Chapter 243 - 237: Funeral

Chapter 243: Chapter 237: Funeral

Crisp sunlight lay like a thin veil over the wilderness, where a lingering chill still clung to the scattered rocks.

The start of spring had long passed, and specks of green had already struggled out from the crevices between the stones.

But these hints of spring were quickly crushed under swinging shovels and hoes, vanishing into waves of freshly turned earth.

"Imagine that the one hanging from the pole is the mortal enemy you hate to your very bones."

Beneath a towering flagpole, Fu Juemin pointed to the corpse at its peak, which was caked in hardened mud. He spoke in a calm tone to the sallow-faced, middle-aged man before him, who was dressed in a short navy-blue jacket.

"Now is your chance to vent your rage. Whatever you have in mind, whatever methods you want to use, feel free to unleash them on it..."

The man’s surname was Zhang. He was one of Shen Yijun’s subordinates, specifically in charge of transporting the Old Turtle Spirit’s corpse. He was also temporarily managing Shen Yijun’s Demon Hunting Team and coordinating with Fu Juemin.

Having been with Shen Yijun for a long time, the man had learned a thing or two from him. He was shrewd, experienced, and worldly. Over the past two days, he had become a familiar face to Fu Juemin.

Hearing Fu Juemin’s order, this Steward Zhang looked hesitant. He held the gun Fu Juemin had just thrust into his hand and said uncertainly, "Young Master Fu, desecrating a corpse... it brings bad karma, doesn’t it? Is this really a good idea?"

"It isn’t."

Fu Juemin nodded and said nonchalantly, "That’s why I’m having you do it."

The man’s expression stiffened, and his face instantly twisted as if he were constipated.

Fu Juemin paid him no mind. After giving his instructions, he reached out, patted the man’s shoulder encouragingly, and then walked over to a nearby windbreak shelter to sit down.

He watched the man stand there for a moment, his expression conflicted. In the end, he raised the pistol, aimed at the "water monkey’s bride’s corpse" on the flagpole, gritted his teeth, and fired.

BANG—!

The gunshot shattered the morning calm of the wilderness. In the distance, some of the figures who had been digging with great fervor paused their work. They glanced over curiously before quickly turning back.

Expressionless, Fu Juemin picked up the warm tea beside him and took a sip.

The water monkey’s bride’s corpse had been hanging on the pole, baking in the sun for two days, but the water monkey still hadn’t appeared. He had to resort to more extreme measures, preparing to grate on the water monkey’s nerves once more.

Although Fu Juemin couldn’t sense the water monkey’s exact location, and even activating Yao Ling yielded no clues, he had a strong intuition. ’The water monkey is hiding somewhere nearby, watching this place intently.’

"Get more men..."

Fu Juemin set down his teacup. He casually picked up a potent Qi Blood replenishing pill from a nearby plate, popped it into his mouth, and gave a quiet order. "Have them dig deeper."

"Yes."

Cao Tian, who was waiting at Fu Juemin’s side, was just as clueless as most of the others about the purpose of these actions. Nevertheless, he faithfully carried out Fu Juemin’s orders, quickly relaying the message.

Fu Juemin felt the medicinal pill dissolve the moment it reached his stomach, transforming into threads of warmth that flowed through his entire body. His brow relaxed slightly.

The feeling of weakness was truly unpleasant.

The physical exhaustion was secondary. What truly unsettled him was the faint, persistent unease born from his drop in power while surrounded by formidable enemies.

Fortunately, however, he was nearly out of this slump.

The effects of Gui Cang were even more outstanding than he had anticipated. As expected of a Blue Level Talent, in just two short days, supplemented by nourishing Great Medicines, Fu Juemin had nearly replenished his body’s depleted Qi Blood.

Now, his main focus was on cultivating his Innate Primordial Qi, striving to regain the use of his various trump cards as soon as possible.

In two days, Fu Juemin had more or less figured out how Gui Cang worked.

It was excellent in every respect. The only ’drawback,’ perhaps, was that in a state of ’complete Gui Cang,’ he couldn’t do anything—he couldn’t move, speak, eat, or even think... it was a state of suspended animation.

Of course, that was for ’complete Gui Cang.’

If he only activated it partially and forwent the ’inner nourishing’ effect of Gui Cang, he could achieve absolute concealment of his aura without affecting his actions in any way. The effect even surpassed that of Shadow Control.

’I wonder if Uncle Tong also practices some kind of Inner Nourishing Strange Skill with an effect similar to Gui Cang.’

Fu Juemin suddenly thought of Li Tong.

Li Tong’s state had always been very similar to Gui Cang—his body’s functions were drastically reduced, to the point that he could disguise his formidable Demon Elephant body, which should have been in its prime with an overwhelming aura, as that of a withered old man in his sixties.

’That battle where Uncle Tong, as the Demon Elephant, took his final bow from the world of Martial Arts... he must have been seriously injured. After all these years of recuperation, I wonder if he’s fully recovered...’

At this thought, Fu Juemin began to worry about Li Tong. The moment Li Tong left, he seemed to have vanished completely. There had been no word from him since, leaving Fu Juemin, this "fake Demon Elephant," to raise a ruckus in Shenghai all by himself...

Not far away, that Steward Zhang was proving to be quite the ’character.’

After firing the first shot, he seemed to have completely shed his inhibitions, his bizarre ideas emerging one after another.

After emptying the magazine, he switched to a whip and began to ’flog the corpse’ with methodical precision.

After whipping it for a while, perhaps because he was tired or perhaps because he was getting creeped out, he actually ordered his men to bring buckets of black dog’s blood and rooster’s blood, which he dumped all over the corpse. When that still wasn’t enough, he even resorted to filth like excrement and urine...

Even Fu Juemin could barely stand to watch. He had no idea how the water monkey, wherever it was hiding, could possibly endure it.

As he was watching, Big Cat, whom he hadn’t seen in days, suddenly arrived.

He immediately leaned close to Fu Juemin’s ear and whispered a few quick words.

"He Renli is dead?!"

Fu Juemin’s gaze sharpened. He looked up at Big Cat. "When?"

"He was discovered on the first day of the Lunar New Year. His body was hanging on the main gate of the Public Security Bureau."

Big Cat paused, then added, "Along with him was ’Young Master’ from the Thirteen Taibao."

"Young Master is dead, too?"

Fu Juemin’s brow furrowed slightly. "How did they die?"

Big Cat replied, "A one-on-one fight. Something was stabbed through his neck.

The state of the body... was gruesome. The difference in strength between the two was immense."

Fu Juemin asked no more questions.

He had met ’Young Master’ twice. He was a true Martial Family member of the Gratitude Sensing Realm.

To be able to kill a Gratitude Sensing practitioner one-on-one, the killer had to be, at the very least, one of the best in that same realm.

Someone at the peak of the Gratitude Sensing Realm, or like Yu Zhonggui at the Great Success of Gratitude, or even...

Fu Juemin shook his head. ’Heart Intent is unlikely. A paramount figure wouldn’t allow themselves to be ordered around like that.’

Killing He Renli on New Year’s Eve, then deliberately hanging his corpse at the Public Security Bureau—for such arrogant and ruthless methods, Fu Juemin couldn’t think of any mastermind other than Nan Xiangcheng.

Aunt Ding was right. For Nan Xiangcheng to dare stand up and openly challenge the Wen System, he had to have an ace up his sleeve.

’I just don’t know if the expert he sent to assassinate He Renli came from Luo Zhengxiong’s side, or...’

Fu Juemin suddenly recalled the night he raided Zhao Jigang, and the conversation he’d overheard between Zhao Jigang and the Corpse Bat King.

A word suddenly leaped into his mind—

Black Tower.

Fu Juemin’s eyes glinted darkly. He was silent for a moment before he slowly spoke. "He Renli’s funeral... is it today? Does Aunt Ding want me to attend?"

Big Cat nodded. "The madam said she has an urgent matter to discuss with you in person, Young Master."