Chapter 68

Xiaoming managed to speak, but Fan Jiewei answered nonchalantly.

“I fixed it.”

“Huh?”

Fan Jiewei didn’t mention the Holy Water Pill. There was no reason to tell them, after all. However, Ye Danying and Bai Yunhui couldn’t help but be surprised at his words.

Fan Jiewei’s madness had been cured!

Ye Danying swallowed his surprise and spoke to Fan Jiewei.

“I have the inn under control.”

He had already placed his subordinates in each room and put all the guests to sleep with a dream-inducing drug.

Killing people to silence them was a much more troublesome task than expected. Besides disposing of the bodies, if multiple people went missing, the investigation by the Martial Arts Alliance could lead to trouble.

Only then did Bai Yunhui realize why the inn was so quiet despite the current chaos.

Ye Danying glared at Bai Yunhui.

“It means I can eliminate you two without a sound.”

Bai Yunhui’s face turned pale at the murderous intent in Ye Danying’s eyes.

“Wait, wait! Let’s negotiate!”

Bai Yunhui hastily spoke.

“I have access to confidential information within the Martial Arts Alliance.”

Ye Danying was momentarily intrigued.

If he could obtain the core information of the Martial Arts Alliance, he could use it to further solidify his position within the Black Point. However, he quickly dismissed the thought.

He wasn’t stupid enough to indulge in greed in front of Fan Jiewei.

From the beginning, Fan Jiewei had no intention of sparing Bai Yunhui.

It was an unthinkable dream. Seeing his proposal fall flat, Bai Yunhui changed his mind.

“S, Seven Sect Demon Lord!”

Fan Jiewei, who would surely not let such a name pass, reacted as expected.

“What about that bastard?”

“I know about the deal between the Martial Arts Alliance leader and him.”

At this, not only Fan Jiewei but also Ye Danying’s expression changed. Wasn’t this one of the biggest mysteries in the current martial world?

Why did the Seven Sect Demon Lord, one of the Ten Great Evils, become the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance’s Demon Slaying Squad?

“What kind of deal?”

“P, please spare me, and I’ll tell you.”

“Do I really need to make such a promise?”

Fan Jiewei grinned.

Snap.

Fan Jiewei reached out and grabbed Bai Yunhui’s arm.

“What are you doing…!”

The smile on Fan Jiewei’s face deepened.

“Honestly, I’m curious, but I can’t let you live. Besides, that Seven Sect Demon Lord will die by my hands anyway. I’ll ask him then, why not.”

“Wait, wait!”

Bai Yunhui’s voice quickly turned into a terrifying scream.

Crunch.

“Aaaah!”

Fan Jiewei used his strength to tear off Bai Yunhui’s arm.

Bai Yunhui, whose arm had been ripped off from the shoulder, turned pale and cried out.

“P, please!”

“This is just the beginning. You’ll die in excruciating pain.”

As Fan Jiewei grabbed his other hand, Bai Yunhui shouted.

“I’ll do anything you ask! Please!”

“No can do.”

Swish!

In the end, Fan Jiewei tore off the other arm and laid Bai Yunhui on the table.

Seeing Fan Jiewei’s face looking down at him, Bai Yunhui realized he would never leave this place alive.

“You bastard….”

He wanted to curse, but couldn’t.

A strange heat began to spread from Fan Jiewei’s hand, making his meridians feel hot, and soon his entire body felt like it was burning.

The pain was so intense that it made him forget he had lost part of his body.

The problem was that the pain was getting worse.

He wanted to lose consciousness, but even that was denied.

“It’s still two hours until sunrise. We can take our time.”

At that moment, Bai Yunhui’s hope for survival vanished.

“P, please just… k, kill me.”

The pain, which felt like being thrown into a fiery hell, had reached its peak. Bai Yunhui finally shed tears and pleaded.

But Fan Jiewei only increased his inner energy.

“Aaaah!”

A scream that seemed to tear through the air filled the inn.

Despite thinking this was the worst pain he had ever experienced, there was even worse pain.

Bai Yunhui thought he could do anything to escape this agony.

“The Blood Demon Scripture.”

At those words, Fan Jiewei withdrew his inner energy. Bai Yunhui, sensing his chance, continued.

“The Martial Arts Alliance obtained the Blood Demon Scripture during the Zhengma Battle. I discovered that the Martial Arts Alliance leader made a copy before destroying it.”

“A copy of the Blood Demon Scripture?”

“After that, the Seven Sect Demon Lord became the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance’s Demon Slaying Squad.”

The Blood Demon Scripture is a book that records the martial arts symbolizing the leader of the Demon Sect. It was a plausible scenario.

Nuo Danyang, one of the Ten Great Evils, had been particularly targeted and attacked.

His obsession with power was greater than anyone else’s.

“Now, please kill me.”

“Alright.”

Bai Yunhui, who had closed his eyes in apparent relief, saw a meaningful smile on Fan Jiewei’s face.

Fan Jiewei injected more inner energy.

An unimaginable heat enveloped Bai Yunhui.

Between the screams, Bai Yunhui glared at Fan Jiewei with bloodshot eyes.

“It’s up to me how I kill you.”

Bai Yunhui shivered at Fan Jiewei’s grin.

“A scum like you shouldn’t die easily.”

For a full hour.

After feeling the excruciating pain that seemed to burn every nerve in his body, Bai Yunhui finally breathed his last.

“Why? Do you have something to say?”

Fan Jiewei, who had dealt with Bai Yunhui, turned to Ye Danying.

“No, nothing.”

“Make sure to clean up thoroughly.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Fan Jiewei stood up, passed by Ye Danying, and smiled slightly.

“See you again.”

At those words, Ye Danying shivered, thinking of the dead Bai Yunhui.

* * *

“Which one do you think is better?”

Nangong Bai smiled quietly as his daughter compared two types of fabric.

Her radiant smile, unlike her former pale and sickly appearance, had the power to make him incredibly happy.

“Both are good.”

“Pfft.”

Nangong Xiang, who had pouted, soon smiled brightly.

“I’m excited to return to the family estate after so long.”

With the Spring Festival approaching, Nangong Bai planned to return to Anhui, where the Nangong family estate was located.

He had been away from the estate for a long time due to his daughter’s illness.

“I’ve also prepared the Spring Couplets and New Year paintings.”

Nangong Xiang proudly waved the upside-down character for ‘blessing’ and a painting of a fish.

These were decorations to wish for good fortune in the coming year.

The character for ‘blessing’ is placed upside down because the word for ‘upside down’ (倒, dao) sounds the same as the word for ‘arrive’ (到, dao), symbolizing the arrival of blessings.

The painting of a fish is similar.

The word for ‘fish’ (魚, yu) sounds similar to the word for ‘abundance’ (餘, yu), symbolizing a wish for a prosperous year.

A bitter expression suddenly appeared on Nangong Bai’s face.

He knew better than anyone that the family’s financial situation was far from prosperous.

He could picture the old steward struggling to pay off the family’s debts due to the purchase of medicinal herbs.

‘But I have no regrets.’

An empty granary can be refilled.

But nothing could compare to his daughter’s life. Just then, Nangong Bai felt a sense of unease.

Nangong Xiang, who had been very excited just moments ago, was now staring blankly out the window.

“I need to greet him….”

Nangong Bai frowned slightly at Nangong Xiang’s muttered words.

He knew who she was talking about.

“Do you mean the young doctor?”

Nangong Xiang, realizing she had spoken her thoughts aloud, blushed and was startled.

“Yes….”

Unaware of Nangong Bai’s thoughts, Nangong Xiang continued.

“Thanks to him, I can welcome the New Year like this.”

Nangong Bai looked at Nangong Xiang with a complex expression.

He had heard that the martial world was quite stirred up by the revelation that the young doctor was the son of a deity. However, what truly concerned him were the others.

The companions who had traveled with Dan Aoxian.

Feng Zhencheng’s identity was clear, so there was no reason to doubt him, but the other two were problematic.

Their aura was far from ordinary for mere doctors.

‘No, it’s not just that.’

It wasn’t just a matter of them being suspicious.

Even now, just thinking about those two made his muscles and nerves tense involuntarily.

* * *

When Nangong Bai stepped out, leaving Nangong Xiang to pack for their return, Yang Buli, the leader of the Chongtian Hall, bowed respectfully.

“There’s a report on the missing inspector.”

“Did you fail to find him again?”

Yang Buli’s head bowed even lower at Nangong Bai’s question.

“I apologize. My subordinates were inadequate….”

Nangong Bai shook his head.

It had been three months since Bai Yunhui, the inspector, disappeared.

His whereabouts were still unknown. The problem was that one of the elders of the White Sword Sect, which he had once belonged to, also disappeared around the same time.

Right after Fan Jiewei appeared at the White Sword Sect.

Too coincidental to be a mere accident.

“Is it certain that the intruder at the White Sword Sect was Fan Jiewei?”

“Based on the testimonies of the witnesses, the person who appeared at the White Sword Sect that day was definitely Fan Jiewei.”

“Hmm….”

Fan Jiewei’s sudden appearance and disappearance were only fueling the unease among the small and medium-sized sects under the Martial Arts Alliance.

A considerable amount of time had passed since the order to eliminate the Ten Great Evils was issued, and he couldn’t just sit by anymore.

It was a matter of the Martial Arts Alliance’s authority, not just his own dignity.

“Summon the leader of the Demon Slaying Squad.”

The person who would act most desperately to prove his usefulness was him.

Someone who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

* * *

Nuo Danyang, who had returned to his office, couldn’t hide his discomfort.

It was due to the scolding he received from Nangong Bai.

―Chao E Liang, Fan Jiewei, E Hu Jun. If they are still alive by the deadline, you won’t get what you want.

Nuo Danyang sighed in frustration.

Despite his efforts, the half Blood Demon Scripture was useless.

He needed to obtain the other half by any means necessary.

“Where is Fan Jiewei?”

One of his subordinates, who had been watching his reaction, quickly answered.

“He has disappeared without a trace.”

“…”

“We will intensify the search.”

“Have you been searching half-heartedly until now?”

“No, no, that’s not it.”

Nuo Danyang frowned at the pale subordinate shaking his head.

‘Incompetent fools.’

Pressing his subordinates would only make his mouth sore. As he had no other immediate solutions, his worries deepened.

“Someone is here to see you.”

“A visitor?”

Nuo Danyang was puzzled by the report.

Since joining the Martial Arts Alliance and taking charge of the Demon Slaying Squad, no one had ever visited him.

No one liked him, a former evil from the Demon Sect and one of the Ten Great Evils.

The wall between the righteous and the evil was that high.

He was very curious about the visitor’s identity.

“Bring them in.”

A moment later.

When the person entered, guided by his subordinate, Nuo Danyang frowned.

It was the person he least wanted to deal with.

A woman with calm eyes and a refined aura.

Zhuge Yan, the leader of the Heavenly Ear Organization, which served as the eyes and ears of the Martial Arts Alliance.