Most from a Single Target

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Lu Guangyi instinctively took another step back, his face shrouded in gloom.

Just now.

He had not made a move.

After personally witnessing Zhao Zhi kill Luo Yun, the Flying Cloud Stronghold's second-in-command, before everyone's eyes, Lu Guangyi understood one thing: even if all six joined forces, they might not be Zhao Zhi's match.

Even with two Greater Xiantian experts and ten at Innate Perfection, they could not subdue Zhao Zhi.

He chose to continue watching.

The situation unfolded just as he had expected—they were no match for Zhao Zhi. Yet it also seemed to exceed his expectations. The strength Zhao Zhi displayed was utterly crushing, crushing everyone.

"Zhao Zhi." Lu Guangyi's gaze gradually darkened. "I truly underestimated you. I never expected Qingfeng County to produce an Innate Warrior like you. So young, yet already at such an Innate Realm—throughout Baishui Commandery, such a person is exceedingly rare. What secret do you carry?" After pausing for a breath, Lu Guangyi smiled faintly. "But whatever that secret is, I will know soon enough."

Hearing Lu Guangyi's words, Zhao Zhi frowned and glanced back at the incense offerings within the Mysterious Maiden Temple. "You poisoned them?"

Lu Guangyi stopped retreating and looked Zhao Zhi directly in the eye. "After all, Flying Cloud Stronghold's careful arrangements suddenly went awry. You cannot be treated as an ordinary Innate Perfection martial artist. It is always best to prepare for the worst."

He sized Zhao Zhi up again. "But there is one thing that puzzles me. Soul-Tethering Silk can disperse a martial artist's inner qi, and the stronger the inner qi, the faster it disperses. With your strength, you should have been poisoned long ago. Yet you have held on for so long. Not easy."

Disperse a martial artist's inner qi?

No wonder Luo Dashan had shown no reaction at all.

Acquired Strength Training, Innate Qi Refinement.

Only after stepping into the Innate Realm would inner qi emerge.

Inner qi varied in strength. The deeper one's martial cultivation, the more dense and powerful one's inner qi became.

The True Martial Mountain-Suppressing Technique Zhao Zhi cultivated could produce powerful, vast, and boundless inner qi. Its inner qi also possessed special effects: Balance Guarding, Abyss Concealment, and Mountain Suppression.

Even the Soul-Tethering Silk poison gas Lu Guangyi had deployed was swiftly suppressed by the inner qi of the True Martial Mountain-Suppressing Technique.

In other words, most poisons had no effect on Zhao Zhi.

The reason he could sense the poison was because he had noticed an unusual force invading his body.

But not long after that force entered his body, it was swiftly suppressed, so he paid it no further attention.

"Zhao Zhi, your talent and foundation are both exceptional. If I can refine you into a Human Elixir, I will surely be able to enter the Meridian Opening Realm with ease. In the future, reaching even higher realms may also be possible." Lu Guangyi was quite satisfied with Zhao Zhi as medicinal material.

"Human Elixir." Zhao Zhi asked, "So the Human Elixirs refined by Iron Horse Manor and Flying Cloud Stronghold all came from you. Or is there someone else behind you, someone who can assist you in refining Human Elixirs?"

Lu Guangyi smiled. "Once you are refined into a Human Elixir, you will know."

"Is that so?"

Zhao Zhi lowered his head slightly. A glint flashed through his eyes as he subtly raised one foot.

Moon-Treading Step at the perfected level.

His figure vanished from where he stood. When he reappeared, he was already before Lu Guangyi. His right hand shot out like lightning, his five fingers hooking around Lu Guangyi's neck. His distinct knuckles sank into the fat of Lu Guangyi's throat as he slowly lifted him.

"How is that possible?!"

Lu Guangyi's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

That was Soul-Tethering Silk, a poison refined by his second senior brother. Even those in the Meridian Opening Realm could be affected by it to some extent.

When he had left Black Qi Mountain years ago, he had specifically bought some from his second senior brother.

Lu Guangyi had once used Soul-Tethering Silk's poison to affect Su Changlin, Tao Jiuyi, and Lei Juechen, letting them learn of his silent, unseen poisoning methods. Only then had he been able to seize control of all Qingfeng County not long after becoming county magistrate.

Yet Soul-Tethering Silk had no effect on Zhao Zhi.

"Perhaps it had expired." Zhao Zhi smiled faintly, then asked, "Who refined the Human Elixirs?"

Lu Guangyi said, "You will never learn anything about Human Elixirs from my mouth, even if—"

Crack.

Lu Guangyi's voice came to an abrupt halt as Zhao Zhi snapped his neck.

If he would not cooperate, then he would die.

Zhao Zhi was not particularly skilled at interrogating criminals. At most, he knew how to break limbs and crush bones.

Killing them outright was much more convenient.

As for whoever stood behind Lu Guangyi, Flying Cloud Stronghold, and Iron Horse Manor refining Human Elixirs, they would show themselves eventually.

[You killed a dog official who oppressed the people and committed every evil under heaven. Merit +355.]

Lu Guangyi was the single target from whom Zhao Zhi had gained the most Merit so far.

He was Qingfeng County's magistrate and had also participated in refining Human Elixirs. It was only natural that he provided so much Merit.

Zhao Zhi examined Lu Guangyi's corpse and only then noticed that Lu Guangyi seemed to have been trying to feel around for something on his person.

After thinking for a moment,

he reached out and searched him, finding a medicine bottle and a piece of beast hide that glimmered faintly with blue-green light.

The beast hide was covered in writing. The handwriting was sloppy, twisting like spring earthworms and autumn snakes.

It appeared to be a martial art.

Zhao Zhi put the two items away, then casually tossed Lu Guangyi's corpse aside. His gaze swept over the severely wounded Su Changlin, Lei Juechen, Su Qingyou, and Tao Ran. Forming sword fingers, he pointed with the Little Netherworld Sword. Sharp, shadowy Sword Qi shot forth through the air, piercing their glabellas and thoroughly finishing them, earning him nearly a thousand points of Merit.

Tao Jiuyi of the Tao Family, who had fainted, also completely lost his breath due to the severity of his injuries.

The seven Innate Warriors who had come to kill Zhao Zhi all died by his hand, all becoming his Merit.

Needless to say, that too was a form of Merit for Zhao Zhi.

Everyone was dead.

Luo Dashan emerged from the main hall of the Mysterious Maiden Temple, his gaze falling upon Lu Guangyi, Su Changlin, and the others. The light in his pupils trembled violently.

These people.

Every one of them was a major figure in Qingfeng County, capable of influencing the entire county.

Yet now,

they were all dead.

Once word of this spread, all of Qingfeng County would surely be shaken. Even Baishui Commandery might take notice of Qingfeng County's situation.

And the killer was the blue-clad constable standing before him.

They had wanted to kill Zhao Zhi. They all deserved to die.

Luo Dashan took a deep breath, calming his surging emotions. His voice carried a trace of worry. "Zhao Zhi, Magistrate Lu said just now that you were poisoned."

"I'm fine."

Zhao Zhi spoke indifferently and turned to look at the statue of the Mysterious Maiden in the main hall.

"We still need to worship the Mysterious Maiden tomorrow. Go back early and have someone deal with these corpses."

Worship the Mysterious Maiden?

Luo Dashan looked once more at the corpses of Lu Guangyi and the others. Qingfeng County's important figures were all gone. Who would preside over tomorrow's worship ceremony?

Forget it.

There would always be a way.

Luo Dashan could only smash the pot and let the pieces fall where they may, following Zhao Zhi outside.

Zhao Zhi had taken only a few steps when he stopped. Turning back, he looked once more at the statue of the Mysterious Maiden and narrowed his eyes slightly. Then his gaze slowly swept across the entire Mysterious Maiden Temple.

"Zhao Zhi, look?"

Luo Dashan cried out, pointing at Lu Guangyi's corpse.