By the time Shangguan Shenhao, head of the Shangguan Clan, reached Pine and Bamboo Hall at Drunken Blossom House, the place had already been burned to bare ground.
Apart from some fireproof gray bricks, nothing remained.
At that point, Drunken Blossom House's owner, Commandery Commandant Shen Zhou, Embroidery Guard Thousand-Household Commander Cao Xuan, and Li Guangyu, Chief Constable of Xiushui Commandery's Six Fan Gate, had all arrived before him.
"Nothing is left here."
Commandery Commandant Shen Zhou glanced back at Shangguan Shenhao. "All the bodies were burned to ashes in an extremely short time. There are no clues to be found at the scene. But your son and my household's two sixth-grade martial cultivator attendants have most likely perished."
He then cupped his fists toward a young man in silver-white battle armor behind Shangguan Shenhao. "Might you be Lord Chu, the Loyal and Martial General? My respects."
Behind Shangguan Shenhao, Chu Xuanjie returned the salute. "Lord Shen!"
He studied their surroundings intently, an inquiring look in his eyes.
Chu Xuanjie had come to Xiushui two days earlier.
He had stayed in Linhai Commandery for over a month, investigating Chu Zhengyang's murder without success, and had no choice but to give up for the time being and come to Xiushui Commandery to visit a friend instead.
He had not expected to encounter such a tragedy-the murder of the Shangguan Clan's legitimate son along with dozens of his followers-after only two days.
Shangguan Shenhao's face was dark as he paced over to a wall and looked at a patch of dark-brown stains on it.
This was Pine and Bamboo Hall's master bedroom. Some of the blood on it presumably belonged to Shangguan Longjian.
"It isn't as though there are no clues at all."
Thousand-Household Commander Cao Xuan stood with his hands behind