Chapter 195: Yin Offender, Demon Lord

However, how could a single homicide case trigger a reaction from the Hook Order?

There is only one possibility:

There is information left behind by a Yin Offender here!

Li Yan felt curious and quickly walked forward.

Not long after, the thick fog surrounding him dissipated rapidly, and just like before, a well suddenly appeared ahead.

Yet, when Li Yan saw it, he was stunned for a moment.

The texture of this well was completely different from the ones he had seen before.

The previous wells were similar to those made of bluestone, ancient and mottled.

But this well had a texture similar to obsidian, covered in various oracle bone scripts and blood-colored talismans.

The era was so ancient that he couldn't understand them at all.

What is this again?

Li Yan walked up, leaned over to look, and a chill surged up instantly.

He saw that inside the black well was actually a pool of dark, filthy blood, bubbling and slowly writhing, as if something was swimming within it.

Such a sight was truly hair-raising.

Why is it black well blood water?

A sense of unease rose in Li Yan's heart.

This thing really looked ominous.

For the Yin Office to use this object to display a mission,

it certainly wasn't an existence to be trifled with!

With a nervous heart, he placed both hands on the well rim.

Gurgle, gurgle~

Sure enough, the viscous blood water inside began to churn, quickly forming a vortex, and light and shadow appeared in the center.

In the black mist, a giant stone appeared, four-sided and square, clearly made of some kind of sandstone, with dense, irregular indentations on it, all filled with cinnabar, forming talismans of various sizes.

It was extremely similar to what he saw at the well mouth.

What is this thing again?

After seeing it, Li Yan's confusion grew even deeper.

Just as he was curious, the sandstone above suddenly became transparent, allowing him to see the scene inside.

It turned out that inside, it was wrapped around a bronze coffin!

It was also covered in carved runes, spotted with verdigris, ancient and substantial.

Subsequently, the bronze coffin lid became transparent again.

Seeing the scene inside, Li Yan's pupils shrank instantly.

He saw that lying inside the coffin was actually a young maiden, looking only seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin as white as snow, dressed in a turquoise-green bodice skirt, which was definitely not a common style of the Great Xuan.

She wore a goose-feather crown, her features were stunningly beautiful, looking like a fairy, the only difference being those long purple eyebrows.

A young maiden with long purple longevity eyebrows—it was very awkward and strange.

Not only that, her forehead, limbs, and internal organs were all pierced by sharp bronze spikes, yet not a drop of blood was exposed.

What is this again?

Li Yan was somewhat puzzled; what kind of person would use such a cruel punishment?

And, what does this have to do with his mission?

He examined it carefully and soon discovered something suspicious.

The bronze awl stuck in the woman's heart was clearly protruding a bit, loose and wobbly, swaying left and right on its own.

A red mist surged out from the wound and disappeared into the darkness.

Just then, a scroll appeared before his eyes, densely packed with handwriting.

When Li Yan saw it, his eyes widened instantly.

This was more shocking than anything he had seen before.

He had long discovered that all deities were impossible to communicate with.

Whether it was the former mass grave mountain god, the Tiger Daoist under Mount Zhongnan, or even this Yin Office, they were all silent, using some kind of illusion to provide hints.

Li Yan did not know the reason for this.

Perhaps there was some unknown taboo between gods and humans.

And having been a Living Yin Runner for so long, this was the first time he had definitively seen information from the Yin Office.

He stared intently and saw it written inside:

"This demon was originally a spirit essence from the Yin Shang; after the War of Investiture of the Gods, it escaped, seized the flesh of a Qin alchemist, cultivated a demonic body and evil arts, disrupted yin and yang, and wreaked havoc on the human world, suppressed at the Heavenly Palace of Wucheng, Naifan, tomorrow morning...

"Left behind the 'Demon Body Zhao Changsheng Art' in the 'Zhao Changsheng Immortal Treasury', using profit to bewitch foolish people into offering sacrifices, allowing a wisp of its demonic energy to escape..."

Li Yan became more alarmed as he read; it turned out to be related to the "Zhao Changsheng Immortal Treasury".

After capturing the Yin Offender on Mount Taibai, Master Yulinzi had once revealed a secret to him:

There was a secret group of alchemists who had been excavating the ruins of the ancient War of Investiture of the Gods, active since the Zhou Dynasty, eventually creating many secret arts, which were compiled into books during the Qin Han Dynasties, called the "Zhao Changsheng Immortal Treasury".

The Qin Han alchemist path flourished for a time, and although it was later wiped out, the "Zhao Changsheng Immortal Treasury" spread in secret, causing endless harm.

In this "Zhao Changsheng Immortal Treasury", there were seventy-two types of longevity arts, all of which were cruel and vicious, and required blood sacrifices to offer to the seventy-two Demon Lords.

The old Daoist he captured on Mount Taibai was practicing the "Altar God Zhao Changsheng Art", offering to the Demon God Gong Yeqiu, who was also rumored to be a spirit essence from the War of Investiture of the Gods.

And this time, it was one of the seventy-two Demon Lords, named Yuan Zimei, who had escaped with a wisp of demonic energy because someone was offering incense and sacrifices.

No wonder they had to use a black well to issue the mission!

Doesn't the Yin Office measure strength when issuing missions?

He wasn't some great immortal; how could he deal with this kind of demon king!

But looking further down, Li Yan felt much more relaxed.

It turned out that this mission was not mandatory; whether he accepted it or not, and whether he succeeded or not, there would be no punishment.

As long as he found the other party's trail, he could use the Hook Order to summon a congenital Yin God to capture it.

This case was indeed evil arts harming people.

But the aura was hidden and high-end, so all the sorcerers, including him, couldn't see it, but the Hook Order sensed it and issued the mission...

Not only was the Demon Lord's origin and background stated above, but even the characteristics of its evil arts were clearly explained.

The various bloody methods made Li Yan frown, but when he saw the reward at the back, his eyes lit up instantly, and he accepted it without hesitation.

The reward for capturing this wisp of demonic energy was not a Gang Command, but a high-level Gang Qi, which could strengthen the power of magical artifacts.

More importantly, this evil aura actually contained the blessings of heaven and earth.

Li Yan didn't expect the Yin Office's reward to include this item.

If he could obtain it, whether it was to strengthen the power of his magical artifacts or directly use it to repair his Great Luo Dharma Body, it was a good choice.

After accepting the mission, the surrounding fog dissipated rapidly.

In the eyes of others, only a short moment had passed.

Sha Lifei and the others nearby were also about to leave.

"Wait!"

Li Yan suddenly spoke up: "This matter is indeed a bit suspicious; let me take another look."

Sha Lifei was taken aback, but after exchanging a glance with Wang Daoxuan, he stopped talking.

They knew that Li Yan was not the type to meddle in other people's business; if he suddenly changed his mind, there must be a reason.

And County Commandant Guo's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly cupped his hands: "Please, sir, give us some guidance!"

If this matter was confirmed to be related to sorcerers, and so many Mystic Sect sorcerers hadn't noticed it, then their responsibility could be reduced by more than half.

Li Yan nodded, walked into the main hall, looked around again, and asked: "Which one is the corpse of Squire Hu?"

"It's this one."

County Commandant Guo hurriedly stepped forward and lifted the white cloth from a corpse.

He saw a man lying inside, big and burly, with a fat figure, wearing a single layer of clothing, covered in blood, his face livid, eyes wide open, and a huge knife wound on his neck.

Li Yan frowned: "Why hasn't a coroner been invited to examine the corpse yet?"

County Commandant Guo gave an awkward smile and whispered: "The County Magistrate has personally gone to Yunyang Prefecture to report this matter, and Company Commander Qin of the Shangjin Garrison has also gone to the nearby mountains to find clues about the thieves. Without the County Magistrate's order..."

Li Yan glanced at him and said nothing.

This County Commandant Guo was just an old bureaucratic slicker; when such a big thing happened, the first to suffer would be his immediate superior.

At such a time, following orders was the way to go.

Being slightly meddlesome might not necessarily bring merit, but one wrong step could easily make him a scapegoat.

Presumably, inviting a sorcerer to investigate and find evidence of the use of evil arts was also ordered by the County Magistrate before he left. Li Yan pondered for a moment, pinched the Yang Seal, and took a deep breath.

In an instant, all the surrounding smells surged into his nasal cavity.

His cultivation had reached a higher level, and his supernatural powers were naturally more powerful, allowing him to smell scents within three hundred meters.

Even the smells ten meters underground could be distinguished.

The various foul and bloody smells made Li Yan feel nauseous.

But at the same time, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he thought to himself: Sure enough, it's just as the Yin Office's booklet said.

Thinking of this, Li Yan said directly: "Quick, call a coroner to examine the corpse; there is a problem with this body!"

"Quick, call Old Liu!"

Since a problem had been discovered, County Commandant Guo dared not delay any longer.

Before long, a hunchbacked old man came limping over.

His face was blue, his hands were black, and there was a foul smell on him; before he even got close, the people around covered their noses and scattered.

!.

Li Yan saw this and remained silent, standing up to make way.

For things like examining corpses, the imperial court also had regulations; it had to be done by a coroner personally, and recorded in documents, so he wouldn't do it himself.

County Commandant Guo clearly couldn't stand the smell on the old coroner, so he covered his nose, waved his hand, stepped back, and said: "Old Liu, this gentleman said there is definitely a problem with the corpse; you must examine it carefully for this official!"

"Yes, my lord."

The old man cupped his hands with a hoarse voice, then limped over, crouched down with difficulty, and put down the wooden box he was carrying on his shoulder.

That box of his was old and tattered, its surface lacquer mottled, the wood gloomy; as soon as it was opened, a smell of decay rushed out.

Inside the box were tools of various sizes, including small knives, small hammers, and small awls made of refined iron, as well as various bottles and jars, and even hoes and shovels.

The old man remained silent, took out some ginger and garlic, rubbed them into pieces, mixed them with vinegar, smeared them on a cloth, and then covered his mouth and nose with the cloth.

When Li Yan saw this, he felt a sense of respect.

At a glance, this was a professional old coroner.

The coroner profession had existed for a long time, but it wasn't until Song Ci's "Washing Away Wrongs" came out that a complete system was established, and their status was slightly improved.

This ginger, garlic, and vinegar cloth could slightly resist corpse odor and plague, but it was only for dealing with ordinary things; otherwise, the old man wouldn't be in such a state...

The old coroner was unhurried, first wiping the wound with clear water, observing carefully, then dipping vinegar to wipe the whole body, and finally using grease to check by the firelight.

This was to look for any broken bones.

Then, he used a thin silver plate the size of a small finger and soap pod water to insert into the corpse's mouth to test for poison; every step was orderly...

County Commandant Guo on the side was somewhat impatient, but he knew the stakes and did not urge him.

Finally, the old man opened his leather bag, took out a small refined iron knife, and began to dissect the abdomen and chest.

Opening the chest cavity was not easy, and it was inevitable to use a hammer and axe to break bones.

With the hammering and chopping, pitch-black stagnant blood splattered everywhere; some soldiers present couldn't hold it back, turned around abruptly, and vomited, a sour, foul smell rising up...

Li Yan couldn't stand it, hurriedly closed his supernatural powers, and covered his nose.

The old coroner seemed to have long been accustomed to the disgust and disdain of the people around him; he remained focused on his investigation, his hands moving without the slightest pause, manipulating the internal organs and intestines back and forth.

County Commandant Guo on the side finally couldn't help but speak: "Mainly check if there is any evil art!"

The old coroner was stunned, and immediately took out a ruler from the box, with fortune and misfortune marked on each dimension; it was clearly a Off Lu Ban ruler.

In fact, when he first came in, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan had already seen that this was a Mystic Sect coroner.

Determining fortune and misfortune by the Off Lu Ban ruler was one of his methods.

Of course, this old man hadn't even activated his supernatural powers, let alone used any sorcery; he was likely just using some techniques learned from his predecessors.

When encountering corpses with residual fierce corpse aura, even with protective measures, it was inevitable to be affected, which was why he ended up in such a state.

This was the true bottom layer of the Mystic Sect.

They mingled in all walks of life, hadn't even activated supernatural powers, just knew some skills and methods, acted according to ancient taboos, and could be considered to be risking their lives for a living.

The use of this Off Lu Ban ruler was one of them.

Generally speaking, it was to measure various parts of the deceased and the wounds, as well as the bruises on the body to judge fortune and misfortune, which was clumsy and time-consuming.

Seeing this, Li Yan couldn't bear to see the old coroner struggle, so he said directly: "The problematic area should be the heart; just open it."

The old coroner was stunned; the heart clearly had no congestion changes, so why say it was in the heart?

He was curious, but knew that Li Yan and the others were true sorcerers, so he dared not say more and directly used a small knife to dissect the heart.

County Commandant Guo on the side saw this and gasped.

He saw that the heart's exterior was still fresh, but the interior was already black and rotten, with a large amount of stagnant blood accumulated, and small white worms crawling in and out.

"It's the art of witchcraft."

His expression immediately became excited.

Li Yan glanced at it, "No, it's sorcery."

"Sorcery?"

County Commandant Guo was somewhat puzzled, not understanding the difference.

Wang Daoxuan's expression changed slightly, and he explained in a deep voice: "Those who command demonic creatures to cause mischief are practicing sorcery."

Li Yan nodded, "This method is the Fox Heart Art, which involves taking the heart of an old fox that has become a spirit for worship; when practicing, fox ghosts wail around, and once cast, it can bewitch a person's mind, and it is not an illusion, so no evil aura can be found."

"This Squire Hu probably treated his own relatives as thieves, killed them in a frenzy, and finally, in despair, slit his own throat."

"This method has a drawback when practiced: it will be hated by fox ghosts; County Commandant Guo can secretly catch some foxes and search everywhere in the city."

"As long as you find foxes wailing, that is where the murderer is hiding, but be careful, that person is probably not easy to deal with, and has accomplices..."

He said these things naturally with confidence.

The information given by the Yin Office, although it didn't explain in detail how to practice, had clearly stated all the characteristics and weaknesses of this "Demon Body Zhao Changsheng Art".

To some extent, it could be considered as imparting knowledge.

"Understood!"

County Commandant Guo immediately understood his meaning.

He stood up abruptly, his face cold and stern, scanned the surroundings, "No one present is allowed to leave."

After saying that, he called his trusted aide, wrote a letter with paper and pen, and instructed: "You ride out of the city quickly, find Company Commander Qin immediately, and give this letter to him!"

When Li Yan saw this, he praised him secretly.

This County Commandant Guo was an old slicker, but he was cautious in his actions; knowing he was dealing with a sorcerer, he didn't let anyone leave to prevent news from leaking.

If there were no accidents, the letter would definitely tell that Company Commander to catch some foxes on the way back.

Sure enough, in less than an hour, hundreds of soldiers rushed back.

The leading Company Commander Qin was wearing armor, with a tall and strong figure, a fierce aura, holding a broadsword in his hand, and a bow and arrow on his back.

Arriving before the city, he ordered in a deep voice:

"Close the city, set up checkpoints!"

As soon as the words fell, several archers ran onto the city wall, bending bows and setting arrows, guarding every key passage.

And as the Company Commander led his troops into the city, the city gate also closed with a rumble.

This Company Commander waved his hand, and the soldiers behind immediately released foxes one by one from the bamboo baskets they were carrying, all with their necks tied with hemp ropes.

Facing these fierce soldiers, the foxes were all trembling.

The General ignored them and ordered people to carry the foxes around the city.

Shangjin City was not big, and soon there was a discovery.

When the soldiers passed by the temple, all the foxes seemed to be suddenly provoked, instantly losing their previous fear.

Their eyes widened instantly, their originally soft fur stood on end, their tails were raised high, and they twisted their bodies frantically, struggling.

At the same time, they bared their fangs at the temple, making low and angry roars in their mouths.

That appearance was as if they wanted to tear the temple in front of them to pieces and swallow it, which was hair-raising...

The third update will be a little late

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 196 =====