Eight-Faced Buddha

The bronze doors of the Imperial Prison slammed shut behind Li Chen Zhou, who tossed Chen Chen and the madam into the damp, dark passage. Wall lamps cast mottled, bloody shadows on the guards' armor, and the scraping of torture instruments sounded like the whispers of demons.

"Within three days, I want to see them squeezed dry of every last lie," Li Chen Zhou said, his saber dragging sparks across the stone floor.

The executioner of the Imperial Prison grinned, a twisted expression. "No problem."

Then, several men emerged and dragged the two away into the depths of the prison.

Ding, congratulations to the host for completing the mission to capture the criminals and avenge the Qingkou courtesan. Reward: 2 years of internal energy cultivation.

Host: Li Chen Zhou

Martial Arts Realm: Sixth Rank Initial Stage (32/50)

Skills: Thirteen Guardian Golden Bell Shield (Mastery), Three Abyssal Slashes (Mastery), Thousand Faces (Mastery), Soaring Illusionary Steps (Mastery), Hell Soul Exchange Scripture (Mastery)

Internal Energy Cultivation: 32 years (calculated based on an ordinary person practicing basic techniques for one year)

Lifespan: 29 years

Weapon: Blood Demon Blade

As the system's golden light poured into his meridians, Li Chen Zhou closed his eyes, feeling the surging internal force.

Ding... triggered subsequent mission: Human Trafficking. Investigate the human trafficking industry chain and bring the criminals to justice. Reward: Ten years of internal energy.

"Now, we just wait for the madam and Chen Chen's confessions."

As for Zhao Yun Chuan, Li Chen Zhou had no intention of acting yet. He was still planning to squeeze Prince Rong for a sum of money.

"White Cat." He suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils reflecting the flickering ghost lights of the Imperial Prison. "Any trace of the Eight-Faced Buddha?"

"Yes, the intelligence department received information that the Eight-Faced Buddha is dining at the Emerald Cloud Tower." "Emerald Cloud Tower," White Cat's voice carried the howling of the north wind. "But that's a den of dissipation for important officials from the Six Ministries."

"Then let's go." Li Chen Zhou turned and headed towards the Emerald Cloud Tower.

The streets were bustling with people as he walked towards the entrance of the Emerald Cloud Tower.

Li Chen Zhou's cloak stirred the copper bells hanging from the eaves as he passed along Vermilion Bird Avenue. Beneath the Emerald Cloud Tower's gold-lacquered sign, the welcoming waiter's smile froze when he saw the flying fish uniform.

Seeing the four men dressed as Brocade Guards, the manager signaled the waiter, who stepped forward to greet them. "Greetings, officers. What would you like to eat?"

"We're not here to eat, we're looking for someone." Hearing the words "looking for someone," the waiter's face showed distress.

"Officers, all the guests who come here are of reputable backgrounds. There's no one you're looking for." Li Chen Zhou's gaze, which had been wandering around, stopped on the waiter.

This waiter was very suspicious.

"Where is the Eight-Faced Buddha?" Li Chen Zhou asked, giving the waiter a dangerous smile.

"Officer, you jest..." Beads of sweat trickled down the waiter's neck as his fingers unconsciously rubbed the grease stains on the edge of his rag. "Our Emerald Cloud Tower does honest business. Not to mention the Eight-Faced Buddha, even the Four-Faced Bodhisattva wouldn't..."

Before he could finish, he was struck in the face with the flat of a blade, sending two blood-stained teeth flying out along with a miserable cry in the Capital City dialect.

"Not very honest, but that's fine. If he were too honest, it wouldn't be fun." Li Chen Zhou watched the waiter collapse into a pile of broken wood, the Blood Demon Blade spinning in a blur in his palm. "Keep an eye on him. We'll take him back with us later."

The commotion was so great that it startled all the guests in the Emerald Cloud Tower.

The timid and fearful quickly retreated, but there was no shortage of onlookers in the vicinity.

Seeing the waiter being beaten, the manager of the Emerald Cloud Tower waved his hand. Immediately, a dozen burly men ran out.

"Officer, if you come to my Emerald Cloud Tower to eat, we'll welcome you with open arms. But if you come to cause trouble, hmph, we at the Emerald Cloud Tower are not to be trifled with."

At the same time, in a private room upstairs.

"I'm going out to kill these dogs," the Eight-Faced Buddha said, wanting to confront Li Chen Zhou head-on, but someone grabbed him.

"This is the Capital City. If you dare to go out and kill someone, you definitely won't be able to escape."

"The Skinner killed a Centurion and got away. Do you think I'm worse than him?"

"You know the Skinner's identity better than I do. Do you know how much the higher-ups spent to protect him?"

Hearing this, the Eight-Faced Buddha calmed down a little.

"Go back, let my people handle it." Pushing the Eight-Faced Buddha back into the room, the man opened the window a crack and looked at the situation below.

At this moment, Li Chen Zhou, who was being blocked by the manager, curled the corners of his mouth as he stared at the manager. "It seems you know quite a bit."

The manager of the Emerald Cloud Tower was not intimidated, and instead began to speak for himself, "The Vice Minister of Rites, the Vice Minister of Works, and the Minister of Revenue are all friends of our boss. Even if you don't consider anything else, you should show some restraint for their sake, sir."

"Not bad, huh? People from the three most lucrative departments of the court are involved. Bookworm, did you write it all down? An unexpected gain." Li Chen Zhou stroked the bloodied blade in his hand.

"Yes. Every word." The bookworm adjusted the wolf-hair brush in his hand.

"You know a lot. You can stay here for a while." Li Chen Zhou flashed in front of the manager and punched him in the abdomen. The immense pain caused him to instantly bend over.

Then, Li Chen Zhou delivered a chop to the neck, causing the manager to fall to the ground unconscious.

As soon as the sixteen guards drew their weapons, they saw a web woven from crimson light.

Where the blade energy passed, the sixteen bodies froze in their stances, their foreheads shattering into hundreds of pieces of flesh like glass falling to the ground.

As the last head rolled onto the counter, the pool of blood had already overflowed the rose patterns on the Persian carpet.

This scene caused the people who had been eating to vomit.

The man upstairs who had been watching Li Chen Zhou's actions quickly turned his head and whispered to the Eight-Faced Buddha, "The person who came is no ordinary person. Run!"

The shouts from upstairs startled Li Chen Zhou, who had just committed murder.

Li Chen Zhou flipped onto the third floor like a hawk.

There was a soft sound from the window of the private room. Just as the pale-faced scholar poked his head out, Li Chen Zhou knocked him unconscious with a chop to the neck.

He saw the Eight-Faced Buddha's black cloak just about to disappear out the window.

Li Chen Zhou sneered, "Trying to run?"

A blade of energy slashed out, and the Eight-Faced Buddha quickly jumped down.

Just as he was about to continue the chase, he suddenly thought of something and turned back to the pale-faced scholar.

He shouted downstairs, "Take this one back too."

Then he turned and continued to pursue the Eight-Faced Buddha.

Li Chen Zhou leaped onto the roof.

He glanced at the Eight-Faced Buddha's direction. With his perfected Soaring Illusionary Steps, he left afterimages, making it seem as if he were riding the wind as he ran under the sunlight.

The Eight-Faced Buddha ran on the ground, while Li Chen Zhou flew across the rooftops.

He finally cornered the Eight-Faced Buddha in a deserted place.

"You dog of an official!" The Eight-Faced Buddha turned around in the narrow alley. His iron hook tore through the night mist. "Do you really think this Buddha is afraid of you?"

"Eight-Faced Buddha, you broke your vows, you defiled young girls, and then murdered their entire families. In Jinling City, you even boiled and ate thirty-seven infants. The number of others who died at your hands is no less than a hundred. If I let you escape today, I would be failing those who died so tragically." As he spoke, Li Chen Zhou's killing intent could no longer be contained.