Chapter 134 A Night Visit to the Peony Pavilion

Qi Huan was stunned, a flicker of struggle passing through his eyes.

"Leave? But the case in Qinglin Town..."

Chen Mu interrupted him.

"The case belongs to Xu Changze. If we stay, we won't uncover the truth; instead, we'll just bury ourselves. Only by staying alive and improving our strength will we have the chance to return, overturn this quagmire, and truly seek justice for the dead."

Qi Huan was silent for a long time. He knew full well that what Chen Mu said was the only rational choice, but as a Banner Officer of the Prefecture, choosing to retreat while monster-related disasters were rampant and strife was emerging everywhere ultimately betrayed his conscience.

But at this moment...

"You are right. I was being pedantic."

He was no brute. To have climbed to the position of Banner Officer in the Prefecture Suppression Division, he certainly did not lack the ability to assess the situation. It was just that the successive humiliations and frustrations had caused his blood to rush to his head for a moment.

Seeing that Qi Huan had agreed, Chen Mu continued.

"There is no time to lose; we must leave immediately. However, before we go, there are two things we must do."

"First, go to Li Daniu's house and pick up those two dogs. Since I promised to take them, I cannot break my word."

"Second, notify Chief Liu. He is in even greater danger staying in Qinglin Town than we are. Xu Changze is suspicious by nature, and he will inevitably be implicated in this theft of the official seal. I suspect Xu Changze won't deal with him at this juncture, but we still need to ensure he is prepared."

Qi Huan frowned.

"You still have the mind to worry about dogs?"

"Those dogs have spirit. Perhaps there is some Opportunity in taking them along. Since I have given my word, I must keep it."

"As for Chief Liu... we will go and greet him, tell him to be careful, and continue to play along. I think our departure will, to some extent, alleviate the pressure on him."

Qi Huan seemed thoughtful and no longer objected. The two did not delay any further; after a brief period of regulating their breathing, they left the post house, avoided prying eyes, and headed toward Li Daniu's house.

The hour was still early, and there were few pedestrians on the street, all of them walking hurriedly. The successive bizarre murder cases had long since left this small town on edge.

Soon, the two arrived in front of the gate to Li Daniu's courtyard.

Li Daniu's courtyard remained the same, except the bloodstains next to the chicken coop had been cleaned up.

Li Daniu was squatting at the gate of the courtyard, smoking a dry pipe, his expression somewhat gloomy. Seeing Chen Mu approach, he hurriedly stood up, smiling somewhat reluctantly.

"Chen... Hero Chen, you've come."

"Where are the dogs?"

Chen Mu got straight to the point.

A look of guilt immediately appeared on Li Daniu's face, and he rubbed his hands together, smiling awkwardly.

"Oh, I was just about to tell you. After you left yesterday, I followed your instructions and served them good food and drink. That mother dog ate a little and kept a close watch on the pups."

"But this morning, when I got up and checked... they were gone!"

Ran away?

Chen Mu furrowed his brows.

"Yes, I searched inside and out, but there was no sign of them. That mother dog still had an injured leg; I don't know how they ran off."

"How about... I return the silver to you?"

As he spoke, he prepared to take out the money.

Chen Mu waved his hand. "No need. Perhaps they are too wild to be tamed, and returning to the mountains is for the best. Consider the silver compensation for your trouble and hard work."

Upon hearing this, Li Daniu was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly.

"Many thanks for your understanding, Officer! Thank you, Officer!"

Chen Mu stopped looking at him and turned to leave. The ripple in his heart caused by breaking his promise was quickly suppressed by more pressing realities.

In this world, Karma has its depths and shallows; it cannot be forced. Since they had chosen their own path, he need not be attached.

It was just that the Karma of Sangye Village might have to be repaid in another way.

Leaving Li Daniu's house, Chen Mu did not go straight out of the town but circled around to the vicinity of the town entrance.

Liu Ziming was indeed still there, leading a squad of yamen runners. He appeared to be diligently checking pedestrians, but his eyes would glance toward the town from time to time, carrying a hint of anxiety.

Seeing Chen Mu and the other, a flash of surprise crossed his face. He straightened his back and walked up to them, speaking in an official tone.

"Chief Chen, Officer Qi, are you leaving the town? Do you have Lord Xu's warrant?"

"Chief Liu, a word in private."

Liu Ziming hesitated for a moment, gave an order to the yamen runners beside him, and then walked aside with Chen Mu and Qi Huan to a secluded corner of the wall.

"Chen..."

Just as Liu Ziming was about to speak, Chen Mu raised his hand to interrupt him.

"To make a long story short, Wen Jingxing, the Assistant Commissioner of the Prefecture Inspection Division, has arrived. He is Xu Changze's backer, and he has two Heart-Awakening Realm guards with him. Xu Changze also has the official seal. If Chief Qi and I stay, it would be certain death."

Liu Ziming's pupils constricted, and the color gradually drained from his face.

"We are returning to Yunmeng immediately; you will remain in Qinglin Town. Xu Changze is suspicious by nature and may not fully trust you."

"Our attempt to steal the official seal failed this time. Given his personality, it is inevitable that he will settle scores later. You must be careful in how you handle things and prioritize your own safety. If you have the chance, keep an eye on the movements of Xu Changze and Wen Jingxing. Remember, your life is paramount; do not act rashly."

Liu Ziming wiped his face hard, took a deep breath, and resumed his usual slick and cautious Squad Leader demeanor. He fished a small cloth bag from his bosom and stuffed it into Chen Mu's hand.

"Some loose silver and medicine for injuries; use them on the road. Don't refuse."

Chen Mu nodded and patted Liu Ziming's shoulder.

"Take care!"

After saying this, he and Qi Huan gathered their Qi, vaulted over the ruined wall, and sped off in the direction of Yunmeng City.

...

Yunmeng City.

Compared to the grim, deathly silence of Qinglin Town, Yunmeng City still maintained a surface of prosperity and bustle. Yet, beneath the bustle, it ultimately harbored the same filth and bloodshed as Qinglin Town.

Chen Mu and Qi Huan slipped back in the afternoon without alerting anyone. They did not return to his small courtyard, which might already be under surveillance, but instead found a cheap inn where all sorts of people mixed to stay.

Qi Huan's injuries were more troublesome than expected.

The residual poison from the fox demon's illusion that had eroded his Divine Soul had not yet dissipated, and forcing the activation of the Five Cloud Hands had aggravated his old wounds. At this moment, his breath was weak, his complexion ashen, and he was relying entirely on the pure Protective Aura that Chen Mu periodically infused into him to barely keep it suppressed.

"Cough, cough... Chen Mu, don't waste your energy. With you exhausted like this, if the henchmen of Wen Jingxing or Xu Changze come looking, we won't even be able to run."

Chen Mu withdrew his palm, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Although he had slain three foxes in a row and plundered hundreds of years of Lifespan, the fierce battle last night had consumed just as much of his spirit and Qi.

"Hold on until midnight tonight. We will see Jiang Xiong, get the items, and then decide."

He walked to the window and looked through a crack toward the Peony Pavilion; the agreed-upon meeting place was there.

At the third quarter of the Xu hour, the two changed into inconspicuous coarse cloth garments, covering the obvious bloodstains and official uniforms on their bodies, and headed toward the Peony Pavilion.

They entered quietly through the back door, where a youth had already been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing the two, he immediately stepped forward, bowed, and whispered.

"Please follow me, the Master is waiting in the private room on the third floor."

Chen Mu and Qi Huan exchanged a glance and followed silently.

The youth led them through several winding corridors, avoiding all the bustling main halls and private rooms, and went straight to the third floor.

"Please, sirs."

The youth stepped aside, bowing and remaining still. Chen Mu raised his hand, lifted the curtain, and entered.

Inside the private room, incense curled in the air. Jiang Xiong was reclining on a soft couch, wearing a black brocade robe, holding a small jade pot and pouring drinks for himself.

Hearing the commotion, his gaze fell upon the two, wearing a smile that was not quite a smile.

"Brother Chen, Officer Qi, it seems your trip to Qinglin Town did not go very smoothly."