Traces of the Killer

As the river upstream changed course, this waterfall, which had existed for thousands of years, suddenly stopped flowing.

The deep pool below had also become stagnant.

Because of the continuous drainage from the bottom of the deep pool, the water level dropped rapidly at a rate visible to the naked eye.

In less than half an hour, the bottom of the pool was revealed.

The underground river was naturally exposed, and it subsequently dried up.

Zhu Yin, accompanied by four Golden Core cultivators, descended to the bottom of the pool and entered the underground river channel.

Song Wen, who was dozens of miles away in the market town, saw everything that was happening here through the Shadow Gu.

Of the four people Zhu Yin brought, two were cultivators who practiced the <Corpse King Blood Refinement Art>, namely the man and woman who forcibly altered the river's course.

Both of them were at the Middle Golden Core Stage realm.

Song Wen did not rashly attack the two men.

First, if he makes a move, Zhu Yin will recognize his methods and thus know his identity.

Secondly, although only five Golden Core cultivators disembarked from the spaceship that Zhu Yin was on, Song Wen could not be certain that there were no other people on the spaceship.

If Yinshuo or Ye Hua were on the ship, Song Wen would be walking right into a trap.

Zhu Yin her team to search the entire complex underground cave system, rescued the trapped people, and also discovered some traces left by Song Wen.

From this, Zhu Yin deduced that all of this was a conspiracy against Pang Heng. Someone had deliberately set a trap to lure Pang Heng out and kill him.

"Someone actually dared to murder the Inspector Elder of the Limitless Sect on Limitless Island."

Zhu Yin's shocked gaze was tinged with anger.

She carried the heavily injured Yin Pan, along with the Cold Corpse Valley disciples who had been injured while searching for treasure, back to the Baleful Qi Hall. Using the Starline Formation within the Baleful Qi Hall, she reported what had happened to her master, Yinshuo.

Song Wen looked at the Baleful Qi Hall, which was clearly under martial law, and shook his head.

He had anticipated this situation from the very beginning.

The whereabouts of the Golden Core elders of Limitless Island are not easy to obtain.

Therefore, he resorted to this desperate measure, deliberately drawing Pang Heng out. But this inevitably left some clues, alerting Limitless Island.

Song Wen left the market and went to a large mountain dozens of miles away, where he found a tree hole and hid.

Although he was unaware of what had happened inside the Baleful Qi Hall, his cautious nature made it easy for him to guess that Zhu Yin would inevitably report everything that had occurred there.

Song Wen feared that Yinshuo or Ye Hua would arrive and, without distinguishing right from wrong, unleash a massacre, slaughtering all the rogue Rogue Cultivator in the entire market.

However, what Song Wen feared did not happen.

Neither Yinshuo nor Ye Hua appeared.

Although Zhu Yin and the other four Golden Core cultivators had ventured out of the Baleful Qi Hall several times to investigate the market and surrounding areas, they always traveled in groups, Song Wen never found an opportunity to make a move.

Several days later, perhaps realizing that continuing the investigation was pointless, Zhu Yin and the other four boarded a ship and left Cold Corpse Valley, returning to Shadow City.

Song Wen entered Shadow City and found that the number of patrolling guards had increased significantly.

Among these guards, Song Wen spotted two familiar figures—the man and woman who had diverted the river's course.

The male cultivator's name was Duan Chuan.

The female cultivator's name was Feng Lan.

Both are deputy hall masters of the Limitless Island Law Enforcement Hall.

They accompanied Zhu Yin on an investigation into the Cold Corpse Valley, but to no avail. After returning to Shadow City, the two were put in charge of monitoring any unusual activity in and around Shadow City.

At this moment, the two were suspended high above Shadow City.

Song Wen looked up at the two of them, a smile playing on his lips.

He was just worried about not finding someone to target.

However, we definitely can't make a move inside Shadow City. We have to lure these two out of Shadow City.

Fifteen minutes later.

Duan Chuan Feng Lan received a message from their subordinates that Pang Heng's defensive Law Treasure — the Dragon Scale Shield —had appeared in the market.

The Dragon Scale Shield was taken to a Law Artifact shop in the market and sold at a low price. The shopkeeper recognized the shield and proactively reported it to the Limitless Island Law Enforcement Hall.

The two immediately arrived at the Law Artifact shop and met the shopkeeper who had purchased the Dragon Scale Shield.

The shopkeeper was a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator. Upon seeing Duan Chuan Feng Lan arrive, he hurriedly bowed.

"Greetings, Hall Master Duan, Hall Master Feng."

"You know us?" Duan Chuan's cold gaze swept over the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper felt a chill run down his spine, but he remained calm and answered.

"Reporting to Palace Master Duan, as the two masters of the Law Enforcement Hall, you are already renowned throughout Shadow City. Although I am Rogue Cultivator, I have been in Shadow City for many years and have heard of your great names. It is truly an honor for me to see your true faces today."

Duan Chuan paid no attention to the shopkeeper's flattery and asked...

"Where is the Dragon Scale Shield now?"

The shopkeeper hurriedly took out a small shield from his storage ring and handed it to Duan Chuan.

After confirming that the shield was indeed Dragon Scale Shield, Duan Chuan put it away without any hesitation.

"How do you recognize the Dragon Scale Shield?" Duan Chuan questioned the shopkeeper.

"Reporting to Palace Master Duan, Deacon Fang issued a notice that mentioned the Dragon Scale Shield."

Duan Chuan turned his head and looked at a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator behind him.

This man was the steward Fang mentioned by the shopkeeper. It was he who informed Duan Chuan Feng Lan that the Dragon Scale Shield had appeared in this shop.

Steward Fang nodded, indicating that what the shopkeeper said was true.

Duan Chuan turned around and continued.

"Describe in detail the physical characteristics of the person selling the shields."

The shopkeeper said, "That man was over six feet tall, wearing a black cloak and a bronze mask. He was at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. Judging from his attire, he was probably a Rogue Cultivator. He was acting suspiciously, as if afraid of being discovered. He didn't know the value of the Dragon Scale Shield and sold it to me for only 70,000 Spirit Stone."

"Since his cultivation is inferior to yours, why don't you capture him? Could it be that you intend to let him go?" Duan Chuan said coldly.

The shopkeeper looked panicked and hurriedly explained.

"Palace Master Duan, I am innocent! I only recognized the Dragon Scale Shield after that person left. If I had recognized it when that person took Dragon Scale Shield out, I would never have dared to buy it. Wouldn't that have been asking for trouble?"

Duan Chuan pressed on, "Then after you recognized the Dragon Scale Shield, why did you choose to report it to the Law Enforcement Hall instead of secretly disposing of Dragon Scale Shield?"

The shopkeeper wore a bitter expression. "I had no choice but to do this. Most of the cultivators in Shadow City have seen the notice from the Law Enforcement Hall. If I were to keep the Dragon Scale Shield for myself, I wouldn't be able to sell it. I wouldn't be able to find a buyer, and it would only arouse the suspicion of the Law Enforcement Hall."

Duan Chuan nodded; he couldn't find any doubt in the shopkeeper's words.

The shopkeeper probably wasn't lying.

Duan Chuan asked, "Where did that man go after selling the Dragon Scale Shield?"

The shopkeeper said, "That person seemed to be in a great hurry. After getting the Spirit Stone, he rushed off to the south."

This shop is located south of Shadow City; heading south is the shortest route out of the city.