Chapter 114: You Caught the Wrong Person

Rumble rumble rumble!

A few more thunderclaps rolled across the sky.

Bang!

The front door was suddenly and violently pushed open from the outside.

Several individuals clad in the official attire of the Six Doors Authority stormed inside.

The one leading them wore blue robes, denoting his status as a Fifth Grade Blue-Clad Constable.

The inn, which had been somewhat noisy, fell into a brief silence.

A Fifth Grade Martial Artist was a rare sight in the martial world, let alone one who served as a Blue-Clad Constable of the Six Doors Authority.

As everyone knew, among the Six Doors Authority, martial cultivation and rank did not always align.

In reality, the vast majority of Fifth Grade Constables were at the cultivation of Fourth Grade.

Cheng Ruiwu and Junior Sister Lu instantly became vigilant.

Encountering such a person at a roadside inn in the wilderness was definitely not a good thing.

There was a well-known rule within the Six Doors Authority: those who got too close with aristocratic families and sects would not be promoted.

The more one opposed them, the faster one climbed the ranks.

That was because the Six Doors Authority was the court’s sharp blade to counterbalance local powers.

For someone like Cheng Ruiwu, who hailed from a martial family with no members above the rank of Third Grade Expert, the elders always warned them when walking the martial world—the ones they needed to guard against the most were the people from the Six Doors Authority.

If they were ever caught in the wrong by them and severely punished, it would be a complete loss of face.

As expected, the Blue-Clad Constable’s gaze swept toward them, filled with deep malice.

He shouted in a booming voice, “The Six Doors Authority is apprehending a wanted criminal. Everyone, present your travel permits and route tokens. I will inspect them one by one.”

It had begun!

Cheng Ruiwu and Junior Sister Lu’s hearts tensed.

Checking route tokens was the most common tactic. If one failed to present them, it gave them a perfect excuse to make trouble.

Fortunately, they had prepared everything before leaving.

Without a change in expression, they each took out their route token.

...

The Blue-Clad Constable seemed to have noticed their movements, but he didn’t come over immediately.

Instead, he began inspecting the route tokens of others first.

“Where is your route token? Why haven’t you taken it out?”

When he reached a merchant, one of the Six Doors Authority’s officers found the man empty-handed and shouted sternly, hand already on the hilt of his saber.

The shout immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Cheng Ruiwu recognized the man as the merchant who had earlier spoken about the deeds of the “Mad Saber.” His heart filled with suspicion.

Judging from the Six Doors Authority’s reaction, they truly seemed to be hunting a wanted man…

The “merchant” showed no panic and said in a deep voice, “I’m not the one you’re looking for. Don’t waste your time on me.”

The Blue-Clad Constable sneered coldly, “Whether or not you are, we’ll find out in the prison.”

As he spoke, he drew his saber, and his subordinates followed suit.

In an instant, those nearby scattered in fear, hoping to avoid becoming collateral damage.

A flicker of anger flashed in the merchant’s eyes as he cursed, “Fools!”

The Blue-Clad Constable had already made his move.

As his saber swept out, everyone could feel the chilling blade aura.

Even from a distance, there was a stinging sensation on their skin.

He really was at Fourth Grade!

Cheng Ruiwu’s palms began to sweat.

Just from that one strike, he could tell this man’s strength was on par with his grandfather’s.

The merchant also made his move.

With a flip of his hands, a dagger appeared and turned into a flurry of blade light.

He was Fifth Grade?

Cheng Ruiwu was shocked.

From the man’s demeanor and clothing, he looked every bit the common street merchant.

Who would have thought he was actually a Fifth Grade Expert?

Earlier, his sister had even threatened to kill the man.

Luckily, he had not taken offense. Otherwise, things could have turned dire.

“This man disguised himself as a merchant—he must have a reason.”

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the Blue-Clad Constable landed a strike, wounding the merchant and placing his blade across his throat, capturing him alive.

The gap between Fifth and Fourth Grade was still too great. In only two moves, he was subdued.

Two Green-Clad Patrol Envoys stepped forward and shackled the merchant’s limbs. They then took out a Dragon-Locking Needle and sealed his Shanzhong vital point.

Cheng Ruiwu, Junior Sister Lu, and the others felt their eyelids twitch. Under such decisive methods, the Fifth Grade merchant instantly slumped and lost all ability to resist.

The Dragon-Locking Needle was a torture instrument used exclusively by the Six Doors Authority to deal with Divine Qi Realm criminals.

Once stabbed into the body, one’s entire True Qi would be completely sealed, utterly malicious. Just hearing its name struck fear into the hearts of those in the martial world.

The merchant’s face was full of rage as he continued to shout, “I told you, you caught the wrong person.”

The Blue-Clad Constable sheathed his saber, pulled over a chair and sat down, then spoke, “You say we caught the wrong person? Then tell us—what is your name, your sect, and why your behavior is so suspicious. As a dignified Fifth Grade, why disguise yourself as a merchant?”

Everyone else in the inn perked up their ears; they too were curious about this question.

At this point, the sky had already darkened, and the lighting became dim.

Only after the fighting stopped did the shop assistant come out with a candle and light the lamp on the wall.

...

The merchant simply sat cross-legged on the ground, looking extremely sullen.

He knew that unless he explained clearly, this member of the Six Doors Authority would never let him go.

“I am Xiao Qianhao, from Huangshi County. My father is Xiao Zhiyuan. One month ago, a maniac came to challenge my father. My father was defeated miserably. Originally, victory and defeat are common matters among warriors, but this maniac spoke wildly. My father, humiliated and furious, suffered a heart attack, triggering old injuries, and has since been bedridden.”

As the merchant spoke, his face was filled with hatred. “I was in Jiangzhou City at the time. Upon hearing the news, I rushed home. Seeing my father’s pitiful condition, I swore to bring that maniac’s head to my father’s bedside and avenge him. Ten days ago, I finally caught up with that maniac and fought a great battle, wounding him.”

“Unfortunately, he managed to escape by diving into a river. Since then, he vanished without a trace. I had no choice but to disguise myself as a merchant and spread tales of his deeds along the way, hoping to learn of his whereabouts... But I left in too much of a hurry and didn’t bring a route token.”

Upon hearing this, the Blue-Clad Constable’s face darkened.

With his experience, this story did not sound fabricated. It seemed they truly caught the wrong person.

He asked in a deep voice, “This maniac you speak of—could he be that ‘Mad Saber’ who’s recently appeared?”

“That’s the very thief.”

“Rumor has it he’s only at Sixth Grade. Yet he escaped from you?”

This was the only part that didn’t make sense.

Xiao Qianhao’s expression turned grim. “That man’s True Qi is extremely yin and cold. His saber technique is also quite formidable—not easy to deal with. I was careless and nearly suffered internal injury.”

...

Cheng Ruiwu and his sister were both shocked and delighted after hearing this.

Delighted because they finally found clues about that thief’s whereabouts—and their family wasn’t the only one bearing a grudge against him.

Shocked because the thief’s strength was far greater than they imagined. To escape from a Fifth Grade Expert—this was no ordinary feat.

With only their group, even if they did find him, it would be extremely difficult to avenge his sister’s humiliation.

Xiao Qianhao said, “Sir, I’ve told you everything. Please let me go so you don’t delay your business.”

At this point, his tone finally softened.

The Blue-Clad Constable coldly snorted, “Who knows whether what you say is true or false? You’ll come with me to the prison in Yujie City. Let your family fetch you there.”

“You—”

Xiao Qianhao was both shocked and furious, but could do nothing.

...

On the side, Cheng Ruiwu, familiar with the practices of the Six Doors Authority, knew that this Blue-Clad Constable would never release a person so easily.

If he let him go, and it turned out later he truly had a problem, the blame would fall entirely on the constable.

He felt regret in his heart. This person shared a common enemy—he could have been an ally.

Just then, a constable suddenly collapsed to the ground.

One person fell, and others followed in succession.

What’s happening?

Just as Cheng Ruiwu was puzzled, he suddenly heard the Blue-Clad Constable roar, “Not good, poison!”

He then clapped both palms, sending invisible True Qi piercing through the air. The door panels were shattered, and the lamp on the wall was knocked out.

In an instant, the entire inn was plunged into darkness.

The wind and rain from outside swept in, sending a chill through everyone inside.

At the moment he heard “poison,” Cheng Ruiwu tried to circulate his True Qi—but immediately felt a blockage.

Shocked, he held his breath and quickly took a Detoxifying Pill from his bosom and swallowed it.

Then he warned those nearby, “Careful, it’s poison!”

...

At the same time, in the back room.

Wang Yumei, enraged, was about to strike down this rebellious disciple with one palm when she suddenly felt her True Qi stall—she couldn’t circulate it at all.

This shock was no small matter.

She realized she had been poisoned.

“Poison!”

She gave a quick warning and sat cross-legged on the ground, using her internal energy to purge the toxin.

Beside her, Xiao Zhuyun’s expression changed drastically. Her limbs suddenly felt weak—she couldn’t muster any strength. Her eyes widened as she looked at Zhu Xixi sitting on the bed, completely unaffected. In a trembling voice, she said, “It... it was you?”

Gu Xixi slowly rose to her feet.

Looking at the two poisoned women, she spoke calmly, “Yes, it was me.”

She walked to Wang Yumei, knelt, and knocked her head to the ground several times. “Master, forgive this unfilial disciple. I will repay your kindness in another life. Just consider me dead.”

With that, she stood up, wiped away her tears, took the sword from Xiao Zhuyun’s hand, and left without looking back.

Wang Yumei, still seated cross-legged, trembled. Blood spilled from the corner of her lips as she muttered, “Rebellious disciple...”

Xiao Zhuyun, her entire body limp, stared at the departing figure, eyes filled with complex emotions.

Among all their junior sisters, Gu Xixi had always been the most obedient and well-behaved, listening to her master’s every word since childhood.

She never imagined that Gu Xixi would poison both her master and herself for the sake of a man.

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