On the narrow and steep river bank of First-Line Gorge, the elite personnel of Demon-Slaying Squad have completed the first round of dragnet investigation.
Several experienced Demon-Slaying Guard found several messy footprints that had been forcibly covered up by spells at the edge of a dense forest outside the river beach, as well as several broken Rogue Cultivator's commonly used "Concealment Talisman" aura.
Although there is not much evidence, it is enough to show that before and after Water Earl's accident, there was indeed a group of wild Rogue Cultivator warriors with good cultivation who haunted this place.
Chu Bai ordered that all evidence be sealed and guarded by ten Demon-Slaying Guard personally. Any irrelevant persons, even the nearby Orion crewmen, were expelled three miles away.
Near the river bank, apart from the rocks and dead trees that were shattered by the impact, there were no more clues.
"Sir, there is a black mist swirling deep under the water, and ordinary River-Patrolling Strongman cannot get close to it." Han Xingmo walked ashore on the waves, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and shook his head at Chu Bai with a dejected expression.
He has sent several waves of strong men with excellent water skills to try to sneak into the area around the capsized Divine Ship in the center of the river. However, as soon as he gets close to the black mist, he will feel his whole body is cold and the Spell Power is stagnant. If he doesn't withdraw quickly, he may have followed in the footsteps of the Water Earl.
"Then stay here. Your duty is to protect the scene. The investigation is beyond the control of Non-Self and others." Chu Bai stood on the towering cliff, his eyes always staring at the broken mast in the middle of the river.
He exchanged opinions with Han Xingmo. The information currently available to both parties was extremely limited. The power to kill the gods was extremely strange. It not only wiped out all life, but also seemed to have changed the operating rules of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.
"Master Han, Master Chu, there seems to be a strange spiritual light flickering in the crack of Jiangxin Divine Ship."
At this moment, a burly man with a resolute face walked out of the Water Office team. Although he appeared to be submissive in front of Han Xingmo, the Qi Refining Sixth Layer energy emanating from his body made him extremely eye-catching among this group of strong men.
He looked at Chu Bai and Han Xingmo, and asked Fate Dao: "Although we live up to our duty of investigation, if the adults from Prefectural City arrive and see me waiting here and standing there with nothing, I'm afraid it won't look good on my face.
If my subordinates can take advantage of this moment to sneak in and bring out some evidence, it will be a great help to the future promotions of these two adults."
Chu Bai heard the words and did not reply immediately. Instead, he turned his head sideways, his golden eyes slightly condensed, and Divine Sense enveloped him like a tide.
"Who is this?" Chu Bai asked coldly.
Han Xingmo hurriedly introduced, "Junior Brother Chu, this is my right-hand man, Subordinate Ninth Rank[River-Patrolling Strongman]Qi Pan. He performed well in the Water Office exam before, and now he is my right-hand man. The water quality is in our Anping Water Office is one of the best."
Seeing this, Qi Pan took another step forward, with a hint of sincerity in his expression. "I think that I have some secret skills to avoid water, which can sustain me for a while in the black mist. Sir, if I can find Water Earl's lost divine seal or Yijiao's true body, my merits will be immense."
Han Xingmo was a little moved when he heard this. If he could really find something, River-Patrol Water Officer, who had just taken office, would be completely established in front of Prefectural City.
He was about to say yes, but he saw Chu Bai's deep eyes still staring at Qi Pan, and did not move away for a long time.
"Although meritorious service is good, it must be earned with a life."
Chu Bai slowly shook his head, his tone unquestionable, "The assassination of Orthodox God shocked Prefectural City. Great Wall Prefecture has not yet arrived. It is taboo to tamper with the scene. If the scene is destroyed, can you bear the responsibility, or can Mr. Han bear it?"
"This..." Qi Pan was speechless, lowered his head and held his hands in his hands, looking a little unwilling.
Han Xingmo was suddenly awakened by Chu Bai's reminder, and the cold sweat on his back instantly soaked his clothes. "Junior brother is right, it's me, Meng Lang. Qi Pan, stand down! Give the order, no one is allowed to enter the water within a hundred steps, and anyone who disobeys the order will be executed!"
"My subordinates take orders." Qi Pan Nono responded and returned to Water Office's queue.
However, Chu Bai's heart was already in turmoil at this time.
Under his Divine Sense perception, Qi Pan's behavior just now was extremely abnormal.
Ordinary subordinates who want to make meritorious deeds are often excited, greedy, or want to show vanity in front of their superiors.
But just now, Chu Bai sensed that although Qi Pan's breathing and frequency were steady, his heartbeat was erratic at that moment.
That is not the impatience of being eager to achieve success.
It was nervous, even a kind of... desperate fear.
He seemed extremely eager to get into the Divine Ship.
What are Qi Pan nervous about?
Or is there something hidden in the ruins of the ship shrouded in black mist that will make him doomed if not taken away immediately?
Chu Bai did not expose it, but looked again at the black mist in the center of the river. He calmly held Jade-Nurturing Gourd around his waist, secretly preparing to pay attention.
Seeing that his proposal was blocked, Qi Pan did not show excessive entanglement. He just cupped his hands in a somewhat lonely manner, lowered his head and said, "This subordinate is greedy for merit and has not considered it well. I am taking the order to patrol the periphery to make sure that the Rogue Cultivator gang doesn't get even half a step closer."
After saying that, he took a few of his confidants, turned around, and slowly disappeared among the rocks on the steep river bank.
Chu Bai stood on the edge of the cliff with a deep gaze. He did not turn his head, but asked in a calm tone, "Senior Brother Han, what kind of heel is this Qi Pan...?"
Han Xingmo was slightly startled when he heard this. Although he was still immersed in the fear of Water Earl's death, his sense of smell as a veteran in officialdom was still there.
Chu Bai, a Demon-Slaying Token with astonishing combat prowess and a man who cherishes words like gold, would never inquire about the background of a deputy for no reason.
"Junior Brother Chu, do you think there is something wrong with this person?" Han Xingmo lowered his voice, with a hint of nervousness in his tone.
Chu Bai was still staring at the black mist in the distance, without answering directly, just waiting for Han Xingmo's explanation.
Han Xingmo frowned and thought for a moment, then answered truthfully, "Qi Pan, this person, has been working at Water Office for six years. His family background is mediocre, which he earned with his punches and kicks in the Water Office exam. He is the most calm and sophisticated in his work on weekdays, and is deeply appreciated by the former water supervisor.
It stands to reason that he is by no means the kind of person who disregards the overall situation and advances recklessly for the sake of meritorious service. He is even a little too cautious in his daily colleagues."
"Oh? An overly cautious person, but he took the initiative to sneak into the place where Orthodox God fell and the black fog sealed the river?"
Chu Bai A faint sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Han Xingmo was asked this question by Chu Bai, and a chill suddenly rose up his spine.
Yes, Qi Pan's performance today is completely different from his past style.
"Before he joined the job, or during his tenure, did he have any involvement with any wealthy family in the city or foreign forces?" Chu Bai asked.
"This...Qi Pan is usually taciturn. Except for official business, he rarely participates in social activities. I have never heard of him being close to any family."
Han Xingmo shook his head, and then his expression changed slightly, "However, I remember that two years ago, he was seriously injured while performing a river patrol mission, and his cultivation path was almost cut off. Later, he miraculously recovered, and his cultivation level even improved by leaps and bounds, from Qi Refining Fourth Layer to today's Qi Refining Sixth Layer.
At that time, everyone thought that he had received some kind of extraordinary opportunity, so no one asked more questions."
Chu Bai heard this, his pupils contracted slightly.
Opportunity? In this Law Net strict Anping County, how can there be so many just-in-time "opportunities" to save an almost half-disabled monk? That is probably the price of some kind of exchange of interests.
He urged the two hundred and twenty-foot Divine Sense again.
Under the perception of Subtlety, the figure of Qi Pan was shuttled through the rocky beach hundreds of meters away.
He seemed to be directing the warriors to investigate blind spots, but Chu Bai clearly captured that his steps were extremely detailed and purposeful.
Every time he walked a certain distance, Qi Pan would glance at the Divine Ship ruins in the center of the river, as if unintentionally, and his movement trajectory was always wandering around the edge of the black mist, with the faint intention of approaching the Divine Ship rupture again.
Under that heavy pressure, although his heartbeat was forcibly suppressed, it was still as dull and disordered as a drum in Chu Bai's Divine Sense.
"Senior Brother Han, keep an eye on this person."
After Chu Bai finished giving orders to Han Xingmo, he did not stay on the edge of the cliff for a long time. Instead, he swayed slightly and retreated into the shadows covered by rocks.
He was not worried about what kind of waves Qi Pan could make under his nose, but before Great Wall Prefecture's masters arrived, he had to figure out what was hidden in the black mist that made the Qi Refining Sixth Layer monks restless.
"Qi Pan wants to infiltrate at all costs, even at the cost of arousing my suspicion, because there must be something at the core of the crime that can make the mastermind behind him irrecoverable, or something that makes them salivate."
Chu Bai leaned against the cold rock wall, his eyes slightly closed. The Divine Sense in the sea of consciousness instantly condensed into a line, like an invisible sharp blade, piercing into the billowing black mist in the center of the river.
As soon as Divine Sense touched the black mist, Chu Bai felt an extremely cold and lifeless negative emotion wrapped around him by his thoughts.
The black mist is extremely weird. Not only can it block the line of sight, it can even kill the monk's detection techniques like a quagmire. If it were an ordinary monk in the late stages of Qi training, he would probably be forced back by this corrosive force if his spiritual thoughts penetrated just a few feet.
However, Chu Bai's Divine Sense is not only incredibly strong, but also becomes extremely tough due to practice [Keep One Scripture].
Broken!
He visualized the Great Circle of Return to Yuan in the sea of consciousness, and Divine Sense turned into a little pure Five Phases shimmer, forcibly breaking through the thick layer of mist, and penetrated deep into the interior of the damaged Divine Ship.
Passing through several decks that were torn apart by violence, and past the corpses of Water Office officers who had long lost their vitality and even started to wither, Chu Bai's Divine Sense finally stayed in the wreckage of the cabin in the center of Divine Ship.
There, the black mist was the thickest and had even condensed into black mucus.
But in this dead darkness, an extremely weak but extremely tenacious golden aura was dancing unhurriedly.
Chu Bai Divine Sense condensed and suddenly got closer.
Under the broken official seat, a square bronze seal about the size of a palm was half sunk in the charred wood slag.
An extremely ferocious crack has appeared on the side of the seal, almost splitting it in two, and the geographical pattern of mountains and rivers originally engraved on it also appears obscure.
"Divine Dao Seal?"
Chu Bai was shocked.
This is the core token of the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty Edict Investiture as a god. It contains a trace of the origin of Great Zhou's National Destiny and is the carrier of the personality of the god.
Although this Brook Water Earl has fallen and the seal has suffered nearly devastating damage, it is still.
Because it is internally connected to the Immortal Dynasty Law Net and contains extremely high spirituality, this kind of thing cannot be easily and completely destroyed by ordinary means.
It can even be said that as long as this seal remains immortal, it will faithfully record the last remaining breath within a hundred feet of its owner before his death.
"No wonder Qi Pan is so impatient."
Chu Bai took back Divine Sense, slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of understanding flashed in his pupils.
Although the assassin wiped out all the energy at the scene, he could not completely wipe out the seal with the origin of Law Net in an instant.
The reason why the black mist lingers is probably not only to cover up the scene, but also to try to use the evil energy to slowly erode and assimilate it.
The mission of Qi Pan is to find an opportunity to enter before the master Prefectural City arrives, and completely take away or destroy this broken seal that may record the truth.
The water vapor on the Three-Bath River is getting thicker and thicker, and black mist is rolling in the middle of the river, like a giant beast waiting to devour people.
Qi Pan has been walking among the rocks on the river bank, commanding his warriors.
He seemed to be trying his best to seal off the water, but in fact, every step he took was getting closer to the weakest edge of the black mist.
During a break between patrols, Qi Pan's eyes flashed with a ruthless look. He seized the blind spot at that moment, his toes suddenly touched the rocks, and his whole body's spiritual energy poured into his legs like a volcanic eruption.
Plop!
His whole body turned into a blue stream of light, and he dived downward at an extremely fast speed. Taking advantage of the impact of entering the water, he wanted to use the water escape method to dive directly into the depths of the river.
The River-Patrolling Strongman people around them didn't even realize what happened. They only felt their eyes blurred and their vice-captain disappeared on the river.
However, under the Chu Bai's two hundred and twenty-foot Divine Sense coverage, this "escape" was as clear as running under the scorching sun.
"Edict!"
In the void, Chu Bai didn't even stand up and retreat, but put the two fingers of his right hand together, and a dark golden rune instantly condensed on his fingertips.
Mystic Accumulation Incantation!
The power of this secret method to trap enemies has changed qualitatively after Chu Bai stepped into Qi Refining Late-Stage and gained [Subtlety] level control.
The river surface trembled suddenly when it entered the water. Countless Spell Power silk threads as thin as hair but as tough as iron hung down from the void and turned into an invisible large net. When Qi Pan dived less than three feet deep, it was dragged back to the surface of the water!
Qi Pan felt his whole body tense up, and the flow of spiritual power in his body was suddenly blocked at this moment. The whole person floated on the water in a panic, unable to move.
"Master Chu? Why is this?!" The Water Office warriors around them all exclaimed, some even subconsciously clenched the water fork in their hands, their faces full of confusion and surprise.
Chu Bai didn't explain. He swayed and swooped down from the cliff, like a tiger descending from the mountain, straight into the water.
"Wow!"
The moment Chu Bai entered the water, he did not use the water-avoiding spell like ordinary monks. Instead, he relied on his tyrannical body to forcefully push away the water waves. His whole body brought up a huge white ripple, heading straight towards Qi Pan.
Qi Pan was shocked and frightened at this moment. He never thought that Chu Bai's reaction could be so fast.
Seeing Chu Bai coming to kill, a flash of determination flashed in his eyes, and he said sternly, "Chu, you are going too far! I am Great Zhou Principal Ninth Rank River-Patrolling Strongman, and this river is my home court!"
He suddenly took off a bronze [River-Patrol Token] from his waist, and urged Divine Sense with a ferocious expression, wanting to use the Water Office Divine Authority contained in the token to suppress Chu Bai.
However, on the cliff on the shore, Han Xingmo had already stood still. He saw Qi Pan's movements clearly, his eyes grew cold, and he suddenly raised Water Commandant Banner in his hand.
"Qi Pan patrolled the river, intending to destroy the scene of the God's death, and is guilty of conspiracy! Water Office belongs to him, listen to my order - seal it!"
This loud shout was like a decree coming.
Qi Pan The token in his hand suddenly let out a mournful cry, and the water-proof light curtain that originally surrounded him instantly collapsed.
At this moment, his token Divine Authority was forcibly frozen by Han Xingmo with the higher [River-Patrol Water Officer] quota.
"Han Xingmo, you ungrateful villain!" Qi Pan let out a desperate roar. Seeing that the token was invalid, he had no choice but to fight hard.
His cultivation level of Qi Refining Sixth Layer was fully activated, and his hands danced wildly in the water, causing the surrounding river water to turn into several sharp vortexes, trying to block the approach of Chu Bai.
"I am Qi Refining Sixth Layer, and I have grown up next to the Three-Bath River since I was a child. Even if you don't have the token, you can't even think of catching me under the water!" Qi Pan took advantage of the water's momentum to dive crazily.
However, he underestimated Chu Bai.
Facing the whirlpool of water that was enough to crush fine iron, Chu Bai couldn't dodge, and he didn't even use defense Spell Arts.
He pushed [Iron-Bone Body-Tempering Method] to the extreme, and a faint black gold luster flowed under his skin.
Those water blades that can make ordinary monks break their muscles and bones, hit Chu Bai's body and only made a muffled sound like the sound of a bell.
"Come here!"
Chu Bai was walking in the water, his eyes were like lightning.
His Divine Sense accurately captured the nodes of Qi Pan Spell Power's circulation. Under Qi Pan's horrified gaze, Chu Bai stretched out his big hand, broke through the torrent, and directly locked Qi Pan's neck.
"You... what is your body made of?!" Qi Pan struggled wildly, and several ice picks formed on his fingertips, pricking Chu Bai's arm hard.
The ice pick shattered instantly, but Chu Bai's arm didn't even leave a white mark.
Chu Bai didn't talk nonsense. He clasped hard with his five fingers. The huge force made Qi Pan instantly lose the ability to resist, and the spiritual power in his body collapsed like a tide.
"Let's go!"
Chu Bai suddenly lifted up and the two of them rushed out of the river.
Immediately afterwards, in full view of the public, Chu Bai showed an almost barbaric power.
He held Qi Pan with one hand, exerted force on his waist and hips, and his whole body made a thunderous explosion. He actually picked up Qi Pan, turning it into a cannonball that was difficult to distinguish with the naked eye, and threw it away with a bang!
Bang!
Qi Pan hit the rocky beach hard on the shore, and the sound of broken bones could be heard clearly.
Before the mud and dust had cleared, dozens of Demon-Slaying Guard had rushed out like ghosts, surrounding him and pinning him firmly in the mire.
These Demon-Slaying Guard are all elites trained by Chu Bai himself. Their movements are fierce and decisive, and several long knives with spell-breaking properties instantly hit various key points of Qi Pan.
Although Qi Pan has the cultivation level of Qi Refining Sixth Layer, nearly half of the bones in his body were broken by Chu Bai's almost brutal fall. At this moment, he could only lie limp on the ground like a dead dog.
There was a deathly gray despair in his bloodshot eyes. Looking at the stern faces above his head, he did not dare to move Spell Power any more.
He knew very well that if he resisted at this time, Demon-Slaying Guard had the right to kill him on the spot, and Chu Bai's methods like Gods and Devils had completely shattered his courage.
Chu Bai walked ashore through the mud and ignored the wailing Qi Pan. Instead, he turned his attention back to the lingering black mist in the center of the river.
Under the continuous lock of the [Subtlety]-level Divine Sense, he could feel the broken golden seal still beating tenaciously in the ruins.
Although that kind of Shinto aura is weak, it carries an unyielding spirituality, as if it is sending out weak calls for help to the outside world.
"The fact that the divine seal is not destroyed means that Brook Water Earl has not been completely destroyed on Principles of the Dao. At least his 'Divine Path Origin' is still locked in this seal."
Chu Bai felt extremely heavy in his heart.
In the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty, if the death of a god causes the seal to shatter, it would be equivalent to being completely removed from the national destiny. But if the seal still exists, it means that Godslayer made a mistake at the last moment, or there was not enough time.
"Can't wait for Prefectural City's people to arrive."
Chu Bai clenched his fist suddenly. Since Qi Pan is so eager to destroy the evidence, it means that the forces behind the other party must also be aware of this.
Once the delay continues, and the black mist completely erodes the divine seal, or the opponent's stronger master returns, this only truth will be completely Obliteration.
He took a deep breath and took out Message Transmission Token from his waist.
"Mentor."
Chu Bai whispered Divine Sense to the token, with a quick and firm tone, "Water Earl The divine seal is not destroyed, and still has spirituality! The person who arranged it has been captured by me, and the other party must have a back-up plan. You need to come to the town in person here. I will enter the water to get the seal!"
At this time, in the Anping County city, County Commandant Zhang Cheng was overwhelmed by the reports from various departments and the urging of Prefectural City, and was even handing over with several Prefectural City advance officials who rushed over in a hurry.
Hearing Chu Bai's voice from the token, a fierce look flashed across Zhang Cheng's tired face. He stood up abruptly, not even caring about the surprise of the officials beside him.
"I understand."
The only response that came from the token was this muffled thunderous response.
"Junior brother, are you crazy? That black mist is not simple!" Han Xingmo shouted in horror.
Chu Bai didn't answer, he just took a deep look at the rolling black gas.
"Wow!"
Chu Bai jumped up, no longer simply entering the water, but a concentrated stream of colorful light suddenly rose around his body.
At this moment, he pushed "Origin Return Formula" to the extreme, and Five Phases formed a small circle around him.
When he plunged headlong into the thick, cold mist like black glue, the cries of countless ghosts could be faintly heard in his ears, which were the remaining resentments of the creatures killed by Godslayer.
The black mist corroded his Spell Power shield crazily, making a hissing sound. Chu Bai felt as if his whole body was trapped in an ice cellar, and the coldness penetrated directly into the seams of his bones.
"Town!"
Chu Bai gave a cold shout, [Iron Bone] murmured in his body, and the black gold luster flashed under his skin. He resisted the erosion, and his whole body was like a sharp sword that broke through the darkness. He pointed at the deepest part of the Divine Ship ruins, where the golden light was, and resolutely got in.