Make the Immortal Sect Great Again

The rain had stopped, and the clouds had cleared. At the County Yamen Drill Ground, Wang Ping rested one hand on his saber and used the other to drag a corpse cleaved cleanly in two, leaving a striking trail of blood across the dirt.

Along both sides of the drill ground, the gathered bailiffs of the County Yamen stared at the sight with indescribable expressions. Startled, they exchanged glances, seeing sheer astonishment mirrored in each other's eyes. This was entirely beyond anything they had expected.

"Who is this kid?"

"I forget. I just remember he's new."

"I think his name is Wang Ping? The chief constable specifically ordered Old Liu to look after him... No way, hasn't he only been with the County Yamen for half a month?"

"He killed that White Lotus rebel?"

"Does he even have that kind of skill?"

"He probably just got lucky and snatched the kill... Ah, what a shame for Old Qin. He lost his life, only for a newcomer to swoop in and take the credit. He won't even see a sliver of the bounty."

Wang Ping ignored the surrounding chatter.

'First of all, my current strength isn't actually that high, or rather, it isn't well-rounded enough. The True Dragon Tendon certainly gave me immense power, but my speed, defense, endurance, and burst strength... they all fall far too short. I only pulled this off because I seized the perfect opportunity.'

It looked like he had killed Xie Shi with a single slash, but in reality, he had made ample preparations beforehand.

If his spiritual sense hadn't locked onto the target in advance, he never would have been able to flawlessly intercept a frantic, fleeing Xie Shi midway.

Even for that final slash, he had relied on his spiritual sense for assistance.

Using his spiritual perception, he bypassed the brunt of Xie Shi's fiercest burst of power and struck at his weakest opening, achieving maximum results with minimal effort.

'Thanks to my spiritual sense, I could push my advantage to the absolute limit. Xie Shi had also tempered his dragon tendon, but it was clearly inferior to my True Dragon Tendon. In a pure clash of strength, he was no match for me. I dragged him into my own domain of expertise to defeat him.'

Of course, he hadn't emerged entirely unscathed.

Despite dodging quickly, Wang Ping had still been grazed by Xie Shi's dying strike. The force behind that blow had actually injured him severely.

Normally, he would have had to spend at least a few months recovering in bed.

However, the moment he was injured, he circulated Qi Restriction, using his True Qi to stop the bleeding and knit his flesh. By the time he returned to the drill ground, the wound was already mostly healed.

Thinking of this, Wang Ping became even more resolute in one belief.

'Cultivating immortality is just flat-out superior to practicing martial arts!'

Just the most fundamental spiritual sense of a cultivator and a shallow spell allowed him to overcome a stronger opponent in martial combat. It was blatantly obvious which path held more promise.

Just then, a voice suddenly called out.

"Congratulations, Brother Wang!"

Wang Ping turned at the sound. Seeing the newcomer, he hurriedly cupped his hands. "Master Liu..."

Before he could finish, Liu Ye hurriedly waved his hands. "No need, no need! Brother Wang, by killing that White Lotus rebel this time, you have achieved an earth-shattering merit."

With that, Wang Ping watched Liu Ye reach into his robes and pull out a money pouch. Under the guise of shaking hands, he stuffed it directly into Wang Ping's grasp.

"Oh, right. This is the silver you lost earlier, Brother Wang. I picked it up for you."

"Count it and see if the amount is right."

Hearing this, Wang Ping glanced at the pouch in his hand. Sweeping it with his spiritual sense, he instantly understood. 'It's the broken silver I gave him earlier, plus another ten liang...'

Was this... returning the gift with an added apology?

Wang Ping instantly understood Liu Ye's intent. This veteran bailiff truly hid his depths well. In such heavy rain, had he actually seen that slash clearly?

'He knows I've forged a True Dragon Tendon.'

'He thinks I have a limitless future and wants to curry favor early? Or maybe... he's worried I hold a grudge because he took so much money from me before?'

Realizing this, Wang Ping suddenly smiled.

A second later, he decisively shoved the money pouch back into Liu Ye's hands and said softly, "Don't look down on me, Brother Liu. Aren't we friends?"

He could certainly take the money, but there was no need. After all, the Iron Ox Art had helped him immensely, and he had only spent a little broken silver on it from start to finish. Strictly speaking, he had made a massive profit. Demanding the money back the moment he struck it rich would be pushing his luck and went against his principles.

Besides, rather than a simple monetary transaction, he valued Liu Ye's favor much more.

In this world, many troubles simply couldn't be solved with money if you didn't have the right connections. But with a favor owed, they were effortlessly resolved.

"This..."

Staring at the pouch pushed back into his hands, Liu Ye parted his lips before letting out a helpless sigh. "Brother Wang... your future is growing brighter and brighter."

"You flatter me, older brother," Wang Ping chuckled.

Liu Ye shook his head, saying no more. He pocketed the pouch, his expression abruptly turning stern. "The chief constable just passed down word. He wants you to go see him immediately."

Was it time for his reward?

Wang Ping's spirits lifted. He hastily acknowledged the order and hurried toward the inner courtyard of the County Yamen.

The moment he stepped inside the main hall of the inner courtyard, Wang Ping saw Chen Haoyan, the chief constable of the Longxing County Yamen, sitting steadily in a grand armchair.

Almost simultaneously, the man looked over.

Wang Ping's pupils instantly shrank. An intense wave of danger washed over him, as if an invisible hand had just clamped down on his heart.

'Is this... the Art of Eye-Strike?'

By now, Wang Ping was no longer a martial arts novice. Having spoken with Liu Ye for so many days, he already had a clear understanding of the Great Shun dynasty's martial system.

'The Art of Eye-Strike isn't part of the External Arts system of refining the skin, flesh, tendons, bones, blood, and marrow, nor does it belong to the higher Internal Force system. It is a secret art that can only be mastered by martial artists who go even higher and make preliminary contact with the "Spirit." If that's the case, then Constable Chen's martial arts are probably on the verge of a breakthrough...'

Wang Ping pondered this silently.

"Not bad. Truly striking and talented in appearance."

A second later, Chen Haoyan spoke. His voice lacked any heavy authority; instead, it was exceptionally mild. "You are a meritorious subject here to collect your reward. There is no need to be so rigid."

"Come, rest a moment."

With that, Chen Haoyan gestured to a nearby chair, motioning for Wang Ping to sit.

Following that, he drew a gleaming gold ingot from his sleeve and casually tossed it into Wang Ping's lap. "This is your bounty for killing the rebel."

"Besides that, I called you here to ask you something."

As he finished speaking, Chen Haoyan's oppressive gaze locked directly onto Wang Ping. He enunciated every word clearly: "What grade is your dragon tendon?"

Wang Ping had long expected this.

Therefore, without a trace of panic, he respectfully yet firmly cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to Your Excellency, after perfecting my saber technique, I forged a True Dragon Tendon."

If Wang Ping had wanted to, he could easily have used his spiritual sense to hide his True Dragon Tendon from view. However, after thinking it over, he felt there was no need.

'Hiding one's strength is humility, not self-sabotage.'

'It's one thing to do it on the outside, but hiding my strength within the government? If I don't properly display my abilities, how will my superiors entrust me with heavier burdens? And how will I advance?'

Of course, doing this carried risks.

After all, having suffered a sudden death two lives ago, he was painfully aware of Chen Haoyan's tendency to burn bridges. Acting this way now mostly stemmed from having a different sort of backing.

'This is the confidence that cheating gives me.'

'If this treacherous dog tries to burn the bridge after crossing it again, I'll risk my life just to land a vicious blow on him. The cooldown for Outer Heavenly Demon has already ended anyway...'

The hall descended into silence.

After a long while, Chen Haoyan finally spoke in an eerie tone, "When all is said and done, Yama's Three Demon Sabers is only a lower-tier martial art. In theory, it's impossible for it to nurture a True Dragon Tendon."

"Unless you secretly learned a better tendon-refining martial art."

"Absolutely not!"

Wang Ping shook his head with utter confidence, firmly denying the accusation. After all, he truly hadn't practiced any other martial arts. He hadn't even begun to grasp the basics of the Plain Moon Lotus Blade yet.

Chen Haoyan narrowed his eyes. "Absolutely not? Yet you managed to forge a True Dragon Tendon?"

Wang Ping scratched his head. "Maybe I'm just naturally endowed with divine strength?"

"...Hahaha!"

A moment later, the previously stern Chen Haoyan suddenly burst into laughter. "Naturally endowed with divine strength... Not bad. If that's the case, it truly is possible to form a True Dragon Tendon."

"After all, I was the same way back in the day."

Saying this, Chen Haoyan stepped forward and patted Wang Ping on the shoulder, chuckling. "Do you know what martial art best suits a talent like yours and mine?"

Wang Ping shook his head.

"Archery!"

Chen Haoyan's tone grew heavy. "My family's secretly passed down Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow is the perfect fit for you!"

"If you specialize in this martial art, you might just be able to join the Divine Constabulary like me and become an Internal Force Martial Master. Securing a spot on the Armament Manual in the future might even be possible."

So, what was the price?

Wang Ping knew full well that Chen Haoyan was baiting him with benefits. He was clearly hinting at the incredibly deadly mission he had mentioned earlier on the drill ground.

'However... that suits me just fine!'

At this thought, Wang Ping immediately arranged his features to show both temptation and hesitation. After pondering for a moment, he asked quietly, "Dare I ask Your Excellency, what do you need me to do?"

Seeing this, Chen Haoyan offered a satisfied smile and spoke crisply.

"I want you to escort an item for me."

As he said this, he brought out a silver-white flying knife that Wang Ping was all too familiar with. In an instant, the blade's gleam spilled out like moonlight, carrying a chilling coldness.

The Lotus Blade!

"This is the natal weapon of Shouchong, the master of the White Lotus Sect," Chen Haoyan explained. "Just a short while ago, the destiny attached to this flying knife suddenly plummeted."

"I don't know the exact reason, but Shouchong is clearly getting anxious. The White Lotus rebel you killed infiltrated the County Yamen late at night just to retrieve this item. But he was just the appetizer testing the waters. That old thief Shouchong is the main course. For this item, he will definitely strike personally."

"For me, this is an enormous opportunity."

Chen Haoyan's expression appeared quite sincere as he patiently continued, "Simply put, I intend to return this flying knife to Shouchong first, and then defeat him in front of everyone."

"Although most of the destiny on the flying knife has dispersed, its prestige remains."

"By publicly defeating Shouchong and shattering his flying knife, I can strip away his prestige to nourish myself. This will help me break through the shackles of Internal Force and reach a higher level."

"However... I do not have absolute certainty of victory."

Speaking of this, Chen Haoyan looked at Wang Ping. "Therefore, even though the flying knife must be returned to Shouchong, it cannot be given back too easily. We must make him pay a price."

'Then you could take advantage of his weakness and claim his life, right?'

Wang Ping fully understood, but one thing still puzzled him. "But Your Excellency, my martial prowess is low. If I truly have to face off against Shouchong, I completely lack the ability..."

"You don't need to fight."

Chen Haoyan shook his head. "It's Youren Temple. I have already invited the Perfected Wandering Spirit. He will personally take action and destroy this flying knife in public."

"However, the Perfected Wandering Spirit refuses to leave Youren Temple."

"So your mission is to deliver this flying knife into Youren Temple... Remember, you must deliver it openly and boldly, ensuring that everyone sees it."

Wang Ping understood.

'Escorting the flying knife is just a smokescreen. He's clearly fishing for prey!'

'Deliberately leaking the news and showing his hand that the Lotus Blade is being sent to Youren Temple for the Perfected Wandering Spirit to destroy... it's all to force that old bastard Shouchong to intervene.'

'This way, Shouchong will have no other path. He will inevitably clash with the Perfected Wandering Spirit, who is also clearly capable. Chen Haoyan wants the snipe and the clam to fight so he can play the fisherman and reap the benefits. When the time comes, whether Shouchong wins or loses, Chen Haoyan can jump out and beat the drowning dog.'

This scheme was truly insidious and ruthless, yet it also carried the distinct flavor of an open conspiracy.

However—there was one problem.

"Dare I ask Your Excellency," Wang Ping said in a low voice, his brow furrowing tightly, "what happens if this subordinate fails to deliver the Lotus Blade into Youren Temple?"

If it didn't enter Youren Temple, the Perfected Wandering Spirit might not act at all.

In that case, wouldn't it be like throwing a meat bun at a dog—gone forever?

"That is where the 'nine chances to die, one chance to live' comes in."

Chen Haoyan smiled. "If the mission fails, you, the one responsible for escorting the flying knife, will undoubtedly die... Therefore, if you don't wish to die, do not let it fail."

'He dodged the question.'

'It seems he has other preparations he simply doesn't want to tell me about... Makes sense. Why would he ever share the truly important secrets concerning his own personal interests with me?'

A second later, Chen Haoyan continued, "So? Do you dare accept?"

With a bitter expression, Wang Ping said tactfully, "Reporting to Your Excellency, this matter is incredibly dangerous. If this subordinate dies, it is a small matter, but if I ruin Your Excellency's plans, ten thousand deaths could not atone for it."

Chen Haoyan's expression remained unchanged. "I can teach you the Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow."

"If you're worried about dying and feel that learning the martial art is useless, I can also grant you a quota. If you wish to pass the martial art down and leave it to someone else, that is acceptable too."

With that, he brought out a secret manual.

Upon seeing this, Wang Ping's eyes first lit up slightly, but then he shook his head. "Such a thick book... I'm afraid it will take at least a month to master."

"This is the table of contents. The actual manual is over there."

At those words, Wang Ping followed the direction of Chen Haoyan's finger. He immediately spotted a small mountain of stacked books—there had to be at least forty or fifty volumes.

"So many? It would take a year just to read them."

Chen Haoyan chuckled lightly. "I read for three years and practiced for another thirty before achieving my current level of martial arts. Cultivating martial arts requires perseverance by its very nature."

Wang Ping opened his mouth. "Thirty years? Then how much time does this subordinate have to train?"

"Three days."

The corners of Wang Ping's eyes immediately twitched. "Three days... that still leaves nine chances to die and one to live!"

Chen Haoyan's smile grew even wider. "Not at all. If you practice, it's nine chances to die and one to live. If you don't practice, it's ten chances to die with no chance of survival. You should know how to choose."

Wang Ping, "..."

The hall plunged into silence once more. Chen Haoyan was in no rush; he waited with total composure. He was confident that the young bailiff before him could hear the unspoken threat in his words.

Refuse? What a joke.

From the moment Wang Ping walked into this main hall, Chen Haoyan had never left him any room to refuse. From the very beginning, obedience was the only path Wang Ping could take!

Otherwise, how could he be worthy of the evaluation of being striking and talented in appearance?

After a long while, Wang Ping finally raised his head. Gritting his teeth, he forced the words out of his mouth: "This subordinate can accept the mission, but... I need more money!"

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