Good and Evil Repaid

Inside Yucheng County's yamen, the county deputy and Li Houde sat below, keeping Zhu Xun company over drinks, while Zhu Xun lounged brazenly in the seat of honor.

Several beautiful singing and dancing girls performed below. Among them was a Western Regions Hu girl with her navel exposed, her figure bewitching and her gaze soul-snaring!

"Young Master! How about..." Li Houde wore a fawning smile as he pointed at the Western Regions Hu girl.

"I don't like bear paws that come willingly!" Zhu Xun licked his lips and smacked them a few times. "That little blacksmith girl in the rear hall is much fiercer!"

"That girl was born coarse and lowly, like a nag!" The county deputy shook his head, squinting lecherously at the dancers. Zhu Xun's face filled with disdain as he laughed. "That only shows you don't understand!"

"Second Brother, only a man as outstanding as Young Master Zhu can tame such a fiery woman. It is like forging iron—raw and wrought iron must be melted in one furnace and hammered again and again before a divine weapon can be made! Only women trained by Master Zhu can truly stand apart! Master Zhu, drink!"

"Hahaha! You can be taught! You can be taught! When one's name appears on the golden list, on the night of the bridal chamber beneath flower-lit candles! Your brother will take the first step!"

Zhu Xun pressed a hand on Li Houde's head, using it to rise, then walked into the rear hall. He pushed open the door and had barely lifted the curtain when his face turned green with fright. "Master! You..."

Blacksmith Tan's daughter, bound on the floor and struggling desperately, opened her lovely eyes wide and stared at the two men in terror.

A man in a tall crown floated above the bed. He was Chang Yi, a cultivator and sworn brother of the current Imperial Preceptor Zhu Gaoyu.

"Disciple greets Master!" Zhu Xun, who lived for wine and women and bowed to no one, immediately kowtowed.

Chang Yi lowered his head and stared at Zhu Xun. His left hand formed a tiger claw, and a terrifying suction force erupted! Zhu Xun screamed in horror as his master lifted him into the air by hand!

"Master! Spare me! Spare me!"

"Before you left, your father and I warned you again and again that this journey was no trifling matter, and that you must never stir up trouble! Who would have thought that you fool would cause another incident!" Chang Yi could barely contain his fury as he slapped him across the face. Zhu Xun deflated like a punctured ball and did not dare utter a sound!

Just then, terrified cries came from outside the door.

An assassin with a long staff strapped to his back and a mask over his face stood in the middle of the hall, pointing at Li Houde and the county deputy. "There are countless people under heaven named Houde, yet scum like you run rampant through the countryside and commit every evil, while shamelessly taking virtue as your name!"

"Guards! There's an ass—"

Before the county deputy could finish, a gleaming dagger had already been plunged into his throat.

"Spare me! Spare me!" Li Houde staggered back in terror. The man in black slowly advanced!

Two figures pushed through the door. "Master!"

As though granted a pardon, Li Houde hurried behind the two men and sneered viciously. "You two have already reached the first realm of Qi Refinement. No matter how capable he is, he cannot defeat both of you! Kill him for me!"

The black-clad man who had come to assassinate Li Houde was Liu Yunshen.

Hu Family Village had been burned down. Unable to find Big Dog Brother and Hu Two, childhood friends he had grown up playing with, Liu Yunshen guessed that Li Houde had struck out in retaliation against him and immediately hurried back to the county town.

Because his appearance differed from ordinary people, he did not take the main road. He obtained a bamboo hat, gray clothes, and black clothes from a cloth shop, left behind the few dozen copper coins in his pocket, then hurried away to gather information in the streets. Only then did he learn that Blacksmith Tan's daughter, who had shown him kindness, had been seized by Li Houde and presented to Zhu Xun.

He had slipped into the county yamen under cover of night. Sure enough, the Li brothers were desperately currying favor with Zhu Xun, drinking and making merry.

Liu Yunshen strode into the inner chamber, leaving the county deputy and Li Houde pale with shock. Before they could cry out, the guard beside them gave a muffled groan and collapsed!

"A-Zhong, A-Yi, kill him for me!" Li Houde shouted sharply.

"I am Li Zhong!"

"I am Li Yi!"

The two clasped their fists, their eyes brimming with savagery.

"Since you have become beasts, there is no need to style yourselves loyal and righteous. Sneak attacks, arrows from the dark, arson, poison—I'll take them all!!"

"You little bastard, courting death!"

Li Zhong bellowed. Before his iron fists arrived, the force of his wind had already blasted the Eight Immortals table into two halves, sending the food and wine crashing to the floor. Liu Yunshen raised his left palm slightly, deflecting the man's fists, while his right palm had already struck toward Li Zhong's left ribs!!

Li Yi was shocked and rushed forward. The iron fingers of both hands were like iron maces and steel spears, their fierce wind striking him in the face. Liu Yunshen's breath caught, and he immediately retreated, blasting Li Zhong back with his left palm while smashing his right fist toward Li Yi.

The fist force was fierce and unyielding. Li Yi's fingers cracked, and his index finger snapped at the sound!

"You little bastard! I'll skin you alive and pull out your tendons!" Li Yi surged up in fury. The force of his nine fingers crisscrossed through the air, reaching three inches beyond his body as it shot straight for Liu Yunshen's face! Liu Yunshen's chest ached violently from the impact of the finger force.

Li Zhong seized the chance to advance, his palms overlapping as he blasted downward at Liu Yunshen's head. "You mystifying little brat, I'll splatter your brains!"

"Let's see whether you two have the skill!" Liu Yunshen's figure drifted like a phantom. He slanted aside and shifted his steps, somehow flashing behind the two men. His left palm and right fist gathered force at once and blasted toward Li Yi!

"Aah!!!!!!!!!!!" Li Yi let out a long, miserable scream. A hole had been blasted through his waist; he clearly would not live! Li Zhong staggered back in terror, crowding together with Li Houde!

"Master! Don't blame this servant for being ruthless! One day, I will surely avenge you!"

Li Zhong shouted, split out a palm, and shoved Li Houde before Liu Yunshen. Then he used his lightness skill and fled into the night!

"This thief is decisive indeed! He is worthy of a name! And you..." Liu Yunshen slowly stepped forward, his immense pressure blanketing the scene!

Li Houde dropped to his knees, knocking his head against the floor like a pounding pestle. "Grandfather! No! Great King! Great King! I'll give you whatever you want—gold ingots! Silver ingots! I'll give them all to you!"

"I want your conscience! Do you have one?" Liu Yunshen slowly lifted one corner of his mask. Li Houde cried out in shock and fury, "It's you, you little—"

A flash of blood swept past. Master Li, who had committed every evil, was pierced through the heart and died on the spot!

Liu Yunshen put his mask back on and stared at the figure in the darkness. "This thief must not be allowed to live!"

Several miles outside Yucheng County, Li Zhong was racing desperately for his life when a towering mountain suddenly appeared before him!

"What!!!"

Li Zhong recoiled in terror, crossing his palms in defense. An iron staff carrying three feet of Sword Qi smashed down upon his head, bursting forth in a spray of blood! Li Zhong's skull shattered, and he died on the spot!

"The Li family villains and their chief accomplices are dead. The rest have not committed deep evil, so their lives shall be spared!"

Liu Yunshen panted lightly. Suddenly, his heart shuddered, and a tremor born from the depths of his soul spread through every pore of his body!

A hundred-zhang-wide Sword Qi came roaring toward him!