Shen Qing gave a command, and the room instantly erupted into chaos.


    Seeing their leader killed in the blink of an eye, the subordinates of the Eagle desperately tried to escape using all their might.


    Unfortunately, the hunters guarding the door had already set a trap, and they ran straight into it.


    The sound of traps snapping shut echoed continuously inside and outside the courtyard, mingling with screams, one after another.


    Shen Qing shook the blood off his hand and strolled leisurely inside the room.


    Anyone who lacked awareness and came too close to him was killed with a single touch.


    Shen Qing''s speed and ruthlessness in killing made the ruffians in the room shiver in fear.


    In their eyes, killing people was no different from slaughtering chickens.


    No, it was even simpler than slaughtering chickens.


    There was no twist in this massacre. Shen Qing and his group mercilessly slaughtered all of the Eagle''s subordinates.


    Shen Xiaohu wiped the bloodstain off his face, walked up to Shen Qing, and said, "Brother Qingzi, it''s all done."


    "Mm." Shen Qing glanced at the now very grown-up Shen Xiaohu, then turned his gaze to the Martial Mechanism Bomb, inspecting it in front of him.


    One end of the Martial Mechanism Bomb''s box had a pull ring-like trigger, and the other end was wrapped in iron.


    After examining it for a while and understanding its mechanism, Shen Qing couldn''t help but laugh silently.


    Unexpectedly, this world had created something akin to a wooden-handled grenade.


    From what he gathered, martial masters below the Qi Cultivation Realm couldn''t withstand the power of this Martial Mechanism Bomb with just their flesh and blood.


    Conversely, for those at or above the Qi Cultivation Realm, this Martial Mechanism Bomb posed no threat.


    Martial Arts training in depth did have some merit.


    Shen Qing tucked the Martial Mechanism Bomb into his arms, and seeing that the Eagle''s gang was all executed, a faint smile appeared on his face.


    It was time for the crowd''s favorite looting segment.


    He wondered what he might find this time.


    Shen Qing summoned everyone to start ransacking the room.


    The owner of the house was already dead, so they had no qualms, smashing boxes and dismantling chests wherever they found them.


    The Eagle''s stronghold was thoroughly searched inside and out, almost tearing off the roof.


    There were indeed quite a few good things.


    Seven golden leaves, a short dagger, and countless other silver taels and copper coins.


    According to their old rules, it would be a fifty-fifty split.


    Shen Qing took five shares alone, while the remaining five shares were divided among the others.


    Everyone was quite satisfied, having earned a tidy sum.


    "Qingzi, come and take a look at this."


    Just as everyone was about to leave, Tian Xiaohu squatted on the Eagle''s bed, lifted the quilt, and tapped the bedboard, calling out to Shen Qing.


    Shen Qing walked over and curiously asked, "What''s up?"


    Tian Xiaohu said seriously, "The sound is hollow, and there are gaps around it."


    "Are you saying there''s something inside?"


    Tian Xiaohu nodded heavily and said, "But it''s stuck tight, and I can''t open it."


    Shen Qing looked down and tapped upwards with his finger.


    Pop!


    With a muffled sound, Shen Qing directly poked a hole and easily flipped over a small wooden board.


    Tian Xiaohu''s face twitched, momentarily speechless.


    He leaned forward to take a look inside.


    Inside the compartment were books of Martial Arts Skills.


    Upon closer inspection, there were as many as five.


    Illusion Breaking Fist, Netherworld Ghost Steps, Eight Extremities Collapse, Wuji Tiangang Kick, Dragon Roar Armor.


    "This is..."


    Tian Xiaohu suddenly became excited.


    It was known that any Martial Arts Skill on the market would cost at least tens of taels, and more profound ones could reach hundreds.


    If a profound Martial Arts Skill came with annotations, it would be priceless.


    Unexpectedly, there were five here.


    "Qingzi, look at this..."


    Shen Qing remained calm, not as excited as Tian Xiaohu.


    Truly good Martial Arts were preserved through lineage, rarely seen outside.


    There was no way to decipher the coded language within, nor any way to ensure the accuracy of the transcribed text.


    With Martial Arts Skills, a single wrong word could lead you astray by miles.


    Shen Qing calmly said, "These Martial Arts can''t be that good. Otherwise, the Eagle wouldn''t be so weak."


    His cold splash of water quickly calmed Tian Xiaohu.


    Indeed.


    If the Martial Arts here were so formidable, how could the Eagle be so weak?


    The Great Zhou Country was not lacking in wise people who diligently studied various Martial Arts.


    The more outstanding the Martial Arts, the more practitioners there were, making it easier to summarize patterns, rendering them more accessible and less demanding on innate abilities.


    Only low-level Martial Arts would be difficult to practice, requiring comprehension and talent.


    The reason everyone aspired to enter the government office was the abundant opportunities for practicing Martial Arts within.


    As long as they entered the government office and reached the court of the Great Zhou, regardless of age or comprehension, they stood a chance to soar and pursue enlightenment.


    Unlike them, who had to plead for favors everywhere.


    Shen Qing took out the Martial Arts one by one and said, "But we shouldn''t be disheartened. My uncle, the Hall Master, is well-informed and knowledgeable in many Martial Arts. I''ll take these Martial Arts to him tomorrow for inspection, to see if they are practicable and how to practice them."


    "Alright, I''ll trust you." Tian Xiaohu nodded heavily.


    "Let''s go."


    Shen Qing jumped down from the bed and walked out of the hall with Tian Xiaohu.


    At this point, they saw Shen Xiaohu squatting on the ground, staring intently at a few women.


    These women remained motionless in the corner. No one paid them any attention during the fight.


    A few young hunters had some ideas, but upon seeing others looting and splitting money, they temporarily restrained themselves.


    Shen Qing went over and nudged Shen Xiaohu, saying, "Seems you can''t move once you spot women. Last time at the Tang''s, you kept staring at the widow''s chest. I''ll make sure to tell Second Uncle when we return; he needs to find you a wife."


    Shen Xiaohu plopped back onto the ground, complaining, "I''m not doing anything wrong. Brother Qingzi, look closely. They seem strange."


    "What strange?"


    "Their gazes are so dull, and their faces are still flushed."


    Shen Qing looked along and found there was indeed something not quite right.


    These women seemed like wooden figures, as if they could be manipulated at will, lacking the aura of living people.


    One of them wasn''t particularly attractive but had smooth, tender skin. She was noticeably different from the other three.


    Tian Xiaohu whispered, "They''ve been drugged."


    "Drugged?"


    "It''s just some dirty trick," Tian Xiaohu said. "Like the way those kidnappers do it. A bit of potion over the mouth and nose can make a person lose consciousness. These women were probably kidnapped from who knows where."


    Shen Qing sighed, "Well, there''s nothing we can do. Let''s go and have them handed over to the government office."


    Though he was ruthless, he wasn''t at the point of indiscriminately killing.


    These women had no enmity with him, and it wasn''t worth the effort to go out of his way to kill them.


    Since they were unrelated, delivering them to the government office was already doing them a favor in his book.


    Shen Xiaohu reluctantly followed Shen Qing and Tian Xiaohu outside.


    However, after taking a couple of steps, he suddenly stopped and shouted, "Wait a minute."


    Shen Qing and Tian Xiaohu stopped and looked back.


    Shen Xiaohu said seriously, "Did you hear someone among them talking?"


    Shen Qing listened carefully, and with Shen Xiaohu''s reminder, he indeed heard the faint murmuring.


    The sound was very soft.


    If one didn''t listen attentively, it would be easy to miss it. Sёarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even for someone as keen as Shen Qing, he wouldn''t notice it without purposely listening.


    "Zhou Family... Send me back to the Zhou Family... I''m of the Zhou Family... Miss... My father... won''t let you... get away..."