Red Heart Patrols the Sky

Tang House Town was north of Fenglin City, one among the seven towns governed by Wei Quchibi and also the smallest and most remote. Backed by the sprawling Qi Chang Mountain Range which stretched for dozens of miles, the townsfolk relied on the mountains to make a living, primarily as hunters.

Walking through Tang House Town, one could see aged houses and few pedestrians. Those who occasionally passed by hurried along with furrowed brows, emanating gloom. Not to mention compared with Fenglin City, even Fengxi Town, where Jiang Wang was born, was far better than this place.

"The villages around Tang House Town are scattered along the Qi Chang Mountain Range, and the locals make their livings from hunting, usually gathering in town only on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. Since it's not the market day, that's why there are so few people around."

Jiang Wang was able to explain this to Zhang Linchuan after having done quite a bit of homework before coming.

Even though this trip was arranged by the dean for a senior brother to look after a junior, Jiang Wang knew well the principle that one should not expect pointers on every single matter and did not dare to slack off.

All the way here, Zhang Linchuan maintained a faint smile, neither distant nor overly familiar, showing little emotion.

Upon hearing this, he simply nodded and headed towards the household where the annihilation had occurred.

Although they were here representing the independent will of the Daoist academy, it was also inappropriate not to inform the local authorities. Tang Dun, the constable of Tang House Town, was thus waiting for them at the doorstep of this household.

"Both Mr. and Mrs. Tang Danai were locals of Tang House Town. I used to fight with Tang Danai when we were kids..." The tanned and rough-looking man was visibly distressed, his eyes red and teary, standing there incessantly rambling, repeating: "Damn evil scum! Damn them! Damn them!"

Zhang Linchuan glanced at his constable uniform, "Why are you the only one here? Where is your arrest officer?"

"Our arrest officer is busy with other matters," Tang Dun said without picking up on Zhang Linchuan's displeasure, continuing on his own, "You will all be big officials in the future, you must seek justice for us!"

"Interesting, a trivial Tang House Town has matters more important than this annihilation case?" Zhang Linchuan scoffed disdainfully but did not pursue further, simply waving his hand to interrupt Tang Dun, "Focus on the important points. What clues have you found in the investigation? What did the people from the Procuratorate say?"

Dong Ah had sent someone to investigate independently, clearly not trusting Wei Quchibi. Correspondingly, the people from the Procuratorate avoided the issue, and the local authority of Tang House Town only sent a low-ranking constable to meet them, which was also predictable.

Scratching his head, Tang Dun said, "We... don't have any clues. Those officials from the Procuratorate didn't tell us anything they found..."

Zhang Linchuan almost laughed in frustration; if you don't have any clues, then what have you been babbling about here all this time!

But he maintained his composure, suppressing his displeasure, "Alright, let's go inside and take a look."

Tang Dun swiftly tore down the seal on the door and took out a key to unlock the Great General lock, then pushed the wooden door open.

Jiang Wang noticed that the seal was not simple, as it was adorned with symbols to ward off evil. Clearly, the Procuratorate's cultivators had intentionally protected the crime scene.

And as the seal was removed and the door opened, a foul mixture of decay, filth, and stench gushed out.

Jiang Wang, suppressing his discomfort, looked around the small courtyard. It was filled with typical hunter's items—hunting knives, traps, bows and arrows—and other things like animal skins and smoked meat, all scattered about messily.

The skeleton of a hunting dog lay near the main entrance. Judging from its posture, it must have been the first to detect the intruder but was disposed of in an instant.

Turning back around, Jiang Wang saw that Zhang Linchuan had covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief embroidered with orchids, his eyebrows furrowed tightly.

Seeing Jiang Wang's inquiring gaze, Zhang Linchuan slightly tilted his chin forward, his voice muffled beneath the handkerchief, "No matter, let's go in."

At that moment, Tang Dun stood hesitantly at the door, "I just... won't go in. This place, it's ominous..."

Jiang Wang wouldn't force him, as he was just an ordinary person, so he nodded, "That's fine."

He then took the lead, stepping into the courtyard.

A potent and intense stench of decay enveloped them instantly, overwhelming their olfactory senses. Such a level of putrescence could not emanate from merely killing a few people or raising a few zombies; it resembled a connection to some kind of evil presence.

Zhang Linchuan glanced at Jiang Wang's hand on his sword, those long, fair fingers seeming clean and strong.

"Does Junior Brother Jiang excel in swordsmanship?" he asked.

As Jiang Wang scoped out the surroundings without turning back, he said, "You flatter me, Senior Brother Zhang. My Dao Technique is incomplete, and I have not been able to cultivate the Dao Technique, so I can only rely on swordsmanship to protect myself."

"During the attack on the outer doors, I heard that Junior Brother Jiang was also one of those assaulted, yet you managed to escape with composure, which is quite remarkable."

"It was actually quite perilous. That demon was far stronger than I am. I was able to escape because I alerted my fellow disciples."

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There was an empty wooden doghouse next to the courtyard, which was of course deserted at the moment. Jiang Wang's gaze swept across, and he could not see any bloodstains in the entire courtyard.

"The situation here is quite grim, Junior Brother, be careful," said Zhang Linchuan.

"I understand, Brother."

The courtyard had three rooms; facing the courtyard door was the main hall, with its door wide open. A skeleton lay sprawled across the threshold, completely devoid of flesh, with only the bones remaining. From the clothes on the body, it seemed to be the male owner of the house, the hunter Tang Da Niu.

Jiang Wang carefully stepped over the skeleton and walked into the main hall.

The four walls of the hall were bleak, with no decorations to speak of, but in the center was a square table with four stools around it. Some leftover food was still on the table, covered with a bamboo mat.

Under the stool on the left lay the mistress of the house, her coarse cloth dress serving as proof.

However... the food had not spoiled, but the bodies had been reduced to white bones.

An inexplicable chill crept up his spine, and an undefined fear seemed to rise from nowhere. Jiang Wang was almost tempted to draw his sword. But having been through life and death struggles, he restrained his instincts to avoid embarrassment in front of Zhang Linchuan.

"These people did not die from being eaten, but rather from the effects of some sinister magic," said Zhang Linchuan, covering his mouth with a handkerchief as he casually surveyed the surroundings, displaying disgust but no fear. "These two did not die long ago, but with the flesh gone, we've lost many clues. You fought with the demon that attacked the outer yard, do you recognize anything familiar?"

Jiang Wang shook his head, "All I see now are two skeletons; I can't make any judgements. But this pervasive stench of death..."

"What about it?"

"At that time, I was attacked by a corpse under the opponent's control, and I was poisoned with corpse poison, which was cured by Master Dong."

Zhang Linchuan nodded, keeping the handkerchief to his mouth without relaxing, and walked towards the room on the right side of the hall, "Let's search separately, report to me immediately if anything comes up."

"Understood."

Zhang Linchuan was a base-level cultivator, with the Dao Wheel turning in Tongtian Palace, generating Path Origin spontaneously. Jiang Wang certainly didn't worry about him, and immediately made his way to the left room with his hand on his sword.

...

This room...

Was small.

Upon entering, one could see a wooden horse, silently standing on the floor. This wooden horse was exceptionally well-crafted and smooth, clearly reflecting the maker's great dedication.

Not far from the wooden horse was a low table, scattered with small toys such as slingshots and pellet drums.

On the wall beside the low table, Jiang Wang saw the only decoration he had encountered since entering the courtyard.

It was a small canvas, on which were crudely drawn figures, illustrating three people.

Two larger ones, holding the hands of a smaller one, running through a field of flowers.

Behind the figures, a little dog was also illustrated, wagging its head.

This had once been a complete family, an entire spring that had bloomed here.

Jiang Wang forced himself to continue further into the room, until he stood in front of the small bed and saw the fragments of a floral cloth garment.

As his gaze moved upwards, he inevitably encountered the last set of white bones from this family.

They were small, delicate, brittle, a lonely and helpless skeleton.

It was a little girl who had once been treasured by her parents, the only remnant of her existence in this world.

He felt angry.

An uncontrollable, intense rage.

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