Profound Heaven Soul Sovereign

"Hehe, Vice Commander Lin... you mean the one whose Martial Soul collapsed? The one who’s about to become a cripple, and who recently offended the Soul Master Tower?" Steward Gou’s voice was shrill and grating, like a duck’s quack. He spoke with a sinister tone, "So, they’re his subordinates. No wonder they’re so arrogant and insolent, with no respect for their superiors. To think people like this are still allowed in your City Guard. It seems I’ll have to report this to the Great Young Master. The City Guard is due for a thorough cleansing. This isn’t a place for any random trash to just waltz in."

"Please, Steward Gou, calm yourself. These men have no respect for their superiors. As Vice Commander of the City Guard, I, Jia Fang, will certainly not be lenient. Moreover, they have been frequently visiting Vice Commander Lin’s home during their hours of duty these past few days—a serious breach of military discipline. If I fail to discipline them, what will become of the City Guard’s rules?"

In just a few exchanges, the two had sealed the men’s fates with a capital crime.

The color drained from the faces of Ji Ling and the others. They quickly tried to speak. "Vice Commander Jia, we..."

"Enough! Say no more." Jia Fang waved his hand dismissively and barked, "Ji Ling and his men have violated military discipline, shown contempt for the law, and openly rebelled! Men, seize them and drag them out to be executed!"

The moment Jia Fang finished speaking, with a sudden RUSTLE, a dozen armed officers instantly swarmed forward, completely surrounding Ji Ling and his men.

Everyone was shocked and jumped to their feet, their faces filled with confusion. However, many other officers’ eyes glinted with understanding. Clearly, with Vice Commander Lin Xiong having been unheard from for the last half-month, Vice Commander Jia Fang was making a move against his trusted followers. Once Vice Commander Lin Xiong’s faction fell, and with the official Commander, Hei Zhuo, never involving himself in City Guard affairs, the entire City Guard would become Vice Commander Jia Fang’s domain.

Among the hundred or so officers present, there were actually quite a few who were close to Vice Commander Lin Xiong. But in this situation, they didn’t dare to speak up. To do so would be a death sentence.

A thick killing intent filled the hall. A dozen or so Tier Two Martial Artist-level officers surrounded Ji Ling and the others, and the air grew so tense it was nearly suffocating.

Ji Ling and the others also understood everything now. There wasn’t a hint of pleading on their faces; only the sharp killing intent of men prepared to fight to the death.

Jia Fang, looking down from his high seat, had a ruthless look in his eyes. He waved his hand and barked, "Do it! Kill these rebels for me."

"Yes, sir!"

The dozen or so officers roared, their weapons flashing as they prepared to strike.

Just then—

"Hah! I’d like to see who dares to make a move!"

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the hall, making it tremble. As the shout faded, a powerfully built man in armor strode in. His gaze was like lightning, and he moved with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, projecting an imposing aura with every step. A cold sneer played on his lips as he fixed his gaze on Jia Fang and the others, his resolute face radiating an unforced authority.

A commotion immediately erupted among the crowd in the hall.

The newcomer was none other than Lin Xiong.

Jia Fang’s eyes narrowed, then he broke into a cold laugh. "Hahaha, and here I was wondering who it could be. So it’s Vice Commander Lin. What’s this? It’s been a while. Is your body all better now, Vice Commander Lin?"

"I appreciate your concern, Vice Commander Jia." Lin Xiong’s face was expressionless. He stared coldly at the officers surrounding Ji Ling and barked in a stern voice, "What do you think you’re doing? Stand down, now!"

The dozen or so officers’ eyes flickered. They hesitated, looking towards Jia Fang, but no one moved.

"You lot. Are you defying me, your Vice Commander?" Lin Xiong said coldly, his face a mask of indifference.

Jia Fang sneered. "Vice Commander Lin, you storm in here, all high and mighty, barking orders. Do you have any respect for Steward Gou? For me, your fellow Vice Commander? Right now, Ji Ling and his men have violated military discipline, and I was about to apprehend them on the spot. What, do you have a problem with that?"

Jia Fang narrowed his eyes, a venomous, snake-like glint in their depths. The corners of his mouth twisted into a smirk that wasn’t quite a smile.

"Steward Gou? Which Steward Gou?"

"That would be me." Steward Gou stood up. His expression was cold and severe as he looked down upon the numerous City Guard officers from his seat of honor, basking in his own perceived authority.

Lin Xiong rolled his eyes and said coldly, "Oh, so it’s Steward ’Dog Shit’. I wonder what business Steward ’Dog Shit’ has here at our City Guard Office?"

Steward Gou’s real name was Gou Shi, which sounded identical to the words for "dog shit." However, ever since he became a steward in the City Lord’s Mansion, very few people had dared to call him that. Several years ago, he became the Great Young Master’s personal steward. Since then, people either addressed him as Steward Gou or respectfully as Lord Gou. Those two words had long since vanished from his vocabulary. He never expected Lin Xiong to dig them up again today.

His face instantly turned livid, then green, then black, the colors shifting as if it were about to drip blood. He shrieked, "Lin Xiong, how dare you! These men have violated the law and are openly rebelling! I was just about to report this to the Great Young Master and have the City Guard investigated. Vice Commander Jia is apprehending them with just cause and legal authority. I hear these men are your subordinates. By openly obstructing him, you are now a suspect yourself! I suspect you are colluding with them in a plot to rebel! Surrender at once and await the Great Young Master’s judgment!"

Gou Shi was utterly enraged, his expression hideous. For Lin Xiong to dare speak his "nickname" was like touching a dragon’s reverse scale.

"Heh, what an impressive display, Steward ’Dog Shit’." Lin Xiong gave a cold laugh, deliberately emphasizing those two words.

"I find this very strange. My City Guard has always been under the command of Commander Hei Zhuo, directly authorized by the City Lord. Even the Great Young Master has no right to interfere, let alone a dog like you who follows him around. As a steward of the City Lord’s Mansion, you come here to my City Guard to cause trouble, openly meddle in our affairs, and usurp military authority. I’m quite curious... is this your own doing, or is someone else pulling the strings? I will be reporting this matter to the City Lord and Commander Hei Zhuo for a strict investigation. We’ll see if someone is secretly colluding to usurp the City Guard’s military power in a plot of rebellion."

At these words, Steward Gou’s face instantly turned snow-white. He shrieked, "Lin Xiong, what nonsense are you spouting!"

The City Lord of Blue Moon City was strict and impartial, and he detested those close to him meddling with military power more than anything. If this matter truly reached the City Lord’s Mansion, the Great Young Master might be able to save himself, but a minor steward like him would undoubtedly be thrown out as a scapegoat. At that point, his fate would be to have his bones ground to dust—an absolutely miserable end.

He looked to Jia Fang for help.

Jia Fang narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Lin Xiong. CLAP, CLAP, CLAP. He actually began to applaud, laughing with mock admiration. "Hahaha, Vice Commander Lin, we’ve been colleagues for so many years, and I never realized you were so eloquent. But what a pity. In this world, strength is what ultimately matters. A cripple like you, with your Martial Soul collapsed and your cultivation lost, actually has the nerve to come back here. It seems what happened at your home wasn’t a strong enough warning for you."

Lin Xiong’s gaze turned glacial. The temperature in the room seemed to drop by ten degrees in an instant. He narrowed his eyes and said in an icy voice, "Jia Fang, what happened at my home... was that your doing?"

"No, no, no." Jia Fang waved his hands dismissively, a grin on his face. "Lin Xiong, you were incompetent in your duties and used your position to line your own pockets. Those merchants were merely seeking justice for themselves. As a Vice Commander of the City Guard, I naturally cannot tolerate a parasite like you in our ranks."

At this, his voice suddenly turned ice-cold, and his face twisted into a sneer of utter confidence. "Men, seize Lin Xiong as well! Throw him in the City Guard’s prison, find evidence of his corruption, and then hand him over to the City Lord’s Mansion for judgment."

"Yes, sir!"

WHOOSH! Another dozen or so men surged out from the crowd, joining the first group to form a massive encirclement. They surrounded Lin Xiong, Ji Ling, and the others, leaving no room for escape.

’That old bastard! Not only did he go after my family, but he’s also trying to wipe us all out!’ A furious fire burned in Lin Xiong’s heart. At the same time, he broke out in a cold sweat. ’Thankfully, Young Master Xuan healed my Martial Soul. Otherwise, I really would have been thrown in prison today, doomed beyond redemption!’

In that instant, a spring of gratitude for Ye Xuan welled up inside him.

SHING!

He drew the battle saber from his waist and glared coldly at the surrounding officers. "I’d like to see which of you dares to lay a hand on me today."

"Still putting on a show? Half a month has passed. I wonder how much of your cultivation is left, Vice Commander Lin?" Jia Fang sneered, then suddenly roared, "What are you all standing around for? Take him down!"

"Yes, sir!"

As his voice fell, the nearly ten officers closest to Lin Xiong roared and lunged forward as one.

Everyone attending this luncheon was a mid- to high-ranking officer of the City Guard. The weakest among them was a Tier Two First Layer Martial Master, while the strongest were Third Layer Martial Artists. With more than ten of them attacking at once, the air was instantly filled with a swirling torrent of Profound Qi, crashing like a tidal wave.

"Commander!" Ji Ling and the others cried out in alarm from within the encirclement.

Jia Fang and his cohorts, however, watched with relaxed confidence, sneering endlessly. With this one blow, Lin Xiong would be gravely injured and captured without a fight.

A violent surge of Profound Qi roiled through the hall, like a tiger descending a mountain or a flood dragon leaving its pool, as it swept thunderously toward Lin Xiong.

What happened next shocked everyone to their core. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

BOOM!

Amidst the roiling tide of Profound Qi, a brilliant flash of a saber suddenly appeared. It was like a comet streaking across the sky, a fleeting glimpse of light that illuminated the entire hall.

The next moment—

The boundless Profound Qi was shattered. The dozen or so figures who had lunged at Lin Xiong were sent flying back the way they came. They all crashed to the ground, spitting mouthfuls of blood, their weapons clattering to the floor. It was a pathetic sight.

On each of their bodies, a distinct bloody line appeared, slicing through their armor. Blood spurted from the wounds, creating a scene straight out of hell.

How was this possible?

In that instant, everyone was dumbfounded, including Jia Fang.

’A combined attack from more than ten Martial Artists... even a First Layer Earth Martial Artist like me would have to treat it with caution. How could it be defeated in a single blow by Lin Xiong, a man whose Martial Soul had collapsed?!’

Lin Xiong stood proudly in the center of the hall, looking up disdainfully at Jia Fang in his seat of honor. He said coldly, "Jia Fang, as a Vice Commander of the City Guard, you gathered subordinates to drink during hours of duty, violating military regulations. You plotted against a colleague, and you colluded with Steward Gou of the City Lord’s Mansion to usurp military authority. I now suspect you of plotting rebellion. Submit to your arrest."