Chapter 438: Chapter 228: Citywide Manhunt, Sky-High Bounty_2

He summoned them over.

He took the initiative to clarify that the man had nothing to do with Jiang Feng, immediately restored Han Dong’s freedom, let Han Dong continue as Zhenbei Prison’s Prison Director, and ordered Han Tieshan to take Han Dong and Uncle Huo’s family away.

Han Tieshan realized something was wrong, hoping Li Yang would continue imprisoning Han Dong.

Li Yang sneered, noticing Han Tieshan’s guilt, and after guaranteeing the safety of Han Dong from Divine Sect members, dismissed Han Tieshan and his daughter.

Now Han Tieshan and Han Dong both understood in their hearts.

Han Dong was released by the Emperor not because the Emperor truly believed the killer of the Second Prince was unrelated to Little Prison Chief Jiang Feng, but rather, the Emperor was convinced it was Jiang Feng, and releasing Han Dong and Uncle Huo’s family was mainly to lure Jiang Feng out.

So Han Tieshan hoped that, whether that person was Jiang Feng or not, he’d better have no connection to Han Dong, and certainly not come back looking for Han Dong.

The so-called reinstatement was just a pretext to keep Han Dong imprisoned in Zhenbei Prison.

...

Jiang Feng in the skies above Dragon Capital, heavily wounded the Saintess with the Dragon Bone Bow, forcing her to flee into the Imperial City for Royal Family protection, and successfully shot dead over a dozen Divine Sect disciples—a deed that caused a huge stir in Dragon Capital.

It also sent shockwaves throughout the Cultivation Realm.

Many loose cultivators found it both hilarious and absurd, thinking Divine Sect became foolish after sealing their gates and training in isolation; after reopening, they were far less competent—first their Saint Heir was slain in Dragon Capital, now the Saintess nearly died at the hands of a loose cultivator, and they lost more than a dozen disciples in one stroke.

Quite a few sects from the Immortal Palace were mocking Divine Sect’s incompetence.

Those who had always coveted the Underground Palace treasure finally could not resist the temptation, and started to flock into Great Tang’s territory, heading toward Dragon Capital.

All hoping to get a share of the treasure in the Underground Palace.

"Black Market."

"Fine, let’s establish ourselves here."

"Shopkeeper Chu’s craftsmanship is excellent."

"Congratulations to Shopkeeper Chu on your grand opening!"

Five days later.

A newly opened herb shop appeared in the black market.

The owner, surnamed Chu, in his fifties, had dealt with herbs for many years, carried a medicinal scent, and his vigor, once at its peak, was now fading; compared to ruthless young men, Shopkeeper Chu appeared much more calm, weathered, like someone who had tired of the bloodshed of Jianghu People, and now simply ran a shop to make a living.

Shopkeeper Chu was none other than Jiang Feng, who had gained a new identity using Thousand Faces.

He had asked a shop assistant to help find a storefront, but after several days, none satisfied him—not because of traffic or rent, but precisely because it was too lively outside, requiring frequent interactions; so Jiang Feng changed his mind and opened the herb shop in the black market instead.

Firstly, the black market was a place of rules, few dared to cause trouble here, and one only needed to pay a monthly commission.

Secondly, those who traded at the black market came and went quickly; after picking the herbs they wanted, they left right away, rarely lingering.

Also, those living in Jianghu quickly learned of any wind blowing or rumors.

By opening a shop in the black market, Jiang Feng could reasonably explain his identity, and also stay posted on countless matters, interacting with all sorts daily and earning Fortune Point.

Moreover, there was a subterranean passage near the black market, with an entrance and exit—if anything felt wrong, Jiang Feng could quickly escape Dragon Capital through the underground route.

He could advance or retreat at will.

Jiang Feng could hardly find a place better than the black market.

His shop was open for only three hours each day.

From dusk till the deep of night.

This was the busiest time in the black market.

"Shopkeeper, do you have Reishi Grass or Lingxi Grass?"

At midnight, a middle-aged man stepped into Jiang Feng’s shop, scanning all the herbs in the store with a casual sweep.

Jiang Feng sensed a wave of Spiritual Sense.

The middle-aged man was a cultivator, and the Reishi Grass and Lingxi Grass he mentioned were both spirit medicines used to refine spiritual power, commonly needed by cultivators.

But the black market was a place where ordinary Jianghu People came and went; for a cultivator to show up here searching for spirit medicine?

Yet, remembering he too was a cultivator, and moreover one at the Sixth-Layer Qi Condensation stage, Jiang Feng felt this was perfectly reasonable.

"Hello, the two herbs you asked for are not available here. Would you like to check out what else we have in stock?"

Jiang Feng explained.

"My suggestion, Shopkeeper, is to find a way to stock up on Reishi Grass and Lingxi Grass. For the next while, there will be many people looking for those two herbs."

The middle-aged man left behind these words and departed.

"Sure thing, see you next time."

Jiang Feng called politely after him.

He knew the man wasn’t lying.

Lately, Dragon Capital had been overrun with cultivators—most drawn by the Underground Palace, some just to watch Divine Sect become a laughingstock.

"Spirit herbs and medicines are far too scarce in Dragon Capital."

"All resources are monopolized by the Royal Family."

"Maybe we should try getting into Purple Bamboo Forest!"

"No way, if we enter the Purple Bamboo Forest, how can we catch Jiang Feng?"

"Right. Even if we catch Jiang Feng, the credit will all go to the Royal Family."

At that moment, a heated discussion came from outside; several cultivators were talking, including the middle-aged man who had asked about herbs earlier.

Their words were masked by magic, so regular people couldn’t hear them even standing nearby, but with Jiang Feng’s Sixth-Layer Qi Condensation strength, he heard everything crystal clear.

"As long as we catch Jiang Feng, we’ll earn a mid-grade magical artifact, plus ten thousand spirit stones, and a Divine Sect heritage cultivation technique. That’s too good to simply hand over to the Royal Family."

"We’ve searched so long and have found nothing. Jiang Feng either left Dragon Capital or is hiding in the underground passage."