Chapter 111: How Dare He?! (Two in One Chapter)

For three days after being attacked, Xu Ming stayed in the City Lord's residence to recuperate.

Following the death of the eldest young master of the Li family, the Li family remained eerily silent, as if nothing had happened. However, according to Xu Pangda's investigations, the Li family had been organizing the accounts of their industries in Baihe County over the past two days, likely preparing to leave.

During the same three days, another twenty boys and girls went missing in Baihe County—ten boys and ten girls, disappearing without a trace as though they had vanished into thin air. Xu Ming suspected this could be the work of the Black Lotus Sect.

While recovering, Xu Ming took the opportunity to ask Fang Ling for more information about the Black Lotus Sect.

The world is currently divided into four major regions: the Western Territory, the Southern Realm, the Northern Wilderness, and the Eastern Continent.

The Western Territory is home to four major demonic sects and three great temples, with the Black Lotus Sect being one of the four demonic sects. Unlike the Eastern Continent, the Western Territory operates differently.

There are human dynasties in the Western Territory, but all of them are subordinate to the demonic sects or Buddhist temples. For a human emperor to ascend the throne, the backing of these sects and temples is required. Moreover, they have the power to dethrone emperors at will.

In essence, the secular dynasties of the Western Territory exist solely to provide resources for the demonic sects and temples. Thus, the Black Lotus Sect could be considered one of the seven most powerful "nations" of the Western Territory.

It's no wonder they dared to make a move against him—clearly, they have no fear of retaliation from the Wu Kingdom. Even if the Wu Kingdom were enraged by Xu Ming's death, mounting a long-distance campaign to attack the Western Territory would be unrealistic.

The fatigue alone from marching such a distance would be overwhelming. Even if both sides were at their peak, a direct confrontation between Wu Kingdom and the Black Lotus Sect would not necessarily result in the cult being at a disadvantage.

This only made Xu Ming more perplexed. Why would such a massive sect suddenly target him? Apart from killing a few dozen Black Lotus Sect disciples in the past, he had no other grievances with them.

If someone had instigated the Black Lotus Sect to attack him, that person's status must be extraordinarily high. Otherwise, how could they convince such a powerful sect to act on their behalf?

Unable to figure it out, Xu Ming decided to set the matter aside and focus on resolving his current issues.

Three days later, Xu Ming had mostly recovered. Apart from a small black handprint on his chest, the bruise from the punch that struck him had faded. Xu Ming was now back in peak condition.

He wasn't sure if the black handprint would have any adverse effects, but for now, his state seemed fine. He figured it was likely just a superficial side effect of the blow.

Additionally, after killing Li Hui, a late-stage Sea Observation Realm cultivator, Xu Ming received some attribute rewards:

[You have slain a late-stage Sea Observation Realm cultivator—Li Hui. Blood Qi +20, Spiritual Power Concentration +10, Sword Qi +10, Fear Talisman.]

[Fear Talisman: By drawing the rune with fresh blood, you can use it to instill fear in your opponent, lowering their will to fight.]

The Fear Talisman wasn't a physical talisman but rather the method to create one. The knowledge of the rune flashed in Xu Ming's mind for an instant, and he immediately mastered it.

He decided to test it secretly on the large white goose in the courtyard.

The goose, which had been peacefully napping, suddenly woke up in terror. It glanced around nervously, trembling all over, then wrapped its wings around its head as if mimicking a frightened child thinking, If I hide under the covers, the ghosts can't see me.

But even that didn't seem to ease its fear.

From then on, the goose refused to leave Xu Ming's side, no matter how much he tried to shoo it away.

It even climbed into Xu Ming's bed to sleep at night, this once dignified Tianxuan Goose reduced to a terrified follower clinging to its newfound sense of security.

The next morning, exactly 24 hours later, the Tianxuan Goose was back to normal, once again displaying its fearless "I'm the greatest" attitude.

Xu Ming felt that the Fear Talisman might be a bit underwhelming.

"I'm heading out today to take care of some matters, so you don't need to come along," Xu Ming said to the goose, Xiaobai.

"Honk honk honk! (You brat! You're leaving me behind again!)" Xiaobai spread its wings and looked quite displeased.

During their time in Baihe County, this brat had often left it behind while he went out on his own. It felt like nothing more than a lonely, abandoned goose.

"I've been a bit busy these past few days," Xu Ming said with a smile. "It'll be over soon—probably in a few days. Once everything here is settled, I'll take you to see the world beyond Baihe County. You'll finally get to broaden your horizons."

"Honk? (Everything in Baihe County is resolved?)" Xiaobai tilted its head inquisitively.

"Almost," Xu Ming nodded. "It's about to be wrapped up."

He stood up and began walking toward the door. As he left, his voice trailed behind him. "Stay in the county office and behave. Don't run around, alright?"

"Honk."

Watching Xu Ming's retreating figure, the Tianxuan Goose crouched on the ground, looking a little dejected.

It really wanted to go out and explore with Xu Ming, but it understood that Xu Ming and his brother, Xu Pangda, had been incredibly busy these days. Even if it wanted to help, it didn't know how.

"Honk."

The goose lifted its head and gazed at the sky, memories of its playful childhood with Xu Ming surfacing in its mind.

Back then, Xu Ming had been such a small child, and now he had grown up so much.

But as humans grow, so do their worries. If it could transform into human form, wouldn't it be able to help him better? Yet, when would that day finally come?

---

After leaving the county office, Xu Ming didn't head directly to the residences of the Sun, Huang, Li, or Xiao families. Instead, he made his way to Baihe County's largest brothel—Fengyu Pavilion.

"Oh my, what a handsome young man!"

"Young master, come join us!"

"Young master, shall I accompany you?"

As soon as Xu Ming stepped into Fengyu Pavilion, several scantily clad women surrounded him, pressing their ample assets against his arms.

Though he couldn't be described as a peerless beauty, Xu Ming's looks had matured, and he could certainly be considered a strikingly handsome man.

"My, my, you look unfamiliar, young master," the brothel's madam sauntered over, her voice dripping with charm. "What kind of lady would you prefer? Fengyu Pavilion has them all."

Xu Ming smiled and shook his head. "I'm a friend of Young Master Sun. I'm here to see Sun Zhuang."

"Oh, you're a friend of Young Master Sun! Right this way, I'll take you to him," the madam said, leading Xu Ming upstairs to a room.

From inside, the sounds of a woman's moans and the rhythmic creaking of a bed could be heard. Occasionally, the sharp smack of a hand meeting flesh punctuated the air.

"Um… It seems Young Master Sun is a bit… preoccupied right now. Would you like to have a drink and wait for a while?" the madam suggested.

Xu Ming chuckled. "No need, I'll wait here. You can go about your business."

"Very well, young master." The madam didn't push further. If he was willing to wait, that was his choice. She did wonder, though—wasn't he frustrated listening to those sounds outside the door?

After the madam left, Xu Ming raised his leg and kicked the door open.

Inside, Sun Zhuang jumped in shock, his entire body trembling.

"Who are you?! What do you want?!" Sun Zhuang hastily pulled up his pants.

On the bed, the woman pouted coquettishly, her tone filled with dissatisfaction, as if her needs had been left unmet.

After all, Young Master Sun had barely lasted ten breaths before finishing. That said, who was this man? Could he be Sun Zhuang's enemy? Still, he was undeniably handsome.

Xu Ming closed the door behind him, not sparing a glance at the disheveled woman lying on the bed. "Greetings, Young Master Sun. I'd like to borrow something from you."

"What is it?" Sun Zhuang frowned, his expression darkening.

Calming himself down, Sun Zhuang thought, I'll kill him and feed him to the dogs later. How dare he ruin my fun!

"I'd like to borrow your head," Xu Ming said calmly.

"What? Borrow my head?" Sun Zhuang was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. "Borrow my head? Such bold words! Do you even know who I am?"

As Sun Zhuang's words fell, a bolt of lightning shot toward Xu Ming.

Xu Ming dispersed it with a single punch.

By the time Xu Ming threw his next punch, he was already in front of Sun Zhuang.

"Wai—"

Before Sun Zhuang could finish speaking, a peachwood sword sliced across his neck. Blood sprayed out, splattering the bed and drenching the brothel woman.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

The woman finally processed what had happened and began screaming hysterically.

The piercing screams drew the attention of others in the brothel. Curious onlookers began wondering who was engaging in such extreme play upstairs.

But as the crowd turned their attention to the door from which the screams emanated, the door swung open.

Xu Ming stepped out, holding a still-dripping severed head.

For a moment, everyone thought they were seeing things. But after rubbing their eyes and looking again, they realized they hadn't been mistaken. The man was indeed holding a human head in his hand.

"Ah!"

"Murder!"

"Call the authorities! Someone call the authorities!"

Chaos erupted throughout the brothel.

Meanwhile, Xu Ming, as calm as ever, walked down the stairs, holding Sun Zhuang's head. He exited the building and began walking down the street.

The sight of Xu Ming carrying the head caused an uproar on the street as well.

"Isn't that the head of Young Master Sun from the Sun family?"

"What? He killed Young Master Sun?"

"How dare he?!"

"Wasn't Young Master Sun a cultivator of divine power? Is this man even stronger than him?"

Some people fled in panic, stumbling over themselves. Others, bolder by nature, calmed their nerves upon realizing Xu Ming wasn't on a killing spree and instead curiously approached to confirm that the head indeed belonged to Sun Zhuang.

Step by step, Xu Ming made his way toward the Sun family's residence.

A group of thrill-seekers, unwilling to miss the drama, followed at a distance. Among them, some had already taken shortcuts to warn the Sun family of the impending situation.

About a quarter of an hour later, Xu Ming arrived at the Sun family's gate.

By then, a large crowd had gathered outside, eager to witness the spectacle.

"Master Sun, something terrible has happened to the young master!"

The Sun family's steward, having been informed of the incident, rushed over to report to his master.

"What's happened to Zhuang'er?"

Inside the main hall, Master Sun was leisurely sipping tea, looking completely at ease.

What could possibly have happened to his son? Sun Zhuang was a direct disciple of the Leiwen Sect and a late-stage Cave Mansion Realm cultivator. In Baihe County, he was someone who could walk sideways with impunity.

"Master…" The steward looked as though he were on the verge of tears. "The young master… someone has cut off his head!"

"What?!"

Master Sun spat out his tea, his calm demeanor shattered. "What did you just say? What happened to my son?"

"Master, someone told me they saw someone on the street holding the young master's…"

"Master!"

The steward hadn't yet uttered the word "head" when a servant stumbled into the hall in a panic.

"Master, something terrible has happened! Someone came in holding the young master's head!"

"What?!" Master Sun shot to his feet, only to feel the world spin around him, forcing him to collapse back into his chair.

"Go check! Go see what's going on!" Master Sun forced himself up again.

"There's no need to trouble Master Sun to greet me personally." A man's voice echoed from outside the door. As the voice fell, so did a severed head, tossed into the hall.

The head of Sun Zhuang rolled to a stop at Master Sun's feet, its lifeless eyes staring directly at him.

"Zhuang'er! My son!" Master Sun wailed in anguish. "Prince Consort! What did my son ever do to deserve such a cruel fate? Is there no law left in this land?!"

"Don't worry, Master Sun. You'll soon join your son. You can discuss the law with him then."

Xu Ming drew a piece of white paper from his robes.

"Sun Feng of Baihe County, using the influence of his son, a personal disciple of the Leiwen Sect, has committed countless atrocities: oppressing the weak, seizing property, and abusing women. He forcibly took five acres of farmland from the Wang family in East City and drove Chang Hua into prostitution. For nothing more than an argument, Sun Zhuang beat Lin Fei's son to death..."

Xu Ming listed a total of sixty-three crimes attributed to Sun Feng and his son Sun Zhuang—just the ones he and Xu Pangda had uncovered during their investigation. In reality, the number was likely far greater.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Xu Ming rolled up the paper and looked at Sun Feng.

"Slander! This is all slander! Xu Ming, do you have any evidence?" Sun Feng retorted, though he knew the accusations were true. "You have no proof, do you?"

"Evidence?"

Xu Ming unsheathed his Peachwood Sword and began walking toward Sun Feng.

"What—what are you doing?!"

Sun Feng backed away frantically, but he soon found himself cornered against the wall, with nowhere to retreat.

Xu Ming looked at him calmly. "When I killed your son, did I need evidence?"

Before Sun Feng could respond, his pupils dilated. In the next moment, his head was severed, rolling lifelessly to one side.

Xu Ming turned to the steward of the Sun household. "You must be Steward Sun Shen, correct?"

"Spare me, my lord! Spare me!" Sun Shen fell to his knees before Xu Ming, kowtowing repeatedly.

"You've committed far too many sins to be spared." With a swift stroke, Xu Ming's sword claimed another head.

Xu Ming spent half an hour in the Sun residence.

He summoned a maid and, using the names recorded on the white paper, had her identify the guilty parties one by one. Xu Ming moved through the Sun household, killing each culprit he found.

By the time Xu Ming walked out of the Sun estate, his Peachwood Sword was drenched in crimson.