Chapter 29: Traces of the Bandits in Lianshan

“Once the matter is settled, I will deliver every coin as promised,” Li Shunfu said painfully. He had hoped to save the money by having his own guards deal with the ghost, but several people had died or been injured, and the little ghost had only grown fiercer. Helpless, he turned to the Office of Tranquility, only to find that they insisted on investigating the cause of the incident, meddling like a dog chasing after a mouse. With no other choice, Li Shunfu contacted the monk Zhi Shan, now standing before him.

“Who are you people? Who told you to barge in here? Such nerve!” Suddenly, the angry shouts of the house guards rang out from outside.

Pei Shinan felled one of the guards with a punch, pushed the door open, and stepped aside to clear the way.

Ling Chi, supporting his horse-chopping saber, strode in at a measured pace.

“Which one of you is Li Shunfu? You came to the Office of Tranquility yourself to report a case a few days ago, and now you don’t want us involved? Do you take the Office of Tranquility for your own household?”

“I am Ling Chi, the constable of Willow Tree Town. I’m here to investigate the strange case in your home. If you dare hide anything more, don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Ling Chi’s cold voice cut like a winter wind, sending a shiver through Li Shunfu.

“The Office of Tranquility must be running out of staff, letting a young brat like you become a constable. If I were to join, I might even get to be a Silver-Badge Captain for a day!” Monk Zhi Shan burst out laughing.

“And who are you, then? You think you’re funny?” Ling Chi asked, his tone icy.

“Listen up then—your old man here is Monk Zhi Shan from Shanshin Temple. Send your superior to speak with me,” Zhi Shan declared brazenly.

Ling Chi almost laughed in disbelief. This man really dared to announce his background so boldly.

With a wave, he dismissed his men to wait outside. Ling Chi was ready to show his true strength.

“Zhi Shan, your abbot will surely thank you for this.”

Lowering his head, Ling Chi unbuckled the saber at his waist. When he raised his head again, his eyes glowed—one gold, one violet—lightning gathering within. Each breath crackled with thunder. He pressed his tongue against his teeth, inhaled deeply, and then exhaled forcefully through his nose.

A low, thunderous hum resounded.

A tiny dragon of thunderous mist shot forth, heading straight for Zhi Shan.

“Wretched cur! You dare come at your Buddha?” Zhi Shan drew his paired monk’s knives. A glow of Buddhist light enveloped him.

“Master Ling, spare me! I have connections with Prefect He!” Li Shunfu cried in panic.

Ling Chi ignored him entirely. Lightning danced across his body as he drew his blade, slashing down relentlessly.

With a burst of thunder, the saber traced a crescent arc, slamming hard into Zhi Shan’s golden protective aura, which wavered under the blow.

Zhi Shan barely had time to catch his breath before the second, third—then thirtieth—strike rained down, each faster and heavier than the last.

Overwhelmed, Zhi Shan’s vision swam; a flash of pain seared through his left shoulder, and both his left arm and one knife clattered to the floor.

Li Shunfu, trembling, tried to crawl away.

Ling Chi hurled his saber, javelin-like.

With a metallic clang, the golden-hilted saber pierced the floor before Li Shunfu, who collapsed in fear.

Ling Chi no longer spared him a glance, turning instead to Zhi Shan.

Clutching his wounded arm, Zhi Shan struggled, but Ling Chi’s hands shot out.

“Wrathful Dragon Emerges from the Sea!”

His left hand, claw-like, seized Zhi Shan by the throat; his right fist clenched and struck.

Bang!

“You called the Office of Tranquility useless?”

Bang!

“And you think you could be a Silver-Badge Captain?”

Bang!

“You think you get to meddle in our business?”

After only three punches, Zhi Shan was dead, his soul dissipating. Hundreds of wisps of spiritual energy were sucked into a vortex. Ling Chi was startled—what wickedness had this man committed?

He sure didn’t last long for someone who acted so tough.

Ling Chi straightened, strode to Li Shunfu, and yanked his saber free.

A sharp slap roused Li Shunfu from his stupor. He glanced around in confusion, remembering where he was. He saw Monk Zhi Shan lying lifeless on the ground and the young harbinger of doom looming above with his blade. He shuddered so violently that a yellow stream of liquid seeped out.

“Are you ready to tell the truth now? How did Zhou Cai’er die?” Ling Chi asked, his voice slow and deliberate.

Li Shunfu trembled, his lips quivering.

“You’re not even done pissing yourself? Out with it! Or I’ll send you to join them right now,” Ling Chi snapped, losing patience.

“Zhou Cai’er was a servant hired by the steward to look after Wangwang. Her parents were dead. One time she didn’t care for Wangwang properly, and he had diarrhea. I got angry and…” Li Shunfu stammered.

“What? Say it all at once.”

“I had the guards flog her dozens of times and then… who knew she’d return as a vengeful spirit to kill me?”

“All because your son had diarrhea, you beat a girl to death? And then what?” Ling Chi pressed, frowning.

“Wangwang isn’t my son. He’s a dog. Cai’er was killed by Wangwang’s bite!” Li Shunfu finally confessed, shuddering.

Ling Chi’s grip tightened on his saber. Though he had witnessed many tragic injustices, hearing that Li Shunfu had set a dog on a girl simply because of an upset stomach made his heart clench, as if seized by an invisible hand.

“You are truly vile. A dog of a man,” Ling Chi spat, teeth gritted.

“You can’t kill me! I know the Prefect of Yingzhou, He. The Deputy General Li Changyuan is my cousin by marriage. I’m the fourth lieutenant of the Lianshan Bandits, and Shanshin Temple belongs to us too. If you kill me, you’ll die as well!” Li Shunfu blurted out, desperately naming all his connections in hopes of saving his life.

It was the first time in three years Ling Chi had heard any news of the Lianshan Bandits—the very fiends who had slaughtered his family’s village, murdered his parents and siblings, and left him buried alive.

For years, Ling Chi had searched quietly for traces of the Lianshan Bandits, but his strength had been lacking, and he dared not act rashly. Who would have thought that after three years, he would hear of them here by sheer chance?

“You’re the fourth lieutenant of the Lianshan Bandits? They even take in garbage like you?” Ling Chi asked skeptically.

“Master Ling, take my advice and do not bring trouble on yourself. You’re still young—you don’t want to become a wanted criminal, do you?” Li Shunfu pleaded, trying to bargain.

Ling Chi burst out laughing. “Li Shunfu, you really are my lucky star.”

He seized Li Shunfu by the collar, lightning flashing in his eyes and thunder in his voice.

“Look into my eyes and tell me everything you know about the Lianshan Bandits and Li Changyuan.” The thunderous command struck at Li Shunfu’s spirit.

Li Shunfu immediately fell into a trance and began to recount all he knew—the chief of the Lianshan Bandits had reached Qi Hai cultivation last month, and the other two lieutenants were at the seventh or eighth level of vein-opening. He rambled on for some time, but knew little else, only that Li Changyuan was in league with the Lianshan Bandits and that both parties had met at his residence a few times. He had no more significant secrets.

“Useless. Still, revealing their hideout counts as a merit. I’ll reward you by letting Zhou Cai’er take your life herself, to thank you for sharing so much with me.”

“You can’t do this! I have powerful friends—they’ll flay you alive!” Li Shunfu wailed, clinging to Ling Chi’s leg, tears and snot streaming down his face.

“You’re still hoping to beg for your life? Perhaps I’ll discuss it with Zhou Cai’er and let your precious Wangwang devour you. When you become a ghost, I’ll kill you again,” Ling Chi replied, his words warm in tone but icy in meaning.