Top of Hongyan Tower.

Zhang Rongfang watched as the second person was dragged up.

This time it was a tall, thin middle-aged man, covered in scars, silent, his eyes holding a special spirit.

Like a burning flame, releasing bright light.

His eyes at this moment were as bright.

"Kill us, kill us all, more will emerge... you can't kill us all! You can't kill us all..."

Slash!

Zhang Rongfang did not hesitate, slicing with his blade, the head falling to the ground.

Next came the third, fourth.....

Those captured were all key figures in the Righteous Alliance, none begged for mercy, none struggled.

All looked at Zhang Rongfang with piercingly bright eyes, also observing everything below the tower.

Those glaringly bright gazes made Zhang Rongfang's heart sink deeper in silence.

He said nothing, and continued the executions silently.

Soon, the first batch lay in pools of blood.

"Bring up the second batch." Shang Dingye glanced at Zhang Rongfang, and shouted.

His focus was always on Zhang Rongfang, trying to observe every subtle emotion, every detail in his expression.

He firmly believed that Zhang Rongfang was absolutely linked to the Righteous Alliance.

Zhang Rongfang did not look at him, calmly holding the bloodstained knife, standing to the side. Silently watching the slowly escorted second batch of prisoners.

The second batch totaled twelve people.

They gradually came out from the entrance.

"This batch are individuals from the Business Alliance in Ning'an Prefecture, if not for our informant's tip-off, no one would have imagined that these wealthy merchants were part of the Righteous Alliance." Shang Dingye explained while closely observing Zhang Rongfang.

If the opponent had any slight emotional fluctuation, he could quickly seize the flaw, find their weakness! 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Previously he stumbled once, as he didn't look squarely at the opponent, too complacent.

But as a Grandmaster, he would never make the same mistake twice.

Thus....

This time, he would completely ruin this disciple of Yue Dewen!

One prisoner after another was escorted up, until the last woman, Zhang Rongfang confirmed there was no Zhang Xuan among them, his heart slightly relaxed.

Yet his expression remained unchanged, continuing to maintain his previous iciness.

"Second round of executions! Begin! First one!"

The overseer shouted loudly from the side, a signal was given to the base of the tower to synchronize the propaganda against the prisoners.

This time, the first to come up was a little boy not even as tall as Zhang Rongfang's thigh.

He seemed very calm. There was not even a hint of fear in his eyes.

Pushed up, Zhang Rongfang silently watched the child, the boy was probably only seven or eight years old.

Clear eyebrows and bright eyes, fair-skinned, looked of good lineage.

"Uncle, could you chop faster later, I'm a bit afraid of the pain." The boy, after kneeling, suddenly turned back and gave Zhang Rongfang a smile.

That smile was natural, like the request of a polite neighborhood child making a small request.

He did not seem afraid.

Really unafraid.

Zhang Rongfang's hand with the knife paused.

"Are you not afraid?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Not really. Mainly can't live on anymore," the boy smiled, "Living is tiring, maybe in death I can see grandma, see my parents. And sister...."

His smile grew even brighter.

"I promised them I wouldn't disgrace the Qin family."

"Start the execution!" The overseer shouted loudly after receiving the flag signal from below the tower.

Zhang Rongfang was silent, he detested this.

Detested meaningless slaughter.

Like now.

"Alright, I'll try to be quick," he softly replied.

"Thank you, uncle." The boy beamed a radiant smile.

"Perhaps then, after going down, the wound can be sewn with needle and thread, not look ugly then....."

Slash!

A flash of the blade.

The boy fell to the ground, indeed the head did not separate from the body directly, only a red line on the neck slowly seeped blood.

"Don't let the chaos of the rebels cloud your mind," the worried warning came from Ning Hongli behind him.

"I understand, senior Hongli." Zhang Rongfang nodded slightly.

He understood Shang Dingye's tactics.

Even if his loved ones were not here, as the executioner, he had personally killed so many of the Righteous Alliance's backbone.

No matter what, he would become a thorn in the eyes of the Righteous Alliance.

"Second one."

Soon, the prisoners were brought up one by one.

Like the first batch, each was silent, with only extremely bright eyes.

They seemed to be searching for something below the tower, occasionally some revealed gratified smiles. No one knew what they were smiling about.

But everyone knew, they were not afraid of death.

The second batch was soon fully executed.

Then came the third batch.

Zhang Rongfang's gaze fixed on the ten of the third batch, slowly ascending the stairs.

He seriously scanned each person's face.

Until the last one.

Nothing!

His heart exhaled heavily.

Thankfully not his master and them.

This third batch, also the final one, seemed to have higher status and position than the previous two batches.

Most of them are solidly built and have signs of practicing martial arts.

These days, if a family can afford to have their children study martial arts, their situation is not bad.

After all, except for the military and the court, it's extremely costly for an average household to produce a martial artist of any rank.

"Do you all believe you're dying a meaningful death?"

Watching the first of the third batch, an elderly man with white hair, about to be sent forward for execution.

Shangguan Feihua slowly began to speak.

"It's a pity... You regard the Righteous Alliance too highly... They're merely using you. The so-called Righteous Alliance is nothing more than a bunch of selfish, self-interested pests that stir up turmoil everywhere to gain more benefits."

"So what?" The old man's expression remains unchanged. "From the beginning, we knew that relying solely on ourselves, it was impossible to accomplish anything great. You monsters must necessarily be dealt with by monsters."

"Monsters? Hahaha..." Shangguan Feihua stood up, "We are celestial soldiers! If it weren't for your turmoil, how could so many towns have ended up in such a state!?"

He spread his arms wide.

"Our Great Spirit is unprecedented in territory, the country's power is the strongest in history, even the previously weak navy has rapidly strengthened and expanded.

And once the West Yi was so powerful on the Helan Sea, but now?"

His expression turned cold.

"In such a vast and magnificent era, it is precisely the time for us to be immortalized in history, to make great achievements, to expand territories, and to be titled as kings and marquises.

But you!"

He pointed his finger at the old man.

"What have you done?"

"The Spirit Court regards all people as dogs and pigs, we Spirit People and Huxi people have endured for a long time, being superior to other races. How many people have had their lands seized under unfounded accusations.

How many people have had to sell their sons and daughters because they can't survive!

How many people have sought a mere sliver of fairness and justice, only to be oppressed and murdered by the Spirit People?"

The old man raised his head and laughed heartily.

"We can hardly live anymore. One way or another, death is certain, so we might as well do what we want and not take that damned humiliation!"

"Absurd!" shouted Shangguan Feihua angrily, "Great Spirit is wealthy and powerful, plundering countless resources from abroad. Even remote places can share a mass of various seafood and have plenty of foreign laborers for menial work, how could you, even as the lowest barbarians, not survive!?"

"Are those ours?" the old man retorted.

"Look around at the fields surrounding Ning'an Prefecture, how many are still owned by us commoners?" He revealed a smile filled with sarcasm.

Land annexation!

Zhang Rongfang hearing this, suddenly understood the crucial point of the issue.

When commoners lose their land, they have no choice but to rent land from big landowners, coupled with various oppressive taxes and occasional corvée labor from the court.

It's difficult to feed themselves throughout the year...

Keep in mind that corvée labor can be deadly, and laborers must bring their own food and drink, as the court does not provide accommodation, clothing, food, or transportation, not even compensation.

Spirit People and Huxi people are exempt from corvée labor and can avoid taxes through various religions and other means.

But the lower-class truly has no way...

Looking at the old man's eyes, burning like flames, Zhang Rongfang suddenly understood.

"Execute!" Shangguan Feihua shouted angrily.

Slash!

Zhang Rongfang swung his blade, slicing across the old man's neck.

Until his death, the old man maintained the same mocking expression as before.

One after another, people were continuously executed.

Zhang Rongfang remained silent, and behind him, Shangguan Feihua's face was also frighteningly grim.

Soon, the last person was killed.

Zhang Rongfang put down his saber and exhaled deeply.

In front of him, the stretch of ground was already soaked with fresh blood.

The blood below had just solidified, and new fresh blood covered it.

"Today's execution ends," the supervisor shouted loudly.

"Wait!"

Suddenly, Shang Dingye shouted lowly, interrupting the supervisor's voice.

"I have a few more here, who are just captured Righteous Alliance rebels. Cut them down together."

He locked his gaze tightly on Zhang Rongfang, seeming to wait and see if his emotions would fluctuate.

Zhang Rongfang was shocked, staring intently at this person.

Unexpectedly, at such a critical moment, this guy caused such a change.

"Alright," Shangguan Feihua replied, seemingly still preoccupied with his earlier conversation with the old man.

Soon.

Three more people were brought up one after another.

These three had long hair covering their faces, and none of them were big or strong.

Zhang Rongfang's heart tightened as he constantly watched the three's figures and faces. He didn't know what he would do if he really encountered his master among them.

But at this moment, he only hoped not to encounter them!

"First one, start!"

The supervisor shouted loudly.

Then, the basic deeds of this prisoner were slowly recounted.

Fortunately, Zhang Rongfang understood after listening to the first half that this person was not one of his master's three.

Immediately, he swiftly beheaded this person cleanly.

Next was the second person.

The third person.....

Fortunately, none of the three...

"Execution complete!"

With a loud command, the executions at Hongyan Tower finally concluded completely.

This time, Zhang Rongfang was thoroughly relieved.

He sheathed his sword and seriously stared at Shang Dingye before leaving.

Shang Dingye sneered, utterly indifferent; if it weren't for Shangguan Feihua's presence, he could crush this kid with one slap.

Everyone dispersed, each granted a few days off to rest.

As the primary executor, Zhang Rongfang was granted a few extra days off.

Ning'an Prefecture, as the last stop, announced the official end of this raid and slaughter operation.

While relieved, Zhang Rongfang also felt genuine disgust towards Shang Dingye.