Jinzhou.
Jinshui City.
In a luxurious villa hidden in a bamboo forest.
A middle-aged man with a square face, wearing a tiger-patterned brocade robe and a sturdy build, stood with his hands behind his back in a courtyard covered with bamboo leaves. This man was none other than Jiang Jinhui, the leader of the Shahu Gang, one of the three major gangs in Jinzhou!
At this moment, Jiang Jinhui looked at the thin elderly man in green clothes in front of him and asked, "Strategist, what do you think of the information sent by this mysterious person?"
"Boss, in my opinion, this mysterious person must have a grudge against Su Tianhai! This is an excellent opportunity for our Shahu Gang!"
"We can make two preparations: wait for Yang Yuting and Su Tianhai to both suffer losses, then strike."
"The opportunity is fleeting. Once we grasp it, boss, you will be able to unify the martial world of Jinzhou in no time!"
Ji Wuyuan's eyes gleamed with wisdom. As he glanced at the letter in his hand, he had a sense of déjà vu.
"Good!"
"Let's do as the strategist suggests!"
Jiang Jinhui's eyes flashed with excitement, and an overwhelmingly powerful aura spread from his body.
This strategist, Ji Wuyuan, originally served as a county advisor in Yanyun County, Youzhou. Recently, a rebellion broke out in Yanyun County, and the county magistrate Chen Hao was executed by the rebels. Ji Wuyuan escaped to Jinzhou and sought refuge with Jiang Jinhui. With his brilliant strategies, he helped the Shahu Gang inflict three major losses on the Qinglong Society, reaping substantial gains.
Jiang Jinhui treated him as a treasure and appointed him as the strategist.
"Alright, gather our men and divide them into two groups to secretly head to Fengyuan City and wait. Meanwhile, send the Fire Oil Guard and Poison Guard to ambush and eliminate them in one fell swoop once they are weakened!"
Ji Wuyuan spoke in a deep voice.
"Someone, summon the hall leaders to see me!"
Jiang Jinhui ordered sternly.
Jinzhou.
County Office.
A refined middle-aged man looked at the burly middle-aged man with a brocade knife hanging from his waist and said, "Brother Cao, yesterday someone sent five letters, stating that Su Tianhai, the leader of the Witch Poison Gang, has gone mad due to practicing witchcraft and needs to consume human brains on the full moon night to relieve his madness. There are over eighty innocent corpses in the Green Willow Villa in Chiyong County. This matter is serious. Take some men and check it out!"
Recently, too many people have gone missing in Jinzhou, and the investigations by the Divine Constable Division pointed to Chiyong County.
This mysterious person sent five letters and provided the exact location, Green Willow Villa.
Zhang Rui knew that Jinzhou was the fief of Prince Jin, who was currently in his prime. If this matter wasn't resolved in advance and caused public outrage, it would be problematic.
If Prince Jin were to blame him, his official hat would be in jeopardy.
"Rest assured, Brother Zhang. I'll personally go. The Witch Poison Gang has been committing atrocities and should no longer exist."
Cao Peng patted his chest, nodded, cupped his fists to Zhang Rui, and left.
Time passed.
Jincheng, the capital of Jinzhou and the residence of Prince Jin.
Fifty miles outside Jincheng, Qingshi Town.
Qin Wang
Lifespan: 18/75
Realm: Qi Refining Stage 1 (258/1000)
Qin Wang sat in a three-room courtyard, looking at the panel in front of him.
"Finally, I've refined all my inner strength into mana."
"However, I still need to work hard. Currently, the mana at the first level of the Qi Refining Stage is too little."
Qin Wang looked at the panel, stretched out his hand, and activated the Five Elements Gathering Qi Technique. A red stream of energy appeared on his palm, flowing around his entire hand like flames, exuding a terrifying aura!
He had refined all his mid-level martial arts cultivation into mana with the Five Elements Gathering Qi Technique, consuming 10 spirit stones, and his cultivation proficiency reached 258 points.
He calculated.
Absorbing one spirit stone increased his proficiency by 20 points, and the remaining 58 points came from refining and purifying his mid-level martial arts cultivation.
"In other words, I need about 37 spirit stones to upgrade to the second level of the Qi Refining Stage!"
Qin Wang calculated and muttered to himself.
"Let's test the power of the first level of Qi Refining Stage mana."
Qin Wang wielded the Soul Scaring Knife, went to the courtyard, found a large bluestone, and activated his mana. The red mana surrounded the long knife, making it look like a black and red treasure, emitting a hum!
Whoosh!
The Soul Scaring Knife slashed down!
With just a light sound, the Soul Scaring Knife, enhanced by red mana, cut through the bluestone like tofu, slicing into the ground!
"Awesome!"
Qin Wang looked at his handiwork, satisfied.
Without the mana enhancement, he could still cut through the bluestone, but it would shatter into pieces!
Feeling confident, Qin Wang returned to his room, sat cross-legged, and continued to cultivate with a spirit stone, aiming to advance to the second level of the Qi Refining Stage as soon as possible.
Fengyuan City.
In an estate with white walls and yellow tiles, surrounded by ornamental trees.
"Yang Yuting! You've provoked me repeatedly! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
Su Tianhai, with white hair and beard, stood on the roof, looking at Yang Yuting, who was like an angry lion outside the estate, his expression extremely grim.
Today, while using the Scent Spirit Gu to track the person who stole the Three Corpse Gu King jar, Yang Yuting had brought people to fight him.
He remembered going to Panli Lake to find the Scent Spirit Gu but went mad prematurely and ended up killing three people on a boat. Later, he discovered he had killed Yang Yuting's son. Finding it troublesome, he had quietly escaped.
Unexpectedly, Yang Yuting traced him to the Green Willow Villa and found the 86 corpses in the basement, exposing his brain-eating secret and putting him in a difficult position.
After all, Yang Yuting was also half a step into the Martial Dao Inborn Realm!
Not yet reaching the true Martial Dao Inborn Realm, he didn't want to fight Yang Yuting.
Moreover, through the Peeking Gu, he noticed Divine Constable Division's Martial Dao Inborn experts lurking outside the villa, probably due to his brain-eating secret, making him even more reluctant to fight Yang Yuting. A single injury could be fatal!
At this moment, Su Tianhai was anxious, thinking of ways to escape.
"You old beast!"
"You killed my son! Today I will skin you alive and tear you to pieces if it's the last thing I do!"
Yang Yuting roared, like a furious lion, his long knife emitting a blade aura over a meter long, slashing towards Su Tianhai like a ribbon of light!
"Yang Yuting! You want to die? I'll grant your wish!"
Su Tianhai's expression changed. He waved his hand, and a cloud of gray mist covered a three-meter radius!
The next moment.
Su Tianhai retreated into the estate and disappeared in an instant.
Yang Yuting didn't expect Su Tianhai to talk big and then run away. He immediately pursued into the estate.
A thousand feet away from the estate, in a forest.
A thin figure with sharp eyes, Ji Wuyuan, watched as Su Tianhai disappeared into the estate, frowning. "Boss, Su Tianhai is too cunning to fight Yang Yuting head-on. He's using a tunnel. We'll have to act accordingly."
"Understood."
Jiang Jinhui nodded.
In the estate in Fengyuan City.
Su Tianhai, with white hair and beard, flashed into the rear side hall, approached a corner of the wall, and pressed a spot. Immediately, with a grinding sound, the wall retracted, revealing a descending stone staircase, leading to a long corridor about a meter wide.
The floor was paved with bluestone slabs.
Night pearls embedded in the walls on both sides illuminated the corridor like daylight.
Su Tianhai flashed down the steps.
Behind him, the entrance closed with a grinding sound.
Su Tianhai followed the corridor to the end, arriving at a redwood door, kneeling respectfully and shouting, "Your humble servant Su Tianhai pays respects to the Immortal. Please help me!"
As Su Tianhai spoke, the door slowly opened.
Revealing the scene inside.
A hall about ten feet square, with nine carved dragon stone pillars, with a black-clad elderly man around fifty years old, with a coin-sized birthmark on his left cheek, sitting cross-legged, exuding a mysterious aura.
In front of him was a five-foot stone platform with a three-foot-long blood-colored crystal trident, emitting a sharp aura.
"You haven't retrieved the Three Corpse Gu King jar, and now you've brought so many Martial Dao Inborn experts here?"
"Causing me trouble?"
"Let's try the power of Qi Condensation Stage 1 spiritual power."
Qin Wang, holding the Soul Shocking Blade, went to the courtyard and found a large blue stone. He circulated his spiritual power, and crimson energy wreathed the long blade, making the Soul Shocking Blade look like a black and red treasure, emitting a clear ringing sound!
Swish!
The Soul Shocking Blade fell!
With just a light sound, the Soul Shocking Blade, enhanced by the crimson spiritual power, cut through the large blue stone like a red ribbon slicing through tofu, and sank into the ground!
"Awesome!"
Qin Wang looked at the result of this strike with satisfaction in his eyes.
If he hadn't enhanced it with spiritual power, this strike could still have cut the blue stone, but the stone would have shattered into pieces!
Qin Wang felt more confident and returned to the room to sit cross-legged, holding a spirit stone, continuing to cultivate, striving to advance to Qi Condensation Stage 2 as soon as possible.
Fengyuan City.
In a manor with white walls and yellow tiles, surrounded by ornamental trees in the east of the city.
"Yang Yuting! You provoke me again and again! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
The white-haired and white-bearded Su Tianhai stood on the roof, looking at Yang Yuting outside the manor who was like an angry lion. Su Tianhai's expression was extremely gloomy, his white hair dancing in the wind.
Today, he was using the 'Scent Spirit Worm' to track the location of the person who stole the Three Corpse Gu King Jar when Yang Yuting led people to attack, seeking revenge.
He remembered that day when he went to Panli Lake to find the 'Scent Spirit Worm', but his madness struck early, and he immediately grabbed three people from a boat and consumed them. Later, he learned that he had consumed Yang Yuting's young son from the Qinglong Society. Feeling troubled, Su Tianhai fled the scene while no one was watching.
Unexpectedly, Yang Yuting traced him to the Green Willow Manor and even found 86 corpses in the underground chamber, exposing his brain-consuming activities to everyone, putting him in a disadvantageous position.
After all, Yang Yuting's strength was also at the half-step to Martial Dao Innate realm!
Without advancing to the true Martial Dao Innate realm, he didn't want to fight Yang Yuting.
Moreover.
Through the 'Peeping Worm', he discovered that there were Martial Dao Innate experts from the Imperial Investigative Bureau surrounding the manor. Probably because the brain-consuming incident had attracted the attention of the Imperial Investigative Bureau, he was even more reluctant to fight Yang Yuting. If he were injured, it would likely be a death sentence!
At this moment, Su Tianhai was anxious, desperately thinking of a way to escape.
"You old beast!"
"You killed my son! Today, if I don't flay you alive and pull out your tendons, I'm not surnamed Yang!"
Yang Yuting shouted fiercely, like a frenzied lion, his long blade shooting out a blade qi over a zhang long, like a ribbon, killing towards Su Tianhai!
"Yang Yuting! You're seeking death! I'll grant your wish!"
Su Tianhai's expression changed, and with a wave of his hand, a cloud of gray mist surged out, enveloping an area of three zhang in radius!
The next moment.
Su Tianhai retreated backwards, diving into the manor, instantly disappearing from sight.
Yang Yuting didn't expect Su Tianhai to be all talk and no action, directly fleeing. He immediately chased into the manor.
A thousand zhang away from the manor, in a grove.
The thin and wise-looking Ji Wuyuan, watching Su Tianhai disappear into the manor, furrowed his brow and said, "Boss, that Su Tianhai is too cunning. He doesn't want to fight Yang Yuting head-on and has entered an underground passage. We can only act according to the situation now."
"Mm."
Jiang Jinhu nodded.
Inside the manor in Fengyuan City.
The white-haired and white-bearded Su Tianhai's figure flashed, arriving at the back hall. He walked to a corner of the wall, pressed on it, and immediately, with a creaking sound, the wall retracted, revealing a series of stone steps leading downwards. Facing him was a wide corridor, one zhang wide and very long.
The ground was paved with blue flagstones.
On both sides of the walls were inlaid night pearls, illuminating the underground chamber as bright as day.
Su Tianhai's figure flashed as he leapt down the steps.
Behind him, with a creaking sound, the entrance closed.
Su Tianhai followed the corridor to its end, coming to a red wooden door. He knelt respectfully on the ground and called out loudly, "This lowly one, Su Tianhai, pays respects to the Immortal and begs for your help!"
As Su Tianhai spoke, the door slowly opened.
Revealing the scene inside.
A hall ten zhang in diameter, with nine dragon-carved stone pillars. Among them sat a black-robed old man about fifty years old, with a birthmark on his left cheek, emitting a mysterious aura.
In front of him was a five-foot stone platform, on which lay a three-foot long, crystal-clear blood-colored tri-edged dagger, emanating a sharp and fierce aura.
"You didn't find the Three Corpse Gu King Jar, and you've brought so many Martial Dao Innate experts here?"
"Are you trying to cause me trouble?"
The black-robed old man Jin Shifeng's expression was gloomy, his tone unfriendly.
"Immortal, I have a lead on the Three Corpse Gu King Jar, but I don't know who informed Yang Yuting about my brain-consuming activities, attracting experts from the Sha Hu Gang, the Imperial Investigative Bureau, and others. I beg the Immortal, considering my devoted service, to help save my life!"
Su Tianhai knelt before the birthmarked old man, kowtowing repeatedly.
"The immortal masters sent by the Cloud Emperor and invited by Prince Jin are all in Jinzhou. My Blood Spirit Dagger is almost complete. If they are drawn here, all my efforts will be in vain!"
"Considering your devoted service, I'll give you a Wind Talisman. You should leave here first!"
Jin Shifeng waved his hand, and an earthy yellow talisman with a wind-shaped symbol flew out, landing on Su Tianhai. Immediately, Su Tianhai's white hair danced without wind.
"Thank you, Immortal!"
Su Tianhai knew the gravity of the situation and immediately turned to leave the underground chamber.
"I hope you can lead them away. The Blood Spirit Dagger is about to succeed, it must not fail!"
Jin Shifeng watched the mechanism of the underground chamber close, his eyes showing expectation.
If his injuries were fully healed, he wouldn't fear the immortal masters of the Cloud Emperor and Prince Jin, but for now, it was better to avoid them temporarily.
Qingshi Town.
In the early morning.
Qin Wang sat in the small courtyard, silently cultivating the Five Elements Gathering Qi Technique.
[Daily Intelligence Update!]
[Today's Intelligence]
[1: You focused on Su Tianhai yesterday and obtained intelligence: The cultivator Jin Shifeng was severely injured in a magical battle and is hiding in the mortal world to recover. He first taught Su Tianhai the method of consuming human blood and brain matter, then absorbed Su Tianhai's essence to heal himself, causing Su Tianhai to have white hair in his forties. Su Tianhai, in order to advance to the Martial Dao Innate realm, is willing to become white-haired regardless.]
[2: You focused on Su Tianhai yesterday and obtained intelligence: Su Tianhai was sought for revenge by Yang Yuting in Fengyuan City. Upon discovering the Imperial Investigative Bureau and Sha Hu Gang surrounding him, he sought help from the behind-the-scenes cultivator Jin Shifeng and escaped the manor. He was severely injured by Cao Peng from the Imperial Investigative Bureau and lost an arm, then was pursued by Yang Yuting and hit by the Cloud-Touching Hand technique. He fled towards Yunzhou, with Yang Yuting and the Imperial Investigative Bureau in hot pursuit.]
[3: You focused on Su Tianhai yesterday and obtained intelligence: Su Tianhai's behind-the-scenes immortal master Jin Shifeng has refined a 'Blood Spirit Dagger'. This item was refined with demonic toad blood and is extremely powerful. Cultivators below Qi Condensation Stage 5 will certainly die if stabbed by it. It's currently only one step away from completion.]
[4: You focused on Su Tianhai yesterday and obtained intelligence: Su Tianhai's Wudu Gang was destroyed by the Qinglong Society and Sha Hu Gang, attracting the Scarlet Lotus Immortal. Su Tianhai's behind-the-scenes immortal master Jin Shifeng was severely injured by the Scarlet Lotus Immortal and fled in panic towards Yunzhou.]
[5: You focused on the situation in Da Cang yesterday and obtained intelligence: The daughter of the Da Cang Cloud Emperor, Cang Yuyan, due to her exceptional spiritual root, was accepted into the Wanhua Sect. The Da Cang Cloud Emperor will grant a great amnesty and declare this day as a great immortal fate.]
[6: You focused on the Wanhua Sect yesterday and obtained intelligence: Liu Bihong, the manager of the Wanhua Sect in Yunzhou, is worried because she hasn't recruited any disciples with exceptionally outstanding spiritual roots.]
[7: You focused on the Wanhua Sect yesterday and obtained intelligence: Su Qianyun, an elder of the Wanhua Sect, entered the cave dwelling where the rogue cultivator Ma Yu had secluded himself three hundred years ago in the Tianyao Mountain Range yesterday and gained considerable rewards.]
[8: You focused on the Wanhua Sect yesterday and obtained intelligence: Liu Bihong, the manager of the Wanhua Sect, learned that an elder of the sect had recruited Cang Yuyan, who has an exceptional spiritual root, and is extremely envious.]
[9: You focused on news about Chen Kun yesterday and obtained intelligence: Chen Kun has already come to Jinzhou with Zhuo Yijian to investigate your whereabouts, vowing to tear you to pieces.]
[10: You focused on news about Chen Kun yesterday and obtained intelligence: Chen Kun often takes out two Light Shield Talismans he carries to observe, hoping his young son Chen Yi will succeed and return soon.]
"No wonder Su Tianhai is white-haired, it turns out he was drained of essence by the cultivator behind him!"
"With Yang Yuting and the Imperial Investigative Bureau pursuing him, Su Tianhai won't survive!"
Qin Wang looked at the first two pieces of intelligence, his eyes showing pleasure as he breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, Su Tianhai has been dealt with. The next step will be to head to the Wanhua Sect.
P.S. The author will be omitting the filler parts of the daily 10 informations