Becoming a martial arts god starting from the mortician.

"I still have some things to take care of. You can go back on your own."

After saying this, Zhou Wenyuan vanished from the spot in a flash.

Shen Qi walked alone on the dirt road back to Qingping Town.

The autumn wind whipped up the withered grass on both sides, making a rustling sound.

……

The wooden axle creaked.

Shen Qi pushed open the familiar courtyard gate, stood in the center of the courtyard, and stared at it for a while.

For so many years, this mortuary, which never sees the sun, has been like a coffin.

He washed the filth off his hands with water, changed into a clean blue cloth shirt, and put the silver into his purse.

He then locked the gate and went out into the street.

With the death of the heretical cultivator, the city gates were reopened. The constables patrolling the streets also withdrew, and the streets gradually came back to life.

Our first stop was Huichuntang.

Upon entering the shop, Dr. Li was standing behind the counter, frowning as he ground medicinal powder.

Hearing footsteps, the old man looked up.

"Things have been unsettled in town these past few days; several people have died, and the government offices have even sealed off the streets. How dare you wander around like this!"

Doctor Li slammed the pestle into the mortar with a heavy thud.

After seeing Shen Qi's expression, the old man stopped talking.

He looked Shen Qi up and down, his expression softening slightly.

"His health is getting better and better."

With a smile, Shen Qi took out some loose silver from his pocket and gently placed it on the counter.

"Uncle Li, I've come to say goodbye."

Dr. Li was stunned: "Saying goodbye? Where to?"

"I asked around and finally got in touch with a distant relative in another city." Shen Qi had already prepared his story. "There's a good business there, and they want me to go and seek refuge with them. I've been kept alive all these years thanks to Uncle Li's medicine. It's not much money, but please accept it as a token of my gratitude."

Dr. Li looked at him for a while.

He then pushed the silver back onto the counter, turned around, walked to the inside of the medicine cabinet, and rummaged around for a long time.

He took out a small, worn-out white porcelain bottle, walked back, and shoved it into Shen Qi's hand.

"The outside world is not like this poor, remote place; people there are treacherous," Doctor Li carefully instructed. "This bottle contains ginseng pills that could save your life; they might come in a critical moment. Take it carefully."

Shen Qi touched the rough surface of the bottle. Without refusing, he put the medicine bottle into his pocket.

He took half a step back and solemnly bowed deeply to Doctor Li.

Turning around, I stepped out of the shop and disappeared into the autumn wind at the street corner.

A sigh came from behind me from Dr. Li.

"Seventh Brother, we've finally made it through..."

After turning two streets, we arrived at Liu Gui's coffin shop.

The shop floor was covered with curled wood shavings, and Liu Gui was rolling up his sleeves, carefully painting a thin coffin.

"Uncle Liu."

Liu Gui turned around and grinned, "Seventh Brother is here! Make yourself at home, I'll finish this job soon."

"I can't sit here any longer, Uncle Liu. I'm leaving town soon."

pat.

The paintbrush in Liu Gui's hand fell to the ground.

His long face was filled with shock. He took a few steps over and grabbed Shen Qi's arm.

"Go? Where to? Have you made some enemies?" Liu Gui hurriedly pulled Shen Qi into the backyard, looked around, and lowered his voice, "Was it caused by those two fierce corpses a few days ago? If it really comes down to it, I'll take you to see the county magistrate..."

"Uncle Liu, you're overthinking it." Shen Qi patted Liu Gui's rough hand to comfort him. "He's been noticed by an official of the imperial court, who said he'd let me find a decent job in a big city. It's better than sewing dead people here for the rest of my life."

Liu Gui's tense shoulders finally relaxed.

Shen Qi took out the brass key to the old house from his sleeve and slapped it into Liu Gui's hand: "I'm entrusting this house to you."

Liu Gui looked at the keys in his hand and sighed.

He turned around and walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), lifted the kang mat, took out a cloth bag from underneath, and took out several large pieces of loose silver.

"Expenses are high outside, so take this with you even if you're poor." Liu Gui insisted on stuffing the silver into Shen Qi's hand.

Shen Qi held the slightly cool silver ingot in his hand, remained silent for a moment, and finally asked, "Uncle Liu, where did we come from back then?"

The original owner had no earlier memories, which was a question that had always lingered in his mind.

Upon hearing this, Liu Gui's brows furrowed tightly. He was lost in thought, his eyes darting around.

"Seventh Brother, we're not from the same place. I met your father on the way to escape famine. You were young then, and you were so sick you were about to die. Your father protected you no matter what. I did ask him where his hometown was, but he wouldn't tell me, so I never asked again."

Shen Qi was not disappointed. He put the silver away, thanked Liu Gui, and took his leave.

The night was dark.

Inside the main room of the Shen family's old house, a cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the door.

Shen Qi lit a pair of white candles, and the dim yellow light illuminated the dark wooden tablet on the offering table.

He set out simple drinks and a plate of sliced ​​cooked meat, and lit three incense sticks.

Wisps of smoke rose into the air.

Shen Qi looked at the memorial tablet and respectfully kowtowed three times.

He got up and blew out the white candle. The main room was plunged into complete darkness.

……

The next morning.

The sky was overcast, and the thin mist had not yet dissipated.

Shen Qi carried a gray cloth bundle and slowly walked towards the town gate.

From afar, a black-awning horse-drawn carriage could be seen quietly parked by the roadside.

The two horses pulling the cart were exceptionally fine, snorting loudly.

Zhou Wenyuan changed into a brocade robe and stood with his hands behind his back beside the carriage shaft.

Seeing Shen Qi approach, Zhou Wenyuan nodded slightly and handed over a hard paper document stamped with the official seal.

"The documents are ready," Zhou Wenyuan said with a smile, looking at Shen Qi.

"Even if you want to go back to Qingping Town in the future, I'm afraid you won't be able to see its value anymore."

"Thank you, sir." Shen Qi tucked the document into his robes and stepped onto the carriage.

At this moment, the heavy city gate finally opened slowly with the sound of the winch.

"Open the city gates!" the city guard shouted, yawning.

The two merchants who had been complaining in the teahouse a few days ago were now driving their mule carts, laden with goods, happily and cursing as they rushed out of the city gate.

"Finally they've let them through! My goods were about to go moldy!"

The carriage quietly departed amidst their noisy chatter.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a monotonous rumbling sound, and drove forward along the official road.

Before long, a burly man walked towards them.

The man carried a small wild boar he had just hunted on his shoulder, and a large bag of wild rabbits and pheasants slung over his back. His face was covered in sweat, and he walked with a brisk pace.

It was Chen Liu, the hunter from West Street.

Shen Qi sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, and subconsciously looked up at the top of Chen Liu's head.

Amidst a tangled mass of gray and white life threads, a few thin strands of dark red remnants were interspersed.

Shen Qi lowered the carriage curtain and leaned against the hard wooden board of the carriage.

Chen Liu was indeed the last person listed in the "Tracing the Pulse Record".

Outside the car window, Chen Liu was completely unaware of everything that was happening in the town.

He bowed his head in awe and moved aside to the side of the road. He felt that this exquisite carriage belonged to a high-ranking official and that he should give way, letting the carriage kick up a cloud of dust in front of him.

Afterwards, he wiped the sweat from his face with a simple and honest expression, carried the wild boar and strode back to town, feeling quite pleased with his bountiful harvest that day.

The carriage went further and further away.

The outline of Qingping Town was completely blurred in the thin mist.