Back at the entrance of the hall,Su Xin opened the porcelain bottle and examined its contents.Inside were indeed ten small,pale-yellow pills emitting a rich medicinal fragrance.However,he couldn't let his guard down.Who knew if the old wolf had some tricks up his sleeve and tampered with the pills?Seeking help from a local pharmacy was futile;they wouldn't recognize a secret formula from a major martial arts sect.
After a moment of contemplation,Su Xin had a sudden idea.He entered the system space and asked,"I obtained a bottle of pills outside.Can you help me identify them?"
The system responded,"Certainly,the host can authenticate any items obtained in the external world,and they will be evaluated based on the system's star rating."
Su Xin smiled;this was an unexpected delight.The big antagonist system had many hidden features yet to be explored.If Su Xin didn't inquire,the system wouldn't proactively reveal them.
"Alright,authenticate this bottle of pills and let me know if there are any issues."
On the large screen in the system space appeared an image of the pills,accompanied by a series of descriptions.
"Shaolin Temple's specially crafted Minor Rejuvenation Pill,refined from forty-nine types of herbs using secret methods.It is a simplified version of the Major Rejuvenation Pill,promoting the circulation of internal energy,strengthening vitality,aiding in cultivation.Comprehensive evaluation:two and a half stars."
Even in this world,there was a Shaolin Temple.Despite being quite distant from Changning Prefecture in Southern Chu,Su Xin unexpectedly encountered an item originating from Shaolin Temple today.In this barbaric land of Changning Prefecture,understanding of the Central Plains martial arts world was scarce.Su Xin had inquired with Huang Bingcheng,but his knowledge was limited.To them,Changning Prefecture was a separate universe,and they saw no point in gathering information about the outside world.
Therefore,Su Xin only occasionally heard fragments of information about Central Plains martial arts.However,even with this limited knowledge,he knew that Shaolin Temple was a revered holy land in the martial arts world.
Since this Minor Rejuvenation Pill was a product of Shaolin Temple and rated two and a half stars by the system,it was considered decent.
Now that Su Xin had opened sixty acupoints,with the help of these ten pills,he estimated he could advance to the mid-stage of the Houtian realm within ten days.The saying"poor in literature,rich in martial arts"wasn't just a mockery.Without these pills,Su Xin would need over a month to break through to the mid-stage,but now he could achieve it in ten days.
Seventh floor of Shenglong Tower in Changde District,this was the largest restaurant in the entire Changning Prefecture.Even with wealth,not everyone had the qualification to enter.Each floor of Shenglong Tower required a sufficiently high status to access.
The leader of the Flying Eagle Gang,Sha Feiying,only had the qualification to go up to the sixth floor.The seventh floor,however,was restricted to less than ten people in the entire Changning Prefecture.
At this moment,on the seventh floor of Shenglong Tower,three middle-aged men were drinking and overlooking the figures below.
In the Three Gangs and Four Associations,the Flying Eagle Gang,Qingzhu Gang,and Jiangyang Gang were the weakest.The Four Associations included the Iron Knife Association,Blood Robe Association,Godwind Association,and the strongest,the Three Heroes Association.
The three middle-aged men were the leaders of the Three Heroes Association.
"Have you heard about the new leader of the Flying Eagle Gang?"One of the stern-faced middle-aged men asked.
He was Meng Changhe,one of the three leaders of the Three Heroes Association,in charge of managing personnel matters and imparting martial arts skills.Among the three leaders,he held the most significant power.
The other man,thin and scarred with a menacing scar on his face,spoke,"To be able to kill Dai Chong and Chen Dao of the Qingzhu Gang before the age of twenty is extraordinary.He even defeated Luo Zhen of the Qingzhu Gang.This level of strength is exceptional.Su Xin's prowess is not ordinary.It seems even stronger than we expected."
This scarred man was Duan Xiao,another of the three leaders,responsible for external gang warfare,similar to the Flying Eagle Gang's War Hall.
The last leader looked much younger,appearing to be in his thirties.He wore a scholar's robe and maintained his appearance well,not resembling a gang leader.Instead,he looked like a young gentleman from a noble family.
This man was Ning LuoJun,one of the three leaders of the Three Heroes Association.Rumor had it that he came from a declining martial arts family but was expelled for committing a grave mistake.Despite his seemingly refined appearance,Ning LuoJun was the most terrifying of the three leaders.
Since the establishment of the Three Heroes Association,it was Ning LuoJun,who appeared to be a wealthy young man,that had turned Changning Prefecture into a bloodbath.Under his command,the number of people who died at the hands of his subordinates exceeded three digits.
Hearing Duan Xiao's words,Ning LuoJun shook his head and said,"My perspective on Su Xin is quite the opposite of yours.His methods are far more formidable than his martial skills.Sand Feiying is as scheming as a needle,yet he tolerates such a young man rising to the position of the gang leader.Su Xin is indeed remarkable."
Meng Changhe tapped the table and said,"Regardless,Su Xin is not an ordinary opponent.I've decided to recruit him into the Three Heroes Association.What do you think?"
Both Duan Xiao and Ning LuoJun nodded.
This kind of conversation had occurred multiple times before.Recruiting members from other gangs,even being a primary strategy for the Three Heroes Association.
Their strategy was similar to the Flying Eagle Gang's;they didn't waste effort on low-level gang members by teaching them internal skills.However,the Three Heroes Association excelled in one aspect:when it came to talented individuals,they spared no expense to recruit them.
The Flying Eagle Gang was once powerful,but Sand Feiying,for the sake of his own position,slaughtered nearly half of the major leaders.If those leaders were still alive,the gang's strength would be comparable to the three hall masters like Lin Fuhu.
The three leaders of the Three Heroes Association were more confident than Sand Feiying.Anyone they recruited,whether in terms of wealth,beautiful women,or martial arts,they would provide it as long as the person desired.With this approach,the Three Heroes Association's strength had been growing like a snowball for over a decade.
The major leaders of the Flying Eagle Gang hadn't broken through to the initial stage of the Houtian realm,while the Three Heroes Association had over thirty major leaders,each with the strength of the mid-stage Houtian realm.
Now,Su Xin possessed strength,potential,and youth–the perfect candidate for their recruitment efforts.
Ning LuoJun added,"Recruiting is possible,but looking at this information,Su Xin seems like a thoughtful individual.I speculate he won't easily agree,similar to when we tried to recruit Luo Zhen.He outright refused."
Meng Changhe confidently smiled,"They are different.Luo Zhen is old,lacking significant ambitions.He just wants to protect his brothers in the Qingzhu Gang.He's not willing to be a subordinate in the Three Heroes Association.But Su Xin is young,ambitious,and Flying Eagle Gang evidently can't fulfill his ambitions,while we can."
Ning LuoJun thought for a moment and said,"Alright,send someone to give it a try.Let Zhang Heng go;he's gentle and stable,suitable for persuading Su Xin."
Meng Changhe frowned,"Zhang Heng is currently handling trade dealings with those barbarians alone.He gets along with those mountain folks,and we get a better deal when purchasing goods.If someone else goes,they might not be as effective.How about we choose someone else?"
"Who would you suggest?"
Meng Changhe clapped his hands and exclaimed,"Chong'er,come up here."
Footsteps approached,and a young man of about twenty,with a proud demeanor,walked up and bowed to Ning LuoJun and Duan Xiao,"Meng Chong pays respects to the two uncles."
Among the three leaders of the Three Heroes Association,only Meng Changhe had a son–the current Meng Chong.
"Second and third,Chong'er is getting a bit old.I'm planning to let him familiarize himself with the gang's affairs.Let him go this time."Meng Changhe chuckled.
Ning LuoJun hesitated,"But Chong'er has a quick temper.It's very likely that he might clash with Su Xin."
Duan Xiao,standing aside,also nodded.They were too familiar with their big brother's son,filled with quirks almost entirely indulged during his childhood.
Meng Changhe shook his head and said,"Chong'er knows what's important."
He turned to Meng Chong and scolded,"Be polite when meeting Su Xin.As long as his demands are not excessive,agree directly.This young man is a rare expert among the younger generation in Changning Prefecture,and he commands over a thousand people and a market.We must control such a person."
Meng Chong nodded,whether he truly listened or not was uncertain.
Seeing Ning LuoJun and Duan Xiao silent,Meng Changhe laughed heartily,"Since no one is speaking,let Chong'er go this time.Come on,I'll help you choose some reliable subordinates."
Saying that,Meng Changhe pulled Meng Chong downstairs,leaving Ning LuoJun and Duan Xiao glancing at each other with somber expressions.
"Lao Da seems a bit too hasty this time.He wants to secure a future for his son,and he doesn't need to joke with the gang's interests,"Ning LuoJun said in a low voice.
Duan Xiao,who usually spoke less,also added,"Three Heroes Association belonged to the three of us before,and it still belongs to the three of us now.As long as we three are alive,the Three Heroes Association will always be ours!Lao Da is not only hasty this time but also a bit excessive!"
