Chapter 198: Descendants

Demon Suppression Envoy Yu Weifeng asked, "My Lord, you’re just letting him go like that?"

"He’s a smart man. Bringing his mother over today was a warning."

Wu Lan smiled faintly and said, "Besides, the man is a genuine talent. An Innate Martial Artist capable of eliminating more than a dozen Water Ghosts is bound to make a name for himself in the Evil Extermination Bureau.

"For all these years, we haven’t had one of our own inside the Evil Extermination Bureau. This man is a useful pawn."

Liang Yifan clicked his tongue. "I doubt his visit today means he’s truly surrendered to us."

"I don’t care whether he’s feigning allegiance or truly surrendering."

Wu Lan said, "As long as he has a weak spot, he’ll have to do as he’s told. I let his mother and him leave today, but I can have them ’invited’ back anytime I wish."

Yu Weifeng said thoughtfully, "We could find an opportunity to give him a task. Test him. Once he has blood on his hands, backing out will no longer be his decision."

"It doesn’t have to be that complicated."

Wu Ziyan chimed in from the side, "We’ll see if he’s willing to offer up the Chongming Bird. That’ll show us whether he’s being straight with us or not."

True Master Dan Ding asked with some concern, "My Lord, by letting him go, aren’t you worried he’ll leak this to the Morning Bell Ringer?"

"Is there any evidence?"

Wu Lan let out a soft chuckle. "Forget the Morning Bell Ringer. Even if her master, the Duke of Jing, found out, he can’t impeach a First-Grade Marquis of the Court with baseless accusations. Not without evidence.

"Given my father’s prestige in the Court and his relationships with several other Dukes, the Duke of Jing would have to think twice."

True Master Dan Ding reminded him, "What about Shi Tianlei...?"

"He’s no longer of this world."

Luo Hengjiang split into a wide grin.

True Master Dan Ding fell silent.

The moment he chose to compromise, Shi Tianlei’s fate had been sealed.

’I just didn’t expect the Fujiao Gang to act so quickly.’

True Master Dan Ding was no hot-headed youth in his teens or twenties. After more than two hundred years of life, the passionate fire in his heart had long since gone out.

’On the Cultivation Dao, you can’t get far on passion alone.’

’Xue Chen is already dead. Am I really going to oppose Marquis Jingzhong’s faction for the sake of a dead disciple?’

True Master Dan Ding understood the stakes perfectly.

’Opposing Marquis Jingzhong would bring no benefit to me, or to the entire Danding Temple.’

Besides, the Heir had promised him a Demon Blood Infant Transformation Pill.

’As for that Shi Tianlei...’

An image flashed through True Master Dan Ding’s mind—a limping, filth-covered figure reeking of a foul stench. A trace of disgust flickered in his eyes.

’A ruined man from the Shi Country Royal Family. If he’s dead, he’s dead.’

’The man had no heirs. Who would even remember him?’

’If it weren’t for him, how would my True Disciple, Xue Chen, have been killed?’

’This can’t be blamed on me.’

"Ah Bai, what is going on?"

After they left Marquis Jingzhong’s Mansion, Wang Family asked with some worry.

Although it was her first time in Jingzhou City and she had no experience with officialdom, she could vaguely sense that something wasn’t right.

"It’s nothing. I’ll handle it."

Lu Bai comforted her with a few words, then escorted Wang Family to the Evil Extermination Bureau and helped her get settled.

Although he had handled the situation for now and brought his mother out unharmed, Lu Bai knew this was far from over.

’Even though they were Court-appointed officials, they would stop at nothing.’

’If it comes to a real falling out, the worst-case scenario is I give up this official position and leave Wu Country.’

’But if I bring my mother, it’d be hard for us to escape their assassins. There are too many variables.’

’But if I leave my mother behind, there’s likely no place in Jingzhou City that could guarantee her safety.’

’They have me by my weak spot. I’m at their mercy, my hands tied in everything I do.’

Just then, Lu Bai suddenly thought of something else, and his heart sank.

’True Master Dan Ding has already colluded with the Heir of Marquis Jingzhong’s faction. That means Shi Tianlei must have been exposed!’

’Shi Tianlei was a crucial person.’

’The only surviving witness.’

Lu Bai had been worried something would happen to him, so he had specifically given the man the Mountain Demon Hat.

It was Shi Tianlei’s only chance of survival.

Unable to rest easy, Lu Bai called He Liangzhi over to look after Wang Family. Then, taking Black Dog and Ah Ming, he left the Evil Extermination Bureau.

Black Dog followed the scent.

It paused for a moment at Wangjiang Tower before leading them to the abandoned residence in the eastern part of the city, but they found no one at either location.

Afterward, Black Dog followed the scent of the Mountain Demon Hat out of Jingzhou City, heading eastward and gradually veering off the official road.

The surroundings became increasingly remote, with no signs of human activity.

Lu Bai frowned to himself. ’What was Shi Tianlei doing in a place like this?’

After walking for a long while, Lu Bai faintly caught the scent of blood.

He followed the odor, tracking it to its source.

A few moments later, he saw it. Ahead, the tall grass was trampled and broken, spattered with blood. A corpse lay face-up in a pool of it, the blood beneath the body long congealed. The person had been dead for some time.

The body was covered with countless wounds, a testament to the torture it must have suffered while alive. Its eyes were still wide open in death, unable to find peace.

Shi Tianlei was dead.

Lu Bai closed his eyes, let out a sigh, and said nothing.

After a long moment, Lu Bai finally exhaled. His face was blank as he walked to Shi Tianlei’s side. He swung his Cyan Cloud Sword, hacking a large pit in the ground nearby, and buried Shi Tianlei’s body.

WHIMPER!

Just then, Black Dog let out a low whine, its gaze fixed on a nearby, vine-covered rock face.

At the same time, a rustling sound came from that direction.

Someone was walking toward them, their footsteps incredibly light.

But Lu Bai couldn’t see anyone.

Activating his Eye of Illusion, he saw a small, thin figure materialize. It wore the Mountain Demon Hat, and from the pair of eyes visible, tears streamed uncontrollably.

The slender figure approached, reached up, and removed the Mountain Demon Hat from its head, revealing a small, pale, and innocent face.

It was a child, only six or seven years old.

His small face was gaunt, and his features bore a slight resemblance to Shi Tianlei. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with a complex and indecipherable mix of hatred, sorrow, and helplessness.

A moment before, Lu Bai hadn’t seen the Mountain Demon Hat on Shi Tianlei and had assumed his murderers had taken it.

Only now, with the child’s appearance, did Lu Bai realize that Shi Tianlei had given the Mountain Demon Hat to him.

"What’s your name?" Lu Bai asked.

"Shi Kai."

The child’s voice was choked with sobs. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times toward Lu Bai. "Thank you, benefactor."

Lu Bai asked, "What was Shi Tianlei to you?"

"He was my father," Shi Kai said.

Lu Bai fell silent.

After a moment, Lu Bai asked, "Why were you here? And how did this hat end up in your possession?"

Shi Kai explained, "My father and I always lived apart. I would usually hide in the cave over there and wait for him to come out of the city with food for me.

"The other day, my father was very happy. He brought back this hat and gave it to me, saying it could make me invisible..."

Shi Kai recounted the events of the past few days to Lu Bai in their entirety.

When Shi Tianlei had sought out Lu Bai and True Master Dan Ding, he must have had a premonition that he would meet a violent end. That was why he had given the Mountain Demon Hat to Shi Kai.

"Who killed your father?" Lu Bai asked.

"Men from the Fujiao Gang," Shi Kai said.

"Why didn’t you leave?" Lu Bai asked again.

Shi Kai replied, "My father told me that if he died one day, and a tall man with a longsword on his back came to collect his body, that man would be my benefactor. He told me to remember to return this hat to him."