Chapter 3: The World In Shock: Great Shang’s First Case In Three Hundred Years!
Ji Qing ran faster and faster, passing by the blacksmith shop on the street side. He stopped, then flipped into the blacksmith shop and picked a handy saber.
He had no silver left on him, but there was still a jade pendant that the jailers hadn’t taken, which was worth some silver.
He placed the jade pendant on the blacksmith shop’s table to cover the cost of the saber.
With the saber in hand, Ji Qing’s courage grew stronger.
Soon Ji Qing arrived at the Ji Residence. The Ji Residence was very quiet late at night.
“Hoo…”
A gentle breeze blew past, and Ji Qing frowned.
“This is… the smell of blood?”
Where did the smell of blood in the Ji Residence come from?
Ji Qing immediately leaped over the wall and jumped into the Ji Residence.
Just as he jumped into the Ji Residence, Ji Qing smelled an even stronger scent of blood.
He saw corpses on the ground.
They were all corpses of guards, maidservants, and other servants.
Moreover, these corpses were extremely gruesome, with the skin on their faces brutally peeled off.
“Skin-changing Demon!”
Ji Qing was filled with boundless rage.
Before, the Skin-changing Demon had been quite “restrained,” perhaps fearing exposure or wanting to take things slowly, and hadn’t laid hands on anyone in the Ji Residence.
But now?
The Skin-changing Demon had clearly revealed its true nature, wantonly attacking people in the Ji Residence without restraint.
Was this the Skin-changing Demon’s revenge against him?
After all, the Skin-changing Demon had lost one clone, and demons have treacherous and cruel temperaments. Slaughtering the entire Ji Residence as revenge was entirely plausible.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, Ji Qing heard a scream coming from the backyard.
Ji Qing immediately dashed toward the backyard.
Along the way, there were too many corpses on the ground.
The entire Ji Residence had become a living hell.
Ji Qing immediately headed to his father’s room.
The room’s great door was open, and inside, there was faintly the figure of a maidservant.
But this maidservant was holding Master Ji’s heart, with blood still dripping from her hands.
The scene was eerie and terrifying.
“Clang.”
Ji Qing instantly drew his saber.
“Demon, give your life!”
Ji Qing struck with hatred, instinctively unleashing the Thirteen Fast Blades. A flash of dazzling blade light streaked by, and the sharp long saber instantly slashed across the maidservant’s neck.
“Pfft.”
Blood splashed.
The head fell to the ground.
“Thud.”
The maidservant’s headless corpse also collapsed to the ground.
“Killed Skin-changing Demon clone, obtained one origin point.”
Sure enough, this maidservant was also a Skin-changing Demon clone.
This Skin-changing Demon clone didn’t seem very strong in combat power.
With Ji Qing’s current strength, he could kill clones like this maidservant with ease.
The maidservant was still clutching a heart in her hand.
Ji Qing hurriedly went to the bedside and saw his father, pale-faced with a bloody hole in his chest.
“Dad, I came too late…”
Master Ji wasn’t completely dead yet. He stared wide-eyed at Ji Qing.
“Qing… Qing’er, I misunderstood you. There really is a demon in the residence… I won’t make it. Quick… quick, go save Yao’er…”
With that, Master Ji lowered his head, his breath gone.
“Yao’er…”
Ji Qing had only this one sister.
He immediately headed to Ji Yao’s room.
Before reaching Ji Yao’s room, Ji Qing saw an old woman from the residence, her face twisted in a eerie smile as she gnawed on a bright red heart.
“Die!”
Ji Qing knew full well that this old woman must also be a Skin-changing Demon clone.
“Pfft.”
The old woman was cleaved in two by Ji Qing’s saber.
“Killed Skin-changing Demon clone, obtained one origin point.”
Ji Qing had now obtained two origin points.
“Whoosh.”
Just as Ji Qing was sprinting, a blade light suddenly slashed out from a corner.
Ji Qing raised his saber to block.
“Bang.”
Ji Qing felt a powerful force transmit from the blade. He couldn’t help but retreat five steps before dissipating the force and stopping.
“Hm? Uncle Jiang?”
Ji Qing saw that the attacker was Jiang Dakui, the top expert among the Ji Residence’s former guard martial artists.
“No, you’re a Skin-changing Demon clone!”
Ji Qing realized immediately.
Jiang Dakui would never attack him; only the Skin-changing Demon would.
“Ji Qing, you only started practicing martial arts a few months ago, yet you’ve become a third-rank martial artist in the jianghu with impressive strength. Tsk tsk, if I peel your skin, I’ll gain another powerful clone!”
Jiang Dakui licked the blood from his fingers, his appearance gradually turning ferocious.
Ji Qing’s heart sank.
He had roughly figured out the Skin-changing Demon’s ability.
As long as it peeled off human skin, the Skin-changing Demon could turn that person into a clone.
Yun Niang from before, along with the maidservants, old women, and others, including Jiang Dakui right now, must all have had their skin peeled by the Skin-changing Demon, turning them into its clones.
The combat power of a Skin-changing Demon clone depended on the original person’s strength in life.
If the person was strong in life, the clone would be stronger after becoming a Skin-changing Demon clone.
Ji Qing knew how strong Jiang Dakui was.
The man had fought in the jianghu for twenty or thirty years.
He was extremely strong among third-rank martial artists.
From that earlier strike, Ji Qing knew that with his current strength, he was probably no match for Jiang Dakui.
But he had two origin points and could improve his strength at any time.
Right now, Ji Qing needed to fight for his life, making his saber technique realm especially crucial.
“Improve Thirteen Fast Blades!”
“Thirteen Fast Blades minor accomplishment!”
“Continue.”
“Thirteen Fast Blades major accomplishment!”
Ji Qing consumed two origin points, directly elevating the Thirteen Fast Blades to major accomplishment!
Major accomplishment in Thirteen Fast Blades was basically the highest realm of this saber technique.
Images flooded Ji Qing’s mind.
It was as if he had diligently practiced the Thirteen Fast Blades every single day.
He didn’t know if it was eight years, ten years, or even twenty.
Day after day of practicing the Thirteen Fast Blades had turned it into pure instinct.
He could execute it even with his eyes closed.
“Whoosh.”
Ji Qing attacked.
He slashed his saber at Jiang Dakui.
“Bang.”
Jiang Dakui also swung his saber to block. The two long sabers collided, internal energy burst forth, and Jiang Dakui’s internal energy was slightly stronger.
But it didn’t matter much.
Ji Qing’s saber technique realm was superior!
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh.”
Ji Qing struck saber after saber, the Thirteen Fast Blades flowing effortlessly, each faster than the last. The relentless attack like mercury pouring down left Jiang Dakui breathless.
This was the Thirteen Fast Blades, emphasizing speed.
Moreover, the onslaught was continuous and unending—fail to block, and you’re dead!
“Slash.”
Jiang Dakui couldn’t hold out forever!
Ji Qing’s saber sliced across Jiang Dakui’s neck.
Jiang Dakui touched his neck, his expression turning terrified, ferocious, and… furious!
“You’ve destroyed another of my clones, Ji Qing. I want you dead…”
Jiang Dakui collapsed to the ground.
Even as a Skin-changing Demon clone, it was still flesh and blood. A slashed throat meant death!
Ji Qing didn’t stop and rushed into Ji Yao’s room.
“Ji Yao?”
Ji Qing didn’t see Ji Yao’s figure in the room.
Ji Qing’s heart sank.
Could Ji Yao have been killed too?
At that moment, Ji Qing heard a sobbing sound from under the bed.
He got down on the ground and looked—Ji Yao was hiding under the bed.
“Bro… Nurse Rong is dead, Little Wan is dead too… I’m scared…”
Seeing Ji Qing, her own brother, Ji Yao couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.
Ji Yao crawled out from under the bed.
Though covered in dust and dirt, not being injured was already a blessing.
Ji Qing picked up Ji Yao and said gravely, “Yao’er, it’s okay now.”
“Bro, there really are monsters. I saw the monster peeling skin…”
At this, Ji Yao trembled all over.
Clearly recalling that terrifying scene.
She now fully believed there was a demon in the Ji Residence.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ve killed the Skin-changing Demon.”
Ji Qing knew the Skin-changing Demon had many clones, so he carried Ji Yao around the Ji Residence, searching for Skin-changing Demon clones.
In the end, he killed three more Skin-changing Demon clones, accumulating four origin points.
After searching all the Skin-changing Demon clones, Ji Qing felt heavy-hearted.
Because everyone in the Ji Residence was dead.
Over a hundred people in the Ji Residence, now only Ji Qing and Ji Yao survived.
“Quick, capture the fugitive Ji Qing! If Ji Qing resists, kill on sight!”
At this time, chaotic footsteps sounded outside the Ji Residence.
The yamen constables had arrived.
Now Ji Qing was a “fugitive,” so the constables had to capture him.
Looking at the current Ji Residence, Ji Qing had nothing left to linger for.
He certainly wouldn’t surrender without a fight.
“Let’s go!”
Ji Qing quietly slipped out the back door of the Ji Residence.
But just after leaving, he suddenly turned back.
Unbeknownst when, raging flames had erupted in the Ji Residence.
“The Skin-changing Demon still has clones?”
Ji Qing’s eyes turned cold.
But the raging fire blazed, thick smoke gradually engulfing the entire Ji Residence. The blaze was unstoppable.
“Quick, put out the fire…”
Faced with the fire, the constables were in a panic.
Ji Qing didn’t linger and resolutely turned to leave.
“The Skin-changing Demon has only lost a few clones; the real Skin-changing Demon isn’t dead. No matter where you are, even to the ends of the earth, I will make you die…”
Ji Qing’s heart was ice-cold.
The Skin-changing Demon had destroyed his family, nearly exterminating his entire household. This blood feud was unforgettable for life!
The next day, the Liangcheng County Office issued a wanted poster.
“On the seventh day of the seventh month of Yongchang Year 10, Liang City fugitive Ji Qing committed patricide and matricide, defying human ethics. He exterminated the entire Ji Residence, an outrage against heaven! This unfilial villain’s crimes are unpardonable! Ji Qing’s official status is revoked, wanted across the land. Anyone providing clues or capturing Ji Qing will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver…”
The wanted poster detailed Ji Qing’s physical features and crimes.
Clearly, the government had pinned the Ji Residence extermination case on Ji Qing.
Once this wanted poster was issued, it shocked the world!
Great Shang rules the world with filial piety.
Patricide and matricide, such utter defiance—this was the first case in three hundred years of Great Shang!
