Three Moves

Daybreak came.

The city gates had only just opened when the gate guards saw what lay outside and their legs went weak with fright.

"C-cat demon!"

Cui Lang pushed the cart through the gates. "Make way. Don't get any demon blood on yourselves."

"You lot, go push the carts behind us in too. Don't be afraid. Those aren't demon corpses on the carts behind—they're dead people."

The two gate guards breathed a sigh of relief and hurried out, only to become even more terrified when they saw the corpses on the carts.

How had all three of those officials died?!

Someone immediately sprinted toward the county yamen to report to the county magistrate.

Cui Lang led the others in pushing the carts and soon arrived at the county yamen.

The county magistrate stood at the entrance, staring at the corpses on the carts as the corner of his eye twitched violently.

Now, in all of Cloud Mountain County, aside from him, the chief official, every other assistant official was dead. This would devastate his career.

Besides, Ding Xiong and the others were dead, so why was Cui Lang still alive?

"Cui Lang, what exactly happened?"

Cui Lang glanced around. "County Magistrate, I would like to report to you in private."

Zhou Yafeng nodded and brought Cui Lang to the rear office.

"County Magistrate, the night before last, the two cat demons suddenly attacked the other demons. Yesterday, after Magistrate Ding, Magistrate Zheng, and Magistrate Song discussed the matter, Magistrate Ding used the Six-Winged Golden Cicada to help us track down the cat demons."

"Magistrate Zheng led me to deal with the cat demons. Everything had been going smoothly. Although Magistrate Zheng was injured, the cat demons were also killed."

"But Magistrate Ding and Magistrate Song suddenly appeared and attacked Magistrate Zheng. They said something about Magistrate Zheng taking something he should not have taken. I was too frightened at the time, so I hid far away."

"When I went back, I found that they were all dead."

Zhou Yafeng narrowed his eyes. The three of them had turned on one another?

Indeed, the fatal wounds on all three men were blade wounds. But since when had Zheng Fengyun become so powerful? After fighting two cat demons, he had still managed, despite being injured, to kill Ding Xiong and Song He?

Cui Lang cautiously added, "County Magistrate, now that they are all dead, no one will speak of what happened before."

"From now on, I am willing to follow County Magistrate. I humbly ask that you grant me a Blood Pill."

Zhou Yafeng looked bewildered. "What did you say? What Blood Pill? What happened before?"

Cui Lang seemed to realize something at once. "County Magistrate, I misspoke. Nothing happened before. Those officials all perished while slaying demons."

"But I truly do need a Blood Pill. With just one more, I can break through. Then I will certainly be able to serve you even better."

Zhou Yafeng slammed a hand onto the table. "Cui Lang, what nonsense are you spouting? I have never heard of any Blood Pill!"

Cui Lang blinked. "But Magistrate Zheng said all of those were distributed by County Magistrate. Even the madam of Dark Fragrance Pavilion said that the silver was delivered to the yamen every month."

"County Magistrate, it is only the two of us here. I beg you to grant me a Blood Pill, along with some cultivation arts and secret techniques of the holy cult."

"Once I break through, I can become a constable and help you stabilize the situation in Cloud Mountain County."

Zhou Yafeng's expression changed drastically. Cui Lang even knew about the Demon God Cult?

What was wrong with Zheng Fengyun? He had no restraint whatsoever when he spoke. He truly deserved to die!

"Cui Lang, the last time you went out on a mission with Constable Li, Constable Li died, the demons died, and you lived. This time, you went out on a mission with Magistrate Zheng. Everyone else died, the demons died, and once again, only you survived."

"Tell me, is that a coincidence?"

From what he knew of Zheng Fengyun and the others, whenever danger arose, they would certainly make Cui Lang take the brunt of it first. How could Cui Lang possibly have returned alive and unscathed?

Even if it were a coincidence, now that everyone else was dead, why keep Cui Lang alive when he knew their secrets?

Colluding with demons and joining the Demon God Cult—either one was a grave crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations!

As Zhou Yafeng spoke, he rose to his feet. "Cui Lang, your mistake was telling me these things. Some secrets can only keep you alive if you bury them in your heart."

Ding Xiong and the others were dead, and his career was ruined, but it did not matter. This was a good opportunity to lie low for a while and properly improve his martial cultivation. In two or three years, once Lin Liben was promoted, he would be brought back into service.

Cui Lang smiled. As expected, Zhou Yafeng believed he could kill him easily, so he could not resist admitting it.

Zhou Yafeng struck at Cui Lang with his palm, releasing the formidable aura of the Core-Embracing realm. Cui Lang felt that no matter which direction he tried to dodge, he would not be able to evade it.

Even his second-layer Bloodfire Demon Body could not withstand this blow.

Yet Cui Lang did not panic. He simply stood where he was with his hands clasped behind his back, calm and composed.

He might not be Zhou Yafeng's match, but that did not matter. He had a female bodyguard.

Zhou Yafeng thought Cui Lang had been scared senseless. He had even begun considering how to explain Cui Lang's death to the prefectural yamen. But just as his palm was about to land on Cui Lang, he suddenly sensed a terrifying presence bearing down on him.

Whoosh!

An astonishing blade aura descended. The table and chairs behind Zhou Yafeng were instantly reduced to splinters, while the sleeve on his right arm was also shredded to pieces and scattered across the floor.

"Shen Ruyu!" Zhou Yafeng gritted his teeth. Why was she in Cloud Mountain County?

No wonder Cui Lang had neither dodged nor even made a defensive move. He had not been frightened senseless—he knew Shen Ruyu was here and could stop him.

When had Shen Ruyu arrived? Had she heard everything?

Could Ding Xiong and the others have been killed by Shen Ruyu?

A mocking smile rested on Shen Ruyu's lips. "Zhou Yafeng, I thought you were merely foolish, blinded by those people. But it seems you were rather cautious, always hiding behind the scenes."

"Are you still going to put up a doomed struggle before me?"

Zhou Yafeng swiped one hand across his waist and drew a short sword. "Shen Ruyu, they say you are the Shen Family's genius, but you may not be able to stop me."

He too was now at the peak of the Core-Embracing realm, and he had learned secret techniques of the Demon God Cult. Why would he fear Shen Ruyu?

Shen Ruyu merely said blandly, "If you can withstand three moves from me, I will let you leave."

Zhou Yafeng charged at Shen Ruyu with a furious roar. In that instant, dense bloody baleful aura burst forth from his body, making him appear incomparably ferocious.

Shen Ruyu merely swept her blade upward. A blade aura flew out, instantly scattering the bloody baleful aura. Zhou Yafeng was forced to dodge in haste, his body turning into a whirlwind as he stabbed straight toward Shen Ruyu's chest.

Standing to the side, Cui Lang saw that Zhou Yafeng was far stronger than Ding Xiong and the others. How would Shen Ruyu break this move?

Shen Ruyu shot forward with a whoosh. Cui Lang heard a sharp clang beside his ear, as though blade and sword had collided. Then another blade aura flashed past. Shen Ruyu stood in place with her blade already sheathed, as though she had never moved at all.

With a clang, the sword in Zhou Yafeng's hand fell to the ground. At the same time, his right arm dropped away as well, and his face turned deathly pale.