The two figures rapidly crossed paths in the courtyard, the sounds of the golden saber and long saber colliding without cease as True Qi scattered in every direction.
The surrounding ground was shattered by the aftershocks of Innate True Qi.
Wan Mengchang was older after all, and his combat experience was abundant. Though he was at a disadvantage for the moment, he could still barely hold on.
But he knew clearly that if this continued, his defeat and death would only be a matter of time. Captain Li's True Qi was more profound than his, and his realm was a notch higher.
In a prolonged battle, he would undoubtedly lose.
"I can't hesitate any longer."
A trace of ruthlessness flashed through Wan Mengchang's eyes. He suddenly pulled a pill bottle from his robes, removed the stopper, and tipped a blood-red pill into his mouth.
A violent surge of energy erupted instantly.
His aura swelled by a great deal. His originally gray-streaked hair faintly took on a bloody hue, his eyes turned crimson, and his aura became several degrees stronger than before, vaguely showing signs of reaching the fourth level of the Xiantian Realm.
"That's a Blood Burst Pill!"
Captain Li's expression changed. Though a Blood Burst Pill could temporarily raise one's cultivation, it caused immense damage to the body.
It seemed this old fellow was truly risking his life.
"Get out of my way!"
Wan Mengchang roared wildly, slashing out with his golden saber wrapped in dense Innate True Qi and forcing Captain Li to evade.
After driving Captain Li back, Wan Mengchang did not linger in battle. He knew this state would not last long. His gaze swept across the surroundings before finally locking onto Su Fei not far away.
In his eyes, although this young Imperial Guard's saber technique was fairly good, his realm was ultimately too low. He was the best target for breaking through the encirclement.
"Boy, get out of my way."
Wan Mengchang moved like lightning, abandoning Captain Li and striking a palm toward Su Fei. Innate True Qi shot forth, and the palm wind was razor-sharp.
"Su Fei, retreat quickly!"
Captain Li was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly raised his saber and chased after him, but the distance was too great, leaving him a step too late.
Su Fei's pupils contracted sharply as he sensed the terrifying True Qi contained within that palm wind.
He had just been about to dodge.
But then he suddenly remembered that his mission was to capture the mastermind behind the scenes.
Then he absolutely could not retreat.
Wan Mengchang was the mastermind behind this case. If he escaped, then wouldn't the mission the system had issued him fail outright?
With that thought, Su Fei made up his mind.
All the Nine Yang True Qi within his dantian surged into motion, pouring entirely into the Spring Embroidered Saber.
"Thunderous Saber Art, break for me!"
A flash of saber light shot out, swift as a bolt of thunder. Carrying an incomparably fierce and forceful momentum, it slashed straight into Wan Mengchang's palm wind.
This strike contained all his True Qi, coupled with the perfected Thunderous Saber Art. Lightning seemed to flicker around the blade.
Clang!
Saber and palm collided, producing a muffled, thunderous boom.
Su Fei only felt an immense force strike him. He staggered back again and again, his face turning pale as he suffered a slight internal injury.
But his saber did not leave Wan Mengchang unscathed either. Violent thunderous saber qi tore through the palm wind.
It stopped Wan Mengchang from fleeing.
"How is this possible?"
Wan Mengchang stared at Su Fei in disbelief. He had never expected an Imperial Guard in the True Qi Realm to cross an entire major realm and receive one of his palm strikes.
Just then, the effects of the Blood Burst Pill within Wan Mengchang began to fade. An intense feeling of weakness instantly swept through his body, his True Qi rapidly declined, and his momentum plummeted.
Captain Li seized this fleeting opportunity, leaping to appear behind Wan Mengchang and bringing his saber down.
Splurt!
Wan Mengchang's arm was severed outright, blood spraying everywhere.
Then Captain Li laid his saber across Wan Mengchang's neck.
Wan Mengchang let out a sigh. He seemed to have aged several years in an instant as the golden saber in his hand clattered to the ground.
With Wan Mengchang captured, the remaining Golden Saber Society members completely lost their fighting spirit and tossed down their weapons in surrender.
Captain Li sheathed his saber and stood there, a trace of approval flashing over his face as he looked at Su Fei.
"Good lad, you've got guts. You truly had me sweating for you."
"With your current strength, you can already forcibly take a strike from a Xiantian Realm martial artist. It seems you'll reach the Xiantian Realm soon enough."
"As expected of the number one genius of my Qingzhou Thousand Households Office."
Su Fei smiled.
"It is this subordinate's duty to share your burdens, my lord."
Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the mission 'West City Child Disappearance Case.' Reward obtained: martial art Dragon Catching Skill, fifty years of cultivation. Extract now?
Hearing the system prompt, Su Fei was delighted. The mission was complete; this haul was not bad.
Next, Captain Li ordered the Strongmen under his command to bring all these society members, along with Wan Mengchang, back to the Thousand Households Office for interrogation.
There were still roughly several dozen surviving Golden Saber Society members.
Captain Li had Wan Mengchang and the surrendered Golden Saber Society members all bound up.
He also ordered his men to bring along the pill furnaces and medicinal dregs used for pill refinement as evidence. The group then returned grandly to the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office.
Several hundred people marched mightily through the streets, drawing many commoners to stop and watch.
"What's going on? Why have the Imperial Guard arrested so many people?"
"Isn't that Sect Master Wan of the Golden Saber Society leading them? Why has he been tied up?"
More and more onlookers gathered. Seeing Wan Mengchang shackled in iron chains, they whispered among themselves.
Most were confused and doubtful, and some even muttered quietly.
"Did the Imperial Guard arrest the wrong man? How could Sect Master Wan possibly commit a crime? He's such a good man. Last winter, he even gave me cotton clothes."
"Exactly. My whole family has received his kindness too."
Wan Mengchang's face showed some shame.
Listening to the discussions around him, Captain Li's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
He dismounted and walked to the front of the crowd, calling out loudly.
"Fellow townsfolk, please quiet down."
The clamor gradually subsided, and hundreds of gazes fell upon him in unison.
Captain Li pointed at the escorted Wan Mengchang, his voice ringing like a bell.
"Do you know why this man was arrested?"
Wan Mengchang lowered his head and said nothing.
"Wan Mengchang appears charitable and benevolent on the surface, but in secret, he abducted dozens of children and used their essence and blood to refine Qi and Blood Pills."
"When the Imperial Guard came to arrest him, the entire Golden Saber Society stubbornly resisted. That is why they were all taken down."
Captain Li suddenly pointed at the evidence being carried alongside them.
"These pill furnaces and medicinal dregs are irrefutable evidence. Those rescued children are now waiting at the Thousand Households Office for their families to claim them."
Those words were like a thunderbolt, leaving the commoners dumbstruck.
"What? Abducting children and using their blood to refine pills? The Golden Saber Society did this?"
"No wonder children were always said to be going missing in West City. So he was behind it!"
"A villain wearing human skin! And we actually remembered his kindness!"
Doubt instantly became fury. Spittle and curses flew toward Wan Mengchang.
Wan Mengchang hung his head low. His body trembled once, and his face was ashen.
At that moment, Captain Li pointed at Su Fei.
"This is Squad Leader Su Fei under my command, Li Chengfeng. He solved the child disappearance case, and he was also the first to discover that the Golden Saber Society was abducting children."
Upon hearing this.
The people around them once again broke into discussion.
"Lord Su was wise and decisive! Many thanks to all the Imperial Guard lords for eliminating evil for the people, capturing criminals, and protecting the peace of Qingzhou."
"The Imperial Guard lords are wise."
Before you continue