Chapter 358

Distance from Flower Insect City about 1,700 to 1,800 li, exactly positioned midway between Flower Insect City and the other three cities, in the vast mountains and forests, rows of black shadows swiftly soaring through the air.

At the mountainside of a mountain a thousand zhang high, inside a cave no higher than three or four meters, faint mist spurted out.

Entering the cave, pitch black filled his view; after walking dozens of steps in the darkness, a vast sheet of rosy light suddenly burst out. Ahead, dragons were carved and phoenixes painted on countless massive pillars upholding a magnificent building—indeed, a colossal hall able to accommodate tens of thousands.

Inside the hall, long tables were neatly arranged in three rows; behind each table sat a man wearing a long robe, with an oversized head, his crown swept by flowing light, and wisps of hot air continually rising from his scalp.

These men were slender, like bamboo in the wind, exuding a refined, cultured air.

On their oversized heads, which appeared disproportionately large relative to their bodies, their features were not especially distinct—only a pair of eyes that were exceptionally spirited and bright, even faintly revealing a trace of sharp divine light.

Continually, vigorous youths in black tight-fitting uniforms entered the hall carrying large bundles of document scrolls, placing them on the long tables.

Whenever they received a new document scroll, these men's heads would slightly swell, the heat atop their crowns growing denser and more intense; beneath their fair, almost translucent scalps, veins bulged prominently.

Whoosh, a big-headed man sprang to his feet, took a document scroll, turned, and walked toward a long desk deep in the hall.

"Lord Hall Master, this piece of information is somewhat interesting." The big-headed man slapped the document onto the long desk, then solemnly gazed at the middle-aged man behind the desk wearing a blood-red robe, a black belt, his whole body exuding killing intent, his face covered in scars and devoid of any expression.

"How interesting?" the middle-aged man twitched his thin lips and let out a cold snort.

"It's worth three or five points of interest." The big-headed man said in a low voice: "The Ren Clan of Flower Insect City, cooperating with the Flower Clan's Huaxinxin guard, sealed off Flower Insect City; the Flower Clan's main force, with the Ren Clan's troops assisting, has been surveying the area for days… Eighth-rank Colonel Huo Xiong of the Divine Martial Army revealed his identity and forcibly entered the Flower Clan's camp."

A thread of fine divine light flickered in his pupils; the big-headed man grinned: "He even publicly rebuked Ren Shanwen and Ren Duxing of the Ren Clan."

The middle-aged man raised his eyebrows, took the scroll from the big-headed man's hand, quickly unfurled it, and glanced at it swiftly.

"Interesting… I am an official, you are the common folk—this is correct, isn't it? This Huo Xiong, he understands reason." The middle-aged man set down the scroll, speaking calmly: "Let's judge—given the disturbances in so many places, what are the odds that Huaxinxin's troop has met with trouble?"

The big-headed man's head suddenly swelled; every pore on his crown flung open, spewing out a great amount of hot air.

Divine light flickered in his eyes, and faintly visible, strange runes swiftly streaked across his pupils like countless meteors in flight.

His fingers flew as he calculated; after about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, he nodded sharply: "Compared to the other seven suspect locations, the odds that Huaxinxin's troop encounters trouble are at least ten percent higher."

Whoosh, his swollen head returned to its normal size as he exhaled a mouthful of scalding hot air; then every pore on his body suddenly poured out sweat, instantly soaking his clothes.

The middle-aged man furrowed his brow: "Ten percent… not enough to mobilize manpower for a special investigation."

He tapped his fingers a few times on the long desk and muttered: "Lately, many places and many people have been in turmoil; the Forbidden Demon Hall's forces in Nine Mountains Prefecture have been drawn away by seventy percent… we're short-handed, short-handed!"

He extended a finger and swiftly struck the floating blood-colored small bronze bell on the long desk.

Ding, the bell's chime rang out exceptionally clear and pleasant.

A low voice came from the bell: "Hall Master?"

The middle-aged man said in a deep voice: "Give me all the information on Huo Xiong, the Eighth-rank Colonel of the Divine Martial Army from Flower Insect City—including data on his three generations of ancestors—give it all to me."

After about a quarter of an hour, a beam of light shot out from beneath the blood-colored bronze bell; several thin, exquisite blood-colored jade slices flew out from the Blood Light, which the middle-aged man grasped in his hand.

He closed his eyes, focused on the jade slices, and after a moment the middle-aged man slowly nodded: "Indeed, he is a loyal and devoted man who gives his life for our Great Jin Divine Nation… a ten percent higher probability, a ten percent higher probability, a ten percent higher probability…"

"No matter what they intend, a ten percent chance… tsk, it's worth my making a move."

As this official this year, how many resources can I still mobilize within the Forbidden Demon Hall?

Inside the bell, a comparatively clear voice answered the middle-aged man's question.

The middle-aged man slowly nodded and said softly: "Good, good, a ten percent chance… no need to give him too much… well, send Huo Xiong, the Eighth-rank Colonel of the Divine Martial Army, a thrice-forged immortal weapon. The Divine Martial Army is stationed year-round on the Three Kingdoms battlefield; let's send the Myriad Blades Chariot there."

"By the way, tell Huo Xiong that the Forbidden Demon Hall also has a say in the Divine Martial Army. If he finds nothing in Huaxinxin's troop, then it's just his bad luck; this Myriad Blades Chariot, even if I appreciate him and give him a small favor, counts as such."

"If Huaxinxin truly has a problem… if he can… make sufficient contributions, helping the Forbidden Demon Hall eradicate those scheming individuals, his future in the Divine Martial Army is merely a matter of my word."

The middle-aged man waved his hand, and the big-headed man swiftly returned to his seat.

In just a short while, the big-headed man's long desk had already piled up with a dozen or so newly delivered reports.

The middle-aged man formed hand seals, lightly pressed them to his lower abdomen, his breathing becoming extremely prolonged, and he murmured to himself: "Where exactly is it? What are you planning? Do the aristocratic clans with movements in those areas have dealings with you?"

"It would be best if… the Heng State branch of the Forbidden Demon Hall had not handled a major case in many years."

"Ah… thinking back, when I was the deputy hall master of the Central Heng State branch of the Forbidden Demon Hall, I handled a major case that implicated countless people, lopping off over a million heads in neat rows… tsk, truly, it was exhilarating!"

"It definitely has to be a major case, it definitely has to be."

"Huo Xiong, Huo Xiong, I have high hopes for you—you must strive hard. If among Huaxinxin's troop, among the Ren Clan's kin, there truly is someone connected to the rebels… heh, hehe, you must strive hard."

"Your life or death doesn't matter, but you must certainly help me drag out those deserving scoundrels, one by one."