Someone like Lin Chenâeven 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 didnât 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 wasnât weak, Si Nan and the others still couldnât help but cry out at the Postnatal Martial Artistâs 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 blowânot only splitting a notch into Lin Chenâs 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 wasnât that wide, so why was the difference in power so overwhelming?
"Even among Postnatal, thereâs a high and a low."
Ye Liuyun understoodâit was the Innate Weakness talent entry dragging Lin Chen down.
On the contrary, Ye Liuyunâs own numerous amplification entries combinedâat the same realm, Ye Liuyun feared no one.
"Slash!"
While Lin Chen was stunned, Ye Liuyunâs saber struck again and again, relentlessly hacking forward.
The scorching Inner Strength made Ye Liuyunâs 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 Chenâs saber fell from his grip as Ye Liuyunâs blade plunged into his shoulder.
The force drove Lin Chen to his knees, his hands clutching Ye Liuyunâs 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 Chenâs revenge was wrongâyet as an Embroidered Uniform Guard, capturing Lin Chen, the Golden Saber Sect extermination culprit, was what he had to do.
"If you wonât go to the Imperial Prison, Iâll send you on your way!"
He pulled the blade free.
Meeting Lin Chenâs unwilling gaze, Ye Liuyun cut downward without hesitation.
"Huff!"
Watching Lin Chenâs 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, youâre 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, theyâd thought Ye Liuyun only made it to Captain because of his background.
But now, seeing Ye Liuyunâs 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 Chenâs lifeless body.
Innate Weakness was useless, but Swordsmanship Talent and the purple-grade Extraordinary ComprehensionâYe Liuyun very much wanted those.
Another purple-grade talent entry obtained.
"Detected high compatibility between âPhotographic Memoryâ and âExtraordinary Comprehension.â Fuse?"
The previously acquired Photographic Memory was related to comprehension; with both entries highly compatible, fusion was just right.
Fuse!
No need for hesitationâYe 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 Liuyunâs 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 Liuyunâs 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.
"Sirâs saber techniques are fierce; my eyes are dullâI didnât learn a single move."
"..."
Who told you to learn my saber skillsâYe 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 Liuyunâs 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 wouldnât 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 heâd learned something.
"Bullshit!"
Cases, my assâI may have watched a lot of detective stories, but Iâve never actually solved anything myself.
"What I wanted to tell you is: If you donât eradicate the roots, the grass grows back with the spring breeze!"
Thatâs 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 timeâitâs just too common.
If Jin Yuanba was wrong somewhere, it was in leaving Lin Chen alive.
Thatâs how the Jianghu is. People say the martial world isnât just killing, but the truth is, most of the time, itâs nothing but killing.
"If something similar happens again, rememberâdonât leave survivors. You only have one life. Once youâre dead, itâs over. Donât worry about whether someone will avenge you. Even if the revenge succeeds, the dead gain nothing; whatâs the point?"
Shi Sheng might have still been confused,
but Si Nan was the first to catch on, his expression clearing.
"Understood, sir!"
...