The young man in front of her, with red lips, white teeth, and a youthful demeanor—this was actually Chen Zhou?!

And he had come to her of his own accord?!

His appearance was so deceiving that Lin Yujing had not immediately connected this seemingly harmless boy with the ruthless killer whispered about in the police reports.

It wasn’t until he revealed his identity that she felt a chill run down her spine, as if a blade were pressing against her back. Her entire demeanor shifted in an instant.

Crash!

The flowers, plants, and trees in the courtyard trembled violently. A crackling sound came from Lin Yujing herself, and the plants closest to her withered and curled, as if scorched by unseen flames!

She was furious, her body tensed to strike at any moment.

"Master Lin, you’re scaring me. Please, calm down." Chen Zhou attempted to soothe her. "I admit my entrance was a bit rude, but I have no ill intentions."

Before arriving, Wu Haisheng had told him that the owner of Jingwu Hall was a beautiful young woman, so he immediately recognized that the person before him was Lin Yujing.

A girl like this, holding her own in Changqing County for years, must have some real skill. The world truly was filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers—never to be underestimated.

Lin Yujing’s right hand subtly rested on the hilt of the sword at her waist. Though Chen Zhou’s words were meant to ease her, his expression remained relaxed.

The calmer he appeared, the greater the pressure she felt.

The rumors about him were simply too strange.

As a man of the new era, Chen Zhou adhered to the principle of repaying kindness with kindness and evil with retribution. He would treat others as they treated him.

This time, he had come to seek assistance, so he approached with sincerity.

However, the shadow of the "God of Slaughter" had already taken root in Lin Yujing’s mind. His mere presence put her on edge.

"What is your purpose here, sir?" Lin Yujing asked evenly. "I don’t believe I have any grudge against you."

Even as she spoke, she watched him intently, ready to react at the first sign of aggression.

And if he moved—

She would run.

"I told you, I’m not here to cause trouble…" Chen Zhou sighed. He stood up from the stone bench and stated his purpose directly. "Master Lin, I hope you can help me train."

"Help you train?" Lin Yujing frowned slightly. "With your strength, why would you need me?"

"Master Lin, there’s no need to be humble. I came here because of your reputation." Chen Zhou answered sincerely. "Besides, I think you’ve misunderstood something. I only have a good record. In truth, I’m just a second-realm, first-level cultivator."

As he spoke, Chen Zhou briefly released his aura, revealing his cultivation level.

A flicker of doubt passed through Lin Yujing’s clear eyes. It really was just the first level of the second realm—far below her own.

How was he so strong in battle?

After a moment of thought, she found the answer: "Have you awakened a martial arts talent?"

She even knows about martial arts talents?

Chen Zhou didn’t bother to hide it and nodded. "That’s right."

"I see…" Lin Yujing’s expression shifted in understanding. "No wonder you’ve been able to accomplish all this. Your awakened martial arts talent must be incredibly powerful."

She was well aware of the strength of Zeng Guanshi, Xiao Xianwei, and the others. Each of them had been on par with Chen Zhou, yet he had cut them down with ease.

"So… does this mean you’ve also awakened a martial arts talent?" Chen Zhou asked.

"Yes." Lin Yujing nodded without hesitation. "Martial arts talent is a gift from the heavens, bestowed upon one in ten thousand. Some are strong, some are weak. Yours… is exceptionally strong."

Chen Zhou suddenly understood. It seemed that others awakened their talents naturally, while he had gained his through the "Record of Merits."

One in ten thousand? Ha. His golden finger had made it look effortless.

"In that case, I really should thank the heavens."

Chen Zhou grinned. "So, Master Lin, will you help me?"

How could she possibly refuse…? Lin Yujing thought to herself. But outwardly, she nodded. "Of course. What do you want to learn?"

Chen Zhou’s reputation left her no room to decline. For the sake of her life, she had no choice but to agree.

"Anything that’s the best." Chen Zhou replied. At this moment, he was like Sun Wukong learning from Patriarch Bodhi—seventy-two transformations over thirty-six? He’d take them all!

Lin Yujing asked again, "Have you practiced the breathing technique?"

Breathing technique?

Never heard of it.

Chen Zhou shook his head. "To be honest, I’ve only practiced one martial art—'Thirteen Deadly Spears.'"

Lin Yujing frowned. "That sounds impressive."

"Eh, it’s just a basic technique. I bought a weapon, and they threw it in for free."

Lin Yujing: "..."

Chen Zhou was speaking the truth, but at the same time, he subtly reminded Lin Yujing of his terrifying talent—she would be wise not to have any ill intentions.

Lin Yujing caught the implication. She gave him a long look before explaining:

"After martial artists condense true essence in their bodies, they need breathing techniques to guide it through their limbs and bones, strengthening themselves. It also greatly enhances combat effectiveness."

"At the second realm, we temper our bones with true essence. Breathing techniques are essential for this."

She gave Chen Zhou a detailed explanation of second-realm cultivation. He listened attentively and then said:

"Understood. Then please teach me a breathing technique."

"Alright. Wait here."

Lin Yujing left and soon returned with a heavy book in her hands.

"This is 'Purple Yang Tempering Technique,' the breathing method I practice. It is also my Lin family’s ancestral technique."

A family heirloom?

Chen Zhou was surprised. She was willing to hand over such a treasured technique?

"I didn’t expect Master Lin to be so generous."

Lin Yujing’s expression remained unreadable. "I’m simply doing what I must to survive."

Though Chen Zhou seemed inexperienced in martial arts, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was far more dangerous than he let on. She wouldn’t risk deceiving him with a lesser technique.

In reality, she was correct. Chen Zhou didn’t need to analyze the technique—he could simply use "The Record of Merits" to see if it was worth learning.

"Master Lin, you’re quite intelligent." Chen Zhou nodded. Huh. Why did that sound like something a villain would say?

Lin Yujing immediately added, "I have one request."

"Go ahead."

"I want you to join me in taking down the magistrate of Changqing County!"

Her words were sharp, her hands gripping the book tightly. A flicker of hatred burned in her usually calm eyes.

"I will personally behead that dog of an official!"

Chen Zhou sighed. "And so the cycle of revenge continues…"

Lin Yujing’s heart sank. "Are you afraid?"

She thought he had stood against Zhao Shuanghe. The enemy of my enemy is my friend—wasn’t that why she had given him the family technique?

But then, Chen Zhou continued:

"You can watch from the sidelines. But his head belongs to me."

"What?" Lin Yujing blinked in confusion.

"I mean, I’ll kill Zhao Shuanghe myself," Chen Zhou clarified.

This corrupt official must be worth a fortune in good deed points. No way was he letting someone else take that reward!

"So you’re saying you agree to kill him?" Lin Yujing asked cautiously.

"Of course. But the head is mine."

He was already planning to do this—picking up a companion along the way was no problem.

As long as the final kill belonged to him!