Murder

Xu Qi'an did not ask to come inside and sit down, because it would be impolite, and doing so would even cause some gossip when there were no men in the house.

Of course, Xu Qi'an knew that the mother and daughter's wariness and tension were not due to the aforementioned concerns, but rather because they "had something to hide."

"Little girl, do you know Chai Xian?" Xu Qi'an asked.

Upon hearing this, the little girl was stunned. She stared at him blankly, feeling helpless and at a loss for how to respond because of her young age.

The young woman couldn't understand Mandarin, but seeing her daughter's blank expression, she immediately realized something was wrong and hurriedly came closer.

Xu Qi'an crouched down, and before the little girl could scream, he reached out and stroked her head, taking the opportunity to activate his Heart Gu ability, and smiled:

"I'm your Uncle Xian's friend, didn't he tell you last night?"

In the little girl's eyes, this unfamiliar uncle immediately transformed into a kind, gentle, and harmless person.

"Um!"

The little girl nodded vigorously. "He said if a strange uncle comes looking for him, he should write down what he says."

Xu Qi'an handed the small note to her, saying, "Please give this note to him."

After saying that, he glanced at the chilblains on the little girl's hands and her thin shoes that offered almost no protection against the cold. He figured her little feet were probably covered in chilblains too.

So he took out a few more pieces of silver and, along with the note, slipped them to the little girl. "Take these silver coins and buy some candy."

The little girl accepted the note but didn't take the money; she turned to look at her mother.

The young woman pursed her lips, staring at the silver, her expression a mixture of wanting and not daring to take it. For a poor family, this amount of silver could feed them meat for several days or buy a winter coat for their child.

"Um!"

The young woman nodded vigorously.

The little girl stretched out her hands, covered in chilblains, and tightly gripped the silver.

Xu Qi'an immediately took his leave. Just as he stepped out of the courtyard, he heard the little girl calling out behind him. He turned around, but she did not chase after him. Instead, she ran back into the house.

He quickly grabbed a handful of dried sweet potato chips and timidly, almost ingratiatingly, handed them over.

Xu Qi'an's gaze softened immediately, and he picked up the dried sweet potato.

The little girl's eyes lit up instantly, and she gave a bright smile.

"I'll ask you a few more questions, and if you answer them, I'll give you some more silver," Xu Qi'an said with a smile.

The little girl thought for a moment and nodded vigorously.

What is the relationship between Chai Xian and your father?

The little girl said, "My father told me to call him Uncle Xian."

She knew nothing about her parents' past.

How long did Chai Xian stay at your house?

The little girl thought for a moment and said, "They rarely stay at my house."

"Rarely?" Xu Qi'an frowned and asked, "Do you think Uncle Chai Xian is a good person?"

"Yes, just like you, Uncle."

The little girl nodded; children have very keen intuition.

"Calling me 'brother' would be better, after all, I'm forever 18." Xu Qi'an laughed, "Anything else?"

Just a casual question.

"I often have nightmares and space out." The little girl tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then her eyes lit up. "Uncle Xian has six toes."

As agreed, Xu Qi'an handed the silver to her and waved goodbye before leaving the village.

Chai Mansion.

Zen Master Jingxin returned to the courtyard and found the martial monk Jingyuan, saying, "I investigated and discovered that the death of Chai Xing'er's ex-husband was related to the head of the family, Chai Jianyuan."

Jingyuan nodded. "Please explain in detail."

A Zen master who adheres to the precepts can easily find out whatever he wants to investigate.

Although it's inconvenient to impose the rules on Chai Xing'er, it's acceptable to compromise by inquiring with the servants in the manor.

Jingxin asked most about Chai Xian, while Chai Xing'er only inquired about him incidentally.

Listening to his senior brother's detailed explanation, the martial monk Jingyuan frowned and said:

"If everything was a lie by Chai Xing'er, then perhaps Chai Xian wasn't actually blessed with dragon energy as we imagined. It turns out that Chai Xing'er was widowed; I thought the man beside her was the son-in-law of the Chai family."

Jingxin pondered for a moment and said, "This person is worth questioning; he probably knows more."

at night.

The charcoal fire roared, and Li Lingsu embraced the beautiful married woman, lying on the bed, covered with a brocade quilt. They had just finished exercising and were both covered in sweat.

Chai Xing'er curled up lazily in his arms, revealing her rounded, fair shoulders. Her fingertips traced circles on Li Lingsu's chest as she spoke in a languid tone:

You're investigating me!

Li Lingsu's pupils contracted slightly as she entered a state of post-coital reflection, but quickly returned to normal. "I can sense that you're still hiding something from me."

Chai Xing'er sighed, "Li Lang, don't worry about the Chai family's affairs. I'll be content as long as you stay by my side. It's not you who wants to investigate me, it's that Xu Qian, isn't it?"

Xing'er's intuition is still as terrifying as ever. Li Lingsu said, "It has nothing to do with him."

Chai Xing'er twisted her waist, adjusted her sleeping position, and said:

"He has a peculiar aura about him that I can't quite put my finger on, but I feel that he's not genuine enough, that he's putting on a facade at every turn. Of course, if he is, as you say, a master of the transcendent realm, then some pretense is to be expected."

After a few seconds of pause, she added, "Xu Qian must have a grudge against Buddhist School, right?"

Myolie Chai's tone was very certain.

"How do you know?" Li Lingsu asked without changing her expression.

"As soon as those monks arrive, you must leave the mansion immediately. Li Lang doesn't even dare to reveal his name in front of them."

Chai Xing'er's expression was aloof, her smile faint, "Among those monks, there are two fourth-rank masters. Logically speaking, if Xu Qian is truly a transcendent expert, why would he be afraid of them? Either there's another reason, or these monks have someone behind them, right, Li Lang?"

"We can't talk like this anymore." Li Lingsu rolled over, pinning the beautiful married woman beneath him, and chuckled, "Xing'er is so clever and quick-witted, your husband will cherish you."

The next day, early morning.

Xu Qi'an led the mare, with Mu Nanzhi riding on its back, and they left Xiangzhou City with a clattering sound.

The Demon-Slaying Assembly was held on the Xiang River. The reason for choosing this location was to avoid meddlesome civilians, as the martial arts world and ordinary people have always been separate entities.

This is the consensus of the Jianghu people and the imperial court. Only ordinary people do not have this awareness and like to join in the fun.

The government cleared a space on the banks of the Xiang River, built a platform, laid wooden planks, and divided the area into sections.

All registered martial arts factions were allocated a shaded area, while unregistered factions and Rogue Person could only stand and watch.

After leaving the city, Xu Qi'an mounted his horse and rode with Mu Nanzhi towards their destination.

After a short while, we finally arrived at the venue for the Demon-Slaying Assembly, which was already packed with people.

There were martial arts practitioners equipped with various weapons, and government soldiers responsible for maintaining order.

The wind was strong and the cold was biting by the river. Many martial arts figures had already taken their seats inside the tent.

As for "Rogue Cultivator" like Xu Qi'an, they could only watch from afar, barred from being stopped by government soldiers.

"Senior?"

Suddenly, a joyful shout came from behind.

Xu Qi'an turned around and saw Wang Jun and Feng Xiu, who had "shared hardships" with him in the dilapidated temple in the desolate mountains. Both of them had gang backgrounds, but Xu Qi'an had forgotten which gang they belonged to.

"It's you guys."

Xu Qi'an smiled and nodded.

Mu Nanzhi sat high on horseback, looking down arrogantly at the two of them.

Wang Jun, who was carrying a sword, asked in confusion, "As a senior, why didn't you go in?"

Just joining in the fun.

Xu Qi'an offered a casual explanation.

Wang Jun was still dressed in a black outfit, but the style had changed; it wasn't the same one he wore that day.

Feng Xiu changed out of her neat short-sleeved outfit and wore a blouse that accentuated her figure and a long, flowing skirt.

This outfit made her look both dignified and gentle as a woman, without restricting her movements or hindering her skills.

"Everyone!"

A loud voice rang out, silencing the clamor. The demon-slaying assembly, which had been attended by hundreds of people, fell silent, and all eyes turned to the official standing on the high platform.

That's the prefect of Xiangzhou.

Feng Xiu said in a low voice.

The prefect delivered a passionate speech on the platform, denouncing Chai Xian's crimes and expressing deep sorrow for the murders that had occurred in Xiangzhou and even Zhangzhou.

"This man is bloodthirsty by nature; if he is not eliminated, Xiangzhou will never be at peace. The fact that you heroes have gathered here today truly shows your profound understanding of righteousness. The villain Chai Xian is in Xiangzhou."

Twenty days have passed since the Chai family murder case. During this time, "Chai Xian" has been killing people everywhere, initially targeting martial arts figures, and subsequently destroying three gangs.

The number of martial arts practitioners who died at Chai Xian's hands was as high as 643.

The number of ordinary people who died at Chai Xian's hands was even greater, because many unscrupulous people took the opportunity to cause trouble, either imitating Chai Xian by killing people and making corpses, or breaking into homes to commit murder.

Xu Qi'an listened for a long time before he realized that "Chai Xian" had committed so many murders in Zhangzhou, no wonder he caused such a commotion as the Demon Slaughtering Assembly.

"That's not right. Killing so many people just to frame Chai Xian, and then leaving him alive?"

Detective Xu Qi'an frowned, sensing something strange.

Previously, his speculation was that the mastermind behind the scenes used Chai Xian's extreme personality to frame him, then used Chai Lan as a "hostage" to keep Chai Xian in place, and then waited for an opportunity to eliminate him.

But how could someone with the ability to kill so many people not be able to track down Chai Xian? And I encountered Chai Xian on my second day in Xiangzhou, which must be due to the convergence effect of dragon energy.

However, this also proves that Chai Xian's hiding place was not so secretive. Moreover, Chai Xian himself was also investigating the person who framed him.

If the real culprit wanted to kill Chai Xian, they only needed to commit a murder somewhere to lure him out and bring him to justice.

"In this situation, there are only two explanations: either my speculation is wrong, or the mastermind is a psychopath who hates Chai Xian to the core and cannot be judged by normal human thinking."

The prefect announced loudly, "Effective immediately, this prefecture, together with Chai Xing'er of the Chai family, and all the gangs and Lineage present, jointly issue this arrest warrant. A great reward will be given for the execution of Chai Xian."

Various gangs and Lineage responded enthusiastically, and the people of the martial arts world on the periphery were excited, finally they were going to get rid of the demon.

Compared to ordinary people, gangs and Lineage in various regions were more eager to eliminate Chai Xian because martial artists have abundant Essence Blood, making them suitable for raising corpses. If a martial artist is a sixth-rank copper-skinned iron-boned, he can be directly refined into an iron corpse.

Therefore, most of those who had previously died at Chai Xian's hands were members of the martial arts world.

The prefect gestured with his hand, then turned to look at Chai Xing'er. The latter understood and stepped out of the pavilion onto the platform.

Chai Xing'er is a widow, and a murder has occurred in the Chai family. Therefore, she is wearing a plain-colored long dress and light makeup today. Her temperament is aloof and delicate, which can easily arouse men's protective instincts.

"Thank you all for your responses. This matter arose because of the Chai family, and I feel extremely guilty for implicating you all."

She had barely finished speaking when someone shouted:

"What does Chai Xian's ingratitude, patricide, and murder of his relatives have to do with Aunt Chai?"

"That's right, the Chai family is also a victim."

Chai Xing'er clasped her hands in thanks and continued, "For this Demon-Slaying Assembly, the government, the Chai family, the Huangfu family, and Chunyu Hall have formed a team to patrol various regions and find Chai Xian. I hope that everyone here can also send out disciples to participate."

No sooner had she finished speaking than someone said, "Chai Xian is already a fifth-grade Transformation Realm expert, and with four Iron Corpses assisting him, the patrol team would be doomed if they encountered him. What should they do?"

Chai Xing'er turned to look at Jingxin, who was sitting upright holding Buddhist prayer beads, and said:

"For this demon-slaying assembly, the Chai family is fortunate to have invited a Buddhist School monk to assist us."

The heroes present immediately looked at Jingxin and the others.

The monks respectfully clasped their hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

A gang leader said loudly:

"Buddhist School monks? How strange! I've lived most of my life in Xiangzhou, and this is the first time I've ever met anyone from the Buddhist School. How do you monks intend to help us?"

Facing the questioning gazes of the crowd, Jingxin removed the Buddhist prayer beads hanging around her neck and said:

"This string of prayer beads has been with me for over a decade, refined by scriptures, and has become spiritually connected over time. The seventy-two beads are one. The search team can take one bead, and when they encounter Chai Xian, they can infuse it with their energy, and I will then be able to sense it."

Everyone's eyes lit up, then turned to skepticism. The prefect chuckled and said:

"These eminent monks have come from afar. We wonder about their level of cultivation. If you don't mind, could you demonstrate it to everyone?"

Chai Xing'er looked at Jingxin but didn't say anything.

Although her introduction prevented these scoundrels from being rude, Buddhist School monks couldn't rely solely on words to gain people's trust.

Jingxin looked at her junior brother Jingyuan, who nodded, calmly stepped forward, and surveyed the assembled heroes:

"Who can make me back down?"

He spoke these outrageous words in a calm tone, as if stating a fact.

The martial arts figures present all raised an eyebrow simultaneously, which, to the martial artist, was nothing short of a blatant provocation.

After Jingyuan finished speaking, he clasped his hands together, and a golden dot on his forehead lit up, quickly circulating throughout his body.

In an instant, he resembled a gleaming golden statue.

"This, this is..."

A gang leader dressed in fine clothes examined the situation for a moment, then said uncertainly:

"Could it be the Vajra Divine Skill of Buddhist School?"

"It is said that even within Buddhist School, very few can master the Vajra Divine Skill."

"This monk has some skills."

A murmur of discussion erupted instantly, a buzzing of whispers filling the air.

Wang Jun murmured, "If I could master the Vajra Divine Skill, I would be the number one expert in Zhangzhou."

Feng Xiu then thought of something else, "Rumor has it that Xu Yinluo also knows the Vajra Divine Skill."

The two snapped out of their daze. Wang Jun looked around in surprise and asked, "Where's the senior?"

Feng Xiu then realized that the senior from the dilapidated temple in the desolate mountains had long since disappeared.

High in the sky, far from the location of the Demon-Slaying Assembly, a huge pagoda stood suspended in mid-air. Xu Qi'an stood by the window, looking down.

The Xiang River meanders like a silver ribbon, the fields are irregularly distributed, and the mountains resemble raised mounds of earth.

He held the fragment of the Earth Book and rode the Floating Pagoda to patrol the area for dozens of miles, but he could not see the golden dragon shadow anywhere.

Time passed second by second, and as noon approached, Xu Qi'an finally gave up, retrieved the pagoda from the hiding place, and led the little mare back to the location of the Demon-Slaying Assembly.

The event had just ended; the important figures had left in carriages, and the wandering Rogue Person had come on foot had also dispersed.

"Senior!"

Xu Qi'an then met Feng Xiu and Wang Jun, and learned from them that the Buddhist School monks had stolen the show at the conference.

The high monk who had mastered the Vajra Divine Skill stood on the stage for a quarter of an hour, and more than a dozen people came up one after another, but none of them could budge him in the slightest.

"What incredible Vajra Divine Skill! With such a high-ranking monk involved, how can we not eliminate Chai Xian? Buddhist School is truly powerful."

Wang Jun said excitedly.

Feng Xiu shook her head. "I'm afraid Chai Xian will run away."

Back at the inn, Xu Qi'an held a teacup and stood by the window, gazing into the distance.

"They probably didn't receive your note."

Mu Nanzhi analyzed, "After all, he has already left, and he may not go back for several days?"

"That's possible! But given Chai Xian's personality, he shouldn't give up such a good opportunity as the Demon Slaying Conference. Controlling a zombie to confront Chai Xing'er would be insignificant to him, at most he'd lose one zombie."

Xu Qi'an frowned. "Haven't he always wanted to prove his innocence? What is he worried about?"

Chai Xian did not appear, and Xu Qi'an's plan to extract the dragon energy failed. He felt vaguely uneasy and, after thinking it over, said:

I'm going out for a bit.

He rode the mare out of the city, speeding along the way. The mare crossed the main road, the field ridges, and the small paths, and arrived at the small village.

Xu Qi'an arrived at the entrance of the courtyard amidst the curious gazes of the villagers.

The courtyard gate was tightly closed.

He smelled a hint of blood.

"Clang!"

Xu Qi'an kicked open the courtyard gate and rushed into the house, where he saw three corpses.

They lay in pools of blood; the man's body lay beside the table, and the young mother held her daughter tightly in her arms. The blood beneath them was dried and viscous. The two bodies lay beside the bed.

The body was cold and stiff, indicating it had been dead for some time.

Based on the distribution of the bodies, it can be inferred that the man was killed first, and the woman, in a state of panic, instinctively hugged her daughter tightly in an attempt to protect her, and was subsequently killed as well.

The veins on Xu Qi'an's forehead throbbed, standing out prominently.