Chapter 31 Encirclement and Pursuit

The reeds on both sides of the riverside path rustled in the evening breeze.

After walking a short distance, the man suddenly stopped and turned to look at the river.

Shen Lian disappeared into a clump of reeds, his gaze fixed intently on what lay ahead.

The man took something out of the bamboo basket—a compass—examined it for a moment, then put it away and continued on his way.

"What is he doing?" Shen Lian wondered to himself.

A few birdsongs drifted from afar.

That was the secret signal agreed upon by Li Hu and the outer demon-suppressing envoys, indicating that reinforcements had arrived and were flanking from the flank.

Shen Lian breathed a sigh of relief, but still dared not be careless.

He broke off a piece of reed, carved a shoulder mark in the mud to indicate the direction the man was going, and then quickened his pace.

Closer distances are needed to observe the other person's actions more clearly.

The man seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around to look.

Shen Lian immediately crouched down, using the reeds for cover.

The man scanned the riverbank, his right hand instinctively reaching for his waist, where a bulge clearly indicated the concealment of a weapon.

A moment later, he snorted coldly, turned around and quickened his pace, using some kind of lightness skill to quickly disappear into the forest path ahead.

"Oh no, he's trying to escape!"

Shen Lian realized that the other party was trying to escape, but he also knew that rushing forward at this moment would be suicide. He suppressed the urge to rush forward and stayed where he was to wait.

After a while, two figures arrived like the wind.

It was Qin Feng and another veteran demon-suppressing envoy named Han Tie.

"Where are they?" Qin Feng asked.

"He entered the forest and headed southwest. He was moving very fast," Shen Lian said, pointing ahead. "He carried a compass-like device with him, and there was an old scar on the web of his right hand. His strength is estimated to be at the fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm."

Fifth level of Body Tempering Realm?!

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng and Han Tie's expressions also became more serious.

Qin Feng frowned and said, "It seems that things are more troublesome than we expected. If the other party really has the strength of the fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm, even if the few of us join forces, we will not be able to capture him."

Han Tie clenched his fist and said, "Are we just going to let the murderer get away like this?"

"Of course not." Qin Feng shook his head slightly. "If we just let him leave, more people will die in Qinghe County, which is not what we want to see. I have already sent Chen Yun and Li Hu back to the Demon Suppression Division to report the news. We will hold him off for now."

"Okay!" Han Tie and Shen Lian nodded emphatically.

Qin Feng cautioned, "This person is extremely vigilant and knows the terrain well. Tracking him in the forest could easily lead to an ambush, but we can't lose him."

The group split up and quietly slipped into the woods.

Shen Lian followed Qin Feng, weaving through the forest.

Autumn has deepened in the woods, with fallen leaves carpeting the ground, making a sound if you're not careful.

Qin Feng was experienced and always chose to land in open spaces.

Shen Lian activated his [Combat Power Detection] and cautiously observed his surroundings.

The sound of flowing water could be heard from ahead.

Qin Feng raised his hand to signal, and he and Shen Lian hid behind a tree, then looked ahead.

On a blue stone by the stream, the man squatted, scooping up water. His straw hat was off, revealing a pale, thin face with sunken eyes and a gloomy gaze.

The man washed his hands, took out a yellowed piece of parchment from his pocket, spread it on the bluestone to examine it. The parchment had intricate patterns drawn on it, consistent with the one he had found last time.

It is the formation diagram of the "Five Yin Gathering Evil Formation".

The man watched for a while, then looked up at the western mountain peaks and muttered to himself, "The third quarter of the hour of Xu (7:45 PM), the time when the earth's energy is at its peak..."

Shen Lian and Qin Feng exchanged a glance.

The killer was indeed planning to continue his killing spree.

Just then, the man sneered, put away the yellowed paper, put his straw hat back on, and then drew his three-foot-long sword from his waist, releasing a chill from the blade.

Qin Feng and Shen Lian looked solemn; the other party's perception was so sharp.

"Since you're here, why hide?" the man said in a hoarse voice.

Knowing they had been exposed, Qin Feng immediately stepped forward, with Shen Lian following closely behind.

On the other side, Han Tie rushed out with a knife and blocked the man by the stream.

"You committed a crime in Qinghe County, killing five people in succession with cruel methods. Now surrender and come back with us." Qin Feng shouted sharply, and his long sword was suddenly drawn.

The man's gaze swept over the three men, and he grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth: "Those guys from the Demon Suppression Division, they're really persistent. You think you can capture me with just a few of you?"

He suddenly sprang up, not rushing towards anyone, but instead lunging towards the opposite bank, where the forest was dense and the slopes steep, making it difficult to track him once he entered.

"Don't even think about escaping!"

Han Tie strode forward, his long sword whipping up a gust of wind as he slashed straight at the man's back.

The man sneered, twisted his body in mid-air, and slashed out with his long sword.

clang!

The sound of metal clashing echoed through the quiet forest.

Han Tie felt an extremely strong force travel along the blade, his right arm went numb from the shock, and he staggered back several steps, his blood and qi surging within him.

"What a strange and powerful force!" Han Tie thought in surprise.

The man had already crossed the stream, his toes tapping on a rock in front of him, and his body rose again, about to disappear into the dense forest ahead.

"Stay!" Qin Feng shouted, and he and Shen Lian moved almost simultaneously.

Qin Feng's blade moved like a dragon and a snake, unleashing a "Mountain Splitting Strike" that slashed down fiercely at the man, attempting to stop him.

Shen Lian then unleashed the "Wave-Slaying Style," slashing at the man with three consecutive strikes.

The man was in mid-air, facing the combined attack of the two. He reached for his waist with his left hand, and several cold stars shot out, which were actually bone-piercing nails coated with poison.

"Watch out for hidden weapons."

Qin Feng swung his sword to parry, slicing away two bone-piercing nails.

Shen Lian changed his pace abruptly, twisted his waist, and swept his long sword horizontally, knocking down the bone-piercing nails that were aimed at him.

With this brief delay, the man landed steadily on the opposite bank. He glanced back at the three of them, then his figure blurred and disappeared into the woods ahead.

"Chase!"

Qin Feng, his face ashen, was the first to cross the stream, followed closely by Han Tie and Shen Lian.

The three chased into the forest, only to find a few very shallow footprints left on the fallen leaves, which quickly disappeared. The other party was clearly skilled in counter-tracking techniques.

"He got away." Han Tie slammed his fist into the tree trunk.

Qin Feng carefully examined his surroundings: "He just mentioned the third quarter of Xu hour. I suspect he's planning something tonight, possibly setting up the 'Five Yin Gathering Fiend Formation'."

Shen Lian added, "He carried a compass and array diagram with him, and he also measured the direction by the stream. Considering what happened before, he was very likely looking for a place to set up an array."

"We must get this message back to the Demon Suppression Division as soon as possible." Qin Feng made a decisive decision. "Shen Lian, you return at full speed immediately and report this person's appearance and characteristics to Commander Zhao. Deploy strong defenses in the target area and the western suburban mountains. Han Tie and I will continue to expand the search area here to see if we can find his whereabouts."

"clear."

Shen Lian flashed and sped off towards the Demon Suppression Division.

With his strength, he was no match for the man in the straw hat. Staying here would only be a hindrance, so sending the message back was undoubtedly a better choice.

Soon, Shen Lian returned to the Demon Suppression Division and reported the situation immediately.

Upon learning the news, Zhao Shan immediately dispatched men to aid Qin Feng and Han Tie, and had someone draw a portrait of the murderer based on Shen Lian's description.

The murderer committed a series of crimes in Qinghe County, causing widespread panic.

Posting the killer's image will also make the people of Qinghe County more cautious.