Promoted to Commander

Sun Yan's expression turned completely grim.

Was it just because I captured Liu Chengle?

You're in the Houtian Realm, and so am I.

My sword is just as sharp.

Thinking this, Sun Yan let out a furious roar.

"What an arrogant brat."

"All of you, attack! Let this kid from the Capital City get a taste of our strength."

The sound of swords being drawn echoed as they spurred their horses, charging towards Shen Qing. Their speed was incredible, but Shen Qing was even faster. He unleashed his Carefree Steps, his entire body turning into an illusion.

The Wild Goose Feather Saber was drawn, cutting a brilliant silver arc across the night sky.

"Wind Blending Saber!"

The sound of steel cleaving flesh rang out. A warhorse was directly cut in half by Shen Qing, and the Colonel on its back was also split in two.

Blood splattered everywhere, drenching Shen Qing and lending him a sinister aura.

At that moment, the sound of swords being drawn came from behind him. It was Black Dog, who charged into the fray without a word.

The reason Black Dog was called Black Dog was because he was as fierce and loyal as a guard dog.

No matter what Shen Qing asked him to do, he would carry it out without hesitation.

Immediately after, Scholar and Old Li also joined the battle.

Suddenly, a whistling sound came from behind. It was Xiao Bin, lunging with a long spear.

Shen Qing took a step with his Carefree Steps, dodging the spear. With a swift hand movement, Xiao Bin's hand, gripping the spear, was severed at the root.

He reached out with his left hand, grabbed the spear as it fell, and thrust it forcefully, pinning two Imperial Guards to the ground.

[Killed a Body Tempering Realm Level 7 cultivator. Congratulations on successfully plundering the trait: Drunkard (Green).]

Shen Qing raised an eyebrow. Good luck, killing some random fodder actually got me a trait.

Sun Yan's eyes turned red. He couldn't let Shen Qing continue killing like this.

How long had it been? Three Colonels and one Lieutenant had already been slain.

Sun Yan didn't particularly care about his subordinates, but if this continued, they would lose.

"Shen Qing, stop! If you have the guts, come at me!"

Sun Yan shoved the Colonel in front of him aside and stomped the ground, punching towards Shen Qing.

Shen Qing glanced at Sun Yan, then casually grabbed Sun Yan's wrist. With a sudden surge of strength, Shen Qing flung Sun Yan up and slammed him forcefully onto the ground. The stone slabs beneath them cracked and flew apart. After slamming him down several more times, Shen Qing lifted Sun Yan up by his collar.

"Come at me? That was just a side task."

Sun Yan's face was already covered in blood and grime, and most of the bones in his body were broken.

"Who exactly are you? Why are you targeting me..."

"Targeting you? When you plotted against me, did you ever consider if you were letting me go?"

Sun Yan felt his life force draining away and was utterly terrified.

"Shen Qing... spare me. I'm willing to give you the Commander position... and all my money..."

Shen Qing chuckled.

"Commander? I captured people from the White Dragon Cult, killed a traitor, and you think I'm short of a Commander position?"

"As for money? If I kill you, won't it be mine anyway?"

In Sun Yan's eyes, Shen Qing's smile was chilling. He regretted it, regretted his own greed.

"One last thing."

"I'll take the money, I'll take the Commander position, and your life belongs to me too!"

With that, Sun Yan's head exploded under the gaze of the onlookers.

With Sun Yan dead, the remaining Imperial Guards had virtually no will to fight. In less than fifteen minutes, they were all killed or wounded.

The Imperial Guards stood in the bloodbath, looking at Xiao Bin and Huang Ke, who had been hacked to death, and then at Sun Yan, whose head had been blown apart.

Everyone's faces were filled with disbelief.

Scholar rubbed his temples. "Old Li, is this real? It feels like a dream."

All the Imperial Guards felt the same.

Old Li reached out and touched the blood-stained blade of his saber. "It's not a dream, is it? The blade is cold, and the blood is hot."

"So, this morning we wiped out the Sishui Gang, in the evening we raided the Huang Family, and at midnight we crushed the Commander? We even found the whereabouts of the stolen silver, and uncovered a White Dragon Cult stronghold?"

All the Imperial Guards swallowed hard. The events had happened, yet they felt surreal.

This was the kind of story they would tell their grandchildren when they were old, and their grandchildren would scoff and say, "Are you kidding me?"

Shen Qing glanced at Sun Yan's headless corpse with some disdain. A martial artist of the fourth level of the Houtian Realm, and not a single skill card dropped.

Disgraceful!

Shen Qing turned to look at the chattering crowd.

"Do you recognize the people on the ground?"

The scholar Lin Zikai and a few others exchanged glances.

"We recognize them. We just didn't expect that after so many years as colleagues, they had all secretly joined the White Dragon Cult."

Shen Qing walked towards the Lieutenant's office. "Since you recognize them, why are you still standing there foolishly? Go and raid their homes."

"Those Lieutenants, Colonels, and miscellaneous individuals won't be recorded in the public accounts. It's too troublesome to deal with."

"Be quick about it, and finish before dawn."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then a surge of immense joy erupted, sweeping away their recent worries.

If it wasn't recorded in the public accounts, it meant they could keep whatever they confiscated.

Never mind the Colonels, the homes of Xiao Bin and Huang Ke were definitely filled with wealth.

All the Imperial Guards roared like madmen.

"Lord Shen is mighty!"

"Lord Shen is awesome!"

"Lord Shen, you're my father!"

Great Wu Dynasty, Wuyang Continent, Capital City.

The Imperial Palace, Imperial Garden.

Fine rain sprinkled down, and a white mist covered the lake.

Empress Zhu Lingyue sat quietly in a pavilion by the lake, her face filled with heroic spirit.

An old eunuch passed through layers of guards and brought a memorial to Zhu Lingyue's side.

"Your Majesty, an urgent dispatch from the Luoshui Town Pacification Department of Yongning Commandery."

Zhu Lingyue did not open her eyes.

"Read it."

"Yes."

"Qin Chuan, Pacification Commissioner of Yongning Commandery."

"On May 9th, over ten members of the White Dragon Cult were discovered east of Luoshui City in Yongning Commandery. All were annihilated."

"On May 30th, Shen Qing, a Lieutenant from Baiyun County in Yongning Commandery, discovered traces of White Dragon Cult remnants..."

The old eunuch finished reading without omitting a single word.

Zhu Lingyue slowly opened her eyes, revealing golden pupils.

"The White Dragon Cult, they are truly persistent."

"However, the name Shen Qing is rather familiar."

The old eunuch quickly bowed. "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? He is the third son of the Shen family."

"It is him. Indeed, it is time for him to undergo the trial arranged by the Shen family."

"Why did he go so far, to Yongning Commandery, and even join my Imperial Guards?"

"Yet, he seems to possess some skill."

The old eunuch remained silent, listening quietly.

"Forget it, let him cause trouble if he wants to."

The old eunuch hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Your Majesty, are you truly going to let him be? Those from the Shen family have always been troublemakers."

"It's fine. Does my Great Wu Dynasty fear a single Shen Qing causing trouble?"

"Let him be."

Three days later, an appointment document arrived from Luoshui City, along with a set of black Flying Fish Robes.

Shen Qing was officially promoted to Commander.

However, other rewards would take some time to arrive.

Shen Qing put on the black Flying Fish Robes and looked at himself in the bronze mirror.

Eight feet tall, with a slender waist, a broad back, and legs like a praying mantis.

The Imperial Guards guarding the entrance shouted in unison as he stepped out.

"Congratulations, Lord Shen, congratulations!"

Firecrackers were lit at the entrance, making the General's Office livelier than during the New Year.

Shen Qing smiled, "I'm in a good mood today. Black Dog, go book a table at the Emerald Pine Pavilion."

"Tonight, all the expenses for the entire venue are on me, Shen Qing."

Suddenly, the already excited crowd became even more spirited.

"Lord Shen is generous!"

From this day forward, the boss of Baiyun County would have the surname Shen.

However, this was not the end.

One day, the boss of the Great Wu Dynasty would also have the surname Shen.

Shen, as in Shen Qing.

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.