Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Chapter 444: Chapter 225: Lou Hechuan’s Shock! Jiang Yunxian, Lord of the Profound Palace (Part 2)

With a background like that, dying in Yujing City is going to cause a lot of people trouble.

As for Xu Qinglai and Lanting Bamboo, their backgrounds aren’t simple either, but compared to Meng Qinghuan, they don’t really count for much.

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan dialed a number.

”Hello? I’d like to report a crime!”

Moments later, the alley was cordoned off, no one was allowed near, personnel secured the scene and began collecting evidence.

”How could this happen? How could this happen?”

Sui Chunsheng was the first to arrive. He looked at Meng Qinghuan’s body, then at Xu Qinglai and Lanting Bamboo’s corpses. His mind just exploded with a buzzing noise.

To say it plainly, this was almost the most shocking night of his career.

”I don’t know. That person just came out of nowhere, killed Meng Qinghuan, killed those two from Qingcheng Mountain...” Zhang Fan shook his head.

To be honest, he really didn’t know. He was still in a daze.

He couldn’t figure out why Human Xiao would be here, or why he’d suddenly kill these three people.

”Do you know who that person was?” Sui Chunsheng’s face darkened, his voice grim.

”Maybe... possibly... Human Xiao,” Zhang Fan said uncertainly.

”Human Xiao!?” Sui Chunsheng’s face suddenly twitched, his expression growing heavier.

”This is bad. Do you have any idea how much trouble this is?”

Sui Chunsheng instinctively looked at Meng Qinghuan’s body, now covered by a white sheet.

”I know,” Zhang Fan replied with a bitter smile.

He was at the crime scene, and he was the only one to survive. This kind of thing could easily get messy. Like with Fang Changle before, you couldn’t say he was guilty, but you couldn’t say he was innocent, either.

”Go home for now. You can’t leave Yujing City for a while,” Sui Chunsheng said, patting Zhang Fan on the shoulder.

”If anything comes up, I’ll let you know.”

”Alright.” Zhang Fan nodded, glanced at the three bodies being taken away, then turned and headed back toward Hongfu Garden.

...

Half an hour later.

Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance Headquarters.

Third floor, Chairman’s office.

”Dead? How could they be dead?”

Lou Hechuan’s shrill voice came from inside the door, his tone as high as his blood pressure.

At this moment, more than ten people crowded into his office.

Lou Hechuan’s complexion looked as bad as braised pig liver—flushed red, green, utterly dreadful.

He knew Meng Qinghuan was supposed to take the high-speed rail out of Yujing tomorrow.

Even if she died outside Jiangnan Province, it would have nothing to do with him.

But in just one night, this mess was so big it made Lou Hechuan’s scalp go numb. He didn’t even dare to imagine reporting this to Alliance headquarters, or what would happen next.

”Zhang Fan reported it? What was he doing there? Was he involved?”

Lou Hechuan looked at the reports and case files in front of him, the veins at his temple bulging.

Zhang Fan again—why does he show up everywhere?

”We checked the Yujing Grand Hotel’s surveillance. Tonight, Xu Qinglai and Lanting Bamboo visited Meng Qinghuan.”

Just then, a pudgy Daoist reported in.

”My guess is Xu Qinglai and Lanting Bamboo were looking for Meng Qinghuan to stick up for them against Zhang Fan.”

Sui Chunsheng spoke up: ”That’s why they showed up on Zhang Fan’s route home.”

”According to surveillance at the scene... Meng Qinghuan, Xu Qinglai, and Lanting Bamboo arrived at the alley fifteen minutes before Zhang Fan.”

Another staff member looked over his report, voice steady.

”Looking to settle the score!?” Lou Hechuan frowned deeply.

”Who was the killer? Do we have surveillance?”

”The assailant was extremely skilled and managed to interfere with the cameras.”

As he spoke, Sui Chunsheng handed the tablet in his hand to Lou Hechuan.

When it comes to supernatural anomalies, their magnetic fields are out of the ordinary, so naturally, the devices get disrupted.

On the tablet’s screen, the images twisted and stuttered. You could vaguely make out Meng Qinghuan being attacked, but the weird figure was too blurred—even how he struck couldn’t be determined.

”Any statements from witnesses?” Lou Hechuan’s face grew gloomier the more he watched.

”Zhang Fan said—it all happened in under thirty seconds, extremely vicious...”

”Half a minute. Three people dead—and all of them disciples of the Ten Great Taoist Sects...” Lou Hechuan gnashed his teeth in anger.

He could imagine, over the next twenty-four hours, his phone would be ringing off the hook.

Qingcheng Mountain would be looking for him.

Qi Yun Mountain would be looking for him.

Shangjing Daoist Alliance Headquarters would be looking for him.

”Zhang Fan was there because he was going home. He was completely passive, probably even a victim. His suspicion can likely be ruled out.” Sui Chunsheng gave his assessment.

”I have a question.”

Just then, Ma Buting, who’d been listening silently, spoke up.

”Since he was there, why didn’t he try to intervene?”

At this, Sui Chunsheng couldn’t help but frown.

”Didn’t you see? The man killed three people in under thirty seconds—so ruthless. If you were there, would you have jumped in?”

”As cultivators, shouldn’t we abide by...” Ma Buting straightened, speaking righteously.

”Cut the grandstanding. Stick to the point.”

Lou Hechuan glanced up and interrupted him.

”My biggest question is, if this guy is so insane—killed three people—why did he spare Zhang Fan?” Ma Buting said flatly.

”What are you implying?” Sui Chunsheng frowned, his tone icy.

”Given what we know—he treated human life like grass, killed three people, but left Zhang Fan alive...”

”Should I take this to mean there’s something special about his relationship with Zhang Fan, or that they already knew each other?”

”Nonsense!” Sui Chunsheng snapped loudly.

”Zhang Fan is a disciple of Zhenwu Mountain, a member of a reputable sect. He’s helped us in Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance with so many cases in Yujing. The higher-ups recognize him...”

”How could he be involved with such a bloodthirsty criminal?”

Zhang Fan’s three commendation banners were all presented by Sui Chunsheng himself. These honors were official recognition that couldn’t be erased.

Besides, Meng Qinghuan and the others came looking for revenge. How could Zhang Fan have known they’d show up on his way home, let alone predict the attacker’s arrival?

”Or maybe the killer purposely left one survivor to send us a message. Or maybe Zhang Fan simply wasn’t his target...” Sui Chunsheng listed several possibilities.

”If you have no proof, don’t talk nonsense.” Sui Chunsheng barked at Ma Buting.

”I’m making a logical deduction,” Ma Buting retorted.

”Enough. What about Zhang Fan, does he have any leads?” Lou Hechuan cut off their argument.

”He said the guy—it was possibly Human Xiao,” Sui Chunsheng said grimly.

”Human Xiao!?” Lou Hechuan’s heavy eyebrows twitched, his face even more grave.

He pondered for a moment before saying, ”For now, Zhang Fan isn’t a suspect, but for the time being, don’t let him leave Yujing City.”

”I’ve already told him,” Sui Chunsheng nodded.

”Everyone—get it together. Within the next twenty-four hours, I want the full seventy-two-hour activity logs for Meng Qinghuan, Xu Qinglai, and Lanting Bamboo.”

”Everyone they’ve met, everywhere they’ve been, even how long they spent in the bathroom—I want to know every single detail.”

”Understood?”

”Understood!”

The office was filled with the chorus of responding voices.

...

Night had deepened.

A black car pulled up outside a private club in the suburbs.

The door opened. An aged figure slowly stepped out—it was none other than the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance chairman, Lou Hechuan.

”Chairman Lou, Sister Yun has been waiting a while.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man in a suit greeted him.

”Take me to her.”

Lou Hechuan’s expression was grim as he followed the man into the club and was led to a private room.

”Chairman Lou, Sister Yun is waiting inside.”

The man spoke, then respectfully stepped back.

Lou Hechuan’s gaze sharpened. He hesitated for a moment, then pushed open the door.

In the elegant room, incense was burning. A graceful, short-haired woman was making tea. When she saw Lou Hechuan walk in, she smiled with a charming tilt of her lips.

”Elder Lou, you never come to see me. What’s so urgent tonight?”

”Someone is dead.” Lou Hechuan sat down, his face blank.

”People die in Yujing City every day,” the woman replied indifferently.

”It’s Meng Qinghuan who’s dead. You should know, she’s from Alliance headquarters. The killer...”

”Human Xiao!”

Lou Hechuan suddenly stood up, coldly staring at the woman.

”You promised he wouldn’t lose control!”

”Elder Lou, have you ever heard of a stepmother who could truly control her stepson?” The woman laughed.

”You are more than a stepmother—you’re the Lord of the Profound Palace of Wuwei Sect...”

”Jiang Yunxian!!” Lou Hechuan’s eyes reddened as he gritted his teeth.