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

Tongming Lane.

This was where Lao Liu and his gang of hooligans used to live, and also where they ultimately met their demise.

It is also a corner where many gang members at the bottom and unemployed people live together.

On both sides of the alleyway where sewage flows, crooked wooden houses are crammed together, with most windows covered by rags or wooden boards, and occasionally a dim light seeps out from the gaps.

The air is perpetually filled with the smell of cheap liquor, rotten food, and some indescribable gloom.

Normally, few constables are willing to patrol this area on their own initiative, and even when they do come, they usually just walk by in a hurry and are unwilling to investigate further.

Tonight, it's Su Bai's turn to patrol the night.

The Zhenfu Division's night patrols usually begin at 9 PM and end at 1 AM, covering areas in the city that need "stability" more at night—or rather, the corners where trouble is more likely to occur but are often overlooked.

The route Su Bai was assigned to tonight happened to include Tongming Lane and several crisscrossing narrow alleys in its vicinity.

Similar to daytime patrols, the night patrol officers also have a set of unspoken procedures:

First, they would walk around in a pretentious manner to show that they had "been there";

Then they would find a relatively secluded or familiar place to rest and chat to pass the time; in between, they might get up and wander around aimlessly for a while.

Finally, when the time is almost up, go out for a stroll one more time, and then you can go back to report.

After all, what big thing could happen in the middle of the night?

If they were to encounter a truly difficult murder case or a large-scale armed conflict, how could these few temporary constables possibly handle it?

Most people's thought is simply to save their own lives and get through this job.

After quickly walking through the alleys they were responsible for, Sun Hou and Lao Wang, who were traveling with them, found their way to a shop with its door half-open.

The flickering candlelight shone through the crack in the door, mingled with the clattering of dice in a bowl, muffled shouts, and frustrated sighs.

Clearly, this was a gambling den that operated secretly at night.

Upon seeing Sun Hou and Lao Wang appear in their official uniforms, the people inside were not alarmed at all. Instead, some peeked out from the crack in the door, greeted them with smiles, and even gestured for them to come in.

Sun Hou and Lao Wang exchanged a glance, their faces revealing knowing smiles. They rubbed their hands together and then slipped inside, casually leaning their patrol lanterns against the door. Soon, the shouts of the two men joining in could be heard from inside.

Su Bai was left alone, carrying a solitary lantern, standing at the dim and quiet alley entrance.

Su Bai was already used to this and even enjoyed the peace and quiet.

He had no intention of joining in the "fun," and felt out of place with the people there.

Out of boredom, he simply picked up the lantern himself, turned around and left the noisy place, intending to find a quiet corner to seize the time for some cultivation.

The internal energy must be circulated continuously without any slackening.

The moonlight tonight was obscured by a thin layer of clouds, appearing exceptionally dim and hazy, almost nonexistent.

The dim light of the lanterns could only illuminate a small area underfoot, casting flickering shadows of varying lengths on the uneven road surface and the mottled, filthy walls on either side.

Apart from the faint sounds of gambling dens in the distance and the low barking of unknown stray dogs further away, the alley was deathly silent, with only Su Bai's own footsteps and the slight creaking of the bamboo ribs of the lantern.

He carried a lantern, deliberately avoiding areas where there were still scattered voices or lights, and instead chose to walk through darker and narrower side alleys.

After many twists and turns, he finally found a seemingly abandoned woodpile. High walls on both sides formed a small, relatively enclosed triangular open space, almost completely blocking out the moonlight. The only source of light was the lantern in his hand.

It's quiet and secluded enough here.

Su Bai stopped in his tracks, intending to hang the lantern on a protruding wooden wedge on the wall, and then meditate and circulate his energy there.

suddenly--

"Bang... Hoo..."

It occurred with a slight collision.

The source of the sound seemed to be not far ahead.

Su Bai suddenly stopped moving.

His ears twitched slightly, he held his breath, all the muscles in his body tensed up instantly, then forced himself to relax, entering a state of alert readiness.

He slowly turned his head, his gaze like that of a hawk, sweeping back and forth between the dim light and the deep darkness.

What's going on? Is it a gang fight? Robbery? Or something else?

Su Bai frowned, his mind racing.

In this brightly lit alley at night, nothing is surprising.

He could have quietly slipped away like the other constables, preferring to avoid trouble.

But that's not his style.

......

At this moment, in a corner deep within Tongming Alley, an exceptionally fierce battle was raging.

Five figures moved nimbly and darted about in the shattered moonlight, the clash of weapons breaking the silence of the night, and sparks flew like fireflies.

Four figures were attacking one person with all their might.

"Hehe, my dear Chief Constable, I advise you to surrender quickly."

The moonlight slanted across the room, and an old man dressed in black night clothes with a gaunt face grinned and let out a hoarse, strange laugh.

His eyes gleamed with a sinister light, fixed on his prey like a night owl eyeing its prey.

Yi Tianxing, leader of the Southwest Branch of the Rotation Sect!

His three henchmen scattered like ghosts, blocking all escape routes, their sharp blades striking the woman in the center again and again in rhythm with Yi Tianxing.

The woman was dressed in a tight-fitting black outfit, her ponytail tied high, and a few strands of hair on her forehead were damp with sweat and stuck to her fair forehead.

Faced with Yi Tianxing's provocation, Ning Yuechan pursed her lips and remained silent.

Only those eyes, clear as cold stars, shone brightly in the dim light.

She swung her long sword, unleashing a silver waterfall of light; the wind howled, seemingly possessing the power of a thousand troops.

With the blades flashing, he single-handedly withstood the attack of four people without showing the slightest fear.

"Hmph, you won't listen to reason, so let's see how long you, Ning Yuechan, can hold out!"

Yi Tianxing's face darkened, and his withered wrist suddenly twisted, the curved sickle hook drawing a cold arc, aimed straight at Ning Yuechan's throat.

The other three also seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack, with one knife, one sword, and one thrust aimed at her waist, back, and knee respectively.

Ning Yuechan lightly touched the ground with her toes, her figure swirling like a swallow. She slashed horizontally with her blade, forcefully deflecting two weapons. The third blade, however, grazed her shoulder, tearing her clothes and causing blood to seep out instantly.

She didn't even flinch, and with a backhand slash, she repelled the enemy on her left, though her breathing was already slightly rapid.

Upon seeing this, Yi Tianxing's laughter became even more sinister.

After his previous defeat, he fled to this remote county, intending only to avoid trouble for the time being. Little did he know that such a small place would hide members of the Ning family—Ning Yuechan, the once-famous genius swordsman from the Ning family.

At a young age, he had already broken through to the seventh level of martial arts, the True Qi Realm, and was stationed as the chief clerk of Fenjiang County.

Rumor has it that she should have been promoted to the Fengshan County Garrison Command long ago, but for some reason she is still stuck here.

Now that we've stumbled upon it, this is a godsend opportunity for revenge.

The previous generation of the Ning family cooperated with the imperial court to severely damage the Reincarnation Sect. If they could kill Ning Yuechan here today...

Yi Tianxing's eyes sharpened, and with the activation of his inner force, a layer of hazy gray light appeared on the sickle hook.

Although his old injuries had not yet healed, he was still a True Qi Realm cultivator, and with three Divine Power Realm subordinates attacking from the side,

No matter how superb Ning Yuechan's swordsmanship is, it will be difficult for her to maintain this for long.