The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 292 The corpse is talking

No one would have guessed that the chivalrous Li, for whom Master Xingchi had vouched, was actually the Jinyiwei Garrison Commander who had never shown himself.

In this world of martial arts, there are very few people who can transcend their own stance.

Xing Chi placed such great trust in Li Miao partly because of Li Miao's righteous act of saving the entire city of Tai'an, and partly to use his own reputation to put a shackle on Li Miao—although Li Miao didn't care much about it.

In the hearts of most martial arts practitioners, Master Xingchi, who upheld the righteous path of the martial arts world for over ninety years, was the least likely person to collude with the imperial court. Compared to him, even the Ming Cult's defection to the imperial court wouldn't be as shocking.

But the current situation leaves no room for doubt.

There was never any "Hero Li" from beginning to end.

Only the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Li Miao.

His whereabouts naturally came to light: he saved all the people of Tai'an, subdued the Five Mountains Sword Sect, and killed half of the Ming Cult's high-ranking members; he followed the Ming Cult to Shaolin and presided over the ceremony of Xingchi's succession; then he went to Miao territory and destroyed the witchcraft tradition; finally, he returned to Shuntian and participated in the extermination of the Ming Cult.

The fact that the garrison commander came down from Hengshan, and that Li Miao traveled with Yin Minjun, the current head of the Hengshan Sect, at Shaolin, all made sense at once.

It seems that the Five Mountains Sword Sects had already submitted to the imperial court since the Tai'an incident. The four remaining leaders of the Five Mountains Sword Sects all abdicated and their whereabouts are unknown—presumably they are serving in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Everything started to make sense.

But it leaves people unsure how to react.

And so there was only silence.

Zhou Zijing slowly clenched her fists at her sides, thinking to herself.

"The momentum I had painstakingly built up was completely shattered the moment he showed up! The first burst of energy fades, the second weakens, and the third exhausts. If things quiet down for a while, it will be difficult to stir up the discontent of the martial arts world again!"

"Although this person is shrouded in mystery and we don't know the extent of his martial arts skills, now that I have stepped forward, I am already at odds with the imperial court... There is no reason for me to back down!"

Then he suddenly shouted.

"Master Li, Lord Li, you've kept this from us so well this past year! But there's one thing I don't understand—"

He suddenly spread his arms wide and scanned the martial arts practitioners around him.

"Why did you hide your identity! Who was the head you just threw down? And who were the two people you just threw on the ground?"

"Are they fellow martial artists who are dissatisfied with the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

"When Master Xingchi asked you to preside over the succession ceremony, was it out of his own goodwill, or... did someone use something to threaten him and gain fame for themselves?"

"Let's set those aside for now!"

Zhou Zijing waved her hand.

"Let's talk about the present moment."

"The one who came down from the high platform just now seems to be a true disciple of the Hengshan Sect, named Shen Xun Ning, right? Could it be that she was the one sitting on the high place the whole time?"

“We have traveled a long way to attend Your Excellency’s banquet, only to find that the person sitting above us from beginning to end is this greenhorn—why does Your Excellency, the Commander, humiliate us in this way?”

"And then there's the matter of seating—"

His impassioned speech, coupled with the amplification of his voice using his inner energy, gradually reignited the previously subdued atmosphere, as no one bothered to restrain him.

The martial arts practitioners tentatively shouted a few times, and seeing that the Imperial Guards did not respond at all, their voices gradually grew louder.

Zhou Zijing glanced around smugly, then looked at Li Miao sitting in front of her, secretly delighted.

"The general trend, the will of the people, is the general trend!"

"The emperor's assassination and the weakening of the court are inevitable trends! The turmoil among the martial arts world is also inevitable trends! The fact that the martial arts people are dissatisfied with the rules established by you, this inexplicably appearing pacification commissioner, is an even greater inevitable trend!"

"And what will you do to stop this overwhelming force!"

He waited for Li Miao's methods, and in his mind, he simulated what the other party would say and thought about how he should respond.

However, Li Miao remained silent for a long time.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard remained silent.

Even the ten "Peerless" forces standing on both sides remained completely still.

On one side was a cacophony of excited chatter, and on the other, an inexplicable silence. This strange sense of division filled Zhou Zijing with unease.

Especially An Ziyang, who was standing beside Li Miao, was looking at him with a strange expression. His eyebrows were uneven, and the corners of his mouth were crooked and arrogant. Zhou Zijing frowned, trying to discern the emotions in that gaze.

It seemed to be—a mixture of mockery and pity.

Zhou Zijing was startled.

Suddenly, voices came from ahead.

"Finished?"

Li Miao leaned back in her chair, raising her eyebrows as she looked at him.

Zhou Zijing pursed her lips.

"That's all. How does Lord Li intend to explain this?"

He heard Li Miao's disdainful sneer.

Li Miao smiled and slowly raised his hand.

"The corpse is talking."

hum-

A piercing buzzing sound exploded in Zhou Zijing's eardrums, tearing them apart in an instant. An irresistible suction force surged through his entire body, scattering his stance. He used the "Thousand-Pound Drop" technique with all his might, even plunging the weapon at his waist to his feet.

But he could only watch as he slowly moved closer to Li Miao.

Three deep marks were scratched on the ground.

squeak-

Zhou Zijing's weapon scraped against the rocks, making a harsh sound.

A hand gripped his neck.

An indescribably powerful surge of true energy instantly flooded his meridians, instantly splitting into more than ten different types of true energy, which then probed into his dantian and heart meridian—

Then suddenly stir it!
"Ugh—"

A huge amount of blood gushed from Zhou Zijing's throat into her mouth and nose, rushing out of her body and flowing onto the ground.

He is not dead yet.

But he wished he were dead.

Because Li Miao was actually healing him, then destroying his meridians again, and healing him again. His resilient constitution, honed by his Celestial Realm cultivation, greatly extended his survival time under this inhuman torture.

"Actually, what you just said was all nonsense, you know that?"

"I thought you might have some leverage or ulterior motive for jumping out at this time, but it turns out you're just a fool who was tricked into coming to your death—I really don't know how you've lived so long."

Li Miao said with a smile.

"What are you talking about, chivalry, what? I don't respect you? What? Why does Xing Chi want to associate with me?"

“Does this matter?”

"I don't respect you. I'm going to force you to accept my rules. I'm going to put the Huanhua Sword Sect on a high platform."

"And what can you...do?"

The palm slowly tightened, and finally, the fingers clasped together.

A round head with wide-open eyes fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and slowly came to a stop.

Li Miao shook off the blood and flesh from his hands and said with a smile.

"In the end, it's all just nonsense."

He braced himself on his knees, stood up, and slowly beckoned to the now quiet martial arts practitioners with one hand.

"Whether I have the right to disrespect you or not, why don't you all try and see?"

(End of this chapter)