"Huff huff." Wu Jin sat cross legged as he heavily panted.
Inside the illusory glass ball, a milky white liquid slowly receded, like seawater pulling away from the shore at low tide. As it receded, blue mist rose from the liquid. It then condensed back into white liquid and fell like rain, gradually filling the glass ball to the brim.
"Phew, Absorbing earth qi is always hard and demands a lot of concentration, but at least refining it is easy." Wu Jin cleared the sweat from his forehead after refining the remaining earth qi he absorbed.
He had expended a lot of qi during his training with Hao Jun and was now replenishing it.
Xiao Mei yue, Hao Jun, and Wei Long were also sitting respectfully and replenishing their qi.
"Learning how to use martial arts techniques without expending qi is very crucial"
"All I did was use horizontal and vertical slashes, which make up some of the moves in the first form of my "Dao of Saber Sword Arts", yet I still wasted plenty of qi with these simple slash attacks." Wu Jin calculated in his mind.
The "Dao of Saber Sword Arts" manual mainly focused on saber sword techniques it did not explain in detail how a martial artist should conserve their qi. but during his training with Hao Jun, Wu Jin realized how crucial it's for one to have full control over their shrine qi and not waste it.
"But compared to him, I did a lot better" he looked over at Hao Jun who was replenishing his qi. Even though he couldn't see into Hao Jun's shrine, he could tell he had exhausted most of his qi since he was the one who called for the training to be paused earlier.
Compared to Wu Jin, Hao Jun not only practiced an advanced martial art which consumed a lot of qi but he also struggled with qi control, and even at the end of their training Wu Jin had plenty of qi left whereas Hao Jun had none.
.....
"Here is the wine, women-indulgent monk."
In the courtyard, a muscular man standing over seven feet tall kowtowed respectfully. His broad, bare chest was covered in thick hair, while an animal hide was wrapped around his waist concealing his lower body. He stretched out his hands offering a small gourd filled with wine. While a group of five men wearing animal hides stood behind him.
This was Liu Sheng, dragon mountain river bandits leader.
In front of him sat two people, One was a beautiful young woman whose toned thighs and slender waist were apparent even beneath her clothes. and a tan skinned man with lustrous bald head and brown eyes, who gave the air of an eminent warrior monk.
"Hehe, so this is the famous Qing jiu village bamboo wine. I have tasted a lot of wines in my life, let's see just what makes this wine so famous." The bald man chuckled as he grabbed the gourd that was being offered to him.
"Heeeh." "Women indulgent monk" shouted joyfully. After drinking all the wine within in one mouthful.
At this moment Liu Sheng who was still kowtowing cupped his fist and said. "Women indulgent monk, I've made sure my men filled your gourds with plenty of bamboo wine. you won't have to worry about running out of wine on your journey..."
Bam!
Before he could finish speaking. The bald headed man threw the gourd at his head. catching everyone present off guard. The gourd broke into pieces as some of the remaining bamboo wine in it smeared on his head.
Compared to the gourd, Liu Sheng's head was hard as a rock there was no injury on his head. If the gourd had been alive it would actually be the gourd feeling pain right now.
"Women indulgent monk" then growled "Didn't i tell you not to call me "women indulgent monk" before, and what gave you the idea that i was going to leave?"
Rubbing his head and pretending to be in pain, Liu Sheng said wimpily, "Isn't that the name everyone knows you by? What else are we supposed to call you?"
After speaking meekly, he quickly glanced around hoping his men would back him up. Seeing that they didn't budge, he shouted, "Isn't that right, brothers?"
"Ugh"
"despicable bastard."
"He's robbing us into his mess."
Some of the men frowned and cursed inwardly. As they immediately understood his ill intentions. He is the one who offended "women indulgent monk" why did he have to drag us into his own mess?
But Liu Sheng wasn't wrong to call him "women indulgent monk" at all
To his knowledge the bald headed tan skinned man was a righteous path martial master who was infamous for his favorite hobby. which was going around defiling innocent women. Originally he was in another far away village that was also under Yu Feng sect's jurisdiction but after hearing Qing Jiu village being taken over by bandits he quickly rushed over. Hoping to hide behind the bandits misdeeds and take advantage of the vulnerable village women.
"Eldest brother Liu Sheng is right, everyone knows you by "women indulgent monk" us mortals can only address you what the jianghu calls you." One man in the group of men gave in under Liu Sheng's pressure and shouted.
"Good one youngest brother." Liu Sheng rejoiced in his heart. His eyes regained a bit of hope. Being the leader of the bandit he wasn't planning to suffer all by himself while they stood still in fear and watch even though he was the one who started all this.
As if the man had lit up a light in their hearts. The other men who were hesitating also joined as they began shouting. backing him up. "Now i think about it Eldest brother is right"
"People call us dragon mountain river bandits and we don't complain about our title too."
"Women indulgent monk, if you don't like your title tell us a different name for us mortals to address you."
"It's the jianghu that gave you that name. Why are you bullying us."
As the bandits shouted one after another, Women-indulgent Monk sat leisurely in his chair, enjoying the warmth of the beautiful young woman beside him. As far as he was concerned, the bandits were merely his cover. He only intended to intimidate them.
"Hmph. If we weren't in Yu Feng sect's territory, would these scoundrels even dare stand against me?" Women indulgent monk scoffed, While staring at the bandits with contempt.
Having been a martial master for many years, Women-Indulgent Monk was both strong and astute.
Even though dragon mountain river bandits were despicable people who killed and robbed villagers he couldn't lay his hands on them since they lived in Yu Feng sect's territory, killing these mortals would be no different than picking a fight with Yu Feng sect. It was not his territory where he could do as he pleased.
"Eldest brother Liu Sheng we caught the bastards who escaped four days ago." Three men rushed into the courtyard shouting while dragging two people by their collar. Both people were pinned to the ground flat chest by the three men Immediately afterward.
Using the commotion as his excuse, Liu Sheng immediately got up from kowtowing to Women-Indulgent Monk. he walked over and saw three of his men pinning two people to the ground.
"Old Ren, you actually came back after escaping from me? Have you lost your mind?" Liu Sheng spoke as he coldly looked at the old man who was being pinned down to the ground. The cowardly looking Liu Sheng who was just now kowtowing to Women-Indulgent Monk and had his head smashed with a gourd was nowhere to be found. He was now domineering and authoritative.
"Elder brother Liu Sheng, they didn't actually come back we caught them while looking out for other villagers attacks." One of his men answered instead of old man Ren and Chen Hai.
"I see so they didn't seek help from other villages.? Liu Sheng wondered.
As he scratched his head in confusion Liu Sheng asked again. "Didn't you run away so that you could inform other villages and get their help?"
Qing Jiu village always had a peaceful relationship with it's neighboring villages, which they could request for help. fearing that Liu Sheng stationed his men outside the village for look out after occupying it. But old Ren and Chen Hai never went to seek help from other villages but instead from Yu Feng sect.
Old ren's eyes were filled with deep hatred as he looked up at Liu Sheng, he snorted and said "You think I will tell you just because you asked? Go fuck yourself, if i was standing right now i would've spit on your face."
Liu Sheng frowned, but then he lightly laughed. "Well we've been occupying this village for some time now, and i had my men keeping a watch the whole time we were here, I doubt they contacted other villages for help but..."
After thinking he shouted "Bring me my butcher knife." ordering his men with a commanding tone where some quickly ran into one of the rooms in the courtyard. Bringing out an arm sized knife.
"Hehe, elder brother Liu Sheng is very well known for his butchering skills, you might wanna spill the beans before it's too late."
"Just tell us if you contacted other villages and we will just tie you up and lock you away with the rest of your fellow villagers."
The bandits snickered like hyenas who cornered an old weak lion with a broken leg while Liu Sheng walked forward with his butchering knife standing right before old Ren and Chen Hai.
Compared to Old Ren and Chen Hai, who were pinned to the ground flat chest, Liu Sheng towered over them like a mountain. His seven foot tall muscular frame, broad bare chest covered in thick black hair, and the animal hide wrapped around his waist gave him a savage, wild aura.
A cold sweat fell down through Chen Hai's back but old Ren stayed composed, he was old and experienced compared to the young Chen Hai.