Martial Arts: Starting with Upgrading the Dilapidated Temple

Under the cover of the torrential rain and the darkness, the awning boat glided silently into the depths of the reeds, which were taller than a person.

Apart from the rustling of raindrops on the reeds, all that could be heard was the heavy breathing of the group of people.

Xu Hao didn't sit down immediately. Instead, he grabbed his knife and went around the bow and stern of the boat to make sure that the Salt Gang's mad dog hadn't followed. Only then did he turn around and crawl into the hold.

The cabin was filled with a nauseating smell of blood and a strange sweet fragrance.

Instructor Lin slumped against the rice sack, his face ashen.

"This poison is potent." Xu Hao reached out and checked Instructor Lin's breath; it was barely perceptible.

Although the two life-saving pills have temporarily protected my heart meridian, they can only last for three more days at most.

After three days, even a god couldn't save him.

Xu Hao withdrew his hand and his gaze fell on Li Da, who was tending to the arrow wound on his leg, and Luo Bao, who was in a daze.

"Carry the coach inside and make sure he lies down properly, so he doesn't catch a cold."

"Be smart, I'll go upstairs and keep an eye on things."

The two hurriedly and frantically began to move the person.

Xu Hao turned around and went back to the deck, finding a sheltered corner to sit cross-legged.

The rain had lessened slightly, but the river wind was still biting.

He placed his hand on his chest and activated the Listening Talisman, absorbing every rustle of wind and grass within a hundred paces.

After confirming that it was safe, he took out the oil paper package he had smuggled from his pocket.

Xu Hao carefully opened it; there weren't many things inside, but they made his eyes light up.

On top was a stack of silver notes from Tongbao Money Shop, totaling three thousand taels.

This Sun Mudfish truly lives up to his reputation as the third-in-command of the Salt Gang; he is indeed rolling in wealth.

There were three things under the banknote.

A parchment scroll, densely marked with red dots along the Shuilan River, was clearly a map showing the distribution of the Salt Gang's sentries; a thread-bound book no bigger than the palm of your hand, its cover worn white, bore the words "Fanjiang Jin"; and a porcelain bottle the size of a thumb, labeled "Huagu San" (bone-dissolving powder).

Xu Hao first picked up the cultivation manual and flipped through it.

This is actually an internal martial arts manual on qi and blood, which focuses on how to integrate the soft, yin energy of water into qi and blood. Once mastered, the power is as continuous as a river, making it most suitable for exerting force in water.

"Perfect." Xu Hao closed the book and tucked it into his pocket.

He had just entered the Bone Forging Realm. Although he possessed great brute strength, he lacked resilience despite his strength. If he could practice the "River Turning Force," he would be able to combine strength and flexibility, making it difficult for others to discern his moves even when fighting on land.

As for the bottle of bone-dissolving powder, Xu Hao uncorked it and smelled it. A pungent sour smell made him frown.

This is a great tool for murder and disposing of corpses.

After putting away his spoils, Xu Hao's gaze finally fell on the small sandalwood box that he had been guarding at his feet.

So many people have died in the fighting, yet Master Chen values ​​this more than two chests of gold and silver. What kind of treasure is it?

Xu Hao looked around and saw that the guards were all resting in the cabins, and he was the only one on the deck at the moment.

He gripped the edge of the lid with his fingers and gently lifted it.

The seal was not completely torn open; only a small gap was visible.

By the dim moonlight, Xu Hao could only see that the box was filled with a bluish-green grain.

These grains were a size larger than ordinary rice, their entire surface resembling a jade carving, faintly emitting a layer of fluorescent light, and exuding an enticing fragrance.

The image in my mind suddenly jolted.

[Discovered prefecture-level resource: Green Sprout Rice (seed)]

[Note: This is a strategic resource of ancient martial arts sects. Long-term consumption can cleanse the marrow and refine the body, purify qi and blood, and increase the chance of breaking through to the Opening Aperture Realm (Grandmaster Realm) by 20%.]

Xu Hao's hand trembled violently, almost slamming the lid shut.

Increase the chances of breaking through to the Grandmaster realm!

In this chaotic world where martial arts are the way of heaven, grandmasters are living gods who can establish sects and suppress an entire city single-handedly.

Even a mere 10% increase in the probability would be enough to drive any force mad.

No wonder.

No wonder the Salt Gang would go to any lengths to intercept and kill them; no wonder the Chen family, who had been operating in the Shuilan River area for a century, had to flee.

This is no grain; it's clearly a branding iron that could burn a person's hand through.

The eldest son of the Chen family wasn't doing any business in the prefectural city; he clearly wanted to use this thing as a pledge of loyalty, to find a powerful backer for the Chen family.

Unfortunately, the news leaked out, and this "pledge of allegiance" became a death sentence.

Xu Hao looked at the box full of spirit seeds, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

This is a hot potato, but also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If I ever own land in the future, I'll just scatter these spirit seeds there...

Without further hesitation, Xu Hao tilted the wooden box and poured out a handful of spirit rice, about a dozen grains, through the gap. With a thought, he threw it directly into the Sumeru Warehouse.

"Consider this my bodyguard fee."

Xu Hao muttered something under his breath, then closed the lid of the box again and carefully pressed the seal back on, making it look like it had never been touched.

As dawn broke, the rain finally stopped.

A thick layer of morning mist shrouded the river.

Xu Hao stood up, stretched his stiff limbs, and woke up the others who were still dozing off.

"Get up and get to work." Xu Hao pointed to the several water ghost corpses on the nail plate. "Throw this garbage down to feed the fish. Be quick and don't let anyone know that people died on this boat."

The man dared not utter a word, and suppressing his disgust, he threw the severed limbs and corpses into the river with a series of splashes.

After cleaning the deck, Xu Hao unfolded the sheepskin map he had taken from Sun Niqiu.

The map is covered with red dots, which represent all the secret outposts of the Salt Gang along the Shuilan River.

Xu Hao's finger traced the river's flow and finally stopped at a narrow section of the river—"Flying Eagle Mouth".

This is the only way to reach the prefectural city.

On the map, this place was marked with a large skull, with the words "Heavy Army" next to it.

"We can't get through here." Xu Hao put away the map, his face grim. "Although Sun Niqiu's fate is unknown, the Salt Gang must have laid a trap at Flying Eagle Pass. If we go there with just a few men, we'll be nothing but easy prey."

"What the hell do we do now?" Li Dagang threw down a corpse, his face turning pale upon hearing this. "We can't exactly fly over there, can we?"

"Don't go through Flying Eagle Pass." Xu Hao slid his finger to the side and pointed to a place marked with a black vortex. "Go this way."

Jia Bao leaned closer for a look and nearly collapsed in shock: "A deadly whirlpool? Brother Xu, are you crazy? This place is full of hidden reefs and turbulent currents; even the old boatman doesn't dare to go this way. It's a dead end!"

"Even a dead end is still a path, better than a dead end." Xu Hao's eyes were cold and sharp, giving them no chance to refute. "Go tell the ship's captain to enter the deadly whirlpool."

Half an hour later.

The awning boat, like a withered leaf, was swept into the raging torrent.

All around was the deafening sound of water, and white waves crashed against the rocks, creating a mist that was several feet high.

The ship was rocking violently, as if it would fall apart at any moment.

"Left! Quick!" Xu Hao stood at the stern, gripping the oars in the boatman's hand tightly with one hand, his whole body rising and falling with the boat, his eyes closed.

Amidst the deafening roar that seemed capable of tearing everything apart, the listening talisman on his chest burned like a branding iron.

The echoes of water crashing against the reefs, the direction of the surging currents—all these created a clear underwater map in his mind.

"Right! Back to center!"

The boatman, an experienced man, was also terrified, his face turning deathly pale. He was controlling the boat entirely on instinct, responding to Xu Hao's roar.

"boom!"

A giant wave crashed in, raising the bow of the ship high. It slid past a sharp reef, narrowly escaping destruction and loss of life.

"Ah—!" Luo Bao screamed in fright, clinging to the object tightly and refusing to let go.

Xu Hao suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light: "Go straight! Charge through!"

Using the current, the awning boat made its way through the last treacherous shoal, and the water ahead suddenly opened up.

The deadly vortex is over.