Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Chen Feng was assigned to recuperate at the yamen.
Zhang Xue led Tantai Yue on a thorough tour of Qingcheng. Naturally, Cai Yang and the others could not escape the fate of becoming their followers and bag carriers.
In just one day, Cai Yang and the others went from the excitement of going out to the state of, "We don't like shopping. I love secluded cultivation."
Today.
Was the day the Fang Family would be executed.
Wei Qing's room was struck with a "knock, knock" while he was cultivating.
"What is it?"
"My lord, noon is almost here. The Fang Family is to be executed, and your lordship still needs to preside over the execution." The County Lieutenant's voice passed through the door into the room.
"All right, I understand."
"This subordinate will take his leave."
The County Lieutenant said this, and Wei Qing soon heard his footsteps gradually fade into the distance.
His cultivation session came to an end. Wei Qing slowly rose, and as he stretched his body, his bones gave off a series of crisp cracks.
"Refreshing."
After being tempered by the Bone Tempering Pill, all the bones in his body were now crystal-clear like jade, faintly radiating a warm, lustrous glow.
An unprecedented sense of lightness welled up within him, as though he had been reborn.
Next, a thought stirred in his mind, and the data panel appeared:
[Host: Wei Qing] [Age: 16] [Realm: Sixth Rank Martial Artist (Intermediate)] [Spirit: 971] [Strength: 1030] [Constitution: 999] [Techniques: Returning Origin Art (Minor Accomplishment), Great Freedom Visualization Art (Minor Accomplishment)] [Martial Skills: Flowing Cloud Slash (Perfected)—Ultimate Skill: Lotus Flower; Ephemeral Art (Perfected)—Ultimate Skill: Divine Movement; Nanke's Dream (Minor Accomplishment)]
The Bone Tempering Pill had not only tempered his bones and raised his martial potential.
It had also violently boosted all his attributes by more than a hundred points, almost equivalent to killing two Low Sixth Rank Martial Artists.
Wei Qing rose and changed into the official robe the County Lieutenant had prepared for him.
Looking at himself in the mirror in his official robes, he did seem to have gained a few more traces of an overlord's bearing.
"I do look quite impressive. What a pity—I was never born to be an official. The peak of martial cultivation is what I will pursue in this life!"
Qingcheng was especially lively today.
Because today was the day the Fang Family would be executed.
When the many yamen runners escorted the prisoner carts toward the execution grounds, they immediately drew the attention of the people along the route, along with their curses, rotten eggs, and spoiled vegetable leaves.
Only the prisoner cart holding Fang Youting caused the people to turn their heads wherever it passed.
Toward this father-and-mother official who had devoted himself to the people, all of them showed expressions of reluctance and pity.
"This new County Magistrate really isn't simple."
On the second floor of Wangchun Tower, Song Yuanming stood with his junior sister in their usual spot.
Dongfang Rongrong, who had been busy shopping these past few days, asked in confusion, "Senior Brother, why do you say that?"
"First came the demons of Longdong Village, then the Fang Family, and next the Yan Family. This new County Magistrate has acted again and again, yet remains safe and sound to this day. That alone is enough to show that he must possess formidable martial strength to protect himself."
Dongfang Rongrong looked at Wei Qing, who was riding at the very front, and showed a surprised expression. "Wasn't there news that the Heavenly Mirror Division of Jizhou had sent people to provide support?"
"Chen Feng was injured, yet he didn't suffer so much as a scratch."
"Most importantly, Tantai Yue and the others seem to have faintly formed a formation centered around him."
"If he didn't possess powerful strength and methods, it would be very difficult for him to subdue someone ranked fourth on the Heavenly Pride Rankings."
"The Heavenly Mirror Division has produced another Peerless Prodigy!"
"In the near future, if he doesn't fall, he will surely shake the entire Great Zhou—and even the Eastern Domain!"
Dongfang Rongrong covered her small mouth, her face filled with disbelief.
The strongest person in the Qingshan Sect was only a Sixth Rank Martial Artist.
As the most talented person in the sect, although she had already reached High Eighth Rank, breaking through to Seventh Rank would take at least two or three years.
Yet a mere Garrison Commander from the Heavenly Realm Division who had come for a trial possessed strength comparable to the sect master's.
The foundation of the Heavenly Realm Division truly far surpassed that of wandering martial sects like theirs.
The execution grounds east of the city.
After Wei Qing took his seat on the execution platform, the County Lieutenant and Zhu Huan stood one step behind him, flanking him on either side as they awaited his orders.
The prisoner carts carrying the Fang Family members slowly stopped at the edge of the execution grounds.
There were ten prisoner carts. Fang Youting's only son was locked in one, while the remaining Fang Family members and servants were crammed into the other nine.
"Press the prisoners out of the carts."
Wei Qing raised his hand and immediately gave the order.
Upon hearing this, the yamen runners waiting beside the carts opened them and hauled the prisoners out.
Except for Fang Youting, some of those dragged from the carts had tears and snot streaming down their faces, while others wore numb expressions.
A few refused to leave the carts no matter what. Only after the yamen runners gave them a savage beating were they forcefully dragged down.
Fang Youting glanced at the Fang Family's only grandson. Though he knew it was practically impossible, he still knelt before Wei Qing. "Lord Wei, I know the Fang Family's sins are grave, and I have no objection to the Imperial Court's verdict. But the only grandson of our Fang Family is just three years old. I wonder if my lord could help secure him a place in exile."
"The Fang Family will certainly—"
"Lord Fang." Wei Qing interrupted him. "Please forgive this official for being unable to help."
"With the imperial edict already issued, this official must carry it out. I hope Lord Fang will understand."
"If there is anyone to blame, blame Fang Xiang for betraying humanity and colluding with demons."
"Blame him for being born into the Fang Family."
Seeing this, Fang Youting sighed and resignedly closed his eyes.
"Noon has arrived. Execute them!"
Wei Qing threw down the execution tablet in his hand and immediately gave the order.
Upon hearing this, the yamen runners first pressed Fang Changshan forward, as he had put up the fiercest resistance earlier.
The executioner, who had long been prepared, took a mouthful of wine and sprayed it directly onto the gleaming blade. Then he brought the sword down in a single stroke.
Swish...
The long blade fell, severing head from body.
The bloody scene immediately drew screams from the people, while the imprisoned Fang Family members' faces went deathly pale.
"My son!"
Fang Youren cried out in grief. Even now, he still could not believe that the mighty Fang Family would one day meet the fate of total extermination.
Fang Changshan died.
Fang Youren tried to struggle, but the executioner struck him under the chin with the back of the blade, sending him toppling backward to the ground, where he lay unable to move.
"Next."
Wei Qing's gaze was cold as he continued giving orders.
The executioner's blade rose and fell, and Fang Youren's head immediately rolled away.
"No! I don't want to die!"
"We're only servants of the Fang Family! Why should we be buried with that bastard?"
"Fang Xiang was the one who colluded with the demons, so why are you killing us? I refuse to accept this..."
In the face of the Fang Family members' and servants' wails,
the executioner acted as though he saw nothing.
He continued swinging the executioner's blade.
The long blade fell, and heads rolled one after another.
Blood dyed the entire execution platform red.
Whenever someone was beheaded, the yamen runners would collect the corpse while pressing the next person awaiting execution onto the platform.
The thick stench of blood made the surrounding people feel sick, yet not one of them left.
"This Lord Wei's heart really is ruthless."
Watching the Fang Family members being beheaded one after another, even Song Yuanming felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Yet Wei Qing's expression had not changed in the slightest from beginning to end. The coldness in his eyes made a trace of fear rise from the depths of Song Yuanming's heart.
Beside him, Dongfang Rongrong's face had long since turned deathly pale.