Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

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"Heh heh..." Among the four men in black robes, one of them let out a low, hoarse chuckle, like the cry of an owl, which was particularly chilling in the quiet study.

Just as Wang Chongyu was filled with doubt and uncertainty, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps suddenly came from outside the study, accompanied by the terrified shouts of the steward, Wang Fu.

"Master, master!"

"Something terrible has happened!"

Wang Fu practically burst through the door, clutching a small scroll of paper he'd taken from a pigeon's leg tube, his face filled with panic.

As soon as he entered the room, he was startled to see four men in black robes exuding a sinister aura. He was so frightened that he froze on the spot, unable to speak coherently.

"Master...this...this..."

Upon seeing what Wang Fu was holding and looking at his appearance, Wang Chongyu's last bit of hope vanished instantly, like a bubble bursting. A chill ran from his feet to the top of his head.

"Could it be...could it really be..."

He snatched the scroll of paper from Wang Fu's hand and held it up to the lamp to read it quickly.

The handwriting on the scroll was clear; it was a secret report sent through the most urgent channels by the person he had planted in Qinzhou to gather information.

The above description is exactly the same as what these four men in black robes said!

It even goes into more detail, listing the approximate time and place of death for people born in the years of the Tiger, Rabbit, and Dragon!

With a thud, Wang Chongyu's legs went weak, and he staggered backward, collapsing onto the armchair behind him, the scroll of paper in his hand fluttering to the ground.

His face turned ashen, cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead, and his lips trembled.

"How could this be... how could this happen... the twelve fierce beasts... they're all really... dead..."

The facts were undeniable, leaving him no choice but to believe them.

That lowly constable he initially disregarded actually possessed such terrifying martial arts skills that even a top assassin organization that had dominated the martial arts world for many years couldn't do anything to him and was instead completely eradicated by him!

A tremendous fear gripped him.

Li Fulian could kill all twelve fierce men, so taking the life of a pampered civil official like him would be a piece of cake.

Although he still kept some martial arts retainers in his mansion, what use were they now that even the Twelve Fierce Men had fallen?

"Now, do you believe me?"

One of the four spoke up, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Although different people spoke each time, their tone of voice and the feeling they gave were as if it were the same person speaking.

Wang Chongyu suddenly raised his head and looked at the four ghostly figures in black robes. At this moment, they became the last straw he might grab when he was drowning.

He could no longer care about official decorum and dignity, and said urgently.

"I believe you, I believe you!"

Gentlemen... esteemed masters, as long as you can save my life, gold, silver, and rare treasures, just ask for them!

Mr. Wang is absolutely generous!

"Gold and silver?"

Someone scoffed, their tone turning cold.

"What do you take us for?"

Are they just ordinary bodyguards in the underworld who fawn over the powerful and risk their lives for money?

We saved you, not for that little bit of money.

Wang Chongyu was taken aback: "Then... what do you all want?"

"We want you to join us and serve us from now on."

Some people said with absolute certainty and without any room for doubt,

"From now on, whatever orders we give you, you must obey and follow them without the slightest disobedience."

Otherwise... let alone a mere envoy like you, even the Wang family of Suzhou behind you wouldn't be able to protect you!"

That's an incredibly arrogant statement!

They actually treated high-ranking officials of the imperial court like servants and powerful families in Jiangnan as nothing!

Anger flashed across Wang Chongyu's face.

"Who...who are you people? How dare you spout such arrogant words? Aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew?"

"Who are we?"

The black-robed man who had first grabbed Wang Chongyu's neck slowly stepped forward, his gaze locked on Wang Chongyu from the shadow of his hood. He spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice soft yet carrying an immense weight.

"Have you... heard of the Dragon Shock Society?"

The mere mention of the name "Jinglong Society" seemed to possess an extremely profound and demonic quality.

Wang Chongyu's angry expression froze instantly, his pupils contracted sharply, and he pointed at the four people, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.

"You...you...are members of the Dragon Shock Society?!"

This usually arrogant flower and stone envoy felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and lost all his courage.

"good."

The man said calmly.

"Actually, Li Fu is our main target for this trip."

He has repeatedly thwarted our Jinglong Society's plans, and the Society has issued a strict order to take his life.

As for you... we only saved you incidentally, so you might be of some use to us in the future and do things for us.

Another man in black robes chimed in, his tone dismissive.

"We thought that the bounty on the twelve murderers would solve this problem for us."

Hmph, now it seems they're nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothings with empty titles.

Ultimately, we'll have to take action ourselves.

Wang Chongyu now understood completely.

No wonder these four people are so mysterious and speak with such boundless arrogance.

It turns out to be the legendary Jinglong Society, whose power is deeply entrenched and unfathomable, and which even the imperial court keeps secret!

Without the slightest hesitation, he quickly stood up from his chair, bowed deeply to the four people, and adopted an extremely humble posture.

"I understand, I understand everything."

As long as... as long as the Dragon Shock Society can save my life, I am willing to join and serve them at their beck and call!

"To be accepted into the Jinglong Society is truly an honor beyond measure, something I could never have desired!"

"You're quite pragmatic."

A man in black robes seemed to smile, but the laughter remained cold.

"Most people would want an opportunity like this but wouldn't get it. You're only getting this opportunity because of Li Fu."

"Yes...yes..."

These words contained a hint of sarcasm, but Wang Chongyu dared not get angry and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead while forcing a smile.

He stole glances at the four people.

The four black-robed old men were connected by aura, their demeanor was like that of ghosts, and their movements and postures were perfectly synchronized, clearly indicating that they practiced the same martial art of combined attacks.

The more he looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he cautiously said...

"Four...four seniors, may I ask what your connection is with those two ghosts, Kongming and the Underworld?"

"The Two Ghosts of the Void and the Underworld?"

One of them spoke with a hint of condescending indifference.

"Those were just two good-for-nothing juniors from our secluded Kongming Sect. They only learned some superficial skills, yet they made a little name for themselves in the martial arts world. They are not worth mentioning."

Have you seen them?

Wang Chongyu quickly replied, "That's right. It was the two ghosts from Kongming who came to tell me that Li Fu killed my son in the desert, and I gave them gold and silver as a reward."

However... they didn't seem to care much about it and left in a hurry.

Judging from their expressions, it seemed... more like they wanted to use me to cause trouble for Li Fu. It seemed they already had some grudge against Li Fu.

He felt somewhat relieved.

The two ghosts, Kong and Ming, were already renowned masters in the martial arts world, inspiring fear in all who heard of them.

His martial arts style is unpredictable and extraordinary, and he is rarely matched.

The four people in front of them were actually their seniors from the same sect!

Judging from their tone, the superb martial arts skills of the two ghosts, Kongming and Shennong, were nothing more than superficial skills in their eyes!

Just how high must the martial arts skills of these four elders from the Kongming Sect be?

"This...this is quite a coincidence. I never expected that I would have such a connection with your sect."

"Fate?" A man in black robes chuckled in a low voice. "Isn't this fate? In all the government offices and martial arts sects under heaven, where are there no members of the Jinglong Society?"

Just like the four elders of our Kongming Sect.

As for those two young men, their martial arts skills and social status were too low, and they were unaware of the existence of the Jinglong Society.

Perhaps during the meeting, when reviewing relevant files, it was discovered that this matter involved our Kongming Sect, which is why we were specifically summoned to handle it.

You can rest assured, although Li Fu can kill all twelve fierce generals, he can't get past the four of us."

The four elders of the Kongming Sect spoke with absolute confidence.

Any one of them, taken individually, would be a top-tier martial arts master in the martial arts world, and they considered themselves no less than any of the Twelve Fierce Stars, such as the Dragon and Monkey.

Even more terrifying is that they had practiced martial arts together since childhood, mastering their sect's Void Ghost Realm Technique and combined attack methods. When the four of them joined forces...

When their energies merge, they become one, capable of evolving into a void ghost realm, and are most adept at dissolving and disintegrating the enemy's internal energy.

No matter how much stronger you are than them, once you are caught in their combined attack formation, you will often find it difficult to exert your strength and will eventually be worn down and killed.

"If the four of us join forces, even if the abbot of Shaolin and the head of Wudang come in person, they will still perish!"

One person spoke coldly, his arrogance soaring to the heavens.

"Then... then I'll trouble you gentlemen."

Wang Chongyu was infected by their strong confidence, and the fear in his heart gradually faded away, replaced by a distorted excitement and anticipation.

He clenched his fists, a sinister smile returning to his face as he gazed out the window at the deep night.

"Li Fu, Li Fu... no matter how skilled you are in martial arts, this time, I will make sure you... never return!"

This luxurious mansion of the Flower Stone Envoy has now quietly been transformed into a meticulously planned death trap.

The four elders of the Kongming Sect were like four venomous spiders lurking in the darkness, spreading an invisible web, just waiting for the insect in their eyes—Li Fu—to crash into them.

……

Beside the official road in Weizhou, there was a simple tea stall.

Li Fu arrived, travel-worn, just having ridden a fast horse from Qin Prefecture.

He sat down to rest at a greasy wooden table, picked up a large, rough porcelain bowl, and drank some slightly bitter local tea.

As the sun rose higher, there were few pedestrians and vehicles on the road, and only a few birdsongs could be heard in the distance, which were clear and melodious.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from behind, growing louder and louder until it reached the tea stall in an instant.

The hoofbeats stopped abruptly, and a familiar figure in blue nimbly dismounted—it was Wei Ying.

Her breathing was slightly rapid, indicating that she had been chasing after him very fast, and fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead.

She walked a few steps to Li Fu's table. Li Fu drank his tea indifferently, ignoring her. She was not annoyed and sat down opposite him.

Li Fu sipped his drink slowly.

Wei Ying didn't ask for tea either, and looked at Li Fu, saying in a low voice.

"Officer Li, as Miss knows, you came to Weizhou this time, you must be heading straight to Pingliang County to find Wang Chongyu, the Flower and Stone Envoy, and settle accounts with him for the bounty he placed on your head."

Li Fu slightly raised his eyelids and glanced at her.

"You two, master and servant, have really investigated my affairs thoroughly."

I haven't even figured this out myself, yet you already know it all and have investigated it thoroughly.

Wei Ying sensed the distance and sarcasm in his words, and felt a slight pang in her heart, but she still spoke seriously.

"Wang Chongyu was an official appointed by the imperial court as the Commissioner of Stone and Flower. It was no secret that he had been corrupt and abused his power in his post, and that he had been a tyrant to the local people."

However, his identity was special. He was not only an important official who searched for flowers and stones for the emperor, but also had the powerful and influential Wang family of Suzhou behind him.

Ordinary officials cannot touch him. Even if you are highly skilled in martial arts and act without fear of the law, killing him rashly will have extremely serious consequences.

She paused, and seeing that Li Fu's expression remained unchanged, she continued.

"The Flower and Stone Envoy is directly under the Bureau of Imperial Service, and is specifically responsible for fulfilling the Emperor's requests."

The position of "Flower and Stone Envoy" was essentially a post dedicated to currying favor with the emperor and searching for the flowers, stones, and treasures that the officials desired.

If a flower or stone were to cause a violent death, it would surely alarm the Bureau of Imperial Sacrifices and even the current Emperor.

At that time, the imperial court will certainly dispatch elite constables to the local areas to conduct a thorough investigation, issue public arrest warrants, and list the murderer as a wanted criminal, with a nationwide manhunt.

Li Fu certainly understood the implications of this.

The Twelve Fierce Generals might have the audacity to assassinate an honest official who governs a region and is regarded as a parent by the people, but they might not have the audacity to assassinate a magistrate who preys on the people, causing widespread resentment and making everyone want to kill him.

The death of an honest official might not be noticed by the current emperor, but the incident involving the Flower and Stone Envoy is a different story.

The stone maker died a violent death in office, and the murderer was not brought to justice.

How could other flower and stone envoys dare to be so bold as to risk causing resentment among the people and offending local officials, even if it meant searching for the emperor's favorite flowers, stones, rare animals, and other items?

"No matter how high your martial arts skills are, if you leave a trace when you kill someone, and are caught by those elite constables of the Six Doors, you will not be able to escape endless pursuit and become a wanted criminal of the imperial court. From then on, there will probably be nowhere to hide in the world."

Wei Ying continued.

Li Fu put down his teacup and said calmly, "This doesn't seem to have anything to do with you, does it?"

Wei Ying took something out of her bosom and carefully placed it on the wooden table.

It was a palm-sized, heavy gold medal with an antique design, reflecting a restrained yet dignified light in the sunlight—it was none other than the imperial gold medal.

"The young lady feels indebted to you and asked me to give you this gold medal."

Wei Ying said solemnly, "With this gold medal, you can act as you see fit."

The less trouble, the better.

"As long as you can find evidence of Wang Chongyu's corruption, use it to deal with him, whether it's arrest, punishment, or..."

She paused briefly, "Taking their lives would be perfectly justified, and we would encounter far less resistance and fewer subsequent troubles."

Even if the emperor later learned of this.

He would be furious if the Flower and Stone Envoy, who was supposed to do his best to search for rare and precious flowers and stones for him, dared to embezzle and keep a portion of the treasures that should have been given to him. He probably wouldn't say anything about it.

Li Fu's gaze fell on the gold medal, lingering for a moment.

He naturally knew the significance of this gold medal.

The imperial gold medal was no small matter; in some situations, it was even more useful than a simple imperial edict with limited function. Wherever it went, local officials would treat it with utmost respect.

It was truly unexpected that Song Zhaoxue would give him this item.

Li Fu withdrew his gaze, his tone remaining calm, as if what lay before him was not a golden plaque representing the emperor's envoy, but merely a broken stone or a tattered wooden plaque.

"Take it back."

"Your young lady is a scheming woman; she can manipulate things at will, and she'll likely need to use this golden token quite often."

Wei Ying sensed the sarcasm in Li Fu's words and did not take back the token.

Before leaving, she stopped, turned her back to Li Fu, and said with a mix of guilt and earnestness.

"Officer Li, please... don't misunderstand Miss. She... is not the cold-blooded, ruthless, and calculating person that Chenlong described."

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