As Zhang the Butcher spoke at length, the vast world of the martial arts gradually took shape in Shen Yi's mind.
The swordsmen of Qingfeng Mountain, with their chivalrous and tender hearts, galloped across nine mountains and ten rivers, slaying the Ox Demon to rescue a beloved concubine.
A family of over twenty members was finally reunited, and they stayed indoors for three days and nights, their fame resounding throughout Qingzhou.
The flying thief of Pingsha Valley sneaked into the prince's mansion at night, drank the prince's favorite fine wine, processed it in his body, and then returned it in the form of urine, earning himself the nickname "Borrow and Return."
The master of the Diamond Sect begged for two spring paintings of beautiful women and secretly hung them on either side of a Buddha statue.
When the prefect came to burn incense, he was astounded.
The abbot chased the master out of Qingzhou with a staff, and he fled to Baiyun County...
Shen Yi's expression turned strange.
Zhang the Butcher smacked his lips, "Anyway, I've offended people, and they're withholding my martial arts treasures. Before I leave, I might as well annoy them a bit."
"Fair enough."
Shen Yi glanced at the courtyard gate.
The entire morning passed without a single outsider visiting the duty room.
Although he wasn't afraid of being questioned by others, the fact that the matter of beheading Liu the Clerk had been so lightly dismissed left him somewhat unsettled.
With nothing to worry about, he felt light-hearted.
Occasionally, he chatted with Zhang the Butcher, and in his spare time, they sparred.
Zhang was also a martial arts fanatic.
Even though he knew Shen Yi was far stronger, he was still full of fighting spirit.
Shen Yi only used the Cloud-Parting Long Fist and the Eight Steps of the Spirit Snake to spar with him.
It must be said, the gains were quite significant.
Proficiency in martial arts and real combat experience are not the same.
Not only must one know how to execute their own moves, but they must also anticipate the enemy's reactions.
Although the improvement wasn't as fast as gaining lifespan by slaying demons, the area around Baiyun County was already on high alert, and no demons were attacking.
As far as Shen Yi knew, there were only two demon lairs: the Green Scale Matron and the North Cliff Fox Demon.
The Green Scale Matron was a famous Jade Liquid Realm demon.
Going out of the city alone to confront her could either mean gaining lifespan or losing his life.
He also asked Zhang if there were any scattered minor demons.
Zhang gave him a puzzled look, "Even the thugs in the city know to form gangs and divide territories, otherwise they can't grab money. If you were a demon, would you let strange demons stay in your territory to hunt for food? Either recruit them or crush them on the spot."
"In such a situation, if a demon can survive alone, how could it be an unknown minor demon?"
"..."
Shen Yi temporarily gave up on this idea.
Whenever he had a moment of insight, he would return to his room, using the excuse of drinking water to slightly use the panel to deduce martial arts.
After his duty, he would take the vegetables and raw meat that Chen Ji had bought for him and go home.
This routine repeated, and five days passed in a flash.
During this time, the duty room was as quiet as if everyone had forgotten about it, which made Chen Ji somewhat uneasy.
Zhang the Butcher, however, was pleased.
No visitors meant no one was suffering from demonic troubles.
He just had the constables patrol the streets more diligently and occasionally go to the countryside to check, to avoid any oversights.
"Today it's water bamboo shoots and lettuce. As you requested, I asked the butcher to save two pounds of lamb ribs. Here's the change."
Chen Ji returned from patrolling the streets and placed the items on the table.
"Alright, go back. I'll close up today."
Shen Yi pocketed the copper coins and looked at the reminder on the panel, feeling slightly pleased.
Although the gains these days weren't as significant as the Four Harmonies True Aura, the lifespan consumed wasn't much either.
First, he combined the Eight Steps of the Spirit Snake with the Heart Ape, resulting in a new footwork technique.
Adding the time it took to deduce it to perfection, it only cost thirty-seven years.
[Initial Realm.
White Ape Plays with Python (Perfected)]
Compared to the Eight Steps of the Spirit Snake, this new martial art not only increased speed but also enhanced short weapon techniques, making it a suitable initial realm martial art for him.
Of course, what Shen Yi looked forward to the most was the Blood Fiend Saber Technique, which finally showed progress after over fifty years of investment.
[Year 54, you attempted to refine Blood Fiend into Aura Fiend.
This step was extremely dangerous, but fortunately, you had fully mastered a True Aura technique, which served as a reference.
You vaguely touched upon that threshold.]
If the deduction succeeded, he would have "personally" created a Jade Liquid Realm martial art, one that had been honed over many years and tailored specifically for him.
Unfortunately, his demon lifespan was running low.
Shen Yi sighed and looked at the Wind and Thunder Demon Subduing True Explanation.
The problem likely lay in the Wind and Thunder Treasure Scroll.
He only had the upper part and had forced a divergent path through self-harm, breaking through to the initial realm.
But he had strayed further and further down this wrong path.
It was a foolish yet flavorful approach.
Over a hundred years of lifespan had been poured into it, yet the result was still the phrase "demanding from heaven and earth."
As if heaven and earth wouldn't get tired.
[Remaining Demon Lifespan: 185 years]
"I'll try again tonight, keeping a hundred years in reserve for emergencies."
Shen Yi dismissed the panel and left the duty room with the lamb ribs.
Over these days, he had tasted various meat dishes, and his palate had become more refined.
His appreciation for Lin Baiwei's cooking skills had grown, which was why he was willing to spend money on good meat.
Even the salted meat buns Chen Ji brought back at noon no longer held much appeal for him.
Compared to the hot soup and rice he had at home every day, the dry flatbread was somewhat hard to swallow, and the meat was too salty.
"Once accustomed to luxury, it's hard to return to simplicity."
Thinking of this, Shen Yi felt a slight pang of guilt and quickened his pace.
Returning to his door, he pushed it open casually.
He didn't see the familiar figure at the back door.
Shen Yi stepped inside, puzzled.
Suddenly, two arms reached around from behind, encircling his waist, fingers interlocking at his abdomen.
The familiar white sleeves, delicate wrists, and a faint fragrance wafted from behind.
"Why did you take so long to come back?"
A delicate face pressed lazily against Shen Yi's arm like a kitten.
Her moist eyes held a hint of reproach, her red lips slightly parted, exhaling a fragrant breath.
Her voice, though soft as a mosquito's hum, was seductive, "I missed you."
Shen Yi lowered his gaze in silence, slightly lifting the lamb ribs in his hand.
Lin Baiwei pressed her ample chest tightly against his straight back, not glancing at the lamb ribs, but staring directly into his eyes, "Why aren't you saying anything? What are you thinking?"
Hearing this, Shen Yi casually dropped the lamb ribs, letting them fall to the ground.
His voice carried a hint of irritation, "I really wanted to play along with you, but your acting is too poor. If I keep pretending not to know, it just makes me look stupid."
"And..."
"And what?"
Lin Baiwei widened her eyes, smiling as she looked up at him.
Shen Yi frowned slightly, disdainfully saying, "Your fox stench is choking me."
As he spoke, his hand fell to the black hilt at his waist.
The dark blade flashed out, a thick blood aura pouring forth with the blade.
The blade's hum was like the wail of a resentful spirit, chilling to the bone.
The woman's pupils contracted slightly, and she quickly retracted her arms.
But no matter how fast her reaction, it couldn't match the speed of the black blade.
In an instant, the sharp blade energy tore through her sleeve, splitting her fair skin.
This powerful strike was about to cleave her delicate body in two!
Until a clear bell chime rang out in the room.
Shen Yi's vision was filled with two flickering bronze bells.
As the bells chimed softly, the black blade seemed to sink into quicksand, freezing in mid-air.
(End of Chapter)