Chapter 32: You don't want to live? I still want to live!

The next day, the sun was high.

On Three Goat Street, heads were already crowding, with a constant flow of no less than a thousand people, yet at this moment it was very quiet.

Everyone was looking at a shop called Good Luck Cloth Shop right in the middle of the street.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was moving boxes of goods onto carts one after another; in the early hours, Shen Qing led his men to take down the Black Water Gang's stronghold and then ordered the seizure of all assets under the Black Water Gang's name.

Not long after, everything in the cloth shop had been cleared out; the Embroidered Uniform Guard showed no hesitation, hastily slapped on the seals, and quickly drove the carts back to the Hundred Households Office.

Only after the Embroidered Uniform Guard's figures disappeared did discussion arise on the street.

"What's going on? How was this cloth shop, which was fine, sealed up?"

"This Good Luck Cloth Shop is run by the Black Water Gang, right? Could it be that the Black Water Gang got into trouble?"

"Just yesterday there was a disturbance at the Black Water Gang's place—several buildings collapsed and dozens were injured."

"He was almost killed, but it was an Embroidered Uniform Guard captain wielding a green blade who saved him."

"Embroidered Uniform Guard? Saving people? I can understand each word separately, but put together I don't recognize it."

In the past, when encountering officials handling a case, if you blocked the road they would at most drive you away and shout a few reprimands.

But when the Embroidered Uniform Guard takes action, it's a major case; if civilians block the road they truly deserve a whipping, and they'll pin an obstruction of duty charge on you—even if they beat you to death, there's nowhere to appeal.

A black-clad man spoke up, his voice also low.

"He really was saved—my neighbor, a laborer."

"Is that true? Has the Embroidered Uniform Guard changed its ways?"

One person snorted laughingly.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard changed its ways? You're dreaming—saying whatever you dream."

"Go try that in front of another Embroidered Uniform Guard—watch out, you'll get whipped to your fill."

At noon, constant howls came from Shen Qing's courtyard, like a beast or a boulder striking, producing a booming sound.

As time passed, the sound grew louder and more intense.

Inside the room, three medicine vats were placed in a row, and the whole room was filled with a strong medicinal aroma.

These were boiled down from the thousand catties of medicinal ingredients bought by the scholar.

After receiving the order, the scholar went straight to knock on the medicine shop's door before dawn.

In just a short moment, the scholar had bought up all the medicinal ingredients in Luo River City, and he also brought back ten large pots.

After making simple preparations, he began boiling the medicinal ingredients in Shen Qing's courtyard; ten large pots could produce three vats of medicine at once.

Once the medicinal properties in the three vats were absorbed by Shen Qing, he replaced them with another batch—this was already the fourth batch.

Shen Qing slowly opened his eyes; his qi and blood surged within, continuously emitting beast-like roars, and faintly a hint of dragon-elephant intent already appeared.

Shen Qing clenched his fists, feeling the tremendous power.

The Dragon Elephant Prajna Power truly lives up to its reputation as the foremost body-refining technique; this power increase is not just a little.

Know that his strength, bolstered by the Red Entry Fleshbody Sanctified red entry, had already reached a terrifying state, yet after practicing the Dragon Elephant Prajna Power he could still feel a fierce increase.

Shen Qing exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, leapt out of the medicine vat, and gave a low shout.

"Change the medicine!"

The colonel waiting outside the door rushed in, hoisted the medicine vat and ran out, then carried in three medicine vats that had been prepared beforehand.

Soon, the sound of beastly roars echoed again inside the room.

The tremendous medicinal power continually tempered every inch of Shen Qing's skin and flesh.

His physical body was rapidly strengthening, his power surging fiercely.

Time ticked by, the sky gradually darkened.

Meanwhile, Ma Kui was gathering his close confidants for drinks.

Although he had been knocked unconscious by a kick from Shen Qing the day before yesterday, Ma Kui still refused to submit.

He found many excuses for himself.

For example, saying he hadn't slept well the previous night, had been ambushed, been careless and failed to dodge...

But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise—his Innate Realm shackles were kicked open by Shen Qing's foot, and he broke through to the Innate Realm.

Ma Kui's face flushed red from drinking, alcohol fumes emanating from his whole body, he stomped his foot on a stool and shouted.

"Shen Qing? Luo River City Guard Command? What a bunch of nonsense!"

"If there's no place for me here, there will be a place for me elsewhere!"

Several junior flag officers raised their cups high and shouted cheers.

"Exactly, exactly! Congratulations, Brother Ma, on breaking through to the Innate Realm! From now on it's wide open for you to leap like a fish in the sea!"

Ma Kui, extremely excited, took a big gulp of liquor: "Good, good, good—I'm not hiding anything from you anymore, I'm laying my cards on the table."

"Last night I made contact with Ma You, the captain of Autumn Water City's guard; they have a connection that can get me a position as captain in Autumn Water City."

"By then you'll all follow me; we'll change our base, and we'll still be eating well and living large!"

Several junior flag officers stared for a moment, then hurriedly bowed.

"Congratulations, sir! Congratulations, sir!"

After a round of cheers, a dark-skinned flag officer named Pang Xiyuan rubbed his reddened cheeks.

"Boss, we ought to keep a low profile lately—this transfer order won't come down quickly, and we mustn't draw the attention of the Guard Command."

Ma Kui waved his hand: "Eat when you should eat, drink when you should drink!"

"These days are different from before—Luo River City, having caused such a big disturbance, is already too preoccupied to care about us."

"And the Autumn Water City Guard Command, which is in competition with the Luo River City Guard Command, would love to see us fall into a pit and throw stones at us."

"They promised that the transfer order would be issued within two days."

Immediately afterward, Ma Kui gave a mysterious smile and slammed the wine jar hard onto the table.

Moreover, as soon as they heard I had broken through to the Innate Realm and could bring an entire chief flag unit to defect, they directly promised me the position of a hundred-household officer, skipping the probationary hundred-household officer entirely.

Several corporals instantly beamed with joy—becoming hundred-household officers just like that? That truly is a meteoric rise; likewise, their status will rise with the tide.

This also means they can now gouge out more profit.

Ma Kui burst out laughing, as if he too could see his bright future.

"Luoshui City Garrison Office? Something lacking foresight—go ahead and regret it; we have a long future ahead!"

Just then, a tall, thin corporal showed a pained expression.

"Sir, we've suffered such humiliation—are we just going to leave like this? Just let Shen Qing off the hook?"

"In my view, boss, you should directly challenge Shen Qing—make it so everyone fears everyone."

Ma Kui's smile vanished instantly.

"Damn it, don't force me to slap you when I'm at my happiest—why bring him up?"

"I've only just broken through to the Innate Realm; my realm isn't stabilized yet. Once it is, dealing with that Shen Qing will be a breeze."

Whenever Ma Kui recalls that kick Shen Qing gave him, he still feels a lingering fear; without breaking through to the Innate Realm, that kick felt ordinary, but only after the breakthrough did he truly sense Shen Qing's terror.

Still, he must keep his mouth tough, otherwise how could he intimidate his subordinates?

At that moment, the eight-whiskered corporal twisted his moustache, his eyes darting about, and he said with a smile.

"Why must revenge be head-on? I have a plan—listen, everyone, as I lay it out slowly."

Everyone's gaze turned to the eight-whiskered corporal; it was this kid who had stirred the flames the day before, otherwise Ma Kui wouldn't have been so overconfident, and they wouldn't have ended up tossed out by Shen Qing.

"Fang Ming's side isn't so tight-lipped either; I got word that yesterday they captured Sun Yun, the 'Cloud-Probing Hand' involved in the Luoshui City theft case from eight years ago."

The few were puzzled: "You've caught him—what are you bringing this up for?"

"As far as I know, that Sun Yun is still in the hundred-household office's great prison." The eight-whiskered corporal narrowed his eyes, scanned the circle, and gave a sinister smile: "You say if that Sun Yun escapes, will Shen Qing still be able to claim merit?"

The surrounding corporals instantly showed looks of disdain: "I thought you had some clever scheme—just knew your dog's mouth couldn't spit out ivory."

The eight-whiskered corporal suddenly grew anxious: "Listen to me finish, everyone—though the hundred-household office only has one formidable Shen Qing, he must have times when he's away, right?"

"Tonight, at the start of the xu hour, Fang Ming will lead men to escort Sun Yun to the garrison office's execution platform; then we will..."

Pang Xiyuan slipped a few peanuts to the eight-whiskered corporal: "Releasing an Embroidered Uniform Guard death-row prisoner without authorization—you don't have ten lives enough to atone for that."

"Come on, come on, drink, drink—don't stir up trouble. When we reach Qiu Shui City, we'll have our good days; don't fixate on these petty squabbles."

They threw fists, bragged, and after three rounds of wine,

Everyone was dazed; Pang Xiyuan was the last one still able to stand at the wine table, stepping on a chair and drinking alone.

"A bunch of weaklings, still trying to out-drink me... glug... huh..."

Pang Xiyuan hurried to the window, leaned against the wall, and vomited, his soul overturned.

After who knows how long, he lifted his head, feeling only a dizzy whirl, then thrust the window open, sprawled on the sill, and greedily sucked in fresh air.

Suddenly, he saw Ma Kui striding out toward the courtyard, and Pang Xiyuan, drunk as a lord, shouted.

"Chief Ma... no, that's wrong—should be Captain Ma, Captain Ma..."

"Huh? Why isn't Captain Ma drinking, and why is he carrying weapons... carrying weapons..."

Pang Xiyuan's eyes widened—could Ma Kui really be intending to attack the prisoner wagon?

Pang Xiyuan slapped himself three times hard, even using internal force; the right side of his face swelled up high.

But at this moment Pang Xiyuan was completely sober, his face showing a manic look.

"Crazy, crazy! He must be damned crazy!"

"You don't want to live! I still want to live!"