Chapter 157: I Know Who the Killer Is

Whoosh~

As Luo Heng finished speaking, a stir erupted around him.

What audacity!

He actually wants to search Chen Mu's body?

Little do they know.

Luo Heng had his own calculations.

First, his realm—he was several stages above Chen Mu's "Second Stage Innate."

Even if he couldn't win, he was confident he could retreat.

Second, Chen Mu possessed the "Treasure Map"; if he moved against him, he'd only sink deeper.

Third, there was a bit of cunning intent.

If he could crush Chen Mu once, his name "Flip River Leopard" would instantly resound across the land!

With fame, how could profit be far behind?

These three reasons led him to risk it—that's why he set up this ambush.

……

Luo Heng's plan, Chen Mu had guessed part of it. His expression remained unchanged, but a flash of cold light flickered in his eyes.

"You people are truly… unaware of your own mortality!"

As his words ended, a metallic clang rang out—the Zhan Sha Blade was already drawn!

Chen Mu had no intention of wasting more words; the Five Elements Spirit Transformation Scripture instantly activated, transforming his pure, vast Duan Tianhe true qi into furious, blazing fire energy!

Hum~~

Crimson flames coiled around the dark blade like a raging dragon, the terrifying heat warping and crackling the air.

Swish!

Whoosh-hong~

The blade's light surged like wildfire, instantly expanding to engulf a vast area ahead.

The two Third Stage Innate warriors had no time to react—before they could even register it, their vision turned crimson, searing pain erupted, and they were utterly consumed by the violent flame blade energy, never even screaming before they turned to charred lumps.

Luo Heng turned pale with shock—he never imagined Chen Mu would strike so decisively and brutally, with such terrifying power.

He let out a shrill cry, pouring all his strength into his protective true qi, swinging his thick-backed great sword forward with all his might, while gathering qi beneath his feet to retreat!

Yet…

Hum~!

The Reverse Fate Blade—spirit-formed, formless, colorless, intangible—struck through the air, effortlessly hitting Luo Heng.

"Aaah!"

With a scream, Luo Heng's head throbbed as if splitting, his entire aura dissolving.

Whoosh-hong~!

Chen Mu's second slash descended simultaneously, the blade's momentum unchanged, even sharpened by threefold.

The flame blade energy condensed into tangible form, becoming a slender yet dazzling crimson thread, cleaving with the force to split mountains and sever peaks, striking precisely upon Luo Heng's swinging thick-backed great sword!

Ssshh—

Crack!

Luo Heng's semi-spiritual great sword, capable of channeling true qi, snapped in half like rotten wood.

The flame blade energy did not stop—it swept across his neck!

Luo Heng, his brain throbbing with pain, froze rigid, eyes bulging wide with disbelief and terror.

A thin line of blood appeared along his neck, then his head rolled free; his headless corpse was flung backward by residual blade energy, blood spurting over ten feet.

【Corpse detected. Collect?】

"Yes!"

Three cards obtained—all true qi cards!

From drawing the blade to slaying the three, it took only a flash of lightning—three Innate realm warriors dead!

The street fell utterly silent.

All onlookers stood stunned, as if their throats had been clenched, daring not to breathe.

The air reeked of charred flesh and thick blood.

Chen Mu's face was expressionless; he shook off nonexistent blood droplets from his blade and sheathed it with a metallic chime.

His cold gaze slowly swept over the silent, trembling crowd.

No one dared meet his eyes; all lowered their heads or turned away.

Chen Mu stepped forward; the crowd parted like a tide, watching him depart with cold indifference.

Only when Chen Mu's figure vanished around the corner did the silent street erupt like a boiling pot, clamor rising to the heavens.

"Dead…? Luo Heng and the others… just like that?"

"Three slashes… no! Two! He killed three Innate realm cultivators with two slashes?"

"What terrifying power! What ruthless methods!"

"Number 107 on the Hidden Dragon Ranking... is actually this terrifying!"

"Who'd dare provoke him now?"

"The Treasure Map… is it really in his possession?"

A cacophony of shock, fear, and suspicion surged through the crowd.

……

Chen Mu ignored the commotion behind him and went straight to Zhou Fu.

Zhou Fu was draped in white mourning from top to bottom, a mournful atmosphere hanging in the air.

Hearing of Chen Mu's arrival, Zhou Bozhi hurried out to greet him, his face still bearing tear streaks and panic.

"Sir Chen, you are…"

"Take me to see Zhou Boli's body." Chen Mu cut him off directly, his tone brooking no argument.

"But… my lord, my second brother's state of death…"

"Lead the way." Chen Mu's gaze swept across, and Zhou Bozhi immediately dared not say more, only guiding him to the mourning hall.

【Corpse discovered. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

With the card in hand, Chen Mu, without a flicker of expression, reached into his pocket to check.

A memory card!

Luck had struck!

……

In the coffin, Zhou Boli's face was ashen, a razor-thin, razor-deep fatal wound at his neck — clearly slain in a single strike by a fast sword or fast blade.

"Where did your Zhou family's treasure map come from?" Chen Mu asked, seemingly at random, while examining the corpse.

Zhou Bozhi gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "I won't hide it from you, my lord. My second brother returned from outside the day before yesterday with this map. He only said it was a gift from an old friend, tied to a chance for the family's revival. He didn't go into the specifics. Who knew… who knew it would bring such a fatal disaster upon him!"

"An old friend? Which old friend?" Chen Mu pressed.

"Second brother never said outright… now there's no living witness to verify it." Zhou Bozhi sighed.

"No living witness? What a convenient 'no living witness.'" Chen Mu gave a cold laugh and asked no more.

He reached into his pocket and used the memory card he had picked up!

The next instant, Zhou Boli's final memories played out in his mind.

After leaving Chen Mu's residence last night, Zhou Boli went to a hidden rendezvous and met someone.

Qi Jingxiao!

A man of the Qi family!

Browsing the memory, the treasure map Zhou Boli held was unmistakably given by Qi Jingxiao — only it had been taken back by Qi Jingxiao again last night.

Zhou Boli left the secret rendezvous empty-handed, then was assassinated halfway there by a black-clad swift-swordsman!

The whole thing was nothing but a fine play staged by the Qi family themselves.

The purpose was to shift the treasure map's spotlight onto him, Chen Mu!

Why?

Why would the Qi family go to such great lengths to bring disaster upon themselves?

Chen Mu thought briefly and recalled the "dead yet risen" Tai'an Prefecture's number one beauty — Qi Mengjun — whom he had seized in the valley and dragged back, only to die at the execution ground in the end.

'Is the Qi family out to avenge Qi Mengjun?'

Not daring to retaliate openly, they resorted to framing.

Zhou Boli had been bewitched, lost his head for a moment, used without even knowing it.

And in the end, died a wretched death!

At this thought.

Chen Mu sneered inwardly, killing intent rising. 'I had thought this matter settled. Since you seek your own death, you can't blame me.'

……

Inside the mourning hall, the atmosphere was oppressive.

Chen Mu looked at Zhou Bozhi, whose grief and panic showed on his face, and, skipping the preamble, spoke directly: "I already know the true murderer who killed Zhou Boli."

Zhou Bozhi jerked his head up, shock, doubt, and disbelief bursting in his eyes. "My lord, what did you say? Who is it?!"

"The Qi family. Qi Jingxiao." Chen Mu spat out the name.

"The Qi family, Qi Jingxiao? This… how could this be possible!?"