Chapter 182: Truly in Seclusion

Two hours' worth of time passed quickly, but the Warm Prince Manor was not emptied; nearly half of the treasury remained uncounted.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard never imagined in their lifetime that they would one day count money until their hands cramped.

Outside the treasury, all the horses were used to pull carts, the carts packed full, one cart after another being pulled out.

Even Bai Yun ended up on the ground serving as a hauling tool.

Ma Qing gazed at the treasury, his face somewhat numb: "Sir Shen, this is likely the first major corruption case in our Great Martial, right?"

"Do I get to leave my name in the history books?"

"Leaving one's name in the annals is something every man desires."

Shen Qing pondered for a moment: "If only considering Great Martial's history, this would be first; if we include the previous few dynasties, the Warm Prince Manor could rank among the top three."

"That's more than enough to be recorded in the history books."

Ma Qing grit his teeth: "Wei Ting looks like a simpleton, yet he's actually able to amass wealth like this?"

Shen Qing shook his head: "You didn't misjudge, Wei Ting really is a simpleton; he doesn't have the ability to amass wealth like this."

"Most of this property was left behind by the Old Warm Prince."

"When the Old Warm Prince was alive, he could rank among the top five princes; plus his high cultivation and status as a founding meritorious subject, his power and influence were unrivaled at the time, second only to the Shen and Zhu families."

"He was greedy, yet shrewd, leaving no loopholes in his deeds, never leaving any evidence behind."

Shen Qing snorted, looking at Wei Ting's headless corpse casually tossed aside.

"This Wei Ting inherited the Old Warm Prince's greed, but he didn't learn a single bit of his methods."

Just then, Xu Changhai walked in and clasped his fists.

"Sir Shen, the outside cleanup is done, but we found some good things in the Warm Prince Manor's Sutra Pavilion."

Saying this, Xu Changhai handed over a small booklet.

On it were written a few characters: "Great Sun Subduing Demon Fist."

Shen Qing raised an eyebrow: "You really managed to find something good."

"Great Sun Subduing Demon Fist" is quite renowned in Great Martial, touted as one of the strongest fist techniques of the Golden Core Realm.

Moreover, it is a fierce and overbearing fist technique, compatible with Shen Qing's Overbearing True Qi, Ancient Primordial Heaven and Earth Body, and Heaven and Earth Fist.

It belongs to the red tier.

Shen Qing took the booklet and walked outside.

"Alright, I'll go into seclusion. I'll leave this to you few; I won't be back for a while. When you finish handling things, return to Heaven Star City first; no need to wait for me."

This time, Shen Qing needs to master the Great Sun Subduing Demon Fist and also fuse the colored leg trait; it will definitely take a lot of time.

Xu Changhai suddenly spoke: "Sir Shen, what should we do with the remaining palace maids and servants in the Warm Prince Manor?"

Shen Qing didn't even turn his head: "Have they been interrogated?"

"They have been interrogated, and we've confirmed no one from the Warm Prince Manor has infiltrated."

Shen Qing flicked his hand, sending a burst of true qi that struck Xu Changhai's head; he wasn't injured, but it hurt.

"No problem, just let them go. What else do you want to do?"

"They're just here to earn money; what else do you want?"

After leaving the Warm Prince Manor, Shen Qing casually flew in a direction, far from the manor, found an empty spot with no one, and sat down.

First up is the leg technique trait.

【Extraordinary Leg Technique (green) + Heavenly Leg Bones (gold) =???】

First upgrade both traits to red, then begin fusion.

Consumes four trait upgrade opportunities.

Extraordinary Leg Technique (green) upgrades to...: Supreme Leg Technique (red)

Consumes one trait upgrade opportunity.

Heavenly Leg Bones (gold) upgrades to: Arrogant Leg Bones (red)

Select fusion.

In an instant, the clouds in the sky dispersed, even the wind and snow halted for Shen Qing.

In the sky, countless mysterious energies surged into Shen Qing's body.

The colored leg trait continuously formed.

After an unknown amount of time, a breath of annihilation energy shot straight into the clouds.

【Congratulations on obtaining the trait through fusion: Leg of Annihilation (colorful)】

【Leg of Annihilation: A leg technique capable of annihilating everything】

The trait's effect is strong, indeed making up for Shen Qing's deficiency in leg technique.

Shen Qing took out the Great Sun Subduing Demon Fist.

This is the main event.

Shen Qing extended his mental power to the residual spiritual resonance on the booklet, and soon a vivid scroll appeared before his eyes.

In the scroll.

A tranquil small village, where the villagers live from sunrise to work and sunset to rest, a very contented life.

Until one day, a huge black wild wolf broke in.

Taking this place as its den, it kept the villagers as livestock.

Until one day, a monk like an angry-eyed Vajra arrived; upon seeing this scene, he displayed the wrathful gaze of the Vajra.

Behind him appeared a great sun; he threw a punch, blasting the black wild wolf into ashes.

This is the Great Sun Subduing Demon Fist.

Shen Qing slowly opened his eyes, having gained much insight; behind him a great sun faintly appeared, and the surrounding snow quickly melted.

However Shen Qing shook their head.

The Great Sun Subduing Demon Fist is very good, but it seems it could be even better.

It seems it can still be modified; thinking that, just do it!

Shen Qing will reshape this Great Sun Subduing Demon Fist into the form most suitable for themselves.

During the period when Shen Qing was modifying the technique, the epithet 'World‑passing Yama Shen Qing' spread completely throughout the Great Wu.

The impact of the Warm King's downfall was too great, after all the old Warm King's fame was not small, and statues of him still remain in many places.

But today the new Warm King was actually beheaded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard for corruption, and the amount of corruption was enormous.

For a time, Shen Qing's beheading of the Warm King became the talk of everyone at the dinner table.

Of course, with such a great turmoil among the populace, the upheavals among the major powers will not be small either.

Many major powers have been restricting their own subordinates, after all Shen Qing dares to behead even the Warm King; in other words, the entire Great Wu now has no one that Shen Qing dares not kill.

And in Wuyang Prefecture, the imperial palace has also fallen into utter chaos.

The old eunuch, looking at the information in his hand, was completely dumbfounded: a Warm King manor, plus dozens of officials, even the lowest among them being a sixth‑rank official.

The old eunuch hurriedly ran into the imperial palace.

A female guard drew her blade and blocked the old eunuch.

The old eunuch anxiously said: 'I need to see the Emperor; Shen Qing has gone on a killing spree, dozens of Qingzhou officials, and even the Warm King!'

'This matter is truly an urgent crisis!'

The female guard stared for a moment: 'How many?'

'Dozens! And the Warm King!'

The female guard's face showed a hint of embarrassment: 'It's not that I won't inform you; the Emperor is in seclusion.'

The old eunuch doubted: 'Wasn't he just out of seclusion not long ago?'

The female guard fell silent for a while: 'He really is in seclusion.'

The old eunuch stumbled backward two steps.

'This time really...'

'It's over.'