CHAPTER 552: CHAPTER 282

Days of autumn executions, nights of corpse collection.

Through half an autumn, Xu Qing had collected corpses numbering no less than a thousand, most being rebels of the Cangyi Group and the Red-clothed Sect.

During this period, the Cangyi Group never came for these corpses, partly due to fear of exposing identities, but mostly because the corpses were difficult to transport.

The Government Office had a constable specializing in disruption, rendering the corpses sacrificed by the Cangyi Group using Evil Techniques utterly useless, even if taken back at great risk, they would need a burial place.

Rather than this ordeal, it was better to let the Government Office and the Funeral Shop, with official backing, handle the disposal.

Besides these reasons, there was another key factor: the Red-clothed Sect, which clashed with the Cangyi Group, had stationed in Underground Street.

Xu Qing was busy collecting corpses and never thought the Red-clothed Sect would move their base to Underground Street.

A few days ago, Xie Hongying from the Red-clothed Sect suddenly came to his Funeral Shop, threw her money pouch at Xu Qing without saying a word.

At that time, the rather bold miss thanked Xu Qing, expressing gratitude for helping collect corpses and conduct funerals for the martyrs of the Red-clothed Sect.

What could Xu Qing say? He could only ease into it, remarking how everyone has a hard journey in this world, and if they die without anyone to perform funeral rites, it’s too pitiful.

Moreover, he was tender-hearted and sympathetic, couldn’t bear to see such happenings, and if he took Xie Hongying’s silver, he would feel uncomfortable.

Xu Qing wasn’t just uncomfortable, he fundamentally wanted no association with these rebel elements.

Xie Hongying probably couldn’t imagine someone in this world would be obsessed with corpses; upon hearing Xu Qing’s words, her gaze softened, as if she’d not accomplished her great task, she might have kidnapped Xu Qing to make him the village chief!

It was shortly after that day, the dark energy in Underground Street unexpectedly intensified.

The reason being, those red-clothed women under the Red-clothed Sect’s Red-clothed Saintess all moved next to the mute carpenter’s place at the end of the street.

Next to the mute carpenter was an old courtyard, normally storing odds and ends, belonging to the proprietor of the general store at the east head of the street, Boss Zha.

Lately, every time Xu Qing passed by Boss Zha’s general store, he would see the man squinting, whistling and humming tunes cheerfully.

Thinking it likely the old courtyard being rented out brought nice silver earnings, pleasing his heart.

This day, Huang Xiaoliu appeared before Xu Qing in a flash of yellow smoke, reporting: "Sect Leader, I’ve discovered the origin of the Red-clothed Sect..."

Red-clothed like flames, sweeping out wickedness.

Since Dayong’s founding thirty years ago, after Emperor Tianzhi’s death, this phrase started circulating.

Some say the Red-clothed Sect is the reincarnation of the Vermillion-robed Judge, specializing in correcting earthly misdeeds, others say it was founded by a princess and the head of the Forbidden Army from the previous dynasty.

The fighting style of the Red-clothed Sect is almost identical to that of the Forbidden Army from the former dynasty.

The Imperial Court has besieged them for hundreds of years, causing upheaval both in the temples and the rivers and lakes, yet the Red-clothed Sect remained in orderly succession, never uprooted!

Each Saint Son and Saint Daughter of the Red-clothed Sect, like the successive emperors of Dayong, emphasized pure bloodlines.

By now, the Red-clothed Sect has been passed down for twelve generations, and the new Saint Daughter is none other than the twenty-year-old Xie Hongying.

Xu Qing was somewhat astonished upon hearing this.

In tales, the saintess with green hair bound in a silver crown, without makeup wrapped in red silk, infamous for killing without blinking an eye, was supposedly a beautiful, unmarried woman in the prime of youth?

Huang Xiaoliu rose up, cross-armed with claws, his voice childlike, "Within the Red-clothed Sect, followers claim that when the sorrowful last emperor of the previous dynasty was hanged, he had the head of the Forbidden Army lead his infant daughter out of the capital."

"And the successive Saint Sons and Saint Daughters of the Red-clothed Sect are the blood descendants of that princess from the past dynasty."

Former dynasty’s princess...

Xu Qing instinctively thought of Sai Yuxian, the woman left too deep a mark on him, even after so many years, he could hardly forget.

A nation’s corpses...

Xu Qing clicked his tongue, instructing: "Recently, the nation’s unstable, the world turbulent, the Transmission Hall must operate without fail, not missing any crucial information."

Seeing Huang Xiaoliu agreed but wouldn’t leave, Xu Qing raised a brow, "Is there something else?"

The little Yellow Weasel hesitantly said, "Sect Leader, Xiaoliu wishes to obtain a tonic recipe for grandfather...

Huang Lao Xu?

Xu Qing’s eyes lit up, concerned and attentive, "What happened to Daoist Huang? Is there something wrong with his health?"

Huang Xiaoliu sighed: "The other day I returned to Yellow Stripe Mountain to visit grandfather’s place, Grandfather was very worried about Sect Leader’s health, but when I mentioned Sect Leader was extremely well, unchanged from several years ago, Grandfather sighed saying his legs and feet were no longer nimble as before..."

"Upon returning, Grandfather didn’t even enjoy his favorite crooked-neck little phoenix."

This old man...

Xu Qing and Huang Lao Xu always had differing views, and he understood the counterpart’s thoughts.

The old Yellow Weasel was hoping for Cat Immortal Hall to disband quickly, so his great-grandson Huang Xiaoliu, using ’human’ experience in hall management, could lead Yellow Immortal Hall to become Jin Sect’s top sect.

All advantages would be taken by them!

Xu Qing smilingly took out two mushroom spores, one Dream Mushroom, one Immortal Mushroom.

He combined the two spore powders, wrapped them in paper, and handed them to Huang Xiaoliu.

"Your Grandfather is just too repressed, have him take this medicine, it’s guaranteed to cure whatever ails him."

Huang Xiaoliu received the medicine like a treasure, Xu Qing specifically instructed: "Don’t say it’s my prescription, the old man cherishes face, unwilling to admit to illness. Just sprinkle this medicine powder on the crooked-neck little phoenix, and send it to your Grandfather, let him have a joyful time..."