No matter which authority is currently in power, the issue of privately stockpiling military equipment within its jurisdiction is undoubtedly extremely sensitive.
If only long swords are involved, even if the quantity is somewhat large, it might still be manageable. However, military-grade bows and armor are strictly prohibited items. Possession of these would be immediately regarded as treason.
Especially beyond the fortified estates, where laws are lax and discipline is weak, there might be some leniency. But this was within the city walls of the prefectural capital!
The exposure of this group of archers would likely mean not only the end of Black Tiger, but even Wu Jia’s second young master would face reprimands.
After killing Wei Zhuo, Wu Ming did not bother to look back.
Although the opponent was known as the “Pushing Stele Hand,” a martial artist at the extreme transformation stage, against Wu Ming’s thunder-fire blade technique, he was still killed in a single strike, with no chance of survival.
The Five Thunder Palm technique had already reached the stage of controlling thunder at will.
Earlier, he had incorporated thunder techniques into his swordplay. As a cultivator of thunder arts, combining sword and thunder techniques, even a Grandmaster would be beheaded in one strike!
“You ran pretty fast!”
In a small alley behind the mansion, Wu Ming intercepted Feng Weixing: “You’re actually a clever one!”
“This young sir!”
With no other options left, Feng Weixing gritted his teeth and knelt down: “I wish to pledge allegiance! Serve Miss Wu Zhi loyally! From now on, I will follow her orders, through fire and water, without hesitation!”
“Hmm… you’ve already figured it out…”
Wu Ming was slightly surprised.
“Of course I figured it out. I just didn’t expect Miss Wu Zhi to be so decisive, immediately deploying a cultivator…”
Feng Weixing smiled bitterly: “I know the locations of Black Tiger’s five secret stashes, and I also know about a personal treasure vault of Wei Zhuo. If you let me return, I can take over the entire organization with a seventy percent chance of success…”
“Hmm, indeed, it’s convenient to talk with a smart person!”
Wu Ming nodded, knowing the man had already laid out all his conditions.
“Unfortunately… I was only invited here to kill people…”
As the words fell, despair appeared in Feng Weixing’s eyes, quickly turning into viciousness. However, before he could act, a flash of blade light cut through, and his head flew high into the air, blood gushing like a fountain.
“Hurry! Hurry!”
Behind them, waves of city guards shouted as they surrounded the mansion of the Black Tiger gang.
No matter how many connections or tacit understandings there had been before, once this serious crime occurred, there was no way to cover it up anymore.
Those in the officialdom know best when to be polite and when to turn ruthless.
“Why did it take so long?”
After circling around, removing his disguise, and finally returning to the tavern, Wu Ming was met with Wu Qing’s dissatisfaction.
In her opinion, a cultivator should have easily dealt with a martial group whose highest level martial artist was only at the extreme transformation stage.
“Just spent a little time refining my martial techniques, but I successfully broke through to the external Gang stage…”
Wu Ming sat down, smiled slightly, picked up his wine cup, and drank it all in one go.
“External Gang? That’s pretty good!”
Wu Qing nodded slightly, showing her approval.
For cultivators, even extreme transformation martial artists can be easily defeated with cultivation techniques. Only Grandmasters could pose a challenge, and even then, the cultivator would likely still be at a disadvantage.
But that doesn’t mean martial arts are useless.
In fact, improving in martial arts, even if it only results in a powerful physical body, is still enough for cultivators to resist external demons when their spiritual energy is depleted.
The siblings chatted on their own, while the knight who had led the way was almost convinced he had seen an illusion.
Could it really be true that the Black Tiger gang, which had a certain reputation and standing in Nanfeng Prefecture, had been wiped out by a single person?
And even more surprisingly, the one who did it was a young man like the one in front of him?
“Let’s go! The leaders of the Black Tiger gang are gone, but there are still several branch dens within the prefecture that need to be eliminated one by one!”
Wu Ming didn’t pay much attention, threw down a few silver coins, and stood up directly.
There’s always more wine to drink and more enemies to kill. A true man should act decisively in matters of revenge and gratitude!
…
Three days later.
The news of the sudden downfall of the Dark Heaven Pavilion and the Black Tiger gang had already spread throughout Nanfeng Prefecture, and was continuing to ripple outward.
For those in power, two mere martial arts gangs were not particularly significant. However, if these gangs were secretly controlled by the two young masters of the Wu family, that was a different matter entirely.
Even the sons of the Wu family could not directly control the Wu family’s power yet. The Dark Heaven Pavilion and the Black Tiger gang were their secret eyes and hands, their hidden influence.
But now, these two organizations were completely destroyed overnight, bringing up many other troubles.
The meaning behind this was enough to make people think deeply. More perceptive individuals could already sense the undercurrents of power struggles in Nanfeng Prefecture and were quietly preparing to push the situation further.
In a quiet pavilion within a small alley.
Wu Ming had a small brazier in front of him, brewing a pot of aged wine, with a few plums floating in it, emitting a tempting aroma.
“New wine with green foam, a red clay brazier. As evening falls and snow threatens, would you care for a cup?”
He raised his eyebrows slightly and sighed: “An esteemed guest has arrived, why not come and share a drink?”
“I never knew you were fond of wine,”
A female voice came, and then Wu Zhi’s figure gracefully emerged from the darkness.
She was now dressed in a bright yellow cloud-silk robe, her trailing skirt embroidered with twin butterflies and clouds. Her eyebrows were like painted, and she wore an elegant bun adorned with a golden hairpin shaped like five phoenixes facing the sun, exuding both grace and majesty.
For a moment, even Wu Ming seemed momentarily stunned.
Of course, with his extensive experience, he quickly recovered from his brief surprise and smiled slightly.
“The heavens and earth are vast and long, white rabbits and red birds chase each other. Piles of gold behind me reaching the Big Dipper, but nothing compares to a cup of wine in my lifetime!”
“Your literary talent is quite good… though that first poem seems a bit out of season. Was it written by you in winter?”
Wu Zhi came to Wu Ming’s side, sat down gracefully, seemingly sharing the same view of the scenery outside.
Who knows how long had passed, when Wu Ming heard a soft sigh in his ear: “How many heroes are there in this world?”
Upon hearing this, Wu Ming suddenly felt a bit awkward.
“Discussing heroes while drinking plum wine? This scene doesn’t seem quite right…”
He couldn’t help shaking his head: “Miss Wu, why are you out here instead of consolidating your power in the mansion? Aren’t you afraid all your previous efforts will be in vain?”
“I just need to maintain the image of a dutiful daughter in front of my father. As for my two elder brothers, heh…”
Wu Zhi poured herself a cup, drank it in one go, and sighed again: “What great wine!”
Under the moonlight, in the quiet atmosphere, the beautiful woman sitting opposite exuded elegance and grace, carrying a charm that was both captivating and heartbreaking.
“Miss Wu seems to have something on your mind?”
Wu Ming felt a bit frustrated, realizing that Wu Qing had deliberately kept him for a few days, which was obviously for another purpose.
“I wonder if she knows how much pressure I feel in front of this Grandmaster of martial arts…”
However, seeing Wu Zhi’s expression, Wu Ming wisely chose to remain silent and prepare to be a faithful listener.
“I was born with everything I could ever want… After all, I was born under the omen of the Fengyun, which could elevate my family to new heights…”
Sure enough, Wu Zhi slowly drank and fell into a certain memory:
“When I was very young, my father told me that at the time of my birth, a master fortune teller had predicted that I was born with the fate of a phoenix destined to grace the heavens… In the future, I would certainly become the empress, with unparalleled nobility…”
“Hehe… When I was a young girl, I used to fantasize about my ideal husband, still carrying beautiful wishes…”
“But since the chaos of the world began, from Huang Jie until now, has any true hero emerged to restore order?”
“Since then, my heart has grown cold, knowing that my father only sees me as a tool, just for a fate or possibly to please a future dragon emperor?”
…
As she spoke, her eyes seemed slightly red, but she quickly regained her composure, without the weak tears of a young girl, leaving Wu Ming speechless.
After a long while, she said: “This green plum wine, smooth at first, but the aftertaste is long-lasting, most intoxicating…”
“Just a humble wine, what’s so special about it?”
Wu Zhi poured another cup, drank it in one go, her cheeks blushing with a beautiful red, and as if excited, she shouted: “I refuse!”
“Why must a woman be bound by the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, devoting herself to husband and children?”
“Why must a Purple Phoenix fate be destined to marry a dragon, supporting the fortune of the inner court?”
“I refuse!”
“Therefore, I have already vowed that I must grasp great power, as a woman, to pacify this chaotic world, to be the hero myself, to save the people from suffering!”
…
Hearing these resounding words, Wu Ming fell silent: “Then why… tell me all this?”
“You don’t know?”
Wu Zhi lifted her head, her eyes bright like stars, shining with brilliance.
“I know…”
Wu Ming sighed: “Actually… you don’t have to force yourself into this marriage…”
“What other better choices do I have?”
Wu Zhi sighed: “Let me tell you another thing. Although today’s actions can temporarily suppress the arrogance of my two elder brothers, my father will certainly become suspicious. No evidence is needed…”
“In other words… what’s coming next is just a brief calm before a bigger storm…”
“Today, thank you for the wine!”
Wu Zhi stood up, put on her cloak, and gracefully went downstairs. Before leaving, she turned back with a smile, a hundred charms blooming: “Do you know? E Xu has already seen you once. If you were truly unworthy, would I still force myself to do this?”
A fragrant breeze passed, and this time, she was really gone.
“E Xu? Is that her courtesy name? She even told me that…”
Wu Ming was unsure of what he was feeling inside, a hard-to-describe emotion filling his heart.
She was indeed a clever woman, and by specially choosing to open her heart to him, could it be for the sake of happiness after marriage?
Perhaps, deep in her heart, she still had a bit of hope for the future?
Lu lu…
The sound of horse hooves came from outside.
Wu Ming came to the railing and saw a carriage slowly departing. Driving it was the maid Jian Qiu, whom he had seen before.
“She’s also a pitiful woman!”
After a long while, he sighed softly.
If one were to say that Wu Zhi’s opening of her heart today immediately led to falling in love or something like that, that would be complete nonsense!
However, it was undeniable that today’s events did change Wu Ming’s impression of her. From the previous view of her as domineering and unscrupulous, he now also saw a softer, more vulnerable side of her.
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