Supreme Martial Venerable: Starting with the White Ape Cloak Hammer skill point allocation

The torches at the river construction site burned all night without going out.

The overseers and laborers didn't dare close their eyes all night, fearing that the water monkey would run ashore.

Zhou Yuan, on the other hand, had a good night's sleep.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Zhou Yuan opened his eyes and stretched.

Just as I was about to check yesterday's harvest, I heard a flurry of footsteps.

A group of people came from the direction of the county town. Among them were the foreman who had gone to call people yesterday, and two old acquaintances of Zhou Yuan!

Gao Dazhuang and Li Lin.

They walked past Zhou Yuan's stove, Li Lin looking straight ahead, as if he didn't recognize Zhou Yuan.

Gao Dazhuang glanced at Zhou Yuan, a hint of displeasure flashing across his face, and his brows furrowed.

"Who's in charge here?"

The middle-aged man at the front spoke in a low voice.

He was dressed in the official robes of a county magistrate, and was none other than Sun Kang, the second-in-command of Gaoshan County, who was in charge of grain, horses, water conservancy, household registration, and patrol.

Gao Dazhuang's older sister was one of his concubines.

Judging from Gao Dazhuang's appearance, his sister probably isn't much better looking either. This Magistrate Sun certainly has some unusual tastes.

Zhou Yuan mingled in the crowd, secretly grumbling to himself.

"Where's Chen Liu? Where did Chen Liu go?"

Gao Dazhuang immediately shouted loudly.

A foreman stepped forward, hunching his shoulders. "Boss Gao, Sixth Brother has also been captured by the water monkeys."

Chen Liu has been away from the construction site for several days. If Gao Dazhuang finds out, they will all be punished.

In order to shirk responsibility, the foremen tacitly agreed to a plan.

Gao Dazhuang was stunned. Had Chen Liu also been captured by the water monkey?

No wonder Zhou Yuan is still alive.

"Brother-in-law, Chen Liu was the foreman of this construction site. He was eaten by the water monkey."

The tall, strong man hunched over and approached Sun Kang, smiling obsequiously.

He was tall and strong, while Sun Kang was of average height. In order not to appear taller than Sun Kang, he bent his legs and hunched his neck, which looked quite ridiculous.

"I heard you."

Sun Kang said expressionlessly, "Also, when you're on duty, you should be addressed by your job title."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Gao Dazhuang quickly replied.

"Brother Liang, Brother Li, Officer Zhu, what do you think?"

Sun Kang glanced at the river, then turned to look at the group of people who had come with him, and spoke.

Besides Gao Dazhuang and Li Lin, Sun Kang was accompanied by two tall, middle-aged men.

The man in the black robe with a knife at his waist is Zhu Yiwei, the head constable of Gaoshan County.

The other middle-aged man was named Liang Shun, a famous martial arts master in Gaoshan County.

These people are all important figures in Gaoshan County, and it would be difficult to even meet them on a normal day, but now they have all gathered here.

"There's an eerie atmosphere here."

Liang Shun frowned and said in a deep voice, "It should be a water monkey without a doubt."

But water monkeys only appear during the rainy season; it's the dry season now, so why have they suddenly appeared?

"Could it be related to that notorious thief, Xu Nian?"

Li Lin said softly.

Sun Kang and Zhu Yiwei's expressions both changed.

"That's possible. Xu Nian was originally a fisherman, and before joining the Divine Weapon Valley, he studied at the Beast Taming Sect. If it was one of the demonic beasts he raised..."

Zhu Yiwei said in a deep voice.

Zhou Yuan mingled among the laborers, eavesdropping intently.

The voices grew softer and softer, and Zhou Yuan, whose hearing had improved since mastering the White Ape Cloak Hammer technique, could only hear them vaguely.

All I heard were words like traitor, pursuit, and treasure.

"Monster beasts... kept as pets? People actually keep monster beasts as pets?"

Zhou Yuan muttered to himself, but this inadvertently covered up Chen Liu's death.

Zhou Yuan wanted to hear more, but then he saw the head constable Zhu Yiwei turn around and give a few instructions. Immediately, several constables came over to drive them away.

The monsters causing trouble is a serious matter, so the river dredging project can no longer continue.

Those laborers, who had turned misfortune into good fortune, packed their bedding with smiles on their faces and fled the construction site as if they were escaping, fearing that if they were a step too slow, the officials would change their minds.

Zhou Yuan also packed his things, picked up his bedding roll, and prepared to go home.

Before leaving, he brushed past Li Lin, who was exploring the riverbank.

Li Lin didn't even glance at him and walked straight past him.

Zhou Yuan went down the river embankment and walked two or three miles toward the county town before opening his palm, revealing a note in his hand.

The note was unfolded, seemingly to conceal the handwriting, which was rather messy.

"Be careful of Young Master Liu."

Zhou Yuan crumpled the paper into a small ball, put it in his mouth, chewed it a few times, and then swallowed it.

"Beware of Young Master Liu? Who is Young Master Liu?"

Zhou Yuan had some doubts.

He also had some complaints in his heart. Li Lin was considered a local gentry in Gaoshan County, yet he acted so cautiously.

I dare not take him as an apprentice, I dare not admit that I taught him martial arts, and I even have to sneak around when passing on a message.

However, he could understand Li Lin. Li Lin came from a humble background and it was not easy for him to get to where he is today. Of course, he was unwilling to make enemies with the powerful families in Gaoshan County.

"For Master Li to be so cautious, this young master Liu must be either rich or noble."

Zhou Yuan muttered to himself.

Although Gaoshan County is not large, it has a population of three to four hundred thousand. The original owner knew only the lowest-level peddlers and laborers in the county, and had never heard of any Young Master Liu.

"I don't know any Young Master Liu. Why is Master Li warning me to be careful of him?"

With these thoughts in mind, Zhou Yuan returned to the city gate.

Just as he was about to enter the city, a commotion suddenly broke out from inside the city gate.

This was followed by the neighing of horses and panicked shouts.

"Make way, don't block the way!"

"Who are you trying to take the road from? Are you blind?!"

Several burly men roughly pushed aside the pedestrians at the city gate, forcibly clearing a passage.

Those men had knives at their waists, exuded a fierce aura, and looked like they were not to be trifled with.

Da da da.

The crisp sound of horses' hooves pounded on the bluestone pavement as a man rode out of the city.

Zhou Yuan moved to the side of the road and watched the person pass by and disappear into the distance.

"He's the newly promoted martial arts graduate this year. I heard the county magistrate invited him to come out of the city to subdue the demon."

"Not only that, my seventh maternal uncle's neighbor works in the county government. I heard that a notorious bandit has fled to our Gaoshan County. All the wealthy households in the county are now living in fear. This martial arts master was traveling in the prefecture, but he rushed back because of this incident."

"A master thief? What kind of master thief?"

"I heard his name is Xu something, anyway, he has nothing to do with us poor folks, if he wants to rob, he'll rob those rich bastards."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their faces filled with envy as they watched the martial arts graduate walk away.

Passing the military examination not only exempts one from taxes and corvée labor, but also makes one a guest of honor of the county magistrate.

Most importantly, with a military examination degree, one has the opportunity to become an official with a salary, allowing one to practice martial arts full-time.

Zhou Yuan's heart stirred slightly. The martial arts examination was a shortcut to success, but to become a martial arts scholar, one had to first become a martial arts scholar.

A martial arts graduate is one in ten thousand, and a martial arts scholar is one in a hundred.

This hurdle was not easy to overcome, and what's more, there was another hurdle blocking his way: his status as a craftsman.

Zhou Yuan now understands why Li Lin is so cautious. For the poor to rise up, every step is like walking on a cliff, with countless people trying to drag them down.

Without proceeding cautiously step by step, let alone turning the tide, you could be crushed at any moment.

"Yuanzi, what are you doing here watching the show?"

Suddenly, someone patted Zhou Yuan on the shoulder heavily and said anxiously, "Your house is about to be demolished, why don't you hurry back?"

Those people are fierce and menacing; your wife, a delicate young girl, can't possibly stop them."