The Intimidation Rod

Early the next morning, before the bells marking the hour of the Snake rang, Wang Chen arrived at Guard Post Yi-10.

The dozens of guard posts established by the Yunyang Sect Outer Sect Main Hall were named in the format of "Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding + number."

Guard Post Yi-10 was about ten li from Wang Chen's home.

From the outside, this guard post looked like a small fortress, built from Qinggang Stone of extraordinary hardness, its walls rising more than five zhang high.

The structures inside were built entirely for defense, complete with sentry posts, watchtowers, arrow towers, and everything else.

The most eye-catching feature was undoubtedly the Radiant Pillar standing atop the watchtower.

The pillar, polished from White Obsidian, was as thick as a water barrel and about three zhang tall. At its very top crouched a Sky-Gazing Hǒu.

The stone hǒu cut a mighty figure, its jaws open toward the heavens as though unleashing a silent roar.

This Radiant Pillar was also a large-scale Magic Tool.

It absorbed sunlight during the day, then automatically illuminated the entire guard post and the surrounding area at night.

It became the most conspicuous landmark in the darkness, guiding homeward-bound travelers.

Moreover, the pillar's light contained the power to intimidate and drive away Evil Spirits, though its range of coverage was small and its might was not particularly strong.

But that was not the Radiant Pillar's greatest purpose.

Once a guard post encountered a threat it could not withstand, the cultivators stationed in the watchtower could use the Radiant Pillar to sound the alarm.

In Wang Chen's memories, he had once seen beams of light piercing the heavens several years ago.

It was said that the Gray-Eyed Bandits had suddenly raided the Yunyang Outer Sect that night, and more than a dozen guard posts had simultaneously called for aid from the Main Hall.

The scene remained vivid in his memory to this day.

After showing his summons token to the cultivator guarding the gate, Wang Chen entered Guard Post Yi-10 without difficulty.

By then, dozens of cultivators had already gathered at the guard post's martial training ground.

Some he could name, while others merely looked somewhat familiar.

Most were young people.

Wang Chen secretly cast the Spirit Eye Technique and discovered that all of them were at the middle Qi Condensation stage, ranging from the fourth to sixth level.

"Little Brother Wang?"

As Wang Chen looked around, a rough, booming voice suddenly came from beside him.

Turning his head, Wang Chen said, "Brother Tieniu!"

The other man was Wang Tieniu, who had once hired him to clear out the Earth Rhinoceroses.

Wang Tieniu was quite surprised to see Wang Chen. "You were summoned too?"

Wang Chen nodded. "I was summoned into the Fourth Night Patrol Team."

Wang Tieniu scratched his head. "I'm in the Ninth Squad."

He could not understand how Wang Chen, so young and with cultivation that was not particularly high, had been chosen as a Night Watchman.

Wang Tieniu said regretfully, "Too bad you're not in the same squad as me. Otherwise, I could look after you."

He was a righteous man, and his cultivation and strength were quite respectable. He truly had the qualifications to look after Wang Chen.

Wang Chen smiled. "I'm sure there'll be times when I need to trouble you, Brother Tieniu."

"Come find me when that time comes."

Patting his chest, Wang Tieniu said, "If it's within my power, I won't say no!"

Wang Tieniu was quite grateful to Wang Chen.

If Wang Chen had not helped clear out the Earth Rhinoceroses, his family would have had to pay twice as many Spirit Stones for the Formation Flags.

Although Wang Chen had taken Spirit Stones as payment as well, Wang Tieniu found him quite pleasing to the eye. He even regretted that his younger sister was too young.

Otherwise, Wang Chen would have been an excellent match for marriage!

Dong~

As the two spoke, the Dingyang Bell from Yunyang City rang in the distance.

The hour of the Snake had arrived.

A burly man with a tiger's back and bear's waist appeared atop the martial stage. His leopard eyes swept over the crowd as he barked, "Silence!"

His voice was not especially loud, yet it struck everyone's ears like thunder exploding.

It shook their souls and scattered their spirits!

The martial training ground instantly fell silent, every person as quiet as a cicada in winter.

The man's aura was astonishing. Even with Wang Chen's Beginner Level Spirit Eye Technique, he could not see through the man's true cultivation.

But he could be one hundred percent certain that the man was a high-level Qi Condensation cultivator.

"I am Li Wuji, Guard Captain of B-10."

The burly man's gaze was cold and severe as he continued, "Roll call now. Step forward when your name is called!"

He waved a hand.

A garrison cultivator appeared, holding a roster.

"Lu Wu!"

"Here!"

"Zhang Xing'an!"

"Here!"

"Lu Xiaohu!"

The cultivators whose names were called answered one by one and stepped forward.

"Jiang Cong!"

"Jiang Cong?"

When the name of a conscript called Jiang Cong was announced, no one answered.

The garrison cultivator called out three times.

To no avail.

Li Wuji's face darkened like still water, and he waved for them to skip the name.

After the roll call, seventy-seven of the eighty conscripts were present.

Three were still nowhere to be seen!

Li Wuji stood on the drill platform with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the clear sky.

He remained silent.

Yet he placed enormous pressure upon the conscripts present.

Everyone was uneasy, but none dared move, afraid of becoming the nail that stuck out.

About the time it took to burn half an incense stick, three young men hurried to the garrison.

The moment they saw the scene on the drill ground, they immediately sensed that something was wrong.

One of the young men steeled himself and bowed to Li Wuji. "Guard Captain, we..."

"Shut up!"

Li Wuji flew into a rage. "Men, seize them! Thirty strokes each!"

He did not allow any explanation whatsoever.

Three fierce, wolfish garrison cultivators immediately pounced, brutally sealing the three men's Mana.

Then they kicked them to the ground one by one!

One cultivator brought over a Water-Fire Cudgel.

The other two forced the three latecomers facedown onto the ground.

They yanked down their trousers.

Revealing their pale, bare buttocks!

"Heh!"

The cudgel-wielding cultivator gave a savage grin, swung the Water-Fire Cudgel, and struck one round, white buttock.

Smack!

"Argh!"

The punished man howled miserably, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets!

Wang Chen's eyelids twitched as he listened, and he involuntarily clenched his sphincter.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

The cudgel showed no mercy.

In the blink of an eye, the punished man's buttocks had become a bloody, mangled mess too horrible to look at.

His screams could be heard clearly from three li away!

By the time the thirty strokes were finished, at least half his life had been beaten out of him.

Then came the second pair, then the third.

The cries rose and fell in succession.

Only after all three had been punished did Li Wuji speak. "The first rule of being a Night Watchman is punctuality and obedience to orders. Those who defy orders will be punished without mercy!"

"Gather in three days, at the hour of the Monkey."

With that, he turned and left.

Everyone looked at one another—was that it?

Only when someone nearby shouted, "Line up here to choose your spells and collect your supplies!" did the crowd surge over.

As for the three fellows lying on the ground groaning, no one paid them any attention.

They could only take out their own Trauma Powder and Healing Pills.

Under the contemptuous gazes of the cultivators from the guard post, they struggled into a corner to treat their wounds.

Their miserable state was beyond description.

Yet no one spared them a sympathetic glance.

Wang Chen included.

They had brought this punishment upon themselves.

But Wang Chen also realized that, now that he had been conscripted into the Night Patrol Team, he could not afford to make mistakes lightly.

Otherwise, those few fellows whose backsides had been beaten into blossom were the best possible example!

He obediently queued up, chose two middle Qi Condensation stage spells, collected a set of Night Watchman equipment, and then went home.

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