“Lu Yun?”

“Li Quan?”

Among the six names called, these two struck Ji, Hua, and the other Laborer Disciples as impossibly unlikely. Neither seemed capable of murder.

Lu Yun was a lecher reincarnated. Despite possessing Three Spirit Roots and a bright future, he spent his days indulging in bizarre, solitary amusements. He barely cared about his cultivation or his spirit field—would such an eccentric truly go out and kill someone?

As for Li Quan, the idea was even more absurd. He was a decrepit old man with Five Spirit Roots, likely weaker than some non-cultivating servants. Could he really have killed a cultivator like Wei Kunyi?

If something had truly happened, surely it was the work of the other four suspects?

Following Steward Wang’s orders, the Outer Disciple surnamed Ji summoned two Laborer Disciples and began the search. After checking two other stone huts, they arrived at Lu Yun’s. Kicking the door open, they dragged out a pants-less Lu Yun.

The entire Spirit Field Department erupted in laughter. Even the female disciples blushed with mirth.

Sure enough, Lu Yun was still the same old oddball.

The Outer Disciple surnamed Hua chuckled a few times before leading two other Laborer Disciples to search Li Quan’s stone hut.

Moments later, he emerged with a grim expression. “Senior Brother Wang, something has happened!”

“That beast learned the evil arts of the Demon Blood Sect and murdered Wei Kunyi!”

The announcement sent the crowd into an uproar.

The Old Daoist—that old man who looked like he had one foot in the grave—had secretly learned demonic arts and killed Wei Kunyi?

“Is that true?” Steward Wang’s face turned ashen as he strode forward.

“It is true, Senior Brother Wang. Wei Kunyi’s corpse is inside. Her Blood Essence has been completely drained. It is unmistakably the work of the Demon Blood Sect,” Hua reported.

Steward Wang felt a pang of regret. If he had known that old coot wasn’t to be trifled with, he wouldn’t have listened to Wei Kunyi yesterday and pushed him so hard. And that woman—clueless about proper cultivation but thriving on her sordid transactions—had finally paid with her life.

Regret quickly turned to anger. How long had that old coot been practicing demonic arts right under my nose? When Deacon Lu investigates, I’m going to be the one punished!

Steward Wang stared at Wei Kunyi’s withered, unsightly corpse inside the hut and gritted his teeth. “That beast certainly didn’t leave through the main gate. He must have fled to the market to change his appearance and escape.”

“Junior Brothers, this is an emergency. We cannot delay. I intend to pursue Li Quan to the market immediately. Once I capture him, I will report to the Deacon’s Office. What do you think?”

The two Outer Disciples, Ji and Hua, exchanged glances but did not agree.

“If Senior Brother Wang insists, we won’t stop you. However, shouldn’t we inform the Deacon’s Office first?”

Steward Wang could be tyrannical with Laborer Disciples, but he knew better than to be unreasonable with fellow Outer Disciples. Seeing their hesitation, he relented. “Junior Brother Hua, I will trouble you to report this to the Deacon’s Office. Please put in a good word for me—tell them I was so eager to capture the demonic cultivator Li Quan that I dared not delay and set off immediately.”

Hua nodded.

“Junior Brother Ji,” Steward Wang continued, “I will trouble you to oversee the Spirit Field Department and the Laborer Disciples here. Until I return, or until someone from the Deacon’s Office arrives, no one is allowed to move.”

“Understood, Senior Brother Wang.”

Once Ji acknowledged the order, Steward Wang summoned his Plantain Leaf, activated it, and sped off toward the Green Grain Market.

Hua also summoned a seven-foot-long leaf—clearly a refined flying Magical Artifact—and flew hurriedly back to the sect to report to the Deacon’s Office.

Watching the scene unfold, Han Yu thought to himself that this incident would likely alarm the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Deacon’s Office.

Without hesitation, he secretly activated the Spirit Root Refining Art to refine his Fire Spirit Root.

In the past, he would wait patiently for three days after each activation to replenish his Blood Essence and repair the damage. Now, intending to burn through his Blood Essence as quickly as possible, he activated the art again and again.

After five consecutive cycles, Han Yu’s body was exhausted and weak. His Blood Essence diffused continuously to repair the internal damage, keeping his external appearance normal, but his reserves were depleting rapidly.

Once his reserves fell below a critical point, the blood talisman in his Tanzhong acupoint began to destabilize.

Han Yu steeled his heart. Once I survive this crisis brought on by the Old Daoist, no one will investigate me again. It will only take half a month to cultivate my Blood Essence back. To ensure my safety, I must be willing to make sacrifices.

Besides, this Blood Essence wasn’t truly wasted; it was fueling the Spirit Root Refining Art to improve his aptitude.

He dispersed the blood talisman. A sharp pain stabbed through his Tanzhong acupoint, nearly making him vomit blood. His cultivation in the first level of the Blood Refining Art collapsed, erasing all traces that he had ever practiced it.

Not long after, Deacon Lu returned, his face dark, wearing purple robes. He was accompanied by two Inner Disciples, several Outer Disciples, and Hua.

After inspecting the Old Daoist’s residence, Deacon Lu walked back, his expression icy.

“Wang Hui has done a fine job! Are you two in cahoots with him, or are you just incompetent spectators?”

“We are incompetent,” Ji and Hua bowed their heads instantly, not daring to offer any defense.

“Who was most familiar with this Li Quan? Step forward!” Deacon Lu demanded coldly.

No one moved.

Han Yu glanced at Sun Kang and Liu Lan. Sun Kang signaled him with his eyes to stay put. Liu Lan’s eyes were red, grieving Wei Kunyi’s sudden murder.

“What? No one knew him? Not even those who interacted with him daily?”

Deacon Lu asked again, “Who here has spoken to Li Quan within the last month?”

With the question phrased so specifically, Han Yu, Sun Kang, and Liu Lan knew they could no longer hide. They stepped forward one by one.

“Because our spirit fields are close to his, we would greet him in the mornings and evenings,” Sun Kang explained.

Deacon Lu scrutinized the three of them, impatient. “Is that all?”

“Li Quan was a loner. He rarely interacted with anyone,” Sun Kang said. “A few days ago, I reminded him about his harvest, but he ignored me.”

Deacon Lu seemed dissatisfied and prepared to press further.

Han Yu thought to himself that if he volunteered the fact that he and the Old Daoist had joined the sect together, he would face the strictest interrogation. Even prepared, he couldn’t guarantee he would pass flawlessly.

Just then, Steward Wang flew back on his Plantain Leaf.

“Deacon Lu, bad news! The Green Grain Market must be hiding elite members of the Demon Blood Sect! Li Quan was cultivated by them!”

Deacon Lu frowned and barked, “Do I need you to tell me that? A mere mortal obtaining demonic arts obviously got them from the market!”

“Wang Hui, your negligence is significant—”

“Deacon Lu,” Steward Wang cried out with a bitter face, “punish me later! Other Laborer Disciples have been killed!”

“What?”

Deacon Lu leaped into the air, landing directly on Steward Wang’s Plantain Leaf. “Other Laborer Disciples were killed?”

“Yes! Four more Laborer Disciples were killed yesterday. It was the Demon Blood Sect’s evil arts again!” Steward Wang wailed.

“Which department?” Deacon Lu demanded sharply.

“Also… also from our Spirit Field Department.” Steward Wang’s voice trembled.

Deacon Lu flew into a rage and kicked Steward Wang off the Plantain Leaf. “You’ve done a fine job!”

“Kneel and await judgment!”

Steward Wang hurriedly cast a Wind Control Technique on himself, barely managing a safe landing. He knelt immediately, not daring to move a muscle.

Deacon Lu took a deep breath and instructed the two Inner Disciples behind him: “Notify the Green Grain Market. Investigate Li Quan’s last known location and his close contacts within the market. If there is anything suspicious, arrest first and question later.”

“Kill anyone who resists.”

The two Inner Disciples mounted their Magical Artifacts and departed in haste.

Deacon Lu glanced at Sun Kang, Liu Lan, and Han Yu again, his gaze finally settling on Liu Lan. “Last time, that incident with the Spirit Beast Sect… didn’t that involve you as well?”

Liu Lan stammered in fear, “Deacon, I… I know nothing!”

Seeing her genuine terror and ignorance, Deacon Lu reached out to sense her Spirit Breath. Finding it pure, he nodded. “It seems you truly haven’t cultivated evil arts.”

He addressed the group. “No one is to leave this area. I will report this to the Sect Leader and ask for his decision!”