These dead had not been touched by the killer.
"Examine the wounds on the other corpses."
"This disciple has already checked."
Han Yu lifted a corpse's wrist and held the wound on it up to the image-recording artifact.
"Every ordinary person who lost their life has a tiny black spot somewhere on their body. The location varies—some are on the neck, some on the chest, and others are hidden beneath the hair."
"This disciple dissected one of the corpses and found a clump of ashes beneath the black spot."
Su Yueli's gaze turned cold.
That was what remained after a Demon Seed burned away.
The killer had not used a grand formation to drain the life force of the entire city.
They had killed people one by one, then planted Demon Seeds inside the corpses.
That required a great deal of manpower.
There had to be more than the hundred-odd people in the military camp who had slaughtered the city.
Another group had infiltrated Azure Stone City beforehand and acted in coordination once the city fell.
After completing their task, those people had already withdrawn.
"Seal off the news and leave at once."
Su Yueli gave the order directly. "Do not continue investigating."
Han Yu was somewhat puzzled.
"Master, this disciple can still follow the Demon Qi and search..."
"They left that trace of Demon Qi precisely so you would pursue it."
Su Yueli had already seen through the other side's arrangements.
Azure Stone City was a trap.
By deliberately leaving behind Demon Qi after massacring the city, they could lure investigators to a location prepared in advance.
If ordinary cultivators went, the enemy would simply kill them to silence them.
If Su Yueli went, Motian Xing could use that time to strike elsewhere.
"Bring back the blood scabs and