Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 66: Longdu Envoy

Rise. Are you feeling better now? Fang Chen asked with a smile.

Yuan Zhuang rose to his feet. I have mostly recovered, except for some superficial injuries.

Ki Explosion martial artists have more robust constitutions. Fang Chen nodded. You were captured by the Valiant Defenders while working on my case. Do you feel aggrieved?

Not at all, young master. The Valiant Defenderss actions only proves that theres something more to those disappearances, Yuan Zhuang said with a suppressed voice. The two centurions interrogating me wanted to know how much you know about this matter. They are feeling conscience-stricken, which shows that they have a part to play in this.

Yuan Yus gaze turned grim.

The two of them had come here with the conviction that they might die working on this case. This case involved even the Valiant Defenders, and the person behind the Valiant Defenders was none other than the emperor!

If the Valiant Defenders could capture Yuan Zhuang without any warning this time, there was no saying that they might silence him for good next time!

Vice Minister Qin has been captured by the Bureau of Justice, and Minister Jiang has gotten quite a bit out of him. We should be able to conclude a portion of the disappearance cases, Fang Chen said.

Such a thing happened? Yuan Zhuang was thrilled to hear that.

He had been recuperating in recent days, and no one from the Court of Great Brilliance updated him as they didnt want to distract him from his recovery.

Yuan Yu breathed a sigh of relief. It looks like we can finally conclude this case.

But there are more people behind this case who havent been caught yet. Are you willing to continue looking into it? Fang Chen asked.

Yuan Yu was stunned. This case isnt over yet?

Young master, do you capture the accomplices in Valiant Defenders too? Yuan Zhuang asked with a suppressed voice. They might have only received Vice Minister Qins bribe.

This was a risky move as they could end up dragging out a string of high-profile officials, such as the Court of Great Brilliances Supervisor Li Huafeng, though he didnt say it aloud since he didnt have evidence to prove his suspicions.

Would you believe me if I say that Vice Minister Qin isnt the mastermind but a pawn in this matter? Fang Chen asked.

This Yuan Zhuang was stunned. Just how big is this matter that even a vice minister is a mere pawn? Doesnt that mean that the mastermind is at least at the level of a minister?

Young master, Niu Jue from Valiant Defenders is here, a servant walked over and reported.

Valiant Defenders! Yuan Zhuang and Yuan Yu trembled. Rage flicked in their eyes.

Invite him in, Fang Chen replied.

Soon, Niu Jue entered with a few subordinates. He quickly clasped his fist and bowed to Fang Chen, saying, Paying respect to War God Fang.

Yuan Zhuang and Yuan Yu glared at Niu Jue.

Did Xiao Shence send you here? Fang Chen asked.

War God Fang is sharp-witted as ever. Niu Jue stepped aside to reveal two emaciated fellows.

Yuan Zhuang was infuriated to see those two emaciated fellows. They were the centurions who interrogated him in the Valiant Defenders barracks!

Young master, they are the centurions who interrogated me. Yuan Zhuang tried to keep his voice as composed as possible.

War God Fang, we are innocent! We received orders from Enforcement Envoy Liu to interrogate Rectifier Yuan! We dont know anything at all! The two of them kneeled down and kowtowed to Fang Chen, hoping to be spared.

The next thing youre going to tell me is that Enforcement Envoy Liu has escaped? Fang Chen asked with a mocking smile.

Startled, Niu Jue stared at Fang Chen in a daze. Does he have a spy in our Valiant Defenders? He snapped out of his daze and nodded. War God Fang, Enforcement Envoy Liu escaped last night. Someone saw him escape from the capital, but we dont know his exact whereabouts. We have dispatched all our men to pursue him.

I understand. Send them to the Court of Great Brilliance to be interrogated, Fang Chen ordered with a smile.

Niu Jue had expected as much. These two centurions were unlucky to have offended Fang Chen and the Court of Great Brilliance. With Enforcement Envoy Liu having made his escape, they were doomed to become their punching bag.

Chiliarch Niu, are you heading to the Court of Great Brilliance right now? Ill come with you. Yuan Zhuangs eyes glowed menacingly.

Ill be troubling Rectifier Yuan to lead the way then, Niu Jue replied with a smile.

Once they had taken their leave, Tie Ma walked up to Fang Chen and asked in confusion, Young master, what does the Valiant Defenders mean by this?

Theyre telling me not to follow Enforcement Envoy Lius trail. I reckon a number of officials will be stripped of their positions and thrown into the Bureau of Justices jail in the next few days, Fang Chen replied with a composed smile.

Enforcement Envoy Lius escape meant that his subordinates would become his scapegoats.

It was likely under the emperors intention that Xiao Shence had Chiliarch Niu Jue make a trip over to make peace with him. This meant that the person behind this case was someone whom even the emperor was reluctant to deal with.

Keep a close eye on the crown prince. I want to know whether he made a move out of his private grudge against me or that hes involved in this matter too, Fang Chen ordered.

Tie Ma nodded. Our men have been keeping an eye on him.

Days later, Vice Minister Qins case finally blew up. All in all, 35 officials of varying ranks across the Six Bureaus were found to be involved in the case, and there was a crackdown on a number of affluent clans in the capital too.

Great Xias civilians learned that the Compassion Halls had been committing evil deeds thus far, and many people had lost their lives as a result.

However, the imperial court didnt release the specific details, and they didnt know that those innocent people had been sacrificed for Master Xu Huis demonic cultivation.

Enforcement Envoy Liu was labeled as a fugitive wanted by Great Xia too.

In the Fang Manor, Fang Chen was busy drawing talismans.

The surrounding spirit ki rushed into his body and slowly formed another immortal vein, significantly raising his spirit ki capacity. This was his fourth immortal vein.

Fourth stage Ki Refinement Immortal cultivation is pretty easy, Fang Chen remarked.

With this, he had finally regained his previous level of strength, just that his inner ki had now turned into spirit ki.

This breakthrough took a few days longer than the previous. It looks like itll get progressively harder for me to raise my cultivation. Still, I should be able to surmount the twelve stages of Ki Refinement soon. Once I reach Foundation Establishment, Ill have to start making my way to the Three Thousand Dao Gate in the Center Continent Country, so I need to settle everything in Great Xia before then Fang Chen murmured.

He peered into his storage ring.

The Greenwood Puppet, the Moonsunk Gold Truncheon, and two hundred low-grade ki stones were stacked by the corner.

He had previously drawn 500 low-grade Purple Lightning Talismans, all of which he distributed to his Shadow Guards.

On top of that, he had also drawn over 200 mid-grade Purple Lightning Talismans, almost depleting the spirit materials he had previously bought from Dragonback Lane. He gave a portion to his close aides, such as Huang Sihai, Tie Ma, Xu Ge, and Jade Fairy.

With such aces, his close aides would be able to subdue fourth or fifth rank Ki Refinement cultivators. They might even be able to take down a sixth rank Ki Refinement cultivator if they came together and bombarded the latter with their mid-grade Purple Lightning Talismans.

Unknowingly, the Great Xia Shadow Guards had grown frighteningly powerful.

Young master, Longdus envoy has arrived, Tie Ma stepped forward and reported.