Embers of Sword

Chapter 754 Murder Case
After entering the city, the carriage was stopped at a crossroads.

"Turn right."

Geng Jiu, the pliers mechanic sitting in the car, suddenly spoke up, pointing to the right. From here, they would reach the heavily guarded mansions of the powerful and wealthy, as well as the military camp.

"grown ups?"

Xie Xuanyi was taken aback.

"Didn't you hear me say to turn right?"

Geng Jiu said with a half-smile, "Lord Qiu Tong praised you for your intelligence earlier... Don't you understand?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi's face immediately darkened.

He never expected that Nalan Qiutong, as the successor of Xuanwei Island, would have such a peculiar hobby!
He deliberately changed to a more handsome-looking face mask to avoid trouble, but this only attracted attention instead.

"Turn right, I'll take you to the mansion."

Geng Jiu lowered his voice and earnestly instructed, "When you get there, remember to wash yourself clean... Don't look unhappy. If you serve Lord Qiu Tong well, you'll have wealth and honor for the rest of your life."

Xie Xuanyi took a light breath.

Without making a sound, he turned the carriage around and carefully released a wisp of divine thought.

The outer city of Xuanbeiguan was quite lively, with many people coming and going.

Fortunately, the alley leading to the mansion of the powerful was dark and deserted.

Should we take action?

Kill a hook-and-pincher here...

For Xie Xuanyi, killing was certainly simple.

The problem is that I just met Nalan Qiutong. This hook-wielder was ordered to escort me into the city, but he died on the way in less than a quarter of an hour. Next, the Iron Curtain will lock onto Xuanbei Pass as quickly as possible. My identity may not be exposed immediately, but once Nalan Xuance becomes wary, it's hard to say what will happen next.

What bad luck!

Xie Xuanyi, his face dark, drove his car into the alley.

escape?
Escape would be easy, but the matter would still be reported to Nalan Qiutong. In this Xuanbei Pass, how could an ordinary person escape the capture of the Hook Pliers Master? This method of handling the matter would ultimately lead to a result that is not much different from murder.

As for serving in a mansion, that's even more absurd.

Just as Xie Xuanyi hesitated, his divine sense detected an extremely slight abnormal fluctuation.

"Hmm... Is someone there?"

Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow.

As the carriage entered the alley, the wind picked up a bit, and even the hook maker noticed something was wrong and stood up.

Wow!

next moment!
A broad, jet-black figure darted out of the alley's shadows with incredible speed, like a bat spreading its arms wide—

This was an extremely tall and robust man, who was huddled at the entrance of the alley. He was very patient, as if he had been waiting for the carriage to arrive!
"You... uh!"

Geng Jiu's pupils contracted, leaving him no time to react.

The burly man opened his arms and hugged him, squeezing and compressing him tightly.

Click, click, click!
A series of cracking sounds, like bones shattering, rang out.

The hook-and-pincher, held in the arms of the strong man, had all his bones shattered, leaving only a skin.

The burly man released his hands.

Geng Jiu collapsed limply, already beyond dead.

"Such astonishing brute strength."

Xie Xuanyi witnessed the entire murder process, from the moment he made his move to the moment he subdued his enemy, all within two breaths.

Extremely clean and efficient!

This guy didn't use a single bit of his vital energy or supernatural powers; he relied purely on his physical strength to kill a Li Kingdom Hook Pliers Master who was at the "Qi Control Realm"!
under night.

The burly man stretched his limbs, turned around, and revealed his face. It was a face that could be described as fierce and menacing, but his eyes were quite clear and did not have any ruthlessness. On the contrary... Xie Xuanyi saw a hint of concern in them.

"Are you OK?"

The burly man first asked a question with concern.

Xie Xuanyi shook his head.

"There's no time to explain, just come with me."

The burly man stretched out his hand, looked into the distance, and said in a low voice, "The armored guards of Xuanbei Pass will be here soon. Once the news of the hook-and-pincher's death spreads, the entire East Alley will be sealed off."

……

……

“It’s really rare.”

At the northern gate of the city, a golden mirror hangs high.

The Flower Master sat in the carriage and said softly, "You actually had feelings for an ordinary mortal..."

Nalan Qiutong stood with his hands behind his back below the city wall, watching the carriages flow past him like a river.

She smiled and said, "Senior sister, do you think that person was just an ordinary mortal?"

senior sister.

This title... I doubt many people would have thought of it.

But this title is actually quite reasonable. The Flower Master is the most mysterious "little master" in Fangyuanfang. She serves the Li Kingdom and Fangyuanfang... so she is destined to be inseparable from Xuanwei Island. Nalan Xuance only accepted one disciple of Xuanwei Technique, namely Nalan Qiutong. But before Nalan Qiutong, there were actually other "inheritors" of techniques on Xuanwei Island.

The flower owner is one of them.

Although his background wasn't exactly orthodox, he was still strong enough and had a high level of skill.

Even when the two are alone, Nalan Qiutong still has to respectfully call her "Senior Sister".

This statement came out.

The Flower Master frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Could it be not?"

"My profound techniques can mark auras."

Nalan Qiutong said calmly, "That traveling merchant just now... I've met him once before, and Xuanwei Flower remembered his scent."

"The world is so big, it's normal to have met once."

The Flower Master chuckled, "Junior Sister, you wouldn't happen to be able to remember the faces of everyone you've ever met, would you?"

After a brief silence.

Nalan Qiutong said casually, "Of course... it's possible."

"..."

The flower owner was at a loss for words.

“Xuanwei Flower will make a ‘mark’ whenever we have talked or met. But I don’t have any impression of this young man, but that’s normal… It’s common for cultivators traveling the world to wear a mask to conceal their aura and identity.”

At this point, Nalan Qiutong subconsciously turned his head, as he had a perfect example right beside him.

The Flower Master was a great cultivator who always wore a mask.

"You just tested me."

The Flower Master said in a heavy voice, "My divine sense has been observing him. This person doesn't seem to be wearing a mask... Either his cultivation level is above ours... or..."

"I'm more inclined to believe that he entered the city in his true form this time."

Nalan Qiutong shook her head and said calmly, "Looking across the entire Li Kingdom, there are only a handful of cultivators whose cultivation level is above Senior Sister's... It's unlikely that some Yang God would be so bored as to resort to such tricks. However, we'll soon find out the conclusion."

She sent someone to escort the traveling merchant to her residence.

Wait until the night inspection is over.

The answer will naturally become clear.

"Too……"

The flower owner stopped dwelling on it and recalled the scene of their brief encounter. The carriage curtain had been lifted by the wind for a fleeting moment.

She exchanged a glance with the young man... The Flower Master didn't sense anything unusual; the other person's aura was very ordinary, and she was probably just overthinking it.

"You two, guard the city gate well. If the 'Buddha Mirror' shows any unusual activity, send me a message immediately."

Nalan Qiutong spoke to the two hook and pincer makers.

"Junior sister... are you preparing to leave the night patrol?"

The flower master frowned.

She and Nalan Qiutong, following their master's orders, brought the Buddha-reflecting mirror to this Xuanbei Pass.

The mission is to use the Buddha Mirror to identify any remaining Buddhist traitors attempting to enter the city!
Is Nalan Qiutong already abandoning his post on the very first night?

"Senior sister, do you think tonight's inspection is still meaningful?"

Nalan Qiutong looked at the people queuing to enter the city not far away, and could already see the end of the line.

"If there really were Buddhist monks mixed in with the crowd... the moment they saw the 'Buddha-reflecting mirror,' they would turn around and leave. Why would they continue to queue up for inspection?"

Nalan Qiutong said with a sneer, "I have been keeping an eye on the 'queue' situation. Since our arrival, a total of three people have turned back at the last minute, leaving Xuanbei Pass and giving up on entering the city."

"..."

The flower master looked at his junior sister.

The two had cultivated together on Xuanwei Island for a considerable period of time.

Having cultivated for many years, my realm is therefore higher... In terms of cultivation talent, being able to cultivate to the Great Perfection of Yin Spirit is naturally extraordinary.

However, the flower owner had to admit that Nalan Qiutong's talent was superior to his own.

In terms of scheming and plotting, Nalan Qiutong is far superior to me.

In fact, the two had received the order a day earlier.

The Flower Master originally wanted to use the grand formation directly to take over Xuanbei Pass immediately, but Nalan Qiutong rejected the suggestion and insisted on slowing down... The two arrived at Xuanbei Pass half a day early, mobilized some hook-and-pinchers to ambush near the city gate, and then the previous "grand entrance" took place.

"I have already sent word to the hook and pincer makers outside the pass to chase after these three people."

Nalan Qiutong coldly said, "If you have nothing to hide, why would you desert your post? These people have some connection to Buddhism..."

After a brief pause.

Nalan Qiutong looked at the giant city behind him.

"But in my opinion, the real remnants of Buddhism have probably already infiltrated Xuanbei Pass... What can Han Li's patrols possibly find out?"

The patrolmen we met earlier did indeed do their best to check.

but……

As it turned out, Xuanbei Pass was peaceful.

"If you're worried about Buddhist disciples infiltrating, you should have entered the city earlier."

The flower owner frowned, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "Why deliberately be half a day late..."

"What is it that Master needs to do?"

Nalan Qiutong smiled gently, looked at her senior sister, and posed a question.

"Master... wants to destroy Buddhism."

The flower owner hesitated for a moment, but answered firmly.

"That's right. Master wants to destroy Buddhism."

A hint of coldness appeared in Nalan Qiutong's eyes as he said in a low voice, "If the goal is to destroy Buddhism... then the goal is to kill all these remnants of Buddhism. If we had arrived at Xuanbei Pass earlier and set up checkpoints, would those 'big shots' of Buddhism have dared to risk their lives?"

"so……"

The flower master understood Nalan Qiutong's meaning: "You're... inviting someone into a trap?"

"good."

Nalan Qiutong nodded and said seriously, "We deliberately came a day late. Those powerful figures from the Buddhist sect should have already entered the city by now... I heard that there are two powerful Venerables from the Buddhist sect who have been active in the northern border of Chongzhou. Maybe we will have a chance to capture them all this time."

She's very good at planning.

She's not bad at fighting either.

However, those Arhat Venerables who have cultivated to the Yin Spirit Realm in Buddhism are truly formidable. Nalan Qiutong had just fought with one of them recently... Because of the existence of the "Six Supernatural Powers of Buddhism," these Arhat Venerables each possess unique skills, and even those who have just advanced are quite powerful in combat! To ensure absolute safety, it would be best to have a powerful helper. This is why Nalan Qiutong traveled with the Flower Master. On Xuanwei Island, she mainly cultivates "String Techniques," controlling mechanical puppets and studying human nature, while the Flower Master cultivates "Assassination Techniques."

With this Yin God at the Great Perfection level present, there is no fear whatsoever, even when facing "Hidden Cicada"!

"My lords! Something has happened!"

Just as Nalan Qiutong and the Flower Master were talking, a cavalryman charged out from inside the city: "A corpse has been found in the east alley..."

Before the cavalrymen arrived, their voices reached them, and a green bamboo slip was thrown from afar.

Nalan Qiutong received the letter, and his expression changed drastically.

next moment.

She transformed into a blue rainbow and vanished from the spot. Seeing this, the Flower Master also stopped lingering. A dozen breaths later, the two arrived at the scene of the incident. The dark East Alley, which had been shrouded in shadow, was now illuminated by the talisman as if it were daytime. The traveling merchant's carriage was shattered, and potted plants and greenery were scattered all over the ground. The hook-and-pincher's corpse lay in a pool of blood, limp and grotesque.

"...Where is the other person?"

The Flower Master stared at the pool of blood for a moment.

The way the Hook Pliers Master died was very strange. There was no trace of divine consciousness left at the scene, nor was there any trace of the use of magical artifacts or supernatural powers.

"My lords, there is no one else. When the patrol found it, it was already like this."

The patrolling soldier spoke with trepidation.

The infamous master of the Great Li hook clamps was even more ruthless than the Great Chu Tan Yiwei.

He carefully observed the expressions of the two officials, fearing that if they became angry, the entire patrol of armored soldiers would be killed along with them...

"Hehe...hehe..."

However, the inspection was unexpected.

Nalan Qiutong chuckled softly.

She squatted on the ground, dipped her finger in the blood, and said softly, "They were crushed to death alive."

"Crushed to death?"

The patrolmen looked rather grim. They had actually investigated the scene, but they hadn't found anything useful.

The flower master waved his hand, signaling that the patrolmen could leave.

Having received orders from their superiors, the patrolmen were unwilling to linger any longer... The hook-and-pincher's case would be investigated by the hook-and-pincher himself, and the group hurriedly left.

At this moment, only two people remained in the East Alley.

"Senior sister... just as expected, those powerful figures from the Buddhist sect have already entered Xuanbei Pass."

Nalan Qiutong said softly, "I heard that a 'Venerable Fude' has recently appeared in the northern border of Chongzhou. He has cultivated a martial arts divine embryo, and even Du Yunzhong has not been able to gain the upper hand against him..."

"You suspect it is Venerable Fude."

Looking at the blood, the Flower Master asked, "Where is that young traveling merchant? Was he also connected to Buddhism? Was he also a venerable figure in Buddhism?"

"No, not really."

Nalan Qiutong squinted, carefully recalling the details of their previous encounter.

She stroked her chin: "If it were a Buddhist master, he would have just killed Geng Jiu. Why call for another one and expose another person... I originally thought that traveling merchant was a bit strange, but now it seems that he is less suspicious."

This case is more like a Buddhist master stepping forward and sacrificing himself to save people.

In the eyes of those bald monks in Buddhism, hook and pincer makers are all heinous villains...

The peace that hung over the northern gate tonight was shattered by the sudden arrival of the hook-and-pincher.

The Buddhist experts who had infiltrated the city naturally noticed this scene.

Some of them saw the scene of Geng Jiu being ordered to bring the traveling merchants to his residence.

Thus, this incident of blocking the road and killing someone occurred.

(End of this chapter)