Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 79 - 3: After the Event, Laying Low

He slept very deeply.

Because of Shen Qing's practice of the Nine Skills, his whole body was filled with Qi-Blood, so even when he occasionally stayed up all night, he didn't feel tired.

So, as usual, he woke up at about the right time, mentally alert.

Morning.

Shen Qing and Shen Xiaohu habitually squatted at the threshold of the inn's backyard.

Each held a large bowl, sipping porridge along the rim.

After taking a big gulp of plain porridge, Shen Qing said to Shen Xiaohu, "Let's pack up our things today. We'll head back to the village this afternoon."

"Why are we leaving so soon? Shouldn't we stay a bit longer?"

Shen Qing replied, "We haven't been back in a long time, and I'm a bit worried about my sister. Also, spring is just around the corner, so we need to go up the mountain to hunt early, lest we have nothing to rely on after spring starts."

Shen Xiaohu teased, "Brother Qingzi, with all the money you have now, do you still care about those small game from hunting?"

He had personally been involved in the matter of Zhao Ba, and he knew how much money Shen Qing had taken, hundreds of taels, which was not a small amount.

"How long do you think this money will last me for training? What if I run out of money someday and my survival skills become rusty? What would I do then? By that time, it would be too late for regrets."

"Oh."

Shen Xiaohu lowered his head and didn't say anything further.

Shen Qing took another sip of porridge, his eyes flickering.

In reality, he was in a hurry to return, mainly to lie low for a while.

After killing Zhao Ba and getting involved with the Huang Tian Sect, with three pieces of mountain treasures in hand, nowhere in the city felt safe.

It would be better to hide for a while in Hongshan Village.

He would wait until things calmed down here.

Another reason was to practice more hunting and the Bow Technique before the spring ban, to improve his progress.

These two skills might prove very useful in the future.

Of course, he could only keep these thoughts to himself and not share them with Shen Xiaohu.

After finishing breakfast, Shen Qing packed up the things in the room and headed to Linfeng Hall with Shen Xiaohu.

When he entered Linfeng Hall once more, he didn't know if he was being overly sensitive, but it felt like the atmosphere inside had become much heavier.

But he couldn't quite say why.

In short, it was not good.

Neither the senior brother nor the Hall Master uncle had returned.

Shen Qing simply buried his head, practicing the techniques taught by Li Linfeng before.

After pondering over it last night, today's practice seemed much smoother to Shen Qing, even the progress in proficiency increased significantly.

Shen Qing recalled the pointing technique he used last night, reflecting on it carefully.

Cai Jia Sheng was undoubtedly a martial master in the Skin Forging Realm, skilled in using fist techniques.

From his current perspective, Cai Jia Sheng's fist techniques were actually quite crude, with many flaws, definitely not as meticulous as the Wind Facing Finger.

He relied solely on his realm and full-body Qi to confront enemies.

That was why, when Cai Jia Sheng made small moves, Shen Qing subconsciously caught the flaws, leading to the subsequent events.

Thinking of this, Shen Qing gradually understood why Li Linfeng emphasized the basics, speed, and simultaneously increasing strength.

Because only then could there be fewer flaws, tighter defense, and strike faster than the opponent, killing the opponent with one move.

At that time, if he had been a little stronger or had trained his Qi, he could surely have taken Cai Jia Sheng down with a single point.

Shen Qing refocused his thoughts and continued practicing hard.

At this time, Xiao Zhi, who was also in the inner courtyard, quietly came over and said, "Shen Qing, did you hear about Tie Niu's death yesterday?"

"I heard about it," Shen Qing replied noncommittally, "Sigh... we were just having dinner together yesterday."

"Ah, you don't need to be sad. There's no helping it, the outside is just so chaotic, especially in the Outer City," Xiao Zhi continued mysteriously, "Did you know that Tie Niu's death was connected to the Huang Tian Sect?"

"Ah? Is that so?" Shen Qing exclaimed, "I really didn't know."

"I'm telling you, last night the Huang Tian Sect attacked the government office. The Guardian Martial Department acted overnight and went to the Outer City. It caused quite the commotion. Now the whole city is on edge."

Shen Qing asked casually with a deeper intent, "Did the county government deal with the Huang Tian Sect?"

"It won't be long before the county posts an announcement, saying that all the heretical sect criminals have been captured. You know how our county government operates, don't you? Who really knows how far they've gotten?"

"True."

"We should make the most of our time and hone our skills."

Shen Qing agreed with a few words, and the two didn't say much more.

When the afternoon came and the time was about right,

Shen Qing went to the backyard, took care of his aunt, and prepared to head back to the village.

Leaving his aunt's room, Shen Qing once again encountered the young master with the unusually developed chest muscles.

She had a square face, looking somewhat similar to the Hall Master uncle.

In the Great Zhou, there was no concept of favoring males over females. As long as one had Sight, regardless of gender, they could learn martial arts and, upon mastering it, could also hold positions in court.

However, women eventually had to marry, and physiologically they were not on par with men.

Therefore, few women made names for themselves in martial arts.

According to occasional mentions by his aunt, this was Hall Master uncle's fourth daughter, Li Lingchan, who showed some talent in martial arts and thus was a key child nurtured by Hall Master uncle.

"What are you looking at?"

The tomboy Li Lingchan glared at Shen Qing with displeasure in her eyes.

Shen Qing had no intention of causing trouble for himself, so he lowered his head, diverted his gaze, and passed by her without looking again.

He caught a glimpse of the tomboy's broad back, sturdy and muscular, like that of a man.

No wonder she had some martial talent.

"Coward."

Shen Qing ignored Li Lingchan's sneer.

By the afternoon, he had left Linfeng Hall with Shen Xiaohu.

As usual,

He bought some necessities on the street before heading straight for the city gate.

It seemed that due to the Huang Tian Sect, the guards at the city gate had become much stricter.

Fortunately, these guards still remembered Shen Qing, so they didn't give him a hard time. Besides, leaving the city wasn't lucrative, and the guards just checked casually before letting them through.

This time, with Zhao Ba dead and the Guardian Martial Department involved, the shantytown area by the West City Gate was much more peaceful than before.

Hardly anyone gathered around; even few beggars were in sight.

As they walked on, Shen Qing noticed black smoke rising from afar in the shantytown.

It seemed a big fire had occurred there, with embers still smoldering.

"Move aside, move aside."

Suddenly, five or six government officers appeared on the main street, pushing pedestrians to the sides.

Behind them, they led a group of a dozen or twenty people on a rope, heading toward the city.

These people, like prisoners, had their hands bound by a rope and a rope binding their mouths, being dragged forward by the officers.

Someone in the crowd recognized their neighbors and began to whisper.

"Aunt Wang turned out to be with the Huang Tian Sect. She hardly spoke usually."

"And that little tailor too. I've even asked him to mend my pants."

"..."

Familiar faces were recognized, causing a stir in the crowd.

As these people passed by Shen Qing, he noticed their eyes were bright, showing no fear, and he faintly heard them whispering, "The blue sky below, the Yellow Heaven above..."

It brought a strange sense of unease.

Shen Qing watched them move away in silence, hitched up the cart again, and headed toward the direction of Hongshan Village.

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