The Kaoshan City Murder Case

The morning sky over Kaoshan City was still gray. Chu Liang and Yun Chaoxian set off very early, arriving outside a large courtyard on the edge of the city before the sun had risen.

Iron wires were wrapped around the high courtyard walls, like thorns. From the outside, only a corner of the upturned eaves could be seen.

The surroundings were quiet, and the large gate was tightly shut.

"The echo of the Heavenly Sound Wave is inside. Let's rush in now and catch him off guard," Yun Chaoxian said impatiently.

"Wait." Chu Liang grabbed the Great Halberd on his back, stopping him.

"Hmm?" Yun Chaoxian was startled. "Brother Chu, why are you grabbing my halberd handle?"

"..." Chu Liang was speechless for a moment, then took a deep breath and explained to him, "It's too quiet around here. I feel like something is wrong."

"It's normal for it to be quiet at this hour, isn't it?" Yun Chaoxian asked, confused.

Chu Liang shook his head. "I just used my divine sense to probe the entire front courtyard. It's empty, there's nothing there. It's too abnormal."

His divine sense could only reach the front courtyard. There wasn't a single person in the entire front courtyard. Not only were there no people, but there wasn't even an insect or bird, which he found extremely strange.

"What should we do then?" Although Yun Chaoxian was completely bewildered, he still listened to Chu Liang's words.

"Let's observe for a bit first."

With that, Chu Liang took Yun Chaoxian and flashed away, hiding in a nearby street. They crouched low, observing the courtyard.

After only a moment, a series of hurried footsteps and the sound of wind breaking through the air could be heard.

Turning their heads, they saw a team of constables in black clothes with swords rushing from the end of the street, moving very quickly.

The constables of Kaoshan City were probably all cultivators of the Second Realm, and the Constable Captain leading them was a cultivator of the Third Realm, already considered a master in the city.

A normal small border town would typically have this kind of setup.

This team of constables rushed over. Immediately, two of them kicked open the large gate, and several people leaped onto the courtyard walls, entering the courtyard from various directions.

As soon as someone stepped into the front courtyard, they felt a ripple of demonic energy spread out.

Chirp—

The plants in the front courtyard suddenly stretched out, turning into long vines and ropes that wrapped around the entering officials, swinging them wildly in the air.

Several of the less powerful ones were in a sorry state for a while. Thanks to the constables who entered later to provide support, they quickly cut down these plants with several slashes.

"As expected, there's something fishy," Chu Liang, who was probing with his divine sense from outside, whispered.

These plants were not demon creatures, but were enchanted with demonic arts, similar to a formation. They would be triggered when someone entered, causing some trouble for the intruders.

Immediately after, the officials rushed into the back courtyard.

A wave of blood instantly spread out!

There were corpses everywhere, about a dozen of them, all with tragic deaths, blood flowing like a river.

"If we had rushed in earlier without thinking, and were slightly delayed by the formation in the front courtyard, then when we entered the back courtyard, we would have just happened to run headfirst into the arriving officials."

Only then did Chu Liang understand the purpose of this arrangement.

"At that time, the demon creature could escape and also frame us."

Although these constables wouldn't have the strength to detain the two of them, being discovered at the crime scene would still be very troublesome for them.

If they stayed, they might not be able to explain themselves clearly and would be detained for a period of time, only to be released after the truth was investigated. If they left by force, they would eventually be found at their sect gates. The pressure from the imperial court would be put on Tiangang Gate and Shu Mountain Sect, and the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten would not tolerate their disciples acting above the law.

No matter what, by the time they sorted things out, the demon race Divine Envoy would have already left the city at his leisure.

"How cunning!" Yun Chaoxian saw the situation clearly and immediately said angrily, "If it weren't for Brother Chu's quick wit, I might have already fallen into his trap."

"So it's always good to be calm when things happen," Chu Liang could only smile slightly.

"But..." Yun Chaoxian was puzzled again, "How does his arrangement seem specifically prepared for us?"

"It should be," Chu Liang said. "The demon race Divine Envoy must have received news about the Hidden Forest Mountain incident. Since you could track him to Hidden Forest Mountain, it's not strange for him to guess that you left a divine ability on him. Against such a cunning enemy, the same method is unlikely to work twice."

"Ah?" Yun Chaoxian suddenly realized. "Was my Heavenly Sound Wave deciphered? Damn it, now I can't catch him anymore."

"No rush, let's go back first," Chu Liang said, turning around.

Shortly after the two returned to the inn, the official notice was issued by the government.

Last night, a horrific massacre occurred in the city. A family of seventeen was all killed, and the perpetrator was at large.

The victims were medicinal merchants in Kaoshan City. Indeed, some valuable medicinal materials were lost from their home, the most precious of which was a Nether Sea Golden Lotus.

The initial judgment was murder for wealth. The government had immediately sealed off Kaoshan City and offered a large reward for the whereabouts of the perpetrator and the Nether Sea Golden Lotus.

Kaoshan City is adjacent to Zhennan Region Mountain. Many cultivators have been adventuring in Zhennan Region Mountain for years as herb gatherers, and the rare treasures they collect are resold in the city. Therefore, there are many medicinal merchants like the victims in Kaoshan City. With this sudden case, everyone in the city felt insecure.

The government also attached great importance to the case.

"Nether Sea Golden Lotus..."

After reading the notice, Chu Liang muttered the name.

He seemed to have heard the "Sha" in the Soul Domain space mention it before. To cultivate to the third layer of the Five Elements Realm, he needed Yin-attributed and Water-attributed rare treasures to refine. Among them, Nether Sea Demon Creatures were a very suitable choice.

This Nether Sea Golden Lotus was one such item.

Being able to help a Fifth Realm cultivator break through shows that it is indeed a valuable treasure.

Moreover, this item originates from south of the Southern Region, growing in the Nether Sea in the extreme south. It is quite rare near Zhennan Region Mountain.

"I really can't sense his whereabouts anymore," Yun Chaoxian tried several more times, and the Heavenly Sound Wave indeed had no response.

The echo at the crime scene earlier was the Divine Envoy deliberately luring him into a trap.

"It's okay, this time he was too clever for his own good," Chu Liang analyzed. "He most likely reported the crime himself after killing the people, originally intending to throw you out to attract the attention of the officials, so that he could both get rid of your tracking and escape in the chaos. But... we didn't fall into his trap. The officials didn't catch a suspect and chose to immediately seal the city."

"The city gates weren't open when the crime occurred, so he had no chance to escape. That Divine Envoy is probably also sealed inside the city at this time."

"If he tries to escape Kaoshan City by force, unless he has some secret channel, he will definitely attract the attention of the officials. As a demon, he shouldn't take such a risk within the Yu Dynasty. Before that, we still have a chance to catch him in the city."

Yun Chaoxian stared at the calmly narrating Chu Liang with his wide, ox-like eyes, feeling that if he missed one step, he couldn't understand anything.

But after Chu Liang finished speaking, he immediately nodded, "Brother Chu is right... it's pretty much what I was thinking."

Then he lowered his head and pondered for a long time, still unable to resist asking, "So, where should we go to catch him?"

"Let me think, there's always a way," Chu Liang said calmly.

After Yun Chaoxian left, he didn't rack his own brain but instead took out the Soul Restraining Order.

Whether it was the government or them, they were considered forces of the righteous path.

Their perspective was ultimately limited.

To investigate this kind of matter, he might still need to ask his brothers on the dark path.

So he extended his divine sense into the Soul Restraining Order and proactively sent out a message.

[Fifty-eight]: "Esteemed Sha, your subordinate has found some information about the Nether Sea Demon Creatures and learned that a Nether Sea Golden Lotus is currently in Kaoshan City. However, the specific location is unknown. I wonder if I could seek some help from fellow disciples?"