Chapter 507: Though It May Cost Me Nine Lives, I Shall Never Regret

Zhang Yunchang’s face turned ashen.

Since when did Great Xia have such a terrifying Saint Slayer?

Three Saints, killed with three strikes. One sword for each.

This is utterly absurd.

Zhang Yunchang couldn’t help but wonder if Aztast, Yang Zhihou, and Glenn Johnson had been putting on a show.

How could they die faster than anyone else?

"I’m willing to repent! I’ll support the new policy..." Zhang Yunchang dropped to his knees with a loud thud, his voice trembling as he begged for mercy. "I was wrong! Give me another chance! From now on, I’ll be the most loyal supporter of City Leader Xue Xuanqi!"

At this point, survival meant everything to him. He was willing to do anything to stay alive.

"Cowardly opportunist," Li Xiaofei remarked with a shake of his head. "A reed swaying with the wind. People like you will never know loyalty. Only your complete and utter destruction can serve as a meaningful contribution to Great Xia."

"No, no! You can’t kill me!" Zhang Yunchang cried out in panic. "I’m a Great Xia official, appointed by the Grand Commander himse—"

A streak of sword qi sliced through the air and separated his head from his shoulders before he could finish. This man, who just moments ago had been brimming with confidence as he vowed to destroy City Leader Xue Xuanqi’s new policies, the director of the Qiao Hong District Police Department and one of Haijing City’s most powerful figures, had met his end.

The curtain fell on Zhang Yunchang’s reign, as blood pooled at the feet of the Saint Slayer.

"Father..."

Zhang Fan rushed forward, cradling his father’s lifeless body in his arms as his face contorted with rage and despair.

"You butcher, you murderer!" He screamed at Li Xiaofei, his eyes brimming with hatred and venom. "You won’t live much longer. You killed the Star Council’s Inspector! The gods above won’t spare you!"

"Zhang Fan, is it?" Li Xiaofei said, flipping open the electronic ledger. He found Zhang Fan’s name within moments and continued calmly, "You may not be an official, but you’ve been abusing your father’s power from a young age, committing countless despicable acts without an ounce of remorse. You’re as rotten as he was."

Closing the book, he added, "Go join your father. The Yellow Springs[1] are cold and lonely. At least you can keep each other company."

Li Xiaofei struck mercilessly and another lifeless body fell to the ground. The guests in the manor were now paralyzed with fear.

What had begun as a grand banquet of Haijing City's elite and powerhouses had descended into an unimaginable bloodbath. Their hearts were gripped by terror, yet none dared to flee. Who could possibly escape the hands of a Saint Slayer?

Among the most terrified were the Gong father and son. Then, they paled as Li Xiaofei’s gaze shifted toward them.

With a loud thud, Gong Qian dropped to his knees.

"I was wrong! Please, don’t kill me!" he begged, tears streaming down his face. "I swear, I’ll never bother Ren Dong again. Please... don’t kill me!"

His sobbing filled the silence, a pitiful plea for mercy in the face of certain death.

"You coward, get up at once!"

Gong Yunzhen roared, delivering a sharp kick at his son. "I’ve lived my life with unyielding integrity, yet I somehow raised a spineless coward like you! Do you think begging him will save you?"

Across from them, Li Xiaofei casually flipped through the electronic ledger. Gong Qian’s name was not listed.

"A man’s knees are worth their weight in gold," Li Xiaofei said, eyeing Gong Qian. A mischievous thought crossed his mind as he added, "Since you’ve knelt and begged, I’ll spare you... As for your father, however..."

His gaze shifted to Gong Yunzhen, and he chuckled coldly. "Dean Gong, you seem to have plenty of backbone, don’t you?"

Thud!

Gong Yunzhen dropped to his knees without hesitation.

"It was a momentary lapse in judgment," he said, his voice trembling. "I should never have colluded with a criminal like Zhang Yunchang."

He slammed his head against the floor repeatedly as he pleaded, "Envoy, please have mercy. I have spent my life nurturing talent for Great Xia and was not deeply involved in the conspiracy against the new policy. Spare me, I beg of you!"

The ledger did not contain Gong Yunzhen’s name.

"Death can be avoided, but punishment is inevitable," Li Xiaofei declared. "When you return, resign from your position at Zhendan University. You are forbidden from working in education or holding any official position again. Reflect on your actions and use what remains of your life to serve the nation and its people. The Dragon Group will monitor you. If you dare to betray your country again, don’t expect me to show mercy."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Gong Yunzhen exclaimed, bowing repeatedly.

He couldn’t believe his luck. Saints had perished tonight, yet he would walk away with his life. It felt like a miracle. Beside him, Gong Qian mirrored his father’s gratitude, feeling as though he had narrowly escaped death and somehow gained more than he had lost.

Li Xiaofei swept his gaze playfully over the remaining guests.

"I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"

He smiled brightly, but his words sent chills down everyone’s spine. The crowd shuddered, their fear reaching a fever pitch as they stared at him, too terrified to speak.

"Speak up! Don’t make me lose my temper," Li Xiaofei said sharply, his patience thinning.

Do these people even understand how to play along?

Finally, a trembling middle-aged man stepped forward, his voice shaky as he asked, "M-May I ask, Envoy, what’s the bad news?"

Li Xiaofei nodded approvingly. "The bad news is... your name is Wu Fatian, isn’t it? Well, it’s in the Ledger Of Life And Death."

Wu Fatian’s vision darkened, and he nearly fainted, his knees wobbling as he fought the urge to collapse... or wet himself.

"T-Then... what’s the... the good news?" He stammered, barely able to speak.

"The good news is... today’s execution quota has been filled," Li Xiaofei said with exaggerated regret, closing the ledger with a loud snap. "And tomorrow, well, my sword has to rest, so it can’t kill anyone. So, you all have one day to redeem yourselves. The day after tomorrow, though... well, that depends entirely on your behavior."

Wu Fatian’s relief was so overwhelming it nearly brought tears to his eyes. He felt as though he’d been gifted a second chance at life.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" he blurted out, bowing repeatedly.

The other officials and guests, drenched in cold sweat, also sighed in collective relief. It felt as though they had snatched their lives back from the jaws of death. Silent vows filled the air as they resolved to seize this one-day window to turn their lives around and work frantically to ensure their names would no longer appear in the Ledger Of Life And Death.

"Remember," Li Xiaofei continued sternly, "you have only one day. This applies not just to you but to every single official in Haijing City who resists the new policy. This one day will decide life and death."

"Spread the word about what happened at tonight’s banquet," he commanded, his voice ringing with authority. "Do it quickly and with absolute clarity. Let every official in Haijing City understand what happens to those who oppose the new policy."

"The new policy benefits the nation and its people. It will be implemented. No matter who it is, whether they obstruct it through deception or outright defiance, I will eliminate them without hesitation."

Li Xiaofei’s words echoed like a great bell tolling, reverberating in the minds of every person present. His declaration left no room for doubt or resistance. The weight of his conviction crushed their spirits, ensuring his message would be carried far and wide.

Everyone present felt the unshakable resolve emanating from Li Xiaofei, a force so firm it left no room for doubt or resistance.

With a casual wave of his hand, Li Xiaofei signaled the end of the gathering. The guests fled the estate like frightened animals. Within minutes, the once-luxurious and bustling Zhang family manor was deserted, its former grandeur replaced by an eerie silence.

Nan Hua, shaken to her core, finally regained her composure. Her steps were small and hesitant, her gait slightly awkward as she walked toward Li Xiaofei.

"Sir," she said softly, unable to suppress her curiosity, "was it worth paying such a price?"

She hesitated, then continued, "It’s one thing with the others, but Aztast was an official appointed by the Star Council. Killing him will undoubtedly provoke their wrath. When that happens, the situation will become incredibly unfavorable for you."

Li Xiaofei serenely looked up at the moon.

"What my heart deems good, though it may cost me nine lives, I shall never regret." He recited the verse with calm determination, his voice carrying the weight of an unwavering will. It was as though even the heavens themselves could not alter his course.

1. In Chinese mythology, the Yellow Springs, also known as Diyu or Huángquán (黄泉), is the underworld realm of the dead ☜