Ji Yue Chases the Murderer

The sky had only just begun to brighten when the Martial Academy's training ground was already filled with the steady whistles of fists cutting through the air.

Wang Yue stood bare-chested in the center of the field, repeatedly practicing the Harmonious Flow Fist as sweat slid down his back.

He did not deliberately pursue speed or strength in his punches. Instead, he focused his mind inward and silently circulated the first form of the Blood Dragon Secret Method. After cultivating it for some time, he had come to feel ever more clearly that, even though the Harmonious Flow Fist had reached perfection, it was far less direct and efficient than the Blood Dragon Secret Method when it came to expanding the limits of his Blood Qi.

As the secret method circulated, the seven streams of Blood Qi within him seemed to soak in warm water and slowly unfurl. The upper limit of his Blood Qi capacity was gradually increasing at a rate imperceptible to the naked eye.

"At this rate, I should be able to condense an eighth stream of Blood Qi soon."

Wang Yue calculated inwardly, yet his fists did not pause in the slightest.

Just then, a burst of noisy commotion suddenly arose from the edge of the training ground, as though people were arguing, or as though a crowd was being forcibly parted.

Wang Yue stopped, wiped the sweat from his brow, and looked toward the sound. He saw a lean young man, hard as forged iron, standing at the entrance to the training ground with a long, narrow modao saber in hand.

That modao saber was longer and broader than an ordinary saber. Its blade gleamed with a cold, chilling light; at a glance, it was clearly no common weapon.

Dressed in fitted black clothes, he stood straight as a pine. Though he looked lean, he gave off an iron-blooded, razor-sharp aura, like a keen blade ready to leave its sheath at any moment.

This scene quickly drew Wang Shuo's attention. He had been instructing other disciples in their fist techniques nearby, but he immediately strode over to the man. His gaze was wary as he assessed him, while his voice remained steady. "Who might you be? What business do you have at our Wang Clan Martial Academy?"

The young man raised his head. His features were cold and hard, his eyes sharp as blades. He swept his gaze across the disciples present and spoke without the slightest warmth. "My name is Ji Yue. I have come to the Wang Clan residence to ask about something."

The moment he spoke, someone in the crowd began murmuring in a low voice. "This man is Ji Yue? I've heard of him! He came from the imperial Martial Academy, but instead of becoming an official, he joined the Wanted Criminals Bureau and specialized in hunting down vicious murderers and bandits of the martial world!"

"That's right, it's him! They say his modao saber techniques are divine, and over the years he has slain quite a few evildoers. People gave him the nickname 'Soul Severing Saber'!"

Standing in the center of the field, Wang Yue heard the name "Soul Severing Saber Ji Yue" and suddenly understood. The Wanted Criminals Bureau was the imperial institution responsible for pursuing major criminals. Anyone who could make a name for himself there could not possibly be weak—at the very least, he had to be an Energy Refining Realm martial artist!

Wang Shuo had clearly heard of Ji Yue's reputation as well. His expression eased slightly, though he remained vigilant as he asked without betraying anything, "Constable Ji, feel free to speak plainly. So long as it does not violate the Wang Clan's rules, we will naturally help where we can."

Ji Yue did not beat around the bush. "I pursued a Zhao Kingdom criminal all the way from the prefectural city of Spirit Seeking Prefecture. When I reached Changyun County, I lost his trail.

"Over the past month, I have searched every town and village around Changyun County. What I can confirm is that the thief is now inside Changyun County City, seemingly searching for something."

He paused, and his voice grew even colder. "In his search for that item, the thief has already killed many people, including an old man who kept a stall in the county city.

"I discovered that someone purchased something from that old man's stall a month ago, then returned to the Wang Clan residence. I hope that person from the Wang Clan who bought something will step forward and assist me in solving this case."

"A Zhao Kingdom criminal? An old man in the county city?" Hearing these two key phrases, Wang Yue's heart gave a violent jolt. A thought rose uncontrollably in his mind. Could it... be for the Crimson Blood Bead?

Seeing the Wang Clan disciples exchange bewildered looks without anyone stepping forward, Ji Yue's face instantly darkened. His voice carried a trace of pressure. "Let me tell you this: that criminal is named Li Fang. He was one of the chief culprits behind the massacre of the Yan Clan some time ago!

"All thirty-seven members of the Yan Clan were slaughtered. Other than their youngest son, who was away studying, not a single one survived. A crime like this cannot be allowed to go unpunished!"

"What? The murderer who massacred the Yan Clan?" When Wang Shuo heard the words "Yan Clan," his expression changed sharply. He had not expected the murderer to still be in the county city. Though the Yan Clan was not one of the great clans of the county city, it was still an old local power, with two Energy Refining Realm martial artists among its members.

But he quickly calmed down. Looking at Ji Yue, he spoke evenly, though his attitude allowed no argument. "We have taken note of Constable Ji's words.

"However, whether any disciple of our Wang Clan is involved in this matter still requires investigation.

"Since you have said what you came to say, Constable Ji, please return for now. If we uncover any information, we will send someone to notify the Wanted Criminals Bureau."

Ji Yue expressionlessly swept his gaze around the training ground. His eyes paused on Wang Yue for an instant. Earlier, while making inquiries in the county market, he had had a portrait drawn according to eyewitness descriptions. The person in the portrait was of average build, completely unlike Wang Yue's current height of over six feet. Thus, Ji Yue merely glanced at him before looking away.

Before leaving, he took a portrait from his robes and handed it to Wang Shuo. "This is the portrait of the person who bought something from the old man's stall, based on eyewitness descriptions. If you uncover any leads, please contact me as soon as possible."

Wang Shuo accepted the portrait, and his eyes shifted slightly. The outline of the figure in the portrait bore some resemblance to Wang Yue before he had grown taller! Without revealing anything, he folded the portrait and tucked it into his robes, saying not another word.

Ji Yue caught the subtle change in Wang Shuo's gaze, but he did not press the matter. This was Wang Clan territory, with Wang He overseeing it. Though Ji Yue was a constable of the Wanted Criminals Bureau, he could not casually offend them. If the Wang Clan truly sheltered a suspect, then he could either ask his teacher to intervene himself or report the matter to Spirit Seeking Prefecture. There would always be a way to resolve it.

He gave the training ground one last look, committing Wang Yue's face to memory. Then, carrying his modao saber, he turned and left. His black figure soon vanished at the end of the alley beyond the Martial Academy.

Yet the atmosphere on the training ground remained heavy. The disciples whispered among themselves, discussing Li Fang, the murderer who had massacred the Yan Clan, and the "person connected to the Wang Clan" mentioned by Ji Yue.

The murmurs from the training ground still echoed in his ears, but Wang Yue had no mind to join in. "Zhao Kingdom criminal Li Fang," "old man with a stall in the county city," "searching for something"—every piece of information struck his heart like a heavy hammer.

Especially when he thought of the Crimson Blood Bead he had obtained in Peaceful Enterprise Ward, his mind became a tangled mess. Could the thing Ji Yue is pursuing, the item sold at the old man's stall, be the Crimson Blood Bead?

The string of questions sent a chill down his spine. If Li Fang truly was searching for the Crimson Blood Bead, and it was now in his possession, then sooner or later he would be dragged into this murder case.

"I have to cultivate faster!" Wang Yue clenched his fists, urgency flashing through his eyes. Only by condensing more Blood Qi as soon as possible and breaking through to the Energy Refining Realm will I have enough strength to deal with the danger that may come. Otherwise, forget entering the Transformation Dragon Sect—even keeping my life will be a problem!

He did not linger. He quickly crossed the training ground and headed toward Wang Shuo's residence. At that moment, his mind was filled entirely with increasing his strength, and he only wanted to throw himself into cultivation as soon as possible.

After returning to his small courtyard, Wang Yue pushed open his door and shut it behind him. Without even removing his outer clothes, he sat cross-legged directly on the floor.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, temporarily suppressing his distracting thoughts about Li Fang and the Crimson Blood Bead as his consciousness sank into his body.

"Circulate the Blood Dragon Secret Method, second form!" Wang Yue thought, and his body moved accordingly.

The movements of the Blood Dragon Secret Method's second form were far stranger than those of the first.

At times, he resembled a flood dragon probing the sea, his body curled as he slid close to the ground, while his arms rose high as though they would tear apart the air.

His fists smashed into the ground with fierce force, making the blue bricks tremble faintly.

Some movements were twisted to the point of nearly defying common sense. Had it been the Wang Yue of the past, he likely would not have been able to complete even half a movement.

But now, strengthened by extraordinary talent and brilliant aptitude, he executed these strange movements as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water.

The instant the diagram of the second form surfaced in his mind, his body instinctively followed its rhythm. Every point of exertion and every adjustment to his breathing was flawless.

As soon as the martial arts shadow belonging to the Blood Dragon Secret Method's second form appeared on his Martial Soul panel, he instantly digested and absorbed it without the slightest hitch. Since beginning cultivation of the Blood Dragon Secret Method, this was the first time he had felt so at ease.

As the movements advanced, the seven streams of Blood Qi within him began to drain rapidly. Each time he mastered a variation, a wisp of Blood Qi was drawn away and consumed. At the same time, his body's Blood Qi capacity expanded at an imperceptible rate, like a riverbed constantly being widened to hold more water.

Wang Yue immersed himself in cultivation. The only sounds left in his ears were his own breathing and the whistles of his fists breaking through the air. Before he knew it, nearly half of his seven streams of Blood Qi had been consumed, and the Blood Qi that had once brimmed within him now felt somewhat weak.

"Hu..." Wang Yue slowly stopped moving. Only when he rose to his feet did he realize that the clothes on his back had long been soaked through with sweat, clinging coolly to his skin.

Feeling the changes within his body, delight flashed through his eyes. "The second form of the Blood Dragon Secret Method is already one-third complete!"

When he had cultivated the first form, it had taken him nearly half a month merely to get started. The second form was far more difficult than the first, yet after only a few sessions, he had already cultivated it to one-third completion. This was the advantage brought by top-tier bone structure and extraordinary comprehension.

But once the joy faded, he also realized the problem. This cultivation session had consumed more Blood Qi than he had expected. At his current recovery rate, it would probably take several days to replenish it all.

Wang Yue walked to the window and pushed it open. Cool wind poured into the room, making his spirits rise.

Strangely, although more than half of his Blood Qi had been depleted, he did not feel the slightest fatigue. Instead, he felt full of vigor, and his mind was exceptionally clear.

"Since my Blood Qi cannot recover quickly for now, I'll temper the Harmonious Flow Fist!" Wang Yue's eyes sharpened as he returned to the center of the room and assumed the opening stance of the Harmonious Flow Fist once more.

He needed to push the Harmonious Flow Fist into the realm of perfection as soon as possible. Wang Shuo had once said that perfection in the Harmonious Flow Fist required not merely fusing fist techniques, breathing, and footwork into one, but reaching the realm where "spirit, intent, and qi become one; Blood Qi moves with the body; and one can contemplate the diagram and condense force at any time."

Now that both his bone structure and comprehension had reached the pinnacle, his martial arts progress naturally advanced by leaps and bounds.

Whenever he threw a punch, his Blood Qi would naturally flow through his meridians, lending force to his fists. His breathing rhythm and footwork matched with seamless perfection, every step seeming to land upon the rhythm of martial arts.

"Soon... it's almost at perfection..." Wang Yue felt the changes in the Harmonious Flow Fist, and the corners of his lips could not help but lift. Once the Harmonious Flow Fist reached perfection, perhaps it could add another stream of Blood Qi for him—or perhaps completing the second form of the Blood Dragon Secret Method could do the same?