Roaring Dragon-Chapter 41: Demonic Essence Extraction Technique

In the afternoon, the setting sun spilled across the endless fields by the river.

The wheat had already been harvested, the straw burned, and rapeseed seeds scattered; the air still faintly carried the smell of scorched earth.

Yang Dabiao and a few yamen (magistrate office) runners were digging in the field with hoes, chatting midway:

"You guys are something else, huh? Burying people alive is a serious crime. According to the Great Qian Code, the main culprit gets beheaded, accomplices get a hundred lashes and exile three thousand li away..."

Up on the ridge, four gambling hall thugs were squatting with their hands on their heads, faces bruised, blood leaking from their lips, crying out in injustice:

"Lord Yang, we really don’t know what you're talking about! Please, stop digging, this land belongs to the Li family..."

"So what if I’m loosening up Li family’s soil a bit? Afraid I’ll really dig something up?"

...

Xie Jinhuan was also holding a hoe, literally digging three feet into the earth, searching the vast fields for a corpse, sweating it out for the sake of bringing trouble down on the Li family — truly embodying 'no pain, no gain'!

Linghu Qingmo followed behind him with Birdie, watching Xie Jinhuan working harder alone than the four yamen runners combined. Even after they’d taken two breaks, Xie Jinhuan kept going without stopping, making her feel a little distressed:

"Jinhuan, why don't you rest a bit? Let me take over. You've already dug up almost two acres — even a landlord’s ox wouldn’t be worked this hard..."

"I'm a man. No way I’m letting a lady take over. You just rest."

"Sigh~"

Linghu Qingmo couldn't win the hoe from him, so she pulled out a handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat off Xie Jinhuan’s forehead.

Xie Jinhuan, being a martial artist, wasn’t even tired after digging two acres — plus, he wasn’t really digging for the Li family's buried corpses, but for his own future!

Fueled by powerful motivation, Xie Jinhuan’s sheer work ethic amazed all the young women and wives doing laundry by the riverbank:

"I thought he was just some rich young master from town, but look at him working so hard... You can tell he's destined for big things."

"Tsk tsk, whoever marries into that family is set for life~ No wonder such a gorgeous young lady is trailing after him."

"Look at that constable — tall and big, but so lazy with his work..."

?

Yang Dabiao, who had just taken a breather, heard the girls' 'male competition' commentary and felt a bit humiliated. He coughed twice and swung his hoe back into the dirt with renewed vigor.

Tiger San, the thug in charge of collecting debts for the Li family, was squatting with his head in his hands, cold sweat soaking his back as he watched the officers getting closer and closer to the burial site. He kept sneaking glances toward the official road, praying someone from the Li family would show up and take control.

Unfortunately, no one from the Li family had arrived yet when a shout rang out from the field:

"Boss, maybe it's here!"

Hearing the shout, Xie Jinhuan immediately grabbed his hoe and rushed over with the others to where Little Wang, the junior constable, was calling.

Since the fields were in crop rotation season, the ground had been overturned, and straw recently burned, leaving hardly any traces behind.

However, at the spot Little Wang pointed to, a half-buried rotten hemp rope could be seen sticking out of the soil.

Tiger San’s face turned white at the sight and he forced a smile:

"That's just a plowing rope for oxen... maybe it just broke accidentally..."

"Your plow rope is this thin?"

Yang Dabiao cursed and ordered everyone to stand back, spat twice into his hands, then grabbed his hoe and started digging.

Scrape—

Scrape—

After a dozen strikes, a half-man-deep pit opened up, exposing the corner of a cloth and some white bones beneath the dirt.

Seeing this, Tiger San’s heart completely sank. Gritting his teeth, he tried to argue:

"Which bastard buried someone in our land?! Lord, this has nothing to do with me — someone’s trying to frame us!"

Linghu Qingmo’s face darkened at the expected discovery:

"Quickly report to the yamen. Summon Constable Zhang."

"Yes."

A runner immediately dashed off to send the message.

Xie Jinhuan, seeing that the corpse had been found, had originally planned to sit back and watch the Li family and the Prince’s Mansion clash.

But the ever-looming ghost bride suddenly whispered in his ear:

"Something's not right with this body."

"Hmm?"

Xie Jinhuan frowned, squatting down beside the pit to carefully inspect the remains.

At that moment, the sound of urgent hoofbeats came from the official road:

"Hyah!"

Clip-clop, clip-clop...

Everyone turned to look. Three Chilin Guard riders galloped over from the direction of Danyang, followed by a luxurious carriage flanked by legal advisors and bodyguards.

Linghu Qingmo had already instructed someone to notify Yang Ting, knowing that the Li family would try to interfere with such a major case.

Now, the Chilin Guards had arrived. With no superior present, Yang Dabiao couldn’t handle them alone, so Linghu Qingmo stepped forward and cupped her fists:

"Household Guard Linghu Qingmo. Are you Lord Zhou He of the Chilin Guard?"

Zhou He dismounted before reaching the field, his expression grave:

"Yes. I heard there was an incident here. What’s the situation?"

The Chilin Guard answered directly to the Emperor and held nearly limitless authority.

However, Linghu Qingmo — who could make the Changning Princess and the Sect Master of Zihui Mountain accompany her in bed — had a strong enough background not to fear a mere centurion. She replied bluntly:

"This case falls within Danyang County’s jurisdiction. It should be handled by the local yamen..."

"Of course."

Zhou He showed no arrogance or hostility. Instead, he responded calmly:

"I was just at a banquet hosted by Young Master Li when I heard the news and rushed over — purely to avoid suspicion.

"If the Li family truly committed crimes, any cases the county office dares not touch, the Chilin Guard will handle! Any people the county office dares not arrest, the Chilin Guard will arrest! The Chilin Guard acts under the Emperor's orders, inspecting all officials. Miss Linghu, please don't mistake us for Li family's cronies."

"?"

Do you think I'm some dumb little girl?

Linghu Qingmo, of course, knew the relationship between Li Gongpu and the Chilin Guard. She didn’t even bother responding to this obvious lie.

Zhou He clearly came to smooth things over. He walked to the pit and, seeing the scene, coldly demanded:

"Li Zixian! Care to explain what's going on here?"

"It's a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding!"

Li Zixian had just been helped down from the carriage. He hiked up his robe and hurried over, explaining along the way:

"These men were just gamblers who owed debts..."

Linghu Qingmo’s eyes turned cold: "So gamblers deserve to be buried alive?"

"Miss Linghu, you've misunderstood. They weren't buried alive."

Li Zixian arrived and politely saluted the officials:

"They couldn't repay their debts, so I had them work as laborers in the fields. During that time, three of them fell ill and died. Even if they owed debts, I couldn't just leave them to rot in the wild, so I gave them a proper burial here..."

Yang Dabiao leaned on his hoe and pointed at the skeletons, their hands tied behind their backs:

"And this is what you call a proper burial?"

Li Zixian glanced at the pit and immediately exploded with anger:

"Tiger San! I told you to wrap them in mats! What the hell did you do?"

Tiger San, sharp enough to survive as the Li family's debt enforcer, quickly put on a pitiful face:

"I figured these filthy gamblers who sold their wives and daughters didn’t deserve a mat, so I just tied them up with rope. I was afraid the authorities would misunderstand, so I didn’t say anything earlier."

"You fool! What’s there to be afraid of if you’re doing things aboveboard?"

"I was wrong, I was wrong..."

The group sang and danced around the story, covering all the angles.

Linghu Qingmo knew it would be hard to shake the Li family’s towering influence, but she still pressed on for justice:

"Words are empty. With the dead unable to testify, does the yamen just take Young Master Li’s word for it?"

"I have evidence."

Li Zixian waved, and his legal advisor brought over several documents, handing them to Linghu Qingmo:

"These are the debts they owed, totaling two hundred seventy-six taels and seven qian. Here are the labor contracts — complete with fingerprints."

Linghu Qingmo frowned as she inspected the contracts, pressing her finger against the fresh, dark red fingerprints:

"These fingerprints are suspiciously fresh."

Li Zixian immediately forced a smile:

"The recent rains made the paper damp. The contracts are genuine."

Zhou He, who had been silently observing, finally stepped up:

"According to the Great Qian Code, when indentured laborers fall ill, their masters must provide treatment. Though often ignored, the Li family technically ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) broke the law and should receive thirty strokes and compensate the deceased’s families."

"I accept the punishment."

Li Zixian quickly nodded and admitted fault.

Linghu Qingmo and Yang Dabiao fell silent.

Everyone with eyes could see that Li Zixian was whitewashing his crimes.

But the three dead were massive debtors. Even if they’d been buried alive, taking the matter to the Three High Courts in the capital, the Li family’s influence would ensure minimal consequences.

Now Li Zixian was accepting punishment, paying compensation — honestly, that was already a good result.

Pushing further could backfire, causing the victims’ families to turn against the yamen for interfering.

Linghu Qingmo hesitated slightly and looked at Yang Dabiao.

Yang Dabiao, who had never wanted to handle this case in the first place and had been dragged along by his good brother, thought for a moment:

"Well... in that case..."

"Wait."

Just as he spoke, a clear voice echoed from the pit.

?

Yang Dabiao nearly stumbled, wishing he could kneel down and kowtow to Xie Jinhuan — muttering in his heart: My dear ancestor, I know you hate evil and refuse to tolerate it, but there’s a limit!

The yamen was already overwhelmed looking for the Zihui Mountain demon. Did you really have to pick a fight with the Li family now?

What next, chop up Li Zixian?

Li Zixian and Zhou He’s expressions darkened.

Zhou He thought a moment, then walked to the pit:

"Young Master Xie, do you have something to say?"

Xie Jinhuan truly wanted to dig up something major against the Li family — but right now, he wasn't deliberately stirring the pot.

Squatting beside the skeleton, Xie Jinhuan picked up the skull and carefully examined it, then handed it to Zhou He:

"Lord Zhou, as a Chilin Guard officer, your eyes are sharper than mine. See if you notice anything wrong with this bone."

Zhou He frowned and took the skull, peering through the eye sockets.

He quickly spotted fine traces along the inner wall of the skull, all converging toward the Shen Court acupoint...

The field fell silent.

Li Zixian, still hoping Zhou He would smooth things over, saw his expression change and felt a chill in his heart:

"Lord Zhou, is something wrong with the skull?"

Zhou He, a veteran Chilin Guard, recognized it at a glance: the markings inside the skull came from the "Demonic Essence Extraction Technique."

This technique was similar to blood sacrifices, except that blood sacrifices drained multiple people at once — requiring third-grade cultivation at least — whereas Demonic Essence Extraction could be performed by lower-tier demonic cultivators individually, weaker but much harder to detect.

Since the beginning of the year, the capital had already seen seventeen dried corpses — all killed by this method.

The marks on this skull were genuine.

This case might be connected to the corpse incidents, the demonic aura at Zihui Mountain, and other major conspiracies!

Even though Zhou He had intended to help Li Gongpu, he couldn't afford to cover this up — doing so would cost him his own head.

After weighing it carefully, Zhou He handed the skull to Yang Dabiao:

"Send this to the Prince’s Mansion immediately. Summon an expert to examine it."

"Huh?"

Li Zixian couldn’t make sense of the sudden change:

"Lord Zhou, what's wrong with the bone?"

Linghu Qingmo also caught sight of the faint blood patterns inside the skull, her face changing dramatically:

"Li Zixian! You dared collude with demonic forces! Arrest him!"

The yamen runners immediately surged forward and pinned Li Zixian to the ground...