Chương 54: Silver Hidden in the Back Passage, the Art of Invoking the Divine

Rain poured relentlessly through the night. Su Zhe vaulted over the towering walls of the Artisan Hall of the Blacksmiths' Guild and disappeared into the storm.

"The Blood Refinement Cult has occupied Yandang Mountain for years," he mused.

"But recently, they've become far bolder, acting with almost no concern for being exposed."

"The Treasurer of Lu County has overseen the county treasury for more than a decade. Until now, he'd siphoned off money with remarkable subtlety and had never been discovered."

"Yet lately... he's become impatient." As Su Zhe strode through the rain, he pieced together everything he'd learned from the man's memories. The county treasurer had secretly gathered the treasury clerks under his command, indoctrinating them into the Blood Refinement Cult while teaching them martial arts. Then, every day as government silver was deposited into the treasury, the clerks used a unique technique to embezzle part of it without anyone noticing.

For every ten taels of silver that entered the vault, one tael disappeared. A simple rule: Ten in, one out. What truly astonished Su Zhe, however, wasn't the theft itself—it was how they did it. Every shipment of silver was personally counted by the county magistrate's deputy before being escorted into the vault. Once the clerks finished transporting it, they were stripped and thoroughly searched to prevent smuggling. Ordinary concealment was impossible.

But the entire treasury department had long since been infiltrated by the Blood Refinement Cult. The treasurer had taught his subordinates a bizarre martial art known as the Gecko Contraction Art. Among themselves, they jokingly called it...

"The Silver-Hiding Back Passage Technique." The technique allowed practitioners to store objects inside their bodies. At higher levels, even an invasive cavity search wouldn't reveal anything hidden within.

"... What a genius." Su Zhe couldn't help admiring the sheer creativity. Even corruption required innovation. A technique this profitable—and utterly unrivaled—deserved a certain reluctant respect. Swallowing silver or gold wasn't an option. The toxic metals could kill even a martial artist with insufficient cultivation. By comparison... Well. Training one's sphincter seemed the healthier choice. Fortunately, Su Zhe wasn't bothered by the origin of the stolen money.

Official silver and gold were all stamped with imperial seals. To spend the loot without attracting suspicion, the treasurer had long ago melted everything down and recast it into unmarked ingots. Outside Lu County, in a small farmhouse...

"Speak!" A short, sinister-looking middle-aged man seized an elderly farmer by the collar.

"Where did you put my Dark Sickle?" His once-neat official robes were now in tatters. Blood stained the dark green fabric. Fresh cuts overlapped old wounds, leaving his body covered in gruesome scars. The old man trembled in terror.

"M-My lord... I didn't know you were hiding in the woodshed..."

"The sickle... you mean that sickle?"

"I sold it this morning..."

"H-Here's the money... I sold it together with some hoes and other farm tools..." Shaking violently, the old farmer produced a pouch containing one hundred and fifty copper coins. One hundred and fifty copper coins? Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. One hundred and fifty?! The treasurer's vision went black. He nearly cursed aloud. That was a Fourth-Rank Spirit Weapon! There probably wasn't another one like it in all of Lu County.

Even a peak Third-Rank mortal weapon fetched over ten taels of gold on the black market. A Fourth-Rank Spirit Weapon, engraved with spiritual patterns... Was worth at least fifty taels of gold, if not more.

"Pff!" Unable to contain himself, he spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward.

"Grandpa!" A girl of about fourteen screamed in fright, her face turning deathly pale as she rushed into the old man's arms.

"It's alright... don't be afraid, Yadan..." The old farmer gently comforted his granddaughter before nervously asking,"M-My lord... are... are you alright?"

"I truly didn't mean it... please forgive me..." The treasurer slowly steadied his breathing. The weapon had been sold during the county fair inside Lu County. According to the old man, the buyer had been a richly dressed young noble. But the farmer's memory was poor. He couldn't describe the man's appearance in any detail. There were countless wealthy families in Lu County. How was he supposed to find one young master among them? Damn it! A Fourth-Rank Spirit Weapon...

Originally, even if his identity had been exposed, years of embezzled wealth would have earned him a generous reward upon returning to the Blood Refinement Cult on Yandang Mountain. Instead... He'd be lucky if the Cult Master merely cursed him.

"It's fine... it's fine." The treasurer sighed and waved dismissively.

"You didn't know."

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you!" The old farmer nearly cried with relief. What incredible luck today! First he'd met a foolish young noble willing to overpay for old farm tools. Now he'd encountered such a merciful official.

"Hm." The treasurer smiled.

"Just remember..."

"Be more careful in your next life." His expression instantly turned ice cold. With a casual flick of his hand, crimson inner energy surged to his fingertips. Bloody light extended from his fingers like razor-sharp blades. Slash! The old farmer froze. His eyes widened in absolute horror. Thud. His head rolled onto the floor.

"Grandpa..." Yadan stood frozen. It felt as though lightning had exploded inside her mind. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't scream. Couldn't even cry. When disaster strikes without warning, the mind simply stops. She stared blankly at her grandfather's headless corpse. The only family she had left... Was gone. Gone forever.

"That bastard Captain Wang..." The treasurer cursed through gritted teeth.

"He forced me into this mess."

"I've bribed that dog for years. What a waste!" Killing the old farmer had been no more difficult than crushing a chick beneath his foot. But the humiliation he'd suffered at Captain Wang's hands continued to fuel his rage. He turned toward the dazed girl.

"It's only your grandfather who died."

"Come here."

"Help me blow off some steam."

"If you still need a grandfather afterward..."

"You can call me Grandpa." He reached out and violently tore open Yadan's clothes. In this era, girls often married young. At fourteen or fifteen, Yadan was already considered old enough to wed. Right now, the treasurer only wanted an outlet for his fury. Yadan remained motionless, tears streaming silently down her face. She looked like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Whoosh! A steel trident tore through the night. The cold point arrived first, followed by a flash of silver.

"Who's there?!" The piercing whistle instantly sent chills down the treasurer's spine. Every hair on his body stood on end. Danger! He twisted his body sideways just in time. The Blackwater Steel Trident grazed his shoulder. Violent inner energy exploded on impact, tearing away a fist-sized chunk of flesh. What a pity... Su Zhe thought. The treasurer retreated rapidly before raising his head. Standing before him was a broad-shouldered man wearing a shark mask.

"Mad Shark?!"

"What are you doing here?!" As Lu County's treasurer, he naturally recognized the infamous King of the River Bandits. Although Su Zhe's ambush hadn't killed him, it had worsened his already serious injuries.

"Peak Third Rank..." Su Zhe judged.

"Normally I'd be confident of defeating him, but stopping him from escaping would be difficult."

"Fortunately, he's already badly wounded."

"Strike while he's weak." Without saying a word, Su Zhe's trident vanished. In its place appeared the Dark Sickle in his left hand... And a massive forging hammer in his right. Boom! The hammer descended with overwhelming force. The strength of one flood dragon, three tigers, and fourteen oxen erupted at once. The wind pressure alone shook the entire farmhouse. The treasurer's face changed dramatically. He hastily grabbed a woodcutter's cleaver to block. Crunch!

The enormous impact sent another mouthful of blood spraying from his lips. His organs churned violently.

"W-What monstrous strength..." he gasped in horror. Mad Shark's cultivation fell to Early Third Rank... No... That's the Savage Ox Hammer Art! Since when did Mad Shark know the Blacksmiths' Guild's techniques? The cleaver in his hand had already twisted into a useless spiral. Before he could think further— A silent crescent flashed through the darkness. The Dark Sickle slashed across his abdomen. Rip! Blood gushed out. Even his intestines spilled onto the ground.

"Break!" Suppressing the unbearable pain, the treasurer thrust both palms forward. The tremendous force forced Su Zhe back several steps. The treasurer's eyes were bloodshot. Damn it! The wound is infused with the baleful aura of the Tiger Fiend Saber Art! This isn't Mad Shark! And that was the Shadow Mantis Slaughter Technique! Who could possibly master both the Savage Ox Hammer Art and the Tiger Fiend Saber Art to perfection? His face went pale. Then it hit him. Only one person matched that description.

The Blacksmiths' Guild's rising prodigy— The young genius who had reportedly mastered all three of the guild's signature martial arts to perfection... At only... Sixteen years old.

"You're... Su—" His face turned deathly white. Before he could finish speaking, Su Zhe attacked again, cutting him off. The treasurer's soul nearly left his body. How could he possibly defeat this monster? Retreating frantically, he formed hand seals with both hands while stomping his right foot. He began chanting an incantation.

"Heaven above, Earth below. Blood Refinement Divine Lord, descend at once. Let the immortal gate open and divine light appear. Possess my body and grant me your power. Blood Refinement Divine Lord, reveal your divine might! By sacred decree—possess me!" Crash! He stumbled backward, knocking over pots, bowls, and utensils. A crimson glow slowly spread through his eyes. Su Zhe met his gaze with cold indifference. Suddenly— His mind trembled.