Chương 114: The Xijiang Patrol Envoy

After watching for so long, Zhao Lian'er finally understood why Fang Cheng's good deeds had spread far and wide across Xijiang Prefecture. Fang Cheng always left witnesses alive, unlike her, who killed everyone clean. So why did he leave witnesses? Was this Fang Cheng's Dao? If it was, it didn't look like a righteous path to her. It looked like a mad demon's delusion. But Fang Cheng was a disciple of the Violet Star Emperor, protected by the seven Combat Star Lords under his command.

How could he possibly be a demon? Zhao Lian'er couldn't figure it out, and she didn't have the heart to try. She was far more concerned about her own future. Sigh. A long sigh escaped her lips. What kind of future could she possibly have following a madman like this? She shook her head, pushing away the tangled thoughts, and looked again at Fang Cheng and Zhu Old Six. The two were still holding hands.

Fang Cheng's face was full of reluctance, while Zhu Old Six was weeping profusely, wiping his tears with his sleeve. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were sworn brothers who had survived a disaster together. Zhao Lian'er felt a little sick watching them. She finally couldn't hold back and interrupted, "Enough, enough. Stop crying and get moving. Time waits for no one. Every moment wasted is one less lost soul saved." Zhu Old Six nodded eagerly.

"Yes, yes. Immortal Lian'er is right. Second, please let me go. Wuwuwu..."

"Fine, Old Six. Be careful on the road. Oh, and can you leave me an address? I'd love to visit you sometime." Fang Cheng released Zhu Old Six's hand, his voice thick with reluctance.

"No, no. Not convenient." Zhu Old Six shook his head frantically, then realized he couldn't refuse that bluntly. He quickly explained, "I bear the great mission you've entrusted to me. I wander the world with no fixed home. I can't leave an address." Fang Cheng was taken aback, then sighed.

"Well, if that's your choice, I won't force you. I only hope you remember what you said today and never forget your purpose. If I ever hear of some Zhu Old Six in Xijiang Prefecture spreading lies..."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I swear on my life, I will only spread your great deeds, not a single word of slander!" Zhu Old Six quickly promised. Fang Cheng smiled.

"Good." Zhu Old Six wiped the tears from his eyes, embraced Fang Cheng once more, then turned and clasped his hands toward Zhao Lian'er.

"Immortal Lady, take care." Zhao Lian'er rolled her eyes. She reached into the air and grabbed a few gold bricks from the ground, handing them to Zhu Old Six.

"Take this money. Go to the prefecture city and buy your daughter's freedom. Treat her well from now on."

"Thank you, Immortal Lady! Thank you! I will do exactly as you say." Zhu Old Six thanked her profusely, took the gold bricks, packed them in his bundle, and turned to leave. He walked quickly, almost running, as if the weight of his mission was so heavy that he couldn't wait to get started. Watching his retreating figure, Fang Cheng felt a faint sense of satisfaction. A person's true heart could only be proven through action.

Even the Heavenly Eye, which saw through all illusions, couldn't see through Zhu Old Six's true heart. He turned his gaze back to Zhao Lian'er and asked her about the Land God Self-Help Association. Zhao Lian'er didn't hide anything. She told him everything she knew. It was just as Fang Cheng had suspected.

The Land God Self-Help Association cultivators had disguised themselves as bandits, plundered the wealthy of Xijiang Prefecture, then used money to lure ignorant villagers to Zhujia Village, where they were fed to the Demonic Spirit Gathering Array. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. How could such brazen behavior go unnoticed by the Underworld Bureau and the Hall of Eternal Life? Fang Cheng had been wondering about this.

And Zhao Lian'er told him a startling piece of information: "The Land God Self-Help Association was founded by the Patrol Envoy of Xijiang Prefecture."

"So that's it." Fang Cheng nodded in realization. The Patrol Envoy was the Hall of Eternal Life's top official in each prefecture, a figure with absolute power. No wonder Han Bingxuan hadn't uncovered the association's secrets during his time in Xijiang Prefecture. But it wasn't just that. Fang Cheng suspected that someone in the Great Sheng court was also working with the Xijiang Patrol Envoy. According to the magistrate of Jishui City, the Xijiang Prefect had already submitted a memorial to the court.

Under normal procedure, the court would have contacted the Underworld Bureau to investigate. But it never happened. This meant someone in the capital had buried the Prefect's memorial. Or perhaps the Prefect had lied and never submitted it at all, instead colluding with the Patrol Envoy. Zhao Lian'er continued, "When I came to Zhujia Village, I felt the stone pillar on the hilltop calling to me. It appeared in my dreams many times.

At first, I was terrified and refused to answer the call, because I knew the pillar hadn't been there before. But after my mother died, my heart grew cold. I went to the hilltop, merged with the array, and killed all the Land God cultivators in the mountains. But I was new to the array and couldn't fully control it. The Xijiang Patrol Envoy sensed something wrong and escaped." Fang Cheng laughed happily.

"Good. Then I'll deal with him myself. Patrol Envoys are at least Ninth Realm cultivators. Haha, top-quality delicacies. Baa, baa, baa. The little lamb is hungry again. It wants milk. Hahahaha..." After laughing, Fang Cheng regained some of his senses. A Patrol Envoy was essentially a feudal lord. If he acted rashly, he would cause trouble for his superior, Pei Tang. Better to write to Pei Tang first and see how he replied.

With that thought, Fang Cheng took out paper and brush from his storage ring and quickly wrote a letter. He explained that the Xijiang Patrol Envoy was a villain, and the Xijiang Prefect might be one too. He asked Pei Tang to allow him to deal with them. After finishing the letter, he placed it in a flying sword and sent it off. Whoosh. The sword vanished into the clouds. Now that Fang Cheng had reached the Sixth Realm, his divine sense could spread across the sky. He could also make his own flying swords.

When he returned to White Flower City, he would make some and distribute them to his subordinates for easier communication. He waited a while. A flying sword returned from the sky. Fang Cheng caught it and opened the letter. It was Pei Tang's reply, with just one sentence: "The Xijiang Patrol Envoy and the Xijiang Prefect were executed in Shangyuan Prefecture three days ago." What? Already dead? Fang Cheng couldn't believe it. But Pei Tang wouldn't lie about something like this.

The Prefect and the Patrol Envoy were high-ranking officials. Pei Tang wouldn't joke about them. But why were they killed in Shangyuan Prefecture? The letter said they were "executed," which meant the Hall of Eternal Life or the Underworld Bureau had already learned of their crimes. If that was the case, why weren't they brought back to the capital for interrogation? Why not find out if they had accomplices? Why execute them outright? A Patrol Envoy, a feudal lord, a Ninth Realm great cultivator.

Just like that, executed? Too strange. Too many questions. Fang Cheng didn't know where to begin. And Pei Tang's reply was far too brief. Was he hiding something? Then again, Pei Tang always replied briefly, like the official announcements from the Great Sheng court. Maybe it was just his habit. Or maybe he was afraid that if he wrote too much, the letter might be intercepted by someone with ill intent. Fang Cheng decided not to overthink it.

It was probably some dirty deal among the Hall of Eternal Life's higher-ups. At least they were dead. That meant they couldn't harm any more mortals. The more such corrupt cultivators died, the happier he was. With the Xijiang matter settled, it was time to head home. Fang Cheng instructed Zhao Lian'er to pull the strange stone pillar out of the hilltop and bring it back to White Flower City. His Heavenly Eye hadn't detected anything unusual about the pillar.

But Zhao Lian'er's fall to demonhood and Abara's descent were both connected to it. He wanted to bring it back and study it with Li Shuyan, Qin Hao, and the others to figure out what it really was. Zhao Lian'er followed his orders. She channeled her Divine Energy and pulled the pillar out by its roots. With a deafening roar, the entire hilltop shook like an earthquake. The Demonic Spirit Gathering Array buried in the hill collapsed in an instant. Buzz... A mournful cry echoed from the void.

Somewhere, there seemed to be a distant wailing. Wuwuwu... Fang Cheng opened his Heavenly Eye and saw the remnants of the spirits that had been devoured by the Demonic Spirit Gathering Array. Their lingering resentment, curses, and fury swirled together like a dark wind, drifting through the air. But soon, as the array faded, they too slowly dissolved into nothingness.