I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 252: Blood Ice and Cold Mist

Yu Lieting and Xiao Nan looked at Luan Jingfu’s dust-covered head, and the blood-streaked remains before them, and their expressions finally softened.

They hadn’t expected that, even with their combined efforts, it would be so difficult to kill Luan Jingfu!

Xiao Nan said, "Squad Leader, we’ve gone all out to clean up Ruan Fengshan’s mess this time."

Yu Lieting replied, "Ruan Fengshan helped us out once a couple of years ago, so we’re even now..."

As they chatted, they heard the distant sound of hooves on the road, beating like a drum across the vast expanse...

Yu Lieting leaped onto a nearby tree branch, scanning the distance, and saw a rider approaching. Though he couldn’t make out the figure’s face, the fluttering black gauze wings on the hat atop their head marked them as an official.

Seeing there was no time to destroy the evidence, Yu Lieting said, "Let’s retreat."

The two swiftly vanished into the wilderness by the roadside, their figures disappearing in a few quick flashes...

The temple priest at the City God Temple in Xianggu County, upon receiving the news last night, immediately contacted the nearest sub-branch, the Jiuchong Sub-Branch contact point.

It was traditionally expected that the Filthy Blood Sect sub-branches would support each other. Ruan Fengshan, after all, was on his way back to Xianggu County from the Prefecture City, with his exact location indefinable, so the temple priest decided to inform Yu Lieting, asking him to aid the brothers of the Xianggu Sub-Branch by intercepting and killing Luan Jingfu.

From afar, Shen Yanliu saw a black dot standing on the treetop of a poplar by the official road ahead, suddenly swooping down like a hawk... He gave a sharp push on the stirrup, soaring up, his legs channeling True Qi into great leaps, leaving the black steed Hei Ling’Er far behind.

Arriving at the hilltop, Shen Yanliu saw the bisected corpse of Sun Huang, the blood streaming out forming blood icicles in the frosty weather.

Nearby lay Luan Jingfu’s severed head...

And in the roadside wilderness, amidst the fallen leaves, a blood-streaked corpse...

Shen Yanliu’s expression was one of frustration; he was clearly too late.

Sweeping his gaze across the mountains and fields, there was no sign of life amidst the descending cold mist...

With Luan Jingfu’s death, the crucial lead was severed.

Since both Luan Jingfu and Wei Yutian, True Qi Realm experts, were disciples of the Filthy Blood Sect, it was evident how deeply entrenched and powerful the sect was in Xianggu County.

He had originally intended to uproot these people to achieve unparalleled merit, but the chills and blood ice of the wilderness had already crushed that thought.

Though annoyed by the break in the Luan Jingfu lead, Shen Yanliu soon came to terms with reality; after all, he still had other leads to pursue, and there might yet be progress.

Shen Yanliu then tied the bodies of Luan Jingfu and Sun Huang to the sides of a horse’s saddle, mounted another horse himself, and galloped away, leading one horse while riding the other.

The two bodies served as evidence, particularly Luan Jingfu’s, which bore traces of the Filthy Blood Divine Skill. Reporting a significant case related to the Filthy Blood Sect would definitely prompt the sect to dispatch a special envoy, and the magnitude of the case would depend on the evidence presented alongside it.

As Shen Yanliu rode into town, daylight was breaking, and the streets were bustling. People glanced at the two bodies hanging from the saddle behind Shen Yanliu, their faces immediately filled with fear, especially with the morning rumors buzzing about Wei Yutian and Luan Jingfu’s homes being raided, fueling various speculations.

A woman in her forties, with a slightly plump frame, carrying a vegetable basket, was buying tofu at a stall when she noticed the commotion. Turning to see Shen Yanliu ride past, the crowd giving way, she quickly stepped aside too.

While Shen Yanliu didn’t seem particularly alarming to her, spotting the bodies hanging off the saddle nearly made her retch. She was about to bolt and forget about the tofu when she suddenly stopped, realizing the bisected body seemed disturbingly familiar.

Suppressing her fear and nausea, she looked closely at the face, then at the clothes—wasn’t that the corpse of her neighbor, Sun Huang, the leader?

The woman screamed, "Oh my God!" and spun to dash into the alley...

Shen Yanliu rode back to the County Government Office, handing the two bodies to the government constables for safekeeping.

He summoned Li Chong over to inquire, learning that Su Di and Luan Bao were already imprisoned in the dungeon and under surveillance by assigned personnel.

Others had been detained within Wei Yutian and Luan Jingfu’s residences.

Shen Yanliu nodded, satisfied with Li Chong’s arrangements.

"I’ll personally interrogate Su Di and Luan Bao! As for others, you and Clerk Qin will handle the questioning!"

"Understood!" Li Chong responded with a fist salute before turning to leave.

Only then did Shen Yanliu remove his heavy Iron Hand, rubbing his temples. Taking a sip of the now-cold Ginseng Tea on the plank table, he quickly walked into the dungeon to conduct further interrogations of Luan Bao and Su Di, hoping to uncover something.

About an hour later, Shen Yanliu returned, looking weary, his face and official robe speckled with blood. He picked up a teacup on the table, noting it was already empty, but he didn’t call for tea. Normally, he wasn’t in the study this early, so the servants hadn’t developed the habit of bringing tea here first thing in the morning.

Shen Yanliu paced in front of the table, contemplating details of this major case.

There wasn’t any information about the Filthy Blood Sect from Luan Bao. Upon hearing his father was a sect member, he cursed vehemently, denying it outright.

Shen Yanliu could tell Luan Bao’s emotions were genuinely agitated, not feigned; he truly despised the Filthy Blood Sect. Apparently, Luan Jingfu had always shielded Luan Bao from matters involving the sect.

Nothing substantial was unearthed from Su Di either; the only person who had been in Wei Yutian’s Secret Chamber Mandala, apart from Wei Yutian training there, was Luan Jingfu.

Shen Yanliu realized the case’s lead was cut off. Continuing the investigation seemed increasingly unlikely, as Luan Jingfu’s murder was clearly an act of the Filthy Blood Sect removing a liability after his exposure.

"Their movements are incredibly swift!"

At the moment, Shen Yanliu wasn’t pondering the case’s resolution. He was contemplating how to capitalize on it for political merit. While claiming to dismantle a sub-branch might be dubious, with Wei Yutian’s Secret Chamber Mandala present, alongside the corpses of two True Qi Realm masters like Wei Yutian and Luan Jingfu, it could reasonably be attributed to dismantling a crucial stronghold...

As for Duan Rong, around midnight, after departing from Shen Yanliu at Wei Yutian’s mysterious residence, he and Xiao Yu returned to the Yuan Shun Escort Agency.

As they reached the agency’s gate, they saw Xiao Zongting hobbling out, his face anxious.

Earlier, in his haste to find Xiao Yu, Duan Rong had left Xiao Zongting on the ground, but had given him the life-saving medicine pill Shen Ping had left. After resting for a while, Xiao Zongting awoke, immediately recalling his abducted daughter and hurried out to search the streets for clues. He knew some thieves and beggars, and he hoped someone might have information...

"Father!" Xiao Yu cried out in a trembling voice, seeing Xiao Zongting emerging from the escort agency.

"Yu’er!" Upon seeing Xiao Yu standing alive across the street, Xiao Zongting’s whole body trembled as though his spirit returned to him, tears flowing down his cheeks.