Be a Cultured Martial Artist

After watching the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord leave, the two maidservants hurried forward.

"Don't touch me."

Liu Benlian's hair hung in disarray, her eyes bloodshot as she stared fixedly at the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord.

Creak~

Her fists clenched tightly, and a fierce glint flashed through her eyes.

After a long while, Liu Benlian withdrew her gaze and staggered into the main hall.

"Second Madam!" At that moment, Pan Sen, who had originally left, returned.

"What exactly happened?"

Everything that had happened today was far too abrupt. Even now, he had yet to fully process it.

At his words, Liu Benlian recounted the entire sequence of events once more.

"What?"

After hearing Liu Benlian's account, Pan Sen frowned. "The Liu Family was actually exterminated?"

"How could that be?!"

"The strongest forces in Soaring Dragon City are only at the Earth Fiend Realm. Even if they joined forces, they could not have wiped out the Liu Family in such a short time. Could there be some hidden truth behind this?"

"Second Elder, do you suspect Pan Xu?" Liu Benlian could hear the implication in his words.

"Yes!" Pan Sen nodded. "That Qin Jishi must have an extraordinary relationship with the Young Prefecture Lord. Otherwise, would the Young Prefecture Lord have forced Sun Baitan to kneel?"

"Besides!"

"How did the Prefecture Lord learn about you mobilizing the Black Eagle Guard, Second Madam?"

Hearing this, Liu Benlian narrowed her eyes slightly. "You mean Pan Xu may have been stirring things up behind the scenes?"

"Not may!" Pan Sen lowered his voice. "He was."

"He was?"

"That's right!" Pan Sen nodded. "Think about it, Second Madam. When has the Prefecture Lord ever rebuked you even once in our sect, much less laid a hand on you?"

"This time, because of the Black Eagle Guard, the Prefecture Lord not only fought with you but also executed Sun Baitan. If no one had been fanning the flames, would the Prefecture Lord have acted like this?"

Liu Benlian said nothing, merely signaling for Pan Sen to continue.

"Second Madam, among our sect, I fear only the Young Prefecture Lord could accomplish this. You should know that because of what happened with the First Madam, the Prefecture Lord has always felt guilty toward the Young Prefecture Lord. That is why, despite his talent being inferior to the Second Young Master's, he was still made the Young Prefecture Lord. That indulgence cannot be replaced."

"Also, though the Young Prefecture Lord's talent is poor, his mind is exceptionally quick. I now suspect that even the Liu Family's extermination was arranged by him alone."

He was the mastermind?

Liu Benlian raised a hand, indicating for Pan Sen to continue.

"My reasoning is not without basis. Which of Soaring Dragon City's major factions did not know that the Liu Family was connected to our Black Eagle Prefecture? Since they knew this, why would they still dare target the Liu Family?"

Hearing this, Liu Benlian said coldly, "Because they had something to rely on."

"Exactly!" Pan Sen nodded. "What they relied on was the Young Prefecture Lord."

Pan Xu?

A fierce look surfaced in Liu Benlian's eyes. "I truly underestimated him. So he had been laying out this entire scheme."

Having pieced everything together, Liu Benlian said in a low voice, "Second Elder, that girl from the Zhang Family was accepted as a disciple by the Black and White Academy, wasn't she?"

"That's right!" Pan Sen replied. "Not only her—even the boys from the Yang Family and Zhao Family who participated in this matter were accepted as disciples."

"Good!" Liu Benlian nodded. "Notify Chen'er to take good 'care' of them."

"And!"

As she spoke, killing intent emerged from Liu Benlian. "Since the Prefecture Lord already knows about the Black Eagle Guard, Qin Jishi must not be dead. Find out where he is. That boy must die."

"Second Madam..." Pan Sen was somewhat worried upon hearing this. "The Prefecture Lord's anger has yet to subside. If we make any moves now, won't that...?"

"Rest assured." Liu Benlian said grimly, "No one can stop my son from inheriting the Black Eagle Prefecture. Not little Pan Xu, and not even the Prefecture Lord."

Uh!

For some reason, Liu Benlian gave Pan Sen an intensely chilling feeling at that moment.

This woman was not to be provoked—especially a beautiful woman. Once she turned ruthless, she was as venomous as snakes and scorpions.

Azure Wave Imperial Capital, Central Prefecture!

The most central city of Azure Wave Continent was naturally the Azure Wave Imperial Capital, while Central Prefecture was the foremost city of the imperial capital. Among the five prefectural cities, Central Prefecture stood at the head. The reason was not merely that it was the foremost city, but more importantly, that the Black and White Academy was located here.

Of course, aside from the Black and White Academy, super factions such as the Myriad Treasures Tower, Hundred Beasts Sect, and Joyful Union Sect were also based in Central Prefecture.

It was precisely because of this that Central Prefecture's unshakable position among the five prefectures had been established.

Outside Central Prefecture City, a carriage came to a halt. "Sir, Imperial Capital City is ahead."

"Sir?"

"Sir?"

Seeing no response, the coachman raised a hand to lift the curtain.

"Ah-ha~"

A yawn sounded. "We're here?"

A young man stepped out of the carriage, stretched lazily, and jumped down.

So this was the Azure Wave Imperial Capital?

Qin Jishi swept his gaze across the endless city walls that stretched for thousands of miles. Every slab of bluestone bore the weathered marks of time, while the vast city gates could accommodate tens of thousands entering and leaving at once...

Above the gates, the three words "Imperial Capital City" exuded an awe-inspiring majesty.

Every traveler entering or leaving Imperial Capital City did so in an orderly fashion, not daring to show the slightest dissatisfaction. They were all ordinary people—how could they dare disrespect martial artists?

"S-Sir..."

Seeing Qin Jishi remain where he was for so long, the coachman said timidly, "Um... about that..."

Qin Jishi came back to his senses and casually tossed him a mystic stone.

"You've worked hard along the way. Keep the extra as your reward."

Gulp~

Holding that mystic stone in his hand, the coachman remained dazed for a long time.

They had agreed on a price of five Gold Coins for this journey, yet the other party had given him a mystic stone. That was equivalent to one hundred Gold Coins.

One hundred Gold Coins was enough for him to live without worry for five years.

A kind man!

For a little person like him, being spared oppression was already a blessing. How could he dare hope for anything more?

Watching Qin Jishi walk toward the city and join the long line amid the crowd, the coachman burst into tears, dropped to his knees, and kowtowed toward Qin Jishi's retreating back.

Imperial Capital City had strict laws. Anyone entering the city had to pay a certain fee.

Looking at the endless line ahead, Qin Jishi found himself overwhelmed by boredom.

Of course, the long wait also allowed Qin Jishi to witness the helplessness of ordinary people.

Martial artists could cut in line at will, while they could do nothing about it.

No manners!

So what if they were martial artists? At the very least, they should be cultured martial artists.

Look at me.

Qin Jishi felt disdain for their behavior.

Forget cutting in line—if Qin Jishi wished it, how many factions in the Azure Wave Imperial Capital would rush over to welcome him?

Why had he not done so?

Aside from not wanting to draw the Qin Family of Sacred Ancestor Continent's attention too early, the most important reason was to keep a low profile.

Those who drowned were always the ones who could swim; by the same token, those who died unnatural deaths were precisely the arrogant and overbearing.

Time trickled by. After a long wait, it was finally Qin Jishi's turn.

A notice stood by the city gates: ten copper coins were required to enter the city, while the elderly, the weak, women, and children were exempt from the entry fee.

Qin Jishi found this notice rather humane. After all, many ordinary people lived hand to mouth. An excessively expensive entry fee would affect a city's prosperity.

After feeling around on his person, Qin Jishi found that he truly did not have ten copper coins. He took out a Gold Coin, turned to the dark-skinned man behind him, and said,

"Could I exchange one Gold Coin for ten copper coins from you?"

This man had labored year-round. Judging by his face, he appeared to be an honest man.

"Ah..." The dark-skinned man froze, then quickly waved his hands. "No, no, no. One Gold Coin is worth ten thousand copper coins. Please do not make fun of me, young brother."

After saying this, the dark-skinned man seemed to feel that it was inappropriate. "If you do not have any copper coins on you, young brother, I can pay your entry fee for you."

The greatest difference between ordinary people and martial artists was their simple sincerity. This act warmed Qin Jishi's heart. Ignoring the other man's refusal, he forcibly stuffed the Gold Coin into his hand and took the ten copper coins he had prepared beforehand.

"This?"

Just as the dark-skinned man stood at a loss, and Qin Jishi was about to pay the ten copper coins—

"You... move aside... let our young master enter the city first..."