Chapter 009: Insult

In this world, be it the emperor, the civil and military officials, or an army of a hundred thousand, none could kill Wang Bo, so Wang Bo had no need to fear anything.

This was also one of the most important reasons Wang Bo was willing to stay in this world.

Because in this world, nothing could harm Wang Bo.

In fact, if Wang Bo wished, he could fight his way into the imperial palace, defeat all the imperial guards, kick the emperor off his throne with one foot, sit on the dragon throne, and point out the landscape.

But unfortunately, ruling the realm requires not martial force, but the hearts of the people.

Moreover, the human heart is far too complicated, and Wang Bo couldn't be bothered to capture it.

More importantly, Wang Bo was unwilling to become emperor.

After all, being an emperor is too exhausting.

So Wang Bo thought being a merchant was quite good, allowing him to live the life he wanted, but this does not mean that Wang Bo had to be obsequious and kneel before every official.

In fact, in this world, Wang Bo need not fear anyone.

Including the official from the Court of Judicial Review before him.

Hearing Wang Bo's words, the imposing man from the Court of Judicial Review slowly turned his head, his gaze like lightning, staring directly at Wang Bo.

Wang Bo responded with a smile.

"You are the proprietor of Tai'an Tavern, Wang Bo—Wang Shao'ai."

"Correct," Wang Bo nodded, and asked in return, "And who might you be?"

"Insolence!" Before the imposing man could speak, one of his subordinates leaped forward and barked, "You are but a commoner. In the presence of the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, you should kneel at once."

"The Chief Justice of the Court of Judicature and Revision, Yuchi Zhenjin?"

Wang Bo couldn't help but be taken aback. Wasn't that the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicature and Revision, the one who was both friend and foe to Di Renjie in the movie?

He really doesn't look like Feng O'Feng.

"Indeed, it is I," Yuchi Zhenjin nodded slightly and said calmly, "Since you know who I am, why haven't you knelt down?"

Wang Bo said with a smile, “I am not a mortal, so why should I kneel?”

He remembered that in the story, Yuchi Zhenjin was a high-ranking and arrogant official, sharp as a wolf, with a fiery temper that flared up and died down easily—in short, a tsundere. But Wang Bo was not about to indulge that kind of temperament.

Yuchi Zhenjin, as the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicature and Revision—a high-ranking official of the upper third rank—had never been so defied. For a moment his fury blazed, and he sneered, “Fine words, ‘why kneel’—you commoner are truly audacious beyond measure!”

After a pause, he added, “You are clearly skilled in martial arts, yet you willingly disguise yourself as a dissolute wanderer, lingering in the pleasure quarters and deceiving the world. You must be harboring ill intentions.”

"Men, seize him and take him to the Dali Temple prison. I want to interrogate this dissolute fellow who is so skilled at disguise."

In an instant, five or six men stepped out from the flanks, weapons in hand, and closed in on Wang Bo.

Wang Bo truly had not expected that this Yuchi Zhenjin would have such a fiery temper, ready to throw him into a cell at the slightest disagreement.

Though the matter had escalated, Wang Bo was unwilling to be captured without a fight.

Several officials from the Court of Judicial Review closed in on Wang Bo, attempting to clamp the cangue in their hands over his head.

Wang Bo casually grabbed the cangue and crushed it into pieces.

Yuchi Zhenjin, seeing this, grew even more furious. "You dare resist arrest? Such reckless audacity! Seize him, and if he resists again, dead or alive!"

To him, the man before his eyes was nothing more than the owner of the Tai'an Tavern—a lowly merchant engaged in a base trade, a petty man who forgets righteousness at the sight of profit—yet he dared to contradict him time and again, showing him no respect whatsoever.

Today, Yuchi Zhenjin would let this petty man know what official authority is, what it means that official law is like a furnace.

Swish, swish, swish!

After Yuchi Zhenjin gave the order to take him dead or alive, the officials of the Court of Judicial Review drew their weapons and hacked at Wang Bo, attempting to subdue him and then forcibly arrest him.

Wang Bo neither dodged nor evaded, letting the group hack at his body with their long swords.

Bang, bang, bang...

The sharp long swords seemed to cleave against steel, emitting a crisp clash.

Wang Bo seized the moment while the men were dazed, striking out repeatedly, his two hands descending upon the crowd like a sky-covering net, each punch landing on the bodies of the Court of Judicial Review officials.

However, Wang Bo was ultimately unwilling to kill, and held back most of his strength when striking.

But even so, every man struck by Wang Bo was sent flying backward, clutching his abdomen as he lay on the ground, vomiting copious bitter fluid, unable to rise again.

Yuchi Zhenjin grew increasingly furious. "Impressive hard-style martial arts! Stand aside, let me handle this."

Seeing that his subordinates could not handle Wang Bo, Yuchi Zhenjin decided to take action himself. He kicked off the ground with his right foot, lunged at Wang Bo, drew a Tang sword from his back, and slashed straight at Wang Bo's head.

Wang Bo raised his hand and grabbed at Yuchi Zhenjin's Tang sword.

Yuchi Zhenjin reacted instantly, twisting his body in midair to evade Wang Bo's right hand, his Tang-dynasty sword like a venomous snake pressed against Wang Bo's neck.

He twisted it forcefully, attempting to slice open Wang Bo's neck.

Though hard-style martial arts are fearsome, his Tang blade was a rare masterpiece, sharp enough to split a hair, and this strike targeted the most vulnerable part of the human body—the neck.

Yuchi Zhenjin was confident he could kill his opponent with a single strike.

But in the next second, Yuchi Zhenjin's expression changed drastically.

Because the blade in his hand scraped against Wang Bo's neck, producing a steely sound and a cascade of sparks, yet Wang Bo's neck remained completely unharmed.

This inconceivable display of hard-style skill almost made him doubt his own eyes.

In that split second of his daze, Wang Bo's fist had already arrived, launched later but landing first.

Yuchi Zhenjin instinctively held his Tang sword horizontally across his chest, attempting to block Wang Bo's fist.

But reality exceeded Yuchi Zhenjin's expectations. With a sharp crack, the Tang sword that he treasured so dearly was smashed to pieces by Wang Bo in an instant.

Wang Bo's fist slammed fiercely into his chest.

A tremendous force erupted with a roar, like a mountain torrent or a tsunami, with an overwhelming and irresistible momentum, shattering all of Yuchi Zhenjin's resistance. The true qi within his body was even more fragile, collapsing at the slightest touch.

For a moment, Yuchi Zhenjin was terrified out of his wits. He had not expected Wang Bo's martial arts to be so profound that even he himself was no match; he could only close his eyes and await death.

Just then, this force burst apart with a roar.

Yuchi Zhenjin thought his body would be blown to smithereens by that powerful force, but he only heard the sound of cloth tearing and found himself completely unharmed, without the slightest pain—only somewhat cold.

He opened his eyes and found himself stark naked, standing in the wind.

His clothes fluttered in the air like butterflies, drifting slowly down.

Only then did he realize that the powerful force just now had not blown him to pieces, but had merely torn his clothes.

But then, Yuchi Zhenjin's face flushed crimson, nearly dripping blood, and his eyes blazed like fire.

As the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he had never been in such a sorry state—stark naked, a complete loss of decorum. If word of this got out, how could he, Yuchi Zhenjin, ever hold his head up?