Volume 3, Chapter 179 – I Am a Cultivator, Come at Me If You Dare to Die

Constable Cao swung his saber several times but failed to land a single hit on Huang Tian. By now, he knew this was no ordinary man—but relying on his official status, he stubbornly kept up the chase.

“A lowly country bumpkin! What use is your strength when you’re still running like a scared rat? You dare fight back?”

Frustrated at being unable to land a blow, Constable Cao resorted to hurling insults.

“You asked for it.”

Now that he had permission, Huang Tian unleashed his Divine Sense, pressing down on Constable Cao like an invisible mountain.

Already panting from exhaustion, the constable’s legs buckled under the sudden pressure, forcing him to his knees.

Huang Tian darted forward like a ghost, his fist cutting through the air with a sharp whistle as he aimed for Constable Cao’s face.

The constable barely had time to register the gust of wind before his official cap was sent flying, his neatly tied hair unraveling wildly.

BAM!

Huang Tian’s fist connected squarely with Constable Cao’s cheek.

The burly constable was sent sprawling like a discarded sack of trash, skidding and tumbling across the ground before finally coming to a stop in a cloud of dust.

“Huh? He… he just struck an officer?!”

The villagers gaped in shock, their faces frozen in horror.

“Daring to attack an officer? Enjoy prison!”

Qu Zhen gloated, thrilled that karma had struck so swiftly.

“Hah! And they were going to buy houses for everyone? More like prison cells!”

Xie Mei cackled in delight.

The other officers finally snapped out of their daze and rushed to help Constable Cao up.

Groaning, the constable managed to sit up—his left cheek now swollen and purple like a rotten eggplant.

He shook his head to clear the dizziness, then gingerly touched his face, hissing in pain.

“You insolent peasant! Assaulting an officer?! Kill him on the spot!”

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Furious, Constable Cao barked the order at his subordinates.

“Yes, sir!”

The officers drew their sabers and charged.

“Listen up, you maggots—I’m a cultivator. I don’t give a damn about your ‘official authority’. Come at me if you’ve got a death wish.”

Huang Tian declared his identity. He wasn’t afraid of these men, but he didn’t want endless trouble either.

“A cultivator?!”

The officers skidded to a halt, exchanging uneasy glances. If this man truly was a cultivator, charging forward would be suicide—with zero consequences for him afterward.

“Y-You’re really a cultivator?”

Constable Cao asked cautiously.

“Need me to prove it?”

Huang Tian sneered.

“N-No, no…!”

The constable shook his head vigorously, though a trace of doubt lingered. After all, in this world, not all powerful individuals were cultivators—some were martial artists. If this man was a cultivator, he’d have to swallow his pride. But if he were just a martial artist? No matter how strong, he’d still be bound by the dynasty’s laws.

Still, even if he doubted, Constable Cao didn’t have the guts to demand proof on the spot. At most, he’d investigate discreetly later.

“Constable Cao! You’re the head officer! How can you let this slide? Make him prove it!”

Qu Zhen fanned the flames.

“Shut your damn mouth, bitch! Unless you want a prison sentence!”

Constable Cao roared. He’d been ready to drop the matter, but this idiot woman just had to provoke further.

“I—”

Qu Zhen turned pale, utterly bewildered.

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Taking a deep breath, Constable Cao struggled to his feet, clutching his swollen face as he bowed deeply to Huang Tian.

“Esteemed cultivator, this lowly one was blind! I beg your forgiveness!”

“What now?”

Seeing the constable’s submissive attitude, Huang Tian consulted the main body.

“Let it go. We have more important matters—no time for this.”

Qi Huang decided. Killing an officer wouldn’t necessarily bring trouble, but it would be a hassle.

“I’ll be merciful this time. But there won’t be a next.”

Huang Tian warned.

“Of course! Never again!”

Constable Cao nodded obsequiously.

“Now, why did you come here? How did you know about the deaths in our village?”

Huang Tian pressed.

“We didn’t!”

The constable looked genuinely confused.

“Then why are you here?”

Huang Tian frowned.

“Ah! Right!”

Constable Cao straightened his disheveled uniform.

“We came to announce a change in the dynasty’s conscription laws. The age limit’s been lowered by another year. All unmarried men aged twenty-seven or older must report to the Sima Official at the prefectural office by the end of June.”

“What?! Changed again?! Is the law your mother’s lover? Shifting faster than the wind—Zhang San in the morning, Li Si by night! ¹ Zhang San (张三) and Li Si (李四) are generic names like John Doe and Jane Doe in English “

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“Damn it! Finding wives is hard enough as it is! Now you’re drafting younger and younger—trying to wipe out men entirely? No wonder every man dreams of joining an immortal sect!”

“Poor He Chao—he just turned twenty-seven! So he only has six months left?!”

“And Liu Keqian too! Where’s he supposed to find a wife in half a year? Heaven help us!”

The villagers erupted in outrage, especially those with sons.

“Don’t blame me! I’m just the messenger—I don’t make the laws!”

Constable Cao defended himself miserably.

“Hah! Instant karma! He Chao, Liu Keqian—weren’t you two always boasting about ‘a man’s ambitions lying beyond marriage’? Well? How high do those ambitions fly now? High enough to override the dynasty’s laws?”

Huang Bo crowed triumphantly.

He Chao and Liu Keqian’s faces darkened. They hadn’t expected their time to come so soon.

Their parents, frantic, could only turn to Qi Huang once more, stumbling forward to kowtow desperately.

“Niece-in-law! You must save He Chao! Find him a wife, and we’ll serve you like livestock for the rest of our lives!”

“And Liu Keqian too! For the sake of his brotherhood with Huang Qi—please help him! He’s our only son! If he goes to war, the Liu line ends with him!”

The four parents wept as they pleaded—their sons’ situations were the most urgent.

“Get up, all of you!”

Qi Huang hurried to help them up. The scene gave her an eerie sense of déjà vu. Just days ago, she’d watched her maid Yuan Jie struggle to marry in Honghua Sect. Now, here she was, witnessing two sworn brothers facing the same crisis.

How can the same dynasty contain such disconnected worlds? If only they could merge…

“Don’t worry. There’s still half a year—I’ll find wives for both of them.”

She made the promise without hesitation. Given her bond with these two, she’d have helped even without their parents’ pleas.

What’s a few more debts at this point?

“Hah! Houses can be bought with money—but people? You think you can just buy wives?”

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Qu Zhen scoffed, ever the skeptic.

“Buy? Don’t be absurd. You know how things work in immortal sects, don’t you? Finding them partners won’t cost a single coin. Or have you forgotten how I brought five sisters here to humiliate you months ago?”

Qi Huang countered coolly.

“That’s right! That night, Qi Huang brought five fairy-like sisters! Who could forget?”

“How could we? Each more beautiful than the last—etched in my memory forever!”

“If Qi Huang’s a fairy, those women might be too! No wonder they were so stunning!”

“Wait—is she planning to match those two fools with fairies? Damn, they’d hit the jackpot!”

The villagers murmured among themselves, their doubts evaporating.

Reassured, the four parents wiped their tears, relief washing over them.

“Enough! All non-locals—scram! We’ve got work to do.”

Qi Huang waved dismissively.

The officers needed no further prompting, scrambling onto their horses and fleeing like their lives depended on it.

With that settled, things proceeded smoothly. Qi Huang took charge, sending Huang Tian with the village men to town for coffins and supplies while she stayed behind to guard the women preparing the funeral feast.

By nightfall, exhausted, Qi Huang finally returned home to rest—immediately sending a mental message to her main body for updates.

Meanwhile, after a day of high-speed flight, Cheng Hongling had arrived at Yuxiao Sect’s territory—Sanyang Prefecture.

Looking down from above, she saw cultivators swarming everywhere.

A storm was brewing—centered around the Nine Nether Demon Cats.