A Stern Warning

"Notify the County Magistrate's Deputy to temporarily assume the post of Magistrate and handle the yamen's affairs."

"As for what comes next, await the Imperial Court's decree."

"Yes."

After giving his instructions, Wei Qing swung onto his horse and headed toward the Inn along Bluestone Road.

As the sun set, outside the Inn.

"Take care, sir. Watch the steps."

At the Inn entrance, A'Fu, the waiter, supported a diner reeking of alcohol and reminded him softly.

"You little brat, are you looking down on me... urp." The diner suddenly belched, his bleary eyes narrowing wickedly at A'Fu.

"Even if you brought me another jar... I could still drain it..."

"Sir, would you like me to call you a carriage?"

The guest raised a hand to stop him. "No... I'm... only two steps from home."

"Then please walk carefully."

"Go back. No need to see me off."

The guest waved his hand and staggered into the alley across the street.

The waiter returned to the counter. "Shopkeeper..."

Zhang Zhidong raised a hand to cut A'Fu off, then got up and walked toward the entrance. "My lord."

Wei Qing's expression was icy, completely devoid of his usual warmth.

"Take me to the secret chamber."

"Yes."

Zhang Zhidong's heart trembled. For some reason, he sensed an inexplicable chill radiating from Wei Qing.

The instant the hidden door opened, the Bronze Lamp lit itself without wind.

Wei Qing suddenly turned around, his tone severe. "Brother Zhang, are you looking to have tea at the Supervision Division?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhidong looked utterly confused.

"The intelligence the Night Watch Guard previously reported to the Imperial City stated that the demon's strength was at the Eighth-rank initial stage. Correct?"

Zhang Zhidong rapidly ran through the intelligence in his mind, then nodded slightly. "Correct!"

Wei Qing lifted his eyes. "Then why was the demon I encountered in Dragon Cave Village actually at the Eighth-rank middle stage?"

"That would be one thing, but why was there no mention in the intelligence of a Sixth-rank initial stage demon?"

"Nor was there any mention that Fang Xiang, the eldest son of Magistrate Fang, had colluded with demons."

"As the Heavenly Realm Division's eyes and ears, the Night Watch Guard knew nothing of any of this."

Boom!

Zhang Zhidong froze where he stood as though struck by lightning.

Bone-piercing cold shot from his tailbone up his spine and straight to the crown of his head. Cold sweat slid down his forehead and dripped from the tip of his nose.

When the words "Sixth-rank Demon, Fang Xiang colluded with demons" slammed into his ears, his knees instinctively went weak.

It was as though he had already fallen to his knees before the grim gates of the Heavenly Realm Division's Imperial Prison.

Zhang Zhidong's Adam's apple bobbed several times before he squeezed out a broken voice. "M-my lord, please see clearly. Even if the Night Watch Guard had ten thousand times the courage, we would never dare..."

"Two days." Wei Qing abruptly cut him off, leaning forward slightly. "I want a list of everyone else in Qingcheng who has colluded with demons."

"Otherwise, I do not mind replacing every single Night Watch Guard in Qingcheng."

"As the Heavenly Realm Division's eyes and ears, the Night Watch Guard should never have made so many blunders. Brother Zhang, it is time to wake up."

"Fortunately, a mysterious expert happened to pass by this time and dealt with that Sixth-rank Demon."

"Next time, whether your head can remain safely on your neck is another matter."

"Lord Wei, your lesson is well deserved."

Zhang Zhidong nodded obediently, understanding inwardly.

Wei Qing was absolutely not trying to frighten him. Though the Night Watch Guard was an intelligence department and did not need to directly take part in slaying demons—

If their intelligence truly went wrong and caused the Heavenly Realm Division severe losses—

Then—

Forget cutting off his head alone. Even exterminating his entire clan would not be impossible.

"That is all I have to say. Brother Zhang, as long as you understand." Wei Qing had no intention of wasting too much time on this matter.

"My lord, Zhang will remember this favor. Should there ever be a place where you have need of me, I will brave fire and water without hesitation."

Zhang Zhidong solemnly bowed to Wei Qing.

"Later, I will truthfully report Fang Xiang's matter. Whether you can seize this chance to atone for your crimes with merit depends on you."

After saying that, Wei Qing rose and returned to his room.

Once he left the secret chamber, Zhang Zhidong suddenly felt as though he had escaped death by the skin of his teeth.

He then immediately ordered every Night Watch Guard to conduct a carpet search and investigation throughout Qingcheng.

Inside the room.

Wei Qing took out several sheets of white paper and spread them flat before him.

He ground the ink.

He picked up his brush.

Though he had only been in Qingcheng for two days, he had encountered no shortage of incidents.

First there had been the Eighth-rank middle stage demon, then the Sixth-Rank Primary demon, the appearance of the mysterious expert, Fang Xiang's collusion with demons, and the mysterious Sixth Rank black-robed martial artist. So much information had become tangled together.

It made the faint unease in Wei Qing's heart grow stronger and stronger.

He had no choice but to report these matters.

After all—

There were still people from the Supervision Division in the shadows.

Of course, he chose to conceal some things.

He did not mention Zhu Huan's betrayal in his report.

When he fought the Four-tailed Spirit Stream Demonic Cat, the people from the Supervision Division had not appeared at all.

An Eighth Rank fighting a Sixth Rank.

That had already far exceeded the scope of an assessment.

There had to be a reason behind it that he did not know.

That also gave Wei Qing the best reason to conceal information about Zhu Huan.

After spending a quarter of an hour.

He finally finished writing everything he needed to write.

Qi Force surged forth, drying all the ink. He folded the letter, placed it into the bamboo tube he carried with him, then turned and went downstairs into the rear courtyard.

A'Fu had long been waiting there. When he saw Wei Qing approach, he stepped forward and presented a night owl. "My lord, Steward Zhang instructed this subordinate to prepare it."

"Mm."

He securely tied the bamboo tube to the night owl's leg. The faint clink of metal clasps striking each other sounded especially clear in the silent courtyard.

The instant he opened his right hand, the night owl suddenly let out a long cry. Its feathers stirred without wind, its wings snapped open, and it transformed into a black shadow that pierced the night sky, speeding toward the Imperial City.

After returning to his room once more.

Wei Qing took the Marrow Cleansing Pill from the system space and tilted his head back to swallow it.

The instant the pill fell down his throat, it suddenly transformed into countless icy needles.

Wrapped in lightning, the icy needles surged along his Ren and Du meridians into his dantian.

The icy needles gathered in his dantian into a small vortex. Then, as they flowed toward his eight extraordinary meridians, their temperature abruptly soared, becoming as scorching as molten lava.

The two extreme forces rampaged wildly through his body like wild horses that had broken free of their reins.

Wherever the hot current carrying the icy needles passed, thin strands of black impurities seeped from the surface of his skin.

As time passed, the impurities gradually hardened into scabs, followed by a wave of foul stench.

"Oh..."

"This stinks too much."

Wei Qing's figure flashed, and he appeared beside the pond in the rear courtyard before jumping straight in.

The splash rose three feet high. Inky filth poured from his collar, dyeing the entire pond black.

The fish that had been frolicking in the pond rolled belly-up and floated on the surface in the next instant, utterly motionless.

The sound of someone falling into the water immediately drew A'Fu over.

Once he saw that the person in the pond was Wei Qing, he hurried forward to check on him.

"My lord..." Before he could finish, he saw the fish's reaction and the color of the pond water. Recalling the Heavenly Realm Division's records on Marrow Cleansing, his eyes lit up. "Congratulations, Lord Wei, on completing Marrow Cleansing."