System: I Can Open Martial Arts Chests-Chapter 39: Zhou Yi

Er Gou felt a chill run down his spine as he listened. He instinctively touched his body, but he didn’t know where the Demon Seed Chu Qing mentioned was.

He didn’t believe Chu Qing would deceive him... His martial arts were strong enough to kill someone like Tang Xi without hesitation.

In front of him, Er Gou was as insignificant as an ant, so why would he bother deceiving him?

At that moment, Er Gou fell to his knees with a thud:

"Thank you, Master, for saving my life."

Master...

Chu Qing remained silent, standing with his hands behind his back:

"Stand up, Er Gou. This name doesn’t sound good; give yourself a new one."

Er Gou stood up, scratching his head:

"Master, I... I didn’t attend private school as a child; I don’t know how to name myself."

I don’t know either!

Chu Qing felt a bit troubled.

Er Gou was obviously a lowly name for resilience, but it wasn’t a name that could be used for a lifetime.

"What is your family name?"

Chu Qing asked again.

After crying his heart out, Er Gou felt like a huge stone had been lifted from his chest, and the fierce determination that had been lingering in his heart was gone. Instead, he appeared a bit more honest:

"Master, my family name is Zhou."

Chu Qing thought deeply, carefully considered for a long time, and then said:

"The beginning of one element, all things are renewed."

"From today on, you shall be called Zhou Yi."

His voice was full of profundity, and Er Gou listened in bewilderment, feeling this person indeed remarkable!

It takes great knowledge to name someone.

Immediately nodding repeatedly:

"Alright, Master, I remember, from today on, I’ll be called Zhou Yi."

Seeing this, Chu Qing breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that naming was indeed difficult, not suited for him.

Fortunately, he managed to handle it this time, and immediately said:

"Zhou Yi, I have a few tasks I need you to carry out."

"Master, please instruct."

Zhou Yi had already made up his mind, whatever task Chu Qing asked him to do, he would do it no matter the cost.

Then he heard Chu Qing speak lightly:

"I want you to acquire Chen’s Oil and Grain Store on North Street of Celestial Dance City."

"Ah?"

Zhou Yi froze, scratched his head, and said:

"Master... I have no money."

If he had money, how could he live here?

"You need not worry about that."

Chu Qing said softly:

"Since you are working for me, silver won’t be lacking for you.

"Listen to me first... After acquiring the oil and grain store, continue the operation as usual; profits and losses are your responsibility.

"Afterwards, every night at zi hour, you must go to the back alley of the oil and grain store; there is a large stone there.

"You flip the stone, if there’s a letter inside, take it.

"Then prepare a large vat in the yard, with a basin on top.

"If there’s a letter, fill the basin with water and place the letter underneath.

"If there’s no letter, still place a basin, but no need to fill it with water.

"Did you get everything I said?"

Zhou Yi remained silent for a while, ensuring he memorized everything Chu Qing said, and then nodded:

"Yes, Master, I’ve remembered."

"Good."

Chu Qing nodded, took a handful of gold leaves from his chest, estimated the price of the oil and grain store, and handed a portion to Zhou Yi.

He also took some broken silver and handed it to him.

Zhou Yi looked at the gold leaves and silver taels and accepted them without much thought.

"Alright, go ahead."

Chu Qing waved his sleeve, signaling him to leave.

Zhou Yi was about to leave but couldn’t help turning back:

"Master, how should I find you in my daily life?"

Chu Qing shook his head:

"You don’t need to find me, if there’s a matter, I’ll find you."

"Understood."

After listening, Zhou Yi no longer asked, glanced once more at Tang Xi’s head on the ground, picked it up:

"I take my leave."

After saying this, he walked out of the Earth God Temple.

Chu Qing waited until Zhou Yi couldn’t see him anymore, then leaped up and followed his steps.

Working alone has many inconvenient aspects.

Given his current situation, taking jobs often relies on chance, and it’s unsustainable long-term.

Therefore, he needs to establish some of his own power.

Yet he doesn’t need to create a massive organization like the Mirror of Sin... He just needs "eyes" that can see, "mouths" that can speak.

Thus, the people he needs don’t have to be high-flying experts.

Rooted among the common folk, only then can more be understood.

Zhou Yi is a kind of experiment.

If he doesn’t become greedy upon seeing money and runs off with Chu Qing’s gold leaves and silver, it would count as establishing initial trust.

From now on, the profits and losses of the oil and grain store will be his.

He can fully support himself with this shop, marry and have children; great wealth may not be guaranteed, but living comfortably won’t be hard.

If he absconded with the money... Chu Qing wouldn’t pursue him.

Because Chu Qing hasn’t completely solved his Demon Seed yet.

It’s not that Chu Qing deliberately held back, but the Demon Seed is deeply ingrained and can’t be unraveled overnight.

The Purple Mist and Void Scripture contains the Purple Mist Divine Skill capable of dissolving Exotic True Qi, and the Demon Seed can be considered Exotic True Qi in a certain sense, so it can barely be dissolved.

But it requires time...

Chu Qing didn’t reveal this fact, wanting to see Zhou Yi’s disposition.

Whether or not this is unfair to Zhou Yi, the truth is Chu Qing already saved his life; if Chu Qing hadn’t appeared, his eventual fate would have been evisceration to consume his heart.

Moreover, Chu Qing avenged him as well.

He’s the one who offered his life to Chu Qing...

In this situation, if he still took Chu Qing’s money and fled, it would be deserved death.

Chu Qing followed Zhou Yi all the way, saw him first find a secluded place, using a short knife to ruin Tang Xi’s face completely, then walked along a path as if searching for something.

Shortly, a stray dog suddenly emerged from the grass; maybe it had bitten Zhou Yi before; seeing the stray dog made him shiver instinctively, and he threw the head to it.

The stray dog, starved for who knows how long, grabbed the head and ran away, afraid others would snatch it.

Seeing this, Zhou Yi showed a hint of smile, then went to the clothing shop, changing from top to bottom into respectable clothes.

Afterwards, he went to the bathing hall, and when he came out, he had put on the new clothes.

After doing so, he went straight to the oil and grain store.

When he left the oil and grain store, he was with the store’s original shopkeeper, and they went together to the City Lord’s Mansion.

Such shop transactions must be reported to the City Lord’s Mansion.

The whole process wasn’t fast; by dusk, the oil and grain store had changed owners.

Only then did Chu Qing leave; the initial trust was tentatively established.

For the rest, just let it unfold.

Chu Qing also had his own matters to attend to.

The inn had been occupied for a long time; as an assassin, it’s best not to stay too long in one place.

Hence he procured a small courtyard as a place to stay.

Thinking the coming days would be uneventful, waiting for the "big job" to start.

But unexpectedly, that evening, while meditating at home, someone suddenly arrived in the dead of night, causing a powerful gust of wind.