Chapter 21: The Ge Pu Clan

Xiao Si fed the centipede his own blood, but now the creature was barely alive, breathing out more than it breathed in, on the verge of death.

The link between the venom bug and the one who raised it was spiritual; with the bug gravely wounded, its master suffered backlash as well. The poisonous insects scuttling all over the courtyard were unleashed because their owner’s mind was injured, leaving them unrestrained. These insects had not yet been refined into venom bugs; they were merely spare materials, lacking the ferocity of fully formed bugs. Thus, they only scrambled about the courtyard, causing no harm to the people present.

When Li Miao landed, he caught the scent of blood among a cluster of frightened women. The poisonous insects had not harmed anyone, so the blood must have come from the venom bug’s master, who had suffered internal injury and coughed it up.

His gaze swept over the group, settling on a fair-faced woman whose complexion was ghostly pale. She held a handkerchief to her mouth, appearing as if she were about to vomit from fright. The women shrieked sporadically, huddling together in chaos. She hid among them, seemingly inconspicuous, but Li Miao had already detected the faint scent of blood she could not conceal.

Everyone in the courtyard had been stunned into silence by Li Miao’s overwhelming display of martial prowess. Hearing him declare the name of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, they were even more petrified than when they had first seen the poisonous insects crawling across the ground.

Though the Embroidered Uniform Guards seldom involved themselves in commoners’ affairs, in Da Shuo, public opinion was shaped by officials, scholars, and the people of the martial world. Among these groups, the Embroidered Uniform Guards were universally regarded as the embodiment of cruelty, ruthlessness, and cold-blooded violence.

Thus, even if few had ever seen them in person, their reputation carried immense weight.

Li Miao finished speaking, his eyes fixated on the cluster of women. Under his intense gaze, their chatter faded to silence, as though their throats had been seized.

After a moment, a few on the periphery edged away, trembling with fear. Seeing Li Miao make no move, the rest scattered like startled birds, revealing the woman who remained standing, pale-faced and motionless.

She sighed softly, lowering her handkerchief. It was stained bright red, and traces of blood lingered at the corner of her mouth, lending her beautiful features a strangely seductive allure.

“Still, I was a step too slow. Couldn’t escape after all.”

She stepped forward and bowed to Li Miao.

“I am from the Ge Pu clan. Greetings, sir.”

Li Miao scrutinized her, saying nothing. He raised his hand and struck at her from afar.

His earlier blows had been precisely controlled, dispersing his force to kill the insects without harming the people. But this strike was different.

True energy surged forth, whistling through the air, and even over ten paces, it struck the Ge Pu woman squarely in the chest.

She flew backward with a gasp, blood spewing from her lips, crashing heavily into a corner and slumping to the ground.

She tried to speak, but another mouthful of blood spilled out; after a moment’s struggle, she managed to reply.

“Sir, what a remarkable technique…”

“With such skill, in all my years in the Central Plains, I have never heard of its like…”

“But… are you the Commander yourself?…”

Though battered by Li Miao’s strike from afar, the Ge Pu woman could still speak. Her chest was blackened and oozing pus, a foul stench rising, and fragments of poisonous insects fell from her torn clothing.

She had used her own venom bug to shield herself, yet still suffered grave injury from a single blow.

Judging by Li Miao’s casual demeanor, it was clear he had not exerted his full strength.

“You seem to know quite a bit. I’m hardly such a high official—merely a fifth-rank commander.”

Li Miao looked her up and down. “I thought you were some country fool, who stumbled upon the art of refining venom bugs and used it recklessly to kill for the Wu family’s wealth.”

“But your features are different from those of Central Plains women… Ge Pu clan… You’re from one of the twelve branches of the Miao tribe?”

“So you have a proper background.”

“Since you know of the Embroidered Uniform Guards and are not without lineage, how did you dare kill and refine bugs here in Pingshan Garrison?”

His blow had been measured—enough to wound, not to kill.

The witchcraft of Miao territory was strange and difficult to defend against, quite unlike Central Plains martial arts. Even the greatest martial artist could be caught off guard.

Li Miao would not allow her to stand and speak freely; she already had blood on her hands, so he might as well force her to her knees before questioning her. Of course, he would not actually kill her outright; if she had accomplices or an organization behind her, it could cause future trouble.

“How shall I put it… I suppose I simply lost my mind for a moment.”

The Ge Pu woman sighed mournfully.

“I thought witchcraft was little known in the Central Plains. Even if I went too far these few days, people would dismiss it as mere gossip.”

“Even if someone died, it would take time before the matter reached the Embroidered Uniform Guards.”

“That day, the flying thief appeared, playing tricks—I was even delighted for a while, thinking he was Heaven’s help. With his disturbance, I could delay things further.”

“But who would have thought you’d arrive so swiftly…”

“It was… my own foolish wishful thinking…”

Her expression now was sorrowful, her beautiful face tinged with a fragile, almost pitiful allure.

Wu the Squire, who had been standing dazed at the main house door, could not help but stammer, “Ping… Ping’er…”

“You…”

But Li Miao shot him a glare, shutting him up; his eyes remained fixed on the Ge Pu woman, full of pity.

Wu the Squire was no fool. From the exchange between Li Miao and the Ge Pu woman, he had more or less pieced together the situation.

Truth be told, the shock that the culprit behind the recent deaths was his longtime concubine paled in comparison to his heartache at seeing her in such a pitiable state.

This was hardly surprising. Wu the Squire, for all his good reputation and kindly appearance in Pingshan Garrison, was still a feudal landlord at heart.

The lives of old retainers, masters, or coroners would not go unnoticed by him, but to say he truly cared would be an exaggeration.

Li Miao cared nothing for Wu the Squire’s feelings. He turned to the Ge Pu woman and said, “What were your plans, your goals? Any accomplices? Speak.”

“Don’t think to fool me with shallow lies. I’ve served in the Embroidered Uniform Guards for twenty years—if I haven’t interrogated a thousand, I’ve questioned at least eight hundred.”

“One lie, I break a limb. Lie again, I break another.”

“Don’t try to hold out. Even if you’re left a cripple, I have plenty of ways to make you talk.”

Now, Li Miao’s face lost all trace of its former calm and laziness, replaced by cold indifference as he looked at the Ge Pu woman.

He never claimed to be a good man, acting always according to his own will. But against those who harmed their own kind as beasts do, he would never hesitate to use harsh methods.

To show mercy to such a person would be far too generous.

The Ge Pu woman’s composed demeanor faltered under his gaze; she shivered involuntarily.