https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-28-The-Spirit-Master-s-Divine-Absorption/12831090/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-30-Dao-Fruit-Absorbs-Divinity-Xu-s-Bone-Shattering-Spear/12831092/
Chapter 29: The Dreadful Glow, Who is the Bull Demon?
Chapter 29: The Dreadful Glow, Who is the Bull Demon?
Lei Chunlan... dead?
Simu Bai froze, the emerald green tea in his cup spilling out.
He narrowed his eyes at his trusted assistant. "Lei Chunlan... wasn't she staying at the Golden Radiance Pavilion? How could she die?"
"And didn't we send a fully developed sinew warrior to guard her? Even if she encountered danger, couldn't he at least buy some time?"
Simu Bai's expression darkened.
Lei Chunlan had come to discuss matters on behalf of the Spirit Embryo Sect. Now, she was dead—right after their meeting.
The pavilion's atmosphere turned cold and oppressive, the swirling wind and snow becoming razor-sharp.
Xu Beihu, who had been about to leave, now hesitated. His eyes flickered with uncertainty and a strange thought began to form in his mind.
Li Che had just met with Lei Chunlan...
And then she was killed?
A coincidence?
How could such a coincidence even exist?
Simu Bai stood up, placing his cup down. "Old Guo, lead the way. Let's go see."
The Blood Replacement Warrior, Guo Zhan, bowed and turned, leading the way.
...
...
Before the incident, Li Che had left the Golden Radiance Pavilion. He circled through the inner city's winding streets to ensure no one was following him, then returned to the alley where he had left his clothes.
He shed the black attire, dispelled the qi and blood, and returned to his original form, donning his usual clothes.
Crushing the wooden mask to pieces, Li Che let out a long breath.
With Lei Chunlan's death, he felt a weight lifted from his chest, but the relief was short-lived. He raised his hand, and with a mental command, a series of snake-like qi streams rapidly coiled around his white, jade-like hand.
"Divine Essence..."
"The Spirit Embryo Sect Master's Divine Essence?"
"The absorbed Divine Essence is stored in the Thousand Analysis Hand... but what use does it have?"
With the situation urgent, Li Che didn't have time to investigate.
Leaving the alley, he bought a box of osmanthus cakes from a shop and then went to a tavern to pack some fine wine and dishes he had ordered in advance. He found the old carriage driver smoking a pipe by the roadside.
"Old man, I've bought everything. Could you please take me back to the woodcarving shop?"
Li Che smiled, handing over a small jar of yellow wine he had packed from the tavern.
The driver hurriedly tried to refuse, but eventually accepted with a grin and quickly drove the carriage.
The sound of hooves clattering on the cobblestones broke through the falling snow as they slowly made their way to the outer city.
...
...
In the small courtyard.
The snow, stained red with blood, lay over the severed body of the guard, a scene of utter desolation.
The air was thick with a pungent, metallic scent.
The sound of footsteps on the thick snow echoed as Simu Bai and Xu Beihu entered the courtyard.
Simu Bai, wrapped in a crane-feather cloak, looked at the guard's mutilated body, his handsome face grim. "Crushed and killed, no chance to fight back..."
"The killer is extremely powerful. A fully developed sinew warrior was no match, unable to even send a message. It's not just a beginner in bone tempering; it could be a fully developed bone tempering warrior."
Simu Bai's keen eyes quickly assessed the strength of the enemy.
"The wounds look like they were caused by a sharp weapon, but not a sword or blade..."
Guo Zhan, the Blood Replacement Warrior, squatted to examine the body and spoke with a heavy voice.
Xu Beihu, wrapped in a fox-fur cloak, noticed the smooth, precise cuts on the guard's body and felt a flicker of recognition.
These wounds... they seemed familiar.
He couldn't help but think of the way the woodcarver Sun Changbiao had died in his outer city shop...
Could it be... the same killer?
Simu Bai stepped over the guard's body and entered the room. The warmth from the burning coal only made the blood smell more nauseating.
Lei Chunlan's body was nailed to the wooden floor, her death gruesome.
A wanted notice, a horrific corpse.
It seemed like the grim reaper of hell had walked among the living, taking lives and passing judgment!
Xu Beihu narrowed his eyes, a hint of understanding flashing across his rugged face. He was certain...
The killer of Lei Chunlan...
Was the same killer who had murdered Sun Changbiao!
The method and the marks were the same—the distinctive wooden arrows and the fine, thread-like cuts... It was enough to confirm the killer's identity.
"Beastly brute, the Bull Demon..."
Xu Beihu exhaled deeply.
Who could this person be?! To dare commit such atrocities in the well-guarded wooden sculpture shop in the outer city...
And to even murder within the Golden Splendor Pavilion, where the security is even tighter, in the heart of the inner city!
How audacious... and mysterious!
Who is this person?
Whose man is he?
"Who is this Bull Demon?"
As if hearing Xu Beihu's mutterings, Si Mu Bai cast a cold glance his way.
Xu Beihu then briefly recounted the situation.
"Truly a daring Bull Demon, to commit such acts within the Golden Splendor Pavilion. This is sheer audacity, showing no regard for the various families of Fei Lei City!"
Si Mu Bai clenched his fists inside his sleeves, his voice icy and filled with murderous intent.
His divine aura seemed to ripple out from his eyes, accompanied by the mournful wails of spirits, echoing endlessly and stirring the air.
Xu Beihu glanced at Si Mu Bai, feeling a slight chill.
Si Mu Bai must be very close to achieving the Divine Foundation, his divine aura barely under control.
Footsteps echoed, and several imposing figures approached from outside the courtyard. The leader wore a black and red robe, a sword hanging from his waist, his eyes sharp and piercing.
"Prince Xu, Prince Si, you're both here."
The newcomer bowed, his voice deep and resonant.
"Ah, it's Captain Zhang. We're troubling you to make this trip," Si Mu Bai's expression calmed, his rage contained, and a tearful, indignant look appeared on his face.
Both Xu Beihu and Si Mu Bai were very courteous to the newcomer.
After all, this man was one of the three great Divine Captains of Fei Lei City, Zhang Xiangyang, dispatched by the imperial court. Not only was his martial prowess formidable, but his divine cultivation was also considerable.
The title of Divine Captain was well-deserved, as they all possessed divine auras, giving them far greater strength than ordinary martial artists.
Zhang Xiangyang placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and slowly walked into the room, where he saw Lei Chunlan's corpse and the wanted poster.
"Hmm, the victim was a wanted criminal... Tsk, posting a wanted notice after the murder, the killer considers himself a righteous hero, but he's still breaking the law," Zhang Xiangyang said coolly.
"Let's confirm the identity of the murderer first..."
As he spoke, he took a step forward.
Boom!!!
His hair and beard stood on end, and a hint of gray seemed to swirl in his eyes—his divine aura...
The air immediately filled with a sense of fear, remnants of Lei Chunlan's terror before her death. Zhang Xiangyang captured these emotions and saw a vivid image in his eyes.
"Massive build, over nine feet tall, wearing a hood and black clothing, with strong life force, and... a Bull Demon mask..."
The gray light in Zhang Xiangyang's eyes dissipated, and his focus returned. He said calmly, "The culprit in the outer city's wanted poster matches this description. He is the Bull Demon."
"To dare commit crimes in the outer city is one thing, but to come to the inner city and commit such atrocities... This Bull Demon must have significant backing."
Zhang Xiangyang chuckled coldly. Without a powerful background, how could anyone dare commit such acts in the inner city?
The noble families and the dark government officials were not to be trifled with.
"Captain Zhang's 'Terror-Reflecting Light' divine aura is growing stronger. It won't be long before you become the top Divine Captain in Fei Lei City!"
Si Mu Bai clapped, his expression a mix of tears and laughter.
Zhang Xiangyang glanced at Si Mu Bai, whose divine aura was barely contained, and smiled. "Prince Si is about to break through in divine cultivation and achieve the Divine Foundation. Congratulations."
After his words, Zhang Xiangyang turned to the constables behind him.
"Return to the city hall and revise the wanted notice for the Bull Demon. Increase the bounty to three hundred..."
Zhang Xiangyang thought about the oppressive image of the Bull Demon he had seen through Lei Chunlan's fear...
"Fine, make it five hundred taels!"
(End of Chapter)
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