Chapter 35: The Suspicion of the Man in Green

“Tell me, how could the Li family be wiped out overnight so suddenly, and in such a tragic fashion at that?”

“Well, isn’t it obvious? They must have offended someone they shouldn’t have, and that’s why they brought about their own destruction.”

“Exactly. Every one of the Li family’s young masters was arrogant and domineering—spoiled scoundrels, the lot of them. If they hadn’t made enemies, that would have been the real surprise.”

“It’s just cause and effect—the will of heaven exacts its justice.”

“But, putting that aside, who on earth could have exterminated the entire Li family? The perpetrator was ruthless, leaving not a single survivor!”

“Could it have been the demon clans? That’s unlikely—this is the heart of human territory. How could the demons wipe out a noble family right under our noses?”

“Who knows who did it, but honestly, it feels like justice has finally been served. These noble families oppress us day after day.”

Within the city of Heavenly Rain, in a crowded teahouse, people whispered in hushed tones, each eager to discuss the recent annihilation of the Li family. That such a powerful household could be eradicated in a single night sent shockwaves throughout the land; countless people were left speechless with astonishment.

Most remarkable of all was that the massacre had gone undiscovered until this very morning. The protective formation that appeared around the Li estate yesterday had raised some eyebrows, yet no one paid it much mind. After all, the Li family often activated their defenses, as did the other two great families—no one ever knew why, but it had long been a matter shrouded in secrecy.

Such precautions had become so routine that no one thought much of them, and so, no one witnessed the downfall of a noble house. Truth be told, many felt a surge of satisfaction—a sense of long-awaited vindication. Their only regret was not having seen the destruction of the Li family with their own eyes.

At the very scene itself, in the City Lord’s Mansion, Murong Feiyun gazed coldly about, the heavy scent of blood filling his nostrils. His eyes remained fixed upon the corpses strewn across the ground.

Though Liu Man and the others had assured him he need not worry—Heaven’s Guardians had already dispatched a team to take over, and he was only required to secure the scene—he could not help but feel deeply uneasy.

Only days before, the Rampaging Immortal had descended without warning, causing chaos and loss of life. Now, the Li family—one of the city’s three great clans—had been wiped out. Cold sweat trickled down Murong Feiyun’s back.

Two disasters within his own jurisdiction in such a short span—this was more than he could bear, and the fate of his entire family hung in the balance.

“Damn it, what ill fortune is this year bringing me? First the Rampaging Immortal, now the extermination of the Li family. Are the heavens trying to drive me to my grave?” Murong Feiyun muttered inwardly.

He stared at the scene before him, overcome with a sense of despair. Two major calamities in a single month—how could he not be gripped by fear? Why did such misfortune always befall his city? Was someone deliberately plotting against him?

But who could have carried out such ruthless slaughter?

“My lord, I have made an important discovery,” a deep voice interrupted his thoughts.

A middle-aged man approached, dressed in an unusual green garment embroidered with a fierce golden tiger, and wearing a peculiar green cap. As he drew near, Murong Feiyun’s suspicion deepened; what was this scoundrel doing here?

Murong Feiyun shook his head lightly and replied in a cool tone, “Speak. What have you found? If you have nothing concrete, don’t linger here—Heaven’s Guardians have already taken over, and there’s no need for your involvement.”

The man before him was a constable—a head constable, in fact, responsible for the southeastern sector and tasked with handling difficult cases and apprehending dangerous fugitives. When a case proved too much for them, it fell to Heaven’s Guardians to resolve. Murong Feiyun had no wish for them to become entangled in this matter.

“From our investigation, we have detected traces of the Rampaging Immortal throughout the Li estate. We suspect that the extermination of the Li family was the work of the Rampaging Immortal,” the constable reported coldly.

Murong Feiyun’s brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing as he fixed his gaze upon Gu Jian.

The Rampaging Immortal’s presence?

Could it truly have been the Rampaging Immortal who wiped out the Li family?

A wave of confusion swept over Murong Feiyun—he felt utterly at a loss.

Staring intently at Gu Jian, Murong Feiyun pressed, “Are you certain?”

“Absolutely,” Gu Jian nodded gravely. “At first, I harbored doubts, but after repeated verification, we confirmed that traces of the Rampaging Immortal can indeed be found throughout the scene.”

“How is that possible? Liu Man and his men found no such evidence. How did you discover these traces?” Murong Feiyun asked, puzzled.

“Liu Man and his people only conducted a cursory inspection. They failed to look closely enough, which is why they missed the traces,” Gu Jian replied blandly.

“Moreover, the traces left by the Rampaging Immortal are scant and well-concealed. My men stumbled upon them quite by accident.”

Murong Feiyun fell silent, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.

He was deeply unsettled—why was it the Rampaging Immortal again? Did this figure bear some grudge against him, that he would so frequently appear in his city to wreak havoc?

First he targeted Liu Man and his men, now he turned on the Li family. Was this not a deliberate attempt to frame him, to ruin him utterly?

But then, why the Li family? Was there some secret reason behind their selection?

Seeing Murong Feiyun lost in thought, Gu Jian continued in a low voice, “My lord, according to our investigation, the Rampaging Immortal who annihilated the Li family acted with organization and discipline. There were at least ten of them.”

“What? More than ten Rampaging Immortals?” Murong Feiyun blurted out in shock. He stood rooted to the spot, swallowing hard as cold sweat poured down his back—a wave of despair washing over him.

Three would already have been a nightmare; ten was beyond comprehension.

Now, his city had become host to so many Rampaging Immortals, who moved about freely, slaughtering at will. Was this not a blatant indictment of his incompetence?

A city of this size, unable to protect its people, instead allowing the Rampaging Immortal to come and go as they pleased—this was a humiliating slap in the face. If the higher authorities held him responsible, he would surely lose his head.

“My lord, whatever the case, we must report this immediately. If we attempt to conceal it, both of us will be doomed,” Gu Jian said, his voice heavy with foreboding.

At first, they had doubted the findings, but further investigation confirmed the presence of the Rampaging Immortal—more than ten, no less.

If it were only one, they might have managed to subdue him, but with more than ten, it was a different matter entirely.

Most alarming of all was that these figures were able to move unimpeded through Heavenly Rain City. If word reached the higher authorities, they would surely face dire consequences.