A youth in a grand red official robe, holding a long sword, stood with his back to the sun. He did nothing, yet Xu Mu couldn't see his face.
Had this person used some ability to obscure his features?
Xu Mu rubbed his eyes, perhaps what Charles had said about the obvious being overlooked applied here. Maybe the sun was just too bright, preventing him from seeing clearly?
However, the other person had spoken just then, something he seemed to have selectively ignored.
"He's my senior brother at the Demon Slaying Division."
"With him here, even if you were a complete ordinary person, you wouldn't have been killed by the ghost infant just now."
Yin Shui'er let out a cold snort. She didn't know when Senior Brother Yan had arrived, but when he appeared, no matter how fast the ghost infant was, Xu Mu would have been fine.
This was because her senior brother was the fastest second-tier ability user in the entire domain of Guǐ Yè.
The flash of white that streaked past, slicing the ghost infant in two, was his sword energy.
"Gan Jiang Sword?"
As Xu Mu rubbed his eyes and gave a sheepish smile, Charles suddenly flew out of Xu Mu's body in shock.
"What is that?" Xu Mu asked.
"Gan Jiang, a swordsmith from the Lan Star, the state of Wu. To forge a peerless sword, he collected iron essence from five mountains and metal spirit from the six directions. He sacrificed three hundred virgin girls and his wife to forge the sword. The blade was inscribed with a tortoise pattern, and the hilt bore dual hook carvings with the inscription 'Gan Jiang'!"
"He's holding the Gan Jiang Sword, how can he possibly have this thing!"
Listening to Charles's words, Xu Mu, enduring the sun's glare, glanced at the sword the youth held. The sword's scabbard was ancient, and the hilt indeed seemed to have distinct inscriptions.
And when he fought the ghost infant, a white light had flashed before him, impossibly fast. Was that from this sword?
"It seems it's not just you who has transmigrated."
Xu Mu's brow furrowed. Things were getting more interesting. He knew a lot about that world, and his history major level of knowledge told him that people from ancient Lan Star, thousands of years apart from Charles, appearing here inexplicably must be related to the Apocalypse.
"The Xiya Continent was destroyed, the Dis Continent submerged, and the anomalies descended. I desperately want to know what exactly happened during the Apocalypse."
"This is the Gan Jiang," Charles exclaimed. By the time he was created, Gan Jiang and Mo Ye had been dead for thousands of years in that world. This wasn't a simple matter of spatial transmigration; it involved a significant temporal leap!
"He probably never expected anyone to recognize him," Xu Mu mused, looking at the sword the other person held casually on his shoulder. Such an ostentatious display, wasn't he afraid of it being stolen?
But then again, a person dead for thousands of years appearing in a strange new world, why would they worry about such things?
However, if this man had the Gan Jiang Sword, was he truly the Gan Jiang from Lan Star?
Xu Mu suddenly had such a thought, then shook his head, dismissing these nonsensical ideas. The priority now was to investigate the case. It wouldn't be too late to ponder these matters after avenging Wu Kui.
"Senior brother, this matter must be kept secret."
Yin Shui'er wiped the tears from her face and then ran to the youth, instructing him with a wronged expression, naturally referring to her being brought to tears by anger.
She, a dignified ability user of the Demon Slaying Division, was actually made to cry by a village night watchman. The mere thought of her own people knowing this unbelievable event filled her with shame, let alone outsiders.
"Understood. Return to the Demon Slaying Division with me first. We have a major mission tonight."
Despite Yin Shui'er's almost childlike behavior, the youth's voice remained devoid of emotion, colder even than Charles's, his words crisp as frost.
"Senior Brother Yan, do you already know who the mastermind is?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Yin Shui'er's eyes lit up. Had her senior brother summoned her back to the Demon Slaying Division because he had already solved the case for her?
"I don't know. We're not investigating this case here anymore. There's a more important mission at the division."
"Huh?"
Yin Shui'er's delighted smile gradually froze.
...
...
"You can't be joking with me, Senior Brother? This is a village massacre!"
Yin Shui'er looked at the youth cautiously, hoping to find a hint of a smile on his cold face to confirm he was teasing her.
"My lord, are you serious?" Xu Mu couldn't help but speak up, his voice rising. "Are you saying that hundreds of lives will have been lost in vain if you leave?"
"Junior Sister, I am merely following orders to inform you," Yan Yu said, shaking his head at Yin Shui'er, clearly impatient.
Then, Yan Yu glanced at Xu Mu.
He had a pair of deep blue eyes, as radiant as agate. When he looked at Xu Mu, the sunlight behind him suddenly dimmed.
Thus, Xu Mu could see him. But then, Xu Mu regretted seeing him.
A chill pierced his body, like a gust of cold wind entering a sleeve on a snowy night. Xu Mu felt the chill emanating from the youth, his face paling.
"The depths of Xishan are in turmoil. The Governor suspects a third-stage pollution source has appeared, and we must resolve it before the Guǐ Yè."
"All the anomalies near Bùluò City are prepared for battle. The Demon Slaying Division is urgently recalling everyone for this matter."
"The pollution source in Xishan!"
Yin Shui'er gasped. No wonder the Demon Slaying Division was recalling people. Xishan was already dangerous, and if it became polluted, the ensuing disaster would be beyond human control!
Yan Yu sheathed his sword at his waist, his red robe billowing slightly in the breeze. He turned with a grave expression towards Xishan.
That mountain had birthed countless strange beasts and was extremely perilous. Countless anomaly users had perished there.
And in such a dangerous place, a third-stage pollution source had appeared. If this pollution source fully formed, leading to secondary pollution or even evolution for these anomalies, it would be a catastrophe for the entire domain of Guǐ Yè!
"Senior Brother, there's no time to delay, let's go," Yin Shui'er replied immediately, without the slightest hesitation.
Although she didn't want to, the lives of those still living deserved protection more than the lives of those who had already died.
"I'm sorry. We will definitely investigate this matter after we clear the pollution!"
Yin Shui'er gritted her teeth, cast a comforting word to Xu Mu, and then quickly followed the youth's retreating figure out of the courtyard.
"Heh..."
Xu Mu watched their retreating figures and let out a cold laugh.
In his opinion, uncovering the mastermind behind this was already incredibly difficult, given how easily the nature of Guǐ Yè could be exploited. Perhaps the mastermind hadn't even come in person, merely subtly instigated the ghost horde, leading to the destruction of Xiaokang Village.
Would this case truly remain unsolved?
A deep sense of unwillingness flickered in Xu Mu's eyes. He wasn't a saint overflowing with compassion. The lives of Xiaokang Village didn't hold much personal significance for him, but Wu Kui, he had to avenge him!
His body trembled uncontrollably. Xu Mu instinctively clutched the jade pendant at his chest, as if only its coolness could bring him some comfort.
"Hmm?"
Xu Mu's trembling body suddenly stopped because he felt something hard against his chest.
He fumbled around in his clothes for a while and pulled out a small, pitch-black rod.
It glinted brilliantly under the sun, reflecting golden light. Xu Mu looked at the unfamiliar object and stammered, "A... a pen?"