Ambush

Time passed day by day.

In the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.

"Pfft~" The tip of a ruler pierced through a body from behind.

A young man dressed in black stood on the stone-paved street, staring at the figure that was gradually slumping to the ground.

His features looked as though they had been carved by a blade. The blood coating the Iron Ruler gave him a chilling aura.

"My lord?" a young man wearing a fur coat called out from nearby, fear in his eyes. Even with more than a dozen brawny men carrying blades behind him, he still could not stop himself from feeling frightened.

"Shen Zhui, a criminal constable of the county office, has been ordered to kill bandits. The Execution Order is here. Are you the Anyang Village Head?" Shen Zhui pulled a token glowing with a green light from his robes and waved it at the Anyang Village Head.

"This humble one is Lu Xiao, the Anyang Village Head." Seeing that an official had killed a bandit, the young man immediately felt relieved.

The newly appointed County Magistrate had a good reputation among the people and was extremely strict with his subordinates. Lu Xiao did not have to worry that this lord had become carried away by killing and would cut off his head for merit as well.

"Mm, you came at just the right time. The bandit has already been executed. I'll leave the collection of the corpse and the consoling of the neighbors to you."

"Of course, of course... My lord, thanks for the effort. My residence is just ahead. I'll have people prepare a banquet at once... My lord? My lord?"

The Anyang Village Head was still trying to curry favor when he looked up and discovered that Shen Zhui had vanished.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop~"

On the official road, a swift horse was galloping toward the county seat.

The grass and trees on either side of the road were withered and yellow, the fallen leaves withered away, presenting a scene of utter desolation.

This was the fifth murder case Shen Zhui had handled, and the fifth Ninth Stage Houtian Martial Artist he had killed.

Two of them had been major criminals from old cases who, driven by a fluke-minded hope, had entered within a hundred miles of the county seat and been discovered.

The other three were new cases, with the faint shadows of two great families behind them.

"After killing five Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artists in a row, the Merit Points I've accumulated have already surpassed thirty thousand. It's time to rest for a while."

Actually... killing criminals was not especially exhausting.

Shen Zhui's Ruler Technique had reached Great Accomplishment, and with the sixteen strands of Essence of Vital Energy from the "Bloodburn" technique as his foundation, his movement technique was also only a thread away from Great Accomplishment Realm.

Killing these Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artists, whose movement techniques and Martial Skills were inferior to his own, was dangerous, but it posed no real threat to his life.

Liu Bin's movement technique had reached Minor Accomplishment, and his saber technique was close to Great Accomplishment, yet Shen Zhui had still killed him.

Of these five men, the strongest had only barely approached Liu Bin's level.

But throughout this month, he had traveled back and forth, rushing about and hunting his targets, covering nearly a thousand li!

Even with the foundation of a body at the Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm, after a month of such constant travel and deadly clashes, Shen Zhui felt that he was somewhat unable to hold on.

"When I return this time, I'll first comprehend my movement technique to Great Accomplishment Realm and digest the battle experience I've accumulated over the past month."

"Once both my Ruler Technique and movement technique reach Great Accomplishment, I won't be far from perfect control of my strength. I'll even be able to try taking on cases involving Peak Houtian martial artists!"

Shen Zhui pondered inwardly.

Once his Ruler Technique and movement technique reached Great Accomplishment, it would mean that his control over his physical strength was approaching perfection!

"Perfect control over strength is the first requirement for 'Unity of Heaven and Man.' Every strike can unleash one's maximum strength. If I can then cultivate a trace of the Power of Heaven and Earth's charm into my movement technique and Ruler Technique, I'll be able to touch the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man."

Perfect strength, with a trace of the Power of Heaven and Earth contained within the Ruler Technique and movement technique.

When the two merged into one, that was the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man.

Once he reached such a realm, Shen Zhui estimated that even against a Xiantian Master, he could hold out for quite some time.

Just as Shen Zhui was thinking about these things...

At Fanshan Pavilion, ten li outside the city.

"Young Master, according to the servants' report, Shen Zhui has already killed Chen Tong in Anyang Town. Judging by the time he has spent traveling, he should pass through here and enter the city in another half-hour."

An old man dressed in white robes bent over and reported to the richly dressed young man beside him.

Although the old man was a Xiantian Master, he was still extremely respectful toward the richly dressed young man, because this was Li Ming, the eldest legitimate son of the Li Family and the future Family Head of the Li Family.

The richly dressed young man stood on a high slope with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance. A trace of viciousness showed on his pale face.

"Damn Shen Zhui! He's made this young master wait here for so long. Why doesn't he hurry up?"

At the end, the young man turned to the old man and asked, "Uncle Cang, there shouldn't be any problems with us being here, right?"

Elder Cang smiled. "Young Master need not worry. Both of us have Spirit Talismans concealing us, and this is outside the city. We won't be discovered at all. However, there's nothing we can do about that squad of archers."

Li Ming nodded. "It doesn't matter. As long as no one discovers us now, we can quickly flee into Li Family territory afterward. With the protection of the Family Ancestral Hall, without hard evidence, they won't be able to trace this back to us."

Elder Cang hesitated. "Young Master, the Family Head said that we should avoid clashing with the County Magistrate for the time being. The Wei Family is currently in a position of power at court..."

"I know, I know!" Li Ming said impatiently. "What's the big deal about killing a constable who hasn't even entered the ranks of officialdom? Didn't we butcher several fools last month?"

Li Ming said resentfully, "Could it be that Wei Wenhe hasn't killed members of my Li Family? His grandfather went too far, submitting a memorial to Destroying Sects and Temples in an attempt to sever the foundation of my clan. The Son of Heaven was confused for a time and actually listened to those slanderous words... Otherwise, how could Wei Wenhe, a mere County Magistrate, dare to act so arrogantly and oppose us?"

"However..." Li Ming gave several cold laughs. "A few days ago, the court report brought news. The imperial troops from Qingzhou suddenly suffered defeat in their campaign against the Northern Wilderness. On the second front, in Jizhou, even Marquis Yingwu, who had always been victorious in a hundred battles and advanced with the force of splitting bamboo, suddenly lost momentum. They said a natural disaster had appeared, and over the course of half a year, he retreated little by little, pushing the defensive line back three hundred li."

"On the surface, it looks perfectly normal. After all, victory and defeat are common in war. But Uncle Cang, do you know the connection between these matters?"

Elder Cang shook his head. "I don't know."

Li Ming laughed loudly. "How could there be such a coincidence in this world?"

"The Qingzhou and Jizhou regions just happened to report defeats at this time. Could it not be that those two Princes and Marquises were using the natural disaster as an excuse to express their displeasure with this measure?"

"The Wei Family used the wasteful expenditure of state resources as a pretext to submit a memorial to the Son of Heaven and carry out Destroying Sects and Temples, leaving all the great clan noble families of the world in a state of panic."

"Yet there are plenty of opponents as well. First, this violates filial piety, which is tantamount to having people smash the ancestral tablets their households enshrine. Second, it cuts off the foundation on which the clans and noble houses of the world stand. From now on, no one will dare embezzle even the slightest bit of farmland or tax revenue, and when the sons of Princes and Marquises or Aristocratic Clans break the law, they will be guilty of the same crime as commoners! They will be placed under the supervision of Divine Law."

"Now some people have already linked the natural disaster to this matter, believing that this act has forgotten one's ancestors and provoked their forebears' wrath..."

"Uncle Cang, just wait and see. Before long, as more and more people oppose this, even the Sage Son of Heaven may have no choice but to reject that old man Wei's proposal, rebuild the temples, and reshape the golden statues!"

"An excellent insight, Young Master. This old servant has learned much. However, the Family Head has repeatedly instructed us to ensure your safety. We should still be more careful."

Seeing that the other party had not listened at all despite his grand speech, Li Ming immediately lost interest.

"Forget it. If Yang Wu hadn't begged me repeatedly and annoyed this young master to death... Why would I, this young master, need to personally deal with a mere Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist?"

"Uncle Cang, keep watch here. I'll go rest in the pavilion for a while. Call me when he arrives."

Li Ming muttered a couple of words, waved his hand, and walked away.

"Damn Shen Zhui. He doesn't even hurry up. He's truly wasting this young master's time. You deserve to be pierced through by ten thousand arrows..."

The sky was freezing, and dusk was drawing near.

When the afterglow of the setting sun spilled across Shen Zhui's face, he could already faintly see the outline of Heyuan City.

"Once I pass Fanshan Pavilion, I'll be able to enter the city. I really should rest properly for a few days..."

Shen Zhui rarely stopped to admire the beauty of the sunset. He reined in his horse and slowed its pace, quietly appreciating the view.

"Hmm?"

Shen Zhui suddenly felt his scalp prickle. His eyes widened in an instant. With his current hearing and eyesight, he almost immediately detected an incongruous sound amid the peaceful scenery—it was the shrill whistle of sharp arrows slicing through the air!

Extreme tension instantly sent the Essence of Vital Energy in Shen Zhui's body into frantic motion. His heartbeat accelerated violently, and every hair on his body stood on end. He seemed to have returned to the desperate saber strike he had faced from Liu Bin back then!

A life-or-death crisis had descended!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~"

Arrow after arrow from the Sky-Piercing Arrow shot toward Shen Zhui's head!

Shen Zhui drew the Iron Ruler at his waist almost in the blink of an eye and swept it out as though by reflex.

"Clang, clang! Pfft!"

Shen Zhui deflected the two fine-steel arrowheads with the Iron Ruler, but one of them still shot directly into his shoulder.

Pain flared in his shoulder, and the force behind the arrow instantly knocked Shen Zhui off his horse.

"Neigh~"

Several bloody holes appeared in the horse's body, and it died on the spot!

Shen Zhui had no time to look closely before even more arrows came whistling toward him!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~"

With a ruler in each hand, Shen Zhui unleashed Nine Layers of Iron Ruler, protecting the area around his body. His Iron Rulers danced in an impenetrable web, deflecting every arrow that shot toward him!

"Clink, clink, clink!"

Arrowheads collided with the Iron Rulers. The arrows fell like a storm from every direction, as though they were everywhere!

Suddenly—

Shen Zhui felt the pressure around him ease!

At that instant, his footsteps abruptly became mysterious and illusory. As his body shifted and dodged, he seemed to become a thread faster, every movement flowing as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water!

At this knife-edge moment between life and death, his movement technique, Flowing Cloud Steps, finally broke through that barrier and entered Great Accomplishment Realm!

At the same time, now that the pressure had eased slightly, Shen Zhui finally had the chance to see where the threat was coming from.

"On the hillside! Over there!"

Without his horse, fleeing would only mean exposing his back to the enemy.

Shen Zhui roared and charged toward the hillside during the gap in the enemy's barrage of arrows.