Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 165 - 128: Turning a Branch into a Sword, Second Yijin (Second Update)

When the spies from the Canghe County Demon Slayer Bureau left, Li Zhihe took out another secret letter from his desk.

Among the secret letters from Canghe County was a wanted order, offering a bounty for Zhou Yuanba, who brutally murdered people from the Guo Family Gambling House in broad daylight in Donghe Town.

The Director of the Canghe County Demon Slayer Bureau, Zhao Pingyuan, escalated this bounty to three times the second-class merit, including a Squad Commander Order from the Canghe Army, marking it as a top-tier second-level reward.

Above that is the first-level bounty, which can only be issued after a joint discussion by the directors of the Three County Demon Slayer Bureau, and each first-level bounty must have a copy sent to the Qingzhou Prefecture Demon Slayer Bureau on the day of issuance.

"The letter from the Canghe County Demon Slayer Bureau... and this secret message from Bai Erniang; this affair is likely orchestrated by Li Feiyu."

Li Zhihe couldn't believe such a coincidence could occur in the world; Li Feiyu had just investigated Guo Lie, and immediately after, Guo Lie was avenged by Zhou Yuanba.

Moreover, within the information retrieved by Su Mu using the Tiger Head Iron Order on Guo Lie, there was information about Zhou Yuanba.

Everything seemed too coincidental, but Li Zhihe couldn't understand what kind of vendetta existed between Guo Lie, far away in Canghe County, and Li Feiyu.

"Present at the scene were also the Patrol Office officers, including Gao Feng, who witnessed Zhou Yuanba committing the murder... It seems Li Feiyu must have mastered an advanced Disguise Technique; he transformed into Zhou Yuanba that night."

Moreover, he keenly noticed another strange point.

Compared to why Li Feiyu chose to kill Guo Lie, Li Zhihe was more concerned with the seemingly exaggerated reaction from the Canghe County Demon Slayer Bureau.

"Is it merely because Guo Lie was Zhao Pingyuan's nephew?"

The letter from the Canghe County Demon Slayer Bureau emphasized the act of murder in public, but Li Zhihe knew Zhao Pingyuan well, and this did not align with Lord Zhao's usual behavior.

This matter gave Li Zhihe the sense that Lord Zhao seemed somewhat anxious.

Li Zhihe squinted slightly, always feeling something suspicious about this matter, whether it be the bounty affair or Li Feiyu's murder, yet he couldn't verify it at the moment.

After Li Feiyu executed Bai Yi and the One-Eyed Daoist, he disappeared without a trace, and Li Zhihe could not find him.

"Guo Lie committed many atrocities; he deserved death..."

Li Zhihe planned to turn a blind eye to the matter, since Canghe County claimed Zhou Yuanba did it, he would concede it was Zhou Yuanba who killed Guo Lie. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

At present, Li Zhihe squinted his eyes slightly, a glimmer of insight flashing within them.

"Consider this the final assessment; if Li Feiyu dares not show himself again, the matter of recommending him for the Golden Order is canceled. But if Li Feiyu dares to emerge and clarify everything, I will immediately draft a letter and submit it to the Qingzhou Demon Slayer Bureau."

"Mr. Li... do not let me down."

After some contemplation, Li Zhihe wrote a secret letter before calling a constable, whispered a few words, and the constable set out with the letter immediately.

Having done all this, the sky outside had already turned pitch black.

Li Zhihe then began to ponder another matter. In a few months, it would be the birthday banquet of the newly appointed Magistrate Tao in Qingyun, whose invitations were being sent out progressively these days, and Li Zhihe naturally received one.

He considered what gift to prepare for the banquet, recalling last year that Magistrate Tao spent lavishly at the Forging Workshop to forge a Ninth-Grade Sword using Iron Essence.

"Lord Tao comes from Qingzhou Prefecture, born to the Tao Family in Qingzhou, a man of the world; ordinary gifts are truly hard to make a good impression." Rising to pace in the courtyard, Li Zhihe gazed at the night sky, inevitably feeling a bit troubled.

Under the same night sky, Su Mu returned to Yanque Street from the Forging Workshop, and after dinner, he began exercising his tendons in the courtyard.

He broke a branch from the Sophora tree, transforming it into a sword.

Su Mu took a deep breath, his demeanor instantly becoming sharp, akin to a long saber about to be unsheathed.

In the next instant.

Su Mu flicked his wrist, the Sophora branch slicing through the air.

"Whoosh!"

In the darkness, it seemed as though a flame was cutting across, sparks flickered on the branch as he stepped forward, the saber moving with his body, and the branch repeatedly slashed.

Blazing Fire Saber Technique: Blazing Flame Triple Slash.

Sparks flew, and the branch of the Sophora tree that hadn't yet sprouted leaves burst into flames with a 'whoosh'. This was the Burning Wood Realm of the Blazing Fire Saber Technique; when the saber technique was executed, internal power infused into the blade, the special force generated high temperatures capable of igniting wood.

If this flame qi could wound an enemy, it would scorch their wounds, its contained flame qi also possessed some power to penetrate protective forces.

Using fire as momentum, the saber emerged like flames, the fire swirling with the blade, the flames danced like dragons in the courtyard.

In an instant, the fire dragon vanished, and the gentle breeze blew through.

The flames on the Sophora branch in Su Mu's hand extinguished at once as he transitioned from saber to sword, his previously aggressive steps turned nimble, the branch quickly thrust forward.

Qingfeng Swordsmanship: Wind Points Cold Plum.

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh!"

One sword thrust, the sword shadow swayed like blossoming cold plum, then the virtual sword dispersed, instantaneously merging three thrusts into one, aiming directly at the throat.

This was the effect of Wind Shadow after mastering the Qingfeng Swordsmanship; the sword played between reality and illusion, bewildering enemies, the moves concealed lethal intentions, and Su Mu could transform the virtual sword into a real one at any moment.

The dance between reality and illusion is the hardest to defend against.

When that sword was thrust forward, the Sophora branch in Su Mu's hand cracked, split into black dust in an instant, scattering with the wind into the soil beneath the old Sophora tree, the branches returning to their roots.

Reflecting as he practiced the Blazing Fire Saber Technique and Qingfeng Swordsmanship.

"The Blazing Fire Saber Technique shares some similarities with the Melting Gold Technique from the Forging Workshop... the Qingfeng Swordsmanship shares some traits with Feixu Skill."