CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 54: THERE IS NO SINGLE TRUTH

During their conversation, a powerful aura rose ahead, and a silver-armored cultivator blocked their path.

"Snow Moon City is sealed off, no entry allowed!"

The crane and the white horse both stopped, Gao Sheng took out a token and said, "Gao Sheng from the Demon Extermination Bureau, here specifically to rid Snow Moon City of demons."

Lin Jing also took out a token and said, "Lin Jing from the Beast Taming Sect, here specifically to investigate the case of missing beasts in Snow Moon City."

"..."

The silver-armored cultivator looked at the pair riding Foundation Establishment mounts, with one at the ninth level of Qi Cultivation and the other at the fourth level, not knowing what to say.

Gao Sheng looked at Lin Jing, "You’re also here for demon extermination?"

"You think my cultivation is low... aren’t you only at the fourth level yourself!"

"Nice to meet you. Your horse is truly majestic." Lin Jing said.

"This is a dragon horse, you from the Beast Taming Sect, don’t get any ideas."

The silver-armored cultivator checked their tokens and then made a report.

Soon, a middle-aged cultivator with a face covered by a thick snowy beard personally arrived.

Lin Jing had seen a portrait of this man; it was indeed Snow Moon City Lord Tang Qinghan.

Lin Jing was dazed. He didn’t expect to receive the same treatment as Senior Brother Ouyang, to be greeted personally by a Golden Core Cultivator!

"Young Master Gao... why are you here, is your father well?" Snow Moon City Lord ignored Lin Jing, spoke warmly to the black-clad youth.

"City Lord Tang, let’s not do this. I am Gao Sheng of the Demon Extermination Bureau, not Gao Sheng of the Gao Family. I am here to solve a case and exterminate demons." The black-clad youth said, "This is my first case since joining the Demon Extermination Bureau, so I ask for your cooperation, City Lord Tang."

"Snow Moon City will fully cooperate with the Demon Extermination Bureau." City Lord Tang nodded, then finally turned to Lin Jing.

Lin Jing looked up at the sky.

The Heavenly Feathered Crane said, "Beast Taming Sect, we are from the Beast Taming Sect!"

"So you are a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect... it was a failure on my part that your sect’s disciple Ouyang Hao met with misfortune in Snow Moon City. I promise, within a month, I’ll find the real culprit and give your sect an explanation." City Lord Tang said solemnly.

"Thank you, City Lord Tang. We are here this time to also participate in the investigation." Lin Jing said, "I am a disciple of Danxia Peak and have been studying poisons under my master for over twenty years. According to the Sect Ancestor’s judgment, Senior Brother Ouyang was injured by poison, so I was sent here to investigate."

"I see. Please, both of you, enter the city with me." City Lord Tang said, as the snow fog dispersed and the tall city walls appeared before them.

...

At the City Lord’s Mansion, City Lord Tang intended to first properly host the two before Gao Sheng said, "Let’s skip the usual pleasantries, City Lord Tang. I have already gained an understanding of what happened in Snow Moon City and have preliminarily determined the perpetrator!"

"What?!" City Lord Tang was shocked. He just arrived in Snow Moon City and already identified the culprit?

Lin Jing was also surprised, unsure if this fellow was reliable, as Elder Shen Song hadn’t discerned anything yet.

"First, Snow Moon City’s property was violated, and a major sect disciple was attacked here. For such a serious security issue, who suffers the greatest loss?" Gao Sheng said, "It would certainly be City Lord Tang. If it leads to bigger repercussions, City Lord Tang’s official career would surely be affected!"

"Therefore, this incident seems to be the work of demons, but there’s a possibility that it’s the work of City Lord Tang’s enemies, behaving like demons!"

"Before I came here, I gathered detailed information. After Pavilion Master Hua of the Lotus Pavilion came to this godforsaken Snow Moon City, due to policies set by City Lord Tang, the Lotus Pavilion’s business here suffered greatly... no hope of advancement... Just now, Brother Lin from the Beast Taming Sect said, disciples faced poison injuries in this city..."

"The Lotus Pavilion mainly deals in pills, and since three parts of every pill are poison, they would have in-depth knowledge of poisons!"

"I urge City Lord Tang to swiftly apprehend Lotus Pavilion’s Pavilion Master Hua Qian Dao." Gao Sheng finished speaking, took out a fan and elegantly waved it.

City Lord Tang’s face became complex, "Young Master Gao, years ago, I did have some disagreements with Pavilion Master Hua, but we long ago reconciled. Snow Moon City has established deep cooperation with the Lotus Pavilion, and a contract is set. If I fall, he will suffer as well. We now... share both glory and loss."

Gao Sheng kept fanning, slightly silent.

"Act like I said nothing."

Lin Jing cupped his fist, took his leave first, feeling this matter... with this person from the Demon Extermination Bureau, not much help can be expected.

"Elder Shen Song... is there anything wrong within this City Lord’s Mansion?" After leaving, Lin Jing opened his palm to reveal a pinecone.

A voice came from the pinecone.

"No abnormalities found, that City Lord Tang also poses no problem, but I now know what poison affected your senior brother."

"What?" Lin Jing was startled.

"Follow my guidance." Shen Song instructed.

Lin Jing nodded quickly and, after walking several kilometers, arrived at a snow-covered grassland.

Following Shen Song’s guidance, Lin Jing bent down, blew away the snow covering the grass, and pulled out several purple plants.

"Look at this."

Lin Jing gazed at the purple grass, plunged into deep thought. The encyclopedia of plants... had no record of this plant.

His mind quickly recalled through miscellaneous books he had read, suddenly realizing red spots appeared on his palm, and immediately said, "Petals split, snake-like leaves, causing red rashes upon contact, this is Insect Feather Grass."

"Correct." Shen Song saw that Lin Jing recognized this plant and said, "Do you know where it prefers to grow?"

Lin Jing said, "Insect Feather Grass prefers to grow near poisonous insects, it is a poisonous grass abundant in the Cloud Sea Mountain Range. Elder, do you mean my senior brother was injured by a poisonous insect..."

"Hold on, just ordinary poisonous insects aren’t enough to stump Golden Core Elders or Nascent Soul Ancestors."

"Poison..." Lin Jing said, "One of the three major Demon Sects, the Gu God Sect, has been studying poison for tens of thousands of years. Only they possess such formidable and strange poisons, with Gu poison being so changeable and endless, that it’s difficult to guard against. Implied in Gu insects, rarely any medicine can detoxify it. Elder, are you suggesting the source of poison is Gu insects?"

"Yes." Shen Song said, "It is not only not an ordinary poisonous insect, but not even an ordinary Gu insect. This Snow Moon City hides quite a few secrets. Your senior brother was likely injured by a child Gu, thus if the mother Gu is found, his ice Gu poison can be perfectly resolved."

"Brother Lin!" At this time, someone caught up with Lin Jing. It was Gao Sheng from the Demon Extermination Bureau.

Lin Jing stowed the pinecone, looking at this Second Generation Immortal.

He said to Lin Jing, "Brother Lin, I finally found you."

"Brother Gao, why did you leave the City Lord’s Mansion too?"

Gao Sheng appeared apprehensive, "I made a new deduction! Thus, I escaped."

"I thought of it, the disciple from your sect might have been affected by the ’Gu poison’ from the Gu God Sect, one of the three major demon sects!"

Lin Jing couldn’t help but feel impressed, seems this person indeed had some true knowledge though continued, "As my father once said, in recent years, the Gu God Sect has been increasing its influence on local ancient countries by controlling minds with Gu poison. City Lord Tang... might already be controlled by the Gu God Sect with Gu, becoming a puppet! After all, his cultivation technique and ice Gu poison appear very compatible, Snow Moon City’s original culprit is him!"

Lin Jing: ?

"Brother Gao, brilliant, but is there any evidence?"

"None."

"Then why are you speaking nonsense." Lin Jing said speechlessly, "If the lord of a city wanted to raise Gu with beasts, with the Tang Family’s influence in Snow Moon City, why would they need to steal rabbits from the Beast Taming Sect?"

"Uh... Brother Lin, you have a point." The genius from the Demon Extermination Bureau once again fell into deep thought.

"Brother Lin, do you think it’s possible..." He suddenly looked warily at Lin Jing, stepping back.

"Are you suggesting that, with the Beast Taming Sect historically known as the Demon Sect, you suspect someone within the Beast Taming Sect might be colluding with the Demon Sect, harming their own interests to remove suspicion, then crying thief to catch thief?"

Lin Jing: ?

"Brother Gao, you’re thinking way out there."

Lin Jing said speechlessly, "If a city lord wants to use beasts to breed Gu, with the resources of the Tang Family in Snow Moon City, would he need to use the Beast Taming Sect at all?"

"Brother Lin, do you think it’s possible..." He suddenly eyed Lin Jing warily.

"Brother Gao, are you suspecting me?"

"Brother Lin, I’ve finally found you."

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