Every hair on his body stood on end. The dark figure’s eyes bulged, ready to make a hasty retreat!
Before he could act, a hand as dark and solid as iron, wreathed in Qi Force, suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.
CLANG!
He drew a steel short knife from his lower back and slashed down, intending to sever Qi Xiu’s right hand.
The fingers tightened suddenly with enormous strength.
The distinct sound of bones cracking caused the dark figure to groan in pain, his downward strike wavering.
"Tempering Power Realm!"
Seeing the dark, iron-like hand wreathed in Qi Force, the dark figure cried out in shock.
But in that mont of stupor, Qi Xiu rolled over and rose to his feet, slamming a palm into the dark figure’s chest with ferocious force, like a raging dragon from the abyss.
Blood spurted out, instantly soaking the mask on the dark figure’s face.
Qi Xiu lit the candlestick in the room. The bright candlelight illuminated the space. Glancing at the dark figure lying immobilized on the ground, Qi Xiu bent down and picked up the scroll that had fallen to the floor.
"The likeness is quite good."
With a grim expression, Qi Xiu held up the scroll before the dark figure and forcefully tore the mask from his face, revealing a man in his thirties with a surprisingly honest and simple look.
"Why do you have my portrait?"
On the scroll was a half-body portrait of Qi Xiu. The craftsmanship was exquisite, capturing the finest details with a high degree of likeness. This mysterious dark figure, sneaking into hos in the dead of night with Qi Xiu’s portrait, was clearly targeting him.
The seemingly honest man stared coldly at Qi Xiu, not uttering a word.
"I see, professional ethics, huh."
With an acknowledging nod, Qi Xiu turned and pulled a small porcelain bottle from a drawer. "Behold, this concoction is called ’I Love a Piece of Wood.’ Once consud by a male creature, it will enter an endless state of seeking copulation for ten Hours."
"You think I’d be scared of sothing like that?" the honest man scoffed.
"You misunderstand. This isn’t for you," Qi Xiu said with a carefree smile, opening the porcelain bottle. "Five miles from here is the city’s filth dump, where about thirty beggars linger. Suppose I mix this into their food. Then, I break all your limbs and leave you before them. Tsk tsk tsk, the scene would be very... harmonious, wouldn’t you say? Care to try?"
The honest man’s face turned ashen. He hadn’t expected Qi Xiu, who appeared so refined and gentle, to resort to such an utterly cruel thod.
"If I speak, I’ll end up dead with no place for my burial," the honest man said through clenched teeth.
"If you don’t speak, you’ll wish for death but find no release, beg for life but find no quarter."
Gazing at the ’I Love a Piece of Wood’ in Qi Xiu’s hand, the honest man finally relented.
"Soone posted a bounty for you in the Ghost Market. Just finding you is worth a thousand taels of silver."
Hearing this, Qi Xiu’s heart sank.
I hardly need to think about it. The one offering the bounty must be that Second Young Master of the Qian Family, Qian Yuchuan. He actually hasn’t given up on finding . No, not finding . He’s looking for that one-third of the Frigid Waterfall Genuine Skill. On the day I killed Gong Yan and fled, I not only destroyed all the transcribed texts but also tainted the beast-skin scroll with thick ink. That ans I’m the only one who currently knows that one-third fragnt of the Frigid Waterfall Genuine Skill.
"To be in such a hurry to find , offering a direct reward of a thousand taels... Could it be that he’s already found the missing parts of the Frigid Waterfall Genuine Skill?" Qi Xiu mused aloud, the possibility seeming more likely the more he considered it. He then turned back to the honest man. "How many people have accepted the bounty?"
"Roughly over two hundred."
"That many?" Qi Xiu was startled.
"A thousand taels just to find an ordinary scholar—wouldn’t you take it?" the honest man retorted, internally cursing. A thousand taels to catch a scholar! I should have known it wouldn’t be that simple! Damn it, a martial artist of the Tempering Power Realm! This is such a scam!
"Then what are these...?" Qi Xiu’s gaze fell upon a bundle tied to the honest man’s waist. He reached out, picked one up, and began to open it.
The honest man instinctively moved to stop him but then hesitated, afraid of provoking the scholar further, and shrank back resentfully.
A pungent, tallic stench of blood filled the air. Inside the bundle, wrapped in oiled paper, was a human brain.
Qi Xiu looked at the honest man with a complex expression, his eyes narrowing. "You... Explain."
"I took another bounty on the side. Eighteen fresh human brains for fifty taels of silver," the honest man replied in a low voice.
"Were you the one who killed those people in the West Market yesterday?"
"Mhm."
Taking a deep breath, Qi Xiu fought back a wave of nausea, wrapped the brain back up, and tossed it beside the man. "You’ve killed eighteen people! Aren’t you afraid the authorities will co after you?"
"The authorities? Hmph! The Golden Flower Maternal Sect has already reached Shuyang. They have no ti to bother with such trifles; they’re probably all thinking about how to flee," the man muttered.
"The Golden Flower Maternal Sect?" Qi Xiu asked, his brows furrowing. "What’s that?"
"You don’t know?" The honest man looked at Qi Xiu with so surprise. "The Golden Flower Maternal Sect is one of the most powerful rebel armies in Dianchuan Province right now. Although all its followers are won, they have the largest numbers among the rebel forces. Two months ago, they occupied Yuantong Prefecture and have been fighting their way north ever since. Half a month ago, I heard they reached Shuyang. If all goes well, they’ll arrive at Huang Tan Manor next month."
Golden Flower Maternal Sect... rebel armies...
The honest man’s words plunged Qi Xiu into deep thought.
Although I’ve been in this world for two years, I’ve spent almost all my ti struggling for survival in Baoho County. I know very little about the world beyond it. All I know is that the current ruling court is called the Great Xuan. Its territory includes one capital and thirteen provinces. Dianchuan Province, where I am, is located in the Northwest.
The Great Xuan follows the old system. Apart from Shengjing and Jiangnan Province, which are under direct imperial control, each of the other Twelve Great Provinces has a Military Governor. The Military Governor, also known as a Jiedushi or regional commander, is the highest official in a province, wielding military, civil, and financial authority. Can it be that the Great Xuan Dynasty has also entered its final years, beginning to disintegrate into feudal separatism?
Qi Xiu’s expression beca grave. The political system of the Great Xuan is very similar to that of a prosperous empire from my past life. The highly autonomous and all-powerful Military Governors, while effective in defending against foreign invasions, have also led to the central Imperial Dynasty’s loss of control over the regions. It only needs a spark. In an instant, it could descend into a chaotic era with Warlords rising and regional powers carving out their own territories. And in every ti of chaos, cults and rebel armies are naturally the ones who beco most active.
After pondering for a mont, Qi Xiu’s gaze landed back on the honest man.
"Look at , I might have been a bit too harsh. Get up, get up."
Qi Xiu enthusiastically helped the honest man to his feet, considerately patting the dust off his clothes.
Bewildered by Qi Xiu’s sudden change in deanor, the honest man instinctively recoiled. "You... what are you doing?"
"Nothing much. I just have a small favor to ask of you," Qi Xiu said, his face wreathed in smiles as he handed the scroll back to the man.
"What favor?" The honest man looked at Qi Xiu warily.
"First, I’d like you to take to the Ghost Market."
"What?!"
...
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