Chapter 193 - 191: Heaven Returning Pavilion

Chapter 193: Chapter 191: Heaven Returning Pavilion

Qin Suguang’s expression was grim.

He had lived through the Red Lotus Sect’s rebellion twenty years ago.

He was just a child back then, but his parents and relatives had either been killed by rogue soldiers or swept up into the Red Lotus Sect, forced to burn their bodies as offerings to the Red Lotus Saint Mother.

If the Red Lotus Sect were to make a comeback now, there was no telling what kind of turmoil it would cause.

Chen Yuan said, "Brother Qin, don’t worry. Even if these people are remnants of the Red Lotus Sect, the sect won’t be able to stir up much trouble.

The Red Lotus Sect needs a certain foundation to grow. Right now, there are no Royal Family Princes stirring up trouble in Qin Province, and as one of the Nine Provinces of the Central Plains, it’s still relatively stable.

Even if the Red Lotus Sect wanted to stage a comeback, it lacks the fertile ground to do so."

’In the original storyline, the world later descended into chaos, and all sorts of fiends and monsters emerged. Even the Blood God Sect was able to stir up a storm.’

’But I never heard about the Red Lotus Sect causing any major incidents.’

’That’s enough to prove that the Red Lotus Sect remnants aren’t that powerful. At least, in the future, they won’t be strong enough to cause a stir that would shock the entire Jianghu.’

Qin Suguang nodded, looking troubled. "But how do we deal with these people?"

"The Red Lotus Sect is full of fanatics. We can’t pry the location of their lair from them, so capturing a few of them is completely useless."

"Besides, why is the Red Lotus Sect collecting Qi Blood this time? Before, they only required believers to burn their bodies as offerings to the Red Lotus Saint Mother. I’ve never heard of them needing Qi Blood."

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes and pondered.

’It seems the Red Lotus Sect must have accidentally discovered a Seven Kills Stele Fragment. They want to perform a blood sacrifice to it, which is why they’re taking the risk of plundering the Qi Blood of Martial Artists in Jieyang Prefecture.’

’Their methods are far more ruthless than Jiang Kaitai’s were. They only target Martial Artists with robust Qi Blood.’

"Brother Qin, calm down. The current Red Lotus Sect is just a group of remnants, not the one that swept across Qin Province in the past."

Chen Yuan could tell that Qin Suguang was shocked by the news about the Red Lotus Sect. The shadows of his childhood had resurfaced, and he was now at a loss.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Suguang gave an embarrassed smile. "I must have made a fool of myself in front of you, Brother Chen. If the Red Lotus Sect were truly making a comeback at its peak, it wouldn’t be a problem that a mere Chief Constable of the Prefecture like myself could solve anyway."

"Then, Brother Qin, do you need to report this matter further up the chain?"

Qin Suguang gave a bitter smile. "Normally, the reappearance of Red Lotus Sect remnants should be reported up the chain. But my relationship with the Chief Constable of Qin Province, Lei Yuanhong, is terrible. He looks for trouble with me even when things are quiet."

"Right now, I have no direct evidence, only a single captive who won’t talk. If I report it, Lei Yuanhong definitely won’t believe me and will just use it as an excuse to find fault with me."

"So, I have to find the lair of these Red Lotus Sect remnants first. Only with enough evidence will I have a leg to stand on."

At this point, Qin Suguang had completely calmed down and began to analyze the situation in detail.

"This past month, these Red Lotus Sect remnants have killed over two hundred Martial Artists within Jieyang Prefecture, causing widespread panic."

"Sometimes, more than ten people are killed in a single day, so their numbers can’t be small."

"The Qi Blood from so many Martial Artists has to be going somewhere. They must have a hiding place somewhere around Jieyang Prefecture."

Chen Yuan nodded. "You’re right. In some ways, these Red Lotus Sect remnants are a lot like the Blood God Sect. They are both forces shunned by the Court and the Jianghu."

"So, whenever they hide, they either choose a remote location or conceal themselves within a publicly known Jianghu force, using it as a cover."

"Brother Qin, I suggest you investigate the surrounding Jianghu forces. See if any of them are acting strangely and make them your target for investigation."

"By the way, is Jieyang Prefecture always this bustling? So many Jianghu people have already died, yet I still see large numbers of them entering the city every day."

"It’s usually bustling, but not to the point of having this many Jianghu people."

"The reason there are so many Jianghu people coming and going recently is because the son of Wu Daoquan, the ’Life-Restoring Saint Hand’ and Pavilion Master of the Heaven Returning Pavilion, is getting married. Many Jianghu people have come to offer their congratulations."

"Right now, it’s just ordinary Jianghu people. As the wedding date draws near, some major sects from the Jianghu Wind and Cloud Rankings will also arrive to offer their congratulations."

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow. "A wedding? Did the Red Lotus Sect remnants start their killing spree around the same time the Heaven Returning Pavilion announced the wedding?"

Qin Suguang froze for a moment, then his expression changed. "You’re right. Brother Chen, are you suspecting the Red Lotus Sect is connected to the Heaven Returning Pavilion? That seems impossible."

"Why impossible?"

Qin Suguang explained, "The Heaven Returning Pavilion is highly renowned in Jieyang Prefecture, and even throughout the entire Qin Province."

"The Heaven Returning Pavilion specializes in the Medical Dao. Wu Daoquan himself is a Martial Arts Grandmaster of the Primordial Pill Realm, and he’s also a Medical Grandmaster. His moniker, ’Life-Restoring Saint Hand,’ comes from the fact that he truly has the power to bring people back from the brink of death."

"Whether your meridians are crippled, your dantian is severely injured, or even if you need a severed limb regrown, nothing is too difficult for Wu Daoquan."

"When members of the major sects suffer grave injuries, they make special trips to the Heaven Returning Pavilion to seek Wu Daoquan’s treatment. As a result, many major sects are indebted to him."

"Even the Court holds the Heaven Returning Pavilion in high regard. A few years ago, Wu Daoquan was even invited to the Capital City to treat the Emperor for his headaches. He practiced medicine in the Capital for seven days, curing many rare and complicated illnesses for high-ranking officials and nobles. For a time, his fame resounded throughout the city."

"So, Wu Daoquan holds an extraordinary status in Jieyang Prefecture. With all the recent killings, the Heaven Returning Pavilion has even been pressuring me to solve the case quickly, claiming it’s affecting their Young Pavilion Master’s wedding."

"With his fame and status, why on earth would Wu Daoquan work with a bunch of rebels from the Red Lotus Sect? What could he possibly gain from it?"

"I don’t know what he could possibly gain, but I do know things in this world are rarely that coincidental."

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes and asked, "When is Wu Daoquan’s son’s wedding?"

"It’s in three days."

"As the Chief Constable of Jieyang Prefecture, the Heaven Returning Pavilion will surely invite you, right? We can go in three days and test the waters to find out."

Chen Yuan pointed to the other Red Lotus Sect Martial Artist. "He has a Red Lotus Seal on his Spirit Platform Ancestral Acupoint. I can temporarily remove and preserve it."

"Then, when we get to the Heaven Returning Pavilion, I’ll release the power of this seal. If there are any Red Lotus Sect members present, they will certainly sense it and betray themselves with their reaction."

"If there’s no reaction, then we’ve guessed wrong, and we’ll have to find another way."

Qin Suguang nodded and clasped his hands. "In that case, I’ll have to trouble you, Brother Chen."

Chen Yuan walked over to the Martial Artist and once again probed inside the man’s body with his Celestial Fire Power.

Before, Chen Yuan had shattered the Red Lotus Seal by accident.

This time, he used his Celestial Fire Power to completely envelop the seal and extract it from the body.

With the seal gone, the Red Lotus Sect Martial Artist’s mind shattered, and he died.

A ball of Demon Flame, containing the power of the Red Lotus Sect, now hovered in Chen Yuan’s palm.

Then, Chen Yuan took out a Primordial Stone he had obtained from the Myriad Phenomena Ninefold Tower.

This kind of Primordial Stone contained Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and could be used directly for cultivation.

However, Chen Yuan had no shortage of elixirs, so he had never used the Primordial Stone for cultivation.

The stone could also serve as a power source for arrays, as well as store a certain amount of power.

Chen Yuan transferred the Demon Flame into the Primordial Stone. As long as the stone held power, the Demon Flame would not go out, freeing him from having to constantly supply it with energy.

"This way, once we get to the Heaven Returning Pavilion, I can crush this Primordial Stone. The Red Lotus Sect’s aura will erupt, and then we’ll have our answer."

Qin Suguang said in surprise, "Brother Chen, you really have a lot of tricks up your sleeve."

Back at the Furnace Opening Assembly, Qin Suguang had only sensed that Chen Yuan was powerful.

It was only today that Qin Suguang realized how varied Chen Yuan’s methods were.

「Three days later.」

The wedding day of Wu Sicheng, the Young Pavilion Master of Heaven Returning Pavilion, had arrived.

In truth, the Heaven Returning Pavilion wasn’t a particularly powerful force. Although Pavilion Master Wu Daoquan was a Medical Grandmaster, the skill of his disciples was quite ordinary.

His son, Wu Sicheng, had no talent for the Medical Dao whatsoever and was just an ordinary Martial Artist.

But Wu Daoquan’s medical skills alone were enough to earn the respect of countless Jianghu people, especially those local to Qin Province, who turned out in even greater numbers.

After all, no one could guarantee they would traverse the Jianghu their entire life unscathed.

If you were ever severely injured and on the brink of death, Wu Daoquan was one of the few who could genuinely pull you back from King Yama’s grasp.

Chen Yuan and Qin Suguang rode out of the city. Following the main road north for less than ten li, they arrived at the Heaven Returning Pavilion.

A sprawling manor built against the side of a mountain came into view. With its white walls, dark-tiled roofs, and scattered pavilions, it was the very picture of luxury.

The manor’s main gate was wide open, festooned with colorful decorations. Vermilion lanterns stretched from the gate all the way to the end of the main road, resembling a winding fire dragon from a distance.

"Quite the spectacle," Chen Yuan remarked.

Qin Suguang shook his head. "The Jianghu is rife with conflict. It’s only natural that forces specializing in the Alchemy Dao and Medical Dao make a fortune."

"It’s true for Medicine King Valley, and it’s true for the Heaven Returning Pavilion."

"The difference is that Medicine King Valley’s medicines are sold throughout the entire Jianghu, aiding not just in healing but also in cultivation."

"The Heaven Returning Pavilion, on the other hand, is supported entirely by Wu Daoquan. If he were to die, with no one to inherit his incredible medical skills, I’m afraid the Heaven Returning Pavilion would fall into ruin."

The two continued their conversation as they arrived before the gates of the Heaven Returning Pavilion.

Two rows of green-robed disciples stood at the entrance, each one brimming with vigor, methodically guiding the arriving guests.

When disciples from the major sects presented their gifts, a disciple at the gate would loudly announce their names and lead them to an adjacent courtyard to rest and drink tea while waiting for the auspicious hour.

As for the ordinary Independent Martial Artists, or those with no real power or status, even if they presented a gift, the people of the Heaven Returning Pavilion would do no more than jot down their names.

They weren’t even given the chance to drink tea in the side courtyard and could only stand outside the Heaven Returning Pavilion to watch the festivities.

"Brother Qin, you didn’t bring a gift?"

Qin Suguang looked stunned and scratched his head. "Aren’t we here to investigate the Heaven Returning Pavilion? We have to give a gift?"

Chen Yuan sighed.

’Now I see why Qin Suguang, despite reaching a high position later in his career, managed to offend so many people in the Court.’

’The man was hopelessly dense when it came to social etiquette.’

Chen Yuan gestured to the Jianghu people at the gate presenting their gifts. "If we don’t give a gift, are we just going to waltz in brazenly? We’re here to investigate a case, not to pick a fight."