Jiang Chen put away the carp-patterned red flag and leaped down from the city wall.
That Jia City Lord's seal was the real treasure. He could have saved it, but he didn't do that.
The current state of Jia City Domain truly needed nourishment.
The Legalist school gathered momentum with authority, united power with law, and was a righteous and honorable path.
Gathering the entire city domain's power to issue orders in all directions was originally a positive thing that could benefit and grow together.
But now the people's hearts in Jia City Domain were already wounded. Forcing its consumption was like drinking poison to quench thirst.
Letting it disperse, returning the city domain's fortune to the people at this time, who knew how many citizens could be saved.
Leaping down from the city wall, he was now within the inner city.
The entire city was even quieter.
It made one feel as if they had entered a dead city.
The city lord and his extraordinary guard had all fallen in battle. Here, no one dared to step forward.
Or rather, there was no one willing to stand up for the Xi family.
Jiang Chen continued forward, also adapting to the changes in his body.
The Nether Candle held many mysteries, and there was no need to mention them.
It should be said that the newly perfected Four-Spirit Body Refining Art had saved his life. If not for the physical defense of the Four-Spirit Body Refining, even though that Thunder of Punishment wasn't at its full power, he might not have been able to withstand it.
The Strategist school's methods gathered people to form soldiers, and the Legalist school's methods used momentum to enforce law. Both were righteous and honorable paths, worthy of being the prominent schools of the current age.
He only followed his true heart and practiced the Dao, but the Three Swords of Heaven, Earth, and Man had broken through again because of this.
He was stronger, but the Gate of Heaven and Earth was also more solid.
Unlike the foundational Roaming Meridian realm and Cycle realm, the Heaven-Piercing realm was right before the separation of heaven and man.
It naturally had vast exploration space.
Many people regarded the limit of the Heaven-Piercing realm as the limit a mortal body could achieve. But historically, only those exceptional figures could reach it.
Jiang Chen was now gradually approaching that limit.
Turning the street corner, ahead was a soldier wearing leather armor, not knowing what he was originally going to do. As soon as he saw Jiang Chen, he turned and ran.
But he hadn't even reached the extraordinary realm, so how could he possibly escape?
Jiang Chen easily caught up, grabbed the back of his neck, and slammed him to the ground: "Where is Xi Zichu?"
This person was clearly trembling, fear in his heart.
But he gritted his teeth and said: "I don't know!"
"I won't kill you. At a time like this, those still willing to protect this city outside are few!" Jiang Chen said, then turned to leave.
"Young master is also one!" this soldier suddenly shouted from behind: "Young master Xi is also protecting this city!"
Jiang Chen paid no attention.
Finding Xi Zichu wasn't difficult. Mourning could point the direction, and where extraordinary cultivators gathered in the city was likely where Xi Zichu was hiding.
He finally arrived at a small courtyard, Xi Zichu's separate estate outside the Xi family.
This small courtyard, Jiang Chen had been here several times.
Each time he came, what he saw was different.
The first time, a beautiful maid led the way, and a lovely woman poured wine.
The second time, he didn't even enter the gate.
This time when he came, the main gate was wide open. The once-existing rockery and pavilion were all gone.
Everywhere were plague-stricken patients, lying in every place they could lie.
Wailing, crying, coughing, mixed with the smell of medicine and blood, surged over all at once.
Of course, there were no beautiful maids or lovely women, only physicians wrapped up tightly, coming and going hurriedly.
Jiang Chen walked through the courtyard. No one came to ask him anything.
No one cared who he was, what he had to do, or what he wanted to do.
Finally, he stood before Xi Zichu.
The sword was held brightly in his hand. After killing so many people, Chang Xiangsi still hadn't been stained with a single drop of blood.
At that moment, Xi Zichu was administering acupuncture to a patient. Behind him, there was still a long queue, all plague-stricken individuals.
If not for his extraordinary cultivation, he would likely have been infected and died long ago.
Jiang Chen sheathed his sword. Coming out from Green Sheep Town and journeying all the way here, his killing intent had already been exhausted.
Xi Zichu finished with the patient in front of him, glanced at Jiang Chen, and quickly returned to treating another patient.
He said: "Envoy, please go back. I have no time to deal with you now. Even less time to fight with you."
Perhaps he was truly exhausted, or perhaps this period of time with plague-stricken patients had given him some subtle changes.
Usually, he wouldn't say such direct words.
Jiang Chen looked around. There were many extraordinary cultivators in this small courtyard, but each was busy, ignoring external matters, wholeheartedly devoted to combating the plague, just like Zhu Biqiong and the others before.
"How long have you been doing these things?"
"Don't remember, no need to remember!"
"Didn't anyone tell you?" Jiang Chen asked.
"Tell me what?" Xi Zichu said impatiently.
Perhaps it was disappointment, or perhaps fear. Or perhaps there simply weren't anyone who could divert attention to investigate news.
In any case, no one had informed him that Xi Munan was dead.
"Your father neglected his duty. I killed him!"
Xi Zichu suddenly stood up, glaring at Jiang Chen. His tired eyes overflowed with killing intent.
"Not every joke can be made!"
Jiang Chen noticed that as soon as he said this, the atmosphere around them changed. The patients, physicians, and extraordinary cultivators almost all turned their killing intent toward him.
This actually gave him some comfort. It meant that at least here, Xi Zichu still enjoyed some support.
"First save the people. I'll stay here and won't escape!" Jiang Chen said: "This city seems to be sick. Medical arts aren't my strong suit. I've come specifically to seek your answer."
He asked: "To treat a severe illness, use strong medicine. What do you think?"
"You're not welcome here!" Xi Zichu coldly sat down.
He absolutely refused to believe that Xi Munan, who held the Jia City Lord's seal and the carp-patterned red flag, could be killed by this Heaven-Piercing realm Jiang Chen.
No matter how strong he was, it was impossible.
Despite this, he couldn't tolerate such a conversation. But because of the critically ill patient before him, he couldn't immediately explode.
"By now, you should also understand that your treatment here is merely a drop in the bucket, unable to stop the plague's spread! You should immediately seek help from the Yang Court, and also announce the true situation to all the citizens in the domain. Mobilize all forces, blockade the entire domain, isolate transmission, then investigate door by door! Treat person by person!"
Xi Zichu fell silent. This point, as a cultivator from East King Valley, and especially during this period of personally treating countless patients, how could he not know?
Jiang Chen saying the Jia City Lord neglected his duty was correct!
"This thing can help you."
Jiang Chen took out the carp-patterned red flag from his bosom and threw it before Xi Zichu.
This flag was the city flag of Jia City. Although damaged, it was still a treasure.
Jiang Chen threw it out without a trace of reluctance.
Because at this time in Jia City, only Xi Zichu could mobilize the greatest possible force to combat the plague. And the carp-patterned red flag could only exert its maximum effect in his hands.
Seeing the carp-patterned red flag, Xi Zichu was first stunned, then flew into a furious rage!
The city flag being here was enough to prove what Jiang Chen said was true. He wasn't joking, nor was it resentful words. He had truly killed Xi Munan!
Dao essence surged within the Celestial Palace. Xi Zichu rose up.
But a pair of hands pressed down on his shoulders.
The surging Dao essence flowed ceaselessly. Jiang Chen pressed Xi Zichu down, directly conducting the most direct clash with Dao essence.
The result of the clash was that Xi Zichu once again sat back in his original position.
"I can kill you now, and you can kill me now! But the most important thing right now is to save the entire city's citizens. Between us, it's a private matter. Our deaths are as light as a feather, and can be decided later!"
"The hatred of killing a father cannot coexist under the same sky!" Xi Zichu had long been exhausted, and for a moment was restrained, but he couldn't suppress his hatred, baring his teeth and roaring.
"Your father, as city lord, concealed the plague. How many fathers and mothers did he kill? How many sons and daughters did he kill?"
Jiang Chen shouted with an even louder voice: "You can seek revenge on me, but first, you must welcome their revenge. Resolve the hatred of hundreds of thousands of Jia City citizens. Otherwise, what right do you have to die, and by what do you speak of hatred?"
Xi Zichu couldn't move, but blood seeped from his eyes: "I will definitely kill you. Jiang Chen! I will definitely kill you!"
"Do what you should do, and then, I'll wait for you to come!"
Jiang Chen released his hand, and amid countless complex gazes, turned and left here.
...
After Jiang Chen left.
The Jia City Lord's mansion finally posted new notices to the citizens, officially beginning a full-domain martial law, isolating every household.
However, this day came too late.
The plague had already fully erupted.
Le Wen