Ambush

Days passed one after another.

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

"Pfft~" A ruler tip pierced through from the back of a body.

A youth in black clothes stood on the flagstone street, staring at the figure slowly crumpling to the ground.

His face was carved like a knife, and the ruler slick with blood gave him an aura that made one's heart tremble.

"Sir?" A young man in a fur coat called out from not far away, fear in his eyes. Even with a dozen armed men behind him, he couldn't help but feel a chill.

"Shen Zhui, Criminal Inspector of the County Office, acting on an Execution Order to slay a bandit. Are you the local Village Head?" Shen Zhui pulled a green-glowing token from his bosom and waved it at the Anyang Village Head.

"This humble one is Lu Xiao, Village Head of Anyang Village." Seeing it was an official slaying a criminal, the young man immediately relaxed.

The new County Magistrate had a good reputation among the people and was strict with his subordinates, so he didn't have to worry about this sir going berserk and taking his head as a trophy.

"Good, just in time. The bandit is dead. I'll leave the corpse collection and neighborhood appeasement to you."

"Of course, of course... You've worked hard, sir. My humble home is just ahead; I'll have a feast prepared at once... Sir? Sir?"

The Anyang Village Head was about to flatter him further, but when he looked up, Shen Zhui had vanished.

"Clop, clop, clop~"

On the official road, a fast horse galloped toward the county town.

The grass and trees on both sides were withered and yellow, leaves falling in decay—a scene of ruin.

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

Two were old-case fugitives who had taken the risk to enter the county's hundred-mile radius and been caught.

Three were new cases, with the shadow of two families lurking behind them.

"Five Ninth Stage Houtian slain in a row, Merit Points have piled past thirty thousand. Time to rest."

In truth... killing wanted criminals wasn't all that hard.

Shen Zhui had reached Great Accomplishment in his Ruler Technique, backed by sixteen Essences of Vital Energy from the Bloodburn technique, and his movement skill was just a hair away from Great Accomplishment.

Killing these Ninth Stage Houtian, whose movement skills and martial techniques were inferior to his, was dangerous but not life-threatening.

Liu Bin, with Minor Accomplishment in movement and his blade technique near Great Accomplishment, had fallen to him.

Of those five, the strongest barely matched Liu Bin's level.

But this month, back and forth, chasing and fighting, he'd traveled nearly a thousand miles!

Even with his Eighth Stage of Acquired Realm body as a foundation, a full month of such relentless travel and life-or-death combat was starting to wear him down.

"This time back, I'll first comprehend my movement skill to Great Accomplishment and digest this month's battle experience."

"Once both Ruler Technique and movement skill reach Great Accomplishment, I'll be close to full power mastery. I can even try taking on Peak Houtian cases!"

Shen Zhui pondered.

Once Ruler Technique and movement skill reached Great Accomplishment, it meant his control over physical power was nearing perfection!

"Perfect power control is the first requirement for Unity of Heaven and Man—each strike unleashes maximum force. If I can also infuse a trace of the Power of Heaven and Earth into my movement and ruler technique, I'll touch the Unity of Heaven and Man realm."

Perfect power, plus a hint of Heaven and Earth's power in movement and technique.

Combine the two, and that was the Unity of Heaven and Man realm.

Once he reached that level, even against a Xiantian Master, Shen Zhui figured he could hold out for a long time.

Just as Shen Zhui was thinking this...

Ten li outside the city, at Fanshan Pavilion.

"Young Master, according to the servants' report, Shen Zhui has already slain Chen Tong in Anyang Town. Based on his travel time, he should pass by here and enter the city in about half an hour."

An old man in a white robe bowed and reported to the richly dressed youth beside him.

Even though the old man was a Xiantian Master, he showed the utmost respect to this youth, for he was Li Ming, the eldest legitimate son of the Li Family and its future Family Head.

The youth clasped his hands behind his back, standing on a high slope and gazing into the distance, a hint of cruelty on his fair face.

"Damn Shen Zhui, making this Young Master wait so long here. Why didn't he run faster?"

Finally, the youth turned to the old man and asked, "Uncle Cang, us being here—shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Elder Cang smiled. "Young Master need not worry. We both have Spirit Talismans to conceal ourselves, and this is outside the city—we won't be discovered. But that squad of archers can't be hidden."

Li Ming nodded. "No matter. As long as we're not found now, we can quickly flee into Li Family territory afterward. With the Family Ancestral Hall's protection and no solid evidence, they won't trace it back to us."

Elder Cang hesitated. "Young Master, the Family Head once said not to clash with the County Magistrate for now. The Wei Family is currently in favor at court..."

"I know, I know!" Li Ming said impatiently. "Killing a low-ranking constable without an official post—what's the big deal? Didn't we kill a few clueless bastards last month?"

Li Ming fumed. "Hasn't Wei Wenhe killed people from my Li Family too? His grandfather went too far, submitting that memorial to Destroy Sects and Temples, trying to uproot our clan's foundation. The Emperor was muddled for a moment and actually believed that slander... Otherwise, how would Wei Wenhe, a mere County Magistrate, dare to be so arrogant and oppose us?"

"But..." Li Ming sneered a few times. "A few days ago, dispatches came. The Qingzhou Imperial Army suddenly lost ground in the Northern Wilderness campaign. On the second front in Jizhou, Marquis Yingwu, always victorious and unstoppable, also stalled—said there was a Natural Disaster. Over half a year, they've slowly retreated, pushing the defense line back three hundred li."

"On the surface, it looks normal—victory and defeat are common in war. But Uncle Cang, do you know what's really behind this?"

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

Li Ming laughed heartily. "How could such a coincidence exist under heaven?"

"For the Qingji Two Continents to report defeat precisely at this time—isn't that just those two Princes and Marquises using Natural Disaster as an excuse to show their displeasure with this move?"

"The Wei Family, under the pretext of wasting state funds, submitted a memorial to the Son of Heaven to carry out Destroying Sects and Temples, throwing every Clan Noble Family under heaven into panic."

"But there are no shortage of opponents. This matter, first, violates filial piety—it's tantamount to ordering people to smash the ancestral tablets they enshrine in their own homes. Second, it cuts off the very foundation of the noble clans under heaven; from now on, Land Holdings and Taxes dare not harbor the slightest corruption, and sons of Princes and Marquises who break the law will be judged like commoners! All under the supervision of Divine Law."

"Already, some are linking Natural Disaster to this affair, claiming the act is Forgetting one's ancestors and inviting ancestral wrath..."

"Uncle Cang, just watch. Before long, as more and more people oppose it, even the Sage Son of Heaven may have no choice but to veto that old Wei's proposal, rebuild the temples, and regild the statues!"

"Young Master speaks wisely; this old servant has learned much. But the Family Head has repeatedly instructed me to ensure your safety—it's better we remain cautious."

Seeing that his grand speech had gone completely unheard, Li Ming's enthusiasm waned.

"Forget it. If that Yang Wu hadn't begged me so many times, annoying me to no end... killing a mere Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artist—why would I need to act personally?"

"Uncle Cang, just keep watch here. I'll rest in the pavilion for a while. Call me when someone comes."

Li Ming muttered a few words, waved his hand, and headed back.

"That damned Shen Zhui, can't even hurry up. What a waste of my time. Serves you right to be pierced by ten thousand arrows..."

The weather was freezing cold, nearing dusk.

When the last rays of sunset fell on Shen Zhui's face, he could already faintly make out the outline of Heyuan City.

"Once I pass Fanshan Pavilion, I'll be in the city. I really need a few good days of rest..."

Shen Zhui rarely took in such a sunset view. He reined his horse to a slow walk and quietly savored it.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Shen Zhui's scalp went numb, his eyes snapping wide. With his current hearing and eyesight, he almost instantly caught a discordant sound in the peaceful, serene scenery—the sharp whistle of an arrow slicing through the air!

Extreme tension sent his inner energy into a frantic spin, his heartbeat surging, every hair on his body standing on end. He felt as if he had returned to that life-or-death moment when he faced Liu Bin's desperate strike!

Crisis of life and death!

Swish, swish, swish~

A volley of Sky-Piercing Arrows shot toward Shen Zhui's head!

In the blink of an eye, Shen Zhui drew the iron ruler at his waist and swung it like a reflex.

Clang, clang! Thud!

Two steel arrowheads were deflected by the iron ruler, but one struck directly into Shen Zhui's shoulder.

Pain flared in his shoulder, and the force of the arrow instantly knocked him off his horse.

Neigh~

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

Before Shen Zhui could even look closely, more arrows came whistling in!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~

With both rulers in hand, Shen Zhui executed "Nine Layers of Iron Ruler," shielding his body. The iron rulers spun into an impenetrable barrier, deflecting the incoming arrows one by one!

Clink, clink, clink!

Arrowheads clashed against iron rulers, the arrows falling like a relentless storm, seeming to come from everywhere!

Then, suddenly—

The pressure around Shen Zhui eased!

In that instant, his steps turned mysteriously elusive, his body shifting and dodging with a fraction more speed, each movement flowing like water!

In that split second between life and death, the Flowing Cloud Steps technique finally broke through its bottleneck and entered the Major Accomplishment Realm!

At the same time, feeling the pressure lighten slightly, Shen Zhui finally had the presence of mind to locate the threat.

"On the slope! Over there!"

With his horse gone, fleeing would only expose his back to the enemy.

Shen Zhui let out a furious roar and, seizing the brief lull in the arrow barrage, charged up the slope.

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