Chapter 134: The Little Prince of Confiscation!

"General, with your discernment, this subordinate truly knows nothing of this matter."

Having come to this point, Chen Jin'an also understood that the matter of the Mountain Ghost could no longer be concealed.

He immediately changed his tone, saying: "Prefect Shao Hanshang of Songyang Prefecture keeps Mountain Ghosts, already suspected of colluding with demons; all matters here are entirely up to the General to decide."

"Colluding with demons?"

Pang Tong let out a cold snort, looking at Chen Jin'an with a half-smile, saying: "Helmsman Chen, do you know how many people die each year from the calamity of Mountain Ghosts?"

Chen Jin'an broke out in a cold sweat instantly, but could only steel himself and say: "This subordinate does not know!"

Mountain Ghost—this, in the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division, is practically synonymous with demons.

There is no other reason; in recent years, the Ghost Mother Sect has stirred up trouble, refining pills from living people, and the pill furnaces they use are precisely these terrifying-looking Mountain Ghosts.

Mountain Ghosts eat people, secretly forming pearl embryos.

Eating a hundred people yields a Hundred-Person Pill; eating a thousand yields a Thousand-Person Pill; eating ten thousand yields what is called the Ghost Mother Primordial Pill.

One Ghost Mother Primordial Pill contains life essence equivalent to sixty years of fasting and breath absorption by a Condensing Truth Realm martial artist, drawing in the essence of heaven and earth.

One can imagine how great the temptation of this thing is for martial artists.

Even the lifespan of a Martial Saint is no more than three hundred years!

Ordinary martial artists have lifespans no different from common folk.

Only those who break through the Condensed Truth Realm can draw upon the Heavenly Meridian to absorb the essence of heaven and earth, thus extending their lifespan—but even so, it is limited.

Therefore, a pill that can shorten sixty years of arduous cultivation is absolutely enough to drive most martial artists mad.

And this is precisely why the Ghost Mother Sect, despite repeated bans, continues to grow stronger.

Moreover, the Ghost Mother Primordial Pill can also extend lifespan.

Jianghu rumors say that one Ghost Mother Primordial Pill can prolong life by ten years.

For martial artists whose lifespan is nearing its end, this is simply more tempting than the Martial Saint's Divine Ability.

Thus, the members of the Ghost Mother Sect are ubiquitous; even many elders of first-rate sects cannot resist the temptation and willingly become lackeys of the Ghost Mother Sect.

This is also why the Demon Suppression Division is so eager to find the Innate Ghost Mother.

They are even willing to go to war with Wind Thunder Valley of Yunzhou's First Alchemy Sect over it.

Indeed, the Ghost Mother Sect's growth has been too rapid; in just a few years, it has infiltrated nearly half of the prefectures and counties of Yunzhou's Eight Prefectures—such growth speed can be called terrifying.

Now, the matter of Prefect Shao Hanshang keeping Mountain Ghosts has been exposed.

Whether this Mountain Ghost eats people or not, it already involves a taboo of the Demon Suppression Division.

If Chen Jin'an does not loosen his tongue, not only will he fail to save Shao Hanshang's entire family, but he himself may also be dragged down.

Colluding with demons—sons of heaven and commoners alike are equally guilty!

This is the iron law established by the Taizu of Great Li, Pei Yunlong.

Although to this day no precedent exists of punishing royal kin and nobles under this clause, dealing with a minor Helm Master of Zhenwu Hall is still more than sufficient.

The matter ahead is now quite simple.

With the Mountain Ghost as leverage, the Demon Suppression Division's confiscation of property is justified and proper.

Naturally, with Pang Tong's status, it is impossible for him to personally engage in such a demeaning task.

The Cloud Pattern Captain and several Greedy Wolf Captains who came with him are busy interrogating the prefecture's garrison troops and relatives.

Naturally, the task of confiscating property falls to Qin Shuo and He Mingjing.

"Tsk tsk, Qin Brother, I've noticed that since I met you, my property confiscations have become rather frequent?"

On the way to the prefectural treasury, He Mingjing spoke with feeling, partly teasing, partly sighing.

Everyone says the Demon Suppression Division's Captains are mighty—no matter where they go, whether you are a prefect or county magistrate, or a helm master or divine catcher, a single inquiry about demon investigation makes everyone treat you with courtesy.

But when it comes down to reality, these people spend their days wandering mountains and forests, consorting with demons—who has as much loot as the Zhenwu Hall and Divine Catcher Division?

It's only recently that they've followed Qin Shuo to confiscate property twice.

Usually, not to mention this Greedy Wolf Captain, even the Flying Star General Pang Tong probably hasn't confiscated property more than a few times.

Confiscating property, big or small leaks, is practically an unwritten rule.

Even when the treasury registers and compiles inventories, they often turn a blind eye.

As long as it doesn't involve core items, almost everything has a chance to be pocketed—this is why both Zhenwu Hall and Divine Catcher Division are enthusiastic about confiscating property.

Of course, confiscating property is not done randomly.

Especially for someone like Shao Hanshang, who has strength and background; if the evidence is not solid, even the Demon Suppression Division would not act rashly.

After all, the jianghu is not just about fighting and killing.

Yunzhou's territory is vast, and the Demon Suppression Division cannot possibly handle everything personally.

Some matters still require reliance on sects and gangs rooted in various regions to assist in completion.

Therefore, they cannot possibly be overbearing toward everyone; friends that should be made must still be made.

Thus, the Demon Suppression Division is like this, and the Zhenwu Hall and Divine Catcher Division, responsible for monitoring sects and capturing bandits, are even more so.

Hence, outsiders have rumors of Zhenwu Hall being on good terms with Wind Thunder Valley, the Demon Suppression Division having harmonious relations with Dalong Temple, and the Divine Catcher Division maintaining close ties with the Giant Whale Gang.

"Unwilling? Want me to apply to General Pang for a replacement?" Qin Shuo glanced sideways.

This guy is getting more and more adept at taking advantages and playing innocent.

Pushing open the garrison treasury of the City Lord's Mansion, the two were instantly stunned by the dazzling array of treasures before them.

Compared to the poverty of Black Water City's City Lord's Mansion, the collection of Songyang Prefecture truly deserves the name 'storehouse'.

After all, governing eighteen counties, the weapons, pills, and secret manuals stored in this prefectural city, whether in quantity or quality, far surpass those of Black Water City.

【Discovered ingredient; Decapitation Blade!】

【Obtainable through refinement: Decapitation Blade Technique (Inferior)】

【Energy sufficient, proceed with refinement?】

……

【Discovered ingredient; Bright Silver Spear!】

【Refining yields: Coiling Snake Spear Technique (Middle Rank)】

【Energy sufficient, refine?】

Qin Shuo's gaze fell upon row after row of weapon racks, and prompt text kept surging up in his eyes, his eyes almost unable to look away.

He picked up a long-handled heavy hammer, and text immediately appeared before his eyes:

【Ingredient; Hundred-Refined Copper Hammer】

【Refining yields: Scattered Cloak Hammer Technique (Middle Rank), Mountain-Shaking Hammer Technique (Lower Rank)】

The weapons in the armory were mostly collected from wandering martial artists or offending sects over the years, accumulated over time, and the quantity was astonishing.

However, the vast majority of these weapons were of ordinary quality, and the martial arts imprints contained within were almost all Lower Rank, with Middle Rank being extremely rare, and not a single Upper Rank one.

After handling over a dozen weapons in succession, Qin Shuo lost interest in the armory's weapon racks.

Given his current wealth, not to mention Middle Rank martial arts, even Upper Rank martial arts, if lacking in uniqueness, he would not deign to look at them.

After all, besides the Great Longxiang Force, he now also mastered the Longxiang Golden Body, Wind Thunder Archery, Hanshan Fist, and Jingtao Palm, among many other Upper Rank martial arts and secret techniques, so ordinary martial arts naturally were not worthy of his attention.

After strolling through the armory, Qin Shuo wearily found that although the armory was large, there were few things that caught his eye.

The only thing that was somewhat decent was that pile of Blood Qi Pills stacked like a mountain.

These basic medicinal pills were issued by Wind Thunder Valley to provide for the city guards' cultivation.

Qin Shuo roughly estimated that there were at least over ten thousand of them.

Taking advantage of He Mingjing's inattention, he took all the medicinal pills, leaving only empty gourds placed on the rack.

With the Taotie Cauldron as a cover, even if someone came to investigate later, he could push it all onto Shao Hanshang's corpse, claiming he himself had embezzled and misappropriated the soldiers' medicinal pills, which had nothing to do with him.

"Found any good stuff?"

The armory was very large, Qin Shuo and He Mingjing split up to search, and only after half a day did they regroup.

"None."

Qin Shuo shrugged, pointing at the row after row of medicine racks and said: "Even the medicine is empty, this city's armory is poorer than Black Water City."

"Really?" He Mingjing looked doubtful.

He walked up to the medicine rack, opened several gourds in succession, and found them all empty.

Then he examined Qin Shuo up and down, confirming he couldn't possibly hide so many medicinal pills, before giving up.

"You didn't find anything good, but I found a great treasure!"

He Mingjing laughed as he pulled out a stone box from his bosom.

This stone box was square and upright, palm-sized, and very antiquated.

After He Mingjing opened it, revealing the item inside, it was a wholly crimson night pearl, which at first glance resembled a miniature sun.

"This is called the Chi Xia Pearl, the supreme among night pearls, worth a city."

He introduced it without modesty: "At night, it emits sunlight like daytime, hence it is also called the Sun Stone..."

He Mingjing enthusiastically described this miraculous pearl, his eyes full of undisguised delight, clearly unable to put it down.

However, he did not know that the moment he took out the stone box, Qin Shuo's attention had already completely left him.

At this moment, Qin Shuo was completely captivated by the stone box, the fervor in his eyes almost impossible to conceal.

Holy shit?

Holy shit?

Holy shit?

In the Taotie Cauldron, the moment the spirit-awakening dark jade lit up, Qin Shuo was stunned as if struck by lightning.

World-Suppressing Divine Weapon?

The World-Suppressing Divine Weapon that the holy beast Bai Ze had painstakingly sought?

Qin Shuo only felt his qi and blood surge to his head, his body trembling uncontrollably, until the spirit-awakening dark jade inside the Taotie Cauldron became scorching hot like a red-hot branding iron, did he suddenly snap awake and hastily avert his gaze.

At the same time, his sea of consciousness buzzed with the Taotie Cauldron vibrating nonstop.

Even the taotie with golden whiskers and silver armor on the cauldron wall emitted a greedy emotion, as if it greatly desired the stone box.

"Could this... truly be the World-Suppressing Divine Weapon?"

Qin Shuo's heart pounded like a drum, his eyes full of shock.