The ghastly white bone claw came crashing down atop the black-lacquered wooden chest.
With a sharp rip, the inch-thick cypress board was torn open in five gashes as easily as thin paper.
Two guards drew their blades and stepped forward to block them, but the instant they collided with the opponent's blast of air, they were sent flying backward. They crashed heavily into the reeds and could not get back up for a long while.
With a flick of his wrist, the lead evil cultivator reached into the bottom of the chest and pulled out the pill-patterned fragment stone wrapped in three layers of brocade.
The Cao residence steward clenched his sleeve cuff, his face gone pale, yet he still forced himself to step half a pace forward.
"Who exactly are you? This is a gift of respect sent by the River Merchants Guild of the provincial capital to Patrol Officer Xu of Green-Mud Ferry. You dare lay hands on it?"
"Patrol Officer Xu?"
The lead evil cultivator gave a derisive laugh.
"Xu Jin killed my altar master and cut off my source of wealth. This stone will count as the first installment of his compensation."
His fingertips rubbed over the uneven patterns beneath the brocade, his tone casual. "Go back and tell Cao Wanchun that if he wants to do business on the canal, he must understand the rules. From now on, thirty percent of the yin items in every Cao family grain shipment will be offered as tribute. Deliver the first batch to the Western Suburbs Abandoned Temple within three days."
"If you dare hold back even the slightest bit—"
"Every head in the Cao family will hit the ground."
Having said that, he did not linger. He tossed the fragment stone to a subordinate behind him and