Severed Heads Hung High to Awe the Whole City

Horse hooves kicked up plumes of dust outside the west gate of Funing County seat. Two Battalion Commanders clad in the red official robes of the Martial Restraint Guard stood alongside a dozen blade-bearing guardsmen, gazing into the distance down the imperial highway at two galloping steeds. "I see them! The one in front is Assistant Commissioner Huang Tian, and following behind him is Nie Kun. They've finally arrived!" the tall, thin Battalion Commander said, squinting. The shorter Battalion Commander looked puzzled. "Why are there only the two of them? Where is Vice Commander Niu? I heard Vice Commander Niu brought several subordinates along as well—why is there no sign of them?" The tall, thin Battalion Commander pondered for a moment. "Perhaps something delayed them along the road. Assistant Commissioner Huang and his companion rode ahead, while Vice Commander Niu and the others will arrive later." "Perhaps..." As the two spoke, the two magnificent horses galloped up before them. *Neeeiigh—* The horses halted. Huang Tian and Nie Kun sat atop their mounts while the two Battalion Commanders led the guardsmen in a deep bow. "Greetings, Assistant Commissioner!" "No need for formalities." Huang Tian was in no rush to enter the city, asking instead, "What is the situation in the city right now?" The tall, thin Battalion Commander replied, "With Vice Commander Xu holding the fort, the city is broadly at peace. It's just that there are too many figures from the martial world. They are constantly vying for dominance and brawling, and lethal clashes break out from time to time." Vice Commander Xu, Xu Shu, was a rank-two Grandmaster of the Qin Province Martial Restraint Guard, and the earliest rank-two powerhouse to arrive in Funing from the provincial seat to reinforce them. "Actually, clashes between martial artists of the lower and middle three ranks are relatively manageable. They fear us and dare not brazenly involve the common folk. But the Grandmaster-tier powerhouses lurking in the city are different. Every time they strike, the commotion is immense, destroying entire streets and alleys and causing numerous casualties among the commoners. "Take last month, for instance. Just because a wanderer had a broadsword wrapped in cloth strapped to his back that resembled a heavy ruler, four rank-three Grandmasters joined in a simultaneous brawl to seize it. That single incident left nearly a hundred dead. Had Vice Commander Xu not intervened in time, even more lives would have been lost." Huang Tian asked, "Were the culprits apprehended?" The tall, thin Battalion Commander shook his head. "No. Once those rank-three Grandmasters realized the broadsword was not the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler and saw Vice Commander Xu show himself, they immediately fled into hiding." The city was packed with buildings and full of twists and turns, making escape exceedingly easy. Unless one disregarded civilian casualties and went all out, even a rank-two powerhouse like Xu Shu would find it difficult to intercept a rank-three expert bent on fleeing. "I understand." Huang Tian gave a slight nod, then turned to Nie Kun. "Take out the heads. Hang one on each gate, leaving the west gate empty. I'd like to see who wants to offer up their own head." "Yes!" Nie Kun retrieved three severed heads from the bundle at his horse's flank and tossed them to the tall, thin Battalion Commander, who hastily caught them in his arms. "These are...?" He was somewhat uncertain. The shorter Battalion Commander, however, cried out in shock, "The Three Elders of Qin Province?!" Hearing this, the tall, thin Battalion Commander shuddered. He closely examined the three severed heads and the wooden caps still fastened to their hair. "It really is them!" Nie Kun waved a hand and said, "These three were slain by the Assistant Commissioner. Go and hang these three heads atop the east, south, and north city gates." "Yes!" Forcing down the shock in his heart, the tall, thin Battalion Commander distributed the severed heads to several guardsmen, ordering them to hang them up. "Alright, let's enter the city." At Huang Tian's word, the dragon horse beneath him let out a long neigh and trotted into the city. Nie Kun, the tall, thin Battalion Commander, and the others followed close behind. "Is Assistant Commissioner Huang truly this strong? To even kill the Three Elders of Qin Province? I heard that when the three of them join forces, they can contend with rank-two powerhouses for a short time!" the tall, thin Battalion Commander whispered as he trailed behind. The shorter Battalion Commander shook his head. "Perhaps others lent a hand. Even so, Assistant Commissioner Huang's strength is immense—hardly finding a match within the third rank!" "Truly a figure that the Kunyun Commandery Martial Restraint Guard produces only once in a thousand years!" the tall, thin Battalion Commander murmured in admiration. *Clip-clop, clip-clop.* Mounted on his dragon horse, Huang Tian rode along the main thoroughfare of the city, his gaze sweeping over the commoners lining both sides of the street, as well as wandering martial artists dressed in tight martial attire with sabers belted at their waists. "Who is that? Why are two Battalion Commanders of the Martial Restraint Guard trailing behind him?" some wanderers asked in curiosity. "So young. Could he hail from an aristocratic house?" "Heh heh, a tender-skinned young lord dares come to Funing? He really isn't afraid of... heheh!" "Shut your stupid mouth! That's no pampered young master—that's Huang Tian! The Martial Restraint Guard's Huang Tian!" "*Hiss—*he's the Huang Tian whose fame overawed an entire commandery and forced the sect leaders of the Four Great Sects to their deaths?!" "To think he's actually come to Funing. Looks like there's going to be quite a show to watch from now on!" "All of you, watch yourselves. Huang Tian is terrifyingly strong, and he acts with zero scruples. If you offend him, there's no way out except death." "Coming to Funing right now isn't very wise of him. There are suspected Demonic Cult villains lurking in the city, and he killed Pei Guan. Those Demonic Cult scoundrels won't let him off..." Amid the clamor of gossip, Huang Tian and his party arrived at the town's Martial Restraint Guard Company Office. At the entrance, Vice Commander Xu Shu and several of his subordinates stood waiting to receive them. "Assistant Commissioner Huang!" "Vice Commander Xu!" Huang Tian dismounted, sizing up Xu Shu. Around forty years of age and of average stature, he wore no purple official robes of a Vice Commander, but merely an ordinary blue robe. His features were plain and unexceptional; standing there, he seemed like a silent, stalwart tree. "Assistant Commissioner Huang, please come inside. I have prepared a banquet that we may drink together." Seeing that Niu Kuanyu—who was supposed to lead the contingent—had not appeared, Xu Shu's eyes flickered, but he was in no hurry to ask. Instead, he affably guided Huang Tian inside to take their seats. "Please!" In an elegant room, Xu Shu sat at the head of the table, Huang Tian at his left, while Nie Kun and the others took their respective seats. Maids served fruit, wine, and food to the assembly. Throughout the banquet, Xu Shu made not a single mention of Niu Kuanyu. He spoke only of cultivation matters with Huang Tian and discussed the current situation in Funing County. "After the news spread that the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler had allegedly surfaced, far too many rogue martial artists and sect disciples poured into Funing County. They searched high and low throughout the city and the mountain ranges outside. Nearly two months have passed now, yet they have found nothing. "Because of this, some have concluded that the weapon's appearance was a false rumor and have already departed. Others believe the divine armament is real, but that its master carried it away from Funing long ago, so they too left to search other counties and commanderies. "Even though many have left, a great number of martial artists still linger in the city, refusing to give up as they continue scouring inside and outside the walls." Xu Shu added with concern, "According to my reconnaissance, some Demonic Cult villains have also infiltrated the city. You must exercise caution." Huang Tian nodded knowingly. He had long known of the Demonic Cult villains inside Funing. Not only that, but he also knew precisely where they were hiding. However, there was no rush to eliminate them now, lest he alert the enemy. It was better to wait until that Saint Yin arrived, so he could net them all in one fell swoop. Once the banquet concluded, Xu Shu invited Huang Tian into a quiet side room where they sat across from each other. Pouring a cup of tea, Xu Shu spoke with a grave expression: "Assistant Commissioner Huang, do you know why Vice Commander Niu did not arrive? Could he have encountered some trouble on the road that delayed him?" Both he and Niu Kuanyu served in the provincial Martial Restraint Guard and were rank-two martial artists, so they had some acquaintance—though only a little. Niu Kuanyu was notoriously overbearing and tyrannical, and few colleagues cared to be close with him, Xu Shu included. Huang Tian said flatly, "He is dead." *Drip.* The hand holding the teacup gave a slight tremor, spilling two drops of tea onto the table with a faint patter. Shaken to the core, Xu Shu was in no mood to drink tea. Setting down the cup, his back straightened and leaned slightly forward as he asked in a deep voice, "Who killed him?" "I did." The atmosphere instantly plunged into dead silence. Xu Shu's eyes widened in utter disbelief. "Y-you killed him?" Shock, astonishment, suspicion—all manner of emotions surged within him. Looking at the calm, impassive Huang Tian, his body instinctively leaned back a fraction while his muscles tightened, quietly circulating his true qi in case Huang Tian suddenly struck at him. Taking a light breath, Xu Shu said slowly, "Could Assistant Commissioner Huang explain the reasons to me?" Huang Tian paid no mind to his vigilance, unhurriedly recounting the entire affair from beginning to end. By the time he finished, Xu Shu was completely dazed. Niu Kuanyu had actually gathered the Three Elders of Qin Province to make a move on Huang Tian? And had ended up killed?!! Though he disliked Niu Kuanyu, Xu Shu held great respect for his strength. In the rank-two realm, Niu Kuanyu was indisputably a formidable combatant, several notches stronger than himself. Furthermore, the Three Elders of Qin Province were long-famed rank-three experts. Yet the four of them had joined forces, only to be slain in counterattack by the valiant youth sitting before him! Xu Shu was struck dumb, frozen on the spot. Only after a long while did he recover his senses, asking, "Did anyone witness this?" "Yes. Quite a few." Xu Shu felt completely numb. Once word spread that a superior officer had coveted a subordinate's fortune only to be slain in retaliation, the Qin Province Martial Restraint Guard would suffer a humiliating blow to its dignity. *That Niu Kuanyu, what a trouble magnet!* Xu Shu cursed silently, then forced a smile. "Have you reported this to the provincial authorities?" "I have dispatched a subordinate carrying Niu Kuanyu's corpse back to the commandery seat. He will report the details to Assistant Commissioner Yu, who will then submit a report to the provincial Guard." Hearing this, Xu Shu nodded, then asked, "What about the corpses of the Three Elders of Qin Province?" "Their bodies were mangled beyond recognition, leaving only their heads," Huang Tian replied. "Their heads should be hanging above several gates of Funing right about now." Xu Shu's expression turned solemn. Huang Tian truly possessed a domineering and grand manner of conducting himself. Upon arriving in Funing, he had immediately dealt the wanderers and sect disciples across the whole city a stunning demonstration of authority. "With the heads of those three serving as a deterrent, order within the city should improve considerably," Xu Shu praised. He had been stationed in Funing for nearly two months without killing a single rank-three Grandmaster, which led those experts to hardly fear him at all. Yet now, a truly ruthless powerhouse had arrived. After chatting for a few more moments with Xu Shu, Huang Tian departed the side room and was led by a guardsman toward his temporary quarters. Watching his receding figure, Xu Shu's eyes grew deep and contemplative. Huang Tian's strength was likely approaching the first rank. And yet, only a few months had passed since he began cultivating. Could someone in this world truly cultivate so rapidly based purely on raw talent? *Niu Kuanyu's guess was probably right. He indeed harbors some immense secret, a tremendous fortune! If I could obtain it, rank one would no longer be an insurmountable chasm, and even the divide of a Celestial Being might be breached! Alas—* He sighed deeply. *I'm afraid of dying!* Just like Zhou Tu, he was exceedingly curious about the secret hidden on Huang Tian's person. Yet Huang Tian was utterly unfathomable—you never knew just how terrifyingly strong he truly was! Not to mention, going by the strength Huang Tian had displayed so far, Xu Shu was far from a match. If he forcefully took action, the one who died would almost certainly be himself! Therefore... *Forget it, forget it. Fortunes are decreed by Heaven; what is not mine cannot be forced. I'd do better to forge good ties with him. If he achieves the Celestial Being realm one day, perhaps I can bask in his reflected glory and break through to rank one!* *** "To hang the severed heads of three Grandmasters upon the city gates to awe the heroes before even stepping inside... This Huang Tian truly acts with imperious grandeur! I like it!" In the eastern city, on the third floor of a tavern beside a window, a carefree swordsman dressed in white chuckled softly. Sitting opposite him was a young man in an azure Taoist robe. "It is what needed to be done. I've been in Funing for only half a month, yet I've already witnessed dozens of bloody brawls among wanderers. The city is in chaos, and the common folk know no peace. Without ruthless measures, an entire city cannot be pacified!" At this point, the Taoist youth glanced at the battle-hungry white-robed swordsman. "Brother Xie, judging by your demeanor, do you intend to spar with him?" Xie Zheng stroked the longsword at his side. "The reason I came to Kunyun was firstly for the legendary Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler, and secondly out of curiosity toward Huang Tian. "Even back in Wuzhou, I heard of his reputation. Everyone says he is poised to become a supreme rank-one Grandmaster, with even a glimmer of hope at reaching Celestial Being. So I wished to see for myself what kind of man he is. If I could spar with him a round or two, all the better. "Speaking of which, Brother Long, do you not wish to trade blows with him?" Long Zhang laughed heartily. "To be able to slay the Three Elders of Qin Province, he must have broken through to rank four. Possessing rank-two combat strength as a rank-four martial artist is truly astonishing and intriguing. How could I not wish to test my skills against such a paragon?" "Since Brother Long also wishes to test his hand against him, why don't both of us send him challenge letters?" "Excellent!" Soon enough, two challenge letters were delivered to Huang Tian's quarters. Unfolding them, he looked at the signatures at the bottom: One was "Xie Zheng of Heavenly Sword Villa." The other was "Long Zhang of Cloudvault Abbey." "So they are disciples of two great sects..." Huang Tian was no stranger to Heavenly Sword Villa and Cloudvault Abbey—or rather, no martial artist across Great Gan was a stranger to them. For both great sects possessed Celestial Beings! The old villa master of Heavenly Sword Villa had broken through to the Celestial Being realm one hundred and twenty years ago, testing his sword against five kingdoms and forging an illustrious reputation. The abbey master of Cloudvault Abbey had attained the Celestial Being realm one hundred and sixty years ago, living in secluded simplicity, dedicating himself solely to cultivation within the abbey and occasionally taking on a few disciples. And Xie Zheng was the third son of Heavenly Sword Villa's current master and the grandson of the old villa master, known to all as the Third Young Master. Long Zhang was the tenth personal disciple of the abbey master of Cloudvault Abbey. Both were of the third rank, yet their prowess allowed them to rival the second rank—truly geniuses of peerless talent! "They wish to spar with me outside the west gate three days from now?" Huang Tian toggled on his mental switch and traced a deep black voice line with his gaze for a moment. "Counting the travel time, in three days, Saint Yin should also arrive in Funing." They were all converging at once!