Quan Mu and Quan Ruogang had been working for the City Hall, or to be more exact for the Law Enforcement part of it for almost six years. Coming from the more-or-less destitute people that housed themselves in the huts along the Radiant Lake, they did not even hope to one day work in Shuomen City, much less to live there and enough money to do so.

At first, everything changed when they discovered that they could cultivate thanks to the free for all 'Talent Searching' stone, or formation as the latter came to know placed near the walls of the Free District.

Although it turned out that their talent was low, and even with a decent method they could hardly reach the Warrior Lord realm with a lot of effort, it still saved them from tolling entire days for a single shard. Not that any power wanted to take them, but there were always the shady organizations that required cultivators, and neither of the Quan brothers had any qualms to join them. At least while it paid off.

And it did, until the moneylender that they ended working for messed with the wrong people and was killed in dispute. The Quan brothers were absent that day, sent to extort some money from a debtor as they were just Sage realm cultivators. And because of their weakness, they remained alive, but their future was to again search for some kind of low-level criminal work.

Or it should have been if not for the debtor being a trap for the Law Enforcement department of the City Hall.

Because neither of them had committed any true crimes or atrocities except a lot of broken bones and beatings, the Elder in charge of their interrogation offered them two options. One, they could work in the Crystal Mine for five years and go free, or they could work for the department. Initially, it was just small-time commissions, but the Quan brothers turned out to have a true talent for finding out even the smallest criminal gangs without practically any leads, and so they were invited to join officially. Resources and training, food and roof, everything was covered and so both of them reached the Warrior Lord realm with no problems. And from what their instructor said, The younger Ruogang had all the chances to breakthrough up to the Warrior King one, at least if he diligently trained and cultivated.

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Last of Winter's Dark Days. Shuomen City, Central District, 'Law Palace'.

"I never have expected for us to be called to meet the Head" Quan Ruogan said in a low voice as he and his brother left the office of the Law Enforcement Head.

"Neither did I, but that is good. A few such special missions and we can request for the resources you need"

"Than you, gege"

"If I had the same talent as you, I probably would have made you give them all to me" Quan Mu joked the thanks off. If he did not need the resources but his brother did, then why not help him with such a small thing as giving him this year's share?

***

An hour later, as instructed they arrived into one of the meeting rooms located on the east side of the enormous palace that they served. The man inside, an old man with a scarred face and a muscular build that could not be expected from someone in the third hundred waiting for them waved an invitation to sit down. They both complied while sharing the same thought "Why would the Revered Elder and the Guard of the Astral Gate, Deng Guiying call for two small fries like them?"

The reason was quickly explained, as Deng Guiying required them for a task. One that he explained while they left the Palace and began moving towards the District Gates.

"I want you to tail a young man that is living in the Fallen Leaves district. He was supposed to exit seclusion in a few weeks but made it today. And is about to leave his mansion. Follow him and report any contacts he has, as well as investigate anything he does or buys"

"Understood, is he a threat?" The older brother asked right away.

"No, he entered seclusion as a peak Soul realm cultivator and was supposed to leave as a 2nd level Sage one" Deng Guiying did not mind the questions, as they showed attentiveness and caution. So he replied with a small nod of appreciation.

"Anything else, Revered Elder?"

"If the need arises, you are to protect him and call for me. At least if I don't instruct you to do otherwise"

"Are we to do so stealthily?"

"No, even when tailing him try to make it more-or-less openly. I mean, let him find out if he tries, but don't stand out" Deng Guiying made a motion of dismissing them, showing that he had explained enough.

"It will be done" Albeit neither of the brothers understood the reasons for such a strange mission, and why a young Sage realm had caught the interest of someone like the Revered Elder, they knew better than to ask.

Even ignoring the person who was asking them to do it, the Head of the Enforcement Hall had ordered it directly, and that meant a very good chance of entering the latter eyes.

***

Although the youngster turned out to be one with a sense of humor, as he deliberately showed that he knew about of them and made them hard-pressed to somehow cover their tail while he used one of the arenas, overall the first day was a breeze.

He only contacted two people, with one being a guard at the gate to ask about the Trade Hall, and then one of the latter managers to buy several dozens of things. Mainly materials for low-level refining and pills, as well as a furnace for both. Things that Quan Mu had found out after interrogating this manager, Mo Fu after the target returned to his residence.

For the next few days the youngster did not leave, seemingly getting accustomed to the furnaces or something, and only did for the auction he had bought an entrance to. All of this was instantly reported to Deng Guiying, who this time asked them to ignore any disturbances that would happen near the manor at return.

"Gege, you think the Revered Elder will create some kind of test or situation?"

"My foolish brother, we should not pry into the matters of such important people... Albeit you are probably right, from what I have understood, the Gate Elder is interested in the boy for some reason"

"It's not prying, I am just curious about what is so special about this Chen Guang. After all, it's not like every day a Revered Elder, and especially one like Deng Guiying asks the Law Enforcement Head for a favor"

"And that, didi, is exactly what prying means" Quan Mu feigned a sigh, but then added with the same curiosity as his younger brother

"But indeed, it's unusual. But no talking, he has arrived at the pagoda"

They were a little worried about a possible incident with the VIP people, like the Sima clan chariot and guards that acted in an overbearing manner, but the youngster wasn't an idiot either, quickly mixing into the public and keeping low all the time.

***

As the auction ended, both of them were surprised to not see their target anywhere, prompting them to go and ask one of the guards at the entrance. Who after seeing their badges and hearing that they were just searching for a possible witness, the best backstory for any investigation as literally no one would try to meddle in a matter that required witnesses, confirmed that Chen Guang was still inside - and would remain there for a couple of hours more, taking part in the Suprise Barrels auction.

Like the guard said, Chen Guang exited along with the same two people he had talked at the entrance, and the listening talisman that the brothers used allowed them to hear their plans.

"Now that he is being accompanied, we should not be so obvious about the tail, don't you think so?"

"Gege is right. We know of their destination, and they will cross the Exhibition Square in any case, so probably we should stay around there?"

"Mmm, and we should ask Manager Chu to place them at one of the 'special' tables"

"The Revered Elder did say to check and inform about contacts, so probably it will be the right way indeed. Let's go"

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Quan Mu replayed his last memories once and again in his mind, and could simply not understand what did they miss when making their way through the Exhibition Square.

Or better said, how did they miss the fact that there was an ambush set up there? Especially with the special formation detecting amulets, every member of the Hall was given?

But to say the truth, he wasn't so worried about what they missed or how they were captured, which was common as the sun rising every day. After all, two Peak Warrior Lords simply emerged alongside the formation and knocked them out in a single bout. His little brother had a faster reaction, and so crushed the emergency talisman, but from the looks of it... The formation prevented it from notifying the hall.

He could not say how much time passed since he was knocked out cold, or what was happening around right now. And what truly worried him, what happened to his brother?

"Now, maintain the calm and act as Captain Huang taught. First, understand your situation" He took a long breath and concentrated on what he could feel.

His cultivation and senses were sealed, probably by a talisman or the ropes that bound him. "So I am a prisoner"

Both his hands and feet were bound, but he felt like some kind of rough cloth, like a sack, below himself. "It's still even the Free District?"

A bag on his head prevented him from using his eyes and he could not hear anything. "I should try and squirm. If the captors are around, they will reveal themselves" He wasn't worried about what they would do with him, as like Captain Huang always said, it's better to be tortured by someone and find who is it than to not know anything. The captain also added something like "After all, when you escape or are freed, you NEED to know who to repay", albeit that could not be applied, for now, Quan Mu truly believed that the Captain was right.

But no matter how much he squirmed, no reaction followed. No shout, kicks, or threats would indicate the presence of a guard. The only thing he felt was that the sack below him was squirmy as if filled with some kind of cloth or... meat.

Quang Mu shivered and decided to try shouting. Just to find that the restrains also had something that prevented his voice from being heard.

"Fuck, where am I? And what do I do now?" He silently voiced.

***

Quan Ruogang's mind was following a similar train of thought, though he was taking all this far more emotionally.

As soon as he had regained consciousness, Quan Ruogang tried to shout, and even after finding that he could not get any sound out, he continued cursing and wildly squirming for almost ten minutes.

He only calmed when he grew tired, which was the normal thing for a sealed cultivator. If one was used to the energy, strength, and endurance that qi granted, one could barely resist more than a few small movements before feeling tired when the qi was taken out of the equation.

"What do I fucking do now? I swear to the heavens that if I am rescued or not, I will definitively kill whoever did this to me... And heavens, please make sure that my gege was spared of this shit!"

***

Unbeknownst to each of them, both of the Quan brothers were just a few feet one from each other. And as a matter of fact, it wasn't the bindings that prevented their voices to be heard, no, it was the sack on their heads. And not only did it prevent voice, but any kind of sound from being made. Otherwise, they would have already heard each other breathing.

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An unknown amount of time later, something began happening and both brothers, still unaware of each other became alert.

At first, it was just a few sounds, like water droplets against a crystal.

Then the sound of something flying through the air could be heard, and a moment later, something was thrown on Quan Ruogang. Something that resembled a body.

Not caring that he could be noticed, he began squirming again, trying to turn around as to touch and confirm his words.

But before he could, another two bodies, if they were bodies, landed on him, fully locking him in place.

*Drip* *Drip*

"Blood?!"

No one, even he could hear the words or the swearing that followed, and so it did not prevent him from hearing the conversation that began just a moment after he felt the blood.

***

Quan Mu, who had been spared from the bodies but still heard something landing nearby had not allowed himself to distract from listening further.

"You all should have been little obedient lambs and allowed yourselves to be captured after being tired" A cold and detached voice, one that both Quan brothers felt inhumane suddenly proclaimed.

"But you did not, and even decided to fight back. That's good, except that no one is allowed to disturb me. No one alive, that's it" The same voice added.

"Who the demons are you? Why did you attack us? Where's the other youngster?!" A voice that probably came from an old man asked emotionally.

"What the demons... Not only it has a nice ring to it, but it also surprisingly fitting for the situation. After all, what else except a demon, someone that transcended the so-called righteous and orthodox cultivator bunch of idiots is called?"

"Stop mumbling! Reveal yourself!" The same old man roared angrily.

"It is long said that demons are misunderstood, as they just follow the wishes of the cultivators that reach them. But still, they are obliged to do so... You wish for me to reveal myself? Then I do so"

And then, both Quan Mu and his younger brother Ruogang felt it...

The one and only, cold and dispassionate, the aura of death