Meridian Opening Pill

"Yan Qing of the Profound Nether Platform's Profound Nether Guard thanks Brother Zhao for stepping in."

Yan Qing clasped her hands, light flowing through her beautiful eyes as she carefully sized Zhao Zhi up.

A blue-clad constable?

According to the official hierarchy of the Great Yin Dynasty, blue-clad constables were unranked, lowly constables of the base registry. Only after donning the dark green constable uniform and becoming a green-clad constable could one be considered officially ranked, holding the office of Subordinate Ninth Rank.

Under normal circumstances, a blue-clad constable had to reach the level of an Innate Warrior before becoming a Subordinate Ninth Rank green-clad constable.

Xiantian?

Yan Qing's gaze swept once more over Xianyu Tu's corpse from the corner of her eye.

Xianyu Tu had been an Innate Perfection martial artist and wielded the Little Netherworld Sword. Among Innate Warriors, he had belonged to the very best.

The fact that Zhao Zhi could kill Xianyu Tu left no doubt as to his strength.

He could easily become a Subordinate Ninth Rank green-clad constable, or even a Principal Ninth Rank black-clad constable.

Within the Great Yin Dynasty, the highest rank a constable could attain was Principal Seventh Rank, wearing a black constable uniform embroidered with golden threads.

In the vast Great Yin Dynasty, those who could truly obtain Principal Seventh Rank were few enough to count on one's fingers.

Because—

Constables had another path to take.

The Profound Nether Platform!

A Principal Seventh Rank constable was at minimum a martial artist who had entered the Meridian Opening Realm, perhaps even the Astral Condensation Realm.

Martial artists of such strength could fully choose to join the Profound Nether Platform and become Profound Nether Guards.

The future promotions and cultivation resources available to Profound Nether Guards far surpassed those of ordinary constables. The current master of the Profound Nether Platform held the rank of Second Rank, with an exceedingly lofty status in the Great Yin Dynasty.

Perhaps...

"It was my duty."

Zhao Zhi answered blandly, quite curious about Yan Qing's group.

He had heard of the Profound Nether Platform, but only knew its name from his predecessor's father.

His predecessor had been a blue-clad constable, and his father had only been a blue-clad constable before his death. His knowledge was limited, as was his authority. Knowing that the Profound Nether Platform existed was already not bad. Learning more about it was rather difficult.

Thus, from the scant memories available to him, Zhao Zhi only understood that the Profound Nether Platform shared the same roots as county yamen constables, yet stood above them.

It was somewhat like the Six Doors and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

With Zhao Zhi's current strength, he should have been able to sweep through Qingfeng County. Even against a Meridian Opening Realm martial artist, he might not necessarily be afraid. If he wished to learn of the higher peaks of martial arts, he needed to make careful plans.

The Profound Nether Platform was a fine choice.

He could use Yan Qing before him.

No rush. No rush.

As his thoughts turned, Zhao Zhi's gaze fell upon Xianyu Tu's corpse. He spoke again, "Lady Yan, I presume you came for this man. Then I shall leave him to you. I was seriously injured in that battle just now, so I shall take my leave and return to treat my wounds."

Was he yielding the credit?

Yan Qing's thoughts stirred, and she quickly understood Zhao Zhi's intention. After a brief ponder, she took a medicine bottle stained with a trace of blood from her robes. "This is a Lesser Restoration Elixir for treating injuries. It can help you recover quickly. As for the situation here, our Profound Nether Platform will take it over."

Zhao Zhi glanced at the Lesser Restoration Elixir, smiled, and accepted it. "Thank you, my lady."

Putting away the Lesser Restoration Elixir, Zhao Zhi strode toward the outside of the stronghold.

Yan Qing watched his retreating back, her lips moving as though she wished to speak but stopped herself.

She had originally wanted to recruit Zhao Zhi into the Profound Nether Platform, but she could not guarantee that he would be willing to join. She could only consider it slowly later.

The status and cultivation resources granted by the Profound Nether Platform were far better than those of ordinary constables, but the danger of its missions also far exceeded theirs. Its casualty rate was not low.

Yan Qing's thoughts made a turn. Her gaze passed over the injured Fan Zhenqi before settling on another Profound Nether Guard. "He Peng, take Xianyu Tu's corpse back. Also, arrange for several people to search Flying Cloud Stronghold and see whether Xianyu Tu hid anything there. In addition, coordinate with the people of Qingfeng County and imprison every bandit from Flying Cloud Stronghold."

"Yes, my lady."

He Peng clasped his hands and accepted the order.

Qingfeng County yamen.

Study.

Lu Guangyi stood with his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth. The flesh on his plump face trembled, while a glint gathered in his small eyes, brewing with gloom.

Somewhere in the unseen.

He sensed faint threads of something unusual.

The campaign against Flying Cloud Stronghold would likely undergo a major change.

This campaign against Flying Cloud Stronghold had originally been a scheme jointly devised by him and Flying Cloud Stronghold. Beyond dividing the wealth with Flying Cloud Stronghold as before and supplying the main ingredients for refining Human Elixirs, it was meant to kill Zhao Zhi, the constable who had slain his brother-in-law.

Of course.

He had mentioned to Constable Chief Cao Yun that after killing Zhao Zhi, they could turn on Flying Cloud Stronghold and kill its leaders as well. At that time, the Xiantian experts of the Su Family and Tao Family would also strike together, thoroughly annihilating Flying Cloud Stronghold.

Destroying Flying Cloud Stronghold would be a great merit.

And Zhao Zhi could be killed as well.

Why not have the best of both worlds?

Moreover, in Lu Guangyi's plans, his side had dispatched eight Xiantian martial artists, including Cao Yun, a Greater Xiantian expert. They had also feigned cooperation with Flying Cloud Stronghold. There should have been no unexpected variable.

Yet the faint unease in his heart at this moment made him feel, somewhere in the unseen, that something had gone wrong at Flying Cloud Stronghold.

Why would something go wrong?

Could it be because of Zhao Zhi again?

Or had some other unexpected change occurred?

Lu Guangyi pondered carefully. Zhao Zhi's abrupt rise had, after all, caught even him off guard.

He had believed himself to have Qingfeng County completely under his control from top to bottom, only to suddenly discover a variable entirely beyond his grasp. How could he not care?

"Who is it?!"

Suddenly.

Lu Guangyi sharply turned toward the outside of the study, his expression cold and severe. A chilling killing intent surged within his mung-bean-sized eyes.

"Junior Brother's vigilance has not declined." Accompanied by a voice carrying a hint of amusement, a middle-aged man with a pale, beardless face and exceptionally high cheekbones pushed open the study door and entered.

Lu Guangyi froze when he saw the middle-aged man. "Senior Brother Xue."

Xue Lihuai smiled faintly. "I thought that after Junior Brother Lu became the magistrate of a county, you had completely forgotten us fellow disciples."

"Senior Brother Xue jests. I have never forgotten the days we practiced martial arts at Black Qi Mountain." A trace of vigilance arose within Lu Guangyi's heart, though his expression remained unchanged. "I simply wonder why Senior Brother Xue has come to see me. If there is anything I can do, I will do my utmost."

Xue Lihuai gave Lu Guangyi a deep look. "I am merely delivering a message for Master and bringing you something."

"Mm?"

Lu Guangyi's brow twitched slightly.

Xue Lihuai lowered his voice. "Master said that people from the Profound Nether Platform have been near Qingfeng County these past few days. It is unknown whether they will enter Qingfeng County, so Junior Brother Lu should make arrangements in time. Also, Master knows that you should be close to breaking through to the Meridian Opening Realm, so he specially had me deliver a Meridian Opening Pill."

Xue Lihuai handed a medicine bottle to Lu Guangyi.

Lu Guangyi looked at the medicine bottle in Xue Lihuai's hand. A glimmer flashed through the depths of his eyes as he put away the Meridian Opening Pill. "Many thanks to Master."

Xue Lihuai lightly patted Lu Guangyi's shoulder. "Junior Brother Lu, I have done what Master instructed, so I should return. If you have the time, go see Master. He misses you greatly."

Lu Guangyi nodded. "Should the opportunity arise, I will certainly go see Master."

"It is good that you know. I am leaving."

Xue Lihuai walked outside. The instant he stepped through the doorway, his figure abruptly vanished.

"Meridian Opening?!"

Lu Guangyi narrowed his eyes slightly and looked again at the Meridian Opening Pill in his hand, an unusual emotion surging within him.