Settling Old Scores? Perfect—Old Debts and New Grudges, Settled Together

"If we're talking about the truly ruthless figures on the ranking, it has to be those few in the capital."

The older runner cracked sunflower seeds, speaking with great detail. "Pei Yan, the Pei Family's second young master, is only twenty-five this year, yet he's already reached the middle stage of Grandmaster. His Swanflash Sword Art is flawless and extraordinary, firmly securing him a place in the top twenty. They say the central headquarters has long since decided to recruit him."

Someone beside him immediately chimed in.

"What about Zhang Xuanqing of Dragon-Tiger Mountain? A direct heir of the Daoist sects, his Pure Yang Art specifically suppresses yin and evil. Not long ago, he single-handedly wiped out a Corpse Tuo Sect branch beyond the pass, slaughtering every demon and evil cultivator there. His reputation is even louder than Pei Yan's."

"And there's that boy from the Chu Family at the central headquarters. His family has served in the Demon Suppression Bureau for generations. He grew up soaked in heavenly treasures and earthly herbs, reached the peak of Intent Realm at seventeen, and now has one foot in Grandmaster."

The men spoke one after another, growing more emotional the longer they talked.

"That's why it's hard for commoners to rise. Inspector Xu is formidable—he can kill a Grandmaster while still in Intent Realm—but when it comes to foundations and cultivation resources, how could he compare to those aristocratic children in the capital?"

"Of the seventy-two seats on the Soaring Cloud Ranking, which one didn't climb up atop piles of precious medicine? Getting onto the ranking is hard."

Before the words had faded, a young voice suddenly came from behind them, urgent with indignation.

"Why can't he compare?"

Everyone turned around to find Wang Xiaoyi standing there, still clutching a stack of talisman papers he had yet to deliver, his face flushed red.

"Inspector Xu can kill Grandmasters without the resources those noble families have."

"If he had the same conditions, why would he be inferior to them?"

As soon as those words landed, silence fell by the wall for several seconds.

The runners looked at one another, unable to find any words to refute him.

The reasoning was sound, but noble families had monopolized the rankings for so many years that no one had dared to say it so bluntly.

Seeing that no one spoke, Wang Xiaoyi panicked instead. He hurriedly scratched his head, and his voice dropped considerably.

"Sorry, brothers. I was just saying it offhand..."

With that, he hugged the talisman papers to his chest, lowered his head, and quickly headed for the storeroom, his ears still red.

The men watched his retreating back. Only after a long while did someone mutter,

"This kid's pretty protective of Inspector Xu."

"But... now that you mention it, if they were truly at the same realm, those noble family children in the capital might not be Inspector Xu's match."

No one answered.

Yet in every heart, their opinion had quietly shifted by a few degrees.

Elsewhere, Xu Jin had changed into a clean set of black fitted clothes and had just stepped out of the private home serving as their temporary lodging.

Much of the blood-soaked baleful aura around him had dispersed, but his expression was darker than usual.

Wang Lei had been waiting at the courtyard gate. When he saw Xu Jin approach, he hurried over and lowered his voice.

"Brother Xu, I asked the medical officer about the three victims."

"Old Madam Wang survived, but the yin baleful intent damaged her mind. I'm afraid she'll be lucid one day and muddled the next from now on. She won't be able to manage without someone caring for her."

"The Li family boy was luckier. Your sword light was too fast back then. The yin baleful intent was scattered before it could completely burrow through his body. He's still unconscious, but after a year or so of recovery, he should improve."

Xu Jin's steps paused.

"What about Zhang Asi's wife?"

Wang Lei's Adam's apple bobbed, and he lowered his voice even further.

"The yin baleful intent entered her heart meridians. The medical officer did everything he could, but he couldn't save her."

The air fell silent for several seconds.

Xu Jin unconsciously rubbed the sword hilt at his waist with his fingertips. After a long moment, he spoke two words.

"Lead the way."

The innermost room was dimly lit, its air carrying a faint scent of medicinal herbs and funeral paper.

Zhang Asi crouched beside the bed with his back to the door, his shoulders slightly hunched. Only when he heard footsteps did he slowly rise, repeatedly wiping his hands against his clothes.

His eyes were bloodshot, stubble covered his chin, and he seemed to have aged several years overnight.

When he saw Xu Jin, he froze briefly, then tugged at the corner of his mouth, trying and failing to smile.

"Inspector Xu."

Xu Jin stood in the doorway, looking at the figure on the bed covered by a white cloth. The words that reached his lips were swallowed back down.

Anything like "my condolences" or "I did my best" sounded far too feeble.

After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice lower than usual.

"The court will provide compensation."

"The aftermath team will help handle the funeral arrangements."

Zhang Asi nodded, his fingers clenched so tightly they had turned white, his knuckles bluish.

His Adam's apple rolled again and again. With reddened eyes, he bent at the waist and gave Xu Jin a deep bow.

"I know."

"Ever since she picked up that wooden box, I had a feeling."

"Being able to save the village, being able to save the other families... I already owe Inspector Xu my deepest thanks."

That bow made Xu Jin's chest feel stifled.

He could pierce a Grandmaster altar master through with one sword. He could guard a collapsing breach in the yin realm alone. Yet before the separations of life and death in an ordinary household, he could not summon even the slightest strength.

He said nothing more. He merely nodded and turned to leave the room.

The sunlight outside was somewhat glaring. He stood beneath the corridor, the pressure around him heavy.

He could cut down every evil spirit, yet he could not cut away all the regrets of this mortal world.

A bellyful of gloom clogged his chest, with nowhere to disperse.

Wang Lei stood some distance away, not daring to step forward and disturb him.

But before long, a runner came rushing from afar, panic written across his face as he shouted from a distance,

"Officer Wang! Inspector Xu! Something's happened!"

Wang Lei frowned and went to meet him.

"What are you panicking for? Speak slowly."

The runner was panting hard. Bracing himself against his knees, he said urgently,

"Two brothers searching the downstream riverway were seized by water bandits!"

"The leader is called the River-Crossing Flood Dragon. Back in his early years, he robbed grain shipments on the canal and trafficked yin artifacts. His crimes are too numerous to count!"

Xu Jin raised his eyes, and the coldness in them deepened.

Wang Lei's expression changed as well. "River-Crossing Flood Dragon? Has he gone mad? He dared seize men from the Demon Suppression Bureau?"

"He sent word..." The runner swallowed, his voice tightening. "He said Inspector Xu has to use the Baleful Gathering Crystal Core to exchange for them."

"And he said... he still remembers the score from the Blackstone Slope quarry."

"This time, he came specifically looking for us."

The moment the words fell, the surroundings became utterly silent.

The Blackstone Slope quarry.

That was where Xu Jin had killed his first mixed-blood Stone Spirit and unlocked his cheat ability.

At the time, he had not yet joined the Demon Suppression Bureau. He had never expected that inconspicuous quarry to be connected to canal water bandits.

The chill in Xu Jin's eyes gradually sank deeper.

The suppressed gloom within him now became like a fire doused in oil, surging up from his chest.

Good. Good. Good.

Seizing people, extorting him, and even daring to settle old scores.

What audacity.

"Lead the way."

Wang Lei froze for a moment before hurriedly following.

He could tell that Xu Jin was truly enraged this time.

It was only natural. He had just gone through what happened to Zhang Asi's wife, his heart already suffocating with pent-up frustration, when the River-Crossing Flood Dragon chose this moment to crash into him—daring even to seize Demon Suppression Bureau runners and demand a crystal core.

This time, that festering tumor that had plagued the canal for years would likely be uprooted completely.

Xu Jin moved swiftly. As he left the resettlement site, faint golden radiance stirred around him.

The Baleful Gathering Crystal Core?

Of course he had one.

He only feared that the River-Crossing Flood Dragon would have the life to demand it, but not the life to take it.

Settling old scores?

Perfect. Old debts and new grudges—he would settle them together.