However, the Demon Queen didn't stay happy for long; her mood was spoiled by the returning Dao Zhen.

Dao Zhen reported that all those sent to capture Wu Jinliang had disappeared.

The Demon Queen was somewhat infuriated upon hearing the report, "Is this what you call putting me at ease? To prevent unexpected incidents, the 'Void Escape Divine Arrow' was specially allowed to accompany, and yet it still failed?"

Dao Zhen hesitated for a moment and said, "This incident is quite bizarre. The nearby support teams didn't hear any significant commotion. By the time our people sensed something was wrong and went to check, the forces from the East Victory Royal Court had already arrived to investigate the scene. The remains and relics fell into the hands of the East Victory Royal Court.

According to inquiries, someone unknown reported the case, making it difficult for us to approach the scene for investigation. The dispatched Demon Eye was of no use, and as of now, it's unclear whether the 'Void Escape Divine Arrow' fell into the hands of the culprit or the East Victory Royal Court."

"Reported the case?" the Demon Queen exclaimed suspiciously, "This is absurd. Some hidden battle in a remote mountain got reported? Even the nearby support teams didn't notice anything, so where did the mysterious informant come from? Wu Jinliang was captured; could it be the culprit reported the case out of fear that the clues might lead to them?"

Dao Zhen hesitated and said, "Perhaps there was an eyewitness nearby."

The Demon Queen responded, "Then find that eyewitness and extract the details of what they saw!"

Dao Zhen said, "We are already searching, and we're also trying to understand the situation regarding the site investigation by the forces of the East Victory Royal Court. The current problem is that the corpses are in the hands of the East Victory Royal Court, and I'm afraid our people's identities cannot be concealed, which might attract too much attention from the East Victory side and result in difficulties in verification..."

The disheartened Demon Queen didn't want to listen anymore, flicking her sleeves as she left, her discontent written on her face.

Recently, for some reason, Lan's tasks have frequently been botched, and now even Dao Zhen's tasks are unstable. How could they have failed?

The square in front of the execution ground had become quite empty, with only a few people remaining. Shi Chun's group had not yet dispersed, waiting for definite news about Shi Chun.

Several disguised individuals, led by Li Hongjiu, went to a nearby tavern to sit, eat, and drink while observing from afar.

The Golden-haired Rat Clan, having heard some news, approached the group from the Mingshan Sect, claiming they were also friends of Shi Chun, though in reality, they had nowhere else to go and seemed somewhat eager. Moreover, the clan's old chief, Jinfu, was reluctant to give up on the Demon Book.

Bai Qiru and Huang Yingying were not present; Granny Qi and several Bai Clan people had been executed, leaving them with no choice but to attend to the aftermath.

Upon hearing that they were friends of Shi Chun, the Mingshan Sect group, though unfamiliar with them, did not reject them, especially since they seemed to know Wu Jinliang, who had not been captured.

The group from Wukang Mountain eventually left after waiting for a while, realizing that if there was a matter of collecting bodies, it wouldn't be their turn. They decided to first settle outside and slowly gather information later.

Bian Weiyin first thought of Wei Mo and prepared to seek him out for information.

Most of the Mingshan Sect people knew Bian Weiyin. Upon seeing him, they watched him as he departed.

"If this woman weren't the Master, she would have died long ago at the Sky Rain Meteor Conference," An Wuzhi murmured with a nod.

Before long, a figure approached them; it was Young Master Nan returning with information.

As soon as he arrived, the group immediately gathered around him. Representing everyone, Tong Mingshan asked, "How is it?"

Young Master Nan sighed and shook his head, saying, "The situation isn't good; indeed, they were captured by the people of Life Prison, and it's confirmed that the person has been taken to Life Prison."

He had managed to get the information so quickly because he had bravely gone to find the Right Minister again. Having sought help from such an important figure for all sorts of matters had nearly worn out his welcome.

Zhu Xiangxin expressed concern, "I've heard that living in Life Prison is worse than death. Won't the Master also have his cultivation base destroyed?"

Young Master Nan wasn't certain, hesitating, he said, "It shouldn't be the case. It seems they're just taking him to assist with the investigation of a case."

Everyone knew he was trying to think positively.

Young Master Nan added, "It seems it also involves Wu Jinliang; reportedly, Life Prison is also looking everywhere for Wu Jinliang. If he contacts any of you, remember to alert him."

Anyway, he had already sent a message to Wu Jinliang at the first opportunity. Whether Wu Jinliang received it, he did not know, but at least he had given timely warning.

Upon hearing this, everyone was at a loss about what to do, as Life Prison was not something they dared provoke.

Now that even Wu Jinliang was being hunted, they also had to face the question of what to do with the Mingshan Sect in the future if those two couldn't return.

In the end, everyone decided to go home first.

A group of transformed mice followed them—more than a hundred. This wasn't a small number, which left the Mingshan Sect group stunned. Were they planning to go back with them?

Through communication, they learned that the Golden-haired Rat Clan had nowhere to go, and this left the Mingshan Sect group in a dilemma, as their two residences couldn't possibly accommodate so many people, especially since they weren't familiar with them.

Young Master Nan came to the rescue, saying, "Since you're friends of Shi Chun, this is no big deal. I'll make arrangements."

The Golden-haired Rat Clan expressed their gratitude.

Just after finalizing the arrangements, Bai Qiru and Huang Yingying returned, indicating that the Bai Clan intended to take the bodies back to their ancestral lands. With the Golden-haired Rat Clan having nowhere to go, the couple suggested that the Bai Clan had already agreed for the Golden-haired Rat Clan to live and prosper in the Bai Clan's land in the future.

However, Chief Jinfu declined the Bai Clan's kind offer. Shi Chun had already informed him of the Bai Clan's ill intentions, and besides, he preferred to wait for that glimpse of hope with Shi Chun's group.

Huang Yingying wanted to persuade him, but Jinfu was adamant, "This matter is settled."

Thus, Bai Qiru and Huang Yingying temporarily bid farewell to the Golden-haired Rat Clan, agreeing to return after handling the funeral matters at the Bai Clan.

The Mingshan Sect group, back at their place, frequently tried to contact Wu Jinliang but to no avail.

In fact, Wu Jinliang had received their messages but chose to pretend he hadn't seen them. He truly didn't dare to respond, as he had already been terribly caught up by his own people. If it hadn't been for the involvement of a bunch of his own friends putting pressure on him, Shi Chun wouldn't have so easily surrendered himself. Damn it, and now he was in such a predicament.

Now, even if you give him the world's most beautiful woman, he wouldn't dare to make half a response.

In the small courtyard by the creek, limping with unhealed wounds, he had already tossed aside all other distracting thoughts. He didn't think about those bastards at all, but was focused on figuring out how to safely contact Lan Qiaoyan. After all, Lan Qiaoyan is someone who can enter and exit the Life Prison. He wanted to know Shi Chun's situation and see if there was a way to get him out. Unless absolutely necessary, he would not give up on rescue.

He held a Mother-child Talisman in his hand, which was used by Shi Chun to contact Miao Yilan. When he saw Shi Chun contacting Miao Yilan, he remembered the code on the Mother-child Talisman, and it happened that Shi Chun's belongings were all with him.

What he worried about now was that once he contacted Miao Yilan, would he be betrayed? He had also received information from Young Master Nan, knowing that Life Prison was also after him. Would the Miao family keep this from Life Prison because of him?

How can it be safer?

He squatted on the ground drawing a map, writing the word 'Xun Gate' before a circle, and after marking and gesturing for a while, he still pointed the branch at the word 'Xun Gate' and mumbled, "It's best to send the message from near Xun Gate; if a blockade like Juku State occurs at Xun Gate, we can quickly slip away..."

Before now, he was too lazy to think much, but with Shi Chun gone, he has to make his mind alert, find ways to survive, and prioritize securing himself before rescuing others...

Zhixu City, seeing Zhixu City again.

Re-entering Zhixu City felt like a dream to Shi Chun, as he was pushed forward by people, the 'work' shaped iron chains on his body had been removed.

Familiar city views, familiar character styles, familiar suffocating atmosphere, and familiar Bowan Building; every time he came to Zhixu City, he'd always immediately head to Bowan Building politely.

"Oh, newcomers again."

People with ragged clothes on the roadside stood with folded arms, laughing, already eyeing the newcomer's clothing.

"Hey, looks kind of familiar? Damn, wouldn't it be someone?"

"Come on, don't boast as if you have acquaintances outside."

"No, doesn't he look like that guy from East Nine Plain, just a bit paler, it's the pretty boy style..."

The speaker suddenly saw Shi Chun cock his head and raise an eyebrow with a smile at him, and he immediately looked like he had been struck by lightning, exclaiming wildly, "Damn, it really is Shi Chun!"

"Who?"

"Who else would it be, the former Master of East Nine Plain, Shi Chun, who led a group out of East Nine Plain."

Someone with toes sticking out of their shoes tried to call out, "Hey, Shi Chun, is it you?"

Shi Chun couldn't speak, but shrugged in response.

"Wow, damn it really is the dead ghost."

"Hey, what does this mean, it's not right, looks like he's been escorted in, and there's bloodstains on his body."

"Oh my god, did he do something wrong and get caught again?"

"Can't be, finally got out, how can he be so careless."

"Sigh, what's impossible about it, this guy, is there anything he wouldn't dare to do."

The roadside suddenly turned chaotic, Shi Chun was speechless, not knowing what the escort meant by this, was this a public show or what? Although indeed he saw some familiar faces, it truly felt surreal as if dreaming, he even knew what the terrain looked like behind the barricading city wall ahead.

His return seemed to cause quite a stir within Zhixu City.

Just as he was about to be pushed into the inner city gate, a handsome young man from Bowan Building suddenly ran over and shouted, "Chunchun."

He was obviously dressed much cleaner, sharply contrasting with the ragged surroundings.

Shi Chun turned around and instantly recognized the youth as the accountant they called 'Shatang' from Bowan Building, grown up but his appearance hadn't changed much, only better looking, like a man now.

Confirming Shi Chun's identity, the young man looked shocked, seemingly not expecting Shi Chun to really return.

Shi Chun opened his mouth, unable to speak, but was pushed from behind, forced to enter the premises.

Seeing him disappear inside, the young man immediately turned and ran off.

Inside the inner city, Du Huoguan watched from a tower above, the escorted individual, not revealing himself this time.

Shi Chun was taken to a morgue, placed in front of a male corpse, a soldier personally unsealed Shi Chun's mute acupuncture point, pointing at the corpse and asked, "Recognize it?"

Shi Chun indeed scrutinized it seriously, quite unfamiliar, who knows who it was, and shook his head, "Don't know, never seen."

The soldier said in a deep voice, "Shi Chun, you must be responsible for your words. Do you know the consequences of lying?"

Shi Chun smiled wryly, "I really don't recognize it."

The soldier tilted his head, "Take him away to detain."

And so Shi Chun was thrown into a large prison cell again, surveying the surroundings, he crouched in a corner looking at the scratches above, and found it was indeed the same one he was held in last time he left.

Later he found that which cell didn't matter, what mattered was, he seemed forgotten in this corner by someone.

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