Heart Inquiry

"Master, have you forgotten that Shuidu Order?"

Zeng Anmin's expression did not change as he met the instructor's gaze.

The Shuidu Order!!

The moment those words left his mouth, the Master's scalp went numb.

A jolt like electrocution spread from his tailbone straight into his mind.

He looked at Zeng Anmin, unable to speak for a moment.

"The Shuidu Order..."

The Master was silent for a long while before raising his head, his expression complicated.

"If the murderer's target was the Shuidu Order... then it does make sense logically."

To prevent theft, the Academy's Library of Past Sages had specifically invited masters from the capital's Profound Formation Division to set up an array.

To pass through that array unscathed, one could only use a Shuidu Order as the key.

Yet it was precisely because of the array's limitations that it could not create a unique Shuidu Order tailored to every individual...

Therefore, in theory, anyone carrying a Shuidu Order could enter the Library of Past Sages whenever they wished.

But Zhang Lun was a student of Shuidu Academy!

Who could have expected someone to risk the heavens' wrath and murder a man over a single Shuidu Order!

It was no different from viciously slapping every teacher and student of Shuidu Academy across the face.

It was even like smearing a lump of dog shit across the Dean's face.

Zeng Anmin looked toward the corpse.

He noticed a detail.

Beside the corpse's hand was an unfinished symbol...

Though it was only a few strokes, it was clear enough to make out.

It was the emblem of the Xuanjing Division.

"This emblem..."

Zeng Anmin's brows knitted tightly together.

He could follow the threads and deduce a portrait of the murderer, but he could not yet see through Zhang Lun's intentions behind this emblem.

Could the murderer be someone from the Xuanjing Division?

Zeng Anmin quickly rejected that thought.

Their statuses were worlds apart; there was simply no connection to be made.

"Zhang Lun was of noble character and had never committed evil. Slain unjustly by villains, he must have died unwilling. Drawing this emblem before his death, he likely wished for Heaven's justice to shine bright, for the Xuanjing Division to solve the case swiftly, and to restore a clear and radiant world for him."

Seeing the emblem and Zhang Lun's unclosed eyes, the Master felt an inexplicable pang in his heart. His voice was hoarse.

That explanation did make sense.

Zeng Anmin nodded thoughtfully.

With grief on his face, the Master deeply bowed to Wang Daoyuan beside him.

"Patrol Guard Wang, I beg you to bring the villain to justice!"

"Master, you flatter me. I will certainly give it my all!"

Seeing the Master bow to him, Wang Daoyuan was flattered and quickly helped him up.

Then bitterness rose faintly in his heart.

He had thought it was merely a murder born of vengeance. Who would have imagined that after Zeng Anmin's analysis, it would instantly rise to the matter of Shuidu Academy's reputation?

He could already foresee how much pressure Shuidu Academy would put on the authorities if this case remained unsolved...

"What must be done now is to search the entire city. As long as we find the Shuidu Order, we can follow the vine to find the melon and track down the murderer."

The Master looked solemnly at Wang Daoyuan and continued, "If you encounter difficulties, this old man still has some standing with Commander Wang of the Xuanjing Division!"

Wang Daoyuan's eyes lit up. If he could use Commander Wang's connections, it would certainly make things more convenient for them.

"There is no need to make it so troublesome."

Zeng Anmin spoke calmly.

Hm?

Wang Daoyuan and the instructor both turned to look at Zeng Anmin.

"It has only been two days since Zhang Lun obtained the Shuidu Order. Apart from the Academy's students, news of it could never have spread outside."

Zeng Anmin's gaze settled on Wang Daoyuan and the instructor.

"Moreover, Brother Tongyu was not one to show off. Other than those close to him, he would not have mentioned this matter to anyone."

"So, we must investigate from two directions now."

"Which two directions?"

Wang Daoyuan stared blankly at Zeng Anmin and asked instinctively.

"First, investigate Brother Tongyu's close acquaintances and see whether he told any of them about this."

"Second, investigate the Academy's students."

A sharp glint flashed in Zeng Anmin's eyes.

"The focus should be on students who have martial artists serving as guards at their side."

He had hit the nail on the head!

In just a few sentences, Zeng Anmin had turned this extremely thorny unsolved case into an ordinary case with a trail to follow.

The moment those words were spoken, Wang Daoyuan's eyes brightened.

He himself had come from the Xuanjing Division's ranks of Colonels.

Naturally, he possessed some skill in handling and investigating cases.

Though he could not organize all these clues as clearly and instantly as Zeng Anmin could,

he believed that given a few days, he would have thought of it as well.

Then Wang Daoyuan abruptly turned to the Master.

"Let us do it this way! We still need your help, Master."

The Master narrowed his eyes slightly. He first gave Zeng Anmin a long, deep look, then nodded and said in a grave voice,

"If that is the case, I will personally invite the Dean to conduct a Heart Inquiry."

"Thank you, Master!" Wang Daoyuan immediately bowed.

Once practitioners of the Confucian Path reached the Middle Three Ranks, they would gain an effect similar to a "staff strike to the head."

By channeling Vast Righteous Qi and shouting at someone,

those whose wills were not firm would pour out every wrongdoing they had committed like beans tumbling from a bamboo tube.

The higher one's Confucian cultivation realm, the more profound this technique became.

If Dean Qin Shouchang could act, this case would become much simpler.

"Good!" Zeng Anmin nodded slowly.

"He never mentioned the Shuidu Order to any close acquaintances."

Inside the Academy dormitory.

Zeng Anmin listened to Wang Daoyuan's report without saying anything.

He merely tapped his index finger lightly against the tabletop, tap tap.

For a moment, Wang Daoyuan did not know what to do with his hands or feet. He rubbed his hands together, his peripheral vision darting around.

The Governor's son was studying at the Academy under a hidden identity.

This was the first time he had encountered something like this.

"Mm."

Zeng Anmin slowly raised his head. "Then we shall see how the Dean's Heart Inquiry goes."

Time passed quickly.

All one hundred and thirty-six students of Shuidu Academy were gathered on a stretch of grass.

Everyone looked up at the old man standing atop the platform.

The old man wore a long robe, his gaze dark and gloomy.

A ruler was clasped in his withered hand as his eyes examined the students one by one.

He was none other than Shuidu Academy's Dean, Air Force Number One in the Xianxia World, Qin Shouchang.

By now, nearly every student had received word of Zhang Lun's death.

They were all whispering among themselves below.

"Silence!"

No one knew what method Qin Shouchang had used, but the moment he opened his mouth, it was like thunder exploding.

The entire scene fell silent at once.

"I presume you all know what has happened."

Qin Shouchang's face was gloomy as he slowly descended from the platform.

Yes.

Everyone knew.

And a sense of danger now hung over everyone.

Zhang Lun's death also reflected a problem from the side.

Shuidu Academy did not seem to be as safe as legend claimed.

And that had touched the Academy's bottom line.

Therefore, Qin Shouchang harbored a fury with nowhere to vent. Expressionless, he continued,

"All of you must cooperate with this old man and root out the murderer."

"Whoever resists will share the murderer's guilt!"

No one spoke.

Such a vile incident had also united the students in hatred against a common enemy.

Someone even stepped forward first and faced Qin Shouchang, declaring loudly,

"Root out the murderer and restore a clear and radiant world for Brother Tongyu!!"

"Root out the murderer!!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

Seeing so many students burning with passion,

Qin Shouchang's expression eased slightly.