All the villagers nodded eagerly, their faces flushed with excitent.
A boy attending one of these gatherings for the first ti asked, "Will things really get better if we follow the Immortal Dao, Master Heavenly Secrets?"
"Of course!" the old man, known as Master Heavenly Secrets replied. "Da Niu, co here."
A brawny man stepped forward expressionlessly. Master Heavenly Secrets pulled out a knife and stabbed him twice, once in the chest and once in the abdon. Da Niu showed no sign of pain, and no blood flowed from the wounds.
"Ever since Da Niu took the Immortal Dao's elixir of undying, he no longer fears pain and injury, nor does he need to eat or drink! This is ultimate freedom! Freedom from all suffering and pain!"
The excitent in the eyes of the villagers burned even brighter at the sight.
***
Chu Qiguang and Hao Yongtai were standing on a nearby hill, accompanied by Daoist Master Law Origin.
The Heavenly Master Religion had always hunted cult mbers, and Daoist Master Law Origin was naturally eager to do his part. He had received a paynt from the Hao Clan for his efforts, and if he could pull this off, then he would also be rewarded by the Daoist temple.
Behind them stood over thirty guards from the Wu and Hao Clans. Two of them were second-state martial artists, while the rest were first-state martial artists. All of them were ard and raring to go.
This operation was very important to Hao Wen and Wu Wei, so they had sent all their most capable guards.
What's going on with that guy, Master Qiao? Chu Qiguang asked telepathically as he observed the scene below.
Qiao Zhi was hiding in a nearby shrub. He had accompanied Chu Qiguang to Inkstone Village, managing to avoid detection from Hao Yongtai and Daoist Master Law Origin.
Da Niu's injuries haven't healed at all, Qiao Zhi explained grimly. He must be one of the failed consurs of the elixir of undying. He's already starting to lose his senses. In half a month at most, he'll turn into a living corpse.
To prevent the cult mbers from escaping, Daoist Master Law Origin ordered everyone to surround the area.
Chu Qiguang and Hao Yongtai watched from a distance as the cult mbers brought out a large vat of water that gave off a strange fragrance.
Master Heavenly Secrets raised a bowl and declared, "This is the elixir of undying! Drink a bowl and you will attain immortality! The heavens will bow at your feet!"
The villagers imdiately fell into a frenzy, scrambling to drink the elixir. So won even pushed their young children forward, hoping they would be the first to drink.
That's not even a complete version of the elixir of undying. Anyone who drinks the elixir in this form will definitely beco a living corpse, Qiao Zhi sighed.
Hao Yongtai gritted his teeth as he watched the elixir of undying being distributed, and he urged, "We can't keep waiting—"
Suddenly, a commotion broke out nearby.
Chu Qiguang and Qiao Zhi had sent out White Rice, Lulu, and the other cat fiends to hide in the surrounding forest. They had been instructed to shout in human voices from different directions to create the illusion that a huge crowd had gathered.
"The Immortal Dao is incredible! I once saw Master Heavenly Secrets jump down from a two-story building and only break both legs and a few ribs!"
"That's nothing! I once saw Master Heavenly Secrets eat three pounds of shit in one sitting!"
The scene instantly descended into chaos, and the villagers turned toward Master Heavenly Secrets with puzzled expressions.
"Who's there?! Capture whoever's spouting this nonsense at once!" Master Heavenly Secrets ordered furiously.
As the cult mbers began to disperse and search the surrounding forest, Chu Qiguang declared, "Now's the ti to strike!"
Hao Yongtai, Daoist Master Law Origin, and the guards from the Wu and Hao Clans imdiately heeded his call, charging toward the crowd like a pack of wolves entering a sheep pen.
"These people are here to steal the elixir of undying! Stop them!" Master Heavenly Secrets shrieked in an inhuman voice.
The villagers imdiately gathered to stand against Hao Yongtai and the others.
"We are here on behalf of the county office and the Heavenly Master Religion to capture these cult mbers! All unrelated individuals are to leave right away! Otherwise, you will be killed!" Chu Qiguang yelled.
Hesitation appeared on the villagers' faces. Upon seeing the Heavenly Master Religion Daoist robe worn by Daoist Master Law Origin, they gave up all resistance.
Deserted by his followers, Master Heavenly Secrets began flailing wildly, a twisted, inhuman expression appearing on his hideous face.
As he chanted a strange incantation, five n, including Da Niu, let loose animalistic roars in unison and charged at Hao Yongtai and the others.
The five n feared no injury. Even with all their limbs broken, they were still fighting with all their might, trying to sink their teeth into their assailants.
"These are living corpses of the Immortal Dao! Make sure you don't get bitten!"
As the martial artists retreated to safety, Daoist Master Law Origin poured a crimson pill out of a vial and swallowed it. His entire body instantly turned bright red, like a cooked lobster.
Imdiately afterward, he drew the purple elm wood Daoist sword on his back and launched himself at the five living corpses with such force that the dirt beneath his feet exploded with a loud thump.
The living corpses instantly stiffened when struck by the tip of his sword, and Daoist Master Law Origin took advantage of their immobilization to decapitate them one by one, putting an end to their undead lives.
Master Qiao, how did he do that? Chu Qiguang asked.
He appears to have taken the Heavenly Master Religion's Bloodbath Pill, a pill that temporarily enhances one's physical strength, Qiao Zhi explained. As for that sword of his, it's a Daoist sword crafted from purple elm wood. The Daoist swords of the Heavenly Master Religion are special weapons, and different Daoist swords are effective against different targets. In this case, purple elm wood Daoist swords are especially useful against living corpses.
With the living corpses killed, the warriors received a significant morale boost and sward around Master Heavenly Secrets.
Master Heavenly Secrets was just a third-state martial artist, and he was no match for dozens of assailants at once. It didn't take long before all of his limbs were broken, and he was dragged over to Chu Qiguang.
During the subsequent interrogation, he revealed how he had killed the xiucai in Azure Sun County and turned him into a living corpse. He also confird that it had nothing to do with the fiend tax case.
"All we have to do is hand him over to the Demon Vanquishing Departnt to prove that the fiend tax case has nothing to do with the corpse reanimation case!" Hao Yongtai declared excitedly. "That way, the Demon Vanquishing Departnt will have no reason to keep interfering in the county's affairs!"
Thus, Master Heavenly Secrets was taken to the county office.
After hearing the news, Wu Wei was worried that He Wenyan would play so tricks to foil the investigation. Therefore, he sent Daoist Master Law Origin, the assistant county magistrate, the official registrar, and even a judicial officer from Northern Mountain Manor to interrogate Master Heavenly Secrets together.
He was doing this to ensure that the fiend tax case and the corpse reanimation case would be clearly separated from each other, thereby undermining the Demon Vanquishing Departnt's investigation.
***
Outside the interrogation room, Hao Yongtai was pacing back and forth in agitation, while a servant reassured him, "Don't worry, Young Master. He Wenyan is only a county magistrate. There's no way he can manipulate the situation with so many people here."
At that mont, the sound of footsteps rang out, and Li Changqing barged straight into the county office.
"What're you doing here?" Hao Yongtai exclaid in alarm.
Li Changqing gave a cold harrumph as he sent Hao Yongtai flying with a casual swat, then stord straight into the interrogation room and declared, "Both the corpse reanimation case and the fiend tax case are currently under the Demon Vanquishing Departnt's jurisdiction, so I'll be the one to interrogate this cult mber!"
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