After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 455: Chapter 454: Clues in the Dense Forest

’Impressive. It could still fly backward under these circumstances.’

Hee Lingchuan was annoyed. SWOOSH—he threw out three Flying Blades.

The crow leader dodged nimbly, evading two of the blades, but the third pierced its wing, pinning it to the wall with a THWACK!

Outside, the crows raised a ruckus, the dozen or so of them wanting to break the window and rescue their leader.

However, an agile figure vaulted in from outside the wall, instantly spreading its wings and aiming its steel talons straight for the flock.

Their natural enemy had arrived.

Horrified, the crows scattered in all directions.

Hee Lingchuan reopened the window. Cangying folded its wings, flipped over, and slipped in nimbly through the opening.

It landed on a cabinet, only a foot away from the crow leader. A single peck from its steel beak could bore right through the crow’s head.

And it looked more than willing to do so.

Ignoring the raucous flock outside, Hee Lingchuan addressed the crow leader. ”Now, why don’t you try naming a price for me again?”

”No need, no need!” However unwilling the crow leader was, the sight of the hawk’s beak nearby made its heart pound with terror. ”I’ll tell you!”

It let out two caws. The flock outside immediately quieted down, settling in the trees and ceasing their agitation.

It had taken Hee Lingchuan less than a dozen breaths’ time to handle the flock of crows. It was all very efficient.

”About five or six days ago, my children found many remains in the forest—some human, some beast,” the crow leader said. ”Or, perhaps, some were Demons.”

”As you know, finding human remains or Demon remains separately isn’t strange. It’s them being mixed together that’s odd,” it continued. ”There were several Wind-Drilling Beasts among them.”

”Where?”

”In Zhitian Village, thirty-two li away.” The crow leader tilted its head. ”They were all buried at first, but it looks like wild dogs dug them up again. There were paw prints in the nearby soil.”

”Can you lead the way?”

”I can.”

As Hee Lingchuan pulled out the Flying Blade, he asked, ”If you had this clue, why didn’t you report it to the Government Office? Why just sit back and watch Wang Mazi die?”

”Who would push away a piece of meat that’s already in their mouth?” The crow leader flapped its wings, sensing it could still fly. ”Besides, the Government Office... heh!”

It sneered. ”Little Seventh went missing six months ago. We reported it, but we still haven’t heard back from the County Precinct Officer. They only help humans and never care if we live or die!”

In the counties of the Beiga Kingdom, there was a special official position known as the County Precinct Officer, who specifically handled Demon affairs, including complaints, lawsuits, and the like.

The County Precinct Officer was a Demon themselves, the better to empathize with their own kind.

”So you had a companion go missing six months ago?” Hee Lingchuan’s gaze flickered. ”Had it become a full Demon?”

”Yes, a full Demon,” the crow leader answered truthfully. ”It was thanks to the Emperor’s Liquid at the end of last year.”

”So the Emperor’s Liquid became its death sentence.” Hee Lingchuan grunted in acknowledgement. ”These people specialize in capturing Demons. As long as they’re around, none of you are safe.”

’This is the Demon Realm, yet someone is audacious enough to capture Demons here?’

’If they were exposed, not even nine deaths could save them.’

”Specialize in capturing Demons?” The crow leader flapped its wings. ”Don’t try to fool me. Didn’t they eat people, too?”

’This one’s not easy to fool.’ Hee Lingchuan didn’t argue, but changed the subject. ”Lead the way for me, and act as my eyes and ears. In return, your flock will receive one hundred pounds of fresh beef and mutton and thirty Spirit Protection Pills every month for a year.”

If Hee Lingchuan had said this before their little scuffle, the crow leader would have laughed at his wishful thinking. But now? It felt the offer was actually pretty good. Fresh beef and mutton even when food was scarce in winter, no need to dig through snow for scraps, no pecking at unripe berries, no searching for frozen corpses... it sounded like a happy life...

”It’s a deal!” It gave Hee Lingchuan the feather that had been knocked loose by the Flying Blade as a token of its promise.

Ever since the incident at the Three-Heart Plateau, Hee Lingchuan had a poor impression of crows. ’They really are greedy, snobbish opportunists.’ But he also had to admit that their eyes and ears were everywhere.

He had even heard that Lingxu City had a Celestial Crow Corps that specialized in reconnaissance.

With this band of scoundrel guides, Hee Lingchuan set off at once for Zhitian Village.

...

Zhitian Village was thirty li northwest of Shuangyi Town.

As Hee Lingchuan traveled, he noticed fewer and fewer fields of grain crops by the roadside. In their place were all sorts of other plants, including medicinal herbs.

”Hey,” he said, pointing at a field. ”Is that Lingzhi?”

’Doesn’t Lingzhi grow at the base of trees? Why is it growing in rows like wheat here?’

”This is Zhitian Village, after all.” The tiger, Jiao Yu, was also in the carriage, explaining to Hee Lingchuan as he watched the scenery. ”They use cut logs to cultivate Lingzhi.”

Indeed, Zhitian Village was famous throughout north-central Chiyan for cultivating Spirit Grass, which was evident from its name.

”The local earth energy is especially suitable for the growth of Spirit Medicine. Thirty percent of all conventional medicinal herbs in Chiyan come from here.” Jiao Yu stretched with a low growl, but the carriage was too small for him to fully extend his limbs.

Hee Lingchuan simply leaned against him, using him as a tigerskin recliner. ’Ah, comfortable! And it’s self-heating with a vibrate function, too.’

”The herbs grown near certain hot springs, in particular, are one of a kind in the entire Chiyan Kingdom.”

’Supplying thirty percent of the Chiyan Kingdom’s medicinal herbs... that’s a huge market share.’

As they spoke, the carriage passed a series of large sheds—at least, they looked like sheds to Hee Lingchuan. They had bamboo and wood frames, covered with linen cloth, and then coated with putty for insulation.

’The Yuan Kingdom didn’t have this kind of technology. Beiga really is full of novel things.’

”What are these?” he asked, not ashamed to reveal his ignorance.

”Hothouses,” Jiao Yu answered. ”They put Heating Stones inside to keep the medicinal herbs warm.”

A so-called Heating Stone was a rock that could generate its own heat. Piling them in a corner and pouring a few ladles of water over them would make a room as hot as a sauna.

Hee Lingchuan chuckled. ”But it’s the height of summer. If you add more heat, aren’t you afraid the herbs will dehydrate?”

”Spirit Grasses like the Fire Cloud Pearl and Dragon Flame Chrysanthemum originally grow near volcanic vents. To transplant them to the plains, you need to keep them warm; they won’t survive without a constant high temperature. But you’re right, these hothouses are also used to dehydrate and dry the herbs.”

Hee Lingchuan smiled. ”Lord Jiao, you seem to know this place like the back of your hand.”

Jiao Yu didn’t hide it. ”I was on assignment in the neighboring county for a few years. I’m very familiar with the whole area.”

He had been a Left Middle General, so he must have spent some time gaining experience here before his promotion.

Hee Lingchuan understood. ’That rascal Fushan Yue really sent him a good helper. Not only is his Combat Power immense, he’s also familiar with the local customs and affairs, making it easier to connect with the locals.’

’As expected, no one who becomes Crown Prince is a good person... no, I mean, none of them are simple brutes.’

Cangying perched on the carriage roof. The crow, fearing it, had to resign itself to riding on a horse’s back to give the driver directions.

Hee Lingchuan hadn’t expected General Antelope to follow them again, but this time he only brought a few guards.

’Aren’t big shots supposed to stay in the rear and send their underlings to scout? Why is this one doing the opposite? But looking at the countless scars on General Antelope’s body, he clearly liked to be the first antelope into the fray. It was probably just his nature.’

The carriage soon left the main road and headed into the wilderness.

Zhitian Village was mountainous, with hills and perilous peaks, rift valleys and stone forests—a veritable geological encyclopedia.

The carriage wound its way through the towering mountains. At times, the crow had to fly up and circle twice just to get its bearings.

An hour later, the road ended, and the carriage could go no further.

Hee Lingchuan switched to riding a Rock Sheep, with the tiger and the Wind-Drilling Beasts at his side.

This was much faster than the carriage, but it still took them over two hours to reach the body-dumping site the crow had mentioned.

It was a dense forest at the foot of a mountain, so thick the sunlight couldn’t penetrate.

A thick layer of dead branches and fallen leaves covered the ground. Stepping on it, one would sink to the ankle, pulling up rotten leaves and black humus.

The thick smell of mold and dampness twisted together into an unpleasant, strange odor.

The large crow flew onto a sturdy branch and flapped its wings.

”We’re here! This is the place!”

This was the shady side of the mountain. The rocks were covered in moss and were always damp to the touch, no matter the time of day.

Hee Lingchuan saw a large pit at the base of a tree, filled with skeletons scattered in disarray.

The crow was right. The pit had been deliberately buried but was dug up by wild dogs. There was loose soil and dog tracks everywhere.

He peered down into the pit. It seemed to be only half-excavated, with many skeletons still not seeing the light of day.

The place was a paradise for mosquitoes and flies. As soon as they got close, a buzzing cloud erupted.

Of course, no insects dared to approach Hee Lingchuan, as he wore the Insect-Repelling Brocade Bag that Zhu Xiu’er had given him. However, the ground here was damp and gloomy, causing the bodies to decompose quickly and creating a particularly foul stench.

If not for having been baptized by the smells of fragrant balls, Demon Nests, and various beast lairs, Hee Lingchuan would surely have been sickened by the fumes.

However, the tiger, Cangying, and the crow were unfazed by the stench of death. Jiao Yu even jumped into the pit and continued digging until he had unearthed two or three complete animal skeletons.

General Antelope took one look and said sorrowfully,

”They are indeed my children.”

While the human skeletons were hard to identify, General Antelope recognized the remains of the Wind-Drilling Beasts at a glance.

”These lads have worked under me for a long time. To think they wouldn’t die on the battlefield...” But instead be buried unceremoniously in the wilderness.

Hee Lingchuan also went down into the pit to inspect, even picking through the remains. ”There are signs of being gnawed on by wild dogs, but these corpses look... uh...”

Cangying, perched on the edge, offered, ”Digested?”

Hee Lingchuan snapped his fingers. ”Exactly!”

Despite being buried for many days, the surfaces of the remains were still somewhat sticky. The flesh and blood were gone, leaving only bones, fur, and hair, all clumped and wrinkled together.

Even wild dogs couldn’t strip a carcass that clean. Moreover, there were a few skeletons buried deeper that the dogs hadn’t touched, and they were in the same condition.

The reason Cangying could describe it so accurately was because the pellets regurgitated by birds of prey after digestion look much the same.

General Antelope was so furious he whipped his head to the side, his great horns snapping a small tree in half. ”When I find the killer, I will trample them into paste!”

”So our target is a Demon with a massive appetite, one that can eat more than a dozen people and seven or eight beasts in one sitting. And then it traveled thirty or forty li just to find a toilet?” Hee Lingchuan asked Cangying, ”Are there any gluttons like that among the birds of prey?”