Lost Martial Arts (Seeking Daily Follows)

"Continue?" Zhao An looked down at Zhao Ke, who was still sitting on the ground, his expression indifferent.

Zhao Ke stood up, his head still spinning, and half of his face was already red and swollen.

"You!"

He was so angry he couldn't speak; ever since he became a constable, he had rarely felt this stifled.

Especially since he had been humiliated today by Zhao An, the younger brother he had always looked down upon, which made his face turn livid.

"Fine, you've grown some talent, haven't you? If the higher-ups investigate this, let's see how you clean up this mess! Don't come crying and begging me then!"

Zhao Ke left in a rage.

It wasn't that he didn't want to retaliate, but the strike Zhao An had just delivered had truly shaken him to his core.

His remaining reason told him that continuing to fight would only be asking for further humiliation.

Watching Zhao Ke leave, Zhao An also had his own calculations.

Driving away the greedy Zhao Ke was one thing, but it served as a warning to him.

In the future, as he killed more people—even if they were all notorious villains marked in red—it was still against the rules, and there was no guarantee he wouldn't be targeted by the authorities, leading to major trouble.

Only a minor constable like Zhao Ke had come today, but it might not be so simple in the future.

"So I need an identity, a legitimate status that allows me to punish evildoers without being convicted..." Zhao An put away his blade, pondering in his mind.

Being a mere commoner simply wouldn't cut it.

"Brother Zhao, after beating him like that, won't there be trouble later..." Once the catharsis faded, Li Gou'er couldn't help but feel worried again.

After all, Zhao Ke wore an official uniform; he was a man of the government.

This wasn't just some ordinary person one could beat and be done with.

If Zhao Ke were to fly into a rage later and cast aside all pretense of brotherhood, leading constables and bailiffs to arrest them, they would have no way to resist.

"If there really is trouble, then we'll just fight our way out," Zhao An said casually.

He had no foundation in Lianjiang City, nor did he have any family; currently, he was just a man with a life to lose, and the world was vast enough to roam.

"Alright! I just ask that Brother Zhao doesn't leave me and Chunzi behind when the time comes," Li Gou'er said, gritting his teeth.

Zhao An nodded without saying anything; what he was thinking about now wasn't escaping the city.

"Have the public notices been posted in the county this year? When does the Military Examination begin?" Zhao An asked suddenly.

Li Gou'er was stunned, confused, and said, "In previous years, the exams started in various places in April and ended in June. Lianjiang County usually starts in early May, so the official documents should have been posted long ago."

"Go and take a look, find out the specific time for the Military Examination," Zhao An said.

"Brother Zhao, are you planning to take the Military Examination?" Li Gou'er caught the implication and asked uncertainly.

"Yes." Zhao An didn't beat around the bush; he truly wanted to earn a scholarly rank.

As long as he passed the county exam and made it onto the list, he would obtain the title of Military Student recognized by the government.

With this identity, the government would have to think twice before moving against him.

And if he went a step further and passed the prefectural exam to earn the rank of Military Scholar, even without an official position, the local county magistrates would have to treat him with courtesy.

This was because a Military Scholar could, if they wished, enter the military at any time to hold a ranked position, and they had a higher chance of passing the higher-level exams.

Zhao An wasn't taking the Military Examination to become an official or a general; he just wanted to "punish evil and promote good" in a more reasonable and legitimate way.

"Brother Zhao, you are strong and capable, able to endure and fight, but I remember that the Military Examination doesn't just test martial prowess; you also have to be able to write. This, you..."

He knew that for a while now, Zhao An had been learning to read and write at the medical clinic, but those other candidates had spent ten years studying in the cold, taught by masters since childhood, slowly honing their skills.

If someone like Zhao An, who was cramming at the last minute, could pass, then this rank would be far too easy to obtain.

He felt his big brother was being delusional, but he was too embarrassed to point it out directly.

Zhao An just shot him a glare, and Li Gou'er immediately shut his mouth and scurried out to check the posted notices and gather information about the Military Examination.

Of course, he knew that with his current level, wanting to participate in the Military Examination and make it onto the list was nothing but a pipe dream.

But he had a Soul Slave, and with that, anything was possible!

"What? Military manuals?"

"I only have medical books here; where am I supposed to find military manuals for you?"

"What a pity." Zhao An flipped through the shelves where the medical clinic stored its books.

"It's not a pity at all," Meng Wanyi said, feeling annoyed, thinking Zhao An was just looking for trouble.

What kind of medical clinic would have books on military strategy in its collection?

"Only the down-and-out descendants of scholarly families in the outer city might have family-inherited military manuals," Meng Wanyi added at the end. Suddenly feeling that Zhao An's gaze was off, she immediately warned him.

"Don't you dare do anything reckless, or—or I won't teach you how to read anymore."

"Rest assured, taking things by force is wrong; after all, I'm not some devil," Zhao An said calmly, putting the medical book back and picking out an old book with yellowed pages.

"Not bad, if you have this kind of realization, then my teaching during this period hasn't been in vain." Meng Wanyi nodded repeatedly, feeling a strange sense of happiness in her heart.

That Zhao An was able to turn over a new leaf under her guidance gave her quite a sense of accomplishment.

Reading is good; reading clarifies reason. The world has one less evildoer and one more person who understands logic!

"By the way, why do you need military strategy books?" Meng Wanyi suddenly remembered and asked, puzzled.

"I want to take the military examination."

"?"

The air in the back room of the clinic froze for a moment.

"We've spent so much time together, I never knew you had such a humorous side." Meng Wanyi suddenly pursed her lips and smiled.

"..."

Zhao An watched her quietly until the smile on Meng Wanyi's face faded.

"Are you serious?"

"Mm."

"But you don't even know as many characters as I did when I was eight."

"...Don't worry about it."

Zhao An was not discouraged; he continued to flip through the ancient book in his hands.

With his current literacy level, he could barely grasp the general content.

As he read, Zhao An suddenly discovered that this ancient book not only discussed medical paths but also recorded a certain miraculous technique in the back.

"What is this?" Zhao An asked, holding up the book.

"A lost finger technique." Meng Wanyi was sitting at the table writing a prescription; she didn't even get up, just took a glance and spoke.

"Lost..."

"Fifty years ago, there was a famous wandering practitioner, Old Man Xuanji, and this finger technique was created by him."

"Then why is it described in a medical book?" Zhao An continued to ask.

"Legend has it that this finger technique has many wonders, including the claim that it can reverse life and death and extend the lives of those on the brink of passing. When a finger is pointed, even the patrolling King of Hell has to back down. Tell me, isn't that impressive!"

"Impressive." Zhao An nodded.

"So, there were healers who admired this technique and described it in medical books, which makes sense. It's just a pity that such a powerful technique can no longer be recreated in this world."

As Meng Wanyi spoke, she put down her brush, picked up the written prescription, and blew on the wet ink.

Listening to this, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Zhao An's heart.

This kind of martial arts technique, which is now only recorded in ancient books and has long been lost, logically must have existed in reality at one point.

Is it possible that he could use the Virtue Fruit to wish for it?!