Chapter 104: Chapter 72: The Pit of the Dead! Ink Forest Prefecture City!_1
Wang Yun’s expression struggled, for in reality he had no choice at all. If he refused at this moment, he could very well lose his life on the spot. Even if Su Changkong didn’t force him, the Black Lotus Sect wasn’t resolved yet. If they allowed the Black Lotus Sect to expand, his life and wealth would still be at risk. He also hadn’t forgotten how the Black Lotus Sect had threatened his family.
Better to fight than to wait for death!
With this in mind, Wang Yun let out a resigned sigh, but his eyes set with determination. He nodded slowly, “Eliminating the thieves of the Black Lotus Sect is within Wang’s duty! Tomorrow morning, I will summon officials and wealthy families from the regions to officially declare war on the Black Lotus Sect, to uproot them completely!”
Having received a satisfactory answer from Wang Yun, Su Changkong nodded. He stood up, “Lord Wang, I not only detest being betrayed but also disdain those who go back on their word! Remember what you have said; I will be keeping an eye on you!”
After speaking, Su Changkong did not linger; he turned and left the Yamen.
The soldiers and guards along the way did not receive any orders from Wang Yun and one by one stepped aside, allowing Su Changkong to pass through the crowd and disappear into the darkness beyond.
“Someone come! Dispose of the body of this Monster Man from the Black Lotus Sect!”
Sitting in his seat for a long while, Wang Yun took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his face and tidied up his appearance before he gave the order.
Having left the Magistrate Office, Su Changkong made several turns on the road to ensure he wasn’t being followed before returning to the small courtyard where he stayed in Clearwater City.
Once back in the courtyard, Su Changkong finally had the time to clean his wounds thoroughly, applied some golden sore medicine available from any drug store, and bandaged them up.
As a Martial Artist with Body Refinement Great Achievement, Su Changkong’s healing powers meant that such non-fatal wounds would recover within a few days!
“After I get the thirty thousand taels of silver from Wang Yun, I’ll leave Clearwater City,” Su Changkong took a deep breath, rested for half an hour, and then lay down to practice the Turtle Breath Technique to restore his spirit and strength.
Su Changkong didn’t immediately go to Wang Yun for the money the next day but instead cultivated quietly for three days. Once his injuries had completely healed and he was back in peak condition, he went to find Wang Yun.
In those few days, Su Changkong had been keeping an eye on the situation in Clearwater City. The morning after his talk with Wang Yun, the Magistrate Office had posted notices claiming that disciples of the Black Lotus Sect had attempted to assassinate an imperial official, offering a large reward for any information leading to their capture, dead or alive.
Moreover, Wang Yun had summoned the local notables to discuss how to deal with the Black Lotus Sect, asking for contributions of money and manpower.
After all, Wang Yun was the County Magistrate of Clearwater City with an official position. The resources he could mobilize greatly exceeded those of ordinary families and powers. With just a call to arms, forces from all sides would respond.
Originally, Wang Yun only wanted to preserve his status and await retirement with a clean slate. However, recent events left him with no choice but to take a stand and use all his power to fight the Black Lotus Sect!
Su Changkong felt that as long as Wang Yun guaranteed the safety of himself and his family, there was an eight or nine out of ten chance of uprooting the Black Lotus Sect. After all, the Black Lotus Sect’s roots in Clearwater City weren’t too deep. Plus, with Wang Yun claiming the moral high ground and launching a campaign, it was easy to let everyone know that the Black Lotus Sect was an Evil Sect, then gain support and crush them from the ground up!
Three days later, in the morning, Su Changkong went to the Magistrate Office to look for Wang Yun. He hadn’t forgotten about the thirty thousand taels of silver Wang Yun had promised him—it was what he deserved!
“The guards are clearly more than double the usual number…”
Approaching the entrance of the Magistrate Office, Su Changkong noticed that there were many more guards inside than usual. Clearly, having publicly challenged the Black Lotus Sect, Wang Yun had decided to increase the security at the office for fear of his own safety.
“Mr. Wen, Lord Wang had instructed earlier that you may directly see him upon your arrival,” one of the guards greeted Su Changkong respectfully as he approached, speaking out.
Having visited the Magistrate Office on a few occasions before, these guards recognized Su Changkong, and Wang Yun had ordered them to treat him with respect.
“Hmm.”
Su Changkong nodded slightly and entered the Magistrate Office as a guard quickly went ahead to announce his arrival.
Heading to the backyard where Wang Yun resided, Su Changkong saw a man with half-grey hair, robust and tall, sitting quietly. This man radiated a domineering aura.
“Is he… Xu Jin, the head of Iron Cloth Martial Art Academy?”
Su Changkong glanced at the man for a moment longer, identifying him likely as a Martial Artist with Body Refinement Great Achievement. Considering that there were very few such Martial Artists in Clearwater City, Su Changkong quickly connected the dots to his identity as the master of Ink Forest City’s largest Martial Art Academy.
Su Changkong was surprised in his heart that Xu Jin would be in the Magistrate Office, and by his demeanor, it seemed he was there to protect Wang Yun’s safety. Had Wang Yun managed to enlist Xu Jin’s help?
After all, as the head of the largest Martial Art Academy in Clearwater City with hundreds of disciples, Xu Jin was quite wealthy, and not someone who could be hired for a slight amount of money.
However, what Su Changkong did not know was that Xu Jin was guarding Wang Yun free of charge. With Wang Yun’s decision to eliminate the Black Lotus Sect, securing the moral high ground, many people supported him, including Xu Jin. Although he wouldn’t directly confront the Black Lotus Sect, he was staying at the Magistrate Office to prevent Wang Yun from being assassinated by the sect’s experts!
“This man…is an extremely dangerous character! There’s such a master in Clearwater City?”
Xu Jin’s gaze settled on Su Changkong as he too looked solemn, sensing a faintly dangerous aura from Su Changkong.. He was astonished; being one of the top figures in the Martial World of Clearwater City, he had never heard of such a young master!