Wei Liao was sharpening a knife.
It was impossible to tell which was rougher—the whetstone or his hand.
Black water that had greedily devoured demonic qi was poured over the blade, and the dark-red "Blood-Drinking Pattern" came alive, like the veins and sinews of this straight saber.
Clad in old armor, he did not look up. His voice seemed gripped by something, hoarse beyond measure. "You mean—you infiltrated Jidu City and joined Three-Part Fragrance Pavilion to uphold the fairness and justice of the national order, to rid All-Under-Heaven of evil, and execute the calamity-bringing demoness Rakshasa Bright Moon Pure?"
Wearing shackles, Lin Zhengren stood before the military office, head held high and spine ramrod straight, resolute and unyielding. "Lin has said all that needs saying. If Commander Wei does not believe me, then take Lin's head and respectfully present it to the Son of Heaven. Let me die facing a heroic lord!"
Yin Guan was truly a bastard. He had left after killing Rakshasa Bright Moon Pure—after working together for so long, he had not even thought to give him a lift.
Yama of the Underworld, now feeding on Buddhist grain, had some tacit understanding with Jing State. But how was someone who had betrayed Zhuang Kingdom, then Hell's Gate, and then the Underworld supposed to speak with Jing State?
He had called in reinforcements—and delivered himself straight into the military office as well...
The people of Jing State acted with startling efficiency. On this side, he was still shouting, "Brave service for the state!" On the other, iron shackles had already been locked onto him.
Fortunately, he had not been wholly unprepared for this day.
Until the very last moment of his battle with Rakshasa Bright Moon Pure, he had concealed himself beneath Gou Jing's appearance.
But before Wei