Chapter 255

Even though Pei Ye hadn't seen much of the world, he knew that what was in front of him now was the "world".

Shi Zanxue, with her outstanding temperament, walked in, and that frost-like aloofness was compressed and dissipated, becoming one of the ordinary members among them.

Five people sat in the room, forming a circle.

Starting from the left, it was an amiable old man with a frail appearance, a deep green sword resting on his knees, like a vigorous new leaf growing on a withered tree. Separated by a seat, a man in his forties was dressed in plain white, with a deep appearance, like an immovable stone pillar that had weathered the wind for a hundred years above ten thousand fathoms; as soon as Pei Ye's gaze fell on him, he shrank slightly from the cold.

Sitting in the center opposite was a person with a strange appearance.

His bone structure looked like he was only in his thirties, but his face was very old, as if his skin was half more than his flesh, resulting in a wrinkled and drooping appearance. However, he had high eyebrows and falcon eyes, and his two eyes were simply like sharpened blades, almost vicious. When Pei Ye's gaze fell on him, the person raised his eyebrows and looked back, and Pei Ye instantly felt as if he had been pierced through.

On his body, he wore a unique official uniform; Pei Ye had seen a similar style on the master of the Bowang Immortal Terrace, but now this one was even more majestic—jade-white brocade, silver crane dark patterns, and a seal on his chest that looked like a gate or a monument, exactly the shape that made people in the martial arts world tremble when they saw it.

Cheng Lin, the master of the Bowang Immortal Terrace, sat quietly behind his side.

The last person sitting cross-legged was the old man Pei Ye had seen several times; he was at the end of the room, still in black clothes and white hair, without any pomp, but no one could ignore his weight.

Cuiyu Li Li Zhangmen 【Life-Death Luan】 Li Weiru.

Tianshan Weifengchi Sifeng, Anzang.

Shaolong Prefecture Immortal Terrace Inspector, He-character Wudong.

Bowang Prefecture Immortal Terrace Master, Yan-character Cheng Lin.

Shaolong Prefecture Government Office Chief Clerk, Ritual Terrace Junior Minister, Sword Academy Supervisor, Sui Zaihua.

Five grandmasters.

It was indeed not an occasion suitable for Yang Yan to come to.

Actually, it wasn't an occasion suitable for Pei Ye to come to either; the youth wanted to understand some situations, but he didn't think about directly participating in the most core and deepest discussions of all parties. At this moment, his mood was hanging, and he didn't even make a sound to salute, carefully and quietly sitting on a chair in the corner, next to Li Weiru, really not knowing what virtue or ability he had.

Shi Zanxue sat beside Anzang, clearly because this Tianshan grandmaster hadn't had time to understand the situation, and someone needed to be by his side for consultation.

"Since everyone has arrived, let's begin." Without the slightest pleasantries, Pei Ye simply hadn't reacted yet, and the He-character Inspector named Wudong had already spoken.

"This matter spread from Xilong, so let's first ask our friends from Tianshan to talk about the situation."

This Inspector not only had an appearance that made people feel terrified when they saw him, but his voice was also as hoarse as cutting; even with Sui Zaihua here, he had no intention of yielding, his eyes looking toward Anzang.

"Tianshan learned of this matter quite late, but before coming, I asked Master Zang of the Xilong Immortal Terrace to issue a letter report. I will briefly state its essence, and the details will be handed to all the lords after the copying is completed."

【Sifeng】 was the position of managing affairs in Weifengchi, and this grandmaster's voice was also peaceful and reasonable, like wind and lake, making people unconsciously listen attentively.

"The situation that can be confirmed at present is that on the fifteenth of the seventh month, a murder case suddenly occurred in the direct lineage of the Hushanjian Sect, a hidden sect of Yang Prefecture; Li Li Zhangmen Qu Zhoufu died, and two true disciples were missing."

"After the case occurred, this matter was sealed by the Hushanjian Sect itself, until the twenty-first of the seventh month, when the Yang Prefecture Immortal Terrace received an anonymous report, only then did they investigate and learn of this matter. At that time, traces had mostly disappeared, and the pursuit was too difficult. On the twenty-fourth of the seventh month, Yang Prefecture figured out that this was not an internal rebellion, but an external attack, and it wasn't until the second of the eighth month that the name 'Huan Si Lou' was locked in."

"On the fourth of the eighth month, the Xilong Dao Immortal Terrace held a gathering for this matter, and afterwards conducted a joint inspection and search among the twenty-three prefectures. That was also the same day Tianshan received news about this matter for the first time and began to join forces with the Immortal Terrace."

"By the eleventh of the eighth month, this joint search actually discovered traces of Huan Si Lou activities in nine places. However, no connection could be seen with the Hushanjian Sect matter; they were doing another thing—stealing souls and stealing swords."

"Using a bead-shaped magic tool to take people's souls, completing the rubbing of sword arts; the victims' souls were already foolish before they were killed. By the twentieth of the eighth month, the beginning and end of these nine cases were all clear, but after a month, the play-guests who committed the crimes had all covered their tracks."

"Even so, we still chased down three murderers, but Huan Si Lou burns everything upon death, and none of the three beads could be confiscated."

"The above is about the 'stealing souls and stealing swords' in Xilong Dao."

Anzang turned a page and continued: "You all should not have forgotten that the matter appeared to have a fork above—on the other side, the pursuit of the Hushanjian Sect murder case was also continuing."

"In this case, the junior brother among the two true disciples, Yang Yan, was accused of killing his master. According to the Hushanjian disciples, this person had originally been controlled, but before the Immortal Terrace arrived on the twenty-first of the seventh month, he escaped for some reason, and the Hushanjian Sect itself was already pursuing this person."

"Here, I must insert a motive for Huan Si Lou—through the investigation and inference of some weak traces, combined with the Hushanjian disciples' testimony, we speculate that the Hushanjian Sect should have an ancient heirloom. The reason Huan Si Lou committed the crime was to plot to seize this treasure."

"We didn't find this thing, and we believe Huan Si Lou didn't get it as they wished either. Because after the case occurred, Huan Si Lou appeared repeatedly on a route heading east; we had many exchanges with them and basically confirmed that they had a pursuit target—tentatively, we can speculate it was that senior brother."

"It was on this route that the matter truly became something that needed to be taken seriously at the Mystic Gate level—in the entanglement with Huan Si Lou's manpower, we encountered..." Anzang raised his eyes, "The Tunri Society."

Pei Ye raised his eyebrows slightly; this was the first time he had heard this name, but no one in the room spoke. He stole a glance and saw that the grandmasters' expressions hadn't changed either.

"This is the matter over in Xilong," Anzang turned a few more pages, "And the reason it involves Shaolong here is because of the matter of the remaining thread extending over."

"This junior brother was actually only noticed by the Hushanjian Sect itself from beginning to end; Huan Si Lou didn't leave any manpower to watch him at all. According to testimony and investigation, it can basically be confirmed that this fifteen-year-old youth actually knew nothing, so that side delegated the matter back to the Yang Prefecture Government Office, and later the Government Office carried out a normal pursuit of his suspicion of killing his master."

"And then, he arrived in Bowang, Shaolong."

"And the matter here, you all should know better than me," Anzang gently closed the booklet and handed it back to Shi Zanxue, "I can ask Li Li Zhangmen Li or Master Cheng to narrate."

Wudong raised his hand, and his knife-grinding voice cut him off: "No need to talk about Bowang for now, there are still some things in the Xilong matter that need to be seen clearly."

Anzang nodded slightly and gestured for him to speak.

"First, since it's an external enemy, why did the Hushan Sect seal the news itself?"

"A junior brother of Qu Zhoufu's side lineage took over the sect after his death, and all orders came from his hand."

"Did this person collude with the external enemy?"

"Perhaps."

"Didn't ask anything out?"

"He died," Anzang said. "Huan Si Lou killed him before leaving, and the remaining people don't know why this junior uncle obeyed them."

Wudong nodded and raised his hand to write two notes in his book: "The second question, how and why did this Yang Yan cross two thousand miles and happen to arrive here? We know that 'Yang Hu' didn't follow him, but had always been in this Bowang City."

"This should actually be a problem of the 'Bowang Distinction'."

"It is precisely saying that this problem is in the Xilong part."

"The tentative conclusion of the Xilong Immortal Terrace is that he passed through a dark line that had been built long ago, which can be traced back to at least ten years ago," Anzang's voice was peaceful. "It's like a retreat left by the Hushanjian Sect specifically for such things."

"So... the joint is ten years, or even earlier, how the Hushanjian Sect and Bowang established a connection."

"Digging up the rotten and excavating the old, I'm afraid it's hard to achieve anything."

"Right now, there is a thread placed right in front of us," Wudong raised his eyes faintly. "If you all don't understand it deeply enough, I'll mention it—how did 'Snow Collapse' appear here?"

"This is the first thing to investigate after the gathering," no one spoke, and Wudong continued to look at Li Weiru, "Alright, please ask Li Li Zhangmen Li to talk about the Bowang matter."

Li Weiru raised his hand in a salute: "The case in Bowang is very clear. Starting two years ago, martial artists were stolen of their souls and swords; the murderer hid by using the identity of an elder of a local sect and colluded with officials, and the case was never exposed. It wasn't until the two cases since this year that clues gradually emerged."

"—The first was the ambush and killing of our sect's true disciple Bai Yuliang at the beginning of the year; the second was the ambush and killing of this year's autumn champion Pei Ye at the end of the eighth month."

Li Weiru continued: "Later, Mr. Lu Yunsheng from Tianshan came here, uncovered the face of this matter, and attempted to arrest the murderer at the end of the eighth month. On the same night, this person died while ambushing Pei Ye, leaving us a bead and a corpse."

Li Weiru spoke very briefly, because this Inspector had already received the beginning and end from Cheng Lin the first time he arrived yesterday; he had read it once before he even got off the carriage, and after closing the folder, he signed the order to detain Luo Defeng and Zhao Fu.

This was also the matter Cuiyu had been waiting for for ten days—when the Prefecture Government Office Immortal Terrace and Tianshan both arrived, there was no need to argue about any evidence with you; a suspicion was enough to keep you from ever turning over.

"I already know about the Seven Serpents and the Chief Clerk, but there is another matter that has never been answered," Wudong raised his eyes and landed on Pei Ye, his light gray pupils like predatory beasts.

Pei Ye felt an irrepressible chill for a moment.

"I agreed to let you come," Wudong said in a low voice. "It seems that due to the obstruction of the Cuiyu Jianmen, matters concerning you have been missing from the case files. So I want to ask you face to face—I know 'Yang Hu' was plotting your sword art, but how did you kill him? And how did you preserve this corpse and bead?"

Li Weiru gently blocked for Pei Ye and laughed: "The lord came late and didn't see the lively championship match of the past two days; our new autumn champion knows a style of Sword Mind, he is a rare sword genius."

"I ask him to speak for himself," Wudong lowered his head and picked up his pen. "I have seen Sword Mind, and I have seen geniuses, but my two questions need clearer answers."

"And since Sword Mind is mentioned, then the source of this Sword Mind must also be explained here," Wudong suspended his pen over the paper and continued to look at Pei Ye, "Please speak."

Pei Ye was silent for a moment and was about to speak when a steady and calm voice already sounded in the room.

"I happened to inquire about this matter a few days ago," Sui Zaihua suddenly spoke in a flat voice. "Pei Ye came from Fenghuai County, right next to Xin Cang."

These words were without head or tail; Anzang cast an inquiring look at Shi Zanxue, and the woman also shook her head in confusion.

But Wudong raised his eyebrows slightly.

"This should be a matter sealed by your Immortal Terrace itself, saying that it was a document signed directly by the Divine Capital, and Magistrate Xu's tone is very strict."

". It's not that he is strict, it's that he really doesn't know what's going on," Wudong was silent for a moment. "I don't know either."

"Since that's the case, this matter will no longer be asked in detail, and it will be assumed that you have the strength to kill a seventh-life yourself." He put down his pen, stopped talking about it, turned his head to Cheng Lin and said, "Write the case file exactly like this, press the secret stamp 【Divine Capital】 first, then press 【Neither Seen Nor Heard】."

Cheng Lin nodded.

"Then, the cause is considered clear," this Inspector picked up his teacup and took a sip. "The next investigation should start from that soul-stealing bead—this matter can just happen to trouble Magistrate Sui."

Sui Zaihua smiled slightly: "I have already issued a disassembly document for this bead."

Wudong turned his head, and Cheng Lin nodded: "Yes, Magistrate Sui gave two extremely detailed pages."

Wudong turned his head back and swept the room again: "Am I the only one who hasn't seen these two pages, or have you all not seen them yet?"

Anzang shook his head: "I haven't had time yet."

Li Weiru also shook his head.

Pei Ye wanted to say he had seen them, but he knew they were talking about understanding the content above, not just seeing those two pages of paper.

"Then Cheng Lin will briefly talk about it."

Cheng Lin nodded: "Please Magistrate Sui correct me at any time. The document says that the technique has no traces to follow, and there is no need for any organizational workshop; this device can be completed by one person. If you want to involve it, there are only two places to try. First, this device appeared on the surface for the first time, and the designer's effort in the way of the device is very significant; famous device masters in Shaolong Dao can be checked."

"This thing is easy to carry, and Huan Si Lou has its own device masters, so this clue is not good," Wudong said directly.

"Yes. The second is to start from its core material 'Heart Amber'. Magistrate Sui said that although it is very likely that there will be no results, as long as the work of tracing the source is carried out, some clues can always be found; after all, unlike device masters, 'Heart Amber' is only produced in Shaolong."

Wudong nodded: "This work needs the cooperation of Shaolong Prefecture, I have noted it down."

"Gone?"

". For more detailed points, please check them, lords."

Wudong nodded and said: "In this way, the cause, effect, and status quo are all clear."

"Therefore, we have two purposes: first, to figure out the intention of Huan Si Lou's soul-stealing and sword-stealing; second, to completely clear out the roots of Huan Si Lou in Shaolong."

"The first matter has no place to grasp for the time being, but for the second matter, since the corpse and the bead are here, there are three places to start," Wudong gently closed his eyes, and only this hoarse voice lingered in the room. "First, start with Bowang, dig deep for twenty years, to observe why Huan Si Lou buried a seed here, and why the end of the Hushanjian Sect's dark line settled here; second, start with the soul-stealing bead, observe how this device was formed, how it was refined, trace the source, and pull out the roots."

"These two fall on the two objects 'Snow Collapse' and 'Heart Amber' respectively. After the gathering is dispersed, we will immediately promote the investigation with full force."

"It should be the meaning," Anzang said.

"The third... is my personal idea," Wudong's gray eyes swept over everyone, "Solving a case requires both strange and orthodox methods; now that the orthodox is already there, I want to add a strange one."

Thanks to boss raise_lovell for the alliance leader reward! Thanks for your support and love, I forgot to thank you yesterday, I'm really sorry!

Then I still owe 29 updates!

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(End of chapter)