The Flesh Ruined, the Soul Seized

Night fell quickly.

The entire Qingchang County, far removed from the daytime hustle and bustle, has fallen into tranquility.

However, Wind-Feasting Hall was still bustling with people.

The corpses and skeletons in the courtyard were mostly dug out and carried out for autopsies by a coroner.

However, regardless of the cause of death of these people, the sheer number of them was enough to make everyone involved in the case gasp in shock.

"It's unbelievable! Such a huge murder case happened right under our noses! This Wind-Feasting Hall has been open for several years, and no one has noticed it."

"Who can argue with that? It's because Huang Dewen is cautious and adept at disguising himself; he does good deeds for the city's residents but only kills outsiders."

"Thanks to Qiu Sheng, I heard that this time, it was a student of Chancellor Ma who stepped forward to get the Yamen to obey Qiu Sheng's orders. I think Qiu Sheng has a bright future ahead of him!"

The yamen Yamen Runners, who were up all night, were talking quietly. Not far away, the clerk was negotiating with the elders and the head and deputy head of the yamen.

According to the Great Rui Code, in any case of murder, the government is not the only one to investigate the case. Local gentry and grassroots officials must participate and assist, supervise each other, and each write a record, one copy of which is entered into the government office and the other into the local chronicle.

Faced with this major case, everyone was filled with worry, their brows furrowed.

Suddenly.

Sleepiness crept in.

"So sleepy, so sleepy, I'm exhausted."

Several Yamen Runner collapsed to the ground as they spoke. In the distance, the people responsible for transporting the corpse, the coroner, the clerk, the elders, and the head and deputy head of the local militia also swayed and fell to the ground.

Suddenly, the bustling clinic fell silent.

Buzz~

Then came the buzzing of mosquitoes. In the bright moonlight, several flying mosquitoes were clearly visible. They quickly flew to a street corner and entered a porcelain bottle.

Snap!

The cork fell off.

"Luckily, we had these few Sleep Bugs that the doctor had induced with medicine, otherwise I really don't know how we would have gotten in."

The bottle was being held by a servant, the very person who served Physician Huang. During the day, when the big case broke out, everyone in the clinic should have been arrested, but when they took action, they only arrested Physician Huang and a few burly men. The servant had long since disappeared. Unexpectedly, he reappeared at night.

He tiptoed past the sleeping crowd and arrived at the main hall of the clinic. Looking at the deserted hall, the servant sighed, then his eyes flickered. "It's a pity I haven't learned much of the skills yet, but it's also an opportunity. I remember..."

As he pondered this, he walked towards the medicine cabinet.

Each drawer of the medicine cabinet was labeled and contained medicinal herbs, including many precious ones. But the servant ignored them, went straight to the corner of the cabinet, pulled open a side drawer, reached in, and rummaged around inside for a while before smiling and taking out a bottle.

Pull out the cork, and a fragrance wafts out.

"Hmm..."

The servant took a deep breath and poured a black pill from the bottle.

"The Five-Treasure Pill! A pill made from five precious medicinal herbs, capable of replenishing vital energy and strengthening bones and muscles, priceless! I never imagined it would end up in my hands! After I leave, I'll find a secluded place, recuperate, and then consume it. After Five-Treasure Pill months of nurturing, I'll accumulate enough Qi and Blood energy and try refining my Essence Soul! After that, I can carefully study the notes, and perhaps even cultivate the Soul Dao. Then..."

"Oh? Huang Tong, I didn't expect you to come back. Are you waiting to collect my corpse?"

However, the servant was startled by a sentence coming from behind him and hurriedly turned around.

Standing behind him, who else could it be but Physician Huang?

"Sir... sir..." the servant stammered.

At this moment, Physician Huang's hair was disheveled, and he was wearing prison clothes with a pool of bright red blood on them, clearly freshly stained. He looked at the servant and slowly walked over, saying, "That pill is a tribute to Mountain-Passing Great King. You're holding it in your hand; do you perhaps intend to go to Wuxin City for me?"

"No! No!" The servant retreated repeatedly, his face filled with fear. "I'm worried that the master's hard work will be ruined by these officials..."

Swish!

Before he could finish speaking, a flash of light appeared in mid-air, and a figure suddenly appeared out of thin air and fell straight down!

"Sneak attack!"

Everything happened too suddenly. Although Physician Huang was focused and reacted in time, he had not yet entered the Life Cultivation, and his body speed was limited. He only had time to tilt his head and dodge.

Sizzle!

The sound of boiling blood roared, and the air in the entire hall expanded, filled with Qi and Blood. Then, with a "crack," a fist struck Physician Huang's back heavily. The fist first expanded and then contracted, unleashing its force and knocking Physician Huang to the ground.

Physician Huang screamed in agony, blood gushing from his mouth. He felt excruciating pain in his spine and couldn't feel his Half-Body anymore!

That punch broke his spine!

He managed to lift his head and look at the attacker.

"It's you! Qiu Yan! You actually hid here! No, I didn't sense a trace of your presence, yet you're clearly in your physical form... Could it be that you refined the Breath-Concealing Jade Pendant? That's impossible! Even a cultivator who has condensed Earthly Soul would need at least half a month to refine someone else's Law Artifact, it couldn't be this fast..."

That punch was delivered by Qiu Yan!

Physician Huang's words did not elicit any response from Qiu Yan. With the momentum of his fall, Qiu Yan shook his arms repeatedly, making cracking sounds, and then swung his hands from both sides, clamping Physician Huang's head between his left and right hands!

Snap!

Physician Huang's words came to an abrupt halt. His head shriveled up like a deflated ball, and blood gushed from his seven orifices in thin streams.

But that wasn't all. A flash of light appeared in Qiu Yan's right hand, and Divine Ability Talisman jumped out and imprinted itself on Physician Huang's already distorted forehead.

Pull!

A scream was heard, and Doctor Physician Huang's Living Soul was forcibly pulled out by the Divine Ability Talisman. The light and shadow in the soul shifted, and there were rows of phantom medicine cabinets around the soul!

"What kind of sorcery is this! Even if you have damaged my physical body, my life force has not been completely extinguished. How could you directly steal my Soul Seizing?"

Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes, not answering at all. His thoughts raced, and the Divine Ability Talisman spun rapidly, about to completely engulf Physician Huang's Living Soul. Just then, a scream came from within the Living Soul.

"Huang Tong! What are you waiting for?!"

As the voice faded, the person in the soul moved their hand, and an illusion began to unfold.

The medicinal field, poisonous water, fragrant mist, and poisonous gas spread rapidly in all directions, closing in on Qiu Yan!

On the other side, the medicine cabinet standing against the wall suddenly creaked and then rose up from the ground. One by one, the drawers on the cabinet opened on their own, and the medicinal herbs inside were melted down, emitting a foul stench and a wave that made Qiu Yan's heart tremble!

This fluctuation was not unfamiliar to him; it was the result of the resonance between Curse Arts and Spiritual Qi!

"The entire medicine cabinet is actually a Law Artifact!"

P. S.: Thanks to Heng Chuan for the donation!