Jiang Xinglan sent a voice message, reminding him, "That's good. Remember this: if you encounter a preacher, leave immediately! Don't ask why. At your current level, you can't resist a preacher's methods. Keeping yourself alive is what matters most. Understand?"
"Alright, I understand!" Chen Xia replied.
Jiang Xinglan said, "The Chief Office's Criminal Investigation Unit is also looking into this, but most of them are only Grade 1 martial artists and aren't as strong as you. Also, that preacher keeps changing hideouts. We need to capture him alive and use him to drag out the Night God Sect higher-ups behind him, then wipe them out in one fell swoop. That makes things relatively difficult—we can't alert the snake in the grass."
"I'll give you fifteen days. If you still can't uncover anything by then, I'll mobilize the entire Yijiang City Patrol Office, lock down the whole city, and conduct a forced search. It may affect Yijiang City's normal operations, but it's also the fastest way to stop the evil cult from harming residents."
"Fifteen days..."
"Is there a problem?"
"No problem. I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
"Good. I'll wait for your good news!"...
...After ending the chat, Chen Xia's gaze turned thoughtful.
Since the preacher was comparable to a Rank 2 martial artist, he needed to advance to Rank 2 as well. With the Seven Injuries Fist, he should not lose to the other party in terms of Martial Force.
Besides, the preacher's true strength lay in Spirit Techniques. Things like the Blood Shadow Bat, Blood Soul Bewitching Heart, and the final Blood Demon Illusion God could all inflict tremendous damage.
The blood shadow provided reconnaissance and views from multiple angles, allowing one to seize the initiative in battle while also confusing an opponent's sight. The stronger one's blood and qi, the more bats one could condense. As for the blood soul, the Illusion Technique used by Edel's subordinate earlier had already been quite impressive. If Edel used it himself, it would surely be even more terrifying.
But as long as Chen Xia advanced to Rank 2, the Seven Injuries Fist's restraining effect against Yin Evil, together with its ability to keep his mind clear and the Eternal Night Blood Scripture's mental enhancement, meant he would have nothing to fear.
Everyone cultivated the Eternal Night Blood Scripture, but Chen Xia had physical strength. It was still uncertain who would win and who would lose. He had that much confidence. As long as Jiang Xinglan's intelligence was accurate and the other party truly possessed strength comparable to a Rank 2 martial artist, he was not afraid. At the very least, preserving his life would not be a problem.
As for the final Blood Demon Illusion God, Chen Xia did not need to worry either. He believed such a powerful Spirit Technique could not be so easily cast.
"I'll advance to Rank 2 during this period, then obtain the preacher's Spirit Techniques!" After analyzing the situation, Chen Xia had already settled on his plan. He had to acquire those three Spirit Techniques. Otherwise, the Eternal Night Blood Scripture would lose much of its advantage for him.
Moreover, even if he found Edel's hideout, Chen Xia would decide whether to inform the others based on the circumstances. If conditions allowed, it would naturally be better to obtain the Spirit Techniques first.
With that in mind, Chen Xia rode back to the Patrol Inspection Office. He had not planned to stay in the Training Room today. The moment he returned, he received word from the reporting center that many people had died in Alley 12, and they were told to go take a look.
Chen Xia brought Xiao Qiang and the others over in a patrol vehicle. Originally, he had not planned to go, but he still went to take a look. It was best if no flaws were left behind. If there were any, he could help conceal them himself.
Before he had the strength to reveal himself, he did not want it exposed that he was responsible. Of course, even if it was exposed, it would not be a big deal—perhaps it would even count as merit—but it would still be somewhat troublesome. That Edel was not dead yet.
"Quite a few people died. It's horrific!"
"The person who killed them was very strong!"
"Did you see this? That single slash even blasted a crack through the bricks in the wall. It's eight meters long..."
When the group arrived in the alley and saw the bodies lying on the ground, deputy captain Xiao Qiang's expression changed slightly after only a brief examination.
Xiao Qiang crouched by the wall and touched the deep crack several meters long with his right hand. Shock flashed through his eyes. "Xingou Street actually has an expert like this. If this was done by someone from a mercenary group, then Gathering Justice is in for a rough time!"
"Hehe, the wheel of fortune turns... Gathering Justice has started being wiped out by its enemies too," one team member said.
"It might not have been a mercenary group. There may have been someone else."
"Who?"
"How would I know? ..."
The group examined the scene. They had seen plenty of bloody scenes like this and could handle them. Based on the traces at the site, they only felt that the attacker had been formidable. None of them would suspect Chen Xia.
"There's a basement here. Let's go take a look."
The group entered the basement as well. Many things inside had already been burned. The symbols on the walls had turned into scorched black patches, and the blood on the stone platform had long vanished.
"The traces of the Evil Technique have been erased?"
Seeing this, Chen Xia felt that Gathering Justice's people had been fairly efficient.
Perhaps they had also been reluctant to part with that bloodwater.
Blood was originally the source of human life. For those cultivating Evil Techniques, blood was even more important. It could not only quench thirst and stabilize bloodlust, but also replenish what a cultivator consumed. That was why people who cultivated the Eternal Night Blood Scripture were basically Blood Slaves, unable to leave blood behind for their entire lives.
That was the price one paid to obtain power. Yet plenty of people were willing to pay such a price, especially in the current High Martial Era, when the situation was chaotic. One extra measure of strength could also save one's life.
Chen Xia had heard that people in wilderness Mercenary Groups dealt with Exotic Beasts year-round, and some cultivated similar techniques. After all, Exotic Beasts had blood in their bodies too—it did not necessarily have to be human blood.
After confirming that no one had discovered any traces, Chen Xia said in a deep voice, "Xiao Qiang, I'm heading back first. I'll leave this place to you! Handle it properly. If you find any leads, report them to me immediately!"
"Yes, Captain Chen!"...
Chen Xia walked out of the alley. Dressed in a dark black uniform, no one would ever suspect that he was the one responsible.
After returning to the Patrol Inspection Office, he turned on a computer in the duty room and investigated the villages in the southern outskirts that shared the same character in their names. Once he looked into it, he found at least five.
The southern outskirts were vast, with several villages such as Tongxin, Tongyi, and Tongfu Village. Chen Xia could not determine which one it was, but he could investigate them one by one.
But the most urgent task was increasing his strength.
Only with sufficient strength could he investigate such a dangerous mission.
Next, Chen Xia sent a string of messages to Team Five, as well as the street business owners who had given him gifts in the past. He intended to mobilize all of them.
"Keep a close watch on the movements of the Gathering Justice Mercenary Group over the next few days. Report anything at once."
The people who received Chen Xia's messages did not dare neglect the matter. They all began secretly watching the Gathering Justice Mercenary Group. If they obtained any intelligence, they would immediately relay it to Chen Xia.
As for the villages with "Tong" in their names, Chen Xia planned to inspect them himself later. After all, evil cult hideouts were dangerous, and it was enough for him to go.
"Edel is going to hold some kind of ritual. The people from the Gathering Justice Mercenary Group will definitely make a move then, and I can use this time to advance to a Rank 2 martial artist first!"
Chen Xia temporarily stopped worrying about everything else.
That night.
At home, he soaked in the bathtub and took out a tube of white Moon Spirit Essence. After dripping a little into the tub, the entire bathwater seemed to boil, giving off large amounts of steam.
"This is a little uncomfortable..."
Chen Xia also opened a tube of green Life Source Liquid and tilted his head back to drink it all. He immediately felt as though countless ants were biting all over his body. At the same time, the medicinal liquid in the bathwater washed over his skin, bringing waves of coolness. The two medicinal effects continuously stimulated his body, making Chen Xia let out a muffled groan.
In truth, the medicated bath was also very important. Although a martial artist's entire body was strengthened in the early stages, most of that strengthening happened in the muscles, increasing one's power.
With Moon Spirit Essence, Chen Xia's skin and muscles would undoubtedly absorb more nutrients, becoming more solid and gaining greater defensive power.
Some Exotic Beasts in the wilderness had hide tough enough that even bullets could not penetrate it. That was because Exotic Beasts were born with thick fur and hides. Some were even covered head to toe in scales as hard as steel, as if clad in armor, making them difficult to deal with.
The Human Race could also cultivate until the skin and muscles throughout their bodies tightened while in motion, trapping ordinary bullets within the muscles and preventing penetration. Generally speaking, martial artists who reached Rank 2 or above had already begun to possess this basic defensive ability.
It made the muscles and skin all over the body seem to possess a natural layer of protection, able to withstand wounds from blades and firearms.
Sizzle, sizzle...
At that moment, Chen Xia closed his eyes and circulated the Eternal Night Blood Scripture. He felt his skin, muscles, body, and even the blood sun within him continuously improving.
As time passed bit by bit, Chen Xia returned home at the same time every day to cultivate. Twelve days passed like this. He used two tubes of Life Source Liquid, one tube of Moon Spirit Essence, three Lingpo Pills, and ten Qianyang Pills to replenish his body.
Together with the Seven Injuries Fist and Eternal Night Blood Scripture that he never neglected each day, it was as if he were being tempered inside and out in a furnace. His strength changed anew every day, and Chen Xia's cultivation had progressed at a startling pace recently!
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