Chapter 391: Became (Combined Two Chapters)

When Jia Luojing stepped out of the ancestral hall, his subordinates did not follow him.

From the moment he ordered the draw to select six unlucky men to enter the village, he and his men had already grown estranged.

Then, when all of them entered Shi Yang Village and realized they had been tricked by the malevolent spirit, his men lost all faith in Jia Luojing’s abilities.

But his subordinates could never abandon Jia Luojing.

More precisely, as long as death had not yet come, they would never do such a thing.

My superiors may betray me, but I must never betray my superiors.

Whether it be the Hejian, the Qushui Corps, the Demon Extermination Army, or any other bureau of the Huang Ming, it is always this way.

This is the lament of the lowly.

But after entering the ancestral hall, Jia Luojing lost all face, and he resolved: if he could escape alive, he would never see these twelve men again.

Why?

Jia Luojing felt humiliated.

After this mission, the soldiers of the River Camp would likely never meet again in this lifetime.

But these twelve men of the Hejian would still serve in the bureaus; every time he saw them, he would be reminded of his disgrace.

He had already decided that if he returned, he would immediately transfer this squad away.

He couldn’t dismiss them outright—that would be too obvious.

But from now on, these men would have no future.

In other words, Jia Luojing had decided to “abandon” these subordinates.

These twelve men also keenly sensed Jia’s attitude.

Heartbroken?

A little, but they could only accept this fate.

They had seen many similar incidents within the Hejian bureau.

Jia Luojing escaped Shi Yang Village and did not want to take them with him.

So he deliberately avoided them and slipped away on his own.

They may have noticed, but pretended not to see.

These twelve men had their own plans and did not intend to resign themselves; since Jia Luojing had left first, Inspector Zhu Zhanlei would surely enter the village.

As fellow members of the Hejian, they would ultimately have to follow Inspector Zhu back.

Along the way, they would find a way to beg Inspector Zhu to take pity on them; if granted refuge, they might still have some hope.

Generally speaking, if Inspector Zhu did not wish to offend Jia Luojing, he would be unlikely to take them in—but this was their last glimmer of hope in despair, and they could not fail to try.

Jia Luojing slipped out alone, left the village—and was spotted by the Pí Lóng in the river.

Xu Yuan saw him and decided: this man must not be allowed to live!

Jia Luojing would never remember any “favor” from me; once back at the River Wharf, he would only slander me before An Chengyuan, fabricating lies to have me killed.

So Xu Yuan simply killed him.

Jia Luojing was the Hejian’s Chief of Discipline; he bore no demonic arts like the Threaded Soul Spell.

Killing him carried almost no risk.

As for how he “disappeared”? How would Master Xu know?

His subordinates could testify that he slipped away on his own.

Perhaps he encountered a malevolent spirit on the way back to the River Wharf and was devoured.

In the Huang Ming realm, tens of thousands die each year—eight or ten thousand at least.

…

On the Qushui Corps’ side, after clearing the battlefield, they followed Master Xu’s orders and, alongside the River Camp, searched the entire village again; any suspicious spot was first probed by a group of Divine Cultivators who sent in Yin Soldiers.

Once confirmed, the Alchemical Cultivators unleashed fire together.

Xu Yuan did not need to personally oversee these trivial matters.

Xiang Qinghuai and Lu Renxing accompanied Xu Yuan back to the ancestral hall.

They also sent word to Zhu Zhanlei, who then entered the village to join the others.

“Night is falling; we won’t make it back today. Settle the men here for the night.”

The villagers transformed into malevolent spirits had been cleared; their homes were habitable.

Then the four highest-ranking officials present—Xu Yuan, Lu Renxing, Zhu Zhanlei, and Xiang Qinghuai—issued a final verdict on this major mystery case.

In truth, it was whatever Xu Yuan said that became law.

The mystery stemmed from one of the five colored threads stuffed inside the ancient idol in the ruined temple outside the village.

Xu Yuan mentioned no other malevolent spirits.

The mystery’s power was to lure forth the heart’s various desires through “what the eyes see.”

Anyone who could not hold fast to their true heart would be corrupted and eventually become a malevolent spirit.

Chief of Discipline Xu Yuan of Zhan City, meticulous and calm, painstakingly uncovered the true source of the malevolent spirit, and, with the River Camp’s aid, burned and destroyed it.

The village’s malevolent spirits erupted in chaos, but once the root spirit died, their strength waned and they were jointly eradicated by the River Camp and the Qushui Corps.

Once the case documents were completed, all four would be credited with merit.

Xu Yuan, of course, deserved the foremost merit.

Xiang Qinghuai also earned a share.

Lu Renxing’s River Camp received secondary merit.

Lu Renxing had foolishly trusted Jia Luojing and led the River Camp into the Guimen village—a grave error—but his greater achievements meant he would not be punished and might even receive rewards.

Zhu Zhanlei discovered the ruined temple outside the village, providing Xu Yuan with the key insight to solve the case.

Only Jia Luojing bore blame and no merit—indeed, grave blame.

After Zhu Zhanlei arrived, Lu Renxing kept praising Xu Yuan.

He praised him as rare in heaven, unmatched on earth!

He had read little, so his compliments cycled endlessly through the same few phrases.

Xu Yuan grew embarrassed listening to him.

Lu Renxing had his own “wisdom”—he had to do this now to completely sever ties with Jia Luojing the villain.

Yet he never mentioned his earlier collusion with Jia Luojing, how he had looked down on Master Xu, or how he had once planned to “escort” Master Xu back.

Lu Renxing had thick skin; after all, who doesn’t make mistakes? I made one—and I corrected it!

If we could set up a banquet right now, General Lu Renxing would immediately toast Master Xu and beg his forgiveness.

You say drink three bowls—I’ll drink three.

Then, as if suddenly remembering: “Where’s Jia Luojing?”

So they launched another loud search through the village.

Everyone suspected Jia Luojing had slipped away early to avoid embarrassment.

By now, he must have left the village and fled dozens of li.

His presence would have been unpleasant; his absence was better.

But none knew he would never appear again.

Before nightfall, everyone found their quarters.

The Qushui Corps remained in the ancestral hall; the Hejian and River Camp were scattered throughout the village.

Xu Yuan specifically reminded them to check the door gods.

The twelve subordinates of Jia Luojing seized this chance to trail behind Zhu Zhanlei: “We are also of the Hejian.”

…

Deep in the night, Xu Yuan quietly recalled the Pí Lóng.

The Pí Lóng opened its mouth and swallowed the rope as well.

The five items stuffed inside the idol originally symbolized the deity’s: Great Wisdom, Rewarding Good and Punishing Evil, Controlling Wind and Rain, Expelling Evil and Purifying Filth, and Embodying the Five Elements; but after the temple was destroyed and the idol fell, after countless years, these items had come to embody the Five Poisons: Greed, Anger, Delusion, Arrogance, and Doubt.

The rope’s “greed” was the strongest.

After Xu Yuan burned and refined it, the item regained a measure of its original divine power!

The Pí Lóng swallowing these, combined with Fu Chongjiu’s Dragon Pearl, precisely remedied the Pí Lóng’s defect of possessing only a “skin.”

The success rate of cultivating the Dragon Transformation Scripture using the Pí Lóng increased greatly.

Xu Yuan felt joy within—he would begin practicing the Dragon Transformation Scripture upon returning.

…

The next morning, Xu Yuan consulted the almanac.

Today’s prohibitions: Sacrifices, Entering Caves, Night Travel, Cutting Wood.

He noted this in his mind and stepped out to eat breakfast with the others.

Lu Renxing and Zhu Zhanlei soon came over: “Master Xu, let’s return today.”

“Of course,” Xu Yuan replied.

The old village head and his family saw Master Xu and the others off at the village’s edge.

The vast Shi Yang Village now held only these few people!

The old village head remembered his second daughter-in-law and nearly wept.

Xu Yuan sighed, halted at the village gate, and said: “Old man, this village can no longer be lived in. If you have other relatives, go to them.”

The old village head shook his head: “Master, don’t trouble yourself over us; I know my own mind.”

Xu Yuan stopped urging him.

He understood in his heart: a whole family, who could they turn to?

Even if they had poor relatives, those relatives couldn’t even feed themselves—how could they care for others?

“Alright.” Xu Yuan spurred his horse forward. “If you have any difficulties, you may seek help at the Quhui Office in Zhan City.”

“Thank you, my lord.” The village head and his family knelt by the village edge, seeing off Master Xu.

He had never studied, and could not devise flowery words of gratitude.

But he knew clearly: if another official had come, and Zhao Xian had slaughtered his family, they would all be dead.

No one else would dare offend Zhao Xian to save the lowly lives of his family.

As Xu Yuan rode far away, the village head and his family bowed three deep, resonant kowtows before rising and returning home.

“We must be careful these days. In seven or eight days, someone will arrive, and we’ll be safe,” the village head instructed his family.

The villagers were all dead, but many of their relatives still lived in nearby villages.

For example, Chen Bao’s two daughters—if they had no land of their own and were renting others’ fields—would surely move their entire households here upon hearing the news, and Chen Bao’s land would become theirs.

…

Xu Yuan led his team on a detour to the ruined temple.

After carefully inspecting it, he left with a frown.

Zhu Zhanlei spurred his horse forward and rode beside him, asking softly: “You suspect something too?”

Xu Yuan nodded. “This temple has been ruined for years. The statues have lain shattered on the ground for ages—why did they suddenly become malevolent spirits?”

Yesterday afternoon, Xu Yuan quietly asked the village head: the ruined temple outside the village had never harbored malevolent spirits before.

But several years ago, two foxes had occupied the temple for a time.

They never committed great evils—only some village children who played there sometimes got lost, though they always returned eventually.

Zhu Zhanlei asked again: “Did you find anything?”

Zhu Zhanlei had the same doubts and had inspected it carefully too, yet found nothing.

“It seems…” Xu Yuan said, “another malevolent spirit came here, triggering a corruption in the vessel.”

Zhu Zhanlei couldn’t see it because she lacked the Yin-Yang Guillotine.

Xu Yuan used the Yin-Yang Guillotine’s vision and saw a clear trace of yin energy left in the temple.

If it hadn’t fully dissipated after so long, that malevolent spirit’s level must be no lower than Fourth Tier!

Zhu Zhanlei was surprised—there truly was something to find.

She had underestimated Master Xu.

Xu Yuan whispered: “Let only you and I know this. This place is far from the canal dock and Ghost Witch Mountain—it likely has nothing to do with the Princess’s death.”

Zhu Zhanlei nodded.

If we reported this to An Chengyuan, it would surely get tangled up with the Princess’s case. An Chengyuan sent us to investigate this malevolent spirit—that would be trouble.

We’d likely dig and dig, find no leads, and get scolded repeatedly by An Chengyuan.

After riding a while longer, Zhu Zhanlei whispered to Xu Yuan: “Don’t wander off again after we return. An Chengyuan is actually waiting—for the Xiang Prince’s Mansion and the Canal Office to send more people.”

The Seventeenth Uncle beside the Princess was Fourth Tier.

He died alongside the Princess in Ghost Witch Mountain.

Without a strong cultivator above Fourth Tier to guard them, Master An won’t dare enter Ghost Witch Mountain to investigate—he’s just going through the motions.”

Xu Yuan nodded.

This is the gap between Zhu Zhanlei, a true heir of a great clan, and Zhu Leizi, a pampered noble.

Zhu Leizi never saw the subtlety here.

Xu Yuan asked: “How long until they arrive?”

Zhu Zhanlei: “The Xiang Prince’s Mansion hasn’t replied yet, but the Canal Office has two Fourth Tier cultivators en route—they should arrive in five days.”

Xu Yuan understood.

…

At noon, the team returned to the canal dock.

For the first time, Xu Yuan met the legendary Master An.

An Chengyuan gave Master Xu no good face, harshly reprimanded him, then waved him off: “Do not leave your post again!”

Xu Yuan offered no rebuttal, bowed, and left.

An Chengyuan’s anger stemmed from lost face.

Xu Yuan had indeed gone to handle the case.

And the case was serious—Xu Yuan resolved it brilliantly.

The men he sent, like Lu Renxing, only survived because of Xu Yuan.

An Chengyuan could claim this fell under the Quhui Office’s jurisdiction, so he couldn’t reward Xu Yuan.

But he couldn’t punish him either.

An Chengyuan seethed with suppressed rage; after driving Xu Yuan away, he issued an order to the River Camp, demoting that platoon leader to a common soldier!

I’ll always find a scapegoat!

If not for your scheming, how could I have been put in such a helpless position?

Xu Yuan returned to the courtyard previously assigned to him.

He seized an opportunity to release Pi Long into the canal.

Pi Long stretched his body in the water and began practicing the Dragon Transformation Art in peace.

Xu Yuan estimated five days would be enough for him to complete the cultivation.

During this time, several problems arose—Xu Yuan solved each one.

After three days, Pi Long completed the Dragon Transformation Art.

All the prior rehearsal and preparation had indeed paid off.

Xu Yuan had foreseen most of the issues.

Once the art was complete, Pi Long was genuinely a Sixth Tier cultivator in the Artisan path.

He still had half a year to find a way to rise to Fifth Tier.

On this day, Xu Yuan visited his shop at the dock.

The shop had been in his hands for months, but he had no suitable person to manage it, so it remained empty.

Xu Yuan walked around, inspected it, and decided that after returning, he’d ask Miao Yan to find a shopkeeper—he couldn’t leave it idle forever.

Zhu Leizi suddenly rode up and found Master Xu: “The two Fourth Tier cultivators have arrived. Master An ordered you back immediately.”

Xu Yuan returned with Zhu Leizi to the Canal Office and asked: “The Seventeenth Uncle was Fourth Tier and died in Ghost Witch Mountain. Sending two more Fourth Tier cultivators—will that be enough?”

Zhu Leizi laughed: “What if it’s not enough? Send a Third Tier? That’s an Upper Third Tier—each one’s status dwarfs the Princess’s! The Canal Office won’t send its own Third Tier. We’ll see what the Xiang Prince’s Mansion does—they say there’s still one Third Tier in the mansion, but he’s very old…”

Zhu Leizi glanced around, then leaned close to Xu Yuan’s ear and whispered: “Every time that one acts, he loses five years of life. We’ll see if the Xiang Prince is willing to pay that price.”

Zhu Zhanlei looked around, then leaned close to Xu Yuan’s ear and whispered, “Every time that one acts, he loses five years of life! Let’s see if Prince Xiang is willing to pay that price.”

(End of Chapter)