Devouring Soul Emperor

Looking at the dejected expressions on Zhao Hanfeng and the other two, Patriarch Zhao Yongzhi chuckled.

He said, "The Ancestor and I have naturally considered your concerns. But rest assured, since the Ancestor has spoken, he must have already made arrangements."

He pondered for a moment, worried that Zhao Hanfeng and the others still lacked confidence. "Fine," he continued, "it’s time you knew a few things. Don’t you have an enemy named Chu Qingyun who is also participating in the assessment? I’ll make some arrangements to have him die in the second stage."

"Don’t you worry. In the second stage, that Chu Qingyun will die without a doubt!"

To boost their confidence, Zhao Yongzhi’s tone was exceptionally firm!

「Early the next morning」

At the crack of dawn, the four gates of Flame City were already packed with people. There were those participating in the Great Xia Dragon Guard assessment, as well as the companions who had come to see them off.

Everyone had the same thought: it was better to be early than late.

If they were eliminated over a small matter of time, it would be too late for regrets.

The three hundred-plus missions were all located in the region surrounding Flame City. The lucky ones might have closer targets, while the unlucky would have to travel farther.

San Yang Town was west of Flame City. The distance was neither far nor near; on a fast horse, including a change of mount at a post station, the journey would take about a day and a half.

Before the city gates opened, all the candidates had arrived.

Members of the Great Xia Dragon Guard were already there, taking roll and ensuring no one left the city ahead of time.

The moment the gates opened, a flurry of fast horses burst from the four gates simultaneously, charging into the distance.

A Martial Master Level expert could move much faster than a horse in short bursts, but traveling like that for long periods would consume a vast amount of Primordial Power, Physical Strength, and stamina.

Therefore, for long-distance journeys, horses were still the best choice.

Chu Qingyun wasted no time on the road. Aside from resting one night in a small town along the way, he spent all his time traveling.

He even swapped for a fresh horse at every post station to maintain the fastest possible speed.

After all, he couldn’t be sure how long it would take to catch the lecher, so the less time spent on the road, the better.

「Nearing noon on the second day」

Chu Qingyun arrived at San Yang Town.

San Yang Town was quite a distance from Flame City, considered a large town in a remote area.

At the town entrance stood an ancient-looking wooden archway inscribed with the three large characters for "San Yang Town." Leading his horse inside, Chu Qingyun quickly blended into the bustling crowd.

After wandering around for about ten minutes, Chu Qingyun noticed two strange things. First, many of the townspeople were watching him with extreme vigilance. Some were even looking at him as if he were a thief.

Second, in his ten-plus minutes of walking, he hadn’t encountered a single young woman. The only females he saw were either matrons over forty or little girls under ten.

’What a strange place...’

Chu Qingyun muttered to himself. He stopped a middle-aged man and asked with a smile, "Sir, why are there no young women to be seen in your town?"

The man’s expression changed instantly. He shot Chu Qingyun a glare. "Don’t ask such questions, kid! Be careful or people will mistake you for the Flower Thief, tie you up, and burn you alive!"

With that, he glanced around nervously and hurried away.

’He’s just a seventh-level Martial Artist lecher. Is all this really necessary?’ Chu Qingyun shook his head helplessly and continued walking.

However, this was a matter of differing perspectives.

Ever since leaving Chu Family Village, Chu Qingyun had gone straight to Qingshan City.

Even in a weaker city like Qingshan City, one of the thirty-six cities in Lianshan County, there was a Martial Spirit Level City Lord standing guard, with eighth and ninth-level Martial Artists serving under him.

Therefore, having never spent time in a town stuck between worlds like this, Chu Qingyun couldn’t comprehend the threat a slightly higher-level Martial Artist posed to these people.

For example, the strongest person in San Yang Town was the Chief Constable, a third-level Martial Artist.

Now, with a seventh-level Martial Artist lecher on the loose, they were completely helpless. Their only hope was that someone from the Great Xia Dragon Guard would take this mission, or that the Flame City Lord’s Mansion would send someone to help. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

He had only taken a few steps when he encountered several officials collecting fees from street vendors. With them, Chu Qingyun didn’t need to be polite. He stopped them directly. "You lot, take me to the Town Mayor’s residence. I have important business."

"Looking for the honorable Town Mayor? A kid like you..."

The leader, speaking with a thuggish air, was about to start trouble. But halfway through his sentence, he suddenly found he couldn’t move or even speak.

In that instant, he understood: this was not someone he could afford to provoke.

Thus, as soon as Chu Qingyun retracted his Martial Artist’s Qi, the man’s expression immediately shifted to one of fawning servitude. He bowed his waist to a ninety-degree angle. "This way, Sir. Sir, I’ll lead the way. Xiaoliuzi, what are you waiting for? Take the Sir’s horse!"

Chu Qingyun couldn’t be bothered to react to the man’s antics.

They were on completely different levels. Such trivial matters were not worth mentioning compared to his mission.

The Town Mayor’s residence was located near the center of San Yang Town. It was a large compound with three successive courtyards, not much smaller in area than the Cao Family’s mansion in Flame City.

Of course, considering the difference in location, their value was like heaven and earth.

After the guards at the gate announced his arrival, Town Mayor Qu Yuanhang didn’t dare to show the slightest neglect and immediately came out to greet him at top speed.

"I am Qu Yuanhang, the Town Mayor of San Yang Town. I humbly welcome you, honored member of the Great Xia Dragon Guard. You must be weary from your journey..." Qu Yuanhang clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and welcomed Chu Qingyun inside with a beaming smile.

Chu Qingyun smiled. "Town Mayor Qu, I’m still undergoing the assessment. I haven’t become a member of the Great Xia Dragon Guard yet."

"Nonsense! With your strength, Sir, becoming a member of the Great Xia Dragon Guard will be a simple matter. This humble one is merely offering congratulations in advance, haha..."

Although Chu Qingyun knew Qu Yuanhang was just flattering him, he still found the words quite pleasant to hear...

Once inside the main hall, after tea was served, Chu Qingyun dismissed the nearby servants and asked directly, "Town Mayor Qu, I’ve come this time to capture the Flower Thief, Ma Zhiyong."

At the mention of this, a look of shame crossed Qu Yuanhang’s face. "I have been incompetent, allowing that Ma Zhiyong to run rampant in San Yang Town for over a month."

"Heh, you can’t be blamed for that, Town Mayor Qu. However, please trouble yourself to tell me everything you know," Chu Qingyun said, taking a sip of hot tea.

"Of course, of course."

Qu Yuanhang gathered his thoughts and said, "That Ma Zhiyong arrived in San Yang Town about forty-some days ago. Young women started disappearing right after."

"We didn’t pay it much mind at first, thinking they were just ordinary cases. But then more and more young women went missing—over a dozen in total. That’s when we realized something was wrong."

"And it was around that time that the name of the Flower Thief, Ma Zhiyong, began to circulate."