“What?! She Lin Society’s upper echelon has vanished?!”
Hong Mingzi shot to his feet inside Crimson Whale Hall, his expression frozen in disbelief. Around him, Chen Ying, the Internal and External Affairs Emissaries, and the Elders sat in stunned silence. The air grew taut, heavy enough to crush breath itself.
“She Lin Society… their Chief is a Spirit Focus pinnacle expert… how could they…” Chen Ying muttered, his eyes wide with shock.
Back in his prime, he had been only on par with She Lin Society’s Chief. Yet now, even that man had disappeared without leaving the faintest trace. The realization struck him cold. If he had been the target instead… wouldn’t he have vanished just as quietly?
An Internal Affairs Emissary, his face drained of all color, whispered, “Could they have fled…”
“Absolutely impossible!” Hong Mingzi snapped, shaking his head. “That lad, Zhang Yuandong, isn’t the type to run from trouble or cower in fear.”
“Why on earth then…”
Only after the initial wave of shock subsided did a shared understanding settle over the room.
Whoever had the power to erase a large organization like the She Lin Society—and make a group of Spirit Focus experts vanish as though they had never existed—could only be tied to one possibility. Other than the enemies of the Noble Families, who else wielded such overwhelming might?
Hong Mingzi looked worn and exhausted, a long sigh escaping him. The recent cascade of events had simply grown beyond his ability to rein in.
His gaze swept across both sides of the hall. Here sat all the Crimson Whale Sect’s strongest members. Other than a few External Affairs Emissaries assigned to missions, this room held the full might of the sect.
Yet what did it matter? Against the Scarlet District, with its ghosts and Anomalies, they were nothing more than chickens and dogs—pitifully incapable of resisting.
Up until now, very few knew of the Zhen Family’s peculiar behavior. Most remained completely unaware.
“This matter… we’ve got to report it upstairs, don’t we…?” an Internal Affairs Emissary ventured cautiously.
Elder Ouyang’s tone hardened. “Whether or not this is the work of those beings must first be investigated thoroughly. On another note, why isn’t External Head Lu here? I heard he’s gone into solitary confinement?”
Ouyang Ningzhi and Elder Wang were the first to truly know Lu Sheng. At the mention of his name amidst such turmoil, a faint tremor rippled through everyone present.
External Head Lu Sheng’s reputation had long spread through the Crimson Whale Sect and even across other sects in Mountain-Edge City. Killing the Deputy Sect Master, razing Song Manor to ashes, commanding the Soaring Eagle Squad—each deed had tightened his grip over Mountain-Edge City, forcing other factions to bow, compromise, and surrender a portion of their profits.
Though Lu Sheng rarely made a move, every action was unforgettable. His overwhelming presence, his decisiveness, and his ruthlessness lingered like a carved brand in everyone’s memories.
“External Head Lu is still in confinement and thus unable to attend today’s routine meeting. But I will relay instructions to him,” Jade Lotus said from her inconspicuous seat.
As the sect’s third strongest expert, Lu Sheng’s name alone was enough to stir the room.
“The trouble this time occurred near Mountain-Edge City, which falls within External Head Lu’s jurisdiction. Why don’t we hear External Lu’s opinion first before we continue planning?” an External Affairs Emissary suggested. The implication was clear—Lu Sheng should shoulder the investigation.
Jade Lotus cast him a glance. “My lord is in a critical stage of his solitary confinement. I fear he cannot handle the matter for now. Given the urgency, why don’t we nominate someone else to conduct the investigation?”
Hong Mingzi scanned the faces before him. He could already guess the answer—no one wished to touch this thorny matter.
Everyone knew that if they simply kept quiet, the task would inevitably return to Lu Sheng, the one responsible for Mountain-Edge City.
“We’ll shelve this matter for now,” Hong Mingzi said, his tone weary.
He picked up the next report.
“Alright, next item. Riots have broken out across the Northern Lands. Three cities, including Yuan Li City, have requested reinforcements and additional manpower to quell the unrest. Which of you is willing to go?” Hong Mingzi’s voice lacked its usual strength.
The previously tense atmosphere shifted in an instant, igniting with sudden eagerness as many members vied for a spot on the mission. Anything was better than remaining in Mountain-Edge City—safe on the surface, yet seething with hidden chaos beneath.
Watching the scramble unfold, Chen Ying could only shake his head.
…………
In the quiet of the sanctuary, Lu Sheng stood alone.
‘So this is the kind of outer-force skill akin to the body-shrinking arts. When this hard-body technique is cultivated to its limit, one gains complete control over every inch of muscle and bone.’
He could sense the extraordinary transformations occurring within him. Though the change looked drastic from the outside, in essence it was a more advanced form of body-shrinking and shape-manipulation arts. His massive frame had been forcibly compressed into its current form. Once he unleashed his full strength, he could expand back to his original physique in an instant.
‘Stacking multiple hard-body skills can elevate my strength to something no longer human. It reinforces my body, makes it impervious to blades, and drastically increases my defense. But only inner-force skills can harm ghosts and Anomalies,’ he mused, eyes glinting.
‘I wonder if this body can still advance one step further.’ He did not know his exact strength anymore, but he was certain he had at least reached the Bind realm.
Yet the Noble Families, the Anomalies, and the Scarlet District possessed far more than just the Bind realm. With the Zhen Family gone, he needed to prepare for every possibility.
‘Scarlet District… what kind of faction are they? Only by knowing the enemy can I secure victory. I’ll have to start gathering intelligence. And I’m out of Yin Qi, yet I still have two skills left to cultivate, including the Jewel Pillar Skill. I’ll need to search for more Yin Qi as well.’7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzBbeABINs
He immediately thought of Chen Jiaorong’s jade pendant.
Leaving the sanctuary, he stepped out of the courtyard—and found a team of subordinates waiting.
“Reporting to External Head: the Chief and Deputy Chief of She Lin Society have both vanished. The Prefect and yamen request your presence at a meeting. Also, the sect has convened a routine assembly. Lord Jade Lotus has gone to Headquarters on your behalf,” said the guard at the front, a member of the personal bodyguard team Lu Sheng had instructed Ning San to form.
This handpicked team received the best treatment and resources available. Each member had been given a simplified version of the Bear Wrestling Arm technique—divided into two levels by Lu Sheng, who imparted only the first.
Though simple, the skill yielded impressive results. The men could now withstand most assassination attempts involving sharp weapons. With leather armor added for protection, each of them could easily handle three to five opponents at once.
This was his personal force.
Technically, he was forbidden from teaching sect martial arts to private subordinates. But so long as he acted with restraint—such as sharing only the first level of a heavily simplified technique—no serious issue would arise.
“The Prefect and yamen?” Since becoming External Head, Lu Sheng had yet to meet any government officials. This would be his first time.
“What grade does Mountain-Edge City’s Prefect belong to?” he asked casually.
“Er…” The subordinate who delivered the report stared blankly.
A guard beside him stepped forward and answered, “In response to my lord, Mountain-Edge City is considered a Prefectural capital, though not a large one. The Prefect here is ranked between the Fourth and Fifth Grade.”
“Oh…” Lu Sheng nodded. Nine Links City’s Prefect had only been a Grade-Seven official—on an entirely different tier.
Yet even a Grade-Four or Grade-Five official meant little before the Crimson Whale Sect, especially when the sect had the backing of the Zhen Family. Such a figure certainly had no authority to summon him.
However, on second thought… if the Scarlet District truly launched a full-scale attack, he alone would be hard-pressed to handle it. Attending the meeting to gauge the court’s stance might not be a bad idea.
“Call Xu Chui and Ning San to accompany me,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
Soon after, Xu Chui and Ning San arrived. Lu Sheng boarded the carriage with the two of them and set off toward the greatest authoritative institution in Mountain-Edge City—the Prefect’s yamen.
The Song Dynasty’s administrative structure consisted of seven tiers: Court, Province, Prefecture, County, Township, Town, and Village.
Both Mountain-Edge City and Nine Links City were prefectural cities overseeing numerous counties. Yet even among prefectural cities, there were clear distinctions—large, medium, and small.
A large prefectural city stood as the sole major center of an entire province. A medium prefectural city, like Mountain-Edge City, flourished with trade and influence. As for small prefectural cities, Nine Links City fit that category perfectly. Such classifications were strictly upheld across the realm.
Inside the carriage, Ning San was briefing Lu Sheng on these matters.
“In all of the Northern Province, Mountain-Edge City ranks as the third largest. Its grade is exceptionally high. On top of that, the powerful Winged Honor Guards are stationed here.”
“I’ve heard of the Winged Honor Guards’ reputation,” Lu Sheng said with a nod.
“Their Army Superintendent, Yuan Xu, is also an Elder in our Crimson Whale Sect—though only an honorary one,” Ning San added.
With this explanation, Lu Sheng quickly grasped the situation. The Winged Honor Guards frequently invited Crimson Whale’s upper echelon to serve as martial arts instructors. The two forces maintained long-standing, amicable ties.
The carriage soon stopped at the side entrance of the yamen. Lu Sheng and his two men stepped down and were promptly welcomed by the advisor waiting to receive them.
They passed through the inner courtyard and a modest garden before finally reaching the Welcome Hall, where Mountain-Edge City’s Prefect—Li Rongxian, in the prime of his life—awaited them.
Li Rongxian, styled Zhenyi and nicknamed the Resident of Mt. Dragon, was a Grade-Four royal ambassador. His Li Family held deep-rooted influence throughout the prefectural city.
A neatly combed mustache sat beneath his nose. His tanned face carried a stern expression as he sat on the main seat, idly turning a greenstone seal in his hand.
On either side of him sat two men. One of them was the Army Superintendent, Yuan Xu—a square-faced, broad-shouldered man with large ears and sharp, penetrating eyes. Clad in his military robes with a straight saber at his waist, he exuded an imposing authority even while seated.
The other man was a handsome, lanky Taoist in green robes, a white cap perched neatly on his head. Golden threads shimmered along the edges of his sleeves. This was the enigmatic head of Mountain-Edge City’s Intelligence Agency—Taoist Bai Feng.
“Bai Feng of the Intelligence Agency…” Lu Sheng’s eyes narrowed.
The Intelligence Agency was the true pillar supporting the court’s governance over the major provincial cities. It was also the department tasked with handling matters beyond the mundane—demons, devils, ghosts, Anomalies, and even disputes between Noble Families that required impartial mediation.
Even high-ranking officials like Mountain-Edge City’s Prefect were required to seek the Agency’s counsel before making decisions on such matters. Normally, the Intelligence Agency operated strictly in the shadows. Their sudden appearance in public caught Lu Sheng completely off guard.
‘Could they have caught wind of something?’ A faint unease stirred in his chest. If word of the Zhen Family’s disappearance leaked… there was no telling how the court would respond.
As for the other people in the hall, none were significant enough for him to spare attention.
“Oh, External Head Lu of Crimson Whale Sect has arrived,” Prefect Li Zhenyi said with a genial smile. “Men, prepare seats.”
Lu Sheng stepped into the hall and took an empty seat on the left.
He represented the Crimson Whale Sect—the undisputed power of the Northern Lands’ underworld. His status here would not be low. But at the same time, not being a government official, it would not be too high either.
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