Chapter 180: Defeat Lin Kuan!

A furious shout, thick with anger, suddenly came from outside the gate.

It was Lin Kuan, face ashen, rushing into the courtyard like a gust of wind.

"Chen Xuncha! What is your meaning?"

Lin Kuan's gaze swept over the restrained Xie Ning, then turned to Chen Mu, suppressing his rage as he said coldly, "Xie Ning is a Gold Guard of my Zhenwu Bureau. Even if he is suspected, he must be thoroughly investigated—how can you arbitrarily detain him based on a single accusation? Where is the evidence? Where is the procedure?"

He tried to pressure him with official protocol and procedure.

Chen Mu raised the ledger in his hand, expressionless, and said, "My lord, this ledger clearly records that Xie Ning conspired with the Ba Dao Martial Hall to profit through murder, annihilating villages and killing fellow officers. The evidence is irrefutable—what further investigation is needed?"

Ledger?

How could there be a ledger?

Who kept this ledger!?

Lin Kuan was stunned, a flicker of panic and ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

No matter how this ledger came to be, it must not be allowed to remain!

If this ledger is confirmed, not only will Xie Ning be finished, but he himself will be implicated!

Instantly, he stepped forward sharply and reached out to seize the ledger, shouting, "This object's origin is unclear—it must first be verified for authenticity!"

This grab appeared to be seizing evidence, but secretly carried crushing force—enough to shatter an ordinary ledger into fragments!

Yet Chen Mu had anticipated his move.

"Clang!"

The Zhan Sha Dao instantly unsheathed.

A searing flame blade qi, released after but arriving first, sliced precisely at Lin Kuan's wrist!

Lin Kuan was shocked—he had not expected Chen Mu to act so decisively and ruthlessly. In haste, he changed his grip into a palm strike, unleashing a chilling palm force toward the flame blade qi.

Boom~!

The qi collided, fire and ice interweaving with a hissing sound, finally both vanishing.

But the escaping shockwave shook the wooden racks and greenery around them violently.

Those nearby, seeing this, quickly stepped back and scattered.

Xie Ning, still held by Yang Xue, retreated to a corner.

"Chen Mu! You dare strike at an official?" Lin Kuan was both shocked and furious.

"Attempting to destroy evidence is tantamount to being an accomplice—what do I dare not do?"

Chen Mu's voice was icy, unyielding.

Today, he intended to use this opportunity to shatter Lin Kuan's prestige.

"You're lying!"

Lin Kuan's eyes turned cold, killing intent flaring.

"I merely wished to verify its authenticity! Chen Mu, as a Censor, you refuse to present evidence—you are clearly framing him!"

"As the Acting Head of Lingcang Prefecture, I have the right to seek justice for my subordinates!"

He forcibly constructed an excuse for himself.

Lin Kuan's Complete Innate aura erupted violently, though unsteady, its volume was immense.

Boom! Boom~!

Two muffled thuds.

Lin Kuan struck with both palms, true qi surging, transforming into a tide of bone-chilling palm winds that surged toward Chen Mu!

"Good!"

Chen Mu's eyes blazed with battle lust. He deliberately restrained his outward true qi to the level of Fifth Stage Innate, feigning weakness.

His footwork shifted, the Zhan Sha Dao swung—his Nì Mìng Dāo technique unfolded, the flame blade qi transformed by the Wǔ Xíng Zhuǎn Líng Jué crisscrossing in fierce collision with Lin Kuan's ice palm force.

Bang~ Bang~ Bang!

Boom~!

The entire front courtyard of the Zhenwu Bureau became a battlefield, the air filled with continuous explosions of qi. The stone-paved ground cracked wherever the shockwaves touched; cracks spiderwebbed across the nearby walls.

Lin Kuan grew more alarmed with every strike—he realized that though his realm was superior, Chen Mu's sword technique was too cunning and ruthless, and his flame qi was extraordinarily tenacious.

More terrifying was Chen Mu's body—unbelievably robust. Time and again, stray palm waves struck him, yet he showed no effect whatsoever!

【How is this man's physique so strong?】

【Could he also practice Henglian?】

Lin Kuan was stunned and wary.

Boom~ Boom~ Boom~

Hu~ Hong~!

The muffled thunders of air and the cracking explosions of true qi rang endlessly through the spacious courtyard.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Chen Mu maximized the advantage of his Héng Liàn Èr Dǐng Shēn, utterly ignoring scattered shockwaves, pressing forward with full force.

Occasionally, he unleashed a silent, invisible "Spirit Blade," slashing directly into Lin Kuan's mental consciousness.

Lin Kuan's foundation was already unstable, his true qi built entirely on pills, his mental cultivation weak. This unpredictable spiritual assault left him with splitting headaches and churning blood, his palm technique growing erratic.

Finally, Chen Mu seized an opening—launching a fist imprint infused with the essence of Hèn Xīn Quán, while simultaneously firing a stronger "Spirit Blade"!

"Ahh~!"

Lin Kuan could no longer hold on—he screamed in agony, his spirit shattered, his palm force instantly collapsing as the true qi fist imprint struck his chest squarely.

"Puh—"

He spat a gout of blood, his body flying backward like a severed kite, tracing an arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the stone ground a hundred meters away. He rolled several times before barely stopping, clothes torn, utterly disheveled, barely able to rise.

「……」

All onlookers from the Town Martial Office, including the three Gold-Sword Guards Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, and Zhang Yaoqi, stood dumbfounded, stunned into silence.

A Fifth Stage Innate overcoming a Complete Innate in reverse combat?

And won so cleanly and decisively?

Although Lin Kuan's Complete stage was far weaker than others of his rank.

But his Qi reserves were undeniably there, no deception possible.

Could this new Inspector Chen Mu really be so terrifyingly powerful?

The true worth of a hidden dragon prodigy is astonishingly high!

The scene fell utterly silent.

「Cough, cough~」

Lin Kuan coughed softly, struggling to his feet, his face flushing alternately pale and crimson as he felt the shocked, even slightly contemptuous gazes around him; he was consumed with shame and rage, glaring at Chen Mu with a fierce but hollow cry.

「Chen Mu! You attacked a fellow officer without solid evidence, daring beyond bounds, breaking the law knowingly! I shall report you immediately to the State Capital Town Martial Office! 」

After saying this, under the varied stares of the Town Martial Guards, he staggered away in disgrace, fleeing toward the main gate.

Chen Mu watched him depart, calmly sheathing his blade, as if he had merely done something trivial.

Then, he turned to Xie Ning, who looked as if he'd lost his soul, and ordered, 「Lock him in the office's main dungeon, guard him tightly—no one is to approach without my order! 」

「Yes! 」

Two Bronze-Sword Guards stepped forward and dragged Xie Ning away.

Chen Mu turned his gaze to Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, and Zhang Yaoqi, and said sternly, 「Qiu Lie of the Tyrant Blade Dojo is Xie Ning's accomplice! Immediately gather forces, arm yourselves with powerful bows and crossbows, and come with me to the Tyrant Blade Dojo to apprehend Qiu Lie! 」

「Yes, sir! 」

The three answered in unison, their morale soaring.

The group moved swiftly into action.

Soon.

The formation was fully assembled.

Before departure, Chen Mu casually walked to Yang Xue's side and whispered in a voice only she could hear, "Inspector Yang, after we exit the gate, find an opportunity to slip away from the group and return to the government office to personally guard Xie Ning's cell. I fear someone may panic and kill him to silence him!"

Hearing this, Yang Xue trembled, instantly grasping Chen Mu's deeper intent.

Thinking of Zhang Heng's gruesome death, her hatred for Xie Ning and his backers reached its peak; she nodded immediately, her eyes resolute.

「My lord, rest assured—I understand! As long as I draw breath, Xie Ning will suffer no harm! 」

Chen Mu gave a slight nod and said no more.

Leading the assembled force, he stepped through the gate and headed straight for the Tyrant Blade Dojo.

As the procession advanced, Yang Xue's figure suddenly darted swiftly around a corner, vanishing into an alleyway…