Hearing Huang Xian’Er’s words, Han Yuan finally understood what was going on.

"The Divine Powers of Abnormal People are incredibly difficult to defend against," Han Yuan said softly.

No wonder he’d felt that something was amiss when he entered the inner courtyard of the County Yamen.

’It seems the Wangling Sect Master must have been behind it.’

"Indeed."

"It seems the Wangling Sect is even more formidable than we imagined."

"To think they can cultivate Abnormal People," Huang Xian’Er said gravely.

After all, Abnormal People weren’t like Martial Artists. Individuals born with powerful Divine Souls were exceedingly rare, to say nothing of the inherited Cultivation Techniques and vast, precious resources needed to train them.

"Mm."

"When we get back, I’m going to ask Du Qiuxu for more Contribution Points," Han Yuan said softly.

Hearing this, Huang Xian’Er laughed. "We definitely should. Otherwise, I’ll be taking a loss on this."

"You’re the young lady of the great Huang Family. Why would you care about something like this?" Han Yuan sounded a little surprised.

"The Huang Family may be rich, but I can’t just let the Observatory get away with a bargain," Huang Xian’Er retorted.

"Alright, then."

"Let’s wake Xu Feng up first."

Han Yuan shrugged.

He promptly slapped Xu Feng twice across the face.

The effect was instantaneous. Xu Feng woke up at once.

"Ow, that hurts..."

Xu Feng’s face throbbed with a swollen pain.

"It was all an illusion. You were possessed by an Evil Spirit, which is why you’re still a bit out of it," Han Yuan explained.

"Really...?" Xu Feng shivered as he recalled what had just happened.

Just a moment ago, he’d felt a cold chill on his back, and then he’d lost consciousness.

’To think I was actually possessed by an Evil Spirit.’

"Let’s go inside and ask our dear Magistrate Wei what exactly is going on," Han Yuan said softly.

The Wangling Sect Master must have used some technique to conceal the commotion in the County Yamen’s inner courtyard earlier.

The constables and government officials on duty in the County Yamen hadn’t noticed any of the commotion in the inner courtyard.

That was fine by Han Yuan; it saved him a lot of unnecessary trouble.

After they entered the room, Xu Feng found a rope and trussed Wei Changqing up, then forced an elixir pill down his throat.

"What kind of elixir pill is that?" Han Yuan asked curiously.

"Lord Han, this is a Qi Dispersing Pill. It can dissolve a Martial Artist’s Inner Qi and leave them completely drained of strength, making their muscles feel like jelly," Xu Feng explained.

When the Flying Eagle Guard gathered intelligence, they often had to make people talk.

That was why every Flying Eagle Guard was well-versed in various methods of torture. The Qi Dispersing Pill was simply a measure to prevent their targets from breaking free.

"Interesting..." Han Yuan nodded.

He waited for Xu Feng to finish his preparations, then used the same technique as before, slapping Wei Changqing awake.

Seeing Han Yuan’s action, Xu Feng seemed to realize something and subconsciously touched his own face.

HISS...

The pain made him grimace.

Just then, Huang Xian’Er lit an oil lamp.

Finally, some light filled the room.

"Magistrate Wei, let’s have a nice little chat," Han Yuan smiled.

The instant he woke up, Wei Changqing tried to exert his strength and break free of his bonds.

But he found that his Dantian was completely empty of Inner Breath.

Even his body felt limp and powerless, as if he’d just spent three days and three nights at the Celestial Fragrance Tower.

"Don’t waste your energy."

"Confess everything, and I’ll let you live," Han Yuan said coolly.

"Come to think of it... I don’t believe I know your name."

Wei Changqing asked faintly, as if he had given up all resistance.

Han Yuan said softly, "My name is Han Yuan."

"Han Yuan... To think I would fall at your hands."

Wei Changqing sighed.

Wushan County was quite far from Cangshui County Town, so Han Yuan’s fame hadn’t spread here yet.

So Wei Changqing simply took Han Yuan for a Demon Exterminator with powerful Martial Arts.

"That’s understandable... You had me fooled in the beginning, too."

"It’s a shame. It wasn’t until I discovered the Wangling Sect that I sensed the dark undercurrents flowing through Wushan County Town."

"I’m very curious. As the Wushan County Magistrate, why would you collude with the Wangling Sect?" Han Yuan asked.

"It’s simple. My life was in their hands."

"Do you think I had a choice?" Wei Changqing replied with a bitter smile.

"You’re an Inner Breath Expert with vigorous qi and blood. How could you have contracted that plague?" Han Yuan frowned.

"It’s different... The Gu Insect inside me was personally planted by the Master of Difficulties."

"The moment He Ye runs back and informs Difficulties will be the moment of my death."

"So, ask whatever you need to."

Wei Changqing was very cooperative.

Han Yuan understood Wei Changqing’s meaning and asked, "Tell me everything you know."

Wei Changqing quickly began, "It must have started about three months ago..."

Han Yuan, Xu Feng, and Huang Xian’Er listened from the side.

They finally learned everything about Wushan County.

Three months ago, Wei Changqing met Difficulties at a banquet.

At the time, Wei Changqing thought nothing of it and had a drink with him.

That very drink was how he was poisoned with a Gu.

When Wei Changqing returned home, he discovered that his wife and children had vanished without a trace.

It wasn’t until Difficulties came to him that Wei Changqing learned what had happened.

After that,

The Wangling Sect began to appear on the streets of Wushan County.

In order to quickly recruit more followers, the Wangling Sect poisoned the town’s wells with Gu.

The only way to suppress the Gu poison was to drink the special talismanic water prepared by the Wangling Sect.

Using this method, the Wangling Sect quickly amassed a large number of followers in Wushan County Town.

To save his own skin, Wei Changqing had no choice but to feign ignorance, even secretly assisting them from time to time.

That was, until Huang Kai and Zhao Lu noticed that there seemed to be some connection between the plague and the Wangling Sect.

The Wangling Sect then sent Liu Bao to eliminate the two of them and stage their disappearance.

"So the Wangling Sect really was behind the poison."

"These bastards... What in the world are they trying to do?"

Horror filled Xu Feng’s eyes.

He could think of only one reason for recruiting followers with such methods.

Rebellion!

SPURT!

Suddenly, Wei Changqing started trembling all over and violently spat out a mouthful of black blood.

"Sirs... I’ve told you everything I can..."

"I hope you can... destroy the Wangling Sect..."

Before Wei Changqing could even finish speaking, black blood started pouring from his nose, ears, and mouth, and he died on the spot.

Clearly, Wei Changqing harbored an extreme Resentful Evil for the Wangling Sect.

If the Wangling Sect had never appeared, how could he have ended up in such a miserable state?

"It seems someone activated the Gu Insect inside his body."

Seeing Wei Changqing’s gruesome death, Huang Xian’Er couldn’t help but sigh.

"Let’s go."

"First, let’s bring the County Yamen’s forces under our control," Han Yuan said coolly.

After a long and tumultuous night, the distant sky began to lighten.

Xu Feng carried Wei Changqing’s body to the front courtyard of the County Yamen and ordered the Deputy Magistrate to summon all the officials and constables.

Soon, all the officials of the Wushan County Yamen—the chief constables, constables, and government officials—had gathered.

They were horrified when they saw Wei Changqing’s ghastly corpse.

"Everyone."

"I am Huang Xian’Er, a Demon Exterminator from the Observatory."

"After my investigation over the past few days, I have determined that Wei Changqing secretly colluded with the Wangling Sect to spread the plague in the city."

"He was executed for his crimes last night."

Huang Xian’Er took out her Demon Extermination Token.

The men of the County Yamen were dumbstruck by Huang Xian’Er’s words.

The news was too astonishing.