Chen Tie paid a hundred taels of silver and, with the brokerage's help, quickly completed the property transfer.
Chen Tie immediately went home to pack. His younger sister was delighted to hear they were moving to a new home, because their alley was rather chaotic, and Chen Tie did not feel safe letting her go out to play with the other children.
Before moving, Chen Tie made a special trip to Old Sun's door and knocked.
"Oh, it's you, Little Tie."
Old Sun stared for a moment before realizing that the tall man before him was actually Chen Tie.
"Grandpa Sun, I'm moving away today, so I came to let you know."
"Good, that was thoughtful of you. I heard you became a martial artist. In these troubled times, only martial arts can give you a secure foothold in life."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Tie bid Old Sun farewell.
"Take care, Grandpa Sun."
"Go on. Come back to visit when you have time."
Chen Tie took his sister and their few belongings to their new home.
Then he returned to the martial arts school to practice. As soon as he entered, junior disciples greeted him.
"Hello, Senior Brother Chen!"
Chen Tie responded to each of them.
"Junior Brother Chen, you're just in time. How about a spar?"
Shen Yan blocked his path and assumed a fighting stance.
Chen Tie loosened up his muscles and joints, then said,
"Please instruct me, Senior Brother."
Shen Yan immediately charged forward and threw a plain, unadorned Fierce Tiger Straight Punch. Force concentrated in his hand, his fist cut through the air and arrived in an instant.
Chen Tie did not dodge. He raised both hands defensively and took the blow head-on with his forearm bones. A bang rang out, leaving his arms slightly numb.
Chen Tie lowered his waist and turned sideways, avoiding the straight punch coming at him while driving his right fist toward Shen Yan's ribs. Shen Yan hammered his left fist downward, blocking Chen Tie's right-handed attack.
Shen Yan's left hand became a tiger claw, reaching straight for Chen Tie's face. His entire left hand was now poised to strike, and a heavy punch smashed out with a howl, forceful Qi erupting.
Boom!
Fist and claw collided, sending force scattering in every direction.
Chen Tie withdrew his left fist and smashed his right toward Shen Yan's chin. His opponent's right claw darted out and locked around Chen Tie's forearm. Amid bursts of force, fists and claws flew, every collision erupting with a boom, their clothes snapping in the fierce gusts.
Bang!
Suddenly, the two exchanged a head-on punch, and each retreated several steps.
"That felt great!"
"Again!"
Shen Yan attacked first. This plain straight punch concealed many variations and could also transform into a claw. During their previous exchange, Chen Tie had clearly been at a disadvantage.
Chen Tie dared not be careless in the slightest. His left hand swept like a fierce tiger's tail, parrying Shen Yan's powerful, heavy straight punch outward.
Chen Tie felt a tremendous force spread through him, but he ultimately deflected the strike off course.
Seizing the opportunity, Chen Tie immediately threw an uppercut straight at Shen Yan's jaw.
"Hahaha, not so easy."
Shen Yan's expression did not change. He stepped straight in, his left knee moving later but arriving first. Fist and knee collided, and he exerted force to neutralize the attack.
Their sparring drew the newly arrived outer courtyard disciples to stop and watch.
"How is that possible? Senior Brother Chen only just broke through to Skin Tempering, and he can already trade blows with Second Senior Brother?"
"Idiot, Second Senior Brother is clearly going easy on Senior Brother Chen."
"The Skin Refining realm is just too powerful. I feel like I couldn't take even a single move."
A little while later, the two finally stopped.
Shen Yan said nothing, merely watching Chen Tie with a faint smile.
Chen Tie breathed deeply, settling his emotions. Although breaking through to the Skin Refining realm had multiplied his strength several times over, his body clearly had not quite adapted yet.
Shen Yan had clearly suggested sparring to help Chen Tie adapt to his newly gained skin force as quickly as possible.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother."
[Fierce Tiger Fist: beginner (67/100)]
Chen Tie was delighted as he looked at the information in his mind. He could now confirm through actual combat that it could also improve his fist technique's progress.
In the inner city, at the Liu Family residence.
A forty-year-old woman who still retained her charm was sobbing. Her name was Huang Wan, and because she took good care of herself, she looked only in her thirties.
"My lord, Jingzhao died so horribly. Has the murderer still not been caught?"
"He must be hacked into ten thousand pieces!"
Beside him stood a middle-aged man with a grim expression named Liu Tianba, the current head of the Liu Family. At that moment, murderous intent filled his brow.
"I've already sent people to investigate. There will be news soon. This is all your fault. If you hadn't indulged him so much, he wouldn't have met this end."
Hearing this, Huang Wan immediately screamed herself hoarse, pointing at Liu Tianba as she cursed, "Was I wrong to treat my own son a little better? This is all because you never cared enough about him. He was missing for so long before you noticed, and he'd actually been murdered."
"My poor child!"
At this, Huang Wan broke into loud wails.
Seeing this, Liu Tianba started to speak but stopped. His expression grew even grimmer, and his right hand, veins bulging, abruptly crushed the sandalwood chair, sending splinters flying.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and a man dressed in a constable's uniform entered the hall.
"Divine Constable Ouyang, you're finally here. Have you found any leads?"
An expectant look appeared on Liu Tianba's face as he stepped forward and asked.
Divine Constable Ouyang smiled. "Family Head Liu, this matter really is difficult. I've exerted the strength of nine oxen and two tigers, yet I still haven't found the real murderer."
Liu Tianba's expression stiffened at his words.
This old bastard spent so much of my money and still hasn't found the murderer, yet he has the nerve to show his face before me.
"But I have discovered some clues that may lead us to the true culprit."
Seeing Liu Tianba's displeased expression, Divine Constable Ouyang immediately explained.
"Please go ahead, Divine Constable Ouyang."
"I examined the corpse earlier. Although the river had already washed it down to bare bones, the cause of death could still be determined from the traces. Someone restrained his neck from behind, then broke it, killing him!"
Divine Constable Ouyang paused, then continued.
"As far as I know, Young Master Liu Jingzhao had his martial cultivation crippled in an accident a year ago and could no longer practice martial arts. However, his physique was still better than an ordinary person's. Anyone capable of doing this would therefore need a certain amount of strength or some training in martial arts."
"I heard that over the past month or two, Young Master Jingzhao frequently entered private homes dressed in white. He probably ran into a tough opponent, and I suspect that was also why he met with disaster."
Hearing this, Liu Tianba nodded slightly.
Ever since his martial cultivation had been crippled, this unfilial son's thinking had begun to veer toward extremes. He had not even spared little girls, and had even broken into homes at night in the Unborn Sect's name to commit sordid acts.
Divine Constable Ouyang took a list from inside his robe and handed it over.
"I've drawn up a list of fifteen suspects. I am certain the real murderer is among them."
"As for how to confirm it, that is your business, Family Head Liu."
After saying this, Divine Constable Ouyang immediately cupped his hands and took his leave.
Liu Batian's gaze slowly swept over the list, which contained information and addresses for fifteen people.
Chen Tie's name was on the last line.
"Steward Liu."
"Your subordinate is here!"
Liu Tianba handed over the list. "Take five men and arrest these fifteen people one by one. Torture them for information and find the real murderer!"
"Yes, Family Head."
Steward Liu accepted the list and immediately withdrew.