Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 90: Wholehearted Bai Yucheng

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Wholehearted Bai Yucheng

As Zhang San gave Third Miss Gan all the pills he had legally obtained from Zhao Siyang, she healed her injuries while contemplating how to deal with Bai Yucheng.

"Zhao Siyang’s strength is enough to easily kill Bai Yucheng alone, but the problem is that guy never kills. Even looking at him now, he doesn’t even plan to severely injure Bai Yucheng."

Zhang San felt that Zhao Siyang, this biggest support, dropped the ball at a crucial moment.

Third Miss Gan, however, remained unperturbed and softly said, "You have to understand, after all, Bai Yucheng is a Ninth Grade Officer. It’s fine for Zhao Siyang to clash with him, but once he severely injures Bai Yucheng, leading us to kill him, the nature of the matter changes. Some responsibilities are not bearable by just anyone. Can you bear them?"

If it were the old Zhang San, he naturally would not want to bear them.

But in that moment, Zhang San turned his head to look at Big Head Wang and Wang Ziteng by his side, then towards Xu, who was pinned to the ground by countless tangible Sword Qi, his vitality completely lost, and clenched his teeth!

"I don’t care about responsibilities, let’s slaughter him first!"

Third Miss Gan nodded satisfactorily, then shared her own thoughts.

"In a direct confrontation, I am no match for Bai Yucheng. Even though we are of the same realm, he must have gone mad during his training."

"Ah!? Shouldn’t going mad make him easier to deal with?"

Third Miss Gan glanced at Zhang San and coldly said, "Going mad only means there are flaws in your cultivation because you have deviated, which allows you to excel in certain aspects, like Bai Yucheng’s attacks now, which have already surpassed the upper limit of the Spiritual Platform Realm. Even an early Purple Mansion Realm cultivator might not win against him."

"But this kind of explosive combat slows his reactions. Didn’t you notice that his responses are now a few moments slower than when he first clashed with Zhao Siyang?"

Zhang San shook his head.

I’ve only just reached the True Core Realm, how could I possibly notice the slight slowness in a speed comparable to the Purple Mansion Realm?

"I’ve already thought of a way to deal with him, but I need your assistance. Can you pretend?"

Zhang San was delighted, as this was something he really could do.

"Is it about bragging?"

Third Miss Gan’s expression turned cold, "I’m talking about impersonating a significant figure, do you have the ability to mimic that well?"

...

When Bai Yucheng clashed with Zhao Siyang, initially he was somewhat excited. Over the years, he had never met an opponent who could match him so well, even Bai Yucheng had wielded his Sword Intent.

But gradually, Bai Yucheng realized that as his combat power increased, the opponent’s strength could still match his.

"Given my current strength, even early Purple Mansion Realm cultivators should give way before me! What realm are you exactly?"

Zhao Siyang felt somewhat awkward; he truly didn’t want to clash with Bai Yucheng, only hoping to deplete his Qi and then leave.

After all, he had plenty of Qi.

But he hadn’t expected this seemingly crazed man to even notice that.

"My strength is mediocre; I’ve only cultivated the Purple Mansion Realm up to Correct Cultivating of Divine Residence."

When Bai Yucheng heard this, he felt as if thunder had rolled past his ears.

The four stages of Purple Mansion Realm: A Single Thought of Mountains and Seas, Sea Creates Sun and Moon, Divine Cloud Jinqiao, and Correct Cultivating of Divine Residence.

Correct Cultivating of Divine Residence is the final stage!

"Impossible! You look barely over twenty; how can it be..."

Zhao Siyang awkwardly smiled and softly said, "Possible or not, what if I look young but am actually almost sixty?"

Just in the moment of Bai Yucheng’s shock, there was a loud bang.

Bai Yucheng felt a palm strike from behind, directly spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Bai Yucheng hurriedly turned to counterattack, but discovered that the person who had attacked was Third Miss Gan.

"You’re still alive?"

Third Miss Gan smiled seductively, stunningly beautiful.

"Is there a possibility... that you... don’t want to kill me?"

In that moment, Third Miss Gan’s seductive expression could captivate anyone’s heart, even Bai Yucheng was momentarily lost.

"I understand now. Your Five-Animal Play Technique is based on learning from five different demon beasts. I knew you could perform Tiger Posture, Deer Sprint, and Fox Charm, but I never knew the other two. I suppose one of them must be Tortoise Breath, right?"[Note 38]

"But do you think, you can fight against me?"

Bai Yucheng also felt that Zhao Siyang was strong but held no hostility toward him, so he decided to strike at Third Miss Gan first.

As Third Miss Gan and Bai Yucheng fought, she quickly showed signs of losing.

All Sword Cultivators are not good at close combat, but Bai Yucheng was different; he followed the path of fast sword close combat. Coupled with the berserk attack power of someone who had gone mad, Third Miss Gan was initially able to resist using the explosive Tiger Posture, but soon she could only rely on Deer Sprint to dodge constantly and even use Fox Charm to confuse Bai Yucheng’s attacks to barely defend.

"I know all these techniques. Third Miss Gan, do you think there’s anything you can hide from me?"

Bai Yucheng’s tone was full of disdain.

Third Miss Gan sneered softly and said, "Do you know that I was actually sent by the Chief, always investigating you in secret?"

Hearing this, Bai Yucheng’s expression could not help but change.

And just then, a majestic voice resounded in midair from the distance.

"Bai Yucheng, you have disappointed me greatly."

Bai Yucheng immediately ceased his actions and looked towards the person who was slowly descending from the distant midair.

Clad in white robes dotted with ink-painted bamboo and mountainscapes, with long black hair flowing freely, it was none other than Chief Li Moxian of the Town Martial Office!

Thump—

Bai Yucheng immediately knelt down towards Li Moxian, catching sight of Third Miss Gan also kneeling down from the corner of his eye.

Clearly, the real Li Moxian had arrived.

"Chief Li, I... I... I was momentarily possessed, that’s why I... that’s why..."

Hiss—

Before Bai Yucheng could finish, he felt a severe pain in his right shoulder as his entire right arm was brutally torn off by Third Miss Gan using the force of the Tiger Posture.

At this moment, Bai Yucheng noticed that Third Miss Gan was clearly still kneeling beside him; how could she suddenly be behind him?

Replacement Technique!

Just as Bai Yucheng realized he had been deceived, he saw the distant figure of Li Moxian dissolve into the wind, revealing Zhang San’s appearance.

"It’s not over yet!"

Zhang San let out a roar, drawing his Horizontal Blade and invoking the Blade Intent from above Blade Guan Dam.

In an instant, the Blade Intent surged, gathering on Zhang San’s Horizontal Blade and forming a forty-meter-long blade light, like a guillotine, chopping down towards Bai Yucheng.

"This blade, for Xu, for myself, and for the countless brothers of the Town Martial Office!"

Bai Yucheng wanted to dodge; he knew in his mind he had to, but his physical response was a bit slow.

This was the side effect Third Miss Gan discovered in Bai Yucheng’s body after he experienced martial deviation.

Splash—

As Zhang San’s blade fell, it directly slashed a huge bloodstain on Bai Yucheng’s body.

At that moment, Bai Yucheng’s face paled, showing signs of weakness.

Because of the overwhelming Blade Intent not only had his Sword Intent been completely annihilated, but his body was nearly shattered.

Zhao Siyang was shocked, never expecting that the final blade that would end the man who broke through the limits of the Spiritual Platform Realm would be Zhang San!

Zhang San had only thought to strike once, but he hadn’t expected that his blade would almost smash Bai Yucheng to pieces.

Third Miss Gan was originally planning to follow up with another strike, but now it seemed unnecessary, as Bai Yucheng’s death was just a matter of time.

Even if she didn’t act, within the time it took for an incense to burn, Bai Yucheng would undoubtedly die.

The power of Zhang San’s blade was not from his own strength; it was incredibly fierce!

"Officer Bai, I actually respected you a lot before, you were the best among all the superiors I’ve met. Just, I don’t understand why you did this? You could have been a kind and powerful martial artist, but by doing this, do you know how it feels for those brothers you’ve led to their deaths?"

Zhang San couldn’t understand, why do people act this way?

Just for oneself, can one disregard the lives of those who were with you day and night?

Bai Yucheng scoffed, looking at the three people around him with disdain.

"Know what? What feeling? Hahahaha..."

"Do you know the taste of porridge made from chaff reclaimed for a sister’s freedom, tears falling into the bowl making it salty?"

"Do you know the taste of the flesh your mother cut from her body with a blunt knife to feed you before she died?"

"Do you know what it feels like to study to change your fate but faint repeatedly from the cold outside a private school in the dead of winter because you have no money?"

"Do you know what it feels like to succeed against all odds, earning qualifications only to be ostracized by the nobility because of your poor origins, working four men’s jobs for half a man’s pay?"

"Do you know what it feels like to finally see through it all, knowing that only by kneeling to the powerful can one live with dignity in front of others?"

"Do you know the different taste of licking the shoes of an Imperial Son-in-law and a district historian?"

"Hahahaha... What of the classics of the sages? What of daring to be the public servant of the world?"

"Everyone will die... all... will die... hahahaha..."

Bai Yucheng laughed madly, fiercely plunging his left arm into his chest, and suddenly yanked out his heart, tossing it at Zhang San’s feet.

"The world is inherently dark; can you... can you still expect people’s hearts to be pure?"

========

[Note 38]Reference Explanation

The Five-Animal Play Technique, inspired by the famous Eastern Han physician Hua Tuo, is based on the precursor practices of the bear sequence, bird stretch, duck bath, ape leap, owl glance, and tiger watch. It is also described in "Grandmaster Laozi’s Health Preservation Secrets." In this book, the Five-Animal Play is not limited to tiger, deer, bear, ape, bird, but is expanded based on the cultivator’s choice, akin to having five slots, in which any trait of any demon beast can be placed based on personal preference.