Just as Lu Chen left the Rainy Night Inn.
In a distant region.
Within a mysterious pavilion.
The same ancient bronze mirror as before flashed once more.
Lines of writing automatically appeared upon it.
Heartless Blade Lu Chen, having trained in martial arts for only seven days, drew down lightning from the skies amid tonight's torrential rain and slew Pacification Bureau Squad Leader "Iron-Faced Judge" Yu Tianli. He also killed his accompanying men, "Gu King" Zhang Qian and "Nine-Fingered Asura" Yin Jiuzhu. His deeds shook the realm, and he was ranked eighty-third on the Qilin Rankings!
Several oddly dressed figures widened their eyes in shock, staring at the words above in astonishment.
"The Qilin Rankings have updated again!"
"Lu Chen rose from ninety-first to eighty-third?"
"Hiss! What a Lu Chen. In only a few days, he actually managed to kill Yu Tianli!"
"Quick, spread the news to the realm. The Qilin Rankings have changed again."
They immediately sprang into action.
Spirit pigeons flew out from this place one after another.
In another direction.
Qinghe Prefecture.
The prefectural Pacification Bureau.
Thousand-Household Commander Gongsun Ming frowned as he handled a pile of documents on his desk, sighing now and then.
Across Great Yu, storm clouds swayed the land. Chaos was beginning to show in every region; things had truly reached an extremely dangerous point.
Not only were the major Martial Dao sects stirring restlessly.
Even rebellions had begun breaking out frequently throughout the prefectures...
"All disorder begins with the Jianghu. Could it be that no dynasty throughout history can escape this law?"
His thoughts surged like raging tides.
Suddenly.
A figure hurried in from outside and said urgently, "My lord Thousand-Household Commander, something has happened. Squad Leader Yu Tianli of Boulderstone City has been killed. Zhang Qian and Yin Jiuzhu, who accompanied him, have both been slain!"
"What?"
Gongsun Ming's brows drew together. His gaze swept over as he said, "Yu Tianli was killed? Wasn't he sent to investigate the murder of Boulderstone City's Magistrate? Who did it?"
"It was still that Lu Chen. After killing Magistrate Lin Mingyuan, even Yu Tianli has now fallen to his venomous hands!"
The man's expression shifted as he said, "He cut down Yu Tianli with his blade and rose from ninety-first on the Qilin Rankings to eighty-third!"
"Useless trash!"
Gongsun Ming's gaze darkened as he snapped.
He had naturally received reports long ago about everything Lu Chen had done before.
He had originally thought that with Yu Tianli personally taking action, capturing him would be as easy as reaching into a bag.
Yet he had never expected that even someone of Yu Tianli's strength could be slain!
Just what cultivation did this Lu Chen possess?
"Damn that Lin Mingyuan. Such a person appeared within his jurisdiction, yet he knew nothing at all and brought this enormous trouble down on me for nothing... Lin Mingyuan, even in death, you cannot rest in peace."
Gongsun Ming paced back and forth.
"My lord Thousand-Household Commander, Yu Tianli was Pacification Commissioner Yu Siyuan's nephew. Now that he has been killed..."
The man was somewhat uneasy.
Gongsun Ming could not help growing irritated as well, a wave of headache washing over him.
A Pacification Commissioner was an existence one rank above even him!
An official one rank higher could crush a man to death!
"Which way has Lu Chen fled now?"
"We have yet to find out."
"Send word. Have Hundred-Household Commander He Qianxing personally move out. He must capture Lu Chen and bring him to justice. Also, put his name on the Black List and have those Headhunters keep an eye out for him as well!"
Gongsun Ming said darkly.
"Yes, my lord!"
The man's heart trembled.
Hundred-Household Commander He Qianxing, the strongest Hundred-Household Commander in Qinghe Prefecture!
His cultivation was at the Eighth Rank!
With him taking action, capturing Lu Chen would be as easy as turning over one's hand!
Two days later.
The small town bustled with people coming and going.
The scene was fresh and lively.
The streets were filled mostly with peddlers and porters carrying shoulder poles. From time to time, Jianghu folk could be seen rushing past, sabers at their waists and swords in their hands.
"Hurry, hurry! The latest Qilin Rankings have updated again!"
"Didn't they update just a few days ago?"
"This time, it's because of Lu Chen again. Lu Chen rose from ninety-first to eighty-third."
"No way. What kind of speed is that? What did he do this time?"
Amid the surging crowd, a man in a bamboo hat and black robe followed along, gathering with the others before a wall ahead.
On the high wall.
Two lists hung there.
Both had only just been posted.
One was the renowned Qilin Rankings.
The other was the Black List issued specially by the imperial court!
The Qilin Rankings listed all young talents with potential.
The Black List, meanwhile, listed all major criminals wanted by the imperial court.
"What a Lu Chen. That fellow really is a man of the hour. Not only is he on the Qilin Rankings, his name has even appeared on the newly updated Black List."
"What? He is on the Black List too!"
"Look, sixtieth on the Black List, with a reward of five thousand taels of silver!"
"Such a high reward!"
"A few nights ago, Lu Chen drew lightning with his blade and killed Pacification Bureau Squad Leader Yu Tianli, along with two assistants... Hiss! Yu Tianli was at the Sixth Rank, wasn't he?"
"Why even ask? Sixth Rank mid-stage, and he even possessed Excellent Grade martial arts!"
"Is this Lu Chen for real? The list says that it has been less than ten days since he began cultivating. Less than ten days, and he can kill a Sixth Rank expert? What kind of joke is this?"
"Fourth Rank in four days, killing the Sixth Rank in seven. This Lu Chen has a great secret on him!"
"Nonsense, of course everyone knows he has a great secret. But do you dare set your sights on him? This fellow is a genuine ruthless man. Look at how many people he has killed since entering the scene."
"Exactly. He is simply a born killing demon, a baleful star."
The crowd buzzed noisily.
All the Jianghu folk secretly shivered.
Everything Lu Chen had done, every single deed, was enough to leave people stunned.
Judging by the way he acted.
Once he made a move, he always silenced everyone involved.
Not a single person who offended him had survived!
Some had even had their entire families wiped out with them.
Within the crowd.
Lu Chen narrowed his eyes, a cold glint surfacing within them.
The Qilin Rankings...
Just who arranged these rankings?
They had described his deeds in such detail, even writing down how long he had cultivated.
That was no different from roasting him over a fire.
Seeing how quickly he cultivated, others would certainly covet what he had...
And there was the Black List too!
The Black List offered a reward of five thousand taels!
There would be no shortage of people willing to move for five thousand taels of silver!
This time, he had truly become famous beyond all measure.
After watching quietly for a moment, he turned and left.
"Kind sirs, spare some money, please. Spare some money..."
On the street, an old blind beggar held a bamboo cane in his left hand and a broken bowl in his right. He wandered through the street, pitifully begging alms from passersby.
Lu Chen casually tossed several copper coins toward him.
The instant he turned away, a cold gleam suddenly flashed through the old beggar's supposedly blind eyes. A dagger instantly slid from his sleeve and stabbed at Lu Chen's back at lightning speed.
Without even looking, Lu Chen twisted his scabbard. With an unbelievable speed, he moved after the attack yet arrived before it, striking the old beggar's fatal point in the chest on the spot. With a bang, the old beggar's eyes bulged, and he collapsed limply to the ground.
You have sent a Headhunter with ill intent on his way. Merit Points +30.
"A Headhunter?"
Lu Chen's heart tightened.
The authorities had sent them out too?
This was bad!
He immediately unleashed his movement technique. His afterimage flashed, and he vanished from the place.
Just after he disappeared, figure after figure leaped out from all directions and landed swiftly, appearing beside the dead old beggar in an instant.
"Lu Chen appeared?"
"What speed! He has already escaped!"
"Chase him!"
The group swiftly gave chase.
But after chasing out, there was not the slightest trace of Lu Chen anywhere.
Before you continue