Chapter 33: I Will Not Spare You!

Feng San heard Yuan Guilong’s command and barely had time to think; his body reacted instinctively, drawing the dagger concealed beneath his straw raincoat. Together with his two companions, he charged toward Shang Lu.

But in the next instant, an overwhelming force struck them.

It was as if they’d been rammed by wild boars or bears; their bodies were hurled through the air. Only now did Feng San and his men realize: Shang Lu possessed the full mastery of Bone-Cutting. How could they hope to subdue him?

Unfortunately, this realization came too late.

The three landed heavily, their bodies wracked with pain, feeling as if their bones would shatter. Before they could rise, Yuan Guilong and his four companions arrived on horseback, not bothering to avoid them, but instead trampling them beneath their mounts.

Feng San and his fellows were mere street thugs, unable to withstand such a charge; they were crushed to death on the spot.

The Four Great Guardians, having accidentally killed their own men, felt no remorse. Instead, they cursed Feng San and the others for their uselessness—not only had they failed to capture Shang Lu, they had blocked their way, and deserved to die.

Fortunately, their horses were swift, and Shang Lu seemed startled, standing rooted in place without fleeing.

Yuan Guilong bent low over his saddle, raising his mountain-splitting axe, and slashed at Shang Lu’s legs.

He was renowned for his brute strength and hardened martial arts; among those of equal cultivation, none surpassed him in power. Now, harnessing the momentum of his galloping horse, his axe swung with greater force, speed, and intimidation than ever before.

Had Zhao Hai not insisted on keeping the target alive, Yuan Guilong would have aimed not for Shang Lu’s legs, but would have cleaved him in half without hesitation.

Yuan Guilong knew Shang Lu’s cultivation matched his own, both at Bone-Cutting mastery, but he did not regard Shang Lu as a threat.

How could a young constable, newly advanced to Bone-Cutting, compare with someone who had honed his skills at this level for years?

Moreover, Yuan Guilong possessed abundant battle experience.

A mere constable, at best, apprehends petty thieves—not someone who has faced life-and-death combat. How much real experience could he have?

Yuan Guilong believed he alone was enough to take Shang Lu down.

That Zhao Hai had dispatched all four brothers seemed overly cautious.

Especially now, as his axe swept through the curtain of rain with such force that even someone in the Pulse-Connecting realm could not withstand it.

To sever Shang Lu’s legs and capture him—there was no question.

The mountain-splitting axe was about to slice through the rain and strike Shang Lu.

But at that moment, Yuan Guilong’s steed suddenly reared in terror.

Instead of charging forward, it bucked wildly, and, catching Yuan Guilong off guard, threw him from the saddle.

Not only Yuan Guilong, but the other three riders’ horses were similarly frightened, disrupting their attack and scattering their formation.

Before Yuan Guilong could comprehend what had startled his horse, Shang Lu was already upon him.

With a ringing sound, the ox-tail saber was drawn, slashing toward Yuan Guilong’s head.

Tendon-Severing, Bone-Cutting Blade—Beheading!

Yuan Guilong was seized with terror, never expecting Shang Lu to move so swiftly.

He hastily raised his axe in his left hand, hoping to block the saber with the shaft, while his right hand reached for the sword at his waist.

At such close quarters, a long-handled weapon offered no advantage.

Clang—

The ox-tail saber crashed down on the axe shaft.

The sturdy shaft was cleaved in an instant!

The saber cut through like bamboo, and before Yuan Guilong’s horrified, despairing eyes, his head was severed cleanly.

Blood sprayed forth, instantly washed away by the torrential rain.

In his last moments, Yuan Guilong had only one thought: Such tremendous power!

The speed and strength of that strike were far beyond Bone-Cutting mastery!

Shang Lu had concealed his true cultivation!

He possessed the power of the Pulse-Connecting realm!

Only now, at the brink of death, did Yuan Guilong realize Shang Lu’s real strength—but it was already too late.

As his consciousness faded, he saw his three brothers charging forward.

Yuan Guilong wished they would flee, but his open mouth released only blood and foam—no sound could escape.

The three men rushed at Shang Lu, furious and alarmed at Yuan Guilong’s death.

They roared, seeking vengeance, but at that moment, a chilling cold seized their bodies.

The cold felt tangible, winding around them, freezing their movements and binding their limbs, rendering them unable to fight.

Panicked, they tried to muster their vital energy to break free of the eerie cold, but it was too late.

Shang Lu, unaffected, quickly sheathed his blade, spun, and cut down two of them, one after another.

Shang Lu’s strength was a full level above theirs, and with Third Lady’s assistance, they stood no chance.

Only the fourth, Hu Tie, was spared for the moment.

Shang Lu had questions for him.

Hu Tie, seeing his three brothers slain, trembled violently. He had just managed to dispel the chill when Shang Lu’s ox-tail saber came to rest against his throat, stopping him from moving further.

“Why did Zhao Hai send someone to bribe me, while also sending you to capture me?”

Shang Lu had assumed that, as one of Zhao Hai’s Four Great Guardians, Hu Tie would be tight-lipped, and was prepared to resort to torture.

But to his surprise, as soon as he asked, Hu Tie answered readily:

“The boss…Zhao Hai sent Feng San to bribe you because he heard your cultivation had reached Bone-Cutting mastery and wanted to recruit you. But not long after Feng San and the others left, someone came to see Zhao Hai, and then he sent us to capture you. He specifically instructed us that we could cripple you, but we must bring you back alive.”

“Who went to see Zhao Hai? What did they say to change his mind?”

“It was Sun Ying. I don’t know what they discussed—I wasn’t in the room.”

Sun Ying? Shang Lu pondered briefly, then shook his head.

Sun Ying had previously sent Black Wind Gang members to harass him, but at that time, Shang Lu had been a near-worthless constable about to lose his position.

Now, not only had he retained his post, he had demonstrated Bone-Cutting mastery.

Sun Ying alone wouldn’t be able to persuade Zhao Hai to move against him.

Besides, Sun Ying wanted him dead, not alive.

Most likely, this was the Captain Ma’s idea, with Sun Ying just passing along the message.

Shang Lu, considering this, speculated: “I acted ahead of schedule because plans changed unexpectedly. But what about Captain Ma—why is he in such a hurry? Did something unforeseen happen to him as well?”

The answer could only be found by questioning Zhao Hai, Sun Ying, or Captain Ma.

“Where is Zhao Hai?”

“He’s at a farmhouse outside the city. He doesn’t like staying in town at night—curfew makes it inconvenient to conduct business.”

Having learned Zhao Hai’s location, Shang Lu asked, “I am a full constable at the yamen, recently commended by the court for my outstanding performance in the merit review. Did you not consider the consequences of trying to capture me so brazenly?”

“Zhao Hai has connections in the yamen—there are people who will cover for him. He told us to be careful, and if anyone witnesses us, to kill them and dump the bodies in the rain-shrouded fog of Yunhua Mountain. He said someone told him that place is haunted, perfect for destroying evidence. If anyone files a missing persons report, the yamen will claim the mist in the mountains snatches people away…”

As expected of the Black Wind Gang—they were seasoned in such matters, far more adept at covering their tracks.

All along, Shang Lu had been considering how to handle the aftermath once Zhao Hai was eliminated, so as not to arouse suspicion.

Third Lady’s earlier fright of the horses, and her control over Hu Tie and the others, had given him a good idea.

Having confessed all he knew, Hu Tie began to beg for mercy.

“Constable Shang, I’ve told you everything I know. Please spare my life—I’ll leave and never return.”

“Spare your life?” Shang Lu sneered, shaking his head.

“If I spare you, who will avenge those you’ve killed? If I spare you, won’t you go on to harm more people?”

“So, I cannot spare you!”

As he spoke, the ox-tail saber flashed with a cold gleam, swiftly severing Hu Tie’s throat.