Discovered?

Li Jingzhong was an exceptionally qualified teacher.

When it came to teaching disciples, even martial artists stronger than him might not be as skilled.

Some great sects' Transmission Elders might not even match Li Jingzhong.

After all, those major sects dealt with exceptionally gifted disciples—just toss them a manual, give a brief explanation, and they'd figure it out on their own after some study.

Li Jingzhong, however, had to start from scratch, instructing disciples with no martial foundation at all.

So every trick and bottleneck had to be broken down meticulously and explained clearly to everyone.

Li Jingzhong went through every detail and crux of the Innate Realm for Han Zheng, so thoroughly that even an idiot could grasp three parts of it.

"Thank you for your guidance, teacher."

Han Zheng offered his thanks sincerely.

Li Jingzhong smiled and said, "No need to be so polite. Over the years, I've taught many disciples, and quite a few have broken through to the Innate Realm.

But they all did so after leaving the school. You might be the first disciple I've taught to break through to the Innate Realm while still here.

When that happens, you'll be a banner for our Zhenwei Martial Arts School. Next year when I recruit new disciples, maybe there'll be even more. Alright, go back and rest. Breaking through to the Innate Realm isn't something you can do in a flash. Your foundation is solid, but you still need to take it steady."

"Yes, teacher."

Leaving the school, Han Zheng was almost home when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He looked left and right but found nothing unusual.

In that moment, Han Zheng had felt like someone was watching him, but the sensation vanished the moment he halted.

This wasn't Han Zheng being paranoid.

After training in martial arts, one's six senses naturally sharpened, perception far keener than an ordinary person's.

Back home, he closed the courtyard door and furrowed his brow slightly.

Was it just someone casually glancing at him, or was someone deliberately spying?

Since crossing over, his only deadly grudge in the shadows was with the Three Harmonies Gang. But with Wang Xiong dead, no one should have traced it back to him.

On the surface, Guo Mingyuan and Song Tianqing did have some grievances with him.

Though he had defeated them both fair and square in the school matches, it was hard to say they wouldn't hold a petty grudge.

But even if they did resent him, they likely lacked the strength to act.

The Guo family was now the wealthiest in the county, but they had money, not much power.

And the Guo family was so rich now, dripping with wealth, that many eyed them enviously.

Rumor had it that Guo Mingyuan's father had pulled all the guards and workers to the grain shop, afraid someone would loot it.

Even if Guo Mingyuan wanted to cause trouble for him, his father wouldn't agree.

As for Song Tianqing, he wasn't even the Song Family's heir yet; he was still being sidelined within the family.

The only one truly loyal to him was old shopkeeper Zheng Zhishan, who likewise had no spare energy to come after him.

So who was watching him? Could it really be the Three Harmonies Gang?

But given the gang's strength and Gao Kaiyuan's arrogance, once they confirmed Wang Xiong was killed by him, they'd have stormed the school demanding him outright. Why spy in secret?

Han Zheng racked his brain but couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it and focused on training.

Only by growing strong himself could he fear no external threats.

The next morning, Han Zheng headed to the school early and felt that spying gaze again on the road.

Though it wasn't too close, Han Zheng was now a hundred percent certain—this person was targeting him.

Once at the school, before he could even enter the inner hall, Li Sancheng quietly pulled him into a corner.

"Listen, be careful lately. Someone might be looking to cause you trouble."

"Trouble for me? Who?"

Li Sancheng shook his head. "No idea. I heard it from a friend—he used to be a student here too, but got cut after the first exam.

Yesterday, someone specifically asked about you, pretty detailed questions.

You're famous in our school, but outside it, who knows you? Someone coming around to ask about you—odds are they're out to make trouble."

Han Zheng thought for a moment, then patted Li Sancheng on the shoulder. "Thanks, brother."

"Brothers don't need to be polite. Just watch yourself lately."

Today was a group lesson at the school. Han Zheng deliberately stayed longer to train, only leaving when the sky was darkening.

As the Incense Cult stirred up more and more commotion in Huainan Dao, grain prices in the county soared, and the nights grew lonelier and more desolate.

Even the loafers no longer wandered the streets, mostly too weak from hunger.

Han Zheng turned a corner into an alley, then suddenly erupted with qi and blood, pivoted his body, and shot backward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

The man who had been tailing Han Zheng all along saw him enter the alley and instinctively quickened his pace, afraid of losing sight of him for too long.

But he never expected Han Zheng to suddenly spin around and lunge at him.

Han Zheng slammed him against the wall, clamped a hand over his mouth, then punched him in the stomach. The man doubled over, trying to scream but unable to make a sound.

Dragging him into the shadowy depths of the alley, Han Zheng gripped his throat and said coldly, "Make a single sound, and I'll kill you right now."

The icy Killing Intent honed by the Blood Fiend Saber Art seeped out, instantly draining the color from the man's face.

In his eyes, Han Zheng had become a deeply hidden murderous maniac—on the surface a martial arts disciple, but in secret, who knew how many lives he'd taken!

Han Zheng released his hand and finally got a good look at the man.

He wore a plain blue short jacket, had an ordinary face, and was mediocre in strength—it seemed he hadn't even opened a single Meridian.

"Talk. Who are you, and who sent you to watch me?"

The man shuddered and lowered his voice. "I'm a subordinate of Feng Yuan, the Punishment Hall Master of the Three Harmonies Gang. My name is Liu San. Hall Master Feng ordered me to investigate you."

Hearing that the man was from the Three Harmonies Gang, Han Zheng's heart sank.

Had the Three Harmonies Gang traced the investigation to him because they'd found out he killed Wang Xiong?

"Why investigate me?"

Under Han Zheng's intimidating glare, Liu San answered honestly, "A while back, Wang Xiong, a trusted underling of the Second Gang Leader, was killed. A small-time thug named Ma Gui died at the same time.

The Second Gang Leader judged that the target wasn't Wang Xiong, but Ma Gui, so he ordered his men to investigate everyone connected to Ma Gui.

Hall Master Feng Yuan is the Second Gang Leader's supporter within the gang, so he took on the task.

Ma Gui was just a lowlife thug who knew all kinds of shady people.

Hall Master Feng had me screen them one by one, eliminating suspects. In the end, five people with the highest suspicion remained for detailed investigation, and you were one of them.

So I started tailing you two days ago. But I haven't found anything yet. Tomorrow I was planning to move on to the next person."

As he spoke, Liu San was filled with regret.

Feng Yuan had told him to gather preliminary information on these five people first, so he could make an initial judgment.

Liu San only needed to investigate one person per day, but he'd deliberately dragged his feet, taking two slow days to follow Han Zheng.

After all, strolling around and tailing someone was far easier than training fists back at the gang.

Who would've thought he'd be so unlucky? The very first person he investigated turned out to be the jackpot.

Han Zheng frowned slightly.

Back then, he'd thought killing Ma Gui and Wang Xiong would be enough to silence the matter.

But he'd underestimated Gao Kaiyuan. He hadn't expected the man to start the investigation from Ma Gui.

Clearly, the connection between Ma Gui and Wang Xiong ran deep. Gao Kaiyuan had no intention of letting this go.

This elimination method was crude, but it was also the most effective—especially in a small county like Black Stone County, with its limited population and simple relationships.

"Who knows about this now? Does Gao Kaiyuan know you've gotten this far?"

Liu San quickly shook his head. "Only the Hall Master knows for now. Since the real killer hasn't been found, it hasn't been reported to the Second Gang Leader yet."

"Where is Feng Yuan? What's his strength?"

"The Hall Master should be heading to the Drunken Flower Pavilion soon. He's got a girl there he's booked, and he goes almost every day.

But he never stays overnight. He finishes with the girl and immediately returns to the Three Harmonies Gang.

I heard it's because when they were fighting the Black Tiger Gang for territory, he was ambushed in a brothel once, so he doesn't dare sleep anywhere else.

As for his strength, I don't know for sure. I only know he's definitely not at the Innate Realm, but he should be close to breaking through.

I once overheard him asking the Second Gang Leader about the key points for breaking into the Innate Realm."

Liu San finished and looked at Han Zheng pleadingly. "I've told you everything, held nothing back. Can you let me go now?"

Han Zheng squinted at Liu San. "You lied to me about one thing."

"I didn't!"

Liu San instinctively raised his voice. "I really didn't lie! Everything I said is true!"

Han Zheng said darkly, "You said only Feng Yuan knows about this now. But there's one more person—you.

You know even more than Feng Yuan. After all, now you know who killed Wang Xiong, don't you?"

A flicker of terror had just appeared in Liu San's eyes when Han Zheng twisted his neck with a sharp crack.

This time, Han Zheng had plenty of time to dispose of the body.

On the other side of the alley was a drainage culvert leading to the moat outside Black Stone County. Han Zheng stuffed Liu San's corpse inside.

After killing him, the Gluttonous Crucible didn't even prompt him for gaining Vitality Essence.

The man was too weak—hadn't even opened a single Meridian, wasn't even a Postnatal Martial Artist—so he couldn't condense Vitality Essence.

Taking a detour back home, Han Zheng sat frowning in deep thought.

The current situation was somewhat unfavorable to him.

Feng Yuan had already narrowed down the suspects to a certain range using the simplest process of elimination.

If he let the investigation continue, it would only take a few days for it to land on his doorstep and lock him down completely.

A flicker of Killing Intent surfaced in Han Zheng's eyes.

Strike first to gain the upper hand; strike second and you're the one who suffers.

By the time the investigation reached him, it would be too late!