Chapter 133: The Grave-Robbing Spies

Shang Lu’s vision was far keener than that of Du Feng or Liu Zhi. He quickly discerned that the figure speeding toward them through the night sky was a giant horned owl.

Having just dealt with a Taisui spirit, was he now facing an owl spirit?

Shang Lu did not dare to lower his guard. He gripped his beast-whip in one hand and drew a saber from the back of his official steed with the other. As he infused it with his vital energy, the saber let out a sharp, metallic ring. However, this blade was not intended for the owl; Shang Lu held it poised over the Blood Taisui deity. If the situation turned dire, he would execute the deity immediately rather than let it be snatched away.

The Blood Taisui deity, bewildered by this erratic maneuver, hurriedly pleaded, "It has nothing to do with me! I don't know this owl! I promise to be obedient, please don't kill me!"

Sensing the trio's hostility, the owl did not fly directly toward them. Instead, it folded its wings just outside the range of their crossbows, landed, and transformed into human form.

"An owl can transform into a human? I thought only fox spirits could... but why a man?" Du Feng muttered. His tone held a hint of disappointment, though his vigilance remained undiminished, and he immediately raised his voice to demand the stranger's identity.

Shang Lu, however, had noticed immediately that the man the owl had transformed into was wearing the robes of a shaman official. Yet, he did not stop Du Feng from shouting. He had never seen this official before and could not be certain of his identity. Luoshui County was currently crawling with demon spies; obtaining shaman robes to pose as officials was not difficult.

The newcomer was not offended by the challenge. He produced a jade token from the Shaman Academy to verify his identity. "I am Wang Chao. Senior Brother Feng sent me to reinforce you. County Lieutenant Shang, you should have received a message from him."

"I have not," Shang Lu replied, his gaze fixed on the token in Wang Chao’s hand. Even from a distance, he could see it clearly. The token was identical to those carried by Feng Boyuan and the others, and it bore the name Wang Chao; it appeared authentic. Furthermore, Wang Chao’s knowledge of his request for reinforcements further solidified his credibility. Unless a spy had intercepted the signal from the sound-conveyance conch, they would have no way of knowing he had called for backup.

"How could you not have received it?" Wang Chao paused, then looked at the surrounding scene and realized what had happened. "You must have been in the heat of battle when he sent the signal and didn't hear it. Take out your conch now and listen; you’ll see I’m no imposter."

Shang Lu complied, retrieving the conch, though he kept his guard up against Wang Chao. However, when he brought the shell out, it remained silent.

Wang Chao then asked, "Has your conch run out of water? You need to refill it."

*No water, no sound?* Shang Lu thought. *That’s just like a phone running out of credit...*

Shang Lu produced his waterskin and poured some into the conch. This time, a voice finally emerged from the shell. Though the audio was slightly distorted and muffled, it was clear enough to understand.

"I am sending Wang Chao to assist you. He is skilled in the art of transformation and will arrive in the form of an owl to rendezvous with you..." The message from Feng Boyuan went on to describe Wang Chao’s physical features to ensure there would be no mistake.

After listening, Shang Lu tucked the conch away and bowed to Wang Chao. "Official Shang Lu greets Shaman Official Wang. Please forgive my earlier rudeness."

Seeing this, Du Feng and Liu Zhi lowered their crossbows and offered their own apologies.

"Your caution is justified; there is no offense taken," Wang Chao said, waving his hand. With a flicker of movement, he was suddenly right in front of them.

Du Feng and Liu Zhi felt a chill in their hearts, realizing Wang Chao’s strength was far beyond their own; had they truly come to blows, their crossbows would likely have been useless.

Wang Chao glanced at the suppressed Blood Taisui deity and asked, "Is this the Taisui causing trouble here?"

"I am no Taisui! I am the Blood Taisui deity!" Although crushed, the deity refused to lose face and loudly proclaimed its grand title.

"Heh." Wang Chao sneered, "What kind of bottom-feeder dares to impersonate a god and claim a divine name? Aren't you afraid of drawing down lightning and fire to annihilate both your body and soul?" He paused, a thought occurring to him. "Wait, you say your name is the Blood Taisui deity? Are you the same Blood Taisui deity who caused the major incident in Guling Prefecture and is currently wanted by both the Shaman Academy and the prefectural government?"

"Exactly! That's me!" The Blood Taisui deity sounded almost proud. "I didn't expect my fame to have reached Luoshui County!"

Wang Chao was increasingly surprised. "It really is you? I heard your cultivation was approaching the Innate Realm and that you were cunning and cautious. How did you end up like this?"

The Blood Taisui deity fell silent instantly.

Wang Chao turned to look Shang Lu up and down, clicking his tongue in amazement. "You managed to capture the Blood Taisui deity without even using a Nuo mask. You certainly have skill; no wonder Senior Brother Feng thinks highly of you. Have you interrogated it? Was it also after the secret realm?"

"It wasn't just after the secret realm; it also has ties to that geomancer from earlier." Shang Lu recounted what he had learned but did not produce the box containing the Qi-Devouring Centipede.

Wang Chao did not press the matter, silently allowing him to keep the spoils of war.

"That man was no geomancer. Senior Brother Yuan has already discovered their origins; they are likely tomb-raiding spies from the State of Chu. These people specialize in raiding tombs and destroying ley lines in foreign states to break national and ancestral fortunes! Their interest in the Yunhua Mountain secret realm is likely to destroy it by sabotaging the geomancy."

Du Feng gasped, "That is truly a sinister tactic!"

After assessing the situation, Wang Chao pointed at the Blood Taisui deity. "I must take this one away to see if I can extract more intelligence. Don't worry, we will ensure you receive the full bounty from Guling Prefecture; not a single cent will be missing! Heh, Guling Prefecture sent shaman after shaman and even mobilized troops, only for it to escape. Yet you, County Lieutenant, captured it with just two constables. It just goes to show we are far more capable than those in Guling!"

Wang Chao was clearly pleased to have outdone Guling Prefecture, and his favor toward Shang Lu grew. "County Lieutenant Shang, once you arrive at the Shaman Academy, we shall see more of each other. If you need any help, just say the word."

Shang Lu bowed and thanked him for his kindness.

Wang Chao then borrowed the saber from Shang Lu and sliced a large piece of flesh from the Blood Taisui deity. He performed a hand seal, chanted a spell, and pointed at the ground. The soil surged rapidly, forming a clay jar. Wang Chao placed the piece of flesh inside and handed it to Shang Lu.

"Taisui flesh is a rare treasure, and Blood Taisui flesh is even better. Take this back, soak it in clear water, keep it in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place, and cut off a small piece to eat every now and then. It will be of great benefit to your cultivation! Just don't eat it too frequently, or it won't be able to regenerate."

Shang Lu did not stand on ceremony and accepted it. "Many thanks, Shaman Official Wang."

Wang Chao laughed heartily, "Don't thank me. I am merely borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha. If you want to thank someone, thank the Blood Taisui deity."

Shang Lu actually bowed toward the Blood Taisui deity and offered his thanks.

The Blood Taisui deity felt utterly humiliated, unsure whether to say "you're welcome" or curse at him. Ultimately, it chose to remain silent to express its indignation. It hated Wang Chao with a burning passion: *If you want to be generous, use your own things! What kind of person cuts off my flesh to show favor?*

As Wang Chao performed a spell to bind the deity for transport, Shang Lu suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "Shaman Official Wang, wait a moment."