Just now, even though Wang Jian lowered his head, Shen Hao still caught the fleeting "panic" in his eyes.
But Shen Hao didn't blame Wang Jian for his intentions.
Is it normal to feel panic in the face of Evil? Of course it is! Especially when it's a Third-Grade Evil—anyone would be scared.
What's even more terrifying is that this Evil is being controlled by someone, which amplifies that fear several times over.
In fact, the one controlling the Evil is even more frightening than the Evil itself.
Such people have a special name: Evil Cultivators.
Shen Hao could even be certain that what Wang Jian was truly afraid of were these Evil Cultivators, after all, compared to Evil, more Xuanqing Guards die at the hands of Evil Cultivators every year—at least a thousand.
As for Evil, according to the Xuanqing Guard's research, it's actually the soul of a living being, turned into a wraith after death due to tumultuous resentment, unable to return to the source world. They take all shapes—corporeal, incorporeal, humanoid, beastlike—all sorts of bizarre forms.
Because the emergence of Evil doesn't follow set times or places, and with no special signs for forewarning, Evil can appear and cause havoc anytime whether in the deep forests or densely populated cities.
And the main role of the Xuanqing Guard is precisely to deal with these evils that ordinary soldiers can't handle.
The strength of Evil is divided in detail, from Junior First Grade to Ninth Grade—the higher the grade, the stronger the power. With his current cultivation at Qi Refinement Sixth Layer, Shen Hao could barely handle a Second-Grade Evil under normal circumstances; only with a Thunder Charm did he stand a chance against a Third-Grade Evil.
Actually, aside from the Thunder Charm, there are many tools in the Xuanqing Guard to deal with Evil; for example, every Guard is equipped with a brocade robe and Yanji Saber. These might look ordinary, but they are specially processed magical artifacts—low-grade, but genuinely effective.
Higher up, there are even more powerful means like the "Evil-Slaying Sword Array" and "Five Thunder Talisman," but with Shen Hao's current status, he wasn't yet qualified to obtain them.
So, the Xuanqing Guard has their own methods for dealing with Evil. It's like the relationship between hunter and beast—even though the beast can sometimes bite back, most of the time, the hunter has an overwhelming advantage.
However…
Evil Cultivators are a different matter altogether!
Evil Cultivators are still Cultivators, but the difference is, they mostly practice sinister, wicked techniques—often causing severe harm to ordinary people's lives.
Take the "Yin Tofu" Wang Jian mentioned before, for example. This stuff is refined by extracting essence blood from humans and mixing it with several forbidden ingredients. Its effect is similar to a Small Nourishing Pill, except the users are only Evil Cultivators—regular cultivators either suffer severe damage to their divine souls or their dao foundation collapses outright, turning them crippled.
Apart from consumables like "Yin Tofu," Evil Cultivators also have the ability and means to create magical artifacts and talismans. The Evil Sect Yin Talisman that controls Evil is one example. In fact, there is an entire major school dedicated to the use of Evil Sect Yin Talismans.
So, just like regular cultivators, besides their own cultivation, Evil Cultivators can acquire other supports to boost their combat abilities, and may even use all sorts of conspiracy and trickery—open or hidden—to eliminate threats.
There's a saying in the Xuanqing Guard: dealing with Evil is walking a dangerous path, but dealing with Evil Cultivators is a brush with death and disaster.
"It's right to be afraid."
"Huh? Xiaoqi, what are you saying? How could I be afraid?"
"Nothing to be embarrassed about. Being afraid of Evil Cultivators is perfectly normal—the more afraid you are, the more vigilant and careful you need to be. Besides, every case involving Evil Cultivators is a major one. Haven't you always wanted to crack a big case to make a name for yourself? This is your best opportunity."
"Xiaoqi, I…"
"Relax. Even if you didn't immediately realize this case involved Evil Cultivators, your analytical skills are already quite impressive. You'll continue to follow up on this case. But watch yourself, and here—for safety's sake."
Shen Hao took a Thunder Charm from inside his robe and slapped it into Wang Jian's hand. Earlier, he had collected three from the arsenal and was now giving Wang Jian one for protection.
"This is… a Thunder Charm? Xiaoqi, I don't need—"
"Take it. Better safe than sorry."
Without lingering in the manor, Shen Hao headed straight back to Five Rams City. Wang Jian stayed behind, determined to search every inch of the place before dawn in hopes of finding some useful clues.
...
Shen Hao rode into the city gate with five warriors, greeted the Xuanqing Guard at the gate, and headed straight for the Qi Mansion.
By the time he returned, it was almost dawn.
Until this case is solved, Shen Hao was using the Qi Mansion as the operation site for the Xuanqing Guard—one, because it was big enough, and two, it better served to seal off the scene.
Pushing the door open, he saw far fewer lights inside compared to previous nights. Due to Wang Jian's findings, Shen Hao had reassigned most personnel to him, and with others also needing to man the city gates and posts, there were now fewer than twenty people remaining in the Qi Mansion.
"Xiaoqi."
"Mm. Not many on duty tonight. Please work a bit harder and pull the patrol circles in tighter."
"Understood."
Shen Hao patted his subordinate on the shoulder and headed back to his room—an ordinary chamber in the Qi Mansion near the central courtyard.
Closing the door, Shen Hao slumped in the chair, exhaling, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. He had totaled less than three hours of sleep these past few days, and even though his cultivation had just broken through to Qi Refinement Sixth Layer, he couldn't take it any longer. His head drooped against the chair back as he prepared to doze for a bit.
But before long, Shen Hao suddenly sat bolt upright.
The tattoo on his chest suddenly began to burn inexplicably, causing a sheen of cold sweat to break out all over him. Not only that, but a dread welled up in his heart, and the feeling was truly awful.
Shaking his head to force himself alert, Shen Hao walked to the window and pushed it open. Looking out at the darkness before dawn, he felt even more uneasy.
"Something's not right."
He stepped out, about to call someone, but then remembered it was the patrol shift and, with so few people, regular posts had already been greatly reduced.
"Forget it, I'll check things myself."
Out of caution, Shen Hao didn't ignore the sudden uneasiness in his body—and he soon felt a chill of relief that he hadn't gotten careless just now.
It was a chill like a knife brushing his neck.
This feeling was all too familiar to Shen Hao—it was the bone-chilling aura that only appeared when a Evil was up close!
"Shit!"
As the thought arose and Shen Hao's right hand reflexively gripped his waist, a sharp, foul-smelling force came crashing down—he glimpsed a huge black claw!
Death loomed; Shen Hao instinctively dropped low and launched into a donkey roll, barely dodging the deadly blow.
"Clang!"
His Yanji Saber flashed free as Shen Hao flipped upright, slashing out. With a ringing clang, he blocked another razor-sharp claw strike—yet the shockwave didn't fade, leaving three bloody gashes across his left shoulder. The magical artifact brocade robe was torn like paper before this claw.