Chapter 41: Killing, Summoning Souls! (Combined 2-in-1)

The sky was clear and bright, the breeze gentle and pleasant.

Along both sides of the entrance to Cangyuan Bridge Street, stalls lined the road, peddlers shouting their wares:

"Buns, hot fresh meat buns—"

"Sweet cakes for sale!"

"Osmanthus cakes, freshly baked osmanthus cakes!"

……

This area was considered Ducheng's "snack street," thronged with pedestrians, noisy and lively, everywhere visible young masters and young ladies strolling in brocade garments.

A girl with delicate features walked down the street, her fitted martial attire accentuating her balanced figure, her black hair simply pinned with a silver hairpin, her demeanor notably free and spirited.

Passersby kept glancing over—

The Great Yuan's martial customs were strong, so this attire was normal, but the girl's eating habits were simply too…

She had been walking from one end of the street to the other without stopping, her cheeks puffed out, lips glossy with grease, holding two pork trotters in her hands.

Her appearance was refined and delicate, her eating habits were Haofang Sect—sharp contrast between the two.

"Young Lady, slow down, wait for me!"

Qing'er, with her twin buns, trotted behind on short legs, arms full of bundled food, her eyes barely able to see the road ahead.

This was the daily routine of mistress and maid.

First eat from one end of Cangyuan Bridge Street to the other as an appetizer, then go to Desheng Restaurant for four dishes and one soup as the main meal, return the same way to digest, then grab some dessert afterward.

And all this together was merely one meal out of three.

"The Wusheng Mountain Cultivation Technique cultivates both body and Qi, emphasizing refining essence into Qi, tempering the self, and eating itself is a method of replenishing essence and Qi."

"Young Lady has the True Martial Body; her refinement speed is too fast, her foundation has almost no upper limit, so her appetite is truly terrifying… just ordinary meals cost over ten taels of silver per day, and if she ate exotic beast flesh, it would multiply several times over."

"The Shen family is a noble house, but they don't engage in commerce or trade, have no source of income—how can they afford this kind of eating?"

Qing'er couldn't help but worry.

Originally, Shen Zhixia was sent back to Ducheng for a family visit because she ate so much she nearly drove the mountain's exotic beasts to extinction.

She hadn't been back a few days before she exhausted three chefs… with no other choice, they had to go out to find food.

If this continues, she'll eat the Shen family into bankruptcy…

Suddenly, Qing'er's mind flashed on one person.

"That's right—Chen Mo has money!"

Not to mention the rich graft from the Tianlin Guard, Chen Mo's mother's family is a wealthy aristocratic clan!

The He family controls the top-tier sect "Smoke Rain Pavilion," with influence spanning two commanderies and one circuit of Jiang Nan; even just the canal transport business has made them immensely rich—supporting Young Lady would be more than enough!

"And he's not as terrible as rumors say—he's on par with Young Lady in strength, top-tier prodigy level, and now he's even a great hero who slew demons…"

The more Qing'er thought about it, the more sensible it seemed.

Clip-clop—

At that moment, urgent hoofbeats rang out from the street entrance.

"Tianlin Guard on duty—clear the way!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Qing'er looked up and saw a steed like red clouds treading on snow galloping toward them.

On its back sat a man and a woman; the man stood tall, handsome as a jade crown, reins in hand, behind him a woman sat sideways, her blue-and-white hezi skirt fluttering in the wind.

Pedestrians hurried to either side; according to the Ritual Regulations, riding horses in bustling districts was forbidden, violators punished with fifty lashes.

But rules were meant for ordinary people—the Tianlin Guard were exempt.

Even if they overturned every stall on this street, merchants would still smile and dare not show the slightest displeasure.

"Chen Mo?"

"Who's the woman behind him?"

Qing'er frowned tightly.

Riding the same horse meant an unusually close relationship; the woman's features were elegant, her beauty no less than Young Lady's…

Danger! Danger! Danger!

"Young Lady… Young Lady?"

Shen Zhixia buried her head in her pork trotter, deaf to the world around her.

Qing'er: "…"

Your man's about to be stolen away, and you have zero sense of crisis…

Now Qing'er's mindset had shifted from "worrying her cabbage was being stolen by a pig" to "worrying her pig ate too much, and the cabbage was being stolen away…"

……

"Giddyup!"

Chen Mo spurred his horse into a gallop, heading toward the western district.

Li Yan sat sideways behind him, legs pressed together, hands clutching her skirt, her cheeks still flushed.

Just moments ago, as they left Yanyue Street, they received a message from Lin Siya: a case had arisen, and Li Yan was to report immediately to the western district.

Last night Li Yan had specifically changed into a dress unsuitable for riding, arriving at the Jiaofang Si by carriage; now Lin Siya was pressing urgently, leaving no choice but to share a horse with Chen Mo…

Sensing the stares around her, she felt embarrassed but had nowhere to hide—she gritted her teeth and endured.

"Chen Mo, is that girl really your informant?" Li Yan asked.

She knew Chen Mo had many eyes hidden in the city—originally capturing the Yan brothers relied on extremely precise intelligence, so she hadn't doubted this at first.

But now the more she thought, the more suspicious it became.

That girl was stunningly beautiful and a sorceress—why would she willingly stay in a brothel district?

Chen Mo understood Li Yan's thoughts and turned his head to say: "Her identity is special—I cannot reveal it. Staying at the Jiaofang Si was her own choice. We're merely partners, each gaining what we need."

"Oh."

Li Yan heard this and asked no further.

Chen Mo's lips curled slightly as he smiled: "What, are you jealous?"

A flicker of panic crossed Li Yan's eyes. "I just asked out of curiosity—who's jealous? Besides, we're just colleagues. Why would I be jealous…"

As she spoke, her own conviction faded.

Every part of her body had been touched, and they'd slept in the same bed—how could such people be mere colleagues?

"By the way, why were you sleeping beside me last night…"

"I told you—I came for the wine!"

"Who ever looks for wine inside someone's quilt?"

"Shut up!"

…

Bai Ta Street lay in the western district, surrounded by residential neighborhoods; most residents were wealthy merchants or officials, their white-walled, blue-tiled mansions standing shoulder to shoulder, the blue-brick roads clean and tidy, with willows and osmanthus planted along both sides.

At this moment, a crowd had gathered at the alley entrance, murmuring among themselves.

"Tsk tsk, Old Lin died a terrible death."

"Yes, at his age, to suffer such a fate."

"I wonder who he angered…"

Hearing the sound of hooves, the crowd turned and instantly paled, quickly stepping aside.

Chen Mo dismounted, while Li Yan, holding her skirt, leapt down with light grace.

Tying the reins to a tree, the two walked to the gate of a mansion in the alley, where six-leaf gate constables had already sealed off the area; a guard stepped forward to block them.

"Police business—no unauthorized persons…"

Li Yan flashed her badge; the man's tone halted, then he bowed deeply. "Chief Constable Li, please enter."

The Six-Leaf Gate fell under the jurisdiction of the Three Judicial Offices, while the Tianlin Guard was a special agency authorized directly by the Son of Heaven, handling unique matters; their duties overlapped, so they often collaborated on cases.

The fact that the Tianlin Guard had been called in meant this case was certainly not an ordinary murder.

Entering the courtyard, they saw a corpse covered in Bai Bu at the center, while several constables carefully examined the corners.

"Chief Constable Li."

A middle-aged man in a blue robe, a long blade at his waist, strode forward.

As he drew near, his expression froze, staring at Li Yan in disbelief.

"Chief Constable Li, what is this…"

A blue-and-white hezi skirt, black hair coiled into a bun, lips red and teeth white—a delicate, modest beauty.

Was this really the cold, rigid Li Yan?!

Had she been possessed?

Li Yan's face grew uneasy. "I had a banquet last night—didn't have time to change clothes."

The middle-aged man snapped back to himself, suppressing his curiosity and turning his gaze to the handsome man beside her.

"Who is this?"

"Chief Constable Chen Mo of the Gui Shui Division."

At this name, everyone present grew solemn.

Hunting the Ten Great Demons was the Six-Leaf Gate's duty—they knew full well the weight behind this "First Slayer of Demons."

"Chief Constable Chen's name rings loud and clear; to meet you in person, you truly are a man of distinction!"

The middle-aged man's voice was hearty.

It wasn't entirely flattery—he'd handled cases for years and excelled at judging men.

The man before him stood tall and elegant, his bearing noble, his eyes holding hidden brilliance—he was no mere pretty face.

Li Yan added, "He's the Investigator of the Six-Leaf Gate's Capture Division, Shangguan Yunfei."

As if fearing Chen Mo might misunderstand, she added specifically: "I've collaborated with him on several cases before."

Chen Mo wasn't petty—he nodded. "Chief Shangguan, I've long heard your name."

Shangguan Yunfei indeed had stature; his case-solving rate was extremely high, second only to Lin Jingzhu, making him one of the Six-Leaf Gate's Four Famous Captains.

His father, Shangguan Ming, was the Minister of Communications, responsible for internal and external memorials and secret petitions from subjects—a figure at the heart of power.

After pleasantries, Shangguan Yunfei steered the conversation to the case.

"The deceased is Lin Huai, a minor clerk in the Ministry of Works, who recently retired."

"No wife or children. This morning, neighbors smelled decay and reported it—only then was the body found. He's been dead about three days…"

Approaching the corpse, a constable lifted the Bai Bu. At the sight of the body, Chen Mo knew why the Tianlin Guard had been summoned.

The man's death was horrific—thin skin clung to bone, nearly drained into a mummy; his chest had been slit open, internal organs churned to pulp, his entire intestines dragged outside.

His eyes bulged, his face twisted, etched with terror—he must have endured these torments alive before dying.

Shangguan Yunfei said: "There are signs of ransacking, but valuables remain. The killer wasn't after robbery—it's likely revenge."

Li Yan frowned. "To be tortured this way—how deep must the grudge be?"

Shangguan Yunfei shook his head. "I've questioned neighbors. Lin Huai was always humble and quiet, well-regarded… And a retired minor clerk from the Ministry of Works—what kind of enemy would dare commit such a crime under the Son of Heaven's very gaze?"

Li Yan mused: "All his blood and flesh drained—likely a Cultivator of Evil."

Shangguan Yunfei agreed.

Chen Mo crouched beside the corpse, studied it a moment, then said: "Not a Cultivator of Evil. It's a demon."

At these words, the air turned deathly silent.

Several constables exchanged glances. Shangguan Yunfei frowned. "Chief Chen, are you certain? The Eightfold Demon-Sweeping Array surrounds the capital—how could a demon have slipped in?"

In those days, when demons ran rampant and the people suffered unbearable hardship, the Three Saints intervened to drive away the fiends and laid down a great array within Tiandu City.

As soon as any demon set foot within it, the array would activate automatically, triggering the great artifact "Demon-Slaying Crossbow" stationed at the Star-Gazing Terrace to annihilate the demons.

"No matter how mysterious the array, it is not omnipotent. Tiandu City has a vast population with mixed energies; unless the demonic energy reaches a certain concentration, the array may very well fail to detect it," Chen Mo said.

With the enhancement of his title and his explosively surging soul perception, he "sniffed" a trace of demonic energy from the corpse.

Though faint, it was unmistakable.

Seeing his certainty, the constables still did not believe him.

This was the capital of the Great Yuan, where mighty cultivators gathered—what demon had the audacity to strike here?

At that moment, Chen Mo asked: "You just said, how long has this man been dead?"

Shanggu Yunfei replied: "Judging by the degree of decay, no more than three days."

"I hope it's not too late."

Chen Mo pulled a bronze candle lantern from his robe.

He ignited a wisp of flame with his fingertip, lit the wick, and placed it beside the corpse.

The Soul-Calling Lantern seized from You Dao Ren still had some oil left; once lit, it could attract wandering souls nearby.

Moments later, the candlelight flickered, and a semi-transparent wraith, like smoke, slowly emerged.

Though his face was blurred, it was clearly Lin Huai's!

Sss!

A chorus of sharp intakes of breath rose around them!

They had never seen such a sight before!

Shanggu Yunfei's voice grew dry: "Chief Chen, do you also understand ghost cultivation techniques?"

Chen Mo replied coolly: "Just the barest basics."

Shanggu Yunfei thought about it—he was right. Without some skill, how could one possibly deal with Qian Wuxiang, the Master of a Hundred Faces and a Thousand Forms?

Chen Mo stepped before the wraith and asked: "Lin Huai, tell me—who killed you?"

The wraith Lin Huai stared blankly, deaf to his question.

Chen Mo asked again several times, but Lin Huai gave no response, and his form grew ever fainter, nearly dissolving away.

Chen Mo frowned and tried to lock onto the spirit with his spiritual sense.

He exhaled sharply, his voice cracking like spring thunder:

"Lin Huai!!"

The roar shook the heavens, making everyone present tense with fear.

Lin Huai suddenly snapped awake, his blank expression twisting as if he had seen something utterly terrifying.

His lips quivered, his voice squeezed through clenched teeth:

"D…demon!!"

Hu—

A light breeze passed, and the wraith vanished into thin air.

The constables stood frozen in place; when they finally came to, their spines chilled.

It really was a demon!

Shanggu Yunfei clenched his fists, his expression turning solemn: "This case is of grave importance—we cannot handle it. We must return immediately and report to the government office!"

Back in Tongling County, it was one thing—it was a subordinate prefecture—but this is the Great Yuan's capital!

Under the very walls of the imperial palace, a demon has murdered someone…

This time, chaos will erupt!

The constables carefully lifted the corpse onto a stretcher, preparing to take it back to the government office.

Shanggu Yunfei bowed to Chen Mo with deep respect: "Truly, fame is never undeserved. Had it not been for Chief Chen's guidance, we would still be in the dark."

Li Yan watched Chen Mo, her eyes filled with admiration.

She never expected this troublemaker not only fought fiercely but also solved cases so brilliantly—seeing the clue at a glance…

Noticing her adoring, fangirl-like gaze, Shanggu Yunfei admired Chen Mo even more.

"Even Chief Li Yan has been won over—what a formidable man…"

…

After leaving Bai Ta Street, Chen Mo had intended to escort Li Yan home, but she adamantly refused, hailing a Ji Li carriage and leaving on her own—apparently too embarrassed to ride the same horse with him.

Chen Mo returned directly to his residence.

After all, today was an external duty—he didn't need to report back to the government office.

Back at the Chen residence, as he passed through the front hall and walked past the dining hall, he heard voices coming from within:

"Zhixia, eat more."

"If you're still hungry, I'll have the cooks prepare more."

Chen Mo walked over and saw the table piled high with delicacies; Shen Zhixia sat awkwardly on her chair while He Yuzhi kept piling food into her bowl until a small mountain had formed before her.

Seeing Chen Mo return, Shen Zhixia lowered her head, hiding behind the mountain of dishes, not daring to look at him.

She muttered to herself: "I wonder what's wrong with Qing'er—she usually stops me from coming, but today she insisted I come to the Chen residence for a meal…"