As she watched the heads rolling one after another and the execution platform dyed red with blood, her stomach churned violently.
She felt so sick she wanted to vomit, yet could not.
"Senior... Senior Brother, why don't we go back?"
She tugged at Song Yuanming's sleeve, stammering as she spoke.
Seeing her pallid face, Song Yuanming shook his head slightly in refusal.
"Traveling the Jianghu will only expose you to things more brutal than this. Rongrong, if you can't even accept this, you'd be better off returning to the sect as soon as possible."
Even he felt uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, demons and monsters were now running rampant and wreaking havoc. If she could not even stomach a scene like this,
how would she gain a foothold in this man-eating Jianghu in the future?
After hearing Song Yuanming's words, Dongfang Rongrong could only force down her discomfort.
Inside the restaurant across the street, another pair of young men was also watching the scene at the execution ground.
"Have the sect investigate this Lord Wei's background thoroughly later. He may become an obstacle to our mission!"
Qin Yang's voice was low, his expression solemn.
"Senior Brother, what does the Blood Robe Sect's hunt for the secret treasure have to do with him? Could he really stick his nose in?" Zhao Gao, standing beside him, frowned slightly.
"It is still unclear whether the Imperial Court will intervene, but the disturbance in the Black House Wasteland certainly won't escape the Night Owl Guard's notice. As Qingcheng's current acting county magistrate, he may well become involved."
"Better to prepare in advance, just in case. It won't hurt."
Qin Yang shook his head slightly and patiently explained.
Some information about last night's battle at the City God Temple had already been uncovered by people with ulterior motives.
As for Wei Qing, none of the forces that had arrived near Qingcheng over the past few days dared to underestimate him.
There were people more powerful than Wei Qing.
But Wei Qing now represented the Heavenly Realm Division—and the Imperial Court.
As a local sect force in Jizhou Prefecture, they were not yet so arrogant as to dare oppose the Heavenly Realm Division, much less the Imperial Court.
Yet there were always exceptions.
At the execution ground.
Members of the Fang family were beheaded one after another.
Wei Qing sat on the execution-supervision platform, silently watching it all.
Time passed bit by bit.
As Fang Youting was beheaded amid the sighs of the crowd, the Fang family's collusion with demons and monsters was brought to a complete close.
Dozens of corpses were piled together, making one's scalp prickle at the sight.
A great deal of blood flowed out, completely dyeing the entire execution platform red.
"My lord, all fifty-nine members of the Fang family have been beheaded. Please issue your orders." The County Lieutenant bowed and reported the final result. A closer look revealed that his face was pale, while his legs trembled slightly beyond his control.
Wei Qing nodded slightly and rose to look at the pile of corpses beside the execution platform.
"The Fang family colluded with demons and monsters and betrayed humanity. Under the Great Zhou Law, they have all been beheaded in public. Issue the order: bury all the Fang family's corpses at the mass grave east of the city. No one is permitted to pay respects to them."
"Anyone caught doing so will be treated as an accomplice."
"At the same time, I hope everyone else will take this as a warning."
"Anyone who colludes with demons and monsters will have their entire clan exterminated. There will be no leniency."
Wei Qing's words were not harsh, but set against the mountain of corpses and sea of blood before them, they carried more deterrence than any warning could have.
Afterward.
The constables who had been waiting nearby immediately began loading all the Fang family's corpses onto the corpse carts and took them to the mass grave outside the city.
Seeing Wei Qing pause for a moment over the corpses of Fang Youting and the three-year-old child in turn, Zhu Huan, who was directing the work, understood his meaning.
He then instructed the men responsible for transporting the corpses to bury the two separately and with due care.
Elsewhere.
Wei Qing returned to the yamen, changed out of his official robes, and went back to the inn.
The moment he saw Zhang Zhidong, he said directly, "Brother Zhang, have you found out why so many sect forces have recently poured into Qingcheng?"
When he had first seen Song Yuanming that day, he had already noticed that many more sect disciples had appeared in Qingcheng.
Thus, he had instructed Zhang Zhidong to keep a close eye on them and investigate why they had gathered in Qingcheng.
"According to reports from the men below, they all came because of the recent disturbance in the Black House Wasteland. Someone spread word that a rare treasure had appeared in the Black Mist Wasteland, though it is unknown who. After that, all the large and small sects in Jizhou Prefecture sent their disciples to Qingcheng."
"So far, we've found a total of nine sect forces. The disciples of the Blood Robe Sect, Flowing Cloud Villa, Qingshan Sect, and Tianhai Sect are the strongest among them."
"The Blood Robe Sect?"
"Flowing Cloud Villa?"
Wei Qing looked puzzled. He had no impression whatsoever of any of the four sects.
"These four sects are second-rate sects near Qingzhou. The strongest person in any of them is no more than a fifth-grade martial artist. As for the disciples of the first-rate sects, they have yet to show themselves."
"Perhaps once the rumored rare treasure appears..."
Rumble...
Suddenly, a tremor came from beneath their feet. The two hurried out of the inn to investigate.
A red pillar of light shot into the sky in the southeast direction of Qingcheng. Every sect disciple in the city was startled, and they all looked excitedly toward the pillar of light.
"That's the direction of the Black Mist Wasteland. Could there really be a rare treasure?"
"Brother Zhang, your mouth must be blessed. You'd just said a rare treasure was appearing, and now a celestial portent has descended—the rare treasure really has appeared."
Wei Qing could not help teasing Zhang Zhidong.
At this, the corner of Zhang Zhidong's mouth twitched. "I wish that were true. If I had such divine powers, I'd immediately make a wish for every demon and monster under heaven to be exterminated!"
"Now that a rare treasure has appeared, the safety of Qingcheng will depend on you, my lord."
After the battle at the City God Temple, he had gained a clear understanding of Wei Qing's strength.
He could kill sixth-grade warriors and frighten off fifth-grade ones.
Wei Qing was unquestionably the strongest person in terms of martial prowess in Qingcheng at present.
"As Qingcheng's acting county magistrate and the Heavenly Realm Division's guardian of Qingcheng, this is my duty." Wei Qing nodded slightly. Then, as his true essence surged, he looked up and called out, "I am Qingcheng's acting county magistrate. I know why all of you have come to Qingcheng."
"But if anyone dares cause trouble within Qingcheng, don't blame this official for showing no mercy beneath my blade!"
His proclamation rolled across the entire city like thunder in spring. Every person heard it loud and clear.
"That was the voice of the acting county magistrate. What exactly did he mean?"
"Who cares? With the county magistrate here, I wouldn't fear even demons and monsters."
"That's right."
Wei Qing's demon-cleansing at Longdong Village, the Fang family's collusion with demons and monsters, and his several displays of power during the City God Temple operation had established immense prestige among Qingcheng's common people.
Song Yuanming, Liu Yang, and the other sect disciples all stared in shock toward Star Cloud Tower, where Wei Qing was staying.
Those outside only watched the spectacle; those in the know understood the skill behind it.
Wei Qing's move had not only demonstrated his formidable strength, but had also served as a warning to sect disciples like them.
Fortunately, they had come for the rare treasure.
At the same time, a faint unease surfaced in their hearts.
If this acting county magistrate joined in when the time came, how should they respond?
Should they yield?
Or fight for it?