Chapter 16: Every Fleeting Moment

Just as Jiang Wang's gaze settled upon the young bones, a surge of emotion welled within him.

*Whoosh!*

A piercing whistle rent the air. Jiang Wang, with an improbable twist of his wrist, had already brought the sword and its scabbard from behind his back, just in time to deflect a rapidly approaching, sharp object. The clang of metal on metal echoed in the room.

With a swift turn and draw, executed in a single, fluid motion, Jiang Wang's eyes registered the attacking object: a pale finger bone. Without a moment to ponder, his body instinctively pivoted again.

The small skeletal form of the girl, lying upon the bed, had somehow levitated. Its skull gaped open, snapping towards Jiang Wang!

Jiang Wang did not hesitate. He kicked the skeletal remains back to their original position. Then, his long sword danced in a blur of motion. In that instant, it was a flash of purple lightning, playing amidst the room's gloom. The small corpse was severed at its joints, collapsing back onto the bed as if it had never moved.

"Heh heh heh heh, little Daoist, I killed this little girl. You seem most displeased, yet her final vestiges, you yourselves have destroyed."

The voice was sharp and shrill, yet strangely ethereal, its source utterly elusive. Such an illusion, capable of concealing one's whereabouts, was no simple feat, indicating the lurking enemy had laid plans long ago.

Jiang Wang had not yet completed his Foundation Establishment, his five senses not yet fully awakened, leaving him temporarily unable to pierce this illusion. Yet, he remained unperturbed. Drawing upon the knowledge gleaned from the academy, he held two key judgments. Firstly, the enemy's cultivation realm would not be exceedingly high. The reasoning was simple: were they a true high-level master, there would be no need to rely on illusions; they could have ended him in the blink of an eye. Secondly, and derived from the first, the level of this illusion would be limited by the opponent's strength. It would shatter the moment the opponent launched an attack or was attacked, or even at the slightest movement. This was corroborated by the enemy's initial strike, which merely manipulated the bones rather than engaging directly.

"It was you who slew her, and you who defiled her remains. External stratagems cannot shake my Dao heart!"

Jiang Wang moved with his sword, his figure a blur as he swiftly swept through the small room. The sword light, almost illuminating the space!

Purple Qi Comes from the East Sword, First Form: Annihilation!

In the instant the entire room ignited with light, all the sword energy converged once more. Jiang Wang reached out as if to grasp this concentrated light, and then, a decisive slash!

The door, which had closed shut at some unseen moment, was thrown wide open.

Zhang Linchuan stood outside, the faint gleam of thunder light flickering in his hand.

"The two corpses outside were manipulated to feign death just now. I've incinerated them. What is the situation on your end?" he inquired.

"I was also attacked. I could not pierce his illusion. But my sword still wounded him!" Jiang Wang shook the long sword in his hand. A bead of crimson blood dripped from the tip.

Zhang Linchuan reached out and caught the drop of blood. The blood bead shimmered in his palm. "With this, it will not be difficult to trace the demon's whereabouts."

A hint of appreciation crossed his face. "Junior Brother Jiang, you have rendered a great service on this excursion."

Jiang Wang scanned the surroundings but found no other traces of blood. "Senior Brother Zhang, the demon may not yet have fled."

Almost as soon as he spoke, the thick corpse qi that had permeated the entire courtyard dissipated.

"Let us depart," Zhang Linchuan said, putting away the blood bead. "There are no more useful clues here. This drop of blood, give it to the Vice Principal. He is skilled in divination and will be able to locate the demon."

The psychological impact this journey inflicted upon Jiang Wang was unprecedented. While bandits and rogues were certainly wicked, they paled in comparison to these demons who wantonly slaughtered entire families, even desecrating and manipulating the remains of the deceased. This was undoubtedly a matter of great significance.

He had witnessed the cruel and cold face of the cultivation world. Extraordinary power, it seemed, could also breed extraordinary cruelty.

Jiang Wang wished to look back at the little girl's bones, but he dared not.

At this moment, Zhang Linchuan spoke again, "The members of the Criminal Enforcement Division have already conducted an investigation, and there was no progress. Yet, upon our arrival, we immediately encountered the demon's attack. There is much artifice at play here."

"Senior brother means..."

"Hmph." Zhang Linchuan let out two cold sneers.

After entering the Inner Gate, Jiang Wang had sought only cultivation, wishing no involvement in the disputes between Dong A and Wei Quji. But Zhang Linchuan had pointed out this unsettling possibility.

Alas, he still possessed no right to refuse.

"Junior Brother Jiang's swordsmanship is remarkable, truly not among those superficial techniques collected in the academy," Zhang Linchuan remarked, his tone seemingly casual.

Jiang Wang replied, "For those of us in the Dao Sect, swordsmanship is, after all, but a minor path. Senior Brother's thunder technique is awe-inspiring."

At this time, the two corpses in the hall and courtyard were no longer present, only a layer of burnt ash where they had lain. Jiang Wang could almost picture the scene: the two corpses, freshly manipulated, blasted into ash by the thunder technique before they could even move.

"Junior Brother Jiang is too modest. In truth, my Dao Sect's Sword Dao is not inferior to others, but it is a pity that our Maple Forest City Academy lacks methods in this area. The entire Zhuang State, perhaps only the National Academy possesses them," Zhang Linchuan sighed with emotion.

The Dao Sect also possessed methods of entering the sword with the Dao, which were incredibly sharp and not inferior to those of ordinary sword cultivators. However, they were not the mainstream, and the Maple Forest City Academy lacked a master capable of guiding cultivation in this aspect.

At this moment, Jiang Wang was truly in no mood for conversation, yet he could not ignore Zhang Linchuan. He offered a casual compliment, "With Senior Brother's talent, entering the National Academy is merely a matter of time."

"Indeed, it is only a matter of time." Zhang Linchuan suddenly sighed, standing in the courtyard, gazing into the distance towards the Qichang Mountains. "But early and late are, after all, different. I often feel a blade pressing against my back, and every moment is a race against time."

Such a gifted and talented young master, one who was also fastidious and favored cleanliness, the anxiety and worry in his voice were genuine.

Jiang Wang remained silent. How could he not yearn to grow stronger more swiftly, to reach the place he should have been long ago, faster?

Every moment was a race against time.

"Beyond that mountain range lies Yong State," Zhang Linchuan said. "If the demon escapes into Yong State territory, we will no longer be able to apprehend him."

Jiang Wang knew well the meaning behind his words.

The Zhuang State had been established for over three hundred years. In those years, the founding emperor, Zhuang Chengqian, was originally a general of Yong State. He led his troops to conquer a thousand li of territory and seized the opportunity presented by Yong State's three kings vying for the throne and carving up the land to establish his own state. Afterwards, he employed the strategy of forming alliances with other states, established the Dao Sect as the state religion, and seized the opportunity to align himself with the powerful Jing State, which shared the same Dao lineage. Only then did he gain a foothold and endure to this day.

But due to this history, the Zhuang and Yong states had always been at odds.

The enemies of the Zhuang State might well find refuge in Yong State.

Jiang Wang said nothing on this matter, but silently followed Zhang Linchuan out of the courtyard.

Tang Dun, who had been guarding the door, immediately rushed forward, anticipation in his eyes. "How is it? Has the demon been eliminated?"

He had heard the commotion within the courtyard and knew a battle had taken place inside.

"There are already clues," Jiang Wang said. He turned to look at Zhang Linchuan. "Senior Brother, might I trouble you for some funds?"

Zhang Linchuan did not inquire the reason and casually tossed over a money pouch.

Jiang Wang weighed it slightly and took out the smallest silver fragments—he had initially wanted to take some copper coins for daily expenses, but Zhang Linchuan's money pouch contained only gold and silver.

Jiang Wang handed the silver fragments to the small town constable, Tang Dun. "There are the remains of a little girl inside. Please use this silver to purchase a coffin and bury her. There are two clumps of ash in the courtyard, which are her parents. Bury them together."

Tang Dun's rugged face was deeply somber, but he firmly pushed Jiang Wang's hand away. "I will attend to their affairs myself. I cannot accept your money."

"Take it," Jiang Wang insisted, forcing the silver fragments into his hand. "Consider it my peace of mind."

Tang Dun's constable uniform bore clear signs of mending, indicating his family's modest circumstances. Being assigned to receive him and Zhang Linchuan, who were not favored, suggested he was also a marginalized figure within the government.

Unable to break free, he gripped Jiang Wang's hand firmly. "I thank you, on behalf of the girl!"

So, her name was Niu'er.

The canvas hanging on the wall seemed to reappear before his eyes. She had once tenderly desired to preserve a fragment of spring. But her life had not been allowed to bloom again.

Niu'er, Niu'er.

Jiang Wang silently repeated the name several times in his heart. It felt as though he had placed a certain responsibility upon his Dao heart as well.