I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 66 - 55: Having Many Skills is Not a Burden

The burly and bear-like Zhao Yuan had his head lowered, his face full of gloom. It seemed that this examination was not satisfactory, and his uncle Zhao Zhonghe was consoling him.

"A Yuan, you have already done your best. Even if you didn’t pass, it’s better than being a coward who leaves the exam hall shortly after entering."

"Besides, our Zhao Family has always prided itself on martial prowess. There’s no necessity to achieve scholarly honors through exams..."

After Zhao Zhonghe said this, he turned his head and looked at Xu Qing, who had just returned and was waiting for the results to be posted.

He was the coward who had handed in his paper and left the exam hall within less than half an hour.

The Wu Family brothers and Wu Yaohua squeezed into the crowd. Two clerks were preparing to post the red list on the wall.

"Haha, my name is on it! From now on, I’m also a child student!"

"Maybe there’s another list to be posted. How could my name not be on it?"

The red list revealed joy for some and sorrow for others.

The Wu Family brothers jubilantly emerged from the crowd. Wu Yaohua, seeing them come out, had his heart in his throat.

"Well, is Wencai’s name on the list?"

"Dad, it’s just a child student level. Even a fool could pass it. What are you worried about? Wencai has studied hard for over ten years. For him, it’s a piece of cake."

As soon as Wu Zhiyuan finished speaking, Wu Wencai excitedly shouted to Xu Qing, "Brother Xu is also on the list. I knew Brother Xu left the exam hall early because he had finished the paper in advance and was confident..."

Beside them, Zhao Yuan, over eight feet tall, turned pale. His entire posture deflated a bit, as if his spirit had been cut by invisible swords.

Soon after, a clerk from the Government Office came over and shook his head at him.

With that, his last bit of hope died.

"...Uncle, I really am not suited for studying. Our Zhao Family doesn’t have a head for books."

"..."

Zhao Zhonghe, both ashamed and angered, turned red in the face.

"Nonsense! Stand up straight. Our Zhao Family has trained in martial arts for generations, with courage and strength. So what if we don’t study?"

Zhao Zhonghe cursed and murmured, his words full of sour grapes.

Beside them, Wang Lingyuan stroked his beard with a smile, sighing inwardly. His junior brother was neither arrogant nor impatient. He didn’t neglect his studies while also learning forensic skills. Such a character was truly rare.

It’s just that his junior brother was still unmarried. As the saying goes, an elder brother is like a father. It’s time for him to play matchmaker and find a partner for his junior brother...

On the way to celebrate at the flower house, Wang Lingyuan asked subtly, "Junior brother, do you have a girl you fancy?"

Xu Qing pondered for a moment and then listed them, "There are quite a few. Like the sisters Zixi and Qiao Rui at Cuiyun Building; also Duan Zhimei from the Pear Garden Theater, they’re all good-hearted girls.

Don’t misunderstand, Brother. Duan Zhimei is a woman. She just acts male roles well, so she’s called ’Mister Duan’."

"Also, the ten talented women selected by the Drumming Order in the Book Phoenix Pavilion recently, they’re all quite nice....."

"I mean seriously! Don’t you want to build a family and a career? I was carefree in my youth, which led to spending my days now with corpses and having no hope.

Spending days with corpses, isn’t that a blessing from heaven?

Xu Qing felt close to the forensic profession, and hearing Wang Lingyuan say that made him yearn even more.

Maybe when the funeral shop’s business is slow, he could consider becoming a forensic doctor.

"I have no children. In a few years, when I die, there won’t be anyone to burn incense for me... Are you even listening? I’m telling you this for your future."

"Brother, don’t worry. If that day comes, I won’t let Brother have no one to offer sacrifices."

"Is that what I mean? I’m talking about you!"

"Ah! We’ve arrived at Youlan Courtyard. I heard some of the girls here are quite skilled, having learned massage techniques from the Imperial Physicians. They can cure all sorts of ailments. Brother should really give it a try!"

"I’m getting old..."

"It’s just massage. Brother is still strong. Afraid of getting hurt? I have strengthening body and bone pills and tonics to boost energy and blood!"

...

In the brothel, the flute and string music intertwined, presenting a scene of leisurely grace.

Outside the Crown Prince’s residence, Zuo Zixiong, carrying his luggage, sighed under the moonlight.

After the battle at the Book Phoenix Pavilion, he failed to protect the Mingtiao Zither, which displeased the Crown Prince, prompting him to be sent back to the Capital Camp to report for duty.

Feeling stifled, Zuo Zixiong expressed his reasoning to the Crown Prince: "The Celestial Heart Sect conspirators have been plotting for a long time. Now, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. They might come back at any time. As a subject receiving your grace, how can I return to the capital at this critical moment? Please, your Highness, revoke your order..."

The Crown Prince, indifferent, replied, "A bunch of despicable lowlifes, hiding in filthy corners, dare to speak of destiny? Left Hundred Households, do you think I’m so weak that I can’t handle them without you? Eunuch, do you think I’m that easy to kill?"

The old eunuch beside the Crown Prince laughed, "With me here, your Highness won’t suffer an inch of harm. As for Left Hundred Households... even the coachman driving your Highness’s carriage could surpass him."

The moon was beautiful tonight, but Zuo Zixiong’s face was grim.

The Crown Prince’s coachman, who was expressionless, was much friendlier to him.

"Left Hundred Households, the Capital City is far. You can’t rely solely on your feet. I’ll give you this Thousand-Mile Steed."

"Thank you, but I cannot accept this horse without merit. There’s a postal station not far from the town. I’ll take an official horse there." Zuo Zixiong cupped his hands and turned away without even looking at the precious steed, disappearing into the night.

"A good official indeed. If there’s an opportunity..."

The coachman glanced at the direction Zuo Zixiong had gone, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

...

As the rooster crowed at dawn, Xu Qing returned home.

Yesterday, he had transcended many corpses of the Celestial Heart Sect, gaining a lot of skills. Now, finally getting some time alone, he naturally wanted to organize them properly.

There is a saying among the folk that where there are venomous snakes, there’s always an antidote within seven steps.

Though this saying is unreliable, there is indeed a method to neutralize snake venom.

This method is the Returning Snake Spell, a fishing and hunting witchcraft Xu Qing gained yesterday.

If bitten by a venomous snake, one must draw a Peace Talisman, go to the site where the snake bit someone, use incense to inscribe the words "Mountain", "Forest", and "Bamboo" on the ground, then stick the incense around these words to form a circle. The practitioner should sit in the circle and chant the Returning Snake Spell.

The venomous snake would then bring forth the antidote.

Xu Qing drew three Peace Talismans with a Vermillion Brush and kept them on him. As for whether zombies fear snake bites, he hadn’t tried it, and neither was it mentioned in Corpse Talk.

But these didn’t matter. The purpose of the Peace Talisman didn’t conflict with the Returning Snake Spell. It was to prevent the attack of venomous creatures and snakes.

After dismantling the useful parts of the Returning Snake Spell, Xu Qing began moving around the courtyard.

The Light Body Skill, also acquired from the Celestial Heart Sect insurgents, enabled him to walk without leaving traces, addressing his shortcomings in agility.

Other skills, such as the various recipes for aphrodisiacs and the Fierce Battle Technique, each had their unique effects. He believed in having a wide range of skills for survival.

Xu Qing never found having many skills a disadvantage.

Zombies are immortal, and in the long years to come, these skills would always find a use.

After organizing the rewards of human-level grades, the remaining ones were of earth-level grade.

These included the mid-grade Piling Technique and the low-grade Puppet Manipulation Skill.

From the beginning to now, Xu Qing had examined nearly a hundred corpses, but earth-level skills were few and far between. This was the first time he had received a mid-grade reward of this level.

The Piling Technique, depending on the practitioner’s spiritual power, could negate certain amounts of damage. It’s a skill with low threshold but high upper limits, suitable for all levels as a method of protection.

This technique contains the mysteries of the Eight Trigrams. The pile is static, while the practitioner remains in motion. Using Zombie Blood as the medium, Xu Qing inscribed human symbols on the Yin Locust Tree behind the courtyard.

Qian for the head, Kun for the belly, Zhen for the feet, Xun for the thighs, Kan for the ears, Li for the eyes, Gen for the hands, Dui for the mouth...

After inscribing the symbols on the locust tree, Xu Qing also inscribed corresponding patterns on his body. With his current spiritual power, he could at most apply the Piling Technique to rocks, tree stumps or puppets.

Having witnessed Qin Dengming’s death, Xu Qing felt that attaching himself to a puppet wasn’t the best choice. If the Piling Technique was broken, the puppet would be destroyed, losing a valuable card.

It was better to choose other objects for the pile, so that even if the pile broke, the puppet could still protect him.

The choice of the Yin Locust Tree was because the tree had a spirit and room to grow. With careful nurturing, it might one day become his exclusive substitute.

At the break of dawn, a ray of spiritual energy entered the locust tree, making numerous symbols glow for a moment before they faded and disappeared.

The symbols carved on Xu Qing’s body vanished too.

Mysteriously, Xu Qing felt an affiliation with the locust tree, a weak yet real connection.

After completing the Piling Technique, Xu Qing stroked the rough bark of the locust tree gently and said, "From now on, I’ll rely on you to protect me. You’d better live up to it, or I’ll have to find another substitute..."

As his words fell, the locust tree rustled, its leaves shaking as if expressing gratitude to its master.

After all, Xu Qing had given it a job. How could it not be grateful?