Powerful Body-Refining Martial Arts

Zhang Dahu held his breath, his expression tightening.

Looking for trouble?

Should he quietly go and notify the other guard rooms? He had a sinking feeling that Shen Yi was about to be slapped to death by this brute.

Chen Ji also felt that something was off. Could it be that despite the polite words, the man was actually here to save face for the Thin Ascetic?

"How about it?"

Butcher Zhang tilted his neck, using his thick, calloused fingers to pluck a blade of grass from his mouth.

Shen Yi watched him in silence. The man's eyes were pure, devoid of any provocation, containing only a surging, scorching intent to fight.

He slowly turned to the side and exhaled a breath of turbid air. "Come."

Before the words had even faded, Butcher Zhang suddenly lashed out with his leg. A three- or four-hundred-pound stone lock flew like a clay pellet from a slingshot, whistling through the air with a piercing shriek as it slammed toward that upright figure!

The sheer force and speed of the strike left the onlookers with no time to react.

Shen Yi glanced sideways at the courtyard wall behind him, his right palm clenching into a fist. He spun around and thrust his fist out; under the impact of his knuckles, the stone lock instantly shattered into powder.

"I see it now. You really do care about your silver."

Lime dust obscured the view for a fleeting moment, yet that absurdly massive body had already appeared behind the young man.

Two thick arms whipped down like iron chains. Had that blow landed solidly, his shoulder blades would likely have been shattered more thoroughly than the stone lock.

Shen Yi remained calm. He leaned slightly, dodging the whip-like strike, and used the strength of his entire body to drive his elbow upward, slamming it viciously into Butcher Zhang's stubbled chin.

With a dull thud, he finally saw a flicker of something unusual on the man's face.

Butcher Zhang stumbled back two steps, the impact causing the entire courtyard to tremble. He reached up to rub his jaw, grinning broadly as if nothing had happened. "Fast reflexes."

An elbow strike capable of crushing the hard bones of demons had only managed to force him back two steps.

While the others couldn't grasp the significance, Chen Ji's pupils constricted.

Just yesterday, Shen Yi had kicked a tiger demon to the ground, causing it to vomit blood. What kind of monster was this fat man?

"..."

The reason for Shen Yi's shifting thoughts was not that.

He had infused that elbow strike with the energy of his acupuncture points. He hadn't expected to take the man down in one go, but... how had this martial artist from Qing Prefecture managed to withstand that blow without mobilizing his own energy?

As he pondered, his figure erupted into motion. Under the enhancement of the Spirit Snake Eight Steps, he moved like a phantom.

Although Butcher Zhang was extremely fast, his massive frame was an unavoidable disadvantage; he couldn't even see his own toes when looking down, and his field of vision was somewhat narrow.

Yet, there was no panic in his eyes. He let Shen Yi's punches land, his greasy skin as tough as layers upon layers of ox hide.

Finding an opening, he reached into his waist with a fleshy hand, and that dark Butcher Knife slashed toward the ground with a speed invisible to the naked eye.

Under the immense force, the Butcher Knife once again struck empty air.

Instead, Shen Yi seized the opportunity. While the man was unable to retract his strength, he lifted a foot and kicked him in the waist, sending the massive body crashing to the ground.

The Niu Brothers were so frightened they scurried to the side like startled rabbits.

"Boring! Boring!"

"No matter how well you use such shallow fist techniques, what is the point? Honestly, it's not even enough to warm up my bones."

Butcher Zhang climbed up from the ground, covered in dust. His gaze fell to Shen Yi's waist, and he licked his lips. "Draw your blade quickly. The butcher saw it yesterday; don't think about hiding your techniques."

Hearing this, Shen Yi rubbed his wrists and reached his fingers toward the hilt of his blade.

He had intended for this to be a mere sparring match, but given the solidity of the man's physique, relying solely on the Cloud-Parting Long Fist was truly pointless.

The next moment, silver light streaked across the sky, accompanied by a crimson mist!

"Well struck!" Butcher Zhang finally grew excited, crossing his arms to meet the blow.

As the long blade descended, it actually rang out with the crisp sound of metal clashing against metal. A white mark appeared on his greasy skin.

"Is this a turtle that's become a spirit?" Chen Ji's eyes widened, his breathing ragged.

However, the smile on Butcher Zhang's face gradually faded as he stared at his own arm. "Good blade technique..."

Before he could finish, the long blade, carrying a violent, Sha Qi, came down in a continuous, relentless barrage of slashes.

Butcher Zhang reached out to block three more strikes, but when the fourth blade descended, he suddenly performed a donkey-roll, dodging in a disheveled manner.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he waved his hands repeatedly. "Stop! Let me catch my breath!"

Shen Yi slowly came to a halt.

Chen Ji was still confused. How could it be over just as it started?

His gaze suddenly swept over the arm the butcher had raised, and he felt an inexplicable chill. He saw that those previous strikes had all landed in the exact same spot—which, of course, only proved Shen Yi's mastery over his blade.

What truly shocked him was that the spot which had previously only shown a white mark was now being tightly clung to by wisps of red mist. Within a few breaths, the white bone was already vaguely visible.

Beads of sweat the size of beans seeped from Butcher Zhang's forehead. He endured the pain, circulating his energy to drive out the red mist bit by bit. Only after a long while did he look up and exhale, clicking his tongue in wonder:

"This method... it doesn't look like something a good person would use."

"I like it!"

Shen Yi frowned, puzzled as to why the man hadn't used his energy to defend himself earlier.

Butcher Zhang had already stood up excitedly, patting his belly as he called out, "What do you think?"

Shen Yi nodded. "A formidable body-refining technique."

"Want to learn it?" Butcher Zhang asked, casting his gaze toward Shen Yi's sheathed blade.

"Master Shen, you mustn't!" Chen Ji was usually very mindful of protocol, but hearing this, he couldn't help but speak up.

The relationship between the imperial court and the sects of the pugilistic world was far more complex than ordinary people imagined.

Taking their things was not a debt easily escaped.

"Tsk, what are you in such a rush for?"

Interrupted by the bailiff, Butcher Zhang didn't get angry. Instead, he laughed with a certain air of grace. "I came here with a purpose, and while it may not be entirely honorable, I wouldn't go so far as to harm Constable Shen."

He paced over to Shen Yi's side and said softly, "Your blade technique—did you realize it yourself from the Demon-Subduing Blade Technique?"

Hearing this, Shen Yi looked over, slightly surprised.

"Heh heh, I've seen too much; I felt it was familiar at a glance." Butcher Zhang raised an eyebrow. "The martial arts of the Demon Suppression Division—even if you gave them to me for free, I wouldn't dare touch them. But this self-created technique of yours? There aren't that many rules. As it happens, I've had a few insights of my own. Why don't we trade?"

Shen Yi felt an inexplicable urge.

If he could possess the man's physique, he wouldn't need to panic the next time he encountered something like the snake woman from last night.

A moment later, he turned to look at him, choosing to be honest. "I have no objections, but you might not be able to learn this blade technique."

Butcher Zhang was slightly taken aback, then his throat let out a wheezing laugh. "Of course I know. Such a sinister method is definitely not something a person of the imperial court should be in contact with. It was likely realized from the dregs of a demon's beast-essence."

"Who else but someone with no other path, or a mad martial arts fanatic, would do such a foolish thing?"

"You just worry about the trade. There's no logic in worrying whether someone else can master it."

Seeing the two of them discussing martial arts, Chen Ji ushered the remaining bailiffs, who were staring at each other in confusion, out of the courtyard, then walked out himself and gently closed the courtyard gate.