Crushed to Death with One Step

The footsteps came from behind the buildings of Flying Cloud Stronghold.

Flying Cloud Stronghold was surrounded by sheer cliffs on three sides, with only a narrow mountain path on the fourth.

Only because County Magistrate Lu Guangyi had secretly colluded with Flying Cloud Stronghold's chief, Ma Zhuo, and because the suppression army had suffered considerable casualties, had they managed to fight their way to the main stronghold.

But.

They had only reached the main stronghold, not broken through Flying Cloud Stronghold.

Ever since the suppression army had charged into the main stronghold, not a single person had been seen circling behind the various buildings. Not even those Innate Warriors could manage it.

At this moment.

Yet someone emerged from behind the buildings.

The great stronghold's melee had initially halted because of the arrival of the people from Profound Nether Platform. Then, Xianyu Tu's clash with Yan Qing, and his severe wounding of her, had drawn everyone's attention away. Now, as Zhao Zhi stepped out from the rear, he once again became the focus of the crowd.

Everyone turned to look, studying Zhao Zhi.

When they noticed the blue uniform of a constable on him, they were all slightly taken aback.

Just a blue-clad constable.

But when everyone immediately thought of a certain person, their attention fell upon Zhao Zhi's face.

Zhao Zhi?!

It really was him.

Flying Cloud Stronghold's chief, Ma Zhuo, fixed his gaze on Zhao Zhi, his brows knitting slightly.

He had heard of Zhao Zhi, but he had never seen him.

However, the place from which Zhao Zhi had emerged deeply concerned him. If Zhao Zhi had appeared there, then he might have discovered Flying Cloud Stronghold's secret passage.

Then.

The plan had failed.

Third Brother should have died.

Ma Zhuo's expression gradually darkened.

His master had returned two days ago and brought back the Black Pool Bow.

With his master and the Black Pool Bow.

He could fall out with County Magistrate Lu Guangyi and carry out another plan: turn the internal-energy martial artists in the suppression army into Human Elixirs, resources for martial cultivation.

Yet.

Something had gone wrong.

As his thoughts churned, Ma Zhuo guessed Zhao Zhi's identity, coldness surfacing in his jet-black eyes.

"Ma Zhuo, kill him."

Xianyu Tu swept Zhao Zhi a glance, disgust and irritation appearing on his face.

After severely wounding Yan Qing and Fan Zhenyu, his attention had fallen upon Yan Qing.

Powerful internal energy, exquisite swordsmanship, extraordinary talent.

If he could refine all of it into the medicinal power of a Human Elixir, he would certainly be able to take another step forward in the Little Netherworld Sword, perhaps even improve his own martial talent and enter the Meridian Opening Realm.

Xianyu Tu continued walking toward Yan Qing.

"Yes, Master."

Ma Zhuo obediently answered, once more turning his attention to Zhao Zhi.

Flying Cloud Stronghold's information on Zhao Zhi had all come from County Magistrate Lu Guangyi; there was exceedingly little else. Even Lu Guangyi's records merely mentioned that Zhao Zhi had entered the Innate Realm in a short time, possessed astonishing martial prowess, and could suppress Fan Family martial artists at Innate Minor Achievement.

He should have the strength of Greater Xiantian.

The matter at Iron Horse Manor had happened yesterday, and Flying Cloud Stronghold had not received any news of it.

Although he did not know what had happened in the secret passage, Zhao Zhi's strength was surely only Greater Xiantian, not Innate Perfection.

Otherwise, his past could not possibly have been so mediocre.

Perhaps Third Brother had not appeared because something else had delayed him.

With that thought, Ma Zhuo felt somewhat reassured. When he looked at Zhao Zhi again, a glimmer of cold light gathered deep in his eyes.

The next instant.

Without another word, he raised his arm. A Sleeve Arrow shot from his cuff, swift as lightning, reaching Zhao Zhi in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Zhi tilted his head aside, and the Sleeve Arrow flashed past an inch before his nose.

The instant Ma Zhuo fired the Sleeve Arrow, he stomped heavily upon the ground and shot forward like a cannonball. Seeing Zhao Zhi dodge the arrow, a faint cold smile rose at the corner of his lips. His experience in life-and-death combat was truly terrible.

Then he would kill him in one blow.

Ma Zhuo circulated his internal energy, channeling it ceaselessly into his arm.

Just then.

Ma Zhuo met Zhao Zhi's indifferent eyes. An inexplicable chill sprang from deep within his body and surged through his limbs and bones. Immediately afterward, a broad, well-jointed hand appeared before him. Five fingers clamped onto his cheek like iron pincers and smashed him hard toward the ground.

The sudden immense force lifted Ma Zhuo's feet from the ground and sent his body flying, before slamming him viciously into the earth.

Ma Zhuo's head spun, his vision blurred. Before he could recover his senses, he vaguely saw a large foot cleaving down like a battle-axe.

Crack.

Ma Zhuo's chest caved in. His ribs snapped, plunging backward into his internal organs and piercing his heart as blood gushed forth without end.

His mouth opened, spraying a cloud of bloody mist. His eyes bulged wide, and he breathed no more.

The chief of Flying Cloud Stronghold, who had lorded over Qingfeng County for years, was killed by Zhao Zhi just like that, with effortless ease.

[You caused an evil villain who murdered, set fires, and committed every wicked deed to turn from evil forever. Merit +158.]

Zhao Zhi raised a brow.

Other than the bizarre humanoid creature he had seen in the cave, Flying Cloud Stronghold's chief was the most vicious criminal he had slain, providing him with the greatest amount of Merit.

Then his gaze fell upon Xianyu Tu.

From the moment he entered the great stronghold, he had seen from afar how Xianyu Tu had severely wounded Yan Qing. The technique he had used was precisely the Little Netherworld Sword.

That cramped stone chamber should have been this man's place of secluded cultivation.

This man was Ma Zhuo's master—a fact no one in Qingfeng County knew.

As Zhao Zhi looked toward Xianyu Tu, Xianyu Tu glanced at the dead Ma Zhuo and looked back at Zhao Zhi, a trace of gravity surfacing between his brows.

Killing Ma Zhuo.

He could do that as well, but he could not do it as cleanly and decisively as Zhao Zhi had.

"Who are you?"

Xianyu Tu stared at Zhao Zhi.

Zhao Zhi grinned casually. "Qingfeng County constable, Zhao Zhi. Ma Zhuo's crimes were too numerous to record. As his master, you cannot escape responsibility. Surrender obediently, and I can spare your life."

"Young brat."

Xianyu Tu's expression turned cold, his voice chilling.

"Courting death!"

The moment the words fell.

Xianyu Tu's body tilted slightly before vanishing from where he stood, like a dark and sinister shadow darting toward Zhao Zhi. His withered fingers curled into eagle claws, claw wind tearing through the air as they seized at Zhao Zhi's head with extreme speed.

Though it was clearly only one hand, Zhao Zhi perceived five or six afterimages, sealing off his retreat.

Zhao Zhi remained calm, watching Xianyu Tu's movements intently, hoping to find a flaw within them.

Couldn't find one?

Then he would stop looking.

A gleam suddenly flashed through Zhao Zhi's eyes. The two strands of internal energy within him, entwined yet incompatible, rapidly circulated and transformed into surging power that flooded his limbs and bones.

The perfected Innate martial art, Diamond Force, began to operate. Enhanced by his internal energy, a faint golden radiance flickered indistinctly across Zhao Zhi's body, profound and ever-changing.

He suddenly clenched his five fingers, met Xianyu Tu head-on with ferocious force, and drove out a heavy punch.

Bang.

Crack.

Xianyu Tu was blasted backward again and again by the punch. The fingers shaped like eagle claws broke beneath that crushing power. At the same time, he felt two different strands of internal energy invade his body, making his blood and qi churn uncontrollably.