Chapter 264: The Ghostly Thief

As a Rank Dan Xiu, Xu Yuan naturally knew what the "Seven-Faced Ghost Cage Grass" was.

It was a precious medicinal herb, and also a malevolent spirit.

It would capture malevolent spirits as nourishment, and it also loved to feed on the blood of living humans.

Although named "grass," this thing grew taller than ordinary trees.

Generally, after three years, it could grow to thirty feet tall; after five years, it would reach over fifty feet.

Its branches and leaves spread out, covering an area of several hundred feet in all directions.

Every leaf was the size of a palm-leaf fan; when seven pitch-black ghost faces grew upon the leaves, it would bear a fruit like a lantern.

The fruit never fell off throughout the year.

But as soon as the fruit was picked, this thing would die.

This fruit was an essential item for a Spirit Cultivator to advance to the Fourth Rank.

Furthermore, a Wu Xiu advancing to the Upper Three Ranks also needed to use this fruit as medicine for a medicinal bath.

It could truly be said to be worth a fortune.

It was even called the "Wish-Fulfilling Fruit" by certain cultivators.

As long as you obtained one, you could make a wish to a Great Cultivator.

Yet, this "Seven-Faced Ghost Cage Grass" could only be cultivated by malevolent spirits.

They could not grow naturally.

If humans planted it, it would not survive.

Zhang Laoya still felt aggrieved: "Actually, it cannot be entirely blamed on me; how could I know that this 'Seven-Faced Ghost Cage Grass' was their dowry?"

Xu Yuan covered his face and shook his head.

No wonder they were chasing after you—Xu Yuan even suspected that Zhang Laoya still hadn't told the truth; he had simply been after the Seven-Faced Ghost Cage Grass.

Cultivating the Seven-Faced Ghost Cage Grass was also very difficult for malevolent spirits, and once the fruit was raised, it consumed countless efforts and time.

"Did they find you before?"

"They found me three times," Zhang Laoya said guiltily. "They all still wanted me to change my mind and return with them. However... their attitude became stricter each time, so this time, I feel a bit unsure in my heart."

Xu Yuan immediately grasped the crux of the matter: "How did you slip away the previous three times?"

Zhang Laoya began to stammer again.

Xu Yuan immediately understood: "Did you deceive them again, promising to return and marry them, and then find an opportunity to slip away?"

Zhang Laoya raised his thumb: "Heroes see alike. You actually thought of this method immediately..."

Xu Yuan slapped his hand away: "No wonder you feel unsure this time! You previously told me there would definitely be no danger to life—if I were those three, the moment I found you, I would have swallowed you directly into my belly, and then we would truly be together forever!"

Zhang Laoya declared solemnly: "I feel they would not be so heartless to me."

Xu Yuan helplessly shook his head; truly, one cannot judge a person by their appearance.

When Zhang Laoya taught him the "Merchant Arts," he had the air of a senior master and a virtuous Law Cultivator.

There was actually such an unsightly past!

Xu Yuan had originally thought it was just a debt of love...

He had underestimated Zhang Laoya.

"With such dishonesty, how did you cultivate the Merchant Arts to the Sixth Rank?"

Zhang Laoya became displeased: "There was true affection between them and me; it was not a transaction!"

This old thing actually said those words without even blushing!

Xu Yuan felt he no longer wanted to shield this fellow; just then, Lin Wanmo brought breakfast in, so Xu Yuan started eating directly: "You handle it yourself; do not even think about asking me to help with this matter! At most, I will only fulfill the agreement we made previously."

Zhang Laoya did not force the issue, nor could he force it; Xu Yuan had honored the transaction agreement between the two parties.

But this old thing's eyes were darting around; he was definitely plotting something again.

After finishing the meal and coming out, Xu Yuan ran straight into Qin Ze.

"Why have you come?"

"Hehe!" Qin Ze smiled sheepishly: "I am not going anywhere today; I will just stay in the yamen—and I will stay here tonight too."

Di Youzhi also arrived, laughing and mocking: "Old Qin has a fiery temper and has made many enemies in daily life; today he is playing the turtle, shrinking into the yamen and daring not to go out, hahaha."

Qin Ze's face turned red: "Among us who serve, who does not have a few enemies?"

"If it were days when refining medicine and making pills are banned, I would be afraid too, but I would hide at home." Di Youzhi continued to expose his shortcomings: "My lord, guess why Old Qin dares not hide at home?"

Xu Yuan looked at Old Qin: "Did you offend all your neighbors?"

"It is not quite to the point of offending; daily quarrels over family matters are quite normal..."

Xu Yuan knew it would not be that simple; Old Qin's foul temper was only "obedient" in front of him.

"Enough, go on," Xu Yuan waved his hand and drove him away.

After a while, someone from the office came to inform: "My lord Xu, Lord Wen Bin has arrived."

Wen Bin was somewhat disappointed.

This case had been concluded before he even arrived.

This honest official was just about to fear no power, overcome all difficulties, and uphold justice for a diligent little patrol officer of the Evil-Dispelling Bureau!

Xu Yuan went over to meet Wen Bin and verified some details of the case.

Wen Bin wrote the Juan Sect himself and then sent Xu Yuan away.

After Xu Yuan left the door, he heard Wen Bin discussing with his advisors inside: "... there is actually room for maneuver."

"It would be better to adapt it to say that this little patrol officer, unaware of the depth, punished the village-slaughtering culprit according to the law, but did not expect the other party to be a scion of a great surname; he was retaliated against by the other party's family, beaten into the great prison, forced to confess through torture, and nearly died unjustly in the prison."

"His former colleagues, seeing him pitiful, secretly helped him bring out a blood-written letter composed on prison clothes, which was presented before my lord."

"My lord went undercover to investigate the case, risking his life alone multiple times to find evidence, passing through the Gate of Ghosts several times, before finally obtaining the crucial proof, vindicating the innocent little patrol officer, and severely punishing that powerful family..."

"The final act is the little patrol officer's release from prison, seeing the light of day again, kneeling at my lord's feet and shouting 'Heaven is just!'"

Wen nodded repeatedly in praise: "Wonderful, truly wonderful!"

Xu Yuan:...

Did you ever consider the feelings of the "little patrol officer"?

Never mind, as long as Wen Bin can find a way to solidify this case, preventing the Fu family and Shanhe from taking action against him officially, let them fabricate whatever they like.

Lord Xu shook his head and left.

Just as he reached the yamen entrance, he met several people rushing in; the one at the front was Wan Yun. Seeing Xu Yuan, he looked as if he had met a savior, his face lighting up as he said, "Young brother, you've arrived at the perfect time. Quickly help your older brother with some advice."

Without waiting for a response, he pulled Xu Yuan to his duty room.

"Brother Wan, what has happened to make you look so worried?"

Wan Yun frowned deeply: "It's difficult."

He personally poured tea for Xu Yuan: "Last night, several thefts occurred in the city, all involving famous wealthy merchants; their family vaults were robbed.

The vault locks were not opened, the night guards did not neglect their duties, nor did they see anything unclean, yet all the silver in the vaults was completely emptied."

Xu Yuan was stunned, immediately thinking of last night's nightmare.

Those three dream-eaters could probably do that too...

Wan Yun said, "Your older brother suspects it might be a technique like 'Five Ghosts Carrying Treasure,' so I just led people to investigate."

"What was the result?"

"It is absolutely not 'Five Ghosts Carrying Treasure'." Wan Yun's expression was serious: "These wealthy merchants' homes all employed seventh-tier cultivators as guards at great cost; such crude techniques as 'Five Ghosts Carrying Treasure' could never steal the vault silver from right under their noses."

Wan Yun felt quite troubled and hesitated before saying, "One of them is a distant relative of Lord Xie. Seven thousand taels of silver were stolen. Lord Xie strictly ordered me to solve the case within three days, otherwise... he would strip me of this official robe."

(End of this chapter)