Chapter 76

This chapter is for the 22nd.

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"Since you didn't pass the test, you should have no value for cultivation. Why would General Pujun send him to escort you to the capital?" Li Wenjun asked again.

The Third Young Master said, "Brother Li, you don't know. Although I don't have a spiritual root, I have a mind. Grandfather said I have the potential to become a scholar and an official, which can consolidate the power of the Marquis' mansion in the political arena. Therefore, my father and mother have been focusing on cultivating my studies and preparing me for the imperial examinations since I was very young."

Li Wenjun laughed coldly and sneered, "Are you trying to fool me? Going to the capital for the imperial examinations means you're just a juren. Even if you are the grandson of General Pujun and the legitimate son of the Prefect of Mingchuan, your status is only so noble. It's already very suspicious that General Pujun sent a high-level expert like Jiang Shan to escort you to the capital, let alone that Jiang Shan has three such precious talismans. You don't deserve it."

Being told that he doesn't deserve it would hurt anyone's self-esteem, especially for a young master like the Third Young Master, who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. His face couldn't bear the humiliation. He was so angry that his teeth itched, but he didn't dare to show any defiance to Li Wenjun.

"Brother Li, you have keen eyes. As far as I know, besides escorting me to the capital, Lord Jiang seems to be plotting something big. This big thing has a lot to do with the head of the San Shan Academy in San Shan County, Zhou Wei. However, I don't know the specifics. I asked Lord Jiang, but he wouldn't tell me. When I pressed him, he told me to ask Grandfather when I get to the capital."

The Third Young Master didn't dare to hide anything and told everything without Li Wenjun's further questioning.

"Zhou Wei?" Li Wenjun's heart stirred. He didn't expect the matter to involve Zhou Wei. Could it be that Zhou Wei, like General Pujun, has a connection with cultivators?

"Brother Li, I remember that Lord Jiang has a personal letter from my grandfather. I saw him take it out and secretly read it several times. You can search him; maybe you can find it." The Third Young Master offered.

"I will search." Li Wenjun said indifferently, "I have a few more questions for you."

Then, Li Wenjun asked the Third Young Master a few more questions, all related to cultivators. However, the Third Young Master knew nothing about them. He had only heard of the existence of cultivators before but had never interacted with them. This was the first time he had seen a living cultivator, so how could he answer Li Wenjun's questions?

The Third Young Master's face gradually turned pale, and his eyes filled with more fear. Not being able to answer the questions meant his chances of survival were becoming increasingly slim.

At this moment, the protective barrier that had been protecting the Third Young Master began to visibly fade and disappeared silently in an instant.

The Third Young Master, who had been kneeling in front of Li Wenjun, started to kowtow again, pleading, "Brother Li, please don't kill me. I brought ten thousand taels of gold notes this time. If you let me live, I can give them all to you. I beg you to show mercy and spare my life."

Li Wenjun kicked the Third Young Master impatiently and said, "Do something for me. Didn't you say that Jiang Shan had a letter? Go and get it for me."

Li Wenjun was worried that Jiang Shan might have tampered with the letter, so he had the Third Young Master do the dirty work.

The Third Young Master didn't think about these things, and even if he did, he had no choice. He crawled to Jiang Shan's corpse, and at the sight of the dismembered body, he almost vomited again.

He gagged a few times, enduring the intense discomfort, and reached into Jiang Shan's clothes, pulling out a blood-soaked letter. He quickly presented it to Li Wenjun with a joyful expression. "Brother Li, I found the letter."

Li Wenjun took the letter, and the Dragon-Headed Goose Feather Blade smoothly pierced the Third Young Master's abdomen, the tip emerging from his back.

In pain, the Third Young Master grabbed the Dragon-Headed Goose Feather Blade with both hands, looking at Li Wenjun angrily and saying, "You didn't keep your word."

Li Wenjun looked at the Third Young Master expressionlessly and said, "I said I would consider sparing you if your answers satisfied me, but your answers were very unsatisfactory."

With that, Li Wenjun pulled the Dragon-Headed Goose Feather Blade back, and the Third Young Master fell to the ground, convulsing twice before lying still.

Li Wenjun didn't rush to read the letter. He called out loudly, "Is there anyone still alive in the county office? If so, come out."

The county office was silent, and no one answered Li Wenjun's question.

Li Wenjun continued to shout, "I'll count to ten. If no one answers, I'll start searching. Anyone I find, I can't guarantee they'll see tomorrow's sun."

"Master Immortal, please don't kill indiscriminately. If you must kill, kill me." An old man in a ninth-rank official uniform responded, running quickly from the back of the county office and kneeling in front of Li Wenjun.

"Who are you, sir?" Li Wenjun asked.

"In front of Master Immortal, how dare I call myself sir. Please call me Jiang Yefan. I am the chief clerk of San Shan County. A few days ago, I was ordered by the magistrate to accompany the Third Young Master and Lord Jiang for a drink. Since then, I have been confined to the county office and unable to leave." Jiang Yefan's attitude was very sincere, and he spoke frankly.

"Ah, you are Sir Jiang Yefan. I apologize for not recognizing you." Li Wenjun quickly helped Jiang Yefan to his feet.

In San Shan County, Jiang Yefan had a good reputation and was considered a clean official. Li Wenjun had great respect and admiration for clean officials.

Jiang Yefan stood up and humbly stood at the lower end of Li Wenjun, not even daring to breathe heavily.

Li Wenjun said, "Since you are the chief clerk, you should know some things. My original intention was not to let things come to this. I killed Wang Yonggui and brought his head here to claim the reward and to let the people of the county know that I killed Wang Yonggui for the benefit of the people. However, fate has played a cruel trick. Wu Qi is dead, the Third Young Master is dead, and Jiang Shan is dead. Sir Jiang, what do you think should be done?"

Jiang Yefan said, "The deaths of these three were all due to their own faults, and the blame does not lie with Master Immortal. No matter who investigates this matter, I can testify. However, Wu Qi was an official of the court, the Third Young Master was the son of the prefect, and Jiang Shan was a household guard of the Marquis' mansion. Their identities are not trivial. In my opinion, we should immediately report the details of the incident to the prefecture office, the provincial office, and the court. The emperor is wise and will not hold you accountable."

Whether the emperor is wise or not, Jiang Yefan didn't know, but the emperor definitely fears death. The emperor would not want to offend an immortal master.