Becoming a Saint Starts with Copying Martial Arts

Chapter 20 A Lone Goose Reflects Its Shadow in Perfect Harmony

"Old Yang, may you be reborn into a wealthy and noble family in your next life, so you won't suffer at the bottom of society!"

In a room on the north side of the crematorium, Lin Qing put Old Yang's body into the crematorium furnace, where flames surged and quickly engulfed it.

[Deceased: Yang Zhen, a constable]

[Realm: Ming Jin]

[Progress of the ritual to deliver souls from suffering: 0%]

[Reward: A certain talent, martial arts skill, or technique]

As the corpses were continuously burned to ashes in the flames, the progress of the exorcism on the panel also increased continuously.

At a certain moment, when the progress reached 100%, a memory first flooded into Lin Qing's mind.

In a split second, he watched Old Yang's life story.

He lost his father at a young age and made a living by gathering firewood in the mountains. Later, in order to find a way out, he chose to work as a helper in the Crafts Department of the government. After years of hard work, he finally became a formal clerk in the Crafts Department.

Later, he worked in various positions, including night patrol, Yin and Yang, and the Underworld Bureau. Now, 18 years have passed, and he has been with Yang Feng for 8 of those years.

Several months ago, on his way home, Yang Feng accidentally stumbled upon a group of thugs robbing a pawnshop. He decisively took action and killed three villains, but was then ambushed and killed in the street by Yin Muhua.

When the body was discovered, it had already spawned evil spirits by the afternoon of the following day. It had no choice but to send it to the dungeon to appease the resentment and exorcise the evil spirits before burning it.

"Lord Yang, may you rest in peace!" Lin Qing murmured to himself. He always held a deep respect for good people, because it was not easy to be a good person in any era.

Then, a lot of information appeared in front of Lin Qing, all of which were the martial arts skills that Old Yang had learned before his death.

[Please select one martial arts skill or talent to copy]

1. A lone goose casts its shadow (Perfect ending)

Originating in the border army, it later flowed into the criminal law system. After being improved by several generations of skilled constables, it was simplified and became one of the secret sword techniques passed down by elite constables in the yamen.

When one reaches the pinnacle of skill, one's sword strikes are as swift as a fleeting glimpse of a swan, fast, accurate, and ruthless, targeting vital points such as the enemy's joints and ligaments.

2 Talents • Eagle Eye (Excellent)

With eyes as sharp as an eagle's and excellent dynamic vision, they are naturally adept at long-distance observation and identification.

3. Tracking (Minor Success)

The systematic methods developed through years of experience in handling cases can help determine a suspect's movements, martial arts style, and other techniques by looking for subtle clues.

4. Poison identification (minor level)

They have a keen eye for common narcotics and poisons in the martial arts world and possess extensive experience in identifying them.

Lin Qing was overjoyed. He was worried about how to master the Lone Goose Reflecting Shadow technique within seven days, but he didn't expect that Old Yang had already mastered it to perfection.

"After eighteen years of service, it's normal for his swordsmanship to be perfect."

Lin Qing had a sudden thought and immediately chose to copy this martial art.

At this moment, Old Yang's body had been completely burned to ashes, and the sadness on Yang Feng's face slowly faded. He turned and went out, with Lin Qing following closely behind.

"Lin Qing, I see that you have excellent talent and temperament, and your personality suits my taste. Would you be willing to become my disciple?" Yang Feng turned around and suddenly asked.

Lin Qing was taken aback for a moment, then replied without hesitation, "I am willing to become your disciple, sir!"

There's no need to hesitate. These days, becoming an apprentice isn't something you can do casually. Once you succeed, it's like having a solid backer and getting all sorts of benefits. Why not?

Moreover, Yang Feng was renowned for his good character and high level of martial arts skills, which he greatly admired.

"Alright, becoming an apprentice can't be done casually. Go home tomorrow and discuss it with your parents. If they agree, I will hold an apprenticeship banquet in the inner city three days later to formally establish a master-disciple relationship," Yang Feng said in a deep voice.

"Disciple understands." Lin Qing nodded solemnly.

"There are no other miscellaneous matters today, so you can do whatever you want. However, remember not to slack off. Next year, the Town Soul Division of the Prefecture will send people to select talents. This opportunity is very rare, so don't miss it," Yang Feng instructed.

"Disciple understands," Lin Qing replied, then turned and left.

Yang Feng watched his retreating figure and nodded slightly. He saw his younger self in Lin Qing. Lin Qing was just as energetic and taciturn, but the difference was that Lin Qing's talent far surpassed his own.

"I am limited by my talents and have not been able to leave this small county. You are different. Don't waste the gift of heaven."

...

That afternoon.

When Lin Qing returned home, he first told his parents that he had passed the Night Patrol Division's assessment.

"You passed the test? Ah Qing, I knew you could do it." Lin Cheng grinned from ear to ear.

"Yes, Ah Qing, from now on you're a government employee. Let's see if those thugs will dare to bully us again!" Han Ying laughed.

"Father, Mother, there's more good news. Yang Feng, the head of the corpse collection team, is interested in taking me as his apprentice. I came back today to discuss it with you," Lin Qing said.

"You want to take me as your apprentice? That's great! This is fantastic! Once you become my apprentice, you'll have someone to help you when you encounter trouble in the future." Han Ying's eyes lit up.

"Yes, yes, Qing, this is a great opportunity, we must not miss it," Lin Cheng added.

Lin Qing nodded slightly: "That's what I was thinking too. I'll start preparing for the apprenticeship ceremony tomorrow."

"Do you need our help?" Lin Cheng asked.

"No need, I can do it myself." Lin Qing shook his head, and his gaze swept over them, suddenly noticing that the two old people had more gray hairs on their heads and looked more haggard than before.

"Father, Mother, have you been having any worries lately?" Lin Qing asked.

"All the general stores in the county town are closed. That's the rule of the government. I wonder what big move they're planning." Lin Cheng sighed. Without the general stores, they'd be starving soon.

Lin Qing shoveled a large mouthful of mixed grain rice into his mouth and said softly, "Father, Mother, don't worry about this. I have some money here; you can use it first."

As he spoke, he placed five taels of silver on the table.

"Ah Qing, practicing martial arts costs you money, so you should take this silver back," Han Ying said.

"Mother, I don't need this little bit of money," Lin Qing said with a smile.

...

The next day.

Lin Qing returned to the Night Patrol Division.

After becoming a corpse collector, he had a lot more free time. He didn't have to work in the mornings, so he could focus on practicing martial arts.

This training lasted for two hours until he was completely exhausted. Lin Qing then sat down on a stone bench to rest, with a crooked tree behind him casting a shadow.

Just then, a group of people appeared outside the door. The leader looked fierce and menacing; it was none other than Han Tai!

"It's Han the constable!"

"gather!"

Han Tai shouted, and everyone stopped what they were doing and assembled in front of him.

Han Tai cleared his throat, suddenly raised a portrait, and shouted loudly, "Remember the wooden statue in this painting. Anyone who knows any clues will be richly rewarded. Conversely, anyone who knows but fails to report will be taught the severity of the government's punishments!"

After Han Tai finished speaking, he didn't linger and turned to leave.

On the training ground, the crowd was buzzing with discussion.

"What's going on with that wooden statue?"

"I heard that Yin Muhua and his gang of thugs are trying to find this wooden statue."

"I heard that the Buddha's boxing manual is inside that wooden statue!"

"Here we go again. Every year they claim a new 'Buddha's Boxing Manual' has appeared, but none of them are true."

"Stop talking nonsense and get back to practicing your martial arts!"

...

Lin Qing remained silent, but felt a little uneasy. If the investigation continued indefinitely, and something was discovered, it would be a huge problem.

However, handing it over now will inevitably cause trouble; we need to find a suitable opportunity and a suitable solution.