"Good!"
Xu Ming glanced at the few people around him. Bai Ziyue was eager to try, Zhang Guoyi had a bewildered look, and his own nephew Xu Li was clearly timid and resistant. Xu Ming had the intention of training them, so he did not refuse and nodded decisively.
With the strong and vigorous Xu Ming leading the way, Bai Ziyue and the others soon arrived at the front.
The first thing that caught Bai Ziyue's eyes was a burly man, with iron shackles on his hands and head, and long iron chains locking his legs. He was kneeling on a stone platform of about twenty square meters. The ground of the stone platform was dark red, obviously stained with blood that couldn't be cleaned due to too many executions. Beside him were several soldiers and an elderly executioner.
In the distance, on a high platform, there was also an executioner, said to be the town defender Yang Zhengling of Qinghe Town.
At this time, Bai Ziyue and the others also knew the identity of the burly man kneeling there. It was the Fourth Village Chief of Ghost Head Stronghold, Iron Arm Hand Wu Liang.
It was said that during an attempt to intercept the Li Family's Pawnshop's escorted goods, he was directly captured by the second son of the Li Family, Li Xu.
"The three great talents of the Li Family: the eldest son Li Qing, who manages the business and runs the pawnshops in an orderly manner, with branches even in the county town; the second son Li Xu, who possesses innate divine power and superior martial arts skills; and the third son Li Xun, a true scholar, a Wenqu Star descended to the mortal world.
For Ghost Head Stronghold's Wu Liang to target their family, he indeed suffered a great defeat."
Those who knew discussed excitedly.
"Ghost Head Stronghold, guilty of numerous evil deeds, should have been eradicated long ago.
This time, the Fourth Village Chief Wu Liang being captured and executed is truly exhilarating."
Someone said through gritted teeth.
Listening to the discussions, Bai Ziyue also glanced sideways. This person was obviously someone deeply victimized by them.
"Execute!"
At this moment, Yang Zhengling, the town defender, gave a light shout and threw out a token.
Clang!
The token fell onto the stone platform with a crisp sound. The old executioner picked up a bowl of wine and sprayed it onto the blade.
"The resentment has a source, and the debt has an owner. We have no past grievances or recent feuds, but I have my duties and must act on orders. My apologies."
With that, the large blade was raised.
"Ah..."
At this moment, Iron Arm Hand Wu Liang seemed unwilling to bow his head, let out a loud shout, and his whole body tensed with power. His two thick arms immediately turned blue, with muscles and blood vessels bulging, as hard as iron, truly living up to the name Iron Arm Hand.
Snap!
The thick iron cuffs snapped, and the iron shackles cracked.
But it was already too late.
The butcher knife fell, incredibly fast.
Wu Liang suddenly froze, a trace of blood seeping from his neck, gradually forming a thin line. Then, with a loud thud, his head fell off, revealing a gaping wound the size of a bowl. Hot blood gushed out like a fountain.
By this time, the old executioner had already picked up a cloth and was gently wiping the clean blade, his face as calm and composed as ever.
He's dead!
Really dead!
A clean and swift execution!
Bai Ziyue's eyes widened, then contracted intensely. An uncontrollable urge to vomit welled up, rising and rising until he could no longer suppress it.
"Ugh..."
Bai Ziyue's face turned deathly pale, almost vomiting his gall bladder.
Even though he had anticipated the bloodshed when proposing to watch the beheading and had mentally prepared himself, knowing that this world was different, not as peaceful as his previous life but chaotic and brutal. He knew he would eventually face death and needed to adapt as best he could to survive.
He was rational, forcing his eyes to stay open.
But the moment the bright red blood spurted out, his mind went blank, the endless cold extinguishing all his previous thoughts.
It took Bai Ziyue a while to calm down, noticing that not only he felt nauseous and vomited, but Xu Li and Zhang Guoyi did the same. Even some onlookers showed discomfort on their faces. There were even those who, trying to appear brave, faced the beheading scene but kept their eyes tightly shut.
"Are you alright?"
Xu Ming gave Bai Ziyue a slight smile. After all, they were still children, and no matter how mature they tried to appear, they couldn't avoid being in a sorry state at this moment.
The three nodded with pale faces.
"Then let's go. It's getting late; I'll get you settled as soon as possible."
Xu Ming said, leading the way.
Bai Ziyue hurried to follow, but a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
"This time watching the execution was not in vain after all."
In front of Bai Ziyue's eyes, his data appeared.
Name: Bai Ziyue
Strength: 0.26 (+)
Speed: 0.33 (+)
Physique: 0.49 (+)
Martial Arts: None
Soul Energy: 837
On the attribute panel, other data remained unchanged, but his Soul Energy had increased by more than eight hundred.
To Bai Ziyue, this was an enormous amount.
When he first collected from a small ghost, it only contributed seventeen points, whereas Ghost Head Stronghold's Fourth Village Chief, Iron Arm Hand Wu Liang, offered nearly fifty times that amount.
It was truly beyond his expectations and delighted him immensely.
"However, what determines the amount of Soul Energy? Strength? Or other factors?"
Bai Ziyue pondered.
The weakest small chicken provided only one point of Soul Energy, slightly stronger small ghost provided fifteen points, and Wu Liang, with powerful strength comparable to Uncle Ming's, contributed nearly a thousand points?
"Uncle Ming, I wonder what level of strength Wu Liang had?"
Bai Ziyue quickly asked.
"Iron Arm Hand Wu Liang supposedly reached Great Success in External Forging three years ago and entered Inner Cultivation. His current strength should be slightly stronger than mine, I suppose?"
Xu Ming said seriously.
"That strong?"
Bai Ziyue couldn't help but be taken aback.
He witnessed Uncle Ming's strength firsthand, where just the pressure of his Qi and Blood made the small ghost's soul disintegrate without even making contact.
This Wu Liang's strength surpassed Uncle Ming, yet he was only the Fourth Village Chief of Ghost Head Stronghold. It was imaginable how much more formidable the top three chiefs must be.
"Uncle Ming, where are we heading next?"
At that moment, Xu Li asked.
"Our next destination is, of course, the Sunburst Gang Branch in Qinghe Town on North Street.
There should be a small assessment. Once you pass it, someone will naturally arrange work for you."
...
Indeed, North Street was much more prosperous than West Street.
The tall restaurants, spacious silk shops, and the fragrance of cosmetics wafted from a store full of noblewomen. In the tranquil bookstore, a group of scholars studied intently.
Antique shops, calligraphy and painting studios, pawnshops, and even a theater...
Even though night had fully fallen, the row of lanterns on the shops along North Street still brightly illuminated the road.
Despite thinking himself knowledgeable, Bai Ziyue was dazzled by these scenes so reminiscent of ancient times, let alone Xu Li and Zhang Guoyi, who were almost leaving their village for the first time.
But soon, with Xu Ming taking a turn, they left the street and arrived at what was clearly the residential area of wealthy families.
After a short while, Xu Ming stopped walking.
They had arrived at the Sunburst Gang Branch!