My Cultivation Techniques Upgrade Automatically

Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Black, Truly Black

He emerged from the forest and made his way around the foot of the mountain.

When he was still several miles from Mountain Mist City, Wu Chen could already see its majestic walls towering in the distance.

This was undoubtedly his destination: Mountain Mist City.

’As expected of a major city with a population of nearly a million.’

From a distance, he could vaguely make out a ceaseless stream of carriages and merchant caravans converging at the city gate.

Perhaps because the queue to enter was so long, some caravans had set up stalls nearby, creating a bustling scene right outside the walls.

’With elite soldiers inside and righteous sects outside, even Blood Evil demons and other villains...’

’...probably have to tuck their tails between their legs here in Mountain Mist City.’

Wu Chen rode his fine steed, leisurely making his way toward the distant city.

He had expected to carry the bandit’s bloody head into the city, but as he approached the gate, Wu Chen spotted wanted posters plastered on the nearby wall.

There were seventeen or eighteen of them in all, quite an eye-catching display.

Some of the posters had faded from exposure to the elements, the portraits of the fugitives worn blurry by the rain, making them difficult to discern.

Even so, they hadn’t been taken down, which meant the criminals were likely still at large.

A constable in a black uniform stood beside the wanted posters.

The constable looked to be in his twenties. With a haggard face and his saber hanging loosely at his waist, he was leaning against the wall, eyes half-closed, snoring softly.

CLOP, CLOP, CLOP!

The crisp sound of approaching hooves slowly roused him from his slumber.

’That’s strange. Someone’s actually coming to look at the wanted posters.’

Li Qi rubbed his drowsy eyes, straightened his uniform, and prepared to step aside so the newcomer could see the posters behind him.

But as the man drew closer, the thick stench of blood filled his nostrils, and he quickly sensed something was amiss.

Li Qi instinctively gripped the hilt of his saber. His eyes snapped open, sharp and alert, as he scanned the approaching figure.

The man dismounted, a bloody bundle in hand, and walked right up to the wall. He began to examine the wanted posters, seemingly ignoring the constable as he carefully studied the portraits.

Li Qi’s eyes widened, fixed on the bloody mass in the man’s hand. He then looked back at the man’s focused expression as he scanned the posters.

It was obvious the man had killed one of the criminals on the posters and was here for the reward.

’What a strange day,’ he thought.

’I’ve been posted here for three months, and this is the first time I’ve seen anyone show up for a bounty.’

Just as Li Qi was about to step forward and ask, the man found the specific wanted poster that matched the head in his hand.

The man pointed to the poster on the wall, then casually handed the head, wrapped in coarse cloth, to him and asked:

”The head belongs to Chen He. Do I take it to the government office in the city, or is there another process?”

”No need to trouble yourself, sir.”

Li Qi quickly took the blood-soaked package. ”Just give it to me,” he said hurriedly. ”I’ll take it to the government office to collect the reward. You can wait here, sir.”

With that, he ran off into the city.

Wu Chen nodded. While waiting for his reward, he idly scanned the other wanted posters on the wall, carefully examining the portraits of the criminals.

’There are even some at the Jade Bone Realm?’

Wu Chen curiously studied the one with the highest price: a Martial Artist at roughly the Second Layer of the Jade Bone Realm, worth one thousand silver.

The others were all in the Meridian Passage Realm, ranging from Three Meridians to Nine Meridians, with bounties from one hundred to five hundred silver.

’No Blood Evil demons?’

Wu Chen scanned all the posters but didn’t find a portrait of Xue Hongling or her master.

’Are they afraid to provoke them, or is it something else...?’

Wu Chen stroked his chin, but he quickly understood the reason.

Common outlaws were the government’s responsibility, while members of the Demon Sect were handled by the major righteous sects.

They helped each other, each with their own duties, and managed to maintain a degree of peace in the region.

However, as Wu Chen was focused on the wanted posters, the merchants and vendors with stalls near the city gate were also eyeing his back with curiosity.

Many of them were natives of Mountain Mist City who had run stalls outside the walls for years, but they had rarely witnessed someone turning in a criminal for a bounty. They couldn’t help but murmur in amazement.

”He’s just a kid, but he’s so strong! His face is unfamiliar, though. He doesn’t look like he’s from Mountain Mist City.”

”Maybe he’s a disciple from one of the mountain sects?”

”He looks the part!”

...

Wu Chen paid them no mind, simply waiting for the constable to return with his reward.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long. A moment later, a figure came running out from the city.

”Sir, your reward!”

Li Qi handed a silver banknote to Wu Chen, his eyes filled with admiration.

The government coroner had just confirmed the identity—the head indeed belonged to Chen He, a notorious criminal who had repeatedly plundered merchant caravans.

Not only did Chen He possess the strength of a late-stage Meridian Passage Realm Martial Artist, but he also commanded seven or eight powerful subordinates.

Most importantly, his gang was armed with strong bows and powerful crossbows, making it difficult for an ordinary Martial Artist to even get close, let alone kill them.

Even the government would have a hard time taking him down without at least three Officials working together.

And even then, it would be best to dispatch a Jade Bone Realm expert to have any chance of avoiding casualties.

Seeing that this man had faced them all alone with just his horse, Li Qi was filled with a spontaneous and profound respect.

But...

Wu Chen, however, stared at the silver banknote in the constable’s hand and fell into thought.

’One banknote? A hundred silver? Is money in Mountain Mist City worth more than elsewhere?’

He pointed at Chen He’s wanted poster, looked at Li Qi, and said coldly:

”Wasn’t the bounty three hundred silver?”

Li Qi froze for a moment before asking cautiously, ”Sir, is this your first time hunting a wanted criminal in Mountain Mist City?”

’What? Are they trying to swindle an outsider?’

Wu Chen’s brow furrowed, his eyes flashing with impatience and a chilling coldness.

”What does it matter if it’s my first time or not?”

Li Qi was about to explain, but under the man’s gaze, he felt a prickling sensation on his skin, as if sharp thorns were pressed against his back.

Even though he himself was at the Jade Bone Realm, he couldn’t help but shiver under that gaze, a chill running through his body.

”Sir, I’m just the one running the errand!”

He explained hastily, feeling that if he didn’t speak up, he might end up just like Chen He on the poster—decapitated at any moment.

”So what’s the real story?” Wu Chen asked again, his expression growing even colder.

Three hundred silver had turned into one hundred. He was furious.

”Sir, you may not be aware, but while it’s true the Demon Suppression Bureau set the bounty for Chen He at three hundred silver...”

Li Qi grew flustered, finally spreading his hands in resignation.

”But by the time the money gets to the county magistrate, he takes a cut. The clerks in charge of the treasury take their cut. When it was just disbursed from the treasury, someone else took their cut. By the time it got to me... this is all that was left.”

”But rest assured, sir, I didn’t take a single cent!”

Li Qi hurriedly added, distancing himself from the corruption. It was the truth.

After all, he was dealing with the kind of person who hunted down wanted criminals; such men were often more dangerous than the criminals themselves.

How could he dare touch this man’s money? Even as a First Layer Jade Bone Realm Martial Artist, he was terrified of being cut down with a single slash!

Having heard the full story, Wu Chen gave a speechless, wry grin. He took the single, flimsy silver banknote from the constable’s hand, and without another word, led his horse toward the city gate.

’Well, something is better than nothing!’

Then he glanced back at the wall of wanted posters.

’Three hundred silver shrinks to one hundred. No wonder these dozen-odd posters go ignored.’

’At this rate, the thousand-silver bounty for the Jade Bone Realm criminal would probably only be three hundred silver by the time it reached your hands.’

’Who would risk their life against a Jade Bone Realm expert for a measly three hundred silver?’

”Corrupt. Fucking corrupt.”

Wu Chen couldn’t help but spit on the ground before walking into the city without a backward glance.