Chapter 27: Phoenix Street

The location of Feng Huang Jie is not exactly remote.

Because on the way to this street, there are many suggestive signs, as if they are terrified you might not know what it is.

As they drew closer to Feng Huang Jie, Xu Liang's expression became increasingly restless. "What, could it be that you, Xu Liang, also frequent this place?" Li Heng caught a glimpse of this look and said indifferently.

This was not impossible; after all, both uncle and nephew were gamblers, and they hung around together. As the saying goes, one who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black; perhaps they had once roamed this Feng Huang Jie.

"My lord, you may not know this, but Xu Liang is a regular here," He Qing said with a smile.

This caused Xu Liang, standing beside them, to stiffen involuntarily. He glared viciously at He Qing, but He Qing remained unmoved, continuing to spill Xu Liang's dark history.

He felt smug inside. You usually have Lord Xu backing you up, acting so arrogant in front of me. Now that Lord Xu has gone missing, this newly arrived lord doesn't pay you any mind either.

If I don't take this chance to disgust you back, I would truly be wasting this opportunity.

"He Qing, it seems you are very familiar with this place."

Li Heng said with profound meaning. This caused He Qing's expression to stiffen. "Haha, it is just hearsay from your subordinate," he explained awkwardly, which also led to Xu Liang, standing nearby, gloating over his misfortune.

"Enough, there is no need for further idle chatter."

"This street is the place where Xu Yinghuan last went missing, correct?" Withdrawing his thoughts, Li Heng stood outside Feng Huang Jie and said indifferently.

"Yes, my lord. It was right here that my uncle went missing," Xu Liang said with a solemn expression and a hint of sorrow.

It would be strange if he weren't sorrowful.

After all, if it weren't for his uncle, he wouldn't have been able to become a Demon Exorcist; all his current status was bestowed by his uncle. Now that his uncle had gone missing, it was equivalent to losing his backer.

"Since that is the case, then perform the Tracking Secret Technique you spoke of," Li Heng said indifferently.

"My lord, shall we investigate a little first?"

Xu Liang was somewhat startled and probed cautiously.

"Why investigate? This Feng Huang Jie is wide and long, and who knows how many dark corners exist here; what use is investigating with the naked eye? Are you expecting to rely on luck?"

"It would be better to perform the Secret Technique as soon as possible to lock onto the aura."

"Or is it that you possess no Secret Technique at all and are merely deceiving me?" As he spoke, Li Heng revealed a cold and stern look.

He had no fondness for Xu Liang; after all, he was a gambler, and if not for the so-called Tracking Secret Technique, he wouldn't even have wanted to protect Xu Liang.

As the saying goes, gamblers are not worth pitying.

"No, no, no, how would I dare to deceive you, my lord? Your subordinate has it!" Xu Liang's expression became flustered, and he hurriedly shook his head.

"Then do not waste time."

"Yes, my lord."

Xu Liang gritted his teeth and began to perform the Secret Technique.

He knew that if he could not perform it, he had no doubt that this newly arrived lord would tie him up and throw him directly into the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce.

Circulating the Qi and Blood within his body, he bit his index finger; his finger stained with blood, he drew a Rune in the Void. A blood-colored light ignited, and the Rune took form.

It extended wisps of blood-colored light patterns toward the front.

"My lord, the Secret Technique has taken effect; we can proceed by following those light patterns." At this moment, Xu Liang's face was pale, as if he had suffered a great loss of Original Qi, and he spoke with extreme weakness.

This was perhaps the price for him performing the Tracking Secret Technique. If there were no price, he should have performed it back when his uncle went missing several days ago.

Li Heng was thoughtful; this Tracking Secret Technique was quite interesting. To actually condense a Rune in the Void to track an aura? It was quite like the methods of the True Qi Realm, or perhaps even beyond the True Qi Realm.

"Then let us go."

He replied indifferently and led the two of them into Feng Huang Jie.

The street of Feng Huang Jie was very wide, yet it was no different from an ordinary street, if one could ignore the moans coming from the houses on both sides and the women along the roadside.

Li Heng could not help but shake his head; it was daytime, after all. Business was so good even during the day? It was simply debauchery in broad daylight.

The two people beside him, however, did not blush or skip a beat; they were very calm, clearly accustomed to such scenes.

Li Heng's group of three caught the attention of those young women. Seeing that Li Heng's attire was very magnificent, their eyes lit up, thinking he was some elegant young master.

They even wanted to step forward and throw themselves at him.

However.

Upon seeing Xu Liang and He Qing nearby wearing the uniforms of the Demon Suppression Division, looking quite murderous, they stopped in their tracks.

These women could not help but feel resentful—where did these two god-forsaken stars come from, protecting this handsome man so tightly? They wanted to spend a night of passion with this young master.

Even for free would have been fine.

The three of them ignored these "decent women" and continued to follow the light patterns. Li Heng had no interest, while He Qing and Xu Liang had grown tired of it.

Soon, they arrived at the middle section of Feng Huang Jie and heard a cry that was different from the surrounding moans, sounding very abrupt.

Li Heng raised his eyebrows and searched for the source of the crying. He Qing and Xu Liang did not dare to disobey and followed along, only to see an old woman sitting on the street wailing loudly.

This old woman looked to be about sixty or seventy years old, her appearance was very disheveled, and her clothes even had several holes. However, this did not mean the outfit was cheap.

Although Li Heng did not know much about clothing, just looking at the texture and luster of the fabric, it was not ordinary material; it was only slightly inferior to what he was wearing.

"What is going on here?" Li Heng said indifferently. It was clear he was asking the two regulars beside him.

Xu Liang and He Qing suddenly realized upon seeing the old woman.

"So it is her; it seems her daughter still hasn't been found," He Qing commented.

"My lord, this old woman was originally a pitiful person."

"She was originally a normal resident on this street, but her son was unfilial; coveting the silver flowing through Feng Huang Jie, he directly coerced his younger sister into becoming a secret prostitute."

"This old woman had previously fought to the death to disagree, cursing her son for being unfilial, but later, once the deed was done, she tacitly accepted it."

"However, this was actually a smart decision."

Xu Liang laughed.

"Oh? How so?" Li Heng raised his eyebrows. Being forced into prostitution was a smart decision?

"Because ever since her sister became a secret prostitute, their family's life became prosperous. Otherwise, they would have been in a state of eating one meal and starving the next; isn't that a good thing?"

Xu Liang said.

Li Heng was stunned, his heart complex, not knowing what to say. Was this truly a good thing? He asked himself.

"Since that is the case, then why have things ended up in this state?"

Li Heng continued to speak.

"My lord, I already said just now that his daughter still hasn't been found; she is already missing," He Qing said at this moment, for he could not let Xu Liang steal the spotlight.

"That's right. This family lived in wealth, all relying on the younger sister, and now that she has gone missing, they have been knocked back to their original form in an instant. That old woman also cannot accept this Reality, and has been searching from door to door all this time."

"Looking at it now, it is clear she was not found."

Xu Liang continued to speak.

After hearing the ins and outs of the matter, Li Heng could not help but shake his head; he truly did not know how to evaluate this affair.

Forget it, he was merely a passerby here.

"A small interlude, let's keep moving."

He intended to ignore this matter and continue forward.

Xu Liang and He Qing nodded; it was indeed just a small interlude, merely the business of a family of peasants, and such things were common occurrences.

At this moment.

Xu Liang was seen stopping his footsteps, his face revealing astonishment.

"My lord, the aura has been cut off!"