The alley wasn’t long, with shadows of trees flickering.
A figure in a black robe blended into the night like a ghost, its icy fingers precisely grasping Wei Cheng’s hastily drawn upper-grade Magic Sword.
Then,
an overwhelming force of spiritual power erupted, dazzling and tearing through the night sky.
After several exchanges, spots of dark red warmth splattered, a head flew off the neck, crashing onto the cracked ground and turning into a bloody mess.
A large stream of blood gushed from the headless cavity like a fountain, and the headless corpse swayed a few times before collapsing to the ground.
Qingzhi looked on indifferently, bent down and searched the body, then swiftly sped away towards the outskirts of the Market.
Soon after, several cultivators arrived, their faces solemn, as the Market’s alarm bell rang loudly.
...
The moment the spiritual light tore through the night sky,
Chen Ye was naturally picking up a Spirit Plant called Condensed Snow Flower, bringing it to Lin Jin’s nose as if wanting her to smell its fragrance.
He was saying to Liu Quan beside him, "The quality is quite good, could Steward Liu please wrap another pound..."
Before he could finish, he saw the smile on Steward Liu’s plump face freeze suddenly, a hint of surprise flashing in his small eyes.
Almost immediately after the spiritual light, the Market’s alarm bell rang three times.
Usually, when the alarm bell rings, it means a murder has occurred in the Market. The more it rings, the more severe the incident is.
To ring three times indicates that a significant figure in the Market has been assassinated...
In fact, Loose Cultivators being combative isn’t unusual, and deaths are common, but the bell usually only rings urgently once.
In Peach Mountain District, except for the Beast Tide disaster, it hadn’t rung for three years.
"What happened?!" Liu Quan’s face changed, hurriedly putting down the ledger, "Someone dared to kill in the Market, who attacked?!"
Several clerks sorting herbs inside the Herb Pavilion also stopped their work, showing confused and curious expressions.
In the streets, there was a hubbub, cultivators moved hurriedly, voices filled the air.
"Judging from the direction, it seems to be over by the Wei Family’s villa!"
"Such audacity! Killing inside the Peach Mountain District?"
"Quick, let’s check it out!"
Unable to sit still, Liu Quan walked to the door and strained his neck to look towards the disturbance.
However, judging by his expression, he was not terrified, more just merely curious to watch the commotion.
Clicking his tongue in wonder, "This is a big deal, wonder who died this time..."
Turning back, he saw that Chen Ye was still calm and unruffled, even taking the time to adjust the wide black robe on the girl in his arms.
"Aren’t you curious, Steward Chen?" Liu Quan couldn’t help asking.
"Curious about what? The Cultivation Realm hears tales of slaughter every day..." Chen Ye shook his head.
"True."
Liu Quan scratched his head awkwardly, cooling his curiosity.
"Did Steward Chen visit tonight just to buy this Condensed Snow Flower?"
He didn’t suspect Chen Ye, though Chen Ye visiting the Herb Pavilion at night was quite normal.
From Lisong Valley to the Herb Pavilion takes half a day, if Chen Ye set off in the afternoon, he would arrive at the Herb Pavilion around evening.
Besides, the spiritual light had just exploded and the Market’s guards were already chasing the culprit, there was no way to suspect Chen Ye.
"Yeah, my disciple is afflicted with a cold ailment, needing the Condensed Snow Flower to adjust her condition. Previously when I sent over Spirit Plants, I inadvertently took all the Condensed Snow Flower, leaving none in the valley."
Chen Ye sighed, a look of worry on his face.
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Quan showed some interest.
He glanced at Lin Jin, seeing the girl with her eyes covered, curled up in Chen Ye’s arms, her little face as pale as paper.
Judging by her appearance, she indeed seemed unwell.
Thinking so, Liu Quan couldn’t help wanting to take her pulse, reaching out his fat hand:
"What a coincidence! Steward Chen, I’m quite adept in medicine, I’ve treated numerous cultivators at the Herb Pavilion. Let me take a look..."
However, even with her eyes covered, the girl sensed his intentions, shrinking away as his fat hand reached out.
Chen Ye held Liu Quan’s hand and smiled, "No need, Steward Liu, my disciple dislikes contact with outsiders, besides I have confidence..."
In the past, having Steward Liu from the Herb Pavilion treat her would have made the Lin Family immensely grateful.
But now... having entered under Chen Ye’s tutelage, why need outsiders?
"I see, I was too presumptuous."
Steward Liu withdrew his hand, awkwardly rubbing his chubby fingers.
After a moment’s thought, he realized his action was indeed inappropriate.
Moreover, as master and disciple... who can say what the true situation is, how could outsiders intervene?
As his thoughts twisted, Steward Liu was about to say something to lighten the atmosphere when suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from outside, and a clerk from the Herb Pavilion stumbled in, panicked:
"Steward! It’s spreading through the streets, it’s Wei Cheng of the Wei Family! Beheaded, along with his two guards murdered! The patrolling cultivator claims it’s a Tribulation Cultivator robbing them, dressed all in black, fleeing towards the outskirts of the Market!"
"What? Wei Cheng?"
Hearing this, Liu Quan’s eyes, nearly squeezed shut by fat, instantly widened.
Wei Cheng is dead?
That tyrant of the Peach Mountain District, Wei Cheng, died just like that?
This man, one of the Wei Family’s power-holders, had Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer, and usually carried two late-period Qi Cultivation guards with him.
How could an ordinary person slaughter three people instantly and escape freely!
"Absolutely true!" The clerk, panting heavily, pointed to the street outside, voice trembling, "In the alley by the Wei Family’s villa, both he and his guards are... all dead! The enforcement team has already gone over, it’s said the Wei Family is furious, Wei Zong himself leading the family experts in pursuit!"
With that, the entire Herb Pavilion erupted in chaos.