Returning to the secluded inn, Lu Chen closed the door tightly, placed a few simple warning restrictions, and then let out a long breath.
Tonight's experience can be described as a close call.
The masked leader in the late stage of Meridian Opening was very powerful. If he hadn't used <Godslayer Slash>'s will to kill at the critical moment to shock the opponent's mind, it would have been difficult to kill him so quickly.
Even so, forcibly stimulating the will to transcend his own realm made his soul ache, Qi and Blood churning.
[System, consumes 30 years Demon Devil Lifespan, repairs the hidden damage of the soul, and recovers Qi and Blood.]
[Received!]
Warmth flowed through, and the discomfort quickly subsided.
[System reminder.]
[Host: Lu Chen]
[Realm: Meridian Opening mid-level]
[Cultivation Method:<Ten Thousand Year Black Tortoise Art>(perfect),<Shadow Demon Trace Steps>(perfect),<Wind Thunder Spell-Breaking Talisman>(perfect)<Black Tortoise Breath Concealment Art>(perfect)]
[Martial skills: Godslayer Slash, Black Tortoise Suppresses the Sea]
[Shouyuan: 125 years]
[Demon Devil Lifespan:370]
Lu Chen was sitting at the table, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table, his eyes flickering.
Ye Family...Ghost Face Mask... Big shots in the court... Monsters...
Several clues were like broken lenses, spinning in his mind, but he could never piece together a complete picture.
"We are alone and weak..." he whispered to himself, unconsciously drawing the word "leaf" on the table with his fingertips. "To confront head-on is to hit a stone with an egg, but if you just sit back and wait for death, you will do what Non-Self Lu Chen will do."
Sixth Prince Xiao Jingyan provided clues and masks, which can be regarded as a kind of incense, but its own power has been greatly damaged. It is not yet known how stable this support will be.
Cooperation with him is more like a high-risk investment.
"We must break the situation, we must establish our authority, and we need resources..." His eyes fell on the word "leaf" again, his eyes getting colder, "Ye Family... Since we are already mortal enemies, why not start with your wings in Capital City."
The idea was set, and the goal became clear: to find out the distribution of the Ye Family's power in Capital City, and to find out the degree of their collusion with Ghostface Organization.
In the next two days, Lu Chen took advantage of the Archives Bureau Banner Sergeant's identity to the extreme.
He was no longer limited to the records on the surface of the Ye Family, but reviewed all the records of Capital City involving bulk transactions of southern goods, medicinal materials, and ores in recent years, as well as related warehousing and transportation records, and conducted cross-references.
Several seemingly unrelated files gradually sketched out a vague outline in his mind - goods from multiple companies eventually flowed to a few specific warehouses in the west of the city, and behind these warehouses, the shadow of the Ye Family could be more or less found.
"Lu Banner Sergeant, you've been quite diligent lately." Supervisor Chen saw him burying his head in the file for days, and seemed to talk to him unintentionally.
Lu Chen raised his head, his expression as usual. "When a new official takes office, he must be more familiar with the old practices. But Li Banner Sergeant knows who is under the jurisdiction of those warehouses in the west of the city? I think the value of the goods is not small, but it seems that inspections are neglected."
Supervisor Chen's eyes moved slightly and he said haha, "The water in the west part of the city is very muddy. It's better for us Archives Bureau to avoid getting involved in it as much as possible."
After saying that, he excused himself and walked away.
This avoidant attitude only confirmed Lu Chen's guess.
During the day, he sorted out the situation at the Archives Bureau. At night, he turned into a ghost and relied on the powerful Divine Sense to conduct on-the-spot investigations.
The opportunity came soon.
On the evening of the third day, there was movement in the house in the south of the city that Lu Chen was secretly monitoring.
Several Ye Family descendants, surrounded by a group of guards, walked out in a big way and went straight to the gambling house where Ye Family had a share.
Apparently, he was there to have fun and collect some bills.
Lu Chen followed quietly.
The gambling hall was filled with people and smoke.
Those Ye Family kids were obviously regular visitors here. As soon as they came in, they were warmly received and led to the private room upstairs.
Lu Chen did not go in. He lurked in a dark alley outside the gambling house. Divine Sense was like an invisible net covering the exit of the gambling house and the surrounding streets.
He waited patiently.
About an hour later, the group of the Ye Family disciples came out satisfied, with faces smelling of alcohol and the excitement of winning money.
They seemed to have no intention of returning directly to the house, but instead turned into a relatively quiet alleyway leading to a gathering place for prostitutes.
That's it now!
A cold light flashed in Lu Chen's eyes, True Qi was running in his body, <Shadow Demon Trace Steps> was used, and the figure swept out of the dark alley like a ghost, so fast that it only left a faint black shadow in the air!
"Who?!"
There were also good hands among the guards. Sensing something was wrong, they shouted sharply and drew their weapons at the same time.
But Lu Chen is too fast!
He is like a tiger rushing into a flock of sheep, never giving the opponent a chance to form a defensive formation.
When swinging his fists, the heavy True Intention of <Ten Thousand Year Black Tortoise Art> perfectly combines with the killing skills honed in Hidden Dragon Trial. Each blow is powerful and heavy, hitting the vital point!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
There were several muffled sounds in succession, and several guards who reacted slowly were blown away like broken sacks. Their muscles and bones were broken, and they instantly lost their combat effectiveness.
"Protect the young master!"
The guard leader's eyes were about to burst as he slashed at Lu Chen with his sword. The sword was sharp and he was clearly a master at the mid-level Meridian Opening level.
Lu Chen did not dodge or evade, his right hand reached out like lightning, and caught the back of the knife with incomparable precision!
The guard leader felt an irresistible force coming from him, the tiger's mouth burst apart, and the long knife was snatched away by Lu Chen with his bare hands!
Immediately afterwards, Lu Chen struck back with a knife, and the back of the knife hit the guard leader's chest hard!
"Poof!"
The leader of the guard spurted blood and flew backwards, hit the wall, and passed out.
All this happened in a flash of lightning. By the time the Ye Family disciples recovered from their drunkenness and shock, all the guards they had brought with them had fallen to the ground.
Seeing Lu Chen approaching like a murderous god step by step, and the cold and ruthless expression on his face, these usually domineering playboys were suddenly frightened, their legs weakened, and they collapsed to the ground.
"Okay... my dear man, spare your life! I'll give you the money... all the money!" One of them trembled and took out all the banknotes and jewelry on his body.
Lu Chen didn't even look at the belongings. His eyes were like cold knives, sweeping over these people.
"Where else is Ye Family's stronghold in Capital City besides the silk shop, this house, and this gambling house? What is its connection with Ghost Face? Tell me!"
His voice was not high-pitched, but it carried an unquestionable majesty and murderous aura.
"I... I don't know what Ghost Face..." a disciple stammered.
Lu Chen's eyes were sharp, and he pointed at a sore point of his like the wind.
"Ah--!" The shrill scream echoed in the alleyway.
"I said! I said!" Another person was so frightened that he quickly said, "There is also... there is also a warehouse in the west of the city, which is managed by the seventh uncle... mainly... mainly to store some medicinal materials and ores shipped from the south... Ghost... I really don't know what Ghost Face is..."
Chengxi Warehouse?
Medicinal minerals?
Lu Chen's heart moved and he wrote down this information.
He pressed a few more questions, and after confirming that he couldn't extract any more effective information about Ghost Face, he stopped staying.
He swept away the scattered banknotes and valuables - these were the Cultivation Resources he urgently needed - and then disappeared into the shadows of the alley in a flash, as if he had never appeared before.
The whole process was neat and tidy, from taking action to leaving in no more than twenty breaths.
The news was like wings, spreading quickly among the major forces in Capital City.
Ye Family's descendants were attacked in the street in Capital City. All the guards were injured and their belongings were robbed!
Although no one was killed, this slap hit Ye Family firmly on the face, causing burning pain.
Several Aristocratic Clan who were close friends with the Ye Family issued fierce condemnations, saying that such acts were lawless and the perpetrators must be severely punished.
The forces that have always been at odds with the Ye Family secretly applauded and were happy to see him defeated.
Most of them were watching with cold eyes, secretly speculating on the identity and purpose of this daring person. The water in Capital City seemed to be getting muddier.