Chapter 926 - 420: Patrolling Zhen’e, Another Encounter with Li Hengfeng, The Courtesan’s Heart—Do You Want It?

Chapter 926: Chapter 420: Patrolling Zhen’e, Another Encounter with Li Hengfeng, The Courtesan’s Heart—Do You Want It?

Although the Evil Suppression Island falls under the jurisdiction of the Gold Appraisal Guard, only Central Lang General Xu has the authority to commandeer the ships here. Lang General Lei Chong cannot do so either.

There is also a ship that can accommodate over a hundred people, very grand, with flags flying high and embroidered with tiger and python patterns. This ship belongs to the Gold Appraisal Guard, and when the Guard enters or leaves the island, they take this ship.

Zhang Qiusheng, Hong Dexin, and Wang Jue, if they want to play tricks, it must be on this ship. Li Xian thought: "If I inspect this ship, the rear soldiers will surely inform the three, making them vigilant. As the saying goes, ’A bright sword is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against.’ As their moves are laid out in the open, I’ll let them focus on completing them thoroughly."

He twisted a strand of hair and quietly planted it nearby, then led the patrol soldiers away. To the northeast was an area of strange rocks, extremely difficult to walk on. A familiar soldier informed Li Xian that an escaped prisoner once reached this spot, with his foot chain stuck on the rocks.

Every few steps, there would be a stumble. Even with lightweight skills, the terrain here was unique, and the chain on the foot was heavy. After leaping, one wouldn’t fly far and would inevitably fall to the ground. Sometimes, the fall was so heavy that bones would break or tendons would be bruised, which was all too common.

By now, it was already the hour of Hai, and the sky had turned completely dark. Li Xian ordered the soldiers to light the torches. But the light was limited, and with the mist thickening, the surroundings remained pitch dark, making it impossible to see far.

Li Xian’s Pure Yang Body remained calm. Patrolling until the northwest, it was more than half done. There were many watchtowers here, yet it seemed like a wind tunnel, with cold wind constantly blowing in, making his hair flutter. Going further to the southwest, there was a twisted forest with many vines on the ground, covered with sharp barbs.

After such a patrol around the island, Li Xian roughly observed the terrain: swamps, strange rocks, fierce winds, and layers of vines were all obstacles. He couldn’t help thinking: "The name Evil Suppression Island is well-deserved. Given such terrain, even Second Realm Martial Artists would find it difficult to escape with all these constraints. Even reaching the island’s edge, they would be blocked by the lake water. If I hadn’t made this round, I wouldn’t know that prisoners are incarcerated in such a place."

The first day on duty had some obstacles, yet was mostly smooth. Although the mist on the island was thick, there were no sightings of ghosts or other strange phenomena. The rumors must not be true.

Northeast of the prison building, there was a small Marquis outpost. Li Xian, Zhang Qiusheng, Hong Dexin, and Wang Jue lived there. After each day’s duty, they needed to write duty reports, sent back through "Sharp-Billed Pigeon" to the outpost at the end of West Wind Street.

Li Xian wrote truthfully. Zhang Qiusheng, Hong Dexin, and Wang Jue exchanged subtle glances and wrote according to their plan.

Thus it went on, four days passed.

Evil Suppression Island kept them busy with daily duties and its harsh environment. Although Li Xian, Zhang Qiusheng, Hong Dexin, and Wang Jue were housed in one place, they had little interaction. Each morning, they washed and dressed, then busied themselves with patrolling prisons, lakes, islands, and watchtowers. In the evening, they returned to the Marquis outpost, removed armor and Horizontal Saber, and bathed in cold water.

The island was extremely dull, without festive singing and dancing. After finishing the duty reports and exchanging a few short words, they went to sleep early, prepared to repeat the previous day’s work. It was a daze, and quite numbing. Such an environment further diminished the intent for Martial Arts Training.

Zhang Qiusheng, Hong Dexin, and Wang Jue neglected martial arts and were far less diligent than they had been at the Marquis outpost, becoming more restless and leading them astray. The fruits of their hard work were discarded like old shoes. Li Xian, with a pure heart for martial arts and a strong will, every evening after the laborious duties, practiced martial arts and saber in the vacant lot, not wasting a single day.

He remained cautious, understanding the enemy’s conspiracy, but never grew complacent nor believed victory was assured, thus he cleverly concealed his strengths, only practicing "Dubhe Saber Technique," "Suffering Body Scripture," and "Stone-Pushing Palm Technique." Other martial arts were never displayed; thus, in future battles, he would hold a greater chance of victory.

The three martial arts steadily improved, with skill levels accumulating deeply.

［Dubhe Saber Technique］

［Skill Level: 1121/3000 Great Success］

［Suffering Body Scripture］

［Skill Level: 1213/3000 Great Success］

［Stone-Pushing Palm Technique］

［Skill Level: 1113/3000 Great Success］

Li Xian’s saber momentum was smooth and natural, adapting to circumstances, with endless variations — sometimes unfolding like layers of clouds, sometimes like a storm, sometimes nurturing silently, sometimes swift as a bounding rabbit. His daily martial practice led to exceptional saber skills, observed in secret by the three, who, though saying nothing, harbored constant jealousy: "If not for being highly compatible with these three martial arts, this guy couldn’t have become part of the Gold Appraisal Guard; his luck is just too good. But alas... even if you have extraordinary talent, escaping the island is impossible. Even if you master these three martial arts to perfection, there will be no chance to deploy them. Practice away, practice away!"

Once he was exhausted from practice, he returned to his room to channel Bone Dross and refine his will.

［Five Viscera Avoiding Dross and Gathering Yang Scripture: Strengthening Bones Chapter］

［Skill Level: 312/1600 Mastery］

［Only I have a Heart Skill］

［Skill Level: 1899/30000 Great Success］

...

Daily harvests, martial progress, military achievements accumulating, experience growing.

By the ninth day, Li Xian had already patrolled the lake and island three times each, watched the tower once, and inspected the prisons once. Having patrolled the lake and island many times before, he mainly focused on inspecting prisons and watchtowers in the future. He was aware that the three intentionally arranged this, to facilitate their tricks on the ship.

Li Xian understood completely and went on inspecting the prisons as usual.

The prison building had seventeen levels, with seven underground and ten above ground. He needed to start from the seventeenth floor and inspect downward from the top.

The corridors within the building were narrow, with oil lamps every few steps. The oil used in the lamps was rendered from wild animal fat, producing dim light and smoky odors with a pungent stench. Navigating this space felt oppressive. Each prison cell was narrow and very heavy.

Li Xian went directly to the top floor and inspected downward, floor by floor. As he passed, the prison officers nodded in acknowledgment. The prison cells within the building were numerous, and Li Xian only needed to sit at the entrance, while the constables knocked on each cell, questioning the name of the prisoner, confirming their identity.