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

Chapter 58 Marrow Transformation Realm Experts: Terrifyingly Powerful!
"My lord, we did not go to suppress the bandits and have not made any contribution. There is no need to mention our merits."

Below the reviewing stand, Li Cong forced a smile, beads of sweat glistening in the morning light on his forehead.

Zhang Yue, standing beside him, had a gloomy expression, his right hand already quietly resting on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Both men were seasoned veterans of officialdom, and they had already sensed the danger, yet they still clung to a sliver of unrealistic hope.

"No, this merit must be recorded."

Chen Sheng's voice was calm yet carried an undeniable authority, "However, what I want to recount today is your 'great achievements' over the years in colluding with powerful figures, causing chaos among the people, and forming bandit groups for personal gain!"

These words were like a thunderclap, and the training ground erupted in an uproar.

The officers whose names had just been called looked at each other in bewilderment. Some instinctively took a half step back, some reached for their weapons, and many more turned pale and their lips trembled uncontrollably.

The commotion among the soldiers spread like ripples, with whispers, exclamations, and the clash of weapons rising and falling.

“Commander Chen, there must be some misunderstanding!” a squad leader who had been called out shouted in a trembling voice.

"Wasn't it supposed to be about recognizing merits? How come..."

"Misunderstand?"

Chen Sheng sneered, a laugh so cold it sent chills down everyone's spine. He raised his hand and made a gesture, his movements calm yet carrying a chilling authority.

Cheng Yanhua immediately understood and shouted sternly, "Bring it up!"

Eight guards responded by carrying out four heavy sandalwood chests and placing them with a thud in front of the command platform. The moment the chest lids were opened, a mountain of files and documents were revealed, their yellowed hue gleaming in the morning light.

Chen Sheng casually picked up the top scroll of documents, flicked his wrist, and the scroll unfolded with a "whoosh," revealing densely packed writing.

In the third month of the fourth year of the Mingjing era, Zhang Yue secretly released river bandits across the border and accepted a bribe of five hundred taels of silver.

"In the twelfth month of the fifth year of the Mingjing era, Li Cong allowed his subordinates to forcibly seize farmland, driving three farmers to their deaths."

In July of the seventh year of the Mingjing era, Zhao Shen colluded with merchants to smuggle military rations.

He read it aloud, word by word, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

With each line read out, several more pale-faced figures appeared in the audience.

"These are just the tip of the iceberg."

Chen Sheng threw the dossier to the ground, his gaze sweeping across the entire room like a blade. "Over the years, you have ravaged the village, colluded with bandits, and committed countless crimes! Anyone who feels wronged can come forward and we will have a proper discussion in front of the entire army."

The drill ground was deathly silent; even the chirping of the morning birds seemed to have stopped at this moment.

Suddenly, with a "thump," a squad leader whose name was called knelt down on both knees, tears streaming down his face: "My lord, spare my life! I was forced by Commander Zhang."

This kneeling acted as if a floodgate had been opened, and cries of pleas for mercy rose and fell:
"Commander, have mercy! If you spare my life, it will be yours from now on."

"I am willing to offer up all my family's wealth, just to ask that you show leniency, sir."

Zhang Yue and Li Cong exchanged a glance, both seeing a ruthless glint of despair in each other's eyes.

They knew there was no turning back now.

"Chong-"

Two gleaming longswords were drawn simultaneously, pointing directly at the command platform:

"brothers!"

Zhang Yue roared hoarsely, "Chen Sheng is falsely claiming to be acting on the orders of the county magistrate, intending to exterminate us all! Follow me to kill this scoundrel and demand justice from the county magistrate!"

Li Cong also raised his arms and shouted, "We cannot sit idly by and wait to die! Brothers in the East and South cities, he is killing us now, and it will be your turn in a moment. Those who want to live, follow me to kill this traitor!"

Incited by the two men, the officers, who had been terrified, began to gleam with ferocity, and the soldiers of the Southeast Second Battalion also started to stir. The sounds of weapons being drawn and armor clashing filled the air, and the atmosphere on the drill ground became extremely tense.

Chen Sheng surveyed the entire room with a cold gaze.

He slowly took a step forward, and that one step instantly silenced the noisy training ground.

"Today we will only punish the ringleaders; those who were coerced will not be questioned."

His voice, like the clash of cold iron, echoed in the morning light: "But those who dare to rebel and treason—their entire clan will be exterminated!"

These three words carried a chilling aura, sending shivers down the spines of many soldiers who were itching to charge. "Fire!"

The moment the order was given, the archers who had been waiting around the command platform immediately fired a volley.

"Whoosh whoosh—"

Arrows rained down like locusts, piercing the sky.

The officers, who were not wearing armor, fell to the ground in droves, their screams and wails echoing across the drill ground.

The blood quickly stained the high platform, giving it an eerie sheen in the morning sun.

Zhang Yue and Li Cong's eyes were bloodshot, knowing there was no way out.

"Kill Chen Sheng."

Zhang Yue roared, his bones cracking as he leaped into the air, his long sword slicing through the air and slashing straight at the command platform.

This strike was the culmination of his strongest attack. The wind howled as the blade hurtled like thunder. Even before the blade arrived, a chilling aura swept over them. However, to everyone's horror, the blade could not advance any further when it was just an inch away from Chen Sheng, as if it had hit an invisible wall of energy.

Its blade trembled violently, emitting a mournful buzzing sound.

"The Marrow Transformation Realm?!"

Zhang Yue's expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He sensed something was wrong and hurriedly sheathed his knife and retreated, but it was too late.

Chen Sheng extended one hand, the movement seemingly slow but actually as fast as lightning, and his powerful force exploded out, creating a loud bang in the air.

"Oh!"

The long sword, forged from fine steel, shattered instantly, scattering fragments everywhere.

Immediately afterwards, a hand like an iron clamp gripped Zhang Yue's throat, the overflowing force binding him like chains, lifting him into the air, his legs kicking helplessly in the air.

"Vulnerable."

Chen Sheng spoke indifferently, a sudden surge of power forming between his fingers.

"Click——"

The crisp sound of the neck bones cracking was clearly audible.

The terror in Zhang Yue's eyes had not yet faded when he died, and he was thrown off the stage like a broken sack, raising a cloud of dust.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and everyone was stunned by this thunderous method.

Seeing the situation was dire, Li Cong turned to flee, but after taking only two steps, he felt a blur before his eyes, and a dark shadow appeared like a ghost—

"Pfft!"

A withered hand pierced through his chest, crushing his still-beating heart.

Li Cong lowered his head with difficulty, looking at the bloodied hand protruding from his chest. His lips moved a few times before he finally collapsed to the ground, his eyes filled with resentment and fear.

The power of marrow-transforming is terrifying!
Cheng Yanhua and Wang Yue exchanged shocked glances. Although they knew that Chen Sheng had been appointed as the Grand Commander, they never expected that he had already broken through to the Marrow Transformation Realm.

Zhang Yue and Li Cong were both top performers in the Bone Forging Realm and were well-known figures in the martial arts world of Changshan County, but they were as vulnerable as ants in front of Chen Sheng.

What's even more alarming is that Chen Sheng had another Marrow Transformation Realm expert hiding by his side.

The black-robed figure who had been silently standing in the shadows was ruthless in his attacks and possessed unfathomable strength, sending chills down one's spine.

While shocked, Cheng Yanhua secretly rejoiced—since he had already pledged his allegiance, the stronger Chen Sheng became, the more secure his position would be.

He secretly wiped away a cold sweat, relieved that he had made the right choice.

Wang Yue felt a chill run down his spine. If he hadn't bowed his head in time yesterday, he would probably be lying in a pool of blood right now. Looking at the excessively young face on the stage, he felt a deep sense of awe.

On the reviewing stand, Chen Sheng flicked his sleeves, as if he had merely swatted two mosquitoes. He surveyed the trembling crowd, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority:
"continue."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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