Fangxian Dao

"But isn't your daughter already dead?"

"She isn't!" Wang Wu's face twisted in agony.

He lowered his voice, struggling to confess the truth to Chen Jin: "My girl... she caught a strange disease. Now... she's neither human nor ghost... She needs the flesh and blood of the living to stay stable."

"But I'm just a lowly squad leader; how could I possibly keep getting 'legal' blood-food? I'm truly... being driven mad."

Wang Wu knelt in the dust, his voice raspy with shame: "That day... after I captured the culprit who 'stole the tribute' and threw him into the dungeon, I... I had evil thoughts. I figured since he could heal instantly, cutting off a bit of meat wouldn't hurt, and perhaps it could save Nuonuo..."

He slammed a fist into the ground, his knuckles splitting and bleeding instantly, yet he seemed not to feel it at all.

"But I... I approached with a blade and cut the flesh from his arm... that wound showed no signs of healing at all! The blood poured out like a fountain, and he screamed in agony... At that moment, I was completely baffled."

Wang Wu looked up, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Chen Jin.

"Until today... until I saw the wound on your hand! I understand everything now! I grabbed the wrong person!"

"Heifu... no, whoever you are... I, Wang Wu, swear to the heavens, I will never leak a shred of your identity!"

"Whatever your goal is, you are still Heifu to me!"

"I only beg you... please, have mercy, spare a little... just a little bit of flesh for me... save my daughter! She can't hold on much longer!"

Chen Jin watched the broken man in silence.

"Take me to see her." Chen Jin finally spoke.

As if hearing a royal decree, Wang Wu scrambled to his feet, stumbling as he led the way.

His home was also near the city wall, slightly larger than Heifu's, but far darker and more deathly silent. The air was thick with a strange stench, a mixture of rot and medicinal herbs.

Wang Wu's hands trembled as he unlocked the inner chamber.

The moment the door opened, an even more pungent smell of decay rushed out.

The room was dim. A little girl, looking about seven or eight years old, sat quietly in the corner of the bed, hugging her knees.

She wore a clean little dress, her face delicate and carved like a porcelain doll. Her large eyes, which should have been clear and bright, were now veiled in a gray mist, lacking focus.

If not for her unnaturally pale skin and the faint aura of death radiating from her, she would be no different from any other cute child.

Hearing the movement, she slowly raised her head to look at Wang Wu. Her small lips parted slightly, revealing two fangs that were much sharper and longer than a normal person's.

"Daddy..." Her voice was soft and sweet, yet carried a hollow quality. "You're back... Nuonuo is so hungry... The meat at home has all gone rotten, it doesn't taste good..."

The scene was so eerie it sent a chill down one's spine.

Chen Jin's gaze swept quickly across the corner of the room.

Several rough burlap sacks were piled there. The openings were loose, vaguely revealing the contents... they were, shockingly, the remains of the missing middleman and the fat merchant.

They had clearly been gnawed on quite a bit; the sight was nauseating.

Since he had been exposed, Chen Jin couldn't be bothered to keep up the charade.

He stopped hiding his aura and asked:

"How did you drag these two corpses back without anyone noticing? Are the 'Law Eyes' in the sky just for show?"

Seeing Chen Jin cut straight to the point, Wang Wu stiffened, then revealed a faint smile.

He lowered his voice:

"You may not know this. It is true that His Majesty holds the highest authority over the Law Eyes, but there are billions of lives in Great Qin, and countless trivial matters occur every day. How could His Majesty oversee everything personally? Most of the time, the Law Eyes are merely 'recording,' not 'scrutinizing'."

He pointed to the Identity Tablet at his waist: "As City Patrol Guards, especially squad leaders, we are tasked with maintaining the Law Eye operations in our sectors and performing initial screenings. For ordinary petty crimes, if no one reports them, the footage often piles up like a mountain, unexamined."

"That day, after I cleared the scene, I used the excuse of 'cleaning up filth to prevent disease' to invoke [Law Enforcement] authority, briefly diverting the focus of the Law Eyes in that area... then I used a cart to drag them back..." His voice grew quieter.

Chen Jin understood instantly.

Right. When they captured the Shark Person "Xi," Wang Wu had diverted the Law Eye's gaze to cover their tracks.

He just hadn't expected that this "Law Enforcement" authority could be manipulated to such an extent when there were no reports filed.

It was nearly a form of localized "information shielding."

And when he had used [Law Enforcement] authority before, it must have been because his clearance wasn't high enough, which had triggered forced collaborative enforcement from nearby teammates.

The "freedom" of the two levels of authority was vastly different.

Wang Wu's operation was something only a veteran official familiar with Qin Law could pull off. If he could assist Chen Jin, then he would have a degree of freedom to move about on this fruit.

This deal was worth making.

As his thoughts raced, Chen Jin reached a decision.

He nodded slightly: "Fine, I will help you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Wu nearly wept with joy. He was so excited he moved to kneel again, but Chen Jin stopped him with a raised hand.

Chen Jin didn't act immediately, instead casting his gaze once more toward the eerily quiet little girl, Nuonuo, on the bed.

Deep, black ripples spread silently in his eyes.

Glance of the Startled Swan activated!

Name: Wang Nuonuo

Status: Corpse-fied (Neither dead, nor alive)

Skills: Impermanence Step, Resurrection of the Remains, Wonderful Method of Life Extension

Note: One of the failed experiments in Fangxian Dao's pursuit of "immortal flesh." The soul is forcibly locked within a decaying body via secret arts; it must continuously consume the essence, blood, and flesh of the living to prevent the form from rotting.

Fangxian Dao?

Chen Jin chewed over the term in his mind.

The information stream from Ren Tu projected onto his retinas at the perfect moment, filling in the gaps in his knowledge:

[Fangxian Dao]

[Origin]: Originated in the Yan and Qi regions during the Warring States period, flourishing during the Qin and Han dynasties.

[Core Tenet]: The pursuit of immortality and achieving divinity through the physical body. They believe that in the East Sea lie the three divine mountains of Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, home to immortals and the elixir of life.

[Methods]: Alchemy, stove-worship, seeking immortals, guided breathing, waiting for spirits, observing qi, and fasting. Their alchemy often involves gold, stone, lead, and mercury; it is cryptic and unpredictable, frequently tied closely to imperial power.

[Current Status]: After Qin unified the world, a large number of alchemists gathered in Xianyang, enjoying the deep trust of the First Emperor. Their status is transcendent; they often stand alongside high-ranking officials and even participate in confidential state affairs, wielding immense influence.

As the information was digested, the strange light in Chen Jin's eyes faded.

He turned to Wang Wu: "Captain Wang, how did you come into contact with people from Fangxian Dao?"

Wang Wu had been focused entirely on whether Chen Jin was about to unleash some "divine ability," so he was taken aback by the abrupt question. A flash of confusion crossed his face: "Fangxian Dao?

Are you referring to... those alchemists?

His Majesty pursues immortality, so the alchemists are currently well-regarded at court and stand alongside the high officials.

I serve at the county office, so naturally, I know a few gentlemen who understand alchemy.

Why do you ask?"

Chen Jin watched his expression and continued to press: "Do you interact with them often?"

Wang Wu shook his head, his tone certain: "I am busy with official duties and have no deep friendship with them. We are merely acquaintances who nod when we pass..."

He stopped mid-sentence, as if he had suddenly remembered something. His eyes shifted violently, revealing a look of shock and uncertainty: "...Wait! If you insist on contact... quite a few alchemists came the day Nuonuo was buried! A few of them were even specifically invited by the County Magistrate, who claimed they were there to perform rites and pray for her peace in the next life!"

Once the words were out, even Wang Wu was stunned. A terrifying association formed uncontrollably in his mind, causing his face to turn deathly pale and his lips to tremble, yet he could not bring himself to ask another word.