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

Chapter 133 Another Dispatch

The corridors of the county prison were filled with a musty smell, mixed with the acrid stench of burning cheap lamp oil.

Su Bai stepped across the puddles, his boots making a soft, rhythmic sound as they hit the bluestone slabs.

At the far end of the prison cell, several dilapidated wooden tables were arranged in a row, and several clerks dressed in the robes of the Zhenfu Division were engrossed in checking the account books, with the sound of abacus beads moving in and out.

The ledgers in front of them were piled up like a small mountain. Every few moments, a clerk would move the checked ledgers aside, moving them slowly and carefully, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Special Inspector Li Sanshan stood with his hands behind his back in front of the desk, his gaze sweeping over page after page of accounts, a faint smile playing on his lips—the review was nearing its end, and the "inappropriate" entries in these accounts were enough to kill Su Bai.

With his other hand, he twirled the tassel of the jade pendant at his waist, his fingertips gently caressing it, revealing a hint of self-satisfaction.

As Su Bai approached, Li Sanshan raised his eyelids slightly, glanced at him slowly, then lowered them again without saying a word.

"Your Excellency has had a long journey." Su Bai stopped, his tone as calm as if he were remarking on the pleasant weather. "It's just that this prison is damp. If you stay here too long, be careful not to pick up anything unclean."

Li Sanshan paused slightly as he flipped through the account books, his fingertips hovering over the pages for a moment before continuing without looking up. "Lord Su is quite concerned about me. Don't worry, I'm in good health. But you, I'm afraid your good days in prison are numbered. I urge Lord Su to cherish this high position, for you may soon become a prisoner."

Su Bai chuckled softly.

The laughter was soft, yet it made Li Sanshan inexplicably raise his head.

The young man before him was calm and composed, showing no sign of the dejection one would expect when facing imprisonment. Instead, he exuded something indescribable—like a hunter scrutinizing his prey who had fallen into a trap.

Su Bai stood with his hands behind his back, his posture upright, the smile on his lips as faint as a spring breeze in March, yet it sent a chill down Li Sanshan's spine.

"My lord, you misunderstand." Su Bai slowly dusted off non-existent dust from his sleeve, his fingers moving gently across the cuff as if brushing away something insignificant. "I was just thinking that there are things in this world that can only bark, yet think they can bite. Little do they know, the louder they bark, the faster they die."

Li Sanshan's pupils contracted slightly.

He stared at Su Bai, his fingers slowly tightening, creasing the edges of the ledger and making a soft rustling sound.

The knuckles turned white from the exertion, and the veins on the back of the hand bulged slightly.

The clerks behind him sensed something was wrong. They lowered the volume of their abacuses, and one of them glanced over quietly before quickly lowering his head again, even his breathing becoming soft.

"Lord Su," Li Sanshan said, each word uttered slowly and deliberately, his voice barely a whisper, as if squeezed out between clenched teeth, "Are you courting death? Do you know what you're saying? Or is this Lord Su's final struggle before death?"

Su Bai met his gaze, a smile curving her lips deeper than before, yet her eyes remained calm: "Did I say anything? I was just chatting with the Special Envoy about dogs out of boredom. Why take it so seriously?"

The corridor was so quiet that only the occasional crackling of lamp wicks and the faint sound of chains being dragged from some unknown cell in the distance could be heard.

Li Sanshan's chest heaved a few times, his chest heaving violently several times. His fingers, gripping the account book, loosened and tightened repeatedly, until he finally managed to suppress his anger.

He loosened the crumpled ledger pages, even managing a forced smile, though the smile didn't reach his eyes; it was as cold as frost in December, the curve of his lips stiff and deliberate: "Lord Su, you have quite the eloquence. I hope that in time, you can still be so—composure."

Su Bai said nothing more and turned to leave.

The sound of boots gradually faded away, but the rhythm remained unhurried, as if they were being patted to a leisurely beat.

Behind him, Li Sanshan stared at his back, his gaze as sinister as a snake, his pupils reflecting the flickering lamplight.

He stood there, motionless, until Su Bai's figure completely disappeared into the shadows at the end of the corridor.

After a long while, he beckoned to a trusted clerk and whispered, "Add a few more entries to those few pages of account books. Say that Su Bai embezzled treasury funds, released wanted criminals, and colluded with bandits. Write it as serious as possible."

The clerk hesitated, rubbing his hands together. "Sir, is there any evidence for this?"

Li Sanshan turned to look at him, his eyes so cold they could cut flesh, a layer of frost between his brows and eyes.

The clerk shuddered, quickly lowered his head, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead: "Understood, sir."

Li Sanshan turned back and looked at the end of the corridor where Su Bai had disappeared, a sinister smile curving his lips.

The dim light hid half of his face in shadow, making his smile appear particularly sinister.

Su Bai, Su Bai, do you think everything will be fine once you've climbed up to the Ning family?

Whether the Ning family even cares about your dog is a question.

I want to see if, with conclusive evidence and the official document from the prefectural government's garrison, the Ning family will defy the world and protect a corrupt and lawless death row inmate.

The air in Li Yuehu's study was so heavy it felt like you could wring water out of it.

The sky outside the window was overcast, with thick clouds obscuring the sun, making the light that filtered in dim and oppressive.

The incense burner on the rosewood desk emitted wisps of smoke, yet it couldn't dispel the heavy atmosphere in the room. The water clock in the corner ticked away, each drop seeming to strike the heart.

Li Yao stood bowing at the lower end, his forehead touching the ground, not daring to breathe.

He had been kneeling for so long that the bricks beneath his knees were icy cold, yet he dared not move an inch.

A small patch of sweat seeped from the ground where his forehead was pressed against.

On the rosewood armchair at the head of the table, Li Yuehu's face alternated between pale and flushed. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the teacup, and ripples of tea spilled onto the back of his hand, but he was completely unaware.

He sat there motionless, only the rise and fall of his chest revealing the turmoil in his heart.

"What did you say?" Li Yuehu's voice was deep and rumbling like thunder, particularly chilling in the quiet study.

"Wind God Leg—dead?"

Li Yao swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Yes. The body was found this morning in a mass grave outside the city. The neck was broken, and it was an instant kill. An autopsy revealed that the neck bones were shattered, as if they had been snapped by some immense force. The person who did it was at least at the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm."

"Bang"

The teacup smashed at Li Yao's feet, and the shards of porcelain splashed up, cutting his forehead.

Blood flowed down his brow bone and past the corner of his eye, like tears of blood.

Li Yao knelt even lower, not daring to wipe the blood away, letting it drip onto the floor tiles in front of him.

"Mid-stage True Qi Realm!" Li Yuehu suddenly stood up, causing the armchair to slide backward with a screeching sound.

He paced back and forth in the study, his boots slamming heavily on the brick floor, each step filled with anger. "Su Bai? No, it can't be him! Ning Yuechan? She's only in her early twenties, how could she possibly have broken through to the mid-stage of True Qi! Even if she started cultivating from the womb, she shouldn't have reached this quickly! Even if she reached the mid-stage of True Qi, what makes her capable of defeating Feng Shentui?"

He stopped abruptly and slammed his fist on the desk, causing the incense burner to jump and scatter incense ash.

That's what he said, but Li Yuehu was convinced it was Ning Yuechan. He gritted his teeth, the muscles in his cheeks taut.

Li Yao lay prostrate on the ground, his voice trembling: "This old servant didn't believe it at first either, but sent people to investigate from various sources, and it was confirmed to be true. Ning Yuechan has indeed broken through to the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm."

.

Li Yuehu suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Very well." Li Yuehu gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words, walking back to the armchair and sitting down, his expression uncertain. He sat there, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest, one tap after another, making one's heart pound with unease.

A brief silence fell over the study.

A crow's hoarse, piercing cry came from outside the window, then swept over the rooftops and disappeared into the distance.

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the gnarled old locust tree in the courtyard, remaining silent for a long time. The bare branches of the old locust tree stretched towards the gray sky, like countless withered hands.

A breeze swept by, and the branches trembled slightly.

"Send another one," he suddenly said.

Li Yao was taken aback: "What does Master mean—?"

"Send more people." Li Yuehu turned around, his previous anger gone, replaced by a cold decisiveness. A layer of frost settled between his brows. "If Feng Shentui is dead, then send someone stronger. If mid-stage True Qi Realm isn't enough, send late-stage True Qi Realm. No matter how powerful Ning Yuechan is, can she guard that Su fellow every single moment?"

Li Yao hesitated and said, "But if we fail again, what will happen to the Ning family—"

"The Ning family?" Li Yuehu sneered, his smile appearing particularly sinister in the dim light. "With the Wang family backing them up, would the Ning family dare to openly break ties? Besides—" He paused, a smug glint in his eyes, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, "the power struggle between the Ning and Li families is inherently a covert affair. Even if they suspect it was me without concrete evidence, what can they do?"

He walked back to the armchair, but didn't sit down. Instead, he leaned down and stared at Li Yao, who was kneeling on the ground, his voice extremely low: "Besides, the one who died was Feng Shen Tui—a Jianghu assassin. What does that have to do with our Li family?"

Li Yao hesitated, then finally lowered his head and said, "This old servant understands. I will make the arrangements immediately."

"Wait." Li Yuehu called out to him, his tone chilling, each word seemingly ground out from between his teeth, "Tell the men I sent that this time, I not only want Su Bai's life, but I also want to drag Ning Yuechan into it—ideally, to make outsiders believe that Ning Yuechan accidentally killed Su Bai while protecting him. Do it cleanly, don't leave any evidence."

Li Yao's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately lowered his head deeply, his forehead almost touching the ground: "This old servant obeys."

After Li Yao bowed and left the study, gently closing the door behind him, Li Yuehu stood alone by the window, gazing at the darkening sky, a cold smile slowly creeping onto his lips.

Outside the window, the last glimmer of light was swallowed by thick clouds, and the courtyard fell completely dark. The branches of the old locust tree stretched their claws in the twilight, like a monster ready to devour its prey.

Su Bai? He's nothing but an ant.

The real challenge is dealing with the hand that's protecting him.

If you cut off that hand as well, the ants will naturally vanish into thin air.

As night fell, the courtyard was completely silent, save for the occasional chirping of insects from the grass in the corner.

The moonlight, like water, quietly spilled onto the bluestone slabs in the courtyard, gilding everything with a cool, silvery glow. The shadow of the old jujube tree in the corner swayed and danced, like a freehand ink painting.

Su Bai stood in the courtyard, holding a long sword, his eyes closed in concentration.

The moonlight bathed him in a cool, silvery glow, outlining his tall and straight figure. His breathing was long and even, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if he had become one with the night.

The moonlight reflected off the sword, giving it a faint, cold glow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

With a flick of his wrist, the sword light unfurled like a bolt of lightning, piercing the tranquil night.

Frost Sword Technique.

This is a top-tier martial arts manual that Ning Yuechan sent a few days ago. It is said to be one of the Ning family's treasures. The sword technique consists of nine forms, each containing extreme cold power. When cultivated to its peak, it can draw upon the chill of heaven and earth. A single sword strike can freeze fourteen provinces.

Su Bai's sword strikes were not fast; he strived for precision in every move.

The first move: Plum blossoms in early winter.

The sword tip pointed out, blooming into a silvery-white sword flower in the air, the blade trembling and emitting a slight hum. The surrounding air suddenly cooled down, and fine frost flowers condensed where the sword passed, shimmering in the moonlight like specks of winter plum blossoms.

The second move: Snow-covered Cold Mountains.

His swordplay unfolded like a snow-covered mountain, layers upon layers of sword shadows protecting him completely. A chill spread, a thin layer of frost forming on the bluestone slabs beneath his feet, radiating outwards from him. The flashing sword light made him appear as if he were enveloped in a silver sphere.

The third move: Freeze three feet of ice.

As the sword pressed down, a chill suddenly condensed, and the thin frost on the ground thickened abruptly where the sword tip pointed, spreading out and actually forming a layer of ice within a three-foot radius. The ice surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the bright moon in the sky.

Sword after sword, Su Bai was immersed in the swordplay, completely forgetting himself.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, but they instantly condensed into tiny ice crystals, hanging on his eyebrows and temples.

After these days of training, his physique has become stronger and his internal energy has become abundant. His swordsmanship is now flowing smoothly and without the awkwardness he had when he first started learning.

With each thrust of the sword, one could clearly feel the chill flowing through his meridians, as if it wanted to merge with him.

A cool, thin current seemed to flow through my veins, and wherever it passed, my muscles and bones felt a chill.

After an unknown amount of time, Su Bai sheathed his sword and stood still.

Under the moonlight, a faint chill emanated from his body, and white mist swirled around his breath, making him particularly conspicuous in the night.

Looking down, the frost on the bluestone slabs underfoot had condensed into a thin layer, gleaming with a cold light under the moonlight, like a layer of broken silver.

Fine frost flowers clung to his eyebrows and hair, making him look as if he had stepped out of a snowy wonderland.

Su Bai took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his breath condensing into a white streak in the air before dissipating after a long while.

He could feel that his understanding of the Frost Sword Technique had deepened once again.

The chill within his body seemed more tamed, flowing freely with a thought. Although he was still far from "perfection," the door was already faintly visible. It was as if he were separated by a thin layer of window paper, and just one more step would allow him to glimpse its true meaning.

He sheathed his sword, looked up at the bright moon in the night sky, and a smile appeared on his lips.

His improved skills gave him more confidence in the future.

So what if Li Sanshan tampered with the account books?

So what if Li Yuehu sends assassins?