Chapter 154 - 153: Repaying Evil with Evil

The level of one’s own martial arts cultivation and mastery of martial arts truly couldn’t be presented. The blow left him seeing stars, unable to breathe, half-dead.

His entire skeleton was shattered, limp and pressed onto the table and chairs.

Li Xian said, "It’s either you die or I live, it’s only natural." With a swipe of the sword, he thoroughly ended Cao Yun’s life.

Cao Yun’s vitality drained away, his life was about to end. His heart was filled with bitterness and unwillingness, dying with eyes wide open in refusal to close.

"How dare you, vile thief!"

The patrolling Close Guards outside heard the commotion and rushed back immediately. But it was too late when they saw Cao Yun already dead, in a miserable state. Filled with both anger and hatred, they raised their blade to kill Li Xian.

Li Xian dodged to the side, countering back with a palm. The Jade Palm’s force struck the guard’s chest, sending him flying several meters; with a "bang" he crashed through the door and fell outside.

He turned his head and spat blood, passing out unconscious.

Li Xian saw his goal achieved. There was no need to linger, so he immediately dashed out. Suddenly, he heard an angry shout: "Vile thief, where do you think you’re going!" A Close Guard jumped down from above, slashing down with his blade.

This strike was not weak. His inner qi was strong and restrained, and his sword skill approached perfection.

At the same time, county soldiers surrounded him, with more than ten soldiers thrusting their spears. At that instant, Li Xian faced attacks from over ten directions.

Even though he was proficient in the "Four Directions Fist," capable of easily resolving the siege by four or five people, this time, there were more than ten foes.

Li Xian dodged the dangerous spots, then held his breath and jolted. The Iron Copper Body was pushed to the extreme, his body shimmering with black light. He received all the spears and blades.

He then seized that guard with one hand and hurled him at the soldiers.

With a crashing sound, more than ten people were struck and saw stars. Everyone was filled with fear; this person had immense strength, causing terror.

Li Xian seized the moment, jumped into the well, and swam quickly out to the lake outside. The government office was leaderless, and unaware of Li Xian’s whereabouts, they were in chaos, not knowing what to do.

The pace was completely controlled by Li Xian.

He immediately set off fireworks, ordering the constables under him to fake an invasion of bandits into the city.

The night was quite lively.

...

...

Spring Leaf Martial Arts Hall.

Miao Xichun was awakened by the noise and had his disciples go investigate. Shortly after, a disciple reported, "Master, that... that Cao Yun is dead! I heard he was killed by some wandering bandits!"

"This... this..." Miao Xichun was fully awake, "What a tactic, what a tactic... This kid is ruthless and decisive, far beyond what I can compare!"

"Qingning County has really changed!"

A look of fear appeared in his eyes.

To think that the County Magistrate could just be killed like that, in such a matter-of-fact way.

...

Xiongpi Martial Arts Hall.

Iron Bear, with his eyes wrapped in black cloth, also heard the news from his men. He said with a complex expression, "Our Martial Captain here is truly efficient and decisive. Even with layers of defense in the government office, he could kill. Doesn’t that mean... if he wanted to end our lives, it would be just as easy?"

...

Upon hearing the news, no one in the Barbarian Martial Arts Hall, Snake Walking Sect, or Red Copper Sect was not shocked or amazed.

Previously they showed apparent obedience, but in reality harbored different intentions.

After today, if Li Xian gives an order, no one up or down would dare not to follow.

...

Qingning County was amidst great chaos.

Inside the government office.

With Cao Yun dead, chaos ensued. Cao Nuyi, having heard the news urgently rushed over. Upon seeing Cao Yun’s corpse, he let out a whimper, held his head, and cried bitterly.

This "Cao Nuyi" was the head of Cao Yun’s close guard. Although he shared the Cao surname, he wasn’t of the family. He joined the Cao family and married into their illegitimate daughter, thus given the "Cao" surname.

Generations of loyalty to the Cao family.

Tonight, he anticipated an external attack, hence he arranged strong defenses. He himself sat in the outer courtyard, vowing to block strong enemies outside, never disturbing Cao Yun.

But who knew...

Cao Yun’s corpse was moved out of the study. The death was miserable, his shoulders, knees... many bones shattered, and the chest almost sliced in half.

After mourning, Cao Nuyi couldn’t help but ponder what to do next. He failed to protect; if the main family pursued responsibility, survival would be hard.

"Given the current situation, if I wish to live, I must swiftly capture the culprit. Report the matter to offset my mistakes. Tonight’s chaos, though seemingly caused by bandits, must have been the machinations of the Martial Captain."

"Their uprising was sudden, plans not well-considered. I’ll lead troops overnight to confront him. He’ll surely expose flaws. If missed tonight, they’ll be prepared later, and I’ll be at a disadvantage."

He immediately said:

"This morning, we clashed with the Martial Captain Hall, and tonight Lord Cao Yun ends up dead. It must be the work of that Military Officer!"

Cao Nuyi called out to the crowd: "Someone, bring me the County Lord’s waist order, coordinate the county soldiers, bring the County Captain, accompany me to the Martial Captain Hall to demand justice!"

"Bring the lord’s corpse as well!"

Before long.

In front of the Martial Captain Hall, officers and soldiers gathered, more in strength than during the day. Both Cao Nuyi and County Captain Zhang Yiheng were present.

Li Xian, wearing a nightgown, calm and collected, faced the commotion without fear, instead, he asked with a smile: "Oh ho, may I ask Lord Cao Yun, what’s the matter again, visiting my place in the dead of night?"

He rubbed his eyes and looked around, asking with a smile: "Where is Lord Cao Yun? Why isn’t he here?"

Cao Nuyi knew for sure the murderer was Li Xian. Hearing Li Xian speak casually, with Cao Yun’s miserable death in mind, outrage surged up, and he demanded angrily: "This person is a murderer of a court official, arrest him immediately!"

Li Xian said: "What murder of a court official, who are you? I haven’t seen you, why do you falsely accuse me?"

The soldiers dared not act rashly, only watching from the side. Cao Nuyi sneered: "Li Xian, at this point, denial is useless. Tonight, at midnight, you infiltrated the government office and killed Lord Cao Yun. The evidence is irrefutable, the facts clear, surrender quickly."

"What?" Li Xian shouted in shock: "Lord Cao Yun is dead? Who! Who killed him!?"

Cao Nuyi was so furious he couldn’t speak, grinding his teeth in anger: "Don’t play dumb, you’re the culprit!"

Li Xian ignored him, speaking loudly: "County Magistrate Cao Yun, newly appointed, unexpectedly died. I feel deep sorrow; as the Martial Captain of Qingning County, it’s my duty to uncover the truth for him."

"Once the culprit is found, I’ll definitely severely punish without delay!"

The constables chanted in support: "Severely punish without delay! Severely punish without delay!"

Cao Nuyi’s expression changed. He was there to question, how did it turn into Li Xian, the thief crying ’catch the thief’?

"You!" Cao Nuyi suddenly felt the situation turning against him.

"If I’m not mistaken, aren’t you a guard by Lord Cao Yun’s side?" Li Xian said loudly: "You are merely a guard, lacking real power. How can you lead county soldiers?"

"Logically speaking, the government office has tight defenses. The death of County Magistrate Cao Yun is extremely suspicious. Did you have a hand in it?"

"Nonsense, I’m a loyal guard to Lord Cao!" Cao Nuyi sneered.

Li Xian loudly said: "Then why are you unharmed, but Lord Cao Yun died so miserably!"

Cao Nuyi was momentarily stunned. Li Xian continued: "The government office is heavily guarded; without inside help, who could silently kill the County Magistrate?"

"You’re just a guard, yet you dare wield the County Lord’s waist order, dispatch soldiers to surround the Martial Captain Hall. Acting arbitrarily, isn’t it that you intended from the start to pin this black pot on me?!"

"You!" Cao Nuyi was greatly bewildered.

Li Xian exclaimed: "The death of Lord Cao Yun was too sudden and full of oddities."

"You are too suspicious. Arrest and detain him!"

Li Xian had no authority to command county soldiers.

But his smooth talking, his shifting of heavy to light, left no flaws in his words. Moreover, he was indeed an official, while Cao Nuyi was merely a constable.

"Hurry up!" Li Xian shouted.

A few county soldiers, as if possessed, grabbed Cao Nuyi by the shoulders. Cao Nuyi’s face turned white as a sheet, devoid of any blood.

Li Xian snatched the County Lord’s waist order, raised it high, and declared loudly: "The County Lord’s waist order is here, I’m the caretaker. Anyone who disobeys will face military justice!"