The Killer Reveals Himself

"This woman's nerves aren't strong enough. She exposed herself so quickly."

"Once their identity is exposed, they'll die soon enough. The Evil Cultivator players' mission is to kill other players. Since Evil Cultivators aren't protected by the Heavenly Dao and slaughtering innocents can easily lead to Qi Deviation, but killing players won't bring down Heavenly Retribution."

"How did the guy above know that?"

"I've got three livestreams open at once. How do you think I know?"

"I think Tang Yiqian is playing the thief who cries thief. Quite a few players already suspect she killed her own father."

As the footage at the recording site focused on the main hall of the City Lord's Mansion, countless viewers watching the "Heavenly Dao Immortal Hero Game" began analyzing the situation.

Most of the players eliminated earlier had exposed their identities and been murdered by other players.

Righteous cultivators, Evil Cultivators, and Demonic Cultivators—the three factions were opposed to one another.

Investigating murder cases and confronting mysterious experts was far too dangerous.

Compared to that, killing players for points was much easier.

The argument in the hall grew increasingly heated.

Tang Yiqian remained expressionless, coldly watching everyone present as though trying to guess who the real killer was.

A constable pushed through the crowd and strode over.

He looked to be in his early forties, short and stocky, with a saber hanging at his waist.

Staring at Tang Yiqian, he asked in a deep voice, "Miss Tang, do you have any suspects?"

Tang Yiqian shook her head. "Hunter Xu, that person wore a mask. They weren't very tall, but not short either. They were rather thin and weak-looking. It was hard to tell whether they were male or female."

Hunter Xu, the chief constable of Pure Yang City.

Though he was not a cultivator, he was still a martial arts expert.

Hunter Xu swept his gaze across the crowd and said, "The deaths in the City Lord's Mansion have been increasing lately. I suspect this isn't the work of an evil ghost. None of you may leave the City Lord's Mansion after entering it, lest the killer escape. Besides, if there truly is an evil ghost, with so many people gathered here, we'll eventually be able to drive out the Evil Spirit."

"The officers sent by the Imperial Court have already sealed off the City Lord's Mansion. From now on, people may enter, but no one may leave!"

His tone was stern, allowing no objection.

The crowd immediately erupted into commotion.

Staying in the City Lord's Mansion was deeply unsettling.

Yi Xiaofeng followed Wang Yanran into the main hall and happened to hear Hunter Xu's words. He immediately sensed trouble.

No wonder Wang Yanran had called him here. This was the fucking force of the plot.

Wang Yanran hurried over and called out, "Yi Qian, are you all right? I invited Young Master Zhang here. He understands magic and can help drive away evil for you."

Her words caused everyone to turn and look at Yi Xiaofeng.

An ordinary person would surely have been nervous under so many eyes.

But Yi Xiaofeng had lived two lives and was already an old hand with thick skin. He put on a calm front and walked over with the air of a refined gentleman.

Yet before he even reached Tang Yiqian, he could not help coughing.

Everyone's expressions changed.

Was this guy really an expert?

Zeng Shu, Hong Linyu, the bald man, and the players who had met Yi Xiaofeng before all watched in anticipation.

They all believed Yi Xiaofeng was an expert.

Yi Xiaofeng walked up to Tang Yiqian and asked, "Miss Tang, are you all right?"

Seeing the Blood Handprint on Tang Yiqian's chest, he pondered who could have done it.

Based on what he knew so far, Wang Yanran was the most likely suspect.

Of course, it was also possible that he had not yet encountered the real killer.

After all, he had spent most of his time cultivating in his room.

"I'm fine. Young Master Zhang, you must be careful. That person... really seemed to be a ghost. My hands could pass through his body, but he could easily hurt me," Tang Yiqian said, shaking her head.

Those words alarmed everyone.

A ghost?

Yi Xiaofeng frowned slightly as well, unable to tell whether the woman was speaking the truth.

After sizing Yi Xiaofeng up for a while, Hunter Xu dismissed the crowd and told everyone to find a place to stay in the City Lord's Mansion. No one was allowed to leave for the next several days.

Just after leaving the main hall, Zeng Shu and Hong Linyu caught up to him.

"Brother Zhang!"

"Senior!"

They shouted in unison, then looked at each other with displeasure.

Zeng Shu turned to Yi Xiaofeng and continued, "Brother Zhang, let's go together. It's too dangerous to be alone."

"That's what I was thinking too," Hong Linyu added.

Yi Xiaofeng felt that they probably were not together, so he nodded in agreement.

Truthfully, he was afraid too.

Although he was posing as an NPC, he felt that his presence was a little too noticeable. He was very likely in danger.

If he were a Demonic Cultivator or Evil Cultivator, he would rather kill the wrong person than let one slip away.

The three proceeded together, exchanging information along the way.

Yi Xiaofeng spouted nothing but nonsense and did not mention the Wang Family Residence. As for the information from Zeng Shu and Hong Linyu, he only half believed it.

From them, Yi Xiaofeng learned that the Blood Palm Sect and the True Yang Sect had come as well.

The True Yang Sect was a righteous sect in the nearby Cultivation World. The trouble in Pure Yang City had grown too great, and they had no choice but to intervene, sending disciples to investigate.

Quite a few players were probably from the True Yang Sect.

"Looks like my luck is pretty bad..." Yi Xiaofeng was utterly speechless.

His body had been drained of its yang energy and reduced to a useless wreck. He only had two talismans, so even an ordinary person could kill him.

The players reincarnated as sect disciples were different. They had better bodies and even had helpers.

The more Yi Xiaofeng thought about it, the more bitter he felt.

And so, another large-scale search began in the City Lord's Mansion. Everyone trapped within started searching everywhere for clues and the killer.

Dusk arrived.

"Player Hu Xin has been eliminated!"

Another player had been eliminated!

Yi Xiaofeng grew even more nervous.

At that moment, the three of them were searching a courtyard.

Yi Xiaofeng had not seen any red light at all. It seemed the City Lord's Mansion had fewer opportunities than the Wang Family Residence.

Of course, the players might have already looted them all.

"Hehehe—"

A cold chuckle came from outside the gate, instantly raising goosebumps all over Yi Xiaofeng.

He immediately pulled out a Fireball Spell talisman from his robes and cautiously walked outside.

Bang!

Hong Linyu crashed to the ground in a sorry state, vomiting blood that splattered everywhere.

Yi Xiaofeng turned his head and saw a black-clad figure standing atop the stone arch at the courtyard entrance. The figure was rather thin and wore an opera monkey mask, his right hand hanging in the air.

Yi Xiaofeng noticed that the black-clad man's right hand was blood-red, as though it had just been pulled from a vat of blood.

Standing across from them in the covered corridor, Zeng Shu urgently shouted, "Brother Zhang, make your move! Otherwise, we're going to die!"

Yi Xiaofeng immediately poured the Spiritual Qi in his body into the talisman and shouted at the same time, "Hold him off for a while first!"

Zeng Shu cursed inwardly when he heard that.

If I had that kind of ability, would I still be standing here watching?

At the same time, the audiences in the three players' livestreams began to surge. News of the killer's appearance quickly spread online, and the recording site promptly switched its broadcast after discovering the situation.

"The killer has appeared again! The three players are in critical danger!" the host shouted nervously, his voice so infectious that the viewers grew tense as well.

Yi Xiaofeng was extremely nervous, but he remained calm and asked in a deep voice, "Why have you continued committing crimes in the City Lord's Mansion? What is your purpose?"

He had never understood it. City Lord Tang was already dead, so why was the killer still slaughtering innocents here?