The Sorrowmender

Chapter 8 – Few strokes, summon the thunder

As a transmigrator, Xu Qingzhou felt that having a gun on him was entirely reasonable.

In this world, one could cultivate immortality, progressing through the ten layers of the Acquired Realm, the ten layers of the Innate Stage, and then the Realm of Foundation Establishment.

The Realm of Acquired focused on body refinement, primarily strengthening the physique.

In the Innate Stage, one could manipulate Qi, using it to transform and create myriad phenomena.

However, both were still considered mortal powers.

The swordsman in black, though at the first layer of the Innate Stage, was caught off guard and shot in the head at close range, making survival impossible.

"Sigh, forcing me to act, it’s really difficult for me too."

He got up, went to the door, dragged the body to the side of the alley, casually covered it with snow, and concealed the bloodstains along the way.

He swept away the snow in front of the door.

Xu Qingzhou wasn't too concerned about killing the swordsman. In these declining times, life was as cheap as grass, and a few deaths were commonplace.

Moreover, the swordsman had already chosen a path to death, so how could he sit idly by?

If someone offends me, kill. If someone bullies me, kill. If someone insults me, kill!

Kill all the scoundrels in the world, who dares to challenge me?

***

He returned to the room, wiped the blood from his hands, and sat at the desk.

Taking out the Worry-Free Book, he picked up a pen, furrowed his brows, and gathered his Qi.

"Zhang Erhe, is it? Since you want to kill me, I'll kill you first."

He spoke softly, his eyes filled with cold light.

With a swift stroke, two words appeared on the Book of Forgetting Worries.

It read: [Thunder Judgment]

As the pen fell, electricity sparked on the white paper, roaming through the book.

A cold, metallic voice echoed in his ears.

[Detected the host's request to summon [Thunder Judgment]. This summoning to kill the target requires consuming 2000 Merit Points. Please confirm?]

"Confirm!"

[Confirmation complete. Summoning Thunder Judgment, coordinates set to Zhang Residence in Frostsky City, target Zhang Erhe locked. In three seconds, the heavenly thunder will strike, and the person will perish.]

Xu Qingzhou put down the pen, his gaze fixed outside the window.

Three breaths later, a purple lightning bolt tore through the sky, followed by thunderous roars echoing throughout Frostsky.

A bolt of lightning, like a flood dragon, struck down from the heavens.

It nearly split the sky in two.

"Boom!!" it sounded.

The white light was dazzling, yet it vanished in an instant.

The entire Frostsky City trembled.

Thunder in a snowy sky was a rare celestial phenomenon.

Many citizens either walked onto the long street or opened their windows to look into the distance...

They saw a plume of black smoke rising in the snowy white world below the sky, sparking discussions.

"What happened? Where did the thunder come from? Why is it so terrifying?"

"It seems the Thunder God is angry."

"Where did this purple lightning come from in the snowy weather? Strange, strange indeed!"

Lin Shuang'er stood on the city wall, holding a long sword, hands behind her back, looking in the direction of the black smoke, letting the wind from all directions dance with her long hair.

She furrowed her elegant brows and murmured softly.

"That direction seems to be Scholar Zhang's house."

The Zhang family residence erupted in wails a few seconds later.

"Master!! How could you leave us like this?"

"Oh heavens, how could you be so blind!!!"

Xu Qingzhou stroked his chin, looking at the scenery outside the window, a confident and calm smile on his lips.

"Not bad, worthy of the name [Thunder Judgment]. These two thousand Merit Points were well spent."

He closed the Worry-Free Book and stretched lazily.

"Yawn—after eating and drinking to my heart's content, with the light snow, I'm in a great mood. A nap is naturally essential, so I'll sleep."

The Worry-Free Book could not only relieve the worries of young ladies but also alleviate some of Xu Qingzhou's troubles.

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For instance, everything that just happened was one of them.

It could kill.

And the price was the hard-earned Merit Points.

As long as he thought of wanting someone dead, and that person was within a hundred miles of him.

He only needed to silently recite that person's name and write a method of death for them in the book.

The Worry-Free Book would relieve his worries.

The Merit Points consumed were related to the opponent's strength.

Although Scholar Zhang had some influence, he was ultimately just a commoner, and a thousand Merit Points were sufficient.

"Now it's settled, consider it eliminating harm for the people. I really am a good person."

This time, he summoned thunder, but he could summon other things as well.

However, Scholar Zhang had committed countless misdeeds, bullying the people, so dying under heavenly thunder seemed more reasonable.

***

Before nightfall, the news of Zhang Erhe being struck by lightning spread like wildfire throughout Frostsky City.

For a time, the wealthy families were filled with anxiety, unable to sleep.

The common folk, however, clapped their hands in delight and slept soundly.

This naturally became a topic of conversation over tea and meals, a must-discuss subject in theaters.

"Have you heard? That Scholar Zhang, Zhang Erhe, was struck by lightning at home at noon?"

"I heard about it too. Isn't it strange? Thunder in snowy weather is rare enough, and it was aimed right at the Zhang Residence."

"I heard that at the time, Scholar Zhang was in his study, and with a boom, he was turned to ash, not even a bone left. Tsk tsk, how tragic."

"Serves him right. This is the heavens opening their eyes, specially sending down this Thunder Judgment to strike down that old beast."

"I agree."

An old man in a teahouse sipped hot tea, his demeanor like that of an immortal, stroking his long beard.

"The way of heaven is cyclical, who can escape it? The heavens have slept for thousands of years, are they waking up now? Hahaha!"

The storytelling mister snapped his fan open, speaking with elegance:"Good and evil will be repaid in the end, the righteous path is rugged. This thunder in snowy weather is a celestial phenomenon, rarely seen in a thousand years..."

Rumors spread, each version different, but all pointed to one thing: committing many evil deeds invites heavenly wrath.

The surviving members of the Zhang family were terrified, only they knew who their master had offended.

In the morning, the master's sister was sent flying by the Pavilion of Forgetting Worries' master with a single palm.

She complained to the master, who sent people, but they never returned. Then the master was struck by heavenly punishment, turning to ash.

Such coincidences were too numerous.

Inevitably, it led to wild speculations.

Zhang Erhe's only son, Sanfen, was restless.

"It must be Mister Forgetting Worries, it's all my aunt's fault, all her fault. Someone, prepare gifts quickly, tomorrow morning we will visit Mister Forgetting Worries."

Compared to his father, the son was much calmer and more aware of the situation.

Having made his guess, he chose to believe it, fearing that he might be the next to suffer.

So, he brought his aunt, arriving at the Pavilion of Forgetting Worries before dawn.

Waiting quietly!

This left the young ladies who came to queue today bewildered, whispering among themselves.

"Isn't that Scholar Zhang's son, Zhang Sanfen?"

"Yes, yes, and the fat woman next to him is Zhang Meilan, who caused trouble yesterday. I didn't expect her to dare come again."

"I heard that his father was struck by lightning yesterday. Shouldn't he be at home mourning? Why is he here at the Pavilion of Forgetting Worries?"

"What, Scholar Zhang was struck by lightning?"

"You didn't know? Yesterday, a fierce thunder fell on the Zhang family in the snowy sky, striking Scholar Zhang. They say not even ashes were left..."

After a while, the door of the Pavilion of Forgetting Worries finally opened. A book boy peeked out, and the first thing he saw was Zhang Sanfen and Zhang Meilan standing at the door.

His eyes tightened, and he quickly retreated.

Xu Qingzhou, seeing this scene from the desk, asked.

"Wang Er, what's wrong?"

Wang Er hurriedly ran over to Xu Qingzhou, his face full of fear, speaking urgently:"Mister, it's not good. That woman from yesterday is here again, and she's brought reinforcements. They're just waiting at the door."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qingzhou's forehead creased, thinking this woman really didn't know when to quit.

I spared your life, your brother is dead, yet you keep coming back.

He immediately slammed the table, his long sleeves fluttering.

"Outrageous."

He took three steps to the door, opened it, his eyes cold.

Pointing at Zhang Meilan, he was about to reprimand her.

"You shrew..."

But before he could finish, the handsome young man beside Zhang Meilan suddenly knelt down in the snow at the door with a thud.

A deep voice reached his ears.

"Junior Zhang Sanfen, here today to sincerely apologize to Mister Forgetting Worries."

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan