Merit Had Arrived Just Like That

Qi D aqu lowered his head and looked at Wu Jiu's unwilling, resentful face. Blood continuously streamed from his back, reflected in Qi D aqu's pupils.

His body could not help but tremble.

Wu Jiu, the fifth chief of Flying Cloud Stronghold.

He had been one of the finest among Houtian Warriors, an existence who had reached Houtian Grand Accomplishment, yet Zhao Zhi had killed him just like that.

When had Zhao Zhi gained such strength?

Qi D aqu raised his head and met Zhao Zhi's clear black-and-white eyes, an inexplicable chill running through his heart.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, stammering, "The county magistrate... the county magistrate ordered you to capture Wu Jiu, not kill him. Wu Jiu was, after all, the fifth chief of Flying Cloud Stronghold. Killing him will inevitably provoke Flying Cloud Stronghold's fury and bring great trouble upon Qingfeng County."

Zhao Zhi slowly pulled the constable's saber from Wu Jiu's body. Drops of blood fell from the blade's tip as he said indifferently, "Provoke Flying Cloud Stronghold's fury? Qingfeng County and Flying Cloud Stronghold were already locked in a fight to the death. Why fear provoking them?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Could it be that you were colluding with Flying Cloud Stronghold?"

Qi D aqu immediately shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about? How could I possibly be colluding with Flying Cloud Stronghold?"

"Good."

With a flick of his wrist, Zhao Zhi shook every drop of blood from the saber, restoring its bright, sharp gleam. He casually sheathed it, passed Qi D aqu, and walked ahead.

"I'm leaving. You can deal with Wu Jiu's corpse."

"You?!"

Qi D aqu opened his mouth, but did not continue.

He watched Zhao Zhi leave, then looked at Wu Jiu's corpse. A shadow of gloom surfaced in his eyes.

The trouble had grown serious.

Not only had he failed to deal with Zhao Zhi, he had even sacrificed the life of Flying Cloud Stronghold's fifth chief.

He would report this matter to the county magistrate first and let him decide.

The yamen's rear courtyard.

The bloated county magistrate, Lu Guangyi, stared at Wu Jiu's corpse in the courtyard. His gaze was dark and gloomy, the fat on his cheeks trembling.

He clenched his fist and slammed it heavily onto the stone table, roaring, "What happened? Why was Wu Jiu the one who died?"

Qi D aqu hurriedly answered, "My lord, I don't know either. By the time I got there, Wu Jiu had already been killed by Zhao Zhi."

"Zhao Zhi?" Lu Guangyi froze at the words, lifting his chin to look at Qi D aqu. "He was capable of killing Wu Jiu?"

Lu Guangyi only knew Zhao Zhi as a mere lowly constable. He had no idea how strong Zhao Zhi was.

But he knew Wu Jiu.

That was Flying Cloud Stronghold's fifth chief.

Flying Cloud Stronghold had been able to throw its weight around and run rampant near Qingfeng County for years because of the formidable strength of its six chiefs. The eldest chief in particular was an expert who had entered the realm of Innate Warriors.

Such strength was rare even throughout the Qingfeng County region.

Of course.

Flying Cloud Stronghold had remained safe and sound for so many years not merely because it had six martial chiefs, but because every successive county magistrate of Qingfeng County had maintained friendly ties with it.

As one of the chiefs, Wu Jiu was not someone an ordinary constable could kill.

Qi D aqu explained, "I cannot be certain. When I arrived, I saw Wu Jiu fleeing, and Zhao Zhi threw a saber that killed him. On the way back, I inspected Wu Jiu's corpse and found that the joints in one of his hands had been broken by overwhelming force. That was something only Postnatal Perfection could accomplish."

"Postnatal Perfection?"

Lu Guangyi's face darkened. Among the many constables in the county yamen, only two had reached Postnatal Perfection.

How could a mere Zhao Zhi possibly have done so?

"My lord." Qi D aqu watched Lu Guangyi's expression. "What should we do now?"

Lu Guangyi extended his plump, stubby fingers and lightly tapped the stone table. His mung-bean-sized eyes flickered. "Zhao Zhi killed my brother-in-law. He deserved to die."

The ninth concubine's looks and figure were beyond compare with those other women.

Especially her skills in bed, which had left Lu Guangyi lingering in endless delight, wishing he could stuff his entire body inside her.

That was why Lu Guangyi had indulged Li Qingchang so greatly.

Now that Li Qingchang was dead, even the ninth concubine's skills had worsened, and she had fewer tricks than before.

What was more.

Zhao Zhi had killed Li Qingchang. That was the same as slapping Lu Guangyi across the face.

Lu Guangyi's fingers stopped. He glanced sideways at Qi D aqu. "Ge Zhou will come into the city tonight, right?"

"Yes."

Qi D aqu nodded.

Ge Zhou, Flying Cloud Stronghold's fourth chief, was an extremely lecherous man. He kept several women in the city and came into town every few days.

"Then tell Ge Zhou to kill Zhao Zhi." Lu Guangyi gave the order, paused briefly, and muttered to himself, "Once Zhao Zhi is dead, I can collect money from the common folk in the name of a slain constable to suppress bandits. Killing two birds with one stone."

"Yes, subordinate will arrange it at once."

Qi D aqu nodded.

Inside the room.

Zhao Zhi looked at the Innate Unity Qi Technique in his hands, his brows tightly furrowed and his expression troubled.

He could confirm that this was a martial art of the Innate Warrior level, the best possible one for his current realm. With the Innate Unity Qi Technique, he could step into the world of Innate Warriors and become an expert in his own right.

But.

Its obscure portions were difficult to comprehend. Forcing himself to cultivate it would only damage the foundations of his martial path.

No wonder each realm of martial artists was a different heaven. Low-level martial artists were as numerous as goose feathers, while high-level martial artists were few and far between.

It seemed he could only rely on his heaven-shaking talent.

Zhao Zhi slightly raised his head. At a thought, a panel appeared before him.

[Martial Arts: Seizing Hand (Mastery), Grand Ancestor Saber Art (Mastery), Innate Unity Qi Technique (Uninitiated)]

[Merit: 61]

Sixty-one Merit was not bad.

Zhao Zhi ruthlessly poured Merit into the Innate Unity Qi Technique.

[50 Merit consumed. Innate Unity Qi Technique initiated.]

In an instant.

A vast number of cultivation memories concerning the Innate Unity Qi Technique flooded into Zhao Zhi's mind. Day and night without rest, through cold and heat without pause, he cultivated bitterly until he had finally brought this Innate martial art to the initiated level.

The instant he stepped into the initiated realm, a mysterious force surged from deep within his body, nourishing his five viscera and six bowels before spreading through his limbs and bones.

It gradually solidified and condensed, transforming into strands of strange, perceptible power.

Inner qi.

In martial cultivation, one trained strength in the Houtian realm and trained qi in the Xiantian realm. Once strength reached a certain level, one could cleanse the sinews and marrow, transforming strength into qi.

Yet the qi of Innate Warriors was merely inner qi, limited in quantity, quality, and power.

The true qi of martial artists at higher realms possessed greater quality and vast reserves, and even the power it unleashed was far beyond ordinary strength.

The Innate Unity Qi Technique was only an Innate martial art and could not cultivate true qi.

However, in Zhao Zhi's perception, the inner qi cultivated by the Innate Unity Qi Technique was by no means comparable to the inner qi of ordinary martial arts.

The Innate Unity Qi Technique was not simple.

He wondered how Wu Jiu, Flying Cloud Stronghold's fifth chief, had obtained this Innate martial art. Or perhaps Flying Cloud Stronghold possessed more such treasures.

Zhao Zhi looked at the panel once more.

[Merit: 11]

Innate martial arts consumed too much Merit. He could only initiate the Innate Unity Qi Technique and could not continue raising it.

He still needed to find a way to obtain Merit.

Suddenly.

Zhao Zhi lifted his eyes, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smile.

Merit had arrived just like that.