnshop would know that Li Wei was robbing them.

The more Xie An thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, as if he had a thorn in his back.

At this age, Xie An's goal was to be cautious. He was determined to nip any danger in the bud. The slightest potential danger made Xie An feel uncomfortable.

"I'm just too weak to handle the Giant Whale Gang. Even though I have the longevity attribute that allows me to live longer, my strength won't improve in a short period of time. If I had a bigger backer than the Giant Whale Gang, I wouldn't have to worry so much."

Thinking of this, Xie An thought of Zhang Lin, the black market guard deacon.

"Zhang Lin has the Tiger and Wolf Sect behind him. No matter how powerful the Giant Whale Gang is, it's no match for the Tiger and Wolf Sect. Zhang Lin is already trying to win me over... This is a good place to go. Not only will it resolve the Giant Whale Gang's crisis, but it can also provide me with a lot of training resources, which is better than me struggling alone."

"But before I join, I need to improve my strength and seek a better position and treatment. I also need to find out about the Tiger and Wolf Sect's style. I don't think they are a gang that appears benevolent but actually burns, kills, and plunders." Having made up his mind, Xie An no longer had so many entanglements in his heart. He began to review the process of tonight's battle and finally came to a conclusion.

"The bow and arrow suits me perfectly! I'll prioritize my archery skills from now on."

After what happened tonight, Xie An realized even more that he hated taking risks. Close-range fighting wasn't for him. Bows and arrows, however, were the best choice, as they could eliminate enemies before they could threaten him.

"However, bows and arrows have specific usage scenarios. They can only be used in relatively open areas. If they are used in a room... it won't work. Therefore, in addition to bows and arrows, I urgently need to practice a close combat martial art. To ensure that I can kill the enemy even if they get close to me."

"I haven't practiced martial arts, but my biggest advantage is my strength. The broadsword is undoubtedly the most suitable close combat weapon. But the broadsword is too conspicuous and attracts attention, which is not enough. In addition to the sword technique, I also need to learn a small weapon that is difficult for outsiders to detect. That way, if the enemy approaches, in addition to using the sword to resist, I will also have a hidden skill to kill the enemy unexpectedly. This way, there will be less risk."

Small weapons...

A dagger, a short sword, or a flexible sword that can be hidden in a belt...

Xie An felt that it was all too conventional.

Not the best choice.

I always feel like something is missing...

"Forget it, let me think about it slowly..."

In the next few days, Xie An got up early every day to inspect the pawnshop as usual. When he saw that the pawnshop was operating normally, he returned to the hut in the backyard and began to practice health-preserving exercises and archery.

He also kept a close eye on whether there were any outsiders in town who came to inquire about the deaths of the Giant Whale Gang members. He also privately asked someone about the situation of the Tiger and Wolf Sect.

That day, Xie An worked hard all day and called up the panel.

[Fetal Breathing Exercise: Three Methods (6/100)]

【Five Animal Exercises: Combining Spirit and Form (9/100)】

[Remaining years: 16 years.]

The information on the panel has changed, and the prompt "Complete xx repairs, increase your lifespan by xx years" is no longer there.

At first, Xie An thought he was dazzled, but after revisiting the panel several times, the result was still the same. He had no choice but to accept it.

As long as there is still time left, there is no need to panic.

"It's still too slow. I need to gather all the herbs for Tang Qingfeng's unique prescription. The only one missing is the bear heart."

At dusk, Xie An took a huge sum of 290 taels of silver and went to the Xueling black market.

Because I had the badge given by Zhang Lin, the guards at the entrance and exit of the canyon decisively let me in, and did not charge me the booth fee or entrance fee. Even my attitude became much more respectful.

The black market tonight is even more prosperous than last time.

Hundreds of stalls filled the streets, and merchants were constantly coming in. Zhang Lin's crackdown on the bandits seemed to be paying off. Order had improved, and the black market was safer. More people were coming to buy and sell.

In addition to the stalls, there are some houses around, simple teahouses and restaurants, etc. In the distance, there are several more unique courtyards, which I think are where Zhang Lin and others stay for business.

Xie An walked easily to the stall where the vendors sold leather bands, internal organs, and bones of wild animals. He found a bear heart and, after some bargaining, the stall owner only accepted sixty taels of silver.

In desperation, Xie An took out a silver ingot and prepared to pay.

Just then, a familiar voice was heard.

"Haha, brother, you're here so early."

It was Zhang Lin.

(End of this chapter)