Someone like Lin Chen—even if captured, would only be thrown into the Imperial Prison for torment, or kept locked away in Purgatory.
There were no other possibilities.
Clearly, Lin Chen didn't want to choose either option.
So after staring at Ye Liuyun for a moment, Lin Chen attacked without hesitation.
He raised his hand, slashing mercilessly toward Ye Liuyun.
"Sir, watch out!"
Even though they knew Ye Liuyun wasn't weak, Si Nan and the others still couldn't help but cry out at the Postnatal Martial Artist's attack.
Cangyang Force!
Inner Strength surged, and as he drew his saber, the blazing energy ignited on the Brocade Spring Saber like fire.
"Clang!"
The two sabers clashed in a heavy blow—not only splitting a notch into Lin Chen's blade, but also sending his body flying back several meters.
"Impossible!"
Lin Chen could hardly believe it.
In terms of Inner Strength, his gap with Ye Liuyun wasn't that wide, so why was the difference in power so overwhelming?
"Even among Postnatal, there's a high and a low."
Ye Liuyun understood—it was the Innate Weakness talent entry dragging Lin Chen down.
On the contrary, Ye Liuyun's own numerous amplification entries combined—at the same realm, Ye Liuyun feared no one.
"Slash!"
While Lin Chen was stunned, Ye Liuyun's saber struck again and again, relentlessly hacking forward.
The scorching Inner Strength made Ye Liuyun's saber glow red-hot.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Under such overwhelming force,
Lin Chen could only passively block, unable even to counterattack.
"Break!"
With a final blow and a faint shout from Ye Liuyun, Lin Chen's saber fell from his grip as Ye Liuyun's blade plunged into his shoulder.
The force drove Lin Chen to his knees, his hands clutching Ye Liuyun's blade in a death grip.
"I refuse to accept this. All I wanted was vengeance. What have I done wrong?"
"No one said you were wrong. You just happened to run into me."
Ye Liuyun had never said Lin Chen's revenge was wrong—yet as an Embroidered Uniform Guard, capturing Lin Chen, the Golden Saber Sect extermination culprit, was what he had to do.
"If you won't go to the Imperial Prison, I'll send you on your way!"
He pulled the blade free.
Meeting Lin Chen's unwilling gaze, Ye Liuyun cut downward without hesitation.
"Huff!"
Watching Lin Chen's unwilling body collapse to the ground, Ye Liuyun slowly let out a heavy breath. As expected, he really was born cold-hearted; not only did killing not bother him,
he even felt a strange sense of relief.
"Sir, you're mighty!"
As Ye Liuyun resheathed his Brocade Spring Saber,
Si Nan and the Embroidered Uniform Guards walked over, faces full of admiration.
In the Embroidered Uniform Guard, might was respected. Before, they'd thought Ye Liuyun only made it to Captain because of his background.
But now, seeing Ye Liuyun's real strength, their gazes toward him grew much more sincere.
"Enough! Get to work!"
Waving a hand, Ye Liuyun ignored their flattery.
He had everyone continue searching the Golden Saber Sect, then turned to look at Lin Chen's lifeless body.
Innate Weakness was useless, but Swordsmanship Talent and the purple-grade Extraordinary Comprehension—Ye Liuyun very much wanted those.
Another purple-grade talent entry obtained.
"Detected high compatibility between 'Photographic Memory' and 'Extraordinary Comprehension.' Fuse?"
The previously acquired Photographic Memory was related to comprehension; with both entries highly compatible, fusion was just right.
Fuse!
No need for hesitation—Ye Liuyun immediately chose to fuse.
"Talent Entry System!
Host: Ye Liuyun!
Realm: Postnatal Martial Artist!
Martial Skills: Wind-Slaying Saber Skill, Cangyang Force, Pine Wood Saber Skill, Jade-Shattering Hand,
Talent Entries: Luck (Purple), Iron Bones (Purple), Man-Saber As One (Purple), Extraordinary Comprehension (Purple), Swordsmanship Talent (Blue), Solar Physique (Purple), Scent Discernment (Blue),"
"Man-Saber As One (Purple): Possesses outstanding saber skill talent; can master any saber skill swiftly."
Thanks to repeated boosts to Saber Skill Talent,
Ye Liuyun's formerly blue-grade Saber Skill Talent successfully upgraded to purple.
And the progress bar had also improved considerably.
"Good! Good!"
Ye Liuyun was quite satisfied with this harvest.
Moreover, as the entries fused, Ye Liuyun sensed new insights into his saber techniques.
If Ye Liuyun fought Lin Chen again now, he was confident he could finish him off within three strikes.
The other Embroidered Uniform Guards went off to search for loot.
Now at Ye Liuyun's side, only Si Nan and Shi Sheng remained.
"What did you learn?"
For now, Ye Liuyun remained satisfied with these two subordinates.
The sudden question surprised both Si Nan and Shi Sheng, but Shi Sheng was first to answer.
"Sir's saber techniques are fierce; my eyes are dull—I didn't learn a single move."
"…"
Who told you to learn my saber skills—Ye Liuyun rolled his eyes at Shi Sheng in exasperation.
Giving an answer like that really is just like you.
"What nonsense, did the sir mean that?"
Si Nan, skilled at reading people, instantly saw Ye Liuyun's expression was off and quickly scolded Shi Sheng.
So you did get my meaning?
Ye Liuyun looked at Si Nan, unexpectedly, and Si Nan, facing him, first gave an ingratiating smile before stating firmly:
"Sir sees through everything; your judgement is divine. If not for your wisdom, we wouldn't have realized the culprit never left the Golden Saber Sect. You mean to say from now on, we must think calmly when solving cases, right?"
Beside him, Shi Sheng immediately put on a look of sudden comprehension, acting as if he'd learned something.
"Bullshit!"
Cases, my ass—I may have watched a lot of detective stories, but I've never actually solved anything myself.
"What I wanted to tell you is: If you don't eradicate the roots, the grass grows back with the spring breeze!"
That's what Ye Liuyun learned from Lin Chen.
Did Jin Yuanba, the Golden Saber Sect leader, do wrong?
Actually, in the martial world, slaughtering whole families for a martial arts manual happens all the time—it's just too common.
If Jin Yuanba was wrong somewhere, it was in leaving Lin Chen alive.
That's how the Jianghu is. People say the martial world isn't just killing, but the truth is, most of the time, it's nothing but killing.
"If something similar happens again, remember—don't leave survivors. You only have one life. Once you're dead, it's over. Don't worry about whether someone will avenge you. Even if the revenge succeeds, the dead gain nothing; what's the point?"
Shi Sheng might have still been confused,
but Si Nan was the first to catch on, his expression clearing.
"Understood, sir!"
...