Yin Muhua Meets Her End

The searing pain made Yin Muhua shudder and froze her for an instant.

Lin Qing seized that fleeting opening. With Spirit Snake Sweeps Its Tail, he whipped his right leg around, stirring a gust of wind as it slammed into the wound on her abdomen.

Crack!

Yin Muhua grunted. She flew backward into a wall, the pain so fierce she could barely breathe.

Terror surged through her. How could an ordinary constable of the Soul-Calming Office, a boy who looked seventeen or eighteen, be this strong? Even a typical constable chief was only at this level.

The thought flashed through her mind. She sprang up despite the pain, tapped her toes against the wall in quick succession, and vaulted toward its top to escape.

Lin Qing had anticipated it. He flew closer and flicked his hand, sending three darts into her right leg.

His kick had struck the wound on her abdomen squarely, worsening her injury. She had visibly slowed, leaving her unable to dodge the darts.

Thud!

The darts bit into flesh. Yin Muhua lost her balance, tumbled from the wall, and hit the ground.

Lin Qing pursued her with his lightness skill. He drew his saber and slashed.

The blade flashed through an arc. Yin Muhua's mouth fell open, her face contorted with fear, but before she could make a sound, the edge swept across her neck. Blood gushed, and her head parted from her body.

Yin Muhua was dead!

Lin Qing's taut body finally relaxed. Even gravely wounded, she had been someone he dared not underestimate. She could fight Cheng Yannian head-on, which made her a Transforming Force expert at the very least.

He took a deep breath. Seeing no one nearby, he quickly gathered the valuables she carried, then took out the Corpse-Dissolving Water issued by the Soul-Calming Office and poured it over her body.

In moments, her corpse became a puddle of foul water. At the same time, her deliverance progress in the Rebirth Record reached one hundred percent. The scattered skills left from her life poured into Lin Qing's mind, scenes flickering before his eyes like a revolving lantern.

Lin Qing lit a fire stick and tossed it into the puddle. Whoomph! Flames rose, and the foul water turned to ash in an instant.

Now no one would know Yin Muhua had died at his hands.

He could have taken her head to the yamen for a substantial reward, but that would have exposed his strength.

Lin Qing decided it was not worth it. Even without the silver, he had the Rebirth Record. As long as he survived, he would one day become a top-tier expert.

With that done, Lin Qing slipped into a nearby woodshed to quietly digest the fragmented memories.

Elsewhere.

Cheng Yannian raced north with saber in hand. He crossed several courtyards without catching so much as a glimpse of Yin Muhua.

He felt a pang of regret. If she escaped again, who knew when another chance would come?

Just then, he heard hurried footsteps. A pair of wooden doors ahead was kicked open, and a dozen or so men in black burst in. Their leader towered over the rest, standing half a head taller than even Cheng Yannian.

"Return to the homeland of rebirth, find paradise in reincarnation! Chief Commissioner Cheng, why not join our Bai'e Cult?" the man asked in a deep voice.

Cheng Yannian narrowed his eyes. A fierce, baleful aura rushed toward him.

"Han Qi. Did that old ghost of the Han Family send you?"

"Cheng Yannian, you have sharp eyes. My family has vast holdings. Why must you keep pressing us? Bow your head and join forces with us, and I'll spare you today. After that, we can make our fortunes in peace." Han Qi's voice was cold.

He did not deny it. His build was too distinctive.

Besides, once they fought, Cheng Yannian would easily recognize his martial techniques. There was no point denying it.

Since Han Qi had chosen to show himself, he had no intention of letting Cheng Yannian live. Only the dead could keep a secret.

"Heaven's justice sees all. Your Han Family colludes with the Bai'e Cult, controls the county's trades, and brings misery to its people. Even if I die, I, Cheng Yannian, will never wallow in the same mire as you!" Every word rang with resolve.

"Fool! Cheng Yannian, the world is filthy. If you don't eat others, they'll eat you. You can't even grasp that? No matter. From today on, the Soul-Calming Office will have a new chief commissioner."

As Han Qi spoke, he drew the broad longsword from his back. The twelve death-sworn fighters behind him drew their sabers.

Their eyes were bloodshot. Hot breath poured from their mouths as they panted heavily, their bodies brimming with inexhaustible strength and seething murderous intent.

"Kill!"

At Han Qi's low command, he charged straight at Lin Qing with his blade, the twelve death-sworn fighters close behind.

Cheng Yannian advanced with his saber. The two sides collided in an instant. Blades flashed, cold edges crossed, and the clash of steel rang out beneath the sky.

"So that's the Han Family!"

Inside the woodshed.

Lin Qing opened his eyes. He had finally digested all of Yin Muhua's memories.

He had learned much that mattered, both about the Han Family and the Yinyuan Sect.

The Yinyuan Sect was the largest heretical sect in Shichuan Prefectural City and a branch of the Bai'e Cult in the Shu Region. It worshipped the evil spirit known as the Red Embroidered Lady.

Its followers could receive her blessing by praying, chanting scriptures, and offering sacrifices each day.

That so-called blessing meant taking an evil spirit into one's soul, granting access to unholy arts. But they had to keep advancing in martial cultivation and strengthening their blood and vitality to suppress it. If the spirit seized control instead, they would go mad and spread calamity.

Yin Muhua had been a steward of the Yinyuan Sect. Old age had weakened her blood and vitality, and the sect no longer valued her.

She had come to Jiangyin County because her son, while being pursued, had accidentally lost the Buddha Statue here. Acting out of self-interest, she had not reported it to the sect, instead gathering a group of subordinates to search for it.

Then there was the Han Family, which was secretly in league with the Yinyuan Sect.

Han Shantong kept a Wooden Idol of the Red Embroidered Lady in his home. He often bought young boys and girls for sacrifice and secretly produced unlicensed medicines and Forbidden Drugs. His crimes were too numerous to count.

"No wonder children keep disappearing from the outer city. The Han Family must have had a big hand in it."

Lin Qing murmured to himself. As he saw it, the people of Jiangyin County would never escape their suffering while the Han Family stood.

But he stood alone. Even knowing all this, there was nothing he could do.

Report it to the yamen? What good would a report from a lowly constable do?

He did not believe no one had noticed anything wrong with the Han Family all these years. But the family was powerful. Even if someone found out, what could they do? They could not bring it down.

Lin Qing shook his head and set the matter aside. He quickly counted what he had gained.

Three banknotes worth a hundred taels each, plus assorted loose silver, for a total of three hundred and twenty-nine taels.

Three bottles of Life-Nourishing Pills, six per bottle, worth one tael each and able to replenish blood and vitality; one bottle of Bone-Strengthening Pills containing four pills, worth three taels each and able to strengthen bones and build up the body; one Sinew-Transforming Pellet worth ten taels, able to stretch the sinews and increase strength; and one Nine-Turn Spring-Returning Pill, a precious healing medicine that could mend injuries to the organs and was worth seventy to a hundred taels.

Finally, there was a row of thirteen Golden Needles called Bone-Piercing Golden Needles. Their shafts gleamed dark green and carried a deadly poison.