Nightwatcher

# 324. Li Miaozhen Enters the Capital

Master and servant, human and ghost, parted the tall grass, searching for a while before finding a corpse in the knee-high thicket.

The body was dressed in a black, tight-fitting outfit, decapitated, with a rolled steel blade still gripped in one hand. The wound on the neck, wide enough to fit a bowl, had dried and blackened—indicating he had been dead for at least two hours, if not longer.

“This must be the result of some jianghu grudge, the resentful energy still hangs strong. We should bury him to prevent his body from rotting away under the open sky. In seven days, he may transform into a malevolent spirit,” Susu suggested. As a "Mei" demon, she sensed a thick aura of resentment.

Such intense resentment could easily turn the deceased into a vengeful ghost in seven days. Of course, such spirits couldn't exist for long—they would vanish within a few hours to several days. However, this mountain path wasn’t deserted. If travellers passed by before the spirit dissipated, they might be attacked—falling gravely ill or even dying.

Susu believed it was best to prevent such a situation from happening.

“With resentment this deep, something significant must have happened to him in life, leaving him unwilling to let go. I’ll try summoning his soul to find out what it was,” Li Miaozhen pondered aloud.

“No way, no way, Master, do you really think of yourself as a heroine?”

Susu hopped on the spot, saying, “You’re the Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect. In the future, you're supposed to transcend emotions. Matters of life and death, love and hate—these are but passing clouds to you. You must act with detached justice, untouched by feelings or emotion.

“The heroine act is just a disguise we’ve adopted, that’s all. Heaven’s highest virtue is to use personal gains for the public good. When you can observe the love and hate of the world with cold eyes, unaffected, neither stopping nor interfering, then you’ll have achieved true enlightenment.”

“Shut up already!”

Li Miaozhen snapped impatiently. “Do you need to lecture me on the core philosophy of the Heaven Sect? Yes, detachment is the goal, but how can one forget feelings without first understanding them? Do you think detachment comes from mere wishful thinking?”

Besides, she saw nothing wrong with helping the oppressed. Why do some people always lament the coldness of the world? It’s because too few are willing to meddle in the affairs of others. If everyone had a heart for justice and a willingness to intervene, the world would not be so cold.

Li Miaozhen moved the body to the roadside and ordered Susu to take out three bamboo tubes containing black sludge, black blood, and many yin-aspect medicinal herbs.

The black sludge was mainly composed of the mud dug from a mass grave, mixed with various yin-based materials.

The black blood was primarily menstrual blood, drawn from virgins born at a yin hour, supplemented by other yin ingredients.

The herbs were ones that grew in places of extreme yin.

Since the corpse had been dead for a while and left exposed, it was impossible to directly summon the spirit. Furthermore, attempting to forcibly summon it in the presence of sunlight would cause it to instantly dissipate.

Susu deftly mixed the three materials into “ink” and pulled out a brush with a handle made from a finger bone, dipping it in the concoction before handing it to Li Miaozhen.

Li Miaozhen painted strange characters on the corpse, some flamboyant and distorted, others subtle and restrained, chanting all the while. As the formation took shape, gusts of cold wind swirled around them, and the sun seemed to lose its warmth.

When the final stroke was completed, the cold wind gathered fragments of a soul, converging from the roadside, the thicket, and the sky itself… until a shadowy figure formed above the body.

It was a thin man, his gaze vacant, hovering listlessly over his corpse.

Li Miaozhen furrowed her brow. The Daoist path was well-versed in dealing with spirits, and with a single glance, she could tell this spirit was severely damaged—likely specifically attacked with soul-damaging attacks before death.

Yet, the attacker was probably just a martial artist, lacking the means to completely annihilate the spirit.

“Who are you?” Li Miaozhen asked, extending a finger to feed a wisp of yin energy to nourish the soul.

The spirit’s expression softened slightly under the influence of the yin energy, and he mumbled, “Blood runs three thousand miles… blood runs three thousand miles… we plead the court… send troops… to suppress…”

No matter how many times Li Miaozhen questioned him, the spirit repeated this single phrase and said nothing more.

“Blood runs three thousand miles…” Li Miaozhen repeated with a serious expression.

“What should we do with him?” Susu had sensed the gravity of the situation.

“His soul is incomplete. To extract more information, it needs to be nurtured, but that’s a long process. We can’t rely on it in the short term.” Li Miaozhen’s gaze shifted to the body, and she had a sudden inspiration:

“If we can identify who he is, perhaps we can uncover more about what he was trying to convey.”

“Master is right,” Susu nodded obediently, then asked, “How do we investigate?”

*How would I know…* Li Miaozhen fell silent, racking her brains and recalling the time in Yunzhou, when she worked alongside Xu Qi’an to solve a case.

She tried to imitate Xu Qi’an’s way of thinking to unravel the mystery of this corpse, but failed.

In the ensuing silence, Susu whispered, “If that boy were still alive, he’d definitely have a way.”

*So you thought of him too?* Li Miaozhen nodded imperceptibly and said, “He’s the best investigator I’ve ever met. Yes, let’s take the corpse back to the capital and hand it over to the Constabulary.

“This person was killed not far from the capital—he was most likely intercepted.”

With that, Li Miaozhen pulled out a fragment of the Earth Book, holding it up to the body. A flash of light, and the corpse vanished. Then, she opened the scented sachet at her waist, gathering the fragmented soul inside.

The unexpected interruption made the pair lose interest in their leisurely stroll. Li Miaozhen tucked Susu into the sachet, summoned her flying sword, and leapt gracefully onto the blade.

With a “whoosh,” the flying sword shot through the sky.

A quarter of an hour later, she saw the imposing silhouette of the capital, and the villages and towns surrounding it like a constellation of stars.

Li Miaozhen descended from her flying sword, landing just outside the city. The sentient sword sheathed itself automatically.

“Whoosh!”

She shook a small jade mirror, and from its reflective surface emerged a lifelike paper doll, with bamboo strips for bones and a delicately painted face.

A puff from her sachet, and Susu, in the form of a greenish mist, floated into the paper doll, animating it.

The paper doll suddenly came alive—its eyes seemed to twinkle, and the paper body transformed into flesh, donning a billowing gown.

The master and servant exchanged a knowing smile and entered the capital.

“Master, it’s my first time in the capital! They say it’s the most prosperous city in all of the Great Feng, the prime of the land!” Susu chirped, eagerly looking around after passing through the city gates.

“Compose yourself. Your combined years of life as human and spirit add up to nearly forty,” Li Miaozhen said, making her way to the bulletin board by the city wall.

In every city she visited, she had the habit of checking the notice board. It would have official announcements, including edicts from the court and wanted posters.

“Master, you’re at it again! This is the capital, where experts are as numerous as clouds. Even if there were wanted criminals, it’s not your job to enforce justice.” Susu said, twirling her red paper parasol to shield herself from the sun.

At this moment, she saw Li Miaozhen's body suddenly go rigid, her eyes slowly widening, staring at a certain notice on the wall with an expression of disbelief.

It was rare for her to lose her composure like this. What did she see? Curious, Susu moved closer to stand alongside Li Miaozhen and look at the proclamation.

The next moment, she opened her almond-shaped eyes wide, her rosy lips slightly parted, as if she had seen a ghost... No, that comparison wasn’t right—more like seeing a Daoist come to deliver divine justice.

Whether it was due to shock or excitement, the hand holding the red umbrella trembled slightly.

...

The afternoon sun was quite intense. Xu Qi'an led a patrol of Bronze Gongs through the streets. Not long ago, Wei Yuan had adopted his suggestion, and on that basis, organised a temporary squad—a team composed of jianghu individuals.

Their task was to maintain order in the capital, and the imperial court provided them with generous remuneration and rewards.

This policy was brilliant because it addressed the root of public disorder. Why were theft and robbery so frequent?

It was because most jianghu wanderers were vagrants without a stable livelihood. With the high cost of living in the capital, how could they survive without stealing?

Providing them with a way to earn a living—letting them maintain public order—was using one weapon to defeat another. Of course, each team of jianghu enforcers would be monitored by official forces, just in case they themselves turned corrupt.

After several days of a severe crackdown, the jianghu folk who had flooded into the capital had become much more obedient.

So, Xu Qi'an decided to visit the Goulan for some music.

*When one's basic needs are met, the next pursuit is a higher level of enjoyment—spiritual satisfaction. This world has no computers, no games to play, no movies to watch. The only way to maintain a respectable lifestyle is to go to the Goulan, watch performances, and listen to music...*

Xu Qi'an led the Bronze Gongs into the district, requested a private booth, and sipped tea while eating fruits, watching the show in the main hall.

Suddenly, he felt a familiar lurch in his heart.

Xu Qi'an turned his back to the others to shield their view, and pulled out his Book of the Earth fragment. A glance left him utterly astonished.

【TWO: Xu Qi'an is still alive?!】

【TWO: Why didn't anyone tell me that Xu Qi'an was still alive? Why didn't you tell me?!】

After these two messages, there was only silence.

【FOUR: Hmm? Li Miaozhen didn’t know Xu Qi'an was still alive?】

Chu Yuanzhen's transmission expressed confusion.

【ONE: After the Yunzhou case, she’s been roaming around constantly. Not knowing about Xu Qi'an's resurrection is normal. However, with the news of the contest, it was only a matter of time before she found out. Heh, she formed a deep bond with Xu Qi'an in Yunzhou, so it's not surprising she’s so worked up.】

Why does One sound like they’re gloating? Xu Qi'an felt his heart sink.

【SIX: Why isn’t Two saying anything?】

Hengyuan also joined the conversation.

After a moment of hesitation, Xu Qi'an carefully phrased a message he intended to send: 【THREE: Two, I have something I need to tell you...】

Before he could transmit the message, everyone in the chat group saw a transmission from Daoist Jinlian: 【Li Miaozhen has already arrived in the capital.】

After that, no more messages were received.

On the street, Li Miaozhen, her body trembling, held the Book of the Earth fragment in a shaking hand, slowly typing out a message: 【Xu Qi'an, you bastard! How long were you planning to deceive us?】

The transmission was sent, but there was no response.

Li Miaozhen grew even more furious, her body quivering with indignation as she typed: 【Could it be... you all knew he was Number Three and conspired to deceive me?】

That was the only explanation for why no one had mentioned Xu Qi'an's survival, and why everyone had fallen silent at that moment.

【NINE: Miaozhen, they didn’t know Xu Qi'an's true identity. As for how he survived, it’s a long story. I'll give you an address—come and find me.】

Li Miaozhen finally received Daoist Jinlian’s mesage.

Li Miaozhen stared at the message on her mirror, her emotions a jumble, unsure whether she felt angry, happy, or perhaps... embarrassed?

"Master, is that kid really alive?"

As the transmission ended, Susu couldn’t wait to ask, her flawless face displaying a mix of nervousness and joy, as if the man's life meant a great deal to her.

Li Miaozhen stifled her anger and nodded curtly.

Recalling how she’d often lamented the heavens' cruelty with her ghostly companion, how tragic it was for Xu Qi'an to die so young, she now felt an overwhelming desire to cover her face and disappear from shame.

Susu felt the same, so master and servant exchanged glances, and then, tacitly, both looked away.

...

【NINE: Li Miaozhen is already in the city. Do you want to meet her? I managed to block her, but what's inevitable is inevitable.】

In the entertainment district, Xu Qi'an received Daoist Jinlian's transmission.

*Nicely done, Daoist!* Xu Qi'an's brows lifted, a smile crossing his face, and he replied: 【I’m willing to see her.】

【NINE: Come to my residence.】

Xu Qi'an put away the Book of the Earth fragment and tossed a few pieces of silver onto the table. "I have some business to attend to. After you’ve finished drinking, continue your patrol."

"Yes, Boss."

...

In the outer city, outside a small courtyard shaded by willow trees.

Dressed in Daoist robes, Li Miaozhen lightly knocked on the door. After a few breaths, the gate opened of its own accord, and Daoist Jinlian’s gentle voice came from inside: “Please, come in.”

Li Miaozhen, with her ghostly servant Susu, entered, passing through the courtyard and stepping over the threshold to see Daoist Jinlian seated cross-legged inside.

His hair was streaked with gray, hanging in loose strands, as casual and disheveled as ever.

“Excellent, you truly live up to being one of the most gifted disciples of the Heaven Sect. You’ve already entered the Nascent Soul stage,” praised Daoist Jinlian.

Daoist rank four: Nascent Soul!

“Chu Yuanzhen's swordsmanship is extraordinary. Without reaching the fourth rank, it would have been hard for me to beat him,” Li Miaozhen replied.

“I remember your senior brother reached the Nascent Soul stage long ago. Is there still no news of him?” Daoist Jinlian asked.

“Who knows. Perhaps he died at the hands of a vengeful woman, or maybe he’s been locked away by an old flame, kept as a pet. I couldn’t care less,” Li Miaozhen replied indifferently.

Daoist Jinlian fell silent, then said, “Honestly, I hope you and Chu Yuanzhen won’t engage in a deadly battle. I don’t even want to see you two cross swords.”

Li Miaozhen’s tone was cold. “It’s the fate of the Daoist sects. The Heaven Sect and the Human Sect have clashed countless times, never resolving the conflict. Now that the sect leader has reached First Grade, the time has finally come to settle this struggle for the Daoist legacy.”

Daoist Jinlian smiled faintly, letting the topic drop.

Taking a deep breath, Li Miaozhen gritted her teeth and asked, “What’s going on with Xu Qi'an?”

“He didn’t die. That day, he took the Sitianjian’s Elixir of Rebirth, merely feigning death...” Daoist Jinlian gave a brief explanation of the circumstances.

“Why keep it from us for so long?” Susu pouted indignantly.

“That, you’ll have to ask him yourself,” Daoist Jinlian said with a chuckle, glancing towards the courtyard.

The clatter of hooves came from outside. Xu Qi'an, on horseback, arrived at the courtyard gate.

He dismounted, tethered the mare, and entered the courtyard, stepping into the room with a slightly embarrassed but polite smile.

“It’s been a while. General Li, why the change of attire?”

Then, glancing at Susu, whom Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao had idolised in her paper form, he teased, “Miss Susu, have you made up your mind yet? Would you like to be my concubine?”

“Hmph!”

Susu shot him a glare and turned her head away, feigning disdain.

“I’m a disciple of the Heaven Sect. With the Conflict of Heaven and Man, this is the proper attire.”

Li Miaozhen’s face was expressionless, but then her tone hardened. “I’m going to reveal your identity as Number Three to every holder of the Book of the Earth fragment!”