Demonic Cult Traces

Jiangning City's teahouses had been exceptionally quiet these past few days.

It was not that Jiang Yuan's storytelling was poor, but that the atmosphere in the city was simply too oppressive.

"Did you hear? Another one died!"

"Who?"

"The head guard of the Wang Family in the east of the city. A master of the Qi Condensation Realm—dead in his own home, every meridian in his body severed!"

"Hiss, how many has that been now?"

"The eighth. They were all martial artists, and they all died the same way!"

"What the hell is the government doing? They still can't catch the culprit?"

"Catch him? How? That murderous fiend comes and goes like a ghost; they can't even touch his shadow!"

At the mention of the murderous fiend that had been appearing so frequently lately, the teahouse patrons shuddered in fear.

Jiang Yuan sat on the platform, holding a tea bowl and sipping from it unhurriedly, his expression unchanged.

He had heard about it as well.

Over the past few days, a mysterious murderous fiend had appeared in Jiangning City, specifically targeting martial artists. After killing them and taking their treasures, he vanished without a trace. Even the authorities were at their wits' end, unable to uncover the slightest lead.

The method sounded very much like the work of the Demonic Cult members Guan Ling and the others were investigating.

Had they come so quickly?

Just as he was thinking this, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the teahouse.

Zhang Yong pushed open the door and rushed in, his face full of anxiety.

"Old Jiang, hurry to the yamen!"

Jiang Yuan glanced at Zhang Yong. "What is it? Can't you see this old man is telling a story?"

"Ah, tell a story my ass!"

Zhang Yong grabbed him and dragged him outside in a panic. "The City Lord's Manor has summoned all its retainers."

"Something big has happened!"

Jiangning City Yamen.

At this moment, more than twenty martial artists had gathered on the training grounds. All of them were jianghu retainers employed by the City Lord's Manor.

Jiang Yuan swept his gaze over them and spotted quite a few familiar faces.

There were several unfamiliar ones as well, and their auras were not weak. It seemed there really was going to be a major operation.

Moreover, according to Zhang Yong, the City Lord's Manor had paid a hefty price this time, offering every person a full hundred spirit stones as compensation!

That was an enormous temptation even for him.

At the front of the crowd, Zhang Ce, commander of the City Lord's Manor guard, wore a grave expression as he said in a deep voice, "Everyone, you have been gathered here today because of the string of murders in the city!"

The crowd exchanged glances.

This matter had already caused a tremendous uproar, and since the targets had all been martial artists, they naturally knew of it long ago.

However, that murderous fiend possessed considerable cultivation. They had heard that even several Under-Heaven Society stewards had been killed. He was at least a master of the Meridian Opening Realm.

Most of those here were Qi Condensation Realm martial artists. They would struggle even to protect themselves, so how could they dare concern themselves with such a matter?

For all they knew, the next butcher's blade might fall upon their own heads.

Zhang Ce swept his gaze over their expressions and continued, "Everyone, this murderous fiend is cruel in his methods and elusive in his movements. I hope you can lend us your full support. The City Lord's Manor will surely reward you handsomely afterward!"

The crowd still hesitated.

Seeing that no one responded, a trace of contempt flashed through Zhang Ce's eyes. He had long guessed that these jianghu retainers were nothing but a bunch of cowardly wretches afraid of death.

They could not be relied upon at all.

Though these people were called retainers of the City Lord's Manor, their relationship was really more of a transaction. Once they encountered genuine, unpredictable danger, they would hesitate to move forward.

He had no idea what the City Lord had been thinking, keeping such a pack of people.

Naturally, he could not say that aloud. He spoke again, "Everyone, this matter is of great importance. The City Lord has ordered that this person must be apprehended within seven days!"

"For that reason, in addition to all of you, the City Lord has specially invited some assistance..."

Before he finished speaking, footsteps sounded from outside the training grounds. Several young people dressed in sect robes walked in.

They were the group from the Azure Profound Sect—Zhao You, Zhang Sheng, Guan Ling, Zhou Yun, and the others.

Seeing them arrive, Zhang Ce greeted them with a smile and introduced them. "Everyone, this is Young Master Zhao of the Azure Profound Sect, a Meridian Opening Realm master."

"The people behind him are also elite disciples of the Azure Profound Sect."

"This time, they will be acting alongside us!"

Zhao You smiled and cupped his hands. "Everyone, I am Zhao You of the Azure Profound Sect. I have come under orders to investigate the Demonic Cult remnants who murdered disciples of my sect."

"This murderous fiend who has appeared recently is very likely the person we are investigating."

"When the time comes, I hope everyone will lend us your full support."

"Of course, of course."

The martial artists returned the salute one after another, all smiles as they let out inward sighs of relief.

This was settled now.

The Azure Profound Sect was a renowned great sect. Being able to act alongside their elite disciples was naturally something they could only wish for.

Perhaps they would not even need to lift a finger before the matter was resolved.

At that moment, Zhou Yun's gaze swept over the crowd, and he suddenly froze.

"Why is this old bastard here?"

Zhou Yun pointed at Jiang Yuan amid the crowd, his face filled with astonishment.

Everyone followed his finger and saw Jiang Yuan standing among them, calm and composed, as if he did not know Zhou Yun and the others at all.

Zhang Ce frowned. "This is Elder Jiang, a retainer employed by the City Lord's Manor. Does Young Master Zhou have some issue with him?"

"Him?"

Zhou Yun's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

That old storyteller was actually a retainer of the City Lord's Manor?

In other words... he was a martial artist?

What kind of joke was this?

"Senior Brother Zhou, do not be rude to Elder Jiang," Guan Ling said with a frown.

When she saw Jiang Yuan here, she had secretly been delighted. With such an expert assisting them, investigating the Demonic Cult would surely yield twice the result with half the effort.

Who would have thought Zhou Yun would be the first to make trouble?

But upon hearing this, Zhou Yun's expression darkened. "Junior Sister, I know you like listening to this old bastard's stories, but he has always acted strangely and spouted nonsense. Now he has deliberately concealed his identity as a martial artist. I'm afraid he is no good person!"

"Could it be that he is the murderous fiend!"

The moment those words fell, everyone was shocked.

With nothing more than a flap of his lips, this fellow had directly dumped a bucket of filth onto Jiang Yuan.

Was there even the slightest basis for what he said?

What did he mean by deliberately concealing his identity as a martial artist? It was clearly just that you were too blind to notice, wasn't it?

The corner of Jiang Yuan's mouth twitched, but he could not be bothered to lower himself to the level of someone like this.

He was not in a hurry, but Guan Ling was. Her delicate brows drew together. "Senior Brother Zhou, how can you slander someone so maliciously?"

"Elder Jiang absolutely cannot be some murderous fiend!"

She spoke with absolute certainty and without the slightest politeness, which instead made Zhao You, standing nearby, somewhat curious.

Junior Sister clearly knew that Junior Brother Zhou had some history with Jiang Yuan, yet she was defending Jiang Yuan before everyone. Was she not plainly turning her elbow outward?

What could this old man possibly have that made Junior Sister defend him so fiercely?

"Junior Sister, why are you so certain?" Zhao You asked curiously.

Hearing this, Guan Ling answered without thinking, the words slipping from her mouth. "That murderous fiend kills at night, while Elder Jiang is with me every night..."

At that point, her voice abruptly stopped.

She had originally wanted to say that Jiang Yuan practiced swordsmanship with her every night, so how could he possibly have time to kill anyone?

But halfway through, she suddenly noticed the strange looks in everyone's eyes. Only then did she realize that saying it like this was somewhat inappropriate and sounded far too strange.

Besides, she had promised Jiang Yuan that she would not reveal it to others.

But that pause was no small matter. Everyone who heard her had gone mad.

"What???"