Chapter 267: Cao Zhengchun's Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey

Eastern Depot.

Cao Zhengchun, whose complexion was as rosy as an infant's, was drinking tea.

Just then, an Eastern Depot agent hurried into the room: "Reporting to the Grand Overseer, Yu Liancheng and Liusheng Piaoxu have entered the Capital's territory."

Cao Zhengchun set down his teacup and said, "Good. All of you, keep a close watch on him for me. If you lose track of him, watch out for your own lives."

"Yes."

The Eastern Depot agent retreated in a hurry again.

A man in black, wearing a black cloak, his eyes like an eagle's and his face bearing a hint of treachery and ferocity, said, "Grand Overseer, since they have come to the Capital, should we..."

Having said this, he made a downward slashing gesture.

This man had a pair of hands that did not match his face at all—slender and fair, with neatly trimmed fingers and not a single callus on his palms; they seemed better maintained than those of a noble's son.

But if one knew this man's identity, one would know that these hands were not only stained with blood but also possessed immense power, capable of clawing a hole through copper walls and iron barriers.

This person was none other than the Second Archivist of the Eastern Depot, Cao Zhengchun's trusted subordinate, Tiezhua Feiying.

His Eagle Claw Technique had been cultivated to the pinnacle, a state of returning to simplicity, which was why his palms did not have the protruding knuckles and thick calluses of other martial artists.

"No rush." Cao Zhengchun wore a smile on his face and slowly sipped his tea: "Yu Liancheng is a man of high martial arts, and he has also mastered the power of the Demon Sect. If this Grand Overseer can subdue him, it will surely be like adding wings to a tiger."

Tiezhua Feiying's eyes rolled, a flash of coldness appearing: "It's just that this man is accustomed to being unruly; I fear he will not be so easy to subdue."

"No matter. Whether he can be subdued or not, we must at least try."

Cao Zhengchun's smile was extremely affable. He set down his teacup and laughed lightly: "The matter of collecting dogs is nothing more than a combination of grace and power. If he truly remains stubborn, this Grand Overseer will let him know the consequences of offending the Eastern Depot."

When he spoke the last sentence, the entire room was suddenly filled with killing intent.

"Let's go!" Cao Zhengchun suddenly stood up.

"Grand Overseer, are we going to find Yu Liancheng now?" Tiezhua Feiying hurriedly followed behind him.

"That is why I say you are a fool. Haven't I made it clear? We must use both grace and power. Where does the power come from? The key lies in the four words 'killing the chicken to warn the monkey.' As for this chicken, wasn't it already prepared two days ago?"

"The Grand Overseer is wise, the Grand Overseer is wise."

"Hahahaha."

White Cloud Tower.

The tower was five stories high, with white clouds drifting leisurely.

Yu Liancheng stood on White Cloud Tower, looking through the window at the bustling streets and the endless stream of people.

"Hey, Yu Liancheng, we are appearing in the Capital so openly; aren't you afraid that the Divine Marquis or Cao Zhengchun will come to cause us trouble?"

Liusheng Piaoxu sat to one side, sipping tea in small mouthfuls.

"In this Capital, the only person who can make me feel troubled is Zhu Wushi. But he has always been cautious and prudent; without absolute certainty, he would never take action personally, not to mention that he has already failed twice in a row," Yu Liancheng said with a smile.

"Failed twice? Wasn't it only that one time with the Three Great Secret Agents?" Liusheng Piaoxu frowned.

"Heh." Yu Liancheng smiled: "My journey from the main altar to the Capital this time, while not strictly top secret, was known to few. It would be one thing if Liaofan and the others knew, but even Jian Jingfeng, the World's Number One Swordsman who has long been detached from the world, was mobilized. If there were no one pulling the strings behind this, I would never believe it."

Liusheng Piaoxu said: "You mean, Zhu Wushi is the one directing them from behind the scenes?"

"Given their martial arts and status, Zhu Wushi might not be able to command them. But it is enough to simply let them know my route to the Capital through some minor tricks."

"So that's how it is. Now that Zhu Tiedan has failed twice, I suppose he won't dare to act rashly for a short time." Liusheng Piaoxu nodded: "Then what about Cao Zhengchun?"

Yu Liancheng smiled: "Cao Zhengchun's Tiangang Childish Skill is indeed powerful, but I don't necessarily take it to heart. And given his temperament, I fear he will try to recruit me first, and if that fails, he will resort to lethal moves."

Rumble!

Just as they were speaking, the sound of horse hooves thundered, crushing the noise and bustle of the long street.

On the long street appeared a troop of more than thirty cavalrymen, followed by prison carts and a group of prisoners.

Those cavalrymen were full of ferocity, exuding an intimidating murderous aura. Looking at their attire, they were indeed Eastern Depot agents.

And the rosy-faced, kindly-smiling old man in the lead—who else could it be but the Eastern Depot Grand Overseer, Cao Zhengchun, who made both the Imperial Court and the martial arts world turn pale?

One didn't know whose home the Eastern Depot had raided today.

But for Cao Zhengchun to mobilize personally, it must have been a high-ranking official.

"Lord Yang, I have come to save you!"

Just then, a masked burly man in the crowd flew up with a shout, swooping toward the prison cart like a great bird.

"How bold."

Two Eastern Depot agents leaped up, their blades slashing down like ribbons of light.

But the masked burly man gave a cold snort, his fists whistling with wind, and he had already knocked the two agents flying. They rolled twice on the ground, blood spraying wildly, and soon lost their breath.

Cao Zhengchun saw this scene, but he still kept a smile on his face, appearing completely indifferent.

The burly man's palm technique was extremely fierce. In the blink of an eye, he had repelled a group of Eastern Depot agents, and with another palm, he shattered the prison cart's railing. He grabbed the prisoner and said urgently: "My Lord, I have come to save you, let's go quickly."

The burly man turned to fight his way out of the encirclement, but suddenly his body went limp, and he couldn't help but kneel to the ground.

And the next moment, a dozen steel blades from the Eastern Depot agents were already pressed against his neck.

"You... you are not the Lord, who are you?" The masked burly man turned his head to look at the middle-aged prisoner.

He saw the prisoner cover his face with his sleeve, and when he took it away again, he had transformed into the appearance of a bearded man: "Haha, well asked. I am none other than 'Hengjiang Tiger King' Li Yong."

"I am the real 'Hengjiang Tiger King'." The masked burly man pulled off his mask with force, revealing a face identical to the prisoner's, and looked at the prisoner with hatred: "I know you, you are the Thousand-Faced Gentleman under the dog Cao."

Slap!

"Daring to offend Grand Overseer Cao, you must be tired of living." The Thousand-Faced Gentleman had already slapped the Hengjiang Tiger King across the face.

"Stop. This Hengjiang Tiger King can be considered a hero; this Grand Overseer values heroes the most."

Cao Zhengchun had already dismounted and walked over, laughing: "Li Yong, I know that the man surnamed Yang saved your life once, and you have been working in the Capital recently. As soon as you heard the news of his imprisonment, you rushed over immediately. So I had the Thousand-Faced Gentleman wait in the prison cart to catch a rabbit by the stump. I just didn't expect you to be so brainless, hijacking a prison cart in broad daylight. This is a capital offense, but if you are willing to submit to this Grand Overseer..."

"Bah! You want to make me submit with such treacherous schemes? Let me tell you, dog Cao, even if I die, I will not submit to you, nor will I be your dog." The 'Hengjiang Tiger King' spat, showing a bit of heroic spirit.

Cao Zhengchun turned cold, as if covered in a layer of frost: "Unlock his acupoints."

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman said urgently, "Grand Overseer, this..."

"Do I need to repeat myself again?"

"... Yes."

The Hengjiang Tiger King's acupoints had already been unsealed, and he stood up from the ground.

Cao Zhengchun beckoned to him and sneered, "Good, you attack me. As long as you can last three moves, I will spare your life."

"Cao, you castrated dog, die!!" The Hengjiang Tiger King roared, the floorboards beneath his feet shattering and flying in all directions as he swung his fists, his momentum fierce and menacing, like a starving tiger descending a mountain.

"I would spare you if you lasted three moves, but unfortunately..."

Cao Zhengchun's right hand suddenly opened and reached out like lightning, delivering a strike with the force of a thunderbolt.

In a single instant, he broke through the Hengjiang Tiger King's defense and pressed his palm against the man's face. His vigorous True Qi surged, and with a "bang," that fine head suddenly burst apart: "Unfortunately, you couldn't even block a single move."

The headless corpse of the Hengjiang Tiger King had already toppled straight over.

The entire long street was suddenly silent.

That Hengjiang Tiger King had easily torn through the encirclement of the Eastern Depot agents, and his martial arts were extraordinary, yet he could not even take a single move from Cao Zhengchun.

"The Grand Overseer's divine arts are peerless; we are in awe." The sound of the Eastern Depot agents fawning immediately rang through the long street.

But even though they hated Cao Zhengchun to the bone, they had to admit that this castrated dog Cao's martial arts were indeed formidable.

Cao Zhengchun took out a delicate handkerchief and wiped his hands clean, then waved his hand, and the fawning immediately ceased.

"Alright, I have matters to attend to and will be leaving. You all return on your own."

Cao Zhengchun lifted his gaze to look at the White Cloud Tower, his eyes meeting those of Yu Liancheng on the tower, and it seemed as if invisible sparks ignited at that moment.

"This Cao Zhengchun's Tiangang Childish Skill is truly remarkable; I am no match for him." Liusheng Piaoxu withdrew her gaze from the window, a look of gravity appearing on her delicate face.

"His Tiangang Childish Skill has been cultivated for fifty years. If one speaks of the depth of internal force, few in the world can compare to him." Yu Liancheng took a sip of tea.

Liusheng Piaoxu said, "Looking at this, he is about to come up to find you. How should you handle it?"

Yu Liancheng shrugged and said indifferently, "Meet each move as it comes. Grand Overseer Cao's martial arts are powerful, but is my 'First Heavenly Venerable' any weaker?"

Just as the two were talking, a dull "thump-thump-thump" of footsteps came from the stairs, which was clearly done intentionally by Cao Zhengchun.

"Oh my, isn't this Sect Leader Yu of the 'Demon Sect'? What brings you to the Capital today? If I had known earlier, I would have certainly prepared a banquet to welcome you."

Cao Zhengchun had already walked up with a kind smile on his face, and behind him followed the Second Archivist, Tiezhua Feiying.

A divine light shot from Yu Liancheng's eyes toward Cao Zhengchun: "Is Grand Overseer Cao here to recruit me?"

Cao Zhengchun's smile faltered, but soon a smile appeared on his face again, and he gestured with his orchid-shaped fingers: "The Sect Leader is indeed straightforward. That is exactly my intention. I wonder what Sect Leader Yu thinks? As long as you are willing to work for me, there will be no shortage of benefits for you."

Yu Liancheng shook his head and said, "Since you want to recruit me, why don't you even know how to address me?"

"Hmm? What does the Sect Leader mean by this?" Cao Zhengchun smiled.

Yu Liancheng sighed and said, "You aren't even willing to call me Heavenly Venerable."

Ever since entering the Capital, the experts he encountered all treated him as the Demon Sect Leader instead of the Heavenly Venerable of the Heavens Beyond, which was truly a headache.

Cao Zhengchun cupped his hands and smiled: "So it is Heavenly Venerable Yu. It is my lack of manners."

Yu Liancheng looked at Cao Zhengchun in surprise; he was indeed worthy of being a Grand Overseer, truly able to follow the trend.

Cao Zhengchun added, "I wonder what Heavenly Venerable Yu thinks of my proposal?"

Yu Liancheng said, "Grand Overseer, please sit. Why don't you listen to my suggestion?"

"Oh, please speak." Cao Zhengchun sat on the stool with a smile on his face. Although he was facing the First Heavenly Venerable who had been making waves in the pugilistic world recently, he remained calm and composed. He was confident that his Tiangang Childish Skill could suppress any expert in the world.

"How about the Grand Overseer joins my 'Heavens Beyond'? My Heavens Beyond already has the momentum to sweep through the pugilistic world. Follow me to unify the martial arts world, achieve supreme greatness, and laugh at kings and nobles."

Yu Liancheng smiled: "The position of Second Heavenly King was originally reserved for a friend of mine, but if the Grand Overseer is willing, you can immediately become the Second Heavenly King, one person below, ten thousand above."

"Presumptuous!" Tiezhua Feiying shouted angrily: "The Grand Overseer is recruiting you, that is giving you face..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Liancheng suddenly looked up, his eyes seemingly filled with seven-colored divine light: "Presumptuous. When I am speaking with Grand Overseer Cao, how is it your turn, a running dog, to interrupt?"

Boom!

At the very moment he met the other's gaze, Tiezhua Feiying's mind roared.

In an instant, the seven emotions of joy, anger, worry, thought, sorrow, fear, and shock surged into his heart, chaotic to the extreme. For a martial artist, one must always keep their mind clear, otherwise there is the danger of falling into demonic madness.

Moreover, when he was scolding Yu Liancheng, he was already circulating his True Qi at full power to prevent the other party from becoming angry out of shame.

But who would have thought that although Yu Liancheng had already made a move, the method was so bizarre, and his fully circulated True Qi lost control due to the surge of the seven emotions, rampaging through his body. He staggered, his face turned pale, and finally, a mouthful of blood sprayed out.

Just as he was about to fall to the ground, Cao Zhengchun placed a large hand on Tiezhua Feiying's shoulder, and his mellow Tiangang righteous energy surged into his body, instantly calming the surging True Qi.

"Thank you, Grand Overseer, for the rescue." Tiezhua Feiying wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and hurriedly cupped his hands.

Cao Zhengchun waved his hand and turned his gaze back to Yu Liancheng. That rosy face still carried a smile, but it seemed as if it were covered in a layer of ice: "To beat a dog, one must look at the master. Heavenly Venerable Yu is being a bit too disrespectful to me."

Yu Liancheng said calmly, "No matter whose dog dares to bare its fangs at me, I don't mind teaching it a lesson. Furthermore, is this dog really raised by Grand Overseer Cao?"

He naturally knew that Tiezhua Feiying was a pawn planted by Zhu Wushi beside Cao Zhengchun. The reason he spoke just now was likely to incite conflict between Yu Liancheng and Cao Zhengchun.

Cao Zhengchun sneered: "Very well, few people dare to be so arrogant in front of me."

"What a coincidence, haven't you just met one today?" Yu Liancheng chuckled.

"Good, come, let me see what ability you have to be arrogant." Cao Zhengchun exhaled and shouted, divine light blooming in his eyes, and he slammed both palms toward Yu Liancheng.

Yu Liancheng rose to his full height and similarly struck out with both palms.

Bang, bang, two sounds.

As the force of the energy surged wildly.

The four palms were already locked together.

Both men suddenly stopped moving entirely.

—They were actually competing in Internal Force!