Even after they left the cart company, Yuan Er was still in a daze.
"Xiaowu, what in the world is that Yang Hu up to? Why did he suddenly leave like that?"
"I don't know. Maybe something urgent came up."
In truth, Wu Liangchen had overheard a little.
Although they were quite far away and the person had spoken in a low voice, Wu Liangchen's hearing was now astonishingly sharp, so he had caught a few fragments.
It was something about a person of high status demanding Yang Hu's immediate presence. From the sound of it, it wasn't just him; the shopkeepers and bosses of other cart companies had to go too.
"Sigh, I really don't know what tomorrow will bring. Brother, it's my fault you're in this mess. I've thought it over. If worse comes to worst, I'll kneel and beg that Yang Hu tomorrow. I'd rather go into debt than drag you down with me," Yuan Er said, his eyes welling with tears.
Wu Liangchen smiled. "Second Brother, what are you talking about? How could this be your fault? Don't forget, I get the bigger share of the money from pulling the rickshaw. Besides, maybe everything will be fine by tomorrow."
"I hope so! And brother, you can't be so stubborn when you talk in the future. We were lucky today. If that Yang Hu had really lost his temper, neither of us would have come out of it well."
"I know. Second Brother, you should hurry back and take care of your wife. We can talk about everything else tomorrow."
After a good deal of comforting, Wu Liangchen finally saw Yuan Er home.
Then, he headed straight for North City to see Aunt Fan.
"Hm? Where's your rickshaw?"
"It was taken back," Wu Liangchen said. "I came to tell you about it. I probably won't be able to pull the rickshaw for the next couple of days. You should probably find someone else for now."
"What happened?" Aunt Fan asked.
Wu Liangchen briefly explained what had happened. After hearing the story, Aunt Fan couldn't help but smile.
"It's that boss from your cart company again, isn't it? Do you need me to step in?"
"There's no need!"
Although he knew that if Aunt Fan got involved, the matter would be resolved effortlessly, Wu Liangchen had no intention of letting that happen.
The grudge between him and Yang Hu went back a long way. It was time to settle the score.
Aunt Fan seemed to guess what he was thinking. She gave Wu Liangchen a deep look and said suddenly, "That serious illness you had before… you were actually secretly wounded by someone using a heavy-handed technique. Judging by the marks, it was someone from the Eagle Claw Sect."
Wu Liangchen's heart skipped a beat. 'That's a very important piece of information.'
"Is this Eagle Claw Sect very powerful?"
"Not necessarily. It's a large school, after all. I'd guess the one who injured you was just an ordinary disciple. Their experts wouldn't bother targeting a mere rickshaw puller like you."
"I understand. Thank you, Aunt Fan!"
"Go on, then. I'll find a temporary replacement for the next couple of days. It won't be too late for you to come back after you've handled your business."
"Okay!" Wu Liangchen nodded and turned to leave.
In truth, he knew Aunt Fan had already guessed his intentions, but Wu Liangchen paid it no mind.
'Isn't this what martial arts are for?'
'If I can't even deliver swift justice and settle my grudges, I might as well resign myself to pulling a rickshaw for the rest of my life.'
Wu Liangchen didn't go home. Instead, he went to the general market in South City, where he bought many things. He also stopped by the food market to buy some wine and meat before finally returning home.
"Brother, why are you back so early today?" Wu Mengchan asked, a little surprised.
"Oh, it's the Mid-Autumn Festival today, isn't it? My customer gave me the day off," Wu Liangchen said with a smile.
Wu Mengchan didn't suspect a thing. She happily took the wine and meat and went to the kitchen to start preparing them.
That evening, Wu Liangchen politely declined Third Granny's enthusiastic invitation. He set up a table at their doorway with his sister, and they ate mooncakes while admiring the moon.
Unfortunately, the heavens weren't cooperating. Clouds drifted across the sky, causing the bright moon to appear and disappear, making it very indistinct.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Wu Liangchen helped clear the table and chairs and chatted with his sister for a while. By then, it was already eight or nine o'clock at night.
The night gradually grew quiet. Wu Mengchan yawned a few times before going into the inner room to sleep.
Wu Liangchen didn't sleep. He first laid out the things he had bought that day under the lamp and began to prepare them meticulously.
When it was past eleven, he packed everything into a large bundle, left the house, and headed straight for the city wall behind his home.
Once he was on top of the city wall, Wu Liangchen put down his bundle. He then took out the bottle of Qi Blood Pills Aunt Fan had given him and swallowed all the remaining pills in one go.
Combined with the meat and beef jerky he had eaten that evening, he had finally accumulated enough Life Fire.
Wu Liangchen then began to practice the Twelve-Path Wind-Chasing Leg.
Amidst the sound of whooshing wind, he finished practicing the twelve-path leg skill in an instant, and a prompt appeared before his eyes once again.
[Cultivation Technique: Twelve-Path Wind-Chasing Leg]
[Technique Grade: High-Grade, Medium-Tier]
[Estimated Cost: 22 wisps of Life Fire]
[Consume Life Fire to deduce?]
This time, Wu Liangchen didn't hesitate and directly selected 'Yes'.
In an instant, the Ten Thousand Laws Tripod in his mind erupted with myriad rays of light, far more magnificent than ever before.
Wu Liangchen waited quietly. When the visions finally dissipated, another prompt appeared.
[Deduction Successful. Cost: 21.5 wisps of Life Fire]
[Cultivation Technique Learned: Twelve-Path Wind-Chasing Leg]
[Twelve-Path Wind-Chasing Leg: Entry Level (8/100)]
***
With a loud BANG, Wu Liangchen shattered several hard bricks of the city wall with a single kick.
Not only that, but Wu Liangchen also discovered his Body Technique speed had increased by more than just a single level.
He could even leap nearly three meters high with a single bound.
With that leaping height, and a bit of a boost, crossing rooftops would be no problem at all.
Wu Liangchen was overjoyed.
'The effects of mastering the entry level of this Leg Skill are exactly what I desperately need right now.'
He ate all the beef jerky to fill his empty stomach, then began to change his clothes.
A second-hand black padded jacket from a used clothing store, along with black pants and black shoes. Dressed entirely in black, he blended perfectly into the surrounding night.
But that wasn't enough. Wu Liangchen also cut a face mask from a piece of black cloth. Once he put it on, no one would be able to recognize his true face.
After that, Wu Liangchen equipped all his necessary gear, crouched down, and leaped directly off the city wall. Just before landing, he twisted his body and touched down with ease.
Then, Wu Liangchen raced straight for the Five Blessings Hall cart company.
As he ran, Wu Liangchen was secretly amazed.
Because after deducing the entry level of the Twelve-Path Wind-Chasing Leg, he found it was not only for combat; many parts were also perfectly suited for running.
As a result, in the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, Wu Liangchen arrived outside the Five Blessings Hall.
At this moment, all was silent. The moonlight was completely obscured by thick clouds, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
Wu Liangchen didn't rush in. He first circled the Five Blessings Hall twice to confirm that there was nothing out of the ordinary. Only then did he find a corner, take out several chicken legs that he had soaked in arsenic-laced water, and toss them inside.
The Five Blessings Hall kept several large dogs. He couldn't get inside without dealing with them first.
A few moments later, the sounds of dogs whining and collapsing came from within. He waited a little longer, and after confirming there was no more noise, Wu Liangchen leaped onto the top of the wall and vaulted over.
After landing, Wu Liangchen ran lightly along the base of the wall, silent as a cat, making not the slightest sound.
But just then, the sound of conversation came from up ahead. Wu Liangchen stopped immediately, crouched down behind a patch of weeds in the corner, and waited silently.