A Word of Justice

At dusk, a brutal slaughter was unfolding in Small River Village.

After Feather Transformation, a Qi Refiner's hearing far surpassed that of ordinary people. Before long, all the Qi Refiners had noticed the sudden battle.

One by one, more than a dozen Qi Refiners in all sorts of attire emerged from the houses or leaped onto rooftops to watch the spectacle from afar.

"Too vicious. What an unparalleled fiend." One Qi Refiner clicked his tongue repeatedly, his eyes opened to a whole new world after seeing Chen Xuan swing the younger third brother to death.

"The three Zheng Tu brothers are capable men, and they're good with their words, too. How did things end up like this? They're being forced to their deaths." Another Qi Refiner frowned slightly.

"Were they ever good people? This newly arrived Qi Refiner just couldn't stand the sight of them." Someone sneered. Seeing someone willing to suppress these lawless Rogue Cultivators filled him with satisfaction.

Over the past few days, the three Zheng Tu brothers had committed plenty of misdeeds. But they were powerful and knew how to conduct themselves, never offending their fellow cultivators, so the other Qi Refiners could only turn a blind eye.

"No, I live right next door, and I heard it clearly... Zheng Tu shouldn't have stepped through the door with his left foot. That was what angered the man." One of the first Qi Refiners to arrive spoke with absolute certainty.

"Is that reason supposed to make sense?" The others spread their hands, their faces full of disbelief.

Was he trying to fool children?

If he wanted to kill them, he should just say so. Coming up with such a laughable excuse was simply too humiliating...

A little farther away.

Several Qi Refiners from the Chu and Li Families were also watching the dispute in the small courtyard from the rooftop, frozen like wooden chickens.

"Grandpa Huo Huo, are my eyes playing tricks on me? Is that Xiao Wang, Brother Wang?"

The maiden Chu Qing Ling, with a pair of peach-blossom eyes, stared blankly as she pointed at the figure in the courtyard, whose Blood Qi soared into the heavens and whose might was utterly overbearing.

Her impression of him still remained fixed on that ruined temple in the snow.

He had been handsome and warm toward others, a mountain-and-marsh Rogue Cultivator who knew nothing of the world, yet had invited them to eat roasted meat in the heavy snow.

Even after her grandfather had worked with him not long ago to escape Peach Town, that rigid impression had not changed much.

But at this moment, that image was completely overturned, like the tolling of a bell pounding again and again into the maiden's heart.

Chu Huo Gun was somewhat dumbfounded as well, completely shocked by the scene before him. He stammered, "Uh, well, Qi Refiners who come from a martial arts background are just like this..."

He had personally witnessed Chen Xuan fighting before. His fists had crashed into the Bronze Horse Head like a violent storm, smashing its mouth crooked and its face askew. Later, he had cornered the Four-Eyed Divine Being and beaten its body into a warped, inhuman shape...

After Chen Xuan had devoured a Terrestrial Treasure Tree, his Feather Transformation had advanced another step, and his strength had doubled.

Now, when those unreasonable heavy fists landed on living people, this was the gruesome sight they produced.

Qi Refiners from martial arts backgrounds—especially those like Chen Xuan who practiced hard-body techniques—created scenes far too violent and savage once they began fighting...

The Li Family Head had seen Chen Xuan with his own eyes and inexplicably felt a little apprehensive. He thought, This Xiao Wang's strength is actually several notches higher than Old Man Chu described. Even I am unwilling to face such a formidable opponent.

"This has gone too far. Even if you dislike these Rogue Cultivators, a little punishment would have been enough... This boy is far too bloodthirsty."

The Li Family Head fell silent for a long while before giving his judgment. "He is not walking the same path as orthodox Qi Refiners like us."

Why go so far as to leave no room for turning back over a few utterly insignificant mortals?

If he treated fellow Qi Refiners with such harshness, what would the other Qi Refiners think? Those who followed the Way would have many helpers, while those who lost the Way would have few!

The next moment.

A sudden change arose. Sure enough, a Qi Refiner could no longer stand watching.

"Two benefactors, stop. Allow me to say a word of justice..."

A portly monk in a kasaya, with a broad waist and a ruddy face, fingered his prayer beads with a compassionate expression and walked toward the courtyard.

His booming voice of admonishment rang out like the chanting of dragons and elephants, carrying far into the distance.

"The great monk from the Hanging Temple has entered to mediate." A sharp-eyed Qi Refiner recognized the great monk's identity.

The great monk, reeking of alcohol, had an extraordinary background. It was said that he was a lay disciple of a great sect in the Ancient Chu Kingdom, and his cultivation was no weaker than Zheng Tu's.

His intervention at this moment would have tremendous weight, no matter which side he helped.

"He didn't speak sooner or later. Now that the young man has the complete upper hand, the great monk comes out to say a word of justice." A Qi Refiner muttered.

Chu Qing Ling pointed at the great monk and said anxiously, "Grandpa Huo Huo, that great monk isn't a good person... They're drinking buddies, all on the same side..."

She had arrived at Small River Village a little earlier. Over the past few days, she had seen the great monk exploring opportunities in the south together with the three Zheng Tu brothers.

Chu Huo Gun furrowed his brows tightly and said in a low voice, "Don't be anxious. Let's see what happens first."

The Li Family Head said coldly, "This farce should come to an end."

He could already guess what would happen next. With the great monk forcefully entering the scene, Xiao Wang and Zheng Tu would certainly use the opening to step down, apologize to each other, then shake hands and make peace, letting bygones be bygones...

After all, the young man named Xiao Wang possessed only slightly greater strength than Zheng Tu. If they continued making trouble, he would also have to bear the risk of being injured.

Inside the small courtyard.

The great monk fingered his prayer beads. A solemn Treasure Light seemed to suffuse his body, dispersing his reek of alcohol and cosmetics. He stepped out of the courtyard, his booming voice ringing out at the same time:

"Two benefactors, stop. Allow me to say a word of justice..."

At this moment, the two battling figures had already fought to the white-hot stage.

"I'll never let you off, even in death!"

Carrying boundless hatred and fury, Zheng Tu's fighting strength had almost climbed to the peak of his life. His blade flashed as he fought a bloody battle in all directions.

"You're certainly going to die!"

Chen Xuan not only failed to avoid his edge, but instead displayed a ferocity beyond anyone's imagination. Punch after punch, he directly battered Zheng Tu's momentum down from the front...

Under such circumstances.

The great monk, whose strength in Small River Village was firmly among the top ten, and perhaps even the top five, seized the opportunity to come out and speak his "word of justice."

His voice of mediation entered the fierce battlefield.

The atmosphere immediately froze.

The entire small courtyard—even the whole of Small River Village—fell silent for an instant. Every Qi Refiner stared unblinkingly at the scene.

Chen Xuan abruptly turned his head and pointed at the great monk. "Shut up. I wasn't looking for you!"

An unexpected turn no one had anticipated suddenly occurred...

In the midst of this perilous battle, the young man heard the voice of mediation and actually turned around at once. Killing intent erupted from his cold eyes and locked onto the great monk like a vast sky covering the earth...

The great monk was startled when he heard this. Then his face darkened, like a Vajra glaring in fury. He opened his mouth. "You..."

"Boom!"

The young man seized a stone mill weighing several thousand jin and hurled it over like a small mountain. The great monk's body folded backward as he was sent flying, crashing into a distant house and making the ground tremble with a thunderous rumble.

Under the dusk sky, nearly all the Qi Refiners in Small River Village watched in shock as this utterly unexpected scene unfolded.

On top of the courtyard wall.

The Black Cat sat upright, a black crescent faintly appearing and disappearing. She narrowed her eyes and watched the events below with great interest.

"Rumble..."

The courtyard wall collapsed. The great monk was sent flying by the stone mill wrapped in Immortal Qi and crashed into a house behind him.

"Amitabha..."

More than half of his body, along with one arm, was pinned beneath the several-thousand-jin millstone. After struggling a few times, he was buried beneath the falling beams, bricks, and tiles.

A strange atmosphere began spreading through Small River Village...

"Some 'words of justice' don't work on everyone..." Chu Huo Gun muttered to himself.

At this moment, Chen Xuan's attitude was displayed in an utterly unabashed, overbearing manner.

You want to talk peace?

Fine. He would rather abandon the advantage he had fought so hard to establish than let you remain on the field.

The great monk was instantly sent flying by Chen Xuan's brutish strike, without even a chance to resist.

"I... I'm a little afraid of him." A strange thought arose in the hearts of some Qi Refiners.

Someone with such a hard character, someone who would never waver once he set his mind on something, was best not made an enemy.

Once he fixed his sights on you, there was probably no second choice besides deciding life and death...

"Old Man Chu, your Xiao Wang brother is driving fellow cultivators to the bitter end. His conduct is violent and tyrannical, and it is not the sign of someone who will last."

The Li Family Head suddenly shook his head and gave his judgment in a firm tone. "When he is young, he relies on martial skills to display temporary courage and indulge in violence and evil. When he grows old and his Blood Qi begins to decline, he will look around and find enemies and grudges everywhere. It will be difficult for him to meet a good end..."

Chu Huo Gun turned his head and glanced at him twice. Then he whispered to the siblings Chu Qing Ling and her brother, "Old Man Li must have been frightened by Xiao Wang, so he's deliberately belittling him. You two must never follow his example."

The Li Family Head: "..."

Inside the small courtyard.

"Master!!"

Zheng Tu watched with his own eyes as the great monk was sent flying by the stone mill, and at last began to lose his nerve.

"Even if the Buddha himself came, it wouldn't help!"

Chen Xuan's attitude was crystal clear. Anyone who dared to jump out at a time like this was an enemy and had to be beaten to death together.

At the crucial turning points of life, everyone made choices—and the consequences immediately followed!

"Clang!"

Zheng Tu clenched his teeth and suddenly struck with a forceful Mountain-Splitting Blow, immediately following it with a sweeping slash before turning and fleeing toward the courtyard's exit.

The strength of the two was clearly about equal.

Yet after exchanging barely a dozen moves, Zheng Tu had discovered in horror that the god of slaughter before him possessed martial skills far too high. He was like those grandmasters who had devoted decades to martial arts. Zheng Tu was utterly no match for him.

Moreover, while fighting him, the young man had even had enough strength to spare a hand and deal with the great monk, whose strength was no inferior to his own. A chill swiftly swept through his entire body.

They were both human, and both possessed four thousand jin of strength—so why couldn't he beat him!!!

"Whoosh!"

Chen Xuan immediately caught up. Zheng Tu suddenly turned and brought his blade down. Chen Xuan dodged to the side and smashed the arm holding the blade with one punch, breaking it. Zheng Tu could only keep fleeing, but Chen Xuan grabbed him by the back with both hands, yanked him back, pinned him to the ground, and rained down punches.

"Do you have any other friends?"

Chen Xuan paused, lifted Zheng Tu, whose flesh was mangled and bones and tendons were shattered, and asked.

Zheng Tu's head lolled. A "guh, guh" sound came from his mouth. He had long since lost consciousness.

Chen Xuan raised his head and swept his gaze across the faces of the Qi Refiners on the distant rooftops before giving a cold laugh.

"Looks like you don't..."

Everyone instinctively avoided that gaze.

Some Qi Refiners felt that this was too humiliating and raised their faces again, trying to stare back defiantly. But that gaze had already moved on... In the end, their momentum had been stolen by a young man who had sprung from nowhere.

The next moment.

This dark-faced hero, Zheng Tu, whose fighting strength was firmly among the top five of the dozens of Feather Transformation Qi Refiners in Small River Village, was beaten to death by Chen Xuan in front of everyone.

Utterly unrestrained...

Zheng Tu usually treated people with kindness, but when angered, he became ferocious and forbidding, warning strangers to keep away. Yet what Chen Xuan displayed at this moment was an image three parts more vicious than any villain!

"Rustle, rustle..."

Countless white paper funeral offerings, round with square holes, began drifting down from the sky. In the distance, prayer banners fluttered in the wind, resembling ghost fires...