Chapter 243: The Ghost Official Appears
Chapter 243: The Ghost Official Appears
The deceased named Shang Yue belonged to the Shang family and was the esteemed son-in-law of the Mo Family, one of the Seven Clans: Xue, Lu, Bai, Qin, Mo, Nanli, and Fan. Since marrying into the Mo Family, he had been highly valued. Though his cultivation wasn’t particularly high—just at the Foundation Establishment stage—he was sharp-witted and exceptionally skilled at managing business. In fact, over thirty percent of the Mo Family’s commerce was under his control, making him pivotal in a different sense.
Still, due to his limited cultivation level and being the son-in-law married into the family, his status remained unremarkable.
He visited the Lingwu Sect this time to assist with some affairs or share counsel.
Among the Seven Clans’ Qi Refiners now residing within the Lingwu Sect, his standing was not prominent, so he ended up in a remote side hall. When the Seven Clans made a grand display of sending Young Master Bai Huaiyu back to his family, no one paid attention to him living in the southwestern hall. None could have imagined this unnoticeable figure would be another target for the Ghost Official…
The Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao undoubtedly guessed it. That was why he set a trap.
But even Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao didn’t foresee what actually happened: the Ghost Official struck, yet they failed to capture him.
“How did the Ghost Official manage that with such tight defenses?”
After guarding half the night and chilling in the frost, the Seven Clans’ Qi Refiners burst out with shock and fury.
Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao’s face emerged from the dark, grim as iron.
……
Meanwhile, deep inside the side hall, Fang Cun chuckled softly. “Their plan wasn’t complex at all…”
“That Divine Eye Young Master Lu, having already understood why the Ghost Official kills, naturally knows whom he targets. So that immortal cloud was undoubtedly a decoy. Whether the Ghost Official fell for it was irrelevant—if he attacked Young Master Bai, Lu Xiao counted it as seventy percent success, and if he ignored the cloud, Lu Xiao could still call it fifty percent victory. The real trap lies right here at the Lingwu Sect!”
“The true bait was Master Shang!”
“There were plenty of Qi Refiners following the cloud, true, but the truly powerful experts remained hidden within the Lingwu Sect. To others, Master Shang seemed ordinary—some might say he wasn’t even truly one of the elite Seven Clans. Yet beneath that seeming obscurity lay a clever scheme…”
“If the Ghost Official really intended Master Shang harm, all those experts plus the Lingwu Sect’s powerful arrays would capture him!”
“So he waited, waited for the Ghost Official to strike Master Shang. He just had to take the bait—then Lu Xiao won.”
He Zhenzhang listened to the growing chaos outside and asked, baffled, “What does this mean now?”
“Now?” Fang Cun grinned. “The bait was eaten, and the fish slipped away. This counts as… losing the bigger part?”
……
“Could the Ghost Official really descend from the underworld?”
Back near that same remote side hall, Elder Nanli of the Seven Clans, now surrounded by an anxious crowd, raged openly, voice filled with fury. “So many defenders laid down! So many restrictions set! How could he sneak in undetected and kill? Wasn’t it said even a mere fly approaching would be spotted instantly? Yet how did he enter and silently slay this man?”
Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao was also grim-faced just now, his sharp gaze scanning the chaotic scene.
“All restrictions remained completely intact!”
“Experts positioned around the perimeter concealed their qi presence completely—guarding carefully without missing the smallest disturbance!”
“Master Shang himself gave no clue, no sound until his life ended…
How did he actually die?”
Before, the Ghost Official managed to kill fifteen Golden Core cultivators without a whisper. But that was in empty, desolate wildlands—no one near to witness. Now? This was a small hall, watched by countless eyes hidden nearby, ringed by countless traps. Yet murder unfolded without detection—how utterly frightening!
Was it possible—could those earlier rumors hold truth? Was the Ghost Officall truly not a being of flesh?
Countless pairs of eyes now turned toward Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao. Suspicion began drifting among them.
“You expressed such confidence earlier—declaring you understood why the killer murders, guaranteed we’d trace him back…”
“How did circumstances now come to such an end?”
There was palpable blame directed at the Divine Eye Young Master. When age is the measure, he stands as their junior. Yet assessed against talent or fame, these senior figures among the Seven Clans paled before him. In fact, viewing the Seven Clans collectively as an alliance—Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao himself one day ascends to leadership, the presumptive future inheritor.
Thusly, when he declared knowing the Ghost Official’s motives, everyone trusted him. When he arranged such complex pageantry—laid intricate illusions—the Seven Clans fully cooperated. Yet this outcome—how could it be accepted?
Pressed by urgency, the demand erupted: he must reveal every deduction, each reasoning behind the now tragically flawed plan.
“I cannot say it.”
Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao confronted them all: the Seven Clans’ Qi Refiners; the Sect Leader and Elders of Lingwu Sect; those three esteemed Elders from Nine Immortals Sect; familiar sect peers close to him. His expression shifted with prolonged hesitation. Then strangely, unexpectedly—shaking his head was the reply.
“Have you lost reas—?”
Emotions flared. Faces twisted in disbelief as they stared.
“This matter… I will only relay it within our clan, solely before the Great Patriarch.”
Vast silence stretched before Lu Xiao slowly spoke again, profound seriousness coloring his words.
At the mention ‘Great Patriarch,’ their hearts tightened suddenly. Recognizing depth beyond measure forced restraint—further pressure now ceased.
That collective tension lingered. They glanced at one another. None dared a word spoken. Oppressive silence prevailed.
Yet precisely then—from deep night skies beyond Lingwu Sect—rippling light pierced the void. Faint, indistinct shouts arrived carried by that glow. Startled cultivators simultaneously lifted their eyes just as hurried reports reached them.
“They returned…”
“Young Master Bai—he has returned…”
“Returned?”
For the first time, Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao’s face revealed true astonishment.
Even upon learning Master Shang was slain unseen by every guard—he kept composure. His expression now bordered on disbelief.
“Why would he come back?”
“Does he truly—can he be unaware how grave this is?”
Three Nine Immortals Sect Elders exchanged understanding glances—the severity instantly clear. Though proper boundaries prevented Lu Xiao from elaborating his scheme during their planning, certain points emerged previously: capturing the Ghost Officall remained important—a major goal—but indeed secondary. Others likely thought sending Bai Huaiyu away served merely distraction while secret preparations at Lingwu Sect hunted the Ghost Official. But truth was different; returning Young Master Bai ranked primacy among his aims.
Reasons unspoken—yet clear command given: Bai Huaiyu absolutely must go back and remain securely guarded within the Bai Family!
“It…it’s also Old Master Fan…”
More reports streamed urgently.
“Old Master Fan accompanied him back…”
“They say en route, they encountered Old Master Fan and all returned together…”
……
“Old Master Fan arrived?”
All startled instantly: “We must welcome him!”
……
……
“Old Master Fan graces us?”
Deep within the side hall, Fang Cun, He Zhenzhang, and others heard this news—some surprise mixed with expectance.
“I knew Young Master Bai would return. But Old Master Fan journeyed back to Qingjiang too—that exceeds expectation.”
“You foresaw Young Master Bai’s return?”
He Zhenzhang sounded even more confused than before, utterly mystified.
“Young Master Bai’s return is necessary!”
Fang Cun’s smile held amusement. “Without it, Divine Eye Young Master Lu held fifty percent control…”
“Only with Young Master Bai safely back behind family walls could Lu Xiao consider his plan whole…”
“…”
“…”
“More baffled than ever! How’s Young Master Bai the true key piece?”
He Zhenzhang gritted teeth in frustration.
“Enough of that—outside now teems with lively arrivals. Better you all quickly pay respects rather than risk rudeness!”
Fang Cun’s easy tone implied dismissal—a gesture toward the door.
Nearby stood Little Fox—eyes glimmering hopeful as he watched his master.
“You stay back,” Fang Cun commanded. “Children shouldn’t crave such crowded moments!”
Little Fox lowered his head quietly, silently slunk back, then kicked a stray pebble clear across the hall.
He Zhenzhang and Meng Qing’er stared, confused: “You want us visiting Old Master Fan…now?
“And where does that leave you?”
“There’s one small thing to complete first.”
Fang Cun enjoyed one last sip of tea, smiling calmly. “Follow soon myself; you needn’t wait.”
Unsuspecting—plus restless from seeing this long night grow livelier—they finally yielded. Off they went through vibrant paths, until only silence reigned inside the hall. Alone now—except for Little Fox absorbed practicing characters nearby—Fang Cun slowly put down his cup. Next, a sutra scroll claimed his attention as a lone candle burned beside him. Flame-light flickered. An aura of chill silence settled upon that vast chamber.
Flick-flicker…
Candle flames trembled unnaturally.
Fang Cun placed his sutra aside casually without alarm. Still gazing out into emptiness—empty hall, empty space: he smiled gently.
“Well? How went the journey?”
Little Fox looked too—saw absolutely nothing. His fur along the neck stood alert.
Fang Cun remained patiently still…and still—no answer came. Only silence echoing faintly.
Then he spoke again as though it were logical conversation.
“When did your Ghost Official killings truly begin?”
The hall stayed void-deep. Speaking to spirits? Little Fox froze—ears ramrod stiff!
Yet: nothingness…complete hush.
“Little Sect Master Xu…”
Fang Cun sighed at last—fingertips pressing gently between tired brows. “Not even words truly shared—between us—are possible?”
Little Fox gaped, stunned!
The vacant hall—deeply silent. Finally!
Like water disturbed by an unseen touch—ripples disturbed quiet emptiness. Slowly, slowly—a dim silhouette solidified at the chamber’s heart.
Cloaked in darkest black; behind his shoulders rested an immensely long blade—one full person’s height. Beside him drifted one pitch-black seal suspended in space—sinuous threads of malevolent energy curling round it: wild, fierce—strangely neither wholly wicked nor alien. It merged, seamless with surrounding reality. This connection bound also to the black-robed figure himself till his presence seemed indistinct—half-illusory.
That presence faced Fang Cun directly. And Fang Cun watched steadily.
Moments passed—both silent. Then—the figure raised one hand calmly—
And pulled down his concealing mask.
It revealed Young Sect Master Xu.