All eyes fix on Hei Yuncheng’s remains. Wang Zishan steps forward, voice steady. “The truth is clear. Our brother Yu Han is not the murderer. We will take our leave.”

Merin and his fellow disciples begin to turn, ready to exit.

Tang Zhen’s voice cuts through the tense silence. “Wait. How can you prove the Qi poison did not come from Yu Han?”

Yu Han meets his gaze, calm but firm. “I cultivate jade Qi. My energy cannot produce poison. How could I have done this?”

The room goes still, whispers running among the Water Shadow Sect disciples and the city lord’s attendants, uncertainty spreading where there had once been accusation.

The city lord frowns, voice stern. “Then, until the murderer is caught, you cannot leave.”

Merin and his fellow disciples exchange a brief glance. Merin steps forward. “I have a way to identify the murderer.”

All eyes turn to him, sharp with curiosity. Tang Zhen narrows his eyes, shifting uneasily. “How?”

Merin says, “Qi differs from person to person. Even if they share the same nature, the energy signature is unique.”

Tang Qing scoffs, “We know that already. Tell us how you intend to identify the murderer.”

Merin’s eyes glint. “With a magical instrument that matches a person’s Qi with the Qi poison in the victim.”

Tang Zhen frowns. “What magical instrument?”

Merin’s fellow disciples look bewildered—they have never heard of such a device.

Merin continues calmly, “You will see it at dawn tomorrow.”

The city lord studies him for a long moment, then nods. “Very well. Tell me what materials you require to build this instrument.”

Merin names the items. The city lord waves a hand. “There is a refining room in my house. You may use it to construct your instrument.”

He turns to his daughter, Tang Qing. “Take Yu Feng to the refining room.”

Tang Qing leads Merin into the refining room. At the door, she stops and asks, “Is there really such an instrument?”

Merin glances at her, expression unreadable. “You’ll see it tomorrow,” he says, then closes the door in her face.

Minutes later, materials begin arriving, laid out neatly.

By noon, there’s a knock at the door. Merin calls, “Who’s there?”

Tang Zhen’s voice replies, “I brought you some food.”

Merin opens the door and lets him in with the tray. As Merin eats, Tang Zhen inspects the room—the forge burning steadily, metal pieces scattered, some engraved with intricate restrictions.

Tang Zhen picks up one, eyes narrowing. “What do these pieces do?”

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Merin sets down his chopsticks and explains, describing the function of each piece and what will happen when all are assembled. Tang Zhen listens intently, then straightens abruptly. “I see,” he mutters, and quickly leaves.

Merin watches his back thoughtfully, eyes lingering on the departing figure before turning back to his work.

Merin’s fellow disciples gather in a room at the lord’s house. Yu Qinshan asks, “Junior brother Yu Feng—is he telling the truth? Does such an instrument even exist?”

The others fall into discussion, debating among themselves, while Wang Zishan sits quietly, his expression thoughtful. His gaze drifts to a shadow slipping through the gap between the door and the floor.

“I’ve seen such an instrument in a book at the Sutra Pavilion,” Wang Zishan says, eyes narrowing.

The other disciples ask questions, and Wang Zishan answers them patiently, a faint sigh of relief escaping him as the shadow disappears.

Inwardly, Wang Zishan thinks, Junior brother Yu Feng, I can only do this much.

What he doesn’t notice is Ji Meilin listening from outside the window, her expression clouded as she absorbs the exchange, before silently turning away.

At night in the garden, Ji Meilin and Tang Zhen meet again. Tang Zhen says, “The instrument may very well exist.”

“I think so too,” Ji Meilin replies.

Tang Zhen asks, “What should we do? We can’t let him refine it.”

“Killing him won’t stop the city lord from finding the murderer,” Ji Meilin says. “It’ll only make him more determined.”

“Then we escape the city,” Tang Zhen says.

“Where? The wilderness alone is certain death,” Ji Meilin objects.

Tang Zhen lowers his voice, “I have a hidden location at the outskirts of the city’s territory. We can hide there, and when a travelling convoy comes, we leave with them.”

Ji Meilin frowns, “Let me think about it.”

Tang Zhen steps closer, tense, “What is there to think about? At sunrise, you’ll be caught—and then me.”

“I’ll answer before dawn,” Ji Meilin says. “Now, let me try one last thing.”

Tang Zhen narrows his eyes, “What do you want to do?”

“I’ll burst into the refining room. When you hear my shout, act.” She turns and strides toward the house.

Merin sits cross-legged in the refining room, the water spirit pearl in his hand, cultivating.

The instrument is ninety per cent refined; only one final step remains, which he plans to complete at dawn.

He absorbs the water spirit pearl’s energy—pure water spiritual energy—and begins refining it into Jade Qi. Over time, the ‘water spiritual energy’ dims, and Merin realises he has absorbed it all.

He feels the gathered Jade Qi in his dantian and runs his Jade Qi refining technique.

The Jade Qi leaves his body, circulates, then returns to the dantian, more condensed.

He continues the circulation—ten times, twenty, forty, eighty, one hundred—and finally, less than ten per cent of the Jade Qi remains, yet it shines brighter, its fluctuations stronger than ever.

Completing a hundred turns signifies that Merin has advanced to the Qi Refining Master Realm.

He swallows a white pill to recover his qi.

When recovery finishes, a knock sounds at the door. Confused, he asks, “Who’s there?” Silence.

Another knock. He frowns, then another. Rising, he opens the door and finds a beautiful woman standing there.

“Who are you?” he asks.

“First, let me in, or are we going to talk at the door?” she replies.

Merin lets her enter and closes the door. Turning to face her, he says, “You must be the murderer.”

Her expression remains calm. “You’re smart. How could you help me hide the fact that I am the murderer?”

“I don’t know,” Merin admits.

She unties a piece of her cloth, letting it fall to the ground. “I can think of something,” Merin mutters.

She drops all the pieces of her cloth and walks toward him, pressing her palm against his chest.

“Do you have a scapegoat?” Merin asks.

“I have one,” she says, “but let’s have some fun first.” She begins opening the sash of Merin’s robe.

Tang Zhen waits outside the refining room, clenching his fists as realisation of Ji Meilin’s plan burns in him.

He thinks of Ji Meilin as his woman, and though he tolerates the city lord’s enjoyment of her, he cannot tolerate Yu Feng.

Every beat of his heart tightens with rage, and he decides that when Ji Meilin bursts in, he will kill Yu Feng.

A sudden scream from Ji Meilin echoes through the hall, and Tang Zhen’s stone qi covers his fist as he punches the door and bursts inside.

Minutes later, the city lord, Water Sword Sect disciples, and Lanshan Sect disciples gather at the door, eyes widening at the scene inside.

On the floor lies a body, and two figures remain alive, their presence radiating tension and uncertainty through the room.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep