Chapter 606: Upright Conduct. Acting by the Book. Merit Aura. The Fake Lady Hu!?

“You’re from the Court of Judicial Review?” The young magistrate glanced at Li Yanchu, his eyes showing some suspicion.

However, after examining the waist token, he confirmed that it did indeed belong to the Court of Judicial Review.

“This is under my jurisdiction. Even the Court of Judicial Review should notify me when coming to arrest someone. I cannot fully trust your identity based on this token alone.” The young magistrate’s tone was firm and upright.

Li Yanchu was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t encountered this situation before.

In the past, he usually slew demons near Wei City.

Later, when crossing regions to hunt demons, he would either finish the job and leave quietly, keeping his deeds hidden, or simply reveal his Court of Judicial Review identity.

Today, he thought that with an official figure present, announcing his Court of Judicial Review identity would suffice. Unexpectedly, this young magistrate was so strict and unyielding.

On reflection, Li Yanchu realized the magistrate was not wrong to insist on proper procedure. He considered his own recent behavior. Had he been acting too freely and impulsively?

For a magistrate who strictly followed the law, Li Yanchu decided to cooperate fully. Together with Minghe, he went to the county office and laid out the entire situation. This included the events in Pu City, as well as the Zhou family’s secret human trafficking over the years.

The young magistrate’s name was Sun Cheng. His appearance was rather ordinary, even slightly unattractive, but his heart was firm and just.

He investigated the remaining survivors of the Zhou family’s schemes and realized this was indeed a monumental case.

“Daoist Master, your conduct is noble. Earlier, it was my mistake.” The young magistrate Sun Cheng bowed respectfully to Li Yanchu.

“You are too serious, Your Honor. I must admit I admire your character.” Li Yanchu smiled.

In these times, demons and monsters ran rampant. The Court of Judicial Review was responsible for dealing with demonic matters in the Kingdom of Qian, wielding authority far exceeding that of local judicial offices or even the six ministries of the capital.

Yet this magistrate, upon encountering a Court of Judicial Review official, showed no fear, no flattery. He simply acted by the book, which pleasantly surprised Li Yanchu.

After completing the necessary proceedings at the county office, he left Linjiang County with Minghe.

“I didn’t expect someone with your cultivation to have such patience with an ordinary magistrate,” Minghe remarked on the road.

“This person is full of integrity. He may not be a cultivator, but even demons would fear him. I admire that.” Li Yanchu smiled.

Minghe gave a faint smile in return. “Who would have thought that the Zhou family, still considered great benefactors in Linjiang County, has such a good reputation among the people?”

“The truly treacherous appear loyal, the truly evil appear virtuous. The Zhou family trafficked humans to trade with demons; their crime deserves punishment,” Li Yanchu said coldly.

“What about Lady Hu?” Minghe asked.

“According to Zhou Yushu’s confession, the Zhou family’s recent abductions were part of a deal with Lady Hu. Those who kidnap people deserve to die, and so do those who buy them,” Li Yanchu said in a low, grave voice.

Lady Hu was a temple deity in Gaoling County of Donglin Prefecture. On the surface, the temple didn’t have a booming flow of worshipers, but it was highly efficacious.

When Li Yanchu and Minghe arrived in Gaoling County, they discovered that this Lady Hu temple truly possessed legitimate incense power and spiritual blessings, with no trace of yin qi or malevolent qi.

Li Yanchu’s eyes flickered with magical light as he used Spirit Eyes and Qi Sight to examine the temple. There was nothing unusual about it. This was not one of those temples that seem righteous on the outside but are filled with murderous energy in secret.

Li Yanchu also invoked the Clearheart Jade Pendant to reinforce his inspection, and the result was the same.

“Did you see anything?” Li Yanchu asked.

“No. This temple may be a folk shrine, but it feels extremely pure. Once inside, it doesn’t even let a trace of evil thought arise in your heart.”

Minghe had the Heart-Questioning Method, which could distinguish good from evil and sense special energies. Her innate ability was actually far more precise than Li Yanchu’s Spirit Eyes.

If she said this, then it must be true. Li Yanchu fell silent.

The two of them entered the main hall of the temple and saw the statue of the fox spirit deity. The statue was majestic and solemn. Although it was a fox spirit, it exuded no hint of malevolence.

“Can you summon it?” Li Yanchu asked.

Minghe nodded.

The statue in the temple was merely the deity’s golden body. The deity did not always reside within the statue; they often went out.

Minghe formed hand seals, and between her palms appeared a blend of cyan and purple light, which she directed at the statue. The light carried no attack power, but after entering the statue, it shook imperceptibly.

About a quarter of an hour later, a presence emerged from the statue. A woman of solemn bearing and dignified aura descended.

“Who are you two?” she asked. “What brings you to me?”

Li Yanchu used Qi Sight and Spirit Eyes to examine her, confirming that this fox deity was indeed a transformed fox spirit. However, she radiated pure energy and merit aura, making her a completely proper temple deity.

“You are Lady Hu? Do you know the Zhou family Old Ancestor?” Li Yanchu asked in a low tone.

“Zhou family? Which Zhou family?” Lady Hu asked.

“Naturally, the Zhou family of Linjiang County.” Li Yanchu said calmly.

“I have been cultivating here in Gaoling County, accumulating merits, and have never been to Linjiang County, nor do I know any Zhou family Old Ancestor,” Lady Hu replied.

Li Yanchu glanced at Minghe.

She shook her head and said, “She’s not lying.”

Not lying...

Li Yanchu paused.

Could it be that this fox deity’s cultivation was so high that Minghe’s innate divine perception had no effect?

Minghe also wondered the same. Yet she had interacted with Yang Spirit experts before, and she could clearly detect when someone was lying. Heart-Questioning Method was an extraordinarily powerful divine skill.

Minghe pondered a moment and reached into her waist pouch, pulling out a soul.

The soul belonged to a refined, well-mannered young man, Zhou Yushu, the fourth son of the Zhou family.

The moment Zhou Yushu appeared, he knelt and bowed. “Daoist Master, I have strayed down the wrong path. I beg you to spare me.”

“Take a look, have you seen this Lady Hu before?” Li Yanchu asked in a low voice.

Zhou Yushu was clearly unsettled by Minghe’s method.

At Li Yanchu’s question, he shivered and turned to look.

Immediately, he shook his head. “No... this isn’t the Lady Hu I’ve seen. She radiated brilliance; this one I’ve never met.”

Zhou Yushu had a deep impression of the Lady Hu he saw before. Just one look from the other person nearly sent his soul flying out of his body.

Yet this woman before him was dignified and graceful, with no resemblance whatsoever.

Li Yanchu fell silent, exchanging a glance with Minghe.

Could there be a second Lady Hu? Or perhaps the fox spirit they encountered before was a fake, a great demon merely impersonating Lady Hu to make a deal.

Li Yanchu shook his head thoughtfully. “If the previous one was merely using Lady Hu’s name, why not simply use transformation to take the fox deity’s appearance? That would have been even more convincing.”