Seventy years old is the age to take risks!

Ma Shan's death was like a pebble thrown into a pond; after a few ripples, it quickly returned to calm.

After all, he was just a colleague.

In such chaotic times, it's perfectly normal for someone to die.

Although Mei Lan was saddened for a few days, Ma Shan had, after all, committed "theft and fell to his death," so she could only be angry at his lack of self-respect and let the matter pass.

But if she knew the real cause of Ma Shan's death, she would probably feel even worse.

However, on the other side...

In an alley near the teahouse, there is a house of moderate size.

At this moment, in the main room of the courtyard, a pretty woman in her thirties, still charming, was sitting on the edge of the bed, her face pale, her hands constantly twisting a handkerchief.

Her name is Zhou Lian, and she is Mei Lan's sister-in-law.

A gaunt-faced man was fast asleep on the bed; it was Mei Lan's brother, Mei Jing.

The Mei family was originally considered a moderately wealthy family. In his early years, Master Mei ran a tea business in Jiangning City, and the business was quite successful.

Unfortunately, fate is unpredictable. Five years ago, when Mr. Mei and his son Mei Jing went out to purchase goods, they offended someone and both of them had their legs broken, leaving them bedridden ever since.

Not long after, Master Mei passed away.

From then on, the Mei family gradually declined, leaving only a teahouse and a few tea shops for Mei Lan to manage, while Zhou Lian stayed at home to take care of her husband.

The family's livelihood depended entirely on Meilan.

"Ma Shan is dead..."

Zhou Lian muttered to herself, her eyes unfocused, seemingly harboring a selfish panic that she could hardly conceal.

She and Ma Shan have been having an affair for two years.

Although the man was just a shop assistant, he was strong and quick-witted, and soon won her heart.

More importantly, Ma Shan promised to help her get rid of her paralyzed, dead husband and seize the remaining property of the Mei family so she could live a carefree and happy life.

She had long been fed up with this life of living like a widow!

But now, Ma Shan is actually dead?

"How could this happen...."

Zhou Lian suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the room, her mind in turmoil.

Ma Shan is dead. What will happen to their plans?

More importantly, will Ma Shan leave behind any evidence against her? Will it implicate her?

"No, I need to find out what's going on!"

Zhou Lian gritted her teeth, glanced at the man lying on the bed with disgust, then took out a silver ingot from the cabinet and hurriedly left.

......

Half an hour later.

In the backyard of the teahouse, a young waiter with a pointed face and monkey-like features was chopping wood. When he saw Zhou Lian approaching, he quickly put down his axe and went to greet her.

"Sister-in-law, what brings you here?"

This waiter, nicknamed Liu Zi, was the most greedy man in the teahouse and also Zhou Lian's spy planted there.

"Sixth Brother, I'm asking you, how exactly did Ma Shan die?"

Zhou Lian asked in a low voice.

"Didn't the authorities say he died from a fall while stealing?" Xiao Liu scratched his head.

"fart!"

Zhou Lian spat, "Ma Shan isn't brainless, how could he possibly steal Mei Lan's silver? Tell me the truth!"

Liu Zi looked around, then leaned closer to Zhou Lian and lowered his voice:

"Sister-in-law, this is indeed a bit strange."

"That day, Ma Shan went to distribute porridge with Mr. Jiang, but he was acting strangely when he came back. When they were having a birthday celebration that night, the way Ma Shan looked at Mr. Jiang was full of hatred."

"As a result, Ma Shan died that very night."

Zhou Lian's eyes sharpened: "Old Master Jiang? You mean... that old storyteller?"

Ma Shan had mentioned to her that the old man had repeatedly gotten in their way.

But I didn't expect it.

This old bastard actually dared to kill someone?

"Not only that."

Liu Zi grinned. "I heard that when they were distributing porridge that day, the Tianxia Society caused trouble. Ma Shan abandoned Mr. Jiang and ran away, but Mr. Jiang was perfectly fine and came back on his own."

"That old man is really strange!"

Zhou Lian fell silent.

Of course she knew that Ma Shan had been in contact with people from the World Society recently, and she had even spent two hundred taels of silver to help him, but she never expected that it was just to deal with an old man named Jiang.

"Jiang Yuan..."

Zhou Lian gritted her teeth, a ruthless glint flashing in her eyes.

That old woman ruined her plans again!

Even more critically, Jiang Yuan may already know about their relationship from Ma Shan.

The consequences...

No, even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, she has to make Jiang Yuan disappear.

You just wait!

......

Time flies, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

The autumn wind is getting colder.

In a secluded little house in the backyard of the teahouse.

Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes slightly closed, his breathing long and even.

If any martial artist were present, they would be astonished to find that his breathing was as steady as a mountain, a sign that his cultivation had reached a crucial stage.

Suddenly!

Jiang Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, and a glint of light flashed in his cloudy old eyes!

He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers slightly bent, palm facing up.

A wisp of air, barely perceptible, swirled in his palm, condensing into a true energy almost invisible to the naked eye!

"It's done!"

Jiang Yuan's lips curled up slightly, unable to hide his excitement.

One month!

In just one month, he successfully condensed his true qi and stepped into the true threshold of martial arts!

This step is extremely crucial and very difficult.

It's important to understand that for ordinary people, it takes anywhere from one or two years to ten or eight years to go from the ninth level of Body Tempering to the condensation of True Qi, and some people may never be able to overcome this hurdle in their entire lives.

Creating something from nothing is always the hardest thing.

The difference between having true qi and not having true qi is greater than that between a person and a dog!

Jiang Yuan, at the age of seventy, broke through in just one month!

"A cultivation speed of seventy times, truly terrifying!"

Jiang Yuan took a deep breath, feeling the true energy flowing through his body, and was filled with emotion.

For the past month, besides eating, sleeping and telling stories, he would get up before dawn to practice Changchun Gong and practice the Five Animal Fist that Zhang Yong had given him at night!

First of all, Changchun Gong is indeed the most suitable martial art for him. Although the true qi he cultivates is not domineering, it is extremely powerful.

In a battle between ordinary martial artists, once their true energy is exhausted, they are powerless to continue.

Those who cultivate the Everlasting Spring Technique have a much larger reserve of true qi than martial artists of the same level, and their recovery speed is astonishingly fast.

In addition, it seems to have the effect of nourishing the meridians and bones.

The more you exercise, the younger you get!

As for the Five Animal Fist, although it may not seem very powerful, it is both offensive and defensive. It combines the ferocity of a tiger, the agility of a deer, the composure of a bear, the speed of a monkey, and the leisurely grace of a bird. When practiced to a high level, it is not to be underestimated.

Jiang Yuan has been practicing diligently for the past month and has already mastered the Five Animal Fist to a minor level.

Of course, what surprised Jiang Yuan the most was the change in his body.

Although his hair was still gray, his once withered body had become upright and strong. Wearing a black and white martial arts robe, he actually had the air of a martial arts master.

If this were placed in a park in my past life, I wonder how many old ladies it would have captivated.

"What a pity..."

Jiang Yuan withdrew his inner energy, his brows furrowing slightly.

He discovered it during that month as well.

Relying solely on self-cultivation is still too slow.

He's lacking spirit stones!