Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

"He went to do what? He's not going to confront Fatty Zheng, is he?"

"Looks like it!"

"Is he really that bold?"

"The Wish Power Pearl got snatched. If it were me, I wouldn't let it go that easily either."

"But even a fool wouldn't just confront him like that. Heh, this is going to be a good show, Fatty Zheng isn't so easy to deal with."

The people in the courtyard were already accustomed to Zheng Yuanqiu's extortion and knew perfectly well why Shen Qing didn't have the Wish Power Pearl.

At this moment, they all held a sense of watching for entertainment, pointing and discussing Shen Qing's back.

The myriad tasks of distributing official salaries seemed unaffected by the event and continued to be distributed in an orderly manner as annual salaries.

"Fourth group of officers, Ji Youwu."

The named Ji Youwu hastily withdrew his gaze, glanced at Shen Qing, and walked towards the myriad task officer, blending into the discussion, his face complex.

Dong Jing, standing nearby, also looked at Shen Qing with a complicated state of mind.

He always thought Shen Qing was not someone impulsive, someone who wouldn't put himself in danger, but now it seemed he was wrong.

Fortunately, he had listened to his friends and hadn't associated too closely with him.

Otherwise, he surely would've been dragged down by him.

Ignoring the discussions around him, Shen Qing walked towards the back hall, calm and composed without any joy or sorrow on his face.

As it was the time for annual salary distribution, the back hall had no clerks around, with only a few Chang Sui passing by hastily.

Shen Qing had been to this back hall many times, and he was familiar with the way.

He walked to the door of the quiet room and, without any warning, pushed it open and walked in, closing the door behind him.

Inside the quiet room, Zheng Yuanqiu was engrossed in his account books. Startled by the commotion, he felt like a thief with a guilty conscience and shivered slightly as if afraid of being caught.

When he saw it was Shen Qing who barged in, he felt played with, becoming enraged and embarrassed: "Can't you knock? Who taught you to enter like this?"

Shen Qing stared at Zheng Yuanqiu, a smirk on his face, seven parts jest, three parts excitement.

Ignoring Zheng Yuanqiu's words, he gripped his sword and stepped toward him.

Zheng Yuanqiu realized that the officer before him seemed different from usual.

It was clear something was up.

He snapped the book shut, feigning calmness.

"What does Officer Shen intend to do?" Zheng Yuanqiu said coldly, like ice beneath the first snow of winter, crisp and resolute.

With his words, an indescribable aura erupted from within him. Though unmoving, an invisible wind seemed to swirl around him, causing his clothes to flutter.

A faint halo appeared around him, the unique aura of a strong practitioner in the Dan Realm pressing toward Shen Qing.

Shen Qing paused, momentarily stunned.

He felt as though a giant hand grasped his surroundings, the pressure bearing down upon him.

Unfazed, Shen Qing's mind stirred.

The vast True Qi of the Qi Hai Realm surged through his meridians, counteracting the aura Zheng Yuanqiu exerted on him.

Shen Qing resumed his steps, unhurriedly moving in front of Zheng Yuanqiu, the corners of his lips curving into a composed smile.

Looking Zheng Yuanqiu in the eye, he calmly said, "The reason I'm here, Lord Chief Officer, you should know very well, right?"

"…"

Of course, Zheng Yuanqiu knew why Shen Qing was there.

It was for the Wish Power Pearl he had embezzled.

But to think Shen Qing dared to barge into the quiet room to confront him over this Pearl face to face; such bravery.

He'd seen countless people, yet he'd never met someone so… impulsive.

Suddenly, he laughed. Find more to read at empire

"Hahaha... Do you know what you've just said? Do you think just because you're an officer I can't touch you? I may not kill you, but don't forget, I can make you wish you were dead."

"I think it's you who doesn't understand the situation," Shen Qing continued to smile softly.

He pulled a letter from his chest, waving it before Zheng Yuanqiu: "Doesn't this letter look familiar to you, Lord Chief Officer?"

"Lord Chief Officer, what do you think would happen if I handed this letter over?"

Zheng Yuanqiu's laughter abruptly stopped.

Shen Qing grinned, every bit the rascal: "So, are you ready to talk about our matters now?"

Feigning calm, Zheng Yuanqiu said, "Haha, I don't know what you're talking about."

Shen Qing tucked the letter back, fearlessly reciting, "Zheng Yuanqiu, thirty-five, overweight, greedy, Dan Realm cultivation. Quick, precise, ruthless in actions, suspicious by nature, never acts unless absolutely certain. Joined the Holy Sect in the second year of Tian Guang, trustworthy..."

He narrated while observing Zheng Yuanqiu.

Shen Qing noticed with each sentence, Zheng Yuanqiu's face grew paler until it was ashen like paper.

Indeed, by now, he could no longer tolerate the spy from the Huang Tian Sect and decided to lay his cards on the table.

It was time to deal with him decisively.

After Shen Qing revealed all his cards, he even sensed deep fear in Zheng Yuanqiu's trembling gaze.

Zheng Yuanqiu struggled to maintain composure, his breathing heavy, his eyes on Shen Qing filled with killing intent.

"He knows, he knows it all."

"He knows I'm with the Huang Tian Sect, knows I secretly leaked the official movements to Taiping County… This boy cannot be allowed to live! He'd be disastrous."

"He must be killed."

Presently, not considering the various family heads and masters from the Thirteen Lines, the Prefectural Governor and the newly appointed Commander were already beyond his handle, and should his identity be discovered, he'd have no way to survive.

With this in mind, he didn't hesitate to make a move, delivering a palm strike toward Shen Qing.

As a Dan Realm powerhouse, Zheng Yuanqiu's True Qi was finely honed, shaping it and gathering it as he struck.

Upon acting, mist-like True Qi enveloped him, flowing like a cascading river of stars.

Facing Zheng Yuanqiu's terrifying might, Shen Qing didn't retreat but instead allowed his True Qi to boil.

The Sky Flipping Seal combined with the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Skill's Heaven Defying Style, launched instantly.

Massive amounts of True Qi from within surged forth like a breached dam.

With the Heaven Defying Style's support, Shen Qing's strength exponentially increased, reaching ten times its original magnitude.

Like an awakened ancient beast, he clasped his palms into an imprint to meet Zheng Yuanqiu's strike.

Boom!

The two forces clashed explosively in mid-air, akin to celestial bodies detonating, sending waves of heat surging.

Everything around them was instantly ignited; the room's tables, chairs, furniture, bricks, and wooden windows were swept up by the energy, compressed to one side, exposing bare ground.

For the first time, Zheng Yuanqiu's face showed surprise—he hadn't expected a mere Qi Hai Realm Shen Qing to unleash such astonishing combat power, almost shaking his strike.

His expression changed, with a light cry, he increased the force in his hand.

Bang!

In the next moment, Shen Qing flew backward under the lingering power of Zheng Yuanqiu's palm.

Flipping several times mid-air, adjusting his posture, he planted his feet heavily, his legs sinking deep into the ground, stones scattering.

Using the legs' reactive force to slow his backward flight, he finally came to a staggered but determined stop at the doorway.

In front, two deep ravines marked the magnitude of the impact he had withstood.

Unharmed, Shen Qing nonchalantly dusted himself off and smiled, "Lord Chief Officer, now can we properly discuss my matters?"