Chapter 228: Finding a Needle in the Ocean

“Anyone who committed crimes would leave traces!”

Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao smiled as he replied. “On the way here, I’ve looked into it. This Ghost Official has brought chaos for years, committing countless crimes. Only because he’s thorough, possesses strange methods, and acts unpredictably has he evaded capture. Yet, after so many years of such evil, countless clues must remain. Even the tiniest traces, gathered together, should be substantial. Thanks to the Heavens, I, Lu Xiao, possess some minor skills. If I could examine all the dossiers related to this Ghost Official, expend some effort to carefully analyze them, perhaps I could discover some clues!”

Fang Cun listened, giving no sign of approval or disapproval. He smiled. “You know, the county mansion suffered a major fire not long ago. Quite a few dossiers were burned!”

Hearing this, Young Master Bai and the others sitting silently nearby immediately looked rather displeased.

That fire had been set intentionally to conceal matters. None of them expected it would now become an obstacle to investigating the Ghost Official.

“Indeed, some were burned, but many remain,” Lu Xiao answered softly. “I believe these will be sufficient. Besides, the fire mostly destroyed older, closed cases. The records for the three recent attacks committed by the Ghost Official are intact. By studying them carefully, perhaps crucial clues can be found. So my idea is simple: to investigate this Ghost Official, perhaps we should start from these three cases…”

“Oh?”

The surrounding cultivators each had their own thoughts, seemingly calculating the possible consequences.

“Therefore, this junior presumes to ask…”

Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao stood up at this point, cupping his hands respectfully towards the group. “I humbly request that you esteemed seniors trust Lu Xiao this once. Support me fully and gather all the dossiers related to the Ghost Official’s cases for me. My senses are somewhat keen; I might spot some faint traces!”

Everyone around was momentarily taken aback. They exchanged thoughtful glances, not rushing to express their stance.

“Agreed!”

But precisely at that moment, a loud shout came from outside the hall. Looking over, the cultivators saw Magistrate Xue of Qingjiang County Prefecture and a group of secretaries surging into the hall amidst swirling clouds, led by Lingwu Sect disciples. Brimming with urgency and even suppressed fury, without any pleasantries, Magistrate Xue declared harshly, “This Ghost Official stirs trouble without regard for consequence! Now, the scandal of our Qingjiang has reached the Divine Palace! Thinking of living easy days? Forget it! Though Old Master Fan isn’t in Qingjiang, he sends word: this time, spare no effort in capturing the villainous Ghost Official!”

“Whoever captures the Ghost Official will be heavily rewarded!”

“Whoever is willing to capture the Ghost Official will have the full cooperation of my office!”

The cultivators in the hall were startled, rising collectively in greeting. They could see Magistrate Xue and the Divine Generals were travel-stained, dust covering their robes, their eyes filled with simmering anxiety. Evidently, the chaos wrought by the Ghost Official had driven them to the brink of madness…

“Magistrate Xue, I thank you…”

Hearing this, Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao offered a light bow and expressed his gratitude in a calm tone.

Meanwhile, Young Master Bai turned to look at Fang Cun. Whatever crossed his mind, he suddenly voiced a loud agreement. At this point, no one knew what exactly Divine Eye Young Master could uncover. However, among the three most recent Ghost Official cases, the first was related to the Seven Clans, the second involved Second Young Master Fang, and the third… out of the three cases, the Seven Clans suffered the worst losses, with the most people killed.

Yet, for this very reason, the Seven Clans seemed the least suspicious, meaning the trail might lead to a dead end, making them hardest to investigate.

Unlike Second Young Master Fang…

…

“Leaving aside what astonishing skills Divine Eye Young Master might possess, the fact is, if the Six Great Sects of Qingjiang Prefecture, the Seven Clans, and even the County Mansion truly unite their efforts toward one goal, the power they wield is extraordinary. Downright terrifying. You might even call it omnipotent!”

“Regardless of how cleverly we’ve schemed, how cunning our plans, or how deep we hide… there is no escape!”

“It’s like a shadow beneath the sun. Clear as day…”

After Fang Cun returned from meeting Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao, Lin Jiyi and the others had already heard of it. Whether it was Lady Hongtao, Ghost Scholar, or the others, their expressions turned serious. Back then, they arranged for people to impersonate the Ghost Official and eliminate the Seven Clan’s ‘Ghost Officials’. The cover-up was executed extremely well – certainly better than what the Seven Clans managed. But if the entire Qingjiang Prefecture focused its eyes on this matter… how could they hide?

“Truly impossible to hide?”

Fang Cun smiled, raising his head to glance at Lin Jiyi.

Lin Jiyi’s expression tightened. He considered it seriously for a moment, then still said, “Impossible.”

Fang Cun accepted the tea handed over by Little Fox, patted her small head, a touch of approval in his eyes. He had appreciated her kicking that big dog earlier, but praising a child for fighting wasn’t good, so he didn’t comment directly.

Addressing the problem raised by Lin Jiyi and the others, he asked, “Then, can it be handled?”

Lin Jiyi hesitated slightly, then bowed slightly. “There are many methods…”

…

The whole afternoon, He Zhenzhang seemed to wander near Fang Cun quite intentionally.

When Fang Cun was meditating on scriptures, He Zhenzhang quietly instructed Little Fox in calligraphy nearby. When Fang Cun drank tea, He Zhenzhang drank the best third brew himself. When Fang Cun got up for a walk by the hall’s edge, He Zhenzhang also drifted over aimlessly. He pretended to gaze thoughtfully at the distant mountains, full of emotion. In the end, it was Meng Qing’er who couldn’t stand it first. She strode over decisively, shoved He Zhenzhang aside, and demanded, “So, what do we do?”

“What about what do we do?”

Fang Cun could see both of them seemed eager to say something. He asked curiously.

“Now that Divine Eye Young Master from the Nine Immortals Sect has built himself a divine platform. They say he’s about to use some divine technique…”

He Zhenzhang mumbled softly.

Fang Cun looked puzzled. “So what?”

He Zhenzhang choked, feeling utterly wronged, awkwardly unsure how to respond.

Meng Qing’er gritted her teeth in frustration. She faced Fang Cun directly. “Second Young Master Fang, I’ll be blunt. Earlier, I went over to the Nine Immortals Sect under the pretense of visiting Sister Zhixue. I probed for you as well. They say that Divine Eye Young Master has innate skills. He can see through illusions and perceive truth. Since he’s come to investigate this Ghost Official business… you… this time you really won’t be able to hide!”

“Hide?”

Fang Cun looked at her and couldn’t help but laugh.

“Are you treating the two of us as fools?”

Meng Qing’er, furious, smacked He Zhenzhang on the shoulder. She said to Fang Cun, resentfully, “We’ve both been glued to your side all this time! Even if you act perfectly, we see through it! That whole Ghost Official business? First round was the Seven Clans. The second one was definitely you! Now, that guy will focus on these bloody cases. Aren’t you afraid they might find some evidence? Some clue?”

“Hmm…”

Fang Cun gave them a sidelong glance.

Calling them fools might be too harsh, but viewing them as somewhat naive kids wasn’t far off.

Yet, these weren’t foolish children.

“Then let him investigate…” Fang Cun smiled. “Isn’t there another matter far more important to us?”

He Zhenzhang and Meng Qing’er both widened their eyes, looking at him with confusion.

“Yu Qingli!”

Fang Cun sighed. “How our old classmate will overcome that hurdle is what concerns me most right now…”

“This…”

For a moment, both Meng Qing’er and He Zhenzhang looked rather strange. They could tell Fang Cun meant his words sincerely. As classmates, they were naturally very concerned about Yu Qingli’s plight. But still… witnessing Fang Cun seemingly indifferent even though his own actions might soon be exposed? Truly unbothered?

“Don’t worry about that.”

Fang Cun smiled reassuringly at them. “He’s just a kid anyway.”

…

Night fell. When the stars grew sparse.

On a small hill southwest of Lingwu Sect, a divine platform had also been built.

Amidst the watchful eyes of several Elders, Divine Eye Young Master Lu Xiao, the inheritor of the Nine Immortals Sect’s sacred texts, gently lifted his robe and ascended the platform step by step. Under the canopy of stars, he sat quietly cross-legged. In the night’s embrace, his jade-like eyes shone particularly bright, radiating a spiritual light.

“Begin.”

After sitting peacefully for a while, he uttered softly.

Thus, with a transmission of his divine sense, numerous people in both Lingwu Sect and Qingjiang City sprang into action.

Below the platform, Magistrate Xue and his entourage wore expressions etched with gravity, even anticipation. The Ghost Official case occurring near Lingwu Sect had piled immense pressure on them, forcing their direct involvement. Regrettably, the crime scene had clearly been sanitized by experts, yielding scant clues. Their only recourse was to meticulously comb through the vast archives for nuance.

Yet, transporting the volumes was impossible. They remained stored in Qingjiang City.

Thorough examination would require shuttling back and forth, painstakingly poring over documents.

Thus, Divine Eye Young Master’s solution astounded them. He merely constructed the platform and commanded Qingjiang’s forces to conduct remote cooperation.

It truly sparked deep curiosity.

“Now!” Lu Xiao spoke gently, extending his hand fluidly.

Immediately, the space surrounding his platform shimmered with points of sacred brilliance, like countless windows opening onto the void. Through them, scrolls and dossiers – some ancient, some fresh – materialized intermittently, floating directly before him.

A peculiar light flickered deep within Lu Xiao’s eyes. An invisible wind seemed to rise, rifling through the stacks of pages. They rustled madly, flipping past at a speed that rendered the text a blur to any observer.

Yet he merely glanced at each one, then casually discarded it, letting the stacks pile beside him.

…

“How could he see anything at that speed?”

A Divine General below the platform exclaimed, shocked.

“That’s my senior brother Lu’s innate skill! Others see nothing. Yet, whatever he wishes to see, he sees it all!” announced a Nine Immortals Sect disciple, his gaze fixed reverently upon Lu Xiao seated atop the platform. “Its brilliance is beyond imagining! As these documents flash before him, he remembers every detail. Once done, he cross-references all information, filtering through it, isolating inconsistencies… any flaw seems capable of exposing the Ghost Official….”

“Ha! With Senior Brother Lu’s Divine Eye,” the disciple replied, fervent near-delight coloring his tone, “even finding a needle in the Chaos Sea would be possible…”

“How could petty schemes hidden by men,” his voice dropped low, charged with conviction, “ever stand a chance?”