Upon hearing this, the steward hurriedly ran out.
"Changeling?" Luo Xuan remained relatively calm, continuing to inquire, "Head Lin, what exactly is this changeling? Why have I never heard of it before?"
Lin Ji pondered the description in the "Records of Ghosts and Monsters," explaining, "It involves trapping a living person's vitality with evil methods, sealing them in a coffin, and burying them in a place where yin energy gathers."
Luo Xuan's expression immediately turned grim.
"After seven days, opening the coffin can turn the living person into a changeling," Lin Ji's voice continued.
Although the explanation seemed simple, each step required extraordinary attention to detail.
Lin Ji rose and walked slowly to Lady Luo.
By now, the live chicken had been devoured to the bone.
Lady Luo's hands and face were covered in chicken blood, with feathers scattered around on the ground.
However, she seemed oblivious, finishing the live chicken and then embracing a sachet, weeping softly.
"A changeling looks like an ordinary person, except for the corpse sores on their body, like the ones on Lady Luo's neck. I believe there are more on her. After being buried in a yin place for seven days, she is no different from a dead person. The vitality in her body is merely what was sealed when she was buried alive."
"Furthermore, a changeling emits a foul odor and cannot touch water. The foul odor is the stench of a corpse, and avoiding water is because yin places are already saturated with yin energy. If contaminated by water, the remaining vitality of the changeling will be depleted."
"What happens after the vitality is depleted?" Luo Xuan's voice, no longer as composed as before, trembled with fear and disbelief at the sight of his wife in this state.
Lin Ji was about to speak when a deep voice suddenly sounded from outside the hall.
"Once the vitality is depleted, her limbs will turn into hooves, her body will be covered in fur, ultimately transforming into a monster, no longer human."
"Lord Sun!" Luo Xuan quickly paid his respects.
Lin Ji also turned his gaze towards the entrance.
The person who entered was Sun Heya, the prominent figure overseeing the affairs of the Monitoring Bureau in Jingzhou.
As Sun Heya entered the hall, after a brief glance at Lady Luo still sobbing, he sighed lightly before shifting his gaze to Lin Ji.
"Who are you?"
"Lin Ji, the constable of Qingyang County, pays respects to Lord Sun."
"The constable of the county?" Sun Heya raised an eyebrow, asking, "A changeling is not a common monster. How do you recognize it?"
"It is recorded in the 'Records of Ghosts and Monsters.'"
"The book records thousands of evil spirits and monsters. Can you remember them all?"
"Most of them," Lin Ji replied.
Sun Heya patted Lin Ji's shoulder. "Well, young man."
Looking past Lin Ji, Sun Heya approached Luo Xuan and said, "Lord Luo, this matter was overlooked by our Monitoring Bureau. Rest assured, I will provide you with an explanation as soon as possible."
"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Sun." Luo Xuan bowed deeply.
At this moment, he was not a high-ranking official in front of the court but a pitiful man who had lost his wife and daughter.
Sun Heya then looked at Lady Luo with some helplessness. "This witch's methods are truly vicious. Knowing that evil spirits cannot enter the capital, she resorted to creating changelings."
"These rare monsters, with their vitality intact, would appear no different from ordinary people if not for their peculiarities. And because she is your wife, even if the abnormalities were noticed, one might not dare to speak a word."
Speaking up to this point, Sun Heya's expression suddenly changed.
"Lord Luo, I heard that your beloved is also..."
Luo Xuan nodded sorrowfully.
Sun Heya's expression instantly became serious. He seemed to have realized something but did not rush to speak, instead looking at Lin Ji beside him.
Lin Ji understood.
"Since Lord Sun is here, I will take my leave."
Sun Heya nodded. "Lin Ji, you are quite impressive. I will remember you."
While others might have been elated to receive such praise from a superior, Lin Ji remained expressionless, feeling somewhat troubled.
After leaving the Luo residence, Lin Ji finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"First my daughter, then Lady Luo... and using my daughter's death to cover for Lady Luo." Lin Ji pondered silently, "If these two incidents are not connected, then it would be truly strange."
The consecutive changes in Sun Heya's expression just now clearly indicated that he had also thought of this.
"Involving high-ranking officials in the court, no matter who is behind this, I must keep my distance. People of this level can easily ruin me with a wave of their hand. I cannot afford to provoke them."
Originally, Lin Ji had planned to spend a couple of days sightseeing in the capital after reporting, as it was his first time there. However, after this incident, he had no desire to stay in the capital for even a moment longer.
Life was more important. It was safer to return to Qingyang County to deal with some minor demons and ghosts.
Lin Ji quickly left the capital, heading towards Liangzhou.
On his way here, he had been lured by Monkey Wine, wandering through the forest for several days before returning to the main road.
With no official business now, Lin Ji naturally did not want to go through the ordeal of the forest again.
By late afternoon, Lin Ji could already see the outline of a small town in the distance.
"That must be Tongtian Town."
Tongtian Town was near the capital, a place that merchants traveling to and from the north and south had to pass through after entering or leaving the capital.
As the capital was under the Emperor's feet, Tongtian Town got its name from this fact.
However, when Lin Ji arrived at the outskirts of Tongtian Town, he was stopped by soldiers, along with many others, from entering.
Not just Lin Ji, but many people on both sides of the road were being prevented from entering.
Some wanted to cause trouble, but before they could speak, the soldiers gave them a harsh beating.
"This road is closed. Return to the capital," the soldier blocking Lin Ji's path said casually upon seeing him.
Lin Ji frowned slightly. "But what happened ahead? Tongtian Town, being the gateway to the capital, wouldn't be closed off without good reason."
"Why do you ask so many questions? Just go." The soldier's words were cut short when he noticed the beheading order in Lin Ji's hand.
"So, you're a high-ranking official from the Monitoring Bureau." The soldier quickly stepped aside.
"You haven't told me what happened ahead," Lin Ji inquired.
"I don't know. I'm just following orders from above."
At that moment, a Taoist suddenly emerged from the crowd by the roadside.
"Wait, I am with this gentleman. Let me in as well," the Taoist said.
"You?" The soldier frowned, looking at the scruffy Taoist, about to drive him away.
But Lin Ji asked, "Do you know what happened ahead?"
"Take me in, and I'll tell you," the Taoist smiled.
Seeing Lin Ji's furrowed brow, the Taoist quickly added, "What happened ahead is not something to be discussed here."
Lin Ji secretly activated his spiritual eye to glance at the Taoist, unable to discern his depth but confirming that the Taoist had cultivation. Thus, he said to the soldiers, "Let him come with me."
With the word from the high-ranking official of the Monitoring Bureau, the soldiers naturally dared not disobey.
Once inside the town, Lin Ji spoke directly, "Speak up. What exactly happened ahead? Tongtian Town is the gateway to the capital. Without a major incident, the soldiers wouldn't be blocking the road."
The scruffy Taoist chuckled.
"Do you know the Ghost King of Liangcheng?"
"Of course, I do."
"Heh, it's about something that happened a few days ago." The Taoist looked around mysteriously before leaning in closer to Lin Ji and whispering, "The Ghost King of Liangcheng's son was slaughtered. His soul scattered!"
(End of Chapter)