Chapter 496

Chen Mu did not answer immediately but first bowed with clasped fists, his voice sincere.

"I, Chen, have been presumptuous, interrupting abruptly at your family's joyous banquet—forgive me, Master Xiao."

Xiao Yuanshan blinked slightly, then waved a hand. "No matter. What is it you wish to say?"

Chen Mu straightened and swept his hand across his face.

The disguise mask fell away, revealing a young, sternly handsome face.

A murmur of astonishment erupted through the crowd.

"Is that…"

"Chen Mu? The youngest inspector of the Town Guard Bureau?"

"The Chen Mu ranked sixty on the Master List?"

"Why is he here? And in disguise?"

"…"

Chen Mu pulled a black token from his robe and raised it high.

"Inspector Chen Mu of the Town Guard Bureau, Class Bing, greets Master Xiao and all present."

The token gleamed with a cold, faint light under the sun, the character "Zhen" clearly visible.

At the same time, Chen Mu subtly released a trace of his aura.

Earth Altar Realm, Immune to Divine Perception.

Another ripple of commotion spread through the crowd.

"Immune to Divine Perception? He's only twenty-two?"

"He only made the Master List two years ago—already Immune to Divine Perception?"

"This breakthrough speed… it's too fast…"

"…"

Xiao Yuanshan rose quickly, clasped his fists. "So you are Inspector Chen—your reputation long precedes you. Someone, seat Inspector Chen!"

Chen Mu raised a hand. "Master Xiao, wait. I came uninvited today with a matter of urgency—I ask you, Master Xiao, and all here, to bear witness."

Xiao Yuanshan blinked. "Oh? Inspector Chen, speak."

Chen Mu pulled a ledger from his robe and raised it high.

"All of you, look."

Everyone strained their eyes—the ledger was yellowed, its cover faintly marked with ink.

"This is what I have uncovered over the past several months."

"Guo Wuqiu, chief of the Yangzhou Town Guard Bureau, secretly defected to the Mo Sect. For three years he conspired with the Mo Sect, smuggling over three hundred 'living souls'—here is irrefutable proof of his atrocities against innocent civilians!"

Boom—

The entire Xiao estate erupted.

"What?!"

"Guo Wuqiu defected to the Mo Sect?"

"Impossible!"

"Three hundred people smuggled over three years? This…"

"…"

Dozens of eyes snapped toward Guo Wuqiu seated among the honored guests.

Guo Wuqiu's expression did not change; he remained seated, slowly setting down his wine cup.

He lifted his head, gazing calmly at Chen Mu, even a faint smile lingering on his lips.

"Inspector Chen, I have never met you. Why do you slander me with lies?"

His voice was steady, not a trace of panic—as if discussing a trivial matter.

"I have served the Town Guard Bureau for over thirty years, held six posts—never once failed in duty. You claim I defected to the Mo Sect—where is your proof?"

Chen Mu handed the ledger to a Xiao household servant. "Please, Master Xiao, examine it."

Xiao Yuanshan took the ledger and flipped through it. His face grew darker, more Solemn.

Guo Wuqiu remained seated, even lifting his cup to sip, composed and unruffled.

"Master Xiao, these ledgers can be forged."

Guo Wuqiu set down his cup and said coolly, "Inspector Chen, entrusted with oversight duties and patrolling the regions, I understand—but you cannot recklessly defame others."

The crowd buzzed with murmurs—some skeptical, some whispering in doubt.

Chen Mu said nothing, only raised his hand and pointed to a gray-robed man slipping quietly toward the exit.

"Do you know who that man is?"

All eyes shifted again, fixing on the gray-robed man.

His face paled; he quickened his step to flee, but guests blocked his path.

Guo Wuqiu glanced at the gray-robed man, expression unchanged. "Who is he? How would I know?"

"You don't recognize him?"

Chen Mu looked at him, a faint smirk curling his lips. "Then let me show you all exactly who he is."

He stepped forward, towering over the gray-robed man.

"Will you confess yourself—or shall I use Soul-Searching Art to extract every memory from your mind?"

Soul-Searching Art?!

The three words sent shock through the entire hall.

It was a high-level secret art—forcefully reading another's memories; the victim risked either soul damage or becoming Bai Chi.

Moreover, this technique can usually only be performed by a cultivator of the Heavenly Palace Realm, or a Wu cultivator at the Divine Soul Unblemished level or higher with an exceptionally strong soul.

Can Chen Mu perform Soul Search Technique?

The gray-robed man's face turned instantly as pale as paper. He whirled his head toward Guo Wuqiu, his eyes filled with terror and desperation.

Guo Wuqiu remained seated, his expression unchanged, only his fingers gripping the wine cup slightly tighter.

The gray-robed man's last hope shattered. His legs buckled, and he turned to flee—

"Seize him!"

At Xiao Yuanshan's command, several Xiao family guards lunged forward and pinned the gray-robed man to the ground.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

The gray-robed man struggled desperately, screaming, "I don't know! I know nothing!"

Chen Mu walked up to him, knelt down, and said softly, "Don't know? Then let me make you know."

Saying this, he raised his hand, fingers spread wide, aimed at the gray-robed man's skull.

The gray-robed man's pupils shrank sharply, his whole body trembling violently, as he screamed, "I'll tell! I'll tell! I'm the Jiangnan Circuit Liaison of the Long Life Sect! I've been coordinating with Guo Wuqiu for two years—every time we exchanged 'merchandise,' he arranged the personnel and cleared the checkpoints! I have proof—I have letters written in his own hand!"

The crowd erupted again.

"A Long Life Sect member!"

"Guo Wuqiu really colluded with the Mo Sect!"

"…"

Guo Wuqiu remained seated, his expression unchanged, only slowly setting down his wine cup. He raised his head, gazing at the gray-robed man with a gaze as calm as it was terrifying.

"Can you believe the words of a Mo Sect demon?"

Guo Wuqiu said calmly, "This man is clearly someone Chen Xunchaishi brought here to frame me. A Mo Sect demon, desperate to live, would say anything."

The gray-robed man screamed, "Guo Wuqiu, you—"

Before he could finish, Guo Wuqiu suddenly raised his hand!

A sharp finger aura shot out, striking straight for the gray-robed man's throat.

Kill to silence!

Shhh~

Chen Mu had anticipated this. He flashed forward, blocking in front of the gray-robed man, and swept his hand out, dispersing the finger aura.

Guo Wuqiu's expression didn't change; he slowly retracted his hand and said coolly, "As the head of the Zhenwu Bureau, isn't it right for me to slay a Mo Sect demon?"

Chen Mu looked at him, then suddenly smiled.

"Master Guo, impressive tactics. Even now, you remain so composed."

Saying this, he pulled out several letters from his robe and held them high.

"These are letters I seized from your secret base—each bears your personal signature."

"This is the ledger found at your Qingfeng Manor outside the city—bearing your official seal."

"This is the token from the Long Life Sect addressed to you—engraved with your name."

Chen Mu displayed each document one by one, then turned to Xiao Yuanshan.

"Master Xiao, are these enough to prove guilt?"

Xiao Yuanshan took the letters and ledger, examining each carefully, his expression growing darker.

After a moment, he raised his head, his gaze sharp as lightning, fixed on Guo Wuqiu.

"Master Guo, I recognize the handwriting on these letters—it is indeed yours. What do you have to say now?"