Unstoppable Martial Arts: Starting from Fist Technique Deduction
Chapter 209 - 64: Begin_2

Chapter 209: Chapter 64: Begin_2

"Second Elder." Several guest elders stood in the hall, looking at the elderly man seated in the first armchair on the right, and complained: "It’s been a month already. When will we find them? It’s almost New Year, and there’s no end in sight. Could it be that the Inspector is just toying with us?"

"We’re just buzzing around like flies, with no leads at all. I think the Hong family must have taken their fortune and entered the Upper City. We’ll never find them searching like this."

Another guest elder who often followed the Inspector to investigate everywhere was exhausted and wore a mournful face: "In over a month, we’ve turned Yanghua upside down, even discerning the gender of rat nests. Elder, this is too difficult."

The old man pursed his lips, listened to their complaints, and comforted them: "Be patient. The Inspector is also searching everywhere, even checking the desolate islands outside Huai River, without a moment’s rest. Once it’s fully resolved, I’ll make sure you all get a twenty percent increase in your salary."

Hearing this, they reluctantly accepted and stopped complaining.

It was nearing noon, but few martial artists had returned to the hall, as they were still scouring for clues about the Hong family.

At this time, a gaunt and elderly man in a black robe silently slipped into the Pei Family Garden.

This person was none other than the Ghost Taoist lurking in the shadows.

He moved like an invisible specter, with the courtyard walls posing no obstacle to his feet. With a few leaps, he covered several hundred meters, heading straight for the Pei Family Hall.

About half an incense stick’s time later.

The Ghost Taoist stood in the shadow of a rockery, looking from afar at the crowded Pei Family Hall.

At this moment, he took out a thumb-sized scroll from his bosom.

The Ghost Taoist sighed: "If it weren’t so urgent, I wouldn’t need to use something this precious."

He slightly shook his head, then gently opened the seal of the scroll.

He extended his dry fingers, pinched a corner, and gently pulled. A palm-sized black silk fell into his palm.

The black silk was as dark as ink, emitting a cold, eerie aura. On it, dark red patterns intertwined and tangled, appearing like congealed blood traces, depicting distorted images resembling weeping faces, bashful eyes, and half-smiling lips.

The patterns continually shifted, causing the surrounding temperature to drop involuntarily.

"Heh heh." The gaunt elder stared at the silk in his hand and let out a strange laugh: "It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten anything; today I can feast again."

With a swift movement, he dashed towards the hall.

**********

Northeast corner of Yanghua.

Zhan Ting stood at the highest point of the pasture, continuously releasing his spirit, trying to spread it out as far as possible to track the Ghost Taoist’s activities.

At this moment, someone suddenly rushed towards him in a panic: "Inspector. Bad news, we just received a distress signal from the Family Head, the Ghost Taoist attacked the Pei Family Garden."

Zhan Ting, while searching around, caught every word of the report.

"Has it appeared?"

With force at his feet, Zhan Ting moved.

Whoosh!

In a flash, Zhan Ting appeared in front of the reporter.

"The Pei Family Garden! Not good." Zhan Ting’s calm demeanor changed instantly: "Killing Pei Family martial artists and brewing an evil entity is difficult to handle."

"How long ago was this?" Zhan Ting quickly asked.

"About a stick of incense ago." The person panted heavily and replied urgently.

"It will take me another half an incense stick’s time to get back. I hope the Pei Family can resist a bit." Zhan Ting looked grim, glanced at the direction, and his figure shot towards the Pei Family.

***********

Hidden mountain cavern.

Hong Bangzhao’s study.

Hong Bangzhao and Hong Wenli stood silently in the study.

Unlike the previous day, the room was now empty.

The servants had sealed all the items in the study, awaiting another family crisis to use them.

Hong Bangzhao’s single eye swept around the room, filled with a desire that seemed to be swelling.

Witnessing Hong Bangzhao’s confident demeanor, Hong Wenli was full of admiration.

After quietly waiting for a moment, Hong Wenli softly said: "We’ve received news, the Ghost Taoist has taken action."

Hong Bangzhao stepped out of the door, sneered, and said: "Did you send the message to the Inspector?"

"It was sent half an incense stick’s time earlier. But why send it early?" Hong Wenli couldn’t fathom the reason.

"To kill the Pei family, the key is the Pei family’s ancestor, Gu Sheng. The others are incidental." Hong Bangzhao paused: "But to kill the Ghost Taoist, the Inspector must take action."

"Heh heh!" Hong Bangzhao let out a sinister laugh: "He wants to use the Pei family souls; how can I let him succeed."

"Hmm?" Hong Wenli frowned, still unable to grasp the answer.

"The martial artists in the Pei Family Garden are less than a third of what the Ghost Taoist requires. His tricks won’t hold up the Inspector; once in the academy, he’ll surely die at the hands of the martial academy’s envoys." Limping, Hong Bangzhao moved towards the hidden river in the mountain: "Let’s go. Let’s see. Today my Hong family will reclaim Yanghua."

*************

Service Hall, a certain side chamber.

At this moment, Jiang Yu was filled with terror, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

Looking at Pei Zhangluo, the third elder of the Pei family, standing before him with indifferent eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart.

Could it be that my connection with the Hong family has been exposed? Or did the Pei family notice the anomaly from the last investigation I oversaw?

I should never have heeded that secret message back then. One wrong step leads to a lifetime of regret.

Jiang Yu couldn’t help but sigh deeply in his heart, filled with endless regret.

But regret was useless; he could only pretend not to know what was happening and brace himself to get through this ordeal.

"Third Elder, I, I’m here for what?" Jiang Yu’s body trembled like a sieve, and he asked in a shaky voice.

Pei Zhangluo cast a casual glance at him without speaking.

This attitude caused Jiang Yu’s heart to sink to the bottom.

Has the matter really been exposed?

But why hasn’t Pei Zhangluo acted yet? A high-ranking elder could have him killed with just a suspicion; what need is there for evidence?

Or perhaps there is another reason for him to know about me.

Jiang Yu’s tense emotions eased slightly.

But the next instant, his pupils suddenly contracted, almost shrinking to pinpoints in an instant.

His concubine Duan Xian was also brought here!

Duan Xian’s face was bruised, her hands bound with hemp ropes, and her clothes were full of dust. Even his servants were all brought to kneel in the main hall.

"Master." As soon as Duan Xian entered the room and saw Jiang Yu, she immediately wailed.

Slap!

The Martial Artist escorting Duan Xian delivered a heavy slap.

"Wuwuwu."

Duan Xian’s eyes were filled with stars from the slap, her head spinning, and the intense pain left her only able to whimper.

"Silence!"

Pei Zhangluo glanced over and said indifferently.

At this moment, yet another Martial Artist leapt down from the courtyard wall outside, holding someone by the neck as if carrying a dead fish out of water.

Thud!

After entering, that person casually tossed Duan Yong to the ground after drawing an arc through the air.

"Ouch!"

Duan Yong cried out in pain, cursing, "You blind thing, do you know who my brother-in-law is? A steward of the Service Hall. Dare to touch me, and I’ll make sure you regret it."

After speaking, Duan Yong rubbed his dizzy head.

Seeing no one responding to him, he widened his eyes.

"Sister, brother-in-law!" Seeing both of them there, Duan Yong was greatly astonished.

Duan Yong hurriedly got up, stumbling as he crawled to Jiang Yu’s feet.

"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, what is happening?" Duan Yong asked in a low voice, his expression filled with terror as he glanced at the quietly standing Pei Zhangluo.

"Brother Yong, do not speak more." Jiang Yu lowered his head slightly, speaking in a trembling voice.

This situation was truly inescapable.

But he still couldn’t understand why the prestigious third elder of the Pei family would personally get involved.

He searched for countless reasons but couldn’t find an answer. He was just an insignificant Condensed Essence Second Rank steward, hardly worth the Pei Family Third Elder’s time.

Jiang Yu’s eyes flickered as his desire to survive intersected with the thought of having no way out, and his gaze towards Pei Zhangluo was full of torment.

Meanwhile, Duan Xian was already collapsed on the ground, silently sobbing.

But the dozens of Martial Artists present coldly looked on at it all.

Before the operation, they were all aware that this mission was not for anyone else but for the genius newly admitted to the Upper Court, Master Lin.

Thinking of this, several people’s gazes turned toward Duan Yong, their curiosity piqued. Such a mischievous character would logically have no opportunity to interact with Master Lin, yet somehow he offended him deeply.

It was unclear whether to call this person lucky or unlucky.

Seeing that the key figures had all arrived, Pei Zhangluo nodded slightly. Without any superfluous actions, he stood at the edge of the hall, quietly waiting.

About an hour later.

Outside the side chamber, footsteps could be heard.