Chapter 37: Following the Trail


    Big brother, I heard from our father that the Valiant Defenders were impeached by the imperial court because they were too domineering, and they lost their enforcement power in the inner city as a result. From the looks of it now, they are not just domineering but corrupt too! Fang Zhixue eximed.


    <em>Big brother? </em>Grandpa Lu and the others stared at Fang Zhixue in a daze before their bodies began trembling non-stop. <em>The person we teased just now is War God Fangs little sister?</em>


    W-War God Fang, please pardon me for failing to recognize you! Lord Xu immediately sped his fist and apologized. <em>No wonder he looks so familiar! He is War God Fang, the person behind the purging of the Greenpine martial artists in the capital not long ago! </em>


    Even the Valiant War Guards dared not mess with the Greenpine martial artists, but War God Fang didnt hesitate to massacre all of them. This matter had be the mostmon topic to talk about in the barracks.


    Centurion Xu, Grandpa Lu is your man? Fang Chen asked.


    Centurion Xus heart skipped a beat. He quickly waved his hand and replied, War God Fang, you have misunderstood. I do know him, but we arent close.


    <em>Not close?!</em> Grandpa Lu was rendered speechless. <em>We drank todayst night, but youre saying we arent close today?</em>


    Do you know why Im here today? Fang Chen asked.


    He sharply eyed Centurion Xu as he spoke, as if trying to figure out how involved thetter was in this matter. Yuan Zhuang also suspected that Centurion Xu was involved in this, prompting him to stare at thetter unblinkingly.


    Im afraid not Confusion shed across Centurion Xus eyes.


    Tell him, Lord Yuan, Fang Chen said.


    Yuan Zhuang slowly recounted the matter. By the time he was halfway through, Centurion Xus face had already turned pale as he sensed that he had gotten dragged into something huge.


    Shortly after I arrived here, this Grandpa Lu came with hisckeys and teased my little sister. Momentster, you arrived with your men. Centurion Xu, may I ask how you are rted to the siblings who went missing here? Fang Chen asked.


    Centurion Xu was flustered. He hurriedly replied with a suppressed voice, War God Fang, I rushed here because I heard theres a fight here. I dont know anything else.


    Oh. Youre saying you coincidentally got involved in this matter. Very well. This Grandpa Lu teased my little sister and threatened the Court of Great Brilliances constables to nevere to Phantom Dragon Street, or theyll have their legs crippled. How do you intend to deal with this? Fang Chen asked.


    War God Fang, I was foolish to have crossed you! Please spare me this once! Grandpa Lu kneeled on the floor and eximed with a quivering voice.


    Centurion Xu nced at Grandpa Lu, and a vicious glint shed across his eyes. He turned to Fang Chen and said, Ill bring him to the barracks and thoroughly question him. Ill make sure to offer you a satisfactory exnation.


    Youre Grandpa Lu, right? Fang Chen turned his attention to Grandpa Lu.


    Please, War God Fang, call me Lil Lu instead. Grandpa Lu shuddered.


    Who ordered you to mess with us and threaten the Court of Great Brilliances constables? Fang Chen asked with a smile. Give me a name.


    Grandpa Lu fell silent. Secondster, he replied with a hushed tone, Someone paid me to keep an eye on Phantom Dragon Street and threaten anyone whoes to this house.


    He described the other partys appearance, but he stopped short of identifying the person.


    Madam Wu heard his words and hurriedly added, Milords, thats the person who paid me too.


    <em>The same person, huh? </em>Fang Chen chuckled. You didnt give me a name. I dont think I can just let this matter slip. Lord Yuan, bring them back to the Court of Great Brilliance and thoroughly interrogate them. Dig up the other crimes they hadmitted and deal with them ordingly.


    Yes! Yuan Zhuang perked up before roaring at the crowd. All of you, get up right now!


    Ill be leaving now. Centurion Xu, you dont have to see me off, Fang Chen said with a smile before taking his leave.


    Yuan Zhuang shot a gleeful look at Centurion Xu before taking his leave too. Centurion Xu, Ill be taking these people back with me to the Court of Great Brilliance to lessen your workload.


    Have a safe journey, Lord Yuan, Centurion Xu said with a strained smile.


    He waited for Fang Chens group to leave before his face turned livid. He noticed that his subordinates were gossiping about Fang Chen, and his eyebrows shot up and he harrumphed. The lot of you are usually loud and rowdy, but why didnt you say a word earlier?


    Milord, thats War God Fang! I wouldnt dare run my mouth before him. I mean, he even burned down Greenpine Superior Dojo! a Valiant Defender said spiritedly. That was so satisfying!


    Right? It was exhrating to see the Greenpine martial artists suffering their karma!


    I was once lucky to have been dispatched to War God Fangs military, but I waster transferred over to the Valiant Defenders. Otherwise, I might have been able to follow him to the Three Realms Mountain five years ago.


    Then you might have been buried there too, one of his colleagues teased.


    Centurion Xus expression turned heavy. He didnt expect to meet Fang Chen in Phantom Dragon Street. What was even terrifying was that he had already offended the War God due to Grandpa Lu.


    This left him uneasy. He felt that something was amiss. Thus, he returned to the barracks with his subordinates and reported this matter upward.


    The chiliarch who received Centurion Xus report nodded before dismissing thetter.


    Not longter, the chiliarch changed his attire and snuck into the inner city. He eventually arrived before an extravagant residence.


    In the Fang Manor, Fang Chen didnt have to wait too long before Tie Ma appeared and whispered into his ear, Young master, the outer citys Chiliarch Zhang Shuzhou has entered the Vice Minister of Rites manor.


    Understood. Fang Chen nodded.


    He waited for Tie Ma to back down before drawing out his soul and making his way over to the Vice Minister of Rites manor.


    In the guest room, Fang Chen saw Chiliarch Zhang Shuzhou and Vice Minister of Rites Qin Dong.


    Lord Qin, you didnt tell me that the Fang n would get involved in this matter. Please take back your money and never look for me again, Zhang Shuzhou coldly said as he took out two banknotes and ced them on the table.


    The banknotes were in a denomination of a thousand, which meant that they totalled up to two thousand taels. This wasnt a small sum of money.


    Qin Dong turned pale. How did War God Fang get involved in this matter?! What does he have to do with this?


    I dont know either. It was bad enough that your missing maid drew the attention of the Court of Great Brilliance in the first ce, and now, yearster, it caught the attention of that person from the Fang n. Lord Qin, I dont know what youre up to, but I dont want to get involved in it.


    After speaking his piece, Zhang Shuzhou stood up and took his leave.


    Qin Dong fell in a daze. Horror could be seen reflected in his eyes.


    To think a Vice Minister like you would lose his bearings as soon as you hear that Fang Chen is involved in this matter. Howughable! A cold harrumph echoed, as an old woman stepped out from a screen partition and looked at Qin Dong in contempt.


    Dont you know what kind of person Fang Chen is? Things will get troublesome now that his suspicion has been piqued. You were the one who did it, so you should be the one to resolve this matter! Qin Dong roared at the old woman.


    <em>A cultivator It looks like there are a handful of Blood Spirit Cultists in the capital.</em> Fang Chen looked at the old woman with a grim expression.