None of what Ma Yuan saw made any sense to him. If his wife detected the intruder before she stepped into their house, why didn't she trigger the formation array? Even if it didn't work, it may have bought them enough time to run away together.
Also, there was the matter of the seal. All this time he thought it was the intruding lady who did something to him that made him unable to remember her face, but it turned out, it was his wife.
Why didn't she want him to remember the face of the perpetrator who split their family apart?
Why did it seem like she gave in way too easily almost as if she was capitulating to the enemy?
However, he pushed all these doubts and questions to the back of his mind as he focused on his true goal, the rest he could mull over with time or ask his wife if they had the good luck of reuniting, but for now, his sole focus was the lady in the white robe.
She had frost-white hair that was hanging loosely on her back. It was as smooth as silk. She looked to be in her mid-thirties. Just like his wife, the lady in white robes had a nation-toppling beauty with a face that looked like it had been carved from white jade and the carver was seeking absolute perfection.
The more Ma Yuan examined her the more he felt she had an odd familiarity to his wife. It was not in terms of looks but more in their aura and the way they seemed emotionless. There was neither joy nor sorrow, neither delight nor anger, there was nothing in them other than indifference to everything and anything.
When he met his wife, Fei, she had a similar expression to the lady in white in some regards, except she had a few emotions that would show themselves here and there like, curiosity or displeasure when Ma Yuan would bug her. But the more they interacted, the more expressions and emotions she showed, almost like she was thawing out.
If earlier he had slight suspicions that his wife and the lady knew each other, that similar-looking expression was the final nail he needed to confirm without a doubt that his wife and the woman shared similar origins.
Ma Yuan continued with his narrations to Yang Qing on what happened next including a vivid description of the lady in white robes.
There were no surprises this time and everything progressed as he had said earlier when he first told Yang Qing about the matter. The lady in the white robe ignored everyone else and just communicated with his wife, then Ma Yuan charged in and got beaten within a second of his attack, and had his dantian shattered and cultivation base crippled.
Because he was seeing things in a third-person view, he got a close-up view of his wife begging the lady for his life. It was then that he heard something that he couldn't last time, due to the injuries he had from the blow he received and the agitation caused by the reality he may lose his wife.
In the midst of her plea, he heard his wife mention a name in passing. He saw her mention the name 'Yao' before she hurriedly stopped herself and continued on with the plea.
"Is her name Yao?" Ma Yuan wondered as his gaze fell on the lady in white robes. Mao Yuan went on to relay that discovery to Yang Qing.
Things proceeded as he had mentioned. The lady acquiesced but not before asking for their daughter in exchange for sparing Ma Yuan. Fei'er attacked the woman once she made that request, however, a glyph appeared on her chest and eyes for a few seconds, and then passed out milliseconds later.
Ma Yuan got a clear look at the glyph. The glyph that appeared on her chest and eyes were one and the same. It was an icy white glyph that was in the shape of a spider. The lady then proceeded to pick his wife up and her daughter who had been seated in her chair, rooted in fear. The lady jabbed one of her acupoints to knock her out and grabbed her too, leaving without sparing the half-dead Ma Yuan a single glance. The image cut off at that point since Ma Yuan passed out immediately after the lady in white left.
…
When he was done with his narration, Ma Yuan stewed in silence with deeply furrowed brows. Recollecting the events of that day wasn't easy, but adding all the other details he had overlooked the first time around, added further weight and confusion to his mental state.
Yang Qing was in silence too, sorting out the information Ma Yuan shared. He then took out a recording talisman and a scroll from his storage ring.
"Judge Yang Qing, initiating preliminary findings on the case of Ma Yuan and the disappearance and potential kidnapping of his family.
The victim Ma Yuan had his wife and daughter kidnapped seven years ago by an unknown assailant. His wife Fei," Yang Qing paused his recording to address Ma Yuan.
"What's the name of your wife and child, oh, and also the place where you lived?"
Yang Qing's question pulled Ma Yuan out of his confused and foggy state.
"My wife's name is Shun Fei and my daughter is Ma Ling. We used to live in a town called Leek Valley in Mandrill province of the Qian Kingdom," answered Ma Yuan.
"Thanks," said Yang Qing as he switched on the recording talisman in preparation for continuing with his report.
"There's sufficient evidence that points in the direction that Shun Fei knew her assailant. Ma Yuan's wife and daughter Shun Fei and Ma Ling respectively, got kidnapped in their home within the Qian kingdom.
Ma Yuan ended up with a completely shattered dantian from the attack and had his cultivation base crippled. The source of the attack seems to be a Yin-based technique which by my estimates should be from a blue-grade cultivation art at the very least. The residue left by the attack has led me to believe that the attacker may be someone in the quasi-palace realm at least, as there was evidence of remnant dao markings on the shard left behind from the attack and also on Ma Yuan's shattered dantian. I saw evidence of it during my examination.
The assailant is female, with white hair, white jade skin, and looks to be in her mid-thirties. The victim, Shun Fei mentioned Yao as she was addressing her, however, based on Ma Yuan's testimony, it seems like she stopped herself.
It is my guess that the assailant's name has Yao in it, the investigation is to be made with this assumption in mind.
In my capacity as a judge of the Order, I have accepted the case on an Ad hoc basis having judged the case to have passed the threshold and met the criteria under the articles and guidelines of impromptu cases.
I accept full responsibility and liability for the case up to its completion. Should the matter exceed my capacity and station to bring it to a successful conclusion, Succession of the case article is to take effect immediately and the case is to be transferred to the appropriate party within the Order, to which i will continue on with the case in the capacity of a judicial assistant.
I, Yang Qing officially declare Ma Yuan's case and all that it entails is under the purview and judgment of the Order and all the resources and regulations afforded to it," Yang Qing solemnly said.
He turned off the recording the moment he completed his statement. The same words he had uttered were also written on the scroll. He ratified the statement with his seal. The scroll disappeared moments later and a toneless voice sounded seconds later with the words 'received, approved, accepted and in effect'
Even though there was no one there, Yang Qing stood up and cupped his fist in an almost ceremonial manner. His robes had even transformed from the grey casual look to his judge's robes when he performed that daoist salute.
….
"Ma Yuan your case can now be officially considered to be the Order's problem now and we will do everything we can to give you justice.
I still have evaluations going on for the next two days, so I may not be able to get on it immediately but with the record officially placed at the Order, there will be inquisitors attached to your case to do preliminary investigations in the meantime. When I get back I will follow up with them.
I would also like you to be placed in our custody within the duration of the case. Your room and board will be taken care of by the Order. The reason for that is your own safety and also it will be easier for me to fill you in on the case's progression if you're close by.
But if you do not want to be under the Order's grounds, it's okay too, I can still find a way to get the information to you on time.
So which would you prefer will you go back with me or do you have someplace else you'd prefer?" asked Yang Qing.
"I don't have a particular place in mind since even the home we lived at, we had only been living there for eight months or so since for a time there we kept moving from place to place at Fei'er's request.
If the Order will have me, I'd like to shamelessly accept the offer of accommodation within the Order's grounds,' Ma Yuan said as cupped his fists in gratitude.
Yang Qing nodded his head in acknowledgment however, his mind seemed like it was elsewhere.
"You said you moved from place to place at your wife's request, right?"
"Yes, I have. Fei'er was very picky about the areas we lived in. One minute it would be perfect the next she would ask us to pack and leave. Before her disappearance, we did that for almost fo.." Ma Yuan's voice trailed off as a look of shock and realization hit his mind.
