I Can Merge Techniques-Chapter 42 - 41: Hidden Turmoil, Lurking Danger

Dusk was gradually settling.

Inside the Seven Stars Gang’s dining hall, a cacophony of voices and the clatter of bowls and chopsticks filled the air.

Chu Fan had his head down, eating. His expression was calm as his spoon moved between his bowl and his mouth.

Across the table, Zhao Tianxing chewed his food while staring at him with a resentful gaze.

Ever since he saw Chu Fan send a Profound Iron Wooden Stake flying with a single punch last night, this was how Zhao Tianxing had been looking at him.

By now, no matter how slow Zhao Tianxing was, he understood that Chu Fan must have condensed three wisps of qi and blood and broken through to the Blood Nourishing Realm.

’But how on earth did Chu Fan cultivate?’

They had clearly joined the Seven Stars Gang on the same day, and on the first day of practicing the Twelve Forms Fist, Chu Fan had been as exhausted as a dead dog...

’How had he suddenly left him so far in the dust, completely out of reach?’

"Hey, hey, hey..."

Chu Fan couldn’t take it anymore and said, "We’re in a crowded public place. Could you please stop staring at me with the eyes of a sad little widow?"

"If people see this, they’ll think I did something terrible to you!"

Hearing this, Li Qingxue, who was eating quietly nearby, felt the corner of her eye twitch. As her gaze shifted, an imperceptible blush flashed across her face.

Chu Fan turned his head and asked, "Senior Sister, why is your face so red?"

Li Qingxue didn’t answer, merely huffing coldly and turning her face away.

Chu Fan continued to watch her with a smile, as if waiting for a response.

Zhao Tianxing also turned to look at Li Qingxue.

Li Qingxue’s elegant brows furrowed slightly. With a CRACK, the chopsticks in her hand were crushed into four pieces.

Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing whipped their heads back around in unison.

Zhao Tianxing let out a long sigh, his expression dejected, as if his very soul had been drained away.

He had lost to Chu Fan before, but he hadn’t been discouraged. He had just thought his Fist Technique was inferior and that he still had a chance to catch up.

But now, Chu Fan had even surpassed him in qi and blood!

It was simply unbelievable.

’Where exactly did things go wrong?’

The blow to his pride was truly significant.

But he also knew that everyone had their own secrets. Pushing the matter further would likely damage their friendship.

Zhao Tianxing said huffily, "I want some roast chicken. You’re buying!"

"Fine, I’ll buy," Chu Fan said, rolling his eyes. "But then again, when have I *not* been the one buying the roast chicken these past few days?"

Zhao Tianxing pulled a folded animal hide from his robes. "This is a map of Mist Marsh. I’ve looked at it countless times and have long since memorized it. You can have it."

"Take a good look at it. In a few days, let’s go check it out."

"Okay." Chu Fan took the map and tucked it into his robes.

Nearby, Li Qingxue couldn’t help but frown.

’These two hadn’t even reached the Blood Nourishing Realm, yet they wanted to venture into Mist Marsh?’

’Who gave them the nerve?’

However, Zhao Tianxing was originally a hunter with exceptional archery skills. He was also on the verge of breaking through to the Blood Nourishing Realm. If he took Chu Fan along, they could probably manage a trip around the outskirts of Mist Marsh.

They finished the roast chicken.

Zhao Tianxing brought over two bowls of Blood-Nourishing Medicine Soup.

Chu Fan took his bowl and fell into deep thought.

’The Blood-Nourishing Medicine Soup can help a Cultivator rapidly increase their qi and blood and also helps them recover quickly. It’s an essential item for breaking through to the Blood Nourishing Realm.’

’But if he wanted to break through to the next stage, Blood Refining, this soup would be useless.’

’To break through to Blood Refining as quickly as possible, he would need the help of elixirs like Blood Refining Pills.’

This was also the reason Chu Fan wanted to go to Mist Marsh.

Because of the matter with the Demon Suppression Stele, he couldn’t sell his ancestral home anytime soon.

The silver he had left wasn’t enough to buy more than a few Blood Refining Pills.

A thought flashed through his mind: perhaps he could report his breakthrough to Master Cao.

These past days, if not for Master Cao’s secret assistance—giving him extra soup and ordering Mrs. Zhang to brew Exotic Beast Meat Soup for him daily—he never would have broken through so quickly, even with the help of the Map of Mountains and Rivers.

However, the martial world was like a game of chess, and the hearts of men were hard to fathom.

Although Master Cao had treated him well, they still didn’t know each other deeply.

In the end, Chu Fan decided to hide his strength and bide his time, keeping his breakthrough a secret for now.

’Navigating the martial world is like playing chess;

Heaven’s will is unpredictable, so never gamble on the human heart!

Be cautious and anxious, as if standing at the edge of a valley;

Be fearful and trembling, as if treading on thin ice...’

These were all things Master Cao had said.

Only by doing so could one survive longer in this treacherous world!

Chu Fan planned to use all his remaining silver coins to buy Blood Refining Pills.

The Blood Refining Pills would last him seven or eight days, at least.

And in those seven or eight days, his Twelve Forms Fist would surely break through to the Perfection level.

His Ninefold Thunder Shock Saber could also break through to Small Success or beyond.

By then, he could team up with Zhao Tianxing and venture into the outskirts of Mist Marsh.

To be cautious, it would be better to buy the Blood Refining Pills outside.

’Buying Blood Refining Pills inside the Seven Stars Gang would be the same as telling everyone he was about to attempt his breakthrough to Blood Refining, wouldn’t it?’

Chu Fan picked up the bowl of Blood-Nourishing Medicine Soup, drained it in one gulp, then crossed the Martial Arts Arena and returned to his quarters.

He wrapped the saber Master Cao had given him in cloth and headed for the main gate of the Seven Stars Gang Sub-Branch.

’After these past few days, I wonder if Mr. Zhao has sold the house to the Huang Family yet.’

’If he has, I can go and investigate the situation tonight.’

Just as he reached the main gate of the Seven Stars Gang Sub-Branch—

"AARGH!"

A wretched scream, accompanied by the sound of cursing, drifted over.

Chu Fan followed the sound and saw a young man in a brocade robe kicking and punching a boy dressed in coarse cloth!

The boy was rolling on the ground, wailing incessantly!

A large crowd had gathered, but no one dared to step forward and intervene.

Chu Fan recognized the beaten boy as one of the handymen but didn’t know his name.

"Sigh, what an unlucky bastard..."

The short, stout boy who chopped firewood in the same courtyard as Chu Fan had appeared out of nowhere.

He sighed and said, "The one hitting him is Zhou Ye, the nephew of Cyan Wood Hall’s Master Zhou. He’s a Small Leader in Cyan Wood Hall."

"The kid wasn’t watching where he was going and just barreled right into Boss Zhou."

"Isn’t that just asking for death?"

"A Small Leader..." Chu Fan’s expression flickered.

He remembered Zhao Hu saying that Huang Yu was also a Small Leader in the Blood Saber Sect.

"You blind piece of trash! You dare to bump into me? You must be tired of living!"

Zhou Ye stomped on the boy’s chest, causing blood to trickle from the corner of the boy’s mouth as he let out a shrill scream!

At that very moment—

A wooden chair suddenly flew from outside the crowd, aiming straight for the center of Zhou Ye’s back!

Zhou Ye snorted coldly. He spun around abruptly, his hand rising like a saber as he chopped through the air!

With a BANG, the wooden chair exploded into pieces!

He glared angrily in the direction it came from, only to see Li Qingxue standing quietly outside the crowd, her face as cold as frost.

"Qingxue..."

Zhou Ye’s expression changed. He forced a smile and said, "Long time no see!"

Li Qingxue’s lips parted, and she uttered a single word: "Scram."

Zhou Ye’s cheek twitched, and rage surged in his eyes, but in the end, he didn’t dare to act on it. With a cold snort, he led his men away resentfully.

...

"Thank you for saving my life, Senior Sister!"

The beaten boy struggled to his feet, staggered over to Li Qingxue, and gave a deep bow, his voice choked with sobs.

Li Qingxue turned her head slightly, her voice cool. "Take him to get his injuries treated."

"Yes!" A man standing nearby with his hand on his saber immediately bowed to accept the order, helping the boy up and walking away slowly.

The surrounding crowd stood in silence, their gazes filled with awe and respect.

Li Qingxue’s white robes fluttered slightly. Without a backward glance, she walked straight ahead, her figure gradually disappearing into the dusk.

"So this is the martial world..." the short, stout boy exclaimed with a sigh.

Chu Fan said nothing.

After more than twenty days of peaceful cultivation in the Seven Stars Gang, he had almost forgotten—

the Seven Stars Gang was rife with conflict.

Undercurrents swirled, and killing intent lurked everywhere!