Setting Fire to the Mountain, Li Fucai Cried

The roaring flames dyed the silent night red, illuminating the sky.

Nearly five hundred corpses hissed and crackled in the inferno, slowly being consumed by the fire.

Disciples of the jianghu grow old in the jianghu; vanishing in flames is better than dying on the roadside, left for wild dogs to gnaw on.

They returned much as they had left.

They had new robes, an extra small chest, and two booklets.

When he next entered Duobao Town, every household had its doors and windows shut tight, and one could still hear thunderous snores echoing from the streets.

Before long, Li Yan returned to the Treasure Official's Manor. He skillfully scaled the wall and entered, first heading to the kitchen to grab some leftover food. After devouring it, he quietly slipped into the study.

Upon entering the secret room, Li Fucai was fast asleep. The ground nearby showed signs of disturbed earth and stone, indicating he had likely buried the bodies of the Black Cloud Stronghold bandits.

Without disturbing him, Li Yan walked over to a side tea table and sat down, taking out two booklets. He began to read by the flickering firelight.

"Martial Arts: Thunderous Strike - Not Learned (0/400)"

Just learning this saber technique required 400 experience points, demonstrating that it was undoubtedly more powerful than he had imagined.

Without hesitation, Li Yan communicated with the system. As experience points decreased, Thunderous Strike reached the Initial Glimpse stage.

As his eyes opened, Li Yan's gaze suddenly brightened. This saber technique was even stronger than he had anticipated!

The technique embodied the domineering and unrestrained nature of the Heavenly Dao's thunder, exuding an aura of unparalleled dominance where all other arts must bow before it.

At this moment, Li Yan was certain that Thunderous Strike was undoubtedly a top-tier saber technique in the jianghu.

However, Li Yan didn't rush to upgrade the technique again. Fearing a repeat of the Flower Cultivation and Leaf Nurturing Art, he decided to practice it first.

The Waning Moon was drawn, and Li Yan began to deduce the technique in the underground chamber.

The proficiency of Initial Glimpse made Li Yan's movements stiff, his saber swings awkward and unrefined.

But one must understand that Li Yan currently had the foundation of the Hundred Battles Saber at the Return to Truth realm. Most jianghu saber techniques should be easily mastered by him.

The fact that Thunderous Strike was so difficult to execute now only highlighted its uniqueness and profound depth.

The sounds of his steps and saber swings woke Li Fucai from his sleep. When he saw Li Yan wielding his saber, his eyes were first filled with confusion, then bewilderment, astonishment, and finally, panic.

"You... what are you doing here?"

Hearing the voice, Li Yan turned his head and saw Li Fucai looking at him with a face full of panic.

"Of course, it's me. Treasure Official Li, why are you looking at me like that? Have I become some kind of monster?"

"No, how can you be here? How can you be here?"

"Shouldn't you be at Black Cloud Stronghold right now, dealing with those bandits?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan chuckled and said, "I almost forgot. Treasure Official Li has been hiding here and isn't well-informed about outside news."

Then, Li Yan pointed in the direction of the exit and said, "If you were to leave the manor now, you might still see half the sky stained red. That's Black Cloud Stronghold, which I spent a great deal of effort burning down with a single fire."

"Wh-what?!"

Li Fucai's face was filled with utter disbelief, as if he had heard the most outrageous joke.

Yet, he couldn't laugh. The casual demeanor of the person before him made him unsure whether to believe it or not.

However, decisive evidence soon presented itself to Li Fucai.

When he saw the booklet titled "Ledger," his expression shifted rapidly. Soon, sweat poured down his face, his undergarments instantly soaked with cold sweat, and his face turned ashen.

"It's over, it's over, it's all over!"

Hearing this, Li Yan chuckled lightly, "Treasure Official Li, why do you say that?"

Li Fucai glared at him, "You scoundrel, do you really want my Li family to be doomed forever?"

What was in his hand? It was a ledger!

What kind of ledger?

It was a ledger recording the corruption and bribery of Wu Zongren!

Of course, this wasn't a fatal weapon to overthrow Wu Zongren, but rather his death warrant!

The Great Wu Dynasty's court was corrupt and decadent. The Wu Emperor was so engrossed in his harem that he neglected state affairs, directly leading to Grand Commandant Wu Zongren having absolute power, unchecked by anyone.

At such a time, obtaining this so-called ledger was akin to holding a death talisman, wasn't it?

And this, naturally, was Li Yan's deliberate act.

Li Fucai could become the Treasure Official of Duobao, attract the attention of Wu Zongren, and build such a prosperous business. Li Yan didn't believe he was just a simple rich landowner.

This man must have other exceptional qualities, though Li Yan hadn't discovered them yet.

But since he had caught Wu Zongren's eye, Li Yan naturally wanted to ruin him. This ledger was the best stratagem for sowing discord.

As expected, Li Fucai's current state was exactly as Li Yan had predicted. This was his best opportunity.

"Treasure Official Li, are you blaming me for letting you know this secret, for potentially putting you in Wu Zongren's crosshairs?"

At these words, Li Fucai gritted his teeth and glared at Li Yan, "You, you're not trying to help me, you're deliberately trying to harm me!"

"Hey~ What are you talking about? I helped you resolve the Black Cloud Stronghold in just one day. I got this item from the Black Cloud Stronghold."

Hearing this, Magistrate Li was stunned. Had Black Cloud Stronghold really been wiped out?

That made sense. Only a place like Black Cloud Stronghold would likely possess such an item.

Those bandits and brigands feared nothing, so they were the only ones daring enough to collect such things to prevent future retribution.

After a long while, Li Fucai finally calmed himself. Though still angry, his gaze towards Li Yan had become considerably more composed.

"What exactly do you want?"

Li Yan chuckled, "Nothing much, I just want to help Magistrate Li eliminate this deep-seated threat permanently."

"Perma... You!"

"Shh~ Magistrate Li, from the moment you finished reading that ledger, you had no other path..."

That night, Li Fucai was destined to be sleepless, and perhaps for a long time afterward, he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully.

The fires on Dark Cloud Peak burned for a long time. By the time someone ascended the mountain, the entire stronghold on the summit was a scorched black mess.

The person's expression was extremely grim as they looked at the blackened village. They then entered the stronghold to investigate.

Although the fire was intense, with so many bodies piled together, it was impossible to burn them all completely.

From these corpses, this person discovered some clues.

Almost everyone had died from a single blow, and the vast majority had been struck in the throat.

The blade was swift, a rare and fine sword, but the techniques used were not exquisite. Instead, they resembled saber techniques used in military formations.

Thinking this, the person narrowed their eyes slightly.

They had heard that a young man named Wan Sanhuo had recently appeared in the martial arts world, who was most skilled in the Hundred Battles Saber Technique, having cultivated it to the Mastered realm. Could it be him?

This person turned the scorched mountain stronghold upside down. Finally, looking at the empty secret compartment, their face turned as black as iron. They could only turn and leave.

After they departed, another figure quietly arrived.

"Tsk tsk, five hundred men all fell by his blade. This kid has quite the killing intent!" the newcomer murmured, "Yan Qi, your judgment is truly sharp..."