Miao Feichan examined the disciple’s body for a moment before rising to her feet and shaking her head slightly.

Just then, Fang Shuwen’s voice sounded from above her:

"Find anything?"

Miao Feichan looked up at him.

"What are you doing standing so high up?"

"..."

Fang Shuwen was tempted to reply that he had a better view from up high. But someone had just died at Yuqing Pavilion, and he knew it was no time for wisecracks.

With a light tap of his feet, he landed amidst the crowd.

The disciples of Yuqing Pavilion all knew Fang Shuwen was an honored guest, and they immediately parted to make way for him.

Miao Feichan spoke.

"There are no external wounds... She must have been... scared to death."

At her words, the surrounding Yuqing Pavilion disciples exchanged dismayed glances.

They could hardly imagine what kind of terror could frighten someone to death.

"Could it be... she ran into a ghost?"

someone ventured hesitantly.

The moment she said it, the faces of many nearby disciples turned pale.

People who wandered the Jianghu all claimed not to believe in ghosts and gods. But saying it was one thing; whether they truly believed it or were just putting on a brave face, only they knew for sure.

In any case, at this moment, panic was spreading among the Yuqing Pavilion disciples.

But Miao Feichan shook her head.

"Let’s set aside whether ghosts and gods are real. In the Jianghu, there are certain esoteric methods that can be used to frighten someone to death."

"This was most likely the work of a person. It couldn’t have been a real haunting."

Her words did little to calm them. Just then, however, the crowd parted.

Zhai Xing and Lan Yue arrived side by side, but Fang Shuwen’s eyes were immediately drawn to Chen Yan, who stood on the edge of the crowd, clutching a carrot.

Chen Yan’s eyes were wide, and for once, he wasn’t wearing his usual look of deep, abiding misery.

He stared in disbelief at Fang Shuwen, who was standing right next to Miao Feichan. ’His mind reeled with questions. How did those two end up together?’

The expressions on Zhai Xing and Lan Yue’s faces were grim as they looked down at the dead disciple.

They began questioning the surrounding disciples. When was she discovered? Had they seen anyone suspicious?

Fang Shuwen listened with one ear while waving Chen Yan over.

Chen Yan hesitated for a moment before walking over to Fang Shuwen.

He had a million things he wanted to say, but seeing Miao Feichan standing so close, he held his tongue.

Fang Shuwen asked,

"You’re a man of the world. Do you know of any Martial Arts that can scare someone to death?"

"...There are."

Chen Yan said, as if it were obvious.

"I know of the [Nightmare Dream Heart Scripture]. It allows the user to enter a person’s dreams and alter them... frightening the victim to death in their own sleep."

"There are also certain Illusion Techniques that can conjure all sorts of bizarre scenes, causing an opponent to die silently where they stand."

After casually mentioning those two, he looked down at the body on the ground, his expression thoughtful.

"But these kinds of Martial Arts are rare. The nearest, and most likely, culprit would be the one called the Human-faced Ghost from the Sang Mountain Seven Face. He possesses a martial art named [Ghost Gate]."

"It’s said this technique can reap a person’s very soul. As the saying goes, ’When the Ghost Gate opens, wandering souls enter on their own’!"

The moment he said this, both Zhai Xing and Lan Yue turned to look at Chen Yan.

They recalled what Fang Shuwen had told them earlier that day...

The Xu Family had been slaughtered to the last person by the Smiling Eagle, and now, a disciple in Yuqing Pavilion had turned up dead, apparently from fright.

’Could the Sang Mountain Seven Face be so audacious? Do they really dare to sneak into Yuqing Pavilion and commit murder?’

Zhai Xing was suddenly overcome with fury.

"The Sang Mountain Seven Face... They have a death wish!"

"Disciples, hear my command! Search! Do not miss a single clue. Find the murderer and cut them to pieces!"

Lan Yue sighed in exasperation.

"Calm yourself. Where is the disciple who was on patrol with her?"

Yuqing Pavilion disciples patrolled at night in pairs to watch each other’s backs.

Now one was dead, but the other was nowhere to be seen, hence her question.

The answer she received was that only the one body had been found. The disciple’s partner was missing.

Upon hearing this, Lan Yue nodded.

"In that case, focus on the footprints. The killer is carrying someone, so their tracks will be deeper than others."

"Search in groups of six and do not split up. The culprit’s methods are unusual, so do not act alone under any circumstances."

"If you find anything, do not act rashly. Send two people back to report. If the situation is critical, use a signal flare!"

"Yes!"

Hearing the command, the Yuqing Pavilion disciples dropped to one knee. After receiving their orders, they used their Lightweight Technique and vanished, more than half of them dispersing in the blink of an eye.

The disciples who remained began to tend to the corpse.

Seeing that she wasn’t needed and that the killer was long gone, Miao Feichan took her leave from Zhai Xing and Lan Yue and headed back to her room.

Fang Shuwen, however, remained, looking around thoughtfully.

Seeing that the crowd had thinned, Chen Yan finally asked:

"Did you succeed?"

"Huh?"

Fang Shuwen was taken aback.

"Succeeded at what?"

Chen Yan understood. ’So he didn’t succeed.’

Fang Shuwen shot him a sidelong glance.

"Look at you... always so prim and proper. How could you take a simple joke of mine so seriously?"

"I’m a refined, cultured gentleman who observes propriety. Why would I ever do something like that?"

"..."

Chen Yan was rendered speechless by the admonishment.

’Maybe I really did go too far,’ he thought. ’He only mentioned it in passing, but I’ve been harping on it ever since.’ He immediately cupped his fists.

"Brother Fang is right. It was my mistake."

Fang Shuwen nodded.

"As long as you know."

Finally, he glanced at the corpse, sighed, and patted Chen Yan gently on the shoulder.