Chapter 387: Unexpected Smoothness

Lv Jian, who spoke in a clear and logical manner, first gave a general summary of the entire incident he knew to avoid an incoherent narrative that might confuse listeners and obscure the key points.

He saw the young man in the green robe slowly turn around to face him directly. The young man exuded an extraordinary aura that was hard to describe. His hands were still clasped behind his back, hidden in the shadow of his body. Besides appearing slender, he no longer gave off the jade-like gentle aura he had previously. It seemed as if that gentle impression had been merely an illusion.

“What did he say?” Meng Qi’s voice was deep and rich.

Over the past few days, Lv Jian had already thought about this matter multiple times. Without hesitation, he answered directly: “Jin Li suddenly arrived in Wen’an, which surprised me greatly because since inheriting the family business, our contact with them had decreased. We had not seen each other for a long time, and even our correspondence had become infrequent due to their wandering lifestyle.”

“On that day, I hosted a private banquet for Jin Li at my home. As the wine flowed freely, he sighed and said, ‘In life, death is not a big deal, for even if relatives and friends grieve, they will eventually sing and move on. Even the closest family and dearest friends, once time passes and circumstances change, will gradually become numb and adapt to the absence of hope, eventually recovering from their sorrow. The most terrifying thing is when someone disappears without a trace—alive, you cannot see them; dead, you cannot find their body. Loved ones would worry day and night, searching everywhere for clues, always caught between grief, anxiety, and hope, unable to find joy.'”

“At the time, I thought his words were just reflections on events he encountered while wandering the martial world, so I didn’t pay much attention. I never imagined that he would truly vanish without a trace.”

In other words, Jin Li did not disappear due to an unexpected accident; he had sensed something beforehand… Then, did he deliberately leave any clues? If there were no clues, why not… Meng Qi listened silently, hands clasped behind his back, his green robe gently fluttering in the cold winter wind, giving him an air of profound stillness and majestic composure: “Did you ask him why he came to Wen’an?”

Lv Jian sighed: “Of course I asked. He said he was just passing through Wen’an on some business and took the opportunity to visit me, an old friend. At the time, I had no suspicions at all. I believed him immediately, thinking Jin Li wouldn’t lie to me about such matters. I only asked him what business he had, but he spoke evasively, saying it wasn’t important and there was no need to worry, then quickly changed the subject.”

This matter must have been quite important to Jin Li, yet he did not want others to know… Meng Qi nodded thoughtfully: “At the time, did you notice Jin Li’s demeanor? Was he preoccupied, full of confidence, or indecisive?”

“If he had shown any abnormality, I would have noticed it earlier,” Lv Jian replied with a bitter smile, pausing briefly before continuing, “If there was anything different, there was one small thing. Jin Li was usually not very talkative, indifferent to gossip, and fully devoted to his cultivation. But that day, he unusually mentioned some famous martial heroes and heroines, seemingly envious. I teased him, saying that as he grew older and more experienced, he had finally ‘awakened’ and started thinking about women.”

Among close friends, anyone would interpret his behavior that way and wouldn’t suspect anything unusual about Jin Li.

Could it be a romantic entanglement? But what kind of love affair could cause Jin Li to vanish without a trace? Meng Qi’s gaze followed the slowly flowing river behind him, nearly dried up, with many large stones visible beneath the shimmering surface.

Could it be that he fell in love with the wrong woman and got involved in something he shouldn’t have?

“Perhaps Jin Li’s disappearance is related to a romantic affair. Please, Brother Lü, investigate whether there were any such incidents in Wen’an around the time of his disappearance,” Meng Qi said calmly.

At the mention of “Brother Lü,” Lv Jian hesitated for a moment, then carefully examined the young man in green before him. He found it impossible to estimate his age. The young man had an ancient, dignified appearance with a unique charm, and his demeanor was mature, like that of a renowned martial artist who had been famous for many years. Yet, there was no trace of weariness or worldly experience in his expression, as if he were still quite young.

“Since it concerns Jin Li, I will certainly do my best,” Lv Jian, being a local, was much more convenient and effective in investigating such matters than Meng Qi. “By the way, may I ask your name? How should I contact you once I have the results?”

“No need for trouble. Just place a few fireworks at the door when the time comes, and I will come personally to inquire,” Meng Qi said, maintaining the air of a mysterious martial arts expert.

After saying that, he stepped aside, standing by the riverside forest with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the flowing water, signaling that Lv Jian could now leave.

Lv Jian asked no further questions, knowing that some martial arts experts had eccentric personalities and disliked being questioned relentlessly. He then summoned Lü Huo and others, and with steady steps, walked onto the stone arch bridge.

After crossing the bridge, he instinctively turned his head and found that the green-robed figure by the riverside had already vanished without a trace, and he hadn’t even sensed his departure!

“Jin Family actually sent someone of this caliber? Hmph, before Jin Li disappeared, he struggled for recognition from the Jin Family but never succeeded. Only after acquiring the Nine Apertures did he finally gain some respect and slowly approach his long-held aspirations. Yet, after his disappearance, the Jin Family suddenly became so concerned. What irony in fate…” Lv Jian mused inwardly.

…

In the riverside forest, fallen leaves covered the ground, and the branches were bare. Meng Qi moved with extraordinary steps, quickly reaching the back of a large tree. There stood a scholar’s book chest, covered with a piece of blue cloth to shield it from wind and rain. Inside was hidden “Heaven’s Scar.”

The Flowing Fire was made from dragon scales and could bend like a flexible sword. Meng Qi had purchased a matching scabbard and now wore it at his waist. However, “Heaven’s Scar” was different and couldn’t be treated the same way—it had to either be carried on his back or stored in a large bag or book chest. Otherwise, its distinctive appearance would easily be recognized, defeating the purpose of his disguise.

Earlier, Meng Qi, considering his image as a mysterious martial expert, felt that carrying a book chest would clash with the overall impression he wanted to give when meeting Lv Jian. Therefore, he had hidden it within the forest, within his spiritual perception range, and stood proudly with his hands behind his back, as if merging with the heavens and earth.

After retrieving the book chest and slinging it onto his back, Meng Qi activated the “Bajiu” technique, instantly changing his aura. Though still dressed as a scholar, there was a noticeable difference. Previously, he had appeared mature and refined, but now, dressed in a green robe, he exuded a youthful and scholarly charm as he strode toward the forest’s edge.

As night deepened, Meng Qi directly headed to the only graveyard outside Wen’an and took out a bright red pearl.

This was an item personally refined by Yun Zhongzi. Using the bloodline of a Jin family member as bait, it could cause the bones of someone with the same bloodline to react within a three-mile radius. Since Yun Zhongzi couldn’t come in person, he had sent three such blood pearls along with detailed information to the Immortal Trace.

Meng Qi had come here precisely to use the blood pearl to search the graveyard for Jin Li’s remains. After all, if he had been murdered, this graveyard would be an ideal place to dispose of the body. Many corpses were hidden in the thick vegetation, hastily buried in shallow pits, their stench spreading across the hillside, making it unlikely for ordinary people to come here searching for murder victims.

Holding his breath, Meng Qi crushed the blood pearl. A crimson light spread outward, dyeing the graveyard in a layer of red, making it appear even more eerie and bloodcurdling.

Suddenly, a red beam shot up in the distance, as if someone had lit fireworks.

Could it really be Jin Li’s remains? Meng Qi was slightly surprised, not expecting to find them so quickly and easily.

He moved forward, seemingly not touching the ground, gliding over the long grass nourished by blood, rushing toward the place where the red light had appeared.

This area was particularly lush with vegetation, clearly indicating a buried corpse. Meng Qi waved his right hand, gathering his palm force, and violently tore away the plants and soil.

The surface layer of soil was shallow, and after one strike, Meng Qi saw the corpse beneath. It had already turned to white bones, with no trace of decayed clothing on its body, and the bones were incomplete, only a few remaining.

The white bones, covered in dirt, were glowing with a layer of blood light, revealing the identity of their former owner.

A quick glance showed no clues left in the shallow pit or the bones. It seemed that only a master skilled in soul-summoning techniques could break through the obstacles. However, since Jin Li had died many years ago, his soul was likely already scattered, making summoning impossible.

“Come out,” Meng Qi suddenly spoke, his voice carrying far in the eerie quietness of the graveyard, interrupted only by distant dog barks.

Thud! A figure rolled out from behind a locust tree. Dressed in tattered felt hat and patched cotton robe, emitting a foul stench, the man was clearly a beggar who scavenged for useful items among the corpses in the graveyard.

“G-great sir, please spare me! I just saw the red light and came to check it out,” the beggar hurriedly explained.

His face was blackened and covered in dirt, making it impossible to determine his age. However, judging from his body and voice, he was at least forty years old, with very low martial cultivation skills.

Meng Qi, who had cultivated the Heaven-Shaking and Earth-Shattering Great Method, was highly sensitive to changes in others’ mental states, especially when facing someone far weaker than himself, giving him a sense of directly peering into their soul.

He sensed the beggar’s unusual emotions and said sternly, “I haven’t even asked anything yet, and you’re already begging for mercy. Could it be that this place is related to you, and you’ve done something you don’t want others to know?”

“You martial artists usually hate people prying into your affairs, so that’s why I begged for mercy,” the beggar explained.

Meng Qi snorted coldly, “But I hate deception even more.”

His gaze was sharp, piercing directly into the beggar’s eyes, causing him to shiver all over and kneel suddenly: “Great sir, please spare my life! I didn’t do anything wrong, I just happened to know the origin of these bones. I came here recklessly after seeing the red light.”

“You know the origin of these bones?” Meng Qi frowned.

The beggar spoke quickly: “Yes, I wander around the graveyard every day, searching for valuable items to exchange for clothes and food. So whenever a new corpse arrives, I always go to take a look, unless the person burying it is highly skilled and can do it secretly.”

“That night, I was starving and thinking about hunting a stray dog for food when I suddenly saw two servants from Chen Mansion quietly carrying this corpse up here. They hastily dug a shallow pit and buried it before fleeing in a panic. Later, wild dogs gnawed at the corpse, and after many disturbances, only a few bones remained.”

“Chen Mansion?” Meng Qi asked calmly.

Without hesitation, the beggar answered: “The family of Master Chen Changgeng.”

How could it be them… Meng Qi felt puzzled. Chen Changgeng was merely a well-known local figure, more of a wealthy landlord than a martial artist. The strongest member of his family was only at the Nine Apertures level. How could they possibly kill someone like Jin Li, who had sensed danger beforehand?

…

Chen Mansion.

Chen Changgeng hummed a tune, accompanied by his personal guards, heading toward the room of his favorite concubine.

As he pushed open the door, he froze instantly. Sitting by the table was a mysterious figure wearing a mask and dressed in black robes.

The mask was a common “Yuan Shi Tian Zun” design, with deep, piercing eyes fixed directly on him!