Chapter 46: Level Three of the Gathered Qi

"A level-four adept?" Hearing Bamboo Crane Wang's words, Red Crane Wang was stunned and mumbled to himself, "Who on earth is that little brat?"

A level-four adept was a giant anywhere in Yunfeng county and could support a preeminent family. Someone like that actually traveled for miles to Qingshan town just to witness the opening of Zhou Donghuang's Yunxuan Restaurant?

"I think no matter who he is, all we have to know is that he is someone we cannot afford to cross." Bamboo Crane Wang laughed bitterly. "A level-four adept whose own child was crippled by Zhou Donghuang, but he is still so respectful to Zhou Donghuang—that says a lot."

"That is the Lu family chief, Lu Qinghu! That the Lu, Ma and Fang families could even have footing beneath the preeminent families of the prefecture capital was largely due to Lu Qinghu." Bamboo Crane Wang, being a basic-level medicine master, naturally knew how powerful Lu Qinghu was after spending so much time in the prefecture capital.

...

At the Zhong family household.

"How could that be?!" Zhong Gang, Zhong Yi, and Zhong Xiu had gathered once again and were looking at each other in disbelief.

"Zhou Donghuang crippled the son of the chief of one of the top three lesser families, and not only did they not try to get revenge, but they even sent him servant girls and clerks? And they even came from thousands of miles away to Qingshan town to support the opening of the restaurant?"

This piece of news was incredible to all three of them. It was as if they were in a dream.

"All three of you are here? Great!" A burly middle-aged man with a ferocious face walked into the courtyard, wearing a grey robe.

"Father." The three of them greeted the man who was none other than Zhong Yun, the chief of the Zhong family.

"I heard the three of you had some run-ins with the owner of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang?" Zhong Yun glared at the three of them as his face darkened.

"Father, we... were just joking with him," Zhong Gang stuttered.

Before Zhong Yi and Zhong Xiu could say anything, Zhong Yun said coldly, "From today onwards, whenever you see him, you better greet him respectfully as 'Young Master Dong Huang" and be as meek as you can be. If I find out that any of you were disrespectful to him, don't blame me for being nasty!" With that, Zhong Yun turned and left, leaving Zhong Gang, Zhong Yi and Zhong Xiu speechless.

"I don't understand... how could a martial invalid suddenly rise to such greatness?" Zhong Xiu spit out angrily. To her, it felt as if someone whom she used to trample on had suddenly turned the tables on her.

...

After the new opening of Yunxuan Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang regained some peace in his life, and he spent all his time practicing. During this period, the Li family that Zhou Donghuang had imagined would cause him trouble did not turn up at all. It was as if they had completely disappeared without a trace.

But after thinking about it, it made sense to him. Lu Qinghu, who had risen to level-four of the gathered qi and led the Lu family into becoming a preeminent family, had come all the way to Qingshan town to support the new opening of Yunxuan Restaurant. It was as if he had completely forgotten that Zhou Donghuang had crippled his child. The Li family would surely have heard of this news. This must have been enough to make the Li family wary of him.

On 31 January 1228 of the Ziyun era, Zhou Donghuang successfully rose to level-three of the gathered qi, becoming a level-three adept with the strength of three bulls.

Of course, the strength of three bulls was only the strength from his internal qi. His extraordinary, pure strength was more than 500kg, and his current strength was similar to that of any level-four adept. With various martial art techniques, he was confident in facing even a level-five adept.

"Mother, have you ever thought of returning to the Lin family in the prefecture capital?" Zhou Donghuang asked Lin Lan. With his current strength, he could easily stake a piece of land for himself in the prefecture capital. But he knew that his mother could not forgo her identity as a member of the Lin family.

"Donghuang, the chief had ordered that I, Lin Lan, am not to step foot into the Lin family without an order from the family." Lin Lan smiled sadly. The Lin family of the prefecture capital was her home; why would she leave her home if she had the choice? Because she had been born with no martial art talent, she had been sent to Qingshan town by the family to set up and run the guild. In the eyes of the Lin family, she was only a tool for making money, and they would not allow her to rest until they had exhausted her value.

"Mother, the Lin family chief set such an order because he does not know that after you revealed the Lin family's blood staunching elixir prescription, you had given back an even better one to the Lin family." Zhou Donghuang's eyes flashed. "This time, I'll go back with you and clear your name. As long as I clear your name, even the Lin family chief will have no reason not to let a member of the Lin family return home."

As a level-three adept, Zhou Donghuang had already planned to leave Qingshan town and set up their home in the city. That would be much more convenient in all aspects as compared to Qingshan town.

"Donghuang, are you confident?" Lin Lan was moved, but she could not help but worry. "If not, I can still wait..."

"Mother, if I had no confidence, I would not be talking to you about this." Zhou Donghuang laughed.

"Alright, I'll follow you." Lin Lan's eyes lit up as the fog that had covered her heart completely dissipated.

Zhou Donghuang instructed Fu to make the preparations. Now, Fu was busy practicing and had handed the position of shopkeeper to the leader of the servant girls and clerks from the three big families—a lady named Lu Qing from the Lu side of the family. She was very capable and meticulous.

Besides practicing, Fu spent the rest of his time in the backyard behind Yunxuan Restaurant waiting on Donghuang's instructions.

"Fu, you should be close to reaching level-one of the gathered qi, right?" Zhou Donghuang asked as Fu was about to leave. Although Fu was of ordinary talent, he still laid the foundations early, and with the help of the Fiery Thunder Training Regimen and the qi-gathering elixir that multiplied his sensitivity to qi by six, Fu should reach level-one of the gathered qi quickly.

"Young Master, I just achieved it yesterday." Fu smiled shyly.

"Not bad." Zhou Donghuang nodded. "To make such progress in such a short time means that you have been working very hard without slacking...alright, you go ahead and prepare, we shall leave Qingshan town tomorrow."

Fu was surprised to be praised by Zhou Donghuang. As he left to make the preparations, he walked with a spring in his step.

Before they left the next day, Zhou Donghuang made a trip to the Qin family household. Although the Qin family elder chief, Qin Yi, and the chief, Qin Long, greeted him at the door, he treated both of them nonchalantly.

"I'm here to find Xiao Yu."

Under the watchful eyes of Qin Yi and Qin Long, Zhou Donghuang found Qin Xiaoyu, whose father, Qin Zhen, also happened to be there.

"Brother Donghuang, you're leaving Qingshan town?" Hearing that Zhou Donghuang was leaving the next day, the little girl broke into tears. "Brother Donghuang, could you not leave? If you do, Xiaoyu will not be able to see you again."

"Silly girl, you can go to the city anytime you want to see me. Just look for the Yunxuan Restaurant shopkeeper, Lu Qing to arrange it," Zhou Donghuang said as he pet Xiaoyu's head. He smiled, "I will get Fu to inform Lu Qing."

"Really?" Qin Xiaoyu stopped crying.

"If you don't believe me, you can at least believe your father." Zhou Donghuang looked at Qin Zhen and smiled. "Uncle Zhen, if Xiaoyu wants to go to the prefecture capital, please follow her."

"Yes, Young Master Donghuang," Qin Zhen answered respectfully.

"Uncle Zhen, please don't be so restrained around me. There's no need to call me Young Master, just call me Donghuang just like old times." Zhou Donghuang shook his head.

"Yes, Young Master Donghuang," Qin Zhen replied again, but Zhou Donghuang insisted that he correct that. He knew that since the Lu, Ma and Fang family chiefs had come to Qingshan town, his position in Qin Zhen's eyes was now completely different.

After bidding farewell to Qin Xiaoyu, he was seen out personally by Qin Yi and Qin Long. The whole time, Zhou Donghuang did not mention to Qin Yi and Qin Long to take care of Qin Xiaoyu. With his current position in the eyes of Qin Yi and Qin Long, they ought to know what to do without him saying anything.

...

On the dawn of 1 February 1228 of the Ziyun era, a horse-drawn carriage left Qingshan town for Yunfeng county of the prefecture capital.

Since she left Qingshan town, Lin Lan kept pulling open the curtains in the carriage, watching the town become smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared in the distance. With that, she drew the curtains back and sighed heavily.

"Mother, we can come back anytime you wish to in the future," Zhou Donghuang comforted her.

"Actually there's nothing much to reminisce on... after all, the Magnolia Guild is gone. I just wanted to take a few more looks at this town where I stayed for ten years," Lin Lan smiled as she shook her head.

"Donghuang, what about Freezing Wind? I haven't seen him since you came back from the city half a month ago." Lin Lan still had yet to see Freezing Wind when they went to the city this time. She frowned. "Did you drive him away because he told me about that matter?"

"Impossible." Zhou Donghuang smiled as he shook his head. "Mother, I sent him out to settle some things. Once he's done, he'll come find us when he realizes that we've left for the city."