Chapter 1200: Junior Brother Man, Good News! There's a Big Case

Considering the Hundred Swords Alliance was equivalent to a third-rank sect, and its main and deputy leaders were both Nascent Soul stage cultivators who had participated in the Sword Inquiring Ceremony, they were formidable. Sword cultivators were always renowned for their offensive power and rarely met their match among peers of the same rank.

The presence of these leaders meant that the Hundred Swords Alliance ranked in the upper-middle tier even among third-rank sects. Moreover, the alliance was spread throughout the entire Barren State, making arrests difficult. To eliminate the entire Hundred Swords Alliance in a single night would be challenging even for two Tribulation-stage grand cultivators.

"We're in a hurry," Lu Yang stated, his voice calm yet the words terrifying. "You'd better quickly explain the Hundred Swords Alliance's situation, or I'll perform soul-searching."

"Old Lu," Constable Meng reminded him, "don't get carried away and search both. One is enough. We need to keep one to take back, otherwise, it will be hard to explain how we found clues about the Hundred Swords Alliance."

Searching one person's soul and burying them in a pit afterward was simple; no one would ever know they existed.

Lu Yang nodded. "That's true. We can't say Old Man Wang knew the Hundred Swords Alliance headquarters and led us there; that would require coordinating statements with him, which is quite troublesome. So, I'll just search one person's soul."

"No, no, no, we'll confess, we'll confess!"

The two Hundred Swords Alliance members were terrified, trembling like quails. Who exactly were these two constables? Not only were their cultivation levels extraordinary, but they were also ruthless.

After the two confessed, Lu Yang had a rough understanding of the Hundred Swords Alliance's situation.

The Hundred Swords Alliance was an alliance of sword cultivators dedicated to collecting famous swords from across the land by any means necessary. Its members were spread throughout the entire Barren State, making them well-known. The alliance was supported by an official who also enjoyed collecting swords, which was why it had remained unharmed.

However, the identity of this supporting official was unknown; it was an absolute secret known only to the main and deputy leaders.

The Hundred Swords Alliance's headquarters was located in the Black Market of Zhongshan Commandery.

"Except for the part about the Hundred Swords Alliance being a renowned force, everything else should be true," Lu Yang said.

He and Old Meng had previously visited the Barren State, where they first met Mu Baiyi and resolved the matter of the sixth Emperor Yu, Wu Youdao. They had stayed in the Barren State for quite a while but had never heard of any Hundred Swords Alliance.

"Let's deal with the headquarters first; it's quite close," Meng Jingzhou suggested. The headquarters happened to be in Zhongshan Commandery, and Quyi County was under its jurisdiction.

"Let's go."

A dark and windy night was perfect for making arrests. Four figures swiftly flew past, silently scaling walls to enter Zhongshan Commandery.

The two young constables had just started their jobs and already received such a major case; it would be a lie to say they weren't nervous. Yet, despite any nervousness, they could not allow the enemy to escape. Therefore, as soon as they arrived at the black market, they immediately enveloped the area with their spiritual sense to ensure no member of the Hundred Swords Alliance could escape.

The entrance to the Hundred Swords Alliance was located deep underground, behind a large door forged from rare stone that could only be opened by speaking the correct password. The door sensed their presence, and a ferocious human face appeared in its center, demanding, "Speak the password."

Lu Yang ignored the face, pushed the door open, and loudly declared, "Nobody move! Hands on your heads, squat down! We are constables from Quyi County. We have received reports that you are involved in a series of crimes, including illegal organizational operations, theft and robbery of weapons, tax evasion, intentional assault, and intentional homicide. Resistance will only worsen your crimes!"

"Where did these petty constables come from, daring to interfere with us?!" The Hundred Swords Alliance was teeming with experts, having been entrenched in the black market for centuries, relying solely on the swords in their hands.

"Xuanhei, Ba Wang, you two betrayed the organization!"

"Two bottom-tier good-for-nothings dare to betray the organization? Eliminate them both!"

Who were Xuanhei and Ba Wang? Lu Yang was puzzled for a moment before realizing they were the two individuals they had caught that night. It turned out they hadn't asked for their names during the interrogation. Never mind, it wasn't important. Xuanhei and Ba Wang didn't sound like real names anyway; they would find out their true identities when they took their statements back at the office.

Every member of the Hundred Swords Alliance wielded a Divine Heavenly Weapon sword. These divine swords varied in form and had imposing names; some could tear space, some could alter celestial phenomena, some could control earth, and some could absorb spiritual energy.

But Lu Yang didn't care.

Facing the surging Divine Heavenly Weapon swords, each emanating strange halos, Lu Yang simply uttered two words.

"Sword Return."

Without exception, these divine swords broke free from their masters' control and swiftly flew towards Lu Yang, as if vassals presenting themselves before an emperor of antiquity!

The Hundred Swords Alliance members stared at this scene in disbelief. They were the masters of these Divine Heavenly Weapon swords; once a sword recognized a master, it would only become masterless and controllable by others upon that master's death.

Who exactly is this young constable?! How did he do it?!

"Hahaha, I never imagined such an expert was hidden among the constables!"

Two hearty voices echoed from the end of the corridor, accompanied by unhurried footsteps.

"Alliance Leader! Deputy Alliance Leader!"

The Hundred Swords Alliance members were overjoyed.

"You all retreat," a voice commanded. "This person is an extremely rare sword master, not someone you can handle."

"Yes!"

The two alliance leaders stood side by side, gazing with interest at the two seemingly unremarkable young constables, and slowly spoke:

"Although Barren State has many blacksmiths who forge countless divine weapons, sword cultivators are very few. For this reason, my brother and I defeated many sword masters in Barren State to gain the qualification to participate in the Sword Inquiring Ceremony, seeking only a single defeat."

"We never imagined there was a sword master like you still in Barren State! My brother and I going to the Sword Inquiring Ceremony was like seeking something far away when it was right nearby!"

"Formless and imageless, inherently boundless; chaotic and murky, conceiving the Great Void! Come, let's fight! My Boundless Yin-Yang Sword hasn't met an opponent in a long time!" The Alliance Leader drew his Boundless Yin-Yang Sword.

"Heaven and Earth positioned, stars shift; Eight Trigrams evolve, revealing profound mystery! Let's see how many stances of my Grand Void Divine Sword you can withstand!" The Deputy Alliance Leader drew his Grand Void Divine Sword.

"It's the Boundless Yin-Yang Sword! How long has it been since the Alliance Leader drew this sword!"

"And the Grand Void Divine Sword! It's said to have nine stances, but few have ever seen the sixth, and no one has ever witnessed the ninth!"

The main and deputy alliance leaders activated their proud swords, which seemed to possess various profound mysteries and unknown capabilities.

Thump, thump.

Meng Jingzhou threw two consecutive punches, knocking one down with each. "Blabbering on for ages, what's all this flashy nonsense?"

"By the way, Old Lu, do you remember these two?"

Lu Yang tried hard to recall the Sword Inquiring Ceremony. "I don't remember the deputy leader," he said, "but the leader seemed to be the opponent of Senior Brother Xuanyuan Tianhen of Xue Shilou and was eliminated in the first round."

"And next time, hit them a little softer; you've knocked them both unconscious."

Meng Jingzhou took a look and indeed, it was true. He quickly pinched their philtrum to wake them up.

"Speak! Who is protecting the Hundred Swords Alliance!"

Meng Jingzhou revealed a trace of his formidable pressure, like a prehistoric beast or a blazing, supreme sun. The main and deputy leaders, like two ants, prostrated themselves on the ground, daring not to conceal anything.

"It's... it's the Commandery Governor."

"What do you mean?" Meng Jingzhou turned his head and asked. "Should we arrest these people first and then find the Commandery Governor, or go directly to him?"

"Go directly," Lu Yang replied, "lest he hears wind of it and flees."

Lu Yang left a wood clone to guard the Hundred Swords Alliance members, while he and Old Meng swiftly headed to the Commandery Governor's mansion.

Commandery Governor Lu, the governor of Zhongshan Commandery, was currently blindfolded on a pleasure boat, playfully chasing young women. Suddenly, the women's giggling ceased. Commandery Governor Lu suspiciously lifted his blindfold, somewhat displeased. "Why is it quiet?" he muttered.

The two young constables had appeared in the room at some unknown point and were now smilingly looking at Commandery Governor Lu.

"You are Commandery Governor Lu, correct?" one constable said. "We are constables from Quyi County. We have received reports that you are colluding with the Hundred Swords Alliance. Please come with us."

Upon hearing this, Commandery Governor Lu's face changed, and he angrily pushed Meng Jingzhou away. "Get lost! Two petty constables dare to arrest me? My mood for the night is ruined!"

Meng Jingzhou remained unmoving.

Lu Yang kicked Commandery Governor Lu to the ground and swiftly tied him up. Commandery Governor Lu was a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, but facing Lu Yang was like facing a colossal mountain; he was powerfully suppressed, without the slightest room for resistance. He then realized that these two young constables were no ordinary people.

"Who exactly are you, and who sent you?" he demanded. "I am an official appointed by the imperial court; your rank is too low, you have no authority to arrest me!"

Lu Yang paused, then turned to ask Meng Jingzhou, "Is there such a rule?"

Meng Jingzhou thought for a moment. "The Commandery Governor is a fourth-rank official. Usually, to arrest such an official, a fourth-rank or higher official must be dispatched. However, this is an unwritten rule in officialdom; there's no explicit regulation."

Lu Yang shrugged. "So it's an unwritten rule. Then never mind."

Lu Yang had always been law-abiding and acted according to explicit regulations. Since the jurisdiction for the Hundred Swords Alliance case was theirs, anyone connected to it could be arrested.

"Besides," he added, "as a dignified Minister of the State, my rank is higher than his. What's wrong with arresting him?"

In the early morning, Man Gu woke from his deep sleep—or more accurately, was woken by Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

"Junior Brother Man, good news! We have a big case."

"What big case?"

"We arrested your superior, Commandery Governor Lu."

"Huh?"

"Am I not awake yet?"