Chương 44: Imperial Magistrate Yue Zhenli (Part III)

Ganshou Village, a small settlement with fewer than a hundred people, lay two days' ride from Long River Town, a place with tens of thousands of residents and a stable water source that supported both agriculture and travel, ensuring its growing economy. And where there were people, there was a need for law enforcement. The most well-known enforcers were the Constables, also known as Imperial Constables, who were stationed in towns and tasked with traveling between nearby villages.

Usually, they dealt with cases of abuse of power and corruption, mostly involving village heads, shamans, or local councils. The Imperial Constables were responsible for investigating these crimes, apprehending suspects, judging them, and enforcing the law however they found necessary. They also dealt with minor incidents involving rogue cultivators, but those didn't happen often.

After serving for half a decade, or after making great contributions and reaching a higher realm in cultivation, a Constable could attempt to become an Imperial Magistrate. Magistrates were stationed in a kingdom's capital. The Golden Peng Empire was divided into hundreds of kingdoms, ranging from small and forgotten ones to large and influential ones, and the number of Magistrates in each kingdom varied greatly. Lucian was currently within the medium-sized Feathered Dragon Kingdom.

In its capital, the Dragon River City, there were at least half a dozen Imperial Magistrates stationed at all times. Most Magistrates were involved in disaster relief within their region or in investigating matters involving minor sects and groups of rogue cultivators. They also rarely traveled alone, and in the medium-sized kingdom, they only left the capital if matters became too complicated for the other forces to deal with.

Having acquired all this knowledge from Xu Hua's memories, Lucian had thought only Constable Mu would come to solve the issue. Neither he nor the deceased Village Head could have guessed that a Magistrate would be sent instead to verify the village's situation. After all, most of those who fled Ganshou Village were children and young adults, and their accounts could easily be dismissed as exaggerated.

Their story would be enough for Constable Mu to come, of course, since the death of even a dozen villagers at the hands of a rogue cultivator under his jurisdiction would stain his record if left unresolved, and letting the rumor fly would be just as bad. Before Lucian arrived, the villagers had even begun disposing of the remaining bodies to support the claim that this was only a minor incident, creating a narrative that no more than a dozen had died rather than half the village.

Who could have known that the cultivator they had saved, Liu Tian, was a disciple of the Myriad Soul Transformations Sect, and that he had infused the Wooden Corpse Technique into the dead? If they knew, they would all have fled! Even so, unless Imperial Magistrate Yue possessed extraordinary channels of information or a powerful investigative technique, she would not be able to uncover the truth without being told. Why is she here? Lucian wondered as he rushed back toward Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng.

What did Xu Hua miss? What did I miss? This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Lucian's original plan had been to kidnap Constable Mu, interrogate him, and experiment on his body. Then, he would use the Rune of Gluttony to devour and digest the Constable's Spiritual Roots and meridians, if it was possible. As long as it was a physical trait, even something like an electric signal within the brain, Lucian could consume it.

However, while he had been confident he could handle a Constable at the Qi Gathering Realm, dealing with a Qi Refining cultivator was an entirely different matter. Soon, Lucian returned to the house and found Bai Xiaomeng waiting by the door. He could guess that Wang Chen was changing clothes inside.

"An Imperial Magistrate is coming," he said. Bai Xiaomeng blanched.

"What—what? What should we do?" A Magistrate stood far above Bai Xiaomeng's status, so she was terrified at the mention of finding one! She knew they were not responsible for the villagers' deaths, yet the Village Head had been killed by Lucian, meaning the blame would fall on them regardless. Even so, she suppressed her panic and focused on Lucian's next words.

"You and Wang Chen will gather every valuable item and head to the place where we buried the silver sealing box," Lucian said, licking his lips as his thoughts raced.

"Bring hunting tools, food, and water. Be prepared for a week of travel."

"Which village are we going to next?" she asked, thinking about their next steps.

"Not a village, but Three Feathers City," Lucian answered, keeping his senses alert for the incoming horses.

"We are going to travel through the Azure Magpie Forest again."

"But it will take longer than a week! I'll prepare more hunting tools," she mumbled, avoiding questioning his decision and focusing on the logistics.

"There's no need. I'll get the horses. Just gather everything you can. I'll meet you both near that buried silver box," Lucian said. As soon as he finished speaking, he sensed the horses entering the village. Kicking the ground, he rushed toward the place where the remaining body parts and Xu Hua's corpse were stored. Seeing that Lucian left in a hurry, Bai Xiaomeng entered the house unannounced. Inside, Wang Chen was dressed, a bun in his mouth and bags slung over his shoulders.

"You heard him, Young Master?"

"Yep," Wang Chen replied through a full mouth, moving toward her. With a small squeak, Bai Xiaomeng covered her mouth as Wang Chen lifted her and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Without wasting time, he hurried in the opposite direction of Lucian, ready to pick up the gold, food, and Spirit Stones. Meanwhile, Lucian hid himself among the decomposing remains, holding his breath and closing his eyes.

He focused on his hearing, a faint sense of nostalgia rising within him, reminding him of his younger days stalking human settlements. As he sharpened his focus, the sound of galloping hooves faded into the background, and voices emerged. Lucian mostly heard commands, shouted in a strong female voice.

"North Inspectors, separate and check the perimeter. Return after three rounds and report!"

"Yes, Magistrate," a group of people answered her, and three horses broke away from the main group. Then, the female voice shouted, "South Inspectors, search each house for survivors and suspects. Report any findings!"

"Yes, Magistrate!" Another three riders split off, heading toward the nearest houses.

"West and East Inspectors, follow me to the center of the village. Maintain defensive formation!"

"Yes, Magistrate!" Six riders moved alongside the Magistrate, with two additional figures following behind as they advanced toward the center of Ganshou Village. Lucian could not see them, but each wore dark blue robes with golden embroidery. On their backs, circular characters marked their rank as Inspectors or Magistrate. Only two figures stood apart in appearance.

They were a young man who scanned the village with tearful eyes and a mournful expression, and an older man, dressed in brown robes with the character for Constable inscribed on his back. His gaze was distant, lost in thought. If Lucian was there, he would recognize the young one as Xu Duan, the adopted son of Xu Hua. None of these men, however, would deserve Lucian's attention. At the center of it all, issuing commands, stood a towering woman.

She had a powerful presence, with rugged features, short black hair, and sharp, eagle-like eyes. Her lean muscles pressed against her robes, and she exuded a heavy, unapproachable aura. Combined with the authority of the banner at her side, it ensured that anyone who saw her would either run away or bow in respect. She was the youngest Imperial Magistrate of the Feathered Dragon Kingdom, a Qi Refining cultivator and hidden member of the Ancient Golden Clan. Imperial Magistrate Yue Zhenli arrived.