Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

On December 12, 1092, during the winter of Emperor Gengshi, there was a light snowfall.

Jin Wei, traveling alone and lightly equipped, was the first to return to the city.

Three days later, Su Shuiyao and her uncle returned to the city together.

It was December 19th, the day before the officials' holiday.

The City Lord's reward was finally distributed to Zhou Qingfeng by the Hall of Merit and Charity.

If you miss today's workday, you'll have to wait until next year.

Fortunately, thanks to the personal supervision of Hall Master Jiang, all the rewards given to Zhou Qingfeng were carefully selected and could not be delayed, so that they could be prepared in a hurry the day before the officials' holiday.

As is customary, Zhou Qingfeng had tea prepared in advance, with 500,000 coins placed at the bottom of the tea box. He then put the tea directly into the carriage where Master Jiang was riding, and rewarded the porters and servants with about a hundred coins as well.

After seeing off Hall Master Jiang, Zhou Qingfeng selected the items he could use at this stage from the rewards: pills, talismans, heavy armor, robes, bows and arrows, and swords were all stored in his holy ring for immediate use.

None of these items are junk; they are all top-quality products from the very first manufacturer.

For example, the superior-grade heavy armor of the Fiend level uses blood and mana to activate the armor's defense, making its protective power extremely abnormal. Ordinary methods simply cannot break through its defense; only magical artifacts such as armor-piercing cones and armor-piercing hammers can break through its defense in one strike.

Aside from consuming a lot of Qi and Mana and having a slow movement speed, this item has no other drawbacks.

It is almost impossible for a cultivator of the same level to kill a cultivator wearing heavy armor.

Cultivators in the common people have no way to obtain armor through normal channels, let alone heavy armor. Even the lowest level of light armor is forbidden to commoners. If discovered, they will be executed along with their entire family for treason.

Armor, regardless of its grade, is a weapon of war, and only the army can possess it. Heavy armor, on the other hand, is a luxury that can only be worn by the sons of nobles. Some impoverished nobles may only have one set. If their ancestors die in battle, the heavy armor can be repaired and still be used. It can be said that one set of armor is passed down for three generations, and the armor remains even after the person is gone.

This thing is a life-saving and killing weapon. In addition, there is a heavily armored dragon horse mount for transportation, which is like adding wings to a tiger and completely eliminating the disadvantage of slow movement speed. The two together are simply a meat grinder on the battlefield.

As for ranged attacks, Zhou Qingfeng has the Immortal-Slaying Bow and Immortal-Slaying Arrows, which can kill enemies silently from a distance. If a cultivator in the Devouring Fiend Realm is hit by an arrow, he will either die or be crippled.

The last one, the Fiend-grade superior Truth Sword, has quite a story to tell.

Swords are precious weapons; all nobles wear swords at their waists. Whether they are practical or not is secondary; what matters is their coolness, beauty, prestige, and artistic flair. Compared to other weapons, they are more like expensive works of art.

Therefore, most noble children would carry swords to show off their status; to put it bluntly, it was to show off.

Of course, some folk practitioners also study swordsmanship.

For example, some sword-cultivating sects and families.

However, these sects and families were basically all from noble families in the past.

This Sword of Truth is extremely expensive, ranking first among evil-grade magical artifacts. It was crafted by a famous swordsmith and made from rare evil-grade materials. The cost of its creation alone reached a terrifying thirty million coins.

It is said that the main materials are evil-grade space stone, evil-grade vermilion bird bone, and evil-grade candle dragon scale.

Other expensive auxiliary materials are not included.

This sword is unstoppable. Its blade and aura are imbued with the fiery Vermilion Bird Fire. Once injured, the wound will be continuously burned by the Vermilion Bird Fire, and within a breath, it will spread throughout the body and burn to ashes.

Furthermore, the sword's edge has the ability to traverse space and automatically target enemies. As long as an enemy is only slightly injured by the sword, it can traverse space and instantly take their life from 6,000 miles away.

It is ranked first among the evil-grade magical artifacts, and this reputation is well-deserved.

On the edge of the sword, I am the truth.

That is the invincible record achieved by sword cultivators who wield the Sword of Truth throughout history in battles against cultivators of the same level.

This doesn't mean that sword cultivators are the strongest, but rather that they are often very wealthy. The swords they use often cost several times more than other magical artifacts. Even their daily maintenance requires special sword oil, which is extremely expensive. If the same amount of money is spent to forge other types of magical artifacts, they will be more powerful, stronger, and more durable.

Unfortunately, wealthy nobles all play with swords, and the more expensive the sword, the more it is favored by nobles. Ideally, a commoner cultivator could never afford it in his entire life. As for cost-effectiveness, practicality, and suitability, these are completely outside the nobles' considerations.

Unfortunately, Zhou Qingfeng was not a sword cultivator. Even though he had a strange feeling for sword cultivators and thought they were very cool, after all, who hasn't dreamed of being a chivalrous hero who roams the world with a sword and sweeps across the land?

However, he is not a fickle or easily swayed person. Since he has decided to study the Way of Power, he will not consider switching to the Way of the Sword. However... playing with swords in his spare time is also a good way to cultivate his mind.

"Jin Wei, why did you abandon your knife and use a sword?" Zhou Qingfeng, holding the Sword of Truth, sparred with Jin Wei in the arena. Neither of them used magic or supernatural powers; they simply competed in skill, strength, and speed.

"Young Master, do you want to hear the truth or a lie?" Jin Wei gripped his sword to block Zhou Qingfeng's attacks, deliberately feigning weakness. In reality, he was just trying to please Zhou Qingfeng. How could a professional swordsman like him be overpowered by Zhou Qingfeng with his sword? It was nothing more than social niceties and flattery.

"Of course it's the truth. You can lie to others, but if you lie to me, I'll break your legs."

"Haha, Jin Wei wouldn't dare to deceive the young master. The reason he abandoned the saber and used the sword is simply because Jin Wei cultivates the Flying Sword Control Technique, which requires a sword to unleash its full power."

Do you think sword cultivation is good?

"Okay, apart from the cost, there are no other problems."

"Do you want my Sword of Truth?"

"Huh?" Jin Wei was momentarily distracted, and Zhou Qingfeng seized the opportunity to kick him to the ground. Zhou Qingfeng held the Sword of Truth to Jin Wei's throat and said with a smile, "You lost."

Jin Wei chuckled: "Young Master is powerful, it's normal that Jin Wei is no match for him."

Zhou Qingfeng reached out and grabbed Jin Wei's arm, pulled him up, tossed the Sword of Truth to Jin Wei, turned and walked to the washbasin next to him, picked up a towel and wiped his face: "This Sword of Truth is yours."

Jin Wei was taken aback. He held the sword with both hands, feeling flattered and overwhelmed. He quickly bowed and said, "This is your sword. I dare not accept it. Please rescind your order, young master."

Zhou Qingfeng waved his hand dismissively, casually tossed the towel into the washbasin, turned to Jin Wei, who was bowing low, and said with a smile, "How can a swordsman be called a swordsman if he doesn't have a good sword?"

"Since ancient times, a good horse deserves a good saddle, and a famous sword deserves a hero."

"This sword is like a pearl covered in dust in my hands; it's only good for decoration at best."

"I would rather give it to you today, and hope that it will shine brightly in your hands."

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei was deeply moved and immediately burst into tears: "Young Master has treated me with kindness as heavy as a mountain, and today you have gifted me a famous sword. Jin Wei is truly unworthy of this gift and can only repay it with my life."

Zhou Qingfeng smiled and patted Jin Wei on the shoulder, saying, "Alright, wipe your tears. It's not proper for a grown man to cry like this. I don't need you to die. There are plenty of people willing to die for me, so I won't miss you."

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei burst into tears again, his nose and eyes brimming with emotion.

Zhou Qingfeng had his own reasons for gifting the sword. Keeping the Sword of Truth would only give him an extra, half-baked trump card, which would be of little use except for decoration.

However, giving the sword to Jin Wei, who is absolutely loyal to him, would allow Jin Wei to become a top-tier swordsman among his peers, and he would only need to dispatch Jin Wei to fight enemies and protect himself. In this way, he could maximize his benefits.

"Brother, brother..." Su Shuiyao excitedly ran to the arena.

Upon seeing this, Jin Wei immediately turned away and wiped away his tears.

Zhou Qingfeng stood with his hands behind his back, smiling as he looked at Su Shuiyao: "Is there something you need?"

Su Shuiyao said excitedly, "Brother, I heard that two Class A wanted criminals are going to be publicly executed in Jianta Square. It's so exciting, and lots of people are going to watch. Father is waiting outside. Will you come with us to take a look?"

“Okay.” Zhou Qingfeng smiled and nodded.

The Jianta Square was very lively today, with a large number of people coming to visit.

Some people were just there for the spectacle, while others wanted to take this opportunity to collect the blood of cultivators from the fourth realm.

The cultivators of the Fourth Realm have already been baptized by the Five Turbid Heavenly Dao and have become true beings of rules. The blood they shed is 'divine blood' containing rules, which has many wonderful uses. Ordinary people have no opportunity to collect it in their daily lives.

Many people spent a lot of money to secure a front-row position so they could collect the splattered blood.

"Kill, kill, kill~~~" The onlookers were red-eyed, raising their fists and shouting incessantly. Many people didn't care whether the criminals deserved to die; they just felt that if the criminals died, they could collect the splattered blood.

Zhou Qingfeng, Su Lao, Su Shuiyao, and Jin Wei stood in a teahouse, finding the best spot to watch the execution. The four chatted and laughed, pointing at the two criminals on the execution platform.

Yan Wenjiu and Ouyang knelt on the execution platform, which was ten feet high.

With the execution overseen by the Hall Master Tuoba of the Punishment Hall, this powerful cultivator at the Food Injury Realm had virtually no hope of escaping. Even if someone dared to storm the execution ground, they would be instantly killed with a flick of their finger.

The executioner who beheaded the criminals was also a combat cultivator at the Gluttony Realm. This Gluttony Realm cultivator was just an executioner in the Hall of Punishment. He mastered the 'execution rules' through the 'executioner's' sacrificial ritual. The stronger and more numerous the criminals executed, the more thoroughly he mastered the execution rules.

Dozens of red-armored axemen stood around the execution platform to maintain order at the scene.

Holding the token, Tuoba Hall Master announced loudly, "By order of the City Lord, Ouyang, a Class A wanted criminal, has committed numerous crimes of arson, murder, and robbery over the years, yet he shows no remorse. He shall be punished for all his crimes, and shall be executed by slow slicing."

“Yu Chuxin, a Class A wanted criminal, has shown remorse and repentance, and his attitude in admitting his guilt is good. The city lord is kind-hearted, so he is sentenced to beheading and his head displayed to the public.”

At this point, Master Tuoba asked, "Ouyang, Yu Chuxin, do you two have any last words?"

Yan Wenjiu knelt on the ground, speechless and without the right to cry foul. Countless innocent people had died at his hands. Even though he had tried to atone for his sins over the years and had taken action, he could not expect to live. For the innocent people who died at his hands, as well as their families and friends, he could atone for his sins, but once they were dead, it would all be wiped clean.

Put down the butcher's knife, abandon evil and do good, and you want to start over? What good things are you thinking?

You can die as a good person, but you can't expect to continue living as a good person just because you committed murder and evil deeds in the first half of your life and suddenly turned over a new leaf in the second half. That's absolutely impossible.

Blood debts can only be repaid with blood!

Any other form of atonement is unacceptable to the victims and their families.

"I...I don't want to die." Yan Wenjiu's tears finally streamed down his face. He looked up at the blazing sun in the distance, but felt no warmth. "I don't want to...I want to be a good person, but I was born a thief. What can I do? I have no choice. Fuck you, God! Fuck you!!!"

Seeing this, Tuoba Tangzhu waved his hand at the executioner: "Execute him."

With a "whoosh," the executioner swung his Desire-grade magic weapon, the decapitation blade, and instantly severed Yan Wenjiu's head, carrying the rules of execution. The severed head landed on the execution platform, and a large amount of blood gushed out from the broken neck, spraying out like a fountain for more than three zhang.

Yan Wenjiu died, killed by the decapitation blade and the rules of execution. His three lives were instantly severed by a single blow, his rule body died on the spot, his life palace immediately exploded, and his soul then dissipated into the world.

The onlookers looked frantic, desperately trying to collect the splattered blood with various containers.

"Hehehe... Ahahaha..." Ouyang knelt on the ground, his shoulders shaking as he laughed incessantly. His laughter grew louder and louder, and the perverted laughter drowned out the madness of the crowd, who all turned to look at him with puzzled eyes.

"Hahaha, you're all going crazy over a little bit of blood? Hilarious, absolutely hilarious! Hahaha, a bunch of poor bastards, never seen the world before, so pathetic, so pathetic~~~ Hahahaha"

One of them, enraged, pointed at Ouyang on the execution platform and shouted, "You're still laughing? When you're torn to pieces, let's see how you cry then!"

"You vicious bandit, how dare you mock us?!"

"Bastard, kill him!" The crowd was furious, and many cursed loudly. They were poor and had never seen the world, but how could they not break down when Ouyang mocked them so blatantly and attacked them so relentlessly?

Ouyang laughed loudly. Although he was kneeling, his back was straight. He looked arrogantly at the group of ants below the stage and spoke without any politeness, showing his arrogance: "You poor bastards, do you want to get rich? Do you want to know where I have hidden my treasure? Do you want to become a famous thief like me?"

"Come, kneel down before me, if you are willing to kneel down and call me king."

"I'm willing to tell you where I've hidden my treasure."

"That is a fortune you can never imagine."

"If you find this treasure, you will be able to be added to the most wanted list of criminals."

"To become the greatest thief in the world!"

The entire arena fell silent. Everyone was stunned, never expecting Ouyang to utter such insane words on his deathbed. The onlookers erupted in uproar, with constant debate and doubts about the veracity of Ouyang's words.

However, soon some people who wanted to get rich chose to kneel down in front of Ouyang.

Then one after another, the common people knelt down. These people were all poor cultivators and mortals from the bottom of society. They wanted to defy fate, so they chose to kneel down, hoping that Ouyang could reveal the location of the treasure.

Although Ouyang was kneeling on the execution platform, hundreds or even thousands of people were kneeling in front of him.

These people knelt to welcome the birth of the Thief King, offering Ouyang their highest respect and...greed.

Ouyang grinned maniacally, laughing wildly, "My endless treasure is hidden on an island in the Myriad Realms Void Sea. If you want to get it, head towards the Myriad Realms Void Sea! Kill everyone, burn everyone, rob everyone along the way, and you will eventually find the endless treasure! Hahahaha~~~~"