Murder and Robbery?

The next morning.

The atmosphere in the Miscellaneous Room Courtyard's mess hall was somewhat oppressive.

"Did you hear? Wang Tiedan is dead."

"Dead? Wasn't he just... his bones were broken yesterday?"

"Sigh, someone ambushed him on the way home last night, smashed his head in. How tragic... I heard his wife went mad on the spot, running around the streets in the middle of the night, who knows where she went."

Everyone lowered their voices, discussing, occasionally glancing at the corner with fearful eyes.

There, Huang Dazui was lounging with his legs crossed, a wide grin on his face.

He reached out, took a steamed bun from Xu Dadao's bowl next to him, and mumbled while chewing, "Yo, Xu Dadao, this bun is too hard, let me taste it for you. Look at your complexion, didn't sleep well? Haha!"

Xu Dadao clenched his fists, his face flushed red, but ultimately he didn't dare to speak, just lowered his head silently.

Lin Guanhuo sat not far away, calmly drinking his thin porridge.

Wang Tiedan was dead.

He didn't need to guess who did it.

Lin Guanhuo's heart didn't stir much, he didn't even feel pity.

Yesterday, he had said all he could, kindly advising Wang Tiedan to lay low. But the man insisted on talking about justice, insisted on rushing to his death, and even suspected him of being in league with Huang Dazui.

Good advice is hard to give to a stubborn fool.

A few days later, at noon.

Having finished his work at the yamen early, Lin Guanhuo had the Precept Breaking Saber Art tucked in his embrace.

He wandered around Blackwater City for more than half of it.

He first passed by several large martial arts schools, where carriages and horses were constantly arriving and departing, with disciples in brocade robes entering and exiting. Lin Guanhuo paused for a moment, shook his head, and turned to leave.

Such large organizations had too many eyes and ears. For him, a mere Laborer with no background, to try and sell a superior martial art was no different from a child carrying gold through a crowded market, too easy to attract attention.

Finally, he stopped at the entrance of the "Mad Saber Martial Arts School."

That's right, the martial arts school where Huang Bao, the one who beat people up, belonged.

This was a medium-sized martial arts school in Blackwater City. Although its reputation wasn't as great as that of Luohe Martial Arts School and other major schools.

But it excelled in its main focus on saber techniques. His Precept Breaking Saber Art should fetch a good price here, and there were fewer people and fewer things to worry about, making it less likely to cause a stir.

"Little brother, want to learn martial arts?"

As soon as he entered the door, a burly middle-aged man with a ferocious scar on his face strode over.

This man was the owner of the Mad Saber Martial Arts School, known as "Scarred Madman."

Seeing Lin Guanhuo's upright posture, he mistook him for a promising disciple, and his face immediately broke into an enthusiastic smile.

"Our Mad Saber Martial Arts School is an old establishment in Blackwater City. For just ten taels of silver, we guarantee you'll learn it all..."

"I'm not here to become a disciple," Lin Guanhuo shook his head, interrupting him.

The smile on Scarred Madman's face froze instantly. Then, it visibly drooped, and he waved his hand impatiently, "If you're not here to become a disciple, why did you come in? Causing trouble? Go, go, go, don't get in the way of our business!"

At this moment, Huang Bao, who was instructing students in a corner of the Martial Arts Arena, also looked over.

"I'm here to sell something."

Lin Guanhuo ignored Scarred Madman's unpleasant attitude and said calmly.

"Sell something?" Scarred Madman sized him up from head to toe. "You? What good stuff could you possibly have?"

Lin Guanhuo cut to the chase. He directly took out the blue-covered, thread-bound book from his bosom and waved it in front of Scarred Madman.

"A martial arts manual. Are you buying?"

Scarred Madman's previously indifferent gaze sharpened as he saw the words "Precept Breaking Saber Art" on the book cover.

He snatched the book and flipped through a few pages.

The more he read, the tighter his brow furrowed, but the shock and greed hidden deep in his eyes were impossible to conceal.

This was actually real!

He knew a little about this 'Precept Breaking Saber Art'.

It was a Buddhist saber art, ranked First Rank.

The reason for its high rank was its ridiculously difficult cultivation, making it impossible for ordinary Martial Artists to unleash its power. In fact, it was inferior to some unranked martial arts.

Even those at the Great Realm of Martial Dao might not be able to comprehend its advanced stages.

But even so, it remained a good saber art.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

Given the unique nature of Buddhist martial arts, its price would be higher than ordinary First Rank martial arts.

"How is it?" Lin Guanhuo asked.

Scarred Madman closed the book, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and put on a disgusted expression: "Tsk tsk, I thought it was some treasure. This is a fake book! The moves are messy, incoherent, and practicing it will lead to going berserk!"

"Little brother, you've probably been tricked, right?"

Lin Guanhuo heard this and sneered coldly.

They were all thousand-year-old foxes, why play with ghost stories?

At the same time, his impression of Scarred Madman plummeted.

No matter what, he was the master of a martial arts school, yet he was so hypocritical and greedy.

Alas, the human heart!

"Since it's fake, then give it back to me."

Saying that, Lin Guanhuo reached out to take the book back, "I'll go look elsewhere."

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't rush!"

Scarred Madman grabbed Lin Guanhuo's hand and said with a fake smile, "Although this book has some issues, I have a hobby of collecting martial arts. How about this, since you've made quite a trip, I'll pay fifty taels of silver for it as a collector's item."

Fifty taels?

For an ordinary person, this was definitely a huge sum.

But Lin Guanhuo knew the value of this Precept Breaking Saber Art very well.

"Seventy taels." Lin Guanhuo held out two fingers, his tone firm, "Not a single copper less."

"Seventy taels?! Why don't you just rob someone!" Scarred Madman's eyes widened: "How is this broken book worth so much?"

"Then there's nothing to discuss." Lin Guanhuo made a move to leave, a tactic that had never failed him in his past life.

As expected. Before Lin Guanhuo could take a few steps.

"Fine, fine, fine! Seventy taels it is!"

Scarred Madman gritted his teeth and stopped him, his expression pained as if a piece of flesh had been cut off.

His martial arts school looked prosperous, but in reality, after deducting expenses and bribing officials, he only saved a little over a hundred taels of silver a year.

This one transaction took away more than half a year's income!

A moment later.

Lin Guanhuo, pockets bulging with seventy taels of banknotes and loose change.

He walked out of the Mad Saber Martial Arts School with satisfaction.

With this money, he could buy enough meat and enough medicinal herbs.

Breaking through to become a formal martial artist within a month, that's a sure thing!

Inside the martial arts school.

Scarred Madman held the Precept Breaking Saber Art in his hands. Although he felt the pinch of spending money, the more he looked at it, the happier he became.

However, the price of seventy taels was indeed a bit steep.

"Ouch, damn it, it pains me to death!" Scarred Madman sat on a chair, took a sip of tea, and cursed.

But soon, Scarred Madman's gaze, as he watched Lin Guanhuo's receding figure, changed.

From initial heartache, his expression gradually turned sinister.

'This guy looks like a poor laborer, dressed shabbily, clearly someone just waiting to die. I don't know how he got so lucky to obtain such a treasure.' Scarred Madman thought to himself.

'Why not...'

After a moment of contemplation, Scarred Madman seemed to have made up his mind.

At this, he waved his hand and called Huang Bao over, then said, "Giving him these seventy taels, our martial arts school won't be able to get by this year!"

"This money is useless in his hands, but in our hands, we might be able to train a batch of martial artists. To maintain local order in this chaotic world..."

Scarred Madman spoke with righteous indignation.

But in reality, this kind of person was the most notorious for indulging in debauchery and womanizing.

Huang Bao, who had been called over, asked, "Master... so what are your intentions?"

Scarred Madman gestured in the direction Lin Guanhuo had left and then made a throat-slitting motion with his hand.

At the same time, he instructed, "Do a clean job. After it's done, I'll give you ten taels of silver as a reward."

However, Scarred Madman's tone shifted: "If you dare to run..."

Scarred Madman didn't finish his sentence, but Huang Bao knew his master's character well. Terrified, he quickly bowed, "Master, don't worry!!"