Make the Immortal Sect Great Again

The sky was just beginning to lighten, yet the County Yamen was already bustling with noise.

When Wang Ping arrived at the Drill Ground, he found a crowd of bailiffs gathered there. Many were unfamiliar faces, and they seemed to be holding some sort of event.

"Brother, what's going on here?"

Out of curiosity, Wang Ping patted the shoulder of a bailiff on the outer edge and asked in a low voice. The man turned around with an impatient look. "Of course it's... it's..."

The man's expression instantly froze.

A second later, a terrified scream echoed across the Drill Ground. The bailiff Wang Ping had just patted collapsed onto the ground.

"Help! Help! A vengeful ghost has come for my life!"

"I didn't kill you! Every wrong has its cause, every debt has its debtor..."

Such a massive commotion naturally interrupted the gathering. Many bailiffs turned to look, their faces filling with shock.

The crowd parted as a veteran bailiff stepped forward, wearing an impatient expression. "Don't you know we're holding a memorial for our brothers who died in battle last... last..."

Liu Ye's eyes went wide.

"Hey, Old Liu." Wang Ping waved amicably. By now he had realized what was happening, which left him with a rather odd expression. "Did you guys think I was dead?"

Liu Ye was speechless.

What else was he supposed to think?

After a brief silence, Liu Ye took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, and asked in amazement, "Brother, how did you survive?"

Then, the veteran bailiff seemed to realize something. He began to look Wang Ping up and down with a strange gaze, taking in his tilted head and innocent expression.

"You're still alive, but Lord Chen is dead!"

"Huh?"

Wang Ping blinked, seemingly failing to process what Liu Ye had just said. It took him several seconds to react, his healthy complexion turning deathly pale.

"Something happened to Lord Chen? Who did it?"

"We don't know. We only know the killer was extremely brutal. His corpse was so mutilated that only his head was left. And since it happened during a heavy downpour, we can't even perform a proper autopsy."

Liu Ye kept his tone low and grave. "Everyone investigated the scene. All traces of the battle were erased, and any spot that might have held clues was completely destroyed. We don't even know what weapon the killer used, let alone the specific martial arts."

"To think such a thing happened..."

Wang Ping's eyes widened in disbelief, as if he simply couldn't accept Chen Haoyan's death. He clenched his jaw, his face twisting in bitter resentment.

"This—this is a massive loss for me!"

"I laid my life on the line this time. I only survived by sheer luck, and I was just waiting for Lord Chen to promote me! Who would've thought he'd meet such an unexpected end..."

Liu Ye stroked his chin at the sight.

This kid truly had a bright future ahead of him. He sounded so convincing that even a seasoned veteran like Liu Ye almost doubted his own judgment.

With that in mind, Liu Ye pulled Wang Ping aside and continued, "Actually, we already have a guess about the killer's identity."

"Really?" Wang Ping's expression shifted slightly.

"Of course." Liu Ye nodded. "The killer deliberately destroyed all traces of the fight. It seems cautious, but it was actually a fatal mistake."

"Because doing so practically tells everyone that his weapon and martial arts are highly unique—so unique that if he left any traces, the bailiffs of the County Yamen would definitely recognize them... Based on this point alone, we can narrow down the suspects to a dozen or so prominent families and respectable citizens in the county."

"It's even possible... that it was an inside job."

As he spoke, Liu Ye locked his eyes firmly onto Wang Ping. What did an inside job mean? It meant the person who killed Chen Haoyan was also a bailiff!

After all, Yama's Three Demon Sabers was a technique known to everyone.

"Huh?"

Under Liu Ye's intense scrutiny, Wang Ping's expression didn't waver in the slightest. In fact, he only looked more bewildered. "How could this happen... Who could possibly kill Lord Chen?"

This bewilderment wasn't an act. It was entirely genuine.

Because Wang Ping had just realized a problem. When he killed Chen Haoyan last night and left, he hadn't deliberately destroyed any traces of the battle. He wasn't the one who did that.

He hadn't needed to clean up either. Chen Haoyan had been the one attacking him the entire time. Wang Ping had simply weathered the blows, charged right up to Chen Haoyan, severed his arm with a single saber strike, and then blown him out of the air with an arrow. All the evidence had been destroyed along with the exploding corpse.

Even if he had left some traces behind, the heavy rain would have washed them away. It was impossible for anything to lead back to him.

'There was a third party.'

A chill ran through Wang Ping's heart. After he killed Chen Haoyan and left, a third person had arrived and destroyed the scene, yet ended up inadvertently aiding the investigation...

'...No, he did it on purpose!'

'Deliberately destroying the traces, deliberately making the County Yamen narrow down the targets... It's Shouchong! That old bastard must have done it. Did he realize it was me?'

That shouldn't be the case. If he had been exposed, Shouchong would have come knocking on his door last night.

At this thought, Wang Ping allowed a hint of nervousness to show on his face, though he quickly blended the emotion flawlessly into his act.

"Wait. Master Liu, you don't suspect me, do you?"

Liu Ye's gaze grew even stranger. As far as he knew, there weren't many martial arts in the county seat powerful enough to blow an Internal Force Martial Master's body to pieces.

Yet coincidentally, the County Yamen possessed exactly one such art. And even more coincidentally, a person who had learned it had been at the scene last night and then gone missing.

The Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow.

"...Very good."

Looking at Wang Ping's tilted head, Liu Ye patted his shoulder. "Keep that exact expression. When the magistrate summons you later, say exactly that."

"Huh? What expression..."

This kid—either he really didn't know, or he was a genius at playing dumb!

Liu Ye marveled inwardly, then chuckled. "Don't worry. With your three-legged cat martial arts, you think you could kill Lord Chen? No one would believe it even if you told them."

Wang Ping wasn't surprised by this.

This was his greatest camouflage. Why would anyone believe a martial artist who hadn't even reached External Arts Perfection could kill an Internal Force Martial Master like Chen Haoyan?

Liu Ye didn't think it was possible either.

"And yet, you are still alive."

"Being alive is the biggest point of suspicion. Even if no one suspects you killed Lord Chen, they will definitely suspect you're connected to his death."

Saying this, Liu Ye let out a heartfelt sigh.

"To be honest, you shouldn't have come back. If you had just 'died' last night, things would have been much cleaner. Coming back will probably bring you more trouble than if you had actually died."

Just then.

A yamen runner hurried into the Drill Ground, shouting at the top of his lungs, "The magistrate summons everyone! Gather at the Inner Yamen!"

...

On the way to the Inner Yamen.

The bailiffs cast furtive glances at Wang Ping. For his part, Wang Ping wore an anxious expression, appearing genuinely frightened by Liu Ye's words, his face filled with unease.

'I have no other choice.'

Liu Ye was right. If Wang Ping just wanted to survive, he shouldn't have returned last night. Fleeing far away under the cover of darkness would have been the safest and most secure option.

But he hadn't done that.

The reason was simple. If he left, he would survive, but without the County Yamen as a platform, his martial arts progression would inevitably stagnate for a long time.

'I only have two martial arts on hand: Yama's Three Demon Sabers and the Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow. The Plain Moon Lotus Blade also trains blood, which overlaps with the Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow, so it's useless to me now. But to achieve External Arts Perfection, I still have three major hurdles to break through: skin, flesh, and marrow.'

Therefore, he needed martial arts.

With the help of his pills, as long as he obtained the corresponding martial arts, let alone External Arts Perfection, he was confident he could even condense Internal Force in an extremely short time!

'For that, it's worth taking a little risk.'

'If I can break through before I die and become an Internal Force Martial Master, then when I resurrect and enter the Immortal Gate World, I should have a much better starting point.'

After all, his resurrection had a cooldown.

A seven-day cooldown meant that for seven days after reviving, he would be in a highly dangerous state. A single misstep could easily result in sudden death.

Therefore, the stronger he was after resurrecting, the better.

Following the crowd, Wang Ping soon reached the deepest part of the County Yamen. Liu Ye and a few other veteran bailiffs led the group, stopping in front of a courtyard gate.

A second later, a man stepped out from the courtyard.

He wore an official uniform embroidered with a strange bird—one with five-colored plumage, a tasseled crest, and a tail like a boat's rudder. It was known as the Xichi, or Purple Mandarin Duck.

Only one person inside or outside the county seat was permitted to wear such attire.

"Greetings, Lord Magistrate!"

In an instant, all the bailiffs shouted in unison. Their voices shook the clouds, drawing the attention of many observant individuals in and around the county seat toward the County Yamen.

"At ease."

The magistrate waved his hand. He was a middle-aged man with a long beard and a scholarly, refined appearance. At first glance, he looked exactly like a literati who knew nothing of martial arts.

But Wang Ping knew this was absolutely not the case.

'County Magistrate Xu Bingzheng, a scholar of the Capital Imperial Academy, a disciple of the neo-Confucian grand master Cheng Bochun, and ranked three hundred and forty-second on the Imperial Court's Armament Manual...'

Wang Ping mentally recited the magistrate's intelligence.

And among all the information on Xu Bingzheng, what Wang Ping dreaded most was his rank on the Armament Manual. It wasn't just a measure of prestige; it was a symbol of absolute power.

'The Great Shun Imperial Court's Armament Manual is recognized throughout the realm. It is the highest tier of prestige in the world. When a martial master leaves their name upon it, they are known as a Titled Martial Master. From then on, they can gather the world's renown and fortune, break through the shackles of Internal Force, and look toward the higher realms of the martial dao.'

Therefore, anyone who could rank on the Armament Manual wielded, at the very least, a Famous Treasure.

And if they went a step further, reaching a level where even the Armament Manual could no longer influence their prestige, they would be a Grandmaster Rank figure known to all.

External Arts practitioners, Internal Force Martial Masters, Titled Martial Masters, Martial Dao Grandmaster Rank.

Despite possessing such incredible martial arts, this magistrate hadn't gone to the capital to make a name for himself. Instead, he was holed up in a place like Longxing County. It was an utter waste of his talents.

Just then.

"You..."

Xu Bingzheng's gaze burned bright. With a single glance, he pinpointed Wang Ping standing near the back of the crowd. His tone remained amiable, without the slightest hint of aggression or overbearing force.

"Are you Wang Ping?"

"Answering Your Lordship, I am."

Wang Ping bowed respectfully.

Yet at this moment, goosebumps erupted across his skin. He felt as though the magistrate's gaze was a sharp sword peeling his body open!

A second later, Xu Bingzheng's words sent a violent tremor through his heart. "Yama's Three Demon Sabers at perfection, Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow at minor completion. True Dragon Tendon, Mountain Monarch Bone, Supreme Yang Blood. Not only do you possess excellent comprehension, but you also have three divine attributes. Even in the prefecture, you would be a heaven-chosen genius rarely seen in a century."

"Truly, a youth born to be a hero!"

As his words echoed out, Wang Ping clearly sensed the astonishment, shock, and even jealousy welling up in the surrounding bailiffs, along with a heavy dose of disbelief.

'My entire foundation was just exposed!'

'Well, it makes sense. A martial artist's physical progress in the External Arts can't be hidden. Stay calm, no need to panic. If anyone asks, I'm just a one-in-a-million martial arts prodigy...'

Despite his thoughts, Wang Ping didn't dare relax in the slightest.

Because right now, he was facing a problem he had never encountered before.

'...I can't feel anything.'

Wang Ping lowered his eyelids. He realized that his spiritual sense, which had never failed him before, was completely unable to sense the emotions in the magistrate's heart!

Why was this?

'Because he's a Titled Martial Master? Can cultivating martial arts to this stage actually block spiritual sense? I knew the waters in this place were deep. It was never going to be that simple...'

"Oh, right."

Just then, Xu Bingzheng spoke again. "I recall that Chen Haoyan put you in charge of escorting the Lotus Blade. Where is it now?"

"Answering Your Lordship, your subordinate was incompetent. The item was hijacked by the White Lotus rebels."

Wang Ping hurriedly explained.

He could clearly sense that the moment he spoke, the intensity of Xu Bingzheng's scrutiny skyrocketed to a terrifying degree.

Fortunately, he had his spiritual sense to assist him. He immediately took control of his pulse and heartbeat, regulating all outward physical signs of emotion into a state of 'slightly nervous, but with a clear conscience.' Only when that piercing gaze—which felt like it was going to slice him in half—gradually faded did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

'He really is formidable.'

Intuition told Wang Ping that if he had shown even a sliver of unnatural physical change just now, the magistrate probably would have struck him down on the spot!

"I see. It wasn't your fault. Let it go."

Xu Bingzheng withdrew his gaze, seemingly having lost interest in Wang Ping.

"You may step back."

As the words fell, Wang Ping felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly retreated into the crowd, well aware that he had passed this hurdle for now and wouldn't be dropping dead today.

Immediately after, the magistrate continued.

"I have summoned you all here to announce a matter."

"Chen Haoyan is dead, but the County Yamen cannot be without a chief constable. Therefore, I plan to select one person from among you to take over the position of chief constable of Longxing County."

The announcement sent a shockwave through the crowd.

The moment these words were spoken, the previously quiet crowd erupted in an uproar. A few veteran bailiffs who hadn't mentally prepared themselves almost burst out laughing.

But they quickly caught themselves. The corners of their mouths jerked downward, and after several unnatural contortions, they forcefully squeezed out a few fake sobs.

"Lord Chen just died in the line of duty! How can we..."

"The man is dead, what are you crying for?"

The magistrate waved his hand impatiently.

The crying stopped abruptly.

Next, all the bailiffs looked at Xu Bingzheng with burning eyes. No one knew better than they did just how much privilege came with the position of chief constable.

After all, the chief constable could not only freely browse the various martial arts manuals stored in the County Yamen, but they could also directly access the Armory to select a weapon to their liking for their training. As for dietary supplements and nourishing foods, those were provided at the highest standard, with unlimited supply... As long as someone sat in that position, breaking through to Internal Force was virtually guaranteed!

A second later, Xu Bingzheng continued.

"One month from now, I will hold a County Yamen tournament. Anyone can enter the ring, and the last person standing will be the new chief constable."

"Gentlemen, I encourage you to strive for it."

With that, Xu Bingzheng turned and headed back into the Inner Yamen courtyard, leaving behind a crowd of bailiffs who were already engaged in heated, excited discussion.

Even Wang Ping subconsciously began to plot. 'Doesn't this suit my intentions perfectly? As long as I can seize the chief constable position, martial arts will no longer be an issue.'

As for the County Yamen tournament, the strongest among these bailiffs had only reached External Arts Perfection. Moreover, they were all getting old, and fists feared the young. With all his tricks deployed, his odds of winning weren't low.

Not to mention he still had so many pills.

A month of preparation was enough for him to digest all those pills. By then, even without the corresponding martial arts, he could push his physique to its absolute limit...

"...Wait."

Wang Ping's train of thought abruptly halted.

Wait a minute, something wasn't right.

'Chen Haoyan forced his way into Youren Temple specifically for that batch of pills. Yet he didn't keep them all to himself, which clearly means he was working for someone else. There was a mastermind behind the scenes.'

The magistrate, Xu Bingzheng.

He claimed he was holding a County Yamen tournament to select a chief constable, but he had given them a month to prepare—which was exactly the amount of time needed to fully digest that batch of pills.

Wang Ping suddenly went on high alert.

'Is he fishing? Is he even... fishing for me!?'

At this thought, Wang Ping felt as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss. His previously fiery mood rapidly cooled, and he almost subconsciously turned his head back toward the Inner Yamen courtyard.

There, he imagined he could see County Magistrate Xu Bingzheng, his face hidden in the shadows, quietly observing the crowd with a perfectly placid, rippleless gaze.

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