"I know a little bit!"
Zhang Jian nodded slightly, and he could see a hint of shock in the eyes of Qi Yi and Qi Yuansi.
It was clearly beyond their expectations.
Warlocks who understand magic are often extremely difficult to deal with, as these people usually possess means unimaginable to ordinary people.
The unknown always evokes fear.
"Then, Brother Jian, do you think you can capture that demon?"
Qi Yuansi looked over with a serious expression.
After investigation, they consistently concluded that Madam Zhou might indeed have died at the hands of a demon!
The Qi Mansion was originally well-guarded, not to mention the numerous body refining experts within the Military Family. If there was a murderer, no matter how stealthy their means, they certainly couldn’t escape detection, nor could they flee easily.
After further investigation by the Qi family father and son, they found Madam Zhou’s death indeed to be somewhat bizarre.
Qi Yi, his face gloomy, said, "Ah Yu, if you understand magic, it’d be best for you to act. I can’t trust Mr. Qingyu beside the Governor or the other Daoists in the commandery!"
The trace of coldness in Qi Yi’s eyes was apparent.
He was biting his teeth in hatred; if Madam Zhou had not died, the Qi Mansion could advance or retreat with flexibility, or even stand aloof. But with Madam Zhou dead, it was as though the entire Qi family was laid bare in front of a pack of hungry wolves.
This meant they had to go into battle with bare arms, facing the hungry wolves with bayonets flashing.
How could Qi Yi not be enraged?
The current plan was to first find the murderer and give an explanation to the Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion. Otherwise, they would have to face a dire situation in Fengyang County and incur the wrath of the Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion, which would make things difficult.
Zhang Jian nodded in acknowledgment.
The Zhang Family wanted to stand on equal footing with these three County-Honored Clans in Fengyang County, naturally needing to showcase some strength.
To obtain corresponding benefits, one must naturally possess corresponding strength.
At this time, revealing part of his strength could certainly mitigate many troubles and avoid some unnecessary provocations and conflicts.
Of course, recklessly exposing his strength would undoubtedly bear more risks.
However, Zhang Jian was already very clear in his thoughts.
His previous actions had actually exposed him. The Gu Family had not publicized it widely, clearly still thinking of marriage with the Zhang Family to monopolize benefits. Now that marriage was basically impossible, the other party certainly wouldn’t continue to deliberately conceal it for him, so it was better to exchange something for it.
The Zhang Family’s elevation to a County-Honored Clan also facilitated him in reaping benefits at the ancestral hall.
It was indeed a win-win situation.
...
In the courtyard, Zhang Jian stepped into the backyard, only to be immediately hit by a strong bloody smell.
He saw his Uncle Qi Yuanwu standing grimly at the bedside, his eyelids drooping, seemingly lost in thought, but not showing any sign of sorrow.
On the contrary, his cousin Yuxian was tear-streaked, heartbroken.
Seeing Zhang Jian led in by Qi Yuansi, Qi Yuanwu glanced over placidly. His presence exuded a strong masculine aura, and his exceptionally handsome features were further enhanced by years of leading troops, making him quite extraordinary. Little wonder Madam Zhou had insisted on marrying this eldest son of the Qi Family.
Zhang Jian wasn’t particularly close to his Uncle Qi Yuanwu, having met very few times. He merely nodded, then directed his gaze at the bedstead.
At this time, the bright red brocade quilt was stained with a layer of dark red dried blood.
Even though the quilt hadn’t been unwrapped, Zhang Jian knew that his Aunt-in-law had her skin flayed by the demon, her death incredibly tragic.
Qi Yuxian lifted her head at this moment, her tearful face carrying a strong sense of hatred, pleading.
"Brother Zhang, you must avenge my mother!"
Zhang Jian nodded.
"I will find that demon!"
Zhang Jian then slowly extended his divine thought. His extremely sensitive divine thought could sense the pervasive Dragon and Tiger Qi around the Qi Mansion, which imposed great suppression even on his divine thought.
However, his divine thought was extraordinarily keen, still able to perceive many minute details.
At this moment, he could vaguely sense a hidden, malevolent gaze watching him.
If that gaze was concealed and hard to find, the low whispering and mumbling beside his ear were distinctly conspicuous.
"Kill ... new target ... delicious!"
The voice was extremely eerie, even existing within the ’channel’ sensed by Zhang Jian’s divine thought but was easily picked up by the Ten Thousand Realms Spiritual Consciousness Ball.
Following this gaze, Zhang Jian instantly locked onto something within this boudoir. At this moment, in front of the large screen stood a sandalwood frame, upon which tiered candles were placed.
Inside the boudoir, there were also two crane-beaked palace lamps, beautifully crafted, and filled with lamp oil.
Beneath these candlelights, the shadows of the four people in the room were elongated, and the shadow Zhang Jian locked onto was among them.
That was the shadow of Qi Yuxian.
"Could this demon hide within shadows?"
Zhang Jian quietly used his divine thought to scan, but he found that even his divine thought couldn’t detect the demon in the shadow, only faintly sensing a barely noticeable sinister spiritual mechanism.
Having preconceived notions allowed him to perceive something.
"Truly bizarre!"
Almost simultaneously, Zhang Jian chose to act directly. A scarlet blaze of thunder appeared spontaneously in his palm, blasting towards Qi Yuxian in an instant.
This was his first time truly conjuring Celestial Thunder by hand.
The rumbling thunder suddenly appeared, while the crying Qi Yuxian was left dumbfounded, her watery eyes filled with the terrifying scarlet thunder, leaving her paralyzed and unable to move.
Her whole body trembled, overwhelmed and unable to hear anything.
"Zhang Jian, are you crazy?"
Qi Yuanwu, at this moment, was on edge, angrily drawing the long saber at his waist instinctively, only to see the scarlet Celestial Thunder, speeding towards Qi Yuxian, curve at a special angle and hit her shadow on the ground.
Beside him, Qi Yuansi also widened his eyes, seeing Zhang Jian wield magic for the first time, and thunder no less.
Could someone truly control the most magnificent forces of heaven and earth!
"Grrr!"
It was as if a fatal blow landed, a horribly painful cry emanated from the shadow’s depths. Accompanied by this terrifying cry, the astonished Qi Yuanwu suddenly felt paralyzed, finding it hard to move.
"A demon?"
It wasn’t just Qi Yuanwu; beside him, Qi Yuansi, Qi Yuxian, and even Zhang Jian felt their very souls shaking.
To be precise, it was as if the shadows on the ground were shaking, appearing to be suppressed by some terrifying existence.
Yet the three of them quickly broke free; Zhang Jian, imbued with Spiritual Power, could shake off the oppression on his soul, while Qi Yuanwu and Qi Yuansi, possessing official status, were protected by Dragon and Tiger Qi, being strong martial artists at the Refining Organ Stage from a military family.
The masculine aura exploded, immediately breaking open the confines of the sinister spiritual mechanism.
However, Qi Yuxian was entirely stiff, her eyes turning entirely dark, her body exuding an intense sinister spiritual mechanism, rising like a specter from the ground.
Was she possessed?
Though deep in thought, Zhang Jian’s hands remained swift. Surrounded by the Wind Walking Technique, he, like a breeze, appeared at Qi Yuxian’s feet in an instant. Grabbing one of Qi Yuxian’s jade-like feet, he took out several Soul Cleansing Talismans, slapping them onto her back.
"Get out!"
If a demon could possess, it was likely a Yin Ghost-like entity. For dealing with such demons, the Soul Purification Spell was indeed the nemesis.