173: In the past, they were obsequious; now, even the county magistrate bows down!

With those words, Chen Chuanwu gripped his spear and spurred his horse, charging alone toward the over a thousand surging Martial Artists.

He used neither visions nor Spells, relying instead on martial arts techniques; his Eight Desolations Great Spear stirred up a storm of blood!

Chuanwu had already surpassed Steamed Bun, Howling Heaven, and the twenty-two elites led by Zhao Song; like a long spear himself, he pierced straight into the crowd.

At the moment of contact, his spear swept across, sending blood flying and knocking several people away instantly. Chuanwu didn't stop; like Zhao Zilong charging through enemy lines during the Three Kingdoms period, he forcefully plowed a bloody path through these thousands of people!

Behind him was nothing but a storm of blood; an army of thousands had actually been slaughtered through by him alone!

"Haha, exhilarating! Again!"

Chen Chuanwu was originally a fierce general of the battlefield; charging alone and dominating the fray was his favorite way to fight. Since retiring from the military, he hadn't fought this satisfyingly in a long time!

"What kind of ferocious man is this! Calling him a 'Living Taishui' wouldn't be an exaggeration!"

These thousands of people were terrified by Chuanwu's charge. By the time Chuanwu reined in his horse and charged at them again...

The remaining people made a unanimous decision: to hide!

Wherever Chen Chuanwu charged, that area would scatter in a chaotic mess!

However, while they could avoid the god-of-slaughter-like Chen Chuanwu, they couldn't avoid Steamed Bun, Howling Heaven, and the elites led by Zhao Song!

Steamed Bun, Howling Heaven, Zhao Song, and the others formed a line, closing in step by step and slaughtering frantically. Although their advance wasn't fast, they didn't miss a single person; behind them, blood flowed and corpses littered the ground!

Thus, Chen Chuanwu rampaged through the thousands, killing to his heart's content!

Steamed Bun, Zhao Song, and the others advanced step by step, like peeling an onion, hacking away layer after layer of corpses!

Soon, over a thousand of these several thousand Martial Artists were taken out; a third of them were slaughtered.

"Run! These people are simply Devil Heads, evil ghosts!!!"

"Everyone, run for your lives!!!"

The death of one-third completely destroyed their morale. The remaining two-thirds of the martial arts hall Disciples fled without looking back.

Chen Chuanwu, killing wantonly in the crowd, was like a Demon Star descending to the world, harvesting lives on a grand scale. Meanwhile, Steamed Bun and the others were like a line of Black and White Impermanence from the underworld, letting no one escape their hands.

"The Demon Star has descended, everyone run!"

Finally, these martial arts hall Disciples fled in terror, screaming and wetting themselves, leaving behind over a thousand corpses.

"Lin Jindong, come down and meet your death!"

Steamed Bun stood amidst the corpses, his short blade pointing directly at Lin Jindong on the sacrificial altar, his Killing Intent overflowing... "How is this possible? How can they be so strong?"

On the sacrificial altar, a look of fear finally appeared on Lin Jindong's Face. Only twenty-some people had killed a thousand and scared off almost all the Martial Artists in the county. Was this a feat humans could achieve?

"Lord Immortal Official, Lord County Magistrate, save me! I am a member of the Lin Family, the Lin Family of the Five Great Aristocratic Families of the Prefecture City! Please save my life, my lords!"

At this moment, Lin Jindong knew that his only hope for survival was his identity as a Lin Family member. Since the Lin Family was one of the Five Great Aristocratic Families of the Annan Prefecture, the County Magistrate and the Immortal Official would surely not let anything happen to him on their turf.

The County Magistrate and the Immortal Official looked at each other. Truthfully, they didn't want to care about Lin Jindong's life or death, but the Lin Family of the Prefecture City and their overbearing Clan Chief, Lin Tianlong, put far too much pressure on them.

With no other choice, they had to step forward to save Lin Jindong's life.

"I am the County Magistrate of Tonghai County. Could everyone please listen to me?"

The County Magistrate and the Immortal Official of Tonghai County floated down from the sacrificial altar and cupped their hands toward Chen Chuanwu and the others.

Chen Chuanwu frowned. No matter how strong the Chen Family was, they were no match for the Great Xuan Dynasty, so he still had to give the County Magistrate some Face.

"Make way, let him talk to Father!"

Chen Chuanwu waved his hand, and Steamed Bun and the others opened a path. The County Magistrate and the Immortal Official cupped their hands toward Chen Chuanwu, and then the two walked together toward Chen Changsheng,

"I am the Tonghai County Magistrate, County Magistrate of Tonghai County. May I ask who Your Excellency is?"

County Magistrate of Tonghai County walked up to Chen Changsheng, first cupping his hands in a salute, then speaking in a respectful tone.

"I have no reputation to speak of. Chen Changsheng of the Jade Dragon Peak Chen Family greets the Lord County Magistrate of Tonghai!"

Chen Changsheng maintained his respect for the County Magistrate and returned the salute.

Seeing Chen Changsheng's good attitude, the County Magistrate couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. What he feared most was encountering lawless madmen, with whom communication would be impossible.

"Head of the Chen Family, I do not know what grievances you have with Lin Jindong, but I would like to offer a word of advice. He is a member of the Lin Family of the Prefecture City and should not be touched lightly. Why don't I act as a mediator? We can turn weapons into jade and silk; wouldn't that be wonderful?"

The County Magistrate spoke with a smile, pointing out Lin Jindong's background. In Annan Prefecture, if the Three Great Immortal Clans were the heavens, the Five Great Aristocratic Families were the true pillars holding it up. No one dared not to give them Face.

County Magistrate of Tonghai County felt that as long as he revealed Lin Jindong's background, Chen Changsheng and the others would naturally take the opportunity to back down.

However, reality greatly exceeded his expectations!

"Magistrate Sha, I thank you for your kind intentions, but today I will have Lin Jindong's head. Even if Lin Tianlong were here in person, he could not stop me!"

"If the County Magistrate is afraid of taking responsibility, you can tell Lin Tianlong that the Chen Family of Jade Dragon Peak did this. If there's any problem, tell him to come find me on the mountain!"

Chen Changsheng said with a smile, but his tone firmly rejected the County Magistrate's proposal. Today, he wanted to make a name for himself, using the Lin Family's reputation as a stepping stone to establish the prestige of their Jade Dragon Peak Chen Family!

"Chuanjie, escort the Lord County Magistrate back to his office!"

Chen Changsheng barked. Chuanjie immediately unsheathed his netherworld sword. A sharp Sword Qi locked onto the County Magistrate and the Immortal Official. If they dared to act, Chuanjie's lethal strike would surely follow.

County Magistrate of Tonghai County's expression froze. He hadn't expected Chen Changsheng to still choose to act even while knowing the Lin Family was the backer.

What was even harder for him to believe was that he actually felt an incredibly sharp Sword Qi coming from a Middle Stage Sword Qi Cultivator.

Even though his current cultivation was at the Peak of Mid-stage Qi Refining, he still felt the aura of death under this Sword Qi.

He knew that once they fought, he would be the one to die!

"Could Your Excellency be the Little Sword Immortal who was gifted a sword by Sword Immortal Qing Ping?"

The Immortal Official beside him stared at the netherworld sword for a few moments, then suddenly realized the sword's origin and cupped his hands toward Chen Chuanjie.

"I indeed have a brief acquaintance with Sword Immortal Qing Ping. You two, please return to your office!"

Chen Chuanjie didn't deny it, admitting it openly. The County Magistrate and the Immortal Official looked at each other and gave a bitter smile.

The people of the Chen Family also had a background. No wonder they didn't care about the Lin Family. Moreover, they couldn't afford to offend either side, so it was best to slip away.

"There's no need for the Little Sword Immortal to escort us. We are busy with official business, so we shall take our leave!"

The County Magistrate and the Immortal Official cupped their hands toward Chen Chuanjie and Chen Changsheng, then left without looking back, no longer daring to interfere in this matter!

Chen Changsheng watched the departing County Magistrate and Immortal Official and couldn't help but feel emotional. Once upon a time, Chen Changsheng had bowed and scraped like a lowly servant before an Immortal Official; now, even a County Magistrate had to lower his head before him.

This truly is 'Three years of hardship in wind and snow; today the shackles are cast off!'

The past humility and caution had finally forged today's moment of pride and triumph!