Apocalypse: Grinding EXP through Hunting

"What business does Shui Yun have? Important enough for Vice Hall Master Zhang to come in person?" Zhao Zhe, the Eldest Young Master of the Black Water Gang, said with a faint smile.

Vice Hall Master Zhang of the Seven Kills Hall replied calmly, "Frankly, Eldest Young Master, it’s about the Azure Stone Slab."

"And what about it?"

"My Hall Master would like to use it for another seven days."

The smile on Zhao Zhe’s face didn’t falter. "Of course, of course."

After smiling, his tone shifted. "But from what I know, it isn’t Shui Yun who’s using the Azure Stone Slab, is it?"

Vice Hall Master Zhang thought for a moment. "The Seventh Young Master is using it."

"The Seventh Young Master!" Zhao Zhe’s eyes sharpened. "A Curiosity like the Azure Stone Slab... is being given to a mere Martial Artist for half a month."

Zhao Zhe was in his early thirties and was a Veteran Extraordinary.

Vice Hall Master Zhang was also an Extraordinary. He ignored the pressure radiating from Zhao Zhe and simply explained, "The Seventh Young Master performed a great service. It was the Gang Leader’s order that he be the first to use the Azure Stone Slab."

With that, he turned and left.

Zhao Zhe stormed into the living room, fuming.

On the mahogany coffee table, two cups of hot tea steamed.

BANG!

Unable to contain his rage, he strode over in two steps and slammed his hand down, shattering the mahogany coffee table!

"Some bastard from who knows where! How dare he shit and piss on my head!"

Ever since Shui Yun became a Veteran Extraordinary before the age of thirty, his own position in the gang had grown increasingly unstable.

Later, the gang’s elders discovered that not only did Shui Yun advance through the Realms quickly, but she also comprehended Profound Techniques with ease and possessed formidable combat abilities.

On top of that, she was the Gang Leader’s only daughter.

With all these factors combined, Shui Yun’s status solidified day by day.

After a period of consolidation, the gang’s senior members found that Miss Shuiyun’s management skills were also exceptional.

She had taken complete control of the Seven Kills Hall, running it so tightly that no outsiders could interfere.

As a result, her position as heir was essentially secured.

There’s only so much status to go around.

Shui Yun had become the prime candidate, and her status rose accordingly.

This inevitably put the other potential heirs, like the Eldest Young Master, in a difficult position.

However, the dust had not yet settled.

The Gang Leader was still in his prime. It was too early to say for certain who would lead the gang in the future!

The Eldest Young Master and the Sixth Young Master were both actively building alliances, fighting for their last chance.

"My lord? What has you so angry?"

A stunningly beautiful woman walked in from outside, followed by several maids.

One of the maids carried a tray bearing an exquisite porcelain tureen.

"Has that Tang Wen fellow come to visit me?" Zhao Zhe turned.

’Tang Wen?’

’The gang’s newly appointed Seventh Young Master?’

Seeing her furious husband, the beautiful woman waved her hand, dismissing the maids.

She personally set the tray aside and stepped forward to comfort him. "My lord, don’t worry about these things. As long as you advance further in your Martial Arts, the future position of Gang Leader will still be yours!"

"Of course I know that!" Zhao Zhe waved his hand impatiently. "But that woman is already pushing her way to my doorstep!"

After understanding the situation from his few words, the woman pondered for a moment before suggesting,

"Miss Shuiyun wants to take more than her fair share! It doesn’t just affect our family, but also the Sixth and the Fourth."

"The Sixth is fine. He and I have a tacit understanding and know to resist that woman together. But the Fourth is just a Martial Fool. What can he possibly do?"

Zhao Zhe’s temper had grown more volatile recently, but he could still listen to his wife’s words.

"You may not know this, my lord, but according to our informant’s observations, he is infatuated with Miss Shuiyun."

"Hm?" Zhao Zhe’s eyes went wide.

Lin Shi said, "There was no proof, so I didn’t mention it."

"If that’s the case..."

The husband and wife exchanged a knowing smile.

At the same time, his beautiful wife, Lin Shi, was curious.

’They say Miss Shuiyun, who never gives men the time of day, took one look at the Seventh Young Master and brought him straight into her Seven Kills Hall.’

’Treating him as both a future husband and a kept man.’

’I thought it was just an exaggerated rumor.’

’But judging by the fact that she sent an Extraordinary Vice Hall Master to their door today...’

’It’s probably true.’

’I wonder what’s so special about that Seventh Young Master to make her act this way!’

’In a power struggle, there’s no such thing as a small matter.’

’For her to monopolize a precious Cultivation Resource like the Azure Stone Slab for another week...’

’Not only will everyone else have to wait another week...’

’More importantly, it will upset the fragile balance between the gang’s various heirs.’

’Could she really be that captivated by the Seventh Young Master?’

Lin Shi grew more and more curious.

Zhao Zhe sneered, "I should have asked if a week was enough. What if I let him use it for a month? It would be perfect if a mere Martial Artist like him stirred up public outrage!"

"Shui Yun is hard to touch, but messing with her little lover wouldn’t be a bad idea."

Lin Shi also said, "The gang’s general assembly in three months is going to be lively."

The Eldest Young Master, Zhao Zhe, smiled confidently. "Of course. It’s bound to be!"

「In the Seven Kills Hall, inside the Hall Master’s private Cultivation Stone Tower.」

Liang Yu saw her chance and said:

"Young Master, good news! The Hall Master said the Azure Stone Slab will remain with you for another seven days!"

Having been in a state of Cultivation for so long, Tang Wen’s mind was a little slow to react to outside events.

He looked at Liang Yu, who was beaming with joy while urging him to eat and rest.

His brain finally processed it. "Who was supposed to use it for the next seven days?"

’Liang Yu was surprised. The Seventh Young Master was so young—rumored to be from a small town and not even eighteen yet. But he had immediately grasped the crux of the matter.’

"It was supposed to be sent to the Eldest Young Master, but the Hall Master had a word with him." She then added, "Shouldn’t you get some proper sleep now?"

"Senior Sister has shouldered so much for me!"

Tang Wen didn’t refuse. "Alright. Go prepare a medicinal bath. I’m going to sleep soundly for three hours."

Liang Yu: "..."

He added, "And the three hours starts after I get in the bath."

’The effect of the Azure Stone Slab wasn’t constant.’

’He could feel that after he had intensely drawn from it for six days and six nights...’

’...the water level of the Spiritual Power Lake representing the Azure Stone Slab had dropped.’

’Tang Wen guessed that either the Spiritual Power stored in the Stone Slab was finite...’

’...and once he absorbed it, that portion of Spiritual Power was gone forever.’

’Or, it was because his own Spiritual Power had grown so quickly that the Spiritual Power Lake seemed to have shrunk in comparison.’

’This was easy to explain.’

’When you were a child, fifty kilograms felt like an immovable weight.’

’But when you grew up—no, even when you were fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen—you could lift a fifty-kilogram beauty and toss her onto the bed with ease!’

’That was relativity!’

「Three hours later.」

Liang Yu had been keeping watch outside his door the entire time.

When Tang Wen walked out of the bedroom, Liang Yu was stunned.

The Young Master’s face was as smooth as jade, and he was glowing with vitality.

There was no sign of overexertion or the strain of excessive Cultivation.

The bloodshot veins in his eyes were gone, without a trace of fatigue.

"Y-y-you... you took an elixir?"

’He only slept for three hours, how could he have recovered so quickly?’

Liang Yu could only think of one possibility: elixirs.

Some pills or Potions could allow a person to rapidly recover their energy.

But one would only take them as a last resort.

After all, such potent medicines would only overdraw the body’s reserves. Once the effects wore off, they would harm both body and mind.

She frowned. "Young Master! It’s just Cultivation, there’s no need to push yourself so hard, is there?"

’This was putting the cart before the horse.’

’Gazing at the handsome face she couldn’t tear her eyes from, Liang Yu complained inwardly: If this were my man, I’d drag him back into the room right now and teach him a harsh lesson!’

’Unfortunately, he was the master.’

’And I am a Female Slave!’

Sensing the hidden meaning in her gaze,

Tang Wen walked over, reached out to cup her delicate, smooth face, and kissed her directly.

"Mmph, mmm!"

Liang Yu was so flustered that her hands flailed about, not knowing where to rest.

Tang Wen asked with a smile, "Do you taste any elixirs?"

Liang Yu touched her burning cheeks, her eyes blinking rapidly. "I couldn’t tell just now. Let me have another taste."

SMACK!

’Felt good.’

"You should go cultivate too. You don’t have to watch over me every day."

"Oh... alright, Young Master."

Liang Yu clutched her perky rear, a damp heat spreading through her. ’If you’ve got the nerve to start something, don’t just run away!’