Chapter 567 - 314: Excavating Investigation, Hall Master Takes Action! (Part 2)

The leading Law Enforcement Hall disciple immediately gestured.

"Since the investigation is over, Sun the Alchemist is innocent. With the urgency of the matter, I apologize for any offense."

"Naturally."

A squad of black-robed Law Enforcement Hall disciples turned around at once, then one at the end of the line suddenly paused and turned, voicing a request.

"Sun the Alchemist, it’s just routine... may I check your Sumeru Ring?"

As he spoke, his eyes swept over Su Mu’s face like a hawk, yet Su Mu appeared calm, having anticipated this situation.

Su Mu feigned a bit of hesitation, then handed over the Sumeru Ring.

The Law Enforcement Hall disciple took it and quickly scanned its contents with Spiritual Power, finding only pills, herbs, and silver notes—no Secret Manual of Flying Fish Pavilion.

"Nonsense..."

The leading Law Enforcement Hall disciple reprimanded, then spoke politely, "Sun the Alchemist, please forgive us..."

Su Mu made a gesture of understanding, waving his hand as several Law Enforcement Hall disciples suddenly shivered, their Token trembling slightly at their waists.

One quickly removed the Token and soon received the information conveyed.

"We caught the person!"

"What?!"

The group forgot everything else, uttered a quick farewell, and hurried away. Su Mu watched the Law Enforcement Hall disciples leave, his eyes shimmering slightly, knowing that after tonight, he would be ’cleared of suspicion’.

Soon, outside an annex of the Alchemy Hall, the firelight illuminated the annex as brightly as day.

"Let’s see who it actually is?!"

One stepped forward, removed the face mask, and his expression changed dramatically, "It’s Zhang He. How could it be Zhang He... isn’t he a candidate for Elder of Ink Scale Hall, and also..."

His words stopped abruptly as another Law Enforcement Hall Elder began to check Zhang He’s condition.

"He’s still breathing... currently unconscious, having suffered a heavy blow to the back of his head, knocked out by someone."

"Knocked out? Was it by the person who stole from Flying Fish Pavilion tonight? If they were accomplices, why knock out Zhang He? But if not... why was he wearing a Night Suit here tonight?"

All the Law Enforcement Hall Elders and disciples looked at each other, sensing that tonight’s events were drastically entangled and difficult to handle, not daring to rashly say anything.

"He doesn’t have the stolen Secret Manual from Flying Fish Pavilion... In any case, bind him and bring him back to Law Enforcement Hall."

The last Law Enforcement Hall Elder solemnly spoke up, tonight’s matter requires an explanation, whether Zhang He was an accomplice or not, he certainly has an involvement.

Catching Zhang He and bringing him back at least provides an explanation, and helps slightly quell the anger of Cyan Fish Gang’s leaders.

In the pitch-black, damp, and bloodstained underground room that made ordinary cultivators nauseous.

"Where... where is this... how did I end up here?"

Zhang He gasped, head aching fiercely as he woke, memory before fainting fragmented.

"Zhang He, do you know your crime?!"

Zhang He in the dark room startled awake, realizing his whereabouts, shivering, face finding it hard to believe, unable to recall why he abruptly fainted.

...

Law Enforcement Hall took Zhang He away, but the search continued unceasingly through the night.

Su Mu stayed awake all night, ears listening to the movements outside, while amidst internal unrest entered a state of cultivation.

Before dawn the next day, as faint light appeared.

A large group of Cyan Fish Gang disciples arrived outside the small courtyard; this time they were not Law Enforcement Hall disciples but regular Cyan Fish Gang disciples.

"Sun the Alchemist, last night thieves broke into Flying Fish Pavilion, losing important items inside. We need to search your courtyard, hope for your understanding."

Last night, the unconscious Zhang He was found outside an annex of the Alchemy Hall, and today the Cyan Fish Gang’s high-level ordered a thorough search of the entire area.

"No objections, please proceed."

Su Mu did not obstruct, stepping aside to allow access for the search.

The group of Cyan Fish Gang disciples immediately filed in for a second search, meticulously inspecting every corner, even water barrels in the courtyard were searched inside and out multiple times.

"Indeed, the item is a hot potato."

Seeing this, Su Mu couldn’t help but think that keeping the item would likely make it impossible to escape the search.

After digging deep into the courtyard, Cyan Fish Gang disciples also requested to examine the Sumeru Ring again, and Su Mu cooperated by handing it over once more.

"Are they looking for that Ancient Scroll, it seems more important than I imagined... given Zhang He’s involvement, there must be other accomplices, but were they all caught?"

Su Mu quietly watched Cyan Fish Gang disciples dig in the medicine field and remove tiles from the roof, waiting for the search to end.

"Sun the Alchemist, please excuse us!"

"No problem."

"In the coming days, the Alchemy Hall is sealed, Sun the Alchemist should not go to the Alchemy Hall."

Eventually, the Cyan Fish Gang disciples naturally found nothing, apologizing before turning to leave.

This matter was not solely targeted at Su Mu but uniformly directed, everyone around the Alchemy Hall receiving the same treatment, with living quarters and Sumeru Rings searched multiple times.

After staying in the courtyard for three days, the Alchemy Hall was unsealed.

During lunch, the Alchemists seemed particularly quiet, with a tense, oppressive atmosphere in the public dining area.

"It’s said several days ago a group snuck into Flying Fish Pavilion, stealing precious materials and setting it ablaze afterward... although the materials have backups, the arsonists escaped."

Su Mu sat quietly at a corner table eating, while a few young alchemists at a distant table whispered, their discussions differing from what he knew.