I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 270 - 263: The Bloody Execution Ground (2)

Among the crowd watching, many people no longer dared to look, their faces pale as they covered their eyes...

Duan Rong sat alone in the small tavern, the intense smell of blood wafted in with the wind, overshadowing the smell of yellow wine.

The scent of blood was too strong. Duan Rong had no appetite, and instead drank a pot of yellow wine, cup after cup.

Six rows of prisoners, thirty heads, in the span of a few breaths, all were separated from their bodies.

Many of these prisoners had family members and kin, but no one dared to come for the execution, as this was a filthy blood case; getting involved might lead to collective punishment.

Busy trying to distance themselves, who would dare come to see the execution?

In the intense scent of blood, thirty souls turned into lonely ghosts in an instant...

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the bodies were dragged away by the constables, sent to the Desolate Burial Mound!

As the constables left, people from nearby shops and residences came out with buckets to wash the streets.

The blood of thirty people seeped into the gaps of the bluestone pavement; even after washing clean, the faint smell of blood would linger for months...

Duan Rong walked out of the tavern, stepping onto the wet bluestone pavement, returning to Yuan Shun Escort Agency...

Duan Rong had been in seclusion recently, attempting to break through the final barrier of Inner Breath Realm Great Perfection. However, breaking through Great Perfection was more difficult than he anticipated.

It’s like seeing the mountain peak clearly, trying to climb from different slopes and routes.

Yet every attempt ends at the same point, unable to reach the summit.

Unable to break the final barrier, Duan Rong finally tasted a hint of confinement.

Gradually, he realized that perhaps the reason he couldn’t achieve Inner Breath Realm Great Perfection was due to his Spiritual Power.

If the Spiritual Power doesn’t break through, it’s like an invisible barrier overhead, making it impossible to achieve the breakthrough!

In the blink of an eye, the cold February had passed unnoticed, and the weather gradually warmed.

There were only a few days left until the sect’s Registered Disciple selection test on March 3.

In front of the County Office, the Martial Arts Competition Platform was already set up, with spectator seats on both sides.

This Martial Selection Platform is set up once every three years; there were reserved spaces for wooden stakes in the plaza in front of the County Office.

Constables hauled the large round logs from the warehouse.

The large stakes that had been sealed for three years, covered in cobwebs and dust, were skillfully pounded into the spaces by the constables.

The Martial Arts Competition Platform isn’t a platform, but rather a series of round wooden stakes, upon which the contestants perform their selections.

The spectator seats on both sides are occupied by the county gentry, along with representatives from various major powers; however, these individuals are merely decorations.

The true power to oversee the selection rests first with the County Magistrate, then the five Imperial Envoys from Taiyi Sect, and lastly with the chief dispatched by the Governor’s Office.

Sect, prefecture level, county level, results of the selection are only valid when all three parties are combined!

One day, Duan Rong was sitting and contemplating in the pavilion of Liu’s House courtyard, when suddenly there was a knock at the courtyard gate.

Duan Rong frowned slightly, his Divine Sense extended, and it was a visitor: Guan Kui from Ancient Moon Studio.

Duan Rong stood up to open the door, and Guan Kui, upon seeing Duan Rong, immediately smiled and bowed, saying, "Sorry to disturb Master Duan again."

Duan Rong’s demeanor and aura had changed significantly; every time Guan Kui saw Duan Rong, his heart was always tense.

Duan Rong laughed, "Brother Guan Kui, haven’t seen you for some time."

Guan Kui replied, "My shopkeeper has two objects that he is unsure about. We would like to invite Master Duan to have a look."

Duan Rong readily agreed, "No problem. I have no plans at the moment, let’s go right away."

Guan Kui was delighted, Duan Rong closed the courtyard gate and followed Guan Kui to Ancient Moon Studio.

Duan Rong thought: the selection is imminent, various parties are gathering, let’s see to which connections Shen Yanliu will try to pave a path using antiques and paintings.

On the official road twenty miles from Xianggu County, a rather imposing and mighty carriage traveled unhurriedly. The driver was burly and wore black shoes and official attire, evidently a constable from the government office.

Moreover, the imposing carriage had a black flag with gold edges fluttering on top, featuring a bear embroidered in the center, which was the flag of the governor’s office at the prefecture level.

This carriage was the official car of Yuanyang Prefecture Governor’s Office.

Inside the spacious and grandly decorated carriage, seven people sat: Li Xianjiang, Fan Yuanhai, Zhu Qunxiang, Lu Qingfeng, Wang Shanshan, Lv Qingzhu, and A-Mo.

Li Xianjiang was the chief of Yuanyang Prefecture Governor’s Office.

Fan Yuanhai, Zhu Qunxiang, Lu Qingfeng, Wang Shanshan, and Lv Qingzhu were Outer Disciples of Taiyi Sect, and this time the sect envoys for the Registered Disciple selection test in Xianggu County.

A-Mo was the maid accompanying Lv Qingzhu.

Fan Yuanhai, Zhu Qunxiang, Lu Qingfeng, Wang Shanshan, and Lv Qingzhu, these five sect envoys, came from different regions. A few days before, they had already reported to the Yuanyang Prefecture Governor’s Office, and after verifying their sect documents, were assigned the carriage along with the chief from the government office to proceed to the respective test locations.

Fan Yuanhai didn’t expect to be assigned to Xianggu County again. The local customs were still decent, and the resources were quite abundant, but the place was remote and transportation was inconvenient.

He had spent almost half a year here due to Xu Ruhu’s case before, achieving nothing and returning empty-handed; thus, this place was somewhat of a heartbreak to him.

He never thought he would set foot here for the second time in his life, it was truly fate’s ironic play!

Fan Yuanhai sat there, his peripheral vision secretly glancing at Lv Qingzhu and A-Mo not far away, this pair of master and servant.

It’s not that Fan Yuanhai wasn’t disciplined, this pair was indeed quite peculiar, one extremely beautiful, the other bizarrely ugly, making anyone who saw them want to take a few more looks.

Lv Qingzhu had hair as dark as a snail shell, with eyebrows so faint they seemed absent, her skin like a peeled lychee, and her entire presence was tall and graceful, with a clear and refreshing aura. Her lips pursed as she sat there, seemingly thinking about something, her brow slightly furrowed.

While A-Mo, sitting next to Lv Qingzhu, had large bones and was extraordinarily tall; sitting in the carriage, she was like a small mountainous figure, taking up as much space as two men.

Although A-Mo was ugly, no one dared show any hint of mockery.

Because her large knuckled hands glinted with a faint bronze sheen.

Those in the carriage were all knowledgeable people; they naturally knew what that implied.

This A-Mo clearly practiced Horizontal Training, and judging by her build and bones, she seems to possess innate Divine Power, who would dare provoke her?

Having such a maid by her side, inevitable speculation arose among those in the carriage regarding Lv Qingzhu’s identity.

Just after boarding the carriage, names were exchanged, but along the way, there was little conversation.

The five sect envoys, being of similar age, occasionally chatted, but Li Xianjiang from Yuanyang Prefecture Governor’s Office, had remained silent, sitting in the corner with eyes closed, meditating since boarding.

Li Xianjiang was over forty years old, with a goatee at his chin, not tall but corpulent.

Li Xianjiang wasn’t a Martial Artist, but came from an accountant background; having climbed to the position of chief in an office managing a prefecture’s financial affairs had its connections and methods.

Near the end of the morning hour, the carriage entered the East City Gate of Xianggu County, the constable head at the gate recognized the official structure of the carriage instantly, understanding the visitors were extraordinary. After clarifying the reason for the visit, he immediately rode to report to the County Office.

When the carriage clattered to a stop at the entrance of the County Government Office, Shen Yanliu was already dressed in official attire, waiting at the steps.

Once everyone was off the carriage, Shen Yanliu clasped his hands and said, "Chief Li, distinguished envoys! I apologize for not welcoming you from afar!"

Li Xianjiang returned the gesture with a smile, "Magistrate Shen, we only met two months ago. Though separated by one New Year, it feels as though it’s been a long time."

"Hahaha..." Shen Yanliu laughed, "Seems like Chief Li has missed me!"

Li Xianjiang managed the funds and taxes for Yuanyang Prefecture’s Governor’s Office, which dealt with Xianggu County and Tanghe County, often interacting with Shen Yanliu during tax handovers; they were old acquaintances.

"Chief Li and esteemed envoys! I’ve arranged a banquet for you to refresh yourselves!"

"Please!"

"Please!"

While escorting them with a smile, Shen Yanliu’s eyes inadvertently glanced over Fan Yuanhai’s face.