Killing Intent Arises

The mine entrance had completely changed.

Several hundred black-armored soldiers stood in formation. Uniform patterns were carved into their black armor, gleaming with a cold sheen beneath the sunlight. They stood in two perfectly neat rows, stretching from the cave entrance all the way into the distance.

At the center of the formation stood a great banner, black with golden trim, embroidered with a massive character: "Marquis."

Everyone at the mine, whether miners or guards, had been driven aside and made to squat on the ground, scarcely daring to breathe.

"This... this is..."

Zhou Qi's pupils contracted slightly.

People of the Champion Marquis from Blackstone City.

The envoy had arrived!

The weakest of those black-armored soldiers were at least at the third layer of Qi Refining, while the few leading them were even more unfathomable.

A black carriage stood at the mine entrance. It was lavishly decorated, and the beasts pulling it were not horses, but two entirely snow-white spirit beasts.

The carriage curtains hung low, concealing whoever sat inside.

Zhou Qi stopped walking and did not move forward again.

Yang Jinshan's face turned pale as he lowered his voice. "Zhou Qi, what... what is going on?"

Zhou Qi said nothing, merely staring in that direction.

Just then, a group of people emerged from the mine.

At their head was a middle-aged man in his forties. He was powerfully built and stern-faced, dressed in a black brocade robe, with a golden command token hanging at his waist.

Wang Tianfu followed behind him, head lowered, wearing a fawning smile. His back was bent like a shrimp's.

Behind them came more than a dozen guards dressed in the same black fitted outfits, every one of them emanating a powerful aura.

Zhou Qi's system panel appeared:

[Name: Jinshi]

[Realm: Qi Refining Level 9 (Early Stage)]

[Technique: ...]

Zhou Qi withdrew his gaze, already understanding a few things.

For the past three days, Wang Tianfu had not been checking the accounts.

He had been waiting for someone.

Unable to hold himself back, Yang Jinshan cursed in a low voice, "That bastard Wang Tianfu! So he was waiting for reinforcements! I thought he had really chickened out!"

Seeing this, the unease in Zhou Qi's heart deepened. He beckoned to Yang Jinshan. "Let's go back first."

Yang Jinshan looked at the envoy's group in the distance, then at Zhou Qi's back. Gritting his teeth, he followed.

Half an hour later.

Yang Hong hurried into Zhou Qi's courtyard, his expression ugly.

"Elder Zhou, people from the Wang Family... they came and said that all the stewards and elders from the various Lineages' mines are to go to the Wang Family mine. The envoy wants to address us."

Just as expected... Zhou Qi thought.

He glanced at Yang Jinshan. Worried that something might go wrong if he went, Zhou Qi considered it for a moment before saying:

"Fifth Elder, Yang Hong and I will go. Watch the house."

Yang Jinshan frowned at once and slammed a hand onto the table as he rose. "No. I have to go!"

"Fifth Elder, we agreed before coming here. The master told you to listen to me!"

"Don't use Second Brother to pressure me. I could listen to you before, but this time, I have to go!" Yang Jinshan's gaze was grave as he continued, "I am the Yang Family's Fifth Elder. Whatever tricks that Wang bastard is trying to pull, the Yang Family will take them all!"

Zhou Qi shook his head inwardly. The old man's stubborn streak had flared up.

"You can go, but we need to lay down three rules. Once we get there, you can't speak recklessly." Zhou Qi paused. "They may be coming for us!"

Yang Jinshan nodded in agreement.

The three of them headed to the Wang Family mine.

The open ground before the Wang Family mine was already packed with people.

Zhao Dazhu stood amid the crowd, his face pale and his head slightly lowered.

Li Dehou stood on the other side, his usual smile on his face, though it was even broader than usual.

There were also minor stewards and guard captains from the various families, a dense black mass of people.

Zhou Qi walked to the edge of the clearing and stopped, making no effort to push forward.

Yang Jinshan and Yang Hong stood behind him, their faces ashen.

That black carriage still stood at the mine entrance, its curtains hanging low.

The hundred or so black-clad guards remained in two unmoving lines, like statues.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

After a while, another group emerged from the mine.

At their head was the middle-aged man named Jinshi, at the early stage of the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

He strode to the center of the clearing, clasped his hands behind his back, and swept his gaze over the crowd.

His gaze was as cold as a blade. Whoever it fell upon unconsciously lowered their head.

Wang Tianfu followed behind him, the smile on his face nearly spilling over.

He swept his eyes around the clearing, then went to stand behind Jinshi and whispered a few words. Afterward, he pointed in Zhou Qi's direction.

Jinshi followed the gesture with a glance and nodded. Their gazes met, but only for an instant before they shifted apart.

This is bad. They really are coming for me, Zhou Qi thought.

Jinshi spoke. His voice was not loud, yet it reached every ear with crystal clarity.

"You have all labored at Blackstone Mine for many years. The Marquis knows this well. I have come today for two reasons: first, to inspect the mine on the Marquis's behalf; second, to give you a few instructions."

Everyone kept their heads lowered. No one dared respond.

Jinshi continued, "Blackstone Mine is the Marquis's property. Entrusting it to the four families of Lin'an for excavation is the Marquis's grace. Over the years, you have submitted the ore on time and kept to your duties. The Marquis has been very satisfied."

He paused, and his tone suddenly changed.

"But..."

The moment those two words left his mouth, everyone's hearts rose to their throats.

Jinshi's gaze swept through the crowd before settling once more on Zhou Qi.

"Some Lineages eat the Marquis's food while secretly engaging in treacherous dealings behind his back. They take the Marquis's benefits, then turn around and stab him in the back."

The crowd exchanged bewildered looks, having no idea whom he meant.

Jinshi let out a cold laugh, speaking one word at a time.

"The Yang Family!"

Those two words exploded through the crowd like thunder.

Every gaze turned in unison toward Zhou Qi and Yang Jinshan.

The entire clearing was stunned.

Chattering discussion erupted.

A smile curled at Wang Tianfu's lips.

Yang Jinshan's expression changed even more drastically. His blood surged, and he completely forgot their earlier agreement.

He abruptly shoved through the crowd, squeezing forward as he shouted and pointed at Jinshi, cursing:

"Bullshit! Who's being treacherous? Make yourself clear! Our Yang Family has been utterly loyal to the Marquis. We submit our ore on time and have never withheld so much as a single grain!"

Zhou Qi was startled and tried to pull him back, but Yang Jinshan had already forced his way through the crowd.

Jinshi's original target had been Zhou Qi, yet Yang Jinshan had suddenly stepped before him and cursed while pointing at his nose.

He cast a deep glance at Yang Jinshan in the distance, coldness flickering in his eyes.

Wang Tianfu stepped forward again and whispered, "He is the Yang Family's Fifth Elder, Yang Zhenshan's younger brother."

Jinshi nodded lightly, the coldness in his eyes growing deeper.

He had been planning to kill a chicken to frighten the monkeys anyway. Just so happened that a chicken had delivered itself to his door.

Zhou Qi frowned, a powerful sense of unease surging through him.

He shouted in a deep voice, "Fifth Elder, come back—"

Before he could finish.

Jinshi moved.

The people in the front row did not even know what had happened.

They only saw a black shadow flash by, followed by sword light.

Snow-bright sword light.

As swift as lightning.

Yang Jinshan did not even have time to react before he felt a chill at his neck.

A head flew high into the air, spinning several times before hitting the ground with a bang.

Blood gushed from the severed neck, splattering the people around him.

Yang Jinshan's body remained standing where it was, frozen for an instant before crashing to the ground.

The entire clearing fell deathly silent.

Everyone was dumbstruck.

Zhao Dazhu's mouth hung open, unable to close for a long while.

Li Dehou's face was white as paper, his legs weak beneath him, and he could barely remain standing.

Even Wang Tianfu's smile froze. He had not expected the envoy to act so directly, much less kill someone.

Zhou Qi stood where he was, utterly motionless.

He looked at the head on the ground.

Yang Jinshan's eyes remained open, his mouth slightly parted, as though asking, "What happened?"

That face still bore the anger and confusion from before death.

Three days ago, this blunt fool had been practicing his punches in the courtyard, saying he had already attained enlightenment through boxing.

An hour ago, he had still been slapping the table and calling Wang Tianfu a bastard.

Now he lay on the ground, body and head separated.

Zhou Qi's hand trembled faintly.

He knew Yang Jinshan's nature. He had been a simple and honest man, though the worldview of this world had made him somewhat indifferent to the lives of those at the bottom. At heart, however, he was not a bad person.

Zhou Qi was no saint. He could not be bothered with what happened to others, but Yang Jinshan, who had worked alongside him for nearly a month, had just had his head cut off and was lying on the ground. By sentiment or by reason, Zhou Qi could not endure it.

What was more, there was Yang Zhenshan. How was he supposed to answer to Yang Zhenshan?

The pros and cons flashed through his mind, and the last trace of hesitation in his eyes vanished with them.

His gaze slowly turned cold, and his right hand silently gripped the long saber at his waist.

It was the Cold-Iron Saber Yang Zhenshan had given him, a mid-grade Yellow-rank weapon. Apart from practice, it had remained sheathed until now.

No one had yet been worthy of making him draw it.

At that moment, Zhou Qi raised his head and met the direct gaze Jinshi, the envoy from Blackstone City, cast toward him.

Their gazes collided in the empty air, and killing intent steadily rose.