Chapter 57 - Fish Escaping the Net

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Horse Slaying Saber sliced through the air. Heads flew one after another, and blood splattered on the execution ground.

Zhou Shu’s eyes turned red. Then a barrage of messages appeared.

[The Golden Bell Shield Technique has increased by 20% because the Horse Slaying Saber you forged effectively completed a kill.]

[The Golden Bell Shield Technique has increased by 20% because the Horse Slaying Saber you forged effectively completed a kill.]

…

[The Golden Bell Shield Technique has doubled because the Horse Slaying Saber you forged effectively completed a kill.]

…

Zhou Shu: “…”

Although the messages flashed by very fast, Zhou Shu still spotted a difference in one of them.

The Golden Bell Shield Technique’s power has doubled?

In an instant, Zhou Shu felt the true qi in his body surge. The meridians in his limbs and bones were struck by the powerful true qi until they swelled and hurt.

Sounds of bulls’ tendons rupturing came from within his body. The Golden Bell Shield Technique’s second level, third level, fourth level…

In just a few breaths, Zhou Shu’s cultivation of the Golden Bell Shield Technique broke through several levels.

Especially after the Golden Bell Shield Technique doubled, Zhou Shu broke through to the sixth level!

At the sixth level of the Golden Bell Shield Technique, the practitioner was already considered a top-notch expert. Any sharp blade would find it difficult to injure the practitioner unless it pierced through the practitioner’s vital points, such as the eyes, ears, mouth, lower body, or important acupoints.

This description was recorded in the Golden Bell Shield Technique. However, the Golden Bell Shield Technique came from a low martial arts world, so the top-notch experts mentioned here were probably not considered top-notch in Great Xia.

He estimated that the top-notch experts mentioned in the description were low-ranked experts in Great Xia.

At the sixth level of the Golden Bell Shield Technique, unless a ninth-rank martial artist attacked one of his vital points, he wouldn’t get hurt.

Even if it was an eighth-rank martial artist, it wouldn’t be that easy to hurt him.

Bang!

While Zhou Shu was feeling the sudden increase in the power of the Golden Bell Shield Technique, he suddenly felt his body tremble. A pair of hands was pressing against his chest.

He opened his eyes and saw a stunned generic face.

Bang!

Another muffled sound rang out as Zhou Shu’s true qi surged, and the large force sent the generic face flying backward.

At this moment, Zhou Shu realized that someone had actually taken advantage of the chaos to try to kill him!

He didn’t know if the other party was deliberately targeting him or if he was just conveniently attacked amid the raid of the execution ground.

What he knew was that the other party wanted his life!

To anyone who wanted his life, Zhou Shu only had one principle—kill them first!

Regardless of who this person was!

Zhou Shu suddenly stomped on the ground like a ferocious tiger released from its cage and instantly appeared in front of the assassin.

Zhou Shu moved so quickly that the assassin had no chance to react.

Crack!

Zhou Shu’s shoulder slammed into the assassin’s chest, and the sound of bones breaking resounded. The assassin’s ribs were broken, and he was sent flying far away like a kite with a broken string. He crashed onto the ground with a bang, rolled a few times, and then stopped moving.

Blood foamed at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were wide open. He died with a grievance!

Although Zhou Shu was not proficient in martial arts, he had reached the eighth level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique, giving him immense strength. And now he had reached the sixth level of the Golden Bell Shield Technique, his skin was like bronze and his bones were like steel.

This assassin had basically been slammed into by a running elephant. With his cultivation, it would be strange if he didn’t die.

What a waste! Zhou Shu sighed. If he had used a blade to kill him, he would have been able to use it to his advantage and gain some benefits.

It was a pity that he didn’t bring a saber.

Zhou Shu looked around. The execution ground was already in chaos.

Although the people raiding the execution ground had saved some prisoners, most of the prisoners had been beheaded on the spot.

They were already surrounded by a large number of soldiers who had appeared out of nowhere.

Apart from a few ranked martial artists, the rest of the people who had raided the execution grounds had all died under the siege of the soldiers.

Even the few remaining ranked martial artists were not in good shape. If they couldn’t break out of the encirclement, they would probably not be able to hold on for long.

Zhou Shu also saw Haitang. She was holding two daggers in her hands while chasing and attacking a spy. Although the spy’s cultivation wasn’t much weaker than hers, he was still completely suppressed by her and couldn’t fight back.

He didn’t expect that this little girl was actually so strong when she fought.

The way she swung her pair of daggers was really dazzling.

Zhou Shu suddenly thought of Mi Ziwen and turned to look at the execution stage.

He saw Mi Ziwen standing on the execution platform with his hands behind his back, calmly commanding the army to encircle and hunt. He didn’t look like he had any intention of making a move himself.

Seeing Mi Ziwen’s appearance, Zhou Shu suddenly realized something. It seemed that Mi Ziwen had already expected people to raid the execution ground.

He had set up a trap, so there was no way these people would be able to escape.

Although Zhou Shu didn’t know Mi Ziwen’s cultivation level, he could tell from Haitang’s description of Mi Ziwen that he was definitely not weak.

Among the spies of Great Wei who came to raid the execution ground, the most powerful ones were only at the seventh or eighth rank. If Mi Ziwen made a move, he would probably be able to finish them off very quickly.

The reason he didn’t was that he wanted to use these people to train his troops.

What a pity. If only they were using weapons I forged! Zhou Shu repeatedly sighed.

I missed such a good opportunity just like that!

Had I known Big Brother Mi wanted to set up a trap, I would have provided him with more weapons!

“Superintendent Zhou, why are you sighing?” Haitang’s voice suddenly sounded in Zhou Shu’s ears.

She had finished off her opponent and rushed to Zhou Shu’s side while the other spies of Great Wei were surrounded by soldiers.

After seeing that Zhou Shu was safe and sound, she heaved a sigh of relief. Then she heard him sigh.

“These spies of Great Wei deserve to die!” Haitang said seriously. Great Xia and Great Wei were mortal enemies. For many years, both sides had lost count of how many people had died in each other’s hands. This hatred was almost impossible to resolve!

Haitang thought that Zhou Shu sighed because he felt sorry for the spies of Great Wei, but she didn’t know that Zhou Shu only felt sorry that their deaths didn’t bring him any benefits.

“Haitang, I didn’t expect you to be so skilled.” Zhou Shu shook his head and changed the topic.

“You, a ranked martial artist, actually condescended to follow me around all day?

“Haitang, you don’t have any special intentions for me, do you?”

Haitang’s face flushed. “I don’t have any! Her Highness asked me to protect you!

“Previously, Great Wei’s spies wanted to assassinate some people of Great Xia. Her Highness was worried that you would encounter assassins, and the Divine Constable Bureau and Demon Executing Army and Fiend Eradication Army didn’t have enough manpower, so she sent me over!

“After this, the Great Wei’s spies shouldn’t do anything else for the time being, so I won’t have to protect you anymore!”

“That’s good.” Zhou Shu said casually.

“What did you say?” Haitang glowered.

“Nothing,” Zhou Shu said. “I thought you would stay at the 0th Workshop forever.”

His tone was devoid of sincerity.

Haitang pursed her lips. Who would be willing to stay in a place full of stinky men?!

Although the 0th Workshop is well built, how can it compare to staying with Her Highness?

“Second Brother!”

While they were speaking, the few remaining spies of Great Wei had already died under the siege. To Zhou Shu’s surprise, a barrage of messages flashed in front of his eyes again!

Before he could read them, he heard Mi Ziwen’s voice.

“Sorry for scaring you.” Mi Ziwen’s body swayed as he arrived beside Zhou Shu.

Whether it was intentional or not, there were no soldiers around them. Even the assassin who had died from the collision with Zhou Shu had been dragged away.

“In order not to leak the news, I didn’t tell you in advance. I was a little worried just now. Fortunately, Second Brother, you’re alright,” Mi Ziwen explained.

“It’s fine. Big Brother, why are you treating me like an outsider?” Zhou Shu said. “They’re just a few sneaky thieves. I wasn’t afraid at all. I’ve already started cultivating the cultivation techniques you gave me.”

Zhou Shu hadn’t been worried about exposing his cultivation when he killed the assassin. After all, this assassin wasn’t a ranked martial artist.

Moreover, he was someone who had comprehended saber intent in the Saber Cave. Even if he didn’t have any true essence cultivation within his body, killing an unranked martial artist wasn’t an inexplicable matter.

Besides, he could completely attribute the effects of the collision just now to his young and strong body. He was a forger and had nothing but strength!

Just as Zhou Shu thought, Mi Ziwen didn’t care too much about Zhou Shu killing an assassin.

“Second Brother, you are quite talented in the Martial Dao. Although you started cultivating a little late, if you work hard, you might be able to achieve something in the future. I will find you some heaven and earth treasures. You might just be able to make up for your years of being behind,” Mi Ziwen said.

“Thank you, Big Brother,” Zhou Shu said. He could sense that his big brother was truly concerned about him.

“I’m your big brother. You don’t have to thank me.” Mi Ziwen shook his head and continued, “Second Brother, I’m going to war in a few days. Unfortunately, I didn’t complete my mission today, and a rather powerful spy got away.

“I don’t have time to continue pursuing this person. Although the Divine Constable Bureau will follow up, this person is very quick-witted and has hidden himself well. I’m afraid it won’t be easy to find him.

“This person is ultimately a hidden trouble in the capital. Second Brother, your cultivation is currently too weak. Before this person is captured, it’s best you stay in the Forging Division and don’t wander around the capital,” Mi Ziwen said in a low voice.

“This has nothing to do with me, right?” Zhou Shu wondered. Even if a spy of Great Wei escaped, it has nothing to do with me.

If the spy wants to kill someone, doesn’t the capital of Great Xia have plenty of talents?

No matter what, he probably won’t set his sights on a mere workshop superintendent.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Mi Ziwen said seriously. “I will send a few guards to your side later so that you won’t have to worry about assassins. Now, listen to me.. The workshops of the Forging Division are much safer than the streets of the capital!”