Chapter 17: When the Heart Grows Restless, One Must Kill!

The night was as cool and clear as a brook.

In the plaza of Miaoshou Garden, corpses lay one after another—dozens at a glance. The suffocating stench of blood, heavy and metallic, hung thick in the air. Apprentices, pharmacists, physicians, and even martial artists of the guard unit stood in silence, staring at the row of lifeless bodies. The atmosphere couldn't have been more grim.

Among the crowd stood Lu Changsheng, his shaky gaze fixing on one mutilated corpse.

Old Wen!

His worst fears had come true—Old Wen was among the victims. His chest had caved in, seemingly shattered by a palm strike that had likely crushed his insides. Only an Organ Refinement martial artist could have unleashed such force. One of Wen's arms had been hacked off, yet to be found among the carnage. His final moments lingered on his ashen visage—terror and pain.

Lu Changsheng said nothing, his gaze growing colder and colder. Old Wen had never formally been his master, but in truth, he had taught him almost everything he knew without reservation. Lu Changsheng felt like they had been closer than any formal master and apprentice. But now, Old Wen was gone, having faced a pitiful end.

"Patriarch, we’ve caught the traitor."

At that moment, two guards dragged a man onto the plaza, his face swollen and bruised.

Swish.

Countless eyes fixed upon him.

Zheng Renxin's gaze hardened, his voice sharp as ice. "Zheng Yihai! Son of the Zheng Clan and guard of Miaoshou Garden. How could you collude with bandits and slaughter your own kin?"

Thud.

Zheng Yihai dropped to his knees, trembling all over. "Patriarch, spare me! I was blinded by folly! I gambled and owed a fortune in silver, and the bandits came to me. They promised to pay off my debts if I gave them information about the Organ Refinement martial artists in Miaoshou Garden."

His voice quavered with desperation. "I thought they wouldn’t dare move against Miaoshou Garden. I thought it was just about a bit of intel, nothing serious, so I agreed to it. I never imagined they'd be so bold as to actually storm in and kill... Patriarch, please spare me, I beg you!"

Zheng Yihai was covered in wounds; several of his teeth had been knocked out, leaving his speech slurred and broken. However, everyone understood perfectly: he had betrayed Miaoshou Garden. It was Zheng Yihai who had leaked the information about Miaoshou Garden’s Organ Refinement martial artists, giving the bandits the chance they needed to drench the estate in blood.

Zheng Renxin's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at him, his voice a ferocious growl. "Spare you? After causing so many deaths, you still have the gall to ask for mercy?"

In the next instant, Zheng Renxin ripped his blade from its sheath and struck down.

Squelch!

Zheng Yihai's head rolled to the ground, crimson spurting everywhere. Zheng Renxin was drenched in blood, but he paid it no mind. His face was as dark as iron as he declared coldly, "Their plundering of one of our herbal medicine shops was one thing, but daring to break into Miaoshou Garden itself is simply unforgivable! Do they truly think the Zheng Clan of Nanyang City has no one?"

At that moment, a guard spoke up in a deep voice. "Patriarch, those bandits plundered the treasury of Miaoshou Garden. With so much silver, they couldn't have carried it away so quickly. Our men have been guarding all the city gates, and no suspicious figures have been reported. The bandits must still be within the city."

"Then search!" Zheng Renxin thundered. "Dig three chi[1]into the ground if you must, but find them. When the time comes, I will personally lead the guard unit and kill them with my own hands!"

Zheng Renxin was vicious, his killing intent thick in the air. The Zheng Clan of Nanyang City had long been renowned, and never before had anyone dared to storm into Miaoshou Garden. Yet now, a mere group of bandits had appeared out of nowhere and turned the garden into a river of blood. If the Zheng Clan failed to repay this blood debt, their authority in Nanyang Prefecture would surely falter.

This time, Zheng Renxin had made up his mind. Those bandits would be eradicated, no matter the cost. Eventually, the crowd on the plaza dispersed, and Lu Changsheng returned to his courtyard.

He called forth his status panel.

[Status Panel]

Host: Lu Changsheng

Perception: 211 (Full of Potential)

[Skills]

Wild Ox Bone Tempering Art: Third Layer

Lu Changsheng had already practiced the Wild Ox Bone Tempering Art to the Third Layer and had even begun attempting the Fourth. Once completed, he would reach Perfection. By his estimation, that would happen either that day or tomorrow. So he continued as usual, adjusting his blood qi to temper his bones.

Once, twice, thrice...

Lu Changsheng's blood qi was so dense that he could temper his bones multiple times. In the past, he could only endure a few sessions of tempering, but with his current blood qi, it was hardly a challenge. If he pushed himself, he might even complete the Fourth Layer of Bone Tempering that night and achieve Perfection in the art.

But then he suddenly stopped. That horrible scene in the plaza flashed through his mind: Old Wen's mangled corpse staring back at him with hollow eyes. Lu Changsheng's heart throbbed, his emotions threatening to spill over. In this state, he couldn't possibly continue cultivating.

"I can't..."

Indeed, he couldn't get over the fact that Old Wen had died such a miserable death.

"No, I won't be at peace as long as they still draw breath." He brushed his hand against the dagger concealed in his robe. Feeling the blade fueled his bloodlust, especially since he would use it to avenge Old Wen.

His blood qi burned as fiercely as his resolve. He changed his clothes, donned a conical straw hat, and covered his face with a black scarf, concealing himself entirely.

Swish.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

In the next instant, Lu Changshen vanished into the night.

***

On the western side of the city, faint shadows lingered outside a derelict temple. There were dozens of them, their silhouettes shifting faintly in the darkness.

Bang, bang, bang.

The sound of the night watchman's wooden rattle echoed faintly in the distance[2].

"The air is dry, so beware of fire," said one of the watchmen.

It was already the third watch of the night[3], yet the figures outside the temple remained perfectly still.

"Patriarch, it's the third watch now. Inside... it seems quiet," a guard whispered.

Zheng Renxin's expression was severe, his eyes cold and unwavering as they locked onto the temple. The faint light of a lantern had flickered inside earlier, but now it was pitch darkness, all flames extinguished.

"They're hiding inside?" Zheng Renxin asked again.

"Yes, the bandits are inside. They number no more than thirty, while we have seventy to eighty men. We hold the advantage..."

Zheng Renxin weighed the risk. Perhaps the years of wealth and comfort had dulled his edge, causing him to hesitate. This battle was critical. Nearly all of Miaoshou Garden’s experts were gathered here. If they failed, the price would be devastating.

"Attack!"

At last, Zheng Renxin made his choice. This time, four Organ Refinement experts had gathered, including himself. During the raid earlier that day, the bandits had only two such experts, so Miaoshou Garden ought to hold the advantage.

Following his command, shadows surged forward, closing in on the derelict temple.

Bang!

The rotten temple doors burst open, and dozens of martial artists from Miaoshou Garden stormed in. But in the next instant, the pitch-black hall erupted with the hiss of countless arrows.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Concealed by the darkness of night, the arrows were impossible to dodge. In the blink of an eye, many of Miaoshou Garden's martial artists fell where they stood, skewered by steel.

Crossbows?

Zheng Renxin's eyes widened.

Were such weapons not reserved for the imperial army? How could mere bandits possess them?

Suddenly, a possibility struck him. The bandits who once blocked the mountain trade routes had been crushed by the imperial army, but some had managed to escape. Those bandits had likely stolen the crossbows from the fallen soldiers.

"

Hahaha!

Don't even think of leaving, for none of you will escape alive!" A thunderous voice shook the temple, and suddenly, torches blazed to life, flooding the hall with blazing light.

Zheng Renxin fixed his gaze on the figure within the temple. The man stood tall as a mountain, eyes round and glaring like copper bells, his burly frame reminiscent of a bear. Resting on his shoulder was a saber as wide as a door.

Blood qi surged from him like blazing fire, rolling outward in waves that made everyone feel as though they had been cast into a furnace. His bald head gleamed under the torchlight, and a fierce scar stretched across his brow, making his presence all the more terrifying.

"Saber-Dragging Heavenly King Li Ji?! You're alive?!" Zheng Renxin cried out in shock. "Impossible! The imperial army claimed they slew the bandit chief. How can you still be standing here?"

Li Ji sneered, "

Hehe

, did you think the imperial army could kill me? They slaughtered innocents and claimed false merit. That was all.

"Zheng Renxin, this king merely came for your silver, yet you were foolish enough to bring yourself to me. Since that's the case, I'll wipe out your entire Zheng Clan and restore my glory as the Saber-Dragging Heavenly King!"

So it truly was him, the bandit chief who had once cut off the trade routes, the infamous Saber-Dragging Heavenly King. He was known to possess boundless strength, having even survived encounters with Divine Strength Realm experts.

How could Miaoshou Garden's four Organ Refinement martial artists possibly stand up against this man?

1. 尺 (

chǐ

) is a traditional Chinese unit of length. Its exact value has varied across dynasties and regions, but it is generally about one-third of a meter (≈33 cm / 13 inches). ☜

2. Before clocks, the night was divided into five watches (gēng 更), each about two hours long. To mark time and deter crime or fires, the watchman would patrol the streets, striking a wooden clapper, gong, or drum to signal the passing of each watch. ☜

3. 三更天(sān gēng tiān) in the traditional Chinese timekeeping system. 三更 corresponds to 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, the deep of the night ☜