"This guy dares to provoke the Marquis of Zhenxi, he's simply asking for death!"
"As expected of someone from the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion, even officials in the capital fear him!"
Everyone showed pity in their eyes, clearly not optimistic about Chu Chen, because they knew that Chu Chen had thoroughly offended the Marquis of Zhenxi and his life was probably forfeit!
However, Chu Chen seemed to hear none of the surrounding discussions. He merely glanced at the waist token of the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion and then put it away.
"I'll take this waist token," Chu Chen said lightly.
Yang Hu, upon hearing this, burst into laughter, mockingly saying, "So you're after this waist token? Too bad, it already belongs to me!"
"Is that so? Then let me show you who the true owner of this waist token is!"
A mocking smile curved Chu Chen's lips. He then turned his head and said to Luo Yun, "Hold this waist token for me and go invite the Inspector and the county constable."
"Huh?" Yang Hu's face suddenly froze. He suddenly thought of a possibility: "Are you the Inspector?"
"Indeed," Chu Chen nodded. "I am here on official business to investigate this case. I hope everyone will cooperate. If anyone is found to be harboring evil, they will be punished as accomplices!"
As his words fell, Chu Chen took a step forward and walked directly into the Inspector's mansion. Luo Yun, holding the waist token, went to find the Inspector and the constable.
"Bastard!" Yang Hu was furious, his fists clenched with a cracking sound, his eyes bulging with hatred and jealousy.
Ever since he was assigned to serve under Li Yang, Yang Hu had always wanted a promotion. However, the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion was too low-level.
He would never be able to leave this place in his lifetime, and he didn't even have the qualifications for promotion.
But now, he had an opportunity. The token of the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion had fallen into his hands.
This was a great honor. He could use this waist token to exchange for a higher position and salary. This was a chance to soar to the heavens!
"Hahaha... Chu Chen, you're lucky this time, but don't let me run into you again!"
Yang Hu laughed heartily, then quickly turned and fled, fearing he would be caught by Chu Chen if he lingered for even a moment.
Although he was injured, his speed was not slow. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared at the end of the street, and faintly, his sinister laughter seemed to be heard.
"That guy runs pretty fast," Luo Yun shook his head with some regret.
"Of course he ran. If it were anywhere else, I might not have been able to catch him, but in the Northern Wilderness Mountains, he can't escape," Chu Chen shrugged.
Chu Chen was not worried about Yang Hu. A mere cultivator at the ninth level of Body Tempering could not stir up any trouble. Killing him would be as easy as turning his hand.
After Yang Hu ran far away, he stopped and looked back, his face extremely grim: "You wait for me, I'll kill you sooner or later!"
"Hmph! You think you're so great just because you're from the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion? You killed the Marquis of Zhenxi's grandson, how can the Marquis of Zhenxi let you go!"
"Just you wait, when the Marquis of Zhenxi sends people to hunt you down, I'll sit back and watch the tigers fight. Let's see who's stronger, you or the people from the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion!"
Yang Hu gritted his teeth, a fierce look flashing across his face, and turned to run into another alley. That was where Li Yang was staying at the inn!
"I'll go back to my room to rest for a while. I have to travel tomorrow," Chu Chen said, then walked into the inn.
The next day, a carriage slowly drove out of the capital and headed southeast.
"Teacher, where are we going?" Chu Chen asked, sitting in the carriage.
"To the southeast, there is a city called Qingzhou, more than three hundred kilometers away from the capital.
We need to stay there for a few days to handle a matter," Elder Ning said. "You're tired too, close your eyes and rest for a while."
"Okay," Chu Chen nodded.
The carriage continued to move forward. After a stick of incense, Chu Chen suddenly felt something strange. He looked up and found that the scenery outside the carriage had changed. This was...
"What's going on? Weren't we supposed to be heading towards Qingzhou? How did we end up here?" Chu Chen frowned and lifted the curtain to look outside.
He found himself in a dense forest, and a pungent smell of sulfur permeated the woods. This smell felt very familiar!
"Boom!"
Immediately after, a violent explosion sounded. Chu Chen turned his head and his pupils contracted.
He saw a huge fireball appear in the sky, like a falling meteor, burning the dense forest to ashes. Towering ancient trees caught fire, and thick smoke billowed into the sky.
"Why would a fireball fall here?" Chu Chen was extremely shocked. This was a deep mountain and old forest. Apart from the carriage he was in, there were no other pedestrians or vehicles.
"This was done intentionally," Elder Ning narrowed his eyes. "However, since the other party chose this place to act, it proves that this place is not dangerous.
Otherwise, they could have chosen other locations, and then we wouldn't be able to use the Inspector and the constable's power to investigate."
"Teacher is right. This is a trap. Even if the other party can't kill me, they probably intend to burn me alive," Chu Chen nodded.
The trees in this mountain forest were dense, and ordinary flames could not burn so many trees.
"Oh? You know me?" Chu Chen asked in surprise. He thought carefully and found that he didn't recognize this middle-aged man at all.
"I am Lu Wenlong, the Inspector of the Northern Wilderness Prefecture!" the middle-aged man said, cupping his fists with a humble and polite attitude.
"What?" Chu Chen's eyes widened in disbelief. This man was actually the Inspector of the Northern Wilderness Prefecture!
An Inspector of the Northern Wilderness Prefecture, who was also skilled in military strategy and tactics, was definitely not simple!
Chu Chen remembered reading a book once that mentioned the Inspectors of the Northern Wilderness Prefecture.
They were personally selected and trained by the Prefect and represented the authority and status of the Northern Wilderness Prefecture. Each of them possessed a formidable reputation!
It was said that the Inspectors of the Northern Wilderness Prefecture were updated every ten years based on their strength.
They would serve as Inspectors in various prefectures. Each update would cause a stir throughout the entire prefecture!
And now, two and a half years had passed since the last update. The Inspectors of the Northern Wilderness Prefecture must have changed to new ones.
Chu Chen never expected that he would encounter an Inspector on the way!
"My friend, do you know me?" Lu Wenlong asked doubtfully. He had never seen Chu Chen before.
However, Chu Chen looked at him with a hint of hostility, which made Lu Wenlong somewhat puzzled.
"No, but why did you attack me?" Chu Chen asked calmly.
Lu Wenlong was stunned upon hearing this, then gave a wry smile: "You misunderstood. I have no intention of offending you. I just want to do business with you."
"Business?" Chu Chen raised an eyebrow.
Lu Wenlong nodded and said, "I wonder if you would be willing to join the ranks of the Inspectors and be hired as one."