Zhang Dahu held his breath, his face tense.
Was this trouble?
Should he quietly inform the other guards? He couldn’t shake the feeling that Officer Shen might be crushed by this brute with a single slap.
Chen Ji also sensed something amiss.
Could it be that despite the man’s polite words, he was actually here to avenge Shou Toutuo?
“Well?”
The butcher tilted his neck, his thick, calloused fingers flicking away the grass root he’d been chewing on.
Shen Yi remained silent, his gaze steady.
The man’s eyes were simple, devoid of any provocation, filled only with a blazing fighting spirit.
He slowly turned to the side, exhaling softly. “Come.”
As soon as the word left his lips, the butcher’s leg shot out.
A stone lock weighing three to four hundred pounds flew like a clay pellet from a slingshot, whistling through the air as it hurtled toward Shen Yi’s upright figure.
The sheer force and speed of the attack left no time for anyone to react.
Shen Yi glanced at the courtyard wall behind him, clenched his right hand into a fist, and swung it forward.
The stone lock shattered into dust upon impact with his fist.
“I see now. You really do care about your money.”
The dust from the shattered stone momentarily obscured vision, but the butcher’s massive frame had already appeared behind Shen Yi.
His thick arms whipped down like iron chains.
If that strike had landed, Shen Yi’s shoulder blades would have been shattered more thoroughly than the stone lock.
Shen Yi remained calm, slightly crouching to dodge the attack.
At the same time, he drove his elbow upward with all his strength, smashing it into the butcher’s stubbly chin.
With a dull thud, Shen Yi’s expression finally shifted slightly.
The butcher staggered back two steps, the entire courtyard trembling under his weight.
He rubbed his jaw, grinning as if nothing had happened. “Quick reflexes.”
An elbow strike that could shatter a demon’s bones had only forced him back two steps.
While others couldn’t see the significance, Chen Ji’s pupils contracted.
Just yesterday, Officer Shen had kicked a tiger demon to the ground, causing it to vomit blood.
What kind of monster was this fat man?
“…”
But Shen Yi’s unease stemmed from something else.
That elbow strike had been infused with the energy from his acupoints.
He hadn’t expected to take the man down in one move, but… how had this martial artist from Qingzhou withstood the blow without even channeling his own energy?
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Shen Yi’s body moved like a ghost, his movements enhanced by the Eight Steps of the Spirit Snake.
The butcher, despite his speed, couldn’t overcome the disadvantage of his massive frame.
He couldn’t even see his own toes when he looked down, his field of vision limited.
Yet, there was no panic in his eyes.
He allowed Shen Yi to land several punches, his greasy skin as tough as layers of cowhide.
Seizing an opportunity, the butcher reached to his waist and drew a pitch-black butcher’s knife, slashing it downward with blinding speed.
But the knife struck empty air.
Shen Yi seized the moment, kicking the butcher in the side before he could recover.
The massive figure crashed to the ground, startling the Niu brothers, who scrambled away like frightened rabbits.
“Boring! Boring!”
“Such crude fist techniques, no matter how well you use them, are useless. Honestly, they’re not even enough to warm me up.”
The butcher, covered in dust, got back to his feet, his gaze fixed on Shen Yi’s waist.
He licked his lips. “Draw your blade. I saw it yesterday. Don’t think you can hide it.”
Hearing this, Shen Yi rubbed his wrist, then reached for the hilt of his sword.
He had thought this was just a sparring match, but given the butcher’s sturdy physique, continuing with just the Cloud-Parting Fist would indeed be pointless.
In the next moment, a flash of silver light streaked through the air, accompanied by a red mist!
“Now we’re talking!” The butcher finally grew excited, crossing his arms to meet the attack.
The blade came down, clashing with a metallic ring.
A white mark appeared on the butcher’s greasy skin.
“Is this guy a turtle spirit?” Chen Ji’s eyes widened, his breathing quickening.
But the butcher’s smile gradually faded as he stared at his arm. “Impressive blade work…”
Before he could finish, the sword, carrying a ferocious aura, came slashing down relentlessly.
The butcher blocked three strikes in quick succession, but on the fourth, he suddenly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.
In full view of everyone, he waved his hands frantically. “Stop! Give me a moment!”
Shen Yi slowly halted his steps.
Chen Ji was still confused.
How had the fight ended so quickly?
His gaze fell on the butcher’s raised arm, and a chill ran down his spine.
The previous strikes had all landed in the same spot, a testament to Shen Yi’s precision with the blade.
What truly shocked him was that the white mark from earlier was now covered in a red mist.
Within a few breaths, the skin had been stripped away, revealing glimpses of bone.
Sweat beaded on the butcher’s forehead as he gritted his teeth, channeling his energy to slowly dispel the red mist.
After a long while, he finally looked up, exhaling in relief.
“This technique… it’s not something a good person would use.”
“I like it!”
Shen Yi frowned, puzzled as to why the butcher hadn’t used his energy to defend earlier.
The butcher, now excited, slapped his belly and shouted, “What do you think?”
Shen Yi nodded. “Impressive body-tempering skills.”
“Want to learn?” The butcher’s eyes flicked toward Shen Yi’s sword.
“Officer Shen, no!” Chen Ji, who usually knew his place, couldn’t help but speak up.
The relationship between the imperial court and the martial sects was far more complicated than most realized.
Accepting something from them wasn’t something you could easily walk away from.
“Tsk, why the rush?”
Interrupted by the guard, the butcher wasn’t angry.
He smiled magnanimously. “I came here with a purpose, though it’s not exactly honorable. But I’m not here to harm Officer Shen.”
He walked over to Shen Yi and whispered, “Your blade technique… did you derive it from the Demon-Slaying Saber Art?”
Shen Yi looked at him, slightly surprised.
“Heh, I’ve seen too much. It felt familiar at a glance.” The butcher raised an eyebrow. “The martial arts of the Demon-Suppression Bureau—I wouldn’t dare touch them even if they were handed to me. But a self-created technique? There aren’t so many rules. Coincidentally, I’ve had some insights of my own. How about we exchange?”
Shen Yi felt a sudden temptation.
If he could possess the butcher’s physique, he wouldn’t have panicked during last night’s encounter with the snake woman.
After a moment, he turned and decided to be honest. “I have no objections, but this blade technique might not be something you can learn.”
The butcher paused, then chuckled. “Of course, I know. Such a sinister technique isn’t something a government official like you would normally come across. You probably derived it from the corrupted essence of some demon.”
“Only someone desperate or a martial arts fanatic would do something so foolish.”
“Just make the exchange. Why worry about whether others can master it?”
Seeing the two delve into martial arts discussion, Chen Ji ushered the remaining bewildered guards out of the courtyard.
He then followed, gently closing the gate behind him.
(End of Chapter)