Living Yama Li Erlang

Living Yama Li Erlang

Living Yama Li Erlang

Zhao Family Manor, Old Master Zhao's main courtyard.

"Old Master Zhao, it has truly been a long time!"

"Isn't this Young Master Zhou of the Qianjin Escort Agency? Please, take a seat, take a seat..."

Zhou Qiankun, clad in a parrot-green martial robe, led several sturdy men from the escort agency into the main hall and took their seats.

Old Master Zhao waved a hand, signaling the servants to serve tea and withdraw. Only a handful of people remained in the entire hall.

"Young Master Zhou, did you achieve anything in your campaign against the water ghosts?"

Old Master Zhao feigned ignorance and deliberately asked the question. Zhou Qiankun did not hide anything either. "You and I plotted the water ghost matter together. How could you not know?"

His finger tapped the table as he continued, "It's just that there were ultimately some deviations in this matter. We should have used the extermination of the water ghosts to obtain a Great Merit, but after wiping out five water ghost dens, I fear we can only earn a Minor Merit."

"Oh? Could it be because of that martial artist who first eliminated a water ghost? I heard he was from the Changhe Martial Arts School, called Lin Mo." Old Master Zhao said blandly.

More or less. I never expected that, just before it was done, that man would seize the initiative.

Zhou Qiankun shook his head, his brows full of displeasure. Old Master Zhao merely smiled and took a sip of tea.

"Young Master Zhou, there must be rules when we do things. Since our Zhao family has helped you for so long, our own matter should also have an outcome..."

"Of course. As for Li Family Wharf, I already have a way. If it succeeds, both families will profit."

"Let's hear it."

"Why not use the water ghost matter to make something big of it? Lure the water ghosts into launching a surprise attack on the wharf. So long as we disrupt the people's livelihood and the county's peace, would the Prefecture City Inspector still fail to gain a Great Merit? When the time comes, Li Family Wharf will fall, and your Zhao family can seize the chance to take control of the water transport routes."

Li Family Manor. A group of patrol guards escorted several people toward the wine cellar behind the mountain. Along the way, not only did those few Kudali cry injustice, even Hu Pangsan had been protesting his innocence the entire time.

"We merely came here to seek a way to survive. The martial world isn't all about fighting and killing... I understand what you mean, sir. I admit it. Can't I just pay back however much money it is?"

Hu Pangsan wept until tears and snot streamed down his face. A bright red palm print stood starkly on his left cheek, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

That was from when he had erupted with vitality and tried to flee. Yet the instant his vitality began to circulate, Li Zhiming had sent him spinning with a single slap, leaving him unable to tell east from west.

Lin Mo followed behind, secretly observing the group.

If anyone was surprised, it had to be that fat steward. Lin Mo had not expected his cultivation to have reached the second refinement, just entering the Flesh Tempering realm.

Not only was his skin as tough as leather, even his flesh had been nourished by vitality. If Lin Mo fought him, it would likely be difficult to inflict effective damage with nothing but fists and kicks.

But if it came to a life-and-death struggle, with every move aimed at vital points—at the eye sockets, throat, and groin—that would be another matter entirely.

"But even a second-refinement martial artist cannot withstand a single slap from Li Zhiming. Is this the advantage of Robust Vitality..."

Lin Mo clicked his tongue in amazement. He had originally thought there would be a life-and-death battle, yet these men had either been smashed down or slapped across the face.

At the wine cellar behind the mountain, the group entered through a passageway. The stone steps leading down were covered in dark green moss.

Only a few lamps illuminated the passage. Their shadows stretched long, and with every step downward, the stench of rotten wood mixed with blood-rust grew heavier.

"This humble one is only a merchant. The water ghosts of Qingshan County are causing havoc... This humble one only wanted to find a way to survive..."

Hu Pangsan staggered downward under escort. His round body now trembled like a sieve as he muttered endlessly, vainly trying to excuse himself.

But Li Zhiming's next words stopped him cold. Grabbing Hu Pangsan by the ear, he said in a low voice, "What water ghost havoc is there in Qingshan County? Even if there is, if I want to arrest you, I'll arrest you!"

"You dared to disguise yourselves on our Li family's turf. Those calluses on your hands—looks like you've put in no small amount of work, haven't you? Don't worry... Even if you're made of iron, I'll pry your mouth open!"

After entering the prison, Li Zhiming greeted a lame old man inside. The old man's hair and beard were snow-white, and he had the look of a kind and benevolent elder.

"Second Master, these are outsiders who infiltrated our wharf. I hope you'll first test their bones."

Second Master? Looking at the kindly lame old man before him, Lin Mo finally recalled something.

He had heard that two generations above the Li family had once worked in the prefecture city. Their river transport business was the foundation laid down by the Li family's elders.

"If this old man is proficient in punishments, could he be Living Yama Li Erlang, who once worked in the prefecture city prison?"

Lin Mo pondered inwardly and stared intently. Above the old man's head, dark clouds of azure fortune gathered densely. He actually possessed two blue destinies at once...

[Expert in Punishments], [Dragon Leg Crane Knee]...

Perhaps because one of his legs had been severed at the knee, the blue glow of the latter blue destiny was somewhat dim. Yet the former truly shone with surging blue radiance.

Lin Mo was studying him carefully when the old man keenly sensed it and looked over. Their eyes met at once.

He tilted his head and examined Lin Mo. "Is this lad new?"

The old man spoke neither quickly nor slowly, his tone indifferent, yet for the first time Lin Mo felt an inexplicable chill crawl down his spine.

He knew that using [Insightful Eye] to observe others would eventually be discovered, and he had not dared to try it on martial masters. He had not expected that it would be fine when used before Li Zhiming...

But the moment he looked at this old man, he was discovered.

This old man was at least a fourth-refinement martial artist, and no ordinary fourth-refinement one at that! He might even be only one step away from becoming a martial master!

Lin Mo was somewhat astonished, but on second thought, he understood.

The Li family could contend with the Zhao Family Grain Store on the strength of river transport alone. One had to know that the Zhao Family Grain Store was one of the Four Great Families. If the Li family had no hidden cards, they would have long since been devoured clean.

"That's right. He is a talented man under our Li family's First-Class Sponsorship, and also the disciple of Martial Master Yang Yun from the Changhe Martial Arts School," Li Zhiming replied.

"Good. A fine seedling." Li Erlang nodded. Lin Mo also clasped his hands at the proper moment. "Greetings, Second Master. I am Lin Mo."

After chatting idly for a few moments, Li Erlang stood up and looked at the people under escort. A glimmer of light burst from his clouded, dusty eyes.

"Leave these people to me. I'll first loosen their bones for them. Wait outside, then come in after a quarter of an hour."

"I... I'm a traveling merchant..."

The old man's gaze was like blades and swords. Simply being stared at made his entire body turn cold, and Hu Pangsan began shrieking and crying even more sharply. The Kudali behind him, however, simply fell silent.

"You look sturdy. Then we'll start with you!"

Li Erlang's withered body slowly hopped forward. He extended a bony hand, several blue-black veins throbbing powerfully across it.

With a single hand, he lifted Hu Pangsan's body of more than three hundred pounds into the air. Still hopping slowly, he made his way toward the depths of the prison.

"I hope you can withstand this old man's Nine Rods!"