"Hiss!"
Zhou Chen was shocked. Such a huge tiger, clearly not an ordinary beast, was killed by Zhang Long in one stroke.
"Is this really a martial artist?"
"It's truly terrifying!"
Zhou Chen felt a fiery passion inside him, but unfortunately, Old Man Cao never mentioned news about martial artists to him. He didn't know if it was because Old Man Cao did not know, or simply did not tell him.
However, if Old Man Cao really is just an ordinary person, then he might truly not know.
Whether in this world or the previous, knowledge and resources are monopolized by the upper classes, making it exceedingly difficult for the lower echelons to rise up.
"The Yi Arrow Skill that Old Man Cao hid in his shoe sole must be a martial art, right?"
"It has to be!"
Zhou Chen prayed silently. If it weren't for the untimely circumstances, he would have really wanted to take it out and examine it.
"The adult's sword skills are truly formidable!"
"Although this evil tiger has just transformed, its power is weak but still counts as a demon beast; its flesh is very nourishing, and the adult will certainly advance further!"
The three constables approached, surrounding Zhang Long and flattering him with admiration.
"No wonder Zhang Long was so eager to hunt tigers in the mountains, he must have aimed at this evil tiger's meat!"
Zhou Chen suddenly understood and approached Zhang Long, exclaiming with shock and admiration:
"Sir, your divine vigor is truly eye-opening!"
Zhou Chen was not currying favor out of flattery, but because that was reality.
Ordinary civilians were as insignificant as blades of grass.
If he did not compliment them a bit, and if Zhang Long and the others found him disagreeable, they might kill him at will, with no one to reason with.
Apart from Qin Hongyu, no one in this world would care about his life or death.
Even if Zhang Long killed him, no one would pursue justice.
Even if Qin Hongyu asked about it, Zhang Long could casually say he got eaten by the evil tiger, and that would be it.
It's even possible for Zhang Long and the others to find an excuse and keep Qin Hongyu to themselves without it being unusual.
This is the reality.
The character for 'official' has two mouths, it's easy for them to mess with you.
He too wanted to defy heaven, earth, and air like other protagonists, but he was sure that if he did, he wouldn't last more than one chapter.
"An insignificant evil tiger, it's nothing. It's getting late, let's head back!"
Zhang Long sheathed his sword, his expression calm and stolid.
Two constables immediately stepped forward to hoist the evil tiger.
Seeing this, Zhou Chen decided against offering help.
The evil tiger, conservatively estimated at a thousand pounds, he feared he couldn't carry it in this mountain forest.
"Lead the way down the mountain!"
Zhang Long ordered Zhou Chen.
"Yes, sir!"
Zhou Chen hurriedly moved forward to lead the group back.
Zhang Long followed close behind him, while the other three constables took turns carrying the evil tiger, still moving swiftly even through the forest.
"These three constables must have practiced martial arts, otherwise, they couldn't exert such strength!"
Zhou Chen glanced back at the constables carrying the tiger without falling behind, his heart secretly alarmed:
"As expected, the end of the universe is bound by bureaucracy!"
It's very hard for ordinary people to learn martial arts.
Although Qinghe City has martial arts schools that accept students regardless of background, the entrance fee is twenty taels of silver, and it only covers half a year.
How much you learn in that half-year completely depends on the individual.
After half a year, if you haven't mastered it and want to continue learning, you have to keep paying.
Ordinary people simply can't afford it.
Zhou Chen avoided causing trouble, such as hunting for a trophy, and led Zhang Long's group directly down the mountain.
When they saw Dahe Village, Zhou Chen couldn't help but ask:
"Sir, this evil tiger should have more than one Chong Ghost, why haven't we seen other Chong Ghosts?"
Apart from Widow Chen, at least Elder Qin has certainly turned into a Chong Ghost.
"This evil tiger's strength is too weak, and its Chong Ghosts can't withstand daylight and generally stay within it during the day."
"Earlier, Widow Chen appeared under the shade of a large tree; she was merely bait for the evil tiger to lure passers-by!"
Zhang Long glanced casually at Zhou Chen and said:
"With the death of the evil tiger, the Chong Ghosts will immediately dissipate!"
"I see, thank you for enlightening me, sir!"
Zhou Chen thanked him promptly.
Though Zhang Long seemed indifferent, Zhou Chen felt fortunate enough.
Others might not pay attention to a hunter like him.
"The County Captain has returned!"
Amid loud clamoring voices, Zhou Chen realized many villagers had gathered a short distance away.
Evidently, it was Village Chief Qin Jianghe who had organized the villagers to welcome Zhang Long here.
Qin Hongyu was among the crowd and upon seeing Zhou Chen return safely, her worried face broke into a radiant smile.
"What a huge beast!"
"This beast must have become a spirit, right?"
"Was it this beast that ate Elder Qin and Widow Chen?"
Seeing the evil tiger carried by the two constables, the villagers exclaimed in surprise.
Many of them had seen tigers before, but never one this massive.
Qin Jianghe led the villagers forward to greet and bow.
Zhang Long's eyes were like lightning as he scanned the crowd, his voice booming:
"This evil tiger has indeed become a spirit, it used Chong Ghosts to lure villagers out at night alone and hunt them down, now it has been vanquished by me!"
"You can all rest assured now!"
"Thank you, sir, on behalf of all villagers of Dahe Village, I thank you for your kindness!"
Qin Jianghe led everyone in giving thanks and even prepared silver as a gift.
Zhang Long accepted the silver, but did not stay for a meal, leaving Dahe Village in haste with his men and the corpse of the evil tiger.
Zhou Chen's heart was full of envy, remembering how, when he went with Old Man Cao to sell their game, they were not only taxed this and that but also extorted by those constables and group members.
It truly was difficult for lower-class civilians to earn a bit of silver.
"Brother Chen, are you alright?"
Qin Hongyu approached Zhou Chen, inspecting him carefully, worried he might have lost some parts.
"I'm fine, let's go home!"
Zhou Chen took Qin Hongyu's hand, eager to return home and examine what Old Man Cao had hidden in his shoe sole.
"Brother Chen, my father actually was..."
Qin Hongyu's eyes reddened, unable to help but ask.
"You still have me!"
Zhou Chen held Qin Hongyu's soft small hand tightly, comforting her gently.
"Brother Chen, you're really good!"
Back at home, Qin Hongyu composed herself and went to the kitchen to prepare food.
Zhou Chen entered his room, closed the door, and took out a pair of worn cloth shoes from his chest, the right one severely damaged, revealing the hidden manual inside.
Zhou Chen carefully cut open the cloth shoe with a knife to retrieve the manual.
The manual was made from a material similar to silk but not silk, unfamiliar to Zhou Chen.
However, it felt exquisite and smooth to the touch, evidently not ordinary.
Covered in densely packed words and diagrams, the top right corner bore three large golden characters: Yi Arrow Skill.
"It's a martial art!"
Zhou Chen immediately confirmed it was indeed a martial art, unable to contain his elation.
He hurriedly tore open the other shoe, but it contained nothing.
Zhou Chen was somewhat disappointed, but acquiring a martial art was already a great fortune.
He picked up the manual and began studying it.
It turns out, the Yi Arrow Skill was a superior martial art, with extremely demanding cultivation criteria; one must either be born with archery talent or reach the pinnacle of archery skills to cultivate it.
Old Man Cao spent a lifetime practicing archery, only achieving Great Success Archery, never reaching perfection, let alone mastery.
Archery mastery involves achieving a level where one becomes one with the bow and arrow, akin to the unity between sword and human in swordplay.
"I have the Wind and Moon Treasure Mirror, hopefully, it can aid me in cultivation?"
Zhou Chen's heart held anticipation, even if it couldn't boost cultivation directly, he could first raise his archery to mastery and then cultivate.
In short, one way or another, he was capable of cultivation.
Zhou Chen carefully read through the Yi Arrow Skill, studying it thoroughly.
The next moment.
He discovered his personal skill panel had changed.
[Cultivation Technique: Yi Arrow Skill]
...