[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-roaring-dragon":3,"chapter-the-roaring-dragon-the-roaring-dragon-chapter-38":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Roaring Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2281894,4463,"Chapter 38","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-38",38,"\u003Cp>At dawn’s first light, the county constabulary office was filled with a faint autumn chill and a stench so potent it could knock a coroner unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Dabiao crouched on the steps, holding several steaming buns, gulping them down while cursing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That bastard—dismembering people and dumping them—once I catch him, I’ll peel his skin off…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo, who had just arrived from the Princess’s mansion after sleeping a few hours, was fully refreshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now standing on the steps with her sword in hand, she stared at the rotting corpse fragments scattered across the ground, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday, dozens of constables spent half the night sifting through countless bodies, finally identifying human remains; from the skulls, they determined eleven victims, and also found traces of suspected Guchong .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, it was confirmed this demon bandit was highly cultivated, practicing demonic arts while simultaneously cultivating Mad Corpse Flowers—but his identity and motives remained a mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo was injured and entitled to leave, but all senior officers in the city were searching for the demon bandit; how could she sit idle? Seeing no progress at the constabulary, she asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is Xie Jinhuan resting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Dabiao shrugged slightly: “I knocked on his door this morning—no response. Only Meiqiu was hopping along the wall. Guess he was worn out from fighting all day yesterday and hasn’t woken up yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo turned and walked out:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go check on him. By the way… you promised to treat me yesterday. Tonight, invite Xiao Wang and the others to Yue Lai Restaurant for dinner—it’ll be an early Mid-Autumn feast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my!” Yang Dabiao’s buns suddenly lost their appeal at the thought of the goddess remembering: “How could I possibly let Lady Linghu spend her own silver?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo’s gaze turned icy: “If you can’t find any leads after eating your fill, you’ll have to pay for the meal yourself—and figure out how to explain it to your wife.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Dabiao clenched his fist, as big as a sandbag: “Even if I dig three feet underground, I’ll unearth that Great Demon of Ziwei Mountain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo said nothing more, sheathed her sword, and left the constabulary, heading for Qingquan Alley nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With all outlying personnel recalled, the side streets were busier than the past two days; the mutton shop at the corner was packed, everyone exchanging rumors gathered from their investigations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo glanced at the breakfast stalls and pork vendors—Xie Jinhuan wasn’t there—then arrived outside the white-walled, blue-tiled courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was about to knock when she noticed Meiqiu, all black and solitary, pacing along the wall, looking listless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo frowned slightly, stepped closer, and looked up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meiqiu, why are you hanging around here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Linghu Qingmo approach with breakfast, Meiqiu immediately landed on her shoulder, rubbed its head against her cheek, then opened its beak, begging for food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she’d only known it briefly, Linghu Qingmo understood the body language—Meiqiu was hungry. She thought: What is Xie Jinhuan doing? How could he forget to feed the bird?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s Xie Jinhuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu tilted its head, stuck out its tongue—clearly signaling: “Dead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo was stunned—as if struck by lightning—assuming Xie Jinhuan had been killed by the demon bandit. She leapt instantly into the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the morning, warm autumn sunlight bathed the courtyard; she hadn’t yet fulfilled her wager due to official duties, and scattered leaves lay on the stone path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo hurried through the moon gate to the rear courtyard, glanced up—and saw the main door wide open, two weapons discarded on the ground, and Xie Jinhuan, clad only in thin trousers, sprawled flat on the roof, looking exactly like a corpse that had been murdered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Jinhuan?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face paled. She was about to leap up, embrace him, and cry “Noooo~” when she noticed something odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire courtyard reeked of strong liquor; a shattered wine flask lay by the bathhouse door. The man on the roof, perhaps stirred by the noise, let out a soft “Mmm~…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo froze, her worried expression shifting to bewilderment. She thought:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan, such a proper man—how did he turn into a drunkard like Zhao Ling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could Zhao Ling have sneaked over last night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Linghu Qingmo’s gaze turned suspicious. She searched the courtyard—no half-naked Zhao Ling—and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She picked up a shard of the wine jar, sniffed it—“Hero’s Tears,” the famed “Three Cups and You’re Down.” She sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivators have high resistance; the powerful rarely get drunk on ordinary wine. But a life without wine lacks flavor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, master brewers created special wines like Hero’s Tears—ferociously potent, said to intoxicate even top-tier cultivators. Normally, it’s sipped by the cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan was merely a fourth-rank martial cultivator—he drank an entire jar? He should’ve died of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo didn’t know what to say. She called from under the eaves:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Jinhuan? Xie Jinhuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several calls, Xie Jinhuan suddenly rolled over, alertly scanning the surroundings!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing it was just Lady Mo, no danger—he lost focus again and toppled forward, limp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo’s heart leapt—seeing the naked man falling toward her, she rushed to catch him, arms outstretched—and then:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His deadweight crashed straight onto her chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the cushioning, Xie Jinhuan was fine—but Linghu Qingmo, wounded on her chest, winced, eyebrows knotted, nearly collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bastard…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her entire life, she’d never held a man, let alone one bare-chested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing his body heat and reeking alcohol, her face flushed crimson. She braced his limp form with her chest and pounded his back:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Jinhuan? Xie Jinhuan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu, still hungry, landed on her shoulder and flapped its wings at Xie Jinhuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slap-slap-slap…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan had been warned by Lin Wanyi not to overindulge—but the wine was too good, and his “ghost bride” kept pouring. He forgot the doctor’s advice, passed out last night, and had no idea how he ended up on the roof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now resting in Mo’s arms, his consciousness had returned—but his limbs refused to obey. After a pause, he patted her:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hard punch landed on his back!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo had been kindly supporting him—now she felt him groping. Her eyes turned icy:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re faking drunk, aren’t you?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan realized his hands were on something soft, full, and elastic—he’d touched the wrong place. He apologized:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry… this wine’s strength is… really really really~~~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zzzzz—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Xie Jinhuan keep apologizing but not moving his hands, Linghu Qingmo transformed into the “Thunder King,” gripping his shoulders and forcibly rebooting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks flashed—he snapped upright, shuddered, his eyes cleared, and he blinked around in confusion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh… sorry, I drank too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo stopped. Considering his great contribution yesterday and his genuine intoxication, she let the impropriety slide:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who did you drink with last night? Why so much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan was still foggy from last night’s blackout. After a moment, he realized his spirit was full, his blood qi robust, his dantian noticeably fuller—clearly, the Dragon Blood Pill’s body-strengthening effect was exceptional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Wanyi gave me a jar of wine yesterday—I’d never tried it before. I just… got carried away. What’s the situation at the constabulary?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Xie Jinhuan hurried to the side washroom to clean up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo patted her hips, picked up her sword, and walked to the door:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All constables and Wu Zu ran all night. We found several herbal shops that sold Longxu Grass or livestock. After comparing sketches, we’ve identified over a dozen runners for this demon bandit—but the mastermind’s identity remains unknown. If you’re free later, come with us to investigate. We’ll have dinner tonight…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the constabulary’s focus had shifted entirely to the demon bandit, Xie Jinhuan felt relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearing out the bandits might recover his lost funds—he wanted to catch that witch too. Logically, he should help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still needed the bandits to draw attention away from him. If he quickly exposed the mastermind, wouldn’t he get pounded again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After careful thought, he decided to “trust Yang Dabiao’s wisdom,” and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The constabulary’s already investigating these leads. Our presence won’t help. Let’s look into something else. Do you remember that book, ‘Yangchun Yan,’ we found in the corpse cave yesterday?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo’s eyes immediately saw the “train lunchbox” image—the scene from last night still haunted her mind. How could she forget?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why ask about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan wasn’t thinking of trying the “train lunchbox” with Mo:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That book came from ‘Jiwen Studio.’ Its binding was fine, so it wasn’t cheap. The content is unusual—if the thief bought it, the shopkeeper might remember his face. Let’s go check.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo sounded skeptical: “Even if the shopkeeper remembers him, he won’t know the thief’s identity or whereabouts. What’s the point?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan knew this wouldn’t yield results—he just wanted to visit the bookstore:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re doing a Ditanshi  search. Any place connected to the bandits, we must investigate. If there’s a lead, we can’t ignore it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo nodded thoughtfully: “Fine. Hurry up and get ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan washed up quickly. Halfway through, he glanced at the ice-cold beauty at the door and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mo, where did your master, Lady Nangong, go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo frowned, his gaze skeptical; seeing Xie Jinhuan’s expression was innocent, as if merely curious, he replied calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Lady Nangong’ is a colloquial term used by wandering cultivators; you should address her as Lady Nangong, the Sect Master, or Lady Nangong, the Elder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan actually wanted to call her “my dream bride,” but saying that would surely earn him a shock from Miss Mo:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m used to the wandering life—my apologies. Where has Lady Nangong gone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master’s cultivation is profound; he spends most of the year hunting demons in the southern wastes—Dragonbone Beach, Ghost Wailing Marsh—and returns before winter each year, then leaves again in spring. By now, he should be back soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, Linghu Qingmo looked at Xie Jinhuan and gave him a solemn warning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master, like you, is willing to sacrifice himself for the righteous path, but he always acts with caution; if danger arises, he prioritizes self-preservation. A cultivator must first strengthen his cultivation base before he can save more lives. Dying too soon—even if it’s for the righteous path—is still reckless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You found clues yesterday—you should have reported them to the government office. Going alone to investigate, if you’d walked straight into the bandits’ den, even the Dan Yang elder wouldn’t have reached you in time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan was the most cautious of them all; he didn’t report to the office yesterday simply to “ask a fellow cultivator to bear the lightning’s wrath,” but he couldn’t say that outright, so he shook his head and smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Life and death are fated; when trouble comes, no one can avoid it. If I really die out there, Miss Mo, don’t grieve too much—just take care of Meiqiu… Huh?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo was stunned, quickly stepping forward to clamp his mouth shut, her eyes cold:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you speaking such ill omens out of nowhere? Who would grieve for you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan had brought home a ghost bride—he’d spoken from genuine feeling, and seeing Miss Mo truly worried, he said no more:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh~ You haven’t eaten yet this morning, have you? Let’s go get something to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gurgle!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu, crouched on his shoulder, finally saw the topic turn to something important, and butted in fiercely—her expression clearly asked: Are we even going to live anymore? Do you know what “a wise bird chooses its tree” means?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo patted Meiqiu, then avoided staring at his eight-pack abs, and stepped outside to wait…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1952,"2026-06-20T01:38:11.747Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d3668ec240f6ea126927a746cb2b93533a2a7468bbaf35b832da7bf4d5907eb2","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-39","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-37",252,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-roaring-dragon-cover.jpg"]