Fourth Rank!

Martial Victory City.

This was a city newly built in recent years. Nestled against mountains and beside water, it was not large. It was not far from Everlasting Prosperity County Town. Unlike the latter, Martial Victory City held no ordinary civilians, but it was the very core of Wusheng Sect.

There were three city gates in the south, making travel to and from Black Prison convenient. Nearby stood weapon workshops dedicated to forging bows, arrows, sabers, armor, and the like.

To the north were barracks, divided into three camps: the Martial Victory Army, the Black Armor Army, and the Heavenwave Army. This side faced Liding County to the north, allowing for the swift deployment of troops and defense against the Li River Gang.

The western side enclosed two small hills, where many trees, flowers, and grasses grew. Medicinal gardens had also been opened to cultivate herbs. After several years, they had grown to a considerable scale.

Finally, the east side of the city.

This was where Wusheng Sect conducted its official business and held discussions.

The residences of the sect master, deputy sect master, elders, and protectors were mostly located here as well. It was safer, for one thing, and also served as a means of control.

That day.

The sunlight was scorching, and the sun blazed fiercely.

Thud, thud, thud!

Zhao Bo, the southern gate commander, rushed over in a panic. Sweat rolled down his face and body. Not daring to delay for even a moment, he headed straight for Heavenwave Hall.

Inside the hall, Wusheng Sect Master Wu Guangquan was speaking with Third Elder Cao Zheng.

Zhao Bo entered and urgently reported, "Reporting to Sect Master, Elder Cao: among this batch of Black Prison mine slaves being transferred out, someone killed eight Black Armor Army soldiers. Two mine slaves escaped, and their whereabouts are unknown!"

Wu Guangquan and Cao Zheng had been discussing matters. Upon hearing Zhao Bo's report, both turned to look at him in unison.

The Black Armor Army.

They were Wusheng Sect's elite, the finest selected from the many soldiers of the Martial Victory Army. Only soldiers who had cultivated the Martial Victory Saber to the second level could be chosen.

In all of Wusheng Sect, there were only three hundred Black Armor Army soldiers.

The deaths of seven or eight men were nothing much, but if they had been killed by mine slaves too weak to truss a chicken, that would be a bizarre tale indeed.

"Are you sure the Black Armor Army was killed by mine slaves?"

Cao Zheng looked at Zhao Bo and asked.

"It should be correct."

Zhao Bo thought it over, but did not dare be certain. He hurriedly gave the two men a detailed account of everything that had happened outside the southern gate.

"Then it seems."

"The ones who killed the eight Black Armor Army soldiers were most likely the two mine slaves who got away."

Cao Zheng seemed to be muttering to himself. A thoughtful look appeared on his face, marked by an ugly birthmark that divided it like yin and yang.

"I have already sent people to hunt them down everywhere!"

Zhao Bo knew that he had been careless. Eight Black Armor Army soldiers had been killed right under his nose, and the culprits had actually escaped. If the sect master held him accountable, he feared he would lose his cushy position as southern gate commander.

"Judging by the condition of the eight Black Armor Army corpses, the person who acted was no weaker than Fourth Rank. His close-combat ability was formidable, and he possessed extremely rich battle experience. Once he made his move, he was like thunder rolling across the sky, subduing all eight Black Armor Army soldiers in an instant. Every strike was lethal. The other person should have been a Fourth Rank Altered Human skilled in Fire Control."

Before coming here, Zhao Bo had examined the corpses of Wei Guan and the others and roughly investigated the scene.

It had chilled him to the bone.

He had cultivated the Martial Victory Saber to the fourth level, condensing his inner breath into inner force. It could protect his body and strike enemies, greatly increasing both his speed and strength. He could be considered Fourth Rank.

Yet he knew full well that he could not have done it so cleanly and decisively.

From this alone, the person who had acted was definitely no weaker than him.

Perhaps even stronger.

"A Fourth Rank expert."

"Sending ordinary soldiers would only be sending them to their deaths."

Wu Guangquan shook his head. "Find out the physical descriptions of the two mine slaves. Order the Martial Victory Army to assist, and send the Heavenwave Army after them. Also, dispatch people to Black Prison to investigate their backgrounds."

Within Wusheng Sect.

Anyone who enlisted became part of the Martial Victory Army. The best among them were selected for the Black Armor Army. From the Black Armor Army, the best were selected again: those with strong leadership ability became commanders, while those with formidable combat strength entered the Heavenwave Army. Heavenwave Army soldiers received excellent treatment and were powerful as well. Pull out any one of them at random, and his combat strength would surpass that of ordinary Third Rank experts like Wei Guan.

They were Wusheng Sect's true spearhead.

"Yes!"

Seeing that the sect master had not blamed him, Zhao Bo rejoiced inwardly and hurriedly withdrew.

Inside the hall.

A ghostly gleam flickered in the eyes of Ghostface Cao Zheng. Frowning, he said, "Black Prison never sees the light of day, and mine supervisors and mine offices keep strict watch. Setting aside how mere mine slaves could produce two Fourth Rank experts—or even stronger ones—where did the one who attacked gain such combat experience?"

"This is not normal."

Cao Zheng frowned.

As an elder of Wusheng Sect, Cao Zheng knew very well what kind of environment Black Prison was.

For mine slaves inside it, merely surviving was already decent enough.

To cultivate a body full of skills?

A fool's dream!

"These two mine slaves both came out of Spirit Mountain. Perhaps they were lucky enough to awaken and obtain Altered Abilities. Didn't one of them use the Flame Control Technique?"

Wu Guangquan also felt that something was amiss and guessed as much.

"But—"

"Among Spirit Mountain's five hundred mine slaves, not one has successfully awakened an Altered Ability so far. Besides, even if they awaken, their Altered Abilities are mostly First Rank. Even Second Rank is rarely seen, let alone Third Rank or above Fourth Rank."

Cao Zheng shook his head.

He himself was an Altered Human and possessed an Altered Ability.

Within Wusheng Sect, he also specialized in researching Altered Abilities. It could be said that throughout the sect, no one understood Altered Abilities and Altered Humans better than he did.

When Altered Humans awakened in this world, they usually began at First Rank. Their level of mutation was relatively low, making it easier to endure. But if someone reached Second Rank upon first awakening, their mutation would be much more severe; out of ten, at least nine would die.

As for Third Rank and Fourth Rank—

Those mine slaves in Black Prison's Spirit Mountain suffered extremely severe mutations. If they could endure them, perhaps they might reach Third Rank or Fourth Rank.

"But how could that be possible?!"

Cao Zheng's Altered Human Bureau currently held quite a few Black Prison mine slaves. One after another, they died from mutation, with no sign whatsoever of success.

"Elder Cao, there is no need to rush to a conclusion."

"The most urgent task is to capture those two mine slaves. Once we find the real people involved, everything will become clear."

Wu Guangquan's voice was loud and deeply compelling. "If we can obtain from these two a method for awakening Altered Abilities beyond the ranks—"

The world was in chaos.

Whoever possessed greater strength could set the cauldron and claim the realm, ascend to the Cauldron-Claiming Realm and grasp heaven and earth.

Wu Guangquan had led Wusheng Sect from tiny Lipu County to three counties of territory in just a few years.

He had established the Martial Victory Army, the Black Armor Army, and the Heavenwave Army from scratch, dividing them into ranks and grades, motivating soldiers while making rewards and punishments clear. This showed just how vast his ambitions were.

Originally, they had controlled three counties.

Adding Liding County, which they had only taken a few days ago, they now held four counties.

As their territory expanded.

So too did their ambition.

Wu Guangquan keenly sensed that once they unraveled the unfathomable mystery of Altered Abilities and could manufacture Altered Humans in batches, contending for dominance under heaven might not be impossible.

"I understand."

"I will immediately transfer Heaven-Deaf and Earth-Mute from the Altered Human Bureau to assist the Heavenwave Army in capturing them." Cao Zheng was somewhat shaken as well. A thought stirred in his heart, and he agreed aloud.

Within the Altered Human Bureau.

All the unruly Altered Humans under Wusheng Sect's jurisdiction were detained there, guarded by dedicated personnel. In idle times, they were used for Cao Zheng's research into Altered Abilities; whenever difficult matters arose, they would be deployed so each could make use of his abilities.

They were no different from slaves.

"Good."

"I'll also have someone call Elder Lü back. His Spirit Nose technique is no worse than Heaven-Deaf and Earth-Mute when it comes to tracking and capturing people."

Wu Guangquan rose to his feet as well.

Liding County had only just fallen.

This time, they might receive double blessings!

Of course.

That was on the condition that they could capture those two mine slaves.

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There will be another chapter at eight tonight.

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