Even Qin Fang couldn’t stop his eyelids from twitching...

But he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Then a sudden idea struck him. ’Right now, aren’t I just like a calm, coiled venomous snake, waiting for its prey?’

He suddenly began his Contemplation, imagining himself as a snake, coiled and waiting for prey.

Once he began this Contemplation, he naturally fell into the ’Spiritual Snake Listening Wave Pile’ stance.

And this time, he instantly felt a huge difference...

Everything in the world seemed to fall silent, leaving only the sound of water lapping against the shore.

But this silence didn’t mean Qin Fang had gone blind.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

He seemed to have entered a peculiar state. His Perception felt as if it had spread outwards, entering a state similar to the Heart Eye. In this state, no movement in his surroundings could escape his notice; he had clear Control over it all.

The wind blew a dry branch, causing it to roll behind him. Without turning his head, he clearly perceived it.

A Treasure Fish swam underwater, its slight movements creating ripples that he keenly grasped.

...It was as if he had truly become a cold snake, lurking in the shadows, maintaining absolute calm...

This was an unprecedented state. Qin Fang was shocked to find himself in it!

The proficiency of his ’Mental Pile’ slowly ticked up at this moment: 1 point, 1 point, 1 point...

In just a dozen breaths, it had actually jumped more than ten times.

Qin Fang was dazed...

’So... this is the right way to use the Spiritual Snake Listening Wave Pile?’

’Contemplation requires a target!’

’Not just simple imitation!’

He even felt the Qi Force throughout his body begin to flow naturally. Faintly, it even felt a bit like ’Huajin’?!

And just at that moment...

SPLASH!~

The Treasure Fish swimming in the water suddenly leaped up again.

And almost in the instant the Treasure Fish jumped, Qin Fang’s body moved, acting even before his mind could!

SWISH SWISH SWISH!~

Three Iron Nails transformed into three dark glints of light, crossing the sixty-meter distance in an instant, and then...

...they precisely hit the Treasure Fish!

The Treasure Fish’s body stiffened abruptly in mid-air. The Iron Nails pierced it with ease, and it fell back into the water with a loud CRASH.

A smile appeared on Qin Fang’s face...

’This feeling... it’s wonderful!’

’This... is this the true True Intent of the ’Spiritual Snake Listening Wave Pile’?’

He looked at the Treasure Fish. It was already floating on the surface...

He was just about to move.

"The Treasure Fish!!"

But at that moment, he heard a voice.

’Someone’s here?!’

Startled, Qin Fang instinctively turned his head and saw several figures rapidly descending the mountain path not far away.

Qin Fang’s brow furrowed. He turned, leaped into the water, and swam swiftly toward the Treasure Fish.

’I don’t know who these people are, but I have to get my hands on this Treasure Fish first!’

"Leave the Treasure Fish!"

"Damn it!"

Those people also saw Qin Fang’s actions and immediately began to shout.

But Qin Fang paid them no mind, having already swum up to the Treasure Fish.

The moment he got close, he smelled an enticingly sweet fragrance emanating from the Treasure Fish.

Immediately after, he heard the sound of rushing water. The undercurrent was surging below. Turning his head, he saw the surrounding water surface seem to boil as a large number of fish gathered.

Qin Fang was startled. ’Did the Treasure Fish’s blood attract them?’

With no time to think, he grabbed the Treasure Fish by its tail fin, dragged it along, and swam to the shore.

’So fragrant!’

’This Treasure Fish smells too good!’

’...No wonder that boy named Xu Ran didn’t hesitate to just open his mouth and eat it!’

’Just smelling it gives you the instinct that ’this thing is edible’!’

Just as he was thinking this, the group from the mountain had already rushed nearby. Seeing Qin Fang haul the Treasure Fish ashore, the leader’s eyes immediately flashed with fanatical greed. He shouted, "Who are you? Leave the Treasure Fish!"

Only then did Qin Fang look up, his brow tightly furrowed.

There were six of them. Judging by how they descended the mountain, they were all extremely agile, likely possessing at least Mingjin Stage Cultivation.

They wore uniform-style clothing, looking like members of some formal organization.

Then he looked closer at the words written on their chests, and Qin Fang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’...True Martial!’

’Could it be...’

’...the True Martial Boxing Hall?’

’...The True Martial Boxing Hall still exists?’

Qin Fang was a bit stunned.

’That one slap, and the entire True Martial County Town vanished.’

’But now, people from the True Martial Boxing Hall have actually shown up?’

Qin Fang’s brows knitted tightly.

"Hey! You there, kid! Did you hear me? If you know what’s good for you, hand over the Treasure Fish!"

While Qin Fang was still surprised, the six men had already run to a short distance away, glaring at him like tigers eyeing their prey.

Their eyes were filled with greed as they stared at the Treasure Fish in Qin Fang’s hands.

Qin Fang also snapped back to his senses...

’...It doesn’t seem that strange, actually.’

’Didn’t I, my master, and my senior brothers survive?’

’The fierce winds that day seemed to have scattered many other survivors, too.’

’It’s clear that my master and I weren’t the only ones who noticed the changes in True Martial.’

’...I can’t assume everyone in the world is that foolish.’

’Ganlu Hall’s Qi Blood Pills were sold so cheaply. Anyone cautious enough would have realized something was wrong and chosen to wait and see.’

’I had various encounters that I pieced together to realize something was off about Ganlu Hall.’

’Others would have had their own encounters, leading them to notice something was off about Ganlu Hall too.’

’...For example, the True Martial Guard on that day. The day they left the city, they still maintained their formidable combat strength, which is enough to prove that no one in the True Martial Guard was taking the Qi Blood Pills.’