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

Chapter 75 Opportunity (Please continue reading)

Inside the courtyard, Zhou Yuan flipped and rolled, shrinking the ground with each step. In the blink of an eye, he had already taken eight steps, covering a distance of several feet.

If someone were to observe, they would only see a blurry figure moving about, unable to discern the rise and fall of its footsteps.

[Eight Steps to Catch the Cicada (Completed) (90/3000)]

After three days of arduous practice, Zhou Yuan mastered the Eight Steps to Catch the Cicada to perfection, and was only one step away from achieving ultimate perfection.

Now he is using his footwork to its fullest extent, his body can change at will by turning sideways, sliding sideways, and diving, and he can repeat eight steps in a cycle, integrating advancing, retreating, dodging and attacking.

Its ability to save lives has reached a new level.

Zhou Yuan stopped, his breath steady and his body still, moving swiftly yet calmly, with an elegant and composed demeanor.

Zhuo Changyu brought warm water at the right time and thoughtfully handed over a towel.

Just as the two were talking, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Zhuo Changyu walked over and opened the door, and several people immediately rushed in.

The newcomer was dressed in black robes and had a long knife at his waist; he was a constable.

"Officer Zhu, this is..."

Zhou Yuan looked surprised.

Zhu Yiwei cupped his hands in greeting to Zhou Yuan, "Lord Zhou, please forgive me."

Considering that Zhou Yuan was, after all, the county's top scholar, and even if he couldn't pass the martial arts examination in the future, his strength might not be inferior to his, he became more polite.

"It is my duty, and I have offended many. You must have heard about the assassination of Liu Jin, the reporter from Shenbing Valley, in the street, right?"

Zhu was ordered to track down the murderer. The order was to search every house, and now they've come to your place, Zhou County Magistrate Yuan.

Zhu Yiwei gave an explanation.

"Officer Zhu, please proceed."

Zhou Yuan stepped aside and said, "The house is a bit messy, so please be careful when you search, brothers."

Changyu, serve tea to all the officers.

""

Despite his polite demeanor, Zhu Yiwei waved his hand and ordered the constables he had brought to search the area thoroughly.

"Officer Zhu, the assassin who killed Liu Jin has not been caught yet?"

I heard that Liu Jin is a martial artist who has broken through four levels. The one who can kill him must be just as strong, right?

Zhou Yuan casually struck up a conversation with Zhu Yiwei.

Zhu Yiwei gave a casual reply while watching his men search the premises.

"That's not necessarily true. The other party killed Liu Jin by surprise with a crossbow, so their strength may not be higher than Liu Jin's."

However, judging from the traces left at the scene, the other party's cultivation level was at least three breakthroughs.

Only Yue Zichuan, Wang Chao, and Gao Da knew that Zhou Yuan had already broken through the barrier three times.

Yue Zichuan had already left Gaoshan County, and neither Wang Chao nor Gao Da were talkative people, so the news of Zhou Yuan's three breakthroughs did not spread.

Although Zhu Yiwei had also doubted Zhou Yuan, he dismissed his doubts after considering that Zhou Yuan was only at the second level of cultivation.

"Sir, we have not found anything related to the crossbow."

Soon, the constables had searched the place thoroughly.

"Officer Zhu, although I learned weapon forging techniques from Master Li, crossbows are contraband. Even Master Li wouldn't be able to forge them, let alone me."

Zhou Yuan said.

"I know, otherwise I would have already reported your name when the higher-ups asked who in the county was most suspicious."

""

Zhu Yiwei said with a smile.

Zhou Yuan chuckled inwardly; Zhu Yiwei was trying to curry favor with him.

"Thank you, Officer Zhu."

""

Zhou Yuan said, and calmly handed a silver ingot to Zhu Yiwei.

Zhu Yiwei's smile immediately became even brighter.

"By the way, there's something you'll know soon enough."

,

Zhu Yiwei smiled and said, "The interviewers from Shenbing Valley have discovered a group of promising talents in the county and have decided to put them through a trial. Those who pass the trial can skip the process and directly become inner disciples of Shenbing Valley."

That was a privilege that only the most outstanding students who passed the martial arts examination and ranked highly could enjoy in the past.

I heard that your name is also on the trial list.

Before Zhou Yuan could answer, Zhu Yiwei led his men to the next store.

"A trial?"

Zhou Yuan frowned, lost in thought.

Trials sound like a good thing, but how come such a good thing happened to him?

He has always refused to join the martial arts alliance established by Pang Yunlong, and now he is not even allowed to sell weapons in Gaoshan County. How could Pang Yunlong give him the opportunity to participate in the Divine Weapon Valley Trial?

Alarm bells rang loudly in Zhou Yuan's mind.

He could refuse the Martial Alliance; at worst, he could simply stop selling weapons and rely on his savings to get by for a while.

But since they've already included his name in this trial, they probably won't give him a chance to refuse.

Before Zhou Yuan could find out the details of the trial, people from Divine Weapon Valley had already come knocking on his door.

"Chen Ming of the Martial Alliance, acting on orders from Elder Pang of the Divine Weapon Valley and the Alliance Leader, has come to inform you."

The newcomer was a young man in his early twenties with an arrogant expression. "Because you are Elder Luo Baiyan's disciple, Elder Pang and the Alliance Leader have granted you special permission to participate in the entrance trial of Divine Weapon Valley."

""

"Can I not go?"

Zhou Yuan said.

He looked at the other person and remembered who it was—it was the one who had injured Cheng Jiuhe.

Although Cheng Jiuhe has now woken up, several of his tendons are broken, leaving him practically useless. Zhou Yuan has visited him several times but has been turned away each time.

Cheng Jiuhe didn't want him to see her in such a humiliating state.

"Zhou Yuan, you have refused to join the Martial Alliance several times. The Alliance Leader has put aside past grievances and given you the opportunity to participate in the trial. You are not grateful and still want to refuse?"

"Chen Ming said coldly.

"Zhou knew he was dull-witted and didn't want to waste this opportunity."

""

Zhou Yuan said with a sincere expression.

"Since you know you're dull-witted, you should follow the wise ones."

Chen Ming snorted coldly, "We'll meet at the county government early tomorrow morning. You can try not to come."

,

As Zhou Yuan watched Chen Ming's figure disappear outside the door, a glint flashed in his eyes.

Liu Jin and the others had just been killed. If something were to happen to Chen Ming, it would be hard not to suspect him.

Zhou Yuan turned around and met Zhuo Changyu's worried gaze.

Clearly, even Zhuo Changyu noticed that something was wrong.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Such a good opportunity, how could it possibly fall to Zhou Yuan?

"Don't worry, things are different now. I am now a martial arts scholar with official rank, and also Elder Luo's disciple."

Zhou Yuan smiled and comforted her, saying, "They wouldn't dare do anything to me."

Although he said that, he knew very well that if something really happened to him under the guise of a trial, it would be because he was not skilled enough, and even Luo Baiyan would not be able to find fault with him.

"You go and rest first, I'll forge another weapon for self-defense."

Zhou Yuan said to Zhuo Changyu.

If you lack strength, make up for it with equipment.

Besides the Divine Arm Crossbow, the "Collection of Military Skills" also contains a powerful ordinary weapon that he should be able to forge with his current weapon-forging skills.

If it's truly just a trial, that's fine. But if someone tries to take advantage of him, they'll have to ask the weapon in his hand if it will allow it.

"I am a weaponsmith. Why use your fists when you can solve things with weapons?"

Zhou Yuan picked up the forging hammer, his arm muscles bulging, and slammed it onto the anvil with a clang.

Sparks flew everywhere, dazzlingly bright.