65: Chapter 65 Fierce Battle with Constable Liu

Lin Tian followed the footprints. At first, they were deep, but they gradually became shallower until they vanished completely.

Lin Tian's expression shifted abruptly. The fresh water stains by the pool, the dark red pool water, and the strange, wide footprints—everything indicated that someone had emerged from the pool not long ago, likely wounded or having just fought a battle.

He had tracked them all the way, the footprints fading as moisture evaporated, until now, where they abruptly ended amidst the intertwined roots of several ancient trees that would require multiple people to encircle.

Gone? The surroundings were blanketed in thick, impenetrable greenery, with only the rustling of wind through the treetops and the faint chirping of birds in the distance. It was too quiet—unnervingly so.

A cold warning of danger surged up his spine without any preamble, and the hair on Lin Tian's body stood on end!

With no time to think, he instinctively activated his Wind-Chasing Footwork at the Perfection Realm. His entire body was yanked backward by an invisible force, transforming into a blurred gray shadow as he retreated rapidly!

"Boom—!!!"

The very instant he retreated, a black shadow descended from the dense canopy above, accompanied by a fierce gust, pouncing like a hunting eagle!

A heavy mountain-cleaving saber reflected a cold, icy glint through the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, striking the spot where he had just been standing with the violent Aura of a mountain-splitting strike!

"Puchi!"

The blade sank deep into the humus layer, severing countless intertwined tree roots. Mud and stones sprayed everywhere, leaving a ghastly, foot-deep gash in the ground! The aftermath of the violent Saber Qi even shredded all the fallen leaves and twigs within several feet.

"That was close!" Lin Tian drifted back several zhang, stabilizing his stance, his heart filled with dread. The power behind that strike definitely exceeded 2,500 jin! If his footwork hadn't reached the Perfection Realm and his sense of impending danger hadn't been honed to the extreme, he would likely have been split in two!

"Hehe, you dodged that quite quickly!" The black shadow, having missed its strike, did not pursue. Instead, it chuckled grimly, slowly pulling the heavy mountain-cleaving saber from the pit it had carved, resting it on its shoulder, and turning around.

Only then did Lin Tian clearly see the attacker. The man was over eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted. His gray martial attire was torn in many places, revealing bronze-colored, muscular skin underneath, marked with several fresh bloodstains—likely the result of a battle with some ferocious beast.

He had a leopard-like head with round eyes and a face full of bulging flesh. He was grinning, revealing stark white teeth, and eyeing Lin Tian with a gaze like a cat playing with a mouse, his eyes finally landing on the small flying fish emblem on his chest.

Upon seeing the man's face, Lin Tian's pupils constricted, and his heart skipped a beat. Leopard head, round eyes, face full of bulging flesh, exceptionally burly—he looked exactly like the portrait!

It was the fugitive they were hunting: the former Chief Constable Liu Heng of the West City County Yamen!

Chief Constable Liu Heng clearly recognized Lin Tian as well. He scratched his short, steel-needle-like hair, his face displaying a mix of realization and mockery. "The Imperial Guard? Heh, you have a keen nose, finding your way here so quickly... No wonder they say you Imperial Guard members are omnipresent."

"However..." He scanned Lin Tian up and down, the disdain in his eyes deepening. "Looking at this uniform of yours, it's new, right? Kid, what was your name again? Oh, right, Lin Tian! I saw you during the assessment outside Qianlong Villa; you've got a bit of a reputation."

He walked toward Lin Tian unhurriedly with his saber on his shoulder, his steps steady and each one carrying a heavy sense of oppression, like a rampaging bear slowly closing in.

"Second Grade Early Stage... tsk tsk, with such meager cultivation, you dare to pursue me alone? Truly... you have a death wish." Chief Constable Liu Heng shook his head, his smile growing increasingly cruel. "Running into me is your bad luck. It's perfect, actually—I'll take the head of this Imperial Guard rookie to consecrate my blade; consider it a good start!"

Facing the relentless, murderously intent Chief Constable Liu Heng, Lin Tian's muscles tensed instantly, and his right hand silently pressed onto the hilt of the long saber at his waist.

His gaze was focused, locking onto every minute movement of his opponent, and his voice was cold as he attempted to use his Aura to suppress him: "Chief Constable Liu Heng! As a government constable, you knowingly broke the law and committed theft; your crimes are doubled! The county yamen constables and the Imperial Guard are all hunting you now—a net of justice is spread wide. Where can you run? If you are sensible, drop your weapon immediately, surrender, and come back with me to face justice! Perhaps you might receive a lighter sentence! If you remain stubborn and resist, you will have only a path to death!"

"Surrender? Hahaha!" Chief Constable Liu Heng seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world and burst into wild laughter, the sound causing the surrounding leaves to rustle. "A lighter sentence? Bullshit! Since I chose this path, I never intended to go back! As for the net of justice? Once I slaughter you and take what I came for, the world is vast and far—who can do anything to me?!"

Before his words had even faded, a fierce glint appeared in his eyes. He kicked off the ground, his burly frame erupting with speed that defied his size, like a cannonball leaving the barrel, instantly covering several zhang of distance!

The heavy mountain-cleaving saber in his hand transformed into a shrill black streak, accompanied by a shriek that tore through the air. There was no trickery, only pure power and speed, as he struck down fiercely at Lin Tian's head! It was the same mountain-splitting strike as before, but from closer range and with even more ferocious momentum!

Before the blade arrived, the terrifying wind of the saber, heavy as a mountain and violent as thunder, already caused Lin Tian's breathing to stall!

"Clang—!!!"

Lin Tian dared not be slow. His long saber instantly left its sheath, held horizontally above his head to hard-block this mountain-splitting, rock-shattering strike! The deafening clash of metal on metal rang out, and the violent force, like a mountain torrent, surged crazily along the blade!

"Step, step, step, step!" Lin Tian felt his arms shake violently, a sensation of numbness instantly spreading, and the blood in his chest churned intensely. He could not control his feet and retreated more than ten steps, leaving deep footprints in the soft forest floor with every step, only just managing to dissipate that terrifying force and stabilize his stance. The web of his right hand holding the saber was already throbbing with pain.

"As expected... such strong power!" Lin Tian felt a secret dread. The opponent's cultivation had reached the Second Grade Middle Stage, and strength was clearly his forte. The power of this strike was likely approaching 2,700 or 2,800 jin! In a contest of brute strength, he was definitely no match.

"Heh, what a rookie! With such meager skills, you dare to try and hunt down fugitives?" Seeing Lin Tian forced back by his strike, Chief Constable Liu Heng's grim smile widened. Pressing his advantage, he surged forward again, and a second strike followed immediately!

This time it was a horizontal sweep, the saber light like a bolt of silk, slashing across his waist. It covered a wider area, sealing off Lin Tian's space to dodge left or right, forcing him to block it head-on again!

However, a cold light flashed in Lin Tian's eyes. This time, he would not clash head-on.

Just as the heavy blade was about to reach him, his footwork suddenly became illusory, and he fully activated his Wind-Chasing Footwork at the Perfection Realm! His entire body seemed to transform into an incorporeal gray mist. In the split second before impact, he slid three feet to the side and back, following the edge of the sweeping saber wind with incredible flexibility and speed!

"Swish!" The heavy mountain-cleaving saber passed by Lin Tian's clothes with a shrill, air-tearing sound, severing only a few floating strands of hair before missing again!

Chief Constable Liu Heng's strike had swept empty, his momentum spent, causing his figure to freeze for a split second.

And in that fleeting moment, Lin Tian, who had slid to the side, approached again like a ghost. The long saber in his hand transformed into a single, concentrated cold star, silent yet as fast as lightning, thrusting directly at the opening in Chief Constable Liu Heng's right ribcage exposed by his swing! The basic form of the Xiuchun Saber Technique—Thrust! Fast! Accurate! Ruthless!