The two "porters" seemed intimately familiar with the layout of Zhen Manor. Traveling the paths as if second nature, they deftly bypassed the servants, courtyard guards, and family disciples stationed along the way. In just the time it took to drink two cups of tea, they arrived in the vicinity of Jiangbo Hall.
They halted, concealing themselves within the shadows beside the building, in no hurry to barge inside.
One of the "porters" was Xiaochuan Gang leader Ma Hanjiang in disguise. He turned his gaze toward the companion beside him.
Right now, Jiangbo Hall was crowded with people, including many experts, making it ideal for his partner to unleash his abilities.
Ma Hanjiang only hoped that once chaos broke out, they could strike hard and fast, achieve meaningful results, and swiftly withdraw from Zhen Manor.
In his eyes, so long as this operation proved that the Xiaochuan Gang never let a grudge go unanswered, that was enough. By no means could they afford to be caught by people from the county yamen or prefectural yamen. Otherwise, the Xiaochuan Gang's overt foundation would be torn up by the roots. After all, the emissary standing beside him hailed from the Boat Overturning Sect of the Twenty-One Ways of Demons—one of the Evil Gods ranked on the world-renowned Nine Hells List, a Ruwei grandmaster.
The other man tilted his conical bamboo hat slightly higher, revealing a face that looked as though it had been soaked in white dye, along with bright red lips that seemed cast from the material of a bird's beak.
As his bloodthirsty, ferocious eyes shifted, specks of radiance flickered into existence in the empty air around him, faintly outlining a great condor with a white head, a red beak, and black markings. His hands slid out from his sleeves, their shape resembling tiger claws.
An unspeakable ferocity and murderous aura rippled outward, spreading silently into the surroundings and seeping into Jiangbo Hall.
Ma Hanjiang hurriedly reined in his mind to resist the influence.
Yet the harder he suppressed his emotions, the more aggrieved and resentful he felt:
Why was the Sishui Gang allowed to set traps for the Xiaochuan Gang, while the Xiaochuan Gang couldn't fight back?
Why was the Zhen family allowed to stir up so much trouble, while the Xiaochuan Gang couldn't exact massive vengeance?
Why? Why?!
In a moment, he would bathe the Zhen family in a river of blood!
***
At the summit of the tallest watchtower, a prefectural yamen constable dashed up at top speed. Without pausing for formalities, he thrust a stack of papers into Tao Wenshu's hands.
"Sect Master Tao, the Martial Suppression Bureau in Yanjing has replied!
"They've uncovered the identities of three members of the Ding family!"
Ever since Zheng Zhuxi informed the prefectural yamen last night of Ding Songyan's inquiry and her own suspicions, the authorities had dispatched personnel to keep watch over each member of the Ding household, sketch their portraits, and cross-reference them against the wanted lists. At the same time, they used three distinct methods overnight to dispatch reports to the Martial Suppression Bureau in Yanjing. Since Ningzhou bordered Yanjing and was not far away, a reply had already arrived today.
This was not because the authorities were certain the Ding family posed a problem; Zhen Manor was far more worthy of scrutiny. But since Ding Erlang was caught in the middle of it all, everyone close to him had to be investigated, down to the last person.
As Tao Wenshu took the papers, Zheng Zhuxi leaned in with curiosity, studying the portraits on the pages and reading the text beneath them.
On the first sheet, she saw a drawing of Ding Shengyi, except that two crimson-scaled feelers sprouted from his temples, and his skin had a reddish cast.
The accompanying description read:
*Qiu Chen, a disciple of the Moth God Sect in Feng. Ranked in the Death Intent Hell of the Nine Hells List, evaluated at Ruhua. Forty-five years of age. Formerly active only in Feng and Yu. In his pursuit of the ultimate 'moth seed,' he turned his fellow disciples into 'moth people' and was expelled from the Moth God Sect, becoming a scourge upon the land.*
*He sought to turn even a 'moth father' and 'moth mother' into 'moth people' to see if there were better and stronger transformations? Truly worthy of someone on the Nine Hells List...* Zheng Zhuxi clicked her tongue in shock, finding "Ding Shengyi" almost pure in his obsession.
The Nine Hells List had been jointly established by the pinnacle righteous sects to record notorious figures among the unorthodox demonic factions, making it convenient for martial artists across the jianghu to track them or gauge their strength upon an encounter.
It was divided into nine levels of nether hells, each corresponding to a different tier of unorthodox wickedness. The Death Intent Hell was the sixth hell, representing the Ruhua level of the Dayan Realm. The Evil God Hell was the seventh hell, representing grandmasters of the Dharma Realm.
"The Ding family really does have problems. Ding Erlang truly has wolves in front and tigers behind, trapped right inside a demon's den," Zheng Zhuxi could not help sighing.
After finishing the page on "Ding Shengyi," Tao Wenshu turned to the second sheet. Sketched upon it was Ding Daniu, but his body bore horse hair, he possessed a serpent's tail, and his feet were hooves:
*Li Zhi, between twenty-two and twenty-five years of age. Origin unknown. Possesses the 'Secret Inscription of the Ten Deva Strengths.' A notorious bandit of New Yu. Ranked in the Soul Qi Hell of the Nine Hells List, evaluated at Chaofan. He frequently kills people at random along the roadsides, neither seeking beauty nor taking coin. However, he has been discovered several times in pleasure quarters and narrow lanes, narrowly escaping each time.*
*The 'Ding family' actually houses two people from the Nine Hells List. How extraordinary...* Zheng Zhuxi shook her head as she read.
To earn a place on the Nine Hells List, one had to possess supreme strength, be guilty of heinous crimes, or show exceptional potential.
Tao Wenshu quickly turned to the third page.
This depicted Liu Yuzao, her countenance exquisite and showing no unusual signs:
*Qi Xiaoxiang, between forty and forty-five years of age. Origin unknown, martial arts unknown, evil deeds unproven. Three years ago, when the miners of Mount Shou rioted and slaughtered one another, she was suspected of orchestrating the event, which resulted in the tragic deaths of over three hundred men and halted Mount Shou copper production for half a year. Because she has only been active in the two states of Yu and Gan, her other affairs remain unknown. Judging by her appearance, she likely possesses a technique that conceals her traits, or someone regularly conceals them on her behalf.*
Tao Wenshu handed the three sheets to Zheng Zhuxi, then looked at the constable who had served as the runner.
"Inform Prefect Lin that he may pay a personal visit to the Zhen family. He must delay whatever might occur there at all costs.
"Those keeping watch over Qiu Chen, Li Zhi, and Qi Xiaoxiang must be swapped out immediately. At a minimum, they must be at the 'Chaofan' level."
Without turning to leave, the constable made use of the brush and paper ready inside the watchtower, wrote down those two instructions, and handed the sheet to an Yi clan disciple responsible for routine monitoring.
The Yi clan disciple bound the paper tightly around the shaft of an arrow, aimed toward the northern watchtower, drew the bowstring, and released the white-feathered arrow.
The arrow shot forward with a hiss. Even after covering a hundred zhang, it neither slowed nor caught fire.
It spanned nearly half the city, growing slower and gradually descending, yet it plunged unerringly into the northern watchtower, caught firmly in a hand covered in dark green scales.
Once the yamen constable descended the tower, Zheng Zhuxi glanced at the two Yi clan disciples engrossed in their watch, then whispered to her mother, Tao Wenshu:
"Mother, why didn't you protect Ding Erlang directly instead of letting him enter Zhen Manor?
"You clearly already had people watching Zhen Manor and the Ding family."
Tao Wenshu turned her head slightly and cast a glance at Zheng Zhuxi.
"By the time I learned the full picture, Ding Erlang had already entered Zhen Manor.
"As for Prefect Lin and the others, do you think the potential whereabouts of Kunlun are more important, or is Ding Erlang?"
*This...* Zheng Zhuxi froze on the spot.
In a gentle voice that carried an unmistakable tone of instruction, Tao Wenshu said, "If you truly wanted to save Ding Erlang, you should have found another pretext to report to the county and prefectural yamen last night instead of laying out his question in full detail. You needed them to take it seriously, but not overly so. You cannot assume that everyone is like you, believing that human life outweighs all else.
"You possess sincere warmth, a sense of justice, and compassion for the poor and weak. Mother is proud of that. But one must be pragmatic in one's methods. You cannot simply expect that if you mean well and wish everyone well, everything will turn out fine. You are still too young, lacking experience in the jianghu. You must take a few lessons so that you won't suffer a devastating loss in the future."
Zheng Zhuxi's mind was in total turmoil. One moment she felt outrage at how they could act like this, and the next she was gripped by intense remorse and guilt.
Offering both comfort and reprimand, Tao Wenshu continued, "Do you think Prefect Lin and the others were in the wrong, disregarding Ding Erlang while he stands in harm's way?
"Have you considered what would happen if this truly concerns the whereabouts of Kunlun, and demonic heretics lay their hands upon it and enter the Heavenly Emperor's traveling palace? The world could be thrown into utter chaos, bringing calamity to all living beings.
"Before they have absolute certainty, Prefect Lin and the others do not wish to alert the enemy, nor do they wish to corner Zhen Manor and that cabal of heretics into desperate measures. That would not only risk leaking word of Kunlun, but it would also likely engulf innocent people throughout the city."
Zheng Zhuxi wanted to argue, but the words caught in her throat.
Even she had to admit her mother's words carried some reason.
Yet was it truly right to stand by and watch an innocent person fall into peril?
Tao Wenshu said softly, "Xixi, many matters and choices in life are not starkly black and white, purely right or wrong. They are often shades of gray, containing both right and wrong.
"Train diligently in your martial arts. Only when your cultivation is high enough can you practice the Dao in your heart, allowing you, even after understanding the world's complexities, to remain willing to illuminate the long night."
With that, Tao Wenshu glanced back toward the southern part of the city.
"In less than an hour, the head of the Yi family will arrive aboard a painted boat flying chariot, as will the Twin Gold and Silver Swords of the Chongwu Sect.
"In little more than half a day, Senior Tian of the Shenxiao Sect might also arrive.
"As long as we can stall things a while longer, those demonic heretics won't be able to stir up any waves. The longer it is delayed, the less danger Ding Erlang will face. When the time comes, rescuing him will be effortless."
The Shenxiao Sect was located in Xiaozhou, to the west of Ningzhou. Its Grand Elder, Tian Shuyu, was one of the three Perfected Ones of Great Zhao.
From last night until now, the Dingjiang Prefecture authorities had appeared to do nothing, yet they had been quietly laying an inescapable net.
Zheng Zhuxi's eyes flickered as she sank into a daze of contemplation.
***
Inside Jiangbo Hall of Zhen Manor.
Old Master Zhen, Zhen Qianfan, rested his right hand upon the wooden box containing the huai fruit. He looked first at Su Chongxiao of the Tiannü Sect, then turned to Ren Youyang of the Zhenling Sect, speaking in a low voice:
"That promise is not complicated, nor does it entail anything else.
"Within three days, should Zhen Manor face calamity, I hope you will lend assistance once, provided it does not endanger your own lives. If all three days pass without incident, the promise shall be deemed fulfilled.
"I wonder who among you can agree to this pledge?"
Hearing these words, Ren Youyang's face darkened, his pair of hound ears standing tall.
Behind him, the guard named Meng Qingze felt an inexplicable surge of irritation and fury.
Meng Qingze, whose face was painted with bizarre markings, practiced the *Classic of True Spirit Karmic Ranks*, one of the two foundational cultivation methods of the Zhenling Sect.
This method offered three choices, corresponding to three different paths: first, the Useless Divine Art; second, divine possession; and third, commanding ghosts within the body. Meng Qingze had chosen the last of these.
Influenced by malicious ghosts, he was often steeped in heavy yin energy, his murderous impulses difficult to restrain. He had to chant scriptures and worship deities daily, curbing his desires to maintain balance.
At this very moment, he felt a chilling cold surge from the depths of his heart, accompanied by vile ghosts whispering relentlessly in his ears, urging him to slaughter everyone who displeased his eyes, urging him to drink his fill of hot blood.
*Why must I be the only one to endure this torment?*
*Why don't those who chose divine possession, or those who cultivate the Chapter on the Dao Following Nature, have to suffer like this?!*
*Why?!*
As the murderous intent coalesced, Meng Qingze suddenly twisted around and struck a palm toward Qin Li beside him—a fellow disciple who practiced the divine possession method.
Tinged with an eerie green hue, his palm vanished bizarrely mid-flight, only to reappear with startling strangeness right before Qin Li's chest, slamming into him.
Chapter 48