1: The newly appointed executioner is carrying out his first execution!

Great Qi Dynasty, Ministry of Punishments!

“Purgatory Division, inmate #32 of Ding-class, to be executed today!”

“Transferred by the Purgatory Division, executed by the Ministry of Punishments!”

“Execution Officer: Shen Tianxing!”

In the room, Shen Tianxing sat on a chair, looking at the order on the table, lost in thought.

He had been Transmigrated here for several years, and he had long accepted his identity.

His Master, Shen Nian, was an Execution Officer in the Ministry of Punishments during his lifetime, with over a hundred souls claimed by his saber, earning him the nickname 'Butcher of a Hundred Men'!

The so-called Execution Officer also had another name among the common folk.

Executioner!

This official position offered an extremely high salary, but very few people were willing to take it, so in most cases, it relied on Legacy.

Executioners would adopt orphans, take them as disciples, and teach them. After their own demise, the disciples would take their place.

Shen Tianxing was adopted by Shen Nian from a young age and Cultivated saber techniques since childhood, starting from slaughtering chickens and ducks, then moving on to chopping winter melons and slicing tofu, developing a highly proficient saber technique.

The profession of Executioner has an ancient rule: one should not execute more than a hundred people; upon reaching ninety-nine, the saber must be sealed to avoid retribution.

Shen Nian died a violent death precisely because he had executed a hundred people.

When Shen Nian died, the eighteen-year-old Shen Tianxing had no choice but to take over his Master's position, becoming the next Execution Officer. However, as a newcomer, he was currently only the lowest-ranking Execution Officer, responsible for executions such as 'beheadings'.

Whether you are willing or not!

This is the rule of the Great Qi Imperial Dynasty!

Not only the Ministry of Punishments, but all other divisions, Six Ministries, Three Departments, Six Halls... it was all the same!

If the father dies, the son replaces him!

If the elder brother dies, the younger brother replaces him!

Only if the entire lineage died out would new people be recruited.

Otherwise, they could only replace each other, and no one dared to disobey!

This world was somewhat similar to the ancient times before his Transmigration, with many resemblances in both the imperial court and among the populace.

The only difference was that the powerful individuals in this world were terrifying.

Martial Dao Masters who could pluck stars, seize the moon, casually erase an entire mountain range, and divert rivers!

Great Demons and Evil Fiends who devoured humans, slaughtered hundreds of thousands of common people just to absorb their vital essence!

Great Ghost Cultivator sects that refined an entire Imperial Dynasty into a realm of hellish ghosts!

These occurrences were not uncommon in the Jianghu; in fact, they happened every day.

And the imperial court would not allow these lawless individuals to continue wreaking havoc within the Imperial Dynasty's borders.

Therefore, new prisoners were brought out for execution every day.

This also made the demands on Execution Officers even higher!

The Executioner must have vigorous vital energy, be ruthless, possess superb saber skills, and strike quickly, accurately, and fiercely!

Without some strength, it was not so easy to chop off a prisoner's head.

At the execution ground, one not only had to face major imperial criminals, but also Martial Dao Masters from the Jianghu, as well as Great Demons, Evil Fiends, and Ghost Path Cultivators who caused widespread harm... These Masters with Cultivation had a powerful Qi and blood like a raging inferno. Ordinary Executioners would have their hands and feet go soft just by looking at them, let alone raising a saber to chop off their heads.

And those Great Demons, Evil Fiends, and Ghost Path Cultivators were even more formidable; some had flesh as hard as iron, some could bewitch the mind, and some had such strong Divine Souls that even severing their Physical Body could not extinguish their life force.

This required the Executioner to possess considerable Cultivation!

In addition, those being executed often harbored immense resentment, and their malevolent Evil Qi remained condensed and dispersed.

The Executioner was most affected; without a strong physique and vigorous Qi and blood, they simply could not withstand such fierce and malicious Qi.

“Master's lifetime of executions led to his wife's suffering and the ruin of his family!”

“Ultimately, he was limited by his own strength and could not withstand the Yin Sha Death Qi!”

To outsiders, Shen Nian's violent death in his later years was due to breaking the rule of 'not executing more than a hundred people'.

But to Shen Tianxing, his Master's declining Qi and blood in his later years, coupled with years of being plagued by Evil Qi and Death Qi, was the real reason for his family's ruin.

Fortunately, he had Cultivated with his Master since childhood, possessing a strong physique and vigorous Qi and blood, which allowed him to escape disaster.

“I wonder if my later years will be like Master's?”

Shen Tianxing also wanted to escape, but unfortunately, he couldn't.

Where could he escape to?

How vast was the territory of the Great Qi Imperial Dynasty? With his meager Cultivation, he would probably be caught by the Imperial City Guard before he even ran out of the Imperial City.

Moreover, other Imperial Dynasties stood around the Great Qi Imperial Dynasty; some of these Imperial Dynasties were friendly, while others were hostile. If he ran there, the better outcome might be to be arrested and extradited back.

The worst outcome would be to be directly cut down on the spot, with no place to be buried... “Let's not worry about these things for now. At least I have an official position now. In this world where Divine Abilities are manifest, there are always more ways to survive than difficulties!”

Shen Tianxing shook his head, deciding to take things one step at a time.

“Shen Tianxing, it's time to go!”

At this moment, a deep voice came from outside the door.

The person who came was Third Elder Gao, also an Execution Officer, and a veteran in the Ministry of Punishments.

Between Executioners, there was actually not much interaction; those in their line of work had few friends, all fearing to attract bad luck.

Today was Shen Tianxing's first time at the execution ground, his so-called 'first cut', and he had to be accompanied by an experienced Execution Officer.

“Hoo...”

Shen Tianxing exhaled a turbid breath, reached for the table with a large hand, grasped his ghost head saber, and opened the door to walk out.

Third Elder Gao was tall, wearing a red short jacket, with a black lacquered ghost head saber hanging at his waist. He gave Shen Tianxing a fierce look, then turned and walked away.

Despite being colleagues, there was actually not much camaraderie between them.

They all lived on the edge, not knowing when they might die from illness caused by Yin Sha Death Qi.

Sometimes, they might even encounter prisoners' accomplices attempting to hijack the execution ground, and the Executioners would certainly be the first target.

Such sentiments were a luxury for them.

“Once on the execution ground, you must strike quickly, fiercely, and accurately; never be distracted!”

“Even a slight error could cause the prisoner prolonged suffering, half-dead, and beware of endless future troubles!”

Third Elder Gao was a veteran, and he couldn't guarantee what kind of trouble a newcomer like Shen Tianxing might cause.

He had seen it many times.

Countless Executioners had made mistakes, causing prisoners to suffer, and subsequently faced retaliation from their families!

“Thank you, Uncle Gao, for your guidance.”

Although Shen Tianxing had heard these common sense things, he still thanked him for his kindness.

Third Elder Gao apparently didn't expect Shen Tianxing's reaction and couldn't help but glance at him, his gaze softening somewhat.

The two did not speak much more on the way. After leaving the Ministry of Punishments, they headed directly for the execution ground.

Prisoners brought to the execution ground were all condemned to death.

The prisoner would eat their last meal, the 'farewell meal', and then be escorted by Prison Officials to the execution ground for execution.

Shen Tianxing and the other Execution Officers from the Ministry of Punishments went directly to the execution ground to await the execution.

Executions at the execution ground were announced throughout the Imperial City via posted notices. Many citizens in the Imperial City, whether they had business or not, would go to watch the spectacle.

Especially when a high-ranking official, a Martial Dao Master, or even a Great Demon or Evil Fiend was being executed, it was most captivating.

Along the way, the common people followed the official procession.

Inside a prisoner cart in the procession, a disheveled person covered in wounds was bound motionless, being transported.

Shen Tianxing did not curiously inquire about this person's identity; after all, at the execution ground, the supervising Judicial Officer would announce it.

Soon, the execution ground was reached!

Dozens of soldiers stood on both sides. Outside the execution ground, an execution platform was situated, and behind the platform, a canopy was set up.

Under the canopy, a supervising Judicial Officer was in position. All the common people were kept at a distance of ten zhang, forbidden to approach the execution platform by even half a step!

“Let's go! Today is your 'first cut'! Remember the essentials!”

Third Elder Gao pushed Shen Tianxing and stepped towards the execution platform.