Chapter 41: The Demon Art of Seizing the Top Prize

In the afternoon, the setting sun spilled over the endless fields by the riverbank.

The wheat had already been harvested from the fields; straw had been burned and rape seeds sown, and a faint smell of char still lingered in the air.

Yang Dabiao and several government office Runners, holding hoes, dug in the fields, saying halfway through:

"You lot are impressive; burying someone alive is a grave crime. According to the Great Qian Law, the principal offender receives the death penalty by beheading, while accomplices receive one hundred blows of the cane and exile for three thousand li..."

On the field ridge, four gambling house thugs, all with hands clasped behind their heads and squatting on the ground, their faces bruised and swollen with blood seeping from their corners of their mouths, kept crying out their innocence:

"My lord Yang, I truly do not know what you are talking about. Please stop digging; this is the Li family's land..."

"What's wrong with me helping the Li family loosen the soil? Do you fear I will actually dig something up here..."

Xie Jinhuan also held a hoe, literally digging three feet deep, searching for a corpse across the vast fields; to dig up trouble for the Li family, he emphasized one thing: tireless effort!

Linghu Qingmo, with Meiqiu following behind, saw Xie Jinhuan doing more work alone than the four government office Runners; the Runners had rested for two shifts, yet Xie Jinhuan still did not rest, which made her feel a bit of heartache:

"Jinhuan, why don't you rest a while? Let me take over. You've already dug nearly two mu of land; even the oxen of a landlord's family aren't used this hard..."

"I am a man; there is no principle in letting a young lady take over. You just rest."

"Sigh~"

Linghu Qingmo could not wrest the hoe away, so she could only take out a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat from Xie Jinhuan's forehead.

As a martial artist, Xie Jinhuan was not tired by digging two mu of land at all; moreover, what he was digging up was not the Li family's buried corpse, but his own future!

Because he carried such strong motivation, Xie Jinhuan's endurance and hard work actually made the young women and wives washing clothes by the river exclaim in wonder:

"I just thought he was a young master from the city; I didn't expect him to work so hard in the fields. This clearly shows he is a man who will do great things..."

"Tsk tsk, whoever marries into his family will surely enjoy a lifetime of peace and comfort~ No wonder such a beautiful young lady follows him around like a shadow..."

"Look at that Constable; he is tall and strong, but his work is not at all honest..."

?

Yang Dabiao, who was just catching his breath, faced the 'male competition' from his own good brother; his face was a bit hard to bear, he coughed lightly twice, and then started swinging his hoe to dig up the soil again.

Hu San, the debt-collecting thug responsible for the Li family, squatted on the ground with his head in his hands; seeing the officials gradually approaching the burial site, sweat had already soaked through his back, and while making futile excuses, he kept looking toward the official road, hoping the Li family would arrive to hold the ground.

But unfortunately, before the Li family members had arrived, a shout came from the fields:

"Chief, it might be here."

Hearing the sound, Xie Jinhuan immediately lifted his hoe and, together with the government office personnel, went over to Constable Xiao Wang.

It was the period of crop rotation; the fields had been turned over, and straw had been burned the day before yesterday, so basically no traces remained.

But at the place pointed out by Constable Xiao Wang, there was a rotten hemp rope half-buried in the soil.

Seeing this, Hu San's face turned pale; he hurriedly forced a smile:

"This is the rope for the plow pulled by the plow ox; perhaps one broke by accident..."

"Is the rope your family uses for the plow so thin?"

After cursing, Yang Dabiao ordered the others to step back, spat twice into his hands, and then picked up his hoe to start digging.

Crack—

Crack—

After only a dozen or so hoe strikes, a pit half a person deep had been dug in the field, revealing the edges of clothes and white bones in the soil.

Seeing this, Hu San's heart turned to ash; he forced himself to make excuses:

"Which damn person buried someone in my family's land? My lord, this matter has nothing to do with me; someone must be framing us..."

Seeing the corpse she had expected, Linghu Qingmo's face darkened:

"Report to the government office immediately; summon Zhang Xianwei."

"Yes."

The government office Runner immediately ran back to deliver the message.

Seeing the corpse found, Xie Jinhuan had originally prepared to wait and watch the Li family and the Wang Fu battle it out.

But the ghost bride, who followed like a shadow, suddenly whispered in his ear:

"This corpse is not quite right."

"Hmm?"

Xie Jinhuan frowned, squatted by the pit, and carefully examined the corpse.

And at this very moment, urgent hoofbeats came from the official road:

"Giddy-up—"

Clip-clop, clip-clop...

Everyone turned to look; three Red Scale Guards could be seen galloping from the direction of Danyang, followed by a luxurious carriage, with accompanying scribes and guards on either side of the carriage.

Linghu Qingmo had ordered someone to notify Yang Ting immediately, knowing that in a major case of live burial, the Li family would inevitably block the way.

At this moment, the Red Scale Guards ran over; since the main official was not present, Yang Dabiao could not handle it, so Linghu Qingmo could only step forward and bow with clasped hands:

"I am Linghu Qingmo of the Prefecture Guard. Is the one approaching Lord Zhou He, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Red Scale Guards?"

Zhou He arrived in the fields, leaped from his horse halfway, his expression solemn:

"Indeed. I just heard a case occurred here; what is the specific situation?"

The Red Scale Guards directly obeyed the Emperor, their authority having almost no boundaries.

However, Linghu Qingmo could make Princess Changning and the Sect Master of Mount Zihui serve as bed companions; her background was hard enough, and she did not fear a Hundred-Household Commander, responding directly:

"This case occurred in Danyang County and should be investigated by the local government office..."

"That is natural."

Zhou He's demeanor showed not a shred of arrogance or bullying; facing this unwelcome remark, he spoke calmly:

"I, Zhou Mou, was just invited by Young Master Li; hearing of this matter, I hurriedly rushed here specifically to avoid suspicion."

If the Li family has indeed committed crimes and the county government office dares not investigate, then the Red Qilin Guard will investigate! If the county government office dares not arrest, then the Red Qilin Guard will arrest! The Red Qilin Guard acts under the Son of Heaven's mandate to oversee all officials—Miss Linghu, do not mistake us for the Li family's cronies.

「? 」

Do you take me for a fool?

Linghu Qingmo knew full well the relationship between Li Gongpu and the Red Qilin Guard and had no desire to deal with this corrupt official who spoke blatant lies.

Zhou He came here to settle matters; now he stepped to the edge of the pit and asked coldly:

「Li Zixian! Explain this—what is going on? 」

「Misunderstanding! All misunderstandings! 」

Li Zixian had just been helped off the carriage by his attendants; now he hurried across the field ridge, holding up his robe as he explained:

「These men are all gamblers who defaulted on their debts…」

Linghu Qingmo's gaze turned icy: 「Can gamblers use private torture to bury someone alive? 」

「Miss Linghu, it's a misunderstanding—this isn't burial alive. 」

Li Zixian stepped forward and bowed apologetically to all the officers:

「These men couldn't repay their debts, so I had no choice but to make them work as field laborers to offset their debts. Three fell ill and died despite the physician's efforts. Even though they owed me, I couldn't leave corpses exposed in the wild, so I buried them here in the fields…」

Yang Dabiao leaned on his hoe, pointing at the white bones with bound hands in the pit:

「Is this how you bury people, Young Master Li? 」

Li Zixian stepped closer, glanced, then turned with rage flaring:

「Hu San! I told you to wrap them in a mat before burying—what did you do? 」

Hu San, who had risen to lead debt collection under the Li family, was no fool; he immediately winced and explained:

「I figured these were scum who sold their wives and daughters—didn't deserve even a straw mat—so I just tied them with ropes and buried them. I didn't dare mention it earlier for fear the officers would misunderstand. 」

「You scoundrel! This is an open matter—why not speak up? 」

「I'm sorry, I'm sorry…」

The two of them played their parts perfectly, explaining the whole sequence clearly.

Linghu Qingmo knew she could not shake the Li family's sky-reaching influence, yet she still tried her best to enforce the law impartially:

"Without proof or witnesses, how can the government office believe your words, Young Master Li?"

「I have evidence. 」

Li Zixian gestured; his secretary brought forward several contracts and handed them to Linghu Qingmo:

「These are the three IOUs—totaling two hundred seventy-six taels and seven mace of silver. This is the contract for labor repayment, each bearing their fingerprints…」

Linghu Qingmo frowned, examining the contracts, then pressed her finger against the dark red fingerprints:

「These fingerprints are suspiciously fresh. 」

Li Zixian quickly smiled apologetically: 「Recent rains caused dampness—the paper wasn't stored well. The contracts are absolutely genuine. 」

Zhou He had listened silently until now; he stepped forward and spoke:

「According to Da Gan law, when bonded laborers fall ill, their masters must do their utmost to treat them. Though most neglect this, the Li family's actions clearly violate the law—punishable by thirty strokes and compensation to the laborers' kin. 」

「I accept the penalty. 」

Li Zixian immediately nodded in admission of fault.

Linghu Qingmo and Yang Dabiao, witnessing this, fell silent.

Anyone with eyes here knew Li Zixian was twisting truth to conceal crimes.

But the three dead were indeed massive-debt gamblers—even if they were buried alive, even if the case reached the Three Departments in Jingcheng, with the Li family's sky-reaching influence, the punishment would be light.

Now that Li Zixian readily accepts punishment—a beating and compensation to the kin—it's already a good outcome.

If you push further, the gamblers' families will not receive compensation; they might even turn around and cry foul, accusing the government office of meddling.

Linghu Qingmo hesitated slightly, glancing at Yang Dabiao.

Yang Dabiao had never wanted this case from the start; today he was dragged into it by a good friend. He paused, weighing his words:

「Hmm… if that's the case…」

「Wait. 」

As he spoke, a cold voice rose from within the pit.

?

Yang Dabiao stumbled back, nearly falling to his knees to kowtow to Xie Jinhuan—inside he cried: My living Huozu Sect ancestor! I know you hate evil and can't tolerate even a speck of dust—but there must be limits!

The government office is hunting the great demon of Mount Zihui; they have no energy to clash with the Li family! They have already accepted the beating and compensation—what more do you want?

Chop Li Zixian to pieces?

Li Zixian and Zhou He, hearing Xie Jinhuan interrupt, both grew grim.

Zhou He thought for a moment, then stepped to the pit's edge:

「Young Master Xie has something to say? 」

Xie Jinhuan truly intended to uncover a major crime against the Li family—but right now, he wasn't deliberately stoking flames.

Xie Jinhuan crouched beside the white bones, picked up the skull, examined it closely, then handed it to Zhou He:

"You have served in the Red Qilin Guard for a long time, Zhou Baohu—your eyesight should be better than mine. Check if these bones show any abnormalities."

Zhou He frowned, took the skull, examined it carefully, then peered through the eye sockets inward.

He discovered faint, threadlike traces inside the skull's inner wall—converging toward the Shenting acupoint…

The field fell silent.

Li Zixian had counted on Zhou He to settle this; seeing Zhou He's expression change, his heart lurched—he asked cautiously:

「My lord Zhou, are these bones problematic? 」

Zhou He, seasoned in Red Qilin Guard investigations, recognized at a glance that the traces inside the skull came from the "Soul-Seizing Demon Art."

This technique and blood sacrifice follow the same path; the difference is that blood sacrifice drains many people at once, requiring at least Rank 3 cultivation to perform, while the Soul-Seizing Demon Art has a slightly lower threshold—Ranks 4–5 demonic cultivators can barely master it, and though its effect on a single target is weak, it excels in secrecy.

Since the beginning of the year, Jingcheng has frequently produced "dry corpses," totaling seventeen so far, all killed by this method.

And the current bone traces are certainly not forged; they likely connect to the dry corpse case and the demonic aura of Mount Zihui and other major cases!

Although Zhou He wished to complete the task assigned by Li Gong, these cases involved too much danger—he dared not suppress them privately, or his head would be lost; after careful consideration, he still handed the skull to Yang Dabiao:

"Take this object immediately to Wang Fu and summon a master to examine the corpse."

"Huh?"

Li Zixian, facing the suddenly impartial Chilin Guard, had no idea what was going on:

"Commandant Zhou, what's wrong with this bone?"

Linghu Qingmo, seeing the residual blood patterns inside the skull, also turned pale:

"You sneaky Li Zixian, how dare you secretly collude with demonic bandits? Arrest him!"

Several government office Runners immediately advanced and pinned Li Zixian to the ground…

(End of Chapter)