The master of the residence personally opened the doors and came out to welcome him in.

“You’re too courteous, Lord Xiang.”

The host who He Lingchuan had come to visit was named Xiang Yan, formerly the Deputy Ducal Minister of Works in the State of Chiyan. He had only retired last winter.

The old man was officially “retired,” yet he looked remarkably youthful. Although there were a few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, less than half of his hair had turned white, and his complexion was rosy and well-kept.

“What ‘Lord’? I’m already retired,” Xiang Yan laughed heartily. “Lord Envoy, please just call me Old Xiang.”

He Lingchuan smiled, reached into his robe, and produced an embroidered box, handing it over.

Xiang Yan was startled. “For the Special Envoy to have brought me a gift, how could that be proper?”

“It’s not from me,” He Lingchuan said, flipping the lid open. “General Ling asked me to pass it on.”

Nestled in the padded lining lay a pink gemstone, its facets cut to perfection.

Xiang Yan’s brows lifted slightly. He could not imagine how General Ling had ended up tangled with a special envoy. Jiao Yu, at the side, explained, “General Ling had kin murdered. He followed the Special Envoy to investigate, but military orders called him to the front. Before leaving, he asked us to bring this to you.”

“So that’s how it is.” Xiang Yan accepted the box. Even with a special envoy sitting right in front of him, he could not resist. He took out the rouge stone and held it up to the light. “A fine piece. There’s even a red vein inside that naturally came to be shaped like a dragon.”

“I’ve always loved unusual stones. That old ram knew exactly what to send. You two must be laughing at me.”

He Lingchuan asked, “General Ling claims you’ve been close friends for decades?”

“He’s lived longer than I have. I only served alongside him for sixty years, that’s all. General Ling’s temper is straightforward and hot. He doesn’t get along with many colleagues. But with me, he could at least talk.”

This was the difference between monsters and humans.

General Ling had spoken of Xiang Yan plainly, saying that he was a friend who could help with the investigation.

Xiang Yan, however, downplayed the relationship while quietly waiting to see what card He Lingchuan would play next.

A maid served tea. He Lingchuan lifted the cup and took a small sip, then glanced at Jiao Yu. They already had an understanding. Jiao Yu immediately said, “General Ling said that if we needed help investigating, we could come to you.”

As a monster, it spoke straight, without the human habit of beating around the bush.

Xiang Yan’s eyes widened. “Investigate? But I heard the Lingxu City courier case has already been solved. The news is practically spreading through all of Baishajue.”

“The suspect Zhongsun Mou arrested, Fu Songhua, changed his story today. He says he was coerced into taking the blame.”

“Taking the blame?” Xiang Yan frowned. “Why would Fu Songhua suddenly flip?”

“Because while Fu Songhua may be the man who assassinated the Inspector of He Province, this courier case is tied to the elixir of youth. He likely doesn’t belong in that circle.”

Xiang Yan’s brow furrowed deeply. “The elixir of youth?”

“Early on in my investigation, I found someone secretly hunting monsters and extracting beads from them. Those blood beads, which are formed from monsters’ blood essence, are called jiang beads, and they’re one of the primary ingredients for refining the elixir of youth. And every trail leads to the northwest district of Baishajue.”

“The northwest? That area is packed with nobles and the wealthy.”

He Lingchuan asked, “Then why didn’t you settle in the northwest?”

This estate was in the eastern part of the city.

“I didn’t want to join that crowd,” Xiang Yan waved it off. “Besides, the houses there are absurdly expensive. One residence in the northwest costs as much as two here.”

“I’m new to Baishajue. Could you tell me who’s living in the northwest, in retirement or hiding?”

Xiang Yan now more or less understood why He Lingchuan had come. “The northwest residents fall into several tiers. First, there are the high officials and nobles from Lingxu City. Second, there are the retired Lingxu City elders, and the Chiyan officials currently in office. Third, there are those who’ve retired from the Chiyan court itself, like myself. Only after that do you get merchants and local gentry.”

It was a very clear hierarchy.

He Lingchuan nodded. Fu Songhua had listed the families for him, but he had not been able to summarize them so cleanly in just a few lines.

A man who could swim through officialdom for decades and retire safely was simply different.

“I’ve heard that you understand Lingxu City’s officials quite well?”

“Only a little.” Xiang Yan took a sip of tea. “Several temples I supervised earned the gods’ praise. Later, when Lingxu City rebuilt Mount Xu, they asked me to help with the project. I worked there for seventeen years.”

“Rebuilding Mount Xu?” He Lingchuan’s surprise was not feigned.

After all, was that not the very destination he intended to reach in Lingxu City? Information had just fallen into his lap.

“That must’ve been an enormous undertaking.”

“It was. The old Heavenly Palace was built atop the ruins of an immortal sect. Even with continual repairs, it eventually became inconvenient. In the late years of the former Emperor, the reconstruction of Mount Xu began, both as an offering to the gods and to rebuild the Grand Spirit-Gathering Array. Mount Xu sits at the source of Lingxu City’s ley lines or earth veins. It constantly nurtures the city with spirit qi. Without it, Lingxu City could never be so prosperous.”

He Lingchuan could not help but ask, “With heaven-and-earth spirit qi diminishing these days, how can that still be done?”

A dense spirit qi environment benefited great monsters and cultivators alike.

“The old array could no longer gather much spirit qi and gradually fell into disuse. Later, countless repairs and revisions did little. Fortunately, the gods and the Lord Emperor worked together and, through repeated consultations, managed to create a new Grand Spirit-Gathering Array. It borrows an ancient treasure as the core, allowing the array on earth to echo the stars in heaven—heaven and man as one, if you will—and it even has defensive capabilities.”

He Lingchuan’s ears practically perked up. “An ancient treasure? That powerful? What treasure?”

Xiang Yan stroked his beard. “I don’t know.”

“...” Old Xiang, that’s not very considerate of you.

“The overseer of the array was someone else,” Xiang Yan said with a shake of his head. “And the process of returning the treasure to its place was classified. Low-ranking officials like us weren’t qualified to watch. I asked plenty of colleagues in private, but no one knows what it truly was.” He then added, “When I arrived, the Heavenly Palace had already been under construction for nine years. By the time I left, the massive project was nearing completion. If the Special Envoy goes to Lingxu City someday, you should visit Mount Xu. It’s truly magnificent.”

He Lingchuan’s heart stirred. “I’ve heard Mount Xu hides countless treasures. Did you ever see any?”

“What treasures?” Xiang Yan laughed loudly. “Those are rumors. Mount Xu is where the Lord Emperor worships the gods. It’s the gods’ dwelling on earth. Why would it hide treasures?”

The answer caught He Lingchuan completely off guard. “Then where are the ancient magical treasures and spiritual treasures stored?”

“Lingxu City is enormous, would it lack storage?” Xiang Yan shook his head. “The Spring Palace loves collecting ancient secret treasures, and the imperial vaults are vast beyond measure. If you’re going to stash precious objects, why would you pick Mount Xu of all places?”

“Nothing is hidden there?” Zhu Erniang had clearly said her molted shell was in Mount Xu. “Mount Xu is the old site of the Grand Return Sect. It might have a hidden vault underground.”

“If it’s an undiscovered sect vault that has never been found to this day, then sure, it’s possible.” Xiang Yan did not deny the possibility. “But aside from that, there shouldn’t be. I’ve seen the blueprints.”

He Lingchuan’s brow furrowed.

If Zhu Erniang’s molted shell was not at Mount Xu, then where am I supposed to look?

The shell’s huge, and Lingxu City is a monstrous capital with hundreds of thousands, even millions, of inhabitants. Searching blindly would be like fishing for a needle in the sea.

Still, the information he had unexpectedly gotten from Xiang Yan was valuable. He would need time to digest it properly.

He Lingchuan steered the conversation back. “I want to ask about something else. Among the nobles of Lingxu City staying in Baishajue, who is closest to Zhongsun Mou?”

“Nobles of Lingxu City, and close to the Touring Commissioner? In this city, there are many Lingxu City dignitaries who know the Zhongsun Family.” Then, as something clicked, his eyes suddenly widened. “Lord Envoy, you can’t mean that you suspect the Touring Commissioner himself is involved, right?”

“What I think doesn’t matter. In the end, we follow evidence.”

Even with ice blocks piled in the corner, Xiang Yan’s back began to sweat. “Lord Envoy, does the Touring Commissioner know that you have such thoughts?”

“Well...” He Lingchuan rubbed his chin and said, “You’re no fool, what do you think?”

Jiao Yu quickly suppressed its laughter by yawning.

Xiang Yan suddenly had the distinct feeling that the old ram had not sent a gemstone at all, but rather a dagger.

What virtue had he accumulated in a past life to end up with a “friend” like this?

“Lord Envoy, this assumption of yours, you really must be extremely cautious.”

“I know.” He Lingchuan chuckled. “Without evidence, what could I possibly do to him? If anything, compared to Zhongsun Mou, you ought to be more worried for me.”

Xiang Yan thought grimly, I’m worried for myself.

“Among the wealthy and powerful in the northwest, the ones who are close with the Zhongsun family would be—”

He Lingchuan waved a hand. “Narrow it down. Only the Lingxu City heavyweights.”

Jiao Yu blinked. “Why?”

“Zhongsun Mou prides himself on being from Lingxu City. His eyes are practically on the top of his head,” He Lingchuan drawled. “He wouldn’t lower himself to socialize with Chiyan types. If he’s working with anyone, it’ll be Lingxu City people.”

Xiang Yan nodded at once. “Then that leaves five households.” He proceeded to list them.

He Lingchuan listened through, filing each name away in silence.

Then he looked at Xiang Yan and asked abruptly, “Another question, Old Xiang, have you ever heard of the elixir of youth?”

Xiang Yan smiled, a touch of pride showing. “Heard of it? I’ve taken it.”

“Oh?” He Lingchuan’s interest sharpened immediately. “Then how old are you this year?” No wonder General Ling had introduced him. So the old ram wasn’t nearly as carefree as it pretended to be.

“Next spring I’ll be celebrating my eighty-fifth birthday.”

He Lingchuan was genuinely startled. “You’re eighty-four?”

Judging by looks alone, Xiang Yan seemed at most in his early fifties, eyes bright and lively. People always said age showed first in the legs, yet when he had walked in, his steps were steady and springy, as if there were a spring under his feet. He looked like he could run a marathon without any trouble.

Xiang Yan enjoyed the astonishment he saw so often in others. He could not help but stroke his beard. “Yes, and that’s exactly what the elixir of youth does. Thirty years ago, our king granted me a pill. The spots and lines on my body gradually faded. Old ailments vanished. My body grew light and strong. Otherwise, even if I were still alive now, I’d be trembling, toothless, and bald.”

“Then where does the elixir of youth come from?” He Lingchuan pressed.

Xiang Yan gave him an odd look. “Lord Envoy, shouldn’t the palace have already explained something like that to you?”