The Dao Yamen¹ was directly ahead, hidden beneath the shade of a massive tree.

A few hundred years ago, when the Human Dao Emperor overthrew worldly imperial power, the former government offices were transformed by cultivators into Daoist temples, receiving offerings from the common folk. The people once subjects of the emperor, became citizens protected by cultivators.

Thus, as the guardians of Fengliu City the fact that Chen Yang and Luo Yang failed in their duties, allowing innocent people to die and evil forces to infiltrate the Spring Feast, was a grievous crime—a scandal even.

Chu Hanjin, being a high-ranking member of the Yuanshan Sect and the one in charge of the Spring Feast, would surely pursue justice. If he did, the Rongku Sect would be obligated to handle the matter fairly. In the worst case, Chen Yang and Luo Yang could have their golden cores shattered and be reduced to mere mortals.

So, the moment Luo Yang heard the curse mark was related to the Spring Feast, he immediately panicked.

It was fine to mess around in private, but touching the interests of superiors? That was a death sentence.

When they reached the door, Chu Hanjin specifically glanced at the blood marks left by the hanging body, as mentioned by the funeral shop owner. They resembled three deep gouges from nails, embedded in the wood grain, particularly clear with bits of skin still clinging to them.

How much hatred must one harbor to claw the wood that deeply with flesh alone?

Luo Yang, clearly guilty, turned his head aside. “Please, Lord Yue Zhao, come inside.”

Chu Hanjin glanced at him, his expression commanding authority without a hint of anger. But he remained silent, not questioning him, still playing the part of someone merely preoccupied with apprehending the adulterer and Xiao Die.

Both Chu Hanjin and Yue Lin knew perfectly well: this man was a silver-tongued liar who could twist the truth and make the dead seem alive. Even with evidence of murder right before him, convicting him wouldn’t be easy. But now, they had caught hold of his weak spot.

Chu Hanjin stepped into the Dao Yamen.

He heard Yue Lin’s voice transmission: “The true master of the puppet curse is likely inside.”

Chu Hanjin responded, “Exactly.”

Luo Yang feared Chu Hanjin’s power, not daring to fight him, and in his panic over being taken to the Rongku Sect to face charges, he admitted to the murder almost instantly. The speed with which he confessed was shocking.

Yue Lin asked, “How did you figure out he was lying?”

Chu Hanjin thought for a moment before replying, “When I came to the brothel to help you, I overheard him saying he was willing to share Xiao Die. Clearly, he’s frivolous and lacks proper emotional boundaries. Since he wasn’t sincere, why would he kill the son of Fengliu City’s richest man out of jealousy? Isn’t that just inviting trouble for himself?”

Yue Lin raised an eyebrow slightly, “Exactly. There’s a more plausible explanation.”

Cultivators, in the end, pursue immortality. In this world, there’s a limited amount of spiritual stones, treasures, and energy. Greedy people will inevitably encroach on others’ portions to take what doesn’t belong to them—

—like the life of Young Master Zhou.

Ahead, Luo Yang stumbled, “Lord Yue Zhao, please, take your time.”

Cold sweat dripped down his forehead as he made a gesture to step aside, wiping his sweat with his fingers pressing against his temple, subtly lifting them. Chen Yang, noticing, hid his hands in his sleeves as the wind made them billow, turning his gaze to the other side.

Seeing that they were signaling each other, Chu Hanjin didn’t expose them. He smiled gently, “So nervous?”

Luo Yang gave a bitter smile, “Of course, killing someone warrants punishment. How could I not be nervous?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “Then why, knowing this would happen, did you do it in the first place?”

Luo Yang answered humbly, “You’re truly magnanimous, Lord Yue Zhao. I acted out of ignorance of today’s consequences.”

There was a silence in his words as he led them through a side courtyard, bypassing the main part of the Dao Yamen. They entered a tightly enclosed courtyard. At the entrance stood someone on guard.

Luo Yang explained, “This is where I live.”

Yue Lin, stepping into the courtyard, commented, “Your place is a mess. So many covered remnants, all shrouded in cloth? What’s underneath?”

Luo Yang’s eyes stiffened, staring intently at the corner of Yue Lin’s hand as he lifted the cloth. Only when Yue Lin casually glanced at it before pulling his hand back did his tense expression relax.

Luo Yang gestured inward, “Come on, Xiao Die might still be napping.”

As Chu Hanjin took a step forward, he sensed a faint surge of killing intent from behind.

He was very familiar with this feeling—it was the rippling disturbance in the air caused by a sudden burst of spiritual energy. The higher the cultivation, the more stable the disturbance; the lower, the more chaotic, making it detectable by stronger individuals.

He knew that Chen Yang was about to strike, perhaps already gripping his sword tightly.

He wanted to warn Yue Lin, but Yue Lin remained composed, showing not the slightest sign of panic. He merely gave Chu Hanjin a reassuring pat on the back of his hand, indicating he should be at ease.

The slight warmth of Yue Lin’s hand calmed Chu Hanjin. Ahead, the door opened.

A figure sat behind the screen. The person’s head hung low, their frame slender and weak. Long hair flowed down their back, gently stirred by the breeze. Only a glimpse of their green robe was visible as they quietly perused a book.

In an instant, Chu Hanjin understood.

It was Bai Gu.

Chu Hanjin turned his head, catching the flash of complex emotions in Yue Lin’s eyes. Suddenly, a crisp sound of a sword unsheathing rang out from behind.

And then Luo Yang shouted, “Brother Bai! Kill them both to silence them!”

As expected.

Luo Yang had planned this all along, hoping to lead Chu Hanjin to meet Bai Gu and then kill them both to silence them. He was experienced in this, likely having done similar things many times before—solving problems not by addressing them, but by eliminating those who raised them.

Chu Hanjin drew his sword to block, while Luo Yang repeatedly thrust his sword forward. But he was no match for Chu Hanjin. Desperate, he shouted, “Senior brother! Summon the puppet!”

However, Chen Yang’s face darkened, and instead of attacking, he stared intently at the tea table beside Bai Gu. Bai Gu looked surprised, curious about the sudden fight breaking out. “What’s going on?”

Seeing Yue Lin, Bai Gu opened his mouth, about to call out “Brother Jiu,” but before he could, a pair of hands wrapped tightly around his neck, lifting him up like a small chick.

The veins on Yue Lin’s hand bulged, his muscular and bone structure clearly defined. His cold eyes locked onto Bai Gu. “So, it was you.”

The one controlling Chu Hanjin was Bai Gu.

And not only had he tried to turn his own brother into a sword spirit, he now dared to set his sights on Chu Hanjin.

Bai Gu’s face turned pale as if suffocating, his eyes bulging slightly as his hands desperately clutched Yue Lin’s arm. “Brother Jiu… I’m innocent… I’m innocent… cough cough…”

Yue Lin’s hand was no longer covered by skin; it gradually turned deep red as if burned by flames, revealing long bones beneath. His gaze was that of a predator locking onto its prey—merciless, filled only with bloodlust.

Seeing this, Chu Hanjin suddenly remembered.

The first time he met Yue Lin, he was just a skull and dismembered body, barely held together. Later, he scavenged skin and flesh from beasts and used spiritual energy to fuse it, forming the complete body he had now.

Chu Hanjin still remembered how long that had taken Yue Lin. Seven days after their initial meeting, Yue Lin appeared before him with a handsome face and a tall body, smiling and saying, “I won’t scare you anymore.”

But now, Yue Lin was so enraged that he no longer maintained the fusion of the beast and human form, even revealing his spiritual bones.

This was his unrestrained killing intent.

His fury without any disguise.

The overwhelming spiritual energy shook the walls, and the white cloths draped over the objects in the courtyard began to tremble. As the trembling intensified, the cloths fell to the ground, revealing a massive black mound. It was a grotesque amalgamation of corpses, severed hands, and feet, even faces twisted and fused together—an abomination of dismembered bodies!

The mound of corpses stood up, reeking of decay, casting a massive shadow with wings like a bat. It swept through, shattering the beams of the house and collapsing the walls.

Chu Hanjin exclaimed, “A puppet!?”

Luo Yang blew his whistle to summon the puppet, pointing at Chu Hanjin. “Kill him!”

The corpse mound moved, but it wasn’t stable. It seemed incomplete. Chu Hanjin guessed the missing part was Young Master Zhou’s body, which would likely be dug up later to complete it.

With a sweep of spiritual energy, Chu Hanjin’s sword severed one of the puppet’s arms. Seeing this, Luo Yang raised his sword to fight, turning to Chen Yang and shouting, “Senior brother, attack him from the left—”

Chen Yang leaped silently into the air.

“You ungrateful fool!”

Chu Hanjin had intended to capture him and bring him to the Rongku Sect for trial, but seeing that his opponents were determined to kill him, he had no choice but to strike for real. With one swing, he sent Luo Yang crashing to the ground. A golden binding spell shot out from his sleeve, glowing brightly upon landing, ensnaring Luo Yang from shoulder to ankle.

Chen Yang swiftly landed, raising his sword. Chu Hanjin thought he was going to cut the binding spell, preparing to tighten it, but then heard a “pfft—” sound.

Chu Hanjin’s pupils contracted. Before him, Luo Yang urgently called to Chen Yang, “Senior brother, save me…”

But before he could finish, a long grayish-green sword had already pierced his abdomen, right into his dantian.

Then, it thrust even deeper!

The sword was so thin and fast that it sliced into the flesh without spilling a drop of blood. Only when Chen Yang solemnly withdrew the blade did blood begin to slowly seep from the wound—dark, thick, and foul-smelling, like an unhealed eye shedding tears of blood, staining his abdomen with sticky wetness.

Luo Yang’s eyes widened, looking at Chen Yang in disbelief, something in his gaze breaking, losing all its vitality.

He seemed heartbroken.

He seemed shattered.

And Chen Yang, without a glance at him, turned to Chu Hanjin, expressionless. “My junior brother strayed down an evil path. Today, I, in the name of righteousness, cut him down. I ask Lord Yue Zhao to bear witness.”

Chu Hanjin repeated, “What did you say?”

“I said, my junior brother strayed down an evil path. Today, I, in the name of righteousness—”

Chu Hanjin’s voice carried a cold, lethal edge, “You’re saying you didn’t know he killed people and turned them into puppets?”

Chen Yang’s face remained resolute, without hesitation or a glance at the person lying at his feet. “I didn’t know.”

Silence fell.

Bai Gu, finally freed from Yue Lin’s grip, collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

Luo Yang coughed up a mouthful of sticky blood, half-closing his eyes, no longer looking at Chen Yang, his hand slowly falling to the ground.

He was dead.

Only now did Chu Hanjin fully, from beginning to end, size up Chen Yang.

Since his junior brother had talked more, in contrast to his own taciturn nature, both Chu Hanjin and Yue Lin had focused more on Luo Yang, hardly paying attention to him.

Chu Hanjin studied him for a long moment before letting out a cold laugh. “You think you’ve found a scapegoat, killed him to silence him, and now you can wash your hands clean?”

1. Daoist government office ↩︎