After a brief silence, Ji Yuan immediately thought of Liu Hongsheng.
This county yamen's head constable had a formidable reputation within a radius of several hundred li around Qianyu City, and in terms of martial arts, he was ranked among the top five.
It was said that he was once a wandering knight, and with his late-stage flesh realm martial power, he had done his fair share of righting wrongs.
But after more than ten years of traversing the martial world, he discovered that some people and some matters, though you could intervene once, you couldn't control them a second or third time. Often, after just a few days, the offenders would forget their lesson.
Thus, Liu Hongsheng later became a constable, using the law of the court to make offenders suffer greatly, and even after serving their sentences, they were almost afraid to return to their old ways.
After becoming the head constable, his fame even spread to other counties. When Liu Hongsheng of Qianyu City was mentioned, even ordinary citizens would call him a hero.
Not to mention that over the years, with his straightforward personality and upright spirit, Liu Hongsheng had accumulated considerable connections in both the underworld and the legitimate circles within a radius of several hundred li.
And in the current state of Qianyu City, if the situation truly spun out of control, only this head constable could gather enough strength to contend with the mastermind behind the scenes.
Otherwise, once the city descended into chaos, all factions would fight independently, none willing to submit to another. Such disunity would inevitably lead to their individual defeat.
"The head constable must have sensed something and wasn't summoned to the county yamen."
A young constable spoke. He had once overheard the scribe Sun Youfang muttering that Liu Hongsheng was too vigilant and could sense something was amiss even with just a messenger.
However, although Liu Hongsheng had noticed, no one knew where he was at present. Even some constables who knew him well dared not make any definitive statements.
Even ordinary constables knew that at such a time, one should not go to familiar places, let alone the county yamen's head constable Liu Hongsheng.
Unless he wished to be found, one could search the entire county and still not locate a trace of him.
"The City God Temple and the county yamen have fallen. Inside are either deities who have descended into demonic ways or constables whose minds have been controlled."
Zhao Yuansong's expression was grave.
Just then, footsteps were heard from the direction of the main gate, and soon Shen Lang, the disheveled scholar, was seen entering the Taoist temple with a dejected-looking young monk.
"Baiyun Temple is also gone. The entire temple has become a place of evil, and all the Buddhist cultivators who practiced there have died."
Shen Lang plopped down beside Ji Yuan, snatched the teapot from his hand, and took several gulps.
He informed everyone that the practitioners of Baiyun Temple had not been killed but had fallen into self-doubt, leading to the collapse of their mental states and their subsequent demise.
After quickly relaying what he knew, he began to rummage through Ji Yuan's sleeves, as if searching for something.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan good-naturedly shook his sleeves, and several bottles of pills fell out.
Shen Lang happily took the pills, then tossed a few porcelain bottles to Huixin, who was looking down, and immediately sat down to recuperate.
"My condolences..."
Seeing Huixin looking down in silence, tightly gripping the porcelain bottles, Ji Yuan couldn't help but sigh softly.
The Buddhist cultivators in Baiyun Temple were not the kind who stayed shut away, lost in their scriptures.
On the contrary, they often left the temple, walking through the streets and alleys, and even venturing into the mountains and rural towns outside the city, treating the sick and gathering herbs for free. This was one of the reasons why Baiyun Temple remained prosperous in the Great Yu Dynasty, which revered Taoism.
Among them, Huixin's master was particularly respected by the people. He had cultivated for decades and had served the people of Qianyu City for decades.
He treated the sick, gathered herbs, built roads, set up porridge stalls, and so on.
At this moment, both the Zhao family guards and the county yamen constables offered words of comfort, hoping that Huixin would not grieve too much.
However, Huixin suddenly shook his head. When he looked up, there was no trace of sadness in his eyes, only endless doubt and confusion, and a palpable rage.
"That heart-gouging demon, and the one who caused the death of all the monks in Baiyun Temple, turning a century-old temple into a place of evil..."
He looked at Ji Yuan and then trembled, "is my master!"
"What?!"
"Impossible!"
"How could this be..."
Everyone immediately stood up, looking at Huixin in shock, unwilling or unable to believe this news.
That was a highly respected eminent monk who had done countless good deeds for the people within hundreds of li, saving countless lives.
How could he be a wicked demon who committed all sorts of evil?
Ji Yuan glanced at Shen Lang, understanding now the meaning behind the latter's expression earlier, and why he had immediately taken pills and begun to meditate after a few casual remarks.
It turned out that there were some things he did not want to say himself, nor did he want to face the expressions of others when they knew the truth.
In a trance, Ji Yuan's mind conjured images, including three youths and a child, as well as a kindly old monk with a perpetually benevolent smile.
"Tell me exactly what happened, word for word!"
Ji Yuan looked up, his gaze firm as he looked at Huixin.
Hearing this, the latter slumped to the ground, ignoring the dirt staining his gray monk's robe.
He lowered his head, rubbing the porcelain bottles in his hands, and slowly recounted the events of the past few days, his voice weak with deep fatigue.
Since returning to the temple two days prior, he had stayed alone in his room, neither cultivating nor reading Buddhist scriptures, not even completing his daily chores.
It wasn't until late at night that Huixin understood Ji Yuan's words. Thinking that he couldn't sleep anyway and his mind was troubled, he went out for a walk in the temple.
However, when he reached the main hall, he heard his master talking to someone. Before he could make out the content of the conversation, he was discovered by the two people in the hall.
Huixin immediately stood by the window and bowed. Before he could even apologize, a dark shadow suddenly appeared before him, revealing his master.
However, unlike the usual kind-faced old monk, his master's face was now contorted with ferocity, demonic energy surging in his eyes, and with just one glance, Huixin's mental state was on the verge of collapse.
From that night on, Huixin was imprisoned in his master's room, with several restrictions placed upon him, rendering him unable to speak or move for two full days and nights.
But besides being immobile and speechless, his perception of the outside world remained intact. Thus, he heard the entire process of his master destroying the mental states of the other monks.
"Wuhai... Wuhai... Heart without a sea of Buddha..."
Huixin let out a bitter laugh, tears streaming down his face.
In the side courtyard of Xuantian Temple, a group of people remained silent, not knowing how to speak, and utterly shaken.
Who would have thought that Master Wuhai, who had worked tirelessly for the people for decades and was renowned as an eminent monk, would be the heart-gouging demon who had gouged out and devoured hearts in full view of everyone.
And now, he had harmed several Buddhist cultivators, turning the prosperous Baiyun Temple into a place of evil.
"Not good!"
A constable suddenly cried out in alarm. "In another hour or so, pilgrims will go to the temple to offer incense. Innocent lives will surely be lost then!"
Baiyun Temple had now become a place of evil, and no living being that entered would be able to leave alive!
Although the demon currently lurking within was originally the esteemed Master Wuhai, once one entered the demonic path, they were no longer themselves. All kindness in their hearts would vanish, leaving only endless malice.
"It's alright. The third leader of the Three Blades Society, a benefactor named Xu, has already led people to seal off the entire area around Baiyun Temple. No one can approach the temple from any road or alley."
Huixin clasped his hands together and recited a Buddhist chant. "Amitabha, Benefactor Xu and Benefactor Zheng asked this humble monk to relay a message: once it is determined that the evil within Baiyun Temple will not temporarily wreak havoc, they will come to Xuantian Temple."
Hearing this, Ji Yuan nodded slightly. With this, only Li Junxian's side was still without news.
Given his speed, he should have reached Luohun Slope by now. He wondered if he could successfully pass the formation and meet Song He in the house deep within.
If Song He could come to their aid, coupled with Zhao Yuansong's current strength, their side would have two second-realm cultivators, greatly reducing their pressure.
Not to mention that Zheng Wanrong had already successfully invited Xu Liuqing to act. With the help of the Three Blades Society, a top-five force within hundreds of li, he felt much more confident.
At least now, they were no longer alone and outnumbered. Otherwise, with just this handful of people, even with one or two more second-realm cultivators or martial artists, it would be difficult to achieve much.
"What are you doing here?"
A room door opened, and several middle-aged Taoist priests, their faces still groggy with sleep, soon turned to displeasure and anger.
Seeing more than a dozen people suddenly appear in the temple, they seemed displeased and instinctively thought their junior disciple was messing around.
However, when they saw the burly martial artists and seven or eight constables, their displeasure faded, and their imposing aura weakened considerably.
The several men stood at the doorway, momentarily at a loss, neither knowing whether to enter or retreat, appearing somewhat comical.
"Eldest Senior Brother, perhaps you should all go back and put on your clothes?"
Ji Yuan kindly reminded them, subtly pointing to a woman in the corner.
Upon seeing this, Chen Shirong's old face flushed, and he turned to push his junior brothers back into the room, closing the door heavily.
A constable withdrew his gaze and frowned at Zhao Yuansong. "Perhaps we should find another place. We can go to the substations the county yamen has in each district."
Substations were resting places for constables or bailiffs, and if there were no major or urgent assignments, they often remained unused for one or two years.
Although the environment might be poorer, they were quiet and undisturbed, possessing a certain level of safety.
After all, these places were mostly forgotten by the high-ranking officials and were only used by the lowest-ranking constables and bailiffs.
However, Zhao Yuansong merely shook his head at this suggestion. Perhaps, in his opinion, Xuantian Temple was the safest place in the county at this moment.
While this place might not have much power to protect it, it benefited from the legacy of Xuantian Temple's founder, offering an unseen destiny protection to its inheritor disciples and those of the same lineage, the Jiuxuan Sect.
However, he could not directly reveal these words, as some matters could not be disclosed to outsiders.
"You should all focus on your recovery. There may be a battle erupting at any moment."
After thinking for a moment, he bypassed this topic and turned to Ji Yuan, saying, "I will bring people to guard the surroundings and do my best to ensure the safety of the temple."
Hearing this, Ji Yuan nodded solemnly. Without getting up to return to his room, he, along with the others, sat cross-legged in the small courtyard, diligently circulating their cultivation techniques to refine the pills in their bodies.
At least half of the medicinal power of the healing pills they had taken earlier was still accumulated in their bodies, not yet fully refined.