These dozens of constables, if placed within a major martial arts sect, would struggle to produce an equivalent number of strong individuals. Yet, within the imperial court, a single county could boast so many martial arts experts.
This was the power of the imperial court—the ability to hunt down experts on the Human Ranking and masters on the Earth Ranking was no longer an issue. Below the Immortal-Demon level, the imperial court held an overwhelming advantage over the various martial arts sects.
Fang Ming gazed at the sky, where clouds rolled and rosy hues bloomed like mist. The sound of dragon roars seemed to echo.
Gradually, a dragon appeared to emerge from the swirling clouds, exuding immense power.
As if stimulated by this dragon, the sun, moon, and stars manifested, the sun illuminating the moon during the day.
During the day, the sun, moon, and stars all appeared!
Bathed in the boundless starlight, moonlight, and sunlight, this white dragon moved with a thunderous roar, extending its claws as if to grasp the ground, to grasp at Fang Ming!
On the ground, the surrounding onlookers had lost their voices, seemingly unable to utter a sound, watching this awe-inspiring scene in silent reverence.
"A dragon?"
Fang Ming, however, looked thoughtfully at the county magistrate and chuckled.
This was the characteristic of the martial artists in this world.
It involved the "Spiritual Aperture" technique, where various spiritual apertures focused on using mental will to subdue enemies.
This white dragon and the manifested sun, moon, and stars were merely illusions created by the county magistrate using a martial art called "White Dragon Probing Claw."
Illusions were, after all, just illusions.
They were merely phantoms projected onto others through mental will, not truly existing.
As a cultivator, Fang Ming could easily see through this with his spiritual power.
However, ordinary people and martial artists with weaker cultivation could not see through it at all.
To them, with their fragile mental will, the moment the county magistrate unleashed his martial art, it felt as real as the sun, moon, and stars manifesting, as real as a dragon's claw emerging from the clouds.
The sensory effect was terrifying!
"What do you call this? 'Special effects' with every move?"
"That description seems fitting."
"Illusions created by mental will are enough to plunge those with weak mental fortitude into the spiritual attacks generated by the martial art."
"Now I understand why the martial artists of this world consider the pinnacle of martial arts to be the Immortal-Demon level."
"An individual at the tail end of the Earth Ranking, or even a quasi-master who failed to make the list, can create such phenomena as a world-shaking vision, a true dragon's birth, and stars appearing in broad daylight. What more can be said of true top-tier Earth Ranking masters, let alone Immortal-Demon level martial artists who surpass all mortals?"
Fang Ming recalled the eternal sun intent carried by the constable who had attacked earlier.
Now, he felt the intent of stars appearing in broad daylight and a true dragon's claw probing.
He also sensed the unique intents carried by the dozens of constables attacking him now.
In terms of sheer spectacle, it was like an immortal and demon battle, like gods walking the earth.
Alas.
It was all an illusion.
Nothing more than phantoms created by spiritual martial arts.
Fang Ming's strength as a cultivator, however, was real.
"Sword, come!"
Fang Ming summoned his low-grade magical artifact, a flying sword.
A clear chime echoed in the void.
A small, azure sword, seemingly perfect for a child's grip, traced a beautiful arc across the sky.
A dazzling sword light, like a long rainbow, carrying the momentum to shatter all obstacles, swept towards the constables.
Under the assault of the flying sword, one by one, the skilled constables were killed.
How could martial arts compare to a flying sword?
One by one, the imperial soldiers were so fragile before the flying sword, meeting their demise in a short period.
"A flying sword?"
The county magistrate stared at the tangible flying sword, his jaw dropping in disbelief.
In this world, flying swords didn't exist; they were merely tales from storybooks.
How could a materialized flying sword possibly appear?
He knew that although martial artists could engage in spiritual combat and mental assaults, those were illusory and easily seen through.
Unlike this flying sword, which appeared materialized, truly existing, and swiftly decapitating so many skilled martial artists!
A flying sword to take heads at will—did such Sword Immortals truly exist in this world?
In the eyes of the county magistrate, the handsome child before him was, for the first time, associated with the ethereal Sword Immortals from storybooks.
His worldview began to waver.
But soon, he personally salvaged his worldview.
"What I perceive as substantial may not be true substance."
"There are no true Sword Immortals in this world."
"The reason I believe this flying sword is substantial is likely due to the vast difference in mental will between myself and this child, leading to this situation."
"Just as ordinary people see my martial arts as an endless manifestation of stars and the birth of a true dragon in broad daylight..."
"My current perception of the flying sword is likely also an illusion caused by the disparity in mental will..."
"The fact that it can prevent me from seeing through this illusion, that this child's strength is so formidable, is truly awe-inspiring... Could he truly be an expert at the Immortal-Demon level?"
Although the county magistrate salvaged his worldview, denying the cultivation world and reaffirming the martial artist worldview.
He felt no pride whatsoever.
Instead, a chill spread through him.
In contests of mental will, masters of the same level would only be deceived for a fleeting moment, or even less.
Being deceived for several seconds already indicated a significant gap.
And to be deceived to this extent, to objectively perceive it as substantial rather than illusory, only to judge it as false through analytical thought...
This gap in mental will was almost absolute, akin to the difference between himself, a quasi-master, and an ordinary person.
This was likely beyond the capabilities of a top-tier Earth Ranking master.
Immortal-Demon.
Only top martial artists who had reached the Immortal-Demon level, Immortal-Demon level martial artists, could achieve such a feat.
Was this child truly an Immortal-Demon level expert?
No—he shouldn't be a child. What kind of prodigy could reach the Immortal-Demon level at the age of seven or eight?
Such a prodigy simply did not exist.
The only explanation was that this person had undergone rejuvenation.
Perhaps it was a Grandmaster-level figure who had broken through to the Immortal-Demon level and then rejuvenated...
The county magistrate had only just processed these thoughts when he saw the flying sword approaching.
The county magistrate exerted all his cultivation to resist, but he knew in his heart that it was likely futile.
And indeed, the outcome was as he expected—futile.
The flying sword smoothly pierced his body.
He died.
Fang Ming retracted his flying sword.
A ground littered with corpses.
Fang Ming's gaze fell upon the thief from before.