Chapter 409: They Treated Me Like This (Combined Three-in-One)

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Late at night, the great drum before the Shiping County Zhancheng Yamen was struck.

The moment the Magistrate and Wei Zhenbang were awakened, they leaped from their beds: "Something has happened!"

Xu Yuan also woke up, threw on his clothes, and rushed out at speed.

By the rules, anyone daring to beat the drum for justice at the Zhancheng Yamen gate must first receive thirty "awe-inspiring" blows.

At this moment, that could not be considered.

The person standing before the Justice Drum was around forty; though dressed as a servant, the fabric of his clothes was excellent.

He was absolutely no ordinary household servant.

Moreover, his aura was extraordinary; the drumstick in his hand was like a sword forged in a hundred battles.

Seeing the Zhancheng Yamen personnel emerge, Geng Jiu pointed with the drumstick: "Xiangpeng Inn is plagued by a malevolent spirit; go deal with it immediately."

After a pause, Geng Jiu still said: "The malevolent spirit is of the Sixth Flow; if the county lacks the ability to deal with it, we can provide certain assistance."

Immediately following, Geng Jiu saw another young man wearing the official robes of the Evil-Dispelling Bureau walk out from within the Zhancheng Yamen.

Geng Jiu frowned.

So young, and already a Law Master?

Typically, a Law Master is of the Sixth Flow, which should be sufficient to deal with that malevolent spirit in the inn.

But this person being so young made Geng Jiu somewhat uneasy: "I fear he is not yet there?"

Xu Yuan raised his eyes and used "Gazing at Fate" to look; Geng Jiu was actually a Fifth Flow Divine Cultivator!

Such a figure was actually wearing the clothes of a household servant.

Xu Yuan then respectfully clasped his hands and asked: "May I ask which noble has arrived at Shiping County?"

Geng Jiu did not answer, but asked: "What is your surname, young sir?"

Xu Yuan replied: "Xu Yuan, Law Master of the Zancheng Evil-Dispelling Bureau; I am not a scion of a great surname."

Seeing Xu Yuan so young, Geng Jiu guessed he was a scion of some great surname who had secured this position at such a young age with his family's help.

For such a person, Geng Jiu would not only not despise or slander him, but would instead seek to uncover his background.

What if it were a roundabout connection through the family's aunts and uncles?

If there were a connection, Geng Jiu could then inform the other party of the Young Lady's identity.

Having spent a long time with Fu Jingyu and Song Lu, Xu Yuan also understood this behavior of great surname families, so he spoke plainly that he was not a scion of a great surname.

Geng Jiu's attitude became somewhat distant; he did not answer Xu Yuan's previous question, but raised his hand and said: "Hurry, that malevolent spirit is expanding."

"My elder brother is protecting the noble and cannot act lightly."

Xu Yuan then waved his hand, and the Evil-Dispelling Bureau personnel quickly followed.

The Magistrate gathered the three classes of Zhancheng Yamen Runners, and along with Wei Zhenbang, followed at the very rear.

My Lord Xu, noble as a Law Master, was only asked one extra question about his identity.

We such small characters should not force our way forward.

At the location of Xiangpeng Inn, a huge "water droplet" had condensed.

The form of this malevolent spirit was like a drop of water falling onto a lotus leaf, round and full, but magnified countless times.

The water droplet was still constantly expanding.

The Young Lady had put her veil hat back on and was protected thirty zhang away by Geng Qi, Wei Shi, and Wei Nian Yi.

Wei Nian Yi was earnestly nagging: "Young Lady, let us stand even further away..."

The Young Lady looked at that water droplet and shook her head gently: "It is only Sixth Flow; Seventh Uncle can handle it."

Geng Qi could only say: "This old servant would even risk this old life to ensure the Young Lady's safety."

He was a Fifth Flow Law Cultivator, yet insisted on saying "risk this old life"; naturally, he hoped the Young Lady would pity the difficulty of servants and leave this dangerous place early.

But the Young Lady was already immune to such small tricks of theirs; she still opened her eyes wide with curiosity, gazing at that malevolent spirit.

"Coming out this time has opened my eyes."

"At home, one could never imagine there would be such a malevolent spirit."

Once that water rose, it first killed the inn waiter, the Shopkeeper, and others, then lunged toward the west courtyard.

But Geng Qi and the other four were all Fifth Flow!

They easily blocked that cold water, first protecting the Young Lady as they withdrew.

The Young Lady, with a kind heart, ordered them to rescue the other guests in the inn.

So although that cold water malevolent spirit arrived with great momentum, it actually only killed a few of the inn staff.

But Geng Qi and the other four's primary task was to protect the Young Lady; they did not exert their full strength to slay the malevolent spirit.

After coming out, the Young Lady ordered Geng Jiu to beat the drum at the Zhancheng Yamen.

The Young Lady blinked at that massive water droplet and asked: "Seventh Uncle, is this what that 'Nail-Head Boil' created?"

Geng Qi slowly shook his head: "It does not look like it..."

Chaotic footsteps came from the street; Xu Yuan and the others had arrived.

Everyone involuntarily looked at that Young Lady.

Xu Yuan was even secretly surprised: Four Fifth Flows!

Among the nobles Xu Yuan had seen, only the Heir Apparent's Consort's entourage could surpass this Young Lady.

Wei Shi and Wei Nian Yi then silently stepped forward, standing side by side to cut off everyone's gaze and block the Young Lady behind them.

Geng Jiu pointed at that huge water droplet and said: "My Lord Xu, can you handle it?"

With the government officials here, the Young Lady's safety gained an extra layer of protection.

If Xu Yuan speaks and the Young Lady agrees, I can handle this evil spirit for them.

Xu Yuan nodded and said, "No problem. You several just protect the noble one."

Having spoken, Xu Yuan strode forward and plunged straight into the water droplet!

"Eh!" Geng Jiu was greatly startled. You are clearly not a Wu Xiu, so why are you so reckless!

Dealing with this evil spirit from the outside is far easier than charging in.

After Geng Jiu hesitated, he had already missed the first moment to save this young Law Keeper.

He shook his head and returned to the Young Lady's side.

After all, my most important task is to protect the Young Lady's safety.

Geng Jiu muttered in his heart: Did this young Law Keeper guess the Young Lady's identity, so he wants to show off in front of the Young Lady?

Sigh, a young person wanting to climb high branches—having such thoughts is not wrong; given the chance to fly up to the branches, who wouldn't want to seize it?

Pity he chose the wrong target.

This cold water evil spirit is, even within the Six Ranks, the strongest tier, nearly reaching the Fifth Rank.

Even we brothers, exterminating it from the outside, would be a sure thing.

But charging in would inevitably become tricky.

Xu Yuan plunged in; of course, he would only do so if he was confident.

But after entering, he did not become overly arrogant.

One must always maintain sufficient respect for the bizarre.

The Skin Pill wrapped around Xu Yuan's entire body; the surrounding cold water frantically drilled into Xu Yuan's body, yet could not penetrate the Skin Pill at all.

The Skin Pill has long been Fifth Rank.

This evil spirit is, after all, still Sixth Rank.

Yet a burst of bone-piercing ice-coldness, like the cold eyes of the world, could penetrate everything.

Even Xu Yuan shivered, feeling his blood flow slow down a bit.

"How deep must the hatred in this evil spirit's heart be to produce such a terrifying effect?"

Xu Yuan moved swiftly through the inn, searching for clues.

He had already planned: within half a stick of incense, if nothing is found, withdraw immediately—then leave the Skin Dragon behind to continue searching.

Inside this evil spirit's body, the Skin Dragon truly moved without obstruction.

But Xu Yuan had only turned one circle when he found the evil spirit's source.

In the courtyard outside the kitchen sat a clay jar.

Cold water was still flowing out of it incessantly.

Strangely, this clay jar was not the evil spirit.

The evil spirit was this ceaseless flow of cold water.

Xu Yuan turned another circle.

The inn's Shopkeeper, cook, and five other attendants had all had their bodies burst open by the cold water.

Their corpse fragments were frozen stiff and pale by the cold water, well preserved within the water.

There were no more clues; Xu Yuan stood beside the clay jar, opened his mouth to the sky, and spewed forth a thick flame of Fu Zhong Huo.

Boom—

The crowd outside saw that at the center of the giant water droplet, a burst of blazing light suddenly bloomed.

The water droplet scattered.

A Sixth Rank evil spirit was exploded from within by the Fifth Rank Fu Zhong Huo.

The attributes were even mutually destructive.

How could there be any power of resistance?

The water flows scattered, yet the flame would not simply let the evil spirit slip away.

The flame likewise transformed into rivers of fire, chasing those water flows and burning them all completely dry.

Geng Jiu stood beside the Young Lady, startled: "Fifth Rank..."

Just now he thought rushing straight in was "reckless," but now it had become "great skill and bold courage."

"No wonder he is not a scion of a great surname, yet could become a Law Keeper at such a young age."

"With this level of skill, I fear he only occupies the Law Keeper position because he lacks background."

Geng Jiu knew the ins and outs of this matter all too well.

Both the Northern Capital and Southern Capital have large numbers of so-called "geniuses."

In Zhengzhou, every province also has its so-called representative "prodigies."

This my lord Xu Yuan before us surpasses those people, if anything.

But no one is blowing Xu Yuan's trumpet.

Which of those geniuses was not blown up by others?

Moreover, he is secluded in Southern Jiaozhi.

The two brothers exchanged a glance: "Remarkable," then sighed together in secret: "What a pity..."

The Young Lady's eyes flickered, filled with curiosity toward Xu Yuan.

"Is he an subordinate of Old Master Ma?"

Wei Shi calculated with his fingers; within a moment, the relationship between Xu Yuan and Ma Tianshou became clear in his mind: "Indeed."

Xu Yuan had already returned holding that clay jar.

This clay jar is now the only clue.

In addition, after this cold-water evil spirit was burned, only a few glass beads remained, originating from the same source as the previous giant python, green brick, and Buddha skin.

Xu Yuan said to the magistrate: "Calm the people, announce that the evil spirit has been executed, and let everyone sleep peacefully. Anything else can be discussed tomorrow."

The magistrate bowed and agreed, then loudly announced it to the nearby residents.

Xu Yuan ordered his subordinate Captain to handle the cleanup, while he himself went with the magistrate to the Young Lady's side: "If the Noble One has no place to stay, you may temporarily reside within the yamen."

The Young Lady nodded: "Good."

After returning to the yamen, the magistrate specifically cleared out a separate courtyard for the Noble One to reside in.

Then, not daring to get too close, he immediately took his leave.

The more the Young Lady thought about it, the more interesting it seemed, so she said: "Tomorrow, we won't chase that Nail Head Boil first; let's stay in the county town and watch the excitement."

Wei Shi and Wei Nian Yi silently groaned in bitterness.

"Young Lady..." two old maids who had watched her grow up said with concern: "You wouldn't have taken a fancy to that young Law Master, would you?"

The Young Lady let out a "pfft" of laughter: "Where did you get such ideas?"

The two old maids breathed a long sigh of relief.

The Young Lady said: "If I truly favored him, it would be harming him."

"It is good that the Young Lady has her own understanding."

The twenty-seventh day of the first lunar month.

Today's prohibitions: sweeping the house, building bridges, making fire, and sacrifices.

After Xu Yuan read it, his face darkened.

Half of his Dan Xiu cultivation was nullified.

In another courtyard, the Young Lady also frowned slightly: "This is difficult; Law Master Xu is a Dan Xiu, yet he cannot use the Fu Zhong Huo in his belly today."

Wei Shi also said: "His fifth-rate Fu Zhong Huo is a sharp weapon against all evil spirits."

After the Young Lady finished washing, she was eating breakfast when Geng Jiu came in and said: "Xu Yuan has gone out to investigate last night's strange case."

The Young Lady quickly stuffed two small buns into her mouth, puffing out both cheeks until they were full.

"Let's go, follow and see."

She quickly put on her veil hat so no one would see her looking like a squirrel.

Wei Shi and Wei Nian Yi, seeing her urgent appearance, could not help but feel worried.

Fortunately, Xu Yuan is Ma Tianshou's man, and his family can suppress things.

As long as the Young Lady successfully marries and fulfills her duties as a noble daughter—hereafter, if she still cherishes old feelings, no one will manage her anymore.

She can spoil Xu Yuan every day, and even her husband's family would not say a single word.

All the noble daughters in the Northern Capital are like this.

Not just noble daughters; the old established nobility of Huang Ming are all like this.

When the Young Lady's group arrived at Sheng Peng Inn, the magistrate had already led three squads of Zhancheng Yamen Runners to invite all the neighbors around the inn out.

Xu Yuan was holding that earthenware jar, asking these neighbors to identify it.

After asking several people in a row, they all shook their heads.

This earthenware jar was too ordinary.

Finally, when they asked a half-grown child, he scratched his head and said: "It seems to be from the woodshed."

"Once when I helped carry firewood inside, I saw it."

This child often went to the inn to help with odd jobs.

The inn didn't give money, often just dismissing him with a bowl of thin porridge.

Xu Yuan asked again: "Then do you know if anyone stayed in the woodshed last night?"

The child nodded: "Yes, last night someone about the same age as... my lord paid one wen to stay there."

An account book appeared in Xu Yuan's hand.

It was precisely the inn's account book.

When the evil spirit was burned yesterday, Xu Yuan secretly took the account book away.

This is important evidence; Xu Yuan would not miss it.

But the account book had no record of a guest staying in the woodshed.

One wen...

Of course, it wouldn't be entered in the accounts.

"Do you still remember what that person looked like?"

The child nodded: "I remember."

Xu Yuan then called for Lang Xiao Ba: "Find a Wen Xiu brother who knows painting, and try your best to draw a portrait."

"Yes."

The Young Lady watched with interest from the side.

Xu Yuan thought for a moment, walked over, and asked Geng Jiu: "Senior, now that this case is solved, several of you also have a share of the merit; I wonder if you are willing to accept this merit.

If you are unwilling, I will not mention you in the case-closing document."

Before Geng Jiu could speak, the Young Lady asked with bright eyes: "We also have merit? What merit?"

Xu Yuan glanced at those neighbors and said in a low voice: "When that evil spirit launched its attack last night, it was several of you that made it wary. Otherwise, it would have definitely expanded outward directly, and not a single one of these people would have survived.

We would not have been able to discover the clues behind this earthenware jar today either."

The five had originally thought that this so-called "merit" was Xu Yuan deliberately giving it away to get close.

But with his explanation, the Young Lady immediately felt a touch of pride: indeed so.

I not only saved these people, but also preserved the crucial clue!

Pity, this merit cannot be claimed.

Geng Jiu shook his head and said, "No need to mention it."

Xu Yuan nodded: "Good."

Then he turned and left.

Half an hour later, the literary scholar of the Purification Bureau finished drawing the portrait.

It was circulated among everyone.

"Search!" Xu Yuan gave the order.

But now manpower is severely lacking.

Xu Yuan couldn't help but think that if he had a company of river soldiers, he could have captured that person today.

Pity, the Purification Bureau still lacks in this aspect.

Unexpectedly, Geng Jiu came over and said, "We have some methods to narrow the hiding place of this evil spirit to a certain range."

Xu Yuan was overjoyed: "Thank you, senior. Please act quickly."

Geng Jiu said, "Return to the county yamen first. Also, tell them not to search house by house, lest we startle the snake."

"That is exactly right."

Xu Yuan revoked his order, then took all the neighbors questioned today, including that child, back to the yamen, striving to keep it secret and prevent any leak.

Wei Shi bowed to the "Map of the Realm" in the courtyard.

No one was allowed to observe the entire process.

Xu Yuan and the others waited outside.

Geng Jiu accompanied Xu Yuan and asked, "Do you think that young man created last night's evil spirit? But he might also be a victim, the first person killed by that evil spirit."

Xu Yuan shook his head: "I inspected the inn last night. The dead were all people from the inn; that young man was not among them."

"But if he created last night's evil spirit, that evil spirit is already at the Sixth Flow level; he is probably at the Fifth Flow. You had your abdominal fire suppressed today, so you may not be his match."

Xu Yuan thought for a moment, recounted the previous evil spirits, and then said, "As long as we find him, this junior will fight to the death."

He conjured one evil spirit, and many common people died or were injured; he must not be allowed to cause harm again.

Xu Yuan also did not expect that he had come for the giant python of the Dragon lineage.

He found nothing to feed it, and this case turned out to be so complicated.

The Young Lady, at some unknown time, quietly crept up behind the two, listening to Xu Yuan "tell stories."

Suddenly she spoke: "Ninth Uncle, you and Seventh Uncle should help him."

"This..." Geng Jiu hesitated.

The Young Lady smiled: "With two Aunties present, my safety is no problem."

The Young Lady lowered her head, her eyes brightening: Eh, there is another such cute big white goose here; why didn't I notice it before?

She squatted down and gently stroked Da Fu's long neck.

It was extremely smooth.

Da Fu was also stunned; it had been quietly following Fan Zhezi's back all along, with no one noticing it—yet suddenly it was caught and petted a few times.

Geng Jiu's expression changed; he watched Da Fu warily.

The Young Lady had quietly crept up to listen to the story; of course, Geng Jiu sensed it.

But what is the deal with this goose?

When did it run behind us?!

I had absolutely no awareness of it.

Xu Yuan quickly explained: "It's mine; it just likes to follow right behind me."

Geng Jiu couldn't help but look deeply at Xu Yuan. Just as he was about to say something, the courtyard gate opened, Wei Shi walked out, and said, "That thing is at Miao Xijie!"

Miao Xijie is the street west of Yunmiao Temple.

Some odd-job workers in Shiping County wait for work on this street every day.

Employers also come here to pick people.

Shun Dong squatted on the stone curb by the street, like all the day laborers, tilting his head and stretching his neck, gazing eagerly at one end of the long street.

If an employer came to pick someone, one must rush up immediately and approach the employer.

Otherwise, the opportunity would be snatched by others.

Shun Dong felt he was not a villain.

So even though he possessed very strong abilities, he still wanted to exchange his labor for reward.

Last night, at the counter of Shengpeng Inn, there were at least twenty taels of silver, yet Shun Dong did not take them.

It was not that I wanted to kill them; I simply did to them what they had done to me.

For example, that wealthy household in Honglin Village: they made me pound rice for three days, then tricked me to the bank of Little Black River, wanting that toad to eat me, and trying to renege on the wages.

For example, the neighborhood head in Xinyi Fang: I worked hard making brick molds for him all day, merely picking up a few broken bricks to repair my dilapidated house, yet he grabbed me and accused me of stealing.

He forcibly took back a full day's wages and even slapped me.

When I returned home, my house collapsed.

For example, those great monks at Yunmiao Temple.

Although I was destitute, I was always very sincere to the Buddha.

Every time I entered the temple to burn incense, I always put one coin into the merit box.

But the Buddha never deigned to bless me; my mother, my younger brother, and my little sister all died. He only blesses the wealthy who donate more incense.

What is different about us?

We are all just a skeleton and a layer of skin; we are actually all the same.

Shun Dong has no money left. If he cannot find work today, he will have to beg.

He desperately hoped a kind employer would appear on the street to let him survive the day.

Suddenly, a young man walked onto Xijie Temple Street.

The day laborers showed no reaction.

This person was too young to be an employer looking to hire.

As that person walked straight in, Shun Dong, having reached the end of his road, rose with a sliver of hope to meet him: "Do you need anyone?"

Xu Yuan studied him for a moment, nodded, and asked: "What can you do?"

Shun Dong immediately perked up: "I can do anything—pounding rice, threshing grain, building houses, driving carts. I am very diligent and eat very little..."

The day laborers around him suddenly surged forward.

"Master, choose me."

"Choose me!"

"Choose me..."

Xu Yuan waved his hand, pointed at Shun Dong, and said: "I only need one person. It's him."

The others dispersed dejectedly.

Shun Dong was overjoyed: "Thank you, Master."

Xu Yuan turned around: "Follow me."

Shun Dong immediately followed, his steps unsteady from hunger as he had not eaten since morning.

Fortunately, the "Master" ahead was not walking fast.

But as they walked, Shun Dong looked up and realized he was standing at the entrance of the county yamen.

"Master..."

Xu Yuan did not look back but walked in first: "Come."

Shun Dong gritted his teeth and followed inside anyway.

Xu Yuan arrived at the main hall first and released the Tiger-Headed Blade.

The Young Lady insisted on peeking from the inner hall.

Geng Qi and the others pleaded in vain, so they could only stay firmly by the Young Lady's side, surrounding her with the four of them.

Xu Yuan sat upon the Tiger-Headed Blade while Shun Dong stood at the main hall entrance, hesitating and afraid to enter.

Xu Yuan beckoned to him: "I can help you take that thing out of your forehead."

Shun Dong trembled all over.

Xu Yuan continued: "That is not a good thing. I originally intended to take you outside the city and behead you in an open place.

But after seeing you, I changed my mind.

Now, how to proceed is for you to choose."

Shun Dong's feet moved several times, yet in the end he did not step forward.

He neither advanced nor retreated.

"After taking it out... can I live?"

"Yes, but you have indeed committed a capital crime," Xu Yuan stated truthfully.

Shun Dong said bitterly: "Then what difference does it make whether I take it out or not?"

Xu Yuan said: "The things you did were influenced by that thing on your forehead. The difference of me helping you remove it is that during this time before your trial, you can be yourself again."

Shun Dong looked at Xu Yuan; after a while, he finally lifted his foot, just as he was about to step over the high threshold of the county yamen main hall, when the skin between his eyebrows suddenly split open.

The Glass Bead's third eye appeared!

Shun Dong withdrew his foot. Xu Yuan sighed, and the Sword Pill flew out, hovering before him.

(End of this chapter)