Immortal Refiner

The stack of bounty notices in Li Qing’s hand represented nearly the entire Jianghu of the Wu Dynasty.

Every Martial Artist with a shred of honor had joined the tide of assassinations targeting the Grassland Tribes, and as time passed, the tide grew even more ferocious.

Many of the Jianghu masters Li Qing had once known now had hefty bounties on their heads.

For example, the Star-Stealing Divine Thief Ning Yuan, though usually carefree and deeply resentful of the Maple Country court, took immense pleasure in dealing with these Grassland Marauders.

Several high-ranking Wu Dynasty officials had already fallen by his hand, and he’d even found an opportunity to strike down a tribal chieftain who had once followed Tuwa Ha’er in conquering the world.

As a result, the bounty on Ning Yuan’s head had skyrocketed to an astonishing 90,000 taels of silver—almost as high as the lowest bounty for a Grandmaster-level expert.

Inner Strength experts were typically valued in units of 10,000 taels, while Grandmasters commanded bounties starting at 100,000 taels.

Fortunately, there were only a handful of Grandmasters in the entire world, so the Marauder court didn’t need to worry about paying out such exorbitant sums.

Of course, Li Qing suspected there might be other reasons behind Ning Yuan’s exorbitant bounty.

Inside the tavern, after listening to the information broker’s account, Li Qing promptly paid him one tael of silver.

Having devoured all the food and wine at the Taoyuan Tavern, the sky gradually darkened.

Walking through the streets, Shengtian’s night market was no longer as bustling as before. Almost every door was tightly shut, and hardly anyone could be seen.

Li Qing, reeking of alcohol, made no attempt to dispel his drunkenness. He let the alcohol seep into his blood, mildly numbing his mind.

”To have cultivated such peerless Martial Arts and not kill a few corrupt officials would be a waste,” he muttered on the street. With a flicker of movement, his entire figure vanished into the shadows.

While he usually preferred a cautious approach, that didn’t mean Li Qing lacked the spirit of a true man.

Prudence and cowardice were two entirely different things!

As long as he didn’t deliberately court death—like trying to single-handedly hold off tens of thousands of soldiers on an open plain—few could easily threaten his life. Especially in the intricate maze of city streets and alleys, with his current Lightness Technique, he could come and go freely wherever he pleased.

Now that his life was secure, Li Qing, having witnessed so much injustice along the way, decided it was time to vent his righteous indignation.

Shengtian was divided into three tiers: the outer city where he had once lived, the Inner City for the wealthy and influential, and finally, the Imperial City at the heart of the city.

Ever since martial artists from the Jianghu began breaking the law, security in the Inner City had become extremely tight, leaving virtually no blind spots.

Every night, a considerable number of guards patrolled or stood watch on every street. Anyone still walking the streets after dark was immediately stopped and interrogated, including their ancestors for eighteen generations.

Of course, for Li Qing now, evading such patrols was merely a minor inconvenience.

With his perfected Shadow-Seeking Footwork and Light Silk Leg Technique, he could move like a phantom, leaving no trace and making no sound.

That night, in Shengtian’s Inner City, a figure seemed to merge with the darkness, the grand and imposing buildings serving as his perfect cover.

Under eaves, along high walls, and across rooftops, he moved with ease, completely undetected by the patrolling guards on the streets below.

The man was none other than Li Qing, who had infiltrated the Inner City under the cover of night. He used his Inner Strength to dispel the effects of the alcohol in his body, keeping his mind sharp and alert.

He felt as if he were playing a real-life stealth assassination game, the thrill intoxicating.

Finally, Li Qing stopped before a mansion adorned with the distinctive totem of a Grassland tribe.

Taking advantage of the moment when the guards on patrol had just turned a corner and the next shift hadn’t yet arrived, he subtly tensed his legs and leaped over the wall with ease.

Landing behind a peculiar rock formation, Li Qing used the large stone as cover to observe the mansion’s layout.

The mansion wasn’t large, making it easy to identify the main residence.

Just as Li Qing prepared to move, he noticed servants carrying exquisitely prepared food toward a rather ordinary room.

He marked the room in his mind and then, under the cover of darkness, scouted the main residence.

As expected, though the main residence was occupied, it was clear that the occupants weren’t the mansion’s true owners.

Interesting. They even knew the principle of having multiple escape routes.

Li Qing smiled and turned toward the ordinary bedroom he had noticed earlier.

As he approached, he could hear low moans coming from within.

Good heavens, they’re making little people!

No wonder they sent such exquisite food so late at night to replenish their strength.

Li Qing muttered to himself, then casually picked up a pebble from the courtyard about the size of a green date.

Standing before the door, Li Qing suddenly surged his Vital Energy, filling his limbs with Internal Strength.

He pushed the door open and, in less than a blink of an eye, shot the pebble from his fingertip. Simultaneously, he lunged forward like a hunting tiger, clamping one hand around the powerful Grassland warrior’s throat.

”Ugh...”

Li Qing’s grip was like an iron clamp, choking the warrior so he couldn’t even make a sound.

”Behave yourself, or I’ll snap your neck right now.”

Hearing the icy tone and feeling the terrifying pressure on his throat, the Grassland warrior didn’t doubt for a moment that Li Qing was capable of killing him.

A martial artist from Maple Country...

Realizing this, his entire body turned cold, and his limbs went limp.

In recent years, the Martial Artists’ infamy had spread across the land. Countless Grassland tribesmen had fallen at their hands.

He never imagined that today it would finally be his turn.

Terror of death surged through his heart, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

The woman beneath him had already been knocked unconscious by Li Qing using pebbles. As an Inner Strength Martial Artist, Li Qing possessed exquisite control over his strength.

”I’ll ask, and you answer. How does that sound?” Li Qing asked with a smile.

The Grassland tribesman nodded vigorously, signaling his willingness to cooperate fully.

”Excellent. Answer me just like this, naked. Honesty is essential for answering questions.”

With that, Li Qing released his grip, yanked him out of the bed, and tossed him onto the floor.

”Martial artist warrior, please spare my life! I’ll do anything you ask!” The Grassland tribesman, utterly devoid of dignity, dropped to his knees.

Having confirmed he was a spineless coward, Li Qing sneered. ”Tell me, on which street and in which mansion does Gao Yudong reside?”

The Grasslands man was taken aback. He had expected Li Qing to ask something more sensitive, but instead, he simply wanted the address of a former Maple Kingdom person?

Although he knew these Maple Kingdom Martial Artists hated the man with the surname Gao, his address wasn’t exactly a secret!

”Hmm?” Li Qing’s gaze turned cold.

”He lives on Pingxing Street in the Inner City. He’s a Vice Minister and has his own mansion. You can find it easily by asking around.”

”Martial warrior, do you have any other questions?”

The Grasslands man looked at Li Qing with pleading eyes, desperate to survive and hoping for mercy.

Unfortunately, Li Qing didn’t want his face remembered by others, nor did he intend to spare his life.

In short, few of the Grasslands people in the city deserved to live.

”No, thank you for your answer.”

With that, Li Qing flashed his perfectly white and even teeth, his smile bright and radiant.

As Li Qing’s words faded, a sharp crack echoed through the room. The Grassland warrior, who had earned military merit for Tuwa Ha’er, died instantly from a dislocated neck, his passing utterly painless.

Having finished his task, Li Qing turned to the unconscious woman he had knocked out. He sighed.

”Ugh, what a hassle.”

With the Grassland warrior dead in the room, the woman was certain to be executed by the next day.

After some thought, Li Qing wrapped her in a blanket and headed for Slender Willow Street.

Without even glancing at her, he simply dropped her off at a random brothel on the street.

What happened after that was beyond his control. He believed he had done all he could with a clear conscience.

”Now, for Gao Yudong.”

Li Qing’s tone turned icy. He had no sympathy for the corrupt official who had embezzled countless silver taels.

He planned to take care of Gao Yudong tonight as well, just to clear his mind.

(End of the Chapter)

📖Read [IR] ahead on Pa.treon@AnubisTL upto c180. [+2].

🎁All [3] Novels can be accessed for just $6/mo.

🔥Translated [600] Chapters and [1.05M+] Words.

🔔 Become a member before 8 August to enjoy 50% off. Just $3