Trigger Warning: Gore - description of corpses and graphic violence.

The ways of the jianghu were naturally opposite than that of the Danwan army. Formless fighting met a structured troop. The soldiers who were used to fighting in a straight manner were beaten back by dirty tricks and martial arts.

However, they weren't the Danwan army without a reason. From now on, it was a battle of attrition.

The soldiers mobilized three people against one jianghu person. If the other party wasn't honorable, there was no reason to keep one's dignity just to die. The cult members of the Black Crow decreased in number soon after this.

Xiao Hao supervised the battlefield while hacking at those who had relatively weak soldier groups. Jianghu people didn't have a chance in front of him. He had been Long Xu Le's sparring partner for fifteen years. What kind of tricks had he not seen?

He estimated that the battle on this side would be completely over within an hour. The King's closest confidant glanced back at the hill, wondering what was going on in there.

Si Wen.

This was the name of the top wanted criminal of the jianghu. They said the world of the martial masters was free but Xiao Hao knew there was some kind of order in the form of the allegiance of the righteous and dark sects.

However, there were still outliers who didn't want to abide by the existing rules and wanted to stir chaos under the heavens. The cults.

The 'man' named Si Wen was the supreme leader of those cults.

Those groups abducted young men, women and children from rural areas unscrupulously.

Xiao Hao recalled the hidden information on the cult's master. No one knew his face so if he didn't hear Xu Le say his name earlier, he wouldn't know the enemy they were facing tonight.

This man was sick beyond measure. He created undead puppets using an obscure method.

Xiao Hao moved to the hill where Xu Le was earlier and the only thing left there was a corpse cut in half and an atrocious smell.

He ducked to see it for himself, directly tearing the fabric covering the corpse.

Then, the monstrosity underneath the clothes could be discerned. Even though he was a soldier who had seen the world, he couldn't help but frown at the sight.

This flesh wasn't natural at all. There were countless stitches as though a mad seamstress wanted to create new life. What's more, this was clearly a woman's body added with some parts to masculate it. The shoulders were padded with more flesh and the chest was crudely cut off to make it appear flat.

Xiao Hao's heart chilled. Any weak hearted man would retch at this sight. At the side, the young soldier's hand that was holding the torch for Chief Xiao trembled but he stood strong.

The young man was determined to do his assigned role. He was not a combatant for tonight but his back was sweltering with cold sweat.

Chief Xiao's gaze then moved on to the lower half of the corpse's body. If the upper was already this bad, how much more down there?

He didn't have the heart to disrespect the dead and strip it. So he just used his scabbard to confirm something. Sure enough, the surface was flat.

Xiao Hao didn't know whether he would be relieved or not.

"Scourge of the world." He cursed.

They found one such corpse, how many others did the cult have?

Chief Xiao reached an autonomous decision. These people couldn't be left alive. He looked at the pale young soldier beside him. "Get the fastest horse and alert the outer districts. Tonight, we will visit the jianghu."

The young man straightened his back and saluted passionately. To protect Suliang!

Xiao Hao gave all the specifics of the order and watched the lad's steed gallop into the night. If he successfully completed his mission, that kid would be promoted. What Suliang needed were brave and capable young people.

Now, the jianghu and the secular world didn't have a lot of intersections. However, the cult delivered themselves to their door. It would be a blow to Suliang's seat if they let this go.

Whether the sects complained or not, they had to do this. If not, should they allow the cults to abduct their people repeatedly?

On her side, Long Xu Le followed the direction of the flare. There were traces of battle here. Her Highness gave chase where the traces pointed.

Her figure was just like a blur in this otherwise noisy forest. Soon, she caught up with the person.

It was Madam Lian. The middle-aged lady was livid and there was a frail looking man at her feet.

However, if one looked closely, the man's limbs were spread in all directions and he was nailed to the grassy soil by daggers on his hands, knees and feet.

How huge was the force behind the daggers that the man couldn't recklessly make a move? Blood seeped to the soil and it should have loosened it but they all stayed rooted.

The man was pale and gasping for breath. But he didn't scream in pain. Instead, his face looked to be in ecstasy.

This amount of depravity stung Long Xu Le's eyes but her Highness knew the severity of the matter.

"Xiuwang, you finally came~" The same frivolous tone and face.

Madam Lian was annoyed by this voice so she stomped on one of the daggers. Si Wen howled like an animal. But he still dared to urge, "Gentle, gentle!"

Now looking at the real Si Wen who was without a mask, she fully saw his delicate yet sharp looks. However, the evil breath that came from him also doubled.

Long Xu Le had no idea how he made a corpse walk and talk but she didn't care. Looking at his weak body, it must have taken a toll on him and wasn't something that could be repeatedly done.

"You were telling me something?"

"Pffft~" The beast of a man made a laughing sound. It was like he didn't feel the pain at all. "I still underestimated you. But... are you sure you should be here?"

He grinned at her but it looked more like a grimace. Only he knew how much pain he was feeling right now and how his consciousness went in and out.

The King's pupils dilated. Feng Yanyan! She grew stiff all of a sudden.

They dared to enter the Second District!

A trace of savageness flashed on her Highness' eyes but she soon recovered. Madam Lian only watched her student. She didn't want to say anything that Si Wen could use.

Then, Long Xu Le's lips held the familiar arc of indifference. "So what?"

She laughed in scorn. "You planned and planned but couldn't even measure things properly." Crouching low to the ground, she was nearer to Si Wen.

The man sensed a crisis. "Wh-what do you mean?"

His face was tapped three times.

"If you can pretend to engage all genders, then isn't it only fair if I engage one man? What kind of person do you think I am?" She whispered in his ears like a snake.

"You... you're lying! Do you think you can bluff me? I even employed my elites to test you and you would have gone to take the arrow for him that day. Don't think I don't know you, Xiuwang!" Si Wen's spittle flew all over him but all came back to his face as he was lying down.

The person he called Xiuwang didn't care about him. Her Highness turned around and spoke to air. "See if there are still rats nearby and eliminate them. I really wasted my time tonight. As for that guy, he will not speak no matter what so just cut his limbs off one by one, pull his teeth and tongue out but don't let him die until maybe a month or two."

Si Wen who was reduced to 'that guy' convulsed. How could he accept this kind of fate? It was him who made others suffer, not the other way around. But today, he met someone more callous and devilish than him, a cult master.

"HAHAHA!" He laughed hysterically. "What would the world do if the King they revered was actually just a power-hungry bastard?"

He couldn't believe it. Si Wen, who was used to seeing a person's true colors, still had to open his eyes wide at this woman. He really learned something new tonight.

It was said that King Wan Li was a stern master and one couldn't dare make a mistake in front of her. It was said that she was a demon incarnate who became the reaper in the battlefield more than a decade ago.

People feared her but because she continued to be the guardian of Suliang, they also adored her.

It was said that no man had the guts to propose to Wan Li. It was said that no amount of charms could move her. No matter where she went, even if a male courtesan threw himself at her, he would be kicked out and be thrown in jail.

However, this fearsome and immovable god suddenly showed goodwill multiple times to a single person.

If one didn't investigate, they wouldn't know. After all, on the surface Wan Li was still the same. She didn't expose this side of her to the public.

But Si Wen followed her movements for a long time and confirmed that Feng Yanyan was special to her.

In the end, it was only an act to lure people like him? And she didn't even care if Feng Yanyan would die right now?

This trap was meticulously made. And he wondered how many would jump in it.

Si Wen's thoughts drifted and remembered someone. An upright face with a black heart. That guy was willing to sleep with him just to advance his plans.

Wasn't he also feeding information that Feng Yanyan was precious to the King? Even that Concubine Zhang was fooled. His end result would not be far from him.

Even as Si Wen's limbs were being ruthlessly pulled from his body, his heart couldn't help but tremble.