Chapter 408: Ruthless to the Core

Bang!

Bang!

Elder Zheng gave a muffled grunt and slammed a palm into the doorframe, shattering it and sending a spray of splinters flying at Wangchuan.

At the same time, Wangchuan felt a savage force smash into the heart-guard mirror of his Thousand-Forged Battle Armor with a clang, the fierce Inner Force slamming squarely into 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》.

Fortunately, with the support of 《Xuanwu Art》, 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 was eighty percent stronger, offsetting sixty percent of the lethal impact. Even so, his health plummeted by one hundred and eighty points!

Wangchuan forced a breath through his chest and swept sideways, avoiding the fan-shaped barrage of splinters. Autumn Water Sword, wrapped in the rippling watery glow of 《Water-Moon Sword Art》, immediately cut back toward Elder Zheng.

Elder Zheng was not feeling well either.

Although his body-protection technique and inner cultivation method were not weak, he wore no armor at all. Wangchuan’s palm had landed squarely on his chest, and 《Poison Sand Palm》 had left a huge blood-red handprint across his chest.

The realm of 《Poison Sand Palm》 was not high, but its position penetrated the body, suppressing thirty percent of the enemy’s attack and forcing him to spend Inner Force to stop the poison from spreading.

Under those shifting conditions, the old man could not hold out for long.

After only one direct exchange, Elder Zheng knew he had run into a ruthless opponent!

Damn it!

He crashed through the door and stumbled into the courtyard, using shattered doorframes and window panels as weapons to block Wangchuan’s approach.

“Elder!”

“Elder!!”

“Quick, catch the assassin!”

The guards of the Zheng estate had all been alarmed. They rushed into the courtyard, and when they saw the black-clad intruder fighting the elder, someone immediately released the vicious dogs they had on hand.

Woof! Woof!!!

Awooo!

Wangchuan did not retreat. Instead, he pushed forward, and his sword-light flashed—

The two vicious dogs collapsed behind him, their waists cut neatly in half, with blood and entrails spilling across the ground.

The few guards who had First-Rank cultivation saw the enemy’s murderous momentum and instantly hesitated to step forward. Elder Zheng seized that opening, snatched their weapons, and shoved them straight into the exploding sword-light.

Wangchuan showed no mercy.

He moved with the sword.

The vicious dogs had been cut in half at the waist, and the guards were beheaded where they stood.

Wangchuan chased right behind Elder Zheng.

The old man’s speed had already been affected.

The poison of 《Poison Sand Palm》 continued to spread, the red mark already darkening toward black.

In his panic, Elder Zheng had no way to halt the spread of the poison. His footwork grew chaotic, his body unsteady. Even the motions of his saber no longer had the same force as before. Everything about him now radiated the desperate panic and disarray of a man at the end of his road.

His strength had long since fallen below the level of a true Fifth-Rank Martial Artist.

In fact, he was already weaker than Zhou Yunhai, who had only Fourth-Rank cultivation...

After being struck by 《Poison Sand Palm》, his strength was further restricted, and Wangchuan hounded him all the way through the courtyard.

Clang! Clang!

Clang! Clang!

《Water-Moon Sword Art》 shifted into 《Raging Tide Sword Art》. The swordsmanship became far fiercer, its destructive power rising sharply, while the stored Inner Force let it suppress Elder Zheng with ease.

By the sixth strike, the attack had already exceeded five hundred points!

Elder Zheng failed to keep up with the change in momentum. Wangchuan’s sword slashed open his arm, his saber fell to the ground, and then a second later, Wangchuan’s sword pierced through his throat.

Gurgle! Gurgle!

Blood bubbled from Elder Zheng’s mouth.

A Fifth-Rank Martial Artist, once mighty, died in heartbreaking disgrace beneath Wangchuan’s sword. At the moment of death, he wore nothing but a thin outer robe, his eyes full of pain and unwillingness.

The remaining five guards were scared out of their wits.

“Elder Zheng is dead!”

“Run!”

Wangchuan flicked his hand, firing off five Refined Iron Caltrops.

The five men grunted and all dropped where they stood.

Wangchuan immediately turned back into the room, picked up the box containing the wild mountain ginseng, then struck downward with his sword and ripped apart the bed. A small chest dropped out from inside.

Inside was a thick stack of Gold Notes, roughly sixty or seventy of them at a glance.

After taking what he wanted, Wangchuan finally pulled down the sheathed long saber hanging on the wall. Only then did he vault back out and disappear into the darkness.

By the time he returned to the Hall, dawn was just beginning to break.

Back in his room, Wangchuan took stock of what he had gained from this trip.

Seventy-two Gold Notes worth one hundred taels of gold each, for a total of seven thousand two hundred taels of gold;

one Lesser Rejuvenation Pill;

one wild mountain ginseng;

one treasured saber:

Army-Steadying Saber: Blue Quality (Durability 100/100)

Attack 55–60;

Toughness +1;

Heavy, durable, and the work of a renowned craftsman.

One Tang Sect hidden crossbow.

“As the saying goes, murder and arson bring a belt full of gold. Turns out that saying is true enough.”

Wangchuan smiled.

“The Army-Steadying Saber was Elder Zheng’s personal weapon. If I use it openly, there will definitely be trouble. Still, I could consider sending it to headquarters and presenting it to the Gang Leader in exchange for merit and reward.”

He quickly put everything away and locked it in the cabinet.

Since Elder Zheng’s intelligence had proven true, then the information Zhou Yunhai had provided regarding Qinghe Commandery should also be true.

He decisively went to find Zhou Yunhai and Guan Qifeng and said to the two men:

“Not bad.”

“The information you provided was useful.”

“I accept both of your pledges of allegiance.”

Guan Qifeng’s face was pale, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.

“Hall Master... you already found Elder Zheng?”

“I already killed him. And while I was at it, I also killed someone named Qiu Dahong...”

The moment those words came out, both men’s expressions changed violently.

“Qiu Dahong? He is a trusted confidant of the Beggar Sect’s Grand Elder, specifically responsible for delivering secret messages and intelligence southward. If you killed him, people will very quickly trace this matter back to us.”

“Hall Master, please save my family!”

The two men were terrified and hurriedly begged Wangchuan for help.

Wangchuan nodded.

“Tell me where your families live, and give me a token and a letter each. I’ll send men to bring them here.”

That answer let both men breathe easier.

Guan Qifeng had feared that once the birds were gone, the bow would be put away, and once the hares were dead, the hounds would be cooked.

Zhou Yunhai had feared Wangchuan would simply betray his promise.

Wangchuan’s answer finally lifted the massive weight from both their hearts.

The two men immediately gave their home addresses, each wrote a letter, and each handed over a personal token for Wangchuan to give to the messengers.

Wangchuan had Chen Ergou arrange for reliable, steady disciples to go retrieve their families.

Then he turned back to Zhou Yunhai and Guan Qifeng and asked:

“What do the two of you intend to do from here on?”

The two men exchanged a glance, both showing bitter expressions.

“Having betrayed the Beggar Sect, we can never go back. We can only conceal our identities and remain here under the Caobang, serving Hall Master.”

“So long as Hall Master does not find us useless, the two of us swear to follow you for the rest of our lives and never dare betray you.”

“We only ask that Hall Master treat our families well!”

The two of them knew perfectly well that once their families were brought over, they would remain under Wangchuan’s control. Other than staying and serving him, there was no other road left for them.

Leave?

Impossible!

Wangchuan had seized the vital weakness of two Fourth-Rank Martial Artists, so naturally he had no intention of letting go easily. He nodded and smiled.

“Good! You are both smart men! From now on, every so often, I will have your families brought here so that you can reunite with them and spend some time together... At other times, they will live comfortably, so you can follow me and work with peace of mind.”

At that point, he added:

“Of course!”

“You will not join the Caobang.”

“Your status will be my personal guards.”

Zhou Yunhai and Guan Qifeng exchanged a look, then cupped their fists respectfully and accepted the order.

“From now on, Hall Master is our master!”

“We pay our respects, Master!”