Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Meridian Unlocking Realm Middle Stage Expert! Monitored Upon Entering the County!

An Hengying waved his hand, signaling for the executions to proceed.

Immediately, the executioners wielding their broad blades swung down—the heads of over two hundred people fell to the ground.

These people were arrested in the morning, and by noon all were put to death, without even an interrogation. No one knew whether someone wanted to silence them, whether Inspector General Zhou Xi was eager to claim merit, or perhaps both.

"Zhou Xi." An Hengying, seeing the Wan Family annihilated, let his gaze flicker slightly, his voice deep as he spoke.

"Your subordinate is here."

"The Black Wind Stronghold has troubled the region—burning, killing, looting, committing every crime imaginable." His voice wasn’t loud, yet everyone at the execution ground could hear him clearly.

"I grant you three days’ time—encircle and exterminate them, leave none alive!"

"Your subordinate accepts the order!"

A hint of delight flashed in Zhou Xi’s eyes.

The reason Black Wind Stronghold had repeatedly repelled attacks was partly its complex, defensible terrain—but mainly the strength of its Village Chief, Black Pockmarks.

But now, Black Pockmarks was already dead—Black Wind Stronghold was just an unprotected merit waiting to be claimed.

After giving his orders, An Hengying left the execution ground.

He first arrived at a deserted place, took out skins and black clothes as if preparing a disguise.

When night fell, a black shadow slipped out from there, heading straight out of the city.

The shadow sped along, and when it reappeared, it was already inside Black Wind Stronghold.

After burning fiercely for a day and a night, the flames had mostly died down.

Now, all that remained of Black Wind Stronghold were scorched, collapsed ruins, the air heavy with black ash and the stench of char.

An Hengying stood at the entrance of the stronghold, his face extremely unsightly.

The suppression forces from Xirong County hadn’t even arrived—how had Black Wind Stronghold ended up like this?

Could it have been an accidental fire?

He flashed into the stronghold.

Everywhere were scattered severed arms and remnants, some burned, some miraculously preserved.

Not a single survivor!

This was no accident!

Someone had wiped out Black Wind Stronghold!

But who could destroy Black Wind Stronghold?!

Others might not know, but he was crystal clear on the situation in the stronghold.

Black Pockmarks might be dead, but the sect had arranged for someone even mightier, Wang Meng, to hold the fort.

Wang Meng had already nurtured two internal organs—there were very few in all of Xirong County with that kind of power. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

And adding Black Wind Stronghold’s advantageous location and over a thousand bandits, even a late or perfected Refining Organ martial artist would be hard-pressed to gain the upper hand.

His order to the Imperial Examination Hall to wipe out Black Wind Stronghold was mere show; with Zhou Xi’s strength, it was impossible to take the place down.

Yet now...

"Could it be... Yan Huan?!"

An Hengying’s gaze narrowed, as if he’d thought of something.

He strode quickly towards the depths of Black Wind Stronghold.

The dungeon entrance.

"There are obvious signs of fighting here..."

An Hengying followed the traces, brows knitted tightly. He paused, then dove into the dungeon.

"The iron chains are broken—Yan Huan is gone!"

An Hengying’s expression changed drastically.

Panic and dread surged in his heart.

He moved to Wang Meng’s shriveled corpse, checking warily.

A moment later, An Hengying appeared at the dungeon entrance again, his heart beating like a war drum.

Black Wind Stronghold annihilated... Wang Meng dead... Yan Huan escaped...

A blood arrow shot up into the sky.

Who was Yan Huan?

Even the Sect Leader dreaded him.

Back then, the sect had exhausted countless resources to capture this man, stripping away ninety percent of his vitality, secretly shackling him here.

Yet now... such a dangerous figure had escaped—he had to report this at once.

After sending the blood arrow, An Hengying didn’t leave, but instead followed the traces of battle in pursuit.

Black Wind Stronghold was his responsibility—Yan Huan’s escape, his direct failure.

If he didn’t find something useful, he’d likely suffer severe punishment from the sect.

Not long after leaving the stronghold, An Hengying suddenly halted his steps.

"The ground here is a mess—it looks like there was an explosion..."

He landed, picking up a shattered object.

"The lingering aura on this bone shard..."

"Yan Huan!"

He picked up another fragment of black fabric—a different aura.

"There was a fourth person!"

An Hengying had originally thought a powerful expert had broken into Black Wind Stronghold and rescued Yan Huan—otherwise, Yan Huan couldn’t have escaped.

But the evidence suggested that besides the rescuer, there was a fourth party—and seemingly, just one person.

Yan Huan had fought this mysterious person fiercely.

After searching for a while, he found more bits of flesh and bone, all bearing the same aura—they were from Yan Huan, the result of exploded arms.

"Yan Huan’s arm was blown apart by the mysterious expert?!"

The revelation made An Hengying’s heart seize violently.

Wang Meng’s corpse, withered as it was, likely meant Yan Huan had drained all his Qi Blood.

And those eight Collar Chain Profound Iron Chains—even a perfected Refining Organ practitioner couldn’t break them.

Combining the traces at the scene, the combatants’ strength couldn’t have been below the Meridian Unlocking Realm.

And not just at the initial stage.

The other person had forced Yan Huan’s arm to explode—how powerful must that person be?

Middle stage of Meridian Unlocking?

When did Xirong County gain such a top-tier master?

"Could it be Xiang Yue, Commander of the Tiger Armor Army?"

An Hengying’s expression grew ever more uncertain.

There were only a handful of martial artists above late Refining Organ stage in all Xirong County; as for Meridian Unlocking, fewer than five—each one was famous or wholly devoted to cultivation, rarely showing themselves.

"It shouldn’t be Xiang Yue—the Tiger Armor Army is about to attack the Nine Hordes Kingdom, it’s unlikely he’d make time for this..."

"The traces don’t resemble the Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique, either..."

An Hengying searched a while longer, reviewing every expert he knew—nothing matched.

"An outsider?"

"No, I must report this to Lord Blood Servant in person."

"..."

...

At dusk, the setting sun bathed Cangmu in crimson glow.

"Lord Shen, Lord Ye, Commander Meng, Lord Chu—Gentlemen, you’ve finally arrived."

At the gates of Jingyan County, two men in official’s robes and black hats saw Chu Ming’s party approaching and hurried out to meet them.

Behind them stood dozens of armed Arresting Captains, much like those from the Criminal Defense Bureau.

Shen Yu, seated inside the carriage, made no move to alight; peering out through a gap in the curtains, he whispered to Chu Ming:

"The one who looks about my age is Lv Wen, County Magistrate of Jingyan County—he’s from the same Lv Family as Merit Officer Goong, Lv Jinhui."

"The sharp-looking one at his side is Zhou Xun, County Magistrate of Jingyan County, from the Zhou Family."

There were many noble clans in Xirong County—An, Zhou, Lv, and the like.

Many county and city officials came from these powerful families.

Chu Ming nodded slightly.

Back in Baiyuan County, Feng Yuan had already filled him in on these two.

He lifted the curtain and stepped down, bowing in greeting to them both.

"You must be Lord Chu—your aura is extraordinary, truly outstanding..."

Lv Wen, County Magistrate of Jingyan County, showered Chu Ming with enthusiastic praise.

"You gentlemen must have had a hard journey—I’ve prepared a banquet in Jingshang Tower to welcome you and wash away the dust."

"Jingshang Tower’s Flower Fairy Brew was once praised even by His Majesty..."

Lv Wen personally led the way, ushering Chu Ming’s team and their carriage into the city.

Seated in the carriage, Chu Ming scanned both sides of the street.

Shops lined the way; even at dusk, plenty of pedestrians thronged the street—Jingyan County seemed livelier than Baiyuan.

Yet something triggered his suspicion.

The townspeople’s eyes were... off.

Avoidant, almost as if hiding something.

He extended his Sword Gourd Spirit, enveloping several nearby streets—the gossip of Jingyan’s townsfolk filtered into his ears.

"Pah! ’Xirong County’s top scholar’—I say he’s just another corrupt official, or why would he come here to Jingyan?"