"Fellow Daoist, a pot of tea."
At the teahouse.
Li Ping'an ordered a pot of tea.
That single pot cost twenty Spirit Stones. Calling it expensive hardly covered it-it was outright robbery.
Li Ping'an had not been out in quite some time, and he noticed more disciples patrolling the area.
They passed in one wave after another, each looking as though a formidable enemy stood before them.
Li Ping'an asked curiously, "What's going on?"
The teahouse owner said quietly to Li Ping'an, "What else could it be? It's that business with Lin Lushan of Heaven-Reaching Peak.
"Great Sui, Huailu Academy, and the Buddhist Sect have all sent people, preparing to surround and kill Lin Lushan!"
Li Ping'an frowned slightly. "It's that serious?"
Logically, with a scandal like this, Shushan would most likely choose to handle it themselves.
Seeking help from other sects-wasn't that like pushing a millstone bare-assed, making a spectacle of themselves in circles?
"Lin Lushan's position is far too important, and he holds a great deal of vital intelligence. This isn't just Shushan's business.
"Think about it. Now that he's defected from Shushan, where in the Nine Provinces could he flee?
"With his identity, do you think any sect or Lineage would dare take him in?"
Li Ping'an pondered for a moment. "Beyond Demon-Suppressing Pass... the Demon Race!"
The owner cautiously glanced around. "If Lin Lushan really escapes beyond Demon-Suppressing Pass, no one can predict the consequences, and the repercussions would be far too serious.
"So people from Great Sui, Huailu Academy, and the Buddhist Sect have all come."
The owner paused, then added, "I heard even Great Sui's Empress is coming. She'll arrive this afternoon.
"They say the Empress is as beautiful as a celestial maiden. Who knows whether we'll have the good fortune to catch a