74: Chapter 74 Intimidating the County Magistrate!

Magistrate Zhou Wenhai suddenly erupted into action, his eagle claws aiming straight for Lin Tian's wrist. Lin Tian was also startled, but he remained calm despite the shock.

His Wind-Chasing Footwork at the Perfection Realm granted him reactions and intuition for danger that surpassed ordinary people, and the Xiuchun Saber in his hand, which had already reached the Major Achievement Realm, was perfectly in sync with his heart and mind.

Facing the rapidly clawing strike, he advanced instead of retreating. With a flip of his wrist, the long saber moved like a swimming Dragon, slanting upwards to parry!

The blade did not meet the force head-on; instead, it carried a soft, resilient, and clever force to deflect the blow!

"Clang—!"

The eagle claws collided with the saber blade, sparking a dazzling burst of fire! The ear-piercing sound of metal scraping against metal set one's teeth on edge.

Magistrate Zhou Wenhai felt as if his five fingers had latched onto a piece of slippery refined iron; his force was cleverly diverted, failing to get a solid grip, and instead, his fingertips were left slightly numb from the vibration.

"Eh?" A flash of surprise appeared in Magistrate Zhou Wenhai's eyes, but his hands did not slow down in the slightest.

After the first strike failed to hit, his figure slid sideways like a ghost for half a step, and his left eagle claw silently reached out from another extremely tricky angle, aiming straight for the opening under Lin Tian's ribs!

His twin claws struck in succession, like a falcon diving, swift and ruthless, with every move targeting vital joints.

Lin Tian dropped his waist into a horse stance, and the long saber in his hand transformed into a curtain of blade light that not even a drop of water could penetrate.

He did not use complex saber moves, but simply wielded the seven most basic forms of the Xiuchun Saber Technique—"Split, Lift, Slash, Stab, Sweep, Intercept, Block"—with ease, combining them as he pleased.

Seemingly simple movements became infinitely versatile due to his comprehension at the Major Achievement Realm and the coordination of his Perfection Realm footwork.

Whether lifting, intercepting, or blocking, he could always precisely seal off the eagle claw's attacks, which clung to him like maggots on a bone, at the most critical moments.

"Ding-ding-dang-dang! Clang-clang-clang!"

The dense, rain-like sounds of collision exploded in the flower hall, with sparks constantly flying.

Magistrate Zhou Wenhai's twin claws flew, conjuring a sky full of claw shadows, his offensive like a tide. Lin Tian, however, held his ground firmly, wielding his long saber so that not even water could get through, defending like an impregnable fortress.

No matter how fierce or tricky the opponent's claw technique was, it could not break through that seemingly simple yet naturally perfect saber curtain!

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over a dozen moves.

These dozen moves were as fast as lightning; the onlookers felt only shadows flashing before their eyes, claw shadows and blade light dazzling, with strong winds blowing on their faces, making it hard to keep up.

"Clang—!"

Another direct clash without any tricks!

Lin Tian parried an insidious heart-piercing claw from his opponent, and the blade took the momentum to snap out, a condensed and heavy force suddenly erupting!

Magistrate Zhou Wenhai felt a rebound force far stronger than he had estimated; his Qi and blood surged slightly, and he couldn't help but take three steps back, "thud, thud, thud," before steadying himself, his face full of astonishment.

Lin Tian sheathed his saber and stood tall, his breathing steady. He looked at Magistrate Zhou Wenhai, whose expression was shifting uncertainly, with a cold gaze and said indifferently: "Magistrate Zhou, do you still wish to continue testing me?"

Inside the flower hall, one could hear a pin drop. There was only the slight crackling sound of burning candles and the heavy breathing of several constables.

Everyone, including the goat-bearded secretary, had their eyes wide open, staring in disbelief at the young man standing tall with his saber, his breath long and steady.

"Ha... haha! Hahahaha!" After a brief silence, Magistrate Zhou Wenhai suddenly threw his head back and laughed. The laughter no longer held the previous coldness or probing, but instead carried an indescribable, complex emotion—shock, wariness, and a trace of reluctant admiration.

He slowly withdrew his eagle claw stance, all his sharp aura receding, returning to the appearance of a refined magistrate, though deep in his eyes, there was a bit more gravity.

"Young Master Lin... what excellent skills! What excellent saber technique!" Magistrate Zhou Wenhai clapped in admiration, his tone much more sincere, "The seven basic forms of the Xiuchun Saber Technique have actually been used by you to such a masterful, impregnable level of defense!"

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that such a talented person truly exists in this world! Major Achievement in two or three months... that statement is not false! It was I... who misjudged you!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole hall was shocked!

The constables holding their sabers looked at each other, their faces filled with horror.

The secretary's mouth was open wide enough to fit an egg, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

The Xiuchun Saber Technique... was it really practiced to the "Major Achievement" Realm by this kid in just two or three months?! What kind of monstrous Comprehension Ability is this?!

"What are you all still standing there for? Get out! You've disturbed our distinguished guest, what kind of behavior is this!" Magistrate Zhou Wenhai's face darkened as he shouted at the group of constables.

"Yes!" The constables acted as if granted amnesty, quickly sheathing their sabers and bowing as they retreated from the flower hall, still feeling immensely shocked inside.

"Young Master Lin, please, sit down! I apologize for the offense just now; it was truly a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!" Magistrate Zhou Wenhai stepped forward personally, his face full of apologetic smiles, and scolded the still-dazed secretary: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pour wine for Young Master Lin to apologize! You old, dim-sighted thing, you almost ruined a major matter!"

"Yes, yes, yes! This old man is muddled, this old man is blind! I offended Lord Lin, I deserve to be punished, I deserve to be punished!" The secretary gave a start, quickly grabbing the wine pot, his hand somewhat unsteady, and tremblingly filled the empty cup in front of Lin Tian. He then poured three cups for himself, threw his head back, and gulped them down, his face flushing red as he bowed repeatedly. "Lord Lin is a heaven-sent Genius, a hero rarely seen in our Heishan City in a hundred years! For this old man to dare to speculate wildly, I must have been pig-headed! I punish myself with three cups to apologize to Lord Lin! Please, Lord Lin, be magnanimous and do not lower yourself to my level!"

Lin Tian watched the two master and servant change their expressions instantly, sneering in his heart, but remaining impassive on the surface.

He reached out and picked up the cup of wine, raising it slightly to Magistrate Zhou Wenhai: "Magistrate Zhou, you are overstating it. Since the misunderstanding is resolved, that is good. I still have official business to attend to and cannot stay long, so I will take my leave."

After speaking, he drank the wine in the cup in one gulp, nodded slightly to Magistrate Zhou Wenhai, and without another word, turned around, hand on his saber, and strode out of the weirdly atmospheric flower hall, leaving Magistrate Zhou Wenhai and the secretary looking at each other, their faces turning shades of green and white.

Walking out of the magistrate's residence, being blown by the night breeze, Lin Tian slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air from his chest.

What seemed like a calm resolution was actually dangerous. That Magistrate Zhou Wenhai was old and cunning, and his strength was not weak; if his saber technique hadn't truly reached Major Achievement and his Foundation hadn't been solid, he probably wouldn't have been able to escape easily today.

"This hurdle has finally been passed, for now." Lin Tian felt a little more settled in his heart.

After this test, Magistrate Zhou Wenhai had witnessed his "Major Achievement" saber technique and solid Foundation with his own eyes; for a short time, he shouldn't come looking for trouble again on the pretext of "consuming the red blood vermilion fruit."

After all, extraordinary talent, while rare, is not impossible, whereas stealing treasures from the magistrate's office is a serious crime; without proof or evidence, Magistrate Zhou Wenhai wouldn't dare to truly tear off the facade.

"However... how did he know I broke through to the Second Grade Middle Stage, and why did he link this matter to the red blood vermilion fruit?" Lin Tian's eyes turned cold.

His promotion to Acting Minor Flag Officer was an internal matter of the Imperial Guard, but if the magistrate wanted to inquire, he could find out. But to directly link it to the "red blood vermilion fruit" and "rapid cultivation," and set up this "Hongmen Banquet" today... clearly, someone in the know had tipped him off and was extremely familiar with the inside story.

"Liehuo Martial Arts Hall... Lie Yun!" Lin Tian locked onto the target almost instantly.

Only Lie Yun, who was also in the Imperial Guard, knew the detailed circumstances of his Breakthrough and promotion, and had a grudge against him. And only Hall Master Lie Fentian of the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall had participated in the search of the water pool, knew about the "red blood vermilion fruit," and might have made the connection from the death of Chief Constable Liu Heng and his sudden Breakthrough!

"What a good move of using a borrowed knife to kill!" Cold light flickered in Lin Tian's eyes. This Lie Yun, he hadn't even gone to settle scores with him yet, and he had already secretly tripped him up, wanting to use the magistrate's hand to get rid of him! This person was narrow-minded, vengeful, and acted maliciously; leaving him would surely be a future trouble!

"Since you are heartless first, don't blame me for being unrighteous." Killing intent stirred in Lin Tian's heart. However, acting within the Imperial Guard required caution; he needed to find a suitable opportunity.

Meanwhile, inside the magistrate's flower hall.

"My lord... what, what should we do?" The secretary wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and asked cautiously, "It seems we... have offended an incredible Imperial Guard Genius? If he holds a grudge in the future..."

Magistrate Zhou Wenhai's face was gloomy, and he paced slowly in the hall with his hands behind his back. He also hadn't expected Lin Tian's "talent" to be so terrifying, with his saber technique attainment reaching such a level that he had dissolved his probing and coercion into nothingness.

Offending a young Imperial Guard Genius with a limitless future was definitely not a wise move.

"Hmph, so what if he is a Genius? The tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind!" Magistrate Zhou Wenhai stopped his steps, a trace of sinister coldness flashing in his eyes, "This kid is too sharp, and has no strong backing; sooner or later he will fall! But for now... it is indeed not appropriate to conflict with him again."

He pondered for a moment and instructed the secretary: "You go immediately and prepare a generous gift. Tomorrow morning, in my name, send it to the Lin Family Mansion. Say that I spoke out of turn after drinking today and caused offense, so I have prepared a small gift to express my apologies. Make sure the gesture is sufficient."

"Yes, my lord!" The secretary quickly agreed.

"And," Magistrate Zhou Wenhai's eyes flashed with sharp light, "send someone to the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall and invite Lie Hall Master to come to the mansion for a talk. Just say... I have important matters to tell him, regarding the whereabouts of that 'red blood vermilion fruit,' which seems... to have other hidden circumstances."

He wanted to tell Hall Master Lie Fentian about the terrifying talent and saber technique Realm that Lin Tian had displayed. On one hand, it could be considered "repaying" the "clues" provided by the other party; on the other hand, he also wanted to see how the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall, this sharper "knife," would react upon learning that the prey was more difficult to deal with than expected.

Jinyiwei Company Office, a corner of the drill ground.

Lie Yun was talking and laughing in low voices with several familiar Imperial Guard recruits, his brows filled with undisguised pride and anticipation.

In his mind, Lin Tian was probably in the magistrate's jail right now, being tortured to death by that old fox Magistrate Zhou Wenhai; even if he didn't die, his martial arts would probably be crippled. That position of Acting Minor Flag Officer, those abundant resources, the attention of everyone... soon, it would all belong to him, Lie Yun!

Thinking of this, he almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.

However, just as he was full of ambition and calculating how to "naturally" take over Lin Tian's position, his peripheral vision suddenly caught a figure, familiar to the point of being an eyesore, walking unhurriedly from the direction of the Jinyiwei Company Office gate.

Dressed in black robes, with a long saber at his waist, his expression calm, and his gait steady. It was indeed Lin Tian!

The smile on Lie Yun's face instantly froze, his eyes widened violently, his pupils shrinking into pinpricks, as if he had seen a ghost, and he cried out in shock: "It... it's you?! How can you be here?!"

He subconsciously rubbed his eyes, suspecting that he was having hallucinations.

Wasn't Lin Tian supposed to have been captured by Magistrate Zhou and subjected to severe interrogation? How could he appear at the Imperial Guard office unscathed, and even with steady breathing? Could it be... he didn't go to the magistrate's office? Or... did Magistrate Zhou fail to capture him? How is this possible?!

Lie Yun's heart was instantly filled with immense shock, confusion, and a trace of indescribable panic. The plan... failed?