Becoming a martial arts god starting from the mortician.

Shen Qi held his breath, then cautiously peeked out and observed the battle in mid-air through the gap between the door panels.

Dark clouds scattered across the sky.

In mid-air, the evil cultivator's face was contorted with rage, and his entire body churned with murderous aura. This old dog had been severely injured by Jiang Xinyue's enraged attack, and was clearly now in a frenzy.

"Die!" he roared, his arms suddenly flailing, and he spread his wings like a roc, lunging towards Jiang Xinyue.

Jiang Xinyue neither dodged nor avoided the attack; her tattered blue robe billowed in the wind as she charged straight at it!

"Snap!"

Jiang Xinyue forcefully withstood the evil cultivator's full-force attack using her left shoulder.

The evil cultivator, having just landed a successful blow, hadn't even had time to laugh wildly when his expression suddenly changed drastically. He was horrified to discover that his claw, powerful enough to pierce through metal and stone, was firmly stuck in Jiang Xinyue's shoulder blade and he couldn't pull it out!

Taking advantage of the moment when he was exchanging injury for life, Jiang Xinyue had already pressed herself right up to his face.

"No!" The evil cultivator's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he let out a shrill scream and desperately twisted his body, trying to escape.

It's too late.

Jiang Xinyue unleashed both palms simultaneously. The azure energy surged forth like an angry dragon emerging from the sea, directly striking the evil cultivator's chest.

"Pfft!"

Jiang Xinyue's palms crushed the evil cultivator's sternum, bursting out from his back and bringing with them a spray of thick black blood!

As the qi surged forth, the evil cultivator's physical body shattered in mid-air, turning into a mist of blood that scattered and fell to the ground.

The life thread on the top of his head snapped abruptly the moment his physical body shattered, and then quickly dissipated into the air.

In mid-air, Jiang Xinyue swayed, her left arm hanging limply, clearly broken. Blood dripped from her sleeve, staining half of her blue robe crimson.

Without taking any breath adjustment, he crashed straight down onto the battlefield below like a meteorite.

"Boom!" His feet stomped on the bluestone slabs at the crossroads, leaving two deep pits and sending gravel flying.

The commander-in-chief enters the battle.

The black-robed evil cultivators, who were still frantically slaughtering in the street, paused and turned around in unison. Upon seeing Jiang Xinyue coughing up blood with serious injuries, a greedy green light immediately flashed in the eyes of these desperados.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 20 ...

"Kill him! Slaughter him and extract his martial meridians!"

The four or five closest evil cultivators roared and pounced on them.

Jiang Xinyue didn't care at all. She simply raised her intact right hand, pointed her fingers like a knife, and made a slash in the air.

A crescent-shaped beam of azure energy swept out horizontally.

With a soft "hiss," the three evil cultivators at the forefront stopped abruptly. They remained in their forward-attacking posture, but their eyes froze instantly.

The next moment, the bodies of the three evil cultivators were cleanly severed into several pieces. Their upper bodies slid to the ground, their internal organs and blood splattering everywhere.

The remaining two evil cultivators were so frightened that their shoes left two white marks on the bluestone slab. They stopped abruptly and scrambled to their feet, then turned and ran away.

Jiang Xinyue's swift and decisive actions completely shattered the psychological defenses of the remaining evil cultivators.

Seeing their commander display such divine might, the soldiers of the Surveillance Bureau and the patrol battalion were greatly encouraged. The previously compressed formation instantly rebounded, and the warriors roared as they reformed into a tight array of swords and spears, launching a counterattack.

"Kill these bastards!"

On the outer streets, the dull thud of hooves rolled like thunder. He Shan's heavily armored cavalry had completed the encirclement. Several black-robed evil cultivators who tried to escape by scaling the wall, seeing the situation was dire, were immediately pinned to the brick wall by spears that came flying through the air.

The situation completely reversed, turning into a one-sided massacre.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, not a single black-robed figure remained standing on the main street. Limbs and severed bodies littered the ground, and the pungent stench of blood filled the air.

"Seal off the inner city gates. Not a single bird is allowed to escape." Jiang Xinyue stood in a pool of blood at the crossroads, her voice weak yet filled with chilling murderous intent. "Mobilize manpower, clear the streets, and collect the bodies of our fallen brothers. Lead men to search house to house; kill anyone who resists or acts suspiciously on the spot!"

"Yes, sir!"

The shouts of battle outside gradually subsided, replaced by the heavy footsteps of armored soldiers and the sounds of carrying corpses.

Shen Qi loosened her grip on the door panel.

He let out a long breath, feeling a chill run down his back; his undershirt was already soaked with cold sweat. He turned around and, in the dim light, walked towards the back of the counter.

From the corner where the grain sacks were piled up, came the soft sound of clothes rubbing together.

Yan Qing's fingers twitched unconsciously twice. Then, he let out a painful groan and slowly opened his heavy eyelids.

He braced himself against the cold brick floor with one hand, struggling to sit up. His vision blurred, and Yan Qing shook his head vigorously, finally regaining his focus after a long while.

Yan Qing's gaze slowly shifted, finally landing on Shen Qi, who was standing a few steps away.

He was stunned at first, and then his memories before he lost consciousness flashed through his mind: the restaurant collapsed, the guards died tragically... He thought he was going to die for sure, but now he was hiding safely in this secluded grain shop.

The calm-looking young man in front of him was looking down at him.

Yan Qing was quick-witted and immediately realized that it was this person in front of her who had pulled her back from the brink of death.

He didn't rush to speak. Instead, he gripped the edge of the mahogany counter, gritted his teeth, and forced his trembling legs to straighten up. He glanced down at his cotton robe, which was covered in mud and dust, and forcefully brushed away the dirt, straightening the hem. Even in this state of disgrace, the dignity of a noble young master remained intact.

Then, he clasped his hands together, straightened his back, and bowed deeply to Shen Qi.

"My name is Yan Qing." Yan Qing's voice was dry and hoarse, yet it was filled with utmost solemnity. "The debt of gratitude for saving my life is as heavy as Mount Tai. If it weren't for your help, I'm afraid I would not have survived today."

Shen Qi subtly shifted his feet, turning half his body aside without leaving a trace, and only received a half-bow.

He glanced at Yan Qing's head out of the corner of his eye.

Making friends with such a lucky person would be beneficial and harmless to him.

"It was nothing," Shen Qi said calmly. "Young Master Yan is a lucky man. Even without me, he wouldn't have died."

Yan Qing shook his head. He straightened up, his eyes clear and resolute.

"The debt of gratitude for saving my life is as heavy as Mount Tai. I am by no means an ungrateful person." As Yan Qing spoke, he reached out and took off a mutton-fat jade pendant hanging from his waist.

The jade pendant has excellent color and is carved with intricate cloud patterns. In the center is an ancient-style character "晏".

He stepped forward and handed the jade pendant to Shen Qi.

"The city is in chaos today, and I am truly worried about my family and relatives back home. I must return immediately and cannot linger here." Yan Qing looked into Shen Qi's eyes, his tone sincere. "Please accept this jade pendant as a token. I also hope you will tell me your name; once the situation stabilizes, the Yan family will surely reward you handsomely!"

Shen Qi didn't hesitate and took the jade pendant. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, clearly a valuable item.

"Shen Qi from the Observatory, Young Master Yan, please take care." Shen Qi casually stuffed the jade pendant into his pocket and casually reminded him, "Although there are armored soldiers cleaning the streets outside, it's hard to guarantee there aren't any rats that have escaped. Be careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, Lord Shen. I will take my leave now."

Yan Qing bowed deeply once more, then turned and pushed open the back door of the grain shop. A cold wind rushed in, causing his clothes to flutter. Without the slightest hesitation, he plunged into the alley and hurried towards the Yan residence.