Chapter 179 Duke Huan of Qi Resigns from the Clouds

The bearded man cupped his hands slightly, and his companions behind him hurriedly dropped their weapons, lowering their heads in silence.

Seeing this, Liu Ziming rolled his eyes, stepped forward, and patted the bearded man on the shoulder, his tone tinged with a bit of Jianghu air, yet also revealing the empathy of a fellow low-ranking officer.

"My friend, there's no need to be so formal. We're all eating from the government's bowl; if the higher-ups tell us to go east, do we dare go west? We only make a couple of taels of silver a month, why risk our lives for that?"

After saying this, he pointed at the corpses of Xu Changze and the Five-Tailed Fox Demon on the ground, lowering his voice.

"In the current situation, Xu Changze's collusion with demons and evil spirits is proven beyond doubt. We have set things right, which is surely a great merit. As for the actions of you and your brothers just now... it was all because you were deceived by the villain; those who do not know are not guilty, right?"

"It's just that after we go back, we all know what to say, don't we?"

Hearing this, the men's eyes lit up instantly.

Liu Ziming's words had essentially offered them an out, while also pointing them toward a clear path.

By pushing all the blame onto the now-dead Xu Changze, they would merely be accomplices who had been deceived, and they might even gain some credit for realizing the truth in time and assisting in quelling the chaos.

The bearded man's face flushed, and he nodded sheepishly.

He was originally a brave and fierce man, but everything he had seen and heard today chilled him to the bone. Not to mention the terrifying combat power displayed by Chen Mu, Qi Huan's fearlessness in the face of death, the defection of Liu Ziming and the others, and that unfathomable acting City God, Old Wang the Lame.

All of this indicated that the waters in Yunmeng were too deep for outsiders like them, who didn't know the inside story, to get involved.

Withdrawing in time was the wisest course of action.

Chen Mu saw all of this and did not intervene. Liu Ziming was indeed much more slick and experienced than him in handling such social situations. Right now, it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble, and if he could send these elites away to prevent further complications, that was for the best.

The bearded man cupped his hands again. "I am Lu Zhenshan from Shanyang County. I have offended you all today and offer my apologies here. The green hills remain, the green waters flow on; farewell!"

After saying this, he nodded at Liu Ziming, acknowledging his favor in helping them out of the predicament, then took his companions, sheathed their weapons, and turned to walk out of the hall.

By this time, the sky was already faintly brightening, and only their own people remained in the hall.

Liu Ziming directed his subordinates to clean up the scene, treat the wounded, and collect the bodies of their colleagues. Everyone's expression was grim.

That night, the Demon Suppression Division had suffered significant losses; it was unknown when they would be able to recover their Origin Qi.

Qi Huan tore off a piece of his clothing to simply bandage his wounds, then walked over to Chen Mu and said in a low voice.

"Chen Mu, Xu Changze is dead, and my mission is complete."

Chen Mu was stunned and turned to look at him. "You're leaving?"

Qi Huan nodded, his expression quite complex.

"Chen Mu, you killed Xu Changze and beheaded this Five-Tailed Fox Demon. While it was satisfying, it has also caused a great disaster. Xu Changze's death must ultimately be explained to the common people, and the Beimang Fox Clan is known for holding grudges. They have occupied Beimang Mountain for many years, their influence is deeply rooted, and they are far more troublesome than this Five-Tailed Fox Demon."

Chen Mu listened quietly and suddenly asked.

"Do you know what the origin of this Beimang Sect is?"

Qi Huan took a deep breath and said slowly.

"Beimang is not a sect, nor is it a Family. It is a region called Beimang Mountain, and that place... is very evil."

"Legend has it that Beimang Mountain was once an ancient battlefield and a place of mass graves. The Yin Qi is extremely heavy, nourishing countless demons and Essence Spirits. Over time, some powerful major demons staked their claims there, forming a loose Alliance called the Beimang Sect. In reality, it is full of internal factions—the Fox Clan, the Snake Clan, corpses, ghosts, and so on—constantly fighting among themselves, yet they are quite united when facing outsiders."

"This Chilian lineage is a branch of the Beimang Fox Clan, known for their fire techniques, violent temperaments, and their habit of holding grudges."

As Qi Huan spoke, he looked at the corpse of the Five-Tailed Fox Demon to the side.

"This Five-Tailed Fox Demon must have held a high status within the sect. With the secret message she sent before her death, I think trouble will soon come knocking."

Chen Mu pondered for a moment before asking.

"How strong is Beimang?"

Qi Huan's expression was grave.

"Unfathomable. It is said that deep within Beimang, there are major demons who have cultivated for a thousand years. Their strength is beyond what you or I can imagine. Even the headquarters of the Demon Suppression Division is unwilling to easily provoke them unless necessary. They occupy the desolate mountains of Beimang and have the advantage of the terrain, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack. Furthermore, they are known to stop at nothing in their retaliation, making them impossible to guard against."

Chen Mu nodded slightly upon hearing this, keeping these words in his heart. There was pressure, certainly, but not a shred of fear.

Ever since he embarked on this path of plundering, he had known that the road ahead would surely be full of twists and turns, surrounded by strong enemies. Beimang was merely another hurdle he needed to overcome on his journey.

At this moment, he was more concerned about another matter.

"Chief Qi, you just said... your mission is complete and you are leaving today?"

Qi Huan paused slightly, then nodded frankly.

"Yes, Chen Mu. At this point, I will no longer hide it from you. I came here under orders from the Prefecture. Ostensibly, I was here to help him quell the trouble, but in reality, I was secretly investigating Xu Changze. This person has become increasingly unscrupulous in recent years, colluding with local powerful clans, evil gods, and demons. He has intercepted taxes and cultivated evil arts. The Prefecture had long been aware of this, but because he had operated in Yunmeng for many years, his roots were deep, and he was involved with other people, so the higher-ups sent me to secretly collect evidence of his crimes."

He glanced at Xu Changze's corpse, his tone complex.

"Now that Xu Changze has been executed, and the evidence of his collusion with evil gods and theft of the people's wishes is conclusive, my mission can be considered fulfilled. I must return to the Prefecture as soon as possible to report this matter in detail. And..."

Qi Huan sighed.

"I also need to go back to deal with Wen Jingxing. I expect he will not let the death of Nie Feng rest easily. Although Xu Changze is dead, this debt will likely be pinned on you and me. If I go back, I can at least maneuver a bit and try to pin the blame on Xu Changze. If I keep lingering in Yunmeng, it will only make us look guilty."

Chen Mu understood. Qi Huan's return this time was not only to report back but also to share the pressure for him and deal with any potential retaliation from Wen Jingxing.

"When are you leaving?"

"Immediately. Long delays lead to more trouble. News of Xu Changze's death will spread soon, and Yunmeng will surely be in turmoil. If I leave during the chaos, it won't attract too much attention. It's best to clarify things with the Prefecture as soon as possible."

Chen Mu was silent for a moment, then actually took out a pouch and handed it over.

Qi Huan took it, opened it, and saw several large-denomination silver notes and some Medicinal Pills inside. He was slightly stunned and looked at Chen Mu.

"The waters in the Prefecture are deep, and expenses for greasing palms are always necessary. The Medicinal Pills are for healing and to be prepared for any emergencies."

"Between us, there is no need for formalities."

Qi Huan's lips moved, but in the end, he did not refuse. He tucked the pouch into his robe and patted Chen Mu on the shoulder.

Everything was understood without words.

He then cupped his hands to each of them in turn.

"Lord Wang, Chief Liu, brothers, I, Qi, bid you farewell here. I hope you will handle the aftermath of the Yunmeng matter. We shall surely meet again someday!"

Old Wang the Lame bowed slightly in return, and Liu Ziming cupped his fists in response.

"Take care, Chief Qi! Be careful on the road!"

Qi Huan took one last look at Chen Mu, nodded, turned, and walked out of the hall, his figure gradually disappearing.