Pleading for the People, Resolving Difficulties and Disputes

[You made a guard who bullied others by relying on power never dare bully others that way again. Merit +21.]

[You made a guard who bullied the weak and feared the strong completely change his attitude. Merit +20.]

[You made a wicked servant who fished in troubled waters understand that he could not cut corners and play tricks. Merit +6.]

[You made...]

Dozens of messages flashed before Zhao Zhi's eyes one after another. The Merit gained from each message varied.

In the blink of an eye, several hundred Merit had entered his account.

Such a large amount of Merit was enough to raise Zhao Zhi's various martial arts again.

Sure enough.

Punishing evil and promoting good really was fast when it came to gaining Merit, especially from these local gentry and great families. Every last one of them was a rich source of Merit.

Zhao Zhi's thoughts churned, but outwardly he remained still as water, cold as ice as he looked indifferently at Fan Youquan.

From the corner of his eye, Fan Youquan glimpsed the bloodstained constable's saber resting on his shoulder. Its warm, sticky touch seeped through his clothes and licked at his shoulder, making his entire body turn cold and his scalp prickle.

Corpses lay before him one after another, including quite a few Postnatal Perfection martial artists.

Yet those Postnatal Perfection martial artists had been like carrots and cabbages in Zhao Zhi's hands, cut down one by one without even the slightest room to resist.

"Zhao Zhi... Lord Zhao..." Fan Youquan trembled in terror and hurriedly said, "Please spare my life. This old... this humble one won't dare again. I truly won't dare."

"Lord Zhao, please leave us a path to live." Fan Youting clasped his hands as well. "Whatever demands Lord Zhao has, our Fan Family will certainly meet them."

The corner of Zhao Zhi's mouth curled. "Any demand?"

Fan Youting immediately nodded. "Yes, any demand."

After a brief thought, Zhao Zhi said, "In that case, copy out your Fan Family's Xiantian martial arts for me. Also, set up porridge stalls in the south of the city for ten days. Then I will let you leave."

"Thank you, my lord. The Fan Family will certainly do so."

Fan Youting agreed decisively without another word.

Though he did not understand why Zhao Zhi, whose displayed strength had already utterly surpassed the Fan Family's martial artists, still wanted the Fan Family's Xiantian martial arts—

The situation before him left them at another's mercy. He could only agree.

"And my son!" Fan Youquan cried.

Fan Youting glanced at Fan Zhenqi, who was tied to a pillar and still unconscious. After arranging his words, he said, "Lord Zhao, might we take this nephew of mine with us?"

At that, Zhao Zhi grinned, revealing his stark white teeth. "Do you two want to end up like him as well?"

"No, no." Fan Youting hurriedly waved his hands. "We'll leave at once."

As he spoke, Fan Youting pulled Fan Youquan away. The heavily wounded Fan Family guards and servants ignored their own injuries, supporting one another as they followed in a fluster.

As for the corpses left behind, no one paid them any attention.

Zhao Zhi had shown some restraint. He had not killed everyone.

Those who had wanted him dead, striking with ruthless venom from the start, had been killed with a single slash. As for those who had merely fished in troubled waters and played tricks, a deep enough lesson was sufficient.

Fan Youquan had not been killed.

After all, he was the head of the Fan Family, one of Qingfeng County's wealthy local gentry.

Qingfeng County did not only have the Fan Family. There were also several great families such as the Su Family and Tao Family, as well as major gangs like the Evergreen Gang. Their overall strength remained formidable.

Zhao Zhi would not have much trouble dealing with one family alone, but if he had to face every force in Qingfeng County—

That would be somewhat difficult with his current strength.

After gaining this great amount of Merit and raising his strength, there should be no more cause for concern.

Zhao Zhi slightly raised his head and looked at the several hundred Merit on the Merit Panel, a faint smile touching his lips. Then his gaze fell upon the bound Fan Zhenqi. Light gathered in his eyes as an idea came to him.

"Brother Luo, trouble yourself to bring over a chair and a table."

"Huh? Oh, oh... understood. I'll get them right away."

Luo Dashan came back to his senses at the sound of his voice. The astonishment and shock on his face had yet to fade, as though paste had been smeared over it.

The Fan Family?

Had Zhao Zhi conquered them just like that?

And that Dou Rong—if his memory was correct, he should have been an Innate Warrior.

Even an Innate Warrior had been no match for Zhao Zhi. Just what level had Zhao Zhi's strength reached now?

Suddenly.

The words Gray Snake Gang surfaced in Luo Dashan's mind.

He recalled what Zhao Zhi had said that day.

"The Gray Snake Gang is actually quite reasonable."

That so-called reason was probably the reason of fists.

His thoughts surged and swayed. In his dazed confusion, Luo Dashan did not even know what he was thinking. He simply followed Zhao Zhi's instructions and carried over a table and chairs.

"Zhao Zhi, what are you planning to do?"

Zhao Zhi sat down in the chair with carefree ease, then slapped the constable's saber onto the table with a bang. His smile was unrestrained. "Pleading for the people, resolving difficulties and disputes."

"Huh?"

Luo Dashan froze.

At a tavern not far away.

Bang.

A white ceramic wine cup burst apart, its fragrant wine splashing onto Constable Chief Chen Qingzhi.

Chen Qingzhi's brows furrowed slightly, his eyelids lowered, and a heavy gloom and gravity rose on his face.

What formidable strength.

One kick had severely wounded Dou Rong, an Initial Xiantian martial artist.

In ten breaths, he had dealt with the Fan Family's guards and servants.

That level of strength?

He was not merely at Initial Xiantian. He might be at Innate Minor Achievement, or even Greater Xiantian.

He had hidden himself so deeply that even Chen Qingzhi, the county yamen's constable chief, had not detected the slightest clue.

Seeing Zhao Zhi's actions, Chen Qingzhi was puzzled. His hawk-like eyes watched Zhao Zhi from afar. By reading his lips, he learned what Zhao Zhi intended to do, and his expression abruptly changed as he inwardly cried, This is bad.

This would be serious trouble.

Chen Qingzhi immediately rose to his feet and hurried out of the tavern.

In the study of Qingfeng County yamen's rear courtyard.

County Magistrate Lu Guangyi listened to Chen Qingzhi's report. His fat face trembled, and his voice was low. "You mean even the Fan Family could do nothing to him, and the Fan Family's martial artists all died by his hand?"

"Yes, my lord." Chen Qingzhi clasped his hands and lowered his head. "From what this subordinate saw today, Zhao Zhi's strength is likely not merely at Initial Xiantian. He should be at Innate Minor Achievement, or even Greater Xiantian."

"Greater Xiantian?"

Lu Guangyi's pupils suddenly contracted, his voice carrying threads of disbelief.

A Greater Xiantian martial artist was already as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns in vast Qingfeng County.

Zhao Zhi, a blue-clad constable, was actually such a formidable existence.

"Yes."

Lu Guangyi's face darkened. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Can Flying Cloud Stronghold handle him?"

After a brief consideration, Chen Qingzhi said, "Yes. Flying Cloud Stronghold's chief is a Greater Xiantian martial artist. Together with our arrangements, we can even kill an Innate Perfection martial artist. One Greater Xiantian will not be a problem."

Lu Guangyi let out a breath of relief. "That is good."

"Only, my lord..." Chen Qingzhi hesitated. "Zhao Zhi is on Great Passage Street..."

Lu Guangyi raised a hand to cut him off, a cold smile appearing on his lips. "If he wants to plead for the people, then let him plead for the people. What use is winning the favor of those commoners? Such actions will only offend Qingfeng County's great families and major forces. When that time comes, even if I do not deal with him, others will."

"My lord is wise."