Chapter 89: Fu Leisheng's Astonishment
"It's Chen Shi!"
Fu Leisheng was utterly astonished. When Shao Jing from the Immortal Gathering Tower had introduced Chen Shi, he hadn't detected the boy's cultivation at all. He had just seemed like an utterly ordinary youth from some moneyed family who hadn't studied much and wanted to scrape by as a scholar through Wencai Academy.
Such things were commonplace in the county seat, which was why he'd managed to squeeze ten taels of silver out of Chen Shi.
And now, what was this country bumpkin doing?
Killing the county magistrate's wife!
The magistrate's wife was a fourth-kind Evil, one that had absorbed moonlight essence and transformed. It could cultivate just like a human cultivator, wield spells, and possessed intelligence.
"Just what is his cultivation level?"
Fu Leisheng's gaze fell on the Divine Shrine behind Chen Shi, filled with shock and doubt.
There was no Divine Embryo in that Divine Shrine—this was clearly only the Divine Shrine Realm. How could it possess such astonishing vital energy and blood, erupting with such tremendous power and booming thunder?
That thunderclap from moments ago had even rivaled a palm thunder talisman in might, forcing an expert like him to raise his bamboo pole in defense. Was this the power unleashed by a Divine Shrine Realm cultivator?
He was certain it surpassed the Divine Shrine Realm. No one at that level wielded such strength.
Fu Leisheng closed his eyes. It was as if he could see Chen Shi's vital energy and blood pooling within his body, forming an boundless sphere.
That sphere traveled along his arm, through his heart and lungs, back to his dantian.
Chen Shi's dantian was like a sea of fire, with blazing vital energy and blood condensing into the bizarre sight of a sun blooming amid flames.
A golden lotus sprouting in fire.
Fu Leisheng opened his eyes, and the anomalous sensation vanished.
"Golden Core—he's formed a Golden Core!"
His heart shook with disbelief. A child of eleven or twelve had actually refined a Golden Core.
But Chen Shi's Golden Core was clearly still inside his body, rather than being nurtured in the mouth of a Divine Embryo like others'. It was somewhat strange.
And yet, that was precisely why Chen Shi's strength was so terrifying, allowing him to engage the magistrate's wife—an Evil of that caliber—in close-quarters combat.
"With such high cultivation, why is he still taking the scholar exam? Wait—why is there no Divine Embryo in his Divine Shrine? He's missing a whole realm."
Fu Leisheng's mind was a whirlwind of confusion.
Without a Divine Embryo, how had he formed a Golden Core?
Without a Divine Embryo, how was he nurturing it?
Why did his dantian manifest a fiery sea with a lotus bloom, capable of nurturing a Golden Core?
He was lost in thought when barking suddenly echoed from the yamen's inner courtyard. Chen Shi flashed away.
Fu Leisheng entered the rear courtyard. His bamboo pole shot out, piercing the county magistrate's wife's skull.
But then he saw her elongated body.
The magistrate's wife's body was enormous, far beyond his expectations.
Her heart had been punched through, her arm broken, and her neck, abdomen, back, and other spots stabbed. The long body trailing behind her had been sliced by sword qi into dozens of segments—she was deader than dead. His final thrust was superfluous.
"These sword marks—they're from the Noon-Midnight Evil-Slaying Sword!"
Fu Leisheng examined the cuts and murmured,
"Does the Noon-Midnight Evil-Slaying Sword possess such power?"
Though the Noon-Midnight Evil-Slaying Sword was the strongest spell at the Divine Embryo Realm, by Golden Core Realm, its sword qi paled against the Golden Core's own might.
That was why Golden Core cultivators preferred to unleash their cores in battle.
Yet the sword qi that had slain the magistrate's wife displayed power beyond normal expectations.
What shook him even more was that every strand of Chen Shi's sword qi had struck with unerring precision at the joints connecting the magistrate's wife's segmented body.
The sword qi had sliced along the weakest points of her limbs, peeling her apart.
It was the pinnacle of a butcher dismembering an ox—nothing more could be done.
Fu Leisheng averted his gaze, heart pounding.
The yamen's rear courtyard reeked of filth and gore. The rockery had collapsed into powder, half a building was gone—devastation from the Evil's inner core streaking past.
The opposite wall showed corrosion and collapse, bricks and tiles melted into green sludge, emitting a foul stench.
That was the damage from the magistrate's wife's inner core striking the wall.
"If a demonic core like that hit a person..."
He shuddered.
A Golden Core was boundless, forged from essence, qi, blood, and spirit. Tangible yet formless, impervious to blades, axes, spells, or treasures—anything passing through it left it unscathed. Terribly difficult to handle.
Yet it also granted immense power and inconceivable abilities.
Different Golden Cores enabled different spells.
An Evil's Golden Core was even harder to deal with, its power more malevolent.
Seeing the destructive force of the magistrate's wife's core, Fu Leisheng felt it would be troublesome. If it had been him, slaying her wouldn't have been easy. Once that core emerged, his spells would be corrupted, his talismans powerless, his treasures tainted and useless.
And Chen Shi had beaten her to death in a frontal clash.
"Just who is this Chen Shi? How did he eliminate the magistrate's wife in such short order? And that corpse over there?"
His gaze shifted to County Magistrate Geng's body in the corner, and he jolted.
"County Magistrate Geng was killed by him too."
Geng Chun was a court-appointed magistrate—his strength was no small matter. Yet he too had died by Chen Shi's hand.
"Killed two Golden Core experts in a row... Is Chen Shi really just eleven or twelve? He looks so young. What's his goal with the scholar exam?"
Yamen runners were rushing this way, drawn by the commotion.
Fu Leisheng slipped away quietly, pursuing the direction Chen Shi had fled.
Chen Shi followed Blackie Pot's barks to the yamen's main hall, where the sign "Mirror High and Bright" hung. This was where cases were heard.
Entering, he felt an oppressive pressure, his heart gripped by fear.
His past crimes unrolled like a scroll in his mind, vivid and inescapable.
Cold sweat beaded on Chen Shi's skin. He nearly dropped to his knees and confessed, spilling every sin from the past two years.
"This yamen has an incredible layout!"
He suppressed his trepidation and examined the setup.
Besides the magistrate's bench and chair stood two rows of interrogation staves—heavy punishment staves, light ones, answering staves—along with embroidered spring blades and other weapons.
All bore inscribed runes drawn in cinnabar, imbued with肃杀 aura from constant use.
Outside the doors loomed a large drum painted with talismans, echoes of those who had beaten it to cry grievance lingering with oppressive force.
Any one item wouldn't faze Chen Shi, but together, their numbers compelled confessions.
Blackie Pot seemed unaffected, barking furiously at a shrine table to one side of the hall.
Chen Shi looked over. There sat the Myriad Souls Banner on the table, incense still smoldering.
The treasure drew him irresistibly, like the most tempting feast, luring him to devour the aggrieved souls within.
"If I were you, I absolutely wouldn't steal the Myriad Souls Banner."
Fu Leisheng's voice sounded. Chen Shi halted his reaching hand and turned, puzzled.
"What do you mean, Mr. Fu?"
Fu Leisheng smiled.
"The Myriad Souls Banner guards Xinxiang County. It's forged from the aggrieved souls of generations of executed criminals. Countless heinous villains beheaded at East Market have their souls sealed within. Its power is immense. When the county lord deploys it against foes, even Transformative God or Soul Refining experts can't stand against it. Steal a treasure this vital, and you won't have a foothold anywhere in West Ox New Continent."
Chen Shi withdrew his hand, casting a reluctant glance at the banner.
He didn't crave its power—just an urge deep within to claim it.
But Fu Leisheng's words dispelled the notion.
Fu Leisheng sighed inwardly in relief at the retraction.
"County Magistrate Geng was newly appointed and hadn't refined the treasure yet. During a vacancy, the assistant magistrate holds it. He'll be here soon. Let's leave quickly to avoid trouble."
Chen Shi followed him. Man and dog hurried from the yamen.
Chen Shi glanced at Fu Leisheng, feeling fondness for the tutor.
He had stormed the yamen for the students' lives, returned to eliminate the magistrate couple—not the wretch Hu Feifei had painted.
"Mr. Fu is just a scholar. How does he possess such strength?"
Chen Shi wondered.
Fu Leisheng sighed.
"One month, two county magistrates dead in a row. Who knows how long the next court appointee will last? Xinxiang County truly is cursed for magistrates."
Chen Shi reflected. Both magistrates' deaths seemed tied to him.
The previous Zhao County Magistrate fell with House Zhao, thanks to Grandpa eliminating Governor Zhao.
This Geng? He'd done it himself.
"Mr. Fu, the court appoints an Evil as magistrate? Has the realm decayed this far?"
Chen Shi asked.
Fu Leisheng glanced at him.
"Say that again, and you'll end up on the Myriad Souls Banner someday—beheaded for sure."
Yet he sighed.
"Decayed court discipline? Heh, far beyond. The nation's affairs are rotten through."
Chen Shi eyed him, sensing shared beheading potential.
Back at Wencai Academy, Hu Feifei was tormenting a big white goose—gripping its neck, plucking feathers. Others stood dejected in the corner, freshly thrashed.
"Feifei holds grudges."
Chen Shi felt a chill.
He too had joined the mob beating on Hu Feifei, fearing retaliation from the vixen.
Fu Leisheng waited until the fox spirit had vented, then unleashed his Golden Core. Its radiance shattered the spells on the geese, restoring them.
Still half-children, they wept in each other's arms. Some bowed thanks to Fu Leisheng.
Fu Leisheng laughed.
"You're cultivators now. Turned into geese—what's to bawl about? You'll face worse ahead."
The students paled.
"Don't go home yet. The assistant magistrate's coming. Runners will escort you."
Fu Leisheng said,
"Rural kids stay overnight at the academy. Teacher saved your lives—have your families send a string of cash tomorrow in thanks. Clear?"
They nodded frantically, obeying.
Soon, a deep male voice boomed from outside.
"Mr. Fu, Assistant Magistrate Zheng Shiyun here to pay respects."
Fu Leisheng smiled.
"It's Assistant Magistrate Zheng."
He went to greet him. Zheng Shiyun said,
"I was incompetent, chasing leads on Evil child abductions. Never dreamed the Evil was under my nose, devouring the magistrate and his wife to impersonate them—nearly harming these children. Thanks to Mr. Fu slaying the Evil, I avoided disaster. The kids all safe?"
Fu Leisheng laughed.
"All safe. The Evil ate the couple, masqueraded as Magistrate Geng to breed in Xinxiang. But Assistant Magistrate Zheng's keen eye spotted the flaw. Eliminating those two Evils and saving the children—Zheng's credit entirely. I just lent a hand."
Zheng Shiyun beamed.
"Mr. Fu's righteousness! Without your aid, how could I crack this case? I'll report to the court for your merits."
Fu Leisheng demurred.
"No need, no need. I claim no功—I'd be ashamed to steal credit. Zheng, look at my Wencai Academy—dilapidated, kids terrified it'll collapse mid-class. Can't the county allocate some funds..."
Zheng Shiyun got it, handing over a small pouch of silver, ordering his runners to empty their pockets too.
"I just slew those Evils—rushed here with only these few dozen taels. If Mr. Fu finds it scant..."
Fu Leisheng pocketed it eagerly.
"Plenty, plenty."
"And these children?"
"Trouble Zheng to send them home."
Zheng Shiyun jubilantly ordered his men.
"Beat gongs and drums—deliver them door to door. Let the whole city know our yamen's righteous deed."
They assented, leading away the shaken children.
Fu Leisheng beamed, slipping aside to count his money.
Hu Feifei sidled up to Chen Shi.
He tensed.
Hu Feifei laughed.
"Brother Chen, I'm no tigress—what's to fear? Thank me plenty today. Without me and Mr. Fu, you'd be dead in the yamen."
Chen Shi eyed Fu Leisheng and whispered,
"I don't think Mr. Fu's greedy. Storming the yamen, risking life for the students—greed's just a front."
Hu Feifei snickered.
"You're fooled. His heroism's real, greed too. Haven't seen his home—opulent, dwarfs this academy."
Fu Leisheng finished counting and approached.
"Love of wealth and righteous acts aren't at odds. A gentleman loves wealth, takes it rightly. Every coin I earn sits easy on my conscience."
He handed Chen Shi a small pouch.
"Yours."
Another to Hu Feifei.
"Yours. You two acted righteously tonight—take it."
Chen Shi puzzled.
"What's this mean, sir?"
Fu Leisheng said,
"Plunder their gold—no harm to virtue. The Master's teaching."
Chen Shi blinked, thinking,
"Doesn't that mean looting foes' wealth unscathed? How's Mr. Fu twisting it?"
End of chapter.