Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 35 I've been waiting for you for a long time!
On the 16th day of the 10th month of the 7th year of the Mingjing reign of the Daqian Dynasty, at night.

A north wind swept across the empty drill ground, bringing with it a chilling, desolate atmosphere. It was the time for the rotation of soldiers in the North City Military Camp, and the vast camp appeared exceptionally deserted, with only a few scattered squads of soldiers patrolling in the distance with lanterns; the scene was sparsely populated.

Inside the government office, candlelight flickered.

Chen Sheng stood firmly, assuming the "Mysterious Cover Stance," his blood and qi flowing slowly throughout his body, his muscles and bones emitting a faint hum. Since annihilating the Seven Star Gang eight days ago and obtaining that drop of Earth Spirit Milk, he had completely refined this spiritual treasure.

The harvest was enormous.

Although his other cultivation techniques progressed steadily, his core cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, approaching the peak of the Bone Forging Realm and even faintly touching the threshold of the next realm, "Marrow Transformation."

[Basic knife skills perfected (246/2000)]

[Mastery of the Golden Bell Body Forging Method (930/1000)]

[The Secret Technique of Fishing for Toads (Minor Success) (45/500)]

[Minor Mastery of the Three Ultimate Demon-Slaying Sword Techniques (337/500)]

Chen Sheng was quite satisfied as his gaze swept over the clear panel in his mind.

The Marrow Transformation Realm!
If he can successfully break through, his cultivation level will be on par with Wu Kuang's, and he will be able to rank among the top experts in the entire Changshan County.

At that time, as long as he doesn't encounter a Xiantian expert, he will at least have the confidence to maneuver and protect himself against any opponent in the Foundation Establishment realm. His days of tireless and diligent cultivation have finally paid off.

However, at this moment, Chen Sheng slowly withdrew from his stance and detached himself from his cultivation state.

On one hand, his Earth Spirit Milk was exhausted, and although he still had the support of the high-grade Tiger Bone Pill provided by Wu Kuang, his cultivation speed was ultimately much slower than before. On the other hand, it was because the "guest" he was waiting for should be arriving soon.

……

The night wind was bleak, making the window frames of the government office rattle.

In the shadows at the edge of the camp, a figure dressed in jet-black night clothes appeared silently like a ghost.

His gaze was sinister, like a venomous snake eyeing its prey, fixed firmly on the brightly lit government office not far away.

The "Bone-Melting Hand" Li Huaisheng's cracked lips curled into a cruel smile.

Torture and kill these promising young talents, so-called "prodigies," is one of the few sources of pleasure in his desolate life.

He especially admired the look in their eyes before they died, a look that shifted from shock to despair, filled with resentment and bitterness; for him, that was a great source of spiritual comfort.

His figure swayed, disappearing into the night like a wisp of smoke, his aura concealed almost perfectly.

In a few leaps and bounds, they had already sneaked to the window of the government office.

Through the silhouette on the window paper, he could clearly see a young man in loose-fitting training clothes exercising indoors.

Target confirmed—Chen Sheng, commander of the Northern City Military Camp!

Beneath the black robe, a withered hand, resembling a ghostly claw, slowly emerged, its fingers holding three fine, hair-like poison needles that gleamed with a chilling green light.

It's now!

A sinister smile flashed across Li Huaisheng's face. Without further hesitation, he suddenly sprang into action!
With a loud "boom", the heavy wooden door of the government office was smashed into pieces by his palm strike containing his inner energy!
Amidst the flying sawdust, three poisoned needles, like snakes flicking their tongues, shot in a triangular formation toward the vital points of the people inside the house!
At the same time, he lunged into the house like an arrow released from a bow, his five fingers forming claws, his black, sharp nails carrying a stench, aimed straight for Chen Sheng's throat.

This combination of sneak attacks, hidden weapons, and strong offensives is swift, ruthless, and seamlessly integrated.

In Li Huaisheng's calculations, faced with such a sudden and continuous series of deadly moves, even if Chen Sheng was highly talented, he would have no chance to resist in such a hurry.

If his poisonous claws manage to scratch even the slightest bit of skin, the deadly poison will instantly corrode the meridians, leaving the victim severely wounded even if they don't die. He can kill them with ease.

however--

Just as the poisoned needles pierced the air and arrived, Chen Sheng, who had seemed to be immersed in cultivation, suddenly moved as if he had foreseen the future.

Without even glancing at it, he casually grabbed a thick black cloth from the table next to him, flicked his wrist, and rolled it up, precisely wrapping all three poisoned needles inside. His movements were fluid and effortless, without the slightest hint of haste.
Facing Li Huaisheng's subsequent fierce claw attacks, Chen Sheng showed no fear, and even had a hint of coldness on his lips.

His footwork shifted, his figure drifting backward like a willow catkin, easily dodging the deadly claw strike. "Not good!"

Li Huaisheng's heart sank suddenly, and a strong sense of crisis instantly gripped him.

As if to confirm his premonition, the next moment—

"Shh! Shh! Shh!"

The screens on both sides of the main hall of the government office were suddenly pushed down, and more than ten figures appeared. Each of them held a military-made crossbow that was already cocked. The cold crossbow bolts flashed with a cold light and shot out, completely blocking all his escape routes.

"We've fallen for their trap! It's an ambush!"

Li Huaisheng's expression changed drastically. Without thinking, he immediately exerted force with his feet, twisted his body, and tried to rush out the door. His movements were unpredictable and extremely fast. As long as he could break out of the government office and blend into the night, he would have a chance to escape.

Unfortunately, Chen Sheng had gone to great lengths to set up this scheme, so how could he leave him a way out?
As soon as Li Huaisheng moved, before he even stepped out of the threshold, a muffled whooshing sound followed him like a shadow, carrying immense force, and struck his vital point in the back.

"Damn it!"

Li Huaisheng was terrified and had no time to think. He could only quickly cross his arms, which were filled with internal energy, to block in front of him.

His arms were not only tempered to be as hard as refined iron, but he also concealed two poisoned short blades in his sleeves, confident that they would be enough to block most attacks.

However, he ultimately underestimated the terrifying power of this attack.

"Oh!"

With a muffled thud like a drumbeat, Li Huaisheng felt an irresistible force slam into his arms.

He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the bluestone floor of the government office, raising a cloud of dust.

"Pfft—" He felt a sweet taste in his throat and almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

He hurriedly looked down and saw that the two fine iron poison blades bound to his arms had been smashed and twisted. His arms and even his chest were in excruciating pain, and his arm bones were cracking as if they would break at any moment!

He looked up in horror and saw that the "weapon" that had blasted him away was a bright silver mace the size of an infant's head!

Meanwhile, outside the government office, footsteps thundered and the clanging of armor echoed incessantly.

Squads of soldiers armed with powerful bows and crossbows had already surrounded the area, and all the crossbow bolts were coldly pointed at him.

The leader, dressed in a black and red official robe, had a square face and a wide mouth. His physique was as burly and imposing as a mountain. He was holding another silver mace of the same style in his hand. His eyes were like lightning, and he exuded an aura of authority without anger.

It was Wu Kuang, the magistrate of Changshan County.

To ensure absolute success, Chen Sheng not only mobilized all his trusted confidants to lie in ambush there, but also personally invited Wu Kuang, a powerful figure, to oversee the operation, determined to completely subdue the invading enemy and trap them like turtles in a jar.

Li Huaisheng's face was ashen; he knew he was doomed. He turned sharply to look at the young man sitting calmly in the mahogany chair.

At this moment, Chen Sheng calmly straightened his robes, a faint smile on his face, and looked down at him, scrutinizing him as he spoke slowly, his voice carrying clearly throughout the entire government office:
"I have been waiting for you for quite some time."

He said this not only to demonstrate his wisdom, but also to all the soldiers around him.

He wanted to use these people to convey the news that "the government had been prepared and ambushed the enemy" to the Gao and Huang families in its entirety.

Logically speaking, most of the captured assassins would commit suicide to protect the mastermind or maintain their so-called "integrity," and Chen Sheng thought that Li Huaisheng would do the same.

Unexpectedly, no sooner had he finished speaking than the man in black robes suddenly knelt down facing him with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy in a pathetic manner, completely lacking any semblance of martial prowess.
“I, Li Huaisheng, am blind and have offended your might. I beg you, sir, to spare my life. I am willing to surrender.”

Chen Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his face, before waving his hand.

The soldiers on either side immediately stepped forward and tied Li Huaisheng up tightly with ropes soaked in oil, and carefully searched his body to remove any poisons or weapons that might be hidden there.

After the soldiers retreated to the outside to stand guard, Chen Sheng invited Wu Kuang to sit in the main seat, while he himself strolled over to Li Huaisheng and looked down at him with great interest:
"Willing to surrender?"

Upon hearing this, Li Huaisheng seemed to have grasped at the last straw, and hurriedly pledged his loyalty, speaking at breakneck speed:
"Your Excellency, I have spent half my life wandering, possessing great skills but lamenting that I have never met a wise ruler. Today, witnessing Your Excellency's divine might, I have finally seen the light of day. I beg Your Excellency to give me a chance to abandon darkness and embrace the light!"

(End of this chapter)