Silencing the Witness

Zhou Wenwu's powerful spiritual sense pierced toward the two men like a sharp sword, causing the psychological defenses of Old Hei and Viper, who were already terrified, to collapse completely.

Viper knelt on the ground, kowtowing like a pestle pounding garlic: "It... it is..."

At this critical moment, the sound of rapid footsteps accompanied by a stern, righteous roar exploded from the other end of the street:

"What kind of thief dares to commit murder within my patrol zone! Surrender immediately!"

Captain Zhao of the Patrol Squad appeared, rushing over with three or four subordinates, his face wearing a perfectly measured expression of "shock" and "indignation."

Captain Zhao's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, locking onto the scene instantly; when he saw Viper kneeling and trying to speak, and Old Hei slumped in a heap, a flicker of imperceptible ruthlessness and anxiety flashed through his eyes.

Captain Zhao did not give Viper a chance to finish his sentence. His figure surged forward like lightning, his voice booming to drown out everything else: "How bold! Committing murder in broad daylight... er, in the dead of night, attacking a Flowing Cloud Sect steward and an alchemist—your crimes are unforgivable! I cannot let you live!"

Before his voice had even faded, his spiritual power erupted violently, unleashing a pressure far exceeding his usual performance at the Eighth Level of Qi Refining!

His hands moved as fast as phantoms, and without a single incantation or hand seal, two highly condensed, crimson fire snakes radiating a destructive aura roared forth!

These fire snakes were incredibly fast, striking directly at the heads of Old Hei and Viper respectively!

The target was clear: to kill with a single blow and leave no survivors!

Zhou Wenwu had not expected Zhao Qiyuan to arrive so "coincidentally," nor that he would strike with such decisive ruthlessness. He was both shocked and furious: "Zhao Qiyuan! Stop!"

Zhou Wenwu's reaction was already extremely fast; he instinctively waved his hand to cast an "Earth Wall Technique" in an attempt to block the attack, while his other hand reached for Old Hei, who was closer, trying to pull him away.

However, Zhao Qiyuan had been planning this for a long time. He had calculated against an unprepared opponent, and the distance was short. The two fire snakes seemed to possess a life of their own, tracing eerie arcs through the air to bypass the front of the Earth Wall!

"Boom! Boom!"

Two explosions rang out almost simultaneously!

Viper did not even have time to scream before his entire head was swallowed by the crimson fire snake, instantly turning into charred remains. His headless corpse swayed for a moment before collapsing to the ground.

Old Hei was pulled slightly aside by Zhou Wenwu, so the fire snake missed his head but slammed viciously into his chest!

"Ah--!"

Old Hei let out a shrill, miserable scream. A charred, gaping hole was instantly blasted into his chest, exposing his internal organs. He stared with wide, disbelieving eyes at the merciless Zhao Qiyuan. Fresh blood mixed with fragments of organs gushed from his mouth, and after his body convulsed violently a few times, he went silent.

In the blink of an eye, two key living witnesses had been brutally executed by Zhao Qiyuan's thunderous methods right before Zhou Wenwu's eyes!

Zhou Wenwu looked at the two men who had died in an instant, especially at Old Hei's expression of dying with unresolved grievances. His face turned livid, his chest heaving violently. He whipped his head around, his gaze shooting toward Zhao Qiyuan like Ten Thousand Year Ice, his voice squeezed out from between his teeth: "Zhao! Qiyuan!"

Zhao Qiyuan quickly reined in his spiritual power, the ruthlessness on his face instantly transforming into "grief" and "self-reproach." He stepped forward quickly, bowed deeply to Zhou Wenwu, and spoke in a tone of profound "sorrow": "Steward Zhou! This subordinate arrived too late to provide rescue, allowing you and Alchemist Li to be frightened! This subordinate deserves death ten thousand times over!"

Zhao Qiyuan straightened up, pointed at the two charred corpses on the ground, and continued with righteous indignation: "Such heinous villains, daring to commit such evil acts in the inner circle and attacking important personnel of our Flowing Cloud Sect—they are simply insane! Seeing their ferocity and fearing they might lash out to harm you, Steward, or harbor other schemes, I acted in haste and struck too hard, failing to keep them alive. It is truly my dereliction of duty! I beg for the Steward's punishment!"

Zhou Wenwu suppressed his rage, his voice icy: "Zhao Qiyuan, put away this hypocritical act! Do you take me for a three-year-old child? 'Acted in haste'? I see it as premeditated silencing!"

The "wronged" look on Zhao Qiyuan's face deepened, yet his tone carried a hint of imperceptible hardness: "Why would Steward Zhou say such a thing? My loyalty to the sect is as clear as heaven and earth! Such villains are not worth keeping alive! Does the Steward believe I should not have upheld the sect's dignity or protected your safety? If that is the case, this subordinate is truly disheartened!"

Zhou Wenwu's eyes were as sharp as knives: "Upholding the sect's dignity? Protecting my safety?

Zhao Qiyuan, your arrival was truly 'timely'! Why didn't you come earlier or later, but appeared exactly when they were about to name the mastermind?

And why did you strike without rhyme or reason, not giving them even a sliver of a chance for interrogation?! What exactly were you afraid they might say?!"

Zhao Qiyuan's expression darkened slightly. He stopped pretending entirely, and his tone turned cold: "Steward Zhou, what do you mean by this? Are you suspecting that I, Zhao Qiyuan, am colluding with these bandits?

Just because of a few words these dead men might have blurted out before they died? Steward, handling cases requires evidence! If you are so arbitrary, I fear it will be difficult to convince the masses!"

Zhou Wenwu stepped forward, the pressure of his Ninth Level of Qi Refining cultivation faintly leaking out: "Evidence? I will naturally investigate! The patrol records of the Southwest District tonight and your own movements, Captain Zhao—not a single detail will be missed! I want to see exactly how much filth is hidden behind this!"

Feeling Zhou Wenwu's pressure, Zhao Qiyuan did not retreat; instead, a faint, cold sneer curled the corner of his mouth. His aura rippled slightly, and a formidable Spiritual Power Fluctuation was obscurely released—it was clearly the cultivation of the Ninth Level of Qi Refining! "If Steward Zhou wants to investigate, I will naturally cooperate. However... why must some things be made known to everyone? I fear it will do no good for the sect's reputation or the stability of the Marketplace. Since Alchemist Li was lucky enough to survive, it would be better to downplay the matter and focus on his treatment. As for these bandits who have died without proof, they should be handled according to custom."

Zhou Wenwu felt Zhao Qiyuan's undisguised Ninth Level of Qi Refining pressure, his pupils constricting in shock: This Zhao Qiyuan has actually broken through without a sound!

No wonder he is so fearless! His face grew even uglier: "Zhao Qiyuan! Are you threatening me? Using the sect's reputation as a shield? Alchemist Li is an External Alchemist registered with our Flowing Cloud Sect. If we don't get to the bottom of such an attack within the Marketplace and severely punish the culprits, where is the dignity of the sect?! Who would dare to work for our Flowing Cloud Sect in the future?!"

Zhao Qiyuan smiled without warmth: "The Steward speaks too seriously. How would I dare threaten you? I am merely stating the stakes. The sect's reputation is paramount. As for Alchemist Li..." He glanced at the unconscious Li Chengjie, "...has he not survived? Perhaps it was just a common robbery he happened to encounter. Why must the Steward insist on overcomplicating things and implicating the innocent?"

Zhou Wenwu laughed in anger: "Innocent? Zhao Qiyuan, tell me, who is innocent? Are these 'bandits' you silenced in an instant innocent? Or is the one who ordered them... you, Captain Zhao yourself?!"

Zhao Qiyuan's expression finally darkened completely, his tone carrying an undisguised warning: "Zhou Wenwu! I respect you as a steward, which is why I have explained this much to you! Do not refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! I said, without evidence, everything is slander! If you insist on acting recklessly and tearing off the mask, hmph, my Ninth Level of Qi Refining cultivation is not something to be trifled with! If this blows up, we shall see whose face looks worse! We shall see whether the sect believes your baseless suspicions or me, a patrol captain who has served diligently for years!"

Zhou Wenwu's chest heaved violently as he stared fixedly at Zhao Qiyuan. He knew that with absolute strength on the other side and a lack of ironclad evidence, it would be difficult to take Zhao Qiyuan down on the spot today.

Zhou Wenwu forcibly suppressed the urge to strike immediately, saying word by word: "Fine! Very well! Zhao Qiyuan, I have noted today's events! You want evidence? I will find it! The suffering Alchemist Li has endured today, and everything he has lost—my Flowing Cloud Sect will surely reclaim it a hundredfold! Everyone involved in this, not one will escape!"

Zhao Qiyuan snorted coldly: "Steward Zhou is welcome to investigate! I, Zhao Qiyuan, walk upright and sit straight; I do not fear your investigation! However, I advise the Steward: do not be so stubborn and thick-headed; you will regret it sooner or later!"