The Smiling Death Incident

Jizhou Prefecture, Qingcheng

Upon learning the location of his assessment mission, Wei Qing wasted no time. He spurred his horse and rode straight for Qingcheng.

This mission was his alone to undertake.

Such was the iron rule of the Heavenly Realm Division.

During the assessment period, if the Inspection Department deemed any act of cheating, the Warden's identity would be stripped immediately, with no room for appeal.

The Heavenly Realm Division comprised four major branches: the Prison Suppression Department, the Guardian Department, the Inspection Department, and the Night Owl Department.

The Prison Suppression Department specialized in suppressing demons and heretical martial artists imprisoned in the great jails.

The Guardian Department bore the duty of slaying demons, eliminating evil, and capturing felons, safeguarding peace in their domains.

The Night Owl Department excelled in intelligence gathering and transmission, with informants spread across the land.

The Inspection Department, meanwhile, oversaw all levels of assessment, resource allocation, and branch patrol authority.

Inspection Envoys were renowned for their unwavering impartiality.

Before them, even a Warden had to yield three points of respect.

Once a law was broken, the consequences ranged from identity revocation to cultivation crippling, or even summary execution!

Four days later.

Wei Qing finally arrived at Qingcheng.

Unlike the bustle of the capital, Qingcheng felt considerably more desolate.

Still, these matters were for the local Magistrate to handle.

His sole purpose here was one—to slay the demon wreaking havoc in this land.

Beyond that, nothing concerned him.

Presenting his identity token.

Wei Qing strode directly through the county office gates.

Upon learning of his arrival, the Qingcheng Magistrate hurried out to greet him.

"This official is Fang Youting. May I ask your esteemed name?"

"Heavenly Realm Division Intern Warden, Wei Qing."

Wei Qing returned the greeting with a cupped fist, his gaze subtly appraising the Magistrate before him.

Before coming here, he had already committed Qingcheng's intelligence to memory.

Fang Youting, a Presented Scholar of Great Zhou's Jin Kang Year 3, had once served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Later, for speaking bluntly in remonstrance, he incurred Emperor Jin Kang's wrath and was exiled to this remote Qingcheng.

Upon taking office, he governed with diligence, personally leading the people to reclaim wasteland and build irrigation works. In just a few years, he revitalized this border town.

Even more astonishing—

During his fifteen-year tenure, Fang Youting twice declined Emperor Ming Xing's promotion edicts, willingly remaining in this barren land.

When ordinary men received imperial favor, who wouldn't flock to it?

Those who could resist such temptation were likely few and far between under heaven.

As Wei Qing sized up Fang Youting, Fang Youting was likewise sizing up Wei Qing.

After only a moment, Fang Youting withdrew his gaze, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"So it's Lord Wei of the Heavenly Realm Division! My lord has traveled a long and dusty road; you must be quite weary." Fang Youting clasped his hands in a bow, then immediately turned to give orders: "Someone, quickly prepare—"

"No need." Wei Qing raised a hand to cut him off, his voice soft but brooking no dissent. "I've already eaten dry rations on the road. First, tell me about the demon."

At this, Fang Youting's warmth grew even more pronounced: "Lord Wei's concern for the people truly sets an example for us all."

"This official will immediately arrange for someone to brief you on the case in detail."

With that, he turned and called toward the door: "Someone."

"What are your orders, my lord?"

The yamen runner stationed at the door stepped forward, cupped his fist, and bowed in inquiry.

"Go summon Captain Zhu."

"Yes."

The runner accepted the order and withdrew.

As he stepped back, Fang Youting raised his hand and said, "Lord Wei, please follow me to the inner hall to wait."

Inside the yamen's inner hall.

While a maidservant served tea.

A middle-aged man of sturdy build, dressed as a constable with a long blade at his waist, stepped into the inner hall.

"Lord Fang."

"Captain Zhu, please, sit."

Fang Youting raised a hand and gestured toward Wei Qing as he introduced:

"This is Lord Wei Qing of the Heavenly Realm Division. Zhu Huan is the head constable of Qingcheng's patrolmen, having served as captain for seven years—aside from myself, he is the longest-serving member of the yamen staff."

"Lord Wei, during your time in Qingcheng, you may direct any questions to Captain Zhu."

As Fang Youting spoke, Wei Qing was already observing Zhu Huan.

Or rather, the moment the man entered the inner hall, he had sensed the surging vitality in Zhu Huan's blood and qi.

A peak Ninth-Rank Martial Artist, even slightly stronger than Chen Dong—likely to break through to the Eighth Rank within two months.

Wei Qing clasped his hands in greeting: "A pleasure to meet you, Captain Zhu. I'll be troubling you quite a bit in the days ahead."

"Lord Wei, you're far too kind." Zhu Huan, flattered and a little overwhelmed, hurriedly returned the gesture: "Whatever this subordinate knows or can manage, I will speak without reservation and fully cooperate with you, my lord."

No matter where one went.

Members of the Heavenly Realm Division commanded immense status.

Even a magistrate had to treat them with courtesy—let alone a lowly captain like himself.

More importantly—

He could not sense even a trace of Wei Qing's cultivation fluctuation.

As a garrison envoy of the Heavenly Realm Division, the first threshold was martial cultivation. Without being a martial artist, one could not even qualify for the assessment.

Given the situation, there was only one explanation: Lord Wei Qing's cultivation far surpassed his own.

At that thought.

Zhu Huan dared not show any lapse in propriety.

Wei Qing tapped his fingers lightly on the table: "The Heavenly Realm Division received intelligence that demonic activity has recently plagued the Qingcheng area. I would ask Captain Zhu to provide a detailed account."

Zhu Huan took a deep breath, cupped his fists, and replied: "To answer you, my lord, this matter began ten days ago. A woman from Dragon Cave Village in Fuyun Town reported that her husband had died suddenly without cause. The strange part was that the deceased's face was serene, with even a faint smile lingering at the corners of his mouth."

"In the following days, seven or eight villages—Linxi Village, Yang Village, Zhou Family Village, and others—filed successive reports. All the deceased had died with that same smiling expression."

"I personally led men to investigate. The coroner examined them repeatedly—no external injuries, no signs of poisoning."

"Our first thought was that some demon was at work."

"What's more terrifying is that the death toll increases daily, and it has now spread to over a dozen surrounding villages."

Inside the inner hall.

Wei Qing sat there, listening to Zhu Huan finish. He compared the account with the information in the Black Scroll—there was almost no discrepancy.

"After those deaths, did any other unusual occurrences take place?"

"There were." Zhu Huan's Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke with difficulty: "Eighteen... eighteen corpses... vanished into thin air."

His voice carried a note of tension: "At the time, we stationed four shifts of yamen runners at the funeral hall, guarding it day and night. But the eerie thing was—no one saw any sign of a body thief, nor did they hear the slightest sound."

"Because of this, three runners have already buckled under the pressure, preferring to quit their posts rather than keep the night watch."

A sharp glint flashed in Wei Qing's eyes, as if he had grasped something.

He turned to Fang Youting: "Lord Fang, please have someone retrieve the birth dates and times of all the deceased."

"This subordinate will see to it at once." Fang Youting clasped his hands in acknowledgment.

Before long, a yamen runner hurried in, carrying a thick ledger.

Wei Qing took it and opened it, finding neatly recorded entries:

[Li Daniu, of Dragon Cave Village, born Jin Kang Year 1, Fifth Day of the Fifth Month, Hour of the Horse, fourth quarter]

[Chen Feng, of Yang Village, born Kai Yuan Year 19, Summer Solstice, Hour of the Snake, third quarter]

[Chen Fan, of Yan Family Village, born Jin Kang Year 2, Fifteenth Day of the Seventh Month, Hour of the Horse, seventh quarter]

[Zhao Dabao...]

Wei Qing's finger paused, and he murmured under his breath, "Just as I thought..."