Chapter 67: Qiao Mu in Prison
Qiao Family of Heyang City was destroyed half a year ago.
After the Qiao Family's downfall, the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect settled in Heyang City and established their headquarters.
It took six months for the residents of Heyang City to understand about these strange and powerful people called cultivators.
Even someone like Sheriff Qian, a minor government official, had some knowledge about the Xuantian Sect in Heyang City.
"Why can't we go to the Xuantian Sect?" Qiao Mu asked quietly.
"We are law enforcement officers representing the Great Yan's laws. Are you saying that even if the Xuantian Sect's cultivators break the laws of Great Yan, we can't arrest them?"
When these words were spoken, Sheriff Qian gave a strange look to Qiao Mu.
"Captain Qiao, aren't you already quite old? How can you still say such naive things?"
Sheriff Qian originally wanted to say 'childish,' but after considering the silver coins in his hand, he changed it to 'naive.'
Sheriff Qian confidently said, "The so-called 'inhuman' are immortals, powerful beings beyond common people's reach. Great Yan's laws govern the people of Great Yan, how can we govern the immortals of the Xuantian Sect?"
Qiao Mu's heart skipped a beat as he listened. "Are you saying that even us law enforcement officers could invite danger upon ourselves by entering the Immortal Gate headquarters?"
"Captain Qiao, let's not pretend to be confused. There are some facts that we don't need to say out loud," said Sheriff Qian with a slight smile.
"Sheriff Qian is pretty easy to talk to. It saves me a lot of trouble. After this meeting is over, I'll ask him a few more questions," thought Qiao Mu.
Sheriff Qian's real name is Qian Qian, and he is actually only in his thirties, younger than Qiao Mu.
The only thing is that he has a slightly receding hairline, making him look older than the current 44-year-old Qiao Mu, but he is quite friendly.
Qiao Mu believed that he wouldn't stay in this deputy position for too long. Since he was determined to die, getting too close to Sheriff Qian might involve him, so he didn't intend to have a good relationship with his colleagues.
It's fine not to have a relationship, as long as there is silver to open the way, Sheriff Qian is quite detailed in his words.
Qiao Mu currently has no shortage of silver coins.
Previously, the bandits looted the Mansion of the City Lord in Yan City and took away a batch of antiques, collectibles, and jewelry from a secret room.
Although the bandits have their methods to sell the stolen goods, it still takes some time.
After learning that Qiao Mu would soon leave for Heyang City, Wang Songhe took the initiative to give him some gold and silver money, while leaving the antiques to be gradually sold by the bandits.
The amount of silver money in Qiao Mu's hands is not that much, but for now, he doesn't really have to worry about food and expenses.
"Sheriff Qian, please tell me more about this Xuantian Sect."
"Captain Qiao, isn't it inappropriate? The Chief Constable is still talking about the Case of Impermanent Monster."
Qiao Mu thought for a moment, then took out some silver coins.
"Oh well, actually Captain Qiao can ask me after this meeting. It's not too late." Qian Qian discreetly accepted the silver coins, but his gaze towards Qiao Mu became a bit warmer.
This Captain Qiao is said to be from out of town and suddenly became a chief constable. It's rumored that he had connections and someone in higher positions.
Now it seems that the rumors are indeed true. He is so generous in giving out information. It's worth getting to know him...
The chief constable can only be considered a minor official, not even reaching the ninth official rank, and his salary is not high.
Qian Qian, who was once a strong martial artist ranked 9th in internal strength, served as the head of the catching department. However, as he grew older, his energy and blood declined. Though he still had internal strength, he could no longer compare to the youthful martial artists ranked 9th. That's why he could only become a low-ranking official.
Since the head of the catching department didn't earn much, it was obvious that Captain Qiao was either wealthy or powerful...
Since Captain Qiao seemed to have some family wealth...
Qian Qian smiled mysteriously and said:
"Captain Qiao, you've come to the right person. If it were someone else, they may not know these inside information like me..."
"More inside information? Tell me quickly," Qiao Mu's heart raced.
"Half a year ago, the Qiao Family of Heyang City was wiped out overnight. It's said that even the Martial Saint personally took action... Since then, the Qiao family became a notorious and abandoned place, with no one daring to enter. Even the surrounding property prices plummeted by as much as thirty to forty percent."
"The northern part of the city was already a prosperous area of Heyang City. To have property prices drop by thirty to forty percent is terrifying..." Qian Qian said with a slight smile, wearing a confident expression:
"But, others fear what I desire!"
"I'm Qian Qian, not very powerful, but I have good vision. When the land prices dropped to their lowest point, I bought a house near the Qiao Family Courtyard to settle down."
"And guess what? The Immortal Gate brought their immortal leader from the Xuantian Sect! They made the Qiao Family Courtyard and the surrounding area their headquarters, causing the prices to skyrocket, now it's two or three times higher than before."
Qian Qian felt quite proud when it came to this.
Actually, this statement of his is a bit of self-praise.
He wasn't afraid of Martial Saints or haunted houses, he was just poor.
In recent years, the court's taxes have been heavy, and he's already in his thirties.
For ordinary people and ordinary martial artists, their physical peak is usually in their twenties or thirties. Once they pass that age, their vitality declines every year.
Qian Qian was daring and fought bravely when he was young. Although he only had basic skills in external martial arts, he developed internal strength. However, as he grew older, his vitality declined year by year. This old guy found it difficult to compete with the young constables in the government, so he gritted his teeth and bought a house in the north of the city.
"As the ancients said, when you're close to red, you turn red; when you're close to black, you turn black. Now our Qiao family is close to the immortals, which means not only can we hope for spiritual advancement, but also let our daughter bask in some immortal aura and be influenced by it."
Qian Qian laughed and said.
But Qiao Mu frowned secretly and said, "You've said so much, but what about the inside story you mentioned?"
Qian Qian mysteriously said, "The inside story is that I know there is a nearby empty house near the Xuantian Sect's headquarters in the north of the city. If Captain Qiao needs it, I can help make connections."
This person mistakenly thought I wanted to buy a house... Qiao Mu was a bit amused and helpless.
Just as they were about to talk about something else, the Chief Constable Chen, who was in charge, finished talking about the case and walked towards Qiao Mu.
Qian Qian immediately fell silent.
Qiao Mu, on the other hand, remained calm. He had already killed the 6th-ranked city lord, so why would he be afraid of a city's chief constable?
"Captain Qiao seems to have some thoughts on this case. The discussion was quite intense just now. Why don't you share your thoughts?" Chief Constable Chen raised her chin slightly, squinting her phoenix-like eyes as she looked down at Qiao Mu.
She appeared to be around thirty years old, with a mature charm. Even though she was glaring down at him, there was a faint hint of coquettishness, making Sheriff Qian next to him unable to help but think, "Can she give me a glance too?"
"Actually, I don't really have any particular thoughts." Qiao Mu said calmly.
He didn't pay any attention at all, so naturally he didn't have any thoughts.
Chief Constable Chen frowned slightly, looking down at Qiao Mu with a hint of undisguised contempt in her voice:
"If you have no thoughts, then just keep quiet."
"I am curious about who sent you to the Six Gates... but once you're through this gate, you have to listen to me."
Chen Yingxue, as a woman who climbed to the position of the Chief Constable of the city without any outside help, naturally despised someone like Qiao Mu, a middle-aged man who relied on connections.
Qiao Mu didn't have any emotional fluctuations upon hearing this.
After all, he didn't come here to compete with these constables for a job.
So he said solemnly:
"Lady, please don't be curious about me. Curiosity often leads to trouble."
"Uncle has been killing fish in the market for ten years. My heart has become as cold as the fish I killed. Please don't come near me."
Chief Constable Chen：？
She frowned at Qiao Mu, completely bewildered by his strange words, and instinctively walked away.
Actually, this is exactly what Qiao Mu wanted.
As a man who had embarked on the path of seeking death, after experiencing the storms of Yan City, Qiao Mu had come to understand one thing:
Women only slow him down in his pursuit of death.
Men are the same.
When there is no one around, he has no worries or weaknesses, making him the strongest.
"Captain Qiao, you..." Qian Qian finally dared to speak beside him.
"The chief constable is strict and upright. Although she won't give you a hard time, she's still your superior, after all."
"Strict? Then I better stay away from her," Qiao Mu said seriously.
"I am always against evil and treat life and death lightly. But to someone with a strong sense of justice, I must seem insignificant, like a firefly in the dark... I'm afraid she might actually be attracted to me."
As the words reached this point, Qiao Mu looked on with satisfaction as the chief constable, who had already walked far away, trembled ever so slightly.
Relieved.
Meanwhile.
A huge paper crane flew in from the sky, carrying a young woman with a bun on her head who appeared to be in her twenties.
The paper crane quickly shrank to its ordinary size and the young woman reached out and tucked it into her embrace.
"Immortal Ming Yue from Xuantian Sect has arrived."
"Even a folded paper crane can make people fly, truly magical."
The nearby constables all praised and admired.
"Why did people from Xuantian Sect come to the government office?" Qiao Mu wondered.
Apart from Wang Songhe who only practices magic and not cultivation, this is the first time he has seen a cultivator.
However, this female cultivator looked friendly and approachable with a warm smile. Though Qiao Mu had thoughts of death, he didn't want to pick fights easily...after all, she was not the completely evil Butcher Zheng.
"Hey, Captain Qiao, it seems like you didn't hear at all," Qian Qian said helplessly beside him.
"Then explain it in detail," Qiao Mu said, habitually reaching for his silver, only to be stopped by Qian Qian:
"It's a small matter this time, no need for that."
"The fairy from Xuantian Sect has come to work with us to solve the 'Case of the Monster that doesn't stay the same'."
"Lately, there have been many evil creatures causing trouble and hurting people inside Heyang City."
"According to Immortal Ming Yue from Xuantian Sect, this evil creature is called the 'Impermanent Monster' and it feeds on death energy. It's a strange and dangerous beast."
"Every time it appears, it takes someone's life, just like the messengers from the underworld in ancient legends, known as the 'Impermanent Ones'. That's why it's called the 'Impermanent Monster'."
Life and death can change so quickly? Is that really lucky?
Qiao Mu originally just wanted to be a lazy worker, but now he's feeling a bit curious.
Wherever there is danger and death, there you will find Qiao Mu.
"But, um, as a member of the police, should I also catch these evil creatures causing trouble?" Qiao Mu was a bit confused.
At the moment, he is a very skilled martial artist, ranked sixth. He is now at the same level as the former Yan City Lord and has learned powerful martial arts like the Long Life Fist and Pure Yang Wuji Skill. He has good judgment.
He could tell that most of the constables in this yamen were at a basic stage of training.
Catchers like Qian Qian are only at rank 9 in their training, and even martial artists like Sheriff Qian, who are ranked 9th, have declined in their energy and blood, and their actual combat ability is not that great.
The only one worth Qiao Mu taking a second look at is Chief Constable Chen, who has a martial skill of about 7th or 8th rank...but it's only a second look.
Ordinary catchers usually only deal with small matters like local thugs, and they don't have the chance to handle big thieves or evil monsters.
"Our regular catchers can't handle this, so the immortal from Xuantian Sect came," Sheriff Qian said with a smile, and looked at the face of the female cultivator with a faint longing.
It is said that immortals can live forever, who wouldn't long for that?
The female cultivator from Xuantian Sect, known as Bright Moon, smiled and said:
"In this operation, we will need the help of all the catchers from the yamen."
"You don't need to deal with this impermanent monster, it is quite powerful and might harm you. If you discover any traces of these monsters, just inform me."
"The immortal is truly kind-hearted and compassionate."
"The immortal still worries about the safety of us ordinary people." The constables all breathed a sigh of relief.
They were all mortal beings and didn't want to deal with those so-called monsters.
Female Cultivator Ming Yue continued to smile and said:
"This monster feeds on death energy, so it often appears near dying people, such as in clinics and prisons. Please pay attention, everyone."
"But in case you really encounter that monster, remember not to kill it. Bring it back instead."
"Hmm? Why is that?" asked one of the constable leaders.
"Because... heaven has the virtue of being merciful. Killing this wicked creature is too easy, so I will bring it back to our sect and punish it separately. It will serve the Immortal Gate with its guilty body, slowly repaying the sins it has committed over the long years," the female cultivator answered.
The constables fell silent for a moment.
"Indeed. Heaven has a kind favor."
"The immortal speaks rightly."
At this moment, a brave constable cleared his throat and stepped forward.
"According to the laws of Great Yan, the one who kills is surely subject to death penalty."
"May I ask, immortal, how is it that this monster, who has killed, can continue to live within the Immortal Gate?"
"So, does the life of this mixed creature, capable of smelling death, hold more value than the lives of my fellow Great Yan citizens?"
Female Cultivator Ming Yue looked at Qiao Mu, who had stepped out from the crowd, and the warm smile that had been on her face unknowingly faded.
Just as she was about to act out, a series of rapid footsteps could be heard outside the yamen (government office).
A group of officials holding swords and knives pushed open the gate, barged in, and surrounded the constables inside.
This made the constables very surprised, what was happening? The soldiers surrounded the six gates?
"Which one is Qiao Pifu?" asked the leading soldier.
"That's me," Qiao Mu guessed what was going on and smiled calmly.
"Someone reported that you were discussing politics and slandering the current emperor in the teahouse... Arrest him!"
Capturing fugitives is usually the duty of the constables, but Qiao Mu himself is the chief constable, so this time he specially dispatched soldiers.
However, as soon as these words were spoken, Sheriff Qian, who had been friendly before, quickly realized the situation and rushed over to apprehend Qiao Mu.
