Chapter 72: No Mercy for the Guilty

Chu Yun couldn’t help but smile at Yang Hong’s words. He had known all along that a streetwise fellow like Yang Hong, orphaned, alone, without wife or child, could only ever be swayed by profit. So it was clear that Yang Hong had testified falsely, claiming Chu Yun had killed someone, in exchange for gain. Such a man would easily change sides if offered a better reward.

Chu Yun had promised to heal Yang Hong’s illness, and to pay off his debts—terms far superior to anything the Witch Doctor Sect could offer. Thus the tables had turned, just as Chu Yun had predicted.

He looked toward Chen Ping. “Second Uncle, for the Witch Doctor Sect to frame me with false charges—how grave is their crime?”

Chen Ping replied, “It is slander, a serious offense indeed!”

The court physician, hearing their exchange, sneered. “Chu Yun, I slandered you—what can you do about it? I’m a member of the Witch Doctor Sect!”

Wang Shuangxi chimed in, “Exactly, what can you do to us?”

The court physician put his arm around her, grinning. “Chu Yun, I’ll give you one last chance: join the Witch Doctor Sect, or die!”

Chu Yun answered calmly, “And I’ll tell you once and for all: I will never join the Witch Doctor Sect.”

“Then don’t blame me for what happens next!”

“I’m curious to see just what you’ll do,” Chu Yun replied.

Wang Shuangxi, burning with rage, shouted, “Husband, this Chu Yun is insufferable—kill him! Be sure to kill him!”

The court physician was equally furious. “Kill him! Kill him for me!”

With a wave of his hand, twenty-two burly men surged toward Chu Yun.

Unperturbed, Chu Yun turned to Chen Ping. “Second Uncle, if slander alone isn’t enough for a death sentence, surely their attempt on my life is—does that mean justice may be delivered here and now?”

Chen Ping nodded. “To attempt the life of a noble is a capital offense—death without mercy!”

With that, Chu Yun drew his bronze dagger and charged at the oncoming men. Chen Ping quickly took up his bronze longsword and joined the fray.

The Chen family soldiers had little fighting power, so they stood guard at the door, sword in hand, to prevent anyone from entering and harming Li Sanniang or Yang Liu’er. Yang Hong, meanwhile, huddled in a corner with a stool, ready to defend himself if need be.

Though the twenty-two men were all broad-shouldered, fierce, and intimidating, they were no match for Chu Yun. In his previous life as a special forces field medic, Chu Yun had honed his skills to lethal precision—swift, decisive, and merciless.

He darted among the attackers, his bronze dagger flashing. Each time the blade moved, it found its mark, slashing the throat of a foe with deadly accuracy.

Every strike claimed a life, and never once did he miss. In the blink of an eye, nineteen lay dead. Of the three remaining, two fell to Chen Ping’s sword, and now Chen Ping was locked in combat with the last.

“How can he be so strong?”

The court physician was aghast. In an instant, Chu Yun had slaughtered the twenty-two men, each kill executed with chilling skill. Wang Shuangxi was so terrified her legs gave out beneath her. Wu the innkeeper, Li Duofu, Chu Fugui, and Chu Shiniang were all ashen-faced. They had known Chu Yun was capable, but this was beyond belief. Clearly, he was even more formidable than he had been a month ago.

“Thank heavens I didn’t keep lying for the Witch Doctor Sect,” Yang Hong muttered, deeply relieved. Remembering that Chu Yun had once been a street rat like him, and now possessed such skill, he was sure Chu Yun had been taught by an immortal. This only increased his faith in Chu Yun’s medical abilities, and filled him with joy.

Just then, a final scream rang out—the last of the attackers fell to Chen Ping’s blade.

Chu Yun and Chen Ping, side by side, strode out of the house, step by step approaching the court physician.

“Chu Yun, Chen Ping, what are you planning? I’m a member of the Witch Doctor Sect—have you considered the consequences if anything happens to me?” the court physician stammered, panic in his eyes. As he spoke, he shoved Wang Shuangxi toward Chu Yun.

Chu Yun kicked Wang Shuangxi aside and sneered coldly at her. “How ironic: a man who truly loves you, you treat like dirt, thinking he’s beneath you. Yet the one who treats you like dirt, who’d as soon see you dead, you cherish as a treasure! But the heavens are just. When you treat the one who loves you most like a dog, the one you love most will do the same to you.”

Wang Shuangxi, remembering how the court physician had just used her as a shield, and thinking of how Chen Jun had always indulged her with kindness, was overwhelmed by grief and regret.

Chu Yun watched her, secretly pleased. He would not kill her—he wanted her to suffer, to wish for death.

But Chen Ping, eyes brimming with hatred, thrust his sword through Wang Shuangxi’s chest, killing her instantly. His son had loved this woman dearly, yet she had nearly cost him his life, and now had come to kill them with another man. He could never allow her to live.

Chu Yun said nothing, but continued with Chen Ping toward the court physician.

The court physician backed away, bumping into Wu the innkeeper, whom he shoved at Chu Yun. Chu Yun dispatched him with a kick, sending Wu sprawling. But this time, he turned to Chen Ping. “Second Uncle, don’t kill the innkeeper. His body is consumed by sores—he won’t live long. Better to let him suffer. For such a man, death is too easy.”

“Agreed,” Chen Ping replied.

Together, they advanced on the court physician, who retreated in terror. Stumbling, he fell to the ground, watching helplessly as Chu Yun and Chen Ping approached. He tried to rise, but his legs failed him. Desperately, he shouted, “You can’t kill me! I’m a physician of the Witch Doctor Sect!”

Chu Yun shook his head and smiled. Producing the jade badge of an earl from his clothing, he declared, “You have slandered and attempted to assassinate an earl. As an earl, I have every right to execute you here and now.”

“You—an earl?” the court physician gasped, stunned.

Terror filled him. His body trembled uncontrollably, and a dark stain spread across his trousers.

“An earl?”

“Chu Yun has become an earl?”

“My heavens...”

Li Duofu, Chu Fugui, and Chu Shiniang, seeing the jade badge in Chu Yun’s hand, were all struck dumb with shock and fear, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.

At that moment, Chu Yun stepped forward, swung his bronze dagger, and slashed the court physician’s throat, ending his life.

With a thud, Li Duofu, Chu Fugui, and Chu Shiniang collapsed to the ground in terror.