Burial Furnace

Zhao Wuji took out a set of tools for drawing talismans from his spatial ring, and then took out a blank talisman paper and placed it on the table.

"You said Boss Li taught you how to draw a concealment talisman?" Zhao Wuji looked at Zhang Yuan and said, "Then draw one for me to see."

Zhang Yuan nodded in agreement, walked to the table, picked up the talisman brush, dipped it in the talisman ink, took a deep breath, and began to draw.

His movements were somewhat awkward, his wrist trembled slightly, and the tip of the pen slid slowly across the talisman paper, leaving behind lines that were not quite smooth.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his brows were furrowed, as if he were exerting all his strength.

Just as the drawing was about to be completed, the pen tip tilted slightly, and the rune deviated a little.

obsolete.

Zhang Yuan stopped, looked at the useless talisman, and showed annoyance on his face.

"I'm sorry, senior." He put down the talisman brush and said somewhat dejectedly.

Zhao Wuji picked up the discarded talisman and examined it.

The overall structure of the runes is correct, but the details are still somewhat unfamiliar. This indicates that Zhang Yuan is indeed learning to draw the Concealing Breath Rune, and has already mastered a certain foundation, but is not yet proficient enough.

"Not bad, he does have some talent." Zhao Wuji nodded.

His doubts had largely dissipated by this point.

Someone who can describe the details of Boss Li's teaching methods, someone who is actually learning to draw talismans, cannot be the murderer.

Moreover, how could an old man in the Qi Refining stage have the ability or financial resources to kill Boss Li?

Zhao Wuji waved his hand: "Alright, you can go back now."

"Thank you, senior. I'll take my leave now."

Zhang Yuan turned around and walked out.

Zhao Wuji watched Zhang Yuan's departing figure, feeling somewhat helpless.

All suspects have been investigated.

Still nothing.

He turned to the woman standing to the side and said calmly, "Tell me again what you knew last night."

The woman recounted what had happened the previous night—she slept with Boss Li, and in the middle of the night she heard a knock on the door. Boss Li went out to check, and then never came back.

Her name is Su Wanqing. She is also a cultivator, at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and is Boss Li's most beloved woman.

Zhao Wuji's gaze fell on her, scrutinizing her carefully.

Her skin was as white as snow, her features were exquisite, and her figure was curvaceous. In particular, her eyes were watery and had a natural charm.

Mr. Li has a good eye!

Zhao Wuji couldn't help but put his arm around her waist. "Come on, let's go back to the room. I'll ask you more questions."

"Yes, sir."

The woman nestled obediently into his arms.

That afternoon, Zhao Wuji took Su Wanqing and left Qingmu Town.

He left behind a message: "Manager Li was robbed and murdered by a passing Golden Core cultivator. He has already fled far away and there is no way to track him down. This case is now closed."

When the news spread, the entire town of Aoki breathed a sigh of relief.

No one doubted this conclusion.

After all, Boss Li was usually arrogant and domineering, and had offended many people. It wouldn't be surprising if he was killed by a passing powerful figure.

Upon learning this news, Zhang Yuan finally felt relieved.

I have survived a life-threatening crisis.

Moreover, they reaped huge profits.

……

The morning sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow on the bluestone pavement.

Vendors on both sides of the street were calling out their wares—vegetables, meat, cloth—and all sorts of people were bustling about.

Zhang Yuan was strolling on the street.

At the same time, observe carefully.

He is looking for disciples of the Holy Maiden Sect.

He desperately needs a powerful backer.

A powerful backer who makes the new manager of Lingfu Pavilion wary and dare not easily touch him.

Liu Ruxue is the most suitable candidate.

She is the Holy Maiden of the Holy Maiden Sect, a genius with a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

As long as she says a word, there shouldn't be any problems.

If we could find a disciple of the Holy Maiden Sect, we could ask her to pass on a message.

Then we can get in touch.

Suddenly, he saw a beautiful female cultivator walk out of a shop selling rare and precious treasures.

Wearing white armor, the material was thin and conformed to the curves of her body, outlining her exquisite figure.

Her face was covered by a white veil, revealing only a pair of clear, watery eyes.

With an elegant and pure temperament, she is like a lotus flower blooming on the top of a snow-capped mountain, untouched by any dust.

Zhang Yuan's eyes lit up, and he quickly went to meet him.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist," he said, bowing with a friendly smile. "Are you a disciple of the Holy Maiden Sect?"

"no."

The female cultivator shook her head in denial without hesitation.

"May I ask which sect you belong to?"

The female cultivator slightly raised her chin, a hint of arrogance flashing in her eyes: "Ascending Heaven Sect."

Zhang Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

The Ascending Heaven Sect.

The sect that took Lin Qingxue away.

The sect that pierced his heart with a single sword strike.

His blood seemed to freeze at that moment, but the expression on his face remained unchanged.

He forced a smile and exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, the Ascending Heaven Sect? That's a top-tier sect. I heard they have a genius named Lin Qingxue who's reached the Golden Core stage, is that right?"

"You mean Martial Aunt Lin? She has indeed advanced to the early stage of the Golden Core realm. To advance to the Golden Core realm at the age of less than a hundred is a rare occurrence in the history of our Ascending Heaven Sect. Moreover, she only began cultivating at the age of eighteen. Therefore, Martial Aunt Lin is a prodigy of our Ascending Heaven Sect and a strong candidate for the next sect leader."

"Wow, amazing! I heard she's engaged, right?"

"She is supposed to get engaged, but it's not official yet. Martial Aunt Lin is incredibly beautiful and exceptionally talented, so the engagement can't be rushed."

"When will that be? I'd like to attend the ceremony too."

The female cultivator glanced at him, seemingly feeling that the old man was being a bit too enthusiastic, but still replied, "It should be three years from now."

"What kind of genius could win her favor?" Zhang Yuan asked with a sigh.

"Shangguan Feilong, the young sect leader of the Wenxian Sect," the female cultivator said with a hint of respect. "He's only eighty years old this year, but he's already at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm and is currently attempting to break through to the late-stage. He and Uncle-Master Lin are a match made in heaven."

"Are they living together?" Zhang Yuan asked tentatively.

The female cultivator frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes: "What nonsense are you talking about? How can you be living together if you're not engaged? They've only met once. The other party fell in love with Martial Aunt Lin at first sight and sent someone to propose marriage more than a month ago. Martial Aunt Lin agreed, but she is currently in seclusion, breaking through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, so the engagement is set for three years later."

"Oh, oh." Zhang Yuan nodded repeatedly, then asked, "Central Continent is so far away, what are you doing in Western Continent?"

The female cultivator frowned even more, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes: "This is none of your business."

She glared fiercely at Zhang Yuan, then with a wave of her hand, a flying sword appeared out of thin air.

She leaped into the air, landing steadily on the flying sword. She then soared into the sky and disappeared into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

"Early stage of Golden Core... Engagement in three years... Shangguan Feilong..."

The smile on Zhang Yuan's face slowly faded, and a complex look flashed in his eyes.

Sixty years ago, Lin Qingxue was just an ordinary woman who married him and spent many nights with him.

At that time, she was gentle, considerate, and understanding, which made him think that he had finally found his life's purpose.

However, on their wedding night, the Taoist priest in blue robes arrived.

He took her away, and he took all his wealth with him.

He never saw her again after that.

Sixty years have passed, and she has grown from an ordinary mortal woman into a prodigy of the Dengtian Sect, and is about to be engaged to the young sect leader of the Wenxian Sect.

Moreover, they sent someone to pierce his heart.

"Three years later..." Zhang Yuan clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm, "Lin Qingxue, I will come to find you."