Chapter 146: Counterattack (5)

Within the Eight Treasures Tower.

Wu Shan sat at a seat near a window, gulping down a bowl of wine. The Eight Treasures Tower had eight delicacies, and this kind of wine was one of them. The alcohol content was extremely high, it had a lingering aftertaste, and was so potent that it would explode if even a spark touched it.

Wu Shan loved to drink strong wine, just like how he liked strong females. Only wines that burned going down were worth drinking.

After becoming an Origin Qi Scholar, the enjoyments of mortals would often become dull, so they would need to search for newer and more powerful stimuli. Some Origin Qi Scholars took lots of risks, others focused on their cultivation, and still others would constantly up the ante on the stimulation they received during their daily life.

Wu Shan was lacking in courage and determination, and his intelligence was lacking. He couldn’t be an adventurer or a scholar, so he could only choose the last option. He blew his time and money in the best wine taverns and on the best prostitutes, consuming his energy with these things.

As long as he could live this way until he died, that was enough for him.

“Wu Shan,” a voice spoke from behind Wu Shan.

Wu Shan didn’t even turn around. “I don’t give a damn who you are. Let your farts out quickly and don’t interrupt my meal.”

“Okay.” The person behind him didn’t beat around the bush. “Wu Shan, you stirred up a commotion three days ago in an official temple, killing two people and injuring twelve. The investigation has been concluded and solid evidence has been found. Come with us to the Origin Bureau.”

Wu Shan didn’t move. He guffawed, “You must have made a mistake.”

“Whether or not we’ve made a mistake will be made clear once we’ve made a trip to the Origin Bureau.” The speaker grabbed Wu Shan’s shoulder.

Just as he touched Wu Shan, Wu Shan’s arm suddenly bent at a strange angle and unleashed a palm at the person behind him. Origin Energy capable of splitting a sea and overturning a mountain exploded forth. At the same time, Wu Shan charged forward, breaking through the window and leaping into the air.

However, when he leapt into the air, he found a person already there waiting for him.

Yuan Lieyang.

He jabbed a finger at Wu Shan. A blinding wave of flames exploded in front of him, blasting Wu Shan back into the tower.

Yuan Lieyang strolled casually into the tower and said, “If I let you get away like this, how would I have the guts to face Sir Su when I return?”

“Su Chen!” Wu Shan tilted his head back and howled, as if he wanted to let everyone know who had captured him.

Yuan Lieyang laughed coldly and didn’t stop him.

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Qian Rongbo carried a birdcage with him as he wandered around the streets. When people on both sides of the streets saw him walk by, they would all lower their heads in fear.

Qian Rongbo enjoyed this kind of feeling.

This feeling of being feared and respected by others made him feel like he was a king, not one of the Bloodline Nobility Clans’ dogs.

He wasn’t a dog!

What did people cultivate so hard for? Wasn’t it for a higher status, a better life, and more freedom?

But he had discovered very early on that freedom was a hollow word – no matter how much effort you put in, there was always someone stronger than you.

If you cultivated to the Qi Drawing Realm and became a prestigious Origin Qi Scholar, there would be a Blood Boiling Realm cultivator above you. Once you reached the Blood Boiling Realm, there were Yang Opening Realm cultivators waiting in line.

The path of cultivation was endless, but that meant there was always someone better than you.

Qian Rongbo knew how talented he was. Perhaps the Yang Opening Realm was already his limit.

As such, he had given up on cultivating a long time ago, instead focusing on enjoying himself.

However, it was only in front of commoners that he could feel the thrill and glory of being an Origin Qi Scholar. Only in front of them was he no longer one of the Bloodline Nobility Clan’s dogs, but a real, living big shot.

He enjoyed this kind of feeling a lot.

As such, he put all of his energy into maintaining a commanding and awe-inspiring presence.

He came to a young maiden and stopped in front of her, saying, “You just stole a glance at me.”

Qian Rongbo’s eyes were very sharp. With a single glance, he had seen this young maiden shoot a glance at him when lowering her head. Perhaps it was due to internal conflict, or a moment of curiosity, or it was really just a careless glance. Regardless, she had taken just a peek at him.

This glance of hers would become the source of her nightmares for the rest of her life.

The young maiden lifted her head up to glance at the other party. “Sir?”

Qian Rongbo sighed. “That was a very rude thing to do. Since you made a mistake, you need to pay the price.”

Then, he stretched his hands out, gouging the young maiden’s eyes out.

A horrific shriek rang out, but Qian Rongbo acted like he had just heard the world’s most moving music. He left with a satisfied smile on his face.

“Qian Rongbo,” a person from the Origin Bureau called out from behind him.

“Hm?” Qian Rongbo glanced behind him.

A trace of regret flashed across Duan Feng’s eyes as he watched the young maiden, who had collapsed on the ground and was bawling.

He had just been a moment too late!

He said, “It seems like I don’t need to tell you your crimes. A piece of trash like you is the most worthy of death. Take him away!”

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At the same time, these kinds of arrests were happening all over Clear River City.

The Origin Bureau’s strength had soared under Su Chen’s leadership year after year. It was no longer the Origin Bureau that only had twenty or thirty Origin Qi Scholars. At this point, there were over a hundred of them, including seven or eight Yang Opening Realm cultivators.

If it weren’t for the fact that the Bloodline Nobility Clans had Light Shaking Realm cultivators in command, Su Chen could easily turn the Origin Bureau into a nobility clan himself.

Now that Shen Yuanhong had died in battle, Wei Pei was seriously injured, and Wang Zhanyu had his hands tied by An Siyuan. In a situation where the high cultivation base individuals could no longer make a move, everything came down to the strength of the Yang Opening Realm cultivators.

In this aspect, Su Chen had quite a bit of confidence.

Ignoring Jiang Xishui’s Third River Army and Wang Wenxin’s Long Clear Gang, the Origin Bureau that Su Chen controlled was enough to throw all of Clear River City into turmoil.

Now, that was exactly what he was doing.

The Bull Mountain Pavilion, Ancient Arrangement Gardens, Barley Creek District, Dragon Head Monastery, Cheap Profit Pond, Kiland Bay, Well Village, Pagoda Rock Alley, Mill Street, West Slope Street, Immortal Temple…… Arrests were being made all over Clear River City.

The Origin Qi Scholars who had behaved unreasonably in Clear River City, had stirred up trouble, had killed people before, had harmed innocents, or had scammed commoners, were all captured.

Some tried to fight back publicly. The luckier ones were taken in after some injuries, while the unluckier ones were killed on the spot.

A “crackdown” storm blew through Clear River City, but the crackdown was specifically on Origin Qi Scholars because the Origin Bureau was responsible only for dealing with Origin Qi Scholars. They had no right to execute the law on commoners.

But even if they were only dealing with Origin Qi Scholars, everyone could tell that Origin Bureau’s execution of the law was selective.

They only targeted individuals from the Bloodline Nobility Clans – that went without saying.

However, they were selecting targets even from amongst the Bloodline Nobility Clans.

The Origin Bureau’s main targets belonged to the Shen Clan and Wei Clan.

On the day that Su Chen returned, the Origin Bureau went on a tear cleaning up Origin Qi Scholars that weren’t in accordance with the law, and seventy or eighty percent of those “not in accordance with the law” came from these two clans.