Chapter 36: Disposing of the Body

After confirming that everyone was safe, Tianmen and Chi Baicheng departed. Although their actions had been to save lives, this was, after all, a brothel, and lingering here would reflect poorly on them.

Seeing the outsiders leave, Wang Jingyuan began to loot the corpse. Linghu Chong wanted to stop him but was silenced by Wang Jingyuan’s incessant chattering: "No way? Really? Are you actually trying to be sworn brothers with a rapist?"

Linghu Chong could only watch helplessly as his "Brother Tian" was denied peace even in death. To Wang Jingyuan’s surprise, he actually discovered Tian Boguang’s martial arts manuals. He had always assumed that the idiotic act of carrying one's secret manuals on one's person was something no one would actually do, yet Tian Boguang had done exactly that.

Under normal circumstances, Wang Jingyuan would have happily pocketed the loot. However, after spending some time here, he understood that this was a hardcore game world. If an NPC appeared stupid, it wasn't due to poor AI, but rather that the NPC was programmed to be foolish. Yet, as a lone rapist with no backing, Tian Boguang had roamed the martial arts world for years without ever being caught; he could not possibly be a fool. There had to be a trap.

Wang Jingyuan cautiously used his long sword to sweep the manuals onto the ground, flipping through them page by page. Having already learned a few martial arts skills via the system, he now possessed some discernment regarding manuals. After only a few pages, he realized that the two blade technique manuals and two movement technique manuals found on Tian Boguang shared a consistent style, likely originating from the same sect.

Both the blade techniques and the movement skills were centered on the concept of "speed." Furthermore, this speed was achieved by burning the body’s vital essence through internal energy. The more he looked at this logic, the more it resembled the *Evil-Warding Sword Manual*.

After finishing all four manuals, Wang Jingyuan realized it wasn't just a resemblance; it was a "beggar’s version" of the *Evil-Warding Sword Manual*. However, the internal energy portion of the *Evil-Warding Sword Manual* at least possessed a profound philosophy, clearly stemming from an extraordinary lineage. These four manuals, by contrast, looked like a path discovered by pure trial and error. Their power was far inferior to the *Evil-Warding Sword Manual*, but because their effect was significantly weaker, they did not require castration.

The price, however, was an insatiable, overwhelming desire.

Wang Jingyuan nodded. That explained it. It explained why Tian Boguang, a rapist, acted like a sex addict, and why he kept the manuals on his person. Anyone who obtained these manuals would either be someone he had taught willingly or someone who had killed him. Tian Boguang’s martial arts were truly formidable; how many who obtained these manuals could resist the urge to practice them? But once one started, it was the classic trope of the dragon-slayer eventually becoming the dragon. Tsk, tsk, such a malicious design.

But what did that have to do with Wang Jingyuan? He had already learned the *Evil-Warding Sword Manual*, so this was hardly worth mentioning. In fact, ever since he discovered these manuals, he had been considering establishing a "Huashan Wellness Class." By deconstructing the internal energy components and making minor modifications, he could create a brand-new *Yang-Boosting Technique*. Using the wellness class as a platform to cultivate connections with those senile old men in the imperial court would be absolutely perfect.

After all, from the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet down to the common hawker, who isn't concerned about their own "private matters"? Medicine is always partially toxic, so marketing these aphrodisiacs to the lower-tier market could generate wealth. This *Yang-Boosting Technique* would be his stepping stone into the upper echelons. Thinking of this, Wang Jingyuan beamed. Once his plan unfolded, wouldn't the missions of revitalizing the Huashan Sect and defeating the final boss be easily within his grasp? He felt the ease of someone who had cleared the DLC before starting the main game.

Just as Wang Jingyuan was gloating, Linghu Chong began to shroud Tian Boguang’s body. Wang Jingyuan immediately stopped him: "Hold your hands!"

Linghu Chong looked at Wang Jingyuan, asking in disbelief, "Junior Brother Wang, do you still wish to desecrate the corpse?!"

Wang Jingyuan frowned. "Am I that kind of bored person? I don't usually do things without profit. I just thought of a possibility, so I need to process his body first."

Linghu Chong furrowed his brow. "How do you intend to process it?"

Wang Jingyuan pointed upward. "The weather is getting hotter. If we leave it, the corpse will soon stink. We need to find a way to preserve it."

Linghu Chong was even more confused. "Why not just find a thin coffin and bury him?"

"Ha, let's leave that for the Gold Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony," Wang Jingyuan replied dismissively, unwilling to explain further to this muddle-headed fool.

Wang Jingyuan reached out, intending to store Tian Boguang’s body in his inventory, but found he couldn't. He had tried before; living things couldn't be stored, but meat bought at the market could. He looked at the empty health bar on the corpse; there was no possibility of it playing dead. Did he need to dismember it to store it? Forget it; with this idiot present, he couldn't do that.

Thus, Wang Jingyuan hoisted the corpse onto his shoulder and prepared to leave, instructing Linghu Chong, "I will find someone to handle the body. You take Little Master Yilin back to the Hengshan Sect."

Although Linghu Chong was still uneasy, he couldn't find a reason to stop him and could only watch as he departed.

Wang Jingyuan, carrying the corpse, originally intended to find a military household in the city to help process it, as pickling heads should be a basic skill for them. Unexpectedly, the military system of the Ming Dynasty had already begun to rot. Being a "military household" was just a title; they had lost all basic military skills and were no different from peasants. However, on the way, he discovered a butcher shop.

...

[Proficiency in "How is the Dai Mountain" +1]
[Proficiency in "How is the Dai Mountain" +1]
[Proficiency in "How is the Dai Mountain" +1]

On the way back to the clubhouse, Wang Jingyuan’s left hand never stopped moving. "How is the Dai Mountain" lived up to its name; its essence lay in calculation rather than sword moves, and grinding for experience worked the same way. Every time a martial artist walked toward him, he would calculate using his fingers, and upon completion, he gained proficiency even without attacking.

Along the way, he gained quite a bit of proficiency, and his fingers moved faster and faster. Soon, his left hand was a blur of motion. However, after gaining about twenty points of proficiency, the speed of his progress vanished; he could no longer gain proficiency by calculating passing martial artists.

He was not surprised by this, as it had been the same when he practiced the *Huashan Sword Technique*. When first learning, he gained proficiency with every practice, and defeating strong enemies in sparring granted even more. But once the technique reached a certain level, he could only gain proficiency by winning against stronger opponents or by killing.

Sure enough, killing monsters was the destiny of a player.

Still, having a way to steadily improve, Wang Jingyuan was satisfied. Arriving at the clubhouse, he saw Yue Lingshan pacing anxiously. When she saw the returning group, her face lit up with a smile, and she ran over: "Junior Brother Wang, are you alright?"

Wang Jingyuan subconsciously calculated with his fingers. After seeing the result, he wore a look of disdain. "Junior Sister."

"What?"

"You're truly trash."