14: Madam, he has evil intentions.
Zhao Wuji didn't know why the constables had come.
If it were ordinary constables acting so arrogantly and telling him to gather his Disciples, he would only give them a cold sneer, serve them tea, and send them away.
However, this constable was acting on Chief Constable Shi's orders; therefore, he dared not ask anything and could only comply.
The constable said coldly:
"Those who have Cultivated Mantis Fist to Perfection, step forward."
Zhao Wuji was stunned for a moment, then quickly stepped forward.
The Crowd remained motionless.
The constable frowned and said coldly, "Curator Zhao... in such a large Martial Hall, are you the only one who has practiced to Perfection?"
Zhao Wuji was displeased and said in a low voice, "That's right!"
The constable sneered, "Those who have reached Major Achievement, take a step forward."
Zhao Hongxiu, Senior Brother, and seven or eight others all stepped forward.
The constable paced back and forth, observing them, his eyes growing colder.
The constable said disdainfully, "Such a large Martial Hall, yet only these few have Major Achievement in Mantis Fist. How disgraceful."
Zhao Wuji was furious but dared not speak.
Zhao Hongxiu and The Crowd trembled with anger.
"Those who left the Martial Hall yesterday, step forward."
"Those without corroboration from fellow Disciples, step forward again."
The constable listed many conditions in succession.
Dozens of people scattered out.
Chu Qing was among them.
Half an hour later:
The constable registered everyone's names and then demanded fifty taels of silver from Zhao Wuji before leaving.
In the training ground, The Crowd looked at Zhao Wuji in confusion.
As it turned out, Zhao Wuji was equally confused.
Only Chu Qing, among The Crowd, vaguely sensed something.
"I used Mantis Fist to kill Liu Xiaogou, Liu Hai, and Liu Jun."
"Are these constables investigating this matter?"
"Can these guys trace the Cultivation Technique through the wounds?"
"It seems I should give them something to do."
In the afternoon:
Chu Qing wandered around the rouge and powder shops a few times, then used a few pieces of malt candy to entice two children, giving them instructions.
These two children, carrying three hundred silver notes, headed straight for the Red Snake Martial Hall.
Children wanting to buy Secret medicine?
Upon receiving the news, the Curator of the Martial Hall pondered for a moment and said:
"Someone doesn't want to expose their identity, which is why they sent children to buy it."
"Take the money, give the medicine."
"Do not follow them, and do not deceive them."
The Disciples replied, "Yes, sir!"
Chu Qing watched the children emerge from the Martial Hall, following them from a distance, and did not find anyone from the Martial Hall tracking them.
Nor did he find any constables.
Once the children placed the Secret medicine at the designated spot, he immediately took it.
However, shortly after he took the Secret medicine, constables went to the Red Snake Martial Hall.
"What? Two children just bought Secret medicine?"
Half an hour later:
These constables went to see Chief Constable Shi: "Chief Constable, two children were lured by a person with a face covered in mud, using malt candy, to buy Red Snake Secret medicine about half an hour ago, and placed it in front of a dilapidated temple."
Chief Constable Shi raised an eyebrow.
He had sent his subordinates to check the Secret medicine situation at the Red Snake Martial Hall as a casual, unimportant move.
After all, if the killer wasn't an idiot, they would definitely not buy Secret medicine now.
The result:
The killer actually had two children buy it.
"Is this a diversion? To increase the difficulty of the investigation? Or... is he arrogant?"
"Interesting!"
"Three portions of Secret medicine... that's enough for him for a month."
"Is this guy going to hide for a month?"
"Too bad he met me."
Chief Constable Shi gave orders:
He instructed his subordinates to keep a close watch on the city gates, inspect abandoned courtyards and temples, and even visit general stores and the countryside.
The constables patrolled the streets and alleys.
At this time:
Chu Qing had already washed his face clean, tucked away a box of rouge and powder, and went to see Madam Jin.
When he saw Madam Jin again, she was quite far from him.
Chu Qing didn't mind, directly presented the rouge and powder, and then began to read the 'Great Rites Debate' with a swaying head.
The 'Great Rites Debate' discusses the relationships between ruler and subject, mother and son, and adults and commoners.
Chu Qing felt it was useless, not as good as stretching his legs or doing frog jumps.
Fortunately, Madam Jin knew he was Cultivating, so after he read for an hour, she let him go.
Madam Jin then opened the rouge and said with a smile:
"My Qing'er is so grateful; he even gave me high-quality rouge."
Xiao Tao Hong... Madam, he has ulterior motives... There are yamen runners checking at the Martial Hall entrance.
Chu Qing swaggered over, cupped his fists, and bowed.
"Where did you go?"
"I went to Hall Master Jin's house."
"What about yesterday?"
"Same!"
"Why did you go?"
Chu Qing didn't hide anything and explained the situation.
The yamen runner let him in.
When he reached the training ground, he saw everyone in a state of panic.
Even Shi Tiezhu, who was always diligent in his practice, was unsettled, his punches and kicks askew.
Chu Qing inquired and learned that:
Zhao Wuji, Zhao Hongxiu, and The Crowd had all been taken to the yamen in shackles.
As for when they would return, it was uncertain.
Whether the Martial Hall could even be preserved was also uncertain.
"Detained for investigation?"
"If I strike again, they won't be suspects anymore."
"But... if I don't strike, they'll eventually investigate me."
Chu Qing's eyes darted around, then he turned and left the Martial Hall again, heading straight for outside the county town.
When he reached the city gate, he saw soldiers and constables patrolling.
"I want to go out and catch some wild game to eat."
After some effort, Chu Qing arrived at a rice field.
Children were giggling here, catching frogs, snails, loaches, and so on.
Some children recognized Chu Qing and said:
"Big Brother, someone was looking for you this morning."
Chu Qing's heart stirred, and he said, "Who?"
The child said, "This morning, an old man asked us if any adults had been catching toads these past few days."
"He said to tell him if we saw you again."
Chu Qing smiled and said, "Will you tell him?"
The child licked his lips, hesitant to answer.
Chu Qing gave him a handful of malt candy and said, "Don't follow me."
The child nodded.
A short while later:
Chu Qing caught two water snakes and wrapped them around his legs.
[You have completed the second condition for Red Snake Leg.]
As night fell:
Chu Qing returned to his impoverished home.
This time, he repaired the gaps in the door panel to prevent incidents like Liu Xiaogou's from happening again.
At the same time, he was also pondering:
Who was the old man the child mentioned?
Why was he looking for someone who catches toads?
Chu Qing inexplicably thought of Toad Skill.
But then he shook his head.
They didn't have a profession bar, so they couldn't advance by eating toads. Why would they look for someone who catches toads?
Moreover:
If Toad Skill was important, why didn't they look for it before?
"The old man has nothing to do with me."
"Right now, Cultivating Red Snake Leg is the most important thing."
After Cultivating Toad Skill for a while, his spirit and energy reached their Peak, and he consumed three portions of Secret medicine.
[Cultivation Technique: Red Snake Leg Perfection — For those with extraordinary talent, practice a hundred times daily, take Secret medicine for ten days, and break through the limit in a thousand days.]
[Promotion Conditions — 1: One shizhu pearl, 2: Red Snake wrapped around legs for three days]
Another shizhu pearl?
It seemed that Red Snake Leg couldn't be promoted for now either.
At this moment, the medicine took effect.
He began to Cultivate.
With Red Snake Leg, his legs would spring, either gliding along the ground, or leaping and bouncing, or striking in mid-air.
His two thick, long legs, like large snakes, swayed left and right, flying up and down.
When his legs swayed, they were like a snake's tail moving, unpredictable and eerie.
[Iron Tendons + 25%]
[Iron Tendons + 25]
The profession bar flickered.
[You have developed an Iron Tendon. This Iron Tendon overlaps, returning part of the medicine's effect.]
"Mantis Fist developed nine Iron Tendons in the legs; I wonder how many will overlap."
One minute... ten minutes... the Secret medicine lost its effect.
Chu Qing swallowed more Secret medicine and continued to Cultivate.
Half an hour... an hour... the profession bar flickered wildly.
After the last portion of Secret medicine was consumed; all thirty Iron Tendons of Red Snake Leg were developed.
Unfortunately, ten of these Iron Tendons overlapped with those of Mantis Fist.
At this point, he possessed a total of 56 Iron Tendons.
18 Iron Tendons in his arms and 38 in his legs.
At this time, the strength in his legs was several times greater than in his arms.
When he exerted force with his legs, thirty Iron Tendons appeared, vaguely forming the shape of a large snake.
Additionally, on each leg, there were an extra 4 Iron Tendons, like four long whips, guarding the large snake.
"So, if I use Red Snake Leg to kill an enemy, what will that group of yamen officials do?"