Chapter 1240: Blood Oath

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As Zhang Weiyu's sharp gaze swept over, even Fan Qingqing, a cultivator of Inner Mansion, lowered her eyes and bowed her head, signifying absolute surrender.

Yet, the weak and humble Dugu Xiao raised her head and met his gaze!

Within the town hall, the atmosphere momentarily solidified.

"Audacious."

At this moment, another voice slowly drifted into the town hall.

Everyone looked, and it was a corpulent figure squeezing through the doorway. Perhaps the effort of walking was too much, so his steps were slow.

While uttering "audacious," a smile played on his face: "Dugu Xiao, do you know who stands before you? To demand to inspect his official seal, are you treating him like a local ruffian? How could a dignified fourth-rank official from the Ministry of Personnel not earn your trust? His backer is none other than Minister Chen Fu, an Advisor in the Political Council! Even if he intruded without a warrant and conducted a private investigation without an imperial decree, what could you possibly do?"

Zhang Weiyu finally couldn't bear it any longer and addressed Dugu Xiao, "You are the Pavilion Chief of Qingyang Town? Inspecting the official seal is a matter of course, and this official has no reason to refuse."

He took out an officially stamped document from his storage pouch and presented it forward: "This is a document issued by the Political Council, with all the official seals intact. Inspect it!"

Dugu Xiao was nearly overwhelmed by his imposing presence, yet she remained steadfast, accepting the document and examining it carefully.

Consecutive footsteps rained down like a sudden shower.

Only then did the large contingent of soldiers, their presence cold and stern, catch up, crowding into the town hall and surrounding it both inside and out.

These were elite soldiers temporarily deployed from the Rain Cutting Army.

Because Jiang Wang had been in the Azure Seal system for a long time and had Zheng Shi's support, Zhang Weiyu didn't trust the constables from the Patrol Inspection Office. Thus, he specially pulled strings to deploy the Rain Cutting Army soldiers for today's investigation.

The investigation team only reached Dingyao County, and these Rain Cutting Army soldiers joined with their transfer orders, precisely to catch Chong Xuan Sheng off guard.

Although Chong Xuan Sheng's temperament cultivation was excellent and Zhang Weiyu hadn't observed any signs of panic or vexation on his face along the way, this move was still one of Zhang Weiyu's proudest stratagems.

"Is it true?"

He took a step forward and asked, his gaze piercing the fragile woman before him.

His momentum was like a collapsing mountain, intending to crush her will to resist.

There was no need to speak of bullying the weak; he was merely enforcing the law impartially. If Qingyang Town had problems, this confidante of Jiang Wang must have been involved!

If he could open a breakthrough here, he would have no qualms.

Suddenly, an annoying voice interjected: "Yes, that's it! Scare this ignorant little girl to death! Daring to obstruct Master Zhang's work, truly courting death!"

Zhang Weiyu glared back coldly, his aura gathering, overflowing with killing intent.

Any ordinary person would have been scared to death.

Chong Xuan Sheng, however, merely smiled amiably and said, "Master Zhang, am I right?"

"You are too kind," Zhang Weiyu said coolly, "Before young masters of esteemed families who bask in their ancestors' glory, a humble mud-footed man like Zhang, who has risen step by step, dares not be called master."

This level of sarcasm couldn't affect Chong Xuan Sheng in the slightest.

His smile remained unchanged, his demeanor relaxed: "Indeed. Each step you take is upon the backs of these ignorant, foolish small fry! Their blood points become mud points, and thus you rise higher with every step!"

Zhang Weiyu had indeed brought down many people on his journey to where he was now. However, to say he had risen solely by stepping on the heads of insignificant characters would be somewhat biased.

Nonetheless, he finally realized that engaging in verbal sparring with Chong Xuan Sheng was futile. He simply ignored him, turned back to Dugu Xiao, and asked, "I ask you, have you finished inspecting it?"

Dugu Xiao nodded, returning the document: "My esteemed Lord has always taught us to abide by the laws and regulations of Qi, and to be diligent and dutiful. Since this is an order from the imperial court, I have nothing to resist. Sir, please proceed with the search."

Zhang Weiyu said no more to the young woman, lest the fat man seize the opportunity to mock him again. He merely instructed, "Spread out and search! Do not miss any clues!"

The soldiers present immediately dispersed, heading to various parts of Qingyang Town.

"Allow me to remind everyone," Chong Xuan Sheng's voice slowly followed at this moment: "This is the fief of my close friend, Jiang Qingyang. Whether Jiang Qingyang is guilty or not is still undecided. You may search as you please, but if you dare to bring harm to this place, heh heh, you should know the consequences."

The movements of these Rain Cutting Army soldiers immediately became much gentler.

No one could ignore Chong Xuan Sheng's warning, especially not soldiers like them.

Zhang Weiyu looked at him coldly: "Chong Xuan Sheng, do you only have such clowning tricks? You truly disappoint this official!"

"What clowning tricks am I employing? Is my reminder incorrect, have I misunderstood Master Zhang's meaning?" Chong Xuan Sheng feigned surprise: "I am sorry, I am ashamed! Otherwise, Master Zhang, please issue a new order, tell them to cause damage to their hearts' content, and I guarantee I won't stop them, how about that?"

Zhang Weiyu nodded, laughing in anger: "Let's see how long you can remain so defiant!"

He turned and walked outside, unwilling to look at that infuriating fat face any longer, and personally joined the search.

Chong Xuan Sheng chuckled and followed: "Hey, Master Zhang, slow down! Wait for this heavy-set fellow!"

When people are on the verge of collapse, they often make many foolish choices.

This was the reason Zhang Weiyu had suddenly appeared, overflowing with killing intent.

But by now, the oppressive atmosphere he had brought with his large contingent of men to Qingyang Town had been largely dissipated.

Although the people present in the Qingyang Town Hall still dared not move, the fear in their hearts was no longer so overwhelming.

Some oppressive sensations were right before their eyes, while other feelings of dread floated in the air.

In Yingguang City, in the courtyard where the "Divination Platform" had been set up.

The long ritual had reached its final moment.

The eerie, headless, naked figure on the divination platform began to emit a faint bloody glow.

The diviner looked at it and said in a low voice, "Do you know why this place was chosen?"

Zheng Fei slumped on the ground and said lazily, "Don't want to know."

Diviner: ...

"Alright, go ahead and say what you want to say," Zheng Fei fell back, resting his head on his arm.

Li Shou chuckled beside him, giving a thumbs-up to Zheng Laosan for daring to defy the diviner.

If the diviner were to truly get angry with these two fellows, he would have died of rage long ago.

Thus, he merely said casually, "My lineage of divination, with blood as the key to entering fate, defines eight prisons of orientation. Among them, the Prison of Captivity governs entanglement. The place I am about to connect with, its Prison of Captivity orientation, is exactly where we are standing."

"That's not right, fortune teller," Zheng Fei smacked his lips, his usually lazy brain beginning to contemplate: "Aren't you supposed to divine the location of our toy?"

"Of course," the diviner chuckled lightly, "His location will become profoundly significant, entangled with me... in life and death."

Zheng Fei simply sat up and turned to look at the diviner: "But you asked us to prepare this place early on. That means..."

Li Shou finished the latter half of the sentence: "From the very beginning, the altar you set up was to deal with our toy?!"

"No, no, not 'deal with'. Do not use such intense words," the diviner murmured, "It is to establish a wonderful connection..."

He looked at Zheng Fei, his eyes sincere: "In any case, you can also find him. It's the best of both worlds, isn't it?"

"Where is this place you are about to connect with?" Zheng Fei asked in a muffled voice.

The diviner chuckled lightly: "The fief of the greatest Inner Mansion in the world, Jiang Wang..."

He flipped his hand and spread his five fingers, pressing them onto the divination platform, precisely above the neck of the eerie, naked, headless figure, as if his hand had become the head in this bizarre image.

As his voice fell, it was as if fate had been sealed—

"The State of Qi, the region of Rizhao County, the region of Jia City, Qingyang Town!"