Clever Use of Divine Might, Twists and Turns, Facing the Earth List, Longevity-and-Blessing Heaven Worship

Li Xian thought to himself, "The Mountain-Moving Elder shouldn't be lying. I did notice tiny ant marks when I was by the zither that day. I originally thought it was spilled wine attracting ant beasts. But the Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower is like a celestial palace, standing tall in the clouds, and there were no ant beasts building nests there. Now that I think about it, those tiny ant marks must have been left by Gold-Swallowing Ant crawling over, so there's Wu Cuo." He said, "According to you, the plan has succeeded. Where is the Golden Lock?"

The Mountain-Moving Elder was stunned for a moment, then wailed, "Injustice! Injustice! The Golden Lock isn't with me!"

Li Xian roared, "Still dare to lie! Confess the truth at once, or I'll behead you with just one order from my sister!" His aura surged forth like a thousand-foot wave crashing on the sea, like Mount Tai collapsing before him. There were even faint sounds of immortals chanting and ghosts wailing...

An aura of dominance enveloped everything, as if it had materialized.

When Li Xian investigates cases and apprehends criminals, he often finds stubborn criminals who refuse to confess. Disdaining torture, Li Xian uses his power and intimidation to frighten them into confessing, sometimes to the point of soiling themselves and breaking their hearts.

The Double Pupils and the eerie, Divine-Ghost Malevolent Garment were both objects of "Dread Might," which Li Xian deliberately concealed. However, since they were one with him, how could he completely hide them? Just as Li Xian could conceal his appearance but not his physique, he could conceal his martial arts but not his agility and nimble movements. There was always a tenth or a twentieth that would be revealed. Li Xian had learned to make good use of this "tenth or a twentieth" since his time in the "Deathwish Valley."

This powerful voice concealed the secrets of the great Dao.

Tao Xiangrong looked at Li Xian, her beautiful eyes curiously scrutinizing him, a strange light in them. In that instant, she seemed to hear immortals chanting and demons howling. Then she saw the Mountain-Moving Elder fall backward, his legs trembling, his face turning blue, utterly terrified. With her profound knowledge, she immediately knew that Li Xian's question was unusual. But with her limited experience, she had no clue what it was. It was neither martial arts nor a treasure.

She scrutinized Li Xian, feeling a tickle in her eye, thinking, "The more I know about this younger brother, the more curious I become. If I ask him, he'll definitely deny everything. He's far more cunning and difficult to deal with than people like Xu Shaoqian. Hmph, once this matter is settled, I'll investigate you thoroughly."

Hearing Li Xian say things like, "With a single command from my sister, I will behead you," she knew it was just a way of currying favor, but she was still quite pleased. She watched quietly.

The Mountain-Moving Elder said, "This... this... I would never dare to lie. This... this young hero, Xiangrong Xiangrong Xiangrong's Golden Lock truly lost?"

Li Xian frowned and said, "What do you mean? You've been scheming so meticulously, how could you not know about this? In my opinion, you've hidden the Golden Lock!" But in his heart, he thought, "There might be something strange going on here."

The Mountain-Moving Elder said, "Ouch! Now, it's truly a case of mud on your crotch, even if it's not shit, it's still shit. You two heroes and heroines, now that you've seen through my disguise and captured me, I'm afraid I'll have to die here. There's no need to lie anymore, but... but... the Golden Lock really isn't with me." "My father and I... originally... originally thought the plan had failed!"

"That day, after my father and I finished our elaborate act, posing as the Mountain-Moving Elder and the True Tiger Daoist, no one suspected us. The plan went smoothly, not Non-Self father and I were particularly skilled, but because the names of the Mountain-Moving Elder and the True Tiger Daoist were so prestigious. When Miss Peach played her music, it indeed attracted the Gold-Swallowing Ant. My father and I, thinking we had succeeded, followed them around, picking up the Golden Lock locks whenever possible. But not long after, my... that treasure nurtured by the heavens and earth mysteriously vanished without a trace! In my heartbreak, I also suffered a backlash from my martial arts, resulting in a severe injury. I was terrified and dared not think of anything else, leaving the birthday banquet early." "Recently, I heard that Miss Peach has been hosting banquets for the heroes of the Peach Banquet, and I vaguely sensed something was amiss..." The plan was aimed at the two of us. I suspect it was Miss Tao who saw through our scheme on the spot, strangled the Gold-Swallowing Ant, and then, still not satisfied, decided to deal with us. I immediately considered fleeing that very night. But I clung to a sliver of hope, thinking, "If I flee now, wouldn't that confirm we're imposters?" Then I thought, even if she strangled the Gold-Swallowing Ant, it wouldn't prove we were imposters. Otherwise, why wouldn't she just come and arrest us, instead of going to all this trouble to host a banquet for us? Since that's the case, we can attend the banquet, pretending to be the Mountain-Moving Elder, and simply deny everything. That way, we can get through this. Miss Tao hasn't lost her Golden Lock; she probably won't attack us two martial arts masters because of a few suspicions."

"I never expected Miss Tao to be so sharp, exposing my identity on the spot. Impersonating a martial arts master is indeed a very dangerous matter. But I truly did not steal the Golden Lock! If that Golden Lock is lost, it has nothing to do with either of us!"

Tao Xiangrong frowned, pulled Li Xian to a corner of the room, and whispered, "Brother, what do you think?" Li Xian pondered for a moment, seeing the Mountain-Moving Elder so terrified that he would hardly tell a lie in his haste, and said, "This man doesn't seem to be lying."

Tao Xiangrong softly, utterly disappointed, but forced herself to speak, "Since that's the case, what's the best course of action?" Li Xian said, "Let's detain her for now, and discuss a solution after we help you find the Golden Lock, sister." Tao Xiangrong said, "Alright, we'll do as you say, brother."

Li Xian took out the "Gold-Binding Cord" Gold-Seeking Guard to capture criminals. This rope was made of cold iron, the sinews of a water tiger, and the skin of a land python. It was extremely elastic. When bound behind a person, the rope would slowly contract, gradually biting deeper into the flesh, causing extreme pain, yet it was difficult to break. It was like a vicious tiger biting its prey, or a large python coiling around it. Hence, it was also called the "Gold-Binding Cord." There is a saying, "Heroes from all corners of the land tremble when bound by the tiger rope."

What a man! Bound all over with these ropes, he must have suffered terribly, enduring the pain of his skin being tightly constricted. Li Xian held the end of the rope and flicked it gently. The rope was immediately straightened and had a slightly fishy smell.

The Mountain-Moving Elder dared not resist, only sighed deeply, knelt down with his hands behind his back, awaiting his fate. Li Xian first swung the rope, which looped around the Mountain-Moving Elder's wrist. Li Xian then swung it to the side, pulled, and tugged. From a distance of about ten feet, he had Mountain-Moving Elder's wrist with a simple knot. Binding and capturing a thug was the most dangerous task. The thug would often try to fight to the death in close combat. Although Li Xian had a great advantage, he was not careless. He first used the momentum of swinging the rope to bind the old man's wrist and ankle. Any martial artist whose hands and feet are restrained will have their strength restricted. Then he gradually tightened the restraints, constricting all the joints and limiting the old man's ability to move.

In a short while, the Mountain-Moving Elder was bent over with his knees bent, hands behind his back, legs pressed tightly together, and his chest craning his legs, his whole body folded into a ball of flesh. The Mountain-Moving Elder could only cry out in pain, unable to move an inch. Li Xian said, "It's done!" Tao Xiangrong herself, "This younger brother is quite capable. The rumors are true. Just from this method of binding and capturing, I know he often catches thieves." She said, "Young man, thieves like this are the most cunning. Don't underestimate them because of their small abilities. In a contest with an opponent, they will flee in nine out of ten battles. But their ability to escape is truly formidable. Your binding method is not bad, but it is not enough to completely trap them. The Golden Lock is not with them, but if they escape, it will probably cause more trouble. We need to be more careful."

The Mountain-Moving Elder cried out, "Spare me, spare me! I can't move an inch! Even if you set me on fire right now, I can only scream and howl in agony, I can't budge an inch. Ouch, this rope is biting me so hard!"

Tao Xiangrong said coldly, "Hmph, who would believe you?" She then turned to Li Xian and said, "Sister, you have quite a few skills in controlling people. Come with me, and I'll show you."

Peach Residence is located at the intersection of "Water-Dream Garden" and "Fire-Glow Garden". There is a water curtain in the southwest, which can be used to enter and exit by boat. Li Xian threw the Mountain-Moving Elder into the boat, and he and Tao Xiangrong sailed back to their residence.

Arriving at "Peach Residence; Leisure Tower," one finds a vast collection of extremely valuable items, including genuine poems gifted by gentlemen, rare Precious Extraordinary Treasures presented by powerful figures, and exquisite jewelry, cosmetics, and other precious gifts from sons of noble families...

Years of hoarding had yielded a rich and profound collection. Li Xian thought to himself, "This woman is truly wealthy. She has so many jewels, beautiful objects, and precious items here. I could easily sell any one of them for a good price. It's a pity that most of them were gifts from others. If I were to take them out and sell them, and they were to circulate in the market, I'm afraid the original owners would think I stole my sister's treasures."

Tao Xiangrong walked to the second floor and said to a wall, "I'm usually quite boring, so I like to organize things. On this wall, there are the ' Black-and-White Twin Locks,' which can lock yin and yang and seal internal secrets. They are wonderful tools for subduing and capturing villains. There are also the ' Thirteen Jade Needles,' which can be inserted into acupoints to seal internal secrets and block meridians. There is also the ' Treasure-Transforming Divine Liquid,' which is said to be so powerful that even the most skilled martial artist cannot escape if it is used. Using these things to catch a petty thief is really a waste of their talents. Hmm... this one is more suitable."

He took out two boxes of black ointment from the corner of the wall. This was "Nine-Black Paste," made from the hides and bones of ninety-nine kinds of black-skinned beasts, including black-skinned tigers, black-skinned rhinoceroses, black-skinned oxen, and black-skinned lizards.

Tao Xiangrong her maids to prepare two stone vats about half her height. She filled them with water, added fire underneath to boil the water, and then added the Nine-Black Paste to turn the water black and murky.

Stir slowly until the water becomes viscous and cloudy, then it becomes a gel.

Finally, the Mountain-Moving Elder was placed head up and feet down into the stone jar. He had been bound into a ball shape, which fit perfectly into the jar. As the black glue slowly solidified, the Mountain-Moving Elder -Mountain-Moving Elder was embedded in the stone jar, with only his head sticking out. In this way, he could no longer escape.

Tao Xiangrong her men to seal the Mountain-Moving Elder's mouth and eyes, and plug his ears. His five senses were sealed off, and he was trapped in black glue, bound internally. There was no chance of escape. Four maids carried the Mountain-Moving Elder to a corner of the courtyard, casually placed him down, and then left. The Mountain-Moving Elder was left alone, filled with fear and uncertainty, awaiting his fate. Though he felt a thousand regrets and a thousand sorrows, they remained dormant within him, showing no sign of it. Whatever the outcome, he could only accept it. Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong quietly left the Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower and found the residence of True Tiger Daoist. True Tiger Daoist was the Mountain-Moving Elder's son. The two had already discussed that the Mountain-Moving Elder would attend the banquet first; if he couldn't return, True Tiger Daoist would flee.

Li Xian missed his target, but immediately followed the trail. He quickly found True Tiger Daoist, captured him, and subdued him, interrogating him about the truth. True Tiger Daoist's account matched that of the Mountain-Moving Elder, confirming that he was not lying.

They took him back to Peach Residence and did the same thing. First, they bound True Tiger Daoist so that he couldn't move, then threw him into a black jar, sealed his mouth and eyes, and plugged his ears. They placed him in a corner of the courtyard to await their fate.

Li Xian pondered, "I have a good relationship with Li Hengfeng. If these two are his friends, I should take care of them. Once this case is solved and the Golden Lock is found, I'll find some time to ask Li Hengfeng about the situation. If these two are on good terms with him, I'll try to help them a little. I think it won't be difficult for them to save their lives. But until then, I can only suffer in silence. After all, they did commit theft."

He ignored the two of them.

Although Tao Xiangrong had caught the "two thieves," the Golden Lock she was looking for was still nowhere to be found. Feeling uneasy, she sought out Li Xian again to discuss their next move. Li Xian said, "The Mountain-Moving Elder and the True Tiger Daoist acted strangely, but what they said was true. While they did commit theft, the Golden Lock is definitely not on them. Although we haven't been able to find the Golden Lock immediately, we can rule them out. Currently, the most suspicious person, and the one who actually took action, is only one person left."

Tao Xiangrong said, "It should be Heavenly Star Elder. This person did indeed make a move and left traces. But... Heavenly Star Elder is Earth List, not a cunning and cowardly person like Mountain-Moving Elder or True Tiger Daoist. What should we do? We invite him to a banquet tomorrow. If he refuses to acknowledge us, what should we do?"

Li Xian tentatively said, "With your abilities, sister, could you please invite a ' Heaven-Watcher ' to uphold justice? This matter is quite clear; we will tell you the truth and demand the prize directly."

Tao Xiangrong shook her head and said, "Good brother, this matter is not so simple. The world cannot be so reasonable. Although the matter is obvious, we are both just guessing. Even if we guess correctly, it's still just guessing; we can't provide concrete evidence. But the Heavenly Star Elder is a genuine expert on the Earth List. Even if the Heaven-Watcher, they will mostly confront him, limited to verbal disputes. If they can persuade him, everyone will be happy. If he stubbornly denies it and refuses to admit it, there will be no way to resolve the situation. Should we kill the dignified Heavenly Star Elder on the spot? If so, how could the Southern Heaven Sect let it go? They would probably have to seek trouble with the Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower. The Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower is a unique tower in the world, but it primarily engages in business outside the capital, with fighting in the martial world being secondary. Although there are strong individuals within the tower, they are not like the elders of sects, who can be arbitrarily commanded. Unlike sects, factions, and gangs, which specialize in fighting, seizing land, and spreading their teachings, they are not easily provoked."

Tao Xiangrong said, "Furthermore, the Southern Heaven Sect is a sect that is half evil and half wicked. They claim to be a legitimate and orthodox sect, but their actions are rampant and wicked. Unfortunately, their followers are quite cohesive. If we form a deadly feud, they might frequently harass the Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower, which would be extremely unfortunate. I really do not want the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people in the Changmeng Tower to Xiangrong affairs!"

Li Xian praised, "Well done, I never expected you to be so kind-hearted, sister." Tao Xiangrong said, "This is hardly kind-hearted..." She sighed inwardly.

Li Xian said, "Heavenly Star Elder knew that you stole my sister's Longevity Lock. Why can't we steal it back? Tao Kulin is also a powerful figure. If my sister could use tonight's banquet to ask Tao Kulin to restrain him, then Sister Xiangrong and I could sneak into the mansion to search for it. Perhaps we could succeed. Even if Heavenly Star Elder discovers it and guesses that it was Sister Xiangrong who did it, what can he do? If he dares to break into the Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower, the situation will be completely different. Even if he had three or five lives, it probably wouldn't be enough."

Tao Xiangrong sneered, "It's not just three or five lives; even if you gave him ten, he wouldn't dare. I'd be delighted if this person broke into Changmeng Tower. That completely changes the nature of the situation. But then again, this person is a Earth List Ranking, yet he'd rather steal than rob, showing he understands the dangers. He would never be foolish enough to force his way into Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower."

Tao Xiangrong asked, "What if the Heavenly Star Elder carries the Longevity Lock with him at all times?" Li Xian replied, "If that's the case, then we should ask a ' Heaven-Watcher ' to confront him. However, whether Senior Tao Kulin will be willing to help, and whether the Guardian of Heaven-Watcher will agree to assist, all depend on Sister Tao's own efforts to mediate. I'm just offering advice."

Tao Xiangrong in her mind. "If it really comes to this, it wouldn't be unreasonable to Heaven-Watcher to uphold justice. But if this old scoundrel Tianxing really has no shame and refuses to admit his guilt, things might get extreme. Fine, if it really comes to this, I'll just give up this Longevity Lock. What can I do if my fate is like this?" She gave a bitter smile.

As planned, at three-quarters past noon that day, Tao Xiangrong met with Tao Kulin. She spoke gently and sweetly, explaining the situation. Tao Kulin, knowing the reason and hearing the beauty's plea, laughed heartily three times and readily agreed, saying, "Hahaha, I, Tao, have long intended to spar with a powerful figure from elsewhere. Since it's not a life-or-death duel, but merely a matter of delaying, it shouldn't be difficult. It would be an immense honor to be able to help Miss Tao. I agree!" Tao Xiangrong overjoyed, bowing deeply in gratitude. She then went to speak with the "Heaven-Watcher," explaining the whole story.

That night, Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong discussed their plan. First, they drafted an invitation to Heavenly Star Elder to visit Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower. Heavenly Star Elder, being very proud and confident in his status, should accept. If he had stolen the Golden Lock, he probably wouldn't dare bring it to the banquet. Then Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong could sneak into the mansion to search for the Golden Lock lock. If Heavenly Star Elder went to the banquet, he would find Tao Kulin waiting. Tao Kulin would then entangle with him and hold him back.

The next morning, an invitation was delivered to "Heavenly Phoenix Ward; Tea-Fragrance Street; Azure-Cage Residence" in the west of the city. Every few years, the Heavenly Star Elder would come to Jade City and stay for more than a month to buy things for his cultivation. Rare medicinal herbs and precious treasures... Jade City had them all. Since he entered Jade City, he had been renting a place to live in Azure-Cage Residence. The Heavenly Star Elder had a full head of white hair and a thin body. When he received the invitation, he only sneered and thought to himself, "Child's tricks. Even if you have doubts, what can you do to this old man?" Then he strode away.

He was a true master of the martial arts world, a top figure on the local power Earth List. Just by looking at his demeanor, he was far superior to "Mountain-Moving Elder" and "True Tiger Daoist". Not long after they left, Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong sneaked to the vicinity of "Azure-Cage Residence".

Tao Xiangrong whispered, "The owner of this Azure-Cage Residence is a regular at Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower. I got Terrain Map of this residence; brother, you should get a copy too." The two circled the mansion twice. The mansion was very large, with lush trees and verdant greenery, and the red walls could no longer conceal it. After confirming that there were no powerful figures in the mansion, they sneaked inside to search.

With his Double Pupils and focused mind, Li Xian could see every detail with a single glance. He told Tao Xiangrong Li Xian thieves usually hide their valuables in familiar places.

At this point, one can first examine the footprints and dust marks inside the door to determine the room where the Heavenly Star Elder frequently enters and exits, and focus on that room. Tao Xiangrong asked, "This house has a lake and soil; if it's hidden in the mud or water, wouldn't it be very difficult to find?"

Li Xian said, "If it's hidden in the mud, it's easier to find. But if it's hidden in the water, it'll be really hard to find. It's not like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it's like looking for a needle in a large lake. But I guess the Heavenly Star Elder would rather carry it on his person than hide it in the water. Of course, if he really does hide it in the water, then it will be difficult." Azure-Cage Residence is very large, with pavilions, pill towers, a single cauldron, and a martial arts arena... But the Heavenly Star Elder is only staying there for a few months, and only uses a few pavilions and pill towers.

Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong arrived at the bedroom of the Heavenly Star Elder, but the doors and windows were tightly closed. Li Xian gestured for them to wait a moment, then jumped onto the eaves, lifted a green tile, and peered into the room. Inside, they saw a Crocodile Dragon lying in wait. Its entire body was black, covered with scales, and its breathing was long and silent.

This is the "Southern-Heaven Crocodile Dragon," a rare and exotic beast. It excels at sneak attacks and possesses immense strength. Li Xian focused his gaze and saw a large, snow-white python coiled on the roof beam.

Li Xian thought to himself, "With these two strange creatures guarding this place, there must be something important here. Fortunately, I was vigilant enough. If I had rashly barged in and attracted the two beasts' attack, the ensuing struggle would have been even more difficult to handle."

He immediately jumped off the eaves and told Tao Xiangrong what had happened. Tao Xiangrong wore Wind-Chime Bracelet on her left hand and gently shook it, using her sonic martial arts. The two strange beasts, who were already fast asleep, slept even more soundly.

Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong slipped in through the side window, using their light-footed skills to cautiously probe the room's secrets. Li Xian thought, "The dwellings of martial artists inevitably contain important items. Although I have Fish-Belly Treasure Pouch to hide my most precious possessions, Jujube-Pasture Residence still holds things I value highly. There are many classic texts, Tiger Spear, money, Heaven-Hiding Casket, and recent paintings. Speaking of which... I haven't been able to study painting with my teacher for several days because of this case... We should be able to find some clues here."

After some investigation.

The results were satisfactory.

Although the Golden Lock was not found, a book on forging was found, which described a precious and rare artifact called the "Golden Longevity Bell." It was said that ringing this bell could prolong life, ward off misfortune, and bring good fortune.

Furthermore, this item is required to practice a martial art: "Longevity-and-Blessing Heaven-Worshiping Art"!

However, the "bell core" of this bell requires a very special material to be made.

The Southern Heaven Sect is known for its short-lived members. The Heavenly Star Elder stole the "Golden Lock" to forge a Golden Longevity Bell Golden Longevity Bell, hoping to extend his lifespan and increase his fortune. He might even be practicing the "Longevity-and-Blessing Heaven-Worshiping Art."

This is an extraordinary feat!

Tao Xiangrong was certain that the Golden Lock had been stolen by this person, and she was filled with resentment. However, after searching, she found no trace of the Golden Lock.

Suddenly, a sharp shriek was heard in the distance. The hypnotized Crocodile Dragon and Snow Python suddenly awoke and immediately attacked Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong. The Crocodile Dragon had sturdy scales, and the Snow Python had a powerful body. The Crocodile Dragon was extremely fast, pouncing down from the ground, while the Snow Python, with its thick body, spewed out highly venomous substances from above. The two strange beasts attacked from both sides, and they were truly formidable.

Li Xian, clad in Pure-Gang Steaming Garment, Intent Infusion and unleashed his Heartfire, sweeping it across the room. The flames filled the entire space, forcing the Crocodile Dragon back and incinerating its venom.

Just then, another loud laugh rang out, "Hahaha, Brother Tianxing, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

The "hahaha" sound rang out from a great distance, but by the time the last "shěn" was uttered, it had already come from Azure-Cage Residence.

Another withered voice said, "Hmph, Tao Kulin? What business is it of yours? Why are you meddling in this? In the end, you, a master ranked seventieth on the Longxiong Road Hero Ranking, don't have the ability to get entangled with me, ranked sixty-third on the Yu Nan Road ranking."

As this person spoke, a terrifying storm seemed to erupt within the Azure-Cage Residence, causing the trees to sway violently. With the first hum, the trees he pointed to snapped in rows with a series of cracking sounds!

(P. S.: The top players on the Earth List are gradually emerging. I went to my grandma's house today, so I barely had any time during the day; it was even more tiring than work. This chapter was rushed out tonight. I should be able to update more after the New Year. I will definitely make up for the extra chapter I owe the Alliance Leader.)