Chapter 219: Goal: Great Dragon Temple!

No need.

Xiao Yingqi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging killing intent in his heart,

Amid the astonished gazes of several attendants, he turned and left, his complexion uglier than ever before.

He came here to save the members of the Xiao Clan; even with killing intent in his heart, he could not possibly act in Cloud Prefecture City.

That Qin, at the very least, is an official of the imperial court.

Killing him in the city would not only provoke retaliation from the Demon Suppression Office, but likely also draw pursuit from the Martial Suppression Hall and the Divine Constabulary Office.

That would disrupt his plan to save people.

"Let you live a few more days." Xiao Yingqi snorted coldly in his heart.

"He didn't even make a move, yet he remains remarkably calm."

On the long street, Qin Shuo's eyes were deep and cold, his heart also stirred.

On him, he sensed an aura similar to Fu Lingyuan's—a unique blood-energy fluctuation that appears after igniting the furnace.

"Looks like I need to hurry to the Great Dragon Temple."

He felt a sense of urgency.

Whether it was Wang Liehu or Xiao Yingqi, with his current strength he could not match them head-on.

Unless he could elevate his Dragon Elephant Divine Ability to Great Accomplishment…

As for the so-called three-day case, he didn't care about it at all. Because regardless of whether he captured the Earth-traversing Zombie, that Wang would surely put him to death.

If so, why bother with a trivial case? Naturally, raising his strength is the priority.

Once his Dragon Elephant Divine Ability reaches Great Accomplishment, at the very least he will have some means of self-defense.

He might even be able to turn the tables and strike back.

Thinking this through, Qin Shuo also lost any desire to go home, turning and heading toward the northern part of the city.

……

Whoosh~

The evening breeze carried a chill.

Inside a private room at the Eight Immortals Pavilion, Wang Liehu took the liquor Xiao Yingqi had offered and laughed heartily:

"Rest assured, junior brother; I have examined the file on the Earth-traversing Zombie. That Qin has absolutely no chance of solving the case within three days."

"Once three days pass, I can use this as a pretext to accuse him of colluding with demons and framing the Xiao Clan."

"By then, whether to kill or dismember him will be entirely up to you, junior brother."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Wang."

Xiao Yingqi raised his cup solemnly, drained it, and then spoke slowly:

"If you want to solidify the charge that Qin is colluding with demons to frame the Xiao Clan, merely relying on his inability to prove his demon‑hunting ability is probably not enough."

"What you mean, junior brother, is…"

"If we find an Earth-traversing Zombie and a corpse drained of blood in Qin's home, do you think that would be enough to convict him, senior brother?"

"Sure, of course."

Wang Liehu's eyes lit up as he laughed: "Junior brother, you're no disappointment to the Grand Elder who took notice of you—your mind is sharper than mine."

"But the Earth-traversing Zombie comes and goes without a trace; how to catch one and place it in Qin's home is a problem."

"That's not difficult; just leave it to the junior brother to handle."

Xiao Yingqi curled the corner of his mouth in a cold smile, about to say more, when he heard hurried footsteps approaching from outside the room.

"Senior Brother Xiao, Senior Brother Wang, just now that Qin kid left the city."

"He left the city?"

Wang Liehu and Xiao Yingqi both stared in surprise.

But soon they exchanged a smile.

"That kid leaving the city is perfect; we can use this time to solidify the ironclad case of his colluding with demons and hiding the Earth-traversing Zombie, then nab him in one go when he returns." Wang Liehu laughed.

"By then the evidence will be overwhelming; even with eight mouths he couldn't refute it."

According to his thinking, once Qin Shuo's charge of colluding with demons is proven, the accusation that he framed the Xiao Clan would naturally follow.

Thus the Xiao Clan's guilt could be avoided.

But Xiao Yingqi shook his head: "Why go through all this trouble?"

"Since he's already left the city, why bother bringing him back?"

"Let him flee in fear of guilt, never able to speak in his defense—wouldn't that be better?"

"Exactly, exactly! Junior brother, what a brilliant plan!"

……

Outside Cloud Prefecture City, the terrain is open.

Along both sides of the official road, many stalls have been set up; although the weather is cold, the flow of people is still considerable.

These stalls are run by people from nearby towns and villages who come to sell their goods.

The entry fee for Cloud Prefecture City is not low—about seventy cash—so for many rural folk it amounts to three or four days' worth of food, which they are naturally reluctant to spend.

Over time, a market formed outside the city.

The market is not large, but it is very lively.

From afar, one can see all kinds of snacks, sundries, vegetables, and dried fish—everything one could want.

Various merchants, peddlers, laborers, and villagers are loudly hawking their wares.

There are also many sturdy men carrying knives and swords, maintaining order.

After leaving the city, Qin Shuo did not rush straight to the Great Dragon Temple; instead he found a relatively conspicuous tea stall, leisurely drank a bowl of tea, and then departed.

When settling the bill, he took out two liang of broken silver and handed it to the shopkeeper, saying:

"Soon someone will probably come looking for you to ask about my whereabouts."

"Don't worry, sir, I'll definitely say I don't know." The shopkeeper's face stiffened, and he forced a smile as he assured.

"No need for that!"

Qin Shuo's lips curled slightly, "If someone asks later, just tell them the truth."

Saying that, he didn't wait for the shopkeeper to ask further, rose, merged into the crowd, and headed toward the Great Dragon Temple.

"What a strange person."

The shopkeeper muttered a sound, didn't care, and went back to his busy work.

However, as Qin Shuo expected, in less than an hour, a group hurried out of the city and found the tea stall's shopkeeper.

"E-everyone, lords..."

The tea stall shopkeeper turned pale with fright, hastily pointing the way.

If it weren't for that black-clad youth deliberately mentioning it, with him this busy, who could remember which customer came from where and went where?

"Great Dragon Temple?"

Upon learning Qin Shuo's destination, Xiao Yingqi couldn't help but furrow his brow.

As far as he knew, when that Qin first entered Yunzhou, he had traveled together with Master Liao Kong of the Great Dragon Temple.

Moreover, the Dragon-Elephant Divine Power he mastered originated from the Holy Monk of Dragon-Elephant at the Great Dragon Temple.

Thus, his relationship with the Great Dragon Temple seems quite close.

"No wonder he dares to boast of capturing an earth-escaping zombie within three days; it turns out he has the Great Dragon Temple as his backing."

Wang Liehu seemed thoughtful, but he quickly laughed, saying, "Even if he invited Master Liao Kong, it would be useless."

"I represent the Demon Suppression Office, and you, junior brother, represent Profound Soldier Mountain."

"The two of us will join forces to pursue a criminal who colluded with demons and fled to avoid punishment; surely the Great Dragon Temple would not dare intervene."

"I fear things aren't that simple."

Xiao Yingqi was very cautious, turning his head to Wang Liehu and saying:

"For now I bear guilt and am not suited to act together with Senior Brother Wang."

"Instead, I'll go to Qin's residence to set up a scheme and solidify the evidence of his collusion with demons."

"As for the pursuit, Senior Brother will take charge."

"Even if that Qin tries some trick, with Senior Brother's strength he should be able to withdraw unharmed, right?"

"That works."

Wang Liehu did not refuse.

He understood Xiao Yingqi's thoughts, worrying that the Great Dragon Temple, to help Qin Shuo, would use the Xiao family's alleged collusion with demons to make things difficult for him.

After all, Nie Jin Feng's attack on Xiao Changgong that day served as a warning.

If the Great Dragon Temple also used the Xiao family's alleged collusion with demons as an excuse to seize Xiao Yingqi, even though he is an Inspector of the Demon Suppression Office, he could not be protected.

Because, on the surface, the matter of the Xiao family colluding with demons has already been settled as fact.

As long as the Xiao family remains uncleared of guilt, Xiao Yingqi bears that guilt day by day; any sect can seize him and hand him over to the Demon Suppression Office for a reward.

Seeing Xiao Yingqi off back to the city, Wang Liehu kicked his horse hard and galloped alone toward the Great Dragon Temple.

In his view, once out of Yunzhou City, Qin Shuo would be as good as half-dead.

Once he catches him, any excuse of fleeing to avoid punishment or resisting arrest can be used to take his life.

By then, whether it's colluding with demons or framing the Xiao family, won't it all be up to him?

After all, a dead person cannot argue!