"Let's go, meet them first."
Seeing that there were many people around each other, Li Yan and Wang Dao Xuan were more concerned about the safety of others, so they ignored them and quickly walked into the abandoned old house at the end of the alley.
The alley outside is covered with Lu San's rat eyeliner.
Therefore, before you even get close, the door is already open.
"Master Li! Daoist Priest! You are finally back!"
Sha LiFei was the first to come up to him, with a nervous look on his face, "It's not peaceful in the city, is everything okay on the mountain?"
"Let's talk after we go in first."
Li Yan took a glance and confirmed that everyone was basically fine, nodded slightly, and told the story after entering the door.
"Jade Emperor Temple was attacked. The opponent was an Earth Immortal named Shi Xuanming. He was very powerful and tried to take advantage of Mount Tai Prefect's rotation to seize power. Jade Emperor Temple's master Xuan Sangzi showed up but failed to capture him. It is suspected that two Earth Immortals were also involved..."
"Mount Tai Prefect rotation?!"
Kuai Dayou took a breath of cold air, "My dear, this is a big deal! No wonder it's haunted and the mountain is closed, the water is deep this time!"
Sha LiFei and others were also shocked. They didn't expect it to be involved in such a big matter.
Everyone's eyes unconsciously turned to Li Yan.
Mount Tai is the channel of Yin and Yang, and Li Yan, as Living Underworld Messenger, must be closely connected with it.
However, Fatty Lin on the side was distracted and looked extremely ugly.
"Fat man?"
Sha LiFei noticed something strange about him and asked, "What's wrong with you? Are you scared out of your mind?"
Fatty Lin suddenly raised his head, looked at Li Yan and Wang Dao Xuan, and said in a trembling voice, "Tao... Daoist priest, on your way back just now, you said... that you saw my uncle? Sitting in a green cloth sedan? Not far from here?"
"Not bad."
Wang Dao Xuan nodded affirmatively, "The green cloth sedan, with the healthy servants guarding it, passed by in a hurry. The strong wind happened to blow up the corner of the sedan curtain, and I could see clearly that it was your uncle who is resident in the capital, and I have met him several times before."
Snap!
Fatty Lin sat down on the chair, feeling that his mind went blank, and the last trace of luck was shattered.
He said in despair, "Why is he here?"
"He... should never appear in Jinan Prefecture, let alone Tai'an!"
Under everyone's surprised and puzzled gazes, Fatty Lin calmed down and gritted his teeth and said, "To be honest with you, my fleet was robbed by Japanese pirates and suffered heavy losses. Everyone knows this more or less."
"But there is something else going on in this matter! My family has been sailing for generations and is well-informed, and the route is highly confidential. The stolen goods are very important, so they are kept secret and only a few people know about it. After the incident, the clan conducted a thorough investigation and found..."
He took a deep breath, his fingernails almost digging into his flesh, "I discovered that key information such as the fleet's departure time, route, and strength of the ship's escort, was extremely likely to have been leaked to the Japanese pirates in advance!"
"The action is too precise and targeted!"
Fatty Lin's voice became deeper and deeper, full of repressed anger and pain. "The clan has always suspected... suspected that there is a mole! But this person's status is not low, and his actions are extremely secretive. All clues have been cut off, and there is no conclusive evidence until now. It has become an unsolved case."
"It was this disastrous defeat that severely damaged my family's vitality, and there was no hope of rebuilding the treasure ship! I came to look for Bohai Qiumu, and I was under great pressure, hoping to find a glimmer of hope..."
As he said that, he suddenly looked out the door and said with a gloomy expression, "My uncle Lin Yaozong was in charge of the business in the north of the clan, including Beijing and Tianjin. According to common sense, he should be in charge of the overall situation in Beijing at the moment, or running around to raise funds for reconstruction, so why did he come to Tai'an City?"
"You two just happened to 'see' him when we were near Prince De's Residence and the government office. Just when we were besieged by unknown forces! This... I'm afraid it can't be a coincidence..."
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the old house looked at each other.
Mount Tai Prefect The battle for the throne of God was already a treacherous one, but now it involves a secret Lineage internal fight.
Gods, earthly immortals, unknown forces, Lin Family... Taian City is about to face a storm.
"Master Lin, are you talking about Japanese pirates?"
At this moment, Divine Arrestor Bai Lao Jiu next to him suddenly spoke.
He frowned and pondered, and couldn't help but take off the local tobacco stick from his waist and take a few puffs. Just when Sha LiFei was already a little impatient, he said, "If I remember correctly, the village of Lao Mountain Daoist priest Xuan Wei was also massacred by Japanese pirates."
"In the past two years, Japanese pirates have become more active in Divine Land. Is it possible that Xuan Wei's coming to Tai'an is related to this?"
His statement is purely speculation, but it is also a possibility.
"Go check it out and you'll find out."
Li Yan said in a deep voice, "Mount Tai These three immortals were informed that Living Underworld Messenger had died in large numbers, so they dared to take action. This matter is probably related to Jianmu, and Jianmu cooperates closely with the Japanese pirates."
"If I guess correctly, they also have arrangements in Tai'an City."
"It's almost dawn. Let's dress up in disguise tomorrow morning and find out the situation first..."
In the early morning, Tai'an City woke up in the mist.
Yesterday's haze has not yet dissipated, but fireworks are already rising in the market.
The doors of the shops along the street were set up one by one, and steaming white steam was emitted from the stoves. The aroma of oil cakes, meat buns, and glutinous rice soup mixed with the sandalwood from the incense shops, plus the neighing of mules, horses and animals coming and going, creating the smell of a marketplace.
Pilgrims stranded due to the mountain closure gathered in restaurants and teahouses in the city, discussing anxiously.
But the shouts of the merchants in the city became more and more lively:
"Effective Taishan Stone Dare! Keep your house safe--"
"The newly tied paper horse with high fragrance, Yuanjun will accumulate merits in front of you!"
Sha LiFei wore a wig and plastered his face, pretending to be a down-and-out gangster, and went straight into the "Happy Forest" gambling house in the city.
The gambling house is the most chaotic place in the city, and it is also the place where news spreads.
"Big or small, you place your bets!"
"One, two, three, leopard!"
The smell of sweat and low-quality tobacco was evaporating, and the dice cup made a clattering sound.
Sha LiFei wore a greasy short coat and squeezed in front of the dice gambling table. After deliberately losing three games in a row, he put his hand on the shoulder of a gambler with deep eye sockets and said with a casual smile, "Brother, you are lucky. I heard that a group of fat sheep came to the city. Didn't you think of getting some books?"
The gambler's eyes turned red when he lost, and he spat. "I don't see the fat sheep, but I see bad luck!"
"The day before yesterday, several black-covered vehicles came to the south gate, and seven or eight sacks came down. They looked like children... but the city guards let them go without even checking."
He lowered his voice and said, "The strange thing is that the car disappeared after entering the city. I asked the old dog in the street and he said this is the third wave..."
Sha LiFei narrowed his pupils and threw a piece of broken silver. "Which south gate?"
The gambler initially regretted talking too much, but when he saw the money, he immediately took it, bit it hard, and then whispered, "Which one else is there? The one who is guarding Liu Laizi!"
"Don't go out and talk too much. We can't afford to offend those people."
"That's right, brother is right..."
Those who went out to explore the news were mainly Li Yan, Sha LiFei and Kuai Dayou.
After all, the three of them are all seasoned veterans, and if they disguise themselves a little, they will not be so conspicuous.
Kuai Dayou pretended to be a young carpenter who came from other places to make a living, carrying a small wooden box and wandering to the west of the city.
There are various shops clustered here, which can be regarded as a gathering area for craftsmen in Tai'an City.
Among them, there are several Xuanmen craftsmen who are good at making magical weapons.
Kuai Dayou carried a carpenter's box on his back and walked up and down the street several times before knocking on an old shop with a code engraved on its plaque.
Seeing the old master polishing the gilded chime clock, he deliberately clicked his tongue and shook his head. "This Cloud and Thunder Pattern carving is too shallow to shake off the Yin energy of the underground palace."
The old master suddenly raised his head. "Expert? Could it be that he also took on those urgent jobs?"
Kuai Dayou was stunned, deliberately avoided smiling and said, "What you said is..."
"Don't be pretentious!"
The old chef was obviously a little impatient, "You are an expert, but you don't know where to eat?"
Kuai Dayou rolled his eyes and casually gave the name of a Hui-style craftsman, Chundian.
The old master immediately nodded and said, "Okay, since you are one of our own, I just want to help you."
After that, he led him into the backyard, pointed to the mountains of chiselled copper bells and jade chimes with Kui patterns, and whispered, "A masked guest came half a month ago, and booked more than thirty shops in the city to rush to make ritual and musical instruments! Sixty-four bronze chimes were ordered!"
"I'm such an old man, I really can't handle it. Don't worry, as long as I can deliver the job smoothly, I won't treat you badly."
"So many!"
Kuai Dayou pretended to be surprised, "Is it possible that Mount Tai wants to be granted Zen status?"
"Nonsense!"
The old master said happily, "If the guys used by Feng Chan are all made by the Ministry of Industry Emperor Household God Work Camp, who will get us?"
"Who decided that?"
The old master looked around and whispered, "Yesterday when I was rushing the goods, I overheard that they were going to play the 'Inviting Immortal Music' in the Daiyin Valley!"
"Inducing fairy music?"
Kuai Dayou was shocked after hearing this.
Since ancient times, music has been used to entertain gods and attract immortals, and to set up altars and perform magic tricks.
Pacing the Void Lyrics, Yinxianle, they are all the same thing.
With so many rituals and music, is it difficult to communicate Taishan Nainai?
Kuai Dayou couldn't help but ask, "With so many ritual utensils, will this be a problem?"
"What are you afraid of? The people at City God Temple also knew it and didn't say anything..."
On the other side, on the street opposite Commandery Commandant Office Yamen.
Li Yan was wrapped in a gray cloak and squatting in front of the pancake stall, seemingly enjoying the haggis, but out of the corner of his eye, he locked the red door opposite.
He has been observing for a long time, and even used escape skills to climb high and look far away, but found nothing unusual.
But this is where the flaw lies.
Such a big thing happened last night, but today Commandery Commandant Office is actually calm.
I don't know who was involved in what happened last night?
Or is there something wrong with the entire Commandery Commandant Office in Tai'an...
At Three Religions, a small green cloth sedan quietly stopped at the corner gate, and a wealthy businessman got out.
He was wearing a cloak, covering his face, and looked around warily.
It's Fatty Lin's uncle Lin Yaozong!
Li Yan immediately clicks, run Smelling Mystical Power and listen to Divine Ability.
Although Commandery Commandant Office has a formation that was set up many years ago, it has fallen into disrepair, but Li Yan can still hear some.
Unfortunately, Lin Yaozong didn't say much after entering, and was just led into the tea room to rest.
Finally, half a quarter of an hour later, Commandery Commandant Office, the commander in charge, Zhao Bingzhong, and the fuyatong magistrate Zhou Xian went out one after the other.
Lin Yaozong followed closely behind with two expert guards.
The three of them looked at each other but did not talk. They each boarded the car and headed to the west gate.
Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, dropped a few copper coins, and put them on like a civet cat.
Soon, the group of people left the city one after another.
The outside of Tai'an City is empty, but Li Yan casts <North Emperor Black Water Escape> without any hindrance, turning into a stream of water and following behind silently.
Arriving at the outskirts of the city Three Officials Temple, the three of them suddenly entered a dilapidated palace overgrown with grass.
Li Yan followed closely behind, floating up to the roof wrapped in water, and looked down through the holes.
But when Commandery Commandant Office Zhao Bingzhong took out a silk book, he said coldly:
"Tonight Zi Hour, Laojun Valley."
The government judge Zhou Xian stroked his beard and looked aside, smiling, "Lin Family Have you prepared all the 'blood animals' for the caravan?"
Lin Yaozong was panting from running and wiped the sweat with a handkerchief:
"The ninety-year-old boy Girl has entered the cellar... I just ask you not to forget your promise."
Zhao Bingzhong put the silk book into his arms and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, after I finish this, I won't trouble you again."
"No one will ever know what you did to the Lin Family."
Lin Yaozong didn't know how to reply, so he had to nod and bow.
The government judge Zhou Xian caressed his beard and said with a smile, "Shopkeeper Lin, you are so obedient, but you are ultimately controlled by others. You have managed Lin Family's business in the north in an orderly manner and have extraordinary talents. Is it possible that you are willing to always be subordinate to others?"
Lin Yaozong showed a hint of bitterness on his face, "The adults are joking, but the young ones don't have that ambition."
"Hmph!"
Zhao Bingzhong snorted coldly, "Since ancient times, when you become a king or a bandit, brothers become two families. You can still be in charge of one business, but your sons will all be Lin Family's branches in the future. There is no guarantee. Once you decline, you may be begging for food!"
"To tell you the truth, Immortal Zhao is already planning for you. Of course there will be someone at the Lin Family. You just need to pretend you don't know and go back and take over the position of head of the family."
"Ah?!"
Lin Yaozong After hearing this, his face suddenly turned pale, "You... what did you do?"
"No need to ask any more questions, just go back and take over as the head of the family!"
"Sect Master Lin, when the time comes, remember to repay Immortal Zhao's kindness..."
Listening to the two people's words, Lin Yaozong felt that his whole body felt weak and his eyes were filled with uncertainty.
Li Yan on the roof also had a gloomy expression.
This matter is indeed the layout of Zhao Changsheng...
When the setting sun was like blood, the three of them had returned to the safe house to meet and inform each other of intelligence.
Sha LiFei slapped the table and cursed angrily, "Damn it, even the government office is involved in kidnapping children!"
Kuai Dayou unfolded the drawing of the magic weapon, scratched his head and said:
"These magical artifacts have been tampered with a bit. They look like ritual artifacts for worshiping heaven and worshiping gods, but I'm afraid they have other uses."
"Sure enough, it's really him!"
Fatty Lin, who was originally mild-tempered, was now filled with rage and murderous intent.
"Don't worry."
Li Yan patted him on the shoulder, "No matter what the conspiracy is, kill the person and things will calm down."
"Everyone, take a rest and don't let anyone go tonight!"
Zi Hour's Laojun Valley was shrouded in deathly silence, and the only thing that could be heard was the whimpering of the mountain wind passing by the cliff.
This place is not far from Tai'an City, because there is a huge naturally formed Stone Platform, which is flat and smooth. According to local legend, it was the place where Laojun made alchemy in the past, so it got the name Laojun Valley.
Li Yan was lying behind the rugged rocks, his aura as calm as Kumu's, staring at the bottom of the valley through the night.
Sha LiFei, Kuai Dayou, Fatty Lin and others are also hiding in the dark.
It didn't take long before someone arrived.
But what surprised them was that the number of people who came was far greater than expected.
Many torches form a winding "fire snake", gathering from all directions...