Chapter 185 - 102: Slashing Jin Ye, Blade Shocks the County Magistrate!

Chapter 185: Chapter 102: Slashing Jin Ye, Blade Shocks the County Magistrate!

"Die!"

Jin Ye didn’t utter a word. Instead, he raised his Ring-Headed Saber, dropped his wrist, and chopped forward head-on. The muscles in his arms bulged, thick veins throbbing beneath his skin like writhing serpents. True Qi surged out, carrying a heavy and overwhelming momentum!

The strike was menacing and aggressive!

Jin Ye felt as though he had ignited all the Qi and Blood in his body, unleashing the most powerful slash of his entire life!

Jin Ye thought to himself that even if this strike couldn’t kill Thief Zheng, it would be enough to throw him into a panic. He was confident that this time, he could make Zheng Jun suffer the consequences.

Unfortunately for him, Zheng Jun merely glanced up. He didn’t feel that Jin Ye’s strike was any different from anyone else’s.

However, because the Cloak and Dagger Technique required repayment progress, and since Jin Ye was, after all, a Qi Storage Martial Artist—judged by the system to be in the same realm as himself—the Beirong Saber shot straight out of its sheath.

A flash of snow-white brilliance instantly erupted from the scabbard.

Formidable True Qi surged forth as the icy Beirong Saber slashed down right on his head!

CLANG!

With a crisp sound of snapping metal, the Ring-Headed Saber infused with Jin Ye’s True Qi was effortlessly severed by Zheng Jun like a mere toy. And along with it went Jin Ye’s body.

The blade landed on Jin Ye’s neck and shoulder, tearing through his flesh as easily as ripping paper. With unstoppable force, a massive gash instantly extended from his left shoulder all the way down to his right thigh.

Jin Ye was sliced diagonally cleanly in half.

Absolute terror filled Jin Ye’s eyes. He felt a colossal wave of pain erupt from his body, only to realize he could no longer control his left arm or his legs.

He could only watch as his perspective slowly tilted backward. When he caught sight of two uneven thighs and half a torso still standing in place, he instantly understood what had happened. Overwhelming remorse flooded his heart.

Only at the very moment of his death did he finally feel regret.

But it was far too late.

[Killed a Qi Storage Martial Artist. Cloak and Dagger Technique repayment progress +740. Current repayment progress: 740/8000.]

Looking at the repayment progress in front of him, Zheng Jun beamed with joy.

He thought, "A single Qi Storage Martial Artist gives seven hundred and forty points? This is too easy, my friend. I just need to kill ten Qi Storage Martial Artists to completely pay off the Cloak and Dagger Technique. Isn’t this basically a free gift?"

Suddenly, Zheng Jun realized just how arduous the repayment process for the Wave-Treading Blade Technique had been.

Originally, he had planned to use his third Perfection-level Saber Technique on the Lingxiao Saber Technique. But seeing how easy it was to farm progress for the Cloak and Dagger Technique, Zheng Jun now only wanted to find another ordinary Saber Technique to grind to Perfection.

Once he gathered three Perfection Saber Techniques, he could directly unlock the advance for the ’Radiant Sunlight Fulong Blade Art’. The Radiant Sunlight Fulong Blade Art would absolutely make his combat power skyrocket!

Meanwhile, witnessing Zheng Jun cleanly and effortlessly slaughter Jin Ye, the Fast Shift runners and Black Officials standing near the doorway were struck with absolute horror.

The Historian of Langkang County, who had been called over by the other Fast Shift runners, saw this scene and immediately went weak in the knees. With a heavy THUD, he dropped to his knees right then and there.

He thought in disbelief that they were merely engaging in a little extortion. Did it really warrant such an extreme reaction?

The Historian was completely dumbfounded. He was nothing but a Blood Refining Martial Artist. Was it really worth sending an Outer Gang expert to deal with him?

He didn’t know that Zheng Jun was still in the Qi Storage realm. Seeing Zheng Jun slay Jin Ye so effortlessly, and knowing that Zheng Jun was the Commander and Squad Commander of the Black Mountain Fortress, he naturally assumed that Zheng Jun was an Outer Gang Martial Artist.

Zheng Jun sheathed his saber. With an indifferent expression, he looked toward the doorway behind him.

The Historian was so terrified that he pressed his head against the ground, trembling uncontrollably. Not daring to look up, he pleaded, "I know my crimes, I know my crimes! General Zheng, please spare my miserable life! I am willing to offer my entire fortune... as tribute... as tribute to the General..."

"How can an official of the Great Zhou act like this?" Zheng Jun coldly snorted and declared, "Chief Clerk Jin Ye of Langkang County secretly colluded with the Black Mountain Bandits. I am the Commander of the newly established Black Mountain Fortress, and my primary duty is to guard against the Black Mountain Bandits. Therefore, I came here today to execute him! You are merely guilty of extortion, which has nothing to do with my duties. Someone else will naturally come to punish you!"

With that, Zheng Jun strode forward and said in a ringing voice, "Chop off Thief Jin’s head. For a Qi Storage bandit, the Court’s bounty is one hundred taels. Take it and claim the reward yourselves."

Saying so, Zheng Jun marched outside.

The others didn’t dare to stop him. Instead, they exchanged bewildered glances.

They wondered if Chief Clerk Jin was truly an inside man for the Black Mountain Bandits. It didn’t seem likely, considering Langkang County wasn’t even close to Black Mountain. But then again, claiming Chief Clerk Jin’s head would net them one hundred taels of silver.

After the Fast Shift runners sized each other up, a young runner in his early twenties gritted his teeth and immediately carried his saber into the room. As he hacked at Jin Ye’s neck, he yelled, "This Thief Jin was indeed an inside man! When I woke up to use the outhouse at night, I saw Thief Jin exchanging letters with the Black Mountain Bandits in the dead of night!"

"That’s right, I saw it too!"

"This Thief Jin was truly detestable!"

The other runners quickly chimed in with their agreement.

Zheng Jun couldn’t care less about their antics. He had just thrown out a random excuse.

Even without a reason, killing Jin Ye wouldn’t have brought him any real trouble. After all, his current status was akin to famous generals of old like Zhou Yafu or Nian Gengyao. No matter how arrogant, domineering, or insolent he acted, the Prefect would have to show him a certain degree of tolerance for the sake of him guarding Black Mountain.

After Zheng Jun stepped out of the building, he saw a middle-aged Confucian scholar with a gloomy expression blocking his path.

Staring at Zheng Jun, the middle-aged scholar gave a fake smile and said, "General Zheng, you come to my Langkang County and kill my Chief Clerk. What a mighty display of prestige!"

This middle-aged Confucian scholar was actually an Outer Gang Martial Artist! This must be the County Magistrate of Langkang County, Su Nan.

Zheng Jun glanced at the scholar and replied indifferently, "Jin Ye colluded with the Black Mountain Bandits and has now been executed! Duke Tang gave me the authority to deal with anyone below the Eighth Grade as I see fit. If Magistrate Su is dissatisfied, you can go and file a complaint against me with Duke Tang."

With that said, Zheng Jun rested his hand on his saber hilt and added coldly, "Of course, if Magistrate Su wishes to exchange pointers and improve together, just like General Han did, I will gladly keep you company!"

Zheng Jun then slowly drew the Beirong Saber from his waist.

Watching the cold gleam of Zheng Jun’s slowly unsheathed blade, a chill ran through Su Nan’s heart. His expression turned extraordinarily grave.

This slow unsheathing process brought immense pressure down upon Su Nan. With every inch Zheng Jun drew, his imposing aura surged a fraction higher.

By the time the Beirong Saber was fully unsheathed, his momentum was already towering and monstrous! A deadly cold glint flickered across the edge of the blade.