Chapter 53

Jiming Alley, nestled within the quiet and secluded corners of Nanquan Alley, was a place most constables avoided patrolling, especially at night. Walking through the alley, one couldn't help but feel a chilling breeze at their back, making the experience unnerving.

Even for two constables, the atmosphere was eerie, let alone for Chen Ping'an, who was patrolling alone.

However, now that he had reached the third level of Qi and Blood, his vitality was abundant, and his courage was strong. The darkness and eerie rumors of the night held no fear for him.

This was the confidence that his martial arts prowess gave him!

Chen Ping'an walked through Jiming Alley with a sword at his waist, a gong slung over his shoulder, and a lantern in his hand.

Under normal circumstances, two constables would patrol together, one holding the lantern and the other carrying the gong. If they noticed anything unusual, they would act together. If the situation seemed too dangerous, they would sound the gong as a warning and call for backup.

Most petty thieves, hearing the gong in the dead of night, would lose their courage and flee without putting up a fight.

As Chen Ping'an walked through Jiming Alley, he was in good spirits. He had slept well during the day and had practiced his stone-throwing skills before starting his shift.

Now, the experience points for his stone-throwing skill on his panel had increased to 12. The feeling of gradually growing stronger through steady accumulation was truly satisfying.

The houses along Jiming Alley were sparse and scattered, with patches of wasteland in between. According to rumors widely circulated in the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, Jiming Alley had originally been the burial ground of a prominent family. After the family declined, the area gradually transformed into the current layout of Jiming Alley.

Of course, this was just a rumor from a long time ago.

Tonight, the moonlight was dim, but with the light from his lantern, Chen Ping'an could still see the path clearly. The occasional chirping of insects could be heard, though it was unclear where they hid during the day.

Chen Ping'an patrolled with high spirits until midnight. Just as he was about to find a spot to rest, he suddenly stopped.

"What was that sound?"

Chen Ping'an's ears twitched slightly as if he had heard something.

As a martial artist, his senses were sharp, allowing him to hear sounds that ordinary people might miss. His gaze turned alert as he looked in the direction of the noise.

In the distance, everything was shrouded in darkness, and he couldn't see anything clearly.

"Let's check it out!"

Chen Ping'an held his lantern and followed the sound.

If one were to look down from above the city of Weishui County at night, the stark contrast between the inner and outer cities would be immediately apparent. The inner city, separated from the outer city by a riverbank, was still brightly lit in many places even at night. However, the outer city was enveloped in darkness and silence, with almost no lights visible.

In a corner of Nanquan Alley in the outer city, an intense battle was underway. Four figures clashed under the faint moonlight.

Among them, three figures worked in perfect coordination,"It was just a casual move by me, yet I managed to hook such a big fish."

Under the moonlight, a hunched figure dressed in gray let out a series of eerie laughs. As he moved, the faint moonlight occasionally revealed his scar-covered face.

Wu Haihua, the Grand Deacon of the Demonic Cult!

Beside him were two figures, one fat and one thin, assisting his attacks, relentlessly pressuring the woman in front of them.

The woman wore a black-scaled uniform, her cold and beautiful face visible. At this moment, she wielded a long sword, swirling it to create dazzling sword flowers. As her sword techniques shifted, sword energy surged.

"If the Town Patrol Office learns tomorrow that the Chief Inspector of the Southern District has fallen here, I wonder how they will react? I'm truly curious!"

Wu Haihua wielded two short spikes, frantically swinging them to break through the woman's defenses. With each swing, bursts of energy erupted.

Wu Haihua was in high spirits. He had originally intended to catch a small fish, but unexpectedly, he had hooked a big one—the Chief Inspector of the Southern District, Mu Wanjun!

Mu Wanjun, the direct descendant of the Mu family! At such a young age, she had already broken through to the Internal Qi realm and held the seal of the Chief Inspector of the Southern District Town Patrol Office. If he could kill her, the rewards from the cult would be substantial.

Thinking of this, Wu Haihua couldn't help but lick his lips, a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.

Although Mu Wanjun's talent was remarkable, she was still too young and had easily fallen into their trap. His martial arts cultivation surpassed hers by a level, and with the assistance of two First-Class Deacons, he was confident he could subdue her.

Mu Wanjun swung her sword, her Autumn Water Sword Technique executed to perfection. But as she continued to defend, she gradually felt the pressure mounting.

Swish!

In a moment of carelessness, several cuts appeared on her black-scaled uniform. Fortunately, she managed to release her internal energy in time, barely parrying the attacks.

Mu Wanjun's mood grew heavy.

That night, she had spotted a shadowy figure bearing the mark of the Demonic Cult. The presence of the Demonic Cult in the city surely meant there was a conspiracy. She had intended to track the figure to uncover their base, but she had instead walked right into their trap.

Confident in her own strength and wanting to avoid alerting anyone, she had not informed anyone else about her investigation.

What she had thought would be a surefire investigation and extermination had turned into an encounter with Wu Haihua, the Grand Deacon of the Demonic Cult.

Wu Haihua, at the peak of the Qi Sea realm, was a level above her. With the assistance of two First-Class Deacons at the peak of the Qi and Blood realm, the situation was dire.

Today, it seemed her fate was sealed!

Whoosh!

Wu Haihua's figure turned into a blur, his two short spikes emitting a foot-long glow as he suddenly unleashed a deadly strike aimed at Mu Wanjun.

He had thought it would be a sure hit, but unexpectedly, Mu Wanjun's sword technique shifted, executing a mysterious move.

Clang!

Wu Haihua's short spikes were firmly blocked.

However, although Mu Wanjun had parried his attack, her distraction allowed one of the First-Class Deacons to seize the opportunity, leaving a wound on her body.

Mu Wanjun grunted and retreated rapidly.

From the start until now, the intense battle had drained her mental and physical energy. If this continued, her chances of survival were slim.

"Where are the Town Patrol officers? With such a commotion here, hasn't anyone noticed?"

Mu Wanjun's expression darkened.

This should be the territory of Nanquan Alley. What is Shen Shikang doing? How does he manage his people on a daily basis?

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Under the moonlight, several figures continued to shift, sword lights dazzling, short spikes flying, and internal energy bursting forth.

Mu Wanjun's scaled uniform gained a few more tears.

"If this continues, I'll be trapped here sooner or later! Once my internal energy is exhausted, there will be no chance left!"

A fierce glint flashed across Mu Wanjun's face.

"I have no choice but to use that move!"