Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 176 Cicada Molting
The night was deep and the dew was heavy at the Tutanzi Charity Estate.

The north wind whipped up heavy snowflakes, and the mighty river roared beside it. Amid the muffled thud of the river lapping against the shore, a sudden, dense, and heavy sound of footsteps arose.

"Surround it up!"

A low shout pierced the wind and snow.

In an instant, dozens of torches were lit at the same time, and the martial artists dressed in tight-fitting clothes scattered in all directions, wielding sledgehammers to smash the door, and in a few moments they knocked down the gate and walls of the mortuary.

"Which son of a bitch..."

Several body retrievers were startled awake from their dream, and one of them scrambled to his feet.

They came into view one after another, their faces cold and stern, their clothes covered in snowflakes, exuding a murderous aura.

The body retrievers immediately shrank back and shut their mouths, their faces full of flattery.
"Gentlemen, what's going on?"

"Drag him away, torture him severely, and interrogate him."

The team leader's gaze was cold; he only glanced at the group.

Then, screams soon followed.

"Ah!! Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me!"

"Are you going to confess or not? Are you going to confess or not?"

"I'll confess... but you have to ask first!"

The flames flickered in the wind, elongating and twisting the warriors' figures into menacing shapes.

Some people brought along several greyhounds and held Zhao Guanghui's personal clothing to the dogs' noses to make them "smell" it.

Outside the manor, Zhao Guangxi stood with his hands behind his back, snowflakes pattering against his leather cloak.

Lu Jing, Liu Qingyi, and Qiu Chen also stood outside the Tutanzi Charity Hall.

A moment later, a martial artist led a greyhound out and bowed to Lu Jing, saying...
"Officer Lu, we found nothing unusual, and there was no trace of an underground palace."

"As for those corpse retrievers, according to them, they are also newcomers who temporarily took over the mortuary. The people who were in charge of retrieving the corpses left in a hurry during the day and their whereabouts are unknown. I'm afraid... they are probably dead."

Upon hearing this, the four people reacted with varying expressions.

Zhao Guangxi's pupils suddenly contracted, his expression turned grim, and he immediately walked into the mortuary.

Lu Jing frowned and stepped into the mortuary.

Liu Qingyi followed closely behind, using the tip of her spear to sweep away the snow.

Qiu Chen shook out his uniform, glanced at Zhao Guangxi, and suddenly a strange smile appeared on his face. He didn't go into the mortuary but waited outside.

After searching for a while, the three even paused briefly on the stone embankment where the coffin was placed in the back hall.

Thoughts become tides, breaking through the soil.

However, nothing was found.

After Lu Jing captured Zhao Guangxi, the group searched along the tunnels of the Zhao residence, following the map.

All they discovered was that the tunnel branched off, leading to different places.

Bustling city streets and remote docks.

There is also a fork in the road, which seems to be abandoned, leading to just a mud wall that has not yet been cultivated.

That's why they rushed to the mortuary without stopping, based on Zhao Guangxi's intelligence.

Seeing the three men emerge, Zhao Guanghui, shackled and chained, was pale, with blood still lingering at the corner of his mouth. He said helplessly,
"Zhao said it was all a misunderstanding! I built a tunnel in my own home, like a rabbit with three burrows, what's wrong with that? Why are you all making such a fuss?!"

"This so-called mortuary and the collection of corpses have absolutely nothing to do with me... If you're determined to frame someone, you can always find a pretext. Could it be that Zhao Lulu is using this opportunity to get rid of me because he's abusing his power for personal gain?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Chen's eyes flickered, and he looked at Zhao Guangxi, saying...

“Zhao Lulu, if in the end no evidence is found and Zhao Guanghui’s suspicion is confirmed… that would break the rules and would no longer be just a gang dispute.”

Lu Jing also frowned and said,

"I didn't detect any malevolent energy either, which is strange..."

Lu Jing also looked at Zhao Guangxi with suspicion.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Guangxi's expression darkened, and he pondered in his heart what he had overlooked.

Zhao Guangxi naturally believed Chen Shunan's words without a doubt.

It was quite obvious that Zhao Guanghui possessed some kind of means that allowed him to conceal the senses of everyone present, thus making the underground palace disappear without a trace.

Liu Qingyi, holding a red-tasseled spear, stood on the rocks. Seeing that two of the four were wavering and beginning to doubt Zhao Guangxi, she immediately interrupted them.

"Dig three feet into the ground, dig as deep as you can, if one day isn't enough, try two."

Liu Qingyi's expression was cold and stern as she spoke.
"Even clumsy methods can be very effective. Our true intentions are not omnipotent; there are times when they won't work..."

Zhao Guangxi nodded silently and immediately passed on the order.

Seeing that Commander Liu had spoken, Lu Jing remained silent and did not say anything.

Qiu Chen stood to one side.

Zhao Guanghui forced a smile, but a barely perceptible hint of panic flashed in his eyes.

The enormous blood pool underground palace beneath the mortuary could not possibly have vanished into thin air.

Due to the haste, Zhao Guanghui did not have time to completely clean up the mess.

It was merely a matter of using the [Undying Molting Technique] to return all the Yin energy from the hundred meridians to the underground palace, calm the blood pool, and gather all the Qi into one, while also employing a deceptive technique.

This is a profound mystery that transcends martial arts and is almost akin to the methods of immortals.

Martial artists like Zhao Guangxi naturally couldn't detect it.

However, as Liu Qingyi said.

At worst, we can dig three feet into the ground and level this small hill. We'll eventually find the Blood Pool Palace; it's just a matter of time!

But the good thing is...

The night was dark, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of white.

There were many martial artists nearby, and even a few lone True Meaning Masters.

Zhao Guanghui's eyes gradually hardened. A strongman silently emerged from the ground, climbed up his spine, and gradually opened up the various acupoints that had been sealed. His internal energy was frantically mobilized, and a hidden killing intent slowly brewed.

If that's the case, then let's use the blood of these people to refine the insect essence and feed it to create a tongue-shaped corpse, Dingjia!

... Chen Shunan quietly arrived at the Tutanzi Charity Estate.

Then you see a group of people, enthusiastically carrying shovels and picks, digging the ground with heavy breaths.

His exhaled breath mixed with snowflakes and condensed on his strong back.

Zhao Guangxi and his companions stood at a distance from the entrance of the mortuary.

Chen Shunan hesitated for a moment, then stepped out of the dense forest and asked Lin Shouzhou,
"Instructor Lin, what's going on? Why is everyone digging in the ground?"

Lin Shouzhou rolled up his trousers and sleeves, revealing his strong calves. He stood barefoot in a pit nearly ten feet deep, his whole body soaked by the melted snow, looking like an old farmer.

It must be said that this group of martial artists, especially the true masters, are truly the best choice to build bridges over water and pave roads through mountains.

A top-notch dust collector!

Strong and nimble, he quickly dismantled the mortuary and dug deep pits, several meters deep. Even when encountering boulders, the True Intent Master could shatter them with two punches. The other martial artists then used ropes to hold the broken stones and transport them to the foot of the mountain.

With combined efforts, they possess the power to move mountains, yet consume only a few steamed buns.

Hearing a familiar voice from above, Lin Shouzhou looked up, saw who it was, and lowered his voice to say...
"Master Zhao seems to have misjudged the situation; he didn't find anything special at the mortuary. Now he's ordering us to dig three feet into the ground... Old Chen, are you coming to help?"

Dig?

Upon hearing this, Chen Shunan's expression turned strange, but he did not refuse and picked up a shovel and pickaxe as well.

As he dug, he carefully sensed the aura and found that, just as Lin Shouzhou had said, the bloody and sinister aura had completely disappeared.

Even Chen Shunan couldn't sense anything unusual underground.

It looks like an ordinary small hill.

"Something's not right... Could it be the wonder of that unknown destiny?"

Chen Shunan would occasionally stop to catch fish, leaning against a big tree and listening to the sounds not far away.

The heavy snow fell softly, and all that could be heard were the heavy breathing of the martial artists, interspersed with a few complaints and impatience.

In the distance, Zhao Guangxi, Lu Jing, and the others each stood in a separate spot.

Zhao Guanghui was trapped in the central government, wearing a cangue and with disheveled hair.

The atmosphere was somewhat gloomy and oppressive.

Something seemed to be quietly brewing.

Chen Shunan squinted, his gaze fixed on Zhao Guanghui's brow, and with a flick of his finger, he quietly pinched the heart-piercing nail.

There was no other way but to let Mr. Chen try the acupuncture first.

……

Beneath the mortuary.

The underground palace still stands, but the blood pool remains silent.

Piles of white bones, corpses crisscrossing like a forest.

There were also several fresh, still-breathing figures, lying on the ground like pigs and dogs.

The air was thick with malevolent energy, and the blood mist was almost tangible.

But before this malevolent aura and blood mist could spread, it was completely devoured by a quietly perched insect with a distinct shell on the wall.

To be precise, it was a cicada molt.

A neat slit split open in its head and chest, its thin wings folded at its sides, its interior devoid of flesh and blood, empty, as if something had once emerged from its body.

Only this one cicada shell remained.

"It seems there's been a problem with Boss Zhao; he hasn't reached the Blood Pool yet."

"It's alright. With this treasure here, no one can find this place. Even if someone tries to break in, they will be lost in a maze and find nothing."

"What should we do with those fresh blood sacrifices?"

"Just throw it into the blood pool."

Cheng Bin was jolted awake by a sudden movement. He weakly opened his eyes and saw a blood-red scene before him.

He vaguely understood something, his voice barely audible.

"What's the date today?"

"Wow, this guy's lucky, he's still alive."

A figure, completely covered except for a pair of weathered eyes, chuckled and said...
"Today is the ninth day of the ninth month, which is also the anniversary of your death. Don't forget."

After saying that, there was a 'plop' sound.

Cheng Bin was thrown into the pool of blood.

The viscous blood plasma immediately slithered into Cheng Bin's seven orifices like tiny snakes.

His flesh, veins, and bones began to melt.

But Cheng Bin was completely unaware.

"September 9th? What a coincidence, today marks the third month since I met Xiaoman..."

Cheng Bin's consciousness became blurred.

He was acutely aware that his life was slipping away rapidly.

At the same time, the cicada shell that had been quietly lying on the wall fluttered its wings, faintly emitting a hint of joy and greed.

I'm going to be eaten by it.

For no apparent reason, a thought popped into Cheng Bin's mind.

Then, he remembered the previous two days.

Outside Zhao Guanghui's residence, he encountered Lama Jiuzhanhui.

“Benefactor, the world is restless, like a burning house, who can find peace? Master Zhao told me that if you are willing to come back and give up Xiaoman, he will not hold a grudge against the past, and you will still be his Shui San’er.”

"Master, I can't go back. I can't bear to leave Xiaoman either."

"Then, benefactor... do you wish for revenge?"

(End of this chapter)