He informed the officials of the local villages and towns about Liu Bin's death. The arrangements for his burial would naturally be handled by the local village head.
Then he quietly found the little girl.
With an official stepping forward, there was naturally no trouble arranging the orphan girl's adoption. He helped register her household status, left the orphan fifty taels of silver, and quietly departed.
Once the Execution Order was issued, it meant that the Divine Law had confirmed the crime and established the guilt beyond doubt. The vast majority were killed on the spot.
Imprisonment followed by execution on a chosen date existed to prevent wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice, providing a period for review.
But in this world, once the Divine Law had confirmed something, wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice simply did not exist. There was also no need to use a public execution to demonstrate the might of the law.
Of course, if someone surrendered without resistance, they were still given a little time to bid farewell to their relatives. But knowing they were certain to die, how many desperadoes would surrender meekly?
Although Shen Zhui had slain a Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist in this battle, he had not won easily.
If he had not been wearing the Silver Scale Soft Armor to block Liu Bin's fatal slash, the ending would probably have been mutual destruction.
Especially after exhausting all the Essence of Vital Energy in his body, it would be difficult to recover without resting for more than half a month.
This had also served as a warning to Shen Zhui. Against such an experienced and cunning desperado, attempting to kill someone across a realm was still far too dangerous.
Relying on his Major Accomplishment Realm Ruler Technique, he had thought it would be easy, but he had still underestimated Ninth Stage Houtian Martial Artists somewhat.
After all, he had only just broken through to the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm. Although his strength had suddenly increased, his control over his physical power and Ruler Technique was actually inferior to when he had been at the Seventh Stage of Acquired Realm.
"In the future, I really have to be more careful."
After returning the Execution Order to the county office, Shen Zhui ignored the looks of astonishment from Steward Liu and his colleagues, exchanged his reward money for some Lesser Vitality Pills, and hurried home to recuperate in seclusion.
"What? You're saying that Shen Zhui had just broken through to the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm when he accepted an Execution Order and killed a Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist?"
At a restaurant in the city, Yang Wu had been drinking with several people when he suddenly heard someone mention the news. He was immediately shocked.
"Brother Wu, it's absolutely true! Li Er and I were both in the Law Enforcement Hall. We personally saw Shen Zhui return an Execution Order to Steward Liu. The matter has already spread everywhere. How could I possibly be lying?"
"Bang!" Yang Wu slammed his wine cup heavily onto the table, his expression shifting between dark and bright.
They were both at the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm and cultivated the same "Bloodburn" technique. Although this technique gave its cultivator an advantage of roughly thirty percent over others of the same stage, Yang Wu knew he could not kill a Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist.
Which Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist who had committed crimes and evaded capture for years was not a desperado? Which one lacked real ability?
Yet Shen Zhui had actually killed one—a mere fledgling!
"He's been in the Martial Arts Department for only three years, yet he's advanced at a terrifying speed and often accomplished the astonishing feat of winning battles across stages. I never expected him to remain this frightening after reaching the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm. Just how does this kid train?"
Yang Wu could not understand it. Under normal circumstances, which martial artist would not spend over ten years cultivating their weapon techniques to the Great Accomplishment Realm?
Yet Shen Zhui had spent only three years!
"This man has captured Li Family disciples time and again and is valued by the county magistrate. There's no chance whatsoever of the Li Family recruiting him. If he grows to the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm, who among the Houtian Martial Artists will be his opponent? I told the main family long ago that Shen Zhui had to be eliminated, but they never took it seriously! Now that Shen Zhui can kill Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artists, are they still going to keep him alive?"
Yang Wu made his calculations, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes.
The county magistrate and the various great families in the city were already irreconcilable, like fire and water. Xiantian Masters would not act lightly, so Houtian Martial Artists were the main fighting force.
If the county magistrate truly allowed Shen Zhui to reach the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm, his power would probably grow another notch.
"You keep drinking. I'm leaving first." Having made his decision, Yang Wu quickly rose and left the table, heading toward somewhere in the city.
County office, main hall.
Steward Liu was reporting to a figure in blue official robes standing above the main hall.
"...County Magistrate, the concealed landholdings and taxes of the Li and Yang Families have been preliminarily investigated. Excluding the mountains and forests, they possess thirteen thousand four hundred and eighty-two mu of first-grade fertile fields alone. They have another forty-two thousand five hundred and seventy-one mu of second- and third-grade fertile fields, as well as more than eighty-seven hundred households of people concealed to evade taxes."
"We've been secretly investigating for nearly two years, and this is all you found?" The blue-robed figure was clearly dissatisfied.
"Reporting to Your Excellency..." Steward Liu's heart tightened, and he became even more respectful before this terrifyingly well-connected county magistrate.
"It is not that your subordinate is incompetent. The landholdings of the Li and Yang Families are concentrated in important locations, all of which have ancestral temples and family shrines. Divine Law conceals the secrets of Heaven within them, and Xiantian Masters stand guard. Outside, there are hundreds or thousands of household retainers and servants... Unless Your Excellency personally goes to the City God Temple to request..."
"That's enough. I understand." The county magistrate interrupted Steward Liu. "Whether for me or for them, now is still not the time to tear away all pretense... Continue sending people to investigate the other places."
"Yes."
"Reporting to Your Excellency, there is one more matter. I wonder if Your Excellency remembers Shen Zhui from the Martial Arts Department?"
"Him? Of course I remember. As a matter of fact, I took office here in the same year that boy entered the Martial Arts Department. I remember that he reached the Seventh Stage of Acquired Realm at the beginning of the year, and not long ago I promoted him to Ninth-Rank Constable. What is it? Has this matter provoked criticism?"
Steward Liu shook his head. "With Your Excellency's personal order, naturally no one dares criticize it. Rather, yesterday Shen Zhui accepted an Execution Order for a Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist, and today he successfully returned."
"Hmm?" The county magistrate's voice held a trace of surprise. "He was only at the Seventh Stage of Acquired Realm, yet he could kill someone at the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, Shen Zhui has already entered the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm. I imagine it was the Great Return Pill Your Excellency bestowed upon him that helped him break through."
"I see. He's already at the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm. I had thought..."
After pondering for a while, the county magistrate said, "Such a performance is not bad, but ultimately he is still lacking, and he is of no use to the bigger picture... Go to the storehouse and bestow ten more Great Return Pills upon him. There is no need to concern yourself with anything else. The priority is investigating the Li and Yang Families."
"Yes."
At that moment, Shen Zhui, recuperating at home, still had no idea that his killing of a Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist had set various forces into motion. He was single-mindedly boiling medicine at home to nourish himself.
The slash Liu Bin had unleashed before his death had broken through Shen Zhui's Iron Ruler defense. Its remaining force had even left a slash mark on the Silver Scale Soft Armor, but the resulting internal shock to his body had been limited.
The sixteen strands of Essence of Vital Energy he had erupted with at the critical moment were what had truly wounded him.
It was like someone who had lost too much blood. They might look fine on the surface, but their insides would have become extremely weak.
"Thinking about it now, I only needed to unleash eight strands of Essence of Vital Energy for that final move. With the Iron Ruler in my left hand and the defense of the Silver Scale Soft Armor, I could have blocked that killing move. I was simply too flustered at the critical moment."
Watching the charcoal crackle and burst in the brazier, Shen Zhui reviewed that battle.
Wielding Iron Rulers in both hands, one for offense and one for defense, was inherently meant to counter blades and swords.
In particular, his Nine Layers of Iron Ruler had already been cultivated to the seventh layer, the Ruler Shadow. The momentum had already been established!
On offense, it was unceasing; on defense, not even a drop of water could pass.
There had been no need for him to be so cautious.
"If my movement technique had reached the Great Accomplishment Realm, I wouldn't have needed to take that slash head-on. I could simply have dodged it. Unfortunately, my Ruler Technique has reached the Great Accomplishment Realm, yet these 'Flowing Cloud Steps' still refuse to break through."
"If I could reach the Great Accomplishment Realm, my body would be able to unfurl and curl freely within a small area like flowing clouds. Whether attacking or defending, I could advance or retreat with ease. I wonder where exactly the problem lies..."
Shen Zhui was somewhat helpless.
"Could it be because my control over the strength in both legs still hasn't reached the required level?"
Shen Zhui felt that this was very likely.
A person naturally used their hands more often than their legs and feet, so their flexibility was also greater.
As the saying went, three years for Ruler Technique, ten years for movement technique. It spoke precisely of how movement technique was more difficult to train than Ruler Technique.
How important was movement technique?
In battles between martial artists of the same stage, the one with the stronger movement technique would always win!
The divisions of movement technique were also more direct and crude!
As long as the difference did not exceed two minor realms, the practitioner would be tested within a restricted area. If they could evade one hundred times and dodge twenty-five attacks from a martial artist whose movement technique had likewise merely reached the Initiate level, they were considered to have reached the Initiate level.
Dodging fifty attacks from a martial artist at the Minor Accomplishment Realm counted as Minor Accomplishment.
Dodging seventy-five attacks from a martial artist at the Great Accomplishment Realm meant the movement technique had reached the Great Accomplishment Realm.
Dodging every attack, regardless of the opponent's realm, meant the movement technique had reached the Perfection Realm.
Of course, if the difference in rank was too great—for example, if a Peak Houtian martial artist had cultivated their movement technique to the Perfection Realm—they could only remain undefeated within the Houtian Realm.
If an Xiantian Master attacked, it would still be difficult to dodge, because the physical speeds they could unleash were simply on entirely different levels.
If the terrain was narrow, or if enemies surrounded them from every direction, there would be no room to maneuver either.
The realm of movement technique represented the success rate of evasion.
The realm of Ruler Technique represented the level of power one could unleash based on their control over their physical strength.
Essence of Vital Energy was an explosive killing move.
These three were the foundation of Houtian Martial Artists.
"If I can use Enlightenment Time to raise my movement technique to the Great Accomplishment Realm as well, accepting missions involving Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artists will be much easier."
With a thought, Shen Zhui's statistics appeared before his eyes:
Shen Zhui: Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm Technique: "Bloodburn," Third Layer Martial Skill: "Nine Layers of Iron Ruler," Great Accomplishment Realm Movement Technique: "Flowing Cloud Steps," Minor Accomplishment Realm Merit Points: 7600
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