The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

As the order to execute was signed, the names on the document immediately turned blood red. Then, the names twisted and disintegrated into ashes.

This wasn't an ordinary document—it was a life token!

By signing this execution order, Zhao Xing was effectively removing these people from the Fortune Dynasty system.

"Ah! Why did I drop to the eighth rank?"

"My bones—my bones are broken!"

"My silver bones have reverted to iron bones! My official position has been stripped away!"

"Hahaha! So this is what my true strength feels like."

"My blood and qi are stagnating. Is this what it means to be returned to the court's qi?"

The criminals gathered in the square began to panic.

Some had already noticed their cultivation levels plummeting. Even their martial techniques were degenerating.

Some aged rapidly in an instant, their hair turning white, their skin wrinkling.

This was the Fortune Dynasty!

If Zhao Xing possessed the ability to observe qi, he would see that the qi of the 1,366 criminals was being extracted, coalescing above them in the sky.

Just as the dynasty could bestow blessings, it could take them back. Whether it was cultivation, longevity—once a person was fully removed from the Fortune Dynasty system, they would revert to their original form.

In many cases, this process was even more devastating. Whether a martial artist or a spellcaster, the foundation the dynasty helped build—if removed—would not just take them back to their original state but could cause irreversible damage.

For those who had committed serious crimes and were being removed from the Qi Luck system, death was nearly inevitable. Only individuals like Zhao Xing, who had ascended primarily through their own efforts, would remain mostly unaffected by such a demotion.

"I want to see the Marquis! Let me see the Marquis!"

"Why? I'm a seventh-rank general! Why don't I get a chance to atone?"

"I only embezzled a few tens of thousands of taels, and you want to kill me for that?"

"Marquis! Marquis, this isn't fair!"

As the realization dawned on many, the criminals began to struggle violently.

Inside the hall, Qiu Mingyi observed Zhao Xing signing the execution order without hesitation, a glint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

The Inspectorate needed people like this!

All 1,366 were sentenced to death—this took more than just a little courage; it required great resolve.

And Zhao Xing wasn't some reckless fool acting on impulse.

Qiu Mingyi had tested him multiple times, first asking how many would be punished, hinting that Zhao Xing had the power to hide some names, then suggesting that, since they were Shenwei Army members, he could be lenient.

Yet Zhao Xing had signed the execution order without leaning on anyone for support. His only reliance was the law and the court's current mandate to crack down on corruption.

If Zhao Xing had been impulsive or cowardly, it would have been impossible for him to make such a decisive choice.

Qiu Mingyi, impressed, stood up and extended his hand. "I invite the Chief Inspector to oversee the executions."

Holding the Chief Inspector's token meant that Zhao Xing was, at this moment, the Chief Inspector. Although the title was initially symbolic, Qiu Mingyi's use of it now showed his genuine respect for Zhao Xing.

"In that case, I will take the liberty of overseeing the executions on behalf of Lord Qiu," Zhao Xing said, holding the command token as he stepped onto a cloud, floating above the square.

Once you decide to do something, you must do it thoroughly and beautifully.

Minor offenses would never attract the attention of the Army Realm's intelligence department.

Among the criminals, 30% were guilty of serious crimes, and 70% deserved death!

There was no question that Zhao Xing's death sentences were justified.

Long Xiao stood behind Zhao Xing, filled with sorrow. He couldn't bring himself to look at the familiar faces below.

"Long Xiao? What are you doing here?"

"Chief Inspector's token? Who is that man? That's not Qiu Mingyi!"

"I know him—he's Zhao Xing."

"Zhao Xing? Isn't he the Shenwei Army's genius Shennong?"

"Is he the one handling the inspection mission? Is he the one condemning us?"

"Long Xiao! You traitor! You've betrayed your brothers!"

"Long Xiao, please plead on our behalf! Don't you remember the times we fought side by side?"

Zhao Xing remained unfazed, his expression unchanged. He held the command token high and shouted, "Silence!"

The token temporarily granted him the authority to invoke a silencing technique, and the square instantly fell into complete silence.

"As military officers, you were supposed to defend the country and protect its people with your martial prowess."

"Instead, you've committed countless atrocities—murder, plunder, abuse of power—your crimes are beyond forgiveness!"

"Whatever merits you earned in the past, you've already enjoyed the blessings of the dynasty."

"Merit is merit, and crime is crime."

"By the decree of the Fortune Dynasty, I sentence you all to death!"

"Execution to be carried out immediately!"

Zhao Xing tossed the execution order down.

As the order fell, the sky above the square seemed to collapse. The qi that had gathered above the criminals descended like a massive mountain.

Once the command touched the ground, these people would die instantly, without pain.

But just then—

"Hold on!"

A deep voice echoed from the distance. Zhao Xing turned to look.

A figure clad in azure armor, wielding the power of heaven and earth, rapidly descended onto the square.

Below the falling execution order, a giant azure dragon claw materialized, catching and lifting the token.

"Azure Dragon's Claw! Marquis Boping has arrived."

"Yang An—he's really here."

Zhao Xing felt a wave of disappointment.

If Yang An protected even one of these criminals today, Zhao Xing's impression of him would be severely diminished. If Yang An pardoned them all, Zhao Xing would need to start discussing a change of plans with Wei Yuan by tomorrow.

"Greetings to the Shenwei General."

The inspectors, priests, and soldiers present immediately bowed in respect.

Zhao Xing followed suit with a slight bow.

Yang An appeared remarkably youthful, with pale skin, red lips, and a high, straight nose. He was incredibly handsome, and if not for the azure armor, military boots, and large sword on his back, he would have looked like an elegant young nobleman rather than a commanding general.

Here, he was referred to as the 'Shenwei General,' not Marquis Boping.

The former was his official title, while the latter was his noble rank. In formal settings, he was addressed by his military rank.

Accompanying him was a middle-aged scholar with cunning, triangular eyes—a man Zhao Xing recognized as Jia Pu, the Shenwei Army's infamous strategist.

Zhao Xing's disappointment in Yang An deepened, and even his bow was half-hearted. After saluting, he descended back to the corridor, standing beside Chen Shijie.

Chen Shijie could read Zhao Xing's thoughts and whispered, "Just wait and see. The Marquis never disappoints."

Oh?

Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow and looked back toward the sky.

Now that Yang An had arrived, Zhao Xing remained silent, while Qiu Mingyi spoke on his behalf.

"Why does the Shenwei General interfere with the law?"

"The Inspectorate is about to execute 1,366 of my brothers. How could Yang An not intervene?"

"If you're going to execute them, at least let them say their final words."

As Yang An stepped into the square, the roar of the Azure Dragon shattered the silencing spell.

"Marquis! Marquis!"

"I've been wronged, Marquis!"

"Marquis! Qiu Mingyi is a tyrant, and he's out to kill us!"

The crowd erupted into cries of anguish.

Zhao Xing? They didn't know him well enough, and their rage was clearly directed at Qiu Mingyi.

Qiu Mingyi remained calm as he descended into the square, undeterred by the dragon's pressure.

"Let's hear what they have to say."

Yang An nodded. "Quiet!"

The square fell silent immediately.

Zhao Xing's eyes gleamed with surprise. This wasn't a spell—Yang An had silenced them purely through his personal authority.

"Hong Tai, what grievance do you have?" Yang An asked the highest-ranking officer among the offenders. "Speak, and I will give you justice!"

Hong Tai opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Was he wronged? He wasn't.

The crimes were real, the evidence was irrefutable.

What could he say?

"Nothing to say?" Qiu Mingyi sneered. "Then allow me to speak for you. Hong Tai, you were reassigned to Tao County in the tenth year of Jingxin, after the Shenwei Army's situation had deteriorated and Marquis Boping was dismissed."

"You transitioned from a military officer to a civil post, dropping from seventh-grade lower to seventh-grade upper. Tao County was fertile, and while not entirely disaster-free, there was no major calamity. As a Shennong, you didn't need to fight or keep long hours, and your salary increased. Do you think the dynasty treated you unfairly?"

Hong Tai stiffened and retorted, "The Marquis took responsibility for his brothers! He was forced to resign to protect us!"

"Good!" Qiu Mingyi interrupted him. "So you understand that much."

"Yet how did you repay Marquis Boping in Tao County? Answer me!"

"Marquis, I—I know I was wrong..." Hong Tai couldn't lift his head.

"Wrong?" Qiu Mingyi scoffed. "I don't think so."

"In your five years in Tao County, you raped fourteen women, causing five of them to commit suicide. You paid the families of the other nine to silence them."

"One year ago, when Marquis Boping returned and began his military reforms, you feared exposure and, in your madness, killed the families of all fourteen women."

"You thought you'd covered your tracks, but there are gods above watching!"

"You, a once-respected captain of the Changshui Army, fell so far—how did it come to this?"

"Do you believe you're the one wronged, or are the women you murdered and their grieving families the ones truly wronged?"

With every word, Qiu Mingyi advanced step by step, his voice echoing across the sky, leaving all the offenders unable to raise their heads.

Qiu Mingyi swept his gaze over the crowd. "If any of you feel wronged, speak now! If a single person has been wrongly convicted, I will take my own life as penance!"

Silence. Dead silence.

As Qiu Mingyi finished speaking, the execution order began to fall again. The Azure Dragon's claw trembled, struggling to hold it up.

Hong Tai crawled to Yang An's feet.

"Marquis, I know my sins are unforgivable!"

"But for the sake of our years of brotherhood, I beg you to spare me, so I can die on the battlefield!"

"Hong Tai will surely die in battle!"

With that, Hong Tai kowtowed heavily to the ground.

Seeing this, many of the others followed suit, kneeling and bowing their heads.

"Marquis, all I did was embezzle a few tens of thousands of taels—does that really warrant a death sentence?"

"Marquis, at least let us die on the battlefield!"

"Marquis..."

Qiu Mingyi remained silent.

These men had admitted their crimes, and they were now asking Yang An to exercise his special privilege, to let them die a different death.

If Yang An chose to spare them, Qiu Mingyi couldn't interfere. This was the prerogative of powerful men and ancient families, a remnant of the dynastic system established by the founding emperor. A first-rank general could choose to serve his own interests, or if they were powerful enough, they could have established their own kingdoms. Why should they serve the Fortune Dynasty without special treatment?

These privileges were neither entirely good nor entirely bad, but they existed.

Zhao Xing watched this unfold, thinking that this test was truly difficult.

If Yang An pardoned them, Zhao Xing's evaluation would certainly drop.

Of course, Zhao Xing wouldn't intervene at this moment.

Everyone had their own choices. Zhao Xing's choice was to impose severe punishment and not oppose the court's anti-corruption campaign.

What would Marquis Boping choose?

After a moment of silence, Yang An finally spoke, his tone cold:

"Hong Tai, Qi Shan, you were once my brothers in the Shenwei Army."

"I, Yang An, have never treated you unfairly!"

"You have earned merits, and you have been rewarded."

"But the crimes you've committed are unforgivable."

"There is no grievance here. No matter who is passing judgment today, the result will be the same."

"The law condemns you, and there is no room for mercy. I will personally send you on your way!"

With that, Yang An's sword suddenly unsheathed.

In an instant, it pierced through all 1,366 criminals in the square!

After completing the execution, Yang An's voice echoed across the square.

"The Shenwei Army is not a place for filth. Martial practice and warfare are meant to protect the country and its people!"

"If your heart strays from this path, you are no longer part of the Shenwei Army!"

His golden sword spun in the air, circling back toward him.

"I, Yang An, failed to govern properly, and today I have lost 1,366 brothers!"

"I, too, must be punished!"

Under everyone's astonished gaze, Yang An's sword slashed across his left shoulder and right leg.

"Splurt~"

The blade neatly severed his left arm and right leg!

"Marquis Boping!" Qiu Mingyi's expression shifted with emotion.

"Marquis!"

"Shenwei General!"

Shouts of alarm erupted from the crowd.

Zhao Xing was equally surprised. He hadn't expected Yang An to be so ruthless, cutting off his own arm and leg.

While there were treasures in this world capable of regrowing limbs, and for a fourth-rank general like Yang An, obtaining such treasures wasn't difficult...

But to actually carry out such an act required incredible resolve!

"From this moment, I, Yang An, am demoted to a common soldier and sent to the Vanguard Camp, where I will kill enemies to atone for the crimes of these 1,366 men!"

"I will not resume my duties until I have slain ten times their number! Let all Shenwei Army soldiers take this as a warning—discipline yourselves and your subordinates!"

With that, Yang An summoned the Azure Dragon, gathering the corpses of the executed soldiers, and flew away from the Inspectorate.

"What a man, Yang An. He's truly ruthless," Zhao Xing thought as he watched Yang An's departing figure, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "What a clean, decisive handling. No wonder his name is renowned throughout the world."