Human Clan Defender-Chapter 46 Colluding with Demon Evil, No Tolerance (Third Update)

Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Colluding with Demon Evil, No Tolerance (Third Update)

Today, Lin’an City was bustling with much more activity than usual because today was the day of the Zhao Family’s beheading. The Zhao Family could be considered a distinguished and influential clan in Lin’an City. Zhao Fang had been in power for twenty years, during which time the Zhao Family had reaped many benefits, and their power had developed extremely rapidly. In the eyes of the people of Lin’an City, the Zhao Family was the sky. But now things were different. After the Zhao Family’s assets were seized and their clan marked for eradication, they no longer held their past prestige.

Seeing numerous Government Officials ushering the members of the Zhao Family to the execution grounds in prison carts immediately drew the attention of many civilians. Among the crowd, some Jianghu figures were also silently observing everything.

"That new County Magistrate is not to be underestimated!" Cui Cheng suddenly sighed.

Standing beside him, Zhao Yue showed confusion on her pretty face. "Senior Brother, why do you say that?"

"There was a lot of commotion last night," Cui Cheng said. "Today, the Yamen brought out some bodies, as many people had died. If I’m not mistaken, it must have been the Eternal Alliance’s experts who attacked the Yamen last night. Zhao Fang was a member of the Eternal Alliance. Now that the Zhao Family is facing clan eradication, the Eternal Alliance wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing. If the Eternal Alliance had truly succeeded last night, there would certainly be no members of the Zhao Family being beheaded today."

Cui Cheng’s expression was calm as he looked at the prison carts escorting the Zhao Family members. A Demon Evil capable of annihilating an entire village would likely be in the middle to late stages of the Pulse Condensation Realm. Even such a being was defeated by that person. While the Eternal Alliance is backed by Demon Evil, it’s now also controlled by Demonfolk. They are not fools. With a Demon Evil comparable to the middle to late stages of Pulse Condensation taken down, the reinforcements they would dispatch would at least be in the late stage of Pulse Condensation, or possibly even in the Innate Realm. Still, they did not succeed in the jailbreak. This Lord County Magistrate, his strength is definitely not as simple as it appears.

From certain observations, Cui Cheng could infer even more. If he were a Demonfolk of the Eternal Alliance, knowing Shen Changqing’s true strength, he would definitely not send any weaklings to their deaths. In that case, the extent of Shen Changqing’s strength was clear.

Zhao Yue looked at Shen Changqing riding his horse at the very front, her eyes revealing a shocked expression. "Senior Brother means to say, Lord Shen might very well be an Innate expert?"

"Even if he is not Innate, he surely isn’t far off," Cui Cheng replied. "I originally thought that the Demon-Subduing Division, being entangled by Demon Evil in many places, would not be able to dispatch too many strong individuals to a small place like Lin’an City. Now it seems I was wrong."

Cui Cheng’s expression was one of reflection. The foundation of the Demon-Subduing Division is incomparable to that of Jianghu Sects. The strongest member in his Guiyuan Sword Sect was merely an Innate expert. Despite being in the late Pulse Condensation Realm himself, breaking through to the Innate Realm would definitely not take a short amount of time. Moreover, this also involved an element of opportunity. In the Jianghu, the total number of martial artists in the Pulse Condensation Realm was not small, but at the Innate level, the numbers drastically dwindled. Any Innate expert held a significant status in the Jianghu. Therefore, upon realizing that Shen Changqing might be an Innate expert, Cui Cheng’s vigilance heightened considerably.

Hearing this, Zhao Yue nodded in understanding. Her gaze towards Shen Changqing’s departing figure also seemed to have changed.

「East City, execution ground.」

In front of the execution ground, a sunshade had already been erected. Shen Changqing sat inside, with Shi Qingsheng standing by in attendance. The prison carts escorting the Zhao Family had now stopped beside the execution ground. There were twenty-odd prison carts, each crammed with six or seven people. It couldn’t be helped; the Yamen had only so many prison carts, so they had to be squeezed together.

"Bring the prisoners down!" Shen Changqing waved his hand and immediately gave the order.

Upon hearing that, the Government Officials in front of the prison carts promptly opened a few carts, forcibly dragging out the people inside. Some cried and refused to come out, while others were numb-faced, allowing the officials to drag them out.

Standing on the execution ground, shackled, Zhao Li’s gaze inadvertently caught Cui Cheng in the crowd, and a flicker of hope rose in his heart. But upon noticing Cui Cheng avoiding his gaze, that newly kindled hope vanished without a trace.

Glancing at the location of the prison carts, Zhao Li turned to look towards the sunshade where Shen Changqing sat.

"Lord Shen, the Zhao Family is well aware of its heinous crimes and has no objections to the Imperial Court’s verdict. However, some of our clansmen are innocent. I wonder if Your Lordship could find it in your heart to show mercy and grant them a chance to live," Zhao Li said, then knelt down resolutely.

Shen Changqing stated impassively, "This official acts according to the law. The Imperial Court’s verdict mandates the punishment of the nine relations, so the nine relations shall be punished. Those being beheaded today are not only the people present here; the other branches of the Zhao Family elsewhere will meet the same fate. You must understand, colluding with Demon Evil is an unforgivable crime.

If anyone is to blame—it is Zhao Fang for colluding with Demon Evil and betraying the Human Clan!

If anyone is to blame—it is because they are members of the Zhao Family!"

"Lord Shen—" Zhao Li’s face turned anxious, wanting to say more.

Shen Changqing waved his hand, cutting him off. "Noontime has arrived! Carry out the execution!"

At the command, Government Officials immediately stepped forward, forcibly restraining Zhao Li. An executioner, already prepared, took a mouthful of wine, sprayed it directly onto the gleaming blade, and then swiftly brought it down.

SWISH—

The broadsword fell, severing head from body.

The bloody scene drew screams from the onlookers and drained all color from the faces of the Zhao Family members.

"Father!" Zhao Mingye cried out in grief and indignation. He still couldn’t believe that the once-mighty Zhao Family would one day be forced onto the execution grounds and beheaded one by one.

Zhao Li’s death spurred Zhao Mingye to struggle and attempt to rush forward. But as soon as he took a step, he was seized by the Government Officials on either side and forced to kneel.

"Behead the next one!" Shen Changqing’s expression remained icy as he issued the command.

The executioner carried out the sentence. Instantly, another head rolled.

"No, I don’t want to die—"

"Why? It was Zhao Fang who colluded with Demon Evil! Why kill us? I don’t accept this!"

"I’m just a servant of the Zhao Family! I’m innocent!"

One by one, they cried and shouted, begging for their lives, but it was all in vain. The broadsword fell, and heads tumbled. In an instant, fresh blood drenched the execution platform. With each decapitation, Government Officials would carry away the body and discard it to the side. The pungent stench of blood made many onlookers feel intensely unwell.

This Lord Shen, he truly has a heart of stone! Cui Cheng thought, feeling a wave of nausea himself. Shen Changqing, seated within the sunshade, had remained expressionless throughout, his gaze like a pool of still water. This clearly showed how little regard the Lord County Magistrate had for life.

Zhao Yue, standing to one side, had already turned deathly pale. Witnessing the falling heads and the overpowering stench of blood made her stomach churn, and she fought the urge to vomit.

"Senior Brother, perhaps we should go back!" Zhao Yue stammered, tugging on Cui Cheng’s sleeve.

Cui Cheng looked at his junior sister’s pallid face and shook his head. "Watch. If you want to make your way in the Jianghu, you will eventually have to face such things. Getting used to it now will be beneficial for you."

Although he also felt uneasy, he had no intention of leaving. In these chaotic times, corpses are a common sight. If one cannot even endure such scenes, how can one hope to traverse the Jianghu in the future? he thought.

On the other side of the crowd, two other young men were also watching the scene on the execution ground.

"When we return, investigate this Lord Shen’s background thoroughly. He could be a major hindrance to our acquisition of the Demon’s Essence Blood!" Xiao Bo said in a low voice, his expression solemn.

"Senior Brother, what does our Saber Blade Sect’s quest for Demon’s Essence Blood have to do with him? Could it be that the Imperial Court also wants to interfere?" Xiao Qu, standing beside him, asked with a puzzled expression.

Xiao Bo shook his head slightly and patiently explained, "Whether the Imperial Court interferes or not, we cannot guarantee what this Lord Shen might think about the Demon’s Essence Blood. Last night, the Eternal Alliance caused only a minor disturbance in the Yamen, yet this man’s power is unfathomable. As the saying goes, ’Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles.’ It’s never wrong to learn more."

In his estimation, after last night’s battle at the Yamen, the Eternal Alliance should have exterminated everyone there. Having failed once, the Eternal Alliance would surely have come better prepared for their second attempt. Yet, even so, the Eternal Alliance still failed. Although some people in the Yamen also perished, the beheading of the Zhao Family today was clear proof of the outcome.

On the execution ground, members of the Zhao Family were being beheaded one after another. Some were from the direct line of the Zhao Family, others mere servants. Regardless of their cries and shouts, they could not escape the fate of decapitation.

Shen Changqing sat there, silently observing it all. In his eyes, there were no innocents among the Zhao Family. Those servants and protectors had signed indentures, making them, in principle, members of the Zhao Family. When the Zhao Family was in its prime, they served them and also reaped many benefits. Now that the Zhao Family had fallen, they naturally had to bear the corresponding karmic consequences.

Time trickled by. One after another, members of the Zhao Family were dragged to the execution platform and beheaded. There were only a few executioners, and ensuring a clean cut with each strike consumed considerable energy. Because of this, some executioners had to take brief rests.

It took nearly four hours for all members of the Zhao Family to be completely beheaded. A massive pile of bodies accumulated, presenting a horrifying sight. Blood had drenched the execution ground, making it indistinguishable from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

"Reporting to Your Lordship, all one hundred and eighty-seven members of the Zhao Family, from the highest to the lowest, have now been beheaded. May I ask for your instructions on what we should do next?" Shi Qingsheng reported in a low voice. Upon closer inspection, one could see that his face too was deathly pale.

Shen Changqing nodded slightly, stood up from his seat, and walked out of the sunshade to look at the piled-up corpses.

"The Zhao Family colluded with Demon Evil and betrayed the Human Clan. In accordance with the laws of Great Qin, they have all been publicly executed as a warning. Now, transmit my orders: cremate all corpses of the Zhao Family thoroughly. No bodies are to be left behind.

Furthermore, I hope others will take this as a lesson.

Anyone who colludes with Demon Evil and betrays the Human Clan shall have their entire lineage implicated and punished, without mercy!" ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

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