The Third Chieftain had encountered far too many surprises today.
That coward Xing Zhao Fu, who was supposed to be afraid of death, was suddenly fighting recklessly. Those useless constables were also fighting like their lives didn't matter…
And now even some peasant had a death wish?
The Third Chieftain never imagined that some random peasant he'd stumbled upon would dare to strike first!
He hurriedly shut his eyes and retreated, but he was still a step too slow.
A bit of lime powder shot into his eyes, which immediately began to burn with a searing pain.
Under normal circumstances, he could have dispersed the powder with a simple wave of his palm.
'A tiger stranded on the plains is tormented by dogs!'
'To think that I, the dignified Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold, would be ambushed with such a cheap trick!'
In a flash, the Third Chieftain's eyes seared with pain from the lime. His vision blurred, and he could only vaguely make out the glint of a saber slashing through the air.
"Not good!"
The Third Chieftain's heart sank. 'This strike is definitely not something a mere peasant could execute.'
'This bastard is a Martial Artist! And his Cultivation isn't low!'
In his haste, he barely managed to raise his saber to block.
But after only a few clashes, he was forced back uncontrollably.
Finding himself at a disadvantage, he grew even more panicked.
The main problem was that mad dog Xing Zhao Fu was still chasing him. If he couldn't take this person down quickly, and Xing Zhao Fu and his men heard the commotion, he would truly be doomed today.
"Brother, this is all a misunderstanding. If you stop now, how about I give you one hundred taels of gold?"
The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold said in a low voice. In the time it took to speak, he had already blocked several more strikes, been forced back two steps, and his arm was going numb.
"One hundred taels of gold?"
Su Mu seemed tempted, and the movements of his hands slowed.
The Third Chieftain keenly sensed the change in the attack and was inwardly delighted.
'Just as I thought,' he mused. 'There's no one in this world who doesn't like money.'
"If one hundred taels isn't enough, then two hundred! Brother, I am the Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold. If it's wealth you're after, I can help you get rich."
The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold said quickly.
"Really?"
Su Mu's movements grew even slower, as if he had been persuaded by the Third Chieftain.
"Of course, it's true! My word is my bond. Come with me to the stronghold, and we'll be weighing out gold together."
The Third Chieftain spared no effort in tempting Su Mu.
"Alright, then."
Su Mu finally stopped, lowering his arms as he spoke.
The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold let out a long sigh of relief, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him.
He had lost too much blood, and after the recent fight, he was at the end of his rope.
"Brother, go to the mouth of the alley and see if any constables are chasing me. Block them for me, and I'll make sure you're well rewarded."
The Third Chieftain said.
"Thank you, Third Chieftain."
Su Mu put on a delighted expression, cupped his fists in a salute to the Third Chieftain, and bowed slightly.
A smug look appeared on the Third Chieftain's face. 'As expected of me,' he thought. 'Just a few words and this greenhorn brat doesn't know which way is up.'
'You want to join my Black Dragon Stronghold? Let's see you survive these constables first.'
He sneered inwardly, watching Su Mu walk obediently toward the mouth of the alley with his head lowered.
In the instant they passed each other.
Suddenly.
A cold glint of light flared.
The flash of the saber was utterly unexpected, and it moved with blinding speed.
The Third Chieftain never imagined that Su Mu, who had seemingly submitted, would suddenly turn on him.
Even if he had, in his current state, he wouldn't have had time to react.
The blade flashed across the Third Chieftain's neck in an instant, and a spray of blood flew into the air.
The Third Chieftain's eyes went wide, filled with despair and indignation. He could never have imagined that he, the great Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold, would die in a place like this, at the hands of a nobody!
'The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold… of all the paths he could have taken, why did he have to choose this one?'
Su Mu felt a wave of lingering fear.
From the rooftops earlier, he had seen from a distance just how ferocious this Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold was.
All those constables from the South City Bureau hadn't been able to take him down.
The man was already covered in wounds—some so deep you could see bone and viscera—yet Su Mu had still been nearly no match for him.
'If I hadn't used the old lime powder trick right from the start, and then pretended to surrender for a surprise attack, it's hard to say who would have come out on top.'
Su Mu once again realized how dangerous this world was. If he hadn't been carrying the lime he used for masking scents while hunting, with his saber skills still in their early stages, he would likely be another soul claimed by that fiend's blade.
In an instant, a thousand thoughts flashed through Su Mu's mind.
'My strength is still far from enough. This world is so vicious; one wrong move and you're dead.'
Just as Su Mu was hesitating over whether to loot the corpse.
Suddenly, the sound of chaotic footsteps rang out, followed by a harsh shout.
"Don't move! Drop the saber!"
Looking toward the sound, Su Mu saw a dozen or so figures rush in from the mouth of the alley.
The man in the lead was covered in wounds and walked with a limp, his face a mask of ferocity.
'From his clothes, I can tell he's a constable from the South City Bureau. But looking at his face, you'd think he was another chieftain from the Black Dragon Stronghold.'
Su Mu grumbled internally as he reluctantly dropped his saber and raised his hands.
Seeing his actions, the other constables visibly relaxed.
It was no wonder. This was the man who had killed the Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold. If he had decided to fight to the death, who knew how many more of them would have died.
"You killed him?"
Xing Zhao Fu had already reached the body of the Third Chieftain. After confirming the corpse's identity, he heaved a long sigh of relief.
The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold was dead, which meant his own life was safe for now.
He would inevitably be punished for this affair, but at least it wouldn't be a death sentence.
Only then did he turn his head to look at Su Mu. Seeing his peasant attire, a look of bewilderment flashed across his face.
'The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold... killed by a country bumpkin?'
"He was trying to kill me. I had no choice but to fight back," Su Mu said timidly.
Xing Zhao Fu stared at Su Mu, and his right hand suddenly shot out like lightning.
Su Mu instinctively tried to dodge, but Xing Zhao Fu was too fast. His shoulder had just begun to move when Xing Zhao Fu's right hand was already clamped onto it.
In an instant, Su Mu felt as if Xing Zhao Fu's hand was an iron clamp about to crush his bones. He was horrified.
He finally understood what a huge advantage he had just lucked into.
'Someone as powerful as Xing Zhao Fu couldn't even beat the Third Chieftain. If the Third Chieftain hadn't been so grievously injured, I never would have stood a chance.'
"You haven't undergone Quenching Body. How could you have killed him?"
Xing Zhao Fu's brow furrowed.
"I threw lime in his eyes…"
Su Mu said honestly.
Xing Zhao Fu had arrived too quickly for him to get away, and the evidence at the scene couldn't be hidden.
Before Xing Zhao Fu could even ask, he recounted the events, mixing nine parts falsehood with one part truth.
Of course, he didn't mention the Submerging Wave Saber Technique.
"This humble one is a Hunter. I'm used to killing wild beasts," Su Mu said. "The situation was desperate. He wanted to kill me, and in the heat of the moment, I just treated him like another beast to be put down.
"I wouldn't have been able to kill him on my own, but then he tried to recruit me. I pretended to agree, waited until I got close, and then launched a surprise attack…"
"Sir, I was acting in self-defense. I haven't broken any laws, have I?"
Su Mu displayed just the right amount of panic.
"So you're a Hunter."
Xing Zhao Fu wasn't suspicious. After all, he was a constable from the South City Bureau. If the boy dared to lie, he could easily find out.
The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold was just unlucky, running into a Hunter while so severely wounded.
Although this Hunter hadn't trained in martial arts, he hunted in the mountains often. His skills with a blade were a cut above the average person's.
"You live here?"
Xing Zhao Fu sized up Su Mu, his eyes glinting as he spoke.
Su Mu suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being watched by a viper.
"This humble one lives right here."
By the light of the moon, Su Mu caught the flicker of killing intent in Xing Zhao Fu's eyes. He quickly lowered his head and said, "This humble one was tired from hunting today and went to bed early. I didn't hear a thing."
As he spoke, Su Mu acted as if he hadn't even seen Xing Zhao Fu and his men, and started walking forward.
"You little—"
a constable began angrily.
Xing Zhao Fu raised a hand, silencing the constable.
Watching Su Mu walk into a dilapidated courtyard and close the door, Xing Zhao Fu's eyes flickered, and the hand gripping his saber hilt finally relaxed.
'Enough people have died tonight,' he thought. 'He's just a lowly Hunter. I doubt he'd dare try to steal my credit. I'll spare his worthless life.'
"You all know what the story is, right?"
Xing Zhao Fu's gaze swept over the constables as he spoke in a cold voice.
"The Captain fought the Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold for three hundred rounds! Though grievously wounded, you did not retreat, and in the end, you successfully slew him!" one constable shouted.
"The Third Chieftain of the Black Dragon Stronghold deserved to die. I was merely doing my duty."
Xing Zhao Fu nodded slightly, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes.
The other constables looked annoyed. 'Damn it, how did he get the first word in?'
...