Chapter Fifteen: Unrest on All Sides

Jiang Wangshu lifted her gaze, and the icy coldness radiating from her brown eyes seemed almost tangible. She strode forward, planting her foot firmly on the spot of his chest where the scent of blood was strongest, slowly grinding it down. The nearly healed wound split open again, rich scarlet spreading across his chest and dripping onto the floor.

Towering above him, she looked down with indifferent contempt. "If you can't be an obedient beast, then you'll have to be an obedient corpse."

Xiao Hei's black eyes churned like a boiling sea, but in the end, all his anger was forced down, leaving only a brittle calm.

He turned his head to the side, exposing his defenseless throat in a gesture of submission.

Jiang Wangshu raised a hand to rub her temples, exhaling slowly. "Get up."

She could barely bear to use the contract seal again—it was simply too painful!

Xiao Hei obediently stood.

The sound of knocking echoed—"Knock, knock, knock…"—followed by a voice outside the door. "Would the two of you please come out for inspection."

After passing through several layers of checks, those found with no abnormalities were registered and allowed to return home.

Across the city, the latest news was broadcast everywhere.

"F City News: Today, the Education District was attacked by a swarm of parasitic beasts. Linyang No. 3 High School was hit hardest, with four thousand three hundred sixty-one casualties… Under the leadership of Chief Commander Li Huanyi, the R-class Parasite Beast King has already been captured and detained…"

"Thank goodness Chief Commander was there! If the R-class Beast King had gotten away, it would have been another bloodbath!"

"Chief Commander is truly remarkable!"

"I heard a powerful formation appeared over there…"

"It must be someone from the Jiang family! Who else could create such a formidable formation…"

People chatted animatedly.

Jiang Wangshu paid no heed, clutching a few spirit stones in her pocket as she hurried toward the end of the street.

"If we don't hurry, Granny Tofu will close her stall!"

Xiao Hei quickly followed.

When person and fish drank the rich, fragrant, and sweet tofu soup, they couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.

…

Elsewhere.

Jiang Che scrubbed his teacups again and again. "Any findings?"

The person before him bowed his head. "The death toll at Linyang No. 3 High is too high, and few survivors know anything. Only a handful of examinees claimed it was the voice of Huo Jinyu from the Huo family. After she spoke, the formation appeared."

"The Huo family!" He narrowed his eyes.

In F City, the Huo family was considered prominent, protected by Huo Tianyu, their Nascent Soul patriarch. They were not easily provoked.

"Send a visiting card to the Huo family. I'll pay them a visit tomorrow."

"Yes!"

Meanwhile, at the Huo residence.

The entire family crowded around Huo Jinyu, fussing over her.

"Sweetheart, were you frightened today? Are you hurt anywhere?" Huo Jinyu's mother asked anxiously.

Huo Jinyu laughed, taking her mother's hands away from her wounds, and animatedly recounted the day's events.

Nearby, a seemingly ordinary old man listened intently, his eyes flashing with shrewdness. He spoke, "Jinyu, describe that red scene again."

"Of course, Grandpa." Huo Jinyu gestured dramatically, vividly reenacting Jiang Wangshu's demeanor.

The other members of the Huo family stared wide-eyed—a mere examinee with such power? They suspected Huo Jinyu was exaggerating!

Only Old Master Huo Tianyu remained calm, stroking his snowy white beard.

A servant entered, hands presenting a golden visiting card, its center engraved with the Jiang family's unique formation crest.

Huo Tianyu accepted it, and the card unfolded automatically, revealing a gentle, courteous middle-aged man—Jiang Che.

"Che has recently acquired a fine tea and would like to invite the patriarch for a tasting. Would the patriarch be free tomorrow for a visit?"

Huo Tianyu chuckled softly. "The Jiang family moves swiftly."

Huo Jinyu looked puzzled. "Grandpa, what's going on?"

Huo Tianyu replied with a simple "Yes," then glanced at his little granddaughter. "Your friend has shown something extraordinary, so it's only natural the Jiang family takes the initiative."

Huo Jinyu frowned. "It's just a formation. Is it really worth this much attention from the Jiang family?"

Huo Tianyu guided her patiently. "How much profit has the Jiang family gained from their formations? Would they allow another Jiang family to rise?"

Huo Jinyu suddenly understood and exclaimed, "Grandpa, will that master Jiang be alright?"

Huo Tianyu smiled. "You call her master; surely she has her own ways. However, we know nothing of her origins. Her information must never leak from our family. Do you understand?"

The Huo family responded in unison, "We will obey the patriarch's command!"

Huo Jinyu echoed, though her gaze drifted southeast.

Two kilometers away lay the Zou family. She wondered whether Zou Xiuzhen would divulge information about Master Jiang.

Zou family underground library.

Zou Xiuzhen was engrossed in the labyrinthine collection, books fluttering open without wind, pages rustling.

Failing to find what he sought, he used formations to float to the highest shelves, grabbing thick tomes and landing lightly to continue searching.

Ding Xunyan, seeing her son so busy, asked, "Why are you so restless today?"

Usually, he treasured these books, but his impatience today was rare.

Unable to find relevant information, Zou Xiuzhen looked at his mother with hope. "Mom, have you ever heard of the 'Tongue-Pulling Hell'?"

Ding Xunyan was stunned. "Isn't that just a folk tale?"

Zou Xiuzhen lit up. "Mom, where is it? Quickly! I want to see!"

Ding Xunyan glanced around. "Hmm, you read it when you were little. It should be in the attic's storage room…"

Before she finished, Zou Xiuzhen dashed away like the wind.

Above the clouds, inside the spirit cruiser.

Li Huanyi reviewed all of Jiang Wangshu's records.

She focused on the words "miscellaneous spirit root," recalling the scene she'd witnessed that day.

The young girl was immature in appearance, yet carried an awe-inspiring authority that could not be gazed upon directly. That terrifying aura was not something a miscellaneous spirit root cultivator should possess.

"Hoo—"

She stood, overlooking the vast expanse of F City.

Well then. Regardless of Jiang Wangshu's secrets, anyone who helps capture demons can't be all bad.

It was the Jiang family she worried about!

At dusk, following the Beast King's directions, she unearthed a giant demon bone beneath the Education District.

The bone's aura exceeded the power of the Transformation stage. She urgently summoned a slumbering Divine Transformation cultivator to bring it to the Demon Research Center.

The formation in the Education District had been built entirely by the Jiang family, and for something that immense to have been mixed in, she doubted the Jiang family was unaware.

Unfortunately, the Jiang family's influence stretched across the nation—they were the only formation clan. This incident would barely scratch them.

If she hadn’t known, it would be different. But now that she did, she must demand an explanation.

She turned to put away Jiang Wangshu's files.

This child’s future was uncertain, but she would support her for now, lest the Jiang family ruin her.

She took out a recommendation letter and began to write.

Examinee Jiang Wangshu, in this operation, acted with righteousness and self-sacrifice, aiding the Tianquan team to battle the Beast King. Her heroic deeds deserve commendation…