Chapter 144: Golden Dragon Robe and Blood Path Divine Abilities

“Of course, you only need to describe the appearance of the perpetrator,” Han Chong nodded slightly.

“Wah wah, thank you, General. The villain wore black ornate garments, had a slender build, a sinister smile, and three black moles on his right cheek. He could pass through walls, and with just a touch, this humble woman was rendered immobile, completely at his mercy.”

“Oh? Three black moles on the right cheek—that’s a distinctive feature. Have you seen this person before?” Han Chong pondered aloud.

“I think I saw him from afar once, during a temple fair. The evil thief was flanked by a crowd, standing next to a royal figure dressed in a golden dragon robe.”

The female spirit recalled carefully.

“A golden dragon robe?” Han Chong frowned slightly. Gold was the imperial color, reserved only for the emperor and crown prince; other princes could only wear robes of different colors.

“Alright, I understand now. I will see that justice is served on your behalf. You need not linger in the mortal realm; go on and reincarnate soon,” Han Chong promised with a nod.

“With your words, General, I feel at ease,” the ghost said, inexplicably placing her trust in him. Her resentment faded, her form gradually becoming ethereal until she vanished into the ground.

To the many officers who had rushed out in pursuit, Han Chong seemed almost possessed, staring blankly into a deserted corner, muttering to himself in a way that left them baffled.

“General Han… whom are you speaking to?” asked the deputy magistrate awkwardly.

“Nothing. I now have a rough idea of that wicked cultivator’s appearance. You all may return for now. Within three days, there will be answers,” Han Chong said, then disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“I say, General Chen, this new General Han is quite inscrutable. What’s his background?” one officer asked.

With all eyes on him, the other smiled with some pride. “You don’t know? This General Han is a rising star in our Demon-Slaying Division. It’s said he has slain demons and ghosts countless times. In a battle in the northwest, he single-handedly annihilated a million enemy troops. Upon returning to headquarters, he even surpassed General Xuanwei. He’s an unparalleled master. Now that he’s so invested in this case, it must be close to a breakthrough.”

“Wow!” The first officer was astounded by these revelations, deepening his impression of General Han’s mysterious prowess.

---

The families of the deceased felt some relief, praying Han Chong would soon bring the culprit to justice.

With Han Chong’s current rank, he could enter and exit the imperial city without hindrance, but the Eastern City, where the princes’ residences stood, was off-limits, let alone the crown prince’s palace inside the Forbidden City.

For now, the only option was to wait quietly outside the Eastern Palace gate, covertly watching for any sign of the three-mole cultivator.

The villain’s brutality was outrageous and would eventually be uncovered. If he were truly an aide to the crown prince, however, he would be shielded by the prince’s protection. Without solid evidence, it would be nearly impossible to bring him to justice.

Capturing him alive for interrogation would be ideal, but his strength was unknown. If the attempt failed, it could backfire, with accusations of baseless violence within the imperial city, which would be problematic.

Han Chong lingered in the shadows for half a day until evening, when a man matching the ghost’s description—three moles on his right cheek—strode arrogantly out of the palace, leisurely waving a folding fan.

Han Chong followed stealthily as the man left the imperial city and entered a Wang family mansion in the inner city, unnoticed by the man himself.

Once inside, Han Chong’s eyes narrowed. The guards were heavy in number and well-trained, rivaling even those of the Wang household.

The three-mole man passed through multiple layers of security and entered a secret chamber where dozens of beautiful women were imprisoned.

What astonished Han Chong further was the presence of seven or eight guards who looked almost identical to the three-mole man.

Could there really be so many identical siblings in this world?

Han Chong cautiously trailed the man about thirty feet behind. With his current cultivation, he moved silently, his invisibility skill having advanced to level two, making detection extremely difficult.

“Master, six beauties were captured last night. When shall we send them to the Eastern Palace?” one guard respectfully inquired.

“Heh heh, naturally I will select one or two first before sending the rest,” the man replied with a lecherous smile, signaling them to lead the way.

They reached a private chamber where the man began to scrutinize the women carefully, but despite his picky inspection, he failed to choose a single one.

“Hmph, is this what you call beauties?” he snapped coldly at the guards behind him.

“Master, there are no other unclaimed beauties in the capital. We have captured nearly all of them. It’s truly difficult to find top-tier ones,” a guard explained.

Han Chong glanced over the women in the various cells; their figures and appearances were indeed exceptional.

All were neatly dressed, with the cells luxuriously furnished. He thought to himself that this man’s lust was excessive—perhaps he had a collecting obsession?

“Hmph, very well. Tonight, send them all to the Eastern Palace. Then find me more, even beauties from the mansions of third-rank officials must be captured for me.”

“As you command!” the guards bowed.

---

After the guards dispersed, the three-mole man paced among the dozens of cells, seemingly searching for his preferred beauty, struggling with indecision.

The women in the cells covered themselves shyly, fearing they might be chosen.

“You think you’re the emperor, having such difficulty deciding?” a voice said.

“Who?” The man shuddered and looked around incredulously.

A silver-armored general stood a few paces behind him, leaning against the wall with a faint smile.

In this secret chamber, Han Chong had few reservations and wanted to test this man’s strength. Capturing him would be ideal, but if not, he could retreat at any time. This man would never dare report him to the authorities.

“From the Demon-Slaying Division?” the three-mole man’s pupils contracted in shock. He never expected someone to have followed him here undetected.

“Bold of you. You’re the first to surprise me like this. Attack!”

The three-mole man raised his hands in fury and clawed at Han Chong, his palms glowing with a layer of bloody light.

From several yards away, Han Chong suddenly felt his blood boiling like hot soup, his mouth dry, as if a furnace had been implanted inside his body.

This man’s surname was Xue, and he truly mastered the blood path arts—able to ignite an enemy’s blood like oil.

Han Chong had underestimated him. The crown prince’s residence indeed harbored hidden dragons and tigers. This man was several times stronger and more sinister than General Luo, who had been sent to clear accounts in Qiongzhou.

Strangely, this blood art did not trigger any protective merit force, directly affecting the blood invisibly, making it impossible to defend.

Had Han Chong not advanced to the Heavenly Extremity realm with a greatly strengthened body, this single move might have crippled him.

Han Chong roared to the heavens, and the Blood Jiao swiftly circulated through his body, absorbing and consuming the blood fire toxin.

Han Chong remained unharmed, but the Blood Jiao writhed in discomfort, rolling restlessly.

“What! Impossible!”

The three-mole man watched in disbelief as Han Chong’s blood, first ignited by his blood art and causing intense pain, suddenly returned to normal in an instant. He gasped in astonishment.