Black Rock River is an important waterway for Black Goose City.
Originating from Mo Xu Mountain over a thousand kilometers outside of Black Goose City, it flows through the city and converges into Cangyuan River.
The prosperity to the west of the city relied heavily on this river.
During the day, it was filled with grain transport boats, supporting nearly three-quarters of the economy of Black Goose City.
At night, the river was filled with all sorts of decorated pleasure boats, brightly lit and bustling with excitement.
It could be said that Black Rock River not only bolstered the economy of Black Goose City but also catered to the leisure activities of its residents.
Therefore, those who lived to the west of the city were all wealthy and influential.
Qin Zheng walked tentatively along the streets by the riverbank in the west side of the city, his eyes continuously scanning the crowd around him.
After receiving the news from Wang Er, he pondered for a moment before deciding to come and take a look.
Although he didn't have any money or silver on him, he had only a Ghost Head Greatsword passed down from his ancestors.
But... in his mind, he possessed the Ghost Head Saber Technique!
Although this saber technique could only be considered inferior, it was, after all, a martial art that allowed one to step into the Skin Refinement Realm!
In an era where martial might was revered, the scarcity of martial arts raised its value exponentially.
This Ghost Head Saber Technique might not be very powerful, but it should still hold some respectable value.
If it couldn't be traded for more advanced martial arts, perhaps it could be exchanged for one of a similar level, right?
Then he would see if he could pick a Qinggong technique.
Being unable to overpower his enemy face-to-face, having a Qinggong technique to escape wouldn't be too bad.
After much deliberation, this was the only solution Qin Zheng could come up with.
He had no choice, his predecessor was too poor, without any legacy to speak of, and there was simply no way to trade for higher-level martial arts.
At this thought, Qin Zheng sighed imperceptibly.
Honestly, if it weren't for provoking Shi Dian, a Sinew Refining Realm Martial Artist who had broken through three major gates,
Qin Zheng, with just his Ghost Head Greatsword and perfected Ghost Head Saber Technique, would have been able to mix well in Black Goose City.
After all, according to Wang Er, even being at the Skin Refinement Realm was considered skilled in the jianghu.
Regrettably, in order to obtain Merit, he had been forced to fiercely behead the young master Shi Yan, attracting a Sinew Refining Realm enemy.
However, even if Qin Zheng could go back to that moment, he would still decisively behead his opponent without hesitation.
Because at that time, the palm energy built up in his body had reached an irreversible state.
If he hadn't killed the opponent to obtain Merit and elevated the Ghost Head Saber Technique to Perfection for transformation,
he might not have survived until now and would have died in agony in the early hours of this morning.
Qin Zheng carefully observed his surroundings while he walked towards the riverbank street, heading for his destination.
By the time Qin Zheng reached the decorative boat anchored by the riverside, the remnants of the Cicada Gang had not appeared, which allowed him to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
Embracing a sense of trepidation and hope, Qin Zheng stepped onto the pleasure boat.
"Hey, wait! Wait!"
Just as Qin Zheng stepped onto the pleasure boat, two servants immediately ran over and stopped him.
"What's the matter?"
Qin Zheng furrowed his brows, asking somewhat puzzled.
Then he saw the two servants look him up and down, and spoke arrogantly, "Ordinary folk cannot enter."
Qin Zheng followed their gaze to his own pale green robe that had been washed white and instantly understood their implication.
So Qin Zheng, stifling his irritation, said, "Don't worry, I know what kind of place this is, and if I dared to come, I can afford the price."
At this, the two servants didn't let him go inside but said with a mocking tone, "Sir, it's really not that we won't let you in."
"It's just that there's a rule for this boat: if you don't have something on you worth a Hundred Taels as proof, you can't enter."
"So, if you can pull out something worth a Hundred Taels right now and slap it on our faces, I'll let you in immediately."
Upon hearing this, Qin Zheng reached behind him and slowly drew out the Ghost Head Greatsword wrapped in coarse cloth.
"What are you doing?!"
Seeing this, the two servants were immediately frightened and jumped back.
Everyone in Black Goose City knew the background of this pleasure boat.
For years, no one had dared to cause trouble in front of it, which also fostered the arrogant behavior of these servants.
Therefore, Qin Zheng's actions immediately startled the two of them greatly.
"Guards! Guards!" they shouted in alarm.
The commotion here swiftly drew the attention of everyone on the riverbank and the flower boat.
More than a dozen guards quickly rushed to the scene from the riverbank and inside and outside the flower boat, their eyes filled with vigilance as they looked at Qin Zheng.
Qin Zheng didn't waste words. With an impassive face, he took a step forward and suddenly swung the Ghost Head Greatsword.
The guards' pupils contracted, and they too clenched their teeth and drew their swords to advance.
Facing these guards who hadn't even stepped into the Skin Refinement Realm, who were merely robust in stature and knew a bit about saber techniques,
Qin Zheng dealt with them as if an adult spanking children. With a twist of the blade, he knocked the guards one by one into the water below the boat.
In just a matter of breaths, Qin Zheng had knocked all the guards into the water.
Then, under the astonished gaze of the onlookers, Qin Zheng retrieved his Ghost Head Greatsword and looked towards the flower boat, calling out, "Can I board the boat with this Ghost Head Saber Technique as my price?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a fat man with a figure-eight mustache, dressed in gold and silver, rushed out from the flower boat.
He hurried over to Qin Zheng, smiling as he said, "Sir, you are too modest. If a martial artist of the Skin Refinement Realm can't come aboard, then who can?"
"Come on, come on, Sir, please enter. Whatever you fancy, whatever you desire, just say the word!"
With that, he started leading Qin Zheng into the flower boat.
Passing the two attendants, he stopped, opened his mouth, and scolded loudly, "You two blind fools! Quickly apologize to this Sir!"
The two attendants trembled, now fully understanding the trouble they had caused, and immediately approached Qin Zheng.
While slapping their own faces with heavy hands, they repeatedly said, "Sir, we're sorry, it was our dog eyes misjudging you!"
Qin Zheng frowned slightly, then ignored them and proceeded to enter the flower boat.
To tell the truth, Qin Zheng did not want to cause the disturbance that just happened.
But given Qin Zheng's current appearance, facing the hindrance from the two attendants, it was virtually impossible for him to enter the flower boat quietly.
However, choosing to use the saber was also part of Qin Zheng's own thinking.
Knocking the guards into the water with the saber, not harboring malice, to avoid creating enmity.
At the same time, it allowed him to display his own strength as much as possible and the sophistication of the Ghost Head Saber Technique.
Intimidating the other party in such a way, he could push the price of the Ghost Head Saber Technique even higher!
It was just a pity that the ones who took action were merely guards who had never practiced martial arts.
If a capable hand from the Skin Refinement Realm had appeared, the value of the Ghost Head Saber Technique could have been raised even higher.
With this in mind, Qin Zheng entered the flower boat.
What caught his eye on the first floor was akin to an exhibition hall, filled with all types of small items.
"Sir, these are all collectibles found by the Cicada Gang."
"Have a look, what would you like?" said the steward, approaching Qin Zheng.
Qin Zheng glanced around and then asked, "Do you have any martial arts techniques?"
He had no time to beat around the bush or speak in riddles.
At Qin Zheng's words, the steward's eyes instantly lit up.
Martial arts techniques?
That certainly was no ordinary small transaction!
"Yes! We just happened to have seized some Qinggong which is on the second floor. If you are interested, Sir, I can lead you there right away."
Upon hearing this, Qin Zheng's eyes also gleamed with excitement.
Qinggong?
Wasn't that exactly what he needed?
He nodded his head and was about to follow the steward upstairs to see the Qinggong.
But just then, his eyes caught a glimpse of a string of Buddha Beads laid out on the counter in front of him.
A faint golden sheen seemed to emerge from the beads, compelling Qin Zheng to reach out and touch them.
Instantly, the Merit Scroll in his Heart Sea trembled, and then words emerged.
[Discovered item: High Monk's Relic, can be refined, requires One Tael of Merit, proceed with refining?]
[Note: Refining will grant martial arts technique: Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique (Incomplete)]