Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior

Chapter 378 - 225: Promoted to Sima, Fleeing Under Cover of Night! (Second Update)

At the same time, just as the sinister imprint in Su Mu’s sea of consciousness was completely crushed.

Located several miles away in the deep courtyard of Qingyun County Magistrate’s Office, Tao Xingzheng was in excellent spirits these past few days and was peacefully resting on a small leaf red sandalwood bed at this moment.

Just a few days ago, the transfer from Qingzhou had been relayed back, although there was a small incident with Wang Xuantian.

Yet, as Qingyun County Magistrate and Commander, Tao Xingzheng made significant contributions to the suppression of the rebel army, his official rank was promoted four ranks, from Junior Seventh Grade Lower, ascending to Junior Sixth Grade Lower, and he would be transferred as a Sima of one county.

Now, he was only waiting for the court documents to arrive to officially assume his new post. Tao Xingzheng naturally felt at ease, but at the next moment.

Rumble!

A bolt of summer lightning split the long sky.

The candlelight inside the room suddenly extinguished, and Tao Xingzheng, who was asleep on the bed, awoke with a start, cold sweat pouring down, his face twisted in pain and ferocity as he opened his eyes.

"Wow—!"

Tao Xingzheng convulsed all over, his eyes bloodshot, his hands trembling as he clutched his head, suddenly spitting out a mouthful of black blood, followed by unstoppable flow of blood from his mouth and nose, staining the embroidered silk quilt red.

"Someone, hurry, someone!"

Tao Xingzheng cried out urgently, soon two hurried footsteps echoed from the courtyard, the door was suddenly opened, and the Lin Family siblings rushed into the room.

"Sir... What, what happened to you?"

Seeing the figures of the Lin Family siblings, Tao Xingzheng secretly sighed with relief. Trembling, he raised his hand without speaking, only giving them a look.

The siblings immediately stood protectively on either side of Tao Xingzheng, glanced at each other, unable to conceal the shock on their faces. It was the first time they saw Tao Xingzheng in such a distressed and painful state, but once they calmed down, they began to have their guesses.

Outside, lightning flashed, summer thunder roared, and there was a presence inside the room breathing like a fierce beast. After a long time passed, Tao Xingzheng gradually regained his composure, his blood-stained eyes filled with horror, anger, and malice, he spoke hoarsely.

"It’s that Li Feiyu... He could actually destroy one of my Soul Seals!"

Tao Xingzheng was shocked and furious, and soon realized that his Soul Seal left within the Azure Blood Five Elements Pill was destroyed by someone. He practiced not Martial Dao, but the Taoist Mysterious Technique, cultivating a secret technique that could condense Spiritual Power into a Soul Seal linked with the soul, which once planted in someone’s sea of consciousness, could control life and death with a single thought.

However, this secret technique also had its side effects. If the Soul Seal bearer died, the seal would naturally dissipate, causing a lighter backlash, but if the seal was directly destroyed by someone, it would cause a heavier backlash.

Therefore, the Soul Planting Technique had a prerequisite for the caster and the recipient; the caster’s Spiritual Power must be stronger than the recipient’s, or the recipient must willingly accept the Soul Seal, or the recipient must be in a state of unconsciousness, otherwise the caster would suffer severe backlash.

Thus, Tao Xingzheng first chose the Lin Family siblings as the recipients. Both are martial artists, although Body Tempering martial artists can generate Spiritual Power, they do not have a specialized Dharma Gate to cultivate Spiritual Power, and have little to no defense against Spirit Secret Techniques.

Moreover, methods to cultivate Spiritual Power are exceedingly rare, not something ordinary people can obtain. Generally, martial artists of Lower Three Grades, even those of Middle Third Grades, are far weaker in Spiritual Power compared to Taoist cultivators, especially since Tao Xingzheng specifically cultivated Spirit Secret Techniques.

In Tao Xingzheng’s view, if Li Feiyu did not swallow the Azure Blood Five Elements Pill, it would be fine, but if he did, he would inevitably be implanted with a Soul Seal. How could a martial artist from a remote area possibly possess a means to resist his Soul Seal?

Tao Xingzheng had tried it on the Lin Family siblings, and they did not even have the chance to resist when implanted with the Soul Seal, instantly falling into a coma and being sealed as soon as it was planted.

"How is this possible? How could that mere rustic martial artist destroy one of my Soul Seals... Could it be that over time, the power of the seal left in the pill weakened?"

Tao Xingzheng previously schemed against Li Feiyu, thinking Li Feiyu would eagerly swallow the pill, but unexpectedly, that guy had not done so at all. In his view, tonight’s event was clearly due to the Soul Seal within the pill weakening over time, inevitably dissipating some of its power, allowing Li Feiyu to luckily break one of the Soul Seals.

"Damn it, it must be so... Li Feiyu’s luck is indeed extremely good!"

A thought emerged, Tao Xingzheng firmly believed this. He absolutely did not believe Li Feiyu possessed the means to counter his Soul Seal, otherwise why did Li Feiyu not swallow the pill earlier?

"Li Feiyu?!"

The Lin Family siblings heard Tao Xingzheng’s furious roar from behind, both were frightened. During the battle at Changfeng City, Li Feiyu killed the demonic Wang Xuantian with a Half-Step Sixth Grade, already making them deeply apprehensive.

Should Li Feiyu advance to Sixth Grade, the siblings felt that even if they risked their lives by taking such a pill, they might be unable to withstand him for long.

Calming himself down, suppressing the malice in his heart, Tao Xingzheng pondered briefly and then determinedly stood up, decisively saying:

"Go, you two quickly pack your belongings, we depart for the Commandery City tonight!"

Tao Xingzheng knew that with Li Feiyu’s vengeful nature, now that things were exposed, he would certainly not let it go. Instead of waiting for death, he would rather temporarily avoid the confrontation and let Li Feiyu reign freely in Qingyun.

When the court transfer documents arrive, a mere Li Feiyu would be of no concern to him, and with a casual flick of his finger, plenty of people would willingly crush him!

"Yes, sir!"

The siblings immediately hurried out of the room. Tao Xingzheng, with narrowed eyes, suddenly recalled the scene before Wang Xuantian’s death during the battle that day, a trace of anger emerging on his face.

"Damn rebel, colluding with Li Feiyu to bite back at me, rest assured, I will make sure Li Feiyu joins you!"

Tao Xingzheng believed himself to be of noble birth, and especially now when he was on the brink of success, he could easily rely on his achievements to be transferred to Ancient Qingzhou. Although the transfer to the Small Commandery City was actually arranged by the Tao Family in secret, going to Qingzhou as a high-ranking idle official was incomparable to holding real power in one county.

Thus, Tao Xingzheng was unwilling to take risks at this critical juncture. After all, Changfeng County Magistrate Gong Ming was an example, Wang Xuantian must have had some special means to avoid the Great Yan’s destiny and kill officials, he would not take chances, for fear of repeating Gong Ming’s fate.

...

Whew!

In a nameless desolate mountain north of Qingyun City, Su Mu exhaled a long breath.

A surge of vast Qi Blood filled his body, and according to the Five Elements Technique’s description, normally refining one of the Five Viscera would complete one-fifth of the Qi Blood transformation, but now Su Mu had a full third of new blood within him.

Su Mu’s foundation in Martial Dao was strong, and his Qi Blood naturally exceeded martial artists of the same realm by a large margin.

Moreover, his Jiao Tendon Jade Bone grew stronger through the blood exchange, especially the Jade Bone, which penetrated deep into the marrow, after being washed and scoured by the new blood, it faintly emitted a golden glow.

After quickly checking the changes in himself, Su Mu opened his eyes, the joy in them faded, replaced by unrestrained intense killing intent.

A flash of spiritual light in the desolate mountain, Su Mu sheathed a dark short blade at his waist.

"Tao Xingzheng, our accounts should be settled tonight!"

...