Qingfeng Town.
After seeing Zhang Guoqi off, Xu Qing returned to his courtyard in the Inner City. He focused wholeheartedly on practicing the Dapeng Root thod, completely unaware of the events unfolding back in Qingbei Town.
Dian Hongbo threw himself back into his work at the Demon Extermination Agency.
In the blink of an eye.
「Three days later.」
KNOCK! KNOCK!
A knock ca from outside the door.
"Who is it?"
Xu Qing stopped his practice of the Dapeng Root thod.
"The Governnt Office’s Demon Extermination Agency. We’re here to ask so questions."
A voice called from outside the courtyard gate.
"Alright."
Xu Qing nodded, walked over, and opened the gate. Before him stood three Demon Hunters, each with a Demon Extermination Gold Token hanging from their waist.
In addition, Xu Qing saw a square-faced, middle-aged man whose aura was even stronger. He had reached the Inner Gang Level. This was one of the nine Commanders of the Governnt Office’s Demon Extermination Agency, a master of Inner Gang nad Wang Tuoba.
Generally speaking, a county-level Demon Extermination Agency would have a total of nine Commanders, who ford nine Demon Extermination squads. Above the nine Commanders was the agency’s Supre Commander.
The nine Commanders of the Demon Extermination Agency were almost always at the Inner Gang Level, while the Supre Commander had usually reached the stage of Innate Gang Qi.
Only a very small number were at the Peak of Inner Gang or had stepped into the Immortal Realm.
"Please, co in, sirs."
Xu Qing stepped aside to let them pass.
"Mm."
Wang Tuoba nodded and stepped into the courtyard. The other three Gold dal Demon Hunters followed him in. Xu Qing was very familiar with one of them—it was Dian Hongbo.
Dian Hongbo shot Xu Qing a subtle glance, signaling for him not to worry. It was just a routine check since they knew he had recently arrived in town.
"Xu Qing?"
Inside the courtyard, Wang Tuoba sat down on a stone stool. Dian Hongbo and the others stood behind him, their faces expressionless, but their eyes were surveying the surroundings.
"Yes."
Xu Qing nodded.
"Where are you from?"
Wang Tuoba asked.
"Qingbei Town."
Xu Qing replied.
"Mm."
Wang Tuoba nodded. "What are you doing in Qingfeng Town?"
"Seeking refuge."
Xu Qing said.
"Oh."
Wang Tuoba mused, "You’re at the Outer Gang Level. For you to run all the way here to seek refuge, it ans your enemy must be at least at the Inner Gang Level, or perhaps even stronger."
"Yes."
Xu Qing nodded.
"Mm."
Wang Tuoba pondered for a mont, then asked Xu Qing a few more questions, such as what he had been doing since arriving in Qingfeng Town and where he was on the day of the incident.
Xu Qing answered them all.
"Alright."
Wang Tuoba stood up, glanced at Xu Qing, and said, "I hear you and Dian Hongbo are friends? If you’re interested, you’re welco to join the Governnt Office and beco a Demon Exterminator for the agency."
"Yes, sir. I will consider it."
Xu Qing said.
"Mm."
Wang Tuoba nodded, turned, and left. Dian Hongbo and the others followed him out of Xu Qing’s courtyard, closing the gate behind them and leaving Xu Qing alone.
Clearly, the main reason Wang Tuoba only asked a few casual questions without pressing further was because of Xu Qing’s relationship with Dian Hongbo.
Dian Hongbo was, after all, a Gold dal Demon Exterminator who had reached the Outer Gang Level. And while the deceased was also a Gold dal Demon Exterminator at the Outer Gang Level, he was now a dead man. A dead man held little value.
Therefore, Wang Tuoba had to give Dian Hongbo so face.
’Ti to continue.’
Xu Qing mused to himself, adjusted his state of mind, and continued practicing the Dapeng Root thod in the courtyard. He executed its moves, shifting left and right, sotis performing Dapeng Spreads Its Wings, other tis soaring like a hunting falcon...
Ti passed.
...
[Experience 1]
...
[Experience 1]
...
The Experience Points for his Dapeng Root thod slowly but steadily increased.
「Seven days later.」
The Governnt Office never found the real murderer. To save face and preserve their authority, they found a death-row inmate to take the fall.
At noon, the inmate was publicly beheaded at the city gates, which served to close the case.
「anwhile.」
Jiang Feiying had already led the Jiang Family’s convoy to Moon River Prefecture City, where she contacted the Luo Family and signed this year’s order with them again.
Moon River Prefecture City.
Luo Mansion.
A pavilion within the mansion.
The top-floor balcony.
Jiang Feiying stood there, dressed in a blue-violet palace gown. Her beauty was exquisite and her aura transcendent, like a Fairy from the heavens who had descended to the mortal realm. She possessed an ethereal quality that invited admiration from a distance but permitted no familiarity.
’By my calculations, my clone should be arriving in Luoshan County soon.’
Jiang Feiying gazed in the direction of Luoshan County. ’Last ti, I underestimated Xu Qing’s Power and only sent a clone ford from the Power of one hundred and eight masks. This ti, to ensure there are no mistakes, I not only ford a clone from the Power of five hundred masks, but I also had it bring a powerful weapon.’
’Under these circumstances, if this clone combines its power with the weapon in its hand for an all-out attack, it can even unleash the strength of the Immortal Realm.’
’This ti,’
’as long as I find Xu Qing, victory is assured.’
"Feiying, Feiying..."
Suddenly, just as Jiang Feiying was lost in thought, a gentle voice ca from behind, pulling her back to reality. She turned to see a handso young master in white robes approaching. He held a folding fan, and the corners of his mouth were turned up in a charming smile.
"Young Master Luo."
Jiang Feiying bowed in greeting.
"Feiying, so this is where you were."
Luo Wushuang smiled. "You made look everywhere for you."
Luo Wushuang.
He was the third young master of the Luo Family of Moon River Prefecture City. Gifted and intelligent, with a scholarly mind, he had passed the provincial examination last year to beco a Scholar, holding the title that ca with it.
"Co, co, I’ll take you to see this year’s spring lantern festival."
Luo Wushuang reached out, intending to take Jiang Feiying’s fair, delicate hand, but she subtly dodged him. Luo Wushuang frowned slightly.
He quickly recovered his gentle smile.
"What’s wrong?"
Luo Wushuang asked softly. "Is sothing troubling you?"
"Young Master Luo, I must depart tomorrow. I’m afraid I cannot accompany you to the lantern festival tonight. The three-day journey has left quite weary, so I should rest early."
Jiang Feiying replied.
"You’re leaving tomorrow?"
Luo Wushuang said.
"Yes."
Jiang Feiying nodded.
"Isn’t that too soon?"
Luo Wushuang said.
"I’ve already been here for several days."
Jiang Feiying said.
"Fine, fine."
Luo Wushuang shook his head.
"Young Master Luo, I will take my leave now."
Jiang Feiying bowed and then turned to leave.
"Young Master."
Just then, Luo Wushuang’s attendant ca up from another staircase and stood beside him. Gazing in the direction Jiang Feiying had left, he said, "That woman truly doesn’t know what’s good for her."
"Haha..."
Luo Wushuang let out a laugh. "That’s what makes it interesting. If there’s no challenge, and you can get her so easily, it’s no fun to play with, wouldn’t you agree?"
"You are absolutely right, Young Master."
The attendant said imdiately.
"Let’s go."
Luo Wushuang waved his hand.
"Young Master, are we not going to the lantern festival?"
The attendant asked.
"What’s so fun about a lantern festival? No, we’re not going."
Luo Wushuang waved dismissively.
「The scene changed.」
Luoshan County.
Jiang Feiying’s clone had arrived and entered the county seat. With her power and thods, unless she was besieged by multiple experts of the Immortal Realm, the clone was in no danger.
Moreover, this clone of Jiang Feiying’s could basically co and go as she pleased within Luoshan County’s seat. No one could stop her; her power was imnse, her thods uncanny.
Before she knew it, another three days passed.
Jiang Feiying’s clone failed to find any trace of Xu Qing in Luoshan County, while her real body had already led the Jiang Family’s convoy back to Qingbei Town.
「Half a month later.」
Jiang Family Mansion.
In a secret underground chamber.
"Why did you lie to ?"
Jiang Feiying’s gaze was ice-cold, and a murderous Evil Qi billowed around her. In front of her, Du Cangying’s limbs had all been broken. Beside him lay another person. A closer look revealed it to be Du Cangying’s daughter, Du Luan. Her limbs were also broken, and the skin had been peeled completely from her face. She was not dead, but she had suffered inhuman torture and was now on the brink of death.
Evidently, after all this ti, Jiang Feiying’s clone had found absolutely no trace of Xu Qing in Luoshan County. At first, she could have argued that Xu Qing was simply good at hiding and had thus eluded her.
However, a full half-month had passed.
With Jiang Feiying’s thods and power, it was impossible that she couldn’t find a single clue. There was only one possibility: Xu Qing was not in Luoshan County at all. Du Cangying had lied.
"I... I actually don’t know where Xu Qing went..."
Du Cangying lowered his head. He could only tell the truth now.
"Useless!"
POW!
Jiang Feiying struck him with a palm strike from across the room. Du Cangying was sent flying, crashing into a wall. He coughed up blood, his injuries worsening.
"Jiang Feiying, you..."
Du Cangying lay on the ground, coughing up blood.
"I won’t kill you two now."
Jiang Feiying’s gaze was indifferent. In her eyes, Du Cangying and Du Luan were two ants she could crush at any mont. But their value was greater alive than dead.
First, Du Cangying was the Hall Master of the Cangying Martial Arts Hall. The true power backing the three great Martial Arts Halls in the Outer City wasn’t one of the three great families, but the Governnt Office.
The Governnt Office needed these three Martial Arts Halls to help them maintain order in the Outer City.
Therefore, if Jiang Feiying were to just kill Du Cangying, the Governnt Office would surely co knocking, which would be a hassle. Besides, Du Cangying and Du Luan were Xu Qing’s master and senior sister. Dragging them out at the right ti might produce so unexpected results.
Qingbei Town Governnt Office.
"How many days has Du Cangying been missing?"
"Three days."
"Who did it?"
"The Jiang Family!"
"..."
After Du Cangying’s disappearance, panic spread through the Cangying Martial Arts Hall. Fortunately, Huo Yi took charge and managed to stabilize the situation.
At the sa ti, Huo Yi had contacted the Governnt Office imdiately.
Soon, Bu Wuyun and Wei Wohu received the news and reported it to the County Magistrate. Upon hearing it, the County Magistrate frowned.
Left with no choice, the County Magistrate contacted the Immortal Realm expert who presided over the Governnt Office—the Garrison Envoy of Qingbei Town, Wu Tongtian, an old man with graying hair.
"Stay out of this matter."
Wu Tongtian’s tone was calm. "This old man has already contacted the Jiang Family. Du Cangying is not dead. Once the Jiang Family has resolved their business, they will naturally release him."
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