Wanted Posters Hang from the City Gates, Yet the Devil Becomes an Honored Guest (Seeking Continued Reads, Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Not bad!"

Zhou Qing nodded in satisfaction at the might of the Primordial Chaos Sword Momentum.

Merely unleashing the power of the Primordial Chaos Sword Momentum had slain a First-rate Martial Artist who wielded the power of a Seed of Artistic Conception.

He had not even used his Primordial Chaos Internal Art. If he went all out, he could still fight some Grandmasters who had only just entered the Xiantian Realm.

After all, once a First-rate Martial Artist transformed a Seed of Artistic Conception into an Embryo of Artistic Conception, they could blast open the Gate of Heaven and Earth. Thus, Grandmasters newly entered into the Xiantian Realm only grasped an Embryo of Artistic Conception as well. Their true strength lay in transforming their internal force into Xiantian True Qi.

Against an Innate Grandmaster who only possessed an Embryo of Artistic Conception, Zhou Qing now had the strength to fight.

"He's dead—a First-rate Martial Artist who grasped a Seed of Artistic Conception was slain."

"That sword strike extinguished his consciousness."

"Hiss! Extinguishing the consciousness of a First-rate Martial Artist who grasped a Seed of Artistic Conception with one sword strike—what terrifying power is that? Could it be Sword Intent?"

"It can't be Sword Intent. True Sword Intent can draw upon the power of heaven and earth."

"Then it must be a Sword Intent Embryo!"

"..."

The guests watching from all around erupted into discussion, all of them utterly shocked by the strength Zhou Qing had displayed.

After all, slaying a First-rate Martial Artist who grasped a Seed of Artistic Conception with one sword strike was an achievement extremely rare even across the entire martial world.

Yet Zhou Qing had accomplished it, and done so with such ease, as though killing a First-rate Martial Artist was no more than a casual matter to him.

"H-How is this possible?"

The Third Young Master of the Li Family muttered to himself, his face full of disbelief.

He knew Wang Yan's identity. He was an emissary of the Fire Worship Cult, an expert who had grasped a Seed of Artistic Conception, yet he had been slain with one sword strike.

Could it be that this expert his sixth brother had invited possessed some other identity as well?

Otherwise, he truly could not understand it.

How had Li Qi managed to invite such an expert?

"Wonderful!"

Unlike the shock and confusion of the Li Family's direct descendants, Li Qi was exhilarated.

After all, Zhou Qing was the helper he had invited.

With such a powerful expert assisting him, becoming the next head of the Li Family was already as certain as a nail hammered into wood.

He cast a deep look at Zhou Qing atop the arena, secretly rejoicing that he had truly invited the right person this time.

"Hmm?"

As Zhou Qing withdrew his sword, he discovered that the slain martial artist's face had changed as well. Wang Yan's consciousness had been extinguished, so his disguise could naturally no longer be maintained, revealing his original appearance.

"This is... a Fire Worship Cult emissary?"

Zhou Qing narrowed his eyes slightly.

Though he had never seen Wang Yan's true face, Zhou Qing could faintly sense a familiar aura from him.

He immediately stepped forward to search the corpse, and sure enough, found Fire Worship Cult tokens on him. One was a token identifying him as a Black Lotus Emissary, while the other was merely an ordinary token.

Other than that, Zhou Qing found nothing of value.

However, since the man was a Black Lotus Emissary of the Fire Worship Cult, taking his corpse to the Eagle Wolf Guard Office should earn him a first-rate Internal Art.

As long as one was a rebel of the Fire Worship Cult, even if they were not on the Wanted List, rewards could be obtained from the Eagle Wolf Guard as long as their identity was confirmed.

As for why a Fire Worship Cult emissary had fought on behalf of a direct descendant of the Li Family, whether the Li Family was colluding with the Fire Worship Cult, and whether the Eagle Wolf Guard would investigate the Li Family—that was none of his concern.

At once, Zhou Qing used his sword sheath to lift Wang Yan's corpse and walked down from the arena.

By then, the people below the arena had recovered from their shock, and their gazes upon Zhou Qing were filled with reverence.

After all, someone capable of slaying a Seed of Artistic Conception expert with one sword strike possessed strength enough to make them look up in awe. Even if he was not an Innate Grandmaster, he was not far from one.

The Li Family's direct descendants, meanwhile, wore varied expressions—some shocked, some puzzled, and some jealous.

They could not understand what kind of absurd luck their sixth brother Li Qi had stumbled into to actually befriend an expert like Zhou Qing.

Li Qi, however, wore a broad smile, his gaze toward Zhou Qing filled with gratitude and respect. He immediately stepped forward and tactfully produced the martial arts manual he had long prepared, handing it to Zhou Qing. "Great Hero Duan, this is what you wanted."

"Mm."

Zhou Qing did not check whether it was real or fake, simply putting the manual away.

Given the strength he had displayed, even if Li Qi had ten times the courage, he would not dare use a fake manual to fool him.

Whoosh!

Zhou Qing's body flashed, and he swiftly vanished from the martial arena.

"Great Hero Duan..."

Li Qi had just wanted to say something when he realized Zhou Qing had already left.

At this time, guests from every direction also began to disperse from the martial arena. Yet the tale of Zhou Qing slaying a First-rate Martial Artist who grasped a Seed of Artistic Conception with one sword strike spread through the city as the guests departed, as though it had sprouted wings.

But before the news could spread.

Zhou Qing had already arrived at the Eagle Wolf Guard Office in Qingyan Prefecture.

"You say this is a rebel from the Fire Worship Cult?"

At the Eagle Wolf Guard Office, a deputy commander surnamed Zhang received Zhou Qing.

"That's right. He had Fire Worship Cult tokens on him." Zhou Qing nodded, then said, "If you do not believe me, sir, you may ask around at the Li Family. I took part in the contest at the invitation of the Li Family's Sixth Young Master, but I did not expect to encounter a rebel from the Fire Worship Cult."

"The Li Family. Understood."

Deputy Commander Zhang nodded.

He immediately dispatched a Profound Wolf Guard to the Li Family.

A quarter of an hour later.

The Profound Wolf Guard hurried back and quietly relayed the information he had learned from the Li Family into Deputy Commander Zhang's ear.

"What!"

After hearing the Profound Wolf Guard's quiet report and learning what had happened at the Li Family, Deputy Commander Zhang was greatly startled. He sprang to his feet, and even his gaze toward Zhou Qing became respectful.

Not only had Zhou Qing slain this Fire Worship Cult rebel in the arena, but that rebel had also been a First-rate Martial Artist who grasped a Seed of Artistic Conception.

Slaying a First-rate Martial Artist with one sword strike.

Such an expert had surely already grasped an Embryo of Artistic Conception.

Once the time was ripe and the Embryo of Artistic Conception stabilized, he could blast open the Gate of Heaven and Earth, step into the Xiantian Realm, and become a Grandmaster.

Calling such an expert a half-step Grandmaster would not be an exaggeration.

"So it is Great Hero Duan. Forgive my lack of respect!"

In an instant, Deputy Commander Zhang became enthusiastic.

He strode forward and cupped his hands in greeting. His attitude was completely different from before, and the change came so quickly that even Zhou Qing was briefly taken aback.

But upon further thought, Zhou Qing understood.

After all, he had slain a First-rate Martial Artist who grasped a Seed of Artistic Conception. Such strength was enough to inspire awe in anyone.

However, if the man knew that he was the Lawless Madman ranked twenty-fourth on the Wanted List, Zhou Qing wondered what expression he would wear.

This truly was a Wanted Poster hanging from the city gates, while the "devil" became an honored guest.

"You are too courteous, Commander Zhang."

Zhou Qing smiled and returned the gesture.