This Person Is Extraordinary

Xie An stopped about ten meters away from Zhang Biao and observed him for a while. Once he confirmed the other party's brain matter was flowing out, he moved closer. He kicked Zhang Biao's corpse, which lay like a dead fish, twice before sitting down and gasping for air.

Huff, huff.

"That confrontation really took it out of me. Is this what a martial artist in the initial Bronze Skin Realm is like? Truly troublesome!"

Xie An felt that if it were a close-quarters, bare-handed fight, he would have had absolute confidence in crushing the opponent with sheer strength.

But the other party was skilled in swordsmanship, while he himself was not proficient with weapons. If it had come to a real close-quarters battle, he might have actually been killed.

"Becoming a martial artist through the Health Cultivation Technique and then wielding lethal force... it's still too slow. That Old Mr. Tang probably accumulated decades of experience before becoming a Martial Master through health cultivation. If I don't want to wait for decades, I still need to practice martial arts."

Xie An had killed Zhang Bing, Lu Wei, Zhang Wei, Li Wei, Wang Wu, and A San on his way here. However, no confrontation had ever left him as exhausted as today.

Although Xie An knew from the start that he could win decisively, the confrontation lasted nearly half an hour, and the process was agonizing.

Killing a Bronze Skin Realm martial artist was this difficult.

Ultimately, his strength was still too weak.

The Health Cultivation Technique was fine for strengthening the body and extending life.

For killing techniques, he still needed to practice martial arts.

If his strength were sufficient, why would he need all these detours?

"Once I join the White Feather Hall and save up some money, I'll start practicing martial arts."

Xie An made up his mind and then stretched his limbs. He rummaged through Zhang Biao's belongings.

Good heavens... Zhang Biao, who would casually demand five hundred or two thousand taels, only had ten taels of silver on him.

He was such a blowhard...

After searching for money and not finding any martial arts manuals, Xie An turned and left.

The arrows were ordinary items Xie An had bought on the market. Leaving them at the scene wouldn't arouse suspicion.

Attacking Zhang Biao on New Year's Eve was not originally part of Xie An's plan.

He had intended to develop his strength for a few more months before making a move. However, Zhang Biao had been acting up a lot lately, suspecting him and even having Constable Liu He interrogate his own disciple.

Xie An worried that if this guy continued to stir up trouble, he might actually uncover some clues.

To avoid any further complications, I had no choice but to reluctantly act.

He returned to the small house behind the pawnshop's backyard, and it was already the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).

The sky had not yet brightened.

The room was warm because the stove was still lit. The two young disciples were still sleeping soundly, emitting even snores.

Xie An had just killed someone, a Bronze Skin Realm martial artist at that. His heart was still racing with excitement, and he had no intention of sleeping. To avoid disturbing his two disciples' sweet dreams, Xie An didn't practice the Five Animal Play. Instead, he sat down and began practicing the Fetal Breathing Technique.

Huff, huff.

He suppressed his breathing, preventing it from entering through his mouth and nose, imagining his Mingmen and Dantian merging. After a brief pause, he exhaled the qi from his lower Dantian up to the Xuan Guan acupoint...

This was the second form of the Three Styles Method, the Fetal Breathing circulation method of the Heavenly Phoenix Form.

After a moment, Xie An found his state and began imagining breathing through his navel, guiding his intention from the perineum along the Ren meridian up to his navel. While exhaling, he focused his intent on his navel.

This was the third form of the Three Styles Method, the Fetal Breathing method of the Navel Yin Style.

After several months of cultivation, Xie An had achieved initial adaptation to the Fetal Breathing Technique. Although there was still a gap before he could breathe without using his nose and mouth, he had already reached the threshold of entry.

[Fetal Breathing Technique: Three Styles Method (93/100)]

"I'm close to a breakthrough. I wonder if it will increase my lifespan after the breakthrough... and if I'll be able to breathe without using my nose and mouth?"

The next day was the first day of the New Year.

All things were reviving, full of vitality.

Spring Festival was the most important festival of the year in the Great Qian Dynasty. The imperial court attached great importance to it, designating the first day of the first lunar month as "Yuan Ri" and holding activities such as New Year greetings and reunion dinners. It also stipulated a seven-day holiday for Spring Festival, with the system of "nine days of vigorous activity and one day of rest."

Therefore, Wuqiao Town on the first day was not bustling. All the shops were closed, and the shopkeepers and their employees had gone home to be with their wives, children, and warm hearths.

Business at the Blood Ridge Black Market was also much reduced, appearing rather deserted.

As the guard executive of the Blood Ridge Black Market, Zhang Lin still had to remain on duty. He was responsible for maintaining order at the Blood Ridge Black Market and protecting the property and goods there. Several of his trusted subordinates also stayed behind with him.

At last night's New Year's Eve dinner, Zhang Lin and his subordinates had drunk too much and woken up late in the morning.

Just as Zhang Lin finished his breakfast, he saw Zhou Xing rush in frantically, holding a saber.

"Boss, something terrible has happened."

Zhang Lin couldn't help but scold, "It's the first day of the New Year, and you're rushing around like this. What kind of behavior is that? What happened?"

Zhou Xing, out of breath, his face pale, and his voice trembling, said, "Executive Zhang Biao... has been killed."

"What?"

Zhang Lin, who was usually calm, lost his composure and stood up abruptly. "Are... are you sure?"

"Confirmed. I saw Deacon Zhang Biao's body on the mountain path during my patrol this morning."

"Quick, take me to see him."

Zhang Lin, no longer caring about appearances, followed Zhou Xing out of the house in a hurry, seeming even more agitated than Zhou Xing.

For years, Zhang Biao had been his arch-nemesis. Besides ideological differences, they also had a personal vendetta. Although Zhang Lin considered himself slightly stronger than Zhang Biao and looked down on him for being a well-connected individual, Zhang Biao had powerful backing. There was nothing Zhang Lin could do about it. That's why he had repeatedly extended olive branches to Xie An, even hinting at his intentions, hoping to use Xie An to get rid of Zhang Biao.

However, after Xie An repeatedly declined, he realized that the old man was very cautious and didn't hold out much hope.

He never expected that shortly after the New Year... Zhang Biao would be dead.

This New Year's gift was perhaps too timely.

But before seeing Zhang Biao's body, Zhang Lin still couldn't believe it.

It wasn't until... Zhang Lin truly saw Zhang Biao's corpse on the mountain path that he dared to believe it was all real.

"Boss, who would be so bold as to assassinate an elder of the White Feather Hall... are they insane?" Zhou Xing's face was pale. Although he hadn't joined the White Feather Hall for long, he knew that throughout Qingwu County, there were very few forces daring enough to mess with the Tiger Wolf Gate.

Killing an elder was by no means a small matter.

Zhang Lin began to carefully examine the scene.

Watching his boss rush back and forth, Zhou Xing couldn't help but ask curiously, "Boss, what are you doing?"

"I want to see how Zhang Biao died."

Zhou Xing was shocked, "How did he die?"

Zhang Lin, based on the remaining traces at the scene, analyzed the situation of Zhang Biao's death in his mind. "Zhang Biao must have been passing by alone on horseback. The initial hoof prints were slow, indicating Zhang Biao hadn't sensed any danger and was just leisurely riding. The hoof prints suddenly quickened... he must have been shot at, and the horse got startled. But Zhang Biao wasn't hit."

Zhou Xing listened, stunned and very interested, "And then?"

Zhang Lin said, "Then... the horse's head was pierced. The killer used a heavy bow, shooting the horse first."

"And then?"

"Then Zhang Biao hid behind a poplar tree, and they circled each other in a stalemate..." Zhang Lin, based on the traces at the scene, had deduced almost the entire situation.

After listening, Zhou Xing couldn't help but gasp, "This killer is a ruthless veteran! He killed Zhang Biao so effortlessly."

Even Zhang Lin couldn't help but admire him, "From the very beginning, Zhang Biao's every move was calculated by the opponent. This killer is like an experienced hunter, with vicious and steady methods; this person is extraordinary."

Zhou Xing felt a chill of fear, "Then I'll have someone investigate the killer now."

Slap.

Zhang Lin suddenly smacked Zhou Xing on the head, "Investigate the killer for what? It's nothing more than bandits acting out due to the scarcity of food in the harsh winter. Deacon Zhang Biao was carrying a large sum of money and became a target for bandits."

Zhou Xing's mouth hung open. He thought, this doesn't look like the work of bandits at all; it clearly looks like the work of a seasoned assassin.

Zhang Lin glared at him, "Huh? Do you have a better idea?"

Zhou Xing suddenly came to his senses and quickly shook his head like a rattle drum, "No, no. Boss is right. It was definitely bandits from Great Yin Mountain."

Zhang Lin nodded with satisfaction, "A killer like this is not someone you or I can investigate. Don't go looking for trouble. Take the horse and Zhang Biao's body back and report it according to what we just discussed."