Killing Qianjun Again

June 11th.

After a day of brewing, the news had spread.

Great Xia Prefecture was sending people to participate in the higher academy assessments in Nanyuan, and some individuals from Great Xia Prefecture had already arrived in Nanyuan to await the assessments.

As the news spread, it was also accompanied by some dissent.

"Great Xia Prefecture is going to snatch the higher academy spots from Nanyuan students!"

"Lord Xia only cares about money and not the lives of Nanyuan's citizens, even wanting to sell Nanyuan City to Great Ming Prefecture."

"Nanyuan has been abandoned by Great Xia Prefecture!"

"..."

All sorts of voices were spreading, including ordinary citizens and some ill-intentioned individuals deliberately confusing the issue.

The City Lord's Mansion quickly responded. Jifeng Hall was on standby all day, and Nanyuan Academy began explaining to all its students.

The assessment spots for those from Great Xia Prefecture were special permits, unrelated to Nanyuan.

These were additional spots and would not encroach upon Nanyuan's student quotas.

Public opinion began to shift. Of course, not everyone believed it, but the intensity was not as fierce as at the beginning. Most citizens quickly believed it after hearing the explanation.

Jifeng Hall.

This wasn't Su Yu's first time here; he had come with Liu Wenyan on previous occasions.

This time, he hadn't called Liu Wenyan and came alone.

In the bustling hall of Jifeng Hall, Su Yu didn't cause any trouble. He squatted in a corner, chatting with an old Jifeng constable who was smoking.

"Uncle Li, have you found any traces of the Ten Thousand Races Cult?"

"We're investigating."

The middle-aged man, surnamed Li, was an old hand at Jifeng Hall. He was at the Qianjun Sixth Level, but only a low-ranking Jifeng constable, his strength was too weak.

Despite his weak strength, the man had been at Jifeng Hall for many years and was quite well-informed.

While smoking, he chuckled, "Little Su, among all the students from Nanyuan's intermediate academies, you're the one!"

The man gave him a thumbs-up. "Participating in a pursuit before even graduating, you're the first!"

"But..." the man praised him, then lowered his voice, "Your teacher isn't here this time. It's very dangerous for you to act with us alone! To put it bluntly, if your teacher isn't here, we might not be able to save you in time sometimes."

Su Yu nodded obediently, quickly saying, "Uncle Li, I won't cause any trouble. I'll just wait on the periphery, mainly relying on you and the others. If one or two severely injured individuals are left for me to complete my teacher's assessment, I'll be extremely grateful."

The man chuckled, "Don't worry, if there's a chance, we'll let one or two severely injured ones go. Even the Hall Master has to give Instructor Liu face! Besides, we've dealt with your father quite a bit. When we were pursuing members of the Ten Thousand Races Cult before, your father sometimes helped out. He was practically an unofficial member of Jifeng Hall."

Su Yu smiled and quickly thanked him.

His father actually didn't like to meddle in affairs, but when it came to killing members of the Ten Thousand Races Cult, anyone capable of fighting in Nanyuan was willing to lend a hand.

Su Long, at the Qianjun Ninth Level, was considered quite capable in Nanyuan.

As they were chatting, a captain-level Jifeng constable in the Jifeng Hall lobby quickly shouted, "North Squad, assemble!"

As soon as the words fell, Old Li quickly dropped his cigarette butt and ran towards the hall.

Su Yu also hurried to follow, not joining the formation, but standing behind the group without a word.

The captain who was summoning the team members glanced at him but said nothing. He said in a deep voice, "Traces of the Ten Thousand Races Cult have been found in the suburbs! This time, it's not a large-scale gathering, but a few individuals coming out to incite the populace. Currently, based on the information, we can only confirm about 3 people."

"Their specific strength is unknown, but the manpower required for spreading messages like this wouldn't be too strong."

"The mission has been assigned to the North Squad. Everyone has three minutes to prepare everything. We depart immediately!"

"Yes!"

Everyone responded. A Jifeng Hall squad of 30 people was not a small number.

The captain was at the Qianjun Ninth Level, and there were several people in the team at Qianjun Seventh Level or above. The rest were at least at Qianjun Fourth Level or above.

After the team members left to prepare, the captain walked up to Su Yu and said sternly, "The Hall Master has other tasks and won't be going. Your teacher also didn't come. Su Yu, you've participated in pursuits before, so you know the danger!"

"I know your teacher is in the Soaring Realm, and your father has a good relationship with me, but... during a mission, no one will specifically look out for you! This is a mission, not a game!"

"A slight mistake can lead to death. People are sacrificed in Jifeng Hall every year. You can participate, but you cannot interfere with Jifeng Hall's actions. If you encounter danger, you can run, you can call for help, but we may not necessarily come to your rescue!"

"Your life is precious, but so are the lives of others. We won't disrupt the entire operation plan for you!"

The captain was extremely serious. "You can choose to leave now, otherwise... you bear all the consequences!"

Su Yu, at the Kaiyuan Realm, was too weak.

Even though Su Yu had participated in operations before, Liu Wenyan was there, and even Hall Master Zeng Hua was accompanying him, making it completely risk-free.

Today was different. Today, only Su Yu had come alone.

"Captain Liu, please rest assured. My father is a soldier, and I'm considered a reservist. I won't cause trouble for anyone!"

Su Yu quickly replied.

Captain Liu nodded slightly, his attitude softening a bit. He cautioned, "Then you take care of yourself. I've also heard that you're a Civilization Master and have special methods, but don't be reckless!"

"Understood!"

Su Yu responded, a wry smile touching his lips. Civilization Master? I'm nowhere near that level.

People in Nanyuan City had only a vague understanding of Civilization Masters. There were no Civilization Masters below the Soaring Realm.

Three minutes later, the entire team, fully armed, gathered again.

Outside the hall, two trucks had already started.

Everyone boarded, and Su Yu followed.

On the truck, no one spoke much, just tidying up equipment and checking their supplies...

Su Yu also checked his gear: a Yellow-grade mid-tier blade, and 4 drops of Iron Winged Bird essence blood. He had exchanged 3 drops at the academy early that morning, costing him 3 merit points. He now had only 10 merit points left.

Better to be prepared, just in case I need even a single drop during a dangerous encounter.

The 4 drops of essence blood weren't kept together to prevent loss during combat. Su Yu had one drop wrapped in a small capsule, holding it in his mouth, ready to swallow it instantly if needed.

He had been practicing the Thunder Origin Blade for a few days and had barely gotten the hang of it. He could now execute the move, but it wouldn't be very fast.

The Thunder Origin Blade consumed a lot of Qi. Since Su Yu couldn't channel external Qi, he had also brought a drop of Qi Liquid this time.

He still had one drop at home, so there was no need to bring too much Qi Liquid.

One drop was enough for him.

"3 drops of essence blood and one drop of Qi Liquid... that's worth about 200,000."

Su Yu sighed inwardly. If you added the blade, his pre-mission preparations cost hundreds of thousands. If he didn't get any returns, it would be disastrous.

Ideally, he wouldn't need to use any of it and could kill a Qianjun expert to earn some merit points.

If he had to use it, each drop of essence blood would require him to kill at least one Qianjun expert.

This was his first time participating in such an operation alone. While Su Yu was excited, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

If he messed up this time, no one would be there to cover for him.

Old Li was beside him. After checking his equipment, he saw Su Yu tense up and chuckled, "Relax, don't be so nervous. When we get there, we'll get off the truck and move quickly. You might not be able to keep up, kid."

Su Yu nodded, replying earnestly, "I know. I'll wait on the outskirts."

"Be extremely careful. If the target is intact, even if you see them, it's best to pretend you didn't. It's okay to let them escape; you can kill them another time. Don't mess up now!"

"Thank you, Uncle Li."

The others in the truck overheard their conversation. A young team member, who looked not much older than Su Yu, smiled from the crowd. "Five years ago, when I first participated in a mission, I was also very nervous. You get used to it later. Su Yu, just adjust yourself, don't be afraid."

"Thank you, Brother Chen."

Brother Chen wasn't old, not even 30.

At least within Jifeng Hall, he wasn't considered old; he was a junior team member. Since they were chatting, he became more animated and smiled, "Su Yu, your talent as a warrior is very strong. Have you considered applying to the War Academy?"

"My teacher is a Civilization Master..."

Su Yu grinned, "He wants me to go to the Civilization Academy, so I have to go to the Civilization Academy."

"That's true. Instructor Liu is actually a Civilization Master. I only found out recently."

Brother Chen said with a sigh, "In Great Xia Prefecture, warriors aren't valued much. Civilization Masters are the real treasures. Five years ago, when I graduated from Jifeng Academy, it was hard to find a job in Great Xia Prefecture even for graduates. Unless you were a top-tier genius student, like us... we could only return home and find jobs in our small towns."

"But once you graduate from the Civilization Academy... you become a Civilization Master, and any faction will eagerly recruit you."

He spoke with some emotion. Jifeng Academy allowed students to graduate at the mid-stage of the Qianjun Realm, while the Civilization Academy considered Soaring Realm graduates.

Just this alone showed the gap between them.

Of course, Brother Chen quickly added with a smile, "Su Yu, you'll know how difficult graduation is once you get to the Civilization Academy. Less than 50 students graduate from the Civilization Academy each year, even though they enroll nearly 2,000 students annually. That's a graduation rate of 2.5%, and many senior students take more than ten years to graduate."

"That few?"

Su Yu was surprised at first, then nodded slightly. That makes sense. Soaring Realm is the graduation requirement. Nearly 50 graduates a year... that's still quite a few.

Fifty people a year meant cultivating over 50 Soaring Realm experts annually, which was equivalent to the city lord of a small town like Nanyuan. It wasn't too few.

Others weren't as familiar with the situation. Someone who had finished checking their equipment chimed in, "Graduation is that difficult?"

Most of the older generation in Jifeng Hall were retired soldiers or had transferred from the military.

Jifeng Academy hadn't been established for very long, and its graduates were mostly from the younger generation. Therefore, some older Jifeng constables might not have even been to Great Xia Prefecture.

Brother Chen nodded, "It's really difficult! Of course, their graduation standards are different. Like Instructor Liu... cough cough, he's only recently graduated from the Civilization Academy. There are even those who graduate at 70."

At this, everyone's expression turned strange.

Just graduated?

Well, they didn't understand the world of Great Xia Prefecture. In their eyes, Instructor Liu was currently on par with the City Lord, yet he had only just graduated from Daxia Civilization Academy.

Amidst their idle chat, they arrived at their destination.

They didn't go directly to the reporting location but stopped the trucks about a kilometer away from it.

They quickly disembarked. The captain didn't say a word; he waved his hand, and the team split into two groups, advancing from both sides to encircle the area.

Su Yu didn't follow any of the small teams. He moved cautiously about 300 meters behind them.

He wasn't planning on being the vanguard; he was hoping to pick up some stragglers from the rear.

No one knew how many members the Ten Thousand Races Cult actually had. The report said three, but as veteran Jifeng Hall officers, everyone understood that the information might not be accurate.

Three people was just what you saw.

There could be more hidden within!

Every year, not one or two Jifeng Hall officers sacrificed themselves due to inaccurate intel. This was unavoidable.

Even if there were only three, if one suddenly revealed themselves to be a Wanshi or Soaring Realm expert, it would be a huge problem.

There was still hope of dealing with a Wanshi, but a Soaring Realm expert would be truly hopeless; they could only accept their misfortune.

In the distance, a normal-looking courtyard appeared before everyone's eyes.

It looked no different from a regular house in the suburbs. There were also some vegetable patches around the courtyard, and green shoots could still be seen.

The courtyard had a wide field of vision, and the Ten Thousand Races Cult members liked to operate in such environments.

If a large group approached, they could quickly detect them and escape.

Jifeng Hall had dealt with them more than once, and their experience was also rich. If it weren't for Su Yu constantly keeping an eye on them, they wouldn't have been able to see where they were right now.

All thirty people were moving forward in a prone position, disguised. Su Yu didn't dare to show himself either, squatting in a small depression to wait.

The captain, who was crawling ahead, cautiously turned his head to glance back. He didn't see Su Yu and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He had actually been worried that Su Yu would carelessly expose himself, which would easily reveal their whereabouts.

He had reminded him a few times before and was worried the other party wouldn't listen. Now, it seemed the other party was quite obedient. After all, he was Su Long's son, and his father was a soldier. Su Yu didn't have the arrogance of those from Great Xia Prefecture.

Clenching his fist around his blade, Su Yu panted softly, adjusting his breathing, feeling a slight thrill.

Soon, he calmed himself down.

It wasn't his first time; he had already killed several Qianjun Realm experts.

Just then, about 100 meters away from the courtyard, the Jifeng Hall officers could no longer conceal their movements. The captain raised his hand, and the others quickly stood up!

No one shouted. The thirty people moved swiftly, charging towards the courtyard at high speed.

"Jifeng Hall!"

A fierce shout rang out. Someone in the courtyard was on watch. Only now did they discover the approaching party. Upon seeing them, they knew it was Jifeng Hall.

"Withdraw!"

A shout echoed, and the next moment, five or six figures leaped out of the courtyard. It wasn't just three people!

These people were also experienced, breaking out in all directions.

Whoever was unlucky would be caught by Jifeng Hall.

This was also their way of survival. If their strength was inferior to the opponent's, they would quickly escape without any hesitation. They would run as much as they could, and whoever was killed was just unlucky.

Jifeng Hall generally didn't dare to split their forces. When divided, their combat strength wasn't very strong, and they could easily be defeated by the Ten Thousand Races Cult.

Therefore, a team of thirty people could at most form three encirclement rings.

This would give others a chance to escape!

As expected, the Jifeng Hall captain didn't pursue everyone. Instead, he quickly formed small teams of ten. Two of the three teams quickly pursued elsewhere, while the captain personally led one team, kicked open the courtyard gate, and rushed in.

Su Yu watched from behind. From several hundred meters away, his Eye Apertures were open, allowing him to see clearly.

Seeing Jifeng Hall's actions, Su Yu also gained some insights.

If it were him, he might have directly led people to chase those who fled. He probably wouldn't have thought that enemies might still be lurking in the courtyard.

"Due to experience..."

Su Yu didn't belittle himself. With more experience, he would quickly master such situations.

The two external teams had already caught up with the enemies and began their encirclement and kill.

The sound of weapons clashing erupted in an instant.

Although these Jifeng Hall officers weren't particularly strong, their coordination was excellent. Su Yu judged that the one being surrounded was at least at the fifth or sixth level of Qianjun Realm, but almost the moment they made contact, he was beheaded!

And in the team of ten, there seemed to be no one at the seventh level of Qianjun.

Su Yu glanced at them and then stopped paying attention, quickly looking around.

Of the five or six people who had leaped out earlier, two were killed in the blink of an eye. The two teams continued their pursuit, but there were still some who slipped through the net.

However, those guys were also fast runners. Just a moment ago, he could still see their figures, but now they had disappeared.

"The location chosen by the Ten Thousand Races Cult members this time was actually not very good. The field of vision was wide, making it easy for enemies to approach, but also troublesome to escape. They should have chosen terrain that was easier to flee from..."

Su Yu absorbed the lessons learned, which might be useful in the future.

"My chosen spot isn't great either, behind Jifeng Hall. The other party might not dare to run this way, and they might not be able to make it. Of course, I'm just here for any scraps, so safety first."

As he was thinking, a shout came from the small courtyard!

The next moment, several more figures leaped out.

As expected, there were still people inside!

By this time, the two small teams outside the courtyard had already moved on, and there was no one to stop them. Su Yu saw a figure rapidly fleeing towards him.

Su Yu immediately became fully focused!

Here they come!

"This speed... feels about the same as the guy who chased me last time. Qianjun Sixth Level?"

From behind, the Jifeng Hall captain broke away from his team and quickly pursued, shouting, "You in front, drop your weapons and surrender! The policy from above has changed. Those from the Ten Thousand Races Cult with minor offenses can be sent to the Battlefields of the Heavens to participate in the war; they will no longer be automatically killed!"

Su Yu was suspicious at first, then quickly understood. This was an attempt to break the opponent's morale.

There was no such order from above!

Great Xia Prefecture's policy was still to kill them all!

Members of the Ten Thousand Races Cult knew that if caught by Great Xia Prefecture, they would surely die. Therefore, they usually fought to the death, which would increase the difficulty of combat. He wondered if this guy would believe it.

Clearly, the other party didn't believe it, or perhaps still held out hope, and continued to flee.

200 meters, 100 meters...

He was getting closer to Su Yu, but his direction was slightly off.

Su Yu crouched down and quietly moved towards that direction.

Soon, the person arrived, still dozens of meters away from Su Yu.

Su Yu stood up, drew his saber, and quickly condensed his Qi. The saber emitted a faint glow, and his entire body's Qi converged. He roared, "Stop!"

An ambush was no longer possible.

Then he could only kill him head-on!

"Kaiyuan?"

The fleeing person's face was filled with surprise!

Kaiyuan Realm!

He wasn't wearing the Jifeng capture uniform. Was this... someone passing by?

Kaiyuan Realm, daring to stop him?

Is he crazy?

"Don't even think about running!"

Su Yu roared, "If I stop you, I can get merit points and bonus points for the assessment!"

"You're asking for death!"

The person didn't waste any more words, lest he be caught up by his pursuers. He drew his saber and slashed at Su Yu.

The two quickly closed in. Just then, Su Yu's eyes widened: "Hall Master!"

A startled cry rang out. The member of the Ten Thousand Races Cult was also stunned. Suddenly, another person appeared before him. Beside Kaiyuan stood a middle-aged man, Zeng Hua, the Hall Master of Jifeng Hall.

"It's over!"

The person's face changed drastically. Zeng Hua, a Wanshi Realm expert, had actually arrived!

He turned to run, but just then, Su Yu unleashed the Thunder Origin Blade he had prepared for a long time, slashing out!

With all his might!

The member of the Ten Thousand Races Cult first charged at Su Yu, then turned to flee. In the midst of his evasive maneuver, the sound of the saber already echoed behind him!

At this moment, Su Yu, fighting with all his might, shattered the illusion. The opponent was already starting to sober up.

Unfortunately, it was too late!

"Fake..."

This thought flashed through his mind. The Qi on the saber flickered like lightning, and with a swish, it struck down!

Bang!

His head hit the ground. His body fell a moment later, and blood stained the ground red.

Su Yu's face turned pale. He retracted his saber and vigilantly scanned his surroundings, not daring to be careless, fearing someone might suddenly appear. He had already bitten his tongue, ready to erupt again at any moment.

The next moment, the captain rushed over. He glanced at Su Yu, nodded slightly, and said with a hint of surprise, "Not bad, your strike was very decisive!"

Without further ado, the captain offered a word of praise and quickly left. The battle was not yet over.

Su Yu let out a long breath. He had succeeded!

It was faster and simpler than he had imagined.

He had killed the opponent with a single strike!

However, his body was now drained, and his Qi was completely depleted. Su Yu didn't dare to delay and immediately swallowed a drop of Qi Liquid to replenish his energy.

"100,000 is gone... I wonder if it was a loss or a gain."

Su Yu gave a wry smile. Killing a mid-stage Qianjun expert earned him two merit points. Was this a loss or a gain for him?

Still, consuming Qi Liquid also helped him cultivate, so it wasn't entirely a loss.