In the courtyard, black knife shadows whirled around Zhang Rongfang continuously.

The shadows were dense, yet Zhang Rongfang deftly deflected them with a single hand.

Suddenly, he felt the hidden gaze disappear.

Regaining his focus, Zhang Rongfang turned his attention to the few people before him.

“Next, a change of opponent.”

His eyes remained calm as he suddenly extended his right arm, grabbing a black knife in front of him.

Without any defense, he caught the blade with one hand and pulled it towards his side.

The immense power drew a person rapidly towards him.

Bang!

Knee strike.

Uncle Lin’s body instantly bent and he fell to the ground, his internal organs and bones almost crushed by the blow.

His abdomen’s flesh almost compressed against his spine.

Zhang Rongfang released the black knife, leaving only a faint white trace on his exposed palm.

He glanced at Shangguan Zhi, who was already shrinking back in fear, and ignored him.

“I came to Qingchuan this time only to witness the martial spirit here. My brother happened to be coming to assume office as Prefect, so I thought I’d check your worth. Unfortunately…. It’s too disappointing.”

He spoke with a voice transformed, entirely different in tone.

The moment these words were spoken, Shangguan Zhi and many others around had their expressions changed.

Only then did people realize, the crossbowmen and others previously defeated were actually all just injured, merely incapacitated, not killed.

Most had just been knocked unconscious.

“So, you’re the Prefect’s….” Shangguan Zhi’s face changed, but before he could finish, the person suddenly jumped up, darting straight to the left.

In an instant, the person crashed through the wall and quickly vanished into the night.

Leaving behind officials of the Great Dao Teaching, stunned by his martial display.

“Looks like…. the Prefect doesn’t want to drag this out with us, directly cutting through the chaos…” Shangguan Zhi supported Uncle Lin, who was severely wounded and still recovering, looking grim.

But no matter how bad it looked, he had to endure.

Though he was from the Shangguan family, without intervention from high-level family members, there was no way to deal with a master of such caliber on his own.

Moreover, the opponent clearly held back. Whether he displayed his full strength or not was still unknown.

If it’s not related to the family’s core interests, these high-level big shots weren’t something he, a junior, could command.

Thus tonight, either he himself needs to find a way to reclaim face, or in the future, obediently live under the new Prefect’s orders, submitting and complying with his policies.

At this point, Jin Yonghe finally arrived, dressed.

Both of them looked extremely sour.

Now, the attitude was clear. Tonight’s assault had a very explicit message.

Either follow him, or be beaten down and replaced.

Unless they could beat and drive off that man just now, they had no third choice.

Both felt an indescribable frustration.

Members of the respectable Jin and Shangguan families, yet…. faced with a newcomer, they were so powerless.

“Where’s the Prefect?!” Shangguan Zhi asked solemnly.

“Not in the room.” Jin Yonghe immediately went to find Zhang Rongfang. As expected, the room was empty, no one inside.

This only further confirmed his belief that the person was absolutely connected to the Prefect.

Otherwise, where in the world would so many coincidences occur?

*

*

*

In the darkness, Zhang Rongfang dashed along the deserted streets.

He passed building after building.

Suddenly, he leaped, pushing off walls to lightly land atop a two-story antique wooden building.

On top stood a man, holding a slender blade, with short white hair, robust build, quietly watching him.

“I am Ming Xiong, here to tell you that this is the Jade Void’s Qingchuan, not Celestial Treasure’s Great Capital!”

No more words.

The blade in Ming Xiong’s hand abruptly disappeared, as he moved with far greater swiftness than Shangguan Zhi, viciously striking towards Zhang Rongfang’s chest.

In an instant, a much shorter blade flash also erupted from Zhang Rongfang’s hand.

He knew no knife techniques, but using the knife as an extension of his arm to perform hand blade moves, that he could do.

His Autumn Rain Saber, a trophy from the Thousand Teachings Alliance, was sharp and unrivaled.

The two blades collided sharply with a crisp sound.

With just one strike, Ming Xiong’s face changed, feeling a massive force surge from the blade.

He thought Shangguan Zhi and the others were suppressed merely because they were weak.

After all, he could do the same, even more easily.

But who could have thought.

Sss….

The blade in his hand was forcibly pressured closer to his face.

If he weren’t using both hands exerting all his strength, that blow might have severed his face.

“What on earth are you…..”

Before he finished, Ming Xiong’s face drastically changed as the silhouette in front moved, the knife shadows relentless as storm and rain pounced down.

Chill cold glints with piercing cold instantly tightened his skin, goosebumps spread across.

Clang clang clang clang!!

In the furious clash, Ming Xiong couldn’t employ any technique.

The absolute disparity in power left him only able to defend, accomplishing nothing else.

The increasingly heavy knife flashes during the blocking forced him to activate the Extreme State.

“Too weak.”

Boom!!

With a dull thud, Zhang Rongfang kicked Ming Xiong’s chest, tremendous force sending him flying, crashing from the second floor to the ground.

He didn’t even glance at the person, slightly furrowing his brows.

“Is there anyone else?”

The person just now was merely at the Three Emptiness Level. Big talk, unfortunately, couldn’t change the fact of his weakness.

No need for Extreme State, no need for Limit-Breaking Skill, just using physical prowess to pressure, he easily crushed the opponent.

The surroundings fell silent.

Zhang Rongfang squinted his eyes, surveyed around, and was about to head downstairs to return.

Suddenly, he pivoted, turned sideways, and slashed backward with a saber.

The silver light of the Autumn Rain Saber fell heavily like a bolt on a black metal long rule.

Clang!!

With this, Zhang Rongfang took a step back.

His expression finally turned serious.

A Grandmaster! Moreover, a Worship Grandmaster!

He finally showed up.

He knew under such circumstances, for Qingchuan Prefecture, as the largest city in Ze Province, to suppress the conflict between the Zhenyi Sect and the Western Sect and to restrain possible assaults.

Such an important place, the Jade Void Palace would definitely dispatch a master to guard.

It now seems, indeed…

But while he was surprised, the blue-robed man opposite was even more shocked.

Just now, his sneak attack was actually blocked by this person with a counter.

The key point is, the two traded a blow and found their strength to be almost equal!?

This was exaggerated.

“Such great strength!!” The handsome blue-robed man’s expression became solemn. “May I know your name? I am Zhou Mengyi, representing the Zhou family of the Twelve Sect Mansions from the Jade Void Palace.”

Every Grandmaster is no ordinary person, each definitely a top master in the martial world. Although the person before him wasn’t a Grandmaster, that terrifying sheer power, being able to contend with a Worship Grandmaster, was enough to gain his respect.

“Zhang Wuxu.” Zhang Rongfang casually made up a name, indicating there was no need for names.

“I’m just probing, to see how Qingchuan Prefecture’s defenses fare. It seems fine, so I’m relieved my brother is here on duty.”

“Is it Zhang Ying’s brother, the Prefecture Magistrate?” Grandmaster Zhou Mengyi of the Zhou family heaved a sigh of relief.

Since he was from the Great Dao Teaching, then it was all good.

“Indeed. I’ve heard the situation here is chaotic, with conflicts between the Zhenyi Western Sect. It might be dangerous, so I came to scout. My actions were a bit rash, I seek your pardon.” Zhang Rongfang’s tone softened as he clasped his hands in apology.

“No worries, worrying about one’s family safety is natural.” Zhou Mengyi chuckled.

“Since you are Zhang Ying’s brother, why not have a drink together? When free, we can be friends.”

He immediately invited.

Also out of curiosity about the other party.

“No need, we’ll have more opportunities to meet in the future. I apologize for disturbing Grandmaster Zhou this time.” Zhang Rongfang clasped his hands in apology.

The two chatted a bit more, and once sure there was no hostility, they parted ways.

That night, Zhang Rongfang achieved his goal.

To display strength and convey his stance.

Next, it’s up to the Prefecture’s group to make their move.

He didn’t bother returning to the Prefecture Office, went straight to change his clothes in the dark, and went to the tavern to drink, eat, and listen to music until dawn, then lazily returned to the office.

By then, Shangguan Zhi, Jin Yonghe, and others had already been waiting obediently at the office entrance.

These small profits at the office couldn’t motivate stronger figures in their families to come forward.

So their only option was to bow their heads.

Thus, on Zhang Rongfang’s first day in Qingchuan Prefecture, he officially took control over the inside and outside powers of the entire office.

*

*

*

Several days later…

Great Capital·Western Suburbs.

“Swing your belly, open your mind, ah~~”

“Sleep till the sky turns bright, ah~~”

“Full of food and drink, just sleep again, sleep again~~”

Outside a rural tavern, Yue Dewen staggered drunkenly along the field ridges, swaying unsteadily, reeking of alcohol.

The close-in guard from the Snow Rainbow Pavilion, the old guy who babbled mystically all day, had already gone back to handle clan affairs in advance.

In his place was a silent, taciturn old man who only followed secretly, like a gloomy gourd.

The old man named Jue Ying, also a Fierce General, was completely different from the previous one, lacking any communication.

At this time, Jue Ying watched Yue Dewen from afar, humming and wobbling, with a glint of strange color in his eyes.

The rotation period changed to a month, where he would temporarily stand in for all the previous one’s duties during this month.

But….

“What’s the situation?” A voice as thin as a mosquito’s buzz gently sounded behind Jue Ying.

“I can’t tell.” Jue Ying slightly furrowed his brows. “I can’t see through how much strength this old man still possesses.”

“Then just make a move. The real reliance of the Great Dao Teaching is nothing but that crazy woman in Ze Province. The Celestial Treasure Palace is just a facade to stabilize the Spirit Court, merely an empty stand.” The whispered voice said softly.

“Everything’s ready around?” Jue Ying asked back.

“Yes, personnel mobilization is complete. The best opportunity is five days later, after the ancestral rites.

At that time, all the guard forces will be escorting important nobles and royals.

There will be no monitoring forces around, conducive for post-action withdrawal.” The hidden voice replied.

At their level, no one would be willing to sacrifice themselves for others.

Struggling for decades, to be inexplicably forced to risk life and limb for some reason.

That’s not bravery; it’s foolishness.

So unless escape routes are well-planned, no one would take the immense risk of ambush or assassination.

“Five days later, then? Okay.” Jue Ying slightly nodded.

Just five more days left for this old man’s life…..

He gazed calmly, without any emotion, at Yue Dewen’s back.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep