Destiny in Cinders

The move An Jing used earlier was called Shallow Swallow Dip, named after the swallow that dipped the surface of the lake mid-flight. It allowed him to exert a large amount of force suddenly and without warning. Even a normal person would be able to crush skulls easily if they used their energy in the most efficient manner possible.

An Jing chose to step onto the shoulder, holding back slightly because he didn't want to kill someone on the open street. However, his seal-strengthened body came down with such weight and force that it felt like a bolt was hammered straight into the joint of the shoulder, snapping it completely.

"Agh! My arm! It's broken! Broken!" the female slaver cried, tearing up uncontrollably as she cradled her shoulder and yelled.

An Jing hadn't randomly chosen a target for his attack either. From his earlier observation, he could tell that the woman practiced mostly arm techniques. Given how her arms seemed slender rather than built, it was probably a palm technique that focused on poison.

He had heard that slavers typically slapped someone on the back of the head before kidnapping them. Poison palm strikes such as those relied on brute force to cause a concussion and poison to induce an altered mental state, leaving one vulnerable to robbery, kidnapping and all manners of malice. That was why An Jing chose to deny her arsenal before she could use it.

Of the three slavers, two were out cold and one was screaming in pain. Quite a number of pedestrians and merchants approached the woman, wondering what had happened.

An Jing took a deep breath and mustered his rage. "Where have you come from, gutter rat?! How dare you try to touch me?! Have you not heard of Master Xuan?!"

His voice was loud and clear to the point that everyone on the street could hear him. Even the screaming woman was stunned into silence; she was the one who was hurt, yet he ended up being the one to cry foul! Her group hadn't even struck yet! Surely, they still weren't exposed!

"What's going on, Young Master Xuan?"

"What's with those people? Did they try to do you harm?"

The anxious crowd snapped out of it and immediately asked what was going on. Keensight had been rather unsafe as of late, with people disappearing due to slavers and traffickers. Considering how much An Jing had been spending lately, it wasn't surprising that he would end up being targeted. When the crowd saw that he was unharmed and looked at the defeated slavers, they knew that the slavers had bitten off more than they could swallow.

"Darn it, what kind of scum dares to touch Young Master Xuan?!"

"You were far too blind for your own good! And to think you tried to do it in broad daylight!"

Lots of people gathered and gave the slavers kicks or spits. Some even went to report the incident to the authorities. Nobody doubted An Jing's words. Who would suspect such a generous and pleasant customer? Apart from being a little too loose with money, An Jing didn't seem like a bad person in the eyes of the people there.

It didn't take long before a set of ordered footsteps could be heard approaching. The authorities of Grand Chen had arrived. A group of armed men in matching uniforms that bore the insignia depicting a black tortoise approached. Due to the recent conflict in the northwest decades ago, the soldiers that were posted in the area settled down and took up posts as constables during peacetime. Even after two generations, the constables still seemed well trained and experienced.

"Slavers?" The leader's hair was quite white, but his eyes were as firm as bronze bells, emanating a fierce air. The scar that went from his nose to chin was a reminder of the slash he had taken on the battlefield years back. He scanned the situation and said, "They knew the law and willingly chose to break it. We'll have them decapitated in a few days with the others."

He noticed some other outstanding clues and hummed. "Who was the good man behind this? This is a well-performed Shallow Swallow Dip. It split the shoulder joint in a single kick with just the right amount of force without killing her..."

Grand Chen was a world of martial prowess. As the world got more and more chaotic, there would definitely be people who used their martial skill for vigilante justice. There were also those who used it for their own selfish ends. No matter which side they belonged to, their survival stopped being guaranteed the moment they took action. As such, it was quite rare for the defeated party to be left with their lives intact.

"Constable Wang..."

The man didn't answer directly and turned to An Jing, who stood beside the female slaver. He looked at him intensely for a moment and snapped out of it. "You?"

"It was me," An Jing said.

The moment the constable heard his voice, he furrowed his brow. "A Dustdawner?"

An Jing spoke in a pure Dustdawn accent that the locals recognized. The old constable's reaction was within expectations. That was why An Jing was on such high alert toward the old woman from the teahouse.

"Were they trying to kidnap you?" Constable Wang asked as he waved for his subordinates to get working. They dragged the other two unconscious slavers over while their leader approached An Jing and looked him up and down.

An Jing noticed a hint of hostility from the constable once he recognized his accent. He had beef with Dustdawners, clearly. Perhaps the facial scar he got in his youth was the result of encountering one. "That's right—"

Even though Dustdawners of the northwest and Grand Chen had been at peace for quite some time, there was still conflict between the barbarians and the troops stationed at Luo Mountain Pass until recently. The constable was probably a retired soldier from those parts.

His hostility quickly vanished after he got a good look. He interrupted An Jing before he could finish and nodded. "We have enough witness testimonies. Arrest them. They will be sentenced in due time."

There was nothing more to be read into the constable's feelings. An Jing was no fool; even without the enhanced sensitivities that his spirit roots and cultivation provided, he didn't need to be a genius to figure out that the constable felt distaste for the northern barbarians of Dustdawn. The constable bore no hate for this young tribesman who clearly didn't hail from one of those northern tribes, but he didn't wish to speak unnecessarily to him either.

Recognizing that, An Jing stood by the side and said nothing. He had achieved his goal, after all. The constables left him alone and took the slavers in while the other martial practitioners who came to watch the show gathered around the Dustdawner youth who had just swiftly and decisively rid Keensight of three slavers.

"Brother Xuan, that was fire! You must be worn out. Here, have some of our soy milk!"

"You're impressive, my friend! You struck back with so much control. I can immediately tell that you have inherited a centuries-long legacy."

"I heard that there are many famous sects in Dustdawn, especially those from the five mountains. Which one do you hail from?"

The crowd spoke of him with respect and admiration. Had An Jing shown off his strength in the beginning apropos of nothing, he wouldn't have received these accolades and would inspire fear instead. However, the days he spent interacting with the locals and displaying his friendly side softened them up for his explosive revelation, which once more sparked their curiosity and interest.