Chapter 71: The Bandit Zhang Yan

"Miss Bai, we meet again."

Bai Xian had barely sat down when the voice of the wandering swordsman reached her ear.

She turned her head in confusion and asked, "Who are you?"

The smile froze on the wanderer's face. “...Miss, you must meet many important people and forget things easily. I’m Wei Nansheng, from Muddy Village. You saved me from the swamp…”

Bai Xian recalled the incident. It had happened about half a month ago, not long after she first arrived in this world and left Jinjiang County. She had discovered a swamp demon in a small village, and after a difficult struggle to eliminate it, she found this fellow trapped in the demon’s pitfall.

At that time, Wei Nansheng had sunk up to his chest; in another half hour, he would have been swallowed completely. She had saved him without much thought.

Back then, the man had been covered in sludge from head to toe, only his eyes visible—so this was what he looked like cleaned up.

“So I do remember. Did you have something stolen by Zhang Yan as well?”

The only thing of value on this fellow seemed to be his two hammers; Bai Xian really couldn’t imagine what would be worth stealing.

Wei Nansheng scratched his head sheepishly. “I wasn’t robbed. But when I saw the wanted posters at the city gate and given my empty purse, I took the job from the yellow bulletin.”

So he was here for the money—no wonder the swordsman earlier had looked down on him.

“What about the others?” Bai Xian asked.

“They’re all actual victims,” Wei Nansheng replied, and began quietly introducing the others in the hall to her.

The rude man from before was Liu Dong, known as the Green Forest Swordsman, the top expert of the Thousand Blades Sect. Next to him was “Lu Zhishen,” whose monastic name was Blood Butcher, a warrior monk from Yunxiao Temple. There were also two Daoists: the short, stout one called Mingjing, and the tall, thin one named Mingyue—both true men from the Pure Breeze Abbey on Mount Liangyi.

Finally, there was Flying Eagle Captain Liu Yongqing, who, as he had introduced himself, belonged to the Qingzhou Captaincy and was the initiator of this operation.

As for what each had lost, even Wei Nansheng wasn’t clear—only that they were extremely valuable treasures, or these people wouldn’t have been mobilized to hunt Zhang Yan.

While Wei Nansheng briefed Bai Xian, footsteps sounded outside—judging by the sound, a woman was approaching.

Sure enough, a tall woman entered. She wore a magnificent dress patterned with golden clouds, a moonlit filigree hairpin atop her head, and a silver bell at her waist. Her red gown blazed like fire, her black hair was lustrous as ink, and her bright eyes sparkled with intelligence and confidence.

“From the Qingzhou Demon-Suppressing Tower—Silver Bell Demon Hunter Leng Xiaoxiao, reporting to assist in apprehending the thief Zhang Yan.”

“Nonsense!” a furious voice interrupted before Liu Yongqing, the captain, could speak.

The tall, thin Daoist Mingyue stood up, his hair bristling with rage. “This is preposterous! Zhang Yan has stolen the Pure Breeze Abbey’s Sword Qi Root Diagram, the Demon-Suppressing Tower’s Demon-Transforming Stone. Such serious crimes!”

“Never mind sending a head commander or a demon warden—at the very least, a deputy general or a Gold Bell Demon Hunter should be here…”

He pointed alternately at Liu Yongqing and Leng Xiaoxiao. “Yet only a Flying Eagle and a Silver Bell arrive! Is the safety of all nine counties of Qingzhou so lightly regarded?”

Yue Wenying had once explained to Bai Xian the hierarchy of the Supervisory Division:

The Captaincy: commanded by the head general, deputy generals, Flying Eagle Captains, and Wolf-Running Captains.
The Demon-Suppressing Tower: Demon Wardens, Gold Bell, Silver Bell, and Copper Bell Demon Hunters.

Clearly, by the old Daoist’s reasoning, Liu Yongqing as a mere Flying Eagle Captain was already a stretch—after all, the Captaincy’s officers were not known for solo operations. But to think the Demon-Suppressing Tower had only sent a Silver Bell Demon Hunter!

Leng Xiaoxiao’s face darkened at the criticism, but her right hand had already rested on her sword, ready to draw at the slightest provocation.

Liu Yongqing hurried to smooth things over. “Please, Daoist Mingyue, restrain your anger. You know what’s happening in the east: most of our elite have been transferred there, and it’s uncertain when they’ll return. Qingzhou simply cannot spare more personnel.”

Bai Xian’s attention sharpened. She hadn’t expected that the great demon in the east still hadn’t been dealt with after all this time. Yue Wenying and Yang Xian had gone east as well—she wondered how they were faring.

When Liu Yongqing finished, the short, stout Daoist Mingjing tugged at his senior’s robe. “Let it be, brother. If the court doesn’t take this matter seriously, then Pure Breeze Abbey will apprehend the thief ourselves.”

With that, Daoist Mingyue slumped back into his chair, still looking haughty but saying nothing more.

Liu Yongqing breathed a silent sigh of relief and invited Demon Hunter Leng Xiaoxiao to take her seat, composing his features.

Once everyone was settled, Liu Yongqing spoke: “Since we are all gathered here, I trust it is to capture the thief Zhang Yan.”

Zhang Yan, a native of Changlong County in Qingzhou, was nicknamed the King of Thieves, or the Flying Thief. His martial skill was mediocre at best—barely mid-tier—but his agility and wind-riding technique made him infamous. He had once traversed twelve counties in a single night, stealing the official seals and hanging them behind the magistrates’ plaques for amusement.

“If his reputation is so well-known, why have the court and the Supervisory Division failed to capture him all these years?” This time, it was not the irascible Daoist Mingyue, but the Blood Butcher monk of Yunxiao Temple who spoke.

Liu Yongqing replied, “Because, though Zhang Yan’s deeds are strange, he’s only committed petty thefts. He knows his limits and never crosses the red line, nor has he ever done anything truly heinous. Thus, he’s never been seriously pursued.”

In the end, it was a matter of manpower shortage in the Supervisory Division.

“But this time, Zhang Yan has stolen the ‘Frontier Defense Map’ from the Captaincy and the ‘Demon-Transforming Stone’ from the Demon-Suppressing Tower, as well as the ‘Sword Qi Root Diagram’ from Pure Breeze Abbey and several other artifacts. The Supervisory Division has now issued orders to apprehend him—if he resists, he may be killed on the spot.”

“Our resources are stretched thin, so I must ask for everyone’s assistance.” With that, Liu Yongqing rose and cupped his fists to the assembly.

Normally, the Supervisory Division would not be so polite to these “freelancers.” But the ‘Frontier Defense Map’ detailed the deployment of the Captaincy; if it fell into demonic hands, all of Qingzhou would be exposed. The ‘Demon-Transforming Stone’ was the heart of the Demon-Suppressing Tower; if it went missing for long, the imprisoned demons could break free at any moment.

Both items were of utmost importance, and the Supervisory Division had no choice but to enlist civilian help.

“Naturally,” Daoist Mingjing replied with a smile. “For public and private reasons, Pure Breeze Abbey will lend the Supervisory Division our support.”

“But the thief’s agility is extraordinary. Yesterday, he vanished without a trace. Where should we even begin looking?”

Zhang Yan could have lost them easily, yet he always maintained a subtle distance, keeping the Supervisory Division and Pure Breeze Abbey trailing far behind—not close enough to catch, nor distant enough to lose.

It didn’t seem he was merely stealing for profit; rather, it felt as if he was leading them somewhere.

Yet yesterday, the flying thief suddenly picked up his pace, and those pursuing him lost all trace.

If Zhang Yan had really fled far and gone into hiding in the mountains, even the greatest skill would be like searching for a needle in the sea.

At that moment, Bai Xian, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke.

“I know where he is.”