My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

Just then, a mysterious cloaked figure appeared outside the cell door. When Xu Tianxing looked up and saw them, his expression changed.

The mysterious figure said nothing, simply tossing a dagger inside. At that moment, a noise echoed from deeper within the prison. The figure instantly melted into the shadows and soon vanished from the dungeon.

「The next day, early in the morning.」

A piece of news spread throughout Lin Wu City.

Xu Tianxing had committed suicide in the Martial Arts Academy’s prison to escape punishment!

He died in a solitary cell in the Martial Preparation Hall’s prison.

When the disciple on duty discovered him, he was already leaning against the cold stone wall. A three-inch-long, jet-black dagger was plunged into his heart, buried to the hilt. Blood had soaked through his coarse prison garb, forming a dark red pool on the ground.

His right hand gripped the dagger’s hilt, while his left lay open, a suicide note written in blood resting in his palm. The script was messy but forceful, as if pressing through the very paper. Each stroke trembled with the desperation and finality of death.

"Final words of the sinner, Xu Tianxing:

My heart was consumed by greed. I colluded with the Fire Worship Cult, stole the Dongshan Mine Source, and framed the Qiao Family. My sins are grave, beyond redemption even by a thousand deaths.

Now that my crimes have been exposed, I am too ashamed to live on. Only death can atone for my capital offenses.

The Xu Family’s hundred-year legacy has been destroyed by my own hands, a fact that fills me with heart-wrenching agony.

However, the elders, women, and children of my clan are largely innocent.

I implore the City Lord’s Mansion and the Martial Arts Academy to remember the Xu Family’s humble contributions to Lin Wu City’s growth over the generations. Please, show mercy and allow the Xu Family line to continue.

The sinner, Xu Tianxing, kowtows. Even from the netherworld, I will continue to atone for my sins."

...

When the news reached the Martial Arts Academy, Liang Cheng immediately went to the prison.

’It’s only been one night. How could Xu Tianxing be dead?’

When he arrived outside the prison, Wu Zhenshan and Shen Wenyuan were already there. Wu Zhenshan looked grim, while Shen Wenyuan gave Liang Cheng a slight nod in greeting.

Wu Zhenshan shot Liang Cheng a look, his tone hostile. "Xu Tianxing killed himself in his cell. What happened? Where were the guards?"

Shen Wenyuan stepped in, asking a nearby jailer, "When did this happen? And what was the cause of death?"

Liang Cheng took the detailed report from the jailer and spoke as he scanned it. "It happened around Midnight last night. He stabbed himself in the heart with a short dagger, dying instantly, and left a note written in blood."

Wu Zhenshan looked at Liang Cheng. "Liang Zhenchuan, you personally escorted Xu Tianxing to this cell. Was he searched before being admitted?"

The question was posed calmly, but its implication was clear. Liang Cheng looked up at him. "Of course he was searched. The jailers and my Personal Guards checked him together. He had nothing on him but his clothes."

"Then where did the dagger come from?"

Wu Zhenshan pressed on. "Did it just materialize out of thin air?"

Shen Wenyuan then spoke up softly, "Wu the Treasurer, Liang Zhenchuan was only responsible for the escort. Are you suggesting he should also conduct daily cell inspections? In my view, the urgent task is to investigate the dagger’s origin, identify who was on duty last night, and determine if there was a lapse in security."

Wu Zhenshan was silenced by that, and his expression soured, but he remained insistent. "Then let’s summon all the jailers on duty last night, interrogate them separately, and trace the dagger’s origin. I will not have the Martial Arts Academy’s reputation tarnished. We must be impartial."

With that, the three men entered the cell. They fell silent as they looked upon Xu Tianxing’s lifeless body.

The three of them examined the scene but found nothing unusual. The subsequent examination by the forensic doctor yielded the same result: Xu Tianxing had indeed taken his own life.

Liang Cheng broke the silence, turning to Wu Zhenshan. "Xu Tianxing may be dead, but this case isn’t over. It involves the Fire Worship Sect. We can’t just drop the whole matter because one man died."

Wu Zhenshan’s eyes darkened.

Shen Wenyuan, however, interjected, "What Liang Zhenchuan says is reasonable. Xu Tianxing confessed and committed suicide because he knew his crimes were unforgivable. However, the network supporting him must still be thoroughly investigated. As for the Xu Family..."

He paused, looking at Liang Cheng. "Now that Xu Tianxing has paid the ultimate price, and considering the sincerity of his note, it’s clear many of the elders and youth in the Xu Family were uninvolved. By law, with the main culprit dead, his accomplices should be pursued. However, the Xu Family has made contributions to Lin Wu City in the past. It wouldn’t be wise to cast the net too wide. What are your thoughts, Liang Zhenchuan?"

Liang Cheng was silent for a moment.

’He knew what Shen Wenyuan was implying. With Xu Tianxing’s death, many leads were now dead ends.’

’To continue digging wouldn’t just implicate the Xu Family; it would stir the deeper, murkier waters of Lin Wu City.’

’Besides, the Xu Family was a Noble Family with a hundred-year history and deep roots in the city. If they were to be completely eradicated, the backlash would be immense.’

’Xu Tianxing probably chose suicide to preserve what was left of his family.’

"Death settles all debts."

Wu Zhenshan suddenly spoke, his tone softening. "Since Xu Tianxing has confessed and paid the price, the primary culprit is clear. The Xu Family’s remaining assets can be confiscated by the state as a warning to others. As for the rest of the family, if there’s no concrete evidence of their involvement, we shall proceed with discretion, just as Lord Shen suggested."

He looked at Liang Cheng, a conciliatory smile on his face. "Liang Zhenchuan, you are young and accomplished; surely you understand that pushing things too far is as bad as not going far enough. The Xu Family has paid its price. It’s time to let this go."

Both men fixed their gazes on Liang Cheng. A hint of worry flickered in Shen Wenyuan’s eyes. He was afraid Liang Cheng’s youthful ardor would drive him to pursue the matter to the bitter end, placing him directly in the eye of the storm.

But unexpectedly, Liang Cheng just nodded.

"Fine."

He said only one word. Shen Wenyuan was startled for a second, then a look of admiration filled his eyes.

Wu Zhenshan also let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Liang Zhenchuan, you are truly a remarkable talent, so reasonable and worldly. In that case, I shall take my leave to handle the subsequent arrangements."

"I shall go as well."

Shen Wenyuan rose and nodded to Liang Cheng. "Liang Zhenchuan, you handled this appropriately. After the Xu Family’s assets are seized, the City Lord’s Mansion will calculate the reward as prescribed by law. Your rightful share will not be overlooked."

"Thank you, Lord Shen."

The two men departed one after the other.

Just then, Zhao Yuan entered from outside, his face pale. In a low voice, he said, "Senior Brother, this was my oversight. I should have assigned another squad to watch his cell around the clock last night..."

"It has nothing to do with you."

Liang Cheng cut him off, patting his shoulder to reassure him.

"If someone was determined for Xu Tianxing to die, there’s no way you could have stopped it. Think about it. To smuggle a dagger into a cell in the Martial Arts Academy’s prison... the person behind this must have incredible power and influence."

’This is the Martial Arts Academy, after all. To accomplish such a feat, one could only imagine the kind of power the mastermind wielded.’

He walked to the window and looked out at the brightening sky.

"Besides, Xu Tianxing was a smart man. He knew his death was certain and that the Xu Family could not hope to keep all of its assets. So, he traded his life for the continuation of his family line."

"That line in his note about their ’humble contributions’ wasn’t for our ears. It was meant for all the other Noble Families in Lin Wu City, for the old guard in the City Lord’s Mansion."

Zhao Yuan instantly understood. ’No wonder Liang Cheng didn’t pursue it. The Martial Arts Academy holds a transcendent status, but even it can’t push things too far.’

’Going too far is as bad as not going far enough.’

’Some matters are best handled with a light touch.’

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