A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

The next moment, all the mysteries of the Zhenyue Sword Technique exploded in my mind.

It didn't emerge slowly, but exploded suddenly.

Those moves that were previously impossible to execute now flowed naturally, as if practiced a thousand times; those changes that were previously incomprehensible now became clear, with every turn and every change crystal clear.

The blade's momentum was like a mountain, layer upon layer, endless and continuous.

The first move, the second move, the third move... all the way to the ninth move, each move came alive, being practiced, integrated, and sublimated in his mind.

Those moves were no longer isolated, but connected as one, becoming a complete mountain of knives—suppressing, crushing, and destroying everything.

Su Bai opened his eyes.

A glint of light flashed in his eyes, like the cold glint of a blade, or the heat of a flame.

He stood up and picked up the hundred-forged sword that was placed to the side.

He gripped the knife, walked out of the house, and went into the courtyard.

The moonlight, like water, bathed the courtyard.

The moon is very bright and round tonight, like a silver plate hanging in the center of the sky.

The moonlight shone on the old locust tree in the courtyard, on the moss in the corner of the wall, and on the bluestone slabs, casting a faint silver glow everywhere.

The chirping of insects rose and fell in the distance, while the leaves of trees nearby swayed gently in the evening breeze, making a rustling sound.

Su Bai took a deep breath and slowly drew his sword.

The moment the sword was drawn, his entire demeanor changed abruptly.

Before, he stood there as an ordinary person, a lowly jailer. But now, he was like a drawn sword, its sharpness fully revealed, exuding a chilling aura. The aura emanating from him seemed to make the surrounding air feel heavier.

His hand holding the knife was steady, as steady as if it were cast in iron. The veins on the back of his hand bulged slightly, and his fingers gripped the hilt tightly, without moving an inch. He held the blade level, the tip pointing at the old locust tree in the courtyard.

The old locust tree stood quietly in the moonlight, its branches and leaves lush and its shadow swaying. It had stood here for decades, witnessing countless nights like this.

The next moment, Su Bai moved.

He slashed out with a single stroke.

There were no fancy tricks, no variations, just a simple, straight cut.

But when this slash was unleashed, the air seemed to freeze. The blade's momentum was like a mountain collapsing, carrying an overwhelming force as it fell heavily. That force was too strong, too fierce, too domineering, like an invisible mountain pressing down from above, making it hard to breathe.

Before the blade even touched the tree, the branches of the old locust tree began to tremble. The thick branches and dense leaves trembled as if swept away by a fierce wind. The leaves fell in rustling sounds, not one by one, but in bursts, like a rain of leaves.

Su Bai sheathed his sword.

The blade stopped three inches in front of the tree trunk, steady and motionless.

His hand was steady, and the knife was steady too, hovering in mid-air as if frozen in place.

But a deep knife mark appeared on the tree trunk.

The knife mark stretched from the middle of the tree trunk all the way to the roots, a full half-foot deep, as if it had been cleaved by an invisible blade of energy. The edges of the mark were neat and smooth, without a single burr, as if it had been made by the sharpest blade.

Sap seeped from the knife wound, glistening in the moonlight.

Su Bai looked at the knife mark and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The Zhenyue Sword Technique has reached perfection.

He sheathed the knife.

With a clang, the blade went back into its sheath, the crisp sound particularly clear in the silent night. He looked up at the sky.

The moonlight was cool and clear, and the stars twinkled. The full moon hung in the center of the sky, surrounded by countless stars, densely packed, like a spread net.

A cool night breeze blew by, ruffling his clothes and his hair.

Su Bai stood there, motionless for a long time, his eyes tightly closed.

One hour...

Two hours...

Three hours...

This stop lasted for a whole day and night.

Night deepened once more.

Suddenly, Su Bai opened his eyes.

He felt the surging internal energy within his body—that energy flowed through his meridians, endless and ever-renewing, purer and more powerful than before.

That's the mark of the True Qi Realm, proof of the seventh realm of martial arts.

He felt the golden light flowing beneath his skin—a faint, invisible armor protecting his entire body. It was the mark of the seventh level of the Golden Bell Shield, proof that his physical body had been tempered to a certain degree.

He felt the profound state of mind that came with perfecting his swordsmanship—a state that was indescribable, as if he were one with the sword, as if he had a sword in his heart even without one in his hand, as if any sword in his hands could unleash its full power.

The seventh realm of martial arts: the True Qi Realm.

Golden Bell Cover, Level 7.

The Zhenyue Sword Technique has reached perfection.

In just one night, he actually stepped into the True Qi Realm.

Even he himself found it amazing.

Su Bai gripped the knife handle tightly.

The rough cloth on the hilt of the knife rubbed against his palm, a touch that gave him a sense of security. He looked up, his gaze fixed on the depths of the night.

That's the direction of the Northern Garrison Command.

In the darkness, the roof of the Northern Garrison Command could be faintly seen, pitch black, like a crouching behemoth. Yi Tianxing was imprisoned there, Zhou Changqing was waiting there, and countless eyes were watching.

The people of the Rotation Church should be arriving soon.

He waited.

Under the moonlight, Su Bai's shadow stretched long.

He stood there, knife in hand, gazing into the distance. The night wind blew, causing his clothes to flutter gently, but he remained motionless, like a statue.

The chirping of insects continued in the distance, rising and falling like an ancient song. The night grew deeper, the moon brighter, and the entire county was immersed in silence.

Su Bai withdrew his gaze, turned around, and walked back into the house.

He needs to go to jail.

He didn't show up for a day and a night; he was afraid something had happened.

Inside the public housing, light streamed in through the half-open windows, casting long, slanted shadows on the blue brick floor.

Sun Hou stood in front of Su Bai, bowing slightly with his hands hanging at his sides, meticulously reporting on the prison's security measures.

"Boss, three shifts of jailers have been deployed to patrol the inside of the prison at fixed points," Sun Hou said, gesturing with his hand.

"Eight people per shift, rotating every two incense sticks to ensure there's someone watching every hour. The patrol routes have also changed; they're no longer fixed. Sometimes they go with the flow, sometimes against it, and sometimes they weave through the middle, leaving those who can't figure out the pattern completely confused."

He paused, then continued:

"We've placed hidden sentries everywhere, both above and below ground. One is crouching at the corner of the stairs on the first basement level, another is hidden in the storage room on the second basement level, and there's even someone behind the outhouse. This ensures that we'll get an alarm immediately if anything goes wrong."

At this point, Sun Hou lowered his voice, tinged with caution:

"Especially around Yi Tianxing, I've assigned five official guards to keep a close watch. Three take turns standing guard outside the cell, while two watch from the shadows, their eyes never blinking. If that fiend makes even the slightest move, our men will immediately notice."

Su Bai sat behind the desk, one hand resting on the armrest, his fingers gently tapping the mahogany, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

He listened to Sun Hou's report, nodding occasionally, his face expressionless, but his eyes revealing a thoughtful look.

He didn't expect the jailers to actually do anything.

He knew those people too well—they were fine against ordinary prisoners, but if they encountered a master of the Reincarnation Cult, they'd be lucky to survive three moves.

He made these arrangements only to prevent the Rotation Cult from secretly rescuing the people.

If they can issue an early warning and buy themselves a little time, that will be enough.

"Hmm, well done." Su Bai spoke, his voice not loud, but with a hint of approval. "Keep the brothers on the line these days, keep a close eye on things, and make sure nothing goes wrong. Once this mission is completed, there will be a generous reward."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Sun Hou, his tone conveying both reassurance and a promise.

Upon hearing this, Sun Hou's face immediately broke into a smile. He quickly clasped his hands in a fist salute and bowed even lower, saying, "Thank you very much, Chief Su! This subordinate will definitely keep a close eye on things and make sure no one takes advantage of the situation!"

Su Bai waved his hand, and Sun Hou tactfully withdrew, his footsteps very light, as if afraid of disturbing him.

The public housing fell silent again.

The light outside the window dimmed a bit, and the long, slanted shadows slowly moved, climbing up the corner of the wall.

Su Bai leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the armrest, his fingers continuing to tap, one tap after another.

He raised his other hand and gently rubbed his temples.

He closed his eyes and began to think calmly.

If he were to teach the Rotation Church, what would he do?

A direct, forceful attack?

That's the dumbest way.

Although the prison is not a den of dragons and tigers, a forceful attack would cause too much commotion and alert reinforcements, and they might not come out on top.

Solo infiltration?

The prison is now under martial law, with guards every three steps and sentries every five steps, and everyone has to show their waist tag to enter or leave.

Outsiders simply cannot infiltrate, and even if they do, they may not be able to find Yi Tianxing's exact location.

Bribing an inside man?

That's feasible.

or……

Just as Su Bai's thoughts were churning, a sudden commotion arose outside.

The sound came from afar, initially indistinct, like someone shouting, but then grew closer and louder—footsteps, voices, and shouts blended together, breaking the prison's usual somber atmosphere.

Su Bai suddenly opened his eyes.

A cold glint flashed in those eyes, like a sleeping beast suddenly awakened.

"What's wrong?"

He stood up and strode out. His clothes fluttered behind him, his steps were steady and powerful, each step firm and solid.

He pushed open the door, and the bright light outside made him squint.

When he went outside, a large crowd had already gathered in the prison's open space.

The people gathered in twos and threes, craning their necks to look in one direction. Some stood on tiptoe, some clung to the shoulders of the person in front of them, and they were all talking amongst themselves.

People dressed in coarse cloth and wearing dark-colored official uniforms huddled together, their heads bobbing and buzzing incessantly.

"Chief Li, what's going on?"

Su Bai's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a knife, cleaving through the noisy crowd.

People around turned around when they heard the sound.

Upon seeing him, the people immediately dispersed, making way for him.

The movements were so fast and synchronized, as if they had been rehearsed countless times.

Su Bai walked in along that path.

Prison Chief Li was standing in the center of the crowd, his back to him, leaning forward, carefully examining something against a wall.

He was holding onto the wall with one hand, and gesturing on the wall with the other, as if he were measuring something.

"Lord Su, look here."

Hearing footsteps, Prison Chief Li turned around. Seeing that it was Su Bai, he immediately stepped aside and pointed to the corner of the wall.

It was a triangle symbol.

It's about the size of a palm, drawn crookedly, and was probably carved with coal.

The three lines barely formed a triangle, their edges rough, with traces of charcoal ash in some places. On the dusty wall, the black symbol stood out starkly, like a glaring scar.

"Is this a mark?"

Su Bai moved closer, his gaze falling on the symbol, his brows furrowing slightly.

"That's right, Lord Su. I suspect this was done by the heretics of the Reincarnation Sect." Prison Chief Li lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of nervousness and a desire to claim credit.

Su Bai didn't speak immediately, but stared at the symbol for a moment, then straightened up and glanced at the people around him.

Those whose gaze fell upon him all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Go, check everything carefully, make sure you don't miss a single spot," Su Bai said, his voice low but carrying an unquestionable command.

"yes!"

The constables responded and ran off. The others also scattered and began to look around.

In an instant, figures darted about in the open space, footsteps echoed, and shouts of "Look here!" and "Check there!" filled the air.

From the top three floors to the street corners surrounding the prison, and then to every corner of the second basement level, a group of people scattered noisily, and then ran back noisily.

Not long after, a constable came running out from the entrance on the first basement level, his steps hurried and his breath coming in short gasps.

He ran up to Su Bai, clasped his hands in greeting, and reported, "My lord, we've made a discovery here!"

Su Bai raised an eyebrow and followed the constable inside.

At the entrance to the basement level, in the dim light, the same triangular symbol was carved on the wall.

The location is very hidden, in the shadows at the corner of the stairs, and you can't find it at all if you don't look carefully.

Su Bai's expression changed.

"They even have it here!"

He stared at the symbol, his pupils slightly contracting.

If there are signs of the Reincarnation Cult at the entrance to the underground passage, wouldn't that mean that thieves have already infiltrated?

Otherwise, the mark wouldn't have appeared in that place at all.

It's impossible for an outsider to sneak up to such a deep place without anyone noticing.

unless……

He didn't continue thinking about it.

Soon, someone else discovered it.

Some people found one at the entrance of the storage room on the first basement level, some found one in the area where ordinary prisoners were held, and some even found one at the entrance of the staircase leading to the second basement level.

After a final count, there were a total of six marks.

The deepest mark is on the first basement level.

Su Bai stood before the mark, silent for a long time.

This is not a good thing.

Those marks were like silent warnings, telling him that the people of the Cycle of Reincarnation had arrived.

They were in the shadows, in the darkness, in a place he couldn't see, slowly approaching.

But this also shows that the heretics of the Reincarnation Sect have not yet broken through the final level.

They are still testing the waters, still exploring, and still looking for opportunities.

Su Bai raised his head and glanced at the constables around him.

Some of those people stood at a distance, while others crowded closer, all with tense and uneasy expressions on their faces.

Some people were whispering to each other, some were looking around, and some were gripping the hilt of their knives tightly.

"Who has been passing through these places recently?" Su Bai asked, his voice serious and tinged with coldness.

A more experienced constable stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and replied:

"My lord, due to the interrogations and guard duties these past few days, many of our men have been to these places. Officials from the Northern Garrison, the county government, and even those from the prefectural city have all been there. If we were to investigate them one by one... it would be very troublesome."

As he finished speaking, his voice lowered, revealing his difficulty.

Su Bai frowned.

His brows were furrowed so tightly they were almost knotted together.

This is really troublesome.

Those marks might have been made by members of the Reincarnation Cult who infiltrated the area, or by an inside agent, or even... by someone who deliberately left them to create chaos and throw him off balance.

And too many people have passed through these places.

Every day, dozens of people come and go—both locals and outsiders.

How long will it take to check them one by one?

Basically, it's impossible to investigate.

Su Bai stood there, staring at the triangular symbol on the wall, and remained silent for a long time.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, his voice very soft, as if he were saying to himself, "In that case, this matter should also be reported to the higher-ups."