The official road was a scene of utter devastation.

Scorched earth, scattered weapons, and fragments of shattered Inner Armor silently testified to the fierce battle that had recently erupted here.

A faint, lingering scent of blood still hung in the air.

A steady figure appeared noiselessly in the center of the devastated scene.

The newcomer wore the robes of an Earth Element Sect Elder, similar to Yu River’s, but the mountain patterns on his cuffs were more intricate and profound, and his aura was more obscure and restrained. It was none other than another of the Nine Elders of Earth Essence, Shi Jian.

He slowly swept his gaze over every detail of the scene, his face as still as a tranquil well, betraying no emotion.

A middle-aged disciple hurried forward and said in a low voice, "Master, we’ve examined the area. There are remnants of Senior Brother Lu Da’s Earth-Splitting Palm Force, as well as fragments of Junior Brother Zhao’s Broken Mountain Saber... Judging by the signs, all four of them... I’m afraid they’ve all been murdered."

His voice was filled with suppressed anger and a hint of disbelief.

Shi Jian’s gaze finally settled on several patches of scorched earth that were slightly darker, as if corroded by a strong acid. A flicker of movement showed in his eyes.

’Corpse-Dissolving Powder? Such clean work.’

The disciple gritted his teeth and asked, "Master, who was the killer?"

"Not a single trace of their aura was left behind! I can’t be sure!"

Shi Jian shook his head and asked instead, "Where is Yu River?"

His voice was steady, yet it carried a natural authority.

The disciple quickly replied, "Junior Martial Uncle Yu exchanged a few blows with Shen Xiuyong of the Wutai Sect here. After forcing him to retreat, he seemed to... continue his pursuit of that Wutai Sect disciple, Chen Qing."

"Insolence!"

Hearing this, Shi Jian’s expression finally changed slightly, his brow furrowing deeply.

He knew full well why Yu River was so persistent.

The Earth Essence Marrow Pearl was of monumental importance. Yu River’s faction had pinned great hopes on it, even going so far as to operate secretly in Yunlin Prefecture, provoking the Demon Sect and causing the Sect to lose disciples.

Although the matter was full of suspicious points, and Yu River might have been framed and forced to take the blame, the incident had wide-reaching implications, with a complex mix of pros and cons.

’Continuing the pursuit?’

’This means completely and utterly offending the Wutai Sect!’

’For the sake of the Earth Essence Marrow Pearl, Yu River is already acting without any regard for the consequences.’

The Wutai Sect was no pushover, and its Sect Leader, the "Canglang Fisherman" He Yuzhou, was certainly not someone to be trifled with.

If this truly triggered a large-scale conflict between the two Sects, who could bear the responsibility?

What’s more, the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect explicitly forbade its subordinate Sects from engaging in unauthorized private conflicts!

Shi Jian instantly weighed the pros and cons and said in a heavy tone, "This matter is no longer about Yu River alone, nor is it a simple manhunt. Immediately send a message back to the Sect. Report the situation here, especially the fact that Yu River has taken it upon himself to pursue the Wutai Sect’s chief disciple, in detail to the Sect Leader and all the Elders!"

"Yes!"

A chill went down the disciple’s spine. He understood that his Master intended to escalate the situation, taking the decision-making power away from Yu River.

Shi Jian gazed into the distance, his eyes profound.

He did not want to provoke the Wutai Sect lightly, at least not while they had no conclusive evidence and were in the wrong, dragging the entire Earth Element Sect into a quagmire.

Especially with the current Four Sects Alliance in Yunlin Prefecture, though no one knew for sure how solid that alliance truly was.

’As for the killer of my disciples, that will be investigated as a separate case. I will show no mercy.’

....

「Meanwhile, at Golden Sand Castle, west of Lin’an City.」

The castle’s courtyards were deep and secluded, the scenery quite lovely.

A turquoise pond occupied the center, with an exquisite rockery in its midst. A few large, brilliantly colored koi swam leisurely within it.

Several rare and expensive flowering trees were planted by the pond’s edge. They were in full bloom, releasing waves of delicate fragrance.

The Fortress Master of Golden Sand Castle, Miao Feng—a middle-aged man with sharp features and bulging temples—stood by the white jade railing of the pond with his arm around his favorite concubine.

The concubine was the daughter of a Patriarch from a minor Noble Family in Lin’an Prefecture. She was born with almond eyes and rosy cheeks, and possessed a graceful figure. At this moment, she held a handful of fish food, giggling as she tossed it into the water.

As the bait fell, the pond water instantly began to churn. Countless plump koi rushed forward, scrambling to eat. The splashing water made Wan Niang giggle, her laughter as crisp and clear as a silver bell.

Miao Feng watched from the side, a rare gentleness showing on his face.

Just then, the sound of rapid and slightly panicked footsteps shattered the courtyard’s tranquility.

The Steward of foreign affairs for Golden Sand Castle, a master whose aura was by no means weak, hurried over with a pale face. He was in such a rush he forsook all etiquette, crying out, "Fortress Master! Something terrible has happened!"

Miao Feng’s brow furrowed instantly. He gently patted the back of Wan Niang’s hand.

Wan Niang was a tactful woman. She immediately wiped the smile from her face and retreated silently with her handmaiden.

"What has you in such a panic? Have you no sense of propriety!"

Miao Feng then asked in a deep voice.

’The auction just ended, and my Golden Sand Castle made some good gains. What terrible thing could have possibly happened?’ 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The expert took a deep breath to suppress his panic. His voice was extremely low, yet it trembled as he said, "Young Master Zhicheng... he’s... he’s dead!"

"What!?"

Miao Feng’s face changed drastically, his gaze instantly becoming as sharp as a blade. He grabbed the expert by the collar. "Make yourself clear! What happened to Zhicheng?! Didn’t he go to the auction? Did someone kill him for his treasures afterward? Who had the gall to lay a hand on my, Miao Feng’s, son!?"

Miao Zhicheng wasn’t just his son; he was the future heir of Golden Sand Castle!

The expert, nearly breathless from being choked, quickly recounted the fragmented pieces of information he had managed to gather.

Miao Feng released his grip and staggered back half a step, his chest heaving violently.

’Dead?’

’My only son, the heir I poured my heart and soul into raising, is dead just like that?’

"You mean there wasn’t even a body, and no one saw it happen? There’s no concrete proof?"

Miao Feng’s voice sounded as if it were being squeezed through his teeth.

The expert nodded with difficulty. "The scene was cleaned up. They used Corpse-Dissolving Powder... It was a clean job. When our men arrived, only Elder Shi Jian of the Earth Element Sect was there investigating. He didn’t explicitly say who the killer was, but I speculate that the one who killed the Young Master could be Chen Qing."