Chapter 46: Speculation

Soon, the two of them arrived at the riverbank.

This was a tributary of the Qingshui River that flowed through the entirety of Qingshui County.

Many willow trees were planted along the bank, creating a unique and scenic view. The river water was a clear, jade-green.

Many scholars, young masters, and young ladies were out on the water, enjoying boat rides.

Wang Changbai pointed to a spot on the river’s surface. "It was probably right around there."

"The butcher’s surname was Jiang. His body was found floating in the river back then."

Han Yuan asked doubtfully, "Who pulled his body out of the water at the time?"

"Not sure... The guy was a local tyrant over in the West Market. He worked for a small gang, specializing in bullying the vendors and farmers and collecting protection fees."

"He was ruthless, too. He’d even beaten someone to death before."

"A few days ago, he got drunk with his scummy friends at a tavern and headed home alone."

"He must have had a drunken fit, lost his footing, and drowned in the river."

"A guy like that, of course no one was going to pay to have his body retrieved."

"So the body just floated on the river for a day, and then on the second day, it vanished."

"At the time, everyone just thought it had been washed away by the current."

Wang Changbai explained what he had found during his investigation.

"Then there’s no mistake."

"It’s him, nine times out of ten."

Han Yuan said coldly.

"Are you saying the cases from the past two days were the work of that dead butcher?"

Wang Changbai’s expression changed.

"Mhm," Han Yuan nodded and said softly, "I’ve examined the bodies. The method is very similar to how a butcher slaughters livestock... just far more bloody and cruel."

"Even back then, I had a feeling the killer’s profession might be a butcher. That’s why I had you look into it."

Upon hearing this, Wang Changbai’s face filled with horror. "A butcher... a wrongful death by drowning... It all fits!"

Legends have been passed down through the ages.

Those who drown are filled with resentment. Their bodies, soaking in the water, can easily turn into Water Ghosts and start murdering the living.

This is how the profession of the corpse salvager came to be.

Han Yuan nodded. "Butcher Jiang was already a villain, and he died in the water without anyone even retrieving his body... His resentment must be profound. It’s highly likely his corpse reanimated and committed these bloody crimes."

"Then what do we do?"

"Should we hire some of those Daoists or monks from the city to perform a ritual?"

Wang Changbai was starting to panic.

He was also afraid of all this supernatural stuff.

Han Yuan gazed at the clear, green river, thought for a moment, and grinned. "Let’s do just as you said. We’ll perform a ritual tonight!"

.....

That night.

Han Yuan spent two hundred taels of silver to hire several monks from Lingyue Temple outside the city to perform a ritual.

A canopy was set up by the river, and several monks held Bells, wooden fish, and Copper Gongs, producing a variety of clear sounds.

An old monk sat cross-legged in the center, endlessly chanting Buddhist Scriptures.

"Namo Amitābhāya..."

Surrounding them was a circle of lotus-shaped lanterns, their candlelight burning slowly.

Han Yuan and his men watched from a short distance away.

"This silver is pretty easy to earn..."

"Two hundred taels of silver for one night of chanting."

"If I’d known, I would’ve become a monk too."

Wang Changbai sighed wistfully.

"Forget it, Old Wang," Wang Dahua laughed heartily.

The other Government Officials also burst out laughing.

"This money isn’t easy to earn."

Han Yuan said faintly, his gaze fixed on the monks.

"But is this really going to work?"

Wang Changbai asked doubtfully.

"I don’t know. It was just a sudden idea."

"What do you guys think of this ritual?"

Han Yuan asked.

"Honestly, the chanting is getting on my nerves."

Wang Dahua said frankly.

"I really want to go beat those monks up and make them stop chanting."

"I was thinking the same thing."

The other Government Officials chimed in.

"That’s exactly the effect I’m going for."

"If it’s this annoying to us... it’ll be even more annoying for Butcher Jiang, who drowned in the river."

Han Yuan said with a smile.

"But what if you’ve guessed wrong?"

Wang Changbai reminded him.

"I’m not completely sure either."

"Anyway, it’s worth a try. Maybe we’ll get lucky."

Han Yuan said nonchalantly.

He didn’t know much about these vengeful ghosts and Evil Spirits, so he could only use whatever method came to mind.

’Even if I’m wrong, it doesn’t matter. The silver came from the Government Office’s public funds anyway, so it has nothing to do with me.’

...

Time flew by.

The monks were still chanting their scriptures and striking their various Dharma Artifacts.

The sounds echoed continuously across the river’s surface.

Unwittingly, a faint mist began to rise unnervingly from the river.

The mist spread rapidly, blanketing the riverbank.

"Something’s wrong!"

Han Yuan shouted in a low voice.

Startled, Wang Dahua and the others hurriedly drew their blades.

The mist grew thicker and thicker, and the temperature dropped rapidly, making it impossible to see their surroundings clearly.

Han Yuan peered ahead, but he could only make out a few vague silhouettes.

In the next instant.

"AHHH!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream came from up ahead.

"Murder!"

"There really is a vengeful ghost!!"

"Run!"

The monks scrambled in a panic.

"You guys stay here. I’m going to check it out."

Carrying his Cold Blade, Han Yuan charged into the depths of the mist.

"AHHH!!!"

The screams continued to ring out.

In just a few breaths, the monks had all been decapitated.

THUD...

A monk’s head happened to roll to a stop right at Han Yuan’s feet.

"So you’re the one who’s been causing all this harm?"

Han Yuan narrowed his eyes.

Before him stood a grotesque figure, its body bloated and covered in fleshy growths resembling barnacles. Its face was ghastly pale and hideous, and its two bulging, dead fish-like eyes glinted with savage, cold hatred.

In its right hand, it held a dripping, blood-soaked Bone-Cutting Saber.

It was none other than the deceased Butcher Jiang!

"Ah!"

Butcher Jiang stared at Han Yuan, his mouth suddenly splitting open as if in a smile.

Except the gash tore all the way to his ears.

SWISH!

The creature was incredibly fast, appearing before Han Yuan in the blink of an eye. It swung its Bone-Cutting Saber in a crude and direct slash.

There was no technique, just the simplest application of power and speed, aimed straight for Han Yuan’s neck.

The terrifying force generated a fierce gust of wind from the blade.

A flicker of excitement appeared in Han Yuan’s eyes. The Qi and blood in his body surged wildly as he summoned immense strength into his arms and swung the Cold Blade.

It was as if he sliced through the mist itself, creating a surging arc of light from his blade.

CLANG!!!

Sparks flew as if a hammer were striking red-hot iron.

The Cold Blade and the Bone-Cutting Saber were locked together fiercely!

"You do have some Qi Power!"

Han Yuan roared.

The muscles in both his arms bulged as if they were about to burst.

Butcher Jiang also let out a low roar.

It was like two bulls locking horns, neither willing to back down.

They even stomped deep pits into the ground beneath their feet.

Finally, with a BANG—

the two were thrown apart.

The next moment.

Han Yuan’s figure shot through the mist. Gripping his blade with both hands, he unleashed a flurry of frenzied slashes, striking like a Heavy Hammer.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Butcher Jiang relentlessly swung his Bone-Cutting Saber, determined to meet Han Yuan head-on.

Han Yuan’s blood was pumping as well. He abandoned all Saber Techniques, intent on competing with the creature in a pure contest of Qi Power.

He rained down more than a dozen frenzied blows!

Butcher Jiang let out a furious roar, but one of Han Yuan’s strikes sent him staggering back several steps, his stance broken.

Han Yuan pounced like a wild beast, his right elbow striking Butcher Jiang’s head like a spiked hammer!

BOOM!!!

The single elbow strike knocked both of the creature’s eyeballs out of their sockets!