Luan Wencheng entered the city after they had already settled down within its walls.
He stood before the inn, where a waiter was directing workers to replace the old plaque with a new one.
Observing the newly hung plaque, its paint not yet completely dry, he handed the reins to his subordinate.
"Your hand?"
Seeing a layer of bloody mud covering his hand, even the fingernails stained, the subordinate holding the reins paused slightly, seeming hesitant to speak.
Luan Wencheng waved dismissively, indicating he was fine, and stepped into the inn.
Nan Shiying cast a sidelong glance at him. The inn’s waiter, ever so observant, brought over a basin of hot water and a packet of ointment for chilblains. Those of them whose hands were constantly exposed to cold water often had wounds that never quite healed before new ones appeared, so such remedies were kept readily at hand.
It was only because the inn’s guests today possessed an extraordinary demeanor, clearly not ordinary folk, that they were being shown such attentiveness.
Luan Wencheng washed his hands and politely declined the waiter’s offer of ointment.
His party occupied four tables in total. Noticing the single empty seat left for him, he walked over and sat down.
Xuan Yi picked up the teapot and poured Luan Wencheng a cup of tea.
"Did you bury the bodies?"
Nan Shiying set down her teacup. Though she asked a question, her tone lacked any hint of inquiry.
Luan Wencheng downed the tea, as if still thirsty, and picked up the teapot to pour another cup. With the second cup entering his belly, his pent-up frustration and resentment were finally swallowed down with the tea. He actually wanted to ask, wanted to ask how they could be so indifferent. The deceased were mere commoners, ants that even those in elevated positions wouldn't spare a glance, yet they were still lives.
The people of Yuzhou were eternally grateful to her, building temples and erecting monuments, venerating her as a living Buddha. Even now, when her name was mentioned, the people of Yuzhou would bow their heads in thanks towards the capital. Luan Wencheng couldn't understand it. How could the same person show such compassion and affection to the people of Yuzhou, yet be so utterly ruthless?
She knew that family, didn't she?
His blood boiled. He looked up, then down, and finally couldn't pretend nothing had happened. He raised his head again, gazing at Feng Luan, his eyes seeming to blaze with something sharp and piercing, like knives.
"Divine Physician Feng, you knew that family, didn't you?"
Nan Shiying’s placid lips curved slightly upon hearing his question. She rested her hand on the table, tapping it lightly. The table was covered with a tablecloth, muffling the sound of her tapping. She then raised a finger and pointed to the inn, her voice as usual, betraying no hint of emotion. "The head of that family was the innkeeper here. Or rather, the *former* innkeeper. Three days ago, the entire family that owned this inn died. The inn then passed to the owner’s uncle’s son. And so, the plaque was changed, and the inn reopened today."
Hearing her speak with a dispassion that was as calm as if she were discussing the weather today, a layer of anger crept into Luan Wencheng’s eyes.
"Although Divine Physician Feng is not part of the court, you shouldn't be so indifferent. Even if you don't care about the lives of us lowly beings, we were acquaintances. How can you refuse even to grant the deceased a proper burial?"
He wasn't asking Feng Luan to avenge the tragic deaths of those innocent people. But why wouldn't she even allow them to be buried on the spot?
Nan Shiying had not looked at him directly. Upon hearing his angry reprimand, she finally raised her eyes, deigning to look at him properly.
"Why do you think they died?"
She spoke in the same tone. It was hard to tell if she had a good or bad temper; despite being questioned like this, she remained unperturbed.
Luan Wencheng paused slightly and replied, "It wasn't relatives killing for money..."
His voice trailed off halfway through. In fact, while burying the bodies, he had conducted a preliminary autopsy. All five had died from sword wounds, inflicted with clean, swift slashes to the throat, leaving no trace of a struggle. The sword wounds appeared to be the work of a martial artist.
Luan Wencheng's conclusion was revenge. However, he had found no signs of martial arts training on any of the five. Thus, a question lingered in his mind. Upon hearing that the inn had changed owners, he had naturally assumed the new proprietor was a suspect, perhaps even the perpetrator.
The government officials in Xiling Commandery were all scoundrels colluding with the Ghost煞 Gate. However, when it came to ordinary citizens, if the culprit was also a citizen, they had no reason to protect the offender, unless that offender was connected to the Ghost煞 Gate.
Connected to the Ghost煞 Gate, and the killer had gone to the trouble of transporting the bodies to the outskirts. The bodies were dumped in a location near the main road in the woods. Dumping the bodies there wasn't for concealment; it was more like trying to make someone see them.
Wait, to make someone see them?
Luan Wencheng suddenly looked up at Feng Luan.
Feng Luan knew this family, and the bodies were dumped along their usual path. Thus, the purpose was crystal clear.
"Is it because of us?"
Luan Wencheng's hand suddenly clenched his robe. So, the culprits behind all this might be them? Because Feng Luan had embarrassed the Ghost煞 Gate, they retaliated by disgusting Feng Luan in this manner?
Was this the reason for the deaths of these innocent civilians?
"You knew. You saw it all along?"
Luan Wencheng gritted his teeth. "Then why did you let their bodies be dumped in the wild?"
Nan Shiying smiled. Her gaze fell upon Luan Wencheng's face. For some reason, Luan Wencheng felt her gaze was like a knife, piercing his skin and causing him pain. "Are the bodies important?"
She asked.
"What?"
Luan Wencheng didn't understand her meaning.
"What is so important about bodies? Even if they are devoured by wild dogs, even if they are gnawed by insects, it's all after death, isn't it?"
"You..."
"So, the bodies aren't important. Death, the dissipation of the soul, is what matters, isn't it?"
Luan Wencheng didn't know what to say. He couldn't understand. He only knew about proper burial. But looking at the fleeting cold glint in her eyes, at the perfectly measured smile on her lips, a sense of dread began to rise in Luan Wencheng's heart, a dread that he couldn't shake.
...
One hundred li outside Xiling Commandery, in the wilderness!
"Are you truly intent on being enemies with my Ghost煞 Gate?"
The man lying in a pool of blood clung to his last breath. Blood gurgled into his throat, and with his last words, he vomited it all out. This was merely a brief resurgence before death.
Hearing his challenge, the man standing before him, coldly watching him die, revealed a mocking sneer. The man wiped the blood from his blade with his sleeve. His gaze upon the dying man was cold and cruel. "Ha! Blame your own people for provoking Divine Physician Feng. A single head for a bottle of elixir that can heal bone fractures. I need to hurry, lest I return and have someone snatch the head. After all, your Ghost煞 Gate only has tens of thousands of members; you can afford to be killed!"
"Hoo~ hoo~"
His response was the man's heavy breathing, which ceased shortly thereafter.
With a swift movement, the man brought his blade down, severing the other's head and tearing the Ghost煞 Gate token from his waist.
Without the Ghost煞 Gate token as proof, he wouldn't be able to exchange it for the elixir.