Black-Robed Envoys Tread the Clouds

"Xiong Jin?"

Li Shun hung from the torture net, his physical body outside trembling unconsciously as wisps of thread were drawn away. Yet his primary consciousness, hidden within a pocket dimension, had already been thrown into a stormy sea.

Though he had no idea what upheaval had occurred outside, seeing the once-arrogant leader of Great Xiang reduced to a prisoner sealed inside a "Golden Cocoon" left Li Shun deeply shocked.

"Looks like I worried for nothing."

He had thought that even if he exposed the plot, Cold Mountain County's yamen would ultimately be crushed beneath the assault of such a powerful expert.

At most, they would only hold out a little longer.

Yet he had never expected the Great Qian authorities not only to withstand it, but to capture Xiong Jin alive.

"Could it be... because of that golden light?" Li Shun's thoughts raced as he recalled what his substitute puppet had seen while seizing Cold Mountain Venerable.

"It seems Great Qian's foundations run far deeper than I imagined!" Li Shun inwardly shuddered.

Trapped within the Golden Cocoon, Xiong Jin's eyes were bloodshot. Countless curses and venomous resentments seemed ready to burst forth, but the dense golden threads not only sealed his aura, they locked his throat as well. In the end, he could only make despairing, muffled noises like a wild beast.

Before long, a set of unhurried footsteps echoed through the corridor of the dark prison.

Fang Xun, the magistrate of Cold Mountain County, strolled into the lowest torture chamber and stopped before the Golden Cocoon.

He first glanced at Feng Guan and Li Shun, both of whom looked utterly miserable and were drenched in blood.

Before he could ask, Sun Wu, standing nearby like a shadow, knowingly stepped forward and bowed. "My lord, they have already been tortured and thoroughly interrogated. Every word of their informant testimony was true. There are no other tricks or concealments."

Having claimed the towering merit of capturing Xiong Jin, Fang Xun was in excellent spirits. With a sweep of his sleeve, he said mildly, "In that case, take them down and bring them out. See that they are properly cared for. This official will never neglect those who have rendered merit in defending the region."

"Yes."

After Sun Wu led the jailers away, dragging the limp-as-mud Li Shun and Feng Guan from the dark prison, Fang Xun slowly turned around and fixed his deep gaze on Xiong Jin, who was tightly bound within the Golden Cocoon.

"Now there are no outsiders to disturb us. Let us have a proper talk." Fang Xun smiled faintly.

The instant his words fell, the golden threads binding Xiong Jin suddenly contracted inward with savage force, biting deep into his flesh! Each thread, finer than a hair, became as sharp as the keenest blade, slicing through Xiong Jin's body.

"Urgh—!!"

Under torture no less agonizing than being sliced by a thousand cuts, Xiong Jin finally could not endure any longer. From deep in his throat came wave after wave of shrill, muffled groans.

Night fell, and the moon climbed high into the sky.

Having just finished a cruel and secret interrogation, Fang Xun changed into plain clothes. Humming an unknown little tune in high spirits, he quietly arrived outside the courtyard residence where he had housed his favored concubine, Yu Niang.

Following their usual agreed-upon signal, he knocked on the door knocker with a measured rhythm.

Knock knock, knock.

The wind rustled through the leaves, but the courtyard was deathly silent. No one answered for a long while.

Fang Xun's brow furrowed slightly. "The protective formation around this residence is scarcely weaker than the county yamen's. Ordinary thieves could never break through it. Could it be..."

An intensely ominous premonition surged into his heart. No longer bothering to conceal his movements, he raised a finger and wrote through the air in sweeping strokes.

A vigorous, powerful character for "key" manifested in midair, giving off a faint glow.

With a push of two fingers, he sent the character directly into the tightly shut gates of the residence. Visible ripples spread through the air, and the heavy wooden doors, covered in restrictions, creaked before flying open.

Face dark, Fang Xun strode inside. After swiftly searching the empty residence, his expression had grown so grim it seemed water could drip from it.

Not only was his concubine Yu Niang nowhere to be found, even the brocade box containing [Cold Mountain Venerable]—which he had personally sealed and intended to use to pave his way back to the Sacred Capital—had vanished without a trace!

"Bold bastard! Courting death!"

Fang Xun laughed from sheer rage, his fingers once more writing swiftly in the air with razor-sharp strokes, forming a huge character for "pursue."

The ink exploded and scattered through the air, transforming into dozens of ink-black birds. By all reason, those birds should have followed the mark he had secretly left on the brocade box to track their target. Yet now, they darted wildly around the courtyard like headless flies, unable to find the slightest direction or trail.

"The aura has been completely erased from thin air. There is not even any sign that the seal I left on the brocade box was forcibly broken..."

Fang Xun's face alternated between green and white. At last, he clenched his teeth and forced out through them, "What a cunning thief. He still seized Cold Mountain Venerable amid the chaos!"

Unwilling to accept it, he swept his gaze over the residence again, his eyes plowing inch by inch across the ground before finally settling on a wholly inconspicuous piece of old gray cloth in a corner of the courtyard.

"Hmm?"

Fang Xun walked over and picked it up. His fingertips gently rubbed the coarse fabric as he narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

Early morning, the third day of the second month.

Clouds churned across the horizon as Great Qian's Black-Robed Envoys descended upon Cold Mountain County astride iron-armored qilin horses, clad in black heavy armor and wearing fanged masks. They rode upon the clouds, carrying overwhelming Killing Intent with them.

Fang Xun personally led Cold Mountain County's officials in respectfully welcoming them at the entrance to the county yamen.

As they conducted the heavily guarded handover of the "Golden Cocoon" containing Xiong Jin, the leader of the Black-Robed Envoys dismounted and spoke privately with Fang Xun somewhere secluded.

The leader removed his mask, revealing a cold, hard face. He patted Fang Xun's shoulder and, in a rare gesture, showed a faint smile. "Brother Shensi, this time you not only discovered the rebel faction's scheme, but also assisted the Sacred Capital in capturing the legitimate heir of the old dynasty. With such an unparalleled achievement, your return to the Sacred Capital is now just around the corner."

Though Fang Xun could not hide the smugness in his eyes, his face remained refined and modest. He bowed deeply. "It was all thanks to Brother Zhao rushing here from afar to lend aid. When Brother Zhao returns to the capital, I hope you will put in a good word for this little brother before our teacher."

"Easily done."

After a round of impeccable official pleasantries, Fang Xun watched the Black-Robed Envoys escort the Golden Cocoon away in a mighty procession upon the clouds.

Once the convoy had completely vanished beyond the horizon, the smile on Fang Xun's face instantly faded. He turned and entered his study, summoning Wu Kuang, the constable chief of Cold Mountain County.

"Go. Help me find out exactly where this piece of cloth came from." Fang Xun tossed the gray cloth onto the desk, his tone calm.

Wu Kuang picked up the gray cloth and was briefly stunned. Laborers at the bottom rung of Cold Mountain County nearly all had a piece of such coarse material. But he did not dare overstep in the slightest, immediately lowering his head to accept the order. "Yes!"

Wu Kuang's efficiency was astonishing. Just after noon, he hurried back to the study.

"Reporting to my lord, the source of this cloth has been identified." Wu Kuang knelt on one knee and cupped his fists.