Chapter 13: The Beast-Transformation Spell
Seeing this, everyone was stunned. Just moments ago, they had clearly been goats; yet now, they had turned into young, beautiful women. The sight was beyond shocking. It sent chills down the spines of all who witnessed it.
At this moment, the four rescued maidens sobbed and kowtowed to Li Yanchu, their voices trembling with gratitude.
“You… you’re Miss Sun Xiuyun of the Sun family, the renowned salt merchants of Wei City?” an elderly man suddenly asked hesitantly.
Upon receiving a tearful confirmation, the crowd erupted in astonishment.
“Quick! Hurry and notify the county office and the families. Tell them the missing girls have been found, they’re at the Taiping Inn!”
In recent days, four young noblewomen had vanished in Wei City, throwing the entire city into a state of fear. No one could have imagined they had been transformed into goats. Now, they had finally been saved by Daoist Master Yanchu!
“Could it be… Daoist Master Yanchu saw something suspicious about those two men and struck them down to stop their evil?”
A bold thought surfaced in everyone's minds, and they felt they had likely arrived at the truth. Those who had just been condemning Li Yanchu for being too heavy-handed now felt their faces burning with shame and guilt.
“So Daoist Master Yanchu was fighting human traffickers, vile criminals who kidnapped and sold women!”
In an instant, the way everyone looked at Li Yanchu completely changed. At this moment, their eyes were full of awe and respect.
“We owe Daoist Master Yanchu an apology. What we said earlier was truly out of line. Please, Daoist Master Yanchu, forgive our ignorance!”
“Having someone like Daoist Master Yanchu in Wei City truly is a blessing to us all!”
“Who would’ve thought that Qingyun Temple was hiding such a hidden talent!”
A wave of fear swept through the crowd as they realized that if these brutal traffickers had taken hostages or harmed innocent bystanders, they would’ve been the first victims. Only now did they recognize the depth of character in this young abbot of Qingyun Temple; he was truly compassionate, courageous, and just.
Reflecting on their earlier criticism, many felt a deep sense of embarrassment, as if they’d been thoroughly slapped in the face.
The innkeeper stared at Li Yanchu with her bright, watery eyes. Some men might just seem handsome at first glance, but when it really matters… they turn out to be absolutely dependable.
However, seeing all those wealthy young ladies at the scene clinging to Li Yanchu to thank him, each one practically ready to throw herself at him…
She gently bit her rosy lips, turned her face to the side, and gave a light hmph.
The more shocking the scene, the faster the story spread. Traveling merchants turning kidnapped young women into goats—such a horrifying tale quickly drew more and more townsfolk to the scene.
Whispers and speculation buzzed among the crowd.
“To think there exists such a vicious and sinister kind of magic in this world. If someone were to fall victim to it, they’d truly be doomed. No one on heaven or earth can save them!”
“Daoist Master Yanchu is so young. I can’t believe he can actually see through such sinister magic and rescue four noble ladies. He’s truly a master with real cultivation skills!”
“So this is what they mean when they say ‘a true expert hides his strength.’ Daoist Master Yanchu not only looks handsome and refined, but his skills are absolutely extraordinary!”
“Look at the claw marks that villain left on the pillar. He was that vicious, and yet even he was taken down by Daoist Master Yanchu! He’s a true young hero! He truly commands awe and respect!”
The crowd grew rapidly as people poured in to see for themselves. Word of Li Yanchu’s deed spread like wildfire through Wei City.
Human trafficking, especially the kidnapping of women and children, was a crime that provoked universal outrage. It easily ignited the public’s shared anger.
Li Yanchu, with his sharp instincts and heroic intervention, instantly became a hero in the eyes of the people. Especially the families of the missing girls—when they arrived and saw their daughters safe and alive, they held them tight and wept with joy. Tears flowed freely as they thanked Li Yanchu over and over, unable to contain their gratitude.
They had believed their daughters were lost forever. They thought that their fates were sealed, doomed to a tragic end, and that they themselves would be the ones to bury their children. But against all odds, Li Yanchu had brought them back. One could easily imagine how they felt.
Such a horrifying crime under Wei City’s jurisdiction quickly drew the attention of the authorities. When word reached the county office that the recently missing noble ladies had been found alive, Magistrate Xu was overjoyed.
He immediately dispatched one of Wei City’s two head constables, Wang Chongshan, to handle the case. Wang Chongshan soon arrived with over a dozen fierce, blade-wielding yamen officers, and they quickly took control of the scene, questioning everyone involved and restoring order.
“Daoist Master Yanchu, we meet again,” said Wang Chongshan warmly. “You truly are a blessing to the people of Wei City. You've not only uncovered the criminals, but also rescued the missing girls. You’ve resolved one of Magistrate Xu’s biggest worries!”
Wang Chongshan had been under tremendous pressure lately. The bandit, Liang Qi, had escaped prison, and Head Constable Zhao Wuzhu had been injured. On top of that, several noble ladies had gone missing from the city. Magistrate Xu was at his wit’s end, and naturally, much of that pressure fell on Wang Chongshan.
With the Qingyi Temple Festival fast approaching, scholars, nobles, wealthy merchants, and gentry from all around would converge on Wei City. And right at such a critical moment, there was an escaped convict, and a series of disappearances…
If things continued to spiral, Magistrate Xu wouldn’t just be blamed, he could be formally punished. As for Wang Chongshan, who was responsible for the city’s law enforcement and public order, he would hardly escape blame either.
Yet just when it seemed everything was on the verge of collapse... News came that Daoist Master Yanchu of Qingyun Temple had apprehended two criminals, who had used beast-transformation spell to harm women, and had also rescued the missing girls.
When he heard the news, Wang Chongshan nearly cried tears of relief. Perfect timing!
If he had a daughter, he swore, he’d do everything in his power to marry her off to Li Yanchu. With a son-in-law like that, his future in Wei City would be rock solid!
In fact, he wasn’t the only one with that idea. Many local officials, wealthy merchants, and gentry were now quietly considering the same thing.
Who would’ve thought a Daoist priest would become Wei City’s most sought-after son-in-law?
When Head Constable Wang saw the traces of the fight at the scene, along with everyone’s descriptions, his understanding of Li Yanchu deepened even further.
He’s sharp-minded and calm under pressure, and he has unwavering courage. You rarely see young men like this anymore, he thought to himself.
But then, as he examined the claw marks on the wooden post left by the bearded merchant, he was struck by the sheer violence of it. With just a single grab, the man had gouged a deep pit into the solid wood, sending splinters flying.
Wang Chongshan called out to the yamen officers who were carrying the two traveling merchants, then walked straight toward the burly man with a full beard.
“Head Constable Wang, this man’s neck was forcefully snapped. From the neck down, he’ll never move again,” one of the officers said.
They hadn’t been particularly gentle when moving the two men. After all, these were heartless criminals who had used the forbidden beast-transformation spell to harm others. They were hardly deserving of sympathy.
Even so, their condition was truly appalling. The other merchant had all four of his limbs broken, twisted at unnatural angles. Whoever did it hadn’t held back in the slightest.
Head Constable Wang nodded, then suddenly grabbed the bearded merchant’s hand and examined it closely.
One of the officers then noticed that Head Constable Wang’s entire body trembled with excitement, as if he had discovered something extraordinary. They had worked under Head Constable Wang for years and knew well that their superior had a steady, unflappable temperament. What could possibly have shaken the calm and experienced Head Constable Wang like this?
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