Chapter 451: Local Overlord

He Lingchuan temporarily parted ways with the Shimen Caravan and Li Qingge in Tai'an City. They continued north, while He Lingchuan, following a lead, left the group and made his way to Shuangyi City.

Before he left, Li Qingge surprisingly gave him a formula.

It was an upgrade formula for the Golden Armored Bronze Guards, differing slightly from the one He Lingchuan had obtained in Panlong City.

Songyang Prefecture was renowned for its metalwork.

Clearly, after hearing about He Lingchuan's deal with Fu Shanyue, she immediately understood what he needed.

This woman was truly remarkable.

Now that He Lingchuan had accepted Fu Shanyue's payment, he had to find the whereabouts of the Lingxu City messenger for him. The leads he'd gathered in Tai'an City pointed to this place.

Just then, a ringing sound, like clanging bells, came from ahead.

The sound seemed to have a hypnotic quality. All the residents who heard it dropped what they were doing and rushed towards its source.

He Lingchuan even saw several shopkeepers abandon their stalls. Neck outstretched, they jogged along.

"What's all the commotion up ahead?" This scene felt familiar.

Jiao Yu, the tiger demon, was already accustomed to such sounds. He licked his lips and said, "It's just an execution."

Right. He Lingchuan instantly remembered. When he first entered Baoshu Nation, he had witnessed a similar execution. Men, women, and children all scrambled for the best viewing spots in the front row, and the town had been as lively as a New Year's celebration.

It seemed to be the same here.

He Lingchuan strolled along with the crowd. He saw a high platform erected at the entrance of the market. The area below was already packed with spectators, and on the platform, two constables held a prisoner awaiting execution while another read out the charges.

Although he arrived late, with a fierce tiger following him closely, the townsfolk nearby, both humans and demons, instinctively retreated a full ten feet away. No one dared approach.

The constables on the platform also saw them. They stared intently for a few moments but found it inconvenient to speak up.

When He Lingchuan heard it, the charge was quite serious:

Illegally harvesting from the official medicinal field and killing the field-guarding demon?

The prisoner on the platform had a pockmarked face, with a pointed chin, sunken cheeks, and shifty eyes. He looked like a drifter. The boldest thing he seemed capable of was perhaps flirting with young women by the roadside.

Would such a person dare to kill an official's demon?

Could it be true that appearances can be deceiving?

He Lingchuan took a few steps to the side and asked an old man who was watching the spectacle with his hands behind his back and his neck craned: "Old sir, is this prisoner from your town?"

"No."

He Lingchuan thought the lead had gone cold, but the old man continued, "This is a *zhengman* from Baiyang Township, surnamed Wang. Everyone calls him Wang Mazi (Pockmarked Wang)."

"A bass eel?"

"Oh, that's our local dialect. It specifically refers to a drifter or a good-for-nothing." The old man coughed and spat on the ground. "This fellow has really gotten bold, daring to harvest from official fields and kill a demon belonging to Master Ling?"

"Master Ling? What did he do before?"

"Petty theft, nothing respectable." The old man chuckled. "He's in his mid-thirties, and I hear he can't even get a wife." At this point, the constable on the platform finished reading the charges and then declared the sentence:

Chisel Punishment.

In the Demon Nation, illegally mining official resources, harvesting from official fields, and stealing military provisions were all grave offenses. Local officials could handle them without needing approval from higher authorities. The central government would only send someone to review the dossiers after six months to a year.

Upon hearing this, Wang Mazi's legs gave out. He cried out:

"I'm innocent! I've been wronged!"

But to no avail. He was soon tied to the central pillar on the platform.

From above the market entrance came the flapping of wings. He Lingchuan looked up and saw hundreds of crows circling.

Just then, a deep, resonant voice suddenly boomed from below the platform:

"Seven or eight of my kin have disappeared without a trace. Is the county government trying to pawn off this scoundrel as a scapegoat to appease us?"

He Lingchuan, hearing the voice, looked over and was astonished to see five or six giant sheep emerge from the crowd.

These were not the small, tender-boned, free-ranging goats farmers kept in the back hills. They were enormous beasts, as tall as horses, entirely green, with only a black curved line along their flanks. The leader, in particular, stood over ten feet tall, its body subtly revealing symmetrical muscle lines.

He Lingchuan knew at a glance these creatures likely excelled in agility and speed. Their offensive weapon would be the long, spiraling horns on their heads. These large horns extended forward, their tips as sharp as daggers. There was also a small fork midway, clearly designed to draw blood from opponents.

He Lingchuan had never before seen sheep with such ferocious appearances. Anyone gored by such a monster would be truly out of luck for generations.

*Legends of Antiquity* recorded that this demon was called a "Wind-Piercing Beast," skilled at killing against the wind. Its innate ability was "Wind Mastery," allowing it to summon wind to increase speed and lighten its own weight.

Like a Bò beast, it could eat meat.

He Lingchuan remembered the book said that Wind-Piercing Beasts had terrible tempers; even fierce beasts often died by their horns. He then watched as the leading giant sheep took a few steps forward, tilted its head, and butted the platform, nearly breaking one of its pillars.

The constables and the prisoner on the platform shrieked in unison.

The constables, far from being angry, immediately put on fawning smiles. "Master Ling, why get upset? The county hasn't declared the case closed simply because we're pursuing this."

"Not closed?" The giant sheep rumbled. "Are you saying that, or is the county magistrate saying that?"

How could the constable dare to take responsibility? He only said, "After this one is executed according to the law, if more evidence is found, we will reopen the case!"

The giant sheep glared. "And if you can't find anything, you just won't investigate further?"

"No, no, we will certainly investigate this to the very end!"

Such perfunctory words were intolerable even to He Lingchuan, let alone a Wind-Piercing Beast. "The government's words are like a lying devil! I've tolerated you for many days. Now hand over the man! I'll take him back and interrogate him myself to find the real culprit!"

"Uh, what?" The constable was startled. "Master Ling, you're trying to hijack a condemned prisoner! That's a grave crime!"

The Wind-Piercing Beast delivered another headbutt to the pillar, clearly entering an "I'm not listening, I'm not listening" mode.

With a crack, the platform collapsed, sending dust flying.

The surrounding crowd and other demons scattered. No one dared to cross these giant sheep.

The constables and the prisoner on the platform tumbled down like gourds.

He Lingchuan stood far back and quietly asked the old man beside him, "Do Wind-Piercing Beasts live here too?"

"That large territory to the east of the county, it all belongs to them." The old man, knowing the full story, continued, "Master Ling serves as a general in the court. When there's no war, he returns to the countryside to recuperate. The Wind-Piercing Beast clan has a very loud voice here—"

He lowered his voice: "They are local tyrants; even the county government fears them. Even the largest and most valuable medicinal field in the county is entrusted to their care."

The constable had just scrambled to his feet and was coughing incessantly. Another Wind-Piercing Beast lowered its head and charged towards the prisoner.

But it didn't gore the prisoner to death. Instead, it bit the ropes binding his hands and dragged him over.

Their prey had been stolen. The crows cawed loudly, displeased.

Only then did people notice. The crows had circled in the sky multiple times without landing because on the rooftop next to the platform, a dark-headed, gray-backed goshawk was perched.

Seizing this opportunity, the prisoner cried out, "I'm truly innocent! Those spirit beasts disappeared on their own; it has nothing to do with me! I'm already lame from a fall; how could I have harmed them?"

He limped as he walked. His legs were indeed not agile.

He Lingchuan typically didn't interfere in other people's affairs, but hearing the words "disappeared" still stirred something within him.

He stepped forward and asked in a raised voice, "How did they disappear?"

Wang Mazi was afraid that outsiders would remain indifferent and he'd be left to act out his solo drama until his death. Now that he actually got a response, he was so excited, as if he'd clutched a life-saving straw. "There was a light on the mountainside! They chased it and then vanished! There must be a more powerful demon there!"

The Wind-Piercing Beast wouldn't allow him to quibble and was about to drag him away.

At this moment, two crows, unable to resist their craving, landed and extended their beaks to peck at Wang Mazi's face.

They originally intended to peck out his eyeballs, but Wang Mazi twisted and turned, uncooperative, so they only gouged out two bloody holes on his face.

Only then did He Lingchuan understand that "Chisel Punishment" meant this.

There were still a hundred crows in the sky. If they all descended, Wang Mazi would indeed be chiseled to death alive.

The punishments in the Demon Nation were certainly creative. This suffering was almost as bad as being sliced into a thousand pieces.

He pursed his lips and blew a whistle. The goshawk on the nearby rooftop changed from its casual spectator mode and swept down, flapping its wings.

As it passed the platform, it frightened the two crows, sending them flying back into the sky.

Then the goshawk perched on the large horns of He Lingchuan's mount—the ibex.

The constable, having recovered, dusted himself off and rushed over, shouting, "Master Ling, don't be foolish! Release the prisoner!"

General Ling completely ignored him. It ordered its subordinates to drag Wang Mazi away and turn to leave. The Wind-Piercing Beasts behind it turned to face the constables, lowering their heads and pawing at the earth, looking ready to attack.

How would the constables dare to step forward?

Just then, a tiger's roar echoed from behind the crowd!

The terrifying roar instantly quelled the chaotic scene.

The old man beside He Lingchuan clutched his chest, nearly knocked to the ground by the vibration.

Then the fierce tiger leaped out and took a couple of steps forward, and spoke in human tongue: "I am Zhonglang General Baishan, here on official business. Who dares to make a move?"

As the striped tiger suddenly approached, the constables, intimidated by its fierce aura, recoiled two steps. Only then did they notice a bronze plaque hanging from its neck, which was now emitting a glow unique to elemental power.

Upon seeing the characters on the bronze plaque, the constables were first startled, then overjoyed. "Lord Baishan, you've come at just the right time! Here..."

"Stand down."

"Yes, sir." The constable immediately shut up and happily retreated.

It was a relief to have someone else bear the responsibility, and it was about time someone curbed the arrogance of these Wind-Piercing Beasts.

However, he was about to be disappointed.

The seemingly irritable Wind-Piercing Beast leader did not lose its temper. Instead, it calmly spoke, "Lord Jiao, long time no see."

Oh? The onlookers were instantly disappointed:

These two knew each other?

Jiao Yu nodded to the giant sheep. "General Ling, the military order should have arrived. Why haven't you departed yet?"

"My younger kin have inexplicably disappeared; how can I ignore that?" Master Ling glanced at the constable and spat on the ground. "Even with me here, these scoundrels dare to shirk responsibility and drag their feet. If I leave to carry out the order, won't this case just be abandoned?"

It then asked Jiao Yu, "You're not here to investigate the disappearance of my kin, are you?"

It had a bad temper but knew its place. How could the disappearance of seven or eight Wind-Piercing Beasts alarm the Crown Prince's subordinate?

"No, but it might be related."

Master Ling was overjoyed. "Good, good! As long as it's related, you must investigate it thoroughly for me!"

Jiao Yu stepped back to He Lingchuan's side. "This special envoy of the Crown Prince is the one in charge. I am merely accompanying him by order."