The eerie atmosphere lasted several breaths before one of the lackeys finally lost patience, stepped forward, and kicked the reanimated Master Huang to the ground.
"Who do you think you're scaring?"
The others could not help chuckling at the sight.
The scene really could not frighten them, because they all knew it was nothing more than a trick of playing gods and ghosts.
An ordinary corpse reanimation, not even a proper walking corpse-corpse-driving arts could hardly get more rudimentary.
But a moment ago, they really had been somewhat stunned.
They had always been the ones playing gods and ghosts to fool others. Today, the sun had risen in the west, and someone else had fooled them with their own tricks.
Suddenly, a streak of sword qi cleaved down, its tremendous force tearing through the air with a sound like wind and thunder.
Caught completely off guard, the lackey sprayed blood on the spot, gushing like a fountain.
The gruesome sight startled the others, sending them scattering for cover.
Master Huang's corpse stood up again. "Blasphemers... die..."
A Corpse Immortal Sect disciple formed a hand seal, his spiritual essence surging as he ran outside while summoning several green stiffs that exuded ghastly green mist from beyond the house.
To his surprise, sword qi slashed down out of thin air, appearing right beside him.
In his haste, he circulated his gang qi to withstand it head-on, only to suffer a wound more than an inch deep.
Amid the agony, an even more deadly sense of danger closed in from every direction. Successive attacks quickly severed his hamstrings before abruptly turning on the others.
Every Demonic Path disciple and lackey stared dumbstruck as their companions suffered inexplicable wounds and screamed in agony, yet they could not even glimpse the enemy's shadow.
It truly seemed as though a god had manifested to punish their blasphemy.
The Demonic Path leader, Senior Brother Zhao, turned and fled without another word.
Clang!
Suddenly, a pull on his energy triggered his circulating protective gang qi, blocking a streak of sword qi that struck close to his body.
Though he escaped injury, even his clothes were sliced open, and the energy surrounding him collapsed on the spot.
The leader was startled, but he still gritted his teeth and fled headlong.
As long as I run fast enough, even a god can't catch me.
Before long, however, several mounted figures suddenly appeared ahead.
Arrows came whistling toward him, swift as lightning.
The leader instinctively unleashed his energy to block them, but the instant he began circulating it, he inwardly cursed.
Invisible sword qi slashed out from an unknown location, striking him from behind and cutting him down.
The Attendant leading the Unusual Events Bureau party charged forward, unleashing a flying sword that severed his right leg.
He was a dignified-looking middle-aged man. With a wave of his hand, he sent yellowed talismans flying, which adhered to the leader as though coated in glue. Then silver light flashed, and a long chain coiled around him like a snake, tightly binding his body.
The Demonic Path leader struggled a few times, only to find that all his divine sense was confined within his body. He could no longer project it outward to manipulate objects.
Like a great green caterpillar, he had been bound alive, stripped of all ability to resist.
On horseback, a white-haired elder surveyed their surroundings. "It seems we're a step too late. Something has already happened up ahead. Hurry over and take a look."
He was none other than Elder Gong, who had once dealt with the aftermath in Lianhe County. At his command, everyone spurred their horses onward.
Soon, they reached the house where the incident had occurred. After inspecting the area, they confirmed that most of the Demonic Path disciples and lackeys had already been dealt with.
The scattered resistance was utterly futile and was suppressed by the experts as well.
An Unusual Events Bureau company commander came over to report, "Elder Gong, Attendant Lian, Attendant Mo, Commander, we found quite a few Demonic Path members listed on the Demon-Slaying Writ inside this house. They confessed that they encountered a mysterious expert."
The battalion commander's expression shifted slightly. "A mysterious expert? Could it be the person we were discussing earlier?"
"Someone sent word first thing this morning, saying that traces of the Demonic Path had been found here... From the looks of it now, that mysterious figure really is on our side!"
As it turned out, they too had received a mysterious tip before learning that Demonic Path disciples were operating here.
Zuo Zhongliang's surveillance had been highly successful. Combined with the River God's dream visitations, it had exposed many Demonic Path lackeys.
But outside the areas where the refugees gathered, there were many wealthy households like Master Huang's around the Royal City, each with estates and separate residences scattered about, making them difficult to investigate.
The situation was already as precarious as a stack of eggs. A single night might mean the difference between life and death, and the Unusual Events Bureau simply lacked the manpower to investigate every lead thoroughly. They could only proceed with half belief and half doubt.
Yet things had gone unexpectedly smoothly, and they had completely destroyed this Demonic Path hideout in one stroke.
Elder Gong pondered aloud, "I learned of this person during the zombie case in Lianhe County. Truly, we glimpse the divine dragon's head but never its tail. Had this person not volunteered information, we would not even know they existed!"
Attendant Mo suddenly said, "Do you think this might be like that mortal apotheosis case several thousand years ago-an ordinary person who inadvertently gained the Dragon Vein's recognition and acquired authority over a divine kingdom?"
"A mortal becoming a god?" Elder Gong's expression changed slightly.
Attendant Mo said, "This person's cultivation strength fluctuates wildly, and their divine abilities are mysterious and unfathomable. It perfectly matches that case. Their true body might even be dead, with only a remnant soul lingering in the world, which would explain why we have yet to find any trace of a living presence."
After thinking for a while, Elder Gong sighed. "There's little point discussing this now. Let's set it aside for the moment."
Attendant Lian nodded. "Agreed. Interrogating these Demonic Path members takes priority. This time, we must pry open their mouths and find out where their key leaders are!"
Elder Gong said, "Among the Demonic Path disciples currently hiding in the Mystic Xin Kingdom, the one with the highest status is undoubtedly Blood Lady Lin Rouniang. But the person truly directing matters is the Foundation Establishment cultivator beside her, the old woman known as Granny Wu."
"According to our information, they have been collecting the souls of young women whose birth characters are purely yin, using them to refine mystic baleful intent and cultivate blood spirits. They intend to merge nine great blood spirits through a secret art and forge a Dao foundation!"
"This is a secret Foundation Establishment method passed down by the Yellow Springs Sect. Lin Rouniang's cultivation strength has clearly long since crossed the threshold of Foundation Establishment, yet she stubbornly holds herself back from advancing, all so she can go further in the future."
"As the saying goes, no one rises early without profit to gain. Sect missions may be important, but I refuse to believe she can remain unmoved when her own future and benefits are at stake."
Both Attendants agreed, taking turns discussing the matter.
"Exactly. She already possessed six Yin-Fate Blood Spirits before coming here, presumably gathered with her parents' help. After arriving on the Mystic Continent, she obtained two more through sacrifices offered by the villagers. Now she only needs the last one."
"If our information is accurate, this final Yin Woman's soul is the most crucial. It can serve as the principal soul to keep the others in check, then achieve Nine Yin Unification to forge a blood god uniquely her own!"
"What she needs now is no longer merely a young woman with purely yin birth characters. The girl must also possess spirit roots of all five elements, and ideally even be a cultivation prodigy with an innate Dao body!"
"Each condition is more demanding than the last. But someone who meets them all can be called a Heaven-Mandated Yin Maiden, sharing her own fate pattern and possessing extraordinarily profound uses."
"Even if tens of millions die in this disaster, the chance of obtaining such a soul is still not especially high. But this is indeed her greatest opportunity."
"I refuse to believe she would simply watch such a golden opportunity slip away without taking part."
All along, the Demonic Path's schemes had been laid out in plain sight: harvest as many benefits arising from the Dragon Vein as possible.
But the people in charge differed, and their cultivation strength and methods varied just as much.
For instance, if Lin Rouniang wanted to seize this chance to refine her blood spirits and use a Heaven-Mandated Yin Maiden to achieve a supreme-grade Dao foundation, she would certainly attach great importance to the vile River God Wedding custom.
That clue might therefore lead them to her whereabouts.
Of course, Lin Rouniang also knew that the Unusual Events Bureau would use this against her. But did knowing that mean she could simply stop?
Absolutely not.
Why had she endured the hardship of traveling so far to this place? Was it not for her standing within the sect and her future cultivation prospects?
With her distinguished background, experience to gild her credentials, and merits to win others' respect, she could become an esteemed elder in the future. Resources and support would certainly follow. If she reached Foundation Establishment smoothly, she could at least look forward to Core Formation. With a stroke of luck, obtaining a Heaven-Mandated Yin Maiden might even let her go further.
She would match wits and courage with the Unusual Events Bureau, constantly relocating and entangling them, but she would not readily abandon her goal and slink home empty-handed.
And the most convenient way to fulfill her wishes was to use her sect mission as an opportunity to serve both public and private interests.
She could not possibly let this disaster go to waste.
The Unusual Events Bureau linked these two matters together, using them as an opening to locate her.
Still, finding Lin Rouniang directly was no easy task. She had far too many hiding places, and with sufficient cultivation, she could constantly change her appearance and conceal her energy. Ordinary subordinates could not possibly detect her, while the Attendants and disciples lacked sufficient manpower. They could only keep killing lackeys and destroying bases.
This was a tacit understanding between the immortal and Demonic Paths. Actual clashes between their cultivators were rare. Most casualties were Unusual Events Bureau officers and soldiers, or lackeys recruited from all over. Only after Li Ling unexpectedly entered the game had he frequently struck from the shadows, slaughtering quite a few disciples with cultivation.
Before long, the Unusual Events Bureau's interrogation experts arrived. They fitted the captured Demonic Path leader with an Evilwood Cangue on the spot, restrained his divine sense with a Spirit-Binding Cord, and subjected him to brutal torture.
They spent a full two hours employing every coercive method used in mortal prisons. They even fed him a drug to keep him conscious, then made him watch as the skin was stripped from both his arms.
Most devastating of all, they also used poison capable of destroying his bodily functions, forcing the Demonic Path leader to feel his muscles and meridians slowly wither as his physique suffered severe damage.
This tested his psychological limits more than any torture, because he still hoped to use this fleshly body to cultivate both nature and life and forge his Dao foundation.
He might not succeed, but at least he had something to hope for in life. If that were destroyed, would he not effectively be half crippled?
"Will you talk or not? This is your last chance. If you talk now, you'll only suffer a severe loss of vitality, and you'll still have a chance to recover in the future."
"We won't kill you, either. We'll place you among the outlaws to monitor those rogue cultivators, as a reformed demon slayer."
"If you refuse to talk, we still won't kill you. We'll cripple you completely and send you back. By then, you'll be like a human swine, and your fellow disciples will suspect and shun you as well."
The interrogation expert grinned savagely, wearing a twisted expression more terrifying than that of a Demonic Path cultivator.
The Demonic Path leader's psychological defenses finally collapsed. He hastily cried, "I'll talk! I'll talk!"
"Miss Lin and Granny Wu, the ones you're looking for, are hiding near the Ten-Mile Pavilion downstream from the Royal City! But that was yesterday's notice. If they don't receive our report that everything is safe before noon today, they might relocate again!"
Elder Gong, who had been watching from the side, suddenly stood. A piercing gleam flashed in his eyes. "Downstream? The Ten-Mile Pavilion?"
Divine abilities and spells were, after all, different from a mortal army breaching a dike to release floodwaters. With divine arts at their command, operating downstream worked just as well.
That was not what he doubted. Rather, as its name suggested, the Ten-Mile Pavilion was only a little over ten li from the Royal City's southern outskirts. That was far too close.
Attendant Lian sighed. "We clearly searched that area already, yet they still deceived us. They've practically been hiding right under our noses."
"My lord, this was our failure." The battalion commander lowered his head in apology, shame filling his face.
Elder Gong said calmly, "You cannot be blamed. Divine abilities and spells are mysterious and unfathomable. It is only natural that your mortal eyes could not see through them."
The interrogation expert glanced at Elder Gong and the others, then turned back to ask, "Do you have any way to conceal what happened here?"
The Demonic Path leader said, "We do, but I don't think Granny Wu will fall for it."
Attendant Mo checked a timekeeping magical artifact made by mortal craftsmen. "Whatever the case, give it a try. But don't place too much hope in it."
Elder Gong said, "Indeed. We have only a little over two hours, and it will be difficult to prepare thoroughly on such short notice. It seems we can only launch a direct assault."
Hearing this, everyone fell into thought.
They knew nothing of the exact situation at the Ten-Mile Pavilion. How many people the enemy had, how many trump cards, how many preparations-they were utterly in the dark.
But if they did not attack, the Demonic Path might relocate at any moment, or even complete its preparations and use divine authority to guide a spell that would flood the Royal City.
Unlike the immortal masters in those grotto-heaven blessed lands, these disciples had entered the boundless mortal world to gain experience. Their thoughts were devoted to accumulating outward merits, facing tribulations, and dispelling karmic burdens. They had no intention of shirking.
Orders were issued at once. "Have the forces stationed in the Royal City investigate immediately. Once the information is confirmed, launch a direct assault!"
"We'll hurry over as well. Also, activate the Demon-Slaying Writ..."
"Notify the three senior Attendants. It's time for those Foundation Establishment cultivators to act. Once we confirm that Blood Lady and that woman Wu are both there, have them transport over immediately using Summoning Talismans!"
Soon afterward, the Unusual Events Bureau party hurried away. Li Ling's spirit body floated within the divine kingdom domain, and he could not help pondering.
Why did everything they just said sound deliberately spoken for my benefit?
Suddenly, Li Ling understood.
This was a tacit understanding.
The Unusual Events Bureau already knew someone was helping them from the shadows. After a prolonged investigation yielded nothing, they had chosen to compromise.
With a formidable enemy before them, rashly provoking a mysterious figure of unknown strength would be unwise. Yet that figure's active efforts to slay demons and eradicate evil had also stirred a measure of hope in them.
Perhaps the two sides could try working together.
Everything else could wait until this crisis had passed.