Chapter 105: The Demon Ox Hasn't Had Bait for a While, Zhong Kui the Demon Exorciser!

Chapter 105: The Demon Ox Hasn't Had Bait for a While, Zhong Kui the Demon Exorciser!

Li Che stopped his elder brother from getting up and urged him to continue drinking.

His elder brother swayed unsteadily but didn't refuse. He plopped back down on the chair and continued drinking with Old Chen.

Li Che walked to the courtyard entrance, his face slightly cold and his eyebrows furrowed.

The door creaked open, revealing two figures in guard robes.

The guard robes were black and red, embroidered with red cloud patterns. The material was unique, stiff and straight, with a golden 'Tranquilize' character embroidered on the chest.

These were the robes of the Temple Enforcement Command officers!

Li Che's eyes narrowed as he recognized the two visitors as Temple Enforcement Command guards. Their distinctive robes were too eye-catching, and everyone in Golden Light City knew them.

"Are you Li Che?"

After opening the door, the two Temple Enforcement Command guards fixed their gaze on him.

Two powerful divine auras surrounded them, creating an intimidating presence without even trying. Anyone who met their gaze would feel their heart tremble.

This was clearly a unique divine aura technique belonging to the Temple Enforcement Command guards.

Although the auras had no effect on Li Che, they were like a gentle breeze.

However, Li Che took a deep breath, his face changing slightly, and said, "I've met the two of you, officers."

The Temple Enforcement Command, as the military force of the Great Jing Dynasty, could be understood as the Six Ministries. While they mainly dealt with strange temple affairs, they would intervene in any matters related to divine power.

Li Che's eyes narrowed as the Temple Enforcement Command guards arrived at his home.

Could they have come so quickly?

It shouldn't be possible. When he killed Qin Yuqing, he left no evidence, and the Gray-Faced Secret Agents had provided an alibi for him.

It shouldn't have been exposed so quickly.

The leading guard narrowed his eyes and held up a Temple Enforcement Command officer token, looking at Li Che with a calm gaze. "Come with us. The Chief Officer has some questions for you."

"The Chief Officer?" Li Che's heart sank slightly.

In the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, the Chief Officer was equivalent to a Junior Supervisor.

Why would such a high-ranking official have questions for him without any reason?

Could they suspect that Qin Yuqing's death was related to him?

Li Che frowned and glanced at the courtyard before following the two guards into the dark alley.

He took out two gold leaves and handed them to the guards.

"May I ask which Chief Officer wants to question me?"

However, the two guards smiled wryly. "Bribing us, the Temple Enforcement Command officers, is a serious offense. If we're caught, we'll be whipped."

Li Che immediately understood.

They wanted more money.

He took out ten more gold leaves and handed them over.

This time, the guards didn't refuse and took the money directly. It seemed the previous amount wasn't enough.

"You don't need to worry too much. Chief Officer Zhang Lianhao just wants us to bring you over. He has some questions to ask you about Qin Yuqing. Do you know her? The third young miss of the Qin family died tragically at home."

"In our investigation, this third young miss of the Qin family secretly captured many cultivators who came from Thunder City."

"Therefore, we need to take away and question all cultivators from Thunder City. As for why the Chief Officer specifically requested you, I don't know."

The two guards divided the twelve gold leaves in front of Li Che and smiled.

Li Che's understanding and attitude pleased them.

They had come late at night, and their mood wasn't great. Now, with some extra money, they could walk a few steps and earn some travel expenses.

"Although you have the Blood Exchange cultivation, it seems unrelated to the death of the third young miss of the Qin family. I heard she was a True Qi Master and had achieved Divine Foundation Perfection..."

The guard smiled.

Li Che's heart relaxed upon hearing this.

"Oh, it's quite lively in the courtyard. Are you holding a family banquet? Do you want to inform your family? Otherwise, the banquet will be filled with anxiety, and that's not a good celebration." The guard glanced at Li Che.

Li Che bowed and said, "I just passed the Third Rank Guest Scholar assessment at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau today."

"My family insisted on holding a banquet to celebrate. I initially refused, but they said it was a joyous occasion and insisted on holding one."

"Since you two officers came late at night, why not have a drink before leaving?"

As Li Che finished speaking, the two guards' faces changed slightly, and the divine aura in the air paused.

"A Third Rank Guest Scholar of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?"

The two guards exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise.

Then, in a tacit understanding, they took out the gold leaves they had just divided and returned twelve of them to Li Che.

"So, you're a colleague from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau... We are all under the court, and although Guest Scholars are externally hired, they are still public officers. We are not at fault for not knowing, Li Guest Scholar, so don't take it to heart."

However, Li Che waved his hand and pushed the gold leaves back.

To establish a foothold in a city, one must be well-versed in social etiquette.

"How can I take these back? After all, it's the middle of the night, and I've troubled the two of you to come. Consider it a token of appreciation." Li Che smiled and invited the two Temple Enforcement Command guards into the courtyard for a drink.

The guards gave him face and didn't press further.

After drinking, Li Che briefly spoke with Zhang Ya, and they left together.

...

...

Golden Light City, Temple Enforcement Command.

As the largest military institution in Golden Light City, it was filled with powerful cultivators. Many cultivators were stationed here because the Temple Enforcement Command had to be vigilant against the strange temple's eruption.

If the temple deity's divine power overflowed and infected the city, creating evil influences, the Temple Enforcement Command would send people to suppress and eradicate them.

Although the Great Jing Dynasty granted considerable authority to the city's aristocratic families, the Temple Enforcement Command's deterrence remained formidable.

The Temple Enforcement Command's headquarters differed from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's Divine Treasure Tower.

The main entrance had three openings, each with two dark wooden doors. On both sides of the entrance were huge Chi dragon stone sculptures, lifelike and imbued with a powerful divine aura.

Inside, numerous buildings stood tall, with flying eaves and soaring corners. Unlike the Divine Treasure Tower's eight-story building, most of the structures here were two or three stories high, exuding an atmosphere of authority and coldness.

"Please, Master Li."

The two guards' attitudes were much more relaxed as they spoke to Li Che.

Upon entering the Temple Enforcement Command, the dense divine aura was almost overwhelming, creating a sense of oppression. If an ordinary cultivator without divine power cultivation came here, they might struggle even to circulate their blood and energy.

Li Che's face turned slightly pale as he slowly followed the two guards.

After a moment, they arrived at a two-story building.

"Chief Officer is waiting for you inside."

After opening the door, Li Che thanked the two guards and stepped into the building.

The Chief Officer of the Temple Enforcement Command, in terms of status, was equivalent to a Junior Supervisor in the Heaven-Enraged Bureau, but the power in his hands was far greater. After all, a Chief Officer commanded ten Divine Foundation-level Deputy Guards, and each Deputy Guard had dozens of guards under them.

Some powerful Chief Officers could even command up to a hundred guards.

How could a Junior Supervisor of the Heaven-Enraged Bureau, who was alone, compare?

Of course, the two were independent departments with different functions, so such a comparison was not appropriate.

Li Che stepped into the building, and the guard silently closed the door.

A rich tea fragrance permeated the air. Li Che looked around and saw a sandalwood desk, with a small tea table next to it. A hot stove boiled water, and green tea leaves tumbled in the boiling water.

A middle-aged man, dressed in a guard robe embroidered with a red tiger pattern, sat upright in a chair, brewing tea.

A dense Divine Essence, almost tangible, filled the air, making it hard to breathe.

The dim candlelight flickered, illuminating the building brightly.

"I am Li Che, paying my respects to Chief Officer."

Li Che clasped his fists and bowed.

The middle-aged man lifted his head, revealing a fierce scar on his face.

He sipped the tea, then raised his eyes slightly, his gaze landing on Li Che.

Boom—!

Suddenly, the Divine Essence in the entire building seemed to be manipulated by a terrifying divine sense, swirling and piling up above Li Che's head like a vortex.

"Ox Demon?"

Two cold, emotionless words were uttered by Chief Officer Zhang Lianhao.

Under the pressure of the Divine Essence, Li Che began to act, his face turning extremely pale, and his legs trembling uncontrollably.

"Is the Chief Officer referring to... the vicious Ox Demon from Thunder City?"

"I... I come from Thunder City, but with my family, how could I be such a vicious brute?"

Li Che gritted his teeth, as if struggling under the pressure of the Divine Essence, breathing heavily.

Silence. The entire building was quiet, except for the bubbling of the boiling water in the stove.

Zhang Lianhao watched Li Che quietly for a long time, then said calmly, "Some say you are the Ox Demon."

Li Che took a deep breath, his eyes almost bulging, "Slander!"

"Did that Ox Demon kill the old patriarch of the Yang Family in Thunder City? He was a Divine Foundation cultivator. Saying I am the Ox Demon is the same as saying I can kill a Divine Foundation cultivator."

"Sir, do you think I can kill a Divine Foundation cultivator?"

A powerful divine sense swept over Li Che's body, scanning him repeatedly.

But Li Che's blood and qi were concealed by the [Dragon-Elephant Vajra] technique in the form of a sleeping dragon, and his Divine Essence was concealed by the [Pure Heart] Dao fruit, making it impossible to detect.

After the divine sense scan failed to find anything, it finally dissipated, and the oppressive Divine Essence also retreated, making the air in the building feel fresh again.

"Indeed, a Blood Exchange Warrior, Streamlike Cultivation... you can't kill a Divine Foundation cultivator."

Zhang Lianhao withdrew his divine sense and stopped the intimidation.

"Congratulations, you are now a Third Rank Guest Scholar of the Heaven-Enraged Bureau."

Li Che was drenched in sweat, clasped his fists, but didn't say much.

"Chief Officer, I have just arrived in Golden Light Prefecture. Who could be slandering me like this?"

Zhang Lianhao poured a cup of tea and pushed it to Li Che, "Have some tea, don't be upset. This is how the Temple Enforcement Command investigates cases—first intimidate, then solve."

"As for the one who said you are the Ox Demon, you might know him. His name is Zhang Xiangyang, a former Divine Catcher of Thunder City."

"He joined the Spirit Infants Sect and is now imprisoned in the Temple Enforcement Command's Criminal Prison. He confessed that you are the Ox Demon and claimed that Qin Yuqing's death was the work of the Ox Demon, trying to atone for his crimes."

Zhang Xiangyang?!

Li Che's eyes narrowed. The Zhang Xiangyang who had escaped back then had appeared in the Capital City and was even imprisoned.

The Capital City was the top-level safe place.

He couldn't help but reflect on his own actions, realizing that his methods were not harsh enough. He should have found a way to eliminate Zhang Xiangyang earlier to avoid this situation.

"Turns out it was Zhang Xiangyang..." Li Che exhaled.

"The words of the Spirit Infants Sect's evil doers cannot be trusted!" Li Che gritted his teeth, "The Spirit Infants Sect has committed countless atrocities in Thunder City. The city lord, Cao Guang, also joined the Spirit Infants Sect and sacrificed a thousand spirit children... utterly inhumane!"

Zhang Lianhao's eyes were calm, as if he had seen this many times before. He nodded, "Very inhumane."

"I didn't believe it, but I still had to ask you. Do you know Xu Beihu? A person from Thunder City who was tortured and killed by Qin Yuqing. She also targeted the An family who moved to the Capital City and was about to strike when she died."

Zhang Lianhao sipped his tea and narrowed his eyes, exhaling steam.

"Alright, you can go now. Be careful. The Neonate Dharma Lord of the Spirit Infants Sect has escaped. I heard that your daughter... received a Spirit Wood Divine Sculpture? Once the ritual is complete, a connection will be formed, and the Neonate Dharma Lord may come after your exceptional spirit child."

Li Che's face changed drastically, his eyes almost bulging.

"Neonate Dharma Lord? Spirit Infants Sect... so vicious, even after my family moved to the Capital City, they won't let us be?!"

"The security of the Capital City won't be a problem, but I'm afraid he might make a surprise attack on your family at night."

Zhang Lianhao glanced at Li Che, who was angry and fearful.

"I've asked what I needed to. You can go back now..."

Li Che's body trembled with anger. After some thought, he wanted to seek Zhang Lianhao's protection.

Zhang Lianhao smiled, not even looking at him, and waved his hand.

Li Che had no choice but to leave the building.

Leaving the Temple Enforcement Command's office, Li Che's angry expression instantly turned calm.

There was a second person in that building, and they were filled with murderous intent.

The Heaven and Earth Chessboard always enveloped him, and Li Che clearly sensed that person's aura, dark as if it could drip water...

"Qin Family?"

That aura was somewhat familiar. When he shot the Gray-Faced Secret Agents at the Qin Manor's gate, this person's aura had appeared.

As for Chief Officer Zhang Lianhao, he didn't seem to have any murderous intent, probably acting on someone's orders, but his words were deeply meaningful.

His brows furrowed slightly.

"Zhang Xiangyang... Neonate Dharma Lord..."

"Is this Chief Officer trying to set a trap?"

"Set a trap? The Ox Demon hasn't taken the bait for a long time..."

...

...

Inside the building.

Zhang Lianhao poured another cup of tea. A moment later, a figure emerged from the shadows.

It was Qin Haonan, Qin Yuqing's brother.

"Is that so? Do you think your sister was killed by him?"

"A mere Blood Exchange warrior with a divine aura as weak as a stream... Do you really think he could kill her?"

Zhang Lianhao asked.

Qin Haonan stroked his beard: "It seems not, but that Zhang Xiangyang from Thunder City claims that Li Che and the Demon Ox are involved..."

"Unfortunately, this boy has joined the Heaven-Enraged Bureau... He has become a Third Rank Guest Scholar. Otherwise, I wouldn't waste words and would just kill him directly." Qin Haonan sighed, "At that time, if he were the Demon Ox, he wouldn't surrender but would show his trump card and resist..."

Qin Haonan spoke straightforwardly, without any embarrassment about discussing the murder in front of Zhang Lianhao.

"He seems to have been recommended by Li Qing Shan. If you really kill him, aren't you afraid that Li Qing Shan will return and smash your head with his Horn Hammer?"

"Ha ha, Li Qing Shan values this man only because of his daughter, an excellent spirit child. Recommending him is probably just a favor..."

"This Li Che is just a Blood Exchange warrior. If he dies, so be it."

"Would Li Qing Shan really offend our Qin family for him?"

"However, according to Zhang Xiangyang, the Demon Ox... even if not Li Che, is still closely related to the Li family. Li Che's daughter, Li Nuoxi, is very close to the Demon Ox. Zhang Xiangyang saw them with his own eyes. They might... be master and apprentice?"

Qin Haonan looked at Zhang Lianhao.

"Think carefully. This is an excellent spirit child pre-selected by the Divine Sect Branch of the Eternal Origin Divine Sect..."

"Provoking him would not be just provoking Li Qing Shan, but directly provoking the Eternal Origin Divine Sect."

Zhang Lianhao sipped his tea and said calmly, "Farewell."

Qin Haonan frowned, glanced at Zhang Lianhao, and left without further words.

After leaving the Temple Enforcement Command, he stood on the dark street.

"The Divine Sect is indeed not easy to provoke..."

After some thought, Qin Haonan walked towards the Golden Crack Sect.

...

...

When Li Che returned home, everyone was still awake.

Seeing Li Che return safely, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness..." Elder Brother Li Liang was half-sober, after all, Li Che had been taken away by the Temple Enforcement Command, whose reputation was well-known.

Old Chen puffed on his pipe, his brows furrowed: "It's because of the Thunder City incident, right? Sigh, that damned Cao Guang..."

After Li Che calmed everyone down, they all left.

Zhang Ya put Xi Xi to sleep and then wrapped her arms around Li Che's waist: "Husband, are you really okay?"

She knew Li Che's true identity, so she was very worried.

After all, the Capital City had many more strong people than Thunder City, naturally reducing their sense of security.

Li Che rubbed Zhang Ya's head: "I'm fine. I'm back safely, aren't I? Besides, I'm now a Third Rank Guest Scholar of the Heaven-Enraged Bureau. Even the Temple Enforcement Command wouldn't dare to act rashly without evidence."

Zhang Ya pressed her cheek against Li Che's broad chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, feeling a bit more at ease.

She murmured softly.

"You are the head of the family, you can't have anything happen to you... We need to watch Xi Xi grow up together."

"Don't worry. In two months, it will be the entrance examination for the Divine Sect Branch. Xi Xi is almost guaranteed to become a disciple of the Divine Sect. No one will dare to touch her, and once she joins, even fewer will dare."

"Alright, don't worry. Everything is under control."

"Let me check. Did you practice well today? Have you mastered the Sinew Opening Techniques I taught you? I'll see if I should teach you new ones."

"Ah? New techniques?"

In Zhang Ya's soft voice, the couple began their Sinew Opening practice.

...

...

The next day.

Li Che, feeling refreshed, went to the Heaven-Enraged Bureau for his shift. He put on the guest scholar's robe of the Heaven-Enraged Bureau, still wearing his black stretch suit underneath.

The shift was simple, just drinking tea and chatting with Shangguan Qinghong in the tea room.

"Do you want to take on a wooden sculpture task with divine aura crystals as reward?"

Shangguan Qinghong, with her crystal-clear feet bare, squatted on the chair, cracking sunflower seeds.

Hearing Li Che's question, she took out the task book and started flipping through it.

"There is one. A disciple of the Heart Monkey Temple who cultivates the Wrath Divine Essence needs a Ten Cities level 'Wrathful Gaze Exorcist' type divine statue. There is no reference temple deity, so the master can freely create it. However, after completion, it needs to be checked for satisfaction before delivery."

Shangguan Qinghong said.

"What if they are not satisfied?" Li Che frowned.

"They can refuse it. That's part of the task agreement. If you can't accept it, don't take the task." Shangguan Qinghong said matter-of-factly.

Li Che nodded: "How much is the reward?"

"Two Ten Cities divine aura crystals."

"Only two?"

Shangguan Qinghong looked at Li Che strangely: "That's the market rate. And you don't think two Ten Cities divine aura crystals are few, right? You only get three a month..."

Li Che smiled awkwardly. He had already spent this month's salary.

Naturally, as a 'moonlight clan' member, Li Che hoped for a higher price.

"Will you take it?" Shangguan Qinghong cracked a sunflower seed, blinking her big eyes, and asked.

"I'll take it!"

"No reference temple deity, I can freely create?" Li Che narrowed his eyes.

"Right." Shangguan Qinghong nodded.

Li Che pondered. This was his first task, the first step to building his reputation.

If he wanted to earn more divine aura crystals and reach the LV3 maturity of the 'Pure Heart' Dao Fruit sooner...

This task's reputation was crucial!

If he handled the reputation well, high divine aura crystal tasks would come pouring in!

"A Ten Cities level divine aura wooden sculpture, the difference won't be in the divine aura content... It has to be in the artistic expression."

Li Che's eyes lit up. Thinking of his earlier speculation, he sketched the deity in his memory, enhancing his Immortal Craft...

Now, he could experiment with this task.

"Wrathful Gaze Exorcist... Needs to exorcise and be wrathful..."

"That would be..."

"Leopard head, ring eyes, iron-faced, curly-bearded!"

"Evil Exorcising and Ghost Slaying General, Zhongnan Iron-faced Venerable, Demon Scouring Heavenly Venerable..."

"Zhong Kui!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end