Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 174 A Perfect Plan, A Forced Breakthrough

"My lord, my lord, something terrible has happened! The treasury is on fire!"

The servants reported this loudly.

The entire Cui household immediately erupted in excitement.

"Have pirates invaded, or are mountain bandits attacking the city?"

"Where's Renjie? Where's Zhang Renjie? What are they doing? Is this how they patrol?" Cui Ning roared.

He had just married a beautiful sixteen-year-old woman and brought her into his household to enjoy his life. Because of his age, he preferred a slow and careful approach, unlike the hasty and impulsive approach of a young man, which required things to proceed naturally.

Just as I was getting the hang of things and hadn't even started construction, I heard a commotion throughout the house, with doors being banged on loudly.

That's it, I've lost all interest.

I have no choice but to get up and deal with things.

Zhang Renjie, at the age of twenty-eight, held a high position as the chief constable of Dongjun, partly due to his outstanding abilities.

Another reason, of course, is that Cui Ning had taken this person in as an adopted son early on and nurtured him with great effort. Not only could he serve as an assistant in his administration, but he could also handle some matters in Dongjun that were difficult for him to deal with.

These are all things that should be included in the question.

However, given Zhang Renjie's shrewdness and strength, and the more than a thousand capable constables under his command, it was impossible for him to make any mistakes in matters such as protecting the government office and apprehending thieves.

Now that the treasury has caught fire, one can't help but wonder if this adopted son has been neglecting his duties.
"Wenfang, take some men and go take a look first. I'll be there shortly."

With the second and third sons away from home, the eldest son took care of everything at home.

Cui Ning felt a little anxious for a moment, but immediately calmed down.

Because he didn't hear any shouts of killing coming from all directions.

Judging from this, it should just be some petty thieves, not a large army attacking the city, so there's no problem.

No problem my foot!

The treasury was filled with a lot of money and grain, but even more precious were the cultivation medicines that merchants from all directions had brought over the years.

Mingxintang contributed a great deal of effort to this.

These things are used to cultivate relationships with powerful forces, and absolutely no mistakes can be made.

It relates to whether one can get promoted or receive an excellent performance evaluation.

Thinking of this, Governor Cui hurriedly put on his robes, got into his carriage, and was escorted by dozens of guards to the location of the treasury.

Even from fifty feet away, illuminated by the firelight, Cui Ning could already see the figures in the moonlight.

Looking around, he felt a sense of relief and let out a long sigh of relief.

The fire has been brought under control, and the situation is not too bad.

The adopted son, Zhang Renjie, was neither lazy nor useless. Instead, he chased after a bandit and attacked him, his massive body charging forward like a raging bear.

The two short halberds in his hands drew streaks of dark light, dancing into a ball of dark blue light under the moonlight.

A deafening rumble reverberated in their ears, startling the surrounding constables who gasped in surprise.

"Surround them, surround them! Do not let this man escape. If anyone dares to stay behind to cover our retreat, we will surely find out where the thief came from."

The transported goods must also be recovered as soon as possible…

Zhang Renjie was perfectly clear-headed.

He rushed there as soon as he saw the fire, but it was still too late.

Suddenly, he discovered that not only were all the constables on night duty at the government office unconscious, but the government treasury had also been almost completely emptied. If the thieves hadn't knocked over the oil lamp and "accidentally" set the treasury on fire, he probably wouldn't have been able to catch them so quickly.

"Die."

Zhang Renjie fought with increasing ferocity, his double halberds drawing arcs in rapid succession, making the round, masked, fat man spin wildly. Just as he was about to break through the opponent's longsword and take down his opponent, Zhang Renjie fought with increasing ferocity.

Suddenly everything went dark, and then a tall figure flashed from behind the beams and pillars and appeared right in front of him.

"Breaking the waves!"

The moment the deep shout reached his ears, Zhang Renjie sensed something was wrong.

With a violent tremor in his twin halberds, seventeen or eighteen streams of power surged forth.

He lost his footing for a moment, his chest tightened, and a mouthful of blood rushed into his throat. He staggered, sending pebbles flying as he stepped on them.

Before he could even gather his strength for another battle.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the masked man in black who came out later seemed to need no respite; after slashing with his longsword, he actually generated power again...

The figure blended into the blade's light, a diagonal slash so fast it defied description, already striking the side of the neck.

"Stop the water..."

Then a strange voice, whether male or female, rang out.

Zhang Renjie only had time to hold his short halberd across his neck before he was slashed down, his body tilting to the left.

bang...

Clap la la!

Zhang Renjie's arm suddenly went numb, and his left wrist broke.

At the same time, his neck was also struck by this overwhelming force.

The cervical spine could no longer bear the strain and broke.

His body slid diagonally towards the ground, traveling seven or eight zhang before coming to a stop.

His eyes were bulging and his mouth was crooked, and he was spitting out blood. He was exhaling more than he was inhaling.

"Hmph, daring to block my Moon Shadow Hall's business, you're just asking for death."

The man in black moved swiftly, leaping up and down, retreating simultaneously with the round, masked fat man.

They suddenly disappeared into the night.

"Not bad, not bad. Seventh Senior Sister used the sword techniques of [Wave Breaker] and [Water Severer] with her sword skills. Although she lost the true meaning of them, she still captured the essence perfectly. Anyone who sees her at first glance will definitely not recognize her."

Cheng Liangyu stood on the third floor of Gaosheng Restaurant, looking at the view from afar, and exclaimed in admiration.

Lin Wenjing may have been a little lacking in comprehension, and her internal energy cultivation was not as quick.

However, his physical talent is exceptionally strong.

The same sword and saber techniques, in her hands, always possess an added touch of fierceness and domineering power.

The move she used earlier, the "Water-Severing Blade," truly possessed the power to "cut water with a drawn blade and stop it from flowing."

Zhang Renjie, a third-rank chief constable of the yamen, was skilled in halberd techniques, combining offense and defense, but he still couldn't withstand one or two of her moves.

Even if they blocked her attack, they simply couldn't withstand that powerful burst of force.

As a result, his arm and neck bones broke at the same time, as if he had been hit by a battering ram... His death was extremely unjust.

"As for Fourth Senior Brother, relying solely on the [Flowing Light Sword] to conquer the world is absolutely unacceptable. His basic skills are still somewhat lacking, and he becomes useless when he changes weapons. He needs to practice more."

Lu Wubing was somewhat dissatisfied with Zhang Dexing's martial arts skills.

This time, most of the personnel mobilized were originally from Mingxintang. They were responsible for loading, transporting goods, setting fires, creating momentum, and so on.

However, the final cleanup and rearguard actions were handled by the thirty-six fellow disciples of the Tianxing Sect.

This time, the main ones who managed to grab the phone were the fourth senior brother Zhang Dexing and the seventh senior sister Lin Wenjing.

Of course, with Seventh Senior Sister's martial arts skills and strength, she was the one who took the helm last, standing aside to oversee the battle.

I never intended to take action.

In fact, without her appearance, the constables of Dongjun really couldn't be kept in check.

This force also includes quite a few experts.

Chief Constable Zhang Renjie is a formidable figure.

How much wealth did you steal?

Lu Wubing was also very curious about what he had gained this time.

"The medicine is about 30% of what was shipped last time, but there isn't much gold and silver, about 100,000 taels of silver."

The fifth senior brother, Zheng Yuanbin, who was carrying a long sword, couldn't help but show surprise on his usually cold and ruthless face. Upon hearing this, he jumped upstairs and bowed slightly to report.

He was completely convinced of his ninth junior brother's abilities.

The reverence in his eyes was unlike that of a senior brother towards a junior brother; it was as if Master Ouyang Zheng was standing right in front of him.

No, even when facing Master Ouyang Zheng, he had never been so sincerely convinced.

"You consider 100,000 taels of silver not much?"

Lu Wubing laughed heartily.

He thought to himself, "This time, it's my turn to make a move."

I wonder if Governor Cui can handle this blow.

Should we fight to the death, or simply endure it?

To be honest, Lu Wubing never intended to exterminate them all.

After all, the governor of Dongjun was an official appointed by the imperial court, and his status was undeniable.

It's not easy to kill him unless you don't want him to immediately rebel.

Killing him would attract the court's attention again, just like in Mingyang City... Not only would they send another official to take up the post, but they would also send out elite Golden Scale Cavalry to investigate thoroughly, with endless potential consequences.

This would not align with his policy of quietly making a fortune, and would also expose the entire Tianxing Sect to the public eye, making him a pioneer for the king.

Why raise the flag prematurely and act as a pioneer for the king? Nine times out of ten, it will fail.

The reason is very simple.

The counterattack is most powerful when the court is not yet truly on its last legs.

For a sect or a powerful family to try and confront an imperial court is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

No matter how strong or prosperous their forces are, they will vanish in an instant if struck by a combined attack from the imperial army's experts.

Therefore, the best way for forces that truly want to develop is to stay in the background, secretly make money, and secretly hone their skills.

Only when the imperial court, like a giant dragon, has had its last few drops of blood drained and collapses with a crash will it truly launch its attack.

At this point, there's no need to face the beast's final counterattack.

Easily reap the final victory.

In view of this.

The best way to deal with Dongjun is not to wipe out the entire governor's mansion, but to keep them alive.

The best government is one that has been tamed.

To avoid killing one only to have a whole bunch more appear, which would be even more difficult to deal with.

The question is whether Governor Cui knows what to do.
A cold glint flashed in Lu Wubing's eyes.

If that old geezer dares to try anything funny, there's nothing we can do. Even if it's a bit of a hassle, we have no choice but to deal with it.

Cui Ning watched helplessly as his adopted son lay lifeless in a pool of blood.

Even with the support of his eldest son, Cui Wenfang, he almost collapsed to the ground after getting off the carriage.

He had a keen premonition that something bad was about to happen.

really.

Then a constable stepped forward and timidly reported.

"My lord, the mansion and the treasury have been emptied out, leaving only some grain and fodder."

"It hurts so much!"

Cui Ning fell backward, his eyes rolling back.

Losing money, food, and valuables is more painful than having one's manhood cut off.

Startled, Cui Wenfang quickly pinched his philtrum and rubbed his temples, finally managing to revive him. He then advised, "Father, as long as we're alive, we can always make a comeback. Although we've lost some valuables, we can find a way to drive these thieves out of Dongjun and earn them back later."

The thief Cui Wenfang was referring to was not Yueyingtang, but Mingxintang.

Although the thieves used the Eastern Barbarian sword technique of the Moon Shadow Hall when they attacked, everyone knows that the Moon Shadow Hall had long been wiped out by Lu Wubing and his men.

Even the master-level expert, Tian Xinyi, the head of the Duanshui Sect, was defeated and killed in front of the hall.

What remnants of the Moon Shadow Hall would dare to commit crimes everywhere?

Are the many experts at Mingxintang just vegetarians?
Therefore, there is only one truth.

Within the city of Donghai, there is only one force that dares to do such a thing and has the ability to do it: Mingxin Hall.

"Reporting...reporting...reporting..."

A constable rushed forward hastily, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, and hesitantly stepped forward.

He held two square wooden boxes in his hands, wanting to hand them over, but then took them back. He seemed to want to say something but couldn't express it clearly, which frustrated Governor Cui greatly.

He angrily rebuked, "Officer Tang, is your mouth smeared with shit? You can't even speak clearly. What is it? Report it to me immediately."

"Yes, sir, the second young master and the third young master have returned."

"What? Wenzheng and Wenya are back? Where are they? How did things go?"

Governor Cui gritted his teeth. He had been holding back his anger for too long, and he was eager to get some good news.

It's unsettling that Mingxintang isn't eliminated.

“Here.”

Tang the constable closed his eyes, stretched out his hand, and the two wooden boxes suddenly sprang open.

Two heads, preserved in lime, appeared before Governor Cui's eyes.

His face was gentle and refined.

The other face had bright, expressive eyebrows.

His facial features were just as they had been when he was alive, except that his eyes were wide open and could not be closed at all.

"My son..."

Cui Ning coughed up a mouthful of blood with a "whoosh," his face turned ashen, and he collapsed.

This time, even pressing on his philtrum and temples wouldn't revive him.

Cui Wenfang was so frightened that he trembled all over and his teeth chattered.

He suddenly felt as if a sharp sword was hanging above his head, ready to fall at any moment.

"He, he really dares to kill people! What did I tell you? I told you not to call for reinforcements, just let it go, but you wouldn't listen, boohoo..."

Deep brotherly love.

Ultimately, we are connected by blood.

Cui Wenfang was also a kind and gentle man. He treated his two brothers like fathers and had genuine affection for them.

Most of the time, he was the one who led them in playing. Now, seeing his two brothers' heads right in front of him, he felt as if he had lost his sons and burst into loud sobs.

For a moment, the thousands of constables who had rushed to the scene stood silently on all sides, not uttering a single word.

The chief constable is dead, as are Lord Cui's two sons, and even the identity of the thief is unknown.

No.

Even though everyone knew who it was, they had to pretend not to hear and dared not speak out.

You can imagine how unpleasant that feeling must be.

"call……"

The night wind howled and swept by, and dark clouds swept across the sky, obscuring the moon until only a faint halo remained.

"It's going to change."

An old constable looked up at the sky and sighed.

Everyone around felt a pang of sympathy upon hearing this.

……

For the next three days, Donghai County remained calm and peaceful.

The Sun Also Rises.

The city gradually became prosperous again.

Fishermen in the port also risked their lives to go out to sea to fish and catch rare fish.

The merchants coming and going continued to pay protection money and conduct their business as usual.

The bloody battles of the past seem to have been forgotten.

The members of Mingxintang also gathered their old followers and began to spread like a giant spider throughout Dongjun City, getting involved in every aspect of the city's affairs.

Lu Wubing didn't actually pay too much attention to these details.

He only cares about the result.

They only care about whether their cultivation and swordsmanship have improved.

The seventeenth meridian was completely opened, and the Vast Ocean Divine Skill advanced further.

His internal energy level had truly reached the middle stage of the fourth rank, and his sword energy condensed, reaching a distance of five feet from the sword.

This is the true value of the Vast Ocean Divine Skill.

Even if it's their superior martial arts skills.

Even at the initial stage of the fourth rank, the sword energy can only travel one foot away from the body at most; at the middle stage of the fourth rank, the sword energy can travel two feet away from the body.

With the unique features of the Vast Ocean Divine Skill, reaching the fourth rank is five or six times more powerful than others, and one is about 15 feet away from breaking through the internal energy barrier, almost comparable to a second-rank master from other families.

Lu Wubing was overjoyed, thinking that with a sufficient supply of Purple Heart Pills, not only would his mental concentration speed increase, but he would also gain a speed boost in cultivating internal energy.

While this medication isn't without its drawbacks, taking too much in a short period can lead to insufficient absorption by the body and mind, leaving behind drug residue that isn't completely eliminated.

As a result, drug resistance can develop when the same amount of medication is taken.

The best approach is to stop taking the medication for a period of time and resume it once the body has recovered.

Not only can it make the most efficient use of elixirs, but it can also keep the body in its peak condition.

However, for Lu Wubing, these taboos were completely irrelevant.

No matter how much medicinal energy, sickness energy, and death energy accumulates in his body, it will immediately dissipate completely as long as his life force rolls around a few times, leaving his body clean and clear.

On one hand, it is the power of the [Glassy Sword Body], and on the other hand, it is the effect of the [Form] character seal.

He even doubted it.

Unless it's an instantaneous poison, even a potent drug that can kill whales in the ocean won't do any harm to me if it's applied to my body.

The character "形" (xíng) in seal script is just that unreasonable.

Thinking of the character "形" (shape), Lu Wubing then tried out the character "影" (shadow).

The current "Shadow" character seal is divided into three small imprints visualized in the mind.

The first is to conceal one's breath and form; the second is to create clones and shadows; and the third is to use objects to take one's place in death.

Three wonderful methods were derived from the [Shadow] seal... Just as Lu Wubing expected, he quickly learned them.

Not only did they learn it, but with the blessing of their destiny of "Heaven rewards diligence," they also mastered it to a high level.

It was even better than the misty autumn frost of that day.

Not to mention the misty red leaves.

If Lu Wubing were to encounter this person again, he could even hide in the shadow of the other person's shadow.

To break through the shadow with the shadow.

He killed him without even knowing how he did it.

It is also somewhat regrettable that I have not seen the original of this "shadow" character seal, so it can never be perfect.

It's always just one step away from perfection.

However, Lu Wubing had already guessed what this person was practicing at an extremely high level.

Most likely, they want to train a powerful clone that is immortal and can be generated at will.

Using the shadows of all things as clones, they roam around exploring, killing enemies, and enduring tribulations and injuries.

When mastered to its fullest extent, this technique is an unparalleled weapon for survival.

Lu Wubing turned his head to look at the vast East China Sea, and sighed again.

Things in life are never as one wishes.

With such a powerful destiny, one can learn anything and master it in a short time, even reaching perfection.

Unfortunately, the opportunity had not yet arrived, and his own strength was insufficient.

There's nothing we can do if we can't get our hands on the baby.

We can only wait for the right opportunity.

This matter cannot be rushed.

Thinking of the world's top masters such as the One Immortal, Two Buddhas, Three Venerables, and Eight Kings... Lu Wubing's slightly restless mind calmed down again.

Don't dwell on things that aren't rightfully yours for now.

Still can't figure it out?

Turning his gaze away, Lu Wubing looked at his seventh senior sister, Lin Wenjing, with a hint of helplessness.

She had lost a lot of weight; although she was still very strong, she had the physique of an international female rugby athlete and no longer looked like a weightlifter.

Only then could one notice that her delicate little face, with its slight baby fat, actually had a touch of pitifulness.

[Damn it, why do I feel like Seventh Senior Sister is also so gentle and needs to be pitied? Is there something wrong with my eyes?]

Lu Wubing glanced at Xiang Yan and realized that his mindset was not right.

He gave an awkward laugh and simply snatched the "Shadow" character seal from the other person's hand.

This thing has already been taken out of the open; it was snatched from Wuying Qiushuang. Whether it's hidden or not is really unimportant.

It would be better to use the money to help those close to you improve their skills.

The idea is good.

The reality is very skinny.

In fact, both Cheng Liangyu and Lin Wenjing stared intently at the print, but couldn't find any angle or inspiration.

This is certainly not due to a lack of understanding.

Lu Wubing guessed that it might be because the two diagrams he had stolen were simply unusable for cultivation.

The true meaning in the picture is fragmented and cannot be fully appreciated; only glimpses can be seen.

Just as people see white clouds and fog, they can never see the arrangement of atoms or the combination of molecules.

They can only see some phenomena, but they don't understand the essence behind them at all.

Without the original image, this item is not afraid of being stolen by others.

So how can I practice to create a real "Shadow" seal from this fragment of patterns?

It's simply a matter of fate.

As long as there is a road, even if it is blocked, you can still get through.

What's frightening is that there's no road at all.

Then there's no way to begin.

The two, Wuying Qiushuang and Wuying Hongye, kept the damaged rubbing on their bodies and studied it carefully every day.

It's simply a matter of having seen the original image, grasped the basics, and understood the essence. Then, when you look at clouds and mist, you can see the ingenious combinations within them.

It's something you can't have just by envying it.

"Junior brother, I'd better practice my swordsmanship. I feel that if I just suppress it a little more, I can bring this Flowing Light Sword technique to perfection."

If we're talking about being ruthless to oneself, then it has to be the Seventh Senior Sister.

She actually managed to get a step ahead of Cheng Liangyu and touched the shadow of the Perfect Sword Realm.

Despite her strong physique and seemingly not particularly intelligent appearance, she possesses remarkable resilience.

Lu Wubing would crush her with his sword intent for two hours every day, pushing her to the brink of mental collapse.

But in the end, it was like a steel wire that could never break her heartstrings.

Under this confrontation, her mental energy became more and more concentrated, almost catching up with half of her own mental energy concentration.

This is the result.

"Alright, take ten more Purple Heart Pills. Don't be afraid of hallucinations or losing control of your internal energy. Let's try again."

"If you're not afraid, why should I be?"

Lu Wubing had made up his mind. Even if his seventh senior sister was reduced to a tattered doll by the effects of the medicine and sword intent, he could still save her. "No need for drastic measures, just a strong woman; let's try again."

Watching Lin Wenjing tilt her head back and stuff a handful of pills into her mouth without thinking, chewing and swallowing them.

After a while, we saw that the seventh senior sister's eyes were dazed and her face turned blood red.

Its body shape expands and contracts, as if it were molded from clay, constantly deforming.

Lu Wubing knew that the time was right.

The sword intent surged forth like a tidal wave.

A blue dragon appeared and disappeared.

Sword light crisscrossed and cut...

"No!"

I wonder what I saw in my own mind.

Lin Wenjing first achieved a breakthrough in the [Kaiyang Sword].

Amidst the deafening roar and explosions.

The sword light exploded like tiny suns.

A powerful shockwave, accompanied by a fierce wind, hurtled towards Lu Wubing.

At the same time, cracks appeared on her arms.

All the capillaries burst open, and my body looked like a bloody mess.

However, she was completely unaware.

The swordsmanship went from frenzied to exquisite, and finally transformed into a dazzling streak of light, exploding with a thunderous roar.

A sword thrust out.

It seemed as if hundreds or thousands of wolf shadows flashed by.

"it is good……"

Lu Wubing's longsword trembled slightly.

He pierced the tip of Lin Wenjing's sword with his sword, and felt the powerful spiritual force mixed in with her internal energy. His face was full of joy.

Without a second thought, he flicked his left hand with all five fingers, sending six silver beams into Lin Wenjing's forehead.

When the spirit is forcibly integrated into the internal energy, the body's blood and qi explode, causing damage to all five internal organs and the soul.

However, none of these are problems.

Break through limits, and rebuild from the ashes.

There is boundless vitality, as long as one can stand up.

Swordsmanship will be perfected today.

……

Lu Wubing seized the opportunity, wanting to replicate Lin Wenjing's success and help Cheng Liangyu achieve a breakthrough as well.

In this way, he could leave and transport a large quantity of goods back to the Tianxing Sect.

Because he received a letter from the Tianxing Sect.

It is said that the Jinxiu Workshop of the Liyang Mingyue Sect was attacked by the Demonic Sect, the Twelve Ferocious Beasts of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect appeared, and a Left Judge of Reincarnation was secretly plotting against them.

The Bright Moon Sect has lost more than ten disciples and injured three elders.

At this moment, Ouyang Zheng, the sect leader of Tianxing Sect, had already led Senior Sister Xiaolan and a large number of disciples to rush to provide support.

Only Master's wife Qin Huaiying and some junior disciples remained on the mountain.

At this time, Jin Yutang in Mingyang City was celebrating a joyous occasion.

Shen Wanjian will be getting married soon.

Under these circumstances, even if Lu Wubing wanted to stay in Donghai County for a while longer and make further progress in his cultivation, he could not rest easy.

He was pondering how to arrange the actions of his fellow disciples.

A servant rushed over and respectfully reported, "The governor has come to visit. The young lady has already been welcomed into the main hall. May I ask what instructions you have, sir?"

"Let's meet him."

Lu Wubing's eyes flickered.

Thinking that things here should come to an end, I'll wait and see what Old Man Cui decides in the end.

……

(End of this chapter)