Wang Quan glanced at the head on the ground, then looked at the headless corpse still twitching randomly, and moved back two steps to avoid getting blood on his pants.

Aiming his phone's camera at the deceased's bewildered expression, he called for support from the Celestial Secret System: "Celestial Secret, scan the suspect's facial features and confirm his identity for me."

"Identity confirmed, deceased Zhang Tonggang, disciple of the Golden Swallow Sect martial arts school, age 29..."

After reading it, Wang Quan frowned, sensing something unusual.

Ye Qingzhou pulled out a tissue to wipe the blood off his fingertips, and seeing Wang Quan in distress, curiously asked: "What's wrong, Old Wang, did your wife cheat on you?"

"Get lost."

Wang Quan glared at Ye Qingzhou, and then sent Zhang Tonggang's identity information to Ye Qingzhou.

"Hmm? This guy was just a Martial Arts Apprentice three months ago, and now he's directly become a Martial Arts Master? And he hasn't gone to the Martial Arts Association for registration."

It's been a full ten minutes since Ye Qingzhou cut off Zhang Tonggang's head, and it is still struggling. This clearly indicates a strong life force, characteristic of the physical strength of a Martial Arts Master.

Such rapid progress is evidently abnormal.

Additionally, the Martial Arts Association in the Dongji Kingdom strictly manages martial artists. Experts from various schools, particularly those at the Professional Level and above, must register with the association, or it is against the law.

Their failure to register is the biggest issue.

"Is this Golden Swallow Sect a powerful martial arts school? How come I've never heard of it?"

Ye Qingzhou put down his phone and looked at Wang Quan.

Wang Quan lit a cigarette and, exhaling smoke rings, said: "Golden Swallow Sect is one of the 'Four Nine Sects.' After the previous dynasty fell, the so-called experts of the imperial palace flowed into the populace, creating nine martial arts schools. They're quite rule-bound and pompous but are considered a marginal force in the Martial Arts World."

Ye Qingzhou instantly understood: "So they're a bunch of outdated oldsters."

"Don't act recklessly, the Four Nine Sects still have some connections, and Imperial City is the foremost place in the nation..."

Wang Quan, seeing Ye Qingzhou's murderous intent, became a bit anxious and instinctively tried to stop him: "Leave this matter to me to handle."

"Can you really manage the intricate connections within the Four Nine Sects?"

Ye Qingzhou shook his head: "Let's have me handle it. A quick solution to a complex problem. Since they've dared to provoke me, it shows they've already put their life and death aside. In that case, I'll personally send them to their graves."

Having reached the Martial Saint Realm, Ye Qingzhou now held nothing sacred. A group of petty fools, regardless of any backing or background, he would kill as needed.

In the past, when Zhangg Xinwu stormed Imperial City, Celestial Street shattered the bones of nobles, spilling the Coexistence Faction's blood rivers, nothing happened in the end, right?

Seeing this, Wang Quan could only sigh silently in his heart. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Gu Minghui had placed him with Ye Qingzhou precisely to prevent such incidents, yet they happened anyway. It's entirely those people's fault for courting death.

...

In the June weather, the scorching sun made summer incredibly hot and sweaty.

At a quarter past two in the afternoon.

Imperial City, West District.

In Heaven's Choice Sect headquarters, a medium-sized martial arts dojo.

The area is trapezoidal, with the front being smaller than the back. Part is new brick-and-tile construction, part is older wooden structures. On the training grounds.

Dozens of teenagers in dark blue training uniforms were practicing boxing, quite methodically.

Under the shade of several large trees surrounding the area, instructors in black and blue combat uniforms moved around, supervising everyone's cultivation.

Each of these instructors had cultivation above Professional Sixth Rank, clearly indicating Heaven's Choice Sect's martial arts courses have very strong teaching resources.

In the current Martial Arts World of the Dongji Kingdom, Grandmaster Level is essentially the equal of a provincial official, whereas a Master Level Martial Artist would be an honored guest among the upper class in any city.

Thus, a Professional Level Martial Artist giving classes is more than enough to attract many middle-class families.

However, today at Heaven's Choice Sect, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Near the doorway, a teenage boy seemed distracted, occasionally glancing at the entrance, his movements a bit off.

"Yangg Ming, focus, no slacking!"

The instructor's voice rang out from behind, and Yangg Ming's head was smacked, scaring him into quick focus.

The time ticked by, and the hand of the clock just touched three.

Knock, knock, knock~

On time, knocking sounded from outside the wooden door.

Then a young man's voice came from outside: "Four Nine Sects, Gao Fuxin from Golden Swallow Sect, here to pay a visit."

Immediately, all the Heaven's Choice Sect disciples' movements stopped.

They glanced at each other, appearing flustered, with a few couldn't resist muttering under their breath: "Here they come again, every day at three in the afternoon..."

"Will there be no end to this? It's been over half a month already..."

"Why does Golden Swallow Sect keep challenging our dojo every day? The visitors are always different, what exactly do they want? We're both from Four Nine Sects, is it necessary to be so ruthless?"

"Rumor has it Golden Swallow Sect's power has greatly increased, trying to unify the Four Nine Sects."

Listening to the disciples' discussion, the Heaven's Choice Sect instructor beside them also sighed.

In the past two months, underground currents have been inching through martial arts schools in Imperial City, especially Golden Swallow Sect, frequently sending people to challenge Heaven's Choice Sect, ostensibly for an exchange.

But in reality, they're exerting extreme pressure.

Originally, everyone belonged to third-tier sects, with only the Sect Leader at Master Level, and all others at Professional Level or as Martial Arts Apprentices.

But Golden Swallow Sect rose quickly, their Sect Leader advancing to Grandmaster Level, and five core disciples all becoming Martial Arts Masters. Heaven's Choice Sect was no longer an opponent, and after the Sect Leader's defeat, naturally faced total defeat, not winning once against them.