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

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"What, unwilling?" Shen Qing saw Wu Sheng hesitating and said with a slight frown.

"No, no. It's just that the Wish Power Pearl and Elixir are forbidden items within the court, not easily obtainable. Sometimes it depends on opportunity too." Wu Sheng spoke cautiously yet sincerely, "If you truly need it, my lord, I am naturally willing to help. However, this transaction..."

Shen Qing suddenly smiled and placed a stack of silver notes on the table, "How about this?"

Wu Sheng picked up the silver notes from the table and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He quickly scanned them and found there were as many as three thousand taels.

It was hard to imagine that just a year ago, he had fled to Yongzhou like an entire family "escaping disaster," and now he could casually take out such a large sum.

Officials made money too quickly!

Compared to them, Wu Sheng suddenly felt that his risky way of making money seemed quite unseemly.

Besides, seeing those who were once beneath him quickly surpass him, his heart was troubled.

He took a deep breath and suppressed his thoughts, maintaining a humble and respectful attitude as he said, "Lord Chief Officer indeed has a grand gesture. In that case, I'll stick to the previous price, willing to give you four Wish Power Pearls and three bottles of high-grade cultivation-enhancing Elixir."

"When can I receive them?" Shen Qing asked with a satisfied smile upon hearing this.

"I went to the Capital not long ago and luckily have some stock on hand. I'll retrieve them at home and arrange for them to be delivered to your residence."

"Then it's settled, I await your message, Brother Wu." Shen Qing stood up and laughed.

He walked up to Wu Sheng, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Don't worry, this won't be our last time. If you have other good items like the Wish Power Pearl during this period, keep them for me first."

"Yes, my lord."

Wu Sheng was a bit puzzled.

The Wish Power Pearl was indeed a good thing, but for a martial master in the Qi Hai Realm, refining one Pearl could take nearly a year.

Even two or three Pearls were enough for someone in the Yu Luo Realm to refine for half a year.

An ordinary person wouldn't need so many.

Why did he want so much cultivation resources at once?

Could it be for his family?

Wu Sheng couldn't figure it out.

Seeing Shen Qing leave, he breathed a sigh of relief and followed him out of the elegant room.

Returning from the elegant room, Wu Sheng sat back in his seat, his expression somewhat cold.

"What happened, Boss Wu?"

Wu Sheng snapped out of his thoughts, plastered a strong smile on his face, and said, "Nothing much. Come on, drink!"

After several gulps of liquor, he asked with about seventy percent unintentional, thirty percent intentional, "Brothers, let me ask you something? Has anything major happened in the Guardian Martial Department recently?"

"Boss Wu, what a coincidence. While you were in the Capital, quite a few significant events occurred in Yongzhou, especially in the Guardian Martial Department."

"What happened?"

The speaking man, imitating Wu Sheng, began to be cryptic.

Wu Sheng, losing his temper, kicked the man's stool aside.

The man fell to the ground.

"Speak quickly or hold your peace!"

"..."

The man crawled up sullenly and recounted the events in the Guardian Martial Department during that time.

When he heard about Shen Qing slaying the Eagle Demon, annihilating the Wolf Demon, capturing the Cat Demon, and even reporting and arresting Zheng Yuanqiu…

Each incident presented left him somewhat dumbfounded, unable to react.

Wu Sheng couldn't help but twitch his face, pretended to drink several bowls of wine, and acted calm.

This guy was terrifying!

Why on earth did he get involved with such a formidable person back then?

It seemed this gray business wouldn't be easy to continue in the future.

Being held by someone like this.

Wu Sheng's face showed bitterness.

In the evening, Shen Qing returned home.

Wu Sheng indeed kept his promise, delivering the agreed-upon Wish Power Pearls and Elixirs to Shen Qing.

Opening the wooden box, Shen Qing carefully checked and found that the Wish Power Pearls and Elixirs were all genuine.

"With this initial collaboration, Wu Sheng would probably not refuse future transactions."

"In this way, part of the cultivation resources issue would be resolved, allowing me to focus on cultivation."

Having resolved one issue, Shen Qing felt much relieved.

As for Wu Sheng refusing or being unfaithful in the future, he wasn't worried at all.

People die for wealth, just as birds die for food.

Nobody would avoid profits.

Moreover, since the other party was inherently engaged in these shady activities, he, as an official, had even more leverage.

...

A few days later.

As evening approached.

The early summer sunset turned into an orange-red fireball, slowly sinking below the horizon.

Bathing the sky in a golden hue.

In Xin'an Square, pedestrians hurriedly packed up their stalls and bags to go home, while children played and frolicked, creating a scene of peaceful times.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air.

Immediately, the sounds of chaotic footsteps and terrified cries mingled.

"Murder!"

"Murder!"

"Help!"

A burly man, with a fanatical gleam in his eyes, wielding a sharp blade under broad daylight, committed murder in the streets, killing several people in succession.

Blood stained the stone pavement red.

After committing these heinous murders, the burly man not only didn't flee but raised a Yellow Banner high and shouted, "Heaven below, Yellow Heaven above, the Land of Ultimate Bliss, Taiping is near!"

His voice was like a great bell, and the flag flapped loudly in the wind.

As soon as he finished speaking, he threw aside the Yellow Banner and vanished among the panicking crowd like a ghost, disappearing instantly at the alley's end.

Shen Qing, who was cultivating at the Guardian Martial Department Office, rushed to the scene with Ji Youwu and his subordinates upon hearing the news.

When he arrived, he found the street already crowded with people.

The crowd stepped aside to make way as Shen Qing approached.

Gazing at the lifeless bodies on the ground, his expression turned as solemn as iron.

At this moment, shoving sounds came from behind him.

"Make way, make way."

"It's just a few dead bodies. There's nothing new about death in the city, move aside."

Sun Ding, responsible for patrolling Xin'an Square, arrived leisurely with two officers, hiccupping from alcohol as he walked.

Under his official authority, the citizens quickly stepped aside, bowing their heads and avoiding the commotion, distancing themselves.

When Sun Ding saw Shen Qing already standing at the crime scene, he was dumbfounded.

"Lord Shen!"

Shen Qing turned to glare at Sun Ding and said, "Sun Chasi, I recall Xin'an Square is your patrol zone, isn't it?"

Sun Ding's face turned pale, and he replied shakily, "Yes."

"It is not yet the end of your shift, and a traitor dared to commit murder in broad daylight, openly challenging the authority of the court. As the patrolling officer, you allowed the murderer to escape, don't tell me this is your usual way of patrolling?"

"I, I, I…"

Facing the undeniable truth, Sun Ding was at a loss for words.

"Ineffective patrol, therefore punished!"

Bang!

Shen Qing pointed a finger, and a red stream of energy struck Sun Ding's chest.

Before Sun Ding could react, he felt a burning sensation in his chest and fell backward, toppling along with his subordinates.

"I give you three days to capture the murderer, or face dismissal! I mean what I say!"

Shen Qing's eyes narrowed, his tone carrying the unyielding authority of an official, his anger intimidating.

Sun Ding, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, quickly scrambled up and kneeled, "Subordinate, subordinate obeys!"

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