Becoming a martial arts god starting from the mortician.

"This... sir, I'm just a mortician..."

Shen Qi adopted a very humble attitude.

"That thief even managed to assassinate Lord Wang. If I were to face him, I'm afraid I wouldn't even have time to call for help."

Looking at Shen Qi's reaction, Zhou Wenyuan sighed softly, his expression softening.

He reached out and patted Shen Qi on the shoulder.

"Don't be afraid," Zhou Wenyuan said gently. "The rules of the Dayan Dynasty are very strict. We, the messengers, only know the number of people recorded in the 'Pulse Tracking Records' of each town, but we have no right to check their specific names and identities."

"Now that Wang Shou has been murdered, the list has fallen into the hands of thieves. I am in the open, and they are in the dark. I have no way of knowing who the next victim will be, so I have no choice but to resort to this desperate measure."

"If that evil man hadn't remained silent, I would never have let someone as exceptional as you, a talent that comes along only once in a century, take such a dangerous risk."

He walked around the courtyard for a couple of steps, his hands behind his back.

"Two people are already dead in town. Zhao the Cripple and Sun the Blacksmith. As far as I know, there is at least one other person in this town with a low-grade martial vein. That evil man has the roster, so he naturally knows who this last person is."

Shen Qi lowered his head, staring at the bluestone slabs beneath his feet, remaining silent.

He certainly knew who the last person was.

In Wang Laosan's memory, there were only three names on the roster.

They are Zhao the Cripple, Chen the Blacksmith, and Chen Liu, a hunter whose home is on West Street.

However, Chen Liu went hunting in the mountains a few days ago, and his return date is uncertain.

Even if the murderer turned the town upside down, they wouldn't find him, so they couldn't take action.

But he couldn't tell Zhou Wenyuan about it.

Putting aside how to gain his trust, the mere fact that he could read the memories of the dead is something he simply cannot bring himself to say.

After all, this is truly appalling.

Zhou Wenyuan stopped and continued his analysis: "Those who possess martial veins, even if they are of inferior quality, as long as they are not like you who have been infiltrated by yin energy, are mostly full of vitality and can easily live to a ripe old age. Furthermore, our dynasty has extremely strict household registration control. Without proper documentation, it is impossible for ordinary people to leave their place of origin."

He turned around and looked at Shen Qi.

"I'm certain that the evil man is still in town. That evil technique is extremely vicious; once someone practices it, they will be unable to suppress their greed for martial veins. The thief won't leave Qingping Town easily until he has drained the martial veins of everyone on the roster. He must be lurking in the shadows, waiting for his chance."

"Therefore, I need you to act as bait to lure him out of his hole."

The old locust tree rustled in the night wind, and a few withered leaves twirled and fell.

Shen Qi shivered as the wind blew.

He knew it in his heart.

Faced with a martial artist who could shatter stone tablets with a mere wave of his hand, he had no right to refuse.

Mr. Zhou appeared to be discussing the matter, but in reality, he had no room for rebuttal.

For now, we can only trust him.

"This humble one... will leave it entirely to you, sir." Shen Qi gritted his teeth and bowed his head in agreement.

Zhou Wenyuan nodded in satisfaction and continued, "The Surveillance Bureau has always been more lenient towards those who practice evil arts, preferring to kill a thousand innocent people rather than let one guilty person go free. Those who practice evil arts would never dare to commit crimes in public; they mostly act at night."

"From tonight onwards, I will conceal my inner energy and lie in wait around you," Zhou Wenyuan said firmly. "Rest assured, as long as that evil man dares to show himself, I can kill him with a single palm strike. I will never let you get hurt."

After saying that, Zhou Wenyuan flipped his wrist and took out a delicate white porcelain bottle from his sleeve.

He pulled out the cork and poured out a bright red pill the size of a longan.

"This is the Crimson Blood Pill issued by the Observatory. Although your qi and blood are strong, your foundation is too weak. This pill can help stabilize your qi and blood and make up for the deficiency."

Zhou Wenyuan handed the pills to Shen Qi.

Shen Qi accepted it with both hands.

The pills were not smooth, and as soon as you touched them, a fishy smell hit your nose.

Just a whiff of it makes you feel your blood and energy surge.

Zhou Wenyuan wanted him as bait, so he would never harm him now.

"Thank you for the medicine, sir." Shen Qi carefully put the pills into his pocket.

Zhou Wenyuan continued, "I will teach you another set of boxing techniques called 'Subduing the Tiger.' Practice diligently these next few days. Firstly, it will strengthen your body and lay a solid foundation. Secondly, it will allow you to defend yourself if you encounter an emergency."

Immediately, Zhou Wenyuan stepped back half a step and assumed a fighting stance.

"Watch closely. The first move of the Tiger Subduing Fist emphasizes sinking the shoulders and dropping the elbows."

He moved very slowly, stepping forward with his left foot and throwing a straight punch from his waist, creating a gust of wind.

"The fist moves in a straight line, and the power originates from the waist."

He practiced each move one by one, completing the first three moves.

Zhou Wenyuan finished his stance and exhaled, then stood still and looked at Shen Qi.

"The path of martial arts is easy to learn but difficult to master. For an ordinary person, just understanding the key points of qi flowing through the waist and hips would take several months." He pointed to the center of the courtyard. "Try to perform it once. Just remember the general framework; I don't expect you to master it in one go."

Shen Qi walked to the middle of the courtyard, but hesitated.

He had practiced the first three moves of the Tiger Subduing Fist for a long time. While he wouldn't say he had mastered them perfectly, he could definitely execute them with seven or eight tenths of their form.

But how should we fight now?

Pretending to be stupid? Deliberately stumbling and making a mess of things?

Shen Qi lowered his eyes and began to make plans in his mind.

No!

Mr. Zhou wanted to use him as bait, and he had no choice but to rely on others. At this time, the more amazing his talent was, the less Zhou Wenyuan wanted him to fail here.

He cannot hide his talents.

Shen Qi opened her eyes.

Step out with your left foot. Sink your shoulders and drop your elbows. Twist your waist and hips sharply.

"call!"

The right fist slammed out straight out, producing a short, muffled blast of air.

Shen Qi did not pause. He withdrew from the first move and immediately launched the second.

With steady steps, the power surges from the soles of the feet all the way up the spine, and then from the shoulders to the fists.

The third move is finished.

Shen Qi stood with his fists clenched, a fine layer of sweat beading on his forehead.

He turned his head and looked at Zhou Wenyuan.

Zhou Wenyuan stood there, his lips slightly parted, but he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

half an hour.

Zhou Wenyuan strode forward and pressed his hands on Shen Qi's shoulders with such force that Shen Qi's knees buckled.

"good!"

Zhou Wenyuan stared into Shen Qi's eyes, his eyes filled with surprise.

"Your martial arts skills and comprehension are both excellent. Shen Qi, you have truly broadened my horizons."

Shen Qi lowered his head, looking completely at a loss.

"Don't worry." Zhou Wenyuan released his grip, his tone even more sincere. "I, Zhou Wenyuan, swear on my life that I will never let you get hurt. Once this matter is over, I will personally escort you to the prefectural government so you can see the vastness of the world."

He paused, then didn't continue.

Neither he nor Shen Qi were fools.

Some things don't need to be said too definitively.

"Alright, it's getting late, get some rest." Zhou Wenyuan glanced at the sky; the courtyard was completely shrouded in night. "Starting tomorrow, go outside more often."

As soon as he finished speaking, he lightly touched the ground with his toes.

Shen Qi felt a blur before his eyes.

When he looked again, he was the only one left in the yard.

A few withered leaves twirled down from the top of the wall and landed lightly on the bluestone slab.