Fang Han saw their reactions clearly and understood perfectly, yet he felt no anger.

He knew that if he were in their shoes—waiting for days on end only to get a "newbie" for backup—he would probably have the same reaction.

In a way, Zhao Qian and the other six were dragged into this because of him.

If Tu Baichuan hadn’t used this as a pretext to force the mission on him, the Sect would have likely sent an experienced Steward skilled in tracking and investigation.

That person might have found a clue and completed the mission long ago.

Now, the seven of them had to waste their time here with a "newbie" like him. With the mission’s success still uncertain, it was only natural for them to feel some resentment.

His expression remained neutral as he nodded slightly.

"I will be relying on your experience, my senior brothers and sisters."

With that, he followed Zhao Qian and the others into the deathly silent Huangshi Village.

Up close, the scene within the village was even more unsettling than it had been from a distance.

A small dirt path snaked between low-lying adobe and thatch huts. Their doors and windows were wide open, many showing signs of being violently broken.

The air was thick with a mixture of dust and the faint, almost imperceptible, scent of blood.

Miscellaneous items were scattered on the ground, but there were no signs of an intense struggle. It was as if disaster had struck so quickly that the villagers hadn’t even had time to react.

As Zhao Qian walked, he explained the situation in a flat, emotionless tone, his pace steady, as if he were just going through a routine procedure.

"The village had forty-seven households, a total of one hundred eighty-three people. Not a single one survived. According to our survey, they were all killed with a long saber. The wounds are mostly to the throat, heart, and other vital areas. The technique was clean and efficient. They were likely killed in their sleep."

"The five junior brothers from the Sub-Branch who were killed were found in that larger courtyard at the east end of the village."

Zhao Qian pointed to a courtyard up ahead.

"There were signs of a fight at the scene, but it was contained to a small area... All of them were killed with a single strike."

Fang Han’s gaze followed his finger, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The five slain Sub-Branch disciples, though not the most outstanding among their peers, had been in the Sect for a year. They should have at least reached the Middle Stage of Ninth Grade in their Cultivation.

Furthermore, their strength couldn’t be compared to that of an ordinary Mid-Ninth Grade Martial Artist.

’To kill five disciples who were at least at the Middle Stage of Ninth Grade with a single strike each... the killer’s strength is far from ordinary.’

He pondered for a moment before asking.

"Senior Brother Zhao, how far has the investigation into the killer’s identity progressed?"

"Based on the traces at the scene and an analysis of our five junior brothers’ wounds, the perpetrator used a saber and has a high Cultivation. They are at least an Eighth Grade Martial Artist, possibly even stronger."

Zhao Qian answered without stopping or turning his head.

"We used the Sect’s intelligence network to investigate saber-wielding Martial Artists with this level of strength who might have been in this area around the time our five junior brothers were killed."

He paused for a moment.

"The number of individuals who fit the criteria is not small—thirty-seven in total. Their identities vary. Some are lone brigands, some are leaders of small gangs, and others are wandering Martial Artists of unknown origin, scattered across several surrounding cities."

"As many as thirty-seven?"

Fang Han’s brow furrowed.

’There are thirty-seven people who fit the description. We can’t just treat all thirty-seven as the killer. The Qingxuan Sect isn’t *that* domineering.’

How to pinpoint the real killer from among these thirty-seven was an enormous challenge.

Furthermore, he couldn’t rule out the possibility that the killer’s movements had gone undetected, or that they had hidden their preferred Martial Technique and weren’t on the list at all.

He thought for a moment, then looked at Zhao Qian and ventured his own idea.

"Senior Brother Zhao, could we use a Scent Tracking Secret Technique to identify the killer from among these thirty-seven?"

Zhao Qian shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"To be honest, Junior Brother Fang, I have cultivated a scent-tracking type of Secret Technique. Although I’m only at the Entry Level, I should be able to sense any normal lingering scents within a few days."

"However, here—whether at the place where our five junior brothers died or in the villagers’ homes—I haven’t smelled any suspicious scents besides the thick stench of blood and decay."

He paused, his eyes grave.

"It’s highly likely the killer used some sort of special powder beforehand to completely mask their own scent. With my current Entry Level mastery of this Secret Technique, I can’t detect the killer’s scent."

’Masked with a powder...’

A glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes. This killer was extremely cautious, with a strong awareness of counter-tracking methods.

He thought for another moment and asked.

"Then... could we determine what kind of Saber Technique the killer used by examining the shape, depth, and angle of attack on the wounds of our junior brothers and the villagers? If we can identify the Martial Technique’s style, we might be able to significantly narrow down the list of suspects."

This time, before Zhao Qian could answer, another Law Enforcement Hall disciple named Zhang Yuan couldn’t help but sigh and interject.

"Junior Brother Fang, we naturally thought of that. It’s just... *sigh*, it’s embarrassing to admit, but even though we’ve been training in the Law Enforcement Hall for years, our experience in identifying Martial Techniques is ultimately limited."

"We can’t determine the specific Martial Technique used just by looking at the wounds."

Zhao Qian picked up the thread, his voice laced with a subtle, weary gloom.

"It’s precisely because the clues are so scarce and our investigation has hit a wall that we requested backup from the Sect. We were hoping for a senior Steward skilled in this area who, with their vast experience, might find some subtle clues we overlooked. But we never expected..."

He didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Hearing this, Fang Han fell silent and nodded, asking no more questions.

The situation was even more difficult than he had anticipated.

The killer was powerful, meticulous, and clean, leaving behind almost no obvious openings.

Meanwhile, his own side had limited tracking methods and a clear lack of experience.

"Senior Brother Zhao, I’d like to search the village, both inside and out."

Fang Han said to Zhao Qian.

Zhao Qian glanced at him, his eyes holding little expectation. He simply gave a business-like nod.

"Feel free, Junior Brother. If you find anything, let us know at any time. We need to re-examine the courtyard at the east end of the village."

"Understood."

Fang Han replied, then split off from Zhao Qian’s group and began walking slowly through the village alone.

He fully activated his Entry Level Spirit Nose Technique, pushing his sense of smell to the absolute limit he could currently sustain.

He focused on relatively enclosed spaces where scents wouldn’t dissipate quickly, like the insides of the villagers’ homes and corners sheltered from the wind.

However, the results were disappointing.

Aside from the overpowering smells of dust, mold, blood, and the lingering stench of rot, he couldn’t capture a single scent that was different from the villagers’—nothing that might belong to the killer.

The killer’s scent-masking powder was extremely effective; it was clearly not something his current Entry Level Spirit Nose Technique could overcome.

’The Entry Level really isn’t enough...’

Standing inside an abandoned house, Fang Han’s brow furrowed, then quickly smoothed out again.

’If my current methods are useless, then I’ll just have to improve them!’

He found a quiet corner and began his Cultivation of the Spirit Nose Technique.

With his sixteen-fold Secret Technique Talent Amplification, his comprehension speed of the Secret Technique reached an absurd level.

His Inner Qi, following the Magic Gate of the technique, precisely stimulated the fine meridians near his nasal cavity. With his mind highly focused, he savored the changes in his sense of smell brought on by each vibration of his Inner Qi.

Try, adjust, try again...

Time slipped by unnoticed in his focused Cultivation.

The sun sank in the west, setting the horizon ablaze with a brilliant sunset that painted the deathly silent village in a tragic, warm light.

Just as the last ray of sunlight was about to disappear behind the mountain ridge—

An invisible barrier within Fang Han’s nasal cavity seemed to be completely broken through by a gentle yet tenacious force!

In that instant, a tidal wave of scent information flooded his Perception Ability. Its clarity and resolution had increased several times over compared to the Entry Level!

Many extremely faint smells that were previously unnoticeable now became distinct.

The subtle differences between minerals in the soil, the species of wildflowers in the distance... he could now clearly capture and analyze them all.

’Spirit Nose Technique, Minor Achievement!’

A flicker of joy passed through Fang Han’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

He walked back towards the houses he had previously investigated, fully activating his Minor Achievement Level Spirit Nose Technique for a more detailed search.

With his greatly enhanced sense of smell, he could now strip away more subtle clues from the jumble of scents.

However, after another full search, the result was the same.

He still couldn’t find any suspicious scent belonging to the killer.

The layer of scent-masking powder was like a perfect shield, protecting the killer’s scent completely.

The Minor Achievement Level of the Spirit Nose Technique was still not enough to detect the killer’s scent!

’It seems I need an even higher Realm...’

Fang Han stood at the entrance of the village, his gaze calm as he looked at the distant mountains now completely swallowed by the night.

「A few days later.」

Fang Han followed Zhao Qian and the other six out of the deathly silent Huangshi Village. They began to investigate the list of thirty-seven suspects.

They rushed between several nearby towns, following the information on the list to track down each of the skilled saber-wielders who might have been near Huangshi Village at the time of the incident.

The process was tedious and slow.

Faced with questioning from the Qingxuan Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall disciples, the suspects reacted in various ways.

Some were extremely cooperative, while others, involved in shady business, were unwilling to reveal their whereabouts.

Zhao Qian was quite skilled in his interrogation techniques, but the clues he had were too limited. Without more details about the killer, it was very difficult to pick them out from the list of suspects.

After several days and over a dozen interviews, they had made negligible progress. The investigation seemed to have stalled.

Throughout this process, Fang Han mostly stood to the side, observing silently and rarely speaking up.

He was a novice in this line of work and lacked experience. He knew he was far behind Zhao Qian and the others in interrogation skills and the ability to read people, and that speaking rashly might disrupt their rhythm. So, he chose to watch and learn.

However, in the eyes of Zhao Qian and the other six, Fang Han’s silence only confirmed their impression of him as "inexperienced and useless."

Although they maintained a basic level of politeness out of respect for being fellow sect members, an intangible sense of distance grew more and more obvious with each passing day.

When they discussed the case, they rarely asked for Fang Han’s opinion.

During breaks, the seven of them would usually gather together, talking in low voices, while Fang Han was often off to the side alone, either regulating his breathing or lost in thought.

When their eyes occasionally met, Fang Han could clearly sense the unconcealable trace of... disdain hidden behind their seemingly calm gazes.