325: Ninth-rank puppet

That night, Feng Ming was cultivating alone in his room.

He circulated his spiritual power, treating the injuries left behind by the collision between the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder and the Du Jie Divine Thunder.

The ninth-rank puppet's voice suddenly rang in his mind: "Master, someone is spying outside the door."

Feng Ming's expression tightened, and he instantly circulated his spiritual power, firing a Thunder Arc Blade straight at the door.

With a "bang," a large hole was blasted through the door panel. He leaped to the doorway, only to see a pool of blood on the ground; the spy was already nowhere to be seen.

"Can you track his trail?" Feng Ming asked in a low voice.

"This person's concealment methods are extremely high. When not using spiritual power, their aura blends into the surroundings, making them untraceable," the ninth-rank puppet responded. "He didn't dodge the attack just now; it seems he left the blood on purpose."

Feng Ming frowned and instructed, "Go and guard the Inn to protect everyone's safety. I will stay alert for any movement around here."

For the next few hours, Feng Ming remained on guard in his room, not daring to relax for a moment.

Not until around four in the morning did a piercing hum suddenly sound. The entire Liangzhou City was enveloped by a light screen; the City Defense Array had actually been activated.

Feng Ming hurried to push open the window, only to see the streets bustling with people. Guards from the Jiang Family, clad in armor, were patrolling everywhere, and the city gates had been sealed.

At that moment, Feng Da ran in hurriedly: "Young Master, something has happened! Inside the Jiang Family Mansion, an Enshrined Expert and four guards were murdered. The Master is already furious and is searching the entire city for the killer."

Feng Ming's heart tightened, worried about Jiang Shuwan's safety. He immediately said, "Stay and guard the Inn to protect everyone. I'm going to the Jiang Family to take a look." After saying that, he leaped out of the window and sped toward the direction of the Quiet Garden.

Arriving at the entrance of the Quiet Garden, Feng Ming immediately saw Jiang Shuwan and Ye Min. Seeing that they were both safe and sound, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wife, are you two all right?"

"We're fine. The incident happened over at the main courtyard," Jiang Shuwan walked forward and said softly. "Grandpa told us to stay in the Quiet Garden and not go out."

Feng Ming nodded and accompanied the two into the Quiet Garden.

Just as they entered the garden gate, they saw that the heads of all the major families in Liangzhou City had arrived. Zhang Bai was also among them, currently standing beside his father with a nervous expression.

A moment later, Jiang Qinghe walked out with a solemn expression and said in a heavy voice: "Everyone, a murder occurred in the Jiang Mansion just now. After investigation, the killer is an Evil Cultivator who likely escaped from Yin Feng Valley."

"An Evil Cultivator?" The crowd was in an uproar. Yin Feng Valley was a famous peril in Liang Province, where many Evil Cultivators were sealed. No one expected that someone had actually escaped.

"I have activated the City Defense Array, sealed the city, and sent word to the Demon Extermination Division in the capital. I believe they will arrive soon," Jiang Qinghe continued. "Before the people from the Demon Extermination Division arrive, I hope everyone will be careful and try not to go out. If you encounter the Evil Cultivator, there is no need for mercy; kill them on the spot."

Everyone nodded, their expressions very grave. After the crowd dispersed, Jiang Qinghe called Feng Ming and Jiang Shuwan aside: "Feng Ming, the person spying on you last night should be this Evil Cultivator."

"Why would he be spying on me?" Feng Ming asked, puzzled.

"Most likely for the divine thunder inside your body." Jiang Qinghe frowned. "I sent people to Yin Feng Valley to investigate. Huangfu Rui's body was found in the valley, but Huangfu Yunyan's whereabouts are unknown."

"I suspect that this Evil Cultivator is either Huangfu Yunyan herself or someone who has taken Possession of her body."

Feng Ming was shaken and quickly asked: "Old Master, what exactly is the origin of this Evil Cultivator in Yin Feng Valley?"

Jiang Qinghe nodded at the question and slowly recounted a long-buried past: "The Evil Cultivator in Yin Feng Valley is named Gui E, and he comes from a Hidden Family."

He paused and first explained: "Within the borders of the Bright Moon Dynasty, there are many Hidden Families and Sects hidden away."

"They were originally great immortal cultivation clans and Sects from ancient times. When King Haoyue unified the continent, they were unwilling to submit but lacked the strength to resist, so they retreated into deep mountains and Secret Realms, becoming the hidden lineages. They rarely interact with the outside world, but their foundations are unfathomable."

"Gui E became famous in his early years, and no one knew his roots. They only knew he came from a certain Hidden Family. Later, as his reputation grew, his identity as an Evil Cultivator was exposed."

"Even more horrifyingly, in order to seize a heaven grade Cultivation Technique that could hide one's aura, he actually slaughtered an entire Hidden Family!" Jiang Qinghe's tone was somber. "Although that Family was wiped out, they also fought to the death and severely wounded him. In the end, Gui E perished in Yin Feng Valley."

"He practiced evil arts all his life, and Yin Feng Valley was already filled with many Lost Souls who died tragically because of him and had lingering obsessions. But when I entered the valley to investigate just now, those Lost Souls had all disappeared..."

Jiang Qinghe looked at Feng Ming with a meaningful gaze. "That's why I'm not certain whether the Huangfu Yunyan who escaped was possessed by Gui E or if she obtained his evil technique Legacy."

Feng Ming and Jiang Shuwan were both shaken by what they heard.

Jiang Qinghe's words were subtle, but he had already hit the nail on the head. If Huangfu Yunyan had merely obtained the Legacy, her old grudge against Feng Ming would be understandable. But if Gui E had possessed Huangfu Yunyan, then Gui E and Feng Ming were complete strangers—why would he target him first?

Feng Ming's fingertips tightened slightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "Does the Old Master mean... the one who escaped is actually Gui E using Huangfu Yunyan's body to return to life?"

Jiang Qinghe frowned, his fingertips lightly tapping on the stone table. After a long while, he said in a heavy voice: "I don't dare to make a rash judgment. Before Gui E's Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, his soul was entangled with Huangfu Yunyan's Remnant Soul. Their auras have long been entwined. The one who escaped now is likely a monster that is neither human nor ghost."

Feng Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the alarm in his heart, and asked again: "Since this Gui E can hide so secretly, what is the name of that aura-concealing technique?"

Jiang Qinghe was silent for a moment, his voice kept very low as if afraid of being overheard by ears in the shadows: "Night King Art."

"Night King Art?" Feng Ming repeated, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

"Exactly." Jiang Qinghe nodded, his tone carrying a bit of wariness. "This technique is extremely bizarre. When not using spiritual power or revealing strength, one can completely integrate their aura into the darkness. Even experts below the Ninth-Rank would find it difficult to detect him even if he were standing right in front of them."

"But once they make a move, the spiritual power fluctuations will instantly expose them, and there will be no more concealment to speak of."

Feng Ming followed up: "Then what is the approximate Realm of the person who escaped?"

"Mahayana Stage." Jiang Qinghe said decisively. "Of the five people who died in the Jiang Mansion, four were at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul, and one was a Guest Elder who had stepped into the Mahayana Realm."

"There were obvious signs of a fight at the scene. That Mahayana Realm Guest Elder still had the strength to fight back but was ultimately killed, which is enough to show that while this person's strength is great, it shouldn't exceed the Mahayana Realm by too much. At most, they are at the Middle Stage of the Mahayana Realm, not yet reaching the Late Stage."

Feng Ming nodded silently. Although this information was crucial, it wasn't what he cared about most at the moment.

He looked out the window. The light screen of the City Defense Array shimmered with a cold light in the night. On the streets of Liangzhou City, the footsteps of the patrolling guards grew increasingly hurried, and the air was thick with a heavy scent of blood.