Shen Yanliu shook the brain matter off Iron Hand and walked out of the pavilion.

On the stone table behind him, Wei Yutian was already headless, handless, and footless, completely reduced to a piece of rotten flesh. But above that rotten flesh, many blood threads chaotically danced in the pavilion under the night, eerie and terrifying...

Wei Yutian’s life was besieged by desire. Despite all his lifelong struggles, he never escaped this predicament. At the last moment of his life, he still sank in the whirlpool of desire... devoured by his own obsession with lust...

Everyone has their own flaws.

Wei Yutian’s desire consumed him, Luan Jingfu’s blood courage was reckless, Xu Shouxian was indulgent and greedy, Xu Fuxian was stubbornly harsh—each had their flaws, each met their fate.

A person’s flaw often signifies some kind of inescapable destiny.

As Shen Yanliu just walked out of the pavilion, Li Chong hurried over, clasping his fists, said, "County Magistrate, both the front and back yards have been searched thoroughly. In a secret chamber in the backyard, four strange statues were found, along with many bizarre offerings!"

As Li Chong finished speaking, he glanced at the haphazardly dancing blood threads in the pavilion, a hint of fear appearing in his eyes.

Shen Yanliu said, "Those offerings are evidence, have someone watch them carefully, don’t move them carelessly."

"Yes."

Shen Yanliu’s eyes shifted, saying, "Where is Duan Rong? Bring him to me."

Upon hearing this, Li Chong immediately turned around to find Duan Rong.

As Li Chong approached the side room, Duan Rong had already come out with Xiao Yu, and Li Chong immediately stopped Duan Rong at the door, saying, "Escort Master Duan Rong, the County Magistrate wishes to see you."

Duan Rong glanced at Xiao Yu, saying, "Wait here for me. I’ll be back shortly."

Xiao Yu had by then composed herself and nodded with a smile, her beautiful eyes sweeping over the government constables searching the backyard.

Duan Rong followed Li Chong to the front of the pavilion.

As Duan Rong gazed at the pavilion, dimly illuminated by faint lamplight, with floating blood threads inside, his heart stirred. "Filthy Blood Divine Skill, it’s so sinister. Wei Yutian is dead in such a state, yet those blood threads are still masterlessly floating, awaiting the opportunity to devour blood."

Shen Yanliu looked at Duan Rong and asked, "Duan Rong, is your Yuan Shun Escort Agency’s Chief Leader Luan Jingfu currently in the city?"

Duan Rong replied, "Mr. Luan and Squad Leader Sun Huang went to Lin County’s Tanghe County to deliver a Message Dart. They left the city in the afternoon, with the approximate travel time, they should return by evening, but maybe something delayed them, as Mr. Luan hasn’t returned by midnight."

Duan Rong answered truthfully. Xiao Yu was abducted at midnight, but at that time, Shang Hongye said Luan Jingfu wasn’t in the city, clearly indicating he had not returned that evening.

Shen Yanliu nodded slightly, looking at Duan Rong with a very satisfied gaze.

The Filthy Blood Sect followers had lurked so deeply, with all his Hidden Guards sprawling, yet to no avail. Without Duan Rong’s report, how could he achieve success?

Shen Yanliu suddenly said, "Li Chong!"

"Here!"

"Leave half the people here to continue cleaning up the battleground. Take the other half and follow me to surround Luan Jingfu’s residence."

"Yes!"

Duan Rong’s eyes flashed, as Li Chong already turned to gather the people.

Shen Yanliu turned his head with a smile, looked at Duan Rong, and said, "Escort Master Duan Rong, there’s nothing more for you tonight. The follow-up aftermath of this case may still require your cooperation. I’ll have someone from the Escort Agency call on you then."

"County Magistrate, you’re too kind. A humble citizen takes his leave." Duan Rong clasped his fists and turned, glancing at the pavilion again on the way out.

Although Duan Rong’s face showed no motion, his heart was greatly shaken.

After Shen Yanliu executed Wei Yutian, he suddenly began to raid Luan Jingfu, which clearly indicated that Luan Jingfu was the one Wei Yutian implicated before he died.

This also meant Luan Jingfu was a Filthy Blood Sect follower.

Duan Rong then suddenly felt a tremble in his heart.

If Luan Jingfu is a Filthy Blood Sect follower, then Ruan Fengshan...

Duan Rong almost instantly concluded that Ruan Fengshan was the Squad Leader of the Xianggu Sub-Branch of the Filthy Blood Sect.

Unlike Shen Yanliu, Duan Rong had repeatedly experienced firsthand the relationship between Ruan Fengshan and Luan Jingfu, especially during the abduction by the Bitter Fate Gang.

At that time, he had secretly wondered, the relationship between Luan Jingfu and Ruan Fengshan was definitely not like that between the Chief Leader and the Shopkeeper, since the Escort Agency, although organized tightly, had no distinct subordination relationship between its various levels.

Like Sun Huang, who was the Leader of the Second Escort Team, in the team he was undoubtedly the boss, but outside of team affairs, everyone basically interacted equally.

Whereas Luan Jingfu and Ruan Fengshan had a clearly obscure subordination relationship, discernible even in the air.

Another reason Shen Yanliu excluded Ruan Fengshan was that Ruan Fengshan’s Martial Arts Realm was at the Inner Breath Realm.

But this was just a Blinding Technique of Ruan Fengshan to the outside, always declaring himself confined at the Inner Breath Realm.

After Duan Rong achieved the Second Layer of the Fetal Concealment Scripture, he used Divine Sense Penetration on Ruan Fengshan, and was greatly shocked then, as Ruan Fengshan was already a strongman at the True Qi Realm, with True Qi in his Dantian evidently more vigorous than Luan Jingfu’s.

Duan Rong wondered then, why did Ruan Fengshan conceal his true cultivation?

Now Duan Rong finally understood the reason. Because Ruan Fengshan was the Squad Leader of the Xianggu Sub-Branch of the Filthy Blood Sect, hiding his cultivation was to protect himself.

A beggar at the alley’s entrance, near the mysterious courtyard, initially staggered along the alley. Upon reaching a turning point engulfed in shadows, his figure suddenly flashed, speeding like a civet, darting into another alley, racing away crazily.

That beggar seemed very familiar with this area, darting left and right, his figure like a meteor, without any pause.

Exiting a small alley, while crossing a main street, his figure abruptly slowed down, once again staggering with his steps, transitioning between two states seamlessly and skillfully.

After walking across the street and entering another alley’s shadow, his figure suddenly leaped, running wildly with broad strides.

After turning several corners continuously, the beggar sped along a small alley. Though his pace was exceedingly fast, his steps were light, obviously possessing remarkable Lightweight Skill.

Speeding through this alley for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn, almost traversing the residences here, the beggar suddenly darted out of an alley entrance.

Emerging from this alleyway, there was a Wild Lake. This lake wasn’t large, situated right behind the City God Temple.

Due to its location behind the City God Temple, the Wild Lake was rumored to be the Feng Shui eye of the entire Xianggu County. Over many years, no one dared to disturb this area.

At this time of year, nearing the year’s end, the frigid winter months, the lake surface had already frozen solid. The surrounding withered reed clumps rustled in the night wind.

The beggar tapped his toe at the alley entrance, his figure vaulting like a large bird, passing through the withered reeds, landing on the smooth icy surface.

The lake surface had long since frozen solid, the beggar’s toe skimmed the ice, his body gliding more than a yard along the slick surface. As the Wild Lake was small, with a few glides, under the murky night, he could see the vague outline of the City God Temple.

The Temple Priest of the City God Temple, over sixty years old this year, had sparse beard and graying hair. He took over his father’s role as the Temple Priest, spending over thirty years in this role.

Strictly speaking, a temple priest serving deities should not marry, so from the time he could remember, he called his father ’Master’, never knowing who his mother was.

This City God Temple was always managed by him alone. The temple wasn’t large, nor did it have young attendants. Every year’s incense money and various offerings went into his own pocket, making his life quite comfortable.