57: Chapter 57 The Disappearance of the Prodigal Son

Early the next morning, Qingshi Town became lively once again.

People from Long City had arrived.

The news spread throughout the town as if it had wings, and Disciples from various Sects rushed out of their tents, craning their necks to gaze toward the town entrance.

Being able to make these arrogant immortal Sect Disciples so nervous, the identity of the person who had arrived was self-evident.

At the town entrance.

A team of people slowly rode in.

The leader was a middle-aged man dressed in deep blue official robes, with a jade belt hanging from his waist and a square face.

This person was named Chief Clerk Gu Qing, from the Longcheng City Lords Mansion. He was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage and was in charge of all administrative affairs in Long City; he was the City Lord's most trusted confidant.

Behind him followed more than a dozen guards from the Longcheng City Lords Mansion, all of whom possessed strong Qi, with the lowest being at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Town Overseer Zhang Danian and his son had been waiting at the town entrance early on.

Town Overseer Zhang Danian had changed into a clean official robe, and the look of worry on his face had faded somewhat, but the exhaustion in the depths of his eyes could not be hidden.

Zhang Huaiyuan stood behind his father, head lowered, without saying a word.

"I, Qingshi Town Overseer Zhang Danian, pay my respects to Chief Clerk Gu Qing."

"I did not expect that you, Chief Clerk Gu Qing, would come in person for this mission."

Town Overseer Zhang Danian bowed in salute, his voice respectful.

At the same time, he felt some doubt in his heart. The news said the person coming was the Long City Deputy Clerk, so why was the Chief Clerk here in person...

Chief Clerk Gu Qing waved his hand.

"Master Li, who is in charge of this matter, has other things to attend to. I happened to be free, so I came in his place."

As he finished speaking, Chief Clerk Gu Qing's gaze swept over the fluttering flags in the town, and a trace of imperceptible coldness flashed in his eyes.

Town Overseer Zhang Danian hurried to keep up, and Zhang Huaiyuan followed closely behind.

"In the past few days, has there been any chaos in the town?"

Chief Clerk Gu Qing asked. After a moment of silence, Town Overseer Zhang Danian recounted the situation in Qingshi Town over the past two days.

Although Chief Clerk Gu Qing's expression remained unchanged, his gaze toward these immortal Sects became even more disgusted.

Soon.

In the open space in the center of the town, the team leaders from various Sects had already arrived.

Heavenly Sword Sect's Lu Chenzhou, Qingyun Sect's Li Tai, Xuanyi Sect's Huo Xuan, and Luoxia Sect's Granny Bixia.

Outside these Sects, there was also Yunshan Sect's Zhou Yuande, who stood at the very edge with his Disciples, so low-key they were almost invisible.

Chief Clerk Gu Qing walked to the center of the open space, stopped, and swept his gaze over the faces of the team leaders from each Sect.

Seeing this, Lu Chenzhou was slightly stunned; evidently, he had not expected that Chief Clerk Gu Qing would come in person, so he cupped his hands in a salute.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Gu."

Li Tai cupped his hands, his smile not reaching his eyes.

Huo Xuan put away his copper coins, clasped his fists, and bowed, his posture respectful.

"There is no Fellow Daoist Gu here, only Long City Chief Clerk Gu Qing."

"The City Lord is very concerned about the matter of the Spirit Child. I have come here for only two things."

"First, to confirm what Spiritual Root and Spirit Body the child has, and which school's spiritual methods are suitable for the child to Cultivate. Second, to find a Sect for the child based on the child's Spirit Body. Other Sects must not use this as an excuse to cause chaos."

"Once the Spirit Child's affiliation is determined, Qingshi Town must return to normal within one day. If anyone causes chaos, they will be executed!"

As soon as these words were spoken.

A biting killing intent immediately radiated from Chief Clerk Gu Qing.

The representatives of the other Sect forces nodded one after another upon seeing this, and no one objected.

Seeing that everyone had no objections.

Chief Clerk Gu Qing nodded, swept his gaze over everyone present, and asked: "Where is the child now?"

Town Overseer Zhang Danian hurriedly stepped forward and said, cupping his hands: "Reporting to the Chief Clerk, the child is still in the town, guarded by the constables under my command."

He said it was guarded by his men, but in reality, as soon as the major Sects arrived, they surrounded the place completely. His few constables couldn't even enter the door and could only stand outside the courtyard, no different from decorations.

But he dared not say this.

"Let's go."

Chief Clerk Gu Qing did not ask further and headed toward the east end of the town.

The team leaders from each Sect followed one after another.

The group arrived in front of a residence at the east end of the town.

The courtyard was not large. Several constables stood at the entrance. Seeing Town Overseer Zhang Danian arrive, they quickly straightened their backs, not daring to breathe loudly.

Around the courtyard.

Disciples from various Sects were standing or sitting. Seeing Chief Clerk Gu Qing and the representatives of the various Sects arrive, they then stood up as a group.

Town Overseer Zhang Danian walked to the entrance, looked at the constables guarding the door, and ordered: "Quick, bring the child out."

The constable nodded quickly and turned to walk into the house.

Another constable followed. The two, one after the other, pushed open the courtyard door and walked in.

Just at this moment...

"Hmm?"

Qingyun Sect's Li Tai suddenly frowned, a trace of doubt flashing in his triangular eyes. His spiritual sense swept over the entire residence, and his expression changed abruptly.

"Why can my spiritual sense not detect the Spirit Child's aura?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

The others also had strange expressions and released their spiritual senses one after another.

Lu Chenzhou's brows furrowed tightly. His spiritual sense surged out like an overwhelming tide, covering the entire residence along with the surrounding area of several dozen zhang, and then his expression changed too.

As he finished speaking.

The two constables who had gone in ran out quickly.

"M-Master, it's bad! The person... the person is gone!"

Town Overseer Zhang Danian turned his head abruptly to look at the two constables, his voice trembling: "What do you mean gone? How could the person be gone?"

The constable knelt on the ground, trembling all over: "I... I don't know. Inside the house... there is nothing inside..."

Chief Clerk Gu Qing's expression was calm, his gaze sweeping over everyone present like a blade.

He did not speak, but that invisible sense of oppression made everyone shut their mouths.

But the silence only lasted for a few breaths.

"How could they be gone?"

From the back of the crowd, a Disciple from a small Sect couldn't help but whisper.

The person next to him tugged at his sleeve, but the Disciple seemed not to notice and continued muttering: "People from the four major Sects are all guarding here, who could take the Spirit Child away from under their noses?"

The voice was not loud.

But in this deathly silent occasion, every word was clearly transmitted into the ears of everyone present.

An Elder from another small Sect picked up the conversation, his voice kept very low, but the schadenfreude in his tone could not be hidden: "Isn't that so."

"Heavenly Sword Sect, Qingyun Sect, Xuanyi Sect, Luoxia Sect, the experts from the four major Sects are all here; not even a fly could fly out, and yet the Spirit Child is gone. Tsk tsk, I think they are the ones playing tricks."

"That makes sense."

Another person echoed, "Perhaps one of them wanted to keep it all to themselves and stole the person away in the night."

The discussions grew wildly like weeds, turning from whispered mutters into blatant accusations.

Those small Sects were usually suppressed by the four major Sects until they couldn't breathe. Now with Chief Clerk Gu Qing here, having caught the opportunity, how could they let it go.

"Heavenly Sword Sect had the most people patrolling last night; perhaps it was them who stole it while guarding."

"Qingyun Sect is the closest to this courtyard; if someone were to act, it would be easiest for them."

"Luoxia Sect consists of female cultivators; they look honest, but who knows?"

The discussions rose and fell, becoming more and more intense.

Some even began digging up old accounts, saying that such-and-such Sect had done similar things in the past, and that such-and-such Sect was righteous on the surface but engaged in illicit deeds in private.

Especially, for some reason, the topic began to veer off course.

Someone began saying that the people of the Heavenly Sword Sect were all perverts, flirting with their own swords, and as a result, accidentally got rid of their little brothers, couldn't have children, and that was why they wanted to snatch the Spirit Child...

This statement was outrageously absurd, but even more outrageously, some people seemed to believe it, and their gazes occasionally looked toward the crotches of the Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples...

Lu Chenzhou's face was livid, the knuckles of his hand gripping the sword hilt turned white, and a biting Sword Intent radiated from his body...

Several Disciples were scared and took two steps back, but the group of Elders from the small Sects were talking with such gusto that they didn't notice the killing intent here at all.