Chapter 47 : Chapter 47
Chapter 47: Historically, He Is the Only One Who Delivers Dead Bodies to Others!
"Cheng Yu?!"
Cheng Zhenjiang’s eyes widened in disbelief. The Jinyiwei who was slaughtering martial world factions in Qingjiang Prefecture—the "Living Yama" whose name made martial artists tremble with fear—shared the exact same name as that rebellious son! He refused to believe it was true, his entire being becoming like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
"How could it be that rebellious son! How could a member of my Cheng family do such a thing?" Cheng Zhenjiang squeezed the words out from between his teeth, teetering on the edge of an explosion at any moment.
"The Banner Captain who took office in Qinghe County last month is indeed the Second Young Master..."
"What 'Second Young Master'! My Cheng family has no such descendant!" Cheng Zhenjiang flew into a towering rage, feeling his face had been completely lost. To think that after a lifetime of fame, he had such a rebellious son! The steady image this "Great Hero" usually maintained before outsiders seemed to vanish the moment Cheng Yu was mentioned.
At this moment, a thought suddenly flashed through his storm-tossed mind. If it weren't for him, Cheng Zhenjiang, then Cheng Yu would not have learned such brutality and cruelty outside, nor would he have severed ties and left the River-Severing Sect. He would not have done any of these things.
Everything Cheng Yu had done was inextricably linked to him, Cheng Zhenjiang! The thought of these actions being displayed before the people of the Jianghu, and the former "Lord Cheng" being pointed at by others, gave birth to an emotion even stronger than anger.
Fear! In this instant, Cheng Zhenjiang didn't even have time for anger; he collapsed back into his chair. "That rebellious son!"
***
Dragon Abyss Prefecture.
A deacon of the Sword-Forging Manor, covered in blood and clutching a sword, was limping away as if fleeing from something. He looked behind him from time to time. Finding no one following, he finally relaxed and exhaled a long breath.
"Those damned Imperial Hounds have grown quite bold, actually slaughtering their way from Qingjiang Prefecture all the way to Dragon Abyss. I must tell the Sect Master and the others..." Qian Wei gritted his teeth, enduring the pain as he quickened his pace. He had already heard the news spread by the Jinyiwei—that they were investigating the great secret of their manor. That secret could not fall into the hands of the Imperial Hounds no matter what.
Just as Qian Wei crossed another mountain and saw the Sword-Forging Mountain in the distance, he suddenly heard a sharp, blood-red sword qi sweeping toward him from behind.
"If my master wants to keep you here, do not put up a pointless struggle!"
Qian Wei hurriedly turned and drew his sword to block, but his swordsmanship was not even half as good as his attacker's. He could only rely on his Sixth Rank internal energy to resist desperately. His heavily wounded body was jolted by the sword qi, causing him to cough up blood and fall to the ground.
"With such skills, how could you become a lackey for the Jinyiwei, helping a tyrant and harming the virtuous! We martial artists are ashamed to be associated with a fellow like you!" Qian Wei gritted his teeth as he looked at the hemp-clothed Liu Xiong. He was internally shocked; he had specifically chosen the strangest path, so how had he been caught so quickly?
"I have never been of your kind. If anything, I am one of the million laborers you have harmed." Liu Xiong’s blood-glinting sword rested against Qian Wei’s neck, his expression cold.
CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!
A tall figure dressed in a handsome Flying Fish Uniform with a Xiuchun Saber at his waist walked out, leading a squad of Jinyiwei. Cheng Yu tossed aside the Soul-Seeking Incense in his hand and applauded his disciple's speech!
He sneered. "I’ve chased you for so long. Is it not time you told me what I want to know?"
"Impossible! In your dreams!" Qian Wei gritted his teeth, looking as though he would rather die than submit.
"Is that so?" Cheng Yu smiled. He had long known that many martial artists acted very tough at first. But they only needed a bit of "professional" handling for them to betray their own faster than anyone else. "If you do not speak, do not blame us for being ruthless."
"Bah! Bring it on, Imperial Hounds! We heroes are not afraid of you!" Qian Wei gritted his teeth to bolster his courage.
"It's fine if you don't speak... Liu Xiong, have you heard of a method to force people to tell the truth? You bury a person in the soil so only their head is exposed, then you cut a slit in the top of their head and pour mercury inside."
Cheng Yu’s tone was casual, but his words made the other Jinyiwei shiver. While they were afraid, their respect grew. As expected of Lord Cheng—such vast knowledge and professional methods!
"Mercury is very heavy. Once poured in, it flows down from the head. The person feels an extreme itch but cannot move. Eventually, in their agony, they have no choice but to jump out of that slit, leaving their body a bloody mess and leaving only an empty skin behind in the ground. If they take some miraculous medicine at that moment, they might not even die. A pity about the skin, though..."
Cheng Yu finished speaking and turned a dark gaze toward Qian Wei, instructing his subordinates, "Go find some mercury and dig a hole."
"Yes, sir!"
"Wait!" Hearing this, Qian Wei’s eyes nearly split from terror. He hurriedly begged for mercy. "I’ll speak! I’ll confess everything!"
Cheng Yu looked at him with a faint smile.
[Host has intimidated a criminal... Reward: Internal Energy!]
Upon hearing such a terrifying method from Cheng Yu, Qian Wei was scared out of his wits and no longer dared to be stubborn. He told them everything he knew, blow by blow. The Jinyiwei looked at Cheng Yu with even greater reverence.
Liu Xiong also lowered his head in respect, thinking to himself, Using the false to replace the real to achieve a better result... is this the truth of the Sword Dao that Master wants to convey? As expected of someone who has attained the true intent of the Sword Dao, I must have the elders arrive as quickly as possible!
While everyone had their own thoughts, Qian Wei completely sold out every secret of the Sword-Forging Manor.
"A Dragon Vein?" Cheng Yu frowned, finding Qian Wei’s words hard to believe. The "Grandmaster Inheritance" he had spread was an understatement; what the Sword-Forging Manor was actually after was a Dragon Vein! There was a Dragon Vein at the foot of Sword-Forging Mountain!
"I also happened to hear the Sect Master and the others saying that the awakening of the Dragon Abyss Sword was influenced by something in the mountain. That must mean there is a Dragon Vein there! With a Dragon Vein, my Sword-Forging Manor can plan for a thousand generations!" Qian Wei said with regret.
The Dragon Abyss Sword! A Heavenly Armament on the list of the world's greatest weapons!
Cheng Yu’s heart chilled. Named after the Dragon Abyss Path, it was the foundation upon which the Sword-Forging Manor had been established hundreds of years ago. It required a Grandmaster-rank martial artist to fully unleash its terrifying power. Currently, the Sword-Forging Manor could only summon "half a sword" in times of crisis, which was already enough to dominate a region. Rumor had it the Dragon Abyss Sword was quenched in dragon blood and could resonate with dragon qi. If the thing in Sword-Forging Mountain wasn't a Dragon Vein, it likely had something to do with dragons regardless.
"Dragon..." At the mention of a dragon, Cheng Yu felt an intense fervor. If he could raid both the Sword-Forging Manor and the thing inside the mountain, his career in "raiding households" would surely reach its pinnacle!
However, there was a problem. It would be very difficult for Cheng Yu to raid the Sword-Forging Manor relying solely on his own strength. He had to borrow momentum—the momentum of his status as a Jinyiwei.
"In the capital, Lord Zhao’s methods should be taking effect. I suspect the Emperor won't be able to sit still either..."
***
A few days later.
Qingjiang Prefecture City.
Jinyiwei Hundred-Household Office.
Cheng Yu had waited for three days, and finally, the answer he wanted arrived from the capital. Two high-ranking experts with majestic auras, dressed in dark red Python Robes, arrived. They were Jinyiwei Assistant Commissioners, a rank that could only be held by those at the Eighth Rank—Cheng Yu’s direct superiors!
Upon hearing that a million laborers were being enslaved and harmed by the Sword-Forging Manor, the Emperor of Great Qian was hit by a thunderous rage. He sent these two men across a thousand li with the imperial decree. One of them, a man with a heroic countenance, dragged a corpse behind him that no longer looked human.
"You must be Cheng Yu? You have done well. His Majesty has promoted you to Hundred-Household Commander of Qingjiang Prefecture. I am Fan Xiu, and this is a souvenir for you." Fan Xiu handed Cheng Yu an imperial decree with a cold face and tossed the corpse onto the ground.
Cheng Yu cupped his fists in a salute. "This is?"
"Sun Wu, the Jinyiwei Thousand-Household Commander of the Dragon Abyss Path. I cleared out this waste on the Emperor’s orders. I heard you enjoy torturing people, so I thought I'd give him to you. This is the end for those who do not follow the rules."
Fan Xiu laughed, his eyes carrying a hint of hostility. Cheng Yu naturally understood the man’s words were directed at him, and he silently noted this grudge. What do you mean 'enjoy torturing people,' and then sending me a dead man? Treating me like a child.
Historically, he was the only one who delivered dead bodies to others!