Chapter 50 Things Are Not Peaceful: "Who are you calling a stray cat?"
The small inn in the south of the city, which had always had a bleak business, was hosting so many distinguished guests for the first time. The innkeeper's mouth stretched from ear to ear, and he kept telling the waiters to run around serving tea and water, afraid of being neglected in the slightest.
The disciples of Taihang Dao had been busy since last night, without food or water, and were starving. They had been diligently enduring their hunger while passing by the market, buying large steamed buns, white steamed bread, wontons, and hot noodle soup. Now, after gulping down two bowls of tea, one of the younger disciples wiped his mouth, held the empty teacup, and peeked into the corridor for a moment. Seeing the great evil spirit return to its room, he immediately turned and ordered the innkeeper and waiter to prepare food.
The person next to him urged, "Manager, hurry, hurry, we're starving!"
"Please don't worry, fellow Taoist priests, we'll be right there."
Li Liuyun then followed Zhou Yaren into a private room, closed the door, and had an in-depth discussion inside.
This time, Zhou Yaren no longer concealed anything, because Bai Yuan had already revealed himself and was completely exposed to the cultivators of Taihang Dao in that environment. Naturally, he had no need to continue hiding anything. Moreover, Li Liuyun was so shrewd and intelligent that he had already guessed the general situation through the formation. It would be difficult for Zhou Yaren to continue hiding anything, nor could he hide it any longer. It was better to take the initiative to give the other party an explanation, so he told the whole story.
After listening, Li Liuyun frowned for a long time: "So what exactly is she, and what is her background?"
"Its origins are unclear, but it does resemble the ghost judges written in folk tales."
Li Liuyun disagreed: "Do you believe that?"
Zhou Yaren shook her head: "It's just a storybook, all made up out of thin air, it's not credible."
"Yes, but the Way is all-encompassing, the light shines everywhere, and the wind enters everywhere. One can know what the wind can hear and what the sound can convey. The duty is to distinguish truth from falsehood and discern the truth from the legends. The matter of the Northern Ghost Office should be recorded by the blind musicians, submitted to the Grand Music Master, and reported to His Majesty."
"Of course, I will do my duty, but there are no traces left in Beiqu that can be used for reference. I can't find any records, so many things cannot be verified, and the origin of Bai Yuan is indeed unknown."
Li Liuyun asked doubtfully, "Is there no record of anything to be found?"
Zhou Yaren said firmly, "Not even a little bit."
"This place is both the prison of the Qin Dynasty and the burial place of Qin Dynasty sorcerers, leaving behind this great formation and Dao body. It is no trivial matter. How come there is no trace or record left behind?"
“I stayed in Beiqu for several days, during which time I spread my divine sense out several times, but I did not capture any relevant records. There were some lingering grievances, which formed natural wind trails in this place, allowing me to find the location of the Taiyin Dao Body as soon as possible, but none of them were records,” Zhou Yaren said. “Perhaps they were deliberately erased, or perhaps everything here has never been known to anyone, and they have been kept as secrets that never see the light of day, so no one would leave any records in the wind trails.”
The perpetrator would be too busy silencing all those in the know and destroying the evidence to leave any trace in the wind for posterity to see as proof of his crimes.
Even if none of his descendants were worthy of respect, and they abandoned the knowledge of listening to the wind and knowing the truth eight hundred years ago, thus completely abandoning the lost teachings of the sages.
Therefore, Zhou Yaren inherited the lost arts of the sages and was naturally praised as being able to communicate with heaven and earth and unite with spirits. Others simply and crudely believed that this ability was spiritual communication, that one could summon gods and ghosts, and elevated it to a divine altar that could connect heaven and earth.
Zhou Yaren said, "As for the formation beneath the foundation of the Ghost Government Office, setting aside the White Injustice incident, it concerns the entire Northern Qu City..."
Li Liuyun naturally knew what was going on: "Don't worry, I will set up a protective barrier and inform the government to build high walls to keep out strangers."
Li Liuyun was always prudent and more meticulous than others, and Zhou Yaren had always trusted him. With this promise, she didn't need to say anything more.
Even if no one mentions it, Li Liuyun, having been ordered by his master to descend the mountain, will do his utmost to clean up the mess left by the Ghost Bureau. However, he will still need to put in considerable effort to devise a plan for setting up the foundation.
Li Liuyun pondered for a moment, perhaps it should correspond to the Pleiades.
These are all things he needs to worry about next, as well as the hidden Gu Master and Chen Ying who are secretly plotting to kill him. Things are not ordinary.
Just after leaving Baohe Hall, before parting ways with Constable Lu, Li Liuyun casually assigned several Taihang Dao disciples to cooperate with the yamen runners in the search for Chen Ying.
In addition, there is the disappearance of the Void Spirit, which also requires them, as cultivators, to track it down.
Li Liuyun also needed manpower to set up the formation, and he also needed to leave some disciples at the inn to keep an eye on Bai Yuan in case the great evil spirit suddenly changed its ways. The Taihang Dao disciples, who were originally quite numerous, were suddenly divided into four weak groups, and there were actually not enough people.
He should have brought more fellow disciples down the mountain, but who could have predicted that such a small place as Beiqu City would have so many troublesome matters? Just talking about it took him and Zhou Yaren half a day, and they almost wore their lips out.
With time running out and the task heavy, Li Liuyun had barely closed his eyes for two hours at the inn before throwing himself into the foundation array of the Ghost Government Office. He was determined to protect this place with an impenetrable shield and prevent anyone from having any wicked intentions from entering, ensuring they could never leave.
Zhou Yaren was injured and too weak to move around much, so she could only stay at the inn to recuperate.
Last night's forceful use of wind manipulation had overexerted his vital energy, to the point that his meridians were almost stretched to their limit, nearly causing them to burst. Fortunately, he stopped in time; had he done it again, he would definitely have died—no joke.
Zhou Yaren had been experiencing a dull, persistent pain throughout his body, and even mild tinnitus. He could have managed to distract himself a little when talking to Bai Yuan and Li Liuyun, but now, alone, he could only endure it, which was truly unbearable.
...
Lu Bing was very receptive to advice; in fact, he always listened to Zhou Yaren's advice. Since she was being so earnest, he decided to go back and rest, and not get involved in this mess.
People should know their own limitations. He is just an ordinary person and does not have the ability to eliminate evil spirits. Moreover, he is injured and can hardly walk properly. Getting involved would only be a hindrance. There is no need for him to show off his abilities.
Since the cultivators of the Taihang Sect were in charge, he felt at ease.
Therefore, after leaving Baohetang, Lu Bing returned to the yamen, wrote a note to the county magistrate to ask for leave, reported the progress of the case, and handed over the remaining matters to the person in charge of the yamen. After everything was settled, Lu Bing, clutching the wound under his ribs, slowly stepped out of the county yamen gate.
He stood before the enormous grievance drum, looked up at the gloomy sky, the dawn obscured by dense clouds, and muttered as he walked down the steps, "It looks like it's going to rain."
A familiar, dark-skinned face passed by carrying a load on a shoulder pole, greeting him with a smile: "Young Master Lu."
Lu Bing looked up and responded, a slight smile playing on his lips, before brushing past the man carrying the load. In his years working at the yamen, he had neither bullied men nor women, nor oppressed the villagers. He had even disciplined his underlings, preventing them from exploiting the common people, which earned him considerable popularity; those who were more affectionate would call him Young Master Lu.
On his way home, Young Master Lu took out a string of coins and bought several large bags of meat-filled buns from his usual breakfast stall, which he then delivered to his subordinates who had worked hard searching for suspects for most of the night.
The yamen runners knocked on doors and searched each house, and when they turned around and saw Lu Bing, they all addressed him respectfully.
"Boss."
"Boss."
"Hmm." Lu Bing tossed a bag of meat buns into their hands. "You haven't eaten yet, have some to tide you over."
One of the constables caught the bag from a distance, opened it, eagerly squeezed out a steaming bun, took a big bite, and shouted, "Thank you, boss!"
The other constables immediately crowded around, each pulling out a meat bun from the paper bag and chewing it heartily: "Thank you, boss."
Lu Bing asked, "Where are Hei Zi and the others?"
"It's in that alley ahead."
Lu Bing then turned right and handed out the meat buns one by one, finally calling out at the alley entrance, "Hei Zi."
"Hey!" Hei Zi responded, and soon came running out of the house. "Boss, what brings you here?"
Lu Bing shoved the last two bags of meat buns into his hands: "You guys eat something first, how's that?"
"Not very good." Hei Zi had one in his mouth, picked out two more and held them in his hand, then handed the rest to his colleagues next to him.
Lu Bing reminded them, "This Chen Ying is not simple; she may be very dangerous. Tell everyone to be careful."
Hei Zi nodded repeatedly, chewing on a steamed bun, and mumbled, "The cultivators from Taihang Dao just arrived, and they also said that Chen Ying is not simple, but she is just a woman, and she's pregnant. How dangerous could she be? She can't possibly fight us to the death, can she?"
"What do you think? Even I got stabbed by the man in the iron mask next to her."
"Yes, yes, the person next to her is an extremely dangerous expert. Even the boss suffered a loss at his hands, so we dare not be careless."
"Better safe than sorry," Lu Bing said. "Not only are the people around her dangerous, but she's no pushover either. In short, all of you need to be careful. If you see anyone, blow your whistle immediately, and the cultivators from Taihang Road will come to help us capture them."
Hei Zi wolfed down two steamed buns, his cheeks bulging: "I understand, I understand."
Lu Bing explained, "I just asked the county magistrate for leave. I'll be recuperating at home for the time being and won't be returning to the yamen for now."
"Hey boss, you should be lying at home right now. Why did you come all this way to deliver steamed buns? We won't starve anyway."
Lu Bing didn't mince words with him: "While I'm away, you all must obey orders. If anything happens at the yamen, or if there's any progress in the case..."
"Don't worry, boss. We're not unruly. Our county magistrate may be a bit of a bum, but he's still capable enough to get things done. Don't fret. If there's any progress in the case, I'll report to you every day after the court session."
Lu Bing slapped him across the face: "Who are you calling an idiot!"
Hei Zi ducked to avoid him: "Boss, didn't you say that?!"
“I…” Lu Bing retorted, “Bullshit, when did I ever say such disrespectful things?”
Hei Zi muttered, "You always say that."
This time, Lu Bing slapped Hei Zi squarely on the back: "Enough nonsense, go search for people."
"Okay." Hei Zi lifted his leg and walked away.
Lu Bing looked up casually and his gaze suddenly fell on the tavern on the second floor. A person was standing in the window, which was about four fingers wide, looking down at them.
Lu Bing's eyes met his for a moment, and then the person in the window crack flashed past.
"Stop!" Lu Bingli shouted, took off after him, and blew his whistle.
Hei Zi, who had only taken a few steps, thought he was being told to stop, but when he turned around, he saw Lu Bing clutching his ribs and running into the tavern, heading straight for the second floor.
Hei Zi immediately chased after them, shouting to his colleagues behind him, "You guys, hurry up and block the back door!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a man leaped out of the side window of the tavern, as light as a swallow, scaling walls and rooftops, just in time to bump into two Taihang Dao disciples who had rushed over upon hearing the whistle.
Lu Bing climbed onto the second-floor windowsill, but couldn't get over. He could only point at the woman who was scaling the walls and shout to the Taihang Dao cultivator, "Chen Ying! Don't let her get away!"
Chen Ying glanced back at him, then immediately changed direction, jumped off the wall, and fled into a secluded alley.
The Taihang Daoist cultivators gave chase, as did several constables. Along the way, they bumped into a peasant carrying a basket, causing him to spin in place, and kicked over a beggar's broken bowl containing a single copper coin he had painstakingly collected. The beggar immediately lunged at the rolling coin, catching it on the ground with his dirty, frostbitten hands. He then blocked the middle of the alley, tripping the two pursuing constables.
The constable cursed and got up to continue chasing the man.
Lu Bing stood by the window, watching from afar. He saw that the Taihang Dao disciples were only a step away from Chen Ying, about to capture her, when Chen Ying suddenly released a cold arrow from her sleeve, forcing two Taihang Dao disciples back two steps. Not content with that, her hidden arrow suddenly changed direction and shot towards the three children squatting under the eaves, playing in the mud.
Lu Bing's heart tightened at the sight, but fortunately, the Taihang Dao disciples were quick and agile, drawing their swords to block the hidden arrows aimed at killing the children.
Lu Bing stood by the window, sweating profusely, gritting his teeth: "Insidious! Vicious!"
Chen Ying seized the opportunity to escape, turning at the end of the road. The fence blocked Lu Bing's view, and he could no longer see her.
Such skill and footwork are difficult even for cultivators of the Taihang Sect to match; Chen Ying is indeed hiding her true abilities.
Lu Bing recalled what Zhou Yaren had said about Chen Ying: "People who travel around the world have very complicated identities, and it's hard to figure out their backgrounds. Selling cosmetics may just be a facade, a way to avoid being noticed and hide their true identities."
Before that, Lu Bing had always regarded Chen Ying as an ordinary woman. Who could have imagined that she would be such a vicious and wicked person?
Lu Bing and the others remained where they were until the constables left dejectedly. Meanwhile, the two Taihang Dao disciples had followed the trail far away and their whereabouts were unknown for the time being.
Lu Bing waited until the afternoon, but the disciples of Taihang Dao did not return for a long time. Only then did he go home after being persuaded by Hei Zi.
The winnowing basket in the yard was overturned, and soybeans were scattered all over the ground. The old grandmother was squatting on the ground picking up the soybeans when she looked up and saw her grandson step into the yard. She immediately stood up and went to greet him aggressively: "Lu Bing! You've really gone wild now, not coming home all night!"
Lu Bing quickly softened his tone and tried to appease his grandmother, soon winning her over from anger to joy. Then he saw a wooden ladder under the eaves of the side room, where his father was putting a few blue tiles on the roof. Upon seeing him, his father roared, "You brat, you finally decided to come back!"
"Oh dear, you're standing so high up, stop yelling and steady yourself first." Lu Bing quickly went over to hold the wooden ladder, afraid his father would fall. There were a few pieces of broken tile on the ground. He asked, "What happened?"
The old grandmother said, "A stray cat just climbed in. It was fierce! It jumped over and stomped on several of the roof tiles. And look, it even kicked over the beans in my yard."
Old Man Lu said, "I don't know where this stray cat came from. I see the sky is gloomy, and I'm afraid it's going to rain. Hurry up and patch up the hole so that the house won't be flooded later."
"Why didn't you wait for me to come back? You old bones shouldn't climb so high, be careful not to fall."
"Pah, pah, pah," the old grandmother gently patted him, "Stop talking nonsense."
Old Man Lu said, "Such a small matter, waiting for you to come back? Who knows when you'll be back? You're never home before dark! Today is quite unusual."
"I'm back now, so hurry up and come down so I can go up."
"I'm almost done, I don't need you anymore, go away."
Lu Bing had no choice but to hold the wooden ladder for his father.
The old grandmother angrily questioned, "I told you to go find that girl Qin San last night, where did you go? Where are you? Why did you come back by yourself?"
Fearing that his parents would worry, Lu Bing concealed the fact that he had been stabbed again and pretended that nothing had happened: "She was probably afraid of me and ran faster than a rabbit. I was injured and couldn't catch up with her. Later, I encountered a missing suspect and went to chase after him. I've been busy with that ever since, so who has time to care about her?"
"But that girl..."
"Grandma, I'm still hungry. Could you give me something to eat?"
His grandmother was most afraid of him going hungry, so whenever Lu Bing cried out that he was thirsty or hungry, she would immediately feed him water and food. When Lu Bing became a little thinner, she would immediately kill a chicken and stew meat to help him regain his weight. Hearing this, she didn't bother to ask any further questions and turned to go to the kitchen to heat up food for him.
Lu Bing held onto the wooden ladder until his father repaired the tiles and came down from the roof.
“Ya-Ren suddenly went out in the middle of the night yesterday, and he seemed to be in a hurry. I’m worried that something might have happened.”
“I know, I happened to run into him last night. He was with that group of cultivators from the Taihang Path, the one who came to my house last night.”
"Oh, Your Highness... Daoist Liuyun." Old Man Lu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense all night, finally settled down. "The situation in Beiqu has been rather turbulent lately, so you must be extra careful while you're out there."
"I asked the county magistrate for leave today and will stay at home for the next few days."
"Not going to the government office?"
"I'm injured."
"I told you, people aren't made of iron. Your wound has been stretched open several times... Hey, don't move, I'll take care of it."
"It's just a small thing, I can do it easily, it's not something I need to worry about."
While the father and son were talking, they put away the ladder, swept up the broken tiles, picked up the scattered soybeans, put them into a winnowing basket, and carried them into the main room.
The soybeans had been stored away all winter, and my grandmother was worried that they would get damp and infested with insects. She originally planned to dry them in the sun, but after she brought out a basketful, the weather changed again in less than two hours.
After the father and son finished their work, Lu Bing poured himself a cup of hot tea, while Old Man Lu went out of the main room to wash his hands by the water tank and also helped the old man bring two dishes.
However, when Old Man Lu stepped into the kitchen, he didn't see his elderly mother at first glance.
Before Old Man Lu could notice anything amiss, a woman suddenly appeared silently behind him.
Old Man Lu took two steps forward, and just as he saw his mother lying in a pool of blood under the stove, a cold glint flashed behind him. Old Man Lu could only stare in disbelief, his mouth agape, before he could utter a sound, his throat severed by a sharp blade.
Old Man Lu immediately clutched his bleeding throat, his lips and beard trembling, his mouth opening and closing, but he could only call out silently and intermittently, "Bing...Bing'er..."
Holding the razor-sharp dagger, Chen Ying watched as Old Man Lu slowly slumped down and collapsed beneath the stove. Blood seeped continuously from between his fingers, staining his chest red, a truly striking sight.
Chen Ying curled her lips cruelly and said in a low voice, "Who are you calling a stray cat?"
Chen Ying stared at the dead, unseeing eyes of Old Man Lu: "I'm a bit petty, but it's just that your good son shouldn't have blocked my way."
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