Leaving the mortuary, Jiang Wang stepped onto the bare floor tiles, passing by the North Yamen prison, where he happened to encounter Zheng Shangming.

Or perhaps, Zheng Shangming, having calculated the time, was waiting there specifically.

“Finished examining?” Zheng Shangming inquired.

Simultaneously, his voice transmission echoed in Jiang Wang’s ear: “Regarding the matter of the North Yamen Commandant, Brother Jiang must make a decision soon.”

Jiang Wang’s heart stirred. He understood that Zheng Shangming had likely grasped some crucial clues. The North Yamen Commandant’s affair was certainly not something to be discussed openly. And having just witnessed the strange behavior of that Blue Plaque Constable in the mortuary, Jiang Wang was not entirely trusting of the internal security within the North Yamen.

On the surface, he replied, “Finished examining, the corpse shows no irregularities.”

His voice transmission back was concise: “I understand.”

Zheng Shangming nodded. “Then Brother Jiang, proceed slowly. I’ll come to your residence to fetch you tomorrow.”

Jiang Wang declined, “No need for such trouble. Early tomorrow morning, I will meet Brother Zheng outside Changsheng Palace myself.”

Concurrently, he transmitted his thoughts: “Investigate the constable who accompanied me into the mortuary just now. There’s something amiss with that individual. Also, re-examine Feng Gu’s corpse. I suspect he performed some trickery just now.”

Zheng Shangming smiled faintly. “It’s not about trouble; it’s the rule for handling cases. When we go out, we must ride in a North Yamen carriage and are not permitted to make contact with others.”

In his voice transmission, he reassured, “Rest assured, if that person is indeed problematic, they will not escape detection. I will uncover a new clue tonight and then re-examine the corpse. I will notify you at the earliest opportunity if I find anything.”

“Since it is the rule, let us abide by the rule,” Jiang Wang cupped his hands. “I shall take my leave first.”

“Walk slowly.”

Zheng Shangming watched him depart, then turned and walked back towards that iron room. Their long-standing friendship was well-known within the North Yamen, and their brief exchange would not arouse suspicion.

Jiang Wang did not seek out Lin Youxie but left the North Yamen alone. The North Yamen’s carriage was still waiting at the entrance, ready to transport him back to his residence.

Though Linzi was a prosperous city, few people lingered around a place like the North Yamen. A vendor selling sugar treats pushed his cart, his calls echoing. Several pedestrians hurried by with anxious expressions.

Jiang Wang couldn’t help but wonder… In Jiang Wuqi’s painting of all living beings, in which corner would he find himself? The mortal world was like a vast net; how many could truly break free?

He bent down and entered the carriage. To the rhythmic sound of the turning wheels, Jiang Wang quietly examined the red makeup mirror in his hand.

Earlier, when he had formed his Outer Building in the depths of the universe, it was that single gleam from the red makeup mirror that had momentarily immobilized the Dragon God, thus providing Master Guanyan with the crucial opportunity to strip away the Dragon God’s power.

He had once believed that the red makeup mirror had awakened some dormant power. But subsequent careful examination revealed no new changes; all its functions remained as before. His physical body could still enter the mirror world, which remained that vast, white expanse. As for inviting divine soul calamity, he dared not attempt it for the time being…

Jiang Wang speculated that perhaps the red makeup mirror possessed a unique reaction only to the Dragon Clan. There had been many signs pointing to this. The red makeup mirror had been obtained from Hu Shaomeng of Diaohailou. From later events, the secret of the red makeup mirror should have been known exclusively to Hu Shaomeng and his master, Haizongming… The red makeup mirror itself, of course, also originated from overseas. And during the Fuhai Calamity, the female voice that transcended all divine soul calamities, gnashing its teeth and cursing a name, had cursed “Fuhai.” The Fuhai Calamity had ultimately ended with a great sun drying up the ocean.

So much information was intertwined with the concept of “sea.” And the greatest threat to the human race overseas was the Sea Race. In the ancient era, the Dragon Clan had led nearly half of the aquatic races in retreating to the vast sea, evolving over countless years into the Sea Race of today.

Jiang Wang couldn’t help but connect the dots, wondering if that entity named “Fuhai” had some connection to the Dragon Clan. The battle in the depths of the universe also revealed that the Senhai Dragon God clearly held some understanding of the red makeup mirror. But extracting information from its mouth was not yet the time… Given the cunning of that old dragon, the more interest Jiang Wang showed in the red makeup mirror’s origins, the more he risked being manipulated.

The red makeup mirror should still hold greater potential, but until he possessed the ability to withstand the next round of divine soul calamity, he wouldn’t be able to unearth it.

However, as Jiang Wang stroked the red makeup mirror, his thoughts at this moment were not on the mirror itself, but on the words the Dragon God had spoken within the Yuheng Star Tower. It had claimed to have operated the Senhai Source Realm for a thousand years, yet in the end, none followed It… It had spoken of the indistinguishability of holiness and evil, of virtue and fortune not being repaid.

This was, of course, utter nonsense. The Dragon God only knew how to plunder, committing excessive evil. Once its true face was exposed, naturally, no one would follow, none would remain by its side. Jiang Wang was too lazy to listen to such deceitful words.

But at this moment, he suddenly thought… What about Jiang Wuqi? After Jiang Wuqi’s death, the vast forces within Changsheng Palace seemed to have fallen silent, like startled birds and beasts, making no discernible movement. The Senhai Dragon God, with its heaven-defying actions, naturally invited universal condemnation. But Jiang Wuqi, such an extraordinarily charismatic Heavenly Noble, how could it be that “none were from It”?

Even Jiang Wang, a peerless prodigy who had only interacted with him a few times, already held him in great admiration. Where had his confidants gone? Even if the tree had fallen and the monkeys scattered, it shouldn’t have been to the point where only an old eunuch like Feng Gu remained.

Perhaps Jiang Wuqi, before making such a decision, had already severed ties with those of his lineage, leaving Great Qi’s affairs to Great Qi, completely opening up his political resources, allowing his brothers and sisters to divide them… But some people were impossible to sever ties with. No matter how one tried, the mark of Changsheng Palace remained indelible. For instance, Feng Gu. For instance… Lei Zhangan. The entire Lei family was Jiang Wuqi’s maternal clan; how could such a blood-related relationship be severed?

Of course, Feng Gu and the Lei family had not remained silent. Feng Gu had cooperated with Wen Yanyu in handling Jiang Wuqi’s funeral arrangements, and after the funeral concluded, he had taken his own life. The Lei family had also mourned Jiang Wuqi collectively; on the day of Jiang Wuqi’s burial, it was none other than Lei Zhangan who carried the coffin…

But Jiang Wuqi’s confidants, those deeply imprinted with the mark of Changsheng Palace, might not have been limited to these few individuals. For example… the Mingjia disciple Gongsun Yu. Jiang Wang still remembered the first time he had seen Jiang Wuqi in Yunwu Mountain. Following closely by Jiang Wuqi’s side were several important figures. One was Lei Yikun, from the Lei family. Another was Zhang Yong, whose status needed no elaboration. And another… was precisely Gongsun Yu. Because this individual was a descendant of that Gongsun Ye who had written, “Pushing cups and changing cups, wine intent rests; self-pillow warm jade, dismiss guests,” Jiang Wang had once held a very deep impression of him. Later, he had also heard Chongxuan Sheng and others speak of Gongsun Yu as one of Jiang Wuqi’s most trusted confidants among confidants.

From when had this Gongsun Yu stopped appearing? What had happened? Even at Jiang Wuqi’s funeral, this individual seemed to have been absent…

The carriage stopped, interrupting Jiang Wang’s tumultuous thoughts.

“We’ve arrived, Lord Jiang,” the coachman announced.

“Much obliged,” Jiang Wang thanked him, then disembarked and walked towards his residence.

“Someone entrusted me to deliver a message to you,” the coachman suddenly spoke from behind.

Jiang Wang paused but did not turn back.

The coachman continued, “As a rootless newcomer to Qi, your current position is not easily attained. Matters you should not meddle in are best left untouched.”

Having spoken, he shook the reins, intending to drive away.

Jiang Wang suddenly turned back! The horse pulling the carriage was halted by an invisible force, raising its hooves and neighing, but the sound was completely muffled. Then, it knelt to the ground, motionless.

The coachman struggled desperately, but his body was also immobilized! Within the Tongtian Sea, waves surged, and the great dragon of his spine seemed to be held by an unseen hand, even his head and limbs trapped within winds of various shapes!

Super-grade Dao Technique, Dragon-Tiger! Making the dragon coil, ordering the tiger to crouch, thus making men prisoners. The despair was absolute, with no chance of even the slightest resistance!

And that world-renowned prodigy, in such despair, slowly walked towards him.

“Is my temper too good?” he asked softly. “Just any stray cat or dog can bring me a message, is that it?”

The coachman’s mouth and tongue were not sealed, yet he remained silent. He clenched his teeth tightly, his gaze meeting a pair of clear eyes, then a boiling killing intent swept through his mind! Such killing intent, such sharpness!

He felt fear, his body trembling, sweat pouring out like a deluge. He almost wanted to collapse to his knees but was held firmly, unable to move!

Jiang Wang had every reason to be angry. From the constable in the mortuary to the carriage driver, the Patrol Inspection Office was riddled with leaks. This was perhaps unavoidable. The North Yamen, controlling the capital’s security and wielding real power, was a yamen that any force within the court or wilderness would want to lay a few lines in. Even the North Yamen Commandant, Zheng Shi, tacitly approved of this. The yamen was simply too large, the manpower too vast, making it impossible to keep it entirely clean. He could only maintain complete control over key positions and ensure the core forces of the Blue Plaque remained loyal; other parts could only be dealt with leniently.

But a thousand times no, a million times no, those behind this should not have so blatantly sent a mere coachman to deliver a message. The other side simply wanted to demonstrate their infiltration of the North Yamen. They simply wanted to emphasize their power within the state of Qi. Look, they were saying, our people are everywhere. If you offend us, you’ll have to be extremely careful even when riding in a carriage. This was not a reminder; it was a naked threat.

Along his journey, Jiang Wang had experienced countless life-and-death battles, defeated the strong with the weak countless times, reversed heaven and earth countless times. He had slain powerful enemies, won great wars, and proven legends. He had climbed step by step to become a Great Qi Third Rank Golden Melon Warrior, a Fourth Rank Blue Plaque Head, and was enfeoffed with the position of Qingyangzi. Yet, there were still those who were so ignorant and casual as to send a lackey to threaten him!

Looking at the immobile coachman, Jiang Wang’s voice was cold. “If I kill you now, no one will speak for you. No one will dare come find me because of you. No one will even admit to sending you to deliver a message. You will die today, nameless, without a surname, in silence, not even a sound will be heard… Do you understand then what you count as, and what the people behind you count as?”

The coachman’s eyes had already begun to roll back.

Jiang Wang released the Dragon-Tiger technique. The horse immediately stood up, and the coachman almost collapsed, but he barely managed to remain upright.

“Your luck is quite good. At the entrance to my home, I don’t wish to kill,” Jiang Wang patted his shoulder lightly. “You can also help me deliver a message back – If you want to instruct me on how to do things, at least stand upright in front of me. If you don’t even have the guts to face me, where do you get the face to offer me any advice?”

The coachman barely nodded. Jiang Wang looked into his eyes, confirming that he had understood, then turned and walked towards his residence.

Jiang Wang’s residence was not located in a remote area; it was in a core section of Yaoguang Ward. There were already pedestrians on the street who had noticed the scene, but they had only seen—

A North Yamen carriage stopped there, the horse pulling it seemed tired and had knelt to the ground, the coachman helplessly tugging at the reins… And Lord Jiang was standing in front of the carriage, seemingly saying something. Though no sound could be heard, they appeared to be conversing cordially. After exchanging a few sentences, Lord Jiang returned to his residence, and the coachman drove away. It was a very harmonious picture.

This was just an ordinary day in Yaoguang Ward, no different from before. Except for the gatekeeper of the Jiang residence, whose eyes held even greater awe for his master, everything was as usual.

Stepping through the front door, Jiang Wang first headed towards Chongxuan Sheng’s courtyard. Because he had deliberately increased the sound of his footsteps beforehand, as soon as he reached the entrance, the courtyard gate was already pulled open.

At this moment, Chongxuan Sheng was half-reclining on a particularly wide lounge chair, his eyes half-closed, half-open, looking utterly content. The lounge chair was placed beside a small pond. This square pond was something Chongxuan Sheng had ordered dug after moving in; he had planted some aquatic plants in it and raised a few small turtles. To his left stood a bamboo rack, on which were piled several exceptionally beautiful fruits. Shisi, wearing his armored hand, was slowly peeling one for him.

This fatty’s recent life was indeed tending towards Jiang Wuxie’s leisurely existence.

Jiang Wang walked in, and the lump of fat on the lounge chair shifted slightly, casting a lazy glance. “You seem to have had some harvest?” he asked in a somewhat amused tone.

He couldn’t believe a mere cultivator of Two Mansions and One Divine Aperture was looking down on him! Jiang Wang, however, had no mind to argue at this moment. He simply said, “Help me investigate Gongsun Yu. See what he’s doing now. Your actions must be discreet; don’t let anyone discover you.”

Chongxuan Sheng didn’t ask for the reason. Seeing Jiang Wang’s seriousness, he replied with equal gravity, “I will have the Shadow Guard handle it immediately.”

Shisi, with a flick of his small knife, finished peeling the fruit in his hand. The black fruit peel coiled in a single strip on the fruit plate, and the tender white fruit flesh was placed into Chongxuan Sheng’s mouth. Then, he donned his armored hand and walked wordlessly towards the outside. To the Shadow Guard, his orders and Chongxuan Sheng’s orders were indistinguishable.

Jiang Wang couldn’t help but ask, “When you went out, you were eating porridge. Now you’re eating fruit upon returning. Are you not cultivating these days?”

“Wasn’t I waiting for you?” Chongxuan Sheng mumbled, chewing a mouthful of fruit flesh. “If I wasn’t watching, what if you just disappeared out of the country without a sound again?”

He was bringing up the very thing Jiang Wang didn’t want to talk about! Jiang Wang, with a backhand motion, closed the courtyard gate after Shisi left.

“Cough.” Chongxuan Sheng’s expression became a little more serious. “Speak, what matter has made you so troubled?”

Jiang Wang walked to the side of the small pond, looking at the patterns on the shell of one of the small turtles within. He began, “Zheng Shangming spoke to me about the matter of the North Yamen Commandant.”

“Oh…” Chongxuan Sheng’s fleshy hand grabbed a green fruit and bit into it casually. Eating as he spoke, he said, “It seems Feng Gu’s death is quite complex and will involve a wide range of issues…” He glanced at Jiang Wang. “Doesn’t Zheng Shangming want you to lead this case, so his father can be smoothly promoted and leave the position for you?”

Jiang Wang was already accustomed to this fatty’s perceptiveness. He simply nodded. “Indeed.”

Chongxuan Sheng bit into the fruit again, juice splattering. “Lin Youxie should also have some demands, and moreover, there’s a conflict with Zheng Shangming’s side. Otherwise, with such a good thing, you wouldn’t need to be troubled like this…”

“What’s so troublesome about you and a Lin Youxie…” He ate the fruit, his words somewhat unclear. “Uh… Lin Kuang?” He swallowed the fruit flesh in surprise and sat up. “The case of Consort Lei?!”

***

**Translator’s Note:** The translation aims to capture the elevated and somewhat formal style of a Xianxia novel. Terms like “Dao technique,” “divine soul calamity,” “Outer Building,” “Blue Plaque,” and “Golden Melon Warrior” are retained as they are specific to the genre. The dialogue is rendered with a slightly more elaborate vocabulary and sentence structure to align with the overall style. The use of voice transmission is also a common element in Xianxia, represented here by clear indication in the text.