With one slash, heads rolled!
With the thousand-pound strength brought by the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, coupled with the Ghost-head Saber Technique.
There was no way Wei Feng could withstand this strike.
Blood gushed from the bowl-sized severed wound, making Qin Zheng frown slightly.
He released his grip, let go of Wei Feng's corpse, and tossed it to the ground.
Then he turned and looked around, discovering that there was no movement at all. Everything remained as quiet as though no one were there.
It seemed there would be no Golden Cicada Gang ambush after all.
Qin Zheng's heart settled. He withdrew his gaze, bent down, and reached out to search Wei Feng's body.
Three hundred-tael banknotes, a pouch of loose silver, and a booklet kept close against his body.
Qin Zheng's eyes lit up. He quickly pulled out the booklet and found that it was the martial art Wei Feng cultivated: the Black Fiend Palm.
Delighted, Qin Zheng immediately tucked the booklet into his robes.
Next, Qin Zheng put the three hundred-tael banknotes and the pouch of loose silver into his robes as well.
He tore a piece of rag from Wei Feng's body, then stepped forward and wrapped up his head.
Killing someone within the city should, by rights, have led to an investigation and wanted notice from the yamen.
But Wei Feng was a remnant of the Golden Cicada Gang, a criminal already wanted by the authorities.
Not only did Qin Zheng not need to worry about becoming wanted, he could even take Wei Feng's head to the yamen and claim a reward.
All he could say was that Wei Feng truly was a wealth-scattering boy.
Not only had he brought silver to the destitute Qin Zheng, he had also delivered a martial arts manual.
Even this head could bring Qin Zheng another sum of money.
Qin Zheng smiled, then stood up. He went home to fetch a rag, wiped down the Ghost-head Saber, wrapped it in coarse cloth, and slung it across his back.
He looked around the crude earthen hut, which now had a huge hole smashed through it.
After something like this, it was impossible to keep living here.
Now that he had refined the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill and possessed immense thousand-pound strength, he no longer feared the threat Shi Dian posed.
He no longer needed to rely on these narrow, winding alleys to increase his chances of escape.
On top of that, he had obtained quite a bit of silver from Wei Feng. Now he could move somewhere else and improve his life!
Thinking of this, Qin Zheng smiled faintly, inwardly lamenting how swiftly things could change.
Just this morning, before leaving home, he had still been treading on eggshells, afraid that the Golden Cicada Gang might make a move.
But now, with thousand-pound strength, he no longer feared them and could openly, calmly change his residence.
All he could say was that martial arts truly could easily change a person's fate.
Of course, only someone like him, who could ignore the difficulty of cultivating martial arts and directly force his way through with merit, could change so quickly.
Even those blessed by heaven with extraordinary talent likely could not be like him.
As long as he had enough merit, any martial art could be learned in a single thought and perfected in another!
With that thought, Qin Zheng gave a carefree smile, then strode out of the house and left the slums.
Although the commotion from the fight had been intense, those living here were all poor folk. At this hour, most of them were out working.
Thus, silence still reigned. No one poked their head out to investigate what had caused such a tremendous disturbance.
Qin Zheng's expression was calm. A broad Ghost-head Saber wrapped in coarse cloth rested on his back, while he carried a blood-dripping cloth bundle in his hand.
A powerful, intimidating aura radiated from his body, making everyone along the way avoid him and not dare approach.
In this manner, he walked from the eastern part of the city all the way to the northern part, where the yamen was located.
There were far fewer people here than in the western part of the city.
Especially near the yamen, there were scarcely any people to be seen.
When the two yamen runners saw Qin Zheng, their expressions tightened. They immediately drew the sabers at their waists and shouted sternly, "Halt!"
"The head of a Golden Cicada Gang remnant. I've come to claim the reward!"
Qin Zheng did not waste words. He threw the bundle in his hand before the two yamen runners.
The blood-dripping bundle hit the ground, revealing Wei Feng's head, still filled with despair. The two yamen runners jumped in fright.
But as officials of the yamen, and in Black Goose City no less, they had seen no shortage of such scenes.
The two stepped forward to verify it first, then wrapped Wei Feng's head up again. One of them said to Qin Zheng, "Hero, please wait a moment!"
With that, one person carried the bundle and ran back into the yamen, while the other remained on guard.
Qin Zheng did not speak with him. He lowered his head slightly and sensed the current state of his body.
The changes brought by refining the relic and learning the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill were still continuing even now!
He could feel streams of warmth emerging from within his body, flowing through his limbs and bones before finally merging into the outermost layer of his skin!
This made Qin Zheng's skin grow ever tougher.
"Skin-Refining Realm."
Qin Zheng murmured softly.
This situation should mean that he was still in the Skin-Refining Realm.
But his strength had certainly already broken past its limits and no longer fell within the scope of the Skin-Refining Realm.
Qin Zheng sighed quietly to himself.
That was because the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill he had obtained was incomplete, lacking its full essence.
Under the Merit Scroll's forceful refinement and enhancement, it had increased his strength, yet could not improve his physique in tandem!
What a pity.
Otherwise, with his current strength, even if Shi Dian stood before him, he would dare draw his saber against him!
Before long, the yamen runner who had gone in to report came running back out.
This time, the bundle containing Wei Feng's head was gone. In its place was a money pouch.
"Young hero, the yamen has confirmed it. It is indeed Wei Feng's head."
The yamen runner came before Qin Zheng and spoke with a smile.
Wei Feng of the Black Fiend Palm was by no means an insignificant figure throughout Black Goose City and the surrounding region.
This young man before him looked rather young, yet he had been able to kill Wei Feng alone. He was surely a martial artist of no small skill.
Seeing his plain and simple clothing, he was likely the disciple of some reclusive master. Naturally, they did not dare put on airs before him.
"This is your reward: thirty taels of silver. Please accept it."
The yamen runner respectfully held the money pouch out to Qin Zheng.
The corners of Qin Zheng's lips rose slightly as he reached out and took the pouch.
All told, Wei Feng had provided him with three hundred and fifty taels of silver.
Aside from the thirty taels before him, there were another three hundred and twenty taels he had found on Wei Feng's body.
Killing and arson really did bring golden belts!
After taking the money, Qin Zheng turned to leave.
He still needed to find somewhere new to settle down.
But at that moment, the yamen runner behind him called out again and asked, "Young hero, may I ask where you killed Wei Feng?"
Qin Zheng did not hide it and answered frankly, "In the east of the city."
With that, he strode away.
The yamen always gave him a gloomy, sinister feeling. Even standing at its entrance made him uncomfortable.
No wonder there were so few people here.
Thinking this, Qin Zheng made his way to the southern part of the city.
It was not as prosperous as the western part of the city, nor was it as crude as the eastern part. It was a middling area.
Moreover, it was closer to the execution grounds and military camp, making it convenient for Qin Zheng to travel back and forth.
So after looking around a little, he spent thirty taels to buy a small courtyard with a front and back section, giving Qin Zheng a place to settle down.
Its conditions were incomparably better than that earthen hut in the east of the city.
After tidying up a little, Qin Zheng prepared to go out and get something to eat.
Knock, knock!
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
Qin Zheng was somewhat puzzled. He had only just bought this courtyard and moved in. Who would come calling?
Could it be a friend of the former owner?
His body tensed slightly. He walked to the door and asked, "Who is it?"
Outside, a familiar voice rang out. "It's me, Wang Er."
Qin Zheng immediately opened the door and saw Wang Er, his dark face full of complicated emotions.
"Brother Wang, how did you know I moved here?"
Qin Zheng was somewhat surprised.
"Captain Ji wants to see you."
Wang Er looked at Qin Zheng with a complicated expression and spoke.
Before you continue