Chapter 114: Anyu County

Anyu County.

County Government.

Compared to Yu City, the Anyu County government was much smaller. Its overall size seemed less than even the South District, and its prosperity was noticeably different. In some places, the city walls were visibly damaged and no one had repaired them.

Chen Mu glanced over the distant county government city walls, then looked up at the sky. Seeing that it was getting dark, he said, "We’ve been traveling for two days and a night. I think we should rest for the night."

"Mm."

Xu Hongyu, who was following behind, didn’t seem to have fully heard what Chen Mu had said. She just absentmindedly responded with a hum.

Chen Mu didn’t mind. Xu Hongyu was naturally aloof, and she would occasionally space out. She hadn’t changed much along the way, except that she had been spacing out more often since last night.

Xiao He, who was beside them, interjected, "We can go straight into the city. The magistrate of Anyu County is Miss’s cousin."

The seven counties under Yu City’s jurisdiction all had personnel from various families. Anyu County was one of the counties with the most influence from the Yu family. From the magistrate to some of the government officials, they were all Yu family members.

The three entered the county government.

Soon, Xu Hongyu’s cousin came out to greet them personally.

He was wearing the official robes of a county magistrate, but his appearance was very different from what Chen Mu had imagined. He was short and plump, with a round face, looking more like a wealthy country gentleman than someone who knew martial arts. However, he walked with a steady and powerful gait, so he clearly had some martial arts skills.

"Cousin."

Xu Hongyu called out to Yu Rong.

Yu Rong smiled kindly and said, "Hongyu, what brings you to Anyu? …Oh, I heard that you’re now a White Uniform Guard in the Demon Slaying Division, so you must be here for demon hunting. I’ve already ordered rooms to be prepared. By the way, who is this?"

As he spoke, he looked at Chen Mu with a questioning expression.

He knew Xiao He, but he had never met Chen Mu.

"This is Master Chen Mu, a Blue Uniform Guard of the Demon Slaying Division. He’s one of us."

Xiao He introduced him cheerfully.

Because they were entering the city and weren’t mobilizing any troops, they had all changed into casual wear.

Yu Rong glanced at Chen Mu in slight surprise, and then smiled amiably, "You look unfamiliar. Master Chen, for you to be a Blue Uniform Guard at such a young age, you are truly talented. You are much better than I was back then."

Chen Mu nodded slightly to Yu Rong. As a Blue Uniform Guard of the Demon Slaying Division, he didn’t need to stand on ceremony with a county magistrate.

However, after a brief thought, Chen Mu remembered something and said, "By the way, I might have to trouble Master Yu with something. My mother was from Anyu County, but she ended up in Yu City in her early years. I don’t know if she still has any relatives alive in Anyu County."

As he spoke, he mentioned his mother’s name, Liu Ping.

He didn’t have many memories of Liu Ping. She had passed away when Chen Yue was about eight years old. Because it was so long ago, his memory was somewhat vague. It was only after arriving in Anyu County that he remembered that Liu Ping seemed to be from Anyu County. She seemed to have been enslaved and taken to Yu City by a gang that specialized in this, where she worked for a local gentry family.

According to some vague, distant memories, Liu Ping was later driven out of the gentry family because she was getting old. After that, she met Chen Mu’s father, married him, and had him and Chen Yue.

Chen Yue had mentioned this to him not long ago, mentioning that Liu Ping had always wanted to go home in her final days, but ultimately couldn’t make it. Chen Mu probably understood that Liu Ping’s journey from Anyu County to Yu City was because she had been enslaved and sent there by a gang that specialized in such things. For an ordinary woman, the journey from Yu City back to Anyu County was far too difficult.

"Alright, I will have people look into it right away."

Yu Rong agreed readily.

Although the matter was several decades old, and he only knew a name, he was, after all, the magistrate of Anyu County. There were still ways to investigate, but it would take some effort.

But judging from Xu Hongyu’s attitude toward Chen Mu, and Xiao He’s reaction, Chen Mu was not an ordinary subordinate, and he was also a respectable Blue Uniform Guard of the Demon Slaying Division. Naturally, it was worth it for him to put in some effort.

"Then I’ll trouble Master Yu."

Chen Mu clasped his hands in thanks.

The matter concerned events from decades ago, and the world was now in chaos. Many local records and family registers were a mess, even in his previous jurisdiction of Wutong Li. Not to mention in a local county, so he didn’t have high hopes.

If he could find them, he would see what their circumstances were and give them some assistance. It could be considered a way of resolving his karma and fulfilling Chen Yue’s wish. If he couldn’t find them, then that was simply their fate.

…

Yu Family.

"Remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect?"

Looking at the information that Xu Hongyu had sent back, Yu Zuyi’s expression became thoughtful.

If it were years ago, when the Great Xuan Dynasty was strong and governed the world, the appearance of Heavenly Corpse Sect remnants would definitely be a major event. After reporting it up through the layers, even the prefecture-level authorities would send troops to suppress them.

But now…

The world was now divided by sects, with the righteous paths in a standoff, and the demonic sects competing. Those demonic sects like the Blood Shadow Tower and Joyous Union Sect, which had been suppressed by the imperial court in the past and forced to hide, were now openly operating in some prefectures, even openly establishing their branch altars.

The Heavenly Corpse Sect was just a member of the demonic sects hundreds of years ago. Now, only a few remnants had appeared, and Xu Hongyu had accidentally encountered and killed some of them. It was not a major incident. Moreover, the imperial court was mostly powerless to deal with it. The Seven Profound Sect, however, might react to this, as Yu Prefecture had always been under the jurisdiction of the Seven Profound Sect.

The only thing to consider was whether or not to pass this information through City Lord Xue Huaikong.

The Heavenly Corpse Sect had been able to hide in Yu Prefecture for so long, so there must be other forces helping them to conceal their tracks.

The Xue family had much more influence than the Yu family. Even the Yu family had been able to use the Corpse Poison Jade to vaguely suspect some things, so it was impossible that the Xue family didn’t know about it. They might even know more than the Yu family.

"Hmm, the Xue family shouldn’t have any connection with the remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect. With the Xue family’s power, there is no need for them to cooperate with the remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect. It’s He and Xie families who are worth suspecting."

After thinking for a moment, Yu Zuyi decided to pass the matter through City Lord Xue Huaikong. So, he personally left the Yu family residence and went to the City Lord’s mansion in the Inner City. After some time, a secret agent quietly set off from the Inner City for the Seven Profound Sect.

…

Anyu County Government.

Since the magistrate was a member of the Yu family, the courtyard prepared for Chen Mu and the others was well-maintained. The courtyard was located at the back of the county government. It was not large, but clean and elegant. Oil lamps had been lit in each room.

Chen Mu entered the east-side room to check it out, while Xu Hongyu headed to the west-side room. Xiao He secretly glanced at Chen Mu, before following Xu Hongyu into the west side room.

After a while.

Chen Mu knocked on the door to the west.

"Chen Mu, you, you’ve come to…"

Xiao He opened the door, looking a little flustered as she spoke. Although if Chen Mu wanted to propose marriage to the Yu family right now, like how Xu Hongyu’s father had done in the past, there would definitely be no resistance from the Yu family. And she could see that Xu Hongyu was acting a bit strange these days. But tonight… was that too soon?

"What are you panicking about?"

Chen Mu looked at Xiao He strangely, and then flicked her forehead in annoyance. "I’ve come to ask about the Seven Profound Sect. How much do you and Hongyu know about them?"

Now that the matter of the Heavenly Corpse Sect had been reported to Yu City, it was likely that Yu City would not deal with it themselves. It would definitely be reported to the Seven Profound Sect.

He didn’t know much about the Seven Profound Sect.

Xiao He was clearly starting to overthink things. Even if he was curious as to how Xu Hongyu, this aloof beauty, would react to such advances, he wouldn’t do it at a time like this. Moreover, Xiao He had been running around all day like she couldn’t wait to be the dowry maid, but when he had approached, she had become flustered. Her usual shrewdness was completely gone, which he found a little amusing.

Xu Hongyu was sitting beside the soft couch in the inner room, her expression as calm as ever. "The Seven Profound Sect, the ‘Seven Profound’ refers to the seven peaks under the sect, which are the Taixuan, Shangxuan, Shaoxuan, Tianxuan, Dixuan, Lingxuan, and Zhengxuan Peaks. Each peak has a peak master, a direct disciple, dozens of inner disciples, and hundreds of outer disciples."

The total number of people was not large.

Chen Mu’s expression was thoughtful.

But compared to Yu City, any one of the seven peaks of the Seven Profound Sect was probably far more powerful than the entire Yu Prefecture’s forces combined.

"In the Seven Profound Sect, there is a Deacon Hall that is responsible for the various affairs of the sect. Every deacon is at the Viscera Realm. The Xue, He, and Xie families, as well as my great-grandfather, have all served as deacons in the Seven Profound Sect."

"The status of a direct disciple is slightly higher than that of a sect deacon, but they are not responsible for handling affairs. Generally, only those who have surpassed the Viscera Realm would represent the Seven Profound Sect when traveling outside. The seven peak masters are also the elders of the Seven Profound Sect, and they are all at the Inner Bowels Realm or higher."

Xu Hongyu continued to state.

"Marrow Washing Realm…"

Chen Mu pondered slightly, then suddenly asked, "Does the Seven Profound Sect have anyone at the Blood Exchange Realm?"

This time, Xu Hongyu shook her head, "I don’t know that either, but the Seven Profound Sect occupies one prefecture, and they are able to leave the Great Xuan Dynasty to the side, so I would guess that they must have figures at that level."

As she said this, a trace of longing appeared in her eyes.

Five Viscera and Six Bowels, Seven Marrows and Eight Bloods. If you reached the end of the path, it would be the highest state of martial arts!

Any martial artist yearned for the peak of martial arts, but looking at the Great Xuan world, how many people were truly able to reach such a height? The path was lined with the dried bones of those who had fallen.

Hearing Xu Hongyu’s answer, Chen Mu couldn’t help but admire the strength of the Seven Profound Sect.

After all, it was a major sect that ruled over one prefecture. It had gathered almost all of the best resources in Yu Prefecture to support just seven direct disciples and a few thousand inner and outer disciples. In any aspect, the family forces of Yu Prefecture were incomparable to them.

For a force that stood at such a level, it would probably be an easy matter to deal with some Heavenly Corpse Sect remnants. Unless the Heavenly Corpse Sect could restore itself to the heights it had enjoyed hundreds of years ago, but that was obviously highly unlikely.