Wu Tianfang made sense, and Han Zheng had known this from the beginning.
But now, after the investigation, Liao Hongsheng's death had nothing to do with demons or the Red Flag Thieves. Instead, they were just a part of the calculated sche. That left only the Martial World forces surrounding Smoke Wave Prefecture.
After pondering for a mont, Han Zheng narrowed his eyes and spoke in a deep voice, "Tell again about the conflicts between these forces around Smoke Wave Prefecture and the Demon Cleansing Bureau, omitting the lesser powers. Focus on those with martial artists at the Xuan Gang Realm who could pose a threat to Magistrate Liao."
Wu Tianfang said, "There are a total of seven forces around Smoke Wave Prefecture that have martial artists at the Xuan Gang Realm, naly the Yue Family, Wen Family, and Yuwen Family which are three noble clans, along with the Breaking Extre Sect, Lishan Sect, Xuanyuan Cave, and Black Water Gang.
Among these seven, Yuwen Family from Tingtao Valley is the strongest. The old ancestor of the Yuwen Family is said to have reached the peak of the Xuan Gang Realm and is just one step away from condensing the Dan Sea. In addition, the Yuwen Family has three martial artists in the Xuan Gang Realm.
The other six families are slightly weaker, but each one still has at least one Xuan Gang Realm martial artist garrisoning their positions.
Actually, the geomancy around Smoke Wave Prefecture is quite good. The core areas of these seven families are all on lands full of Spiritual Energy.
Apart from their central powers, there are also nurous spiritual fields and Elental Crystal Veins nearby.
The biggest dispute between the Demon Cleansing Bureau of our Smoke Wave Prefecture and these Martial World forces is over these spiritual fields and Elental Crystal Veins.
Every Demon Sweeping Captain stationed in Smoke Wave Prefecture has wanted to reclaim these spiritual fields and Elental Crystal Veins but has failed.
Usually, these seven families are in constant conflict, but as soon as the Demon Cleansing Bureau intervenes, they imdiately unite to oppose the Bureau.
Magistrate Liao had several conflicts with them and even nearly ca to blows. In the end, he always backed down."
Han Zheng frowned slightly, "These Martial World forces around Smoke Wave Prefecture are so bold as to encroach upon the spiritual fields and Elental Crystal Veins that belong to our Demon Cleansing Bureau?"
Wu Tianfang hesitated before saying, "Strictly speaking, not all of them belong to our Smoke Wave Prefecture's Demon Cleansing Bureau. This matter is sowhat complicated."
At this point, Zhao Rongye sighed and said, "I better explain these old issues, as I was personally involved in them.
You must have heard of the chaos caused by the Black Mountain Demon decades ago. It wasn't until Chen Zhenfu appeared that the Black Mountain Demon was driven out of Southern Mountain.
Back then, the Black Mountain Demon was so arrogant that even our Demon Cleansing Bureau was pressured to the point of not being able to leave the governnt office, and even within the State Mansion, there were subordinates of the Black Mountain Demon.
Naturally, the spiritual fields and ore veins surrounding Smoke Wave Prefecture were occupied by the Black Mountain Demon.
Later, when Chen Zhenfu launched a counter-offensive against the Black Mountain Demon, the Demon Cleansing Bureau issued a notice stating that whatever sect could drive away the subordinates of the Black Mountain Demon would own whatever they could conquer.
Many powers in the Martial World of Southern Mountain have risen from that war.
However, Smoke Wave Prefecture is on the border of Southern Mountain, and the subordinates of the Black Mountain Demon were the last to receive news of the defeat, so they fled without putting up any resistance.
The spiritual fields and veins they left behind were naturally occupied by these Martial World sects.
At that ti, the governnt office of our Smoke Wave Prefecture's Demon Cleansing Bureau was extrely weak, to the point that we couldn't even find a Xuan Gang Realm Demon Sweeping Captain.
Although a Demon Sweeping Captain was eventually sent down later, that was a year later when Southern Mountain had just begun to recover.
By then, these Martial World sects had completely taken over these spiritual fields and Elental Crystal Veins. How easy could it be for our Smoke Wave Prefecture's Demon Cleansing Bureau to reclaim them?
To those Martial World forces, the spiritual fields and Elental Crystal Veins around Smoke Wave Prefecture naturally belong to them if they occupy them.
After all, the Demon Cleansing Bureau said that whoever conquered these places could keep them, as long as they were not occupied by demons.
But to our governnt office of the Demon Cleansing Bureau of Smoke Wave Prefecture, the Black Mountain Demon had already been defeated, and these places were just forcibly occupied while the Bureau was weak.
Had they not taken over, the subordinates of the Black Mountain Demon would have already fled, and our governnt office would have easily reclaid them.
This matter is like a complicated lawsuit, with countless frictions between the two sides, both openly and secretly. But to say they would kill Magistrate Liao over this matter seems highly unlikely.
Especially the Yuwen Family of Tingtao Valley and the Black Water Gang, who usually do not get involved in these conflicts.
The Situ family is powerful, and Tingtao Valley itself is a treasure land with its own spiritual fields and stone veins, so they have no need to compete with others.
The Black Water Gang, on the other hand, developed along the shores of Smoke Wave Lake. Founded only over a decade ago, they did not experience the chaos caused by the Black Mountain Demon, so the conflict with the Demon Cleansing Bureau is not significant."
After listening to Zhao Rongye's account, Han Zheng rubbed his head and fell into contemplation.
Before coming here, he had examined various docunts from the Demon Cleansing Bureau of Smoke Wave Prefecture, which largely matched what Zhao Rongye had said, with only a few details missing.
The seven factions surrounding Smoke Wave Prefecture all could have had a reason to make a move against Liao Hongsheng, but their motives didn't appear strong enough.
Han Zheng rely contemplated for a mont before he grew tired of pondering these matters.
His forte was certainly not investigating cases. Instead of speculating here, he figured it would be better to subdue all these aristocratic sects. Then, naturally, the truth would co to light.
"Write a few invitations for ," he instructed, "announce that I am hosting a banquet at Smoke Wave Prefecture to welco these sect and family leaders as a newcor."
Pei Xiuyuan and Zhao Rongye looked at Han Zheng with surprise.
A banquet?
This did not seem to fit Han Zheng's character at all.
On his first day in Smoke Wave Prefecture, Han Zheng had slain two Great Demons, and on the second day, he had plotted the ruin of the Red Flag Thieves from Five Elders Mountain.
Now, faced with these Martial World powers, Pei Xiuyuan and Zhao Rongye would have found it perfectly normal if Han Zheng had directly led n to their doors to fight.
But now, Han Zheng was willing to invite them over for a al in peace?
Pei Xiuyuan and Zhao Rongye exchanged a look and both gently shook their heads.
A al would be useless.
Those guys were like tough at to cut. Previous Demon Sweeping Captains of Smoke Wave Prefecture had tried using gentle policies, but this bunch was stubborn and unyielding.
If a simple al could solve the problems that Smoke Wave Prefecture had faced for many years, then it wouldn't be considered a problem anymore.
However, Han Zheng was now enjoying a teoric rise in popularity, and he held almost absolute authority in the Smoke Wave Prefecture's Demon Cleansing Bureau.
Since Han Zheng had given an order, they could only comply.
After the invitations were sent out, within three days, representatives from the seven major powers surrounding Smoke Wave Prefecture had all arrived at the Demon Cleansing Bureau governnt office.
Even though there were conflicts between the governnt office and these Martial World powers, the Demon Cleansing Bureau had issued formal invitations, so they had to show face and comply.
If they didn't show up, it would be a clear insult to the Demon Cleansing Bureau's dignity.
Of course, they were not afraid of what the Demon Cleansing Bureau might do to them.
The Demon Cleansing Bureau had a critical taboo against punishing without teaching; it was forbidden to move against a sect without a justifiable reason.
Not to ntion that this ti, it was the Demon Departnt inviting them.
At this mont, in the Council Hall, seven people sat opposite each other, each bearing different expressions, and the atmosphere was sowhat heavy and awkward.
A middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties, thin with a small mustache, looked around and asked, "Ladies and gentlen, the Demon Departnt has invited us here. Don't you have anything to say?"
He was Wen Jingyun, the Family Head of the Wen Family. With only one martial artist at the Early Stage of the Xuan Gang Realm, his family's power was considered one of the weaker ones among the surrounding forces.
"What else to say? No good will co of it, surely!"
A large man in black armor sporting a long beard scoffed, "I heard there's a new Demon Sweeping Captain in Smoke Wave Prefecture. Probably another one who can't hold his farts like Liao Hongsheng!"
He was Tuoba Feng, the Sect Master of the Breaking Extre Sect, known as 'Black Fiend Thunder Palm.' He had once clashed with Liao Hongsheng, which ended in him receiving a thrashing, so his impression of the Demon Cleansing Bureau was, of course, not favorable.
"Whatever the matter is, we'll et force with force and water with earth. I heard this new Demon Sweeping Captain is only around twenty years old, with no experience in leading the State Mansion's Demon Departnt, and was sent directly from the headquarters in Kai Ping Prefecture.
In my opinion, the Demon Departnt's quality is declining with each generation. Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can take charge of a State Mansion now."
A man in a brocade robe, with a dignified look and an air of arrogance and disdain, said sneeringly.
He was Yue Qing, the Family Head of the Yue Family. The Yue Family was not weak in strength; although their old ancestor was aged, he still had a Late Stage Xuan Gang Realm cultivation, and they had seized the most amount of spiritual land and crystal veins, hence their conflicts with the Demon Cleansing Bureau were the greatest.
Among the seven present, the degree of conflict with the Demon Cleansing Bureau varied.
Those with minor conflicts included the Yuwen Family with its profound family wealth. They had not seized too much spiritual land or crystal veins in the beginning.
Then there was the Black Water Gang. Because of their recent rise, they had missed out on that wave of benefits, so they did not own any spiritual lands or crystal veins, and strictly speaking, they had no direct conflict with the Demon Departnt.
Nevertheless, the Black Water Gang was also part of the Martial World alliance.
Although everyone present had different attitudes, they shared one consensus: the Demon Cleansing Bureau could not expect to gain any advantage from them!
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