Martial Saint through Reading

"Young Master, the man you killed was named Wan Lin, the eldest son of the Wan Family in Xirong County..."

Concern began to grow in Fang Xiao’s heart.

"Though the Wan Family does not have the unfathomable power of the Blood Evil Sect, their wealth is substantial, and their connections are intricate. Yet their eldest son died in Baiyuan County because of Wan Yuan, and the Wan Family will never let this rest."

"Even if Wan Lin’s death has nothing to do with you, they will still pin this debt on you..."

Wan Lin had come to rescue Wan Yuan, and since Wan Yuan ended up imprisoned because of Chu Ming, Wan Lin’s death was indirectly related to Chu Ming.

Chu Ming’s expression was unmoved. Compared to the unknown retribution from the Wan Family, he was more concerned with resolving the current situation.

According to the information he’d uncovered, the Blood Evil Sect had only one suspected Strong Bone Realm (Middle Stage) expert, while the Tiger Armor Army had two, both seasoned warriors.

How could the Blood Evil Sect possibly design an ambush to kill Tiger Armor Army officers?

If the Criminal Defense Bureau fell into a counter-ambush and both Tiger Armor Army captains died, what would the Blood Evil Sect do next?

Wouldn’t Baiyuan County then have no one left capable of stopping the Blood Evil Sect?

This was his true concern.

"Housekeeper Fang, there may be deceit involved in this annihilation operation." Chu Ming’s voice was mildly cold.

Fang Xiao frowned abruptly. "Young Master?"

"That girl, named An Ying, seems intent on luring the two Tiger Armor Army captains to their deaths."

"Impossible!" Fang Xiao’s tone became somewhat agitated. "How could the Blood Evil Sect possibly know the two captains arrived early in Baiyuan County?"

"Hmm? Unless..." He suddenly breathed more heavily. "There’s someone inside the Tiger Armor Army..."

Chu Ming nodded. "Perhaps it was the Tiger Armor Army of Xirong County who leaked the whereabouts of the two captains. Or maybe it’s someone in Baiyuan County, or even both."

"Young Master’s meaning is..." Fang Xiao suddenly realized something. "Only a handful of people in Baiyuan County know about the captains’ early arrival..."

"Prison Chief Luo Lin, Lin Zhenwu, Shao Pengshu, myself, and Zheng Dongjin, whom you killed, also knew..."

"Could Zheng Dongjin have leaked the information?"

"Not necessarily," Chu Ming murmured thoughtfully. "What sort of man is that Prison Chief?"

On what basis could that Young Master lure and kill two Strong Bone Realm fighters?

Chu Ming had been pondering this all along.

A late-stage Blood Circulation Realm like Zheng Xiguan was clearly not enough.

Either the Blood Evil Sect was secretly hiding another Strong Bone Realm, or that Prison Chief...

"Hmph! He’s a scoundrel!" At the mention of this man, a flash of anger crossed Fang Xiao’s face. "You mean Luo Lin might also be a Blood Evil Sect plant?"

"It’s just a suspicion," Chu Ming shook his head. "But it’s best to get confirmation before the operation begins."

This person is not the best candidate—but if it is, then trouble is coming.

If the head of the Criminal Defense Bureau in Baiyuan County, a Senior Seventh-Grade Official, is really a Blood Evil Sect member, the sect’s strength is surely even more terrifying than they’d imagined.

Their ambitions are anything but ordinary.

"Young Master, we’ll be heading to the county government office this afternoon. Luo Lin will surely show up..."

...

At noon, Little Shan prepared a sumptuous feast.

Chu Ming ate seven bowls of rice in a row, but Fang Xiao had no appetite at all.

After the meal, Chu Ming grabbed a few books, brought along Little Shan, while Fang Xiao drove the carriage to the county government.

"Librarian Chu is here."

Inside the county government, Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan were already waiting.

Little Shan, having grown up, had never set foot in the county government, let alone seen high officials, and followed closely behind Chu Ming and Fang Xiao, feeling quite nervous.

Chu Ming cupped his hands in greeting, activated the Sword Gourd Spirit, and searched for the Prison Chief of the Criminal Defense Bureau.

Suddenly, a flash came to his eyes.

In the depths of the county government office, County Magistrate Fu Chang was with a man.

That person’s aura was vast, far beyond the Blood Circulation Realm, on par with Ruan Heng—the assassin the Wan Family dispatched that night.

This must be, as Housekeeper Fang said, the Prison Chief.

Probing from afar with the Sword Gourd Spirit, he found nothing unusual about the man.

No scent of blood, no sense of Blood Evil Qi.

Chu Ming remained composed, leading Little Shan and Fang Xiao to take their seats.

He hadn’t detected anything abnormal about the Prison Chief, but that didn’t mean he was convinced the man wasn’t a Blood Evil Sect member. He needed to observe him up close and in person.

"Lord Liuu, Lord Feng, where is Magistrate Fu?" he asked aloud.

"County Magistrate Fu is currently discussing affairs with the Prison Chief of the Criminal Defense Bureau. He’ll be here soon," Liu Sitong replied with a smile. "I wonder if Librarian Chu made any progress today?"

Feng Yuan also looked at Chu Ming. "Librarian Chu, how’s your decoding of the second page?"

"I did not let the two lords down; it’s finished," Chu Ming said, taking out a pre-prepared sheet of paper.

The two men took the page and looked, their faces immediately lighting up. "Librarian Chu, your talent is extraordinary. This decoding is so much faster than we’d hoped..."

Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan voiced praise by his ears, and Chu Ming responded outwardly while the Sword Gourd Spirit continued to probe the county government office.

After a round of inspection, he had already sensed no fewer than thirty constables from the Criminal Defense Bureau whose scattered Blood Evil Qi was the result of cultivating the Blood Evil Technique.

Strictly speaking, these were Blood Evil Sect members planted within the Criminal Defense Bureau!

There weren’t many Bureau men guarding the county government this time, about a hundred or so.

More than thirty of the hundred were Blood Evil Sect infiltrators. This proportion...

But it showed that his plan of using the Blood Python Technique as bait had worked well.

Fang Xiao and Lin Zhenwu had already gotten most of the Blood Evil Sect member list; after the operation to wipe out the sect’s Young Master, they could round the rest up in one fell swoop.

But the key question—could tonight’s raid succeed?

They’re coming out!

Just as Chu Ming pondered, the Sword Gourd Spirit sensed Magistrate Fu Chang and the Prison Chief on their way here.

It wasn’t long before two figures appeared in the hall.

One was County Magistrate Fu Chang, whom Chu Ming had met before. The other wore a black uniform, his face sharp and handsome.

He first nodded slightly to Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan, then cast a peculiar glance at Fang Xiao, and finally locked his burning gaze on Chu Ming.

"This must be Librarian Chu," Luo Lin said with a smile. "A hundred rumors can’t compare to seeing you in person."

Chu Ming bowed in greeting on the surface, while secretly probing with the Sword Gourd Spirit.

And yet—there was still nothing to find.

No scent of blood. No escaping Blood Evil Qi.

This Prison Chief has no connection to the Blood Evil Sect?

"Prison Chief, you flatter me." He replied politely, though a deeper anxiety gnawed within his heart.

If the Prison Chief was not the Blood Evil Sect’s hidden hand, then the sect must have some other card up its sleeve against Strong Bone Realm martial artists!

It is the unknown method that is most terrifying.

"Hmph!" Fang Xiao, silent all this while, suddenly gave a cold snort.

Luo Lin didn’t even look at him, but deep in his eyes flashed a look of menace.

Not just menace!

In that fleeting instant, Chu Ming also caught a glimmer of killing intent.

Every time Housekeeper Fang mentioned this Prison Chief, his mood would change, but he’d never spoken directly about what happened between them.

Now, though, it seemed the hatred ran deep.

"Instructor Fang, after so many years, your temper is still fierce as ever."

Luo Lin turned around, looked at Fang Xiao, his smile calm—his eyes betraying not even a trace of killing intent or menace.

"After all these years, Prison Chief Luo, you’re as hypocritical as ever!"

Compared to Luo Lin’s false courtesy, Fang Xiao’s disgust was plain on his face.

Luo Lin said nothing more, his smile fading. For a brief instant, deep in his eyes, that killing intent surged once again.

And at that very moment, under the Sword Gourd Spirit’s keen scrutiny, Chu Ming detected something different.

Blood Evil Qi!