This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 6 Small Morals
Old Liu was in a hurry to find Xiang Yuan because a murder had occurred. A body was found in a dilapidated Taoist temple in a deserted mountain by the Nushui River outside the city.

Xiang Yuan put away his sword, quickly followed Lao Liu, and asked, "Who died? Does the local Baoyilang have any clues?"

Yesterday, when Old Liu was giving a science lecture, he said that there were Bao Yilangs in several large villages outside the city. I think they should have found some clues there. If not, according to Dezhou's simple and honest character, they should check out Bao Yilang.

Of course, the above speculation is only valid if the deceased is a local villager. If the deceased is a gangster, it is understandable that Bao Yilang has no clue.

"Lin Baoyi said nothing because he was the dead man!"

"..."

Well, it’s Texas after all.

----

The two men took fast horses from the county government office and headed straight for the west gate of the county town.

Although there is no market today, the streets are still quite busy with people coming and going. White steam rises from the steamers and the aroma is so fragrant that people can't help but stop.

Unlike East Street which is paved with money, this is what an ordinary county town should look like.

Xiang Yuan was a little unfamiliar with the horse when he first got on it, but he soon became proficient due to muscle memory. Lu Ming was right, once you learn it, you will never forget it, it has been engraved in your bones.

At this time, the city gates had just opened, and many scholars dressed as students were walking along the avenue, and from time to time, carriages of wealthy families could be seen.

About five miles away, Xiang Yuan saw a academy.

The stone steps and pillars were quite majestic, and the wind blew through the trees, bringing a sense of tranquility. He looked down the steps and saw the gate clearly.

Yulin Academy.

There are couplets written on both sides of the gate:

Etiquette is used to cultivate oneself, and music is used to educate and cultivate talents;

Military power can stabilize a country, and culture can prosper a country and benefit the world.

Xiang Yuan tilted his head, and the horse under him couldn't help but slow down. Lao Liu turned around and said, "This is Teacher Wang's academy. Don't look at it anymore. Time is running out."

Xiang Yuan nodded and followed. The twenty-mile journey was completed in just a cup of tea.

The dilapidated Taoist temple is called "Xiaodaode Temple". It was built halfway up the mountain and has been abandoned for many years with no one taking care of it.

This "morality" has nothing to do with the Qingxu Daode Zhenjun worshipped by the first-class Qingxu Sect in Western Chu. It has a bigger origin and is the Daode Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Ones in Taoism.

Xiang Yuan once again saw the gods from his own world in another world. He was no longer as surprised as he was at the beginning. Shaolin Temple can be found throughout the heavens and all worlds, so it is not surprising that the Lord of Dao and Morality would appear here.

The two men tied up their horses, and Lao Liu walked quickly into the Taoist temple, one step behind Xiang Yuan, and saw the couplets on both sides of the temple gate.

The gold paint is mottled and vaguely visible.

If you have evil intentions, burning incense will do no good;

I stand upright, so it doesn't matter if you don't bow to me when you see me.

Such a moral couplet, coupled with the murder case in the Taoist temple, has a rather ironic and dramatic tone.

Entering the inner hall of the Taoist temple, a dozen sturdy men dressed as warriors stood quietly, some gritting their teeth, some with fierce eyes, and only two people were talking in a low voice in the corner.

Seeing the two constables arrive, the two people who were talking dispersed, one walked out of the Taoist temple alone, and the other walked towards Lao Liu.

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the man who left alone was tall, with arms that went past his knees and a glaring scar on his left cheek.

"Detective Liu, how come you're here so soon? I'm sorry for not welcoming you."

Lin Jianze from Linjiazhuang stood in front of Lao Liu with his hands folded, his eyes red as if he had just cried. He looked at Xiang Yuan and said, "I don't know this constable. What's your name?"

"Brother Lin, please accept my condolences. He is the new constable Xiang Yuan in this county. He came with me to investigate the case." Old Liu looked at the white cloth covering the ground.

"Please come this way..." Old Liu lifted the white cloth to examine the body. The deceased had eyes wide open, was stabbed in the back, had broken bones and tendons, and died on the spot.

Xiang Yuan studied in silence, just listened but did not speak. The deceased, Lin Jianfeng, Baoyilang of Linjiazhuang, was found dead in a Taoist temple early in the morning. Upon hearing the news, the people of Linjiazhuang came and helped protect the scene.

Old Liu carefully examined the body, then stood up and said, "He died last night. The murderer killed him with one blow. It was not an ordinary move. I just did a rough inspection. The details will have to be determined by the coroner."

"The remains of my brother..."

"It can be placed in the charity cemetery."

"Thank you, Constable Liu."

"It's your job."

Old Liu called Lin Jianze "brother" and asked him business-like questions without showing any mercy: "What happened? Do you know who killed your brother?"

As he spoke, he dispersed the idlers in the scene and looked for possible clues left in the Taoist temple.

"Detective Liu, you know that my brother is a righteous man and is fair in his work. Even if he offended someone, it's just a small matter. We can just set up a few tables of banquets and it will be over. It's impossible for him to get killed."

Lin Jianze's eyes gradually turned red, and his fists clenched and cracked. "If you must say who is a suspicious person, there is one."

"who?"

"The fake Taoist fortune teller on West Street in the county town."

"Oh?!"

"Yes, I heard from my brother that three days ago he went to the county town for a drink as scheduled and met that fake Taoist priest. The priest insisted that he was in danger of a bloody disaster and said that he could avoid it by spending money. My brother ignored him and then... his body was left exposed in the wilderness." Lin Jianze choked and wiped his tears, unable to continue.

The calculation is quite accurate.

Xiang Yuan complained in his heart, and probably understood what the victim's family meant. The fake Taoist priest had no ability to tell fortunes, but he had the ability to make money by fortune-telling. The victim did not want to spend money when he met the fake Taoist priest, so the fake Taoist priest killed him.

First, to prove that he is a man of foresight and has the ability to predict things, and second, to take this opportunity to make money.

Don’t worry, it’s somewhat possible.

But there are a few things that don't make sense.

Just to talk about the simplest one, Lin Jianfeng died in a small moral village in the middle of nowhere, and Linjiazhuang only knew of his death after receiving the news. It seemed as if he had made an appointment to meet someone there.

What kind of good person would come to a deserted Taoist temple in the middle of the night? Aren’t you afraid of encountering ghosts?

Xiang Yuan vaguely felt that something was fishy. Either Lin Jianze knew nothing and misunderstood the fortune-teller, or he did it deliberately to frame him.

In short, both brothers have problems!
Old Liu pondered for a moment and whispered, "Brother Lin, let me ask you something clearly. Your Lin Family Village and Zhao Family Village have always been at odds. There have been several arguments over the Nushui River fish market, and there have often been fights. Is it possible that Lin Baoyi was blocking the way to wealth, so he was ambushed?"

"The cowards in Zhaojiazhuang can only show their fists and feet. They wouldn't dare to harm my brother even if they had ten times the courage." Lin Jianze shook his head repeatedly.

"Too."

After asking the questions, Old Liu walked around the Taoist temple, carefully checking it inside and out. He said goodbye to Lin Jianze and called Xiang Yuan to ride away together, preparing to go to West Street to find Tiekouzhiduan for questioning.

On the way, the two men slowed down their horses, each thinking about something.

Lao Liu broke the silence: "Xiang Yuan, what do you think?"

"I can't see anything for the time being. I just feel that the victim's family, I mean the deceased's brother, is hiding something. They insist that it was the Taoist fortune teller, as if they were deliberately misleading." Xiang Yuan told his guess truthfully.

"I think so too, but no matter what, we still have to go to West Street to have a look."

Old Liu narrowed his eyes and said, "I have heard of his ability to predict the future. It is said that he is very accurate in fortune-telling and often helps people get rid of disasters and difficulties. He is a god-like figure..."

(End of this chapter)