Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 16 Opportunity
"No."

Wu Song shook his head, then said something that sent chills down Tong Bapi's spine:

"You...have you offended a master of the Internal Organs Realm?"

Martial arts cultivation has three stages: first, Qi and Blood; second, Muscles and Bones; and third, Internal Organs.

The difference in strength between them is huge, and their strength increases several times with each breakthrough.

Although Tong Bapi and his youngest son Tong Hao were both second-realm bone and muscle martial artists, they were no match for third-realm internal organ martial artists...

There is no way to fight back.

Just like Wu Song did before, if the distance is close, even a flick of the sleeve could kill him.

"Ah... a master of the Internal Organs Realm? I... I haven't... I haven't offended him..."

Tong Bapi's smile froze, and a layer of cold sweat seeped from his forehead.

"Then there is no."

Wu Song glanced at him, his scarred face contorting, making him even more frightening:

"Your butler was beheaded with a single blow; the wound was as smooth as a mirror, yet none of the villagers at the scene even saw a trace of the murderer..."

Who knows...maybe one night someone will sneak into your house and stab you...

hiss!
Tong Bapi gasped, feeling a chill on his neck.

No matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn't figure out when he had offended a third-realm martial artist!
For a moment, the air in the study seemed to freeze, becoming eerily quiet.

After a while, he came to his senses and looked at Wu Song for help:

"Master...save me!"

"I am willing to offer a thousand taels of silver, please, master, save my life!"

Wu Song's lips curled up subtly, and seeing that the time was right, he slowly said:

"When we get to know each other, talking about money hurts our relationship. However, I am injured and do need to make some ointment..."

Consider this money a loan from me.

As for the murderer, if he doesn't come, fine; if he does, he'll just be another soul lost to my blade.

Tong Bapi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Then, the escalating tiger threat came to mind...

If people find out, it's because he sent people to steal the tiger cubs, which brought about this disaster, resulting in nearly a hundred casualties in the surrounding villages...

The Tong family will inevitably become the target of public criticism, and it is unavoidable that the government will hold them accountable.

If we could get this person in front of us to kill that tiger demon…

All problems will be solved!

"Master Wu, the tiger scourge is rampant, and the villagers are suffering terribly. I am willing to offer two thousand taels of silver to you..."

"slow!"

Before he could speak, Wu Song waved his hand to stop him and said calmly:
"I eat and drink meat without restraint, and I have no aversion to meat, but there is one thing I must abstain from... I must not harm tigers!"
I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that.

After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and got up to leave cleanly and decisively.

Watching Wu Song's departing figure, Tong Bapi's expression changed several times, until finally only a blank stare remained in his eyes...

Ruthless.

Back in his study, he sat down on the daybed again and closed his eyes to rest.

A moment later, a man pushed open the door, bowed, and greeted the man as "Master." When he looked up, he was clearly a middle-aged man in his thirties...

However, he bears a striking resemblance to the deceased Steward Cheng!
"Cheng Er, your brother's death is suspicious. We need to investigate it carefully."

Tong Bapi opened his eyes, reached up and touched his neck, and spoke a few seconds faster:
"Investigate discreetly, without making a big fuss, and find out who is targeting our Tong family."

"Yes."

Cheng Er responded in a low voice, paused for a moment, and then whispered:

"Today, several families in the village were preparing to go to the city to appeal to the government, but I stopped them."

But in other villages, I'm afraid…

"That damned beast! It's eaten so many people already, and it still won't stop!"

Tong Bapi first cursed the tiger spirit, then started cursing the villagers:

"...And these damn peasants, they're always causing me trouble."

A moment later, he stopped, panting heavily, but he knew that things had gotten out of hand and could not be delayed any longer. He had to either report it or resolve the issue.

Otherwise, if the authorities investigate, the charges of "failing to report what he knew" and "dereliction of duty" against him as the village head would be enough to bankrupt him. At that point, those insatiable fellows wouldn't show him any mercy.

After hesitating for a long time, he slowly opened his mouth and said:
"Go to the city tomorrow and find Hao'er. Tell him that I want to rid the villagers of the tiger menace and ask him to ask Young Master Zheng for a few hunters."
-
[You are dead. 87 Spirit Points will be refunded.]

Convex!
Liu Sheng cursed as he turned off the control panel, then carried the iron knife home.

I just impulsively did another calculation, and ended up wasting 13 points of spiritual energy. Now I only have 116 points left.

In the previous round, he also spat poison and dug a hole, then waited for the top cover to be lifted to release a new snake before launching a sudden attack, and the result was...

He was strangled to death.

The person above the hole is at least at the second-tier Bone and Tendon Realm…

It has condensed the strength of muscles and bones!
Furthermore, they wore iron gloves to protect themselves from the venom.

"So, the only way to escape is to evolve into a spirit within the snake pit?"

As Liu Sheng walked, he recalled his experiences from the previous simulations.

In his first life in the snake cave, he lived until the twenty-eighth year, only to encounter a male snake that had become a spirit. At that time, he was old and weak and could not defeat it at all.

During that time, there was absolutely no opportunity for it to become a spirit!
So where exactly is the key to breaking the deadlock in this "Iron Scale Serpent" deduction?
Even after returning home, the problem remained unsolved.

"I'm home."

Yu Niang greeted him virtuously, helped him wash up, and then served him the breakfast she had prepared.

Shanyang Steamed Pork, made by mixing pork and potatoes with flour and steaming, has a tender and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

The steaming hot mutton offal soup was simmered overnight with herbs such as astragalus and angelica. A few chopped scallions were sprinkled on top of the oil, giving it a vibrant green color and a delicate fragrance that diluted the gamey smell.

There were also steamed buns the size of a human head, stacked high...

All of this was done at Liu Sheng's request, since he needed to practice martial arts, which required him to eat meat, and his appetite was enormous.

Grandma Liu is used to being frugal and can't stand seeing food wasted, but she can only nag a little when it comes to her beloved grandson.

She, along with Yu Niang and Er Ya, ate only steamed buns and drank at most a bowl of clear soup, giving all the steamed meat and mutton offal to Liu Sheng.

"Grandma, I can't finish this all by myself, can you help me share some?"

After saying that, without waiting for the old woman to speak, he divided up one-third of the steamed meat and offal, fearing that if he gave her any more, she would lose her temper and overturn the table.

After all, this was a fierce old woman who dared to carry a wood-chopping knife and force people to become her concubines.

"You kid..."

Looking at the tender steamed meat in the bowl, Granny Liu muttered a few words, then, seeing Yu Niang and Er Ya staring at her expectantly but hesitant to touch their chopsticks, she finally nodded.
"Eat up and take good care of yourself so you'll have enough breast milk after you give birth next year."

Liu Sheng raised an eyebrow and glanced at Yu Niang without making a sound. He saw her secretly looking over, her eyes alluring and almost dripping with tears.

Has this woman gotten a taste for it?
Amitabha!
Color is a bone-scraping knife!

Young people should guard against lust!

Liu Sheng silently recited a few words to himself, then quickly turned his gaze away, allowing the little dragon, which showed signs of waking up, to return to hibernation.

Snakes are inherently lustful, so annoying!
This place is no longer safe to stay!

After showing off his breakfast, Liu Sheng threw down his bowl and chopsticks, then packed his gear and went hunting with Zhao Lei.

During this period, the tiger attack intensified, and Black Wind Mountain became almost a forbidden area.

But Zhao Lei relies on hunting to support his family, and if he doesn't hunt, he won't eat. Plus, he has to pay the summer tax soon, so he has no choice but to risk going into the mountains.

Liu Sheng now has no worries about food and drink, but fearing that Zhao Lei might encounter misfortune, he follows along to protect him.

After all, Zhao Lei had helped his family many times in the past, and they were deeply indebted to him.

On the mountain road, Zhao Lei shared his years of hunting experience and explained the habits of the prey, including several common venomous snakes.

After he finished explaining, he told a funny story he had heard:
"...According to Master Qin, a small, highly venomous snake occasionally emerges from places where venomous snakes congregate."

It is ferocious by nature and feeds on other venomous snakes. When the venom in its body accumulates to a certain level, it will activate its bloodline, molt, and become a spirit…

Um…?!

Eating snakes activates bloodlines, causing the snake to shed its skin and become a spirit?!
Liu Sheng suddenly stopped, staring blankly at Zhao Lei, his heart surging with emotion—

The key to the successful deduction of the "Iron Scale Serpent" actually lies here?

If I hadn't gone hunting with him in the mountains today…

I'm afraid I'll miss this crucial information.

It really is…

Good deeds will be rewarded!
(End of this chapter)