Unconventional and Different from the World

"How dare you!"

Zhou Yang's expression darkened. The Fenghua tree erupted with his surging aura. In an instant, its branches brandished hundreds of precious swords, like a multi-armed divine demon, lunging at Xu Ying!

The swords danced, some fast, some slow, incredibly agile, dazzling the eyes!

Xu Ying had witnessed the swordsmanship of a giant deity. That deity could control four swords simultaneously, holding one in each hand and mentally controlling two flying swords.

Its swordsmanship had put Xu Ying at a disadvantage repeatedly, even piercing his shoulder blade and nearly costing him his life!

However, compared to Zhou Yang's Zhou Tian Demon Slaying Sword, the giant deity's swordsmanship was not worth mentioning.

When the Zhou Tian Demon Slaying Sword was unleashed, hundreds of swords weaved back and forth, employing different sword techniques. It was as if hundreds of deities, each capable of wielding the Flying Sword Technique, were simultaneously attacking Xu Ying with different styles!

Without having learned swordsmanship, one would likely have their limbs and head severed upon the first encounter, their body riddled with a thousand holes!

Xu Ying held a willow branch, his footsteps shifting. The willow branch in his hand became a sword. Instead of retreating, he charged forward, into the Zhou Tian Demon Slaying Sword formation, facing the hundreds of swords!

"Clang!"

His willow branch met the first sword. As the branch deflected the sword, the sword light at its tip surged, severing the branch behind the sword hilt!

Xu Ying stepped forward, evading a sword attacking from behind. The willow branch in his hand parried another sword, its sword energy grazing the branch, and another sword fell to the ground.

More than twenty swords attacked from different directions. Xu Ying was instantly in grave danger. No matter how exquisite his swordsmanship, he couldn't have three heads and six arms to deal with so many attacks simultaneously.

Suddenly, the willow branch in his hand flew out, tracing beautiful arcs in the air, swift as an arrow, severing the dancing branches!

"Flying Sword Technique!"

Zhou Yang was shocked. In a mere moment, over thirty swords attacking Xu Ying were cut down. As Xu Ying moved, more and more swords fell.

Xu Ying somersaulted, like a carp leaping through the dragon gate, weaving through the swords. The willow branch danced around him, severing the branches behind the hilts of any swords that came within a few yards!

Without their branches for support, the swords lost control and fell directly to the ground.

The sound of clanging continued. The moment he landed, swords littered the ground behind him, their branches behind the hilts severed!

Zhou Yang sneered. The fallen swords' branches rooted themselves in the ground, growing rapidly. The branches lengthened, moving with incredible agility, brandishing the swords and attacking Xu Ying from behind!

"Xu Ying, you have no idea how powerful my Zhou family's Zhou Tian Demon Slaying Sword is! Let alone a Demon King like you, even a Demon God who enjoys incense offerings would die in regret!"

After landing, Xu Ying was only a few yards from Zhou Yang. He raised a finger and pointed. Whoosh, the willow branch's speed increased dramatically, heading straight for Zhou Yang!

Zhou Yang roared, "Indestructible Diamond Body!"

His body grew rapidly, soon reaching a height of about twelve feet, covered in golden light. His limbs were broad, and his palms emanated a thin layer of golden energy, meeting the willow branch!

The moment his palm touched the willow branch, the branch's sword light flared. With a swish, the sword energy pierced the golden energy on his palm.

The next moment, the willow branch pressed against his palm, a tremendous force erupting. Where his palm and the willow branch met, light rippled like waves.

Simultaneously, Xu Ying broke through the encirclement of swords. He grabbed the other end of the willow branch with his hand and thrust it forward like a sword!

Zhou Yang roared, channeling his magic power. With a snap, the willow branch snapped his middle finger bone in his palm and pierced through his entire hand, flying out of Xu Ying's hand again and heading straight for his brow!

Zhou Yang hastily retreated, throwing out another punch to shatter the willow branch. Suddenly, Xu Ying grabbed a fallen sword, flicked his finger, and the long sword whistled through the air, its sword energy surging as it slashed at him!

Only then did Zhou Yang notice that over a dozen swords were suspended behind Xu Ying, dancing around the young man and blocking all the swords attacking from the Fenghua tree!

These swords were not magical treasures; they could be used by him or by Xu Ying.

Zhou Yang grabbed one with his hand, and suddenly his palm ached, his fingers flying off!

Zhou Yang activated his Ni Wan Secret Treasury, regenerating his severed fingers. Just then, Xu Ying punched, the Elephant King Divine Body appearing behind him, its divine power erupting.

Zhou Yang's head took the blow. His massive body flew backward!

"You corrupt official! When you preyed on the people of Lingling, did you ever imagine this day would come?"

Xu Ying charged forward, his steps like an elephant crossing a river. Where his feet landed, the ground exploded, creating a terrifying spectacle. The swords behind him shot out like flowing light, imbued with the power of dragons and elephants, striking at Zhou Yang!

Zhou Yang, shocked and enraged, quickly shouted, "Aren't you going to help me?"

The swords arrived before him. He quickly reached out to block them. Just as he blocked three swords, Xu Ying spun and swept a leg across his face.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Zhou Yang tumbled and rolled, crashing into the forest. Immediately, streaks of sword light shot into the forest, sword energy erupting, slashing horizontally, felling trees!

Officials from the Lingling County yamen rushed over, shouting, "Culprit, how dare you be so rampant!"

Before their words fell, a flash of green light appeared, and a willow branch pierced one of their heads!

The green light moved like a spirit snake, darting rapidly through the air, so fast it was dazzling. The remaining twelve officials hurriedly activated their Nu Art, green vines dancing around them, attempting to block the green light.

The green light whooshed through, emitting a strange whistling sound, its speed extreme. Wherever it passed, the green vines exploded.

Suddenly, an official's head tilted, and the green light passed through his left temple, exiting from his right. The green vines around him immediately lost control, writhing like wild snakes. Only when his brain died did the countless dancing vines finally exhaust themselves and fall to the ground.

An official in green heard movement to his left and turned to look. Suddenly, his back ached, and the willow branch passed through his back, exiting his chest.

The official's heart was blasted by the sword energy surging from the willow branch. He spat blood and fell to the ground.

The green light, like a harbinger of death, soon swept through the forest. The sharp whistling gradually slowed, its speed decreasing. It leisurely arrived behind Xu Ying.

Behind Xu Ying, giant green vines passed through the forest, growing wildly, dancing, and then gradually weakening, falling down.

Beneath the green vines lay the corpses of thirteen officials.

In front of Xu Ying, Zhou Yang was covered in blood, smashed against the opposite cliff face with a single punch.

On the cliff face, someone had inscribed two characters: "Wu Wang."

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Four treasured swords shot out, piercing Zhou Yang's limbs and pinning him to the cliff.

Zhou Yang struggled, roaring, trying to break free.

"Magistrate Zhou, I used to envy you officials."

Xu Ying's violent aura gradually calmed. He looked at Zhou Yang, pinned to the cliff, his expression serene. "You rode fine horses, sat high above, the parents of the people. Wherever you went, people bowed and greeted you, revering you like a deity. With a single command, a single document, you could make people offer their family fortunes, their wives, and their children! You live more comfortably than deities!"

Zhou Yang stopped struggling and laughed heartily. "Xu Ying, if you wanted to be an official, why didn't you say so earlier? I am a member of the Zhou clan. Arranging an official position for you would be as easy as flipping my hand."

His eyes flickered. The Fenghua tree silently gathered the scattered treasured swords, its branches dancing. Just then, a beam of sword light severed the demonic tree at its roots.

Zhou Yang's expression darkened. He didn't dare make any further moves.

Xu Ying recalled his life at Steward Jiang's farm and said, "Deities merely sit behind the offering table, on the shrine, accepting people's worship and incense. They only eat twice a month, on the first and fifteenth. They also have to listen to people's prayers, regulate the wind and rain, and fulfill people's wishes. But officials, receiving stipends from the court, living in luxury, are knelt to wherever they go, far surpassing deities! When I was a child, you rode past on your fine horses. I stood by the roadside, my face covered in mud, and the muddy water from your horses' hooves splashed onto my face. How I envied you. I once dreamed of being like you."

Zhou Yang secretly activated the Nu Art and said with a smile, "It's not too late now. My Zhou family has no enmity with you. It's just that you are talented, so we intended to coerce you into submission by force. Since it was a misunderstanding, why tear our faces apart? My Zhou family can arrange an official position for you."

Xu Ying continued to himself, "When I was a snake catcher with my godfather and grandfather, I couldn't sleep soundly at night. I was always startled awake, hearing officials arresting people, women screaming, children crying at night, old women jumping over walls to escape. During the day, I saw officials ride into the village like gods, plundering like bandits. Back then, I had a dream. I wanted to be as imposing as you officials."

Zhou Yang laughed. "You can be. As long as you are loyal, my Zhou family will not treat you unfairly."

Xu Ying continued, "However, the next day, I saw a woman drown herself in a well, and a man hang himself at his own doorstep. At that moment, I felt that becoming an official wasn't as good as I thought."

Zhou Yang sighed. "I also often lament the hardships of the common people and the corruption of wicked officials, leading to a downward spiral. Xu Ying, if you have the idea to reform the government, you should become an official even more. Once you hold great power, you can reform the old and establish the new, governing the people, and then you can truly fulfill your ambitions!"

Xu Ying's face darkened. "Later, my grandfather was bitten while catching a snake and died of poison. My father then took on the responsibility of caring for me. My father wasn't my biological father, but he took good care of me. He worked tirelessly for a few years, saved some money, and bought two acres of land. He told me, 'A Ying, don't catch snakes anymore. If you catch snakes, you'll die by a snake's mouth sooner or later. Farm instead.' The day after he bought the land, officials came to collect the green grain tax."

The corners of his mouth twitched. After a moment of silence, he said, "He didn't have the money to pay, so the land was confiscated and sold to Steward Jiang."

Zhou Yang frowned slightly. "Paying taxes is the law of the land and has nothing to do with the officials in my Lingling."

Xu Ying said, "My godfather cried for a long time. He said the money to buy the land was earned with grandfather's life and should have been kept for me to marry when I grew up. He said he was sorry to me, sorry to grandfather, and that he would earn the money back. So he went into the mountains to catch a strange snake. He didn't return for several days. Later, I found him. He was dead, poisoned to death. Even monsters wouldn't dare eat him. I carried him back and buried him with grandfather."

Zhou Yang said, "With such a tragic past, you should join my Zhou family and become an official. Once you become an official, you can prevent more people from suffering like you."

"Master Zhou, you are mistaken. I'm not telling you all this to gain sympathy or to beg for an official position."

Xu Ying looked up, his gaze meeting Zhou Yang's directly, and said softly, "The reason I'm saying all this is because the villagers told me that people who die unclear deaths will become vengeful spirits. And my good friend Yuan Qi told me that explaining things to a corpse is redundant."

Willow branches slowly flew out from behind him.

"Therefore, before I kill you, I will explain clearly why I am killing you."

Xu Ying turned. The willow branches, like a green rainbow, pierced through Zhou Yang's brow.

Wu Wang, is utmost sincerity.

What is called Wu Wang is sincerity in one's heart.

Xu Ying's actions were merely acting upon his sincerity, speaking of his intentions and acting upon them. To say he should die with his eyes open, he would die with his eyes open.

Zhou Yang's eyes widened, and he let out a world-shattering roar, dying with his eyes open.

Xu Ying glanced back at his expression and shook his head. "The villagers mostly lied to me. I explained so clearly, and he still died with his eyes open. It's better to kill first and then explain in the future. That's more reliable."

At this moment, the Great Bell flew out from behind Xu Ying's head and said, "A Ying, do you know why your strength has improved so rapidly and why you can quickly kill so many Nu Masters?"

Xu Ying was confused.

"Because you are a Qi Refiner."

The Great Bell said faintly, "Your Qi Gathering Stage has reached its peak. You have seen the Xuan Guan within your body and are about to break through to the Heavenly River. Once you reach that stage and master divine abilities, you will be a true Qi Refiner."

"Once you take this step, you will be unlike anyone else in the world."