Chapter 96 - 88: Constable, Save Me!

Chapter 96: Chapter 88: Constable, Save Me!

They never would have imagined that constables from the South City Bureau would intercept them in the middle of the night.

"So, it’s Sergeant Zheng."

A man stepped forward, cupped his fists at Zheng Wang, and said, "I am Xu Jie of the Xu Family. The carts are carrying a batch of medicinal herbs. The buyer is in a hurry, so we must deliver them overnight."

"Medicinal herbs? I don’t think so."

Zheng Wang sneered. "I am on patrol under orders. Are you going to open the boxes yourselves, or should I do it for you?"

"Sergeant Zheng, they’re truly just ordinary herbs. Could you do us a favor? The Xu Family will be sure to reward you handsomely."

Xu Jie said in a low voice.

He knew the nature of these constables all too well. ’Aren’t they just trying to extort some silver?’

"Reward me handsomely?"

Zheng Wang sneered. "Bribing an Official in public? That’s an even greater crime! Men, take them all down!"

At Zheng Wang’s command, the constables charged toward the two large carts.

How could Xu Jie and his men not understand now? Their opponents hadn’t appeared by chance; they had come specifically for them.

Realizing this, they didn’t just surrender without a fight.

These men were all skilled fighters from among the Xu Family’s Hospital Martial Artists, rich in combat experience. They wouldn’t fear even the most ruthless mountain bandits, let alone these constables they usually looked down on.

Seeing the constables charge, they drew their own sabers.

"Anyone who resists arrest will be killed without mercy!"

Zheng Wang shouted.

In an instant, the two groups were locked in a fierce battle.

The South City Bureau had sent all of its elites this time. Not only was Zheng Wang present, but several other squad leaders had come as well.

Although the Xu Family’s men were also skilled, they were outnumbered by the South City Bureau. Once the intense fighting began, they were quickly pushed back.

Before long, bodies began to fall one after another.

Xu Jie and the others who had reached the Second Stage of Body Tempering struggled to hold off Zheng Wang and the other squad leaders. Seeing his men fall one by one, Xu Jie grew desperate.

"Get the crossbows and fight back!"

Xu Jie roared.

As he spoke, the surviving members of the Xu Family rushed to the two large carts, opened the boxes, and armed themselves with heavy crossbows.

"Demon-Breaking Crossbows!"

Zheng Wang was both shocked and enraged.

Among the military arms the Xu Family was illegally selling, they even had Demon-Breaking Crossbows!

TWANG!

The sound of crossbow strings releasing echoed, and in an instant, several constables fell to the ground, unable to get up.

Demon-Breaking Crossbows were lethal even to Body Tempering Realm experts. These constables had barely crossed the threshold of Body Tempering; how could they possibly withstand such weapons?

Zheng Wang performed a "vicious dog roll," clumsily dodging a Crossbow Arrow aimed at him, and shouted for help.

"Lord Wang, save me!"

Before his voice had even faded, a figure shot out from a nearby rooftop.

The figure leaped through the air, tapped a foot on a large cart, and unleashed a flash of saber light.

A series of screams erupted, followed by the sound of Demon-Breaking Crossbows clattering to the ground.

Falling to the ground along with the crossbows were severed limbs and mangled arms.

The Xu Family’s Hospital Martial Artists had only managed to launch a single volley with their Demon-Breaking Crossbows before their arms were severed by a saber.

"You even dared to secretly hoard Demon-Breaking Crossbows. Now no one can save you!"

Wang Lai stood atop a large cart, wooden boxes filled with various military arms at his feet. He stood with his saber in hand, fresh blood dripping continuously from its tip.

The moment the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering expert made his move, the tide of battle was instantly reversed.

The power of the Demon-Breaking Crossbows was indeed great, but with only a few of them, it wasn’t enough to threaten someone at the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering.

A cultivator at the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering was too fast, capable of slaying the crossbow wielders before they could even unleash their weapons’ power.

Seeing that Wang Lai had truly appeared, Zheng Wang and the others were overjoyed. They rallied their remaining strength and forced the last few men from the Xu Family into a steady retreat.

"Alas—"

Just as it seemed the South City Bureau’s constables had achieved a complete victory, a sudden sigh echoed in everyone’s ears.

Immediately after, footsteps sounded from a small adjacent alley, and a figure completely shrouded in a black robe slowly walked out.

"Since you’ve seen what you shouldn’t have, this old man can only kill you all. That way, no one will leak this secret."

The black-robed figure spoke, its voice low and hoarse, making it impossible to discern its age.

"Just trying to be mysterious!"

Wang Lai snorted coldly. After felling the Hospital Martial Artists holding the Demon-Breaking Crossbows with a single strike, he had been standing guard and hadn’t acted again.

Because those Hospital Martial Artists were too weak to be worthy of his attention.

But now, he decided to strike one last time—to kill this black-robed person.

Before his voice faded, Wang Lai lunged forward, his long saber transforming into a blur of light as it descended from above.

Although Wang Lai had not mastered Blade Intent, his swordsmanship from the Li Fire Lineage had reached the peak of mastery. With this strike, his technique was as swift and fierce as fire.

The saber in his hand, though no match for the Famous Sword Qiushui he had lost to Wang Guan, was still a fine, sharp blade, capable of cleaving a man in two at the waist with ease.

"Die!"

Wang Lai roared.

Seeing Wang Lai attack, the black-robed figure unhurriedly raised its head. Its eyes fell upon Wang Lai, a trace of disdain in their gaze.

Suddenly, a flash of light burst forth from the black-robed figure’s sleeve.

SWISH!

A Willow Leaf Saber, as thin as a cicada’s wing, instantly broke through Wang Lai’s technique and landed on his chest.

The thin blade sliced through Wang Lai’s clothes at once, poised to disembowel him.

"Blade Intent! Gale Blade Intent!"

Wang Lai’s eyes instantly filled with terror.

He never would have imagined that someone who had mastered an Intent—a feat exceedingly rare even in the Inner City—would appear here!

’How could the insignificant Xu Family have such a hidden master?’

’A Fourth Stage of Body Tempering cultivator who has mastered an Intent would be highly valued by the Four Great Families, even in the Inner City. Why would he remain in the Outer City, serving the insignificant Xu Family?’

Despair filled Wang Lai’s heart. He knew all too well the massive difference between someone who had mastered Blade Intent and someone who had not.

Even so, he still wanted to struggle.

He dug his feet hard into the ground, pushing backward as he continued to slash with his steel saber.

It was too late to defend. His opponent had mastered Gale Blade Intent; the blade was too fast.

Wang Lai was taking a gamble. If his opponent continued to disembowel him, he would die, but this strike of his could also take the opponent’s head.

This was a mutually destructive, all-or-nothing tactic.

Wang Lai was betting that his opponent wouldn’t risk their life against his.

Just then, the blade that had been about to disembowel him suddenly erupted with power, like a fierce gale, sending him flying backward.

At the last moment, Wang Lai’s gamble paid off.

His opponent indeed had no intention of perishing with him. They shifted their force and sent Wang Lai flying.

In doing so, the figure naturally couldn’t kill Wang Lai with a single strike, and at the same time, Wang Lai’s own slash hit nothing but air.

BANG!

Wang Lai hit the ground and staggered back several steps before barely steadying himself. His chest was already stained crimson.

But it wasn’t over. The black-robed figure moved, its Willow Leaf Saber striking at Wang Lai from all directions like a raging gale.

Wang Lai swung his long saber to defend himself, but the gale was inescapable. Within a few breaths, countless wounds had already been carved into his body.

’My life is over.’

Despair flooded Wang Lai’s heart.

No one in the South City Bureau was a match for someone who had mastered Gale Blade Intent.

’Although Su Mu has also mastered the first level of Blade Intent, he’s only at the Second Stage of Body Tempering. He’s not here, but even if he were, he couldn’t save me.’

"Lord Wang, I’ll help you!"

Just then, Wang Lai heard Zheng Wang’s shout.

He saw that Zheng Wang and his men had already subdued Xu Jie’s group. They had picked up the Demon-Breaking Crossbows, nocked arrows, and were about to fire at the black-robed figure.

"Don’t!"

Wang Lai’s expression changed drastically. Someone who had mastered Gale Blade Intent was far beyond what these constables could handle. That person could slaughter Zheng Wang and all his men single-handedly.

Before Wang Lai could finish his words, the black-robed figure abandoned him and lunged toward Zheng Wang and the others.

Its body twisted in mid-air, dodging the incoming crossbow arrows. The Willow Leaf Saber in its hand flashed with a cold light as it slashed toward the throats of Zheng Wang and his men.

Zheng Wang hadn’t expected his opponent to be so fast. He had only fired a single crossbow arrow, and the figure was already upon him—so fast he didn’t even have time to draw his saber to block.

As the blade drew closer and closer, Zheng Wang screamed in panic,

"Constable, save me!"