Crow Immortal
Chapter 28: Alerting the Steward

Zhang Shan left behind a letter after returning?

Han Yu listened to this news without batting an eyelid.

He thought to himself—this was actually a clever move by Old Man Li to quickly divert suspicion from himself. Indeed, it was a decent strategy.

"What am I supposed to do about my cultivation now that Senior Brother Zhang Shan has left without a word?" Liu Lan wiped her tears as she spoke. "He promised..."

No one responded to her words.

Who would possibly take Zhang Shan's place and give her their own cultivation resources?

Just as she spoke, a loud shout came from afar: "What are you all gathered here for?"

Everyone turned to see Steward Wang striding over with his bulging belly.

Old Man Li immediately tensed up, pushing his Breath-Concealing Art to its limits while casually adjusting the straw hat on his head.

Han Yu also activated his Breath-Concealing Art without delay—better safe than sorry. What if Steward Wang could detect his cultivation level or traces of the Blood Refinement Technique?

Their worries proved unnecessary. Steward Wang swaggered over, and Wei Kunyi stepped forward with a charming smile: "Good morning, Steward Wang!"

Steward Wang grinned. "Morning to you too!"

Then his face hardened. "What's all this commotion about?"

Wei Kunyi snatched the yellow paper from Liu Lan's hands and presented it to Steward Wang. "Steward, look—this was left by laborer disciple Zhang Shan. He wrote that having no hope of breaking through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, he's gone out to seek his fortune with no definite return date."

Steward Wang's expression darkened as he took the paper. "No definite return date? How convenient!"

"Coming and going as he pleases—does he think the Spirit Fields are his personal bedroom?"

"This is clearly a case of absconding with sect techniques! He should be hunted down by outer sect disciples, brought back, and punished!"

After this outburst, he demanded: "Who here knows Zhang Shan well?"

Wei Kunyi immediately replied with a smile: "I do, Steward Wang."

"Zhang Shan had five spiritual roots. He's been here twenty years but hasn't advanced past the Qi Refining Third Layer in seven years."

"Probably realized he'd never make it to the outer sect and decided to leave."

Steward Wang gave her an approving look. "Good! Xiao Wei, you understand me well."

Then he pointed sharply at Liu Lan. "And why are you crying? Were you Zhang Shan's lover? Do you know where he went?"

Liu Lan hurriedly wiped her tears and explained—due to poor harvests in the spirit fields and her failure to prepare the required fifty pounds of spirit rice, all her rice had been confiscated this year, leaving her without cultivation resources.

Zhang Shan had promised her resources, only to disappear.

Steward Wang frowned at Liu Lan's reddened eyes, then turned to Wei Kunyi. "Is this true?"

"It is," Wei Kunyi confirmed.

"This won't do..." Steward Wang's expression shifted slightly as he addressed Wei Kunyi: "Where did Zhang Shan live? I need to search his quarters!"

Everyone was stunned by this sudden demand.

But Wei Kunyi didn't dare delay, quickly leading the way.

After a few steps, Steward Wang turned back and pointed at Sun Kang, the thick-browed disciple. "You—go fetch Junior Brothers Ji and Hua for me."

Sun Kang knew he meant the two other outer sect disciples who assisted with spirit field management. Not daring to hesitate, he hurried off to comply.

As Steward Wang and Wei Kunyi headed for Zhang Shan's stone house, and Sun Kang went to summon the outer sect disciples, Han Yu, Liu Lan and the others exchanged uneasy glances—they could all sense trouble brewing.

Old Man Li quietly retreated to his own stone house.

"Should we follow and see?" one laborer disciple asked.

Another shook his head immediately. "With Steward Wang's temper...if things go badly, we might bear the brunt of his anger."

With that, none of them followed, instead speculating about what Zhang Shan could have done to warrant a search.

After some hesitation, Liu Lan—feeling partly responsible—eventually followed despite the others staying behind.

Soon, Sun Kang returned with two outer sect seniors in blue robes—Brothers Ji and Hua. After a brief exchange, the two seniors hurried to Zhang Shan's residence.

After conferring with Steward Wang, the three frowned and muttered among themselves before proceeding to search Liu Lan's quarters as well.

Steward Wang then ordered Liu Lan to remain where she was, while Wei Kunyi and Sun Kang were stationed to guard both Zhang Shan and Liu Lan's residences, allowing no one in or out.

Next, Steward Wang summoned a banana leaf and departed hastily with Senior Ji—clearly heading to report to the sect proper—leaving Senior Hua behind to supervise.

Seeing this development, all laborer disciples except Liu Lan, Wei Kunyi and Sun Kang quickly retreated to their quarters to avoid trouble.

Back in his stone house, Han Yu activated his Breath-Concealing Art, masking his Blood Refinement First Layer as Qi Refining First Layer.

He then inventoried all his possessions—four pounds of spirit rice, two Mystic Heart Fruits, a gray jade slip from his initiation, the ancient jade slip containing the Spirit Refining Technique, and another jade slip kindly given by Senior Brother Jin Qi when he first joined.

Nothing else of value remained—he'd already eaten the replicated spirit rice balls from Senior Sun Kang.

There were also traces of the crows—their nest under the bed and claw marks on the walls from spell practice. Normally insignificant, but dangerous if someone searched thoroughly.

With the situation escalating and Steward Wang reporting to the sect, Han Yu couldn't afford risks. He dismantled the nest beyond recognition and disposed of it in the spirit fields, eliminating other possible traces.

The crow spell marks on the walls? He'd claim they were left by previous occupants.

Just as Han Yu completed his preparations, successive whooshing sounds came from above the spirit fields.

Laborer disciples peeked out or emerged to look—Steward Wang and several blue-robed outer sect disciples arrived on banana leaves, followed by two inner sect disciples in gold-trimmed blue robes flying on swords, and finally a purple-robed steward standing on a five-foot wide flower-shaped magical instrument hovering midair.

"All laborer disciples—emerge immediately for questioning! No exceptions!" Steward Wang bellowed from his banana leaf.

Han Yu's heart pounded. Not just outer sect disciples, but two inner sect members and even a steward had come—inner sect disciples were all at least Qi Refining Seventh Layer elites, while stewards were Foundation Establishment realm cultivators.

How could a mere laborer disciple like Zhang Shan warrant such attention?

Unless...had they found traces of Old Man Li? Were they here to capture a Demon Blood Sect cultivator?

Han Yu grew tense.

If they really discovered Old Man Li's true nature as a demonic cultivator, could the old man possibly escape unscathed?