Chapter 97: Skull-Shattering Demon King Song Jiang

Entering the dungeon was like opening a blind box; filled with excitement, Ling Chi kicked the dungeon gate wide open.

The minor flag officer stationed behind the door was caught in the kick and knocked unconscious instantly. Ling Chi cast a regretful glance at him. It was a pity that the Thunder Orb had not issued a death sentence, and since the officer had not seen his face, he could find no justification to kill him. Re-equipping his skull-crushing hammer, Ling Chi stormed into the dungeon.

The dungeon was foul-smelling, gloomy, and terrifying—but that was only to outsiders. To Ling Chi, this place felt as familiar and welcoming as home. With a casual swing of his hammer, he pulverized a prisoner, reaping a hundred strands of thunderous spiritual energy in return. He had no time to count them carefully, as he was already moving toward his next target.

Under the coverage of his divine sense, no target could hide. Any flag officer or prisoner not sentenced by the Thunder Orb was simply knocked unconscious. Those identified as targets were dispatched with a single strike. The slaughter did not last long; in total, it took less than half an incense stick of time. By the time he left the dungeon, only three living people remained inside: two flag officers and one prisoner whom he had placed together. It seemed there were still some decent men in the Jing'an Division.

He did not rush to leave, opting instead to wait by the entrance of the Jing'an Division like a hunter waiting for a rabbit. The flag officers and senior officers returning from their duties became his targets. The Thunder Orb conducted trials on the spot; the guilty were executed immediately, while the innocent were knocked out and cast aside. He only stopped once no one else returned for a long while. Between criminals and his own colleagues, he had harvested over a thousand strands of thunderous spiritual energy.

Inside the archives, he carefully combed through the records. He was searching for traces of the Ghost Sect members; having come specifically for them, he could not return empty-handed. According to reports from the Yu County Jing'an Division, the Ghost Sect had previously appeared in Teng Town, Yu County, where they used the "Five Ghosts Transporting Technique" to abduct hundreds of villagers before vanishing without a trace.

As for the intelligence regarding the Wei family, Ling Chi gave it only a cursory glance. His current way of operating was dictated entirely by the judgment of the Thunder Orb. How could he be manipulated by someone like Wei Xuan? If the Thunder Orb sensed that her grandfather was guilty, then Ling Chi could only offer a polite apology.

After a thorough search, tens of thousands of gold coins and silver notes from the Jing'an Division were looted. Seeing the medicinal herbs piled in the storage room, he remembered: could the dignified commandant of Zhu County really have no treasures? He turned and headed to Han Dannian’s residence for another search. He dug three feet deep, even tearing down the walls, until he found a small box exuding the fragrance of herbs. The moment he opened it, a rich, medicinal scent wafted out, revealing a smooth, plump white jade ginseng resting inside.

The roots were perfectly preserved, and the ginseng body was completely intact. He had seen a drawing of it in the *Chronicles of Mountains and Rivers*; it was a third-tier spiritual herb with miraculous healing properties. Ling Chi tucked it away securely against his body. The old saying that "murder and arson lead to golden belts" was indeed true. He decided that if he ever had the chance, he must pay a visit to the Imperial Treasury.

The entire county was in chaos. The surviving flag officers of the Jing'an Division and the county constables had vanished. Local militia members were running wild in the streets; those caught committing crimes were killed by Ling Chi with a single blow, while the rest scattered and fled. Ling Chi moved with lightning speed, effectively cutting a path of slaughter through Zhu County.

The county government and the Jing'an Division were brought to a near-standstill. Below the rank of Bronze Badge Commandant, only a few minor flag officers remained in the Jing'an Division, with not a single senior flag officer left alive. The county government was in an even worse state; the only official left in charge was an unconscious county lieutenant, who was now a commander without an army. His superior, the county magistrate, had fled, and his subordinates—the registrar, the private secretary, the bailiff, and the constables—had all been slaughtered. The militia soldiers had either run away or died, leaving almost no one behind.

Looking back at Zhu County one last time, this obscure little town had provided Ling Chi with nearly two thousand strands of thunderous spiritual energy. He felt he was not far from breaking through to the sixth level of the Qi Sea. The standard for the sixth level was that the spiritual liquid within the body became as dense as lead and mercury, crystal clear, and began to gradually solidify. A glint of eager desire flashed in Ling Chi's eyes; he could hardly wait.

Leaving Zhu County, he found an uninhabited deep mountain to meditate and regulate his breath in private. Having lived a life of constant slaughter, he had his own way of venting. In his past life, he had been forced to hide, and his only outlets were finding women or engaging in a brutal boxing match. This life was different; an unrestrained, heart-pumping slaughter was his best way to vent.

Hidden in the deep mountains, Ling Chi did not yet know the massive impact his frenzied actions in Zhu County had caused on the outside world. Very few civilians had died, as most people simply hoped to live a quiet and peaceful life. The ones who died in the highest numbers were the powerful elites who held authority and force. There would always be those who delighted in using their petty power to make things difficult for others, as it gave them a sense of extreme satisfaction. This was especially true for low-level officials in the imperial court.

Ling Chi now had a rough grasp of the Thunder Orb's criteria for judgment. It did not require a murder to be on one's conscience to trigger the orb; as long as the evil committed reached a certain degree, it would be sensed and judged. He had no way to communicate with the Thunder Orb, but for Ling Chi, there was only one standard for judgment: the death penalty. What could be more convenient than total physical annihilation? The answer was nothing.

The tragedy of Zhu County spread with extreme speed, first to Yu County, then to Wei County, and finally throughout Sheng Province, Ying Province, and He Province. The news reached all twelve provinces of the Northwest Circuit, and rumors even traveled to the neighboring Hexi and Beichuan Circuits. Since no one had seen Ling Chi's face, they only knew of a demonic villain with a penchant for crushing skulls who specialized in killing officials, elites, brothel owners, and death-row prisoners, acting with reckless abandon.

It wasn't until Ying Province released information that a connection was made: not long ago, the Ying Province Guard had suffered a brutal attack. The perpetrator was named Song Jiang, who called himself a "Hero of Mount Liang." He had a dark face, a thick beard, and a sturdy build, and he favored two mace-like hammers. He possessed at least the cultivation of the third level of the Qi Sea. He was cruel and bloodthirsty, enjoyed crushing skulls, and rarely left survivors. It was only because the Ying Province Guard had such a large number of troops that they had managed to catch a glimpse of his appearance.

In an instant, wanted posters were plastered across every province in the Northwest Circuit, offering thousands of gold coins for the capture of Song Jiang. Countless elites mourned for the dead while feeling indignant and terrified, yet each feared for their own safety. They demanded that the authorities provide an explanation, but the authorities, helpless, could only increase the bounty.

The reward climbed as high as ten thousand gold coins. Various martial artists, security firms, and even some sects stirred into action. It wasn't just about the money; this was a prime opportunity to enhance their reputations. Even if they couldn't defeat him, if they were lucky enough to take a hammer strike from Song Jiang and survive, wouldn't they be hailed as "demon-slayers" in the martial world? With fame, women and wealth would naturally follow.

Suddenly, Sheng Province became the focal point for all sorts of people. The streets were filled with martial artists carrying blades, swords, spears, and staves.

Ling Chi had spent two days in the deep mountains in bitter cultivation, trying to force a breakthrough to the sixth level of the Qi Sea, but he always felt something was missing. The lack of progress left him feeling irritable. He crawled out of the forest and headed toward Yu County, intending to replicate his actions in Zhu County.

As soon as he reached Yu County, he froze. Several portraits were posted outside the city gate, and a group of colorfully dressed martial artists were gathered around, commenting on them.

"This skull-crushing demon king Song Jiang looks truly vicious. I wonder if he's as brutal as the rumors say?" a martial artist wearing a green headscarf pointed at the portrait, asking in confusion.

"That can't be false. My aunt's younger brother's wife's sister is a local of Zhu County. She told me that the day before yesterday, Zhu County was turned into a river of blood, and half the city’s population was slaughtered," a short, stocky man next to him replied, looking up with a serious expression.

"Then how come your aunt's sister didn't die?" The man in the green headscarf seemed to have a bit of a brain and knew how to question the claim.