The road in front of the manor wasn't wide, less than two zhang, paved with blue stone slabs. On one side was the manor, and on the other side was the Clear Canal River, with trees and flowers planted along the riverbank, giving off a fragrant aroma.
The wealthy merchant from the South of the Ridge was a meticulous person. The flowers and trees by the roadside were all planted by the servants of the manor. Whenever a flower wilted, the servants would dig it out and bury it, then plant blooming flowers in its place.
Even though this cost a lot of money every day, the merchant's family was wealthy.
Suddenly, a splash of blood was scattered across the flower bed, and then broken sword energy flew wildly, destroying the flowers beyond recognition.
Even a few of the precious trees planted by the river were chopped down.
Fu Leisheng used a bamboo pole as a spear, infusing it with True Qi, and charged forward. The narrow road made it difficult for him to wield his spear freely, as any misstep could cause him to hit the nearby houses or trees.
Moreover, although he had been learning to use a spear since childhood and had practiced all his life, he rarely had real combat experience, let alone a life-and-death battle.
At this moment, the bamboo pole in his hand was only used to perform five basic moves: thrust, stab, sweep, point, and shake.
The bamboo pole shook, deflecting the invisible sword energy. Although the sword energy was fast, when struck by the bamboo spear, it either flew up into the sky or off to the side, leaving deep sword marks on the walls or cutting through countless flowers and grass, plunging into the Clear Canal River.
The bamboo pole couldn't block a cultivator's sword energy, but with his True Qi at the Golden Core Ninth Turn infused into it, it became incredibly tough, only sparking when meeting the sword energy, unable to cut it.
"Thud!"
He thrust his spear, piercing through the heart of a Golden Core stage cultivator charging at Chen Shi.
The cultivator gritted his teeth, his face twisted, ready to cast a spell to fight to the death with him, but suddenly Fu Leisheng twisted his waist, and with a shake of the spear, the man's muscles and bones scattered, his body flying into the river.
After stabbing, Fu Leisheng withdrew his spear, stepped forward, and sidestepped to stab again. When he was still two zhang away from the enemy, the spear tip had already pierced the opponent's abdomen.
He let go and stepped back, turning to advance and lifting the spear, striking the next attacker in the groin, shattering everything below.
The man could no longer resist, kneeling and falling over.
Fu Leisheng stepped forward, advancing more than a zhang, the spear tip pointing at another opponent's throat. The Li family retainer instinctively cast a spell, deflecting the spear tip, but the spear tip flickered before his eyes as it passed by his throat.
His eyes were pierced, and he screamed, ignoring his companions around him, casting spells wildly, sword energy scattering everywhere.
Fu Leisheng shook his spear, hitting the man's shoulder with one strike, his head with the second, and cutting through his limbs' joints with the third and fourth strikes, finally striking his neck with the spear, knocking him to the ground.
His moves were extremely simple, but effective, killing several people in quick succession.
Beside him, the sound of bamboo slicing through the air whistled by, and in a short moment, Chen Shi had advanced twenty zhang from the other end of the street, slashing several people with his machete, while the Imperial Guards with bird guns barely showed their heads before being pierced by bamboo.
Fu Leisheng had gone into a frenzy, killing more people in this short moment than he had in his entire life.
He was seeing red.
However, the ground was littered with bodies, and more bodies kept falling from the sky, landing at his feet, threatening to trip him if he wasn't careful.
These were the bodies of the Li family retainers and Imperial Guards killed by Chen Shi.
Anyone who could be called a retainer had reached the Golden Core stage, qualifying them for the position.
And the Imperial Guards, in the Li family, were also called servants, as they were often scholars who reached the Divine Fetus stage but couldn't advance further, unable to pass the provincial examination, thus only considered servants.
Even though Fu Leisheng was filled with rage, determined to kill everyone, seeing these bodies made his heart skip a beat.
Too many people had died at Chen Shi's hands.
"If we were to have a feast, I'd probably have to sit with Heiguo," he thought to himself.
These people often died under the bamboo.
Chen Shi used the Midnight Demon Slaying Sword's thrusting style with the bamboo.
The Midnight Demon Slaying Sword was one of the most powerful techniques accessible to Divine Fetus stage cultivators. Though it was said to be the simplest, it had very few variations, making it easy to predict and avoid.
Moreover, at the Golden Core stage, another downside of the Midnight Demon Slaying Sword became apparent: it had a power limit.
The technique's power limit was that the sword energy could only fly thirty-six zhang. Beyond that, it would dissipate.
Chen Shi had reached the Golden Core stage, achieving the first turn of the Golden Core. Most cultivators at his level would abandon the Midnight Demon Slaying Sword and switch to other techniques.
However, this simplest of techniques unleashed unimaginable power in his hands. With True Qi empowering the bamboo, the thrusting style of the Midnight Demon Slaying Sword made the bamboo incredibly powerful.
Even if the opponent was a Golden Core stage expert, they would be knocked off balance by the tremendous force, falling backward.
And this often meant they had been pierced by the bamboo and were dying.
His bamboo was often used against the Li family retainers in high places and the Imperial Guards with bird guns hiding behind walls.
Standing high and looking down to cast spells was disadvantageous for them, so they had to be eliminated first.
The Imperial Guards wielded bird guns, which were even more powerful than the Three-Eyed Fire Gun. If hit by a bird gun, one would lose half a life even if not killed, so they had to be dealt with in advance.
These Imperial Guards were mostly at the Divine Fetus stage, not yet having reached the Golden Core. Just as they peeked out, ready to shoot, a flash of blue light would pierce through their bird guns and heads, killing them instantly.
A Li family retainer stood on a tree branch, swaying with the branches, preparing a spell. Seeing Chen Shi's sword gesture pointing at him and a flash of blue light, he knew it was bad. He immediately risked being struck by heavenly lightning to summon his Golden Core.
His Golden Core was fiery, and the Golden Core's force field was scorching. The tree beneath him caught fire from the force field, and as the bamboo shot into the force field, it was instantly reduced to ashes.
The sword energy hidden in the ashes still flickered through, piercing his heart.
The retainer's back exploded, and a finger-sized hole appeared in his chest, with a bowl-sized hole in his back, front and back transparent.
At the same time, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking his Golden Core!
The retainer's body caught fire, falling and landing with a thud at Fu Leisheng's feet, almost tripping him.
As the body fell, Chen Shi was upside down in the air, stepping on the Seven Stars, his machete slicing through another Li family retainer's throat.
Fu Leisheng steadied himself, about to thrust his spear, but the man was already dead.
Chen Shi's movements were incredibly strange, the starlight of the Big Dipper constantly exploding under his feet, flowing through his body, making him unpredictable on the riverside road, sometimes walking on walls, sometimes hanging upside down in the air, moving in all directions.
He was short but fast, often appearing in front of someone in an instant. The Li family retainers and Imperial Guards often couldn't prepare their spells in time before Chen Shi's machete reached their faces, cutting through them like vegetables!
Fu Leisheng had to charge with all his might to pick off any enemies Chen Shi missed.
"This kid learned his skills elsewhere, no wonder he writes such rebellious essays!"
Fu Leisheng thrust his spear, and another Li family retainer's body suddenly swelled, glowing golden, having used the Yellow Turban Warrior Talisman, like a golden armored deity, but the bamboo spear tip at his throat didn't break.
Fu Leisheng shook his spear, knocking the man to the ground, his Golden Core Ninth Turn, power flowing through the bamboo, striking the top of the man's head repeatedly, smashing it.
Meanwhile, Chen Shi had already killed three more people, advancing three zhang.
"He's too fast!"
Fu Leisheng hurried to catch up. He had read Chen Shi's essay of over two hundred words, a confession of guilt, filled with strange theories and misinterpretations of Master Confucius's words.
He didn't know where Chen Shi, at such a young age, had learned such bizarre knowledge, able to make sense of it and even put it into practice. He thought Chen Shi was just a strange scholar, but didn't expect the kid to actually apply it!
According to Chen Shi's strange theories, learning and practicing must be done often, so that one doesn't waste what they have learned.
The Li family's bird gun Imperial Guards were already suppressed by Chen Shi, unable to raise their heads, and the Li family retainers on the trees and eaves were all shot down. In a short moment, Chen Shi's bamboo basket of twenty to thirty bamboo poles was down to only three or four.
"A bunch of useless people!"
Mr. Zeng snorted, stepping out from beside his horse, crushing forward with overwhelming pressure.
"Nascent Soul stage!"
Fu Leisheng's face changed, charging forward with all his might, passing Chen Shi, thrusting his bamboo spear at Mr. Zeng, shouting, "Chen Shi, you should leave! You've done enough, don't die here!"
His Golden Core Ninth Turn had reached a reddish-brown color, just one step away from transforming the core into a Nascent Soul, but he couldn't cross that step. He felt his own blood and Qi were insufficient, unable to accumulate enough to break through.
He knew the power of the Nascent Soul well, so seeing Mr. Zeng take action, he rushed forward without regard for his own safety, trying to block Mr. Zeng for Chen Shi.
Mr. Zeng raised his hand, and the bamboo spear exploded before it reached his palm!
Fu Leisheng's face changed, the gap was too big, but he still thrust forward, the bamboo spear exploding as it reached his palm!
At this moment, Chen Shi moved like a ghost, flashing to his side, swinging his machete at Mr. Zeng's wrist!
"Crack!"
The machete exploded, Chen Shi's hand bleeding, about to punch when he was suddenly pulled back by Fu Leisheng.
Fu Leisheng's heart was cold, the gap between the Golden Core stage and the Nascent Soul stage was like heaven and earth.
Mr. Zeng was the sky, and they were mere mortals!
In front of the sky, ordinary people could be killed with one move!
Although there was a Nine Suns Heavenly Thunder Summoning Talisman in the sky, preventing Mr. Zeng from using his Nascent Soul, the gap between the two stages was too great, leaving no chance for a fight.
"The master pays you every month, supports you, and this is how you repay him?"
Mr. Zeng looked around, his face stern, glancing at the Li family retainers, coldly saying, "You take money to do a job. You take the money, but can't even do the job right, what's the use of keeping you? You're supposed to be cultivating, where has your cultivation gone?"
He scolded the Li family retainers, not even glancing at Chen Shi and Fu Leisheng, as if they were already fish on the chopping block, ready to be slaughtered.
Mr. Zeng turned around, facing away from Chen Shi and Fu Leisheng, bowing to the carriage, saying, "Madam, Second Madam, the two thieves have been captured."
Chen Shi wanted to take the opportunity to rush forward and hit him on the back of the head, but Fu Leisheng held him back tightly, not allowing him to move.
At this moment, a middle-aged man stepped down from another carriage, passing through layers of talisman-formed protective light, approaching the carriage of the two madams, and knocked on the window.
Inside the carriage, a maid opened the window, and the face of the First Madam leaned out.
The middle-aged man raised his hand, whispering a few words in the First Madam's ear.
First Madam Xia Weiyin showed a look of surprise, her eyes turning to Chen Shi, saying to Second Madam Yan Jingshu, "Sister, it seems we have to put off avenging Tianxiu for now, the master won't allow you to seek revenge."
Yan Jingshu was both shocked and angry, but she had heard the middle-aged man's words just now and understood the seriousness of the situation, so she lowered her head and said, "I'll leave everything to you, sister."
"The master will compensate you."
Xia Weiyin comforted her, saying, "Mr. Zeng, you may step back. Is this Mr. Fu from the Scholars Academy? And your student, the one who received a top-grade Divine Fetus in the literary exam? I've heard of this."
Fu Leisheng's hands were bloody, his eyes almost spitting fire, glaring fiercely at the noblewoman.
Xia Weiyin said, "However, you have the wrong enemy. It was neither I nor the Second Madam who took your student's Divine Fetus. I can make this right for you. Aunt Gu, come out."
Aunt Gu stepped out, kneeling on the ground.
Xia Weiyin's voice was indifferent, "Aunt Gu, tell Mr. Fu the whole story. Be honest."
Aunt Gu trembled, saying, "Yes, Madam."
She recounted how she failed to bribe Tian Huayi, then bribed Magistrate Zheng Shiyun, sent him and the constables away, broke into the county office at night, killed Tian Huayi, opened Shen Yusheng's head, and took the Divine Fetus.
Fu Leisheng clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his wounds, shouting, "You're a noblewoman? I don't believe it! Could you have killed Huayi? Could you have dealt with the Ten-Thousand Souls Banner?"
Aunt Gu said, "I've reached the Nascent Soul stage, why couldn't I kill that examiner?"
She knelt, a Divine Altar appearing behind her, the Nascent Soul floating in front of the Divine Fetus.
"As for dealing with the Ten-Thousand Souls Banner, it's even simpler. The master took office as the governor of New Township, bringing the New Township Province Earth Tome. The second page of the Earth Tome is used to control the Ten-Thousand Souls Banner of New Township County. It was originally given to the magistrate to limit the power of the county magistrate."
Aunt Gu lowered her head, "I just secretly removed the second page of the Earth Tome, easily suppressing the Ten-Thousand Souls Banner, using it to kill that examiner..."
Fu Leisheng was utterly despondent, suddenly laughing and crying, "You're the noblewoman! You're the one who rules New Township County with an iron fist! You're just a servant of the Li family, a lackey! My Huayi, my Yusheng, were destroyed by you, this old dog!"
He cursed incessantly.
After he finished venting, First Madam Xia Weiyin said gently, "Aunt Gu has committed a grave mistake and must be punished. Aunt Gu, considering your service to the Li family, today you shall end your life. Your family will not be mistreated by the Li family."
Aunt Gu's body trembled, bowing, "Thank you, Madam, for your great kindness!"
She kowtowed repeatedly, her head covered in blood, saying, "I entrust my family to you, Madam!"
She stood up, turning to Fu Leisheng, suddenly summoning her Nascent Soul.
The Nascent Soul flew out, and a bolt of lightning struck from the sky, instantly turning it to ashes.
Aunt Gu's body swayed, collapsing to the ground, her soul shattered, lifeless.
Xia Weiyin sighed, "She brought it upon herself. Mr. Fu, was this resolution fair?"
Fu Leisheng, seeing his enemy executed, couldn't help but shed tears, kneeling, choking, "Madam's judgment is fair. Huayi, Yusheng, I've avenged you!"
Xia Weiyin looked at him deeply, saying, "Mr. Fu, you broke the law, killing dozens of my Li family members. Although it was out of righteous anger to avenge your student, you still committed a crime, taking many lives. I can spare the life of the young man beside you, but you must pay the price."
She paused, "Rest assured, after your death, this matter will be settled, and your family will be safe. Mr. Fu, I've given you justice, now you should return justice to my Li family."
Fu Leisheng kowtowed to the carriage, shouting, "Madam is truly the great lord of justice! I've committed many sins, and now I'll pay with my life!"
He raised his hand to smash his own head, but his hand was caught by Chen Shi.
"Chen Shi, what are you doing?"
Fu Leisheng was furious, whispering, "If I die, you'll be safe! Let go!"
Chen Shi held his hand tightly, staring at First Madam Xia Weiyin, saying firmly, "Don't die yet. This judgment isn't right!"