Aftermath Stirring Up Dregs

Chapter 49: Aftermath Stirring Up Sediment

Returning to the Asking Dao Pavilion, Li Yan immediately opened his eyes and stood up.

"Are you... alright?"

Sha LiFei knew Li Yan had only been feigning unconsciousness, but he was still worried.

It was no wonder; Li Yan's appearance, covered in blood like a gourd, was truly terrifying.

"I'm fine, just some flesh wounds."

Li Yan casually replied, then with a few rips, tore apart his clothes. The wounds had stopped bleeding and didn't look serious.

Of course, this was the result of the exchange of injuries.

Some of the blows he took from Zhou Bai had used Hidden Strength, twisting and tearing his muscles and tendons. Even his internal organs were injured. Without the Great Luo Dharma Body, he would have likely been bedridden for half a year.

Eliminating the internal injuries and leaving only some superficial ones was merely to protect his secret and prevent the other two from becoming suspicious.

Wang Dao Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took out some wound powder to dress Li Yan's injuries.

Li Yan let him do as he pleased and said to Sha LiFei in a deep voice, "Uncle Sha, you should go out now. First, go to the gambling house to collect the silver, then spread the news that I'm seriously injured, and finally, buy some medicinal herbs."

"Remember, act worried."

Sha LiFei asked curiously, "Why?"

Winning a match easily and fighting to a mutual, debilitating injury would result in completely different reputations.

"It's very simple..."

Recalling the scene after the arena match where Zhang YuanShang and the others had appeared and confronted the Eight Great Vajras, Li Yan shook his head. "I just wanted to light a fire, but they wanted to use me as a pawn. I suspect both sides were already prepared to fall out, and I just happened to be there at the right time."

"The Zhou Family people are not to be trifled with; they will definitely retaliate afterward. Unless something unexpected happens, the other side is also waiting for them to make a move so they can seize evidence and strike."

"But if the news of my serious injuries spreads, the Zhou Family won't be so hasty. They'll just send people to monitor us, to prevent us from leaving the city."

"And Zhang YuanShang and the others won't wait too long either. They'll find another opportunity. By then, the waters will be muddied, and we'll be safe."

"Oh, I get it!"

With that explanation, Sha LiFei suddenly understood. He quickly left, putting on a worried expression, and headed towards the Jinbao Gambling House...

"Daoist Priest, Zhou Bai tampered with it..."

As soon as Sha LiFei left, Li Yan informed Wang Dao Xuan of his suspicions.

"The aura of an ape?"

Wang Dao Xuan stroked his beard and pondered, "From what you've said, it sounds like a type of Puppet Technique."

"An ancient sorcery. It was believed that all things have spirits, and they worshipped ghosts and gods, often summoning them to possess a person, calling it 'descending gods.' Later, it was passed down to the Mystical Arts Sect and, along with forbidden immortality arts, became the two major arts of the Mystical Arts Sect."

"With the rise of the orthodox Xuan Gate, sealing gods, and attacking excessive sacrifices, the Imperial Court suppressed the Mystical Arts Sect. Some secret methods were also passed down to the common people, each with its own derivatives. For example, Yuan Guang and Fuji Shamans in the Gold Gate are evolutions of the 'descending gods' art."

"Puppet Technique is similar, but it uses the aura of living people combined with Yin Energy to perform. There are many types, such as straw men, Chuling, paper figures for probing the unknown, and wooden puppets. Many masters of the Dharma Vein are skilled in this art."

"The Zhou Family must have invited a Dharma Vein Taoist!"

Li Yan frowned, "Not a folk Witch Doctor?"

Wang Dao Xuan shook his head slightly, "These kinds of techniques are all secret transmissions of each sect. Although folk Witch Doctors often borrow the power of ghosts and gods, they are not skilled in this particular art."

Li Yan's eyes narrowed upon hearing this. "It seems I miscalculated. If the news of my serious injuries spreads, the Zhou Family, out of consideration for Zhang YuanShang and the others, won't make a move openly. But they might very well hire a Taoist to act in secret."

"There's no need to worry about that."

Wang Dao Xuan stroked his beard and sighed, "You underestimate the Xuan Gate of Guanzhong."

"In the Guanzhong region, since the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Xuan Gate has been extremely prosperous. For generations, it has been the capital of dynasties, a place where feng shui and dragon veins converge. Countless emperors and generals are buried here, and there are innumerable Taoist temples and monasteries."

"Great trends are nested within small situations. The divine energy is so strong that ordinary Malevolent Spirits dare not approach. Ordinary people might live their entire lives without ever encountering ghosts or malevolent spirits."

"The greatest danger in the Guanzhong region comes from some ancient Qin and Han tombs. During that era, the Mystical Arts Sect was prevalent, and some people, in their pursuit of longevity, would set up traps and use evil magic in their tombs."

"During times of war and chaos, besides those grave robbers, there are also armies that excavate tombs. If one is not careful, it can lead to rampant zombies and ghost soldiers passing through. Therefore, the orthodox Xuan Gate has established altars in Chang'an, Zhongnan Mountain, and Hua Mountain, supporting vast armies."

"During the annual God's Birthday Festival, they either perform rituals to feed and pacify wandering souls, or their armies patrol, destroying mountains and temples, and hunting down malevolent spirits."

"Xianyang is the same. The City God Temple enshrines Meng Chong, a great general from the Qin Dynasty. He was a Grandmaster of military strategy in life and a powerful being among ghosts after death. He has been enfeoffed as the City God to this day, with unfathomable divine power and a large army."

"To harm someone with magic within Xianyang City, at most, you can cause some cursed accidents. Daring to command an army is no different from slitting your own throat with a knife."

"Take the Zhou Family, for instance. They only dared to play some minor tricks. After being startled by your Hidden Strength True Words, their Puppet Technique was easily broken."

"While you sleep, hang the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin at the foot of your bed. Ordinary puppet techniques used to harm people won't be able to get close."

"That's good."

Li Yan nodded slightly. "For the next period, we'll stay at home and wait to watch the show."

Wang Dao Xuan naturally knew what he intended to do and said with some concern, "Being in Xianyang, and with the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin protecting you, we don't need to worry about Xuan Gate techniques. But that Zhou Pan has already reached Transformed Strength, and he's not someone you can deal with yet."

Li Yan looked out the window, his expression calm.

"I'm not stupid; I won't fight him head-on. I'm just waiting for an opportunity to force him to reveal the truth of that year..."

On the other side, Sha LiFei noticed something was wrong as soon as he left.

It was already dusk, and smoke rose from the chimneys of houses in the old alleyways. However, the house directly opposite the Asking Dao Pavilion was tightly shut.

Half a head popped out from above, and it quickly retreated upon seeing him.

"What a coward!"

Sha LiFei cursed inwardly and quickened his pace.

He was an old hand in the jianghu, full of bluster and quick-witted. After Li Yan's explanation, he understood his current predicament.

It was all about feigning illness and playing along.

Temporarily lay low, observe from the sidelines, and don't get blown up like a firecracker.

With a plan in mind, he no longer paid attention to the watchers along the way. He even pretended to be flustered, deliberately choosing streets crowded with people.

Before long, he arrived at the Jinbao Gambling House.

"Well, isn't this Great Hero Sha?"

"You've shown your face today!"

"If only I'd bet on you earlier..."

As soon as he entered the casino, a crowd swarmed him.

They weren't genuinely enthusiastic; in fact, most of them didn't even know Sha LiFei. They were just there for the excitement, to strike up a conversation, and to get acquainted.

In the future, when discussing this matter, they could casually claim Sha LiFei was an old friend, and that the Li Yan who fought in the arena would have to call them uncle.

It was like some people Li Yan knew in his past life, who would flock to rich people at events, take a photo, say a few words, and then brag about being sworn brothers with someone to swindle money.

Sha LiFei naturally understood the game. With a worried expression, he cupped his hands and said, "Everyone, I have important matters today. Let's talk another time. I hope you'll forgive me."

"Of course, of course, Great Hero Sha, you go ahead."

Seeing his demeanor, the crowd had already guessed.

Although they wouldn't say it to his face, they would definitely gossip behind his back. The news of Li Yan's serious injury would likely spread throughout Xianyang City tonight.

Sha LiFei ignored them and, holding his betting slip, went to the wooden counter at the back. Just as he was about to cash out, a servant from the casino respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Great Hero Sha, please come with me. Our manager wishes to see you."

"Oh?"

Sha LiFei's heart skipped a beat.

He had expected to encounter trouble from the Iron Saber or White Ape gangs, but he hadn't expected Manager Wu of the Jinbao Gambling House to seek him out first.

The Jinbao Gambling House had significant backing.

But they had no prior connection; why would he want to see him?

Sha LiFei felt uneasy and followed the servant into a private room on the second floor.

Inside, Manager Wu, with a kindly smile, sat at a large round table laden with a feast of food and wine – chicken, duck, fish, and meat, all very sumptuous.

"Hahaha..."

Upon seeing Sha LiFei enter, Manager Wu immediately stood up and chuckled, "I just knew Great Hero Sha would come by now. I've prepared this feast especially for you."

Sha LiFei was a bit confused. "Manager Wu, what is this...?"

"Great Hero Sha, there's no need to worry."

Manager Wu shook his head. "You saw that day, I have some grievances with that Yuan Qu, but the situation forced me to not openly confront him."

"Today, you showed your might at the arena, and seeing that fellow surnamed Yuan's expression made me feel good. I've specially invited Great Hero Sha for a few drinks..."

Sha LiFei didn't believe a word of this nonsense.

Casino owners were all cunning, and unsolicited kindness could only mean trouble.

Although he didn't know the reason, Sha LiFei still shook his head. "This... Thank you for your kind offer, Manager Wu, but I have other important matters. I need to go to the pharmacy after I get my money."

"Oh?"

Manager Wu frowned. "Is Young Master Li badly injured?"

Sha LiFei's face was filled with bitterness. "He'll likely need a few months to recover."

Manager Wu nodded slightly and sighed. "In that case, I won't insist. Wang Cheng, give him an extra hundred taels of silver. Consider it a small token of my appreciation."

"This... This is too much."

Sha LiFei looked embarrassed but didn't hesitate to accept the money.

As he was about to take his leave, he glanced back at the food on the table and scratched his head. "Well, I still need to order food for them. Since Manager Wu has already prepared it, why don't I pack some to go? It'll save me time on the road?"

Manager Wu: "..."

A short while later, Sha LiFei emerged from the casino carrying bags and packages.

The moment he left, Manager Wu quickly closed the door.

Clatter...

With the sound of mechanisms, the bookshelf in the room slowly moved aside.

It turned out there was a hidden layer and a secret passage in this gambling house room.

A woman in white slowly walked out, her appearance pure and elegant.

If Sha LiFei were here, he would have recognized this woman as the White-Clothed Concubine beside Landlord Lu!