Da Liang, year 641, April 19th.
Late at night, Chongde District south of the city.
The Li Residence, a large estate that covered five acres.
The yard was scattered with artificial mountains and ponds, and the spacious houses were arrayed in hedged rows of green tiles and bricks.
Protectors moved in groups of three, carrying lanterns, patrolling the vast estate in an orderly fashion.
In every concealed nook near the walls, black-furred watchdogs lay prone. Under the moonlight, their eyes occasionally reflected a faint red glow.
At this moment, a group of people in black abruptly scaled the wall and entered.
They landed without a sound, as if they were already familiar with the patrol arrangements within the estate.
Without delay, they shot darts as they landed, and the watchdogs that had just stood up silently fell to the ground.
They promptly hid themselves and, when the patrolling Protectors passed by, they suddenly attacked.
After delivering deadly blows, they swiftly moved to the next patrol point.
From above the estate, seven or eight teams of people in black simultaneously burst in, systematically shrinking their circle of attack toward the inner residence.
Wherever they passed, the guards patrolling the yard, the watchmen, and the sleeping maids and servants in the rooms were all silently killed.
Bang!
A door in the inner residence suddenly shattered. A man in his forties with a prosperous bearing crashed through the door, tumbling into the courtyard.
A Ghost Head Greatknife was plunged into his belly, his face smeared with blood, glaring viciously at the figure emerging from the room behind him.
"Shangguan Tong! How dare you?!"
As the stench of blood grew stronger, thick veins bulged on the neck of the prosperous man.
"Why shouldn't I dare," Shangguan Tong, in his forties with a complexion as white as jade, said in a measured tone.
"Li Shentong, since you dared to provoke the Shangguan Family, you should have been prepared to have your entire family eradicated."
"Since when have I provoked the Shangguan Family!" Li Shentong couldn't help but spew out a mouthful of blood, his eyes bulging with rage.
Shangguan Tong looked somberly at him: "You've actually forgotten."
"Eight years ago today, at Chunfeng Tower during the selection of the Oiran."
"I was careless and didn't bring enough money."
"Unexpectedly, you outbid me, stealing the limelight."
"How dare you?!"
"Over the years, I've practiced my martial arts diligently, always wanting to avenge that humiliation!"
"I think today is a good day for that."
Li Shentong: "..."
"Back then, I spent money to get the Oiran, wasn't it to give to you?!"
"You just remember me stealing your limelight?!"
Shangguan Tong: "..."
"Shentong brother, I... I might have remembered wrong."
At that moment, a person in black appeared in front of Shangguan Tong with a swish, kneeling on one knee: "Second Master, they're all cleaned up."
Li Shentong: "..."
Shangguan Tong with a resigned face: "Forget it, let's make the whole family leave together."
"By the way, remember not to forget to take their valuables, especially the land and house deeds."
"Is this the effect of the Soul Locking Curse? To limit the Five Ghosts? Or rather, to control the Five Ghosts more forcefully."
"We'll see once I start to level up the skill."
Chen Mu took a sip of throat-soothing medicinal tea and, using his rest time, spread out the Thousand Mountains Sutra.
Among the Yin Soul Secret Techniques, apart from the Soul Locking Curse, there was also a prescription called Ascension Pill for cultivating medicine people.
"This has nothing to do with the term 'cultivate'," Chen Mu remarked as he read, "It's a ruthless medicine that forcibly stimulates vital energy, with no regard for life!"
"It seems to be for strengthening the qi and blood of a medicine person..."
"Perhaps, this could also be used on livestock," Chen Mu mused, squinting his eyes.
...
Nanyang Prefecture, Luo River.
A fifty-meter cargo ship slowly drifted on the wide river surface.
At the bow, a man in his forties with a square face sat cross-legged on the deck.
In front of him, there was a low square table.
On the table was a black porcelain jar, from which a rich aroma of wine wafted out.
There were also two side dishes on the table, a plate of sliced pig's head meat and a plate of fried peanuts.
The middle-aged man was enjoying the riverside breeze, leisurely pouring and sipping his own wine.
"Big brother, there's news from the third," a round-faced man came up behind the middle-aged man and said with a fist salute.
"Last night, outside the city, seven families, big and small, were massacred."
"The Prefectural Government Office is claiming that the chaos in the north caused evil spirits to run rampant."
"Nonsense," the square-faced middle-aged man laughed.
"Indeed, nonsense," the round-faced man said with sarcasm, "I've never heard of an evil spirit that would dig three feet into the ground to steal wealth."
"The third brother has become quite capable, managing to deceive seven families into testing Shangguan Ji for us," the square-faced middle-aged man chuckled.
The round-faced man muttered hesitantly, "Two families."
The square-faced middle-aged man turned with a puzzled look.
"Third brother only managed to persuade two families."
"What about the other five?"
The round-faced man shrugged, "The leader of the team that carried out the massacre was Shangguan Tong."
"Wow! He's after the money!" The square-faced middle-aged man laughed.
"Isn't Shangguan Ji worried that Shangguan Tong will ruin his plans?" the round-faced man wondered.
"He's doing it on purpose," the square-faced man said with a faint smile, "to intimidate the petty criminals."
"With just a rumor, he immediately slaughters to warn the others."
"I bet that Evil-Repelling Mirror must have been taken by Shangguan Yu!"
"Keep probing."
"And try to leave some evidence that connects to a few major families in the Inner City."
"Let them start the fight!"
"Alright," the round-faced man said respectfully with a salute.
"Find some unoccupied houses in the city to slowly move our people in," the square-faced man continued with instructions, "Go."
"Yes!"