I am dying of old age, and I have awakened to the character of longevity.

Xie An stopped ten meters away from Zhang Biao and observed for a while, confirming that the other party's brains had spilled out before approaching. He kicked Zhang Biao's corpse, which was like a dead fish, a couple of times, then sat down and panted heavily.

Huff, huff.

"A confrontation like that is really tiring. So this is a martial artist who has just entered the Copper Skin Realm? Indeed, troublesome!"

Xie An felt that if he fought hand-to-hand at close range, he would be absolutely confident in crushing the opponent with his absolute strength.

However, the opponent was proficient in swordsmanship, while he was not skilled with weapons. If they really engaged in close combat, he might actually be killed instead.

"Relying on the health cultivation technique to become a martial artist, wielding the power of killing... it's still too slow. That old Mr. Tang probably accumulated decades of experience before becoming a martial master with the health cultivation technique. If I don't want to wait for decades, I still need to practice martial arts."

Along the way, Xie An had killed Zhang Bing, Lu Wei, and Zhang Wei, as well as Li Wei, Wang Wu, and A San. But never had a confrontation been as exhausting as today's.

Although Xie An knew from the beginning that he could steadily win, the confrontation lasted for nearly half an hour, and the process was too difficult.

Killing a Copper Skin Realm martial artist is so strenuous.

In the end, his strength is still too weak.

The health cultivation technique is fine for strengthening the body, increasing longevity, and prolonging life.

For killing skills, one still needs to practice martial arts.

If his strength were sufficient, why would he need so many twists and turns?

"Once I join the White Feather Hall and save up some money, I'll start practicing martial arts."

Xie An made up his mind, then stretched his muscles and bones. He searched Zhang Biao's body.

Good heavens... Zhang Biao, who spoke of five hundred or two thousand taels at every turn, only had ten taels of silver in his entire fortune.

He's too much of a braggart...

After searching for money and not finding any other martial arts manuals, Xie An turned and left.

The arrows were ordinary items that Xie An bought on the market, so even if they were left at the scene, no one would suspect anything.

The ambush and killing of Zhang Biao on New Year's Eve was not originally in Xie An's plan.

He planned to develop for a few more months before taking action. However, Zhang Biao had been jumping around a lot recently, both suspecting him and having the constable Liu He torture and interrogate his apprentice.

Xie An was worried that if this guy continued to jump around, he might really find some clues.

To avoid complications, I had no choice but to reluctantly do it.

......

Back at the small house in the backyard of the pawnshop, it was already Yin time.

The sky was not yet bright.

The room was warm because the stove was still burning. The two little apprentices were still sleeping soundly, making even snoring sounds.

Xie An had just killed someone, and a Copper Skin Realm martial artist at that. The excitement in his heart remained, and he had no sleepiness. In order not to disturb the two apprentices' sweet dreams, Xie An did not practice the Five Animal Frolics, but instead sat down cross-legged and began to practice the Fetal Breathing Technique.

Huff, huff.

Suppress the breath so that it does not enter through the mouth and nose, imagine one's Mingmen and Dantian sticking together, pause for a moment, then raise the Qi from the Lower Dantian to the Xuanguan Acupoint...

This is the second style of the Three Styles Technique, the Fetal Breathing Circulation Method of the Heavenly Phoenix Style.

After a while, Xie An found the state and began to imagine breathing with his navel, and using his mind to rise from the perineum along the Ren Meridian to the navel, guarding the navel with his mind when exhaling.

[Fetal Breathing Technique: Three Styles Technique (93/100)]

"It's about to break through. I wonder if it will increase lifespan after the breakthrough... Is it possible to achieve breathing without the nose and mouth?"

......

The next day was the first day of the Lunar New Year.

All things recovered, thriving.

The Spring Festival was the most important festival of the year in the Great Qian Dynasty. The imperial court attached great importance to the Spring Festival, stipulating that the first day of the first month was "Yuanri," and carrying out activities such as New Year's greetings and eating New Year's Eve dinner. It was also stipulated that the Spring Festival would have a seven-day holiday, and there was a system of "nine days of relaxation and one day of leisure."

Therefore, the town of Black Crow Bridge was not prosperous on the first day of the new year. The shops were closed, and the shopkeepers and assistants went home to guard their wives and children.

The business of the Blood Ridge Black Market was also much less, with a bit of desolation.

As the guardian deacon of the Blood Ridge Black Market, Zhang Lin still had to stay here to maintain the order of the Blood Ridge Black Market and protect the property here. Several confidants also stayed with him.

At last night's New Year's Eve dinner, Zhang Lin and several of his men drank too much and woke up late in the morning.

Zhang Lin had just finished breakfast when he saw Zhou Xing rushing in with a knife in a panic.

"Boss, something bad has happened."

Zhang Lin couldn't help but reprimand, "Why are you in such a hurry on the first day of the new year? What's wrong?"

Zhou Xing was out of breath, his face was pale, and the voice of his speech was shaking, "Deacon Zhang Biao... was killed."

"What?"

The always calm Zhang Lin was no longer calm, and stood up violently, "You... are you sure?"

"I'm sure. When I was patrolling in the morning, I saw Deacon Zhang Biao's body on the mountain road nearby."

"Quick, take me to see."

Most ⊥ New ⊥ Small ⊥ Say ⊥ At ⊥ Six ⊥ 9 ⊥ ⊥ Book ⊥ ⊥ Bar ⊥ ⊥ First ⊥ Send!

Zhang Lin also "disregarded propriety" and followed Zhou Xing out in a hurry, even appearing more excited than Zhou Xing.

For many years, Zhang Biao had been his mortal enemy. In addition to disagreements in philosophy, the two also had personal grudges. Although Zhang Lin prided himself on being slightly stronger than Zhang Biao and looked down on Zhang Biao as a well-connected person, Zhang Biao had a strong backing. He just had no way to deal with it. That's why when he saw Xie An, he repeatedly extended olive branches, even hinting... that he hoped to use Xie An's hand to kill Zhang Biao.

However, Xie An repeatedly declined, and he also saw that Xie An was very cautious. So he didn't have much hope.

Unexpectedly, just after the new year... Zhang Biao died.

This New Year's gift... was too timely.

However, before seeing Zhang Biao's body, Zhang Lin still dared not believe it.

Until... Zhang Lin really saw Zhang Biao's body on the mountain road, did he dare to believe that all of this was true.

"Boss, who is so bold that they dare to ambush and kill a deacon of the White Feather Hall... are they crazy?" Zhou Xing was bloodless. Although he had not joined the White Feather Hall for a long time, he also knew that looking at the entire Qingwu County, there were not many forces that dared to move the Tiger Wolf Gate.

Killing a deacon is definitely not a small matter.

Zhang Lin carefully examined the scene.

Zhou Xing looked at the boss running back and forth, and couldn't help but curiously ask, "Boss, what are you doing?"

"I want to see how Zhang Biao died."

Zhou Xing was shocked: "How did he die?"

Zhang Lin analyzed the scene of Zhang Biao's killing in his mind based on the traces left at the scene, "At that time, Zhang Biao should have been passing by on horseback alone. The initial hoof prints were very slow, indicating that Zhang Biao did not realize the danger at that time, but was just slowly leisurely. The hoof prints suddenly accelerated... he should have been shot with an arrow, and the horse was frightened. But Zhang Biao was not hit by the arrow."

Zhou Xing listened in a daze, greatly interested, "And then?"

Zhang Lin said: "Then... the horse's head was shot through. The murderer used a heavy bow, shooting the horse before shooting the person."

"And then?"

"Then Zhang Biao hid behind the poplar tree and circled around with the murderer..." Zhang Lin deduced the situation at that time based on the traces at the scene.

After listening, Zhou Xing couldn't help but take a breath of cold air, "This murderer is a ruthless veteran! He killed Zhang Biao without any effort."

Zhang Lin couldn't help but admire, "From the beginning, all of Zhang Biao's actions were calculated by the other party. This murderer is like a mature hunter, with ruthless and steady means, this person is amazing."

Zhou Xing was afraid for a while: "Then I will let people investigate the murderer now."

Pa.

Zhang Lin slapped Zhou Xing's head violently, "Investigate the murderer for what? It's just that food is scarce in the cold winter, and bandits are doing evil. Deacon Zhang Biao had a lot of money, and was coveted by bandits."

Zhou Xing's mouth was wide open, thinking that this didn't look like something done by bandits at all, it was clearly a seasoned killer.

Zhang Lin glared at him, "Huh? Do you have a better idea?"

Zhou Xing suddenly came to his senses and quickly shook his head like a rattle, "No, no. The boss is right. It was done by the bandits of the Da Yin Mountain."

Zhang Lin nodded in satisfaction, "Such a murderer is not something you and I can investigate. Don't go looking for trouble. You take the horse and Zhang Biao's body back and report according to what you just said."