Xuanqing Guard
Chapter 128: Confiscation of Property
To be honest, Shen Hao had thought it would be a fierce and bloody battle, at least given the Wen Family’s renowned reputation, and the rumor that they had a Primordial Pill Realm Eighth Layer expert guarding their house. But...
"Prepare the Thunderbolt Talismans!"
"Release!"
Thirty-two Gathering Spirit Realm soldiers activated thirty-two high-tier thunder talismans simultaneously, forming a thunderbolt as thick as a man’s waist. In an instant, the electric serpent ravaged Bai Dang Mountain; how could any Primordial Pill Realm expert withstand such a money-no-object barrage? Instantly turned to charcoal, there wasn’t even time for a final scream.
In the past, there were claims that the Jingjiu Dynasty could suppress fate with its four main armies. Shen Hao always thought that was an exaggeration, but now, having witnessed it with his own eyes, he realized it was not exaggerated at all. These soldiers’ combat strength was nothing like Shen Hao’s old notions of cold weapons; it was a different world entirely. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
Far too ruthless!
Especially those Combined Attack Skills—five half-cultivators with just a bit of True Qi, grouping up using that Skill of Combination along with armor-piercing weapons, could go head-to-head with a Qi Refining Realm Second or Third Layer cultivator! There were even ten-man, even fifty-man Combined Attack Skills, the amplification reaching tenfold!
So what if the Wen Family had a grand reputation? In less than an hour, the lights of Bai Dang Mountain burned bright again, and a great red banner with fire patterns was planted atop the highest peak.
"Up the mountain!"
Tang Qingyuan received the military order, knowing that the battle atop the mountain had ended. With a wave, more than four hundred Xuanqing Guards followed, marching upright through the military formation, each raising their heads, facing dead ahead, deliberately or not brimming with their own aura. In truth, even those who usually looked down on soldiers were awed by what they’d seen, not daring to lose face now.
Shen Hao himself was going through these subtle changes in mindset. He’d been here for over eight years, and only now truly seen another architecture of power in this world.
On the road, they encountered a squad of soldiers clearing the "battlefield." Some were wounded, a few were dead, but on the soldiers’ side, most casualties were wounded, not killed. The enemy’s side, however, there were only corpses—no survivors.
But Shen Hao noticed what the Wen Family were wearing—white long robes... This...
All the way up, soldiers opened the way swiftly. Passing through the mountain gate, Shen Hao glanced more than once at the towering jade stone arch, several zhang high—the momentum lingered, but people, alas, were lost.
By mid-mountain, the sound of weeping and wailing was already audible. The figures didn’t dress like Wen Family’s children; in rough blackhomespun, they looked more like menial slaves, strung together at the neck with ropes, hands bound as well, squatting in groups by the road—men, women, the young and the old alike.
Climbing further, the crowd only grew, not counting the soldiers with cold faces and drawn blades—the Wen Family, strung together, numbered over a hundred.
Shen Hao’s first impression of the Wen Family was simply: so many cultivators here!
The elders—more than half were cultivators. Even among the young, at least a third. And their cultivation? On average, quite high; Qi Refinement Fifth Layer here was merely the lower-middle group, Sixth or Seventh Layer were the backbone, and there were over a dozen gathering spirit cultivators—these were just the survivors. Who knew how many more were dead?
And Primordial Pill Realm? When Shen Hao and his group reached the summit, he saw—five in total, three dead, their corpses scorched black by thunder technique. The two alive looked pale as vegetables, cultivation sealed, their bodies board-locked into rods, propped by the wall.
"Hundred Households Tang has arrived?"
"Greetings, General Lin!" Tang Qingyuan knelt on one knee and called his name, behaving honestly. There were strict rules in the army—offending someone was the least of worries; getting one’s ass flayed was what to fear.
"No need to be so formal. Your Xuanqing Guard isn’t subordinate to us Jingnan Army. This time is just a joint operation; you don’t have to stand on ceremony." With that, he personally helped Tang Qingyuan to his feet.
This General Lin truly seemed the amiable sort.
"Since you’re here, let’s handle the handover quickly. According to military command, after Jingnan Army suppresses the Wen Family’s resistance, we’ll withdraw, at most help hold the perimeter. Personnel and everything else are for you to handle. Any problem, Hundred Households Tang?"
"No problem."
"Good, let’s begin."
First, the personnel handover. This was Chen Tianwen’s assignment. All Wen Family members, for now, could not be called criminals, at best, suspects under control. Jingnan Army handled the killing; custody required Xuanqing Guard to step in, else it’d lack legitimacy. For high-risk individuals, of course, Jingnan Army would adjust their manpower to assist.
Next was on-site handover—primarily the Wen Family estates. Xuanqing Guard had to check each room to ensure that the soldiers hadn’t caused much damage or helped themselves to anything during their brief control. Confirmation required signatures and endorsements.
Truthfully, most of this was formalities. How long had the soldiers been up here? Even if anyone wanted to pocket something, it’d only be trifles and money. The Xuanqing Guard wouldn’t pursue that, nor were they interested. After all, these soldiers had come all the way from Jingnan; taking a bit of the crumbs as hard-won reward—so what? Perfectly reasonable.
So, the handover on both sides went smoothly: as long as people were alive, they were collected; as long as a house was standing, it was counted. In barely half an hour, the transfer was complete.
General Lin kept smiling; seeing the handover so efficient, he understood everything. After a few polite words of courtesy with Tang Qingyuan, he left with his men.
This was "face." Give it to one another, since you might meet again. By then, it could count as "connections."
Tang Qingyuan was busy working his relationships. As he turned, the two men behind him had already set to work.
Chen Tianwen busied himself cleaning up, sorting out who was who. With no time to get portraits, he began questioning the slaves and servants from the mid-mountain, identifying one by one. Didn’t cooperate? Chop off a toe—believe it or not?
The first thing Shen Hao had to do was figure out which Wen Family member lived in which house on Bai Dang Mountain. For that, he needed Chen Tianwen’s cooperation, but he also had to conduct a first-round search himself. The master bedroom, study, treasury, and secret chamber—these four places had to be marked first, and then coordinate with Chen Tianwen as he made progress.
Tang Qingyuan’s personal guard scattered throughout Bai Dang Mountain, both assisting Chen Tianwen in locking down people and keeping watch to ensure the surrounding soldiers didn’t interfere with the investigation.
Everyone had their own tasks, and time was short.
While assignments were being quietly handed out, Wang Jian and Zhang Liao finally had a window to mutter to Shen Hao.
"General Flag, where is this?"
"Are you stupid? The Wen Family!"
"That Wen Family, really?! Weren’t they supposed to be powerful? They...they’ve been raided already?"
Raided? Heh. Shen Hao patted Wang Jian’s shoulder; this kid’s mind was sharp. That’s exactly what happened to the Wen Family—no matter how the case turned out, they were as dead as can be.
"Cut the crap. Stick to the usual regulations in camp, move faster. The order from above is to dig three feet if you must to get concrete evidence. Everything else—collect it, don’t stash anything for yourself, or you’ll lose your head. Understand?"
"Yes!"
In an instant, the once-prestigious White Deer Mountain Wen Family fell to the depths.
When dawn finally broke, Xuanqing Guard’s preliminary investigation findings were already in Tang Qingyuan’s hands.