Dawn had barely broken, yet the county yamen was already bustling with clamor.
When Wang Ping arrived at the drill grounds, he found a crowd of constables gathered together. Among them were quite a few unfamiliar faces, and they appeared to be holding some sort of ceremony.
"Brother, what's going on here?"
Spurred by curiosity, Wang Ping casually patted a constable on the outer edge of the crowd and spoke in an undertone. The man turned around with visible impatience. "What else could it be... it's... it's..."
The man's expression froze instantly.
A split second later, a terrified shriek rang across the drill grounds. The constable Wang Ping had patted collapsed straight onto the dirt.
"Help! Help! A vengeful ghost has come for our lives!"
"We weren't the ones who wronged you! Every injustice has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor...!"
Such an uproar naturally disrupted the ceremony underway. Many constables looked back, their faces turning to astonishment one after another.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Pushing through the crowd, a veteran constable strode out with an irritated frown. "Don't you know we are holding a memorial for our com—com—"
Liu Ye's eyes went wide.
"Yo, Old Liu." Wang Ping waved amiably. Having figured out what was happening, his expression turned rather odd. "You all thought I was dead?"
Liu Ye stared blankly.
*What else would we think?*
After a brief silence, Liu Ye took a deep breath to suppress his surging emotions and marveled, "Brother, how in the world did you survive?"
With that, something seemed to occur to the seasoned constable. He began scrutinizing Wang Ping, who had his head cocked with an utterly innocent expression:
"You're still alive, yet Lord Chen is dead!"
"Huh?"
Wang Ping blinked, as if struggling to process Liu Ye's words. Only after several seconds did he appear to snap out of it, his ruddy complexion instantly draining to a pale white. "Lord Chen met with disaster? Who did it?"
"We don't know. All we know is that the killer was ruthless beyond measure. The body was pulverized until only a head remained. And coming right after a heavy rain, an autopsy was impossible."
Liu Ye's tone grew grave as he murmured, "Everyone has already examined the scene. Every trace of combat was erased, and areas suspected of harboring clues were heavily vandalized. As a result, we don't even know what weapon the culprit used, let alone their specific martial arts."
"How could such a thing happen...?"
Wang Ping's eyes flew wide in apparent shock, as if he could not accept Chen Haoyan's demise. Finally, he clenched his teeth, wearing a look of bitter resentment. "T-This is far too great a loss for me!"
"I risked my very life this time and barely scraped through by sheer stroke of luck, all in the hope that Lord Chen would promote me. Yet he suffered such an untimely tragedy..."
Watching this display, Liu Ye stroked his chin.
This kid truly had a bright future ahead of him. He delivered his lines with such utter conviction that even Liu Ye, a veteran constable of many years, began doubting his own judgment.
At that thought, Liu Ye pulled Wang Ping aside and continued in a hushed voice, "In fact, we already have suspicions regarding the culprit's identity."
"Really?" Wang Ping's brow twitched.
"Of course it's real." Liu Ye nodded. "The killer deliberately destroyed all traces of the fight. It might look cautious, but in truth, it was outsmarting oneself."
"Because doing so effectively told everyone that his weapon and martial arts are exceptionally distinct—so distinct that the moment a trace was left behind, the yamen's constables would recognize it immediately. On that basis alone, we can narrow the suspects down to the dozen or so prominent, respectable households within the county."
"It's even possible... that it was an inside job."
As the words fell, Liu Ye fixed his gaze intently on Wang Ping. What did an inside job mean? Naturally, it meant that the person who killed Chen Haoyan was also a constable!
After all, the Three Demon Blades of Yanluo was common knowledge.
"Huh?"
Beneath Liu Ye's piercing stare, Wang Ping's composure did not waver in the slightest; instead, he looked all the more bewildered. "How could that be...? Who could possibly kill Lord Chen?"
This bewilderment was not an act, but genuine emotion.
For Wang Ping had just realized a crucial fact: after slaying Chen Haoyan the night before, he had turned on his heel and departed without bothering to destroy any traces of the battle. He hadn't done it.
Nor had he needed to clean up the scene. From start to finish, Chen Haoyan had been the one attacking him; Wang Ping had merely weathered the onslaught, closed the distance, severed his arm with a single slash, and then blown him to pieces midair with an arrow. All evidence had been utterly obliterated alongside the shattered corpse.
Even if any subtle traces remained, the torrential downpour would have washed them away, making it impossible to trace back to him.
*There was a third party.*
Wang Ping felt a slight chill. After he killed Chen Haoyan and left, a third person had arrived, tampered with the scene, and inadvertently aided the investigation through their clumsy meddling...
*...No, he did it on purpose!*
*He intentionally destroyed the traces to force the yamen to narrow down its targets... It was Shouchong! That old bastard must have done it. Could he have realized it was me?*
That made no sense. If his identity had been exposed, Shouchong would have come knocking on his door last night.
At this realization, a flicker of nervous tension surfaced on Wang Ping's face, though he swiftly wove that emotion into his outward persona.
"Wait, Master Liu... you don't suspect me, do you?"
Liu Ye's gaze grew even more peculiar. To his knowledge, there were very few martial arts in the county powerful enough to blow an internal strength martial master's body to smithereens.
Yet by sheer coincidence, the county yamen possessed one such art. And just as coincidentally, someone who had been at the scene the previous night and whose whereabouts were unaccounted for had learned it.
The Cloud-Piercing Sky-Shaking Bow.
"...Very good."
Looking at Wang Ping's tilted head and bewildered face, Liu Ye clapped him on the shoulder. "Keep that expression. When the magistrate summons you later, say exactly that."
"Huh? What expression...?"
*This kid is either truly oblivious, or he is a certified genius at playing the fool!*
Liu Ye marveled inwardly, then chuckled. "Relax. With your piddling martial arts, who would believe you could kill Lord Chen? Nobody would buy it even if you went around shouting it."
Wang Ping was not surprised by this reaction.
This had always been his greatest protective camouflage. Why would anyone believe an external martial artist who hadn't even achieved perfection could kill an internal strength martial master like Chen Haoyan?
Liu Ye also found it virtually impossible.
"However, you are still alive."
"Being alive is the biggest point of suspicion. Even if no one suspects you killed Lord Chen, they will certainly suspect you are linked to his death."
With that, Liu Ye let out a heartfelt sigh.
"To be honest, you shouldn't have come back. If you had just 'died' last night, everything would have been neat and clean. Now that you've returned, you'll likely face more trouble than if you had perished."
Just then, a yamen runner hurried onto the drill grounds and called out loudly, "His Honor the Magistrate summons everyone! Assemble in the inner yamen!"
***
On the way to the inner yamen, constables stole glances at Wang Ping from time to time. Wang Ping maintained a look of apprehensive unease, appearing thoroughly frightened by Liu Ye's warning.
*I had no choice.*
Just as Liu Ye had said, if his only goal was staying alive, he shouldn't have returned last night. Fleeing far away under the cover of darkness would have been the safest, most secure choice.
Yet he hadn't done so.
The reason was simple: running away might guarantee survival, but without the platform of the county yamen, his martial progress would inevitably stagnate for a long time.
*The Three Demon Blades of Yanluo and the Cloud-Piercing Sky-Shaking Bow are the only two techniques I possess. The Pure Moon Lotus Blade also cultivates blood, overlapping with the Cloud-Piercing Sky-Shaking Bow, making it useless to me. Yet to attain external perfection, I still have three hurdles to break through: skin, flesh, and marrow.*
He needed martial manuals.
With the assistance of the elixirs, so long as he obtained the corresponding techniques, reaching external perfection would be child's play; he was even confident he could condense internal strength within a very short span of time!
*For that, taking a few risks is well worth it.*
*If I can break through and become an internal strength martial master before I die, my starting point when I revive into the immortal sect world should be far better.*
After all, revival came with a cooldown period.
A full seven-day cooldown meant that for seven days after reviving, he would remain in an extraordinarily vulnerable state, where the slightest misstep could result in sudden death.
Therefore, the stronger he was upon revival, the better.
Following the crowd, Wang Ping soon arrived at the deepest recess of the county yamen. Liu Ye and several veteran constables took the lead, bringing the group to a halt before the gates of a courtyard.
A moment later, a figure stepped out from within.
He was clad in an official robe embroidered with a peculiar bird featuring five-colored plumage, a crest upon its head, and rudder-shaped tail feathers—the xici, also known as the purple mandarin duck.
In the entire county, only one man was permitted to wear such attire.
"Greetings, Lord Magistrate!"
Instantly, all the constables hailed him in unison, their voices thundering toward the sky and prompting numerous attentive eyes inside and outside the county seat to turn toward the yamen.
"At ease."
The magistrate waved a hand. He was an elegant, middle-aged man with a long beard, appearing at first glance like a scholar completely unversed in martial arts.
Yet Wang Ping knew that nothing could be further from the truth.
*Magistrate Xu Bingzheng, a former scholar of the Imperial College in the capital, disciple of the great Neo-Confucian scholar Cheng Bochun, ranked three hundred and forty-second on the court's Weapon Register...*
Wang Ping recited the magistrate's background in his mind.
Among all the information on Xu Bingzheng, what made Wang Ping most wary was that ranking on the Weapon Register. It represented not merely prestige, but immense strength.
*The Dashun court's Weapon Register is recognized throughout the world, representing the premier renown under heaven. When a martial master engraves his name upon it, it is known as receiving an imperial title. From then on, he can gather the world's renown and fortune to break through the shackles of internal strength and gaze upon higher realms of martial arts.*
Thus, anyone listed on the Weapon Register wielded at least a renowned treasure.
And should one take it a step further, reaching a tier where even the Weapon Register could no longer influence their fame, they would be a universally acknowledged martial arts grandmaster.
External martial artist, internal strength martial master, titled martial master, martial arts grandmaster.
Despite possessing such formidable cultivation, this county magistrate had refrained from making a name for himself in the capital, choosing instead to nestle in a remote place like Longxing County. It was truly a waste of his talents.
Right then, Xu Bingzheng spoke.
"You..."
His sharp eyes locked onto Wang Ping standing near the back of the crowd. His tone remained gentle, carrying not the slightest hint of overbearing arrogance.
"Are you Wang Ping?"
"Answering Your Honor, this humble subordinate is indeed he."
Wang Ping bowed respectfully.
Yet at that moment, goosebumps erupted across his skin. He felt as though the magistrate's gaze were a sharp blade peeling his body apart layer by layer!
The next words from Xu Bingzheng sent a tremor through Wang Ping's heart: "Perfection in the Three Demon Blades of Yanluo, minor accomplishment in the Cloud-Piercing Sky-Shaking Bow, true dragon sinews, mountain lord bones, and supreme yang blood. Not only do you possess extraordinary comprehension, but you are also blessed with three miraculous endowments. Even in the commandery, you would be a peerless prodigy seen once in a century."
"A true hero among the youth!"
As the praise echoed, Wang Ping clearly sensed the astonishment, shock, and even envy among the surrounding constables, alongside their sheer disbelief.
*My true foundation has been laid bare just like that!*
*Then again, an external martial artist's physical advancement cannot be hidden. Stay calm, don't panic. If anyone asks, I'm just a one-in-a-million martial prodigy...*
Even so, Wang Ping dared not relax in the slightest.
For at this moment, he had encountered a problem he had never faced before.
*...I can't sense anything.*
Wang Ping lowered his eyelids. He found that his spiritual sense, which had previously proved infallible, was utterly unable to detect any of the magistrate's emotions!
Why was this?
*Because he is a titled martial master? Can martial arts trained to this stage actually hinder spiritual sense? I knew the waters in this wretched place were deep...*
"By the way,"
Xu Bingzheng spoke again. "I recall that Chen Haoyan previously tasked you with escorting the Lotus Blade. Where is it now?"
"Answering Your Honor, this subordinate was incompetent. Everything was seized by the White Lotus rebels."
Wang Ping offered a swift explanation.
He could clearly sense that as he spoke, the intensity of Xu Bingzheng's scrutiny surged to an astonishing level.
Fortunately, with his spiritual sense's aid, Wang Ping instantly regulated his pulse and heartbeat, restraining all outward physiological signs to a state of being 'somewhat nervous, but with a clear conscience.' Only when that piercing gaze—which felt sharp enough to carve open his flesh—gradually receded did he breathe an inward sigh of relief.
*Formidable indeed.*
Intuition told Wang Ping that if he had shown even the slightest abnormal physical reaction just now, this county magistrate would have struck immediately!
"I see. The fault does not lie with you. Let it be, then."
Xu Bingzheng withdrew his gaze, seemingly losing interest in Wang Ping.
"Step back."
At these words, Wang Ping felt as if he had been granted an amnesty. He retreated into the crowd, well aware that he had passed this hurdle for the moment and would not face instant death.
Immediately after, the magistrate addressed the assembly:
"I have summoned everyone today to announce a matter."
"Chen Haoyan is dead, yet the county yamen cannot go without a head constable. Therefore, I intend to select one among you to assume the position of chief constable of Longxing County."
A single pebble stirred a thousand ripples.
At these words, the quiet crowd erupted into an uproar. Several veteran constables who had been unprepared almost broke into laughter.
Quickly catching themselves, however, the corners of their mouths dropped back down. After several contortions, they managed to squeeze out mournful sobs.
"Lord Chen has just died in the line of duty, how could we..."
"The man is already dead, what are you crying for?"
The magistrate waved his hand in irritation.
The weeping ceased abruptly.
In the next instant, every constable looked toward Xu Bingzheng with burning eyes. No one understood better than they the tremendous advantages of the chief constable position.
Not only could the chief constable freely peruse the numerous martial manuals collected by the county yamen, but he could also requisition items directly from the armory to select weapons suited to his training. Moreover, medicinal nourishment was provided at the highest standard with unlimited supply... Securing this position meant that breaking through to internal strength was practically guaranteed!
Xu Bingzheng continued:
"One month from today, I shall hold a grand tournament at the county yamen. Anyone may take the stage. The one who remains standing at the very end will become the new chief constable."
"Strive with diligence, all of you."
With that, Xu Bingzheng turned and walked back into the inner courtyard, leaving behind the gathered constables buzzing with fervent excitement.
Even Wang Ping found himself contemplating it: *Doesn't this align perfectly with my plans? So long as I claim the chief constable position, martial arts manuals will no longer be an issue.*
As for the yamen tournament, the strongest among these constables had only attained external perfection. Furthermore, they were getting on in years; youth holds the advantage in fistfights. Utilizing all his methods, Wang Ping stood a very high chance of winning.
Not to mention he possessed so many elixirs.
A month of preparation would be plenty of time to absorb all those pills. By then, even without corresponding martial arts manuals, he could hone his physique to its absolute peak...
*...Wait?*
Wang Ping's train of thought came to a screeching halt.
Something was wrong.
*Chen Haoyan stormed Youshen Temple specifically for that batch of pills, yet he didn't keep them for himself. He was clearly doing someone else's bidding; there was another mastermind behind the scenes.*
The county magistrate, Xu Bingzheng.
He claimed he was holding a tournament to select a chief constable, yet he granted a month of preparation—the exact amount of time required to absorb that batch of pills.
Wang Ping's mind sounded a sudden alarm.
*Could this be bait? Could he be... fishing for me?!*
At that realization, Wang Ping felt as if he had been plunged into an icy cavern. His burning excitement cooled instantly, and he instinctively glanced back toward the courtyard of the inner yamen.
There, he seemed to see Magistrate Xu Bingzheng, face concealed in shadow, gazing upon the crowd with calm, utterly placid eyes.
Chapter 22