Lin Yan's New Identity, the Ninth Volume of the Strange Book

Trouble?

Lin Yan's heart gave a slight tremor.

Could it be that Duke Lu had long known everything?

While he had been hesitating over how to broach the subject, had this old temple keeper from Phoenix Perch Prefecture City already seen through him completely?

Just as he was about to speak, Duke Lu lightly stroked his beard.

"Last night, you slew the Bear Demon with a single stroke. Such combat prowess is no trifling matter even within the Essence Refining Realm!"

"..."

Lin Yan's expression froze, his feelings faintly complicated.

Duke Lu continued, "Han Zheng guessed that you possessed Inner Strength Cultivation, but even with his breadth of vision, he could not imagine that there could be someone in this world so astonishingly gifted..."

"In merely a few years, you shattered the shackles of the Human Body, surpassed the limits of human strength, and attained the Essence Refining Realm. Truly astounding!"

Duke Lu made no effort to conceal the admiration in his eyes.

"Yesterday, you defended a thousand paces of the city wall, slew the Bear Demon, and exterminated evil spirits. None below the Essence Refining Realm could possibly have accomplished this."

"Moreover, because of Zhao Jing, you are already mired deep in the mud and under grave suspicion."

"At present, every department within and outside Gao Liu City is watching you closely, and there are far too many suspicious points surrounding you."

"Two years ago, you had not even crossed the second threshold of Martial Arts. Yet today, you have revealed Essence Refining Realm cultivation. It is enough to stir up an enormous uproar, one that may even reach Phoenix Perch Prefecture City."

"Essence Refining Realm cultivation is still not enough to suppress the storms rising from every side. Before you are powerful enough, standing out too much may not necessarily be a good thing."

As Duke Lu spoke, his tone carried a trace of wistfulness, as though recalling old events from the past.

"A heaven-sent genius possesses the potential to become a powerhouse."

"But even powerhouses may fall."

"Much less geniuses who have yet to mature?"

"There have never been few geniuses in this world who died young. And those whose potential threatened others, only to be strangled in the cradle—there have been even more."

As he spoke, Duke Lu refilled his cup with tea. "This old man has a way to help you extricate yourself for the time being."

Lin Yan solemnly said, "I am willing to hear Duke Lu's guidance."

Duke Lu spoke again. "People from every side believe that yesterday's demonic calamity in Lin Jiang Ward was settled by this old man."

"Does Duke Lu intend to claim this matter?"

"No!"

Duke Lu looked at Lin Yan with a half-smile. "This old man does not like claiming credit, nor does he like taking trouble upon himself."

He leisurely said, "You cannot take this credit now, nor can you take the trouble that comes with it. So this old man will create a person for you to bear all of it."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Yan asked, "Must we arrange anything further to substantiate it?"

"This old man's words are proof enough!"

Duke Lu slowly said, "Thus, this 'mysterious person' not only slew the Bear Demon and wiped out the evil spirits, but also assisted in the city's defense, sealing the breach and holding six hundred paces in total."

"In that case, I, the Banner Bearer, only barely held a stretch of three hundred and sixty paces of the city defenses."

"To hold three hundred and sixty paces requires at least Inner Strength Cultivation. That is something you cannot hide."

That was what Duke Lu said.

Lin Yan understood as well.

From this day onward, he could continue concealing his Essence Refining Realm cultivation, but outwardly, he could only reveal Inner Strength Cultivation.

"Still, at such a young age, achieving Inner Strength Cultivation in merely a few years is enough to make Gao Liu City wary of you. You must be cautious in the future."

"Thank you for Duke Lu's guidance."

"Furthermore, the appearance of this 'mysterious person' naturally makes him a prime suspect in Zhao Jing's murder."

Duke Lu calmly said, "Therefore, you must still find clues regarding Zhao Jing in the future and prove your innocence."

Lin Yan had initially thought that once this newly fabricated identity took the blame, the matter would have nothing more to do with him.

But from Duke Lu's words, it seemed this identity had some other purpose?

"This old man does not claim credit because there is another reason. Young people such as you will need achievements in the future."

Stroking his beard, Duke Lu said, "When you can withstand the trouble in the future, bringing this matter into the open will become an achievement! Thus, this old man dares not claim credit, lest some young man bear a grudge against me in the future and we forge enmity for no reason..."

"Duke Lu thinks too highly of it!"

Lin Yan rose and offered a salute.

"This old man always believed that you, young man, were cold as frost, proud of your talent, and looked down upon all others. Now it seems you do understand propriety."

Duke Lu said with a smile, "Since that is so, this old man has mentioned 'Zhao Jing' so many times. Why have you still not told this old man what truly happened?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan immediately apologized and recounted everything that had happened yesterday.

Yet as Lin Yan spoke, Duke Lu's gaze gradually grew much more solemn.

Lin Yan wore an equally grave expression. "I bisected this man at the waist. He fell from the city wall into the darkness, yet still did not die. By all reason, he should be some sort of evil creature!"

"But this man once served as a guard at the Temple of Lord Liu, and now he is one of the higher-ups in the City Defense Army. Last night, he even appeared carrying the Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamp..."

"Sky Gazing Tower excels at identifying evil creatures, yet it failed to detect anything unusual about him?"

Lin Yan spoke solemnly, but Chen Yuannü could not help surfacing in his mind.

When she entered Gao Liu City during the day, Sky Gazing Tower had likewise detected nothing.

Moreover, that woman had no breath, no body heat, and her feet did not even touch the ground. Yet she walked through the darkness and attended at the Demon Tiger's side.

Like Zhao Jing, she could walk in darkness and feared not the sunlight of day!

If she was human, why could she walk through the night untouched by evil creatures?

If she was an evil creature, how could she walk beneath the clear daytime sky, unafraid of the Willow Branch Night-Illuminating Lamp, while Sky Gazing Tower sensed no abnormality?

"Such strangeness is truly rare."

After pondering briefly, Duke Lu said, "But I vaguely recall that the secret pavilion within the archives of the Heavenly Supervision Department Headquarters in the Inner City contains a record of it!"

Hearing this, clarity dawned upon Lin Yan, and he immediately nodded.

But at that moment, a thought stirred in his heart.

Then he heard himself speak hesitantly.

"When I cut down Zhao Jing yesterday, his upper body fell away, and an unusual pattern suddenly appeared in his palm."

"It was oval in shape, with roughly eighteen veins—nine red and nine black."

"Later, Zhao Jing's upper body vanished, leaving behind only those words about revenge."

"Throughout today, I have felt a faint unease. I keep feeling that pattern was exceedingly strange."

As Lin Yan spoke, his tone remained grave as he looked at Duke Lu.

Duke Lu's expression gradually turned solemn.

Seeing this, Lin Yan's heart gave a slight jolt.

Sure enough, Duke Lu knew of this thing!

Among all of Gao Liu City, the old man was the most broadly learned, without equal.

Lin Yan had already guessed that, in all of Gao Liu City, only Duke Lu might be able to give him an answer!

"How strange! If Zhao Jing had possessed such an object, he should not have fallen to such a state..."

Duke Lu murmured softly, then raised his head to look at Lin Yan.

Lin Yan's expression remained unchanged, but he asked, "Duke Lu recognizes this object?"

Duke Lu withdrew his gaze, lifted his teacup, and took a sip.

"I have a vague impression of it, but I cannot recall clearly."

"..."

"It is not that Old Man deliberately means to conceal anything. I merely flipped through it casually back then."

After thinking for a moment, Duke Lu said, "It should be in the ninth volume of the Myriad Ancient Tome, in Phoenix Perch Prefecture City."

Before Lin Yan could reply, he waved a hand. "You need not worry. What that volume records is not demons or evil spirits, but divine objects of this world."

"Such divine objects are immensely mysterious. Since one has appeared in Gao Liu City, it is indeed worth looking into."

"Later, Old Man will write a letter and use the Heavenly Supervision Department's channels to send word to Wutong Temple in Phoenix Perch Prefecture City. They can copy that page and send it to Gao Liu City."