Chapter 177: Reveal Identity!

A muffled boom!

Cheng Feng's head exploded, red and white splattering everywhere.

【Corpse detected. Retrieve?】

"Yes!"

With the card in hand, Chen Mu activated the Five Elements Spirit Transformation Scripture, converting Duan Tianhe's True Qi into Flame True Qi, and shot out a burst to engulf Cheng Feng's corpse, burning it rapidly.

Return to the Black Dragon Society's Xiangzhou branch?

Like he's stupid!

Chen Mu was certain that if he actually sent Cheng Feng's body back to the branch, the guy would loudly proclaim the special properties of the Sword Armor bracers—not just the bracers, but also the leg guards, and maybe even armor and a helmet…

What this meant was clear to any martial artist.

A full set of armor!

Just one pair of bracers was comparable in defense to a mid-grade spiritual weapon—what would the full set be capable of?

At least a low-grade arcane weapon!

In truth, the Sword Armor bracers weren't merely for defense—they could also interfere with various energy currents and project attacks outward.

Provided one possessed Duan Tianhe True Qi!

Only by infusing Duan Tianhe True Qi could the bracers' full function be unlocked. At that point, their defensive level wasn't mid-grade spiritual, but low-grade arcane!

The bracers' true color wasn't dark silver—it was silver-white.

The Black Dragon Society's Xiangzhou branch, upon acquiring them, wouldn't recognize their true nature or know how to use them.

But Chen Mu knew how!

Right now, only he had cultivated Duan Tianhe True Qi.

Cheng Feng thought he could coerce by threatening the whereabouts of the Sword Armor leg guards—what a fantasy.

Even without knowing their location, Chen Mu, through the Duan Tianhe Scripture, would merely need a bit more time to sense them.

At the seventh layer of the Duan Tianhe Scripture, the sensing range extended nearly a hundred li!

Centered on Chen Mu, as long as the Sword Armor was within a hundred li, he could sense it.

Cheng Feng was a registered assassin of the Black Dragon Society's Xiangzhou branch, operating primarily in the northern Hannan Road, plus the northern Shannan Road.

In these areas, Chen Mu could simply scan them one by one.

Not to mention the chance of retrieving a memory card.

His luck was good.

Upon checking, the card retrieved from Cheng Feng's corpse was indeed a memory card!

Shh~

After using the card, Cheng Feng's memories from the past three years instantly flooded Chen Mu's mind.

Chen Mu swiftly skimmed through them, searching for memories related to the Sword Armor leg guards.

He rewound continuously.

After a moment, Chen Mu exited the memory viewing, a smile tugging at his lips.

"There it is!"

Cheng Feng had seen the Sword Armor leg guards worn by a man who'd put them on his legs during a battle.

That man's name was Lin Kuan!

He was the head of the Zhenwu Office in Lincang Prefecture, Shannan Road, a Qi Condensation Realm cultivator at peak.

"Head of the Lincang Prefecture Zhenwu Office?"

Chen Mu pondered, continuing to browse Cheng Feng's memories.

Memories concerning "Lin Kuan"!

As he looked, Chen Mu chuckled.

As head of a prefecture's Zhenwu Office, Lin Kuan publicly appeared impartial and upright, but privately he was greedy and lustful.

He had fabricated charges and exterminated entire families more than once or twice.

The Sword Armor leg guards Cheng Feng had seen were stolen by Lin Kuan after he sent men to wipe out a minor clan!

This Zhenwu Office head wasn't just a rotten apple.

He could be pulled out and eliminated outright.

"Head to Lincang Prefecture!"

Originally, Chen Mu planned to leave the Black Dragon Society and head for Wulong Prefecture.

Plans change faster than expectations.

Now that he knew the Sword Armor leg guards' whereabouts, the Sword Armor came first.

…

…

Haozhou lay in the northeast of Shannan Road.

Lincang Prefecture was in the northeasternmost corner of Haozhou.

Though geographically remote, Lincang Prefecture was not only vast but also prosperous.

The reason? Beyond Cang Mountain lay the famed Dragon Burial Ridge.

In an era even older than the ancient times, the last dragon clan perished in that region. Over countless years, the dragon corpse vanished, leaving only a unique miasma that gave rise to a tribe of physically powerful, limb-muscled, terrifyingly strong, yet mentally simple barbarians.

For tens of thousands of years, Dragon Burial Ridge had remained the barbarians' territory; they rarely ventured out.

Yet its exotic beast hides, spiritual herbs, and rare minerals attracted wave after wave of martial artists who crossed Cang Mountain to trade.

The barbarians, unaware of the outside world, eagerly exchanged their goods for cheap yet useful items from beyond Cang Mountain.

Thus, the convergence of caravans and adventurers made Wulong Fucheng lively.

Chen Mu traveled day and night, arriving at Wulong Fucheng; before even reaching the city, he encountered five caravans on the road.

After entering the city, warriors were visible everywhere on the streets.

Compared to Tai'an Fucheng, the martial spirit of Wulong Fucheng was far stronger!

……

"Ding ding dang dang~"

"Bang~ Bang~!"

Chen Mu had not walked far on the street when a muffled sound of clashing weapons and combat erupted ahead.

Before he could draw closer, the fight was already over.

The pedestrians on the street showed no panic or shouting, as if long accustomed to it.

Chen Mu sighed, yet his heart was puzzled.

He had already entered Wulong Fucheng—why could he not sense the "Sword Gear" leg guards?

Was Lin Kuan just carrying the guards away from the city, beyond a hundred li?

Or was the "Sword Gear" leg guards' sensing being blocked by a powerful array?

If it was the former, it would be fine.

If it was the latter, it would be troublesome.

An array capable of blocking the Duan Tianhe Scripture's sensing of the "Sword Gear" was undoubtedly extremely powerful—ordinary Tiangong realm forces could not achieve it.

If he could not sense the "Sword Gear" leg guards, stealthy theft was out of the question.

If covert action would not work, then reveal his identity!

To apprehend Lin Kuan, he needed evidence.

Revealing his identity as a Censor would make Lin Kuan and his subordinates nervous.

Once nervous, they would take action.

Only when they acted could he gather evidence!

……

Thinking of this,

Chen Mu hurried into the inner city, found a guesthouse near the Wulong Fucheng Zhenwu Office, and rented a room.

In the room, he changed into his Black Flame Robe, took out the Zhan Sha Blade and the Censor's Token, and held them in hand.

Chen Mu headed straight for the Zhenwu Office.

"Your servant greets my lord!"

"We pay homage to my lord!"

"……"

Upon entering the Zhenwu Office gate, the guards, clerks, and laborers passing by all froze in shock, then bowed respectfully.

Chen Mu remained calm, nodding in response as he walked through the hall.

Soon after entering the hall, four Zhenjin Guards hurried over.

"Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, Xie Ning, Zhang Yaoqi"

"Your servant greets my lord!"

Three men and one woman lined up, facing Chen Mu, bowing respectfully as they spoke.

"Rise."

Chen Mu raised his hand slightly, gazing at the four, and said calmly, "I am Chen Mu, dispatched to oversee Wulong Fucheng. Carry on with your duties. One of you may guide me to the Juan Sect archives."

"Yes!"

Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, Xie Ning, and Zhang Yaoqi responded in unison.

"This way, my lord," said Wang Jianzhong, of medium stature and cold expression, turning to invite him.

Chen Mu nodded and followed Wang Jianzhong away.

In the hall, Yang Xue, clad in fitted attire, with fair skin and a striking aura, murmured, "Chen Mu? That name sounds familiar."

"Of course it does," chuckled Xie Ning, with his mustache and bright eyes. "The Dragon-Submerging Prodigy, ranked one hundred and seven. He's a martial genius at sixteen!"

"I remember now!"

Zhang Yaoqi, tall and muscular, slapped his palm and exclaimed excitedly, "So he's Chen Mu—the youngest Censor in our Zhenwu Office!"

"Indeed."

Yang Xue sighed, "But why has Chen Mu come to Wulong Fucheng?"

"That's unclear," Zhang Yaoqi shrugged, his eyes shifting to Xie Ning.

Xie Ning chuckled, and as he turned away, a flicker of unusual color flashed in his eyes!