Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

The garden is lush with flowers and trees, and chrysanthemums and osmanthus flowers of all colors are in full bloom, vying for beauty in their vibrant colors.

Several clumps of green bamboo stand tall and verdant, and several ancient cypress trees have gnarled and vigorous branches. Under the trees, there are also a few simple and rustic Taihu stones.

A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, a stark contrast to the solemn and imposing atmosphere of the government office.

"This Lord Feng is quite a refined person."

As he walked through, Li Fu looked around and pondered to himself.

A person who could govern a prefecture in a harsh and cold border region would have such leisure to tend to flowers and plants, showing the temperament of a refined scholar.

"Take care of this garden; it probably won't be easy..."

At the end of the garden is a quiet study.

The clerk stopped outside the door and respectfully reported, "Sir, the newly appointed head constable in blue robes, Li Fu, has arrived."

"Please come in."

A gentle, clear voice came from inside the door.

The clerk pushed open the door and gestured for Li to come in.

The study is simply furnished yet exudes a grand atmosphere.

Two walls are bookshelves that reach the ceiling beams, crammed with thread-bound books.

A large rosewood desk was placed by the window, with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones neatly arranged on it, along with several open official documents.

Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man dressed in casual clothes.

This man was none other than Feng Shaoting, the prefect of Yanzhou.

He looked to be around forty or fifty years old, with fair skin, regular features, and three wisps of fine beard. He had a gentle and refined demeanor, like a well-read scholar.

However, when he looked up at Li Fu, deep within his gentle eyes, there was also an air of authority that came from someone who had long held a high position and wielded the power of life and death. His every move exuded an official air that made him someone not to be underestimated.

His refined demeanor was merely a facade; his ability to hold the position of prefect in this fiercely independent border region was no sign of mediocrity.

"This humble official, Li Fu, greets Your Excellency, the Prefect." Knowing this, Li Fu stopped a few steps in front of the desk, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, neither humble nor arrogant.

Feng Shaoting put down his pen, a gentle smile spreading across his face, like an elder meeting an outstanding junior: "You are Li Fu? It's true what they say, seeing is believing. A hero emerges from among the young."

He sighed softly, his tone tinged with self-reproach.

"Han Wenyuan and Duan Gang have been working under my nose for many years, yet I failed to detect their malicious intentions. This is truly a failure of my oversight."

If it weren't for your keen observation and decisive action in exposing these two scoundrels, a major disaster could have occurred, and I would have been in a difficult position to explain myself to the court.

"Speaking of which, you've done me a great favor."

"Your Majesty's words hold true."

Li Fu knew perfectly well that Feng Shaoting's words were humble yet carried the polite formality of officialdom.

The so-called questioning from the imperial court was nothing more than empty words.

Located on the frontier, far from the emperor's reach, Yanzhou was a place where Feng Shaoting held both military and political power, and had a deep-rooted influence.

Even if the fact that two of his constables committed a crime were discovered, it would be a trivial matter that would have no impact on his fundamental position.

The other party's statement was nothing more than an attempt to curry favor and win them over.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Feng Shaoting was very mild-mannered and his words were full of encouragement and expectations, mostly using official phrases such as "young and promising," "bright future," and "serving the country."

During the conversation, Li Fu responded while glancing around the study, his gaze lingering slightly on the corner to the right of the desk.

There, a man dressed in black stood silently.

This man was thin and stood as straight as a javelin, with an ancient-style longsword hanging at his waist.

He seemed shrouded in a cold shadow, expressionless, his face an unhealthy pale.

What Li Fu was most concerned about was the deathly aura emanating from him. It wasn't a deathly stillness, but a kind of deathly silence and coldness that had experienced countless killings and was soaked in blood.

It was as if the person standing there was not a living person, but a murderous weapon that had killed countless people!

He seemed to shut out all the warmth in the study, creating a cold, isolated space.

"Dead Man's Sword!"

The name immediately came to mind for Li Fu.

During the meal at Huangsha Inn, he mentioned that he was from Qingping County, Yanzhou. When people were discussing the local customs of Yanzhou, they mentioned the prefect of Yanzhou, namely this Lord Feng Shaoting, who was a remarkable figure.

In his youth, he roamed the martial arts world. Although his martial arts skills were not particularly high, he handled people and things properly and had an elegant demeanor, earning him the nickname "Jade-faced Scholar".

Later, he abandoned his military career and entered the civil service, eventually rising to a high position.

He was in charge of a state and wielded immense power. His methods were ruthless, and he had a group of retainers under his command. Among them, two were the most famous and served as his right and left arms.

A man who called himself Mr. Liaoxing was proficient in everything from music, chess, calligraphy, painting, astronomy, geography, toxicology, medicine, feng shui, and divination. His knowledge was so diverse and extensive that it was astonishing.

The other person is known as the Dead Man's Sword. He only knows one sword technique, but his swordsmanship is rumored to be so high that it is terrifying.

Once the sword is drawn, someone will die; it will not return to its sheath until blood is shed.

Dead Man's Sword was Feng Shaoting's bodyguard and his most capable assistant. The two were inseparable, like Feng Shaoting's shadow.

Seeing it today, I can confirm its reputation is well-deserved.

Following Li Fu's calm gaze, Feng Shaoting glanced at the corner, seemingly unsurprised that he had noticed his retainer, and continued to speak encouragingly.

Finally, as if remembering something, he raised his hand and gently patted his forehead, revealing a slight smile.

"Look at me, I was so busy talking that I almost forgot the important matter."

Constable Li arrived just in time; there happened to be a thorny and unresolved case in the government office.

Li Fu was greatly encouraged.

"Please tell me, sir, what case is this?"

Feng Shaoting's smile faded, and a hint of seriousness appeared between his brows.

"Have you heard recently, Officer Li, that a particularly fierce and ruthless lone bandit has emerged in Yanzhou?"

"A master thief?" Li Fu interjected. "There have always been many thieves in the martial arts world who use their lightness skills to scale walls and break into houses to steal valuables."

"good."

Feng Shaoting nodded, his tone suddenly turning cold, "But this person is no ordinary petty thief!"

"Those so-called great thieves of the past, compared to them, are as harmless as cats stealing fish."

This ruthless thief appeared in just over a month, and in a mere thirty days, he committed fourteen shocking robberies!

He is a murderer and robber, and his methods are brutal. No less than fifty or sixty lives have been lost at his hands!

Among the dead were many renowned masters of the martial arts world.

For example, Li Xieqi, known as "Double-Blade Heartbreaker"; Zhang Niangzi, known as "Emei Poisonous Thorn"; Fu Longshu, the chief镖头 (bodyguard) of the "Nine Distant Escort Agency"... these renowned figures all fell at his hands!

Li Fu's eyes narrowed: "Did this person kill them all with his own hands?"

"Exactly," Feng Shaoting said in a deep voice. "According to the compilation of autopsy reports from various sources, the fatal injuries of the deceased are almost identical: their neck bones were snapped instantly by tremendous force, resulting in death in one blow!"

"A chokehold?"

Li Fu felt a slight chill.

He wouldn't be too surprised if it was a fatal blow or a slit cut.

However, ignoring the enemy's attack and casually snapping their throat is often more terrifying than the former.

The fact that he killed people as easily as killing chicks shows that the difference in martial arts skill between the master thief and the martial arts masters he harmed was beyond comprehension.

"If that were all, it would be fine."

A hint of coldness appeared in Feng Shaoting's eyes.

"That despicable madman, after committing a heinous crime and stealing numerous priceless treasures, dared to send a note to the government office three days ago!"

"A note?"

Li Fu raised an eyebrow: "What is his intention?"

Is this a provocation against the government?