A chill

"Dead?"

Song Qu stared at Feng Shuhu's corpse, speechless for a moment. Then he turned to look and found Xu Zhou's body, leaving him even more silent.

Armored soldiers lay scattered all around. Others, uninjured and armed with sabers and spears, surrounded the area. Among them, a regimental commissioner at the four-star Tianquan level gritted his teeth, hesitated briefly, then brandished his saber and shouted, "Avenge the Jiedushi!"

Thud!

With a dull impact, Ma Chen arrived and sent him flying with a kick. Pale-faced, he roared, "Avenge what?! Feng Shuhu led his troops in rebellion and secretly dispatched soldiers to murder the elder's disciple! He deserved to die at the elder's hands!"

His eyes darted about, and inwardly, he felt deeply uneasy. The moment Xia Yi killed Feng Shuhu, he had largely come to his senses and realized that Xia Yi's Deception Scripture had planted a suggestion in him.

But he could no longer turn back!

His earlier actions would certainly reach Nanji, the capital, and Chancellor Han Chuanzhong's ears. As a member of the chancellor's faction, doing such a thing would surely earn him the chancellor's bitter hatred and leave him dead without a grave!

His only remaining means of self-preservation was to follow this mistake through, cling to Xia Yi, and switch allegiance to the Grand Commandant along the way. He might even be promoted to Jiedushi.

Huh? I might be promoted to Jiedushi?

He instantly felt a little more emboldened and repeatedly shouted down the restless cultivator soldiers, sparing Xia Yi any worries on that front.

Sitting on the ground, looking drained, Xia Yi sighed. "Lord Xiyuan Marquis, what crime is killing a prefecture's Jiedushi in Great Zheng?"

Song Qu looked thoroughly troubled. "I fear even Prefect Sun Sheng cannot decide that. It must be reported to the King for his judgment. However... please rest assured, Elder. I will explain the cause and course of events in full in my report. Someone will also investigate Feng Shuhu's murder of his fellow disciples at the Holy Academy thirty-five years ago. We will strive to secure justice for you."

"Is that so? Excellent!" Xia Yi pushed himself to his feet. "Then let me thank you in advance, Lord Xiyuan Marquis. I am somewhat concerned about Chen Guang's condition. May I leave first? Do you intend to keep watch over me, Lord Xiyuan Marquis?"

"You jest, Elder. I would not attempt something so far beyond my abilities. If you wished to leave, keeping watch would hardly stop you," Song Qu said. "Besides, I trust you."

"Thank you, Lord Xiyuan Marquis."

Xia Yi nodded slightly and walked toward Wangjiang Tower, step by step. Ma Chen hurriedly scurried ahead to clear the armored soldiers from his path, inwardly cursing Xia Yi furiously while still having to put on a respectful expression.

He was about to crack.

Xia Yi even gave him a smile.

When he reached the vicinity of Wangjiang Tower, Xia Yi briefly closed his eyes. Opening them again, he looked to the side and saw Shi Lai peeking out from behind a small building. At the sight of Xia Yi, delighted surprise immediately spread across his face.

"Grandpa, Grandpa! Over here!"

Xia Yi walked over. "Mm. Are Chen Guang, Xiao Xian, and the others all right?"

"Of course! With me here, you have nothing to worry about! It was a close call, though. If I hadn't stayed one move ahead and had them relocate beforehand, that whatever-Hu's men really would have caught us out." Shi Lai looked eager for credit. "Grandpa, are you done fighting? Is that Hu who hurt Uncle Chen Guang dead?"

One move ahead? If you couldn't use Reloading a Save... never mind, that's an ability of his too. Xia Yi smiled. "With me taking action, would I leave him alive? But keep a low profile. He was Zhi Prefecture's Jiedushi, after all. I merely... killed him by accident!"

Shi Lai paused, then chuckled. "I get it, I get it... Grandpa, come with me!"

Following Shi Lai for a hundred meters, Xia Yi entered another restaurant. In one corner, Lü Ying stood on a table with her greatsword in hand, looking down as she kept watch over the restaurant's waiters, cooks, and proprietor.

When she saw Xia Yi arrive, she was wary at first, then relaxed. She jumped straight down from the table, going from looking down at the crouching waiters and proprietor to looking them in the eye, and said:

"It's all right now. Everyone, get up."

"Mm." Xia Yi nodded to her, then turned and followed Shi Lai into a private room. Two tables had been placed side by side inside, with Chen Guang lying fast asleep atop them, covered in bandages. Zhou Xiaoxian watched over him from beside them. Seeing Xia Yi enter, she looked concerned.

"You treated his wounds?" Xia Yi turned to ask Shi Lai, then praised him. "Well done."

[Ding! Quest complete! You received a large amount of experience. Your level has increased.]

[Xia Yi's favorability -10]

[Current favorability: 29 (friendly)]

Shi Lai beamed.

As though he had heard Xia Yi's voice, the unconscious Chen Guang slowly opened his eyes and asked hoarsely, "Teacher, how is Second Junior Brother?"

Seeing this, Zhou Xiaoxian quickly helped him up and gave him the water she had prepared earlier.

"Thank you, Junior Sister." Chen Guang coughed twice, still watching Xia Yi as he waited for an answer.

"Among my disciples, those who joined first are senior," Xia Yi said. "You should be calling the girl Senior Sister. As for Feng Shuhu? Naturally... he's dead!"

"Dead?!"

Luo Ti, who had rushed over at full speed upon hearing the news, found Song Qu's account difficult to accept.

"He is indeed dead. I have already had Ma Chen collect his body for the time being. I imagine the prefect is on his way as well. As for exactly what to do, let us wait for the prefect to arrive and decide," Song Qu said.

He really is dead. Dressed like a plump country squire, Luo Ti was shaken. Just then, he heard Xia Yi's voice. "Deputy Dean Luo, you came too?"

He turned and saw Xia Yi approaching, looking utterly drained, accompanied by Zhou Xiaoxian, Lü Ying, and Shi Lai, who carried Chen Guang on his back.

In this state, did he use a desperate saint soul? His saint soul power is almost exhausted. Do I have a chance... no, Song Qu is here. Even if I lured Song Qu away and killed this old man, I would have trouble explaining it or getting away!

The thought flashed through his mind, and he quickly assumed a worried expression. "Elder, what have you done? Feng Shuhu was..."

"Alas, it was an accident on my part as well." Xia Yi interrupted him with a sigh, secretly dropping his preparations to invoke the Create Something from Nothing saint soul. Under these circumstances, he won't attack me. I'll leave him be for a while longer. Or perhaps I could see him more often? Whether Chancellor Han Chuanzhong has sent someone to attack me-perhaps I can glean something from this fellow's reactions and prepare in advance.

"Never mind. He is dead, and there is no use saying anything else. Lord Xiyuan Marquis, my second disciple, Chen Guang, wishes to see Feng Shuhu's body. Could you accommodate him?"

Song Qu frowned, not because of Xia Yi's words, but because the subtle expressions of the children Xia Yi had brought with him struck him as odd.

Especially the boy named Shi Lai. While Xia Yi spoke, his facial muscles kept twitching as though he were about to laugh.

"Ma Chen had Feng Shuhu's body collected. You need only go to him."

Xia Yi nodded and left.

A short while later, the prison warden ran up to Song Qu with his men and said with some alarm, "Lord Xiyuan Marquis, the casualty count is complete. Among the Cultivator Battalion's armored soldiers, seventeen were seriously wounded and a hundred and eighty-four lightly wounded. None were maimed, and apart from the Jiedushi and Deputy Commander, none died."

None maimed or killed?

Only Feng Shuhu and Xu Zhou died?

Clearing the elder of blame will be much easier.

That was Song Qu's first thought. Then, seeing the prison warden's expression, he suddenly realized something, and his heart trembled! None maimed or killed? Such precise restraint? He killed only Feng Shuhu and Xu Zhou? Could it be...

Recalling Shi Lai's expression earlier and scene after scene of Xia Yi's fight with Feng Shuhu, Song Qu suddenly felt a chill rise in his heart!

He had not read too much into it. He had merely thought of the enmity between Chen Guang and Feng Shuhu.

But he... had no evidence.

Nor did he particularly want to pursue it.

"Never mind. The King will surely be delighted when he learns of Feng Shuhu's death, won't he?"