Chapter 43: Nancheng Shaken (Please follow the updates, add to favorites, and vote with monthly tickets and recommendation votes)

"Stop!"

A furious roar rang out, followed immediately by the sound of frantic footsteps.

A middle-aged man dressed in fine silks strode out from the inner courtyard, followed by several guards in tight-fitting martial attire. These guards had coarse skin and bulging muscles; they were at least Skin-Tempering martial artists. They moved swiftly, surrounding Su Mu in the center the moment they appeared.

Su Mu remained calm, holding his long saber against Steward Xu's throat.

Steward Xu knelt on the ground, his face ashen and his body trembling. A yellow stain spread beneath him, emitting a foul odor. On the ground surrounding them lay seven or eight corpses, all with their throats slit, killed in a single stroke.

With the Wave-Subduing Saber Technique mastered and the Skin-Tempering stage at Great Perfection, Su Mu could easily handle thirty or forty strong men, let alone just seven or eight servants.

"The South City Bureau is handling a case. Are you certain you wish to obstruct us?"

Su Mu slowly scanned the area, his gaze finally landing on the middle-aged man in fine silks.

Xu Mingchen's expression was dark enough to drip water. He stared fixedly at Su Mu, his eyes looking as if they wanted to devour him. To break into the Xu Estate at night and kill people so brazenly—he had never suffered such an insult. This was a blatant disregard for the Xu family and for him, Xu Mingchen!

"Seize him!" Xu Mingchen roared. "I want to ask He Yuxing if the South City Bureau can just slaughter innocent civilians at will!"

He was clever; even in his rage, he didn't forget to pin a label on Su Mu first.

Before Xu Mingchen's voice had even faded, a guard eager for merit lunged forward.

The moment the guard moved—

*Swish!*

A flash of saber light erupted. To the onlookers, it looked like a surging tidal wave.

The guard was startled; he hadn't expected Su Mu to dare strike first while surrounded by so many people. However, he was at the Minor Perfection of Skin-Tempering, and his saber technique had also reached the Great Perfection stage. He was considered an elite among the Xu family guards. How could a mere squad leader who hadn't even reached Skin-Tempering, with a saber technique only comparable to his own, be his match?

A mocking sneer appeared on his face as he drew his saber and swung upward, intending to teach this arrogant squad leader a lesson he would never forget.

But in the next instant, the expressions on everyone's faces froze. The attacking guard's movement stopped abruptly, as if a pause button had been pressed.

*Rip!*

A sound like thick hide being torn echoed through the air.

Su Mu stood in place with a flat expression, his long saber once again pressed against Steward Xu's neck. Two steps in front of him, the guard remained frozen in his attacking posture, like a statue. The mockery on his face had vanished, replaced entirely by horror and disbelief.

*Clang!*

The steel saber fell from the guard's hand. Simultaneously, a thin line of blood appeared on his neck. He swayed for a moment before finally collapsing to the ground with a thud, blood rapidly spreading across the bluestone floor.

Seeing Su Mu's gaze fall upon him, Xu Mingchen instinctively took a step back. A chill rose from his spine, and he sucked in a breath of cold air. A flicker of wariness and fear flashed deep in his eyes.

In his mind, he was already cursing Steward Xu to high heaven.

*You call that Great Perfection in saber technique? Even if I were blind, even if I gouged my eyes out, I could recognize that this is damn Saber Intent!*

Even with Saber Intent, one wouldn't necessarily be able to kill a guard hired with heavy gold, who had mastered Skin-Tempering and saber techniques in a single blow!

This Su Mu had definitely reached Skin-Tempering!

"Attacking an officer is a crime punishable by death," Su Mu spoke in a calm tone. "Squire Xu, are you certain you want to obstruct my official duties?"

Xu Mingchen remained silent, and the other guards didn't dare make a sound. The man who had just died was one of their best, and he hadn't even been able to block a single strike. What could they do? They only earned a pittance each month; why risk their lives?

Seeing the guards cowering like quails, Xu Mingchen cursed inwardly. But he also knew that Su Mu's strength was beyond imagination. In a one-on-one fight, none of the estate's guards would be his match. Even if he ordered them to swarm him, they might not be able to keep Su Mu there. Once Su Mu escaped, things would escalate significantly. Even the Xu family could not brazenly assassinate a squad leader in South City. Even if it were just for the sake of face, He Yuxing would never allow such a thing to happen. Some things could only be done in private, not exposed in broad daylight.

"This man is suspected of arson and causing injury. I am taking him back to the South City Bureau for investigation. Do you have any objections?"

At that moment, Su Mu grabbed Steward Xu by the collar and began walking out, not waiting for Xu Mingchen's answer. The guards instinctively parted to make a path.

Xu Mingchen ground his teeth, watching Su Mu's retreating back, his expression shifting between dark and uncertain.

Born a refugee, with no background or resources, to have developed Saber Intent at the age of seventeen or eighteen—such comprehension would be considered a genius even in the Inner City. If the great families of the Inner City learned of this person's existence, they would undoubtedly extend an olive branch immediately. Such a person should not be offended unless they could be crushed instantly.

Since the Xu family had clearly offended him, they had to eliminate him completely before the great families of the Inner City discovered him.

Xu Mingchen quickly made his decision, a flash of ferocity crossing his eyes.

*So what if he's a genius? A genius who hasn't grown yet is no different from trash!*

"Go! Find that Wei Yongfu for me!" Xu Mingchen growled as Su Mu walked into the distance.

***

In the six wards of South City, news spread as if it had wings. By the time dawn broke, almost every major power in South City knew what had happened during the night.

The newly appointed squad leader of the South City Bureau had broken into the Xu Estate alone at night, killed several people in front of Xu Mingchen, and taken the Xu family's steward back to the Bureau. The Xu family's influence in South City was immense; they had never suffered such a loss even when facing the South City Bureau's Constable, Xing Zhaofu. Even the current Acting Constable, Zhao Ji, gave the Xu family a wide berth. Now, they had been brought low by a mere squad leader—and not through any trickery.

"Su Mu. Refugee background. Age seventeen. Suspected of possessing Saber Intent. Body tempering stage unknown. A Skin-Tempering Minor Perfection martial artist is not his match for a single strike."

This information was quickly placed on the desks of all the major leaders in South City.

He Yuxing, the Sima of the South City Bureau, and Zhao Ji, the Acting Constable, were staring at the freshly delivered report, their faces filled with shock.

"Sima—" Zhao Ji said, somewhat panicked.

The Xu Estate's guards were carefully selected and hired with heavy gold; they were all experts capable of taking on ten men at once. Yet Su Mu had cut one down in a single blow. The thought of having offended someone who had mastered Skin-Tempering and possessed Saber Intent made Zhao Ji tremble. He himself was only at the second stage of Body Tempering, and his saber technique had only reached Great Perfection. Even Xing Zhaofu, once known as the number one expert in South City, had reached the third stage of Body Tempering but had not mastered Saber Intent.

Body tempering stages could be achieved through the accumulation of resources, but Saber Intent required comprehension. Even the children of the great families in the Inner City could not all grasp Saber Intent. Such a person was far beyond his level of influence.

At this moment, the difference between Zhao Ji and Xu Mingchen became clear. Zhao Ji was unfit for great responsibilities.

He Yuxing snorted inwardly.

"What is there to panic about? Even if he has some strength, he is my subordinate. Would he dare rush into the South City Bureau to assassinate me?" He Yuxing rebuked him. "I have done nothing wrong by him; I even promoted him to squad leader. This shows my keen eye for talent."

Zhao Ji: "..."