Chapter 27

"Chen Mo!"

"Chief Inspector!"

At that moment, the others arrived in haste.

Seeing Chen Mo still alive, Li Yan's taut nerves finally relaxed.

She walked to Chen Mo's side, carefully examining him, and discovered that the exposed bones had already sprouted flesh, healing at a visibly rapid pace!

"This recovery ability is insane—it's practically immortality!"

"And that single slash that summoned the Azure Dragon phenomenon… looks like he held back back then. If it had been a life-or-death fight, I'd already be dead under his blade…"

Realizing the vast gap between them, Li Yan felt no despair—instead, a strange pride stirred within her—

No wonder he's the man who can overpower me!

Though she knew Chen Mo's life was safe, she still meticulously checked him over.

After all, such severe injuries—what if some part was missing…

"Hm?"

When her gaze dropped downward, her fair face flushed crimson instantly, and she spun away in haste.

She'd almost forgotten—he'd been burned bare, completely naked…

So ugly…

…

"My lord, are you truly unharmed?"

Qin Shou was both startled and delighted.

The other constables couldn't help but smile.

It wasn't that they feared being unable to report Chen Mo's death—they'd been utterly awed by the battle just now.

The image of him, drenched in blood, slaying demons, still sent shivers through their hearts!

Truly, peerless in valor!

"Don't worry—I'll stay alive until I die."

Chen Mo pointed to the bed and said: "Search carefully—see what's underneath."

"Yes."

Everyone responded in unison.

They moved Qin Ruyan's corpse to the ground, lifted the bedboard, and a stench of decay surged forth.

Beneath the bed, the bricks had been hollowed out into a large chamber, where blood-drawn strange symbols covered the floor, and seven bizarre stone figures stood around the perimeter, each covered in yellow talismans.

"Three Calamities Soul-Extinction Array!"

After being forcibly infused with ancient texts, Chen Mo's understanding of arrays was no longer the same.

One glance confirmed it—a deadly array!

It gathers the power of Blood Calamity, Earth Calamity, and Malevolent Calamity; if fully formed, it can invert yin and yang, sever reincarnation, and turn hundreds of li into a ghost realm!

Of course, the stronger the array, the stricter its requirements.

This Three Calamities Soul-Extinction Array here is riddled with flaws, and the materials are abysmal—it probably can't even unleash one-tenth of its original power.

"This is where the earth veins converge, where calamity qi gathers—it's the spot with the strongest earth calamity qi in Tongling County… Liu Mansion's location was no accident. She's been planning this for a long time."

"Seven concubines as the Blood Calamity, spirit creatures nurtured as the Malevolent Calamity—once the three calamities are assembled, the great array is complete."

"As for the purpose…"

Chen Mo turned his gaze to the center of the array—a blood-red banner, weighed down by copper coins and blackwood, its surface inscribed with swirling ancient black seal script.

Merely glancing at it sent a chill through his entire body.

Chen Mo reached out and picked up the banner.

Instantly, a furious wind howled, and the sound of wailing ghosts echoed in his ears!

"W-What is this?!"

Everyone turned pale, their expressions filled with terror.

Those with weak wills even collapsed to the ground, legs buckling!

【Heavenly-Class Mid-Grade Treasure: Soul-Calling Banner (Sealed).】

【Can devour spiritual souls, command ghostly entities. Already bonded to its master. Cannot be used.】

"Treasure?"

"And Heavenly-Class Mid-Grade?!"

Chen Mo paused, then suddenly understood.

Qin Ruyan had somehow acquired this artifact from some powerful figure, hoping to use the Three Calamities' power to break the seal and claim it for herself.

No wonder she never left its side—she was hiding the Soul-Calling Banner's aura.

To prevent its original owner from coming after her!

"This thing is useless to me."

"Holding it burns my hands, but throwing it away feels wasteful…"

After a moment's thought, Chen Mo still tucked the Soul-Calling Banner away.

Though he couldn't use it, he could take it back to Ducheng and trade it with Her Majesty for other treasures.

That way, even if the banner's owner shows up, Her Majesty will be the one facing them—

Come on, no matter how powerful someone is, can they stand against Lady Yu?

Don't you understand the weight of a final boss?!

After casually destroying the array, Chen Mo turned to the others and said: "The true culprit is dead, the case is closed. Go rest. We return to Ducheng at first light tomorrow…"

"Wait, I think I know who she is."

At that moment, Li Yuan, who had been crouching beside the body examining it, spoke up.

She was seen holding Qin Ruyan's head, rubbing it hard, her face shifting as freely as clay, until even the five features vanished!

A purple magatama mark was suddenly revealed on her brow!

"Tenth on the Heaven Demon List, the Wraith — Qin Wuxiang!"

"What?"

"She's Qin Wuxiang?!"

The crowd drew sharp breaths, letting out a wave of exclamations!

The Green Cloud List is a ranking issued by the Tianshu Pavilion, ordered comprehensively by realm and real combat ability, limited to the younger generation of prodigies under thirty.

The Heaven Demon List, on the other hand, is a wanted notice issued by the imperial court!

The ranking has nothing to do with realm — it only looks at the casualties and losses caused.

The top ten are called the Ten Great Heaven Demons, every one of them a fiend who has ravaged a region and slaughtered countless people!

To this day, all of the Ten Great Heaven Demons remain at large!

Not a single one has been caught!

"To cultivate the Ghost Path, Qin Wuxiang poisoned every last one of the dozens in the Qin household, including her own birth parents."

"Refined the essence and blood of a hundred children to feed her ghost creatures."

"Set up a vicious formation, refined an entire village of several hundred people, using the death qi to forge a demonic visage…"

"Her crimes are too numerous to count."

"Although her strength isn't that great, she is thoroughly versed in the Way of Transformation — a hundred faces, a thousand visages, one body with twin souls. For all these years, no one has even caught a glimpse of her shadow…"

Li Yuan looked at Chen Mo and said with a smile: "Captain Chen, you've earned a Great Achievement."

Chen Mo hadn't expected such an unexpected windfall either.

Who would have thought that the infamous Wraith was hiding right beneath the Son of Heaven's feet?

"It wasn't me — it was us. The credit belongs to everyone."

"I will note down every person present, one by one, and report it to Lin Siya when we return."

Chen Mo said.

This case originally belonged to the Ding Fire Division.

He had already profited handsomely and didn't care much for this bit of credit.

Besides, if Li Yuan hadn't held off Lady Liu, he would have found it very difficult to cut her down smoothly.

The crowd was overjoyed at his words.

The successful resolution of this case was largely thanks to Chen Mo, and he hadn't originally intended to share any of the benefits.

But this was one of the Ten Great Heaven Demons!

And it was the first kill at that!

Even just having one's name attached would be the highest honor!

"Captain Chen is mighty!"

"In life we are Captain Chen's men, in death we are Captain Chen's ghosts!"

The crowd was so excited they could not contain themselves, cheering as they swarmed forward, clustering around Chen Mo and hoisting him high above their heads!

You place the people in your heart, and the people will lift you high!

Especially the runners of the Ding Fire Division, each one so moved their eyes welled with hot tears.

Who would have thought Captain Chen's heart was so broad, bearing no grudge!

This is what they call magnanimity!

Glancing at Chen Mo being held aloft by the crowd, Li Yuan's cheeks flushed red, her gaze drifted, looking as though she wanted to look but didn't dare.

After a moment's hesitation, she couldn't help but speak:

"Chen Mo…"

"What is it?"

"C-could you put your clothes on first?"

Swinging back and forth like a giant pendulum… it's really an eyesore!

At the very bottom, holding up the legs, Qin Shou rubbed his head.

What the hell keeps knocking on my skull?