Medical Hall.
After careful examination, Sun Bukong said: “Sect Master, this is a female corpse.”
“…”
Jun Changxiao nearly kicked him all the way to Earth.
Though the corpse had been drained to a withered state, one could roughly tell it was a female corpse from the general form.
After half a day of professional investigation, you came up with a conclusion anyone could see at a glance?
“From the age, this disciple cannot determine it, but before death, she should have appeared as an elderly person.” Sun Bukong added.
Jun Changxiao said: “Any other clues?”
Sun Bukong stroked his chin: “If this disciple hasn’t judged incorrectly, this female corpse suffered severe injuries during life. The meridians within her body were completely shattered.”
Jun Changxiao was surprised: “You can tell that too?”
“Whether human skin is injured or not has great differences. For example…” Sun Bukong began explaining from a medical perspective. Due to confidentiality, I won’t elaborate further.
“Impressive, impressive.”
After hearing his analysis, Jun Changxiao said: “You haven’t wasted this time studying medical arts with Elder Wei.”
Elder Wei said: “I’m only decent at cultivation. My abilities in medical arts are limited. Bukong relies entirely on the medical texts left by the Hundred-Faced Medical Saint to teach himself.”
Jun Changxiao patted Sun Bukong’s shoulder in encouragement: “Study well. The position of Medical Hall Vice Hall Master is waiting for you.”
“Yes!”
Sun Bukong said loudly.
Then he pointed to the corpse’s abdominal area: “Sect Master, this is the injured region. It should have been caused by external force… no, from the injury’s form, it should have been violently struck by someone’s foot.”
Jun Changxiao stroked his chin: “Kicking someone until their meridians shattered—that method is somewhat vicious. Could it have been done by the Soul Clan?”
The system said: “Host, didn’t you kick someone crippled at Taixuan Sacred Sect?”
“…”
Only then did Jun Changxiao remember he’d done such a thing. His expression changed slightly: “This female corpse couldn’t be Elder Qu, could it?”
Age undetermined, an elderly person!
Kick mark on abdomen, meridians shattered during life!
Apart from the clothing not being Taixuan Sacred Sect elder attire, everything was too coincidental!
“After that old hag and Fang Lingyu left the sect, they definitely wouldn’t wear their own sect uniforms. Disguise and transformation are also very possible.” After speculating, Jun Changxiao looked at the dried corpse gravely: “This might really be Elder Qu!”
He was still in the speculation stage until Lu Qianqian walked over and said: “There’s a trace of weak ice-type attribute remaining in the corpse. During life, she should have been an ice-type martial cultivator.”
Jun Changxiao immediately confirmed: “It’s definitely Elder Qu!”
She was dead.
What about Fang Lingyu?
According to intelligence sent from Taixuan Sacred Sect, the two disappeared together, meaning they left together.
“Sect Master.”
Sun Bukong pointed to the corpse’s head: “There are obvious scratch marks here. The spiritual energy was probably extracted from this location.”
Turning his head, he nearly jumped.
Because the Sect Master had somehow swept his hair up, was wearing blue clothes and large glasses, with a red bow tie at his collar.
When did he change outfits? That speed was way too fast!
Jun Changxiao lowered his head and adjusted his glasses: “From the deceased’s body movements, there was no struggle before death, indicating the perpetrator caught the deceased completely off guard.”
“That makes sense.” Xiao Zuiji said.
Sun Bukong roared loudly: “What makes sense! When did you appear, and why are you carrying a modified sound system!”
“Clap!”
Xiao Zuiji turned on the sound system—Detective Conan’s BGM played.
Jun Changxiao’s head lowered further, light flashing across his glasses: “The truth is always one! The perpetrator and the deceased had an extremely close relationship, so she never imagined being suddenly attacked and killed!”
“Sect… Sect Master, what kind of bird language were you speaking just now? I couldn’t understand at all!” Sun Bukong roared.
“The Sect Master means,” Lu Qianqian said, “the one who killed Elder Qu was… Fang Lingyu?”
“Correct!” Jun Changxiao said.
“…”
Sun Bukong nearly fell over.
The Sect Master changed costumes and spoke in foreign languages, yet Grand Senior Sister could follow the conversation and stay on the same wavelength—this was simply inconceivable!
“I see!” Xiao Zuiji stroked his chin.
Sun Bukong was going crazy.
Big Brother, there’s no role for you here at all. Forcing yourself into the scene with a sound system is too much!
Jun Changxiao said: “For the Soul Clan to occupy a human body requires resentment and hatred. Dai Lu was like that. After you severed Fang Lingyu’s hand tendons and destroyed her cultivation, she definitely accumulated powerful resentment and hatred, perfectly meeting the conditions for being possessed.”
“So…”
He adjusted his glasses: “There is only one truth!”
“Fang Lingyu was possessed by the Soul Clan, then absorbed cultivation from Elder Qu when she was defenseless!”
Lu Qianqian said with a cold expression: “In childhood, she was brought back to Taixuan Sacred Sect by Elder Qu, treated as a daughter and raised, yet she could ruthlessly kill her. Utterly devoid of conscience.”
Jun Changxiao didn’t care about what Fang Lingyu did. What he cared about was that if his speculation was correct, another Soul Number Three was lurking on Xingyun Continent!
“Clap!”
He clapped his hands and shook his head: “This Seat has more matters to attend to.”
Fang Lingyu being possessed by the Soul Clan wasn’t frightening. For Dog Sheng, it was actually good news, because at least there was a lead rather than the previous situation of having no clues at all.
“Hall Master Li.”
Jun Changxiao immediately ordered: “Notify all regional intelligence networks—Fang Lingyu must be found. Pay special attention to whether there are withered environments or dried corpses in the wilderness!”
“Yes!”
Li Luoqiu busied herself again.
The entire intelligence system also began operating at high intensity. In a short time, information from various regions came back.
“Sect Master!”
Before long, Li Luoqiu came to report: “A suspicious person has been discovered in the Northern Desert Region!”
“Northern Desert Region?”
Jun Changxiao’s brows furrowed: “That’s where the planar connection’s spacetime tunnel is. Could Soul Number Three want to return?”
Soul Number One had been disciplined by Er Ya for a long time and confessed everything, so Dog Sheng was quite knowledgeable in this area.
For instance, last time in the Northern Desert Region, when he brought Ye Xingchen and Shangguan Xingyao to reinforce the Array Emperor’s formation, they happened to encounter Dai Lu—that was instigated by Soul Number One.
It had two purposes: first, to return to its own world, fully recover its cultivation, and completely control its host body; second, to transmit information to its kind, so they could soon return to wreak havoc on Xingyun Continent.
“It seems.”
Jun Changxiao stroked his chin: “Soul Number Three’s situation is the same as Soul Number One’s—urgently wanting to return to the Soul Clan Continent as quickly as possible.”
“Kekeke!”
He covered his face and let out the peculiar laugh only villains have: “Since you’ve come, how can you leave!”
“Whoosh—”
Above the Eternal Sect, Jun Changxiao transformed into a streak of light and sped away, heading toward the Northern Desert Region.
Li Luoqiu shook her head: “The Soul Clan, which disrupted the Ancient Era and caused the continent to split apart, has now encountered the Sect Master. They’ve truly had eighteen generations of terrible luck.”
…
Northern Desert Region.
Fang Lingyu was rushing through the yellow sands.
Soul Number Three residing in her body kept brainwashing her along the way, completely unaware that it had barely appeared before being exposed!
—