Chapter 83

Outside the west city gate, in a private residence.

Deng Longshu sat across from a middle-aged man with a longbow and quiver at the window.

A jar of aged wine, a plate of braised beef, a bowl of peanuts, a dish of pig’s ears—outside, light rain pattered gently, the scene idyllic.

After drinking several bowls, Gong Wei suddenly asked, “Deng brother, is what you said true?”

“Gong, do you think I’d lie to you?”

Deng Longshu lifted another bowl, clinked it lightly against Gong Wei’s, and drained it in one gulp. “This brat killed my nephew—I’ve been investigating for days. When they returned from mountain foraging with a rich haul, I invited you, Gong brother.”

According to intelligence, the brat carries over three thousand taels in silver, a Star Weapon, and elixirs granted by the authorities—worth at least another thousand taels.

Kill him, and we’ll strike it rich.

Gong Wei wiped a drop of wine from his lip and said cautiously, “Deng brother, it’s not that I don’t trust you! A fifth-rank Meal of Mist brat? You could crush him yourself. Why call me in to split the spoils?”

For one man, his belongings are a windfall. For two, they’re barely enough.”

Hearing this, Deng Longshu suddenly laughed. “Gong, we’ve known each other for over a decade—I won’t lie. This brat likely carries a life-saving talisman. I can kill him, but there’s risk. That’s why I asked you to watch from afar—to plug the gap and prevent mishaps.”

“Deng brother is cautious.”

“A careful boat sails ten thousand years.”

“Then after…” Gong Wei hesitated to say it outright.

“Gong, my name’s already on the books at Jinshan Dao Academy and the Commandant’s Office. I can’t stay in Jinshan City. After I settle this blood debt, I’ll vanish. I’ll take the blame for the killing—it’s mine alone. I’ll take only one Star Weapon from the brat. Everything else is yours. Deal?”

At this, Gong Wei burst into laughter, raising his bowl himself. “Deng brother, you’re a man of action!”

Hearing this, Gong Wei burst into laughter, picking up his wine bowl himself. “Deng brother, you’re truly straightforward!”

“Wait for word.”

“Wait for word?”

“Jinshan Dao Academy is off today. The brat will almost certainly return home to visit family. I’ve already posted watchers. When we get word, we move.”

“Rainy days are perfect for killing—every trace, every scent, washed clean by the rain,” Deng Longshu smiled.

“True. Rainy days are ideal for murder. Come, drink!”

Both were seventh-rank Meal of Mist cultivators; the wine had little effect, so they drank freely.

Fifteen minutes later, footsteps sounded outside. Deng Longshu’s gaze sharpened instantly.

From start to finish, Deng Longshu had been hyper-vigilant.

A knock came. Outside, Jiang Sheng’s voice called, “Deng Master, it’s me—I have news!”

“Ah, Jiang Sheng, come in!” Deng Longshu’s face lit up. He glanced at Gong Wei. “Word’s arrived.”

The narrow gate creaked open. First came an umbrella, then Jiang Sheng landed silently—only to be tossed aside by Xu Jin.

“Deng Master, I heard you were looking for me?” Xu Jin tossed the umbrella aside, revealing himself—in full Patrol Star Guard commander’s uniform.

“Master Deng, I hear you’ve been looking for me, Xu Jin?” Xu Jin casually tossed aside his umbrella, revealing his true form—Xu Jin in the full uniform of a Patrol Star Guard.

“It’s you!”

Deng Longshu and Gong Wei locked eyes, shock flashing in both. Neither had expected someone to find them at their doorstep.

The moment Xu Jin spoke, he moved.

His feet exploded in Star Step, surging to the window in an instant, his hand lashing out—wave after wave of Star Arrows slammed toward Deng Longshu.

“Kill him together!” Deng Longshu roared, retreating as he slashed with his blade, shattering Xu Jin’s barrage.

Gong Wei’s eyes darted wildly—next instant, starlight erupted beneath his feet. Without hesitation, he shot skyward, smashing through the roof—he was fleeing.

Gong Wei’s eyes darted several times; in the next instant, starlight exploded beneath his feet, and without hesitation, he shot skyward, smashing straight through the roof—he was fleeing!

Patrol Star Guards showed up at the door? To fight now? That’s not bravery—it’s stupidity.

Seeing Gong Wei flee, Deng Longshu wanted to kill the old coward himself—pathetic.

But Xu Jin’s assault was unexpectedly fierce.

Star Arrow after Star Arrow.

He was only fifth-rank Meal of Mist, yet each Star Arrow carried power near seventh-rank—Deng Longshu struggled to cope.

Before Deng Longshu could finish parrying the three Star Arrows Xu Jin unleashed in one burst, Xu Jin’s feet exploded again, closing the distance in an instant. Before his longsword even swung, a torrent of Star Rings gushed forth.

In an instant, Deng Longshu was slammed to the ground.

Starlight surged along the blade—single slash, and Deng Longshu, his defenses shattered, spat blood and reeled back.

Deng Longshu staggered backward—Xu Jin pressed forward.

In that same step, four Star Arrows fired in rapid succession.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Star Arrows detonated in sequence—alongside Deng Longshu’s screams.

Four Star Arrows: two struck his abdomen, blasting a gaping hole through his gut; the other two shattered his knees, severing both legs.

Seeing Deng Longshu crippled, Xu Jin’s feet exploded in starlight, launching skyward through the same hole Gong Wei had broken.

He saw Gong Wei fleeing into the distance.

Xu Jin had crippled Deng Longshu in two or three seconds—Gong Wei hadn’t even reached a hundred meters.

Instantly, Xu Jin’s feet erupted in starlight—his Wind-Chasing Boots glowed.

One leap of Star Step covered over forty meters.

Gong Wei, barely past a hundred meters, turned his head—and froze in terror.

Just as Gong Wei had fled a hundred meters, he glanced back—and froze in terror.

This fifth-rank Meal of Mist Patrol Star Guard commander was faster than any seventh-rank—he couldn’t escape.

Without hesitation, he spun mid-sprint, drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and fired!

Without hesitation, he spun mid-sprint, drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and fired!

A starlit arrow streaked toward Xu Jin. Seeing the light, Xu Jin merely exploded starlight underfoot, twisting sharply—charging straight at Gong Wei again.

Even if it hit, Xu Jin wasn’t afraid.

Not with his Star Shield and Star Veil, and not with the Crocodile Dragon Soft Armor beneath his clothes.

This arrow wouldn’t wound him.

But it could slow him down.

So he dodged.

By the time Gong Wei fired his second arrow, Xu Jin was ten meters away.

He punched—starlight erupted, shattering Gong Wei’s hastily fired second arrow in direct collision.

Starlight exploded underfoot again—he closed the distance in a flash.

Gong Wei’s bowstring slashed like a blade toward Xu Jin’s neck—but Xu Jin’s hands flicked rapidly.

Each flick sent a Star Arrow hurtling forth.

The first Star Arrow struck Gong Wei’s chest, sending him crashing to the ground and rendering his bow useless.

As Gong Wei frantically defended, his mind screamed curses at Deng Longshu’s ancestors—what kind of monster had he dragged himself into?

If he’d known Xu Jin could fire Star Arts instantly, he wouldn’t have shown his face!

Damn it—he was going to die because of this!

Xu Jin seized the moment.

As he surged forward, his fingertips kept flicking.

Even with years of experience and two layers of inner armor, when the fifth Star Arrow struck, Gong Wei spat blood.

The sixth pierced his chest wide open; the seventh blasted straight through.

The sixth star arrow blasted a gaping hole through Gong Wei’s chest; the seventh star arrow pierced clean through.

The next instant, Gong Wei’s corpse crashed to the ground. Xu Jin landed, seized the heavy body, and with a burst of Star Step, returned to Deng Longshu’s courtyard in three breaths.

In Deng Longshu’s courtyard, his legs severed, Deng Longshu crawled while desperately trying to staunch his bleeding—starlight surged toward his gut wound, dragging himself toward the back courtyard.

Behind the courtyard ran a ditch—dozens of meters away, it emptied into the Jinshajiang River!

When he saw Xu Jin return, Deng Longshu froze—no hope left.

When he saw Xu Jin return, Deng Longshu froze—all hope was gone.

Deng Longshu only let out a hollow, cruel laugh, staring fixedly at Xu Jin.

“Deng Master, the men you hired weren’t much,” Xu Jin tossed Gong Wei’s corpse beside him, then fired a single Star Arrow—precisely into Deng Longshu’s Central Star Palace talisman.

Instantly, Deng Longshu spat blood again, his starlight dissolving.

“Name your accomplices. I’ll give you a quick death,” Xu Jin said, watching Deng Longshu.

This was why Xu Jin hadn’t killed Deng Longshu immediately.

Such scum deserved more than just death—he needed to root out every last ally, eliminate every possible threat.

Such a scoundrel must be eradicated utterly; Xu Jin also sought to track down any remaining accomplices and eliminate all possible threats.

Deng Longshu spat a mouthful of black blood. “I only regret being greedy—I didn’t kill your whole family sooner!

Otherwise, you’d have spent the rest of your life regretting it!”

Xu Jin’s eyes turned sharp—he turned instantly to Jiang Sheng, trembling in the courtyard corner.

This man’s limbs had been dislocated; though freed, he couldn’t run.

“Any other accomplices?”

“I don’t know—but I know where a few other remnants of the Tianhe Gang hide.” Jiang Sheng pleaded.

“I don’t know, but I know where several other remnants of the Tianhe Gang are hiding,” Jiang Sheng pleaded urgently.

Jiang Sheng, you

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Four swift slashes—Xu Jin severed Deng Longshu’s limbs outright, leaving him screaming in agony; rain mixed with mud soaked into his wounds, intensifying his piercing cries.

Suddenly, Xu Jin’s expression shifted; star force surged again into the Mingji Star Pattern of his Lower Star Palace, and in an instant, everything around him became clearer.

Someone was coming.

And not just one.

Nine times out of ten, they were patrol officers from the Juncheng Guard or the Xunxing Guard.

“I’ll spare you—next life, be a good man!”

With a sweep of his long blade, Xu Jin beheaded Deng Longshu!

Such a mortal enemy was better slain by my own hand—letting him live, even locked in prison, might spawn some unforeseen trouble!

Cut the grass, root and all!

One minute later, Xu Jin patted down both Gong Wei and Deng Longshu, pulling two oil-paper-wrapped bundles from their pockets—likely banknotes, plus two bottles of Bu Xing Dan.

Deng Longshu’s long blade was a Tier-One Star Weapon, and Gong Wei’s longbow was also a Star Weapon.

Not a bad haul.

Just as he finished gathering the loot, Lu Xianbing arrived with a group, sprinting over; seeing Xu Jin standing unharmed, he let out a breath of relief, “I didn’t make it in time!”

“Not too late.

Brother Lu, this Jiang Sheng is a remnant of the Tianhe Gang—he knows the whereabouts of many other remnants. Hand him over to you. Also, deal with these two corpses—they were lying in wait to kill me, and I took them out!” Xu Jin said.

Lu Xianbing’s eyes lit up. “Tianhe Gang remnants—that’s a big bounty! Brother Jin, let’s go together!”

“You handle it—I need to go home and see my sister. It’s been too long!” Xu Jin replied.

“Fair enough, Brother Jin. Don’t worry—you’ll get your share. After all, you’re the one who caught this hornet’s nest!” Lu Xianbing said.

Xu Jin said nothing more, handed Jiang Sheng over to Lu Xianbing, and left immediately.

His return home had been delayed; his clothes were dirty, even splattered with blood—he didn’t know if his sister Jiang Er had come back yet.

With no choice, Xu Jin first returned to the Dao Academy, changed into clean clothes, bought a new umbrella, then went to the Dongcheng City Tower to retrieve his large bundle, opened the umbrella, and hurried through the rain toward Xu Family Village.

(End of Chapter)