After all, while his master had told him to come back for more Qi Storage Pills once he ran out, he was always a bit too embarrassed to ask for handouts. He preferred to wait until his master summoned him and offered them.

With these elixirs and the six gold ingots, he should be able to use elixirs freely for a short while. This would let him maximize the progress of his martial arts training. It would be worth it, even if some of the medicinal efficacy was wasted.

After sliding the drawer back into place, Yang Jing searched the room carefully once more.

A wooden chest in the corner was locked. He broke it open with brute force again, only to find a few rather ornate outfits inside, much to his disappointment.

The bookshelf held two martial arts manuals, but they were nothing special—far inferior to the Mountain-Shattering Fist and Raging Wave Legs he practiced. Judging by the dust on their covers, Shen Lie hadn’t valued them much either.

In a hidden compartment of the desk, he only found a few IOUs and land deeds, none of which could be converted to cash anytime soon.

Confirming there was nothing else of value, Yang Jing stopped and turned his gaze back to Shen Lie’s headless corpse.

He walked over to Shen Lie’s headless corpse, squatted down, and began to search it carefully.

Tied to Shen Lie’s waist was a leather money pouch, bulging to the touch.

He untied the pouch and opened it. Inside were over thirty taels of fragmented silver and a few large coins.

Yang Jing poured the silver and large coins into his palm all at once, weighed them for a moment, then stuffed them into his robes and tossed the empty pouch to the ground.

He then felt around Shen Lie’s chest. His fingertips touched a hard object. He pulled it out to find a small porcelain vial. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

He uncorked the vial, shook it, and five round Qi Storage Pills tumbled out. The elixirs had a rich color, a clear sign of their high quality.

Apparently, Shen Lie carried them on his person for easy access.

Yang Jing pocketed the porcelain vial without hesitation. He lived by the principle that every little bit counts. Besides, Qi Storage Pills were essential for cultivation. This was no small gain; a single Qi Storage Pill was worth as much as a pound of top-grade Exotic Beast Meat.

After looting the body, Yang Jing stood up. He frowned slightly as he looked at the mess on the floor.

He took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and rained several more punches and kicks down on Shen Lie’s corpse.

The punches were fierce and the kicks were powerful. Each blow landed on a different spot, mangling the body further and making the wounds chaotic and random.

He did this to muddy the waters.

Although it was already difficult to tell that Shen Lie had died from the Mountain-Shattering Fist, he still had to leave nothing to chance.

Shen Lie was, after all, a Core Disciple of the Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall and highly valued by the Hall Master. His death would undoubtedly cause quite a stir in Yuhe County.

’The Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall would definitely investigate the killer, but who would ever suspect him, Yang Jing?’

’In the eyes of others, while he might be able to defeat Shen Lie in a spar, he should have absolutely no way of killing him so easily.’

’After all, no one knew he had broken through to the Dark Energy realm with his Raging Wave Legs. His overall strength was on a completely different level than before.’

’He didn’t plan on revealing this leap in strength for the time being.’

’The fact that his Raging Wave Legs had reached the Dark Energy realm needed to remain hidden, at least for a while. It would serve as his trump card.’

Having done all this, Yang Jing gave the room one last scan, confirming he had left no trace of himself behind before turning to leave.

Yang Jing went to the main door, gently pulled it open, slipped out, and then closed it behind him.

The door met the frame with only a faint CLICK, completely masked by the whistling wind outside.

He crouched low, hugging the base of the wall as he moved toward the courtyard wall. His steps were as light as if he were treading on cotton, not making a single sound on the bluestone slabs beneath his feet.

Reaching the base of the wall, he pressed his ear against it and listened again. Beyond the wall, there was nothing but the wailing of the wind sweeping up fallen leaves. Even the distant clapper of the Night Watchman had fallen silent.

Confirming it was safe, Yang Jing bent his knees and gathered his strength. Dark Energy circulated silently to the soles of his feet. His body, like a leaf caught in the wind, soared lightly over the high wall and landed steadily in the alley outside.

After a quick glance left and right, he swiftly vanished into the shadows at the corner of the alley.

The inky blackness of the night swallowed his figure whole.

Without further hesitation, Yang Jing employed the Body Technique of his Raging Wave Legs and sped northward.

Propelled by Dark Energy, his figure flitted through the alleys at high speed, his feet barely touching the ground, leaving only a faint afterimage.

It was late at night, and even the most bustling streets were now deserted. Still, Yang Jing remained cautious, sticking to narrow, winding alleys.

The high walls on either side of the alleys cast deep shadows, providing perfect cover. Even the occasional patrolling soldiers and the vagrants huddled in corners failed to notice the figure flitting through the darkness.

He didn’t head straight back to Tongyi Square. Instead, he deliberately took a large detour, first heading west through two districts, then turning north, and circling for a moment through a few intersecting alleys. Only after confirming he wasn’t being followed did he change direction and race toward Tongyi Square.

The wind gradually died down. About a quarter of an hour later, Yang Jing finally saw the gates of Tongyi Square.

Passing through familiar streets and alleys, the outline of his own small courtyard gradually came into view.

Yang Jing observed for a moment. The courtyard gate was shut tight and all was quiet inside. His cousin was clearly still fast asleep.

He walked to the gate, gently pushed open the slightly ajar door, and slipped inside. He then latched it shut behind him. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, causing not the slightest disturbance.

The night was still deep. The stars in the sky were few and scattered. It would be at least another two hours before dawn.

Back in the courtyard, Yang Jing didn’t disturb anyone and went straight to the kitchen.

The embers in the stove had not yet completely died out. He dragged a brazier out from the corner and stripped off his Night Clothes and mask.

The specks of blood on the fabric were jarring in the dim light. He tossed them into the brazier without a second thought and added a few handfuls of dry kindling.

CRACKLING flames licked at the fabric, quickly consuming the Night Clothes. Black ashes rose with the heat and then slowly settled.

Yang Jing stared at the brazier until the last scrap of cloth had turned to charcoal. Only then did he use a pair of iron tongs to stir the ashes, making sure not a single trace remained.

After dealing with the clothes, he walked over to the well in the corner of the courtyard, worked the windlass, and drew a full bucket of cold water.

Though the night wind was cool and the well water even cooler, he paid it no mind. He opened his tunic and used a ladle to pour the water over his body.

The chilly well water washed over his skin, rinsing away the lingering scent of blood and clearing his head.

He moved efficiently, washing himself clean in moments. He then dried his body with a cloth towel and changed into a clean set of coarse linen shorts and a shirt.

With all this done, Yang Jing stood in the courtyard and looked up at the waning moon, half-hidden by clouds.

The night wind blew, carrying the chill of the pre-dawn air. The faint sound of a distant dog barking drifted from outside the courtyard, while from the main house, Yang An’s snores remained steady.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The nerves that had been taut all night finally relaxed completely, and a feeling of lightness, of a great burden lifted, spread through him.

’Shen Lie was dead. The thorn in his side was finally gone.’

A smile of relief touched Yang Jing’s lips, but he knew in his heart that this storm was not yet over.

He could imagine the waves Shen Lie’s death would create in Yuhe County tomorrow.

These days, death wasn’t exactly uncommon, but Shen Lie was no ordinary person, no vagrant whose life was as worthless as a weed. He was one of the best among those at the Peak of Dark Energy. If he hadn’t run into him, Shen Lie might have even had a chance to get on the roster for the training ground trials.

For such an expert to be killed in his own home would inevitably attract attention from all sides, and the Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall certainly wouldn’t let the matter rest.

’But none of that had anything to do with him, Yang Jing.’

’In everyone’s eyes, while he could defeat Shen Lie, he absolutely lacked the ability to kill him so cleanly. After all, dealing with the desperate last stand of a Peak of Dark Energy Martial Artist was no simple task.’

’In fact, others probably thought that if he hadn’t relied on his Body Technique to fight from a distance, he might not even have been Shen Lie’s match in a head-on confrontation.’

’What’s more, outsiders only knew that he and Shen Lie had competed at the training grounds; they didn’t know of any deep-seated hatred between them.’

’With no motive and not enough "power," who would ever cast a suspicious glance his way?’

Yang Jing straightened his collar and turned to walk toward his own room.

’Dawn was approaching. He needed to get some rest. He had to be full of energy to practice his fists tomorrow.’