“Heh heh heh, isn’t it just a Zhao family? Who is my ‘Flying Centipede’ afraid of? Even those stronger than them, I’ve wiped out all the same.” The man let out three crazed laughs, his face full of disdain.

‘Flying Centipede’?

This person is notorious—not only does he steal everywhere, but he’s also ruthless, arrogant, and brazen.

As long as he sets his eyes on a treasure, he’ll snatch it for himself, even visiting the prince’s and the duke’s mansions. Naturally, he’s hated to the core.

However, although his martial arts aren’t particularly high, his qinggong is extraordinary. It’s said he can run several miles on grass blades carried by the wind without touching the ground.

But this person has always operated in Northern Chu—how did he end up in Southern Chu now?

He must have stolen some great treasure and couldn’t stay, so he had to flee. And he’s always been collecting virgin yin essence, which is probably related to the ‘treasure’ he stole.

“The last two... just two more. Once I unlock the secret of the Martial King, they’re nothing! By then, for ten thousand generations, I’ll unify the world.” After Samuel Thompson left, Flying Centipede opened his mouth, and out crawled a purple-blue centipede, only as thick as a pencil lead and half a finger long.

As soon as it emerged, it turned and bit hard into ‘Flying Centipede’s wrist.

“Little darling! Grow up quickly. My name comes from you; you are me, and I am you.” Flying Centipede wasn’t angry at all, letting the centipede suck his fresh blood.

Soon, the centipede’s body actually doubled in size.

A pair of wings, thin as cicada’s wings, spread out and it flew away. Not long after, the two people hiding in a dark corner were bitten by the centipede and fled in panic.

“Samuel Thompson, if you want to spy, come out yourself if you have the guts.” Flying Centipede sneered, opened his mouth, and the centipede flew back in and burrowed inside.

Gu!

William Carter understood—this must be a natal gu.

Flying Centipede nourished it with his own blood, making it as vital as his own life.

If it’s injured, the master will be hurt as well.

This gu could even ambush and injure two of the Li family’s sixth-level Tianmen guards. Clearly, Flying Centipede had invested heavily in it.

Below, Flying Centipede took out a scroll of pill scripture from a box and spread it out on the table.

It looked like a blank pill scripture, with nothing on it.

Flying Centipede then took out several thick bottles, each as thick as two thumbs, filled with fresh blood.

He dripped the blood onto the pill scripture. The paper’s absorption was incredible—within just three or four breaths, a drop of blood as thick as a finger was completely absorbed.

Soon, all the bottles were empty, and the pill scripture turned entirely crimson, as if just fished out of a pool of blood.

However, aside from the red color, there was no other change.

“Yin essence blood—red with a hundred bottles, treasure with a thousand. Hahaha, just two bottles short. When the Michu Diagram appears, the Martial King’s secret will be revealed. In the martial world, who can rival me?” Flying Centipede laughed a few times, very satisfied as he raised his wine cup and drank.

A thousand bottles—that would require killing so many virgins, and they’d have to be virgins with at least a second-level yin meridian...

A terrifying murderous intent flashed in William Carter’s eyes.

“Hmm?”

Flying Centipede’s gaze suddenly turned cold. He opened the wooden window and looked toward the courtyard where William Carter was hiding.

William Carter quickly restrained his aura, closed his karmic eye, and lay low in the grass, not daring to make a sound.

It was probably the unintentional leak of his terrifying killing intent just now that alerted Flying Centipede.

Soon, Flying Centipede, seeing nothing unusual, closed the window again.

Still, William Carter didn’t move.

Sure enough, just a hundred breaths later, Flying Centipede quietly opened the window again.

Almost fell for it, William Carter thought to himself. Luckily, he had plenty of experience from his past life—otherwise, he’d have been caught tonight.

It wasn’t until a full thousand breaths later that Flying Centipede finally closed the window again.

To avoid trouble, William Carter didn’t go home, but instead quietly slipped into Lord Michael Miller’s old residence.

“You’re quite bold. Don’t you know that sneaking into an official’s house without permission makes you a thief? If I shout, even if you’re Edward Carter’s son, it won’t help you.” Michael Miller wasn’t fond of William Carter, so his expression was anything but friendly.

“If Lord Miller doesn’t want a ‘hat’ on his head, I’ll leave right now.” William Carter replied coldly.

“What a joke! This black gauze cap on my head was given by the king—what right do you have to say that?” Michael Miller sneered, full of disdain.

“In that case, there’s nothing more to discuss. Farewell!” William Carter cupped his fists and turned to leave.

“Since you’re here, have a cup of tea. I can’t let you look down on me.” Lord Miller’s voice came from behind.

“Hmph, I’m not your subordinate, to come and go at your beck and call.” William Carter didn’t stop, already at the door.

“All right, if you can really give me a strong enough reason to convince me, that newly discovered fine iron mine in the north will belong to your Xiao family.” Lord Miller finally gave in, though he was seething inside.

Still, Michael Miller believed that even if this kid had the guts of a god, he wouldn’t dare fool him.

After all, he was still the magistrate of Tianyang County.

No matter how powerful the Xiao family was, he had the royal family of Chu behind him.