Chapter 1151

"Why seek me out?"

"Brother Ling is a dignified Purple Gold Embroidered Rider. There are only about twenty Purple Gold Embroidered Riders in the entire Great Shun, and even combined, they aren't as many as the Dragon of Death Martial Saints. The high officials of the Three Judicial Departments have to serve you, Brother Ling, with three sticks of incense a day. I wouldn't be at ease letting anyone else go; it would ruin the country's major affairs."

"Purple Gold Embroidered Riders are good at solving cases!"

"Exactly, good at solving cases. Haven't eaten pork but seen pigs run? Only know how to solve cases, but not how to forge? From copper plate to silver plate to gold plate to purple gold, how much suffering must one endure to become a corner? How many cases have you handled, Brother Ling? If not ten thousand, then at least a thousand, right? Not to mention the files you've read—it's a perfectly perfect crime. Let's synthesize them and mix them up."

"There is no such thing as a perfect crime in the world."

"Yes, yes, yes, not perfect, but making it seven or eight out of ten, misleading a Martial Saint without being discovered, that should be easy, right?"

"..."

The forest was deep, humid, and sultry. A sharp-headed viper blended in with the environment, shrinking into a coil of "mosquito incense." As Liang Qu approached, it fiercely lunged out.

The venomous fangs bit tightly into the flesh, exerting force to inject venom.

*Sizzle. *

Venom flowed.

Liang Qu's ankle itched. He grabbed the viper, dislocated its bones with a flick of his hand, threw it ten miles away, wiped the venom that had rubbed onto his skin surface, and sat on a mossy stone.

"How about it? I've told you everything about the matter and the plan. I'm just missing a professional to go to Qinzhou with me. If you come with me, it will just complete the final link of the evidence chain to submit to the imperial court."

"Qinzhou has a Martial Saint stationed there, right?"

"We'll sneak into the village quietly; no noise."

Ling Xuan frowned in thought.

On the Southern Frontier trip, Liang Qu's strength was obvious to all, unique under heaven.

The Sick Tiger still had injuries in the past, with qi leaking out. Liang Qu's rise was too short, and his Golden Body was flawless.

Below the Martial Saint, I'm afraid no one can check and balance him. He is in a very strange "invincible" stage. With his own strength, he forced the Southern Frontier back. If he leads the infiltration, there is indeed a chance of success.

"The plan is good, but a clever woman cannot cook without rice. To make the Prince of Nanhai believe it, at least enough weight of Southern Frontier clues must be left, and then connected with Yuan Yuan Yuwen. The clues need to have sufficient directionality..."

"I'm getting the clues."

"You can get them?" Ling Xuan was surprised. "I've read the files on Yuan Yuan Yuwen's case. It was also handled by a Purple Gold. Every village in the Southern Frontier has its own unique Gu insects and signs. At that time, the one who poisoned Yuan Yuan Yuwen was the Saintess of the Green Pattern Valley, who hadn't married out and was in the middle-rear position..."

The Nine Tribes of the Southern Frontier.

Looking from the center of Great Shun, they are divided into front, middle, and rear parts.

Dian, Ling, and Tong are the front; Meng, Gu, and Magistrate Jian are the middle; Shui, Wu, and Lin are the rear.

Green Pattern Valley is in the waist position of the Southern Frontier, not close to the front line. Going back and forth takes several days of effort.

"Don't worry about how I get them. After the matter is done, we'll split the credit fifty-fifty. Are you going or not!"

Ling Xuan pondered secretly.

The birds in the forest chirped incessantly.

A long time passed.

"Going."

"The young masters of the Imperial Capital are decisive!"

"I am from Guanzhong."

"Hey, it's all the same, all the same. East, West, South, and North are one family."

Midnight, all was silent.

Tree shadows shone on the stone slabs through the window, borrowed from the moonlight.

Its limbs moved, and Bai Awei climbed off the bed, landed on the bookshelf, and looked through the books one by one.

Fortunately.

It was born in Nanzhili and couldn't understand Southern Frontier dialects. It had to let Li Xianghan use the Gu insect communication technique to understand, but the characters in the books were the same in both the Southern Frontier and Great Shun. Usually, Old Chequ and Long Long Eying had taught it.

"Compendium of Gu Objects in Dian and Gui," "Comprehensive Examination of Black Tooth Witch Language and Hundred Herbs," "Essential Summary of Insect Chirping and Identifying Mechanisms," "Monthly Orders of Lin and Xi," "Records of Border Village Anecdotes," "Great Shun Customs," "Beauty Care," "Classic of Medicine and Body," "Method of Steel Refinement," "Records of Infatuation"...

Huh.

Bai Awei pulled out "Records of Infatuation."

"The younger sister's cultivation talent is not very ideal..."

*Slap! *

After looking for a long time, Bai Awei realized it wasn't what it wanted, closed the book, and continued to search downwards.

Finally, on the third bookshelf, it found a book called "Compendium of Love Gu."

Opening it, it browsed the table of contents and found a column.

Love Gu branch—Desire Gu!

Bai Awei widened its eyes, studied the effects of the Gu insects seriously, secretly remembered the appearance and characteristics of several suitable Gu insects in its heart, and put the book back on the shelf.

The remaining three days.

Following the master's mission.

Pretending to be on good terms with the Saintess Li Xianghan, eating elixirs in large gulps, drinking precious liquids in large gulps, and secretly probing for the location of the former Saintess's—that is, Li Xianghan's grandmother's—insect room.

Li Xianghan became increasingly delighted; the blue-armored centipede had more and more physical contact with her.

"My grandmother's insect room? Why are you asking about this?"

Bai Awei turned around, opening and closing its mouthparts.

Li Xianghan was ecstatic in her heart; the blue-armored centipede actually realized her hatred for her grandmother and wanted to stand up for her!

What kind of performance is this? Twenty days, the person and the insect had developed into friends!

Only friends would stand up for friends.

Refining it into a life-bound Gu was just around the corner.

She truly had a talent for finding and refining Gu.

"Fine, I'll take you to see it, but just to look, don't mess around."

Bai Awei turned in a circle.

Li Xianghan took the opportunity to spread her hands, letting the centipede crawl onto her shoulder.

Who would have thought Bai Awei wouldn't do as before? It turned into a streak of golden light, wrapped around Li Xianghan's waist, head and tail connected, limbs joined, actually turning into a belt!

Li Xianghan's eyes widened, unable to put it down. "You have such a skill?"

Deep blue in the middle, golden on both sides, the centipede head at the belt buckle was ferocious and domineering.

Perfect, too perfect.

Only a Gu insect grown into a perfect physique by the Southern Frontier Gu God could do this seamlessly, like a handicraft made by a Great Shun artisan!

She couldn't help but pace on the spot, walking and turning in front of the bronze mirror, until Bai Awei tightened to urge her, and Li Xianghan walked out of the insect room with comfort.

"Southern Frontier practitioners have inheritances. From childhood, they have their own insect jars. More jars mean an insect nest, more mean an insect room, and even more mean an insect palace. The old thing has an insect palace, specializing in cultivating Gu insects with different roles and functions. Great Shun has a saying: 'The gentleman is not different by nature, but is good at using things.'

Great Shun practitioners cultivate various techniques—eyesight, various strange arts. We integrate all these techniques into Gu insects, fast and strong. As long as you grasp the Gu insect, you can use it, saving years of bitter cultivation and specializing in cultivation methods. It's much more brilliant than Great Shun.

Moreover, for the same family bloodline, Gu insects can be interchanged with slight modifications. Although the old thing is shameless, the Gu insects she raised are indeed good. In the past, she poisoned a Great Shun genius, and the local chieftain rewarded her with several rare items. I often borrow them to breed my own Gu insects... but don't worry, none are as powerful as you."

Li Xianghan communicated with the Gu insect method all the way, walking for half a day, almost crossing several mountains, and arrived at a large village. In front of the sentry, she went straight to the deepest part without obstruction.

"Saintess."

"I want to borrow my grandmother's Gu insects for breeding, move aside."

"Yes!"

The guards bowed and retreated.

Li Xianghan stretched out her index finger, pointed at the sharp thorn protruding from the insect palace door, and pricked out fresh blood.

The thorn-covered door suddenly swung open.

A unique and pleasant plant fragrance permeated, refreshing the heart and lungs.

Bai Awei's eyes flashed, and it flew into the insect palace, its whole body feeling comfortable.

The ground was covered with soft dark purple fungus blankets. The Gu insects were all different; a few were active, most rested in insect jars—golden sharp-mouthed insects, white fat grubs, and large insects with black pig-like hair on their backs.

"Squeak!"

Seeing a strange large insect, the Gu insects in the insect palace felt threatened and issued warnings one after another.

"What are you doing, what are you doing? Are you trying to rebel?" Li Xianghan put her hands on her hips and pointed at the leading large insects.

The insect chirping stopped instantly.

Bai Awei stretched its wings, landed on the fungus blanket, walked past with a show of force, observed the dazzling array of insect jars, and successfully found two curled-up yellow insects in the corner!

How to sneak them out?

*Pfft! *

A wooden spear pierced into the Red River, pinning a spotted tiger mandarin fish, crystal clear.

"Ho, spotted tiger mandarin fish! The meat quality is good. We'll have a treat today. Long Eying, steam this one, and after steaming, drizzle it with chili oil. The taste in my mouth has been too bland lately."

Ling Xuan looked at the spotted tiger mandarin fish and knife pomfret on the cutting board, all characteristic precious fish of the south.

"Lord Liang is indeed a good fisherman."

"I'm a fisherman by origin. It's rare to have a meal; can I treat you with ordinary fish?" Liang Qu sat cross-legged.

"I originally thought it would be just the two of us on this trip." Ling Xuan glanced at Long Long Eying.

"Three people are more convenient."

Ling Xuan was helpless. He didn't know what Liang Qu was thinking. Sneaking in, surely the fewer people the better. Even if Long Long Eying is a Heaven-Man, is she useful in front of a Martial Saint?

Liang Qu couldn't help it either.

He is a dead man.

This trip will take at least five or six days. If something happens in the underworld, and he leaves for half a day, wouldn't it be a disaster if no one uses the Blood Fiend Divine Ability to manipulate his body? Ling Xuan might be scared into illness on the spot.

Long Long Eying broke off lemongrass and put it into the pot.

"How much longer do we have to wait for the evidence you mentioned?"

Ling Xuan looked around. They had been out for two days, occupying this place on the way, saying they were waiting for "evidence."

"Just today!"

*Sizzle. *

Hot oil was splashed on, crackling.

Ling Xuan wiped a branch into chopsticks. When he looked up, Liang Qu, who had just spoken, had disappeared without a trace.

Mysterious.

"Fine, I'll eat the precious fish myself."

Half a mile away.

The forest was dense, blocking the sunlight. A giant python lay in the grass nest, suddenly stepped on by someone, and raised its head to bite back.

Bai Awei opened its mouthparts, agitated its abdomen, and spat out a dark yellow Gu insect.

"Well done, well done!"

Dragging the giant python by the ankle, Liang Qu was overjoyed.

The love Gu personally refined by the former Saintess who poisoned Yuan Yuan Yuwen!

The most critical link.

Bai Awei circled, its small limbs raised, saluting at ninety degrees.

Liang Qu naturally understood his beloved general's needs and communicated with the Ze Cauldron.

"Can consume 453,000... initiate evolution."

Ho.

The progress was gratifying.

When he harvested the blood coral, he had checked the water beast's needs uniformly. That time, Bai Awei wanted 750,000. Now it had dropped sharply to 450,000. A gap of 300,000—in a year, he only provided a few tens of thousands.

The Southern Frontier Saintess was quite willing to spend.

"Bai Awei, you deserve the first credit for this battle. When I have a surplus, I'll give you 100,000 essence first!"

Bai Awei held its head high and chest out.

"Keep up the good work. Alright, hurry back. Being out for too long is easy to be discovered."

The distance was far. Flying from the middle to here, Bai Awei flew for a full two and a half days. One round trip is five days. Although it found an excuse of going out to find an old lover, it couldn't be too exaggerated.

*Whoosh! *

Golden light crisscrossed and disappeared.

Ling Xuan took the fatty belly meat of the fish and had just stuffed it into his mouth when Liang Qu reappeared opposite him.

"Looks like the evidence was obtained?"

"Here!"

Ling Xuan grabbed the dark yellow Gu insect, repeatedly observing and comparing. His pupils dilated. "Where did you get this?"

"Hey, hey, hey, heroes don't ask where they come from. Asking too much is impolite. Anyway, the thing is here. Can it be done or not?"

"It can!"

Ling Xuan was incomparably certain.

As an Embroidered Rider, the primary thing is that his knowledge base is broad enough. He couldn't believe that Liang Qu could actually pull out a Gu insect refined by Green Pattern Valley, and the refiner's strength was extraordinary. It was a bit like... the handiwork of the Saintess who poisoned Yuan Yuan Yuwen that he saw in the file back then?

This kind of love Gu itself has nothing special; Southern Frontier people even use it as an aphrodisiac to boost their vigor. The difference is that after use, it can make the other party act according to the will of the Gu insect owner to a certain extent!

Unimaginable.

How did he get it?

Breaking through the heavy barriers of Green Pattern Valley, one of the nine major tribes, and accurately stealing the Desire Gu from the Love Gu—is the Saintess your mistress?

Swallowing the fish meat in his mouth.

"No time to lose, let's go quickly."

"No rush, eat before we go."

"Eat after we go!"

Green Pattern Valley, Li Xianghan propped her chin, looking forward with hope, feeling anxious in her heart.

Was the twenty-day relationship too short? After being out for five days, would it have forgotten?

Would it still come back?

*Whoosh. *

Golden light crisscrossed and landed on the windowsill.

In an instant, Li Xianghan's heart was filled and stuffed with huge surprise!

Qinzhou.

Houses collapsed, corpses were exposed in the wilderness, covered in flies.

Southern Frontier practitioners cleaned the houses and directed the commoners to rebuild.

There was not much energy to think about other things.

"Vortex God Armor" light flowed. Ling Xuan, Liang Qu, and Long Long Eying were sandwiched into a "sandwich" in this order, bypassing the guards all the way, sneaking into the Qinzhou prison, carefully checking the entry and exit records, and searching for clues.

This position was truly helpless. The volume covered by the "Vortex God Armor" was limited, so they could only stick together. Liang Qu couldn't let his wife stick to Ling Xuan, so he could only act as the ham in the sandwich, sandwiched between two pieces of bread, and had to closely follow Ling Xuan's movements in front.

"After death row prisoners are beheaded, they are usually exposed in the market for three days. But Qinzhou is too hot; let alone three days, they would stink to high heaven in half a day. Plus the legitimate daughter incident, the Prefect must have been quick to cut the Gordian knot, not wanting to disturb too many people. The bodies of those without family, the poor, or serious criminals are often discarded at the mass grave outside the city... Let's go, to the mass grave!"

Moving along the way.

A full half day.

In Liang Qu's view, under Ling Xuan's somewhat mysterious "ritual," the three finally successfully found the group of bandit corpses at the mass grave and dug them out from the soil.

Rotten, muddy yellow fluid flowed out, and the stench hit their faces.

"Ugh."

His back was pressed against Long Long Eying's chest, and her lower abdomen twitched slightly. Liang Qu hurriedly turned around to hug her and comfort her by stroking her back.

Fortunately, he didn't change into human form, so he couldn't smell anything.

Ling Xuan put on gloves, his expression unchanged. "Last year's events, ordinary human bodies liquefy between half a year and a year, and completely skeletonize in one to three years. However, Qinzhou is scorching hot, taking only two to four months. Martial artist bodies are even more robust, resisting corrosion better than ordinary people. This person has Galloping Horse strength, just liquefied halfway, still considered complete."

"Driven by Desire Gu, traces must be left in the body, especially since this Gu must enter through the mouth..."

*Mumble mumble*, Liang Qu asked, "Can you handle it?"

"I can."

Ling Xuan stopped talking nonsense, took the dark yellow Gu insect, and crushed it.

Southern Frontier Gu insects cannot be manipulated without bloodline; one can only use more violent means to forcibly extract effective substances.

Ling Xuan began to "modify" the bodies.

Half an hour later.

"Use your Blood Fiend Divine Ability on the bodies, let here, here, and here, let the Gu insect body fluid permeate in."

Following Ling Xuan's guidance, Liang Qu manipulated the Blood Fiend Divine Ability and joined the modification.

"Wrong, the color needs to be deeper. This blood vessel behind the heart needs to expand by another three points. Driven by Desire Gu, this part of the blood will flow violently, stretching the blood vessel."

"Alright, next one."

Dusk fell, and finally, the task was completed.

Long Long Eying froze all three corpses and had Liang Qu carry them on his back. The "Vortex God Armor" became even more crowded.

"Done?" Liang Qu asked.

"No..." Ling Xuan shook his head. "After death row prisoners die, the coroner will perform an autopsy. The body's form and physical signs are all recorded in the file. We have to find the records."

"Then hurry up." Liang Qu urged.

"It wasn't in the prison just now, so this document is now most likely in the file room inside the Qinzhou government office."

Inside the government office?

Liang Qu's expression changed. "You mean, where the Martial Saint is?"

"Correct!"

The Southern Frontier Martial Saint is stationed in Qinzhou; the foothold is most likely inside the government office!

A state government office is not necessarily the most luxurious place, but it is definitely the most suitable place for office work.

Qinzhou was taken down; naturally, it wouldn't be left as a ruin. A Martial Saint can easily destroy a city, but cannot easily build one. The function of the government office is very necessary.

At present, the situation in the south has not stabilized. Hoping for the Southern Frontier to spend money and manpower on construction is impossible, but people as productivity will definitely be controlled in the form of a "government office."

Liang Qu hesitated.

"Can we ignore this thing? We already have the corpses; is it enough to mislead the Prince of Nanhai?"

Ling Xuan looked at Liang Qu. "If the Prince of Nanhai publicly discusses his 'grievance' to the Southern Frontier, the Southern Frontier will surely find clues to refute it. We take the corpses, but the coroner's records remain. It will become an important clue for the Southern Frontier's confrontation. Moreover, if the imperial court wants to pursue accountability later, this thing must be taken away and submitted as evidence."

Damn!

Liang Qu gritted his teeth.

"I'll go steal it!"

(End of chapter)