I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Xu Ruhu

Duan Rong hurriedly rushed into the backyard, glanced around, and went straight to Xiao Yu’s side next to the mourning hall, briefly recounting the incident that occurred at the entrance of the Yuan Shun Escort Agency.

After listening, Xiao Yu’s beautiful eyes shot out a cold light and said, ”Xiaoqi, fetch my Qingling Saber!”

Zhu Xiaoqi always heeded Xiao Yu’s words, and upon hearing her speak, immediately turned and went inside to retrieve Xiao Yu’s saber.

Clad in mourning clothes, Xiao Yu grabbed the saber in her hand and strode across the courtyard, directly blocking the entrance to the yard.

Duan Rong also stood by Xiao Yu’s side, clutching the Cow Tail Saber, blocking the other side of the entrance.

The two were indeed poised for confrontation!

Perhaps the sound of the blowing, playing, singing attracted the constables’ attention; just after Duan Rong arrived, three constables appeared.

As soon as the three reached the entrance, they saw Xiao Yu and Duan Rong standing there with sabers, then noticed the white wreath hung above the entrance, naturally knowing that the family was holding a funeral.

Among the three constables, a somewhat older, black and stout middle-aged man immediately appeared solemn. He stepped forward and said, ”On duty, please allow us to proceed!”

Seeing Xiao Yu and Duan Rong holding sabers, their expressions unfriendly, they were clearly prepared for a fight!

This black and stout middle-aged man, after all, had some experience; common wisdom has it, a grieving army often wins, why should he bring bad luck upon himself?

Even if they won, would they dare demolish the mourning hall?

”Searching is allowed! Pay respects and offer incense before proceeding!” Xiao Yu said coldly.

Bowings are a gesture for the younger generation, giving respect, Duan Rong simply bowed and offered incense.

The black and stout middle-aged constable looked troubled. ”This...”

Xiao Yu noticed his hesitation and said, ”The dead are significant! Since you disrupted the mourning, a kowtow is no disgrace to you.”

Duan Rong looked at Xiao Yu’s expression and immediately understood her inner thoughts. She was standing up for her deceased younger sister!

The black and stout constable, his expression stern, eventually relented and said, ”Fine... as the lady says!”

Only then did Xiao Yu and Duan Rong move aside, allowing the three constables to enter the courtyard.

The three constables in uniform all offered incense and kowtowed!

Thereafter, the black and stout constable respectfully circled the coffin. Besides paying respects to the deceased, he was also inspecting if there was a place to hide anyone in the mourning hall or coffin.

After the rites, he looked toward Xiao Yu!

Xiao Yu’s expression softened slightly at this time, nodded, and agreed to their search.

The three constables then examined each room, opening boxes, chests, and cabinets, leaving no stone unturned where one might hide, before hastily departing under everyone’s watchful gaze!

Xiao Yu watched the constables leave, turned to face Duan Rong, saluted with her saber, and said, ”Brother Duan, in times of emergency! This kindness, Xiao Yu remembers it.”

Before Duan Rong arrived, Xiao Yu had been conversing with Zhu Xiaoqi about the family affairs during her absence, and several times mentioned this apprentice escort master, through Zhu Xiaoqi’s words, she held a decent impression of Duan Rong.

He saved Xiao Baijiao’s life once, and Bai Jiao seemed to have some feelings towards him.

Duan Rong said, ”Just a message, not really a favor. Miss Yu, no need to dwell on it!”

Xiao Yu’s beautiful eyes fixed on Duan Rong, said, ”Were it not for this message, in a hasty response, if these lackeys collided with my sister’s spirit, I, as her elder sister, would never be at peace!”

Hearing the words, Duan Rong’s heart slightly moved, said, ”Having a sister like you is her fortune.”

Seeing Duan Rong’s sorrowful expression, with some genuine emotions in his words, Xiao Yu couldn’t help but think to herself: Bai Jiao, though confined to the boudoir, still knows how to choose people.

While they were chatting, relatives arrived to pay their respects, and Xiao Yu bade farewell to Duan Rong to greet them.

Duan Rong sighed and walked out of Xiao Zongting’s courtyard.

At this time, the sounds of searching echoed everywhere, many places were bustling with disturbances...

Duan Rong suspected his cramped dormitory would not be spared, though there wasn’t anything there worth worrying about, just some sundry items.

Duan Rong strolled back to the dormitory courtyard, saw the steward of the dormitory being held by constables, opening one dormitory door after another.

Duan Rong’s dormitory door was already open, the wooden basin he used to wash his face was overturned at the door...

Duan Rong walked over, bent down to pick up the wooden basin, entered the cramped dormitory, saw the bedding on the bed rolled to one side, exposing the straw mat underneath, the wardrobe door in the corner was open, clothes thrown everywhere, and the sachet Xiao Baijiao had given him was also tossed in the corner.

Duan Rong’s gaze shifted as he walked over, picked up the sachet, dusted it off, and tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket.

He tidied up the dormitory briefly, locked the door, and left.

When he left, the constables who were searching were still rummaging in a dormitory...

In the martial arts arena of Yuan Shun Escort Agency’s middle courtyard, Fan Yuanhai looked coldly at Jie Daohan and said, ”The governance of your county is truly unique! You, a chief constable in charge of penal affairs, don’t even have the authority to issue a Sea Arrest Document? Isn’t this like breaking a dog’s teeth and then expecting the dog to bite?”

Fan Yuanhai’s words were somewhat cutting, and even with Jie Daohan’s thick skin, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

But for his search, Fan Yuanhai still had to tail him, backing him up with the Taiyi Order, and these few harsh words he had to swallow.

”The County Magistrate is not here, I’m helpless too!” Jie Daohan lamented.

His words bore a hint of criticism, blaming Shen Yanliu for overly grabbing power!

Fan Yuanhai naturally caught the implication in Jie Daohan’s words. With a cold snort, he turned and left; he didn’t want to stay a moment longer with this coward in front of him.

Xu Ruhu’s case had dragged on for over a month, causing even an uproar among the sect’s high ranks, but just at the break of dawn two hours before Fan Yuanhai arrived in Xianggu County, Xu Ruhu was broken out of the dungeon!

Moreover, Shen Yanliu was not there, leaving only an incompetent constable unable to issue a Sea Arrest Document to mess around. How could he not be angry?

This case had caused no small amount of dispute between the two Grand Elders within the Taiyi Sect!

This led to the failure to settle the subsequent actions of the case.

Xu Ruhu was originally an outer disciple of the Taiyi Sect, and the reason he became wanted was for raping and killing a fellow disciple!

In fact, there were hidden truths within this matter.

The fellow disciple that Xu Ruhu raped and murdered was a core disciple of the Taiyi Sect.

The so-called core disciple was a candidate for the next Grand Elder!

This young woman, though extremely talented, was inherently promiscuous, quite indulged in carnal pleasures. Xu Ruhu, in his youth, was handsome and well-versed in romantic affairs.

No one knew why, but the two got involved with each other.

As for the so-called rape and murder, it wasn’t entirely accurate!

Xu Ruhu laced the aphrodisiac with a deadly poison, killing her!

After her murder, Xu Ruhu fled, and one faction’s Grand Elder of the Taiyi Sect believed Xu Ruhu must have stolen the Divine Soul Technique from her and thus killed and fled.

However, the Grand Elder from the faction that nominated her as a successor firmly denied this, claiming that upon investigating the crime scene, the Secret Manual of the Divine Soul Technique was still in the hidden compartment of her room and had not been lost. Xu Ruhu had other reasons for murder!

Back then, the two factions were at an impasse, each holding their ground.

Somehow, Xu Ruhu proved quite resourceful, managing to evade capture under the heavy nets of the Taiyi Sect for many years!

Unexpectedly, over a month ago, he suddenly resurfaced in the remote reaches of Xianggu County and was brought to justice!

The news reached the sect, reigniting old disputes!

Xianggu County Government initially sent word to the sect via carrier pigeon, and the sect’s response to Xianggu County was that they would send someone to escort this villain back to the sect for interrogation.

But by the time Fan Yuanhai received the order and rushed to Xianggu County, the directive he received was to verify his identity and execute him on the spot!

This demonstrated the fierce struggle among the sect’s high ranks regarding this matter!

In essence, Fan Yuanhai could also vaguely guess why the Grand Elder who nominated the young woman as a successor held such a stance.

An incident like this was already a scandal, highlighting a grave oversight in selecting her as a successor—a severe lack of judgment!

To further stir up the theft of the Divine Soul Technique would leave him no room to speak at future Elder Hall meetings!

Therefore, verifying the identity and executing on the spot was the way to maintain peace!

Furthermore, even if Xu Ruhu hadn’t stolen the Divine Soul Technique, bringing him back to the sect for trial would cause a huge uproar, reminding everyone in the sect of the scandal from years ago.

It would be better for him to die in this remote Xianggu County...

But what price the Grand Elder ultimately paid to get his arch-rival in the Elder Hall to agree to his plan of executing Xu Ruhu on the spot was beyond what a lowly outer disciple like Fan Yuanhai could know.