I Can Devour Spirits

This face, it looks so alike!

If she hadn’t just seen the real Shen Yanliu in the dilapidated temple, she would have found it hard to believe that the person in front of her was fake.

Every detail on the face was incredibly realistic, even the scars and the mole on the right cheek were identical!

Shen Mizi suppressed the shock in her heart and fed the wine into Shen Yanliu’s mouth.

She forced the sorrow to rise again, speaking with a tearful tone, ”Dad, have some food.”

Shen Mizi picked up a piece of pork head and stuffed it into ”Shen Yanliu’s” mouth, but he merely held it, unable to chew.

Shen Mizi wiped the tears off her face and stood up from ”Shen Yanliu,” moving to Ma Chunmin’s side.

She looked at Ma Chunmin’s mournful face, different from the feigned affection shown to ”Shen Yanliu,” Ma Chunmin was truly about to die!

This woman watched her grow up, taking care of her daily life to some extent, and never even scolded or beat her.

But Shen Mizi understood that it wasn’t out of Ma Chunmin’s affection, it was her shrewdness. Because she managed this, Shen Yanliu tolerated her, even gradually entrusting some confidential matters to her.

Countless details and those indescribable looks made Shen Mizi truly feel the disgust emanating from Ma Chunmin.

But she was about to die, and Shen Mizi still wanted to see her off properly.

Shen Mizi poured a cup of wine and placed it in front of Ma Chunmin, saying, ”Aunt Min, Mizi offers you a drink.”

Ma Chunmin stared dazedly at Shen Mizi, murmuring, ”Mizi... you...”

”Aunt Min, drink.”

Ma Chunmin’s hands were bound by iron chains, so Shen Mizi lifted the cup to her lips and she drank it all.

Shen Mizi wanted to give her some food, but Ma Chunmin said, ”Mizi, I don’t want food, give me another cup of wine.”

Shen Mizi poured three more cups of wine for Ma Chunmin, feeding them to her.

Perhaps due to the influence of the wine, Ma Chunmin’s fear seemed to dissipate; she looked at Shen Mizi and gave a bitter smile, saying, ”Mizi, I’m sorry! Aunt Min never truly cared for you. You feeding me wine today is already...”

Before Ma Chunmin could finish her words, Yang Ji suddenly rose and shouted, ”Idle people, retreat! Executioners, take your places!”

Several armored warriors immediately came to push Shen Mizi away.

Shen Mizi cried out sorrowfully, pretending to be unwilling to leave.

At this moment, Xiao Yu rushed in and helped Shen Mizi retreat.

As Xiao Yu helped Shen Mizi out of the execution ground and stood at the outer edge, Li Hong’s eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment.

If Shen Mizi intended to rescue during the execution, her earlier withdrawal was a missed opportunity, indicating she really didn’t have the intention.

Thus, all their efforts and elaborate setup were in vain.

At this time, the executioners were already in position!

Yang Ji looked at the sun dial not far from him, saw the shadow marking the time, then loudly declared, ”Three quarters past noon! Execute!”

A dozen executioners were each in place, ordered to behead one to two people. Only skilled executioners were assigned to kill two people, earning two shares of silver.

Ma Chunmin knelt in the shivering wind, watching as Shen Yanliu’s head fell, rolling to a stop, and a piece of pork head meat expelled from the mouth.

Ma Chunmin suddenly became alarmed, for from her angle, she could clearly see an old burn scar on the back of the neck, one that Shen Yanliu definitely didn’t have.

”This person is not Shen Yanliu!”

At the moment this thought crossed her mind, she caught a glimpse of a flash of steel at her side; her head suddenly flew into the air!

Shen Mizi’s crying face in the crowd flashed before her eyes, and then her consciousness began to fade...

On the execution ground, as heads flew in a large array, Chen Xun sat by the window, watching the small black dots drifting away in the distance.

Shen Mizi did not act, and his heart was also somewhat disappointed.

Shen Mizi was an outer disciple of the sect, and since she did not attempt a rescue, he couldn’t unwarrantedly target an outer disciple of the sect.

As ”Shen Yanliu” was executed, Chen Xun stood up and glanced at the dark-complexioned young man not far away.

Since Chen Xun sat down, the young man had only glanced at him once, then continued drinking tea while occasionally looking out the window at the scenery, appearing quite content.

Chen Xun sighed gently; ever since he assumed the position of Mansion Master, he seemed to never feel this relieved.

Just like earlier, he appeared calm and unruffled sitting there, yet his mind was tightly wound.

Though now Shen Yanliu has been executed, things have come to a conclusion. However, he still has several complex matters weighing on his mind.

Especially the incident where Tang Wanhong was rescued from the Prefecture City dungeon, which gave him quite a shock.

Given Tang Wanhong’s intricate connections, deeply involved in both the official realm and the Jianghu, finding out who is behind this would likely not be an easy task.

But regardless, these Jianghu bandits, daring to rescue someone from his Prefecture City dungeon is akin to slapping his face. No matter the cost, he must unearth the person behind this.

As Chen Xun descended the stairs slowly, Duan Rong raised his eyes to glance at his departing figure.

His Divine Sense was still cloaking the execution ground at this time.

Shen Mizi was in the midst of collecting the corpses of Shen Yanliu and Ma Chunmin.

Xiao Yu had already purchased two coffins from the coffin shop, hired people to carry them over, now they were being carried to the outskirts of the execution ground.

Shen Mizi personally lifted the remnants and severed head of ”Shen Yanliu,” placing them into the coffin, then put Ma Chunmin’s remnants and severed head into the other coffin.

Shen Mizi, her face tear-stained, appeared utterly mournful, earning admiration from the surrounding crowd for her filial piety.

As Xiao Yu and Shen Mizi left the execution ground carrying the coffins with the bodies inside, Duan Rong stood up from his seat in the tea house.

Unlike Chen Xun, Duan Rong sat here to ensure they took the bodies away.

Because the body was the evidence, and it could not be left.

Shen Mizi taking the bodies in the name of filial piety, was the final part of the plan.

Additionally, it was entirely natural; for a daughter collecting her deceased father’s remains, who would suspect her? Who would dare to stop her?

Xiao Yu and Shen Mizi carried the coffins out of the city, stopping at the charity hall outside the city.

Shen Yanliu, having endured a harsh life since youth, cut off from his homeland, Shen Mizi need not bring him back to his ancestral tomb; they held a memorial and vigil at the charity hall before burying him here.

Those executed also did not have friends or family to honor them.

That night, only Xiao Yu accompanied Shen Mizi at the charity hall during the vigil.

Shen Mizi, wearing mourning clothes, knelt before the altar, occasionally burning paper money in the fire pot.

She was burning it for Ma Chunmin.

It was already midnight; the surroundings were silent, and the charity hall people had long retired.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed in from the outside.

Xiao Yu and Shen Mizi were naturally aware, though they showed no surprise.

Firelight illuminated the newcomer’s face—it was Duan Rong.

Duan Rong, after projecting his Divine Sense to confirm no one was watching, exchanged glances with the two, but none spoke. He walked slowly into the altar room, suddenly lifting the lid of ”Shen Yanliu’s” coffin. Under the scrutiny of his Divine Sense, the coffin’s interior was clearly revealed. He suddenly infused True Qi with his right hand, gently tapping a spot inside the coffin!

Being at the True Qi Realm Great Perfection stage, his control was deft and intricate. As True Qi surged, a severed head within the coffin was turned into a mist of blood.

The cedar wood coffin slightly trembled.

Duan Rong picked up a blood-soaked face mask from the pile of flesh inside the coffin.

He closed the coffin lid and tossed the mask into the fire pot in front of the altar.

The flames devoured the mask, twisting and distorting it. Shen Mizi added a handful of paper money into the pot, and soon the mask was charred black, unrecognizable.

Duan Rong glanced at Shen Mizi and Xiao Yu without speaking; his eyes flashed, and with a swift movement, he vanished into the dark night.

Thus, the matter was completely settled.

Even if someone were to open the coffin to examine its contents, who could say it wasn’t Shen Yanliu inside?

As for the real Shen Yanliu, amidst the vast sea of people, how long would it take before he was forgotten?