Chapter 166: Chapter 70: Startling Thunder
But at that moment—
"Die!"
Fang Rui was right behind him, moving as if the ground were shrinking with every step, closing the distance in an instant.
His long blade danced in his hands. With every slice and thrust, he claimed a life. It was like... a harvest!
Yes, these were Middle Grade Martial Artists, Sixth Grade Experts. In the Changshan City of the past, any one of them could have been the master of a gang. Yet here and now, their lives were being reaped like grass.
Even the heads of the Xia Family’s first and second branches, two Fifth Grade Martial Artists, couldn’t force Fang Rui to use a second move.
He passed by, and they were gone. It was that simple.
"What is this?!"
Xia Yunzhao’s eyes widened, utterly convinced he must be dreaming.
’How is this possible? How can someone so overwhelmingly powerful exist? With this kind of power, what’s the point of strategy?’
It could be said that his entire worldview had been shattered, and for a moment, he was lost in self-doubt.
Beside him, Xia Yunxiang and Zuo Risheng were in no better state, frozen in shock. The only thing they remembered was to flee for their lives.
Xia Yunxiang’s body trembled as she hurriedly pulled at Xia Yunzhao.
Zuo Risheng, however, had already turned. With a push of his toes, he was about to make a run for it—
But by then, Fang Rui had already finished off the Middle Grade Martial Artists, one per slash. He now stood before Zuo Risheng, his blood-soaked Broadsword in hand.
"Spare me, Senior! I’m not a member of the Xia Family, I’m..."
’Tch. Weren’t you having a grand time throwing those darts earlier?!’
Fang Rui didn’t hesitate for a second. His blade flashed, and the man was dead.
Meanwhile, yanked by his sister, Xia Yunzhao finally snapped back to his senses, just in time to see Zuo Risheng get beheaded with a single strike.
"You... you actually killed him?! Do you have any idea who he is?" He pointed a trembling finger at Fang Rui, his face filled with disbelief.
"Then do you have any idea who I am?" Fang Rui asked, advancing with his blade.
"I..."
’You don’t know? Then what’s the point of talking?!’
Fang Rui cut Xia Yunzhao down with one slash.
He didn’t want to waste time on pointless talk, especially not with smart people. Even if he needed to interrogate someone for secrets like cultivation techniques, he would have chosen a different target.
"Brother?! Young Master..." Xia Yunxiang’s face was pale. She suppressed her panic and was just about to say something.
"Wait a moment."
As Fang Rui spoke, his figure flashed forward. He severed the tendons in Xia Yunxiang’s hands and feet. "I’ve heard that the more beautiful a woman is, the better she lies. Now, we can talk."
A short while later, Fang Rui’s blade flashed, and a beautiful head rolled to the ground.
"As expected of the direct daughter of a major family, her lips are sealed tight... Still, I refuse to believe there isn’t a single spineless person in the entire Xia Family!"
He hefted his blade and strode outside.
WHOOSH!
The night wind howled, and raindrops the size of beans began to pound down from the pitch-black sky, reflecting off his sharp, murderous silhouette, making him look like a Demon God.
...
At almost the same time Fang Rui began his massacre, several messenger pigeons soared into the sky from the front courtyard of the Xia Mansion.
...
「A quarter of an hour later.」
Fang Rui left the Xia Family estate, a blazing inferno rising to the sky behind him.
The spoils?
Not bad at all.
Even with limited time, he had gathered quite a few good things.
A relatively high-quality Cultivation Technique: the *Cyan Wood Skill*.
Numerous Great Medicines, and a great deal of secret information and knowledge about the upper echelons.
Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that while interrogating one fellow, Fang Rui also found a small booklet. It recorded incriminating evidence against the Xia Family, the former Changshan City Government Office, and even some factions of the Rebel Army.
The contents were utterly sickening.
One can only say that the old saying is true: the two filthiest places in the world are brothels and the halls of government.
Now, out of the Xia Family estate, the night wind blew over Fang Rui, and he gradually began to calm down.
’I was a bit reckless this time. The safer approach would have been to be an Old Gou demon, lying low for ten or even a hundred years before going to dance on the old Xia patriarch’s grave.’
’But I’m still young, I don’t have that kind of decrepit mindset yet!’
What’s that saying? Make a name for yourself while you’re young, or it won’t be as satisfying. By the same token, get your revenge early, or it won’t be as sweet!
’Perhaps a long time from now, I’ll go from being a young ’gou’ to an Old Gou, taking my caution to a new Realm, to new heights.’
’But that’s for the future. As for me now, I know how to lie low, but I also know how to assess a situation. When I’m ninety-five percent certain, I’ll strike decisively to clean things up.’
A young man can be cautious, he can be steady, but he can’t lack that vigorous, enterprising spirit, that chivalrous air of repaying kindness and avenging wrongs with swift satisfaction!
’Anyway, this was still worth it. Besides the cultivation techniques, Great Medicine, and secrets of the elite, I also recovered some Tribulation Points.’
’Because I wiped out the Xia Family by myself, my Tribulation Points are back over a thousand now.’
Fang Rui thought with satisfaction.
Just then.
RUMBLE!
A sudden clap of thunder echoed across the sky. Then, the raindrops, which had been getting heavier, inexplicably stopped again.
Fang Rui frowned in suspicion, his expression growing serious. "Something’s strange! This isn’t the first or second time. Why can’t the rain seem to fall in Changshan City?"
Suddenly, an incredible thought occurred to him: ’What if it’s not just Changshan City where the rain can’t fall, but an entire Prefecture, or even... the Three States!’
In recent days, Fang Rui had heard from some merchant caravans that this phenomenon—rain seeming about to fall, only to stop inexplicably—was happening frequently throughout Daze Prefecture.
’If an entire Prefecture, or even the Three States, are having their weather manipulated by someone, that’s terrifying!’
’Thinking deeper, if a faction with such Great Power can control the weather of the Three States, yet they still haven’t overthrown the Great Yu, then just how deep do the waters of the Great Yu run?!’
Fang Rui felt that this world was shrouded in fog, and he had only just glimpsed the tip of the iceberg.
’Whether it’s the issue with the medicinal ingredients or this strange rain phenomenon, there are faint traces of Extraordinary Power behind it all!’
’So, what does my current Fourth Grade strength even count for? I can’t get arrogant! I absolutely cannot get arrogant!’
Sighing, Fang Rui moved away from the Xia Mansion and headed back toward Willow Alley.
...
Just as Fang Rui was leaving the Xia Mansion—
「The County Magistrate’s Office.」
Zuo Boyang burst through the door. "Master Zhen, something major has happened! There’s trouble at the Xia Family!"
...
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