Chapter 43: Further Twists and Turns

As Butcher Zhang chatted on and on.

This vast jianghu gradually took shape in Shen Yi's mind.

The swordsman of Qingfeng Mountain was chivalrous and tender-hearted; he spurred his horse across nine mountains and ten rivers, slew the Bull Demon with all his might to reclaim his beloved concubine, and at last reunited a family of twenty-odd souls. For three days and nights he fought at home without stepping outside, and his fame rang throughout Outside Qingzhou.

The flying thief of Pingsha Valley snuck into Wang Fu at night, drank up the prince's favorite fine wine, brewed it once through his own body, then pissed it back, earning himself the nickname "Borrow and Return."

A grandmaster of the Vajra Sect begged two scrolls of spring-court ladies and secretly hung them on either side of the Buddha statue, giving the Prefect who came to burn incense an eye-opening experience. The abbot chased him out of Outside Qingzhou with a staff, and he fled in disgrace to Bai Yunxian…

Shen Yi's face took on a strange look.

Butcher Zhang smacked his lips. "Anyway, they crossed me, held back my martial arts and precious medicines — before I leave I've got to disgust them one last time."

"Fair enough."

Shen Yi looked toward the courtyard gate.

The entire morning, not a single outsider had come to the duty room.

He wasn't afraid of being called to account, but the matter of slaying Liu Dianli passing so lightly still left him somewhat unaccustomed.

Idle hands, a light heart.

Occasionally he would chat about anything under the sun with Butcher Zhang, and in spare moments they would spar a round.

The other man was a martial arts fanatic too; even knowing Shen Yi was far stronger than himself, his fighting spirit remained full.

Shen Yi only used the Pushing Clouds Long Fist and Spirit Serpent Eight Steps against him, and he had to admit, the gains were still quite decent.

Martial arts proficiency and real combat experience could not be lumped together.

One had to know not only how to deliver one's own moves, but also judge the enemy's reactions.

The improvement wasn't as fast as slaying demons for lifespan, but by now the area around Bai Yunxian had long been on edge, with no demons daring to intrude. As far as Shen Yi knew, there were only two demon lairs — the Green Qilin Old Mother and the North Cliff Fox Demon.

Among them, the Green Qilin Old Mother was a famous Jade Liquid Realm demon; if he rode out of the city alone, it was hard to say whether he'd be going to claim lifespan or to deliver his life.

He also asked Butcher Zhang if there were any scattered lesser demons.

He received a slightly puzzled look. "Even the ruffians running around the city know to gang up and carve out territory, otherwise they can't grab any loot. If you were a demon, would you let a strange demon sit on your turf scrounging for food? Either take it under your command, or crush it on the spot."

"Under such circumstances, if one really could survive alone, how could it be some unknown little demon?"

"…"

Shen Yi temporarily gave up on the idea.

Whenever he had a sudden insight, he would return to his room, use drinking water as an excuse, and quietly let the panel deduce martial arts.

When the office closed, he would pick up the vegetables and raw meat Chen Ji had bought for him and head home.

Repeating this, five days passed in a flash.

During that time the duty room was so quiet it was as if everyone had forgotten it existed, which made Chen Ji a little uneasy.

Butcher Zhang, however, was quite pleased. No one coming through the door meant no one was suffering demon troubles; he only had a few constables patrol the streets more diligently, occasionally going out to the villages to check, so nothing would be missed.

"Today it's water bamboo and lettuce. As you asked, I had the meat seller hold aside two jin of lamb ribs — here's the change." Chen Ji returned from patrol and set the things on the table.

"Alright, go back. I'll lock up today."

Shen Yi pocketed the coppers, looked at the reminder on his panel, and felt a touch of pleasure.

Though these days' gains couldn't compare to the Four Harmony True Gang, the lifespan consumed wasn't much either.

First, combining the Spirit Serpent Eight Steps with the Mind Monkey had produced a new footwork; pushing it all the way to Perfection had cost only thirty-seven years in total.

【Initial Realm. White Ape Plays with Python (Perfection)】

Compared to the Spirit Serpent Eight Steps, this new art was not only faster, it also boosted short weapons — a very suitable Initial Realm art for him.

Of course, what Shen Yi looked forward to most was the Blood Sha Blade Art, into which he had finally fed over fifty years before it stirred.

【Year fifty-four: you attempted to temper Blood Sha into Gang Sha. This step was extremely perilous, but fortunately you had fully mastered a True Gang technique to use as reference, and you faintly touched that threshold.】

If the deduction succeeded, he would have "personally" created a Jade Liquid Realm martial art — one forged over many years, tailored entirely to himself.

Too bad the demon lifespan was nearly spent.

Shen Yi sighed and looked at the Wind and Thunder Demon-Subduing True Explanation.

He guessed the problem still lay with the Wind and Thunder Scroll — he only had the upper volume, and had relied on a crude self-harm method to force out a side path, used it to break through the initial realm, then wandered further and further off course on that side path.

It was almost endearingly stupid: over a hundred years of lifespan poured in, and the answer was still the words "take from heaven and earth."

He wasn't worried about heaven and earth getting tired.

【Remaining demon lifespan: 185 years】

"I'll try again tonight. Keep a hundred years in reserve for emergencies."

Shen Yi dismissed the panel and left the duty room carrying the lamb ribs.

These past days he had tasted all sorts of hearty meat dishes, his palate had grown quite picky, and his opinion of Lin Baiwei's cooking had risen higher and higher — only now did he feel it worth spending money on good cuts.

Even the salted meat sandwich Chen Ji brought back at noon couldn't really pique his interest.

Set against the hot soup and rice waiting for him at home each day, that unleavened flatbread was rather hard to swallow, and the meat was too salty.

"It's hard to go from luxury to frugality."

Thinking of this, Shen Yi reproached himself slightly, then quickened his steps a little.

Reaching his door, he pushed it open casually.

He didn't see that familiar figure at the back door.

Shen Yi stepped forward, puzzled.

Suddenly two arms slipped around from behind his waist, encircling it, fingers interlocking over his lower belly.

Familiar white sleeves, slender wrists, a wisp of body fragrance curling around him from behind.

"Why are you only just back?"

A delicate face pressed against Shen Yi's arm like a lazy kitten; dewy eyes held a hint of reproach, red lips slightly parted, breath like orchid, voice mosquito-thin yet soft and bewitching: "I missed you."

Shen Yi fell silent, lowered his gaze, and slightly lifted the lamb ribs in his hand.

Lin Baiwei pressed her heavy heart tightly against his straight back, not glancing at the lamb chop even once, only staring fixedly into his eyes: "Why aren't you saying anything? What are you thinking?"

Hearing this, Shen Yi casually released the lamb rib, letting it crash to the ground, a hint of irritation in his voice: "I actually quite wanted to keep playing along with you, but your acting is too terrible—if I keep pretending I don't know, it really makes me look stupid."

"Also…"

"Also what?"

Lin Baiwei's eyes went wide, and she looked up with a beaming smile.

Shen Yi's brow tip creased slightly as he said with contempt: "Your fox stench is choking me."

As his voice fell, five fingers landed on the dark blade hilt at his waist; the blade, gleaming with a black sheen, slid from its sheath in an instant, dense bloodthirst pouring out along with the body of the blade.

The blade's hum was like a vengeful ghost's lament, seizing the heart and soul.

The woman's pupils contracted slightly, and she swiftly drew back both arms.

But no matter how fast her reaction, how could it compare to that black blade—in a flash, the sharp blade Qi tore her sleeve robe and split open her Bai Xi skin.

This one slash, mighty in force and weight, was actually meant to cleave this delicate body straight through horizontally!

Until a crisp chime of a bell rang out within the room.

Two drifting copper bells appeared in Shen Yi's line of sight; as the bells rang softly, the black blade was as if mired in a swamp, stagnating in mid-air.

(End of chapter)