Chapter 114: Taking Charge
Pan City had a long history—an eight-hundred-year-old ancient city nestled among the mountains, steeped in a strong martial atmosphere.
Everywhere one looked, there were wandering martial artists performing their skills.
Li Qingqiu strolled leisurely through the streets, buying a baked flatbread, a wine flask hanging at his waist—completely at ease.
He pondered whether Clear Sky Mountain should also establish its own commercial system; that way, the sect would appear more prosperous.
The only downside of Pan City was that its streets were too muddy, staining the hems of his robes.
After wandering the city for an hour, Li Qingqiu arrived in front of the government office, where he saw a noisy crowd of townsfolk gathered.
Curious, he stepped closer to watch the commotion.
The murmurs of the crowd reached his ears:
“Truly heartless! Forcing people to their deaths!”
“Poor woman… who knows how she’ll live from now on.”
“Indeed, the county magistrate fears offending the Cui Family, so he refuses to stand up for her—afraid to lose his official hat.”
“The Cui Family holds the rank of Grand Commandant now, wielding power over court and country—who dares offend them?”
“Pitiful, lamentable! In times like these, men can’t protect their wives and children; wives can’t avenge their husbands or sons. No one knows when disaster will fall upon their own heads.”
Li Qingqiu squeezed into the crowd and saw a woman kneeling before the stone steps.
Beside her was a young boy, also kneeling.
On the steps above, several constables looked troubled, quietly discussing how to deal with the situation.
Suddenly, the woman raised her head and cried out mournfully, “If the county magistrate refuses to uphold justice for me and my son, then I’ll kill myself right here before the government office! Even as a ghost, I’ll never forgive you!”
With that, she crawled up and dashed toward the nearby stone lion.
The constables were startled.
At that moment, a young figure burst forth from among them, reaching the stone lion in just three steps, blocking her path.
He was a teenage constable, perhaps fifteen or sixteen years old, tall and upright, with sword-like brows and starry eyes.
Using his arm to stop her, he gritted his teeth and declared, “I’ll uphold justice for you!”
The woman froze, no longer struggling.
She looked at the youth in surprise and asked, “Truly?”
A middle-aged constable quickly approached, speaking sternly, “Bo Zhao, do not speak recklessly!”
The youth named Bo Zhao turned toward him, his voice rising with anger.
“Master, if we don’t help her, how will this mother and child survive? The Cui Family will surely take revenge! If you all fear trouble, then I’ll act alone! I don’t believe that the sword in my hand cannot cut through the evil festering in Pan City!”
Turning back to the woman, he said, “Lead the way. We’ll go now!”
The woman, having no time to question his youth, nodded repeatedly, then turned to take her six-year-old son and headed down another street.
The onlookers, eager for more spectacle, followed behind, though none of the constables joined them.
The middle-aged constable stomped his foot and hurried back into the government hall.
The Cui Family had branches in many cities; Pan City was no exception.
Even as a branch family, they were the overlords here—so much so that even the county magistrate had to bow and scrape before them.
Li Qingqiu, with nothing better to do, followed the crowd out of curiosity.
As he observed Bo Zhao ahead, he thought, This boy carries a heroic spirit, but his martial strength is lacking.
Going to confront the Cui Family… he’s heading toward danger.
“That Chang Wu seemed to have taken the Martial God Pill, and since Pan City is under the Cui Family’s influence… could it be that the Martial God Pill is hidden here too?”
Li Qingqiu mused calmly.
He had no desire for the Martial God Pill.
According to Chen Huilan, although the pill granted immense strength—making one impervious to blades and arrows, and even doubling their inner energy—it also doomed the user to live no more than ten years.
Such a pill was unsuitable for disciples of the Clear Sky Sect.
He was merely curious about its exact effects.
Moreover, if the Cui Family possessed the Martial God Pill, might they also hold the rare herbs used to refine it?
With that thought, Li Qingqiu followed the crowd toward the Cui residence.
If a new battle erupted at Martial God Pass, Little Eight would come to alert him, so he wasn’t worried.
After walking about three miles, they finally arrived at the Cui Family’s estate.
Seeing the tightly shut gate, Bo Zhao strode forward and kicked it open, earning cheers from the townsfolk.
Yet the moment he stepped inside, a powerful kick sent him flying back out, crashing onto the street and nearly knocking him unconscious.
The crowd gasped and backed away in fear.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the gate.
A group of Cui Family guards rushed out, led by a towering brute whose robe bulged with muscle.
None of the others even reached his shoulder—his presence alone drew every eye.
“It’s Cui Yong! How did he become so huge?” someone cried, disbelief in their tone.
Cui Yong’s face was fierce, his eyes bloodshot like a savage beast.
He exuded a violent aura as he looked down at the fallen Bo Zhao and said coldly, “Brat, how dare you kick the Cui Family gate? You’re courting death! You’ll regret this. I’ll make your kin die before your eyes so you’ll understand the price of offending the Cui Family!”
Bo Zhao coughed up blood—whether from anger or injury, he couldn’t tell.
Fury and disbelief mingled in his gaze.
“How… how could this be… one kick and I’m crippled…”
He tried to rise, but pain wracked his body; his ribs felt shattered, agony coursing through him.
Cui Yong began walking toward him—deliberately slow, intending to crush his will.
The woman and her son trembled at the side, too frightened to move.
She hadn’t expected Bo Zhao to fall so swiftly.
Amid the commotion, Li Qingqiu frowned slightly.
He handed the remaining piece of his flatbread to a runny-nosed boy nearby, then pushed through the crowd toward the front.
Cui Yong noticed Li Qingqiu stepping out and raised a brow—surprised that anyone else dared intervene.
Bo Zhao’s heart sank into despair.
He knew he would die on this street, in full view of everyone—a disgraceful end he had never imagined.
Just as he was about to close his eyes and accept his fate, he saw someone walk past him.
Lifting his gaze, he caught sight of Li Qingqiu’s back.
Seeing him approach Cui Yong, Bo Zhao instinctively tried to speak, wanting to stop him.
“So there really is someone unafraid of death!”
Cui Yong sneered.
As the two drew close, Bo Zhao’s vision blurred—then came a bang.
The bulging forehead of Cui Yong vanished in an instant.
He turned his head in shock.
Cui Yong’s enormous body was sent flying back into the Cui courtyard with a single kick from Li Qingqiu.
The Cui guards froze, unable to comprehend how their strongest man had fallen.
The townsfolk too were stunned, staring blankly at Li Qingqiu.
Without pause, Li Qingqiu strode toward the Cui residence.
The guards regained their senses and rushed at him.
What Bo Zhao witnessed next would be forever etched in his mind: those guards charged like a pack of wolves, yet before Li Qingqiu even lifted a hand, they were all sent flying, coughing blood.
The sight defied understanding, leaving Bo Zhao awestruck.
In moments, half the guards were down; the rest fled in terror.
Li Qingqiu pressed forward, unstoppable, straight into the Cui estate.
The townsfolk hurried to help Bo Zhao to his feet.
Meanwhile—
Inside the Cui estate, Li Qingqiu stepped past Cui Yong’s lifeless body, following the faint sound of weeping.
Along the way, guards and servants appeared to block him.
Anyone who dared was knocked unconscious by a surge of vital energy.
Soon, he reached a secluded courtyard and pushed open a door.
His eyes swept the room—a young girl in plain clothes sat crying by the bed.
Startled by the sudden noise, she looked up and met Li Qingqiu’s gaze.
Terrified, she scrambled backward until her back hit the wall.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here to save you.”
Li Qingqiu smiled gently.
He could sense that other girls were imprisoned throughout the estate—likely connected to alchemy.
“Don’t save me… they said if I tried to escape, they’d kill my mother… and break my brother’s arms and legs…” she said bitterly.
Though she looked no older than twelve, she carried a tragic resolve born of sacrifice.
Li Qingqiu replied, “It’s all right. I’ll kill them all—then no one will harm your family.”
With that, he turned and left.
The girl froze, unable to react.
Moments later, screams rang out from the courtyard.
She rushed to the door and cautiously peered outside—no one was there.
Gathering her courage, she stepped out.
Li Qingqiu moved through the estate like a silent storm.
Servants were merely knocked out, but those in fine clothing were slain outright.
Each time he passed a room holding captives, he kicked open the doors.
The strongest in the Cui estate was indeed Cui Yong, who had clearly taken the Martial God Pill.
Even top martial masters would struggle against him—but he had met Li Qingqiu and died like a stray dog on the roadside.
Before long, cries of agony echoed throughout the compound, reaching even the townsfolk outside the gates.
“What’s happening? Did that man really go in and start killing everyone?”
“Seems so—I heard women screaming!”
“Who is he, to dare defy the Cui Family?”
“Well done! Finally, someone has punished these beasts!”
“This will throw Pan City into chaos…”
Supported by others, Bo Zhao looked toward the Cui courtyard—his eyes filled with awe and emotion.
No matter what came next, someone had finally stood up for justice.
Before long, guards and servants began fleeing from the gates, confirming Li Qingqiu’s overwhelming strength.
The townsfolk cheered and even pelted the fleeing servants with vegetable leaves.
After cutting down dozens, Li Qingqiu sensed a unique spiritual energy emanating from one courtyard.
Curious, he followed it.
Pushing open a door, a waft of fragrant air greeted him.
Inside were rows of large chests, some already open—filled with medicinal herbs.
He approached one sealed chest, flipped open the lid, brushed aside a heap of withered herbs, and found beneath them a fresh, crimson Ganoderma.