One Blade Kills a Third-rate Martial Artist Instantly

"I've reached the Fourth Level of the Acquired Realm. I'm already a Second-rate Martial Artist."

Zhou Qing sensed that the inner force in his dantian had grown considerably stronger than before.

With a thought, the inner force within his dantian's sea of qi moved as easily as an arm or finger. A wisp of inner force instantly gathered in his palm, and he lightly thrust it out.

That wisp of inner force immediately shot forth.

Bang!

A dull sound rang out.

Zhou Qing stepped forward to inspect it and found a clear palm print on the prison wall.

This was a Second-rate Martial Artist who had reached the Fourth Level of the Acquired Realm.

Opening the Eight Extraordinary Meridians allowed inner force to enter the Great Zhou Cycle, making it purer. This was only one of the traits of a Second-rate Martial Artist.

Another obvious trait was the ability to project inner force outward.

Although the Spring Return Technique was a health-cultivation art, now that he had opened the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and reached the Fourth Level of the Acquired Realm, he could naturally project his inner force as well.

At most, its range was somewhat shorter.

Of course, to infuse inner force into a weapon and enhance its power required a corresponding second-rate martial technique.

"Today, I'll see the light of day again."

Zhou Qing had already made up his mind to break out of prison today.

He was waiting for the jailer to bring food.

Clang!

Several hours later, the iron gate to the third level of the dungeon was opened.

"They're here!"

Zhou Qing rose and moved closer to the cell door.

"Uncle Liu, is the Court Clerk here today?" Zhou Qing asked casually.

If the Court Clerk was present, then he would have to temporarily abandon his escape plan for today.

"A band of mounted bandits recently arrived in Black Stone County. The Court Clerk is busy dealing with the bandit suppression and hasn't come to inspect the dungeon for several days," Liu Shan said.

Black Stone County had no County Commandant.

Below the County Magistrate, County Deputy, and Registrar came the Court Clerk.

The Court Clerk was responsible for arrests, public security, prisons, and criminal cases throughout the county.

"He isn't here? That's good." Zhou Qing nodded, then said softly, "Uncle Liu, forgive me."

As soon as he spoke, Zhou Qing thrust out his hand and swiftly tapped the other man's Fengchi acupoint with a finger.

In an instant, Liu Shan felt a wave of dizziness.

Bang!

Liu Shan immediately lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

Zhou Qing promptly took Liu Shan's saber from him.

Clang—

Zhou Qing drew the long saber, infused it with inner force, and slashed at the chain on the cell door, severing it in an instant.

The moment the chain broke, the cell door sprang open as well.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Qing flashed out of the cell.

"Get me out!"

"I'm the second chief of Tiger Head Village. Save me, and you'll be richly rewarded."

"This old man is the lone bandit Shangguan Hong. I've roamed the martial world for decades and possess countless treasures of gold and silver. Save me, and they'll all be yours."

"..."

In the third level of the dungeon, the prisoners erupted into shouts when they saw Zhou Qing break out of his cell. Every one of them wanted him to rescue them as well.

Quite a few among them were Third-rate Martial Artists who had achieved success in cultivation.

However, any martial artist who had cultivated inner force and was thrown into the third level of the dungeon would be made to take Qi Dissipation Powder, which dispersed all their inner force. The tendons in their hands and feet would also be severed, leaving them virtually no chance of escaping.

Yet Zhou Qing was an exception.

Before being imprisoned in the third level of the dungeon, he had merely been an unranked martial artist who had yet to cultivate inner force. Yet only twenty-five days had passed, and his realm had already broken through to the Fourth Level of the Acquired Realm, making him a Second-rate Martial Artist.

Zhou Qing ignored the prisoners. Inner force gathered beneath his feet as he fully unleashed the lightness art Swallow Dips Water.

His short-range burst speed reached its utmost limit.

Hearing the commotion, the jailer guarding the iron gate of the third level was about to close it when Zhou Qing shot through like an arrow loosed from its bow.

In an instant, he passed from the third level of the dungeon to the second.

The second level also held many prisoners. Jailers were delivering food to them one by one, and when they saw Zhou Qing, dressed in prison clothes, appear on the second level like a ghost, all of them stared in astonishment.

Zhou Qing did not pause for even a moment.

His body flashed as he used Swallow Dips Water once more, racing toward the exit of the second level.

"A prison break! A prisoner is escaping!"

At that moment, the voice of the jailer guarding the entrance to the third level rang out.

"Stop him!"

"Don't let him escape the dungeon!"

"If a prisoner succeeds in breaking out, every one of us will be punished!"

"..."

Hearing the commotion, the jailers on the second level all rushed after Zhou Qing.

But Zhou Qing was too fast. By the time they reacted, he had already charged out of the second level and entered the first.

Compared to the two levels below, the first level of the dungeon was more spacious, and its lighting was slightly brighter.

"Trying to break out? You're courting death!"

An angry roar rang out. A burly man holding a long saber had already blocked Zhou Qing's path.

The man's gaze was sharp, and a faint bloody aura emanated from him. He was clearly a ruthless figure who killed often.

"Those who block me die!"

Zhou Qing showed no fear whatsoever. Rather than retreating, he advanced. Inner force surged through his body as he pushed his movement technique to its limit.

At the same time, the long saber in his hand slashed out in an instant.

"Not good!"

The burly man's expression changed drastically. Zhou Qing's saber was like a silver bolt of lightning in the night, appearing abruptly and soundlessly.

That slash was too fast.

As the long saber swept through, there was no fierce saber wind, no sound, and not the slightest resistance. It was silent and traceless, its path impossible to follow.

The burly man's pupils suddenly contracted. He had no time to make any response at all. He only felt a chill at his neck, and then his body froze in place.

"How is this possible?!"

The burly man's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

He was an Acquired Realm martial artist who had cultivated inner force. Although he was only a Third-rate Martial Artist, no one in this dungeon had ever been his match.

After all, every martial artist prisoner thrown into the prison would be made to take Qi Dissipation Powder and lose all their inner force, or else have their dantian's sea of qi directly destroyed, leaving them unable to gather inner force at all. Usually, which prisoner did not tremble in fear and fall silent as a cicada in winter upon seeing him?

Yet now, a prisoner who looked incredibly young had slit his throat with a single slash. How could he not be shocked and terrified?

He could not understand it.

How had the other party recovered his inner force?

But he would never learn the answer, and Zhou Qing would not answer him either.

Thud!

The burly man's body fell, and his life force dispersed.

At this moment, the jailers around them who had been preparing to rush forward and surround Zhou Qing all fell silent as cicadas in winter. Not a single one dared step forward again.

"Captain Yang is dead!"

"How is that possible? Captain Yang was an Acquired Realm martial artist!"

"One slash—he killed Captain Yang with just one slash!"

"..."

All the jailers stood frozen in place, not daring to move.

The strongest person in the dungeon was Captain Yang, who had reached the Second Level of the Acquired Realm, yet Zhou Qing had killed him in a single slash. Going forward would only mean throwing away their lives.

A successful prison break would certainly bring them punishment, but at worst they would lose some pay. It was not a capital offense.

But if they rushed up to stop Zhou Qing, they would lose their lives.

With one slash, he had instantly killed an Acquired Realm jail chief.

Zhou Qing had successfully cowed the jailers.

Whoosh—

Zhou Qing moved like a ghost toward the dungeon exit. After several leaps, he had vanished from everyone's sight.