A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

Chapter 140 Ning Yuechan's Guesses

Su Bai climbed out of the window, his figure landing lightly on the dry, hard earth outside, and then disappeared into the night without looking back.

Behind him, the firelight cast his shadow on the earthen wall of the post station, stretching it long and thin, like a splash of thick ink that lingered for a long time.

Outside the post station, the wasteland was deathly silent.

In the distance came the mournful cry of an owl, sharp and long, echoing across the empty wilderness, one cry, two cries, three cries.

Su Bai walked on the official road, his boots crunching the withered grass underfoot, making a soft cracking sound.

He suddenly stopped and looked back at the flickering flame.

The firelight flickered in the night wind until it finally went out completely, leaving only a wisp of faint smoke rising.

He smiled.

"The Li family." He murmured the name, his tone like that of someone chewing on a green fruit, a bittersweet taste mixed with a hint of sweetness. He gently pressed the tip of his tongue against the roof of his mouth, swirling the name around before slowly swallowing it.

Then he turned around and strode away.

The night wind made his clothes flutter like a black flag, billowing and waving in the vast night, until they finally merged with the darkness and disappeared without a trace.

The flames at the post station were finally extinguished completely.

The last wisp of smoke rose gently, swaying and disappearing into the dark night sky, vanishing into nothingness.

A three-day trip is neither too long nor too short.

It was early morning when we set off from Fenjiang County. The eastern sky was just beginning to lighten, and dew still clung to the grass along the official road.

The official road was smooth, but the closer you got to Qingyuan County, the fewer people and vehicles you saw. At first, you could occasionally encounter a few caravans on their way, but later you would often go for half an hour without seeing a single person.

The trees along the roadside gradually thinned out, replaced by vast stretches of barren grass slopes. When the wind blew, the grass rippled and rustled.

On the afternoon of the third day, when the outline of the city came into view in the distance, Su Bai reined in his horse and stood there for a while.

The afternoon sun was intense, shining obliquely from behind, casting long, thin shadows of men and horses onto the uneven dirt road. The city crouched in this bright light, like a giant beast lying in the wilderness.

The city wall was indeed over two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) high, which was quite imposing in this remote county.

The rammed earth walls gleamed dimly in the sunlight. It wasn't the color of fresh soil, but rather the cracked yellowish-brown that had settled over the years under the sun and wind. In some places, you could even see the gullies eroded by rainwater.

The shadowy figures could be vaguely seen moving around the crenellations—mostly soldiers guarding the city—and occasionally a flash of light reflected from weapons would streak by.

A long queue formed in front of the city gate, mostly with ordinary people carrying loads on shoulder poles, and a few with mule carts loaded with what appeared to be mountain goods. The scraps of dried mushrooms, animal hides, and medicinal herbs peeked out from the loads, and the cart tracks left deep and shallow marks on the ground.

The line moved very slowly, with people occasionally standing on tiptoe to peer ahead, muttering something under their breath.

"My lord, shall we go straight in?" Sun Hou rode closer and asked in a low voice.

He wore a badge from the Zhenfu Division at his waist. The ebony badge was worn smooth and shiny, and the characters on it were faintly visible in the sunlight. Passing through the gate and entering the city was just a matter of a word.

As he said this, his hand unconsciously reached for his waist tag.

Su Bai shook his head: "Let's line up."

His gaze remained fixed on the line ahead, his face expressionless, though his lips moved slightly. Sunlight shone on his profile, outlining a sharp, defined line.

Sun Hou then stopped asking questions. He withdrew his hand, obediently gripped the reins, and spurred his horse to follow behind Su Bai, heading towards the back of the group. The horse's hooves kicked up a small cloud of dust as they trod on the road.

The procession moved slowly. One by one, the people at the front approached the city gate and then disappeared into its shadow.

The sun was so hot that people's scalps were burning. Several old men in line took out straw hats from their trousers and put them on, while others kept wiping the sweat off their faces with their sleeves.

Inside the city gate were several men who looked like constables, dressed in dark blue official uniforms with knives at their waists, checking each passerby.

They inspected everything meticulously, even turning over the baskets on the carrying poles. First, they would use their hands to pry open the surface, then reach deeper to feel around. Sometimes they would even have someone put the load down so they could bend down and examine it closely.

An old man was stopped for some reason and was bowing and scraping as he explained something. His face was full of fear, his wrinkles were all squeezed together, and his forehead was covered with shiny beads of sweat. His lips were moving, but you couldn't hear what he was saying.

The constable had a stern face, one hand on the hilt of his knife, and the other hand rummaging through the old man's load.

Looking at this scene, Su Bai suddenly recalled the scene in front of the city gate of Fenjiang County—back then, he had also lined up like this, standing in the crowd, watching the people in front of him being questioned, watching the humility and fear of ordinary people when facing officials, and watching how arrogant the constables in their crooked official uniforms were.

However, a few months later, when it was his turn to enter the city, his state of mind was completely different.

He lowered his eyes slightly, and the sunlight cast a small shadow under his eyelashes.

"My lord," Sun Hou leaned closer, his voice even lower, almost touching the horse's neck, "have you heard about Li Yuehu's matter reached Qingyuan County yet?"

Su Bai glanced at him.

That glance wasn't heavy, not even sharp; it was just a calm, indifferent sweep. But Sun Hou seemed to be lightly stung by something, immediately and wisely shutting his mouth, shrinking his neck, and looking away.

The procession moved forward a few more feet. Suddenly, a donkey led by someone at the front brayed, its hoarse voice echoing under the city gate, startling several sparrows that had landed on the city wall.

Just as Su Bai and his group were queuing to enter the city, a piece of news was quietly spreading in Fengshan County, three hundred miles away.

The streets of Fengshan County were more than twice as wide as those of Qingyuan County, paved with neat bluestone slabs, and the shop signs on both sides were much more impressive. But at this moment, the atmosphere in the teahouses and taverns, which should have been bustling at noon, was somewhat subtle.

Li Yuehu, the eldest son of the Li family, is dead.

The corpse was burned to a skeleton, unrecognizable, leaving only a charred torso curled up in a small ball, like some kind of burnt firewood. If it weren't for the personal keepsake and the remaining fragments of clothing—a jade pendant carved with a tiger's head burned to half, still bearing the mark of the Li family: silver cloud patterns embroidered on a corner of the garment, the clothing of the direct line of the Li family—it would have been almost impossible to identify the person.

The time of death was three days ago.

That was the day Li Yuehu led his men out of the city to "take care of business".

Inside the Zhenfu Division's yamen, Ning Yuechan was holding a cup of tea when she heard the news.

The hall of the Zhenfusi Yamen was dimly lit, and the yellowed Korean paper pasted on the window frames made the light that came in somewhat murky.

Ning Yuechan sat on the grand chair, wearing a dark blue official robe. The heavy fabric made the chair creak slightly.

The teacup in her hand was made of celadon, with a lustrous glaze and clear, green tea liquor. A few tea leaves were curled up and settled at the bottom of the cup.

She didn't drink it, just held it there, the steam rising from the teacup, blurring half of his face.

Wisps of heat rose upwards, swirling around her brows as if through a thin veil.

"Three days ago," she repeated softly.

The sound was very soft, leaving almost no echo in the empty hall.

Three days ago was the day Su Bai left Fenjiang County and set off for Qingyuan County.

coincidence?

She set down her teacup and tapped it lightly twice on the table with her fingertips. The bottom of the celadon cup touched the rosewood tabletop, producing a very faint muffled sound. Her fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, and the tapping motion was neither hurried nor slow—once, twice, three times.

He knew Li Yuehu.

He is indeed the eldest son of the Li family, but he cannot be considered a core figure. His abilities are mediocre, and he hasn't even touched the threshold of the True Qi Realm. All he knows is to swagger around with a few lackeys all day long; his temperament is even more... indescribable.

Ning Yuechan recalled seeing that person once at the spring banquet last year. Li Yuehu came over with a wine cup in hand, his eyes darting around, and his flattering words were just the same few phrases over and over again, unbearably vulgar.

But he has a good father.

Li Chongshan had a son late in life, and he doted on him like a precious jewel, treating him with utmost care and affection.

It is said that when Li Yuehu was three years old, he fell and broke his forehead. Li Chongshan immediately beat two servants who were guarding him to death and then knelt in the Buddhist hall for three days and three nights, praying to the Bodhisattva for protection.

Li Yuehu has been able to run rampant in Fengshan County for so many years, not because of his own abilities.

Li Yuehu is now dead.

Ning Yuechan squinted slightly. The light streaming through the window fell on his face, casting a long, thin shadow on his eyelids, making his eyes appear even more unfathomable.

Who is the killer?

The Wang family and the Zhou family are both possibilities. The Li family has overextended itself on the trade routes in recent years. The trade routes south of Fengshan County, which were originally divided equally among the three major families, now have nearly half controlled by the Li family.

The Wang family's tea caravan was robbed three times, and the Zhou family's warehouse was burned down twice. Everyone said it was the work of mountain bandits, but who believed it?

Or perhaps they are enemies or adversaries in the martial arts world. With Li Yuehu's personality, he has offended countless people.

The body was burned so badly that the trail had almost died out, making the investigation extremely difficult.

Ning Yuechan suddenly smiled, a very faint smile, just a slight, almost imperceptible upward curve at the corners of her mouth that vanished in an instant.

"Interesting," he said softly.

The voice sounded like it was talking to itself, yet also like it was being addressed to someone. In the empty hall, the soft whispers sounded exceptionally clear.

Compared to Ning Yuechan's calm observation, the inner courtyard of the Li family was now filled with a somber atmosphere.

Li Chongshan sat in the main hall, without saying a word.

The main hall was very large, with thick beams and pillars, and was originally a grand and bright place.

At this moment, it felt as if something invisible was pressing down on me, heavy and suffocating.

All the windows were open, but not a breath of wind could get in.

The afternoon sunlight shone in through the doorway, casting a large patch of light on the ground, but it did not reach Li Chongshan. He sat in the armchair, his whole body hidden in the shadows, only his eyes shining brightly.

No one in the room dared to make a sound.

The servants knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe. Some knelt for so long that their legs went numb, but they didn't dare to move even a little. They could only grit their teeth and endure it.

Several capable stewards stood on either side with their heads bowed, fine beads of sweat glistening on their foreheads. The sweat trickled down their cheeks, making them itch unbearably, but no one dared to raise their hands to wipe it away.

"Where is Fang Yueyuan?" Li Chongshan asked, his voice not loud, but it felt like a stone pressing on everyone's heart. His voice was dry and deep, like the sound of a blunt object rubbing together.

A steward stepped forward hesitantly, his steps unsteady, barely making a sound on the blue brick floor. He bowed deeply, his eyes fixed on his toes: "Reporting to the master, there... there is still no news—"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Chongshan slammed his hand on the table beside him.

The marble table shattered—not cracked, but shattered into countless pieces.

Gravel flew everywhere, clattering and shattering on the ground. One piece grazed the foreman's cheek, leaving a bloody gash from which blood immediately seeped. The foreman's legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees, his knees hitting the paving stones with a dull thud.

"Please calm down, sir!"

Li Chongshan didn't look at him; his gaze fell on the shattered stone table, and a strong killing intent surged in his eyes.

His hand remained in the clapping position, fingers spread open, pressing against the air, knuckles slightly white.

Fang Yueyuan, a mid-stage True Qi Realm cultivator, is quite well-known in the Fengshan County area and is known as the "Divine Sword".

That day, Li Yuehu came to him excitedly, saying he was going to take some men to kill an enemy. After listening, he gave him a word of advice: If you're going to do it, do it cleanly.

He then gave his waist token to his son, telling him to go find Fang Yueyuan—that person owed him a favor, and it was time to repay it.

He thought his son was just going to kill some insignificant nobody.

He thought that with Fang Yueyuan around, there would be no chance of anything going wrong.

He thought—

Li Chongshan closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, all that remained was a cold, ruthless glint. His gaze was like a tempered blade, its cold light chilling.

"Send more men. If ten teams aren't enough, then twenty." He said, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. "I want to see him alive or dead. I need to know Fang Yueyuan's whereabouts before sunset tomorrow."

"yes!"

The kneeling stewards responded in unison, but none of them dared to stand up immediately; they simply lowered their heads even further.

"And another thing," Li Chongshan added, his voice growing even deeper, "have someone keep an eye on Su Bai. I need to know his every move."

The subordinate accepted the order and left. He staggered as he rose, but dared not be negligent in his exit from the main hall.

Li Chongshan sat beside the shattered table, slowly clenching his fist. Shards of stone pierced his palm, but he seemed completely oblivious to the pain.

The killer managed to ensure that none of Li Yuehu's men escaped—all twelve people, including four guards at the early stage of the True Qi Realm, were killed without a single survivor. To achieve this, one's strength must be at least at the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm.

Fang Yueyuan has not returned yet, so she is most likely dead. Therefore, the person who killed Fang Yueyuan must be at least in the late stage of the True Qi Realm.

Su Bai?

That immature kid is said to have just entered the True Qi Realm, which is absolutely impossible.

But the person Li Yuehu wanted to kill was indeed him.

So either someone set a trap to use Li Yuehu's death to deal with Li Chongshan and the Li family, or Su Bai has someone behind him—a master at least in the mid-stage of the True Qi Realm, or even the late-stage of the True Qi Realm.

Li Chongshan slowly stood up.

His kneecap made a slight popping sound, like an old mechanism restarting.

His gaze passed through the open main hall doors and landed on the distant, hazy sky.

Either way, he wants Su Bai dead.

He will fulfill his son's last wish.

Once the power struggle between the aristocratic families comes to an end, he will personally make a trip to Qingyuan County.

I'll take that kid's life with my own hands.