Free Web NovelChapter 1349: Chapter 41: Why Not Return?
It was already August, and the night carried the chill of autumn.
Li Youjue spoke while flying at high speed: "I told her long ago not to hang the Qing brand anymore, not to involve herself in cases. We could have arranged a good future for her. But old Wu said, she’s the last bloodline of the Lin Family and should make her own decisions... Over the years, she’s relied on medication to face corpses, and yet she’s become quite an outstanding Qing brand catcher."
"Indeed... extremely outstanding," Jiang Wang responded.
"But she’s too stubborn. She struggles with others, and she struggles with herself. This world isn’t only about clues and answers, nor is it solely about cases. She takes her father as her role model, but what was the outcome of that role model?"
Li Youjue’s question left Jiang Wang unsure of what to say.
He suddenly remembered.
Back in the morgue, Lin Youxie had suddenly called him to lend a hand.
Was it possible... that she was afraid herself?
Jiang Wang had walked through countless killings and certainly couldn’t fear corpses. But to dissect and study a body so meticulously did evoke a natural discomfort in him.
Lin Youxie, however, suffered from a phobia that made her unable to face corpses!
But despite this condition, she still took on the role of a Qing brand catcher, searching for clues on corpses, no less skilled than any forensic expert!
What was she thinking about as she stood there, expressionless, grinding medicine?
Li Youjue continued, "When I say I pity her misfortune, it truly is pity for her misfortune. When I say I’m angry at her lack of ambition, it’s actually anger at her excessive ambition! Some things are simply beyond her power to resolve."
He glanced at the autumn moon: "Nor is it something we can resolve."
So who can resolve it? Only heaven knows.
Jiang Wang thought for a moment and asked, "Was there any hidden truth to the death of Sir Lin Kuang back then?"
Li Youjue was silent for a moment before saying, "I shouldn’t be telling you this."
By now, unknowingly, they had already flown beyond the Qi Boundary.
In the evening breeze, there was only a faint sigh. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Jiang Wang then asked, "Where is Yang Xuance hiding now?"
Li Youjue replied, "Based on the intelligence I’ve recently received..."
"Li Catcher! Jiang Catcher!" A booming voice rolled across the night sky from afar.
Jiang Wang and Li Youjue turned their heads together, seeing Yue Leng’s solemn face approaching quickly.
"Lord Yue! Why have you come?" Li Youjue asked.
"There’s news about remnants of the Yang Family in foreign territory. How could I not come?" Yue Leng gritted his teeth and said, "Letting King Qin Guang escape was the shame of my lifetime. I must find some clues and drag them out!"
First Li Youjue, then Yue Leng—the team pursuing the fugitives was becoming increasingly formidable.
Jiang Wang couldn’t help but say, "With two lords on the case, Yang Xuance has no chance to escape. I feel like I’m just tagging along."
Yue Leng thought for a moment and said, "You’ve joined us in tracking fugitives beyond the border, which isn’t necessarily an efficient use of time. How about you return first, and Li Catcher and I handle it?"
"That won’t do," Li Youjue said. "This case was ultimately entrusted to Jiang Catcher by His Majesty. He’s already crossed the border; returning empty-handed wouldn’t be fit for accountability. Let him follow through—it shouldn’t be a loss with us here."
Yue Leng nodded: "You’re right; I didn’t think it through."
The two Godly cultivators exchanged a few words and promptly continued flying forward together.
"Where are the remnants of the Yang Family hiding now?" Yue Leng asked again, repeating Jiang Wang’s earlier question.
Li Youjue teased, "You didn’t even verify the intelligence details before hastily chasing out. Are you perhaps worried I might sell out our Daqi’s top genius?"
Yue Leng sternly responded, "You sly old Li, dare to joke with me! I’ve said before, Hell Has No Door must be completely purged. You obtained the clues but didn’t inform me—that’s hardly fair!"
"It was an urgent matter; I didn’t think much at the time." Li Youjue chuckled, his tone relaxed: "That little prince of Yang Country is truly fortunate, hunted by the world’s most powerful Inner Mansion and accompanied by us two veterans!"
With such a team pursuing Yang Xuance, it was only natural that Li Youjue felt relaxed.
Yet for some reason, Jiang Wang suddenly felt an immense unease rising in his heart!
He didn’t know where this unease stemmed from, but he inexplicably recalled the street in Linzi, where a fortune-teller who was likely Yu Beidou had foretold him bloodshed and disaster!
"Where are we catching Yang Xuance?" he asked again.
"According to the intelligence, we’re nearly there now!" Li Youjue responded.
They were now in a barren mountain region, beyond the Qi boundary, and after some flight, likely nearing Zheng Country territory.
With the Zhuhe Alliance, they could freely travel through the Eastern Region without obstacle—country borders posed no issue.
Yet the unease within Jiang Wang’s heart still hadn’t dissipated.
He was considering finding an excuse to withdraw.
Suddenly, from a mountain hollow ahead, two streaks of light shot into the sky, fleeing south and north.
It seemed that the fugitives hiding there had been startled and were scrambling to escape.
Li Youjue took the lead, chasing to the north, while shouting, "You left, I right—don’t let them slip away!"
Yue Leng dashed southward without another word, his figure vanishing into the sky.
The powerful pursuit team was reduced to Jiang Wang alone in an instant.
He couldn’t catch up if he tried chasing either side, and a quick scan of the hollow revealed no clues—likely just a temporary hideout.
Sparing the effort, he left a Qing brand-specific marking, notifying Yue Leng and Li Youjue that he had returned, and then turned back, flying towards Qi Country.
Regardless of whether the fortune-teller’s words were accurate or not, his life was his own; caution wouldn’t hurt.
But as he turned to fly toward Qi Country, a terrifying presence radiating tangible killing intent suddenly erupted halfway ahead, blocking his path!
Jiang Wang wasted no time. Activating Secret Wind Chasing, he immediately unleashed Starlight Entering Body, Totem Power, donned the Buzhou Wind, and was bathed in Samadhi True Fire, manifesting the Sword Immortal state!
He pivoted, stepping on shattered Qingyun clouds, and sped westward!
He hadn’t even entertained the thought of fighting.
Merely sensing the aura confirmed the insurmountable gap.
His only option was to flee for his life, dragging out as much time as possible before this unknown opponent caught up.
Beyond that, there was nothing he could do!
"Interesting," a voice echoed as if beside his ear.
It was a bizarre female voice, seemingly modified in some way.
Jiang Wang didn’t have time to analyze, activating Voice Broadcast Immortal Style to gather intelligence while swiftly pivoting mid-air, leveraging the agility of Flat Step Qingyun Immortal Technique to change directions instantly.
Two breaths later.
The voice drew closer again: "I’m curious how far you can run."
The speaker didn’t seem eager to capture him immediately but rather wanted to toy with him like a cat playing with a mouse.
Jiang Wang remained silent, changing direction southward once more.
Then he felt it—a soft, boneless hand pressed against his spine.
A horrifying force erupted.
The defense of the Ruyi Immortal Robe shattered first.
Buzhou Wind dissipated, followed by the extinguishing of Samadhi True Fire.
"Pfft!"
Jiang Wang’s Sword Immortal state was shattered in an instant. He spat a mouthful of blood, his figure hurtling forward, inexplicably faster than his peak speed!
A few drops of his splattered blood struck his eyes, blurring them in crimson.
"Should I call Yu Beidou an unlucky prophet? It truly is bloodshed and disaster!"
At the brink of death, Jiang Wang’s mind flashed with such absurd thoughts.
Meanwhile, his body swiftly adapted, regaining control, stepping on shattered Qingyun clouds, and pivoting southward again!
No matter how wide the gap, no matter the torment, no matter the fate foretold, he absolutely wouldn’t forsake the fight!
