Chapter 54: Meeting the Hall Master

After seeing Gao Wu off, Liang Dahai let out a cold snort, and his demeanor abruptly changed, retaining none of his previous timid submissiveness.

"I suspect that the Fierce Tiger Gang set us up this time. Let's go and have a word with them!"

The Fierce Tiger Gang was another faction controlling the nightsoil trade. Business rivals are natural enemies, and the two gangs had been locked in a fierce struggle over territory.

Since Liang Xiaolong had been inexplicably dragged into a murder case, Liang Dahai refused to let the Fierce Tiger Gang off easily. He intended to use this pretext to pick a fight with them.

"The victim, Zhao Mingjian, belonged to no sect or clan; he was a rogue cultivator of the pugilistic world. For years, he loitered among the miscellaneous small factions of the capital without any permanent allegiance. Today he would help one gang fight, and tomorrow another—a classic petty hoodlum!"

"The person Zhao Mingjian hosted for a banquet last night was around thirty years old, carrying a thick, heavy broadsword. The blade was about three inches wide and roughly five feet long—a rather unusual giant sword!"

Such an exaggerated sword design?

It ought to be quite easy to identify.

Sure enough, he heard the arresting officer in charge of the case continue, "The owner of this sword is surnamed Huang. Everyone calls him Old Huang, though no one knows his actual name. I've heard that this man's sword has never once been drawn from its scabbard!"

Gao Wu shook his head. He had inspected Zhao Mingjian's corpse and confirmed that he had indeed died from sword wounds. Furthermore, the wound was slightly over three inches wide, perfectly matching Old Huang's weapon.

"Have you looked for Old Huang?"

"We looked, but he had vanished long ago!"

Gao Wu had anticipated this. Old Huang was no simple character. Although the reason for his association with petty thugs like Zhao Mingjian remained unclear, Zhou Zhiruo had already confirmed that the fellow was an Innate realm expert, and moreover, a member of the Demonic race.

*It's a good thing I kept something in reserve last night!* Gao Wu muttered to himself.

The Guixiang Tower was temporarily sealed off due to the murder, but given their deep-rooted connections, the closure would only be temporary.

Xiao Buqi had tried several times to walk over and greet Gao Wu, but held back by his pride, he ultimately refrained from approaching. After hesitating repeatedly, the opportunity slipped away, and once Gao Wu finished inspecting the scene, he leisurely strolled out of Guixiang Tower.

Failing to strike up a conversation with Gao Wu, Xiao Buqi couldn't help muttering to himself, *So what if you got a top-tier grade? Hmph, a top-tier grade is indeed a big deal. Fine, you win!*

"Constable Wang, when will my Guixiang Tower be allowed to reopen for business?"

"Wait a little longer. Didn't you see that the lords from the Seven Star Tower haven't spoken yet?"

After making a large circle, Gao Wu figured it was basically quitting time. Refusing to stay even a single minute longer, he directly headed home.

Zhao Liying followed him the entire way. Seeing that Gao Wu was no longer pursuing the murderer, she grew somewhat anxious aren't you going to investigate anymore?"

"No rush. Let the bullets fly for a while!"

Gao Wu said nonchalantly. Upon returning to the estate, Li Xingyuan was practicing his swordsmanship in the courtyard. "Brother Gao, you're back? There was a murder at Guixiang Tower last night? How is it that I didn't hear a single thing about it!"

"Haha, that murder has nothing to do with Brother Li, why bother knowing about it!" Seeing Li Xingyuan practicing his sword, Gao Wu felt his hands itch. "Come, Brother Li, let's spar!"

Gao Wu had never formally crossed swords with Li Xingyuan. Furthermore, ever since he acquired a precious saber at the Seven Star Tower, he hadn't had the chance to use it. This was the perfect moment to test the blade!

"Since when did Brother Gao start practicing saber techniques?"

"Hehe, just started, just started!"

Both of them were at the Qi-Congealing realm, but Li Xingyuan's internal energy was vastly inferior to Gao Wu's. After just a few moves, he was suppressed by Gao Wu's internal power.

What Gao Wu wielded was none other than Zhao Liying's Snow-Breaking Saber, which was incomparably domineering. Li Xingyuan quickly found it too much to handle and cried out repeatedly, "No more, no more! Brother Gao's saber technique is simply too tyrannical. A few more moves and I'd be hacked to death!"

"Haha, I've just begun practicing this saber technique and cannot yet control its force freely. Please forgive me, Brother Li!"

That night, Gao Wu originally planned to invite Zhou Zhiruo to investigate Old Huang's hideout once more. However, when he arrived at Zhou Zhiruo's small courtyard, he discovered that her entire body was emanating ghostly yin energy, shivering violently as if undergoing some excruciating torture.

Gao Wu rushed forward to support Zhou Zhiruo. "Miss Zhou, are you alright?"

The moment Gao Wu grabbed her, Zhou Zhiruo's entire body stiffened and she was about to strike, but upon hearing Gao Wu's voice and recognizing him, she finally relaxed.

Perhaps due to being supported by Gao Wu, the violent shivering in Zhou Zhiruo's body subsided significantly, as if she were slowly returning to normal!

Only after Gao Wu slowly channeled his blazing, intensely yang-oriented qi into her body did she calm down completely.

"Why are you here?"

"Oh, I originally intended to explore the murderer's dwelling from yesterday with you again, but seeing this, I suppose we'll let it go!"

"Let it go? Why let it go? Let's go right now!"

"You're fine?"

"What could possibly be wrong with me? Stop dawdling like an old woman!"

"Would you like me to give you another jolt?"

"Get lost!"

"Ah! Full of vigor, you look much better!"

Their voices drifted further away, their figures gradually vanishing into the nocturnal darkness.

That very night, the two major gangs of the capital erupted into violent conflict in the dead of night, resulting in several deaths and dozens of injuries!

The next day, due to a drastic reduction in the number of nightsoil collectors, a third of the capital went uncleaned, nearly causing the capital's sanitation system to paralyze!

Also that night, thieves created chaos at the Bureau of Rites' Directorate of Foreign Dependencies. It was rumored that an Innate realm guard stepped in, yet still failed to stop the intruders.

However, some claimed that towering demonic energy billowed from the Directorate of Foreign Dependencies at the time, and that members of the Demonic race had appeared there.

Seven Star Tower, Spring Breeze Hall!

The moment Cheng Qingfeng laid eyes on Gao Wu, he asked with curious amusement, "Well, well, has our young hero Gao been injured?"

*Hiss.* "Brother Feng, Demonic race members have been sighted at the Directorate of Foreign Dependencies. Take some men and wipe them out!"

Cheng Qingfeng rolled his eyes and gave Gao Wu a reproachful slap on the shoulder. "Are you out of your mind? That's the territory of the Bureau of Rites! Who would dare run amok there, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Don't tell me it was you little bastard who went and stirred up trouble at the Directorate of Foreign Dependencies last night?"

"The murderer who killed Zhao Mingjian at Guixiang Tower is hiding in the Directorate of Foreign Dependencies. Brother Feng, just tell me how we can go about investigating it."

Cheng Qingfeng's expression turned serious. "The Directorate of Foreign Dependencies houses envoys from other nations, as well as delegates from various other foreign tribes. You simply cannot investigate it on a whim!"

Gao Wu remained unruffled, waiting for Cheng Qingfeng to continue.

"Unless you can obtain an imperial decree from His Majesty!"

"Doesn't that mean if someone commits a crime, as long as they hide in the Directorate of Foreign Dependencies, everything will be fine?"

"How could that be!" Cheng Qingfeng shook his head. "Our Seven Star Tower isn't to be trifled with either. If the murderer is truly hiding in the Directorate of Foreign Dependencies, we'll just go petition for an imperial decree!"

"Will it be very troublesome?"

"Well, anyway, Brother Feng can't handle this matter; we have to go find Brother Chun! As it happens, Brother Chun just happens to be at the Spring Breeze Hall. Come with me to make the request!"

Previously, right after Gao Wu joined the Spring Breeze Hall, Brother Chun happened to leave the capital on business and only returned yesterday. Thus, this was Gao Wu's very first time meeting his true direct superior!

Upon reaching the doorway of Brother Chun's official office, Gao Wu heard the sound of documents being hurled against the inside of the door. "I've barely been out for ten days, and you've accumulated this many case files? Are those deputy hall masters all sitting around eating government rice?"

Gao Wu glanced sideways at the deputy hall master who sat around eating government rice, and silently mouthed the words, "Female?"

Brother Feng didn't answer him. Instead, he straightened his expression, plastered a smile on his face, and knocked on the door. "Hall Master, I'm here!"

Gao Wu secretly curled his lip. *Such a bootlicker!*