It's this guy...
Li Yan Doubts arose in his heart.
The other party was recorded in ancient classics such as <"Biographies of Divine Immortals">. He was not curious. After all, he had seen too many people and had become friends with Erlang Zhenjun.
What makes him wonder is, what is this guy doing in Jinling?
According to the confessions of the previous gang of robbers, this Earth Immortal obviously informed the news and left in a hurry because someone had taken advantage of him, or he was afraid of the Jianmu Organization.
Logically speaking, we should escape immediately and come to Jinling, a place full of dangers...
Looking into the distance Qi Yan Tower, Li Yan had a glint in his eyes.
He had a hunch that things might take a turn for the better.
Anyway, he has already accepted the mission, so there is no rush. After his authority in the underworld is increased, he will not be punished if he takes action. He will first see what the other party wants to do...
Thinking of this, he strode towards Qi Yan Tower and at the same time stretched out his palm to make a gesture.
Hundreds of meters away, Wang Dao Xuan was standing on the roof, holding Yang Seal in his hand and running Divine Ability. With his super eyesight, he could clearly see the gestures of Li Yan.
"There is something unusual in the building, but don't act rashly yet."
He turned around and looked to the side, where Sha LiFei was holding a musket and nodded slightly.
Jinling City is now surrounded by dangers. Naturally, they are not worried about leaving Li Yan alone in danger, so they have divided into two teams to provide relief.
On the other side, Li Yan has arrived at the gate.
When the turtle man greeting guests outside the door saw him, he immediately nodded and bowed and ran over.
"This young master, you..."
Before he finished speaking, a woman walked out of the door and interrupted in a cold voice:
"You go down first!"
"Yes, Miss Wang."
Turtle Gong looked surprised and avoided the two of them without saying a word.
Li Yan looked at the woman in front of him.
He is not dressed in a brothel, but is dressed in black clothes and a bamboo armor vest on his upper body. Each bamboo piece exudes metallic luster and is densely engraved with blood talismans.
She is not pretty, but she has a heroic face. She is not tall but has a straight figure.
This kind of dress is very familiar to Li Yan.
Demon Hunter!
However, compared to the fierceness of Demon Hunter in the north, this woman is more capable, and her weapons have been replaced by rows of throwing knives, muskets and various medicine pouches around her waist.
"Please come inside Wang Lu, Young Hero Li."
The woman had no expression on her face and raised her hand sideways.
Demon Hunter Why did you become a bodyguard?
Li Yan Although he was curious, he didn't ask any more questions and followed him into the building.
As soon as you step into the Qi Yan Tower door, the noisy sound and warm fragrance hit your face.
What comes into view is an extremely spacious "Horse Horse Building" style patio courtyard, which is truly luxurious next to the Qinhuai River, which has a lot of land.
Surrounded by a two-story cloister, the vermilion lacquer railings are meticulously crafted, and the beams and beams are decorated with complex "Su-style colorful paintings". The ground is paved with smooth polished masonry, which can be seen through the light.
In the center of the courtyard, a performance was taking place on a stage about a foot above the ground.
The actors on the stage were not wearing heavy makeup and singing Kunqu opera, but two artists, a man and a woman. The man was tapping the cloud board, while the woman was holding Erhu in her arms and singing a lively tune with a rhythm and vulgarity in the authentic Jinling dialect.
"The clouds are tinkling and the strings are playing, please listen to me playing croak..." The female artist's voice is clear, with a unique charm of the market, "... The Japanese pirates are in trouble, the heart is trembling, Jinling City is covered with swords and guns. Don't panic, don't be afraid, there are heroes and heroes... Ouch, protect us, the prosperous place of the Six Dynasties, the Qinhuai family in Shili!"
This is Jinling's unique local folk rap "Bai Ju".
The lyrics of "White Game" are appropriate to the occasion and have a bit of ridicule. Most of the guests sitting around the audience are wealthy businessmen, literati, and officials. Some are listening attentively, some are cheering, and some are slightly frowning. They may be a little uncomfortable with this aria that directly reflects the current situation.
The air is mixed with the aroma of tea, wine, powder, and the elegant smell of "Yuhua Tea". The waiter shuttles among the crowd carrying "Qinhuai Eight Wonders" exquisite tea and food, moving quickly.
Li Yan's eyes swept over this lively scene without stopping.
The female Wang Lu, Demon Hunter, led him through the noisy courtyard and along the corridor to a more quiet area in the back.
Along the way, we passed several elegant rooms with Xiangfei Bamboo Curtain hanging on them, and we could vaguely see figures whispering.
Finally, the two stopped in front of an inconspicuous door.
The door is made of "chicken wing wood" with fine texture like feathers.
She opened the door with a creak and gestured to Li Yan to enter.
Inside the door is an elegant and quiet secret room, which is completely different from the hustle and bustle outside. An ink painting of "Scenic Scenery of Jinling" hangs on the wall, and a few elegant seasonal flower branches are inserted into the blue and white porcelain vase in the corner.
On a mahogany Eight Immortals table, sumptuous dishes have been laid out. They are steaming hot and full of aroma. The oily and red Jinling salted duck, the attractive deep red braised lion head, and the golden and crispy squirrel mandarin fish are all famous dishes with local characteristics.
However, Li Yan's eyes only glanced over the table, and then locked onto the two people waiting at the table.
On the right is a beautiful middle-aged woman about forty years old with a graceful temperament.
She has a beautiful face and is well-maintained. She wears a long autumn-colored gown with delicate and complicated "phoenix piercing peony" dark patterns woven on the brocade surface. Her black hair is combed into a "peony head", and a "golden hairpin" inlaid with emeralds and rubies is inserted diagonally in her bun.
The swallow holds the pearl in its head and flutters its wings to fly, which is the symbol of Golden Swallow Gate.
On the left is Old Taoist, who has white beard and hair and a slim figure. He is wearing a green robe and is so simple that he is almost shabby. He is incompatible with this gorgeous secret room and the table full of delicacies.
The most eye-catching thing is that he has a huge old gourd tied around his waist.
The gourd is dark brown, oily and slippery. It has obviously been aged for a long time and has been rubbed to a thick pulp. On the surface, a simple word "boil" is carved with a knife, and the strokes are vigorous and powerful.
Seeing Li Yan, his eyes were obviously full of vigilance.
Seeing Li Yan enter, Jinling Golden Swallow Gate led Murong Yan and stood up with a smile, showing familiarity and enthusiasm in his steps. "Young Hero Li young man A hero, famous in Beijing! This time he went south to turn the tide in Yangzhou and killed evil spirits. Who knows in Jinling City now? I have admired you for a long time, and today I finally see you. It is really Qi Yan Tower that makes me shine."
"Please take a seat and try this Jinling flavor. They are all freshly served hot dishes..."
When speaking, his posture was respectful yet calm.
However, Li Yan's footsteps did not move at all, and his gaze was like a knife, directly past Murong Yan, looking at the face of Ge-robed Old Taoist with an old gourd hanging from his waist.
"Zhou Yinyao?"
Li Yan said with an indifferent expression, "How dare you show up in front of me? What do you mean?"
As he spoke, he reached out and held the Gou ultimatum.
You must know your identity by looking at the other person's expression. Instead of passively following the other person's rhythm, it is better to ask directly and find out the reason.
The sudden question instantly broke the harmonious atmosphere deliberately created by Murong Yan.
"Presumptuous!"
The Demon Hunter woman Wang Lu was already standing behind Old Taoist. Upon hearing this, Liu Mei stood up like an angry female leopard, holding down the willow leaf flying knife at her waist.
"How dare you be rude to my master!"
In the small secret room, the air suddenly became tense like a fully drawn bowstring.
Murong Yan had a trace of panic on his face, and he hurriedly inserted himself between the two of them, pressed his hands flatly, and raised his voice a little higher, with urgency:
"Young Hero Li Calm down! Wang Lu, don't act rashly! Misunderstandings are all misunderstandings!"
She turned to Li Yan, spoke very fast, and looked sincerely. "Young Hero Li, I am my concubine! Although Zhou True Person is Earth Immortal Netherworld Criminal, he is definitely not a villain who brings harm to the world!"
"He has been cultivating in the south of the Yangtze River for hundreds of years, and has close ties with the Maoshan, Tiger Gate Order, and Lushan sects."
"What's even more rare is that he has a compassionate heart, secretly contacted his comrades, and secretly formed a Demon Hunter team in various places in the south of the Yangtze River, dedicated to weeding out those evil spirits and monsters that are causing harm to the countryside and beyond Orthodox Xuan Gate's reach, and protecting the peace of the people in that area!"
"Wang Lu is the direct disciple of True Person, and also the leader among Demon Hunter in Jiangnan!"
She took a deep breath and suppressed her rapid heartbeat. "This time Zhou True Person did not avoid risks and came to Jinling in person, precisely because of the catastrophe sweeping Jiangnan."
"He has a long-standing friendship with me, and he knows very well that the ability of the young hero 'Living Underworld Messenger' is related to the success or failure of this situation. Therefore, he implores me to negotiate an agreement, and I only hope that the young hero can put the overall situation first at this moment."
Listening to Murong Yan's hasty explanation, the frost on Li Yan's face not only did not melt, but instead formed a deeper sneer.
His gaze was like a torch, still firmly locked on Zhou Yinyao, who had been silent and with a calm face. He slowly sat down and tapped his fingers gently on the smooth mahogany tabletop, making a dull and oppressive tapping sound.
"Oh? Be compassionate... protect someone?"
Li Yan's tone was sarcastic, "What a highly respected Zhou True Person! Then I would like to ask, since he is so highly respected and cares about the common people, why did he leak the location of Yangzhou Cauldron to that witch Lei Yin?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like thunder exploding!
Wang Lu's eyes widened in anger and he was almost about to have another attack, but was held down by Murong Yan.
Zhou Yinyao's eyes, which had been slightly closed, finally opened. In those eyes that had gone through many vicissitudes of life, there was no panic, only a trace of heaviness.
He put his skinny fingers on his knees and gently rubbed the ancient gourd engraved with the word "boil" on his waist.
"... Sigh."
With a long sigh, the Daoist opened his mouth and said, "Every word of what you are accused of by fellow Daoist Li is justified, but I have no words to defend myself. Revealing the secret of Yangzhou Cauldron is indeed a fault that I cannot redeem myself in this life."
He paused slightly, with deep helplessness in his eyes, "That Lei Yin... her methods are extremely sinister. She found out that Pindao still had several disciples and descendants in Jiangnan, so she secretly set up an ambush and kidnapped them all as a threat."
"This matter is also due to poor Daoism. I was lucky. I thought that the place where Nine Cauldrons was suppressed is strictly restricted. Even if I tell them the location, it may not be possible. Besides, Yangzhou Cauldron will leave in less than two days."
"However, when Pindao rescued his disciple, he discovered that the witch had actually succeeded, and the situation had gotten out of control. Pindao cannot escape the blame, and he will never be able to atone for his fault."
After saying that, he stood up slowly, bowed slightly to Li Yan, and said calmly, "It's too late to regret now. I came to Jinling this time, and I didn't hesitate to expose my hiding place, just to make up for this mistake. I am fighting for my remaining life to find a chance to break the situation."
His posture is humble, but his eyes are magnanimous and firm.
Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, and although he did not speak, the coldness on his body dissipated a lot.
Murong Yan saw that the atmosphere had calmed down a bit, and immediately put on a smile and said, "Come on, Young Hero Li, let's try the fresh food from Jinling first, the white fish is the fattest."
After that, he changed the topic and said, "There is also good news. I know the relationship between Lin Shaodong's family and you. Don't worry, he is not in danger for his life now."
Li Yan's heart moved, and he asked directly, "Senior Murong has taken the trouble. But Li wants to know more, who is stirring up the storm behind the scenes and wants to kill Lin Family? And who killed Tian Chiliarch?"
Murong Yan put down his wine glass, sighed, and said seriously, "This matter is no longer a secret in Jiangnan. On the ground of Jinling, the real helmsmen now are the other two giants in Jiangnan - Gusu Lu Family and Qiantang Xie Family."
"These two families are Aristocratic Clan families that have been passed down for hundreds of years. Their disciples and old officials are all over the government and the public. They are also closely related to many Xuanmen sects in the south of the Yangtze River. Many outstanding figures in the sects are originally the disciples of these two families."
He paused and continued to explain, "They took action to suppress Lin Family for two reasons: First, Lin Family produced traitors like Lin Yaozu who colluded with Japanese pirates, causing heavy losses to the Jiangnan Navy and affecting the Lian Shenguang, Lu, and Xie, as local powerful families, have also suffered a lot, so Lin Family will naturally have to pay the price; secondly, they will take the opportunity to add insult to injury, completely overthrow Lin Family, their trade rival, annex its industry, and strengthen themselves."
"Nowadays, the Lu and Xie families and the legal forces behind them have actually controlled the military and political power inside and outside Jinling City."
"But..."
Murong Yan changed the subject and emphasized, "According to the information I heard, Tian Chiliarch's death was definitely not the fault of the Lu and Xie families. They just wanted to 'follow the rules' and make Lin Family plead guilty."
"They don't know how to do stupid things like killing people and killing imperial guards on the way, and they don't dare to do them. Furthermore, Lin Shaodong's family couldn't tell any clues about Tian Chiliarch's murder. They only wanted to protect Lin Family's innocent people. That's why they were labeled as 'roaring in court and resisting censorship' and thrown into the depths of death row."
At this time, Zhou Yinyao, who had been silent all this time, said, "Old Taoist has been in this Jiangnan land for hundreds of years, and has some kind of close relationship with those dharma lineages."
"If Little Friend Li is trustworthy, Old Taoist can come forward to mediate and use these dharma sources to put pressure on the Lu and Xie families. It should not be difficult to release Lin Shaodong's family from prison as soon as possible."
It seems that this is the condition...
After hearing that he could save Fatty Lin and others, Li Yan's tense expression relaxed a little. He pondered for a moment, looked directly at Zhou Yinyao and said, "Okay, as long as I can keep Dong Lin and his family out of prison safely, I will turn a blind eye to this matter."
"It's just that you just said you wanted to 'make up for your mistakes.' What's the best solution?"
Zhou Yinyao felt relieved when he saw Li Yan's answer. Then he looked solemn and lowered his voice and said, "Old Taoist has been thinking hard and wants to perform an extraordinary method - to unite with all the major sects in the south of the Yangtze River to hold a 'Dragon Offering Ceremony' in Jinling City!"
"Dragon throwing method?"
Li Yan became interested upon hearing this.
He has also heard of this kind of Daoist ritual.
Starting from the Qin and Han Dynasties and continuing from the Tang and Song dynasties, it was mainly used to worship the three Primordial Spirit spirits of heaven, earth, and water. Slips engraved with prayers and ritual vessels such as golden dragons and jade bis must be sealed and thrown into caves, buried in the soil, or submerged in water, corresponding to the officials of heaven, earth, and water.
"That's right."
Zhou Yinyao said in a deep voice, "This method has a long history. In the old days, sea dragons were raging, the ground was shaking, and the West Lake was pouring water. King Qian threw himself into the dragon several times before it caused a big disaster."
"We only need to use Dragon Offering Method to sacrifice to the heaven and earth, and use the power of the mountains and dragon veins to suppress the earth's energy. Then we can stabilize the earth's veins, and the court does not need to worry about defeating the Taihu demon chaos!"
"It is indeed a solution."
Li Yan's eyes flashed, "This method is not easy."
Zhou Yinyao replied truthfully, "Indeed, simply surrendering to the dragon, even in Blessed Grotto-Heavens, is a bit reluctant, but with the help of a Nation-Protecting Divine Artifact, great things can be accomplished. The thing is already on the way to Jinling and will arrive soon!"
So that's it...
Li Yan It suddenly became clear. No wonder the Jinling government was not in a hurry. It turned out that there was already a solution, and it seemed that other dharma lines had also participated.
"What artifact is it?" he asked.
Zhou Yinyao replied, "During the Emperor Xuanzong of Tang period, it was personally supervised by the Daoist sect Grandmasters'Ye Fa Shan'True Person. It was used to suppress the national destiny, ward off disasters and pray for blessings - Da Li Bronze Bell!"