Chapter 222: Ghost Walked Amid Mortals

Hearing this news, everyone was stunned for a moment.

The Ghost Official, unseen for so long, how could he have committed three bloody cases one after another in just a single day?

Usually, the mere appearance of the Ghost Official committing just one case was enough to stir up huge waves in Qingjiang Prefecture. Yet now, he had suddenly committed three in a row. Anyone present found this shocking news hard to digest.

“Go!”

The first to react was the Sect Leader of Lingwu Sect. He urgently stepped upon a cloud and sped towards the mountains. Even Fang Cun, after a moment’s focus, instructed He Zhenzhang and Meng Qing’er to take care of Yu Qingli, while he himself soared on a cloud to follow them. However, whether intentionally or not, the Lingwu Sect Leader and the Elders seemed wary of him, instinctively keeping their distance.

But these people didn’t dare to pull away from Fang Cun either, maintaining approximately the same speed as him.

Given their cultivation levels, it didn’t take long before they arrived at the scene of the bloodshed. Located in the mountains about a hundred and fifty li from Lingwu Sect, the place was now strewn with mutilated corpses, looking like a scene from a hellscape painting.

The Qi Refiners from the Seven Clans who had left Lingwu Sect earlier — including Second Master Hu, the old shopkeeper of Wan Tong Trading House, and the Golden Core Refiners they had recruited as patrons — all lay scattered lifeless across the mountainside. Strangely, everyone’s death was identical: decapitated, as if they had taken a turn on the executioner’s block, the wounds extremely neat and clean.

Not far away, a Dharma Ship had crash-landed, its hull similarly split cleanly in half.

Judging by the state of the bodies, it seemed these people, after leaving Lingwu Sect, immediately boarded the Dharma Ship, intending to rush towards Great Qingjiang City. Their goal was likely to investigate the Ghost Official who had stolen the Seven Clans’ dossier and uncover his true identity. Yet, they had barely traveled two hundred li from Lingwu Sect when the Ghost Official intercepted them. None escaped alive…

“Sect Leader, Second… Second Young Master Fang…”

A Steward from Lingwu Sect had circled the area and rushed over to report.

While addressing his Sect Leader, he noticed Fang Cun beside him. He hesitated for a moment but still bowed respectfully before pointing into the distance. “Over there… there’s a Decapitation Order left by the Ghost Official, and… and the imprint of a Ghost Seal. Only… we don’t know if they are real!”

Fang Cun and Liang Xiangzi, the Sect Leader of Lingwu Sect, flew over simultaneously.

On a green rock beside the hilltop that resembled an execution ground, they saw a green token.

The token seemed freshly carved from bamboo. A bloody character for “Decapitate” (斩) was written on it in fresh blood. Below this character were the words “Fifteen” (壹拾伍), matching the number of decapitated victims in the scene. It appeared utterly ordinary. The only astonishing thing was that the bamboo token had been thrust into the solid rock itself, lending an air of the bizarre and unnatural.

In mortal courts, a Decapitation Order is issued before executing a criminal!

And this Ghost Official… he too issued a Decapitation Order before killing!

Additionally, in the northwest direction, faintly floating in the air, was an imprint. Within the imprint, the words “My Heart Repairs the Law, Ghost Walked Amid Mortals” (吾心补道，鬼行人法) were vaguely visible. It was unclear when it had been made, but it lingered stubbornly, a truly odd phenomenon.

“It’s real… it really is the Ghost Official!”

The Lingwu Sect Leader glanced at the bamboo Decapitation Order, then at the Ghost Seal imprint, his face turning slightly green. He suddenly turned to Fang Cun, his voice low and tense. “This… what on earth is going on? This place is at least two or three days’ journey from Qingjiang City. The Ghost Official… how could he commit two major crimes in Qingjiang first, then suddenly run outside my Lingwu Sect to kill people in such a short time? And how could he possibly… decapitate fifteen Golden Core Refiners without alarming anyone!?”

Even as a Sect Leader, his words carried a distinct chill.

The Lingwu disciples who had accompanied him for investigation were even more terrified, afraid to even breathe loudly.

Previously, there had only been legends of the Ghost Official in Qingjiang Prefecture. Though no one had seen his true form, many speculated he was likely just a Golden Core Refiner. Admittedly, Golden Core was powerful, but not terrifyingly so!

But now… if the Ghost Official could travel from Qingjiang to Lingwu Sect in a single day to kill… and if he slaughtered fifteen Golden Core Refiners in one go — each possessing their own magical arts or protective Magic Treasures, even accompanied by a Dharma Ship — even if they were no match for him, couldn’t they send a message or make some noise at all?

If the Ghost Official’s power suppressed them so utterly… just how high was his cultivation?

Nascent Soul level? Or even higher?

……

Just as the Lingwu Sect Leader turned to look at him, the questioning look in his eyes stark and clear, Fang Cun let out a soft breath. He then turned his head to look casually at the Sect Leader and said, “Perhaps the most important thing right now isn’t guessing the Ghost Official’s cultivation level.”

Meeting the Sect Leader’s suspicion, he casually picked up the bamboo token, causing a ripple of low, startled gasps around him.

Fang Cun said, “The important thing… should be to consider why he wanted to kill these people…”

The Lingwu Sect Leader’s eyes snapped wide open. Countless Elders and disciples nearby pricked up their ears.

The Ghost Official had appeared in Qingjiang Prefecture several years prior. In those years, he had committed countless bloody cases. Yet, these cases seemed loosely connected at best. He had killed evil bandits who robbed merchants and wantonly murdered innocents; he had killed Demons lurking in the city, stealing people’s life force; he had slaughtered the entire family, old and young, of a good household; he had killed a Qi Refiner living a secluded life of purity; he had even killed street punks…

There seemed to be no pattern to his crimes, as if he acted purely on whims.

And this very randomness was why Qingjiang Prefecture had been unable to track him!

Regardless, this time he had killed fifteen Golden Core Refiners from the Seven Clans – another horrifying event. Among those fifteen Golden Cores were at least three or four who were pivotal figures within the Seven Clans. Even just counting the number – fifteen Golden Cores – this was a bloodshed substantial enough to shake the entire Qingjiang Prefecture! How many Golden Core cultivators did Qingjiang actually have?

Moreover, why did he first commit two major crimes in Qingjiang, then suddenly run to kill outside Lingwu Sect? What was his purpose?

“Second… Second Young Master Fang figured it out?”

The Lingwu Sect Leader felt a growing terror as he thought it over and asked urgently.

“Quite certain!”

Fang Cun offered no lengthy explanation, merely stating calmly. “He didn’t go to a specific place to find them; he intercepted them on the road. That naturally means he was specifically targeting these people. Why not kill them earlier, why not kill them later? He specifically chose to kill right after two bloody cases occurred in Great Qingjiang City. And he killed precisely these Qi Refiners who were heading out to investigate him. Isn’t his motive obvious enough?”

The Lingwu Sect Leader focused intently. “Silencing them?”

“Or revenge!”

Fang Cun smiled lightly. “Someone committing crimes under his name… surely he wouldn’t be happy!”

The Lingwu Sect Leader’s eyes instantly widened. “This…”

“Sect Leader Liang, let’s not play dumb!”

Fang Cun smiled as he looked at him. “Who really broke into the prison in Qingjiang City? Who did the killing and the burning of the dossier? Was it the real Ghost Official, or someone committing crimes under his banner? Surely you’re not blind to this? Do you truly not know who the mastermind behind it is?”

“I…”

The Sect Leader started to speak but then closed his mouth.

Could the Ghost Official truly have come for revenge because Qi Refiners from the Seven Clans ordered someone to commit bloody deeds in his name?

“But if that’s the case…”

Endless questions arose in the Lingwu Sect Leader’s mind.

If true, then neither of the two Qingjiang cases was committed by the real Ghost Official?

Then the second case…

Fang Cun cut him off with a smile. “If I were you, I’d be thinking about a different matter!”

The Lingwu Sect Leader pressed urgently. “What?”

Fang Cun said, “The Ghost Official slaughtered so many people in one go; he must have been extremely angry. Now that he’s started this killing spree, he probably won’t easily spare the mastermind behind it all. Fifteen are now dead… but there’s still one living back within your Lingwu Sect. Do you think the Ghost Official, having revealed himself so rarely, would be satisfied to just call it quits? Or… would he finish the job?”

“Young Master Bai?!”

The Lingwu Sect Leader snapped to realization, shouting urgently, “Quick! Quickly send word back to the sect! Activate the Mountain Protection Array!”

While shouting orders, he commanded one Elder and four disciples to remain behind to guard the corpses and report to the County Mansion. He and the other Elders could think of nothing else; they were desperate to rush back to the sect immediately.

In his deal with Fang Cun, he had already sold out an Elder recommended by the Seven Clans. He absolutely could not let Young Master Bai die within his walls!

After all, in terms of status, Young Master Bai and Elder Xue were not on the same level.

Regarding the gruesome scene, even as Sect Leader, he dared not handle things rashly. He could only leave an Elder to guard the area and wait for investigators from the Qingjiang Prefecture County Mansion. Admittedly, the Elder left behind was far from pleased; who wouldn’t be afraid with the Ghost Official around? But the Sect Leader’s orders were given; what choice did he have but to obey?

While the Lingwu Sect Leader frantically arranged things, Fang Cun simply watched quietly on the side.

When the Sect Leader turned to leave, Fang Cun followed silently.

Perhaps a question surfaced in his mind…

If the Ghost Official truly sought revenge because someone committed murders in his name…

Did he just take revenge on the Seven Clans’ Qi Refiners… or would he include everyone associated?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt a chill run down the back of his neck. He gave an uneasy shrug, inwardly wondering:

If I send a message now to summon Master Qin to come act as a bodyguard… would it even be in time?