Lord Shenxiu
Chapter 40: Investigation

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Investigation

Sweet Water Well Lane.

Zhong Shenxiu swept past the window and returned to her own room. She quickly changed her clothes and then smeared her hand across her face.

Suddenly, the face of Zhong Shenxiu vanished, and the honest and simple Su Daoshi returned.

"These small gatherings really don’t have anything of value, but they also represent a threshold... This time, I deliberately revealed my strength to attract attention, aside from the Heavenly Show Points."

"A Divine Power Practitioner is worth winning over and will allow access to higher circles and better resources..."

"Next time I go there, maybe they’ll have what I want."

Without strength, if you’re not at a certain level, people simply ignore you; that’s just the way it is.

Thinking this, Zhong Shenxiu waved her sleeve, and a pile of glittering items appeared on the ground.

These were the belongings of those two unfortunate fellows.

When you think about it, those two were also unlucky. One an Innate, the other at the Gang Sha Realm, either could dominate anywhere.

Unfortunately, they just happened to encounter the Headless Earl’s spatial magic. In just a moment of conflict, Zhong Shenxiu tossed them both into an alternative space, where their flesh disintegrated, erasing any trace of their bodies.

To exterminate Gang Sha Realm and Innate cultivators with Divine Power is just that convenient and quick!

Those two really were unlucky to become sacrificial chickens to warn the monkeys, as well as unwitting treasure deliverers.

Zhong Shenxiu inspected the loot, tossing aside some gold and silver items and picking up a few others in her hand.

There weren’t many items that caught her eye, only three: a "Yellow Sand Daoist Scripture," a small apricot-yellow flag, and a large white conch shell.

Zhong Shenxiu first opened the "Yellow Sand Daoist Scripture" and discovered it was a record of a lifetime of cultivation by a Loose Cultivator, self-proclaimed as the Yellow Sand Saint. The scripture was a scattered compilation of various martial arts secrets, six Daoist Skills, and techniques for refining two Magic Artifacts. It was not very profound; in fact, it was quite shallow.

Even the step that Zhong Shenxiu was most concerned about, how an Innate cultivator could break through to the Gang Sha Realm, was extremely vague. It merely mentioned a fortuitous coincidence, overcoming it with the power of Elixir Pills, and giving rise to Mana.

The six Daoist Skills were also mediocre, with only one called the "Yellow Wind Escape Method," which required cultivation with Yellow Wind Evil Qi. It could stir up a gust of yellow wind, rise a hundred feet off the ground, and fly for tens of miles.

In the end, the scripture even lamented—"Desiring enlightenment through the heterodox paths is difficult indeed!"

"This...can hardly be considered genuine Xuanmen inheritance, can it? It doesn’t even offer a hope of breaking through to the Divine Power Realm. In terms of foundational knowledge, it’s not even as good as the Ten Directions Beast Skill..." Zhong Shenxiu said somewhat speechlessly as she shook out the small apricot-yellow flag.

This was a Magic Artifact recorded in the Yellow Sand Daoist Scripture, named the "Yellow Sand Flag," refined with the Daoist Skill of flying sand and moving stones. It contained three layers of restrictions, roughly equivalent to the power of cultivating this particular Daoist Skill to the Third Level.

As for the white conch, it was an item from Feng Yigong.

The conch was pure white and beautifully shaped, with the faint sound of ocean waves emerging from it.

Zhong Shenxiu put it to her ear but didn’t hear any ocean waves. She thought for a moment, then slowly infused a thread of True Qi into it, and immediately she heard a faint voice as if from the depths of the sea, "There is a qi in the human world named ’Ha,’ when combined with magical techniques, it’s called Soul Cleansing..."

"So it turns out to be a Daoist Spell—the method for cultivating ’Soul Cleansing Shout.’ This technique requires the combination of ’Ha’ Qi. Could there be another technique that requires combining ’Humph’ Qi?"

"The ’Humph’ and ’Ha’ Qi... sounds like a form of human Qi."

Zhong Shenxiu didn’t know that the ’Humph’ and ’Ha’ Qi was indeed a kind of human Qi, accidentally created by ordinary people during breathing and shouting, then quickly dispersing into the world. Gathering it was not particularly difficult, but not easy either.

With the power of government officials, mobilizing thousands or tens of thousands of people could accumulate it in a moment or over several months.

But Feng Yigong was a one-footed great thief; how could he possibly get help from officials?

Not to mention, he wasn’t at the Gang Sha Realm himself and couldn’t refine Evil Qi.

Therefore, the "Soul Shaking Drink" was mastered only half-heartedly, which led Zhong Shenxiu to disdain this particular Daoist skill.

He casually tossed the conch shell aside, "Whatever... it’s still a Daoist skill, even if it’s just given to Er Ha to practice, it’s not bad."

"Sir."

Zhong Shenxiu had rested but for a moment, when he heard knocking at the door.

He tidied up and rose to open it, only to see Er Ha revealing a sycophantic smile, "What’s happened?"

"The government has sent someone, saying it’s an order from Captain Feng, requesting your presence at the southern city training ground to receive orders." Er Ha quickly relayed the message he had memorized.

"Yes, my vacation time has run out, I understand."

Zhong Shenxiu nodded, suddenly feeling like a modern office worker not wanting to go back to work.

If it weren’t for having a whole family to support, if it weren’t for the intimidating power of his official status, if it weren’t for the desire to gain more Daoist skills and teachings...

He really wouldn’t want to be a Ninth Grade Evil Slaying Deputy Envoy anymore.

...

Southern city training ground.

After eating two steamed buns for breakfast, Zhong Shenxiu arrived at the gate and saw the guards crossing their weapons, shouting, "Military area ahead, no admittance for idlers!"

He took out his waist token, and only then he was able to smoothly enter the training ground and was led to a tent.

On both sides, stood a dozen or so Xuanjia Iron Cavalry, each in heavy armor and holding steel blades, their expressions solemn, at most sweeping him with a bit of curiosity.

’Feng Xixi’s Xuanjia Iron Cavalry was completely wiped out, from top to bottom. I didn’t expect them to be replenished so quickly. Indeed, the power of great families and clans should not be underestimated.’

Zhong Shenxiu stated his intention and a Xuanjia Iron Cavalry soldier asked him to wait and went inside to report.

It wasn’t long before he heard a few voices arguing, and then the tent curtain was lifted, and Spiritual Crane Daoist walked out, paying no attention to who was around, and left on his own.

A moment later, the Xuanjia knight came out and ordered, "The Colonel wants to see you."

Zhong Shenxiu entered the tent and saw Feng Xixi sitting in the main seat, her cheeks flushed, as if she had just had an argument with someone.

"Greetings to the Colonel, thank you for your righteous help previously."

Zhong Shenxiu took the initiative to salute, thanking her for the matter concerning the Su Family.

"It’s nothing, you wait here."

Feng Xixi seemed to be in a bad mood, waving her hand dismissively.

Zhong Shenxiu waited aside, watching one after another come in and salute.

The closest to Feng Xixi was the new squad leader of the Xuanjia Iron Cavalry, a true ninth grade official named Wang Xiao, with a hooked nose and a cold look in his eyes.

Besides him, there were several camp officers and other Evil Slaying Deputy Envoys like himself.

Once everyone had arrived, Feng Xixi softly commanded, "In the name of the Protector Mansion, we inspect to deter crime and safeguard the peace. We received intelligence last night that a mysterious Loose Cultivator, calling himself Young Master Shen Xiu and suspected to be a Divine Power Practitioner, has appeared at Black Wind Ridge. Be diligent in gathering information, but be cautious not to provoke him, and do not risk your lives."

"Understood."

A row of figures bowed in salute.

Zhong Shenxiu blended in, his mind a mix of emotions: ’I’m certain that there were people from the Protector Mansion among the crowd at the Black Mountain Small Meeting last night...’

’It’s normal for the government to monitor these events, but to have me investigate myself? Well... if someday I run short of money, I might just sell a bit of Zhong Shenxiu’s information...’