My cultivation method shines upon all heavens.

Lu Ming remained calm on the surface, but inwardly he was sneering.

Good heavens, this group of people had been waiting for Liu Zhiyuan to fight with the local powerful figures so they could reap the benefits.

They had even prepared to promote him to centurion and then sideline him.

As for the so-called accomplices in the assassination of Wang Anshi?

Haha, how could he possibly believe the words of these charlatans?

But his expression remained unchanged; he merely hesitated before speaking:

"If I succeed, may you impart the entire 'Yellow Heaven Great Law' to me?"

His eyes held just the right amount of expectation:

"I've heard that if martial arts are pieced together haphazardly, one will eventually suffer from qi deviation. I intend to abandon my current practice after this incident and start anew on the path of martial arts."

In any case, gain their trust first. While we're at it, let's see if we can get our hands on the "Yellow Heaven Great Law".

Wang Ziru narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself that this bookworm had somehow learned such secrets and even how to bargain.

But he was certain in his heart.

Having requirements makes people feel at ease.

All faiths in this world originate from needs.

If Lu Ming truly appeared to be without desires or wants, he would have many doubts.

He stepped forward, patted Lu Ming on the shoulder, and said with a smile:

"Good, this mission is accomplished. I will personally petition the Grand Master to reward you and allow you to learn the true teachings of my Way of Peace."

Lu Ming, his face filled with excitement, rose and bowed deeply:

"Heaven above, Lu Ming thanks you for your blessings and the libationer!"

Wang Ziru smiled and patted his shoulder again, then disappeared in a flash.

As the familiar sandalwood scent gradually faded away, Lu Ming slowly straightened up.

"What exactly does the Taiping Dao want?"

His brows furrowed deeply.

It's as if the other party is watching the internal strife in Yinhu County unfold, waiting to be the last bird to pounce.

But he always felt that their behavior was a bit strange, as if they were waiting for something.

"But—what does all this have to do with me?"

He walked to the window, gazing at the cold, bright moon on the horizon, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes:

"Since you have threatened my safety and the safety of those around me... then I have no choice but to ask you to die."

His words were spoken very softly, yet they carried a chilling, knife-like killing intent.

……

Meanwhile, in a secluded corner outside the training ground.

Wang Ziru stood with his hands behind his back in the shadows, quietly gazing at the bright moon in the sky.

The night breeze stirred the hem of his Taoist robe, causing it to flutter like wings in the moonlight.

A moment later, a man in black quietly approached him from behind, bowed, and whispered:

"Blessings."

Wang Ziru nodded slightly without turning around.

The man in black remained expressionless and asked in an androgynous voice:

"Should we really put Lu Ming in charge of this? Is his loyalty still questionable?"

"Moreover, given his strength, he probably couldn't even withstand a single move from Wang An, so how could he possibly carry out this assassination?"

Wang Ziru slowly turned his head, a smile appearing in his eyes:

"That's why you have value."

"I let you get close to Shen Ru for this very day."

The man in black's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this, and he asked in surprise and doubt, "What the Daoist priest said..."

Wang Ziru chuckled softly, his voice appearing somewhat chilly in the moonlight.

"I don't care about his loyalty. If his only family member is brutally murdered by those lackeys, do you think he would be able to resist rebelling?"

He stared directly at the man in black and said in a deep voice:

"You should know what to do then, right?"

The man in black felt a chill run down his spine, deeply shocked by the ruthlessness in Wang Ziru's words.

He knew that if he agreed to this, there would be no turning back.

But he hesitated only for a moment before replying in a deep voice:

"Yes."

At this point, wavering between two options will only hasten your demise.

Wang Ziru's smile grew even more unrestrained as he turned to look at the moon plate, his eyes revealing a ruthless and decisive nature.

"As for assassinating Wang An... we never expected it from him. He just needs to be a good tool. How fortunate he would be to sacrifice himself for the sake of Heaven."

His words, both fanatical and indifferent, sent a chill down the spine of the man in black.

……

Time passed slowly, and a week went by in the blink of an eye.

Yinhu County, Chang'an Lane.

The night was as dark as ink, and the eaves on both sides cast sharp shadows in the moonlight.

A short, stout figure lifted two constables dressed in yamen runner's uniforms high into the air, as if they were two chickens waiting to be slaughtered.

Wang Anyuan's face was devoid of any of its former smiles; it was so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it.

"I never expected that there would be two Blood Condensation Realm martial artists hiding in my tiny cell... Lord Liu is truly 'thoughtful'!"

His fingers tightened, and the two constables' faces turned purple, their struggles growing weaker and weaker.

"In just one month, you've killed the Hong family's patriarch, the Lin family's old woman, and dozens of disciples from the four major families who were at least at the Bone Forging Realm... You have truly audacious!"

He practically spat out the words through gritted teeth:

"Tell me, was it Lian Feng who orchestrated this? Liu Zhiyuan may be cunning, but he doesn't possess such meticulous planning skills, capable of so accurately targeting the combined forces of our four families!"

As local strongmen in Yinhu County, the four families' influence far surpassed that of Liu Zhiyuan.

But everything changed after that "strategist who can predict the fate of all living beings" arrived.

Within a month, the elite forces of the four major families were almost entirely wiped out.

They died defending the city, being assassinated, or being provoked in the streets and alleys...

Every twist and turn was almost flawless, as if someone had planned every step in advance.

Even the strongest fighters of the four major families, the Hong family patriarch and the Lin family matriarch, died at the hands of these two.

Adding to the fact that the long-deceased Wang family patriarch and the mysteriously disappeared Zhang family patriarch, the four major families are now left to rely on him alone to maintain their standing.

The thin constable on the left, his face turning purple, clung tightly to Wang An's fingers, managing to squeeze out a sound from his throat:

"Blood Condensation Realm... How can you be so strong? You... You broke through?"

The middle-aged constable on the right, however, wore a cold smile and stared intently at Wang An:

"Heh...heh...so what if you kill us? Magistrate...with Young Hero Lian's help...you people...are doomed!"

Wang An's face turned ashen, and he exerted force with both hands.

"Snap!"

Two crisp sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

The two constables' pupils widened suddenly, their heads drooped limply, and their hands slipped softly from Wang An's wrists.

"That's none of your concern."

Wang An glanced coldly at the two corpses:

"Killing you two would be like cutting off Liu Zhiyuan's left and right arms. I don't believe that the disciple of the Tianji Sect would truly be of one mind with our upright and just magistrate."

He turned and walked out of the alley.

He knew very well that although this renowned disciple of the Heavenly Mystery Sect was not known for his combat prowess, he was the only one whose low ranking made even the top ten on the Dragon and Tiger List wary of him.

If he had truly gone all out, the situation would not have remained at a stalemate.

Clearly, this disciple of the Heavenly Mystery Sect also had his own plans.

As long as the other party has a request, they still have hope.

The moment he stepped out of the alley, his pupils suddenly contracted.

At the end of the long street, a figure stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the moon, the feather fan in his hand gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Lian Feng slowly turned around and looked at Wang An with a smile:

"Squad Leader Wang, I'm sorry. Don't put me in a difficult position... how about we stop here?"

Wang An narrowed his eyes, and a gust of wind suddenly surged around him, filling the space between the two with a chilling killing intent.

……

Three days later, news of Wang An, the chief clerk of the county government, being seriously injured spread throughout Yinhu County.

At the same time, a secret letter was sent from the government office and arrived at the desk of Xue Bao, the acting commander of the Yin Hu Guard.

"I never expected... that Liu Zhiyuan would value Lu Ming so much."

Xue Bao leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly closed.

The secret letter contained very simple information: Lu Ming is a quick-witted and honest man, and I think he is very suitable for the position of centurion.

He came from a poor family and had no powerful backing. In addition, unlike Chen Xuan, he was not carefree and eager for fame and fortune, which is why he came together with Liu Zhiyuan.

The reason that prevented Lu Ming from taking the position was simple: he wanted to cultivate his own team.

But now that Liu Zhiyuan has sent a letter, he can no longer pretend not to know as before.

After all, if he, as the acting commander, wanted to be officially appointed, he would need this upright official to put in a good word for him.

Thinking of the money he was about to give away, his fleshy face twitched involuntarily.

"Someone come here..."

He suppressed his heartache and called out to the outside.

Soon, a Yin Tiger Guard lifted the curtain and entered.

Xue Bao whispered a few instructions, and the Yin Hu Guard obeyed and left.

……

Inside the brewery, Lu Ming was focused on preparing the liquor.

He slowly stirred the amber liquid in the jar in his hand, and the aroma of herbs mixed with the smell of wine filled the entire room.

Zhou Changfa and Zhao Hongyuan surrounded him, staring intently at his every move, their eyes filled with fascination, and their mouths full of praise.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door:

"Lu Ming... Lu Ming! Great news! Amazing news! You've been promoted to centurion!"

Fan Wu rushed in, his face beaming with joy. He even forgot to light his pipe, just holding it in his hand and waving it around.

Lu Ming paused for a moment while stirring, then a knowing smile appeared on his lips.

He raised his head, his eyes calm as still water, his mind clear as day.

It seems Liu Zhiyuan wants him to risk his life.