I Can Devour Spirits-Chapter 84: Taiyi Order
Jie Daohan is already forty-eight years old this year and has served under three County Magistrates. His ability to remain in position as the Criminal Chief Constable shows that he indeed has some skills.
He was originally a registered disciple of the Taiyi Sect but was sent back to his hometown after failing to become an outer disciple.
Later, relying on diligent practice, he broke through the First Level of the True Qi Realm, and a few years later, he secured a position as a constable in Xianggu County, where he has been for over a decade.
Over these years, the number of people who have died unjustly and tragically in his hands is countless...
"Mr. Luan, a major criminal has escaped from the county government office prison! I’ve closed the city gates and ordered a city-wide search! You’re blocking my men from entering now! I see you’re hiding something, aren’t you? Could it be that you’re in cahoots with the fugitive?"
Luan Jingfu gave a cold snort, his eyes filled with anger as he glanced at Jie Daohan’s face, and said, "Chief Constable Jie, pardon me, but I don’t quite understand what you mean! When did I say you couldn’t enter? However, you need a Sea Arrest Warrant for the search."
"My Yuan Shun Escort Agency is not your personal property! Without a document, you can’t just come in as you please!"
In fact, Jie Daohan is quite influential in the county, and Luan Jingfu doesn’t want to offend him.
But since Ruan Fengshan is not present, if he just lets this group of people in, even though they’re constables from the county office, some of them might have sticky fingers, and the antiques in Ruan Fengshan’s backyard are quite valuable.
If something is broken or one or two items go missing, how would he explain that later? Wouldn’t it be said that he’s a useless Chief Leader, letting them into the backyard to rummage around without even a Sea Arrest Warrant?
Luan Jingfu fears Ruan Fengshan so much because there’s a relationship between them that’s far more secretive than a mere superior-subordinate connection. Therefore, Luan Jingfu knows Ruan Fengshan very well!
Ruan Fengshan has actually already broken through the True Qi Realm, but externally he has maintained the facade of being limited by talent and stuck in the Inner Breath Realm, showcasing the depth of his scheming! Would Luan Jingfu dare not to be afraid?
"It’s not that I’m not giving you the document. It’s because the County Magistrate went to Yuanyang Prefecture for work recently and isn’t in Xianggu County! I’ll provide you with the document later!" Jie Daohan said urgently.
"Without a document, no one should think about stepping into my Yuan Shun Escort Agency," Luan Jingfu replied.
"Luan Jingfu, are you purposely antagonizing me?" Jie Daohan said angrily upon hearing this, and with a metallic sound, he drew his saber!
The constables from the government office are equipped with sabers, standardized across Qingzhou, known as Barrier Sabers.
The saber handle is a bit long to allow for single or double-handed grip, the blade is narrow and long, with a slightly thick back and a single-edged blade!
"What, you want to fight?" Luan Jingfu lightly kicked the four-sided steel mace resting in front of him, raising it horizontally in front of him. However, he didn’t really intend to fight Jie Daohan, positioning himself defensively, he sternly questioned, "Dare I ask, Chief Constable Jie, without a document, how can you forcibly enter Yuan Shun Escort Agency? Is this proper conduct?"
Jie Daohan was momentarily speechless from being questioned by Luan Jingfu and said, "Exceptions can be made, Mr. Luan! We see each other whenever we look up or down, do you really want to go against me?"
"Chief Constable Jie, my shopkeeper is not here, if you want an exception, you need to find him for it!"
"You..."
The muscles on Jie Daohan’s face twitched. He knew he was in the wrong here. Yuan Shun Escort Agency is one of the major powers in Xianggu County, and its annual taxes to the Taiyi Sect are only second to those from the Huaying Building and the Herbal Shop.
If a fight broke out, upon later inquiry, it would be him inciting a public revolt!
Actually, originally, as a chief constable for the county, he had the authority to issue documents and pursue sea fugitives.
But ever since Shen Yanliu took office, this power was taken back to the County Government, effectively sidelining him in major cases, leaving him only to catch petty criminals.
Yet it was during Shen Yanliu’s trip to the Prefecture City that this major case of prison escape occurred, leaving him, the Criminal Chief Constable, in a tough spot.
A major fugitive escaping is his responsibility!
If he can capture them in time, he could make up for the fault, but if he delays, the best opportunity for pursuit will be missed!
But he, the Criminal Chief Constable, doesn’t have the power to issue the Sea Arrest Document, making timely pursuit obstructed at every turn!
Fan Yuanhai suddenly stepped out from behind a stone lion beside the entrance of Yuan Shun Escort Agency, walked a few steps forward, and smiled, "Mr. Luan, truly worthy of the Chief Leader of Yuan Shun Escort Agency..."
Though dressed in ordinary attire, he moved with a light and steady walk, and a faint smile hung on his face. As soon as he emerged, Luan Jingfu noticed him but found him unfamiliar, seemingly not a local of Xianggu County.
As Fan Yuanhai spoke while walking, reaching in front of Luan Jingfu, his tone suddenly changed, "... truly a good dog!"
"Presumptuous!"
As the saying goes, a strong dragon does not oppress a local snake. Luan Jingfu seeing a stranger daring to so openly insult him became instantly furious, shaking his steel mace, he pointed it towards him.
Fan Yuanhai remained motionless, his right hand forming a palm, slicing diagonally at the steel mace aimed at his face!
Upon contact, Luan Jingfu’s palm tore, blood flowed freely, and the steel mace in his hand flew out, embedding itself atop the stone lion on the left, cracking its head and blowing off half of the stone lion’s skull!
"Second Level of True Qi Realm!"
Luan Jingfu was shocked; he himself had reached the First Level of True Qi Realm, yet with one encounter, his weapon was blown away — the opponent must have reached the Second Level!
He hadn’t expected someone so young to possess such cultivation!
"When did Xianggu County have such a figure?"
Fan Yuanhai looked expressionlessly at Luan Jingfu and suddenly produced a token.
The token was entirely black, made of an unknown metal, palm-sized, and wedge-shaped with a pointed top, bearing two raised characters in the middle: "Taiyi".
"Taiyi Order!"
Luan Jingfu instinctively stepped back two steps, cupping his fists for a salute to Fan Yuanhai.
"Mr. Luan, does this order count as a document?"
"Naturally, it does!" Luan Jingfu’s forehead broke into a slight sweat, "I was rash, and I offended Lord Envoy just now, I hope you forgive me!"
Fan Yuanhai is an outer disciple of the Taiyi Sect.
However, even as an outer disciple, his status is higher than Shen Yanliu’s.
Because Shen Yanliu is an dispatched outer disciple, whereas he is stationed within the sect.
An inner-sect outer disciple, when conducting official duties, holds the Taiyi Order, thus becoming an Imperial Envoy with the power to make on-the-spot decisions, with authority over life and death!
The reason Luan Jingfu felt fearful is precisely because, moments ago, even if Fan Yuanhai had executed him on the grounds of obstructing official duties, it would have been entirely lawful!
"Since Mr. Luan has already spoken! Chief Constable Jie, what are you doing standing here?" Fan Yuanhai turned his head to glance at Jie Daohan, his eyes showing a hint of disdain.
Jie Daohan cupped his fists in a salute towards Fan Yuanhai before turning to the constables behind him, saying, "Brothers, follow me in for a search! Some of you head to the front yard! Others to the back yard, and the central courtyard!"
After Jie Daohan gave his orders, the constables pushed past the escort masters at the entrance and rushed in!
Luan Jingfu immediately turned around and instructed Luan Bao by his side, "Take a few people to the backyard and properly accompany the search!"
By saying to accompany the search, Luan Jingfu meant to keep an eye on the items, and Luan Bao understood, immediately taking several escort masters to the backyard!
Duan Rong saw the constables rush in hurriedly and immediately realized that such a search would undoubtedly involve flipping and smashing things, causing him to worry, fearing the constables might cause trouble near the ancestral hall, so he slipped out from the crowd and quickly headed towards Xiao Zongting’s courtyard in the middle.
