Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

Chapter 195: Chapter 167: Brushing Past Each Other_2

’After all, he’d only tracked Deng Wan to this place because of the Yanzhou horse bandit case. He knew nothing of Deng Wan’s objective, the full story of the pursuit, or the other Grandmaster involved. He didn’t even know who the other Grandmaster was.’

Su Xing then asked about the dispute between Yu Chunsheng and the Escort Agency. It turned out one of the government officials present was the very man Yu Chunsheng had sent to watch the Escort Agency and report back to him from the city’s north side. After questioning him, Su Xing grew even more certain of his theory.

’But one thing is still strange... According to the aura at the scene of Yu Chunsheng’s death and Xie Yuan’s file, Xie Yuan is definitely just a Fourth Training practitioner. While he’s certainly stronger than the average person at that level, he is by no means capable of seriously injuring a Grandmaster.’

Su Xing mulled it over for a long moment. The doubts surrounding this case all pointed to one person: Xie Yuan.

Still, the evidence in the County Captain’s murder was conclusive. Xie Yuan should have been apprehended and brought to justice. And as long as they found Xie Yuan, what Deng Wan was carrying and the whereabouts of the Mu family’s Grandmaster would become crystal clear.

He asked the County Magistrate:

"Do you have a sketch of the suspect?"

The County Magistrate sent someone to look for it, saying guiltily:

"Yu County Captain was the one who managed all this. Everything was in perfect order, and no one else could get involved. With him gone, the county office is in complete disarray, so things are moving a bit slowly."

Su Xing paid it no mind, simply rising to his feet.

"It’s alright. Please take your time organizing the files and records, County Magistrate. I’m going to step out for a bit."

Before the County Magistrate could reply, Su Xing flickered and vanished from sight.

「Small Stone Village.」

Wang Lei and Li Lan sat at the table, gathered around the stack of silver notes, staring at each other speechlessly.

"One... two... three... So many hundred-tael silver notes! Forget sending Huwa to a private school, this is enough to buy a house in the city and find a wife for him!"

Li Lan said, completely flustered.

Wang Lei smacked his lips.

"Yuanzi’s really made something of himself... But these are such large bills. How are we supposed to spend them?"

Li Lan rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Didn’t you hear Yuanzi? He said he already exchanged them for smaller bills! Once we move to the county town, his friends from the Escort Agency will look after us. It won’t be a problem!"

"If we really move into town, what about my fields?"

Wang Lei hesitated.

Li Lan rolled her eyes to the heavens.

"You could farm those fields for a lifetime and never make a Hundred taels! Once we’re settled in town and have some savings, we can find any odd job. Isn’t that better than farming? And think of Huwa. Life in the town will be much better for him than here in the village."

She chided her husband, exasperated that all he could think about was farming. Then, holding the silver notes again, she said worriedly:

"Yuanzi gave us so much money at once. I wonder if he has enough left for himself."

"Yuanzi has really made it big. But I don’t know how long he’ll be gone. He looked like he was in some kind of trouble... This money..."

Wang Lei’s brow furrowed.

Li Lan’s brows shot up.

"Don’t say that! What nonsense are you spouting..."

As she was speaking, her ears suddenly twitched. She fell silent for a moment, then abruptly walked out the door.

Just outside, she saw a man dressed like a constable standing at the entrance to Xie Yuan’s house next door. But his bearing was far more imposing than any she’d ever seen.

Li Lan’s heart sank. She asked cautiously:

"Sir, who are you looking for?"

"Ma’am, is this Xie Yuan’s house? Are you his neighbors?"

Su Xing said calmly.

In truth, with his sharp hearing, he had already overheard their entire conversation.

"Yes, yes... He hasn’t been back in a long time!"

Li Lan said through gritted teeth.

Su Xing remained expressionless. He walked a circle around Xie Yuan’s small courtyard, his eyes narrowing slightly as he examined a pile of chopped firewood that hadn’t been moved. Then, he walked straight into Li Lan’s home. With a flick of his wrist, the silver notes that Wang Lei was frantically trying to hide flew into his hand. He began to inspect them closely.

Wang Lei stared, dumbfounded by the magical sight.

Su Xing examined them for a moment. Xie Yuan had already exchanged these; they weren’t the same notes found on Deng Wan.

But based on the money house and the date on them, Su Xing began to understand.

’Could it really be this Xie Yuan? How on earth could he have injured Deng Wan? Not even the top-tier Cultivation Techniques from the direct lineage of a Major Sect would have a killing move allowing an External Training practitioner to wound a Grandmaster.’

Su Xing’s brow twitched. He glanced at the nervous Wang Lei and Li Lan and said coolly:

"He just came back this morning, didn’t he?"

"N-no! He didn’t!"

They both stared at his official uniform and gritted their teeth.

"It doesn’t matter. It’s only been half a day. He can’t have gotten far."

Su Xing didn’t need their confirmation. With a single turn, he vanished from the house.

The couple stared at the impossible sight, stunned for a second. Then Li Lan slapped her apron and chased after him, but when she got outside, there was no sign of him anywhere.

"Oh no, he’s gone after Yuanzi!"

Meanwhile, Wang Lei stared at the silver notes lying on the table and muttered:

"What kind of trouble is Yuanzi in? Did he steal all this money, to have such a powerful Chief Constable chasing after him?"

"Stolen money? What stolen money? Didn’t you see he didn’t take it! It must be... It must be a misunderstanding!"

Li Lan said through clenched teeth. She and Wang Lei exchanged a look, both of them sick with worry.

Su Xing made a sweep of Small Stone Village and reappeared at its entrance, a look of surprise on his face.

’The trail... how did it go cold right here?’

He expanded his search radius, traveling ten li out from the village entrance in all four cardinal directions. With his Body Technique, it didn’t take him long.

Yet, after completing the circuit, Su Xing still hadn’t found anything. His expression turned grave.

’"It’s definitely Xie Yuan! This technique for concealing one’s presence... it’s the same as in the forest... Is the Mu family’s Grandmaster with him?"’

Su Xing refused to believe that Xie Yuan himself could possess such an ability.

But if the Mu family’s Grandmaster was helping him, then that proved beyond a doubt that it was indeed Xie Yuan who had injured Deng Wan!

Su Xing’s expression hardened. Now certain, he instantly raised his assessment of Xie Yuan by several orders of magnitude.

’This isn’t just some talented thug who had killed an official. This is a mysterious prodigy who, as an External Training practitioner, could use an unknown technique to grievously wound a Grandmaster!’

He took a step and swiftly returned to Yunzhao, ready to examine the detailed file the County Magistrate was preparing.

Not long after entering the city gates, as Su Xing was hurrying toward the county office, he suddenly noticed someone on the side of the road watching him.

He glanced over and saw a man sitting at a table with a bowl of noodles. The man looked at him several times, a hint of surprise in his eyes, before quickly looking away and focusing on his food.

It wasn’t unusual to be stared at, but this man was exceptionally handsome, with a remarkable air about him. Su Xing figured he was probably the young master of some prominent local family who had a taste for humble roadside noodle stalls.

The thought passed through Su Xing’s mind in an instant. He paid it no further attention and hurried back to the county office, where he immediately had the County Magistrate present the detailed file that had been compiled.

This file contained extensive information on Xie Yuan. It included Yu Chunsheng’s own findings, as well as information gleaned from the Escort Agency’s initial investigation. Everything was recorded: Xie Yuan’s upbringing in Small Stone Village, his personal relationships, his time learning martial arts in Panlong Town, the full story of his joining the Escort Agency, and the series of events that followed.

After reading through the entire file in detail, Su Xing had a much deeper understanding of Xie Yuan. He then took out the suspect’s sketch, preparing to commit the man’s face to memory.

The moment he unfurled the portrait, his gaze froze.

"This—!"

The man in the portrait was exceptionally handsome, with a dashing, heroic air. It was the very same man he had just seen at the noodle stand.

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