Anger

Half a month passed.

The moon was bright, and stars were sparse.

Li Qing Feng sat cross-legged, Refining Essence into Qi.

He had a premonition that perhaps in another month or so, he could break through to the Qi Condensation Second Layer.

This speed was undoubtedly something his inherent talent did not possess.

It was entirely thanks to the black, egg-sized bead provided by Ghost Brother.

Recalling the first time he ate it, he couldn't bring himself to swallow it, even doubting if the thing was edible at all, or if it would choke him.

It would be troublesome if it got stuck.

Unexpectedly, it melted upon entering his mouth, transforming into pure spiritual energy, most of which settled in his Dantian.

Half a month's time saved him roughly half a year of hard work.

It even made Li Qing Feng feel somewhat unreal.

Following the route the five bandits had taken, he found the Flying Tiger Stronghold and wiped out the entire寨.

After executing the main culprit, Li Qing Feng did not personally take action again.

The remaining small fry were killed by the Yin Soul Ghost Creatures he released, their Living Souls dragged out and absorbed into the Venerable Soul Banner.

After annihilating the Flying Tiger Stronghold, he conveniently also destroyed the Wild Wolf Stronghold.

These two major bandit groups entrenched in Black Solitary Mountain disappeared inexplicably, without even leaving behind corpses.

Immortal Masters were too powerful for ordinary people.

Even so-called experts were like ants in the eyes of Qi Refiners.

Having gained Blood Fiend Qi and Living Souls, Tu Shan Jun's strength reached the Qi Condensation Fifth Layer.

Of course, he couldn't manifest and fight for extended periods.

It still depended on the depth of the Banner Master's Magic Power.

If there wasn't enough Magic Power to support his body's manifestation, he could only release other minor ghosts.

After undergoing the baptism of blood and fire, a hint of sternness appeared between Li Qing Feng's brows.

Opening his eyes, Li Qing Feng's eyes flickered with Spiritual Light, a look of worry flashing within them: "I wonder how Father and Mother are doing."

Li Qing Feng knew the Master Soul Evil Ghost had become stronger.

Because he needed more Magic Power to summon the Master Soul Evil Ghost.

Now his cultivation had advanced greatly.

Even if he couldn't defeat that Immortal Master, he could still leave calmly.

He still had to go back and see.

He wouldn't be at ease if he didn't.

Having been away from home for so long, his elders at home must be extremely anxious by now.

Tu Shan Jun within the banner did not stop Li Qing Feng.

With his current strength at the Qi Condensation Fifth Layer, if he faced that young Immortal Master again, it was truly uncertain who would win or lose.

At worst, there were only thieves for a thousand days, but no defense against thieves for a thousand days.

As long as Zhang Wan Long was killed, everything would be settled.

Great Liang was facing severe internal and external problems, and the new Prefect would not investigate Li Qing Feng.

Either they would find an excuse of sudden illness, or they would grab a scapegoat from the death row, take them to the execution ground, and be done with it.

Li Qing Feng tucked the Venerable Soul Banner into his clothes, fastened his sword hairpin, and walked out of the Mountain God Temple under the cover of night.

After two steps, he suddenly turned back.

Looking at the temple where he had lived for half a month and which had provided much shelter, Li Qing Feng smiled: "It's time for some repairs."

As his voice fell, he had already turned and left.

Dark clouds covered the moon, a vast dark night.

Li Qing Feng took two steps, and like a rabbit and a falcon, he leaped over the Prefecture City wall that was difficult for ordinary people to cross.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Li Qing Feng did not use the main gate.

He knocked on the door knocker on the side gate.

A stretch of silence.

Terribly silent.

Li Qing Feng frowned slightly; the steward wasn't asleep at this time.

Even if the steward was asleep, his annex was very close to the side gate.

Five Treasures, upon hearing the door knocker, would definitely come to investigate.

"Five Treasures sleeps really soundly," Li Qing Feng said with a smile.

He suddenly leaped up and flipped directly over the side gate.

The moment he landed, the smile on Li Qing Feng's face instantly vanished.

With a boom, Li Qing Feng felt his brain explode.

His eyes were wide, still immersed in shock.

His body trembled like a sieve.

Before his eyes, the lingering fresh blood had not yet been washed away, and the thick smell of gore fiercely drilled into Li Qing Feng's nose and mouth.

Li Qing Feng scrambled into his parents' bedroom.

He tore off the seal on the door and crashed into the room.

It was empty.

He painstakingly opened all the side rooms, letting the moonlight from the sky shine in.

There was nothing.

No one was there, and everything valuable had been cleared out.

Inside the banner, Tu Shan Jun's expression was grim.

Something had happened to the Li family.

But there were no bodies.

Without bodies, they couldn't conclude that everyone in the Li Manor was dead.

Tu Shan Jun was an outsider; he saw things more clearly.

If the Prefectural Manor had truly been behind this, they wouldn't have killed Father Li and Mother Li without finding Li Qing Feng first.

These were two very useful bargaining chips.

Killing Father Li and Mother Li would only make Li Qing Feng lose his mind, and if they couldn't catch Li Qing Feng, it would lead to endless trouble.

"Where is the flaw?" Tu Shan Jun mused.

During the Dream Entry, he had killed Advisor Sun to eliminate future problems.

Advisor Sun, who knew so much information, had become the person most capable of keeping secrets.

And when facing Zhang Wan Long and his son directly, he hadn't revealed any flaws, nor had his face been seen.

In that state, they could only conduct a city-wide search.

As long as Father Li and Mother Li weren't fools, they would never mention their son's disappearance at this critical juncture.

Being able to become major landowners and control many shops, Father Li and Mother Li were very shrewd; they wouldn't make such a mistake. They wouldn't bring trouble upon themselves.

The anomaly in the Venerable Soul Banner brought Li Qing Feng back to his senses slightly.

Only the Prefectural Manor could take everyone from the Li family in the Prefecture City.

The gangs in the Prefecture City couldn't, and neither could the other powerful families and gentry.

He had to enter the Prefectural Manor again.

The black jade of the Venerable Soul Banner felt cool to the touch, and Li Qing Feng changed into his night-traveling clothes.

Restrain urgency and endure.

The more crucial the moment, the less he could panic.

Panicking would lead to mistakes.

Mistakes would cost him his life.

He couldn't lose his life.

At least not before confirming the life and death of the Li family members.

In the vast darkness, the bright moon shone.

The brightly lit Prefectural Manor was heavily guarded.

Soldiers in black armor patrolled in fives, rotating their shifts.

Zhang Wan Long ate and slept in the central hall of the Prefectural Manor, wearing armor and protected by a hundred guards.

Even so, he still didn't feel safe.

In the side hall of the Prefectural Manor, Advisor Song ate dried fruit and flipped through files.

In the past half month, this was already the fifth family he had reviewed.

However, this family was a bit special, as it wasn't a household they had found to be connected to those four people, but rather one obtained through other channels.

In the end, they were just souls claimed by the blade. Now, it was merely a matter of sorting through their identities and household registrations.

However, upon seeing the household registration of the scholar named Li Qing Feng, Advisor Song frowned. This was a legitimate Cultivated Talent from the imperial examinations.

Now that Zhang Wan Long had clearly gone mad, Advisor Song couldn't help but begin to re-evaluate his current position.

Once Zhang Wan Long failed, or perhaps if Zhang Wan Long was resisted by all the gentry in the Prefecture City and ultimately ousted, would he have a good end?

Where was his way out?

Now they even dared to raise their blades against a Cultivated Talent's family. It was hard to guarantee that more people wouldn't die.

With the large-scale slaughter of the common people, the Prefecture City would incite public resentment.

When the outrage reached a boiling point, he feared they would all die without a burial place.

Zhang Wan Long was driven mad by the death of his son.

But he didn't want to go mad; he still had a bright future ahead of him.

"Among all the people whose identities were verified, Li Qing Feng wasn't one of them?"

"Did he go out to study and visit friends, or did he go to the Great Capital?"

"If he went to the Great Capital, that's troublesome." Advisor Song mused.

He had originally intended to seize this opportunity to rise in position. Now he was indeed sitting in the position previously held by Advisor Sun, wielding great power, but it was also a path to disaster.

"Don't move."

The speaker's voice was very light.

Yet the blade at his neck was unusually cold.

It made Advisor Song shiver involuntarily.

He wanted to turn his head and look, but he forcibly stopped himself, his body stiff in his seat: "Mercy, good sir."

"I ask, you answer."

How could Advisor Song dare to refute? He quickly responded, even feeling fortunate that he was useful: "Please ask, good sir. I will tell you everything I know, without holding anything back."

"What exactly happened to the Li family in the south of the city?" The suppressed voice, even to someone unfamiliar, could detect the coldness within it.

Advisor Song's eyes widened, his voice trembling: "You..."

"I said, I ask, you answer."

The blade pressed harder.

The skin on Advisor Song's neck had already been cut open, and blood flowed down the wound.

The warm blood made Advisor Song even more terrified.

"Zhang Wan Long's own son died, he's gone mad. As long as someone provides information, he'd rather kill the wrong person than let anyone go."

"The Li family, except for the scholar who went out, has no one left alive."

The only four words that were finally imprinted in Li Qing Feng's mind were.

No one left alive!

"Ah!"

Li Qing Feng roared to the sky, his eyes splitting with rage.

He violently swung his long sword.

Advisor Song's head fell in response.

At the same time, Li Qing Feng had already rushed out of the side hall, heading straight for the central hall of the Prefectural Manor.