Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 203 Xu Zhiwei of the Heavenly Dao Sect

Wen Shuyi said, "That's easy to explain. There are two reasons. First, the person practicing this Blood-Sucking Divine Skill is a beginner. I know a bit about the Blood-Sucking Divine Skill. This martial art has a major limitation: it can't absorb much power from people whose skill level far exceeds that of the practitioner. So, if this person is a beginner and doesn't have much skill, then he can only attack ordinary people."

Secondly, given that the cultivator is currently severely injured, the risk of him attacking a martial arts master is too great; he might even endanger himself. Therefore, recovering slowly in this small town with few martial arts practitioners is the safest approach.

Wu Ming suddenly realized and said, "I'll send someone to report this to the authorities right now!"

Wen Shuyi continued, "We definitely need to report to the authorities. In addition, you can also send someone to inquire in town whether anyone has suddenly changed their behavior recently, or whether any outsiders have been seen in town."

"Yes, yes, yes," Wu Ming quickly replied, "If an ordinary person in the town were to cultivate this evil art and suddenly gain power, their behavior would definitely be out of control. Outsiders are even easier to investigate. Although our town is large, it's just that there are a lot of people and not much business, so there aren't many outsiders. Most of them are just passing through."

Gu Guanqi said, "As far as I know, this place belongs to Yan Prefecture, and Yan Prefecture is home to the Tianyi Sect, one of the eight major sects. Reporting to the authorities might not be as useful as contacting the Tianyi Sect, right?"

Wu Ming quickly waved his hand and said, "The Heavenly Dao Sect is far away on Mount Taiwang. How could I possibly find them? Besides, they are all highly accomplished cultivators who live in seclusion on the immortal mountain and don't concern themselves too much with the mortal world."

Gu Guanqi asked in confusion, "Doesn't the Tianyi Sect have any Taoist temples or anything like that in your local county?"

Wu Ming shook his head and said, "No. There are a few Taoist temples in our county, but none of them belong to the Tianyi Sect."

Gu Guanqi was somewhat surprised.

Wen Shuyi said, "Grandpa, why don't you send someone to report to the authorities first, and then inquire about any suspicious people in town?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Wu Ming said, "Let's go, let me take you to eat first, and we can get things done while we're at it."

Soon, Wu Ming led Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi to a large hall, and then he went out.

In the hall, a few oil lamps were lit, making the light somewhat dim.

Wen Shuyi sat down next to Gu Guanqi and said softly, "Guanqi, although you passed through Yanzhou before, you didn't stop, so you may not be very clear about the way of Tianyi Sect."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "I only know that the Heavenly Dao Sect is one of the eight major sects, and I really don't know much about their style. However, as one of the eight major sects, their control over Yanzhou should be very strong."

"You've misspoke here," Wen Shuyi poured Gu Guanqi a cup of tea and said slowly, "Tianyi Daoist Sect and Guangming Temple are the oldest and highest-ranking of the eight major sects. One is the ancestral temple of the Daoist sect in Qian Kingdom, and the other is the ancestral temple of the Buddhist sect in Qian Kingdom."

It is precisely because of their ancestral home that they are among the eight major sects. Unlike the other six sects, they did not become one of the eight major sects based on their dominance in a particular region. In fact, it could be said that their influence in their respective regions was less than that of the local aristocratic families.

Gu Guanqi asked, puzzled, "Why is that?"

Wen Shuyi said, "Whether it's the Tianyi Sect or the Da Guangming Temple, their lineages span over a thousand years, and they have always had a great influence throughout the country. Martial arts forces in various places have entanglements with them. For example, the Bodhi Zen Temple in your Yunzhou originated from the Da Guangming Temple."

However, they have always advocated quiet cultivation and never personally intervened to compete for martial arts resources, always guarding their own little corner of the world.

For example, the Heavenly Dao Sect is located on Mount Taiwang. It has only a few hundred disciples, relying solely on the land on Mount Taiwang and the offerings from the surrounding people. This has been their way for over a thousand years. Despite their great fame and wide influence, they possess an air of detachment from worldly affairs.

Gu Guanqi asked in bewilderment, "It's not very realistic to keep going like this. I believe that one or two generations can live peacefully without conflict with the world by relying on their faith in the Tao or their determination to cultivate the Tao."

But over several generations, there will always be ambitious individuals, those unwilling to settle for mediocrity. Both the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Great Bright Temple possess complete cultivation lineages, teeming with countless masters. How can they possibly guarantee that everyone will remain detached from worldly affairs?

Wen Shuyi chuckled and said, "That's why forces like Bodhi Zen Temple, which originated from Da Guangming Temple, have emerged. For example, Qingyang Sanren, the abbot of Qingsong Temple, whom you killed a few days ago, was a disciple of Tianyi Sect."

Although the Tianyi Sect recruits disciples, it never restricts them. Whether they are learning Taoism or martial arts, if they cannot bear the loneliness of the mountains and fields, they can ask to leave the mountain and from then on they will no longer be disciples of the Tianyi Sect.

However, most of those who descend the mountain are those who want to make a name for themselves in the martial world. Therefore, they usually adopt the identity of the Tianyi Sect. This is not to take advantage of the sect's influence, because the Tianyi Sect does not care about its disciples who descend the mountain. Rather, it is so that these disciples can stick together and support each other.

Therefore, over time, the influence of the Tianyi Dao Sect spread throughout the Qian Kingdom, and many Daoist factions acknowledged their origins from the Tianyi Dao Sect, regarding it as their ancestral home. Consequently, the Tianyi Dao Sect became the leader of Daoist sects and was listed as one of the eight major sects. Similarly, the Great Bright Temple was also established in this way.

Therefore, the Tianyi Sect and the Daguangming Temple, which are generally recognized as the most influential of the eight major sects, actually have the weakest local control. However, most people in the martial arts world are unaware of this and subconsciously assume that the Tianyi Sect and the Daguangming Temple, like the other six sects, must be very powerful locally.

Gu Guanqi suddenly realized, took a sip of water, and said, "It seems that this is the True Buddha Sect and the True Dao Sect."

Wen Shuyi said, "However, if demonic forces are rampant, they will send people down the mountain to eliminate them and protect the righteous path, but they generally will not participate in martial arts disputes."

As far as I know, during last year's martial arts alliance leader election in Yanzhou, the Tianyi Sect simply attended at the government's invitation, but not a single member participated in the election. They only showed up to give face to the government and left the next day.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "No wonder it has been passed down for thousands of years and still exists after several dynasties."

Night falls at the Dongxian County Government Office.

The lanterns in the courtyard swayed under the eaves, casting a dim, flickering light.

County Lieutenant Pang Tong was bending over to tidy up the files on his desk.

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

Pang Tong looked up and saw a constable rushing over.

"County Commandant Pang, someone has reported a crime!" the constable said.

"What is it?" Pang Tong asked as he put down the files. "If it's a minor matter, we can deal with it tomorrow."

The constable hurriedly said, "It's a big case. The steward of Old Master Wu's family in Wujia Town came to report it. He said that more than a dozen people have died in Wujia Town in the past few days. Originally, everyone was saying that it was because demons were sucking away yang energy, so no one came to report it. Instead, they were asking Taoist priests to perform exorcisms."

But today, a group of martial arts masters arrived in Wu Family Town and recognized that the deceased had been harmed by a malevolent blood-sucking technique. Therefore, Old Master Wu hurriedly sent someone to report the case!

Pang Tong was slightly taken aback, his pupils suddenly contracting: "What did you say? Blood-Sucking Divine Skill?"

The constable nodded repeatedly: "That's what the old steward of the Wu family said."

Pang Tong frowned and muttered, "They really do have a blood-sucking technique!"

He then said to the constable, "Go and gather your men immediately. Once they are ready, come to Yunlai Inn and meet me. I'll go there first."

The constable asked in confusion, "Yunlai Inn? Magistrate Pang, what brings you here—"

Pang Tong said, "At noon today, three Taoist priests from the Tianyi Sect came to the county government office, asking us to help investigate whether there were any unusual deaths in the vicinity. They came here to hunt down an evil Taoist who practices a blood-sucking technique. I didn't expect to get a lead so quickly."

"

"I see," the constable said. "With a master from the Heavenly Dao Sect, they can surely bring this evil cultivator to justice!"

Pang Tong didn't say anything more, grabbed the lantern hanging on the wall, and quickly left the county government office.

The night breeze was cool, and the streets were deserted.

Pang Tong walked along the bluestone street for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and arrived at the entrance of Yunlai Inn.

Two lanterns were still lit in the inn, but most of the door had been closed, leaving only one ajar. Inside, one could hear the sounds of people tidying up tables and chairs, and occasionally the clatter of bowls and chopsticks, which were particularly clear in the quiet night.

Pang Tong pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The shopkeeper was a tall, thin man in his forties. He was wiping the table when he heard the noise and looked up. When he saw that it was the county magistrate himself, he was so frightened that he dropped the rag in his hand.

"Pang—County Commandant Pang!" The shopkeeper hurriedly went around the counter to greet him. "You've come in person so late, is there anything you need?"

Pang Tong waved his hand and asked in a low voice, "This afternoon, three Taoist priests came here. Are they still here?"

The innkeeper nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes. The three Taoist priests have requested three superior rooms, they should not have rested yet."

Pang Tong said, "Go and invite them down. Tell them I have something important to tell you."

The shopkeeper quickly replied, "Please wait a moment, I'll go and inform them right away."

After he finished speaking, he picked up an oil lamp and ran upstairs.

Shortly after, footsteps could be heard from upstairs.

The footsteps were slow and deliberate, even somewhat dragging, as if the person walking wasn't fully awake. Then, a figure emerged from around the corner of the stairs.

She was a young female Taoist priest with regular features and well-defined brow bones, but her attire was quite casual.

She wore a faded gray Taoist robe with wide sleeves and a disheveled hem, and a gourd of wine hung from her waist, swaying gently with her steps. Although a wooden hairpin was stuck in her hair, it was very messy. Her hands were tucked into her sleeves, and she had a somewhat languid air about her, looking like she was slightly drunk.

But when Pang Tong saw the female Taoist, his expression became very respectful.

Although this person appears casual, she has quite a background. She is the junior sister of the current head of the Tianyi Sect, with a very high seniority. Her Daoist name is Su Chen, and her secular name is Xu Zhiwei. She is the youngest martial arts grandmaster in Yanzhou.

Xu Zhiwei walked somewhat unsteadily, and when she stepped onto the last step, she swayed slightly, as if her footing was not quite steady.

Behind her followed two middle-aged Taoist priests. One had thick eyebrows and big eyes, straight back, and a steady gait, constantly scanning his surroundings with vigilance; the other was slightly thinner, holding a long sword in his hand, and followed closely behind.

The two men looked to be no less than fifty years old, but they walked behind Xu Zhiwei with great respect.

"Master Xu!"

Pang Tong quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

Xu Zhiwei cupped his hands in greeting and said, "County Commandant Pang, you've already got a lead so quickly?"

Xu Zhiwei's voice was somewhat slurred, as if she hadn't fully sobered up from the alcohol.

But as she spoke, she untied the gourd from her waist, uncorked it, and took a swig. Her eyes, which had been somewhat dazed, became even more bewildered the moment she put the gourd down.

Upon seeing this, Pang Tong was momentarily speechless, but he composed himself and said, "Master Xu, someone reported tonight that more than a dozen people have died in Wu Family Town, all of them drained of their life force and turned into dried corpses. A group of martial arts masters passed by and recognized it as the Blood-Sucking Divine Skill."

Xu Zhiwei's eyes lit up, and she said, "Those people are not simple either, being able to recognize and determine at a glance that it is the Blood-Sucking Divine Skill!"

""

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Pang Tong and said, "Then, could County Commandant Pang send someone to guide us?"

Pang Tong said, "I have already sent people to gather manpower, and we will head to Wujia Town immediately."

Xu Zhiwei stood up, patted the wrinkles on her Taoist robe, hung the wine gourd back on her waist, and then waved to the two middle-aged Taoists behind her, saying, "Go and get your bundle; we're getting ready to leave!"

The two middle-aged Taoist priests responded in unison, "Yes, Uncle-Master."

The two immediately went upstairs.

Pang Tong hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Master Xu, may I be so bold as to ask who this person who cultivates the Blood-Sucking Divine Art is?"

Xu Zhiwei said, "The identity we have found so far is that of an ordinary old man who grows vegetables, named Feng Xiwan. He mainly makes a living by delivering vegetables to our mountain, and he has been doing so for more than ten years."

Some time ago, Feng Xiwan took the opportunity of delivering vegetables to sneak into the forbidden area of ​​my Tianyi Sect. After being discovered, he actually used the Blood-Sucking Divine Skill, and several Tianyi Sect disciples were caught off guard and fell victim to it.

Afterwards, it took the intervention of two elders to defeat him, but Feng Xiwan was cunning and managed to escape. My senior brother, the sect leader, then ordered me to pursue and kill him.

Pang Tong nodded and said, "I see."

At this moment, the two middle-aged Taoist priests who had gone upstairs came down.

A short while later, the sound of horses' hooves rang out outside the inn; it was the constables from the county government arriving.

Immediately afterwards, the group headed towards Wujia Town.

Wujia Town, in the alley.

A young man was carrying a bag of food and walking slowly.

The young man was an apprentice at the town's blacksmith shop, and his name was Ma Yang.

At the end of the alley stood a solitary, dilapidated mud house, barely providing shelter from the wind and rain.

Ma Yang pushed open the door, groped his way across the threshold in the dark, took out a tinderbox, blew on it to light it, placed the food on the table, and then lit the oil lamp on the corner of the table.

The dim light spread throughout the small room, illuminating the mottled earthen walls and the bundles of firewood piled in the corner.

"Master, I'm back," he called out into the inner room, his voice low.

The door to the inner room opened, and a withered hand reached out from inside. Then, an old man dressed in coarse linen clothes slowly walked out.

His steps were unsteady, each step feeling like walking on cotton. His body was very hunched over. The light from the oil lamp fell on his face, illuminating a pale, paper-white face with high cheekbones, sunken eyes, and chapped lips. He looked as if he had just struggled out of a serious illness.

Ma Yang quickly stepped forward, extended his arm for the old man to hold, and carefully helped him to the table to sit down.

After the old man sat down, he took a few breaths and his gaze fell on the oil paper package.

Ma Yang understood and unwrapped the oil paper package. Inside was a roast chicken with golden-brown skin and steaming hot.

The old man reached out and tore off a chicken leg, his movements slow and deliberate, as if even lifting his arm required considerable effort. He took a bite, chewed a few times, swallowed, and then spoke, his voice weak: "Why are you back so late today?"

If the members of the Heavenly Dao Sect were here, they would definitely recognize that this old man is Feng Xiwan, who escaped from the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Ma Yang pulled up a stool and sat down opposite him, saying in a low voice, "Master, I'm going to the Wu family."

Feng Xiwan paused slightly in his chicken leg chewing, his brows furrowing, and his tone carrying a hint of displeasure: "I've told you several times, don't be so ambitious. If you make another move against the Wu family, things could easily go wrong."

Ma Yang said dismissively, "What could possibly happen? Master, I think you're just being too cautious. I've already absorbed the two strongest guards from the Wu family, and I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"

Feng Xiwan said, "A small-town guard is not worth paying attention to. What I want you to be wary of is that old man from the Wu family."

Ma Yang said, "Wu Ming may have had some skill when he was young and roaming the martial arts world, but now he's over seventy and walks with a trembling gait. What skill could he possibly have?"

Feng Xiwan didn't reply immediately. He simply put down the chicken leg in his hand, raised his cloudy eyes to look at Ma Yang, and slowly said, "Anyone who survives the hustle and bustle of the underworld and can retire peacefully is unlikely to be simple. If Wu Ming really notices something, you'll be in big trouble. I'm just giving you advice; believe it or not!"

Ma Yang felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, lowered his head and pursed his lips, but did not argue anymore. He only said, "I understand, Master. I won't attack him. However, Master—" As he spoke, he raised his head again, his eyes shining again, "I had a great haul at the Wu family today."

Feng Xiwan picked up the chicken leg again, took a bite, and asked indistinctly, "What?"

Ma Yang leaned forward and lowered his voice: "The Wu family has a new group of people today. They look like a wealthy family passing through and asking for lodging. They have six guards, and those six men are all quite imposing, probably about the same as the two guards from the Wu family."

"The two guards from Wu Ming's family are equivalent to ten strong men. If I could absorb the power of those six, my cultivation would definitely increase greatly, and then I could be of help to you."

Feng Xiwan put down the chicken leg, remained silent for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Six people, the risk is too great."

"But, Master—" Ma Yang frowned, his tone urgent, "The risks are too great if we continue like this. More than a dozen people have died in the town, and the news can't be suppressed for long. If more people die, the whole town will panic, and someone will surely report it to the authorities."

"When the authorities investigate, won't those people chasing you find you by the scent? We might as well take a gamble. You think Wu Ming is something special, but those six guards are all young men. They can't possibly be more dangerous than Wu Ming, can they?"

Feng Xiwan did not answer immediately.

He lowered his head and slowly tore off pieces of meat from the chicken leg, chewing them slowly.

The flame of the oil lamp flickered in the night wind, casting an intermittent glow on his pale face.

After a while, he put down the clean bone he was gnawing on, wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth with his withered fingers, and said, "Let's not take any risks. Let me rest for a couple more days, then you take me to the county town. There are many people in the county town; no one will notice if a few people die."

Ma Yang opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but when he met Feng Xiwan's cloudy yet unquestionable eyes, the words he was about to say were swallowed back down.

He lowered his head and mumbled a reply, "I know."

Feng Xiwan didn't say anything more, but slowly finished the rest of the roast chicken.

Ma Yang sat silently to the side, lost in thought.

After finishing their meal, Ma Yang got up and cleaned up the bones on the table, then helped Feng Xiwan into the inner room.

The inner room was very small, containing only a narrow bed and a makeshift mat on the floor.

A faded old cotton quilt lay on the bed, while a straw mat and a thin blanket were laid on the floor. Ma Yang helped Feng Xiwan sit down on the edge of the bed, then bent down to take off his shoes and tucked his withered feet under the quilt.

"Master, you should get some sleep," he said, then blew out the oil lamp and lay down on the floor in the dark.

The room was plunged into thick darkness, with only a sliver of light filtering in from the window.

Ma Yang turned over, facing the wall, and didn't make a sound.

After a long time, it was the middle of the night.

Ma Yang tiptoed out of bed, then quietly left his room and headed into the depths of the night.

Just as Ma Yang left, Feng Xiwan, who was lying on the bed, suddenly opened his eyes and whispered, "This disciple has no character—we need to replace him."

""

As he spoke, he looked down at his thin, dry hands for a long time before whispering, "It's a pity that this old guy's talent is so poor; otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up like this."

The night breeze slipped in through the crack in the door.

Feng Xiwan slowly got up, went out the door, and disappeared into the night.

Late at night, Wujia Town was shrouded in deep darkness.

The moonlight was thin, mostly obscured by thick clouds, with only a few streaks of silvery radiance occasionally filtering through.

Outside the courtyard wall on one side of the east wing, a dark figure was crouching close to the base of the wall; this person was Ma Yang.

He covered his face with a veil, revealing only his eyes. His eyes held a mixture of excitement and barely suppressed eagerness.

Immediately, he pushed off with his feet, his body leaping up like a leopard cat in the night, silently vaulting over the courtyard wall that was more than ten feet high.

The courtyard was very quiet.

Ma Yang crept along the wall, tiptoeing towards the side room.

Just then, a cool voice came from above, "Friend, where are you going?"

'

Ma Yang froze instantly and quickly looked up.

Then I saw a person standing on the roof next to me.

Ma Yang's heart tightened suddenly. He recognized the man; he was one of the six guards he had seen that evening.

It was Meng Qi, one of the six sons of Su Shan.

Ma Yang didn't recognize Meng Qi, but he knew he had been discovered and would be in trouble if the other party shouted.

So, he suddenly pushed off with his feet, and his whole body shot towards the courtyard wall like a black arrow.

But at that moment, Meng Qi drew his sword.

The longsword drew a sharp arc in the air, its light like a bolt of lightning, carrying a wisp of sharp sword energy, striking first despite being behind, and slashing straight at Ma Yang's back.

The wind howled, and the sound of the sword cutting through the air was sharp and piercing.

Ma Yang twisted his body sharply, changing direction and narrowly avoiding the direct impact of the sword energy. However, the aftershocks of the sword energy still grazed his shoulder, slicing off a piece of his clothing, which drifted away in the night wind.

He staggered half a step before regaining his balance, and when he looked up, the light in his eyes had turned cold and ruthless. But instead of fighting Meng Qi, he continued to flee.

Meng Qi then swung his longsword repeatedly, the sword light spreading out in layers, like a silver-white net, completely sealing off all of Ma Yang's escape routes.

His swordsmanship was not flashy, but extremely solid. Every strike was aimed precisely at Ma Yang's vital points, forcing him to retreat repeatedly.

After three sword strikes, Ma Yang was forced into a corner by the courtyard wall. His back was pressed against the cold brick wall, and in front of him was the ever-approaching sword light, leaving him with nowhere to retreat.

Then the fourth sword strike aimed straight for Ma Yang's heart.

But in an instant, Ma Yang's right hand shot out, fingers spread, palm facing forward. At that moment, a dark red glow appeared on his palm, and he actually grabbed Meng Qi's thrusting longsword.

The moment the sword was gripped, it emitted a muffled hum.

Meng Qi felt a strange suction force surging along the sword. The suction force was cold and sticky, like countless tiny vines spreading out from the hilt and rapidly climbing up his arm.

His internal energy, blood and qi, and even his breathing seemed to be drawn by that force at this moment, uncontrollably surging towards that dark red palm.

A look of shock flashed in his eyes.

A glint of triumph flashed in Ma Yang's eyes. His fingers tightened, squeezing the sword until it was slightly deformed, and the suction force became increasingly intense.

But in the very next moment—

Meng Qi's left hand flicked suddenly, and a short dagger slid from his sleeve into his palm. Almost without pausing, he twisted his wrist, the blade drawing a short, swift arc through the night air with a "thud!"

A muffled thud, and blood splattered.

Ma Yang's right arm was severed at the elbow, and blood gushed out from the cut like a spring, splattering in the moonlight in a dark red arc.

His severed arm was still gripping Meng Qi's sword, his five fingers still in a grasping posture.

"ah--!

'

A heart-wrenching scream erupted from Ma Yang's throat.

He staggered backward, clutching his severed arm, almost falling over. His face turned deathly pale in that instant, cold sweat poured down his forehead, and his face towel, soaked with sweat, clung tightly to his cheeks.

He tried to turn and run, but before he could take a step, a figure descended from the sky—

It was Zhuo Yi, one of the Six Su Shan, who leaped down from the side of the roof and kicked Ma Yang in the back. The kick was so powerful that Ma Yang fell forward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the blue brick floor with a dull thud.

He struggled to get up, but Zhuo Yi had already stepped on his back, pinning him firmly to the ground.

"Third brother," Zhuo Yi turned her head and said, "Judging from your appearance just now, you've been infected?"

6

Meng Qi said somewhat awkwardly, "I was overconfident. This blood-sucking technique is indeed evil and impossible to guard against."

"6

As he spoke, he walked up to Ma Yang, used his sword to lift the veil from Ma Yang's face, and shouted, "Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, why don't we go and ask Old Master Wu and the others to come and identify him?"

Before long, the Wu family courtyard became noisy as many people arrived carrying lanterns. In the blink of an eye, the courtyard was packed with people.

Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi also arrived. They had noticed Ma Yang when he was still outside the wall, but with Su Shan Liuzi taking action, they were happy to be idle and secretly watched from the sidelines. They only came out now.

Wu Ming arrived with the rest of the Wu family and asked Gu Guanqi, "Young friend Gu, I heard you've captured the thief who practiced the Blood-Sucking Divine Skill?"

Gu Guanqi pointed to Ma Yang on the ground and said, "Look around, does anyone recognize him?"

Just then, a cook at the Wu family's house exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that the young man from the Ma family in East Alley? His name is Ma Yang!"

Wu Ming asked, "People from town?"

The cook said, "His grandfather's generation moved here forty or fifty years ago, and he grew up in the town."

Wu Ming's pupils contracted, and he said coldly, "Since they're from this town, how could you bring yourself to kill them? You've killed over a dozen people in just a few days? You deserve to be torn to pieces!"

"Ah—don't kill me, don't kill me—"

Ma Yang trembled with fear, ignoring his bleeding arm, and cried out in panic, "I was forced! It was my master who forced me to do it! He threatened to kill me if I didn't!"

"Who is your master?" Wu Ming asked.

"I don't know," Ma Yang said. "I originally thought he was just a beggar fleeing famine. I took pity on him and gave him a bowl of rice, but then—he set his sights on me, forcing me to practice evil arts and to kill people. I didn't do it willingly; I was forced—"

Just then, a lazy voice came from the courtyard gate: "Is your master named Feng Xiwan?"

As everyone looked over, they saw a group of constables and three Taoist priests walk in, accompanied by the old steward of the Wu family.

The old steward rushed over and said, "Master, it was County Magistrate Pang who personally led the investigation team. Those three are highly accomplished Taoist masters from the Heavenly Dao Sect!"

Wu Ming hurried over, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Magistrate Pang, and greetings to the Taoist priests." Then, he pointed to Ma Yang on the ground and said, "This man is the evil cultivator who practices the Blood-Sucking Divine Skill!"

Xu Zhiwei, holding a gourd of wine, slowly walked to Ma Yang's side, squatted down, and said, "Brother, you still haven't answered me, is your master named Feng Xiwan?"

Ma Yang hurriedly said, "Yes, his name is Feng Xiwan. He's in my house right now. I was forced into this. Please don't kill me—please don't kill me—"

Xu Zhiwei patted Ma Yang on the shoulder and said, "Good brother," then she stood up, glanced at everyone, and said, "Does anyone know where he lives? Could you please lead the way? We—"

She suddenly stopped speaking, as her gaze fell upon Gu Guanqi. She paused slightly, then exclaimed joyfully, "Sword Immortal? Gu Guanqi? My luck is unbelievable! Even going out for a stroll brings such good fortune!"

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and asked, "How should I address this Taoist priest?"

Xu Zhiwei walked up to Gu Guanqi and said, "My name is Xu Zhiwei. You probably haven't heard of me. But I've heard a lot about you. Many young ladies in our Tianyi Sect like you. Your portrait is everywhere!"

As she spoke, she moved closer to Gu Guanqi and exclaimed, "I'm in love too, and I've actually met the real me!"

Can I touch you?

Gu Guanqi: "————"

Just then, Wen Shuyi hurriedly asked, "Master Xu, aren't you going to arrest evil cultivators?"

"Oh, right, right," Xu Zhiwei suddenly realized, slapping her forehead, "I almost missed our business! Let's go, let's go, is there anyone who can show us the way?" Then, she looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "Can I touch it?"

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "No."

Xu Zhiwei took a sip of her drink and said, "Alright, I'll be going now. I'll treat you to drinks sometime. Could you write me a few words then? I'll take them back and show off to all the girls!"

At this moment, the cook from the Wu family said, "I know the way; I can lead the way."

Xu Zhiwei immediately said, "Big brother, bear with it!"

Before the cook could react, Xu Zhiwei grabbed his shoulder and sent him flying, directly out of the Wu family's courtyard.

Gu Guanqi and Wen Shuyi exchanged a glance.

Wen Shuyi asked, "Guanqi, shall we go over and take a look?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, and then the two of them simultaneously exerted force with their feet. The two figures, one white and one green, like light feathers swept up by the night wind, swept over the courtyard wall and chased after the direction where Xu Zhiwei disappeared.