Promise!

Chapter 101, Pull Back (Two in One)

September 1st.

In the new month, the streets within the district are redistributed.

Zhuang Jin did not challenge the change.

Among the six streets in Dongqiaowu, only Funing and Fulin are better than Fujing Street. On the surface, he is only a Wujing Street, Xue Yandao cannot be beaten, and Miao Lun is from a small group. It will be too bad for his reputation to seize the other party's streets.

Furthermore, Zhuang Jin didn't think Funing and Fulin Streets were better, or better for others than for him: "Funing and Fulin are closer to the ward headquarters. This is an advantage for others, but for someone like me who is in a hidden realm, the streets are too close to the ward headquarters. I would come into contact with Xing Yan too much and would be easily exposed."

——To hide one's realm, to put it seriously, is cowardice. Even if Xing Yan is optimistic about him and does not pursue the matter, there will still be a thorn in his heart. Moreover, after being exposed, the enemy he faces will be the Six Classics.

In addition, Chen Yun has kept Fujing Street very clean and lives comfortably. Taking all factors into consideration, there is really no need to challenge the change of streets.

……

At the beginning of the new month, the war against the Yaowang Gang was going quite smoothly.

The Shen family continued with the strategy of last month, using point-to-point defense, taking steady steps, and gradually eroding the enemy's territory. This "relying on strength and fighting a stupid battle" approach was beyond the Yaowang Gang's control without breaking their tacit understanding. They could only harass the Shen family warriors as much as possible when they scattered and occupied the streets, slowing down the other party's invasion.

When occupying the streets, the Medicine King Gang engaged in guerrilla warfare and harassment, which naturally caused some casualties to the Shen family. However, compared with the large-scale confrontation in the first half of last month, the casualties were far less.

As the street guard, Zhuang Jin naturally encountered danger when he occupied the street with his three teams. However, with the support of the Six Classics and the Black Evil Palm, he seemed to be in danger but was actually safe, and seemed to be extremely lucky.

With such "good luck", he gained many military achievements, and even the warriors in his team benefited from it and gained a lot of money.

This made Lin Hong, Bi Kai and Wu Hao secretly sigh that working under Zhuang Jin was easy, safe and had many benefits. It was a completely different feeling compared to the streets before.

Qian Wende was even more beaming, and he sighed countless times in his heart that he had 'not followed the wrong person'. He showed it by being even more attentive, offering things to Chen Yun. Chen Yun had become familiar with her face and even felt that her things were being taken away from her. It was only because Qian Wende was not a woman, otherwise this behavior would really be a mockery to her...

This was the case with the core team under Zhuang Jin, not to mention the other warriors assigned here. They acted together with other streets and compared themselves with them. Knowing that their side had fewer casualties and greater gains, they quickly returned to their side, performed diligently, and enforced orders. The entire Fujing Street was built into an ironclad entity.

Isn't that right? Zhuang Jin's subordinates' 'good luck' is often envied by the other street warriors. If they really don't care enough, they'll be forced to apply for a dismissal next month. That would be a real shame.

Zhuang Jin's reputation was extremely high among the warriors of the first to third level, and they all wanted to come under him. This situation made many other street guards feel jealous, and Duan Tao and Miao Lun in the small group also joked about it.

……

Time passed like this, and half a month passed in a flash, and it was September 15th.

Now, Zhuang Jin has completed 40% of the accumulation of the Six Classics realm, and the military merits on his account are more than 800 points.

The reason why it's only this much is because I ordered a Shuluo Pill from Duan Tao and Miao Lun at the beginning of the month.

His military achievements are already sufficient, and on the surface they are only about the Five Classics. If he doesn't pre-order the Shuluo Pills, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?
In order to conceal his tracks and to find a reason and excuse to reasonably display his Six Classics realm, he also ordered a Shuluo Pill.

"Among the martial artists recruited by the Shen family, I was the first to break through the Five Classics, and I'll probably be the first to break through the Six Classics. If I had broken through on my own through natural talent, it would have been too conspicuous."

"Needless to say, the situation in the north of the city is that being high-profile is tantamount to seeking death. In the eyes of the Medicine King Gang, they are simply sitting ducks. Even within the Shen family, according to Duan Tao, the upper echelons of the Shen family won't care about the upper limit of practicing the Black Evil Technique, but while the top brass of the Shen family may be tolerant, the middle and upper levels will certainly not be so rational, which may attract some unnecessary jealousy and malice."

There is no shortage of military merits at present, and as long as they are in the north of the city, there will be no shortage in the future. In this case, Zhuang Jin believes that it is worthwhile to pay some military merits and reduce some possible risks and hidden dangers.

"Buying Shuluo Pills and breaking through the six meridians seems much more reasonable."

"Of course, I don't have a bottleneck, so I can't use the Shuluo Pills, but they won't be wasted... I can send them to Master Ping!"

Compared with Chang Hetong, Ping Yongfeng is the one who truly treats him well, like a teacher. Ping Yongfeng does not ask for anything in return, but Zhuang Jin cannot help but express his gratitude.

"It doesn't make sense that those who invest with the same utilitarianism as me always get so much advantage, while those who are truly kind to me get nothing or even suffer losses. That's really disheartening. That's not how it works!"

……

Today, the Shuluo Pills ordered at the beginning of the month arrived. Zhuang Jin, Duan Tao and Miao Lun went to the Shen family headquarters to collect them, and then visited Ping Yongfeng.

"Master Ping, look!" Zhuang Jin took out Shuluo Pills and a ten-year-old lotus grass.

Lotus grass is the main ingredient of Shuluo Pills, and its exchange value is 100 military merits. It is effective in assisting in breaking through bottlenecks.

——Just like when Zhuang Yuyong broke through the third meridian, he sought a medicinal ingredient for Shuluo Pills. The effect of this medicinal ingredient for Shuluo Pills in breaking through the bottleneck was far inferior to that of Shuluo Pills. However, Ping Yongfeng was now in the second meridian. To break through the bottleneck from the second meridian to the third meridian, it would be a waste to use Shuluo Pills. It was a squandering of resources. A ten-year-old lotus grass was just right.

This time, I just gave this lotus grass to give to others to conceal my true intentions.

"Master Ping, you can take the Lotus Grass when you break through the bottleneck from the second meridian to the third meridian. When you reach the bottleneck from the third meridian to the fourth meridian, you can use this Shuluo Pill..."

When Ping Yongfeng saw these two things, he was naturally excited. After all, this was his hope for further advancement in martial arts!

However, he suppressed the burning passion in his heart in an instant and looked up without looking: "Zhuang Jin, I know what you mean. The Lotus Grass is fine, but the Shuluo Pills... you need them more than I do in the north of the city."

"Originally, I wanted to buy this Shuluo Pill for my own use, but now I can't use it."

Zhuang Jin presented the explanation he had prepared long ago: "Today I came to receive the Shuluo Pills. I was so happy and inspired that I went to the martial arts training ground to practice, and then I had a breakthrough... Now, I have already mastered the Six Meridians, so these Shuluo Pills are of no use to me."

Ping Yongfeng: ???

From the Five Classics to the Six Classics, a breakthrough all of a sudden? Look at what you're saying! How would those warriors who have been stuck at the bottleneck of the Five Classics to the Six Classics, wasting years, feel if they heard this?
Ping Yongfeng thought for a moment, but still refused: "I am still at the second meridian. Even if I use the Lotus Grass to break through to the third meridian, after completing the accumulation, and then use the Shuluo Pill to break through, I can only reach the fourth meridian... Giving it to a useless person like me is really not worth it... There are warriors in the Shen family who are more in need. If you don't need them, you can sell them for a good price, which will be good for you..."

"I don't trust others." Zhuang Jin shook his head.

He didn't explain it clearly, but Ping Yongfeng was also a smart man and understood the unfinished meaning in Zhuang Jin's words: Zhuang Jin broke through the Six Classics on his own without using Shuluo Pills. He was too talented. If he sold Shuluo Pills to others, and the news got out, it would attract attention and cause jealousy... People's hearts are so treacherous!

"As for giving it to Master Ping, he would probably only produce one of the Four Classics..." Zhuang Jin looked into Ping Yongfeng's eyes and said seriously, "For the Shen family, it's not worth it, but for me, it's worth it."

"Zhuang Jin!"

These words warmed Ping Yongfeng's heart, and even his eyes felt slightly hot.

Before, Zhuang Jin sold Shuluo Pills to Chang Hetong at a low price in installments. Someone came to talk to him about this privately. Some of them wanted to make fun of him, and some even said words of provocation... He naturally believed in Zhuang Jin and didn't listen to those things and didn't cause trouble for Zhuang Jin. But even though he believed in him, it was impossible for him to say that he didn't have any concerns in his heart.

At this moment, compared with the value of the Shuluo Pills and the breakthrough in martial arts, he was more moved by the positive feedback of his trust. At the same time, he was also a little ashamed for that little bit of hesitation and doubt.

At this point, Ping Yongfeng didn't hesitate any longer and accepted the Lotus Grass and Shuluo Pills, saying that he would give them to him in the form of silver at a certain rate based on the amount of military merits he exchanged for them. Of course, he didn't have enough cash, so he first took out all his savings of 273 taels, including banknotes and silver. He wrote a promissory note for the rest and mortgaged it with the house deed... His attitude was firm, and if Zhuang Jin didn't accept them, he wouldn't want them.

Zhuang Jin naturally refused. He had his own selfish motives and considerations when exchanging for the Shuluo Pills, and he felt really bad about the way Ping Yongfeng handled it.

After a dispute, the two men finally gave in and agreed to increase the proportion. Zhuang Jin accepted the silver, IOU, mortgage deed, etc.

Ping Yongfeng's attitude reminded Zhuang Jin of the deceased Chang Hetong, and he sighed inwardly: "When I was with Chang Hetong before, I always felt that something was missing. Now I know that it was because we didn't have that kind of sincerity to exchange sincerity for sincerity!" "Master Ping, this matter should be kept secret. Just tell others about the Lotus Grass..."

Ping Yongfeng nodded carefully. This was not only to prevent Zhuang Jin from being jealous, but also to protect himself.

——When Zhuang Jin rewarded a Shuluo Pill as a reward, he went to the General Affairs Department, the Transmission Department, and the Pill Department, and was questioned one after another. Now that others knew that he had one, I'm afraid all kinds of plots would come out... Naturally, it must be kept secret.

"Also, Master Ping, when will you break through? You should choose the right time... Breaking through the third classic is easy, but after the fourth classic, I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to stay in the Shen family headquarters... Nowadays, it's dangerous outside, and we're short of people everywhere..."

Zhuang Jin was not trying to trick Ping Yongfeng. Right now, there was fierce competition for positions in the Shen family's headquarters. If Ping Yongfeng didn't make a breakthrough, he might be sent out. With this Shuluo Pill, he would be able to seize opportunities and have a certain degree of autonomy.

After saying all this, because he couldn't leave the north of the city for a long time, he declined Ping Yongfeng's invitation to dinner and left.

……

On the day of receiving the Shuluo Pill, Zhuang Jin took the opportunity to show off his Six Classics realm to the outside world. Miao Lun was originally a veteran of the Five Classics, and was stuck at the bottleneck from the Five Classics to the Six Classics for many years. With this Shuluo Pill, he was able to break through to the Six Classics. Duan Tao... well, didn't break through.

Duan Tao wasn't like Miao Lun, who had been stuck at the bottleneck between the Five Classics and the Six Classics for years, spending a long time there before finally completing the Five Classics realm accumulation and reaching the bottleneck. He had previously taken a Shuluo Pill, which had developed some drug resistance. The Shuluo Pill also had instructions for assisting in breaking through the bottleneck, with a certain probability, but not a 100% guarantee. Furthermore, this was the last bottleneck between the Five Classics and the Six Classics, where the Shuluo Pill could be effective...

In short, Duan Tao failed to break through.

Three days later, on September 18th, the Shen family launched another war against the Yaowang Gang.

I thought that Zhuang Jin and Miao Lun had broken through the Six Classics, and together with Pingshuipo, they were at the level of guarding the two streets. There were four people in the Six Classics, two people in the Five Classics, and six people in the Four Classics. They were also facing the Yaowang Gang's one street. It was like a flying dragon riding on their face. I really couldn't imagine what kind of accidents might happen. Unexpectedly... an accident really happened!

……

That night, two districts faced off against one other. The members of the Medicine King Gang did not break up into small groups like they did a month ago, harassing them when they occupied the streets and engaging in a guerrilla war. Faced with warriors who outnumbered them by twice their number, they actually came forward to fight head-on.

On the Shen family's side, the warriors from the two quarters were also familiar with this tactic. It was the night attack on the tenth night of last month. Naturally, they followed the familiar routine to encircle and divide the group.

On the Dongqiaowu side, Xue Yandao faced the Six Classics warrior on the opposite side alone to hone himself; Wei Xun and Du Shiyuan faced a Four Classics warrior alone, and Zhuang Jin and his three-person team faced a Five Classics warrior.

According to the information, the other two Five Classics and one Four Classics masters of the Yaowang Gang will be dealt with by Pingshuipo.

Duan Tao used Shuluo Pills but failed to break through the Six Meridians. He had accumulated a lot of anger in his heart over the past two days and needed to vent it. Zhuang Jin and Miao Lun were willing to give way, but they didn't expect Duan Tao to rush forward. As soon as he slapped him, he let out a scream.

Seeing that the situation was not right and that the 'Five Classics' of the Medicine King Gang still wanted to pursue, Zhuang Jin immediately stepped forward and forced the other party back with a palm.

"Six Classics?!"

Zhuang Jin, Miao Lun and the 'Five Classics' of the Medicine King Gang across from them all said in unison.

At this time, the battles at the garrison level in other streets were also experiencing unexpected changes.

The Six Classics from Pingshuipo were careless when facing the 'Five Classics' from the Medicine King Gang, and were seriously injured instead of slightly injured.

One Five Classics and two Four Classics surrounded and killed a 'Five Classics' of the Medicine King Gang. Within a dozen moves of the opponent, they paid the price of minor injuries, killed one Four Classics and seriously damaged the Five Classics.

The two Four Classics from Pingshuipo, as well as Wei Xun and Du Shiyuan from Dongqiaowu, who were two Four Classics, surrounded the Yaowang Gang's "Four Classics", which suddenly became Five Classics. They were instantly at a disadvantage and would suffer casualties within a few hundred moves.

——It is obvious that the information from Dongqiaowu is outdated, or the Medicine King Gang has made a deliberate calculation to advance the military merits and bestow Shuluo Pills, so that the original information of one six classics, three five classics, and two four classics has become four six classics and two five classics. This behavior is the same as that of Zhuang Jin and Miao Lun, who have not registered after being promoted and played a gray ball.

Zhuang Jin saw the Sixth Master of the Medicine King Gang, who had killed a Fourth Master and severely injured a Fifth Master, coming over, and stepped forward to stop him.

Miao Lun faced the Six Classics that injured Duan Tao.

Even so, the situation is still not optimistic and is extremely unfavorable to the Shen family. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that: whether it is the severely damaged Six Classics of Pingshuipo, if this person is killed, so that the Six Classics of the Medicine King Gang can free up their hands, or the two Four Classics of Pingshuipo and Wei Xun and Du Shiyuan of Dongqiaowu are dealt with by the two Five Classics of the Medicine King Gang... it will cause a chain reaction of collapse.

……

The situation took a sudden turn for the worse, causing Xing Yan and Liu Licheng's confident smiles to froze on their faces. They looked across at Dong Pei, the incense master of the Medicine King Gang and their old acquaintance: "Master Dong, what a great move!"

"Same here. Xing Zhenshou has two men under him who have broken through the Six Classics but haven't yet been promoted. I just have a few more."

Dong Pei smiled wryly and reminded them, "It's within the rules, each one uses his own methods. This is a battle between the subordinates, so please don't break the rules and bully the weak."

"Hmph, you don't need to tell me."

Xing Yan and Liu Licheng, the two block guards, were anxious about the situation, but they did not dare to break the tacit understanding and attack the street guards and small incense masters below, destroying the established rules of the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang.

……

"The situation is critical and will collapse in an instant. We can no longer hide... It's just right. Martial arts have different levels, and it depends mainly on understanding. There is no need to report it, so there are no taboos."

As soon as Zhuang Jin thought of this, he suddenly used the Black Evil Palm, a great-mastery level move, against the Six Classics of the Medicine King Gang opposite him, with the force leaving his body six inches away.

scoff!

Faced with the explosive force at a distance, this man had a layer of flesh and blood on his chest scraped off. He screamed, and then was hit by a palm strike. He flew out like a kite with a broken string.

——Originally, this person paid the price of minor injuries because he quickly killed a fourth-class cultivator and seriously injured a fifth-class cultivator. Now, he was caught off guard by Zhuang Jin's unintended plan and faced the great perfection level Black Evil Palm, and was severely damaged in an instant!
Zhuang Jin severely injured this man, and then quickly turned around to attack him from both sides. Together with Miao Lun, they surrounded the Six Classics that had previously injured Duan Tao. The two Six Classics combined, and a person who had mastered the Black Evil Palm, quickly killed this man.

Suddenly the situation reversed!

Seeing that the situation was not good, the Medicine King Gang had no choice but to retreat. In the end, the Shen family was left with two six-class warriors and dozens of one to three-class warriors.

In fact, if Zhuang Jin really insisted and was willing to suffer some injuries, he could have left more behind. However, he thought that he had already been in the spotlight enough tonight, and any more would have aroused the hatred of the Yaowang Gang and the jealousy within the gang.

—— Hatred also has different degrees. Being defeated due to misjudging one's strength is completely different from losing most of the street guards or even completely wiping them out because of one person. The latter is really for the sake of face, and the person must be killed as soon as possible.

"In times of adversity, you must remain calm and composed. In times of prosperity, when things are at their best, you must also keep a clear head!" Zhuang Jin thought of Chen Yun's words, "Don't use up all your potential, and don't enjoy all your blessings," and he deeply agreed with them. He often used this to secretly remind himself.

……

Not only the battle lines at Dongqiaowu and Pingshuipo, but also the Medicine King Gang in the north of the city were skirting the rules tonight. There was no one like Zhuang Jin to save the situation on other battle lines, so the Shen family suffered a great loss tonight.

Dongqiaowu and Pingshuipo were exceptions. They suffered no serious damage and instead made some small gains. Xing Yan and Liu Licheng were praised. Although there were no tangible benefits, they were able to show their faces in public, which was more valuable than being rewarded for some military exploits.

Xing Yan and Liu Licheng came back and decided not to be stingy with Zhuang Jin, the hero, and reward him with 500 military merits.

As a result, with the bonus of beheading people, street defense, and 500 rewarded military merits, Zhuang Jin's military merits, which originally had more than 700 points, suddenly soared to more than 2,300 points, which was a wave of wealth.

……

(End of this chapter)