Chapter 7: Promoted to Chief Banner

Sun Yan's face turned utterly grim.

Isn't it just that I captured Liu Chengle?

You are in the Acquired Realm, and I am as well.

My sword is also sharp.

Thinking this, Sun Yan let out a fierce shout.

"What an arrogant brat."

"All of you, attack him; let this brat from the capital see some action."

The sound of swords being drawn rang out; he spurred his horse and charged at Shen Qing with extreme speed, but Shen Qing opposite was even faster, stepping with the Carefree Step, his whole body turning into a phantom.

The goose-feather saber left its sheath, tracing a brilliant silver arc across the night sky.

"Wind-Rubbing Saber!"

"Sish!"

With the sound of blades cutting through flesh, a fine steed was cleaved in two by Shen Qing, and the colonel on its back was also split in half.

Blood spattered everywhere, Shen Qing's body was bathed in blood, taking on a sinister air.

Then a sound of blades being drawn came from behind; it was Black Dog, who silently charged into the crowd.

Black Dog is called Black Dog because he is as fierce and loyal as a guard dog.

No matter what Shen Qing orders him to do, he carries it out without hesitation.

Next, the scholar and Old Li also joined the battle.

Suddenly, a tearing sound came from behind; it was Xiao Bin thrusting a spear at him.

Shen Qing stepped with the Carefree Step, dodging the spear outright; as he raised his blade and brought it down, Xiao Bin's hand gripping the spear was severed at the root.

He reached out with his left hand, seized the spear about to fall, thrust it forcefully, and pinned two Embroidered Uniform Guard members to the ground.

【Slaying a Body Tempering Realm seventh-layer cultivator, congratulations on successfully looting the trait: Drunkard (Green)】

Shen Qing raised his eyebrows, his luck not bad—he could even get a trait from killing a minor fish.

Sun Yan's eye sockets instantly reddened; he could not let Shen Qing keep killing like this.

In such a short time, three colonels and a junior banner officer have already been cut down.

Sun Yan isn't one to cherish his subordinates, but if this continues, they'll lose.

"Shen Qing, stop if you dare; come at me if you have the guts!"

Sun Yan shoved aside the colonel in front of him, stepped forward, and threw a punch at Shen Qing.

Shen Qing glanced at Sun Yan, then with a backhand strike he seized Sun Yan's wrist, exerted force, flung Sun Yan up and smashed him hard onto the ground, the stone tiles bursting apart; after repeatedly slamming him several times, Shen Qing lifted Sun Yan by the collar.

"Come at me? That's just a trivial matter."

Sun Yan's face was already covered in blood and grime, his bones broken seven out of eight.

"Who exactly are you? Why do you oppose me..."

"Oppose me? When you schemed against me, didn't you think about sparing me?"

Feeling his vitality continually draining, Sun Yan was utterly terrified.

"Shen Qing... spare me, I'm willing to give you the chief banner position... and all my money..."

Shen Qing laughed.

"Chief banner? I've captured White Dragon Sect members, executed an insider, and still lack your chief banner position?"

"As for the money? If I kill you, it's all mine anyway."

In Sun Yan's gaze, Shen Qing's smile was eerily sinister; he regretted it, regretting his insatiable greed.

"One sentence."

"The money is mine, the chief banner position is mine too, and your life belongs to me!"

Having said that, Shen Qing crushed Sun Yan's head before the eyes of everyone.

With Sun Yan dead, the remaining Embroidered Uniform Guard basically lost all fighting spirit; within less than half a cup of tea's time, they were wiped out.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard stood in the blood pool, seeing Xiao Bin and Huang Ke hacked to death on the ground, and also looking at Sun Yan whose head had been blown apart.

Everyone wore faces of utter disbelief.

The scholar rubbed his temples: "Old Li, is this real? I feel like I'm dreaming."

All the Embroidered Uniform Guard shared the same thought.

Old Li reached out and touched the blood‑stained blade: "It's not a dream; the blade is cold, the blood hot."

"So we wiped out the Shui Water Gang this morning, raided the Huang household at evening, smashed the chief banner at midnight? We also found the whereabouts of the stolen silver, and even uncovered a White Dragon Sect stronghold."

All the Embroidered Uniform Guard swallowed a mouthful of saliva; the fact had happened, yet it felt like a dream.

This is the kind of thing that, when told to future generations in old age, the descendants will dismiss with a scoff.

You're blowing hot air?

Shen Qing glanced with some disdain at Sun Yan's headless corpse—a respectable fourth‑layer Acquired Realm martial artist, yet he didn't even drop a trait.

Embarrassing!

Shen Qing turned his head to glance at the noisy crowd.

"Do you recognize these people on the ground?"

The scholar Lin Zikai and a few others exchanged glances.

"We do, but I never imagined that after years as colleagues, these people had secretly joined the White Dragon Sect."

Shen Qing walked toward the junior banner's quarters: "Since you recognize them, why are you standing there stupidly? Go ransack the place."

"As for those junior banner officers and colonels, miscellaneous as they are, we won't put them on the public accounts; they're just a hassle."

"Be quick with your hands and feet, finish it before dawn."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then a huge joy surged out, and the previous worry vanished completely.

Not entered into the public accounts, that means you take whatever you copy.

As for those few officers, we won't talk about them now; the homes of Xiao Bin and Huang Ke are definitely rich.

All the Embroidered Uniform Guard roared as if gone mad.

"Lord Shen, mighty!"

"Lord Shen, awesome!"

"Lord Shen, you are like my real dad!"

Great Wu Dynasty, Wu Yang Continent, capital.

Imperial palace, imperial garden.

Fine rain drizzled, the lake surface shrouded in white mist.

Empress Zhu Lingyue sat quietly in a lakeside pavilion, her face full of heroic spirit.

An old eunuch walked past layers of guards, holding a memorial, and came to Empress Zhu Lingyue's side.

"Your Majesty, urgent memorial from the Yongning Prefecture's Luo Shui City Garrison Office."

Empress Zhu Lingyue did not open her eyes.

"Read."

"Yes."

"Commandant Qin Chuan of Yongning Prefecture."

"On May 9th, in the eastern part of Luo Shui City, Yongning Prefecture, dozens of White Dragon Cult members were discovered and all executed."

"On May 30th, Shen Qing, a petty officer of Bai Yun County in Yongning Prefecture, discovered traces of the White Dragon Cult remnants..."

The old eunuch finished reading it word for word.

Empress Zhu Lingyue slowly opened her eyes, revealing golden pupils.

"The White Dragon Cult, truly a lingering evil."

"But the name Shen Qing sounds familiar."

The old eunuch hastily bowed: "Your Majesty, you forgot—he is the third son of the Shen manor."

"It's him indeed; also, he has reached the age for the Shen family to arrange his training."

"How did he go so far, reaching Yongning Prefecture and even joining my Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

"But he does have some ability."

The old eunuch said nothing, just listened quietly.

"Never mind, let them cause trouble if they want."

The old eunuch hesitated a moment, then spoke.

"Your Majesty, really let it go? Those from the Shen family are always troublemakers."

"It's fine; the mighty Great Wu Dynasty need not fear a troublemaker like Shen Qing."

"Let him be."

Three days later, an appointment document was sent from Luo Shui City, along with a set of black flying-fish robes.

Shen Qing officially assumed the rank of chief officer.

However, the other rewards will take a few more days to arrive.

Shen Qing changed into the black flying-fish robe and glanced at the bronze mirror.

Eight chi tall, with a wasp waist, tiger back, and mantis legs.

Stepping out of the gate, the Embroidered Uniform Guard stationed outside began shouting loudly.

"Congratulations, Lord Shen; congratulations, Lord Shen."

Firecrackers were lit at the gate, and the chief officer's office was livelier than during New Year.

Shen Qing smiled: "Today I, the lord, am happy; Black Dog, go reserve a table at Cui Song Lou."

"Today's entire consumption will be on my tab, Shen Qing."

Instantly, the already excited crowd became even more spirited.

"Lord Shen, magnanimous."

From today onward, the head of Bai Yun County bears the surname Shen.

But this is not the end.

One day, the head of the Great Wu Dynasty will also bear the surname Shen.

Shen Qing's Shen.