Da Xuan Martial Saint

An Yu County.

County Government.

Compared to Yu City, the An Yu County Government was much smaller. Overall, it appeared to be even less extensive than a single South City District, with a clear difference in prosperity. The county walls were conspicuously damaged in some places, and no one had repaired them.

Chen Mu's gaze swept over the distant walls of the County Government and then lifted his head to glance at the sky. Seeing the darkening sky, he said, "We've been on the road for two days and a night. I think we should rest for the evening."

"Mm."

Xu Hongyu followed behind, lost in thought and not quite hearing Chen Mu's words clearly, so she just hummed in agreement.

Chen Mu didn't mind; Xu Hongyu was naturally a cool and indifferent person, who occasionally daydreamed. There had been no change in her all along the way, except that after last night, she seemed to daydream more often.

On the other hand, the little maid took up the conversation and said, "We can just enter the city directly. The County Magistrate of An Yu County is Miss's cousin."

The seven counties under Yu City's jurisdiction mostly had representatives from various families, and An Yu County just happened to have the largest controlled share by the Yu Family, from the County Magistrate down to some officials in the county government.

The group of three entered the County Government.

They were soon met with Xu Hongyu's cousin providing an official reception.

The man wore the official robes of the County Magistrate, but his appearance was quite different from what Chen Mu had imagined: short and chubby, with a round face, he looked like a wealthy local gentleman unversed in Martial Arts. However, his steady and powerful stride revealed that he surely possessed martial skill.

"Cousin."

Xu Hongyu called out to Yu Rong.

With an amiable expression, Yu Rong chuckled and said, "Hongyu, what brings you to An Yu... Ah, I've heard you're serving as a White-Clothed Guard in the Demon-Slaying Office. You must be here for hunting demons. I've had people prepare a room. And this person is?"

He said this while turning towards Chen Mu with an inquisitive look.

He recognized the little maid, but he had not seen Chen Mu before.

"This is Lord Chen Mu, a Green-Clothed Guard from the Demon-Slaying Office— one of us," the little maid introduced with a sweet voice.

Since they needed to enter the city without mobilizing troops, everyone was wearing plain clothes at the moment.

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Yu Rong looked at Chen Mu with a slight surprise and then smiled amiably, saying, "I didn't recognize you at first, but being a Green-Clothed Guard at such a young age, Lord Chen is truly accomplished, far surpassing me when I was your age."

Chen Mu nodded slightly towards Yu Rong. As a Green-Clothed Guard of the Demon-Slaying Office, he didn't need to adhere to strict formalities with a County Magistrate below him.

However, after a moment's thought, Chen Mu remembered something and thus spoke with a bow, "Speaking of which, I might need to seek County Magistrate Yu's assistance. My mother was originally from An Yu County and had drifted to Yu City in her early years. I'm not sure if I still have any relatives alive here."

He then mentioned his mother's name, Liu Ping.

His memories of Liu Ping were not very clear. She had passed away when Chen Yue was about eight years old, and because it was a long time ago, the details were somewhat blurred. Only upon arriving at An Yu County did he remember that Liu Ping seemed to be from this county. She had apparently become enslaved and ended up in Yu City, working for a local gentry's household.

According to his fragmentary and distant memories, Liu Ping was later driven out of the gentry's home due to her advancing age, after which she met Chen Mu's father, married him, and then had him and Chen Yue.

Not long ago, Chen Yue had spoken to him about this. He mentioned that Liu Ping had always wanted to return home to take a look, but in the end, she never fulfilled that wish. Chen Mu understood that Liu Ping's journey from An Yu County to Yu City had been due to her enslavement, facilitated by a gang specialized in this trade.

For an ordinary woman, the prospect of leaving Yu City to return to An Yu County would have been exceedingly difficult.

"Alright, I will have someone look into this immediately," Yu Rong readily agreed.

Although events from decades ago were quite distant and they only had a name, he was, after all, the County Magistrate of An Yu County. There were still leads to follow, though it would require some effort.

However, considering Xu Hongyu's demeanor towards Chen Mu and the little maid's reaction, Chen Mu was clearly not just any subordinate. Being a Green-Clothed Guard of the Demon-Slaying Office, he certainly warranted the extra effort.

"Then I'll leave it in County Magistrate Yu's hands," Chen Mu replied with another bow.

Given that the matter stretched back decades and considering the present chaotic times where many of the records and genealogies were in disarray—like in the Wutong Grove District under his previous jurisdiction—let alone in the local county offices, he did not harbor much hope.

If they could find some trace, he would see what the situation was, offer some help, and thereby settle a karmic debt as well as Chen Yue's lingering concern. If they could find nothing, it would simply mean that was fate.

...

Yu Family.

"Heavenly Corpse Sect remnants?"

Looking at the intelligence report passed on by Xu Hongyu, Yu Zuyi displayed a contemplative expression.

If it were years ago, when the Da Xuan Dynasty Court was powerful and ruled over all, the emergence of remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect would certainly have been a major issue. After being reported up through the ranks, even the existence of a state-level official might dispatch troops to suppress them.

But now…

The current world is divided by Sects, with the orthodox Sects standing off against each other, and Demon Sects vying for prominence. In the past, those crushed by the Imperial Court and forced to hide, like the 'Blood Hidden Pavilion' and the 'Hehuan Sect,' are now said to be acting openly in some states and counties, with branch temples set up in the open.

Several centuries ago, the Heavenly Corpse Sect was just one among the Demon Sects. The emergence of a handful of its remnants, occasionally encountered and even killed by Xu Hongyu, doesn't have that big an impact, and moreover, the Imperial Court is mostly powerless to govern them.

However, the Seven Profound Sect might respond to this incident, as Yu State has always been under their jurisdiction.

The only thing to consider is.

Whether this news should go through City Lord Xue Huaikong.

The Heavenly Corpse Sect being able to hide in Yu County for so long must mean there are other forces concealing their tracks for them.

The Xue Family has a far greater influence than the Yu Family. If the Yu Family could suspect some connections through the Corpse Poison Jade, the Xue Family couldn't possibly be ignorant of this; they might even know more than the Yu Family.

"Hmm, the Xue Family should not have any connection with the remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect. With the power and influence of the Xue Family, there is no need for any cooperation with the remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect. Instead, the He and Xie families are worthy of suspicion."

Yu Zuyi pondered for a moment.

In the end, he decided to report this matter through City Lord Xue Huaikong's hands, so he personally left the Yu Family residence and headed to the City Lord's mansion in the Inner City. After some time, a spy set out quietly from the Inner City to the Seven Profound Sect.

…

An Yu County Government.

Since the County Magistrate was from the Yu Family, the courtyard prepared for Chen Mu and others was certainly without neglect. The courtyard was located behind the county government office, not large, but could be considered clean and elegant, with oil lamps already lit in all the rooms.

Chen Mu walked into the eastern room to check, while Xu Hongyu headed to a west room. Xiao He stealthily glanced at Chen Mu and then followed Xu Hongyu into the west wing.

After a while.

Chen Mu knocked on the door to the west room.

"Chen Mu, you, what are you here for..."

Xiao He opened the door, a bit flustered as she spoke. Although the current Chen Mu, if he wished to propose to the Yu Family like Xu Hongyu's father once did, would surely face no resistance from the Yu Family, and it seemed Xu Hongyu was also acting somewhat oddly now, tonight was... just too soon.

"What are you flustered about?"

Chen Mu looked at Xiao He with surprise, then flicked her forehead with a finger, annoyed, saying, "I'm here to ask about--how much do you and Hongyu know about the Seven Profound Sect?"

This incident with the Heavenly Corpse Sect would surely be reported to Yu City, which would most likely not take action on its own but would report it upstream. Previously, the report would go to the State Government Office, that is, the Da Xuan Dynasty Court, but now it would only be passed to the Seven Profound Sect.

He did not have much understanding of the Seven Profound Sect.

Xiao He was clearly letting her imagination run wild, and even though he was curious about how Xu Hongyu, the cool beauty, would react after being treated, it was certainly not the time for that. Besides, Xiao He, running around during the day, seemed desperate to be a bridal maid, and now she became flustered when he arrived, all her usual shrewdness gone, which amused him somewhat.

Xu Hongyu was sitting by a soft couch in the inner room, her expression as usual", saying, "The Seven Profound Sect, the so-called Seven Profound, refers to the seven peaks under the Sect, which are Great Profound, Upper Profound, Lesser Profound, Heavenly Profound, Earth Profound, Spirit Profound, and Correct Profound...

Each peak has a Peak Master as well as a True Disciple, dozens of Inner Sect members, and hundreds of Outer Sect members."

The overall number of people seemed not to be many.

Chen Mu wore a thoughtful expression.

But compared to Yu City, any one of the Seven Peaks of the Seven Profound Sect was far beyond what the entire forces of Yu County could match.

"Within the Seven Profound Sect is the Affairs Hall, responsible for handling various affairs of the Sect. Each Steward of the Hall is at the Viscera Realm. The three families, Xue, He, and Xie, as well as my Grandfather, have all served as Stewards of the Seven Profound Sect."

"True Disciples hold a slightly higher status than Sect Executives but are not responsible for affairs. Generally, only those who have stepped beyond the Five Viscera Realm are sent on behalf of the Seven Profound Sect for external activities. The seven Peak Masters are also Elders of the Seven Profound Sect, all above the Viscera Realm."

Xu Hongyu continued to state.

"Marrow Cleansing Realm..."

Chen Mu pondered for a moment and then suddenly asked, "Does the Seven Profound Sect have anyone in the Blood Exchange Realm?"

This time Xu Hongyu shook her head, "This I am not clear about, but the Seven Profound Sect occupies an entire state's land, managing to sideline even the Da Xuan Dynasty Court. One would think they must have such individuals."

Saying this,

Her eyes also showed a trace of longing.

Five Viscera, Six Viscera, Seven Marrows, Eight Bloods; at the end of this path lies the ultimate realm of Martial Arts!

Every Martial Artist yearns for the pinnacle of Martial Arts, but looking across the Da Xuan Dynasty, how many can truly reach such heights? The road is lined with the fallen.

Hearing Xu Hongyu's response, Chen Mu also could not help but marvel at the great power of the Seven Profound Sect.

It is the major Sect that dominates an entire state's land, gathering almost all of the top resources of Yu State, nurturing just a mere few True Disciples and a few thousand Inner and Outer Sect members. Indeed, in any aspect, the families' powers in Yu County are incomparable.

A power standing at such a level, if it wished to deal with some remnants of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the task would probably be as easy as flipping one's hand, unless the Heavenly Corpse Sect could return to its glory days several centuries ago, but that clearly seems very unlikely.